《Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys》


 Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Trimming Donkey Hooves

    Harvest Moon.


    In Meister County, at shgold Town, the courtyard outside Habsburg Manor.


    A slender, ck-haired boy stood in a corner of the outer courtyard, holding his head where arge lump throbbed, as he stared nkly at the empty expanse of the yard and the towering castle in the distance.


    "Hiss! Where is this ce?" Rein cradled his aching head as he took in his surroundings.


    In the courtyard, a group of teenage boys in coarse tunics formed a half-circle, watching arge, muscr adult man trim a donkey''s hoof.


    "This... this is hoof trimming???"


    Rein was bbergasted!


    Soon after, a flood of memories surged into his mind, passing by like images in a slideshow!


    "My name is now Rein, and I was identally kicked in the head by a donkey an hour ago. The lump on my forehead hasn''t subsided yet."


    "The adult trimming the donkey''s hoof is the cksmith of Habsburg Manor."


    "....."


    Suddenly, the still dazed Rein heard the loud rebuke of the hoof trimming master.


    "You little brats, didn''t you eat your breakfast? Can''t even hold down a donkey''s hoof!"


    "Hurry up, hold it down!"


    Two young servants were sweating profusely as they tried to hold the donkey''s hoof, but their youth rendered them shaky against the strong animal.


    Rein shook his head as he watched; both young servants, like himself in this body, were weaklings who naturally couldn''t hold down the hoof!


    ording to the memories in his mind, the original upant of this body had joined the Habsburg Manor''s servant training only two days ago, only after his family squeezed out most of their savings and greased the palms of the manor''s servant chief to finally secure a spot.


    In this world, there''s a custom where nobles withnds generally select a small number of people to be official servants through servant training and examination, grooming them from a young age.


    Typically, positions for male servants include coachman, guard, cook, baker, butcher, wine maker, cksmith, dog trainer, falconer, and so on.


    After three months, the manor will organize an assessment to recruit five outstanding young servants to be official household servants, including two cksmith apprentices, two guards, and one dog trainer.


    So, the training content for this batch of male young servants is all centered around these three positions.


    "An otherworldly version of civil servant exams?!"


    An idea suddenly popped into Rein''s mind.


    "Transferring here is one thing, but is the goal of my diligent efforts really to be someone''s servant? What kind of nonsense is this?!"


    "That''s just nuts!"


    At that moment, the chattering rattle of conversation exacerbated Rein''s headache, which was already throbbing from a donkey''s kick.


    Enduring the pain, Rein nced sideways and saw several tall young servants in clean linen tunics not far from him, pointing andughing at him while bursting into boisterousughter.


    "Kicked by a donkey... too hrious!"


    Upon seeing these individuals, rted memories of the original body slowly emerged in Rein''s mind.


    These "elites" among the young servants were all children of the town''s shop owners, effectively the "rich second generation." They stuck together and frequently bullied other young servants.


    Rein, having just arrived, was no exception and was immediately set upon by them, daily tasked with cleaning the dormitory��a job that should have been rotated among the young servants ording to the rules.


    "That one with the thick eyebrows is the son of the town''s tavern owner, nicknamed Thick Brows."


    "The freckled-faced one, the son of the town''s hotel owner, nicknamed Freckles."


    "The one in brown linen shorts is the son of the town''s tanner, he''s alright, no nickname."


    "...."


    "Damn, how useless! To be bullied by a bunch of kids?" Rein lowered his head to look at his scrawny body and shook his head helplessly.


    After the group mocked Rein for a while, they began to chat about various topics, and Rein, needing to understand this world, pretended not to care while listening intently!


    "Did you hear? Albero Town, not far from our shgold Town, was attacked by a wandering ogrest night, many were killed or injured," said the boy with freckles softly.


    The freckle-faced boy''s family owned an inn; he was one of the only two well-informed rich kids.


    "Is it true, why has it been all this kind of newstely! Just a few days ago, I heard from the merchant caravan that there seems to have been a cult sacrifice in Monheim Town, and quite a few people died," the thick-browed boy said with a terrified look on his face.


    The thick-browed boy''s family runs a tavern, another person who''s well-informed on thetest gossip.


    "Ah, if only there was a chance to go to County Town, life there is much safer!" the tanner''s son sighed and said.


    "It''s not that easy! Only if you can make it through the selection and be an official guard, then get noticed by superiors and transferred to the main household in County Town, which is extremely difficult," the freckle-faced kid shook his head.


    "Yeah, but no matter what, bing an official guard after passing through the manor''s selection is the first step..." the thick-browed boy said confidently, waving his sturdy arm.


    "....."


    Rein, hearing the content above, couldn''t help but fall into deep thought.


    "Ogres?"


    "Cultists?"


    "Could this be a Transcendent world?"


    Rein couldn''t help feeling a little excited, worried, and full of yearning in his heart!


    He just didn''t know what sort of Transcendent world this was.


    There was very little rted memory information in his mind!


    Because his original self had never ventured outside the limits of this small town, he had never encountered monsters or any mysterious existences.


    However...


    Wandering Bards and mercenariesing from afar often brought all sorts of incredible news, about monsters frequently lurking in the night, gigantic sea monsters in the ocean, haunted houses in busy markets, and highly fatal gues, among many others.


    The previous him would always treat these stories as if they were fairy tales.


    Listening to the tone of the rich kids, could these stories be true?


    Rein stroked his chin and pondered for a while.


    "Next group, Rein, George!" Baal shouted.


    Hearing his name, Rein immediately stood up and joined a boy with light yellow short hair, beginning the arduous task of pressing down on a donkey''s hoof.


    At that moment, cksmith Baal stepped forward, easily picking up arge iron shovel and began to trim the overgrown, bent hooves of the donkey.


    However, it seemed there was still some inmmation in the center of this donkey''s hoof, a faint trace of pus oozing out during the trimming process.


    "Hee-haw!"


    The robust ck donkey, suddenly feeling pain during the trimming, let out a loud bray, its body violently shaking and struggling.


    Rein immediately went all out to secure the donkey''s hoof in ce, preventing it from moving and affecting Baal''s trimming.


    In less than two minutes, sweat was already pouring down Rein''s forehead, and his ck hair began to stick to his forehead in clumps as his strength was nearly depleted.


    "Luckily, this is thest hoof of this donkey."


    "Once we''re done with this ck donkey, the next group of apprentices will take over, and I''ll be able to rest for a bit and catch my breath," he thought.


    "Watch closely, you need to be bold yet careful when trimming hooves, and keep your wrist loose..." Baal demonstrated and exined as he worked.


    When thest hoof was finished, Rein and George copsed onto the ground like deted balls.


    Their wilted appearance immediately drewughter from the "rich kids" standing by!


    Faced with such mockery, George''s face flushed with anger, but Rein remained indifferent, even pausing for a moment.


    Because a transparent box suddenly appeared on his retina and automatically flipped to the second page.


    On the second page were several lines of small text and a bunch of icons.


    [You have assisted in hoof-trimming work;prehension improved!]


    [You have learned a new Skill��Hoof Trimming]


    [Your Skill Hoof Trimming received an upgrade, Experience +1]


    [Congrattions! You have triggered the Job Panel��cksmith Apprentice]

 Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Profession [Blacksmith Apprentice]

    The title on the first line of the page reads in fourrge characters: Apprentice cksmith lv1 (0/100), with a dense array of icons below it.


    Except for the one icon at the bottom that was lit up, all the other icons were dim and obscure. Despite Rein trying hard to inspect them by squinting, he found he could not make them out clearly.


    The lit-up icon was the "nailing horseshoes" skill that had just been prompted.


    The icon was shaped like a rounded square, creatively depicted with a central image of the bottom of a hoof facing upwards, and beside it was a ck iron shovel, vivid and lifelike.


    Beneath the icon, there were a few small words: nailing horseshoes lv1 (1/100).


    However, Rein was still a bit puzzled.


    Logically speaking, if his fixing of the donkey''s hooves could trigger the vocational panel, shouldn''t it have triggered the Veterinarian vocational panel?


    Why did it trigger the Apprentice cksmith vocational panel instead!


    Could it be because the skill of fixing donkey hooves was taught by a cksmith?


    Or was it because in this world, tasks like fixing donkey hooves and nailing horseshoes were done by Apprentice cksmiths?


    Rein shook his head slightly, baffled!


    Regardless, triggering the Apprentice cksmith vocational panel was always a good thing.


    What was the status of a cksmith in the Age of Cold Weapons?


    Those who know, know!


    Rein touched his chin, and a smile suddenly appeared on his lips.


    "Hey, Rein, what are you grinning about?" George tugged on him.


    George had blond short hair and anky figure, Rein''s only close friend.


    "Come on, do you want to do another round? It''s someone else''s turn now," George said, tilting his chin.


    Rein pondered for a moment.


    "Master Baal, may I go for another round?" Rein said, turning to Master Baal under the astonished gaze of the serving boys.


    His best pal George was constantly tugging subtly at his ragged clothes behind him, anxiously whispering lowly, "Rein, did a donkey kick your head?"


    The next second, his voice abruptly stopped.


    "Stop pulling, or I''ll have nothing to wear at all." Rein lifted the worn cloth coat, now nearly a strip of cloth.


    Rein''s volunteering surprised Baal. He looked at Rein''s serious face, then nodded and said:


    "Okay, then.... Engels, you''re up next round."


    Engels was the son of the town''s tanner, dressed in brown linen shorts.


    Upon hearing he could rest, he walked aside, chatting cheerfully again!


    Engels even patted Rein''s shoulder on his way out, saying, "Smart move!"


    This wasn''t against the rules, after all, doing another round was Rein''s own suggestion, and besides, Engels aimed to be a guard at Habbs Manor, not an Apprentice cksmith��the task of fixing donkey hooves was something he absolutely didn''t want to touch!


    After working all morning, Rein stopped to rest only when he could hardly move anymore.


    This body was truly a bit too weak; otherwise, Rein figured he could havested even longer.


    Looking up at the panel, although his hands were trembling from fatigue, seeing the screen full of Experience +1 still felt as sweet to Rein as if he had eaten honey.


    [You assisted in fixing donkey hooves, insight improved!]


    [Your skill nailing horseshoes has improved, Experience +1]


    [You focused on learning nailing horseshoes for one hour, Apprentice cksmith Professional Experience Points +1]


    [Your skill nailing horseshoes has improved, Experience +1]


    [Your skill nailing horseshoes has improved, Experience +1]


    ...


    Circle the key points, Experience +1 and Apprentice cksmith Professional Experience Points +1, these two are different.


    The rate of increase in skill Experience is far greater than that in Apprentice cksmith Professional Experience Points.


    Looking at the skill��nailing horseshoes lv (12/100), Rein couldn''t help but fall into thought.


    In just one morning, he had gained 12 Experience points �C truly, the rate of increase wasn''t slow!


    After all, he was only helping to hold down the donkey''s hooves, not fixing them himself.


    However....


    There were only a few dozen donkeys within Habbs Manor.


    So, at most, he could fix donkey hooves for one more day tomorrow, and then, the task of fixing donkey hooves would be done. After that, if he wanted to further improve his nail horseshoes skill, he would have to wait till next month or even the month after.


    Looking at it that way, it seemed he wouldn''t be able to level up the skill nailing horseshoes any time soon!


    Moreover....


    Rein nced at the Apprentice cksmith, particrly the experience bar at the bottom right of the words lv1 (2/100).


    The Professional Experience had only increased by two points!


    Could it be because fixing donkey hooves was too unrted to the Apprentice cksmith profession?


    Rein sighed internally, a bit troubled!


    "How many years and months will it be before I can level up the Apprentice cksmith?"


    "The assessment is in three months; if I can''t advance by then, there''s no chance at the assessment!"


    Thinking about it, Rein flipped the panel back to the first page.


    "Huh! Is this first page��the attribute panel?"


    Name: Rein Can


    upation: Apprentice cksmith lv1


    Constitution: 5


    Strength: 4


    Agility: 6


    Spirit: 8


    (Note: Ordinary adult males have an attribute of 6 for all fields.)


    "Only 4 points in Strength.... absolutely feeble attributes! No wonder I struggled to hold down even a donkey''s hoof!" Rein sighed helplessly internally.


    With Spirit being the highest at 8 points, higher than an ordinary adult''s��perhaps it was because of the merger between him and his original body?


    "Rein, let''s go, stop dawdling! Off to lunch," his best friend George called out.


    "What''s going on with you today? Why are you always so distracted?" George asked with concern.


    Rein smiled slightly and said casually, "Maybe it''s because I got hurt and I''m just overthinking. Let''s go, lunch!"

 Chapter 3: Chapter 2 Profession [Blacksmith Apprentice]_2

    George was momentarily startled and then realized it was true, as he often found himself daydreaming!


    Moreover, his buddy Rein had his... by a donkey.


    The treatment of child servants at the Habsburg manor wasn''t too bad, at least they could scrounge a rtively "sumptuous" meal.


    A piece of ck bread, half a smoked fish, and a big bowl of vegetable broth��that was Rein and the other child servants'' lunch.


    Looking at the food which did little to whet Rein''s appetite, his friends beside him were swallowing salivating, their Adam''s apples bobbing ceaselessly.


    As a formal Attendant shouted, "Eat up!"


    Everyone began to wolf down their food.


    Rein felt the loaf of ck bread the size of a brick, its coarse texture and hard crust��boy oh boy! This couldn''t really be a brick painted ck, could it?


    He nced sideward, where his friends were already tearing the ck bread roughly apart, crushing it into the nd vegetable soup, which soon thickened.


    Rein nodded slightly, understanding this method which was simr to eating naan.


    After doing the same, Rein also began to swallow eagerly.


    "Ptooey! There are even wood shavings in the ck bread! This stuff really isn''t fit for humans to eat!"


    Rein was speechless for a moment, thinking back to his past life when he had no idea what kind of meat was in his delivery food��that was sad enough.


    But this world was even worse, with no meat to be had at all!


    Rein struggled to swallow while his thoughts drifted.


    "This child servant training kind of reminds me of the military training in my previous life, just that itsts much longer, a full three months, and then there''s the assessment that I''ve been so anxious about."


    "Although I have the panel, based on the current rate of progress, it''s still a bit slow. To pass the assessment and be a cksmith apprentice smoothly, I''ll need to find ways to speed things up."


    "As for bing a guard? Of course, I want to! Holding a shield and sword, d in armor, just thinking about it gets my blood boiling!"


    "But...bining both my lives, I''ve never learned any swordsmanship or the like, so I''ll need to find an opportunity..."


    "But I must change this current situation!"


    Rein nced at his buddy George, who was staring into space ahead, seemingly lost in thought about something.


    Following his gaze, Rein saw a girl in a gray linen maid''s outfit bending over to clear the table, her slightly upturned posterior sketching an alluring curve.


    So that''s what captured the young boy''s heart!


    Immediately, rted memories of the former body surfaced; the girl''s name was Sophia, around their age, also a child servant of the manor.


    The difference is that the girls'' servant training is quite distinct from the boys'', usually starting with washing, cleaning, andundry.


    Girls typically develop and mature earlier than boys. By now, Sophia could be considered a bud ready to bloom!


    Looking around, Rein noticed that Sophia attracted not just George''s gaze but that of several other youngds as well.


    However, for the long-tempered Rein, the allure of a maiden''s maid outfit was nothing much!


    But for teenage boys at the dawn of their hormones, it was a distraction that could make them forget to eat or sleep.


    "George, what are you looking at?"


    George startled, his face turned red as he held up half of the ck bread, "No... nothing, Rein. Oh, you worked hard all morning, if you''re not full, here, you can have my half, too."


    "Are you sure you''ve got enough?" Rein looked up at George, asking in surprise.


    "I''m almost full; you eat it," George said reluctantly.


    In fact, he could have squeezed that bit of ck bread into his stomach; he wanted to use it to shut Rein up.


    Besides, he felt that after Rein had been injured yesterday and had worked so hard today, he truly needed to replenish his strength.


    Rein nodded, silently giving his best buddy George a "good guy card" in his mind, but as for the ck bread mixed with sawdust, he could only decline politely!


    After a while, Rein thought about it and felt that it was necessary to remind his buddy, so he said in a low voice without lifting his head:


    "George, even if you look at her a hundred times, she won''t be yours! Instead of wasting time, think about how to pass the assessment. As long as you pass the assessment, she will be yours!"


    Suddenly, George''s face turned bright red, and he looked around in panic before anxiously saying:


    "Rein, even though we are best friends, you can''t just say anything, I didn''t peek at Sophia...."


    "Hehe... I didn''t mention anyone; you''re the one who said Sophia."


    Instantly, George was dumbfounded, realizing his buddy had be much more perceptive after his brain got kicked by a donkey, as if he had be smarter than before!


    "Getting kicked in the head by a donkey also has its advantages?!"


    In the afternoon, a group of child servants continued to learn how to trim donkey hooves.


    After eating lunch, Rein''s strength had mostly recovered; even though he still had back pain, he was motivated by the constant +1, +1 increase in Experience.


    Rein was full of energy!


    However, the child servants hadn''t trimmed many donkey hooves in the afternoon when they saw more than twenty young men and women, mostly men, arrive at the central yard outside the castle.


    The neers appeared to be about the same age as Rein and the others, but the boys were tall, and the girls were youthful, beautiful, and exceptionally well-dressed, looking very much like the castle''s owners.


    As the group came closer, memories from his original self informed Rein that these were the offspring of some lower nobility and wealthy merchants under Count Habbs, training as Knight Attendants at the Habsburg estate.


    Since the Habsburg estate was only a half-day''s journey from County Town��a mere hour by horse��it made sense to hold Knight Attendant training there as it was the birthce of the Habus family, continuing a tradition.


    Rein nced back at the rich kids beside him; it turned out they were all "faux rich second generations"!


    The neers were the real deal��authentic "second generations"!


    The outer courtyard was arge enclosed space, typically used as a training ground for Knight Attendants and guards, but sometimes a small section was designated for other purposes.


    Meaning, these child servants were essentially interlopers upying the training grounds meant for the true second generations.


    "Snap!"


    "Ouch!"


    A child servant who was staring at the real second generations got pped on the head by Baal.


    Only to hear Baal say disdainfully:


    "You little rascals, don''t be envious. They are born into a level you couldn''t reach in your lifetime no matter how hard you try!"


    "You lot! If you learn a good craft well, you''ll be able to livefortably in the future."


    Crude, but not devoid of reason.


    Rein agreed with Baal; in such times, upward social mobility was nearly impossible. If the child servants could learn one or two crafts well, that would be enough to secure their livelihood.


    Huh!


    Rein''s pupils shrank; it seemed he had seen something unbelievable.

 Chapter 4: Chapter 3: The Transcendent World

    He saw a stalwart man at least 1.9 meters tall, d in gray metal armor, yet still striding as if on wings, wielding a Dual-Handed Greatsword wider than a palm, deliver a ferocious downward sh that struck a standing, bar-shaped stone block heavily.


    "Whoosh!"


    A silvery arc shed by.


    "Crack!"


    The top half of the stone bar fell off at an angle,nding heavily on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.


    The freshly-cut surface of the stone was smooth and free of burrs.


    Immediately, the true second-generation heirs began pping their hands.


    "Amazing, Instructor Perez is really something!"


    "Wow! Is this the strength of a real Knight? I don''t know when I''ll be able to reach this level."


    "....."


    Rein watched the scene unfold before him, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.


    "A thick stone bar, hardly liftable by one person, split with a single sword strike??"


    "Is this something a human could possibly do??"


    If the memories of transcendence and the unknown he had before were merely based on hearsay from Wandering Bards and mercenaries, now, this scene was unfolding right before Rein''s eyes!


    For a modern person, this impactful and vivid scene was akin to witnessing Iron Mannding on one''s own balcony, leaving Rein utterly dumbfounded!!


    After a prolonged moment of shock, Rein nced at his transparent panel and realized it suddenly lost its appeal!


    Even if he truly became a cksmith, that would still make him just an ordinary person....


    This world is indeed a Transcendent world!


    Those wealthy heirs weren''t bragging!


    All the hearsay in the original host''s memory was true!


    "No way!"


    "Now that I''m in a Transcendent world, if there''s ever a chance to be Transcendent, I must try my hardest!"


    "Otherwise, what difference would there be from a salted fish!"


    In the midst of his shock, Rein made up his mind!


    At that moment, something changed in the center of the training ground.


    It seemed that among those true second-generations, a noble girl dressed in hunting gear voluntarily stepped forward, wishing to spar with the burly swordsmanship instructor Perez, who was dressed in full armor.


    From Rein''s perspective, he couldn''t see the girl''s face, but from the side alone, he could sense that the noble girl must be beautiful, with a tight figure, like a leopardess ready to pounce.


    Indeed, the swordsmanship instructor Perez epted, and the two soon crossed swords.


    "ng!!"


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    The shapely noble girl began the duel with a Leap sh, holding a two-handed sword, shing head-on against Perez''s greatsword.


    This strike hit Rein squarely in the heart.


    If the feat of splitting the stone earlier could possibly be attributed to personal talent, the sh they just witnessed, with very real sparks flying, confirmed the immense strength of both participants.


    The fact that a noble girl possessed such great strength was indisputable proof that this world was a Transcendent one!


    Rein could think of no other reasonable exnation.


    "Cling ng cling ng!!"


    Although the noble girl wielded a heavy metal greatsword, her movements were incredibly fast, her figure agile like a gazelle, swiftly changing positions with a mere toe''s touch, continuously attacking Perez from various tricky angles.


    Her chestnut ponytail bounced behind her with each leap.


    Much like a rock in the sea, the swordsmanship instructor Perez remained steadfast, not initiating any counterattacks, but instead standing firm, continually parrying the noble girl''s assaults.


    "Smooth Cleaving sh!!"


    After the aristocratic young girl let out a sharp rebuke, she leapt several meters high. Mid-air, her lively figure tensed up like a bowstring pulled to its limits, brimming with explosive power.


    In an instant, the girl swiftly swung the broad two-handed sword��at least one and a half meters in length��drawing a semi-circr arc with a downward angle of forty-five degrees, and fiercely cleaved down towards the swordsmanship instructor Perez!


    "ng!!"


    A teeth-gritting metallic friction noise rose!


    Even though the child servants like Rein were at least twenty to thirty meters away from them, their ears ached from the impact of the collision, and their gums felt numb.


    The true second generations up front also couldn''t withstand it, frowning and covering their ears. Only four or five people managed to watch the sparring match without changing their expressions.


    Suddenly, a small spark of gray light sshed from the sh of the swords to the ground about a meter in front of Rein.


    Since thending spot was close to Rein, he could clearly see that the spark seemed to be a small metal fragment, likely from a notch in the Dual-Handed Greatsword held by swordsmanship instructor Perez or the aristocratic young girl.


    At that moment, swordsmanship instructor Perez and the aristocratic young girl almost simultaneously looked towards Rein''s direction.


    In an instant, Rein''s heart jolted with fear, feeling as if he were being watched by a fierce beast, causing all the hairs on his body to stand on end!


    This oppressive feeling .....


    However, after both sides took a casual nce, they turned their heads away and no longer paid attention to the fragment, appearing to only be checking whether the shards had hurt someone or not.


    And that aristocratic young girl''s nce back finally allowed Rein to get a clear view of the girl''s appearance.


    Four words described her: majestic and valiant!


    With an oval face and somewhat thick eyebrows that gave her a spirited air, a pair of brown-gray eyes sparkled brilliantly, and her tight-fitting hunting outfit only added to her agile form.


    She resembled a foreign actress Rein knew from his previous life��Cristiana Yeri, in her younger days.


    Swordsmanship instructor Perez then nced at his Dual-Handed Greatsword, eyeing the irregrly shaped notch with a slight twinge of sorrow in his heart. This sword had been with him for many years, and he didn''t expect...


    "Instructor Perez! I''m terribly sorry, I got too carried away just now and didn''t hold back. Your greatsword might need some repairs. I''ll speak to Master Verintan about it."


    The aristocratic young girl, tactful and quick-witted, immediately spoke up after seeing the slight frown on Perez''s face.


    ...


    After the interlude of their sparring session, the true second generations under the guidance of swordsmanship instructor Perez began learning some advanced swordsmanship.


    Rein, standing to the side, bowed his head, staring nkly at the small iron shard embedded in the ground.


    After a long while, he realized that they seemed to have no intention of picking up the small iron shard, so he dug it out.


    The first feeling was its heaviness!


    The small fragment was surprisingly weighty in his hand, quite substantial, obviously not made of bronze, but also not seeming to be ordinary steel.


    With it, Rein could roughly estimate how heavy the Dual-Handed Greatsword of over one and a half meters truly was.


    Swinging a weapon weighing seventy or eighty pounds?


    This was several times heavier than weapons in the era of cold weaponry in his previous life! Rein realized instantly.


    It made some sense that the burly swordsmanship instructor Perez could wield it, but how could that delicately-built aristocratic young girl manage? What was the situation?


    Was it through some secret technique or training she acquiredter on?


    Or was it from her bloodline, a sort of innate talent?


    "If it''s the former case, then I should also stand a chance!" Rein thought to himself.


    Haven''t learned any swordsmanship, too old to embark on a Transcendent path?


    "That seems quite logical......but that''s for ordinary people!"


    "I''m different!"


    "If the system could trigger a cksmith Apprentice''s life profession panel, then it should also be able to trigger abat profession''s panel, right?!"


    "I heard that the training content for child servants includes learning basic swordsmanship?"


    "I wonder if it will trigger the Swordsman''s panel, or the Warrior''s panel when the timees?"


    Rein''s eyes slowly started to shine!!

 Chapter 5: Chapter 4 The Donkey and the Horse Are All One Family

    ```


    Apart from that, the fragment appeared as if it had been through a thousand hammers and a hundred refinings.


    Since it was a piece of the sword de, Rein could clearly see the partial fish scale-like hammering marks on it.


    Though it was hand-forged, theyered fish scale pattern proved that the craftsman who made the greatsword was extremely skilled.


    Rein never underestimated hand forging; in his previous life, a level eight vice-worker making the casing for an atomic bomb was a bona fide fact.


    It seemed that even the world of forging here was much stronger than he had imagined.


    "Change ces!" Baal''s shout instantly pulled Rein back from his wandering thoughts.


    Wrapping the small shard in a piece of rag, Rein slipped it into the pocket of his upper garment.


    He patted his butt, dusted off the dirt, and stood up to continue nailing horseshoes!


    [You have assisted in donkey hoof repair work, yourprehension has improved!]


    [Your Skill "Hoof Repair" has improved, Experience +1]


    [You focused on learning to repair donkey hooves for one hour, cksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points +1]


    [Your Skill "Hoof Repair" has improved, Experience +1]


    .....


    In the evening, after a hard day''s work, Rein returned to the servant children''s dormitory, which was arge bunk room for easier management.


    A bunk room slept more than a dozen people, and Rein and his best friend George were not in the same dormitory!


    Naturally, the best spots in the middle were upied by the "faux second generation," and Rein and the other boys slept on the edges of the bunk room.


    "Rein! Move it, sweep the floor, and wipe the bed nks and the cabs!" Thick-Browsmanded arrogantly, as it was his turn to clean today.


    Rein nced at Thick-Brows and cursed in his heart, "Damn! I''m already exhausted from the day, and now I have to clean up after you?!"


    "What are you looking at! Hurry up, or do you want a beating?!"


    Thick-Brows stood tall, his eyebrows forming an angry v-shape as he menacingly stepped forward and grabbed Rein by the cor.


    Rein was about to fight back when he remembered his thin arms and legs and his stature being half a head shorter than Thick-Brows. Starting a fight now would definitely not end well!


    He thought to himself, "Damn it, interdimensional school bullying, huh! Just wait! I''ll endure it for a couple of days, then see how I deal with you!"


    But what he said was, "Aren''t I just looking for a rag? I''m on it!"


    Hearing this, Thick-Brows suspiciously looked in the direction Rein was pointing. Indeed, there was a rag there, so he then grudgingly pushed Rein away and walked off!


    Rein picked up the rag and wiped all the bedsteads clean, then swept the floor, fetched water, mopped the floor, and after a series of chores, he was dead tired!


    As he worked, he pondered what triggered the activation of the professional panel?


    Previously, he had triggered cksmith Apprentice, so did that mean it was because he was learning how to repair donkey hooves?


    But now, he had been sweeping, mopping, and wiping tables for over an hour, and yet he hadn''t triggered the profession of Servant....


    Was it because there was no Servant profession?


    Or was it that he hadn''t swept long enough?


    .....


    After a tiring day, the servant boys had little desire to chat, and after a few brief conversations, they all drifted off to sleep.


    Rein, still fuming inside, tossed and turned, unable to sleep, his mind a mess.


    He thought about how he could seek rapid change because he did not want to continue living like this. He needed to teach Thick-Brows a lesson!


    Various ideas shed through Rein''s mind, such as offering a gunpowder form that used his academic advantage to Count Habbs?


    After thinking about it, no good!


    Based on the memories of his original self, let alone the Earl, even the Habsburg''s steward was a big shot with a Knight''s title, Rein, a mere servant boy, couldn''t possibly get in touch with them.


    Through the head manservant?


    Leaving aside whether the head manservant was reliable or not, even if the head manservant would help report up the chain, how would Rein, a poormoner''s son, exin the source of his knowledge?


    Moreover, if any step in the process went wrong, he might even be risking his life, given that wealth stirs human hearts.


    Since it was a Transcendent world, the rule of might was natural!


    Quickly figuring out a way to level up, to take the first step, that was the real path to power!


    But... speaking of might, that noble girl was really cool, awesome, and beautiful!


    Listening to how others addressed her, it seemed to be Lady Cleya.


    Was she the daughter of the Earl or some other noble family''s daughter?


    In Rein''s mind, he couldn''t help but envision the confident and heroic figure of the noble girl, her hunting outfit clinging to her skin, outlining the girl''s delicate figure, especially her taut buttocks....


    In a daze, Rein unknowingly drifted off to sleep.


    The next morning.


    At the break of dawn, the servant children were called to start their chores.


    Today was still about learning to repair donkey hooves, but after today''s session, teaching how to nail horseshoes would pause until next month.


    This made Rein a bit anxious.


    Damn it, just when I finally got a golden finger, the donkey hooves are no more!


    ```


    "What if... I just ask Master Baal to let me have a go at fixing it myself next time?"


    Rein nced at his slender arms and immediately shook his head. Lacking experience and strength, even if Baal agreed, he was unlikely to fix the donkey''s hooves properly.


    Messing it up would be counterproductive.


    Today, the scions of nobility hadn''te to the outer fort for training, which Rein somewhat regretted.


    After another day spent fixing donkey hooves, Rein looked at his skill��Hoo?ng (32/100)��and fell into deep contemtion. What should he do tomorrow?


    Another day passed.


    Early the next morning, Baal was still there, standing in front of the apprentices lined up in two rows, and loudly dered:


    "Today, we learn to nail horseshoes! But before we nail horseshoes, we need to file down the hooves..."


    Rein couldn''t listen anymore to the rest of the speech.


    Trim horse hooves?


    This... should also count as hooves, right?


    Feeling a rush of excitement, Rein quickly flipped to the second page of the transparent frame, checking his skills again.


    Yes!


    It just said ''Hoo?ng,'' not specifying whether donkey or horse hooves.


    Moreover, judging by the vivid hoof icon, it should apply to all perissodactyls.


    Donkeys and horses are from the same family!


    But, whether it would work still needed to be confirmed.


    After a short while, Rein and the other apprentices were led to the northeastern corner of the outer fort near the stables.


    Looking at the tall horses in the stables, all the apprentices, except Rein, couldn''t help but show a bitter expression, making the pseudo-nobles who were half a head taller start toin.


    Clearly, if it was so difficult to hold down a donkey''s hoof already, theserger and taller steeds would be even harder to secure.


    Of course, except for Rein.


    At this moment, Rein was full of longing, excitement, and anticipation for filing horse hooves!


    He couldn''t wait to start nailing horseshoes to confirm his guess.


    Before long, the first horse was led out of the stables by Master Baal.


    Judging by its size, it should be one of the smaller horses in the stables, but stillrger than even the strongest ck donkey.


    "This is a nag! We''ll start with nags! Come on, the first group, Rein, George,e and hold the hooves!" Baal bellowed with amanding voice.


    Rein and George immediately filed out and began holding the hooves as instructed by the master.


    The master took pre-made horseshoes shaped like an inverted U, checked the fit against the secured hoof, and after estimating the nailing area, started "snip-snip" trimming the hooves.


    Feeling that the trimming was about right, he began to nail the horseshoe onto the hoof.


    "The key to nailing horseshoes is first to roughly position the horseshoe on the hoof..." At this point, Baal began to demonstrate and exin to the apprentices while positioning the shoe.


    Rein could see clearly that the horseshoe had seven holes, and Baal nailed it seven times.


    Every time Baal nailed, the struggles of the nag intensified slightly, and Rein and George had to exert more effort to secure it.


    After the nailing wasplete, Baal trimmed the rough edges again, finishing the horseshoeing for one hoof.


    Once they finished holding down all four hooves of the nag, and a sweaty Rein caught his breath, he suddenly froze!


    A system alert had juste through:


    [You assisted with horseshoeing, gaining insight!]


    [Your Hoo?ng skill has improved, experience +4]


    [You concentrated on learning to nail horseshoes for a quarter of an hour, gaining +1 cksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points]


    ....


    Looking at the Hoo?ng skill experience bar climb again, a surge of excitement welled up inside Rein.


    Although he had anticipated gaining experience for horseshoeing too, seeing it actually happen still gave him a thrill.


    What was more critical was that the rate of experience gain was much faster than when fixing donkey hooves!


    Rein found that he seemed to have discovered the secret to rapid improvement.


    Previously, when he focused on fixing donkey hooves for an hour, he would only gain +1 cksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points.


    But this time, in just fifteen minutes, his cksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points increased by one.


    And now, the experience bar for cksmith Apprentice read (8/100).


    Rein guessed that this was probably because nailing horseshoes was more relevant to the cksmith Apprentice profession than fixing donkey hooves, which is why he gained more professional experience points.


    Though it was just Rein''s spection, he believed it was mostly correct.


    It made Rein feel as if he had stumbled upon a new, bright path.


    "This is it!"

 Chapter 6: Chapter 5 Skill Improvement

    As noon approached, suddenly, the system disyed a different notification:


    [You assisted in nailing horseshoes, insight improved!]


    [You haveprehended a new skill �� nailing horseshoes]


    [Your skill ''nailing horseshoes'' has increased, Experience +1]


    Curious, Rein immediately flipped to the second page, the one for the cksmith Apprentice''s profession panel.


    In the dense array of skills, aside from one lit-up icon of a hoof trimming, another icon now lit up in the position opposite to it.


    Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (1/100).


    This icon was simple, depicting a horseshoe in an inverted U shape, with seven tiny holes clearly visible on it.


    While other icons on the profession panel remained obscure and unclear.


    "Could it be that after some time of diligent learning, a profession-rted skill can be triggered to light up, and then one could continuously practice to enhance the skill level?"


    "It seems that''s the case!"


    This discovery engaged Reinpletely in the study of nailing horseshoes, to the extent that even the reappearance of the noble girl in the middle of the outer castle didn''t make him look up more than once.


    At lunchtime, his close friend George looked at him quite strangely and said,


    "Rein, I''ve noticed you''ve changed!"


    These words slightly startled Rein. Could it be that as an old friend, George had noticed something was off about him?


    George continued,


    "Rein, why are you working as if you''re on a stimnt?"


    "Trimming donkey hooves and nailing horseshoes, you keep going till you absolutely can''t anymore before you stop."


    Rein sighed in relief, so it was just this!


    He thought to himself, "That''s because you don''t have a golden finger! Otherwise, George, you might be even more diligent than me."


    "Haha, maybe I just had a sudden realization! I''vee to understand the importance of learning a trade," Rein said with a smile.


    "Really?" George looked at Rein suspiciously.


    He always felt something had changed about his best friend, but he couldn''t pinpoint exactly what.


    However, since Rein mentioned understanding the importance of learning a trade, George agreed with him.


    Although George''s family wasn''t very well-off either, both of his parents were freemen withnd and a stable source of ie, so his circumstances were much better than Rein''s.


    Unlike Rein''s home, where his father was a farmer who worked someone else''snd, and his mother had no stable source of ie, not to mention, they also had a younger sister...


    So, it was understandable that Rein was more eager to master a trade than he was.


    After the young servants finished their lunch and rested briefly, they continued learning to nail horseshoes under Baal''s guidance.


    Initially, nailing horseshoes captured the attention of the young boys, but as they became a bit familiar with it, the pseudo-second generation began to grow impatient since their aim was to be guards; whether they learned nailing horseshoes or not didn''t matter.


    Soon, these pseudo-second generation kids started chatting about various topics.


    These moments were when Rein got to catch up on outside news, so he immediately perked up his ears and listened.


    "Hey, have you heard? Recently, it''s been quite troubled. I heard that a vicious group of piratesnded ashore," Bushy Brows announced a big piece of news right off the bat.


    "Pirates? Although shgold Town is not far from the sea, there is still some distance, right? How does piratesnding rte to us?" Freckles responded with a question.


    "Not sure, I heard from Billy, a guard from a merchant caravan that just came to shgold Town, that a band of pirates called ck Sails havended. They seem to be afraid to attack the County Town, mainly targeting nearby small towns. I''ve heard that the Fishing Port Town, which is closest to the sea, suffered heavy losses, even the town''s sheriff was killed," Bushy Brows continued.


    "No way! Aren''t town sheriffs usually potential Knights? Are the pirates that powerful?" the baker''s child asked, dumbfounded.


    "Yes, the ck Sails pirates are very strong! Moreover, I''ve heard that our town''s sheriff, Lord Kuzma, is being transferred to be the sheriff of Fishing Port Town. Additionally, the new sheriffing to our town, supposedly from the County Town, is a lord."


    "Seems his name is Lord Hamilton? I''m not quite sure... It should be that name......"


    Freckles agreed and additionally revealed a big piece of news, earning Rein''s approval, truly proving himself to be a well-informed person.


    "Oh! You heard about that news too, seems like it''s true then!" Bushy Brows nodded at Freckles.


    "Right, Fishing Port Town isn''t far from shgold Town either, just about two days'' journey. Do you think the pirates might attack our town?" Freckles continued to express his worries.


    "Don''t worry, pirates usually hit the seashore and then leave; they won''t venture deeper ind. Otherwise, they wouldn''t be called pirates," Bushy Brows reassured.


    .....


    The amount of information was a bit overwhelming!


    Pirates?


    A new sheriff?


    Rein was stunned as he listened, almost losing his grip on the horseshoe in his hand.


    Meanwhile, Master Baal asked with concern,


    "Rein, if you''re too tired, take a break."


    Rein had been very enthusiastic about learning these past few days, and his talent was quite impressive. Baal noticed this and his impression of Rein had improved a great deal.


    Diligence can always inadvertently change people''s perceptions of someone!


    "It''s okay, I can keep going for a bit longer."


    Rein shook his head, declining Baal''s kind gesture.


    "Every opportunity to improve a skill must be grasped firmly; otherwise, wouldn''t it be a waste of this golden finger?"


    However, the matter with the pirates ultimately touched Rein a bit.


    It seemed this world wasn''t so peaceful.


    He needed to be stronger as quickly as possible!


    So, George found that his good friend Rein''s enthusiasm for work seemed even higher than the day before.


    Throughout the day, he barely rested at all, constantly helping with pressing horseshoes, then intently watching Master Baal nailing horseshoes.


    This kind of passion for learning was simply beyond understanding!


    After continuously nailing horseshoes for two days, at this moment, Rein stared nkly at his skill��Hoof Trimming lv1 (99/100).


    "It seems today I can elevate the Hoof Trimming skill to the next level."


    "Just not sure what changes will ur once it upgrades to lv2?"


    Rein didn''t have to wait long, as he watched Baal making a horseshoe wlessly smooth.


    The long-awaited system prompt finally appeared!


    [You assisted in nailing horseshoes,prehension rted to the skill increased!]


    [Your skill Hoof Trimming has been elevated, experience +1]


    [Congrattions, your skill Hoof Trimming has been upgraded to lv2]


    Looking at Hoof Trimming lv2 (1/300).


    Suddenly, Rein felt like he had a slightly different understanding of the task.


    It seemed as if there were fragmented memories in his mind, almost as if he had been trimming hooves for months.


    When Rein once again watched Baal trim the hooves, he felt he could understand a bit more.


    For example, why Baal''s wrist needed to flick just so when trimming at the most curved part of the hoof.


    Or why Baal needed to shake slightly when using the iron spade to scrape off excess from the hoof.


    Everything was so natural, falling into ce seamlessly!


    He got it!


    ....


    Rein had a feeling that although his strength hadn''t increased, he seemed to be able to start working on trimming hooves.


    He couldn''t yet do the whole task of nailing horseshoes.


    But he could try trimming hooves.


    Even though proposing this to Master Baal seemed a bit audacious, considering the fastest-learning apprentices couldn''t yet do it independently,


    but to gain more experience, the secret might be in getting hands-on himself!


    Rein nced at the cksmith Apprentice lv1 in his upation panel and the experience bar (22/100) right below it, and muttered, "What a pity!"


    It seemed that upgrading skills was easier than elevating his profession level.


    He estimated that, at the current pace, it would take at least five more days to increase the level of his cksmith Apprentice profession.


    After some hesitation, Rein spoke up, "Master Baal, could I try trimming the hooves? I feel like I can manage it."


    Baal looked at Rein, evaluated his expression carefully, and upon confirming that Rein wasn''t joking��and recalling Rein''s efforts over the past few days��he nodded and said,


    "Alright, go ahead and give it a try."


    At this, all the apprentices were astonished, thinking, "He''s only been learning for a few days and he''s got it?!"


    Even the resting pseudo-rich kids stopped their casual chat and turned their attention to Rein, although their goal was not to be the manor''s cksmith apprentice.


    This act of showing off was clearly intolerable for them!


    "What the hell is Rein up to, trying to show off? Dammit, we''ve got to give him a good beating tonight!" the thick-browed boy spat out the stalk of grass from his mouth and cursed angrily.


    "Just trying to catch Baal''s attention, the way he''s sucking up! F**k! We need to properly teach him a lesson tonight!" the freckled boy chimed in.


    .....

 Chapter 7: Chapter 6: Level Up! The Counterattack Against Bullying

    However....


    When Rein''s right hand grasped the sharp iron shovel passed to him by the donkey hoof master, he misjudged the weight of the shovel, and he lost his bnce all at once.


    This immediately drew another burst ofughter from the pretentious rich kids.


    It seemed like they were mocking Rein for overestimating his abilities.


    Rein''s face also turned red; he had only misjudged the weight of the shovel, it wasn''t that he couldn''t lift it at all.


    Baal, standing nearby, also slightly shook his head, seemingly not optimistic about Rein''s ability to fix the hoof properly.


    After all, Rein''s slender physique meant his strength was quite limited.


    "Rein, you....," George, standing beside him, also felt that Rein''s actions were too impulsive, making himself the butt of jokes among the other boys.


    This made George, as a good friend, feel somewhat unable to hold his head high.


    But the friendship between young boys is rtively simple, and George didn''t say anything. Instead, he put all his effort into holding the hoof down for Rein.


    Rein nodded at George, without saying much.


    "Shush!"


    With George''s robust pressing, Rein didn''t need to expend too much strength to stabilize the hoof with his left hand, and although his right hand''s maniption of the shovel was still somewhat unfamiliar and unsmooth, he basically managed to trim off the burrs cleanly.


    Expertise is apparent the moment one begins!


    Baal, who was watching nearby, immediately lit up and thought to himself, "Not bad! Although this young man, Rein, is somewhat frail, he indeed knows the trick to trimming hooves, making use of the weight of the shovel to trim along the contour of the hoof."


    The pretentious kids fell silent!


    It was apparent to everyone that Rein had truly learned how to trim hooves!


    Although he was a little inexperienced, that was only inparison to Master Baal.


    George''s eyes widened as he watched Rein trimming the donkey''s hooves, unable to look away.


    "My God! Rein, you just learned this a few days ago and you already can do it! That''s really amazing!"


    Upon hearing George''s praise of Rein, Freckle Face seemed quite disdainful, saying:


    "Pfft~ What''s there to be proud of, it''s just shoeing a hoof, not swordsmanship!"


    "Yeah, exactly!"


    Seeing Rein truly drawing attention to himself, the pretentious rich kids felt even more annoyed inside.


    ...


    Rein, however, paid no attention to everything happening around him.


    At this moment, his mind was already captivated by the system notifications.


    [You''ve performed hoof trimming, insight improved!]


    [Your skill in Trimming Hooves has improved, Experience +5]


    [You focused on trimming hooves, cksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points +2]


    "Sss! Getting hands-on actually gives this much experience!"


    It was just as he had guessed!


    If he continued at this pace, leveling up his cksmith Apprentice Profession Level is just around the corner!


    No!


    There''s no need to wait!


    It''s very possible that today, he would be able to level up his cksmith Apprentice Profession to lv2!


    After finishing all four hooves, Rein was sweating profusely, but his eyes were sparkling brightly!


    "Not bad, Rein! You can trim hooves independently now," Baal said, nodding his head in approval of Rein''s skills.


    "Thank you, Master Baal," Rein nodded emphatically.


    "And you all? If you want topete for the cksmith Apprentice position, then learn seriously!" Baal turned and bellowed at the child servants with a stern face.


    In the face of Baal, the pretentious kids naturally didn''t dare show their temper, but their nces toward Rein turned much more vicious.


    If previously they didn''t care about Rein''s diligence, because they felt superior, now Rein had gained Master Baal''s recognition and had made a name for himself in silence!


    This was something they couldn''t stand!


    At lunchtime, Rein felt a tense atmosphere around him.


    Apart from his close friend George, even the other boys frommoner families didn''t talk to Rein.


    Jealousy?


    Or was it agitation by the pretentious kids?


    Rein wasn''t sure, but he wasn''t concerned about it.


    He wouldn''t slow down his pace of bing stronger just because of some people''s opinions!


    The pretentious kids, however, had major issues with Rein taking the spotlight.


    "Rein, they can''t stand to see you do well," George saw what was going on and said reassuringly.


    "I know, George! Don''t worry, I''m fine."


    It was inevitable to encounter such situations once he started to stand out.


    But with his golden finger, that day was bound toe sooner orter.


    In his previous life, Rein had long been ustomed to this kind of situation.


    School bullying!


    Workce suppression!


    The principle is the same.


    In the afternoon, the child servants continued their task of nailing horseshoes.


    After Rein finished trimming the hooves, Master Baal would nail the horseshoes on.


    The work of one was divided in two, so naturally Baal felt much more relieved, and his gaze towards Rein grew increasingly approving.


    As evening approached, Rein finally received the system notification for profession level advancement:


    [You''ve performed hoof trimming work, insight improved!]


    [Your skill in Trimming Hooves has improved, Experience +5]


    [You focused on fixing horseshoes, cksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points +2]


    [Congrattions, your cksmith Apprentice Profession Level has increased!]


    cksmith Apprentice leveled up?


    Rein couldn''t help but be overjoyed!


    He couldn''t wait to flip to the second page of the transparent frame, carefully checking it out.


    [cksmith Apprentice lv2 (0/300)]


    [Fixing Horseshoes lv2 (255/300)]


    [Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (45/100)]


    [Remaining attribute points: 1]


    [Remaining Skill Points: 1]


    As expected!


    Even though Rein knew his profession level would increase today, actually seeing this scene still makes it hard for him to contain his inner joy.


    Moreover, the Fixing Horseshoes skill seems about to step into level 3 soon.


    However, these are not the most important things!


    The important part is, at this moment, the panel at the bottom is showing attribute points: 1, and Skill Points: 1.


    This is the biggest gain from the cksmith Apprentice Profession Level increase!


    Leveling up just to get stronger?


    No, it''s because of my effort that I have these points.


    So, it''s not leveling up to get stronger, it''s effort = getting stronger!


    After some thought, Rein flipped the transparent frame back to the first page, which is the attribute page.


    Name: Rein Can


    Profession: cksmith Apprentice lv2


    Constitution: 5


    Strength: 4


    Agility: 6


    Spirit: 8


    Clearly, Rein''s Strength attribute is the lowest, there''s no helping it, with such a thin build, his strength naturally is weak.


    But now it''s different!


    Regarding how to allocate attribute points, Rein felt there was nothing to hesitate about, first to bolster his weaknesses.


    He didn''t want to be seen as weak any longer, nor did he want to be bullied; adding points to Strength was the inevitable choice at this stage.


    One point in Strength might not be enough, but it at least gave him some ability to fight back.


    After a brief consideration, Rein added one point to his Strength.


    Strength instantly became 5.


    Suddenly, Rein felt a warm current surge from his heart, spreading to his limbs and throughout his body, making him feel asfortable as if he was soaking in a hot spring, with all the fatigue vanishing in an instant.


    Moreover, the increase of a single point in strength made Rein feel as if his body was brimming with energy, enough to "fight" through several hundred horseshoes without taking a break!


    Does adding points rejuvenate your state?


    This effect is incredible!


    Next were the Skill Points.


    Rein was about to add a point to Nailing Horseshoes when he suddenly stopped.


    If every level up in profession level only gives one Skill Point, it must be quite precious.


    Rein noticed that upgrading the cksmith Apprentice profession level from lv2 to lv3 now required 300 points of experience, up from the original 100.


    This implies that the difficulty of leveling up is increasing.


    "I haven''t yet been exposed to other skills of the cksmith Apprentice. If I learn a skill that is extremely difficult to improve, like forging weapons or something, wouldn''t it be better to add points then?"


    After a moment''s thought, Rein decided to save this one Skill Point forter.


    And Rein, returning to the scene, was in such high spirits that it surprised everyone!


    One could see that with his increased Strength, Rein''s efficiency in trimming horseshoes had improved by at least 20%.


    Although still not up to Baal''s level,pared to the beginning, this was a significant improvement.


    The servant children closest to Rein were gaping in astonishment!


    At dinner, Rein ate three and a half bricks-sized ck bread loaves and had three servings of vegetable soup, even licking the soup pot clean, a scene that left the rest of the servant children dumbfounded.


    Rein found that after adding one point to Strength, the increase was genuinely significant, but he also got hungry very quickly!!


    After eating his fill, Rein, returning to the dormitory, was blocked by bushy brows and freckles!


    "Rein! You''ve done well today, showing off quite a bit!" Bushy brows stepped forward, patting Rein''s face with a challenging expression.


    "Damn it! I had to endure yesterday, but today is different!" Rein''s eyes suddenly turned from gentle to fierce.


    "p!"


    With all his might, Rein pped Bushy brows across the face!


    Immediately, it rang in Bushy brows'' head, causing him to stagger and nearly fall to the ground!


    This p left Freckles and a few onlookers, the fake-rich second generations, stunned, their minds racing with how Rein dared to strike!


    And Bushy brows, he was so shocked by Rein''s p that he took a while to recover.


    But this was just the beginning!


    "Boom!!"


    With a powerful knee thrust, Rein hit Bushy brows in the stomach, right under the diaphragm, making him vomit his dinner all over the ce...


    A sour stench immediately spread out!


    "Get him, beat up that brat Rein, he dared to fight back!" Freckles shouted, and the surrounding faux-rich kids rushed up, starting to beat up Rein.


    But Rein, heedless of everything, tucked his head in and kept swinging his fists at the vomiting Bushy brows with lethal determination!


    This ruthless fierceness was truly frightening!

 Chapter 8: Chapter 7 Wanted Notice

    However, the incident here was quickly reported by other child servants.


    Soon after, a steward of the manor arrived, and the fighters were promptly separated.


    Coincidentally, this particr steward happened to be distantly rted to the Rein family.


    As a result, both Rein and the thick-browed servant received fifty heavy strikes each and were punished with sweeping and mopping for a week; at the same time, a bruised and swollen Rein was transferred to George''s dormitory.


    But obviously, this matter was far from over!


    The thick-browed servant was tall and muscr; he had never expected Rein tounch a sneak attack, and he was caught off guard!


    However, by that evening, he hade to his senses, and his eyes were bloodshot with rage!


    As the bully among the child servants, he had never suffered such a loss before.


    The next day, while nailing horseshoes, the thick-browed servant red at Rein with a murderous look,


    "Thick-brows, how do you n on getting revenge?" a freckled servant beside him asked.


    Hearing this, the other pseudo-nobility child servants also turned their attention to the thick-browed servant.


    He had, in fact, already thought of a n.


    In the manor, if he fought with Rein again, both would certainly be punished, and they might even be directly dismissed, which would be a loss not worth taking.


    "Swordsmanship training starts next week, and I''ve heard there will be sparring sessions. At that time, that kid will suffer!" Thick-brows said through gritted teeth.


    "Wow! Thick-brows, you''ve learned swordsmanship? That''s incredible!"


    "Not bad. I studied with my uncle for two years. I''ll make sure to beat him so badly that even his mother won''t recognize him!" Thick-brows clenched his fist, showing his firm confidence!


    ....


    Unlike Thick-brows, Rein was currently sweating profusely, as he trimmed hooves and exined the intricacies of the task to the other child servants.


    For instance, one should utilize the weight of the hoof rasp itself, trimming along the contour of the hoof.


    This attracted many child servants aspiring to be cksmith apprentices to Rein.


    And as a result, Rein sessfully divided the child servants who had originally been instigated by the pseudo-nobility!


    A great man in his previous life had said, make many friends and few enemies!


    Worried that the child servants would learn and surpass him?


    If one has a golden finger, why fear being surpassed by others?


    They might as well go to sleep!


    As long as one progresses faster than others, they will never have to worry about being overtaken!


    After finishing with thest horse in the stables, Rein wiped his sweat and opened his profession panel to check.


    [cksmith Apprentice lv2 (27/300)]


    There was still a way to go before his Profession Level as a cksmith Apprentice would increase to lv3, but Rein was already quite satisfied with his current progress.


    [Hoof Trimming lv2 (295/300)]


    [Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (56/100)]


    [Remaining Skill Points: 1]


    As for this one Skill Point, Rein had already decided not to use it for the time being.


    At present, whether it was hoof trimming or nailing horseshoes, improving these Skills was just a matter of time. As long as he had enough time, Rein would be able to easily level them up.


    Therefore, theter the Skill Point was used, the higher its cost-effectiveness would be.


    Moreover, since all the horses in the stable now had their horseshoes nailed, it would clearly be foolish to add a point to upgrade the skill of nailing horseshoes right now!


    He would wait until a Skill became hard to level up or required a massive amount of Experience to level up before using this Skill Point.


    Just then, a middle-aged man dressed in a neat grey linen robe came over to the child servants, apparently with an announcement.


    ording to the memories of his original body, this man was a formal servant of the Habsburg Manor, responsible for arranging the training of child servants.


    He greeted Baal and then coughed twice before saying,


    "Tomorrow is Sunday, and you''ll have a day of rest. After a while, you may go home on your own, and be sure to return to the manor on time tomorrow evening. From the day after tomorrow, you will start practicing basic swordsmanship. Mr. Humbert, a manor guard, will teach you then."


    "I hope you take this opportunity to study earnestly!"


    "......"


    The child servants'' training included one day of rest per week, coinciding with the day of church services, with the other six days spent within the manor.


    After speaking, the middle-aged man walked away with an air ofposure.


    However, the words of the middle-aged man immediately ignited the child servants'' enthusiasm, like pouring oil into a fierce fire.


    The voices of the child servants discussing the news suddenly grew louder.


    "Rein, did you hear that? We''re going to start swordsmanship training!" George grabbed Rein''s arm and said with longing.


    "Of course I heard. I''m excited too. Let''s work hard together, young man!" Rein replied with a smile.


    The pseudo-nobility child servants were also thrilled!


    Because they knew that next week''s swordsmanship lessons would be the time when the bushy-browed teacher would give Rein a harsh lesson, they were expecting quite a show.


    Clearly, the past few days had not been joyous for the pretenders.


    Rein''s brilliance had overshadowed them.


    But they didn''t care much about it.


    A genius at fixing donkey''s hooves and nailing horseshoes?


    That''s nothing!


    But swordsmanship is different!


    As for next week''s basic swordsmanship training, Rein was naturally as excited as any normal boy would be!


    After all, which boy doesn''t love the excitement of swinging a sword and engaging in battle?


    But he was even more curious whether the swordsmanship training would trigger a new panel, such as a Swordsman, Guard, or Warrior panel?


    However, right now, he was not thinking about swordsmanship training.


    Because he was about to go home and see his original parents!


    Not only his parents, but the original owner of the body also had a seven-year-old sister.


    All at once, Rein couldn''t help but think of his parents from his previous life and wondered how they were doing...


    s!


    For a moment, Rein''s eyes held a touch of mncholy.


    Just then, George came over, nced at the second-generation kids, and asked, "By the way, Rein, what are you nning to do after you get home tomorrow? Want to join me in gathering nuts in the woods?"


    Rein, pulled from his thoughts, considered it.


    That might be a good idea to clear his head, and besides, it was autumn, just the right time when the ground was covered with nuts.


    Nuts are rich in nutrition and would be perfect for replenishing the nutrients his body needed.


    However...


    ording to the memory of the original body, there were not many nuts to be picked in the town''s public woond.


    Since it was a public forest, the town''s residents had already scoured it day by day.


    Before Rein could ask anything, George looked around, leaned in, and whispered, "Rein, let''s go to the Habsburg Manor''s woond. There are plenty of nuts there!"


    "Ranger Gilliam Uncle is my rtive. It''s fine if we go quietly. But you mustn''t tell anyone else!"


    So that was George''s n!


    Not bad, the kid has potential!


    Rein gave a slight smile and said, "Alright! It''s settled then."


    The town''s forests were divided into two types, one was the public woond, where everyone could gather firewood, nuts, and hunt.


    The other was the manor''s woond, belonging to the Harrisburg Manor, where ordinary people were not allowed to engage in such activities.


    What George was suggesting was for the two of them to secretly go to the manor''s woond and pick nuts.


    At dusk, with the pleasant breeze, Rein walked home alone; George had already gone home earlier.


    Rein''s home was located to the south of the town, directly opposite the Harrisburg Manor to the north.


    This meant that to get home, Rein practically had to cross the most bustling street of the town.


    This one is a bakery...


    This one is an inn, the freckled family''s inn...


    It seemed that every segment of the road he passed and every familiar shop he saw triggered memories of the original host to flood in, slowly merging with Rein''s own memories.


    However, as he passed the town square and saw a crowd of town residents gathered around the notice board, curiosity made him take a look as well.


    All over the board, there were many wanted posters, and one with the nickname "Scarface" was newly posted. The man had shoulder-length yellow hair, a horse-like face, and a scar that nted across his face from the forehead, passing his nose, and ending at his right cheek.


    Real name: Unknown.


    Crimes: Raped three women in Peter Town, repeatedly robbed passersby, and is suspected to be linked to the recent frequent disappearances of children.


    Reward: Five Imperial Gold Coins.


    (Note: The reward can be imed at any town or higher jurisdiction constabry with his corpse or head.)


    "Hiss! Five Imperial Gold Coins!" Rein''s eyes lit up.


    "With that money, I could....."


    But then, Rein shook his head, sighed, and dismissed the somewhat unrealistic idea, continuing his walk home.


    This one is the cksmith shop...


    Huh?


    Wait!

 Chapter 9: Chapter 8: Young Girl Anna

    I could go to the cksmith shop in town to work, and at the same time, I would be able to gain the professional experience of a cksmith apprentice!


    However....


    ording to the memories of the original owner of this body, the cksmith and owner of the shop, Boris, was stingy.


    Unless you were an experienced assistant, if you wanted to learn any craft, you had to pay a considerable apprenticeship fee, which seemed to be five or maybe ten silver coins?


    At this stage, Rein''s family definitely couldn''t afford that sum of money.


    It seemed I needed to think of other methods!


    "Auntie Sima, hello,"


    "Little Rein, hello, after working as a young servant for a week, I feel like you''ve grown more spirited and robust!" Auntie Sima greeted Rein warmly, as she was quite familiar with Rein''s mother.


    Oh, really?


    At first, Rein thought that Auntie Sima was just being courteous.


    But when he lifted his arm and looked at his previously skinny limbs, he now saw muscles starting to protrude slightly, especially the biceps.


    Rein immediately lifted his clothing to check his abdomen and could vaguely make out the shape of a six-pack forming.


    You should know that although skinny people could easily have defined abs, the original body definitely had none, not even a shadow of them.


    But now, with a little more exercise, I might develop visible abs soon.


    Looking at it this way, the effect of that little bit of added Strength was indeed immediate!


    Rein stopped in front of a two-story house with a triangr roof.


    The roof of the house was nted, covered with thatch, and apart from the mud walls around it, the rest of the structure was made of wood.


    There was some open space in front of and behind the house, where some green onions and vegetables were nted.


    A woman was bending over, pulling something from the ground; feeling someone approaching, she straightened up.


    "Rein, is that you, Rein,ing back?"


    Looking at the woman''s kind and dignified face, a flood of rted memories surged forth, and scenes of warmth yed like slideshows in Rein''s mind, prompting him to blurt out, "Mother, it''s me! I''m back!"


    "Let me see, you''ve gotten stronger after a few days without seeing you. It seems that the manor takes good care of you servant children''s meals," Mother Emma said with a smile as she hugged Rein.


    In an instant, Rein felt an inexplicable surge of emotion.


    He didn''t know if this feeling was a natural reaction of this body.


    Or a kind of instinct inherent to all humans.


    But he knew that this emotion came from the heart, from deep within the soul.


    The woman was the mother of the original owner of this body, and now she was his mother too!


    "Brother! Is that brothering back?" A pretty little girl with long hair suddenly ran in from the backyard, her hands still holding a bunch of green onions.


    In an instant, Rein oveid the memory of a little girl named Bo He over the scene before him.


    This was Bo He, his sister!


    "Bo He!" Rein picked up his sister, spun her around, making Bo He giggle nonstop.


    Before long, Rein''s father also came back, a simple-looking, burly man with a square face, though his forehead had many wrinkles, which made it seem like he spent a lot of time worrying.


    Seeing Rein, he showed a slight smile and with his calloused, thick palms, patted Rein''s shoulder, saying, "Rein, you''ve grown sturdy! It looks like you''ve even grown a bit taller!"


    "Father! You''ve worked hard!" Rein hugged his father tightly.


    Although old Rein didn''t know why his son was suddenly so....emotional,


    He stillughed and returned the hug!


    In the evening.


    The family of four sat around a wooden table cosily, having dinner together.


    The dinner consisted of a portion of cured pork, arge bowl of mashed potatoes, a few slices of rye bread, and a bottle of milk.


    In an ordinarymoner''s household, this was considered a feast!


    Clearly, this was because today was the day Rein hade home.


    Usually, old Rein wouldn''t indulge in such good food.


    But after Rein wolfed down his share, he realized he was only half full.


    He was in a period of rapid physical growth and naturally had a big appetite; there was an old saying: A growingd will empty his father''sd.


    And ever since Rein added that point to his attribute, it seemed like it had drained thest bit of nutritional reserves from his body. These past two days, Rein felt he could eat a lot more.


    Moreover, there was a constant craving for meat swirling in his mind!


    ```


    So, after finishing his own portion, Rein couldn''t help swallowing his saliva and forced himself to look away from the food.


    The mother nced over and immediately sensed something, "Rein, are you still hungry? Here, take these two slices of cured meat from me, I''m full."


    "Brother, I''m still little, this mashed potato is for you." Little Bo He pushed a bowl of mashed potatoes toward Rein.


    "Rein, from my side....." Old Rein also said.


    "This...."


    Witnessing this scene before him, Rein was deeply moved!


    If before his efforts were due to his desire as a person from another world to change the status quo and his longing for this Transcendent world!


    But from this moment on, another deep, vivid stroke was added to Rein''s motivation!


    In the end, Rein epted the cured meat and mashed potatoes from his mother and Little Bo He but refused the bread from his father.


    Because he knew that his father, who did manualbor, needed the nutrition even more than him.


    That night, Rein slept very soundly!


    The next morning, Old Rein declined Rein''s offer to help in the fields and left home early, and the mother also went to work at the inn in the small town.


    Only Rein and his sister Bo He were left at home.


    When Rein followed his sister''s voice to the small courtyard, he found Bo He nting carrots with a girl in their own yard.


    "Brother, you''re up? I am nting carrots with Sister Anna," Bo He greeted with a smile.


    Anna?


    That''s right, she was their neighbor.


    A quiet and reticent young girl, it was said that she came to live in shgold Town with her mother.


    But a year ago, her mother mysteriously disappeared.


    Now, she lives alone in the wooden cabin next to Rein''s house.


    The girl turned her head, her facial contours were beautiful, but herplexion was wan.


    She seemed to be chronically malnourished, with her pale yellow hair a bit dry and split, but the deep brown pupils revealed a strong beauty.


    "Re... Rein... hello," the girl greeted with her head down, shy and reserved.


    In age, Rein seemed to be a few months older than the girl.


    To his recollection, the girl had always been this afraid of strangers.


    "Hello, Anna!"


    Just as Rein was thinking of helping them, his close friend George called from the door, "Rein, let''s go pick nuts."


    "Brother, I want to go too!" Bo He excitedly said upon hearing that Rein was going to pick nuts.


    From the side, Anna seemed to have a longing look in her eyes.


    But after thinking it over, Rein still refused since they were going to Habsburg Manor''s woods, and he was only able to go because he was with George.


    If he brought others along, it would be inappropriate.


    So, Rein shook his head and said, "Bo He, stay at home with Sister Anna, I''ll bring back nuts for you."


    "Okay~" Bo He said pitifully, unwilling but still obedientlyplied.


    Indeed, the children of a poor family be responsible at an early age.


    Such a young age, yet so sensible!


    Rein patted Little Bo He''s head and then left with George.


    After walking for a while, George suddenly said with a puzzled face:


    "Rein, why is your sister with Anna? Haven''t you heard? She''s an unlucky person."


    "An unlucky person?" Rein asked, confused.


    "I heard it by chance from my father; Anna''s mother didn''t just disappear, it seemed like she was taken away. But I''m not clear on the details." George said, ncing around to check if anyone was nearby before speaking in hushed tones.


    "You mustn''t let this slip."


    "Who took her away?" Rein asked, still puzzled.


    "I really don''t know about that!" George''s answer was also vague.


    "By the way, Rein, have you heard? Recently on the north side of our town, twomoner families'' children have disappeared! Remember to warn Bo He not to wander off when there''s no need."


    "Huh? Is that so? Wasn''t it said that the disappearances of children were happening in other towns and that our shgold Town was safe? Is it spreading now?" Rein was quite surprised.


    "I''m not so sure about that..." George pondered, as it was another question touching upon his own knowledge gap.


    ```

 Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Upgrading in the Blacksmiths Shop

    ```


    By the time the two of them returned to their homes, Rein''s hands were filled with a full basket of wild blueberries, hazelnuts, and chestnuts.


    It was thanks to George''s help that they could sneak into the manor''s forest and gather various nuts and berries.


    A bountiful harvest!


    About seventy percent of the forests surrounding the town belonged to the Habsburg manor, while the remaining thirty percent were public woond.


    However, the wild fruits and nuts in the public woods had already been picked clean by the townspeople.


    It was already time for lunch, and the autumn sun was exceptionally warm. When Rein was approaching his house, he could already see the white smoke rising from his chimney from afar, which made him feel really good.


    However, when he caught a glimpse of his neighbor''s house from the corner of his eye, he stopped in his tracks!


    He saw a young girl dressed in a gray linen coat, sitting on the wooden steps of her house, basking in the sunlight while carefully nibbling on a piece of bran bread.


    Even though it was bran bread, inferior to even ck bread, the girl cherished each bite.


    With one hand she held the bran bread, and with the other, she caught the falling crumbs to put them into her mouth, not wanting to waste a single bit.


    After a few bites, the girl in the sunlight squinted her eyes, seemingly content just to have a piece of bran bread to eat.


    The girl was Anna!


    Rein stood frozen in ce, staring dully at how carefully she ate, and his heart suddenly felt a tight pull.


    How much misfortune must one endure to find such happiness in eating a piece of bran bread?


    Rein looked down at the wild fruits in his hand and moved his lips as if to say something but was unsure what to say.


    He was not familiar with the girl; offering nuts and such out of the blue might not be weed.


    After some thought, Rein went into his room and poured out half of the gathered wild fruits and nuts, then handed the remaining half-basket to his sister Bo He.


    "Bo He, go, take this half-basket of wild fruits to Sister Anna next door, and make sure she epts it," Rein crouched down, patted Bo He''s little head, and said.


    It seemed from her brother''s serious gaze that Bo He understood something, and she nodded vigorously, saying:


    "Yeah! Sister Anna lives alone and it''s really tough for her."


    "She will definitely like these wild fruits. Don''t worry! Brother, I will make sure Sister Anna epts them. If she doesn''t, I''ll cry!" Bo He fluttered her big eyes and waved her small hand forcefully.


    "Yeah! Good girl."


    Soon after, Bo He came running back with excitement on her face.


    "Brother, Sister Anna epted it. She told me to thank you! And we''ve agreed to continue nting in the garden this afternoon."


    "That''s great, Bo He!" Hearing that Anna epted the gift eased Rein''s concern, and he gave his sister a thumbs-up,plimenting her.


    ...


    After lunch, Rein headed toward the cksmith shop in shgold Town.


    The cksmith shop was on the main road of the town, and even before Rein got close, he could hear the ding ding dong dong of the cksmithing from a distance.


    As soon as he entered the cksmith shop, Rein immediately felt a wave of heat rush over him!


    Inside, several sturdy men were bustling about in the manner of helpers and apprentices, while cksmith Boris Patton was forging a pot.


    A few apprentices looked puzzled as Rein approached Boris.


    "Uncle Boris, might I help around in the shop? I''m willing to do anything!"


    At the sound of his voice, Boris turned his head to look over.


    He looked Rein up and down and said, "So it''s young Rein, huh? You seem to have grown stouter. But I''m sorry, the cksmith shop doesn''t need more hands now."


    "Heh, Uncle Boris, I''d like to help for free; just assign me any task."


    Huh?


    Helping for free?


    Was there such a good deal?


    cksmith Boris was initially stunned at the offer, then his gaze focused back on Rein, eyes zing as he pondered what task to give him.


    A task that wouldn''t let Rein learn any trade secrets, yet would make good use of this offer of freebor.


    That''s when an apprentice cksmith nearby heard this and raised an eyebrow, suggesting, "Master, have Rein help with the bellows then!"


    Boris nced at him, thought for a moment, and decided that the bellows was a good idea, requiring no special skills but just some strength.


    "Alright then! Rein, remember not to mess with anything in the shop, and you''ll be in charge of the bellows this afternoon. Drews, you show Rein how to do it."


    ```


    Rein certainly had no objections; the bellows it was!


    As long as there was Experience!


    If shoeing a donkey could raise a cksmith apprentice''s experience, all the more so with operating the bellows!


    Seated in front of the bellows, Rein vigorously pulled on the bellows under Drews''s guidance.


    A few burly apprentices nearby nced at Rein, thinking his skinny arms and legs probably wouldn''t manage more than a few pulls.


    But once Rein got a grip on the basic technique of the bellows, he began to tirelessly pull away.


    [You have worked at the bellows,prehension has improved!]


    [You have learned a new Skill��Bellows Operation]


    Rein felt a surge of joy in his heart; it was as he had anticipated.


    Subsequently, almost every pull of the bellows added +1, +1... to the Experience.


    The cksmith apprentice''s Professional Experience Points also quickly showed a +1 notification.


    This made Rein unable to hide his tion!


    Suddenly, Rein started pulling like a perpetual motion machine!


    The other apprentices looked on with surprise at Rein!


    They couldn''t understand why a mechanical, monotonous task could inspire such enthusiasm in the new kid, to the point where he did it with such gusto.


    Didn''t this damn kid know what "volunteering" meant?


    Was there really a need to be more zealous than they, the official cksmith apprentices? It was indeed a rare sight!


    Rein continued until nightfall!


    The number of breaks he took in the meantime could be counted on the fingers of one hand.


    This earned him a new look of respect from the cksmith Boris!


    At the same time, Boris took the opportunity to give several cksmith apprentices a tongueshing, saying a lot about how they should learn from Rein and such.


    Suddenly, the cksmith apprentices nced at each other, seeing a sense of urgency in each other''s eyes.


    Though the work of a cksmith apprentice was hard, the conditions were top-notchpared to apprentices in other trades. They didn''t say it aloud, but they valued it greatly in their hearts.


    Immediately, they all sped up their pace!


    Watching this unfold, cksmith Boris couldn''t help butugh.


    He had not expected that by agreeing to let Rein take on the task of operating the bellows, such an unintended effect would ur.


    It wasn''t long before Rein received a system notification about a Profession Level upgrade:


    [You have worked at the bellows,prehension has improved!]


    [Your Skill in Bellows Operation has improved, Experience +3]


    [You were focused on the bellows, cksmith apprentice Professional Experience Points +1]


    [Congrattions, your cksmith apprentice Profession Level has been raised!]


    Eagerly flipping to the second page of the transparent box, Rein scrutinized it carefully.


    The first entry on the panel showed that the cksmith apprentice had risen to level 3.


    [cksmith Apprentice lv3 (0/500)]


    [Bellows Operation lv2 (245/300)]


    [Hoof Repair lv2 (295/300)]


    [Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (56/100)]


    [Remaining Attribute Points: 1]


    [Remaining Skill Points: 2]


    Even though Rein knew his Profession Level might very well rise today, the actual sight of it still made it hard for him to suppress his inner joy!


    Even though he was working for free at Boris''s forge this time,


    the added 1 attribute point and 1 Skill Point at the bottom of the attribute panel right now were the best rewards for his voluntary work!

 Chapter 11: Chapter 10 New Job Panel - [Militia]

    Near evening, an exhausted Rein bid farewell to cksmith Boris and returned to the Habsburg manor.


    After hastily taking care of dinner, he fell asleep deeply in the dormitory.


    The next morning, the young servants were gathered together, and they were greeted by a tall and burly man walking towards them.


    This burly man had blond hair stiff like the bristles of a wild boar, thick brows over big eyes, a resolute face, and a bastard sword hanging at his waist which gave him a very steady presence when he walked.


    "I am your swordsmanship instructor, Humbert. What you will be learning is the basic swordsmanship that all militia must master,"


    "Has anyone among you learned swordsmanship before?"


    Having said this, the burly man scanned the group with hisrge eyes.


    Only George, somewhat excitedly, raised his right hand, saying, "Reporting to Instructor Humbert, I''ve learned!"


    "What kind of swordsmanship? For how long?"


    "Basic swordsmanship as well, for about�� two years, I guess." George seemed to recall his learning process, his intermittent practice amounting to about two years in total.


    He had intended to understate the amount of practice to highlight his natural talent for swordsmanship, but under Humbert''s piercing gaze, he ended up revealing the truth.


    Humbert nodded and said, "Anyone else?"


    No one responded.


    "If no one else will, then you,e up here and demonstrate the basic swordsmanship you''ve learned."


    "Ah? Me... demonstrate?... Alright!" Clearly, George was a bit nervous facing the robust Instructor Humbert.


    After taking the iron-wooden sword that Humbert handed him, George took up a swordsmanship starting pose and began to hack and chop vigorously.


    The servants, having never learned basic swordsmanship, watched with great interest, thinking that George executed the basic swordsmanship quite well.


    "Stop! Not bad! You may step down," Humbert said with a slight frown, waving his hand.


    "Oh... oh, okay, Instructor." George, having received praise from the instructor, was visibly ted.


    However, Rein could see that Humbert did not seem satisfied with George''s demonstration of basic swordsmanship.


    Rein, however, thought to himself that George was quite good, both in terms of strength and proficiency with the techniques, at least far better than himself.


    Because he hadn''t learned basic swordsmanship.


    George returned to the group with a smile, seemingly very delighted that he had received the instructor''s praise on the first day of swordsmanship training.


    The group of servants, led by Humbert, headed to the training ground in the middle of the outer courtyard.


    The real second-generation kids did note today.


    This was the servants'' first time at the training ground, and they couldn''t help looking around curiously.


    Under the awning, there were blunt two-handed swords, one-handed swords, shields, Riding Spears, and all sorts of training gear like training armor and thick padded jackets.


    But all these had nothing to do with the servants.


    The instructor led them to a ce with only wooden shortswords hanging, pointed and said:


    "There! Each of you take a shortsword and after you''ve got it, line up!"


    Suddenly, the group noisily went up and each person took a sword.


    "What''s this? Wooden swords, a child''s toy? My five-year-old brother ys with this kind of thing," Freckles said disdainfully, looking at the wooden sword.


    "George, the swordsmanship you just did was quite something! I feel like you''re much better than me!"


    "Eh, Freckles, have you also learned basic swordsmanship before?" George asked, surprised.


    "Of course, my uncle is a mercenary. I learned a bit from him since I was young, but I''ve nearly forgotten it all," Freckles boasted with pride.


    After all, in his opinion, when it came to swordsmanship among all the young servants, he was the second strongest after George.


    "Not bad, George and Freckles, it looks like you two are going to shine!" the Baker''s son eximed admiringly.


    "Yeah, now a certain someone can''t attract attention by fixing hooves anymore, right? Men should be all about physical strength!" Freckles nced sideways at Rein and said.


    "You..." George was bing impatient to hear more.


    But Rein shook his head, dismissing George''s desire to argue with the others. After all, it was just idle talk, and he didn''t lose anything from it��arguing with a bunch of fake second-generations was pointless.


    And who said that if you have a foundation in swordsmanship, I definitely couldn''t catch up?


    Rein nced at the two Skill Points reserved on his panel, his eyes flickering.


    "Eh, this wooden sword isn''t quite what I expected!", Rein eximed as he grasped the wooden sword, his eyes immediately lighting up.


    This wooden sword seemed to be made of oil-soaked ironwood; not only was it tough and durable, but its weight was also nearly the same as a real iron sword, making it the best possible training sword.


    Indeed, as the group of pretentious nobles got hold of the swords, they too realized the truth.


    "I knew it, how could the Earl''s family use ordinary wooden swords? So they are made of ironwood after all."


    "...."


    Once all the pages had an ironwood sword in hand, the swordsmanship instructor Humbert began to shout loudly:


    "Now, I will demonstrate the basic sword techniques you need to master!"


    "Basic sword technique number one, striding thrust!"


    "Basic sword technique number two, striding downward sh!"


    "Basic sword technique number three, striding upward sweep!"


    The basic sword techniques consisted of these three moves, but Humbert''s actions were much quicker and more powerful than those of the thick-browed boy!


    The same set of movements had a world of difference when executed by the two of them.


    The pages watched Humbert''s demonstration attentively and, following his teachings, soon began to swing their ironwood swords, trying to imitate him.


    Without trying, one would never know; once they tried, they were shocked!


    Although the three movements of basic swordsmanship seemed simple, they were still quite difficult for most pages, including Rein, who had never practiced swordsmanship in either of his lives.


    They needed to not only swing the sword properly but also coordinate their steps, syncing hands and feet together.


    Such bodily coordination couldn''t be achieved without a lot of practice and wouldn''te together in a short time.


    And so, under the scorching sun, a group of youngds sweated profusely, roaring as they tirelessly swung their ironwood swords, practicing the basic sword techniques.


    "Do you want to be able to survive when facing danger!", Humbert corrected each person''s movements while shouting words of encouragement with his robust voice.


    It seemed he was quite ustomed to this method of training.


    "Yes!!", a group of boys who had never been sweet-talked couldn''t help but respond passionately and in unison.


    "Good! ording to the key points of the movements I just mentioned, practice repeatedly! Keep practicing! Turn it into a natural instinct of the body!"


    Humbert continued to encourage the group of pages while also starting to exin the key points of the basic sword techniques.


    "The striding thrust emphasizes the use of leg strength to transmit the power from the lower half of the body through the waist to the arm wielding the sword, so it''s essential to master the linkage of the muscles throughout the body!"


    "....."


    [You have practiced the basic swordsmanship, and yourprehension has improved!]


    [You have grasped a new skill��Basic Swordsmanship]


    [Your skill Basic Swordsmanship has improved, Experience +1]


    [Congrattions, you have triggered the career panel��Militia]


    "Shouldn''t it be Swordsman or Guard? The fact that I''ve triggered just the Militia career panel?" Rein felt both joy and disappointment at this moment.


    The joy was because he had finally triggered abat career panel, no longer having to rely solely on the cksmith''s Apprentice lifestyle career panel, signifying a pleasing first step on the path of martial strength.


    The disappointment was because thisbat profession seemed weak just from the sound of it!


    From the name, it was apparent that Militia implied it wasn''t any serious military force, and the strength limit must be very low.


    "However..."


    "For someone with zero foundation like me, triggering the Militia panel might not be a bad thing."


    "Because it may also mean that it wouldn''t be so difficult to raise my Profession Level."


    Havinge to terms with it, Rein couldn''t help butugh, his disappointment vanishing!

 Chapter 12: Chapter 11 A Genius in Swordsmanship as Well?

    ```


    Within the transparent frame on the retina, the third page can now be turned to, titled "Militia," and its content is still densely packed with icons.


    Among so many icons, only one was lit up��Basic Swordsmanship.


    After practicing swordsmanship for a while, Rein discovered that the difficulty of improving Basic Swordsmanship was higher than that of nailing horseshoes on the cksmith Apprentice panel.


    [You have trained in Basic Swordsmanship, and your insight has improved!]


    [Your Skill, Basic Swordsmanship, has been enhanced, Experience +1]


    After two hours, only one point was gained, Basic Swordsmanship lv1 (2/100).


    Rein roughly estimated, "This means that if I practice for eight hours a day, I would need nearly a month to possibly reach level 2."


    "That''s not right, on average, there is no way I have eight hours of practice time. I heard that next week will start the Dog Trainer''s introductory training, and the week after next will be Archery training! And so on, cycling every three months."


    "That means on average, I only get a week each month to practice swordsmanship! Spread out over time, that''s equivalent to practicing swordsmanship for two hours a day, so it would take at least three months to have the chance to advance Basic Swordsmanship to level 2."


    Obviously, this pace of improvement was far from satisfying Rein''s requirements.


    Because in three months, it would be the time for the Page''s assessment!


    If there was an opportunity to tread the Transcendent path with the position of a manor guard, Rein would definitely prioritize applying for the manor guard.


    After contemting for a moment, Rein decided to allocate one precious Skill Point to Basic Swordsmanship to see the effect of the Skill Points.


    "In this Transcendent world, if I want to make a name for myself, without a doubt, being a swordsmanship genius is a better choice than being a cksmith genius!"


    Thus, Rein silentlymanded in his mind and immediately added 1 point to Basic Swordsmanship.


    As a result, Basic Swordsmanship on the panel went from lv1�� to Basic Swordsmanship lv2 (0/300)


    Instantly, a surge of memories rted to Basic Swordsmanship training flowed into Rein''s mind.


    These memories were fragmented training sequences, shing through Rein''s mind like slides and embedding into his muscle memory.


    When Rein opened his eyes again and executed Basic Swordsmanship, it was as smooth as if he had been practicing eight hours daily for a month straight; every strike became increasingly fluid.


    [Your Skill, Basic Swordsmanship, has been enhanced, Experience +1]


    [You have focused on practicing Basic Swordsmanship for one hour, Militia Profession Experience Points +1]


    Huh! Rein noticed that after advancing Basic Swordsmanship to level 2, the speed of upgrading the Militia Profession Level seemed to elerate as well.


    "Could it be that level 2 swordsmanship is driving the increase of the level 1 Militia panel?"


    "Rein, when did you learn Basic Swordsmanship? That''s not cool, learning Basic Swordsmanship behind my back!"


    Only then did Rein realize that George, who had been practicing hard on the side, was now staring at him nkly!


    Just now, George had noticed that his best friend Rein was skillfully executing Basic Swordsmanship and couldn''t help questioning it, puzzled.


    Rein shook his head: "Of course not, where would I get the money to learn that?"


    George thought about it and nodded, yeah, that''s right.


    Huh? That''s not right!


    That sounds so off.


    "Ah! Rein, you''re saying you must be a swordsmanship genius!" George eximed, his eyes wide with surprise.


    "That...."


    "Shouldn''t count, I just have a bit of a knack for Basic Swordsmanship."


    George thought for a moment and nodded: "That''s true, Basic Swordsmanship is only the most rudimentary introductory skill, and it doesn''t mean you''re a swordsmanship genius!"


    "I''ve heard my brother say that the nobles study family swordsmanship passed down through generations, which is much more difficult than Basic Swordsmanship."


    "Oh, is that so?" Rein was taken aback, but then he didn''t give it much thought.


    After all, he had just started out with Basic Swordsmanship, and meals needed to be eaten one bite at a time; it was better to first master Basic Swordsmanship before anything else.


    A tall building rises from the ground!


    So, Rein didn''t idle away any more time and continued to sweat profusely on the side.


    Watching the continuous +1+1 in Experience Points, Rein was fully focused and exceedingly motivated!


    Even George was stunned on the side!


    Was this hiszy best friend?


    The hell, wasn''t he tired?!


    It was the same when he was fixing donkey hooves; Rein was full of determination, like a youth invigorated daily!


    George also kept encouraging himself, aiming to keep up with his best friend!


    But after a while of practicing, he realized it was really dull, tedious, tiring, and hard to keep up!!


    At this time, the fake second-generation rich kids nearby also noticed the changes in Rein.


    "Bushy Brow, look, something''s off with that kid Rein! At first, he was fumbling around, but it''s just been over an hour, and now he seems to have gotten the hang of it!"


    Bushy Brow followed Freckles'' gaze and, after observing Rein''s movements for a few moments, wore a ghost-stricken look:


    "This... Damn, Rein definitely practiced before; he''s nearly caught up to me!"


    ```


    "What? That impressive!"


    "Isn''t it said that Rein''s family is just a tenant farmer''s family? Where would they get the money to learn basic swordsmanship?"


    "Exactly, and you see George, that boy, he and Rein are best buddies, it doesn''t make sense that Rein would learn swordsmanship under poor conditions, but George, who is better off, didn''t learn."


    The freckled boy beside them, ncing at George who was still clumsily waving a wooden sword, pointed out a critical fact!


    In contrast, Rein''s skilled swordsmanship was almost blinding!


    The group of pseudo-second-generation kids immediately fell into contemtion.


    Could it be that Rein is a swordsmanship prodigy?


    Absolutely impossible!


    They might be willing to admit that there are geniuses in the world, but that genius definitely could not be the son of a farmer like Rein.


    The swordsmanship instructor Humbert had also noticed Rein''s changes, and couldn''t help being greatly surprised in his heart.


    For him, who had been teaching child servants in the manor for many years, if Rein had indeed not learned basic swordsmanship before, then Rein''s current level of swordsmanship might not be the highest, but it was definitely the fastest improving one!


    At first, when Rein executed those three basic moves, they were stiff and poor, clearly the work of a swordsmanship novice.


    But now, he seemed to have been practicing hard for one or two months and had be very adept; could it be that Rein possessed an extremely highprehension for swordsmanship?


    Or was it a natural tacit understanding with the sword?


    Humbert decided to observe a bit longer.


    After all, some people like to be a little clever.


    This had happened before in previous child servant training sessions.


    Some child servants deliberately hid the fact that they had learned basic swordsmanship, initially making him very hopeful, but then their progress nearly came to a standstill.


    So, the lie was quickly exposed!


    Because it''s easy to tell the difference between someone who had learned earlier and someone who truly has talent as time goes on.


    Actually, Rein was already being quite restrained, intentionally slowing down the speed and uracy of his ironwood sword''s chopping; otherwise, it would have been even more dazzling!


    While the child servants were undergoing basic swordsmanship training, sons of the low-level nobility and wealthy merchants had alsoe to the outer fort''s central area to practice swordsmanship.


    Leading them was the noble girl with the chestnut-colored ponytail!


    As the youngest daughter of the Habsburg Earl, wherever Cleya went, she was the center of attention.


    Cleya nced over and saw the child servants practicing their basic swordsmanship.


    She nodded to herself, not bad!


    The training of the manor''s child servants was well implemented; Knight Lloyd was really dedicated.


    Oh?


    After casually ncing at the child servants, Cleya immediately noticed that two or three of them stood out from the rest of the group with their swordsmanship.


    First was a freckled boy, who was seriously practicing the three styles of basic swordsmanship, looking capable �C he was one of the more remarkable among the child servants.


    Second was the tall boy with thick eyebrows and big eyes, who had the most refined basic swordsmanship of all the child servants, but it seemed to be set in stone, and he made no progress after several practices.


    This was most likely someone who had practiced basic swordsmanship beforehand.


    He could be skipped over.


    Thest one was a ck-haired, skinny boy who stood at the very edge of the group, currently practicing while dripping with sweat.


    Even though his posture seemed far from standard to Cleya, and even the continuity of his force application had some issues, one could tell he was working hard.


    What particrly caught Cleya''s eye was that she noticed after several repetitions, his movements visibly became a bit more standard.


    This rate of improvement...


    Seemed like a promising seedling!


    Cleya tilted her head slightly and beckoned to Shadia, the Chief Maid standing beside her, and asked:


    "Shadia, who is that, the ck-haired boy on the far right?"


    "That is Rein, a farmer''s child, his parents are tenants of the manor."


    "And the freckled boy?"


    "That''s Leonard, the son of the Beech Hotel owner in shgold Town."


    Cleya nodded, not saying anything further.


    At that moment, a nobleman who was paying attention to Cleya couldn''t help but speak out: "Lady Cleya, they''re just a bunch of lowlymoners, not worthy of your noble concern."


    "Dennis! These are all subjects of the Habsburg family, not the lowborn you speak of!" Cleya nced unhappily at the nobleman, retorting.


    She had heard that in the New Continent, themoners of the Eagle Federation were starting to run for parliament, yet many nobles in the ancient empire still believed their nobility was inborn, and thatmoners were naturally inferior and ugly.


    This kind of bad habit made Cleya feel very helpless!


    After being rebuked by Cleya, the noble youth named Dennis clearly had a hint of anger on his face, but he did not dare to make a scene, only enduring in silence.


    Meanwhile, a young man dressed in silk clothes behind Dennis looked at Cleya, then at Dennis, seemingly thinking of something amusing, his mouth curving slightly into a smile.

 Chapter 13: Chapter 12: Rein vs. The Brow

    Five dayster.


    As Rein gradually demonstrated swordsmanship skills at a Lv2 standard, the observing swordsmanship instructor Humbert was mostly convinced that Rein possessed an extremely high understanding of swordsmanship.


    Frankly speaking, Rein was a swordsmanship prodigy, but only amon one �C one in a hundred.


    This made Humbert look at Rein in a new light.


    With proper training, he had the makings of a guard, or even a captain of the guard!


    "Today, we will begin sparring with swords!"


    "In swordsmanship, if you want to improve quickly, you need a sparring partner."


    "And the sparring partner should not be chosen at random, the best is someone of equal strength. Only then can your swordsmanship improve the most." Humbert''s ringing voice echoed across the training field.


    "Rein, Richard, the two of youe up and demonstrate the sparring, the rest of you watch closely!" Humbert called out.


    The man with thick eyebrows was none other than Richard.


    "Yes, instructor!" The two men said in unison.


    After speaking, they quickly stepped out from the ranks and positioned themselves in front of the troop, assuming the initial stance of basic swordsmanship, with the tips of their iron-wood swords pointing at each other.


    Thick-Eyebrow felt an indescribable anxiety and irritation about Rein''s recent changes.


    Previously, when Rein stood out while fixing donkey hooves or nailing horseshoes, he did not care at all.


    Because his goal was to be a manor guard, and it was clear from his studying basic swordsmanship with his rtives in advance for the past two years.


    But what he did not expect was that during the swordsmanship training, Rein once again attracted the attention of the swordsmanship instructor Humbert.


    This, he found difficult to ept!


    If this continued, this kid Rein would sooner orter be his formidable rival.


    Moreover, Rein had fought with him before, and he hade off worse.


    So, Thick-Eyebrow had been thinking all along whether he should "identally" hurt Rein during the sparring, maybe even to the point where Rein would be unable to hold a sword?!


    "Begin!"


    Right after Humbert''smand, Rein and Thick-Eyebrow both thrust their swords at the same time, but Rein immediately noticed that Thick-Eyebrow''s sword was slightly faster.


    This was due to the other''s taller stature, longer reach, and more practiced basic swordsmanship giving him an advantage.


    Instantly, Rein quickly changed his move and used the strong sword body to block the opponent''s thrust.


    "Bang!"


    The iron-wood swords shed with a dull sound.


    Rein stepped back three paces, while Thick-Eyebrow only stepped back one, clearly showing he had the upper hand.


    Thick-Eyebrow showed a look of triumph!


    No matter how prodigious you are, kid, it''ll be at least half a year before you can surpass me.


    But Rein''s expression remained calm, as he had anticipated this situation all along.


    Firstly, when ites to height, Thick-Eyebrow was nearly a head taller than him, which naturally meant he had a much longer reach.


    This is quite advantageous in a swordfight.


    Secondly, with nearly two years of studying basic swordsmanship, Thick-Eyebrow''s skills were not something Rein''s current Lv2 basic swordsmanship couldpare with.


    Rein estimated that, converted into the system''s disy of swordsmanship levels, Thick-Eyebrow''s swordsmanship skill should have reached or be close to a Lv3 standard.


    Rein continuously blocked Thick-Eyebrow''s multiple attacks, and it was fraught with danger!


    Although there was no threat to his life, the heavy strikes of the iron-wood sword were enough to cause excruciating pain!


    "If I don''t increase my own swordsmanship level, I''m definitely going to lose this match!"


    "What is Instructor Humbert''s purpose in having me spar with Thick-Eyebrow this time? To motivate me to strive harder after a defeat, or to further stimte my potential?"


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The dull sounds of the iron-wood swords shing kepting!


    Humbert, standing with his arms crossed, watched the two duel with an impassive face.


    Although he had already made up his mind that if nothing unexpected happened, Thick-Eyebrow would win the bout.


    Then Rein, having undergone a minor setback, should be inspired to strive harder!


    Good steel needs to be hammered!


    At this moment, the tall Cleya took the lead, apanied by a group of nobles and rich merchants'' sons, riding into the outer fort from outside, seemingly having just finished their horseback riding training.


    On their high vantage point, they clearly saw two servant boys sparring.


    The sweaty Rein also sensed the hostility from Thick-Eyebrow!


    Because several times the opponent had deliberately aimed at his vital points.


    "Damn! Holding a grudge, are we?"


    "No wonder this bastard has been so quiet these past few days, so he''s been waiting for me here!"


    "Serious injury? To put me out of action for one or two months?"


    "Fuck, this is utterly intolerable!"


    Rein''s face showed a trace of fierceness!


    Add points!


    As Rein decisively used a skill point, in an instant, Basic Swordsmanship rose from lv2 to lv3. At the same time, fragments of training memories regarding Basic Swordsmanship also flooded into his mind.


    Meanwhile, the thick-browed man noticed that Rein had a moment of nkness.


    He inwardly thought, "Good opportunity!"


    With that, a fierce look crossed his face as he stepped forward and chopped down at Rein''s right shoulder.


    If this blow were to hit, lying down for ten days to half a month would be considered mild, and moreover, it was very likely that he could not study swordsmanship for one or two months.


    Facing the thick-browed man''s attack, in an instant, Rein felt the wooden sword in his hand as if it was an extension of his own arm!


    That feeling was as though the longsword was an extension of his arm!


    In the blink of an eye, Rein once again blocked strongly with the sword horizontally.


    "Bang!"


    The two wooden swords struck each other, once again making a dull sound.


    But this time, Rein firmly caught it and did not retreat!


    The thick-browed man, using the recoil from the sh, smoothly spun around and executed a spinning downward chop, swiftly aiming for Rein''s face and eyes.


    At this moment, the thick-browed man felt incredibly exhrated!


    This move was him performing above his swordsman level.


    In his mind, there was no way Rein could block it!


    When the time came, all he had to do was pretend that it was an idental injury and act the part!


    Heh, the nickname ''One-Eyed Rein'' doesn''t sound too bad!


    The corner of the thick-browed man''s mouth curled up with a tiny trace of smugness!


    This downward chop immediately made the onlooking boys exim in surprise.


    George watched Rein anxiously, unsure if his close friend could fend off this attack.


    Swordsmanship instructor Humbert was poised and ready to intervene and block the sword!


    A jolt of rm shot through Rein''s heart, and in an instant, he put power into his waist, instinctively leaned back quickly, and, using the strong de, once again shielded himself, blocking the thick-browed man''s fierce strike.


    Then, using the strength of his abdominal muscles, he sprang up and counterattacked rapidly.


    "Snap!"


    The thick-browed man''s wrist, holding the sword, was struck heavily by Rein, and the wooden sword dropped in response!


    The swift reversal of the situation left the surrounding youths dumbfounded!


    Suddenly, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop!


    "Huh! This sort of instinctive intuition with swordsmanship, seems like I underestimated myself before!" Humbert was both surprised and slightly excited at this point.


    And at a distance, Cleya, daughter of Earl Habsburg, also had a glint of admiration in her beautiful eyes.


    "I remember Shadia saying that this ck-haired boy seems to be named Rein, his father is a tenant farmer of the manor. Very good, a clean family background, maybe... I could try nurturing him?"


    If he truly had talent, she wouldn''t skimp on giving him a chance.


    However....


    Whether or not he could seize the opportunity, that remained to be seen in his performance.


    "Rein wins!" Swordsmanship instructor Humbert immediately announced loudly, with an approving expression.


    The thick-browed man, expressionless, watched Rein''s retreating figure as he left the field, feelings of resentment rising in his heart!


    "Go on and be smug, Rein! Just you wait, damn it!!"


    He had already thought of another way to deal with Rein!


    Originally, he had been too proud to stoop to such methods.


    But this brat Rein was improving too quickly!


    So quickly that it gave him a feeling of rm and dread!


    His family had run a tavern for many years, and the thick-browed man knew many people from all walks of life.


    For instance, Drunk Jack, who was a great choice, having been a mercenary, was no ordinary talent!


    Rein, stepping off the field, suddenly stiffened!


    Then, he was overjoyed.


    The system notification read as follows:


    [Your skill Basic Swordsmanship has improved, Experience +17]


    [You have experienced a battle, Militia Professional Experience Points +9]


    "A short bout of sparring, and I actually gained 9 points of Professional Experience Points, this is almost the result of two days'' worth of training!"


    "It seems what Instructor Humbert said waspletely right!"


    "Constantly sparring with an opponent of simr level is the shortcut to rapidly improving swordsmanship!"


    For a moment, Rein felt that the thick-browed man was not as repulsive as before....

 Chapter 14: Chapter 13: The Tireless Rein

    "However...."


    "After that defeat, it''s clear that even if he suggests sparring, the other party will definitely refuse!"


    "What a pity...."


    Rein nced around at the young servants, the only one with strength close to his was Thick Eyebrows, so...choose Freckles?


    As Rein was pondering, Swordsmanship Instructor Humbert shouted loudly:


    "Pair up yourselves and practice!"


    Thick Eyebrows directly chose Freckles for the practice.


    This meant Rein could only practice with George.


    But basically, with one exertion of force, Rein could defeat George, which greatly reduced the effectiveness of Rein''s practice!


    This scene was clearly seen by Humbert, who had always been paying attention to Rein.


    After thinking for a moment, the opportunity-seeking Humbert stepped forward and said:


    "Rein,e here, let''s spar a bit."


    The words of Swordsmanship Instructor Humbert took all the young servants by surprise.


    And the gaze with which Thick Eyebrows and the group of pretenders looked at Rein was filled with even more jealousy!


    Clearly, this also startled Rein. Although he had improved the basic swordsmanship to lv3, in terms of strength, he was definitely no match for Humbert.


    But upon further thought, Rein was overjoyed!


    Instructor Humbert was nning to feed him moves!


    Rein checked the Militiaman''s profession panel again, basic swordsmanship Lv3 (20/500) was still far from levelling up, but his current Militiaman level was already Militiaman Lv1 (69/100).


    If he could practice with an expert, Rein was sure that he could soon raise his Militiaman Profession Level to Lv2.


    "Yes, Instructor Humbert!"


    "Rein, don''t be nervous, attack me," Humbert said, smiling encouragingly.


    Rein nodded, bowed slightly to Instructor Humbert, and then assumed the basic swordsmanship starting stance.


    The next second, Rein''s right hand held the ironwood shortsword level with his chest, the tip pointing outward, his right foot took a step, he pushed off with the tip of his foot, propelling his whole body forward like an arrow shot from a bow toward Humbert.


    It was a standard striding thrust!


    Facing Swordsmanship Instructor Humbert, Rein''s strike was not held back but was made with full force.


    "Bang!"


    The dull sound of ironwood meeting echoed.


    Humbert parried Rein''s thrust with a swing of his sword and quickly delivered a chopping blow, forcing Rein to retreat and block immediately.


    Upon shing, Rein detected that Instructor Humbert controlled his strength to a very subtle degree.


    Almost every swing of the sword was nearly the same as Rein''s limit in strength.


    Their exchange was extremely fast, and in just over ten seconds, they had exchanged more than a dozen moves back and forth.


    "Bang!"


    After another sh, they quickly separated.


    The sparring ended!


    "Very good! Rein, take a rest," Humbert was very satisfied with Rein''s performance just now.


    It was clear to all the young servants below that Instructor Humbert was feeding moves to Rein.


    This was akin to the special coaching given in the past.


    Only top students got this kind of treatment!


    Now, all the young servants looked at Rein with jealousy��this kid had talent not only in cksmithing but now in swordsmanship as well, which was really....


    Among them, Thick Eyebrows was burning with the most jealousy, his eyes turning red with anger!


    "Damn it, Rein! If it weren''t for this brat, now Instructor Humbert''s focus would definitely be on me!"


    "The practice partner, too, would definitely be me!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, Rein was catching his breath deeply, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.


    "Huff~~ Huff~~"


    The short battle with Swordsmanship Instructor Humbert had drained Rein of a lot of physical strength and spirit.


    Because the pressure Humbert gave him was far greater than Thick Eyebrows.


    Having regained his breath, he once again checked the system notifications:


    [Your skill "Basic Swordsmanship" has gained improvement, Experience +21]


    [You have experienced a battle, Militia Profession Experience Points +12]


    "Hiss! That''s a lot of experience!"


    "That brief sparring session of less than half a minute was equivalent to nearly three days of hard training on my own! Of course, this was the result of Humbert deliberately suppressing his own strength and feeding the moves to me."


    Seeing that Rein seemed to have recovered, Humbert, with a smile on his face, leisurely walked up to him and said,


    "Rein, your basic swordsmanship is now on par with a regr militiaman, but don''t becent. Continue to train hard!"


    "Thank you for thepliment, instructor! I will keep working hard," Rein promptly replied respectfully.


    Humbert smiled and nodded. He nced at the sunset about to dip below the horizon��it was Saturday, and the servant boys could go home.


    So, he turned to the servant boys and announced, "Today''s swordsmanship practice is over! You are dismissed!"


    At once, the already exhausted servant boys couldn''t help but cheer, many of them flopped down on the ground to rest.


    Humbert then leisurely prepared to leave the outer castle courtyard.


    At that moment, he casually noticed Rein by his side staring intently at him, which made him curiously ask,


    "Rein, what is it? Is there something you need?"


    Humbert was quite fond of this young man with a natural talent for swordsmanship.


    His steadfast character disyed during intense training deeply reminded him of his own younger days!


    "This... Humbert, may I have another bout with you?" Rein asked with a hopeful expression.


    Such a great opportunity to earn experience points was not to be missed, after all.


    Humbert, unaware of Rein''s inner thoughts at that moment, thought Rein''s youthful spirit of not wanting to lose wasing through.


    He smiled and looked Rein up and down before saying, "Sure! But... Rein, are you sure you don''t need to rest a bit first?"


    "As long as you want, I can keep practicing with you."


    "Really, Instructor?" The joy on Rein''s face was evident.


    At this point, Rein was nearly at his physical limit, but the chance to have personal training with Humbert was too good to pass up, especially since dog trainer training was starting next week.


    Therefore, Rein hesitated no more and allocated the few attribute points he had reserved during his cksmith apprenticeship upgrade directly to his Strength.


    Suddenly, a warm flow surged from his heart and spread throughout his body!


    In an instant, all of Rein''s fatigue vanished!


    Boosting points for recovery, powerful!


    After this increase, Rein''s Strength reached 6 points, roughly on par with the average adult male in this world!


    Name: Rein Can


    Profession: cksmith Apprentice lv3 (0/500) / Militia lv1 (81/100)


    Constitution: 5


    Strength: 6


    Agility: 6


    Spirit: 8


    .....


    The sparring resumed!


    After three rounds of sparring, Humbert was sweating profusely, while Rein still had a hungry look in his eyes, gazing eagerly at him, which made Humbert''s scalp tingle a bit.


    "You know... Rein, sometimes overtraining isn''t necessarily good. It''s important to bnce work and rest," Humbert gently cautioned.


    "Instructor, I''m not tired!" Rein firmly responded.


    Looking at his panel showing Militia lv1 (99/100), Rein clearly didn''t want to remain just one point short of leveling up.


    "Just one point away from upgrading my Militia Profession Level!"


    "Instructor, push it a bit!" Rein shouted inwardly!


    After a moment of silence, Humbert softly said, "Ahem... Rein, it''s getting dark, and well... I have some things to take care of at home."


    This...


    Faced with Humbert''s subtle refusal, Rein felt helpless!


    He could only reluctantly watch as the back of his swordsmanship instructor, Humbert, quickly receded.


    ....

 Chapter 15: Chapter 14 The Invitation of the Chief Maid

    Just as Rein fretted over that single Experience point, an attractive maid dressed in a gray uniform approached him and said,


    "Rein, Chief Maid Shadia asks for your presence in the lower back garden."


    Hmm?


    Rein, momentarily taken aback, hesitated briefly before nodding in acquiescence, "Alright, I''ll be there momentarily."


    "George, you go on ahead and let my parents know that I may bete for dinner, asking them not to wait for me."


    George, who had been waiting at the side, nodded. However, he was quite puzzled��when had Rein gotten to know Chief Maid Shadia?


    After all, the Chief Maid is a senior servant, second only to the butler and the treasurer in the Habsburg manor.


    Soon, Rein followed the maid, passing through the towering back doors of the castle and stepping into its rear gardens for the first time.


    "Rein, pleasee in. Chief Maid Shadia is inside," said the beautiful maid with a slight smile before she took her leave.


    Rein nodded slightly in thanks for the maid''s guidance.


    At this moment, he already had some spections in his heart.


    However, some things had to wait until the moment of revtion to be confirmed.


    When Rein entered the garden, he saw thedy standing by the flowerbeds��none other than the Chief Maid Shadia, likely in her forties.


    Dressed in a refined ck maid''s uniform with a stern expression, she exuded an air of severity.


    But the protagonist in the back garden was not the Chief Maid.


    It was instead the noble youngdy, wearing a fitted hunting outfit, who was not far from her, standing in the center of the garden!


    At that moment, she was fully engrossed in swinging her Dual-Handed Greatsword, seemingly in contemtion of some sort of swordsmanship.


    This was an incredibly pleasant surprise for Rein!


    He had not expected to catch the attention of such a distinguished individual.


    He always thought it would be quite an honor to attract the attention of Combat Instructor Humbert.


    Exaggerating a bit, having the attention of Habsburg Manor''s Butler and Knight, Lord Lloyd, would even be better!


    But he never expected to capture the attention of a noble youngdy!


    He had heard of her identity��the youngest daughter of the Earl, her status far above that of Lord Lloyd, the Butler, and Knight of Habsburg Manor.


    "Rein, there are swords over there. Pick one and attack me!" Lady Creya stopped her movements, turned to Rein and instructed.


    Had Rein not anticipated such an event, his heart would surely be in turmoil at this moment.


    "As you wish, Lady Creya."


    As Rein approached the rack of weapons, he realized that the swords were all sharpened steel Longswords of various types��short swords, knightly Longswords, Bastard Swords, and even Dual-Handed Greatswords, all seeming to be of exceptional quality.


    After some thought, Rein chose a Knight''s Longsword that was about the same length as the training Ironwood sword he was familiar with, and stood ready in the center of the garden.


    This was his first time in either his past or present life holding such a sharp weapon, about to engage in a "battle" with someone. He couldn''t help but feel tense inside.


    "If you''re ready, then let''s begin," Creya said with a slight smile, her Dual-Handed Greatsword now exchanged for a Bastard Sword.


    Rein nodded.


    "Swoosh!"


    Creya immediately delivered a downward sh at Rein, who instinctively blocked with his sword horizontally.


    "ng!" The sound of metal striking metal rang out.


    But this was just the beginning, Creya followed up with a rapid three-strikebination!


    Suddenly, Rein''s pupils shrank and he swiftly retreated!


    Even though he kept retreating, he was barely able to defend, with no chance to counterattack!


    Three secondster, Creya''s sword stopped at Rein''s neck!


    Three seconds!


    Hested only three seconds!


    In this sparring session with Creya, Rein resisted for merely three seconds before he was swiftly defeated.


    This was in spite of the fact that Creya had deliberately held back, controlling her physical abilities to match Rein''s level!


    Rein sensed this too, especially since he had seen her swinging around a seventy or eighty-pound Dual-Handed Greatsword as if it were a mere stick.


    Yet, this three-second skirmish brought Rein:


    [Your skill in Basic Swordsmanship has improved, Experience Points +15]


    [Having engaged inbat, your Militia Profession Experience Points +4]


    [Congrattions, your Militia Profession Level has increased!]


    [Remaining attribute points: 1]


    [Remaining Skill Points: 1]


    "You''ve learned the basic swordsmanship quite well; it''s quite rare among young servants. You do have a certain talent for swordsmanship, but it''s not top-notch," the girl said, looking up at Rein.


    "Unfortunately, your physical condition is a bitcking. The hope of bing a formal knight isn''t very great."


    "It seems I was hoping for too much. It''s really difficult to find someone with knight potential among ordinary people," Cleya said with a hint of disappointment.


    Wait a minute, who is she looking down on?


    At this moment, the look that the noble girl gave him made Rein realize why they say women are the driving force for a man''s determination to be stronger!


    "Wait a moment, Lady Cleya, I want to try one more time. Can you give me another chance?" Rein said, looking up at the girl with a burning gaze.


    "Oh? Can you handle it?"


    The girl looked at Rein with a half-smile.


    At that moment, Rein really wanted to shout to Cleya that when a beauty asks a man if he can handle it, would any man give a second type of answer?


    Of course, he could!


    Without hesitation, Rein immediately added the attribute points he had just gained from leveling up to Militia lv2 into agility!


    In the martial world, only speed is unbreakable!


    It was precisely because Cleya''s sword was so fast that he had been unable to react in time.


    When his agility went from 6 to 7 points, a warm surge pumped from his heart, quickly spreading through his body, and suddenly Rein felt a renewed sense of strength throughout his body.


    That''s the best part about adding points; it always fully restores your stamina!


    The girl was about to refuse, but seeing the determined look in Rein''s eyes as he got up again, she nodded and said, "Ok! But this is yourst chance."


    Rein gave a slight bow, and the next second.


    "Whoosh!"


    The speed at which Rein stepped forward had increased by at least twenty percent, which slightly startled Cleya.


    "ng!"


    With his stamina fully recovered and his agility increased by one point, as well as his familiarity with the steel sword from the previous fight.


    Due to several contributing factors, hisbat ability was now a whole level higher than before.


    Huh? This level of strength.


    The more the girl fought, the more surprised she became.


    "Ding ding ng ng!" The two engaged in rapidbat!


    The Chief Maid Shadia, watching from the side, also had a change in the way she looked at Rein, shifting from calm to surprised!


    "Stop!"


    After a sudden thrust of her sword, the girl repelled Rein and said,


    "Not bad, Rein. You can go back now."


    Now Rein was a bit confused��did she acknowledge him or not?


    He had deliberately kept some Skill Points in reserve in case Lady Cleya was not satisfied, so he could...


    But given her current stance, all Rein could do was give a slight bow and say, "Goodbye, Lady Cleya!"


    Then, Rein turned and left.


    The girl watched Rein''s departing figure intently.


    She had been ready to give up, but Rein had suddenly given her a pleasant surprise.


    From his expression, it seemed that even the strength he had just disyed wasn''t his limit; it appeared he still had something in reserve?


    Interesting.


    If that''s the case, then he might indeed be a knight prospect worth cultivating. However, there''s no rush; she needed to investigate his background first.


    At this moment, Shadia, pondering, asked with a hint of confusion,


    "Miss, why do you value this Rein so much?"


    "Although Rein seems to have decent talent, both Young Master Dennis and Young Master Marcos are already level three knight attendants, and they are much stronger than Rein, who is about the same age."


    In the Chief Maid''s eyes, Rein might have good talent, but starting knight training now was just toote.


    She didn''t think Rein had any chance of catching up with Dennis and Marcos.


    Yet if Rein''s future was just to be an ordinary guard, then he wouldn''t be worth the trouble the mistress was taking.


    "Shadia, Rein is fundamentally different from them. Dennis is the son of Baron Norman and has been practicing the family''s inherited Knight Breathing Method from a young age. His current strength is proof of mediocre talent at best," Cleya said slowly.


    "And Marcos is the son of the president of the Bordeaux Merchants'' Guild. He has been taking all sorts of potions to enhance his attributes since he was a child. It may seem like he''s making fast progress, but he has already exhausted his potential, and the possibility of bing a formal knight is very low," Cleya exined.


    Shadia''s eyes widened; it was the first time she had heard her mistress talk about this.


    "So you mean to say, Rein has high potential?"

 Chapter 16: Chapter 15 Drunkard Jack

    The girl did not answer immediately; instead, she turned around, bent down, and gently stroked a pure white horseshoe orchid in the back garden, creating a beautiful curve.


    "Shadia, do you know what conditions a person needs to meet to be a Transcendent?"


    The Chief Maid furrowed her brow, deep in thought over the question.


    Though she was literate and often read books, they were mostly about noble etiquette, introductions to noble emblems, or the daily management of estates.


    The scope of this question frankly exceeded her knowledge.


    After a good while, the Chief Maid, frowning delicately and with some hesitation, replied, "Talent?"


    The girl let out a gentle smile: "You''ve got one right."


    "To be a Transcendent, one must have four conditions simultaneously: determination, talent, perseverance, and opportunity."


    "I had seen determination and perseverance in Rein, which is why I asked you to call him to the back garden."


    "Just now, I confirmed that he indeed possesses considerable talent."


    Upon hearing this, the Chief Maid said with sudden realization, "I see, but..."


    "Miss, you just mentioned three qualities that Rein possesses, but didn''t you say one needs four?"


    "Shadia, are you talking about opportunity? I am his opportunity!" the girl dered, her face blooming into a radiant smile.


    ....


    Inside the shgold Town Inn.


    Bushy brows were deep in conversation with a burly adult male in a secluded corner.


    "Drunkard Jack, here are 10 silver coins; just break that kid Rein''s sword hand and it''ll be enough," Richard said sourly to the adult male beside him.


    Skillful, even with a talent?


    If his hand is broken, I''d like to see how the boy will learn swordsmanship!


    "Just 10 silver coins? That''s not enough to buy me two days'' worth of drink."


    The man known as Drunkard Jack was still somewhat sturdy in appearance, having once been a mercenary.


    Though he now spent his years frequenting taverns or mingling with streetwalkers, his strength was no longer what it once was.


    "Richard, make it at least 15 silver coins, and I''ll take care of that kid for you!" Drunkard Jack gestured for more money, greed shining in his eyes.


    "Fine, 15 it is! But you have to make sure this doesn''t get out," Richard gritted his teeth and agreed to the price increase.


    After all, with the money he had on hand, he couldn''t afford to hire a real expert; he could only rely on people like Drunkard Jack.


    But to deal with Rein, that would suffice, right?


    "Today he should be heading home to stay the night, and tomorrow evening he will return to the manor."


    "So, Drunkard Jack, if you''re going to act, seize the opportunity and make your move quickly!"


    "Burp... No worries!" Drunkard Jack belched, patting his chest in assurance.


    "Just a little brat!"


    Before leaving, Richard gave it some thought and reminded Drunkard Jack, "That kid''s got some talent for swordsmanship; don''t capsize in the gutter!"


    "Pfft! Don''t forget, I used to be a mercenary! A mercenary!" Drunkard Jack muttered, scoffing at Richard''s caution.


    After Richard left, Drunkard Jack nned to have a couple more drinks.


    But as he lifted his head, he inadvertently caught sight of a familiar figure walking past the front of the tavern.


    "Eh? Isn''t that the kid, Rein?"


    Drunkard Jack was overjoyed at once.


    "Tsk tsk! Easy money!"


    Immediately, Drunkard Jack stood up and began to follow him.


    At dusk, as the sun set in the west, Rein hurried home, pondering what move Lady Creya would make next.


    Would she recruit him directly, or would she say...


    Suddenly, he heard the faint sound of footsteps from behind.


    The wind whistled behind his head!


    The effects of his agility raised to 7 points were now fully disyed.


    Rein abruptly darted forward, causing the attacker''s nned blow to the back of his head to miss entirely.


    But Rein hadn''tpletely evaded injury; the strike stillnded heavily on his back.


    "Smack!"


    A severe pain shot through his back, but it was much better than being hit in the back of the head.


    At the same time, the attacker behind Rein had not expected his seemingly guaranteed strike to miss, and the person froze in surprise.


    Seizing the moment of the attacker''s hesitation, Rein quickly turned around and grabbed the stick used to attack him, pulling it with force!


    The attacker, of course, was not about to let go and immediately gripped the stick tightly, but in his haste, he still staggered from Rein''s pull.


    With this pull, the attacker''s mind momentarily rxed.


    Indeed, his opponent was just a youngster, whose strength was far from matching his own; even with the element of surprise, the young foe couldn''t seize the stick from his hands, which was quite weak.


    As he was thinking this.


    "Snap!"


    Rein delivered an extremely swift uppercut kick, striking hard at the center of his adversary''s groin.


    "Ahh!!"


    The attacker''s face went ashen as a pig''s liver, releasing the stick in agony, clutching his groin with both hands, and immediately squatting down.


    Rein, holding the stick, aimed it at the attacker''s temple, and struck down hard!


    "Bang!"


    Without even a grunt, the attacker crumpled to the ground.


    Only then did Rein start to breathe heavily.


    Although the struggle hadsted less than ten seconds, it was his first time being attacked in this world.


    It was a real fight!


    Luckily, he had made significant progress in all his physical attributes and swordsmanshiptely.


    Otherwise, he might not have been able to react to the attacker''s first blow in time.


    He could have been taken down with just one strike of the cudgel!


    Rein quickly looked up and scanned the surroundings.


    At this time, most of the residents of shgold Town had already gone home for dinner, and there were few people on the nearby streets.


    And Rein''s home was at the end of the town''s main thoroughfare, an isted location, which meant even fewer passersby.


    This meant that almost no one had noticed what had happened here.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein expended some effort to drag the attacker into the nearby woods and found a vine about as thick as a thumb to tie the person in loops around arge tree.


    It was then that Rein ripped off the ck scarf the attacker had used as a disguise.


    "Eh! Isn''t this... isn''t this ''Drunkard Jack, '' who loiters in the tavern all the time?"


    shgold Town was not a big ce, and Rein immediately recognized the person''s identity.


    After a bit of contemtion, Rein thought of several suspects who might have been behind this deed��Bushy Eyebrows? Freckles? Or was it the other two scions?


    Clearly, Bushy Eyebrows was the most likely.


    After thinking it over, Rein woke Drunkard Jack up.


    "Rein, you little brat, untie me right now!!!"


    "Hmm....."


    Rein swiftly pulled off Drunkard Jack''s smelly socks and stuffed them into the fellow''s mouth.


    Although the dense forest had good sound instion, to be on the safe side, Rein quickly covered his mouth.


    A month''s worth of stench from unwashed socks, once pressed into Jack''s mouth, even made him tear up and drip mucus!


    Rein, disgusted, rubbed the hand that had touched the opponent''s smelly socks on the ground.


    "I ask, you answer! If you understand, nod your head!" Rein crouched down and stared at Jack, who was tied up like a rice dumpling.


    Apparently, the stench was unbearable, and Jack nodded his head frantically!


    Rein took the dirty socks out of the mouth of Drunkard Jack and said, "Who told you to attack me?"


    Drunkard Jack gasped for air and said, "Rein, you''d better let me go right now, or else...."


    "Hmm...."


    Once again, Jack''s mouth was gagged with the smelly sock.


    Rein looked at Drunkard Jack fiercely and said, "Drunkard Jack, it seems you haven''t grasped the situation. We''re in the forest, and if I let a little blood, it won''t be long before wild animals are attracted."


    "You don''t have rtives in shgold Town, and nobody cares about you there, so when people notice your disappearance, it''s likely half a month will have passed."


    "You say....."

 Chapter 17: Chapter 16 What is this number?

    At first, Drunkard Jack''s eyes held a strong sense of disdain.


    "You, a mere brat, have the audacity to kill someone?"


    He simply didn''t believe it!


    But when Reinid out a very feasible n, word by word, his eyes slowly filled with horror!


    And Rein immediately caught the sh of terror that passed through the other''s eyes.


    He had a chance!


    This was nothing but a hollow tough guy.


    So, Rein continued to threaten with an emotionless face, "And at that time, what would you have left? Probably not even your bones."


    "But no one will suspect me, because I''m just a child!"


    At this point, Drunkard Jack''s expression seemed to start yielding.


    Go to hell, still a child?!


    Is there such a ruthless child?


    Richard only wanted me to break your hand, but damn it, you''re directly after my life!


    Drunkard Jack had always been a coward; otherwise, he wouldn''t have stopped being a mercenary after doing it for some time.


    Because he felt that the blood-spattered life of a mercenary really didn''t suit him.


    This time, as soon as Rein removed the stinky sock from his mouth, Drunkard Jack immediately shouted, "It was the tavern keeper''s kid, Richard, he gave me some money to break your hand!!"


    Upon hearing this, Rein knew it was that bushy-browed guy.


    Rein hadn''t ruled out the possibility that Drunkard Jack was lying, but it''s very hard to lie when one is scared.


    Of course, the most important thing was that the bushy-browed guy had the motive to do this.


    His natural talent in swordsmanship seemed to really irk Bushy-brows.


    Recalling the look in Bushy-brows'' eyes when he was defeated in the day''s sparring, Rein quickly connected the two events.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the dense forest nearby, a silent spectator had appeared.


    Just now, Hamilton had heard an unusual noise from the woods. As the newly appointed town sheriff of shgold Town, he was quite concerned about the local security.


    So, he immediately slipped into the woods to investigate.


    What he saw surprised him: a slender youth had tied up a burly man and was interrogating him!


    With just a nce, Hamilton recognized the burly man tied to the tree; it was Drunkard Jack, a man with a terrible reputation in shgold Town.


    This good-for-nothing often loitered around,mitting petty theft, and boasted about his mercenary past to several widows every day. As a potential threat to local security, Hamilton had been watching him closely ever since he came to shgold Town.


    Quickly, he learned the whole story from Drunkard Jack''s interrogation.


    He hadn''t expected that this daring youth was just amoner''s son and was currently undergoing servant training at the Habsburg manor.


    ''An interesting little bugger.''


    Following Hamilton''s gaze, we turn back to Rein.


    Rein appeared deep in thought.


    But, he hadn''t really considered that Bushy-brows, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, could be so devious!


    As for the man in front of him��


    Rein began to size up Drunkard Jack.


    This made Drunkard Jack think that Rein was really about to bleed him, and he couldn''t help but cry out in terror, "Rein, stop! Let''s talk this out nicely!"


    "Smack!"


    Rein struck Drunkard Jack hard on the head, prompting a miserable howl from him.


    "What number is this?"


    Huh?


    Drunkard Jack''s eyes widened as he stared at the single finger that Rein was holding up.


    He quickly said, "It''s one, one!"


    "Wrong answer."


    "Smack!" Rein struck his head hard again with a stick!


    "What number is this?" Rein asked again calmly.


    Drunkard Jack''s eyes bulged as he stared at the hand Rein held out.


    He wasn''t seeing things!


    There was only one finger!


    "One, it''s one, stop hitting me!"


    "Still wrong."


    "Smack!"


    Immediately after, Rein struck Jack''s forehead with his stick again.


    "How many is this?" Rein asked, gesturing with his fingers once more.


    By this time, Drunkard Jack was not feeling good at all and wailed with a crying tone:


    "Whatever you say it is..."


    "Eh, not knocked senseless yet?" Rein muttered to himself.


    Although he spoke softly, Hamilton, not far away and with formidable strength, heard everything clearly, causing the corners of his mouth to twitch involuntarily.


    The kid''s ruthless enough to dumbfound someone.


    But soon, Hamilton understood something and a slight smile formed on his lips.


    He guessed that this young man actually didn''t want to kill Drunkard Jack outright, which is why he aimed to beat him senseless, avoiding future trouble.


    ''However, having an additional murder case in my jurisdiction is not a good thing.''


    So, Hamilton took a few steps forward, his leather boots making a sound as they stepped on dry twigs.


    Meanwhile, Rein had just noticed Drunkard Jack''s exposed money pouch, bulging as though it contained a fair amount of coins.


    This made Rein''s eyes shine with anticipation.


    Just as he bent down to take the other''s money pouch, his body suddenly froze!


    Then, he quickly stood up, turned, and gripping the stick tightly, looked towards the direction from where the noise wasing.


    Indistinctly, he saw a tall figure emerging from the dense forest, causing cold sweat to break out on Rein''s back "whoosh" in an instant.


    Moreover, Rein could barely make out a longsword at the person''s waist.


    This startled Rein, making the hairs on his body stand on end!


    ''They have a weapon!''


    ''I don''t know if they are friend or foe.''


    ''No! They must be an enemy, I don''t recognize any mercenary.''


    ''I can''t risk my life on this.''


    ''I must first flee into the forest to lose this person and ensure safety.''


    In just a moment, a series of thoughts shed through Rein''s mind.


    The next second!


    Rein shot into the nearby dense forest like an agile monkey, disappearing in an instant.


    Hamilton was momentarily dumbfounded!


    But he immediately realized something and couldn''t help but show a face that was both annoyed and amused.


    Suddenly, as the dirt beneath Hamilton''s feet burst apart, his towering figure shot into the dense forest like an arrow released from a bow, moving nearly twice as fast as Rein.


    Rein, meanwhile, was darting left and right through the forest, trying to confuse his pursuer''s line of sight, and after maintaining high-speed running for a while, he started to feel the strain on his stamina.


    He slowed down his pace to listen carefully, and after a while, there seemed to be no movement behind him.


    So, Rein immediately hid behind arge tree, panting heavily.


    "Huff~ Huff~"


    He thought to himself: "Who could that be?"


    Suddenly, a stranger''s voice came from beside Rein: "Not a bad speed!"


    Rein, as if struck by lightning, was startled and thought, "He won''t let me go? He actually chased me this far!"


    "Dammit!"


    This made Rein feel even more certain that the other person was an enemy, not a friend.


    Instantly, Rein''s face showed determination, and he made a decision��he decided to add hisst Skill Points to his basic swordsmanship.


    After all, what''s the use of points if you''ve lost your life!

 Chapter 18: Chapter 17 Im Still a Child

    In an instant, Rein''s basic swordsmanship skill level 3 had risen to level 4.


    In his mind, hundreds of training images shed by like a slideshow.


    Suddenly, Rein exploded with a fierce energy, wielding the stick he had just picked up and performed a striding thrust directly at the opponent''s face!


    "Since I can''t escape, I might as well fight for a chance to survive!"


    This extraordinary and swift strike surprised Hamilton, and his appreciation for Rein increased a notch.


    Such temperament, speed, and swordsmanship in amon young boy was indeed a rare gift!


    "Snap!"


    However, against Rein''s full-powered blow, Hamilton merely extended his right hand and, very ordinarily, gripped and securely fixed the swiftly attacking stick in front of him.


    No matter how hard Rein tried, he couldn''t move the stick at all, which suddenly made his heart sink to the bottom.


    "It''s over! The difference in strength is just too great!"


    It was then that Hamilton slowly continued speaking:


    "Don''t be nervous, young man. I''ll handle that drunkard Jack for you. I''ll make sure he spends a good while in the solitary cell, and afterward, I won''t let him trouble you again."


    "Ah! Solitary cell? Are... Are you the newly appointed sheriff?" Rein was stunned at first, but then immediately realized and blurted out.


    Immediately after, Rein carefully sized up the other man.


    The man was tall and imposing, wearing a male noble''s hunting outfit that fit perfectly, with a longsword at his waist, he indeed looked more like a noble than a bandit or a bounty hunter.


    This slightly eased Rein''s mind.


    "Clever young man, I am indeed the new sheriff of shgold Town, Hamilton,"


    Seeing the astonishment on Rein''s face, Hamilton couldn''t help but show a trace of a smile on his serious face.


    It wasn''t that he wanted to scare Rein, but Rein''s quick reactions were somewhat unexpected, leaving him no chance to speak.


    "Sir, I''m really sorry, I didn''t know you were..." Rein clearly detected the goodwill in the other man''s words.


    "Haha, there''s nothing wrong with what you did to that drunkard Jack; after all, he attacked you first and you were merely defending yourself."


    "However..."


    "You just swung a weapon at an Imperial Baron and the sheriff of shgold Town, what do you think I should do to punish you?" Hamilton said, slightly teasing.


    "Ah! This..." Rein was dumbfounded, the sheriff before him had changed his tone so suddenly.


    "However, considering your youth, I can forgive you this time, but you need to do something for me," Hamilton seemed not to want to stress Rein further and quickly changed his tone again.


    "What is it? I won''t do anything illegal or disorderly!" Rein immediately became alert and shot a nce at Hamilton, realizing that he had been waiting for him.


    Hamilton was left speechless!


    Illegal or disorderly?


    As the sheriff of a town in the Empire, would I ask a child to do something illegal or disorderly?


    However, after thinking it over, he decided to reveal a bit of information to Rein, saying:


    "I can''t tell you the details right now, but... you should know about the child disappearances that have been happening from time to time. I''m closely monitoring this issue."


    Upon hearing this, Rein sighed in relief!


    So, it was about that!


    Even in his past life, he had a deep disdain for human traffickers.


    Now, since Sheriff Hamilton had caught him in a bind, if it was just about him cooperating on the child disappearance cases, he could agree to that.


    Actually, even if he didn''t want to agree, the situationpelled him to!


    Although... do all sheriffs nowadays have such a sense of responsibility?


    Suddenly, Rein didn''t dislike the man in front of him so much!


    No, wait!


    I am still a child!


    In terms of strength, I''m barely stronger than an ordinary militiaman; what could I possibly help him with?


    Rein immediately realized that something might be amiss here!


    Should he just refuse outright?


    It won''t work!


    They''ve got something on me.


    Forget it, just y along for now, and agree first.


    Strength!


    It looks like I need to enhance my strength after all!


    "Okay! However... Sir, my abilities are limited, I''m still a child, and I can''t help much," Rein spread his hands, his expression showing no fear of boiling water.


    This couldn''t help but make Hamiltonugh!


    In his heart, he thought, "Still a child? With your disposition, swordsmanship, and speed, I''m afraid most of the militia aren''t a match for you!"


    "Don''t worry, it won''t exceed your capabilities," Hamilton said, smiling and shaking his head.


    "Then... respected Sheriff Sir, may I go home now?"


    "Of course!"


    As soon as Hamilton finished speaking, Rein ran off like a startled rabbit, without looking back!


    This made Hamilton shake his head helplessly again. Such a shrewd little guy!


    "However... handling this case, indeed requires someone like Rein... it might just have surprising effects!"


    Rein ran all the way to near his house before he slowed down, his chest heaving greatly.


    "Huff~ Huff~"


    At this moment, his mood was both excited and scared, along with a bit of regret and disappointment!


    "Everything about tonight''s incident was under control!


    But, unfortunately, I ran into the new Sheriff, Hamilton.


    His strength is too great!


    Rein thought about it, skill-wise Humbert, the servant swordsman, probably isn''t his opponent; it seems only the noble young men''s instructor, Lord Perez, could possibly fight him!


    Luckily, he doesn''t seem to be a particrly harsh person.


    Otherwise, I might have been in trouble!


    Also, what exactly does he want me to help with?


    But, thinking about how even after continuously boosting my agility and Militiaman Swordsmanship, I''m still no match for Hamilton, not even forcing out his true strength, it''s indeed a bit disheartening.


    The gap in strength is just too great!


    I still need to think of a way to enhance my strength quickly!"


    However... today''s events, which were almost like actualbat, greatly benefited Rein.


    He focused his attention on the system, and the notification was as follows:


    [You have undergone a battle, Militiaman Professional Experience Points +23]


    ...


    [Your skill "Basic Swordsmanship" has been enhanced, Experience Points +11]


    [You have undergone a battle, Militiaman Professional Experience Points +8]


    The only thing that Rein slightly regretted was that he didn''t manage to grab Drunkard Jack''s waist pouch!


    Otherwise, the money inside would have been enough to buy some treats to reward himself and his family.


    Feeling a tad disappointed, Rein quickly returned home.


    "Brother! You''re back!" Bo He immediately gave Rein a big hug as soon as he arrived.


    Soon after, the family of four sat down at the simple dining table and started dinner.


    The warm oilmp.


    The cozy atmosphere.


    Instantly dispelled the disappointment in Rein''s heart!


    Money!


    I''ll definitely find a way to earn it....

 Chapter 19: Chapter 18 The Evil in the Alley

    Early the next morning, declining his best friend George''s suggestion to go to the forest to pick nuts again, Rein arrived at the cksmith shop.


    Upon entering the cksmith shop, he was immediately greeted by a wave of intense heat. The apprentices were all busy with their own tasks, while the cksmith Boris Patton was forging an iron sword, which instantly caught Rein''s eye.


    Just as he was about to move closer to get a better look, Drews, who was working the bellows, eagerly waved at Rein, "Rein! You''re here!"


    Hearing this memorable name, the cksmith apprentices, who had been concentrating on their work, were all startled!


    Suddenly, a few of the burly apprentices exchanged nces, seeing a sense of urgency in each other''s eyes.


    The expression on their faces seemed to convey, "Why is this kid here again! And this time, he''s not evening in the afternoon but bright and early in the morning, bad luck!!"


    The cksmith Boris, who rarely took the initiative to greet anyone, called out, "Rein, you''re here!"


    "Yes, Uncle Boris! Oh, you''re making a Longsword today!" Rein pretended to have just noticed and took two steps forward, nning to observe Boris''s forging technique.


    The glowing hot sword embryo was clearly longer than the average one-handed sword.


    "That''s right, today I''m making a Bastard Sword for a friend!" Boris said sinctly.


    Rein suddenly understood; he knew what a Bastard Sword was, a type of sword that fell between one-handed swords and two-handed swords.


    It had advantages in length and offensive power over a one-handed sword, and was more convenient to carry than a two-handed sword. Nobility, Bounty Hunters, or mercenaries often used it and it required some time to train in order to use it with agility.


    "By the way, Rein,st time you got familiar with working the bellows, so continue to help Drews with the bellows today," Boris didn''t let Rein sit idle and quickly gave him a task.


    "Okay, Uncle Boris!" Although it was just working the bellows again, Rein agreed promptly.


    Rein also wanted to learn other things like casting, forging nails, pots, and such, but trust between people takes time to build.


    If Rein had money now, he certainly could speed up this rtionship, and maybe even get Boris the miser to start teaching him to forge some kind of ironware today.


    But s, he was poor!


    Thinking of this, Rein felt a strong sense of annoyance toward Hamilton, the newly appointed Sheriff.


    Rein walked over to the bellows, and Drews, with a joyous expression, quickly stepped aside, "Rein, you were already skillful at working the bellowsst time, so I''ll leave this to you."


    After speaking, Drews moved as agilely as a monkey, quickly joining Boris at his side, with an eager-to-learn expression, watching the creation of the Bastard Sword.


    Rein smiled to himself, betting that it wouldn''t be long before Drews would be assigned to other tasks by Boris.


    Sure enough, within five minutes, Boris sent Drews off to smelt iron ingots....


    Rein couldn''t help but chuckle to himself; Boris Patton was notoriously stingy with his craft in shgold Town, without cold, hard cash, he definitely wouldn''t teach you anything substantial in a short time.


    Unless you spent enough time in the cksmith shop!


    No longer distracted by watching others, Rein began to focus on the task of working the bellows!


    [You have performed the bellows work, and yourprehension has increased!]


    [Your Skill in working the bellows has improved, Experience +3]


    [You focused on the blower, cksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points +1]


    Aside from going home at noon to have lunch with his family, Rein spent the entire Sunday at the cksmith shop.


    Of course, the results were gratifying!


    Rein flipped to the second page of the framework, the cksmith Apprentice professional panel. cksmith Apprentice lv3 was more than halfwaypleted, meaning that if everything went well, he would be able to advance to lv4 by next Sunday.


    ```


    [cksmith Apprentice lv3 (265/500)]


    [Stoking Blower lv3 (395/500)]


    [Hoof Trimming lv2 (295/300)]


    [Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (56/100)]


    As dusk approached, an exhausted Rein stepped out of the cksmith''s shop, ready to return to the Habsburg Manor.


    At the same time, not far from Rein, something sinister was happening in a secluded alley!


    In a low house, a skinny boy was about to go out to buy some stuff when suddenly, his mouth was covered with a piece of rag!


    Immediately, the skinny boy began to struggle.


    "Mmmph!!"


    "Damn it! Kid, behave!" a deep male voice eximed!


    The next second, a sharp dagger, gleaming with a cold light, appeared in front of the boy.


    Instantly, the little boy dared not struggle any longer.


    A piece of hemp rope quickly bounded the little boy tightly, and a piece of coarse cloth was stuffed into his mouth before a pair of strong hands put him into arge ck bag.


    Soon after, two burly figures carrying ck bags disappeared quickly into the alley.


    "Boss, what does the higher-up want with so many kids?"


    "Including this one, we''ve already nabbed the eleventh child! I heard the other brothers are snatching kids too?"


    "Could it be that the nobles'' demand for boys and girls has spiked recently?"


    "But... Could the nobles really fancy these skinny, odd-smelling street urchins or poor kids?" Scarface seemed puzzled, turning his head in doubt to ask hispanion with the scruffy beard.


    "Scarface! Is this something you need to worry about? The higher-ups have made their request; as long as the money is right, we just do our job. Why bother asking so many questions!" the scruffy-bearded man retorted irritably.


    However, after some thought, he seemed to agree there was some sense in Scarface''s words and added, "It''s probably not the demand of the nobles in the County Town. I heard this might be the request of the Wilderness Brotherhood."


    "But, you''d better not inquire too much about these matters in front of others, or I''m afraid you won''t know how you died!"


    "Yes, yes! You''re right, boss!"


    "By the way, boss, we''ve nearlybed through the northern part of shgold Town. In a few days, I''ll check out the south side."


    "Be careful. The new sheriff, Hamilton, seems to be paying close attention to this matter; it''s going to be troublesome if he gets wind of it!" warned the man with the scruffy beard.


    "Don''t worry, boss! I push a snack cart along the streets; I can spot suitable targets with one nce!" Scarface assured while tapping his chest.


    "Hey boss, when we get this batch of money, where shall we go to have some fun first? The quality at shgold Town''s brothels is too low. Shouldn''t we go back to the County Town to y for a few days andy low at the same time?!" Scarface seemed to think of something delightful, his face showing a sleazy look.


    "Damn it! Scarface, you''ll end up dead on a woman''s belly someday! But you also make a point; after we get the money, we''ll make a trip back to the County Town," the scruffy-bearded man consented after some thought.


    "Wearing this skin mask is so ufortable; it''s too tight! Boss, can you make me a new one?" the burly man known as Scarfaceined.


    "....."


    Rein thought he heard some noise from the nearby alley, but after stopping to listen for a while, he shook his head and continued on his way to Habsburg Manor.


    What he didn''t know was that he had just passed by an evil deed!


    ```

 Chapter 20: Chapter 19 Training Dogs and Exotic Beast Meat

    The next morning, the child servants began their dog training apprentice course under the guidance of an old man with a goat beard, apanied by a sighthound much like the ones from his past life.


    Rein recognized the breed: long-limbed, with a body shaped like a bow, both speed and explosive power were truly astonishing. Even their heads seemed designed to reduce wind resistance, longer and more narrow than a usual dog''s head, but with strong jaw muscles and a formidable biting force, making them exceptional noble hunting dogs.


    However, with droopy eyelids, the old man showed little interest in teaching the child servants, evidently just going through the motions.


    "In some time, each of you will receive a three-month-old sighthound. During the assessment, if you canmand the sighthound to squat, attack, stop, and retrieve, you will be considered to have passed the test," he said.


    For the rest of the time, the old man had no wish to speak more than necessary with the child servants, instead directing them to the dog kennels on the west side of the outer fort to pick out a puppy, and after that, simply let them y with their dogs.


    Although the child servants were all confused, they were still very happy to have a small dog to y with.


    In the meantime, Rein paid close attention to the expression of the boy with thick eyebrows.


    As expected, this guy had something to hide.


    While ying with the puppies, he often got distracted, frequently casting sidelong nces at Rein.


    In his eyes was confusion, as if puzzled by something that should have happened but did not.


    Rein chuckled silently!


    The damned thick eyebrows, it''s definitely you, bastard!


    Just as Rein confirmed that the employer was the boy with thick eyebrows, thetter quickly concocted an excuse for the drunkard Jack, which was that Jack hadn''t found the chance to make a move on Rein the day before.


    "Damn it, that good-for-nothing drunkard Jack, always dragging his feet when it''s time to get things done! Looks like I must urge him again this Sunday and make him take his shot as soon as possible!" he murmured.


    Since Rein was now certain it was the boy with thick eyebrows, he rxed and started ying with the puppy.


    But... as fun as ying with dogs is,


    having yed with them all day long, Rein''s strength had made almost no advancement!


    Moreover, the new job panel that Rein had been looking forward to, such as the dog trainer, had not been activated!


    This left Rein quite puzzled, could it be that there was no such profession as a dog trainer?


    That shouldn''t be the case!


    Rein was at a loss!


    In the evening, after the dog training session ended, a beautiful maid dressed in a gray uniform came to find Rein and said, "Rein, the Chief Maid Shadia has asked to see you. Pleasee with me."


    The timing of the maid''s appearance was not likest time, on a Saturday evening when nearly all the child servants had left.


    So, just as the pretty maid led Rein away,


    the rest of the child servants exploded in chatter!


    "Fuck, how has Rein gotten in good with Chief Maid Shadia?" the thick-eyebrowed boy said, his face darkening.


    "Yeah! My family hasn''t even managed to establish a connection with Chief Maid Shadia, and Rein''s family is just a tenant farmer; he can''t possibly have that kind ofwork! That''s absolutely impossible!" Freckles pondered for a moment and then shook his head.


    However, that scene had just intensified the thick-eyebrowed boy''s sense of urgency.


    Rein''s talent in swordsmanship was bing more and more outstanding, and now he seemed to have built a connection with the Chief Maid, making it likely that the position of a bodyguard was well within his reach.


    "Damn it!!"


    On the other side, Rein followed the beautiful maid as they made several turns, eventually reaching the castle''s back garden, which they merely passed through this time before continuing on. The maid led Rein into a room on the first floor of the castle.


    "Knock knock knock!"


    The maid knocked on the door respectfully and said, "Chief Maid Shadia, Rein is here!"


    "Come in," came the response.


    The forty-year-old Chief Maid Shadia opened the door, gestured for Rein to enter the room, and after closing the door, stood respectfully to one side.


    After entering, Rein first detected a strange fragrance, not the scent of women''s perfume, but rather an aroma that could stir one''s appetite. Then he quickly took in the room''s features.


    The room seemed to be a spacious study, with a coffee table, several soft leather armchairs, and a simple mahogany desk, above which a candle on a mountain-shaped sconce was glowing warmly.


    But Rein also noticed another door at the back of the study, seemingly leading to another ce.


    Lady Cleya, the youngest daughter of the Earl, was diligently writing something on a parchment scroll with a goose feather quill.


    "Rein, on the side table, there''s a piece of bear meat specially prepared for you! Go eat it," Cleya said without looking up.


    Rein was taken aback, while Chief Maid Shadia gave a subtle gesture towards the side table.


    Indeed, on the side table there was a covered silver dish.


    Rein approached and opened it to find a palm-sized piece of beast meat, emitting an aroma that whetted the appetite; it turned out to be the enticing smell he had noticed when he first walked in.


    Bear meat?


    A kind of delicious bear meat?


    This meat smells absolutely amazing.


    But... isn''t this portion a bit too small?


    Rein didn''t even use the knife beside him, only a fork to skewer the chunk of meat and began to gobble it down.


    Ss! Delicious and quite chewy!


    In no time at all, Rein had devoured the so-called bear meat and still felt unsatisfied, eximing, "Tasty! Just too little of it!"


    At that moment, a slightly mocking smile appeared on the face of Chief Maid Shadia.


    Suddenly, Rein felt a warm current spreading rapidly from his stomach throughout his body.


    Soon, an extreme feeling of fullness emanated from his stomach, as if he had eaten ten packs of those militarypressed biscuits from his previous life.


    Instantly, Rein felt as though his stomach was about to burst!


    Poisoned?


    Definitely not!


    Because there was absolutely no need for that.


    It was then that Lady Cleya''s voice, clear as a oriole, rang out, "Rein, do you feel a bit overstuffed? That was Giant Bear meat, it is rich in nutrients and energy. Given your constitution, eating that much is already your limit."


    "So that''s it!" Rein suddenly understood, no wonder he was only given a piece the size of a palm.


    Cleya stood up and handed a scroll made of sheepskin to Rein.


    "Rein, have a look," she said.


    Upon receiving it, Rein opened the scroll to see seven figures in different positions with "Giant Bear Breathing Technique" written alongside them.


    Since it was written in themon tongue, Rein could recognize it. The empire did well in this aspect, as the spread of simple everyday writtennguage among the popce was quite extensive.


    This... this is the breathing technique?


    Rein felt blissfully surprised!


    It was like being suddenly hit by a pie falling from the sky.


    Rein greedily began to read the contents of the breathing technique.


    The figures were simple line drawings, but they vividly captured the essence of each movement, andbined with the descriptions of the breathing rhythm, seemed to be a set of high-difficulty yoga positions simr to what Rein knew in his previous life.


    At the end, there was a long paragraph about how to use a secret medicine called ''ck balm'' in conjunction with the training that would greatly elerate the progress of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    "Giant Bear Breathing Technique? No wonder Lady Cleya can wield a Dual-Handed Greatsword that weighs seventy or eighty pounds as if it were a stick," Rein nced at the imposing figure of Cleya and had an epiphany!


    But Cleya was no ordinary person, keen and transparent in her thoughts. At the mere age of seventeen, she had already stepped into the realm of a formal Knight, capturing every move Rein made without missing a beat.


    Rein''s nce just now?


    Cleya''s face turned slightly red, but she quickly recovered herposure and said, "Don''t guess! The technique I practice is not the Giant Bear Breathing Technique!"


    "The Giant Bear Breathing Technique mainly develops one''s constitution and strength. I think it''s quite suitable for your current condition."


    God damn appropriate for my current condition!


    Rein was initially embarrassed by Cleya''s revealing of his thoughts, but once she finished her sentence, he quickly grasped her meaning.


    She''s basically saying I''m a weakling in a roundabout way!

 Chapter 21: Chapter 20: Giant Bear Breathing Technique

    "Rein, do you know why the maximum age for a page is fourteen?" Cleya''s voice rang out.


    "This...." Rein shook his head.


    "Because fourteen is arguably thetest age to start learning the breathing techniques. Anyter, one would miss the body''s rapid developmental phase, making it very difficult to train the breathing technique to a high level."


    "The parchment I''ve given you contains a set of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and instructions for using a secret potion, which can fully develop your physical Constitution; enough to serve you until you''re a third-level Knight Attendant. As for the advanced Magic Potion needed to be promoted to a formal Knight...."


    At this point, Cleya paused, disying a contemtive expression.


    "You shouldn''t be progressing that quickly; there is no need to worry about promotion now, just focus onying a solid foundation."


    "Before long, I will leave Habsburg Manor. I''ve also left you some of the ck tung oil, and Shadia will arrange it for you."


    Suddenly, Cleya changed the subject, her beautiful eyes looking at Rein as she asked:


    "By the way, Rein, what is your purpose for participating in the page training this time?"


    Under the gaze of Cleya''s clear eyes, Rein found himself unable to think of any lies and honestly said, "Err....I want to pass the assessment and be a guard of Habsburg Manor!"


    "Giggle giggle giggle!" A melodiousugh like that of silver bells rang out.


    "How about setting a more ambitious goal, like bing a true Knight! If you can be a formal Knight before you turn eighteen, I promise you can be one of my followers."


    "If not, you can continue to be a guard."


    "However....whether it''s learning the Giant Bear Breathing Technique or my promise to you, you must keep it a secret��even within Habsburg Manor. If this matter were known by others, it might not necessarily be a good thing for you!"


    Rein felt a surge of excitement in his heart, mixed with some confusion.


    His mind was already racing.


    A Knight, oh! This is about bing a Knight!


    Stepping into a position of power; isn''t that much better than being a mere guard?


    Rein wished he could start practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique right now.


    But the secrecy... this feels so familiar. Secrecy even within Habsburg Manor? Could it be about an aristocratic struggle for inheritance, training loyal subordinates from the bloodline? Or does Lady Creya aspire to the Earlship of Habsburg?


    Having been through a lot of TV dramas about the feuds and romances within wealthy families in his previous life, Rein could now think of many possibilities.


    "However, for myself, the important thing is rapid development in the early stage."


    "Once I''ve grown, with a professional panel in hand, I needn''t fear anyone."


    On the path to rise, it is inevitable to affect some people''s interests.


    Later, I will also encroach on the established stakeholders'' pie.


    Thus, encountering problems and challenges is unavoidable.


    Challenges��directly smash them!


    Problems��directly burst through!


    How could I not ept Lady Cleya''s assistance? If I were to give up such support because of some dangers, wouldn''t that be incredibly cowardly?


    Rein could not help but remember a saying from his previous life: "He who does not seize the blessings bestowed by the heavens will incur divine wrath!"


    "Of course, Lady Creya, your recognition is a tremendous honor for me!" Rein respectfully bowed.


    For a noble who could offer immense help and was also a beauty, Rein certainly wasn''t stingy with "sweet nothings."


    A sycophant deserves a poor death?


    No, no!


    A servant belongs to the service industry, which falls under the tertiary sector. To sum it up in one word, ttery! In other words, providing emotional value to one''s master.


    Seeing Rein agree, Cleya nodded in satisfaction and said, "Rein, first, take some time to look over the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, then I will guide you through the specific movement essentials."


    "Yes, Lady Cleya!" Rein immediately focused his mind and began to earnestly read the seven movements of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    The seven movements varied in posture, but at a rough nce, Rein found that the set progressed from easy to difficult.


    The first movement was the simplest, akin to the single-leg lunge from his previous life, arms raised horizontally, synchronized with breathing.


    Having just eaten the fierce bear meat and feeling overheated, Rein was eager to move and thus started performing the first movement on the spot.


    At first, Rein felt it was manageable, but in less than five minutes his whole body began to heat up, sweat beads formed on his forehead, and he started to sway, let alone breathing steadily��that would be ridiculous, not panting was good enough!


    Rein knew he couldn''t persist, so he immediately stopped, because ording to the instructions, one had to maintain each movement for thirty minutes with steady breathing in order to learn the next one.


    "Miss Cleya, is there any trick to practicing this breathing technique?" Rein rubbed his sore thighs and said.


    "Breathing technique, breathing is most important. You must always maintain steady breathing, feel the changes inside your body, only then can it achieve the goal of strengthening the body," she replied.


    "Rein, this is Kuroki oil; apply it to the sides of your thighs and knees and your shoulders when practicing the first movement of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. It can effectively enhance your perception of the body''s changes."


    "Alright, I''ll give it another try." Rein immediately took the small ck bottle that Cleya handed to him.


    Upon opening the bottle, a unique fragrance escaped, somewhat reminiscent of the musk and tiger bone balm from Rein''s previous life.


    The liquid inside was yellowish-brown, like amber. Rein poured a little bit into his palm and followed Lady Cleya''s guidance on the side to warm it up before applying it to his knees and shoulders.


    Instantly, a burning warmth flowed into his skin from the areas where he rubbed it.


    When Rein attempted the first movement of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique again, he immediately felt different, as the burning warmth reced the original muscle fatigue.


    He could feel every single muscle fiber in his thighs tensing up, which made him unconsciously focus his mind and consciously adjust his breathing to match the movements.


    [You have practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique,prehension has improved!]


    [You have acquired a new skill����Giant Bear Breathing Technique]


    [Your Giant Bear Breathing Technique skill has been enhanced, Experience +1]


    [Ding! Host triggered the core event for Knight Attendant ss change��prehension of Giant Bear Breathing Technique!]


    [Preconditions for advancement to Knight Attendant are: 1. Militia lv3 or above; 2. Strength 8 points or above, Agility 8 points or above, Constitution 8 points or above; 3. Any Rider Skill lv1 or above, Shield Defense lv1 or above, Any Archery Skill lv2 or above, Any Swordsmanship Skill lv3 or above,.....Current conditions do not meet the requirements! Advancement to Knight Attendant failed!]


    Surprise system prompts suddenly popped up, and Rein read over it several times, feeling both shocked and pleased!


    What shocked him was that the conditions for advancing to Knight Attendant were rather extensive. Rtively speaking, he could possibly meet the first and second conditions after some time.


    However, among the intricate sub-items of the third condition, besides Any Swordsmanship Skill lv3, which he met, he would have a hard time meeting the other parts in the short term.


    What pleased him was that now Rein knew what he wascking and where to start in order to improve.


    "Triggering an event to gain advancement information?" Rein pondered silently.

 Chapter 22: Chapter 21 Lady Creyas Guidance

    The triggering event that had just taken ce gave Rein a deeper understanding of his golden finger.


    Rein nced at it, and this time the Giant Bear Breathing Technique lv1 (1/100) was disyed on the Militia panel, which was probably because there was no other more suitable Profession panel avable.


    Obviously, it would have been even less suitable to show the Breathing Technique in the cksmith Apprentice''s Profession panel.


    As Rein pondered the conditions for advancement, this time he managed to maintain the first posture of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for an entire fifteen minutes, which was undoubtedly a huge improvementpared to the previous five minutes.


    This made Cleya, who was observing Rein from the side, smile and nod, saying, "Very good, Rein, once you can maintain the first move for over half an hour, you can then try the second move."


    Although Rein''s Constitution was a bit weak, hisprehension was excellent and he learned quickly!


    In fact, Rein''s ability to sustain it for so long this time was not without the aid of a wandering mind technique.


    Meanwhile, the Chief Maid Shadia was looking at Rein with a face full of amazement.


    "With such a rate of improvement, no wonder Lady Cleya holds Rein in a different regard. It seems that when ites to recognizing people, the youngdy''s vision is indeed much stronger than mine."


    [Congrattions! Your Constitution Attribute has increased!]


    Rein was startled and immediately focused his attention on the panel, where he noticed his Constitution had unexpectedly changed from five points to six points.


    He remembered clearly that he hadn''t spent any points just now.


    What was going on?


    Neither of his two professions, cksmith Apprentice and Militia, had gained a level, so why did his Constitution suddenly increase?


    Rein began to specte.


    Was it due to practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique?


    This effect was too immediate!


    Wait, it couldn''t be entirely due to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    His previous swordsmanship training must have alsoid a certain foundation, and his Constitution was already on the verge of breaking through. Practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique today was an opportunity.


    This exnation was the most fitting for the situation.


    What an unexpected joy!


    After the increase, Rein immediately felt all the fatigue in his body dissipate.


    Thus, when he attempted the first posture of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for the third time, perhaps due to the slight increase in Constitution, he directly extended the duration to around twenty-two minutes, shocking the Chief Maid Shadia once again!


    And Cleya, who stood nearby, also nodded in satisfaction at this moment.


    A very good Knight talent!


    Rein, dripping with sweat, finished his third attempt. Then, he suddenly thought of a question and, after some consideration, asked, "Lady Cleya, do you know the fastest time someone has taken to master the first posture of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique?"


    Rein''s question was truly not to boast, but to understand his current level.


    He wanted to avoid standing out too much and being considered a freak!


    Cleya answered with a light smile, "As far as I know, the fastest person to learn the first posture of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique took about five minutes. After spending five minutes to grasp the essentials, that person then proceeded to maintain the posture for over thirty minutes straight."


    This made Rein''s expression freeze, giving him the feeling that he was the fool he had beenughing at!


    "Alright, that''s enough for today! Rein, you should go back and rest. For the next few days, a maid will bring you here, and the Giant Bear Breathing Technique scroll will be kept safe by Shadia."


    "Yes, Lady Cleya, Chief Maid Shadia, then I will take my leave," Rein said, bowing slightly. He left the back garden under the guidance of the original maid.


    On his way back, Rein''s initially excited mood gradually calmed down as he seriously contemted an issue.


    Today, he had obtained the Giant Bear Breathing Technique because Lady Cleya saw potential in his talent.


    Otherwise, even with a system, if he wanted to step onto the Transcendent path, it would probably be a long journey ahead.


    For themoners of this world, stepping onto the Transcendent path is much more difficult than it is for noble scions!


    For example, after Rein entered his room, he first ate a piece of savage bear meat, which waspletely different from the meat he usually ate; obviously, this type of meat was either extremely valuable or very difficult to capture.


    Without the backing of a power, ordinarymoners could hardly afford it.


    Rein thought to himself that without eating this piece of explosive bear meat, his current Constitution wouldn''t have been able to support him practicing the first form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique continuously.


    Secondly, the ck balsam oil he had used during the practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. The recipe for it must be top secret, and the raw materials difficult to collect, of course, it might also be that the production process wasplicated.


    He had just experienced it himself, practicing with and without the ck balsam oil waspletely different.


    The efficiency of his practice was at least three to five times worse.


    Looking at the Experience, one was a half-hour without any increase, but once he used the ck balsam oil, it went up by five points in half an hour, the difference was huge.


    The third point was the advanced Magic Potion that Cleya had casually mentioned. Although he still didn''t know what it was, it seemed essential. Even for Cleya, when she mentioned this Magic Potion, her face showed a slightly furrowed brow.


    Clearly, the advanced Magic Potion must be incredibly precious.


    All in all, if he wanted to proceed smoothly on the Transcendent path, he needed money and the support of a major power behind him!


    This required showing others his value!


    This point, whether in his past life or this one, had not changed.


    After returning to the servant dormitory, George was the first to run over and ask,


    "Rein, what did the Chief Maid want with you?"


    The entire servant dormitory immediately quieted down. Rein looked around and saw that nearly every servant boy had pricked up their ears to listen.


    Rein couldn''t help butugh and said, "Guess!"


    "Get out of here!" George said with augh and a curse, his face full of expectation.


    However, since his close buddy didn''t say anything, George didn''t ask further, but the other servant boys were itching with curiosity!


    "No wonder Rein dared to fight with Thick-Brows; turns out his family knows the Chief Maid."


    "Yeah, it seems that Rein''s family is not simple at all!"


    "But, howe I heard that Rein is just the son of a farmer?"


    "...."


    A dreamless night!


    The next day, the entry-level training with the dog trainer, was still about ying with little dogs!


    ording to the old man, the purpose of this training was to increase the intimacy between the dog and its owner.


    But this made Rein feel like he was wasting his life!


    "I want to practice swordsmanship!"


    "I want to practice breathing techniques!"


    All these thoughts crowded Rein''s mind.


    However....Rein still held onto the hope that he might trigger another Profession panel like Beast Tamer or Beast Taming, so he didn''t make excuses to take leave.


    After ending a day''s training with the dogs, Rein followed the beautiful maid once again to Lady Cleya''s study.


    He ate another piece of explosive bear meat; this time Rein took a careful look at the cut��it seemed to be bear ribs.


    Feeling unsated, Rein then thought about something.


    Isn''t it said that the best part of the bear is the bear''s paw?


    Too bad he had never eaten it in his previous life.


    He hoped to have a chance to taste it this time��the paw of this explosive bear should be even more delicious than a regr bear''s paw.


    Rein had assumed that today would be the same as yesterday��to continue practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    But today Cleya proposed a spar with Rein after he had practiced the first form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique just once.


    This filled Rein with unexpected joy!


    He had been ying with dogs during the day for the past two days, with almost no improvement in basic swordsmanship, and now the opportunity to spar was better than ever!

 Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Rapid Progress

    "Ding ding dang dang!"


    Rein Can, giving his all, could still only hold out for about half a minute against Cleya, who was deliberately holding back, before quickly being defeated!


    Despite the sparring loss, there wasn''t a trace of dejection on Rein''s face, and there was even a hint of pleasure.


    Because a delightful system prompt sounded:


    [Your skill "Basic Swordsmanship" has improved, Experience +29]


    [You have engaged in a battle, Militia Profession Experience Points +17]


    The Chief Maid, Shadia, watching the duel, looked admiringly at Rein, who showed no sign of discouragement, and thought to herself, "This is perhaps the reason Lady Creya values Rein - he never gets disheartened by failure!"


    "There are many young talents in Meister County whose strength outshines Rein''s like stars in the sky, but none have Rein''s temperament. After losing a spar with Lady Creya, they either wear a look of shame, or they keep pestering shamelessly."


    "No one is like Rein, who still looks delighted after a defeat. He truly loves swordsmanship!"


    Cleya, seeing Rein still eager to try again, had an even more appreciative look in her eyes, and she said in her clear voice,


    "Rein, your speed and strength are on par with mine, you should have been able tost longer, but do you know why you were defeated so quickly?"


    "Um... is my swordsmanship still too weak?" Rein scratched his head.


    "Not entirely. Did you notice that every time you attack, you make your intentions too obvious?" the girl said while demonstrating with her bouncy long legs.


    "When you attack, look straight ahead, use the corner of your eyes to lock onto the target, and at no time should you expose your attacking intentions."


    Initially, Rein listened with a rxed attitude, but as the noble girl spoke these words,


    Rein''s expression turned serious as well, because Cleya was teaching him extremely crucialbat skills.


    If Cleya hadn''t suddenly pointed this out,


    it would have taken Rein much longer to realize it.


    "Catching the enemy off guard, is that what you mean?"


    "Very well summed up!" the girl praised, "That''s exactly it."


    "Once you reveal your attack intentions too soon, an experienced enemy will immediately dodge or block your attack route. Some may even deliberately lure you to attack their intentionally exposed weak spots, then quickly counterattack and defeat you."


    After pondering for a moment, Rein understood the girl''s point.


    "Please, Lady Cleya, let''s try again!"


    The girl nodded, signaling that Rein could attack again.


    This time, as Rein attacked, he kept his gaze level with the girl, his movements as light as a willow in the wind, and he swiftly took a step forward, thrusting his sword straight.


    The girl deftly blocked and stepped to the right, avoiding Rein''s attack.


    This time, Rein''s gaze stayed fixed on the girl, but he did not focus intently on any specific part of her body, which slightly slowed down Cleya''s anticipationpared to before, and the duelsted noticeably longer than their previous bout.


    Suddenly, seizing an opportunity, Rein surged forward with a lunge, swinging a chopping attack, which the girl once again evaded with ease.


    During the exchanges deliberately set up by the girl, Rein and Cleya went back and forth, with the sound of "ding ding dang dang" of weapons shing continuously echoing in the area.


    After a minute, exhausted, Reiny on the ground, drenched in sweat.


    Although he was tired, the satisfying feeling of the exhrating fight was so invigorating that Rein felt a tinge of longing for more.


    [Your skill "Basic Swordsmanship" has improved, Experience +37]


    [You have engaged in a battle, Militia Profession Experience Points +21]


    And then, there were those handfuls of experience points!


    Rein, I notice you have a particr interest in swordsmanship, and that''s good, but also not so good!" Cleya saw that after every swordy duel, Rein''s unparalleled passion was rekindled.


    "But breath control is the foundation; you need to spend more time to master the Giant Bear Breathing Technique''s seven movements as soon as possible. The sooner you master them, the better for your body''s development," Cleya advised.


    "Yes, Lady Cleya!" Although Rein responded in this way, he couldn''t help but sigh inwardly, You don''t understand, mydy, only by sparring more can I improve quickly!


    Rein had never felt time fly by so quickly.


    He now somewhat understood the feelings of those wealthy clients from his previous life''s gym, who spent small fortunes inviting beautiful personal trainers to apany their workouts.


    Just like now, with him not spending a penny, the youngest daughter of the Earl was his workout partner.


    Today''s practice had already ended, but Rein was already looking forward to the next session.


    ...


    For four consecutive days, it was like this, and Rein''s strength improved by leaps and bounds!


    [Giant Bear Breathing Technique lv2 (12/300)]


    With the aid of the precious items, bear meat and ck pine oil, Rein had already started practicing the second pose of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, which resembled the Russian kettlebell swing, but was far more difficult than the first pose.


    Rein could only persist for five minutes at present, a far cry from the half-hour mark.


    However, it still added a bit of strength to Rein, bringing his Strength to 7 points, surpassing that of an average adult.


    Though there wasn''t much change in Rein''s physical attributes data, his battle awareness had changed significantly.


    It could be said that the swordsmanship instructor Humbert taught Rein how to wield a sword, but Cleya taught Rein how to truly fight!


    Name: Rein Can


    Profession: cksmith Apprentice lv3 (265/500) / Militiaman lv3 (78/500)


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 7


    Agility: 7


    Spirit: 8


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    [Basic Swordsmanship lv4 (578/1000)]


    Basic Swordsmanship had still not leveled up, requiring too much experience, but.... although the swordsmanship had not leveled up, Rein felt his basic swordsmanship was slowly improving.


    The Profession Level of the Militiaman, having risen to lv3, contributed another attribute point and a Skill Point to Rein.


    This time, Rein did not rush to allocate his points.


    The poses of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique became increasingly difficult; the second pose, though challenging, was certainly much easierpared to the third. He nned to wait until he reached level 3 of the breathing technique, then directly add points to move up to level 4.


    Saturday hade around again, and Rein could go home for a visit!


    Just as Rein was walking out of the castle in high spirits, apanied by the beautiful maid, they encountered a tall young man dressed like a noble.


    "Master Dennis," said the pretty maid upon seeing the other party, seemingly trembling slightly, and greeted him fearfully.


    Although Rein didn''t recognize the individual, he also inclined his body immediately in deference.


    This young man named Dennis nced at them both and continued on his way, expressionless.


    However, having walked a small distance, he suddenly stopped; watching the departing Rein, he seemed to recall something.


    "Isn''t that themoner Cleya seemed to appreciate a bit?"


    And Rein, having left the Habsburg estate, walked along the main artery of the town, facing the evening breeze.


    Evening had fallen, and groups of three Night Watchmen, each holding a torch and d in tight leather armor, had started adding oil to the streetmps.


    In this world, the Night Watchmen''s responsibilities Rein hade to understand, primarily involved maintaining civil order at night, firefighting, dealing with wild beasts or other unknown creatures that struck from the shadows, and handling emergencies.


    During the rtively safe daylight hours, however, the duty of maintaining public security fell to officers of civil order.


    But whether Night Watchmen or officers of civil order, both were under the jurisdiction of the imperial authority''s localw enforcement and were a separate concept from ordinary militiamen.


    This distinction was apparent from their fine leather armor and the horn bows on their backs and Bastard Swords hanging at their waists.

 Chapter 24: Chapter 23 The Gears of Fate Begin to Turn

    As Rein hurried to his front door, he saw his thinly d neighbor, a young girl named Anna, holding a small basket and waiting in the slightly chilly autumn wind.


    When she heard footsteps and looked up to see Rein returning, her face lit up with a sweet dimpled smile, and she approached him saying,


    "Rein, this is a pie I made from the wild blueberries and hazelnuts you gave mest time. I wanted to give it to you earlier, but Bo He told me you had gone for child servant training and only came back Saturday nights."


    Looking at the small basket the girl handed over, a soft spot in Rein''s heart was touched!


    This girl, whose fate was so bleak, always kept gratitude and kindness in her heart.


    He had merely let Bo He give her some wild fruits he had found, yet she thought about how to repay him.


    It waste autumn now, the evening breeze was cool after dark, and the thinly dressed girl had been waiting for him at the door all this time.


    Looking at the neatly arranged five slices of pie in the basket, Rein didn''t even know what to say for a moment.


    After a long while, Rein stammered out,


    "You''ve given them all to me, what about you?"


    "I''ve kept a few slices, which is enough for me!" The girl saw Rein ept the basket, smiled again, and cheerily turned to leave.


    Rein stared nkly at the girl, realizing he had even forgotten to say thank you.


    When Rein entered the house, Bo He saw the small blue basket in Rein''s hands and gleefully asked, "Brother, is this for me?"


    Rein smiled and patted his little sister on the head, "This was made by your Sister Anna."


    "Ah? Sister Anna made it? No wonder she hasn''t been ying with metely, she said she was helping Aunt Mary."


    "Helping?"


    "Yes! Hardly anyone in the town wants to employ Sister Anna, but asionally Aunt Mary lets Sister Anna help out. Sister Anna is very poor, and making pies requires flour, which is expensive. Sister Anna can only afford to buy flour by helping out."


    Bo He, with her innocent big eyes, looked at Rein and clearly narrated.


    Rein looked at the pies in the basket and fell silent!


    After dinner with the family, Rein went back to his room early andy down to rest.


    But he tossed and turned, unable to sleep!


    Suddenly, Rein thought he heard faint cries and the sound of something heavy falling next door.


    "Anna''s house?"


    Rein''s pupils dted, immediately thinking of the recent child disappearance cases in the town?


    Could it be that the criminals had targeted Anna?


    Suddenly, a rush of blood surged to his head.


    At once, Rein jumped out of bed like a carp, looked around, grabbed a carpenter''s hammer from the utility room, and dashed out as nimbly as a cat.


    As he approached Anna''s front door, the rustling voices, which had been unclear at first, were now increasingly clear:


    "This girl has a fierce temper. After you''re done, boss, let me have a taste! There''s just her in this house, don''t worry, we''re going to have a lovely night, hehe!"


    "Damn, it''s been a while since we had someone this tender! This is going to be enjoyable."


    "Not to mention, Scarface, you''ve picked a nice spot! Aside from being a bit skinny, the girl is pretty," another voice known as the boss spoke up.


    "After we''re done, we can even sell her to the Brotherhood of the Wilderness; they''ve recently raised their prices, so we can make good money."


    "Boss, you can count on me! I was pushing a cart all over the south side of shgold Town just a couple of days ago."


    "Whimper..." It seemed like the sound of Anna, her mouth covered, crying.


    Ordinary people might not hear clearly from this distance, but Rein, whose physical condition had greatly improved recently, heard everything loud and clear.


    "Crack!"


    "Crash!"


    The noise grew louder, and asionally the sound of ceramic pots falling and shattering could be heard.


    "Hiss!"


    The sound of linen tearing rang out.


    Rein stood at Anna''s doorstep, feeling uneasy. He wanted to rush in to save her, but there were at least two thugs in Anna''s room. If he acted rashly and failed, it could likely cost both him and Anna their lives.


    The cold night wind blew, gradually calming Rein down!


    Call the Night Watchman now?


    It would make too much noise, and there wasn''t enough time!


    Besides, if the Night Watchman cornered them, the thugs might even kill Anna outright.


    Ask his father for help?


    Remembering his father''s aged face and stooped figure, Rein shook his head, erasing the thought from his mind.


    Rein looked again at the carpentry hammer in his hand, sharp on one end and round on the other, used by his father to repair old furniture at home. Although it was somewhat old, it was well-preserved.


    Rein turned the sharp end upward, hiding the hammer in his somewhat loose sleeve, and stepped forward to knock on the door:


    "Knock, knock, knock"


    "Anna, are you home?"


    The room suddenly went quiet, and very faint voices could be heard. If Rein hadn''t had exceptionally sharp hearing, he wouldn''t have been able to make them out at all.


    "Boss, I''ll go check. It sounds like a kid. Should I just grab him?"


    "Scarface, get rid of him quickly. We''ve got to enjoy ourselves tonight; don''t make too much noise!"


    "Damn, this little girl might look thin, but she''s pretty strong!"


    .....


    Dull footsteps sounded in the room as if the person inside first peered through the crack of the door to check the outside, confirming that it was just a young kid outside, then "creak," the door was opened.


    What caught Rein''s eye was an unfamiliar face, without any scars, and he didn''t know why the man was nicknamed Scarface.


    The curved yellow hair and the man''srge, strong build gave Rein a vague sense of oppression.


    The man''s hand was still on the hilt of his sword at his waist, his expression alert.


    "Kid, what do you want?" The man''s fierce gaze took a closer look at the small, thin kid in front of him, and after confirming that he posed no threat, he rxed somewhat and asked.


    "You... who are you? I�� I''m here to see Anna. Isn''t this Anna''s house?" Rein feigned a cringing demeanor, his expression terrified.


    "I''m Anna''s uncle, Anna and her aunt already left shgold Town; this house belongs to me now. You don''t need toe here anymore." Scarface forced a smile, carelessly concocted a lie, akin to a creepy uncle deceiving a child.


    "How... How could Anna just leave so suddenly? She didn''t even say goodbye to us." Rein muttered under his breath, his fists clenched, seemingly unwilling to ept that a budding romance was over before it had even begun.


    If it had been another time, Scarface might have teased the kid in front of him, but now, he was too busy with more pressing matters to chat idly with a kid.


    "Alright, move along now!"


    Digging into his groin, Scarface impatiently waved his hand, signaling for Rein to leave quickly.


    "Um... okay, but, Mr. Anna''s uncle, could you please pass a small gift to Anna for me?"


    "Hmm? Okay, give it here." Scarface paused but didn''t think too much and reached out his hand.


    All he wanted now was to quickly get rid of this annoying kid.


    The small hammer slid from Rein''s sleeve into his palm and was immediately gripped tightly.


    Meanwhile, Rein continued to speak calmly, "I''ve prepared for Anna..."


    Just as Scarface was about to hear what Rein had prepared, bending slightly forward to take what was in Rein''s hand, he suddenly couldn''t see the kid''s hands clearly��they were a blur.


    Suddenly, Scarface felt a pang of fear, his scalp tingling.


    A strong gust hit face-on, the pressure blowing Scarface''s curly yellow hair wildly about.


    A ck spot appeared in Scarface''s vision, and suddenly it erged, turning out to be the sharp end of the small hammer.

 Chapter 25: Chapter 24 This Night

    ```


    "Snap!"


    The unsuspecting scarred face became motionless in an instant, a small pointed hammer nailed between his eyebrows, eyes wide open, a look of disbelief on his face.


    The next second, his entire body slowly fell forward.


    However....


    A pair of small but fierce hands suddenly appeared in front of the heavy body, steadily catching the still-twitching frame of the scarred face.


    Heid it gently down beside the porch outside, without making a sound.


    Despite how stable Rein''s hands appeared just now, at this moment, his heart was pounding violently.


    Just beforeunching the attack, he had put the remaining few attribute points into agility.


    For an ambush, Rein believed, speed was unbeatable!


    If fast enough, even a bird could break through the bulletproof ss of an airne.


    Besides, Rein was wielding a carpenter''s hammer.


    After removing the short sword and a delicate hand crossbow from the scarred face''s waist, Rein peered through the window, aimed with the hand crossbow first, no movement.


    Inside, a man with a full ck beard was in the process of taking off his pants.


    The exposed young girl had already captured over ny percent of his attention; he hadn''t noticed a slim shadow had already arrived behind him.


    "Whoosh!"


    A ck crossbow arrow hit therge back of the bearded man, who immediately let out a piercing scream.


    Then the bearded man turned his head fiercely to look behind, but before he could see who had ambushed him,


    a strong gust of wind hit his face!


    "Purkch!"


    A sharp short sword inserted into his throat!


    Bearded man, pants not yet pulled up, hands sping his neck wound, eyes bulging, looked at the slender Rein in astonishment.


    Seemingly unwilling to fall, he stumbled backward several times, mming heavily against the wooden table before his body slowly copsed, convulsing intermittently.


    Like a snake stripped of its spine.


    Rein had just used all his strength to make this overpowered striding thrust!


    "Huff~Huff~"


    Rein gasped for air, his body soaked in sweat, standing still in ce. If not for his chest heaving rapidly, one might mistake him for a statue.


    Thatst thrust seemed to have sapped all of Rein''s energy!


    This was Rein''s first kill in two lifetimes.


    At this moment, Rein only felt exhausted, a trace of confusion in his eyes.


    "I killed someone?"


    "I killed someone!"


    "No, I didn''t kill, I protected someone!"


    After a long pause, the trace of confusion in Rein''s eyes gradually dissipated, his clenched fists and eyes gradually brightening as if he realized something.


    "Coming to such a Transcendent world, even if I''m powerless to do much, I must at least survive well!"


    "To be able to protect myself, protect my family, and if I am capable, then protect those I want to protect!"


    At that moment, Anna was shivering, covering her fair body with a tattered linen cloak, resembling a frightened little deer, timidly looking at Rein.


    When her tear-filled big eyes finally recognized her rescuer as the familiar Rein,


    she couldn''t help but fling herself on him, embracing Rein tightly.


    Faced with the girl''s warm body, Rein had absolutely no other thoughts.


    ```


    He gently patted Anna''s back and said softly, "Don''t be afraid, it''s safe now."


    "Anna, put on your clothes first. Just to be safe, I''ll go check again."


    Suddenly, Anna let out a shy cry, only then realizing she was practically nude. Blushing, she immediately began to dress.


    It seemed that in an attempt to avoid Rein''s gaze, she turned away, inadvertently presenting a beautiful curve to him.


    Suddenly, Rein froze. He sensed something amiss at the entrance of Anna''s home.


    His mind screamed, "Not good."


    The intruder must have found the body at the door.


    Instantly, the romantic atmosphere that had filled the air vanished!


    "Hurry and get dressed!" Rein urgently instructed as he pulled the sharp dagger from ckbeard''s throat, bringing with it a trail of blood.


    Rein turned immediately, positioning Anna behind him and facing the door with the tip of his sword. Anna began to hurriedly dress, noticing Rein''s tense expression and understanding that danger might descend upon them again.


    It looked like he would have to waste Skill Points, just as Rein was considering adding them to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    A figure Rein found familiar yet loathsome appeared in the doorway, followed by several fully armed elite Night Watchmen.


    "It''s him!" Rein couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief, and his entire body rxed.


    Lord Hamilton, seeing the scene before him, was many times more astounded than Rein!


    He had finally received urate information, having heard that a suspect in the children''s disappearance case might be active in this area tonight, but he never expected to walk into such a scenario!


    Is this really the work of a child?


    Did he actually kill two ouws listed on the wanted poster?


    Although the ouws'' strength was not deemed impressive, that was inparison to himself; there was no way that two hardened criminals could be taken out by an ordinary youth!


    But the bloody reality informed Lord Hamilton, the town''s sheriff, that this lean young boy with the Blood Sword was indeed the ''culprit'' behind everything!


    If Rein''sposure and talent when dealing with Drunkard Jack had impressed Lord Hamilton, sparking a sense of valuing talented individuals,


    then what Rein had done this time was truly shocking to Lord Hamilton.


    Clearly, Rein could not have simply charged in and fought the two ouws head-on and killed them, especially since there was a frail girl here who could have been taken hostage by the criminals.


    In such a scenario, even if it were himing to the rescue, he would find it somewhat troublesome because he had to consider the girl''s safety.


    Under these circumstances, the fact that Rein managed to save the girl and kill the two ouws proved his bravery and strategic mind!


    From this moment on, Lord Hamilton regarded Rein with newfound respect!


    In his heart, he no longer saw Rein as just a child, but as equivalent to one of his own elite Night Watchmen.


    Lord Hamilton''s eyes flickered, examining Rein up and down several times, and he praised inwardly, "After having killed and seen blood, Rein''s entire Spirit state is indeed different."


    If the previous Rein still had a hint of immaturity, like a rough gemstone,


    then the current Rein seemed like a gemstone that had just been polished on one side, beginning to shine with a light that demanded attention.


    "Did you do this?" Although he already knew the answer, Lord Hamilton asked once more.


    "Yes, sir. These two men broke inte at night with the intention of raping the young girl. I happened to be nearby, heard the noise, and killed them both."


    "Sheriff, ording to the imperial security management regtions, I shouldn''t be breaking anyw this time, should I?" After the killing, thepletely transformed Rein spoke confidently.


    Just now, Rein thought it over; there was no need to hide anything from Lord Hamilton.


    He had interacted with Lord Hamilton before and knew that this experienced sheriff might view any concealment as a potential sign of guilt.


    "Haha, of course, you''re not breaking thew! Rein,e, tell me how you managed to kill these two. Your strength is decent, but it would be nearly impossible for you to directly kill either of them in a head-on fight," Lord Hamilton said with augh as he walked toward Rein and waved his hand to the Night Watchmen behind him.


    The elite Night Watchmen in ck leather armor entered and began to deal with the bodies on the ground.


    When they first saw the bodies, they were all stunned, clearly shocked as well; they nced at Rein, and their eyes seemed to say that such a small kid could be so ruthlessly efficient!


    Soon, a capable Night Watchman came forward to report:


    "Lord Hamilton, among the two deceased, one was wearing a skin mask confirmed to be Scarface, and the other was ckbeard, both suspects in the children''s disappearance case we''ve been pursuing. Additionally, these two men were also ouws listed on the wanted poster."

 Chapter 26: Chapter 25 The Harassed Sheriff

    "Very well! Remove the body and clean up the traces in the room," Lord Hamilton nodded.


    "A human-skin mask?"


    "A wanted poster?"


    "Scarface?"


    Upon hearing a string of keywords, Rein''s heart was initially puzzled, but then he was startled, obviously frightened. He hadn''t expected these two were wanted criminals; he was indeed lucky to have killed them both, it was partly due to luck!


    Scarface had been fooled by his frail appearance and acting skills, while the ck-bearded man was driven by lust, focused entirely on Anna.


    If they had been slightly more cautious, under normal circumstances, he could have been turned over by either of them!


    But... why does the name Scarface sound so familiar?


    That''s right! It''s that guy, worth a full five Imperial Gold Coins!


    Rein''s eyes lit up, instantly remembering the notorious bandit known as Scarface and the bounty amount on the wanted poster.


    This means he could im a substantial reward.


    And what about that ck-bearded guy who called Scarface boss? Shouldn''t he be worth even more?


    A wave of joy swept over Rein''s heart.


    "Lord Hamilton, about the reward..."


    "You want the reward? Come to the town''s administration office tomorrow to find me!" Lord Hamilton nced at Rein with a smile that was not quite a smile, then turned and left.


    Rein felt that there was something hidden in the other man''s eyes; getting the reward tomorrow might not be so straightforward.


    The Night Watchmen quickly carried away the bodies inside the room and at the door and dealt with the bloodstains crudely, but the room still reeked of a heavy scent of blood.


    After all, two people had just died here.


    Rein nced at Anna who was still shivering violently; clearly, it was no longer suitable for her to stay here.


    He was quite troubled but eventually thought that the only option was to let Anna stay at his home for the time being.


    "Anna, please don''t mention what happened tonight to my parents or to Bo He, alright?" Rein crouched down, gently speaking to Anna whoserge eyes still held traces of fright.


    Anna didn''t speak, but instinctively nodded her head.


    That was enough.


    Gently picking up the somewhat limp girl, Rein returned to his own house next door.


    Perhaps because Rein was guarding her side, the girl fell into a deep sleep in thetter half of the night, with tears glistening on her long eyshes.


    Although the matter was resolved and he felt very exhausted, Rein couldn''t fall asleep at once. The scene of the murder and the ferocious expressions of the two men as theyy dying reyed in his mind like a slideshow.


    Suddenly, Rein remembered that the system seemed to have sent a notification, but until now, he hadn''t had the chance to check it.


    He opened it to see:


    [You have been through a battle, Militiaman Professional Experience Points +121]


    [You have been through a battle, Militiaman Professional Experience Points +129]


    [Your skill, Basic Swordsmanship, has improved, Experience +34]


    Hisss!


    The Militiaman Profession Level has risen that much?


    Rein stared at his Militiaman lv3 (328/500) on the panel, lost in thought.


    ```


    It seems that dangerous realbat is the best way to increase Experience Points!


    Although there was a young girl sleeping in the same room with him, the atmosphere couldn''t be any further from being romantic or intimate.


    Looking at Anna, who was curled up and exuded an extremeck of security even through her sleeping posture, Rein couldn''t muster the slightest desire for this pitiful but tenacious and optimistic fragile girl.


    Talking about women?


    Clearly, Miss Cleya with her bouncy long legs and curvaceous figure held more allure in Rein''s heart!


    The next morning, under his parents'' astonished gazes, Rein took Anna downstairs for breakfast, with only Bo He looking quite happy about it.


    "Father, Anna''s home had some strangers knocking on the door yesterday, and considering the recent cases of missing children, I decided to bring Anna over. Let''s have Anna stay with us for a while," Rein said, mixing truth with fiction.


    Old Rein nced at Anna, who was eating shyly with her head down, and said with a smile, "Alright, it looks like you''re the lucky one, you scamp!"


    "Rein, you have to be nice to that girl, Anna!" his mother chimed in cheerfully, mincing no words.


    This made Anna blush deeply, her head nearly touching the table!


    "Mother, we''re not in the kind of rtionship you''re imagining!" Rein helplessly rubbed his forehead, saying.


    "Is that so? Then let me ask you, did you or did you not rest... in the same room with herst night?" The mother, considering Anna was right beside them, didn''t put it more directly.


    "That''s because Anna was scared..." Rein exined, powerless.


    At this point, old Rein interjected with a somewhat serious expression, "Rein, as a man, you must learn to take responsibility! Anna is a good girl, and you can''t let her down."


    Great! Now look what''s happened!


    The misunderstanding couldn''t be any bigger!


    But faced with his parents'' advice, Rein could only listen obediently for now and find an opportunity to tell them the truthter.


    After breakfast, Rein almost fled to the town hall. After being announced by the guard at the door, a guard escorted Rein to Lord Hamilton''s office.


    As the town''s security officer, Lord Hamilton''s status was second only to the Governor.


    In some respects, given his control over the security forces and the Night Watcher''s Army and from the perspective of maintaining regional stability, a region''s security officer is an even more important role than the Governor.


    "Knock, knock, knock!" the guard knocked on the door.


    "Come in!" a deep and resonant voice responded.


    The guard opened the door, and as Rein walked into the room, he saw Lord Hamilton, dressed in noble hunting attire, sitting behind a mahogany desk in the room, currently browsing through some documents.


    Lord Hamilton looked up, and without bothering with pleasantries, simply said, "Rein, take a seat first. I''m looking at a file here, give me a moment!"


    Rein nodded, pulled out a chair to sit down, and then began to look around.


    The office was bright and spacious, about forty to fifty square meters in size, with several soft deerskin chairs and a coffee table in the central area, and bookshelves on the sides.


    The wall side of the office held the mahogany desk where Lord Hamilton was currently seated, atop of it stacked arge number of parchment rolls that appeared to be various files and documents.


    Before Rein could finish surveying the room, Lord Hamilton put down the file he was examining, looked at Rein with a smile, and said, "Rein, your growth has exceeded my expectations."


    "Are you interested in joining the Night Watchman''s squad to help me? See all these files? They are all unresolved cases, left by that fool Kuzma!"


    "Recently, I''ve been severely understaffed! In fact, the entire Meister County''s security situation is not looking good. The day before yesterday, in the southwest of shgold Town, at Elim Mine, three miners went missing. It is said that some unidentified creatures appeared inside the gold mine, and only bloodstains were found at the scene."


    "Also, just yesterday, my guards reported finding traces of foul Finmen around the source of water for our town, upstream from Glimmer Lake. Bear in mind these disgusting creatures heavily pollute the water! But right now, I don''t have enough manpower to drive them away," Lord Hamilton pointed at the stack of parchment files on his mahogany desk, saying with a hint of anger.


    "Kuzma?" Rein had heard this name before, mentioned by the faux-rich kids during their idle chatter. He was the former security officer of shgold Town, and it seemed he left Lord Hamilton, the new appointee, with a multitude of messy issues to deal with.


    ```

 Chapter 27: Chapter 26 Bounty Hunters License

    After some thought, Rein was not interested in Hamilton''s invitation.


    Although Night Watchmen were also "civil servants," officially organized under the Empire, there was no need! With Lady Cleya''s high regard for him, Rein could currentlyy a solid foundation at the Habsburg estate, safe and sound.


    Seemingly guessing Rein''s thoughts, Hamilton pulled out a grey pouch from the drawer and tossed it to Rein.


    "Thud!"


    "This is the bounty, 5 Gold Coins for Scarface, 10 for ckbeard, totaling 15 Imperial Gold Coins."


    "Thank you!"


    Rein quickly caught the pouch, feeling exceptionally thrilled inside.


    He really hadn''t expected that, even though he hadn''t agreed to Hamilton''s recruitment, the man would neither withhold nor pinch him over the bounty issue.


    This suddenly improved Rein''s impression of Hamilton by quite a bit.


    However....


    This delightsted only a few seconds before Hamilton''s next words dissipated it like smoke.


    "Rein, I must remind you, the Scarface you killed had no notable background, but..... ckbeard, on the other hand, has a brother who is the boss of the Hyena Gang in Meister County, and he''s very powerful."


    "Just now, I was reviewing the dossier on ckbeard," said Hamilton as he handed over the parchment roll to Rein.


    Rein took the sheepskin roll and immediately started reading through the dossier��only, the more he read, the more solemn his expression became!


    The dossier showed that the Hyena Gangmanded hundreds of men and dealt in all kinds of dirty deeds, like theft, extortion of protection fees, and asionally even more detestable acts like trafficking women and children.


    What was especially noted in the dossier was that the Hyena Gang''s boss, nicknamed "The Canine King" Korr, had managed through some unknown means to tame a mutant Hyena Queen, asrge as a boar, a few years ago. After raising a litter of pups, he equipped his core members with them.


    Dependent on the hyenas''bat abilities, which far exceeded those of ordinary dogs, the Hyena Gang quickly rose above other gangs in Meister County, and it was rumored they even made connections with certain nobility in the city.


    Faced with such an unscrupulous gang, Rein knew that even if he wasn''t afraid, his family certainly couldn''t afford to provoke them!


    Realizing this, Rein knew that he could only rely on thew enforcement officer before him to escape this predicament; that was also the purpose of Hamilton showing him the dossier.


    Hamilton continued speaking:


    "As I understand it, ckbeard had a good rtionship with his brother. He came out on his own this time to make some easy money. If his brother finds out his own sibling was killed by you, he will surely seek revenge."


    After a few seconds of silence, Rein, with a calm expression, looked at Hamilton and said:


    "Lord Hamilton, since you took the initiative to discuss this matter with me, you must have a way to resolve it."


    Appreciation gleamed in Hamilton''s eyes; he himself, at Rein''s age, probably couldn''t have faced the situation as calmly as Rein did.


    Just as he was about to share his thoughts, suddenly, Hamilton''s eyes brightened as he looked at Rein!


    He had just noticed a significant change in Rein, who was sitting across from him,pared to thest time they met.


    The events of the previous night had happened in the dark, and Hamilton had not noticed Rein''s transformation due to the dim light.


    But today was daytime, and after scrutinizing Rein closely, Hamilton realized that his eyes were bright and spirited, his breathing steady and strong, bearing a great resemnce to how Hamilton himself had been when he first began learning the Knight Breathing Method!


    Hamilton couldn''t help but blurt out, "Rein, have you practiced the Knight Breathing Method?!"


    This sudden realization rmed Rein!


    "You can see that??"


    However, Rein remained silent, maintaining a smile and calmly looking at Hamilton.


    To this, Hamilton didn''t seem to mind. Instead, he appeared thoughtful and murmured to himself:


    "You have been training as a child servant on the Habsburg estate recently, which means that one of the knights within the Habsburgs must have taught you the breathing method. So, is this knight His Excellency the estate steward Knight Lloyd or the swordsmanship instructor Sir Perez?"


    Hamilton''s gaze was piercing as he watched Rein, trying to discern something from his expression.


    This made Rein re-evaluate Hamilton once again!


    He hadn''t expected that this robust man before him would have such a delicate mind, nearly guessing the whole matter correctly, except for thest part about the person involved.


    "I''m sorry, Lord Hamilton, but I cannot reveal which lord taught me the breathing method."


    "Because I have promised to keep this secret!"


    "Haha, goodd! However, the infighting among the heirs of the Count Habbs family is intense, and joining the estate might not necessarily be a good thing for you. The Count''s two sons are fighting over power and profit, while his young daughter has an exceptional knightly talent, having be an official knight two years ago and deeply favored by the old Count!"


    Hamilton waved his hand, obviously not minding whether Rein spoke or not, but instead revealed a significant secret to him.


    Infighting?


    Was it Lady Creya and her brothers or brother against brother?


    No wonder earlier Lady Creya said that she wanted the fact that she taught me the breathing method kept a secret and mentioned that letting it out might not be good for me.


    Rein suddenly understood!


    "And, the eldest son of the Count Habbs, Alonso, has dubious rtions with the Wilderness Brotherhood. So, Rein, as a talented individual, joining the Night Watcher''s Army and serving the Empire would be your best choice!"


    Hamilton slowly stood up, his bright eyes seriously fixed on Rein as he spoke.


    At that moment, he thought, "Since Rein has already gained the appreciation of the upper echelons of the Habsburg estate and has practiced breathing techniques, it wouldn''t be quite appropriate for him to pretend to be an orphan to infiltrate the enemy as I had originally thought."


    "Once you join the Night Watcher''s Army, I will have reason to move our already stretched forces and pay special attention to the area where your family lives, ensuring the safety of you and your family. Against the threats of the Hyena gang, the Night Watchmen will be your solid support!"


    Hamilton''s words were very enticing to Rein!


    The information that the other party had shared was "high-end information" that Rein had never been privy to, but he believed that Hamilton wouldn''t deceive him on this matter.


    After all, some things are very easy to verify.


    Seeing that Rein was still hesitant, Hamilton continued to up the ante:


    "Rein, practicing the breathing method isn''t cheap! You havepleted two bounty tasks this time, earning more than 10 Imperial Gold Coins, which meets the minimum requirement to apply for an Imperial Bounty Hunters license."


    Rein strongly agreed with Hamilton''s words, as cultivating the breathing method was indeed expensive.


    If it weren''t for Lady Creya providing him with berserker bear meat and the specialized secret medicine for the Giant Bear Breathing Technique��ck Kyrin oil, his progress wouldn''t be this rapid.


    However, what puzzled Rein was this Bounty Hunters license. What was that all about?


    Shouldn''t anyone be able to kill a wanted criminal and thus receive the bounty?

 Chapter 28: Chapter 27 Horseshoe Forging

    "I apologize, Lord Hamilton, does a bounty hunter still need a permit?" Rein asked, puzzled.


    "Haha, Rein, it seems I need to exin to you that if you are the offspring of nobility, of course, you don''t need this bounty hunter permit. But for a person ofmon status who aspires to rely on bounties as a source of ie, having this permit can be very convenient."


    "Firstly, the bounty hunter''s permit is universally recognized by the empire. It allows you to carry weapons during the day or at night. Otherwise, ording to the Empire''s public security regtions, civilians can only keep their weapons at home, except under special circumstances."


    "Moreover, if one day the total amount of your umted bounties reaches 100 Gold Coins or more, you can apply for intermediate bounty hunter certification, which grants you the privilege of riding a horse."


    This immediately left Rein stunned; official recognition of all-day weapon carrying and horse riding?


    Were these privileges, normally reserved for the nobility, also avable to bounty hunters?


    Indeed, in this world military strength was the best pathway to ss ascension!


    "However.... The empire controls the number of bounty hunter slots quite strictly, but as it happens, I still have one rmendation slot avable," Hamilton continued.


    Rein appeared pensive, naturally very tempted by the bounty hunter slot��bearing arms, riding, and earning a considerable amount of Gold Coins were crucial elements on his transcendental path.


    Because even if he became an estate guard or even a Night Watchman, the basic sry would definitely not suffice for his training.


    However, since Hamilton had already mentioned the scarcity of these slots, it was clear there were no pies falling from the sky!


    Actually, some things were already quite clear between the lines.


    But the issue was that he had already epted Lady yia''s kindness, and now to switch to joining the Night Watcher''s Army....


    After hesitating for a moment, Rein spoke up, "Lord Hamilton, I''m very grateful for your appreciation, but I have already promised someone else.... um.... I might be a follower of a certain noble in the future, so...."


    Before Rein could finish, Hamiltonughed heartily,


    "So that''s what you are worried about! Rest assured, Rein, that is not a conflict at all. No matter whose follower you are, as long as he is a noble of the empire, you will inevitably pledge allegiance to our great Empire Emperor of the Dragan Empire!"


    "For example, I am the safety officer of shgold Town and at the same time a follower of Marquis Habsburg. My official position within the empire''s administration actually counts as a plus in front of Marquis Habsburg."


    Rein was suddenly astonished; so there was such a crafty move!


    Shouldn''t it be, "The vassal''s vassal is not my vassal?"


    However, Rein quickly realized that the Dragan Empire he was in was not like the medieval Western Europe of his previous life, where kingdoms were fragmented. Instead, the central authority was very strong, and naturally, everyone pledged allegiance to the Empire Emperor.


    After Hamilton''s exnation, Rein quickly understood that it was very favorable for the empire''s nobles to have their followers be administrative officials in the kingdom''s power departments.


    "By the way, Rein, you haven''t undergone the ceremony of swearing allegiance as a follower yet, have you?" Hamilton inquired.


    "That.... no."


    Rein thought, indeed, there had been no form of allegiance ceremony between himself and Lady Cleya.


    Her exact words were that he could be her follower if he could step into the role of a formal knight.


    "Then you should improve your strength quickly, it would be better to swear allegiance as a Guardian Knight, rather than just as a follower," Hamilton said.


    "Lord Hamilton, is there a difference?" Rein asked, somewhat astonished.


    Although the amount of information he encountered today was somewhat overwhelming, it also made him feel that his visit was well worth it. A short conversation with Hamilton had enlightened him about many things that he had had no ess to before.


    That was the barrier to information caused by differing social strata!


    "Simply put, it''s about having different levels of initiative. You can be the guardian knight for many people, but you can only be a follower to one!" Hamilton thought for a moment, then exined.


    "Thank you, Lord Hamilton, for clearing my confusion. As for your gracious offer to join the Night Watchman, I ept."


    "However, I am currently still in my page training period. Could I possibly join the Night Watchman after it ends?" Rein inquired.


    "Of course you can. The page training at Habsburg Manor is quite exceptional; it''s just right for you to also learn archery," Hamilton seemed quite familiar with the page training, knowing that it included archery instruction.


    "But... if there''s something I need from you, Rein, you''ll need to respond immediately," Hamilton added.


    "Of course, Lord Hamilton," Rein agreed.


    The meeting ended in a harmonious atmosphere.


    Rein carefully pocketed the gray pouch containing fifteen Empire gold coins and said farewell to Hamilton, leaving the town hall of shgold Town.


    With the "fortune" now in his possession, Rein felt an extraordinary sense of joy. However, the threat of the Hyena Gang quickly spoiled his mood.


    Who would have thought that the leader of the Hyena Gang, Korr, was actually ck Beard''s brother.


    Strength, I must quickly increase my strength!


    However... previously it was ack of money, but now with money in hand, Rein naturally thought of slightly improving his family''s living conditions.


    As for the excuse, he had already worked it out: He would tell them that he received a reward of two Empire gold coins for providing Lord Hamilton, the new sheriff, with crucial clues in a child disappearance case.


    Then, he would tell his family that Lord Hamilton had agreed to let him join the Night Watcher''s Army after his page training concludes.


    With this, his family wouldn''t have to worry about his future, and the lifted burden would greatly improve the mood of the entire family, while also allowing himself to fully utilize the two gold coins.


    However, it was still early in the day, not yet nine o''clock; Rein decided to continue his work at the cksmith''s shop to gain more professional experience.


    Oh! Speaking of the cksmith''s shop, yes!


    Now that he had money, he couldpletely ask the cksmith Boris to teach him real forging skills.


    The barrier before was that he couldn''t afford it��no money!


    But now, all that was needed was to pay a hefty tuition fee.


    Of course, it was worth it. If he could greatly improve the efficiency of gaining experience, it would not only allow his cksmith apprenticeship Profession Level to rise rapidly but alsoy a solid foundation for crafting his own equipmentter.


    Thinking of this, Rein felt a surge of excitement.


    Thus, Rein turned left and right, rushing to the cksmith''s shop!


    As soon as he entered the cksmith shop, the continuous ng of hammering filled the air. The cksmith apprentices were still busy at their work, and cksmith Boris was in the midst of horseshoe forging, which immediately caught Rein''s eye.


    This horseshoe forging,bined with hoof trimming, was precisely theplete set!

 Chapter 29: Chapter 28: Promotion! Occupation [Blacksmith]

    Boris ced an iron bar of about half a meter into the fire to heat it. Once the middle turned white-hot, he took it out, brushed away the impurities on the surface, then immersed it in water for quenching. Quenching was a process Rein was familiar with from his previous life; it made the iron bar much harder.


    Soon, through repeated hammering and heating, the iron bar gradually took on the shape of a crescent moon.


    Seeing Reine in, Drews, who was working the bellows, greeted him eagerly, "Rein! You''re here to help again today, want to continue with the bellows?"


    Rein smiled and said, "Drews, I''m sorry, but I might not be able to work the bellows today!"


    Under Drews'' astonished gaze, Rein walked up to Boris and pointed to the horseshoe in the making, "Uncle Boris, I want to learn this. How much is the tuition fee?"


    The cksmith Boris looked at Rein in surprise and said, "Rein, you have money? You are not my official apprentice; if you just want to learn horseshoe forging, the tuition is not cheap. Even though you have helped for free, I can''t give you a discount on how much I should charge."


    After listening to this, Rein couldn''t help but inwardly scoff. The rumors were true: cksmith Boris was quite skilled, but exceedingly stingy!


    "Of course, Uncle Boris. How much is the tuition to learn horseshoe forging?"


    "To teach you horseshoe forging for a month, 12 silver coins! If you can''t learn it when the time is up, there''s nothing I can do about it, but the tuition is non-refundable."


    Hiss! Hearing this price, the surrounding apprentices exchanged nces, as if to say that this time Rein was likely to suffer a self-inflicted disappointment!


    After all, this price was indeed too high for most people, let alone Rein, who did note from a well-off family.


    Rein was also speechless.


    This price!


    Just for one month, and without guarantee of sess!


    You should know that in shgold Town, the monthly ie of an ordinary adult male is only about 2 to 3 silver coins.


    The currency system of the Dragan Empire was a bit simr to Rein''s previous life in Ennd. One gold coin of the empire could be exchanged for 12 silver coins, one silver coin for 20 shillings, one shilling for 12 pennies, and one penny had the purchasing power of about one pound of rye bread.


    But he still had to learn!


    Rein feigned an expression of great distress and pulled out a gold coin from his embrace, handing it to the slightly surprised Boris, "Deal! Uncle Boris!"


    "This time, my family signed me up for the Habsburg Manor''s page training, aiming for a cksmith apprentice, so they specifically prepared some money for me to learn the essential cksmith skills..."


    Rein half-truthfully exined, ounting for the source of the money.


    "It seems Old Rein has high hopes for you. Work hard,d! Don''t end up like my good-for-nothing boy, wandering off to County Town every day, nowpletely untraceable!" Boris suddenly became emotional, patting Rein on the shoulder with a sigh.


    This made Rein change his opinion of Boris a bit, realizing that even a stingy man like Boris had the heart of a father wanting his son to seed.


    "Come on! Rein, give me a hand here!" With that, cksmith Boris handed Rein a heavy hammer.


    Just as Rein grasped the hammer handed to him by Boris, suddenly, a string of system notifications appeared, causing Rein to be slightly startled!


    [Ding! Host hase into contact with the cksmith apprentice promotion medium �� cksmith''s Hammer!]


    [Preconditions for promotion to cksmith: 1. cksmith Apprentice lv3 at full level; 2. Strength of at least 6 points, Constitution of at least 6 points; 3. Forge ten qualifying cksmith products... Current conditions do not meet the requirements! Promotion to cksmith failed!]


    Rein was immediately thrilled; so this was the key to advancing from cksmith apprentice to cksmith!


    "Rein! What are you standing around for?"


    "Oh, right away, Uncle Boris!"


    Quicklying back to his senses, Rein immediately began to assist with the forging.


    Being new to the craft, Rein only needed toplete one step: indenting a groove in the U-shaped iron bar.


    After the iron bar for the horseshoe was shaped into a crescent, the following steps required two people to work together.


    cksmith Boris mped the iron bar with his left hand and heated it up again while holding a sharp tool in his right hand, shaped like an axe, moving it swiftly over the iron bar.


    Meanwhile, Rein swung the hammer forcefully in rhythm, striking the wider top of the "axe," whose de was rtively narrow, leaving a slender groove in the hot iron bar under the heavy blow.


    This groove in the horseshoe was to amodate the soil on the ground to enhance the grip of the horseshoe.


    Although Boris charged extortionately, his teaching attitude wasmendable; he guided Rein on the rhythm of force application while exining to Rein theplete experience of horseshoe forging.


    This benefited Rein a great deal.


    Before long, the system prompt appeared again:


    [You have engaged in horseshoe forging, and your insight has improved!]


    [You have realized a new skill��horseshoe forging]


    [Your skill in horseshoe forging has improved, Experience +2]


    [You focused on forging horseshoes, cksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points +5]


    Clearly, after participating in the horseshoe forging, the Professional Experience Points of the cksmith Apprentice soared, far surpassing previous bellows-pulling work.


    This might be the essence of "pay to win"!


    At the same time, one after another, qualified horseshoes were forged by Rein and Boris.


    But unfortunately, perhaps because most of this part of the work waspleted by Boris, the system did not recognize these horseshoes as being forged by Rein.


    Naturally, this did not meet the condition of forging ten qualified cksmith products.


    This left Rein slightly disappointed.


    He still wanted to advance to a cksmith as quickly as possible.


    However, apart from horseshoes, what else could be learned quickly?


    Ah, there it is!


    That would be the nails used for horseshoes! These items are rtively simple to make, and logically, the horseshoe nails should also count as cksmith products.


    Rein remembered a saying from his past life: "For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the rider was lost; for want of a rider, the battle was lost; for want of a battle, the kingdom was lost; and all for the want of a horseshoe nail."


    So, even though the horseshoe nail was small, it was equally important.


    Seizing the moment during a break, Rein asked Boris if he could start learning the skill of forging horseshoe nails first.


    Although Boris found it strange that Rein was insistent on learning how to forge horseshoe nails before the more important horseshoes, after giving it a bit of thought, he quickly agreed.


    The reason was that the forging of horseshoe nails was also part of the lesson fee paid by Rein. After all, once the horseshoes were made, they needed to be used in conjunction with horseshoe nails, and the sequence didn''t matter!


    Rein managed to contain his small surge of excitement and began to seriously forge horseshoe nails following Boris''s instructions.


    At first, the horseshoe nails that Rein produced were all bent and unusable, but slowly, the quality began to improve!


    Indeed, as Rein had previously guessed, the system recognized the horseshoe nails as falling within the category of any qualified cksmith product.


    With that realization, Rein was overjoyed, and like he had been injected with chicken blood, he swung the hammer vigorously, dripping with sweat as he forged the horseshoe nails.


    Boris, on the other hand, looked at the enthusiastic Rein working on the horseshoe nails, shook his head, and said, "What a strange habit!"


    Finally, before lunch, Rein achieved both of his goals.


    Any qualified cksmith product (10/10), achieved!


    cksmith Apprentice lv3 (500/500) max level, achieved!

 Chapter 30: Chapter 29 Core Skill

    [Conditions detected for host upgrade to cksmith: 1. cksmith Apprentice lv3 max level; 2. Strength above 6 points, Constitution above 6 points; 3. Forge ten qualifying cksmith products. All conditions met, upgrade to cksmith yes/no?]


    [Note: After upgrading to cksmith, the new cksmith profession panel will rece the original cksmith Apprentice panel.]


    Clearly, this question did not require any consideration, Rein chose yes without hesitation!


    [Ding! Upgrade sessful!]


    [Upgrade to cksmith sessful! Strength +2! Gain core cksmith skills: cksmith''s Strength lv1, One-Handed Hammer Mastery lv1.]


    [cksmith''s Strength lv1 (Active): Due to years of forging, the cksmith possesses unusual explosive muscle strength.]


    [Hammer Mastery lv1 (Passive): Familiar with hammers both big and small from years of forging, they are used as extensions of his own limbs.]


    Hisss! Core skills have emerged?


    Rein was both shocked and delighted!


    This promotion... truly represents a qualitative leap!


    After informing cksmith Boris that he would go home for lunch and return in the afternoon, Rein swiftly left the cksmith shop, went around the corner of the street, and immediately found a secluded corner to carefully examine his attribute panel.


    The original cksmith Apprentice panel had disappeared, reced with the cksmith panel.


    At the same time, two brand-new skill icons at the bottom of the panel flickered slightly, and from their size, the icons for the core skills seemed to be almost twice asrge as those for ordinary skills.


    Rein first focused his attention on an icon resembling Popeye flexing his biceps, and beneath it there was a line of text.


    [Core Skill: cksmith''s Strength lv1 (Active)]


    cksmith''s Strength lv1 (Active) effects: Upon skill activation, your strength will slightly increase.


    ��Note: The skill effect will proportionally increase based on the host''s own strength, and its duration is proportional to the host''s Constitution and spiritual power.��


    Upon reading this, Rein quickly fell into deep thought!


    The additional two points of strength gained after the upgrade to cksmith allowed Rein''s strength attribute to surpass his previously highest Spirit Attribute, bing his strongest attribute.


    It''s worth noting that 9 points of strength already greatly exceeded that of an average adult male, and it was probably slightly superior evenpared to the elite members of Lord Hamilton''s Night Watcher''s Army.


    Feeling the surge of strength throughout his body brought Rein a burst of joy.


    Before the upgrade, even if the profession levels of cksmith Apprentice or Militia were to increase, each level would only grant one attribute point, but now just by upgrading, Rein had gained two additional points of strength.


    The increase was significant!


    At the same time, with this active skill��cksmith''s Strength, which could further enhance strength, Rein was very eager to try it out immediately, but there was nothing suitable around, and making too much noise would draw unnecessary attention.


    After a brief thought, Rein decided to head home, neglecting to even stop for groceries, remembering that there were some scatteredrge rocks along the way home that he could try his hand at.


    Swiftly, while walking home, Rein, looking around, quickly spotted a nearly half-human-high piece of stone not far off the roadside.


    So, after again making sure no one was around, Rein, eager to attempt, approached the stone.


    "Lift!"


    With 9 points of strength, Rein, who originally would not have been able to move the heavy rock, now lifted it, although he turned red and found it strenuous. However, he now managed to stably hold it, lifting it a few feet off the ground.


    However, to advance further and lift the two to three hundred pound rock over his head, 9 points of strength still fell a bit short.


    Thus, Rein focused his attention on cksmith''s Strength.


    As the skill was activated, suddenly, a warm surge pumped from his heart, elerating Rein''s blood flow, causing his veins to bulge and the muscles in his arms and shoulders to protrude.


    Rein then forcibly lifted the heavy rock above his head and threw it four to five meters away.


    After throwing the rock, a delightful sensation instantly surged through his heart!


    This was the confidence and exhration that great strength brings to a man!


    Then, Rein nced once more at his attribute panel, only to see Strength: 9 (+1.8), and the +1.8 in brackets was clearly the effect of cksmith''s Strength, though the duration was not disyed.


    Rein stood quietly in ce, feeling the changes in his body.


    About half a minuteter, Rein felt the warmth inside him gradually dissipate. It seemed that the cksmith''s Strength, an active Skill, could onlyst for about half a minute at present.


    But this had already made Rein more than overjoyed. Without a doubt, cksmith''s Strength was a Skill that could serve as a trump card.


    ncing at the sun hanging slightly to the west, Rein muttered to himself, "Oh no! I almost missed lunchtime!"


    So, without giving another nce at the other core Skill��Hammer Mastery��Rein quickly ran home.


    As soon as he entered the house, his mother greeted him.


    "Why are you sote, did you go to the cksmith''s shop again?" Seeing Reine back drenched in sweat, his mother asked with a heartache.


    Rein nodded and took the towel his mother offered, wiping the sweat beads off his forehead.


    Just as Rein was gathering his words, nning to discuss with his parents that he had agreed to join the Night Watcher''s Army at Lord Hamilton''s behest, his usually reticent father suddenly spoke, "Rein,e here for a minute."


    Rein was slightly surprised but followed his father into the room.


    He saw his father take an object wrapped in grey linen cloth from the old bedside table. As he slowly unwrapped it, two slightly worn Imperial Gold Coins and more than ten silver coins came into view.


    Old Rein hesitated for a moment, then picked up the only two Imperial Gold Coins and handed them to Rein.


    "Rein,tely whenever you''re free, you run off to that Miser Boris'' cksmith shop. But it''s useless unless you can pay the apprentice fee. You can''t possibly move that heartless man with sincerity."


    "Father, I..." Rein started to say something but was interrupted by a wave of Old Rein''s hand.


    "Listen to me first, your mother and I have discussed this. These two gold coins should be enough for you to learn one or two forging skills from Boris, which might give you some advantage in the manor cksmith apprenticeship assessment."


    "The little money left, we are keeping at home for you and Bo He to buy some white bread, meat, and eggs. We can''t give you more. You are both still growing, and your nutrition needs to keep up."


    Looking at his father''s face, tanned by the sun, Rein was speechlessly moved!


    Firmly pushing back the gold coins his father had handed him, Rein raised his head and said,


    "Father, you and mother need not worry about my future anymore."


    "I provided crucial leads on child disappearances to the newly appointed sheriff, Lord Hamilton. Lord Hamilton has promised that after my pageboy training ends, I can join the Night Watcher''s Army."


    Having said this, amidst Old Rein''s astonished gaze, Rein also pulled out two brand-new Imperial Gold Coins from his own pocket and handed them over.


    "Father, these two gold coins are a reward from Lord Hamilton; keep this money, and we can eat better at home every day."


    Clearly, Rein wasn''t reluctant to give all the gold coins to his family, but giving more would have been inexplicable with just the exnation of providing a lead.


    "Bang!"


    "Rein, is this true?!"


    His mother, who had been listening at the door, could no longer contain her surprise and burst through the door, hurrying inside.


    "Of course, look, if you and father really don''t believe me, you can go to the town hall and ask Lord Hamilton directly," Rein shrugged, a smile on his face.


    "May the goddess of fortune bless us!" His mother cried tears of joy, praying continuously while hurriedly wiping away her tears.


    ....


    At lunchtime, Old Rein unusually splurged on several bottles of rye beer and seemed determined to have a few drinks with Rein, leaving Anna and Bo He exchanging puzzled looks.


    Anna sensed something, but felt too embarrassed to ask Rein directly.


    "Rein, from now on, you''re a man! *hic* About you and Anna�� *hic* it''s up to you, son��I support you! *hic*"


    "Father, this..."


    Seeing his father, who had drunk too much, Rein felt a wave of embarrassment and quickly exchanged nces with Anna, who then swiftly diverted her eyes.


    The next second, like a frightened rabbit, Anna immediately lowered her head, a blush spreading across her fair cheeks.

 Chapter 31: Chapter 30 Archery Training

    After the meal, Anna spoke to Rein with a slightly shy expression, "Rein, can youe to the room for a moment?"


    Having spent a day at Rein''s home, Anna still felt somewhat uneasy��not because Rein''s family treated her badly, but because... they were too enthusiastic.


    The two made their way to a room on the second floor.


    "Rein, I... I want to go back to my own home," Anna said, lowering her head with her fingers interlocked tightly, clutching the hem of her skirt.


    For some reason, although Rein was her savior, every time she faced him, Anna always felt a bit nervous, and her heart would pound fiercely.


    "That''s... probably not a good idea," Rein shook his head and declined.


    "Ah?! This... why... why not?" Anna looked at Rein with a puzzled and surprised expression, her mind a tangle of confusion. This response was not what she had expected at all. Could it be that...


    While the girl''s thoughts fluttered, Rein spoke with a serious expression:


    "ording to Lord Hamilton, the constable, the ckbeard I killedst time is the younger brother of the leader of the County Town hyena gang. I''m worried that they might send someone to investigate his brother''s disappearance!"


    "So, it''s better for you to stay here for the time being and not go back."


    "Ah!" Anna''s face immediately turned pale.


    "Don''t worry, I will be joining the Night Watcher''s Army soon..." To calm Anna''s shocked emotions, Rein shared with her a part of his conversation in Lord Hamilton''s office.


    After his exnation, Anna felt somewhat relieved; herplexion also stabilized considerably, and she nodded:


    "Then... alright then! I''ll help out with whatever I can," she agreed.


    Rein waved his hand and said, "If you have time, you could keep Bo Hepany. No one is at home usually, and I''m sure she''d be very happy to have yourpany."


    "Of course, that''s no problem. Bo He is very cute and well-behaved," Anna''s eyes narrowed happily into crescents as she spoke of Bo He.


    "That''s enough then, don''t worry, things will get better and better!"


    Anna looked at Rein''s determined expression, nodded, and gave a firm "Mhm."


    Although Rein was only a few months older than her, he inexplicably gave her a sense of reliability. She believed in what Rein said!


    In the afternoon, on his way to the cksmith shop, Rein checked another core skill of the cksmith trade, ''Hammer Mastery,'' which was represented by the icon of a diagonally ced thead hammer.


    [Hammer Mastery lv1 (Passive): Slight increase in damage when the host uses any hammer-type weapons.]


    Rein frowned as he read, having always practiced swordsmanship, was he now expected to learn some sort of hammer-basedbat skill?


    It seemed that this skill wasn''t likely to immediately enhance hisbat abilities.


    However, Rein was already quite satisfied with his promotion to cksmith, both with the increase in Strength and the acquisition of new active skills, especially ''cksmith''s Strength.''


    Rein flipped to the first page of his status panel.


    Name: Rein Can


    Profession: cksmith lv1 (1/100) / Militiaman lv3 (328/500)


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 9


    Agility: 8


    Spirit: 8


    Remaining attribute points: 0


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Beneath both core skills, there was a mention of a ''lv'' suggesting that they were likely upgradable.


    But Rein noticed that there wasn''t an experience bar in brackets beneath them, which could very well mean that core skills couldn''t be upgraded through practice, but only through the use of Skill Points.


    This caused a slight frown on Rein''s brow.


    Because this meant that the already scarce Skill Points were now even more precious.


    Rein looked at the remaining 1 Skill Point on the panel, hesitating again and again, but still not assigning it.


    "The Giant Bear Breathing Technique is currently at the second level, and progress isn''t too slow, but once it reaches the third level, it will take much longer."


    "I was thinking of waiting until I reach the third level of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique before using the points to jump directly to level 4. The advancement of breathing techniques can bring an all-around improvement to physical condition, making them highly cost-effective."


    "But now a core skill has emerged that cannot be improved through practice alone, which is quite troublesome," Rein mused as he walked towards the cksmith''s shop.


    "Moreover, given this trend, the shortage of skill points is likely to grow more significant over time."


    "As for a solution..."


    "Either I find a way to trigger more professions, but right now, this seems highly uncertain. I had hoped that a week of training with the greyhound would lead to a new profession panel like a Dog Trainer or Beast Tamer, but it never materialized."


    "So it seems the only thing I can control right now is to continue advancing the profession levels of a cksmith or militiaman."


    After reflecting for a while, Rein''s goal became clear. Once he returned to the cksmith''s shop, his enthusiasm reignited, and he continued to learn horseshoe forging from cksmith Boris.


    After an afternoon of continued learning, Rein became increasingly adept at forging horseshoes, and cksmith Boris found less and less to do.


    This couldn''t help but impress Boris, who hadn''t expected the kid to have such a talent for cksmithing!


    Regrettably, after an afternoon of ''hard work'', his cksmith profession level had only risen by 5 points, now at cksmith lv1 (5/100).


    It seemed that after bing a cksmith, the experience provided by some of the forging outputs was bing less and less.


    As the sky grew dark, Rein left the cksmith''s shop and headed towards Habsburg Manor.


    After returning to the page dormitory, Rein chatted briefly with George before drifting off to sleep.


    The next morning, as a new week of training began, the pages were to undergo archery training, still overseen by Humbert, the manor''s veteran guard.


    As part of the Habsburg Manor Guard''s assessment, both swordsmanship and archery were mandatory skills to be learned.


    The group of pages arrived at the northwest corner of the outer yard of Habsburg manor, where ten neatly aligned targets were set up, and a variety of training bows of different sizes and draw weights wereid out in the adjacent shelter.


    Rein took a careful look and noticed that there were short bows, war bows, and longbows over one and a half meters in length.


    "Today, we will be practicing archery. Everyone, go to the shelter and pick a bow that suits your strength and an arrow quiver," Instructor Humbertmanded, with his hands sped behind his back and a stern tone.


    As soon as Instructor Humbert finished speaking, the pages swarmed the shelter to pick their bows.


    Because of limited strength, most of the pages chose short bows.


    But quite a few among the pseudo-nobles were tall and strong and opted for regr-sized war bows.


    Rein also selected a war bow, but he deliberately chose one that was slightly less powerful, about a medium draw weight.


    Otherwise, with his actual strength, Rein could have chosen the most potent war bow avable here.


    Thick eyebrows nced over at Rein and saw that he had picked a bow with a higher draw weight than his own. He couldn''t help but snort coldly, thinking to himself, "That shouldn''t be right, Rein is supposed to be weaker than me!"


    However, he didn''t verbally mock Rein and instead turned away with a darkened expression.


    It seemed he remembered that very unpleasant brawl.


    Remembering the fight, Thick Eyebrows felt his stomach churn a bit and cursed inwardly, "Damn it! What the hell is Jack up to, it''s been a week, and now the guy''s gone missing."


    "But... it''s likely that the drunk Jack has gone off to cause more trouble!"


    "Seeing as we''ve had a simr incident before, that bastard spent half a month carousing at a widow''s expense after earning some money, only to be kicked out when he was broke."


    Thick Eyebrows shook his head in frustration, regretting having paid Jack in full ahead of time that day!


    That good-for-nothing was just too unreliable!


    Rein was naturally very eager about archery, but currently, he couldn''t afford to allocate his precious skill points into it.


    So after a whole day of sincere effort, his progress in archery was modest, adding only a Basic Archery lv1 (8/100) badge to his existing militia panel.


    After all, Rome wasn''t built in a day, and uracy in archery required extensive practice over time.


    This caused a flicker of disappointment in Humbert''s eyes, who had held high hopes for Rein.


    However, this turn of events delighted Thick Eyebrows, who had been quite anxious initially.


    Since archery was one of the mandatory parts of the guard''s assessment, Rein''s poor archery skills would significantly drag down his overall score during the evaluation.


    In contrast, his second-ranked swordsmanshipbined with top-ranked archery would ensure his total score surpassed Rein''s.


    He had it in the bag!

 Chapter 32: Chapter 31: Giant Bear Sword Technique

    At dusk, after finishing a day of archery training, Rein arrived at Lady Creya''s study.


    After practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for a while, Rein followed Lady Creya to a separate training room located behind the door at the back of the study.


    The room spanned a little over two hundred square meters, with various longswords, dual-handed greatswords, shields, and even bows and arrows ced on both sides; opposite them stood three fixed targets and wooden dummies for training.


    "ng!"


    Upon their swords shing, Lady Creya''s chestnut ponytail flicked, and she almost stepped back, which surprised her.


    "Rein, has your strength really increased this much?" she asked.


    Rein then realized that since he had changed his ss to cksmith, his strength had soared to 9 points. He hadn''t fully controlled his power in the heat of sparring, which was why there was an evident increase in his sword''s force.


    Lady Creya, with her keen perception, detected this immediately!


    "Haha, maybe it''s because the Giant Bear Breathing Technique is particrly suited for me!" Rein said as he touched his nose, quickly inventing an exnation.


    Lady Creya''srge, brown-gray eyes scrutinized Rein skeptically and she murmured softly, "But you''ve only reached the second form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, could it really have improved your physical constitution this much?"


    "Although the Giant Bear Breathing Technique focuses on enhancing a person''s strength and constitution, this is the first time I''ve seen someone just starting out and already experiencing such a significant improvement in their physical condition."


    Lady Creya furrowed her brows slightly and, after pondering for a moment withouting to any more usible conclusion, she shook her head slightly and said:


    "It seems that''s the only exnation for now, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique must be particrlypatible with your constitution."


    "In the entire empire, cases like yours are extremely rare, but not unheard of. It''s just that in Meister County, you may be the first!"


    A perfect match, my foot!


    Only Rein knew the real situation.


    However, Lady Creya''s piercing gaze that seemed to see into his heart had unsettled Rein just now.


    It seemed that next time, he needed to be more careful about this issue!


    "However... this is actually a good thing. I had set aside some scrolls for you, but now it seems I can teach you the swordsmanship that apanies the Giant Bear Breathing Technique��the Giant Bear Sword Technique!"


    Lady Creya''s next words startled Rein.


    This turnaround was somewhat sudden��Giant Bear Sword Technique?


    Rein''s heart leapt with joy!


    Just by the name alone, he knew that the swordsmanship Lady Creya was about to teach him would be far superior to the basic sword techniques.


    Lady Creya had not anticipated that Rein would bring her another surprise.


    So far, Rein''s constitution and the Giant Bear Breathing Technique seemed an extremely good fit, and just a few days of practice had considerably enhanced Rein''s strength��a rare phenomenon.


    Now, she felt much more confident that Rein would enter the Transcendent stage and be an official Knight before turning 18.


    Otherwise, with her knightly talent...


    After another three years, she would probably at least have advanced to a Senior Knight. By then, a follower who was merely at the level of a third-ss Knight Attendant would be too weak and meaningless.


    It wasn''t that her standards were too high, but to be her follower, one needed to possess a rate of progress close to hers��at least, not too far behind.


    Lady Creya, looking at Rein with admiration, continued in a clear voice:


    "The Giant Bear Sword Technique originates from imitating the w strikes of the bear-like Transcendent creatures, powerful and weighty, emphasizing strength and momentum!"


    "Therefore, the Giant Bear Sword Technique is used in conjunction with heavy dual-handed greatswords, which sets a rtively high strength requirement for the user."


    "A regr person, however strong, would not be able to swing a dual-handed greatsword weighing tens of pounds if they haven''t practiced any breathing techniques, and even those few with exceptional talent would still have many ws!"


    Upon hearing this, Rein strongly agreed!


    If his strength hadn''t reached 9 points, he probably wouldn''t even qualify to learn the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    He would have to wait until his Giant Bear Breathing Technique reached the fifth or sixth form, and his physical constitution had greatly improved, before he would be qualified to practice the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    That must also be why Lady Cleya left the sword technique scroll behind but did not teach it to him.


    After all, to learn the Giant Bear Sword Technique, you must at least be able to swing a Dual-Handed Greatsword!


    "Now, your strength should be enough to wield the lightest thirty-six pound Dual-Handed Greatsword!" Cleya said, pointing to the sword rack beside her.


    Rein''s gaze shifted to it and saw that these Dual-Handed Greatswords all had cross-shaped hilts, with long des at least a meter and twenty centimeters in length.


    Moving forward, Rein selected the lightest Dual-Handed Greatsword, but even the lightest one was much heavier than a Longsword. With his strength at nine points, it was not so smooth to swing, but as Cleya said, he could barely use it now.


    At that moment, Cleya casually picked up a Dual-Handed Greatsword and began demonstrating.


    "The Giant Bear Sword Techniqueprises five forms, the first one being Furious sh!"


    "Watch closely, Rein," Cleya said with a stern expression, her entire body moving as quick as a darting rabbit.


    "Swoosh!"


    Propelled by her stic legs, she moved like a swift leopardess, stepping out in one big stride, already several meters away as she swung the Dual-Handed Greatsword in a powerful chopping motion from above toward the wooden dummy made of ironwood!


    With a "crack," as the silvery gleam of the sword shed by, the ironwood post in front of Cleya instantly split into two!


    Hisss! Such power!


    Rein was certain that Cleya had not given her full strength, she was just demonstrating for him, and yet the lethality was already so terrifying.


    He was starting to understand what Hamilton meant when he said she was quite talented.


    "If you understand, try it yourself."


    "Okay, Lady Cleya."


    Rein also followed Cleya''s demonstration, quickly stepping forward and harshly chopping down the Dual-Handed Greatsword on the ironwood post, from above.


    "Thump!"


    A dull sound echoed, and Rein looked embarrassingly at the scene before him; his Dual-Handed Greatsword had prated about three inches into the ironwood post before getting stuck��


    "You little dummy!"


    Seeing Rein''s awkward situation, Cleya couldn''t help but burst intoughter.


    Rein smiled sheepishly, but this was the first time he had seen Cleya shaking withughter.


    Normally, Cleya maintained an elegant noble demeanor in front of others, and her style inbat was even more valiant andmanding.


    "Rein, when you were exerting your force, your wrist was too tense. The movement for Furious sh was too stiff. Remember, only at the instant of the chop you must grip tightly and release a trembling burst of force through your wrist."


    "That way, your sword won''t get stuck in the post," Cleya said with a yful smile.


    Especially when she got to thest part, Cleya nced again at Rein''s greatsword stuck in the dummy, trying to contain herughter.


    Rein suddenly realized, he hadn''t expected that using a Dual-Handed Greatsword would be so different from a Longsword.


    Under Cleya''s guidance, after several practices, a system prompt appeared:


    [You have trained in Giant Bear Sword Technique, improving rtedprehension!]


    [You haveprehended a new Skill��Giant Bear Sword Technique]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been enhanced, Experience +1]


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique lv1 (1/100) appeared on the militia panel, and its icon was amusingly a bear wielding a greatsword.


    While Rein was practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique in the castle, in a room on the second floor of the castle,


    a burly middle-aged man d in grey heavy armor was respectfully reporting Rein''s situation to a noble young man with a sinister air about him.

 Chapter 33: Chapter 32: The Hidden Enemy

    "Young Master, after investigation, the young man that Lady Creya has taken a liking to is named Rein, a fourteen-year-old farmer''s son, who is said to have considerable talent in swordsmanship."


    "These past few days, Lady Creya has been giving him extra training, seemingly cing high value on his swordsmanship talent."


    The noble youth, with a somewhat paleplexion, furrowed his brows and rhythmically tapped his fingers on the smooth wooden armrest of his chair. After a moment of thought, he spoke:


    "Rulse, by the look of it, Creya has taken a fancy to the swordsmanship talent of that lowborn and intends to cultivate him as her own direct line, doesn''t she?"


    "Yes, Young Master Dennis," responded the attendant named Rulse, bowing slightly.


    If Rein had been present, he would have recognized the youth sitting on the deer leather chair as the expressionless noble young master he had encountered once before.


    "Then, let this matter be leaked to Alonso, the eldest son of the Habbs family. He has a far greater ''interest'' in his sister Creya than we do."


    "If he learns that his sister has begun to cultivate a direct line, he will surely be more agitated than we are."


    At this point, the noble youth named Dennis revealed a sly smile on his face.


    "As for this lowborn named Rein, his fate will be quite interesting to watch, hahaha!" Dennis couldn''t help but burst intoughter.


    "Young Master Dennis, your wisdom is truly rare in this world. This way, we can achieve your goal without having to lift a finger," Rulse said with a smile,plimenting him at just the right time.


    Originally, Rulse thought his young master might order him to discreetly deal with the farmer''s son, but that would risk directly offending Lady Creya.


    However, he hadn''t expected his young master toe up with such a scheme as ''using another''s hand to kill'' so quickly, one that could achieve their goal without bringing trouble upon themselves.


    The master will be relieved!


    Rulse served Baron Norman, having followed him in many battles during his younger years. Combining his robust personal strength with a bit of luck, he had survived and his skill had reached the level of a nearlymissioned Knight.


    A nearlymissioned Knight is all set, just one step away from bing a formal third-tier Knight Attendant.


    However, due to Rulse''s advanced age, the possibility of using an extremely precious Magic Potion to advance and break through to Transcendent was less than ten percent.


    Therefore, the final arrangement had been for Baron Norman to appoint him as the chief guard of his eldest legitimate son, Dennis.


    "By the way, Young Master Dennis, the day before yesterday Baron Norman asked if there''s any chance you could establish a romantic rtionship with Lady Creya before she leaves Meister County?"


    Although he felt that asking this question might displease the young master before him, Rulse had no choice as Baron Norman was awaiting a reply, so he had to pluck up the courage to ask.


    When Dennis heard his loyal subordinate ask this question, his face immediately darkened.


    It was his sore spot!


    He had earnestly pursued Creya, only to receive the response, "If you can defeat me in a spar, I''ll consider it. Do you want to try?"


    He would never forget that scene; hested only three seconds before embarrassingly admitting defeat!


    Latterly, he devised various strategies hoping to win Creya over with sincerity and perseverance, following her to Habsburg Manor for Knight Attendant training.


    But so much time had passed, and he had made no progress, let alone held Creya''s hand, with establishing a romantic rtionship seeming even further away!


    Resorting to underhanded methods?


    In terms of status, Creya is the daughter of Count Habs.


    In terms of strength, she became an official knight at fifteen and is considered Meister County''s top talent. Moreover, she is about to leave to enroll at the Dragong Imperial Royal Academy.


    Having just be a third-tier Knight Attendant, if he dared to use any foul tricks, he would surely be squarely dealt with by Creya!


    Recalling past beatings that left him with a swollen nose and bruised face, Dennis involuntarily shivered!


    I wanted tosh out at Rulse, but after careful thought, I realized this was what my father wanted to inquire about. Feeling somewhat deted, Dennis said, "Rulse, reply to my father that I am trying hard!"


    "Go, call Tina over," Dennis demanded, suppressing the fury in his heart, and waved his hand dismissively.


    "Yes, young master!" Rulse bowed respectfully and left the room.


    Soon after, a slim girl with features somewhat resembling Cleya''s walked timidly into the room and said fearfully, "Young master Dennis."


    "Close the door ande here!" Dennis said, looking at the girl''s fearful expression with disgust.


    Although this girl named Tina had some resemnce to Cleya in her looks, the difference in her temperament and figure was like night and day!


    But as a substitute, the bar couldn''t be set too high; after all, if it were, none could be found. This girl was, in fact, the daughter of a tailor whom Rulse had scoured the Meister County for and finally stumbled upon with great difficulty!


    Whenever Dennis was filled with rage with nowhere to vent, he would find her andsh out fiercely!


    "Lift your head, Tina, and look at me! Imagine yourself as a noble from a prestigious family, unyielding and dignified!"


    "Young master Dennis, I... I can''t!"


    "Useless thing! Then get down on your front!" Instantly, blood rushing to his head with rage, Dennis grabbed the poor maidservant, turned her back to him, and pressed her harshly onto the desk.


    After a sound of fabric tearing, the maidservant''s pleas for mercy followed!


    "It hurts! Young master!"


    "Smack!"


    "Shut up! Don''t make a sound!"


    The piteous maidservant could only stuff a roll of parchment into her mouth, while tears streamed down like pearls.


    At first, when her father sold her to young master Dennis, she was secretly thrilled, thinking she would be the personal maid to a noble young master and step into a wonderful life.


    But her mood quickly plunged from heaven to hell.


    On the first day, Dennis treated her brutally, and she soon realized she was nothing but a stand-in for the high-born and beautiful Lady Creya in her own young master''s heart.


    No! Even saying she was a stand-in was overestimating her worth!


    She was merely an object for her young master to vent his beastly lusts upon!


    ...


    For three consecutive days, after bow training at the estate, Rein would head to the castle to learn the Giant Bear Sword Technique with Cleya.


    Recently, the teachings felt a bit rushed to Rein.


    Within a span of three days, Cleya had sessively taught him "Furious sh," "Leap sh," and "Smooth Cleaving sh."


    At present, he had only just begun to grasp the first technique, "Furious sh." He could only say he understood the method of channeling and exerting force for "Leap sh" and "Smooth Cleaving sh," but using them was still very clumsy.


    This point would have to be improved upon with continuous practice and refinement.


    That is, assuming he wouldn''t use Skill Points.


    By now, Rein had begun to guess that perhaps this was because the time of Cleya''s departure was drawing nearer.


    "Rein, today I''ll teach you a defensive stance, which is the only defensive move in the Giant Bear Sword Technique. Come, attack me!" Cleya raised her fine eyebrows, signaling Rein to advance on her.

 Chapter 34: Chapter 33 Cleyas Last Lesson

    Rein nodded.


    The next second, he swiftly stepped forward and his Dual-Handed Greatsword traced a lightning-fast semi-circr arc. At a downward angle of forty-five degrees, he fiercely cleaved down towards Cleya!


    "ng!!"


    A grating sound of metal against metal rang out.


    Cleya held her sword with both hands, her chestnut ponytail swaying. She used the ''strong de'' near the crossguard to firmly catch Rein''s Smooth Cleaving sh.


    The two quickly parted, and then Cleya began to exin,


    "There are two variations of the Giant Bear Sword Technique''s defensive stance to cope with different situations. The first is simr to using a one-handed sword, applying the strong de against the enemy''s cleaving skills."


    "The second is different. Come, Rein, thrust your sword at me."


    As she spoke, Cleya gestured for Rein to attack her again.


    "Alright, Lady Cleya, be careful!"


    "ng!!"


    The sound of this ng was quite crisp.


    Cleya''s Dual-Handed Greatsword stood erect, nted into the ground, perfectly blocking Rein''s striding thrust.


    Rein was jolted so much that his wrist turned sour, almost unable to hold the sword hilt. He looked closely and saw his sword tip was precisely on the groove of Cleya''s Dual-Handed Greatsword''s de that was as wide as a palm.


    Cleya did notunch an attack, purely defending.


    And Rein''s greatsword did not scrape and spark, moving aside to continue thrusting at Cleya, because the blood groove on the greatsword restricted the sword tip.


    "Do you understand?"


    "The second variation of the Giant Bear Sword Technique''s defensive stance is designed to block the enemy''s quick thrusts. When the enemy attacks swiftly, it bes very difficult to rely on the strong de to cope."


    "But you need to be aware, in the selection of Dual-Handed Greatswords, you need to choose those with single or double blood grooves."


    "Furthermore, after blocking, you must immediately counterattack. The Giant Bear Sword Technique is not primarily a defensive sword technique. What you need is to disrupt the opponent''s offensive rhythm with fierce attacks, forcing them to be consumed with defense."


    With Cleya''s concise and clear exnation, Rein had an epiphany.


    Rein thought about it carefully and realized it was indeed so!


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique epasses five moves: "Furious sh," "Leap sh," "Smooth Cleaving sh," "Defensive Stance," and the one he hadn''t learned, "Whirlwind sh."


    From the names, it''s not hard to discern that out of the five moves, four are named with ''sh,'' fully demonstrating that the Giant Bear Sword Technique is primarily offensive.


    Unlike the one-handed sword skills which have many thrusting motions, the moves of the Giant Bear Sword Technique are all designed to make full use of the greatsword''s heavy de, focusing mainly on powerful cleaving sword techniques!


    Guided by Cleya''s insightful instructions, Rein''s progress in practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique elerated significantly.


    Having sparred many times with Cleya over the past three days using the Giant Bear Sword Technique, Rein''s Militia Profession Level had smoothly advanced to lv4 and was now Militia lv4 (18/1000).


    As a matter of course, he gained one attribute point and one skill point.


    Name: Rein Can


    Profession: cksmith lv1 (5/100) / Militia lv4 (18/1000)


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 9


    Agility: 8


    Spirit: 8


    Remaining Attribute Points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 2


    Regarding this attribute point, Rein did not hurry to use it since allocating points had the special effect of restoring status.


    Therefore, he nned to save it for an emergency.


    As for the two skill points, Rein was still somewhat undecided whether to use them to enhance his core skills or to improve the final two forms of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Since he was undecided, Rein nned to hold onto them for the time being.


    "Rein, thest thing I''m going to teach you today is about the secret technique of the Giant Bear Sword Technique," Cleya signaled for Rein to stop practicing the ''defensive posture.''


    "A secret technique?" Rein was slightly taken aback upon hearing Cleya''s words.


    "The Giant Bear Sword Technique, including the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, is not exclusive to the Habus family; it''s widely spread among the imperial nobility."


    "But only families that have studied the Giant Bear Sword Technique long enough can create their own secret techniques, or what could be called ultimate moves, based on the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and the Giant Bear Sword Technique."


    "And today, I will teach you, the Haubs family''s unique secret technique of the Giant Bear Sword Technique��the roaring strike!"


    "This move requires strong lung power to simte the sonic shockwave of a bears'' attack and should be executed in conjunction with the Whirlwind sh," Cleya said eloquently.


    A sonic attackbined with a physical attack?


    Rein quickly grasped the power of this secret technique.


    If both parties were of simr strength, and one suddenly unleashed the roaring strike, as long as the opponent got momentarily stunned by the unexpected sonic attack, it would be game over.


    One could seize the opportunity to strike down the opponent directly.


    "To help you understand, let''s demonstrate!" A sly smile appeared on Cleya''s face.


    "Okay, Lady Creya!"


    Rein gripped his Dual-Handed Greatsword tightly, with the tip pointing up at a forty-five-degree angle, ready in a starting position.


    "Hah!!!"


    A huge roar sted out from Cleya''s red lips, and even though Rein was prepared, he only felt a gust of wind hitting his face, causing his skin to tremble violently.


    His eardrums were in pain, and his whole head was buzzing!


    Although thissted for a very brief moment, just under half a second, by the time Rein came to his senses again, he found that Cleya''s Dual-Handed Greatsword had already stopped at his neck.


    "Pfft!" Seeing Rein''s puzzled look just now, Cleya couldn''t help butugh out loud.


    "Cough... How about it, Rein, did you feel the power of the roaring strike?" Apparently realizing her behavior was not verydylike, Cleya coughed and said.


    "Actually, as a woman, I''m not at an advantage in executing this strike, and I don''t practice the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, so the move I just demonstrated was only a simtion."


    Rein nodded silently without a word.


    Cleya waspletely correct; if it had been a powerful knight who specialized in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique executing that move, his eardrums would probably have burst and bled instantly, and he would have been left dizzy on the spot.


    Rather than just being dazed for less than a second like just now.


    But in a fight between masters, who could afford to stop for one second? In his previous life, a hundred-meter sprinter could cover ten meters in one second, and in this world, with its exaggerated martial prowess, a second was enough to kill you several times over.


    Rein realized for the first time the importance of Constitution.


    If his Constitution were strong enough, he could withstand such dizziness and other abnormal resistances, while also speeding up his physical recovery, and bolstering his endurance, among other effects.


    It seemed he would have to devote more effort to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and practice it diligently since if the technique could be improved, it would enhance his physical attributes all-around, especially Constitution and Strength, which would receive additional bonuses from training in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    At that moment, Rein saw Cleya suddenly ce her greatsword back onto the sword rack.


    While he was puzzled, he heard Cleya turn around and say, "Rein, I will be going back to County Town to see my father in a moment."


    "Early tomorrow morning, I will be leaving Meister County to head to the Imperial Royal Academy."


    Upon hearing this news, Rein was momentarily stunned. So soon?


    Although he had heard Cleya mention before that she would be leaving after a while, at this moment, he felt somewhat lost.

 Chapter 35: Chapter 34: Transcendent Path

    Perhaps it was because of the time they had spent together that he had grown much more familiar with the younger daughter of the Count''s family.


    "Let''s end today''s training here. If you have any issues in the future, you can seek out Shadia."


    Rein looked to the side and saw the Chief Maid Shadia slightly nodding at him.


    "Hold on a moment, Lady Cleya, I still have a question about entering the Transcendent path. Is the path of the Knight the only way in this world?"


    "How could that be possible?"


    Cleya couldn''t help butugh. She realized she had been so focused on teaching Rein the Breathing Techniques and swordsmanship that she hadn''t discussed some basic knowledge with him.


    "Of course, there are far more paths than just the Knight''s path. Even entering the path of the Knight isn''t considered the strongest in the transcendence realm. For instance, all the major churches in the Empire have their own transcendent path."


    "But the church''s transcendent paths require one to be a devout follower of God."


    "Whereas the Knight''s path is the most stable and least dependent on external forces. It allows for achieving transcendence by tapping into one''s potential."


    "At the same time, it''s also the path most essible to ordinary people entering transcendence," Cleya exined.


    "ording to records, the Knight Breathing Method originated from our human ancestors'' studies on ferocious beasts, which eventually led to developing a training method suitable for humans."


    "The Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique that you are practicing are such methods."


    After finishing, Rein nodded. He understood this kind of situation.


    Because in his previous life, ancestors used Five Animal Frolics for health and Xingyi Quan mimicking twelve animals like monkeys, tigers, and bears forbat.


    "Ferocious beasts?"


    However, this was the first time Rein had heard of this concept and asked with curiosity.


    "Yes, ordinary animals under the influence of the mysterious side all have a certain chance of bing ferocious or mutated beasts, thereby gaining much greater strength, agility, and recovery speed than their ordinary counterparts, akin to human Knights."


    "Hmm...actually, from this perspective, the transcendent paths of Knights and ferocious beasts are consistent. Both break through limits in some way; only humans practice breathing techniques, whereas animals rely more on innate talent or lineage."


    "Look!" Suddenly, Cleya''s slender arm swelled, bulging her hunting coat''s sleeve, but it quickly shrank back.


    Rein widened his eyes and stared intently at the transformation of Cleya''s arm.


    Giant Barbie?


    He was stunned!


    So this was the true strength of Cleya!


    "This is the strength you possess after bing a formal Knight, breaking through the physical limits��what we call Limit Break."


    "Long ago, Limit Break was also called ''ferocious transformation,'' butter, to differentiate between humans and beasts, those who reached transcendence through breathing techniques were called Knights, and this transformation was named Limit Break, which essentially means the same as ferocious transformation."


    "Well, I should get going now,"


    Cleya nced outside the window as the night deepened.


    "Rein, the world is much broader and more dangerous than you imagine. I''ve taught you the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique. Work hard!"


    "I hope to be surprised by you in a year."


    After speaking, Cleya shed a slight smile, swung her chestnut ponytail, and left the room, her figure quickly disappearing into the darkness outside the castle.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the dining room of Count Habbs'' mansion in Meister County Town.


    A bearded man dressed in noble attire with ck and gold edging was elegantly carving arge chunk of beef rib, handling the pure silver knife and fork with exceptional agility.


    On the silver te, pieces of beef rib, cut as neatly as tofu, were quickly forked into his mouth.


    Soon, all the meat on thatrge beef rib was in his stomach, the bones picked clean without a trace of meat left.


    But it didn''t end there. With a series of crisp "click" sounds.


    The silver dinner knife in the man''s hand sliced through the tough beef ribs like butter, sucking the marrow within into his mouth.


    At that moment, a beautiful serving maid respectfully offered a hot towel.


    The man wiped his mouth and said, "Michel, sorry to have kept you waiting."


    His tone was very polite, but anyone could tell that it was merely a formality.


    "What is the matter?"


    "Baron, there is something I need to report to you." Named Michel, the butler waved his hand, dismissing all the maids from the dining room.


    "News hase from Dennis that your sister, Lady Cleya, seems to have nurtured a legitimate descendant at the Habsburg estate, reportedly the son of a farmer, but with notable talent in swordsmanship."


    As soon as the butler named Michel mentioned the three words "Lady Cleya," the middle-aged baron''s face changed, obviously recalling some unpleasant memory.


    He elegantly sipped his red wine, paused, and asked, "Considering the timing, Cleya must be about to head to the Imperial City, right?"


    "Yes, under normal circumstances, Lady Cleya should be departing for the Imperial City within three days."


    "Otherwise, she might miss the opening ceremony of the Imperial Royal Academy."


    The baron nodded and said, "Then let''s give the face of my sister from Meister County, who possesses the strongest knight talent, and after she leaves, Michel, have someone erase that farmer''s son."


    His tone was so casual, as if he were merely stepping on an ant by the roadside.


    "As youmand, Baron," Michel said respectfully.


    Just as the butler was about to leave, the baron spoke again, "By the way, about that ck me Prayer Ceremony we spoke ofst time, when can it be held?"


    "There seems to be a small problem there... Things have been tightly wound recently, and some materials might take more time to prepare."


    "Tell them to speed up! I don''t want to wait too long."


    "As youmand, my lord, your will is my desire!"


    The man in question, named Alonso Habus, was granted his baronial title at the age of eighteen, as he was the eldest legitimate son of the Habus family.


    Back in his study, Alonso sat in his chair, idly toying with a silver, round family crest, which was a couple sizesrger than an Imperial gold coin.


    This was one of his habits.


    Whenever he needed to thoroughly consider an issue, he would spin the family crest on his finger.


    The craftsmanship of the Habus family crest was extremely exquisite: it depicted a swooping eagle with high-risen wings, each feather seemingly distinguishable, and its sharp talons pointed downward as though about to capture some prey.


    This was no ordinary eagle, but a transcendental raptor known as a ''Cali Bird.''


    Once mature, this bird''s wingspan could reach over four meters, far more ferocious than ordinary eagles.


    As the eldest son of the Habus family, Alonso was supposed to be the unquestioned heir to the family, but unfortunately, he was the weakest in terms of personal strength among Count Habbs''s three children.


    Nearing thirty, he had only just managed to step into the official knight rank and had made little progress in the past few years.


    In this world, if the power disparity among heirs was not significant, inheritance followed the order of seniority, but if the gap was toorge...


    Then it was just too bad.


    Unfortunately for Alonso, his half-brother Descartes and his sister Cleya, both had exceptional talents.


    Descartes was already serving in the Imperial Military, with a promising future ahead.


    And Cleya needs no mention, a rare genius knight of Meister County. She broke through to official knight rank at the age of fifteen and was admitted to the Imperial Royal Academy for further education.


    The crux of the issue was that Alonso''s rtionship with both had been poor from childhood, certainly not helped by his mother''s influence, and reversing it was likely impossible for him personally.


    Thus, the sense of urgency within Alonso grew increasingly intense; he did not wish to spend his life merely as a minor baron.


    He stowed away the silver Cali Bird crest of his family and gripped it tightly, saying, "I hope the ck me Prayer Ceremony has the effects of legend!"

 Chapter 36: Chapter 35 Attack from Nightingale Forest

    ```


    Somewhere in the Nightingale Forest.


    The blood-red eyes of Savage w swept around the surrounding cowering gnolls; not a single one dared meet its gaze, but it knew it had to leave this ce.


    Standing over seven feet tall and weighing 350 pounds, Savage w was a giant among gnolls, who averaged around six feet three inches and 200 pounds. Originally, it was the leader of this band of lond gnolls, and its days had been veryfortable.


    But in the recent duel, it had been defeated by another, equally ferocious gnoll.


    The victor had emerged from the depths of the Nightingale Forest, a gnoll even stronger than it, towering over seven feet ten inches, with a terrifying strength.


    However...


    Even though Savage w had been defeated, it would not die.


    Not because of its opponent''s mercy, but because of its own strength.


    When Savage w attacked at full force, a faint blue energy flow would surround it, a special energy that helped Savage wpletely negate the air''s resistance against it.


    This not only gave Savage w a moving speed far surpassing that of other gnolls, but it also enabled it to eliminate all its body odors during an attack, providing excellent stealth.


    This was also why Savage w was confident that it could live well on its own.


    With a heavy snort, Savage w left its former gnoll encampment and ran towards the eastern part of the forest.


    Without subordinates tomand, hunting would now have to be done by Savage w itself.


    Now, it was roaming the woods near human towns, hoping for a different kind of bounty. It was getting tired of the meat of forest beasts.


    The meat of wild beasts could neverpare to the deliciousness of human flesh, especially that of human females, which was exceptionally tender and juicy. One bite would cause red juices to ssh everywhere, an utterly delightful taste.


    However, Savage w had tasted human flesh only three times. Although these events were in the distant past, the memories had left a profound impression, making it long for more.


    This was also the reason it was heading towards the eastern side of the forest.


    For it knew there was a human town nearby, which was the closest to it, apparently called... shgold Town.


    Dusk had long fallen.


    The newly arrived Savage w, after avoiding several humans dressed in leather armor, carrying bows and swords, unknowingly approached arge fenced but open area.


    There, it smelled the dense, young, and tender scent of human flesh.


    This was the smell of "younglings"!


    The taste of "younglings" was generally quite delicious, which made Savage w''s thick Adam''s apple bob up and down a few times. It hadn''t eaten all day, so Savage w decided to pick this spot.


    It observed and noticed that every so often a patrol of guards, d in fine chainmail, with iron-covered oak shields in one hand and sword hilts in the other, would pass by.


    These must be the patrolling guards. In its own gnoll encampment, patrols were also organized.


    It wasn''t that Savage w feared these "weak" human guards, but it knew that by killing them, it would certainly rm other guards and thus miss out on the delicious "youngling" flesh.


    Although humans were on average weak, these guards would call for help!


    And if it attracted those "iron men," that would be problematic!


    Because the strength of those "iron men" was formidable, some almost as strong as it, or even stronger, and it didn''t want to encounter them.


    When it came to hunting, Savage w was very patient. Before bing a leader, it also had to hunt for itself.


    Just a little longer, and it could enjoy fresh and tender meat!


    At that moment, in the western dormitory of the outer court, all the young servants had alreadyid down.


    Soft snores rose and fell in waves, and the day''s archery training had left the arms of most servants incredibly sore.


    Only bushy-browed En tossed and turned with worries in his mind, and so his sleep was unsettled.


    He felt as though in his half-asleep state, he had heard a "bang" as a door opened.


    "Wonder which bastard was that loud!" he muttered.


    But soon, he sensed something wrong because En heard a strange chewing sound.


    "Crunch crunch!"


    Judging from the sound, it seemed to being from near the entrance of the servants'' dormitory.


    In the middle of the night, someone was eating?


    No, that''s not right!


    In thisrge dormitory, besides himself and Freckles and a few others, which servant had such luxury?


    ```


    Wasn''t Rein''s original position by the door?


    Who''s sleeping there now?


    He couldn''t remember, but the very thought of Rein made his thick eyebrows furrow, and suddenly his thoughts became clearer!


    So, with a bit of grogginess, he propped up his upper body, huffing and puffing as he looked towards the doorway.


    Just as he was about to curse out loud, a strong scent of blood wafted over, sending a shiver down his spine, and his skin broke out in goosebumps, instantly making him fully alert.


    He saw a dark, hulking figure squatting by the door, cradling something in his arms and devouring it with big gulps.


    Immediately, he realized that none of the young servants had such a massive size; even being the biggest among them, he was still much smaller than the other.


    The dark figure squatting by the door seemed like a small mountain!


    This made his thick eyebrows think of some very eerie things, andrge beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.


    His heart started pounding violently at once.


    He slowlyy back down!


    But his trembling hands betrayed his inner turmoil.


    "Am I separated from that bed by the door by seven people? No, six people. That monster should leave after it''s had its fill, right?"


    "Mom, bless me, I don''t want to die yet!"


    "Dad, tell me what should I do?"


    The mentally crumbling thick eyebrows seemedpletely at a loss for what to do.


    That''s right, there were guards!


    Every so often, a small patrol team of guards would pass by the young servants'' dormitory.


    I used to be annoyed by their noise!


    Seizing onto this lifeline, thick eyebrows immediately began to listen attentively for the rhythmic sound of footsteps outside.


    Unfortunately, it seemed that the patrolling team had just passed, or hadn''t arrived yet. Listening closely, the sinister "crunch crunch" of chewing actually became clearer.


    At this moment, he had never hoped so much for the arrival of the guards!


    One minute....


    Two minutes....


    Time passed agonizingly slow!


    Finally, he heard the somewhat heavy, rhythmic footsteps and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Help!! There''s a monster!!"


    "Are you crazy, thick eyebrows? Stop screaming nonsense!" The freckle-faced boy sleeping next to him was the first to be woken by his shout.


    "Yeah, Thick Eyebrows, what are you doing?" asked the son of the tanner, rubbing his eyes.


    "...."


    The young servants, one after another, were woken by thick eyebrows'' thunderous scream, and startedining about him, but the next second, they all froze, their eyes bulging as they stared at the massive figure standing in the doorway.


    By the weak moonlight, the group of young servants could barely make out that the figure was humanoid, d in torn leather shoulder guards and chainmail, with a protruding forehead and dense fur on the exposed parts - but clearly not a human head. It was unmistakably the gigantic head of a hyena!


    Its face was ferocious and ugly!


    At that moment, the creature was gnawing on a long human thigh, with fresh red blood and bits of flesh dripping from its gaping maw!


    Savage w was very unhappy, having nned to secretly eat two "cubs" and then take two more away for the next day, but its perfect n for the night was ruined by a "cub''s" piercing scream.


    Looking at the half-eaten "cub" on the ground, Savage w knew it was time to go!


    The human guards were about toe. It seemed that taking two was no longer an option, but one should be manageable.


    Then, Savage w grabbed a young servant who was petrified near the door, burst through the wooden door, and dashed outside.


    The patrolling guards of Habsburg''s estate had rushed towards the young servants'' dormitory upon hearing thick eyebrows'' scream, and now, they too had reached the entrance, ready to burst in.


    What they didn''t expect was the wooden door to suddenly "BAM," splinter apart!


    The shattered wooden nks shot towards them like arrows!


    The next second, a ferocious monster, over two meters tall, charged out from inside, knocking the two guards blocking the way and sending them flying seven or eight meters before making its escape!


    Before long, the entire Habsburg estate was aze with lights!!

 Chapter 37: 36 chapters: Martial Law

    Rein, who was in another servant''s dormitory, woke up immediately after George shouted that alert.


    He heard clearly that, besides screaming for help, George also cried out the words ''monster.''


    Without hesitation, Rein shook George awake and instructed him to wake everyone else.


    Rein himself quickly went to the door and looked outside.


    Just as he found it strange that there was no movement from the dormitory across from them, a five-man manor patrol headed briskly toward the opposite dormitory.


    The next second, Rein''s heart clenched violently!


    His scalp tingled, and his pupils contracted!


    Before his eyes, a massive shadow burst out from the opposite dormitory, shattering the door into fragments that instantly covered the few guards like a torrential downpour.


    As the guards raised their hands to shield themselves, two of them were sent flying.


    Without pausing!


    This enormous humanoid shadow, carrying a skinny, shirtless servant boy, quickly leaped over the fence.


    Judging by its speed, it was definitely faster than Bolt''s hundred-meter sprint that Rein had seen in his previous life!


    Under the moonlight, Rein could vaguely see the strong build of the creature, its hyena-like ugly face, and its thick, hairy arms.


    "What... what is this monster?" Rein was shocked.


    A sense of crisis filled his heart immediately!


    In Rein''s mind, with his professional panel, as long as he ''grinded'' slowly and progressed step by step, he would eventually reach the peak in this world.


    But the scene before him snapped him back to reality.


    Sometimes, even if he did not seek danger, danger might actively seek him out!


    If that monster had chosen their servant''s dormitory, could they only rely on luck and sit waiting for death?


    No!


    Never!


    He needed to double his efforts!


    Rein''s face was as still as water, but his heart was churning.


    ...


    Soon, the Habsburg manor was in turmoil, and noise erupted everywhere.


    Guards rushed over from all directions. One after another, guards wearing nose-guard helmets, chain mail, and carrying sword-shields or spear-shields arrived.


    "Woof, woof, woof!"


    Some guards also brought greyhounds, relying on the dogs'' keen sense of smell and the tracks on the ground; the guards quickly determined the direction and traces of the fleeing monster.


    Yet the guards still did not release the dogs to track it down, seemingly waiting for someone.


    Rein and the other servants had already walked out and were standing from a distance, looking at the cordoned dormitory opposite them, at the pale-faced servants who were either vomiting or sobbing, and couldn''t help feeling empathetic.


    If it weren''t for the protection of the goddess of fortune from the unknown, if the monster had chosen their servant''s dormitory to hunt in...


    The terrible consequences made George and the other servants shudder with fear!


    After a while, a towering figure d in solid te armor and a ck cloak came over, and the guards saluted, "Lord Lloyd!"


    The middle-aged man with amanding presence was none other than Sir Lloyd, the steward and Knight of the Habsburg Manor.


    "What''s the situation?"


    The arrival of Sir Lloyd immediately brought order to what had previously been a somewhat chaotic scene.


    Such was the deterrent power of a true Knight''s Transcendent Strength, which quickly stabilized people''s hearts.


    "Two servant boys are dead, and one is missing, likely abducted!"


    "ording to the descriptions from the manor''s patrol guards and the huge footprints left on the ground, it appears that the attacker of the servant boys was a rogue werewolf-like creature, immenselyrge and powerful, far more so than an ordinary werewolf," reported a guard who looked like a squad leader.


    "Take me to the scene." The Knight with golden hair and a goatee, Sir Lloyd, said in a deep voice after hearing the report from the guard.


    "At once, my lord!"


    Two chainmail-d guards led the way as the group made their way to the servant boys'' dormitory where Humbert and the others resided.


    The dormitory''s door had been utterly demolished, leaving a gaping hole nearly three meters high and over two meters wide. The surrounding wooden boards were shattered into jagged splinters. ording to the guards'' ount, the werewolf-like creature had simply smashed through the door. The level of strength required��


    Sir Lloyd couldn''t help but fall into deep thought.


    "Sir Lloyd, this must be an exceedingly rare and aggressive werewolf-like creature!"


    A deep male voice sounded from behind Sir Lloyd; it was none other than Sir Perez, the Knight Instructor of the noble scions at Meister County.


    "Lord Perez!" the guards saluted him.


    "Sir Perez, do you have any suggestions?" Sir Lloyd asked, turning to Perez.


    "The forest at night is not our domain. I suggest we bolster the manor''s night-time defenses and at daybreak, contact the new chief of security of shgold Town, Sir Hamilton, and organize a team to search together."


    Unexpectedly, Perez, although looked imposing, suggested a highly cautious approach.


    Indeed, battling a ferocious werewolf-like creature in the woods at night was a daunting prospect, even for a Knight who had stepped into the realm of the Transcendent.


    More critically, the night-time forest was not the domain of humans. One might encounter creatures more terrifying than a ferocious transformed werewolf, which could lead not only to a failed hunt but also to significant casualties.


    After a brief consideration, Sir Lloyd nodded in agreement and turned to a Messenger beside him, "Increase the guard, especially around the servants'' quarters, the stables, and animal pens."


    "Also, send someone immediately to shgold Town to notify them about the encounter with the ferocious werewolf-like creature."


    "The creature may not return here, but the possibility of it heading to shgold Town in search of food is not negligible. They should be prepared."


    "As youmand, Lord Lloyd!" After saluting, the Messenger quickly mounted a horse and left the manor.


    While Rein and George listened intently to the conversation between Sir Lloyd and Lord Perez from a distance, Humbert, also dressed in chainmail and a swordsmanship instructor for servant boys, hurried over to them and said:


    "The servant boy training is suspended. You will all follow me and return to shgold Town immediately."


    This left George and the other servant boys exchanging puzzled nces, but Rein, after a moment''s thought, understood why Sir Lloyd had made this decision.


    In the wake of the manor being attacked by a ferocious transformed werewolf, keeping arge number of servant boys there, before the danger was resolved, would only increase the pressure on Habsburg Manor.


    If arge number of servant boys were to be killed or injured, Sir Lloyd, as the principal person in charge of the manor, could not escape responsibility!


    Even as a Knight, he would face ountability from the nobles above him.


    Therefore, the best course of action was naturally to send the servant boys home.


    For the unfortunate servant boys who had died, arrangements needed to be made topensate and console their families, minimizing the impact.


    Under the escort of Humbert and several other guards, the group of servant boys made their way back to shgold Town amidst the cover of night.

 Chapter 38: Chapter 37: Triggering a Job Change—【Night Watchman】

    "Thud, thud, thud!"


    In the shocked expression of old Rein when he opened the door.


    Rein entered his home in shgold Town, where, aside from his sister Bo He, who had already been fast asleep, Rein''s mother and Anna had also been woken up by the noise of the door and hade out of their rooms.


    "Rein, why have youe back? What has happened at the manor?" With the cold wind from the door blowing on him, old Rein became much more alert, and seeing his son''s expression, he guessed that something had happened.


    Rein thought for a moment and decided to confront his parents directly, as he estimated that the news would spread soon.


    Moreover, if the ferocious werewolf continued to hunt humans around shgold Town, farmers like his father, who worked on the outskirts, would be amongst the most vulnerable groups.


    "Father, just now, one of the servant boy''s dormitories at the manor was attacked by a werewolf. Two people were killed on the spot, and another was kidnapped."


    "Ah?"


    "Hiss!" Old Rein couldn''t help but suck in a cold breath.


    He was aware of werewolves, having seen one from a distance in his youth. These fierce humanoid creatures generally lived deep in the forests, so why had ite out this time?


    "However, don''t worry too much, Knights Sir Lloyd and Sir Perez at the manor managed the situation on site. shgold Town has also been notified, so I believe the matter should be resolved soon."


    To reassure his family, Rein did not mention that the attacker was a werewolf over two meters tall, as strong as a fully trained knight.


    Because mentioning the details would only increase his family''s worry.


    "Mother, please don''t go to the woods to gather firewood or anything else tomorrow. You should be safe if you stay in town."


    After thinking it over, Rein turned to his father and said,


    "And father, it''s best if you don''t go to the farm outside town tomorrow."


    "Alright! I''ll listen to you." Old Rein nodded!


    Ever since Rein had told them that the new sheriff, Lord Hamilton, had invited him to join the Night Watchmen, old Rein believe that Rein had grown up.


    He was no longer a child who needed their care but an adult capable of bearing responsibilities.


    Thus, the persuasiveness of Rein''s words greatly increased!


    Rein nodded, and he and Anna went upstairs.


    Now that Rein had returned, Anna would have to share a room with Bo He, while Rein would sleep in his old room as usual.


    But just as Rein hadin down not long ago, suddenly, there was another knock at Rein''s house.


    When vignt old Rein Peeked through the door slit and saw three Night Watchmen holding torches and d in ck leather coats, he immediately opened the door.


    Rein also came down from the second floor.


    The leading, somewhat familiar, and lean Night Watchman said, "Rein, we''re short-handed tonight, and just now Lord Sheriff Hamilton informed me to have you join the night patrol in this area."


    "Okay! Just give me two minutes," Rein agreed without hesitation.


    Because he was familiar with this Night Watchman, whose patrol area included the area near his house.


    If it had been somewhere else, Rein might have considered it further.


    But patrolling his own doorstep, for the safety of his family, he would definitely agree.


    Rein turned around and went upstairs, nning to take a short sword from the storage room on the second floor.


    "Are you here to get the equipment? No need for trouble, everything has been prepared for you." The Night Watchman behind him took out a whole set of ck leather armor, a bow, a quiver, and a Bastard Sword and handed them to Rein.


    This immediately delighted Rein; he hadn''t expected the other party to be so thoughtful.


    By the time Rein had put on the standard Night Watchman gear, apart from his slightly youthful face and shorter stature, he looked no different from the other Night Watchmen.


    "Rein, be careful," his mother instructed with a worried face.


    She had originally thought that Rein joining the Night Watchmen was a good thing, but now that a crisis had urred and her child had to deal with it personally, her brows were furrowed with unresolved worries.


    "Don''t worry, Mother, I will take good care of myself."


    After saying this, Rein bid farewell to his parents and began the night patrol with three Night Watchmen.


    "Rein, I heard that the incident involved the trainee servants from the manor," asked the efficient Night Watchman.


    "Yes! I personally witnessed that ferocious werewolf charge out of the servants'' dormitory in a violent frenzy, instantly knocking a guard flying and escaping," said Rein with a serious expression.


    Thinking of the other''s strength and agility, which were far beyond ordinary, he still felt a trace of fear.


    If this level of strength were converted ording to the system''s quantified standards, wouldn''t it be around 18 or even 20 points!


    It was significantly beyond the limits that an ordinary person could achieve.


    The other three, seeing Rein''s solemn expression, exchanged looks and their expressions became much more serious.


    In their eyes, this young man, who had single-handedly dealt with two criminalsst time and won Lord Hamilton''s praise, though young, was skilled and meticulous.


    Since he was giving it much importance, it seemed that the werewolf''s strength was truly formidable, not to be underestimated!


    No wonder Lord Hamilton emphasized that any Night Watchman who spotted the werewolf should immediately fire a signal.


    As long as it was within shgold Town, within half a minute, other Night Watchman squads would continuously arrive.


    And Lord Hamilton would also arrive immediately!


    During the conversation, Rein quickly learned what their mission was�� they were in charge of patrolling and ensuring safety on these two streets.


    "Let''s light up thesemps first," said the efficient Night Watchman squad leader.


    Normally, under no unusual circumstances, not all the town''s streemps (oilmps) were lit to save fuel by turning off a few.


    Only now did Rein just find out that the streemps in the town used a mixture with whale oil as the main ingredient for fuel.


    The oil consumption of a singlemp was not high, but if it were dozens or even hundreds ofmps, the cost would be substantial.


    Seeing the Night Watchmen carrying out the lighting, Rein volunteered, "Let me try."


    As a soon-to-be Night Watchman, it was always good to be diligent.


    It would allow him to quickly integrate with the veterans.


    Just as Rein put a match inside thempshade to light thentern, suddenly, the system alert sounded:


    [Ding! Detecting that the host is refilling the streemp, triggering job change����Night Watchman!]


    [Promotion to Night Watchman prerequisite conditions are: 1. Militia lv3 or above; 2. Strength 7 points or above, Agility 6 points or above, Constitution 6 points or above; 3. Any swordsmanship lv3 or above, any archery lv2 or above!....Current conditions do not meet, promotion to Night Watchman failed!]


    Oh! It turns out to be a newbat profession!

 Chapter 39: Chapter 38 Dark Vision and Danger Perception

    Rein couldn''t help but be overjoyed. After scrutinizing the system''s description, he realized that only his archery skill did not meet the requirements.


    In recent days, although he had been training with the bow during the daytime servant training, because Rein hadn''t used any Skill Points, his archery was still at level 1 (12/100).


    To advance to lv2, it would take at least two to three months of effort.


    Rein took just a second to think before deciding to add a Skill Point to the basic archery.


    Although he originally nned to use that Skill Point on the core skill "cksmith''s Strength" or the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, neither option was likely to bring as much benefit as a career transition to abat role.


    The reason was simple, just like the apprentice cksmith gained an increase in Strength attribute and core skills upon promotion.


    Therefore, it was reasonable to specte that transitioning from Militia to Night Watchman would likely bring gains in attributes, and perhaps even new core skills!


    It might bring a qualitative change!


    If the ferocious werewolf decided to make a counterattack at this moment, with Rein''s current strength, the gap was too wide to withstand!


    Why not transition to "Knight Attendant"?


    Because there simply wasn''t enough time, and one only has one life!


    Moving to the obviously strongerbat career, "Night Watchman", was the best choice at the moment.


    Skill Points, attribute points, or even other professional panels, as long as one is alive, there will always be opportunities.


    Rein thought this through very clearly.


    Previously, Rein had always had a doubt?


    Is the career panel "Militia" only and solely followed by "Knight Attendant"?


    It turns out that is not the case.


    It''s just because he hadn''t met specific trigger conditions.


    Previously, for the cksmith apprentice''s promotion to cksmith, the trigger needed an item �� a cksmith''s hammer.


    But this time, the trigger condition for transitioning to Night Watchman was surprisingly refilling the streetmp oil....


    This left Rein momentarily baffled by this transition or promotion trigger requirement.


    Shaking his head, Rein decided not to delve into this issue further for now.


    Completing the transition was the most important thing for now.


    He hoped it would bring a surprise!


    [....All conditions for transitioning from Militia to Night Watchman are met, do/don''t transition to Night Watchman?]


    [Note: Transitioning to Night Watchman will overwrite the Militia panel.]


    Upon seeing this, Rein chose yes without any hesitation!


    [Ding! Transition sessful!]


    [Transition to Night Watchman sessful! Strength+1, agility+1, Spirit+1! Acquired Night Watchman core skills: danger perception lv1 (passive), Dark Vision (passive).]


    [danger perception lv1 (passive): As Night Watchmen guard humanity through the nights, your perception of danger is beyond ordinary people.]


    [Dark Vision (passive): As Night Watchmen frequently fight at night, your vision in the darkness is like that of nocturnal animals.]


    Wow! Not only did he gain three attributes, but both core skills were passive?


    This was somewhat unexpected for Rein!


    He saw that the word ''Militia'' had vanished from the original Militia panel, and in its ce were therge characters ''Night Watchman''.


    Under the panel title, besides the icons like the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique, there were now two new icons added.


    Two new icons shed around the edges, and Rein first focused his attention on an icon shaped like an eye. Immediately, a line of small text appeared below the icon.


    [Core Skill: Dark Vision (Passive)]


    Dark Vision (Passive) Effect: Your vision in unlit or dimly lit environments is greatly enhanced, almost to the level of nocturnal animals.


    Upon seeing this skill effect description, Rein looked around and indeed, everything was different. This night environment suddenly gave Rein a sense of inexplicable familiarity.


    At the same time, he now looked around at the pitch-ck areas the streetlights couldn''t reach, ces that were previously unclear to him.


    But now, it felt almost like twilight vision to him; though slightly dim, Rein could see very clearly.


    For example, in that dark corner, a rat had just emerged from its hole, sniffing around east and west, nning to find food...


    A cockroach had just crawled into a shadowy pile of garbage...


    Rein instantly grasped the significant advantage this passive ability provided him.


    It made fighting at night akin to fighting with night-vision goggles, an unmistakably powerful tool!


    Furthermore, Rein immediately noticed that there was no experience bar below this icon.


    This indicated that the Dark Vision passive skill could not be enhanced by adding skill points.


    "Rein? What''s wrong?" an elite Night Watchman nearby asked as he noticed Rein suddenly freeze.


    "Oh, nothing, I just thought of something," Rein quickly recovered, realizing he had been focusing on the newly appeared Night Watchman panel and had be somewhat distracted.


    "Since you''ve selected it, let''s continue moving forward," the elite Night Watchman called out.


    "Okay."


    As Rein moved forward, he started examining the effects of the second core skill.


    [Core Skill: Danger Perception lv1 (Passive)]


    Danger Perception lv1 (Passive) Effect: Your awareness of danger in your surroundings is slightly enhanced.


    (Note: The sharpness of danger perception is rted to the user''s spirit; the stronger the spiritual power, the more acute the perception.)


    After a brief reflection, Rein felt that this core skill was the biggest gain of the night.


    If Dark Vision straightforwardly endowed Rein with night-vision capabilities, then Danger Perception granted him an animal-like intuition for danger.


    In a sense, the importance of this ability could definitely be ranked first.


    In this transcendent world, events beyond control were not umon, such as the recent violent were-wolf-man incident Rein encountered.


    Before having the ability to directly contend, being able to sense danger in advance and evade it was a survivalw for most animals.


    Rein believed this was equally applicable to himself, especially before he was strong enough.


    Rein and a few elite Night Watchmen patrolled cautiously through the night until the sky started to brighten. They had not encountered the violent were-wolf-man nor seen any distress signals from other Night Watchmen.


    It seemed that the violent were-wolf-man had not been in shgold Town or Habsburg Manorst night.


    Just as Rein and hispanions were preparing to end their night patrol and each head back to rest, a Messenger came hurrying over to inform them to gather at the administration hall entrance. Lord Hamilton himself was going to lead a joint team with the Habsburg Manor to enter the Nightingale Forest and go after this monster.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein decided he wanted to witness it as well.


    Although he was unsure who would lead the team from Habsburg Manor, he assumed it would be someone with a strength simr to Lord Hamilton, possibly Knight Lloyd or Instructor Perez.


    With several knights of such caliber leading the way, along with numerous elite Night Watchmen and manor guards, Rein felt the risk was still manageable.


    The main reason was that after his ss change to Night Watchman, his strength had further improved, and he was eager to see what a real battle between strongbatants looked like.


    Furthermore, although he had not been very close to the several young servants who had died, Rein also felt a pang of sorrow; after all, they had lived and trained together, sharing meals every day, and now they were gone.


    If safety was controble, he wouldn''t mind striking that monster a few fierce blows!

 Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Encirclement

    It''s a pity that he doesn''t have a handy Dual-Handed Greatsword right now.


    If he had a Dual-Handed Greatsword, Rein could have fully unleashed the power of the Giant Bear Sword Technique, and hisbat strength would have been further enhanced.


    At the moment, he only has a standard-issue Bastard Sword from the Night Watcher''s Army.


    However, the Bastard Sword would do, with a slightly longer hilt allowing for two-handed use, though the de was too light to fully bring out the power of the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    Soon, Rein and the elite of the Night Watchmen met Hamilton in front of the city hall, d in knight armor and wielding a sword and shield.


    Fully armed, Hamilton''s imposing figurebined with his nearly square stern face made his sheriff presence quitemanding.


    Upon seeing Rein, he nodded slightly as a gesture and didn''t have time to exchange more than a few words with him.


    Once everyone had gathered, Hamilton began briefing them,


    "Just now, a good number of people from Habsburg Manor have entered the Nightingale Forest to the west and have roughly located the ferocious werewolf with the help of hawks and dogs."


    "The creature is cunning and is currently hiding in a secluded valley."


    "Now, our team along with the Habsburg Manor''s team, will advance in three groups to encircle and capture the ferocious werewolf."


    "....."


    It dawned on Rein that the manor''s hawks and greyhounds had set off first to ascertain the werewolf''s location��a clever tracking method indeed.


    After a simple mobilization ceremony, Hamilton donned his round, bucket-shaped te armor helmet, took the lead personally, and swiftly headed toward the designated location with more than twenty elite Night Watchmen, including Rein.


    This time, the Night Watcher''s Army was responsible for the north side of the valley, which was furthest from shgold Town, so time was quite tight.


    Nightingale Forest.


    Inside a hidden valley.


    Savage w, feasting heartily on a "young beast," nced upwards at several eagles in the sky with his green oily eyes.


    These eagles seemed a bit odd, constantly circling and calling directly above him, but he didn''t care much about them.


    The ce he upied was a carefully chosen valley with three different exits leading outside.


    Even if humans came seeking revenge, they could do nothing to him, and he might even catch more "meat" to enjoy.


    If the "iron-men" came, he would just burrow deep into the forest, where humans would not dare to follow.


    "Woof woof woof!"


    A burst of barking suddenly arose from the western entrance of the valley.


    This made Savage w immediately vignt, and he put down the pitiful "young beast," looking up to see.


    If he was not certain about the eagles, the barking confirmed that humans had indeed tracked him down.


    Suddenly, a slim and lean greyhound burst out of the dense woods; upon catching sight of Savage w, it began barking excitedly.


    If not for their significant difference in size, the greyhound would have surely charged at him!


    "Such an annoying little thing, a human''spdog!"


    Savage w''s paws dug in, instantly sending dirt flying and creating a small depression in the ground; his massive form shot forward like an arrow toward the greyhound.


    "Whimper~" The greyhound''s eyes filled with terror, and it immediately turned around to return through the dense forest the way it came.


    Although the greyhound was not powerful inbat, its long and strong limbs made it very fast when running. Even though Savage w was faster, the dense trees in the forest made it difficult to kill the greyhound immediately.


    "(Commonnguage) Found it! It''s right here!"


    Noisy human voices followed.


    Savage w realized the situation seemed to be turning sour; he rolled his green oily eyes and halted his chase, quickly turning around to head for another exit at the south side of the valley.


    He quickly left the noisymotion behind, which pleased Savage w.


    "These foolish humans, making such a fuss and ending up with nothing��they must have quite the expression on their faces."


    "Tomorrow or the day after, I''ll make aeback with a counterattack! Heh heh!"


    "This time I didn''t get to eat the freshest, juiciest human females, a regret I must remedy!"


    As Savage w hurried along, thoughts like these crossed its mind, its eyes a gleaming, cunning green, shing with sly satisfaction!


    "Woof woof woof!"


    Suddenly, a chorus of barking erupted from the entrance to the southern valley.


    This caused Savage w to change color ande to an immediate halt, leaving behind two deep furrows in the ground!


    "Damn it! The humans know about this southern exit too!"


    Savage w nced hatefully in that direction and then made for the northern exit of the valley��it was theirst way out.


    At this moment, Savage w''s state of mind was no longer the calm and serene one it had had at the start.


    But it wasn''t entirely in a panic either; as it ran, it muttered, "Lucky for me I was prepared in advance, or else I would have been caught in a pincer attack by the humans."


    As Savage w neared the northern exit of the valley, it deliberately slowed down, listening carefully for a while, and, hearing no dogs barking, revealed a satisfied smile.


    "Stupid humans! You think you can catch your grandpa Savage w? Dream on! Heh heh heh!"


    After that, Savage w sprinted towards the northern exit.


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"


    A dense volley of arrows gave Savage w a huge fright, but luckily it was quick to react. Itsrge and strong body immediately produced a light cyan flow of air, and its speed surged dramatically, allowing it to dodge most of the arrow storm.


    Savage w dashed behind arge tree for cover, peering intently ahead.


    There, at the northern exit of the valley, loomed several humans d in leather armor, bows in hand, and among them, leading the group, was an unusual ''Ironskin''.


    This team was none other than the Night Watcher''s Army, led by the ''Ironskin'' Hamilton, the Sword and Shield Knight.


    Although the sun had just risen, casting a dim morning light, within the Nightingale Forest, fog blurred the vision, and dense vegetation under the patchy tree shadows meant visibility wasn''t all that great.


    Fortunately, Rein now possessed the passive ability Dark Vision, which allowed him to clearly make out the vicious humanoid jackal-wolf figure.


    Standing over two meters tall, its limbs were long and powerful. It wore a shabby mix of leather and chainmail armor that seemed to be cobbled together from various human mercenaries, put on in a hurry and fitting poorly.


    The creature didn''t hold any weapons, but its ws gleamed coldly!


    The child-servant it had been carrying was nowhere to be seen, its fate easily imagined.


    While Rein and hispanions observed the beast, Savage w was sizing them up as well.


    "''Ironskins'' are too tough to deal with, and there are so many human archers around."


    This made Savage w extinguish the idea of a fight to the death.


    It immediately turned and rushed towards the valley''s southern exit.


    Faced with an ''Ironskin'', it would rather confront a horde of ordinary human soldiers.


    But as Savage w approached the southern exit, it was shocked to find there stood another ''Ironskin'' wielding a Dual-Handed Greatsword, alongside dozens of soldiers in chainmail, nasal helmets, and holding various weapons.


    At that moment, Savage w''s heart plummeted.


    Not giving up hope, it made a mad dash for the first exit, the western side of the valley, only to find yet another ''Ironskin'' with a sword and shield, and a group of human soldiers there as well.


    Savage w was in despair!!


    The next second, a fierce look crossed Savage w''s face!


    "Now, leaving through the western and southern exits is out of the question; they''re still human territories, who knows what other traps await me there."


    "So the only way out is the northern valley exit, back into the depths of the forest, where I can catch my breath!"


    Having made up its mind, Savage w started to sprint with all its might, a grey-ck shadow once again dashing at high speed towards the northern exit where Hamilton and Rein were positioned.

 Chapter 41: Chapter 40: Hamilton VS Savage Claw

    Rein had seen from afar, the vegetation in the distance copsing as if cut down, and a familiar, towering figure appeared again!


    Seeing the aggressive demeanor of the other, Rein immediately became alert, thinking to himself, "This is bad."


    The fact that the opponent had returned to this valley''s exit meant they must have chosen this spot as their breakthrough point!


    This savage werewolf, in its life-or-death situation, would likely fight with all its might to break free.


    A fierce battle was probably about to ensue!


    Rein promptly essed his panel and focused his attention on the first page of attributes.


    Name: Rein Can


    upation: cksmith lv1 (5/100) / Night Watchman lv1 (1/100)


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 10


    Agility: 9


    Spirit: 9


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Since changing his job to Night Watchman, his strength, agility, and spirit had each increased by one point, his strength reaching 10 points, and agility had been boosted to 9 points.


    Considering the special recovery effect when adding attribute points, Rein still hadn''t used the remaining 1 attribute point.


    Instead, he used thest skill point on a core skill - cksmith''s Strength.


    Instantly, the icon that resembled Popeye with prominent biceps lit up around the edges, and the row of small text underneath changed, disying:


    [Core Skill: cksmith''s Strength lv2 (Active)]


    cksmith''s Strength lv2 (Active) effect: When the skill is activated, your strength increases slightly.


    (Note: The effect of this skill increases the host''s strength by a certain ratio, and its duration is proportional to the host''s constitution and spiritual power.)


    Rein read the details meticulously and noticed that besides the change from lv1 to lv2, the description for cksmith''s Strength had reced the word ''slightly'' with '' slightly.''


    It seemed that cksmith''s Strength at lv2 would further increase the strength enhancement.


    Although he didn''t know exactly how much the enhancement was, it would definitely be stronger than the previous roughly 20%, perhaps 30%, or even more!


    "Fire arrows!!"


    Facing the swiftly approaching savage werewolf, Hamilton swung his knight''s longsword forward fiercely, issuing themand!


    Instantly, including Rein, more than twenty elite Night Watchmen shot their arrows eagerly.


    However, the savage werewolf, covering its eyes with one thick arm, quickly changed its position, moving not only faster but also erratically left and right, making it hard to target.


    This move immediately allowed it to dodge most of the arrows!


    Only two arrows hit, but due to the ted armor and dense, wire-like muscles protecting it, they did not prate deeply.


    "Roar!!"


    After forcefully snapping the arrows on its left shoulder and right chest, the werewolf roared furiously and surged straight toward Hamilton.


    "Bring it on!"


    Hamilton, facing the high-speed attack of the savage werewolf, was undaunted and even slightly excited!


    Since transitioning from the imperial army to the local officer of shgold Town, Hamilton had not encountered such a ferocious opponent for a long time.


    Hamilton felt his blood start to boil!


    As the distance between them closed, the elite Night Watchmen''s arrows continued to be dodged by the opponent.


    Just as Hamilton felt the wind of the werewolf''s charge hitting his face, his sharp eyes detected a sinister smile on the face of the savage werewolf.


    This immediately made Hamilton''s heart skip a beat!


    Sure enough, a sudden change urred!


    Just as the savage werewolf was about to engage Hamilton, it suddenly turned ny degrees and, with a powerful side leap, charged toward the Night Watchmen elites on Hamilton''s left instead!


    It turned out that Savage w''s main advantage was exploiting Hamilton''s cumbersome ''iron shell,'' which couldn''t keep up with its speed!


    "Casts!!" Hamilton roared from behind.


    Suddenly, several hemps with a diameter of three to four meters were thrown directly at the werewolf.


    Hamilton had already nned a contingency.


    But Savage w seemed utterly unfazed, even showing a hint of disdain.


    On its pair of sharp ws, a faint blue aura began to swirl, the next second.]]>


    "Swish, swish!"


    After two incredibly swift w strikes, the hemp rope instantly fell apart!


    They hadn''t expected the robust soaked in linseed oil to be so easily torn apart by the opponent''s sharp ws, leaving everyone in shock.


    The next second, the fierce werewolf-human hybrid charged into the crowd and struck again with its ws, sttering blood!


    Although two elite Night Watchmen tried their best to defend with their swords, they were heavily thrown four to five meters away by the Savage w''s immense Strength, presumably breaking several ribs each.


    The severe injury of his subordinates immediately filled Hamilton with fury!


    He hadn''t expected this ferocious werewolf-human hybrid to have also awakened a special Transcendent trait��"Void Breaker."


    This innate ability not only increased its own movement speed but also enhanced its shing effect, which was why the was so easily torn apart.


    If they let this cunning werewolf-human hybrid escape, shgold Town would surely face a brutal retaliation from the creature!


    Just as Savage w was escaping towards the northern valley exit with a smug look, Hamilton responded swiftly!


    He heaved his shield and threw it hard at the werewolf-human hybrid, the t shield spinning rapidly and whistling towards the creature''s back.


    The "Iron Man''s" strike clearly caught Savage w by surprise, forcing it to dodge to the side and slightly slow down.


    But immediately after, another dark object rapidly flew towards it!


    "ng!"


    Savage w forcefully struck it away, but its speed was further reduced.


    It was then that it realized the object was actually the "Iron Man''s" knight helmet.


    Meanwhile, the Night Watchmen had once again released a dense volley of arrows at the exit!


    This forced Savage w to move sideways to dodge again.


    Just then, Hamilton had seized the opportunity and caught up, his right hand clutching the knight''s longsword as he thrust at Savage w!


    Savage w was infuriated!


    "Could the ''Iron Man,'' without shield and helmet, possibly block its w attack?"


    It didn''t believe so!


    Savage w nned to quickly kill the ''Iron Man'' in front of it and then make its escape.


    Otherwise, being tangled by such a stubborn opponent, it feared it might not be able to escape the valley before getting surrounded by the other two ''Iron Men.''


    With a long howl, Savage w targeted Hamilton''s head with its killer move��Fury w Combo!


    "Swish, swish, swish!"


    The high-speed w strikes, coupled with its special ability, were so fast that almost stationary afterimages could be seen, its attacking power extremely formidable!


    Savage w had once killed a five-meter-long ferocious jungle lizard with this killer move.


    It didn''t believe a shieldless ''Iron Man'' could withstand it!


    But Hamilton didn''t dodge or retreat; instead, he roared, "Heave! Huge Strength!"


    Hamilton''s arms suddenly swelled, and he followed with an upward sh, swinging the knight''s longsword like a bolt of silver lightning directly at Savage w''s body.


    "Bang!"


    This scene left Rein and the other Night Watchmen stunned and their blood boiling all at once!


    Attack against attack!


    Killer move against killer move!


    In their eyes, the two dark figures collided heavily, then both blood-sttered and flew backward!


    Four bloody marks appeared on Hamilton''s thick chest armor, extending from the upper right to the lower left of his abdomen. Without the knight armor''s protection, the opponent''s strike surely would have split Hamilton open!


    Meanwhile, the ferocious werewolf-human hybrid was even more severely wounded, its right hand tightly clutching its left forearm, which Hamilton''s sh had cleanly severed.


    At that moment, fresh blood was spurting from the smooth cut!


    Savage w knew that if it didn''t run now, it was doomed.


    As the blood continued to drain from its left arm, it felt its strength rapidly fading.


    Savage w could no longer care about anything else, mustering its remaining strength to rush towards the Night Watchmen blocking its escape path.


    "Bang, bang!"


    Three Night Watchmen were instantly sent flying by the three hundred-plus-pound Savage w.


    Next, it saw a particrly ''small'' human in front of it, a hint of joy appearing at the corner of Savage w''s mouth.


    If it could just knock this ''little guy'' aside, it would be able to make its escape to freedom!

 Chapter 42: Chapter 41: Found a Bargain?

    The "little one" in front of Savage w was none other than Rein!


    As the ferocious werewolf-like creature charged at him, Rein saw that it had been seriously injured by Hamilton, with one arm severed. How much of its strength remained, fifty percent, or sixty percent?


    No matter what, it was certain that the enemy''s strength had greatly diminished!


    Moreover, Rein didn''t need to defeat it, he just had to dy it for a few seconds. Then the elite Night Watchmen would immediately surround it, leaving no escape.


    Isn''t it dangerous to intercept it?


    Of course, it''s dangerous!


    Rein, who possessed the passive ability ''Danger Perception Lv1'', felt rms going off in his heart at this moment.


    But when Rein thought of the scene in the servant dormitory the night before, he shuddered with fear.


    Because, if such a vicious monster were to lurk around shgold Town every day, Rein didn''t know when misfortune would befall him, or descend upon his family and friends.


    Although Rein was still far from being a formal Knight and couldn''t unlock the body''s limits to the extent Hamilton could, Rein had other trump cards. To dy the foe for a few seconds, he was fairly confident!


    Seeing Rein actually nning to confront the enemy, Hamilton couldn''t help but shout anxiously, "Rein, get out of the way!"


    Even though letting the ferocious werewolf-like creature escape would have serious consequences, Hamilton was even less willing to see a promising young man die tragically in front of him!


    Hamilton and the other elite Night Watchmen immediately ran at full speed towards the werewolf-like creature.


    Even though Rein''s ns were well-thought-out, only when he truly faced the ferocious werewolf-like creature did he realize he had oversimplified the situation.


    The ferocious face, indifferent eyes, and towering stature alone instilled fear in the heart of anyone who hadn''t stepped into the Transcendent realm.


    Luckily, Rein had killed criminals before and experienced realbat, otherwise, he would have lost the battle before it even began!


    "cksmith Strength!"


    With a solemn expression, Rein focused his mind and silently invoked cksmith Strength. As he released this core Skill, the Strength value disyed on his Panel surged from 10 to 10 (+4)!


    The next second, a thick warm current violently pumped from Rein''s heart, like an overdose of adrenaline, elerating his bloodstream and causing the muscle fibers throughout his body to tense up like strands of steel wire in an instant.


    Rein felt as if a ferocious tiger had suddenly awakened inside him.


    He had never felt so powerful before!


    "Leap sh!"


    With a roar, Rein gripped the Bastard Sword with both hands, leaped high into the air, and shed downward like lightning at the towering ferocious werewolf-like creature in front of him!


    As he was usually trained with the heavy Dual-Handed Greatsword, this time, due to weapon limitations, he could only use the more nimble Bastard Sword. Even though the power was greatly diminished, the speed had almost doubled!


    In the moment when the injured Savage w was astonished that the "little one" in front of it dared to swing a sword at it, it suddenly felt like a formidable beast being provoked by an ant.


    zing with anger!


    Savage w immediately swung its intact right w at its opponent with a rapid stroke!


    "Bang!!"


    Savage w only saw a sh of silver before it sharply felt a stabbing pain coursing through its right w. At the same time, it felt a force not much weaker than its own power transmitted from the opponent''s sharp sword!


    Then, Savage w incredulously discovered that it was actually knocked back several meters by the seemingly insignificant ''little one''s'' strike!


    Rein, having been flung by Savage w''s w strike, flew backwards at an even faster speed than before.


    "Thud, thud, thud!"


    Rein retreated more than ten steps, his face flushing with the exertion of shing against the strike.


    The next second, he suddenly raised his head, his eyes burning as he stared at the heavily injured ferocious werewolf-like creature in front of him.


    It was too unexpected for him!


    He had actually managed to block it unharmed!


    What did this mean?


    Two words, can fight!


    If before the battle Rein was overwhelmed with emotions like worry, fear, and hesitation when facing such a fierce and powerful opponent,


    after shing head-on, all those chaotic emotions were swept away from his mind!


    At this moment, his confidence surged!


    Rein''s strike had the Night Watchman elites following closely behind him looking on in astonishment.


    They had clearly witnessed the monstrous werewolf''s strength being on par with that of Lord Hamilton, a proper Knight.


    Yet Rein''s blow had caused the creature to retreat, almost blinding them with surprise!


    Could it be that the werewolf''s strength had declined so much that only one-tenth remained, allowing Rein to easily exploit a weakness?


    Rein''s attack also caught Lord Hamilton''s eye!


    Though he too was severely injured, he immediately mped his muscles tight to stem the bleeding and, with a forceful push off the ground, sent dirt flying with a "bang".


    Seizing the opportunity provided by Rein''s interception, Lord Hamilton mustered all his strength and, lifting his Longsword, thrust it straight at the back of the monstrous werewolf!


    rm bells rang in the Savage w''s mind, and as soon as it felt the strong gust of wind behind it, it knew something was wrong and instinctively turned around, counterattacking with a w strike.


    But the only w it could use at that moment, its right, had been deeply gashed by Rein, visible to the bone, significantly reducing the power of its attack.


    "Pffft!"


    Lord Hamilton''s sword pierced Savage w''s left chest, blood immediately seeping out, but in the next second, he too was sent flying by its counter strike.


    This time, Lord Hamilton could no longer contain the wounds on his body. Midair, you could see multiple wounds gush out blood, followed by a "thud" as he heavily fell to the ground.


    Seeing the ''Tin Man'' possibly beaten to the brink of death by its blow, Savage w couldn''t help but feel a surge of joy.


    But before that joy could be fully expressed on its face, it sensed another gust of winding from behind its head.


    This time, with its injuries further aggravated, it found its body couldn''t keep up with themands of its brain.


    As it turned its head, Savage w saw only a beautiful arc of silver sh before its eyes.


    The next second, all Savage w felt was a tickling sensation in its neck, followed by the sensation of something wet running out....


    Then a searing pain hit!


    Savage w clutched at its neck, trying to speak, but could only produce "gurgle gurgle" bubble sounds, as blood frothed from its mouth and the ferocity in its eyes gradually faded, leaving them lifeless.....


    "Thud!"


    Savage w copsed to the ground!


    Itsrge and muscr body continued to twitch as the grass was quickly stained red with blood.


    Even the strongest life force can''tst long when both carotid arteries in its neck are sliced open, spraying blood like fountains.


    At that moment, Rein was standing on the spot, taking deep breaths, his chest heaving like bellows.


    The life-and-death struggle, although itsted mere seconds, demanded his utmost effort with every move.


    In the instant heunched his Leap sh, Rein remembered Cleya''s teachings and altered the angle of his sword swing from a vertical top-to-bottom cut to a horizontal sh from right to left.


    Because from the moment he first collided with the monstrous werewolf, he realized that even with his massive Strength of 14 points, he couldn''t sever the creature''s ws, a testament to its incredible toughness.


    So, considering that the skull is inherently the hardest bone in the body, Rein opted for a horizontal cut��after all, the neck is much softer.


    The sh between Rein, Savage w, and Hamilton was over in a sh, and the Night Watchmen who were nearby hadn''t even covered two steps before the fight was already over!


    At this time, they were all gaping at the scene before them!


    Especially given Rein''s small frame disying such explosive power and the fearless momentum of someone who dares to fight and risk it all, giving them the feeling that a little kitty had suddenly transformed into a roaring tiger!


    "Good!! Ha ha ha! Cough....cough...."


    Lord Hamilton burst intoughter upon seeing Rein taking down Savage w, but his injured lungs soon made him cough uncontrobly.

 Chapter 43: 42 Chapter Early Return and Aftereffects

    Just now, Lord Hamilton had confirmed Rein''s heritage, or rather his origin, as soon as he witnessed the sword technique Rein had used.


    "This technique and momentum are clearly the Leap sh from the Giant Bear Sword Technique. It seems his teacher must be Perez without a doubt! But... this kid''s strength has increased too quickly, hasn''t it?"


    "Or is it that this ferocious werewolf has been severely injured by me, so its strength has significantly decreased?"


    The other elite Night Watchmen were all staring at Rein with faces full of amazement!


    Only then did they realize that the boy, who was a head shorter than them, was hiding the strength of a tiger in his lean body, and his explosive power was incredibly astonishing, capable of sending the hundreds-of-pounds-heavy ferocious werewolf flying with a single blow.


    The small stature, such a simple and brutal way of fighting!


    But it really got the blood boiling!


    "My lord, are you alright?" Soon, two Night Watchmen quickly approached and helped Hamilton up, promptly treating the wounds on his body.


    "Just wrap it up with bandages for now; I won''t die!"


    Seeing that their supervisor was unharmed, the Night Watchmen once again focused their attention on Rein.


    "Good kid, it''s Rein, right? I''ll remember you!" An elite Night Watchman walked up with a smile and pped Rein on the shoulder.


    "Rein, that was amazing!"


    "I heard from Lord Hamilton that you are about to join us. Remember toe to our squad, I am..."


    "Get lost, Weilun, you''re already poaching people before Rein has even joined? Aren''t you shameless!"


    "Yeah! Fairpetition, let Rein choose himself!"


    "...."


    Seeing the Night Watchmen''s enthusiasm, Rein responded with a smile to each one.


    At that moment, noises came from two other directions, with the barking of the greyhounds getting closer and closer. Clearly, the two teams from Habsburg Manor were about to reach this location.


    This made Rein''s gaze sharpen as he pondered.


    "It''s best not to show up in front of the manor''s higher-ups yet."


    Cleya had warned him of this before, and Rein himself wanted to keep a low profile too.


    He really didn''t want to get involved in the internal struggles of the Habbs Earl Family''s offspring.


    Right away, Rein stepped forward two paces to Hamilton, who was being bandaged up.


    "Lord, I would like to return to shgold Town in advance. After all, my reason foring this time..."


    Rein stopped halfway through his sentence, but sessfully misled Hamilton.


    Hamilton understood immediately because he also didn''t want Perez to see that he had ''taken'' his proud prot��g��.


    Then, Hamilton nodded and said, "Rein, Weilun, you two are responsible for taking these few injured brothers back to shgold Town first."


    "Also, everyone pay attention, do not reveal that Rein was the one who ultimately killed the ferocious werewolf. To the outside world, just say it was I who killed it!"


    The elite Night Watchmen looked between their supervisor and Rein and, seeing Rein''s indifferent expression andpleteck of objection, they knew there must be some secret between the two, so they echoed loudly, "As youmand, my lord!"


    Rein couldn''t help but smirk inwardly upon seeing this.


    Reading people and situations really was an essential ''workce'' skill.


    So, before the manor''s teams arrived, Rein and a few other Night Watchmen quickly left the valley first.


    On the way back, Rein finally had the opportunity to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved, Experience +157]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +87]


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique advanced directly from lv1 to lv2, reaching the level of lv2 (54/300).


    Especially for the ''Leap sh,'' Rein now had many more insights in his mind.


    It was with the ''Leap sh'' that he had killed the injured ferocious werewolf with a single strike.


    And seeing the Night Watchman Profession Level at lv1 (87/100) now nearly halfway filled, Rein was slightly startled.


    Indeed, this once again proved that life-and-death struggles are a shortcut to raising one''sbat profession level!


    Unfortunately, it''s just a bit too dangerous.


    Perhaps, once my own strength increases a bit more, I could consider taking on some of those bounty quests. Not only do they offer high rewards, but they can also improve mybat profession level.


    Two birds with one stone!


    Moreover, through this battle, Rein also roughly understood what the average strength of a formal Knight might be.


    From the process of the battle, it seemed that, after Hamilton exerted his full strength, he was roughly equal in strength to that ferocious man-wolf over two meters tall.


    Even after I activated cksmith''s Strength lv2, I was still slightly weaker than the ferociously transformed man-wolf in its grievously injured state.


    Thus, it is reasonable to specte that the strength of the ferociously transformed man-wolf, when quantified, is about 15~16 points if it is seriously injured; in its prime, it should be around 20 points.


    Therefore, the strength of a formal Knight should not be too far off that, almost three to four times that of an ordinary person!


    No wonder Cleya said that the path of knighthood is a process of breaking through one''s own limits.


    To reach a strength three to four times that of an ordinary person does indeed signify surpassing a certain limit of the human body.


    In his previous life, Rein had seen a news story where it was said that the muscle strength of the human hundred-meter king Bolt was twice that of an ordinary person, which was close to the physical limit that could be achieved throughter life training.


    Then three times!


    Or even four times!


    This has already far exceeded the physical upper limit that ordinary people can achieve through training.


    This must be the special and precious aspect of breath techniques, allowing practitioners to break through these bodily limits!


    Rein greatly admired the tremendous strength disyed by Hamilton.


    "A formal Knight, huh? I wonder when I will be able to step into that role myself!"


    On the way back, the Night Watchman squad leader Weilun was exceptionally enthusiastic toward Rein.


    Clearly, Rein''s performance in the previous battle had impressed Weilun.


    "Rein, when will you formally join the Night Watchmen? Remember to consider joining our squad first!" Weilun said with a smile as he patted Rein on the shoulder.


    "Of course, Captain Weilun, I will give it serious thought," Rein replied with a slight smile.


    After delivering the injured to the town''s administrative hall, specialized physicians came to take over.


    Rein, of course, went home first, nning to rest well.


    Upon Rein''s return home, his entrance startled his entire family and Anna.


    This was because of the intense fight with the ferocious man-wolf, which had left Rein''s body covered with bloodstains.


    After a thorough check, it was confirmed that Rein indeed had not been injured, which relieved his family.


    However, a hint of worry still shone in his mother''s eyes. She hadn''t realized that being a Night Watchman was so dangerous, involving battles with such monsters.


    Originally, she had been very happy that Rein could join the Night Watch, but now she felt conflicted.


    "Don''t worry, Emma, since Rein has chosen this path, we must believe in him. It''s dangerous, but there are many opportunities, and it''s certainly better than me being a mudleg for a lifetime!" Old Reinforted his wife.


    At that moment, Rein rubbed Bo He''s head and greeted Anna. After hastily eating a few bites, he went to take a bath.


    Immediately afterwards, he fell into a deep sleep.


    He hadn''t rested properly from the previous night until now, and even though Rein was full of energy, he was exhausted at this point.


    When Rein woke up again, it was already the next morning.


    Rein was just thinking about getting up when, as he started to rise, he eximed ''ouch!'' andy back down.


    It was then he realized that his muscles were incredibly sore all over his body, which immediately made him think of the cksmith''s Strength core skill he had used the day before.


    "It must be because cksmith''s Strength, while granting me extraordinary power, also caused ''overload'' in my muscles after use!" Rein blinked, understanding the most likely reason instantly.


    "Fortunately, this ''side effect'' didn''t erupt on the spot, but manifested itself after a period of time."

 Chapter 44: Chapter 43: The True Gain

    "If it were to erupt immediately after the performance, that would be really interesting. If the enemy still has the strength for another round, it would be like entering a ''weak period'' during battle, so the cksmith''s Strength must be used with great care!"


    Rein grimaced as he endured the soreness in his muscles and fascia, and climbed up with a grimace.


    "However, could it be that after my Constitution enhances, the severity of these ''aftereffects'' will decrease, or even eliminate thempletely?"


    This spection suddenly urred to Rein.


    He was quite eager to try!


    "But it''s a pity that there is only 1 attribute point left, I have to save it. Otherwise, I could directly add the point to confirm my spection, and at the same time, immediately relieve this muscle soreness."


    Rein had always treated the remaining 1 attribute point as his ''trump card'' to use.


    Unless he obtains new attribute points, he would not consider using it.


    After all, adding attribute points has a special effect of restoring the body''s condition.


    This isparable to a ''divine technique'' in battle!


    After getting up, Rein unintentionally discovered in the bedroom mirror that his body had bulked up significantly.


    He hadn''t paid much attention before, but now that he took a closer look, he indeed had be much more robust.


    Rein looked down and touched the linen corset he was wearing, only to find the previously loose clothing was now slightly tight, subtly outlining the contours of his upper body muscles.


    Turning his gaze to his arms, Rein noticed that major muscle groups like the biceps and triceps had be significantlyrger, bearing no resemnce to the bean sprout-like appearance when he had just crossed over to this world.


    After some thought, Rein took off the rather tight linen corset and rummaged through the wardrobe to find arger-sized one.


    This one belonged to his father, the old Rein.


    After changing clothes, Rein''s physique was much more concealed, and his muscr contours were hardly noticeable.


    Looking at himself in the mirror, Rein nodded in satisfaction.


    When he reached the door frame, he sized up his height and realized that although the growth wasn''t obvious, he had actually grown nearly half a pinky finger taller.


    It was just that Rein''s horizontal development was faster, which made it seem like he hadn''t grown at all.


    When Rein arrived on the first floor, he saw through the window that in their small courtyard, Anna was apanying Bo He in nting winter rapeseed in a small patch ofnd.


    Bo He was wearing ayered corset with a long light blue skirt resembling an apron over it.


    This kind of tube-shaped, waistless long skirt hung on the shoulders with straps, looked like a modern apron from the front, and made Bo He look very cute in Rein''s eyes.


    Bo He asked, "Sister Anna, when can we harvest the winter rapeseed we nted?"


    "Um... around the Month of Blooming Flowers, I guess?" Anna looked at Bo He with a smile, her eyes full of fondness.


    "The Month of Blooming Flowers, ah, that''s still three, four, five ... nearly five months away," Bo He counted on her fingers, sounding a bit disappointed.


    However, Bo He soon pointed at the newly nted chives next to her and asked:


    "Sister Anna, what about the chives we nted before? When can we harvest them?"


    "These... can be harvested sooner, probably by the Month of Green Grass, we should be able to harvest them!" Anna said as she wiped a bit of mud from Bo He''s face.


    "That''s great, that means we can harvest them after winter!" Bo He smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons.


    Seeing the warm scene outside the window, Rein felt as if ayer of fog had been lifted from his soul.


    He remembered facing the ferocious werewolf the day before, whose menacing appearance, imposing stature, and bloodthirsty aura had brought a strong sense of oppression.


    If at that time he hadn''t held onto anything in his heart, his will would not have been so steadfast.


    Then it''s very likely that he would have dodged early on, hiding to the side without even the courage to swing his sword at the werewolf!


    Such a person, even if he could be stronger by continuously adding attribute points, would merely possess a strong shell. When facing real crises, hardships, and formidable enemies, he wouldn''t know how much of his fighting power he could actually utilize.


    Suddenly, Rein, who had juste to his senses, received a system notification:


    "Congrattions! You''ve experienced an epiphany, and your Spirit Attribute has been slightly increased!"


    Rein was startled and immediately checked his attribute panel.


    Sure enough, the Spirit Attribute had increased from the original 9 to 11, a full two points, thereby once again surpassing Strength to be the highest attribute.


    When Rein looked up, he noticed that the way he perceived the objects around him seemed different.


    He could faintly sense that outside his line of sight, there should be three birds chirping away on the oak tree by the front door, and in the corner crack of the kitchen wall, there seemed to be a mouse cautiously poking its head out.


    This wasn''t an enhancement of vision but more like a change in perception; his senses seemed to have be sharper!


    Rein was somewhat astonished at the moment; he hadn''t expected that his reflections and conclusions about battles and life would bring him such a surprise.


    Perhaps this was the true reward hidden within battles!


    As Rein basked in joy, his stomach suddenly let out a "gurgle gurgle" sound.


    Only then did he remember that he hade downstairs to eat something.


    Arge piece of white bread weighing about a pound, a slice of cured meat, and an egg were the breakfast his mother had prepared for him in advance.


    Obviously, this was an above-standard breakfast.


    For the people of this world, breakfast wasn''t considered a main meal, and generally, onlyborers with strong physical demands would have a better breakfast.


    The improvement in the meals at home had urred after Rein had handed over two Gold Coins. Knowing that her child was about to join the Night Watchman, his mother had immediately raised the quality of the family''s three meals a day by two levels.


    After wolfing down the food in a few bites, Rein patted his still t stomach and sighed.


    "My appetite is definitely getting better!"


    Speaking honestly, Rein was at most half-full right now. One reason was due to the rapid, intense spike in his physical constitutiontely. The other was that he was in his growth phase, with his body eagerly needing nutrition.


    "Looks like I''ll need to go to the pie shopter and buy a few meat pies to fill me up."


    At that moment, as if hearing the noise in the kitchen, Bo He ran in excitedly and said sweetly, "Brother, you''re finally awake. Come and join us in nting the winter can!"


    "Yes!"


    Seeing Bo He''s smiling face, Rein couldn''t help but step forward and pat her head, saying, "Bo He, you and Sister Anna continue nting. I have something to do outside."


    "Okay~ Brother,e back soon." With that, Bo He bounced off to continue nting.


    Anna, standing by the door frame, shyly nced at Rein, nodded, and said, "Then... I''ll go keep Bo Hepany."

 Chapter 45: Chapter 44 Boris the Blacksmiths Recruitment

    Looking at Anna''s side profile, Rein noticed that over time, Anna''splexion seemed much improved, and her light yellow hair no longer looked as dry as before, gaining a slight sheen.


    Rein responded to Anna with a smile and a nod, but he quickly remembered something.


    "Wait, Anna."


    Anna turned around, herrge, deep brown eyes looking at Rein with confusion.


    "Right, Anna, did anyone from the manore by this morning to notify us when the servant training will resume?"


    Anna shook her head and said, "No one else came by this morning."


    "Okay, Anna, please remind me if someone from the manores with a notification."


    "Sure, okay," Anna nodded.


    Anna still talked to Rein with her head lowered, shy and timid. She didn''t dare to look at Rein''s face while speaking, and if she said a bit more, she would bow her head, a blush spreading across her pale face.


    This was because Rein had saved her once; in Anna''s heart, Rein was a trustworthy person, otherwise she might have spoken even less.


    It seemed that only when with Bo He did Anna feel unrestrained,ughing naturally and rxed.


    For this, Rein didn''t immediately have a good solution; he just hoped time would make her more cheerful.


    "The servant training is still on hold, it seems there''s still some cleanup work to be handled in the manor, or possibly some other issue."


    "Hamilton hasn''t sent anyone to look for me either, he must be busy treating his injuries."


    Rein thought for a moment and decided to first go to the town''s cksmith shop in town that morning to find the cksmith Boris and continue advancing his Profession Level as a cksmith.


    Why not train in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique?


    That was because Cleya had once instructed Rein that when the body is very tired or in a bad state, one must not force oneself to practice the breathing techniques.


    At the moment, Rein''s muscles ached profoundly all over, hardly a good state, so naturally, he shouldn''t force himself to practice the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    However, after leaving the house, Rein didn''t head straight to the cksmith shop. Instead, he first went to a pie shop and bought three pies, each the size of a twelve-inch pizza from his previous life, and began to eat heartily.


    You should know, one twelve-inch meat pie should be enough for a meal for a family of three.


    But after eating three pies, Rein only just felt full.


    "It looks like I need to find a way to earn more money, otherwise the few Gold Coins I have left won''t be enough to let me enjoy good food."


    "If I just eat in white bread, the few Gold Coins I have couldst a long time, but whether practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique or swordsmanship, both consume a lot of physical energy. My body craves meat!"


    Upon the mention of eating meat, Rein couldn''t help but recall the delicious taste of bear meat and involuntarily licked the corner of his mouth.


    "If I were rich enough to eat bear meat rich in nutrients every day, I guess the progress of my Giant Bear Breathing Technique would hasten remarkably!"


    Rein spected.


    As soon as he stepped into the cksmith shop, perhaps due to his recent advancement in the cksmith profession, Rein suddenly felt a strange kinship with the ngs and heat that filled the cksmith shop.


    "Rein, you''re here! I heard thatst night there was an attack by jackal-men at the manor, and several servents died?" When cksmith Boris saw Rein walk in, he greeted him and immediately asked.


    "Yes, Uncle Boris," Rein nodded, confirming Boris''s words.


    "Such vicious events haven''t urred in years, days are bing less peaceful!" Borismented.


    As expected, bad news travels fast.


    Clearly, the attack on the manor had already spread throughout shgold Town.


    The other cksmith apprentices also started bombarding Rein with questions about the details.


    "Rein, I heard several servants died?"


    "I heard that wolf-man was over two meters tall?"


    "Yeah, how can there be such a tall wolf-man! Aren''t wolf-men usually about the same size as us?"


    "...."


    After some idle chat, Rein began to focus and started forging horseshoes with the cksmith, Boris.


    However, this time, Rein took the lead and Boris assisted in the horseshoe forging.


    When Rein held the cksmith hammer, he felt as if it was an extension of his own arm, swinging it was very natural and effective.


    This was probably the impact of a core cksmith skill��Hammer Mastery.


    [You forged a horseshoe, insight enhanced!]


    [Your skill in horseshoe forging has improved, Experience +2]


    ....


    [You focused on forging horseshoes for half an hour, cksmith professional experience points +1]


    After advancing to a cksmith, the experience gained from forging horseshoes had slowed down a lot. Even with Rein as the main forger, it basically took at least half an hour to gain 1 point.


    When someone is focused on their work, time flies by very quickly.


    By the time Rein realized it, it was already noon.


    Looking at the dozens of horseshoes stacked together, Rein still felt a great sense of aplishment.


    At that moment, Rein noticed a burning gaze on him. Following the gaze, he saw Boris looking at him intensely.


    "Rein, have you considereding to work for me, with a sry?"


    No wonder Boris favored Rein, in his eyes, the amount of horseshoes that normally took at least half a day toplete were finished by Rein about two hours ahead of schedule.


    This forging efficiency truly amazed him!


    Of course, this was not because Rein''s forging skills had surpassed those of Boris.


    It was due to the overall enhancement of Rein''s attributes.


    Especially the growth in spiritual power, which allowed Rein to grasp the subtle changes in the material after each hammer strike.


    And the increase in strength allowed Rein to swing the seven or eight catties cksmith hammer with ease, without using too much physical energy.


    Rein was taken aback upon hearing Boris''s offer.


    Beforeing to Boris''s smithy, Rein had made sure to inquire about it; Boris''s smithy had only one assistant, and the others were paying apprentices.


    Normally, a smithy in shgold Town like this one would need at least two to three assistants.


    Being an assistant meant that you already had the skills of a cksmith, achieving a levelparable to that of a certified cksmith in either a certain ironwork craft or a forging process.


    This meant you could make a living off of it.


    Rein looked around and noticed that the other apprentices were asionally casting anxious nces his way, seemingly nervous about Rein epting the offer and taking the spot they had long coveted.


    But obviously, Rein was not going to choose to join Boris''s smithy.


    He came here to learn forging purely to enhance his professional level as a cksmith, thus gaining more upgrade rewards.


    "However.....now relying solely on forging horseshoes, the speed of gaining cksmith professional experience has be very slow."


    "I could use this opportunity to ask Boris about the tuition for learning other forging skills." Rein thought to himself.

 Chapter 46: Chapter 45 Ore Identification

    ```


    For example, skills such as material selection, quenching, and grinding and so on were very practical, and perhaps one of these could bring Rein a rtivelyrger amount of cksmith Professional Experience Points.


    As for why not learn to make weapons, like a Dual-Handed Greatsword?


    It wasn''t that Rein didn''t want to but rather that cksmith Boris didn''t know how!


    Rein had long understood that cksmith Boris was merely skilled at crafting everyday items, mainly focused on makingmon iron goods used in daily life, such as horseshoes, iron pots, kitchen knives, and so on, not adept at forging weapons or armor.


    As for the skills involved in Boris''s making of the Bastard Swordst time, Rein had already clearly learned about it from cksmith Apprentice Drews.


    That was Boris''s secret skill, which he did not intend to teach any non-blood rtives.


    Therefore, Rein wasn''t going to make things difficult for himself.


    Moreover, his Giant Bear Sword Technique required a Dual-Handed Greatsword, not a Bastard Sword, because only a Dual-Handed Greatsword could fully unleash the power of the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    "Uncle Boris, thank you for your kindness, but I would still like to try my hand at the manor''s trial," Rein said tactfully.


    cksmith Boris wasn''t offended by Rein''s refusal.


    "Young man, it''s good to try out different things. If you can get into the manor, that would be an even better option."


    "By the way, Uncle Boris, how much would it cost to learn skills like material selection, quenching, and grinding, etc.?"


    "I would like to have a better chance during the manor''s assessment."


    Upon hearing Rein''s words, a collective gasp could immediately be heard from those around!


    Clearly, the surrounding cksmith Apprentices were surprised at Rein''s tall order; not only did he not want to be a helper, but he also wanted to learn so many skills, which would be costly and not easy to master entirely.


    "That won''t be cheap, these three skills together will cost five Imperial Gold Coins!"


    "However... if youe to work as a helper, I could slowly teach you these skills for free over the course of about a year," cksmith Boris paused for a moment, smiling amiably at Rein, while also making an offer that was very tempting to ordinary people.


    This made the cksmith Apprentices, who were eavesdropping on the conversation, look enviously at Rein, their expressions seeming to say:


    "Rein is so lucky to have such a talent for smithing! Why couldn''t I have been born with this talent?"


    Facing Boris''s invitation for the second time, Rein scratched his nose, smiling wryly.


    He hadn''t expected the normally ''stingy'' cksmith Boris to value him so highly.


    If it had been before, Rein would have agreed without hesitation.


    But now, his goal was the ''stars and sea'', how could he possibly confine himself to a small cksmith shop!


    "Uncle Boris, thank you for valuing me, but let''s forget about it. Five Gold Coins, right? That''s a lot of money; I would need to discuss it with my parents."


    "Oh, can I study these skills separately?" Rein continued after some thought.


    "No problem, the charge for material selection is one Gold Coin, and quenching and grinding will each cost two Imperial Gold Coins," Boris indicated with his hands.


    "Alright! Uncle Boris, I will go home and discuss it with my parents now."


    "Of course, you can."


    "Then, Uncle Boris, see you this afternoon!"


    Rein, of course, did not mention this matter to his parents when he went home; whether studying separately or seeking his parents'' advice, both were merely pretexts.


    After eating lunch at home, Rein returned to the cksmith shop carrying a Gold Coin.


    ```


    Upon entering, he handed a Gold Coin to cksmith Boris as the tuition fee for selecting materials.


    After paying the fee, cksmith Boris took Rein to a warehouse behind the forge.


    This was Rein''s first visit here.


    He saw various unprocessed ores stacked inside, alongside neatly arranged bars of iron, copper, and tin.


    "Rein, let''s start with selecting ores. Look at this, this is hematite," said Boris, picking up a human-head-sized ore intermixed with red and ck colors.


    "Generally, its surface is this dark red or ck, with the fracture nes showing stripes or shell-like shapes...."


    Rein listened attentively to cksmith Boris''s exnation while carefully weighing the heavy piece of hematite in his hands.


    "This is cassiterite; it usually has a dull brown surface with a granr texture and a metallic luster, with cavities inside the ore...." Boris exined, picking up a dark brown ore.


    "This is chalcopyrite..."


    "..."


    With 11 points of spiritual power, Rein possessed an observation skill, discernment, and memory far exceeding that of an ordinary person; he quickly understood the several mostmon types of ores that Boris exined.


    "Generally, the higher the quality of the iron ore, the more ck it will appear on the surface...." Seeing that Rein showed no signs of confusion, Boris continued his exnation.


    At that moment, Rein noticed the system prompts that appeared:


    [You have engaged in the study of ore identification, improving your understanding!]


    [You have realized a new skill��Ore Identification]


    [Your skill, Ore Identification, has improved, Experience Points +1]


    ....


    [You have focused on learning Ore Identification for half an hour, cksmith Professional Experience Points +1]


    Rein immediately saw a new icon light up below his cksmith panel.


    The icon, shaped like an irregr piece of iron ore, was clearly the newly acquired skill ''Ore Identification''.


    It was then that cksmith Boris stopped exining and turned to Rein, saying:


    "Rein, these are the mostmon ores, but besides these, there are some extremely rare ores that are much more difficult to identify."


    "However, the value of these ores is also extremely high." This piqued Rein''s curiosity straight away.


    Boris then took out a piece of ore with specks like little stars from a drawer and handed it to Rein, saying:


    "This is star iron, also known as meteorite ore. It is said toe from falling meteors. When the meteor falls to the earth, it forms such meteorite ore, which is very rare."


    Rein was immediately surprised when he took the so-called star iron!


    Because he noticed at once that this piece of star iron, or meteorite ore, weighed much more than ordinary hematite or maite.


    Despite a simr size, its weight was more than double theirs.


    Boris, seemingly aware of Rein''s surprised expression, couldn''t help butugh, "The texture is different right? This piece of star iron is no bigger than the size of a fist in my possession, yet its price is dozens of times higher thanmon iron ore."


    "Hiss!" The price really shocked Rein!

 Chapter 47: Chapter 46 Special Ores

    Tens of times?


    That''s way too exaggerated!


    "Star metal possesses extreme toughness and hardness. It''s an excellent material for sharp weapons such as daggers, knight''s longswords, bastard swords, or dual-handed greatswords."


    "Of course, weapons made purely of star metal are prohibitively expensive, even nobles are reluctant to waste so much."


    "A moremon practice is to mix it with other materials, which can enhance weapon performance while reducing costs."


    "To identify star metal, first consider the weight: star metal is about twice as heavy as other iron ores of the same size. Second, look at the fracture surface, where tiny metallic grains sparkle under the light, just like stars in the sky."


    "This is also the origin of the name ''star metal''."


    "....."


    Well, although Boris was only a small-town cksmith, he was quite proficient in some aspects of forging, at least in terms of identifying and working with star metal, Rein thought Boris''s research was quite thorough.


    Suddenly, Rein sharply noticed several system prompts that were a bit different:


    [You have learned to identify ores, enhancing your understanding!]


    [Your skill ''Ore Identification'' has improved, experience +17]


    [You learned to identify the special meteorite ore, cksmith profession experience points +5]


    ....


    Hey! Are there such benefits as well?


    This couldn''t help but delight Rein.


    Rein realized that once he got the hang of identifying special ores, he could quickly increase his cksmith profession experience.


    "It seems I''ve mastered another quick way to improve!"


    This made Rein look forward to Boris''s next presentation on special ores.


    However, just as Rein was staring at Boris with eager eyes, he heard Boris say, "Let''s go take a look at the metal ingots after smelting."


    This immediately made Rein ask, "Uncle Boris, haven''t you only talked about one special ore? What about the others?"


    cksmith Boris''s face turned slightly red as he said, "You rascal, think about it. How could my ordinary cksmith shop have so many special ores! This piece of star metal is my only treasure!"


    This instantly left Rein extremely disappointed!


    Just when he had seen a way to quickly increase his cksmith profession experience, it turned out that Boris had no other special ores.


    Disappointment was evident on Rein''s face.


    "Cough... Rein, if you want to learn to identify other special ores, you''ll have to go to therge cksmith shops in County Town, erm... Of course, the cksmith shops in the manor castles definitely also have a good stock of special ores."


    "Hey, Uncle Boris, I know about the cksmith shops in the manor, but why do they have a good stock of special ores?" Rein couldn''t help but ask curiously.


    "Haha, the equipment of the castle guards and the knights is often crafted by the cksmith shops within the manor, so what do you think, do they have special ores?" Boris couldn''t helpughing.


    So that''s how it is!


    Rein suddenly realized. Nobles, as the ruling ss in this world, naturally gathered all the good things to themselves.


    Especially such special ores that can effectively improve the equipment of their knights, the more, the better, and no one would consider it too much.


    In that case, the cksmith shop within the manor is the first choice.


    After all, County Town is too far, and without a horse to travel, it would take a whole day to go back and forth.


    Perhaps after the page boy training starts, I could ask Master Baal for some guidance on identifying special ores, even if I have to offer somepensation. But rtive to the rise in cksmith Professional Experience Points, that would be insignificant.


    By evening, when Rein left the cksmith shop, his cksmith Profession Level had reached cksmith lv1 (23/100). The speed of gaining experience in ore identification was slightly higher than horseshoe forging, but only marginally so.


    This was thanks to that special piece of ore. Otherwise, the contribution of ore identification to the Professional Experience of a cksmith wouldn''t be as great as that from forging horseshoes.


    On the way home, Rein turned into a pie shop and bought arge pie that he had eaten earlier at noon.


    Thus, at the dinner table, Rein couldn''t escape being nagged by his ever thrifty mother, "Rein, next time you want a pie, just bring your own meat and dough for baking. That way, you can save at least 3 pennies!"


    Rein, however, sneakily winked at little Bo He, who was happily eating, causing her to giggle nonstop.


    Anna also ate a small piece of pie with her head lowered, smiling without a word.


    Seeing this, mother Emma took another look at her son and couldn''t help shaking her head helplessly.


    Lately, her son was getting more and more ideas!


    That night, with the muscle soreness greatly alleviated, Rein returned to his room and started practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for a while.


    However, because the ck tung oil was stored with Chief Maid Shadia,


    Without the aid of ck tung oil, although Rein practiced hard and sweated profusely, the effectiveness of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique practice was greatly reduced.


    [You have practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, and your insight has improved!]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +1]


    ....


    [Giant Bear Breathing Techniquelv2 (37/300)]


    Since his body had not fully recovered, and he couldn''t overexert himself, Rein soon stopped practicing.


    "Tomorrow is Saturday. By my calctions, I''ll probably have to wait until next Monday, after Sunday, to possibly resume the page boy training," Rein thought to himself.


    "It seems I need to make a trip back to Habsburg Manor tomorrow to get a bottle of ck tung oil from Chief Maid Shadia."


    ....


    The next morning.


    When Rein went to Habsburg Manor to find Chief Maid Shadia, he noticed that the manor''s defensive preparations had noticeably improved.


    Soon, Rein found Chief Maid Shadia, who still wore her usual impassive, somewhat solemn expression, dressed in the ck maid outfit that represented a higher-ranking servant.


    From her demeanor, it seemed the Chief Maid hadn''t rested well in the past few days, looking slightly tired.


    Shadia, seeing Rein, showed a rare smile on her poker face, but the next second it was gone, and she asked, "Rein, you''vee for the ck tung oil, haven''t you?"


    "Yes, Chief Maid Shadia," Rein responded with a smile in return.


    Shadia nodded, "I thought you might being to see me. When the page boy training will resume is still undecided, Knight Lloyd is worried that the jackalwolves fromst time might have a pack nearby."


    "By the way,e with me, I''ve stored the ck tung oil in my own room."


    "Hmm!"


    Rein followed Shadia, entering the castle, and the two navigated the long stone corridors, turning left and right. Shortly, he followed the Chief Maid to a room on the first floor of the castle.


    As Shadia was opening the door, Rein faintly heard from the other end of the corridor a "ting ting tang tang" noise.


    This sound was all too familiar to him �� it was the sound of a hammer striking an anvil!

 Chapter 48: Chapter 47: The Threat of the Fish People

    "Chief Maid Shadia, is that the cksmith''s shop over there?" Rein asked.


    Shadia paused her action of opening the door, nced at the corridor, nodded, and said, "Yes, Rein, are you interested in the cksmith''s shop?"


    "Haha, quite interested. By the way, is Master Baal there too?" Rein scratched his head and smiled as he continued to ask.


    "Yes, all the cksmiths are here. Baal is the cksmith in charge of forging daily supplies."


    "Aside from Baal, the castle cksmith shop also has cksmith Bazil, who specializes in weapon forging. Additionally, there is another person who is in charge of the cksmith shop, cksmith Snell, a disciple of Master Verintan from County Town, who specializes in armor crafting."


    Seeing Rein''s highly interested expression, Shadia borated a bit more on the situation in the castle''s cksmith shop.


    "Master''s disciple," "specializes in armor"


    Rein''s eyes lit up, keenly picking up on two keywords, and said, "Could it be that this cksmith Snell is an armorer?"


    "Not yet, but he is likely to be one soon. Once he passes the cksmith association''s assessment at the end of the year, Snell should be promoted to armorer!" Shadia said as she pushed open the door.


    This immediately gave Rein a feeling of unexpected relief as if he had suddenly found a promising path. He had always wanted to find a cksmith with high forging skills, and unexpectedly, one was right within the Habsburg estate.


    Furthermore, since Baal was in charge of forging daily supplies, it made sense that he was responsible for rted content in the servant training.


    "Here you go, Rein, your ironwood oil." Seeing Shadia had already taken a bottle of ironwood oil from the room and handed it to Rein.


    Rein took it, and before even opening the stopper, he smelled a strange yet familiar scent of ironwood oil.


    "Thank you!"


    Soon, this small ck bottle was carefully tucked inside Rein''s clothes.


    "By the way, Chief Maid Shadia, are you familiar with cksmith Snell of the cksmith shop? If it''s convenient, could you introduce me?" Rein asked.


    Rein thought that since Snell was the head of the cksmith shop, establishing contact with him would be ideal.


    Hearing the name Snell, Rein sharply noticed that the chief maid''splexion seemed to blush slightly, but it quickly faded.


    The next second, Shadia stared at Rein quite displeased and said,


    "Rein, one''s energy is limited. I hope you can focus on practicing the Knight Breathing Method and not be distracted, lest you fail to meet thedy''s expectations."


    "This...." Rein was at a loss for words for a moment, not knowing what to say.


    It was normal for Shadia to think this way.


    After all, practicing the Knight Breathing Method and swordsmanship would take up most of a person''s time.


    Thus, anyone aspiring to reach the Transcendent level would not waste much energy on other matters.


    However... what Shadia didn''t know was that this situation only applied to ordinary people.


    But Rein was different, he had a "cheat"!


    For Rein, quickly leveling up his cksmithing secondary profession was equivalent to quickly improving hisbat profession!


    It would allow him to reach Transcendence sooner!


    But this, Rein obviously couldn''t exin to Shadia.


    Seeing the chief maid''s displeased expression again, Rein knew that the idea of having Shadia help make contact was probably blown.


    So, Rein could only regretfully take the bottle of ironwood oil and head home.


    Since his body ached no more, Rein decided to wait untilter to visit Boris''s cksmith shop, nning to first practice the Giant Bear Breathing Technique at home.


    He opened the bottle, and a strange fragrance filled the air. Rein poured a little bit of the amber-colored ck por oil into his palm. Following Lady Cleya''s previous instructions, he rubbed his hands together to warm the oil before applying it to his knees and shoulders.


    Instantly, a burning warmth flowed from the applied areas into his skin.


    About half an hourter, a sweaty Rein suddenly received a system notification:


    [Congrattions! Your Constitution Attribute has increased!]


    Oh! This time it was only the Constitution Attribute that increased.


    However, this had raised Rein''s Constitution from 6 points to 7 points.


    Rein remembered that thest time he practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, both Constitution and Strength had increased.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein seemed to understand why.


    "That''s because my Strength Attribute is rtively high already, at a full 10 points, while my Constitution Attribute isparatively low, at only 6 points. That''s why practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique resulted in a particrly rapid increase in Constitution."


    ...


    Unexpectedly, after retrieving a bottle of ck por oil from Shadia, the Chief Maid, on Saturday, three whole days had passed and the servant training ss had still not resumed.


    But Rein didn''t mind.


    During those three days, he usually spent his days at the cksmith''s shop, and his nights practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. His days were quite fulfilling.


    Now, he was past the halfway mark in his cksmith profession level, reaching cksmith lv1 (52/100), and had made considerable progress with the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, reaching lv2 (51/300).


    Rein was keen to practice the Giant Bear Sword Technique as well, but unfortunately, there was no suitable ce near his home.


    Additionally, he didn''t have a Dual-Handed Greatsword, only a standard Bastard Sword of the Night Watchman.


    Tuesday morning, just as Rein was nning to head to the cksmith shop again, a locked-armored guard came to his door and said, "Rein, the Sheriff wants to see you. If it''s convenient,e with me to the town hall now. Lord Hamilton is waiting in his office for you."


    "Alright! I''lle right away." Rein didn''t hesitate at all and immediately agreed.


    Last time Lord Hamilton had been seriously injured, and Rein also wanted to see if his wounds had healed, since he was, after all, his boss.


    He had gone to the town hall a couple of days ago, but the guards had told him Lord Hamilton seemed to have gone back to the County Town to recuperate and had not yet returned.


    To see him today, there must be something urgent.


    "Thud thud thud!"


    "Come in!" Hearing the familiar voice, Rein opened the door and entered, seeing Lord Hamilton still in his noble hunting attire, but hisplexion was still somewhat pale, and Rein seemed to smell a certain medicinal potion.


    He was very familiar with this smell; he often smelled it whenever he passed by the town''s only Abel''s Potion Shop.


    "Rein, take a seat!"


    "Lord Hamilton, how has your injury recovered sincest time?"


    "It was supposed to have healed today, but the ferocious werewolf''s ws had some special energy. It took a lot of effort to deal with the wounds, and now I guess I''ll need about another week to recover fully."


    Hamilton waved his hand, indicating that he didn''t want to talk further about his injuries, only to continue saying,


    "I''ve called you here this time because there''s an urgent matter that needs your assistance."


    "Remember the fishmen I mentioned to you before?"


    "Just yesterday, my guard came to report again that the Sinfin Fishmen have extended their activity area to less than a few miles from Glimmer Lake."


    "We need to immediately contain their expansion. Otherwise, if they start spawning in Glimmer Lake, that will be a huge problem."

 Chapter 49: Chapter 48: Fine Steel Greatsword and Merit Points

    "So, I want you to head out with a team of Night Watchmen today and clear out that filthy group of fish-smelling monsters. Or just chase them upstream; that''s fine too. Next week, once my injuries heal, I''ll personally lead a team to eradicate them all!"


    Hamilton said with a solemn expression.


    Glimmer Lake is the water source for shgold Town, and if it were contaminated by fish people, as the sheriff, he would bear an undeniable responsibility.


    Upon hearing this, Rein started to think quickly.


    Erasing fish people wasn''t something he could not consider, especially since his Night Watchman Profession Level was about to increase. Indeed, a real battle presented a great opportunity.


    However, he didn''t know much about the group of fish people or their strength, so he decided it was best to ask first.


    "Lord Hamilton, about the strength of these fish people...?"


    "Rest assured, the intelligence reports indicate that only a small fish people tribe has moved near Glimmer Lake, and their numbers are notrge."


    Hamilton continued, fingertips crossed beneath his chin:


    "The majority of fish people''sbat ability is generally below that of militiamen. It''s just that their numbers are a bitrge, and they breed rapidly, much like wild weeds that grow wildly every year, making them impossible to eradicatepletely."


    "Additionally, when they encounter an enemy they cannot defeat, they quickly dive underwater to hide. Therefore, Rein, if I were you, I would find a way to lure the fish people away from the water before striking hard."


    An injured Hamilton detailed his experience fighting the fish people.


    "Okay! Lord Hamilton, but I currently don''t have a suitable weapon. Could you lend me a Dual-Handed Greatsword?" Rein thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.


    Since Hamilton had made it clear that the number of fish people wasn''trge and their strength was not formidable, and considering he wasn''t going to fight alone but with a squad of Night Watchmen, it was a suitable real battle opportunity.


    There was no reason not to agree��through it, he could not only gain some valuablebat experience but also improve his Night Watchman Profession Level.


    Additionally, if the fish people continued to breed, it would directly impact the water safety of shgold Town. By defeating the fish people, he would also be protecting himself and his family.


    "Hahaha, a Dual-Handed Greatsword, you say? Of course, follow me." Hamiltonughed heartily and gave Rein a meaningful nce.


    That made Rein somewhat puzzled.


    Once Rein followed Hamilton to a small partition behind his office and saw a rack full of various short swords, longswords, bastard swords, and dual-handed greatswords, he couldn''t help but feel envious.


    However, there was only one dual-handed greatsword there.


    At that moment, Hamilton had already taken the dual-handed greatsword from the rack.


    "Thank you!" Rein said as he took it, simultaneously giving Hamilton a thoughtful look.


    It seemed that the sheriff had guessed that he had been practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique, which might exin the strange look he had given him.


    It was probably because Hamilton had recognized it when Rein had killed a mutated hyena-manst time.


    After all, the characteristics of the Giant Bear Sword Technique were quite distinct.


    Rein weighed the dual-handed greatsword Hamilton handed him, finding it was around forty pounds, a perfect weight for his use.


    The de was about one meter and forty centimeters long, with a blood groove down the middle, a crossguard, and a pommel at the end of the handle with a small counterweight ball. On the ball was the emblem of the Night Watchmen: a figure holding a longsword and a torch, with a bow slung over its back.


    From the white forging patterns at the de, this was a rare fine steel dual-handed greatsword.


    You see, a fine quality fine steel knight''s longsword would cost over a dozen imperial gold coins, and naturally, a dual-handed greatsword was even more expensive!


    Here, when we talk about fine quality, we refer to those knight''s longswords that can be used for high-intensitybat, not themon iron swords that militiamen could own.


    Those iron swords are more than ten times cheaper, costing only a few silver coins, and virtually every small town''s cksmith could forge one.


    But a good-quality dual-handed greatsword, not only is the skill required for forging one higher than that of a simr level longsword, but the quality of the steel selected for the de is also crucial. It needs high-quality steel and an experienced cksmith to confidently forge a fine dual-handed greatsword.


    "It''s been a long time since someone in the Night Watchman used a dual-handed greatsword like you. This dual-handed greatsword is also part of my personal collection, Rein, do you like it?"


    "Of course I like it!"


    In fact, what Rein was thinking was more like, "Like it? A good weapon is half the life of a warrior, absolutely indispensable!"


    "Rein, if you can clean up the merfolk for me this time, then this fine steel greatsword is my gift to you. It''s also a reward for your assistancest time in killing that frenzied werewolf."


    Lord Hamilton said heartily.


    "This...." Rein wanted to refuse, but he just couldn''t let go of the greatsword.


    The greatsword was of excellent material and superb craftsmanship, and its weight was also very suitable for the level of strength Rein currently possessed, he really couldn''t find a reason to refuse.


    "Thank you for your gift, my lord!"


    When the two sat down in the office again, Lord Hamilton suddenly remembered something, took out several documents from the office, and handed them to Rein, saying:


    "One is the official document for you to join the Night Watcher''s Army, which needs your signature."


    "The other document records the merit event of your participation in killing the frenzied werewolf, which also needs your signature, then submission for archiving. This will serve as the basis for evaluating your Merit Points, and also as your qualification for future promotions."


    Rein took them and started reading carefully.


    The first document was unproblematic, just a standard form that required his signature.


    The second document detailed how Rein participated in killing the frenzied werewolf and the role he yed, very detailed.


    Additionally, the document already had Lord Hamilton''s and two other Night Watcher squad leaders'' signatures, likely to prevent the fabrication of deeds and for easy verification by superiors.


    Then, Rein readily signed his name on it.


    Lord Hamilton nodded with a smile and said, "Excellent, Rein. Once your documents are officially approved, you''ll be a member of the Imperial Night Watcher''s Army."


    "It''s my honor, Lord Hamilton."


    "By the way, Lord Hamilton, besides promotion, does this merit have any other uses? Can it be used to exchange for some training resources, like frenzied beast meat?"


    "Haha, of course, there are quite a few things Merit Points can be exchanged for."


    "Once your Merit Pointse through this time, you should have a good look."


    "However, Rein, are you nning to use the merit points from this review to exchange for beast meat? On this point, I wouldn''t rmend it." Lord Hamilton first shook his head, then gave a mysterious smile.

 Chapter 50: Chapter 49: By Glimmer Lake

    Rein was first delighted when he heard that he could exchange for ferocious beast meat simr to "Giant Bear Meat", but after hearing thetter part of Lord Hamilton''s statement, he was stunned and looked at him with a puzzled face.


    Lord Hamilton did not beat around the bush and directly said, "Although ferocious beast meat is rare, if the amount you need is not toorge, you canpletely buy it with gold coins in the county town."


    "Many monster hunters specifically do this business. Moreover, if you don''t mind spending more gold coins, you can always buy fresh, high-quality ferocious beast meat at the auction house in the county town."


    "So, regarding merit points, my advice to you is to spend them in more valuable ces."


    "For example, to use them to improve your strength with secret potions or to choose to save up your merit points to exchange for the advanced magic potions necessary for the subsequent promotion to a formal knight."


    "If you want to buy high-quality advanced magic potions from the auction house, not only are they outrageously expensive, but the main problem is that they are hard toe by."


    "Your teacher must have told you this. Different knight breathing techniques require the ingestion of specific advanced magic potions to sessfully promote. The better the quality of the same type of potion, the better the effect of the promotion."


    Lord Hamilton talked at length, but Rein listened very carefully, hardly missing a word.


    Cleya did not mention anything about how to be promoted to a formal knight before she left.


    Come to think of it, it made sense.


    "After all, starting from scratch, in Cleya''s view, it was impossible for him to encounter the promotion stage within a year."


    Rein keenly caught several key points in Lord Hamilton''s words, such as ''buying meat with gold coins,'' ''advanced magic potions,'' and ''the better the quality, the better the effect.''


    At the same time, Rein recalled thest time Cleya talked about ''advanced magic potions.''


    That time, Cleya had mentioned ''advanced magic potions'' once and then avoided the topic, simply telling him to focus on building a solid foundation first.


    "She must be worried that knowing too much might not be good for me."


    "After all, practicingbat skills requires full focus to achieve the best effects."


    "However, some time will pass before the merit points are finally assessed, and regarding the exchange, I have ample time to consider this issue."


    Thus, Rein nodded and said, "Thank you for the advice, Lord Hamilton. I will consider it carefully."


    "Alright! You should set out as soon as possible then, Weilun and the others should already be waiting for you at the door."


    "Yes, my lord!"


    Although Rein was a bit surprised to be departing immediately, he had a premonition that Lord Hamilton had sought him out for a reason, so it wasn''tpletely out of the blue.


    When Rein reached the administrative hall''s entrance, he realized that the elite Night Watchmen apanying him each had a nag.


    Although the nags did notpare to the impressive steeds in the manor''s stables, they were still adequate for traveling.


    Night Watchman Captain Weilun had also prepared a nag for Rein.


    "Rein, we are now going to ride to Glimmer Lake, which will take about two hours to reach our destination, spend a few more hours toplete the mission, and we should be able to return to shgold Town before nightfall."


    "As for other matters, we can discuss them on the way."


    Weilun briefly exined the arrangements.


    Rein immediately nodded his head.


    No wonder Weilun and the others had prepared nags.


    The distance from shgold Town to Glimmer Lake was a bit further than to the County Town, and walking there would probably take half a day.


    In that case, they might not be able toplete the mission before darkness fell.


    The forest at night was a ce even knights preferred to avoid.


    For the Night Watchmen, surely the best choice was toplete the mission quickly and then return to shgold Town to rest.


    "Alright, Captain Weilun, let''s set out then."


    Before leaving, Rein also had someone send a message back home.


    However, it was awkward because Rein had never learned to ride horses, so after mounting, he was wobbly and unsteady; it took a long time for him to adapt before it got marginally better.


    "Haha, Rein, once you join the Night Watchman, horseback riding is an essential skill; you need to learn it promptly," Weilun said with augh, patting Rein on the shoulder.


    "On the southern side of shgold Town, John Moyle of John''s Ranch not only sells horses but also specifically teaches riding. The tuition seems to be two gold coins. Rein, you should find some free time to learn."


    "Having a horse will makepleting many long-distance tasks much easier."


    "John''s Ranch, huh?" Rein pondered.


    At the same time, he recalled when he had just learned the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. The requirements for his job change to ''Knight Attendant'' included mastering horsemanship.


    But Rein wasn''t sure if he could still change his job to Knight Attendant now that he had already changed from a militiaman to a Night Watchman.


    After a brief thought, Rein decided he still needed to find time to go to John''s Ranch to learn horsemanship.


    After all, a man with many skills is never oppressed!


    Two hourster.


    Rein, carrying a Dual-Handed Greatsword, stood with a group of Night Watchman on a slope, gazing at the nearby Glimmer Lake, shimmering in the distance.


    The morning mist had not yetpletely dispersed; the sunlight shone on theke''s surface, casting a thin golden glow, surrounded by dark green forests. Such a beautiful painting dazzled Rein.


    Rein murmured to himself, "This should be called ''Golden Light Lake''; why is it called ''Glimmer Lake''?"


    "Beautiful, isn''t it?" Weilun, noting Rein''s enchanted demeanor, couldn''t help but ask with a smile.


    "More than beautiful!" Rein confidently said.


    "Then you probably haven''t been here at night during summer. As for why it''s called Glimmer Lake, it''s because during summer nights, there are swathes of fireflies dancing on theke''s surface, and that''s when Glimmer Lake is at its most beautiful!" Weilun exined.


    ''Summer nights, huh? I''ll definitely have toe and see it next time," Rein couldn''t help but feel a hint of longing.


    "Hey! Is that a merman?" While admiring the beautiful view, Rein sharply noticed something, immediately pointed towards the furthest end of Glimmer Lake, and said.


    Weilun and other elite Night Watchman immediately looked in the direction Rein was pointing.


    In the gradually dispersing mist, they could see several creatures about one and a half meters tall, with fish heads on human bodies, wandering around theke shore. It seemed as if they had happily discovered a new habitat, or perhaps they were merely searching for food.


    ''They really are mermen...''


    "Didn''t we say that we still need to walk upstream along Glimmer Lake for a while?"


    "These mermen have spread to the Glimmer Lake area so quickly?"


    "Lucky we came in time!"


    Upon seeing the scene before them, the Night Watchman of Weilun''s squad couldn''t help but burst into animated discussion.


    Although, this mission required either driving away or killing the group of mermen.


    But Rein knew that the first choice was, of course, to kill them; that way, they wouldn''t have to trouble Lord Hamilton toe back after his recovery.


    "Captain Weilun, how shall we eliminate these mermen?"


    Although Rein ranked first inbat ability, the other Night Watchman were more experienced in other areas, especially Captain Weilun, who was not someone a novice like Rein couldpare with.


    So, Rein didn''t intend to offer any suggestions on tactical arrangements.


    To this, Weilun clearly had a n already and smiled, "These few can just be shot down with bows and arrows. When we find the mermen camp, I n to have Matteo here to lure the mermen."


    Rein turned his head to look, seeing the Night Watchman named Matteo, who was only slightly taller than Rein and shorter than most Night Watchman. He looked quite slender, but his whole demeanor was spirited, with a clever gleam in his eyes.

 Chapter 51: Chapter 50 Preparations for Battle

    Rein faintly understood Weilun''s n.


    Murlocs bully the weak and fear the strong, refraining from attacking robust humans if only a few of them are present, but upon seeing frail women and children, they immediately howl and, brandishing their weapons,mence the hunt.


    Therefore, Weilun intended to use the lean Matteo as bait to lure out the murlocs from their tribe and then encircle and kill them.


    Rein nodded, a very prudent scheme, allowing for an immediate retreat should any contingency arise.


    Wouldn''t it work to just attack the murloc tribe directly?


    It''s not that it wouldn''t work, but that it would be pointless!


    When murlocs encounter insurmountable enemies or danger, they will immediately dive into nearby waters, either to gather more murlocs for a counterattack or hide in the water until the formidable enemies leave.


    Therefore, if they can''t annihte arge number of murlocs in one go, considering their extremely high reproductive rate, the waters will soon be teeming with murlocs again!


    "Let''s go, let''s take out these few murlocs first!" Weilun was pleased with Rein''s amiable attitude, turned to speak with the other Night Watchmen, and began to stealthily approach the murlocs.


    However, after only a few steps, Weilun turned his head to Rein and said, "You know... Rein, you can rest for a while, we can handle these murlocs with just our bows and arrows."


    After saying this, Weilun also took down the bow and arrows from his back and gestured.


    This made Rein pause; he nced at the other Night Watchmen and instantly understood, scratching his head and smiling, "Alright, Captain Weilun, then I''ll support you from the rear."


    He hade with only the dual-handed greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, having brought no bow and arrows at all.


    It wasn''t really about Rein beingzy, but because, with his LV2 basic archery, it was a bit embarrassing to show off.


    Weilun was aware of this too, hence he didn''t remind Rein before they set off.


    Of course, the main reason was that Rein wouldn''t consider wasting precious Skill Points on basic archery skills in the short term.


    Thus, Rein was left alone at the back, watching ten elite Night Watchmen slowly advance in a semi-encirclement formation. Once they reached shooting distance, they notched their bows and took aim.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"


    After a flurry of arrows whistled through the air,


    the four murlocs fell to the ground!


    Rein''s eyes brightened; he finally realized why Lord Hamilton had sent the Night Watchmen instead of the peace officers and guards from shgold Town.


    Because of archery!


    The archery skills of the Night Watchmen were generally a notch above those of the others.


    They were indeed perfectly suited for battling the murlocs.


    Rein stepped forward and began to carefully examine these humanoid creatures that Captain Weilun considered not very intelligent.


    These murlocs were about one and a half meters in length, covered with fine and slippery scales, seemingly having decent defensive power.


    They had bulbous eyes protruding from their fish heads andrge mouths filled with sharp teeth, from which a foul stench emanated.


    Both hands and feet had webs, and they held a variety of poor-quality weapons, primarily shoddy fish spears, greatswords, and short spears; none wielded short bows, and their equipment was quite crude.


    Rein even went so far as to poke the other side with the hilt of a sword. Sure enough, theyer of scales on the murloc''s surface had protection akin to a singleyer of leather armor.


    Of course, if he were to strike with the fine steel greatsword in his hand, the difference with or without thatyer of scales would be nonexistent.


    "Rein, this is the distinctive mark of the Sinfin Murlocs; look!"


    Captain Weilun flipped over one of the dead murlocs, revealing a long dorsal fin that ran down the center of the murloc''s back. The fin, peppered with asional sharp spines, was a dark gray color.


    "Different features among murlocs represent different tribes, and sometimes the disparity in strength can be significant."


    "For instance, on the coastline near Fishing Port Town, the ckgill fish people live, and their strength surpasses that of the Eviltail fish people by not just a little. Moreover, even within the same species of fish people, the strength of each tribe varies greatly."


    Rein listened intently at the side, nodding from time to time.


    He could tell that Captain Weilun was passing on his experience to him.


    "Let''s go, following the fish people''s tracks should lead us quickly to their encampment."


    Alongside a small river upstream from Glimmer Lake, Rein and his group followed the webbed footprints left by the fish people on the bank, searching upstream.


    Soon, they found the tracks growing more concentrated.


    Before them on the riverbank, they saw over a dozen newly built stilt houses made of branches and thatch, and the camp was bustling with the shadowy figures of many short individuals. Clearly, this was the ''headquarters'' of the Eviltail fish people.


    Looking at the small Eviltail fish people tribe of no less than a hundred before him, Weilun couldn''t help but frown and said, "This group of Eviltail fish people has relocated their entire tribe here, there are plenty more than expected!"


    "I fear we will have a tough time dealing with them, this is quite different from what the reconnaissance report indicated."


    "Captain Weilun, what did the reconnaissance report say, that their numbers weren''t this many?" Rein asked curiously.


    Weilun shook his head and said, "The report mentioned small bands of Eviltail fish people being spotted upstream of Glimmer Lake, typically in groups of thirty to fifty. But this group, there are far too many, at least a hundred by estimation."


    "Let''s abandon this for now, and wait for Lord Hamilton to recover from his injuries. It would be most prudent for him to take action," Weilun suggested with a thoughtful frown.


    Rein nced at the disy on his panel showing the Night Watchman Profession Level lv1 (87/100) and the Giant Bear Sword Technique lv2 (269/300).


    Both were about to level up, and withdrawing now didn''t sit well with Rein at all.


    Thus, Rein inquired again, "Captain Weilun, although their numbers are a bit high, the individual strength of the fish people isn''t strong. Would it be so difficult to kill them?"


    "That''s the thing... It''s not about just eliminating some of the fish people, but trying to annihte them aspletely as possible. With so many of them, even if we took them down one arrow at a time, it would take quite a long while," Weilun said with a furrowed brow.


    "ording to the original n, you were to cut off their escape route, which I fear would put tremendous pressure on you, Rein."


    He was worried Rein couldn''t withstand it!


    Hearing Weilun exin it this way, Rein''s brow smoothed out.


    Rein saw things differently.


    Firstly, this group of Eviltail fish people didn''t possess ranged weapons like bows and arrows, and his own practice of the Giant Bear Sword Technique was particrly well-suited for handling such melee fights.


    Furthermore, his strength had improved since the battle with the jackal men.


    The increase of two Spirit Points allowed Rein to grasp more details inbat, making it less likely for him to get injured.


    So, Rein said with a smile, "Captain Weilun, I have confidence in myself, let''s give it a try. There shouldn''t be a problem."


    Upon hearing Rein volunteer so readily, Weilun was momentarily stunned.


    But looking into Rein''s serious eyes, he realized this was no joke.


    Moreover, as the person who would be facing the most pressure in the battle, if Rein was prepared to give it a try and he insisted on retreating, it would be quite demoralizing.


    So, after pondering for a moment, Weilun pped Rein''s shoulder firmly and said in a deep voice, "Alright! Since you''re confident, Rein, let''s give it our all. But remember, if we can''t hold them off, retreat immediately."


    "Come on, let''s set up a trap here, just in case we need to pull back."


    "Right, Boss!"


    The Night Watchmen elite got to work immediately at Weilun''s signal.


    In no time at all, they had set up several spike traps and trip ropes and carefully marked each one to prevent their own from identally triggering them.

 Chapter 52: Chapter 51: Unleashing Miracles?

    After everything was ready, Matteo advanced alone, disguising himself as a human hunter who mistakenly wandered near the Murloc camp.


    As Matteo shot and retreated, sessfully killing three spear-wielding Murloc warriors, the entire Murloc camp erupted like a disturbed ho''s nest.


    Following a noisy mor in Murlguage, suddenly, twenty or thirty Murloc warriors armed with various spears, knives, and clubs surged out, charging at Matteo with overwhelming momentum.


    Murlocs are typically bullies that fear the strong and oppress the weak. Seeing only one human opponent, how could they resist charging at him!


    Matteo immediately pretended to be overpowered and hurried back to the ambush circle that had been set up in advance.


    Soon, thisrge group of Murloc warriors passed through a narrow mountain valley and directly rushed into the Night Watchman''s encirclement.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!"


    The other prepared Night Watchman elites, from a higher position, drew their bows and shot arrows at the densely packed Murloc warriors with the fastest shooting speed.


    As expected, these Murloc warriors, with their bubble eyes, upon seeing nearly ten human Archers suddenly appear, instantly got scared and started to flee.


    Although they were fleeing in terror now, once they returned to their camp, they would quickly bring more Murloc warriors back for revenge.


    To prevent this, Weilun and Rein had already discussed using the strategy of gradually defeating the Murlocs step by step, never allowing this group of Murloc warriors to return.


    Suddenly, a figure swiftly attacked from behind, blocking the entrance of the valley with just one person.


    A long Dual-Handed Greatsword, like a silver de, kept flipping up and down. With each beautiful arc it made, it brought up a storm of blood and gore as Murloc limbs, weapon fragments, or light blue blood were sttered into the air.


    "(In Murlguage) Waaarluuuloo~~~"


    The Murloc warriors, caught between attacks from both sides, instantly panicked, scrambling around like headless flies!


    However, they helplessly found that with ''Dense Arrow Rain'' in front and ''Brutal Greatsword'' behind, after several futile and fruitless counterattacks, only a few Murlocs remained trembling within the encirclement.


    With a few twangs of bows, thesest few were also eradicated!


    Looking at arge pile of Murloc bodies, Weilun stepped forward and patted Rein, who was heavily panting, and said, "Well done, Rein!"


    "I finally understand why Lord Hamilton values you so much. It seems your strength has improved sincest time!"


    Weilun and the other elite Night Watchmans discovered, to their astonishment, that Rein had managed to emerge from the intense battlepletely unscathed.


    This was due to his superhuman 11 points of spiritual power and his ''danger perception'' ability that allowed Rein to avoid many attacks that would have otherwise hit him.


    The sharpness of the ''danger perception'' ability corrtes directly with Rein''s spirit; the stronger the spiritual power, the more acute the perception.


    "Captain Weilun, you tter me! It was good teamwork. Look, most of the Murlocs actually died from the arrows," Rein said with a smile, pointing at the Murloc bodies.


    Weilun''s smile grew even broader at Rein''s modesty.


    Who wouldn''t like a subordinate who not only has the strength but also knows how to speak well!


    "You guys rest for a while, then clean up the next wave! I''ll keep watch," Weilun signaled for the others to take a brief rest.


    "Alright!"


    Rein took this opportunity to focus his attention on the panel.


    The system had just prompted the following:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been upgraded, Experience Points+132]


    [You have undergone a battle, gaining Night Watchman Professional Experience Points+67]


    Night Watchman Profession Level sessfully advanced to the next level, currently Night Watchman lv2 (54/300).


    Name: Rein Can


    Profession: cksmith lv1 (52/100) / Night Watchman lv2 (54/300)


    Constitution: 7


    Strength: 10


    Agility: 9


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining attribute points: 2


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Additionally, the Giant Bear Sword Technique had reached lv3 (101/500).


    Having just battled the fishmen, the technique Rein used the most was the Giant Bear Sword Technique''s crowd-control move �� Whirlwind sh.


    Therefore, after the upgrade of the Giant Bear Sword Technique, the fragments of swordsmanship training brought to Rein''s mind primarily consisted of memories rted to Whirlwind sh. These training memories were quickly assimted by Rein and swiftly embedded into his muscle memory.


    Thus, when Rein grasped the Fine Steel Greatsword again, it seemed to feel a bit different.


    The greatsword in his hands felt even more familiar, and he was more proficient in handling it.


    About the Skill Points, after pondering briefly, Rein added that 1 point directly into the core skill "cksmith''s Strength."


    Given that level 2 of cksmith''s Strength had again demonstrated tremendous support! During roughly 40 seconds of burst duration, Rein nearly single-handedly held off and defeated arge crowd of fishman warriors.


    As soon as that 1 Skill Point was invested, the icon resembling Popeye flexing his biceps suddenly lit up around the edges.


    The line of text beneath the icon also changed, disying:


    [Core Skill: cksmith''s Strength lv3 (Active)]


    cksmith''s Strength lv3 (Active) Effect: When this skill is activated, your Strength will increase substantially.


    (Note: The effect of this skill is based on a proportionate increase to the host''s own strength, and its duration is proportional to the host''s Constitution and spiritual power.)


    Rein scrutinized it carefully, noting that besides the increase from lv2 to lv3, the description of cksmith''s Strength had changed the word "slightly" to "substantially."


    Clearly, lv3 of cksmith''s Strength would further increase the amplification of his Strength.


    Although he did not know the exact proportion, it was definitely stronger than the previous roughly 40%, and judging by the past increase, it could likely be 60%!


    Shoot! If the increase really is 60%, that would be 10 (+6), a total of 16 points of Strength.


    He wouldn''t be far behind a full-fledged Knight now!


    A thought suddenly shed through Rein''s mind, "Could it be that I am on the path of ''great strength brings miracles''?"


    After adding the Skill Point, looking at the panel which now showed 2 remaining attribute points.


    Rein thought briefly and quickly added 1 point to his Constitution, while keeping thest point in reserve as a backup.


    Rein clearly remembered, the duration this time was nearly ten seconds longer than the previous battle with the ferocious werewolves, which was likely due to the increase in his Constitution.


    As the effects of cksmith''s Strength became stronger, Rein naturally wanted to enhance its endurance.


    After all, being strong but not durable just wouldn''t do!


    A man has to be durable!


    And the special effect of full stamina recovery that came with adding points instantly invigorated the otherwise somewhat weary Rein!


    Immediately, Rein, holding the hilt of the greatsword, felt eager to test it out.


    However, before Rein could say anything, the fishmen in the camp opposite seemed to be restless as well.


    After all, the fishmen were not fools; seeing that none of the previous batch of fishman warriors had returned, they knew something might have gone wrong.


    At that moment, everyone saw a fishman warrior, who was notably taller than the other fishmen and wielding a gleaming trident, step out of the fishman camp, with what seemed like all the remaining fishman warriors rallying behind him.


    The opposing fishman swung his trident, and a massive throng of fishman warriors surged in their direction!

 Chapter 53: Chapter 52: The Style of That Leap Slash!

    "Aside from Rein and Matteo, everyone, return to your original positions!" Weilun waved grandly, and the elite Night Watchmen immediately ceased their rest, each with bow drawn and arrows ready, continuing to hide in the surrounding grass encircling the area.


    It was still the short statured Matteo who went forward to lure the enemy, while Rein hid alone on the outer side of the valley, not far from the narrow passage.


    "Swoosh, swoosh!"


    As Matteo ran and shot, the group of fishmen warriors, as expected, brandished their weapons and charged toward the encirclement while yelling chaotically.


    Just when everyone thought that the enemy would barge into the encirclement as before, the tall spearsman suddenly roared loudly!


    And these fishmen warriors actually began to slow down, barely stopping at the mouth of the valley.


    This immediately caused Weilun''s expression to drastically change as he thought to himself, "This is not good!"


    Because the Night Watchmen were far fewer in number than the fishmen, if they were forced to fight, even if they could defeat the fishmen, nearly half would escape, not achieving the desired oue.


    Moreover, in a head-on battle, the Night Watchmen would inevitably suffer significant casualties.


    This was something Captain Weilun did not want to see.


    The tall spearsman then stepped forward from the rear of the fishmen warriors, looking at the valley littered with fishmen corpses, and couldn''t help but roar again in anger.


    Matteo was even more anxious; he not only stopped retreating but also advanced toward the narrow passage, fiercely shooting several arrows at the clustered fishmen warriors.


    But except for the first arrow that killed one fishman warrior, the other two arrows were deflected by the tall spearsman with his gleaming spear.


    Matteo wanted to continue shooting, but he found out that he had already used up the dozens of arrows in his quiver!


    At this, Matteo was flustered!


    The man was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.


    Rein, lying in ambush outside the valley, also sensed that something was wrong.


    Through the grass, his eyes could clearly see twenty or thirty fishmen gathered at the pass, refusing to enter the encirclement in the valley.


    This seriously contradicted Captain Weilun''s n to lure the enemy.


    Rein could even faintly hear Matteo''s cursing and mocking voice in the valley.


    "Has the fishmen learned their lesson? Do they know it''s a trap inside?"


    "Probably, after all, there are fishmen corpses everywhere inside, and the people hadn''t had time to deal with them before the second wave of fishmen arrived."


    Given this, Rein had a bold idea!


    "If you don''t want to enter, then I''ll force you in!"


    The next second, Rein shook his Dual-Handed Greatsword, and the soft sheepskin covering it was instantly flung aside.


    With a forceful tap of his toes, the ground beneath him sunk, and like a tiger descending the mountain, he charged directly into the rear of the fishmen warriors!


    At this time, Captain Weilun, lying in ambush in the valley grass, hadrge beads of sweat forming on his forehead!


    "What should we do?"


    "Charge out directly? No! That would definitely lead to a melee. We are too few in number, even a victory would be a pyrrhic victory!"


    "But if we don''t charge out, once they block the pass, we''ll be even more passive!"


    "Regardless, we have to charge!"


    Just as Weilun was about to rise, he suddenly discerned a disturbance at the mouth of the pass among the fishmen.


    He immediately focused his attention and saw a bright silver light suddenly appearing behind the fishmen, darting left and right, seemingly driving the fishmen warriors into the pass.


    "Is... is that Rein?!" Weilun couldn''t help but blurt out as a sh of realization crossed his mind.


    That glow was indeed Rein, who had activated ''cksmith''s Power lv3'', and supported by his strength of 10 (+6), Rein was like an unleashed wild horse, rampaging through the group of fishman warriors.


    More terrifying was the Fine Steel Greatsword in Rein''s hands, which, propelled by a strength of 16, swung about like a high-speed sewing machine!


    With a sh of light, severed limbs and body parts danced in mid-air.


    "(Merfolk Language) h h h!" The towering spearfish warrior had, of course, also noticed Rein wreaking havoc behind him.


    He immediately roared and, brandishing his spear, charged rapidly towards Rein.


    "Bring it on!"


    Upon seeing the towering spearfish warrior charging at him, Rein felt no fear; instead, a strong impulse to test his might surged within him.


    "Leap sh!"


    Rein pushed off the ground with his feet, causing the dirt to explode, and he rapidly soared into the air, shing downward with a fierce Leap sh at the iing spearfish warrior.


    After this strike, Rein felt an exhrating rush throughout his body!


    "Crack!!"


    The tall fishman warrior, who had raised his steel fork in a desperate attempt to block, froze on the spot.


    By then, his steel fork was already split into two by Rein''s sword, and more fatally, a bloodline had appeared on his forehead, slicing through his chest and abdomen down to his lower body.


    "Sizzle!"


    The next second, pale blue blood burst out from the bloodline like a fan-shaped fountain!


    The towering fishman warrior instantly split into two halves, his eyes bulging and his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something...


    Seeing their leader fail to withstand even a single strike sent the remaining fishman warriors into a terrified disarray!


    A group of surviving fishman warriors, their desire to fightpletely obliterated, involuntarily hid in the narrow pass.


    Although they knew it might be dangerous inside, staying outside meant certain death!


    Between a possible death and an inevitable death, no one would foolishly choose the inevitable.


    It was the same for the fishmen.


    "Yes!!"


    "Rein did an amazing job!"


    "...."


    At this moment, the elite Night Watchmen hidden in the bushes had all excitedly stood up,pletely ignoring the less than ten ''defeated soldiers'' who rushed into their trap.


    The fight Rein had fought in less than half a minute had them boiling with excitement!


    The subsequent battle was without suspense.


    After several volleys of arrows, the valley was almost entirely filled with the disgusting smell of rotting fishman corpses.


    "Haha, good job, Rein!!"


    Weilun strode over to Rein and gave him a hearty hug while he was still savoring that sword strike.


    After Rein''s rapturous Leap sh, the fishman warriors dared not face him anymore, desperately squeezing towards the pass and rushing towards the valley.


    Thus, Rein stopped and carefully relished that ''Leap sh.''


    This was the best ''Leap sh'' Rein felt he had executed since he started learning the Giant Bear Sword Technique!


    The system notification confirmed this.


    "[Your skill ''Giant Bear Sword Technique'' has improved, Experience +248]"


    "[You have survived a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +83]"


    The progress bar of the Giant Bear Sword Technique surged significantly, jumping from lv3 (101/500) to lv3 (349/500), passing the halfway mark.


    Moreover, the Night Watchman''s Profession Level also showed a significant increase, reaching lv2 (137/300).


    The gains were indeed substantial!

 Chapter 54: Chapter 53: Strange Ore

    The sessive annihtion of two groups of fishmen warriors meant that the ''backbone'' of this small Evilfin fishmen tribe had been broken.


    After a brief rest, Captain Weilun started directing the final battle.


    However, this time, no matter how Matteo lured them, the remaining Evilfin fishmen would not leave their camp to pursue him; instead, they seemed to harbor a faint fear of Matteo, who was alone.


    "What should we do?"


    "Just charge in! The remaining fishmen seem to be all weak and sick."


    "We can''t just charge in; we need to move in from the riverbank and encircle the fishmen camp!"


    "Alright! Then let''s move quickly and drive them into the forest from the shallows."


    "Yes, and then kill them one by one."


    "..."


    Rein''s recent battle hadpletely buoyed the morale of the Night Watchmen.


    Everybody was chipping in with suggestions, and in the midst of their many voices, the rough n waspleted, with Captain Weilun barely getting a word in.


    However, Weilun didn''t mind at all but instead nodded with a smile again and again.


    It had been a long time since he had seen his squad this spirited.


    As the captain, Weilun found it hard to believe that all this was triggered by a young man whose lips were still downy with youth!


    To have such strength at such a young age was no small feat!


    After the n was set, the elite members of the Night''s Watch quickly began to act under Weilun''smand.


    Rein took the lead, his Dual-Handed Greatsword swinging with a continual whooshing sound, as they rapidly advanced along the riverbank, cutting straight through.


    It was like a sharp knife slicing along the riverbank, separating the fishmen camp from the stream.


    And right behind Rein were ten Night Watchmen wielding bows and arrows.


    They followed behind Rein, continuously drawing bows and shooting arrows, driving the fishmen deep into the forest.


    Most of the fishmen remaining in the camp were old, weak, or sick. From the moment Rein and the others appeared, the whole camp fell into chaos. Few had the courage to resist and most were frantically running without choosing their paths.


    Any slight hesitation could result in the fishmen''s death under the sharp arrows of the Night Watchmen.


    Thus, this fight encountered hardly any resistance and was akin to a swift breeze sweeping away the leaves, utterly defeating the remaining fishmen.


    After the panic, the fishmen that fled into the forest realized that it was a dead end as well.


    Not to mention anything else, just the fierce beasts lurking in the Nightingale Forest would consider them as food and devour thempletely.


    So, these scattered fishmen could only choose to run back toward the stream from the forest, where they were once again faced with a barrage of arrows.


    The elite Night Watchmen killed these returning fishmen one by one.


    In the end, the fishmen who truly managed to escape into the river were few and far between.


    By this point, the small Evilfin fishmen tribe waspletely doomed.


    Even if a handful of fishmen managed to flee, they were no longer a concern. Without a tribe and settlement to rely on, the remaining isted fishmen were likely to be prey to other beasts soon.


    In the dense and overgrown Nightingale Forest, the roles of hunter and prey could switch far faster than one might imagine!


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved; Experience +49]


    [You have gone through a battle; Night Watchmen Professional Experience Points +15]


    Since the intensity of this battle was very low, almost like sweeping away fallen leaves with an autumn breeze, the Experience Rein gained was also much less.


    Of course, this was all expected.


    While Rein was checking the system messages, the Night Watchmen were not resting, but were quickly starting to loot the battlefield for spoils, heads bowed.


    Although the weapons of these Fishmen were crudely made, sometimes one could find quite a few good items among them.


    Once, someone had killed a Fishman and discovered that it was actually carrying a piece of Mithril ore the size of a fist; that person made a fortune on the spot.


    So, after the Fishmen had beenpletely eliminated, the Night Watchmen began to search for battle loot.


    "Rein, don''t just stand there,e help!" Captain Weilun called out to Rein with a smile and a wave.


    Truth be told, it wasn''t that Rein looked down on the Fishmen''s poor weapons and equipment.


    Rather, Rein believed that, as this was his first time participating in a Night Watchman squad''s battle, it was more beneficial for him to show restraint concerning the loot to integrate better into the team''s collective.


    Seeing Rein''s expression, Weilun immediately guessed something andughed heartily, "Haha, Rein, do you think the battle loot each person picks up belongs solely to themselves?"


    "That would be total chaos!"


    Rein''s brow furrowed, could there be some etiquette involved?


    "Uh, Captain Weilun, isn''t it that way?"


    "Of course not, the distribution of battle loot is carried out ording to regtions. Otherwise, those who get injured and can''t pick up any loot would be at a huge loss," Weilun exined.


    "Fairly distributing battle loot is a tradition of the Night Watchmen, which, after long practice, has gradually been improved upon and formed into specific rules," Weilun briefly exined to Rein the loot distribution rules of the Night Watchmen.


    "...."


    Rein nodded continuously as he listened. He hadn''t expected that there were actually intricacies involved just in the distribution of battle loot.


    For instance, in the loot distribution rules of the Night Watchmen, thirty percent was handed over to the Empire, and the remaining seventy percent was allocated to individuals.


    Within this remaining seventy percent, there were detailed rules regarding rewards for those who performed exceptionally in battle, the proportion of loot distribution based on differentbat roles, the pricing of enemy weapons and equipment after the battle, and even how muchpensation one should receive for having an arm severed on the battlefield.


    However, no matter how one calcted it, Rein had been incredibly instrumental in this battle and could almost directly im half of the total amount of the seventy percent of the battle loot.


    After much searching, nearly half of the loot found by everyone turned out to be his!


    This suddenly made Rein, who hade to the realization, feel a bit embarrassed, so he quickened his pace and began searching the Fishman camp.


    The corpses in the valley had been thoroughly searched earlier, and now it was mainly the Fishman camp area.


    Rein stepped into one of the stilt houses and found it contained only numerous y pots and dried fish, the entire house reeking of a strong fishy smell.


    This made him involuntarily furrow his eyebrows.


    Perhaps this fishy smell was a rare delicacy for the Fishmen, but for humans, it was somewhat unbearable.


    Rein casually rummaged around and could say he found nothing of value.


    So, he quickly left and moved on to the next stilt house.


    "Huh! This stilt house seems quite a bitrger."


    Rein noticed the difference as soon as he entered; since the stilt houses all had a conical appearance, therger size wasn''t easy to distinguish from the outside.


    But one could tell the difference once inside.


    This stilt house had a lot more furnishings, and in one corner, there was even a worn wooden box.


    Rein''s eyes lit up immediately, and he used his greatsword to pry open the box, revealing a glint of shine within. There were a small amount of gold and silver coins, a piece of green agate, three or four pieces of maite, and a nugget of gold?


    Rein picked up the supposed gold nugget with delight, but as soon as he held it, he felt that the weight was off��it was clearly too light!


    Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be just a high-quality piece of brass ore.


    Rein was greatly disappointed at this discovery.


    Since the wooden box was beginning to rot and was too heavy to carry conveniently, Rein took the coins one by one and ced them in his pocket and packed the green agate and others into arge cloth bag.


    "Huh! What''s this?"


    Suddenly, Rein discovered that in the half-empty wooden box, beneath severalrger pieces of maite, there was a fist-sized, slightly luminescent mysterious ore.

 Chapter 55: Chapter 54: The Ogres Trail

    This peculiar glow immediately caught Rein''s attention.


    Rein promptly picked up the ore, and as soon as he held it, he felt an unusually heavy sensation.


    "Hiss! Such a high density, it might even be heavier than star iron!"


    Having learned how to identify ores from the cksmith Borisst time, Rein was no longer ignorant about ores.


    Rein first squeezed it forcefully, then he lightly hacked at it a few times with his greatsword.


    The bizarre ore remained undamaged, which further strengthened Rein''s judgment.


    Simply based on its hardness and weight, this piece of ore must be some kind of special ore.


    Moreover, ording to Rein''s initial judgment, the value of this piece of ore likely was not less than that of the piece of star iron that Boris owned.


    Thinking it over, Rein had no inclination to selfishly keep the ore for himself.


    Even if this ore was extremely valuable, he would probably receive it during the distribution of spoils based on his contribution, provided he didn''t want anything else.


    Consequently, Rein dumped everything from the wooden box into arge cloth bag.


    He then picked up the heavy bag and found his team leader, Weilun.


    "So much?" After seeing what was inside the cloth bag, Weilun immediately widened his eyes, a surprised expression facing Rein.


    "Rein, you really are... our squad''s lucky star!" Watching Rein, who had gathered a lot in such a short time, Weilun didn''t know what to say all of a sudden and could only shake his head and sigh at Rein''s good luck.


    "Captain Weilun, when the valuation is done, and we distribute the spoils, I''ll take this ore," Rein said as he took out the softly glowing stone from the bag and handed it to Weilun.


    "Seems like a special ore? That''s indeed rare, no problem!" While Weilun was experienced and knowledgeable, his ability to identify ores was no better than Rein''s, he just knew that this wasn''t an ordinary ore.


    "Go on then!" Weilun said as he directly tossed the ore back to Rein.


    Just as Rein was puzzled.


    He heard Weilun say, "You taking it now is the safest way, waiting until we bring the spoils back to town for the quartermaster to value it, it very well might get assessed into the empire''s required thirty percent share."


    "Just take it now, and if it''s valuable, remember to buy each of us a round of tequ!"


    Weilun said, patting Rein''s shoulder with augh.


    Clearly, in Weilun''s heart, winning over Rein, the promising star of the Night Watchman squad, was much more important than this special ore.


    "Haha, of course, no problem, but this..."


    Rein certainly understood Captain Weilun''s kindness, he just wasn''t sure if this distribution was really okay, so he didn''t know what to say next.


    Just then, a Night Watchman team member waved at Weilun, who was talking with Rein, and called out:


    "Captain, you bettere take a look at this!"


    From the tone, it seemed there was some unexpected discovery.


    Curious, Rein followed Weilun over.


    They saw a very noticeable trail of huge footprints stretching into the depths of the forest, as this area was near a small river and the ground was moist, the footprints were exceptionally clear.


    "Hiss! They''re so big!" Rein eximed in surprise as he looked at the row of footprints before him.


    "Four toes! These are ogre tracks!!" Unlike Rein''s surprise, Weilun''s expression changed dramatically!


    "Rein, we need to leave here immediately! Damn it! To think that ogres appeared here, and it looks like this small tribe of Sinfin fishmen must have been driven here by the ogre."


    "Perhaps the ogres are keeping these fishmen as livestock. If that''s really the case, and we''ve killed so many fishmen..."


    "This is bad, we need to leave immediately!"


    "Everyone, move! Stop collecting the spoils!" Weilun immediately called out to everyone.


    Seeing Weilun look so anxious, Rein felt a tightening in his heart as well.


    After all, as the captain of the Night Watchman, Weilun was far more experienced than him, and the enemy had just witnessed hisbat power.


    The fact that they were now hastily deciding to retreat indicated that the ogre''s strength must far surpass their group.


    Soon, everyone put the spoils on the pack horses, and then each leaped onto their horses, heading back the way they hade.


    Actually, Rein was still somewhat puzzled.


    "Since we really discovered traces of the ogre, shouldn''t we stealthily approach and investigate?"


    "Or is it that ogres have extremely acute senses of smell or hearing, making it impossible to approach?"


    "After all, we don''t even know the number of ogres."


    After hastily leaving the Glimmer Lake region, Rein could no longer hold back and asked:


    "Captain Weilun, are ogres really that fearsome?"


    Weilun nced at Rein and said gravely, "More terrifying than you can imagine. You''ve also fought the savage werewolves before, were they not very strong?"


    "Of course!" Rein nodded, that savage werewolf was the strongest enemy he had encountered so far.


    "Well, do you know what would happen if that savage werewolf encountered a mature ogre? It would either obediently be the ogre''s subordinate or it would run away immediately. There''s no third option."


    "The gap between them is like that between wolves and brown bears in the forest!" Weilun gestured with his fingers and confidently stated.


    "Thatrge?" Rein expressed surprised.


    This was far beyond his expectations; ogres were so powerful!


    He had thought their strength would be fairly simr.


    Weilun nodded and continued, "Yes, Rein, have you heard about the recent ogre attack on Albero Town?"


    "This... I think I''ve heard something about it." Rein immediately recalled the content discussed by some pseudo-rich generation peers on the day he just crossed over, which seemed to be about this Albero Town.


    "The sheriff of Albero Town, Knight Hamza Qulin, whose strength is not much inferior to Lord Hamilton, was severely wounded by that roaming ogre that night."


    "If it weren''t for other Night Watchmen risking their lives to distract the ogre, Sir Hamza, a knight of great strength, might have been killed in honor."


    After hearing Weilun''s exnation, Rein raised an eyebrow; this really surprised him.


    He had always thought ogres were justrge, slow-giant fools with immense strength, but ording to Weilun''s description, it seemed not to be the case.


    He didn''t know Knight Hamza, but he was aware of Hamilton''s strength.


    If a knight like Hamza, whose strength wasparable to Hamilton''s, couldn''t withstand the ogre, Rein also had the awareness that even if he activated his cksmith Strength Lv3, he would not be a match for the ogre.


    "I''ve been feeling that something''s been off thisst year, there''s been too much happening in the Meister County!" Weilun seemed to recall and sighed at this moment.


    "After we get back, we must report this matter to Lord Hamilton immediately."


    If Rein felt somewhatcent after his mass killing at the merfolk camp,


    then after understanding the formidable strength of the ogre, that trace ofcency in his heart disappeared without a trace.


    "The revolution is not yet sessful,rades still need to work hard!"


    A famous saying from his past life naturally came to Rein''s mind.

 Chapter 56: Chapter 55: Code Name Poison Blade

    shgold Town, in the afternoon.


    A middle-aged man d in a ck waistcoat, of exceedingly ordinary appearance, stepped into the noisy tavern belonging to the family with thick eyebrows.


    At this time, the tavern was gradually filling with people��many mercenaries, artisans of various trades, idlers, and even off-dutyw enforcement officers woulde for a drink to rx after a day''s hard work.


    The man in ck quietly ordered the mostmon rye beer and began sipping it in small mouthfuls.


    What went unnoticed was that his ears twitched slightly, as if he was carefully discerning whether there was any information he needed in the patrons'' boasts and conversations.


    He was known as "Poison de," an assassin nurtured by the Brotherhood of the Wilderness, tasked mainly with dealing with people and matters that couldn''t withstand the light of day.


    This time, he had received orders from above; apparently, a big shot hadmanded him to kill a young man and suggested that it would be best if the death looked idental.


    Upon receiving the mission, ''Poison de'' immediately conducted a detailed analysis of the target based on the information given.


    ''Rein, aged between 14-16, the son of a farmer from shgold Town, currently undergoing servant training at the Habsburg manor,bat strength rating: Militia+.''


    When ''Poison de'' first saw the information before him, he didn''t show any signs of surprise.


    Because the whims of important figures are always a bit peculiar.


    In the past, he had done dirtier jobs involving even stranger targets such as a viscount''s personal maid, a baroness''s apanying guard, and even a newborn baby from a noble family.


    Soon, ''Poison de,'' who was all ears, picked up the information he needed amidst the mor of the tavern.


    "What a tragedy! The only son of the Aiwen family died during servant training at the Habsburg manor, eaten alive by a Gnoll," said a man with a horse-like face dressed as a mercenary.


    "Really? I thought the Habsburg manor always had guards. If even that ce isn''t safe, doesn''t that make shgold Town even less so?" The burly man across from him looked skeptical as he drank.


    "Ha! Don''t be so quick to doubt! The son of the owner of this very Oak Tavern, where we are now, was training with the Aiwen boy. When that kid came back yesterday, he was scared out of his wits!"


    "However... I''ve heard he was the first one to cry for help at that time!"


    "Look! That''s the young man sitting over there," the horse-faced mercenary lifted his head, gesturing.


    The burly man immediately looked over and nodded, no longer doubting. The young man sitting there was indeed the son of the owner of the Oak Tavern, apparently named Richard, whom he had met a few times.


    "So it looks like the story must be true."


    "So is the servant training suspended now?"


    "Of course, the training''s been put on hold ever since the incident," the horse-faced mercenary gulped down half a ss of rye beer and belched contentedly!


    ''Poison de'' quickly learned that the servant training the target was attending had been suspended.


    "In that case, there''s no need to carry out my original n of sneaking into the Habsburg manor."


    "The most difficult part of the mission was unexpectedly avoided."


    This brought a slight smile to ''Poison de''s'' face.


    The reduction in mission difficulty was certainly good news.


    Now, all he had to do was lie in wait on the target''s journey home and kill him.


    Strength slightly better than that of a militia, heh.


    ...


    Meanwhile.


    Inside Lord Hamilton''s office at the shgold Town government hall,


    Weilun and Rein sat in front of Hamilton''s desk, reporting on the situation of their trip.


    "So, the number of fishmen greatly exceeded expectations this time?" Hamilton''s brows furrowed slightly, but the next second they rxed.


    "The scout report was wed, but you stillpleted the mission very well. Good job, really excellent work!" Hamilton looked at Weilun and Rein appreciatively.


    Pairing the two of them together seemed to be quite a good idea after all.


    Rein grew strong very quickly, capable of taking on ''hard bones'', but hecked experience.


    Weilun, on the other hand, was seasoned and slick, but his strength was average. When facing enemies with stronger capabilities, he was at aplete loss.


    The twoplemented each other perfectly.


    At that moment, Weilun gave Rein a nce and continued his report to Hamilton with a solemn face:


    "My lord, after we eradicated that small evil fin fishmen tribe, we also discovered ogre footprints nearby."


    "What? You''ve found traces of an ogre? How many?" Hamilton asked in surprise, his hands propping up the mahogany desk as he immediately stood up.


    "Yes, Lord Hamilton. Near the fishmen camp, we found huge footprints left by an ogre. After an initial survey, they appear to belong to the same ogre."


    "That means we can confirm the presence of at least one ogre."


    "But as for whether there are any other ogres, we are not sure."


    Perhaps worried about misleading his superior''s judgment, Captain Weilun spoke very cautiously about this matter.


    "Good, it''s right to be cautious. Ogres are not something you can handle," Hamilton replied, regaining hisposure and slowly sitting down again.


    "It seems that we need to report this matter to the County Town."


    "I''m still recovering from my injuries; if an ogre attack like the one in Albero Town urs, that would be terrible."


    After pondering for a moment, Hamilton picked up a quill pen and began writing swiftly on a piece of paper. Once he finished, he sealed it in an envelope.


    Hamilton then took out a red granule the size of a fingernail from a drawer, ced it on the seal of the envelope, and pressed down hard with his left fist!


    After Hamilton lifted his hand, the red granule had been ttened, revealing the embossed image of a mounted Night Watchman holding a torch on the wax seal.


    It was then that Rein noticed Hamilton''s ring on his left middle finger was a seal ring, with an indented surface bearing a special pattern or text representing its owner.


    Afterpleting these actions, Hamilton rang a delicate copper bell on the desk.


    "Ding-a-ling-a-ling!"


    A young man dressed as a guard walked in and bowed slightly, "Lord Hamilton, what are yourmands?"


    "Hudson, you must go to the County Town immediately and deliver this letter to Viscount Hamadi, the sheriff there. Do not dy on this matter, go now!" Hamiltonmanded sternly.


    "By yourmand, Lord Hamilton," Hudson, the guard, saluted and quickly left the office.


    "Weilun, tell the Night Watchmen to increase the frequency of patrols at night for the next few days... I will have the guards participate as well," Hamilton ordered.


    "As youmand, Lord Hamilton," Weilun also stood up to leave and make the arrangements.


    Now in the office, it was just Rein and Hamilton.


    On the way, Captain Weilun had not been very clear when talking about ogres, and now Rein wanted to ask for more details: "My lord, are you also concerned about ogres, with your strength?"


    Hamilton nodded solemnly:


    "These evil and brutal humanoid creatures grow to an average height of three meters and weigh seven to eight hundred pounds as adults. They are adept at using weapons like giant wooden clubs and mallets. Even full-fledged Knights find it difficult to withstand their blows in directbat."


    ''Three meters'' ''Seven to eight hundred pounds''?


    Upon hearing these figures, Rein felt a chill of shock. He knew all too well what those numbers signified.

 Chapter 57: Chapter 56: Bounty Hunters Badge

    ```


    You should know that even the famous NBA star O''Neal was only about two meters twenty tall and weighed three to four hundred pounds.


    The ogre''s heavy weapon could even cause shock damage to a knight''s flesh through te armor.


    "Moreover, ogres like to gather creatures such as gnolls and jackalweres as their followers. When ogres attack human viges, these scoundrels will alsoe to get their share!"


    Rein nodded his head. No wonder, he finally understood why Hamilton ced such great importance on ogres.


    It turned out that the opponent was not only formidable when fighting alone but also called upon a bunch of ckeys'' as followers.


    "Erm, Lord Hamilton, can''t we set a trap and then lure the ogre into it for an ambush? Why do we have to fight the ogre head-on?" This was also the point that Rein could not fathom.


    After all, it was by learning to use tools that humans could killrge beasts.


    Hamilton shook his head and said,


    "Digging traps works against ordinary wild beasts, but for ogres, they have strong danger perception and can easily detect and avoid traps. Trying to defeat them with traps is utterly oundish."


    "The same goes for ferocious wild beasts; they all possess extremely strong danger perception abilities."


    "So, facing them, there aren''t many cunning methods avable. Humans can only rely on their own transcendental strength," Hamilton exined.


    This revtion stunned Rein!


    Ogres were so difficult to deal with that once theyunched an attack on human settlements, they often caused significant casualties.


    For the local sheriff, the appearance of an ogre was a very serious security risk within his jurisdiction.


    Moreover, Rein finally understood why knights held such a high status in this world.


    Because in a world that so heavily relied on individual high-endbat power, knights with formidable strength were the cornerstone of social stability.


    "Alright, enough about ogres. Rein, I have something here that you will definitely like."


    Upon hearing Hamilton''s words, Rein showed curiosity.


    "I just got it myself too." Hamilton took out a circr badge from the drawer,rger than a Gold Coin by one round, and handed it to Rein.


    Rein took it carefully and began to inspect it closely.


    Once in hand, the badge gave Rein a hefty feeling, and judging by the material, it seemed to be made of copper.


    It appeared to be mixed with a small amount of other metals, looking much like gold but duller, with a very beautiful luster.


    On the front was the head of a howling running wolf, with sharp fangs and ferocious eyes vividly engraved.


    On the back, it said Rein Can, shgold Town, Meister County, and a long string of numbers.


    "This is the badge of a junior Bounty Hunter. With this, you can carry weapons with you whenever you leave the house," Hamilton finally revealed.


    "So this is the Bounty Hunter badge, but how did ite so quickly?" Rein''s eyes shed with joy.


    "Haha, Rein, you''re in luck. When your application was submitted, it just hit the time node, otherwise, you would have to wait at least another month," Hamilton said with a slight smile.


    Rein nodded his head, it seemed his luck was indeed good.


    With the Bounty Hunter badge, he could carry weapons with him, which would definitely be more secure.


    And not have to use a hammer to deal with thugs like before!


    However, having the ''Hammer Expertise'' skill and keeping a hammer as a backup didn''t seem like a bad idea.


    Rein suddenly became thoughtful.


    ...


    Before long.


    After leaving Hamilton''s office, Rein continued to wrap his Dual-Handed Greatsword in arge piece of sheepskin, then slung it over his shoulder and prepared to head home.


    Even now with the Bounty Hunter badge, Rein did not wish to show off.


    Be humble in life, but high-profile in actions!


    ```


    "Rein, wait a moment." Weilun approached with a face full of joy.


    "Captain Weilun, what is it?"


    "Here! This is your share of the spoils. The quartermaster has just finished assessing it." Weilun said with a smile, handing a cloth bag to Rein.


    "Such efficiency? Truly admirable!" Rein said with a smile as well.


    Rein weighed the cloth bag Weilun had handed him, and a look of surprise crossed his face.


    Upon opening it, his suspicions were confirmed.


    "Why so much?"


    Rein''s surprise was not without reason, for there were ten Empire Gold Coins inside.


    "The quartermaster determined your share of the loot to be 20 gold and 9 silver, so I just gave you 10 gold, and I rounded off the change. You don''t mind, do you?" Captain Weilun said with a beaming smile.


    "Of course not!"


    "No! I mean, it seems like too much for me." Rein earnestly said.


    "You deserve it! Now, you go on home. I have to find the others and distribute the money." Weilun patted Rein''s shoulder, not giving him a chance to refuse any longer.


    "Thank you, Captain Weilun. Goodbye."


    After watching Weilun leave, Rein joyfully tucked the money pouch carefully into his chest to keep it safe.


    At that moment, his hand brushed against that peculiar ore.


    "How about taking a detour to the cksmith''s shop now and ask Boris what kind of ore this actually is?"


    "Forget it, I should just go home first; it''s not urgent at this moment."


    Rein looked up at the ever-darkening sky and abandoned his n of going to the cksmith, heading directly towards his home instead.


    By now, ''Poison Dagger'' had already arrived near Rein''s home,pleted the survey of the terrain, and confirmed through observation that Rein had not yet returned home.


    Then, ''Poison Dagger'' began to make preparations.


    As an assassin, a job was just a job, and ''Poison Dagger'' never allowed personal feelings to get in the way of his work.


    Therefore, when his dagger aimed for the necks of children, young women, nobledies, or the elderly, he didn''t hesitate in the slightest.


    His sharp dagger also ensured that his victims left this world without much pain.


    ''Poison Dagger'' believed this was the greatest mercy he could offer.


    Since the client had another requirement, which was to make the death look like an ident as much as possible, he also had a full n in ce for that.


    At that moment, he was applying poison to his "ck Spike" dagger, a poison that caused paralysis and dizziness.


    He nned to strike the target once and then drag him into the nearby woods.


    After that, he would draw some blood from the victim. The scent of blood would quickly attract wild animals. By the time people discovered the young man''s remains several dayster, they would assume he had wandered into the woods and been attacked by beasts.


    It seemed... not quite perfect.


    But the money given by the client was only enough for him to do so much.


    ''Poison Dagger'' didn''t n on putting in any more effort.


    After arranging everything, ''Poison Dagger'' stood patiently in a dark alley, his gaze fixed ahead, quietly waiting for his target to arrive.


    ....


    "Ah! This must be it!"


    ''Poison Dagger'' looked pleased; once he had seen a person''s portrait, he almost never made a mistake. He was confident that the young man approaching from afar was Rein, his target for the assassination.


    Therefore, he stepped briskly out of the alley and walked towards Rein.

 Chapter 58: Chapter 57 Poisonous Blade VS Rein

    Under the cloak of night, Rein, delighted, was carrying a sheepskin-wrapped greatsword and walking towards his home.


    At that moment, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man in ck approached him with a smile and asked, "Hello, could you tell me how to get to the Oak Tree Tavern in shgold Town?"


    The Oak Tree Tavern?


    That''s the Brow family''s ce!


    Just as Rein was about to turn around to point out the direction, a sudden rm went off in his mind!


    A streak of ck light, fast as lightning, was rushing towards him.


    "Ha!!"


    In the blink of an eye, Rein twisted his body with all his might, gripping the Dual-Handed Greatsword with both hands, and from top to bottom, he swung with all his strength, delivering a Furious sh!


    Almost simultaneously, a streak of ck light shed by, and Rein felt a slight pain in his right rib.


    "Bang!!"


    Dust flew up!


    It was the first time Rein had missed.


    His strike, the Furious sh, had not hit the target; the Dual-Handed Greatsword heavily fell on the ground.


    "It''s a dagger!"


    "Assassin!"


    Rein instantly realized that this strange middle-aged man in ck was most likely an assassin.


    No wonder he moved so fast, dodging his counterattack in an instant.


    Suddenly, the ck light struck again!


    "Defensive stance!"


    Instinctively, Rein used the only defensive sword technique from the Giant Bear Sword Technique, designed to counter high-speed moving enemies. He raised the Fine Steel Greatsword vertically, blocking the path of the attacker''s ck light.


    "ng!!"


    The assassin''s dagger struck hard on the broad de of the Dual-Handed Greatsword, to no effect.


    However, the force of the rebound caused a slight dy in the assassin''s movement!


    "Good opportunity!!"


    Rein kicked powerfully at the wide back ridge of his sword, and the tip suddenly kicked up arge cloud of dust, covering the assassin''s whole body like a torrential downpour, forcing him to raise his hands to shield himself.


    "cksmith''s Strength!"


    "Whirlwind sh!!"


    As the assassin lifted his arms to protect his eyes and retreated swiftly, Rein swung the Dual-Handed Greatsword around in a semicircr area attack��the Whirlwind sh!!


    This sword technique, which Rein had often used while clearing out murlocs, proved exceptionally swift and devastating.


    The one-and-a-half-meter-long Dual-Handed Greatsword traced a beautiful, bright, semicircr arc.


    With Rein''s reachbined with the length of the greatsword, the assassin, although retreating at high speed, really couldn''t avoid it!


    He was still half a meter short of escaping the reach of the greatsword; the assassin had no choice but to twist his body forcibly, raising the short dagger to protect his waist, blocking Rein''s ferocious attack.


    It must be said that the assassin''s closebat skills were extremely strong, as he managed to adopt a defensive posture mid-air to avoid being bisected by Rein''s Dual-Handed Greatsword!


    "ng!!"


    But tragedy still struck!


    The ferocious Dual-Handed Greatsword struck heavily on the small dagger.


    Especially since the assassin had underestimated Rein''s explosive strength!


    Under the berserk force of sixteen points of strength, the assassin was bent over like a straw; his whole body was violently smashed!


    Then, with a "bang," like a cannonball, he was severely hacked into the woods by the roadside.


    "Puh!!"


    The assassin heavily collided against arge tree, hugged by one person, and violently spat out a mouthful of fresh blood!


    Then, with another "bang," he was bounced back to the ground by the tree trunk, continuing to vomitrge amounts of blood.


    His dagger-holding right hand was now grotesquely twisted, clearly indicating aplete fracture of the forearm. The broken radius and ulna bones protruded through the flesh on one side.


    But the opponent was lucky!


    Because the opponent''s dagger was clearly no ordinary weapon, when split by Rein''s Dual-Handed Greatsword, it didn''t shatter!


    Had it been a dagger of normal material, it would have likely shattered on the spot or broken in half, and the person would have been bisected by Rein right then and there.


    The opponent tried several times to get up, but each attempt was exceptionally difficult, and clumsily, he fell back to the ground.


    Rein''s recent Whirlwind sh not only broke the opponent''s arm but also left his ribs and organs in aplete mess.


    A normal person would have been dead by now, only a well-trained assassin with strong vitality like this could survive.


    As Rein rapidly approached, the assassin''s eyes revealed despair.


    "Damn it, who said the guy was just a farmer''s son with a bit of talent in swordsmanship, slightly stronger than a militiaman?"


    "The strength of thatst strike exceeded that of an average third-level Knight Attendant!"


    "Damn, we screwed up this time. Abatantparable to a qualified knight was written off as just a bit stronger than a militiaman."


    "Damn the guy who did the intel; fuck you!"


    Unfortunately, Rein could not hear ''Poison de''s'' internal monologue, or else Rein would have touched his nose and told ''Poison de'' that he was wrongly ming others because the intelligence was essentially correct.


    Because ''Poison de'' had indeed overestimated Rein.


    Without the enhancement from the Skill ''cksmith''s Strength,'' Rein''s power would diminish significantly, at best, he would be at the level of a first-level Knight Attendant!


    So, the intelligence indicating that Rein''s strength was Militiaman+ was actually quite urate, slightly wed but not wrong.


    But Rein''s skill ''cksmith''s Strength lv3'' was too abnormal, boosting his strength by sixty percent in an instant, turning the kitten into a tiger!


    This kind of discrepancy would be unbearable for anyone.


    Additionally, a fresh trick works wonders everywhere!


    As for the other moves of the Giant Bear Sword Technique, Rein might not be so proficient and swift, but he was familiar with the Whirlwind sh!


    Having swept through a day-long Fishman camp, Rein had been mostly practicing this very move.


    The abnormal skill ''cksmith''s Strength lv3'' paired with the fresh move ''Whirlwind sh,'' had almost caused ''Poison de''s'' intestines to spill out!


    Just when Rein was about to approach quickly and press the opponent for information.


    The ck-d assassin lying on the ground looked up at Rein defiantly with a hint of resolve in his eyes, and the next second, his mouth overflowed with a lot of ck blood.


    "Not good!" Rein rushed forward, but it was already toote.


    The assassin had actuallymitted suicide!


    Such a professional assassin?!


    Rein quickly recalled everyone he had offended.


    The first was bushy brows, but from hisst hiring of the likes of "Drunk Jack"��and only asking him to break Rein''s hand��it seemed unlikely that this fierce and ruthless professional assassin was hired by him.


    Firstly, the style did not match; the level of bushy brows'' hatred for him did not reach such an extent.


    Secondly, the cost of hiring such a professional assassin was likely beyond what a teenager could afford.


    "Could it be, was it because of killing ckbeard, and Boss Kole of the Hyena Gang found out?" Rein murmured.


    "Or, was it because I identally got involved in the session disputes of Count Habbs?"


    These were the only two possibilities so far.


    Rein thought it through and felt that whether it was the Hyena Gang or Count Habbs'' sessors, both had the motive and means to hire an assassin.


    "Strength! I still need to enhance my strength!"


    Rein once again felt a strong sense of urgency in his heart.


    This time, if it weren''t for his ''danger perception'' skill and the fact that the opponent''s strength was within his capability to handle, he could have turned the tables against the wind.


    Otherwise, he would really have been done for!


    As Rein was about to go forward and collect the spoils of war, the next second, he suddenly felt a slight dizziness in his head.


    He sharply looked down and only then did Rein notice the light cut below his right rib, although it bled little and the cut was shallow, the burst skin felt utterly numb!


    This made him realize at once.


    "Shit! The bastard used poison!"

 Chapter 59: Chapter 58: Pharmacist Abel

    Rein''splexion changed, but upon closer consideration, he was not very panicked in his heart.


    For the color of the wound did not darken or show any other reaction, suggesting that the poison was not very potent.


    Moreover, he had always kept 1 attribute point in reserve.


    Exactly for times like this!


    Without dy, Rein added this one attribute point to his constitution.


    Instantly, a warm current surged from his heart, filling Rein with new strength and erasing the dizziness he had just experienced.


    This immediately brought a sense of stability to Rein''s mind.


    However, the sensation in the area of the wound had not returned, indicating that the poison was still present!


    It seemed that adding the point was more like refreshing the state of his body, but the poison in the wound was still threading its way deeper into his system.


    Rein immediately seized the time to move forward, first lifting the corpse of the assassin with the tip of his sword to confirm that the man had indeed ceased breathing, then he quickly began to search the body.


    Generally speaking, since the assassin had used poison, he must have carried both poison and antidote on him, though of course, there might not be an antidote for the specific poison that had just affected Rein, but it was likely that the assassin had the same poison.


    Therefore, if Rein could find the poison that had affected him on the assassin''s body, he might be able to understand what poison it was, which would make it much easier to deal with afterward.


    A few secondster, Rein was dumbfounded!


    He saw that in the assassin''s belt pouch, he had turned up seven or eight bottles and jars of different colors, but the problem was, none of these bottles and jars bore anybels.


    It appeared that the assassin relied on differences such as color and the shape of the bottle to remember which kind of poison or antidote was inside each one.


    After a moment of thought, Rein seemed toe up with an idea.


    Immediately, Rein no longer took the time to look closely but dragged the assassin''s body behind arge rock and took all the bottles, jars, dagger, and the money pouch, and hurried towards the town.


    Turning left and right, Rein quickly arrived at the door of a shop marked with the signs of herbs and reagents.


    The shop was named Abel''s Pharmacy.


    The owner of the pharmacy was named Abel, a middle-aged man around forty, tall and thin, who was usually silent and hardly appeared in front of the townsfolk, spending his time alone fiddling with his concoctions in the pharmacy.


    At first, the townspeople called him ''Oddball'' Abel.


    Butter on, as the residents of shgold Town gradually realized that the potions Abel crafted were more effective than those from other ces and were also slightly cheaper than simr potions on the market, their perception of him improved markedly.


    No longer did they refer to him as ''Oddball'' Abel; instead, they respectfully called him Pharmacist Abel or Mr. Abel.


    Additionally, there was a curious incident to mention: ever since Abel demonstrated his extraordinary knowledge in potion-making, Molly, the eighteen or neen-year-old beautiful daughter of the tailor shop owner next to the pharmacy, began to fall in love with Abel, the nearly forty-year-old bachelor!


    This matter initially astonished the people of shgold Town, but upon further reflection, they realized that apart from immersing himself in potion research, Abel had no vices such as gambling or drinking and seemed to be indeed a fine man for fostering a family.


    The residents who came to this understanding envied Molly for her discernment, and the couple has now been married for half a year.


    Rein hade here not to buy potions but to seek the help of Abel, proficient in potion studies, to identify which bottle contained the correct antidote.


    After all, professional matters should be left to professionals.


    As for what Abel might perceive?


    At a time like this, who would care about such a thing?


    Preserving one''s life was of the utmost importance!


    Moreover, since Abel was always reserved and hardly spoke, Rein wasn''t too worried that this apothecary would spread rumors about him.


    When Rein reached Abel''s Pharmacy, that sensation of dizziness had started to bother him again.


    However, it did seem a bit better than just now.


    He didn''t know whether it was because his constitution had grown stronger, or because the potency of the poison had started to wane.


    It seemed that adding attribute points could only restore all of his physical energy, but it couldn''t dispel this adverse condition!


    He still needed an antidote.


    As he walked into the pharmacy, the owner Abel was not there; instead, his newlywed wife Molly sat behind the counter.


    Rein was well aware that the expertise in potionsy with Abel, not with the woman in front of him.


    In fact, this young bride only knew the names and prices of each potion.


    Rein hesitated for a moment then quickly stepped forward and asked,


    "Molly, is Mr. Abel here?"


    "Oh, if it isn''t little Rein, you''ve grown taller and even more handsome. As for Abel, the new marshal has called for him; he should be over at the town administrative office. What''s the matter, do you need something?" Molly said with a smile, standing up to greet Rein.


    Both having grown up in shgold Town, Molly and Rein had known each other for a long time.


    "Um... just a small issue. The marshal? Then I''ll go find Mr. Abel at the town administrative office. Goodbye, Molly." Rein waved his hand and quickly left the pharmacy, heading towards the administrative office.


    "Hey, Rein, you could wait..." Molly shook her head as she watched Rein hurry away, unable to understand why he was in such a rush.


    Soon, Rein arrived at the town administrative office and after asking the guards, he quickly found out the answer.


    Indeed, Molly was right; Abel was here, currently in Hamilton''s office.


    "Knock, knock, knock!"


    "Come in!"


    So, before long, Rein was back in Hamilton''s office again.


    Upon entering the office, he saw Abel, d in a ck robe, standing next to Hamilton, apparently examining the knight''s injuries.


    This caused Rein to pause for a moment, but then a slight smile appeared on his face.


    This just proved that Abel''s medical skills were very high since even the injuries of an official knight like Hamilton were being treated by him. Rein thought confidently that the poison afflicting his own body would be no trouble at all.


    "Eh! Rein, why have youe back?" Hamilton asked, looking puzzled.


    Rein didn''t answer directly, but he tilted his head slightly to nce at Pharmacist Abel, then turned his gaze back to Hamilton.


    Hamilton instantly understood and waved his hand, saying, "It''s fine, Rein, just say what you need to. Abel is an old friend of mine!"


    Rein nodded and said, "I was just attacked by an assassin and poisoned!"


    "What?!" Hamilton immediately stood up from his chair, his eyes wide as he stared at Rein, clearly shocked by the news.


    And Abel, normally so stoic, also looked at Rein with surprise on his face, as if to say, ''You a kid, and yet there are assassins out to kill you?''


    Rein didn''t continue to exin, but instead stepped forward and with a rustle, he ced all the bottles and jars he had been carrying onto Hamilton''s spacious desk.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein also took out the ck dagger and ced it on the desk as well.


    Now, Hamilton fell silent too.


    He exchanged a look with Abel, both seeing surprise in the other''s eyes.


    But at that moment, both knew that Rein had not lied.

 Chapter 60: Chapter 59 Detoxification and Analysis

    "Rein, don''t panic, let me take a look first," Abel said at that moment.


    He paused his examination of Hamilton''s wounds, walked around the desk, and came over.


    Abel first inspected Rein''s wound, then picked up the ck dagger and sniffed it, and after checking Rein''s pupils, he said:


    "Don''t worry, the poison you''ve been hit with is a paralytic toxin. Even without an antidote, the effect will naturally wear off after half a day."


    Something seemed to ur to Abel, and he raised his eyebrows and continued:


    "However... Rein, your body is quite robust!"


    Because if an ordinary person were scratched like that, most likely within a few minutes they would gradually feel dizzy and numb in their hands and feet, followed by a loss of consciousness.


    Abel hadn''t expected Rein to be able to hold out until now, and even at that moment, he couldn''t really tell that Rein was close to sumbing.


    This surprised him a lot.


    Abel''s words allowed Rein to rx inside.


    So it was just a paralytic poison!


    That''s a relief!


    Nevertheless, if there''s an antidote among these bottles and jars, it would of course be best to take it immediately.


    Before Rein could even speak, Abel had already started carefully examining the collection of bottles and jars ced on the desk.


    Abel picked up a small round ck bottle, opened the stopper, merely sniffed it, and then began to exin:


    "This is a lethal poison; its main ingredients are deathcap and toxic bloom. If one is stabbed with it, they will sumb to the poison and die in a short amount of time."


    Then, he took another square-shaped bottle, opened the stopper, sniffed it, and said:


    "This is a wounding poison, made primarily from serrated grass, causing the wound to bleed continuously."


    "....."


    One after another, the longest identification time did not exceed five seconds.


    "This... This is too familiar!"


    "Someone who didn''t know any better would think that Abel made these poisons and antidotes himself!"


    Rein watched with wide eyes, only this thought running through his mind.


    Moreover, in his subconscious, Rein somewhat doubted that the man before him was merely a simple pharmacist.


    The other party was just too familiar with all sorts of concoctions!


    Soon, Abel found the antidote among the assassin''s diverse bottles and jars.


    "These two bottles are the antidotes, but they need to be mixed together to create the actual antidote," Abel indicated.


    Rein''s face darkened at once.


    Who would have thought of that?


    It''s damn crafty, keeping the antidote in two separate bottles and requiring them to be mixed before use!


    Only someone well-versed in pharmacology could spot such a trick at a nce.


    Lucky for him, he had found Abel.


    Thinking it through, Rein felt a wave of relief mixed with fear.


    Abel poured the two concoctions together, mixed them thoroughly, observed for a few seconds,


    "Alright, these two concoctions have been pre-mixed in the correct proportions, but the antidote might be a bit pungent."


    "Of course, Mr. Abel!" Rein nodded promptly in response.


    "Take a couple of strong sniffs, and it will counteract the effects of the paralytic poison," Abel said as he handed over the antidote to Rein.


    With a look of joy on his face, Rein nodded and said, "Thank you, Mr. Abel."


    He quickly took the antidote and took a fierce sniff, but the very next second, Rein''s face turned green and he almost retched from disgust.


    It really was unbearably foul-smelling!


    Rein had never experienced the stench of a skunk''s spray, but he assumed it had to be quite simr!


    At that moment, he only felt his temples throbbing, and it was as if a nerve in his head was twitching.


    Seeing Abel''s somewhat amused expression, Rein finally understood why Abel had asked him in the first ce.


    What a sly character!


    But I have to say, the dizziness almostpletely disappeared, and the effect was indeed very significant.


    This caused Rein to furrow his brows tightly and inhale again.


    That''s potent!


    It''s like snorting mustard up your nose.


    But the effect was really good; after two sniffs, Rein became totally clearheaded!


    The dizziness disappeared in an instant.


    Also, he started to feel a dull pain at the wound on his right rib.


    After Abel had helped with the poisoning, he seemed to have other matters to attend to, and after instructing Rein on a few things to pay attention to for his recovery, he took his leave.


    At this moment, only Rein and Lord Hamilton were in the office.


    "Have you dealt with the body?" Lord Hamilton asked proactively.


    "Uh... not yet. I ced the opponent''s body behind a pile of rubble about half a person''s height, in the woods near the south side of the town square in shgold Town."


    "I got it. I''ll have someone take care of it." After saying that, Lord Hamilton shook a bell on the table.


    At that moment, a guard walked in.


    "Call for the Night Watchman."


    "As youmand, Lord Hamilton!"


    Soon after, Weilun, the familiar Night Watchman captain, walked in.


    He saw Rein, smiled, and nodded.


    "Lord Hamilton, you called for me?"


    "Weilun, there''s a body behind a half-person-tall pile of rubble in the woods near the south end of the town square. Take a few men and handle it."


    "Understood, my lord. I will take care of it immediately," Weilun replied with a stern face and promptly went to handle the task.


    At this time, Rein started to inquire, "Lord Hamilton, do you think it''s possible that the fact I killed ckbeard has already been found out by the Hyena Gang''s boss, Cole?"


    Upon hearing this, Lord Hamilton showed a contemtive expression, tapping his fingers on the desk nonstop.


    He understood what Rein was getting at.


    Rein was asking if the assassin could have been sent by the Hyena Gang''s boss, Cole.


    But soon, he shook his head, dismissing Rein''s spection.


    "I don''t think so. If the Hyena Gang wanted to target you, they would definitely send core members of their gang to shgold Town, not the kind who hires assassins."


    "Rein, tell me about the assassin you encountered. What did he look like, hisbat skills, or any distinctive features?"


    Rein did not hold back.


    He gave a ratherplete ount of his encounter with the assassin to Lord Hamilton.


    Afterwards, he particrly emphasized the assassin''s fighting style and the fact that he took poison tomit suicide at the end.


    With hardly any hesitation, Lord Hamilton stated confidently, "Such a professional killer is either from organizations like the Shadow Stingers or raised by major nobles or groups."


    "The Hyena Gang is far from a major organization."


    "To hire an assassin from organizations like the Shadow Stingers would cost a substantial amount."


    "''King of Dogs'' Cole is notoriously miserly. You only have to look at how his own brother, ckbeard, had to resort to child trafficking to make extra money."


    "There''s no way he would spend a fortune to hire a professional assassin to avenge his brother."


    "So, I can pretty much rule out that this was the doing of Cole."


    Listening to Lord Hamilton''s analytical breakdown, Rein nodded his head.


    Then, the answer was almost self-evident!


    This took Rein by surprise; Cleya had just left, and now he was targeted by her brothers.


    No!


    The term ''underhanded tactics'' no longer sufficed to describe what happened.


    This was clearly an attempt on his life.


    This caused a nameless rage and anxiety to rise within Rein''s heart.

 Chapter 61: Chapter 60

    "Fuck, when nobles like you squabble among yourselves, is killing me supposed to lock in your victory or something?""Or do you see me as just a chicken, a warning to the monkeys? Or an ant, to be simply wiped out?"


    "Shit! Being weak is a sin indeed!"


    Hamilton glanced at the stony-faced Rein, although he didn''t know who or what kind of power Rein had offended.


    One thing he was curious about, however, was why Rein didn''t go to his ''teacher'' Perez for guidance.


    Maybe it was because he was his superior?


    "Rein, don''t be in a hurry to retaliate when your own strength is still relatively weak. There will naturally be opportunities after you''ve grown stronger," he advised.


    Rein nodded, his expression clearing slightly.


    Shit, he too wanted revenge without delay, to just go out and slaughter whoever was behind this.


    But alas, his strength did not permit it!


    So, he could only inspire himself with the thought that ''a gentleman''s revenge is not too late even after ten years.''


    "But ten years is too long."


    "Seize the day, that''s the spirit of us young people!"


    With that in mind, Rein looked up and asked,


    "Lord Hamilton, do you have any good methods for dealing with assassination attempts?"


    Clearly, if the other person didn''t succeed this time, based on what Rein understood about the nature of nobles, there would likely be a next time.


    Hamilton furrowed his brow slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "Besides increasing your own strength, strengthening your defenses might be a good way to deal with assassins."


    "Right, I have a suit of board armor here that you might find useful."


    "Board armor?"


    Rein looked puzzled.


    Hamilton then stood up and gestured for Rein to follow as they went to the small compartment behind his office.


    Aside from the rack of swords, there was also a large clothes rack against the wall in the compartment.


    During Rein''s last visit, he had been so drawn to the various longswords on the sword rack that he had completely ignored it.


    Hamilton took down a waistcoat that appeared to be made of cotton and handed it to Rein.


    As soon as Rein took it in hand, he was slightly surprised by the weight. He hefted it and found the cotton waistcoat to be quite heavy, weighing about twenty to thirty pounds, obviously concealing a secret.


    Indeed, in the lining between the front and back of the garment, Rein could easily feel small, hard, two-finger-wide strips of metal.


    Additionally, it seemed for weight reduction, no metal plates had been placed in the arms.


    Upon turning the inside out, Rein fully understood the concept of ''board armor.''


    This armor wasn''t strictly board armor; its exterior was cotton, and inside were more than ten vertically aligned strips of metal.


    These strips overlapped each other and were connected by horizontally arranged rivets inside the lining of the cotton garment.


    So, from the outside, it looked no different from an ordinary cotton waistcoat, but in essence, it was completely different.


    "With this board armor, defending against ordinary assassination attempts will be somewhat easier," Hamilton motioned for Rein to put it on.


    Once Rein had donned the heavy ''board armor,'' his sense of security increased substantially.


    If he encountered an assassin like the last time, who aimed a dagger at his chest or abdomen, Rein felt almost confident to take the hit and then retaliate with a fierce move.


    "Regarding the cost of this ''board armor,'' Lord Hamilton, I only have eighteen Imperial Gold Coins on hand. I will make up the rest to you later," Rein said as he took a small cloth bag out of his bosom and handed it to Hamilton.


    It was the assassin''s money pouch.


    Originally, it held eight gold coins and a number of silver coins. Combined with the ten Gold Coins Rein received from exterminating the fish-men, it amounted to roughly eighteen Gold Coins.


    Hamilton waved his hand and said, "Rein, as a member of the Night Watchman and I as your superior, this is perhaps one of the few things I can do for you."


    ...


    Rein left Hamilton''s office once more, this time with a suite of board armor.


    Of course, he also took back the pile of bottles and the black Dagger.


    Moreover, based on what Mister Abel had previously recited, Rein used a goose feather pen to label the names of these poisons and antidotes, such as wound poison, lethal poison, and paralytic poison, and so on.


    Rein realized that the biggest gain of the day was the batch of poison and antidote he had acquired.


    Although poisoning may not be the most honorable tactic, it ultimately comes first in saving one''s own life. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Greatness is the epitaph of the noble; meanness is the passport of the mean."


    Rein strongly agreed!


    Rein knew very clearly that whether you are noble or despicable, the most important thing is to survive first.


    So, it would be foolish to let nobility influence you when the enemy employs poison.


    When he got back, he planned to further study the toxicity of the poisons, perhaps test their duration on small animals, for instance.


    Then he would smear a bit on his Fine Steel Greatsword.


    The blade is so long, would it require more poison?


    Since these poisons were essentially picked up for nothing, what''s the harm in wasting a little!


    If they really worked well, he might consider keeping them in stock.


    In his past life, he had heard of the ''Lime Martial Saint''; perhaps becoming the ''Poison Sword Saint'' in this world wouldn''t be too bad either.


    At this point, Rein remembered he hadn''t checked the system notifications that had come during the earlier fight.


    Immediately, Rein concentrated and began to check:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +101]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +55]


    Good gracious!


    The progress bar for the Giant Bear Sword Technique had jumped significantly, from lv3 (398/500) to lv3 (499/500), missing just 1 point to level up.


    In addition, the Night Watchman''s Profession Level also showed a significant increase, reaching lv2 (207/300).


    After a moment''s thought, Rein stepped into a secluded area of the woods and began to practice the Giant Bear Sword Technique with swift "swish swish" motions.


    Shortly after, a smile appeared on Rein''s face.


    System notifications arrived:


    [You have trained in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, and your comprehension has improved!]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +1]


    Instantly, the Giant Bear Sword Technique advanced from lv3 (499/500) to lv4 (0/1000).


    Pieces of fragmented Giant Bear Sword Technique training memories began to flood into Rein''s mind. He quickly absorbed and mastered these memories, embedding them into his muscle memory.


    At this point, Rein had gained a deeper understanding of the Giant Bear Sword Technique!


    By the time Rein arrived home, it was already past the dinner hour.


    But upon opening the door, he was greeted by the sight of his mother waiting at the dining table.


    "How come you''re so late? I heard today that you went out on a mission?" his mother said, taking the pies from Rein''s hand.


    "Yes, and it went quite well."


    "Really?" His mother gave Rein a skeptical look, as she distinctly remembered him wearing different clothes, but now he had changed.


    "What about these clothes?" his mother asked, pointing to Rein''s attire.


    "Hm?" Rein looked down and realized why his mother found something amiss.


    "Oh, this is a ''brigandine'' Lord Hamilton gave me."


    "Actually, you can let go of your worries now."


    Rein slapped the brigandine forcefully, producing a series of dull ''thumps''.


    "Wow, there''s such clothing?"


    His mother touched the garment, her face revealing a surprise when she noticed the difference.


    "So now, when I go out on missions, you won''t have to worry all the time."


    Rein took the opportunity to comfort his mother.


    After a hasty dinner, Rein returned to his room to start tallying the gains from this trip.

 Chapter 62: Chapter 61 Expelling Evil

    ```Gazing at the strange ore, a dagger made of an unknown black metal, eighteen gold coins and seventeen silver coins, along with a collection of bottles and jars containing poison and its antidote, Rein pondered for a moment before deciding to put away the gold coins and silver coins first.


    Then, he sorted the poisons and antidotes, placing them in a wooden box which he hid under his bed.


    As for the curious piece of ore, Rein picked it up, weighed it in his hand, and planned to consult with the blacksmith Boris about it the next day.


    Worried that blacksmith Boris might covet it?


    As if the greatsword were just for show!


    Rein had no concerns about this at all.


    Finally, he picked up the black dagger, plucked a strand of hair and placed it upon the blade.


    With a gentle blow, the hair was instantly split in two by the edge of the dagger.


    "Hiss! Sharp enough to cut hair!"


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to carry the dagger with him for self-defense as the dual-handed greatsword was sometimes too conspicuous and not always convenient in certain situations.


    Having dealt with the spoils of battle, Rein turned his attention to the panel.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv1 (52/100) / Night Watchman lv2 (207/300)


    Constitution: 9


    Strength: 10


    Agility: 9


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining attribute points: 0


    Remaining skill points: 0


    The Blacksmith''s Strength lv3, Hammer Mastery lv1, Danger Perception lv1, Giant Bear Sword Technique lv4 (0/1000).


    The one attribute point he had held in reserve was gone.


    This disappointed Rein a bit.


    He no longer had that trump card for a turnaround.


    "However... I''m over halfway to the next level of the blacksmith profession, and nearly two-thirds through the Night Watchman level. If I really buckle down these next couple of days and focus on improving one aspect, I will again have an attribute point to use."


    "It''s no big deal."


    Although Rein had spent the entire day traveling, fighting, and ending with an assassination attempt,


    thanks to his recent boost in constitution, he was still feeling quite good.


    Therefore, Rein decided to go ahead with his practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique as usual.


    "Diligence leads to excellence, play leads to ruin!"


    However, when Rein started practicing the second movement of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique today, he noticed a significant difference.


    The second movement, resembling a Russian kettlebell swing, had become increasingly easy for him to perform as his strength rapidly grew, but he still hadn''t managed to sustain it for half an hour or more.


    He had improved from the initial five minutes to eighteen minutes just a couple of days ago.


    Yet today, Rein persevered for a whole twenty-seven minutes straight.


    [You have practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, and your understanding has improved!]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, experience +2] sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, experience +2]


    ...


    This was getting very close to the thirty-minute mark.


    It also meant that Rein was soon going to be able to practice the third part of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    This realization filled Rein with excitement!


    He also noticed that the rate at which he was gaining experience for the Giant Bear Breathing Technique seemed to be increasing according to the system notifications.


    In one hour, he had gained a total of 26 experience points, advancing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique to lv2 (77/300).


    Of course, there was a daily limit to how long one could practice breathing techniques. With Rein''s current physical condition, one hour was nearly the limit.


    To do more would be to damage his body and overdraw on his potential.


    The quicker experience gain made Rein reflective.


    "Could it be that the improvement in both my constitution and strength is causing the breathing technique practice to yield significant progress?"


    ```


    "The increase in Strength before made it easier for me to perform the second form, and now the further improvement of my Constitution has enhanced my endurance," Reincarlan noted.


    The training of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique enhanced Constitution and Strength, and in turn, the increase in these attributes facilitated the progress of the technique itself.


    They complemented each other perfectly.


    Reincarlan nodded.


    "Right, that seems to be the case," he agreed.


    The next morning, Rein arrived early at the blacksmith''s shop in the small town.


    "Rein, you''re here!" the blacksmith Boris greeted him with a smile.


    "What do you plan to learn today? Or are you going to forge some horseshoes again?"


    "Not in a hurry, Uncle Boris, I came to ask you something."


    Rein looked around, turned his back to the other apprentices, and pulled out the strange mineral that emitted a blurred soft light from his chest.


    Blacksmith Boris''s eyes immediately bulged!


    The next second, he snapped back to reality, glanced around quickly, and then grabbed Rein, pulling him into the storeroom behind the blacksmith shop. He asked, impatient and eager, "This is Glowstone!! Rein, how did you find such a rare mineral?"


    "Glowstone?"


    Rein showed a puzzled face; it was the first time he had heard this name.


    However, it seemed Boris recognized this mineral.


    It looked like he had come to the right person.


    "Yes! Glowstone, very precious!"


    "Uncle Boris, is it even more valuable than your star iron?" Rein inquired.


    "Exactly, several times more valuable than star iron!" Boris confirmed, nodding emphatically.


    This immediately filled Rein with elation.


    Setting aside its use, such a small piece was actually worth dozens of Empire gold coins.


    Even before Rein could ask about its use, Boris had already started to explain non-stop.


    "Once incorporated into a weapon in a certain ratio, Glowstone imbues the weapon with special exorcising capabilities, which is why it is so valuable," Boris said.


    "Exorcising?"


    Rein stumbled upon yet another unfamiliar term.


    "Yes, to drive away evil. You must have heard of that, Rein," Boris said, looking at him and continued.


    "In this world, there are some strange places that spawn skeletons, zombies, or other evil Spiritual Bodies, as well as minions of demons or Evil Gods from other worlds."


    "Normal weapons hardly harm these monsters; only special weapons can do the job."


    "And weapons mixed with Glowstone, called ''Glowstone Weapons'', can inflict significant damage on those evil beings when swinging."


    Now it made sense.


    Rein suddenly realized.


    "But Uncle Boris, how come I''ve never encountered any of these evils?" Rein couldn''t help but ask curiously.


    Boris rolled his eyes and replied,


    "Of course there isn''t any near Flashgold Town. Generally, the Empire and the major churches'' Transcendents have already cleared up the evil within the Empire''s boundaries."


    "Besides, if you had encountered these evil creatures, would you still be alive to come back and talk to me?"


    "However, there have been rumors lately of Cultists conducting blood sacrifices, so it''s not impossible that some evil has popped up in our County Town."


    "You never know, you never know!" Boris shook his head.


    Since there was a special effect of ''driving away evil'', Rein naturally wanted to infuse his greatsword with this Glowstone.


    "Uncle Boris, could you incorporate this Glowstone into a Dual-Handed Greatsword?" Rein asked hopefully.


    "That''s not that I''m unwilling, but my forging skills simply aren''t up to the task," Boris said.


    "Also, melting Glowstone requires a higher temperature than melting iron ore, and our forge isn''t hot enough."


    "If you want to fuse the Glowstone into a greatsword, you''ll have to go to the County Town!" Boris suggested.


    "Only the advanced blacksmith shops there have blast furnaces, and there are skillful Swordsmiths who can help you infuse the Glowstone into a Dual-Handed Greatsword."


    "County Town, huh?"


    Rein nodded, deep in thought.

 Chapter 63: Chapter 62 Barbarians and the Shield Maiden

    County Town is the stronghold of the Habus Earl Family, and Cleya''s brothers should all be in County Town as well.Now is clearly not the right time to head to County Town in search of a high-level blacksmith shop.


    Rein immediately dismissed the idea of going to County Town, as it was most important for him to focus on raising his blacksmith profession level.


    He turned to Boris and said, "Uncle Boris, today I''d like to learn about weapon sharpening..."


    "Sure, come on!" Boris agreed without hesitation, as it didn''t matter whether Rein learned tempering or sharpening first since he had already paid the tuition fees.


    Ever since acquiring the Fine Steel Greatsword, Rein had decided to learn weapon sharpening first and leave the tempering for later.


    Because to maintain a weapon in good condition, maintenance is important, and sharpening is a crucial part of weapon maintenance.


    Quickly, Boris brought Rein to the open space behind the blacksmith shop.


    There lay several whetstones of different sizes, strewn haphazardly around.


    "These are all oilstones used for sharpening knives, but why do you think they''re called oilstones? Take a guess, Rein." Boris said with a smile, pointing at a large stone about the height of an average person''s thigh.


    The stone''s top surface showed a fine concave curve from repeated use.


    "Could it be related to oil?" Rein pondered briefly before guessing.


    Boris picked up a single-hand sword that was waiting to be sharpened, and sat down on a wooden stool in front of the oilstone, seemingly preparing to demonstrate for Rein.


    "You''re basically correct. It''s called an oilstone because before using it, you have to drop a bit of oil on its surface," Boris revealed the answer.


    He then took a small iron pot, poured a little oil onto the top surface of the oilstone, and scraped it a few times with the blade to spread it evenly.


    "The main purpose of applying oil is to reduce friction," he explained.


    "Ho ho!"


    Boris gripped the sword hilt with his right hand and pressed his fingers on the sword''s spine with his other hand as he began the sharpening process.


    "After finishing the sharpening, the metallic particles from the blade or edge will remain on the oil, allowing them to be easily wiped off with a cloth, which is very convenient," Boris explained while demonstrating.


    The whole set of actions was not difficult.


    Rein watched attentively, and as soon as Boris finished demonstrating, he immediately began to try it himself.


    It didn''t take long for Rein to find the knack, and system prompts soon appeared:


    "You have sharpened a weapon, gaining insight!"


    "You have learned a new skill��Weapon Sharpening"


    "Your Skill Weapon Sharpening has improved, Experience +1"


    ....


    "You focus on weapon sharpening for ten minutes, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +1"


    Beneath the blacksmith panel, alongside existing icons such as repairing donkey hooves, nailing horseshoes, and stoking bellows, a new icon had been added.


    This new icon, situated above the icons like repairing donkey hooves, featured an oblong whetstone with a short sword on top, clearly depicting a weapon-sharpening scene, vivid and lifelike.


    Another important point was that Rein discovered the blacksmith professional experience provided by weapon sharpening was higher than that from ''Ore Identification''.


    In about an hour he could gain approximately 5 profession experience points.


    This made Rein very excited!


    The reason seemed to be because weapon sharpening required precise vision, strong hand strength, and constant concentration.


    Fortunately, Rein''s Constitution, Strength, and Spirit attributes had all increased significantly recently.


    So, even though sharpening weapons was exhausting, Rein was still able to persevere for a long time.


    One...


    Two...


    ...


    So, Rein, whose heart was set on leveling up his Blacksmith occupation, worked tirelessly through the entire morning sharpening weapons without taking any rest at all.


    He cleared out nearly half of the pile of weapons laid out on the ground, needing to be sharpened.


    He didn''t even spare the kitchen knives!


    As noon approached, Rein wiped the large sweat droplets from his forehead and let out a long sigh before finally taking a break from his work.


    Glancing at his panel, his Blacksmith profession level had successfully reached Blacksmith lv1 (76/100).


    This gave Rein a thrill of satisfaction, a sense that hard work indeed pays off!


    Rein''s work efficiency even brought a beaming smile to Boris, who was watching from a distance.


    "Rein, won''t you consider coming to work for me? I''ll pay you extra!"


    "....."


    After declining Boris the Blacksmith''s offer again, Rein got up and headed home.


    Not long after Rein left the blacksmith shop, heavy hoofbeats suddenly echoed from the main road behind him in the little town.


    The somewhat heavy sound of these hoofbeats immediately caught the attention of the townspeople on the road, who turned their heads to look.


    Rein was no exception and turned to look as well, only to see a group of five people riding tall warhorses approaching from the north.


    After entering the town, the group slowed down, allowing Rein to get a clear view of their features.


    The leader was a burly man with a full beard; although he rode an exceptionally tall black warhorse, his feet were only twenty to thirty centimeters from the ground, looking as if an adult was riding a pony.


    Rein understood that the illusion was due to the man''s towering stature.


    This couldn''t help but astound him!


    That height must be over two meters three!


    The man wore a horned helmet and thick leather armor, studded with sharp spikes on its surface. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Besides his shoulders and torso, his limbs were mostly exposed, apparently to maintain flexibility during combat.


    His arm muscles bulged, and the muscles on his thighs were terrifying, each like protruding rocks, a clear indication that he was a fierce warrior of strength.


    The most eye-catching feature was the huge single-bladed axes hanging on either side of his horse, one on each side.


    As the group drew closer, the town''s residents stepped aside, looking at them with a mix of awe and reverence.


    And Rein was in the perfect position to notice further details about them.


    He saw the crescent shape of the axe head, almost as wide as a door at its widest point before tapering towards both ends, the axe itself being about a meter long, with the round metal handle nearly half a meter.


    These were heavy and sharp heavy weapons��the ''Moon Blade Battle Axes''!


    Encountering such a massive ''giant'' paired with heavy axes, it was no wonder that even the sturdy black warhorse was struggling to carry the load.


    The black horse snorted fiercely, and in this slightly chilly late autumn, two columns of steam visibly rose intermittently.


    The people following were also dressed in a similar wild style to the ''giant'', each strong, imposing, and fierce in stature.


    Wait! That''s not right, the last one was actually a young girl, about eighteen or nineteen!


    Although she wore similar clothes, her physique was much more delicate.


    Mounted on her horse, Rein could still roughly estimate her height to be between one meter seventy and one meter eighty.


    Indeed, much more ''delicate''.


    Behind her was an exceedingly exaggerated round shield, the shield''s diameter well exceeding one meter, making the ''delicate'' girl appear even tinier.


    The shield seemed to be made of some kind of thick wood, with a protruding iron disc about the size of a palm at the center and a narrow band of iron wrapped around the edges to tighten it.


    There was also a long-handled battle axe hanging on the side of the horse, but it was clearly two sizes smaller than the ''giant''s'' axe and unlike the crescent-shaped blade, it was a common lumberjack axe design.


    Could this actually be a very rare female shield-bearer?


    This turn of events left Rein curious, and he couldn''t help but take a few more glances at her.

 Chapter 64: Dangerous Encounter

    The shield girl''s bronze skin looked very healthy, her deep blue eyes, delicate nose, and cherry lips fashioned an unexpectedly exquisite face.Compared to her rugged attire, there was a distinct beauty!


    A light grey linen headband intertwined on her forehead, securing her light yellow hair that naturally fell to her shoulders.


    The headband was likely used to keep the hair at the sides of her forehead from interfering with her vision during combat.


    The girl''s attire was somewhat different from the other warriors in her squad, seemingly wearing a short-sleeved chainmail underneath with a leather vest over it, exposing her smooth, fair thighs.


    Her figure was curvy, especially the upper body, which was quite sensational.


    Even the combination of the chainmail and leather vest couldn''t obscure her exaggerated, firm curves, presenting an enticing arc.


    Not far from Rein, there happened to be two patrolling officers who also witnessed this scene and whispered to each other:


    "These seem to be barbarians from the Northern Empire!"


    "What do you think they''re doing all the way here in Meister County?"


    "Can''t you tell? Look at the silver Bounty Hunters badges on their chests; that''s a mid-level Bounty Hunters badge, and these folks must be a team."


    "Wait, I think I''ve heard of a purely barbarian Bounty Hunters squad in Meister County, and it seems to be these people right here."


    An officer pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and he excitedly said, "I remember now!"


    "That''s right! It must be them! The lead big barbarian, nicknamed ''Giant,'' his real name is Haral, known for his exaggerated height and a pair of crescent battle axes!" S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seemingly having heard the two officers'' quiet conversation, the leading barbarian, Haral, actually turned and glanced at them.


    Such keen hearing!


    But... it seems they were right on the mark!


    Rein couldn''t help but take another look at the knowledgeable officer.


    Barbarians, huh?


    Rein suddenly realized, no wonder their appearance and style were so rugged!


    They truly lived up to the name barbarians.


    For they much resembled the ''barbarians'' also known as Viking pirates in Rein''s past-life memories from Europe.


    But....


    What would a barbarian Bounty Hunters squad be doing in Flashgold Town?


    Logically, they should all be mixing in the County Town, only in the big city where there are enough bounty tasks to earn Gold Coins.


    Wait a minute!


    A thought suddenly crossed Rein''s mind.


    "Could it be for killing the ogres in Nightingale Forest?"


    Rein stroked his chin, the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.


    He had heard before that sometimes the officials would offer high rewards for particularly dangerous missions.


    This prevented the Empire''s official manpower from being tied up and reduced unnecessary casualties.


    It also mobilized the enthusiasm of hundreds of mercenaries and Bounty Hunters, preventing these hormone-driven individuals from disrupting local security.


    Two birds with one stone!


    If it was to kill ogres, that clearly counted as a dangerous task.


    At that moment, Rein suddenly smiled and shook his head.


    "What am I guessing here for."


    "The destination they''re heading toward is clearly the town hall, just ask around after lunch, and I''ll know everything."


    "For now, better hurry home!"


    "Spend the afternoon in the blacksmith shop, and see if today or at the latest by tomorrow, I can level up my Blacksmith Profession Level."


    Without those attribute points on hand, Rein always felt a bit uneasy.


    Thus, upon returning home, Rein, under the astonished gazes of his family and Anna, devoured his food with the speed of a whirlwind!


    "Eat slowly, Rein!"


    "Brother, you eat so fast!"


    "Uh... I''m full, father, mother, Anna, you guys eat slowly, I''m heading to the blacksmith shop first!"


    Rein said with a smile as he rubbed little Bo He''s head and then left the house.


    Watching their son head out with such enthusiasm, the family members exchanged glances, all with a look of surprise on their faces.


    This.....


    But being diligent is a good thing, isn''t it?!


    As soon as Rein stepped out, he walked briskly towards the administrative hall.


    Upon reaching the hall, he approached a familiar guard and inquired about the barbarians he had seen earlier.


    "Rein, you mean them? Indeed, they just spent some time in Lord Hamilton''s office, apparently seeking help," he said.


    "I heard they took on Viscount Hamadi''s bounty in County Town, to eliminate the ogres in Nightingale Forest."


    "But due to the unclear situation, they are also worried about encountering multiple ogres, so they asked Lord Hamilton to provide more detailed intelligence."


    "Lord Hamilton agreed to their request and said he would contact the Habsburg estate soon to send out hawks for scouting."


    "These barbarians seem to have gone to the Beech Hotel now, waiting for the results of the hawk scouting."


    "I guess they''ll stay a few days before they act."


    Rein nodded, "I see, thank you."


    A wise move, having hawks to help scout is much better than going to Glimmer Lake themselves to track the ogres.


    The latter is not only tiring but also very dangerous!


    Moreover, they are experienced and know that most sheriffs will not tolerate ogres in their jurisdiction, so they will likely agree to help in the investigation.


    "It seems like this is indeed an exceptionally efficient team of bounty hunters!"


    Blacksmith shop.


    In the afternoon, Rein continued to focus intently on weapon polishing, except for drinking water and using the restroom, it was as if he was welded next to the grinding stone.


    The sound of "whoosh whoosh" polishing echoed in the open space of the blacksmith shop for the entire afternoon.


    The few blacksmith apprentices in the shop had already become numb to Rein''s tireless performance.


    Since Rein had behaved similarly with the bellows previously, they were not too surprised.


    But they still couldn''t avoid being compared thriftily with Rein by Boris.


    After several hours, Rein finally received the delightful system prompt:


    "You have polished weapons, insight enhanced!"


    "Your weapon polishing skill has improved, Experience +1"


    ...


    "You focused on weapon polishing for ten minutes, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +1"


    "Congratulations, your Blacksmith Profession Level has increased!"


    Rein, seeing his Blacksmith Profession Level on the panel rise from lv1��lv2 (0/300), couldn''t help but wipe his sweat, showing a relieved smile.


    Looking further down, he saw at the bottom of the panel the remaining attribute points: 1, and remaining skill points: 1.


    With this point of attribute points, Rein felt much more at ease.


    Always prepared for what comes next!


    As for the skill point, Rein thought about it and decided to hold on to it for now, thinking it over when he got home.


    Since he had leveled up, Rein planned to head home early. It was now early evening, about half an hour earlier than he had anticipated.


    In high spirits, Rein took a detour to the pie shop and bought Bo He her favorite meat pie.


    As Rein was walking home with the pie, he saw a group of rough-looking, tattooed strongmen carrying clubs and leading four or five shiny-coated, spotted dogs, hurriedly walking down the street.


    The pedestrians nearby, seeing them, quickly dodged to avoid any trouble.


    One of the leaders, a bald strongman, took out a piece of clothing and let the spotted dogs sniff it again, and soon the dogs started sniffing around as they walked, unknowingly heading in the direction of Rein''s home.

 Chapter 65: Chapter 64: Lure the Enemy Deep

    Upon seeing that group of people, Rein''s heart immediately ''clenched''.He instantly dashed into a nearby alley, watching intently.


    These mangy, spotted dogs looked quite different from regular dogs.


    That''s why Rein immediately thought of the Hyena Gang that Hamilton had mentioned.


    With their somewhat rounded, large ears, bodies covered in splotches of various sizes, a row of narrow mane running from the back of the head down the spine, and the extra protruded upper and lower jaws and canines, they looked to have an extremely strong bite, enough to be intimidating.


    As the group moved on, Rein, who followed them all the way, increasingly felt something was amiss��these directions clearly led to his home.


    "Could it be that the Hyena Gang has finally realized Blackbeard and Scarface are missing and came knocking?"


    At the doorstep of Anna''s house, the few spotted hyenas stopped and began to furiously bark, a sight that immediately brought smiles of delight to several burly men.


    A bald, burly man, together with four or five of his men, surveyed the house, muttering amongst themselves.


    Although a distance away, Rein, whose physical abilities had significantly improved, could hear their conversation clearly.


    "This should be the last place Blackbeard was seen."


    "Boss, why don''t we storm in?"


    "Are you an idiot! With so many people around, do you want to get caught by the sheriff? We''ll sneak in��.once it''s dark," scolded the bald, burly man as he smacked his subordinate on the head.


    "You all go ask around, whose house is this?"


    "Okay, boss!"


    Suddenly, the bald man''s underlings dispersed, asking the passersby questions.


    "Looks like I guessed right!"


    "Thankfully, I didn''t let Anna go back, or the consequences would be unimaginable!"


    Rein''s eyes narrowed as he swiftly climbed to the second floor of his home from the alley.


    He needed to fetch his greatsword.


    Looking at the situation, trouble was definitely brewing!


    In Rein''s courtyard, Anna, seeing her home surrounded by a group of fierce burly men and hyenas, had her complexion turn pale.


    Her usually fair face now looked even paler.


    She crouched down, tightly hugging little Bo He, her lips pursed, daring not to make a sound.


    At that moment, one of the bald, burly man''s subordinates walked up to Anna and Bo He and asked:


    "Hey! Little girl, do you know who owns this house?"


    The man also figured, as a neighbor, Anna was likely to know whose house it was.


    He spotted her and Bo He first, as they were gardening in Rein''s courtyard.


    That pleased him, as it meant they didn''t have to go asking around anymore.


    When faced with the question from this Hyena Gang member, Anna trembled, her lips stammered, but she made no sound.


    "Are you mute? Speak up!" Seeing Anna silent, the gang member lost his patience, his attitude turning even worse.


    Meanwhile, Rein, who was now in his room on the second floor, had just picked up the sheepskin-wrapped Fine Steel Greatsword. He glanced downstairs and cursed, ''Damn!''


    "Did they figure out that it''s Anna''s house so quickly?"


    Originally, Rein wanted to follow these men after they left, then take them out quietly.


    But he hadn''t expected them to target Anna so swiftly.


    Almost without hesitation, Rein decided to take the offensive.


    At that moment, he silently climbed down from the second floor to the alley and then strode towards the entrance of the alley.


    It wasn''t until he was nearly at the front of Anna''s house that he pretended to notice the bald, burly man and his group, his expression hesitant, not daring to approach.


    Rein''s ''sneaky'' behavior immediately caught the attention of the bald, burly man and his gang!


    Immediately, a burly man stepped forward suspiciously and asked, "Kid, is this your home?"


    "No, no, how could this be my home!" Rein pretended to be frightened and quickly waved his hands.


    As he spoke, he quickly stepped back.


    This only made the bald strongman more suspicious of Rein.


    Suddenly, Rein turned and ran toward the forest on the other side!


    Seeing Rein''s panicked look, the bald strongman''s face suddenly broke into a radiant smile as he turned to his subordinates and shouted, "We''ve got our man! This kid is definitely up to something! Catch him, release the dogs!"


    "He actually thinks he can escape the tracking of our Gang of Hyenas, how na?ve!" several gang members joked as they released their tightly held leashes.


    Four or five spotted hyenas, like unleashed wild horses, followed behind Rein, barking wildly as they speedily gave chase.


    Meanwhile, the gang member who had planned to give Anna a good lecture saw that the ''rightful owner'' had been found, so he glared fiercely at Anna and immediately ran back to the side of the bald strongman.


    The bald man and a group of subordinates, giggling and laughing, casually followed behind the pack of hyenas towards the woods.


    All of their faces bore a confident look that Rein would surely not escape!


    Anna and Bo He, however, were watching the scene unfold with a mixture of surprise and panic.


    But soon, Anna realized something and stamped her foot in frustration, her hands clenched at the cuffs, knuckles whitening, her face filled with anxiety.


    Although she didn''t understand what was going on with Rein, who had changed a lot lately and had even rescued her from two villains the last time, she still felt that Rein might not be able to withstand the attack of so many people and dogs.


    At that moment, Anna felt completely useless!


    Rein was once again solving her problems, but facing the endangered Rein, she had no idea what she could do to help him.


    "Sister Anna, don''t worry, I believe brother will definitely scare these bad guys away," Bo He said, batting her large innocent eyes at the anxious Anna.


    Bo He''s faith in her brother carried a strange confidence.


    Perhaps every little sister fantasizes about having a brother who can protect her!


    However, hearing Bo He speak so confidently, Anna''s heart actually felt less anxious than before.


    Yes, last time Rein had miraculously appeared and killed two burly villains, saving her.


    Who could have expected that?


    This time, Rein should create a miracle again!


    However, Anna was still trying to think of what she could possibly do.


    That''s it! She remembered! S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The new sheriff in town seemed to have a good relationship with Rein.


    "Bo He, you go inside the house by yourself; sister is going to look for the sheriff," Anna crouched down, gently holding Bo He''s hands as she spoke softly.


    "Okay! Sister Anna, go ahead! I''ll lock the door!"


    "Good girl!"


    Anna gently touched Bo He''s head, then quickly got up, grasped the hem of her long dress, and ran towards the town hall.


    In the woods.


    Rein raced along and, feeling it was secluded enough, started to slow down his pace.


    The five spotted hyenas, quickest of all, had chased up to him as he stopped and immediately surrounded Rein, barking furiously.


    Rein showed no sign of panic, leaning against a tree, holding the Dual-Handed Greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, and swung it forcefully a few times. The strong whooshing sound instantly scared the hyenas from immediately attacking.


    "How come these Gang of Hyenas'' members haven''t caught up yet?"


    "Why are they so slow?" Rein muttered.


    The few spotted hyenas in front of him could be dispatched by Rein in just a few seconds if he chose to strike them down.


    But doing so might alert the gang members early to the anomaly, causing them to scatter in all directions.


    Therefore, if he wanted to catch all in one net, he could only pretend to be surrounded by the pack, waiting for the enemy to take the bait!

 Chapter 66: Chapter 65: One Man Surrounds a Group of People

    Rein waited for a full five minutes before the bald bruiser finally arrived with five men in tow."Boss, this kid thought he could outrun our gang''s ''precious'', what a fool! Now he''s surrounded, hahaha."


    "Yeah, boss, this brat dared to run, shall we break his legs first?" one of the gang members said with a snarl, waving a thick wooden stick.


    "Kid, weren''t you quite the runner? Why aren''t you running now?"


    At that moment, the bald bruiser glanced disdainfully at Rein and said, "Brat, why run at the sight of us?"


    "Also, is that house yours?"


    "Tell me, where did Blackbeard go?"


    The bald man''s barrage of questions instantly confirmed all of Rein''s speculations.


    As expected, they were members of the Hyena Gang.


    "You''re from the Hyena Gang?" Rein asked.


    "Eh! Kid, how did you know? Could it be that our Hyena Gang''s reputation has spread from County Town to Flashgold Town already?" a gang member said, a look of delight crossing his face.


    But after hearing Rein''s question, the bald man felt something was amiss.


    Although the kid in front of him seemed scared, his eyes were too calm, not like he was really frightened!


    Just as he was about to say something else, Rein, with his head lowered, said:


    "Since you''re from the Hyena Gang, then I''m sorry!"


    The next second, Rein''s hands shook, and the Dual-Handed Greatsword, wrapped in sheepskin, immediately revealed its true form.


    "Moreover, I must emphasize that it''s not me who''s surrounded."


    "It''s... you who are surrounded by me!"


    Now, the few Hyena Gang members also realized something was wrong.


    "How do you have a weapon?"


    "You... you''re violating the Empire''s public security regulations!"


    One of the gang members looked down at the wooden stick in his hand, then at the Dual-Handed Greatsword in Rein''s, and thought, "Damn, why does it feel like this kid is even more brazen than us?"


    "Whoosh!!"


    What responded to them was Rein''s Whirlwind Slash, swift as thunder. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein took a step and flashed into the center of the few spotted hyenas nearest him, and his Fine Steel Greatsword drew a beautiful semicircle in an instant.


    Suddenly, blood and limbs flew in all directions!


    Two of the spotted hyenas were beheaded by Rein in one fell swoop!


    Another two had their forelimbs chopped off and were squirming on the ground.


    These vicious dogs had been barking at Rein for quite some time, and now, at last, it was much quieter.


    A whine... the only surviving hyena cowered behind the bald man''s legs in fright.


    The scene had the few Hyena Gang members'' eyelids twitching!


    "Don''t panic! It''s just one kid, and there are five of us, what''s there to fear! Charge!!" The bald bruiser steeled his heart and led the charge, swinging a long wooden stick as he rushed towards Rein.


    Hearing the bald bruiser''s words, the few simple-minded Hyena Gang members with well-developed limbs snapped back to reality.


    Their expressions seemed to say, "Right, no matter how tough this kid is, he''s still just one person, and we''ve got a whole five people here!"


    Immediately, they followed the bald bruiser and rushed at Rein.


    Rein chuckled to himself; if these guys had decided to run in different directions, he wouldn''t have been able to chase them all at once.


    But unexpectedly, they still dared to counterattack. Was it because he still looked like a youth?


    He really didn''t know what to say for a moment!


    "Whirlwind Slash!"


    "Furious Slash!"


    Rein charged like a tiger descending the mountain, and after two strokes, there were only two people left standing on the field.


    "Run! Hurry and go notify the gang!" The bald muscular man reacted quickly, pushing another gang member and shouting loudly.


    He realized that this unremarkable-looking youth was obviously intentionally hiding his strength, luring them into a trap.


    His few companions were likely to meet their end here!


    The bald man reacted quickly, but Rein''s reaction was faster.


    As that Hyena Gang member turned to flee, a shadow had already caught up from behind.


    "Swish!"


    Blood splattered, and in an instant, everything below the opponent''s knees was severed, with the total number of people on the ground increasing by one.


    The next second, the bald muscular man couldn''t escape the fate of losing his legs either.


    Now, including the bald muscular man, all members of the Hyena Gang were lying on the ground, all nice and neat, not a single one missing!


    Rein didn''t spare the Hyena that had narrowly escaped either, executing it directly.


    Instantly, the once imposing line of Hyena Gang members was now all laid out on the ground.


    At that moment, Rein took a walk around the field and finished off all those who hadn''t fully died yet, leaving only two witnesses alive as planned.


    This scene almost made the two bald men wet themselves, as they shouted, "Don''t kill us!! Don''t kill us!"


    "Shut up, whoever blabbers, I''ll finish off!" Rein''s icy gaze silenced the two witnesses instantly, as they looked at Rein in terror, afraid of provoking him further.


    In fact, up to this moment, the two hadn''t figured out how their hunt for Blackbeard had led them to this grim reaper!


    Rein had deliberately left two witnesses alive but injured to interrogate them separately about ''King Dog'' Cole''s situation.


    He then separated the bald man from the other gang member by about twenty meters and, as both legs of the bald man had been cut off, he wasn''t worried about him running away.


    Rein interrogated the gang member first.


    "Spill it! How did your Hyena Gang leader Cole instruct you?" Holding the Dual-Handed Greatsword, Rein patted the crippled gang member''s cheek and said.


    "Keep your voice down, don''t let the bald guy hear. I will verify the stories from both of you!"


    The shivering crippled gang member nodded repeatedly and said, "Don''t kill me, I''ll talk! Boss Cole sent us to investigate the disappearance of his brother Blackbeard from a few days ago."


    "We asked Blackbeard''s old flame in County Town, a courtesan. She told us that before he left, he mentioned he was headed to Flashgold Town to get some goods."


    "So, that''s why we came."


    Rein nodded, waved his sword tip, and commanded, "Continue!"


    "The Hyena''s sense of smell is exceptionally sharp. If they sniff Blackbeard''s old clothes, they can follow the scent to the places where Blackbeard had been in Flashgold Town."


    Rein nodded, so that was it!


    It made sense, these Hyenas had large noses, their sense of smell was far more acute than the average canine''s. Clearly, they had picked up on Blackbeard''s scent lingering in Anna''s home from a few days ago.


    That was how they had tracked him down!


    "What about the strength of your Hyena Gang leader ''Cole''? And that mutant Hyena known as the Hyena Queen?" Rein continued his questioning.


    "Boss ''Cole''s'' strength..."


    "..."


    Rein asked the same questions to the bald gang leader.


    Being a gang leader, the bald man''s information was more comprehensive.


    After cross-verifying the information from both, Rein sent them off to reunite with the other gang members.


    Since they were part of a gang, they naturally should be kept together in order.


    Of course, that included their Hyenas!

 Chapter 67: Chapter 66: The Change of the Blacksmiths Power

    Passive defense, especially against a county town gang with no bottom line, Rein thought was not a good approach.So, what he could do was to carefully plan and see if he could take the initiative to strike first and solve the problem once and for all.


    Otherwise, the disappearance of such a core group in Flashgold Town would certainly alarm "Dog King" Cole.


    Once they attacked again, it would not just be a few people.


    It''s possible that "Dog King" Cole would personally take action!


    At that time, not only would Anna be taken away, but it could also jeopardize the safety of Rein''s family.


    This was something Rein simply could not agree to!


    As for seeking help from Hamilton?


    Rein had already considered this, and even if they agreed to offer protection, unless the whole family stayed indoors all the time, there would always be a day when a slip-up occurred, giving the Hyena gang an opportunity to catch them.


    This was a risk Rein could not afford to take, nor could he dare to.


    From the recent interrogation, Rein had obtained some key information.


    It turned out that although most of the Hyena gang''s operations were in the county town, "Dog King" Cole had an unbreakable routine of returning to the dog-fighting farm almost every day to rest.


    Accompanying him were over a dozen core members of the Hyena gang.


    The dog-fighting farm, although named like a "manor," was in fact just a farm situated between Flashgold Town and County Town, according to the bald man and another gang member.


    The huge wooden dog sculpture at the entrance was its hallmark. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The dog-fighting farm, as the name suggests, was a place "Dog King" Cole set up for dog-fighting gambling, where almost every day was filled with the barking of dogs and the shouting of gamblers, never-ending chaos.


    Therefore, "Dog King" Cole came up with a solution by surrounding the entire farm with a two-meter-high white birch fence.


    At the same time, a large number of fruit trees were planted inside the fence, effectively blocking the noise from inside the farm, otherwise, the clamor from dog-fighting could probably be heard miles away.


    In addition, Rein was relieved to learn from the bald man''s description that "Dog King" Cole was tall and strong.


    But "Dog King" Cole''s strength was not that of a formal Knight, meaning that he had not yet reached the Transcendent level.


    However, the Hyena Queen could not be underestimated even more; as big as a wild boar, with immense strength, and she had birthed a large litter of pups, which "Dog King" Cole let roam in the dog-fighting farm.


    Those five hyenas were all offspring of the Hyena Queen!


    After raiding their loot, Rein pondered as he walked towards home.


    Just as he was about to reach the front door, he saw Anna and little Bo He.


    They both seemed to be anxiously explaining something to a few Night Watchmen, frequently pointing towards the forest, with expressions close to tears.


    Additionally, Rein took a closer look and recognized these three Night Watchmen; they were Captain Weilun and the two elite members of the Night Watch he had stayed with previously.


    He was naturally quite familiar with them, after all, they had fought against vicious Worgs together and slaughtered murlocs.


    "Why have they come?"


    "Could it be that Anna called for them?"


    Without hesitation, Rein quickly stepped forward.


    Seeing Rein return, Anna and little Bo He immediately rushed over excitedly.


    "Brother, Sister Anna and I were so worried about you!" little Bo He plunged straight into Rein''s arms, holding him tightly.


    "Sister Anna was going to the administrative hall to call for the guardian officer, but halfway there we ran into Uncle Weilun and the others."


    Rein''s heart warmed, and turning his head, he saw Anna looking at him with concern; her face was pale, and her chest was heaving, clearly from running with her frail body.


    Seeing Rein look at her, their eyes met, and Anna shyly lowered her head.


    At this moment, Weilun stepped forward and said to Anna and little Bo He, "You two worry too much! I told you nothing would happen to Rein, but you didn''t believe me."


    "Now you believe it, huh! Haha!"


    "Rein, what''s the situation? Was it a few scumbags from the Hyena gang?" Weilun turned and asked Rein.


    Rein nodded.


    "Yes, four or five Hyena gang lackeys came here with their hyenas, they were investigating the disappearance of Blackbeard."


    "This matter!" Weilun glanced at little Bo He without saying much more.


    Rein immediately understood and patted Little Bo He''s head, saying, "Bo He, you go home with Sister Anna first. Big brother and Captain Weilun have something to discuss."


    Bo He blinked her large eyes, glanced at Rein and Weilun, then turned to take Anna''s fair hand of her own accord.


    "Mm, big brother, make sure you come back early, okay? We''ll wait for you to have dinner together."


    Rein smiled and nodded, saying, "Go on, then."


    After watching the two of them enter the house, Rein''s expression became solemn before he spoke to Weilun:


    "Captain Weilun, there are the bodies of some of the Hyena Gang members I killed in the forest. I might need your help dealing with them."


    This statement immediately caused the other two elite Night Watchmen to change their expressions and cast sidelong glances at Rein.


    Weilun''s face hardened. "You killed them all?"


    Rein nodded.


    He hadn''t spared even a single dog!


    "Alright, I''ll take care of it!"


    "However... once the Hyena Gang finds out, they''re likely to target you like mad dogs! Rein, be careful on your own. I''ll strengthen the nighttime patrols around your house."


    "Thank you, Captain Weilun. I''ll be careful," Rein said with a warmth in his heart as he nodded.


    Weilun patted Rein''s shoulder and quickly led his two subordinates in the direction Rein had indicated.


    As soon as he entered his house, Rein could sense something odd about the atmosphere.


    He heard his mother ask, "Rein, I heard from Sima that a group of people with hyenas were loitering at our doorstep?"


    "But when I just asked Anna and Bo He, both of them said they were in the yard planting vegetables and hadn''t noticed," his mother Emma continued with a hint of suspicion as she looked once more at the two women.


    Rein immediately had a clear understanding in his heart.


    It seemed Anna harbored the same thoughts as him, not wanting to overly worry their parents about the matter.


    "Mother, Aunt Sima must have seen wrong, as I didn''t see anyone with hyenas when I came back either!"


    "Is that so? Sima really is getting old; her eyesight is going!"


    Hearing Rein say the same, Mother Emma finally relaxed and stopped probing into the matter.


    After dinner, Rein went back to his room.


    But shortly after, there was a knock at the door.


    "Come in!"


    It was Anna knocking, and little Bo He was also peeking around the doorway.


    "Come on in, both of you!"


    Once the two women were inside, Rein closed the door and said in a low voice, "Don''t worry about the Hyena Gang, I''ll handle it."


    "And, Anna, thank you for not telling my parents about this. Otherwise, it would have just caused them unnecessary worry."


    "No, no! It should be me thanking you, Rein... you''ve helped me once again!" Anna said, lowering her head with interlocked fingers, nervously twisting the hem of her long waist-clinching dress.


    Little Bo He giggled and said to Anna, "Sister Anna, if you pull any more, the dress will tear!"


    "Ah!" Anna immediately let go of her hands, but realizing Bo He was teasing her, a blush couldn''t help but spread across her face.


    ...


    After Anna and Bo He had left, Rein remembered to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been improved, Experience +67]


    [You have been through a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +34]


    The experience points were not much.


    It was expected, after all, a few gang members were involved, and their contribution to the experience points probably largely came from those few hyenas.


    Rein glanced at the remaining 1 Skill Point he had and, after a moment of thought, decided to continue to allocate it to the Blacksmith''s Strength.


    Since he was about to go do a job, naturally, he had to invest points in a skill that could "Decisive Hammer"!


    After Blacksmith''s Strength was upgraded from lv3 to lv4, the text suddenly distorted.

 Chapter 68: Chapter 67 Strength Burst

    What used to be the "Blacksmith''s Strength" in four characters was changed to "Strength Burst," which could not help but greatly surprise Rein.There was such a change!


    [Core Skill: Strength Burst (Active)]


    Effect: When the skill is activated, your strength will double!


    (Note: This skill originates from the Blacksmith''s Strength pushed to its limit and its duration is directly proportional to the host''s constitution and spiritual power.)


    (Note: This skill cannot be further improved at this stage.)


    Rein noticed that after the evolution of Blacksmith''s Strength into Strength Burst, not only had the name changed, but the lv sign was also gone, indicating that the core skill Strength Burst, like Dark Vision, could no longer be enhanced through Skill Points.


    Moreover, the description of the skill effect had undergone a significant change, from "greatly enhanced" to "doubled."


    This change perfectly complies with the rule "less is more!" Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Doubled!


    This meant that during the period the skill was activated, Rein''s current 10 points of strength would instantly increase to 20 points.


    This already surpassed the likes of an official knight like Hamilton and was on par with the ferocious hyena-men, perhaps even slightly beyond!


    What does this imply?


    This means that as long as the enemy''s strength is below that of an official knight,


    during the duration of Strength Burst, it would be nearly impossible for them to match Rein in strength!


    What this represents goes without saying; Rein licked his lips, his corners turning up slightly.


    "This really came at the right time!"


    Previously, when Rein was interrogating the leader of the Hyena Gang in the dense forest, he had asked about the strength of "Dog King" Kole,


    "Is your boss Kole, an official knight?"


    The other party shook his head.


    At that moment, Rein was greatly relieved!


    At the same time, a plan slowly started to take shape in his mind.


    Since the strength of ''Dog King'' Kole was not that of an official knight, he was in trouble.


    Revenge couldn''t wait for another day!


    Rein intended to strike directly at the heart of the Hyena Gang before they could react!


    Previously, faced with the assassination among the heirs of Earl Harris''s family, Rein had already been boiling with rage.


    But there was no helping it; the situation was stronger than people!


    And now these darn Hyena Gang were bullying him?


    After some thought, Rein took out a small sharpening stone he had purchased from Blacksmith Boris, and dropped a few drops of oil on it.


    He then picked up the Fine Steel Greatsword and started to sharpen it energetically.


    The Dual-Handed Greatsword had a tiny notch that had been damaged by a black dagger during a fight with an assassin.


    As the greatsword was sharpened on the oilstone, the fine notch on the blade soon became barely visible, becoming incredibly sharp once again.


    Was that the end of it?


    No.


    Coat it with paralyzing poison?


    Too kind.


    Coat it with wounding poison?


    Still not quite right.


    So, deadly poison was the best choice!


    Rein took out a black square bottle and poured a few drops of brownish poison liquid onto a small piece of cloth, then gently wiped the Fine Steel Greatsword with the cloth.


    Mainly on both sides of the blade.


    Oh? Not enough to use!


    Rein discovered that applying poison to the Dual-Handed Greatsword really used a lot of the poison.


    After adding it three times, it still wasn''t enough.


    Finally, Rein poured about one third of the bottle before it was sufficient.


    He applied it to both sides of the blade, front and back!


    Looking at the Fine Steel Greatsword emitting a faint green glow, Rein finally nodded in satisfaction, then wrapped the greatsword again in sheepskin.


    After checking one more time, Rein seemed to remember something, took out a long strip of gray cloth, fiddled with it on his face, and used a black dagger to cut two holes in the middle before tucking it into his chest.


    Everything was ready!


    Before departing, Rein still practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for a while.


    A fist always ready, a song always on the lips.


    As long as he was breathing, the practice of the breathing technique would never stop.


    However, Rein was very good at controlling the extent, in order to adjust his body''s functions to their optimal state.


    After his family had fallen asleep, Rein quietly left the house through the second-floor window.


    Looking up, Rein noticed the sky was pitch black tonight, devoid of moonlight and starlight, covered instead with thick clouds.


    With his Night Watchman core skill ''Dark Vision,'' Rein felt no discomfort; instead, he felt a slight thrill.


    His heart beating a bit faster, he carefully avoided the patrolling Night Watchmen and hastened toward County Town.


    According to the information he had extracted earlier, he needed to follow the main road heading north, and after about an hour''s walk, he would see the conspicuous sign of the Dog Fighting Farm.


    After seeing the sign and turning right, another five minutes'' walk would bring him to the Dog Fighting Farm.


    Before long, having covered most of the distance, Rein suddenly felt his face getting wet.


    He looked up and saw the dark, unlit sky now starting to drizzle.


    This was actually a good sign!


    Rainy nights, perfect for murder without leaving traces.


    Carrying a sheepskin-wrapped greatsword, Rein first walked a full circle around the Dog Fighting Farm from a distance.


    Originally, he had planned to hop directly over a fence into the farm.


    But with his passive skill ''Danger Perception lv1,'' Rein felt something was off as soon as he approached the birch fence.


    He faintly sensed danger, as if climbing over the fence would be perilous.


    Therefore, Rein stood outside the fence and inspected the inside carefully.


    With his Dark Vision, he quickly spotted the problem.


    It turned out that behind the fence, in the wooded area, the ground was lined with many large wild boar traps, the serrated jaws of the traps covered with fallen leaves �C if one wasn''t observant, they would be hard to notice.


    If one were to get caught, there was a high probability of breaking a shinbone, unless you were a Knight wearing thick plate armor boots.


    Beyond that, Rein also spotted quite a few doghouses in the orchard.


    These half-meter tall doghouses were almost all occupied, each housing a glossy-furred fierce dog.


    The night rain grew heavier!


    The sound of the pouring rain, "wharalala," masked Rein''s footsteps and also diluted his scent.


    Allowing Rein to observe the Dog Fighting Farm from outside at ease.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein quickly circled back to the main entrance of the Dog Fighting Farm. Although it was very late, he could still faintly hear bursts of cheering coming from inside.


    Clearly, some dogfight competition was still ongoing inside the farm.


    This was a bit later than Rein had anticipated.


    Thinking it over, Rein decided to wait a little longer before making his move.


    It would be better to act after the dogfight competition inside had ended and the crowd had dispersed.


    After all, not everyone who came for the dog fight belonged to the Hyena Gang; a significant portion were customers from County Town.


    Rein even saw several carriages, each bearing various intricate designs representing the family crests of some nobles.


    This indicated that at least some nobles'' heirs came to this Dog Fighting Farm in Coer for entertainment.


    It seems the rumor that the Hyena Gang had backing was probably true.


    Not going to Hamilton was also the right move.


    As a Lord and the town''s security officer, Hamilton might agree to protect his family, but he definitely would not offend certain nobles in County Town for him, to eliminate the Hyena Gang.


    If it were doable, Hamilton would have done it by now.


    After all, from a security perspective, taking down the Hyena Gang would certainly be a notable achievement.


    But the Hyena Gang''s continued existence must have its reasons.


    Rein was never lacking in patience when it came to important matters.


    Over an hour later, the competition inside the farm seemed to have ended, and the carriages at the entrance had also returned to County Town with their owners.


    The Dog Fighting Farm was rarely this tranquil.


    With the night deepening and the rain softly falling, the two young gang members responsible for guarding the gate were languidly hiding under a nearby shelter to rest, not even bothering to close the farm gate.

 Chapter 69: Chapter 68: Dogfighting Manor

    One of them was already sound asleep, while the other had his arms crossed and his head down, dozing off against a porch pillar.As a local gang in Meister County, the quality of the Hyena Gang''s members could easily be imagined, with most being mere thugs.


    Expecting them to stand guard dutifully in the rainy weather in the middle of the night was simply a fool''s dream.


    The negligent guards naturally made things much easier for Rein.


    Rein took a grey cloth out of his pocket, covered his eyes with it, and tied it tightly at the back of his head, resembling ''Zorro.''


    Except that Zorro''s mask was black, while Rein''s was grey.


    Sneaking in quietly, Rein, with ten points of Strength, simply used both hands to snap the neck of the dozing young man and slowly laid his body down.


    Then, he grabbed the throat of the man who was fast asleep and dragged him into the curtain of rain.


    In the dense forest.


    At first, the man didn''t understand what was happening and tried to struggle fiercely, but when Rein landed a punch in the upper right section of his abdomen �C right where the stomach was �C his eyes bulged out immediately.


    He became much more compliant in an instant.


    But that wasn''t the end of it, as Rein wasn''t in a rush to question him.


    After stuffing his mouth and giving him another round of brutal beating, only after breaking two of the man''s fingers did he leisurely ask, "Is Kol inside?"


    "Yes, yes!" The man, subjected to a beating and finger breaking without a word from Rein, was nearly driven to a mental breakdown.


    If you''re going to interrogate me, then ask!


    If you don''t ask, how do you know I won''t cooperate?


    You just beat the shit out of me without even asking a question?


    However, the upside was that as soon as Rein started asking questions, the man spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube.


    "How many people are inside, and tell me everything you know in detail."


    "There are about fifteen or sixteen core members of our Hyena Gang inside, plus our boss, Kol."


    "What about the Hyena Queen?"


    "The Hyena Queen never leaves Kol''s side; she''s inside the big house."


    The next second, "Snap!"


    The Hyena Gang member''s head twisted at a strange one hundred and eighty degrees.


    With his bulging eyes staring in death, as if to say, I cooperated so well, why did you still kill me?


    There were no noble scions staying at the dogfighting estate.


    This made Rein all the more unconcerned.


    Rein, sneaking his way in, would choose to kill on sight any patrolling members or affiliates of the Hyena Gang.


    It wasn''t until Rein reached the three-story wooden lodge at the heart of the dogfighting estate that he was spotted by several wandering hyenas.


    "Woof woof!"


    "Who''s there?"


    As soon as Rein saw them, he stopped hiding and instead rushed straight towards the house''s front door.


    "Whoosh!"


    A Smooth Cleaving Slash sent two Hyena Gang members guarding the door flying, and at the same time shattered the thick wooden door to smithereens.


    In the hall, aside from a fat, white, corpulent man sitting at the center, there were two ordinary-looking middle-aged men, likely higher-ups of the Hyena Gang, apparently tallying the evening''s dogfighting proceeds.


    On the long table, there lay stacks of gold coins, over a hundred silver coins, and even more shillings and pennies.


    From the amount and variety of coins on the table, it wasn''t hard to tell that the daily gambling income from dogfighting at the estate was substantial.


    Moreover, it catered to all classes; the poor could place bets with pennies and shillings, while wealthy merchants and nobles naturally bet with gold coins as the unit.


    When the two Hyena Gang upper echelons saw Rein bursting through the door, they couldn''t help but stand up and shout.


    "Guards! Guards!"


    "No need to shout anymore; all your guards have returned to the Goddess''s embrace."


    Rein took a look around, his gaze skipping over the two normal-sized humans and focusing instead on the enormous fat man and a huge hyena.


    This was a fat, bald, white giant of a man who stood over two meters tall, seated comfortably in the center of the hall on a custom-made soft chair upholstered with tender deer leather, his heavy weight causing a deep depression in the cushion.


    Clearly, this was the boss of the Hyena Gang, Kole.


    His dangling left hand was stroking a huge hyena that rivaled a wild boar in size.


    When it noticed someone had entered, the massive hyena slightly lifted its head that was resting on the ground and squinted its eyes to look.


    Rein immediately realized that this enormous hyena must be the rumored mutated Hyena Queen.


    Confronted with Rein''s sudden intrusion, the fat man ''Kole'' didn''t panic like the other two upper echelons of the Hyena Gang.


    Instead, he seemed leisurely as he sized up Rein, his fleshy face making his small eyes stand out, his black and rolling pupils moving briskly, a glint of slyness flashing in his squinted eyes.


    "This strange friend, if there has been some misunderstanding, we can sit down and have a good talk."


    "If you''re an assassin, that''s also simple. Look, there''s plenty of money on the table. If someone hired you to kill me, you can take twice the amount they''re paying you, right from there."


    Unfortunately, despite his smooth talk, Rein didn''t believe a single word.


    Because Rein already knew Kole was known for his stinginess, furthermore, the conflict between him and the Hyena Gang had reached a point beyond reconciliation.


    Either you die, or I do!


    "Whoosh!"


    Without an ounce of hesitation, Rein pushed off the ground and charged swiftly towards Kole.


    Just then, the two upper echelons of the Hyena Gang roared angrily, swinging their iron batons as they lunged at Rein from both sides, trying to block Rein''s strike at their boss.


    "Clang!!"


    The two Hyena Gang leaders coordinated their attack flawlessly, striking almost simultaneously, and managed to block Rein''s sword with their iron batons.


    Although both were shaken to the point that their knees buckled, and their arms went numb, this brought them some joy, and they thought to themselves:


    "We thought a lone assassin would be so ferocious. Turns out, he''s about the same level as us!"


    One of them shouted triumphantly, "Boss, leave this overconfident fool to us��we''ll make sure he never returns!"


    ''King Canine'' Kole also relaxed his expression at this point, his right hand that was clutching the chair''s armrest loosened quite a bit, instead showing a look of someone enjoying a good show.


    In his heart, he was laughing: "The strength and speed of that sword blow just now��just the level of a primary Knight Attendant, about the same as my two boys, and nowhere near my own."


    "Really don''t know who hired this guy to assassinate me, didn''t even figure out their own strength; what is this, a joke? Pure stupidity!"


    Rein had just invoked the ''Blacksmith''s Strength'' in his heart, but after he swung his sword, he remembered that ''Blacksmith''s Strength'' had already upgraded to a higher level, ''Strength Burst.''


    Looking at the two smug Hyena Gang leaders, Rein said with a smile:


    "Overestimating your capabilities? Who gave you the confidence that you could stop me?"


    The next second!


    A sound similar to ripping silk echoed!


    This was Rein''s first time executing the newly acquired skill ''Strength Burst.''


    Instantly, he felt his heart contract forcefully, pumping a great torrent of warmth, every major muscle in his body seemed to have been injected with adrenaline, all becoming engorged, swelling, and bulging.


    As his stature suddenly increased by more than twenty centimeters, Rein''s loose plate armor, a product from Hamilton, was stretched taut, and the cotton cloth at the arms, devoid of any metal plates, even ripped open several large gaps,


    "Swoosh!!"


    With another Whirlwind Slash executed, the two dumbstruck Hyena Gang leaders were suddenly cut in half at the waist, blood splattering everywhere. The lower halves of their bodies remained upright in place for a few seconds, while the upper halves fell to the ground and started to twitch.


    "Ting Dang!"


    The iron batons slipped weakly from their hands, their faces frozen in disbelief and excruciating pain!


    "A full-fledged Knight!!"


    Kole, the heavy white fat man weighing several hundred pounds, leaped up from his soft chair upon witnessing the scene, his squinting eyes bulging, a face filled with horror and surprise.


    And the massive Hyena Queen, who had been lying around lazily, also instantly got up, focusing her wary gaze on Rein.


    S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 70: Chapter 69: Feeling Like Im Back on Track (Please Follow)

    Rein had never felt so good before!At this moment, his body was filled with explosive strength, as if his body had been a dormant volcano, but after being guided by the core skill "Strength Burst," it instantly became an active volcano, with the magma erupting suddenly!


    "A formal Knight?"


    Rein chewed on the four words that Cole had blurted out and looked down at his swollen body.


    He instantly realized why the other party had this misunderstanding.


    Because his current appearance greatly resembled Hamilton when breaking limits; his arms suddenly doubled in thickness, twisted with muscles.


    At this point, Cole''s expression was no longer composed but instead extremely solemn, holding tightly onto two long crescent-shaped greatswords, one meter long blade plus a half-meter handle, totaling one and a half meters in length, not much different from Rein''s Dual-Handed Greatsword.


    "Even if you are a formal Knight, you shouldn''t have intruded into the Dog-Fighting Estate!"


    "How long can your breaking limits state last!"


    However, Rein didn''t mean to explain.


    His core skill "Strength Burst" could only last a few seconds, and listening to the opponent for even one more second was a waste of a chance to fight.


    To listen, he would wait until he had absolute control of the fight.


    Taking advantage of the chubby Cole''s rambling, Rein pushed hard with his right leg, shooting towards him like an arrow released from a bowstring!


    "Clang!!"


    Rein and Cole fiercely struck each other!


    The grating sound of metal clashing was almost nauseating!


    Rein stepped back slightly, but Cole had it worse; his two or three hundred pound body was directly sent flying back to the spacious armchair!


    "Smack!"


    No matter how sturdy the chair was, it couldn''t withstand the high-speed impact of several hundred pounds of flesh, it immediately split into pieces, dust flying everywhere.


    And Cole was in a terrible state, sitting on the ground, nowhere near the poise of the Hyena Gang leader!


    "Damn it, launching a sneak attack!" chubby Cole saw that Rein simply didn''t bother with small talk, attacking without a word, even more sneaky than him, cursing out loud in anger.


    "Maria, summon the pack of dogs! Bite him to death!!"


    At that moment, the Hyena Queen named Maria, upon receiving her master Cole''s command, immediately cried out to the sky, "Awoo!!"


    Suddenly, a group of vicious hyenas, slightly larger than normal size, baring their teeth, sprang out from all directions, swiftly closing in on Rein. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein quickly estimated that there were about forty to fifty in front of him, and moreover, an unending stream of hyenas kept appearing from behind!


    Indeed! There are only wrong names, no wrong nicknames.


    The nickname "Dog King" truly deserved its name!


    These barking hyenas, which seemed to be hybrids of the Hyena Queen and other dog-fighting breeds, appeared to be unified due to the strong genes of the Hyena Queen, mostly spotted.


    Even the length of canine teeth, the protrusion levels of the upper and lower jaws, and the shapes of ears and tails varied greatly, but each was definitely robust and fierce, with sharp claws and teeth.


    At first glance, they were intimidating!


    Seeing this scene, Rein instantly understood why the Hyena Queen was called "Queen." She was damn prolific!


    An army of one?!


    "Awoo!" The Hyena Queen cried out once again.


    Upon receiving this command from the "Queen," these strong hybrid hyenas attacked Rein from all sides.


    Had it been an ordinary person, they might have been overwhelmed by now, but Rein''s Giant Bear Sword Technique was well-suited for this situation.


    "Whirlwind Slash!!"


    Rein swung the Dual-Handed Greatsword, unleashing a fierce slash, where a silver arc about two meters in radius flashed by.


    In front of Rein, at least four or five hybrid hyenas were torn apart, limbs and flesh scattered.


    After two or three consecutive Whirlwind Slashes, this group of forty or fifty hybrid hyenas had been reduced by nearly half.


    The rest, emitting ''whining'' noises, tucked their tails and started retreating.


    This scene greatly enraged the Hyena Queen!


    Nearly half of her offspring were slaughtered by this human right before her eyes!


    The Hyena Queen''s face twisted viciously, her eyes glowed red, and with a powerful push of her forepaws, her huge body charged at Rein like a young calf.


    Meanwhile, the chubby white man, Cole, also charged with a greatsword raised high.


    Their coordination appeared to be quite seamless.


    This was exactly what Rein had hoped for.


    He had been most concerned that his opponents would keep summoning hyenas and engage him in a drawn-out battle; unexpectedly, Cole and the Hyena Queen decided to directly clash with him!


    The other hybrid hyenas, seeing their queen charging forward, also took the opportunity to attack Rein from all directions once again.


    "Leap Slash!!"


    Facing the approaching Hyena Queen, Rein chose to directly confront her head-on, leaping high into the air and slashing down with lightning speed!


    In midair, the Hyena Queen''s fierce ''claw strike'' contested Rein''s 20 Strength under ''Leap Slash''.


    But after all, the Hyena Queen was not a truly wild beast, she was just a mutated hyena with a massive body.


    "Crack!"


    In an instant, three-quarters of the Hyena Queen''s right forepaw was severed by Rein''s fine steel greatsword.


    "Aoww!!!" The Hyena Queen howled in pain immediately!


    At this moment, Cole''s greatsword chop attacked from the side, but was neatly blocked by Rein''s ''Guard''.


    "Clang!!!"


    Rein blocked Cole''s powerful and forceful strike using ''Strong Blade'', shaking it fiercely to repel Cole, who weighed several hundred pounds, back several steps.


    Without stopping, Rein faced the surging tide of hybrid hyenas all around him, once again wielding a magnificent silver crescent arch!


    "Swoosh swoosh swoosh!"


    Two Whirlwind Slashes followed by a Smooth Cleaving Slash, the whistling sound of air being cut echoed, and hybrid hyenas were grazed and severed upon contact.


    The formidable momentum of the hyenas was utterly quashed by Rein!


    The crowd of hybrid hyenas whimpered and retreated once again.


    Suddenly, there was empty space around Rein!


    At this time, the Hyena Queen, curled up with her severed paw and standing on three legs, let out another mournful howl, her body swaying unsteadily as if she was about to fall.


    Cole, initially puzzled, scanned around quickly and saw those hyenas injured by Rein''s greatsword lying motionless on the ground.


    Some had merely their skin nicked, yet they were motionless!


    This shocked Cole immensely.


    But the next second, an idea struck him, and he looked at Rein incredulously, exclaiming, "You... you actually poisoned your blade!!"


    To still use poison at the level of a formal knight?


    Poisoning a Dual-Handed Greatsword?


    Could this really be something a typical knight would do?


    At this moment, Cole''s world view was shattered!


    A head full of question marks ???


    Hell, who had he gotten himself involved with this time!


    Facing this powerful and shameless enemy, Cole completely lost his will to fight.


    Just as he planned to find an opportunity to escape, suddenly, the ''assassin'' before him shrank back to his original size like a deflated balloon.


    At the same time, he staggered unsteadily and almost fell!


    This gave Cole a sense of revival from despair!


    "Hahahaha, so after your Strength Burst, your body can''t hold up anymore!" Cole couldn''t help but laugh heartily.


    What a turnaround!


    At this moment, Cole felt he was back in the game!


    He could finally avenge his beloved Maria!


    "Then die!!" Cole''s face twisted viciously as he raised his greatsword high.

 Chapter 71: Chapter 70 The Dog King Khols Secret

    Just now, Rein''s "Strength Burst" duration ended.So, his physique shrank from "Schwarzenegger" back to that of an ordinary person''s.


    Since it was his first time using this new skill, Rein realized he had underestimated the ''aftereffects''.


    At this moment, his muscles were incredibly sore, and he almost lost his balance for a moment.


    No wonder the panel notes said it was not to be further upgraded at this stage.


    If he boosted it further, while it would certainly be strong, once the duration was up, the ''aftereffects'' might just kill him on the spot!


    However, Rein quickly thought that this was probably because his Constitution was too low.


    His Strength surged to 20 points during the outburst, supported only by a Constitution of 9 points.


    A small horse pulling a heavy cart is bound to struggle!


    If his Constitution were higher, like 10 or 11 points, or even more, the effects of the ''aftereffects'' would presumably be much more bearable.


    Facing the ferociously charging Colin, with a fierce and smug expression, Rein lifted his head and gave him a mysterious smile.


    "Are you sure?"


    These three words made Colin''s pupils shrink, a chill running down from the top of his head to his heels, as if he had been struck by lightning, his rushing hulking mass suddenly frozen in place!


    The next second, the portly Colin bent his knees slightly, preparing to retreat!


    But sorry!


    Too late!


    For just as Rein lifted his head, his panel''s remaining attribute points suddenly dropped from 1 to 0, and his Constitution surged from 9 to 10.


    Instantly, Rein felt as if the thousands of ants biting his muscles were swept away, the soreness and swelling gone!


    His body''s condition returned to its prime in an instant.


    No, it was even 1 point stronger than at his peak!


    The next second, as Rein silently invoked "Strength Burst" again.


    Instantly, he felt a powerful surge of warmth from his heart, accelerating his blood flow, veins bulging, and muscles swelling intensely.


    His body swelled once more, transforming back into "Schwarzenegger"!


    So, in the face of Colin, who was now panicking and somewhat baffled, Rein swung the Fine Steel Greatsword, empowered with the strength of 20 points once again!


    "Furious Slash!"


    In the blink of an eye, a huge shadow blocked in front of "Dog King" Colin.


    But without a second thought, Rein stepped forward and, with a sweeping slash, split the bulky Hyena Queen in two, her fetid blood and organ fluids splashing directly onto the portly Colin! S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ah! You bastard! I''ll kill you!! You actually killed my Maria!!"


    "Do you know how much effort I put into raising Maria! I''m going to chop you into minced meat!!"


    Rein, who had initially considered capturing Colin alive and interrogating him, saw him raving madly like a lunatic, wildly swinging his greatsword around.


    Rein knew it was highly unlikely that he could get any useful information out of Colin''s mouth anymore.


    He had gone mad!


    "Swoosh!"


    So, decisively, Rein ended it, cutting Colin''s throat with a single sword stroke!


    "You... you dare kill me, the Wilderness... Brotherhood will sooner or later... avenge... me!" Colin clutched his neck, bubbling blood from his mouth, his face filled with resistance, threatening intermittently.


    "Don''t tell me you have another brother, the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood?"


    "You are... pfft!!" Colin suddenly understood something.


    He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, eyes wide with rage, and died instantly!


    In the moment before his death, Kolt finally realized that the man before him was actually brought here by his own younger brother, Blackbeard.


    However... what truly made Kolt die with his eyes open was, damn it, how the hell did Blackbeard piss off the other party?


    With the deaths of both the Hyena Queen and ''Dog King'' Kolt, the mongrel hyenas scattered, tails tucked, fleeing in every direction.


    Rein swung his greatsword with force, shaking off the blood and wiping it down. The Fine Steel Greatsword, which had been emitting a faint green glow, now shone like new.


    Rein wrapped the greatsword up again in sheepskin and slung it over his shoulder.


    Then, he immediately began searching ''Dog King'' Kolt''s body.


    A green agate ring and a pure gold ring were quickly removed by Rein.


    On the other''s neck lay a thick gold necklace, heavy in Rein''s hand, likely weighing three or four pounds.


    After that, Rein walked over to the large coffee table and put dozens of Gold Coins and several hundred Silver Coins into a large cloth bag all at once.


    As for the multitude of shillings and pennies, Rein ignored them entirely.


    They were too low in value, heavy, and took up too much space.


    Clearly, this dogfighting manor, as the lair of the Hyena Gang, should have a place where ''Dog King'' Kolt stored important items.


    Thus, Rein began to rapidly check each room, one after another, floor by floor.


    Soon, in a luxurious bedroom on the second floor, Rein discovered a hidden compartment.


    The location of the compartment was rather secretive, behind a painting, with just enough space to fit a backpack.


    Moving aside the painting, there was only a brown wooden box inside the compartment. The box appeared quite valuable. Upon opening it, Rein was taken aback to find a book inside.


    The book''s cover was extremely ornate, seemingly crafted from pure silver material, inlaid with noble sapphires, rubies, and turquoise. Its most distinctive feature was the extremely delicate carving of animals, patterns, and leaf veins.


    Rein''s first impression was that the book looked more like a rare piece of art than anything else.


    Considering ''Dog King'' Kolt''s appearance of weighing several hundred pounds, Rein couldn''t for the life of him associate this book with Kolt.


    Rein would never believe for a second that Kolt was a man who loved to read!


    The Hyena Gang''s boss a cultured man?


    Therefore, there must be something peculiar about this book!


    However, before touching it, Rein stood at a distance and cautiously used the tip of his Fine Steel Greatsword to gently lift the cover of the book and flip through a few pages.


    After confirming there was no issue, Rein then approached and quickly skimmed through a few pages.


    Rein''s expressions changed rapidly, one moment smiling, the next moment showing a puzzled look.


    He finally understood how Kolt had acquired that mutated Hyena Queen.


    Aparently, Kolt had created her using some records and recipes from this book.


    The contents of the book were highly eclectic, and the handwriting was quite sloppy.


    Furthermore, one could clearly see the writing of two different people.


    For instance, there was a passage that read:


    "Damn it! Why did the other party only bring one bottle of that strange potion? If there had been two, then I could have had two beloved ''Marias''."


    "I copied the unknown text onto a piece of paper and sought out several so-called scholars, but none could understand it! These charlatans..."


    "..."


    The handwriting was definitely Kolt''s.


    Naturally, the other type of handwriting must be that of the book''s original owner.

 Chapter 72: Chapter 71 The Book

    Rein tentatively concluded that this was likely the diary or notes of someone, which recorded some insights and experiences in taming dogs, horses, birds, and other creatures.Since the record keeper did not leave behind their name, for the time being, Rein referred to the book as the "Beast Taming Diary".


    What set it apart was that the later entries in the diary required certain special potions to be realized.


    The last few even necessitated chanting some incantations that Rein couldn''t understand at all, in combination with specific rituals for completion.


    This immediately led Rein to speculate, could this be the diary of a Beast Tamer?


    Or could there be Druids in this world, and this was written by one?


    Rein''s mind raced with possibilities, but unfortunately, whether it was the potions or the rituals, large portions were interspersed with unknown script, making it presently impossible for Rein to concoct these potions or set up the rituals.


    In other words, the only sections he could fully understand were a small part at the beginning of the notebook.


    Mostly, there were recipes beneficial to the nurturing of animals....


    Oh! Underneath the book in the wooden box, there was even a wooden amulet being pressed down.


    The amulet was strung on a sturdy, thin leather cord, with the front bearing a flourished large tree with a straight trunk and a canopy like a large mushroom, and on the back, a roaring Giant Bear, both carved with lifelike detail.


    Rein picked up the leather cord and carefully examined the amulet before slipping it inside the book.


    He planned on retreating first.


    Because for the moment, he couldn''t decipher the significance of these two items.


    After securing the important book against his chest, Rein searched the rooms where valuable items might be hidden one more time.


    Indeed, in a small compartment on the third floor, Rein found a hiding place for Gold Coins, roughly counting close to three hundred.


    Rein quickly pocketed them as well.


    Before leaving, Rein set fire to the three-story house!


    Afterward, Rein took advantage of the darkness and quickly left the dogfighting estate.


    Since most of the house was made of pure wood structures, although there was light rain outside, it had little effect; soon, the firelight illuminated the nearby sky.


    Rein, who sneaked back home in the night, only felt completely relieved after entering his own room. Then, he began to feel an all-over muscle soreness and exhaustion.


    It seemed that even though his Constitution had improved slightly, he still couldn''t completely eliminate the ''side effect'' of muscle weakness following the use of ''Strength Burst''.


    However, there was obviously an improvement.


    Rein distinctly felt that the muscle soreness was much weaker than the first time he ended ''Strength Burst''.


    Furthermore, the onset of this ''side effect'' of soreness and weakness seemed to be delayed, not appearing immediately.


    All these should be due to the increase in Constitution.


    After carefully stashing a large bag of Gold and Silver Coins under his bed, Rein finally had the spare time to pay attention to the system prompts:


    ...


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +245]


    [You have experienced combat, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +123]


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique surged by nearly a quarter of an experience bar, reaching lv4 (245/1000).


    And to Rein''s surprise, his Night Watchman Profession Level went from lv2 (207/300) to lv3 (30/500), gaining another attribute point and Skill Point.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv2 (0/300)/Night Watchman lv3 (30/500)


    Constitution: 10


    Strength: 10


    Agility: 9


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Attribute points are still at a constant 1 point, so there''s no plan for that.


    As for Skill Points, Rein thought it over, and since "Strength Burst" could no longer be improved, he naturally leaned toward "danger perception lv1" over the other upgradable core skill, "hammer proficiency lv1".


    After all, the weapon he was currently using was a Dual-Handed Greatsword, not a hammer.


    Moreover, the earlier one detected danger, the sooner one could seize the initiative.


    Especially when Rein had encountered a sudden attack from an assassin last time, "danger perception lv1" had come in really handy.


    So, after a moment''s thought, Rein added a Skill Point to the core skill "danger perception lv1", instantly upgrading it from lv1 to lv2.


    At the same time, Rein immediately felt his sense of touch, hearing, and vision sharpening further.


    And... an indistinct, almost imperceptible innate response.


    "Is this the sixth sense?"


    The term spontaneously popped into Rein''s mind.


    But Rein quickly shook his head, since he had never possessed a sixth sense and naturally couldn''t determine what this faint response really was.


    Let''s assume it''s the sixth sense for the time being.


    Simultaneously, the panel''s description of danger perception also changed accordingly.


    [Core Skill: danger perception lv2 (Passive)]


    danger perception lv2 (Passive) effect: Your awareness of danger in your surroundings has slightly increased.


    (Note: The acuity of danger perception is related to the host''s Spirit; the stronger the spiritual power, the sharper the perception.)


    Changed from ''slight'' to ''small degree'', this was similar to the changes after upgrading the Blacksmith''s strength earlier.


    Having finished allocating Skill Points, Rein took out the beautifully bound and luxurious book from his chest, examined it for a moment, and then placed it under the bed.


    Feeling a bit tired tonight, he planned to read it thoroughly tomorrow morning.


    Lying in bed, Rein''s mood had calmed down a lot compared to this evening when he discovered that the Hyena gang members had tracked down Anna''s house.


    At that time, he was filled with emotions like anxiety and anger when he saw the gang interrogating Anna and Bo He.


    After two consecutive killings, especially since eliminating the ''Hyena King'' Kael and obliterating the entire Hyena gang, Rein''s anger had been fully vented. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, his thoughts were drifting away.


    Scenes of recent battles, such as with the Hyena gang, the assassin, the malicious mermen, the frenzied werewolves, and so on, flowed through Rein''s mind.


    "Although this world is a Transcendent one, it seems even more stark, following the law of the dark jungle even more strictly."


    "Currently I am still very weak. If I want to protect myself, my family, and those I wish to protect, then I must grow faster and become sufficiently strong..."


    "Moreover, this world seems to be even more dangerous than I imagined..."


    "..."


    Gradually, Rein fell into a deep sleep!


    The next morning.


    Rein woke up early, sitting by the window, he began to flip through that beautiful book.


    The patterns on the cover seemed to represent some sort of reverence for nature, as it depicted bears, deer, wolves, leopards, various flowers, and tall trees.


    Additionally, the animals portrayed here were in peaceful postures, not in aggressive stances.


    Turning the pages, Rein carefully read the few paragraphs written by the original owner at the front of the diary.


    This section mainly described techniques for strengthening dogs and gaining their favor, "Providing dogs with nutritional meals three times a day can effectively promote their growth and development..."


    "Nutritional meal recipe: 2 ounces of water root grass, 2 eggs, half a pint of milk, and 20 ounces of pork or chicken..."


    "Huh! They''re eating better than I do!" Rein exclaimed involuntarily.


    "No wonder that mutated Hyena Queen grew so big; it must be because of this nutritional meal?"


    "Is this the canine version of ''if you want to win someone''s favor, first capture their stomach''?"


    Rein couldn''t help but laugh.

 Chapter 73: Chapter 72: Water Root Grass

    As Rein continued to read on, he realized his guess was indeed wrong.For he saw the following record:


    "Canine enhancement: To break the shackles of a canine''s nature and increase its potential to become ferocious, you can try a daily nutritional meal as the base, with an additional 2 fluid ounces of the mutant growth potion each month (fluid ounce, a unit of volume)..."


    "Of course, this unstable potion could cause unpredictable changes in the canine. It must be administered with caution, and observations should be made closely. Should anything go awry, stop the administration immediately, and use..."


    "Mutant growth potion formula: 1 ounce of golden sunflower, 1 pair of nocturnal vampire bat wings, 2 carrion wolf claws..."


    Upon reading this, Rein couldn''t help but ponder. Connecting with the content previously written by Kole, Rein quickly made a rough guess about the situation of the Hyena Queen in his mind.


    Kole must have cultivated the Hyena Queen ''Maria'' by chance using just one bottle of the mutant growth potion.


    But it seemed just as written in the book, in addition to becoming stronger and larger, the Hyena Queen also mutated.


    Only... the direction of mutation was the rarely seen... reproductive direction...


    This truly was...


    Indeed worthy of being called a mutant growth potion...


    Rein couldn''t help but shake his head.


    Continuing to flip through the book, Rein saw many other cultivation methods for different animals.


    Many of the cultivation methods needed to be used in conjunction with potions,


    and Rein had never heard of those potion recipes. Moreover, the process of making these formulas often involved sections or paragraphs of text written in an unknown language.


    "Is it written in another language to keep it secret, or is it that during the concoction, one needs to recite some kind of incantation?"


    This made Rein lost in thought, seeming more likely that the latter was the case.


    Gently placing the book down. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein always felt that this book wasn''t so simple.


    Imagine, why would a diary used for recording by a person have such a magnificent cover?


    The cover was made of silver, not to mention adorned with noble sapphires, rubies, and turquoise. This was something Rein found a bit difficult to understand.


    Shaking his head, since he couldn''t figure it out at the moment, Rein decided to let it go for now.


    Setting the book aside, Rein picked up the Wooden Amulet strung on a fine leather cord to look at.


    But after a long look, aside from seeing that the the animals and plants on both sides of the amulet were carved exquisitely, he could make out nothing else.


    However, he also understood that anything ''King of Canines'' Kole had put into the wooden box with the book couldn''t be simple.


    It might be just as precious as this book.


    A flash of inspiration suddenly crossed Rein''s mind.


    "Is it possible that both the book and the amulet belong to the same master?"


    This immediately made his eyes light up.


    In that case, it would be easy to explain why ''King of Canines'' Kole placed the two items together.


    Furthermore, whether it was the patterns on the silver cover of the book or the designs on the amulet, ''nature'' could summarize both.


    Rein stroked his chin, nodding occasionally, the more he thought about it the more he felt he was grasping the thread of something.


    However...


    Understanding something and being able to read it are two different matters.


    So, in the end, Rein could only keep the amulet sandwiched in the ''Beast Taming diary'' and carefully treasure it.


    Afterward, Rein crossed his arms and paced back and forth in the room, deep in thought.


    "The canine cultivation in the front part of the ''Beast Taming diary,'' I can understand, and the various materials should also be purchasable. I could try to create something using some of the recipes and formulas mentioned."


    "Perhaps it could trigger the profession panel related to Beast Taming."


    "The issue of canines is even easier to solve. During the last servant training session, I could have obtained a greyhound puppy for my home. Only I wasn''t assessed as a dog trainer, so I didn''t waste money to claim it at the time since adoption would cost three silver coins."


    "I can go to the estate myself later and get the canine situation settled. The rest... that would be the recipes and potion formulas. If I''m just starting out, I can begin with simple recipes,"


    "The trouble with the potion formulas is the unknown script, which is quite annoying. I''ll need to figure out where I can study this knowledge. Since Cole mentioned that ordinary scholars are not familiar with it, this script must be uncommon."


    "But... this can be set aside for now."


    "Also, the nutrition meal formula: two ounces of water root grass, two eggs, half a pint of milk, twenty ounces of pork or chicken..."


    "It seems I haven''t really heard of water root grass, so I''ll have to check the potion shop first."


    "That''s decided then. I''ll go to the potion shop to see if there''s water root grass for sale. If so, I''ll buy the ingredients first, then go to get the canine."


    Rein quickly went over what he needed to do and prepared to head out to Abel''s potion shop.


    Abel''s potion shop sells not only ready-made potions but also a variety of herbs and raw materials.


    If water root grass is for sale in town, the potion shop is the likeliest place.


    Soon, Rein arrived at Abel''s potion shop. He noticed that Molly was still the one tending the shop. She greeted Rein with a smile as he entered:


    "Rein, are you here to see Abel again today?"


    "No, Sister Molly, please pass my thanks to Mr. Abel for his help last time. I''ve come today to ask if you have water root grass for sale?"


    "Water root grass? Let me check." Molly seemed a bit uncertain whether the shop had this herb, and immediately turned around to check the shelves with the herbs.


    "Yes, we do, Rein. How many do you want?"


    "I''ll take three,"


    "Three? That won''t be cheap, you know. They''re priced at five silver coins each, so for three, that would be fifteen silver coins! I really don''t know what Abel was thinking pricing this herb so high,"


    Molly picked up a pale yellow herb to inspect and muttered complaints about Abel now and then.


    "Fifteen silver coins?" Rein couldn''t help but be taken aback.


    At five silver coins each, if he hadn''t made a windfall from the canine estate, he might have found this price a bit hard to swallow.


    "Yeah, by the way, Rein, what do you need it for?" Molly blinked her large eyes, clearly curious about Rein''s purchase of the water root grass.


    "Haha, Sister Molly, here are fifteen silver coins." Rein handed over the money with a smile, deliberately not answering Molly''s question directly.


    After receiving the three stems of water root grass, Rein quickly left Abel''s potion shop.


    Water root grass resembled radishes in appearance, with a pale yellow skin. It seemed to be the rhizome of a plant but was much smaller than radishes and had more developed roots.


    Upon leaving the potion shop, Rein went to other stores and quickly bought all the remaining ingredients.


    When Rein returned home, his parents were still not back.


    However, Anna and Bo He noticed right away what Rein was carrying in his hands.


    "Wow! Brother, what made you think of buying so much food today?"


    "That''s great; we can have so many tasty things for dinner!"


    "Um... that, Bo He, haha, yes!" Seeing his sister so happy, Rein didn''t have the heart to voice what he was actually thinking.


    What to say?


    That he was planning on trying to make dog food?


    It wasn''t urgent.


    The daily ingredients could always be replenished later.


    Naturally, his sister''s happiness was more important.


    At that moment, a familiar voice came from outside.


    "Rein, are you home?" George called from the doorway.


    "I am! George, long time no see." Rein opened the door and greeted him with a smile.


    "Whoa! Rein, you''ve changed so much!" George gestured at Rein''s height, saying in surprise.

 Chapter 74: Chapter 73 This is a Failed Demonstration

    ```Rein used to be shorter than him, only reaching up to his eyebrows.


    But in less than half a month, Rein had grown rapidly, almost as tall as him!


    This greatly amazed George, who grabbed Rein''s arm and exclaimed, "Rein, what on earth have you been eating recently? How did you grow so fast!"


    But the next second, George froze; he lowered his head to look at the arm he was holding.


    He couldn''t get his hand around it!


    George instinctively pinched with his fingers, feeling the firm yet elastic sensation from his fingertips.


    George was stunned!


    "Re...Rein! You''ve changed... way too much!!" George stammered, eyes wide and mouth agape.


    Not only had Rein grown taller, but his entire figure had also become larger, though it wasn''t immediately obvious since his build was still proportionate.


    Fortunately for George, it was the arm he touched; had he felt Rein''s chest or back, he would have encountered the rigid metal bars of the ''plate armor shirt.''


    "Smack!"


    "Two big guys, cut out the touchy-feely," Rein protested as if annoyed.


    Actually, Rein wanted to prevent George from continuing to touch him here and there, exposing the fact that he was wearing a cotton plate armor shirt.


    It wasn''t that he worried George would tell others, but naturally, the fewer people who knew about it, the better.


    "Sigh... Rein, this change in you is just too great!" George seemed quite disheartened.


    "When you eat well, you naturally grow tall!" Rein gestured towards the eggs, milk, and meat he had just bought, sitting to one side.


    George looked puzzled, then suddenly his expression cleared, "No wonder!"


    "Right, what did you want to see me about today?" To avoid dwelling on the issue, Rein changed the subject.


    "I just got a notification from the manor: training for page boys is resuming this afternoon," George said, slapping his forehead as he remembered the matter at hand.


    Huh! I had planned to visit the Habsburg manor later to settle the matter with the greyhound puppies, but I didn''t expect the training to resume in the afternoon.


    After a brief consideration, Rein decided to attend the page boys'' training in the afternoon, and after it ended, he would head to the manor''s kennel to pick out a greyhound.


    Rein naturally brought along his cotton plate armor shirt and dagger, but left the Dual-Handed Greatsword behind; it was just too conspicuous.


    In the afternoon.


    Outside the training ground of Habsburg manor, the page boys'' training began anew.


    Today''s session was focused on the basics of swordsmanship.


    "We''ve learned the basics of swordsmanship before. Basic swordsmanship has only three moves, but whether it''s the striding thrust, downward slash, or upward sweep, they are all offensive moves with no defense techniques,"


    "So today, we are going to learn how to use the long sword in your hand for defense!" the swordsmanship instructor Humbert declared loudly.


    "Rein, come forward and demonstrate with me."


    "Yes, Instructor!" Rein was taken aback for a moment but quickly agreed and briskly walked to the front.


    "Are you ready?"


    "I''m ready, Instructor." S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmm, the rest of you, pay close attention to my demonstration," Humbert nodded and then turned to address the group of page boys loudly.


    Humbert raised the wooden sword in his hands level to Rein''s chest and delivered a rapid striding thrust.


    However, Rein on the opposite side found it odd that the instructor would thrust such a slow sword, even for a demonstration; it just seemed a little too unrealistic.


    "Surely the instructor must have something up his sleeve?"


    Therefore, Rein naturally took a step back, easily dodging Humbert''s thrust.


    Just as Rein thought Humbert would follow up with another attack, he found that Humbert was looking at him with a strange expression.


    The scene unfolding before him was a bit different from what Humbert had anticipated.


    Although he had long known that Rein had a natural talent for swordsmanship, having sparred with Rein several times, Humbert was also aware of Rein''s general strength.


    But the thrust he had just performed was executed with seventy percent of his real strength; logically, Rein should have barely failed to react in time, with Humbert''s sword tip pointing directly at his chest.


    Then, Humbert would have used this as a proper demonstration, to tell all the page boys about the importance of defense, and how to do it.


    ```


    Humbert had not expected Rein to be able to dodge so easily.


    Clearly, this was a failed demonstration!


    "Rein, very effective defense, let''s go again," Humbert said.


    This time, Humbert''s gaze was noticeably more serious, and he planned to use ninety percent of his strength.


    After all, if the demonstration failed twice, he wouldn''t know how to explain the content that was supposed to follow.


    He couldn''t possibly switch to someone else to demonstrate, could he?


    Would he still have any face left as the manor''s senior guard and the children''s swordsmanship tutor?


    Clearly, Rein was not aware of the swordsmanship instructor Humbert''s inner thoughts and immediately nodded:


    "Alright, instructor!"


    This time, Humbert didn''t ask if Rein was ready, and as soon as he saw Rein take his position, he suddenly thrust forward with a striding motion.


    "Whoosh!"


    This thrust was much faster than the previous one, so fast that it even slightly pierced the air, producing a faint whistling sound.


    Rein''s eyes narrowed, and he silently sighed to himself that instructor Humbert was finally taking it a bit more seriously this time!


    The previous attack was too perfunctory, but this one was much stronger. The question was, just how much of his real skill was the instructor using this time? Fifty percent? Or perhaps sixty percent?


    While Rein pondered this in his mind, his body''s movements were not slow in the least.


    Retreating quickly as if by instinct, Rein swiftly swung his sword, using the "strong" part of the blade near the hilt to block Humbert''s thrust.


    Perhaps it was because his attributes, especially his spiritual power, had greatly improved, Rein was able to grasp Humbert''s longsword trajectory very well.


    Moreover, being accustomed to the heavier Dual-Handed Greatsword, swinging the wooden sword felt like waving a straw, quick and easy, so the block was not difficult but rather smooth.


    "Bam!"


    The two wooden training swords struck each other swiftly and then separated sharply.


    One could see that Humbert''s wooden sword had been knocked aside, while the tip of Rein''s sword pointed steadily at Humbert''s chest, motionless.


    At this moment, Humbert could no longer suppress the surprise in his heart, quietly uttering "huh", while his mind was overwhelmed by a storm of shock.


    "If the first time could be put down to my own underestimation, leading to the sword being easily dodged by Rein, but this time, I deliberately caught Rein off guard."


    "Moreover, the speed of my thrust this time was obviously much faster than the last."


    "But even under such circumstances, Rein easily blocked it."


    "This....."


    Humbert didn''t know what had happened to Rein lately, but he hadn''t seen the boy in just half a month, and his strength had improved to this extent?


    As for the other children who were watching, some were enthralled, others were shocked and bewildered.


    Most of the children had only seen the swordsmanship instructor Humbert and Rein exchange blows at an extremely fast pace, then heard a "bam" and it was all over.


    As for how Rein defended, they really didn''t see it clearly.


    Humbert was slightly stunned, then a flash of insight struck him, and he immediately thought of a way to cover up this failed demonstration.


    "Ahem... Rein just demonstrated very well!"


    Humbert cleared his throat and continued:


    "Just now, I attacked Rein with a striding thrust, and Rein sidestepped and quickly blocked my thrust with the ''strong'' part of the blade, then counterattacked with a thrust, a very good response."


    "Everyone should learn from Rein''s defensive tactics, very standard and practical!"


    Upon hearing Humbert''s praises, Rein was clearly startled.


    This did not seem to match the demonstration he had anticipated; shouldn''t it have been him thrusting and then Humbert calmly blocking?


    But then again... what the instructor just explained seems to make a lot of sense!


    ...


    The group of children looked at Rein with a mix of shock and envy.


    The one with thick eyebrows stood out the most; as the second-best swordsman among the children, he knew deeply how difficult it was to practice the rapid sequence of defense and counterattack that Rein had just demonstrated.

 Chapter 75: Chapter 74: Turning a Passive Situation into an Active One

    If he was able to spar with Rein before, this time after watching the demonstration between Instructor Humbert and Rein, the determination in his thick-browed heart to compete with Rein was completely extinguished."Is this what a swordsmanship prodigy looks like?!"


    It''s truly despair-inducing!


    At this moment, his heart was filled with deep disappointment!


    During the following sparring session, Rein, however, found it completely uninteresting.


    Clearly, none of the attendants could bring him any experience in basic swordsmanship anymore.


    If he wanted to earn experience points in basic swordsmanship more quickly, only Instructor Humbert''s personal sparring would suffice, but recalling the instructor''s dodgy gaze from earlier, Rein knew better than to ask too much of him.


    For the first time, Rein felt that the attendant training which had greatly improved his strength was slowly failing to keep pace with his progress, becoming something of a ''chicken rib.''


    So, seizing a break in practice, Rein approached Instructor Humbert and asked softly, "Instructor, may I go practice archery?"


    Since Humbert was both the swordsmanship and archery instructor, he hardly hesitated and nodded immediately, "You may! Rein, go to the practice range over there by yourself."


    After all, he knew that apart from himself, there was nobody else among the attendants who could adequately spar with Rein in swordsmanship.


    But he couldn''t very well spar with him personally, for if he were to...


    Would he still have a face to show?


    At the end of the day, for Rein to continue attending such basic swordsmanship training was meaningless.


    Archery, on the other hand, remained Rein''s ''shortcoming.''


    Humbert fully supported this.


    Rein was immediately delighted and said, "Thank you, Instructor Humbert."


    Rein himself had only intended to try his luck, not expecting Instructor Humbert to agree so readily.


    Thus, under the astonished gazes of the other attendants, Rein concluded his basic swordsmanship training early and went alone to the nearby target range for archery practice.


    The Night Watchman''s elite archery had left a profound impression on Rein.


    Dense and precise arrow volleys efficiently killed the murloc invaders.


    Because Rein was reluctant to spend his precious skill points on basic archery, he now had to devote some time and energy to earnestly practicing archery himself.


    Picking up a war bow with roughly a hundred pounds draw weight, Rein began practicing at the wooden targets. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Following his increase in various attributes, obviously, even archery training was beneficial to him.


    With such a draw weight, a normal guard might experience severe fatigue in their arm after drawing the bow twenty or thirty consecutive times, making it difficult to draw again, but the enhancements to Rein''s constitution and strength made it seem as effortless as eating and drinking, requiring only a short rest after over a hundred draws.


    The further improvement of his spirit led to a heightened sensitivity in perception, and Rein found himself hitting the bullseye much more frequently during archery practice than before.


    Especially the continuous stream of system prompts, which served as a great source of motivation for Rein.


    "[You have practiced basic archery, and your comprehension has improved!]"


    "[Your skill ''Basic Archery'' has improved, experience points +1]"


    ....


    Fortunately, although the target range was also outside the fortress, it was at the northwest corner, some two to three hundred meters away from the central area where the attendants were, and not clearly visible.


    Otherwise, Rein''s archery might have been enough to drop the jaws of Instructor Humbert and all the attendants in shock.


    By midday, his basic archery skill had improved significantly, reaching lv2 (18/300).


    Indeed, physical fitness is the foundation of mastering all combat skills.


    With good physical fitness, learning anything would be much faster.


    When his physical attributes improved by one or two points before, the change was imperceptible, but after an all-around increase, Rein felt the difference quite clearly.


    That afternoon, Rein, George, and the rest of the attendants made their way to the manor''s servants'' dining hall.


    ```


    But when Rein faced the servant''s lunch before him again, he couldn''t help but sigh. A large plate of mashed potatoes, two thin slices of pickled pork, and a large bowl of vegetable soup were far from enough to meet his body''s nutritional needs.


    Previously, the intensity of the training couldn''t keep up.


    Now, even the nutrition couldn''t keep up.


    "The current servant training is really of little use to me now!"


    As for archery, Rein believed the Night Watchman should have the corresponding training facilities.


    If it was only the daily forging of iron tools, then the Blacksmith Boris should have been able to teach everything, it would just cost a bit more in tuition, but the freedom was worth it.


    "Rein, why aren''t you eating?" George, who was sitting nearby, asked as he saw Rein staring blankly.


    "It''s nothing." Rein shook his head and after nibbling on a few bites, he stopped eating.


    In the afternoon, Rein still trained in archery by himself. After the servant training ended, he first informed Humbert and George that he had some family matters and would not participate in the servant training for the time being.


    Then he found a maid to help him contact Chief Maid Shadia.


    Soon, Rein saw Shadia once again.


    She was still in her unchanging black maid''s attire and her expression was serious, but when she saw the noticeably taller and sturdier Rein, her face softened somewhat as she slightly smiled and nodded:


    "Rein, you''ve grown taller and stronger. It seems you have been earnestly practicing the breathing technique left by Lady Cleya, very good."


    "By the way, are you here because you''ve run out of the black pine oil?"


    Rein shook his head, "Thank you for your affirmation, Chief Maid. I came to say that I don''t plan to attend the servant training anymore."


    "I''d like to practice the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and the Giant Bear Sword Technique at home, which might be a bit more freeing."


    Chief Maid Shadia, after a brief moment of thought, understood Rein''s concerns and nodded:


    "Indeed, since Lady Cleya left, training at home might indeed be more convenient for you."


    ....


    After informing Chief Maid Shadia, Rein quickly headed to the kennels; he planned to pick up a greyhound puppy to take home.


    Without much thought, Rein paid three silver coins and picked up the greyhound puppy he had played with before.


    Of course, there are differences between greyhounds, such as lineage and physique.


    But the physical robustness of a common dog didn''t seem very significant to Rein.


    The main purpose of adopting the dog was to try out some of the recipes and potions recorded in the "Beast Taming Diary," and to see if a new professional panel could be triggered.


    Since that was the case, there was no need to go through the trouble of careful selection. The familiar greyhound puppy he knew was just fine.


    So, under the sunset, Rein left the manor with the puppy in his arms, heading towards Flashgold Town.


    ...


    Meanwhile, since ''Poison Blade'' hadn''t returned or submitted a mission report within the designated deadline, the Wilderness Brotherhood soon realized that the mission had likely failed.


    As this was a mission handed down by a significant figure from County Town, the Wilderness Brotherhood urgently assigned someone to gather new information on their target, Rein.


    They quickly came across a surprising piece of news.


    The once seemingly unremarkable farmboy had actually obtained a junior Bounty Hunter license, and from the look of the dates, even before ''Poison Blade'' had taken on the mission.


    Those who can obtain a Bounty Hunter license are likely to be well above the militia level in strength, possibly reaching the level of a first-tier Knight Attendant, or even a little higher��at the level of a second-tier Knight Attendant.


    If that was the case, it wouldn''t have been surprising if ''Poison Blade'' had been caught off guard and capsized in the gutter.


    So, the problem was identified.


    It wasn''t that the Wilderness Brotherhood was too incompetent, but rather that the inaccurate information had cost them a carefully trained assassin!


    Suddenly, the Wilderness Brotherhood shifted from a passive to an active stance.


    ```

 Chapter 76: Chapter 75: The First Attempt at Premium

    After several days of brewing, the news had made its way up the chain and then back down again.Just as Rein returned to Flashgold Town in the glow of the setting sun, within a study on the second floor of the Habsburg manor castle,


    Noble scion Dennis seemed to be engaging in some Knight Breathing Method training, with some specific parts of his body smeared with an oily dark liquid that emitted a distinctive medicinal scent.


    And his captain of the guards, Rulse, was at the side, reporting something.


    "What? A mishap?" Dennis''s face bore an incredulous expression.


    "How could there be a mishap?"


    "This... the butler Michel says it was because we provided wrong intelligence, leading to the failure of the mission, so we must take full responsibility!" Rulse looked at the distressed young master Dennis, thought for a moment, and still decided to relay the exact words of the other party.


    "Damn taking full responsibility!"


    "Did that greedy bastard Michel really say that?" Dennis flew into a rage.


    Rulse nodded and continued:


    "Michel said that Baron Alonso is still unaware of the matter. He''s given us three days to resolve this situation perfectly."


    "Otherwise, he will report to Baron Alonso, and by that time, your Divine Blood quota for next month will very likely be gone."


    Rulse''s words seemed to gradually calm Dennis down.


    Divine Blood had become popular among the nobles of Meister County in the last year, delaying aging for the elders and greatly promoting those who had not yet embarked on the path of the Transcendent Knight Breathing Method.


    He had just sensed a clear improvement during his breathing method practice, which was worlds apart from before.


    Most importantly, this ''Divine Blood'' had no side effects. The only drawback was its scarcity and cost!


    Dennis, bearing the title of a baron''s son, only had a small vial''s quota per month, and it required him to shell out a hundred shiny imperial Gold Coins.


    He had found out just a couple of days ago that this ''Divine Blood'' had originated from Baron Alonso himself.


    As the steward and prime confidante of Baron Alonso, Michel''s threat was not an empty one!


    After pondering for a while, Dennis finally spoke, "Rulse, investigate this Rein further. Could he really be some rare swordsmanship prodigy?"


    "If that''s the case, we''ll spend some money to have an assassin from the Shadow Stingers take care of him."


    "Young master, that... if we wait until my investigation is finished before calling on the Shadow Stingers, it will surely exceed three days."


    "How about this, once the investigation is over, I''ll take action myself. I''ve bought a few bottles of poison commonly used by assassins, including one lethal poison that is extremely potent; just a small wound is enough to be fatal."


    "This... " Though there was no doubt about Rulse''s strength, as long as the other party wasn''t a formal knight, he would surely succeed. However, Rulse''s Combat Skills were all military-oriented, leaving obvious traces after a fight.


    It was for this reason that Dennis had been reluctant to have his captain of the guards take personal action.


    But now, with only three days remaining...


    Unless he was willing to forfeit his quota of the Divine Blood, his captain of the guards was the best choice.


    And moreover, Rulse had already prepared the poison...


    "Fine then! Just make sure not to leave any obvious traces!"


    "At your command, young master. It is my honor to serve you," Rulse bowed, then slowly left the study. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "By the way, send for Tina."


    ....


    After Rein returned home with a three-month-old greyhound puppy, having taken a detour through the store, he immediately attracted the great interest of his sister Bo He.


    "Brother, weren''t you at the manor attending squire training? Why did you come back?"


    "Wow! Brother, is this a hound? Are we going to keep it?" Bo He asked while excitedly reaching out her little hand to pet the black greyhound puppy.


    Because it was only three months old, the greyhound''s fur was still relatively soft, making it very warm and comfortable to touch.


    Rein nodded as he saw the happy expression on Bo He''s face.


    "That''s great! I''ve always wanted to have one," cheered Bo He unabashedly.


    Previously, due to the modest conditions at home, having a small animal had always been a luxury for Bo He, so naturally she was overjoyed now that it was possible.


    "Sister Anna, come and touch it, it''s so comfortable!" Bo He called Anna over.


    "Hmm," Anna was also beaming with joy, seemingly very fond of small animals as well.


    The greyhound puppy was originally a bit shy, but it became less fearful after being gently stroked a few times by the two girls'' soft hands.


    Before long, it had indulged in the kneading of their four pale, soft hands, and from time to time it emitted a comfortable ''aowuu'' sound.


    "By the way, brother, what''s its name?" Bo He looked up and asked.


    "That... It doesn''t have a name yet, how about... just calling it Skinny Dog?" Rein suggested offhandedly.


    After all, a greyhound puppy would grow up to be quite slender.


    The next second, Rein felt two disdainful glares coming from his side.


    Rein awkwardly smiled and said, "I''m still considering. If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them."


    "Brother, how about we call it Cookie?" Bo He suggested enthusiastically from the side.


    "Cookie, like the cookie from a biscuit?"


    The name didn''t seem that great, but when Rein glanced at Anna, he saw her nodding in agreement.


    Well then... It looked like he would have to go with the majority.


    Rein ruffled little Bo He''s hair and said, "Alright! We''ll follow your suggestion, it will be named Cookie."


    "You''re the best, brother!" Bo He immediately gave Rein an enthusiastic hug.


    Leaving ''Cookie'' with the two girls, Rein then started to prepare a nutritious meal for dogs according to the instructions in the "Beast Taming Journal."


    "Water grass, 2 ounces, two eggs, half a pint of milk, and either 20 ounces of pork or chicken..."


    Rein mixed them together as he compared them against the requirements.


    Soon, a plate of something resembling a soft and wet minced meat mixture was ready.


    When Rein handed over the dish to the greyhound puppy, Bo He eyed it with some disdain and said,


    "Brother, why are you feeding Cookie this? Why not give it bones to eat?"


    Rein snorted with irritation, "Bones? Those things are far more expensive than beef."


    "Ah?" Bo He exclaimed, looking at her brother''s facial expression which didn''t seem like he was joking.


    She knew that because of her brother, life had been getting better at home, but they didn''t have beef every day.


    But for her brother to say that this dish, in fact, was even pricier than beef, that really surprised Bo He.


    Anna too widened her beautiful eyes, observing the damp minced meat in Rein''s hand carefully, seemingly perplexed by its high cost.


    The greyhound puppy''s reaction, on the other hand, was much more direct!


    When Rein approached with the plate, the puppy immediately focused on the food inside, quickly standing up from its lying position, ears perked, and tail wagging around Rein, its eyes firmly fixed on his plate.


    It was clearly hooked by Rein''s gourmet "dog food."

 Chapter 77: Chapter 76: The Third New Profession

    Rein placed the plate on the ground, and the Whippet puppy instantly "woofed" and darted over, gobbling up the food.Seeing the Whippet puppy eating so relishingly, Rein couldn''t help but feel a bit helpless. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not bad, you''ve got good taste! You know it''s the good stuff!"


    "If this doesn''t work, you scrawny dog! This will be your last meal!"


    "Damn it! Can''t believe it''s eating better than us!" Rein muttered resentfully in his heart.


    "Giggle!" Hearing this, his sister Bo He couldn''t help but giggle.


    Even the usually shy Anna snorted with laughter and quickly covered her mouth with her little hand.


    But Anna''s laughter threshold seemed quite low, she bowed her head, her cheeks turned red, and she was still snickering.


    At this moment, Rein suddenly froze, and then his face lit up with joy!


    Because the system prompt appeared:


    [You have fed a canine, and your related comprehension has improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Dog Training]


    [Your skill Dog Training has improved, experience +1]


    [Congratulations, you have triggered the career panel��Beast Tamer]


    ....


    [The total number of career panels has reached the current limit (3/3)!]


    "The manor''s Beast Tamer old man has led us astray, ah, how could teasing a dog increase intimacy compared to feeding it?"


    "I should have thought of this earlier!"


    Rein was speechless in his heart.


    This simple truth, and yet he had only come to realize it now.


    But when Rein saw the last item in the system prompt, the excitement in his chilled as if someone had doused him with a bucket of cold water!


    Reached the limit?


    Does that mean his current roles as a Blacksmith, Night Watchman, and Beast Tamer are the only three professions he has?


    However... the shrewd Rein immediately noticed the word "current" in the system''s wording.


    The two words were not hard to understand.


    "That is to say, under the current conditions, I can only have three career panels."


    So what are the current conditions referring to? Is it the sum of the four attribute stats, or does a single attribute have to exceed a certain value? Or is it that I have to break through to become a Knight?


    It''s very likely that after meeting certain conditions, I should be able to break this limit.


    Of course, it might also require some sort of ''event'', similar to triggering a career panel, to make the breakthrough.


    However, Rein couldn''t figure out what the condition for breaking the limit was at the moment.


    "What a pity! I haven''t had the chance to try other side professions yet��Baker, Cobbler, Tailor and so many others, it would be so nice if there wasn''t a limit on the number of professions!" Rein couldn''t help but feel a bit regretful.


    But upon further reflection, Rein felt a bit relieved.


    "Because if it''s true that I can only ever have three career panels."


    "Then the three professions I have now without making a deliberate choice, it turns out they''re all pretty good."


    "And when combined together, they can even be considered an excellent combination."


    After all, aside from Blacksmith, it''s unlikely that other life professions would bring him the awesome core skill ''Strength Burst'', right?


    As for a Tailor? Uses needles...


    Baker? Uses an oven...


    Cobbler? Let''s not even talk about cobblers...


    No matter how you look at it, none of the other professions seemed as reliable as a Blacksmith''s hammer!


    As for Beast Tamer, it appears only Falconer might be comparable.


    "Right, the system only mentions a limit of three professions, but it doesn''t say I can''t advance or change professions."


    This thought made Rein''s eyes brighten.


    "I can delve deeper into these three professions!"


    "For example, a Blacksmith should be able to advance to a Swordsmith or something, right? At least, Swordsmith is something I''ve heard of. Likewise, if there is a Swordsmith, there should also be Armorers and so on."


    "And the dog trainer," Weilun boldly guessed, "what follows is probably something like Beast Tamer or Beast Driver, right?"


    "As for my current combat profession, the Night Watchman...."


    "Well! It''s actually the hardest to guess what the advanced profession would be!"


    "But it''s likely similar to a Transcendent path like the Knight''s, considering the breathing technique is still clearly listed on the Night Watchman''s skill panel."


    Having figured it out, Rein decided to continue looking further.


    On the newly added page, the title read three big characters: Dog Trainer lv1 (0/100)


    The icon that was lit up at the bottom was the dog training skill he was just prompted about.


    The icon as a whole still had rounded square edges, with the pattern in the center depicting a well-behaved dog sitting and sticking out its tongue, looking lifelike.


    There were also a few small characters below the icon: Dog Training lv1 (1/100).


    At this moment, Mother Emma had finished preparing dinner and came out from the adjacent kitchen.


    When she noticed the three of them crowded around something on the ground, she couldn''t help but come over out of curiosity.


    Surprise showed on Mother Emma''s face when she saw a greyhound lying on the floor eating; she seemed to have something she wanted to say but was trying to hold back.


    However, after a while, Mother Emma couldn''t help herself and pulled Rein''s sleeve, taking him to the room next door to ask:


    "Rein, I heard from Bo He that you went to the manor for page boy training, right?"


    "Also, you... why did you bring a dog back?"


    "Although our family''s situation has been slowly improving, keeping a dog...."


    Faced with his mother''s triple query, Rein couldn''t help but smile wryly, thought for a moment, and said:


    "Mother, I''m about to officially join the Night Watchman, so I won''t participate in the page boy training; these two days are a good time for me to adjust myself."


    "Don''t worry! Our lives are definitely going to get better and better."


    "By the way, this is the reward from the last time Captain Weilun and I went to Glimmer Lake to clear out the fishmen."


    Rein took out three Gold Coins from his bosom and handed them to Mother Emma, without mentioning anything about raising the greyhound.


    Initially wanting to say something, Mother Emma, upon seeing the three shimmering imperial Gold Coins Rein produced, exclaimed in surprise, "Is the reward for a mission so generous?"


    "Yes! So, Mother, don''t worry, we will definitely get better and better." In fact, Rein still withheld some information; the value of just that Glowstone alone was worth at least dozens of imperial Gold Coins.


    Moreover, he didn''t want to mention the details of the mission to avoid worrying his mother.


    Mother Emma''s expression was complex as she nodded and took the Gold Coins; she didn''t say anything more about Rein raising a dog.


    She had realized that some of her thoughts could not apply to her son Rein.


    After all, he was now making in one mission what she made in a year.


    Therefore, if Rein had his own ideas, she should just let him do as he pleased.


    Soon after, Old Rein also returned home, and he, too, was surprised to see the greyhound.


    But after Mother Emma whispered to him, he looked at Rein in astonishment and then nodded.


    Dinner was spent in a warm and cozy atmosphere with the family.


    At night, Rein began his regular practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique as usual.


    Starting today, Rein could basically start practicing the third form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    This stance, unlike the second form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique called ''Russian Squat Thrust,'' which primarily trained arm strength, focused on the core muscles of the waist and abdomen, the lungs, and coordination of the body.


    The third form involved squatting down with one leg bent, the other leg extended to the side, arms raised above the head with fingers interlocked, then touching the knee with the head, and finally, slowly standing up from the squatting position with the one leg.


    For ordinary people, even if they had excellent flexibility and strength, it would be impossible to stand up with one leg.


    It seemed that starting from this third form, Rein''s practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique was partially stepping onto the path of Transcendent practice.


    The movement involved core muscles and fascia of the waist, abdomen, and shoulders.


    So, when Rein first tried it, he felt an unusually satisfying soreness in the muscles of his waist, abdomen, and the tendons behind his thighs where the black birch oil had been applied.


    Even though Rein already had a Constitution of 10, after persevering for about 12 minutes, he had to stop and rest, sweating profusely.


    But the effects were significant.


    [Your practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique has led to an insight, increasing your understanding!]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +2]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +3]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +2]


    ....

 Chapter 78: Chapter 77: Choice is More Important Than Effort

    Practicing yielded Experience, from the original consistent +2, it had changed to occasionally seeing a +3.This also meant that the speed of gaining experience for the Giant Bear Breathing Technique had become slightly faster than before.


    After three attempts, Rein extended the single session to 14 minutes. Although the total duration of the three times was less than 45 minutes, his experience increased by 28 points, and the Giant Bear Breathing Technique reached lv2 (114/300).


    Given Rein''s current physical condition, he could perform the third form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique about three times, and basically, this intensity was close to his limit.


    The next morning, Rein got up early and went to the woods near his home.


    The practice of the Giant Bear Sword Technique required a spacious place, and after walking some distance in the woodland, Rein found a slightly open clearing.


    This clearing was about seventy to eighty square meters, surrounded by dense oak trees and larches, providing a good natural sound insulation. Even when Rein swung his Dual-Handed Greatsword forcefully, the howling noise did not carry beyond the woodland to the main road.


    Then, Rein shook the sheepskin-wrapped Fine Steel Greatsword and began to practice.


    Rein first raised the Fine Steel Greatsword high, then suddenly swung it downward at a ninety-degree angle to the front, swiftly turning to follow with a forty-five-degree Smooth Cleaving Slash.


    Immediately after, he quickly stepped forward, pushed off powerfully, and leaped high into the air to deliver a Leap Slash downward, the greatsword driving the airflow to emit a series of whooshing sounds...


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique comprised five forms: Furious Slash, Leap Slash, Guard, Smooth Cleaving Slash, and Whirlwind Slash.


    It could be said that Rein had become very proficient in these sword moves through frequent use in numerous battles.


    A set of movements was both fast and stable!


    After practicing several times, Rein suddenly remembered a phrase Cleya had mentioned before:


    "The Giant Bear Sword Technique originated from mimicking the claw strikes of bear-like Transcendent creatures, emphasizing great strength and momentum!"


    This made him reflect once again, quite moved.


    Each time, when his strength improved slightly, he could clearly feel the enhancement in the power of the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    Thus, whenever he activated ''Strength Burst'', the power of the Giant Bear Sword Technique increased exponentially.


    Thinking this, Rein consciously incorporated the concepts of ''strength'' and ''momentum'' and practiced the Giant Bear Sword Technique again.


    [You trained in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, insights improved!]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +2]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +1]


    ....


    This brought a smile to Rein''s face; the notifications for the Giant Bear Sword Technique experience were no longer just +1, but occasionally +2, further accelerating the pace of training in the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    Indeed, apart from diligent practice, any skill requires active reflection!


    After a morning of hard training, Rein''s Giant Bear Sword Technique progressed from lv4 (245/1000) to lv4 (298/1000).


    In the afternoon, Rein went to John''s Farm not far south of Flashgold Town.


    Last time, the Night Watchman Captain Weilun had reminded him that he could find John Moyle at John''s Farm to learn riding for two Gold Coins.


    But it had been delayed due to some issues.


    The reason that spurred Rein to decide to learn riding immediately was not only because future tasks would require more frequent horseback travel.


    The main reason was that Rein wanted to see if riding could trigger an ''event'', such as a prompt for a job change.


    Flashgold Town in late autumn was picturesque.


    Walking on the road outside the town, fields on both sides were a golden yellow, with wheat swaying in the autumn breeze. Many fields had begun the harvest, and heaps of wheat sheaves were piled up together.


    Watching the hardworking farmers of Flashgold Town, Rein felt a different kind of emotion since his father, old Rein, was also among them.


    "After officially joining the Night Watchman, maybe I can persuade my parents to take a break or switch to a lighter job,"


    "After all, for me now, whether they earn money or not really isn''t important anymore."


    "..."


    Soon, Rein arrived at John''s Farm, which occupied a large area. Even from the outside, one could clearly see a racetrack enclosed by a wooden fence and the stables nearby.


    At that moment, numerous black, white, and brown horses were leisurely strolling in the racetrack, enjoying the sunny afternoon.


    Soon, Rein met a middle-aged man with a ruddy, bulbous nose, and after inquiring, found out he was indeed John Moyle.


    After paying two Gold Coins as a fee, Rein began to formally learn how to ride.


    Due to Rein''s physical condition having long surpassed that of ordinary people, he quickly learned how to maintain balance on a horse under the astonished gaze of John Moyle.


    In less than half an hour, Rein could comfortably control the horse to either halt or trot forward.


    However, Rein did encounter some difficulties while trying to make the horse switch from trotting to galloping around the riding arena. Rein tried squeezing his legs against the horse''s belly several times, but the horse beneath him seemed unable to fully understand his intentions, merely quickening its pace instead.


    "Mr. John, how can I make the horse run?" S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Uh... this was actually supposed to be part of the lessons three days from now."


    "Rein, you have so quickly mastered balance and controlling the horse to move in a straight line. It''s hard to believe you had never learned horse riding before."


    John Moyle was initially taken aback, and after scrutinizing Rein for a moment, he remembered to answer Rein''s question.


    Because he was so surprised; he had taught hundreds of beginners in horse riding, but it was the first time he saw someone who could control a horse to move in a straight line effortlessly after about half an hour from a standing start.


    "As for your question, the answer is simple. Rein, the horse beneath you actually needs you to provide more specific instructions."


    "If you are just squeezing the horse''s belly, it''s hard for the horse to distinguish whether you want to trot or gallop."


    "Because a trot is a two-beat gait and running is a three-beat gait, so you need to lightly tap the horse''s belly with your outer leg when its right front and left hind hooves touch the ground, while your inner leg stays close to the horse..."


    "I see..."


    Under John Moyle''s demonstration, Rein quickly grasped the essentials.


    A system prompt then followed:


    [You have trained in horse riding, insight enhanced!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Horse Riding]


    [Your skill Horse Riding has improved, Experience +1]


    Unfortunately, the new skill ''Horse Riding'' did not bring any related hints for a career change for Rein.


    However, learning a new practical skill was in itself a joyous accomplishment.


    ....


    Three regular days later.


    After a few days of exploring, Rein had largely figured out how to rapidly advance as a dog trainer.


    Basically, if he fed the greyhound pup a nutritious meal, his Dog Training skill would improve by four to five points, and his dog trainer Profession Level Experience would increase by one point.


    But if he took the dog for a walk, the progression was much faster, about fifteen minutes later, his dog trainer Profession Experience would increase by one point.


    Consequently, Rein added a new daily essential activity��dog walking!


    Every evening, after feeding ''Cookie,'' Rein would take it out for a walk.


    This made Rein, who had never owned a dog in his previous life, feel a surge of emotions!


    Additionally, two days ago, when Rein was preparing dog nutrition meals, he triggered another professional skill of a dog trainer��''Dog Food Production.''


    Possibly because the ''dog food'' Rein prepared was quite special, every time Rein made these dog nutrition meals, his ''Dog Food Production'' skill improved rapidly, and his dog trainer Profession Level also increased swiftly.


    [You made dog food, insight enhanced!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Dog Food Production]


    [Your skill Dog Food Production has improved, Experience +5]


    [You focused on Dog Food Production, your dog trainer Profession Experience +2]


    ....


    This series of actions significantly accelerated Rein''s dog trainer Profession Experience.


    Just recently, he had successfully advanced to dog trainer lv2 (0/300).


    Advancing to lv2 in three days, this rocket-like speed was something Rein had not anticipated.


    Thus, Rein also received a reward of 1 attribute point and 1 skill point.


    This could not help but make Rein chuckle to himself:


    "Indeed, often, making the right choice is more crucial than putting in effort."

 Chapter 79: Chapter 78: Comprehending a Unique Secret Technique

    ```However, Rein also noticed a point where the third new profession ''Dog Trainer'' differed from that of a Blacksmith and a Night Watchman.


    That was the lack of a core skill.


    In this respect, Dog Trainer was similar to the entry-level profession of Militia.


    Therefore, Rein surmised that he probably had to wait until Dog Trainer advanced to a subsequent profession to acquire a core skill.


    Additionally, over these three days, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique smoothly increased from lv2 to lv3 (0/500).


    Just the day before yesterday, the training in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique rewarded Rein with a +1 increase in Strength.


    This once again proved the foundational role of the Knight Breathing Method on the Transcendent path of becoming a Knight.


    At the same time, the improvement in the breathing technique brought an important change for Rein, as his control over his body''s muscles seemed to be even higher.


    Specifically, Rein could now easily control the intensity of ''Strength Burst.''


    Previously, once Rein used the core skill ''Strength Burst,'' he would double his strength without regard.


    But now, Rein could gradually control the degree of this burst, such as increasing his strength by fifty or seventy percent.


    This change not only proved that Rein''s control over his own strength was more refined, but it also indirectly increased the duration of the burst.


    Basically, if Rein kept the Strength Burst to about fifty percent, he could maintain the effect for almost two minutes.


    If he went all out, it would be around fifty seconds, slightly better than the previous forty-five seconds.


    Besides, the ''side effect'' of sore muscles throughout the body would be greatly mitigated in proportion to the intensity of Rein''s burst.


    This delighted Rein.


    Refining his control over his own strength was, after all, tantamount to an increase in power!


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv2 (0/300)/Night Watchman lv3 (30/500)/Dog Trainer lv2(31/300)


    Constitution: 10


    Strength: 11


    Agility: 9


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining attribute points: 2


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Rein saw on the attribute panel that, besides Agility, the other attributes had already crossed the threshold of 10 points.


    Suddenly, Rein remembered that a long time ago, the system had once notified him of the prerequisite conditions for the ''Knight Attendant'' profession, which required a minimum of 8 points in Strength, Agility, and Constitution to advance to Knight Attendant.


    This presumably represented the physical attribute threshold for a level one Knight Attendant.


    "So, if Strength, Agility, and Constitution all exceed 10 points, does that mean the strength of a level two Knight Attendant?"


    "That should be about right! If there''s a difference of 2 points in Strength, Agility, and Constitution, such a power gap is very noticeable."


    Putting other things aside, Rein thought back to his swordsmanship practice with Humbert the instructor two days ago, and quickly understood why Humbert had that expression at the time.


    It wasn''t that Instructor Humbert was holding back, it was that he had become stronger!


    "Reasonably assuming, once all three attributes exceed 12, it''s very likely that one becomes a level three Knight Attendant."


    "Which means, if I add 1 point to Agility, making it 10 points, I should be considered to have the strength level of a level two Knight Attendant."


    "Hmm... just over a month''s time, from a skinny youth to becoming a level two Knight Attendant, this level of progress is quite something, isn''t it!"


    ```


    Regarding these two attribute points, apart from keeping one as a standby, Rein was momentarily hesitant to use the other between Constitution and agility.


    Constitution could lessen the "aftereffects" of the core skill "Strength Burst" and increase the duration of his practice.


    But agility was equally important, especially since his Giant Bear Breathing Technique wasn''t one that primarily enhanced agility.


    Using strength to overpower finesse is all well and good, but great strength is useless if you can''t hit your opponent.


    After pondering for a moment, Rein still couldn''t decide.


    The allocation of Skill Points posed a similar dilemma.


    The core skill "danger perception" was currently at lv2, which was fundamentally sufficient.


    So, Rein wondered if he should invest a point into the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, directly taking it from lv3 to lv4, which should bring a further increase in strength and Constitution benefits in the short term.


    On the other hand, danger perception was a core skill that could only be upgraded with Skill Points, whereas the Giant Bear Breathing Technique could be improved through practice.


    But upon careful thought, Rein realized that "danger perception" was a sense for danger. When danger was unavoidable, it was ultimately his own strength that determined victory or defeat.


    The Knight Breathing Method was crucial to rapidly consolidating and enhancing his own strength, the key to deciding said victories!


    Consequently, after slight deliberation, Rein eventually decided to invest a Skill Point into the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    With the Giant Bear Breathing Technique promoted to lv4.


    Instantly, fragmented memories of practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique flooded Rein''s mind.


    These memories were disjointed fragments of breathing exercises; a series of images flashed through Rein''s mind and quickly implanted into the memory of his muscles and fascia.


    When Rein opened his eyes again, it was as if he had undergone a month or two of intensive practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. At this moment, he could distinctly feel a certain odd sensation throughout his body, as if there was an itchy feeling coming from deep within his fascia.


    An instinct from within his body urged him to apply the black tung oil again and start practicing the third form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Indeed, the itchy feeling grew stronger, and Rein felt the fascia in his body start to mutate; it was as if fine, incredibly resilient fascial fibers were extending, rooting deeply into his bones and muscle fibers.


    This change noticeably enhanced Rein''s explosive strength and resistance to blows; even his skin became tougher, resembling oil-soaked cowhide.


    Beyond that, Rein felt an itchy and hot sensation in his chest, as if he wouldn''t be comfortable without letting out a roar.


    At that moment, a system notification arrived quietly:


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique that combines Giant Bear Breathing Technique with Giant Bear Sword Technique: roaring strike!]


    Following that, an elated Rein saw a brand-new icon located above the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique on the Night Watchman panel.


    The icon depicted the head of a roaring giant bear, its mouth wide open, fangs sharp, appearing lifelike and ferocious.


    roaring strike lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Uses powerful lung capacity to simulate the sonic impact of a giant bear''s attack, combined with the execution of Whirlwind Slash.


    (Note: roaring strike is a secret technique and cannot be directly upgraded with Skill Points.)


    (roaring strike lv2 requires the following conditions: Giant Bear Breathing Technique lv5 or above, Giant Bear Sword Technique lv5 or above; Strength 12 points, Constitution 12 or above.) S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So that''s how it is!


    It seems that the sensation of discomfort without a big roar must be due to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique''s exercise of the lungs.


    If it weren''t already nighttime, Rein would certainly have let out a few loud roars.


    But the memory of Cleya''s demonstration made him shake his head.


    With one shout from him, the residents of Flashgold Town nearby would probably all be woken up!


    With no other choice, Rein had to restrain himself!


    The last point was that Rein discovered he had easily surpassed the requirement of maintaining the third form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for half an hour without realizing it.


    This meant that he was now ready to practice the fourth form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique!

 Chapter 80: Chapter 79: The Glowing Amulet

    However, Rein felt that he had almost reached his limit for today''s breath training exercise and could start the fourth technique tomorrow.Overtraining would be counterproductive.


    After pondering for a moment, Rein retrieved the lavishly covered ''Beast Taming Diary'' from under the bed and began to read it earnestly.


    The content recorded within was exceedingly practical for Rein, as proven by the canine nutrition meal alone.


    Thus, Rein planned to continue his research and try to develop more recipes, which might once again speed up his Profession Level advancement as a dog trainer.


    Another problem that now lay before Rein was the issue of how to recognize the unknown scripts.


    This was a big problem. If he couldn''t decipher the meaning of these scripts, it meant that Rein couldn''t learn a very important part of the content in the book��the potion formulas.


    Considering that ''King of Dogs'' Cole had mentioned that he had hired several scholars from the County Town who were also unable to recognize it, the difficulty of deciphering these scripts must be immense.


    But for Rein to simply give up was clearly impossible.


    "Because within it, there might be some specific events related to my advancement from a Dog Trainer to a Beast Tamer, or perhaps there are key potions hidden in the book��none of these possibilities can be ruled out."


    "One thing is for certain, if I manage to thoroughly research these potions and create them, it will undoubtedly greatly enhance my Profession Level as a Dog Trainer."


    After serious thought, Rein came up with two possible solutions to this problem.


    The first option was for Rein to transcribe a few of the discontinuous alien characters, write them on paper, and ask Chief Maid Shadia to help look for related text introductions or annotations in the castle''s library.


    The second option was to wait until he officially joined the Night Watchman and then search for related materials through official channels.


    Just as Rein was mulling over this issue, a soft knock on the door sounded.


    "Come in!"


    Rein knew it had to be Anna.


    It had been the same in recent days; Bo He would bring ''Cookie'' to their room for some fun before bedtime.


    And after Bo He fell asleep, Anna was responsible for bringing ''Cookie'' to Rein''s room.


    Perhaps because Rein was a Dog Trainer and ''Cookie''s'' owner, ''Cookie'' always chose to return to Rein''s side before going to sleep.


    "Anna, has Bo He fallen asleep?" Rein asked gently, turning around.


    "Yes, she just fell asleep a little while ago, I''ll go back now."


    Anna glanced at Rein and nodded shyly, but as she turned around, she seemed to notice something.


    "Oh, Rein, such a quaint amulet, may I take a look?" Anna asked, extending her hand curiously toward the Wooden Amulet that Rein had placed beside the book.


    "Of course, you may!" Rein casually picked up the Wooden Amulet and handed it to Anna.


    Anna took it and first examined it with delighted scrutiny before gently touching the amulet''s surface with her delicate fingers, as if she were caressing a newborn baby.


    "What a unique amulet, the carvings are as though they were real, it feels so delicate to the touch," Anna said involuntarily.


    Clearly, Anna lo very much liked the amulet.


    Just as Rein was about to tease Anna, suddenly, a strange occurrence happened!


    "Ah!!"


    The Wooden Amulet suddenly lit up with a soft green glow, shocking Anna to the point where she nearly dropped it on the floor.


    But it seemed as though she felt the green light to be very soft and comforting, so she bravely continued to hold the amulet in her hand, despite her fright.


    Rein had already walked over by then, just as surprised.


    He had had the amulet for several days now, but no matter how he handled it, such a peculiar phenomenon had never occurred before.


    "Rein, it seems... I feel... like I can control this green light," Anna said, looking up at Rein with her big eyes and speaking earnestly.


    "Don''t panic, and don''t move��let me have a look," Rein said soothingly.


    Rein carefully felt the green glow, which seemed to hold a mysterious allure that was drawing him closer.


    Rein''s higher Spirit Attribute had come into play at this moment.


    He felt as if he could sense the green light emitting a certain fragrance of vegetation and the vitality of life.


    Furthermore, Rein''s danger perception yielded no reaction, so he was fairly certain that the green light posed no threat.


    Moreover, at this time, Anna was holding the amulet, with her entire person bathed in the green light''s glow.


    If there were something amiss with the green light, Anna would have been the first to encounter trouble.


    Thus, Rein boldly reached out to touch the green light slowly.


    The moment Rein''s touch met it, the green light suddenly moved away from the amulet, enveloping his entire body in an instant.


    Suddenly, Rein felt as though he were soaking in a hot spring.


    It was as if he were a fetus floating in amniotic fluid.


    An unknown energy, signifying life and vitality, was now pouring continuously into his body.


    It made him feel thoroughly translucent!


    Even the air in the room seemed much fresher, and with each breath Rein took, it was as if he were inhaling the essence of plants.


    It felt like going from a big city to the Shennongjia Forest Region in an instant, where the air is so fresh it''s overpowering, and the negative ion content is off the charts! S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gradually, the green light began to fade away.


    Rein felt exceptionally well, and glancing down, he noticed the small scars on the back of his hand from the battle had vanished without a trace.


    His hand now looked like a freshly peeled egg, devoid of any mark of scars.


    "This is definitely Transcendent Strength! But it''s clearly not the Transcendent of the knight''s path, seeming more like Magic or witchcraft, using some kind of peculiar energy particles," Rein was very sure in his mind.


    But why could Anna trigger it, while his own touches had elicited no response whatsoever?


    Rein was puzzled for the moment.


    Suddenly, Anna''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her delicate body swayed.


    Rein immediately noticed that Anna was clearly very exhausted at this point.


    "Could it be because she triggered the strange green light from the amulet?"


    Thus, Rein quickly stepped forward, took hold of Anna, and said softly, "Anna, are you alright? Maybe you should rest on the bed for a while."


    "Mhm!" Perhaps because Rein was supporting her, a faint blush slowly suffused Anna''s pale face.


    But she listened to Rein and slowly seated herself on the bed.


    "I''m fine, just feeling so tired, as if I have been sewing clothes all day and my head is spinning."


    Rein immediately realized that Anna''s condition was very much in line with the symptoms of severe mental exhaustion.


    It appeared that Anna had triggered some kind of formation or something else on the Wooden Amulet, which caused the green light.


    And the entire triggering process required a considerable expenditure of her spiritual power.


    ...


    In the depths of the far-off Ferdinand Forest.


    An elf with a tall and slender figure, hair black as ink, suddenly turned and gazed toward the south.


    In that direction, she seemed to sense the presence of her lost Natural Healing Amulet.


    With furrowed brows and fluttering long eyelashes, she sensed carefully once more.


    Without a doubt! The familiar fluctuation was very faint, but it was unmistakably hers....


    It appeared someone had triggered her amulet.

 Chapter 81: Chapter 80 Rulses Surprise

    Although Rein had wanted to let Anna try to trigger it again to verify his guess,seeing Anna''s pale face made it clear that it was not appropriate at the moment.


    "Anna, how did you spend your childhood?"


    "As a child, I moved from place to place with my mother, never staying in one place for more than a year. So, every time I settled into a place, we would have to leave again,"


    "No child wanted to be friends with me."


    "Later, I stopped trying to make friends. I knew I would leave soon, and it would be very heartbreaking if I had friends," Anna slowly recounted her experiences from her childhood.


    "Do you know why your mother kept moving?" Rein asked.


    Anna gently shook her head, her eyes also showing a hint of confusion.


    That inexplicably gave Rein a sense of vulnerability and loneliness.


    Furthermore, listening to Anna''s story, it seemed that Anna''s mother had always been trying to evade something. Hence, the constant moving.


    Of course, the above was merely Rein''s personal speculation.


    However, speaking of this reminded Rein of something his friend George had cryptically mentioned once, that Anna''s mother had been abducted.


    "Who did George hear it from?"


    "It seems he heard it from his father?"


    Rein tried hard to recall the situation at the time.


    "And what about you, Rein?"


    "I feel like you''ve changed a lot recently!"


    "You''ve grown taller and a lot more robust, and overall�� how should I say it, bursting with vitality and energy, it feels like you''ve completely changed as a person!" Anna turned her head and gave Rein a sweet smile.


    Facing Anna''s compliments, Rein scratched his head, momentarily unsure of what to say.


    Isn''t it just like becoming a different person!


    "Hahaha, it may be due to the Attendant training," he said.


    "...."


    After chatting for a while, Anna seemed really tired, and Rein quickly sent her back to rest.


    After several days of investigation into Rein, Rulse had confirmed that the information he had submitted to Michel previously indeed had some omissions.


    It appeared that by completing a certain bounty mission, Rein had achieved the certification of a Junior Bounty Hunter.


    This caused Rulse to seriously increase his degree of regard for Rein.


    If previously he had shown moderate attention, now he truly valued him.


    After all, Rein''s personal history, in Rulse''s opinion, was like a blank slate.


    Born into a farmer''s family and raised in Flashgold Town, he had almost never left Flashgold Town��


    And yet, this son of a farmer had managed in just over a month''s time to undergo a transformation and become a Bounty Hunter.


    This was too legendary, often appearing more in stories sung by Wandering Bards.


    Even though this young man named Rein had once been taught by Lady Creya, the degree of improvement was still astonishing.


    After all, while Lady Creya is renowned as a genius knight of Meister, that doesn''t necessarily mean Rein is too.


    Initially, Rulse had thought Rein was participating in attendant training, but after pretending to pass by the training site several times, he never found the black-haired young man.


    After observing a few more times, he confirmed that Rein was no longer participating in attendant training.


    This only made him more pleased, especially since, after the recent violent werewolf attack incident, the Habsburg estate had enhanced its security measures.


    Even for him, to quietly eliminate a serving boy within the manor was extremely difficult, and also entailed considerable risk.


    Now that the other party wasn''t in the Habsburg Manor, he must be at home.


    Thus, Rulse began to search for the location of Rein''s home.


    Just last night, he had treated a drunk to a drink at the Oak Tavern in Flashgold Town and had learned the location of Rein''s home from the drunken man for just a silver coin.


    Then, Rulse was delighted to find that Rein''s home was located near the southern edge of Flashgold Town, next to a forest with not many people passing by, making it an excellent spot for taking action.


    After scouting the area last night, Rulse arrived early in the morning today at an alley near Rein''s home to start his stakeout.


    Coincidentally, less than five minutes after Rulse began his stakeout, Rein came out carrying a sheepskin-wrapped Dual-Handed Greatsword, heading to the clearing in the forest for his morning training!


    This made the corners of Rulse''s mouth lift slightly, he hadn''t expected things to go this smoothly!


    It seemed the Goddess of Fortune was on his side.


    A moment later, Rulse discreetly followed Rein to the clearing deep in the forest. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, as he watched Rein from a distance practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique, the shock in his heart was indescribable, and his eyes flickered incessantly.


    "This... how is this possible!"


    "From the information gathered, this young man named Rein, had never undergone any knight attendant training or even basic militia training before,"


    "Yet, without any foundation, he managed to train to this extent in just over a month!"


    "In comparison, Master Dennis''s progress in training after drinking ''Divine Blood'' this month was slightly inferior!"


    If Rulse hadn''t seen the boy''s eyes clear and lively, he would have thought he was possessed by an Evil God.


    "This young man''s knightly potential is simply top-tier, entirely comparable to Lady Creya of Meister County, who''s known as a prodigious knight!"


    He now understood why Lady Creya valued this young man''s talent so highly.


    The talent of this young man, in any part of the empire, was worth courting and nurturing.


    "Such a young man, it would be a real pity to kill him directly!" Rulse shook his head slightly, sighing inwardly.


    Although he had always known that Rein was likely already loyal to Creya, he still planned to first ask if he would like to join the Norman family.


    This was a form of respect for talent.


    If he agreed, Baron Norman would undoubtedly be very pleased. In that case, even if he faced a scolding from his young master, it didn''t matter.


    However....if he refused....


    Then it would really be regrettable!


    It''s well known that many young eagles never had the chance to spread their wings before crashing to their deaths beneath the trees.


    To ensure foolproof success, Rulse hid behind a tree at a distance, slowly applying a pale green lethal poison to his Longsword.


    Rein, while practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique, had always felt as if he was being watched, but perhaps because the malice wasn''t very apparent initially, his core skill ''Danger Perception lv2'', hadn''t issued a strong warning.


    But just now, an alarm suddenly went off in his mind.


    Rein knew that the person watching him really existed, and he was probably about to make a move.


    And at that same moment, he pinpointed the enemy''s approximate location.


    It was to his left rear.


    "Who''s there!" Rein looked sharply in the direction of Rulse.


    This prompted Rulse to elevate his assessment of Rein, "Such keen perception, truly an enviable talent."


    Thus, in Rein''s line of sight, a man clad in hunting attire and carrying a sword at his waist slowly emerged from the dense forest.

 Chapter 82: Chapter 81: Continuous Addition

    "Rein?" a deep male voice sounded."May I ask who you are?"


    "You don''t need to know who I am, listen carefully, Rein."


    "I''m giving you an opportunity right now. If you''re willing to pledge allegiance to the Norman family, this will be the best decision of your life."


    The other party did not directly answer Rein''s question, but instead said something unexpected.


    Hearing this, Rein was taken aback, "Hm? Is this... a recruitment?"


    However, the superior attitude of the other party was plainly more like charity...


    Rein instinctively felt awkward and uncomfortable.


    Nevertheless, Rein still planned to politely inquire about the other party''s background.


    After all, with such a pompous recruitment, the background must be prominent, possibly from some hereditary Earl or even Marquis family.


    But in Meister County, there seemed to be only one hereditary Earl family��the Habus family.


    Thus, Rein naturally asked:


    "Thank you for your appreciation... sir, but please forgive my ignorance, is the Norman family a great noble family from another county?"


    "You... Rein, what you just said is an offense to the noble Baron Norman. The wrath of the Norman family is not something you can withstand," the middle-aged man visibly displayed anger.


    "Baron?" Rein instantly realized; the person was from a lesser-known Baron family named Norman, not the Earl or Marquis he had conjectured.


    His question had clearly angered the other party, seen as a challenge and scorn.


    "But surely, he would never accept the other party''s offer."


    "Give up being the Guardian Knight for the fair, beautiful Lady Creya with long legs to become a servant in some Baron''s house whose lands he did not even know?"


    "That would be a brain kicked by a donkey... tssk!"


    Rein shook his head, straightened his expression, bowed slightly, and apologized:


    "I''m sorry, thank you for your appreciation, but I cannot accept!"


    "Then it is truly a pity! You refused an opportunity to save your own life. A genius is going to fall here, truly regrettable," the middle-aged man shook his head slightly.


    The next second, the situation turned volatile!


    "Clang!"


    The other party immediately drew a longsword, pushed off with the tip of his foot, and attacked Rein!


    "So fast!" sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein''s pupils constricted!


    The speed of the opponent was no less than that of the assassin who had attacked him last time.


    "Clang!"


    Rein barely managed to block the strike of the longsword with his Fine Steel Greatsword, but he was still knocked back two steps.


    "Failed recruitment turns to assassination, how domineering?!"


    "Moreover, the strength and agility of the opponent, fearsomely near that of a formal knight!"


    Rein was surprised, but the opponent was even more so.


    Rulse had never expected the son of a farmer to have reached such a level!


    To actually withstand his full-powered strike and only retreat a few steps, he was even more proficient than what Rulse had estimated when he watched Rein practice swordsmanship!


    It should be noted, his strength was that of an almost-knight.


    This indicates that the opponent''s strength had completely reached the level of a Tier-3 Knight Attendant.


    No wonder the last attempt failed!


    "Even compared to himself, the gap isn''t too big. Could it be because of the breathing technique the other was practicing?"


    "It''s just that the opponent''s speed was a bit slow, clearly two levels below his own."


    "Good, although there are variables, everything is still within control."


    Since the opponent was slower, the experienced Rulse instantly thought of the best tactic.


    That was to make use of the fastest Thrusting Sword Technique, catching the opponent off guard.


    Rein had already activated "Strength Burst" at 30% of its full capacity, pushing his strength beyond 14 points, only to find himself still falling slightly behind.


    This allowed Rein to estimate that his opponent''s strength was around 15 points, but definitely not exceeding 16 points.


    However, compared to him, the opponent''s speed was just too fast.


    If it weren''t for his level 2 danger perception, he might have already been injured.


    Good, now there''s no hesitation about how to distribute his points!


    Rein immediately used one attribute point on agility, successfully boosting it to the major milestone of 10 points.


    "Clang!!"


    Thus, a split second later, Rulse''s swifter thrusting strike was still solidly blocked by the young man opposite him.


    This brought a flicker of surprise to Rulse''s face; the speed of the youth opposite him had actually increased!


    From initially dominating in speed to now being only slightly better.


    "Thankfully, I was prepared, having applied lethal poison. Just one hit and it should be over."


    Rulse''s sword moves became even swifter, striking at Rein like a fierce storm.


    "Cling clang clang!"


    "Bang!" Rein''s chest was brushed by Rulse''s sword, cutting through the surface of his cotton jacket.


    "Huh! Plate armor??"


    Rulse, thinking he had secured the victory, was surprised to find that the youth opposite him was wearing a rarely seen plate armor!


    Which caused his strike just now to be in vain!


    As the fight progressed to this point, Rulse might not have realized himself that he had gradually deviated from his original plan.


    His initial plan was, once Rein refused, to take him down within a few seconds, then deal with the body quickly before leaving.


    But now, although he was slightly ahead, the whole fight had become fiercely contested.


    "In this case, to take down the opponent in a short time and leave without trouble is extremely difficult."


    "We''re not far from the main road. If I take too long, it might draw the attention of others, which would be troublesome."


    "It looks like I have to use my secret technique!"


    On the other side, Rein was also intently watching Rulse, his mind swiftly searching for a strategy to break through the enemy.


    "The opponent''s swordsmanship is very practical, extremely deadly, and he has abundant experience. His overall ability is clearly above mine."


    "The most troublesome thing is the opponent''s attack speed, even faster than that assassin!"


    "Even after adding one point to agility, it''s still not enough!"


    Rein had also considered suddenly unleashing his full strength and performing a roaring strike.


    "But seeing the opponent''s ease in attacking, if I don''t time it right, even if I unleash full power with Strength Burst, I might not be able to hit him."


    "And once it fails and the opponent gets wary, it would be harder to find such an opportunity again."


    "Roaring Strike is my only chance to turn the tables; it must only be used when there''s absolute certainty!"


    "Eh! The knight''s longsword''s pale green glow? It''s poisoned?"


    Taking advantage of this moment, Rein keenly noticed that the knight''s longsword was emitting a faint pale green glow.


    This alarmed and angered Rein!


    "Had I not been wearing plate armor just now, would I have already been poisoned!"


    It was a situation where any mistake could be deadly.


    Keeping any attribute points now would be suicidal.


    Rein decisively used his last attribute point on agility again.


    With this, his agility reached 11 points.


    His overall condition also returned to its peak.


    Suddenly, Rulse made a move!


    All he saw was Rulse swinging his sword again toward Rein, his right hand''s longsword moving at high speed, transforming into three blades, with a sharp slicing sound, simultaneously stabbing towards Rein''s forehead, neck, and chest.


    This was Rulse''s trump card, one of the Dragonguard''s secret sword techniques, Swift Sword Triple Strike!!

 Chapter 83: Chapter 82 Roaring Strike

    In the blink of an eye, Rein instantly deduced that this must be the opponent''s ace in the hole!Utilizing ultra-fast sword speed to pierce three vital points on his body, the sword moved so quickly that afterimages appeared on his retina, which is why he saw the illusion of three swords thrusting at the same time.


    But in Rein''s heart there was no fear, instead, he felt excitement!


    This move was the enemy''s trump card, his own crisis, but on the other hand, also his own opportunity.


    Although the opponent was extremely fast, having fully committed to this killer move meant changing direction as before had become exceedingly difficult for him.


    It was just like a sprinter at full speed trying to come to an immediate stop, which was nearly impossible to achieve.


    In a split second, a fierce determination flashed in the corner of Rein''s eye.


    He didn''t execute the ''defensive stance'', the only defensive move in the Giant Bear Sword Technique!


    Instead, he chose to counterattack!


    "Strength Burst!"


    Rein''s entire body suddenly swelled, his height shooting from around 1.7 meters to approximately 1.9 meters, with muscles all over his body taut and bulging.


    "Breaking limit! Are you a proper Knight?!" Rulse cried out in shock, unable to help but exclaim.


    This caused Rulse''s attacking momentum to falter, and the power of his killer move greatly diminished.


    Of course, Rulse couldn''t be blamed.


    Rein''s "Strength Burst" was too similar to that of an official Knight performing "Breaking limit".


    Anyone watching would have thought Rein was a formal Knight in the act of "Breaking limit".


    Seizing the opportunity while the opponent hesitated ever so slightly, Rein''s chest puffed up, the veins in his neck protruding, with neck muscles twisting and expanding like those of a python.


    This set off alarm bells in Rulse''s mind, and he instinctively began to retreat at high speed!


    The execution of his ace move, "Swift Sword Triple Strike", thus came to an abrupt end.


    No wonder Rulse made such a decision.


    Originally, his three strikes were aimed at Rein''s vital areas, but with Rein''s drastically changed physique, even if the stabs went through, they probably wouldn''t be able to end Rein''s life instantly, only leaving him injured but not dead.


    Yet Rein''s present physical form was too horrifying; Rulse immediately sensed that Rein''s follow-up attack would definitely be thunderous!


    Rulse didn''t want to trade life for life.


    So, the only option was to retreat!


    But having just charged forward at high speed, retreating immediately was not so simple.


    However, Rulse lived up to his level as a prospective Knight with powerful body control; the inertia of his body went from moving forward to retreating in barely half a second of stillness on the spot.


    But in that brief less-than-half-second timeframe, the tables turned!


    "Hah!!!!"


    With a great roar,


    Rein''s mouth opened wide, and a raging torrent of breath blasted out like a cannonball!


    A massive wave of sound, centered around Rein''s gaping maw, swept out like a tsunami in all directions.


    This kind of area-of-effect sound attack was clearly something Rulse couldn''t avoid, and with the distance between him and Rein, the strength of the sound wave could be said to be at its peak.


    Rulse only felt a strong gust of wind blow against his face, causing his skin to violently tremble.


    At the same time, his eardrums felt a stabbing pain, his head instantly buzzing!


    And after the sound wave swept past Rulse, it kept spreading out at high speed, causing nearby trees to rustle loudly and leaves to rain down.


    Although Rulse was only affected by the sound attack for a very brief moment��merely a fraction of a second��by the time he could react once again,


    he found himself seemingly unable to move!


    Instantly, he felt an intense pain in his abdomen!


    Turns out, as Rein let out that deafening roar, his bulging muscles propelled his hands to sweep the Fine Steel Greatsword at high speed across Rulse''s waist and abdomen, leaving behind in mid-air a beautiful silver semi-circle.


    Time seemed to stand still for a few seconds.


    Rulse lowered his head.


    ''Whoosh!'' A large amount of fresh blood flowed out, along with intestines and other organs.


    "Ah!!"


    Rulse couldn''t help but let out a scream of agony.


    "Thump!"


    Rulse dropped the Knight''s Longsword and knelt on the ground, desperately trying to cover the long wound with his hands and continuously trying to stuff the fallen intestines back inside.


    Although he had been through many battles, he had always been the victor.


    Of course, he had never experienced such pain... as well as the fear of impending death! Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such an injury, even if he were a Knight, would be too much to bear, let alone that he wasn''t one.


    Soon, as life drained away, Rulse''s movements slowed down.


    He lifted his head, staring intently at Rein, his mouth moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, nothing came out, and he collapsed to the ground.


    The look of unwillingness in his eyes also faded...


    Rein was also suffering, supporting himself with the Fine Steel Greatsword in one hand and clutching his chest with the other, he began to cough violently.


    "Cough... Cough..."


    "The first time using the ''roaring strike'' special move, I exerted too much force; it seems to have hurt my lungs a bit."


    "But luckily, the results were significant!"


    Rein, looking at Rulse''s corpse, also felt somewhat sentimental.


    "The opponent was completely superior to me, with both Strength and agility likely around thirteen or fourteen points. Even after I increased my agility by two points, I was still firmly suppressed by him!"


    "Without the insight into the special move ''roaring strike,'' this battle could have been very grim!"


    This intensified the sense of urgency in Rein''s heart once more.


    Throughout the entire battle until its end, there were still many questions in Rein''s mind.


    "Where did this Norman Baron family come from?"


    "Refuse to be recruited, then must die? It can''t be that drastic, can it..."


    "So, how exactly did I get involved with them?"


    After thinking for a while, Rein decided he might take the time to carefully inquire with Hamilton later.


    After all, he had been transferred from the County Town, and he should be quite familiar with the major noble families within the Meister County.


    "If the territory of this so-called Norman Baron family is in Meister County, then Hamilton should probably be able to provide some useful information."


    Without any hesitation, Rein stepped forward and cautiously delivered another stab to the body.


    Once he confirmed that the other party was truly dead, Rein quickly bent down and started to search, soon finding a small black square bottle in the man''s pouch.


    "Eh! This design... could it be lethal poison?"


    Then, Rein found a small bag of gold coins, about a dozen Gold Coins and over twenty Silver Coins, in the man''s pouch.


    The last item was an exceptionally neatly folded piece of parchment that, judging by its yellowed surface and slightly whitened edges from abrasion, seemed to have some age and had been frequently perused by its owner.


    Rein didn''t open it immediately.


    Because the ''roaring strike'' he had just used made a deafening sound, and even with the barrier of the dense woods, Rein believed it had already reached the nearby road.


    Thus, as soon as Rein finished searching the body, he immediately dragged it deeper into the woods and slightly modified the battle marks on the scene with his greatsword to cover them up.


    After giving it some thought, Rein decided not to pick up the opponent''s weapon.


    Because the pommel of the opponent''s Knight''s Longsword had a distinct pattern, Rein wouldn''t be able to use it even if he took it back, and melting it down at the Blacksmith''s place was equally risky. So, it was better to leave it.


    Soon, the smell of blood would attract wild animals, and for them, this would be a feast.


    Having done all this, Rein turned and walked towards home.

 Chapter 84: Chapter 83 Imperial Military Swordsmanship

    ```"Brother, why did you come back so early today?" Anna, who was playing with ''Cookie,'' looked up to see her brother Rein returning and asked with slight surprise.


    At that moment, Anna also looked up towards Rein.


    Seeing Anna''s rosy complexion, Rein knew that after a night''s rest, she had recovered from the fatigue caused by using the amulet yesterday. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, something came up, cough... cough..." Rein patted little Anna''s head.


    "By the way, Anna, could you come with me for a moment?"


    "Hm? Of course." Anna nodded and stood up, but when she took a closer look at Rein, she noticed something amiss.


    Rein seemed to have a pale complexion and had just coughed.


    As Rein passed by her, she also detected a faint smell of blood.


    This scent was deeply ingrained in her memory, for her home had also been filled with this same smell that night.


    This immediately made Anna tense.


    Upon entering the room with Rein, Anna asked anxiously, "Rein... are you injured?"


    "What! How did you know, Anna?" Rein was initially surprised, but then, looking down at his damaged cotton armor, he immediately understood.


    "It''s nothing serious, just a minor injury, but I might need to bother you to touch that amulet again."


    At the moment, Rein was also unsure whether the amulet had a limit on the number of times it could be used.


    Or could it be that after consuming that mysterious energy, the amulet needed a certain amount of time to absorb some kind of external energy before it could be used again?


    "Yes, no problem at all. I''ll try!" Anna nodded emphatically, grateful for the rare opportunity to be of help to Rein.


    "Relax a little, I''m really fine... cough..."


    Seeing Rein cough while insisting he was fine, Anna couldn''t help but give him a reproachful look.


    Immediately taking the wooden amulet Rein handed her, Anna focused her mind and gently touched it.


    Sure enough, the amulet emitted a soft green glow again!


    This time, Anna felt it was a bit easier to control than the last.


    The green light quickly leapt from the amulet and flew towards Rein''s body.


    Instantly, the green light intensified!


    Enveloped in the green light, Rein felt as if a cool, soothing stream was flowing into his body from the outside, quickly coating the damaged capillaries and alveoli of his lungs.


    An exceptionally cool and refreshing sensation spread from within.


    Seconds later, Rein felt his injuries had fully healed, and he no longer felt the urge to cough!


    This once again made Rein marvel at the miraculous nature of this energy.


    It also proved that the wooden amulet could indeed be a magical item used repeatedly.


    However, when Rein looked up, he saw Anna''s complexion had turned pale again, just like the night before.


    "Anna, I''m sorry..."


    "Don''t say that, Rein, I''m really happy to help you, truly."


    "By the way, are you feeling better now?"


    "Of course, I''ve fully recovered! Thank you, Anna." Rein smiled and patted his chest, indicating he was completely healed!


    After sending Anna back to her room to rest, Rein curiously opened the sheepskin scroll.


    Upon opening it, Rein was somewhat astonished. The top was inscribed with bold letters: "Dragan Empire Military Swordsmanship." Below the text were seven separate diagrams depicting a stick figure performing various sword techniques.


    Further down were two slightly more complex diagrams, also showing a stick figure executing a type of sword technique.


    ```


    The stick figures in the book all had one-handed swords.


    They differed drastically in style from the Giant Bear Sword Technique Rein was practicing.


    After scrutinizing the images, Rein''s expression initially showed both shock and delight, but soon he began to furrow his brow in thought.


    It turned out that the seven patterns represented basic sword moves with a simple style, somewhat straightforward, yet upon closer inspection, they also contained a sense of sharpness and even brutality.


    Because the sword moves targeted the critical points of an enemy, it was no wonder they were called military swordsmanship, where simplicity implied ease of learning, and the ruthless sharpness was aimed at quickly dispatching foes.


    The two slightly more complex patterns at the bottom were secret techniques derived from military swordsmanship; one was the ''Swift Sword Triple Strike'' performed by the middle-aged man earlier, and the other was another move called ''Flash Strike''.


    Without a doubt, imperial military swordsmanship with secret techniques was more than ten times as precious as the plain imperial military swordsmanship!


    Although the military swordsmanship of the Dragan Empire was also an outstanding swordsmanship, without secret techniques, it couldn''t be considered true Extraordinary Swordsmanship.


    If Rein had only discovered the seven basic military sword moves, he might not have been inclined to learn them immediately.


    But upon realizing the existence of two secret techniques, his desire to learn them grew incredibly strong!


    He had felt the power of the ''Swift Sword Triple Strike'' personally, and if his opponent had been determined to trade injury for injury, even if Rein had been lucky enough to win, he surely would have sustained serious injuries.


    According to the description, ''Flash Strike'' was even more powerful and equally more difficult to perform, seeming to require the capability of a formal Knight.


    This left Rein rather covetous.


    He decided to try learning them later that evening.


    It was then that Rein had the time to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +267]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +131]


    Although a normal fight wasn''t lengthy, totally at most around two minutes, but every second was a precarious balance between life and death, so the generous Experience granted was to be expected.


    Rein''s Giant Bear Sword Technique lv4 (298/1000) progress crossed halfway, reaching Giant Bear Sword Technique lv4 (565/1000).


    Rein then flipped back to the ''Attributes Page'' on the system panel.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv2 (0/300) / Night Watchman lv3 (161/500) / Dog Trainer lv2 (31/300)


    Constitution: 10


    Strength: 11


    Agility: 11


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining Attribute Points: 0


    Remaining Skill Points: 0


    Now his attributes were very balanced, just one point shy in Constitution from reaching 11 in each attribute.


    Afterward, Rein folded his arms and paced back and forth in the room, deep in thought, reflecting on the battle he had just fought, summarizing the gains and losses.


    Meister County City.


    Within a manor that belonged to either a noble or a wealthy merchant, the storeroom on the second level below ground had clearly undergone expansion, its area comparable to an average noble''s banquet hall.


    While the walls weren''t graced with fine murals or richly decorated, they were carved with mysterious and brutal ritual scenes and various bizarre monsters, giving the entire hall a dark and eerie atmosphere.


    In such a spacious hall, only two mountain-shaped wall lamps were lit, their flames struggling to burn, but still unable to light up the overly large hall sufficiently.


    At that moment, a deep voice emerged from the center of the dimly lit hall.


    "How much longer until the Black Flame Prayer Ceremony?"

 Chapter 85: Chapter 84: Fusion

    "High Priest, it will take about another month," answered a tall figure clad in knight armor, standing in the middle of the underground hall.Why say tall?


    That was because the figure was over two meters and twenty centimeters tall, but even encased in armor, his limbs were very "slender."


    To others, his legs looked like the long, thin thighs of a ''grasshopper,'' thin yet extremely capable of leaping.


    Moreover, the weapon he carried on his back was also weird��it was a scythe-like serrated curved blade about two meters long.


    However, he clearly wasn''t the highest-ranking person in the underground hall, as he was reporting with a slight bow to someone sitting in the shadows, referred to as the High Priest.


    "We are running out of time. I have felt the Lord''s will gradually awakening. The Black Flame Prayer Ceremony must be held as soon as possible!"


    "Half a month, hold the ceremony within half a month to coincide with the Lord''s further resurrection!"


    "This... Understood, High Priest. However, if we intensify the acquisition of ''materials,'' it will inevitably cause some disturbances and further attention from the empire''s officials."


    "Heh, those greedy nobles, it''s time for them to be of use," the High Priest''s tone was deep and slightly mocking.


    "Ehm... High Priest, speaking of those nobles, it seems they are getting restless."


    The shadow waved his hand and said, "Take another twelve bottles of ''Divine Blood'' to appease them; it''s best if you can get those nobles to cooperate with you."


    "If they look for excuses to shirk, at least make them turn a blind eye."


    "These next few days, make sure the gangs below expedite their work and at the same time, raise the bounty."


    "Lastly, be ready to conduct a blood sacrifice if we do not make it in time!"


    "A blood sacrifice... High Priest, the last incident in Monheim Town was quite significant. It''s said that the ''Sword Bearers'' are paying close attention..."


    The High Priest waved his withered right hand and said, "I have already felt the Lord''s response to my prayers."


    "Go and get in touch with Alonso, as the most eager nobleman to participate in the Black Flame Ceremony and receive the Lord''s blessing, he ought to do something."


    "As you command, High Priest!"


    "By the way, have people investigated how the Hyena Gang was destroyed?"


    "Is it the doing of the ''Sword Bearers''?" As he mentioned ''Sword Bearers,'' the High Priest''s voice became noticeably more solemn.


    "No, according to what we observed at the scene, most of the Hyena Gang members died of severe poisoning, a method uncharacteristic of the ''Sword Bearers.''


    "Additionally, inside the gang''s stronghold in the county town, several dozen ''materials'' were left untouched. If it was the ''Sword Bearers,'' they would not have ended things hastily; they always plan thoroughly before acting and would surely have rescued these people."


    "It must have been an act of vengeance or a random incident, perhaps the Hyena Gang offended some wandering knight or a certain noble."


    "It''s just... the marks on the wounds are quite unusual, not like those made by daggers or short swords, but rather resembling those made by greatswords or axes."


    The shadow nodded and said, "As long as it wasn''t the ''Sword Bearers,'' that''s all that matters. Weapons naturally vary with the individual. Good that it wasn''t the ''Sword Bearers''!"


    "Speed things up, otherwise by the time the empire reacts, we might never have such a good opportunity again!"


    "As you command, High Priest. I will see to it right away."


    The tall figure briefly bowed and then turned to leave the underground hall.


    At that moment, only the High Priest remained in the hall.


    Then, under the dim light of a distant wall lamp, one could vaguely see that the body shrouded under his black robe was abnormally bloated, presenting a stark contrast to his withered arms.


    ...


    -----------------


    That afternoon, Rein seriously began practicing the imperial military swordsmanship.


    The woodland near his home was naturally no longer an option.


    But fortunately, the army swordsmanship used a one-handed sword, which meant Rein only needed a small space to practice.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein asked Anna for the key and went alone with the Night Watchman''s issued bastard sword to Anna''s house next door.


    After slightly moving the table and chairs, it made for a decent indoor practice area.


    Since Rein had a foundation in swordsmanship at level 4 (578/1000), he picked up the army swordsmanship faster than he had anticipated.


    Before long, a system prompt appeared:


    [You have practiced the Imperial Army Sword Technique, insight increased!] S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Imperial Army Sword Technique]


    [Your skill Imperial Army Sword Technique has improved, Experience +1]


    ...


    [Detected that the host has been practicing Single-handed Sword Technique. Would you like to merge it into the Imperial Army Sword Technique? This merge will consume 0 Skill Points.]


    (Note: After merging, the Basic Sword Technique will no longer be displayed on the panel, but the host can still use the related sword techniques.)


    (Note: After the merge, the Imperial Army Sword Technique will absorb the advantages of the Basic Sword Technique and improve them. The experience you gained in Basic Sword Technique will be converted into the experience for the improved Imperial Army Sword Technique at a certain ratio.)


    The first three prompts hadn''t changed, but the fourth and completely different system prompt clearly caught Rein''s attention.


    "Both are one-handed sword techniques, so they can be merged?"


    "No wonder I didn''t see this prompt when I was practicing the two-handed ''Giant Bear Sword Technique'' before."


    "Also, a merge usually requires consuming skill points. Is it because there is a certain lineage connection between the Basic Sword Technique and the Imperial Army Sword Technique, or is it because the Basic Sword Technique is too basic? Thus it shows 0 points?"


    Several questions naturally popped into Rein''s mind.


    Clearly, if it had required skill points, Rein would likely not have chosen to merge.


    Because the current one skill point, whether used on breathing techniques or the Giant Bear Sword Technique, would bring significant improvements to Rein.


    Of course, since this time the merge cost was zero, Rein pondered briefly and then chose yes.


    Soon, the Sword Bearer panel''s Basic Sword Technique level 4 (578/1000) vanished, replaced by Imperial Army Sword Technique level 2 (128/300).


    Level 4 beyond halfway in Basic Sword Technique, barely converted to less than half of level 2 in Imperial Army Sword Technique.


    But this already made Rein''s face light up with joy, as it at least saved him ten days to half a month of tough training.


    Almost simultaneously, some fragmented memories about practicing Imperial Army Sword Technique flashed through Rein''s mind and gradually integrated into his muscle memory.


    Shortly, Rein sharply noticed that the Imperial Army Sword Technique he executed was slightly different from that in the scroll, with more cunning angles and seemingly greater power.


    This must be what the system prompt meant by saying that after merging, the Imperial Army Sword Technique had absorbed the strengths of the Basic Sword Technique and improved upon them.


    However... it must be because the Basic Sword Technique was too elementary, the improvement was very slight.


    If Rein''s perceptions hadn''t been exceptionally sharp, he wouldn''t have noticed it at all.


    Just then, a crisp voice called from the door, "Brother, Uncle Weilun has come to see you."


    Upon hearing this, Rein immediately stopped practicing the Imperial Army Sword Technique and opened the door to step outside.


    The middle-aged man in black leather armor, standing right there, was the familiar captain of the Night Watchman, Weilun.


    Seeing Rein come out, Bo He smiled sweetly at Weilun and bounced back to dig in the small courtyard with Anna, along with the periodic appearances of ''Cookie'' the dog, creating a warm atmosphere.


    "Rein, why are you at Anna''s house?" Weilun curiously glanced behind the door and asked.


    "Haha, Captain Weilun, is there something you need?"


    All at once, Weilun looked deeply at Rein and said, "Rein, I have some good news for you!"

 Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Onboarding and Testing

    "The hyena gang of County Town was wiped out. ''Dog King'' Kole and a number of the gang''s key members were found dead in their lair��the Dog Fighting Manor��three days ago," Weilun narrated slowly.Weilun had considered whether the young man before him, who was only a few years older than his daughter, might have done it.


    But after some thought, he concluded it probably wasn''t him.


    Although ''Dog King'' Kole''s body had been burned to ashes and was unrecognizable,


    the deaths of the other gang members suggested they had all perished from severe poisoning.


    This approach was likely the work of a well-trained assassin.


    Therefore, there was a high probability that the hyena gang, used to their arrogant ways, had inadvertently offended some noble who then hired a hitman to exterminate them thoroughly.


    "Oh? Captain Weilun, do you know who did it?" Rein asked, feigning surprise even though he had a clear idea.


    "Not sure, but according to my colleagues in County Town, the investigation at the scene suggests that it was the work of a professional killer. Many of the gang members and dogs in the manor that weren''t burnt died from severe poisoning," Weilun explained, shaking his head.


    Hearing this, Rein breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Coating my weapons with poison was initially just to increase the efficiency of the kills. I hadn''t expected it to also mislead the investigation."


    "Next time, if necessary, I can continue to use this method."


    After chatting for a few more moments, Weilun remembered the purpose of his visit and said,


    "Right, Rein, if you''re not busy, come with me to the town''s administration office. Lord Hamilton is waiting for you in his office."


    "Okay, let''s go now," Rein nodded immediately.


    He also had questions he wanted to ask Lord Hamilton.


    When Rein arrived at Hamilton''s office,


    As soon as he entered, Rein noticed that Sheriff Hamilton, although a formal Knight, looked exhausted, rubbing his brow with one hand while flipping through case files with the other.


    Seeing Rein come in, Hamilton nodded and said, "Rein, take a seat."


    "Things have been a bit off lately."


    "There are too many security incidents, along with some mysterious events involving cults, monsters, and so on. Even the Seasonal Winds and the Church of the Ocean Goddess in County Town are constantly preoccupied."


    Hamilton complained off-handedly.


    "By the way, Rein, the reason I called you here is because your Night Watchman paperwork has all been processed." Hamilton smiled, and handed Rein a circular silver badge, two sizes larger than a Gold Coin.


    Rein took it and examined it carefully.


    On the front was an upper body image of holding a torch in one hand and a sword in the other, with a bow slung over the back, while the back was akin to a Bounty Hunters'' badge, also inscribed with ''Rein Carlan'' and a long string of numbers.


    Rein quickly determined that the badge was primarily made of pure silver, mixed with a small amount of other metals to prevent it from being too soft.


    "This represents the elite badge of the Night Watchman."


    "Generally, it takes a common Night Watchman about two years to accumulate enough Merit Points to be promoted to the elite level," Hamilton said with a smile.


    "Thank you, Lord Hamilton," Rein said with a happy expression, bowing slightly to show his gratitude.


    "You don''t need to thank me, it was just a small effort on my part. You''re the one who has worked hard. This is your deserved reward."


    "Right, here''s the exchange booklet. It lists all the items you''re currently eligible to exchange for, you might want to take a look," Hamilton said, handing over a small booklet to Rein.


    "Also, you should have over a hundred Merit Points. Let me see, Rein... Gnolls, Murlocs, your total is...119 Merit Points," Hamilton stated after revealing a number.


    "Thank you, sir," Rein said, unable to determine just how much the number of Merit Points he had would allow him to exchange, but guessed it wouldn''t be anything particularly useful since it was only over a hundred.


    Rein opened the booklet Hamilton gave him.


    On the cover of the booklet were the bold words: ''Dragan Empire Security and Guard Troops Merit Points Exchange Booklet (Non-commissioned)''.


    "Eh! Isn''t it supposed to be exclusively for the Night Watchman?" Rein looked up at Hamilton, a touch of surprise in his expression.


    "Haha, of course not. The Night Watchman, constables, including the City Guard, all belong to the category of the empire''s security and defense forces, so Merit Points are universal," Hamilton explained with a laugh.


    "I see," Rein realized, finding the system reasonable, and so he began to leaf through the pamphlet.


    "At the elite level, the redeemable items include... potions... weapons..."


    Rein quickly found that his 119 Merit Points were neither a lot nor a little.


    Basically, his Merit Points were enough to exchange for four Fine Steel Greatswords.


    "Wow! You can even exchange for Dragan Empire military swordsmanship and the corresponding Military Breathing Method?"


    "Is it really 1200 points for these Merit Points?"


    This made Rein a bit astonished!


    After all, he only had 119 points, not even a tenth of what was needed.


    It was hard to know if any of the elite members of the Night Watchman had successfully redeemed the Dragan Empire military swordsmanship and corresponding Military Breathing Method!


    However, the Dragan Empire military swordsmanship and the Military Breathing Method could be exchanged separately, requiring 400 and 800 Merit Points, respectively.


    Additionally, the Military Breathing Method was the only breathing technique available in the exchange booklet.


    That is to say, the Dragan Empire military swordsmanship he had obtained from that middle-aged man was actually worth 400 Merit Points.


    Indeed, a ''counter-kill'' like that was the fastest way to make money!


    Unfortunately, he did not see the Black Kirin Oil, or anything related to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique available for exchange.


    He wasn''t sure if it was because his elite level in the Night Watchman wasn''t high enough, or for some other reason.


    However, as Cleya mentioned, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique was widely disseminated, with many noble families passing it down and studying it, so in theory, the imperial military would naturally have carried out research into it.


    In that case, it was probably because he was of too low rank.


    "By the way, my lord, does the Night Watchman have a specialized training ground?" Rein asked.


    For him, improving his strength was always the most important thing.


    The woodland near his house, he definitely wasn''t suitable for going there in the short term.


    And Anna''s house was fine for one or two makeshift training sessions, but it wasn''t a long-term solution.


    "Haha, of course, it''s right behind the administrative office of the small town," Hamilton said, standing up and laughing as if he had thought of something, brushing off his previous weariness.


    "Come, I''ll take you to see it, and by the way, it''s a good opportunity to introduce you to the others."


    "At this time, except for those who were on night duty yesterday, most of them should be at the training grounds."


    After leaving the office and making two consecutive right turns, Rein followed Hamilton to a training ground, not very large, just a few hundred square meters, but it was equipped with various dummies, targets, and all kinds of longswords.


    At the moment, many people were training on their own here, and after sweeping the area with a glance, Rein noticed that the majority, about sixty percent, were practicing archery.


    "My lord!"


    "Lord Hamilton!"


    "Constable, my lord!"


    Upon seeing Hamilton''s arrival, the training members of the Night Watchman, constables, and others all stopped their activities and greeted him.


    "This is Rein, a new member who joined our Night Watchman today; everyone, please make his acquaintance," Hamilton introduced.


    "Right, Rein, to let everyone gauge your strength, go ahead, use all your power, and throw a punch right here," Hamilton turned his head and, with a smile, extended his palm towards Rein.


    Actually, Hamilton had always been curious about Rein''s strength and potential.


    Since the previous occasion when Rein had managed to stop that ferally transformed werewolf, Hamilton had been harboring this thought.


    But firstly, at that time, he was hindered by his own injuries, and secondly, Rein had not officially joined the Night Watchman, so Hamilton hadn''t spoken up.


    But now that Rein was an official member of the Night Watchman and directly under his command, Hamilton naturally thought it was time to test this young man whom he regarded highly. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 87: Chapter 86 Dont bully... well, wait and see!

    Hearing his superior make such a statement, the Night Watchmen beside him all looked at Rein with considerable curiosity.


    Some of the Night Watchmen had seen Rein during the last battle with the frenzied jackalweres, while others had not.


    But now, they all crowded around, looking forward to the young man''s performance with great anticipation.


    Caught off guard by Lord Hamilton''s sudden request, Rein was startled at first, but the next second, he smiled, nodded, and happily agreed.


    "Of course, Lord Hamilton."


    He finally understood why, when he asked about the training grounds of the Night Watchmen, Lord Hamilton''s mood lifted.


    It seemed that at that moment, the other party had already thought of testing his strength.


    But inside, Rein thought to himself that he definitely couldn''t use "Strength Burst" at full capacity.


    Otherwise, his Strength of 22 points would probably exceed even that of Lord Hamilton, a formal Knight.


    "Injuring one''s own superior on the first day of employment, that approach..."


    As he imagined that scene, Rein couldn''t help but shake his head slightly.


    "However... I did manage to barely fend off an injured frenzied jackalwere last time, my current base Strength of 11 points is of course still a bit weak."


    "So, I should only use about thirty percent of my ''Strength Burst''."


    "A little surprise for my superior is still necessary!"


    Having made his decision, Rein positioned himself to throw a punch.


    The next second, with a push from his left foot, his figure flashed past everyone, and he threw an extended-stance straight punch that hit hard against the palm of Lord Hamilton''s outstretched right hand.


    "Thump!"


    A dull sound of a fist colliding with a palm echoed.


    As his punch landed, Rein felt that Lord Hamilton''s large hand was like layers of tough leather glued together,


    absorbing the impact of his punch, making it dissipate until it was invisible.


    Lord Hamilton controlled the rebound of his strength to a very small degree, rendering Rein almost unable to feel any force from the hand.


    This delicate control over strength, signifying a higher and more profound mastery of one''s own muscles and more, was beyond Rein''s current reach.


    "Very good! Rein, your knighthood potential is even better than I imagined."


    After feeling the power of Rein''s punch, the corners of Lord Hamilton''s mouth twitched slightly with a mix of shock and delight, and his eyes shone keenly as if he had found a treasure.


    There was still a tingling sensation in his palm.


    "Rein''s abilities have actually improved so quickly!"


    Lord Hamilton''s right elbow bent slightly, his arm trembled at an almost imperceptible high speed several times, and then he placed his hands behind his back. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Among the onlooking Night Watchmen, there were those who recognized talent when they saw it.


    From Rein''s movement speed to the crisp sound of his punch, they could tell the young man before them was extraordinary.


    And their superior''s surprised expression confirmed their suspicions.


    Lord Hamilton looked around and then turned to Rein, "Come, let''s go to my office."


    When the two returned to the office, Lord Hamilton took the initiative to ask, "You should be practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, right?"


    Rein nodded. Even if he didn''t admit it, with Lord Hamilton''s knowledge, he would have guessed it already.


    "Your current strength has already reached the level of a Tier 3 Knight Attendant. Given your rate of progress, you''ll probably be able to challenge a full-fledged Knight in about half a year!"


    "Such a praiseworthy talent."


    "However, the advanced Magic Potion will be a big problem; there''s too little time, and it''s highly unlikely that you''ll be able to accumulate enough Merit Points through the tasks of the Night Watchmen to exchange for an advanced Magic Potion."


    Lord Hamilton seemed to think of something, frowning as he spoke.


    "This matter, it seems, can only be resolved by your mentor."


    "Um... Lord Hamilton, could you talk about the advancement Magic Potion?" Rein had been wanting to ask this question.


    Previously, Cleya had avoided the topic, and Lord Hamilton had only mentioned it in passing when discussing Merit Points, without going into detail.


    "Hasn''t your teacher Perez told you about it?" Lord Hamilton looked at Rein with a slightly surprised expression.


    After hearing this, Rein paused slightly.


    "My own teacher?"


    Then it dawned on Rein.


    "The fact that my breathing technique and swordsmanship were actually taught by Lady Cleya, I have never affirmed this to Lord Hamilton."


    "So, in his mind, he has always imagined that my teacher was the renowned Dual-Handed Greatsword expert, Lord Perez."


    "Although Lady Cleya had mentioned that it would be best to keep the matter of her teaching me the breathing technique and sword skills to myself."


    "But the problem now is, I have already been subjected to internal strife from within the Habus family."


    "Looking at the current situation, the Night Watchman, one of the official powers I''ve joined in the empire, might be the only force that could possibly make them think twice before acting against me."


    "Therefore, gaining the recognition of my current superior, Lord Hamilton, is quite crucial!"


    "If I keep hiding this and once he casually asks Perez about this matter when they meet, it would be bad to get exposed instead."


    After some thought, Rein decided that there was no longer any need to keep this from Lord Hamilton.


    On the contrary, revealing this ''secret'' would most likely be seen as an act of ''goodwill'' in his eyes.


    "About that... Lord Hamilton, the truth is I''m not very familiar with Meister Perez. My breathing technique and sword skills were actually imparted to me by Lady Cleya," said Rein, touching his nose and speaking somewhat sheepishly.


    "What?" Upon hearing Rein''s response, Lord Hamilton was dumbfounded.


    "You clever rascal! To think you''ve hidden this from me for so long!" The next second, something seemed to dawn on Lord Hamilton, and he burst into laughter.


    "No wonder you don''t even know about the advancement Magic Potion."


    "It seems that when Lady Cleya left Meister County, you must have just started your training and your talents weren''t fully manifested yet."


    "Otherwise, she would have certainly left some special arrangements, or perhaps, she might have even taken you with her to the Imperial City."


    Imperial City?


    Upon hearing these words, Rein was stunned. The capital of the Dragan Empire was a place of much aspiration. If he had the chance, he would definitely want to see it!


    In addition, Lord Hamilton quickly understood the reason why Rein had been targeted for assassination the last time.


    "No wonder you were the target of an assassin''s attempt last time!"


    Speaking of this matter, Rein casually asked, "By the way, Lord Hamilton, could you briefly talk about the heirs of Count Habbs? Other than Lady Cleya..."


    Lord Hamilton nodded and said, "Rein, I understand what you''re getting at. Count Habbs'' eldest son, Alonso... how should I put it, he strikes me as a rather obsessed individual."


    "Moreover, he seems to be involved with some Cult activities, which has already drawn the attention of the higher-ups."


    "So, regarding your situation, it''s not convenient for me to intervene. Even if I did, the outcome might not be as expected."


    "Um... Lord Hamilton, apart from this eldest son, doesn''t he have a second son?"


    Because Rein was puzzled, why had Lord Hamilton directly mentioned Alonso? Didn''t Cleya have two older brothers?


    Lord Hamilton looked momentarily startled, then shook his head and said, "It couldn''t be Descartes, because he is currently at the imperial military headquarters. How could he care about someone so insignificant as you, far away in Meister County?"


    "Besides, Descartes has always had a good relationship with Cleya, so why would he harm you?"


    "What?" Rein''s brow raised in surprise, learning of this new piece of information.


    It seemed certain that the assassin must have been sent by Alonso!


    "Excellent! This trip hasn''t been wasted."


    "I''ve finally figured out who it was that tried to harm me!"


    "What''s that saying... never mind, we''ll see how it goes!"

 Chapter 88: Chapter 87: Advanced Magic Potion

    Meanwhile.


    Habsburg Manor.


    Inside a study on the second floor of the castle, Dennis was reading the revenues and expenditures of the family estate. However, after only a few glances, he furrowed his brows, seemingly unable to continue his interest.


    "Knock, knock, knock"


    At that moment, a rhythmic knocking sound arose.


    This slightly pleased Dennis, as it seemed Rulse must have completed his task and returned.


    He thought about the time, which should be about right.


    Because today was the final deadline set by Michel.


    "Come in!"


    "Eh! Why is it you?"


    But to Dennis''s surprise, it was not Rulse who entered but Tina.


    Knowing Tina, she never appeared before him unless called.


    "Den....Master Dennis, Lord Rulse told me if he didn''t make it back by sunrise today, to let you know the task failed."


    Tina was clearly frightened of Dennis, not daring to lift her head as she spoke with her gaze lowered.


    "What? Say that again!"


    Dennis abruptly stood up, his face contorted with a ferocious expression as he bellowed.


    "Ru....Lord Rulse said....."


    Tina, already terrified of Dennis, stuttered under his murderous gaze, struggling to speak clearly.


    After much effort, Tina managed to repeat the words once again.


    The study then fell into a long silence.


    Only the heavy breathing persisted, growing more rapid!


    "Damn it, are you joking with me?"


    "Rulse is battle-hardened; how could he possibly fail a mission, damn it, especially against merely a farmer''s son!" Dennis took a while to digest the meaning of Tina''s words.


    The opposite Tina trembled in fear, but she picked up on one term ''farmer''s son.''


    So, a ''farmer''s son'' could upset the noble young master to this extent.


    It seems....


    "Ah!"


    Tina screamed as she was suddenly grabbed by the hair and pulled over, then harshly slammed onto the large desk.


    "Sssla!"


    Tina felt a chill over her body as her clothes were ripped open.


    Immediately after, a sharp pain shot through her body! S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ....


    After a series of intense panting, Dennis seemed somewhat tired.


    But as he vented, he appeared to regain his composure.


    Looking at Tina, who was gently sobbing with bruises of blue and purple, Dennis coldly stated, "Repeat exactly what Rulse said to you before he left, without missing a single word."


    "Lord Rulse said...."


    Tina''s words were nearly identical to before, and Dennis could not glean any useful information from them.


    "How exactly did Rulse fail?"


    "Could Cleya have left that peasant any treasures?"


    "Where did the two of them fight?"


    "If Rulse failed his mission, did he divulge any information to the other party?"


    "Moreover, with Rulse''s failure, I will certainly face my father''s rebuke, and I might not even be able to stay at Habsburg Manor any longer."


    "Lastly, it looks like this month''s ''Divine Blood'' quota is gone..."


    Dennis thought momentarily and realized his mind was swamped with a plethora of vexing problems.


    And the cause of this passive situation was that person called....


    Dennis rubbed his temples, he had always been called a "farmer''s son," and suddenly, he forgot the other person''s name.


    Oh~, right, he remembered now, it was Rein!


    Dennis wanted to send someone to investigate, but the few subordinates he had left were all much weaker than Rulse.


    After thinking it over, he decided against sending anyone to look for Rulse''s whereabouts.


    After pacing back and forth in the room for a while, Dennis returned to his desk and sat down blankly.


    After further contemplation, he picked up a quill and swiftly scribbled on a piece of paper, soon producing a sincerely worded letter of apology.


    The first sentence began with "Dear father...."


    At this point, the situation here had somewhat spiraled out of Dennis''s control.


    Especially with Rulse''s death, he didn''t believe it was an incident that could be kept hidden; instead of hiding it, it was better to report to his father and ask for help promptly.


    Since Rulse was his father''s favorite, it was highly likely his father would send someone to investigate.


    By that time, Rein would naturally come to their attention.


    ...


    Flashgold Town governmental hall.


    Inside Hamilton''s office.


    Rein thought for a moment and realized he had figured out the assassin''s matter.


    But what connection did he have with that middle-aged man, the Norman family?


    Just as Rein was about to ask, Hamilton began discussing the advanced magic potion on his own.


    This caused Rein to focus and listen carefully.


    "Rein, regarding the advanced magic potion, first, you must understand that each breathing technique corresponds to a different magic potion!"


    "Fortunately, you practice the widely disseminated Giant Bear Breathing Technique, so relatively speaking, the corresponding advanced magic potion is easier to obtain."


    "The method for making an advanced magic potion isn''t difficult; it involves one main ingredient along with several auxiliary ingredients, just a simple mixing. But the difficulty lies in finding a good main ingredient."


    "The key main ingredient of an advanced magic potion is generally called ''Transcendent Relic,'' like the one for your Giant Bear Breathing Technique, which requires a Transcendent Relic from a berserk bear species��''Giant Bear''s Paw''."


    "With the aid of the advanced magic potion, the enhancement level of certain or multiple attributes developed by the breathing technique will be exceptionally high."


    "For instance, the Swift Leopard Breathing Technique focuses on significantly enhancing agility and slightly strength, and if the advanced magic potion is made from a leopard''s Transcendent Relic, like the ''Shadow Leopard''s Tendon''!"


    "Then, after consuming the advanced magic potion, the enhancement of the agility attribute would be especially substantial. However, if the main ingredient is from another transcendent creature, like the wind serpent, the effect would be somewhat inferior."


    Rein nodded, indicating he understood what Hamilton was saying.


    "Through advancement via a magic potion, not only can safety be greatly enhanced, but it can also augment the transcendent traits brought by the breathing technique."


    "For example, you, Rein, if you step into the transcendent realm using the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and its corresponding advanced magic potion, in general, you would awaken a transcendent characteristic��Huge Strength, a special ability that enables superlative exertion of one''s strength."


    ''Transcendent characteristic,'' ''Huge Strength''?


    Rein sharply caught these key phrases, and several thoughts flashed through his mind.


    "I wonder if it could be used in conjunction with my ''Strength Burst''?"


    "It''s highly likely effective, but I fear my body can''t handle it!"


    "It seems... I need to further strengthen my Constitution."


    Hamilton continued enthusiastically:


    "Likewise, practitioners of the Swift Leopard Breathing Technique, after stepping into the transcendent realm, are very likely to awaken a transcendent characteristic��agility, a special ability that enables superlative exertion of one''s agility."


    "But this is not absolute, there was once a practitioner of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique who, after consuming the advanced magic potion made from a ''Giant Bear''s Paw'' of a mountain berserk bear, not only awakened the transcendent characteristic ''Huge Strength''."


    "He also awakened a rare transcendent characteristic��''Thick Skin''!"


    "A special transcendent characteristic that combines mysterious side energy particles."


    At this point, Hamilton showed a look of longing.


    Rein was also surprised; could one actually awaken two transcendent characteristics?

 Chapter 89: Chapter 88: Huh? Transcendent Profession Panel!

    This was clearly not due to the Breathing Method, leaving only two other reasons.


    Either it was due to individual physiological differences,


    or it was because of differences in the main ingredient of the advancement magic potion.


    Perhaps it was both.


    "After all, the differences between people can sometimes be greater than anything else!"


    "And bear-like Transcendent creatures definitely aren''t limited to just one or two types; there should be many varieties."


    Moreover, Rein then thought of something related to what Hamilton had just mentioned about the ''special transcendent characteristics of mysterious side energy particles''.


    "That... Sir, the ferocious werewolf we hunted down last time, was the light blue airflow around it what you were referring to as some special transcendent characteristic of mysterious side energy particles?"


    Hamilton looked at Rein with approval and said, "Smart! Indeed it is."


    "That werewolf possessed a special innate ability named ''Rift.''


    "The innate abilities of monsters are the same as our human Knights'' Transcendent characteristics, just termed differently to distinguish between humans and other creatures."


    "This innate ability not only enhances their movement speed but also strengthens their slashing effect, a desired Transcendent characteristic for those specializing in assassination and scouting."


    "Um... Lord Hamilton, since there are people who have awakened two Transcendent characteristics, are there people who have awakened three?" Rein asked again.


    Given Hamilton''s interest, Rein naturally took the opportunity to ask more.


    "Haha, of course there are, but most often it is because the Breathing Method they practice is extraordinary, and these Breathing Methods are usually possessed by deeply-rooted noble families."


    "Perhaps, in the entire Meister County, only the Habus Earl Family might have them."


    "However, Rein, the widespread dissemination of Breathing Methods also means that the difficulty of finding or buying advancement magic potions is greatly reduced, which isn''t really a bad thing for most people!" Hamilton said seriously, looking at Rein.


    Is that so?


    Isn''t it better for the Breathing Method to be rarer, more powerful, and harder to practice?


    What kind of logic is this?


    Rein felt a bit confused after hearing this.


    Hamilton didn''t keep him in suspense and continued explaining:


    "For example, there was once a powerful Breathing Method called the ''Thunderbird Breathing Technique,'' which was a hereditary Breathing Method of a certain hereditary Marquis family in the empire. But do you know? The main ingredient required for its advancement magic potion is ''Thunderbird Wings.''


    "Over the past thousand years, as Thunderbirds gradually became harder to find, naturally, ''Thunderbird Wings'' also became unobtainable. Thus, the family''s stockpile of ''Thunderbird Wings'' has continually been depleted for advancing this Breathing Method."


    "Several hundred years ago, as the stockpile of ''Thunderbird Wings'' ran out, no one has been able to successfully advance in this Breathing Method since."


    Hamilton showed a hint of regret as he spoke.


    "So it is, the higher the level of the Breathing Method, the more stringent the requirements for the advancement magic potion."


    "Whereas the more common Breathing Methods, though less powerful compared to higher-level ones, have a high substitutability for the main ingredients of their advancement magic potions, making them easy to find." Rein pondered for a moment and then summarized.


    "Exactly, that''s right!" Hamilton nodded.


    "So, for the common folk''s offspring aspiring to achieve Transcendence, practicing a common Knight Breathing Method isn''t a bad thing at all."


    [Ding! Host has listened to Transcendent secrets, triggering the advanced job change��Knight (Transcendent)!]


    [Prerequisites for advancing to Knight (Transcendent) include: one, any Knight Breathing Method lv5 or above; two, strength 12 points or more, agility 12 points or more, constitution 12 points or more; three, any Riding Technique lv3 or above, Shield Defense lv3 or above, any Archery lv3 or above, any Close Combat Skill lv4 or above; four, corresponding advancement magic potion...


    current conditions not met! Advancement to Knight (Transcendent) failed!]


    "What! This works too?"


    Rein read through the sudden system prompt several times, feeling both surprised and delighted!


    He hadn''t expected that merely listening to Hamilton''s explanations about advancement magic potions and transcendence could yield such a discovery.


    It had directly triggered his job advancement information!


    "Looking at the conditions, advancing my job change to Knight doesn''t seem to require having the Knight Attendant job panel."


    "I had been worried that I would need to change my job to Knight Attendant first before triggering the Knight job change. Now it seems like I was worried for nothing."


    The primary condition is Knight Breathing Method lv5, right?


    Indeed, with successful practice of the Breathing Method along with advancement magic potions, advancing to Knight does seem logical.


    "Rein?"


    Hamilton, seeing Rein staring blankly on the spot, couldn''t help but tease with a smile:


    "Could it be that you''ve heard too much about transcendence and are having a hard time accepting it?"


    No way!


    I hope you would talk even more!


    But those words Rein could only think to himself.


    "Haha, of course not, Lord Hamilton. I''m very grateful for your guidance today. I hope you can continue to mentor me in the days to come."


    Rein bowed slightly to express his gratitude.


    Today, Hamilton''s explanation resolved many doubts in Rein''s mind.


    Just as Hamilton was about to say something,


    suddenly, urgent knocking sounds came from the door.


    "Please come in!" Hamilton straightened his face and looked towards the door.


    "Lord Hamilton, Viscount Hamadi, the sheriff of the County Town, requests your immediate presence in the County Town," a Messenger came in and reported.


    Hamilton nodded, then turned to Rein and said, "Rein, it seems our talk will have to wait until next time."


    "By the way, you should join Weilun''s squad first, he''ll arrange your daily tasks."


    "Weilun has complained to me several times, asking why I haven''t processed your onboarding yet."


    "Yes, Lord Hamilton. Captain Weilun and I are also quite familiar. I''m delighted to be able to join his squad." Rein stood up and said with a smile.


    After leaving Lord Hamilton''s office, Rein found Weilun at the training ground behind the administrative hall.


    When Weilun heard that Rein had officially joined and was even assigned to his squad, his face lit up with joy.


    He slapped Rein heavily on the shoulder and said with a laugh:


    "Haha, excellent! I''ve finally waited for you!"


    "Rein, you have no idea how many times I''ve talked to Lord Hamilton!"


    "Captain Weilun, when do I join your night patrols? Do we start tonight?" Rein proactively asked.


    "No need to rush, let''s start tomorrow. Go home today, get ready, and give your family a heads up."


    "Eh... Okay!" Rein nodded.


    Back at home, Rein was alone in his room, deeply contemplating.


    His initial idea of joining the Night Watchman was to have protection in his weaker hours.


    But now, as one of the imperial official forces, the Night Watchman was like a great tree.


    What he needed to do now was to enhance his authority or post within the Night Watchman, thus gaining access to more resources and secret knowledge.


    To achieve this, he had to continually complete related missions, carry out valuable deeds, and accumulate enough Merit Points.


    These tasks were not the general duties of the Night Watchman''s night patrols.


    The Merit Points brought by daily duties were far too insignificant for Rein.


    Only those unexpected and more dangerous missions could bring considerable Merit Points, like the previously participated missions to suppress the ferocious werewolves and to eliminate evil finfolk.


    "So, next, I need to do two things: one, continue to train hard to enhance my strength. Two, take on as many unexpected or urgent Night Watchman missions as possible to earn high Merit Points."


    As for Bounty Hunting?


    The bounty tasks that Bounty Hunters undertake for money are basically a different matter from the Night Watchman''s duties.


    However, Rein did not mind completing some easy bounty tasks during the daytime when he rested.


    After all, those absolutely wicked criminals in the bounty tasks were, in Rein''s eyes, walking ''human Experience''.


    If there was a fight, it meant that there was a chance for Rein to increase his Profession Level as a Night Watchman, naturally a good thing.


    Of course, the prerequisite was that he could win!


    So, after going full circle, he returned to focusing diligently on training and improving his strength.


    At the same time, Rein carefully analyzed the four requirements for promotion to a formal Knight.


    First was any Knight Breathing Method at level 5 or above. This was not a big problem; as long as he advanced one more level in any profession, he could elevate his Breathing Method from level 4 to level 5. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Next, it was the three basic attributes of strength, agility, and constitution. He was only one or two points away, and considering that the Giant Bear Breathing Technique prominently enhanced strength and constitution, Rein had to think about prioritizing adding points to agility after leveling up.


    Last was achieving level 3 in riding and archery. These points were also not difficult; more practice at John''s Farm for riding and some additional practice in the administrative hall''s training ground for archery would suffice.


    Shield defense was a bit troublesome. That either required spending Merit Points to exchange for Combat Skill or finding someone to teach him.


    ....


    One day later.


    Rein, accompanied by ''Cookie'', began his first night patrol.


    His night patrol partners were Captain Weilun and the short Matteo, both acquaintances, which made the atmosphere relaxed and led to constant casual conversation. The topic soon shifted to Rein''s Greyhound, ''Cookie''.


    "Rein, this is a Greyhound, right? It looks like it should be about half a year old," the short Matteo said, glancing at ''Cookie,'' who had sleek fur, long limbs, and increasingly visible muscles.


    "Eh... not really, ''Cookie'' is just over three months old," Rein recalled the time and said.


    "What? How long did you say?" Matteo was immediately startled, and Captain Weilun also turned his head.


    "Just over three months."


    "Rein, really? Are you pulling my leg?" Matteo looked suspiciously at Rein''s expression, seeming to confirm something.


    "This... not at all." At that moment, Rein came to understand why Matteo might doubt.


    It was no wonder!


    Recently, under the ''nourishment'' of Rein''s nutritional meals, although money was spent lavishly, ''Cookie''s growth speed had entered the fast lane, visibly growing taller and stronger every day.


    This forced Rein to begrudgingly spend twice the money of his family''s meal budget to buy raw materials to feed ''Cookie''.


    "Well then, Rein, you''re really lucky to have bought such a ''uniquely talented'' Greyhound."


    Once Matteo confirmed Rein was not joking and thought about it, he attributed ''Cookie''''s rapid growth to some kind of innate talent in the dog.


    Captain Weilun couldn''t help but give ''Cookie'' a few more looks, marveling.


    "Haha... indeed, my luck has been pretty good lately," Rein could only agree with a smile.


    "By the way, Rein, I''ll tell you a dog food recipe later that might help ''Cookie'' grow faster; it''s just mixing a raw egg into rice," Matteo said enthusiastically.


    Rein was taken aback!


    This....


    "Matteo, you''re too kind. I''ll thank you on ''Cookie''s'' behalf first."


    "Woof, woof, woof!"


    Just then, ''Cookie'' suddenly started barking wildly towards a small alley on the right.

 Chapter 90: Chapter 89: Convergence

    The three immediately looked in that direction, only to see darkness inside.


    But Rein, with his Dark Vision, could already see two tall black figures flashing by at the end of the alley, each carrying a large sack that seemed to wriggle, about half the height of a person.


    "That''s Quinn''s patrol area, Captain, do we go have a look?" Matteo clearly sensed something amiss.


    "There are two people, each carrying a big sack." Rein said gravely, his mind already racing with unpleasant possibilities.


    Weilun and Matteo couldn''t help but look at Rein in astonishment, as if to say, can you really see all that clearly?


    "Let''s go! Follow them." Weilun decided to pursue after a moment''s thought.


    Guided by ''Cookie,'' the three quickly chased after them.


    It seemed that the two figures ahead realized they were being hotly pursued by a dog and three men, and in their panic, they suddenly threw down the large sacks they were carrying and fled with even greater speed.


    Just as Rein was about to take the lead in the chase, suddenly, an orange flare shot through the air, originating from the northwest corner above Rein and his companions.


    "It''s our distress signal."


    "We need to get there right away," Weilun said solemnly upon seeing it.


    "Boss, it''s children!" Matteo had already opened the two large sacks discarded on the ground.


    Inside each sack was a child with a gagged mouth and bound hands and feet. Upon seeing the Night Watchman in black leather armor, both children started struggling ''mmph mmph'' against their restraints.


    "Matteo, you stay here and look after the kids."


    "Rein and I will immediately go over there, be careful on your own!" Weilun instantly assigned their duties.


    "Alright, Boss! You go ahead, I''ll be careful," Matteo said while untying the children.


    Rein glanced at the two traffickers who had vanished from sight, knowing that this was not the right moment to chase them.


    After all, rescuing comrades was more important.


    However, when Weilun and Rein arrived at the northwest corner of the town, they found that the crisis had been averted.


    The Night Watchman of that area had also encountered traffickers, but this time, the opponents appeared to be strong, managing to break through and calmly leave despite the encirclement of three Night Watchmen.


    Additionally, one of the Night Watchmen was stabbed in the right arm during the attempt to stop them.


    Although the foes had fled, Rein still had an uneasy feeling that something was not quite right. The group selling children had been too brazen and frequent recently!


    This, naturally, infuriated the Flashgold Town security officer Hamilton, who immediately strengthened the night staffing in Flashgold Town.


    However...


    Since that day, for three consecutive evenings, the area of Rein''s night patrol had been peaceful.


    It seemed that the swagger of the traffickers had been effectively curbed.


    Meanwhile, Rein gradually became familiar with the duties of the Night Watchman.


    The Night Watchman of Flashgold Town mainly handled the town''s nightly security, fire emergencies, wild beast disturbances, and signaling major dangers, while during the day, this work fell to the town guards.


    As the daytime is generally safer than the night, Night Watchmen typically possess combat capabilities one notch higher than town guards.


    Of course, the compensation was also better.


    A regular Night Watchman''s monthly salary reached 8 imperial silver coins, while an elite like Rein received 1 imperial Gold Coin.


    In addition, based on the team captain''s arrangement, there would be 1-2 days of rest each week. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not sleeping for a whole night wasn''t actually tiring for Rein, who practiced a breathing method for cultivation.


    As long as he went back and slept a little, once he awoke again, Rein would be in a spirited and vigorous state.


    And he could use the remaining time of the day for other activities, such as practicing the breathing method in his room, improving his horseback riding at John''s Farm, or going to the training ground to practice swordsmanship and archery, and so on.


    Furthermore, Rein gathered from Captain Weilun through indirect inquiries about something.


    The Empire had strict restrictions on commoners learning breathing methods and Extraordinary sword techniques, which was evident from the need to exchange a large amount of Merit Points.


    But for the nobility, it was very ''tolerant.''


    Nobles could teach their followers breathing methods and Extraordinary sword techniques!


    This explained why so many commoners were desperate to become servants or guards of the nobility.


    This system had been in place for a long time and had received widespread approval from nobles of all ranks.


    On the other hand, it was incredibly difficult for commoners to advance on their own.


    Rein briefly assessed the obstacles a commoner would have to overcome to become a Transcendent.


    First, one needed to join an official Imperial organization, accumulate enough Merit Points over time, and learn breathing methods and Extraordinary Combat Skills.


    Then, continue to collect Merit Points to exchange for an ''Advancement Magic Potion.'' If one was lucky enough to become a Transcendent, after being officially acknowledged by the Empire, they could become the lowest level of nobility��a non-hereditary knight.


    The only disappointment over the last few days was that Hamilton, as the security officer of Flashgold Town, was incredibly busy.


    Rein had planned to ask him for lessons in swordsmanship, along with a chance to farm some ''Experience,'' but had not found the right opportunity.


    Over three days, Rein''s most progressed profession, the costly Dog Trainer, had astonishingly reached lv2 (223/300).


    Part of this was because Rein took ''Cookie'' for night patrols, which the system recognized as ''walking the dog.''


    Rein had calculated before that approximately every fifteen minutes of ''walking the dog,'' the Dog Trainer''s Profession Level experience would increase by one point.

 Chapter 91: Chapter 89: Convergence_2

    Thus, through a full night of ''walking the dog,'' his experience naturally increased rapidly.


    The only thing that made Rein a bit displeased was that, as a member of the Night Watcher''s Army in Flashgold Town, there were too few experts in comparison.


    On the training ground of the administrative hall, if Rein used the Giant Bear Sword Technique, there essentially wasn''t an opponent who could last three exchanges.


    Therefore, when Rein sparred with other Night Watchmen, he would use the Bastard Sword combined with Imperial Military Swordsmanship and then take the time to practice archery as well.


    A few days passed, and the results were quite good.


    The Night Watchman''s Profession Level had reached lv3 (247/500), and the Imperial Military Swordsmanship and Basic Archery had improved even more, reaching lv2 (245/300) and lv2 (121/300) respectively.


    Before he realized it, three days had passed.


    Today, as dawn broke, Rein finished a night of patrol and had not been home long before he received a notification from the guards: Lord Hamilton requested his presence.


    Rein thought for a moment, then took his greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, donned the Night Watchman''s black standard leather armor, and headed to the town''s administrative hall.


    In the office, Hamilton handed Rein a sheepskin scroll.


    "For this mission, we have to go personally."


    Rein took the scroll and skillfully flipped through it, starting with the mission description: multiple miners had gone missing at the Elim Mine, and the three Bounty Hunters who went to investigate had since vanished without a trace.


    As of yesterday, the number of missing miners had exceeded ten, and the miners at Elim Mine were all terrified, not a single one dared to go down to work again, forcing the mine to close.


    ....


    "Eh! Elim Mine? I seem to have heard news of incidents there before."


    "I didn''t expect it to still be unresolved...."


    "The current situation, it''s clearly gotten more serious!" sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein immediately remembered hearing related news about the Elim Mine from Hamilton.


    Continuing to browse through the case file, the end of the scroll only had one sentence about the mission requirement: What exactly happened inside Elim Mine?


    "This is an investigation mission?" Rein looked at Hamilton in surprise.


    Normally, the official Imperial forces wouldn''t get involved in mere investigations; these are usually handled through bounties, leaving Bounty Hunters to complete them more often.


    But this time was different, with the Flashgold Town''s sheriff Hamilton himself taking action, Rein faintly felt the significance of the Elim gold mine.


    Hamilton''s following words confirmed Rein''s guess.


    "Though the output of the Elim Mine has been declining year by year, its importance to Meister County remains significant. The higher-ups have asked me to figure out what happened in Elim Mine as soon as possible."


    "In addition, although this is just an investigative mission, a mysterious event most likely occurred." Hamilton''s expression became serious.


    "A mysterious event?" Rein pondered these words.


    "Correct! The disappearance of the three Bounty Hunters, including one experienced Monster Hunter, can now be classified as a mysterious event. This means it''s possible that monsters or some kind of supernatural forces appeared in the mine."


    "Lord, if it''s monsters, why not offer a bounty for Monster Hunters to take care of it? Of course, I''m just curious, not afraid," Rein asked.


    After all, it was Hamilton who told him that if he wanted to buy Berserker Bear meat, he could find Monster Hunters in County Town.


    "That''s because one of the Bounty Hunters, Nedved, was himself an experienced Monster Hunter. His disappearance has led to no Monster Hunters in County Town willing to take on this task."


    After listening to Hamilton explain the circumstances, Rein nodded,


    The disappearance of three Bounty Hunters, one of whom was an experienced Monster Hunter, gave him a foreboding sense of unease.


    "Lord Hamilton, what do you think might have happened inside the mine?" Rein couldn''t help asking, since Hamilton, with his broad experience, would likely have a judgment about the possible situation.


    Hamilton pondered for a moment and said, "Initially, I wondered if Gnolls had appeared in Elim Mine, but Gnolls are not strong fighters, and they usually come in large numbers, yet so far, there are no reports of any sightings of Gnolls."


    "Furthermore, the disappearance of three experienced Bounty Hunters suggests that the likelihood of Gnolls being the creatures inside is slim."


    "Therefore, I suspect that there''s a type of monster adept at lurking and ambushing inside the mine."


    "For instance, the Venomtail Scorpion excels at stealth and sneak attacks, and it also particularly favors the dark and damp environment of mines. If it strikes a miner or Bounty Hunter during an attack, it can swiftly deliver a fatal blow without a sound."


    "Not even a scream would be heard."


    "Of course, it could also be other ambush-preferring creatures, such as Troglodytes and so on; it''s still too soon to say."


    Heeding Hamilton''s reasoned analysis, Rein nodded, feeling somewhat less worried.


    With his experienced superior leading the team, safety shouldn''t be a big concern.


    "Rein, you were planning to earn more Merit Points to exchange for advanced Magic Potions, right?"


    "This might be a good opportunity, as tasks involving mysterious events typically offer three to five times the Merit Points of ordinary tasks, or even more."


    "Additionally, if the monsters are easy to deal with, we can eliminate them directly, and that would mean even more Merit Points." Hamilton said to Rein with a smile.

 Chapter 92: Chapter 89: Convergence_3

    Rein raised an eyebrow at the news and chuckled as well.


    In fact, Hamilton needn''t have called for him; if Rein had known how rewarding the mission was, he would have volunteered to join on his own.


    Rein was very much aware that he didn''t need to wait half a year more to accumulate experience as Hamilton had suggested.


    If all went well, in about a month or two, he could meet all the conditions for a knight''s promotion, except for the "Advanced Magic Potion."


    So, Rein was in urgent need of Merit Points to exchange for the "Advanced Magic Potion."


    Although this mission entailed a certain degree of danger, with Hamilton, a certified Knight, leading the team, the risks should be relatively manageable.


    Rein felt that as long as he was careful, there shouldn''t be any major problems.


    "That would be best. By the way, my lord, when do we depart?"


    "We''ll set out once everyone has arrived. The County Town has sent some people over, too; we''ll leave together once they''re here."


    "Also, I''ve had Weilun and the others prepare some antidotes, ropes, fishing nets, and the like."


    "Rein, if you have anything you need to get ready, you still have time to prepare."


    "Yes, my lord." Rein nodded upon hearing that others from the County Town would be joining them.


    In truth, Rein had most of the gear he needed on him.


    However, considering the search in the mine, bringing "Cookie" along might be a wise choice.


    After all, dogs'' sense of smell and hearing are much sharper than humans''.


    So, Rein returned home once more to fetch "Cookie."


    When he came back to the town hall entrance, he saw a group of new arrivals, and Hamilton was coming out to meet them.


    "Lord Hamilton, long time no see!" A middle-aged man with a goatee, dressed in proper hunting clothes, greeted Hamilton with a slight bow.


    Rein could vaguely sense that the man was not weak; though not a formal Knight, he was clearly a Knight''s Attendant.


    "Steward Schmidt, hello." Hamilton nodded with a smile.


    "Lord Hamilton, Viscount Hamadi himself wanted to come, but the Viscount is preoccupied with affairs, so he entrusted me to investigate the situation at the Elim Gold Mine."


    "The incidents at the gold mine have greatly concerned both Count Habbs and Viscount Hamadi," said the middle-aged man named Schmidt with a smile.


    "This time, in addition to inviting the knowledgeable Wandering Bard��Lord Endri to accompany us,"


    "I have also specially recruited three experienced Bounty Hunters in the County Town." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Steward Schmidt gestured to an old man with a goat beard wearing a gray hood and carrying a staff, dressed in a gray robe.


    The old man took off his hood, bowed slightly to Hamilton, and said, "Lord Hamilton, I am honored to meet you."


    "Lord Endri, hello." Hamilton also nodded in return with a smile.


    Rein, intrigued by the introduction of the well-informed Wandering Bard, took a closer look.


    "Wondering if the other party might recognize the unknown script from his ''Beast Taming Diary.''"


    "Too bad, now isn''t the right time or place for his identity."


    Then, Schmidt pointed to three men wearing gray leather armor, "These three are experienced Bounty Hunters."


    "Lord Hamilton, we, Faruja, Selim, and Aximu, are at your service." The three muscular Bounty Hunters stepped forward and bowed slightly to Hamilton.


    "Welcome!" Hamilton nodded slightly.


    Although he was leading the team this time, he was well aware that the Night Watcher''s Army excelled in cooperative fighting; compared to exploration and searching, experienced Bounty Hunters were more adept.


    At that moment, Hamilton saw that Rein had arrived and nodded to him as a signal.


    "Now that everyone is here, shall we set out?"


    "Of course. The sooner we depart, the sooner we complete our reconnaissance mission." Schmidt nodded with a smile of agreement.


    Thus, the twelve elite members of the Night Watcher''s Army, plus the five people with Schmidt, mounted their horses and quickly headed towards the Elim Gold Mine, located to the southwest of Flashgold Town.

 Chapter 93: Chapter 90: Elim Mine

    It was late autumn, and as a group of people gradually moved toward the southwest road of Flashgold Town, the scenery on both sides began to change.


    From the originally vast fields of mostly harvested wheat, it transformed into gently rolling hills.


    The large swathes of trees on the hills had already turned yellow, shining like a beautiful golden scroll under the sunlight.


    Since everyone was on horseback, about an hour later, the official investigation team led by Hamilton arrived at the mid-slope of a hill.


    This was the main entrance to the Elim Mine.


    At this time, a middle-aged man dressed as a mine supervisor, along with a few miners dressed in half-length coarse cloth jackets and knee-length shorts, had already been waiting at the entrance of the mine.


    Rein looked around and saw behind the mine''s gate a large area filled with wooden huts, which seemed to be the dwellings of the miners, and faint crying sounds could be heard, presumably from the relatives of miners who had lost their family members.


    The dark entrance of the mine was scattered with about a dozen small mining carts, and a metal rail about a meter wide stretched into the mine.


    Surrounding them were wooden fences over two meters high, enclosing the entire entrance and residential area of the mine. These fences, made of beech wood, were quite solid.


    After Captain Weilun asked a few questions, the disheveled miners indeed did not know exactly what had happened inside; they had only heard strange clashing sounds followed by horrific screams. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By the time they assembled a group and rushed over, they only found some remaining bloodstains.


    After several such incidents, they no longer dared to check on the situation.


    Especially after the Bounty Hunters came and disappeared without a trace, these miners dared not even enter the mine anymore.


    Clearly, these responses provided little help for the investigation team wanting to understand exactly what had happened inside the mine.


    Shortly after hearing this, Hamilton decided that they needed to enter the mine to conduct a direct investigation.


    So, three Bounty Hunters walked in the front, followed closely by Weilun and Rein along with several Night Watchmen, with Schmidt, Endri, and Hamilton in the middle, and the remaining seven or eight elite Night Watchmen at the back.


    The entire team formed a long line, slowly advancing deeper into the mine.


    It wasn''t for lack of a desire to adopt a more compact security formation, but because the special terrain of the mining tunnel dictated it.


    The tunnel at the entrance of the mine was relatively spacious, and after many years of excavation, it was almost wide enough for three or four people to walk abreast, and there were oil lamps hanging on the rock walls on both sides, providing fairly clear lighting, allowing for faster advancement.


    But as they went deeper, especially after passing a junction, the tunnels of the mine gradually became narrower, particularly as many of the hanging oil lamps on the tunnel walls were damaged, significantly reducing visibility within the mine.


    "That junction just back there leads to the old mine pit, which had been mostly mined out decades ago," said the mine supervisor.


    "The tunnel we are now entering was only excavated about twenty years ago. Although its gold reserves are not as extensive as those of the old pit, they are still moderate," he explained.


    "The problem is occurring in this new pit,"


    As they went deeper, hardly any of the oil lamps were lit.


    At this point, the only source of light relied on the torches each person carried.


    The alertness of the group gradually heightened to its peak.


    "Why aren''t these oil lamps lit? Is it out of oil?" muttered one of the Bounty Hunters leading the way.


    "These oil lamps... if they''re not refilled in time, they can only last two or three days. It''s been quite some time since then, so..." the supervisor attempted to explain.


    But at this moment, Rein began to sense something was off.


    As he delved deeper into the mine, his level 2 danger perception started to frequently warn him, as if something dangerous lurked deep in the mine tunnels, and this feeling was growing stronger.


    This made Rein tense his muscles, ready to dodge or attack at any moment.


    "Something''s not right, look at this oil lamp, it seems like something clawed it directly off the wall," said the Bounty Hunter in the lead, who seemed to notice something.


    He raised his torch high, illuminating a side of the rock wall where there were visible scratch marks.


    It appeared to be the work of some beast''s claws.


    As everyone focused their attention in the direction he indicated, suddenly, a large gaping mouth sprang out from the junction of the tunnel floor and rock wall, biting towards a Night Watchman.


    "Watch out!" Since Rein was always on guard, he reacted immediately and shouted loudly.


    However, his position was behind the attacked Night Watchman, naturally making it impossible to block the attack in time.


    But Rein reacted quickly, forcefully kicking the attacked Night Watchman.


    This kick narrowly allowed him to dodge the deadly bite!


    The next second, a chorus of shouts erupted from the group.


    In the flickering torchlight, one of the Bounty Hunters shouted in a horrified tone, "It''s a Crystal Stone Lizard!"


    "There''s a Crystal Stone Lizard here!"


    Thanks to Rein''s Dark Vision, he could clearly see the full appearance of the attacker.

 Chapter 94: Chapter 90: Elim Mine_2

    This creature known as the Crystal Lizard was three to four meters long, with thick skin that felt like dotted with mineral grains on its body. When it lay at the intersection of the ground and the rock wall in the gold mine tunnel, it was incredibly hard to distinguish!


    No wonder ''Cookie'' just now was completely unaware of its presence.


    At this moment, he was barking furiously at the Crystal Lizard.


    Although Rein kicked the Night Watchman companion aside, the Crystal Lizard swung its long tail, striking fiercely at the Night Watchman''s lower back.


    With a ''crack'', the Night Watchman was flung away, crashing heavily against the mine''s rock wall, seemingly with a serious spinal injury, writhing in pain on the spot.


    At that moment, the two nearby Bounty Hunters quickly reacted, aiming their bastard swords at the Crystal Lizard and delivering several thrusts.


    "Ding! Ding!"


    Sparks flew, but to little effect!


    The layer of skin on the Crystal Lizard''s back, with its mineral-like texture, had a defensive power that probably didn''t lose out to a stone of the same thickness; the Bounty Hunters'' attacks seemed no more than tickling it.


    "Be careful! The Crystal Lizard''s back has the strongest defense, target its eyes or belly,"


    an elderly voice called out from the middle of the group. It was the knowledgeable and experienced Wandering Bard, Endri, offering a reminder.


    But knowing and being able to execute were two different things.


    At this moment, only a few, including the Knight being squeezed in the middle of the group, Lord Hamilton, could do it.


    Rein also had a tough time, as using a dual-handed greatsword to poke eyes was incomparably more difficult than using a one-handed sword.


    In the dim and narrow mine tunnel, the Crystal Lizard moved not slowly; though not as fast as a cheetah, it was not much different from a wild boar in speed.


    Trying to hit the creature''s walnut-sized eyes with the longsword in hand was easier said than done.


    As for the belly, that was even harder.


    It required flipping over the entire Crystal Lizard.


    Considering its length was not long, but its muscles were tight and its skin tough and thick, it probably weighed quite a bit; Rein estimated its weight to be no less than six or seven hundred pounds.


    So even though they knew who the opponent was and its weak points, the three Bounty Hunters at the forefront had no way of dealing with it for the time being, allowing the Crystal Lizard to continue inflicting injuries on two elites of the Night Watchmen.


    After a bit of chaos, everyone began to regain their senses and started to draw their longswords, aiming at the Crystal Lizard,


    Seeing that its sneak attack had failed, and there was no opportunity to exploit at this moment, the Crystal Lizard swiftly turned 180 degrees and, flicking its tail, escaped deeper into the mine.


    "Chase it!"


    "Don''t let it get away!"


    If the Crystal Lizard managed to escape successfully, considering its ability to hide, it would be extremely difficult to find it again.


    Rein, at the front of the group, leaped forward and slid his fine steel greatsword under the Crystal Lizard, then with both hands, he gave a hefty heave, actually flipping the six or seven hundred pounds of the Crystal Lizard into mid-air.


    The force of this heave was skilfully managed by Rein, flipping the body of the Crystal Lizard just at ninety degrees, exposing its soft, gray-white underbelly in front of Rein.


    If anyone could see the Crystal Lizard''s front at this moment, they would notice the rare panic in its walnut-sized eyes.


    And its strong limbs, now quite helplessly flailing in mid-air.


    "Swoosh!"


    A silver arc flashed by!


    The relatively soft belly of the Crystal Lizard was slashed open, leaving a narrow gash over a meter long.


    A stream of pale green, fluorescent blood gushed out instantly!


    Right after, the Crystal Lizard heavily crashed to the ground, a large pool of pale green fluorescent blood spreading beneath it. It struggled a few times before becoming motionless.


    This scene caused the three Bounty Hunters to look at Rein with newfound respect.


    Originally, when they had first entered the mine, they assumed that Rein, with his youthful face, must be a new Night Watchman, inexperienced and knowing very little. Hence, the trio felt no desire to engage in conversation with him and had hardly spoken to Rein throughout.


    But an expert is revealed as soon as they act!


    If it were them, trying to flip a 600 to 700-pound Crystal Lizard with a double-handed lift would be impossible, even with pre-accumulated force, not to mention doing so with the swiftness and grace that Rein did.


    It was clear that this young Night Watchman was no novice but a highly skilled master.


    At this moment, Hamilton, Endri, and Schmidt finally squeezed from the middle to the front of the group. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon seeing Rein kill the Crystal Lizard on the spot, Hamilton couldn''t help but smile, stepping forward and clapping Rein''s shoulder, "Well done!"


    Schmidt looked Rein up and down, then smiled and said to Hamilton, "Lord Hamilton, could we consider this investigative mission concluded? It seems that the culprit behind the incidents at Elim Mine has been found and taken care of by one of your men!"


    "I can return to County Town as soon as possible and relay the good news to the Earl and Baron!"


    The Wandering Bard, Endri, holding his wooden staff, approached the Crystal Lizard. He squatted down to take a closer look and said, "So it truly is the exceedingly rare Crystal Lizard. No wonder many of the miners fell victim without even a chance to cry out."


    "Crystal Lizards generally lie in wait silently before ambushing their prey; they prefer environments like this human mine."


    "They have a strong sense of territory; generally, you''ll find only one in any given mine."


    "However, it''s become rare to see these creatures nowadays. This Crystal Lizard could fetch a very nice price. Lord Hamilton, the blood of the Crystal Lizard is of some use to me, may I purchase some?"


    Hamilton glanced at Rein, seeing no objection from him, he smiled and said, "Of course, Master Endri, no problem at all. But, as Schmidt has mentioned, shall we leave the mine first?"


    "Haha, of course!" Endri laughed heartily.


    So, four elite Night Watchmen carrying the Crystal Lizard led the way, Hamilton and the others remained in the middle of the group, and Rein was warmly engaged by the three enthusiastic Bounty Hunters.


    The contrast between before and after was astonishing!


    The party slowly made their way back through the winding tunnels of the mine, spirits high due to the smoothness of the expedition.


    Moreover, according to what the Wandering Bard Endri said, the Crystal Lizard was quite valuable. Whether for the elite Night Watchmen or the Bounty Hunters, this journey could yield a generous share of the spoils or remuneration.


    Despite two of the elite Night Watchmen being injured, it was much less damage than they might have expected.


    After all, Lord Hamilton had made it clear before departure that this was a mysterious incident!


    The difficulty of such mysterious incidents was something all the elite Night Watchmen were well-prepared for.


    ...


    What nobody noticed,


    was that up on the rock wall of the mine tunnel, a pair of fist-sized yellow eyes suddenly opened and were silently observing Rein and his party as they passed by.

 Chapter 95: Chapter 91: Splitting the Rock Groin

    Rein, while responding to the enthusiastic Bounty Hunters, started checking the system notifications:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +145]


    [You have been through a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +76]


    The battle was extremely short. Although Rein only used thirty percent of his ''Strength Burst'' and swung his sword twice, each strike was an excellent combination of his current level of strength and skill.


    Therefore, the experience gained was considered quite substantial.


    Meanwhile, the three Bounty Hunters beside him were now engaging Rein eagerly, a stark contrast to their indifferent demeanor when they had first arrived, as if they had completely changed their faces.


    "Did a troll appear near Flashgold Town?"


    "I personally saw Haral, that ''little giant,'' accept this task in County Town."


    "..."


    Listening to the Bounty Hunters talk about that ''giant'' who had left a deep impression on him, Rein immediately thought of the day that group of Bounty Hunters entered Flashgold Town.


    And the barbarian girl with the large shield who was the last in line.


    Rein naturally wanted to learn more about the barbarians and trolls.


    Especially since several days had passed, and he seemed to have heard no news about them from anyone else.


    It seemed like the barbarian Bounty Hunters had waited at the Beech Hotel for a few days before setting out after receiving confirmed news about the trolls.


    But today, it had been two or three days since they left the inn at Flashgold Town, and by counting the days, they should have been back by now.


    However, for some reason, Rein had not heard any news of their return.


    Could it be that they went straight back to County Town?


    Possible.


    Perhaps these three Bounty Hunters from County Town knew something.


    With that thought, Rein also nodded slightly, replying somewhat reservedly, "Yes, that team of barbarian warriors is very strong."


    "Yes, but, Rein, I see that you''re so young and already possess such strength. In no time at all, you will......"


    Just as that Bounty Hunter was eagerly talking, a kind of high-frequency Shock sound, inaudible to human ears, seemed to permeate the air.


    Buzz buzz buzz!


    A trembling presence suddenly descended, making everyone feel something was off.


    "Crack crack crack!"


    Before everyone could look around, Rein and the others felt the ground shake, and the ceiling of the mining tunnel began to drop various sizes of rocks, causing everyone to stagger and struggle to maintain their balance.


    "Could it be an earthquake?" many exclaimed.


    ''Cookie'' started barking frantically behind them, and Rein''s mind instantly rang alarm bells.


    "Not good, it''s an attack!"


    But before Rein could turn around, he felt a huge gust of wind hit him from behind.


    Rein immediately rolled forward on the spot, dodging the attack from behind.


    But the two elite Night Watchmen following closely behind Rein could not dodge in time.


    "Pop!"


    The sound of a hammer forcefully striking a watermelon rang out!


    The heads of the two elite Night Watchmen burst open like exploded watermelons, instantly splattering blood and white brain matter everywhere.


    His colleagues, who had been conversing cheerfully just a moment ago, were now dead on the spot!


    Rein quickly turned around, and only then did he see that their attacker was a giant creature standing three meters tall, its head nearly touching the top of the mining tunnel.


    It resembled a giant, with a pockmarked and uneven body surface, wielding a stone mallet over two meters in length.


    That horrifying strike had been delivered by swinging that stone mallet.


    But what Rein could not fathom was how such a massive creature, which they had not noticed upon their earlier arrival at the tunnel, could remain unnoticed; they had passed through this area upon entering.


    Moreover, logically, a creature of this size and build should produce a sound from its movement in the tunnel that Rein could have felt from dozens of meters away, yet the attack had been so sudden and stealthy.


    Furthermore, this time he had ''Cookie'' with him; a dog''s hearing and smell are dozens of times better than a human''s, but even so, they only detected something was amiss a moment before the attack.


    Truly bizarre!


    At this moment, Captain Weilun was already red-eyed with rage. The two who had just died were his direct subordinates, with whom he had been through numerous tasks and battles, creating a bond unlike any other.


    Unexpectedly, they had perished here.


    Instantly, Weilun used all his strength to deliver an exceptionally swift striding thrust at the creature''s chest.


    It seemed... the creature was too slow to react.


    Just as Weilun thought his strike would be successful,


    "Ding!"


    Everyone was shocked to see that when Weilun''s thrust hit the creature''s body, sparks flew.


    By then, because of the falling rocks and dust, and the sudden attack, many people''s torches had fallen to the ground, and the whole mining tunnel was flickering between light and dark, with most people only able to see a towering humanoid figure attacking them.


    But Rein, with his Dark Vision, immediately noticed that the creature''s irregularly surfaced body was entirely made of a special type of rock, and in terms of defensive power, it was even stronger than the Crystal Stone lizard they had just encountered.


    No wonder Weilun''s thrust, even though successful, was futile.


    At that moment, the monster seemed to react, swinging its huge stone mace towards Weilun.


    "Be careful!!" Hamilton, positioned in the middle of the team, bellowed.


    Just as he turned around, he saw two of his men killed with a single blow from the mace, a double kill.


    Now, even Weilun was about to die at the enemy''s hand, which made Hamilton nearly uncontrollable with anger!


    Weilun quickly retreated, but the speed of the mace was incredibly fast, and seeing the massive hammer about to crash onto his head, Weilun had already closed his eyes in despair.


    "It''s over!"


    "He was about to follow the footsteps of those two underlings!"


    He hadn''t expected the monster to be massive but not slow in its attack speed.


    The monster swung up its stone mace, as if it were an extension of its own arm, even faster than imagined.


    At that moment, Rein had just rolled up from the ground and, seeing this, was too late to rescue Weilun.


    "Clang!!"


    Weilun only felt a deafening clash of metal next to his ear, but the next second he realized he hadn''t died.


    Suddenly opening his eyes, he saw his boss Hamilton, whose arm muscles swelled dramatically, stubbornly holding a steel shield in front of him. However, Hamilton''s cheeks were already so red they were nearly bleeding, clearly almost at his limit.


    It turned out that when Hamilton saw Weilun was also about to die under the monster''s hammer, he burst out in rage, knocking several people aside, and rushed from the middle of the team to Weilun''s side, blocking the monster''s strike just in the nick of time!


    "Run!!" Hamilton roared.


    The next second, Weilun, red-faced and embarrassed, turned and ran towards the back, clearly, his impudence had forced his boss Hamilton to bear the brunt of the monster''s attack.


    But competing in strength with a three-meter-tall stone monster was obviously a foolish act.


    Even if Hamilton was a full-fledged Knight at full power, he couldn''t withstand it.


    It was a difference in species!


    At that moment, Rein keenly noticed that after taking a hit from the monster, Hamilton''s thick arms were constantly trembling, and the steel shield now had a deep dent.


    If not for its good quality and toughness, it would have probably cracked!


    The monster seemed surprised too that this rather small fellow could actually withstand its hit.


    But soon, a tint of annoyance revealed itself in its earthy large eyes, as it swung the hammer from low to high fiercely at Hamilton again!


    "Pop!"


    This time Hamilton couldn''t hold on anymore; the moment the stone hammer hit the shield, he was blasted away like a cannonball at high speed.


    Then, with a ''thud,'' he violently crashed into the stone rock wall!


    At that moment, the fire finally illumined the monster''s body.


    ''Ugly, pitted stone surface'' ''humanoid creature''


    Seeing this from the rear of the team, Endri immediately showed a look of shock and shouted, "This is the legendary Tunneling Stone Monster!"


    "Damn it, this kind of creature was supposed to be extinct hundreds of years ago; how could one appear here!" Endri said incredulously.


    Immediately after, his eyes showed deep longing, or rather, greed.


    Endri continued to shout, "Everyone be careful, it''s incredibly strong and covered in special rock, don''t fight it head-on!"


    "However, if we can kill it, we might get the ''Heart of the Stone Monster,'' which is a treasure worth a fortune!"


    When mentioning ''Heart of the Stone Monster'' and ''worth a fortune,'' Endri''s voice was particularly high and motivational, carrying a hint of seduction.


    When Rein heard Endri mention the ''Heart of the Stone Monster,'' he immediately remembered the advanced Magic Potion that Hamilton had mentioned to him the last time.


    Bmecause the core of the advanced Magic Potion was the so-called ''Transcendent Oddities.'' sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A special item that many transcendent beings, including ferocious beasts, might form at a certain probability upon death.


    These "oddities" could never be found within the bodies of these transcendent beings while they were alive.


    But once a transcendent being died, their transcendent traits might condense into ''Transcendent Oddities,'' thereby being preserved, worth a fortune.


    Certainly, the ''Heart of the Stone Monster'' Endri mentioned must be this kind of ''Transcendent Oddity.''


    As soon as the three Bounty Hunters beside Rein heard the words ''worth a fortune,'' they licked their dry lips, eyes radiating an intense glow.


    The trio instantly exchanged glances and decided to engage immediately.


    Although this Tunneling Stone Monster was incredibly strong, its attack speed didn''t seem much faster than a normal person, and they, with their superior agility, could easily dodge its attacks.


    Rock Guard?


    With axe and chisel, after a few strikes, they didn''t believe the monster''s Rock Guard would hold!


    "Go!"


    One of the Bounty Hunters, looking furious, pushed off with the tip of his foot and charged forward, brandishing a short-handled battle axe.


    The other two exchanged looks, gritted their teeth, and also immediately followed suit, rushing forward.


    Seeing this scene, Rein couldn''t help but marvel internally.


    "It perfectly illustrates the saying, men die for wealth as birds die for food!"


    The Bounty Hunter in the lead, truly skilled, agilely slid under the Tunneling Stone Monster.


    Immediately after, he expertly swung his axe directly at the stone hips of the beast, delivering a powerful chop!


    "Clang!!!"

 Chapter 96: Chapter 92: The Real Minced Meat Sauce and the Sliding Shovel

    Sparks flew from beneath the Stone-Drilling Monster''s crotch, but regretfully, they could not breach its defense.


    Clearly, this common weak spot in humans was not applicable to the Stone-Drilling Monster.


    However, most creatures do not enjoy being chopped at their groin, and it seemed that was universally true.


    In an instant, the Bounty Hunter''s action infuriated the Stone-Drilling Monster.


    The monster swung its massive stone maul high above its head, aiming a heavy blow at the Bounty Hunter between its legs.


    "Boom!"


    Dust flew up, and the shock made everyone tremble.


    The Bounty Hunter had already leapt to the Stone-Drilling Monster''s back, chopping at its knee joints and back with his axe.


    "Clang clang bang bang!"


    What a commotion!


    Seeing this, the other two Bounty Hunters exchanged glances, both spotting joy and hope in each other''s eyes.


    This Stone-Drilling Monster was indeed tall, strong, and defensively powerful, but it was not agile.


    As long as they could exploit this Achilles heel, they could eventually grind the Stone-Drilling Monster down to death.


    With this in mind, the two Bounty Hunters coordinated with the first to attack, circling the monster''s legs, ceaselessly aiming for its knees.


    Sparks scattered nonstop and debris continued to fall, revealing a light grey color different from the surface rock material.


    This immediately brightened their eyes.


    The situation seemed to be overwhelmingly positive!


    Yet this made the Stone-Drilling Monster extremely angry, and after a roar, its entire body seemed to grow slightly larger.


    The creature raised its right leg high, paused slightly as if gathering strength, and then stomped down towards the ground with the speed of lightning!


    Rein had been observing this completely unknown monster from the sidelines.


    But as soon as he saw the monster''s power-gathering move, he narrowed his eyes, suspecting that the three Bounty Hunters were about to suffer!


    At that moment, Endri shouted a warning, "No good, it''s ''Boulder Trample'', get out of the way!"


    "Thud!!"


    A tremendous force erupted from the center of the ground where the Stone-Drilling Monster had stomped, spreading outwards like waves at great speed.


    It was as if a stone had been thrown onto a calm lake, rippling the surface.


    Only now, the lake''s surface was replaced by the ground.


    Even Rein, standing over ten meters away, felt the ground shake violently; it was as if he were standing on a soft piece of dough that was constantly undulating and quivering, making it hard for him to stand steady.


    One could only imagine the plight of the three Bounty Hunters who were much closer!


    Although the Bounty Hunters had begun to flee, the shockwave was faster and wider, throwing them to the ground.


    At that moment, the three of them turned pale with shock.


    Fighting such a creature was like dancing on a tightrope; needless to say, the consequences of falling down and losing control of their bodies were imaginable. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sure enough, a massive stone maul came crashing down from the sky.


    In an instant, a Bounty Hunter was flattened into a paste, with limbs, organs, and blood splattering in all directions.


    Literally, a meat paste!


    A nearby Bounty Hunter, splattered with a face full of blood, turned ashen with fear and immediately tried to scramble away.


    But it was too late!


    The next second, he was hit in the midsection by the massive stone mallet, now swung once again, sending him crashing against the tunnel''s rock wall, turning into a mush of gore.


    The leading Bounty Hunter''s face was now etched with terror and disbelief.


    His expression hardened, he once again attempted the same trick, sliding under the Stone-Drilling Monster''s crotch to escape to the other side.


    "Whoosh!"


    He slid through successfully!


    A smile broke out on the Bounty Hunter''s face as he rushed towards the others.


    "Watch out!" the people shouted.


    "What?"


    "Why do they all look so horrified?"


    "It shouldn''t be! The Stone-Drilling Monster isn''t agile enough to catch up."


    The Bounty Hunter couldn''t understand and glanced back in confusion while running at full speed.


    Only to see a huge shadow charging towards his forehead.


    "It''s over!"


    "Damn it! It can throw too!"


    "Smack!"


    Like a fly being smacked, the scene unfolded before everyone''s eyes.


    As it turned out, the Stone-Drilling Monster had just hurled its maul, which weighed hundreds of pounds, at the fleeing Bounty Hunter with full force!


    Directly smashing him into a meat pancake.


    At this point, all three Bounty Hunter brothers had fallen in battle!


    It wasn''t that the others watched idly as the trio died, but rather that the situation went from very promising to total annihilation in less than ten seconds.


    It was certainly beyond everyone''s expectations!


    Rein sighed softly in his heart, noting that the three Bounty Hunters were clearly driven by greed.


    Had they succeeded, they indeed would have been entitled to a lion''s share of the value of the ''Heart of the Stone Monster'' as per usual practice.


    Regrettably, they had underestimated the strength of a Boulder Trample.


    Now it seemed that even a true Knight, if not careful, could fall in an instant when facing a Boulder Trample, let alone the far inferior three Bounty Hunters.


    Seeing the grim fate of the three made most of those present shudder with fear, and to say they weren''t afraid would be a lie.


    Fortunately, Hamilton had also somewhat recovered by this time.


    Only his steel shield was almost twisted into a pretzel, and the left hand that held the shield was obviously more seriously injured, the armored gauntlet was even deformed at this moment, a testament to the immense Strength of the Boulder Trample.


    Looking around, Hamilton quickly judged that continuing this way would not do.


    The might of the Boulder Trample was astonishing; just two blows had driven him back and then effortlessly slaughtered three Bounty Hunters, its ferocious and invincible momentum reaching its peak.


    They had to dampen the creature''s sharpness!


    In addition, the tunnel at hand was too narrow; their entire team was stretched out like a long dragon, with one end blocked by the Boulder Trample, unable to surround it and harness their numerical advantage.


    Hamilton grabbed the mine supervisor, who was pale as death, by the collar and roared, "Where in the mine is there more space?"


    "There is... there is!"


    "The branch... There''s a minecart transfer station at the branch!" Facing Hamilton''s fierce gaze, the pale-faced gold mine supervisor snapped to his senses and hastily pointed in the direction.


    "Night Watchman, fire arrows, everyone retreat to the branch!" Hamilton shouted.


    Because the Elim Mine was so old and rich in gold deposits, there were several old tunnels that had been mined for gold, and the branch where several tunnels intersected was the minecart transfer station.


    Rein nodded slightly in agreement with Hamilton''s decisive decision, very much approving of his superior''s choice.


    He remembered the branch from his entrance.


    It seemed to be the meeting point of two or three old and new tunnels. As he had passed by earlier, Rein had glanced over and, with the aid of his Dark Vision, could nearly see the area''s size clearly, close to a hundred square meters.


    Clearly, fighting there would certainly be better than sticking to this narrow tunnel.


    With Hamilton''s leadership, the elite Night Watchman''s previously panicky expressions gradually faded, replaced by orderly arrow fire as they began to coordinate and retreat while shooting.


    "Ting ting dang dang!"


    Although the Night Watchman''s archery skills were quite exquisite and their arrows sharp, they still couldn''t breach the Boulder Trample''s ''monstrous'' defensive power.


    The flurry of arrows could hardly cause any substantive damage to the Boulder Trample.


    Therefore, the Night Watchman instinctively aimed at the creature''s eyes, forcing it to cover them with its arms.


    So, the arrows had at least a decent disruptive effect.


    Meanwhile, this allowed the entire team to retreat in an orderly fashion while engaging in battle, eventually reaching the minecart transfer station at the branch.


    However, many of the keenly observant Night Watchman noticed that the Boulder Trample''s body seemed to have swelled slightly more than before.


    Moreover, its movement and attack speeds had also increased a bit from earlier.


    This gave Rein cause for concern as well.


    "Is this Boulder Trample''s strength actually increasing as the fight goes on?"


    "Truly monstrous indeed!"


    At this moment, the Wandering Bard Endri, who stood next to the viscounty pale Schmidt, whispered, "As soon as there''s an opportunity, follow me and we leave immediately."


    "This Boulder Trample seems to have awakened a furious talent, and even if we all attacked together, we might not withstand it."


    "Soon, Hamilton and these Night Watchman will suffer heavy losses."


    "Manager Schmidt, make sure to stick close to me for a quick escape!"


    "Alright... alright!"


    Having been intimidated by the Boulder Trample, Manager Schmidt quickly agreed upon hearing Endri''s words, grasping at it like a drowning man clutching at a straw; as someone usually in charge of the viscounty''s internal affairs, he was rather unaccustomed to such perilous situations, and he momentarily felt helpless!


    As the Boulder Trample was slowly lured into the widest part of the tunnel��the minecart transfer station��the tide of battle quickly turned.


    In the relatively open space, the seven or eight still combat-capable Night Watchman finally managed to encircle the Boulder Trample and, together with their leader Hamilton, assault it from all sides.


    Rein at this moment was still observing for any weaknesses.


    Apart from the eyes, which were an obvious weak point, to be honest, the Boulder Trample''s body was nearly covered from top to bottom with hard, thick layers of rock, leaving no obvious vulnerabilities exposed.


    "Cast the net!!" While engaging the Boulder Trample''s attention upfront, Hamilton quickly commanded.


    Instantly, three or four hemp rope nets were thrown onto the monster.


    But due to the vast disparity in strength, even when three or four Night Watchman strained with all their might to pull on one end of the net, the Boulder Trample still managed to grab and toss it aside with a single swipe.


    Meanwhile, Endri and Schmidt had already snuck to the minecart transfer station''s exit, looking ready to flee at any moment.


    Rein certainly noticed this scene.


    "As expected, all the ''smart people'' from the County Town are thinking of escaping first when things look bad," he mused.


    Stop them?


    Rein shook his head slightly; doing so would be of no use in changing the current situation.


    Now, he had a tentative plan in mind, but he wasn''t yet certain of its effectiveness.


    However... time could no longer be delayed; he had to act!

 Chapter 97: Chapter 93: Transcendent Oddities

    Otherwise, if these two really managed to escape, it would deal a heavy blow to the morale of the elite Night Watchmen who are holding their ground in battle!


    After all, anyone would think: "Damn it, I''m fighting to the death here, and these two just ran away."


    Once confidence is lost, I''m afraid Hamilton could fight to his last breath and still not be able to turn the tide.


    However, just as Rein was about to launch an attack, Hamilton, who was a Knight, taught everyone a lesson on ''what a Knight''s strength really is''!


    Hamilton, wielding a sword and shield, quickly charged towards the rock monster.


    Seeing the ''little guy'' attack again, the monster immediately focused its attention on Hamilton and swung its over two-meter-long giant stone mace at him with great force.


    Since there was no need to save anyone this time, Hamilton dealt with the rock monster''s mace attack in a completely different way.


    Instead of backing away, Hamilton stepped towards the rock monster to face the incoming mace, avoiding the most powerful part of the mace head and, with a loud ''bang'', blocked it with his shield at the center of the mace handle.


    He took the rock monster''s strike squarely!


    At the same time, Hamilton roared with anger, and after deflecting the monster''s mace with his shield, his longsword in his right hand delivered a horizontal slash at the monster''s thick neck.


    "Clang!"


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    But Hamilton had Knight-level strength, far surpassing that of the three Bounty Hunters.


    Although he did not break through the rock monster''s stony exterior with one strike, he shattered several blocky stones at its neck and left a sword mark several centimeters deep.


    The monster roared in pain right away!


    It became visibly more enraged, lifting its right foot high, ready to unleash that powerful stomp it had used before.


    Hamilton''s pupils constricted. He struck the monster''s belly with a Shield Strike and, using the recoil from the shield, he rapidly retreated.


    "Boom!!"


    The rock monster stomped down heavily.


    "Boulder Trample!"


    A circle with a radius of about three meters centered on the monster''s foot collapsed more than ten centimeters into the ground, and all sorts of crushed rocks and clods of dirt were blasted over a meter high into the air.


    Even those standing seven or eight meters away were having trouble keeping their balance.


    After evading the monster''s strike, Hamilton pushed off with his right leg and quickly returned, wielding his sword and shield, to engage the monster in combat once again.


    "Bang!"


    "Ding!"


    Hamilton was sent flying once more.


    This time, Hamilton seemed a bit overwhelmed, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth! Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he also successfully deepened the original sword mark on the monster''s neck, exposing a different shade of gray-white beneath the rocky exterior.


    This sight made Rein''s eyes light up!


    Before, the plan in his mind wasn''t very certain, but now, it instantly came together with the last piece of the puzzle.


    And seeing their superior demonstrate such power greatly boosted the morale of the elite Night Watchmen.


    "Huh! Didn''t expect the sheriff of Flashgold Town to be so strong," Endri couldn''t help but show a hint of surprise in his eyes.


    "If that''s the case, then there might still be a chance to kill this Burrower Beast."


    After murmuring to himself for a few moments, he took out a pale yellow Beastskin Scroll from his bosom.


    From its appearance, it didn''t seem much different from an ordinary parchment scroll.


    However, as he chanted a strangely intoned spell, the next second, the Beastskin Scroll suddenly emitted a pale green light and then instantly turned to powder.


    In front of Endri, a large mass of foul-smelling, pale green liquid abruptly appeared.


    This caused Rein, who was nearby, to have a contraction of his pupils.


    "Is this... a power from the mysterious aspect?"


    "But why is this fellow only making a move now?"


    "If he had acted earlier, the entire situation would have been completely different!"


    But soon, Rein figured it out. The opponent must have judged that the scales of victory were tipping in favor of the Night Watchman and thus, the original plan to escape swiftly changed to ''adding flowers to the brocade'' with a wave of their hand.


    Moreover, judging by the pained expression on the opponent''s face, this scroll must be extremely valuable.


    Got it! The opponent wants to gain the rights to divide the spoils of war!


    .....


    In an instant, many questions and speculations flashed through Rein''s mind.


    "Acid Missile Scroll?" Hamilton, who was in the midst of battle, also noticed the anomaly and looked at Endri with surprise.


    He recognized at a glance that the object used by the opponent was a Sorcery Scroll ''Acid Missile''.


    Almost simultaneously, Hamilton understood why the other had been reluctant to use it until now.


    Immediately, Hamilton cursed in a low voice, "A Wizard Apprentice disguised as a Wandering Bard, huh? A bunch of delicate egoists!"


    "Casting such a precious sorcery scroll without giving notice in advance so others could coordinate! What a pain in the ass!"


    By the time Hamilton wanted to coordinate, it was already too late, and instead, he had to quickly move away from the vicinity of the Burrower Beast to avoid being splashed by the acid.


    "Go!"


    Endri''s face almost contorted in a spasm, seemingly exerting a great deal of effort to control the stinky liquid, which he directed straight at the Burrower Beast.


    It seemed the creature had sensed the special energy fluctuation early on, periodically glancing in Endri''s direction.


    So, when it saw the approaching mass of pale green liquid, it suddenly darted to the side with a flicker, narrowly evading the attack by a hair''s breadth.


    The mass of pale green liquid, upon striking the tunnel wall, sizzled with intense corrosion.


    Quickly, it melted a basin-sized hole in the rock.


    The potency of this attack made even Rein take notice.


    But unfortunately, the attack missed, otherwise the Burrower Beast would have been grievously wounded.


    This made Endri so furious he was nearly pounding his chest and stamping his feet on the spot!


    Rein thought for a moment and did not immediately draw the Fine Steel Greatsword from his back. Instead, he adjusted his position to circle behind the Burrower Beast, seized the opportunity, and quickly started charging.


    Rein''s footsteps seemed slow but were actually quick. He continually adjusted his steps so as to always stay directly behind the constantly moving Burrower Beast.


    As he was about to close in, Rein suddenly pushed off the ground, and the hard earthen floor of the mine showed a small depression.


    At that moment, like a cannonball, he surged towards the back of the Burrower Beast''s head.


    Rein silently invoked "Strength Burst" in mid-air, tensed his abdomen, brought his legs together, and stretched them out straight, aiming a vicious double-footed kick at the back of the Boulder Trample Beast''s head.


    A 22-point Strength flying kick had already surpassed that of Hamilton, the official Knight, even exceeding the full-strength blow of a ferociously transformed jackal-man.


    And the point of attack was the back of the Boulder Trample Beast''s head.


    With that kick, Rein sent the beast stumbling forward, nearly causing its massive body to fall to the ground.


    But the stone beast, true to its rock-hard defense, took Rein''s kick head-on, and with a shaky, slightly dazed head, used its hands to prop itself up, adamantly refusing to fall completely.


    Rein then used the recoil to execute a 360-degree spin in the air and landed firmly on the ground.


    Immediately after, he sprinted quickly to the side.


    This move left Hamilton, Endri, and the other Night Watchmen bewildered for a moment.


    All eyes focused on Rein, waiting to see how he would deal with the thick-skinned, immensely strong Boulder Trample Beast.


    After all, knocking down and killing were two different concepts.


    However, it seemed Hamilton vaguely understood Rein''s plan and immediately shouted, "Continue to throw the nets, pull the ropes!"


    Thus, the group of red-faced Night Watchmen strained to pull the ropes together, attempting to disrupt the Boulder Trample Beast''s movements and delay its actions.


    After shaking its head, the stone beast realized that it had placed its hands on the ground, causing its gigantic stone-headed maul to roll to the side. Just as it extended a finger to grab its weapon,


    Rein was already swiftly sprinting in from behind.


    "Leap Slash!"


    He chopped down heavily on the Boulder Trample Beast''s right hand fingers.


    Empowered by the immense strength of the core skill "Strength Burst," Rein targeted the ''delicate'' fingers.


    "Crack!"


    Rein severed four fingers in an instant!


    The Boulder Trample Beast roared in fury, clearly in deep pain.


    It appeared that even stone beasts felt pain in each finger!


    Nevertheless, Rein''s strike further enraged the creature, which with a violent yank, toppled all the elite Night Watchmen who had been pulling the hemp rope nets.


    The next second, several hemp rope nets were abruptly torn apart by the Boulder Trample Beast.


    But just as the Night Watchmen were exclaiming in shock,


    The Boulder Trample Beast suddenly saw its own large stone-headed maul hurtling towards it.


    It paused, puzzled, for it had not even reached its hammer.


    A muscular ''little fellow'' was brandishing a gigantic stone-headed maul that was even taller than himself, striking the Boulder Trample Beast''s head fiercely.


    "Boom!"


    The beast, caught off guard, was sent staggering back three steps by the forceful blow.


    Each step shattered the mine''s long-compacted ground, demonstrating how heavy and powerful the Boulder Trample Beast was!


    But it also showed the incredible strength of Rein''s hammer strike!


    Perhaps due to some specialization with hammers, Rein clasped the handle with both hands, still barely managing to grip the large stone-headed maul, yet he swung it as if it were strangely familiar.


    He wielded this massive hammer with ease that belied the effort expected, yet its power was undiminished!


    This spectacle instantly made all the Night Watchmen''s faces flush with excitement, they were thrilled to the point of nearly breaking into applause.


    Let''s not forget, Rein was one of their own.


    Hamilton watched with continuous admiration.


    He had tested Rein''s strength and knew that Rein was not an official Knight.


    But at the moment, Rein''s strength seemed even greater than his!


    Could it be some inherent talent?


    He would need to have a good talk with the young man Rein later!


    "Boom!"


    While the beast was dazed by the impact, Rein delivered another hammer blow right to the Boulder Trample Beast''s head, instantly stunning it.


    "Boom!"


    "Boom!"


    ...


    After several more blows, the Boulder Trample Beast finally fell, collapsing onto its back.


    "Bang"


    A cloud of dust rose from the ground.


    But Rein knew that the beast had merely fainted, not died.


    He dropped the stone-headed maul and turned to pull out the Dual-Handed Greatsword planted in the ground nearby, charging straight for the beast''s head.


    "Leap Slash!"


    Rein leaped high, exerting all his strength, aimed for the deep sword mark left by Hamilton on the neck, and chopped down hard!


    "Crack!"


    The beheading was a success!


    The Boulder Trample Beast''s body and head were severed!


    Rein was also drenched in sweat, his muscles returned to normal, gasping for air, looking completely drained.


    No wonder, this was the side effect of using ''Strength Burst'' with full force, and now Rein''s muscles ached and his combat ability was significantly weakened.


    However, it was then that Rein realized this Boulder Trample Beast seemed not an ordinary creature, but more like a silicon-based lifeform or perhaps an elemental creature.


    The cut surface oozed no blood or anything like that, its body seemingly composed of different types of rock material from the inside out.


    Then, the three-meter tall Boulder Trample Beast suddenly began to transform, a dull yellow glow gradually spreading over its body, then converging toward the chest.


    The dull yellow glow started to cover the whole body of the stone beast and gradually thickened on the upper body, then concentrated on the chest.


    The glow shifted from pale yellow to a dense yellow, and the luminosity intensified, eventually surpassing even the brilliance of gold.


    "This... I didn''t expect it to actually appear!" Wandering Bard Endri''s eyes shone with blatant greed.

 Chapter 98: Chapter 94 What are the Prerequisites?

    Endri also saw the appearance of a Transcendent oddity, the ''Stone Monster''s Heart,'' for the first time.


    No, to be precise, there should be very few people in the world who have witnessed the appearance of a ''Stone Monster''s Heart.''


    After all, creatures like the digging stone monster haven''t appeared in the imperial territory for many years.


    The majority of ''Stone Monster''s Hearts'' come from outside the imperial territory, in places like primeval forests and hills.


    Therefore, almost every ''Stone Monster''s Heart'' can fetch a sky-high price at auctions, naturally much higher than a thousand imperial gold coins.


    This isn''t even at an auction in a place like Meister County, but at the provincial-level auctions held by the major provinces.


    The ''worth a fortune'' he had previously mentioned was, of course, just a way to encourage everyone to fight.


    Especially for those in need, its value is actually difficult to estimate.


    Like the other Night Watchmen, Rein was staring wide-eyed at the miraculous scene before him.


    It was Hamilton who reacted first, laughing and saying to Rein, "It seems we''re in luck!"


    "Rein, as the ''prime contributor,'' you go and collect the Stone Monster''s Heart. We should retreat first!"


    Now with heavy losses on our side, lingering in Elim Mine is definitely not a good idea.


    Who knows if there''s another digging stone monster lurking in this mine!


    "Yes, Lord Hamilton!" Rein replied with a smile and a nod. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing such a rare treasure, Rein naturally wanted to feel it up close as well.


    Immediately, he stepped forward quickly and swung his fine steel greatsword at the chest of the digging stone monster.


    Perhaps because the digging stone monster was already dead, when Rein''s fine steel greatsword hacked down, the thick layer of hard rock at the monster''s chest actually crumbled away like debris.


    This made it easy for Rein to carve open the monster''s chest.


    Soon, a heart about the size of an infant''s head, emitting a gentle yellow glow, appeared before Rein''s eyes.


    This was also Rein''s first encounter with a so-called Transcendent oddity. He hesitantly set down his fine steel greatsword and took the ''Stone Monster''s Heart'' out with both hands.


    A warm sensation with a special rhythm came from his fingertips and palms.


    It was a strange feeling, and Rein had never experienced anything quite like it before.


    [Ding! Host has come into contact with the Transcendent oddity ''Stone Monster''s Heart,'' triggering the special advancement profession��Giant Stone Guardian (Transcendent)!]


    [Prerequisites for advancing to Giant Stone Guardian are: ???....Current conditions not met, advancement to Giant Stone Guardian failed!]


    Rein was immediately taken aback!


    "Eh! It''s a special Transcendent combat profession!"


    "But what the hell does the three question marks for prerequisites mean?"


    "Does it mean the gap between me and this special advancement profession is too great?"


    "Or is it because there''s some element of uncertainty between me and this profession?"


    After being stunned for a few seconds, Rein came to his senses, realizing that this Transcendent oddity seemed to be of great use to him.


    Without delay, Rein turned eagerly to Hamilton and said, "Lord Hamilton, may I directly purchase the ''Stone Monster''s Heart''?"


    Hamilton, supported by Weilun, approached and examined the ''Stone Monster''s Heart'' emitting a gentle yellow glow, laughing, "I, too, am seeing the legendary ''Stone Monster''s Heart'' for the first time."


    "Rein, what made you think of wanting this? The price isn''t cheap, you know?"


    "Even if valued at a thousand imperial gold coins, you need to pay three-tenths of the spoils to the empire, which means you need to fork out 300 gold coins."


    "Then, out of the remaining seven-tenths of the spoils, you still need to distribute at least 200 imperial gold coins to others, including myself."


    Although Hamilton did not know why Rein suddenly took a liking to this, he did not object, merely stating that Rein needed to pay a considerable sum of money.


    Rein had already anticipated this point.


    Since the last time he had robbed ''Hound King'' Kol, he could immediately come up with three hundred gold coins.


    As for the remaining two hundred gold, scraping them together by hook or by crook was estimated to be not a big problem either.


    "Of course! It''s only fair." Seeing that Hamilton was not opposed, Rein couldn''t help but express his elation.


    Hamilton looked at Rein with surprise again. He had not expected Rein to want it so badly��five hundred imperial gold coins was no small amount.


    At that moment, Endri whispered something to Schmidt at the side.


    Then, the butler named Schmidt suddenly interjected, "Wait a moment!"


    "According to the Night Watchman''s Empire spoils distribution regulations, this ''Stone Monster''s Heart'' should have three-tenths belonging to the empire, and only the remaining seven-tenths can be distributed as spoils. Lord Hamilton, is this correct?"


    Upon hearing Schmidt speak, Rein''s heart sank.


    Remembering some of Endri''s previous actions, he already had a vague idea of what they were up to.


    "Damn shameless, both Endri and Schmidt, thinking of running away when the battle situation seemed unfavorable, and then wanting a share when the tides turned."


    "And now, do they want to meddle in the distribution of the spoils?"


    Hamilton''s face also darkened, well aware of the noble''s schemes. He quickly understood their intention.


    However, their question was straightforward and fair, and though they hadn''t been much help during the fight, they were representatives of the county town, the Earl, and the Viscount, so he obviously could not ignore them.


    After some consideration, Hamilton had no choice but to nod and say, "Yes, Butler Schmidt, that''s indeed the case."


    As soon as Hamilton nodded in agreement, the butler named Schmidt immediately became animated and said:


    "As a representative of Count Habs and Viscount Hamadi of the county town, I have the right to take custody of and appraise this ''Stone Monster''s Heart.''"


    "Of course, the distribution of the seven-tenths of the spoils of war to the valiant warriors will not change!"


    Schmidt seemed to enter a realm he was familiar with when it came to the distribution of spoils, a complete contrast from his previous state of utter panic caused by the mountain monster. It was like seeing two different faces!


    This made Hamilton, Rein, and the rest of the Night Watchmen feel as nauseated as if they had swallowed a fly.


    Indeed, it was the typical noble countenance. With minor interests at stake, one could afford to be magnanimous and give Hamilton face, just like with the crystal lizard incident earlier.


    But when the interests involved were substantial, Hamilton''s face obviously didn''t carry the same weight.


    Rein knew that all of this seemed to be instigated by the so-called Wandering Bard, Endri.


    "You''ll be in charge of keeping and appraising?"


    "After you return to County Town, whatever the appraised value, isn''t it entirely up to you?"


    Besides, Rein knew from the moment Endri had seen the mountain stone creature and exclaimed "extinct" that even an auction house couldn''t immediately come up with an accurate price.


    After all, it''s hardest to appraise something that''s out of print.


    For a moment, the spacious minecart transfer station was silent.


    The elite members of the Night Watchmen, although injured, glared at this steward Schmidt with fury.


    Rein felt he had to do something. After all, if he left it to the other party for safekeeping and valuation, he��the ''primary hero''��stood to lose the most!


    Suddenly, a stroke of inspiration flashed across Rein''s mind.


    He suddenly thought of why those three Bounty Hunters had rushed to attack the mountain stone creature so frantically?


    Would the steward Schmidt be able to get involved if they had succeeded in killing it then?


    Of course not!


    Bounty Hunters abide by the most primitive rules of spoils distribution: whoever makes the kill gets the right to distribute, everyone else who assisted can only claim a small share.


    That''s why, under these rules, Bounty Hunters are reckless and fearless!


    Bounty Hunters, as the name implies, everything for the bounty!


    Bounty is above all!


    This is inscribed in the Empire''s code of law.


    "Don''t forget, you yourself are a Bounty Hunter!"


    With this in mind, a sly smile crept across Rein''s lips.


    Immediately, Rein quickly fastened his Bounty Hunter badge to the front of his left chest and said, "That Schmidt... Lord Schmidt. I am actually a Bounty Hunter."


    "Therefore, according to the Empire''s laws, the Bounty Hunter who makes the final kill naturally obtains the right to distribute the spoils."


    "So, I''m sorry, but this ''Heart of the Stone Creature'' cannot be entrusted to you for safekeeping."


    "Because, it is inherently my battle trophy!"


    "How could that be!!!" Schmidt, red-faced and flustered like a duck whose neck had been squeezed, exclaimed.


    "How... how could you possibly be a Bounty Hunter? Aren''t you a Night Watchman!!"


    At this moment, even Endri was looking at Rein dumbfounded.


    Rein''s cunning move had virtually dazzled the two men.


    Rein smiled slightly.


    He took off his junior Bounty Hunter badge from his chest, showed it to the two men briefly, and said, "This is a genuine Bounty Hunter badge, applied for by Lord Hamilton himself, and I just received it a few days ago."


    Rein''s statement also caught Hamilton and the other Night Watchmen nearby off guard.


    Hamilton, however, had a sudden realization, with an air of ''you sly dog, you got me monologuing,'' as if he had just thought of such a scheme himself.


    Plus, seeing Rein making meaningful eye contact, how could Hamilton not know what to do?


    After all, it''s better to have the spoils stew in one''s own pot, where anyone can eat.


    But if even the pot is taken away by someone else, then there''s nothing left for anyone!


    This logic was instantly clear to everyone.


    "Right, I had completely forgotten, this mission, I invited Rein to help as a Bounty Hunter," Hamilton smacked his forehead, and decisively affirmed.


    When even the leader of the Night Watchmen in Flashgold Town acknowledged Rein as a Bounty Hunter for this investigation, what was there left to dispute!


    This turn of events whitened Endri''s face with fury, his body trembling.


    So, in full view of everyone, Rein cheerfully stowed the softly glowing yellow ''Heart of the Stone Creature'' into his waist pouch.


    Worried about offending the representative of the County Town, aren''t you?


    Having the Transcendent treasure in hand, even if he couldn''t use it immediately, at worst he could trade it with Hamilton for a superior potion of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, right?


    Then, once he became a formal Knight, would he need to fear a representative?


    Don''t forget, a representative is ultimately just that, a representative.


    "As for the distribution of interests between myself, Hamilton, and the other Night Watchmen, that can naturally be negotiated with Hamilton after returning."


    "At least, the spoils cannot fall into the hands of outsiders."


    "On this point, my interests align with Hamilton''s!"


    Having pocketed the ''Heart of the Stone Creature'', it was only then that Rein remembered to check the system notifications.

 Chapter 99: Chapter 95: Talking Too Much is Really Not Good!

    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has been upgraded, Experience +267]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +258]


    Before the battle with the quarry stone monster, Rein had spent a long time observing his opponent, contemplating numerous combat plans.


    In the end, the situation was changed by the two strikes from Hamilton, making all the hard work worthwhile.


    After defeating the stone monster, Rein had reaped a rich reward of Night Watchman professional experience, and the Night Watchman had been leveled up from level 3 to level 4.


    However, this time the experience gained for the Giant Bear Sword Technique was less.


    This was also quite understandable.


    Rein had been swinging a hammer for a long time, naturally resulting in less improvement in his swordsmanship.


    Nevertheless, even so, after two consecutive battles, Rein''s Giant Bear Sword Technique level 4 was about to be maxed out, currently at Giant Bear Sword Technique lv4 (967/1000).


    Rein once again flipped to the homepage of the system panel��''Attributes Page''


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv2 (0/300) / Night Watchman lv4 (32/1000) / Dog Trainer lv2 (223/300)


    Constitution: 10


    Strength: 11


    Agility: 11


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining Attribute Points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Just as Rein was hesitating about how to allocate the points, a deep voice suddenly came from behind him.


    He recognized the voice��it should have been Endri''s voice.


    But this time the tone was bizarre, seeming to be filled with resentment and dissatisfaction, making Rein suddenly unsure.


    "You ignorant common folks, how do you know the value of the ''Heart of the Stone Monster.''"


    "Why must you force me?"


    "You bunch of idiots!"


    "Ah!!" Only a scream was heard from behind.


    Those who were cleaning up the battlefield immediately turned to look.


    What they saw next was a shocking scene.


    Endri was holding a rapier, and at that moment, the rapier had pierced through the chest of the County Town representative��Schmidt, the butler.


    The location was the middle-left part of the thorax, clearly where the heart was located.


    Schmidt shook like a sieve, one hand holding the rapier, the other pointing at Endri, his face showing disbelief, his mouth muttered twice, but in the end, he did not manage to speak, and his body slowly slumped down.


    This scene evidently astounded everyone.


    "So you kill a companion just because you couldn''t get the treasure?"


    "What''s the meaning of this?"


    Rein was also staring dumbfounded at the scene before him.


    "Has Endri gone mad?"


    "To actually dare to directly kill Schmidt, the representative of Earl Harris and Viscount Hamadi?"


    With a calm face, Endri glanced at Schmidt, who was still twitching on the ground, and said: Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Since I can''t get it, there''s no use keeping you."


    "Then you all can die!"


    "Swoosh!"


    Endri struck again with a rapier, slashing the neck of the petrified gold mine supervisor standing next to him.


    The gold mine supervisor clutched his neck tightly and with a ''thud'', he fell to the ground, his body incessantly twitching!


    Afterward, Endri raised his head, surveyed the surroundings, looking at everyone with the eyes of someone watching dead men. Soon, his gaze focused on Rein.


    Supported by Weilun, the severely wounded Hamilton, with a serious expression, looked at Endri and said, "Endri, are you trying to commit murder for treasure?"


    "You are overestimating yourself! There are so many of us here, you are just seeking your own death!"


    Endri scoffed and said, "Oh, you guessed it? I just observed that you are strong, indeed, Hamilton, your identity must be more than just a small town''s sheriff, right?"


    "But... that no longer matters!"


    "Hamilton, if you weren''t injured, I might still fear you a bit. Unfortunately, in this state, how much strength can you really use?"


    "A knight severely wounded, an almost knight exhausted but with some brute strength, besides, a few ordinary Night Watchmen..." Endri looked around at the people, giving a gentlemanly review one by one.


    Rein was taken aback.


    "''Exhausted'' ''brute strength'' is he talking about me?"


    Moreover, Rein also didn''t expect Endri to be so bold as to plan to kill everyone present.


    Was that even possible?


    "Though I am severely injured, to kill an apprentice wizard like you would probably still be no problem." Hamilton pushed Weilun aside and drew his knight''s longsword to go forward.


    But he had only taken one step when Hamilton''s figure swayed slightly, and his expression suddenly changed.


    "You poisoned me?"


    "Smart! Hallucinogenic poison gas, this is something that can affect even a knight like you, especially now that you are severely injured, you definitely cannot resist." Endri slightly proudly displayed a ring on the ring finger of his right hand.


    "Hmm, hallucinogenic poison gas?"


    Rein immediately realizes something is wrong!


    The scenery before his eyes suddenly blurs, and he feels a bit unstable on his feet!


    The other elite Night Watchmen fared even worse, already falling to the ground like drunken strongmen, unable to stand up after several attempts, speaking utter nonsense.


    Clearly, for ordinary people, the onset of hallucinogenic poison gas is rapid and effective.


    In this state, even a child with a knife could finish off the elite Night Watchmen.


    Not to mention, switching to the ruthless Endri.


    No wonder this guy looked determined to win!


    So he had a trump card!


    "Luckily, I had accumulated quite some experience before coming here and had killed the Crystal Lizard and the Mountain Stone Monster, just in time for a level up!"


    "Next time, I must always keep some attribute points in reserve!"


    "It seems I''ve been advancing too quickly recently, getting a bit carried away!"


    Rein reflected, then quietly added that one attribute point to his Constitution.


    Instantly, a warm current pumped out from his heart and spread rapidly to his limbs, filling Rein with renewed strength and erasing the muscle soreness from his earlier use of Strength Burst.


    All issues with blurred vision and dizziness were gone as well.


    However, Rein knew he had to act quickly.


    Allocating points could not detoxify him, it was more like a reset of his body''s current state of poisoning, just like the last time.


    The air was still filled with toxic gas, so he had to finish Endri quickly.


    Conveniently, Endri''s first choice was also Rein.


    The reason was simple; the treasure ''Heart of the Stone Monster'' was with Rein.


    Killing for treasure was most essential, wasn''t it?


    Endri walked up to Rein, looked down at him with a smirk, and said, "Boy, you''ve got good talent, too bad!"


    After speaking, he pointed the tip of his rapier at Rein''s heart.


    "Oh, do you have any last words for your loved ones? Maybe, if I''m in a good mood someday, I could pass them on." Endri teased Rein.


    Rein gave Endri a slight smile.


    The next second, he rolled up to his feet, his neck veins bulging as he roared!


    "Ha!!!"


    Rein''s mouth opened wide, and a roaring gust of air blasted out like a cannonball!


    At such close range, even though Rein didn''t deliberately gather strength for the Roaring Strike, the massive sound wave swept towards Endri like a tsunami.


    As Endri''s face showed a startled expression, his face skin was violently distorted by the blast, trembling!


    Simultaneously, his eardrums burst instantly, causing a buzzing in his head!


    The man stood frozen on the spot.


    "Whoosh!"


    A beautiful silver arc appeared before Endri.


    Rein, holding his greatsword, remained in his Furious Slash pose, motionless.


    Time seemed to freeze at that moment.


    The next second, a line of blood appeared on Endri''s forehead, running from top to bottom!


    "Pfft!"


    Two halves of a body fell to the left and to the right respectively.


    Endri was directly cut in half by Rein''s greatsword.


    "Too much talking, really isn''t good!"


    Nevertheless, the poison was still unresolved.


    So, Rein quickly started searching Endri''s body.


    But he was now slightly regretting splitting Endri in half as it meant he had to search the two parts of the body separately.


    Quickly, Rein found a palm-sized leather wallet, a rapier hidden inside a wooden staff, a worn sheepskin covered diary, and three differently shaped bottles.


    After some thought, Rein also took off an emerald ring from Endri''s right ring finger that looked like it harbored vast properties, a poison ring indeed.


    Although he found bottles that looked like antidotes, Rein wasn''t sure which one was the antidote.


    Considering Endri didn''t succumb to this hallucinogenic poision, there was a high probability that there was an antidote.


    Endri didn''t possess the physical strength of a formal knight, it didn''t make sense that Hamilton could not resist it, but he could.


    After the previous assassin poisoning event, Rein was not completely clueless about poisons and antidotes.


    Using the process of elimination, Rein held the most likely bottle and walked over to the staggering ''Cookie''.


    Rein muttered, "''Cookie'', you''ve eaten so many good things, testing a drug for your owner isn''t too much, right?"


    "If this bottle isn''t the antidote, then it''s likely the hallucinogenic poison itself."


    "Given that it''s a hallucinogenic poison, it shouldn''t be lethal, letting you sniff it might just make the madness last a bit longer."


    Rein opened the bottle, held his breath, fanned the wind with his hand, and a light green stench wafted towards ''Cookie''."


    ''Cookie'' immediately showed a nauseous expression after sniffing the stench, and in less than two seconds, began retching.


    This made Rein''s heart suddenly drop!


    Just as Rein thought he had made a mistake, ''Cookie''s eyes quickly cleared up, and he slowly stood up, soon walking normally again.


    Rein was delighted, clearly this was the antidote.


    Rein also took a light sniff himself, and instantly, his face turned green!


    "It really stinks!"


    However, the effect was indeed excellent as Rein''s vision cleared up immediately.


    Without delay, Rein administered the antidote to everyone present.


    Soon, everyone recovered one by one.


    Seeing the split body of Endri, no one had any doubts that Rein had saved them.


    Hamilton patted Rein on the shoulder and said, "Good lad, if it weren''t for you, we would have been victimized by that despicable Wizard Apprentice today."


    "Wizard Apprentice? Wasn''t he a Wandering Bard?" Rein was startled.


    "Only his outward appearance. In fact, Endri was a Wizard Apprentice."


    "Judging by his recent need for a Sorcery Scroll to successfully cast ''Acid Missile'', I reckon he was just a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice."


    Hamilton shared his speculation.

 Chapter 100: Chapter 96: Three Consecutive Prompt Messages

    Wizard Apprentice?


    Listening by the side, Rein was deep in thought.


    Clearly, what the opponent had used was witchcraft; the pale green corrosive liquid sphere was called ''acid missile,'' and its power was quite remarkable.


    Seeing the look of yearning on Rein''s face, Hamilton immediately understood something and said,


    "These wizard apprentices vary in strength."


    "However, Rein, you are one of the most talented knights I''ve come across. Don''t get distracted, stick to the path of the knight."


    "Only knights are orthodox. Many of these wizard apprentices end up neither human nor ghost."


    "Uh... Thank you for the reminder, sir."


    Rein nodded initially, but his eyes flickered.


    "Clearly, Hamilton is a resolute supporter of transcendental knights."


    "Asking him more about wizard apprentices would only displease him."


    "I''ll look for a better opportunity next time."


    The crystal lizard was loaded onto the mining cart; the elite Night Watchman pushed it out slowly.


    The body of the rock beast, following the appearance of the ''Heart of the Stone Beast,'' seemed to have had its essence drained, leaving behind only a carcass of ordinary granite, which was essentially worthless.


    And heavy as well.


    So, it was simply abandoned inside the mine.


    Upon exiting the gold mine, the gathering of miners saw the body of the crystal lizard on the mining cart and couldn''t help cheering warmly for Hamilton and Rein''s group.


    After whispering a few words to Weilun, Hamilton stepped forward and loudly said,


    "Your foreman has tragically died in battle. Now, choose a temporary foreman to oversee the gold mine."


    The miners looked at each other, their faces showing no hint of sadness.


    Apparently, the gold mine foreman, killed by Endri, was not well-liked at all.


    Suddenly, there was some movement in the crowd, and a middle-aged man with a face full of wrinkles and dark skin was pushed forward as the temporary foreman.


    Once everything at the gold mine was arranged, the group quickly returned to Flashgold Town.


    Since the gold mine was located southwest of Flashgold Town, and Rein''s home was on the south side of the town,


    Rein then broke off from the main group, stopped by his house, and soon after, he arrived at Hamilton''s office, handing over three hundred imperial gold coins directly to Hamilton.


    "Sir, here are three hundred gold coins. I might need some time to give you the remaining two hundred," Rein said.


    Even though the rules for bounty hunters'' loot distribution did not require him to give so much,


    Rein knew very well that without Hamilton holding off and injuring the monster first, his chances of achieving a successful kill would have been slim.


    Moreover, this mission at Elim Gold Mine was actually an internal task of the Night Watchman. Had it not been for Endri''s appearance, Rein wouldn''t have claimed the ''Heart of the Stone Beast'' as a bounty hunter.


    If it had been in the name of the Night Watchman, Rein would have had to pay far more than this.


    Thus, Rein actually got quite a bargain.


    "Okay!" Hamilton looked at Rein with relief, although he was a bit surprised that Rein could bring out so much money at once.


    He didn''t say much and simply accepted it.


    After thinking it over, Hamilton said with a frown, "By the way, Rein, I have a suggestion that you might want to consider."


    "Please, tell me, sir," Rein said, curious, watching Hamilton''s slightly troubled expression.


    "With your rate of progress, you could choose to sell the ''Heart of the Stone Beast'' to the imperial army in exchange for a high-quality advancement magic potion."


    "Although the advancement magic potion suitable for your breathing technique can be obtained using Merit Points, those exchanged are just of ordinary quality."


    "High-quality ''Giant Bear''s Paw'' is rare, and even if it''s available, the competition among nobles is fierce! So, the imperial army is the best choice."


    Rein immediately understood Hamilton''s point, nodded, and began to seriously consider it.


    This investigation mission in the Elim Gold Mine was initially intended to earn more Merit Points to exchange for advancement magic potions.


    Now, just by selling the ''Heart of the Stone Beast'' to the imperial army, he could achieve this goal, no, exceed it.


    Because, according to Hamilton, high-quality advancement magic potions might trigger two transcendent features.


    During his pondering, Rein inadvertently caught a glimpse of the ''investigative report'' Hamilton was drafting himself, noticing he had written up to the part about the rock beast and stopped abruptly.


    Instantly, Rein understood.


    "It seems Hamilton also encountered a dilemma! If the ''Heart of the Stone Beast'' were to be included in the report, the news would inevitably spread among the nobility, and countless powerful entities might come looking for me."


    "Hamilton was considering this, which is why he subtly made this suggestion to me."


    "In the short term, I will not be able to successfully transfer jobs with the ''Heart of the Stone Beast'' on hand!"


    He who carries the jade is guilty, that much Rein understood.


    "What''s most crucial for me at present is to step into the transcendent as soon as possible. The world is so vast, and the amount of treasures isn''t limited to just the ''Heart of the Stone Beast''."


    "As my strength improves, the opportunities to obtain treasures will also increase."


    "What''s more important, however, is to smoothly get through this period of being weak!"


    "Besides, I''ve already gotten on the bad side of the Norman family, Baron Alonso, and who knows if the Brotherhood of the Wilderness will trace anything back to me..."


    After such contemplation, Rein was suddenly enlightened!


    "I was blinded by the system notification of the special promotion to ''Giant Stone Guard''!"


    "Greed is indeed the original sin!"


    Having figured it all out, Rein smiled slightly and bowed slightly, saying,


    "Of course, that''s a great suggestion, Lord Hamilton. I''ll leave this matter to you then!"


    "Good! Good!" the more Hamilton looked at Rein, the more he liked him, and he repeatedly said the word ''good'' twice.


    At the same time, the investigation report he was writing no longer had any obstacles.


    Hamilton''s quill flew swiftly between his fingers. With a few swift strokes, he completed the report on the Elim Mine.


    Meanwhile, Rein took out the ''Stone Monster''s Heart'', emitting a soft yellow glow from his waist pouch, and diligently handed it to Lord Hamilton.


    ...


    After returning home, Anna and Bo He were taking care of ''Cookie''. Rein greeted them and went back to his room.


    After quietly thinking to himself, Rein decided to add that newly gained skill point to his Giant Bear Breathing Technique lv4.


    As the Giant Bear Breathing Technique advanced to lv5.


    Instantly, a surge of memories about the practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique came flooding into Rein''s mind.


    These fragmented breathing technique memories passed one by one through Rein''s mind and awakened instinctively within the muscle and fascia memory of his body.


    When Rein opened his eyes again, it was as if he had undergone months of rigorous training in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    At this moment, he distinctly felt a warmth throughout his body, his muscles somewhat swollen, and the fascia within seemed tougher, like a web of sinew, linking all his bones and muscles together.


    With this, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique finally advanced to lv5, fulfilling the breathing technique requirement for the Knight (Transcendent) job advancement.


    Rein thought briefly and decided to strike while the iron was hot. He quickly applied black tung oil on a few special points and began practicing the fourth stance of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    The movement of the fourth stance required him to do a one-handed handstand, then touch his feet to his head, forming a circle with his body.


    This movement differed significantly from the previous three stances in that while the initial ones focused on upper body muscle and fascia training, the fourth stance began to aggressively train the body''s flexibility, stretching the fascia.


    The previously initiated changes in his bodily fascia intensified, the threads of fascia fibers thickening, and their connection to Rein''s skeletal and muscle fibers growing stronger.


    Suddenly, Rein''s eyes snapped open!


    It seemed as if he had broken through some kind of barrier.


    It was like the sensation of a bow stretched to its limit before being drawn tighter and then snapping.


    At that moment, three system notifications quietly arrived:


    [Congratulations! Your Constitution attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Strength attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your agility attribute has increased!]


    This....


    Rein couldn''t help but laugh loudly!


    It had been a long time since he had last gained an attribute increase while practicing a breathing technique.


    It was about time.


    But what Rein had not expected was that he would receive three system notifications at once! Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This went to show that the Giant Bear Breathing Technique did indeed enhance agility, but only through the practice of the later stances.


    That made sense; otherwise, Knights practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique wouldn''t be prevalent if they couldn''t hit anyone despite their great strength.


    It could only be said that, comparatively, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique primarily enhanced Strength and Constitution.


    Feeling the great power surging through his body, Rein realized he had now satisfied the first prerequisite for advancing to Knight (Transcendent): any Knight Breathing Technique above lv5.


    And the second requirement, with Strength above 12 points, agility above 12 points, and Constitution above 12 points, he had also just met.


    The only things left were horseback riding, shield defense, and archery skills to train above lv3; then he would be all set.


    Riding and archery were easy to talk about.


    It was only shield defense that meant he still had to find Lord Hamilton or the quartermaster to exchange a related Combat Skill.


    "Also, once the Giant Bear Sword Technique steps into lv5, I should be able to unlock the roaring strike lv2," Rein thought.


    Thinking of the roaring strike, Rein quickly opened the Night Watchman panel.


    He focused his mind on an icon located above the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique. The icon depicted a ''profile picture'' of a roaring giant bear!


    That was the roaring strike icon.


    He looked again at the small text below it:


    Roaring strike lv2 requires the following criteria: One, Giant Bear Breathing Technique lv5 or above, Giant Bear Sword Technique lv5 or above; two, Strength 12 points, Constitution 12 or above.


    (Note: roaring strike is a secret technique and cannot be directly enhanced with skill points.)


    Rein nodded, remembering correctly that once his Giant Bear Sword Technique reached lv5, he could unlock roaring strike lv2.


    This made Rein quite anticipatory!


    The power of roaring strike lv1 was already so impressive; he wondered what lv2 would be like!

 Chapter 101: Chapter 97: Diary of an Unserious Person

    Looking at all the attributes, Rein''s strength had genuinely stepped into the realm of a Level 3 Knight Attendant.


    And with the secret technique "roaring strike" and the core skill "Strength Burst," Rein should have no rivals below the rank of a formal Knight.


    However, speaking of rivals,


    Rein immediately thought of that guy Endri.


    According to Hamilton''s description, Endri seemed to be a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice. His pure combat strength was not strong, but he had many tricky methods.


    "If I encounter him unawares, I''ll definitely suffer a huge loss."


    "If his strength isn''t enough, he resorts to using poison!"


    Rein didn''t think there was anything wrong with that.


    After all, history is written by the victors.


    As for Hamilton''s kind reminder, Rein naturally understood that the other party wanted him to focus his limited energy on the transcendent path of a Knight.


    To sum it up, it was just two words: ''specialization.''


    But Rein was specializing now too!


    He was just specializing in three things: Blacksmith, Night Watchman, and Dog Trainer.


    This didn''t contradict what Hamilton had said.


    It seemed that Rein remembered he had yet to sort his loot. He laid out several of Endri''s items in a row on the table in his room.


    First was the weapon that looked like a staff but concealed a thin sword inside it. After pondering for a moment, Rein hid it under his bed.


    He didn''t need it on a regular basis.


    He had his Fine Steel Greatsword and the Bastard Sword issued by the Night Watchman. The staff with the concealed sword could be used for surprise attacks in the future.


    Next was the leather coin pouch. Rein emptied all the coins out of it.


    "Oh wow!"


    "Not bad at all, actually over sixty Gold Coins and quite a few Silver Coins."


    Rein thought to himself, indeed, ''wizards'' are much richer than ''assassins.''


    Three bottles, two of which he didn''t know the use for yet. Rein planned to find time to ask Abel about them.


    Additionally, Rein weighed the ring that released hallucinogenic poison gas in his hand.


    The exterior was an Emerald Ring, but there was a small trigger the size of a needle''s head on one side of the emerald; it seemed that the poison gas could be silently released with a press.


    "Wandering Bard?"


    "Why does it feel even more assassin-like than the last assassin?"


    Rein criticized in his heart.


    Lastly, Rein picked up the somewhat aged diary with a sheepskin cover.


    After flipping through a few pages, Rein discovered that it was indeed Endri''s diary.


    It detailed his travels and various scandalous secrets. Perhaps, the order of these two terms should be reversed.


    The most recent page recorded events from two days ago when he received an invitation from Schmidt and planned to join the investigation mission at Elim Mine.


    As Rein read through the diary carefully,


    he suddenly felt as if he was searching for knowledge in a saucy novel.


    "Damn it, who keeps a diary if they''re decent!"


    "The indecent ones, they all bloody love to keep diaries!"


    For example, there was a long description that read:


    "In the month of Green Grass, I came to Yorkshire. Through Viscount Charles''s introduction, I met the wife of Earl York. The lady was tall and curvy, with skin as pale as milk. The pink nails on her delicate feet shimmered with a mesmerizing glow... It took me a great deal of effort to find the love charm herb, and eventually, I got her...(300 words omitted)"


    "...When passing by Emerald Bay, we went to the Emerald Pub. The striptease dancer there was really too spicy, wearing virtually nothing. For three consecutive days, I didn''t leave the inn..."


    These descriptions had Rein''s young blood boiling and his imagination running wild.


    However, when he flipped to the last page, his expression became solemn.


    "...Damn wizard''s talent, my basic meditation method has hardly made any progress, and the potions to increase spiritual power are insanely expensive! How wonderful it would be if I could find a treasure of immeasurable value..."


    "...Considering the investigation mission tomorrow, I went to the bat market in Meist County City and bought a small bottle of hallucinogenic poison gas to fill the ring with..."


    Basic meditation method?


    Suddenly, Rein''s pupils constricted!


    Immediately, he flipped through Endri''s diary over and over again, seven or eight times, but in the end, he still found no trace of the basic meditation method, much to his disappointment.


    The so-called basic meditation method wasn''t recorded in the diary.


    After calming his emotions, Rein continued to read carefully.


    An hour later, Rein closed Endri''s diary that he had come from, deep in thought.


    The basic meditation method was crucial, and maybe he could find out more about it at the bat market.


    ''Bat market'' must be what these wizard apprentices referred to when buying or trading goods.


    Based on the description in the diary, this bat market was likely located somewhere in the County Town.


    Unfortunately, since he had already come to the attention of Alonso, the Baron and eldest son of the Earl, going to the County Town was still a bit too risky.


    Moreover, if all these wizard apprentices were as cunning and ruthless as Endri, going there now, he could easily capsize in the gutter.


    After some thought, Rein decided to wait until he was officially knighted and stepped into the transcendent before looking for this so-called bat market.


    Afterward, Rein sorted through the things he needed to complete next.


    First was to raise the Giant Bear Sword Technique to lv5.


    Next, when he had the chance, was to visit the quartermaster and exchange for some shield defense combat skills.


    The rest could proceed as planned.


    "Knock knock knock"


    A knock on the door interrupted Rein''s musings.


    "Rein, may I come in?" Anna''s gentle voice came from outside the door.


    "Of course."


    Rein turned around and saw Anna walking in with her head down, seemingly too shy to look him directly in the eye.


    But the next second, Anna''s slightly heaving chest took a deep breath as if mustering courage, and soon, she looked up at Rein and said:


    "Rein, I heard this afternoon that several Night Watchmen had been sacrificed. You... you must be careful when you go out."


    Rein suddenly realized!


    It was naturally a bit embarrassing for a girl to express such concern, especially someone with a personality like Anna''s.


    "Thank you, Anna, I''ll be careful."


    "Ri... Right, you aren''t hurt, are you? Do you need me to use an amulet...."


    "I''m really not, look," Rein lifted his sleeve and then raised his shirt as a sign.


    "Brother, it''s time for dinner," Bo He''s crisp voice came.


    At that moment, a cute little head peeked around the door, and it was Bo He. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing her brother Rein lifting his shirt, and then looking at Sister Anna, Bo He''s mouth hung open in a perfect circle, her surprise clear to see.


    "Bo He, it''s not what you think," Anna immediately blushed and waved her hands in denial.


    "Little clever one, what are you thinking about? Brother is just letting Anna help see if there is a wound!" Rein said with a laugh as he patted Bo He''s head.


    ...


    When Rein went downstairs, he saw that his mother Emma had prepared a lavish dinner.


    Three marinated herrings, a large portion of pickled pork, a whole roast chicken bought from the market, a big bowl of mashed potatoes, five large one-pound loaves of white bread, and a bottle of milk.


    A month before, such an extravagant dinner would have been unthinkable.


    But now, as long as Rein was at home, it had become a normal part of daily life.


    And as Rein''s appetite grew bigger and bigger, the food prepared by mother Emma got better and better, of course, nearly half of it went into Rein''s stomach.


    The family of four plus Anna sat warmly around a simple wooden table, sharing dinner.


    ....


    Since Rein and a group of Night Watchmen had participated in the battle at the Elim Mine during the day, Hamilton specially granted them two days'' leave.


    But the Whippet ''Cookie'' was used to wandering around at night and, after circling Rein''s feet a few times, barked twice at the door.


    Immediately, Rein understood ''Cookie''s meaning; it wanted him to take it for a night patrol!


    So, amidst Bo He''s giggling and under Anna''s serene smile, Rein could only take ''Cookie'' out for a walk.


    In a short while, Rein encountered three other Night Watchmen colleagues on night patrol.


    As they passed by each other, Rein greeted them with a smile.


    "Eh! Is that the Greatsword Rein?"


    "Yeah! Don''t you know him? They say he slew a five-meter-tall monster with a greatsword today, right in the Elim Mine."


    "...."


    Although Rein had walked away, in the quiet of the night, he could clearly hear the three Night Watchmen colleagues talking about him.


    ''Greatsword Rein?''


    Rein touched the Fine Steel Greatsword on his back, thinking to himself, okay! This nickname doesn''t seem so bad.


    But hearing the part about a five-meter-tall monster??


    Rein was speechless!


    What had that to do with anything? He wondered which Night Watchman who went on the investigative mission during the day had gossiped; a three-meter-tall monster had become five meters....


    "Woof woof!"


    Suddenly, ''Cookie'' started barking furiously at the side of the road towards the woods.


    This made Rein immediately alert.


    Could it be that there''s some wild beast?


    But acting on the principle that less is often better than more, Rein didn''t intend to enter the woods at night to check things out.


    But the next second, ''Cookie'' trotted around Rein a few times and then tugged at the hem of Rein''s trousers with its mouth, seemingly urging Rein to go look urgently.


    This made Rein a bit puzzled.


    "It doesn''t seem to be a wild beast, ''Cookie'' doesn''t have the emotion of fear."


    "Alright! Let''s go have a look then."


    Rein couldn''t help being curious.


    ''Cookie'' took the lead, quickly darting into the woods. Thanks to Rein''s greatly enhanced physical condition, and his Dark Vision, even in the night forest, he could keep pace right behind the Whippet.


    However, Rein''s right hand was already resting on the hilt of the Fine Steel Greatsword on his back.


    If something seemed amiss, he could react immediately.


    "Eh! Something''s not right, there seems to be a scent of blood!" Rein''s nostrils twitched.


    "No wonder ''Cookie'' wanted me to come over."


    Ahead of them, ''Cookie'' suddenly stopped and then turned its head, barking at Rein a few times as if to say, this is the place.


    Rein immediately used his Dark Vision to focus in that direction, only to see in the dappled moonlight of the woodland, a woman he recognized well lying diagonally on the ground, with her characteristic shield by her side.


    "This.... this is that barbarian shield-maiden?" Rein couldn''t help but exclaim softly.


    The iconic shield of the barbarian girl was already missing almost a small half, and judging from the spikes and serrated cracks on the broken edge, it seemed to have been smashed by some kind of heavy hammer or similar heavy weapon.


    The girl''s curvaceous body bore no obvious wounds, but the arm that held the shield was twisted strangely, most likely dislocated or broken.


    Eh! Something''s wrong!


    Rein suddenly noticed black vapors billowing from the twisted arm of the other party, exhaling an unsettling aura.

 Chapter 102: Chapter 98 Strange Black Qi

    The dark energy felt like a living thing, akin to a black octopus wrapping around an arm and ceaselessly tumbling.


    Rein had never seen such a bizarre thing before.


    But upon closer thought, it seemed somewhat similar to the green light emitted by the wooden amulet.


    "Some kind of evil, mysterious side energy?" Rein wondered, filled with confusion.


    "But how is this possible? Wasn''t the barbarian squad off to kill the ogre?"


    When that barbarian bounty hunter squad entered Flashgold Town, the exceptionally tall and robust barbarian leader Haral, nicknamed ''Giant'', was still fresh in Rein''s mind, to wound the shield maiden, one would probably have to get past him first, right?


    "Now the shield maiden lies here, her fate unknown��could it be that the ogre was so fierce and knew witchcraft?" Rein thought it unlikely that the matter was that simple, and at the same time, a feeling of dread suddenly took hold of him.


    "Regardless, I should first see if she can still be saved."


    Rein immediately approached and began to carefully inspect her.


    He slowly turned her over to lie on her back.


    The girl''s expression was one of pain, her eyebrows deeply furrowed, and blood trickled from the corners of her mouth, indicating she might have suffered some internal injuries.


    Her forehead band was gone, and her pale yellow hair, drenched with blood and sweat, hung down in tangled locks, sticking to her forehead and cheeks.


    Rein placed two fingers on the girl''s pale neck artery, felt for a moment, and nodded.


    "There''s a pulse, faint breathing; good, she''s not dead, there''s hope," Rein breathed a sigh of relief. Before, he might not have been able to do anything, but ever since Anna had been able to control that miraculous green light.


    He felt as long as the shield maiden wasn''t dead, Anna should be able to heal her gradually.


    Only this dark energy...


    Seemed a bit tricky, mixing uncertainty into the healing process.


    Just then, the young Whippet ''Cookie'' barked furiously at something behind Rein.


    With his danger perception triggered, Rein immediately put down the shield maiden and turned to look.


    He saw several pairs of oily green eyes slowly approaching from the depths of the forest.


    "It''s forest wolves!" Using his Dark Vision, Rein quickly identified the creatures, seven or eight brownish-gray forest wolves closing in.


    The wolves were larger than any North American gray wolves Rein had seen in his previous life. On average, each forest wolf was no less formidable than a grown man armed with a pitchfork.


    "Whine~"


    ''Cookie'' was clearly panicked and scared, shrinking closer to Rein''s feet.


    The wolf pack slowly advanced.


    Seeming to see their opponent as ''weak'', the pack leader - the size of a calf - emitted a low growl, prompting the charge.


    Two to three meters long, the brownish-gray wolf-shadows streaked towards Rein like lightning.


    "Strength Burst!"


    Rein''s body suddenly shot up twenty or thirty centimeters, his muscles bulged, and veins popped.


    Then, a silvery arc of light flashed upwards, brutally opening the underside of the alpha wolf.


    "Swoosh!"


    The sound of flesh being sliced filled the air.


    "Howl~~~"


    A pitiful howl rang out as the alpha wolf, still twitching and weighing a couple hundred pounds, spilled blood and organs from its torn abdomen while airborne!


    The next second, it landed heavily on the ground, its belly split open by Rein''s sword.


    This immediately caused the other charging forest wolves to shudder with fear, quickly turning away from the ''fierce man'' that was Rein!


    Rein kicked the alpha wolf''s carcass back into the hungry pack with force.


    Watching the intimidating Rein, the wolf pack whined and backed off.


    At this moment, ''Cookie'' seemed to sense the authority of its master and the retreat of the enemy.


    It trotted forward a couple of steps and barked ferociously at the wolves, at least twice its size.


    "Bark, bark, bark!"


    It perfectly exemplified the phrase ''courting strength from its master.''


    Rein quickly picked up the barbarian girl from the ground, grabbed the nearby battle-axe and broken shield, and turned to leave.


    Saving her was the priority!


    This was also why Rein chose to use the skill ''Strength Burst'' to kill the lead wolf instantly; he needed a swift resolution.


    After Rein left, the pack swiftly surrounded the still-twitching carcass of their former leader, indulging in a grisly feast.


    They were entirely unconcerned that it was the body of one of their kind.


    ''A full belly'' was their utmost priority.


    ...


    Upon entering the house and seeing Rein holding a woman, covered in blood, his mother Emma gasped in shock.


    "Anna, start getting things ready. Mother, it''s only wolf blood," Rein said.


    The astonished Anna immediately understood and ran upstairs quickly.


    She knew Rein wanted her to prepare the miraculous amulet for healing. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What... what''s this?"


    "Mother, I found her lying by the roadside while walking the dog, so I brought her back," Rein explained.


    This reassured mother Emma somewhat, who said, "But shouldn''t we call a doctor?"


    "It shouldn''t be a serious problem, I''ll take her upstairs and let Anna take a look first," Rein added without elaboration and carried the barbarian girl upstairs.


    Mother Emma was left surprised.


    "Should Anna take a look at her?"


    "Since when did Anna learn to heal?"


    "Is Anna a physician?"


    "I''ve never heard her mention that."


    ...


    Once Rein gently laid the tall and graceful barbarian girl on the bed.


    Anna, who had been waiting by the side, slowly stepped forward, but Rein stretched out his hand to stop Anna, who was about to start healing immediately, and pointed to the dark mist on the barbarian girl''s left arm:


    "Anna, be careful, that dark mist seems very strange."


    "If it''s not working, don''t force it."


    Rein''s caring words made Anna blush; she obediently nodded her head and gave a firm "En."


    Right after, Anna clasped the amulet with both hands, closed her eyes, and focused her spirit on the wooden amulet.


    Soon, a thick green light appeared in the palms of Anna''s hands.


    Under Anna''s control, the soft, rich green light quickly fell upon the barbarian girl''s body.


    In an instant, the girl''s entire figure blazed with green light!


    No, the left hand that held the shield alone still emitted a faint black mist.


    The black mist, as if aware that the green light sought to expel it, was ''gnashing its teeth and flailing its claws'' in a fierce struggle against the green energy controlled by Anna.


    However, the green energy continuously supported by Anna seemed to be a step stronger than the black mist.


    Soon, the green light forced the black mist to retreat bit by bit, moving up from the girl''s left forearm to her palm.


    At this moment, Rein noticed that Anna''s forehead had begun to be dotted with fine beads of sweat.


    Clearly, such manipulation was extremely draining on Anna''s spirit.


    Just when Rein was considering whether to advise Anna to rest for a bit, the green light suddenly flourished further, and he saw the black mist being forced out of the shieldmaiden''s left hand, instantly dissipating into the air.


    However, the air seemed to be filled with a faint stench of blood and rot.


    It was like the smell that rushes out when an old house that hasn''t been lived in for over a decade is suddenly opened.


    At this point, Anna''s slender frame wobbled; her originally rosy complexion turned into a weak pallor, and Rein immediately supported Anna to sit down at the edge of the bed.


    "Anna, you pushed yourself too hard! Why didn''t you split it into two sessions?"


    "No, Rein, I could feel that the black mist was very terrible; if I had stopped, the black mist would have revived like a phoenix from the ashes and re-occupied her arm," Anna shook her head and explained earnestly as she looked into Rein''s eyes, a hint of stubbornness hardly noticeable in her gaze.


    "En?" So that was it, Rein nodded his head.


    When Rein looked at the barbarian girl again, he found that her previously furrowed brows had now relaxed, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. From her face, she appeared to be much better than before the treatment.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein turned to Anna and said, "Anna, you go rest for a while, I''ll take care of her here."


    "En." Anna obediently nodded and, assisted by Rein, went back to the adjacent room to rest.


    Her current state was indeed not good; the recent healing had consumed too much of her spirit, and now Anna felt waves of dizziness sweeping over her, in desperate need of a good sleep.


    ....


    Rein did not have to wait too long.


    About half an hour after the treatment, the barbarian girl gradually came to.


    With a soft moan, the barbarian girl opened her bewildered eyes.


    "You''re awake?" Rein said softly.


    The girl shuddered and slowly turned her head to look at Rein, saying, "Awake?"


    Her eyes gradually cleared, but the next second, as if remembering something, she uncontrollably curled up, hugged her knees, and started sobbing softly on the bed.


    This reaction immediately puzzled Rein.


    But quickly, he realized that it was very likely that something had happened to the rest of her squad.


    "Um... would it be possible for you to tell me what happened to you?"


    "I remember that day, your squad came to Flashgold Town," Rein chose his words carefully and spoke slowly.


    After sobbing for a while, the girl slowly began to speak, "Is this... Flashgold Town?"


    "Yes, this is Flashgold Town; you are safe here. By the way, may I know your name? My name is Rein," Rein was pleased they could communicate.


    "My name is Lagaray, from the barbarian tribe of the Frostwind Prairie in the Northern Empire," she lifted her head, her red and swollen eyes looking straight at Rein, and although her eyelashes were wet with tears, her gaze revealed an unwavering resolve.


    That resolve gave Rein the impression of a boulder standing unyielding amidst the howling northern winds.


    This time, there was no need for Rein to ask again.


    The barbarian girl named Lagaray slowly recounted the story that had befallen their squad two days before.


    "The Falcon investigation report from the Habsburg manor wasn''t wrong; there indeed was only one ogre, but what we didn''t realize until we got there was that it was an old ogre, extremely cunning."


    An old ogre?


    Could it possibly wield witchcraft?


    Doubts arose in Rein''s mind, but he didn''t interrupt, instead patiently listening to Lagaray''s story.


    "In reality, it had numerous minions, but they were spread out, stationed around the place it resided. This led us to misjudge the situation initially."


    "When we launched our attack, that deceitful old ogre summoned its jackalmen and kobold minions to besiege us."


    "Fortunately, my brother Haral is a ferocious Berserker, his physical liberation exceeds forty percent."

 Chapter 103: Chapter 99 Crown Knight

    "A Berserker Warrior?" Rein asked, slightly puzzled.


    He understood.


    But he remembered clearly that both Cleya and Hamilton had said the term ''berserk'' was used to describe beasts, as opposed to humans.


    So, with a tone of inquiry, Rein asked,


    "Do you mean a knight?"


    Lagaray nodded, saying, "Yes! Berserk and what you call ''breaking limits'' mean the same thing. Our barbarian tribes have always referred to warriors who break their limits as Berserker Warriors, in accordance with the terminology handed down from Ancient Times."


    After coming from Frostwind Prairie to County Town to find her brother Haral, she had been living here for a while now, and knew some of the cultural differences between the two sides.


    With Rein''s interruption, Lagaray answered the doubts of her life-saving benefactor.


    This allowed Rein to learn quite a bit about the barbarians from Lagaray.


    It turned out, the barbarians did not practice the traditional breathing methods. According to Lagaray, the barbarians had traces of giant blood in their veins.


    They practiced a breathing method known as brute force, which was quite primitive. Its effect was to tap into the potential of their own bloodline to strengthen their constitution and simultaneously enhance strength and agility, enabling the barbarian tribes to combat the harsh survival conditions of Frostwind Prairie.


    This made Rein pause.


    The breathing method sounded similar to his own Giant Bear Breathing Technique. Both primarily focused on enhancing constitution and strength, although in terms of increasing agility, it was somewhat inferior to the brute force breathing method.


    When barbarians practiced, they also had medicines similar to ''black balsam oil''.


    According to Lagaray''s account, barbarian shamans would provide the tribe''s warriors with special potions made of various herbs to promote the training progress of their brute force breathing method.


    Upon hearing this, Rein felt that the entire barbarian training system was somewhat cruder compared to the orthodox Knight Breathing Method, but overall the difference didn''t seem large.


    But soon, Rein changed his mind.


    Because, instead of using advance magic potions, barbarians actually went through life-or-death trials to break into transcendence.


    This surprised Rein.


    Barbarians had only a twenty to thirty percent chance of successfully becoming berserk.


    For orthodox knights, even if the breakthrough failed after taking an advance magic potion, the death rate was only about ten percent, with another forty percent risking a decline in strength, and a fifty percent chance of successfully breaking through.


    This contrasted starkly with the barbarians'' situation where failure to break through meant death.


    Rein thought to himself that indeed, the knight''s path, as the most secure transcendent path in the long history of humanity, had perpetuated with good reason.


    "By the way, Lagaray, I''m sorry to have asked so many questions about your tribe, please continue with what happened in Nightingale Forest." Rein, suddenly remembering that he had side-tracked Lagaray''s narrative, said with a hint of apology.


    Lagaray didn''t mind and nodded, continuing,


    "My brother alone turned the tide of battle, slaughtered a large number of hyena-men, and made the old ogre retreat step by step."


    "Just when we thought the situation was settled, that old ogre suddenly began to flee and eventually ran into an unknown ruin."


    As she spoke of the ruin, Rein could clearly detect a quiver in Lagaray''s voice.


    "These ruins were deep within Nightingale Forest, scattered with collapsed, moss-covered columns entangled in vines. We surmised that it seemed to be a temple from long ago."


    "We pursued it closely, chasing after that old ogre, but suddenly, a mysterious knight appeared and began attacking us."


    "It seemed he was not a living person; the war horse he rode was actually a death horse. I once chopped down hard on the horse''s leg with my axe, but it only revealed pallid flesh without a drop of blood."


    Rein could sense a tinge of fear in Lagaray''s eyes, the instinctive terror one faces against an enemy much more powerful than oneself.


    Although Rein was curious about what a ''death horse'' was, he chose not to inquire further but let Lagaray continue her story.


    "The knight wore full armor, and most distinctive was the crown-shaped adornment at the top of the closed helmet."


    A crown-shaped knight helmet?


    Rein immediately pondered, as symbols or markers such as the crown were typically associated with races or churches that worshiped nature deities.


    For example, the book he acquired from the ''Hound King'' Core contained patterns of large trees, flowers, and more.


    "He was too strong; with a single strike, he killed one of our squad members."


    "I blocked his riding spear only once. My shield shattered, my arm broke, and I suffered this strange black air damage. My brother went all out in attack but still was no match for the Crown Knight."


    "The other squad members sacrificed themselves to protect my safe exit, one after another fighting to their death...."


    Lagaray seemed to be reminded of that heart-wrenching scene, her eyes reddening again, misty with tears.


    Hearing this, Rein could not help but ask, "What about your brother?"


    "He died too. The last thing I saw was my brother desperately trying to divert the Crown Knight''s attention from me, and then he was impaled through the chest by the knight''s riding spear...."


    Clearly, mentioning this brought up the most painful memory in Lagaray''s mind.


    Lagaray could no longer hold back and began to sob, covering her face with her hands.


    "I''m sorry...." Rein apologized.


    He realized she had just woken up, her emotions yet stabilized; perhaps it would be more appropriate to ask after some time had passed.


    After a long while, Lagaray recomposed herself, turned her head to Rein, and said,


    "There''s one important thing; my brother insisted that I must pass on the message. That Crown Knight seems to be a very rare Evil Spirit Knight."


    "Evil Spirit Knight?" Rein was taken aback, touching upon yet another one of his blind spots in knowledge.


    But no matter what, if "Little Giant" Haral''s formidable strength was not the match of that Evil Spirit Knight, Rein didn''t think Flashgold Town''s sheriff Hamilton could defeat that fellow.


    If this so-called "Evil Spirit Knight" were to attack Flashgold Town, who knows what kind of tragedy would occur.


    Rein was clearly aware of the severity of this problem.


    Although a lot was still unclear, Rein felt that he had to notify Hamilton immediately, so he could be prepared in advance.


    After a moment of thought, Rein said to Lagaray, "You should rest well tonight, I will go and inform Lord Hamilton, the sheriff of Flashgold, right away."


    "Mhm!" Lagaray nodded her head.


    Rein turned and left.


    However, as he reached the door, something suddenly occurred to him, and he turned back to Lagaray, asking, "Do you need something to eat?"


    Lagaray gently shook her head.


    It seemed she was still immersed in grief.


    ...


    Although it was already around ten o''clock at night, Hamilton was surprisingly still in his office, albeit his wounds seemed to have been treated.


    When Rein arrived at the office, he could distinctly smell the strong scent of healing potions.


    Upon hearing about Haral encountering the Evil Spirit Knight and his squad nearly being wiped out, Hamilton was shocked. He jumped up from his chair and blurted out, "What! An Evil Spirit Knight?"


    After receiving Rein''s affirmative answer, Hamilton could no longer contain himself and his face turned pale with anxiety.


    The sheriff of Flashgold Town paced back and forth in his office, unable to hide the worry etched between his brows.


    It was the first time Rein had seen Hamilton so agitated.


    "Messenger!!"


    A messenger dressed as a guard quickly ran in, saluting and saying, "Lord Hamilton, what are your orders?"


    "Send a message to Viscount Hamadi in the County Town and the Church of the Sea Goddess immediately. An Evil Spirit Knight has been spotted near Flashgold Town!"


    "And! Send someone to notify Lord Lloyd of the Habsburg Manor."


    "Besides, alert all the Night Watchmen to raise their guard!"


    That a Transcendent human knight could be driven into such an anxious state clearly indicated that the so-called ''Evil Spirit Knight'' was no ordinary foe.


    Hamilton murmured to himself:


    "Haral''s limit breaking level has already surpassed forty percent, which basically places him at the level of a Senior Knight, yet he was still no match for the foe. This suggests that this Evil Spirit Knight might possess the strength of a Peak Knight, or even stronger."


    ''Senior Knight'' ''Peak Knight''?


    Rein nodded. Adding the initial ''Formal Knight'', it must be the classification of knight ranks, he thought.


    "Sir, is the Evil Spirit Knight really that fearsome?" Seeing Hamilton''s solemnity, Rein couldn''t help but ask curiously.


    Hamilton nodded, speaking with a grave tone, "The fearsomeness of the Evil Spirit Knight is one aspect, but that''s not the most important thing."


    "The appearance of an Evil Spirit Knight signals that some evil is invading... or awakening! Ancient texts have recorded that Evil Spirit Knights are the minions of the Evil God. It must have sensed its master''s call to appear here."


    "That''s the biggest problem!"


    Minions of the Evil God?


    With the word ''God'' in it, even if Rein didn''t understand much about this world, he knew it must be troublesome to deal with. No wonder Hamilton was treating it as a dire threat.


    However, the words ''Evil Spirit'' reminded Rein of the Glowstone he had acquired.


    After all, according to the blacksmith Boris, if it could be fused into a weapon, it would possess great power against evil.


    Too bad!


    He couldn''t go to the County Town at his current stage.


    Otherwise, with a powerful weapon in hand, he would naturally have more assurance of safety.


    When Rein stepped out of Hamilton''s office, the cold moonlight, filtering through gaps in the clouds, draped over the town like a silver veil, giving it an almost dreamlike ambiance.


    The chilly wind of a deep autumn night struck Rein''s face, making him even more alert.


    After some thought, Rein halted his steps towards home and turned towards the adjacent administrative building''s training ground instead.


    The entire training ground was deserted, silent and empty. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "From Hamilton''s demeanor, it seems the arrival of this Evil Spirit Knight could signify a grave crisis looming over the whole of Flashgold Town."


    "The only thing I can rely on is the continuous improvement of my own strength."


    "Furthermore, my understanding of this world is still too shallow. It seems I must strive to earn Merit Points and elevate my rank while relying on the Night Watchmen."


    Rein checked the Night Watchman panel, and with the Experience gained from killing the wolves, his Giant Bear Sword Technique was just a few points shy of reaching level 5.


    He planned to level up his Giant Bear Sword Technique before returning home.


    As Rein drew his Fine Steel Greatsword, a figure swung the greatsword in the training ground, sweating profusely.


    About an hour later, a system prompt arrived.

 Chapter 104: Chapter 100 Hmm! I am also a Blacksmith

    [You have trained in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, and your comprehension has improved!]


    [Your skill, the Giant Bear Sword Technique, has gained a boost, Experience +2]


    [Congratulations, your Giant Bear Sword Technique has advanced to lv5]


    ....


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked an exclusive secret technique that combines the Giant Bear Breathing Technique with the Giant Bear Sword Technique: roaring strike lv2!]


    Suddenly, Rein stood motionless in the training ground.


    As the Giant Bear Sword Technique smoothly entered lv5 (0/2000), a series of fragmented training memories of the Giant Bear Sword Technique began to flood into Rein''s mind. The adept techniques contained within these memories quickly integrated into his muscle memory.


    When Rein swung his Fine Steel Greatsword again, he felt a smoothness and familiarity that surpassed what he had known before.


    Moreover, still basking in the joy of the Giant Bear Sword Technique''s level-up, Rein saw the successful unlocking of roaring strike lv2 on the Night Watchman panel.


    Double happiness!


    By the time Rein returned home, it was well into the night, and he made do with a night''s sleep in the small partitioned room.


    The next morning, when Rein went to his room, he was startled to find Lagaray and Anna sitting on the bed, holding hands and leaning close together, whispering and chatting.


    This scene left Rein stunned. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They''re holding hands already?


    Indeed, the friendship between girls... such a mysterious thing...


    "Rein, you''re back," Anna said, blushing as she saw Rein and stood up.


    "You two...?"


    "I... I was just chatting with Lagaray about the time you saved me," Anna explained.


    Lagaray looked at Rein with a calm expression, asking, "What did the sheriff say?"


    "He takes it very seriously, and he has already notified the County Town and the church. How about you? Do you feel better?"


    "Much better," Lagaray nodded.


    "Brother, it''s time for breakfast!" At that moment, Bo He suddenly poked her head in from the doorway.


    "Oh! Is this a new sister?" Bo He gazed at the beautiful and exotically styled new ''sister'' with fluttering eyelashes, her voice tinged with curiosity.


    Bo He had already been asleep in her own room the previous night when Rein brought Lagaray home, naturally unaware of what had happened then.


    "What a cute little girl. Rein, is this your sister?" Lagaray''s eyes lit up as she saw Bo He, and she got up and walked over, embracing Bo He in her ample bosom.


    Rein nodded and said, "Yes, this is my sister, Bo He. Bo He, this is Sister Lagaray."


    "Sister Lagaray, hello! Wow, sister, you''re so tall! Even taller than my brother," Bo He exclaimed in amazement.


    It was only then that Rein realized Lagaray was actually slightly taller than himself when she stood up.


    He had been growing rapidly lately, now around one hundred seventy-five centimeters tall. Of course, his height would continue to increase swiftly over time.


    By comparison, Lagaray''s height was roughly one hundred seventy-eight centimeters.


    But overall, she didn''t come across as slender; her figure was curvy, yet just right.


    After breakfast, Rein returned to his own room.


    Having thought of Glowstone because of the incident with the Evil Spirit Knight, Rein especially took out the Glowstone to look at it and couldn''t help but sigh.


    At that moment, Lagaray and Anna came in together. Seeing the ore in Rein''s hands, Lagaray couldn''t help exclaiming, "Sacred stone!"


    "Sacred stone? Isn''t it called Glowstone?" Rein couldn''t help showing his confusion.


    Isn''t it called Glowstone? Could it be that the Blacksmith Boris was fooling me? Surely not.


    "Oh, yes, sacred stone is what we barbarians call it. According to the official naming of the Empire, it is indeed called Glowstone," Lagaray nodded, explaining.


    "May I take a look?"


    "Of course!" Rein smiled, handing over the mysterious ore that emitted a hazy, soft light to Lagaray.


    Lagaray took the Glowstone from Rein, her gaze full of reverence for it, and she slowly began to explain why:


    "Glowstone holds a special place in the hearts of us barbarians."


    "Given the harsh environment we live in, we often encounter strange nature spirits, malignant spirits, or minions of the Evil God. Having a weapon infused with Glowstone is a crucial reliance in defeating them."


    "But Glowstone mines are incredibly hard to find, so we have this reverent name for it: sacred stone."


    "If my brother had brought our tribe''s Glowstone weapons with him, maybe he could have defeated that Crown Knight, or at the very least, he might have been able to escape alive." Lagaray''s expression saddened once again as she thought of her brother.


    "Why didn''t your brother..." Rein could not help asking but then felt it was inappropriate to continue.


    However, Lagaray didn''t wait for Rein to finish his question and took the initiative to explain.


    "Because weapons forged with Glowstone are very rare, the tribe''s rules state that these Glowstone weapons cannot be used in normal circumstances, except for certain special missions."


    "By the way, Rein, why don''t you incorporate the Glowstone into your greatsword?"


    Lagaray had already noticed the Dual-Handed Greatsword that Rein carried on his back upon his return.


    "Well... I asked the blacksmith in our town, and ordinary blacksmiths don''t have the capability to smelt Glowstone. Besides, another issue is the lack of a skilled swordsmith. So, even if Glowstone could be smelted, there''s no one to help me forge Glowstone weapons," Rein explained.


    "Plus, I have some special reasons why I can''t go to the County Town to find a high-level blacksmith to do this for now," Rein added.


    "Oh? In that case... maybe I can help you with this?" Upon hearing the reasons, Lagaray nodded and spoke to Rein seriously.


    "Actually, besides using high temperatures to smelt Glowstone, it can also be done by adding a flux, with fluorite and a little of our barbarian blood."


    ```


    "Hmm? There''s such a method?" Rein couldn''t help but widen his eyes, looking at Lagaray.


    But seeing the serious expression on her face, he knew she wasn''t spouting nonsense.


    "This is a common method used by us barbarians when forging Glowstone weapons."


    "Furthermore, I''m pretty good with forging axes, and I should have no problem with Dual-Handed Greatswords. Rein, could you show me your Dual-Handed Greatsword?"


    "Of course, you can! But... Lagaray, are you also a Blacksmith?" Hearing that Lagaray had a special method to melt Glowstone and could even forge Dual-Handed Greatswords, he couldn''t help but be overjoyed.


    "Yes! I am a Blacksmith too." Lagaray nodded confidently, her face showing a hint of a smile, as if reminiscing about something pleasant.


    Rein quickly handed his Fine Steel Greatsword to Lagaray.


    Lagaray examined Rein''s Fine Steel Greatsword carefully, touching the spine and blade with her fingers, and said confidently, "If it''s a Dual-Handed Greatsword of this quality, I think I should have no problem."


    "Perhaps, it might even be better."


    "Rein, find an ordinary Blacksmith shop, and I can forge you a Glowstone Greatsword mixed with Glowstone for you."


    "That''s really fantastic!"


    The events of today were somewhat beyond Rein''s expectations.


    The Glowstone he had saved for a long time finally had a use.


    Moreover, Rein had never imagined that the barbarian girl Lagaray he had rescued was actually a high-level Blacksmith.


    "By the way, Lagaray, how long have you been studying forging?"


    "Well..." Lagaray''s eyes seemed to reveal a sense of nostalgia.


    "Since I was a child, I followed my father in our tribe''s blacksmith shop forging weapons."


    "I started trying to forge small Daggers around the age of five. Although my specialty is axes, I have also forged a few Dual-Handed Greatswords, since there are a few warriors in the tribe who use them."


    "I see!"


    "Shall we go now then?"


    "Right now?"


    "Yes! I''m a Blacksmith too, and can help out a bit!" Rein said with a laugh.


    Although his title as a Blacksmith was in name only, the only thing he knew how to forge was horseshoes.


    But when it comes to face, what matters is what lies beneath the surface!


    In fact, Rein saw this as an opportunity to learn some advanced forging techniques from Lagaray.


    Even though he didn''t use axes, many things are common across different items.


    In a past life, wasn''t there a saying, "One method understood, all methods understood? "


    Forging axes and Longswords, there must be many areas where one can infer other things from one fact.


    Additionally, the most important point was that as his Blacksmith level increased, Rein hardly had any Skills that could quickly increase his Blacksmith Experience!


    He believed that even if he didn''t learn to forge Dual-Handed Greatswords, learning to forge axes would be fine too.


    Because forging weapons would certainly grant him a significant boost in professional Blacksmith experience.


    Soon enough, Rein brought Lagaray to a small town''s blacksmith shop.


    But as soon as they entered, they startled all the apprentices and even the Blacksmith Boris was no exception.


    They had never seen a barbarian girl with such a wild aura and beauty.


    Taking advantage of everyone''s stunned silence, Rein pulled Boris to the backyard.


    "Uncle Boris, can we close the shop for a day today? I''ll cover any losses incurred."


    Before Boris could even ask why,


    Rein continued, "The barbarian girl who came in just now, she''s going to help me cast Glowstone into my greatsword."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Boris nearly popped his eyes out in surprise, blurting out, "Rein, what did you say???"


    "To give uncle a day off."


    "No, the next part!"


    "To have Lagaray help me cast Glowstone into my greatsword."


    "Rein, you don''t think I don''t know my shop doesn''t have a high furnace, do you? And yet you joke about it! Even if she masters the craft of Dual-Handed Greatswords, I don''t have the matching tools here," Boris said with slight helplessness.


    "Of course, I know that. I have already told Lagaray, and she said she has a special flux formula that can solve this problem," Rein said, smiling.


    Boris wanted to say that couldn''t be possible.


    But, seeing Rein''s serious look, Boris knew Rein was not joking.


    "Then... Rein, can we make a deal? Can I stay and lend a hand? You know, I am a Blacksmith too, and I could be of some assistance," Boris said, rubbing his hands, unusually embarrassed.


    Suddenly, Rein got it!


    Obviously, watching a high-level Blacksmith work was a rare learning opportunity.


    What helping hand, he just wanted to steal some secrets!


    Rein thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, "Uncle Boris, I can''t decide that for Lagaray, I need to ask her."


    "Yes, yes! Rein, I''ll be in your debt. Just let me help out, and you can use the blacksmith shop for free. If one day is not enough, two days, or even three days, are all possible!" Boris, typically stingy, rarely made a generous promise while patting his chest confidently.


    ```

 Chapter 105: Chapter 101: Rocket-like Boost

    When Rein tactfully shared Boris''s little scheming with Lagaray, she did not mind him watching and agreed readily with a nod.


    Perhaps, in the eyes of Lagaray, the high-level Blacksmith, the ordinary blacksmiths of the town could barely steal any relevant smithing skills, even if they were to observe her entire process.


    Just the flux mixing step alone, which requires a precise ratio of Glowstone and barbarian blood, would pose a significant challenge to ordinary blacksmiths.


    However, Rein thought of something and quietly asked Lagaray, "Lagaray, can the greatsword incorporate Glowstone and, at the same time, meteorite iron?"


    "Ah, yes, meteorite iron. I don''t know what you barbarians call it," Rein gestured and said.


    Lagaray''s eyes lit up and she said, "Of course, it is possible. Do you have some meteorite iron? I was a bit worried that using purely Glowstone might make the blade''s hardness and toughness a bit weak. That would require extra care during the forging.


    "But if some meteorite iron is incorporated, I can assure you that your new weapon would be above the standard of Huestone weapons, even if placed among our barbarian tribes."


    Rein gave a mysterious smile and said, "You will have it soon."


    Then, Rein pulled Boris aside to a corner. After some hard bargaining along with the enticing offer to let him watch, an offer Boris could hardly refuse, Rein successfully acquired Boris''s beloved meteorite iron at the price of thirty Empire Gold Coins.


    Of course, the price was also because Boris''s piece of meteorite iron was barely larger than a fist.


    But it was more than enough to be melded into a greatsword to enhance its hardness and toughness.


    Boris, with a mix of joy and pain, immediately announced that the blacksmith shop would close for the day.


    Rein originally thought that Boris, always being a miser, rarely gave the blacksmith apprentices a day off, and logically, these apprentices who long complained about Boris the Miser should be thrilled.


    But when Boris spread the news, the apprentices looked at each other for a while, then one by one, they began making excuses, seemingly eager to stay and continue working.


    However, Rein soon figured out from their occasional enthusiastic glances toward Lagaray that their motives were not that simple.


    Eventually, Boris forcefully sent this bunch of blacksmith apprentices away!


    Rein and Boris then closed the doors of the blacksmith shop, hung a ''Closed'' sign, and went back to the yard, ready to assist Lagaray.


    The two were just stunned by the scene in front of them as they had not expected Lagaray to have already begun her process alone.


    Lagaray had already mixed quite a bit of clay and started building a small cylindrical furnace, apparently planning to melt Rein''s Glowstone in it separately.


    Although there was a regular furnace at the smithy, Lagaray was already using it to melt the meteorite iron and Rein''s original greatsword.


    Considering the Glowstone piece wasn''t large, the furnace she built was only about a meter high with a diameter roughly the size of a washbasin. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, Lagaray finished the construction and was now carefully placing charcoal inside.


    "Lagaray, is there anything I need to do?" Rein asked, becoming a bit anxious on the side.


    After all, he wanted to be actively involved in the process of creating a Glowstone weapon. One could imagine, just by thinking with their toes, that being part of crafting a Glowstone weapon would bring a massive influx of blacksmith professional experience.


    But just standing on the side was making Rein extremely restless.


    Lagaray thought for a moment, realizing there really wasn''t anything that needed Rein''s help, and seriously replied:


    "Rein, you don''t need to do anything. I can handle the whole process myself."


    The moment Lagaray finished speaking, Rein felt as though he was watching a huge wave of blacksmith experience slipping from before his eyes.


    With his brain working overtime, Rein finally thought of a reason, albeit not a great one, and immediately, with a grave expression, said:


    "Lagaray, since we are forging my Dual-Handed Greatsword, please assign me some tasks so that I can be involved."


    Rein emphasized the word ''my'' heavily.


    Although Lagaray didn''t understand Rein''s eagerness, his words made sense since it was his weapon, and wanting to be involved was a reasonable request.


    Without thinking much about the tiny request of her lifesaver, Lagaray nodded in agreement.


    "Uh... okay then!"


    This made Rein sigh in relief internally. Thankfully, he was now involved!


    However, after looking around, Lagaray realized she really couldn''t find anything for him to do, so she casually said, "Rein, you... help set up the blower and the pipes for this small furnace."


    "Set up the blower?" Rein immediately looked dumbfounded. The skill of setting up a blower wasn''t in his blacksmith repertoire.


    He knew how to operate a blower but not how to install one!


    Boris, watching Rein''s stunned expression, couldn''t help but laugh, and immediately started, "Rein, come with me. I''ll show you how to do it."


    It was obvious that Boris was in a good mood.


    After all, not every blacksmith gets the chance to witness the birth of a Glowstone weapon.


    Soon, Rein followed Boris to the storeroom and picked up a set of equipment for blower operation.


    The main items were a rough iron pipe over two meters long and a floor-standing round blower stitched together from multiple layers of cowhide, which when pulled and pressed would produce a blowing effect.

 Chapter 106: Chapter 101 Rocket-like Improvement_2

    As for why the gas won''t flow back?


    That''s because there is a check valve on the part where the hand presses, which closes when pressed down and opens when pulled up, sucking in the surrounding air into the bellows.


    Soon, under Boris''s guidance, Rein inserted one end of the iron pipe into the clay furnace and fitted the other end onto the bellows.


    "Hmm, not bad!" Lagaray glanced over, nodded her head, and signaled that Rein had done a decent job.


    "It''s about time, continue to add some charcoal and burn it for a bit, let the clay solidify, then we can put in the Glowstone," Lagaray said, patting the clay in her hand and standing up.


    "Is that it?" Boris couldn''t help but exclaim in surprise.


    He hadn''t expected Lagaray to use the "reduction method" for melting Glowstone, which completely baffled Boris, who was observing attentively.


    This method was used to melt the most common ores such as brown iron ore and red iron ore.


    It was the most primitive and simplest of methods.


    Although Boris didn''t know the specific melting point of Glowstone, he knew it had to be much higher than that of iron ore.


    So, instinctively, he felt it shouldn''t work, but after catching a glimpse of Lagaray''s naturally composed expression, Boris swallowed back the rest of his words.


    After all, he had only just received permission to observe, and he didn''t want to lose it just because of a slip of the tongue.


    "Hmm, in a while we''ll just put the Glowstone and charcoal together inside," Lagaray said confidently.


    Once everything was ready.


    Lagaray mixed the softly glowing Glowstone with charcoal and placed it in the newly dried clay furnace.


    "Rein, do you know how to work the bellows?" Lagaray asked.


    "Of course, working the bellows is my strong suit!" Rein said, nodding confidently.


    Finally, it was time for the part he was familiar with!


    [You worked the bellows, gaining related insight!]


    [Your Skill "Operating the Bellows" has improved, Experience +3]


    [You focus on working the bellows, Blacksmith Profession Experience Points +1]


    ...


    About half an hour later, Lagaray began the most crucial step.


    She first took out two walnut-sized white stones from her pouch, likely fluorite, placing one into the furnace melting the star iron and instructed Boris to pay close attention to changes on the surface of the star iron.


    The other stone was put into the furnace melting the Glowstone, and right after that, Lagaray cut her wrist with a small knife, and a streak of fresh blood flowed out, gradually dripping onto the Glowstone.


    "Lagaray, didn''t you say just a little bit of blood was needed? What are you doing?" Rein felt both shocked and touched.


    Just as Rein was about to stop working the bellows and rush to stop Lagaray.


    "Don''t stop, if you stop now, all will be in vain," Lagaray said calmly, her focus remaining on the Glowstone inside the melting furnace.


    This gave Rein a strange feeling.


    At that moment, Lagaray seemed to emanate an invisible strength, as if narrating the birth of a Glowstone weapon, a necessary process.


    This caused Rein, who was just about to stand up, to hesitate and continue working the bellows powerfully, looking at Lagaray with admiration and concern.


    Fortunately, the process did not last too long.


    Seemingly determining enough blood had been provided, Lagaray, a bit pale, quickly took out a piece of white linen bandage to wrap her wound.


    Another half-hour passed. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The impurities in the Glowstone gradually melted into slag, flowing out like magma from the opening at the bottom of the furnace.


    Inside the furnace, only an egg-sized lump of the essence of Glowstone remained, malleable like playdough, but the light it emitted was ten times more intense than before.


    "It''s about time! I''m going to take it out and forge it," Lagaray said again after a glance, turning to speak to Rein.


    Lagaray used the tongs in one hand to hold the glowing Glowstone and a heavy hammer in the other, beginning to strike.


    "Ding ding!"


    With each hammer blow came sparks, and the Glowstone seemed to shine a bit brighter, but the white bandage on Lagaray''s wrist turned a shade redder.


    "Shall I take over?" Boris and Rein offered in unison.


    ```


    "No! Your strength isn''t enough to further remove the impurities from the Glowstone," Lagaray glanced at Boris before shaking her head and refusing.


    This left Boris somewhat red-faced with embarrassment, having forged iron for half his life only to be told by a young girl that his strength was insufficient.


    "Let me do it!" Confident in wielding a hammer and having mastered the hammer, Rein chimed in.


    "Can you manage?" Lagaray, looking a bit pale, glanced at Rein.


    Rein seemed to have enough strength, but how well could he handle the hammer?


    At this point, after the bloodletting, she indeed felt tired. If she could save some energy for the later stages of forging, it would obviously ensure a better quality for the greatsword.


    "Don''t worry! With your guidance beside me, it shouldn''t be a problem. Besides, if I''m not up to it, there''s still time to switch to you," Rein assured her.


    "Hmm, okay, give it a try," she conceded.


    "Too heavy, lighter!"


    "Okay! How about now?"


    "Hmm, good, that weight is just right."


    After half an hour of continuous forging, when the impurities were mostly removed, Lagaray had Rein hammer the Glowstone into long, thin strips.


    The same process was repeated with star iron.


    Then Lagaray, using tongs in one hand, took a red-hot greatsword out of the original forge of the blacksmith shop, and with the other hand layered the thin strips of Glowstone and star iron on top of it.


    She directed Rein to continue hammering them together.


    "Ding ding!"


    With every strike of the hammer, the union between the greatsword, Glowstone, and star iron deepened.


    "Fold it over," she instructed.


    "Fold it?" Rein asked in surprise.


    "Yes!" Lagaray stepped forward to take over from Rein, folding the layered star iron, Glowstone, and the sword''s body in half, stacking them on top of each other.


    After repeating this process twice,


    Rein''s greatsword no longer resembled its former appearance. Instead, it had become a rectangular iron bar, about twenty to thirty centimeters long and roughly ten centimeters thick.


    "Forge it into a sword blank," she said.


    "Okay," Rein responded, swinging his hammer with force.


    After repeatedly hammering it for some time, they finally began the process of quenching and polishing, which were more delicate and all done by Lagaray herself.


    Meanwhile, Rein finally had the chance to check the system notifications:


    [You worked on forging a Dual-Handed Greatsword, insight improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill����Dual-Handed Greatsword Forging]


    ...


    [You worked on Glowstone weapon forging, insight improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill����Glowstone Weapon Forging]


    ....


    [Your skill in Dual-Handed Greatsword Forging has improved, experience +1]


    [You focused on forging a Dual-Handed Greatsword, Blacksmith Profession Experience Points +2]


    ...


    [Your skill in Glowstone Weapon Forging has improved, experience +1]


    [You focused on Glowstone Weapon Forging, Blacksmith Profession Experience Points +5]


    ...


    [Congratulations, your Blacksmith Profession Level has increased!]


    Indeed, Rein felt as sweet as if he had drunk honey upon seeing the Blacksmith Profession Level rise to lv3.


    And more great surprises awaited him.


    ```

 Chapter 107: Chapter 102 But Theres One Condition

    Regarding the attribute points brought about by leveling up, Rein usually kept them unused, according to habit.


    As for the Skill Points, Rein hadn''t decided where to use them yet.


    So, he also left them untouched for the time being.


    With Lagaray completing the last step of the process, she handed over a Dual-Handed Greatsword that glimmered with a faint light to Rein.


    Upon seeing the brand-new greatsword, Rein''s first impression was that it resembled the ''Laser Sword'' from Star Wars in his previous life, except it wasn''t as bright.


    However, what was magical was that, after swinging the greatsword a few times, the originally faintly glowing blade gradually calmed down.


    It seemed that the Glowstone''s dazzling light was retracting into the Fine Steel Greatsword, but upon close inspection, one would notice three exceptionally bright, wavy patterns still emitting a faint glow at the edge of the blade.


    Because the greatsword had integrated Glowstone and star iron, its weight had increased noticeably, but it might also be due to the removal of impurities during the reforging, so overall, the difference wasn''t too significant.


    And with Rein''s steadily increasing Strength, the weight of the greatsword felt just right in his hand.


    Moreover, he could clearly feel that the greatsword was different from before, not just sharper, but as if there was something else indescribable within it.


    "Rein, are you wondering why the light of the Glowstone weapon is gradually fading?" Lagaray noticed Rein''s astonishment and took the initiative to ask.


    "Indeed, it''s quite strange," Rein nodded.


    "Glowstone weapons only emit that kind of faint glow when they encounter evil. They don''t normally show it, except for a brief period right after they''ve been successfully forged," Lagaray explained.


    "By the way, Rein, aren''t you going to name your greatsword? It''s a Glowstone weapon after all!!" Boris, who seemed to be ready to leave, couldn''t help interjecting when he saw the two preparing to leave.


    On hearing this, Lagaray also nodded in agreement, "A Glowstone weapon indeed deserves a unique name."


    Rein thought for a while, but had to admit he was terrible at naming. Eventually, he came up with a name.


    "Err... how about calling it the Glimmering Greatsword?"


    Boris slapped his forehead, looking speechless.


    But unexpectedly, Lagaray actually nodded, seeming to think it was not a bad choice, and said, "Not bad, but how about we change one word to Glimmering Greatsword, Rein, what do you think?"


    "Great name!" Rein couldn''t help but praise.


    Meanwhile, Blacksmith Boris was staring at the two with a speechless expression, mumbling something under his breath, but he didn''t speak up in the end.


    Actually, he was inwardly screaming that such a name should include the creator''s own name, to be remembered for centuries to come! At least it should be something like "Rein''s Sword" or "Rein''s Demon-Repelling Greatsword"! And if it were his creation, he would definitely have named it "Boris''s Sword".


    After solemnly wrapping the ''Glimmering Greatsword'' in soft sheepskin, Rein and Lagaray bid farewell to Blacksmith Boris.


    At this time, the sun had just passed directly overhead, and it was approximately one o''clock in the afternoon.


    It was only now that Rein felt a wave of hunger pangs from his stomach, as he had been so focused on forging a new weapon that he had nearly missed lunch.


    Because Lagaray''s appearance and clothing were too distinctive, Rein decided to take her home to solve the lunch issue.


    On the way, Rein thought of something and turned his head to look at the bandages around Lagaray''s wrist, speaking apologetically.


    "I''m sorry, Lagaray, for making you..."


    But before he could finish, Lagaray interrupted him.


    "Rein, you saved my life. Helping you forge a weapon does not even begin to repay you. You don''t need to apologize," Lagaray said seriously, her deep blue eyes looking intently at Rein.


    Her words caught Rein off guard.


    Soon, Rein understood why Lagaray would say such a thing.


    It was because he considered himself and Lagaray to be friends now. Forging the Glimmering Greatsword was an embodiment of their friendship, but to Lagaray, it was a way to repay him for saving her life.


    Rein thought to himself that he better not continue this topic any further, or it might seem he was holding a favor over her.


    After considering it for a moment, Rein instead asked, "So, Lagaray, what are your plans after this?"


    "I want to retrieve my brother''s and the others'' weapons and, if possible, find their remains," Lagaray said with a mix of longing and regret in her expression.


    There was no help for the regret; weapons might be retrievable, but finding the remains was nearly impossible with the many wild beasts and unknown creatures in Nightingale Forest.


    Besides, even if she wanted to retrieve the weapons, it would be very difficult to do so on her own.


    "Why the weapons?" Rein asked, puzzled.


    "In the legends of our barbarian tribes, the spirit of a warrior resides within their weapon. Bringing the weapons back to the tribe allows the spirits of the warriors who perished abroad to return to the Hall of Heroes."


    Rein nodded, and after a brief thought, he reassured her, "It''s not completely without chance. Perhaps, you''ll be able to fulfill this wish sooner than you think."


    "The appearance of the Evil Spirit Knight has been reported to the County Town and the Church by Lord Hamilton, the sheriff. I think people should arrive in Flashgold Town soon to address this issue."


    Rein was confident in the Empire''s official strength; otherwise, how could the Empire maintain such vast territories?


    His words restored a glint of life in Lagaray''s eyes; she pursed her lips and said, "Rein, I heard from Anna that you''re a Night Watchman of Flashgold Town and that you''re quite familiar with Lord Hamilton. Could you do me a favor?"


    Although Lagaray hadn''t specified what kind of favor, Rein already had a guess in his mind.


    "Do you want to join the County Town''s team to kill the Evil Spirit Knight, to avenge your brother?" Rein proactively said.


    "Mm!" Lagaray nodded.


    Rein fell silent, wanting to say that her brother had fought to the death to help her escape, not to watch his sister rush back into danger for his sake.


    But Rein knew if he did not let Lagaray seek revenge, she might forever live in the shadow of that event, not knowing how long it would take for her to emerge from it.


    Of course, the most important thing was that if Lagaray was going with the County Town''s team, there would likely be a certain level of safety guaranteed.


    So, Rein nodded and said, "I promise you, I''ll accompany you to see Lord Hamilton this afternoon, but I cannot guarantee he will agree, and if it''s the County Town''s team, it''s highly likely that Lord Hamilton won''t be the commander."


    "Meaning, even Lord Hamilton might not be able to decide anything."


    Lagaray nodded, uttered a sound of acknowledgment, and did not say anything else.


    After lunch.


    The two made their way to Hamilton''s office.


    For Hamilton, he had long wanted to meet Lagaray, the only survivor of the Bounty Hunters'' team, to learn more about the Evil Spirit Knight.


    After a discussion, Lagaray put forward her request.


    However, upon hearing Lagaray''s request, Hamilton furrowed his brow and said:


    "Lagaray, I regret and sympathize with what happened to you. At the moment, I am not certain which lord has come from the County Town, so I can''t guarantee they will agree to let you go with them."


    "However, I will speak with them and ask that they bring back your brother''s and companions'' weapons; that shouldn''t be a problem. Of course, if there are remains, they will assist in retrieving and burying them as well."


    "Thank you, Lord Hamilton." Lagaray gave a slight bow, expressing her gratitude.


    After leaving the office, Rein said to Lagaray, "I''m going to the training ground to practice archery for a while, want to come with me?"


    "Sure!" Lagaray seemed to be in a much better mood having attended to the matter, showing glimpses of a lively teenage girl''s spirit.


    Once the two arrived at the training ground, Rein noticed there were very few people there, due to the heightened alert ordered by Hamilton, which had mobilized nearly all of the Night Watchmen and peace officers.


    It was only during archery practice that Rein discovered Lagaray''s archery skills were far superior to his own.


    Lagaray had unbound the bandages on her wrist, revealing only a light scar on her tough barbarian skin.


    After practicing archery for a while, Lagaray took the initiative to invite Rein to test their close-combat skills, which was exactly what Rein was looking for. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had always lacked a suitable sparring partner, a "source of experience," which at the moment was temporarily unavailable.


    Lagaray chose an oak shield and an ironwood axe, and Rein, naturally, did not use the ''Glimmering Greatsword'' on his back but held an ironwood greatsword as he and Lagaray took their places on the field.


    Lagaray tapped her oak shield with her ironwood axe and said with a clear ring, "Come on, then!"


    "You better be careful," Rein replied.


    Rein pushed off with his left foot and charged towards Lagaray, leaping into the air when he was three meters away and bringing down his greatsword in a powerful overhead chop.


    It was the Giant Bear Sword Technique''s ''Leap Slash''.


    Just as Rein thought Lagaray would certainly dodge the heavy and mighty Leap Slash, she did the opposite and advanced, leaping up to meet the greatsword head-on with her raised round shield.


    "Bang!"


    The loud sound of sword clashing against shield filled the air, and Rein, suspended mid-jump, felt a tremendous recoil force against his greatsword, almost losing his grip on the hilt.


    Kicked back by the violent shield, Rein was forced to retreat several meters.


    This left Rein looking at Lagaray in astonishment.


    He had never encountered such a counter to his ''Leap Slash'' before.


    "What''s the matter, Rein? Surprised?" Lagaray couldn''t help but let a smile creep across her face.


    "If you come across an opponent with strength and agility similar to yours, that Leap Slash of yours isn''t hard to counter," she added.


    "Besides, I have the shield I am most familiar with in my hands." Lagaray lifted her round shield to illustrate her point.


    In an instant, a spark of realization flashed through Rein''s mind.


    He thought, why do I need to go to the quartermaster to exchange for shield combat techniques? Right in front of me, I have a ''master'' of shield handling!


    I''ve been so foolish!


    It only just now occurred to me!


    "Lagaray, is this some kind of combat skill for using shield defense? Can you teach it to me?" Rein asked with a hint of anticipation.


    "You want to learn?" Hearing Rein''s request, Lagaray''s expression was strange; it was as though she was mixed with feelings of reminiscence, happiness, and difficulty, all at once.


    But the next second, her eyes showed unwavering resolve.


    Lagaray smiled and said, "Yes, I can teach you��but there is one condition!"

 Chapter 108: Chapter 103: Sudden Incident

    ```


    "What condition?" Rein couldn''t help but show a hint of confusion as he asked.


    "Um... Rein, if you can defeat me, I''ll teach you shield technique," Lagaray''s face rarely showed a blush, as she remembered something her father had once told her.


    "Huh?" Rein was first taken aback, then overjoyed, and nodded vigorously without delay.


    In that case, there was no need to hold back excessively anymore.


    Aside from other considerations, judging from the exchange just now, Rein was confident that he could overcome Lagaray with ''Strength Burst''!


    "Lagaray, then you need to be careful."


    Thirty percent Strength Burst!


    Rein charged at Lagaray once again, delivering a powerful forty-five-degree diagonal slash at the barbarian girl Lagaray with even greater force; his ironwood greatsword tearing the air, producing a piercing whistle.


    This made Lagaray''s expression turn solemn, as she tightly watched the angle of Rein''s blade and quickly maneuvered her shield at a forty-five-degree angle to meet the greatsword.


    "Bang!!"


    The dull sound of sword colliding with shield echoed once more. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this time, Rein did not retreat; with his Strength Burst at thirty percent, his power already slightly exceeded Lagaray''s.


    However, Lagaray only stepped back half a pace, stabilizing her frame naturally with her robust thighs, without any sign of clumsiness.


    This caused Rein to once again raise his evaluation of the shield techniques that Lagaray possessed.


    "Bang!"


    "Bang!"


    Half a minute passed, and despite Rein wielding the ironwood greatsword in a barraging onslaught with attacks like ''Furious Slash'', ''Smooth Cleaving Slash'', and ''Leap Slash'', Lagaray solidly caught each one.


    Although Rein constantly had the upper hand, pressing Lagaray, the barbarian girl remained very stable, even in retreat.


    Facing Rein''s powerful ''Leap Slash'', she responded with a spinning retreat step, easily neutralizing the attack.


    "Bang!"


    After another exchange of sword against shield, Rein voluntarily stepped back, wiping the sweat from his forehead and looking seriously at the barbarian girl, "Lagaray, if you can take my last strike, then consider it my loss."


    "Huh? Rein, do you have a trump card?" Lagaray, equally drenched in sweat, kept her beautiful eyes locked on Rein.


    She was truly surprised. Anna had told her Rein''s age, two years younger than herself, but given Rein''s recent display of strength, he was already on par with her, soon-to-be a ferociously-transformed barbarian warrior.


    What surprised her even more was that this younger boy before her still had an ace up his sleeve!


    She had believed that Rein had already shown all his abilities just now.


    Rein watched Lagaray''s eyes, nodded to signal his oncoming attack.


    The next second, his ''Strength Burst'' instantly increased to sixty percent. Rein''s veins bulged, muscles swelled, and immediately after, he delivered a powerful ''Leap Slash'' at Lagaray!


    However, as he was not fully bursting with power, this swelling of the muscles remained within reasonable limits and did not reach the extremely exaggerated extent of a full burst.


    But Lagaray was instantly struck dumb, her mouth forming a perfect "o", thinking to herself whether Rein was really the barbarian or if she was.


    As Rein''s thunderous strike descended, Lagaray hurriedly lifted her shield to block, her right hand gripping the axe in reverse, both hands joining forces to raise the shield. But under the crushing force,


    with a loud "bang," Lagaray was sent flying seven or eight meters and crashed to the ground.


    Seeing this, Rein thought to himself that this was bad, preoccupied with learning combat skills, he had accidentally injured his ''teacher''.


    So, he quickly went to offer assistance.


    Luckily, Lagaray''s shield technique was indeed extraordinary; even under such a heavy blow from Rein, she was uninjured, feeling only a soreness in her left wrist.


    As Rein was helping Lagaray up, a familiar guard suddenly burst in, speaking with a tone of urgency, "Rein, Lord Hamilton is looking for you, there''s an urgent mission!"


    This caused both Rein and Lagaray to be taken aback, but Rein quickly responded, "Alright, I''m on my way."


    At the same time, he couldn''t help but turn to Lagaray with a look of regret, "It''s really too bad, Lagaray. Perhaps you should head back first, I can only ask for your guidance in shield technique another time."


    "Also, could you please let my family know that I might not make it back in time for dinner."


    "Sure!" Lagaray''s eyes twinkled as she nodded with a smile.


    As Rein hurriedly entered Hamilton''s office, he saw his familiar acquaintance, the short figure of Matteo, also there, panting heavily, his chest rising and falling rapidly.


    Additionally, Rein was surprised to find that Hamilton had changed his attire; the noble''s hunting gear had been replaced with a suit of light silver knightly plate armor.


    At that moment, Hamilton was putting on the last of his plate armor gloves and, upon seeing Rein enter, gestured for Matteo to explain the situation once again to Rein.


    Matteo quickly said, "Rein, we''ve found a suspected cultist hideout at the Stewart Farm north of Flashgold Town. Captain Weilun has already taken people over there."


    "The enemy is strong; as soon as we engaged, we discovered that at least two of them are third-level knight Attendants guarding the hideout. We urgently need reinforcements!"


    "Cultists?" Rein was also startled to hear this.


    But Rein also had a question because in his memory, Captain Weilun had always been a cautious and prudent person.


    So why would Weilun lead a small team of Night Watchmen to the site without first reporting back to Lord Hamilton, given the unclear enemy situation?


    ```

 Chapter 109: Chapter 103 Sudden Incident_2

    After all, if cultists were so easy to deal with, they would have been wiped out long ago.


    Seeing the doubt in Rein''s eyes, Matteo immediately explained:


    "At noon today, the child who should have been playing in Captain Weilun''s yard suddenly disappeared. Afterward, we immediately used dogs to track the scent and it led us straight here to the Stewart Farm."


    "Then we discovered that in addition to Captain Weilun''s child, at least four or five other missing children from Flashgold Town were traded into the stronghold."


    "What!" Rein looked stunned!


    It turned out to involve Weilun''s own child, no wonder!


    There was nothing more to say, it was utterly understandable.


    By now, Hamilton had already gotten dressed and, turning his head to look at Rein, he paused for a moment and spoke seriously, "You already understand the situation. If it really is a cultist stronghold, this mission carries a great risk."


    "Just now, I have sent someone to inform Sir Lloyd at the Habsburg Manor, requesting his support."


    "Rein, being a new member of the Night Watchman, you might not be fully aware of the situation with the cultists. However, among the Night Watchman, you are known to be the strongest, so, I want to ask you, are you willing to come along?"


    After thinking for a moment, Rein spoke earnestly, "Lord Hamilton, Captain Weilun is my friend, and moreover, rescuing the missing children of Flashgold Town is my duty as a Night Watchman."


    "Also, you''ve said, sir, that the harder the mission, the higher the reward in Merit Points, right?" The last sentence, Rein said with a smile.


    "Of course! Good lad!"


    "Speaking of which, here''s a set of my spare Knight Armor. It''s not a full set, but it''s still quite heavy. Try it on and see if it fits."


    "Clang!" Hamilton brought out a heavy set of Knight Armor from a compartment behind him.


    "Being armored is always a bit safer!" As he spoke, Hamilton handed it over to Rein.


    As Rein took it, he realized the Knight Armor weighed over a hundred pounds.


    But as Hamilton had said, it seemed not to be a full set of Knight Armor. After Rein put it on, he found it consisted of only five parts: a helmet with a visor, shoulder guards, a breastplate, leg guards, and shin guards.


    Lacking gauntlets, boots, and arm guards, it seemed to be designed to reduce the weight for quicker movement.


    Though it was Hamilton''s spare set of Knight Armor, it was of excellent quality, and the lining of the armor was made of soft lambskin, which was very stretchable.


    So, even though Hamilton was half a head taller than Rein, when Rein put it on, it was only slightly loose, and he had no problems using it.


    Instead, Rein clad in Knight Armor and carrying a greatsword wrapped in sheepskin on his back, cut a figure both heroic and vibrant!


    "Not bad! Let''s go!" Seeing Rein, Hamilton nodded his head and walked straight out of the office.


    At the entrance of the administration hall, all the home-based Night Watchman had already been waiting, and thus, a group of more than ten men mounted the guards'' horses, prepared in advance, and galloped at full speed towards Stewart Farm, north of Flashgold Town.


    ...


    In the center of Stewart Farm, inside a two-story farmhouse.


    Seven or eight burly men, either clad in plate armor or chain mail, were currently surrounding a man in a black robe.


    Around them, two trembling men knelt on the ground.


    "Lord Morte, the two idiots from the Bloodhand Gang weren''t careful enough and got tracked down by the Empire''s ''black-skin dogs,''" a burly man wearing plate armor and carrying a heavy hammer spoke to the figure in black robes, with a respectful tone.


    "Just these two fools!" the man with the hammer pointed at the two people kneeling on the ground and added.


    "Oh? What about the people you Wilderness Brotherhood sent to meet them? Were they also this careless? Didn''t use scent-masking powder?" the black-robed person known as Morte''s face darkened, obviously unhappy about such an accident.


    Just now, he had heard the barking of dogs not far from the farmhouse.


    Clearly, the Empire''s Night Watchman had used dogs to track them to this place.


    But this, he had already warned the Wilderness Brotherhood''s people beforehand, whether dealing with the gangs in County Town or the various pirates on the West Coast, they must always be cautious in their dealings, and they must use scent-masking powder and masks to hide their tracks.


    Moreover, what made him more troubled was that just two days ago, the Church had issued an order to increase the bounty and accelerate the search for ''materials.''


    Now, just two days later, something had happened on his watch, he feared what the High Priest...


    This inexplicably made Morte feel a bit irritable!


    "This..." the man with the hammer glanced at his subordinate behind him and explained apprehensively. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "First, because it''s been so long without incidents, everyone has become complacent, and second, because Matthias had some drinks today at noon, so he got a bit careless..."


    "Lord Morte, the ''black-skin dogs'' outside, shall I go clean them up now?" The hammer-wielding man was obviously trying to protect his subordinate and volunteered to black-robed Morte.


    "No formal Knights on their side?"


    "No, just a small team of ''black-skin dogs.'' I can take care of them all by myself!" The man with the hammer patted his chest plate forcefully with his iron-gloved right hand.


    The subordinate named Matthias looked at his boss with gratitude.


    Hearing there were no formal Knights did make Morte''s expression a bit better.


    It seems the kids can be taken away.


    "Wait, first go bring up the twenty-odd kids from the cellar and load them onto the wagons."


    "Later, I''ll cover you, and you take these kids to the safe spot I told you about last time." Morte overrode the suggestion from the man with the hammer.


    Now was a period when the Church highly valued ''materials.'' If he were to lose all twenty-odd kids this time, he would surely be held accountable by the higher-ups, something he could not afford. He still wanted to further increase his control over Black Flame.


    Giving up a hideout was a minor issue in comparison.


    "Lord, why don''t we just kill them and be done with it? Do we really need to abandon this hideout?" the hammer-wielding man didn''t quite understand why they needed to retreat.


    Just killing the opposition and preventing any leak of information would be better.


    "Don''t be so sure of their lack of strength. Since they''ve managed to follow us, how do you know they haven''t reported in?"


    "That... Alright! Lord Morte, I''m on it."


    "Right, what about these two idiots? Shall we just kill them?" the hammer-wielding man pointed at the two men kneeling to the side, their bodies trembling non-stop.


    "No, they''re still of use to me. Perhaps, I can make a ''trade'' with them."


    Morte stroked his chin, a sinister smile playing on his face hidden underneath the black hood.

 Chapter 110: Chapter 104 Arrogance

    In the woods outside the fence of Stewen Farm.


    At this moment, Weilun could hardly conceal his anxiety.


    Just a moment ago, he thought he could not only save his daughter but also demolish a child trafficking den.


    However, as soon as they made contact, their group of seven or eight people was repelled by two gatekeepers from the enemy side.


    Indeed! Just the gatekeepers.


    This awoke Weilun to the realization that the enemies inside were extremely strong; what he had found was likely not just a den but an important stronghold or even their main base.


    Therefore, he immediately sent the short-statured Matteo to report to Lord Hamilton and ask for reinforcements.


    "Boss, look, two carriages are coming out of the farmhouse''s back door!" a Night Watchman responsible for surveillance reported to Weilun in a low voice.


    Weilun immediately looked up and saw two black carriages with large compartments slowly driving out of the farmhouse.


    Each carriage was pulled by a pair of horses, and apart from the two people driving them, who seemed to be the same guards they had fought, there were four or five fully-armed mercenaries escorting each carriage.


    Moreover, it was clear that they had been spotted by the enemy, who glanced provocatively in their direction, sneering in what seemed like disdain.


    "Abby must be on that carriage," Weilun thought of his daughter being on board, and with a heavy heart, he slammed his hand against a tree trunk, his eyes turning red with urgency.


    Suddenly, he lunged forward, intent on charging to rescue her.


    But the two elite Night Watchmen at his side immediately grabbed their captain tightly.


    "Wait, captain, you''ll be walking into certain death. If those two guards are that strong, the others will undoubtedly be stronger!"


    Weilun focused his gaze and saw that those few men either wore plate armor or chainmail, their equipment was even stronger than that of the elite Night Watchmen.


    "Yes, let''s wait. Lord Hamilton should be arriving any moment now." S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Boss, if you make the ultimate sacrifice, what will happen to Abby?"


    "Even if Lord Hamilton rescues Abby in the end, think about how heartbroken she will be to know you''re gone," another elite Night Watchman immediately joined in persuading.


    Hearing this, Weilun''s struggling body stilled slightly.


    "Yes, if I die, Abby....," the redness in Weilun''s eyes receded somewhat.


    "But I''ll only wait five minutes, no more. If Lord Hamilton hasn''t arrived by then, don''t try to stop me."


    "Alright, captain. If Lord Hamilton isn''t here within five minutes, we''ll join you in the charge," an impassioned elite Night Watchman said.


    This touched Weilun deeply. He patted the young man''s shoulder, wanting to say something but ultimately remained silent.


    Time ticked away by the second!


    Soon, the seven or eight mercenaries dressed up and ready to go, began to move, intending to drive the carriages away from Stewen Farm.


    Weilun felt an intense urgency.


    "I''m going up first!" Weilun, with a resolved face, turned to the other Night Watchmen and said.


    "The enemy is very strong, I''ll hold them off to slow them down. You follow from a distance and have Lord Hamilton avenge me!"


    "Captain!"


    Just as Weilun was preparing to move forward, one of the elite Night Watchmen excitedly shouted, "Lord Hamilton''s arrived!"


    A troop of Cavalry could be seen approaching rapidly from the south, but at almost the same moment, a figure in a black robe slowly emerged from the second floor of the farmhouse.


    The figure moved unhurriedly, exuding a calm composure as if strolling in their own backyard garden.


    Sensing something, he slightly lifted his head and looked towards the south.


    "They''ve finally arrived, a bona fide Knight, this could be somewhat troublesome. Just don''t know if he''ll accept my ''kind'' gesture," the black-robed Mort muttered to himself.


    Then, with a wave of his hand, a heavily-armored brute came out from the farmhouse, dragging two weeping, pleading men behind him.


    Upon their arrival, Hamilton and Rein immediately made quick contact with Weilun. After briefing them on the situation, everyone turned their attention to the black-robed figure at the farmhouse entrance.


    Hamilton, with a grave expression, looked at the black-robed middle-aged man and lingered a few seconds on the man''s cuffs and collar, saying, "A Blackflame monk?"


    Rein could feel Hamilton''s left hand, holding the shield, tighten��clearly, this so-called Blackflame monk was a formidable adversary, to the point where even Hamilton was wary.


    "Oh! You actually know about us? It seems you''re not just any ordinary Knight, are you?" The black-robed figure finally looked at Hamilton with a hint of seriousness.


    "This is the sheriff of Flashgold Town, Lord Hamilton!" Matteo, the short-statured man beside him, seemed slightly indignant at the other''s attitude and exclaimed loudly.


    Hamilton did not speak but instead recalled a previous incident in County Town, where he had a brief encounter with a Blackflame monk.


    The opponent had the formidable physique of a Knight, along with strange and powerful black flames, resulting in Hamilton suffering a not insignificant setback.


    Furthermore, since that fight, his position as captain of the county patrol had been reassigned, and he had been moved laterally to become the sheriff of Flashgold Town.


    This indirectly confirmed his suspicion that the opponent had deep connections within the noble circles of County Town, even able to influence the reassignment at his level of duty.


    At that moment, Rein also saw the man''s face clearly, the elongated corners of his eyes giving a viper-like sharpness.


    "Your Honor, the sheriff, I have a suggestion that might be beneficial for both parties. I wonder if you''d like to hear it," the Black Flame Sorcerer spoke unhurriedly, as if he was the representative of the imperial authority.


    Rein''s first time seeing such an arrogant fellow!


    "Go ahead," said Hamilton, his eyebrows furrowing at the words. However, seeming to consider certain factors, Hamilton forced himself to suppress his anger.


    "These two are the child traffickers; I''ll hand them and this hideout over to you so that your trip here won''t be in vain. Moreover, you''ll be able to add a merit to your record," the Black Flame Sorcerer glanced at the two men kneeling beside him, gesturing.


    "Then, we both walk away��a perfect solution, isn''t it?" the Black Flame Sorcerer said with a smile.


    "Fat chance! My daughter is still in your hands, you scum!" Weilun couldn''t help but shout.


    "Oh? Is that so?" The Black Flame Sorcerer was visibly taken aback, then he laughed.


    "I apologize for that; we didn''t mean to kidnap the wrong person. What''s...your daughter''s name? We will release her immediately," said the Black Flame Sorcerer, seemingly somewhat embarrassed as he gave a slight bow and smiled.


    "Abby!" Weilun''s gaze flickered and he stuttered before finally uttering the name.


    Hamilton remained silent, his expression as still as water, his gaze fixed on the other man.


    "Kev, go fetch a little girl named Abby," the Black Flame Sorcerer commanded loudly.


    Then he turned to Weilun with a smile and said, "Don''t worry, your daughter will be back in your arms soon."


    His demeanor and attitude were natural, not at all like someone who considers child trafficking a violation of imperial law.


    Rein knew this was actually a form of towering arrogance, an arrogance that contempted all the empire''s law enforcers present.


    The Black Flame Sorcerer clearly believed that by releasing the little girl Abby, he was already making a significant concession.


    From beside the carriage, the man with the massive hammer shouted, "At once!"


    He flipped the black curtain covering the back of the carriage and called out loudly, "Who''s Abby? If it''s you, nod your head!"


    Although the carriage was not very close to Rein and the others, it was only a few dozen meters away, so nearly all the Night Watchmen could clearly see inside the carriage.


    A sea of children was visible inside, packed tight, their hands and feet bound, their mouths stuffed with cloth, like animals waiting to be slaughtered.


    "Looks like she''s not in this carriage after all," muttered the man named Kev, about to let the black curtain fall back into place.


    Suddenly, a little girl made a few muffled noises and quickly began nodding her head, her eyes filled with joy and fear. If one followed her gaze, they would see that she was looking right at Weilun.


    Initially, the little girl Abby didn''t understand the situation and was afraid to admit it. But upon seeing her familiar father''s figure through the gap in the curtain, she began nodding vigorously.


    All at once, the eyes of the other children, filled with longing and hope, widened as they watched Hamilton, Rein, and Weilun, along with the other Night Watchmen in uniform.


    They too were hoping to be rescued like that fortunate girl.


    This caused the faces of the elite Night Watchmen to change, their eyes slightly reddening, as if they all felt a wave of shame washing over them.


    "Why didn''t you say so earlier!" bristled the man with the hammer, picking up the little girl Abby as one might pick up a lightweight chick, and brought her straight to the Black Flame Sorcerer.


    The Black Flame Sorcerer glanced at the emotional Weilun and said, "It seems she''s the right girl. Kev, loosen the ropes and let her go to her family."


    With a heh-heh laugh, Kev removed the cloth from little girl Abby''s mouth and untied the ropes on her body.


    The restoration of his daughter Abby brought Weilun to tears of joy.


    "Your Honor, the sheriff, look, now we can leave, can''t we?" Mort said with a smirk, starting to speak while waving for the hammer man and another strong man watching the two gang members to leave.


    It was phrased as a question, but his tone and actions were more of a notification than actually seeking Hamilton''s opinion.


    The ''reasonableness'' of the other party made Hamilton hesitate for a moment.


    Firstly, the enemy was strong; if a battle were to break out, the casualties would be severe, and the fate of the more than twenty children was uncertain.


    But letting them go like this was hard to swallow!


    "To watch as an ennobled lord and sheriff of the empire, more than twenty children are being taken away before my very eyes; I, Hamilton, feel I could never live with myself," he thought.


    Perhaps it was because he too came from a common background, not a noble one.


    "If I hold this guy off, can you take down the others and save the children?" Hamilton turned to the Night Watchmen, whispering, but his piercing eyes lingered the longest on Rein.


    Rein nodded, about to speak, when one of the Night Watchmen began to recite:


    "The night is dark and full of terrors, but I am the sword in the darkness, the shield that guards the realms of the empire...."


    Following him, the other elite Night Watchmen also joined in softly, "....I am the light that brings the dawn, the peace that burns away the night...."


    Their voices grew louder!


    "When danger looms, I am the horn that wakes the sleepers....I shall live and die at my post...."


    By now, the voices of the twenty or so Night Watchmen present had fused into a mighty torrent. Though not deafening, the resolved sound made one take notice.

 Chapter 111: 105

    "Rein, this is the Night Watchman''s oath, unfortunately, you are yet to swear allegiance and now you have to face such... a tough battle," the short Matteo explained to Rein in a low voice.


    At this moment, Matteo''s face was flushed with excitement, clearly inspired by the Night Watchman''s chanting of the oath!


    Rein nodded. His heart was touched as well, but he kept silent.


    "Hmm?" Not far away, the black-robed Mort, who had just turned to leave, stopped in his tracks, lifted his head, and with a twitch of his mouth, stared at the group of Night Watchmen led by Hamilton with an ugly expression.


    Did the sheriff of Flashgold Town get his head caught in a door?


    Dammit, isn''t it better to go back and get a promotion and a raise now?


    They have already returned your subordinates'' children to you!


    What does the offspring of those lowlifes have to do with you?


    Do you need to risk your life for this?


    True imperial brainwashed fools!


    "It seems you are going to disappoint my kindness! How foolish!" Mort, the black-robed monk, said with a dark expression.


    Suddenly, a cluster of black flames sprouted from Mort''s hands, immediately setting two nearby Blood Hand Gang members on fire.


    "Ahh!!!"


    The two men rolled on the ground in agony, but after a few seconds, no more sounds came from them. They lay motionless, burning like a bonfire, and a smell of scorching filled the air in an instant.


    Seeing such a display of power, including Rein, the faces of all the Night Watchmen present suddenly changed.


    Rein was especially shocked in his heart!


    This was the third time he had witnessed the application of these mysterious side energy particles.


    The previous two times were Anna''s amulet''s green light and Lagaray''s arm''s black gas, but this time it was the opponent''s black flames.


    All were incredibly powerful, yet had completely different effects.


    "You go after those two carriages, leave this one to me!" Hamilton, his face solemn, stared at the black-robed figure without turning back.


    "Sir, we can take down this guy together," a few of the elite Night Watchmen said, lifting their war bows.


    Although the opponent''s attack was strange, they believed that with their bows and arrows'' long-range attack, they could still injure the opponent.


    "No! Rescuing the children is what''s most important," Hamilton waved his hand.


    "Go now, that''s an order!"


    Only Hamilton knew that the opponent''s strange black flames could attack directly from a distance. His Night Watchmen staying behind wouldn''t be of much use, at best they could serve as cannon fodder.


    "Yes, Sir!"


    "Sir, be careful!"


    "..."


    Without a word, Rein glanced at the black-robed figure and then at Hamilton. He followed Matteo, bypassing the wooden fence of Steward farm, and set off in pursuit of the carriages.


    Mort, the black flame monk left at the scene, looked at Hamilton with a curious and scrutinizing gaze and said, "You seem confident!"


    "Why do you think you can withstand me? And you believe that your Night Watchmen can rescue the people?"


    At that moment, Hamilton''s mind flashed with the image of beheading the stone monster with a single sword stroke and he grinned, saying, "How about we make a bet?"


    "I bet I can!"


    Before Mort could respond, Hamilton, like a bolt of silver lightning, shield and sword in hand, charged directly at the black-robed figure.


    ...


    The two carriages were currently moving along a small road in the northeast direction.


    At that moment, the hammer-wielding man looked back and couldn''t help but twitch at the corners of his eyes, as if he had seen something unbelievable.


    Immediately after, he scolded, "A bunch of ungrateful black-skinned dogs, daring to chase after us! I''ve said it, Lord Morte is too merciful to them!"


    "In my view, a dog is a dog, if you beat it hard enough, it naturally runs away!"


    "I''ll go get rid of them, you guys go ahead!"


    The hammer-wielding man pulled hard on the reins of his horse, turning around.


    "Boss, shall I go?" a tall man wielding a flail asked.


    "No need! I''ll be back soon," the hammer-wielder said, waving his hand confidently.


    "Alright! Boss, be careful," several people nearby said.


    "No worries, just a bunch of black-skinned dogs. I''ll send them back to the goddess''s embrace. Just not sure if the goddess wants them, hehe!" The hammer-wielder buckled his plate helmet, turning into a veritable iron lump, charging toward the elite Night Watchmen following behind. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Shoot arrows!"


    Seeing the enemy, merely one person, daring to charge at their group of more than twenty, they realized the enemy had absolute confidence in his own strength.


    "Ding ding dang dang!"


    Indeed, while most of the arrows hit the target, the enemy''s full plate armor''s impressive defensive power managed to block all these attacks.


    "He''s an almost-knight! And not just an ordinary almost-knight!" Matteo''s pupils shrank.


    He knew if the enemy was an almost-knight, that spelled trouble.


    An almost-knight, with both strength and agility reaching the peak of normal human capabilities, just one step away from becoming a formal knight, typically wore full plate armor as the formal knights did, providing them with formidable defensive power. The elite Night Watchmen''s arrows were almost ineffective. To beat the enemy, they would have to engage in close quarters combat.


    But as you can imagine, it would take significant casualties for the Night Watchmen clad in leather armor to take down an ''iron can.''


    Moreover, Matteo could see that the enemy dodged arrows too easily, too naturally.

 Chapter 112: Chapter 105: Demonstrating Power_2

    This reminded him of a saying, he couldn''t remember who specifically said it anymore, but he remembered the exact words clearly:


    "Even among prospective knights, there are differences."


    The reason was that some prospective knights, due to the scarcity of the corresponding advancement magic potions, would stay at this level for a long time, thereby achieving a very high standard in all their skills.


    These kinds of prospective knights were the toughest to deal with!


    "Let''s do this!!"


    Matteo was about to draw his longsword after putting away his bow, but as his hand just touched the hilt, a strong hand stopped his motion of drawing the sword.


    "Matteo, leave this to me! You guys keep up with the carriage." Rein turned his head, his expression calm as he addressed everyone.


    "Rein, you...."


    "Trust me! However strong he is, could he be stronger than the Mountain Stone Monster?"


    Hearing Rein''s words, several Night Watchmen who had participated in that battle were spirited.


    Matteo looked into Rein''s determined eyes, nodded vigorously, and said, "Alright! But be careful, Rein. Even among prospective knights, there are differences! This guy is probably the toughest kind!"


    "But I have confidence in you! Show him the might of the Night Watchmen!"


    "Okay!" Rein glanced at the swiftly approaching figure of his opponent and then at the attribute panel where his strength, physique, and agility had all reached 12 points, he thought, not the same huh? Maybe.


    Waving to Matteo and the others to circle around, Rein dismounted and went straight towards the man with the heavy hammer who was attacking.


    Rein''s disadvantage lay in the fact that his opponent wielded a two-handed heavy hammer which, although not a spiked armor-breaking hammer, posed a significant threat to knight armor.


    And his current weapon, the ''Glimmering Greatsword'', though exceptionally sharp after being infused with star iron, wasn''t likely to cleave through thick knight armor in one blow.


    Kev, seeing an opponent dressed in knight armor but smaller in size than him, approaching alone to intercept him, couldn''t help but smirk, releasing a sinister laugh.


    "Oh! There''s another different black dog!"


    From the black leather armor on Rein''s arm that was not covered by knight armor, Kev deduced that Rein must also be one of the Night Watchmen.


    "I''ll finish you off in one move, then turn all those black dogs into dead dogs!"


    The distance between the two rapidly closed, and as they were less than five meters apart, Kev swung his two-handed hammer heavily from above towards Rein''s helmeted head.


    "Clang!!"


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    Rein''s Glimmering Greatsword solidly blocked the opponent''s heavy hammer.


    Under the Level 5 Giant Bear Sword Technique, Rein deftly parried the heavy hammer''s powerful and forceful blow, ingeniously offsetting the head of the hammer and using the strong blade of his sword to catch the metal shaft just below the hammer head.


    With fifty percent ''Strength Burst'' reaching a strength level of sixteen or seventeen, one could say that this was the level of force a full-fledged knight would exert.


    Therefore, Kev, seeing Rein solidly catch his strike, was extremely astonished.


    Although Matteo had already gone ahead to follow the carriage, worrying that Rein might not prevail, he still left behind three elite Night Watchmen for support.


    "Mohan, you guys keep up, leave this to me!" Rein said steadily.


    "Alright! Reindeer, you must be careful! We have confidence in you!" Mohan looked at Rein, knew they couldn''t intervene in Rein''s battle with the heavy hammer man, nodded, and immediately signaled the other two elite Night Watchmen to chase the carriage.


    Seeing that Rein was ignoring him, fighting him while still talking to someone else, Kev was immediately furious.


    This situation usually only happened to him, but this time, it was reversed.


    "Good! You have thoroughly angered me! I will turn you into a dead dog!"


    "Sweeping Heavy Hammer!"


    Suddenly leveraging force from a retreat, Kev then charged at Rein again, his heavy hammer sweeping from left to right in a powerful horizontal strike.


    "Whoom!!"


    This strike was exceedingly fast; merely the hammerhead stirring the air emitted a buzzing roar.


    Clearly, Rein had realized that this must be some secret technique of the opponent''s hammer skills.


    If it struck any part of the body, even with his thick knight armor, just the shockwave alone could severely injure the corresponding body part.


    Facing such intense shock attacks, the armor wouldn''t offer much protection!


    "You know why I had them all leave?"


    "That''s because I didn''t want to hide anymore!"


    A deep voice rose from beneath Rein''s knight helmet.


    In an instant, Kev had a bad premonition!


    Next, he saw the short figure across from him swell up as if inflated, and what was once slightly loose knight armor now looked absurd, as if a brawny man was wearing children''s clothes.


    But Kev was in no mood to laugh at this time!


    In a flash!


    With full "Strength Burst" activated, Rein, possessing 24 points of strength, steadied the opponent''s secret technique "Sweeping Heavy Hammer" with the end of his greatsword!


    "Clang!!"


    The force of the backlash was so great it directly shattered Kev''s armored gloves!


    "How is this possible!"


    "Even as a formal knight, you shouldn''t be this strong!!" Kev''s eyes bulged, his mouth agape, a look of horror on his face!


    He had sparred with formal knights before, dammit, even if the opponent was a formal knight, they couldn''t have blocked his strike so easily!!


    You must know, that strike was a secret technique! S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A secret technique!!


    And it was blocked by the opponent''s ordinary defensive sword move, not to mention it had shattered his armored gloves!


    Seizing the moment of his opponent''s distraction, Rein didn''t hesitate to deliver a fully powered "Smooth Cleaving Slash," chopping down sharply from a 45-degree angle above, instantly creating a beautiful silver arc in the air!


    Thrillingly exhilarating!


    Kev desperately raised his heavy hammer to block!


    "Screech!!!"


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    Accompanied by a very sharp metal scraping noise.


    Both parties suddenly stood still!


    Beneath the evening sunset, a breeze blew by.


    "Clang!!"


    The heavy hammer fell to the ground, now split in two from the middle of the iron handle, its broken surface smooth and clean.


    The next second!


    Dazzling fresh blood gushed out like a fountain from the ghastly sword wound on Kev that ran from his left shoulder to his right hip on his upper body!


    Then, two sounds of "thump!"


    The two halves of Kev, clad in heavy knight armor, fell to the ground consecutively!


    It turned out that at that moment, any notion of blocking with the heavy hammer or the thumb-thick knight armor had been completely split apart by Rein''s Glimmering Greatsword, by the enormous strength from Rein''s 24 points of power!


    At that moment, Rein shook his greatsword in his hand, looking at Kev''s still convulsing corpse, and softly said, "Dead dog? Yes, indeed a dead dog."

 Chapter 113: Chapter 106 Motionless

    Just as Rein was about to leave, he remembered that the other party used a heavy hammer, and then it seemed like he thought of something. He approached the two halves of the hammer man''s corpse and began to search.


    Soon, in addition to a bag of not-so-heavy coins, Rein also found a thin booklet.


    It made Rein pause and wonder to himself why all the people he encountered recently loved to keep diaries?


    Upon opening it, he realized he had misunderstood the hammer man. The other party was actually a serious researcher of hammer techniques.


    This booklet in his hand was a detailed record of what the hammer man had learned when he was young from a hammer skill master named Tokkal. It was titled "The Fundamentals of Tokkal''s Hammer Skill".


    Rein nodded to himself in approval. Having gained something valuable after the ''hard work'' of killing an enemy naturally filled him with joy.


    "I have the core skill ''Hammer Mastery,'' but it has been idle all this time because I didn''t have the right hammer technique to go with it. Finally, I''ve encountered a combat skill regarding hammer techniques! Good!"


    But glancing at the other party''s heavy hammer, which he had chopped in half, the corners of Rein''s mouth twitched as he shook his head helplessly.


    What a pity!


    After securing the booklet and the bag of coins, Rein felt his muscles starting to ache, a clear sign of the ''aftereffect'' of going all out. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, he had reserved attribute points for moments like this.


    After some thought, Rein added one point to his Constitution, bringing it up to 13 points, making it his strongest attribute.


    In an instant, Rein felt the soreness and aching throughout his body disappear!


    His entire body''s condition adjusted to an optimal state.


    Rein, now full of spirit, quickly caught up with the other Night Watchmen.


    He saw Matteo and his fellow Night Watchmen hanging far behind the enemy caravan, not rashly launching an attack.


    It seemed that the enemy had not gone too far, either trusting in the strength of their ''hammer man'' or for some other reason.


    This, however, saved Rein the effort of tracking.


    Rein''s appearance was like an injection of adrenaline for Matteo and the others.


    "Taken care of?" The astonishment in the eyes of Matteo and the other Night Watchmen was hard to conceal.


    They knew how strong the hammer man was.


    He was dealt with by Rein so quickly?


    They had just left, and Rein had arrived right after, that.... must have been only about a minute''s difference!


    The hammer man, such a formidable figure, was taken down by Rein?


    The elite Night Watchmen found their heads struggling to wrap around this idea.


    In fact, if they had known that Rein took merely ten seconds to kill the hammer man and spent a full fifty seconds cleaning up the battlefield, one could only wonder what they would think....


    "Cough... The other party wasn''t as strong as you imagined. Although he had the strength of a Knight-in-training, his heavy hammer was too slow, which allowed me to catch a flaw in an instant and win with one strike," Rein said, noticing the burning gaze of the others and feeling it was necessary to provide an explanation.


    Thinking it over, everyone found it made sense!


    Rein was relatively smaller and naturally more agile. If he could seize a moment when the other party''s hammer swing was slow during a sequence, a one-strike kill was indeed possible.


    But the seven men on the other side, seeing Rein actually catch up and their leader did not, had expressions like they had seen a ghost, greatly shocked in their hearts!


    They looked at each other for a long while, the scene falling into silence.


    "You''re saying the boss��," the chain hammer man squeezed out a sentence from his throat.


    No one answered��


    The answer was obvious.


    "Damn it! How is this possible!" The chain hammer man slammed his heavy chain hammer onto the ground and cursed.


    They were, of course, well aware of their boss ''Hammer'' Kels''s strength. Even within the Brotherhood of the Wilderness, he ranked high in power. But the boss hadn''t returned, and that short guy had.


    What this implied was clear without words.


    The men exchanged glances, each seeing the gravity in the other''s eyes.


    And so the two wagons came to a halt.


    They knew if they didn''t deal with this group of Night Watchmen and that fellow, they probably wouldn''t be able to escape.


    "That guy in plate armor is a bit odd. First, we''ll deal with those black-skinned dogs, then all of us will go together and avenge our boss!" the burly man wielding a curved sword said.


    "Okay, I''ll hold him off first. You guys attack from both sides later. Once the black-skinned dogs are down, we''ll surround and kill him," the sword-and-shield man thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement.


    After speaking, the sword-and-shield man turned to the only man with a large bow among them: "Zago, you''re in charge of suppressing those black-skinned dogs with arrows. Watch for the right moment to support us."


    Aside from the sword-and-shield man and the chain hammer man, the rest were in chain armor. Facing the elite arrows of the Night Watchmen, they could not completely ignore them.


    "Got it!"


    Meanwhile, Rein and Matteo and the rest saw the enemy suddenly stop and immediately became vigilant, observing the other party closely.


    The opponents had two men in plate armor who looked to be Knight-in-training, one with sword and shield and the other with a heavy chain hammer.


    The four others were wearing chainmail, each one wielding a single-handed hammer, single-handed axe, curved sword, and bastard sword respectively.


    The last one was clad in leather armor, holding a bow and watching them.


    There were a total of seven men.


    Clearly, aside from one ranged fighter, the other six were melee combatants.


    After considering for a moment, Rein turned to Matteo and said, "I''ll advance and draw their attention. Unless something unexpected happens, except for that archer, they''ll probably all come to surround me. When they do, you take the chance to save the children."


    "Oh, and by the way, take down that archer!"


    Before Matteo and the others could voice their dissent, Rein walked slowly forward.


    Indescribable poise and confidence!


    But it also gave the other Night Watchmen an inexplicable sense of trust.


    "Bah! Damn it, I don''t believe he can actually kill the boss. I''ll shoot him with an arrow first!" the opposing archer spat on the ground and watched with indignation as Rein approached with ease.


    He intended to shoot an arrow at Rein''s unarmored arm, but the sword-shield man stopped him.


    "Don''t!" the sword-shield man raised his hand.


    Because the sword-shield man knew that if they were the first to shoot an arrow, the Night Watchmen with over twenty bows would surely retaliate, and four of their own, clad in chain mail, could not entirely avoid injury from the arrows.


    In that case, their own situation would become even less advantageous.


    "If the enemy dares to come forward alone, it''s naturally to draw us away from the wagon and engage in close combat, probably to rescue the kids on the wagon."


    The sword-shield man quickly realized why Rein had come up alone.


    This was a brazen and obvious strategy!


    However, since he could defeat Kev and was so confident, wasn''t it fair for their six to fight one?


    Could it be that they should follow the rules of knightly duels and queue up to fight him one by one?


    What a joke!


    Moreover, he truly didn''t believe that one person could win against their six.


    Under the lead of the sword-shield man, the hammer man and the other chain mail-wearing men followed closely behind, quickly forming a semicircular formation to surround Rein.


    The scene before them was indeed as Rein had predicted, but it also caused the elite Night Watchmen to worry.


    "This... Could Rein be taking on too much?" an elite Night Watchman furrowed his brow upon seeing Rein''s situation, about to fight six on one.


    "Yeah! Those two in plate armor must be Squires!"


    "The other four are probably Level 3 Knight Attendants..."


    "Good heavens! By the Goddess above, can Rein really do this?"


    "...."


    The Night Watchmen began to worry en masse!


    "I believe in Rein!" Matteo, however, had an inexplicable confidence in Rein.


    "Should we interfere with those wearing chain mail?" someone asked.


    "Not for now, stick to the plan. We''ll keep an eye on their archer and see if there is a chance to save the children."


    Although Rein was now surrounded by the enemy, he didn''t see it that way from the center of the arena.


    The present formation of the six men who had him completely encircled was ideal for unleashing his ''roaring strike.''


    In other words, even if the six were mere scarecrows at his disposal to position as he pleased, Rein could not have arranged a more suitable formation himself.


    "If I don''t give them a good shout, even the Goddess might not stand for it..."


    "Just right, I''ve never tried out my Level 2 ''roaring strike.''"


    The sword-shield man saw the Night Watchmen seemed to be slowly moving towards the two wagons and instantly revealed a fierce and ruthless expression.


    They could delay no longer��further delay meant that even if they won against this fellow, if the kids were rescued, they would still be unable to face Lord Morte!


    "Attack!"


    Thereupon, he immediately signaled the others to launch their attack!


    But the sword-shield man himself was cautious, guarding with his shield in the forefront, his right hand wielding the longsword and thrusting it towards Rein.


    Almost simultaneously.


    The hammer man raised his hammer high, his face twisted with ferocity, his eyes fixed on Rein''s knight helmet as he exerted all his strength to bring the hammer down forcefully.


    If he connected, he was confident he could shatter even a plate helm with one strike.


    The axe man aimed for the gap where Rein''s helmet met his plate armor, swiftly delivering a chopping blow, intent on decapitating Rein.


    The bastard sword-wielding man was the most ruthless. He too thrust with his sword, aiming for the cross-shaped gap in Rein''s visor in a bid to blind him and penetrate his brain for a sure kill.


    The curved blade man targeted Rein''s unprotected arm, planning to sever Rein''s right arm first.


    To their horror, they realized that the man in front of them, who was half a head shorter, suddenly emitted a thick sense of danger, sounding the alarm for all of them inwardly!


    This sensation was as if they were facing...


    A long-dormant volcano suddenly erupting!


    A giant dragon abruptly awakening from its slumber!


    They saw his chest dramatically swell, the knight''s breastplate that was slightly loose now seemed ready to burst, his neck muscles and veins bulged, enlarging by an entire size.


    The six immediately sensed trouble!


    "Roar!!!"


    A roar, resembling that of a giant dragon, resounded in the ears of the six men!


    Instantly, the six men remained in their attacking stances, weapons in hand, but frozen in place!


    As if struck by lightning!


    Time seemed to stand still!

 Chapter 114: Chapter 107: Meeting Head On

    The cause of the aforementioned effects was Rein''s upgraded Level 2 Roaring Strike!


    Although, to the six of them, the time from when their ears stopped ringing and vision blurred to when they regained consciousness seemed very long.


    But in reality, as all six were Strengths above Level 3 Knight Attendants, their figures had only paused for about half a second.


    Yet half a second, in a duel between masters, could decide far too much.


    "Swoosh!"


    A silver arc flashed through the air!


    "Thump!!" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thump!!"


    Several sounds of heavy objects hitting the ground echoed in quick succession.


    The four chainmail-clad men, each holding various weapons, were all cut in two by Rein''s strike.


    Some were neatly bisected at the waist; others, due to the posture of wielding their weapons, were diagonally cleaved; and some were split open from the elbow through the chest. Without exception, all were severed into two parts.


    "Ah!!!"


    Since the men cut in half were not dead on the spot, they were writhing and screaming in agony on the ground.


    And because their vitality was far beyond that of ordinary people, they were likely to scream in such agony for several minutes.


    The man in plate armor wielding a chain hammer was rather lucky, for Rein''s sword had just brushed past the lower edge of his helmet, decapitating him immediately, sparing him the agony of wailing on the ground.


    The man with the steel shield and sword and shield in plate armor was now ashen-faced!


    At this moment, his Kite Shield had been reduced to two halves, one half having fallen to the ground, the other still in his hand.


    Because he had remained cautious from the start and had not attacked with full force, maintaining a certain distance, he was the only one of the six to have survived by a fluke.


    He finally understood how his boss had met his end.


    The opponent''s strike was something they at their level could not withstand.


    Immediately, the swordsman shouted as if mad:


    "Knight!"


    "You must be a formal Knight!"


    But the next second, he didn''t receive a reply from Rein, he was met with a powerful Leap Slash from Rein!


    Rein leapt up violently and executed a Leap Slash at the sword and shield man, who only managed to block slightly with his Longsword. With a ''clang'' sound of a huge impact, the sword broke, and the man was violently cleaved away.


    "Splurt!"


    Before the man had even landed, Rein followed up with a greatsword thrust, piercing directly through the gap in the neck of his plate armor and killing him.


    Because of the thundering roar that Rein had just unleashed, which had startled all the elites of the Night Watchmen who were about to rescue the children, they all jumped, causing them to turn around to check what was going on.


    But as they turned their heads, the sight they beheld left Matteo and the elite Night Watchmen dumbstruck!


    "This....."


    They knew Rein was strong in combat, but neither during the previous extermination of the fishmen nor during the killing of the mountain-digging monster had he ever displayed such formidable combat strength!


    This change in his physique was very much like a Knight breaking through his limits; no wonder those men thought Rein was a Knight.


    Had it been them, they would have thought the same.


    "Rein... have you advanced to a formal Knight?" asked a Night Watchman who was on good terms with Rein, with hesitance in his voice.


    At this moment, Rein had returned to his normal stature, and seeing everyone looking at him with such surprise, he shook his head and said half genuinely, half falsely:


    "I''m not a formal Knight yet."


    "Just now was a sort of secret technique, it''s probably because the breathing method I''m practicing is quite special."


    At those words, everyone just nodded blankly.


    It seems...


    It sounds like...


    Alright then! Since Rein said it, it must be true!


    Just now, Rein had fully utilized ''Strength Burst'' and ''Giant Bear Roar Level 2,'' together with his newly forged ''Glimmering Greatsword'', he had cleared the area in just three seconds!


    Not only had he shocked his fellow Night Watchmen, but he also scared the Archer who had been standing guard by the two horse-drawn carriages nearly senseless.


    By the time the Archer came to his senses, he was surrounded by the group, bows drawn and aimed at him.


    Having no other choice, he had to lower his weapons and raise his hands in surrender.


    He definitely did not want to end up like the others who were still screaming miserably on the ground...


    That was just too horrific!


    The other Night Watchmen were quickly rescuing the children who had been forcefully taken away, one by one, from the two horse-drawn carriages.


    Since Rein had only employed the ''Strength Burst'' skill for merely three seconds, and considering he had improved his Constitution a bit before that, there was almost no backlash to speak of at the moment.


    Thinking it over, Rein felt the miserable howls of the men were somewhat alarming for the children.


    Thus, Rein approached the men and swiftly ended their suffering, while also searching their bodies.


    He looked at the heavy purses in his hand, shook his head, and couldn''t help but feel disappointment.


    It was a pity they didn''t contribute anything else, like a manual of Combat Skills or the like.


    Indeed, why aren''t minions as good as the boss?


    The reason was evident in whether they liked to study or not.


    Suddenly, Rein looked intently toward the south.


    In the direction of the Stuart farm, the once two-story farmhouse was now ablaze with roaring flames, which, unlike normal red or pale yellow flames, were a pale black color.


    This made Rein realize instantly that this seemed to be the Black Flame Magician''s fire.


    From the faint sounds of explosions, it could be inferred that the battle between the Black Flame Magician and Hamilton must be fierce.


    After a moment of thought, Rein spoke in a deep voice, "Matteo, leave some people to take good care of the children; we''ll go support the adults first!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, Hamilton was clearly at a disadvantage in the battle against the Black Flame Monk.


    Relying on his agile figure and the excellent quality of his steel shield, he successfully became the monk''s live target.


    That''s right!


    A live target!


    Anyone who saw the fight between the two would have this thought.


    For now, the Black Flame Monk''s hands were both wrapped in black flames, and he wasn''t using any weapons; merely with a black flame from his left hand and another from his right, he forced Hamilton to jump up and down, not daring to directly face the tremendously powerful black flames.


    The surface of Hamilton''s originally smooth steel shield had long since become pitted and dented, with two particularly deep depressions that were almost puncturing through the shield.


    These two depressions were the result of Hamilton initially taking the monk''s black flames head-on!


    So, after taking a couple of hits straight on, Hamilton was no longer daring to do so.


    The attack power of the monk''s black flames was simply terrifying, and the strong corrosive effect it brought was even more formidable than that of the Black Flame Monk Hamilton had briefly clashed with before.


    It was almost enough to penetrate his steel shield in a single strike.


    Why not rush up?


    Because the current distance was still manageable, Hamilton could dodge; if he continued to advance, the hit rate of the monk''s black flames would skyrocket.


    During the assault, the Black Flame Monk Mort sneered, "Is this the so-called Knight of the Empire? A sheriff charged with the safety of a small town?"


    "Not daring to confront my attack head-on, yet only daring to roll around on the ground like a wild boar, truly disappointing!"


    "Perhaps you should change your name to Boar Knight!"


    However, when a loud roar from the north rang out, Mort''s expression suddenly changed, followed by an angry curse, "A bunch of useless idiots, actually failing to deal with them."


    Since the roar was unmistakably human.


    Moreover, the most important thing was that this voice was not recognizable as any of his acquaintances.


    Clearly, the commotion had to be from the enemy!


    The thought of losing over twenty ''materials'' and facing punishment from the high priest made Mort entirely unsettled!


    A great opportunity!


    Hamilton''s eyes instantly lit up!


    He took advantage of the moment Mort suddenly turned his head towards the north to unleash his Strength Burst. Like an arrow released from a bow, he charged straight at his opponent.


    His muscles swelled, though not as exaggerated as Rein''s, but what was special was that Hamilton''s movement speed also significantly increased.


    It seems this was some kind of balanced Transcendent trait that provided a modest boost to both strength and agility.


    "Flash Strike!"


    Hamilton roared, as the Knight''s Longsword in his hand seemed to transcend the limits of time and space, abruptly leaping to appear right in front of the Black Flame Monk!


    Mort was shocked and furious, not expecting to be in such a predicament from a moment''s inattention.


    "Seeking death!"


    As Mort tried desperately to dodge, he flung two black flames heavy with force at Hamilton.


    "Boom!"


    First, Mort''s abdomen was pierced by Hamilton''s Knight Longsword; then, after dodging one black flame, Hamilton could no longer evade the other, and was sent flying.


    The steel shield on his left hand shattered instantly, his gauntlet and arm armor both turned to charred black, severely damaged.


    "Sizzle!"


    Tiny black flames burned on the surface, making a fierce corrosive noise.


    Mort quickly got up, clutching his stomach, but then his expression drastically changed!


    Seeing the Knight Longsword in Hamilton''s hand now emitting a faint white glow, he exclaimed in shock, "Klarhest weapon?"


    His abdominal wound seemed to be seared by high temperatures, emitting trickles of black smoke, and the surface skin was undergoing some bizarre change.


    Mort hesitated no longer and immediately retreated swiftly toward the north, where safety lay.


    But Hamilton was also without the chance to pursue.


    At that moment, he was hastily beginning to remove the arm armor and gauntlet from his left hand.


    Because to his horror, he felt a stabbing pain in his arm; the skin had developed several clearly burnt-black patches that were beginning to darken even more!


    It seemed the black flames had an extra kind of damage to flesh.


    Even a mere touch was almost too much for his Knight-level body to withstand.


    Hamilton''s expression grew stern as he lifted his Knight Longsword to deal with the blackened wounds.


    After slicing off the blackened parts, the stabbing pain vanished and the blood seeping from his wounds returned to a bright red.


    He breathed a sigh of relief, but as he looked up to see Mort disappearing, he thought to himself, "Damn it!"


    Because Mort''s escape route was headed in the same direction as Rein and the rest of the Night Watchmen were pursuing.


    At this time, Rein and more than ten others, including Matteo, were moving swiftly toward the Stewart Farm, when suddenly, Rein''s heart tightened, followed by a blaring alarm!


    His level 2 danger perception had never triggered such a strong alert!


    Just as Rein was about to warn everyone, suddenly, a slightly staggering black figure emerged upfront!


    "It''s that Black Flame Monk!" Rein''s pupils constricted sharply!


    They had run headlong into the injured Black Flame Monk!


    Upon seeing the monk, all the Night Watchmen''s faces changed color, immediately drew their bows and aimed at the enemy.


    And at that moment, the Black Flame Monk Mort, full of fury, saw the sudden appearance of the Watchmen, his lips curling into a smug and cruel smile.


    "Perfect! Just what I need to vent my anger!"

 Chapter 115: Chapter 108: Unspeakable Complaints

    Although Mort was seriously injured right now, the recent encounter with the town sheriff of Flashgold Town had been beyond his expectations. The man had possessed a rare luminestone weapon, making it difficult for Mort''s wounds to heal at the moment. But killing these ordinary people in front of him was just a matter of counting seconds.


    In the eyes of the Night Watchmen, they only saw the figure in the black robe clutching his abdomen with one hand, while the other started to wrap in black flames. Then his figure flashed, and he rapidly advanced toward them.


    "Fire the arrows!!"


    Suddenly, a dense shower of arrows was directed at the Black Flame Mage Mort.


    Mort''s figure quickly darted left and right, continuing to rush forward. Despite the pain of his injuries, he easily dodged the arrows, and not one of the more than ten Night Watchmen''s arrows hit him!


    "Whoosh!"


    The Black Flame Mage, Mort, was now within an arm''s reach!


    Though Mort''s stature wasn''t towering, in the minds of the Night Watchmen, his presence was like the ominous clouds that cover the sky before a torrential downpour, bearing down on them.


    Many of them wore expressions of terror, and for a moment, they were so petrified that they even forgot to draw their longswords!


    This slight reaction caused Mort''s eyes to move slightly, revealing a hint of disdain. Indeed, ordinary people were just that��ordinary.


    From the moment Mort appeared to when he dodged the arrows and charged at them, Rein''s eyes were intently fixed on him, his spirit highly focused, never once shifting his gaze.


    Is he injured?


    Rein muttered to himself.


    If that''s the case, then it''s not impossible to fight!


    About one minute of ''Strength Burst,'' and I only used a mere three seconds just now.


    Although the opponent was injured and his speed greatly affected, his combat awareness was still top-notch, as could be seen from the way he dodged the arrows.


    I must catch him off guard, and if I can severely injure him with one strike, then with his injuries compounded, the overall situation will be decided!


    Mort''s pupils reflected the evening scenery around him, as well as the figures of the Night Watchmen in front of him, their faces showing astonishment, fear, disbelief, and more!


    No!


    There was one exception!


    A young man wearing plate armor.


    Soon, Mort dismissed it as the man being stunned with fear or too slow to react.


    Mort remembered him because this young man was one of the only two wearing plate armor who had come with the sheriff of Flashgold Town��he must be a trusted subordinate of the sheriff.


    So be it, I''ll send you back to the embrace of the goddess first!


    You can blame your superior for this, Mort thought to himself.


    Thus, Mort''s black figure suddenly adjusted direction, swiftly closed in on Rein, and the black flames in his hand already began to flourish, releasing menacing black fire!


    But the next moment, Mort instinctively sensed something was wrong; as the distance closed, he could see through the gaps in the opponent''s plate armor visor, into his eyes.


    The opponent''s eyes had an unusual black pupil, but there was not a trace of fear or panic in his gaze, instead, it was eerily calm!


    As still as a dead pond, without a ripple.


    However, by this time, Mort''s right hand was already raised, the black flames in his hand began to expand, and his whole body was rushing forward. He was somewhat surprised, but not enough to change his mind or abandon the attack.


    But suddenly, Mort''s pupils shrank as if he saw something dreadful!


    Rein''s body suddenly swelled and grew larger, his figure shifting from slightly short to a nearly two-meter tall burly man, the once slightly oversized knight''s plate armor now looked extremely ''petite'' on him.


    Most prominent was Rein''s bulging neck, as if his chest housed a steam train''s locomotive, and his neck was the whistle, about to spew forth a massive current of heat!


    "No good!"


    Mort''s color changed instantly, wanting to retreat with a flying leap!


    But the injury in his abdomen and the inertia of his body made this unlikely.


    Moreover, such a wide-ranging sound wave attack was most unavoidable, unless... your speed exceeded the speed of sound!


    But clearly, even if Mort were unharmed, he was still far from reaching the speed of sound.


    So, unable to dodge, he could only take it head-on!


    "Hah!!!"


    In an instant! A loud bang exploded next to Mort''s ears, his entire face stretching and violently trembling under the impact of the sound wave, his eardrums burst, and his head buzzed.


    But what truly horrified him was the shining blade coming straight at him.


    Retreat!


    Quicker! Even quicker!


    Mort, being a Black Flame Mage with the physical quality of a formal knight, was still able to react in time, even though he was grievously injured and hit with Rein''s level 2 ''roaring strike.''


    But Mort felt a sudden lightness in his body as if missing a part, and then, by a hair''s breadth, he dodged the bright glow!


    "Snap!"


    An arm still entwined with black flames fell to the ground.


    It was Mort''s right arm, the very one he had raised and was about to attack with!


    Yet what terrified Mort even more was the intense, burning pain that emanated from where his arm had been severed.


    It was a pain he had just felt in his abdomen.


    "Glimmering weaponry!!"


    "How the fuck do you have glimmering weaponry too?!"


    "Could it be that he''s the Sheriff''s catamite?"


    "Otherwise, how could he possibly have glimmering weaponry?"


    "But can a Knight''s catamite really be this strong? That doesn''t make sense!!"


    Mort just couldn''t figure out why his opponent also had an extremely rare piece of glimmering weaponry��it seemed like it was specifically prepared for him.


    Could it all have been a premeditated trap aimed at him??


    Across from him, Rein didn''t pursue but swiftly dismounted because, in his recent roaring strike, the horse had been paralyzed on the ground from the massive sonic attack.


    At this moment, Mort came to his senses. All the aforementioned reasons were no longer important.


    There was only one thought in his mind.


    And that was to flee at once!


    What mission, what ''materials,'' what control over the Black Flame��none of it was as important as his own life!


    In an instant, Rein moved!


    Although he had heavily wounded his opponent with a single move, the Black Flame Mage''s abilities constantly filled him with apprehension. Thus, he had been observing the Black Flame Mage''s face. When he saw obvious fear and a shifty gaze, Rein knew the foe had lost his fighting spirit.


    The opportunity naturally arose!


    Being injured in the abdomen would inevitably affect the lower limbs'' movement, and the loss of a right arm would impact the whole body''s coordination and balance even more.


    This let Rein quickly catch up to the panicked, fleeing Black Flame Mage Mort.


    Just as Mort struggled to gather his strength, planning to hit Rein with a Black Flame fireball��


    "Swish, swish!"


    An arm wreathed in black flames flew through the air again, and Mort stumbled violently, crashing to the ground.


    Then a long, narrow wound appeared on his back, starting from his right shoulder blade, diagonally down to his left waist, the gash trailing a sizzling noise as it burned.


    Rein didn''t stop; his Glimmering Greatsword in hand grew brighter, gradually emitting a faint white light.


    Mort struggled to his feet again, intending to continue running, but the next second, a flash of light passed by.


    His head tumbled down from his body, and blinding fresh blood, like a fountain, gushed out from the body that was still twitching!


    A human fountain on display!


    Only then did Rein slightly shake his greatsword, looking at the head that had stopped rolling, observing the face filled with disbelief and terror, and the bulging eyes as he softly said,


    "Sorry, I couldn''t hold back, because your Black Flame was too dangerous..."


    Clearly, Mort heard those words!


    Because Rein saw Mort''s cracked lips faintly quiver a few times, but with only a head left, he couldn''t make any sound.


    What a pity, Rein thought, unaware of what Mort wanted to say, but it was likely some sort of curse. Better left unheard.


    But actually, the only thing Mort wanted to say at that moment was, "Fuck, you can''t hold back? I''ve had both my arms chopped off by you, think about it! How can I still attack you with the Black Flame?"


    "Don''t you know how important it is to capture me alive? What a fool!"


    "....."


    Mort''s grievances vanished along with his fading consciousness, ultimately amounting to nothing.


    Meanwhile, each Night Watchman nearby was covering his ears, and a few of those closest to Rein had blood seeping from their ears.


    There was nothing Rein could do about this; the roaring strike was an area attack, and the sound waves couldn''t actively distinguish between friend and foe, sparing allies and only targeting enemies. Therefore, accidental injuries were inevitable. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But not a single Night Watchman, including Matteo, held any blame towards Rein. At this moment, they had never felt such a sense of security!


    That''s right. The Night Watchmen in charge of protecting the townspeople at night felt a profound sense of security in their hearts.


    This was a sense of security brought about by the incredible strength of their companion!


    Just now, they all thought they might have to sacrifice themselves for the Empire.


    But unexpectedly, even after having raised their expectations for Rein''s strength through the two recent battles, they didn''t anticipate his abilities to be far beyond what they had imagined!


    Because Rein had once again shown astounding strength, achieving a miraculous turnaround!


    As the Night Watchmen stared dumbfounded at the scene unfolding before them, a familiar figure quickly approached on the nearby road.


    It was their superior��Hamilton, the Sheriff of Flashgold Town.


    His Knight''s armor was dented and battered, wielding a steel shield that was now only half its original size. The arm holding the shield was bloodied, and the only intact weapon on him was the Knight''s longsword in his right hand. He looked to have suffered a terrible beating at the hands of the cloaked people.


    This made everyone shift their gaze from Hamilton back to Mort''s decapitated cloaked body and Rein standing unscathed beside him.


    This....


    Filled their hearts with numerous questions!


    And Hamilton, upon seeing this scene, felt no less shock than his Night Watchman subordinates.


    He slowed his pace, approached the scene, and was so astonished for a while that he couldn''t speak, just moving his gaze back and forth between Rein and the headless cloaked corpse on the ground.

 Chapter 116: Chapter 109: Secret

    Although Hamilton knew that the Black Flame Monk must have been slain by Rein, he couldn''t help but ask, "Rein... did you kill this?"


    When Rein turned his head to look, he was startled by Hamilton''s appearance at that moment.


    At the same time, the surprise in the other''s eyes also caught Rein''s attention instantly.


    Rein didn''t know what to say, but he heard him say, "Sir, since you had already severely injured the opponent before, by the time he faced us, he hardly had any fighting strength left."


    "And the Night Watchman colleagues'' barrages of arrows also prevented the opponent''s strange Black Flame from being released in time. So, he was fortuitously slain by me."


    As soon as these flattering words were spoken, Hamilton''s stern face softened considerably, and he looked at Rein with increased admiration.


    Although several Night Watchmen had become deaf, many who were slightly far from Rein only felt a piercing pain in their eardrums, and hearing Rein''s words, they felt a sense of relief.


    Who says we''re useless? Look, our arrow barrage also played a big role! many thought.


    "Eh! Rein, this Dual-Handed Greatsword..." It was then that Hamilton noticed that the greatsword Rein was holding seemed to be the one he had given him before, but on closer inspection, it seemed a bit different.


    Hamilton took a closer look and saw that under the glow of the evening sun, the surface of the Dual-Handed Greatsword in Rein''s hand was emitting a faint white light.


    "This is... a Glowstone weapon!" Hamilton''s eyebrows raised in surprise.


    "Rein, did you merge a Glowstone into that Fine Steel Greatsword??" Hamilton finally thought of something and couldn''t help blurting out.


    Upon seeing this, Rein knew he couldn''t hide it from Hamilton anymore, so he smiled, nodded, and told Hamilton about how he was lucky to have stumbled upon a small piece of Glowstone while exterminating fish-men.


    Additionally, he recounted how the captain, Weilun, and he decided to keep the Glowstone, without knowing its value, leading to the agreement that Rein would get the stone, but he had to treat his squad members to tequila.


    Hamilton couldn''t help but laugh at this, "Rein, it seems that Lady Luck is indeed on your side, to encounter such good fortune."


    As for his subordinates privately allocating spoils of war, as long as it didn''t cause any conflicts, being the superior, he generally wouldn''t intervene��Hamilton was no exception.


    If this had been a month ago, Rein might have still hidden the fact, but now there was no need to do so.


    Hamilton then turned serious and glanced at the corpse of the Black Flame Monk on the ground before narrating to Rein,


    "This guy here is an adherent of the covert sect, the Black Flame Church, and we commonly refer to them as Black Flame Monks. You see that burning black flame emblem on his collar and cuffs? That''s a very clear sign."


    As Hamilton narrated, Rein focused his gaze on the monk''s cuffs and collar, and indeed as Hamilton had described, there was a vivid flame pattern woven from some kind of shiny black metal wire.


    Although the opponent was also dressed in a black robe, the two blacks were not the same; the flame pattern''s color was brighter, while the robe was more of a matte black. If you didn''t look closely, it was indeed difficult to distinguish.


    "I had once briefly encountered a Black Flame Monk in County Town, where his Black Flame caught me off guard,"


    "Afterward, after consulting many people, I learned that they seemed to belong to a secretive church worshipping some Evil God��Black Flame Church. For all minions of Evil Gods, Glowstone weapons tend to be particularly lethal."


    "That''s why I spent a good amount of money to have someone purchase a Longsword infused with Glowstone. I hadn''t expected you..." Hamilton looked enviously at Rein''s greatsword.


    At that moment, Rein suddenly understood.


    He glanced at the Longsword in Hamilton''s hand and then at the wound on the abdomen of the black-robed corpse.


    No wonder, although the opponent had been hit by just one sword strike from Hamilton, his combat strength had dropped so much, allowing Rein himself to take quite the advantage.


    It seemed that his ability to slay the Black Flame Monk also reflected a bit of serendipity involving time, location, and people.


    For instance, the opponent had already been severely wounded by Hamilton.


    For another, he happened to have the Glowstone weapon��''Glimmering Greatsword,'' crafted by Lagaray, which played an unexpected role when facing the Black Flame Monk.


    Moreover, his own strength that continued to increase day by day, as Rein thought to himself.


    However, having faced a Black Flame Monk once, Rein felt an even more pressing desire for the mysterious side of energy particles than before.


    Seeing the injuries on Hamilton''s body was enough to know the mighty power of the Black Flame.


    Was this some kind of Divine Arts? Or perhaps witchcraft?


    However, he was about to complete the last requirement for the transition to Transcendent Knight��"3, any riding skill lv3 or above, shield defense lv3 or above, any archery skill lv3 or above, any melee combat skill lv4 or above."


    Rein planned to learn shield techniques and increase them to lv3, fulfilling all requirements for the transition to a Transcendent Knight, then he would begin seeking ways to control those mysterious energies.


    "By the way, Rein, aren''t you going to look for the spoils of war that belong to you?" Hamilton reminded with a smile.


    With this reminder from Hamilton, Rein then remembered that he had forgotten to collect the spoils from the Black Flame Monk.


    Such a powerful enemy surely carried quite a few valuable items.


    At this thought, Rein''s heart stirred slightly.


    "Haha, as you command, my lord!"


    Rein stepped forward and began searching through the headless corpse of the Black Flame Monk, first pulling out a leather coin pouch, heavy enough to indicate a substantial amount of coins.


    But no matter how many coins there were, they were just ordinary loot and failed to catch Rein''s attention.


    Next, Rein pulled out a soft, lambskin-wrapped, elongated object from the monk''s waist pouch, which immediately caught Hamilton''s attention.


    Upon unwrapping it, they saw a blood-red potion, resembling a vial from a former life, thick like amber, instantly drawing Rein''s interest.


    "Divine Blood?" Hamilton exclaimed, losing his composure.


    Divine Blood?


    Rein was taken aback. Had he really obtained the blood of a god just by killing a Black Flame Monk?


    Also, Rein felt somewhat relieved that he hadn''t split his opponent in two; otherwise, this bottle of ''Divine Blood'' might have been destroyed by his own hands.


    Seeing the puzzled look on Rein''s face, Hamilton coughed and said, "This is a potion secretly circulating among the nobles and wealthy merchants of Meister County."


    "It''s said to delay aging for the elderly and significantly boost those practitioners of the Knight Breathing Method who have not yet reached the Transcendent level. Most importantly, this ''Divine Blood'' doesn''t have any side effects. The only drawback is its rarity."


    Delay aging?


    Enhance the breathing technique?


    Rein''s eyes lit up.


    There was such a wonderful thing?


    Nobles really knew how to enjoy life. While he worked hard practicing the breathing technique, others could rocket their progress just by drinking this, Rein thought.


    "However... according to reliable information, the origin of this ''Divine Blood'' is closely related to the Black Flame Cult I just mentioned, so I''ve always felt there''s more to this ''Divine Blood'' than meets the eye," Hamilton continued.


    "This so-called lack of side effects, I suspect, might be due to the insufficient strength of those who have tested it, which could lead to an inability to detect any issues," Hamilton speculated after some thought.


    This made Rein shiver inside.


    He felt Hamilton''s concern was not unfounded but very likely.


    Moreover, with his professional panel in hand, consuming something potentially problematic was naturally not an option.


    "So, Rein, what do you think... Could I perhaps purchase that bottle of Divine Blood from you? I would entrust someone to deliver it to the Imperial City''s Royal Alchemist Association, where perhaps the master pharmacists there might discover something," Hamilton asked.


    Hamilton seemed to feel his request was a bit much, so he hesitated for a moment before telling Rein outright why he desired the ''Divine Blood.''


    After all, a normal person who obtained ''Divine Blood,'' hearing it had no side effects and could enhance the practice of the Knight Breathing Method, would undoubtedly be overjoyed and certainly choose to consume it themselves rather than selling it to someone else. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course, my lord," Rein agreed without hesitation.


    First of all, he had no interest in potentially problematic enhancement potions and didn''t want to take any risks. Secondly, he was able to kill the Black Flame Monk; Hamilton''s contribution in causing damage to the monk during their first battle was indisputable.


    If Hamilton, his superior, decided to forcefully take half of the loot, Rein would have no objections, considering this was a legitimate Night Watchman mission, unlike the previous situation.


    Upon hearing Rein''s prompt agreement, Hamilton was momentarily stunned, then looked at Rein in surprise and said, "Rein, you should think this over carefully. This is ''Divine Blood.'' Are you sure you won''t regret giving it to me?"


    "It will be difficult to obtain another bottle if you regret it later."


    "My lord, do you think I need to use ''Divine Blood'' with my talent?" Rein smiled and handed the bottle of ''Divine Blood'' to Hamilton.


    Upon hearing this, Hamilton couldn''t help but chuckle, he patted Rein on the shoulder, took the Divine Blood, and said, "Good lad! You have ambition!"


    Afterward, Rein went back to the corpse of the Black Flame Monk and continued his search.


    After a meticulous search, he found a rolled-up strip of paper the width of a little finger on the robed corpse, resembling the pigeon message strips from Rein''s former life. The written content was incomplete, seemingly unfinished.


    But the content that was there made Rein frown.


    "My lord, perhaps you should take a look at this."


    "Hmm?" Hamilton was quite curious; even when Rein had discovered the Divine Blood, he hadn''t been this solemn.


    He took the strip of paper and, upon reading it, furrowed his brows deeply.

 Chapter 117: Chapter 110: Promotion and Undercurrents

    "Lord Hamilton, the ''material'' mentioned on the note naturally refers to the children they are forcibly abducting through various gangs and pirates. If my guess is correct, this Black Flame Cult you mentioned, is apparently preparing for something very important to them recently,"


    "You are correct, Rein, I will immediately report this matter to County Town," Lord Hamilton nodded, sharing the feeling.


    The child abductions that had been happening more and more frequently of late signally loudly that the Black Flame Cult was very likely the puppeteer behind the curtains.


    At that moment, a Messenger approached and reported, "Sheriff, Knight Lloyd and his team have arrived at the Steward Farm. Sir, should we go to them, or should we have Knight Lloyd come here?"


    "Have the children been rescued?" Lord Hamilton asked after hearing the Messenger''s report, instead of making a direct decision, he turned to ask Rein.


    Rein nodded and said, "All successfully rescued, not one dead, not one injured!"


    "Very good! Then let''s go to Steward Farm to welcome back Knight Lloyd and his men," Lord Hamilton said with a broad gesture, clearly in good spirits.


    "By the way, Messenger, immediately report to the Viscount, Hamadi, the Chief of Public Security in County Town, tell them we have destroyed a secret base of the Cult and have rescued dozens of children."


    "At your command, sir!"


    With the arrival of Knight Lloyd, Steward Farm suddenly bustled with activity, the perimeters also thoroughly searched and surrounded by the guards from Habbs Manor who had arrived with him.


    Rein even saw his familiar swordsmanship instructor, Humbert.


    However, it seemed that Humbert never expected the man standing beside Flashgold Town''s sheriff, Lord Hamilton, wearing knightly plate armor to be Rein.


    Of course, this was partly due to Rein wearing his knightly helmet with only a narrow T-shaped slot to allow for vision and breathing, which made it impossible for outsiders to see the face of the knight beneath the helm. Explore more at m,v le,mpyr


    Therefore, Humbert naturally couldn''t recognize Rein.


    And Rein, as well, had no intention of ''shocking everyone'' by going over to greet Humbert and give him a ''scare''.


    Steward Farm, being a secret base of the Black Flame Cult, should have had plenty of clues about the cult. But Mort''s massive fire had burned all traces clean away.


    This made the ''little note'' Rein took from Mort all the more significant and of great importance to Lord Hamilton.


    Rein didn''t stay at Steward Farm for too long; he returned to Flashgold Town with the Night Watchman team that escorted the children back.


    On the way back, Rein finally had time to check the system prompts:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, experience +86]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman professional experience points +42]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, experience +278]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman professional experience points +142]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, experience +326] S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman professional experience points +172]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, experience +359]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman professional experience points +205]


    ...


    A dense stream of system prompts almost filled the screen.


    From the initial bout with Lagaray to the battle with the sledgehammer man, then the one against six, and finally the fight with a Black Flame Cultist, the sum total of experience awarded was significantly hefty.


    The Profession Level of Night Watchman and the Giant Bear Sword Technique both climbed by more than half, Night Watchman reaching lv4 (593/1000), while Giant Bear Sword Technique reached lv5 (1049/2000).


    While Rein was returning to Flashgold Town,


    Weilun, accompanied by his daughter, found Lord Hamilton, who was still dealing with the aftermath at Steward Farm, and said, "Sir, I request to resign from my position as the leader of the Night Watchman. I deeply regret my negligence in the entire course of events."


    "If it weren''t for your timely arrival at the end, stopping that black-robed person, and Rein successfully rescuing all the children, I would have felt guilty for the rest of my life," Weilun added as he bowed deeply.


    Lord Hamilton was silent, mulling over the scene; his emotions were complex.


    He had children too, and from a father''s perspective, there was nothing wrong with what Weilun did.


    Unfortunately, he was the Captain of the Night Watchman.


    Lord Hamilton nodded and said, "Granted! Weilun, I accept your request. By the way, do you have a recommendation for the position of Night Watchman Captain?"


    "Thank you, sir. I recommend Rein and Matteo. Of course, I prefer Rein. Even though he has not been part of the Night Watchman for long, his strength is evident to all. Without him, this rescue could not have proceeded so smoothly," Weilun earnestly expressed.


    For Rein, Weilun was genuinely grateful.


    Having gone through this event, he felt he had been too negligent towards his family before. It would be a joy to spend more time with his daughter Abby and his family from now on.


    When Rein got home, he quickly discovered that Lagaray and Sister Anna were missing from the house.


    "Bo He? Where''s Sister Anna?" Rein couldn''t help but ask his sister, who was playing with the Lintree hound.


    "Sister Anna and Lagaray are next door at Sister Anna''s place, they''re tidying up the room. They said they are staying over there tonight," Bo He informed him.


    "Oh?" Upon hearing this, Rein felt a touch of emptiness.


    Since the Blackbeard incident began, Anna had been living in his house, and it seemed he had grown quite accustomed to her presence.

 Chapter 118: Chapter 110: Promotion and Undercurrents_2

    ```


    But thinking about it, his room was already full, and with the addition of Lagaray, there was simply no space left.


    Moreover, the threat from the hyena gang had long been resolved, and it was only fair for Anna to go back to her own place. Besides, with Lagaray''s strength, protecting Anna would be more than enough.


    After some thought, Rein didn''t seek out Lagaray and the others but returned to his own room.


    Lying in bed, Rein was still reflecting on the battle with the black flame monk.


    He had won that fight by the skin of his teeth.


    Now, recalling the event carefully, Rein felt a chill run down his spine; if the black flame monk hadn''t been injured by Hamilton, he probably would have stood no chance of defeating him.


    No, it wasn''t just unlikely that he would defeat him.


    He probably would have been forced to flee in a panic, and even his life would have been at risk.


    Moving at such speed and agility with a sword wound in the abdomen, Rein could only imagine how much faster the monk would have been uninjured.


    His finishing move could easily have been dodged by the opponent.


    "I really need to improve my strength!" Rein muttered.


    Soon, Rein, exhausted from the day, fell into a deep sleep.


    The next two days in Flashgold Town were calm and peaceful.


    Rein finally learned Lagaray''s shield technique, and it showed up on the Night Watchman''s panel as ''Skill: Shield Defense lv1''.


    In the following days, Rein also reflected on some of the combat skills he had used in recent battles, feeling that he had gained a lot from the experience.


    Additionally, with Lagaray''s careful instruction by his side, Rein''s shield defense improved rapidly, reaching Shield Defense lv2 (124/300) just recently.


    Having a sparring partner made a significant difference.


    It reminded Rein of the time when Cleya was still around, and how his learning of the Giant Bear Sword Technique had progressed by leaps and bounds.


    With Lagaray as his sparring partner, his swordsmanship and shield defense improved day by day.


    It seemed that due to the affair with the Black Flame Church stronghold, the County Town had yet to send a team to investigate the Evil Spirit Knight, which left Lagaray feeling somewhat dispirited.


    Early on the third day, Rein received a message from the guards, informing him that Hamilton wanted to see him in his office.


    This left Rein somewhat puzzled. Could it be that there was news about the Black Flame Church so soon?


    He walked into Hamilton''s office.


    Although the office was filled with the scent of healing potions, Hamilton, dressed in noble hunting attire, was energetically attending to his duties. Clearly, the destruction of the stronghold and the defeat of the black flame monk had left Hamilton invigorated.


    "Rein, take a seat," he said.


    "The reason I asked you here is to promote you to the position of Night Watchman captain," Hamilton said with a smile.


    ...


    In a study room on the second floor of Habsburg Castle.


    The door suddenly opened without a knock.


    This displeased the room''s occupant, Dennis, who was about to reprimand the intruder when he looked up and his pupils constricted.


    "Father... Father!" Dennis hadn''t expected the person opening the door to be his father. As he rose to his feet, his voice trembled with fear.


    His father, Kroos Norman, was a retired colonel of the Dragan Empire Navy, many of whose strict and decisive ways were reflected in his behavior.


    Since childhood, Dennis hadn''t been spared hardship. This time, by using the pursuit of Cleya as an excuse, he had managed to spend a short term away from his father''s iron grip at the Habsburg estate. But now, due to Rulse''s death, his father had come in person.


    "Come with me," said the imposing middle-aged man with sword-like eyebrows that gave a sharp and forceful impression. He glanced at his son and spoke coldly.


    Without any thought of resisting or even uttering a word of rebuttal, Dennis obediently followed behind, heading to the estate''s main gate.


    When the two reached the gate of Habsburg Castle, they saw a black carriage waiting for them, with a striking black and gold double-headed wolf crest on its panel, the family emblem of the Normans.


    Once on the carriage, Baron Norman handed Dennis a dossier without a word and passed it to him.


    ```


    Dennis was initially startled, then realized what was happening, and immediately took the documents, browsing through them swiftly in front of Baron Norman.


    Upon first glance, Dennis couldn''t help exclaiming, "This is that farmer''s son Rein''s..."


    He then looked up at his father in surprise. He hadn''t expected his father to start investigating the farmer''s son Rein, who had killed Rulse, so quickly.


    But Baron Norman''s face was still expressionless.


    This made Dennis feel uneasy; he knew what his father meant: he was to finish reading the materials before they talked.


    Additionally, his father at this moment was the most terrifying, for he was suppressing the anger within him, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.


    As he continued to go through the materials, Dennis grew more and more alarmed; many of the documents were new to him.


    "...Exterminating the murlocs at Glimmer Lake..."


    "...Promoting Rein to an elite Night Watchman..."


    "...In dealing with the Elim Mine incident, killing the Crystal Stone lizard... slaying the injured Tunneling Stone monster...."


    "...Rein, highly regarded by the peace officer of Flashgold Town, Hamilton..."


    The recent information about Rein was incredibly detailed, as though it had been copied directly from the Night Watchman archive in County Town.


    As for the record of Rein killing the Black Flame Monk a couple of days ago, the archive didn''t have it, which suggested that this information was obtained three days ago.


    "Finished?" asked Baron Norman in a deep voice, resonating within the enclosed carriage.


    "Yes," Dennis nodded.


    "I got it a few days ago with the help of a former naval colleague," Baron Norman explained.


    "Rein''s strength, although he''s not yet a formal knight, is certainly not just that of an elite Night Watchman. I judge his strength to be at least at the level of a third-grade knight''s attendant, or even... a prospective knight!" Baron Norman spoke firmly.


    "What? How is that possible? It''s only been a little over a month since Cleya approached him. How could he possibly have improved so fast?" Dennis exclaimed with a shocked expression!


    Stay updated with m-v le-mpyr


    "Only a little over a month? Was it Cleya who approached him first?" Dennis let slip some information that Baron Norman didn''t know, to his father''s considerable surprise.


    "That...should be impossible," Baron Norman mused after a moment.


    After all, to cultivate the breathing technique from zero to the level of a prospective knight in just over a month was talent that was beyond comprehension.


    "It''s true! Father, I''ve seen Rein a little over a month ago; he was thin and looked just like an ordinary person!" Dennis explained, his face flushed with earnestness.


    "If it''s true, as you say, then his knightly talent is greater than the most talented genius of our Meister County. Do you realize what this means?" Baron Norman frowned. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It means he''ll soon be promoted to knight?" Dennis guessed, looking at the baron with a puzzled expression.


    "Wrong! It''s highly possible that he''s already discovered from Rulse''s belongings that Rulse came from the Norman family. Giving such a genius more time to grow means he will become a major problem."


    Dennis suddenly realized, "So, Father, you''re planning to take care of this personally..."


    But Dennis was interrupted before he could finish speaking.


    "Wrong! It''s not appropriate for me to act, given his sensitive identity. Phil Kraz will take care of it in a day that''s not too far off."


    Phil Kraz?


    Why did that name sound so familiar?


    Dennis pondered, certain he had heard of this person before.


    "The Black Sail pirate?" Dennis couldn''t help but whisper.


    He remembered then. Phil Kraz was the deputy commander of the Black Sail pirates, possessing not just the strength of a senior knight but also excelling in archery. He was a rare sharpshooter among pirates with the nickname ''Bloody Shooter.''


    When his father had served in the empire''s navy, he had bestowed favors upon some pirate groups, who in return offered extra protection to the Norman family''s merchant ships. The Black Sail pirates were one of them.


    Seemingly aware that Dennis had made the connection, Baron Norman slowly revealed a secret: "Phil Kraz, the deputy commander of the Black Sail pirates, owes me a big favor."


    "They had plans to join forces with several other pirates and launch raids on several small towns in Meister County soon," he continued.


    "...."

 Chapter 119: 111 chapters Women as beasts of burden

    "Phil Kraz had now placed Flashgold Town on the list of places to be raided, and as a Night Watchman, Rein was bound to encounter the pirates head-on, and he himself would make a special trip to Flashgold Town to take care of Rein."


    Dennis remained silent.


    His father''s plan was meticulous... and shrewd.


    No one would associate ''Rein''s death'' with the Norman family, nor would anyone suspect a hereditary baron family over the death of a genius.


    It seems, as the heir to a baron, he still had much to learn!


    ...


    Flashgold Town administrative hall.


    The conversation between Rein and Lord Hamilton was still ongoing in the office.


    Upon hearing the news of his promotion, Rein naturally felt a flicker of joy inside.


    Primarily because this aligned with his expectation��"to raise his tier within the imperial officials, thus gaining more support and information."


    Rein hadn''t immediately realized that the captaincy had become vacant only after Weilun firstly resigned.


    He had thought it was just a routine promotion following the completion of the merit review for the last child rescue mission.


    "Thank you, Lord Hamilton!" Rein bowed slightly, expressing his gratitude.


    Hamilton smiled and nodded, saying, "The Night Watchmen need capable young people like you to join and take on greater responsibilities!"


    "Right, as the captain of the Night Watchmen, you will be responsible for the area originally under Weilun''s jurisdiction, primarily the night patrols in the southern part of Flashgold Town, of course, there are other matters as well."


    "Specifically, you can transition with Weilun."


    "Eh? Captain Weilun he...." Rein was stunned, was the captaincy...


    After Hamilton mentioned that Weilun had applied to step down to an ordinary Night Watchman, Rein couldn''t help but feel melancholic.


    His very first Night Watchman mission��"clearing the merfolk at Glimmer Lake," was led by Weilun, and it was during that mission that he was lucky enough to find a piece of Glowstone at the merfolk camp.


    He hadn''t expected Weilun to step down so soon; Rein planned to visit the former captain Weilun later.


    "Rein, there''s another matter, perhaps even more important to you. Your advanced Magic Potion is already on the way, and it should arrive in two days,"


    "In two days? That''s great!" Rein was visibly more excited about this news than about his promotion to captain!


    It meant a promotion to a formal Knight!


    He had been waiting too long.


    Thinking of the advanced Magic Potion naturally made Rein think about the requirements for becoming a knight. Currently, he still hadn''t met the shield defense criterion, although his archery and horsemanship skills had both advanced to lv3 the day before.


    Rein glanced at shield defense under the Night Watchman panel, currently at shield defense lv2 (124/300), which was the result of training all day for eight hours with Lagaray.


    If there were only two days left, he realistically couldn''t expect to advance his shield defense to lv3 or higher, unless he used Skill Points.


    But Rein was naturally reluctant to use his precious Skill Points on shield defense.


    "It looks like I''ll have to keep pushing Lagaray for the next two days, striving to advance my shield defense to lv3 or higher before the advanced Magic Potion arrives so I can take it immediately upon receipt." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just right, I''ve passed the midway point of my Night Watchman Profession Level and am close to leveling up from the trials with Lagaray these past few days."


    "Perhaps, before my promotion, I can push my Night Watchman level a bit higher," Rein thought. Join us on m-vl-em,py-r


    On reflection, though it felt like he had been waiting a long time to be promoted to Knight, when calculated carefully, it had only been about two months since he started learning the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    At that moment, Hamilton interrupted Rein''s thoughts.


    "Right, Rein, since Lady Creya didn''t mention the advanced Magic Potion, I assume she also didn''t tell you about some other relevant details, like the precautions for use?"


    "Precautions for use? Lady Creya indeed never mentioned those." Rein glanced at Hamilton with a hint of confusion, shaking his head.


    "I think it''s necessary to remind you."


    "Rein, before you take the advanced Magic Potion, you must bring yourself into optimal physical condition."


    As he spoke, Hamilton paused, seemingly pondering, then he thought of something and started searching through a drawer in his desk, pulling out a thin booklet and handing it to Rein.


    "Specifically, it''s all in this booklet. This booklet comes with the advanced Magic Potion when exchanged for through Merit Points, and I''ll give this one to you."


    "Since you purchased directly from the military and didn''t have this guide," Hamilton explained.


    "Thank you, sir." Rein took it and saw that it was titled ''Advanced Magic Potion Consumption Guide.''


    "Also, before you consume it, you must be very careful to safeguard your advanced Magic Potion. If others knew you possess a rare advanced Magic Potion corresponding to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, you could be in significant trouble,"


    At this, Hamilton frowned, seemingly also a bit worried.


    "Ah, your advanced Magic Potion has arrived too early! If it had come just half a year later, no, even three months might have been just right," Hamilton shook his head.


    But he understood that the military wouldn''t keep this rare advanced Magic Potion for Rein just because he hadn''t advanced yet.

 Chapter 120: Chapter 111: Women as Beasts of Burden_2

    Moreover, it was very unsafe to do so, as the potion could easily be diverted to meet the urgent requirements of some noble''s offspring. If that happened, Rein would have no choice but to find a corner and cry his eyes out.


    "Thank you very much, sir! I will be careful," Rein said, naturally expressing his gratitude for Hamilton''s concern.


    He also understood why Hamilton was worried, believing that he wasn''t yet ready to take the advanced magic potion and needed more time to improve himself.


    But in fact, Rein had already decided that as soon as he got his hands on the advanced potion, he would consume it right away!


    Rein had given this matter thought: possessing a piece of the rare potion specific to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique was like holding a hot potato, an item that many would covet, so he couldn''t afford to delay!


    "Clang"


    At that moment, Hamilton threw Rein a heavy bag of coins, smiling as he said, "Rein, this is the money for purchasing ''Divine Blood.'' I might have gotten a bit of a bargain, but don''t mind that."


    Rein gave a slight smile and pushed the bag of coins back to Hamilton, saying, "Sir, I don''t need the money. I really like this set of Knight Armor; could you give it to me instead?"


    Hamilton was startled for a moment but then burst into laughter the next second and said, "Haha, you sly fox, all right!"


    He instantly understood Rein''s intention and looked at him with even greater appreciation.


    After all, which boss wouldn''t like a subordinate who was not only capable but also didn''t hog the limelight and knew how to act appropriately!


    After leaving Hamilton''s office, Rein went straight home.


    First, Rein carefully reviewed the guide, which mainly explained that one must promptly use the Knight Breathing Method to channel the overwhelming energy of the advanced potion after consumption, cautiously transforming one''s own muscle fascia growth step by step.


    Moreover, during this process, the primary substance in the potion would have a peculiar effect on the user; many Knights failed to get past this stage, leading to failed advancements, mutations, or even death.


    However, for Rein, he had his own plan.


    With his profession panel, there was no such thing as advancement failure.


    So once the advanced potion arrived, Rein would choose to consume it immediately and advance.


    Of course, what he needed to do now was "squeeze" Lagaray for more shield practice!


    Half a day later.


    Having the constitution of a barbarian, Lagaray, after acting as a sparring partner for Rein for half a day, also couldn''t help but gasp for breath.


    At that moment, the already voluptuous figure of Lagaray became even more pronounced, immediately attracting the gazes of other Night Watchmen and peace officers within the administrative building, their eyes frequently darting in her direction.


    From their expressions, they seemed to be saying that Rein was lucky indeed to have such a beautiful, exotic barbarian lady sparring with him.


    "If I could have such a gorgeous woman wholeheartedly sparring with me, my strength would surely improve as well!" thought many of the Night Watchmen.


    "Rein, we''ve already done this ten times, don''t you want to take a break?" Lagaray couldn''t figure out where Rein''s passion for practicing shield defense came from, she couldn''t find a reasonable explanation.


    If it was due to a special love and dedication for Combat Skills, then why wasn''t he practicing the "Hammer Skill Essentials of Tokkal" he had recently acquired?


    Thus, Lagaray was bewildered.


    Could it be true, as Anna said last night, that Rein liked her type?


    At this moment in Lagaray''s mind, she couldn''t help but picture Anna''s petite but slightly unripe figure contrasted with her own developed...body...


    Alright! They were indeed two completely different styles!


    So was Rein practicing shield defense to display his talent in order to gain her attention and favor?


    Suddenly, Lagaray began to let her thoughts wander wildly.


    Rein, on the other hand, seeing Lagaray who was obviously weary, felt a bit embarrassed; there was an old saying, "Men are beasts of burden, and women are to be used by men!" But this time, Rein had directly used Lagaray as a "beast of burden"!


    "Erm...okay! Then let''s rest...for five minutes?" Rein could only consider Lagaray''s feelings, and took the initiative to suggest a short break.


    Lagaray couldn''t help but roll her eyes at Rein. Five minutes?


    Was he really that stingy!


    Even though he was a barbarian, his physical recovery wasn''t that swift!


    "Ten minutes! Otherwise, find someone else," Lagaray said irritably.


    "Haha, alright!" Rein scratched his head, as someone needing favors had no other options...


    At that moment, a Night Watchman who couldn''t stand by anymore came over, glanced at the sweat-drenched Lagaray, then turned to Rein and said, "Rein, are you trying to practice shield defense? Even though I''m no match for you on my own, why don''t you consider multiple people at once?"


    "Your strength and speed are too far behind Rein''s..."


    However, before Lagaray could finish speaking, Rein interrupted.


    "Wait!" Rein interjected. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t that his fellow Night Watchman''s words made sense, but what the other said triggered a new idea in Rein.


    "Maybe we should give it a try!" Rein said with a smile.


    Rein then donned a full set of heavy Knight Armor, and after adding over a hundred pounds to his weight, his agility and speed naturally declined. Meanwhile, he had three fellow Night Watchmen, during his bout with Lagaray, aim at him with bows and shoot training arrows from time to time.


    Under these circumstances, the pressure on Rein naturally skyrocketed!


    The efficiency of his experience gain also became much higher.


    Finally, by the next morning, Rein''s shield defense had reached lv3 (0/500), and the Night Watchman Profession Level soon after hit lv5 (0/2000), earning him one more attribute point and one more Skill Point.


    In the afternoon, Rein was called to Hamilton''s office, who said the Magic Potion had arrived.


    Upon entering the office, Rein saw a burly man with a beard, wearing the uniform of the Imperial Army, reminiscing with Hamilton.


    Just from the side and back, the man''s broad lats sounded like those of a fierce tiger, coupled with a solid waist, perfectly fitting the phrase ''tiger''s back and bear''s waist.''


    The soft deerskin chair was deeply indented by his weight, a testament to the firmness of his muscles and heaviness of his body.


    Hearing the noise of Rein''s entrance, the man fully turned his body to see who it was.


    This allowed Rein to get a good look at the man''s rugged face, thick beard that wasn''t too long, and a side-swept hair style. His overall bearing was wild and uninhibited.


    "Rein, this is my old friend, Colonel Conner Domingo of the Imperial Army, also known as ''Greatsword Conner,''" Hamilton said with a smile.


    A Colonel in the Imperial Army?


    Seems like a big shot!


    Greatsword Conner?


    Well, in front of him, it looks like my nickname ''Greatsword Rein'' won''t be necessary anymore... Rein mused to himself.


    "This time, Colonel Conner is here to deliver an advanced Magic Potion to you."


    However, as Hamilton said this, Rein was quite puzzled. An advanced Magic Potion, no matter how precious, surely didn''t warrant a special delivery by an Imperial Army Colonel!


    "Colonel Conner, good to meet you!" Rein said respectfully with a bow.


    "Hmm, so this is the young man you mentioned, Hamilton? He really does seem to have exceptional talent."


    "What about it, Rein? Interested in joining the Imperial Army''s Knight Corps?" the Colonel known as ''Greatsword Conner'' asked with a smile after sizing up Rein.


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    "Conner! Are you trying to poach in front of me? That''s too much! Rein, don''t listen to him!" Hamilton pointed at Conner with a look of feigned anger.


    Rein, of course, knew the two were jesting and kept his eyes down, listening attentively.


    "Right, let''s discuss serious matters. Conner, aren''t you going to introduce the Giant Bear Magic Potion to Rein?"


    "Hmm, right, I should introduce it," Conner nodded and said.


    "The main ingredient of your Giant Bear Magic Potion comes from the ''Paw of the King Ironmane Bear.''


    "Bears are not social animals, King Ironmane Bear refers to..."

 Chapter 121: Chapter 112: [Knight (Transcendent)]

    "King Ironmane Bear refers to a mutated giant bear whose Strength is far beyond that of a common Ironmane bear, possessing immense defensive power, and is both rare and extremely difficult to kill."


    "Moreover, a prospective Knight who consumes the Transcendent curiosity ''Paw of the Giant Bear'' from a King Ironmane Bear as the main ingredient for an advanced Magic Potion, upon successfully becoming Transcendent, there are a few who have awakened two Transcendent traits. Besides the most common ''Huge Strength,'' there is a very rare Transcendent trait called ''Iron Skin''!"


    "And this Transcendent trait has almost never been seen among prospective Knights who have taken typical Ironmane bear ''Paw of the Giant Bear'' as the primary ingredient for an advanced Magic Potion, further proving the preciousness of the King''s supernatural curiosities."


    "Compared to the huge number of practitioners of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique in the empire, the appearance of the King Ironmane Bear''s Transcendent curiosity ''Paw of the Giant Bear'' fetches a very high premium."


    "If we compare prices, the one you''ve provided this time, ''Heart of the Stone Monster,'' doesn''t fall far short."


    "Moreover, the compounding of this ''Bear Magic Potion'' is helmed by a Master from the Royal Alchemist Association, who, delighted by the hunt, personally took on the task. After all, main ingredients of this caliber are indeed rare, and not many opportunities come by for a Potion Master."


    "Therefore, this ''Bear Magic Potion'' is quite valuable, and there are no shortage of covetous eyes, which is why I personally delivered it here."


    "Of course, there''s another reason. I wanted to see for myself if the person who is about to take this advanced Magic Potion is truly as talented as Hamilton says, ha ha."


    While speaking, Colonel Connor picked up a brown leather briefcase from the side and handed it to Rein.


    "Lord Hamilton flatters me. Thank you, Colonel Connor, for delivering the potion personally," Rein said after listening, slightly bowing to express gratitude to Colonel Connor and respectfully taking the briefcase.


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    The case was heavier than he had expected.


    Although with Hamilton handling the exchange, the chances of a problem were not great, Rein''s mood was somewhat anxious until he had the ''Bear Magic Potion'' in hand.


    For example, he worried that some high-ranking military official might have taken a fancy to the high-quality Bear Magic Potion.


    Or that only an ordinary Bear Magic Potion would be delivered in the end?


    Thus, the moment Rein actually got his hands on the Bear Magic Potion with ''Paw of the Giant Bear'' from a King Ironmane Bear as the primary ingredient, he was quite exhilarated inside.


    First was that the ''Heart of the Stone Monster'' had not been in vain, having truly exchanged for an equally valuable advanced Magic Potion.


    Second, Rein had the chance to awaken two Transcendent traits when he attempted to break through to Transcendence. Of course, according to Colonel Connor just now, even with the King''s material, this probability was not high.


    But to go from nearly zero to a minority is in itself a significant improvement. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Rein, now I am worried that this ''Bear Magic Potion'' is too precious. If word gets out, some might come knocking immediately," Hamilton said, frowning.


    Colonel Connor''s brow also furrowed upon hearing this. Hamilton''s worries were exactly what he was concerned about.


    Therefore, after Master Inigo had finished compounding, he sealed the news and took it to his friend right away, but as far as he knew, some ''well-informed'' people were still probing whether the potion compounding had been completed.


    Rein, on the other hand, thought for a moment. Since both these important figures were present, why not take the ''Bear Magic Potion'' right here and now?


    The more Rein thought about it, the more he liked the idea.


    It would minimize the risk of holding the ''Bear Magic Potion'' and add the protection and guidance of two influential figures, which was much better than his original plan.


    Rein''s initial plan was to take it upon returning home, with Lagaray serving as his protective force.


    But it was clear upon reflection that Lagaray''s Strength was only equivalent to that of an average prospective Knight in the empire. If they were to be disturbed by someone with powerful backing or formidable Strength, Lagaray would clearly be of little help...


    "Um... both of you, may I take it right now?" Rein asked, startling both men.


    Hamilton and Connor looked as if a thunderbolt had just exploded out of the blue!


    "What? Take it now? Rein, are you ready?" Hamilton was stunned at first, but then he jumped up from his chair, hands on the desk, and asked in astonishment.


    In truth, he had intended to say, ''Are you joking?,'' but he immediately thought of the scene where Rein had killed the Black Flame monk and so he promptly changed his tune, asking in a more tactful manner.


    Because in his memory, Rein was never one to speak rashly.


    Colonel Connor was equally astonished, having previously discussed these concerns with his friend Hamilton and knowing that Rein''s training as a Knight had lasted only a few months. Naturally, he was equally shocked by Rein''s declaration!


    "I''m certain I''m ready! So if it''s convenient, both of you, may I take it right now?"


    Hamilton did not immediately reply to Rein but paced back and forth in the room, deep in thought. After a moment, he then asked:


    "Have you read the warning notes for taking the potion?"


    "I have!"


    "Are you sure there''s no problem?"


    "Absolutely!"


    "Fine! The room next to mine is my resting room. Rein, get ready then take it directly!" Hamilton said gravely.


    "Understood, my lord." With that, Rein picked up the briefcase and went into the adjacent compartment.


    Connor''s lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but then he closed his mouth, remembering that the person in question was after all Hamilton''s prot��g��.


    Moreover, judging by his good friend Hamilton''s expression, which didn''t seem feigned, could it be that this young man named Rein really possessed such strong knightly talent that he could become a Squire from scratch in just a few months?


    Connor shook his head slightly, telling himself there was no need to ponder now; the result would naturally be known after a few hours.


    Rein came to Hamilton''s resting room and, without much hesitation, opened the heavy brown leather suitcase.


    Inside was a slightly smaller box with intricate patterns on its surface that seemed to flow with visible strange energy, causing Rein to be taken aback.


    This seemed to be some sort of witchcraft!


    Rein held no great doubts, as the suitcase had been handed to him personally by Colonel Connor.


    If the other party wanted to harm him, they could crush him with their power directly; there was absolutely no need to go to such lengths.


    Furthermore, Rein felt the energy on the patterns was somewhat similar to the green energy Anna had once controlled, which meant the patterns on the box were likely meant to preserve freshness or maintain a certain state.


    This made Rein all the more expectant about the contents of the box.


    "Click!"


    Rein released the clasp and slowly opened the box; as he did so, the energy from the patterns began to dissipate, suggesting a one-time consumable. He saw a thick white mist emanating from within, along with an accompanying strange fragrance.


    Rein quickly determined that the white mist was condensed water vapor.


    But what was this strange scent? And why did it smell so much like some kind of food?


    As the mist cleared, instead of the special-colored liquid potion in a bottle Rein had imagined, what appeared before him was a gigantic bear paw shimmering with a faint silver light and an alluring aroma.


    Rein was truly stunned!


    An idea suddenly sprang to his mind, "Could it be that advancement might fail because of a small appetite, unable to finish this giant bear paw?"


    Naturally, the image of a petite female Squire struggling with such a giant bear paw surfaced in Rein''s mind...


    At that moment, Rein noticed a small metallic strip on top of the bear paw, which looked like some kind of plaque or tag. It read:


    "Made primarily from King Ironmane Bear, please consume this Giant Bear Magic Potion within three hours of opening the box��Inigo Orfastein."


    "Inigo Orfastein?"


    Obviously, it was a name, likely that of the creator of the Giant Bear Magic Potion, the master Pharmacist Colonel Connor had mentioned.


    After carefully removing the metal tag, Rein began to try his first bite.


    Delicious!


    Absolute deliciousness!


    Soon after the bear paw entered his mouth, a brief chew turned it into a mushy consistency, which he swallowed down.


    After the first bite, a warm sensation quickly filled his stomach, as if he had swallowed a hot spring, nourishing his belly.


    [Ding! Detected that the host is consuming an advanced magic potion, triggering job change��Knight (Transcendent)!]


    [Preconditions for advancing to Knight (Transcendent): 1. Any Knight Breathing Method lv5 or above; 2. Strength 12 points or above, agility 12 points or above, Constitution 12 points or above; 3. Any Riding Skill lv3 or above, shield defense lv3 or above, any Bow Skill lv3 or above, any Melee Combat Skill lv4 or above; 4. Appropriate advancement magic potion....All conditions met!]


    [....Night Watchman advancement to Knight (Transcendent) conditions all met, yes/no to complete advancement to Knight (Transcendent)?]


    [Note: Advancing to Knight (Transcendent) will overwrite the Night Watchman job panel.]


    Though he had anticipated this outcome, seeing it for real still filled Rein''s heart with excitement!


    Knight (Transcendent), the word ''Transcendent'' within the brackets, its meaning went without saying.


    Having reached the level of an official Knight, within the Empire, this represented a commoner''s step into the threshold of nobility, though of course, only after having received a formal investiture could one officially step into the nobility.


    Although just the lowest non-hereditary nobility, the word "nobility" implied far too many undertones.


    Additionally, Rein finally felt a weight lift off his chest, as previously triggered jobs appeared ''odd and peculiar'' to him....


    This time, however, it was different��it was the most orthodox of Knights!


    Even though it would overwrite the Night Watchman panel, Rein still chose yes without hesitation!


    One was a Transcendent job panel, and the other was a common job panel; obviously, there was no need to think too hard.


    [Ding! Job change commencing...Transformation ongoing....]

 Chapter 122: Chapter 113: Its Not Heavy Metal Exceeded, Is It?

    With the second and third bites taken,


    the warmth grew hotter, spreading to all the organs of the body. As it was transported along with the blood, it seemed to also transmit a strange energy into the muscles, fascia tissue, organs, and bones.


    Soon, the entire bear paw was consumed by Rein.


    Not long after, the cozy warmth all over his body abruptly underwent a drastic and rapid change. The initial cozy feeling was now overwhelmed by the stinging pain in his muscles and fascia tissues.


    But following Hamilton''s earlier admonition, Rein had to immediately start practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Starting from the first move, Rein could clearly feel the strange energy being drawn by his Giant Bear Breathing Technique. Under the orderly guidance of the breathing technique, his muscles and fascia tissues began to grow more rapidly.


    If the earlier practice of the breathing technique was like a seed slowly sprouting from the earth, then slowly growing into a small, green sapling,


    then at this moment, after taking the advanced Magic Potion, Rein''s muscle and fascia growth seemed like a sapling quickly growing into a small tree, beginning to sprout its own branches and green leaves.


    Half an hour passed, and Rein felt his muscles and fascia still ''developing'' and ''regenerating'' endlessly.


    As Rein felt his strength continuously increasing, a violent and mad notion suddenly burst from the depths of his body, urging him to destroy everything within his sight.


    For the average would-be Knight, this was an extremely dangerous juncture; if they managed to get through it, they could successfully step into transcendence. If not, it meant failure, manifesting as either a decrease in strength or even death!


    However, for Rein, this advancement process was bound to be successful, so he took this opportunity to carefully experience this overwhelming wave of negative emotions.


    After a while, the violent and mad notion gradually disappeared, and Rein''s personal Will also underwent a certain tempering; the entire transformation process seemed to be gradually coming to an end.


    Rein felt a peculiar change in his heart; with each beat, it pumped out strands of strange energy, circulating it throughout his body with his blood.


    This should be the source of a true Knight''s transcendent power.


    [Ding! Job change to Knight (Transcendent) successful! Constitution +3, Strength +3, Agility +2, Spirit +1!]


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Knight (Transcendent) lv1 (0/100) / Blacksmith lv3 (0/500) / Dog Trainer lv2 (287/300)


    Constitution: 16


    Strength: 15


    Agility: 14


    Spirit: 12


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining skill points: 2


    [Gained Transcendent Knight Trait: Huge Strength lv1 (Active)]


    [Gained Transcendent Knight Trait: Iron Skin lv1 (Passive)]


    [Ding! Host has stepped into transcendence, total number of job panels +1, current job panel upper limit is 4.]


    Wow! Four attributes added!


    Moreover, two transcendent traits really triggered!


    This made Rein clench his fists, unable to hide his excitement!


    The difference between one trait and two traits is almost like the difference between an ordinary person and a genius.


    Honestly, this was somewhat unexpected for Rein, for his level 5 Giant Bear Breathing Technique wasn''t especially high; from this, it seems that the advanced Magic Potion made from the King Ironmane Bear''s ''Giant Bear''s Paw'' must have played a special role!


    The original Night Watchman panel now saw the words ''Night Watchman'' disappear, replaced by the four characters ''Knight (Transcendent)''.


    In the bottom right corner of these four characters, there was also a line of small text: Physical Breakthrough Limit (3%) +.


    The entire panel also flashed a special green light, showing a clear difference from the previous white job panel.


    Below the panel title, above the skill icons, there were two additional lines of text:


    [Transcendent Trait: Huge Strength lv1 (Active)]


    Huge Strength lv1 Effect: Slightly increases strength.


    (Note: The degree of strength increase from the Transcendent Trait Huge Strength is positively correlated with the Breakthrough Limit; the higher the degree of breaking the limit, the greater the increase in strength.)


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    (Note: To advance to the next level, a Breakthrough Limit of over 30% is required.)


    [Transcendent Trait: Iron Skin lv1 (Passive)]


    Iron Skin lv1 Effect: The body automatically absorbs free metal elements, slightly enhancing skin defensive power.


    (Note: The increase in defensive power from the Transcendent Trait Iron Skin is positively correlated with Spirit and Breakthrough Limit; the higher the Spirit and Breakthrough Limit, the stronger the absorption ability, the greater the enhancement.)


    (Note: To advance to the next level, a Breakthrough Limit of over 30% and a Spirit of 12 points or more is required.)


    (Note: Transcendent Traits cannot be directly enhanced with skill points.)


    After stepping into the official Knight level, Rein seemed to feel every cell in his body rejoicing.


    Rein casually moved a few times, then held the bastard sword issued by the Night Watchman in his hand; with further enhancement of his muscles and fascia, swinging the bastard sword felt as light as a feather. Only the sharp sound of breaking wind could be heard repeatedly, though the sword shadows were invisible, only flashes of light passing by.


    The transformation was astounding!


    The substantial enhancement of Rein''s physical attributes allowed him to perform more precise movements with his weapon, naturally boosting his combat strength.


    Furthermore, Rein had a strange feeling, as though he could extract some sort of substance from the Bastard Sword.


    It seemed it was....


    With a thought, Rein immediately began to control it.


    Indeed, a faint, almost imperceptible pale-silver mist spread from Rein''s right hand, which was holding the Bastard Sword, rapidly spreading up his arm and across his whole body.


    Rein could feel that this was seemingly an effect of his Knight Transcendent trait��Iron Skin.


    It seemed he could accelerate the combination of certain or multiple free metal elements with the keratin layer of his skin, thus providing formidable defensive power.


    Out of curiosity, Rein used the Bastard Sword in his right hand to lightly touch his left forearm.


    There wasn''t a single mark!


    "Sss....."


    Only after applying a bit more pressure did he manage to leave a faint white mark.


    This delighted Rein immensely.


    Such defense was akin to wearing a suit of plate armor, though it was unknown whether it could defend against the sinister black flames of the Black Flame monks.


    However, Rein also noticed that the original metallic luster of the Bastard Sword had dulled quite a bit.


    Upon careful consideration, it was clearly due to his Transcendent trait, Iron Skin, which seemed to have drawn some of the metal elements from the Bastard Sword to his body, thus affecting the weapon itself.


    "Eh! My body is absorbing metal elements?"


    "This... won''t I be overloading on heavy metals?"


    Suddenly, Rein thought of a very alarming modern-day issue.


    This made him immediately lift his arm to carefully examine his skin''s surface.


    Upon close inspection, Rein found that the metal attachment and fortification were merely affecting the outermost layer of his skin, specifically the stratum corneum of the epidermis, and did not at all involve the dermis.


    This immediately relieved Rein!


    "It''s great to have increased strength, but if it leads to heavy metal overload and premature death, then it would not be worth it!"


    Additionally, Rein checked the Knight (Transcendent) panel and found that the original Night Watchman core Skills ''Danger Perception lv2'' and ''Dark Vision'' still existed and had been inherited.


    This brought Rein double joy!


    Thinking back, Rein realized that not advancing from the Knight Attendant vocational panel to Knight (Transcendent) might not necessarily be a bad thing.


    Because, from a logical guess, the core Skill of Knight Attendant would likely be something that enhanced attack or fortified defense.


    But he already had the ''Strength Burst'' Core Skill and the secret technique ''Roaring Strike'' from the Blacksmith vocational panel, making him strong in terms of attack. Thus, in Rein''s view, ''Danger Perception lv2'' and ''Dark Vision'' were quite suitable for him at the moment.


    Another thing that delighted Rein immensely was the system notification of an additional vocational panel slot.


    This meant that if he was truly able to trigger some occupation involving controlling mysterious side energy particles in the future, he would not face a shortage of vocational panel slots.


    Just as Rein was about to try out the effect of the Transcendent trait ''Huge Strength,'' he heard voices coming from the office next door belonging to Hamilton.


    Judging from the unfamiliar voices, there were clearly one or more visitors there.


    Rein initially did not pay much attention, but he quickly picked up on a keyword, ''Giant Bear Magic Potion,'' which immediately stopped his actions and made him listen intently.


    "Colonel Connor, Sheriff Hamilton, I simply wish to ask you gentlemen to introduce me to the lucky individual who acquired the advanced Magic Potion made from the ''Paw of the King Ironmane Bear.'' I think such a small request should not be too much for you to refuse, right?"


    "Lord Gordon, the advanced Magic Potion has already been used. So, I do not think there is any need for you to meet the person now," replied Colonel Connor.


    "Colonel Connor, you only arrived in Flashgold Town this afternoon, and there''s no need to deny that; I am well aware. Furthermore, from what I understand, a Knight-in-training would take at least several days to prepare before taking an advanced Magic Potion, even longer, correct?"


    "So, I am certain that even if the advanced Magic Potion is not with you, it must be on that lucky individual, isn''t it?"


    "Besides, gentlemen, just by making an introduction, you could earn the friendship of Lord Marquis Fritz; isn''t it worth serious consideration?"


    At this point, the room fell briefly silent.


    It seemed due to Connor and Hamilton not speaking, the male named Gordon continued:


    "Gentlemen, one of Lord Marquis Fritz''s descendants practices the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, which is why he requires this advanced Magic Potion this time." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Furthermore, I can assure both of you that I will offer the lucky individual a compensation that will surely satisfy him."


    Hearing this, Rein knew that trouble was at the door!


    And he had made a very wise decision earlier by choosing to take the advanced Magic Potion directly in Hamilton''s lounge.


    Had he decided to take the advanced Magic Potion home, he could have been intercepted by the opposing party the moment he stepped out of the administrative hall''s front doors!


    However, now that he had successfully advanced into the Transcendent, then....


    Suddenly, Rein opened the lounge door and walked out calmly.

 Chapter 123: Chapter 114: Playing the Game Unconventionally

    Connor and Hamilton exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of helplessness in the other''s eyes. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, suddenly, there came a knock on the office door, and without waiting for permission from those inside, the person outside pushed open the door and walked in.


    This made the young master known as Gordon very displeased. He said, "Your Excellency the Sheriff, it seems that you are far too lax in demanding basic manners from your subordinates."


    "If such a thing were to happen in Makado City, you would become the laughing stock among the nobility!"


    However, he noticed that Connor and Hamilton were not paying attention to him; instead, they were looking at the newcomer with odd expressions, which made him curiously turn his head to look over.


    A young man clad in knight''s plate armor entered, a greatsword seemed to be strapped to his back, and with the armored helmet removed, he carried it tucked under his left arm at his waist.


    Therefore, from the newcomer''s features, one could easily discern that he was not very old.


    The young man was Rein!


    Only to hear Rein say, "Sir, I am the lucky fellow you were looking for."


    "What?" This made Gordon''s face fill with surprise. He scrutinized Rein carefully, and then, pointing at him, he stood up in shock and said, "You... you actually took that advancement magic potion directly?"


    Because he could clearly sense that the unrestrained, vibrant life force field emanating from Rein was a common phenomenon observed when a squire just broke through to become a formal knight.


    This transformation process usually lasts two to three days, so it is very easy to distinguish.


    "Believe me, you have done a very, very foolish thing!" Gordon said with an extremely unsightly expression.


    He could not fathom that anyone, upon receiving an advancement magic potion, would choose to take it directly without even an hour''s delay��what incredible confidence!


    Shouldn''t one normally adjust their physical state and mentality to reach an optimal condition before taking it?


    This youth does not play by the rules at all!


    Gordon felt sick to his stomach thinking about how such a rare advancement potion was squandered by the youngster before him.


    Rein raised his eyebrows slightly, a look of displeasure on his face as he said, "Sir, should my successful advancement not be an occasion for celebration?"


    By this time, Hamilton and Colonel Connor, having come to their senses, were looking at Rein with surprised faces.


    Taking a few seconds to size up Rein, Hamilton stood up, a smile spreading across his face as he looked at Rein and said,


    "Rein, congratulations on finally ascending to the Transcendent! I knew with your talent, this day would not be far, but I didn''t expect it to come this quickly!"


    "Haha, congratulations, Rein!" At this moment, a smile also appeared on Connor''s face as he stood up and spoke.


    Just then, a person dressed like a knight in plate armor, standing beside Gordon, quietly whispered a couple of words into his ear, instantly enlightening Gordon and changing the way he looked at Rein.


    Only to hear him say, "Rein, is it? Since you claim to have successfully ascended to the Transcendent, that is indeed rare for someone your age. However, this Knight Caralvi by my side has taken a fancy and hopes to test his strength against you."


    "No!" Hamilton shook his head, flatly rejecting the offer on behalf of Rein.


    The Knight Caralvi beside Gordon, by Hamilton''s instinctual judgment, was possibly even stronger than him, likely a seasoned knight.


    If he went a little too far in the bout, Rein, the newly promoted knight, would likely be severely injured on the spot, thus interrupting the entire Transcendent transformation process, and his strength would fall by ten to twenty percent for no reason.


    Because the Transcendent transformation is not something that can be fully completed in just a few hours��it generally takes about two to three days.


    Of course, the first few hours after taking the potion are when the transformation is most intense, completing about seventy to eighty percent of the total transformation, but this does not mean that the remaining twenty to thirty percent of the transformation is unimportant.


    "Your Excellency the Sheriff, why not? Could it be that this Rein... Sir, has not truly ascended to the Transcendent, instead relying on some potion''s effect?" Gordon said smugly, as if he had seen through their act.


    "This..."


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    After hearing Gordon''s words, Hamilton was at a loss for words.


    He did not expect the other party to suspect that Rein hadn''t actually taken a magic potion but had consumed some other kind of potion to achieve the appearance of a burgeoning life force field, akin to just having ascended to the Transcendent.


    Rein, standing to one side, understood that the Knight Caralvi had whispered this piece of information to Gordon.


    Rein assessed the knight, and from his perception, the knight''s strength seemed to be about the same as Hamilton''s, although Rein could not discern any finer details.


    But Rein had a faint feeling that the knight might be stronger than him, though only by a very limited margin.


    Right now, having just made his breakthrough, he urgently needed an opponent to test the changes in his strength.


    Of course, what was most important was for Rein to demonstrate his power, to show that he had indeed truly stepped into the Transcendent state and become a formal knight.


    In doing so, he could also prove that he had indeed taken the rare advancement potion, thereby avoiding the endless harassment from other nobles seeking the potion.


    Clearly, there were far more nobles than just young master Gordon here, who coveted that advancement potion.


    Thus, Rein first looked at Hamilton and Connor, giving them a glance to signal his confidence, then turned to Gordon and said, "A test? Certainly no problem."


    This brought a look of joy to Gordon''s face as he turned to Hamilton and said, "Your Excellency the Sheriff, it seems you do not have as much courage as your subordinate."


    Hamilton''s face had already darkened when Rein rashly agreed, and now with Gordon''s taunting remarks, his expression became even uglier. At the same time, he also felt a trace of displeasure towards Colonel Connor.


    Before this young master Gordon, my modest position as the security officer of Flashgold Town naturally could not compare to Connor, the Imperial Army Colonel, yet Connor stood by silently without saying a word.


    Lord Hamilton turned his head toward Connor, and Colonel Connor seemed to realize something, walking up beside Lord Hamilton and whispering, "Perhaps Rein will give us a surprise."


    "Hmm?" Lord Hamilton looked at Connor with an extremely incredulous gaze.


    His expression seemed to say, Rein has only just stepped into the Transcendent realm, and you''re telling me there could be a surprise in his duel with an experienced knight? Are you stupid, or am I stupid?


    Connor let out a helpless smile, as there were some things that were naturally not appropriate to discuss in front of Gordon.


    But ever since Rein had entered the room, Connor had a vague feeling that Rein, who had just become Transcendent, might pose a certain threat to him.


    Yes! A threat to him, a Peak Knight.


    So, after a brief congratulations, Connor had been pondering over this matter.


    When he returned to his senses, he saw his good friend, Lord Hamilton, giving him a cold look, which made him feel both annoyed and amused!


    "Then let''s go! You should have a training ground here, right?" said young master Gordon with a smile on his face.


    "Yes, right next door," Rein nodded.


    Connor patted Lord Hamilton on the shoulder and said, "Let''s go! Relax!"


    Thus, the group of five, led by the guards, arrived at the training ground behind the administrative hall.


    Upon seeing so many important figures entering, the various Night Watchmen and security officers who were practicing in the training ground all stopped their movements and turned to look over.


    "Security Officer!"


    "Lord Hamilton!"


    "Hmm! You all stop for a moment, Rein will have a duel with this... Knight Caravel!" Lord Hamilton said with a somber face.


    "What?"


    "Rein is going to duel a formal knight?"


    The crowd started murmuring among themselves.


    "Could it be that Rein is already a formal knight?"


    "Impossible, I was rescuing kidnapped children with Rein just two days ago, and he wasn''t a knight then, how could he become one in just three days!" a Night Watchman shook his head and said.


    "Rein may be strong, but compared to a formal knight, he is probably no match."


    "Indeed, Rein is now like a banner for us Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town, what is Lord Hamilton thinking? If Rein loses, won''t it be a disgrace to our town?"


    "Losing to a formal knight is not a big deal! If it were you, you probably wouldn''t even qualify to duel!" Matteo retorted irritably.


    The knight named Caravel walked to the center of the field and stood still, but when a Night Watchman offered him a practice sword, he completely ignored it.


    Gordon simply waved his hand on the side and said, "Such practice swords cannot be used for a duel between knights, let them use their own weapons!"


    This comment caused a stir among the watching Night Watchmen; the opponent was actually going to use a real weapon. Was this still just a duel?


    It was nothing less than a formal combat!


    This time, even Colonel Connor squinted his eyes. Using a practice weapon and a combat weapon were two entirely different concepts.


    If they were using practice weapons��wooden swords made of iron��they would be at low risk in the duel given that both were clad in plate armor, with little chance of accident.


    If Rein were to lose, he wouldn''t sustain any serious injuries.


    But if they were to use combat weapons, then the risk in the duel would sharply increase, almost akin to a real fight!


    A slight mistake could lead to serious injury.


    "I have no objections!" Rein said with a serious expression, showing no fear.


    "Very well, lucky one, let''s begin then!" a deep voice sounded, coming from none other than Knight Caravel.


    "Clang!"


    He drew out the two longswords that hung at his waist, revealing himself to be a rare dual-sword style knight.


    Rein too took down the Dual-Handed Greatsword ''Glimmering Greatsword'' off his back, holding it in his hand. The substantial increase in strength allowed Rein to now effortlessly hold the Dual-Handed Greatsword with one hand.


    Of course, if he wanted the attacks to be powerful, he would naturally need to wield it with both hands to chop.


    Seeing Rein was ready, the next second, with a ''swoosh'', Caravel in his hundred-plus pound knight''s plate armor charged towards Rein with the agility of a swift cheetah, surprisingly light on his feet.


    At his move, the surrounding Night Watchmen could only see a blur before the opponent disappeared from sight. When their eyes caught him again, he was already upon Rein.


    "A speed-type knight!" Lord Hamilton squinted and said.

 Chapter 124: Chapter 115 Stop Playing

    This made Hamilton''s heart cry out "Damn!"


    Because Rein practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, even though he had transcended, he was still a strength-type knight. Facing a speed-type knight whose power vastly exceeded his own, he was inevitably pressed into a defensive battle.


    If the roles were switched, then the fight might still be anyone''s game.


    After all, it wasn''t that rare for a rookie knight with a speed advantage to dodge a few blows from an experienced strength-type knight if they were extra cautious.


    Rein''s expression remained calm; facing the direction from which Calavi attacked again, he delivered a fierce Whirlwind Slash.


    The opponent tapped the tip of his foot and leaped high, aiming for Rein''s head, his swords rapidly crossing in attack, executing a classic knightly sword technique��Cross Slash!


    A chilling cross-shaped flash appeared before Rein''s eyes.


    In the blink of an eye.


    Unfazed, Rein countered with his Glimmering Greatsword, unleashing a powerful, forceful Furious Slash!


    "Clang!"


    Sparks flew in all directions!


    The ear-piercing sound of metal clashing resonated.


    Calavi, mid-air, swiftly performed a 360-degree turn to dissipate the force from that direct clash.


    Meanwhile, Rein didn''t move an inch, not pursuing his opponent.


    Logically speaking, his opponent, while still mid-air, was the perfect target.


    Everyone was curious why Rein didn''t advance, but the sharp-eyed Matteo had already noticed that Rein''s boots had sunk into the ground by more than ten centimeters.


    This astonishment left all the Night Watchmen dumbfounded!


    To achieve that effect on the solid training ground! How immense the strength must be! They had tried stomping hard, but the ground would only kick up a bit of dust, hardly showing a footprint.


    No wonder Rein hadn''t pursued his attack; he was also dissipating the counterforce.


    "Swoosh!"


    Calavi tapped the ground with his toe again, and in an instant, like an arrow off its bowstring, he surged toward Rein, his dual swords stabbing continuously at lightning speed.


    "Hiss hiss hiss!"


    The sharp sound of slicing air assaulted them!


    Rein''s pupils narrowed as he swung the Glimmering Greatsword rapidly to block.


    "Clang clang clang ding!"


    The opponent''s sword speed was just too fast. Even though Rein had reached a transcendent state and greatly increased his strength, he still couldn''t fully block all the attacks.


    A stab from the opponent heavily landed on Rein''s breastplate, producing a ''ding'' sound!


    Upon closer inspection, one could see a small dent on Rein''s breastplate.


    Clearly, the opponent''s dual swords were not ordinary steel weapons, just like Rein''s Glimmering Greatsword; they must have been mixed with some rare metal, which explains their remarkable power.


    Seeing this, Gordon couldn''t help but nod to himself, his face full of smiles.


    "Hehe, with the next strike, this Rein probably won''t be so lucky."


    Continue the excitement on m_vl-em,py-r


    "Calavi hasn''t even shown his real strength yet, and this lucky fellow is already unable to withstand it!"


    At this point, Hamilton was already considering stopping this ''unfair'' duel from continuing.


    However, just as he was about to say something, he was stopped by Colonel Connor who said, "Hold on, keep watching and pay attention to Rein''s condition. He isn''t panicking, doesn''t look like he''s about to lose!"


    Hamilton paused, perplexed, and upon closer observation as his friend Connor had suggested, he noticed that Rein was entirely too calm, not seeming forced at all.


    So, he decided to continue watching.


    Rein thought silently and subtly added an attribute point to agility. The opponent''s speed was a bit too fast, and at the moment, he still didn''t want to reveal his transcendent characteristic ''Iron Skin''; thus, he needed to keep up with the opponent''s attack rhythm as much as possible.


    Thus, Rein''s agility attribute instantly rose from 14 to 15 points, and simultaneously, his fatigue vanished, returning him to peak condition!


    Calavi slightly bent his knees and, swinging his dual swords, attacked Rein again, his speed even faster than before.


    Facing this strike from Calavi, Rein decided to test his knight transcendent characteristic ''Huge Strength lv1''.


    Suddenly, Rein''s muscles swelled slightly.


    Seeing this, a smirk appeared under Calavi''s helmeted face. Still too young and inexperienced! Using the transcendent characteristic ''Huge Strength'' so quickly. But what use is huge strength if you can''t hit your target! S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as he planned to quickly move behind Rein to attack, Rein''s whole body suddenly performed a Whirlwind Slash, the speed unexpectedly fast!


    This forced Calavi to choose to meet Rein''s ''Huge Strength lv1''-boosted Whirlwind Slash head-on!


    "Clang!!"


    Calavi''s swords crossed, forcefully withstanding this mighty blow from Rein.


    He had obviously also activated a limit break, his body under the armor had also swollen slightly.


    However, since his Knight Breathing Method was not based on strength, even as a seasoned knight, he still couldn''t gain the upper hand in a direct clash with Rein.


    At this moment, Rein glanced at the change in his own data; his strength had gone from 15 points to 19.5, clearly an effect of the transcendent characteristic ''Huge Strength lv1''.


    Strength had increased by thirty percent, but that was far from the growth brought about by Strength Burst.


    It was unclear whether the effects were cumulative, but this was the perfect opportunity to test it.


    Rein activated ten percent of his Strength Burst and watched as his strength attribute jumped again, reaching 21 points.


    With 21 points in strength, Caravel''s hands began to tremble, and the Glimmering Greatsword pressed down harder, approaching Caravel''s knightly helm. Clearly, Rein''s level of strength was becoming too much for him to withstand.


    "Ha!" Rein increased the degree of his Strength Burst once more!


    This time, Caravel could no longer resist. He was knocked back as if hit by a wild boar, hurtling towards the training ground''s wall with even greater speed than before.


    Along the way, everything from archery targets to wooden chairs and sword racks were smashed to smithereens, until finally, with a loud ''bang,'' he crashed into the wall!


    From the point of impact, the wall displayed circular ripples and a significant dent.


    Fortunately, the wall was of good quality; otherwise, Caravel would have certainly broken through it!


    On the ground, one could still see two clear trenches, not very deep but noticeably distinct, precisely where Caravel''s feet had dragged.


    "Impressive! Rein must have officially become a knight!"


    "Rein previously claimed he wasn''t a knight, but now it seems he clearly is one! I mean, how else could he have remained so calm against that Black Flame priest?" Matteo suddenly realized something and exclaimed in revelation.


    "Yes! Yes! No wonder Rein could take on six mercenaries alone; he must have already been a knight at that time."


    "That ability to expand his muscles must be a knight''s special ability, right? Truly fierce!" another Night Watchman chimed in.


    "...."


    This made Gordon twitch the corner of his mouth, his expression sour. In his view, cleaning up that ''lucky fellow'' should have been an easy feat.


    But now, things had turned into such a ''complicated mess,'' which annoyed Gordon to no end. He shouted from the side, "Caravel, stop playing around!"


    This caused the previously excited and joyful Night Watchmen to exchange glances, wondering if it was really all still under control.


    What happened next left them dumbfounded!


    They saw Caravel slowly extricate himself from the wall.


    He twisted his neck, producing no creaking sound, but rather the friction noise between the plate mail helmet and the chest armor, which further proved the ''tin can''s'' defensive power.


    As for Rein, facing such a resilient opponent like Caravel sparked not fear but a thrill within him.


    Having just advanced to a knight, he found it perfect to test his combat strength against an opponent.


    "Swish!"


    Suddenly, Caravel''s form sped up significantly, bringing him within a few meters in front of Rein in a flash.


    At this point, the onlooking Night Watchmen could no longer see clear details of Caravel''s attacks.


    "Transcendent attribute, agility?" Rein couldn''t help but look solemn. At this moment, Caravel''s speed had nearly reached the limits of what the naked eye could detect.


    In that case, there was no choice but to use this move!


    Rein''s chest suddenly swelled, his knight chest armor nearly bursting, and the muscles and veins in his neck expanded noticeably.


    "Ha!!!"


    A deafening roar erupted right next to Caravel''s ear!


    In an instant, Caravel''s entire form froze momentarily.


    Taking advantage of that brief pause, Rein executed a Furious Slash, sending his opponent flying once more with a combination of Transcendent attribute ''Huge Strength'' and fifty percent ''Strength Burst.''


    This combined strike utterly dazed Caravel!


    Due to the immense power of the attack, it almost completely tore off his chest armor.


    "Bang!"


    Like a cannonball, Caravel was sent back to the same wall indentation, but this time, the already damaged wall could no longer withstand the impact.


    Thus, Caravel broke through the wall, flying out into the street!


    Everyone in the training ground watched this scene, dumbfounded.


    This....


    The situation had reversed too quickly!


    Most people hadn''t even caught up.


    "Cough... It seems Rein has won. Young Master Gordon, can the farce end now?" Colonel Connor coughed at this moment, addressing Gordon.


    At this point, Gordon''s face flushed red with embarrassment at Connor''s words, unable to utter a single word, and could only ''hmmph'' heavily before turning away.


    Meanwhile, the Night Watchmen immediately began cheering, "Well done, Rein!"


    "Rein, should we refer to you as Sir Knight now?"


    "....."


    Just then, Hamilton, who had also been in shock, seemed to think of something important, suddenly turning to Rein with a serious tone:


    "Rein, there''s something very important you might need to start preparing for."

 Chapter 125: Chapter 116: The Secret of Enfeoffment

    Rein, who was still basking in the aftermath of the recent battle, couldn''t help but turn his head in confusion upon hearing what Hamilton had said.


    Hamilton looked around and said, "Come, let''s go talk about this matter in the office."


    Rein nodded, naturally agreeing to it.


    After Hamilton and the other two had left, the entire training ground was like a hot pot that had just had a bucket of cold water poured into it, immediately boiling over!


    "Rein has actually become a formal knight at such a young age! Such knightly talent must be rare even in the County Town, right?"


    "Yes! Have we ever seen such a young knight like Rein in Flashgold Town before?"


    "The last one, Vasiliy, seemed to be eighteen years old!"


    "....."


    In the office.


    The three men sat facing each other. Connor was still smiling as he sized up Rein, as if looking at a raw gemstone that had just been unearthed.


    Hamilton, however, wore a serious expression and said earnestly to Rein, "Rein, you need to start preparing for something in advance, the ennoblement examination of the empire."


    "The ennoblement examination of the empire?" Rein asked, slightly puzzled.


    After becoming a Transcendent, isn''t one directly ennobled by the empire as a knight, the lowest level of nobility?


    Why is there a need for an examination? Rein thought to himself.


    As if understanding the confusion on Rein''s face, Hamilton did not keep him in suspense and continued to explain:


    "If you are a legitimate heir of a noble family, you can indeed bypass this step and be directly ennobled by the empire. However, for illegitimate heirs, commoners who are promoted, and outsiders who pledge allegiance, a contribution to the empire must be made before they can have the opportunity to be ennobled."


    Rein nodded; he understood. The empire offers you the treatment of a noble, naturally requiring you to make corresponding contributions. Otherwise, unless your ancestors had earned great merit, where could you find such a good deal that offers benefits without work?


    "Of course, some newly-promoted knights with lesser strength choose to pledge loyalty to some great nobles and become knights for noble families, but I think, you will definitely not choose this path," continued Hamilton.


    Rein nodded in agreement.


    If one can actively choose the big tree to rely on, it is naturally best to choose the thickest one; after all, no nobility can compare to the mighty empire, the tallest tree.


    Be it providing all kinds of rare resources, uncommon combat skills, or secret knowledge, the officialdom of the Dragan Empire is always the strongest within its territory.


    "So, Lord Hamilton, do you mean to say that this empire ennoblement examination is difficult or has a threshold?" Rein pondered for a moment and then spoke up.


    "Correct!"


    "If you are a noble scion, simply becoming a Transcendent is enough to register for the ennoblement examination."


    "But for a commoner, this matter is much more troublesome."


    "First of all, you need to submit an application to the ennoblement examination committee under the Council of Elders, who will review your background and past to confirm that you are not a spy or from some hostile forces."


    "Secondly, you need to hold a position or carry out tasks in the official departments of the empire and gradually accumulate Merit Points. Only when your Merit Points exceed 1000 can you qualify to apply for the examination."


    "As for you, Rein, there''s no need to worry about the application part. If you agree, I will submit your application when the time comes. Additionally, you are already serving with the Night Watchmen. So, from this perspective, you are already half a step ahead of others."


    "Thank you, my lord. What is my current Merit Points total?"


    "324 points, which already includes the points for eradicating the secret base of the Black Flame Church," Hamilton announced the number right away.


    Still lacking nearly two-thirds, it appears that gathering 1000 Merit Points is not so simple.


    After all, the simpler the tasks, the fewer the Merit Points awarded. And the more dangerous the tasks, although the rewards are much greater, they come with the risk of life and death, whether they are worth it is for one to weigh. Rein mused to himself.


    However, there were still a few questions in his mind that Rein felt he needed to clarify.


    "My lord, what does the ennoblement examination typically involve? Or rather, what is the exam content?" Rein inquired.


    "Generally, it involves completing a certain mission. It could be for several people or for an individual. The performance of every participant in the mission will be recorded and submitted to the ennoblement examination committee for judgment," explained Hamilton.


    After a moment''s thought, Hamilton added, "You can think of the mission where you killed the Black Flame monk and rescued the children as a kind of examination task. Of course, there are differences, with the most important being the evaluation."


    "With a high enough evaluation, you might be directly granted the title of Baron, otherwise that of a knight, which is just above the passing line," Hamilton explained.


    Rein, having listened to the explanation, displayed a contemplative expression, realizing that different performances led to different evaluations.


    "That''s not right! Wouldn''t it be better to take the examination later? After all, more time for training means higher strength," Rein immediately spotted an inconsistency. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then why does Lord Hamilton want me to prepare and participate as soon as possible?" Rein questioned the apparent inconsistency.


    At this point, Colonel Connor, who had been listening for a while, spoke up with a smile, "Do you find it a bit perplexing why Hamilton is urging you to hurry?"


    Rein nodded and said, "Indeed, I do have such a doubt. Isn''t it more appropriate to have greater strength for the evaluation?"


    "That is because age is also an important factor affecting the evaluation," Connor said with a smile.


    "Moreover, Hamilton didn''t mention a very important reason. It''s about the invitation to the ''Sword Bearers'' of the empire, which is only issued to those who obtain the rank of Baron or higher."


    "At this time, the advantage of age becomes very crucial."


    ''Sword Bearer''?


    This seemed to touch on yet another blind spot in Rein''s knowledge.


    Seeing the somewhat bewildered look on Rein''s face, Colonel Connor added:


    "Sword Bearer, Rein, you can understand it as a privileged organization spanning the entire empire with an extremely wide coverage. If you can join, you''ll leap beyond just the Meister County, even beyond Mingster Province."


    "You will come into contact with a far broader world!"


    This couldn''t help but stir a slight movement in Rein''s heart. Could he come into contact with a broader world?


    Naturally, that would be good.


    At that moment, Hamilton continued after Connor, saying:


    "Therefore, most newly advanced knights, in the interest of stability, choose to gradually increase their Merit Points. Usually taking two to three years, they''ll amass the 1,000 points needed to participate in the ennoblement assessment, aiming to pass and obtain the knightly title and honor."


    "But Rein, I think with your talent, it would be a true waste to do so!"


    "''Sword Bearer''! When I was young, I too strived and struggled toward this goal, but the gap in talent ultimately led to my defeat," Hamilton reminisced, unable to help but sigh.


    "Of course, Rein, the final decision on this matter has to be your own."


    "Connor and I are merely informing you of this opportunity, and we both feel that it would be a tremendous pity for such great talent not to give it a try."


    Rein nodded, saying, "Thank you both for informing me of such important news."


    After a moment of thought, without much hesitation, Rein stated, "If there''s a chance to experience a broader world, then... I should definitely take a look."


    The moment Rein uttered these words, Hamilton immediately burst into laughter, his eyes showing increasing admiration as he said:


    "Alright, if there are any tasks that come up with high merit rewards, I''ll keep an eye out for you. Rein, just wait for my message."


    "Also, I''ll arrange for someone else to take over the Night Watch''s night patrol duties."


    "It''s quite unexpected��no sooner had I appointed you as captain of the Night Watch than you stepped into the Transcendent today!"


    "In that case... be my deputy for now. As for your application for the deputy sheriff of Flashgold Town, I will file it with the County Town tomorrow." Hamilton was clearly in a good mood, offering proactively.


    "Then, my thanks to you, Lord Hamilton," Rein said earnestly.


    ...


    By the time Rein left Hamilton''s office, it was already evening.


    Rein took a deep breath and gazed at the small town gradually lighting up with lanterns and lamps.


    The nightscape of Flashgold Town had not changed, but he himself was markedly different from when he had arrived.


    Or rather, Rein, having stepped into the Transcendent, had taken the first step toward taking control of his own destiny.


    When Rein returned home, he was greeted by the tantalizing aroma of food��the scent of dinner being prepared by his mother, Emma.


    "Brother, you''re back!" Bo He, who had been playing with their spaniel ''Cookie,'' ran over happily and hugged Rein enthusiastically upon seeing him enter.


    However, seemingly sensing something, Bo He let go and looked up at Rein with a puzzled expression, saying, "Brother, how come you feel different than before?"


    "It''s like... you''re glowing all over."


    The child''s keen perception had immediately noticed the strong life force emanating from Rein, though she didn''t know how to articulate it or what it meant.


    Hearing the commotion of Rein''s return, Lagaray and Anna came down from upstairs.


    Upon hearing Bo He''s remark, they began to size up Rein.


    Anna, too, felt that Rein had changed, but she couldn''t pinpoint how.


    But Lagaray was different; her eyes suddenly widened with shock as she pointed at Rein and exclaimed, "Rein, you... you''ve become Transcendent?"


    At this, the entire family''s attention focused on Rein, even his mother Emma peeked out from the kitchen, looking at him.


    Rein touched his head, smiled, and said, "By luck! This afternoon, I took a Magic Potion at Lord Hamilton''s place, and I''ve successfully stepped into the Transcendent!"


    "Clang!" Emma''s ladle fell to the ground, her whole body shaking like she had been struck by lightning, a flush creeping over her face as she looked as if she were about to faint from excitement.


    Rein quickly stepped forward to steady her.


    Original content from M-VL-em|p,yr


    Old Rein, with a bottle in hand, was shaking as if he had Parkinson''s, mumbling with his lips, trying to say something but not knowing where to start.


    Anna watched Rein with large eyes fluttering, a complex expression on her face.


    That night, old Rein drank himself into a stupor!

 Chapter 126: Chapter 117: Son-in-law?

    After dinner, Rein was inevitably pulled aside by his mother, Emma, who then bombarded him with questions.


    The question she had been pressing in her heart was finally voiced after her son Rein attained Transcendence, "Rein, I''ve noticed you''ve been challenging that girl Lagaray to contests these past few days, do you like her?"


    Rein was taken aback upon hearing this.


    Before he could even share his opinion,


    Emma continued, "That''s believable, Anna is a bit too thin after all. But... now that you''re a Knight, should you consider marrying a noble lady?"


    "Of course, I''m not against you interacting with Anna, she''s a good girl, and that barbaric girl Lagaray isn''t bad either. I''ve heard nowadays many noblemen have lovers..."


    Although they were in the room, Rein knew all too well about the poor soundproofing of their home and feared that continuing this conversation could lead to��


    "Hold on, uh... Mother, let''s talk about this later. I''ve just been promoted to Transcendent, and I still need time to adjust my physical condition. Let''s discuss this matter later," he said.


    Rein beat a hasty retreat!


    Sure enough, when he stepped out of the room, he saw Anna, her face flushed and her head bowed.


    Lagaray too had a rare blush on her face, but upon seeing Rein emerge, she huffed loudly, carried her chin high with a hint of haughtiness, and pulled Anna away.


    This made Rein breathe a sigh of relief.


    Otherwise, he didn''t know how he would face Lagaray and Anna later; it might have been so awkward that he could "dig out a three-room flat with his toes."


    Back in his own room, Rein calmed his mind and started checking the system prompts:


    "[Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +286]"


    "[You experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +32]"


    Rein frowned immediately upon seeing this, obviously, the experience gain for Giant Bear Sword Technique hadn''t changed much, but the experience for Knight (Transcendent) was significantly less compared to his earlier status as a Night Watchman.


    But after a moment''s thought, Rein started to smile.


    At least it could still be improved through fighting, right?


    What''s there to be unhappy about!


    It was merely a matter of ''grinding''.


    After that, Rein focused his attention on two Transcendent attributes.


    Regarding the Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin'', Rein had practically tested it in Hamilton''s resting room and was fairly familiar with it.


    And the Transcendent trait ''Huge Strength'', in his fight against Karavi, Rein had also gained a preliminary understanding.


    It seemed similar to ''Strength Burst'' at a low range, and if used together, it was still quite a burden on his body. Fortunately, when he advanced to a formal Knight, his Constitution had directly increased to 16 points.


    So Rein guessed that using ''Huge Strength'' together with one hundred percent ''Strength Burst'' in the short term wouldn''t be a big problem, only that the ''side effects'' might be quite intense.


    Besides, he tried combining ''Huge Strength'' and ''Strength Burst'' multiple times, and by looking at the panel''s numeric display, he confirmed that the stacking method was not multiplicative but straightforwardly additive.


    If his base Strength was 10, then the combined state would be ''Huge Strength'' at thirty percent, plus ''Strength Burst'' at one hundred percent, resulting in a total increase of 130%, thus in the combined state, the panel displayed his Strength score as 23.


    About the limit breaking, actually, he had already exceeded the limit while using the Transcendent trait ''Huge Strength'' in a previous battle.


    But the 3% degree of exceeding the limit was really too low, almost the same as not having exceeded at all on the attribute panel, so he hadn''t noticed it.


    However, now that Rein thought carefully about it, he realized that exceeding the limit was very different from the ''Huge Strength'' Transcendent trait.


    After exceeding the limit, his Constitution, Strength, and Agility were comprehensively enhanced, and the degree was exactly the percentage displayed on the panel.


    So, if Rein''s limit exceedance reached 10%, once activated, his Constitution, Strength, and Agility would all increase by an additional ten percent.


    While the ''Huge Strength lv1'' Transcendent trait was an increase of thirty percent in Strength.


    After pondering for a while, Rein simply summarized his current understanding.


    Exceeding the limit is an explosive enhancement to one''s physical quality, whereas Transcendent traits focus on enhancing a particular attribute or characteristic.


    No wonder the degree of exceeding the limit likely determined the combat strength of a Knight, of course, this refers to cases where only one Transcendent trait is possessed.


    After all, possessing only one Transcendent trait is the current situation for the vast majority of Knights.


    Just then, Rein suddenly noticed on the Knight (Transcendent) panel, the ''Physical Limit Exceedance Value (5%)'' had a plus sign next to it.


    Oh! That''s not right, the value inside the parentheses was clearly 3% before, how come it changed to 5%?


    Rein noticed the change immediately.


    He recalled carefully, and it seemed that it happened during the contest against Karavi, when he had added a point to Agility. Could that be the reason for the change?


    Could enhancing attributes increase the limit exceedance value?


    But what''s the deal with this plus sign?


    Rein pondered for a moment, then focused his consciousness on the "+" sign. Suddenly, a Skill Point disappeared, and the Break Limit value shot up to 15%.


    Hisss! So it could be done this way!


    One Skill Point corresponds to a 10% Break Limit value?


    After a brief contemplation, Rein couldn''t help but feel delighted.


    Clearly, this was a good thing, as once the physical Break Limit was elevated to a certain level, both the "Break Limit" and the two Transcendent traits "Huge Strength" and "Iron Skin" would improve, meaning his combat power would increase.


    Wait a second...


    If attribute points could also enhance the Break Limit, would it make a difference whether he added points to agility, strength, or constitution, that is, would different increases in attributes have different impacts on the Break Limit?


    If that were the case, choosing to add points to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique would also be an option because it builds up over time, enhancing his strength and constitution.


    However, this method would take much longer, unlike the immediate effects witnessed from direct attribution!


    After flipping through the panel for a while, Rein once again retrieved the Silver Book of "Beast Taming Diary" that originally came from "Hound King" Cole.


    Now that he had stepped into the Transcendent realm, studying this unknown script was officially on his schedule.


    Rein opened the Silver Book, thought for a moment, and copied a few unidentified characters onto a small piece of paper.


    After his selection, these characters were non-sequential, so Rein was not worried that anyone would discern anything from them.


    If asked, he could easily claim he had seen them in some ancient tome and was merely curious to learn about them.


    He planned to ask Hamilton the next morning, with the reason being that he wanted to learn a bit about script and asking for an introduction to the scholars in the county town.


    Of course, Rein had a backup plan, which was to search and head to the "Bat Market" himself. There, it was highly probable he could find relevant material. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, that place was a den of mixed repute, and Rein still hesitated, especially remembering the Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, Endri, whose combat methods were diverse and cunning. Even though Rein was now a knight, he was not to be underestimated.


    Rein had a premonition that, if he could decipher these unknown characters, it would likely bring tremendous benefits to the use of the mysterious side energy particles he had contemplated before.


    The next morning, as Rein stepped out of his house, he found a carriage adorned with noble crest marks stopped at his door, flanked by four cavalry guards, each looking vigorous and powerful.


    The crest was a Kite Shield with a rose-like floral design on it.


    However, Rein''s limited knowledge of noble crests kept him from identifying whose carriage it might be.


    Just then, a middle-aged man dressed in a black tailcoat came forward with a welcoming smile, "You must be Lord Rein? Baroness Crowley is in the carriage waiting for you. The lady wishes to have a word with you."


    "Hmm?" Rein heard this with a start; he was certain he had never met any Baroness Crowley.


    Just as he was about to politely refuse, the middle-aged man continued, "The lady has come from the county town and has been waiting here for half an hour already, so..."


    This made Rein reconsider, and from the man''s tone, it seemed he was not here to cause trouble.


    Thinking it over, Rein nodded and said, "Alright! Let''s have a chat then."


    This pleased the butler-like middle-aged man immensely, who went ahead and opened the carriage door for Rein, who stepped in.


    Upon entering the carriage, Rein was greeted by a fragrant waft of perfume. He looked up to see a noblewoman and a young noble lady sitting properly, gazing at him with grace.


    The noblewoman was dressed in an elegant off-the-shoulder deep blue gown adorned with lace and a few pearls.


    Your adventure continues with m_v_l_e_m_p_y_r


    The style exposed a lot of her fair skin, and a sapphire brooch secured the bustling top of her gown, which trembled slightly.


    The young noble lady appeared much greener, her attire more conservative. She looked at Rein and quickly diverted her gaze, her cheeks turning slightly red, but she seemed to think of something and looked back at him again.


    Upon seeing Rein settled, the noblewoman began softly, "This must be the accomplished young Lord Rein."


    "Yes, honored lady, may I know the purpose of your visit..."


    The noblewoman glanced at Rein, saying, "I heard that a knight prodigy has emerged from Flashgold Town..."


    "Therefore, I must implore you to consider my proposal. Marry into the Crowley family and we can provide many supports. For instance, Lord Rein can forgone the noble title examination and directly inherit the Baronetcy of the Crowley family."


    "My husband, Baron Crowley, passed away a year ago due to illness, so once you and Jenny are married, you can soon inherit the baronetcy."


    "Of course, once you and Jenny''s children come of age, they would need to inherit the Baronetcy of the Crowley family. Furthermore��"


    After the conversation, Rein blushed.


    The lady''s words immediately reminded him of his mother Emma''s words from the previous night, ''marry a noble''s daughter''.


    He hadn''t expected the news of his stepping into the Transcendent to spread so quickly. Baroness Crowley intended to make him a ''son-in-law'', and the young noble lady beside her would be his wife if he agreed.


    According to the traditions of the Dragan Empire, if he agreed, he could instantly climb to high status, enjoying the support of a baronet family and manage it together with Miss Jenny.


    However, he would also lose many things, like the right to pass his surname to his offspring, and...


    Baroness Crowley, seeing Rein frequently glancing at her but now suddenly falling silent, seemed to have thought of something. She hesitated for a moment before throwing another ''blockbuster''.

 Chapter 127: Chapter 118 Unexpected Joy

    "Lord Reine, if you have intentions towards me... I would not oppose it." Seemingly embarrassed by the topic at hand, the beautiful lady''s fair, oval face flushed a deeper shade of red, adding an allure to her features.


    This statement shocked Reine to the core.


    At the same time, it also ignited a warm surge in the lower belly of Reine, who had not been with a woman since his arrival in this world, causing him to feel dry-mouthed and tongue-tied instantly.


    At this moment, he finally understood the openness regarding sexual matters among the nobility: as long as interests were aligned, many once unimaginable things could become possible. Reine, being a normal man, could not deny the temptation.


    If Reine had been unaware of the existence of the ''Sword Bearer'' and the details of the ennoblement examination, perhaps he would have considered it seriously, but now, he was sure he would not choose the path of marrying into a family.


    Suppressing the turmoil within, Reine calmed his emotions and thought for a while before speaking:


    "Madam, marrying into a family is out of the question. However, your great favor flatters me greatly; if the Crowley family faces any difficulty that I am capable of handling, I will not hold back my assistance." Continue your saga on m-vl-e-mpyr


    Upon hearing this, disappointment was clearly visible on the face of the Baroness Crowley. She had heard such pleasing words too many times at noble gatherings and knew that no one ever took them seriously.


    Since the death of her husband due to a strange illness, the Crowley family had been without a direct bloodline Knight, and two Knights in their forties and fifties had set their sights on her and her daughter after the Baron''s death, hence her urgent need to find a powerful Knight.


    The newly knighted Reine, coming from commoner origins and possessing considerable strength, was one of her best options, which was why the Baroness Crowley had hastened here from the County Town so early in the morning.


    In the entire region of Meister County, newly knighted commoners were rare, but surely there were others besides Reine within a month.


    However, newly knighted Knights of commoner origin usually have mediocre abilities, and someone with exceptional Knightly talents like Reine was indeed a rarity.


    "That is truly regrettable."


    "Then, Lord Reine, would you consider becoming a Guardian Knight for the Crowley family? We are willing to sponsor a sum each year for the maintenance and purchase of your armor, weapons, and horses."


    Fearing another refusal from Reine, Lady Crowley hastily added, "Lord Reine would only need to help when the Crowley family faces danger; we would not disturb you during your other times of training."


    Seeing Lady Crowley''s big, hopeful eyes looking at him, Reine pondered for a moment, carefully choosing his words, and said, "But I might not be capable of handling every danger that the Crowley family faces, so..."


    "Of course, we would only ask for Lord Reine''s help with matters that are within your capabilities," seeing a hint of willingness from Reine, Lady Crowley began to use the respectful ''you'' in her address.


    Though Reine, now with Knightly prowess, had not been officially knighted by the empire and was not yet a noble, being addressed as ''you'' by a Baroness made him feel the changes that came with increased strength.


    Reine thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "Well then, madam, your sincerity has moved me. I am willing to become the Guardian Knight for the Crowley family, how about a tentative two years?"


    Reine was aware of what being a Guardian Knight entailed, as Hamilton had once explained to him that if a Knight is very powerful, many families will seek to have him as their Guardian Knight.


    Sometimes, the mere name of a powerful Guardian Knight could deter threats, ensuring long-lasting peace for a smaller family.


    Similarly, during this process, the Guardian Knight would receive support from the family in certain aspects.


    As for who benefits or loses more, it''s up to the beholder.


    "Of course, that''s wonderful, Lord Reine!" the Baroness Crowley exclaimed joyfully.


    "Then, Lord Reine, when are you free soon? Please allow the Crowley family to host a small welcome ceremony for you."


    "Hmm? A ceremony isn''t really necessary," Reine frowned slightly, not wanting to waste time on social events or ceremonies.


    "Please do us the honor; after all, becoming the Guardian Knight of the Crowley family is no small matter, and we also need to deter some who bear ill will towards the Crowley family." Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I see... alright then! But today is not possible; let''s tentatively schedule it for next week," Reine thought it over, deciding that since he had agreed, he might as well go through with some of the formalities.


    "Very well, we shall set the time for next week," upon hearing Reine''s agreement, Lady Crowley instantly relaxed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Just having Reine appear would be the best deterrence against the two scheming Knight servants.


    "By the way, Lord Reine, if there is anything you need, you can always contact the Crowley family," the lady added, clearly in high spirits. While it wasn''t the best outcome, it was still very good and not a wasted trip.


    Just as Reine was about to take his leave, suddenly a thought crossed his mind.


    "Actually, madam, there is a small favor I need. Could you possibly help with..."


    "Certainly, Lord Reine, please feel free to ask," the lady eagerly responded.


    She was more than willing to help Reine; this was an opportunity for her to deepen relations and maintain good rapport with a young Knight with a promising future.


    Reine then pulled out a piece of paper he had prepared earlier and handed it over to Lady Crowley.


    As she took it, she curiously looked it over, but from her blank expression, it was clear she did not recognize the writing.


    Just as Lord Reine was about to say something, Miss Jenny, who had been silent next to the lady, now turned slightly and looked towards the scrap of paper. Upon seeing the text on it, she couldn''t help but exclaim, "Is this a mystical text?"


    "Eh! Miss Jenny, you recognize this kind of writing?" A slight movement stirred in Reine''s heart as he spoke.


    "Uh... Lord Reine, I haven''t formally studied this type of writing. I only know a bit, as there are books about it in our family library which is why I recognized it."


    "Oh, you have books? Could I possibly borrow them?" Reine could hardly contain his joy as he spoke.


    "This... Of course, I''ll sort them out for you once I get back," Jenny nodded and agreed.


    Reine nodded; he hadn''t expected such an unexpected pleasure.


    Originally he had planned to first inquire with Lord Hamilton and had even prepared a second plan in case that failed. But now, he had resolved it just by stepping out of his house!


    They agreed to send the books over in two days, after which Reine bid farewell to Baroness Crowley and Miss Jenny and left the carriage.


    After getting off, Reine continued towards the town hall.


    Upon arriving at the hall, since he had already found a way to learn about the unknown script, he wasn''t in a hurry to proceed to Hamilton''s office. Instead, he took a detour to the training grounds.


    The first thing Reine saw was the training grounds'' wall, which had been smashed open yesterday; it had already been repaired. It appeared the town hall''s work efficiency was quite high.


    Seeing Reine approaching, many Night Watchmen who were training stopped and gathered around him. This was because Reine''s temperament was not peculiar and he was easy to get along with. Of course, the most important reason was that Reine had become Transcendent.


    It could be said that since joining, Reine had risen step by step witnessed by other Night Watchmen, naturally endearing him to them.


    "Reine, you came! We thought you wouldn''t come anymore."


    "Yeah, you''ve been promoted to Transcendent now. From now on, we should call you Sir Knight, haha." Matteo, who was short in stature, said with a laugh.


    "..."


    Reine looked at the smiling faces of his colleagues. Although there was an element of flattery, human admiration for strength was natural and nothing to complain about.


    After greeting everyone, Reine asked his colleagues for help. His reason was that he wanted to test his reaction time, so he needed a few colleagues to shoot arrows at him with bows.


    In reality, Reine''s real purpose was to confirm his guess from the previous day.


    After seeing the notice from the system about the Knight Professional Experience Points he had gained from yesterday''s battle, Reine vaguely guessed that after becoming Transcendent, if his opponents were not Transcendent, the combat experience rewards he could get would probably be very little.


    "All four of you, shoot at me with all your might! Use combat arrows, and don''t stop unless I say to," Reine instructed.


    The few hesitated only briefly, then nodded.


    Matteo said, "Now that you''re a Knight and wearing armor, combat arrows probably won''t hurt you. But still, be careful, Reine. It''d be embarrassing to get injured by us, haha."


    "Sure, remember to attack with all your might! If you can injure me, first round of tequila is on me tonight at the Oak Tree Tavern," Reine said with a laugh.


    "Haha, great! Everyone, let''s put in some effort. Don''t underestimate us," Matteo said cheerfully.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"


    No sooner had Reine taken his position at the center of the ground than arrows from the four men shot at him like rapid-fire.


    After being promoted to Knight, the overall enhancement of his attributes allowed Reine to dodge the majority of arrows without even activating ''Break Limit''. For the few arrows that did come close, he deflected them with his armored gloved hands.


    After testing a few times,


    Reine waved his hand, telling the wheezing Matteo and the others to stop.


    Indeed, the test results were as he expected. The fight against Matteo and the others, if previously he could still gain a small amount of Experience, now essentially did not trigger the Experience acquisition reminder.


    From several tests, he had only occasionally received two +1 Experience notices.


    Clearly, if Reine wanted to efficiently earn Knight Professional Experience Points, he would need to seek opponents who were also on the Transcendent level.


    With this thought, a smile formed on Reine''s face; it seemed he would only need to fleece Lord Hamilton now.


    However, just as Reine entered Hamilton''s office, he saw Hamilton look up at him and say, "Reine, you''ve come at the right time. I was just about to send someone for you."


    Before Reine could ask, Hamilton handed him a thin sheepskin scroll for a Bounty Order.

 Chapter 128: Chapter 119: The Haunted Mill

    "Reine, you could first look through the information related to this Bounty Order,"


    "Originally, it was just a bounty, but after being posted for a long time without resolution, it has now turned into a mysterious event that needs to be resolved by official imperial channels,"


    "This is one of several mysterious events that have occurred recently in the regions belonging to Meist County, which I selected. Once a mysterious event is resolved, the merit rewards are three to five times, or even more, than those of ordinary events,"


    "Reine, considering that you have already stepped into the ranks of a Transcendent Knight and also possess the ''Glimmering Greatsword,'' I think you will not face much trouble with this mission as long as you are careful about your safety,"


    Reine nodded, having no objections to Lord Hamilton''s arrangements.


    With the ''Glimmering Greatsword'' in his hand, if the source of the mysterious event was some form of evil, he still carried a certain advantage,


    Reine took the Bounty Order and began to read it closely; after a short while, he looked up at Hamilton in surprise and said, "I never expected ghosts to truly exist!"


    "Although it could be exaggerated by common folk, these entities do exist in reality, just in extremely rare numbers, hence most often they are regarded as mere legends,"


    "Such Bounty Orders are generally not considered by typical bounty hunters because they lack the capabilities to eliminate these ghosts and would only endanger their lives, making it not worth the risk,"


    "Furthermore, those who can eliminate these ghosts are usually known as Demon Hunters, a group even rarer than the spirits themselves," Hamilton explained.


    "Demon Hunters?" Reine mulled over the title internally.


    This world''s Demon Hunters wouldn''t also be using a pair of swords��one silver and one steel��would they?


    "Yes, it is said that to become a Demon Hunter, one needs to awaken some kind of Transcendent trait, but the specifics, I am not too clear about,"


    "Of course, apart from Demon Hunters, there are also individuals within the church capable of eradicating them, but throughout the entire Meist County, there is only one large cathedral dedicated to the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess,"


    "Those capable of dispelling evil are mostly high-ranking church officials, and if the mysterious events do not occur within the County Town, they generally do not partake,"


    "The same is true for the advisors of the great nobles,"


    Reine nodded in understanding, realizing that people with such capabilities are rare and high-ranking, and naturally, they would not be the ones to take on such bounties,


    "Lord Hamilton, then I will make minor preparations and head to Agatha Mill as soon as possible,"


    "Oh, Reine, I have a bottle of ''Holy Water'' here from the Buffalo Cathedral in the County Town. If you are dealing with a resentful spirit or some such evil creature, ''Holy Water'' should be highly effective,"


    Considering this, Hamilton took an oval-shaped glass vial from a drawer,


    The liquid inside was clearly visible, a pale blue in color,


    Reine took it and examined it carefully; he could feel a subtle energy within, but it seemed to pose no threat to him,


    "Thank you, my lord," Reine said, slightly bowing in gratitude.


    It seemed that Lord Hamilton had made thorough considerations for his first mysterious mission,


    After leaving the office, Reine thought it over and realized he didn''t have much to prepare,


    The ''Glimmering Greatsword'' was currently strapped to his back, and he was wearing knight armor. Other shields seemed redundant since acquiring the supernatural trait ''Iron Skin'', which could hinder the performance of his Dual-Handed Greatsword,


    After pondering for a while, Reine decided he could set out immediately,


    Considering it was only around nine in the morning, he could perhaps return by evening if all went smoothly,


    Given the ''official duty'' nature of this mission, Reine unhesitatingly chose a warhorse from the stable in the administrative hall,


    With a slight kick, Reine mounted the horse, ready to set off,


    Just then, a carriage arrived at the entrance of the small town''s administrative hall, and Reine casually glanced at the insignia on the carriage��it was the noble crest of the Habus family: ''a stooping bird of prey'',


    Though Reine was a bit puzzled, he presumed they were here for Hamilton and didn''t concern himself much, planning to ride off,


    "Excuse me, is this Lord Reine?"


    Just as Reine was about to depart, a middle-aged man''s voice called out from behind him,


    Turning around in bewilderment, Reine saw a man in a long black robe, with a parted hairstyle in the middle, stepping out of the carriage and smilingly addressing him,


    "Yes, may I ask who you are?"


    "Lord Reine, I am Michel, the butler of Baron Alonso, the eldest legitimate son of the Habus family,"


    ''Alonso''?


    Upon hearing the name, Reine''s pupils contracted; he certainly knew who the man was, just not the reason for his visit,


    All Michel, the butler, did was maintain his formulaic smile and continued, "There might have been a small misunderstanding between us before, but that''s all in the past,"


    "This time, Baron Alonso has sent me to have a talk with you, Lord Reine. If it''s convenient for you, please join me in the carriage," Michel continued with a smile, gesturing towards the carriage,


    "This...." Reine pondered,


    Worried about an assassination attempt?


    The other party wasn''t foolish; it was highly unlikely that they would try to assassinate him in front of many guards at the door of a small town''s administrative hall,


    This time, it seemed they were here to recruit him, but...could a past assassination attempt really be brushed off with just a small misunderstanding?


    Reine had already decided, despite whatever enticing offers they might make, to listen first and gauge their intentions,


    "Alright!" Reine dismounted and walked over, while Michel warmly opened the carriage door for him,


    As soon as Reine stepped into the carriage, he was stunned.


    The next second, he realized what was going on and slowly sat down on the sheepskin-covered carriage seat.


    Opposite him were a pair of beautiful twin girls, dressed in identical white, off-the-shoulder dresses with trim, which accentuated their delicate and tender bodies to the fullest extent.


    When the two girls saw Lord Reine''s gaze, they shyly lowered their heads, and their delicate bodies even leaned closer to each other, giving one the sense of appreciating the beauty of joint lotus blossoms.


    Lord Reine couldn''t help but look a few more times.


    For beautiful things, humans instinctively pursue them. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Michel, who was nearby, seeing Lord Reine''s slightly shocked expression and his subsequent frequent glances toward the twin girls, nodded slightly with a smile.


    It seemed that this arrangement of his was quite to the liking of this "farmer''s son."


    Previously, his judgment was that since the "farmer''s son" had such exceptional talents but had never shown them before, it was very likely that he had a special affection for Lady Creya; otherwise, it was hard to explain this situation.


    If so, even though they might not find a beauty comparable with Lady Creya, there is a saying, two is better than one.


    Now, it seemed the effect was not bad.


    "Lord Reine, Baron Alonso highly appreciates your talent. If you agree to become a follower of Lord Alonso, then these two beautiful girls from Crab Claw Peninsula will be your maidservants," he said.


    "Furthermore, Lord Reine, here is a set specially prepared for you....."


    "Wait a minute, Michel butler, if I heard you correctly, did you just say ''follower''?" Lord Reine frowned, interrupting Michel''s continuous story.


    "Yes, if you become a follower of Lord Alonso, all your cultivation expenses will be...."


    "Sorry, but please forgive me for not being able to agree," Lord Reine shook his head and outright refused.


    What a joke.


    If previously Lord Reine was unclear about the difference between a follower and a guardian knight, after Lord Hamilton''s explanation, he understood it very clearly.


    Being a follower might seem nice, with the master covering food, lodging, and cultivation resources, but the consequence was that there was almost no autonomy.


    This was fundamentally in conflict with what Reine sought��to control his own fate.


    Thus, Lord Reine did not hesitate to refuse.


    "What?!" Michel had the expression of a duck whose neck was being squeezed, and the twin girls also covered their mouths, looking at Reine with a face full of surprise.


    Michel was stunned for a good while before he said with a gloomy expression, "Lord Reine, I think you should reconsider Baron''s suggestion carefully."


    "Thank you, but there''s no need," Reine replied.


    "Michel butler, I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave," said Lord Reine, and immediately turned around and stepped down from the carriage.


    Lord Reine knew very well what his refusal meant, but to be informed is to be calm, to be compassionate is to be anxiety-free, and to be brave is to be fearless!


    Meanwhile.


    In Meist County City.


    In a luxurious mansion''s underground hall.


    A slender knight holding a scythe-like weapon was respectfully reporting: Stay tuned with m,v le,mpyr


    "High Priest, the cause of Mort''s death has been clarified: according to the findings, he was killed by a newly emerged knight. Here is the information concerning that knight."


    The scythe-wielding knight handed over a document to the High Priest, who was sitting in a large armchair. Under the light of a wall lamp, the cover of the document clearly bore the name Reine.


    "In addition, since the stronghold near Flashgold Town has been exposed, we lost more than twenty ''materials'', and there is definitely not enough time for the Black Flame Prayer Ceremony. Therefore, we must expedite it by holding a blood sacrifice."


    "As for the location of the blood sacrifice, please instruct, High Priest," the scythe-wielding knight continued.


    "Oh! A newly emerged knight from Flashgold Town? How coincidental."


    "The location... have you heard? An Evil Spirit Knight has appeared near Flashgold Town. This might just be our opportunity."


    "Are you suggesting Flashgold Town, High Priest? But isn''t that a bit too close to the County Town? Moreover, the Habsburg Manor is just up there..." the scythe-wielding knight hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.


    "The Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church should be dispatching someone to Nightingale Forest soon to investigate the Evil Spirit Knight incident, by which time the defensive force in Flashgold Town is bound to be drawn away, leaving it vulnerable."


    "As for the personnel arrangement of the Habsburg Manor, leave that to Alonso."


    "As you command, High Priest."


    ...


    After refusing Michel, Lord Reine quickly rode his horse to the Agatha Mill, located not far from the County Town.


    This mill, by jurisdiction, was no longer under the management of Flashgold Town but belonged to the outskirts of County Town.


    The geographic location of the mill was excellent, backed by a grassy hillside, with a large wheat field in front, making it an ideal spot for a mill.


    But even in the harvest season, the road leading to the windmill was sparsely populated.


    Lord Reine continued to ride towards the mill.


    As he approached, he noticed three large, lighthouse-shaped windmills. While one was still in use, the doors of the other two mills were tightly locked and completely unused.


    At that moment, a round, chubby middle-aged man approached, wiping the sweat from his brow as he hurried over.

 Chapter 129: Chapter 120: Whispers in the Ear

    "May I ask who you are?" the middle-aged man, although not recognizing Rein, still bowed respectfully and asked.


    It was mainly because the present Rein was no longer the thin, ordinary citizen of two months ago.


    Rein, now of average height and build, rode a tall horse, clad in a knight''s armor, and carried a Dual-Handed Greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, clearly a formidable warrior at first glance.


    The impression he gave was, if not of an official knight, then at least of a knight in training.


    "I am Rein. Is this Agatha Mill? I heard about the mysterious events here and have come to handle it," said Rein as he dismounted and nodded to the middle-aged man.


    Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man''s face lit up and he exclaimed, "Yes, this is Agatha Mill. Lord Reine, I am Gregory Victor, the steward of the Watson Baron family. I am very pleased to meet you!"


    "Mr. Gregory, could you please tell me the details of what happened here?" Rein looked around and noticed that while the issue involved two windmills, there were very few people grinding flour at the remaining one.


    It seemed that the rumored presence of ghosts and the series of deaths had left most people feeling fearful.


    "Of course, Lord Reine, please come this way and have a seat, drink a cup of bitter chamomile tea."


    Rein followed Gregory into a nearby farmhouse where they sat down, and Gregory began to recount the full details of the incident.


    "Not long after Baron Watson purchased Agatha Mill, one day a thick fog enveloped the mill and lasted the entire day. By the next day, we found two farmers who had come to grind their grain dead inside the windmill closest to the mountain."


    "They had been gutted, a gruesome death, with clear claw marks on their necks and bodies. Initially, we thought it was some kind of beast, so we hired a Bounty Hunter to come, but by the next day, the Bounty Hunter, too, had been killed by whatever was here."


    "After the successive deaths, an experienced Bounty Hunter came, examined the wounds on the bodies, and inspected near the windmill. He said that he smelled decay and ghostly spirits."


    "Since then, no Bounty Hunter has dared to take on this task."


    "Until recently, Baron Watson sent a squad of family guards to inspect, and after one night, all five of them lay dead inside the two windmills."


    "Their chainmail had been torn open by claws, and their flesh was mangled! After that, the two windmills were isolated and closed off." At this point, the middle-aged man looked slightly terrified, still haunted by the memory of the scene.


    Rein nodded, noting that this ghost or monster''s claws were highly deadly, capable of tearing directly through chainmail.


    "Mr. Gregory, have you ever seen the monster?"


    "I haven''t... No one has actually seen what the monster looks like. That''s what is most unsettling," Gregory replied, frowning. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The unknown brings fear.


    "I understand, leave the rest to me," Rein nodded and said.


    Whether it was a ghost, was still unknown.


    Rein planned to first visit the two windmills, despite the bodies having been dealt with, the scene might still have some traces.


    "Lord Rein, here are the keys to all the farmhouses and the three windmills," said Gregory as he respectfully handed Rein a set of bronze keys.


    "Then I''ll leave it to you, Lord Rein. I will immediately report your arrival to Baron Watson."


    Rein nodded, took the key, and then went down alone to the two windmills.


    It was near noon by then, but strangely, the weather began to change; instead of the sun shining brightly, a faint mist started to rise.


    This made Rein feel odd, as mist usually occurred in the early morning or evening. At noon, when the sunlight was usually at its strongest, any mist should have dissipated, but now it was forming.


    This instinctively made Rein more alert.


    Using the bronze key, Rein unlocked the door of the first windmill with a "click," and immediately, a musty smell of damp grains hit him, mixed with a kind of rancid odor.


    Because both windmills were shaped in a cylindrical form that was narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, the mill area on the bottom floor was vast, approximately over a hundred square meters in a circular area.


    It contained numerous pieces of farming equipment, millstones, and other items.


    Going forward, Rein began to inspect around the millstone. Although some time had passed, he could still see distinct dark red blood stains on the side of the millstone.


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    Rein crouched down and examined it closely. From the splattered blood stains, combined with what the steward Gregory had said, it appeared that the farmer who came to grind flour had been attacked by some kind of claw, hitting directly at the neck, causing blood to spray and leading to his rapid death.


    After examining the first windmill, Rein opened the door and walked out.


    By then, the fog outside had thickened further, and visibility had started to decrease significantly. Rein could only see objects about ten meters in front of him; beyond that, even with his vision, he could not see clearly.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein did not retreat but went to the door of the second windmill, used the bronze key to open it, and stepped inside. This windmill had almost the same interior structure as the first.


    Similarly, Rein found blood stains of previous victims near this millstone, also in a radial splatter.


    From this, Rein believed that the two victimized farmers had died from the same type of attack.


    That meant the killer was the same beast or type of creature.


    Suddenly, Rein keenly sensed something flowing in the air. The exposed skin of his hands felt the movements in the air within the room.


    This made Rein immediately grab the ''Glimmering Greatsword'' from his back and hold it in his hand.


    Despite wearing knightly plate armor and possessing the Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin,'' Rein didn''t want to be ambushed by an unknown enemy, who knew how powerful the attacker could be!


    At that moment, the fog around became denser, slowly seeping from the outside into the windmill, making the interior less visible.


    The next second, Rein''s hair stood on end because he thought he heard whispering voices near his ear.


    Subconsciously, he listened closely. It seemed to be a woman''s shout, like she was saying,


    "Danger... run!... Run!... Run!"


    This suddenly gave Rein a chilling shock.


    He decided to leave the windmill first to think of a strategy, as this place indeed seemed rather eerie.


    Just as Rein turned around, he froze in place.


    Because right at the door of the windmill he had just exited, there was now a girl standing with a sorrowful expression.


    Golden twin ponytails, a plaid long skirt, and a white apron on her chest, her sleeves rolled up on her arms, looking every bit the farm girl.


    The appearance of the other party was so sudden and eerie that Rein suddenly felt his scalp tingle, and goosebumps covered his body.


    "Is this a ghost?"


    "But why is there no warning from my danger perception?"


    At that moment, Rein was holding a sword in one hand and began reaching for his waist pouch with the other; he planned to pull out ''Holy Water'' just in case.


    Suddenly, from the thick fog behind him, a long but muscular arm silently extended, aiming for Rein''s neck with sharp nails that resembled eagle claws.


    Almost at the same time, a level 2 danger perception warning violently alerted in Rein''s mind, and the next second, his head was suddenly attacked, emitting a grating metallic sound from his heavy plate helmet!


    As Rein hurriedly dodged, he swiftly swung his sword backward, and the forceful sword wind stirred the surrounding fog violently.


    Rein could sense that his greatsword seemed to have hit something, but the feeling was strange, not like hitting any solid object.


    The sensation felt more like he was cutting through water.


    Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from behind him, so shrill that it almost affected one''s sanity. Rein too was disoriented by the abrupt screeching, his forehead furrowing deeply.


    When Rein looked around again, the farm girl in the plaid long skirt had vanished from the doorway.


    "Tick-tock!"


    Rein focused his gaze and saw several drops of blood on the ground.


    On the blade of his Glimmering Greatsword in his hand, it now began to faintly glow, and there was also a smear of dark red blood.


    Red blood?


    It seems it''s not a ghost after all.


    Rein lifted the Glimmering Greatsword to his nose and sniffed slightly, the blood carried a pungent odor, distinctly different from the rusty smell typical of human blood.


    Clearly, it must be the owner of this pungent blood that was attacking him.


    Rein had a premonition that the attacker could hide within the dense fog, then launch sudden attacks.


    For such ambush-type monsters, Rein could only defend passively, encouraging the attacker to come forth, as it was impossible to find any trace of the attacker in the fog otherwise.


    After some thought, Rein added his last Skill Points to danger perception level 2.


    [Core Skill: Danger Perception lv3 (Passive)]


    Danger Perception lv3 (Passive) effect: Your awareness of dangers around you has markedly increased.


    (Note: The acuteness of danger perception is related to the host''s spirit; the stronger the spiritual power, the more sensitive the perception.)


    The level 3 danger perception provided Rein with a dramatic improvement; whereas before, the level 2 danger perception only alerted him at the instant an attack was launched.


    Now Rein had a hunch about the specific direction from which the enemy was coming.


    For instance, he could faintly sense that somewhere not far behind him, there seemed to be a monster watching him.


    The level 3 danger perception allowed Rein to feel the rough direction of the danger source.


    Rein didn''t turn around but stood still with the Glimmering Greatsword in his hand, having already formulated a counterattack plan in his mind.


    Time passed by every minute and second, and it seemed the creature behind him was becoming impatient.


    At the same time, the farm girl appeared again.


    This time, she emerged about ten meters to the front-right of Rein, closer than before.


    She walked slowly towards Rein with a sorrowful expression on her face, her countenance filled with agony.


    However, despite the farm girl''s approach, the level 3 danger perception still did not alert Rein!


    Instead, alarm bells rang out from behind!


    Suddenly, from the dense fog behind Rein, a sharp claw fiercely stretched out again!


    Because Rein was already on high alert, he instantly reacted.


    ''Limit Break!''


    Rein''s chest bulged suddenly, the muscles and veins in his neck swelling like a python.


    ''Roaring Strike!''


    Instantly, a massive wave of sound, centered at Rein''s mouth, surged outwards.


    The dense fog was instantly dispersed by the shockwave, revealing a hunched but lanky creature with sharp claws within the fog.


    The creature''s ugly face featured bulging eyes, and it watched Rein in fright, its entire posture poised as if about to pounce from above, its claws aimed at Rein''s neck.


    Clearly, the sonic attack was equally effective against this monster hidden in the mist.


    During the creature''s momentary rigidity, a bright silver light flashed.


    "Thump!"


    The sound of a heavy object falling echoed, and a grotesque head now tumbled rolling across the floor of Agatha Mill.


    The creature was decapitated by Rein!


    The next second, Rein turned his head again to look at the girl.


    This time, her expression suddenly changed.

 Chapter 130: Chapter 121: Abandoned Child

    Rein seemed genuinely pleased that Rein had slain the monster, and a faint smile emerged on his originally solemn and wooden face.


    This made Rein slow his movement to reach for the "Holy Water" in his belt pouch.


    But after thinking it over, Rein still took out the Holy Water and held it in his hand.


    Noticing the energy contained in the Holy Water, the girl glanced at the Holy Water in Rein''s hand, and her face turned to panic immediately, her hands waving in front of her chest as an ethereal and panicked voice arose:


    "Warrior... do not harm me, I''m not a bad person."


    Huh?


    Can talk?


    But why does this voice sound so familiar.


    Could it be the voice of the woman who just reminded me to run? Rein thought to himself.


    At this moment, the fog seemed to thin a bit, and the girl''s figure became a little clearer...


    But upon closer inspection, Rein realized that her body had an unreal feel to it. As the mist gradually dissipated, it gained a transparency.


    Rein thought for a moment and slowly said, "Do you understand what I''m saying?"


    The girl nodded her head.


    Relieved, Rein continued to ask, "Was it you who just reminded me to escape?"


    "Yes, warrior. But I didn''t expect you to be so powerful, you directly killed that fog demon." The girl''s consciousness seemed to become clearer, her facial expressions no longer stiff, and her speech more fluent.


    "Was that creature just now called a fog demon?" Rein asked.


    "Yes, I heard the previous Bounty Hunter, before he died, refer to the creature as a fog demon. It controls the thick fog and likes to launch sudden attacks on humans within the fog, making it difficult for most people to resist its attack."


    "And you? What''s your story? You warned me to run, yet you drew my attention whenever this... fog demon attacked me. It seems like you were helping it attack me!" Rein countered.


    "I''m sorry! Warrior, I... I was controlled by the fog demon and had to do those things."


    "I truly am very sorry!" The girl''s expression turned sorrowful, and she slowly began to sob.


    Rein waved his hand, not dwelling on the issue, and continued to ask:


    "How did you become like this?" Stay immersed with m_vl_em_p_yr


    "What''s your name?"


    "My name is Agatha! I don''t know what happened. When I woke up again, I had turned into this," the spiritual body of the girl replied. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her name led Rein to immediately associate with the mill called Agatha Mill, and curiously, Rein asked, "Could it be that this mill and you...?"


    "Yes, warrior, this mill was originally run by my father and me...."


    As Agatha narrated, Rein understood the whole story.


    One day, Agatha was violated by Kolm Tuck, the butler of Baron Watson, and when Agatha''s father discovered this and argued with Kolm, Kolm, in a fit of anger, killed both Agatha and her father and buried them under the two windmill mills.


    The tragedy should have ended there.


    But somehow, some strange change occurred in the deceased Agatha.


    When Agatha awoke again, she found herself turned into a ghost.


    While still in a daze, a fog demon attacked. The creature had the ability to control the thick fog and spiritual bodies.


    Thus, the deceased Agatha was forced to succumb to its evil grasp, being coerced to attract the attention of those victims so the fog demon could launch its deadly attack from behind.


    Rein nodded his head; it seemed the rumors about decay and ghosts were not wrong.


    At that moment, Agatha hesitated for a while and said, "Warrior, may I make a request? If possible, could you help me take revenge?"


    "I... I have no reward to offer you, perhaps the brass ring on my corpse is the only thing I have that''s of any value, but it seems insufficient to compensate you."


    Rein thought it over and did not immediately agree or refuse.


    As true as Agatha''s story might be, and as tragic as her encounter was, Rein was not reluctant to help, but he did not want to stir up trouble without resolving the matter.


    Since the killer was clearly favored and trusted by a baron as his butler, getting him to confess, while also requiring the baron''s cooperation, required careful thought.


    Seconds later, Rein spoke up, "Agatha, recount the entire event to me in detail, and maybe we can find evidence beneficial to us."


    "Even if it''s me, getting a baron''s butler to admit his guilt outright is likely going to be very difficult."


    Agatha nodded and immediately began recounting everything.


    ...


    After hearing Agatha''s account again, Rein left the windmill with the body of the fog demon.


    As he stepped out of the mill, Rein glanced at the system prompt, his eyes twinkling slightly.


    He hadn''t expected that killing the fog demon would yield such a generous experience reward from the system.


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been improved, experience points +274]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience points +54]


    Knight level1 (86/100) was now on the verge of leveling up.


    It seemed that the experience rewards from such creatures were particularly generous, at least, in Rein''s view, the fog demon''s combat power actually was not strong, feeling even less than Karavi, only its attacks benefited from being strange and unexpected.


    If only he could grasp the moment when the creature revealed its physical form during an attack and deal maximum damage, it would be possible to grievously injure or even kill it in a single strike.

 Chapter 131: Chapter 121 Abandoned Child_2

    At the request of Agatha, Reine had already formulated a not-so-mature plan in his mind.


    It might not succeed, but Reine still intended to try.


    Gregory, who had returned from Watson Manor and had been waiting outside, exclaimed with surprise when he saw Reine come out:


    "Lord Reine, good to see you safe coming..."


    Suddenly, Gregory''s voice stopped abruptly because he was terrified by the sight of the monster corpse that Reine dragged out, his eyes wide with fright.


    "There really are monsters! I thought it was a ghost. Such unreliable bounty hunters!" he murmured.


    "Steward Gregory, I have temporarily resolved the issue with the mill. If you want a permanent solution, I need to meet with Lord Watson."


    "Lord Reine, you want to meet the baron?"


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    "That''s wonderful, Lord Baron just told me he would like to meet you too. At this moment, he should be right in the nearby Watson Manor."


    Before long, Gregory led Reine to the nearby Watson Manor.


    It turned out that Baron Watson had arrived at the manor from the county town in the afternoon to inspect it. Hearing that someone was handling the mill''s issue, he planned to meet.


    "Lord Watson, it''s an honor to meet you," Reine bowed slightly.


    Although he had now become Transcendent, he was not technically a noble, so he still followed basic etiquette.


    Baron Watson was a tall middle-aged man dressed in noble hunting attire, and the man next to him, wearing a black robe, was likely the murderer Agatha had spoken of��the butler Colm.


    Baron Watson smiled as he evaluated Reine, saying, "So you are the newly Transcendent Reine? I didn''t expect you to be the one to resolve this."


    Reine was slightly taken aback, as he had not expected news of his becoming Transcendent to spread so quickly.


    "Yes, Lord Baron. It was Lord Hamilton who mentioned to me the mysterious incident at Agatha Mill. For now, it seems I have resolved it."


    "Temporarily?" Baron Watson frowned. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, although I dealt with the murderer of the farmers and guards, the Fog Demon, the fundamental problem at Agatha Mill has not been resolved, there is something more secretive involved."


    As Reine mentioned the word "secretive," he deliberately glanced at the butler Colm, who instantly looked panicky.


    "Hmm? Reine, please explain in detail." Clearly, Baron Watson''s curiosity was piqued after hearing about the secrets.


    Thus, Reine began to slowly narrate the story.


    "Agatha''s tragic experience turned her into a vengeful spirit, constantly attracting various monsters to the Agatha Mill. Thus, only by laying her to rest can the mill possibly resume normal operations."


    Hearing this, beads of sweat the size of beans began to form on Butler Colm''s forehead.


    "Reine, Agatha''s plight is indeed deplorable; how can we lay her to rest? Do we need to catch the murderer? Do you have any clues?"


    "Lord Baron, there''s no need for that much trouble."


    "Could it be that you know who the murderer is?" Baron Watson realized, looking toward Reine.


    Reine nodded, his gaze fixed on the now trembling Butler Colm, saying, "The murderer is right in front of us, Lord Baron."


    Following Reine''s gaze, Baron Watson looked doubtfully at the standing Butler Colm, which immediately shocked him, saying:


    "What? Is it Colm?"


    "Lord Reine, this is a slanderous accusation by the ghost, slander!" The butler, Colm, trembled all over, his face flushed. Despite his fear of the Transcendent Reine, he still forced himself to argue.


    Thinking it over, the Baron''s expression became stern as he said.


    "Reine, we still need evidence for this matter. The words of a ghost are not necessarily credible."


    Such a vile act committed by someone close to him made Baron Watson instinctively reluctant to believe, although from Butler Colm''s demeanor at this moment, Baron Watson was aware that Colm was likely involved.


    Evidence?


    Reine chuckled.


    This incident happened months ago. Without modern forensic methods, only some form of witchcraft from the supernatural realm might force the true culprit to confess their crime.


    Clearly, Reine did not possess such abilities now.


    "Reine, I plan to completely shut down Agatha Mill, and as for Colm, I will also dismiss him," Baron Watson glanced at Butler Colm, then turned to Reine and said.


    It seemed Baron Watson had already thought of a solution.


    Merely dismissing him was a trivial punishment compared to what happened to Agatha and her father.


    Fortunately, Reine was well-prepared.


    "My lord, perhaps you believe that by doing this, Agatha''s ghost will not haunt you anymore, right? But I''ve heard that ghosts can further transform, even becoming vengeful spirits!"


    "Moreover, the area around Agatha Mill might attract more monsters, and your manor isn''t too far from the mill."


    "Do you really not mind if things escalate to that extent? I''m afraid by then, even spending a fortune to hire the church''s higher-ups might not resolve the issue."


    These words were all fabricated by Reine on the spot, based on rumors he had heard in the past few days from Lord Hamilton''s side, primarily to scare.


    Baron Watson''s complexion worsened as Reine spoke.


    Reine''s words were something he had also heard bits about.


    Moreover, seeking the aid of high ranking church officials was not so easy, requiring not only a hefty sum of money but also significant favors.


    Baron Watson''s brow furrowed deeply, his gaze flickering as he clearly weighed the pros and cons.


    Though Colm had served the Watson family as a butler for many years and was usually quite competent, Baron Watson was unaware that he could commit such an act, especially since the situation could potentially lead to serious losses for the Watson family.


    Initially, he had thought to downplay the situation, but now hesitated after hearing Reine''s words.


    Meanwhile, Butler Colm''s face turned deathly pale, and his legs trembled so much that he could barely stand.


    "Colm, go with Reine to Agatha Mill and settle this affair," Baron Watson decided quickly after a moment of thought.


    Clearly, after hearing Reine''s "analysis", Baron Watson was prepared to give up on Butler Colm.


    "My lord, I am innocent!" The once robust butler, Colm, now seemed like a spineless snake, collapsing to the ground.


    "My lord, you''ve made a wise decision," Reine chuckled.


    Reine then grabbed Colm by the scruff of his neck, as if lifting a small chicken, and headed towards Agatha Mill.

 Chapter 132: Chapter 122: Unexpected Job Change Information

    After arriving at Agatha Mill, Rein threw the butler, Colm, to the ground with a single motion.


    "Clang!"


    A rust-covered shovel was thrown in front of the shivering Colm.


    "Mr. Butler, go and dig up the remains of Agatha and her father!" Rein lowered his head, looking into Colm''s eyes, and slowly said.


    "Of course, you can choose to refuse, but if you do, you''ll have to spend the night in this windmill, letting Agatha keep you company for a nice long chat."


    The previously hesitating Colm, upon hearing he would be locked in with a ghost, immediately thought of all sorts of horrifying legends and chilling scenes, his face turned pale in an instant and he quickly said, "I''ll dig, I''ll dig!"


    Baron Watson, who was standing nearby, couldn''t help but shake his head at the scene.


    Now it seemed almost certain that his butler Colm was the murderer.


    No wonder Colm had reported to him that he had acquired the neighboring Agatha Mill for an incredibly low price; he even remembered praising him for it at the time.


    Now it was clear that the mill, being Agatha and her father''s means of livelihood, wouldn''t have been sold so easily.


    In no time, Colm had dug up a skeleton that had almost turned to white bones. From the clothes, it was faintly recognizable as the ghostly Agatha Rein had seen before, in her checkered dress with a white apron.


    The moment the remains were unearthed, the onlookers surrounding the area burst into an uproar.


    They hadn''t expected that behind the mysterious events at Agatha Mill, in addition to monsters, there was such secrecy.


    "That''s Agatha, that sweet girl''s dress; her favorite was this checkered dress, I heard it was the last thing her mother made for her before she passed away," cried a woman who knew Agatha well, recognizing her clothes immediately, unable to hold back her tears.


    "Yes, Agatha was a kind-hearted girl, every time I came to grind flour, she would charge me less," said a farmer with a limp.


    "It''s truly so sad..."


    "..."


    Rein took to heart the words of the onlookers and quickly sketched an image in his mind of the checkered-dress girl who was warm to others and always ready to help.


    He couldn''t help but despise Colm even more!


    "Bury Agatha behind the third windmill," he said.


    It was Agatha''s own request; she wanted to be buried with her father.


    Furthermore, she had one more small wish: the area behind the third windmill was the highest point on the slope, and she wanted to be buried there with her father so that she could overlook the entire Agatha Mill. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, the second set of remains was also dug up by Colm.


    Seeing this, the onlooking clergyman Gregory, the farmers, and others looked at Colm with eyes filled with hatred, his actions were just too inhumane.


    Rein walked to the simple pit that had been dug in advance, looked at the two sets of remains placed side by side, bent down, and picked up the brass ring that was on the finger of Agatha''s remains.


    Strangely, perhaps because the ghostly Agatha had agreed to give the ring to Rein, the surface of the brass ring was surprisingly clean, not stained with a single foreign substance.


    The moment Rein picked up the ring, suddenly, he froze.


    [Ding! Detected the host obtaining an unknown relic, triggering the career change to Spirit Medium!]


    [The prerequisites for advancing to a Spirit Medium are: 1. Any relic attached with the aura of a spiritual body; 2. Spirit 12 points or above. Current conditions met. Yes/No to change career to Spirit Medium?]


    A new career panel was triggered!


    And it seemed to be the mysterious side career he had long awaited; Rein couldn''t help but be overjoyed.


    However...


    At this moment, he had only one slot left on his career panel (3/4), which was added when Rein broke through to the Transcendent tier, so he definitely had to choose carefully.


    He had some understanding of the career panel by now: generally, the careers with more prerequisites, or the more stringent the prerequisites, tend to be more powerful.


    Looking at the prerequisites required for the Spirit Medium, this career most likely wasn''t a powerful one.


    It could be similar to the Spirit Mediums Rein had heard about in his previous life, which initially had only the ability to see some spirits or to communicate with them in a rudimentary way.


    Clearly, this didn''t align with the kind of mysterious side career that could significantly enhance his combat strength, which Rein had been hoping for.


    By contrast, Rein was more impressed by the Wizard Apprentice recorded in Endri''s diary. In his mind, becoming a Wizard Apprentice would be a better choice.


    After careful thought, Rein chose No and did not immediately switch careers to ''Spirit Medium''.


    He planned to wait and see for a little while longer; if it didn''t work out, there would still be time to change careers later.


    [Yes/No to name the unknown relic?]


    To name it?


    He remembered Agatha saying that as long as he wore the brass ring, he would earn the favor of certain spirits; he decided to name it after her, calling it ''Agatha''s Ring.'' Rein thought to himself.


    [Ding! Naming successful!]


    [Acquired the relic ''Agatha''s Ring'']


    (Note: This is an ordinary brass ring, but it bears the sincere gratitude and blessing of a young girl''s soul. Wearing it will make some spectral beings feel a sense of fondness towards the wearer.)


    Although Baron Watson found it a bit strange why Rein would remove a brass ring that was obviously worthless from the remains, he did not ask.


    Shortly after, several security officers from the county town arrived at the scene. After asking about the incident and recording it, they took the weeping Colm away.


    What awaited him was a brief stint in prison, followed by execution after trial!


    Rein and Baron Watson had already agreed on this.


    As long as the baron did not intervene, Colm''s fate was actually sealed at that moment.


    The servant of a noble; it is the noble behind them that is the foundation for the servant.


    With this, the matter was concluded.


    By evening, Rein, carrying the bundled corpse of the mist yaoi, rode his warhorse back to Flashgold Town. Although the mystical event had been resolved, he was far from happy inwardly.


    The young life of Agatha was forever frozen in her prime, making Rein feel somewhat heavy at heart.


    After returning to Flashgold Town, Rein did not go straight home but instead first visited Lord Hamilton''s office.


    Now that the mystical event had been resolved, it was naturally necessary to inform him first.


    "Huh! Rein, you''re back so soon?" Lord Hamilton asked in surprise as he saw Rein enter.


    In his plan, even if everything went smoothly, Rein would not have returned until tomorrow.


    "Yes, my lord, everything went rather smoothly." Rein said, and then recounted the day''s events to Lord Hamilton.


    After listening, Lord Hamilton also sighed about the misfortune of Agatha and her father.


    "I didn''t expect this mysterious event to have such twists. But to think the real monster turned out to be a mist yaoi. Right, Rein, you''re not hurt, are you?"


    Lord Hamilton looked Rein over, not noticing any obvious injuries, and couldn''t help but laugh and nod.


    "No, I have to thank you for this set of knight''s plate armor you gave me." Rein said while showing the slash on the back of the knight''s helmet to Lord Hamilton.


    The scratch was four fingers wide, and at its deepest, nearly two-thirds the thickness of the plate armor. This meant that if the mist yaoi had been even a bit stronger, it might have been possible to penetrate the armor''s protection.


    This was also the reason why the squad of family guards sent by Baron Watson had been annihilated��the chainmail simply could not withstand such an attack.


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    "Huh! With this kind of strength, as well as the ability you mentioned to hide in the mist..." Lord Hamilton took the helmet and began to frown more deeply as he examined it.


    He, too, wouldn''t dare say he could have easily defeated the creature.


    "Rein, now you understand, don''t you? Why sometimes no matter how many ordinary people there are, they can''t solve these mystical events and only add to the panic." Lord Hamilton thought for a moment, then continued.


    "Yes, my lord."


    Rein wholeheartedly agreed with this point. No matter how many ordinary people there were against such monsters, they would be simply delivering themselves. Knights, as the most visible transcendent human strength, could be said to form the stable foundation of the entire society.


    "By the way, you''ll need to reforge this damaged helmet. Leave it here, and I''ll send someone to the county town to have it repaired and then returned to you tomorrow."


    "Uh... my lord, this small issue, perhaps I can take care of the repair myself. Actually, I''m also a blacksmith." Rein said with a smile.


    "Hmm? Alright then!" Lord Hamilton glanced at Rein in surprise but did not inquire further.


    Because Rein had already brought him too many surprises recently.


    "Right, did you bring back the mist yaoi''s corpse?"


    "I have, my lord."


    "The Empire''s Mystic Research Institute has a special department for purchasing such monster''s corpses; if you''re willing to sell, you can exchange it for merit points or Empire gold coins."


    "Rein, if you don''t have other plans for the mist yaoi''s corpse, perhaps this would be a good option."


    Mystic Research Institute?


    It sounded like a rather high-end institution.


    This piqued Rein''s curiosity a bit.


    Actually, he was quite interested in studying these mysterious creatures, but unfortunately, he had no means at the moment to process or preserve the mist yaoi''s corpse.


    Besides, he also lacked the relevant knowledge in this field of research, something he would have to address later.


    However, he hadn''t expected that the mist yaoi''s corpse could be directly exchanged for merit points.


    In that case, there wasn''t much to consider.


    After all, gathering 1000 merit points a bit sooner to sign up for the knighthood exam was a top priority.


    "Let''s exchange it for merit points." Rein declared.


    "Good! That''s what I think too. Gold coins can be earned anywhere, but merit points are not easy to come by." Lord Hamilton nodded his head, appearing quite agreeable.


    After handing over the mist yaoi''s corpse, Rein left the town hall.


    However, as he was almost home, Rein was surprised to find the familiar carriage from the morning now parked at his doorstep.


    Could it be...

 Chapter 133: Chapter 123 The Secret of the Book

    As Reine grew closer, it seemed the person inside the carriage had also seen him.


    Just as Reine approached, the door of the carriage swung open, and a young, slender noblewoman stepped out, dressed in a white gown��it was Jenny.


    "Lord Reine, we have been waiting for you; Miss Jenny waited almost an hour," said the butler, introducing her.


    "Lord Reine, I have brought the books you asked me to find," Jenny said as she handed over two thick volumes.


    "Uh...." This suddenly made Reine a bit embarrassed.


    She had waited so long just so he could receive the books as quickly as possible.


    Although, Reine knew there was an intention to curry favor on her part.


    But respecting another person, that feeling was indeed lovely!


    Reine bowed slightly, saying, "Miss Jenny, thank you very much!"


    "Giggle, Lord Reine, you are too kind. As the Guardian Knight of our family, it''s the least I can do," Jenny said with a light laugh, covering her mouth.


    After a moment''s thought, Reine added, "That... if you ever find yourself in trouble one day, please send someone to notify me; perhaps I can be of some small help."


    "Lord Reine, I truly appreciate that! It''s getting late now, so I won''t disturb you any further, but if you need anything in the future, feel free to contact me."


    Clearly, Reine''s current demeanor made Jenny feel the hour''s wait had been worthwhile.


    Her purpose in coming was to ingratiate herself with Reine, a knight of emerging potential.


    Now, having Reine say such a sentence to her was already a sort of tacit promise.


    "Alright, Miss Jenny, goodbye!" Reine waved his hand and said with a smile.


    What he didn''t notice at that moment was that four pairs of big eyes were watching his brief exchange with Jenny: Anna and Lagaray through the door crack, Bo He through the doghole named ''Biscuit'', and his mother Emma through the kitchen window.


    When Reine returned home and entered the door, he found several people looking at him with various expressions.


    This suddenly startled Reine.


    Children can hardly keep secrets, and hearing Bo He flutter his big eyes asking, "Brother, who is that beautiful lady who came down from the carriage?"


    The moment Bo He spoke, the others'' gazes converged on Reine.


    This immediately gave Reine a feeling, as if it were greater pressure than facing a mist wraith!


    ...


    After dinner.


    Reine, who had hurriedly retreated to his own room, eagerly began to read through the two books Jenny had brought him.


    Soon, Reine discovered that ''Spirit'' was formally called Akkadian, a language passed down from ancient times containing magical powers. However, its complex pronunciation and throat vibrations made it extremely difficult to learn.


    However, his spiritual power had reached 12 points, greatly improving his learning efficiency. Quickly, through studying with the help of the two books, Reine had already grasped the meanings of dozens of simple Akkadian vocabulary words.


    As for pronunciation, he had not mastered it.


    Thinking things over, Reine somewhat impatiently reached under the bed and pulled out the ''Beast Taming Diary'' with a silver cover.


    Sure enough, among the previously unintelligible text, there were a few words Reine could now understand.


    "...The leaping spirit of the elements..."


    "...Secret fire servant..."


    Just as Reine was heartily engrossed, a gentle knock on the door sounded.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock!" S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From that knock, Reine already knew who it was.


    "Come in!" Reine closed the book with the silver cover.


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    Anna stood shyly at the door, seemingly noticing Reine was reading, and thus asked, "Reine, may I come in?"


    "Of course," Reine said, rising to his feet with a smile.


    The ''Beast Taming Diary,'' with its silver cover and jewel-encrusted design, immediately caught Anna''s attention.


    "Oh! What a beautiful book. Reine, may I take a look?" Anna glanced at the book in silver, then at Reine, and asked.


    "Of course you may."


    Reine certainly wouldn''t object to Anna flipping through it, as he was already studying Akkadian. Perhaps, someday, he might understand the spells but be unable to cast them, and need Anna to give it a try.


    The wooden amulet was a perfect example.


    The wooden amulet had no reaction when Reine touched it, but Anna could perform some kind of miraculous healing witchcraft upon contact.


    As Anna took the book in silver and leaned against the window, just as she was about to flip through it, suddenly, something peculiar happened with the book.


    "Reine? The pattern on the cover is moving," Anna said, looking up at Reine, slightly frightened.


    "What?" Reine narrowed his eyes and quickly stepped forward.


    Soon, Reine saw that it might have been the moonlight shining on the ''Beast Taming Diary'' from outside that caused it.


    On the surface of the silver cover, the largest sapphire, ruby, and turquoise seemed to have absorbed some of the moonlight, and at that moment, their glow was shifting, undergoing some magical change.


    The three gemstones shone brilliantly, then a bright but not blinding beam of light connected the three gems.


    At that moment, the pattern on the silver cover also dynamically changed.


    The engraved bear, the patterns, and the veins of the leaves all shifted, the bear walked away, and the flower and leaves dispersed around, leaving the middle of the cover suddenly revealing a round water well filled with water.

 Chapter 134: Chapter 123 The Secret of the Book_2

    The water in the well, reflecting the moon, shimmered beautifully.


    Three large characters written in Acati script were inscribed beside the well, seemingly the words ''Moon Well,'' but Rein didn''t recognize the last character.


    But, combining it with the design, it probably read ''Moon Well.''


    At this moment, Rein''s feelings were quite mixed.


    He had possessed the "Silver Book" for a long time now.


    It was the same last time with the amulet.


    Every time he touched it, nothing happened, but when Anna touched it, a miraculous transformation would occur.


    Who was being underestimated?


    Suddenly, Anna''s figure staggered. She clutched her head, appearing to be in great discomfort, which made Rein hurry to support her.


    But in that instant, the surrounding scenery changed dramatically!


    Rein felt as though he had stepped into a time tunnel. Familiar scenes around him stretched and compressed. Then, in the next second, the scenery became clear again.


    However, Rein was taken aback right away!


    At this moment, he was greeted by the fragrant air filled with floral scents and a dense, lush forest filled with towering trees and shrubs, interspersed with many vibrant flowers.


    Colorful butterflies fluttered and bees circled in figure eights.


    The sounds around him included various insects buzzing, bird calls, and the roars of unknown beasts.


    This left Rein momentarily dazed; he couldn''t tell if he had been teleported to some unknown forest sanctuary or if this was merely an illusion?


    Especially since, at that moment, he was still embracing the slight figure of Anna, exactly as he had been in his room just before, which made it even harder for him to distinguish the reality.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein checked his profession panel and found it was still accessible.


    Meanwhile, Anna was still bowing her head, her hands clutching her head, displaying an expression of extreme discomfort.


    So, Rein gently patted Anna''s back and called out softly, "Anna? Anna?"


    Gradually, Anna seemed to feel a bit better.


    She first looked up, glanced around, then immediately showed a bewildered and surprised expression. With confused eyes, she looked at Rein and then, as if realizing something, exclaimed, "Rein, where are we?"


    Hmm?


    From Anna''s expression, it seemed she was seeing the same green forest as he was.


    Could it be that they had indeed been teleported to some mystical realm?


    And was that Silver Book the gateway to this mystical realm?


    What immense power! Rein thought.


    Suddenly, Rein was unsure of what to do next.


    The current situation had completely exceeded his expectations.


    Suddenly, from deep within Rein''s heart, a distant voice seemed to call, "Come... closer... here...."


    Rein listened carefully, and he could faintly make out that it was a female voice.


    Rein looked at Anna, and they both saw astonishment in each other''s eyes. Rein said, "Anna, did you hear it?"


    "Yes! It seems to be calling us over." Anna nodded and said.


    Clearly, both of them heard some kind of summons coming from ahead.


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to check it out. Otherwise, just staying put seemed like a fruitless option.


    Thus, Rein, leading Anna, slowly walked forward.


    It seemed they were headed deeper into the forest, at this moment, the woods grew denser and denser.


    Suddenly, the sound of breaking branches erupted, and a huge brown bear appeared in front of them. This bear was over two meters tall and four to five meters long, nearly twice the size of the brown bears Rein had seen in his previous life in C?te d''Ivoire.


    Suddenly, it stood up, facing Rein and Anna, and let out a fierce roar!


    The deafening sound waves immediately blasted in all directions.


    Rein quickly stepped in front of Anna to protect her. Since he had taken off the greatsword after getting home, he wasn''t carrying the Glimmering Greatsword at this moment.


    But some things had to be done, weapon or no weapon.


    Just as Rein was preparing to wrestle with the huge brown bear, the next second, something unexpected happened. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After roaring, the bear shook its massive head and walked away to the side, gradually disappearing into the dense forest.


    Rein and Anna exchanged glances, not quite understanding why the brown bear had suddenly given up on attacking.


    After a pause, the two continued walking forward.


    Soon after, another unexpected incident occurred.


    "Swoosh!"


    A dark shadow flashed by not far in front of them!


    Rein''s pupils constricted; he saw clearly that it was a huge black panther.


    At this moment, the panther was hiding in the dense forest, quietly watching them.


    Once again, Rein shielded Anna behind him and began to confront the black panther.


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    But it wasn''t long before the black panther also mysteriously left.


    By now, Rein had some suspicions forming in his mind.


    However, he didn''t say anything and continued to lead Anna forward.


    After a long while, the two finally saw that deep within the dense forest, there seemed to be a small clearing, and at the center of the clearing, there was a sort of glow emanating.


    The two immediately quickened their pace.


    As they approached, they saw a well on the clearing. The water in the well reflected the moon, and the surface rippled slightly, looking exactly like the well that appeared on the silver cover.


    "How beautiful!" seeing this scene, Anna walked to the edge of the well and couldn''t help but reach out to touch the water.


    Suddenly, as Anna''s pale fingers touched the well water, the water rippled violently, shattering their reflections in the water in an instant.


    The next second, the surrounding scenery rapidly changed, the trees around them stretched and changed color like dough, and everything around them underwent unpredictable changes.


    It was as if Rein and Anna were passing through a wormhole; except for them, everything around turned bizarre and fantastical.


    It seemed like a moment, yet also seemed very long.


    When they came to their senses again, Rein and Anna found themselves back in their room, with Anna still holding the book with the silver cover.


    Only this time, the pattern on the cover had changed back to its original appearance, and the miraculous ''Moon Well'' was nowhere to be seen.


    "Rein, this..." Anna, for a moment, didn''t know what to say.


    Rein, however, kept his gaze fixed on the ''Book of Silver'' in Anna''s hands.


    The next second, Rein stretched out his hand, intending to open the ''Book of Silver'' again, but quickly, his hand stopped mid-air, as Rein recalled the uncomfortable feeling from just a moment ago, which made him shudder.


    However, thinking it over, Rein had some guesses, and so, he continued to open the book directly to the second page.


    Sure enough, the content inside was completely different from before.


    The first line, written in the common language, read: "Congratulations, you have passed the Druid Circle''s Trial of Will."

 Chapter 135: Chapter 124: The New Transcendent Profession

    A willpower trial?


    It seems the previous one must have been some kind of Illusion Technique?


    But that was almost too realistic!


    Without pondering for too long, Rein and Anna gazed intently down at the next page.


    After a long while, Rein finally exhaled deeply, a look of joy on his face, but in the next second, his brows furrowed.


    It turned out that the willpower trial was a method used by the Druid Circle to select and test newcomers, and those who passed the willpower trial were deemed ready to begin practicing the basic meditation method.


    What followed was indeed a record of the basic meditation method.


    However, Rein was a bit troubled by the fact that Anna could trigger the Wooden Amulet but he had no reaction at all. Would he be able to practice the Druid Circle''s basic meditation method?


    At this point, Anna turned her head to look at Rein with a gaze that was passionate yet somewhat anxious. "Rein, can I practice this meditation method?" she asked.


    As Rein''s power rapidly increased, Anna had always felt a sense of anxiety, as if Rein was growing further and further away from her.


    This feeling peaked today when she saw Rein chatting and laughing with that elegant noble lady through the crack of the door.


    Now, with the meditation method laid out before her, she was eager to learn it, even though she was not sure how powerful she would become after mastering it. However, she had heard various legends from the mystical side.


    Regardless, she would certainly be much more formidable than she was now if she learned it, thought Anna.


    "Of course, you can," replied Rein without hesitation.


    If there was a chance he couldn''t practice the Druids'' basic meditation method, clearly Anna had a high likelihood of being able to.


    In fact, even now, Rein wasn''t sure whether the change in the ''Trial Book'' was triggered by the moonlight alone, or whether Anna''s touch was also an essential part of it, or if there were other triggering conditions.


    But from what Rein guessed, this time it might still be because of Anna, just like with the Wooden Amulet.


    When they turned to the next page, suddenly, the Trial Book emitted a green glow.


    As the green light shone upon them, their minds abruptly received content and methods for practicing the basic meditation method.


    Faced with this magical phenomenon, both Anna and Rein exchanged glances, seeing surprise and admiration in each other''s eyes.


    After some time, Rein studied the contents and methods of the basic meditation method several times before he confirmed that it seemed he could also practice the Druidic basic meditation method.


    He didn''t yet know how effective it would be.


    But he was fairly certain he could learn it.


    According to the instructions, the prerequisite for practicing the basic meditation method was to have spiritual power beyond that of an ordinary person, a criterion both Rein and Anna met, and that was the purpose of the willpower trial.


    Rein roughly estimated that this threshold was around 10 Spirit Attribute points, nearly twice that of an average person, while he had 12 Spirit points, making it much easier for him than Anna.


    Additionally, after observing the content of the basic meditation method in his mind, Rein started to understand why Endri''s diary had no such records.


    That was because the content of the basic meditation method turned out to be a series of three-dimensional symbols, and they became more complex the further one got.


    No wonder the Druid Circle transferred knowledge through that method of green light.


    Just as Rein was about to try practicing the basic meditation method, the knocking on the door sounded again.


    "Knock, knock, knock!"


    However, before Rein could call out to come in, the door was opened from the outside.


    There stood Lagaray with a teasing expression looking at them both.


    Sensing Lagaray''s peculiar gaze, Anna looked down to inspect herself, and only then she realized that because she and Rein had been watching the ''Trial Book'' together, their hands were still intertwined, bodies pressed closely to each other.


    Immediately, Anna''s face flushed red, and her fair little hand quickly withdrew from Rein''s, her body springing away like a startled bunny.


    In truth, Lagaray was falsely accusing Rein and Anna. Honestly, their experience had just been too magical for them to have considered anything romantic; their hands were intertwined because Rein was protecting Anna during the trial.


    And their bodies were pressed closely together because they were both attracted to the magical changes in the ''Trial Book''.


    "What exactly are you two secretly doing? I''ve knocked twice now," said Lagaray, glancing at them both with a peculiar look.


    Anna immediately lowered her head in embarrassment, her face burning red.


    But Rein was stunned. It seemed that during the willpower trial with Anna, Lagaray had already been by once. No wonder she knocked and then just pushed the door open without waiting this time.


    "Anna, do you even know what time it is? Do you plan to sleep here tonight?" Lagaray asked Anna, smiling mischievously.


    "No, no!" Anna''s face became even redder, as if about to bleed, and she waved her hands frantically.


    "Rein, thank you for today. Well... I''m going to sleep now. You should rest early too," Anna said, and quickly pushed Lagaray out of the room.


    Before leaving, Lagaray gave Rein a meaningful glance.


    Then, their footsteps descending the stairs followed.


    Rein shook his head, dispelling the romantic thoughts from his mind.


    At that moment, having just acquired the basic meditation method, he was like a boy deeply engrossed in a video game, with no mind to pay attention to a girlfriend.


    Soon, Rein began to visualize the first three-dimensional symbol in his mind according to the method of practicing the basic meditation method.


    These three-dimensional symbols, as described in the basic meditation method, were known as will runes.


    The will rune was a rather intricate three-dimensional pattern that had to be vividly imagined in the mind.


    According to the introduction in the meditation technique, if one could visualize all eight Will runes at once, that would be considered stepping into the first stage.


    Of course, the primary function of the meditation technique was to enhance spiritual power gradually through the visualization of Will runes.


    After several attempts, Rein was pleasantly surprised to discover that on his best try, he had successfully visualized seven Will runes at once��just one short of reaching the first stage described in the meditation technique.


    However, at that moment, Rein felt a throbbing pain accompanied by a slight headache at his temples��evidently, this was likely due to the length of the meditation practice approaching his current limit.


    Indeed, this was very similar to the Knight Breathing Method, with an implicit time restriction each day; once one reached the physical limit, it was necessary to rest and recover gradually.


    At the same time, although he had yet to trigger a job change or anything of the sort, Rein had a vague premonition that something might change once he reached the first stage of the meditation technique.


    For now, what he needed to do was to quickly resolve this final step; after all, he had already succeeded in visualizing seven Will runes at once��only one more was needed.


    It didn''t take long for Rein to think of the simplest method, which was naturally to add points.


    If one point wasn''t enough for the Spirit attribute, then two points��he was confident that he could easily handle the eighth Will rune with the additional points.


    Of course, the approach most people took was to enhance their spiritual power slowly through practice with the first seven Will runes, even though it was a bit slower.


    That night, feeling somewhat mentally exhausted, Rein fell into a deep sleep.


    The border of Mingster Province.


    In a certain forest.


    A tall figure wearing a grey robe and a hooded cloak was heading south through the forest, the occasional glimpse of jet-black hair indicating that she seemed to be the female Elf who had rushed there from Ferdinand Forest.


    Suddenly, she stopped, lifting her head slightly, revealing a delicate face beneath her hood. As she drew closer, she clearly sensed the fluctuations from the activation of the Trial Book.


    Frowning, her eyes flickered, and in a low whisper, she muttered, "How is this possible?"


    "The amulet being triggered could be a fluke, but activating the Trial Book requires fulfillment of...."


    ...


    The next day after waking up, Rein''s first thought was about how to tackle the basic meditation technique because he was agonizing over being so close to reaching the first stage.


    After some thought and checking his panel, he found that the Dog Trainer job was the easiest to level up, currently at lv2 (292/300).


    Although he hadn''t been taking ''Cookie'' on night patrols recently, he managed to raise his Dog Trainer level to this point by crafting premium ''dog food'' and feeding it.


    So, first thing in the morning, Rein took the Greyhound ''Cookie'' out for a walk.


    After coming back, he prepared a lavish feast for ''Cookie'' and successfully raised his Dog Trainer level to lv3 (1/500), gaining one Skill Point and one attribute point.


    Having sorted out the Dog Trainer upgrade, Rein handed ''Cookie'' over to Bo He and, without any hesitation, returned to his room.


    Without any hesitation, Rein added an attribute point to Spirit, instantly raising it from 12 to 13.


    Rein immediately felt a sense of clarity in his ears and eyes, although the improvement was not huge.


    Right away, Rein started to try the first eight Will runes of the basic meditation technique again.


    The first Will rune


    ...


    The seventh Will rune


    The eighth Will rune!


    [Ding! Host has completed the basic meditation technique Will runes (8/8) and triggered a job change��Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)!]


    [To advance to Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent), the prerequisites are: 1. Wizard''s aptitude; 2. Spirit 12 points or above; 3. Basic meditation technique Will runes (8/8).... All current conditions met, do you want to change job to Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)? Yes/No?]


    Seeing this job change notification, Rein couldn''t help but feel overjoyed, excitedly clenching his fists and swinging them with force!


    Yes!


    [Ding! Job change to Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) successful! Spirit +2!]


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Job: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv1 (0/100)/Knight (Transcendent) lv1 (86/100)/Blacksmith lv3 (0/500)/Dog Trainer lv3 (1/500)


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    Constitution: 16


    Strength: 15


    Agility: 15


    Spirit: 15


    Remaining attribute points: 0


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    The additional increase in Spirit made Rein realize that his perception of the surroundings had changed.


    This was not just an improvement in eyesight, but an all-encompassing enhancement of hearing, smell, and other senses, including an even deeper change��he became more sensitive to perceptions.


    Rein could faintly detect various energy particles floating in the air around his body. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When he closed his eyes, this sensation became especially intense.


    However, when Rein looked at the Wizard Apprentice job panel, he couldn''t help but twitch at the corner of his mouth.

 Chapter 136: Chapter 125: Shouldnt It Be Past the Growth Period?

    Although the entire panel was also flashing with a beautiful green light, there was only a lonely skill icon flickering, which was the Basic Meditation Method lv1 (12/100).


    There was not a single combat skill.


    This gave Rein a feeling of false joy.


    After a stroke of serendipity, he had triggered the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) job panel, but since he hadn''t learned any sorcery, it could be said that this Transcendent panel was currently not living up to its name.


    Compared to the Knight (Transcendent) job panel, the difference in combat power was like heaven and earth.


    However, Rein glanced at his Spirit attribute, which had at least risen to 15 points, comforting his wounded soul since Spirit concerned many of his core skills'' power or duration.


    For example, "Strength Burst" was directly proportional to Rein''s Constitution and Spirit.


    For example, "danger perception," whose acuity was directly proportional to Rein''s Spirit��the stronger the spiritual power, the sharper the perception.


    So, looking at it this way, Rein had successfully triggered a new Transcendent job as a "Wizard Apprentice," which then greatly enhanced the original Transcendent job, "Knight."


    Rein stroked his chin, thinking this way, which gave him a bittersweet feeling.


    Well, an inexplicable sense of joy.


    Rein carefully recalled that Endri, whom Lord Hamilton called a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice��the guy who talked a bit too much��was probably at the same level as himself currently.


    It seemed that he couldn''t cast sorcery independently, but could only rely on rare sorcery scrolls or other items to perform spell attacks.


    Rein wondered if Endri was just too incompetent, or if there were other conditions that needed to be met.


    Thinking it over, Rein began his first session of meditation practice since becoming a Wizard Apprentice.


    Perhaps because his spiritual power had increased to 15 points, Rein smoothly visualized nine Will runes at once and still had energy to spare.


    However, Rein didn''t rush to visualize the tenth Will rune, but as the practice method suggested, he began to sense and try to guide the free-floating mysterious energy particles around him.


    Closing his eyes and fully engaging in perception, Rein gradually felt the various mysterious energy particles in the surrounding space��a sensation that was very peculiar and hard to describe in words.


    But feeling them was one thing; trying to guide these energy particles was another.


    After several attempts, Rein finally discovered a type of energy particle that seemed to respond more actively to him.


    Rein opened his eyes, striving to guide these energy particles to converge around his palm.


    On Rein''s palm skin, a very dim red light briefly glowed. If one didn''t look closely, it was hardly noticeable. This effect lasted only a few seconds before the red light vanished without a trace.


    However, Rein was not discouraged but rather delighted.


    After all, being able to visually observe such a magical change on his first attempt at guiding was quite exciting for Rein.


    "Next, it seems I only need to follow the steps to visualize more Will runes and further increase my spiritual power. At the same time, I''ll continue to attempt to guide the free-floating energy particles," he muttered.


    "It''s a pity that I don''t have any basic-level sorcery to learn," Rein thought to himself.


    It felt like owning a gold mine but not being able to spend the gold.


    It was like learning the Knight Breathing Method, but not learning any combat skills.


    This couldn''t help but remind Rein of the time Cleya taught him the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique��having a guide was indeed beneficial.


    Now, he felt like a wild wizard, figuring out almost everything on his own.


    Unfortunately, Hamilton was a staunch knightly idealist, and it wasn''t appropriate to ask him about wizardly affairs.


    Suddenly, a thought flashed through Rein''s mind, and he murmured: S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "To further break through the dog''s limitations and increase the possibility of evolving into a more ferocious state, I could try a daily nutrition meal as the basis, combined with a monthly 2-ounce dose of the Mutation Growth Elixir..."


    "That''s right, the Mutation Growth Elixir!"


    Rein quickly opened the Book of Silver, turning to the page on enhancing dogs, "Mutation Growth Elixir formula: 1 ounce of sunflowers, a pair of nocturnal vampire bat wings, 2 claws of a carrion wolf..."


    At this moment, Rein attempted to decipher the previously incomprehensible latter part.


    (Akadian) When making... spell... mobilize...


    "This seems like a viable path. However, I still need to solve two problems: firstly, to continue learning Akadian, as my current vocabulary is certainly insufficient. Also, dumb Akadian won''t work; I need to be able to chant!"


    "Secondly, acquiring the necessary materials. For this, perhaps only the ''Bat Market'' in County Town can address this issue. Items like ''nocturnal vampire bat wings'' and ''carrion wolf claws'' clearly don''t look like something a reputable pharmacy would sell."


    As Rein pondered, suddenly, a somewhat urgent knocking sound came from outside his home.


    "Knock, knock, knock!"


    "Is Rein home?"


    Oh, that was the voice of the short Matteo.


    Rein hurried downstairs to open the door, only to hear Matteo say, "Rein, Lord Hamilton wants you to immediately go to the town hall. The team that had been investigating the Evil Spirit Knights in Nightingale Forest has just arrived." Read amazing stories on m_vl_em_p_yr


    "Also, Rein, Lord Hamilton asked me to notify that barbarian girl Lagaray; she should be staying at your place, right? Could you inform her for me?"


    "Sure! I''ll be right there. I''ll notify Lagaray." After a moment''s thought, Rein responded.


    "Okay! I still need to prepare a few things, so I''ll be leaving first."


    Matteo chuckled and thumped Rein''s robust chest as a greeting, then quickly stepped away.


    The approval for Rein''s appointment as deputy sheriff had not yet been granted by the county town; otherwise, Matteo wouldn''t have been so casual.


    However, Rein quite enjoyed his current status.


    If people he knew saw him and acted all constrained, it would make him a bit uncomfortable.


    Although he had just activated his Wizard Apprentice Transcendent panel, Rein was thinking of studying it carefully. Still, he had promised Lagaray earlier and naturally didn''t want to break his word.


    So, picking up his knight''s helmet��which he hadn''t had time to repair��Rein donned the five-piece set of knight armor and, carrying a sheepskin-wrapped Glimmering Greatsword, left the house.


    Rein first turned left and arrived at Anna''s doorstep, where he knocked on the door.


    Soon, Anna opened the door and was quite pleased to see it was Rein.


    Yesterday, she had undergone a trial of will with Rein, and the scene was still fresh in her mind. Whenever Anna thought of how Rein had protected her while standing behind him, her heart couldn''t help but flutter.


    She had not shared this with Lagaray; it was her little secret.


    "Rein, why have you come, oh, are you about to go on a mission?" Anna, seeing Rein fully armed, couldn''t help but ask.


    "Yes, later I need to join the county''s investigation team on a trip to Nightingale Forest. Oh, Anna, is Lagaray here?" Rein nodded in confirmation of Anna''s guess.


    "She is." Hearing that Rein had come looking for Lagaray made Anna feel slightly disappointed.


    She had thought that Rein had come to share insights on the basic meditation techniques.


    In fact, she had seriously practiced the basic meditation techniques last night and could now visualize six Will Runes in a single session, merely two steps away from eight.


    "Rein, did you need me?" Lagaray''s familiar voice came from inside the room.


    Apparently hearing the conversation between Rein and Anna, Lagaray emerged from the bedroom, sleep still in her eyes, wearing a thin nightgown that barely covered her voluptuous and energetic figure.


    This made Anna take a few more glances at her, then look down at herself as her fair hands clenched suddenly.


    "Ahem.... Lagaray, the county''s team to investigate the Evil Spirit Knights has arrived. If... you want to join, you''ll need to get ready quickly." Rein coughed and shifted his gaze slightly aside.


    "Hmm? Did you say the county has finally sent someone?" Lagaray''s entire demeanor froze, her eyes wide open.


    Only just realizing, she hurriedly turned around and dashed into the bedroom, saying, "Three minutes, I''ll be ready soon."


    Shortly, Lagaray appeared in a warrior''s outfit with short-sleeved mail over a leather harness, her round, pale legs impressively flexible.


    Rein merely glanced at her and felt that Lagaray''s figure was even more stunning than when he had first met her.


    Lagaray was past her growing phase, wasn''t she?


    "Hey! Lagaray, is your shield fixed?"


    Rein was surprised to see that Lagaray carried a shield nearly identical to the previous one on her back, made of solid wood with a palm-sized, raised iron disk at the center, tightly encircled by a narrow strip of iron.


    "Yes! Though I couldn''t find iron fir wood, I did find a large piece of oak, so I used it to repair the shield," Lagaray shifted slightly, allowing Rein a clear view of the shield on her back.


    Rein then remembered that Lagaray was not only a barbarian warrior but also a skilled blacksmith.


    For her, fixing a shield was a simple task, provided she had the right materials.


    Indeed, upon closer inspection, he could see that the grain of one large piece of wood was inconsistent with the others and the color was slightly different. However, if one wasn''t looking closely, it was quite indistinguishable.


    The two bid farewell to Anna and headed towards the town hall.


    When Rein and Lagaray arrived at the town hall, a mixed-style team was already stationed at the entrance.


    Four knights clad in bright silver armor and draped in white cloaks were particularly striking.


    Their armor was intricately patterned, different from the regular knight armor, and they had a prominent golden emblem on their chests: a long-skirted woman standing atop waves, blowing a horn.

 Chapter 137: Chapter 126 Why Muscles Can Get So Big! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    With the enhanced perception he obtained after his class change to Wizard Apprentice, Rein could faintly sense the powerful physical strength contained within the armor of the four silver Knights wielding swords and shields.


    Clearly, these four were not ordinary cavalry but genuine Knights who had stepped into transcendence.


    Rein had heard from Hamilton that not only the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church but other churches as well referred to their transcendent Knights as Temple Knights, and those below transcendent were called Temple Guardians. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To eliminate the Evil Spirit Knight, would they dispatch four Temple Knights at once?


    How powerful the Goddess Church must be!


    Could there be another purpose, such as investigating the cause of the Evil Spirit Knight''s appearance? Rein couldn''t help but speculate.


    Additionally, there were two formal Knights, dressed in relatively simple knight plate armor, and based on the crest on their chests, they seemed to be the guard Knights of some nobility, with one of them even equipped with the rarely seen round arm shield.


    As Rein approached, he encountered many familiar faces of the Night Watchmen along the way, greeting each with a smile, and his Night Watchman comrades also responded with smiles and waves.


    At that moment, Hamilton emerged, accompanied by two ''VIPs,'' and from his slightly trailing posture, it was evident that these two held higher status than Hamilton.


    One was an elder dressed in a water-blue robe with gold trim, holding a thick book; from his attire, he was evidently the leader of this mission from the Goddess Church.


    The other was a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache clad in Knight Armor, probably a nobleman, and the two Knights from before were likely his guard Knights.


    Hamilton noticed Rein and Lagaray approaching as well.


    Perhaps Rein was not so conspicuous, but Lagaray, as a rare ''female'' and with the ''large shield'' on her back, was quite eye-catching.


    If this had been before, Rein, as a Night Watchman, would naturally not have had the chance to be introduced. Stay informed on m-vl-em-pyr


    But today was different, as his advancement to transcendent at such a young age had earned him the privilege of being introduced by Hamilton.


    "Viscount Lord, Reverend, this is Rein, also the Vice Officer of Public Security for Flashgold Town that you''ve just appointed," Hamilton said with a smile.


    "Rein, this is Lord Hamadi Viscount, the Chief of Public Security of the County Town, and this is Reverend Rudolph from the Goddess Church."


    "Good day, Viscount Lord,"


    "Good day, Reverend," Rein said with a slight bow.


    At the same time, he was quite astonished internally��Chief of Public Security of the County Town? That was the superior of his own boss! He didn''t expect that due to the Evil Spirit Knight, the latter would come in person.


    And, Hamilton had just said his appointment as Vice Officer of Public Security was confirmed?


    This was indeed good news; after all, the higher the position, the more information and resources he could access, Rein thought to himself.


    When they heard of Rein''s new position, elevated from Night Watchman Captain to Vice Officer of Public Security of Flashgold Town, his fellow Night Watchmen and the public security officers were momentarily stunned but then resumed their composure as if it was to be expected.


    Some of the Night Watchmen even showed joy on their faces as if they shared in the glory, as if the promotion were their own.


    Others whispered among themselves, seemingly explaining the situation to those who were not yet informed.


    Rein''s strength was one thing, but more importantly, despite his young age, Rein was quite skillful in interpersonal relations, humble, capable of fighting tough battles, and after several missions, many of his Night Watchman comrades held a deep respect for the young man.


    For instance, during the extermination of the Evil Finfolk, Rein was assigned the heaviest task, blocking all escape routes for the dispersed Finfolk by himself. Even though there were more Finfolk than expected, Rein nonetheless managed to tackle the difficult challenge.


    In the child rescue incident, it was even more apparent. Every Night Watchman involved in the mission gave Rein a thumbs up as he single-handedly took down several formidable villains and rescued more than twenty children.


    This earned genuine admiration from the Night Watchmen who participated in the mission.


    Without Rein, they didn''t know how many might have died!


    Lagaray watched from the side, a glint of admiration flashing in her eyes.


    Although she had some understanding back in the training grounds, she hadn''t anticipated that Rein''s popularity among the Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town would be so high!


    While Rein was chatting with the ''VIPs,'' a pair of beautiful eyes watched him quietly through the window of a carriage not far away.


    A few minutes before, Miss Jenny from the Crowley family was passing through the town''s administration office in a carriage, heading south toward Rein''s home.


    Her mother, Lady Viscountess Crowley, had been urging her to communicate more with Rein and maintain a good relationship.


    Personally, she also had a favorable impression of the somewhat handsome young man, but unfortunately, Rein had declined her mother''s suggestion last time.


    Ever since she found out that Rein was interested in spiritual texts, Jenny often visited her family''s library.


    This time, she had found an ancient book recorded in spiritual writing, that is, the Akkadian language, which she thought might interest Rein.


    Of course, Jenny''s main objective was to find an excuse to interact more with Rein through the gift of the book.


    Additionally, to facilitate communication between Rein and the Crowley family, Jenny had specially prepared a pair of Blue Helmet Pigeons. These messenger pigeons were extremely fast, with a tuft of blue feathers on their heads that resembled a knight''s helmet, hence the name Blue Helmet Pigeons.

 Chapter 138: Chapter 126: Why can muscles get so big! (Two-in-one big chapter)_2

    At this moment, the pair of blue-capped pigeons stayed quietly in a birdcage at her feet.


    Hearing the nearby commotion, Jenny peered through the carriage window and saw the bustling scene in front of the town hall of Flashgold Town. Four uncommon Lady Knight Templars of the Goddess Church piqued Jenny''s curiosity, and she scrutinized them for a while.


    "Hey, isn''t that Rein?" Jenny spotted Rein greeting the Viscount.


    Rein, out of politeness, had already removed his knight''s helmet, so Jenny recognized him at a glance.


    "Caso, pull the carriage over to the side," Jenny said to the coachman, Caso.


    "As you wish, Miss Jenny."


    The carriage came to a steady stop by the roadside, and Jenny listened attentively.


    Since Rein and the others were knights, their voices were not deliberately concealed; Jenny could hear them clearly from twenty or thirty meters away.


    ''Deputy officer of town security in Flashgold Town?'' Jenny''s beautiful eyes sparkled upon hearing this.


    As a noble lady, she naturally understood the imperial administrative system''s appointments.


    Despite the title "deputy," considering Rein''s current age, this was quite impressive.


    In the imperial administrative system, competition was inevitable, with its share of pettiness, but there was one type where military merit was most valued. As long as one''s military deeds were sufficient, promotion would be smooth sailing.


    The background-less Rein becoming deputy officer indicated that he must have accrued substantial bona fide achievements; otherwise, he would have never received the appointment.


    "Mother''s judgment is as excellent as always!"


    "However, is Rein about to leave?" Jenny frowned.


    She had come to Flashgold Town specifically to find Rein, but given the current situation, it seemed that he might have some important mission to undertake with the Goddess Church.


    This caused an inexplicable irritation in Jenny''s heart.


    ...


    "So you are Rein, truly a promising youth!"


    "I''ve reviewed your records; I had no idea that you, having joined Lord Hamilton''s ranks not long ago, had completed many challenging tasks. With your capabilities, Flashgold Town is indeed too small for you. Have you considered coming to the County Town?" Hamadi, the Viscount, said smilingly.


    Somehow, Rein always felt that this superior of his superior had a disingenuous smile.


    The smile was very insincere!


    "Thank you for the compliment, Viscount, but the cost of living in the County Town is too steep. If I were to move there, I''m afraid I couldn''t afford a house," Rein said with a laugh, tactfully declining.


    Rein''s response triggered hearty laughter from the others.


    "Viscount, although Rein has completed many tasks, he is still much too young and needs more training. Let him stay with me a little longer," Lord Hamilton chimed in to defuse the situation.


    Prior to this, Rudolph, the preacher, had not paid much attention to Rein, but after sizing him up carefully and hearing from Lord Hamilton that Rein was under fifteen years old, he became quite interested in him.


    Rein certainly noticed the preacher Rudolph''s gaze. Although the eyes were gentle, they had a penetrating quality.


    "Rein, would you be interested in joining the Church and embracing the Goddess? I believe with your qualifications, you have a good chance of vying for the next Meister in the County Town."


    As soon as Rudolph, the preacher, opened his mouth, he made a grand proposal, shocking Viscount Hamadi and Lord Hamilton, who were nearby.


    They knew Preacher Rudolph all too well. As the one responsible for demon hunting and exorcism in the County Town''s Church of the Sea Goddess, he was usually serious and had a rather old-fashioned demeanor. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To their surprise, he showed a particular fondness for Rein.


    And the four Lady Knight Templars couldn''t help but turn their heads slightly to look at Rein.


    The others might not be members of the Church and might not realize the weight and significance of the term ''Meister'' within the Church.


    But they knew it all too well.


    Every Meister was a candidate for the district''s bishop.


    Which meant that if Rein became a Meister, he would have a strong chance of succeeding the Meister of the County''s Church of the Sea Goddess.


    Preacher Rudolph''s words also left Rein feeling flattered but overwhelmed.


    However, Rein never considered himself wholly devoted to a single deity. If he joined the Church, he guessed it would be only a matter of time before he became a Blasphemer.


    After thinking it through, Rein politely declined, "Thank you for your kindness, Preacher, but Lord Hamilton has been very caring towards me. Please forgive me for not being able to join your esteemed Church."


    At that moment, Viscount Hamadi spoke, "It''s getting late, Hamilton, with the Preacher personally making the trip, I think you should accompany us to the Nightingale Forest."


    "This... What about Flashgold Town?" Lord Hamilton hesitated.


    "Ahaha, isn''t that a simple matter? Just leave Rein to watch over Flashgold Town!"


    "Alright! I''ll follow the Viscount''s arrangement," Lord Hamilton said, nodding after a brief reflection.


    "Rein, you''ll stay and guard Flashgold Town. If all goes well, we should be back by evening, at the latest by tomorrow. While I''m away, I''m entrusting you with the town''s security," he said.


    Rein was stunned by these words.


    No, please! I was planning to harvest a wave of experience... How could this...


    Rein inwardly screamed; he desperately wanted to refuse.


    Content source m-vl|em|p,yr


    But clearly, it was not the place to do so.


    After all, this order had come from the superior of his superior, and moreover, his direct superior, Lord Hamilton, had agreed.


    Consequently, Rein could only respond, "By your command, Lord Hamilton."

 Chapter 139: Chapter 126: Why can muscles get so big! (Two-in-one big chapter)_3

    "Oh, Hamilton, if you are worried, I can ask Andrews to stay in Flashgold Town as well, now are you reassured?" Viscount Hamadi said with a smile.


    "Rein, this is Knight Andrews." Viscount Hamadi pointed to the towering guard knight equipped with an arm shield.


    "Lord Andrews, hello."


    "Hello, Lord Rein." A deep voice came from the other''s knight''s helmet.


    Oh! This Knight Andrews is very strong.


    Rein''s senses told him that Andrews seemed to be an experienced knight.


    This made Rein a bit puzzled, wondering why Viscount Hamadi would leave an experienced knight behind.


    But he didn''t think much about it, perhaps it was for Hamilton''s peace of mind?


    Of course, that''s unknown.


    Before the team departed, Rein and Lagaray instructed that it would be best if they could bring back her brother and the belongings of his comrades, but if not, ensuring their own safe return was most important.


    Soon, the team from County Town joined the team from Flashgold Town, a majestic group of forty to fifty people, and they set off towards the western Nightingale Forest.


    This time, Hamilton took nearly twenty Night Watchmen, which amounted to more than half of the defensive power of Flashgold Town.


    After seeing off the team, Andrews spoke up: "Lord Rein, as the new Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town, could you show me around Flashgold Town? Although I''ve been here a few times, it''s been a long while." Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For Andrews'' request, Rein naturally had no problem, because it just so happened that it was customary every day for the town sheriff to patrol around Flashgold Town on horseback.


    Although this was more of a formality, it remained a method to deter minor criminals and had been passed down to the present day.


    So, Rein often saw Hamilton taking time to patrol with two guards, the three of them riding together.


    Thus, Rein readily nodded and agreed.


    "Of course, there''s no problem, Lord Andrews. Please follow me."


    Through idle chatter with Andrews, Rein learned that after receiving the message about the ''Evil Spirit Knight,'' County Town took it very seriously.


    However, the entire Meister County had been unsettled recently, and the Seasonal and Marine Goddess Church had already sent out several teams to other places, with a team just returning yesterday.


    Therefore, the delay in the team coming to Flashgold Town to investigate the Evil Spirit Knight was a few days.


    Meanwhile, Jenny, who was secretly relieved that Rein didn''t need to go on a mission this time, saw Rein and an unfamiliar knight, starting to mount their horses and head towards the edge of town.


    This made her heart tighten.


    But seeing their slow pace, Jenny soon realized that Rein was just going for his routine patrol.


    As an aristocrat''s offspring, of course, she knew this was a routine of the sheriff. Your journey continues on m-vle-mpyr


    Thus, Jenny thought for a moment, then said to the coachman: "Caso, follow Lord Rein from a distance with the carriage, and also, let the two family cavalrymen wait here."


    "As you command, miss," the coachman Caso quickly greeted the two family cavalrymen in charge of protecting Jenny.


    Jenny wanted to approach directly, but with someone new beside Rein, now was not an appropriate time to deepen their interaction, so she could only have the coachman follow at a distance.


    And Jenny''s eyes were fixed on Rein, the more she looked, the more she felt the knight in armor looked dashing, making her heart race.


    Rein and Andrews soon reached the edge of the town.


    At that moment, a woman''s scream suddenly rang out from within Flashgold Town.


    Rein narrowed his eyes and instantly turned his head towards the direction from which the sound came.


    But suddenly, his heart sounded an alarm!


    His level 3 danger perception told Rein that the source of danger was right beside him!


    Was it Andrews?


    "Oh no!"


    "Iron Skin!"


    Without the time to turn his head, Rein instinctively activated his second Transcendent ability "Iron Skin," and suddenly, he felt a forceful and scorching attack hit his lower back!


    "Bang!"


    "Crack!"


    The next second, he was blasted from his horse like a cannonball, hitting the ground.


    Instantly, the ground formed a deep crater where Rein landed, dust billowing!


    And Jenny, who was following from afar, had her eyes wide open, her hands covering her mouth in utter disbelief, watching the scene unfold before her.


    The unfamiliar knight beside Rein, wasn''t he Viscount Hamadi''s guard knight?


    Why would he suddenly attack Rein?


    And Jenny had just witnessed the attack, seeing black flames suddenly surge from the attacker''s palm, striking Rein''s waist with great speed, even tearing through his knight armor!


    Oh my goodness! Rein, just recently appointed as Deputy Sheriff, the guardian knight his family had just made contact with, was now ambushed and killed?


    Great Goddess above, how could such a horrifying event occur!


    But what terrified her even more happened.


    The tall, thin knight who ambushed and killed Rein was now focusing his gaze on her carriage.


    "What a pity, the young knight prodigy, never had the chance to fully mature."


    "Oh! We have a few spectators here. Too bad! If you''ve seen something you shouldn''t have, you''ll have to join Rein now!" Andrews said, his voice tinged with an indescribable glee.

 Chapter 140: Chapter 126: Why can muscles get so big! (Two-in-one big chapter)_4

    The next second, Andrews shook the reins, turned his horse around, and intended to kill all the witnesses on the carriage behind him.


    Just as he was about to charge over, his entire body suddenly stiffened, as if perceiving something unbelievable.


    Before he even turned his head.


    A voice he thought he would never hear again rang out from behind him.


    "Lord Andrews, I didn''t expect you to be a member of the Black Flame Cult!"


    Reine climbed out of the crater in the ground, now in a wretched state, the Knight''s breastplate given by Hamilton had been directly shattered by Andrews''s Black Flame strike.


    But surprisingly, there were no apparent wounds on Reine''s body.


    Upon closer observation, one could even see a faint silvery glint on the surface of his exposed skin.


    Quietly, Reine decided to allocate the Skill Points meant to enhance his basic meditation technique to breaking his limits.


    In an instant, the limit break value rose from 15% to 25%!


    Andrews stared at Reine with a shocked face, the scene before him had truly startled him!


    "How... how could you take my full-powered Black Flame strike and still remain unscathed?!" Andrews blurted out in disbelief.


    His heart was screaming as well, how could this be possible!


    Even seasoned Knights, if they were ambushed with this strike, would be gravely injured!


    And Reine, a youngster who had just stepped into Transcendence a few days ago, was fine?


    Truly damn hellish!


    Reine, of course, wouldn''t answer his question. At this moment, his heart was filled with rage and also a hint of trepidation.


    If he hadn''t awakened his second Transcendent characteristic ''Iron Skin'', he might have been lying down forever.


    Reine had never suffered such a loss before!


    So, seizing the moment while his opponent was stupefied, Reine instantly ''broke his limit'' and pulled out the Dual-Handed Greatsword from behind his back, leaping towards Andrews with a ''Leap Slash''.


    The purpose of breaking the limit was, of course, to match the opponent''s speed!


    The 25% limit break instantly increased Reine''s agility from 15 points to just over 18, but not quite 19.


    When Andrews realized what was happening, Reine''s Dual-Handed Greatsword was already above his head.


    But Andrews was no ordinary Knight; a veteran with a limit break exceeding 30%, he managed to hastily use his Arm Shield in his left hand to block Reine''s strike!


    "Clang!!!"


    Although it was blocked.


    The impact of Reine''s strike caused Andrews''s steed to kneel with all four legs and collapse on the ground, unable to rise again.


    "Such a rare Knight talent, in just a few days your physical limit break has almost reached that of a seasoned Knight," Andrews said slowly, parrying Reine''s sword with a gloomy expression.


    "If you were given more time to grow, you really would become a big problem for us."


    "However, the farce can end now!" Andrews forcefully pushed with his left hand, repelling Reine''s strike, his face showing disdain.


    Immediately following, Reine lunged at Andrews again with a ''Furious Slash'', coming from above at a ninety-degree angle, straight down!


    "You think this is useful....."


    "What?" The word hadn''t even left his mouth.


    Andrews'' expression changed dramatically, as if he had seen a ghost!


    For at that moment, the Rein he was facing had muscles swelling to the point of shattering his knight''s breastplate into pieces! sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His muscles inflated like they were being pumped with air, growing by two whole sizes!


    "Pfft!"


    Andrews'' expression would be forever frozen in that look.


    "This absolutely cannot be a knight who has just stepped into the transcendent. Not even a Peak Knight''s muscle change is so exaggerated!!" This was the last thought Andrews had before his death.


    Rein, who had cleaved Andrews in two with a single stroke, began to rapidly shrink back to his normal size.


    Planting the Glimmering Greatsword heavily into the ground, Rein leaned on it while gasping for air.


    At that moment, his entire muscular body and fascia ached unbearably as if every muscle was being torn apart little by little!


    Just now, it had been Rein''s first time combining the knight''s universal transcendent ability ''Breaking Limits'', the transcendent characteristic ''Huge Strength'', with a full-powered ''Strength Burst'', all in a triple overlapping state for that single strike.


    Though it had lasted for less than two seconds and had instantly killed a senior knight who possessed the ability to control black flames, the after-effects were also extremely serious.


    The reason for the triple Burst was that after Rein''s first swing was blocked, he had calculated that his opponent was a senior knight. Under maximum conditions, it was Breaking Limits at 60%, plus a Strength-type transcendent characteristic at 60%, adding up to at most a 120% enhancement.


    With their base Strength nearly equal, Rein only had a sure win by combining the three Bursts to achieve a 155% enhancement. Explore more stories at m-vl_em,pyr


    Even though Andrews'' transcendent characteristic might not have been Strength-related and might not have reached a 120% enhancement, Rein didn''t want to make any more mistakes.


    Meanwhile, Jenny in the distant carriage compartment was stunned, her cherry lips agape wide enough to fit an apple, her beautiful eyes round and wide, unable to snap back to reality for a long time.


    The splendor of that single swing had caught her eyes and was now imprinted in her heart.


    My God!


    Was Rein a god descended to Earth?


    How could muscles get so big?


    That''s terrifying! No, it''s so reassuring!


    Moreover, the transition from near-death to suddenly coming back to life was too sudden, like a person about to drown suddenly surfacing and taking a deep breath. This caused Jenny''s face to flush red, and she even rolled her eyes, nearly fainting from the excitement.


    And the Coachman Caso, alike had his jaw nearly drop to the ground, but after all, he was a man in his forties and quickly regained his composure, saying, "Miss, shall we go help? It seems that Lord Reine is also quite exhausted."


    "Yes! Yes! Caso, let''s go right now."


    Rein, enduring the excruciating pain of muscle tearing, pulled up his status panel to check.


    [Your Skill ''Giant Bear Sword Technique'' has improved, Experience Points +289]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience Points +57]


    The Knight (Transcendent) panel has successfully advanced to Knight (Transcendent) lv2 (43/300), awarding one attribute point and one Skill Point.


    Without hesitation, Rein allocated the attribute point to Constitution, and instantly, his Constitution rose from 16 to 17.


    Suddenly, a warm surge burst forth from his heart and rapidly spread throughout his body!


    In an instant, all of Rein''s muscle tearing sensation, soreness, and fatigue disappeared!


    Adding points is damn useful!

 Chapter 141: Chapter 127: Could it have just been switched? (Two in one large chapter)

    At that moment, Lord Reine noticed that after the battle with Andrews, combined with previous experiences against "Karawi," "Fog Specters," and others, the Giant Bear Sword Technique had now reached lv5 (1988/2000).


    Only one step away, he could enter the gates of lv6.


    So, when Jenny came down from the carriage, her face full of worry, and hurried over with her long dress in both hands, what she saw was Lord Reine, who had been covered in sweat and contorted in pain, suddenly stand up with a look of joy, brimming with vigour.


    It completely stunned Jenny!


    "Lo... Lord Reine, are you all right?" Jenny stammered, still unable to recover from her shock.


    "Eh! Miss Jenny, what brings you here?" Reine asked in surprise.


    Could it be that the Crowley family was also involved in this matter?


    After the recent ambush, Lord Reine''s vigilance was exceptionally high.


    "I... I came to bring Lord Reine..."


    "Wait! " Lord Reine gave a shushing gesture and said. Find more to read at m_v l|-NovelFire


    Because at that moment, he heard more cries of alarm coming from within Flashgold Town. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The noise was loud and seemed further away, but with Lord Reine''s perception, he could still faintly make out the screams and shouts of a crowd.


    It seemed that the Blackflame Church had not only sent Andrews.


    And from the looks of it, their goal was not merely to kill him, but something bigger.


    The purpose of the Blackflame Church''s action this time was probably anything but simple.


    Lord Reine glanced at the corpse of Andrews beside him; the body, as evidence, couldn''t be left exposed to the elements, and the battle loot had yet to be claimed.


    After a moment''s thought, Lord Reine turned to Jenny and said, "Miss Jenny, could you collect my battle loot for me?"


    "Ah? Battle loot?" Jenny was momentarily astonished, failing to grasp his meaning until Lord Reine pointed towards the unfamiliar knight''s corpse, then she understood what he meant.


    "I need to investigate the situation in town right now."


    As he spoke, Lord Reine was about to head back to the town, but after taking a couple of steps, he turned back and cautioned:


    "By the way, Miss Jenny, you should leave Flashgold Town as soon as possible."


    At that time, Jenny was staring at the gruesome corpse nearby, lost in thought.


    How... how should this be dealt with?


    It was only at Lord Reine''s reminder that she came to her senses, hurriedly responding:


    "Yes... of course, Lord Reine!"


    Just then, two cavalrymen were swiftly approaching from the direction of Flashgold Town.


    Lord Reine''s eyes narrowed at once, and he gripped the Glimmering Greatsword in both hands, readying himself for combat.


    "Wait... Lord Reine, those two look like my escort cavalry." Jenny was startled when she saw Reine draw his sword.


    "Oh?" Even though Jenny said this, Lord Reine remained on guard.


    After all, if he didn''t learn from his previous experience, it would eventually be his doom.


    After the two cavalrymen arrived, they swiftly saluted Jenny and urgently reported, "Miss Jenny, the Flashgold Town church has been attacked, and the town''s guard forces are weak. We advise you to leave Flashgold Town immediately."


    "The church?" Lord Reine''s pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly made a connection.


    Today was Sunday, and there would be at least a hundred or two people in the church, Lord Reine,


    Andrews... the Blackflame Church?


    Could it be that the Blackflame Church was intending to perform a blood sacrifice in Flashgold Town?


    Because during his training as a page, Lord Reine had heard about the cult sacrifice incident in Monheim Town.


    After becoming the Captain of the Night Watchman, Lord Reine even went to check the relevant records; the truth was more gruesome than the rumors, with over a hundred people dead in Monheim Town at once.


    The official response of the Empire to conclude the matter was to blame seven or eight bandits, but Lord Reine knew it was a stopgap measure by County Town to quickly calm the public''s unrest and to downplay the incident.


    Now thinking about it, it was most likely also the handiwork of the Blackflame Church!


    "Cough... I won''t leave, he is Lord Reine, the Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town. You two arrived at the right time, help the Lord with collecting the battle loot," Jenny quickly assessed the situation and then declined the cavalrymen''s suggestion.


    Jenny was very clear in her thoughts.


    Although staying in Flashgold Town was dangerous, this was an excellent opportunity to strengthen her bond with Lord Reine.


    "Battle loot?" The two cavalrymen took a look around and immediately saw the bloody heap, jumping in fright.


    "This was a rogue of senior knight strength, already slain by Lord Reine. We''ll just follow Lord Reine and assist with collecting the battle loot," Jenny said.


    Senior knight?


    Was that bloody mass a senior knight?


    This made the two cavalrymen look again, finding indeed a plate-armored knight. They exchanged glances and saw the shock in each other''s eyes.


    In that case, there really was no need to retreat just yet.


    "Yes, Miss Jenny," the two cavalrymen immediately jumped off their horses, filled with confidence, and began the collection.


    Lord Reine glanced at Jenny, somewhat surprised that the noble lady had such courage and so much confidence in him.


    He nodded at Jenny and said, "I''ll go first, you can follow behind at your own pace. If something doesn''t feel right, leave immediately without hesitation."


    "Of course, Lord Reine," Jenny replied with a pleased look, spotting that look of acknowledgment from Reine, and quickly nodded in agreement.


    At once, Lord Reine dashed towards Flashgold Town, while occasionally glancing at the Knight (Transcendent) panel.

 Chapter 142: Chapter 127: Could it have just been switched? (Two in one large chapter)_2

    After a moment of contemplation, I decided to allocate the newly acquired Skill Point to break my limit.


    The reason was simple, since I was about to face a fierce battle, naturally, I wanted to invest in something that would quickly increase my combat strength.


    Breaking the limit affected two Transcendent attributes, ''Huge Strength'' and ''Iron Skin'', and after allocating the point, both of these Transcendent attributes should advance to lv2.


    As I allocated the point, instantly, my limit break increased from 25% to 35%.


    Suddenly, it was as if I could hear the sound of glass shattering, akin to the noise of a key turning in a lock; Rein only felt a kind of ''shackle'' deep within him ''click'', and in an instant, it was unlocked.


    This feeling was so peculiar!


    It was as if Rein had always been dancing with shackles on, and now, all of a sudden, the shackles were removed.


    Every cell in his body was cheering!


    "No wonder the 30% limit is a hurdle; it seems that once it''s surpassed, some sort of shackle within the body is unlocked."


    "Now, I suppose I''ve entered the ranks of a seasoned knight!" Rein murmured to himself.


    Before Rein had the chance to deeply sense this change, the two Transcendent attributes that were associated with him also broke through to lv2.


    [Transcendent Attribute: Huge Strength lv2 (Active)]


    Huge Strength lv2 effect: Strength significantly increases.


    (Note: The Transcendent attribute Huge Strength''s enhancement of the host''s strength is positively correlated with the limit break percentage. The higher the degree of limit break, the greater the increase in strength.)


    (Note: To advance to the next level, a limit break of 60% or higher is required.)


    [Transcendent Attribute: Iron Skin lv2 (Passive)]


    Iron Skin lv2 effect: The body automatically absorbs stray metal elements, significantly strengthening skin defense.


    (Note: The enhancement of Iron Skin to defensive power is positively correlated with spiritual power and limit break percentage. The higher the spirit and limit break percentage, the stronger the absorption capacity and the greater the enhancement.)


    (Note: To advance to the next level, a limit break of 60% or above and a spiritual power of 18 points or more are required.)


    (Note: Transcendent attributes cannot be directly enhanced with Skill Points.)


    As expected, both Transcendent attributes advanced to lv2, and they even provided the requirements for the next level.


    To reach the next level of the ''Huge Strength'' Transcendent attribute, a limit break of over 60% was necessary, while the ''Iron Skin'' attribute had even more stringent requirements, needing a spiritual power of over 18 points.


    Suddenly, Rein shifted his gaze away from the Knight (Transcendent) panel, looking towards the spire of the approaching town church, his confidence redoubled!


    Ten minutes earlier.


    Enjoy new adventures from m-v l''e-NovelFire


    Flashgold Town Church. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The church of the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess, just like many others, featured classic stained glass windows and a slender, tapering architectural style.


    In addition, at the very top of the church, there was a gilded statue of the small Monsoon and Ocean Goddess.


    It happened to be Sunday, so at this time, the church was packed with Flashgold Town residents worshipping the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess.


    The arduous day-to-day labor and occasional disasters led to a world with far more believers than in Rein''s previous life, and significantly more devout ones at that.


    At this time, over a hundred men and women from the town, both old and young, were earnestly praying to the statue of the goddess holding a conch shell, led by a white-haired priest named Thomason.


    However, in the spacious hall of the church, instead of Priest Thomason, a black-robed monk was loudly chanting some sort of incantation; seven or eight burly men dressed as mercenaries, armed to the teeth, guarded the surroundings with eagle eyes.


    Besides them, there appeared to be another black-robed monk in a dark hood, head bowed, hands in sleeves, standing in a corner of the hall, silent as stone.


    And below, silent as death, were the hundred or so Flashgold Town residents who had been attending the service.


    In front of them lay the corpses of a few who had resisted, their bright red blood staining the solemn and sacred church.


    As the black-robed monk continued chanting the incantation, the black bone wand in front of him began to emit strands of eerie black thread-like substances from its crystal top, slowly filling the room.


    The residents of Flashgold Town who came into contact with it soon fell to the ground, trembling all over!


    This sight filled everyone with even more dread, trembling uncontrollably. It wasn''t that they didn''t want to resist; it''s just that resistance meant immediate death, and dying later was always better than dying sooner.


    Among the trembling crowd was a man with thick eyebrows.


    He had never imagined that, on this Sunday, right after finishing his page training, his mother would urge him to attend the weekly church service, seeking the goddess''s blessing for success in the habbs manor guard examination.


    Instead, less than half an hour into the service, a group of fierce-looking mercenaries stormed in, and Priest Thomason presiding over the service was immediately lying in a pool of blood.


    Right after, the church''s main doors were locked, trapping all the town''s residents inside.


    At first, the man with thick eyebrows thought it was a robbery by some gang of bandits, and considering his family''s wealth, he wasn''t too worried.


    But as the robed figure began to chant the eerie incantations, he made the connection to a cultist ritual sacrifice, and instantly, he turned pale!


    Cultists were known for taking lives without a second thought!


    ''Pseudo rich kids'' have one advantage at least: being well-informed. He knew what the other party was up to, or, in other words, under the current circumstances, the man with thick eyebrows knew exactly why he might die.


    Unlike the ordinary town residents who, perhaps up to the very moment of death, would not understand why they were dying.


    The man with thick eyebrows considered resisting; he always believed that with his swordsmanship, he could take on ordinary thugs with no issue.

 Chapter 143: Chapter 127: Could it be that it was just switched out? (Two in one large chapter)_3

    ```


    But when he saw his uncle, the peace officer who had taught him swordsmanship, struck down by a sword and lying in a pool of blood, that little bit of confidence in his bushy eyebrows shattered like glass.


    He didn''t dare entertain any thoughts of resistance in his heart; after all, resistance meant immediate death, but if he cowered in the crowd like a quail, perhaps he could delay his demise!


    At this moment, the figure of a man appeared unbidden in his mind.


    A figure that was even shorter and frailer than him.


    During the swordsmanship competition in the servant training, the person turned the impossible into possible, and reversing his defeat, he had beaten him.


    If he were here, would he dare to draw his sword against them?


    After some thought, he shook his head; chances were he wouldn''t dare either.


    After all, the gap in strength was simply too great.


    Although, he had heard that the guy had become the Night Watchman of the town, but what of it? He was still an ordinary person, and in the face of these fierce bandits, probably only a formal Knight would suffice.


    Seeing wisps of eerie black mist spread, his heart immediately tightened, and he muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear:


    "Mother! You''ve doomed your own son; do you realize that?"


    "Goddess above! I pray someone can save me!"


    "I sincerely apologize for all the wrongs I''ve done before and beg the Goddess to send someone to rescue me!"


    "I''m still young; I truly don''t want to die!"


    At this moment, his eyes had never been so devout!


    If Rein were here, he would have recognized that, apart from him, many of the servant boys he knew were also here, including his good friend George.


    This was because the Habsburg Manor was going to hold a servant assessment next week.


    Therefore, many servants accompanied their families to the church to worship devoutly, praying that the Goddess would bless them with a smooth assessment.


    At this moment, they all looked in horror at the scene before them.


    At the very edge of the church hall, there was another figure familiar to Rein, that of his mother Emma, who was bowing her head in shock and trembling, her expression one of horror.


    But at this moment, surprisingly, she didn''t immediately pray to the Goddess for protection; rather, the first thing that came to her mind was her son Rein and his increasingly tall figure. Stay tuned to m-v l|e-NovelFire


    "With such a big incident happening, Rein, as the captain of the Night Watchmen, should be rushing over, right?"


    "No, no! Rein mustn''t come!"


    "They are too many and too powerful; even if Rein comes, he definitely can''t win against them!"


    "Goddess protect! Please don''t let Rein come, let him be safe and sound!" Emma thought silently to herself.


    At this time, a Black Flame Monk, robed in black, stood blocking the entrance to the church''s outer square. Four or five bodies dressed in peace officer uniforms lay haphazardly on the ground, and opposite him stood the remaining twenty or so Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town, along with a few peace officers.


    The Night Watchmen had their bows drawn and aimed at the Black Flame Monk, and the peace officers had also drawn their Longswords, surrounding him. But they were all tense, with a few pale and trembling.


    This gave the monk holding the black flame in his hand an air of being the lone man guarding a pass against a thousand enemies.


    The first few peace officers to arrive had already fallen prey to him.


    Among the remaining defenses of Flashgold Town, the short Matteo held the highest position.


    As the captain of the Night Watchmen, he clenched his fists, his face flushed with blood, but he dared not order his men to shoot.


    Matteo never lacked the courage to fight, but facing the Black Flame Monk who had even given officer Hamilton a tough time before, he knew that if he were to shout ''fire'', it was likely all of them would fall here.


    The black flames flickering in his opponent''s hand made Matteo apprehensive; to the average-strength Night Watchman, it was almost unbeatable.


    You may say, ''Hasn''t Rein already killed a Black Flame Monk? It can''t be that scary, right?''


    True, but that was a Black Flame Monk in a state of severe injury.


    The one before them now was a Black Flame Monk in his prime.


    It''s not the same thing at all!


    So despite having him surrounded, Matteo was almost certain that even if they fought to the death, they wouldn''t even be able to touch him. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maybe before they were all wiped out, they could inflict a wound or two on him.


    That would be the extent of it!


    Although Matteo had already sent out messengers to chase after Lord Hamilton''s party at the first opportunity, it had already been an hour since they''d left; in terms of time, they were likely too late to help.


    Additionally, Matteo had dispatched messengers to the nearby Habs Manor to seek the help of Knight Lloyd, but it would probably take some time for the reinforcements from the manor to arrive.


    So even though Matteo wasn''t very confident that Rein could defeat the opponent, at this moment their only hope was for Rein, the newly appointed deputy peace officer still in Flashgold Town.


    "You don''t even have the courage to shoot me with your arrows? As the imperial peacekeeping force, that''s sincerely pathetic," the Black Flame Monk sneered, twirling the ball of black flames in his hand.


    "Was it you lot of trash that ganged up and killed Mort? Doesn''t look like it!"


    "Well! If you stand there obediently without moving, perhaps I might spare your lives."


    "Oh, right, I remember now, you wouldn''t be waiting for that... what''s his name... Rei... Rein! That''s the name, isn''t it?"


    "Heh, you wouldn''t be waiting for him, would you?"


    "Too bad, you won''t be waiting for him to come."


    ```

 Chapter 144: Chapter 127: Could it be that it was just switched out? (Two in one large chapter)_4

    This made Matteo and the other Night Watchmen couldn''t help but change their expressions; for a moment, they felt as if their opponent had suddenly seen through their hand!


    Listening to the opponent''s tone, it seemed like Rein...


    Suddenly, screams erupted inside the church, one after another.


    This made many family members of the Night Watchmen inside the church become agitated, turning their heads to Matteo and saying:


    "Captain, let''s go all out!"


    "Yes, let''s go all out!!"


    The desperate declaration of this bunch of ants made Otis want to laugh.


    "Hahaha, go all out? A bunch of ants, what do you have to compete with me!"


    Just then, a young yet resonant voice suddenly erupted, "Hasn''t anyone taught you to respect the warriors who face death with honor?"


    Suddenly, Otis could no longer laugh!


    Because a person he hadn''t expected appeared in his sight, and also in the sight of the Night Watchmen.


    "Rein!"


    "Deputy Marshall, sir!"


    At that moment when Matteo saw Rein appear, he felt an urge to cry! The burden he was carrying on his shoulders suddenly felt lifted.


    "Reporting to the Deputy Marshall, a Black Flame Monk has taken control of the townspeople inside the church!"


    "Matteo, you all have worked hard. Leave this place to me!" Rein, looking at the Black Flame Monk opposite him, said.


    "You... you are that new knight, Rein?"


    "How is this possible, you shouldn''t..."


    "And where''s Andrews? You definitely cannot be his match!" The Black Flame Monk named Otis burst out with a triple question.


    However, Rein naturally didn''t bother with him and silently drew his Glimmering Greatsword.


    Otis, with his brows deeply furrowed, couldn''t wrap his head around this puzzle.


    "Could it be that Andrews fought against you and you managed to escape?"


    After thinking it over, Otis felt that this was the only reasonable explanation.


    Moreover, seeing the shattered state of Rein''s armor, it appeared as though Andrews had beaten him severely.


    If this were true, Rein was likely a Transcendent knight with attributes like agility.


    No wonder!


    Otis immediately ruled out all other possibilities and arrived at a conclusion that he thought was very reliable!


    For a speedy type knight like Rein, the best strategy is close combat.


    If he were to use ranged attacks like Black Flame Fireballs, it would be futile if the opponent was too fast.


    With his extensive combat experience, Otis quickly thought of the best strategy against Rein.


    Fortunately, Otis''s close combat strength was not weak either, skillful with a pair of Daggers, and although his strength was just that of a formal knight, his Transcendent attribute leaned towards agility.


    Having thought all this through, Otis confidently said, "You barely escaped from Andrews''s hands, yet didn''t seize this luck, and even dared to come here."


    "This is truly your tragedy!"


    His words made Rein startle for a moment!


    "Whoosh!"


    Otis immediately dashed forward, charging straight at Rein.


    His maneuver once again startled Rein!


    Because Rein had been thinking about how to dodge the Black Flame Fireballs in the opponent''s hands and then look for chances to get close to swiftly kill him.


    But now what did he see?


    The Black Flame Monk didn''t even throw a single Black Flame Fireball at him but instead rushed towards him for a close combat?


    Could there be some conspiracy here?


    No matter!


    Close combat is his own only advantage!


    Since the opponent was so confident, maybe he was also a Strength type player; it was safer to directly use his ultimate move!


    Just in time, Rein had broken through to 35% beyond his limit, stepping into the realm of a seasoned Knight, and his Transcendent trait "Huge Strength" had reached an enhancement of 60%.


    Rein planned to activate an additional 25% of "Strength Burst", aiming for a total strength enhancement of 120%, to probe the depth of his opponent first.


    Moreover, Rein was confident that, at this level of triple overlap state, both the duration and the side effects would be much weaker, and in a short time, there would virtually be no side effects at all.


    This was the advantage of having high Constitution.


    No wonder a great man once said, a good body is the capital of revolution!


    As for why not to burst out with full strength?


    That was because he needed to maintain a certain level of combat ability for the subsequent church rescue.


    Seeing the Black Flame monk rapidly attacking Rein, Matteo, while keeping his eyes fixed, quickly said to the other Night Watchmen: "In a moment you guys from...."


    But he was cut off mid-sentence!


    Instead, he muttered to himself: "Rein''s strength.... has reached this level...."


    Suddenly, a pair of daggers flickering with a chilling cold light appeared in the hands of the Black Flame monk, attacking close in front of Rein in the blink of an eye.


    As he attacked at high speed, the airflow raised rustled the battered plate armor on Rein''s body!


    In the moment when his adversary appeared confident.


    Everyone present only heard several sounds of bowstrings being plucked, and the source was Rein in the center of the arena!


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    Rein''s figure suddenly enlarged, his muscles bulged, especially his chest and neck, which swelled almost twice like a Zarah cobra about to attack its prey!


    "Roar!!!"


    A roar sounded!


    A wave of tangible air Shockwave burst from Rein''s mouth, spreading outwards, and Otis was the first to face it head-on!


    Otis''s face turned to utter horror, as he never expected Rein to have such a wide-ranging sonic attack technique.


    This kind of attack was completely unavoidable; one could only withstand it!


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    And Otis reacted very quickly, shrinking his neck and crossing his arms in front of his face instantaneously!


    "Bang!"


    As the gust hit, Otis only felt a sharp pain in his ears and a buzzing in his head!


    But he instinctively felt something was wrong, and just as he was about to lower his arms to check, he suddenly felt the sky darken, and then, his left eye was looking at his own right eye!


    No, to be precise, his left eye saw the right side of his body, and his right eye saw the left side.


    Before Otis could recover from his confusion, S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His world went dark!


    He succumbed to nothingness!


    And at the edge of the arena, everyone was stunned, their hands covering their ears, staring dumbfounded at Rein, still in a downward chopping posture.


    And... the Black Flame monk split in two!


    The Night Watchmen were dumbfounded on the spot, a variety of ''ingenious thoughts'' popping into their minds.


    "Is this the Black Flame monk they were once terrified of?"


    "The one that even Lord Hamilton was severely injured by?"


    "This... couldn''t have been switched out just now, right?"


    "Why does it feel like Rein just chopped down a fake Black Flame monk!"


    ...


    It truly wasn''t just Rein posing.


    It was because, at that moment, his Giant Bear Sword Technique had progressed to lv6.


    Thus, as the Giant Bear Sword Technique smoothly stepped into lv6 (124/3000), numerous memories of training with the Giant Bear Sword Technique began to infuse into Rein''s mind.


    Meanwhile, the various techniques contained within these memory fragments quickly integrated into Rein''s muscle memory.


    However, this time seemed a bit different.


    But Rein had not yet had time to fully appreciate it when he suddenly saw, the church doors straight in front of him were being opened from the inside!

 Chapter 145: Chapter 128: Cant Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    The one who opened the church door was a member of the Wilderness Brotherhood, dressed like one of the fully armed mercenaries. At this moment, his eyes bulged out as he stared at the Lord Blackflame Monk, who had been cleaved in half. His expression froze instantly!


    He''d been sent to check the situation because he had just heard a roar outside the church door that didn''t seem humanly possible.


    And what he saw left him utterly speechless!


    "This... this...."


    "You... who are you?"


    Only then did he regain his senses and involuntarily looked towards the center of the area, where Reine was still posed with his greatsword swinging down, and asked.


    As the church door opened and sunlight streamed into the hall, the trembling townspeople inside felt a strange warmth in their hearts, as if a seed of hope was sprouting.


    The trapped townspeople turned to look towards the open door.


    Though their view was partially blocked by the fully armed burly man, they could still vaguely see what was happening outside in the plaza.


    They saw many Night Watchmen and sheriffs, a Knight in tattered plate armor, and a robed figure lying in a pool of blood!


    "He''s come! The sheriff has come to save us."


    "Amazing! We''re finally going to be saved!"


    "...."


    The crowd immediately grew agitated!


    At that moment, the burly man felt a surge of elation, identifying the Knight holding the greatsword as Sheriff Hamilton.


    But then, as he glanced at the two robed figures on the stage, he was still somewhat worried.


    After all, the enemy''s strength was far superior to Flashgold Town''s defenses.


    Fighting one robed figure, ''Lord Hamilton'' had his breastplate shattered. But here, there were still two robed figures....


    The burly man mistakenly thought that the shattered plate armor on Reine had been caused by the previous fight with the robed figure. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Reine''s mother, Emma, had her eyes suddenly widen!


    Being a mother, she recognized immediately that the ''Greatsword Knight'' was her son, Reine.


    Although he was wearing a knight''s helmet, she was too familiar with that set of knightly plate armor which Reine had been wearing every day recently.


    At this moment, seeing Reine''s battered knightly breastplate, Emma felt both worried and happy!


    Worried because she feared Reine might not overcome the villains, and happy because her own son had come to save her��how could she not be?


    "Goddess bless! I hope Reine can successfully drive these villains away!"


    ...


    The two Cavalry members from the Crowley family, although following Miss Jenny''s orders to properly collect the mangled corpse of Andrews Knight and closely followed Reine,


    still didn''t fully believe in the young Lord Reine''s combat prowess since they hadn''t witnessed it firsthand.


    However, when they saw Reine kill the black-robed figure��who was clearly stronger than an official knight��with a single blow, the two exchanged looks, both seeing shock in each other''s eyes!


    You should know that both of them were merely at the strength level of a second-tier knight''s attendant.


    At that moment, Jenny''s carriage also arrived at the church plaza just in time to see Reine in his stance with his greatsword lowered.


    Jenny looked at Reine standing in the middle of the church plaza. At that moment, the sunlight cast a faint golden glow on his magnificent and youthful body, mixed with the aura of having defeated an enemy, like a god descended from heaven!


    It seemed to echo the statue of the Seasonal and Ocean Goddess on top of the church!


    Jenny couldn''t help but squint her eyes into crescents, the look of infatuation so deep she found it hard to pull away. This made her legs involuntarily cross tighter.


    Naturally, Jenny compared the young and handsome Reine to a family knight of her own clan who was nearly fifty years old and harbored ill intentions towards her and her mother, Richard.


    She found no comparison at all!


    Jenny thought, "It looks like I''ve bet on the right person!"


    However, when she saw her family''s two dazed cavalrymen, she frowned slightly.


    Jenny lifted the carriage''s curtain, slightly displeased, and said to the two family cavalrymen:


    "What are you two daydreaming about? Why aren''t you helping Lord Reine collect the spoils of war?"


    "Spoils of war?"


    "Yes... yes...."


    The two cavalrymen started off confused, but quickly caught on and immediately dismounted to walk over to Reine''s side.


    "Lord Reine, we''ll keep your spoils of war for you!" the two said respectfully as they bowed to Reine. Then, each grabbed half of the robed figure''s body and returned to their horses.


    This action caught the nearby Night Watchmen��and even the rugged Wilderness Brotherhood member at the church door��off guard.


    "Is there such a show of prowess?"


    "Lord Reine even has his own corps for handling, no, collecting spoils of war?"


    "How confident must one be to arrange something like this?"


    In an instant, Matteo and several Night Watchmen felt a surge of confidence swell within them. Read exclusive content at m_v-l''-NovelFire.net


    Despite the enemy''s formidable strength, the advantage was theirs!


    However, with the two bloody halves of the body hanging on either side of the horses, the cavalrymen turned to Miss Jenny, troubled, and said, "Uh... Miss Jenny, we kind of don''t have enough space here!"


    Jenny looked at the two cavalrymen, who had the bewildered expressions of geese, shook her head, and said resignedly, "Can''t you just get a cart for hauling goods?"

 Chapter 146: Chapter 128: Cant Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    ....


    Through the gates, Rein peered inside to assess the situation and quickly took in everything within the hall.


    At the same time, he realized that it must have been his earlier roar that had alerted the enemies within the church!


    Though his initial move had the setback of alarming the enemies, it also had the advantage of letting him know the situation within the church beforehand.


    The strange ritual and the tendrils of dark mist made Rein highly wary.


    Moreover, he noticed that the dense crowd of townsfolk inside the church hall couldn''t hold out much longer.


    Because Rein saw very clearly that those townspeople near the prayer altar had all collapsed, their condition unknown.


    And as wisps of dark mist, alive like creatures, continued to spread around, even more townspeople began to fall.


    After carefully counting the number of enemies in the hall, Rein was shocked.


    "Two Black Flame monks and seven or eight Squires?"


    This was a strong force indeed...


    He hadn''t expected the Black Flame Church to dispatch so many elites all at once.


    However, he suddenly remembered the peculiar sensation he felt after the Giant Bear Sword Technique had improved.


    It seemed as though once the Giant Bear Sword Technique reached level 6, it had entered a new realm��as if previously he''d been occupied with familiarizing himself with the moves, but now, he had entered a mastery phase, where everything felt instinctive.


    "In that case, it seems I might be up for a fight after all..."


    While Rein was gauging the strength of his opponents, they were also observing the situation in the church square.


    Especially the robed figure conducting the ritual, who, upon seeing Otis laying in a pool of blood, was visibly shaken, the person wobbled, and the mass of dark mist, as vast as an octopus, also became unstable.


    "What the hell is going on?" Metry roared inwardly.


    "Metry, focus on the ritual. Leave the outside matters to me!" said the robed figure with hands tucked in the sleeves, slowly emerging from the corner and speaking to the Black Flame monk conducting the ritual.


    "At once, Angel Envoy!" The Black Flame monk conducting the ritual responded respectfully.


    Watching the person addressed as Angel Envoy slowly approach the gates, Metry felt a wave of relief.


    "Heh heh! No matter how you''ve done it, meeting the Angel Envoy means you can only pray for your misfortune!"


    "Soon, you will witness the terrifying power of the Angel Envoy!"


    A smirk with a touch of schadenfreude crept onto Metry''s lips.


    At that moment, Rein was already charging towards the entrance of the church hall, followed by several officers, while the Night Watchmen took up their bows and aimed at the entrance.


    The seven fully-armed burly men from within the hall were now rapidly coming to assist, eight in total, arrayed in two rows, firmly blocking the church hall entrance.


    Rein scanned these men, and his enhanced perception as a ''Wizard Apprentice'' told him that among them, only two had the strength of a Knight, while the rest were mere Squires!


    Needing to hurry and rescue the townsfolk, Rein swiftly decided on a strategy of swift and decisive combat!


    As the burly men pulled out their hand crossbows and aimed at Rein,


    suddenly, a roar erupted!


    Following it, a silver sword light surged at the entrance of the church!


    When the sword light passed, the four men in the front were immediately taken out.


    But it didn''t end there. With a stride, Rein''s greatsword swept up, slicing through the armpit of a man in plate armor, a forearm still in its armor lofting through the air.


    Immediately after, Rein performed a Smooth Cleaving Slash, splitting the man diagonally from his shoulder down at a forty-five degree angle!


    Enjoy more content from m-v l''-NovelFire.net


    At this time, the other three burly men finally snapped out of their shock from Rein''s roaring strike, but the scene before them filled them with utter horror.


    Five of their brothers had fallen in less than two seconds!


    How the hell were they supposed to fight back!


    With the sword light flashing again, Rein executed a Furious Slash, instantly killing the last Squire-strength bandit!


    Now, the only ones still standing were two Knights, both already gravely injured.


    Just as Rein was about to finish off these two as well, suddenly, a swift dark wave appeared before his eyes.


    His level 3 ''danger perception'' went crazy with warnings, prompting Rein to instinctively guard himself with his greatsword.


    "Clang!"


    In an instant, he felt a hot black current, carrying a tremendous force, slamming into him and sending him flying.


    Because he had blocked the attack in advance, Rein felt the huge strength cause no real damage as he flew through the air.


    However, the hot black current was rather peculiar!


    Rein felt a sting on his exposed skin and saw that he had become wrapped in fine strands of Black Flame, clinging like a pernicious disease.


    At this moment, these strands of Black Flame were trying to break through his skin to attack his insides; even with the protection of his Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin lv2'', it felt incredibly difficult to resist!


    "Thump!"


    Rein hit the ground hard!


    At the same time, Rein heard screams nearby!


    It turned out the attack hadn''t only sent him flying but also several officers who had been charging in with him; they were also blown away. Since they hadn''t had time to react, their bodies bore deeper, bone-visible wounds compared to Rein''s. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 147: Chapter 128: Cant Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Moreover, these security officers were merely ordinary people. Once wrapped in the subsequent dark flames, they could no longer resist and screamed as they turned into a human-shaped black fireball, soon burning into a pile of black ashes.


    At this point, even Rein was unable to help.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to, but that he was powerless!


    Rein narrowed his eyes, only then did he clear see that the attacker was the dark flame monk who had stood in the corner of the church hall, hands tucked in his sleeves.


    At that moment, he was holding an extremely rare, giant scythe-shaped weapon. The long handle was nearly a meter long, and the blade was a narrow arc, also nearly a meter long.


    The strike just now was a sort of area attack similar to his "roaring strike."


    It originated from the attacker''s body and blasted out a shockwave accompanied by dark flames, along with a 360-degree attack from that giant scythe.


    Anyone within his range of attack would be struck.


    Rein had never encountered such a maneuver from any of the previous dark flame monks.


    It seemed likely that this opponent''s rank was higher than any of the dark flame monks he had faced before.


    Perhaps, this individual was the leader of this Cult of the Dark Flame operation!


    "Clap!"


    Rein''s knight helm, which was already damaged, shattered completely due to the burning power of the dark flame, revealing Rein''s young and handsome face!


    Even the giant scythe-wielding monk was taken aback by this sight!


    He seemed surprised by how young Rein was.


    The town residents in the church hall, seeing the greatsword knight knocked down, entwined in dark flames, and then falling heavily, felt as if their hearts were in their throats.


    But seeing the greatsword knight rise again, seemingly unharmed, sparked excitement in them.


    However, when they saw the "greatsword knight''s" helm shatter and his true face revealed, many people were stunned on the spot!


    Particularly, Rein''s good friend George, at this moment, could not help but raise his hand in shock, pointing at Rein and saying,


    "Isn''t that Rein?"


    "My best friend became a knight???"


    Another page shook his head immediately in denial: "Rein? Are you crazy, George! It''s just a look-alike!"


    Joking aside, Rein was still in page boy training with them a month ago!


    And now, you''re saying this man, who kills brigands as if they were chickens, is Rein?


    Equally shocked on the spot was the broad-browed individual.


    When he saw that familiar face, he felt that the greatsword knight seemed oddly familiar!


    Thus, his brain began to whirl rapidly, and suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind, his eyes widening as he exclaimed: "Damn! That IS Rein!"


    The broad-browed individual tried hard to superimpose the memory of a skinny figure onto this ''greatsword knight,'' but he found, damn it, that they simply did not overlap!


    He scrutinized the other''s eyebrows again, muttering to himself: "No! It absolutely can''t be Rein!"


    "But.... it really does look like Rein!"


    "Could it be Rein''s older brother?"


    "But I don''t recall ever hearing about Rein having such a formidable older brother!"


    "I need to find out more about this as soon as possible, if Rein has such an impressive brother, I should proactively go and apologize to their family."


    In that moment, the broad-browed individual thought of many things....


    Mother Emma, although she had long known that the greatsword knight was Rein, still felt a thrill when she truly saw her son''s face.


    She wanted to shout "Rein!", but feared distracting her child during the battle.


    Moreover, having just witnessed her child calmly killing several brigands, her heart had skipped a beat.


    She had never seen such a cold side of Rein before.


    And seeing how Rein killed like slaughtering chickens with a serene expression told her, clearly, this was not his first time killing.


    This suddenly made Emma feel as though her son was somehow the most familiar stranger!


    Inside the carriage, Jenny, upon seeing Rein being struck by the robed figure wielding a giant scythe in an attack like a black tornado, couldn''t help her heart skipping a beat. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelFire.net S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only when she saw Rein rise again did she breathe a sigh of relief.


    However, worry began to show in her eyes for the first time.


    She could tell that the individual wielding the giant scythe was extremely formidable!


    Even if Rein could win, it wasn''t going to be easy.


    As for the possibility of Rein being defeated?


    Sorry, that option was not within Jenny''s range of choices.


    The current grave situation made Jenny''s mind race, and when she noticed the blue-helmeted pigeon in the cage at her feet, her eyes lit up. She immediately took out a small slip of paper and a feather pen from the carriage and began writing.


    "Mother: Flashgold Town is under attack by cultists, please urgently contact County Town for support! Jenny!"


    "Flap-flap!" The sound of wings flapping arose.


    A pigeon, seemingly wearing a blue helmet, shot out of the carriage window like a bolt of lightning, soaring into the sky!


    -----------------


    On the road to Nightingale Forest to the west of Flashgold Town, a cavalryman dressed in Night Watchman regalia was fiercely whipping his horse to speed towards the direction of Nightingale Forest.


    He was the Messenger sent by the captain of the Night Watchman, Matteo, to seek help from the sheriff Hamilton, who had left Flashgold Town an hour ago.

 Chapter 148: Chapter 128: Cant Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "Swoosh!"


    Suddenly, a sharp arrow struck his steed right beneath him!


    With the horse''s neighing, its leg kneeling, the Night Watchman Messenger was tossed off its back.


    The attackers were cunning, ensuring nothing went wrong by shooting the horse instead of the man directly.


    "Swoosh!"


    Right after that, another arrow from the dense woods at the side aimed at the Messenger who had just been thrown into mid-air.


    "Thud!" The arrow penetrated the flesh!


    With a scream, the heavily fallen Messenger struggled to get up.


    But as he lifted his head, he saw two men who looked like mercenaries come out from the dense forest, grinning with satisfaction.


    "Thinking of sending a message? Heh heh!"


    "Just go back to the embrace of the goddess honestly!"


    ...


    North of Flashgold Town.


    The same scene unfolded on the road leading to the Habsburg estate!


    The ambush on the Night Watchman Messenger resulted in the failure to deliver the request for help.


    -----------------


    Flashgold Town.


    In the church square.


    "Quite an impressive Transcendent feature, is it some kind of defense enhancement?" the black flame monk spoke, his speech slow and his voice calm, exuding an indescribable elegance as if he were a nobleman.


    But Rein didn''t answer his question; instead, he took advantage of the moment to turn his head and quickly said to Matteo, "Matteo, you guys attack from both sides, go and rescue first!"


    Understanding Rein''s intention, Matteo immediately led a dozen or so Night Watchmen, smashing through the church windows on both sides and attacking the black flame monk who was conducting the ritual from various angles.


    Though their arrows were easily blocked by the protective black flames of the black flame monk.


    But he couldn''t move, becoming a live target. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made rescuing the civilians possible.


    Apart from the many who had been unconscious due to the dark energy, most people began to climb the windows to escape.


    This occurrence vexed and hastened the black flame monk performing the ritual.


    At this moment, he couldn''t give up, as the blood sacrifice ritual was about to be completed. Even though many had escaped, the sacrifice''s quality would only be slightly inferior and still acceptable. However, if he gave up now, the entire ritual would fail.


    This was obviously unacceptable.


    "It''s almost there!"


    "Once I free up my hands, all of you bastards are going to die sooner or later!"


    "But with the Angel Envoy''s strength, to be tangled up by the opponent, this really is unexpected!"


    Through the shattered windows of the church, Matteo immediately spotted Rein''s mother Emma, which startled him!


    "No way! Rein is currently fighting a formidable enemy; although we might not be much help, we definitely can''t let Rein''s mother get injured!" This was Matteo''s first thought upon seeing Emma.


    The next second, Matteo seized the opportunity to rush into the hall, quickly fleeing while protecting Emma.


    Meanwhile, the black-robed figure, called ''Angel Envoy'', was clearly incensed by Rein''s dismissive attitude.


    With a tip of his foot, the entire person rapidly closed in on Rein!


    Rein instantly activated ''Limit Break'', immediately increasing his Strength, Agility, and Constitution by 35%, and he attacked the black-robed figure with a Leap Slash.


    The black-robed man rapidly used his giant scythe to block.


    "Clang!!"


    A grating sound of metal striking metal filled the air.


    The opponent''s strength was immense; Rein''s Jump Slash, despite his running start, was solidly countered without the figure taking a step back.


    This made Rein frown, and he thus abandoned his initial idea of going all out with his big move.


    After all, if he exhausted himself and the opponent still withstood it, then he, left with ''aftereffects'', would be meat on the chopping block �� doomed for sure.


    Therefore, he had to find the opponent''s weakness before unleashing his big move to take the opponent down in one fell swoop.


    "Clash and clang!"


    The level 6 Giant Bear Sword Technique indeed helped Rein a lot.


    Even though the opponent''s Strength and Agility exceeded his, not by much, with Agility just a notch better than his, while Strength was two notches higher.


    So, Rein, using the smooth Giant Bear Sword Technique to constantly deflect and counter, managed to fight quite impressively.


    However, noticing the chaos of the people fleeing in the hall, the black flame monk fighting Rein seemed to grow a bit impatient.


    His strength and speed were above Rein''s, but he could not seem to take Rein down all at once.


    The black-robed man lifted his giant scythe into the middle, apparently about to release a move similar to the 360-degree black flame shockwave he had just used.


    Previously, when Rein was killing those squire-knights, he hadn''t taken note.


    But this time, fully focused, Rein quickly noticed a slight pause in the opponent''s move transitions.


    Good opportunity!


    "Whoosh!"


    Rein''s blade slashed through the opponent''s black robe, cutting into the abdomen.


    But suddenly, an exceptionally strong resistance surged through Rein''s hands. This feeling... Discover more content at m,v l''e-NovelFire.net


    It was as if he were using the Glimmering Greatsword to cut through ten layers of thick cowhide soaked in oil!


    The smiling visage beneath the black robe''s hood became visible, and then the giant scythe heavily chopped down at Rein, while a black flame tornado spiraled outwards in a 360-degree direction!


    "Clang!" Again, Rein was hurled several meters away, but with a quick roll, he minimized the impact.


    However, his body was once again wrapped in tendrils of black flame, subjecting Rein to another bout of scorching pain.


    If not for ''Iron Skin lv2,'' those two hits might have cost Rein more than half his life!


    Indeed, only with layered armor does one live longer!


    And with the opponent''s cloak ripped by Rein, a large portion of flesh underneath, covered by the black cloak, was exposed.


    It was a ghastly pale substance, similar to wrinkled skin!

 Chapter 152: Chapter 129: You Dont Take the Road to Heaven (Two-in-One Chapter)_4

    "Unless he''s a Peak Knight, how could Lord Angel Envoy possibly have been defeated!"


    After swinging that "Peak Sword," Rein''s body was now like a deted balloon, rapidly shrinking back, propping himself up with his greatsword, taking deep breaths, all while looking utterly exhausted.


    This was definitely not an act.


    At this moment, he had hardly any fighting strength left.


    Although Rein had increased his Constitution from 16 to 17 points after his battle with Andrews,pared to the 44 points of Strength he had driven during the burst, this bit of Constitution was still a drop in the bucket.


    Therefore, when Rein saw the Giant Scythe ckme Monk walking toward him across the church hall, he inwardly cursed, "Damn!"


    However, the increase in Constitution did have an effect.


    At the very least, Rein could bear the pain and stand upright, calmly watching the other approach.


    Seeing the tranquil gaze of the young man before him, staring directly at him perhaps with the intimidating presence of having in an Angel Envoy, Mitry''s forehead instantly broke out inrge beads of sweat.


    The next second, Mitry stepped back in fear before quickly turning and running off, so fast he was like a streak of ck lightning!


    But after running over ten meters, Mitry suddenly braked, then turned back fiercely, his gaze locking onto Rein once more!


    At this time, Mitry seemed to have regained his senses, thinking to himself, "No! Even if this Rein is strong, there''s no way he could maintain a good physical condition after fighting Lord Angel Envoy."


    Thus, Mitry cautiously and carefully observed Rein''s body, noting how Rein was slightly trembling all over, and how his clothing barely allowed him to stand straight.


    The Knight''s armor all over his body was also broken to bits, offering virtually no defensive power at all!


    Moreover, there were many charred areas on the exposed parts of his body.


    "This..."


    "I knew it, this kid might have been lucky enough to kill Lord Angel Envoy, but he must bepletely drained now!"


    "Damn it, I almost fell for this kid''s trick!"


    "Now this is good, this huge advantage needs to fall into my own hands, thank the great God of Hunting!"


    "As the culprit for disrupting the blood sacrifice ritual and killing Lord Angel Envoy, as long as I y him, there''s no doubt that I will definitely receive the High Priest''svish rewards."


    "Perhaps I might even be the new Lord Angel Envoy, haha!"


    A triumphant smirk appeared at the corner of Mitry''s mouth.


    When Rein saw the other returning, his heart suddenly sank, feeling that it was bad news!


    After all, besides himself, there was no one else in shgold Town capable of contending with the ckme Monk.


    But...


    When the anxious Rein inadvertently saw the profession panel, his eyes widened in shock!


    The system prompt read:


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved, Experience +121] Discover exclusive tales on m,v l''e-NovelBin


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +40]


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved, Experience +542]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +233]


    [Congrattions, your Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level has increased!]


    "Holy shit! Did I just level up?"


    "The experience given by this Giant Scythe ckme Monk is freaking massive!"


    Rein had never imagined that he could level up again right after killing Andrews!


    And all this happened in less than half an hour!


    Furthermore, after the previous level-up, his Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level was lv2 (43/300), and levelling up required 257 points.


    Rein never expected that by killing the ckme Monk before, and adding this Giant Scythe ckme Monk, he would get a total of 273 points, with 40 + 233 experience points.


    Now, his Knight (Transcendent) had already advanced to lv3 (16/500).


    Of course, all these weren''t the most important.


    The important thing was the attribute point provided by the level up.


    Without hesitation, Rein immediately added that point to his Constitution.


    Instantly, his Constitution rose from 17 to 18 points.


    A surge of warmth pumped fiercely from his heart and quickly spread throughout his body.


    This made Rein feel as if he had returned to his peak condition, his body brimming with energy!


    The side effects of having fully exerted the "Triple Ovep State" had nowpletely disappeared without a trace.


    His overall condition couldn''t be better!


    Watching the approaching ckme Monk, Rein''s mouth turned up slightly, mentally reciting:


    "You didn''t take the way to heaven, and now you''ve barged into a doorless hell..."

 Chapter 154: Chapter 130: You Wouldnt Eat Alone, Would You? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Please wait a moment, Knight Lloyd, I will go with you," Alonso quickly caught on.


    He chuckled bitterly in his heart. Alonso had never imagined that the problem in this matter would turn out to be Lady Crawley, Baroness Crawley. It was really unexpected.


    Now, all he could do was to volunteer to go to shgold Town to try to clear himself of any suspicion in this affair.


    "Wait, Knight Lloyd, I will also apany you. After all, Jenny is in shgold Town, and I can''t rest easy," the Baroness Crawley hastily added.


    -----------------


    shgold Town.


    Outside the church square.


    Although Metry charged rapidly towards Rein, he did not foolishly engage in closebat. His first instinct was to use a remote attack to take down Rein, who appeared ''exhausted.''


    He stopped about twenty meters from Rein and cautiously controlled a ball of dark me, urately tossing it at Rein.


    This made Rein inwardlyment, ''What a pity.''


    "Swoosh!"


    With a side step, Rein dodged Metry''s dark me fireball.


    Immediately after, Rein charged swiftly at Metry. His agile figure and smooth movements showed no signs of injury or exhaustion!


    Metry''s pupils dted sharply, and with a look of disbelief, he eximed,


    "How is this possible!!"


    "How can you be uninjured?"


    "You''re supposed to be exhausted!!"


    Facing Rein, who transformed from a seemingly ill cat into a ferocious tiger, Metry could not fathom the reason!


    The trembling of his muscles and the way he barely stood steady, leaning on his greatsword, Metry was certain that even the best Wandering Bard or opera actor could not fake such a realistic effect!


    In the short half-second that Metry was stunned, Rein had already covered a distance of more than ten meters.


    The distance between the two rapidly closed.


    Metry immediately took on a panicked expression.


    He quickly retreated backward, while fully exerting himself tounch dark me fireballs.


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"


    It seemed as if he had some sort of enhancement; his speed of releasing the dark me fireballs was even faster than the previous dark me monks!


    The fireballs battered Rein like a barrage of cannon fire.


    "Limit Break!"


    With Limit Break activated, Rein''s strength and agility immediately increased by 35%, and his speed increased once more!


    The iing dark me fireballs passed through Rein''s high-speed afterimages, missing their target and impacting the ground behind him, exploding and sending dust flying.


    The distance between them grew ever closer.


    Rein dodged the next two dark me fireballs with a quick left-right maneuver.


    Then, with a rare upward sh of the Glimmering Greatsword, he directly chopped off Metry''s right hand that held a peculiar bone wand. Experience exclusive tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    With the experience of the Giant Bear Sword Technique at level 6 as a guide, Rein instinctively stepped to the right, his greatsword following through with a Smooth Cleaving sh!


    "Zzt!"


    Rein''s left foot braked sharply, stopping from high-speed motion while maintaining the side-swinging posture.


    "Aaaah!!!"


    A piercing scream came from behind him!


    "Thud!"


    A heavy object hitting the ground followed.


    Rein''s wrist flicked slightly, and the crimson on his greatsword diminished considerably.


    Only then did he slowly turn around.


    He saw that the dark me monk had been cleaved diagonally from the right shoulder to the left hip into two halves by him. The sound of the heavy object was the upper body falling to the ground.


    The dark me monk''s strong vitality now became a shackle and torment, not allowing him to die quickly, only to face the gradual approach of death.


    This fear of death was an instinct of all living beings. Therefore, the man continued to howl in desperation!


    But all this had nothing to do with Rein anymore.


    Without bothering about the man''s fate, Rein stepped forward and picked up the bizarre bone wand, clutched in the severed right hand.


    It was due to this item that the dark me monk had greatly increased his speed of casting fireball attacks.


    Moreover, Rein also noticed that it yed a key role in the sinister ritual that had just taken ce, with strands of a bloody scent still emanating from the crimson crystal at the top of the bone wand.


    However, the moment Rein held the bone wand, suddenly, a system prompt resounded.


    This caught Reinpletely off guard!


    The system prompt was as follows:


    [Ding! Host has acquired an unknown mysterious object, triggering a career change��Dark me Monk!]


    [The prerequisites for advancing to Dark me Monk are: 1. Possession of any Transcendent profession panel; 2. Spirit above 12 points; 3. Worship the God of Hunting or use the unknown mysterious object. The current conditions are met. Would you like to change careers to Dark me Monk? Yes/No?]


    Huh!


    His career panel system could even change to a Dark me Monk?


    A career that clearly belongs to an evil alignment?


    This made Rein quite curious!


    That strange dark me indeed possessed great power; the Dark me Monk seemed like abination of a Wizard and a Knight.


    If it weren''t for his Transcendent trait ''Ironskin lv2,'' he might have died several times over!


    But when Rein thought of the ''serpent waist'' incident, he shuddered all over!


    "While improving strength is indeed my desire, bing something that is neither human nor ghost is really..."


    "Moreover, after the career change, it will certainly overwrite the original Knight (Transcendent) panel because my current panel total is already 4/4, so it''s not an addition but a career change."

 Chapter 155: Chapter 130: You Wouldnt Eat Alone, Would You? (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3

    After pondering silently for a while, Lord Reine shook his head slightly and chose not to.


    At that moment, two cavalrymen walked in and bowed respectfully to Lord Reine, pointing to the corpse that was severed into two pieces on the ground, "Lord Reine, this...should we move it outside as well?"


    Lord Reine nodded.


    With the few bodies from before, he had three pieces of spoils of war he had yet to collect. It was a pity that the one with the strongest strength had ''self-immted'', and the spoils of war had vanished along with the ashes!


    Just as Lord Reine was walking out of the church hall.


    "Reine."


    A familiar voice sounded not far away.


    "Mother?" Reine was more than familiar with this voice, and he turned his head in surprise. Experience more tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    He saw his mother Emma being helped down from thepartment of a luxurious carriage by the nobledy Jenny.


    "How did these two get together?" Reine was instantly confused.


    "Reine, are you alright?" His mother Emma hurried forward, scrutinizing Reine''s injuries closely,


    "Mother, I''m fine! I''m tough, don''t worry!" Reine patted his chest confidently.


    With his Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin lv2'', he estimated that his defensive power wasn''t much different from that of the Ironmane Bear. Although he probably wasn''t on par with the Bear King, he was indeed tough.


    After a careful examination, mother Emma found that it was indeed just charring caused by mes, with no injuries. She let out a long sigh of relief, finally at ease.


    "By the way, Reine, this is Miss Jenny, you should know her, right? That was Miss Jenny I sawst time, wasn''t it?" Mother Emma seemed to remember something and eyed Reine with a somewhat reproachful look.


    "Yes, mother, Miss Jenny is my friend." Reine turned to look at Jenny and nodded with a smile.


    The certainty in Reine''s eyes brought an unexpected joy to Jenny''s heart, for she knew that what she had done previously had worked out better than expected.


    She cleared her throat and said, "Lord Reine, I just happened to meet your mother..."


    Jenny briefly exined the situation, and Reine turned to his mother Emma again, seeing her nod slightly, he couldn''t help but really acknowledge thedy Jenny before him.


    Not everyone would think of the safety of others in a dangerous environment.


    At least from this aspect, Miss Jenny was quitemendable.


    "Mother, shall I take you home first?" Reine thought for a moment, then decided to take his mother home to rest first.


    "Yes, Emma, you must be shocked, take my carriage and go home to rest a bit earlier," Jenny immediately agreed.


    "Alright, Reine, then you..."


    "Mother, I''ll apany you back home first, and I''lle backter."


    Before Reine left, he waved to Matteo, the little fellow, saying, "Matteo, I''ll leave this ce to you. I''m going to take my mother home and wille backter."


    "Understood, rest assured, Lord Reine! Leave this ce to me," Matteo assured him, patting his chest.


    Thus, Reine and his mother Emma boarded Jenny''s carriage and headed towards home.


    On the carriage, Reine suddenly remembered that Jenny had seeminglye to look for him, but because shgold Town was attacked, they hadn''t really had a chance to talk properly.


    "Right, Miss Jenny, your visit this time is for?"


    "Oh! Lord Reine, I almost forgot,st time you mentioned to me that you wanted to learn script. In addition to the two booksst time, this time, I happened to find an ancient book written in script in our family''s library. I thought you might be interested, so I personally delivered it to you," Jenny exined.


    As she spoke, Jenny handed an ancient book with a slightly damaged cover to Reine.


    Reine took it and raised an eyebrow in surprise!


    Although his knowledge of script (Akkadian) was just beginning, this book...


    -----------------


    Lloyd led the way on his horse, followed by Perez and Alonso with two squads of cavalry, and at the very end were the Baroness Crowley''s carriage and guards.


    The group moved like a long snake, departing from County Town and making their way swiftly toward shgold Town.


    Midway through their journey, they encountered a Night Watchman from shgold Town heading to report to County Town and hurriedly asked, "shgold Town has been attacked?"


    "Are you Knight Lloyd?"


    "Yes, the shgold Town church was suddenly attacked by Cultists during worship, and by now, many residents have been injured or killed!"


    The Night Watchman from shgold Town, who had seen the person in charge of the Habsburg estate on several asions, was delighted to speak.


    He was the second batch of messengers Matteo had sent for help.


    Since the first group of messengers had not returned for a long time, Matteo quickly sent out more personnel.


    This Night Watchman left shgold Town shortly after Reine had just arrived at the church.


    "How many of them are there? Where is the Sheriff Lord Hamilton?" Lloyd asked anxiously.


    "Lord Hamilton left for the Nightingale Forest with the church''s party this morning."


    "What!" Lloyd and Perez looked at each other, both seeing deep concern in the other''s eyes!


    shgold Town might be doomed!


    Both he and Perez weren''t there!


    Lord Hamilton wasn''t there either!


    There was utterly no Transcendent power in the entire shgold Town!


    Even with the brave ordinarywmen and Night Watchmen, it was impossible to hold off Cultists led by Transcendent power.


    "Now, who is in charge of shgold Town''s defense?"


    "Uh... the newly promoted Deputy Sheriff, Lord Reine."

 Chapter 152: Chapter 129: You Dont Take the Road to Heaven (Two-in-One Chapter)_4

    "Unless he''s a Peak Knight, how could Lord Angel Envoy possibly have been defeated!"


    After swinging that "Peak Sword," Rein''s body was now like a deflated balloon, rapidly shrinking back, propping himself up with his greatsword, taking deep breaths, all while looking utterly exhausted.


    This was definitely not an act.


    At this moment, he had hardly any fighting strength left.


    Although Rein had increased his Constitution from 16 to 17 points after his battle with Andrews, compared to the 44 points of Strength he had driven during the burst, this bit of Constitution was still a drop in the bucket.


    Therefore, when Rein saw the Giant Scythe Blackflame Monk walking toward him across the church hall, he inwardly cursed, "Damn!"


    However, the increase in Constitution did have an effect.


    At the very least, Rein could bear the pain and stand upright, calmly watching the other approach.


    Seeing the tranquil gaze of the young man before him, staring directly at him perhaps with the intimidating presence of having slain an Angel Envoy, Mitry''s forehead instantly broke out in large beads of sweat.


    The next second, Mitry stepped back in fear before quickly turning and running off, so fast he was like a streak of black lightning!


    But after running over ten meters, Mitry suddenly braked, then turned back fiercely, his gaze locking onto Rein once more!


    At this time, Mitry seemed to have regained his senses, thinking to himself, "No! Even if this Rein is strong, there''s no way he could maintain a good physical condition after fighting Lord Angel Envoy."


    Thus, Mitry cautiously and carefully observed Rein''s body, noting how Rein was slightly trembling all over, and how his clothing barely allowed him to stand straight.


    The Knight''s armor all over his body was also broken to bits, offering virtually no defensive power at all!


    Moreover, there were many charred areas on the exposed parts of his body.


    "This..."


    "I knew it, this kid might have been lucky enough to kill Lord Angel Envoy, but he must be completely drained now!"


    "Damn it, I almost fell for this kid''s trick!"


    "Now this is good, this huge advantage needs to fall into my own hands, thank the great God of Hunting!"


    "As the culprit for disrupting the blood sacrifice ritual and killing Lord Angel Envoy, as long as I slay him, there''s no doubt that I will definitely receive the High Priest''s lavish rewards."


    "Perhaps I might even become the new Lord Angel Envoy, haha!"


    A triumphant smirk appeared at the corner of Mitry''s mouth.


    When Rein saw the other returning, his heart suddenly sank, feeling that it was bad news!


    After all, besides himself, there was no one else in Flashgold Town capable of contending with the Blackflame Monk.


    But...


    When the anxious Rein inadvertently saw the profession panel, his eyes widened in shock!


    The system prompt read:


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved, Experience +121] Discover exclusive tales on m,v l''e-NovelFire.net


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +40]


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved, Experience +542]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +233]


    [Congratulations, your Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level has increased!]


    "Holy shit! Did I just level up?"


    "The experience given by this Giant Scythe Blackflame Monk is freaking massive!" sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein had never imagined that he could level up again right after killing Andrews!


    And all this happened in less than half an hour!


    Furthermore, after the previous level-up, his Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level was lv2 (43/300), and levelling up required 257 points.


    Rein never expected that by killing the Blackflame Monk before, and adding this Giant Scythe Blackflame Monk, he would get a total of 273 points, with 40 + 233 experience points.


    Now, his Knight (Transcendent) had already advanced to lv3 (16/500).


    Of course, all these weren''t the most important.


    The important thing was the attribute point provided by the level up.


    Without hesitation, Rein immediately added that point to his Constitution.


    Instantly, his Constitution rose from 17 to 18 points.


    A surge of warmth pumped fiercely from his heart and quickly spread throughout his body.


    This made Rein feel as if he had returned to his peak condition, his body brimming with energy!


    The side effects of having fully exerted the "Triple Overlap State" had now completely disappeared without a trace.


    His overall condition couldn''t be better!


    Watching the approaching Blackflame Monk, Rein''s mouth turned up slightly, mentally reciting:


    "You didn''t take the way to heaven, and now you''ve barged into a doorless hell..."

 Chapter 157: Chapter 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    At this time,


    in Jenny''s carriage,


    with Rein''s meager Arcadian vocabry, he had only managed to decipher the somewhat blurry inscriptions on the book''s cover, which roughly meant: "Regarding... forging..."


    Yes, just these two words, which Rein quickly distinguished.


    But Rein was already captivated!


    He couldn''t help but be fascinated.


    Because this was a book written in Mage-script (Arcadian), and it was rted to forging.


    Don''t forget, Rein had the cksmith profession panel.


    Therefore, any method or trick that could potentially swiftly raise his cksmith profession level was of extraordinary significance for him��it could be said to be equivalent to an Extraordinary Battle Technique.


    Moreover, this was a book on forging written in Arcadian; perhaps there were some unknown mysteries within it.


    This made Rein''s thoughts slightly agitated.


    Thus, inside the carriage, Rein began to inquire of Jenny about the origins of this book.


    "Miss Jenny, did you find this book in your family''s library?"


    "Yes, Lord Reine. These past two days, I had nothing to do and stumbled upon it quite by ident while I was browsing through the library."


    "This book seems to have been neglected for a long time. When I found it, it was covered in dust and ced in the most inessible corner of the bottom shelf."


    Jenny''s bright eyes looked at Rein, and she could tell he was very interested in the book. So, she borated a bit more, albeit somewhat exaggeratedly.


    In reality, the book was located on the Crowley family''s most valued ancient manuscripts shelf.


    When her father, Baron Crowley, was alive, he valued these rare ancient books greatly, and at that time, Jenny didn''t have the opportunity to ess them.


    Now, naturally, there was no one to stop her.


    Besides, this was thest book rted to Mage-script that she could find in her family library.


    And why say this?


    Obviously, to highlight the depth of her family''s heritage, so that Rein, the Guardian Knight, would pay more attention to the Crowley family and... her!


    After listening, Rein''s eyes brightened, and he thought to himself, could it really be chanced upon so casually?


    Tsk tsk!


    The depth of a noble family''s heritage is truly remarkable!


    In that case...


    At the same time, a thought popped into Rein''s mind.


    He spoke: "That... Miss Jenny. If you have time, could you please properly organize the family''s library? Should there be simr books, do remember to let me take a look at them. Would that be possible?"


    Upon hearing this, Jenny was momentarily stunned!


    She had merely exaggerated a little bit just now, aiming to highlight the strength of her family''s foundation so that the Guardian Knight would pay more attention to her and her family.


    She had not expected Lord Reine to suddenly make such a request.


    Was this request excessive?


    Of course not!


    Jenny''s mind swiftly went to work, and in a sh, an idea struck her!


    Right! Her own family might be gone, but she had best friends.


    If it came down to it, she would mobilize her best friends to help search. She refused to believe that, in the vast Meister County Town, she couldn''t find a few Mage-script books!


    Therefore, Jenny confidently said: "That... of course, no problem!"


    "Miss Jenny, I''m really grateful!"


    Soon, the group arrived smoothly at Reine''s front door in the carriage.


    When Rein helped his mother Emma down from the carriage, the family door suddenly opened, and old Rein and Bo He ran out quickly, their faces a mix of anxiety and joy.


    "Lord Reine, I''ll not go in and disturb you then!" Seeing the situation, Jenny naturally would not impose.


    Rein guessed that the incident at the church must have spread throughout shgold Town an hour before.


    shgold Town wasn''trge, and such matters naturally spread quickly.


    Even old Rein, who had gone to the farms early in the morning, had already rushed back home.


    "Emma, are you all right?"


    "Momma!" Bo He rushed into her mother Emma''s arms.


    After a bit ofmiseration, the family''s mood finally stabilized a bit.


    After reassuring his father and Bo He, Rein went upstairs.


    He took off the battered and tattered Knight''s armor and wiped down his body a bit. Rein then changed into a linen tunic with a cinched waist.


    Immediately afterward, he began to search for the other two Mage-script books to find out what those few words on the cover of the book actually meant.


    After all, that half-understanding, half-knowing feeling was the most irritating.


    It''s like how the saying goes with women, ''half-concealing the face behind a pipa is most enticing.''


    When Rein spent about ten minutes to trante the title of the book, a sense of joy surged in him.


    So the title of the ancient book meant: "An Exploration of the Application of Scorching Touch in the Realm of Forging." Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    However, a question lingered in Rein''s mind: What exactly was this ''Scorching Touch''?


    Was it some kind of witchcraft? Or a special artifact, or maybe some kind of technique?


    Before Rein could continue to the next page for research, "knock knock knock," the sound of knocking came.


    The youthful voice of Bo He called out: "Brother, someone is downstairs, looking for you."


    "All right, Bo He, I''ming right down."


    Clearly, an attack had just taken ce in shgold Town, and Rein, as the Deputy Marshal, still had a lot to handle, so this wasn''t a good time for research.


    As Rein went downstairs and saw a fellow Night Watchman colleague, he heard him report: "Lord Reine, several nobles, including Knight Lloyd, havee from the church. They wish to invite you over."

 Chapter 154: Chapter 130: You Wouldnt Eat Alone, Would You? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Please wait a moment, Knight Lloyd, I will go with you," Alonso quickly caught on.


    He chuckled bitterly in his heart. Alonso had never imagined that the problem in this matter would turn out to be Lady Crawley, Baroness Crawley. It was really unexpected.


    Now, all he could do was to volunteer to go to Flashgold Town to try to clear himself of any suspicion in this affair.


    "Wait, Knight Lloyd, I will also accompany you. After all, Jenny is in Flashgold Town, and I can''t rest easy," the Baroness Crawley hastily added.


    -----------------


    Flashgold Town.


    Outside the church square.


    Although Metry charged rapidly towards Rein, he did not foolishly engage in close combat. His first instinct was to use a remote attack to take down Rein, who appeared ''exhausted.''


    He stopped about twenty meters from Rein and cautiously controlled a ball of dark flame, accurately tossing it at Rein.


    This made Rein inwardly lament, ''What a pity.''


    "Swoosh!"


    With a side step, Rein dodged Metry''s dark flame fireball.


    Immediately after, Rein charged swiftly at Metry. His agile figure and smooth movements showed no signs of injury or exhaustion!


    Metry''s pupils dilated sharply, and with a look of disbelief, he exclaimed,


    "How is this possible!!"


    "How can you be uninjured?"


    "You''re supposed to be exhausted!!"


    Facing Rein, who transformed from a seemingly ill cat into a ferocious tiger, Metry could not fathom the reason!


    The trembling of his muscles and the way he barely stood steady, leaning on his greatsword, Metry was certain that even the best Wandering Bard or opera actor could not fake such a realistic effect!


    In the short half-second that Metry was stunned, Rein had already covered a distance of more than ten meters.


    The distance between the two rapidly closed.


    Metry immediately took on a panicked expression.


    He quickly retreated backward, while fully exerting himself to launch dark flame fireballs.


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"


    It seemed as if he had some sort of enhancement; his speed of releasing the dark flame fireballs was even faster than the previous dark flame monks!


    The fireballs battered Rein like a barrage of cannon fire.


    "Limit Break!"


    With Limit Break activated, Rein''s strength and agility immediately increased by 35%, and his speed increased once more!


    The incoming dark flame fireballs passed through Rein''s high-speed afterimages, missing their target and impacting the ground behind him, exploding and sending dust flying.


    The distance between them grew ever closer.


    Rein dodged the next two dark flame fireballs with a quick left-right maneuver.


    Then, with a rare upward slash of the Glimmering Greatsword, he directly chopped off Metry''s right hand that held a peculiar bone wand. Experience exclusive tales on m v|l e''-NovelFire.net


    With the experience of the Giant Bear Sword Technique at level 6 as a guide, Rein instinctively stepped to the right, his greatsword following through with a Smooth Cleaving Slash!


    "Zzt!"


    Rein''s left foot braked sharply, stopping from high-speed motion while maintaining the side-swinging posture.


    "Aaaah!!!"


    A piercing scream came from behind him!


    "Thud!"


    A heavy object hitting the ground followed.


    Rein''s wrist flicked slightly, and the crimson on his greatsword diminished considerably.


    Only then did he slowly turn around.


    He saw that the dark flame monk had been cleaved diagonally from the right shoulder to the left hip into two halves by him. The sound of the heavy object was the upper body falling to the ground.


    The dark flame monk''s strong vitality now became a shackle and torment, not allowing him to die quickly, only to face the gradual approach of death.


    This fear of death was an instinct of all living beings. Therefore, the man continued to howl in desperation!


    But all this had nothing to do with Rein anymore.


    Without bothering about the man''s fate, Rein stepped forward and picked up the bizarre bone wand, clutched in the severed right hand.


    It was due to this item that the dark flame monk had greatly increased his speed of casting fireball attacks.


    Moreover, Rein also noticed that it played a key role in the sinister ritual that had just taken place, with strands of a bloody scent still emanating from the crimson crystal at the top of the bone wand. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the moment Rein held the bone wand, suddenly, a system prompt resounded.


    This caught Rein completely off guard!


    The system prompt was as follows:


    [Ding! Host has acquired an unknown mysterious object, triggering a career change��Dark Flame Monk!]


    [The prerequisites for advancing to Dark Flame Monk are: 1. Possession of any Transcendent profession panel; 2. Spirit above 12 points; 3. Worship the God of Hunting or use the unknown mysterious object. The current conditions are met. Would you like to change careers to Dark Flame Monk? Yes/No?]


    Huh!


    His career panel system could even change to a Dark Flame Monk?


    A career that clearly belongs to an evil alignment?


    This made Rein quite curious!


    That strange dark flame indeed possessed great power; the Dark Flame Monk seemed like a combination of a Wizard and a Knight.


    If it weren''t for his Transcendent trait ''Ironskin lv2,'' he might have died several times over!


    But when Rein thought of the ''serpent waist'' incident, he shuddered all over!


    "While improving strength is indeed my desire, becoming something that is neither human nor ghost is really..."


    "Moreover, after the career change, it will certainly overwrite the original Knight (Transcendent) panel because my current panel total is already 4/4, so it''s not an addition but a career change."

 Chapter 155: Chapter 130: You Wouldnt Eat Alone, Would You? (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3

    After pondering silently for a while, Lord Reine shook his head slightly and chose not to.


    At that moment, two cavalrymen walked in and bowed respectfully to Lord Reine, pointing to the corpse that was severed into two pieces on the ground, "Lord Reine, this...should we move it outside as well?"


    Lord Reine nodded.


    With the few bodies from before, he had three pieces of spoils of war he had yet to collect. It was a pity that the one with the strongest strength had ''self-immolated'', and the spoils of war had vanished along with the ashes!


    Just as Lord Reine was walking out of the church hall.


    "Reine."


    A familiar voice sounded not far away.


    "Mother?" Reine was more than familiar with this voice, and he turned his head in surprise. Experience more tales on m v|l e''-NovelFire.net


    He saw his mother Emma being helped down from the compartment of a luxurious carriage by the noble lady Jenny.


    "How did these two get together?" Reine was instantly confused.


    "Reine, are you alright?" His mother Emma hurried forward, scrutinizing Reine''s injuries closely,


    "Mother, I''m fine! I''m tough, don''t worry!" Reine patted his chest confidently.


    With his Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin lv2'', he estimated that his defensive power wasn''t much different from that of the Ironmane Bear. Although he probably wasn''t on par with the Bear King, he was indeed tough.


    After a careful examination, mother Emma found that it was indeed just charring caused by flames, with no injuries. She let out a long sigh of relief, finally at ease.


    "By the way, Reine, this is Miss Jenny, you should know her, right? That was Miss Jenny I saw last time, wasn''t it?" Mother Emma seemed to remember something and eyed Reine with a somewhat reproachful look.


    "Yes, mother, Miss Jenny is my friend." Reine turned to look at Jenny and nodded with a smile.


    The certainty in Reine''s eyes brought an unexpected joy to Jenny''s heart, for she knew that what she had done previously had worked out better than expected.


    She cleared her throat and said, "Lord Reine, I just happened to meet your mother..."


    Jenny briefly explained the situation, and Reine turned to his mother Emma again, seeing her nod slightly, he couldn''t help but really acknowledge the lady Jenny before him.


    Not everyone would think of the safety of others in a dangerous environment.


    At least from this aspect, Miss Jenny was quite commendable.


    "Mother, shall I take you home first?" Reine thought for a moment, then decided to take his mother home to rest first.


    "Yes, Emma, you must be shocked, take my carriage and go home to rest a bit earlier," Jenny immediately agreed.


    "Alright, Reine, then you..."


    "Mother, I''ll accompany you back home first, and I''ll come back later."


    Before Reine left, he waved to Matteo, the little fellow, saying, "Matteo, I''ll leave this place to you. I''m going to take my mother home and will come back later."


    "Understood, rest assured, Lord Reine! Leave this place to me," Matteo assured him, patting his chest.


    Thus, Reine and his mother Emma boarded Jenny''s carriage and headed towards home.


    On the carriage, Reine suddenly remembered that Jenny had seemingly come to look for him, but because Flashgold Town was attacked, they hadn''t really had a chance to talk properly.


    "Right, Miss Jenny, your visit this time is for?"


    "Oh! Lord Reine, I almost forgot, last time you mentioned to me that you wanted to learn script. In addition to the two books last time, this time, I happened to find an ancient book written in script in our family''s library. I thought you might be interested, so I personally delivered it to you," Jenny explained.


    As she spoke, Jenny handed an ancient book with a slightly damaged cover to Reine.


    Reine took it and raised an eyebrow in surprise!


    Although his knowledge of script (Akkadian) was just beginning, this book...


    -----------------


    Lloyd led the way on his horse, followed by Perez and Alonso with two squads of cavalry, and at the very end were the Baroness Crowley''s carriage and guards.


    The group moved like a long snake, departing from County Town and making their way swiftly toward Flashgold Town.


    Midway through their journey, they encountered a Night Watchman from Flashgold Town heading to report to County Town and hurriedly asked, "Flashgold Town has been attacked?"


    "Are you Knight Lloyd?"


    "Yes, the Flashgold Town church was suddenly attacked by Cultists during worship, and by now, many residents have been injured or killed!"


    The Night Watchman from Flashgold Town, who had seen the person in charge of the Habsburg estate on several occasions, was delighted to speak.


    He was the second batch of messengers Matteo had sent for help.


    Since the first group of messengers had not returned for a long time, Matteo quickly sent out more personnel.


    This Night Watchman left Flashgold Town shortly after Reine had just arrived at the church. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How many of them are there? Where is the Sheriff Lord Hamilton?" Lloyd asked anxiously.


    "Lord Hamilton left for the Nightingale Forest with the church''s party this morning."


    "What!" Lloyd and Perez looked at each other, both seeing deep concern in the other''s eyes!


    Flashgold Town might be doomed!


    Both he and Perez weren''t there!


    Lord Hamilton wasn''t there either!


    There was utterly no Transcendent power in the entire Flashgold Town!


    Even with the brave ordinary lawmen and Night Watchmen, it was impossible to hold off Cultists led by Transcendent power.


    "Now, who is in charge of Flashgold Town''s defense?"


    "Uh... the newly promoted Deputy Sheriff, Lord Reine."

 Chapter 156: Chapter 130: Youre Not Going to Hog It All, Are You? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "Lord Reine?" Lloyd and Perez both looked stunned.


    They had only recently heard Hamilton mention a young man named Reine, purported to possess a natural talent for knighthood and had even been appointed as the Captain of the Night Watchman.


    But when had he been appointed as the deputy sheriff?


    However, none of that mattered now.


    What was important was that, based solely on Reine''s words, it was impossible to withstand the Cultists.


    Alas! Flashgold Town... it couldn''t be another Monheim Town tragedy! S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lloyd and Perez couldn''t help but fiercely spur their steeds, racing towards Flashgold Town.


    Meanwhile, Alonso, who had overheard, maintained a distraught facade, but inwardly, his thoughts were the complete opposite.


    And when Knight Lloyd and his party arrived at the outskirts of Flashgold Town, they saw smoke billowing from the town center and, hearing no cries of battle, their hearts sank.


    "It appears the Cultists have already struck!"


    Alonso also noted the same scene with a tinge of satisfaction in his heart, thinking that the Blackflame Church had acted swiftly to complete the blood sacrifice ritual.


    They must have already evacuated.


    Given the time, it was about right.


    This thought relaxed Alonso quite a bit, the situation was under control.


    Upon entering the town, they were met with intermittent wails of grief.


    This further solidified in Baron Alonso''s heart.


    It seemed, he just had to go through the motions.


    The only pity was that the original plan was to let the pirates plunder Flashgold Town to cover up the Blackflame Church''s blood sacrifice ritual.


    But now, that wouldn''t be appropriate.


    Chances were, the Blackflame Church''s actions couldn''t be concealed.


    And in the carriage behind, Lady Crawley''s heart clenched as she saw the terrible state of Flashgold Town.


    "This... so many people dead, Jenny couldn''t be in danger, could she?"


    As they drew closer to the Flashgold Town church, the sight of each withered corpse being brought out caused both Lloyd and Perez to frown deeply.


    Not until they approached the church and saw a group of Night Watchmen gathered did they immediately spur their horses forward and demand:


    "Who is in charge here?"


    "I am!" Matteo turned around at the noise and said.


    "Oh! Knight Lloyd, you''ve finally arrived!"


    "The Cultists have already retreated?" Lloyd asked with a grave expression.


    Stay updated with m-v l|-NovelFire.net


    Matteo shook his head and pointed to a cart by the church plaza: "The Cultists are right there."


    "Huh?"


    The group looked on, puzzled.


    On the cart lay a number of bloody, indistinct shapes that appeared to be corpses.


    "This... you''re saying all the Cultists are dead?" Lloyd quickly caught on, asking in surprise.


    Matteo nodded, "Yes, they were all slain by Lord Reine!"


    "Impossible!" Alonso couldn''t help but blurt out.


    But he immediately realized this was inappropriate and quickly added, "I mean, did they have no Transcendents?"


    "Of course they did, my lord, the enemy brought four Transcendents."


    "I knew it!" Alonso sighed with relief.


    He had just realized that what the Captain of the Night Watchmen meant was that the Cultists'' underlings who had been killed were all here.


    Matteo, however, gave Alonso an odd look and said, "The bodies of three out of the four enemy Transcendents are here."


    "What? Three out of four Transcendents were slain by you?" Alonso''s eyes suddenly widened, and he expressed disbelief.


    At that moment, he thought he must be hallucinating!


    ```


    "Yes, how is that possible, how did you manage to kill them?" Lloyd was not doubting that Matteo was lying, but he felt that the whole affair was a bit preposterous.


    Twenty-some ordinary Night Watchmen had repelled four Transcendent-powered Cultists and even killed three of them.


    Not even the autobiography of a Wandering Bard would dare to write such a thing!


    Perez was also looking at Matteo with a face full of disbelief.


    Even the beautiful Baroness Crawley had lifted the curtain of the carriage compartment at this moment, staring at Matteo with a bewildered expression.


    She had heard the name Reine from the conversation just now.


    Although she knew that Reine was a capable fighter, the extent of his prowess was beyond her belief!


    Seeing the attention of several VIPs from County Town focused on him, Matteo also felt the pressure.


    However, he still found it odd that these prominent individuals from County Town seemed to have trouble believing in their combat strength.


    Additionally, he felt it was necessary to correct the mistakes in the other party''s words, after all, it was related to the rewards for their merits.


    Of course, though Lord Reine took the lion''s share, being a collective, the Night Watchmen would also be entitled to a small share of the glory.


    "Well... Your Excellency, it wasn''t three that were killed, but four Transcendents!"


    "Look! There''s still one there, burnt to ashes!"


    Matteo pointed to a pile of black ash outside the church square.


    This time, whether it was Lloyd, Perez, Alonso or Baroness Crawley, no one spoke a word!


    They all stared wide-eyed at the pile of black ashes!


    The scene fell into complete silence!


    -----------------


    In a valley to the east of Flashgold Town.


    Seventy to eighty burly men, armed with various types of weapons, were gathering and resting.


    The leader was a one-eyed man carrying an exaggeratedly large bow on his back.


    He was Phil Kraz, the deputy captain of the Black Sail Pirates, not only possessed the strength of a seasoned Knight, but was especially skilled in archery, a rare sharpshooter among pirates known by the nickname "Bloody Shooter."


    He paced back and forth with a puzzled look on his face.


    Because this went against the agreement with the Cult of the Black Flame!


    The other party had made it very clear before: roughly by ten o''clock, once the flare was launched, they were to raid Flashgold Town, for which the Cult of the Black Flame had paid them a handsome sum of money.


    But it was almost half-past ten in the morning now, and no flares had been seen above Flashgold Town.


    Instead, they had seen several plumes of black smoke �C perhaps a few households getting an early start on the midday meal?


    Damn it, his men were hungry!


    Also, he had promised Baron Norman that he would help him take care of a rookie with the strength of an almost-Knight, said to be serving amongst the Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town with quite a talent for knighthood.


    Of course, such a trifling matter was but a gesture.


    The main issue was, if the signal still didn''t arrive, he was in for some trouble!


    To withdraw or to engage?


    "Damn it, what the hell is that sneaky Cult up to?"


    "We''ve been waiting for half a day already!"


    A pirate spat out the grass root in his mouth, complaining impatiently.


    "Boss, why bother waiting for their signal, can''t we just hit them directly?"


    "Yeah, let''s just do it, boss!"


    "Since when do Black Sail Pirates take orders from those Cultists?"


    One person started it, and in an instant, ignited the volatile temper of the pirates.


    They had traveled from the coastal area in the middle of the night to plunder Flashgold Town, not even stopping for breakfast, all dreaming of a big score.


    And now, there was no word from those sons of bitches.


    They better not be double-crossing!


    ```

 Chapter 157: Chapter 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    At this time,


    in Jenny''s carriage,


    with Rein''s meager Arcadian vocabulary, he had only managed to decipher the somewhat blurry inscriptions on the book''s cover, which roughly meant: "Regarding... forging..."


    Yes, just these two words, which Rein quickly distinguished.


    But Rein was already captivated!


    He couldn''t help but be fascinated.


    Because this was a book written in Mage-script (Arcadian), and it was related to forging.


    Don''t forget, Rein had the Blacksmith profession panel.


    Therefore, any method or trick that could potentially swiftly raise his Blacksmith profession level was of extraordinary significance for him��it could be said to be equivalent to an Extraordinary Battle Technique.


    Moreover, this was a book on forging written in Arcadian; perhaps there were some unknown mysteries within it.


    This made Rein''s thoughts slightly agitated.


    Thus, inside the carriage, Rein began to inquire of Jenny about the origins of this book.


    "Miss Jenny, did you find this book in your family''s library?"


    "Yes, Lord Reine. These past two days, I had nothing to do and stumbled upon it quite by accident while I was browsing through the library."


    "This book seems to have been neglected for a long time. When I found it, it was covered in dust and placed in the most inaccessible corner of the bottom shelf."


    Jenny''s bright eyes looked at Rein, and she could tell he was very interested in the book. So, she elaborated a bit more, albeit somewhat exaggeratedly.


    In reality, the book was located on the Crowley family''s most valued ancient manuscripts shelf.


    When her father, Baron Crowley, was alive, he valued these rare ancient books greatly, and at that time, Jenny didn''t have the opportunity to access them.


    Now, naturally, there was no one to stop her.


    Besides, this was the last book related to Mage-script that she could find in her family library. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And why say this?


    Obviously, to highlight the depth of her family''s heritage, so that Rein, the Guardian Knight, would pay more attention to the Crowley family and... her!


    After listening, Rein''s eyes brightened, and he thought to himself, could it really be chanced upon so casually?


    Tsk tsk!


    The depth of a noble family''s heritage is truly remarkable!


    In that case...


    At the same time, a thought popped into Rein''s mind.


    He spoke: "That... Miss Jenny. If you have time, could you please properly organize the family''s library? Should there be similar books, do remember to let me take a look at them. Would that be possible?"


    Upon hearing this, Jenny was momentarily stunned!


    She had merely exaggerated a little bit just now, aiming to highlight the strength of her family''s foundation so that the Guardian Knight would pay more attention to her and her family.


    She had not expected Lord Reine to suddenly make such a request.


    Was this request excessive?


    Of course not!


    Jenny''s mind swiftly went to work, and in a flash, an idea struck her!


    Right! Her own family might be gone, but she had best friends.


    If it came down to it, she would mobilize her best friends to help search. She refused to believe that, in the vast Meister County Town, she couldn''t find a few Mage-script books!


    Therefore, Jenny confidently said: "That... of course, no problem!"


    "Miss Jenny, I''m really grateful!"


    Soon, the group arrived smoothly at Reine''s front door in the carriage.


    When Rein helped his mother Emma down from the carriage, the family door suddenly opened, and old Rein and Bo He ran out quickly, their faces a mix of anxiety and joy.


    "Lord Reine, I''ll not go in and disturb you then!" Seeing the situation, Jenny naturally would not impose.


    Rein guessed that the incident at the church must have spread throughout Flashgold Town an hour before.


    Flashgold Town wasn''t large, and such matters naturally spread quickly.


    Even old Rein, who had gone to the farms early in the morning, had already rushed back home.


    "Emma, are you all right?"


    "Momma!" Bo He rushed into her mother Emma''s arms.


    After a bit of commiseration, the family''s mood finally stabilized a bit.


    After reassuring his father and Bo He, Rein went upstairs.


    He took off the battered and tattered Knight''s armor and wiped down his body a bit. Rein then changed into a linen tunic with a cinched waist.


    Immediately afterward, he began to search for the other two Mage-script books to find out what those few words on the cover of the book actually meant.


    After all, that half-understanding, half-knowing feeling was the most irritating.


    It''s like how the saying goes with women, ''half-concealing the face behind a pipa is most enticing.''


    When Rein spent about ten minutes to translate the title of the book, a sense of joy surged in him.


    So the title of the ancient book meant: "An Exploration of the Application of Scorching Touch in the Realm of Forging." Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelFire.net


    However, a question lingered in Rein''s mind: What exactly was this ''Scorching Touch''?


    Was it some kind of witchcraft? Or a special artifact, or maybe some kind of technique?


    Before Rein could continue to the next page for research, "knock knock knock," the sound of knocking came.


    The youthful voice of Bo He called out: "Brother, someone is downstairs, looking for you."


    "All right, Bo He, I''m coming right down."


    Clearly, an attack had just taken place in Flashgold Town, and Rein, as the Deputy Marshal, still had a lot to handle, so this wasn''t a good time for research.


    As Rein went downstairs and saw a fellow Night Watchman colleague, he heard him report: "Lord Reine, several nobles, including Knight Lloyd, have come from the church. They wish to invite you over."

 Chapter 158: Chapter 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Alright, we''ll head over now,"


    However, after thinking it over, Rein changed out of his clothes, replacing his linen waistcoat with the plate armor he had worn before.


    Although he possessed the Transcendent characteristic ''Iron Skin,'' having an extra layer of protection on the outside would undoubtedly be safer.


    After all, when it''s possible to ''stack armor,'' one should always layer up as much as possible!


    When Rein returned to the church, he saw several individuals clad in Knight Armor, among them Knight Lloyd and swordsmanship instructor Perez, both of whom were ''old acquaintances.''


    Uh... it was Rein who knew these two. They, however, did not recognize him, as Rein''s previous status was far too low for them to have taken notice!


    Inside the carriage, the gorgeous Baroness Cleya lifted the curtain, nodded at Rein as he approached, and offered a faint smile.


    The only person present whom Rein didn''t recognize was a bearded middle-aged man.


    "Knight Lloyd, swordsmanship instructor Perez, I am Rein. May I ask, who is this?"


    "This is Baron Alonso," Knight Lloyd introduced.


    Alonso?


    Rein''s pupils suddenly contracted; wasn''t that the name of the man behind the attack on him? S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This person is?


    And according to the previous introduction by Hamilton, this man was also Cleya''s brother.


    Count Habs''s eldest legitimate son!


    If he didn''t know the previous incident was orchestrated by this person, Rein would truly have been deceived by this ''actor'' Baron.


    At this moment, Alonso was also ''curiously'' sizing up Rein.


    "Good day, Baron, " Rein bowed slightly and said with a smile.


    This gesture fully displayed Rein''s self-cultivation as an ''actor.''


    After exchanging pleasantries, Knight Lloyd immediately clarified the reason for calling Rein over.


    After all, they found the matter at hand too absurd and extraordinary!


    So, Knight Lloyd directly asked, "Rein, did you kill these Cultists whose strength reached the Transcendent level?"


    Just now, they had inspected the corpses on the flatbed, and judging by the black robes and attire, they were indeed Cultists of the Black Flame.


    Moreover, the cuts on these corpses indicated that they were all slain with extremely clean and decisive strokes!


    Of course, the angles of the cuts varied; some were split right down the middle, while others were diagonally severed.


    But regardless of the angle, the attacks they suffered were all exceptionally fierce and ruthless.


    This sort of swordsmanship and strength was something Knight Lloyd knew he couldn''t achieve, let alone Rein, who was only a squire in his eyes.


    The same doubt lingered in the minds of swordsmanship instructor Perez and Alonso as well.


    When they heard Knight Lloyd raise the question, they promptly directed their gaze at Rein.


    Rein nodded and said, "Yes, Knight Lloyd."


    Experience more content on m v|l e''-NovelFire.net


    Rein did not intend to conceal it, because there really was no way to do so.


    This time, with Hamilton not around, he was the only Transcendent combatant in Flashgold Town.


    Additionally, besides his Night Watchman colleagues who witnessed him killing the Black Flame Cultists, many residents of Flashgold Town who were rescued also saw the event.


    So, it wasn''t that he didn''t want to hide it; he simply couldn''t!


    "Rein... have you advanced to Knight?" the swordsmanship instructor Perez couldn''t help but ask.


    Before Rein could reply, Baron Alonso next to him answered on his behalf, "I happen to know this; Rein advanced to Transcendent some time ago!"


    A few days earlier, he had sent his butler Michel to communicate with Rein, so he was naturally aware of Rein''s advancement.


    "However, it seems that everyone has underestimated your strength this time," Alonso said with a probing look, sizing up Rein and harboring many questions within.


    Even if one had advanced to Transcendent and become an official Knight, dealing with the Cultists of the Black Flame would most likely end in defeat.


    And to do what Rein did, killing four Black Flame Cultists...


    Nobody present could confidently claim they could achieve such a feat!


    "Baron, thank you for your praise," Rein said with a modest smile.


    Fully upholding the composure of an ''actor''!


    After all, when one needed to feign politeness, it was necessary to play the part.


    At that moment, the noisy sound of hooves approached from nearby, as if a large group of riders was racing over from not far away.


    Rein looked up to see a troop of Cavalry suddenly appearing on the western road out of Flashgold Town, with a visibly anxious Hamilton at the lead.


    Apparently, the Messenger that little Matteo had sent out finally managed to deliver the message.


    It seemed, though, that the notification had arrived a bit late!


    The battle had already ended nearly an hour ago, thought Rein to himself.


    "Dole finally managed to notify the lord!" muttered Matteo next to him.


    No wonder Matteo complained; during battle, every second counted, and it was almost negligence to notify them so late.


    Knight Lloyd glanced at the Cavalryman next to Hamilton and said, "The previous Messenger must have been killed; this is the Cavalry I sent to deliver the notification."


    "Hmm?"


    Rein glanced around, indeed, there was no sign of the Night Watchman named Dole, but he did spot a similarly tense-looking Lagaray.


    The investigation team that set out in the morning had now returned with all members intact!


    After dismounting, Hamilton, wearing a grim expression, greeted Rein, Lloyd, and the others, then immediately began to inspect the situation on site.

 Chapter 159: Chapter 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    As the sheriff of Flashgold Town, he was the first person responsible for defense, and naturally, as soon as he heard Flashgold Town was attacked by cultists, he rushed back immediately.


    Rein exchanged a few polite words with Lagaray before being called aside by Hamilton.


    Rudolph, the head of the Church, and four Temple Knights, upon hearing that cultists attacked Flashgold Town, also decided to return at once.


    After all, the Evil Spirit Knight was deep in Nightingale Forest, posing a latent threat that would not erupt immediately.


    The recently restless cult was somewhat troublesome for the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church.


    Thus, Rudolph and the Temple Knights, following Hamilton, began to examine the bodies of several Black Flame monks on the wagon.


    "Such fierce swordsmanship!" a Temple Knight exclaimed.


    The others nodded in agreement. They, as Temple Knights who had combated them, knew all too well how difficult it was to split a Black Flame monk in half.


    "Eh! This one is Metry." Rudolph''s eyes suddenly narrowed.


    Although he appeared expressionless, his heart was already in turmoil.


    Although he did not recognize the other two, he had had several encounters with this Metry, who always managed to escape.


    The man had once been a Wizard Apprentice, but somehow got involved with the Black Flame Church. Allegedly due to his proficiency in a certain "technique", he was highly regarded by the upper echelons of the Black Flame Church.


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    Unexpectedly, he had died here.


    Although he didn''t believe that these three Black Flame monks had all been killed by the relatively youthful-looking young man before him,


    the facts seemed to keep reminding him that this was the only explanation!


    Moreover, with so many witnesses around, logically, this incident couldn''t be fabricated.


    Of course, for the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church, this incident was undoubtedly a great opportunity, whether or not Rein had killed them didn''t really matter.


    What mattered was, the Black Flame Church had lost four Transcendents in Flashgold Town, which had severely weakened them!


    "Eh! Rudolph, something''s off. There are one, two... six halves, which is the bodies of three Black Flame monks. But... where is the body of the fourth?" a detail-oriented Temple Knight suddenly asked.


    Right then, Matteo pointed to a clump of black ash outside the church square: "Look! The other one is over there."


    Everyone immediately followed Matteo''s gaze.


    All they saw was a large pile of black ash.


    Rudolph and the few Temple Knights quickly walked over. Although the person had turned into a pile of ash, they were still able to detect some clues. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Rudolph, it''s a human skin armor." A Temple Knight used his longsword to poke around in the ash for a moment, picked up a thumb-sized fragment, examined it, and then looked up at Rudolph with a face full of astonishment to report.


    "What! Say that again!" Rudolph suddenly showed a trace of astonishment.


    "Rudolph, it''s an Apostle''s medallion." Another Temple Knight''s longsword seemed to have touched something hard; after clearing it, he cried out in surprise.


    A diamond-shaped black flame medallion appeared before everyone.


    "This is an Apostle!" Rudolph could no longer maintain his calm expression, staring dumbstruck at the medallion.


    "An Apostle??" The other two Temple Knights also widened their eyes in shock, mouths agape.


    The exclamations of the church members, particularly the always composed Rudolph, immediately drew the attention of everyone nearby.


    Whether it was Knight Lloyd, Swordsmanship Instructor Perez, or Hamilton, they all turned to look immediately.


    At this time, Baron Alonso was as if struck by lightning, standing in shock!


    He roared inwardly: "What! Another Black Flame Apostle died?"


    "To think that this is a Black Flame Apostle!"


    "An Apostle, even more powerful than veteran knights!"


    Basically, without a Peak Knight appearing, there had never been a record of a ''Black Flame Apostle'' being killed.


    At most, it had been ''Black Flame Apostles'' being repelled by the combined forces of several veteran knights!


    Although his relationship with the Black Flame Church was a mutually beneficial partnership, he was unaware of the specific personnel involved in a certain operation of the church.


    He had previously heard that all four Transcendents sent by the Black Flame Church had been killed by Rein, which had already shocked him immensely!


    But he hadn''t expected that among those four, there was also an Apostle of the Black Flame Church that had been killed!


    This honestly shocked him beyond belief, shocking him to the core!


    Compared to everyone else, obviously, the church members �� Rudolph and the four Temple Knights, understood more about the significance and... the difficulty of this feat.


    At that moment, Rein was being pulled aside by Hamilton, having a separate conversation.


    "Rein, did you kill all four Black Flame Church Transcendents by yourself?" Hamilton was also astounded, sizing up his ''capable subordinate'' as he asked.


    Though he had estimated Rein''s combat capability as high as possible, the scene before him still left him utterly shocked!

 Chapter 160: Chapter 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    After encountering the Messenger sent by Knight Lloyd, the news nearly made Hamilton black out!


    In his heart, on one hand, he was worried that Rein might have encountered misfortune; on the other hand, with such a serious security incident occurring in Flashgold Town, he was inevitably going to be held accountable, and perhaps, he might even be stripped of his noble title.


    At that moment, he immediately glanced at Viscount Hamadi, the chief of public security of the County Town, but from the other''s shocked expression, Hamilton couldn''t instantly determine whether the chief genuinely didn''t know or was deliberately concealing something!


    However, when he had hastened to Flashgold Town, the situation took a dramatic turn!


    He hadn''t expected that he, who was sure to be held accountable, might actually turn misfortune into a blessing!


    ''Flashgold Town suffered a sudden assault by Cultists, Sheriff Hamilton rushed to the scene on horseback, deserted his post, resulting in heavy casualties among the residents of Flashgold Town!''


    "Under the command of Sheriff Hamilton, Flashgold Town feigned weakness to lure the enemy into the jar, completely annihilating a large group of Cultists led by four Transcendents. Although there were some casualties, it severely dealt a blow to the arrogant spirit of the Cult!"


    The disparity between these two official reports is too significant to detail!


    And the key person in all this was Rein!


    "Um... Lord Hamilton, it was indeed I who killed them. Of course, I couldn''t have done it without the help of my fellow Night Watchmen!" Rein said, pointing to Matteo and others nearby.


    This made Matteo and the other Night Watchmen feel as sweet as if they had tasted honey!


    Look! This is what a good superior in the Dragan Empire looks like!


    Never claiming credit for himself!


    Instead, he even shared the credit with them!


    "Also, it''s about my Giant Bear Sword Technique, I suddenly had a bit of an epiphany, seemed to have reached a different level." Of course, Rein would not reveal his true strength.


    He chose what he could reveal and spoke about it a little.


    Yet, Rein was not lying, because what he spoke was indeed the outright truth.


    Ever since the Giant Bear Sword Technique reached level 6, he sensed a clear difference compared to before.


    Upon hearing this, Hamilton vaguely guessed something, could it be...


    This couldn''t help but make him raise an eyebrow, curiously speaking, "Oh? Rein, why don''t you demonstrate it for me now."


    "Sure!"


    Rein was also eager to showcase the improvement in his swordsmanship.


    As for whether he could convince everyone that he relied on his swordsmanship talent to deal with those four Transcendent Cultists, that was a different matter. Explore new worlds at m,v l''-NovelFire.net


    But at the very least, it would give them a reason, a lead to believe it was possible for him to have killed those four.


    Otherwise, letting them speculate wildly or even sending someone to secretly observe or monitor him afterward would be too passive!


    Upon hearing that Rein wanted to showcase his swordsmanship, whether it was Viscount Hamadi, Baron Alonso, or nobles big and small like Lloyd and Perez, all turned their attention to him.


    And the priests and knights who initially intended to enter the church to inspect the situation also stopped in their tracks, stood still, and turned around to watch.


    After all, having learned that three of the Cultists and one Black Flame Apostle were killed by this young Knight Rein, nearly everyone''s curiosity was piqued!


    Furthermore, the beautiful Baroness Crowley, along with Jenny, gracefully descended from the carriage.


    Everyone almost formed a large circle, intently watching Rein as he drew the Glimmering Greatsword.


    "Ah! It''s a lumistone weapon!" Priest Rudolph exclaimed in a low voice.


    He hadn''t foreseen that this young man would keep surprising him one after another.


    A lumistone weapon is not so easy to come by, one must either purchase it at a high price from an auction or rely on personal fortune.


    Of course, the church has sacred power weapons, which can achieve the same effect as a lumistone weapon, thus there is no need to spend money on lumistone weapons.


    Seeing so many people gathering to watch, Rein felt no nervousness whatsoever.


    After all, he was exactly planning to show off his strength, and revealing the ''tip of the iceberg'' at this moment was just right!


    And the Giant Bear Sword Technique was a very good part of that iceberg.


    Rein positioned himself at the center of the area, assumed the initial stance of the Giant Bear Sword Technique...


    -----------------


    Fifteen minutes earlier.


    East side of Flashgold Town.


    On the side of the Black Sail pirates, Phil, carrying an exaggeratedly large bow, pondered for a moment before turning to a bearded pirate beside him and said, "Andre, send a couple of sharp ones into the town for reconnaissance!"


    "Yes, boss!" the bearded man said in a deep, resonant voice.


    Clearly, having seventy to eighty rough men who licked blood off their blades turn around and leave without firing a shot was very damaging to morale, even if the order was given by Phil Kraz, the deputy leader of the Black Sail pirates.


    So, Phil decided to send a few men to scout the town first to see what the situation was like.


    If the defense forces of Flashgold Town were weak, he planned to proceed with the raid, signal or no signal!


    Otherwise, his subordinates would definitely have complaints, and that would make them difficult to lead in the future.


    After all, most pirates, who had ''hung their heads on their belts,'' would follow whoever could lead them to wealth.


    Using brute force was the last resort, as that might cause his men to defect to other pirate groups.


    Soon, two relatively short pirates, who looked like ordinary citizens after a bit of dressing up, were chosen by the bearded man.


    The two pirates quickly headed towards Flashgold Town to carry out their reconnaissance mission.


    Seven or eight minutes later, the two pirate scouts arrived inside Flashgold Town.


    Initially, hearing the intermittent cries within the town, the two pirates'' eyes lit up with wild joy.


    Hey!


    This seemed like it had just been attacked!


    Moreover, there didn''t seem to be much defense on the streets, at least they didn''t see many security officers in sight.


    After sneaking around a bit, the two planned to head back and report immediately.


    However, just as they were turning to leave, they suddenly heard a flurry of hoofbeats and felt a slight tremor underfoot.


    The two immediately turned around and saw at the end of the street, on the western side of Flashgold Town, a large group of cavalry charging towards the town.


    The sharp-eyed duo instantly noticed many knights in full plate armor in the troop, and even saw some uniquely adorned church paladins.


    In an instant, cold sweat broke out on their foreheads. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    God damn it, if the enemy had arrived just a minute later, they would have reported back that ''the defense is weak, attack is feasible.''


    After that, they didn''t know how many of their pirate group would survive, but these two were definitely not going to make it!


    Because even if they did survive, Phil was likely to kill them.


    "Let''s go! Hurry and report back! It''s a trap!"


    "Damn it, no wonder those bastards didn''t send any signal; they had already run away!"


    The two pirate scouts, while complaining, hurried back to their hidden valley.


    After hearing their description, the Black Sail pirates also felt a chill down their spine��it was a trap indeed!


    At the same time, they realized that today''s raid was probably not going to happen.


    Even though they were ready to risk their lives, they weren''t mindless. Clearly, the enemy was just waiting for them to fall into their trap; they weren''t going to foolishly charge forward.


    Such foolhardy pirates had long since died out!


    "Retreat!" Phil''s eyes twinkled, and after a brief moment of thought, he raised his arm and waved, signaling his men to retreat.


    He and those two scouts who were responsible for gathering information thought differently.


    Phil actually thought the Black Flame Cult was quite reliable. Just look, they didn''t betray them! Knowing it was futile, they didn''t recklessly fire off signal rockets to get the Black Sail pirates killed.


    Yeah, they could continue to work with the Black Flame Cult in the future.


    But...


    The little favor he''d promised to Viscount Norman couldn''t be fulfilled this time.


    Well, let that junior knight level brat live a bit longer.


    Lucky fellow!

 Chapter 161: Chapter 132: Handing Over? Go to Hell!

    Flashgold Town Church Square.


    A group of nobles dressed in splendid garments or clad in plate armor were gathered around a young man demonstrating swordsmanship in the center of the area.


    The Night Watchmen, who had been busy nearby, couldn''t help but slow down their actions and stretch their necks curiously to watch the scene unfold.


    "Eh, it''s Lord Reine!"


    "Yes, it''s the new Assistant Security Officer, Lord Reine!"


    "That''s right, it''s Reine; he seems to be demonstrating swordsmanship."


    Since Reine had been the youngest among the Night Watchmen, although his positions had continually risen, many still called him by his name.


    It wasn''t a lack of respect but merely a matter of not having had enough time to adjust.


    At first, they called him ''Little Reine,'' then just ''Reine,'' and about half a month ago they called him ''Captain.'' Now, he had become the Assistant Security Officer. His promotion speed had been unmatched!


    One wonders how long it will be before the ''Assistant'' in his title is dropped.


    Reine suddenly looked solemn, beginning with an extremely swift Furious Slash followed by a fierce Leap Slash.


    Instantly, sharp swooshing sounds filled the area!


    "Smooth Cleaving Slash!"


    "Leap Slash!"


    "Whirlwind Slash"


    "...."


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique performed by Reine linked each move seamlessly, giving the impression that one was watching a dance of strength and beauty!


    "Indeed, Reine''s Giant Bear Sword Technique has reached the mastery level!"


    "This boy Reine is improving too quickly!" Hamilton''s eyes suddenly widened as he muttered to himself.


    As Reine''s direct superior, Hamilton could say that he had watched Reine grow stronger step by step from an ordinary farmer''s son.


    Now, reflecting back, Hamilton realized that every once in a while, Reine''s strength would advance to a new level.


    Upon careful comparison of the gap in combat strength between him and Reine, Hamilton was astounded to find that Reine''s current strength seemed to no longer be beneath his own!


    Perhaps there was a slight difference in combat experience, but it was negligible.


    Hamilton had to admit, Reine was now a master of the same level as him!


    But how old was he?


    How old was Reine?


    One had to say, the speed of Reine''s rise was dazzling!


    "This... this is the mastery level of the Giant Bear Sword Technique!"


    "Only fourteen or fifteen years old and he has reached this level! Truly an astonishing talent!"


    At the edge of the area, the person who felt the deepest impact from Reine''s performance of the Giant Bear Sword Technique was Perez, a noble scion and swordsmanship instructor from the Habsburg Estate!


    At the moment, he too had a face of disbelief, watching Reine demonstrate the Giant Bear Sword Technique in the center of the area.


    Since Perez also specialized in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, he clearly remembered that it took him about four to five years to reach the level Reine was displaying now!


    Though he wasn''t familiar with Reine and didn''t know how long Reine had been practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique,


    one could guess just by reason that Reine had not been practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique for long.


    Perhaps... one year?


    But in any case, it couldn''t have been more than two years!


    The reason was simple, the sheer weight of a Dual-Handed Greatsword, weighing several tens of pounds, was evident.


    An eleven or twelve-year-old commoner''s child would definitely not be able to swing it.


    After all, from Reine''s seemingly normal physique, one could tell that he wasn''t someone with an extraordinary innate strength.


    Meanwhile, Alonso grew increasingly anxious as he watched, his expression gradually turning grim. A certain fear began to form in his mind because he realized the rapid improvement of Reine''s strength uncontrollably reminded him of someone.


    That person was his sister��Cleya!


    Alonso remembered clearly, when he was already a Level Three Knight Attendant, Cleya had just learned to hold a sword.


    But two years later, he could only manage a draw against Cleya.


    The third year....


    Defeated, never victorious!


    Although, in the recent year, with a sufficient supply of Divine Blood from the Cult, his strength had increased rapidly, but now it seemed foolish to compare his training progress with someone with exceptional talent.


    Fortunately, Alonso had anticipated this with his sister Cleya.


    Thus, he had chosen to collaborate with the Cult and looked forward to the gains from the Black Flame Prayer Ceremony.


    At that time, if he could obtain control over the Black Flame or some other special abilities through the ceremony, he would be facing a tremendous increase in strength!


    While Alonso was unsettled, the people from the church were also intently watching Reine''s swordsmanship demonstration.


    "Berial, how do you rate Reine''s swordsmanship?" Priest Rudolph turned to ask a Temple Knight beside him.


    "Very strong, on par with me, but considering his age, I am far from comparable!"


    "I think, this newly knighted Transcendent Lord Reine, must possess both excellent swordsmanship and knightly talents."


    "Just as I thought. It''s a pity, such a talent didn''t join our Goddess Church," Priest Rudolph nodded with a sigh.


    "However..... Priest Rudolph, if Reine''s current displayed strength is considered, he might be able to kill an ordinary Cult member for sure, but I think he would still find it challenging to kill a high-ranking Angel Envoy."


    The knight named Berial, seemed to be observing very carefully, and after a serious examination, stated his judgement.


    "Hmm, you are right! However, I suspect Lord Reine must have an ace up his sleeve that he naturally wouldn''t display in this setting," Priest Rudolph nodded, fully agreeing with Berial''s opinion.


    "Based on his swordsmanship display, it at least has the potential to kill at the ''Angel Envoy level'', doesn''t it?" Rudolph said with a smile.


    "Uh... You are right!" Berial was initially stunned, then also agreed with a laugh.


    Among all the nobles present, the only one who could not quite see through the intentions of the others was Viscount Hamadi from County Town, who watched Reine expressionlessly, pondering something.


    Beside them, Baroness Cleya and Jenny watched with gleaming eyes.


    For them, they naturally hoped that Reine, the Guardian Knight of the Cleya family, would be as strong as possible.


    The demonstration of Reine''s swordsmanship lasted no longer than ten seconds, yet it ended.


    However, it left a profound impression on the onlookers.


    Hamilton stepped forward, his expression complex, and patted Reine''s shoulder, whispering, "Reine, you''ve given me another big surprise."


    "Your Giant Bear Sword Technique has already reached the level of mastery, which is truly remarkable!"


    "Besides, once the review comes through, I estimate the 1000 Merit Points needed for your ennoblement will be sufficient." Your next read is at m v|l-e''-NovelFire.net


    "I was a bit worried that you ascended to Transcendent too soon and lacked strength, but now it seems my worries were somewhat unnecessary."


    "Hmm?"


    This news brought a slight joy to Reine, as he hadn''t expected that these Cultists of the Black Flame were so ''valuable.''


    He had thought that he would need several months to accumulate the necessary 1000 Merit Points to register for the ennoblement assessment.


    While Reine and Hamilton were talking, a knight approached Rudolph and whispered in a low voice:


    "Elder Rudolph, I think you should check the situation inside the church..."


    Rudolph raised his eyebrows, glanced at the knight in slight surprise after seeing him nod slightly, which caused Rudolph to frown.


    Rudolph, followed by Berial, quickly walked into the church to inspect the site.


    After carefully examining several corpses of Flashgold Town residents, Elder Rudolph, with a grave expression, said, "A ritual of the Black Flame Cult was certainly conducted here, and apparently, it was successful."


    "Hmm! If based on what the Night Watchman just said, all the Transcendents of the Black Flame Cult were killed by Reine, then their Energy Storage Crystals should be in Reine''s possession," Berial suddenly realized something, then spoke up to remind the others.


    "That''s correct!"


    "Ask Reine if the ''Energy Storage Crystal'' is still there, or if it got destroyed during the previous battles," Elder Rudolph speculated, speaking in a solemn tone.


    "At your command, Elder!" Berial strode out of the church.


    Soon, Berial approached Reine, who was still talking with Hamilton, and asked, "Excuse me, Lord Reine, during the battle with the Cultists, did you happen to see a rhombus-shaped crystal?"


    Reine pondered for a moment and nodded. He certainly remembered the blood-colored rhombus crystal atop the bone staff. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not just remembered, but remembered vividly, since touching the staff had given him a prompt to change profession.


    "That''s wonderful! Lord Reine, this crystal holds exceptional significance for the church. Could you..."


    "Hold on, this crystal, according to regulations, belongs to the spoils of war and must be handed over to the empire. I''m afraid the church will have to excuse itself," suddenly, someone interrupted Berial''s speech.


    Reine turned to look, seeing Viscount Hamadi smiling as he approached.


    "What do you say, Hamilton?" Viscount Hamadi then turned to Hamilton.


    "Well... Viscount, you are correct according to the regulations," Hamilton said, his expression slightly uneasy, but he still nodded.


    Although he doubted Viscount Hamadi''s position, without conclusive proof, it was not possible to bring down a Viscount.


    Regarding the sudden betrayal and assassination attempt on Reine by Andrews, Hamadi explained that he was completely hoodwinked and unaware.


    Moreover, even if Viscount Hamadi had issues, as per regulations, it was up to the provincial level to deal with it.


    "Reine, regarding the value assessment of the Energy Storage Crystal, after conversion, it can directly transfer into Merit Points for you. Perhaps, Merit Points are more useful to you than Gold Coins," Hamadi turned to Reine and said.


    Reine glanced at Hamilton, who nodded slightly to him.


    It seemed that he, himself, would likely not be able to keep this item deemed mysterious by the system.


    ''A rank higher in office can crush one to death,'' and even two ranks higher, he had originally wanted to keep it to study.


    Thus, Reine nodded to Hamadi, "Alright, Viscount, please wait a moment, I''ll be right home."


    After returning home, Reine went to his room and immediately locked the door and picked up the bone staff to examine closely.


    However, Reine then thought that both Hamadi and the knight had only mentioned the crystal, so maybe he didn''t have to hand in the staff itself.


    Wondering if he could detach the crystal alone.


    After a bit of fiddling, Reine quickly discovered that there seemed to be a slot between the bone staff and the blood-colored rhombus crystal, then, gripping the fist-sized crystal in one hand and the staff in the other, he pulled hard.


    With a ''click'', the blood-colored rhombus crystal was removed.


    "Since you all just want the crystal, I''ll keep the staff," Reine thought to himself.


    However, as Reine held the crystal, the system prompt suddenly sounded.


    [Ding! A large amount of unknown absorbable energy detected. Yes/No absorb? (Note: After absorption, it can be converted into specified Professional Experience Points.)]


    Sheesh!


    "Damn! Is there such a good thing?"


    "Then, do I even need to think about it, of course, I choose to absorb!"


    "Hand it over? To hell with that!"

 Chapter 162: Chapter 133: Three Levels Up!

    Yes!


    The next second, the rich blood-red energy in the diamond-shaped crystal surged into Rein like a flood escaping a dam.


    However, it seemed that the system absorbed it in a ''discard the dregs and keep the essence'' manner, leaving Rein with no discomfort. Instead, a lot of black ash-like substance fell to the ground from his left hand that was holding the blood-red crystal.


    The absorption and transformation process was completed almost instantly.


    "[Ding! Transformed a total of 1024 supernatural experience points, please choose Knight (Transcendent)/Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) to level up.]"


    Seeing this, Rein pondered for a moment and decided to choose the latter for points allocation.


    The reason was simple; he was currently a Knight (Transcendent) lv3 (84/500). If he chose Knight, he could only level up once, while as a Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv1 (0/100), he could level up three times.


    Moreover, Rein noticed that the experience gained in battle was automatically added to the Knight (Transcendent) profession panel. Could this be because the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession panel had no attack skills?


    Or was it for some other reason?


    But for now, he did not worry at all about the leveling speed of the Knight (Transcendent) profession level.


    On the other hand, it seemed that the professional experience of a Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) could currently only be increased through practicing basic meditation.


    After weighing the two options, the choice was not difficult to make.


    Rein silently recited ''Wizard Apprentice!'' in his mind.


    In an instant, three system notifications appeared before Rein:


    "[Congratulations, your Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level has increased!]"


    "[Congratulations, your Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level has increased!]"


    "[Congratulations, your Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level has increased!]"


    Although Rein had predicted that his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession panel might jump three levels at once,


    Seeing this scene unfold, he too was struggling to contain his joy.


    Rein clenched his fists and swung vigorously in mid-air twice!


    This move had saved him at least half a year, or even one to two years of time.


    After calming his excitement a bit, Rein looked at the panel where the level of Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) had jumped from lv1 to lv4 (124/1000) and couldn''t help but show a radiant smile.


    Continuing to look down,


    He saw at the bottom of the panel a prompt indicating remaining attribute points: 3, and remaining skill points: 4.


    Among these remaining skill points, one had been left unassigned from the last level-up.


    Looking at the attribute points and skill points in front of him, Rein suddenly felt like he had jumped from being poor straight into the middle class.


    Previously, he had to carefully consider each point allocation; now, things were different��he had plenty to spare!


    However...


    After thinking about it, Rein didn''t choose to allocate his points immediately but decided to deliver the items first before coming back to consider how to allocate the points carefully.


    After all, with his newfound ''savings,'' he couldn''t just spend them recklessly; he needed to be frugal and deliberate.


    Rein looked at the diamond-shaped crystal, which initially had a rich blood color but now showed a pure transparency, and a sly smile spread across his face.


    He wondered if Viscount Hamadi, upon seeing the current state of the crystal, would still be willing to exchange the spoils for Merit Points.


    "Forget it! I''ll just give him the bone staff as well!" thought Rein.


    "After all, since I''ve reaped such a huge advantage, offering the crystal and the bone staff shows my sincerity," Rein thought to himself.


    "Click!"


    Rein then attached the transparent diamond-shaped crystal back to the bone staff, and then, he quickly went downstairs and headed towards the church.


    Soon, when Rein returned, he saw the church''s Rudolph and Viscount Hamadi seemingly arguing about something.


    This made Rein slow down his steps and listen.


    "Your Excellency Viscount, it is customary for the Energy Storage Crystals to be handed over to our church for handling."


    "Rudolph, as you yourself said, it is a customary practice. According to the empire''s rules, first and foremost, it belongs to the empire."


    "...."


    Aha! This crystal really must be a treasure!


    It even caused these two dignitaries to scramble and fight over it, what a pity that this ''Energy Storage Crystal'' has now become a ''blank crystal.''


    Although Rein didn''t know why they valued this crystal so much, it was obviously for the blood-red energy within it.


    Rein made his footsteps slightly heavier, causing Hamadi and Rudolph to stop their dispute and look over.


    When Rein passed the bone staff to Hamadi, he could clearly feel Alonso''s eyes flicker, and although he tried hard to conceal it, there was an undeniable joy on his face.


    Rudolph, however, glanced at the transparent crystal on top of the bone staff and then at Rein, his face showing confusion.


    Clearly, Rudolph had realized that it was a ''blank crystal.''


    "Haha, Rein, that''s it!" Viscount Hamadi laughed as he spoke.


    "You''re too kind, Viscount."


    However, as soon as Hamadi took it over, the next second, his expression changed dramatically, turning incredibly grim!


    "Empty?"


    "What do you mean, empty?" Rein played dumb. Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e -NovelFire.net


    Hamadi''s eyes were fixed intently on Rein as he said, "Rein, was it like this when you got this ''Sacrificial Staff''?"


    "Of course, Viscount." Rein said, telling a barefaced lie without batting an eyelid.


    "Right, so this bone stave is called ''Sacrificial Staff'', huh? Viscount, you really have a deep understanding of the Black Flame Cult," Rein added.


    "Cough... The cult poses a great threat to the Empire, so I took the effort to learn more about them," Hamadi, realizing his slip of the tongue, coughed slightly and said.


    It seems the blood sacrifice ritual was not successful.


    It must have been interrupted just as it was about to succeed.


    What a pity.


    In an instant, Hamadi guessed the most likely scenario that had occurred.


    "Viscount, about the matter you mentioned before, assisting me in converting my spoils of war into Merit Points..." Rein said.


    "Of course, no problem!" Viscount Hamadi waved his hand dismissively.


    However, from the slight twitch of Hamadi''s mouth, Rein could tell that deep inside, Hamadi was incredibly disappointed!


    Viscount Hamadi, looking rather unsightly, charged Hamilton with certain tasks and quickly left Flashgold Town. Baron Alonso from County Town didn''t stay long either and was the first to head back to County Town.


    The delegation from the Church of the Monsoon and the Sea Goddess, led by Head Priest Rudolph, after a thorough investigation, also began to leave Flashgold Town and return to County Town to report.


    Baroness Crowley and Jenny, after bidding Rein farewell, followed the church''s delegation back to County Town.


    As for the aftermath of the cultists'' attack on Flashgold Town, since Hamilton, the town''s sheriff, had returned, naturally, he was left to take full responsibility for the handling of the matter.


    And so, Rein and Lagaray started walking home.


    Despite feeling a tinge of disappointment, Lagaray didn''t mind too much; after all, the long-anticipated journey to Nightingale Forest was halted mid-way due to the cultist incident.


    Fortunately, it was not a matter of never going, but merely a delay of a few days; hence, her slightly dispirited mood soon adjusted.


    Having returned home, Rein began to reflect on his performance in the recent battles.


    Simply put, it was a ''post-mortem''!


    After all, the old ancestors had said, "Learning without thought leads to confusion, thought without learning leads to danger!"


    Although this was originally intended for academic study, the principle was the same.


    Reflecting earnestly after battle is the key to improvement.


    "In the four battles I encountered, it was quite clear that my combat methods were too simplistic," Rein mused.


    "The greatsword is indeed very useful in many situations, but when facing enemies with strong defensive power, it''s difficult to inflict effective damage, like when facing an enemy of the Angel Envoy''s caliber."


    "Perhaps, my next step should be to gradually start learning the Hammer Skill. The overwhelming armor penetration and shock from a heavy hammer can do severe damage to enemies with stacked armor." Rein pondered with a twinkle in his eyes.


    Use valuable Skill Points to improve Hammer Skill?


    Of course not!


    As long as I use the heavy hammer more frequently in battle, I''ll naturally be able to improve quickly.


    "Furthermore, it''s about the armor. Despite having the supernatural trait ''Iron Skin lv2'', wearing a full set of sturdy knight''s plate armor can still mitigate a lot of damage. So, acquiring a set of solid plate armor is also a matter of urgency!"


    "As for attribute points and Skill Points..."


    "Perhaps I should first take a look at ''An Exploration of the Application of Scorching Touch in the Field of Smithing''..."


    Soon, Rein took out the three ancient Akkadian tomes and placed them on his table.


    Since he was not very proficient in Akkadian, Rein could only study and research while referencing the materials.


    It took a long time for him to briefly browse through the ancient tome.


    After finishing, Rein, with his arms crossed and fingers stroking his chin, started pacing back and forth in his room, his brow furrowed or relaxed at intervals.


    This was a non-formal book written by a third-level Wizard Apprentice named Lias Johnston several centuries ago. Before embarking on his path as a Wizard Apprentice, he used to be a blacksmith, so naturally, he included some of his personal creative ideas.


    According to the book, ''Scorching Touch'' is a beginner-level fire witchcraft spell that requires manipulating the free fire energy particles in the air for casting.


    Luckily, the book also contained the incantation and witchcraft model for ''Scorching Touch''.


    Therefore, for Rein, who could already sense fire energy particles, this was clearly good news.


    Moreover, the difficulty of learning ''Scorching Touch'' wasn''t high, and with his current level, he could already begin trying to learn it.


    However, according to the book, ''Scorching Touch'' is a contact-based witchcraft spell that requires close proximity to inflict damage.


    According to the book, this is typical of most beginner-level witchcraft spells.


    This made Rein hesitate for a moment, even though he currently had four Skill Points at his disposal.


    After all, this was far from what he had hoped for; it wasn''t the powerful, long-range attack like a Black Flame Fireball that he had imagined.


    Moreover, to reach the level of direct application in smithing as described in the book, one would need a high degree of mastery over the spell.


    After some consideration, Rein didn''t rush into practicing the fire witchcraft spell ''Scorching Touch'' and began his daily foundational meditation exercises.


    Because as clearly stated in the book, visualizing ten Will runes at once is the minimum requirement for practicing ''Scorching Touch'', and if one can''t even achieve that, then there''s no point in attempting it.


    Before long, Rein''s forehead was slightly sweaty, but the next moment, he exhaled deeply, successfully visualizing ten Will runes simultaneously!


    At that moment, a system prompt quietly appeared:


    [Congratulations! Your Spirit Attribute has been increased!]


    Rein''s face lit up, and he glanced at his status panel to see his Spirit Attribute increase from 15 points to 16 points. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In doing so, his chances of successfully learning the fire witchcraft spell ''Scorching Touch'' had greatly improved!

 Chapter 163: Chapter 134: Wont This Cause Reckless Slaughter?

    Next, Rein began to contemplate the witchcraft model of "Scorching Touch" as recorded.


    A witchcraft model, in a nutshell, is a combination of several Will runes.


    Simply put, if each Will rune is likened to the English letters ''abcd'', then the witchcraft model would be a specific word such as ''abandon''.


    Of course, Will runes are three-dimensional structures in space, not as simple as English letters.


    But that''s the idea.


    On the other hand, there are a total of twenty-four Will runes, not much different from the twenty-six letters in the English alphabet.


    This is also why one needs to learn meditation techniques before studying witchcraft.


    Closing his eyes and fully concentrating on his perceptions, Rein slowly began to sense the various mysterious energy particles in the space around him.


    It seemed to be an enhancement of spiritual power, or perhaps the experience from last time, this time Rein sensed and guided the fiery and bright fire elemental energy particles much faster than before.


    However, corresponding to guiding the fire elemental energy particles, visualizing the complete witchcraft model of "Scorching Touch" was quite challenging.


    After failing seven or eight times consecutively, finally, Rein succeeded once!


    A faint red glow softly lit up in front of Rein''s palm, hardly noticeable unless looked at closely.


    Unfortunately, this effect lasted only a few seconds before the red glow vanished without a trace.


    But Rein was not discouraged, rather he was thrilled.


    Because he had actually succeeded just now. "Scorching Touch" was not only a contact-based witchcraft, but also, a channeling type of witchcraft.


    If anything unexpected occurred during the channeling process, it would be terminated or interrupted.


    System prompt:


    [You have studied Scorching Touch, and your comprehension has improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Scorching Touch]


    [Your skill Scorching Touch has improved, experience +1]


    Meanwhile, below the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel, which previously had only one icon for basic meditation, now on top of that, a brand-new icon had appeared.


    The icon''s border briefly lit up, and on the center, there was an image of an open palm with a flicker of flame in front of it.


    Rein focused on the new icon, and saw a line of small text below it.


    Scorching Touch lv1 (1/100)


    Scorching Touch lv1 effect: Consumes a certain amount of spiritual power to manipulate nearby fire elemental energy particles using a specific witchcraft model, producing high-temperature damage within a certain range in front of the host''s palm. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    (Note: Casting time 3 seconds, power proportional to duration and host''s spiritual power, the closer the contact distance, the greater the power. Current effective lethal distance: 0~0.5 meters.)


    Yay! It worked!


    Rein''s face lit up with joy.


    He immediately began testing its power.


    Rein first positioned his right palm about 30 centimeters above a wooden table, then he initiated "Scorching Touch", quickly seeing a faint red glow flicker in his palm.


    A wave of heat began to radiate from the center of his palm.


    After two or three seconds, Rein noticed that the natural wood color of the tabletop seemed to show some slight signs of charring.


    This made him exclaim in astonishment, "This power, not bad at all!"


    Following this, Rein lowered the height of his palm to 10 centimeters.


    After reducing the distance between his palm and the tabletop by 20 centimeters, the speed of blackening significantly increased.


    At this point, a faint black handprint almost visibly appeared on the wooden table.


    Rein thought for a moment, then pressed his right palm directly onto the table.


    Instantly, the charred area, with Rein''s palm as the center, rapidly spread outward, quickly forming a black circle as big as the bottom of a basin.


    Waves of pungent burnt odor also emerged from the tabletop.


    At this point, Rein quickly lifted his right palm from the tabletop, interrupting the newly learned witchcraft "Scorching Touch".


    Looking at the circular charred pattern on the table, Rein couldn''t help but feel amazed and delighted! Your next read is at m v|l-e''-NovelFire.net


    "Not bad at all! The temperature must''ve reached three to five hundred degrees! The wood surface has carbonized."


    "It''s a pity there''s no very accurate way to measure the temperature, can only roughly guess now."


    "However, compared to what''s described in the books, for use in forging, there''s clearly a big gap."


    "After all, the melting point of bronze is nearly a thousand degrees, and for iron, it''s about fifteen hundred degrees."


    Rein pondered for a while and muttered to himself.


    The successful mastery of "Scorching Touch" uplifted Rein''s spirits, and he tried the newly mastered witchcraft several more times in a row.


    Instantly, round charred marks were left on the room''s walls and on the back of chairs!


    After several attempts, Rein still couldn''t quite hide his excitement.


    However, he also felt a slight unease in his brain, a drowsy sensation, a kind of mental fatigue.


    Rein knew this must be due to excessive consumption of spiritual power.


    So, Rein quickly stopped and rested for a moment.


    "Knock, knock, knock!"


    "Rein, are you there?" It was the voice of his mother, Emma.


    "I''m here!"


    As Emma opened the door, she looked around with a puzzled expression, her nostrils flaring slightly, and she suspiciously asked Rein:


    "Rein, are you roasting something?"


    "What''s that burnt smell? It''s all the way downstairs,"


    "Ah?"


    At that moment, Rein realized that he had been too focused on experimenting with the "Scorching Touch" witchcraft, and now, his own room was filled with a slightly acrid smell of firewood.


    "No! It might have been a candle accidentally lighting the wood," Rein hurriedly denied.


    Mother Emma mumbled a few words, obviously wanting to say more.


    Because as soon as she opened the door, she saw a round, smoking, charred pattern on the wall.


    Is this the area a candle could burn?


    Are you kidding me?


    But thinking of her son Rein''s might when slaying enemies, Emma suppressed her concerns, swallowing the words that had reached the tip of her tongue.


    "The child is grown, let him have his own secrets," Emma thought to herself.


    "Well...okay then! Remember to ventilate more," mother Emma said before closing the door again.


    "Yes, Mother!" Rein said, touching his head awkwardly.


    Although Mother Emma had witnessed his strength, Rein still did not want his family to know about his studies in witchcraft right away.


    After all, the Knight''s Transcendent path is highly acceptable in the eyes of ordinary people.


    But Wizards are different, their various mysterious witchcraft, and many evil and frightening images of Wizards, still inspire fear among ordinary people through the songs of Wandering Bards.


    So, Rein thought, in front of his family, he still needed to maintain the grand professional image of a Knight.


    Thinking of the Knight profession, Rein was reminded of the weapon most loyal to a Knight or warrior��


    Rein placed the greatsword wrapped in sheepskin on the table, unfolded the sheepskin, lifted the ''Glimmering Greatsword'', and inspected it carefully.


    Although the addition of star metal had increased the hardness of the greatsword several times over, the strength of his enemies also improved day by day, so now, there were many tiny nicks on the blade of the greatsword.


    The blade needed to be re-polished.


    Rein took out a small sharpening stone, dropped a few drops of oil on it, and began sharpening seriously.


    After sharpening, he laid the greatsword flat and observed it from different angles. Confirming that there weren''t any serious issues with the blade''s curvature or nicks, Rein then wrapped the ''Glimmering Greatsword'' back in sheepskin and set it aside.


    Next, Rein flipped to the first page of the panel system �� the attribute page, and started examining it closely.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (124/1000)/Knight (Transcendent) lv3 (84/500)/Blacksmith lv3 (0/500)/Dog Trainer lv3(1/500)


    Constitution: 18


    Strength: 15


    Agility: 15


    Spirit: 16


    Remaining attribute points: 3


    Remaining Skill Points: 4


    Looking at the numbers 3 and 4 at the bottom, Rein''s lips curved into a smile.


    It''s not easy, rare to be a ''big spender''!


    Soon, Rein began to ponder the specifics of allocating the points.


    First, regarding attribute points, adding points to Strength would directly increase Rein''s combat power, especially since his Transcendent trait ''Huge Strength lv2'' as well as the core skill ''Strength Burst'', both enhance his basic strength.


    If added to Constitution, it would extend the duration of bursts and improve resistance against various abnormal statuses, which is also very significant.


    Agility is equally important.


    But currently, Rein doesn''t have any abilities or skills that significantly boost Agility, so if he were to allocate points, it could be postponed, to be decided based on the situation at that time.


    As for Spirit, in the short term, it actually wouldn''t bring an immediately noticeable improvement in Rein''s strength.


    If it is not very urgent, Rein could slowly increase it through the practice of basic meditation.


    After much thought, Rein still hadn''t decided, so he decided to not allocate the attribute points just yet.


    After all, keeping them for recovery during battle is also akin to a miracle!


    Then, Rein focused his attention on the Skill Points.


    Regarding Skill Points, the direction of allocation could either be towards the Knight (Transcendent) panel or the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel.


    First, let''s look at the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel with only two skills.


    If he added points to basic meditation, the benefit would likely be a faster increase in Spirit Attribute.


    While adding points to ''Scorching Touch'' would bring multiple benefits, including enhancing the damage effect of the witchcraft and using it for forging to elevate the Blacksmith''s Profession Level.


    However, it is still unclear how much the increase would be, whether it would reach lv2 or lv3 to smelt bronze, or even iron ingots.


    But as an entry-level touch-based witchcraft, it can only damage enemies within a very close range, which is a significant limitation.


    Honestly, the attack range of ''Scorching Touch'' might not even be wider than that of the Dual-Handed Greatsword!


    This is why Rein hesitated.


    If it were a powerful long-range attack witchcraft like the ''Fireball Technique'', Rein would certainly not hesitate to enter continuous allocation mode!


    "Bang bang bang!"


    Fireball machine gun!


    Just thinking about it is exhilarating!


    Wouldn''t this cause chaos?


    Rein couldn''t help but envision it.

 Chapter 164: Chapter 135: It seems like a chaotic slaughter!

    Next up was the Knight (Transcendent) panel.


    The options here are much wider.


    Rein''s first thought was to add points to break the limit value.


    Breaking the limit is a burst enhancement of bodily attributes that boosts strength, agility, and constitution significantly during its activation.


    Due to the previous increase of two points in constitution, Rein''s current limit-breaking value had reached 40%.


    It seemed that constitution was more positively correlated to the bodily limit break compared to agility.


    A 40% limit-breaking value meant that after activating the limit break, Rein''s strength, agility, and constitution would all increase by 40%, sending his combat power skyrocketing!


    The capabilities of a seasoned Knight would be fully demonstrated!


    Moreover, with four skill points currently in Rein''s hands, if they were all invested into the limit-breaking value, it could directly hit 80%!


    Tsk tsk!


    That would surpass the 60% threshold and step into the realm of a Peak Knight!


    At the same time, Rein''s two transcendent traits, ''Huge Strength lv2'' and ''Iron Skin lv2'', could also smoothly progress to lv3.


    With both effects combined, his strength would make leaps and bounds!


    This fully reflected the saying, "The extent of limit break largely determines a Knight''s combat strength!"


    Another option for adding points was the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    Rein''s Giant Bear Sword Technique was currently at lv6, and to advance it in the proper order, it would require a whole 3000 experience points to reach lv7.


    Clearly, assigning skill points to any lv6 skill would result in a considerable savings in time and benefits.


    Not to mention, the Giant Bear Sword Technique was Rein''s main combat skill, and reaching lv7 would also provide an immediate and significant boost to his combat power.


    In addition, investing points in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique also seemed like a decent choice, and high-level practice of the technique would surely enhance his strength and constitution quickly.


    Of course, the effects of adding points to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique would not be apparent in just a day or two.


    Even at the quickest, it would take a month or two to gradually see the value of the added points.


    Beyond these options, the core skill ''danger perception lv3'' was also a good choice, especially since core skills can only be improved by adding skill points, not by accumulating experience points like other skills, which could naturally be ground out over time if there was no rush.


    But core skills are different, as one simply can''t grind them out!


    Speaking of core skills, Rein couldn''t help but remember another core skill he had long neglected��''Hammer Mastery''.


    [Hammer Mastery lv1 (Passive) Effect: The host receives a slight increase in damage when using any hammer-type weapon.]


    Rein was no longer as ignorant of the system as he was in the beginning.


    After reading the system''s description of Hammer Mastery a couple more times, Rein vaguely guessed that if he invested points in it, the effect would likely change to ''small increase'' and then to ''large increase''.


    This made Rein narrow his eyes as his mind started to race.


    "Maybe I shouldn''t be swinging around wildly without care!"


    "But it seems, in time, I could be swinging around with impact!"


    Thus, Rein took out a thin booklet he had found, which was the ''Tokkal Hammer Technique Outline''.


    After studying ''Tokkal''s Hammer Technique Outline'', he found that Tokkal Hammer Technique was very similar to the Giant Bear Sword Technique, but even more extreme with no defensive moves��all were offensive!


    ''Giant hammer strike,'' ''giant hammer jump strike,'' and ''giant hammer sweep'' all confirmed this.


    Soon after, Rein received a system notification:


    [You have studied the Tokkal Hammer Technique, comprehension improved!]


    [You have grasped a new skill��Tokkal Hammer Technique]


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, experience +1]


    Rein opened the Knight (Transcendent) profession panel, and saw that among the ten or so skill icons below, a new one was lit up.


    Tokkal Hammer Technique lv1 (1/100).


    The icon was simple, depicting two large hands holding a huge hammer, appearing very powerful.


    As for practicing Hammer Skill, Rein thought of the ''hammer tire flipping training'' from his previous life, which seemed to be one of the most common strength training methods in various fighting disciplines.


    Swinging a big hammer might look simple, but its function is quite complex!


    It can not only fully exercise a person''s rotational explosive power, but also develop the stabilizing strength of the waist, abdomen, and other core muscle groups.


    Of course, for Rein, with his 18-point Constitution and 15-point Strength, this process was somewhat redundant.


    What he really needed now was a sparring partner to help him quickly improve his Hammer Skill level.


    Thinking of this, the first person that came to Rein''s mind was the ''shield master'' Lagaray!


    However, it was a bit late, and after some thought, Rein decided to wait until tomorrow morning.


    Throughout the night, Emma tossed and turned unable to sleep, waking old Rein numerous times with questions:


    "Ah, didn''t you see how Rein was today?"


    "How does Rein manage to kill so calmly?"


    "How many people has Rein actually killed?"


    "This can''t be the first time he''s killed someone, can it?"


    "...."


    Though very sleepy, old Rein still gently held Emma''s hand, patting it lightly, and comforted her:


    "Don''t overthink it, I know you got a scare, go to sleep early, it''ll be fine after a while, don''t be afraid."


    In fact, Emma had felt a sudden jolt in her heart ever since she had witnessed her son Rein, with a calm complexion, kill several Black Flame monks.


    Because she had never seen such a cold side of Rein before. Enjoy new tales from m-v l''-NovelFire.net sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once asleep, she would remember that scene, and the calm expression on Rein''s face as he killed.


    Late into the night, old Rein finally got a little fed up with Emma''s anxiety and said in annoyance,


    "Think of it this way, if Rein hadn''t killed them, wouldn''t you be one of those lying on the ground?"


    "Also, have you forgotten the state your friend Sima ended up in?"


    This left Emma speechless for quite some time!


    Sima was her best friend, and Rein knew her well, but this time, she too had met a grisly end in the church, at the hands of the cultists, especially that horrific ritual that reduced a person of about one hundred seventy or eighty pounds to just over forty pounds of dried corpse.


    The terror of that sight made Emma shiver just by thinking about it!


    "Yeah, if my own son didn''t kill them, they would have killed me!" Emma murmured to herself.


    Suddenly, Emma felt an inexplicable sense of safety in Rein''s calm demeanor while he was killing!


    The next morning, when Rein sat down for breakfast, he was startled by old Rein''s dark eye bags.


    "Father, what''s this... Did you not rest well last night?"


    Old Rein glanced at Emma and said, "It''s alright, just some mosquitoes buzzing non-stop in the middle of the night, barely got them killed before dawn was upon us!"


    Rein was taken aback as he looked outside at the chilly weather of early winter and thought, are there still mosquitoes at this time of year?


    After breakfast, just when Rein was about to go find Lagaray to practice some Hammer Skill, George''s familiar voice came from outside the door.


    "Is Rein there?"


    Upon hearing this, Rein immediately opened the door and went out.


    Seeing Rein, George stepped forward to compare their heights and his eyes suddenly widened as he exclaimed,


    "Hiss! Rein, you... are you really Rein?"


    Although Rein had already grown as tall as he was half a month ago, now he was a bit taller than George!


    This left George looking at Rein with a face full of disbelief, "Rein, how... how did you grow so fast!"


    "No, no, that''s not important!"


    "What I want to ask you is, the person who slaughtered the cultists in the church square yesterday, the one who saved us, was it you?"


    As George asked this question, his gaze was fixed intently on Rein.


    Rein thought for a moment and decided not to hide it, nodding and saying, "George, yes, that was indeed me!"


    "Rein, I knew it was you! And they still didn''t believe me!" said George excitedly.


    "No, wait!"


    "Rein, doesn''t that mean you''ve already stepped into the Transcendent and become a formal Knight?" George asked belatedly.


    Rein looked at his friend and nodded again.


    Although he didn''t want to admit it in front of his good friend George, some things were gradually becoming harder to conceal.


    After all, by now, the Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town could pretty much vouch for his strength.


    "Rein... Rein! You... I... Does this mean I now have a friend who''s a formal Knight?" George stammered in wonder.


    "Of course, unless you don''t consider me your friend!" Rein gave George a friendly punch on the chest and smiled.


    At this moment, George''s expression was incredibly complex!


    How did Rein become a Knight so quickly?


    This is just too fast!


    And on top of that, I actually have a friend who''s a formal Knight!


    That''s just too cool!


    For a while, a myriad of thoughts swirled through George''s young mind!


    Half an hour later.


    Training grounds of the Administrative Hall.


    Lagaray picked out an ironwood axe and held a freshly repaired giant round shield, while Rein gripped a several dozen pound oak hammer, and the two took their positions in the arena.


    Lagaray tapped the large shield with her ironwood axe, signaling with a crisp sound, "Come on!"


    "Lagaray, you better be careful then."


    Rein pushed off with his left foot and rushed swiftly towards Lagaray. When he was a few meters away, he leaped, swinging the oak hammer down in a forceful overhead giant hammer strike.


    It was the Tokkal Hammer Technique''s "giant hammer jump strike"!


    Lagaray didn''t back down but instead jumped up high, lifting her shield for a heavy shield strike!


    "Bam!!"


    A dull sound of hammer meeting shield echoed!


    Lagaray, airborne, felt a powerful Shock force reverberate through her shield, sending her flying back several meters.


    Immediately, she looked at Rein with astonishment.


    Wasn''t it said that he had just learned Hammer Skill?


    How could he be so powerful already!

 Chapter 165: Chapter 136 Actually.......I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)

    Although Lagaray knew that Rein had entered the Transcendent realm, she did not witness the scene where Rein killed four Black Flame cultists.


    So, with a suspicious look, Lagaray glanced at Rein and said, "Rein, didn''t you say you had just learned Hammer Skill?"


    "This... it is indeed just recently learned!" Rein touched his nose.


    It must be the effect of his Hammer Skill specialty.


    Of course, that was obviously something Rein could not mention.


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +17]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points +0]


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +15]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points +1]


    ....


    After a few minutes of sparring, the improvement in the Tokkal Hammer Technique was quite significant.


    However, in terms of the Profession Level of Rein''s Transcendent Knight, the growth in experience was almost negligible.


    Of course, the occasional +1 in experience points was better than nothing.


    The sparring continued.


    "Boom!"


    Lagaray was once again struck by Rein''s ironwood warhammer, hitting her shield and sending her flying back several meters.


    "Enough!"


    Lagaray''s ample chest heaved as she rolled her eyes at Rein, who didn''t have a single bead of sweat on his forehead, and said irritably.


    Wasn''t this bullying?


    Rein had entered the Transcendent realm, and clearly, his Hammer Skill was also well-founded. She simply couldn''t withstand a few of Rein''s hammer blows.


    Even with her favorite shield!


    Lagaray thought to herself. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Additionally, even though she was a barbarian, with Strength and Constitution surpassing those of an average aspiring Knight, Lagaray always felt that Rein was the real monster, more of a barbarian than her.


    "Uh... alright then!" Rein could tell that Lagaray was really trying her best.


    Just... he had only used about sixty percent of his Strength. Any less and the sparring match wouldn''t provide enough experience for Tokkal Hammer Technique, but any more and Lagaray wouldn''t be able to handle it.


    Quite the dilemma!


    As for feeling tired?


    Not at all!


    With a Constitution of eighteen, sparring with Lagaray felt to Rein like a marathon runner from his past life having jogged just ten kilometers.


    It was barely a warm-up!


    The Night Watchmen nearby kept glancing over at Lagaray and Rein.


    Although Flashgold Town had just suffered an attack from the cultists, increasing the workload of the Night Watchmen, after witnessing the formidable strength of the cultists, many of the Night Watchmen, no matter how busy, would make time to come to the training grounds to improve themselves.


    One of the Night Watchmen turned to the short-statured Matteo and whispered, "Boss, do you think our Deputy Commander is going easy on that beautiful barbarian girl?"


    "You don''t understand!"


    "It''s all about playfulness!" Matteo glanced at his subordinate Night Watchman and said.


    "Playfulness?" The Night Watchman thought for a moment, appeared to realize something, then nodded continuously with a look of sudden understanding.


    "I see, no wonder the Deputy Commander, despite being so strong, still insists on sparring with her."


    "...."


    Even though their conversation was in hushed tones, Rein and Lagaray, with their strengths, heard everything loud and clear.


    This caused Lagaray''s cheeks, already flushed from the intense exercise, to redden even more.


    "By the way, Lagaray, can you forge a warhammer?" Rein asked while waving the ironwood warhammer in his hand.


    "Hmm! It''s just that the typical material for a warhammer might not be suitable for you." Lagaray looked at the ironwood warhammer in Rein''s hand and said.


    Rein immediately nodded in agreement, "You''re right! I need a good warhammer."


    This point, with his increasing strength, had made the importance of a good weapon ever more apparent.


    Before Rein had transcended, a Fine Steel Greatsword of decent quality was already struggling to withstand the intensity of his combat, let alone now that Rein had the strength of a seasoned Knight.


    Moreover, when unleashing the ''stacking state,'' Rein''s demand for a weapon was exceptionally high!


    Could the weapon wielded at twenty points of Strength be the same as one wielded at forty points of Strength?


    The answer was clearly no!


    "From what I know, if you want to make a warhammer that meets the strength requirements of a proper Knight like you, the best would be blood-patterned steel. This steel is very strong and tough, ideal for forging warhammers," she advised.


    "Secondly, there''s starmetal like you saw last time. Adjust the composition a bit, and it''s also great for making warhammers," she added.


    "That blood-patterned steel, is it also extracted from some kind of rare ore?" Rein inquired.


    If there was a better material choice, he naturally wanted to choose the better option.


    "Yes, it''s also refined from special ores and is very rare," Lagaray confirmed with a nod.


    This gave Rein a bit of a headache; clearly, these high-grade goods wouldn''t be available at Boris the Blacksmith''s shop in the small town.


    Last time, he had bought up the only starmetal Boris had and infused it into his Glimmering Greatsword.


    Check with the quartermaster nearby?


    After thinking for a while, Rein immediately shook his head. Even if the quartermaster''s stock was diverse, such rare raw materials would not likely be available for exchange.


    Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Rein''s mind, and he remembered something!


    He recalled the blacksmith Boris once mentioned to him:


    "Rein, if you want to learn about identifying other special ores, you''ll have to go to the large blacksmith shops in County Town, uh... of course, there are definitely also many kinds of special ores stocked in the blacksmith shops inside the manor castles."


    That''s right!


    How could he not have thought of that?


    In fact, he could go check out the blacksmith shop at the Habsburg manor. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelFire.net

 Chapter 166: Chapter 136 Actually.......I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)_2

    Lord Reine quickly regained his composure!


    He remembered the blacksmith shop located on the first floor of the castle.


    Back then, he was just a quiet, unknown servant boy.


    Continue reading at m|v-l''-NovelFire.net


    But now the situation was quite different.


    Yesterday, Knight Lloyd from the manor and Instructor Perez had a long conversation with him, and both had invited him to visit the Habsburg manor whenever he was free.


    It was a good opportunity to bring up the matter of the blood-patterned steel.


    As long as it was available, there should be no problem!


    Moreover, he had harvested more than two hundred Imperial gold coins from the spoils of the Black Flame Cultist, which along with his previous collection, should be enough to directly purchase the blood-patterned steel.


    Having realized all this, Lord Reine''s lips couldn''t help but curl up slightly, clearly in a great mood. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lagaray watched Lord Reine, puzzled.


    She was confused as to why Lord Reine, who clearly seemed a bit troubled for a moment, suddenly started smiling.


    At this moment, a man dressed as a servant walked into the training grounds, scanned the surroundings briefly, and quickly spotted Lord Reine in the center of the field talking to the barbarian girl, Lagaray.


    The man walked up and respectfully said, "Lord Reine, I am a servant from the Habsburg manor. Knight Lloyd would like to invite you to dinner, and I wonder if you are available this evening?"


    "Oh... of course, you may bring this beautiful young lady with you." The man, adept at reading the room, noticed Lagaray beside Lord Reine and immediately thought of something, quickly adding another sentence.


    This made Lagaray, who was usually cheerful, a bit shy. However, different from Anna, she still looked intensely at Lord Reine.


    She wanted to see how Lord Reine would respond.


    "Lagaray, if you are free tonight, why don''t you join me?" Lord Reine thought that having Lagaray with him when selecting ores would be more convenient.


    After all, the manor''s blacksmith shop might not necessarily have the blood-patterned steel required for forging a warhammer.


    But the manor''s blacksmith shop, more than likely, has other special ores similar to blood-patterned steel, which might also be suitable for making a warhammer.


    However, Lord Reine had very little knowledge about special ores. Bringing Lagaray, a senior blacksmith, would naturally save a lot of trouble.


    "Thank you, no need, I''ll stay with Anna," said Lagaray, visibly pleased that Lord Reine intended to bring her along, but she immediately declined.


    She had little interest in dealing with the Imperial nobility.


    In fact, she also found it odd why she had taken a liking to Lord Reine.


    Was it because he had saved her?


    No.


    Perhaps, in the blood of a barbarian, there was a gene to revere the strong.


    After all, in a place like Frostwind Prairie, only the strong could survive and thrive.


    "I''ll be leaving first!" Lagaray waved and walked straight out of the training grounds.


    Lord Reine watched Lagaray''s retreating figure, slightly puzzled as to why she refused, shook his head slightly, and then said to the servant, "Tell Knight Lloyd that it will just be me tonight."


    "Very well, Lord Reine. We look forward to your presence tonight," the servant bowed slightly and quickly left.


    Besides a warhammer, Lord Reine also needed a set of sturdy knight''s armor.


    Unfortunately, Lagaray did not make armor.


    Thinking it over, Lord Reine went to see the Night Watchman''s quartermaster.


    This was his first time visiting the quartermaster.


    Previously, his predecessor, Weilun, had arranged everything for him.


    Upon seeing Lord Reine enter, the rotund quartermaster immediately stood up from his chair and greeted him respectfully, "Vice officer sir!"


    "Eh! You recognize me?" Lord Reine curiously asked.


    "Of course, Lord Reine. Your performance when you killed the Cultist yesterday, I believe, will be remembered forever by everyone present," Thompson complimented while reminiscing about the scene.


    Yesterday, he too was trembling among the crowd praying in the church.


    He thought it was definitely the end for him.


    But he hadn''t expected the sudden appearance of Lord Reine, who seemed like a god descending, who eliminated three Transcendent Cultists consecutively and saved almost half the people inside the church.


    Having experienced this event, it would be impossible for Thompson to forget Lord Reine!


    "By the way, Vice Officer sir, what brings you here this time?"


    "Do you have ready-made knight''s armor here?"


    "Yes, right this way." Thompson immediately nodded, his plump body nimbly turned and led Lord Reine to a storage room, pulling out two sets of heavy knight armor suits.


    Lord Reine was initially pleased but upon closer inspection, he couldn''t help feeling a bit disappointed.


    The armory stored two sets of knight''s armor, but their quality was quite average, even inferior to the set Hamilton had given him last time.


    This was probably intended for knight-errants.


    Such knight''s armor, beyond adding over a hundred pounds of weight, would hardly offer much defensive power.


    "Do you have a warhammer?" Lord Reine asked again.


    "Yes, Vice Officer sir, did you want a two-handed warhammer or a one-handed warhammer?"


    "Two-handed warhammer."


    Thompson quickly brought over a large two-handed warhammer and handed it to Lord Reine.


    Lord Reine, upon inspecting it, was quite surprised; except for the iron hammerhead, the rest was made of wood.


    This led Lord Reine to internally complain that this wasn''t much different from the ironwood warhammers used in training gyms.

 Chapter 167: Chapter 136 Actually.......I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)_3

    "The handle is made of wood?"


    "Uh... yes, my lord, the handle is made of oak, which is very flexible and durable."


    Rein nodded.


    Clearly, there wouldn''t be any suitable high-quality weapons for him in the military storeroom.


    After all, the majority of the equipment there was intended for ordinary members of the Night Watchman and the peacekeeping officers.


    Noticing the look of disappointment on Rein''s face, Thompson carefully asked, "Deputy Officer, are you perhaps looking for a better quality weapon or armor?"


    "Don''t you know, at your level, the equipment that needs to be exchanged can only be viewed at the military supply office in the County Town."


    "Hm? Go to the County Town?"


    "Isn''t there a booklet?"


    Rein gestured the size of the booklet that Lord Hamilton had shown him before.


    He still remembered the large characters written on the cover of the booklet: ''Imperial Law Enforcement and Defense Forces Merit Points Exchange Booklet (Junior Officers)''.


    Thompson had a sudden realization!


    "That''s right, as a deputy law enforcement officer, even your Merit Points Exchange Booklet is different from the previous ones, it''s for the level of junior officers, considered confidential, and can only be viewed with the military supply officer in the County Town," he said.


    So that was it, Rein nodded his head.


    Indeed, the higher the rank, the more one could exchange, and many of the items might involve some secrets.


    When Rein returned home, he intended to study the Akkadian language, but just as he sat down, a Messenger arrived, stating that Lord Hamilton had requested to see him.


    Soon, Rein arrived at Hamilton''s office.


    The moment Rein entered, Hamilton said with a smile, "Rein, the merit assessment for your last killing of three Black Flame monks and one Black Flame Apostle has come out. With your previous Merit Points, the total is 1489 points."


    Hamilton himself was somewhat astonished when he first saw the number.


    He had expected Rein to definitely reach 1000 Merit Points this time, but he had not anticipated it to exceed the amount by so much.


    It seemed that the Black Flame Apostle alone contributed over 500 points.


    "That many?" Rein couldn''t help but exclaim.


    "Surprising, isn''t it? I was surprised too," Hamilton said.


    Seeing Rein''s wide-eyed and astonished expression balanced out Hamilton''s feelings quite a bit.


    Rein had given him quite a few shocks recently!


    Now, it was time for him to surprise Rein in turn.


    "Here, this is the relevant documentation for participating in the ennoblement assessment, you need to fill it out yourself," Hamilton handed him a thin document.


    "Okay." Rein took it and began to read carefully.


    The document consisted of two pages, with very brief content.


    Actually, it was a waiver indicating that there are risks associated with the assessment and that participation should be cautious.


    One could opt out anytime before the assessment task was given.


    However, if one chose to withdraw after the task was set, they would have to wait five years before they could apply again. Two consecutive withdrawals would result in a lifetime ban from applying.


    After quickly scanning the document, Rein immediately picked up a quill and briskly filled in his name.


    "By the way, Rein, I heard you were practicing with a heavy hammer at the training ground this morning?" Hamilton took the document Rein handed over and asked casually.


    "Yes, my lord."


    Rein was a bit surprised; news traveled that quickly?


    The morning''s events had reached Hamilton''s ears by the afternoon.


    Hamilton frowned slightly and said, "Although the damage from a heavy hammer is astonishing, I fear it will be difficult to make any substantial progress if you don''t practice for a long time."


    "My advice is to focus on the Giant Bear Sword Technique, and practice the hammer after the ennoblement assessment is over."


    Rein nodded, not disagreeing, knowing that Hamilton meant well.


    But he had a Modifier, it was different!


    "By the way, regarding the ennoblement assessment, there are two things I would remind you of," Hamilton thought for a moment before speaking again.


    "The first is, if you encounter a multi-person or team task, you must be wary of some of your teammates."


    "By team members, I don''t mean just the nobles'' children but also the commoners." S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps reminded of something, Hamilton''s expression turned solemn as he mentioned the last sentence.


    "Of course, it would be better if you could draw a solo mission. Although it may be more difficult, the situation is relatively easier to control."


    "Moreover, according to your current strength and age, as long as you can complete the task normally, the score should not be low. Securing a knighthood should be quite assured."


    "As for the baron title, I think it''s not necessary to force it. Everything should still put personal safety first."


    "Thank you for your concern, my lord, I will pay attention," Rein said seriously, nodding at Hamilton''s grave tone.


    Explore stories at m,v l''e-NovelFire.net


    "Then you should prepare well in the coming days. According to tradition, once you submit the application, someone will contact you within a month."


    "One month?" Rein pondered.


    A month''s time was enough for him to take his power to the next level!


    Evening.


    Walking in the twilight, Rein, clad in plate armor and carrying the sheepskin-wrapped Glimmering Greatsword, arrived at Habsburg Manor, a place he hadn''t visited in nearly a month.


    In the glow of the sunset, Habsburg Manor was like a golden building draped in a thin layer of gold, mesmerizingly beautiful.


    For the first time, Rein discovered that the scenery of the manor was truly beautiful.


    Possibly due to his previous state of mind, he had not appreciated it properly before.


    It was like a five or six-year-old boy, held in the arms of a stunningly curvaceous woman, completely oblivious, while actually being entranced by a stick of candy, unable to look away.

 Chapter 168: Chapter 136 Actually.......I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)_4

    Lord Rein, familiar with the path, arrived at the entrance of the manor. Enjoy new adventures from m-v l''e|-NovelFire.net


    At that moment, a maid was already waiting at the door. Seeing Rein, she approached respectfully and asked, "Excuse me, are you Lord Rein?"


    Rein nodded and said, "Yes, I am."


    "Please follow me."


    "Alright," Rein followed the maid into the castle.


    After the maid led Rein to a lavishly decorated reception room, she said, "Lord Rein, please have a seat in the parlor. I will immediately go to report to the master."


    As Rein leisurely admired the exquisite decorations of the parlor, a familiar figure appeared at the door.


    "Eh? You... You''re Rein?" The Chief Maid Shadia, holding a silver teapot, stared at Rein with a face full of surprise, as if she was somewhat uncertain.


    After all, Rein''s physique had changed quite a bit over the past month.


    However, when Rein looked up, Shadia confirmed that the young man sitting in the castle''s parlor was indeed Rein.


    "How come you are here?" Shadia was still dressed in the black maid''s attire that represented high-ranking servants.


    Rein stood up and smiled at Chief Maid Shadia, just about to say something, when footsteps were heard coming from the doorway.


    This made Shadia slightly nervous.


    She knew that Knight Lloyd was to entertain an important guest that evening.


    Thus, she had specifically brought tea, preparing to receive the guest personally.


    But now Rein was here, for reasons unknown.


    "Right, Rein, you came for the black tung oil, didn''t you?"


    "But I remember I showed you the way last time, didn''t I?"


    "Rein, quickly follow me, this is the reception room, and an important guest is about to arrive..."


    At that moment, Knight Lloyd walked in, accompanied by Perez, the swordsmanship instructor.


    The arrival of both Transcendents caused Chief Maid Shadia''s complexion to change!


    Lloyd and Perez glanced past Shadia, fixing their gaze on Rein.


    This caused Shadia to silently curse ''oh no'' in her heart!


    Though Knight Lloyd was a kind person, as the man in charge of the manor, he was quite old-fashioned and strict with rules.


    As for Lord Perez, she could sense the pride hidden deep in his bones.


    This pride was not pejorative but more the pride of a knight, proud of one''s own skills!


    As Shadia''s brain raced to find a suitable reason for Rein, she heard Lloyd''s hearty laughter, "Rein! You finally arrived!"


    The normally proud swordsmanship instructor Perez also smiled at Rein.


    For in his heart, Rein''s outstanding Giant Bear Sword Technique had already earned Perez''s recognition.


    Ah?


    Shadia couldn''t help but widen her eyes suddenly, her lips parting slightly in shock as she watched this unfold.


    This... this...


    What is going on here!


    Could it be that the important guest tonight is Rein? sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Knight Lloyd, Lord Perez, you..." Shadia looked between Rein and the two noble knights.


    "Eh, Shadia, you know Rein?" Knight Lloyd, noticing Shadia''s shocked expression, initiated the conversation.


    Before Shadia could respond, Rein laughed and said, "Ha-ha, Knight Lloyd, you might not know, but I once participated in the page training at the manor. During that time, Chief Maid Shadia took good care of me."


    "Oh?" Knight Lloyd looked at Shadia with a smile on his face.


    "That''s... that''s how it is," Shadia was still a bit slow to react.


    "Rein, would you like me to give you a tour of the castle first?" Knight Lloyd was very thoughtful and did not inquire too much or mention Rein''s page training at the manor.


    After all, many people do not like their past, especially the less glorious times, to be mentioned.


    "Of course, it would be an honor," Rein said with a smile.


    ...


    "This is the back garden, but unfortunately, it is now the Frost Month, and many flowers have already finished blooming," Knight Lloyd explained.


    Rein nodded.


    Returning to the castle''s back garden now, he couldn''t help but recall the scenes where he and Cleya had sparred here.


    ...


    "This way is the blacksmith shop," Knight Lloyd pointed to the end of the castle''s first-floor corridor and said.


    "Oh? The blacksmith shop?" Rein asked knowingly.


    "May I take a look inside? Actually, you two may not know... I have a great interest in blacksmithing!"

 Chapter 169: Chapter 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two in One Big Chapter)

    Knight Lloyd, who had originally planned to casually mention the blacksmith shop, couldn''t help but understand what Rein was implying once he said so. He immediately smiled and said, "Perfect, then let''s go take a look together."


    "Rein, Perez and I are very fond of exquisite weapons and armor, yet we are not very familiar with the process of their making."


    As befitting a Knight who also managed the manor, Lloyd had a way with words that felt refreshingly pleasant.


    Following behind the trio was Chief Maid Shadia, who had trailed them all the way. At this moment, she finally managed to pull herself back to reality.


    Looking at Rein, who was chatting and laughing with the two formal knights, Shadia couldn''t shake off a surreal feeling!


    How much time had passed?


    Had Rein already stepped into transcendence and become a formal knight?


    This pace was on par with Lady Cleya''s!


    No, it was even faster than the young lady''s!


    Shadia''s gaze once again settled on Rein, as she compared him to the Rein she remembered from before.


    He had noticeably grown taller and had become stronger.


    Unintentionally, standing beside the towering Knight Lloyd, who was nearly one hundred ninety centimeters tall, Rein didn''t seem much shorter; it seemed his height had already surpassed one hundred eighty centimeters.


    Moreover, the glimpses of muscular arms, broad shoulders, and a solid chest that Rein occasionally revealed made him indistinguishable from a grown adult!


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    The more she observed, the greater Shadia''s astonishment grew!


    Of course, Rein noticed the frequent glances from the Chief Maid behind him.


    He knew she must have many questions at the moment, but now was clearly not a good time for a conversation with Shadia.


    Rein hadn''t even anticipated that he would bump into Shadia just as he entered the castle.


    He had actually been planning to use up the rest of his black kiri oil and then chat with her about his transcendence.


    At that moment, under Knight Lloyd''s lead, Rein entered the castle''s blacksmith shop.


    Upon entering the blacksmith shop, a wave of heat hit them, and the relentless sound of hammering filled their ears.


    Rein quickly glanced around and noticed that there were three blacksmiths crafting weapons, armor, and daily necessities, along with about fifteen or sixteen apprentices and helpers."


    In terms of size, it was three to five times larger than Boris''s shop in Flashgold Town.


    In addition, the blacksmith shop had a high ceiling of about six meters, appearing spacious and open, with the most eye-catching feature being a cylindrical structure more than four meters high, similar to a blast furnace.


    This caused Rein''s heart to leap with slight joy.


    The larger the scale, the more likely it was that he could find the special ores he needed in large quantities.


    Rein also spotted an old acquaintance��Blacksmith Baal, who was forging horseshoes.


    Seeing Knight Lloyd and Instructor Perez enter,


    everyone couldn''t help but look up. Those whose work could be temporarily set aside stopped their tasks, while those who couldn''t slow down, also slowed their hammering pace.


    Clearly, as the person in charge of the manor, Knight Lloyd''s authority was held in high regard. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, a burly man with a full beard put down his work and handed it to a blacksmith apprentice. Rein noticed that he seemed to have been forging a plate armor gauntlet.


    "Knight Lloyd, Instructor Perez, what brings you two here?" said the bearded, burly man.


    "Snell, the main guest tonight isn''t me, but rather this gentleman, Knight Rein, the deputy of the Flashgold Town guard," Knight Lloyd said with a smile as he introduced him.


    The man named Snell was clearly taken aback, his expression one of surprise.


    Clearly, he had not expected the young-faced lad before him to be the guest of honor tonight, and that he had already reached the transcendent level of a knight.


    "Rein, this is Snell, who just passed the Imperial Blacksmith Association''s armor-smithing assessment," Lloyd Knight introduced.


    "Lord Rein, greetings! I am Snell," Snell said with a slight bow.


    Armor-smith?


    Rein''s eyes lit up upon hearing this.


    "Greetings, Lord Snell!"


    Daily blacksmiths already held a high status among commoners, but an armor-smith was a step-up profession for blacksmiths.


    Generally speaking, after being recognized as a master blacksmith, one''s skills would already be exceptional, but to further advance, one would need to choose a specialized field and delve deep into it, such as armor-smiths, swordsmiths, and so forth.


    As an armor-smith, Snell naturally deserved the honorific ''Lord'' from Rein.


    "Snell, then please show us around," Lloyd said cheerfully.


    "As you command, my lord!"


    In the meantime, Blacksmith Baal, who had been forging horseshoes, was looking at Rein with a puzzled expression.


    The young man''s face reminded him of a boy who had once participated in page training, even sharing the same name!


    The only difference was in stature, which was now quite large.


    The status was worlds apart as well, one being the son of a farmer and the other, the officer of the Flashgold Town guard.


    Looking back, that boy, Rein, had shown quite a talent for trimming hooves and nailing horseshoes.


    But recently, he had heard that the boy had ceased to participate in the page training.


    Such a shame!


    If he had continued, there was a good chance he could have passed the page examination and become an apprentice at the manor''s blacksmith shop.


    With this thought, Baal shook his head slightly and focused back on forging the horseshoes.


    Soon, Snell led everyone to the area of greatest interest to Rein��the blacksmith shop''s storage room.


    "Lord Rein, this here is the storage room. We keep some of the commonly used materials like iron ingots, flux, and special ores," Snell explained.


    The storage room was roughly seventy to eighty square meters large. Upon entering, Rein saw rows of wooden shelves bearing at least a dozen varieties of special ores, the names of which he couldn''t even recall.

 Chapter 170: Chapter 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Additionally, various high-quality, smelted metal ingots were stacked on the ground.


    Seeing Lord Reine walk over to the shelf where special ores were displayed, seemingly attracted by the ores in front of him, filled Snell with pride and joy.


    These special ores had been slowly collected through industry connections he had commissioned.


    Some were even rarely seen in auction houses.


    Seeing Lord Reine pick up an ore and examine it intently, Snell felt a sense of validation!


    That what he valued was also valued by others.


    If his initial introductions were more out of courtesy to a guest, his introductions at this moment were heartfelt:


    "Lord Reine, this is Star Iron. It possesses excellent hardness and toughness and is an excellent material for sharp weapons, suitable for crafting various daggers, longswords, or dual-handed greatswords."


    "This is Fire Rock ore, found around the fiery rims of volcanoes, extremely rare ..."


    "This is Bloodstone ore..."


    Snell, who held the title of Armorsmith from the Blacksmiths Association and whose knowledge in forging far exceeded that of the town blacksmith Boris, continued his introduction. System prompts appeared in quick succession, flooding the screen:


    [Your Ore Identification skill has improved, Experience +19]


    [You have learned to identify the special ore Fire Rock, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +6]


    [Your Ore Identification skill has improved, Experience +21]


    [You have learned to identify the special ore Bloodstone, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +7]


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    [Congratulations, your Ore Identification skill has advanced to lv2]


    ...


    Here it comes! It''s here!


    Instantly, Lord Reine''s smile grew even brighter!


    His purpose for attending the dinner at Habsburg Manor had been partially fulfilled.


    Suddenly, fragmented memories about these special ores filled Lord Reine''s mind, as if he had been studying these ores for months, making him quite familiar with their properties.


    Not long after Lord Reine had fully assimilated these fragmented memories, system prompts came through again:


    ...


    [Congratulations, your Ore Identification skill has advanced to lv3]


    This ...


    Just after absorbing and assimilating the fragmented memories in his mind, more fragmented memories about ore identification followed.


    This truly made Lord Reine experience what it''s like to ''gain more by listening to a wise man''s word than reading books for ten years!''


    Looking at these dazzling special ores, Lord Reine felt as if he had discovered a gold mine.


    Lord Reine thought of the Church of Black Flame''s strange black flames and the immensely high temperature damage.


    He also noticed that several of the special ores were materials resistant to high temperatures.


    After a moment''s thought, Lord Reine felt that if he could prepare a set of heat-resistant knight''s plate armor for the eventual battle, he would probably have an advantage against the sorcery attacks of the Church of the Black Flame!


    Unfortunately, the prices of these ores were indeed too expensive. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed he would need to hurry to make money!


    Moreover, given Lord Reine''s superficial knowledge of metals from his previous life, he realized that this world''s research into alloys was still at a very primitive level.


    He had initially thought it was because the blacksmiths he met were not skilled enough, but even Snell, a master armorer, had only a superficial experience with alloys and no systematic research.


    An alloy is a substance with metallic properties, synthesized by certain methods from two or more metals or metals and nonmetals.


    For example, bronze, a typical metal-metal alloy, consists of copper and tin in certain proportions, with variations in ratio greatly affecting the alloy''s properties.


    Lord Reine felt he had grasped the thread of a complex mystery, facing these extraordinary special ores which were truly a gold mine, but it was a massive undertaking, not the right time to embark on this work.


    After Snell had finished introducing all the special ores, Lord Reine checked his Blacksmith profession panel and saw that his Blacksmith had advanced to lv3 (112/500) and Ore Identification to lv3 (27/500).


    That accelerated like a rocket!


    For Snell, seeing Lord Reine''s expressions alternating between eager curiosity and deep contemplative stupor was very enjoyable.


    Although he still did not know to what extent this stranger and young Lord Reine was fond of forging, based on his attitude, Snell was very approving.


    Therefore, Snell started his introductions with even more zeal.


    If Lord Reine knew Snell''s thoughts, he would surely grasp Snell''s hands, shake them vigorously, and exclaim, "Comrade! Let''s strive for the craft of forging for life!"


    After finishing the introductions of the ores on the shelves, Snell started introducing the neatly stacked metal ingots nearby.


    "..."


    "This is Blood Pattern Steel ingot, forged by mixing a certain proportion of Bloodstone ore with iron. It has high strength and toughness, suitable for forging blunt weapons."


    Hey! Isn''t this the Blood Pattern Steel that Lagaray talked about?


    Lord Reine picked up one, which was quite heavy, seemingly only slightly less dense than the Star Iron.


    Lord Reine carefully estimated the number of Blood Pattern Steel ingots stacked together; there were more than twenty. Roughly calculating, if he could purchase half, that should be sufficient for forging his warhammer.


    "Master Snell, could you sell me some of these Blood Pattern Steel ingots?" Lord Reine interjected during Snell''s introduction.

 Chapter 171: Chapter 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    "This...." Snell couldn''t hide his troubled expression.


    Although he wanted to do Lord Reine a favor, the blood-patterned steel ingots had already been allocated.


    Reine keenly noticed that the other had discreetly glanced at Knight Lloyd standing nearby.


    Clearly, the blood-patterned steel ingots were meant for Knight Lloyd''s plan, but before Reine could say anything further,


    Knight Lloyd laughingly said, "Since Reine has a need, let him have them first. Snell, a few days delay on my shield and armor won''t make a difference."


    Reine suddenly realized!


    So, these blood-patterned steel ingots were intended for forging Knight Lloyd''s gear, no wonder!


    Reine remembered that Knight Lloyd excelled in sword-and-shield combat, having always seen him equipped thus, apparently a Knight focused on defense.


    "Thank you, Knight Lloyd. I''m currently practicing Hammer Skill and plan to forge a Warhammer, thus I needed some blood-patterned steel."


    With the blood-patterned steel now secured, Reine also openly shared his purpose with Lloyd.


    "Hmm? Reine, have you been practicing Hammer Skill recently?" Perez seemed quite surprised upon hearing this. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had planned to discuss the Giant Bear Sword Technique with Reine after the banquet, hearing him abandon his exceptional talent in Swordsmanship to instead practice Hammer Skill naturally puzzled him.


    "Yes, Master Perez, mastering an additional skill is beneficial, but I still primarily use the greatsword in real combat." Reine replied with a smile, naturally not divulging his true reasons.


    At this moment, the Hammer Smith Snell suggested, "Lord Reine, do you need me to contact the Hammer Smith in County Town to help forge your Warhammer?"


    "Ah... Thank you, Lord Snell, but I have already contacted a friend." Reine politely declined Snell''s offer.


    He was still hoping to learn Hammer Skill from Lagaray to advance his Blacksmith Profession Level, so naturally he wouldn''t choose to have the Warhammer crafted in County Town.


    Before arriving, Reine had prepared three hundred Imperial Gold Coins, nearly his entire fortune, and had spent two hundred eighty coins on purchasing the blood-patterned steel ingots, almost depleting his funds instantly.


    "This here is the forging area, where Master Blacksmith Bazil is currently making a bronze Warhammer..." Snell continued to explain.


    Huh!


    Bronze?


    Wouldn''t that have a much lower melting point than iron?


    Reine recalled his chemistry knowledge from a past life, although he didn''t know the exact melting points, he remembered that bronze was definitely below one thousand degrees, while iron was around fifteen hundred degrees.


    The difference was extremely significant.


    Reine glanced at his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel which listed ''Scorching Touch'' and began to formulate a preliminary plan!


    Due to his fondness for the blacksmith shop, Reine stayed there a bit longer, so after concluding the visit, Knight Lloyd suggested heading straight for the banquet hall, and Reine naturally agreed.


    This visit had already proven to be a great success!


    Habsburg Manor.


    The ground floor dining hall was bright with lights.


    At least a ten-meter-long rectangular dining table, covered with elegant tablecloths, was where Knight Lloyd took his place at the head of the table.


    Reine and Perez each sat on the right and left hand sides of Lloyd respectively.


    Besides the three of them, there were no other diners.


    Only chambermaids moved back and forth like scene changes in a play.


    Although it was just the three of them dining, given that all three were transcendent human knights with huge appetites,


    soon, half of the table full of delicacies had been devoured.


    At that moment, Knight Lloyd used a white napkin to dab at the corners of his mouth and said, "Reine, the last time we were at the church in Flashgold Town, what you demonstrated must have been the Giant Bear Sword Technique, right?"


    Upon hearing this, Reine''s eyes flickered slightly; he knew the main event was coming.


    Knight Lloyd inviting him wasn''t merely for a banquet.


    Before coming, Reine had pondered this issue.


    In general, he guessed that Lloyd would inquire about the origins of his breathing technique or sword skills, and how long he had been studying them.


    Naturally, there might be some overtures or alliances to follow, or something else entirely.


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    Putting himself in Lloyd''s shoes, if he discovered that a servant who had been training in the manor a few months ago had suddenly become transcendent, he would definitely want to understand the situation clearly.


    Concerning Lloyd''s question, Reine didn''t plan to deliberately hide anything, considering he had already told Hamilton.


    As the saying goes, ''When you tell a secret to one person, it''s as if you''ve told it to everyone.''


    "Actually, my Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique, I learned them here in the castle." Reine also wiped his mouth with a white napkin and said with a smile.


    Lloyd and Perez looked at each other with puzzled faces, as if saying, how could this be possible!


    Immediately after, both turned their eager eyes on Reine, waiting for an answer.


    Reine didn''t plan to keep them in suspense and directly said, "It was Lady Creya who taught me the breathing technique and the sword technique."


    "Hahaha!"


    "So that''s it!" Upon hearing this answer, both Lloyd and Perez burst out laughing.


    "Perez and I had thought of many possibilities, considering the Giant Bear Sword Technique is widely known throughout the empire, but we never imagined you had grown up right under our noses." Lloyd said with a somewhat resigned laugh, shaking his head.


    "Count Habbs also heard about your situation and specifically asked me to talk to you, to inquire if you are willing to become a follower of the Earl."

 Chapter 172: Chapter 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "But it seems now it''s too late for you, my lord. You already belong to Miss Cleya,"


    Rein smiled without saying a word.


    As of this moment, only Rein himself was aware that there was no follower''s contract of any kind signed between him and Cleya.


    After Rein revealed the origins of his breathing technique and swordsmanship, he distinctly felt Knight Lloyd become more amiable.


    All he heard the other say was, "Rein, you mentioned you''ve been learning Hammer Skill recently. How about we exchange some pointers after the banquet?"


    Hmm?


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    Is this my lucky break? Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An ''NPC'' coming to me to level up?


    Rein couldn''t help but beam with joy and hastily agreed, "Of course, it would be my honor!"


    From their conversation, Rein learned that Knight Lloyd, besides being skilled with a one-handed sword, was also highly proficient with a one-handed hammer.


    After all, in a knight''s battle, whoever first breaches the opponent''s ''iron shell'' can claim to have won half the battle.


    "Wait a moment, Lloyd, we agreed that I would first exchange Giant Bear Sword Technique with Rein,"


    "As for the Hammer Skill, let''s talk about that later," said the typically reticent instructor Perez, suddenly interjecting.


    Eh!


    Is this double happiness knocking at my door?


    Rein''s eyes lit up when he heard this!


    He truly hadn''t expected that Lagaray, who was reluctant to be his ''NPC'' for experience during the day, would now be replaced by two Transcendent-level ''NPCs'' in the evening.


    Tsk tsk, the Habsburg estate seems to be quite the lucky place for me!


    All Rein could say was quickly, "Knight Lloyd, Instructor Perez, please no more quarreling, we will have plenty of time for exchanges tonight."


    In his heart, Rein silently added, ''I hope tonight, neither of you will mind getting tired...''


    After the banquet.


    In the castle''s indoor training field.


    At the center of the area, Rein and Perez stood facing each other, both grasping fine steel greatswords.


    The next second, Rein swiftly took a step forward, his greatsword tracing a semi-circular arc like lightning, slashing down at a 45-degree angle towards Perez with a heavy chop!


    The man opposite, Perez, performed almost the same action, also striking down at the same time.


    "Clang!!"


    The grating sound of metal on metal rang out.


    They quickly separated after the clash.


    Just from one strike, Rein could feel that Perez was almost at the same level of strength as him, making him an opponent of equal match.


    Of course, this was without activating any skills.


    Immediately after, they crossed swords again.


    "Ting ting clang clang!"


    Their fight grew faster and faster, soon leaving only two blurred shadows in fast combat in the area.


    "Clang!!"


    After a heavy exchange, both were sent flying back by the impact.


    Rein and Perez neither activated ''Limit Break'' nor used secret techniques; it was simply casual sparring.


    After all, going all out at the first exchange wouldn''t be a friendly contest.


    Rein glanced at the system prompt:


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +56]


    [You have participated in a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +17]


    Not bad!


    Steadily improving.


    Worried the experience is too low?


    But it''s safe, and I can do it again and again!


    A constitution of eighteen points allowed Rein and Perez to feel almost no fatigue after their brief sparring.


    That is to say, Rein could fight them in rotation.


    He against the two of them��one after the other!


    After watching Rein and Perez spar, Knight Lloyd also seemed a bit impatient to join in.


    "Rein, how about you? Need a rest?"


    "Not at all, Knight Lloyd. Then I''ll switch to the Warhammer!" Rein walked to the side and picked up an ironwood warhammer.


    "Of course."


    When Rein really switched to a warhammer, both Lloyd and Perez were quite curious.


    One of the key reasons Lloyd wanted to spar with Rein was to understand and assess Rein''s strength in detail.


    Since Rein was willing to demonstrate hammer skills he had never shown before, it couldn''t be better.


    -----------------


    Meanwhile.


    In a luxurious manor in Meist County City.


    Within the dim underground hall.


    The slender knight carrying a ''scythe''-like weapon was reporting respectfully, "High Priest, in these past two days, many nobles have passed on messages, asking us to be mindful of the impact and act discreetly; the affair in Flashgold Town has put them at a disadvantage."


    "Additionally, the cause of Flashgold Town''s disastrous defeat has been investigated. According to reliable information... it is still that same up-and-coming knight Rein! It''s said that his outstanding swordsmanship talent was the reason why Ashim, Andrews, and the others were killed one by one. This has also been confirmed by Baron Alonso."


    "Hmm? It''s Rein again? Reliant on swordsmanship?"


    "Then let''s find a suitable moment to send over an Iron Maiden automaton, and see if he can cut through it! Hehe..." A deep laugh emanated from the shadows.


    "As you command, High Priest!" Upon hearing the High Priest''s words, a smile appeared on the face behind the knight''s helmet.

 Chapter 173: Chapter 138: The True Value of Hammer Specialization!

    After both men had taken their positions, they quickly began to exchange blows, but soon, Rein was caught by Knight Lloyd during a pause in his moves, and a Shield Strike pushed him back several steps.


    Compared to the previous battle between Rein and Perez, it seemed as though they were entirely different people.


    However, the system notification was a pleasant surprise for Rein:


    [Your skill ''Tokkal Hammer Technique'' has been improved, experience +27]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) professional experienced +9]


    If not for the quick defeat, at least forty to fifty points of Hammer Skill experience could have been gained from one match!


    Lloyd then looked at Rein with a puzzled expression and asked, "Rein, you must have just started learning the Hammer Skill not long ago, right?"


    This caused Rein''s face to turn slightly red.


    Obviously, bringing out a Hammer Skill that had been learned only a day ago in a match against a formal Knight carried somewhat disrespectful connotations.


    Especially since in the previous match, Rein had fought Perez to a standstill using the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    However, what was barely acceptable was that, seemingly with the aid of ''Hammer Specialization lv1'', at least Rein''s Tokkal Hammer Technique looked decently executed, not like it was his first day learning it.


    Otherwise, even a magnanimous Knight like Lloyd might have just walked away.


    After a brief reflection, Rein decided to add a skill point to the core skill ''Hammer Specialization lv1''.


    After all, with excellent experience ''NPCs'' like Lloyd and Perez around, if he couldn''t pique their interest and ride the wave for a big boost in experience, it would be too disrespectful to such an opportunity!


    Moreover, ''Hammer Specialization'' is a core skill that can only be improved using skill points and can''t be enhanced through regular training.


    In this regard, Hammer Specialization seemed more like a talent.


    Thus, with the added point, the remaining skill points on the panel changed from 4��3, and Hammer Specialization was instantly upgraded from lv1 to lv2.


    Instantly, Rein felt different when he held the two-handed hammer.


    It was an indescribable feeling, as if Rein had a natural familiarity with the hammer, almost as though the hammer was an extension of his arm.


    Simultaneously, the panel''s description of Hammer Specialization also changed accordingly.


    [Core Skill: Hammer Specialization lv2 (Passive)]


    [Hammer Specialization lv2 (Passive): When the host uses any hammer-type weapon, damage is slightly increased.]


    From ''slight'' to ''minor'', this change was exactly the same as when the strength of Blacksmith had been upgraded.


    "Knight Lloyd, I have been studying the Hammer Skill for a while, it might be because I am not yet familiar with the ironwood hammer. Let''s have another go," said Rein, after adding the point and telling a white lie.


    Lloyd nodded, seeming to accept Rein''s explanation that unfamiliarity with the weapon could affect performance, a common occurrence.


    The two swiftly took positions and began the second match!


    Indeed, with the boost from Hammer Specialization at lv2, Rein performed much better this time around.


    Although he still did not defeat Knight Lloyd, who wielded both hammer and shield, he did manage to make it quite enjoyable for his opponent.


    At the end of the match, the system notification immediately appeared:


    [Your skill ''Tokkal Hammer Technique'' has been improved, experience +54]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) professional experienced +16]


    [Congratulations, your skill ''Tokkal Hammer Technique'' has been upgraded to lv2]


    Yay! Upgraded!


    Looking at ''Tokkal Hammer Technique lv2 (1/300)''.


    Suddenly, Rein''s mind was filled with fragmented memories of training in the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    These memories were scattered fragments of Hammer Skill training, passing through Rein''s mind like slides and quickly embedding themselves in his muscle memory.


    To Rein, it felt as though he had been practicing the Tokkal Hammer Technique daily for months.


    "Rein, shall we call it a night?" asked Knight Lloyd.


    To be honest, he was still somewhat disappointed with Rein''s Hammer Skill. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Knight Lloyd felt that Rein''s mastery of the hammer was not refined and significantly lagged behind his expertise in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, making their exchange more about instinct than skill.


    Huh?


    I just leveled up and the experience ''NPC'' wants to leave?


    "Knight Lloyd, during our match just now, I seemed to have gained some insights into the Hammer Skill. How about another round?" Rein said with a smile.


    The moment Rein finished speaking, Lloyd and Perez exchanged smiles.


    They privately thought that Rein still had the heart of a youth, somewhat lacking in skill but enthusiastic about playing.


    After the two matches, they both had a clear understanding of Rein''s level of Hammer Skill.


    But...


    After a brief thought, Lloyd nodded his head, agreeing to Rein''s suggestion. "Alright."


    Young people, after all, deserved some face.


    I''ll just go easy on him! thought Lloyd.


    The two swiftly took positions and began the third match.


    However, this match truly shocked both Lloyd and Perez!


    Boosted by the now lv2 ''Hammer Specialization'' and Tokkal Hammer Technique, Rein''s capability saw another minor leap.


    If in the previous match Knight Lloyd could easily win against Rein,


    this match was genuinely hard to conclude.


    Initially planning to go easy, Knight Lloyd found himself increasingly astounded as they fought!


    "Boom!!"


    After several minutes of intense fighting and dripping with sweat, Knight Lloyd narrowly claimed victory.


    Lloyd first looked dubiously at Rein, then with a sudden flash of realization, burst out laughing:


    "I understand now, Rein!"


    "Were you worried, at first, that defeating me would be embarrassing for me? So, you gradually revealed your true strength?"


    Rein looked at Lloyd, stunned.


    Is that really how your mind works?


    Well... as long as you''re happy!


    What can you do if you are an ''NPC'' filled with experience?


    So, Rein merely smiled faintly and said nothing.


    Rein''s smile convinced the two bystanders of their earlier judgment even more.


    "Rein, don''t hold back, please give it your all!"


    Knight Lloyd''s expression became serious, and he assumed a ready-for-another-round stance, without mentioning his previous statement, "Let''s call it a night then."


    Sure enough, there''s nothing cuter than a competitive experience ''NPC''!


    Rein put on a distressed expression, and reluctantly nodded, saying, "This... all right then!"


    Actually, he was overjoyed inside.


    However... since Knight Lloyd asked him to give it his all, he really could only...


    System! Add points!


    Thus, as Rein allocated his points, his remaining Skill Points decreased from 3 to 2, and the core skill ''Hammer Skill Specialization'' immediately upgraded from lv2 to lv3.


    In an instant, Rein felt a different sensation while holding his ironwood hammer.


    If lv2 had increased Rein''s innate familiarity with the hammer, this time, Rein felt as if the hammer was connected to his bloodline! Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelFire.net


    Simultaneously, the description of ''Hammer Skill Specialization'' on his panel also changed.


    [Core Skill: Hammer Skill Specialization lv3 (Passive)]


    [Hammer Skill Specialization lv3 (Passive): When the host uses any hammer-type weapon, damage significantly increases.]


    From ''slightly'' to ''significantly'' shows what that implies without further explanation.


    Thus, under the enhancement of lv3 ''Hammer Skill Specialization'' and lv2 Tokkal Hammer Technique, Rein finally overpowered Knight Lloyd, who wielded a hammer and shield.


    With a loud ''Bang!'' Rein forcefully struck and sent Knight Lloyd flying with the ironwood hammer.


    But Lloyd''s expression showed no displeasure at all, as if he was saying, ''I knew it, you were holding back, and I''ve exposed you!''


    Meanwhile, Perez, who was watching eagerly, said, "Lloyd, you''ve had three matches with Rein already, it''s my turn now, isn''t it?"


    "Perez, don''t rush, let me have two more rounds!" Knight Lloyd was in high spirits and naturally did not want to stop now.


    Watching this scene, a smile appeared on the corner of Rein''s mouth.


    He thought, don''t rush, you two!


    Don''t worry, I understand the principle of ''sharing the love''!


    ....


    After the fifth round.


    "Rein, take on Perez... your stamina... alas! Youth is wonderful!" the forty-something Lloyd said breathlessly.


    After the eighth round....


    "Rein, take on Lloyd for now, I need a break too!" the thirty-something Perez also declared he was beat, while also marveling greatly at Rein''s abnormal stamina.


    Rein looked at the two experience ''NPCs'' who were utterly exhausted, his face showing helplessness.


    He thought, where has your previous enthusiasm gone?


    Suddenly, the system notification brought more good news:


    [Your Skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has been upgraded, Experience +59]


    [You have fought a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points +18]


    [Congratulations, your Skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has upgraded to lv3]


    ...


    Instantly, Rein''s mind was filled with fragmented training memories about the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    After absorbing and digesting it, Rein felt as if he had practiced the Tokkal Hammer Technique for six months!


    But Rein just came back to his senses, realizing that the system notification had not ended.


    There was another system message quietly arriving:


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique of the Tokkal Hammer Technique: Rising Dragon Hammer!]


    A Hammer Skill secret technique?


    Wait? How come so soon!


    He clearly remembered that the requirements for mastering the Rising Dragon Hammer in the Tokkal Hammer Technique were very high.


    Immediately, thrilled and surprised, Rein saw a brand-new icon above the ''Tokkal Hammer Technique'' on the Transcendent Knight panel.


    The icon featured an image of a brawny man twisting his body, swinging a two-handed hammer upward, looking lifelike and fiercely powerful.


    In the bottom right of the icon, there was a line of small text:


    Rising Dragon Hammer lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Using a unique method of energy release, swing the hammer from below upward, delivering a spinning force hit.


    (Note: Rising Dragon Hammer is a secret technique and cannot be directly improved through Skill Points.)


    (Rising Dragon Hammer lv2 requirements: 1. Tokkal Hammer Technique lv6 or above (Hammer Skill Specialization can offset some of the level requirements); two. Strength 18 points or above, Constitution 16 points or above, Agility 16 points or above.)


    Seeing the ''Hammer Skill Specialization can offset some Hammer Technique level requirements,'' Rein had an epiphany.


    So that''s how it is!


    No wonder he could master the secret technique so early when his Tokkal Hammer Technique was only at lv3��here lay the key.


    This was the real value of Hammer Skill Specialization!


    Then, Rein thought of something else.

 Chapter 174: Chapter 139 The Right Way to Use Witchcraft

    So, if my Tokkal Hammer Technique reached lv4, then there''s a good chance I could learn the secret skill ''Rising Dragon Hammer lv2''!


    However...


    The secret skill ''Rising Dragon Hammer lv2'' has high requirements for both Strength and agility.


    It''s understandable that it requires a high Strength, needing to reach 18 points,


    but the requirement for 16 points in agility left me a bit puzzled.


    After some thought, I figured that it''s probably because to achieve the best effect of the ''Rising Dragon Hammer'', you need to hit the enemy''s chin!


    To do this in the rapidly changing conditions of battle, obviously, without sharp observational skills and swift speed, it''s not possible.


    Additionally, I thought of something else!


    The secret skills of the Tokkal Hammer Technique are not limited to just the ''Rising Dragon Hammer''. The outline also records another skill named ''Earth-splitting Hammer'', which has even higher requirements than the ''Rising Dragon Hammer''!


    I recalled the Tokkal Hammer Technique outline regarding the secret skill ''Earth-splitting Hammer'' and guessed that the key might also likely be in the Strength attribute.


    After all, according to the description in the outline, ''Earth-splitting Hammer'' is a more formidable secret skill than ''Rising Dragon Hammer'', and it most likely requires even greater Strength.


    "It makes sense. As the name implies, ''splitting the earth''��you try splitting it without immense Strength!" I thought to myself.


    Late at night.


    After bidding farewell to the weary knights Lloyd and Perez, I was escorted back to my home in Flashgold Town by the carriage at the Habsburg Manor.


    On the carriage, along with the ten blood-patterned steel ingots I had purchased, there were several ingots of bronze, copper, and tin.


    Additionally, I was holding a bronze warhammer.


    It was the same kind of bronze warhammer crafted by the senior blacksmith Bazil that I saw during my visit to the blacksmith shop on the first floor of the castle. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    During the banquet, I had expressed a desire to purchase one, and I didn''t expect Knight Lloyd to arrange this so quickly.


    Of course, this was also because the bronze warhammer wasn''t very expensive.


    I wanted the bronze warhammer mainly as a transitional weapon. Normally, if I didn''t fully release the ''Triple State'', it wouldn''t easily damage the warhammer.


    The second reason is more important. I plan to use this bronze warhammer as a template to try making one myself.


    As for how to attempt this, I already had a preliminary plan in mind.


    After hauling various metal ingots to my room, I diligently completed my daily practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and basic meditation.


    Soon after, I fell into a deep sleep.


    The next morning, early.


    At the break of dawn.


    I had woken up early. At this time, I took two iron basins from downstairs back to my room.


    Based on my previous plan and my superficial knowledge of high school chemistry, I placed a silver-white rectangular tin ingot in one of the iron basins. Then, my right hand raised about twenty centimeters above the ingot, hovering in mid-air.


    Suddenly, I began to softly chant a spell.


    Yes, I was casting the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch''!


    Just three seconds later, as the chanting ended, a faint red glow emerged from my palm.


    The surrounding air began to emit waves of heat under the influence of the light, and the bright silver tin ingot, twenty centimeters in front of my right palm, was rapidly changing.


    The bright silver tin ingot quickly transformed from a solid to a pool of silver liquid.


    Success!


    The temperature of ''Scorching Touch'', even through twenty centimeters of air, was still able to melt the tin ingot!


    This couldn''t help but bring a smile to my face.


    From what I could see, the first step of my plan had been achieved!


    Overjoyed, I followed the same procedure for the copper ingot, casting the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'' once again.


    As I continued casting, the copper ingot began to glow red hot, but it just wouldn''t melt.


    After several seconds, suddenly, I felt a wave of dizziness. I knew it was due to excessive consumption of spiritual power.


    This made me frown and I immediately stopped casting ''Scorching Touch''.


    The first step had been successful, but this second step was now stuck!


    Of course, I knew the reason.


    Based on my high school chemistry knowledge, it was because the melting point of copper is far higher than that of tin.


    However, knowing the problem doesn''t mean it can be solved immediately.


    Or rather, when there are multiple solutions, careful consideration is still needed.


    I crossed my arms and started pacing back and forth in the room.


    After thinking about it, I opened the green-glowing Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession panel and carefully read the small print under the ''Scorching Touch lv1'' icon:


    ''Casting time 3 seconds, power proportional to the duration and the host''s spiritual power, the closer the contact distance, the greater the power. Current effective lethal range: 0~0.5 meters.''


    Taking a look at the description, the solution seemed simple: just increase my Spirit Attribute, and that certainly would solve the problem.


    If my spiritual power were strong enough, not only would the power of the witchcraft increase, but I could also sustain it for a longer time.


    As for how much Spirit Attribute needs to be increased?


    That needs to be tested to find out.


    However, from the reddening and heating up of the copper ingot, it seems that just increasing my spiritual power by one or two points might just do the trick.


    So, would using Skill Points to enhance ''Scorching Touch lv1'' be effective?


    That... I''m not really sure.


    Because as far as ''Scorching Touch'' goes, its power seems to be linked to spiritual power, not mentioned to be related to skill level.


    Of course, the main reason is that I have other plans for those two Skill Points.


    Because my knight''s breakthrough level had already reached 40%, just investing two more Skill Points would elevate it to 60%, thereby elevating me to the level of a ''Peak Knight''.


    Moreover, two Transcendent traits ''Huge Strength lv2'' and ''Iron Skin lv2'' could both advance to lv3.


    This would greatly enhance my strength, proving to be a very critical ''trump card''!


    So, I have no plans to use these two Skill Points for now.


    After some thought, Lord Reine decided to first try adding a point to his Spirit Attribute.


    After all, enhancing the Spirit Attribute was bound to have an effect, though he was unsure if it would reach the desired outcome.


    As the remaining attribute points decreased from 3��2, his Spirit also increased from 16 points��17 points.


    In an instant, Lord Reine felt his mind become exceptionally clear, and the sense of mental fatigue he had just felt vanished completely!


    Adding points for recovery!


    It was still so useful!


    At the same time, Lord Reine specifically looked at the limit-breaking value in the Knight (Transcendent) panel.


    He was surprised to find that after increasing his Spirit by one point, the limit-breaking value had increased to 43%, which seemed to be a stronger effect than adding points to Constitution.


    This let Lord Reine''s thoughts run wild!


    Could it be that the process of physical limit-breaking did have some kind of secret connection with the Spirit?


    However, shortly after, Lord Reine gently shook his head, choosing not to ponder this matter further.


    At this moment, he was focused on melting the copper ingots.


    Repeating the process he had done before.


    As Lord Reine softly chanted an incantation, the purple-red copper ingots in the iron pot started to turn red and hot, displaying signs of beginning to melt.


    This greatly delighted Lord Reine!


    With the continuous output of spiritual power, the witchcraft "Scorching Touch" grew more powerful, and the copper ingots finally began to melt!


    Step two of the plan, achieved!


    Next was step three.


    This time, Lord Reine placed copper ingots and tin ingots in the iron pot in a five-to-one ratio.


    After resting for a bit, Lord Reine began to repeat the process he had just done.


    Once the tin ingots and copper ingots had both melted and mixed together, the system notifications almost spammed:


    [You conducted Smelting Bronze work, comprehension has improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill �� Smelting Bronze]


    [Your Skill in Smelting Bronze has improved, Experience +67]


    [You focused on Smelting Bronze, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +22]


    It seemed that because Lord Reine had completed the smelting of bronze in just about ten seconds, the system awarded a large amount of experience points. Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelFire.net


    Under normal circumstances, smelting bronze is a slow process.


    Compared to other blacksmith skills he had learned before, the increment of experience points would typically be +1 or +2 every few minutes.


    But because Lord Reine greatly compressed the smelting time, the experience points were distributed in one go!


    This made Lord Reine exceptionally happy!


    Because it confirmed his hypothesis.


    It showed that the design scheme he had thought of beforehand was feasible.


    Of course, what was more important was what came after.


    If Lord Reine were to forge a bronze warhammer or other bronze tools, the time taken would be greatly shortened.


    That meant, Lord Reine could gain a large amount of Blacksmith Professional Experience in a short time.


    This was also inspired by the ancient book "Explorations in the Application of Scorching Touch in the Forging Field."


    "Knock Knock Knock!"


    A slightly urgent knocking sound echoed.


    "Lord Reine!"


    Oh! It was his mother Emma''s voice.


    Lord Reine immediately got up and opened the door.


    Outside the door, his mother Emma looked at Lord Reine, then peered into his room, but Lord Reine''s robust figure nearly completely blocked the door, preventing her from seeing clearly what was happening inside.


    Only to hear his mother Emma complaining, "Lord Reine, are you burning something with your candles again? The smell of something burning has reached downstairs again!"


    Hearing that it was about this, Lord Reine couldn''t help but give a wry smile and said, "Mother, don''t worry, I''ll be careful, it shouldn''t happen again."


    It''s not that Lord Reine hadn''t considered going to the smithy.


    After all, the subsequent forging process would be most suitable in a blacksmith shop.


    However... Lord Reine didn''t want to reveal his ability in witchcraft yet.


    So, he tried it out in his own room first.


    In a little while, Lord Reine planned to go to Boris''s blacksmith shop, clear out the personnel, and borrow it again for a day.


    But for confidentiality reasons, this time, Lord Reine planned to even send blacksmith Boris away.


    Partly, to validate some of his subsequent ideas, and partly, to have Lagaray help him forge the blood-veined steel warhammer, and harvest a wave of Blacksmith Profession Level.


    At that moment, Bo He poked her little head through the door crack, saying, "Brother, a beautiful carriage has arrived downstairs, it looks just like the last one, oh! There''s a beautiful rose shield painted on the carriage."


    Upon hearing this, Lord Reine''s eyebrow raised.


    He knew this was the coat of arms of the Baron Crawley family.


    Lord Reine suddenly remembered that today was the day he had agreed to become a Guardian Knight for Lady Crawley.


    The other party must have invited many nobles and friends to the welcome banquet, and now it wasn''t appropriate to ask them to change the time.


    Of course, since he had already promised, Lord Reine wasn''t one to go back on his word.


    It looks like his plan to elevate his Blacksmith Profession Level and forge the blood-veined steel warhammer would have to be postponed by a day.


    "Thank you, Bo He, brother will come down immediately."


    Thinking it through, Lord Reine dressed in his plate armor, carrying the Glimmering Greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, and holding a bronze warhammer, walked downstairs.


    Seeing Lord Reine come out, a butler dressed in a tailcoat immediately jumped down from the carriage.


    As the other party opened the carriage door, a slender and beautiful figure elegantly stepped down and performed a curtsy towards Lord Reine, saying, "Good morning, Lord Reine."

 Chapter 175: Chapter 140 Is the Drama Here Already? (Two-in-One Long Chapter)

    "Miss Jenny?" Lord Reine appeared slightly surprised.


    He had not expected Jenny to come and pick him up herself.


    This showed how much the Crowley family valued his appointment as the family''s Guardian Knight.


    After some simple greetings, Lord Reine followed Jenny into the carriage.


    Soon, the carriage was slowly heading towards the county town, expertly driven by the coachman, providing a smooth ride.


    "Miss Jenny, have you ever heard of the ''Bat Market''?" Lord Reine suddenly asked. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The Bat Market? I''ve never heard of that," Jenny replied, looking a bit bewildered. After thinking for a moment, she shook her head.


    Lord Reine nodded.


    That was quite normal.


    It seemed that the ''Bat Market'' was quite secretive and not a place just anyone could enter.


    That was troublesome.


    On this trip, he had intended to visit the ''Bat Market'' to see if there were any more items related to wizards or witchcraft for sale, and also to purchase some ingredients listed in the ''Beast Taming Diary.''


    Jenny frowned in thought for a moment and said, "Lord Reine, perhaps my mother might know of this ''Bat Market'' you speak of."


    "If she doesn''t know, I can also ask my friends."


    "I believe if it''s within Meist County City, the Crowley family can certainly help you locate it."


    Lord Reine smiled slightly and said, "Well then, thank you, Miss Jenny."


    Jenny made a valid point. Indeed, he had somewhat underestimated the resourcefulness and power of a noble family.


    This instantly brightened Lord Reine''s mood.


    When they were halfway through their journey, Jenny seemed to remember something and said to Lord Reine, "By the way, Lord Reine, as per tradition, after you become a Guardian Knight of the Crowley family, we will provide you with a suit of knightly plate armor, appropriate weapons, and a warhorse."


    "Of course, you can also choose Gold Coins as your reward."


    "Which option would you prefer?"


    This made Lord Reine quite pleased.


    Lately, he had been somewhat short on funds. The three hundred imperial Gold Coins he brought to the Habsburg estate yesterday were almost all spent, mainly on knightly weapons and armor, which were substantial expenses.


    Especially high-quality weapons and armor, which were worth ten or even several dozen times more than ordinary weapons.


    A common militiaman''s iron sword could be obtained for just a few silver coins and could be forged by any blacksmith in a small town.


    However, swords fit for intense combat, like the Bastard Sword the Night Watchman was currently using, cost more than ten times as much, requiring four to five imperial Gold Coins each.


    The Fine Steel Greatsword that Lord Reine had previously used cost twenty to thirty imperial Gold Coins.


    The expense of good weapons was clearly evident.


    After some thought, Lord Reine spoke up, "Miss Jenny, if it''s convenient, let''s just convert it into Gold Coins."


    Why choose Gold Coins?


    That was because Lord Reine had essentially secured his weapons himself. A ''Glimmering Greatsword'' was currently strapped to his back, and although the Two-Handed Warhammer hadn''t been forged yet, the blood-etched steel ingot for the material was already prepared.


    Moreover, the weapons provided by the Crowley family were likely to be Fine Steel weapons of excellent quality but, to be honest, they didn''t meet Lord Reine''s combat needs.


    As for armor...


    Although Lord Reine currently lacked a suit of knightly plate armor, he already had a plan in mind to acquire one.


    As for a warhorse, given his current status as a deputy of public safety, he could use the ''public carriage''��the warhorses housed in the administrative stable for transportation.


    If he were to raise a warhorse himself, one issue was that he had no stable at home; secondly, caring for a horse was quite a hassle.


    Jenny smiled slightly and said, "Lord Reine, just as I guessed."


    She then opened a nearby brown wooden box, took out a heavy leather purse, and said, "Lord Reine, this is your annual payment, five hundred imperial Gold Coins."


    Hm?


    Lord Reine looked at Jenny with a bit of surprise.


    He had not expected the money to be paid even before he officially became the Crowley family''s Guardian Knight.


    Besides, after inquiring about prices from Hamilton, he had to admit the amount was quite generous, even higher than he had anticipated.


    It was indeed nice to feel valued.


    "Thank you, Miss Jenny," Lord Reine immediately accepted and thanked her.


    Soon, the carriage arrived at the outskirts of Meist County City.


    From the carriage window, Lord Reine saw that pedestrians and carriages were increasingly frequent, and a tall, dark-gray city wall extended in front of his line of sight.


    This was his first visit to the county town, which was named Meist, with the entire Meist County named after the city, a common naming convention in the Dragan Empire.


    As the Crowley family''s carriage approached the city gate, Lord Reine saw a long queue of people entering the city, split into two, lining up at the smaller side gates. Your journey continues on mvl


    From their attire, these people were mostly commoners, mercenaries, and merchants, undergoing inspections and paying fees to enter the city.


    The widest main gate, however, was relatively empty, even if a few carriages passed by, they barely stopped before moving on.


    The carriage Lord Reine was in headed straight for the main gate, and upon seeing the Crowley family''s baronial crest on the carriage, the guards clad in chainmail and wielding long spears quickly allowed them through.

 Chapter 176: Chapter 140: The Play is Here? (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    A simple matter fully embodied the privileges of nobility.


    After the carriage entered the town, Lord Reine saw bustling shops and streets, much livelier than Flashgold Town.


    However, he faintly smelled various unpleasant odors, seemingly a mixture of human excrements and other stenches, which made him frown.


    It seemed that this area was likely a civilian district, with seemingly poor hygiene conditions.


    The carriage continued to drive for about half an hour, making a left turn and two right turns, arriving at a villa district, which was significantly cleaner and broader than the civilian district seen upon entering the town.


    The ground was very spacious and neat, and on the outer walls of the independent villas, a variety of meticulously planted greenery and flowers could be seen.


    Even now, in the frosty month, there were still many cold-resistant flowers blooming, which was quite beautiful.


    As the carriage slowly stopped, Miss Jenny gave a slight smile and said, "We''ve arrived, Lord Reine, this is the Crawley family''s estate here in County Town."


    Experience tales with mvl


    Lord Reine nodded.


    Upon alighting from the carriage, Lord Reine saw the plump Lady Crawley, accompanied by two tall knights and five or six servants, waiting inside the mansion gate. Upon seeing Lord Reine descend, a smile appeared on her beautiful face and said:


    "Lord Reine, welcome to the Crawley family!"


    "Thank you, madam, you are too kind," Lord Reine immediately bowed slightly, smiling as he spoke.


    However, he keenly noticed that the two knights by Lady Crawley''s side seemed unwelcoming toward his arrival, even showing subtle hostility.


    This was because, with the improvement of Lord Reine''s spiritual power, and his "danger perception" reaching the Lv3 level, he could easily discern the gazes that clearly held hostility.


    After a moment of thought, Lord Reine recalled that these must be the two family knights Lady Crawley had previously mentioned.


    "Lord Reine, if I may, this is Knight Shelton of the Crawley family," Lady Crawley slightly raised her hand, introducing the bald knight on her left.


    "Knight Shelton, hello," he said.


    "Lord Reine, hello," replied the knight. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This bald knight was at least in his forties, but his tall and sturdy figure still possessed a certain menacing force.


    "And this is Knight Stein," Lady Crawley then pointed to the bearded knight on her right.


    "Knight Stein, hello," said Lord Reine.


    "Knight Reine, hello," Stein responded.


    "Lord Reine, let us then head inside; the journey must have been tiring," she said.


    At this moment, the beautiful Lady Crawley proactively stepped forward, taking Lord Reine''s left arm, and walked him inside.


    As they walked, her pale, ample bosom brushed against Lord Reine''s arm with each step.


    This caused the two nearby knights to exchange glances, seeing both resentment and a kind of longing in each other''s eyes.


    Mad, seeing the fresh meat has come, she just had to stick herself to it?


    Damned slut!


    Still pretending to be pure in front of me.


    The knight named Stein seemed even less patient, and upon seeing this scene, it wasn''t long before he couldn''t restrain himself and spontaneously said:


    "I heard that Lord Reine has only recently become Transcendent?"


    "Yes, Knight Stein, I indeed have become Transcendent less than a month ago," Lord Reine nodded, casually replying.


    "Oh? I thought that was just a rumor. While it''s not impossible for a new knight to become a Guardian Knight of the Crawley family, shouldn''t a Guardian Knight display convincing strength?"


    "How about it, Lord Reine, would you mind demonstrating on the training ground? Of course, I can act as your sparring opponent," Stein suggested with seemingly reasonable doubt, yet with an undertone of provocation.


    This caused Lady Crawley, who was holding Lord Reine''s hand, to tense noticeably.


    Clearly, she was annoyed that Stein had so quickly proposed a duel with Lord Reine; she thought it would at least wait until the afternoon, or perhaps even later, for such a scenario to unfold.


    "Stein, you are too impudent. Lord Reine has just arrived...." Lady Crawley chided, quite angered.


    This quickly?


    The real action has already begun?


    Lord Reine raised his eyebrows; having promised Lady Crawley and since he had also taken money on the carriage ride, he naturally had to handle the matter well.


    He simply waved his hand, stopping Lady Crawley from continuing her speech.


    "Oh? Knight Stein, are you proposing a challenge?"


    Upon meeting these two family knights for the first time, Lord Reine took a careful look and realized their strength was indeed very average.


    As such, Lord Reine did not intend to waste much time on these two.


    He would quickly demonstrate his strength, fulfilling Lady Crawley''s request.


    This way, he could still find time to visit the army supply at County Town and perhaps even gather some information about the "Bat Market."


    Wait!


    Lord Reine suddenly thought these two might be great "NPCs" for experience.


    He just might need to steer the situation slightly.


    Thinking about his gains from the Habs estate just the day before, a faint smile rose on his lips.


    Thus, he formulated a small plan in his mind.


    Upon hearing Lord Reine''s straightforward acceptance, Stein could not help but laugh.


    Just a green young man after all.


    A little provocation and he accepts the challenge.


    This is in the bag!


    "If Lord Reine doesn''t mind, it would indeed be my honor," Stein offered ingratiatingly.

 Chapter 177: Chapter 140 Is the Drama Coming? (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    ```"Being able to exchange combat experiences with Knight Stein is also something I''ve been looking forward to," Reine replied with a smile.


    Soon, a group of people arrived at the training ground behind the villa.


    A number of barons, sons of lords, or their representatives who had been invited to the ceremony, affiliated with the Crowley family, also flocked to the training ground after hearing that there was going to be an official duel between knights.


    The training ground within the Crowley Baron''s estate wasn''t large, covering only a few hundred square meters and not equipped with a racetrack, owing to the fact that the estate was situated within Meist County City.


    Land in the city was incredibly valuable, and even nobles were generally reluctant to use it to build racetracks.


    Those larger training grounds that are equipped with racetracks are generally outfitted by the nobility on their estates in the suburbs.


    On the training ground.


    Reine and Stein stood facing each other in the center of the field, but this time Reine was wielding a bronze warhammer instead of the Glimmering Greatsword.


    Before entering the field, Reine had handed over the sheepskin-wrapped Glimmering Greatsword and a few other items to Jenny for safekeeping.


    "Lord Reine, won''t you change into knight armor?" Stein squinted his eyes and asked, looking at Reine dressed in plate armor.


    Reine shook his head slightly, "No need, this armor will do."


    Stein nodded, sword and shield in hand, and suddenly went from stillness to motion, charging at Reine vigorously.


    "Clang!!"


    The sound of metal striking metal rang out!


    Both men took a step back, seeming to be evenly matched.


    Immediately after, the two entangled in a struggle.


    Their movements were extremely quick, and among the onlookers, apart from those whose skills were of a certain standard, many of the noble daughters could only listen to the commotion.


    They could not see the figures clearly and only heard the ''ding ding dang dang'' of weapons clashing.


    "Eh! This Reine is quite strong; he''s actually fighting Stein to a standstill," the older Knight Shelton said, his eyes narrowing slightly, deep in thought.


    In his mind, this young knight shouldn''t be as strong as Stein.


    Generally speaking, no matter how talented one is, a short promotion period is a significant disadvantage!


    Logically, there should be quite a gap between Stein, a veteran official knight, and his opponent in terms of proficiency in combat skills and the degree of transcendence.


    After all, catching up takes time!


    So, logically, Stein should be able to defeat his opponent without much effort.


    However, to Shelton''s surprise, the battle turned out to be a deadlock, seeming like a contest of who had the better stamina.


    Equally surprised was Jenny standing nearby.


    She was watching the battle with a puzzled look on her face.


    Her mind was filled with questions!


    Why had Lord Reine switched to hammer skill?


    And why did it seem like Lord Reine was holding back?


    Why was that?


    Shouldn''t he have decisively defeated Stein to establish his authority?


    After mulling over it for a long while, Jenny couldn''t figure out why Reine was doing this.


    After about seven or eight minutes, Reine saw that Stein, after the intense battle, showed signs of fatigue and his movements started to deteriorate; he knew that continuing the act would be too deliberate.


    Taking advantage of a momentary instability in Stein''s steps, Reine knocked him down with a hammer blow.


    Then, he pretended to be quite exhausted, propping himself on the bronze warhammer and standing in the center of the field, gasping for air.


    "Lord Reine, youth is an advantage indeed. You have more stamina than me; otherwise, the outcome of this battle might have been difficult to say," said Stein, although defeated, he was clearly not convinced.


    Based on his own feelings from the recent exchange, if it weren''t for Reine''s youth and slightly better physical stamina, the results could have been very different!


    Reine smiled faintly, not acknowledging his vanquished opponent''s grumbling, as if he hadn''t heard Stein''s dissatisfaction. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stein glanced at a smiling Reine, then got up sullenly and left the middle of the field.


    Reine, meanwhile, delightedly checked the system notifications:


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has been improved, Experience +79]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points +26]


    It seemed that because the recent battle lasted a long enough time, the system awarded a high amount of experience.


    Indeed, the recent fight had exhausted almost all of a seasoned knight''s stamina.


    After getting up, Stein walked over and whispered something to Knight Shelton.


    Then, the older, bald knight Shelton slowly stepped forward, smiling amiably, "Lord Reine, I hope you don''t mind this old fellow joining in, do you?"


    "You know, at my age, my stamina has decreased a lot, so competing with you, Lord Reine, is just right. I''m certainly not looking to take advantage of you."


    Huh?


    Reine hadn''t expected this.


    He never thought his acting was so convincing that Knight Shelton would so quickly volunteer to test himself against him.


    Luckily, he wasn''t truly exhausted. On the contrary, his strategy was very successful, as it had drawn out the older, bald knight.


    He not only planned to win the victory but also to claim the moral high ground while simultaneously farming for hammer skill experience.


    However, there was just one thing...


    This Knight Shelton seemed a bit too shameless.


    Witnessing this, the Crowley Baron''s wife, observing the battle, felt a touch anxious, her grip on Jenny''s hand involuntarily tightening, seemingly worried that Reine would accept the challenge.


    ```

 Chapter 178: Chapter 140: Is the Drama Already Here? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    After all, unlike Jenny, she hadn''t witnessed Reine killing Andrews and the other Blackflame monks with her own eyes.However, Jenny knew that Reine was probably "acting", though she didn''t understand the purpose of his act.


    Reine couldn''t possibly tell Jenny that he was doing it to "farm a round of experience".


    "My lady mother, there''s no need to worry overly."


    "I feel, well, Lord Reine seems to be feigning weakness deliberately, although I''m not sure why he would do such a thing," Jenny whispered to Baroness Crawley.


    "Hmm? Is that so?" Baroness Crawley glanced at Jenny and noticed her daughter''s expression didn''t seem to be one of mere consolation.


    After all, even a well-meaning lie would soon be exposed by the upcoming contests.


    Reine, standing at the center of the arena, said, "Since Knight Sheldon has taken an interest, I shall naturally comply."


    Sheldon''s face lit up with a pleased expression at Reine''s agreement.


    Seemingly unwilling to leave Reine time to recover his strength, Sheldon burst forth with all his might, wielding his hammer and shield as he charged swiftly towards Reine.


    However, after a fierce onslaught, Sheldon found Reine''s defense to be as solid as a rock.


    Despite Reine''s appearance of weariness throughout, he looked as though, with just a bit more effort from Sheldon, he could be overcome.


    Five minutes later.


    The bald-headed Knight Sheldon, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, realized he still hadn''t managed to defeat Reine, and bellowed in discontent:


    "You... this is impossible!"


    "You should be exhausted by now; how can you still hold out for so long!"


    Reine simply smiled slightly, saying, "Perhaps, as Knight Stein just mentioned, it''s because I''m young and thus have better stamina."


    With that, Reine sent Sheldon flying with his hammer, ending the fight.


    Since Sheldon was already out of strength, Reine naturally had no intention of continuing the "act".


    The system prompt then appeared:


    [Your Skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +67]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points +22]


    Tsk tsk!


    Age really does affect one''s stamina.


    These experience points aren''t even as high as the ones from Stein just now!


    Reine silently critiqued in his mind.


    On their way here, Jenny had also indicated her position to him concerning the two Crawley family knights.


    If possible, Jenny had hoped that Reine would not kill or severely injure the two men.


    After all, they had served the Crawley family for many years and had not shown any intention of rebellion; their desires were more oriented toward the Crawley family''s beauty and wealth.


    Therefore, Jenny hoped Reine could simply deter the two men.


    Considering the Crawley family''s request, Reine gave it some thought before agreeing.


    After all, it was a request from the Crawley family themselves, and there was no need for him, a Guardian Knight, to overdo it, especially since anything that happened later would be the family''s own business.


    The onlookers weren''t fools; after watching two contests in succession, they also sensed something amiss.


    At the end of the first match, Reine seemed to have overexerted himself and shouldn''t have been able to hold out for long, but now, at the end of the second match, he seemed to be in high spirits as he strolled off the field, currently chatting with Lady Crawley.


    Meanwhile, many young noble ladies on the sidelines, having seen Reine''s performance, began whispering amongst themselves.


    Especially Agatha Wiggins, one of Jenny''s close friends, rushed excitedly to Jenny''s side and said: sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Jenny, your taste is getting better and better! Where did you find such a handsome young man? Not only is he strong, but his stamina is incredible. You are so lucky!"


    While speaking, she also gave Jenny a teasing look.


    "Agatha, don''t talk nonsense. Reine is our family''s new Guardian Knight, and besides, it was my mother who found him, it has nothing to do with me," Jenny said somewhat shyly, understanding the insinuation in her friend''s words.


    "Oh, so it was Baroness Crawley? I never thought she liked them young, giggle."


    "You''re terrible, saying such things in broad daylight," Jenny retorted.


    The two young noblewomen immediately started jesting and playing around with each other.


    After the contest, Reine requested from Baroness Crawley to make a trip to the military supply office in the County Town.


    Although both Jenny and the Baroness would have liked Reine to stay at the estate and socialize more with the guests, Reine had no interest in doing so.


    At present, he hadn''t passed the nobility''s accreditation test and wasn''t strictly speaking a noble yet.


    On the other hand, Reine felt that socializing would only be meaningful once he reached a certain threshold of status and position.


    However, there was an appointment ceremony and banquet at the Crawley family estate that evening, which Reine was bound to attend.


    Reine took the carriage arranged by the Crawley family to the northern military supply office in the County Town.


    Located next to the City Guard''s camp, the supply office in the County Town was responsible for the merit exchange matters of the internal defense troops, including the City Guard, Night Watchmen, and public order officers.


    After showing the badge that represented his position as Deputy Officer of Public Safety in Flashgold Town, Reine was allowed to enter. He had received the badge along with his appointment, serving as a replacement for his previous Night Watchman Captain''s badge.


    Upon entering the military supply room, Reine found it to be several times larger than the one in Flashgold Town, with four or five young and attractive female clerks in uniform stationed there.


    The setup gave him a feeling reminiscent of the service halls of his previous life.

 Chapter 179: Chapter 141: Left or Right? (Two-in-One Large Chapter)

    Lord Reine looked around and noticed that in front of the desks of these few staff members, there were indeed wooden pencil-box-sized standing desk signs, respectively labeled "Non-commissioned Officer Exchange", "Junior Officer Exchange", and one semi-enclosed window labeled "Senior Officer Exchange".At the "Non-commissioned Officer Exchange" window, there were two or three people standing, and in front of the "Junior Officer Exchange" window, there was no one at all.


    Lord Reine did not hesitate; he walked straight to the Junior Officer Exchange window.


    The female staff member at the window, seeing the clearly young Lord Reine approaching, was taken aback at first, but still stood up with respect to greet him, "My lord, please show your credentials."


    Lord Reine handed over the badge representing his position as the Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town to the ponytailed girl.


    "Please wait a moment."


    After the ponytailed civilian girl had taken the badge presented by Lord Reine, she began to check it against the register on the desk.


    Soon, the surprised look on the young female staff member''s face intensified as she said, "Lord Reine, hello, you have a total of 1,489 Merit Points."


    "This is your exchange book, you may exchange for any item listed in here."


    The other party handed Lord Reine a booklet the size of an A4 paper and as thick as a fingernail cover.


    Oh?


    This booklet was much larger and thicker than before.


    After Lord Reine took it, he saw that the cover of the thick booklet was inscribed with several large characters: "Imperial Security and Guards Troop Merit Points Exchange Book (Junior Officer)".


    Seeing the two words "Junior Officer" at the end, Lord Reine couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "Indeed, my approach was correct; by relying on the empire, as long as my rank steadily increases, the resources I can obtain will continue to grow."


    The previous booklet was for "Non-commissioned Officer," naturally, there weren''t many items that could be exchanged, and secrecy wasn''t needed; it could be exchanged at the military supplies officer in Flashgold Town.


    But it was different at the Junior Officer level; there were many more items that could be exchanged, and only at the County Town military supply office.


    Upon opening the booklet, Lord Reine found that the major categories were not much different from the "Non-commissioned Officer" booklet, but the content in the detailed items had become much more abundant.


    For instance, in the category of breathing techniques that could be exchanged, Lord Reine was very impressed that in the "Non-commissioned Officer" level booklet, there was only the Military Breathing Method.


    But in the "Junior Officer" level booklet, there were many more breathing techniques available for exchange, amounting to seven or eight kinds.


    However, all naturally were quite valuable; merely for breathing techniques, the Merit Points needed for exchange started at a thousand.


    For example, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique practiced by Lord Reine himself and others that he had heard of before like "Shadow Panther Breathing Technique", "Running Wolf Breathing Technique", and so on, were all available here.


    Furthermore, even the specific secret medicines required for practicing certain breathing techniques were available for exchange.


    For instance, the Black Resin Oil corresponding to Lord Reine''s Giant Bear Breathing Technique was available in the "Junior Officer" booklet.


    This made Lord Reine marvel while simultaneously delighting him.


    Oh?


    And there was refined Black Resin Oil?


    Lord Reine squinted his eyes; he saw another type of secret medicine that complemented the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    But it had two extra words, "refined"; furthermore, the price for exchange was more expensive than the Black Resin Oil.


    Ordinary Black Resin Oil would exchange for thirty Merit Points a bottle, which could roughly last for a month''s use.


    However, the price for refined Black Resin Oil was one hundred Merit Points per bottle.


    Reading the description, Lord Reine suddenly realized!


    The refined Black Resin Oil was a highly concentrated mixture of Black Resin Oil with other special medicines, suitable for knights formally practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Conversely, the ordinary Black Resin Oil was suited for those below the level of knights. S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No wonder he had felt that the effect of Black Resin Oil was weakening recently and thought about increasing the dosage; the key issue lay here.


    After stepping into Transcendence, the corresponding secret medicines also needed to be updated, it''s just that refined Black Resin Oil was much more expensive.


    As for Lady Creya, since she never thought that she would step into Transcendence so quickly, she had never mentioned this aspect of things. About this point, Lord Reine pondered briefly and came to understand.


    Since there was refined Black Resin Oil, it was natural to buy two bottles to be used in conjunction with practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    "Two bottles of refined Black Resin Oil," Lord Reine told the ponytailed civilian girl.


    "Alright, Lord Reine, it has been noted down for you; do you have any other needs for exchange?" the girl asked respectfully.


    Lord Reine nodded and said, "Yes."


    His main reason for coming today was to check if there were any high-end knight plate armors available.


    Thus, quite naturally, Lord Reine turned the pages to the section on armor and defensive gear.


    There were all kinds of armors of different uses and materials crafted before his eyes.


    After ruling out those like leather armor and chain mail, what remained were knight plate armors.


    After looking for a while, Lord Reine had a fairly clear understanding of the knight plate armors.


    The ordinary knight plate armor sets were cheap, had stock, and could be taken immediately. However, if they were crafted from rare metals, especially those customized knight plate armors, not only was the customization costly, the production period was also long.


    Moreover, the regular maintenance costs were also a considerable expense.


    And if they got damaged during battle, the cost to repair them could buy several sets of ordinary knight plate armors.


    However, if one wasn''t short of money, then all the aforementioned drawbacks weren''t really drawbacks.


    These knight armors crafted from special materials were naturally expensive for a good reason, either they had superior defensive power or could resist special damages like fire, acid, etc.

 Chapter 180: Chapter 141: To Place on the Left or the Right? (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    Rein thought for a moment and decided to use two hundred Merit Points to exchange for a set of wear-resistant chrome iron Knight Armor. This set, consisting of eight pieces, was priced at two hundred points.Additionally, he planned to spend a thousand Merit Points to order a high-class set of Knight Armor made from a special material called water membrane steel, which was resistant to high temperatures and corrosion.


    The reason for this naturally took into account the influence of the Cult of the Black Flame.


    Nevertheless, with this transaction, Rein''s seemingly ''enormous'' total of 1489 Merit Points was also not really sufficient for extensive spending.


    By then, only 89 Merit Points would remain.


    Indeed, Merit Points (money) are


    hard to earn, yet particularly easy to spend.


    After some thought, Rein said, "A set of chrome iron Knight Armor."


    "Alright, Lord Reine, which size do you need for the chrome iron Knight Armor set? Currently, we have the 180 model, 185 model, and 190 model in stock; you can get them right away," the ponytailed civilian girl asked.


    "The 185 model!" Rein decided to choose a slightly larger size since he was still growing.


    It would be embarrassing if it became too small in less than a month.


    As for the muscle expansion during outburst, this was already taken into consideration in the design of the Knight Armor, so its inner lining was made of soft, elastic multi-layer lambskin.


    It would not present a problem for handling the muscle expansion triggered by a knight''s ''breaking limit.''


    "Very well, Lord Reine," the girl said with a sweet smile, recording the order for the chrome iron set.


    Just as she thought Rein had finished exchanging, she heard him add, "Plus, an order for a set of high-class Knight Armor made of water membrane steel."


    "Er... Lord Reine, you�� you want to order a high-class suit of Knight Armor?" the young female staffer reconfirmed.


    Apparently hearing the word "order," other female staffers nearby also turned their gazes towards them.


    A few young people who were exchanging at the officer window also looked at Rein, their faces filled with envy.


    He seemed younger than them but was able to exchange for a high-class custom set of Knight Armor.


    "Yes," Rein nodded in confirmation.


    "The custom order is estimated to take two months, Lord Reine. Is that acceptable to you?"


    Rein nodded again.


    "Then please follow me, as it''s a custom order, we need to take measurements of your height, weight, and other sizes."


    Oh?


    Measurements needed?


    Well, fine, high-end goods are different!


    Rein followed the ponytailed civilian girl into a separate small room next door, similar to a changing room.


    The ponytailed civilian girl quickly started taking measurements earnestly.


    "My lord, please stretch out your arms."


    "Height 180 cm, chest circumference 130, leg length..."


    All of Rein''s body parameters were recorded one by one.


    When measuring the leg length, the crouching civilian girl suddenly blushed and looked up to ask, "Lord Reine, normally, do you prefer it on the left side or the right?"


    Huh?


    Left side or right side?


    At first, Rein was confused, but then, following the girl''s gaze, he immediately understood and said, "Ah... can it be placed in the center?"


    "That''s possible, we just need to make a separate cup guard. I''ll make a note of that," she said while taking notes, a blush appearing on her face.


    For some reason, Rein suddenly found the civilian girl crouching before him, taking measurements, quite alluring.


    Could it be because his physical functions had greatly improved after becoming Transcendent?


    While Rein was being measured in the changing room, he saw two persons dressed as City Guard officers entering the military supply hall through the crack of the door.


    Rein casually glanced at them and then moved his gaze away.


    The City Guard, although like the Night Watchman, belonged to the Imperial Internal Defense Forces, they were on different paths. Rein had never interacted with the City Guard, so he naturally did not pay special attention.


    The two of them seemed to be waiting for something and were not in a hurry to get it done; they were chatting leisurely.


    "Zelko, have you heard? Recently, the relations between the Empire and the Federation seem a bit tense, and there seems to be frequent mobilization of the Imperial Navy," one said.


    "Is that so? It''s the first I''ve heard of it," the one named Zelko responded, seemingly not taking it seriously.


    After all, such rumors occurred eight or ten times a year, but none of them ever turned out to be true.


    "My nephew was originally stationed at Lancaster Naval Base, but now he has been transferred to our county. It''s what he told me," the middle-aged officer said, seemingly adding more to convince the disbeliever.


    "Hmm? If it comes from someone inside the Imperial Navy, then it should be quite credible," the youth named Zelko replied, looking a bit more serious and pondering for a moment.


    Although Rein was quite far from the two, his keen senses had picked up their conversation clearly.


    The Federation?


    The Eagle Federation across the sea?


    Are relations tense?


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    Is there going to be a war?


    Surely not...


    After a little consideration, Rein realized that in event of war, Meister County could indeed be in danger because a large part of the county was coastal, such as Fishing Port Town which lay adjacent to the sea.


    He had heard before that Kuzma, the former sheriff of Flashgold Town, had been transferred there. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Rein and the ponytailed civilian girl emerged from the changing room, the two City Guard officers immediately ceased their conversation as though they did not want Rein and the others to overhear the news.

 Chapter 181: Chapter 141: Should it be placed on the left or the right? (Two in One Big Chapter)_3

    Rein returned to the service window, waiting for the clerical girl to help him record.During this idle moment, he flipped through the exchange book again.


    When he saw the category of potions, he paused, randomly picking one to read.


    ...


    Huge Strength Potion: A battle potion. After consumption, there''s a high probability that the consumer''s strength will increase by about 10 to 20 percent for a short time. The duration and effect vary greatly depending on the consumer''s constitution and the extent to which limits are broken.


    (Note: Side effects include muscle soreness, lasting for hours of varying lengths.)


    ...


    Constitution Potion: A cultivation-assist potion. If consumed continuously for a week, it will increase the consumer''s constitution to a certain degree, generally around 10 percent.


    (Note: Sourced from the Mingster Province branch of the Royal Alchemist Association, trustworthy.) S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    It seems that the profession of a pharmacist really is coveted everywhere.


    Immediately, Rein thought of the formulas in the "Beast Taming Diary."


    He already had the Transcendent profession of a Wizard Apprentice, and now he was already trying to produce the formulas from the "Beast Taming Diary."


    The only issue now was sourcing the raw materials.


    It seems he will have to ask Lady Crowley, Baroness, about the location of the "Bat Market" later.


    As long as the materials are ready, it shouldn''t be too difficult for him to advance in potion making.


    As Rein continued to flip through the book, he saw the entry for ferocious beast meat.


    He quickly came across the berserk bear meat he had eaten once before.


    .....


    Berserk Bear Meat: Ferocious beast meat, rich in energy. Long-term consumption can slightly enhance constitution and strength.


    ....


    Although Hamilton had once advised Rein not to exchange for ferocious beast meat, Rein thought it over and decided that the situation is different now.


    After weighing his options, Rein said to the ponytailed clerical girl, "Another hundred pounds of berserk bear meat, please."


    "Okay, a hundred pounds of berserk bear meat will need 50 Merit Points, which I''ve deducted for you."


    "Sir, would you like the hundred pounds of berserk bear meat delivered to your home, or will you be taking it with you now?" the ponytailed clerical girl asked.


    This was when having a carriage came in handy.


    "I''ll take it with me now."


    "Very well, sir."


    After this trip, Rein was left with only 39 Merit Points, essentially ''back to square one.''


    -----------------


    When Rein left the armory, he had already changed into a brand-new set of chromium-iron knight plate armor in the changing room.


    The silver-grey armor was naturally much better looking than his previous plate mail.


    The hundred pounds of berserk bear meat and the plate mail were placed directly onto the carriage by Rein.


    When Rein returned to the Crowley family estate, as soon as he entered, he ran into Jenny and her best friend Agatha.


    Their beautiful eyes lit up instantly upon seeing him.


    "Lord Rein, you look so dashing in your new knight''s armor!" Jenny couldn''t help but compliment.


    "Thank you!" Hearing the maiden''s praise, Rein naturally felt good.


    "By the way, Lord Rein, this is my best friend Agatha Wiggins, daughter of Baron Wiggins," Jenny introduced.


    "Agatha, I don''t need to introduce Lord Rein to you, do I? You''ve already seen his impressive figure at the training ground this morning," Jenny said with a smile.


    "Miss Agatha, hello," Rein greeted with a smile.


    The Miss Agatha before him had some freckles on her nose, but they didn''t detract from her beauty; instead, they gave her a lively and cheerful appearance.


    "Lord Rein, hello," Agatha said, her cheeks slightly flushed as she gave Rein a curtsy. Enjoy more content from mvl


    "Actually, Lord Rein, about that ''Bat Market'' you asked me about last time, it seems my best friend here knows where it is," Jenny mentioned.


    "Oh? Really? That''s great!" Rein''s brow lifted in delight.


    However, reconsidering, Rein took another careful look at Jenny''s best friend and realized... she might not be just a simple noble lady.


    Just as Rein was making his guesses, Agatha quickly waved her hands to deny, saying, "Lord Rein, don''t listen to Jenny''s nonsense. I just think I''ve heard of this place before."


    "I heard my advisor mention the ''Bat Market'' by chance; it seems to be near the Frank Tavern in the County Town. However, I''m not too sure of the exact location," Agatha added.


    "Miss Agatha, your modesty is appreciated, but even this helps me a great deal," Rein realized. So that was it.


    Just a moment ago, he thought Miss Agatha might be a ''fellow traveler.''


    Now, it seems that she is not.


    "Lord Rein, would you like me to inquire further to get more details?" Agatha''s large watery eyes looked at Rein inquiringly.


    "Thank you, Miss Agatha, but there''s no need to trouble yourself. I believe that now that I''ve a rough idea of the location, I should be able to find it," Rein politely declined.


    After all, his spiritual power had reached 17 points by now, making his senses incredibly sharp.


    If he narrowed down the location to a few hundred meters around Frank Tavern, Rein believed there was a high chance he could find it.


    "Lord Rein, why don''t we accompany you?"


    Rein naturally declined, "Miss Jenny, the ''Bat Market'' is not a place suitable for noble ladies to visit, and I am merely curious and wish to see it for myself."


    Hearing Rein''s response, both Jenny and Agatha appeared somewhat disappointed.


    Therefore, after agreeing to return before evening, Rein donned a wide black cloak and rode in Crowley family''s carriage toward Frank Tavern.

 Chapter 182: Chapter 141: Should It Be Placed on the Left or Right? (Two in One Big Chapter)_4

    Explore new worlds at mvlThe carriage traveled for about twenty minutes, and Rein arrived at the entrance of the Frank Tavern.


    Rein slightly observed through the carriage window.


    This place was situated on a street dense with people.


    The bustling pedestrians and various vending calls were incessant, with many civilians, mercenaries, and other professionals entering and exiting the Frank Tavern, making it look quite lively.


    Having the carriage parked nearby, Rein decided to start his search around the Frank Tavern.


    Dressed in a black robe and wearing a hood, Rein quickly got off the carriage and began a careful search around the tavern as the center.


    After searching around the Frank Tavern for a while, Rein realized that he might have oversimplified things.


    Although his spiritual power was high and his perception sharp, he was equally susceptible to various noises and odors. This area, being a civilian district, was densely populated and noisy with poor sanitary conditions.


    Half an hour had passed, and Rein still hadn''t found the so-called ''Bat Market.''


    This couldn''t help but disappoint Rein a bit.


    "It seems I''ll have to come back tomorrow."


    However, looking at the flow of people entering and exiting the Frank Tavern, Rein decided to sit inside for a while to see if he could overhear any useful information.


    After all, taverns are generally places where information spreads quickly.


    As Rein was walking towards the tavern, he muttered softly, "Bat Market, bat..."


    Suddenly, a spark crossed Rein''s mind.


    Of course!


    Bats!


    Could it be that a bat is a symbol or a mark for this market?


    It seemed that he had just passed an alley with a shop that had a closed door, featuring a bat symbol on its sign.


    Immediately, Rein turned around and quickly headed towards that alley.


    Sure enough, upon entering the alley, Rein saw, at the end of it, a wrought iron sign on a shop bearing a slightly obscured bat pattern.


    Rein was delighted and approached for a closer inspection.


    The shop''s sign read ''Lilith''s Divination Shop,'' and although it was daytime, the iron door was tightly locked, appearing not to be open for business.


    Could it be a shop that only opened at night? S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking it over, Rein decided to knock on the door to inquire, as this was the only establishment he recalled nearby that featured a bat symbol.


    However, as Rein took a step forward, he instantly sensed something was amiss!


    As if entering a bubble, a ripple flashed by and he disappeared in the alley.


    At that moment, the scene before Rein differed vastly from what he had seen from the outside.


    From the outside, it appeared to be a small divination shop with a closed door, but upon entering, he found it was a secretive market!


    Clearly, this was the ''Bat Market.''


    The illusion Rein had seen just now must have been some sort of Illusion Array or witchcraft intended to mislead the eyes.


    Additionally, it seemed to be an open type of market, lacking the guards Rein initially thought would be there, or the need to utter a specific incantation or know a specific password to enter.


    Instead, he had entered quite easily.


    This instantly gave Rein a feeling of ''searching thousands of times among the crowd, only to find the person leisurely standing in dim light.''


    Looking at the scene before him, Rein was in high spirits!


    Moreover, Rein felt more and more that coming to the County Town was the right choice, perhaps, the Crowley family was truly his lucky star.


    Soon, Rein squinted and began to examine carefully.


    At first glance, the Bat Market didn''t differ much from an ordinary market outside.


    However, if one observed carefully, there was a big difference. Like Rein, many of the people here wore hoods, as if they didn''t want others to know their origins or identities.


    Furthermore, although there were many people in the Bat Market, the noise level was quite low, with conversations between people very hushed, seemingly to avoid letting others overhear the content.


    This couldn''t help but make Rein frown.


    If that was the case, it was not very friendly for newcomers like him.

 Chapter 183: Chapter 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Rein thought for a moment, then merged into the crowd and began to slowly browse on his own.Even though the Bat Bazaar had many vendors, Rein hesitated to casually make purchases.


    Perhaps the items on the stalls were more beautiful and cheaper, but they required a pair of eyes experienced and insightful enough to discern their authenticity.


    As of now, Rein still lacked this ability.


    Luckily, there were also many formal shops along the street and, judging by the various signs hung at the tops of the shops, Rein could easily distinguish the main business of each.


    Relatively speaking, these formal shops with fixed locations should have better credit.


    Rein observed several shops in succession and eventually chose one with a relatively large flow of customers, a potion shop marked by herbs, beakers, and test tubes on its sign, and entered. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Inside, the clerks were three bright-eyed boys in their teens, two of whom were serving customers.


    Seeing Rein come in, the free boy proactively approached with a warm greeting, "Sir, welcome to Patricia''s Potion Shop, how may I assist you?"


    "Do you have hallucinogenic gas?" Although the other party was just a young boy, Rein did not underestimate him and directly mentioned the poison gas Endri had used in battle.


    Previously Rein might not have noticed, but now, with the enhancement of his spiritual power, Rein could basically judge the boy''s spiritual power through his mental state and appearance, and it seemed to exceed that of an average adult man.


    It was unclear whether this was innate or the result of practicing basic meditation techniques.


    But clearly, the boy should not be treated as an ordinary child.


    "Uh... that... yes, sir, we have that," the boy replied, looking at Rein with a slightly surprised expression.


    "The price?" Rein asked tersely.


    "1 fluid ounce of hallucinogenic potion costs 25 Imperial Gold Coins."


    The boy then took out a bottle of dark liquid from behind the counter, along with a small packet wrapped in paper, apparently filled with a powdery substance.


    Rein did not ask but waited for the boy to introduce the items, as speaking out would instantly give him away. In unfamiliar places, it was best to be cautious.


    "Sir, this bottle contains the hallucinogenic potion, and this packet is the corresponding amount of catalyst, which, when injected, will quickly vaporize the hallucinogenic potion to form hallucinogenic gas," the boy explained.


    I see.


    Rein was thinking that if the hallucinogenic potion were like gas that would evaporate as soon as it was opened, it would be quite cumbersome to store in the Emerald Ring.


    It turned out there was something like a catalyst.


    "I''d like a smaller amount," Rein said, glancing at the phial in the boy''s hand, which was clearly much larger than the one he had found on Endri.


    "Then we only have this, 0.2 fluid ounces, for the price of 5 Gold and 6 Silver," the boy produced a thumb-sized bottle from the cabinet behind him.


    Looking at the bottle the boy brought out this time, Rein nodded.


    It was similar in size to the one he had found on Endri''s body, and it should also fit just right in the Emerald Ring in one go.


    "I''ll take five bottles."


    The boy clearly hesitated, not understanding why the customer wanted to buy five small bottles; obviously, purchasing a larger bottle was more economical.


    After all, the same volume, but a little cheaper in price.


    However, looking at Rein, the boy clearly didn''t dare to question further.


    "Certainly, sir."


    "Do you have sunflowers?"


    "Yes, sir."


    "How about the wings of nocturnal vampire bats?"


    "That... we also have," the boy was noticeably becoming nervous. He guessed that the gentleman before him was likely a pharmacist specializing in negative energy. As is known, many of those in this particular field tend not to be in good spirits.


    As the boy was preparing the materials Rein required, Rein also looked around the room.


    Rein was surprised to discover that many of the potions, he seemed to have seen in the Merit Exchange Catalog as well.


    It made Rein recall the potion masters in the so-called Royal Alchemist Association, whose identity was probably not that simple and were likely not ordinary people.


    After all, superior spiritual power presents a clear advantage in concocting potions, whether in controlling the quality of ingredients or in the finesse of various operational techniques.


    Besides, some potion creations were clearly beyond the reach of ordinary people, like advanced magic potions.


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    With more careful thought, the power of the Empire seemed unfathomable, and what he had seen was just the tip of the iceberg!


    "All right, sir, all the materials you require are prepared," the boy respectfully placed a black linen bag on the counter and said to Rein.


    ...


    When Rein left the potion shop, he was already carrying that large bag.


    Glancing down, the thought of feeding a dog with such expensive materials made the corners of his mouth twitch slightly.


    Just now, Rein had purchased all the raw materials needed for the Mutative Growth Potion in one go, such as sunflowers, wings of nocturnal vampire bats, claws of carrion wolves, and more.


    Of course, even if the potion was successfully made, it was not intended for Rein''s own use, but for ''Cookie''.


    Just now, Rein calculated the cost, and factoring everything together, even with a successful single production, the cost per fluid ounce of the Mutative Growth Potion approached nearly 12 Imperial Gold Coins.


    Considering the probability of failure and the need for continued medication over three months, Rein purchased ingredients for ten batches in one go.

 Chapter 184: Chapter 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    ``` Experience tales with mvlThat cost 120 Imperial Gold Coins, almost one third of the 500 Imperial Gold Coins Rein had just recently acquired.


    Become a part-time Pharmacist?


    It''s too costly at the initial stage!


    Besides, without adding Skill Points, Rein didn''t know what his success rate would be.


    After purchasing all the planned materials, Rein''s mood improved.


    Since he was at the Bat Market anyway, he decided to take a stroll to understand the situation better and to see if there were any witchcraft-related books available for purchase.


    Soon, he saw numerous stalls selling various unidentified herbs and raw materials.


    From time to time, customers would stop to scrutinize the materials closely and converse quietly with the stall owners.


    Rein tried once; he pretended to look at the materials, hoping to eavesdrop, but the owner stopped talking the moment they saw Rein pause.


    However, Rein wasn''t discouraged.


    This was to be expected, as the Bat Market was a place for Wizard Apprentices to gather and exchange goods, meaning most of the customers were likely Wizard Apprentices.


    Even a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, with their far superior spiritual power, wouldn''t be so easily overheard by Rein.


    After walking around, Rein realized that the Bat Market was not very big��just about a hundred meters long, about the size of a street.


    Moreover, the items for sale were odd��things like the eyeballs of some creature, dried lizard-like creatures, and various strange plants, most of which Rein didn''t recognize.


    Therefore, it was only natural that Rein wasn''t able to find anything useful.


    Also, with regard to the witchcraft he was keen to collect, Rein had searched around and frustratingly found no stores solely selling witchcraft, though he had seen books similar to the ancient ones Jenny had brought in a few general stores.


    Initially, Rein was quite excited, but after flipping through just a couple of pages, he realized that these ancient books were either purely travel logs or incomplete diaries of Wizard Apprentices with too many missing pages, rendering them unreadable.


    That couldn''t help but disappoint Rein.


    Additionally, the owners'' quoted prices left Rein speechless; these ancient books written in Akkadian were priced at several hundred Gold Coins each, and those incomplete Wizard Apprentice diaries were priced at nine hundred Imperial Gold Coins.


    Checking the time, Rein decided to return to the Crowley family manor.


    As Rein left the Bat Market and entered the carriage, the coachman couldn''t help but ask curiously:


    "Sir, are we returning now?"


    "Yes."


    "By the way, sir, why did you spend so much time at the bakery? The Baker in the master''s kitchen is much better than any in town," said the coachman hesitantly. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein was taken aback by this remark.


    He had seen a divination shop, not a bakery; could it be...


    In an instant, Rein seemed to realize something.


    Indeed, that bat symbol concealed some secrets, and it seemed only after meeting certain criteria could one see it.


    Rein thought briefly that the determining criterion was very likely the Spirit Attribute.


    It''s highly probable that only when a person''s Spirit Attribute reached a certain level could they see the bat symbol and the door to the divination shop, thereby gaining entry to the market.


    If it were an ordinary person, they probably wouldn''t even be able to see the bat symbol, let alone find a way into the Bat Market.


    Rein nodded slightly to himself, musing that this automatic selection mechanism was quite neat.


    Meanwhile, on his way back to the Crowley family manor in the carriage:


    Meist County City.


    Inside the Norman Baron''s family manor.


    With the help of Divine Blood, Dennis, who had stepped into the level of a formal Knight, was trying on formal attire with the aid of a servant.


    Looking at the handsome reflection in the mirror, he was quite pleased with himself.


    Shortly, he would attend a banquet at the Crowley family estate.


    The theme of the banquet was to celebrate the addition of a Guardian Knight to the Crowley family.


    Although Dennis was unaware of where the Crowley family had invited an official knight to serve as their family''s Guardian Knight, this didn''t particularly concern him.


    Because he knew that the Crowley family''s major issue was finding a suitable marriage union, after all, no formal knight would choose to marry into the family.


    Dennis had also begun preparing to advance to Magic Potions; whether in a month or three, he planned to make his move toward becoming Transcendent.


    As long as he became a formal Knight, he was almost certain of securing a marriage with the Crowley family.


    Jenny was far less significant in Dennis''s heart compared to the Baroness of the Crowley family��that stunning widow.


    Thinking of the voluptuous lady, Dennis''s heart couldn''t help but entertain more romantic notions.


    Although she wasn''t as significant as Cleya, she was more than enough for short-term mental solace.


    As for Tina, her status was a bit too low; frankly, Dennis was somewhat tired of her.


    Just then, his room door suddenly opened, and just as Dennis was about to reprimand the servant for their lack of manners, he saw the Norman Baron, dressed for hunting, enter.


    "Dennis, you can cancel your banquet plans," said the Baron.


    "What?" Dennis was taken aback and a little confused.


    "The new Guardian Knight hired by the Crowley family is Rein."


    "Rein? But I don''t know of a knight by the name of Rein," Dennis said, frowning in thought, but still not understanding.


    ```

 Chapter 185: Chapter 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    In Dennis''s mind, Rein was still not equated with a formal knight."It''s the farmer''s son from Flashgold Town, Rein," Baron Norman said in a deep voice.


    "What, that lowlife Rein has already become a Transcendent and is now a formal knight?"


    Upon hearing this news from his father, Dennis was incredibly shocked, his eyes bulging out and his mouth gaping wide enough to fit an entire apple.


    After being stunned for quite some time, Dennis finally came to his senses and asked, "Father, shouldn''t he have already died..." Find more to read at ��??


    At this point, Dennis remembered there were servants around and immediately stopped speaking.


    Baron Norman waved his hand and instantly, the two maids who had been helping Dennis dress immediately left the room.


    Now, only Baron Norman and his son were in the room.


    "Yesterday, there was a message from the Black Sails that they didn''t find a suitable opportunity to attack Flashgold Town, so Phil Kraz didn''t manage to kill Rein," explained Baron Norman.


    "Damn those Black Sail pirates, they really are so unreliable! If they had killed Rein as agreed, none of this would have happened," said Dennis, unable to conceal his fury.


    "We can''t really blame the Black Sail Pirate Crew. I have looked into it. The few pirating crews, including the Black Sails, have some sort of arrangement with the Black Flame Church, deciding to attack several small towns simultaneously."


    "However, I heard that a few days ago, Hamilton, the sheriff of Flashgold Town, severely damaged the Black Flame Church that was attacking, probably leading to the Black Sail Pirate Crew not continuing their attack on Flashgold Town."


    "Nevertheless, Dennis, like you said, the opponent''s progress is incredibly fast, abnormally so," Norman continued thoughtfully.


    "It appears we need to resolve this matter quickly!" S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "After all, if Rein passes the ennoblement exam and becomes an official noble of the empire, killing him afterward will be much more troublesome."


    "Once an official noble dies under unusual circumstances, the investigative forces sent by the empire are hard to deal with."


    "Father, are you finally planning to take action personally?" Dennis asked, his eyes lighting up, looking forward to Norman''s response.


    You see, in his heart, his father had always been an invincible presence since childhood.


    He firmly believed that if his father took action personally, that Rein wouldn''t survive till tomorrow.


    "No," Baron Norman shook his head and said.


    "I need to seek help from an old friend."


    ....


    Meist County City.


    Inside the Bat Market.


    A shop bearing symbols of stars, the moon, and the sun received a tall customer clad in a black robe.


    "Old friend, long time no see!" Baron Norman, removing his hood, greeted with a smile, warmly saying hello.


    "Huh! Norman, what a rare visitor, what brings you to me today?"


    In the room''s shadow, an old man wearing a black robe with gray hair, raised his eyebrows in surprise seeing the suddenly appearing Baron Norman.


    The boy serving promptly hung a ''Closed for Business'' sign on the door and locked it.


    "Old friend, this time I''ve come to ask you to take action once," Norman said seriously, sitting across from the old man with graying hair.


    "Norman, you know I haven''t taken action in a long time,"


    "Of course, Adams, being one of the rare apprentices to specialize in spellbinding curses, I know the cost of asking you to act," Norman said in a grave voice.


    "This is the target, I hope you can resolve it quickly."


    Norman handed a thin binder over to the old man.


    ....


    After returning to the Crowley family estate, Rein, dressed in a silver-gray chromed iron suit of knightly plate armor, concluded the appointment ceremony amid the gazes and applause of the crowd.


    Next was a banquet filled with mingling and forming connections.


    However, at this moment, all Rein could think about was heading home early, as he had several tasks waiting for him, such as forging a blood-patterned steel warhammer and improving his Blacksmith Profession Level.


    Also, he needed to familiarize himself with the production process of the Mutant Growth Potion.


    Although Rein had bought the raw materials and understood the production process written in Akkadian, he still needed to study it carefully before actual production.


    Thus, Rein hurriedly made his way through the banquet and left under the wistful gazes of Lady Baroness Crowley and Jenny, heading back to his home in Flashgold Town.


    Before leaving, however, Jenny did share some good news with Rein��that her best friend, Agatha had ancient books written in Spiritscript (Akkadian).


    But Agatha had no way to remove the precious ancient books from the family library.


    It seemed the only feasible solution was for Rein to go with Jenny to visit and then read the books on site in the library, a possibility Agatha assured could be arranged.


    Rein immediately agreed and tentatively planned to visit the Wiggin family with Jenny in three days.


    .....


    Back on the carriage to Flashgold Town, Rein quietly contemplated.


    His goals were quite clear.


    He was now on the right path in his knightly pursuit, and it was just a matter of progressive enhancement from here on.


    However, if he could only rely on knightly skills, his means of dealing with the various strange enemies of this world would still be too limited.


    Not to mention, if that Endri''s spiritual power had been slightly higher and he could have cast a few more low-level witchcrafts, then both Rein and Hamilton, back in the Elim Mine, would have probably found themselves in big trouble.

 Chapter 186: Chapter 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Additionally, take for example the Black Flame Apostle whose body stretched like rubber, capable of suddenly elongating. If Rein hadn''t pinpointed the adversary''s weakness, relying purely on his greatsword to hack and slash, he would never have triumphed over his foe.It can be said that if it were not for Rein, had any other seasoned knight been in his place, they likely would have met their demise right there and then!


    On the other hand, it''s clear that the Black Flame Cult doesn''t merely have one Apostle-level expert; rather, they must have individuals or methods stronger than the Apostle level.


    Therefore, Rein felt that by rapidly improving the levels of other professional panels, such as Blacksmith and Dog Trainer, he could accumulate a certain amount of Skill Points and attribute points to enhance the combat effectiveness of his Wizard Apprentice.


    After all, even the might of a rudimentary touch-based witchcraft��the "Scorching Touch"��had amazed Rein.


    As for witchcraft, Rein believed that he could find some by continuously searching.


    Therefore, preparing Skill Points in advance wasn''t contradictory.


    Upon returning home, Rein discovered it was already ten o''clock.


    After giving it some thought, Rein decided to contact Lagaray tomorrow about forging a Warhammer. First, he organized the materials he had purchased that day, and then began his unwavering daily routine of practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and basic meditation.


    As soon as his practice ended, Rein swiftly fell asleep.


    Suddenly, just as he had drifted off, Rein jolted awake with a start.


    Just now, his level 3 danger perception had alerted him to an approaching threat.


    This caused Rein to immediately rise and investigate; peering through the window, he saw a mist slowly rising over Flashgold Town.


    At first glance, the emergence of mist on a night during Frost Moon seemed normal, but Rein keenly sensed that the mist was faintly black and was thickening at a visible rate.


    This instantly sent a chill through Rein''s heart.


    Without delay, he began to don his chromite suit of knight''s plate armor and slung the Glimmering Greatsword and bronze Warhammer over his shoulder.


    Just as Rein had fully armed himself, he observed that the mist outside the window had become so dense that it was impossible to see beyond ten meters.


    This mist is problematic!


    At the same time, the sense of danger in Rein''s heart grew increasingly intense.


    Thinking quickly, Rein hurried to his sister Bo He''s room, scooped her up from her sleep, and carried her downstairs.


    He rapidly knocked on his parents'' bedroom door.


    "Thump, thump, thump"


    "Who is it?" his mother Emma''s languid voice rang out, while his father, old Rein, was in a deep sleep, snoring loudly.


    "It''s me, mother, Rein."


    "Hm?" As Emma opened the door and saw Rein fully armored, she startled, instantly becoming wide awake from her grogginess.


    "Rein, what''s this?" Mother Emma''s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Rein holding his sister.


    "Mother, wake father up, and take care of Bo He."


    "There''s something off about the mist outside, stay in the room and don''t come out." After handing Bo He to his mother Emma, he pointed to the nearly pitch-black dense mist outside the window and explained.


    Emma took one look and sensed something amiss too.


    At that moment, the mist felt like tentacles, continuously and sinuously penetrating through the cracks of the door and windows��peculiarly exhibiting a faint black color.


    Suddenly, Rein''s inner alarm bells rang loudly!


    "Boom!!!"


    A pair of huge iron spikes, each a meter in diameter and spinning rapidly, plunged into the wall on one side of the kitchen, cutting through swiftly.


    The structure of Rein''s house couldn''t withstand such a forceful attack, and two large holes appeared immediately, with dirt flying and dust billowing. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ah!!" Mother Emma screamed in terror.


    "Quick, hide!" Rein pushed his mother aside and quickly locked the door. Your adventure continues at ��??


    He then took the Glimmering Greatsword from his back and charged out the door.


    Though the dense fog enveloped the outside, fighting in the confined space of the house was even less advantageous for Rein to wield two-handed weapons.


    Moreover, Rein wanted to see what exactly was launching the attack!


    The enemy''s rapidly spinning spikes stirred the thick fog, momentarily clearing the area and allowing Rein to get a basic view of his adversary.


    Rein''s pupils shrank drastically.


    What in the world is this monster!


    Before him appeared to be a giant metallic golem fashioned from metal, nearly three meters in height, resembling a large metal doll girl.


    What was strange was that the entity had a head shaped like a girl with closed eyes and twin ponytails, while the lower half was in the form of a cone-shaped skirt that tapered larger at the base. Its feet were two rapidly spinning wheels ablaze with black flames.


    At the ends of its two arms, instead of hands, were the rapidly spinning metal spikes that had just attacked the walls of Rein''s house.


    "Feet with Wind Fire Wheels, head with twin ponytails?"


    Rein was dumbfounded!

 Chapter 187: Chapter 143: The Trick to Defeating the Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Just as Rein was shocked that the attacker was actually a metal doll girl, the eerie doll seemed to immediately spot Rein standing nearby."Ga ga ga!"


    The metal doll''s wheels on its feet began to spin rapidly, adjusting the direction of its body, directing its pair of swiftly rotating spike wheels straight at Rein.


    As Rein''s expression turned stern and he braced himself for battle, suddenly, a sharp whistling noise erupted!


    The heavy metal puppet managed to accelerate to a jaw-dropping speed in the blink of an eye, charging at Rein with incredible velocity.


    Rein''s internal alarm bells rang loud, and he instinctively performed a sidelong roll to dodge the opponent''s ferocious strike.


    "Boom!!"


    The large metal puppet charged directly into a civilian house across the street, easily creating a huge hole in the wall of the house opposite Rein''s home.


    Screams erupted from within that household!


    Rein''s pupils shrank suddenly!


    Such a fast sprinting speed?


    It was even faster than the acceleration of a supercar from his previous life!


    How could the metal doll girl, with her heavy body and such a high drag coefficient, possibly sprint so fast? That''s unscientific!


    For the moment, Rein couldn''t figure out how the metal doll girl''s mechanism operated.


    But now was not the time for detailed thinking, he''d have to fight first!


    "Leap Slash!"


    Having activated ''Limit Break,'' Rein''s figure blurred as he leaped high, aiming for the metal doll girl''s relatively small neck, and brought his sword down heavily.


    "Clang!!"


    Sparks flew!


    The ear-piercing sound of metal clashing rang out, as if striking a large bell.


    Whatever metal the metal doll''s outer shell was made of, even the Glimmering Greatsword mixed with star iron cried out in agony, seemingly unable to withstand the intense force of the rebound.


    The shockwave almost caused Rein to lose his grip on the sword hilt!


    Rein''s expression changed once again.


    It was the first time he encountered an enemy that his Glimmering Greatsword, mixed with star iron, could not cut through.


    Though he had anticipated that this day would come eventually.


    But he didn''t expect it to come so soon, and moreover, that his enemy would not be a conventional biological creature, but rather a metal doll. Explore new worlds at ��??


    Of course, after a short exchange of blows, Rein didn''t come away empty-handed.


    After dodging the opponent''s two ultra-fast sprints, Rein noticed that the doll was relatively slower when adjusting its direction.


    So, for the time being, Rein could maintain a stalemate, neither winning nor losing.


    And this scene was also observed by a Dark Flame Acolyte lurking quietly nearby, who couldn''t help but smile.


    "Good swordsmanship? But what use is even the best swordsmanship if it can''t break through the defenses of an iron maiden doll?"


    "Once you run out of stamina, it''ll be the end for you," said the Dark Flame Acolyte, confident in the trap he''d orchestrated.


    "It''s a pity about Ashim, Andrews, and those other fools; they only knew how to fight head-on." Remembering his colleagues who died at Rein''s hand, the Dark Flame Acolyte shook his head slightly, lamenting.


    At that moment, the front door to Anna''s house burst open, as Lagaray, with a large shield in hand, dashed out agilely, seemingly intent on coordinating with Rein to take down the metal doll girl.


    Clearly, the commotion from the recent battle between Rein and the enemy was too great, awakening Anna and Lagaray.


    Realizing trouble, Rein immediately shouted, "Lagaray, get back inside!"


    "Whoosh!"


    Once the doll spotted Lagaray, it launched itself into a sprint directly at her!


    "Thump!"


    With just one strike, the metal doll shattered the solid shield in Lagaray''s hands with its swiftly spinning spike wheel, sending her flying four or five meters away. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, thanks to the blockage of the oak shield, Lagaray was not seriously injured.


    Only then did Lagaray realize just how potent the enemy''s attack power was that Rein was facing.


    Rein quickly grabbed Lagaray, pulling her behind him for protection, and out of necessity, he clashed against the metal doll girl''s high-speed spike wheel head-on.


    "Zi!!"


    Sparks scattered!


    Two small notches appeared on Rein''s Glimmering Greatsword, causing him great distress!


    However, Rein''s block provided Lagaray with the chance to return to Anna''s house and take cover.


    The battlefield was that of an experienced Knight; Lagaray''s abilities as a squire were a bit too weak.


    "Clang clang!!"


    Rein''s greatsword struck continuously at several potential weak points on the metal doll girl, to no avail.


    This forced Rein''s mind to work in overdrive.


    The next second, his eyes lit up!


    "Maybe I should try this method."


    So, under the puzzled gaze of the Dark Flame Acolyte, Rein suddenly sheathed his greatsword and took out the metal Warhammer from his back.


    "Eh! What''s he doing?"


    "According to investigation, Rein is also a Blacksmith, but using a hammer against the iron maiden doll? That''s an absolute joke!" the Dark Flame Acolyte looked on with disdain as Rein pulled out the bronze Warhammer.


    Anna, who was watching the fight through the window inside the room, looked on in astonishment as Rein took the large hammer from behind.


    Isn''t Rein skilled with the greatsword?


    Why would he switch to a hammer when facing a formidable opponent?


    Anna couldn''t understand it.


    Lagaray was even more perplexed, as Rein had only practiced Hammer Skill with her a few days ago.


    How much could his proficiency with the hammer have improved in just a few days?


    She was well aware of the huge gap between Rein''s swordsmanship and Hammer Skill.

 Chapter 188: Chapter 143: The Trick to Defeating the Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Could it be that Rein was avoiding damaging his beloved greatsword?Lagaray couldn''t help showing a worried expression.


    Rein, you fool, if the sword is damaged it can be reforged, but you only have one life!


    Just as Lagaray was about to remind him with her words, she saw Rein circling the Iron Maiden automaton, ''bang bang pang pang'' striking it a series of times.


    Although the banging sounds grew louder, it was clear they were not causing any damage to the Iron Maiden automaton.


    While the previous greatsword at least managed to create sparks against the automaton''s sturdy shell and even some scratches.


    Watching this scene unfurl, the figure in the black robe was also baffled?


    Logically speaking, Rein was not a fool.


    What is he doing?


    However, Rein''s eyes grew brighter and brighter. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He slowly found it!


    He found the key thing in defeating the opponent��the ''resonance frequency''!


    It''s just that the Strength he currently exerted was not enough!


    "Huge Strength!"


    With the activation of the Transcendent trait ''Huge Strength lv2,'' Rein''s Strength received another 60% increase, and his base limit-breaking already enhanced his Strength by 43%.


    That is to say, Rein''s Strength enhancement had reached 103%, jumping from 15 attribute points to 30.


    "Clang!!"


    A deafening strike resounded!


    Under the impact of 30 attribute points'' worth of Huge Strength, the Iron Maiden automaton was immediately knocked back, but its structure, akin to that of a weathervane, allowed it to quickly regain its balance.


    "Just using a Transcendent trait will work?


    "Heh heh, what a joke! We even had professionals in the church test it; even a Peak Knight can''t break the Iron Maiden!" The Black Flame monk watching from afar laughed upon witnessing this scene.


    "However, I can understand. A man in front of the girl he loves, knowing he is no match, still cannot admit defeat and struggles like a beast at bay."


    "Seems... it''s still not enough!" Rein also instantly realized.


    The resonance frequency of the Iron Maiden automaton''s shell was higher than he had anticipated.


    The huge clanging sound also attracted the Night Watchman patrolling through the thick fog, as they swiftly burst through it and headed toward the source of the noise.


    A trio of Night Watchmen in a night patrol squad promptly arrived at the scene of the skirmish between Rein and the Iron Maiden automaton.


    The raging battle had dispersed much of the dense fog around, so the trio immediately made out the fighting parties. One was the familiar Deputy of Public Security��Rein, and the other was a strange and eerie metal maiden automaton.


    "It''s Lord Rein!"


    "Quick, go help!"


    The trio immediately rushed to assist!


    "Don''t come over!" Rein, noticing this scene, immediately shouted a warning.


    But it was too late.


    "Boom!!"


    The Iron Maiden automaton''s arms, wielding giant one-meter diameter spiked wheels, suddenly accelerated into a sprint towards the trio!


    The three Night Watchmen were immediately struck mid-air with screams!


    Two were hit head-on by the spiked wheels, each pierced through from head to crotch with a row of spikes, and it was apparent they were beyond saving.


    The one in the middle was suddenly bound by a black, slender chain that appeared out of nowhere, and rapidly dragged toward the direction of the Iron Maiden automaton.


    "Creak!"


    The cylindrical skirt of the Iron Maiden automaton suddenly opened two iron doors, dragging the Night Watchman inside.


    Seconds later, from the base of the automaton''s cylindrical shape, ''pfft!'' a lump of red flesh was ejected.


    On the ground, there was now a puddle of mushy flesh, while the skin of the Night Watchman was peeled off in one complete piece.


    The two women in the house watched this scene in shock, then exchanged looks of disbelief while Anna involuntarily shrank closer to Lagaray.


    This was truly horrific!


    Who on earth could have created such an evil thing!


    Seeing his subordinates from the Night Watch be tragically killed, Rein''s expression turned stern, anger welling up in his heart, but soon after, his swift-moving footsteps suddenly faltered and slowed down.


    The Black Flame monk watching from a distance immediately showed an expression that seemed to have anticipated this.


    "Generally speaking, the duration of a Knight pushing their body to the limit isn''t very long, especially when also exerting a Transcendent trait."


    "Now it seems he''s out of strength and the state has worn off automatically!"


    "Heh heh, that kid Rein is done for!"


    ...


    Rein quickly glanced at the panel, and then, almost without thinking, chose to add an attribute point to Strength.


    As the remaining attribute points decreased from 2��1, his Strength also increased from 15 points��16 points.


    Suddenly, a warm flow emerged forcefully from his heart and quickly spread throughout his body!


    All at once, the muscle soreness and fatigue covering Rein''s body vanished without a trace!


    And why did he choose to add to Strength?


    That''s because Rein considered that the two secret techniques of the Tokkal Hammer Technique required a high degree of Strength, and relying solely on the Giant Bear Breathing Technique''s enhancement likely wouldn''t meet the criteria in the short term.


    Stay updated via ��??


    With the activation of the core Skill ''Strength Burst,'' Rein''s body was like a prehistoric behemoth suddenly awakening!


    The chromed iron plate armor wrapping his body was squeaking as it was squeezed by Rein''s expanding muscles.


    ''Limit Break,'' ''Huge Strength,'' and an additional fifty percent from ''Strength Burst''!


    Rein activated the ''Triple Stacked State''!


    "Clang!!"


    With Rein''s strike, the metal handle of the bronze Warhammer was significantly bent, like a fully drawn bowstring, while the Iron Maiden automaton was suddenly rattled, completely frozen in place.

 Chapter 189: Chapter 143: The Trick to Defeating an Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    This scene made the Blackflame cultivator''s eyes suddenly widen, and he couldn''t help but exclaim:"Wasn''t that kid completely drained of his strength? How the hell did he suddenly become full of energy again? This is impossible!!"


    "Damn it, this is unreal!"


    "However... this must be some kind of secret technique... Hmph... it''s just slowing down your march towards death by a bit!"


    Soon, the Blackflame cultivator seemed to think of something and instantly concocted a reasonable explanation.


    In addition, the thought of the Iron Maiden''s tremendous defensive power made his expression regain some calmness.


    "Clang! Clang! Clang!"


    The striking noises became denser and denser!


    For some reason, the Blackflame cultivator felt his heartbeat speeding up involuntarily in tune with Rein''s intense hammering.


    He vaguely sensed that something was amiss, but all of a sudden, he couldn''t pinpoint the crux of the problem!


    51%


    52%


    ...


    Rein was gradually increasing the level of his core skill ''Strength Burst.''


    He found it!


    Rein''s eyes suddenly lit up!


    A 52% ''Strength Burst'' combined with ''Limit Break'' and ''Huge Strength'' hammering, precisely triggered the maximum vibration of the Iron Maiden doll!


    That is to say, the resonance frequency was found!!


    Thus, Rein controlled the force of his blows and hammered away at the Iron Maiden with the intensity of hail!


    "Clang Clang Clang!!!"


    This time, the Iron Maiden''s body began to oscillate greatly and stiffen, completely incapable of countering Rein''s attacks!


    The next second, Rein withdrew his hammer and quietly watched the still buzzing Iron Maiden doll!


    At a distance, the Blackflame cultivator stood frozen, staring at this scene.


    He couldn''t understand why the Iron Maiden doll just stood there like it had malfunctioned, staying motionless as Rein hammered it like a live target, completely unaware of how to fight back!


    This made no sense at all!


    "Crack!"


    A crack suddenly appeared on the exquisitely metal face of the Iron Maiden doll, followed by the sound of something breaking, ''crack'', reverberating throughout its body!


    At that moment, Rein confidently stepped forward and lightly tapped it with another blow!


    "Crash!!!"


    The three-meter-tall Iron Maiden doll, like a giant vase, saw its previously indestructible shell shatter in an instant, revealing its true form.


    Inside, the metal walls were covered with skinned human faces, and shockingly, there was indeed a girl inside who had her eyes gouged out.


    Her entire body was impaled on a black iron rod, surrounded by strange black qi, seemingly in a frenzied, unconscious state, controlling the doll.


    Perhaps, the girl in this state didn''t even know what she was attacking!


    This scene immediately reminded Rein of his past life, where gamers wearing 3D glasses were immersed in the world of gaming��how similar it was to the sight before him.


    It seemed both were immersed in a fantasy world! Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this time, more Night Watchmen gathered around, and Hamilton rushed over from the administrative hall at the center of Flashgold Town. Upon seeing the scene, he exclaimed in shock, "It''s the Iron Maiden doll!"


    Only then did Rein realize that his previous reference as Iron Maiden was inaccurate; it should indeed have been Iron Maiden doll.


    Could it be that the girl with her eyes gouged out was a virgin?


    Otherwise, where did the term Iron Maiden come from?


    Rein shook his head slightly.


    Maybe, this question could be asked to Hamilton later.


    Off in the distance, the Blackflame cultivator''s face twitched as he finally realized that the mission, damn it, had actually failed!


    A mission that was almost impossible to fail had actually failed!


    Damn it!!


    As for why it failed?


    Up until now, he hadn''t figured it out!


    The Iron Maiden doll, with its tremendous defensive power, was somehow bizarrely smashed by Rein!


    All he could do was mutter to himself, "How is this possible... How can this be..."


    The next second, he finally snapped out of his shock, turned around, and walked away without looking back.


    As the Blackflame cultivator disappeared, the abrupt dark black fog around Flashgold Town also began to dissipate gradually.


    Under the dim moonlight, Rein could soon see Hamilton''s shocked face and the group of Night Watchmen.


    Just then, with a ''clatter'', the bronze Warhammer Rein was holding dropped its head to the ground.


    It seemed that the fierce battle had brought the brand new Warhammer forged just one day ago to its end!


    Fortunately, the bronze Warhammer had not been destroyed earlier during the fight.


    This showed, without doubt, the importance of a good weapon at times like this!


    "Rein, I didn''t expect you to have defeated the Iron Maiden doll," Hamilton approached, patting Rein''s shoulder approvingly.


    "This eerie thing has appeared several times within Meister County, causing a lot of casualties each time before leaving gracefully."


    "Mainly, it has an abnormally sturdy shell that''s very tough to deal with. Rein, how did you do it?" Hamilton inquired curiously.


    "Uh... this... erm..." Rein thought for a moment, at a loss on how to explain this ''resonance'' issue to Hamilton.


    Brother, you haven''t studied elementary physics, and I can''t just explain it all of a sudden.


    Rein thought to himself.


    "Every object has a specific frequency, and if you can grasp that frequency, you can use it to destroy the object," Rein said, selecting his words carefully.


    "Hmm? Frequency?" Hamilton looked puzzled. Experience exclusive tales on M V L


    But seeing Rein''s serious expression, he knew Rein wasn''t tricking him.

 Chapter 190: Chapter 143: The Trick to Defeating the Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "This...okay! Although I don''t know what you mean by ''frequency,'' it sounds quite magical!""By the way, Rein, what do you plan to do with the Iron Maiden automaton?"


    At this moment, the nearby Night Watchmen had already stepped forward, collecting the fragments that had fallen from the Iron Maiden.


    Meanwhile, Lagaray, Anna, and Rein''s parents had all come out of the house.


    The recent battle had caused considerable damage to Rein''s home, and since Anna''s house was right next door to Rein''s, it too had suffered collateral damage, with the structure of the house sustaining a certain degree of destruction!


    Lagaray picked up a metal fragment and said, "Rein, maybe you could use it to forge a warhammer."


    "Hmm?" Rein turned his head in confusion to look at Lagaray.


    "If I''m not mistaken, this puppet''s shell is made of rare hardened essence gold ingots, which have very high durability and strength, stronger than your blood-patterned steel, and more suited to making warhammers."


    "So, I''m also very curious, Rein, how did you manage to break through the automaton''s sturdy shell?" Lagaray''s beautiful eyes were fixed on Rein, filled with curiosity.


    Thus, Rein explained the concept of resonance to Lagaray once again.


    Confused listeners +1!


    However, Rein hadn''t expected that after destroying the Iron Maiden automaton, he would have this unexpected windfall!


    He had obtained forging materials even better than blood-patterned steel, which was a pleasant surprise indeed. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After thinking it over, Rein said to Hamilton, "Sir, I will keep a part of the Iron Maiden automaton''s shell to forge a warhammer, and the remaining framework and extra parts can be exchanged for merit points, how does that sound?"


    "A very sensible arrangement! The Empire''s Guild of Mysteries will certainly be interested in this automaton."


    "Perhaps, Rein, you may receive a substantial merit award this time!" Hamilton said with a smile.


    Overnight, Hamilton and the Night Watchmen hadn''t really rested well, as the events that had occurred here naturally had to be reported to the County Town at the earliest opportunity, and some of the frightened civilians also needed consoling.


    Indeed, this is the advantage of a deputy position!


    Let the person in charge handle everything.


    Rein told his sister, Bo He, to continue sleeping with their parents, and in addition, he asked Anna and Lagaray to rest in Bo He''s room on the second floor of his house.


    With everyone together, safety would be heightened, moreover, it made it easier for Rein to protect them.


    After returning to his own room, Rein began to review his Profession Panel and the system notifications:


    ...


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique of the Tokkal Hammer Technique: Earth-splitting Hammer!]


    ...


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved, experience +137]


    [Your skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has improved, experience +219]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience +97]


    At this time, Rein''s Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level had reached lv3 (389/500).


    The rapid rise was not only due to the experience reward from this battle but mainly stemmed from the time at Habsburg Manor, when he sparred with the two knights, Lloyd and Perez.


    Moreover, the ''cooperation'' of the two knights from the Crowley family played a part.


    Looking further down the Knight (Transcendent) panel, Rein saw his Tokkal Hammer Technique at lv3 (365/500) and fell into deep thought.


    In the recent battle, he had switched weapons, from the Glimmering Greatsword to a bronze warhammer.


    Therefore, having used two different combat skills, he saw improvements in both.


    Huh?


    A new Hammer Skill technique unlocked?


    It seemed that as soon as he had added points to his strength, he had successfully unlocked it.


    Immediately, the delighted Rein saw a brand-new icon on the Knight (Transcendent) panel, located just above ''Tokkal Hammer Technique'' and almost parallel to ''Rising Dragon Hammer''.


    The icon inside showed a muscular man in a different pose.


    He was seen holding a two-handed warhammer high above his head and striking down toward the ground with great force, creating a fan-shaped fractured area on the ground. It looked remarkably similar to the signature move of the mountain-digging monster��''Boulder Trample,'' truly robust and powerful!


    Your next journey awaits at M V L


    There was a line of small text in the lower right corner of the icon:


    Earth-splitting Hammer lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Uses a unique method of exerting force to swing the heavy hammer from above to strike the ground, delivering an impact with a shock force.


    (Note: Earth-splitting Hammer is a secret technique and cannot be directly improved with Skill Points.)


    (Earth-splitting Hammer lv2 requires the following conditions: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique lv6 or above (Hammer Specialty can offset some level requirements); two, Strength of at least 20 points, Constitution of at least 16 points, Agility of at least 14 points.)


    Rein then glanced at the ''Rising Dragon Hammer'' description and compared the two hammer technique secrets.


    He found that ''Earth-splitting Hammer'' had a higher requirement for strength, while ''Rising Dragon Hammer'' demanded more agility.


    Besides, the ''Rising Dragon Hammer'' wielded rotational power, whereas ''Earth-splitting Hammer'' delivered shock power, seeming more representative of hammer-type weapons!


    After considering, Rein decided that first thing tomorrow morning, he would craft the new warhammer together with Lagaray.


    As for the production of the mutating growth potion, it would have to be postponed.


    -----------------


    While Rein and Hamilton were dealing with the aftermath.


    Meist County City.


    In a room of a luxurious mansion.


    The Black Flame Monk who had returned from Flashgold Town was currently reporting to a tall, thin knight who stood over two meters tall.


    Up to this moment, the expression of the Black Flame Monk still seemed unnatural, as he was evidently still shaken by the scene of Rein shattering the Iron Maiden construct.


    "Hmm? How could it have failed? Could it be that someone else interfered? Was it that peace officer from Flashgold Town, Hamilton?" The tall, thin knight asked in quick succession upon hearing the news of the mission''s failure from the Black Flame Monk.


    Surprise and confusion were evident in his voice.


    "This... Rein is not only skilled in swordsmanship but also in hammer skills!" the Black Flame Monk pondered briefly before explaining.


    He was still trying to figure out how to clearly describe what he had witnessed.


    However, after much thought, he could not come up with a proper explanation and could only attribute it to Rein''s exquisite hammer skills.


    Even to him, this explanation didn''t seem very convincing.


    "Skilled in hammer skills? What does that have to do with anything? Don''t tell me that Rein smashed the Iron Maiden construct with a hammer!" The tall, thin knight looked at the Black Flame Monk as if he was looking at a fool.


    Ironically, that was exactly what had happened!


    But of course, that wasn''t something the Black Flame Monk could admit aloud.


    "Well... how should I put it? I am not entirely clear on the specifics, but what I saw was indeed Rein shattering the Iron Maiden construct with a hammer," the Black Flame Monk said, spreading his hands.


    He remembered the scene, and it indeed looked as effortless as smashing a vase when Rein broke the Iron Maiden construct to pieces.


    After listening to the reasons given by the other party, the tall, thin knight''s tone suddenly rose, clearly filled with anger, and he said:


    "Lamar! Do you think that reason you just gave is credible? How am I supposed to explain this to the High Priest!


    "Do you have any idea how many expensive materials are needed to create an Iron Maiden construct? How could it possibly be smashed by a knight, even if it is a Peak Knight!


    "Am I supposed to tell the High Priest that actually, that Rein is a Great Knight?


    "This..." Faced with the tall, thin knight''s retort, the Black Flame Monk named Lamar was suddenly at a loss for words and didn''t know how to explain further.

 Chapter 192: Chapter 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Mother Emma was taken aback, seemingly recalling the scene, and couldn''t help but nod."Rein, regarding this matter, your mother and I will follow your arrangements!" Father Old Rein finally managed to get these words out after listening for a long time, but that settled the matter.


    "Brother, when are we moving?" Sister Bo He, who was standing nearby, curiously asked.


    For a child, as long as the family is together, moving to a new home is actually a joyous occasion.


    "I''ve already asked Matteo to look into it. If all goes well, we can move by the afternoon. Father, Mother, you should pack up in the morning, I need to go to the blacksmith''s shop for a while."


    "After I come back, we''ll move." Rein said indulgently as he fondly patted his sister Bo He''s head.


    "Mhm, then I''ll help Sister Anna pick the winter rape... It''s a pity, they haven''t grown up yet." Bo He recalled the winter rape she and Anna had planted in the yard, obviously reluctant to leave them.


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    After discussing with his family, Rein then went upstairs and mentioned the moving plans to Anna and Lagaray, and both women readily agreed.


    For Anna, being with Rein was naturally a good thing, and she had no reason to object.


    And Lagaray... Find your next read on M V L


    She had no house in Flashgold Town, so naturally, she could only follow Rein or Anna.


    After contacting regarding the moving plans, Rein called Lagaray to go to Boris''s blacksmith shop, carrying a large bag of metal fragments from the automatons originating from the Ironworks.


    That was the rare material Lagaray had spoken of��Hardened Essence Gold.


    However, just as they stepped outside, Lagaray suddenly stopped Rein, frowning and said, "Rein, I might have overlooked a problem, and it might not be easy to resolve."


    "This Hardened Essence Gold is hard to smelt, it requires a very high temperature, and if we use the same small town blacksmith shop as last time, I don''t think I can smelt it."


    "Hmm?" Rein frowned upon hearing this.


    That was indeed a problem.


    But the next second, an idea flashed through Rein''s mind.


    "Maybe I have a solution."


    "I''ll try it in a while, and if that doesn''t work, there''s another place that has a high furnace, we can go there." Rein said with a smile.


    Lagaray looked at Rein and, rather than expressing doubt, she nodded trustingly.


    It seemed that the words of a strong individual carried higher credibility.


    Soon, they arrived at the blacksmith shop.


    As soon as Rein entered the blacksmith shop, he noticed that several apprentices hadn''t been here for a while.


    Seeing Rein enter, Boris showed a happy smile, but his expression changed when he saw Lagaray, and said:


    "Rein, long time no see! You didn''t come today to use my shop again, did you?"


    "Uncle Boris, you guessed right. Today we''re going to be a bother again." Rein said with a smile.


    Boris showed a wry smile, turned to his apprentices, and bellowed, "You rascals, you should thank Rein, you get another day off, scatter!"


    After Boris chased the apprentices away, he walked up to Rein and whispered, "Rein, I''ve heard that a new deputy sheriff has arrived in town, and they say he looks a lot like you, have you heard about it?"


    Upon hearing Boris''s words, Lagaray couldn''t help but laugh out loud.


    "That... Uncle Boris, that''s actually me!" Rein said, slightly embarrassed.


    "Huh? It''s you?" Boris looked Rein over suspiciously, patted his shoulder, and added:


    "Don''t joke with your uncle, but it''s good that you have that ambition!"


    Rein was taken aback and couldn''t help shaking his head in resignation.


    Then, it seemed Boris thought of something, locked the blacksmith shop''s main door and hung up a ''Closed'' sign.


    Afterward, he came back and eagerly said to Rein, "So, what are we forging today? I can help."


    Having said that, he frequently glanced at Lagaray by Rein''s side.


    "This... Uncle Boris, today''s forging probably can''t have spectators." Rein glanced at Lagaray as he spoke.


    "Huh? Oh... alright!" Boris, assuming it was Lagaray''s wish, said with slight regret.


    However, when Rein handed Boris a small bag of gold coins, his face quickly lit up with a smile.


    After Boris left, only Lagaray and Rein were left in the blacksmith shop.


    "Rein, you just said you had a way to smelt this?" Lagaray pointed at the large bag of Hardened Essence Gold fragments, curiously asking.


    Rein nodded.


    "Yeah, you handle the smelting, and I''ll go make a clay mold for the two-handed warhammer."


    "Okay, I''ll give it a try."


    "Right, Rein, what style of warhammer do you want?" It seemed Lagaray remembered something, and she turned back and asked just as she was stepping away.


    "What are the usual styles of hammers?"


    Rein suddenly realized that he didn''t need to stick to the previous style of the Bronze Warhammer. His previous bronze warhammer had flat sides on the hammerhead, primarily relying on tremendous shock impact to damage the enemy.


    "Generally speaking, knights use Morningstar Hammers or spiked warhammers more often." Lagaray thought for a moment and said.


    "Morningstar Hammer?" Rein couldn''t immediately recall this style of hammer.


    However, he was familiar with the spiked warhammer; one side of the hammer was flat, and the other side had spikes, designed specifically for armor penetration.

 Chapter 193: Chapter 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    ```"Hmm, the head is round, and fit it with multiple metal spikes... a bit like a mace," Lagaray briefly sketched with her hands.


    With that said, Rein quickly understood!


    Rein concentrated, lost in thought.


    He possessed the secret hammer skill, ''Earth-splitting Hammer,'' and obviously, using the Morningstar Hammer to perform it wasn''t quite suitable.


    By comparison, a spiked hammer with one flat end would be most appropriate. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The spiked end could utilize the secret skill ''Rising Dragon Hammer'' with its rotational force, strengthening armor penetration!


    And the flat end could deploy the secret skill ''Earth-splitting Hammer,'' further enhancing shock damage!


    "Lagaray, let''s go with the spiked warhammer," Rein decided.


    "Alright!"


    Just as Lagaray was about to turn and leave again, Rein called out to her.


    "Wait!" Rein suddenly thought of something.


    He quickly grabbed a charcoal pencil and sketched a few lines on the parchment scroll.


    Then, Rein handed the parchment scroll to Lagaray, saying, "Could you make a warhammer like this? It''s also a kind of variation of the spiked warhammer."


    "The head will keep one flat side unchanged, while the spiked side will resemble the Morningstar Hammer, fitted with multiple spikes," explained Rein.


    "It''s not a problem to make it, but..." Lagaray gave Rein a peculiar look and said.


    "Don''t you think this design makes the hammer look like a wild boar''s head?"


    "The spiked end, with all those spikes, looks just like the bristles on a boar''s head."


    Lagaray seriously doubted Rein''s aesthetic judgment.


    Hehe!


    It seems his sketching groundwork isn''t bad at all.


    Right, this is the classic boar head hammer! Rein thought to himself.


    "Hmm, the boar head hammer, quite vivid! The perfect combination of Morningstar Hammer and spiked warhammer, isn''t it?"


    Continue reading at M V L


    "However, I have a better-sounding name in mind, ''Unyielding Force!'' What do you think?" Rein said with a smile.


    "Unyielding Force, you... alright, whatever makes you happy! I''ll go make the mold then." Lagaray rolled her eyes at Rein, saying helplessly.


    At the very least, she couldn''t comprehend Rein''s aesthetics and... his choice of name.


    While Lagaray went to craft the clay mold for the warhammer, Rein placed the pieces of Hardened Essence Gold into the blazing blacksmith''s furnace.


    But obviously, the furnace that struggled to smelt regular iron ore certainly couldn''t melt chunks of Hardened Essence Gold.


    Even if Rein pumped the bellows vigorously, it was of no use.


    The method Rein had in mind, of course, wasn''t this.


    He focused his attention on the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel and added a Skill Point to the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch.''


    Although the two remaining Skill Points were originally saved to break through limits to face formidable enemies.


    But Rein considered that if he successfully forged the warhammer, his Blacksmith Profession Level would most likely increase.


    In that case, the Skill Points remaining after leveling would return to two, and it wouldn''t affect anything.


    Of course, the main purpose of adding the point was to verify Rein''s previous conjecture: whether the power of the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'' was linked not only to spiritual power but also to its Skill Level?


    With the addition of that one Skill Point, Rein''s mind filled with fragmented memories of practicing the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch.''


    It was as if he had been training in ''Scorching Touch'' day and night for months.


    Soon, Rein found that he could omit several syllables from the original spell.


    In other words, the chanting speed increased!


    Coming back to his senses, Rein refocused on the ''Scorching Touch'' icon, and saw that the line of text below it had quietly changed.


    Scorching Touch lv2 (5/300)


    Effect of Scorching Touch lv2: Consumes a certain amount of Spirit, channels the surrounding fire elemental particles with a specific witchcraft model, producing high-temperature damage within a certain range in front of the host''s palm.


    (Note: The casting time is 2.4 seconds, power is proportional to the duration and the host''s Spirit, the closer the contact distance, the greater the power. Current effective killing distance: 0~0.5 meters.)


    Huh?


    Rein sharply noticed the change in the system''s description.


    The casting time had been reduced from the original 3 seconds to 2.4 seconds, a nearly 20% decrease, probably due to the compression of spell syllables.


    However, what Rein was most concerned about, the power aspect, seemed to have remained unchanged.


    This made Rein a bit frustrated.


    It seems that the power of witchcraft still depends on Spirit, while proficiency only affects the speed of casting witchcraft.


    Upon reflection, Rein found it quite reasonable.


    Since the witchcraft model is fixed, how could the power increase with proficiency if the consumed Spirit remains constant?


    If it could, then it would lead to a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, through long-term practice, casting a very powerful witchcraft, which obviously isn''t possible.


    Of course, there might be other methods to enhance the power of witchcraft.


    But for now, what Rein could do seemed to be limited to increasing Spirit to boost the power of witchcraft.


    Indeed, for Wizards or Wizard Apprentices, Spirit is fundamental!


    However, the fact that adding points can increase the casting speed of witchcraft is extremely valuable in combat.


    What does nearly half a second faster in casting witchcraft mean in actual combat?


    It goes without saying!


    After some thought, Rein decided to first verify whether the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'' could aid in melting the Hardened Essence Gold with the blacksmith''s furnace.


    ```

 Chapter 194: Chapter 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Rein raised both hands, hovering them about thirty centimeters above the blacksmithing forge. Then, he softly began to chant a spell. Stay tuned to M V LThe time it took for him to perform his witchcraft this time was clearly much shorter than before. In just over two seconds, a red glow emerged from Rein''s palms.


    Rein could clearly feel that the stray fire energy particles around him were rapidly converging in front of his palms.


    Suddenly, the already roaring flames of the furnace surged even higher!


    It was evident that the furnace temperature was quickly rising due to the enhancement of Rein''s witchcraft, "Scorching Touch".


    It''s working!


    A thrill of joy rose in Rein''s heart!


    Since "Scorching Touch" was a channeling type of witchcraft, maintaining stable channeling would continuously gather the stray fire energy particles around him.


    Soon, the temperature inside the blacksmith''s forge reached over two thousand degrees.


    The fragments of Hardened Essence Gold that had been bright red at the start began to shine more brightly and soften, melting like wax soon thereafter.


    So, when Lagaray came in carrying two clay molds, she witnessed a scene that left her astonished.


    However, by that time, Rein had already stopped casting "Scorching Touch", so Lagaray didn''t see Rein performing the witchcraft.


    Of course, this was intentional on Rein''s part.


    As for his ability in witchcraft, it seemed wiser to keep it a secret for now.


    "Rein, you...."


    After snapping back to reality, Lagaray immediately placed the prepared clay molds beneath the forge''s spout.


    As the molten liquid Essence Gold slowly flowed into the clay molds, Lagaray covered them and waited for them to solidify slowly and cool down.


    Rein took the opportunity to glance at the system notifications:


    [You have performed Hardened Essence Gold smelting work, related insights have increased!]


    [You have gained a new skill��Smelting Hardened Essence Gold]


    [Your skill in Smelting Hardened Essence Gold has improved, Experience +76]


    [You focused on Smelting Hardened Essence Gold, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +48]


    ...


    Indeed, the experience reward was generous!


    Not long after, Lagaray dismantled the clay cast, and a rough Hardened Essence Gold Warhammer was born from the mold.


    It''s just that the spikes on the pointed end of the hammerhead needed to be reattached.


    The pointed end was riddled with holes, while the flat end merely needed a bit of grinding to finish off.


    The twenty to thirty centimeter long metal spikes, now cooled in another clay mold, were ready for Lagaray.


    Lagaray began to insert the metal spikes, padded with metal sheets, into the holes of the hammerhead, then returned it to the forge for an integrated melting process.


    What followed were the more delicate tasks.


    Such as grinding, adding grooves to the hammer handle, improving the grip''s friction, and so on.


    Typically, if the Warhammer''s wielder was below the Transcendent level, a combination of a wooden handle with a metal hammerhead was commonly used, being light enough for ordinary people to handle.


    But for a Knight (Transcendent) using the Warhammer, naturally, an integrated metal handle with a metal hammerhead was preferred��though it added weight, more importantly, it increased the weapon''s durability and strength.


    [You have performed forging work on the Two-Handed Warhammer, related insights have increased!]


    [You have gained a new skill��Two-Handed Warhammer Forging]


    ...


    [Your skill in Two-Handed Warhammer Forging has improved, Experience +1]


    [You focused on Two-Handed Warhammer Forging, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +2]


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    [Congratulations, your Blacksmith Profession Level has increased!]


    Looking at the Blacksmith Profession Level, which hadn''t increased for a long time and now was at Blacksmith lv4 (0/1000), Rein couldn''t help but smile.


    His remaining attribute points and Skill Points had both returned to a status of two points each.


    Just then, a familiar voice came from outside the blacksmith''s shop.


    "Is the Deputy Commander there?"


    It was Matteo at the door.

 Chapter 195: Chapter 145: The Old Grandpa Visits (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    "Matteo, come in,"As soon as Matteo had walked into the blacksmith shop, he instantly noticed the brand new Two-Handed Warhammer in the hands of the barbarian girl Lagaray; the Warhammer was nearing completion and was in the process of being polished.


    Matteo''s eyes immediately widened, staring transfixed at the dense spikes on the top of the hammerhead!


    He had never before seen such an exaggerated, even ''ferocious'' design for a hammerhead.


    "Lieutenant, this... this black Warhammer, is it your new weapon?" Since Matteo had been present at last night''s attack by the Iron Maiden automaton, he knew that Rein''s bronze Warhammer had shattered, so he asked.


    "Yes, how is it, Lagaray''s craftsmanship is not bad, right!" Rein, too, was looking at the ''hog''s head hammer'' with a satisfied expression.


    "Yeah! It''s really impressive!"


    "Sir, how heavy is this Warhammer? It looks very heavy!" Matteo, quite interested, walked around the Warhammer that was being polished and asked after a careful inspection.


    "Uh... this..." Rein only felt that the hog''s head hammer should weigh over a hundred pounds, much heavier than the Glimmering Greatsword.


    But the exact weight, he really didn''t know.


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    "It''s almost one hundred fifty pounds!" said Lagaray, the barbarian girl polishing the Warhammer, rolling her eyes at Rein.


    Her expression seemed to say, as the owner of the hammer, not even knowing the weight of his Warhammer.


    "Hisss~" Matteo couldn''t help but suck in a breath of cold air, his eyes widening again!


    One could hardly imagine the effect of a spiked Warhammer weighing nearly one hundred fifty pounds, should its point strike a human body!


    Terrifying! Terrifying!


    "By the way, Matteo, have you found a house yet?" Rein turned to look at Matteo and asked.


    It was only then that Matteo remembered the purpose of his visit to the blacksmith shop; he slapped his forehead and said, "Oh! Right, sir, I''ve checked out a few houses near the town administration hall, and I think there are two that should meet your requirements."


    "If it''s convenient, sir, we can go and take a look now."


    "Okay! Let''s go take a look now," Rein nodded.


    He wanted to settle the matter of the house quickly so that he could get his parents to start moving.


    Additionally, the creation of the Warhammer only needed a final touch, and staying around wasn''t going to gain him much blacksmithing experience.


    Immediately afterwards, Rein said to Lagaray, "I''ll step out for a bit to check out the house, the rest is hard work for you."


    But Rein had just taken a step when he seemed to remember something, quickly turning around, he said, "Oh, right, how about using the blood-vein steel ingots to craft a shield?"


    Lagaray paused at this, stopping her work and looking up at Rein with her beautiful eyes, "That would certainly suit well."


    Rein nodded, smiling and saying, "Then I will go back home later and bring you the blood-vein steel ingots; remember to craft a new shield for yourself."


    "This..."


    Lagaray looked at Rein thoughtfully, initially wanting to decline, but then she hesitated.


    "No, it''s too precious. Besides, a single shield wouldn''t need that many blood-vein steel ingots..." Lagaray shook her head.


    However, before Lagaray could finish, Rein interrupted her.


    Rein waved his hand, saying, "Don''t refuse. In last night''s battle, your oak shield was damaged. Without a shield, you can''t perform at your best."


    "If there are surplus blood-vein steel ingots, then make a blood-vein steel shield for me as well." Rein looked at Lagaray seriously.


    This caused Lagaray to blush slightly and she lowered her head a bit.


    "Also, if the church''s troops arrive in a couple of days and we go to the Nightingale Forest, without a shield..." Rein shrugged.


    Rein''s last words made Lagaray stop declining; she nodded, "Okay! Then I won''t be shy, Rein, thank you."


    Smiling, Rein left the blacksmith shop.


    Upon stepping out, Rein decided he would first go with Matteo to view the house.


    Because once it was decided, he could have his parents start moving, and along the way, he could also go home to fetch the blood-vein steel ingots.


    "Matteo, which one shall we see first?" Rein asked.


    "Sir, the first house we are going to see belonged to the pie shop owner Makoff Delgado,"


    "Makoff was a good man, but unfortunately, his whole family died in the church, killed in the Cult''s ritual." Matteo briefly explained the background of the house. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The pie shop owner?" Rein''s brow lifted, as if he remembered something.


    "The one not far from Abel''s potion shop?"


    "You know of it, sir? Yes, that''s the one," Matteo initially showed surprise, but then it seemed natural to him that Makoff and Rein were both from Flashgold Town and they knew each other.


    Rein of course knew the pie shop well.


    He had often bought meat pies there; Makoff''s meat pies were one of his sister Bo He''s favorite pies, second only to the meat pies made by their mother Emma.


    Shortly after, the two arrived in front of the first house, a two-and-a-half-story residence just over a hundred meters from the Flashgold Town administration hall.


    The house had an independent fence, and there were small yards both in front and in the back, but the front yard alone was much larger than Rein''s family''s front yard.


    Also, there were quite a few flowers planted in the front yard, with barely any weeds around, indicating that the original owner Makoff and his family regularly took care of it.


    Rein nodded slightly; the yard seemed very suitable for digging around, and he believed his sister Bo He would most certainly like it.

 Chapter 196: Chapter 145: The Old Grandpa Visits (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    After making a simple round about the house, Rein noticed that there was a backyard behind the house, slightly smaller than the front yard.Looking at it, the overall layout of the house was very similar to Rein''s own home, only that it was much larger in terms of land area, nearly double.


    Knowing that Rein would come to inspect the house, Matteo had already prepared the keys ahead of time.


    "Click!" Matteo took the initiative to open the front door.


    As the door opened, Rein walked inside and saw that the decor was quite new and, most importantly, it was spacious.


    The ground floor consisted of a dining and kitchen area and a living room with a fireplace, while the second floor had four bedrooms plus a storage room. Described as a storage room, it was currently empty, only furnished with a few simple tables and chairs.


    Additionally, there was a spacious basement on the lower level, which could be used to store some perishable vegetables, grains, or even wine.


    The house''s overall structure was rational and at least two or three grades better than Rein''s current home.


    Rein nodded slightly.


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    It was a very nice house, and he was quite satisfied with it.


    "Matteo, how much is this house?"


    "Two hundred and eighty gold coins, ready for transfer at any time."


    "Okay, this one it is."


    "My lord, don''t you want to take a look at the other house?" Matteo couldn''t help but ask with curiosity.


    He thought the other house was quite nice too, and it even had a separate stable.


    "No need." Rein shook his head.


    Rein had his reasons for choosing this place; Matteo had also briefly mentioned that the other house was located to the east of the town center, further from Abel''s potion shop, and even further from the town hall.


    "Matteo, come back home with me first, then you can help my parents with the transfer process," Rein said.


    "Very well, my lord."


    On their way back, they soon passed by Abel''s potion shop, where, unlike usual, Rein noticed from a distance that the shop''s door was kept tightly shut.


    This couldn''t help but puzzle Rein.


    Usually, even if the potion shop was busy, either Abel or Molly would be there.


    Shutting the shop like this was a rare occurrence.


    However, having matters at hand, Rein naturally had no inclination to inquire further.


    After returning home, Rein briefly informed his parents of the situation and handed the purse containing three hundred Imperial gold coins to his mother, Emma, before sending them off with Bo He to handle the transfer procedures with Matteo.


    Meanwhile, Rein took ten ingots of blood-patterned steel and headed back to the blacksmith shop.


    As soon as he entered, Rein saw Lagaray swinging a brand-new pig-headed hammer, though her movements appeared sluggish, clearly requiring great effort!


    Seeing Rein come in, Lagaray smiled.


    "Rein, you''ve arrived just in time! I''ve just finished the last process. Try out your new weapon," she said as she handed the pig-headed hammer to Rein.


    As soon as Rein took it, he felt the weight of the dark pig-headed hammer; it was rather heavy in his hand.


    But after Lagaray had increased the texture on the handle and the binding ropes, the grip felt good, and it was convenient to swing with either one hand or both hands.


    Immediately with the new weapon in hand, Rein happily went to the blacksmith shop''s open-air backyard to swing it around.


    After executing a few hammer skills, the pig-headed hammer felt quite comfortable to use.


    The only small issue was the weight of the hammer; being made entirely of hardened essence gold, it was heavier than Rein had expected, which slowed down the swinging speed during attacks slightly.


    But after a moment''s deliberation, Rein didn''t see it as a major problem.


    After all, in the face of a powerful foe, he would inevitably be in a ''second state'' or ''third state'' form.


    Having added a bit of strength earlier, Rein''s knight (Transcendent) panel strength limit had now increased to 45%.


    Just activating ''Limit Break,'' with strength, agility, and stamina amplified by 45%, turned the somewhat heavy pig-headed hammer into a very handy one.


    And once at full power, Rein estimated the hammer would even feel a bit light.


    This was an issue that he couldn''t address at the moment.


    After all, there was a significant difference between Rein''s physical condition when erupting in power and when not.


    "How is it, are you satisfied?" Lagaray, observing Rein demonstrate with the hammer, asked with a smile.


    "Very satisfied, Lagaray, thank you."


    "Good! Then I''m off to make the clay mold for the shield. By the way, what size do you want your shield?" Lagaray asked.


    "Uh... If there''s enough blood-patterned steel ingots, the same size as yours will do, but if there isn''t enough, a slightly smaller size is also fine," said Rein after thinking for a moment.


    After all, to him, shields were hardly ever used; it could be kept as a spare for Lagaray.


    "Okay!" Lagaray nodded, knowing well that Rein almost never used a shield. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While Lagaray was off making the clay mold, Rein placed the ten ingots of blood-patterned steel into the blacksmith furnace.


    Following the method from last time, Rein used witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'' to melt all the blood-patterned steel ingots into a liquid state.


    It wasn''t long before Lagaray entered with the clay mold.


    Given her previous experience, she wasn''t too surprised by the speed of the blood-patterned steel ingots melting and placed the mold at the furnace''s outlet. Opening the valve, Rein watched the blood-patterned steel liquid slowly pour into the mold''s pouring hole.


    Rein also glanced at the system prompt and was delighted:


    [You have performed blood-patterned steel smelting, improving related comprehension!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Smelting Blood-Patterned Steel]

 Chapter 197: Chapter 145: The Old Man Comes Knocking (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    [Your skill in Smelting Blood-Patterned Steel has improved, Experience +72][You focused on smelting Blood-Patterned Steel ingots, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +39]


    ...


    [You undertook shield forging work, related comprehension has improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill �� Shield Forging]


    ...


    [Your skill in Shield Forging has improved, Experience +2]


    [You focused on Shield Forging, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +3]


    ...


    With Lagaray by his side, his Profession Level as a Blacksmith was always able to increase quickly!


    An hour later, Lagaray held the brand-new Blood-Patterned Steel Shield, her face alight with joy!


    Matteo glanced at his Blacksmith Profession Level, although the system''s experience reward was still generous, since he had just leveled up his Blacksmith profession, it was currently at Blacksmith lv4 (329/1000).


    When Matteo and Lagaray returned, they found that Matteo had brought along quite a few Night Watchmen, who were already helping with the move.


    And Anna, standing to the side, seemed to have started packing clothes too, probably notified by her sister Bo He.


    Soon, Matteo and Lagaray joined the moving army.


    -----------------


    Meanwhile.


    In Meist County City.


    Inside the study of the Norman Baron''s family estate, a conversation between father and son was in progress.


    "Father, the person you contacted this time, won''t there be an issue like last time with the Black Sail Pirates?" Dennis stood next to his father, Baron Norman, his expression tinged with worry, as he inquired.


    Ever since hearing that that ''lowborn'', that farmer''s son he completely looked down upon, Rein, had become a Transcendent Knight before him, he had been extremely irritable.


    A ''lowborn'' had just turned his life around like that?


    Wouldn''t he become a noble just like him after passing the ennoblement assessment?


    Just thinking about the possibility of such an event occurring, the frustration and envy in his heart almost completely overwhelmed Dennis.


    That''s why Dennis took the initiative to visit his father, Baron Norman��whom he normally feared��to inquire about the situation.


    "The one taking action this time is an old friend of mine, a third-grade Wizard Apprentice specializing in Witchery Curses, Adams Nolan. His methods of killing are very tricky, and I can hardly see how Rein would have any chance of escaping fate."


    Baron Norman''s right hand rhythmically tapped the armrest of the luxurious calf leather armchair.


    Dennis knew that this was a habit of his father''s, reflecting a certain confidence in controlling the situation.


    That immediately set his mind at ease.


    Although he had heard of the strength of a third-grade Wizard Apprentice, he didn''t understand what the Witchery Curses specialty entailed.


    But judging by his father''s demeanor, there should be great assurance.


    "Adams once had the feat of killing three Peak Knights in a row in battle!"


    "Additionally, I''ve heard he has a record of killing a Great Knight. Although Adams has never directly confirmed this rumor, I suspect it is true."


    "Because I also knew that Great Knight, but then he disappeared and, as I heard, never reappeared."


    "Although Adams failed to advance to a Witchery Curses Master a few years ago, reducing his strength, having him handle Rein, I think, shouldn''t be a problem at all, even with Rein''s exceptional Knight talent."


    Baron Norman spoke slowly.


    Each word from the Baron was like a hammer strike upon Dennis''s heart.


    Driving away the restlessness and envy there!


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    He hadn''t expected that his father''s friend would be so formidable!


    Dennis''s face flushed with excitement, his heart trembling more than it even did when behaving recklessly with Tina!


    ...


    -----------------


    Flashgold Town.


    Rein''s new home.


    After several hours of relocation, with the help of many Night Watchmen subordinates, the entirety of the moving process was essentially completed.


    Rein, seeing everyone busily sweating at work, paused to think, then decided to invite the Night Watchman colleagues for a meal in the evening to express his gratitude.


    So, he asked his mother Emma to go to the market to buy some meat like chicken, duck, fish, vegetables, and fruits, and his father, the senior Rein, to purchase some good barley and fruit wines.


    Regarding the old house''s refurbishment, Rein entrusted Matteo to find someone to fix it up and then put it on sale directly afterwards.


    After sorting out these trivial matters, Rein looked at the empty storeroom on the second floor, lost in thought.


    Shortly after, Rein walked out of his house and headed to Abel''s closed Potion Shop.


    Peering through the gap in the door to make sure no one was inside, Rein circled halfway around to the residential entrance at the back of Abel''s Potion Shop and knocked on the door.


    "Who is it?" A very hoarse voice asked, but Rein could recognize it as the voice of the Pharmacist, Abel, immediately.


    "It''s me, Rein."


    "Creak!"


    The door opened, and a tall, gaunt figure with bloodshot eyes and disheveled hair appeared before Rein, who was taken aback by the sight. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thankfully, Rein''s heightened senses allowed him to identify the familiar presence as undoubtedly Pharmacist Abel.


    "You... are you Mr. Abel?"


    "How did you��?" Rein couldn''t help but ask.


    Abel looked up with his bloodshot eyes at Rein, saying only one phrase.


    "Molly''s dead..."


    "Ah? How did Molly die?" Rein was startled and quickly asked.


    The Molly he remembered, who was newly married and both beautiful and gentle, had died at the young age of twenty?


    Rein''s heart suddenly filled with a sense of life''s fragility.


    At the same time, he realized just how precious it was for his family to be safe together.

 Chapter 198: Chapter 145 Grandpa Visits (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    Additionally, Reine instantly understood why Abel had become like this.The pain of losing a beloved spouse must be absolutely heart-wrenching!


    "Last week, Molly was killed by a cultist while she was at church,"


    "What!" Reine''s pupils contracted, he hadn''t expected that among the people who died at the church last week, Molly would be one of them.


    "Reine, you came this time...?"


    Reine mumbled hesitantly, knowing it was not the right time to speak up, but after thinking it over, he said, "Mr. Abel, I would like to learn how to make potions..."


    Abel waved his hand dismissively, "I''m not in the mood to make potions right now, let alone teach you."


    "However... if you really want to learn, you could try self-study."


    Abel took a journal from the room and said, "This contains some of my experiences in potion-making. If you truly have the talent, it should be of some help to you."


    Reine immediately took it, feeling a bit disappointed but expecting as much.


    This was an unassuming black notebook with a leather cover that looked quite old in terms of material.


    Furthermore, the surface of the black leather was stained with various colorful potions and the notebook was emitting an uncomfortable odor, likely due to the potion residues.


    But seeing how Abel treasured it, this notebook must contain his hard work.


    If it weren''t for the fact that Abel was devastated, Reine guessed that he probably wouldn''t have allowed him to have it.


    "Mr. Abel, thank you very much!"


    After some thought, Reine added, "Mr. Abel, if Molly was still with us, she wouldn''t want to see you in despair. I hope you can pull yourself together and continue to live well."


    ...


    After leaving Abel''s place, Reine went to the general store to purchase some basic apparatus for potion making.


    Then, Reine returned to the storage room on the second floor of his new home, ready to try his hand at making a mutation growth potion.


    At the same time...


    At the entrance of Reine''s old home, an old man in a black robe and holding a wooden cane arrived. The old man wore a hood, and his face was not visible.


    Looking at Reine''s old home, now deserted, a hint of confusion appeared on the old man''s face.


    He thought to himself that Norman''s work was becoming increasingly unreliable.


    However...


    He quickly spotted a Night Watchman dressed in uniform leather armor entering Reine''s home, seeming to move something. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The old man approached and asked, "Young man, does Reine live here?"


    "Oh, you know the Deputy Commander? Lord Reine has moved. Would you like me to take you there?" asked the young Night Watchman enthusiastically, apparently mistaking the old man for a friend of Reine.


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    "Thank you!"


    The old man followed the young Night Watchman and quickly arrived near Reine''s new home.


    However, just as they were about to arrive, the old man whispered, "Young man, you just had a dream, and now you''ve woken up..."


    "Hmm, what did you say, old man..."


    The young Night Watchman turned his head, but the moment he saw the old man''s deep eyes, he suddenly became stupefied, his eyes unfocused and his pupils dilated!


    But the next second, the young Night Watchman returned to normal, showing no signs of peculiarity.


    He muttered to himself for a while, then walked away on his own.


    He completely forgot that he had just been guiding an old man.


    The old man quickly arrived at the front door of Reine''s new home, noting the comings and goings of no less than a dozen Night Watchmen, he frowned slightly.


    So many people.


    This would not be an easy task...


    Perhaps it was better to wait until nighttime.


    But... there was still one thing he had to do...


    The old man looked around and quickly noticed a little girl digging determinedly in the front yard.


    "Little sister, is this Reine''s home?" the old man walked up and spoke to Bo He across the wooden fence.


    When Bo He innocently looked up with her big eyes at the old man, she instantly became unfocused and numbly nodded, "Yes, grandpa."


    "Then go fetch me one of your brother Reine''s garments. If there''s hair, even better..."


    "Okay, grandpa."


    Immediately, Bo He turned around and left, soon arriving at Reine''s room where she found an Egyptian linen surcoat of her brother''s and brought it down.


    This scene was observed by Anna who was tidying the room, although she didn''t know what Bo He was doing with Reine''s clothes, she didn''t ask.


    After Bo He handed over the linen surcoat to the old man, a few minutes passed and she shook her head, feeling dizzy and unable to remember what had happened.


    And the old man disappeared into the evening sunset.

 Chapter 199: Chapter 146: The Third Transcendent Profession

    Rein bolted the storeroom door, and then, he began to leaf through the black-covered journal of insights Abel had given him.However, after reading a few pages, Rein realized that the experiences Abel had recorded were all about the production of ordinary potions. Although there was a certain reference value, the difference was still significant when compared to the mutant growth potion he was about to try making.


    Especially the last step.


    After some thought, Rein put down the book and began to pace the storeroom in contemplation.


    "Considering my past experience in making nutrient meals, if I can successfully make the mutant growth potion, the profession level of Beast Tamers should receive a substantial boost," he mused.


    "And then, the process of using the mutant growth potion to feed the Spirit Corgi ''Cookie'' will bring a significant amount of experience as well."


    "So, regardless of how effective this potion is, it''s still necessary for me."


    "But the mutant growth potion seems to be very different from the ordinary potions that Abel made, should I start with making ordinary potions first?"


    ...


    At this thought, Rein suddenly smiled.


    "Let''s not even talk about whether making ordinary potions could improve the success rate of the mutant growth potion��I almost forgot, I have a cheat..."


    Right away, Rein decided to give it a try firsthand.


    However, Rein had never made a potion before, so he inevitably felt some trepidation.


    But seeing the ten neatly laid-out portions of raw materials on the table, Rein quickly calmed down again.


    "With so many portions, I should be able to succeed with at least one!"


    "As long as I succeed once, there shouldn''t be many issues afterwards."


    "Who let us have cheats! Once learned, it won''t regress but only improve with the increase of experience."


    ....


    Still, before making the attempt, Rein carefully reviewed the formula and production process of the mutant growth potion recorded in the ''Beast Taming Journal'' once more:


    "One ounce of Gold Marigold, one pair of wings from a Nightwalker Vampire Bat, two claws of a Carrion Wolf... First step, grind the Gold Marigold..."


    After contemplating for a while, Rein began the first step of making the mutant growth potion��preparing the Gold Marigold solution.


    This step required him to grind one ounce of Gold Marigold into powder and then mix it with distilled water, dilute and filter it to obtain the Gold Marigold solution. The whole process was not difficult, and Rein measured out the specified amount of Gold Marigold and started pounding it into powder with a wooden pestle...


    Minutes later, looking at the pale golden liquid in the transparent test tube, a slight smile appeared on Rein''s lips.


    Perhaps because of the enhancement of his bodily constitution, especially the increase in his spiritual power, Rein managed to successfully prepare the Gold Marigold solution in one go quite easily.


    As the saying goes, a good start is the first step towards success.


    This immediately boosted Rein''s confidence immensely!


    The second step required drying the wings of the Nightwalker Vampire Bat and grinding them into powder...


    This process became exceptionally simple for Rein who possessed level 2 witchcraft ''Scorching Touch.''


    If it were an ordinary person, they would need to dry the wings slowly over candle flame, which is not only slow but also extremely draining and prone to charring.


    But for Rein, after he executed his witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'' and controlled the distance and the output of spiritual power, it only took a few seconds to complete this second step.


    And furthermore...


    The result was excellent too!


    Thinking it over, Rein felt that if it were an ordinary person with average spiritual power, even if they could complete this second step, they would likely be very exhausted by then and probably need to rest before continuing with the subsequent steps.


    But he did not need to.


    The final third step was to evenly sprinkle the Gold Marigold solution and the Vampire Bat wing powder on the Carrion Wolf claws, and at the same time, chant a spell to mobilize the mysterious energy particles in the surroundings to exert a certain influence on them.


    Clearly, this last step could only be completed by a Wizard Apprentice or other occupations capable of controlling mysterious energy particles to some extent.


    This is why the experiences in making ordinary potions recorded in Abel''s journal were not much help in making the mutant growth potion.


    Rein, following the third step''s procedure, first placed a pair of Carrion Wolf claws into a beaker, then evenly sprinkled the Gold Marigold solution and Vampire Bat wing powder on top of them.


    Next, Rein chanted the spell recorded in Akkadian in the ''Beast Taming Journal'' in a low voice:


    "(In Akkadian) Spirits of fire, who are wild and scorching, and Spirits of nature, frolicsome and warm, heed my call..."


    Suddenly, the two specific types of mysterious energy particles began to converge towards the Carrion Wolf claws in the beaker under the combined drive of Rein''s spell and spiritual power, exerting a magical influence on them.


    And the Carrion Wolf claws gradually began to undergo a peculiar change.


    However...


    After just two or three seconds, Rein sensed something was amiss!


    Because for this third step, according to the instructions in the ''Beast Taming Journal,'' Rein needed to manipulate two types of mysterious energy particles.


    One was the flame energy particle, which was not difficult for Rein to manipulate, but the other, a green energy particle, Rein found extremely challenging to handle!


    "Sssss~~~"


    A burning smell wafted through the air and the Carrion Wolf claws melted instantaneously into a pool of pitch-black, mud-like substance.


    The first attempt had failed!


    Twelve Gold Coins'' worth of raw materials went down the drain...


    Rein watched silently as this unfolded, pondering the problem and... solutions.


    However, Rein was not discouraged.


    On the contrary, being able to reach the third step on his first attempt made Rein eager to try a second time!


    A few minutes later, Rein decided to make another attempt.


    ...


    "Sizzle~~~"


    Once again, the smell of burning wafted through the air, and the second batch of raw materials was ruined!


    In addition, trying twice in a row made Rein feel a bit mentally exhausted.


    After all, the potion-making process required his full attention, plus the casting of the witchcraft "Scorching Touch."


    After some thought, Rein decided to try adding a point to his Spirit Attribute.


    After all, increasing spirit was sure to improve his level of control over the mysterious energy particles around him, but what he wasn''t sure about was whether it would achieve the desired effect.


    Rein flipped his Profession Panel to the first page��the Attribute page. As the remaining attribute points went from 2��1, his Spirit also went from 17 points��18 points.


    Instantly, a warm current flowed from his heart and spread throughout his body. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein immediately felt his mind become clearer, and the mental fatigue he had just felt disappeared in an instant!


    In addition, Rein also felt a distinct difference.


    It seemed...


    18 points of spiritual power was some kind of threshold, and now that he had crossed it, the various mysterious energy particles around him seemed more active than before in his perception.


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    But on second thought, Rein realized that it wasn''t the energy particles that had become more active, but rather his own senses had become sharper.


    Moreover, the energy particles of fire still felt the clearest to Rein.


    Instead of rushing into the third attempt at making the Mutation Growth Potion, Rein chose to first practice the basic meditation method.


    Indeed, after the increase in spiritual power, Rein successfully visualized fourteen Will runes in one go, and still had a bit of energy left over.


    Previously, with 15 points of spiritual power, he was able to visualize ten Will runes at once, showing significant progress.


    According to the introduction in the basic meditation method, if one could visualize sixteen Will runes in one go, they would step into the second stage, also known as a level two Wizard Apprentice.


    And Rein was just one step away from this!


    Furthermore, Rein discovered that while previously he could only manipulate fire energy particles, he could now slightly control other types of energy particles as well.


    Clearly, this also meant that Rein''s chances of successfully making the third step of the Mutation Growth Potion had greatly increased.


    Calming the excitement in his heart, Rein tried again.


    The first step...


    ...


    By the third step, as Rein recited the spell once more, this time the green energy particles finally gathered onto the carcass wolf''s claws in accordance with Rein''s guidance, along with the fire energy particles...


    It worked!


    Rein''s eyes instantly lit up!


    In the beaker, there was now a grey-green liquid, and no trace was left of the carcass wolf''s claws, the black powder from the nocturnal vampire bat, or the pale golden liquid from the gold sunflower.


    Suddenly, system notifications chimed:


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host has completed the production of the secret potion ''Mutation Growth Potion'' and has triggered the job change to Beast Tamer (Transcendent)!]


    [Conditions for promotion to Beast Tamer are: first, a Dog Trainer or Pharmacist of lv3 or above; second, spiritual power of 12 points or above; third, ownership of one or more wild beasts as a care subject.... Current conditions met, do you wish to change jobs to Beast Tamer (Transcendent)!]


    [Note: After changing jobs to Beast Tamer (Transcendent), the Dog Trainer''s Profession Panel will be overridden.]


    Huh! A new Transcendent profession!


    However, what Rein didn''t quite understand was why, after making the Mutation Growth Potion, a Pharmacist job, which would be a more logical trigger, wasn''t activated. Why did it trigger the Transcendent job of a Beast Tamer?


    Therefore, with his questions in mind, Rein looked closely at the system''s description again.


    ''Secret potion''?


    Rein caught the keyword!


    Upon further reflection, Rein started to understand.


    Normal potion production would not involve the third step, which required chanting a spell and using spiritual power to manipulate mysterious energy particles.


    Clearly, the Mutation Growth Potion Rein had produced was not an ordinary potion, but a special kind of potion known as a ''secret potion''.


    Hence, this also explained why it didn''t trigger the regular profession of ''Pharmacist''.


    Secondly, it might be because of his prerequisite profession of Dog Trainer.


    This was already reflected in ''prerequisite condition one''.


    Last, it was probably because the Mutation Growth Potion itself was intended to be used for strengthening animals.


    Thus, the combination of these factors led to the triggering of the job change to Beast Tamer (Transcendent).


    Facing this job change, Rein pondered for a moment and then chose yes without hesitation!


    [Ding! Job change successful!]


    [Congratulations on successfully changing your job to Beast Tamer (Transcendent)! Agility +1, Spirit +1! You have obtained the core skills of Beast Tamer (Transcendent): Beast Affinity lv1 (Passive), Beast''s Eye (Active).]

 Chapter 200: Chapter 147 The Scenery is Uniquely Beautiful from This Angle

    [Beast Affinity lv1 (Passive): As Beast Tamers have dealt with wild beasts for years and are familiar with their habits, they find it easier to gain the favor of unfamiliar wild beasts.][Beast''s Eye (Active): The beasts under your command serve as your loyal eyes and ears.]


    "Eh!"


    "I''ve actually obtained two core skills; this seems to be the first time I''ve gotten the core skills of a Transcendent profession."


    This was somewhat unexpected for Rein!


    He saw that the words ''Dog Trainer'' on the original panel had changed to ''Beast Tamer'', and the entire panel had turned green.


    Although the difference seemed minor, its significance was anything but minor!


    One was a common profession, the other a Transcendent one.


    Below the panel title, aside from the original icons, such as ''Dog Food Production'' and ''Dog Training'', two new icons had lit up above these.


    Rein first focused his attention on one of the icons.


    The pattern of this icon depicted a person sitting cross-legged on the ground, beside a tiger lying down, suggesting a harmonious coexistence between humans and fierce beasts.


    Beneath it, a line of small print appeared:


    [Core Skill: Beast Affinity lv1 (Passive)]


    Beast Affinity lv1 (Passive) Effect: When you come into contact with strange wild beasts, you have a certain chance to gain the beast''s favor, and the success rate of taming unfamiliar wild beasts is slightly increased.


    (Note: The effect of Beast Affinity is positively correlated with the host''s Spirit; the stronger the spiritual power, the better the effect.)


    Beneath this icon was an experience bar, clearly indicating that Beast Affinity was a skill that could be enhanced by adding points.


    "However, at present, this core skill doesn''t seem to be very useful!"


    Rein crossed his arms and rubbed his chin lightly, contemplating the potential applications of this core skill.


    "If, one day, I were to fight in the forest or do something else, this core skill might actually be useful."


    "But once removed from environments like forests teeming with wild beasts, this core skill seems somewhat useless..."


    "Oh well, there''s no rush to add points to this skill for the moment; I can decide later on."


    Rein shook his head slightly, feeling a little disappointed with this core skill.


    Then, Rein shifted his attention to the neighboring icon, which resembled the big eyes of an owl.


    Another line of small print appeared beneath it:


    [Core Skill: Beast''s Eye (Active)]


    Beast''s Eye (Active) Effect: Control the beasts under your command and observe the surroundings through their perspective.


    (Note: The duration of Beast''s Eye is positively correlated with the host''s spiritual power; the stronger the spiritual power, the longer the duration.)


    The system''s description was clear and straightforward. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein immediately understood the important significance this active ability might have for him.


    For example, in certain scenarios, Rein could use the eyes of a beast to observe the environment and conduct reconnaissance; its utility was self-evident!


    Moreover, Rein noticed right away that there was no experience bar beneath this icon.


    Meaning, the active skill Beast''s Eye couldn''t currently be enhanced by adding Skill Points.


    However, Rein felt that this ''Beast''s Eye'' was stronger than the first core skill ''Beast Affinity'', or rather, it had a much wider range of practical applications.


    Immediately, Rein walked over to the window of the storage room.


    From his second-floor window, Rein could see a fully-grown greyhound wagging its tail, following Lagaray back and forth, as if it were ''coveting'' the large bowl of savory meat Lagaray was holding.


    Rein smiled at the scene and immediately used the newly acquired skill ''Beast''s Eye.''


    The moment the skill was activated, Rein felt a special change in his spiritual power.


    It was as if a radar station was emitting electromagnetic waves all around, and swiftly, through some kind of radiation, Rein''s mind locked onto his greyhound ''Cookie''.


    Instantly, Rein felt as if his soul had projected itself into ''Cookie''.


    Looking up, Rein saw a large, round buttocks in front of him, swaying as it walked forward. Although the buttocks were large, their movement was not excessively jiggly, indicating firmness.


    Hisss!


    Rein immediately realized he was looking at Lagaray''s voluptuous buttocks through ''Cookie''s'' dog eyes.


    He wanted to move his gaze away at once.


    But the next second, Rein felt that he couldn''t look away; he needed to maintain ''Cookie''s'' original state so as not to attract attention.


    At that moment, the courtyard downstairs was busy with Night Watchmen moving furniture and cleaning up, going in and out.


    So Rein kept this posture, following behind Lagaray''s buttocks, walking a distance and deeply experiencing the effect of this new core skill!


    "Tsk tsk..."


    "The effect of this core skill... really accentuates the front and back!"


    "No, that''s not right, it''s impressive!"


    After sustaining it for a while, Rein began to vaguely feel a significant drain of spiritual power from his physical body.


    Just as he was reluctantly thinking of ending this first trial of the new skill, he saw Anna suddenly walk next to Lagaray, gave ''him'' a strange look, and said something.


    Seeing Anna''s odd gaze, Rein immediately terminated his first attempt at using the new skill ''Beast''s Eye''!


    In an instant, Rein''s soul felt like it had returned to his own body.


    At that moment, his perspective returned to looking down from the second-floor storage room window, his heart still slightly nervous as though he had been caught doing something bad.


    "Did you see how Cookie was looking at you? It felt off, almost lewd..."


    "And the part it was staring at..." Anna said to Lagaray with a hint of confusion.


    "Hmm?"


    After hearing Anna''s words, Lagaray turned her head to look at ''Cookie'' and saw its dumbfounded expression, which made her laugh.


    "Anna, you''re thinking too much. Cookie is staring at the meat in my hand; it must be the angle."


    "Eh!"


    "Its eyes weren''t like this just now!" Anna turned around to confirm again, only to find that ''Cookie''s'' gaze had suddenly changed.


    It seemed to have returned to its original, normal state.


    This made her quite puzzled.


    You see, as Anna practiced basic meditation, she found her perception becoming sharper and sharper, especially towards animals and plants...


    As for ''Cookie,'' it was stunned for a moment, shook its dog head, apparently puzzled by why its consciousness had suddenly blanked out for a while...


    "Woof woof!"


    Cookie barked twice and then, as if sensing it, turned to look at the second-floor window; it could feel its master, Rein, watching it from there.


    At this time, Rein was pondering two issues about the new skill ''Beast Eye.''


    The first issue was about skill activation.


    At the moment of activating ''Beast Eye,'' there was actually a considerable distance between him and ''Cookie.''


    He had just connected with and sensed ''Cookie'' through a kind of ''radiation'' similar to electromagnetic waves.


    Its essence relied on the consumption of his spiritual power.


    So, it seems that it''s better for him to have ''Cookie'' by his side the next time he activates this skill.


    That way, he could save a significant amount of spiritual power, which could then extend the duration of the skill.


    Because the saved spiritual power could be used for maintenance.


    The second issue was that after using ''Beast Eye,'' Rein could only see; he could not hear the conversations around ''Cookie.''


    Enjoy new chapters from M V L


    Of course, he couldn''t use ''Cookie''s'' sense of smell, which was thousands of times superior to humans'', to assess the surroundings either.


    That''s when Rein looked at the system prompt on the panel.


    Right after the job transfer prompt, a new row of prompts appeared:


    [You have crafted a Mutant Growth Potion, insight has improved!]


    [You have learned a new skill - Mutant Growth Potion Crafting]


    [Your skill in Mutant Growth Potion Crafting has improved, Experience +30]


    [Focusing on Mutant Growth Potion Crafting, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) class experience +12]


    ...


    "Is every secret potion crafting a new skill?"


    "This is quite similar to the Blacksmith profession!" Rein thought to himself.


    After his job transfer to Beast Tamer (Transcendent), agility +1, spirit +1, now Rein''s spirit had reached 19 points.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (132/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv3 (389/500) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv1 (12/100) / Blacksmith lv4 (329/1000)


    Constitution: 18


    Strength: 16


    Agility: 16


    Spirit: 19


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 2


    Additionally, something that Rein noticed was that on his Knight (Transcendent) class panel, the breakthrough percentage had gone from 45% �� 51% due to the continuous increase in attributes.


    At that moment, there was a knock on the door.


    "Knock knock knock!"


    "Brother, it''s time to eat; everyone is waiting for you." Bo He''s crisp voice came from outside the door.


    "Alright, Bo He, I''m coming." Rein stopped his contemplations, opened the door, and quickly walked out.


    When Rein, leading his sister Bo He, walked downstairs, he saw that the long solid wood dining table in the living room on the first floor was full of sumptuous foods.


    Around the long table, Matteo and seven or eight Night Watchmen were sitting on one side, while Old Rein, Mother Emma, Anna, and Lagaray were on the other, with two empty seats reserved for Rein and Bo He.


    In addition, two of the Night Watchmen whom Rein recognized were bustling back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room, tirelessly serving drinks; the atmosphere was lively indeed.


    The housewarming dinner was enjoyed amidst joyful spirits.


    "Matteo and all Night Watchmen colleagues, I''m very grateful for everyone''s help today. To be honest, I''m embarrassed that I barely contributed to the moving process."


    "Tonight, please eat and drink well!" Rein raised his glass and thanked everyone with a smile.


    "Deputy Commander, you are too kind!"


    "Indeed! It was just a little favor!"


    ...


    "Come! Let''s all raise a glass to our young Deputy Commander!" Matteo raised his glass and said with a laugh.

 Chapter 201: Chapter 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Explore new worlds at M-V-LAfter the housewarming banquet, Rein walked around the front and backyards with his family.


    "Brother, my favorite part is the big yard. Now, Sister Anna and I can plant lots and lots of vegetables and flowers," his sister Bo He said happily.


    Seeing his sister''s beaming smile, Rein was also touched by the joy and said, "Well, then this yard is yours to take care of. I hope you''ll make it beautiful."


    Meanwhile, their parents had an expression of immense satisfaction and contentment.


    Rein, who took in all these scenes, nodded slightly.


    Perhaps, this moment right before his eyes was one definition of happiness.


    Since Rein still had several things to handle, he didn''t stay for too long but quickly went back to the storeroom.


    Rein took out the hundred pounds of bear meat he had exchanged earlier at the County Town''s military supply station.


    At the banquet, he hadn''t eaten enough but had instead drunk quite a bit.


    Rein had been craving bear meat for some time now.


    He would occasionally reminisce about the first time he tasted bear meat in Cleya''s study.


    Now, Rein''s demand for food was increasing, and so were his standards for quality.


    Ordinary food provided no benefit to the increase of his strength.


    But ferocious beast meat was different: rich in various nutrients and still capable of aiding the advancement of his Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    That was why Rein had previously exchanged for the bear meat and planned to gradually incorporate high-quality food into his daily meals from then on.


    At that moment, Rein directly cut off a large piece, about three to four pounds of bear meat, and placed it on a previously prepared iron plate.


    Since the bear meat had already been bled and cleaned, it didn''t require any additional washing.


    Rein didn''t use an ordinary cooking method for the bear meat.


    Indeed!


    After all, high-end ingredients often only need the simplest cooking methods.


    This time Rein decided to simply ''scorch'' the bear meat at a high temperature before eating it.


    Rein placed his palms about half a meter above the bear meat, silently chanting an incantation and cast the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch''.


    Seconds later, an enticing aroma of cooked meat began to spread throughout the storeroom.


    So why use witchcraft to cook? sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein considered the principle of the ovens in his previous life: the fast and contained high temperature can lock the moisture and flavor inside the food.


    Therefore, Rein thought to use the high temperature of the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'' to scorch the bear meat in mere seconds, achieving an effect similar to an oven from his previous life, retaining the moisture and flavor.


    Gazing at the fragrant seven-tenths-done bear meat, Rein sprinkled some salt over it and then began to chew with big bites.


    Hiss!


    It was still just as delicious!


    In no time, Rein had eaten more than half of the three-to-four-pound bear meat.


    Quickly, Rein felt a warm current spread rapidly from his stomach throughout his body.


    It may have been because he had become Transcendent, and his bodily functions had significantly improved.


    Although Rein ate much more bear meat this time than ever before, he didn''t feel the strong sensation of fullness as before, just a comfortable warmth throughout his body.


    Suddenly, the sound of paws scratching at the door came from the entrance.


    Rein knew it must be the Lurcher ''Cookie''!


    After all, aside from her, everyone else in the house would knock, not scratch at the door, and who else would have such a keen sense of smell?


    As soon as Rein cracked the door open a bit, the Lurcher ''Cookie'' squeezed her way in.


    She circled around Rein eagerly, wagging her tail frenetically, her eyes fixedly staring at the little bit of roasted bear meat remaining in Rein''s hand, her face full of longing.


    Rein shook his head, unable to help himself, and said:


    "I have to hand it to you, don''t tell me you haven''t had enough to eat either!"


    Despite his words, Rein tore off a small strip from the remaining roast bear meat in his hand and dripped several drops of a ''mutated growth elixir'' onto it before giving it to her.


    ''Cookie'' first sniffed the meat with her sensitive nose and then showed an almost humanlike expression of surprised delight.


    With a woof, she swallowed the bear meat.


    The next second, ''Cookie''''s eyes widened dramatically, and she looked at Rein as if to say: "Master, there is something this delicious!"


    "A dog''s life can''t ask for more! This life is worth it!"


    Seeing ''Cookie'' licking her lips with a look of wanting more, Rein said without a good temper:


    "Alright, don''t expect any more, that''s enough for you to absorb."


    With that, Rein stuffed the last bit of bear meat into his mouth.


    It wasn''t really that he was stingy.


    It was because ''Cookie'' was just a regular Lurcher and not some ferocious wild beast; consuming too much high-quality food could lead to indigestion.


    Sure enough, as if feeling the power of the bear meat, ''Cookie'' quickly curled up in a corner of the storeroom and started to doze off with half-closed eyes.


    But Rein noticed the system''s refreshed notification:


    [By feeding the Lurcher ''Cookie'' bear meat laced with a secret medicine mutated growth elixir, your understanding has slightly improved!]


    [Your Beast Taming Skill has improved, Experience +15]


    [Your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession experience +11]


    Oh!


    Rein now noticed that on his green Beast Tamer panel, the original ''Dog Training'' Skill had automatically changed to ''Beast Taming'', and ''Dog Food Making'' had been similarly updated to ''Beast Food Making''.

 Chapter 202: Chapter 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    It seems that the system''s so-called "coverage" is not about completely eliminating or fully accepting.In addition, using secret medicines or high-quality food for feeding can accelerate the gain of experience points.


    This was also verified during the recent feeding.


    After resolving several doubts in the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) panel, Rein began to practice the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, making the most of the special nutrients contained in the bear meat. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After finishing the Breathing Technique training, Rein started practicing the basic meditation method.


    Because he gained one point in his Spirit Attribute when he transferred to a Beast Tamer, Rein wanted to test how many Will symbols he could visualize at once now.


    One minute later...


    Rein opened his eyes joyfully.


    This time, he managed to visualize sixteen Will symbols all at once, stepping into what''s commonly referred to as a "Level 2 Wizard Apprentice."


    Moreover, Rein confirmed that the ''lv'' levels displayed on the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession panel had nothing to do with the conventional "Level 1 or 2 Wizard Apprentice."


    Reaching Wizard Apprentice lv2 does not equate to being considered a "Level 2 Wizard Apprentice" in the common sense of this world; furthermore, he''s actually at a lv4 Wizard Apprentice, but there''s no such concept as a Level 4 Wizard Apprentice in this world.


    The highest level for a Wizard Apprentice is three.


    So, it''s understandable that these are two entirely unrelated systems.


    After pondering for a while, Rein realized that the biggest difference in becoming a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice was the disparity in combat power.


    Previously, when he had just visualized eight Will symbols and became a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, his combat power was far from that of a formal Knight.


    At that time, his only feature was that, compared to an ordinary person, his spiritual power was much stronger, and his perception much more acute.


    To exert considerable combat power, however, he would have to rely on external objects, like the "acidic missile scroll" that Endri used in the Elim Mine.


    However, with the advancement to a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, there was a significant increase in combat power.


    Although Rein currently had no scrolls or other magical items at his disposal, he could achieve substantial combat power merely using the witchcraft "Scorching Touch."


    As the low chant of his incantation echoed, the iron pot in front of Rein''s palm began to heat up rapidly, turning red, smoking, and softening within seconds.


    It was on the verge of melting!


    Keep in mind, the melting point of iron is nearly fifteen hundred degrees!


    This means that the same spell, cast after advancing to a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, was significantly more powerful than before.


    Previously, the temperature reached after a few seconds of guiding Rein''s "Scorching Touch" was around a thousand degrees, but now he could reach fourteen to fifteen hundred degrees.


    In addition, previously Rein could only cast "Scorching Touch" two or three times, but now he could generally release it five or six times.


    The improvement in combat power was obvious!


    If, during a battle, he had the chance to cast "Scorching Touch" without being rushed, even a Peak Knight might be severely injured or even killed on the spot!


    After all, no living being can withstand the continuous roasting of fifteen hundred degrees that can melt steel.


    However, an enemy isn''t a wooden figure that would stand still for several seconds.


    This is the current weakness of Rein''s witchcraft.


    First, it has good power, but it''s a contact-based spell.


    Second, it needs continuous channeling to release the maximum damage. Read the latest on M-V-L


    -----------------


    Meanwhile...


    In a luxurious residence in Meist County City.


    A dim basement hall.


    The slender Knight carrying a "scythe"-like weapon was quietly reporting, "High Priest, the mission to kill the newly-promoted Knight, Rein, has failed again!"


    "Moreover, according to Lamar''s words, the Iron Maiden automaton was also destroyed by Rein..." he stammered, seemingly finding it difficult to continue.


    After all, how could the High Priest believe the reasons reported by Lamar when he himself hardly believed them?


    Indeed...


    "Hmm? How is that possible?" The High Priest could accept the failure to eliminate Rein, but he was astonished when he heard about the destruction of the Iron Maiden.


    Surprise and disbelief were clearly audible in his voice!


    "That... Rein is not only proficient in swordsmanship but also in Hammer Skill, no, he should be considered an expert in Hammer Skill!" the slender Knight reasoned, trying to explain as best as he could.


    After all, Lamar was present at the time, so he could only go by what Lamar had explained!


    Even though, before making his report, he had been considering how to make his explanation more persuasive, it seemed there was never a suitable rationale...


    "An expert in Hammer Skill? A newly-promoted Knight was able to smash the shell of the Iron Maiden with a hammer?" There was a tone of disbelief in the words.


    At that moment, a large and corpulent figure stood up from the shadows!


    Despite being almost as tall as the slender Knight who stood over two meters tall, the new figure''s bulk was comparable to seven or eight slender knights.


    If Rein had been there, he would have immediately associated the figure with sumo wrestlers from his previous world, it was such a striking resemblance, except the figure was wearing a hood and a long robe.

 Chapter 203: Chapter 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    "This... High Priest, I''m only conveying what Lamar reported," the tall Knight said, stepping back as he noticed the High Priest standing up. He spoke with a hint of nervousness.After hearing the other party''s reasons, the High Priest''s voice rose sharply, clearly filled with anger, as he said:


    "Giovanni! You''ve been the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood for too long, have you gone stupid?"


    "Do you think that reason holds any ground? You should know that even a Peak Knight couldn''t possibly destroy an Iron Maiden puppet with a hammer."


    "You have disappointed me greatly!"


    "This..." Facing the High Priest''s skepticism, Giovanni, the president of the Wilderness Brotherhood, suddenly found himself at a loss for words, not knowing how to explain.


    However, he quickly recovered and said, "High Priest, I let Lamar come as well; he''s just outside the door. How about we listen to his report directly?"


    Clearly, Giovanni did not want to take the blame.


    The corpulent High Priest nodded slightly.


    After the Black Flame Monk Lamar came in and reported, the High Priest fell silent...


    After a moment, the High Priest''s deep voice rang out again, "Giovanni, then let''s leave this matter to you, the beast knight." Read exclusive chapters at M-V-L


    "The dignity of the Black Flame Church cannot be challenged! Go!"


    "By your command, High Priest!" Giovanni and Lamar both touched their chests and bowed in salute, they said.


    -----------------


    Night had fallen.


    The moon was bright, and the stars sparse, silence enveloped everything.


    A thin mist began to float over Flashgold Town.


    Rein had returned to his new bedroom to rest early, and was already in deep sleep.


    Meanwhile, a hooded old man in a black robe slowly walked towards the center of Flashgold Town from its outskirts, adeptly avoiding the patrolling squads of Night Watchmen at every turn.


    He stopped about forty or fifty meters away from Rein''s new home, looked around, and then entered a dark, unlit alley nearby.


    Shortly after he entered, three Night Watchmen from Flashgold Town passed by the mouth of the alley on patrol. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the squad of Night Watchmen left, the old man began quietly scratching something into the ground with his wooden cane.


    Soon, a pattern about one meter in diameter resembling an inverted pentagram appeared on the ground; from afar, it looked like child''s graffiti.


    Then, the old man took out a piece of clothing brought to him by Bo He and placed it in the center of the inverted pentagram.


    Next, the old man began to chant softly, directing the wooden cane in his hand towards the pattern on the ground.


    "... (Akkadian) Curse: Spiritual Fatigue!"


    As soon as the old man''s words fell, Rein, who was sleeping in a bedroom about forty to fifty meters away, suddenly furrowed his brows in his deep sleep.


    In his dreams, Rein felt exceedingly tired, almost unable to open his eyes or wake up...


    At that moment, it seemed the old man sensed the curse had taken effect; a slight smile appeared under his hood, but it was not yet over. He then took a slender finger bone from his pocket.


    The finger bone was long, seemingly from the skeleton of an adult human female.


    With the finger bone in hand, the old man started chanting softly again.


    Seconds later, a transparent human-shaped spiritual body appeared before him, and from its slender figure, it seemed to have been a beautiful human woman in life.


    "Go, Sandra, deal with the owner of that garment!" the old man commanded.


    The named female spirit, Sandra, obediently walked next to the inverted pentagram, sensed the scent of the garment, and then nodded at the old man.


    She then floated like a mist toward where Rein was located.


    Soon, the female spirit, Sandra, passed through the wall into Rein''s bedroom, and she saw him lying on the bed, his brows furrowed.


    Expressionless, Sandra walked slowly forward, her cold, sharp claws shifting from ethereal to solid, ready to strike Rein fatally when suddenly, she froze!


    Her gaze focused on a slightly inconspicuous Brass Ring on the index finger of Rein''s left hand.


    She felt a familiar presence emanating from it, understanding the message contained within it: "He is my friend, please do not harm him."


    If Rein had been awake at that moment, he would have noticed that the ring being scrutinized was the oddity known as ''Agatha''s Ring.''


    (Agatha''s Ring: A simple Brass Ring with a young girl''s soul imbued with sincere gratitude and blessings. Wearing it generates goodwill in some undead creatures.)


    At that moment, the slim female spirit, Sandra, revealed a hint of hesitation and did not attack immediately.


    It seemed that the ring had touched some deep emotion within her.


    Unnoticed by Sandra, the very target she aimed to kill was now squinting at her.


    Actually, just as Sandra prepared to strike, Rein''s level 3 ''danger perception'' had already alarmed him.


    However, the alarm in Rein''s mind mysteriously disappeared soon after.


    But Rein was now wide awake, considering the scene before him. He also found it strange that the female spirit was supposed to attack him, yet she hesitated on the spot.


    After waiting for a while longer, he saw the female spirit turn and leave the room through the wall.


    This left Rein somewhat puzzled for a moment.

 Chapter 204: Chapter 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    After waiting a few seconds, Rein quickly got up and walked to the window. Through it, he saw an almost transparent female specter drifting towards the pitch-dark alley across the way.Rein pondered for a moment but decided not to immediately follow.


    He felt that the enemy he encountered this time was no ordinary foe, as they were controlling specters to attack him.


    However, for some unknown reason, the female specter hadn''t attacked him in the end.


    Clearly, with such a mysterious enemy lurking, it was difficult for anyone to sleep in peace!


    It was best to do some reconnaissance first.


    "Beast Eye!"


    Rein remembered this new core skill of the Beast Tamer and cast it at once.


    As the core skill ''Beast Eye'' was activated, Rein''s spirit seemed to possess the sleeping greyhound ''Cookie'' in the storage room next door.


    ''Cookie'' suddenly stood up, dashed down the stairs, out of the door, and ran towards the dark alley.


    ''Cookie'' quickly arrived at the mouth of the alley and human-like, poked its head out, glancing inside.


    Thanks to canine dark vision, Rein could clearly see through ''Cookie''s'' eyes a slightly stooped figure in a hooded black robe in the alley.


    The female specter that had just floated into his room seemed to be conversing with the hooded person.


    However, ''Cookie''s'' gaze had dwelt on the hooded figure for only a few seconds before the person immediately turned their head.


    This sent a chill through Rein''s heart, and he promptly made ''Cookie'' whimper and run away.


    The old man glanced over and, seeing only a stray dog, paid it no further attention.


    From his observation, Rein discovered that the enemy''s perception was very sharp�� it was very likely that their spiritual power exceeded his own!


    "Is the enemy a level three Wizard Apprentice, or perhaps a stronger profession?" Rein speculated.


    Facing such a formidable enemy, Rein''s brain whirred into action.


    "With such a cunning foe, I can''t rest until they are dealt with!"


    "The battle seems inevitable..."


    "At this moment, they probably haven''t realized I''ve found them."


    "If I were to launch a surprise attack now..."


    Rein immediately canceled ''Beast Eye,'' quickly donned his chromed armor, picked up his Warhammer and greatsword, and dashed outside. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon nearing the alley, Rein slowed his steps.


    For safety''s sake, it was naturally best to enhance his abilities further.


    The next second, Rein allocated another Skill Point in the Transcendent panel of the Knight, increasing his limit break from 51% to 61%.


    This advancement took Rein from the level of an experienced Knight straight into the Peak Knight level.


    Consequently, both transcendent attributes ''Huge Strength'' and ''Iron Skin'' advanced to level 3!


    [Transcendent Attribute: Huge Strength lv3 (Active)]


    Effect of Huge Strength lv3: Strength multiplies.


    (Note: The degree to which the transcendent attribute Huge Strength enhances the host''s strength is positively correlated with the limit break value, the higher the limit break, the greater the strength enhancement.)


    [Transcendent Attribute: Iron Skin lv3 (Passive)]


    Effect of Iron Skin lv3: The body automatically absorbs free metallic elements, forming a metallic film on the skin''s surface.


    Note: The defensive power of the metallic film is positively correlated with the Spirit and limit break value, the stronger the Spirit and the higher the limit break, the stronger the metal absorption ability and defensive power.)


    ''Multiplier of strength,'' ''metallic film,'' huh!


    This boosted Rein''s confidence!


    As Rein appeared at the entrance of the alley, the hooded old man turned around. Underneath the hood, a pair of profound eyes looked at Rein with mild surprise and said,


    "Huh? How did you find me?"


    At that moment, Adams was quite perplexed as to how Rein had managed to find this alley where he was hiding.


    Yet, from his tone, there was no sign of panic or concern.


    It seemed he had absolute confidence in his own abilities!


    Rein smiled and did not answer Adams''s question.


    Instead, he took a signal flare from his bosom and in an instant, with a ''whoosh,'' the signal flare shot into the sky and promptly exploded.


    That''s right!


    It was the Night Watchman''s call for reinforcements signal flare.


    As the deputy security officer of Flashgold Town, Rein naturally carried a signal flare with him at all times.


    Facing an enemy with such wily methods, Rein felt that fighting alone might not be the best idea. Besides, they were very close to the administration hall; Hamilton should arrive in less than a minute! Discover more stories at M-V-L


    "Heh, stupid fool!" Faced with Rein''s silent but decisive action to fire the signal flare to call for backup, Adams couldn''t help but rage, feeling somewhat played!


    "The goddess of luck allowed you to luckily escape disaster, but you''re actually seeking your own death!" As he spoke, he quickly took out a scroll from his bosom and tore it open.


    Rein''s pupils instantly shrank!


    "Break the limit!"


    As Rein, holding the Warhammer, was about to sidestep to avoid the scroll attack from the other party!


    Suddenly, Rein felt a bout of dizziness, and in an instant, the surrounding scenery drastically changed.


    The walls of the narrow alley became as soft as noodles, the old man in the black robe standing opposite Rein was stretched and flattened.


    This feeling was terrible, like someone prone to seasickness alone in a dinghy amidst tumultuous waves at sea!


    Rein, enduring the discomfort, forcibly shook his head...


    At that moment, Rein saw the surroundings clearly again.


    However... the figure of his little sister Bo He suddenly appeared in front of him, she waved at him and said with a smile, "Brother, come play with me?"


    Bo He''s sweet childlike voice made Rein feel an irresistible surge of indulgence.


    It seemed as though refusing to join her for a while would be the biggest mistake in the world.


    But the next second, Rein immediately realized that he shouldn''t be in this alley right now, engaged in battle with a mysterious old man in a black robe, how could...


    Suddenly, an alarm bell went off in Rein''s mind!


    Almost at the same time, Rein felt a sharp pain in his chest, followed by being blown away!


    When Rein got back up, the scene had returned to the dark alleyway, and the mysterious old man in the black robe was still standing opposite him.


    At this moment, he felt a burning pain all over his body. Looking down, he saw a large hole corroded in the chromium iron chestplate at his chest. Thankfully, the silver-gray metallic film on the surface of his body had blocked further damage.


    But it seemed the metallic film''s energy was nearly depleted, and its luster was quickly fading.


    Damn!


    This is so powerful!


    Rein cursed to himself internally.


    If he hadn''t just stepped into the realm of a Peak Knight and had his Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin'' upgraded to level 3, he guessed the opponent''s bizarre attack would have caused severe injury, or even taken him out in one blow!


    "Eh? He''s not dead?"


    Seeing that Rein''s sturdy knight''s chestplate was blown open, Adams, who had thought Rein was surely doomed, suddenly widened his eyes and his mouth fell agape!


    At this moment, he was even more shocked than Rein!


    Knowing that a combination of the Illusion Technique scroll and his own witchcraft ''Lesser Shadow Arrow'' should take down a Peak Knight without a second word, he couldn''t believe this youngster had survived!


    Not only did he survive, but he was also able to stand up!


    That''s unbelievable!


    Could it be the opponent''s knight chestplate has strong negative energy defensive power?


    But it didn''t seem like it!


    The opponent''s knight chestplate was clearly corroded with a big hole by his own ''Lesser Shadow Arrow.''


    A perplexed Adams furrowed his brows in thought.


    Suddenly, a series of rapid footsteps sounded at the mouth of the alley. Hamilton, having heard the commotion, led more than a dozen Night Watchmen as they rushed over.


    "You... you''re Adams!!!" The moment Hamilton laid eyes on the old man, his pupils sharply constricted, and his complexion changed as he spoke.

 Chapter 205: Chapter 149 What... What kind of monster are you! (Two in one big chapter)

    Hamilton walked over to Rein, speaking with a grave expression:"Adams Nolan, the Shadow Stinger, top-level assassin, third-level wizard apprentice, known as ''Ghost Manipulator,'' ''Bewitcher,'' a wanted felon of the Empire."


    "His main charge is the murder of Meist County City Guard Lieutenant Colonel, the Peak Knight Baron Fares Cardis, and he is also a suspect in the murder of the wealthy merchant Jabi Bogado and the town mayor Saskia Laza, as well as several other homicide cases...."


    "Any citizen of the Empire who sees Adams should immediately report to the nearest Imperial authority and will receive a reward of 50 Imperial Gold Coins, and those who manage to kill him will be rewarded with 1000 Imperial Gold Coins." S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein knew that Hamilton was not only informing him about the other''s information but also trying to intimidate the enemy.


    At this moment, the elite Night Watchmen following behind Hamilton lit up the alley with torches and oil lamps, spreading out to surround it layer by layer.


    "Eh! Who are you? The town sheriff or the mayor? To think you know me."


    Adams found that tonight''s Flashgold Town had given him a bit more surprise than expected.


    He had not anticipated that someone in a small town would be so familiar with the contents of the Empire''s Bounty Order against him; it was as if they knew it better than he did himself.


    And to recognize him at first sight was even more remarkable.


    Now, with sword and shield in hand, Hamilton had already come to Rein''s side. He glanced at the large hole in Rein''s Knight''s plate armor on his chest, his pupils contracted, then turned his gaze to the cloaked old man across from him, named Adams, and said:


    "Fares Cardis was one of my best friends!"


    "Oh? So today you intend to avenge your friend?" Adams''s tone was very calm, as if not at all concerned that he was currently being trapped in the alley by over a dozen Night Watchmen with bows at the ready.


    "Rein, tonight will be a tough fight but... as long as we can disrupt his use of witchcraft and hold out until reinforcements arrive, we can win!" Hamilton whispered to Rein.


    Rein''s eyebrows raised slightly, and he nodded faintly.


    Hamilton''s remark revealed quite a bit.


    First of all, it showed that Hamilton himself didn''t have the confidence to defeat or kill this third-level wizard apprentice named Adams head-on.


    It was, in fact, the first time Rein had heard Hamilton speak like this.


    Secondly, had Hamilton just said to disrupt the other''s witchcraft? That suggested their tactics would primarily be to harass and delay the enemy.


    "Oh? Delay? What an interesting idea," Adams said, glancing at Hamilton with a hint of mockery.


    Clearly, Hamilton hadn''t expected the other''s perception to be so sharp that he''d caught every word he''d just said!


    "You take the left, I''ll take the right!"


    "Fire the arrows!!" Hamilton immediately commanded with a stern face.


    Following that, he charged towards Adams from the right with his sword and shield.


    Rein followed closely, attacking from the left with his Two-Handed Warhammer.


    The dense barrage of arrows from the elite Night Watchmen was unleashed like a torrential downpour toward Adams in the alley before the two sheriffs could reach him.


    But before the arrows could strike Adams, a large swathe of eerie black fog burst forth around him. The fog spread rapidly towards both ends of the alley.


    The arrows pierced through the black fog with a ''ding ding dang dang'' and stuck into the ground, failing to hit Adams, who had already vanished into the mist.


    When Hamilton and Rein charged into the fog, they seemed to instantly lose sight of their target.


    However, Rein, with his core skill ''Dark Vision,'' quickly adapted to the view within the dark fog, making out the slightly hunched, faint outline in the eerie mist.


    But Rein soon sensed something was off with this black fog!


    It seemed not just to conceal one''s form but also to possess other strange abilities.


    The fog whirled rapidly around their bodies like serpents, making them feel a negative energy constantly invading their bodies, quickly bringing a sense of fatigue.


    After only a few seconds, Rein felt his limbs weaken, and his movements swinging the Two-Handed Warhammer became increasingly clumsy.


    "Argh!!"


    Suddenly, at that moment, cries of pain arose from the Night Watchmen at the rear of the alley.


    This made Rein''s eyes narrow!


    Attacking their rear were female spirits manipulated by Adams.


    Obviously, if they didn''t dispel the black fog, the Night Watchmen would simply become sitting ducks, and as time passed, neither he nor Hamilton would likely endure.


    This was far too passive!


    Facing such an intangible thing as the black fog, it seemed one could only fight the intangible with the intangible.


    Rein swiftly sheathed his Warhammer and drew the Glimmering Greatsword from his back, then charged towards the slightly stooped figure in the black fog. Your journey continues with M-V-L


    "Eh! To think you could discern my location," said Adams from within the fog, noticing Rein rushing towards him immediately.


    Originally, he had been leisurely waiting for the ''Evil Fog'' to corrode the bodies of the two knights before finishing them off at his convenience.

 Chapter 206: Chapter 149 What... What kind of monster are you! (Two in one big chapter)_2

    ```He hadn''t expected that one of the two could determine his position in the black fog.


    "Roar!!!"


    Just as Rein was about three meters away from Adams, he instantly unleashed the secret technique of the Giant Bear Sword Technique�� "roaring strike"!


    A ripple visible to the naked eye centered around Rein''s gaping mouth quickly spread outwards, and the black fog, like a sea surface hit by a meteorite, was forcefully scattered by Rein''s sonic attack, clearing a large circle!


    And Adams''s figure, hidden in the black fog, was clearly revealed.


    Clearly, Rein''s secret technique had greatly surprised Adams!


    It also caught Adams off-guard, and his moving figure suddenly came to a halt.


    This delighted Rein, and he brought his Glimmering Greatsword down on his opponent with great force!


    "Smooth Cleaving Slash!"


    "Puff!"


    It felt like striking a rapidly flowing stream, the sensation transmitted from the greatsword to Rein''s hand.


    A black membrane resembling an eggshell surfaced on Adams''s body.


    Apparently, this black membrane was invisible when not under attack, but it appeared when hit.


    At this moment, black light flowed over the surface of the membrane, blocking Rein''s strike which was intended to be decisive from outside.


    Beneath the membrane, Adams now looked at Rein with shock in his eyes, his complexion no longer casual as before but rather seriously assessing Rein and said, "I didn''t expect you, a newly advanced Knight, to have such strong strength."


    Internally, Adams couldn''t help but sneer, ''Norman has really set me up, this guy named Rein is more than just a newly advanced Knight��he''s as strong as many veteran Knights.''


    Because Rein''s roaring strike had dispersed part of the black fog in the center of the alley, Hamilton and the elite Night Watchmen on the outside could see Rein and Adams fighting and quickly rushed to assist.


    Hamilton struck Adams with a powerful Shield Strike!


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    But the same scene occurred.


    Ripples appeared on the surface of the black membrane, but the eggshell-like membrane remained unchanged.


    Immediately after, Hamilton let out a roar, his muscles bulged, and he stabbed his Knight''s Longsword at the black membrane with three rapid thrusts!


    The ripples grew larger, and there was a slight indentation on the surface of the eggshell-like membrane, but clearly, such force was still not enough to overcome the defensive power of the black membrane!


    Rein''s eyes narrowed at this sight!


    "Limit Break!"


    61% Strength, Physical, and Agility enhancement!


    "Huge Strength lv3!"


    100% Strength enhancement!


    "Strength Burst!"


    100% Strength enhancement!


    In an instant, Rein felt a surge of warmth forcefully pumped from his heart, speeding up the blood in his veins, veins bulging, his muscles swelling abruptly.


    The next second! His entire figure swelled!


    The joints of his chrome iron armor showed huge gaps, and the Knight plate armor, which was slightly oversized, again became child-sized!


    At the same time, Rein quickly switched weapons in his hands, reverting back to his warhammer.


    For breaking shields, the spike-studded warhammer naturally had much greater power than the Glimmering Greatsword!


    "Boom!!"


    Rein''s giant hammer strike with a 261% strength enhancement forcefully dented the black membrane to the size of a washbasin.


    And almost all the dense spikes on the warhammer''s head were close to poking Adams''s eyelids!


    This stunned Adams inside the black membrane in an instant!


    Adams let out a shriek for the first time:


    "This is impossible! You... what kind of monster are you!!"


    "Even a Peak Knight doesn''t have your kind of attack power!!"


    Seeing this, Hamilton felt a surge of joy and immediately went all out, coordinating his attacks with Rein.


    Rein''s strike truly terrified Adams!


    He immediately began fumbling for something in his clothes, losing all semblance of his earlier confidence.


    Quickly, Adams pulled out an ancient-looking gray scroll and tore it open!


    And at that moment, Rein''s second hammer blow was about to land, making the black membrane nearly transparent, clearly a sign that the energy was on the verge of depletion. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn it! Wasting one of my precious life-saving scrolls!"


    "(in Arcadian) Lesser Physical Reflective Shield!" Adams shouted.


    Instantly, just before the black membrane became completely transparent, a circular shield resembling a bubble took over from the black membrane, floating around Adams''s body.


    The shield emitted a faint silver light, distinctive from the black membrane it replaced.


    Rein and Hamilton continued to attack from left and right, targeting both sides of Adams.


    When Rein''s warhammer hit the shield again, suddenly, as if struck by lightning, a silver streak traveled from the shield up the warhammer to Rein.


    Rein immediately felt a numbing pain all over his body!


    Fortunately, his Transcendent feature, "Iron Skin lv3," protected him, and he was relatively unharmed.


    Hamilton, however, was less fortunate. Smoke wafted from the joints of his Knight''s armor, indicating he was seriously hurt!


    This shield...


    Powerful indeed!


    It''s similar to a damage reflection effect!


    Rein couldn''t help but be wary of Adams!


    He had thought that unleashing his full power would sweep the opponent away, but Adams kept throwing one trump card after another.


    No wonder he was a criminal with a bounty of a thousand Empire Gold Coins��damn strong indeed!


    ```

 Chapter 207: Chapter 149 What... What kind of monster are you! (Two-in-one big chapter)_3

    Rein somewhat understood why the adversary was able to kill the Peak Knight.Because some of the opponent''s tactics were nearly unsolvable for the knights.


    At least, that was the case at the knight level, as for the Great Knight, that was still unknown.


    Additionally, was a third-level Wizard Apprentice this powerful?


    What about a formal Wizard then....


    ....


    "Your attack is futile! Prepare to die!"


    Adams, protected by a ''Lesser Physical Reflection Shield,'' suddenly moved again, his face showing a mix of anger and ruthlessness!


    While mocking Rein and Hamilton, he was also quietly chanting, preparing some kind of witchcraft.


    Hamilton already looked desperate!


    His recent two attacks not only left the opponent unscathed, but his own body had been severely damaged by the opponent''s strange silver shield.


    But Rein was different!


    Rein was protected by Iron Skin lv3 and hadn''t sustained serious injuries, yet he also stopped attacking, knowing that attacking recklessly would only cause him to be injured by the counterattacks of that strange silver shield.


    However...


    Rein truly didn''t believe that the opponent''s shield could indefinitely defend against his attacks!


    Now Rein had two options, one was to replenish his strength and attack with full force again, trying to see if he could break through.


    Of course, whether he could break through or not, Rein had no idea at the moment.


    The second option was to circle to the opponent''s back, avoiding the sight of Hamilton and the others, and utilize the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch.''


    Adams thought that Rein and Hamilton didn''t understand Akkadian, but in fact, when Adams tore the scroll, Rein had clearly heard a key word, ''Physical.''


    Thus, Rein could basically determine that the opponent''s silver shield was specifically designed to defend against physical attacks and had some kind of energy counterattack, most likely unable to withstand witchcraft or energy attacks.


    The whole decision-making process was completed in an instant! S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein quickly circled to Adams''s back, opting for the second strategy, applying the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch.''


    The reason was simple, the opponent had killed a Peak Knight before.


    This indicated that even if the Peak Knight used his desperate final moves, he still wasn''t able to overcome the opponent.


    Besides, this specialized defense shield was far more powerful than the initial black film.


    Rein surmised that although ''Triple State'' was fierce, choosing to take it head-on wasn''t very safe.


    Battle requires wisdom.


    Referring to the sayings of great people, that would be ''Being good at seizing opportunities, targeting the enemy''s weaknesses, turning passivity into initiative!''


    At this moment, Adams was clearly preparing to cast a powerful spell, and would not move for a short time, so this was also an opportunity.


    The next second, Rein flashed to Adams''s back, raised his left hand, aiming at Adams''s back heart, approximately two to three centimeters from the opponent''s silver shield, achieving almost the closest distance.


    Rein remembered very clearly, his ''Scorching Touch'' was a contact-based witchcraft, the closer the distance, the greater the power!


    But Adams was completely unaware of this!


    Because at this moment, all he had in his mind was the fury of killing both men, and he also didn''t think that two knights could have any means to break the ''Lesser Physical Reflection Shield.''


    Moreover, the elite Night Watchmen in the alley were continuously shooting arrows at him, the sound of which was incessant.


    Your next chapter is on M-V-L


    This also made him unable to hear the soft chanting of Rein behind him.


    "(Akkadian).... Drag into the illusion!" With the last syllable of Adams''s chant, his face suddenly showed a trace of a smug smile.


    A special kind of spiritual power mixed with a strange energy rapidly spread to an area of several tens of meters.


    Including Hamilton and up to the Night Watchmen at the alley entrance, everyone''s expressions became blank, stunned on the spot, as if turned into scarecrows!


    But at the same time, Adams''s expression suddenly changed!


    His entire body suddenly stiffened!


    Immediately afterward, he let out a scream!


    "Ah!"


    The next second, Adams staggered to the ground, and his pale silver shield also gradually disappeared, it was unclear whether it was due to time running out or because Adams was suddenly injured.


    But none of that mattered!


    A black light, like a dragon leaping out from the sea, in a split second, rose from the ground straight up under Adams''s chin.


    "Boom!!"


    Adams was seen trembling even on tiptoes, shooting straight up into the sky, soaring three to four meters high!


    In mid-air, it was clearly visible that Adams''s jaw had been instantly shattered by that black light!


    Blood, shattered bones, and tissue from skin and muscles splattered everywhere.


    It was evident how powerful that black light was!


    This strike was precisely the secret technique of Tokkal Hammer Skill, ''Rising Dragon Hammer!''


    The one who executed it, was naturally only Rein.


    Originally, just now, both he and Adams had almost simultaneously completed their techniques, and while Rein was affected by an Illusion Technique, Adams got attacked by the high temperatures of ''Scorching Touch.''


    And right before Rein felt dizzy and was dragged into some illusion, he quickly added one point to his Spirit Attribute, which abruptly increased his spiritual power, immediately breaking the Illusion Technique''s effect on him.


    Initially, Rein had intended to use the recovery effect of the point addition to clear his mind, but in actuality, the sudden increase in spiritual power seemed to directly break the Illusion Technique''s influence.


    Of course, Rein was not clear about the specific mechanism involved.


    But regardless, all of this allowed Rein to use his full spiritual power to guide the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch,'' continuing to attack Adams with high temperatures.

 Chapter 208: Chapter 149 What... What kind of monster are you! (Two-in-one big chapter)_4

    As temperatures neared 1500 degrees, even just lasting for a second or two, they were capable of causing significant damage to the human body.Thus, by the time Adams realized what was happening, his internal organs and bodily fluids had already suffered severe damage from the high temperatures.


    This is also why, stumbling, Adams almost couldn''t stand up and had to support himself with both hands on the ground.


    At that moment, Adams, suspended in midair, began to fall!


    Although the opponent''s jaw was gone, Rein was still somewhat worried that the opponent might have some strange or ultimate survival trick, so he immediately unleashed a combination attack without any hesitation.


    Right after the secret Skill "Rising Dragon Hammer," he immediately followed it with the second secret Skill of Tokkal Hammer Technique�� "Earth-splitting Hammer"!


    "Earth-splitting Hammer!"


    "Boom!!!"


    The heavy flat end of the warhammer struck the ground forcefully.


    The intense shockwave spread out in a fan shape, ravaging the ground ahead.


    A large fan-shaped area of the ground, like tofu, shattered into pieces and was propelled a meter into the air.


    Adams, still immersed in the severe pain of his shattered jaw, had just touched the ground when everything went dark, and he never woke up again.


    By the time Hamilton and the other Night Watchmen came to their senses from Adams''s Illusion Technique, the scene before them was as follows:


    Rein stood upright, holding the black warhammer with one hand; in front of him spread the shattered fan-shaped area of the ground, and on that ground, there was a mess of bloody flesh wrapped in a black robe, almost completely unrecognizable as a human form.


    Clearly, Rein had defeated his opponent!


    Including Hamilton himself, everyone had not seen how Rein had defeated the opponent, but at this moment, they all stared in shock at the shattered area.


    Anyone could tell how terrifying the force of the attack must have been to shatter such a large area of hard stone ground!


    But only Rein knew that the key to his victory over Adams lay in witchcraft, not Hammer Skill.


    At this moment, Rein was distracted by a system notification:


    [Your Skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has been enhanced, Experience +138]


    [Congratulations, your Skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has been upgraded to lv4]


    [Your Skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has been enhanced, Experience +127]


    [Your Skill, Scorching Touch, has been enhanced, Experience +14]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +87, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +13]


    ...


    Huh!


    I didn''t expect it could be like this! Stay tuned for updates on M-V-L


    The Experience rewards from one battle seemed to be automatically distributed by the system according to some rule among the Knight and Wizard Apprentice professions.


    Rein stared at the system prompt, his mind quickly processing.


    "This battle, since I used the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch,'' not only did ''Scorching Touch'' as a Skill get an experience reward, but correspondingly, the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Profession Experience was also increased?"


    "Why then, in previous battles, why was there no Profession Experience rewarded to the Wizard Apprentice? Could it be because I did not use any witchcraft in those battles?"


    "It seems likely to be the case."


    "But... if it really is so, that''s obviously good news! In that case, to raise the Wizard Apprentice Profession Level, in addition to practicing basic meditation, I can also improve by frequently using witchcraft in battle." sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It seems... I''ve found the trick to advance the Wizard Apprentice Transcendent Profession!"


    Soon, a realization dawned on Rein, and his eyes brightened as he figured out the key.


    At this time, Hamilton stepped forward, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked at the jumbled pile of black robe and flesh, and in a tone of surprise mixed with confusion, he asked, "Rein, did you defeat Adams?"


    "Yes, sir, with your coordination, I seized the opportunity and luckily managed to kill him."


    "Well... the power of your warhammer is beyond my imagination!" Hamilton, after a long pause, managed to squeeze out these words.


    Hamilton distinctly remembered how he, holding the Longsword, had repeatedly stabbed at the opponent, but all were blocked by that silver shield; furthermore, he had been seriously injured by the counterattack of the shield.


    And Rein was able to break that silver shield?


    However, staring intently at the shattered fan-shaped area on the ground, Hamilton quickly came to realize that it made sense for Rein, with such a powerful Hammer Skill, to be able to kill the opponent!

 Chapter 209: Chapter 150 A Little Trouble, Already Taken Care of (2-in-1 Big Chapter)

    Since the Tokkal Hammer Technique had advanced to lv4 (3/1000), Rein was currently perceiving the fragmented training memories of the Tokkal Hammer Technique that had appeared in his mind.These memory fragments were scattered segments of hammer training, which Rein was quickly digesting and absorbing, integrating them into his muscle memory. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The entire process felt to Rein as if he had suddenly gained a year''s worth of arduous practice experience in the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Some previously overlooked details of the hammer technique were also perfected and supplemented.


    Moreover, Rein noticed that his Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level had reached lv3 (476/500) and was about to advance to lv4.


    Of course, the Profession Level of a Wizard Apprentice, being already at lv4, was still far from advancing again.


    "Cough�� cough�� Rein, I really didn''t expect, cough�� you could actually kill that guy Adams." Hamilton patted Rein''s shoulder, saying with a face full of relief. Experience new tales on M-V-L


    However, it seemed that because of the recent backlash damage from a ''Lesser Physical Reflection Shield'', Hamilton''s physical condition was not too good at the moment.


    His body had been wounded by some unknown energy and he was constantly coughing.


    "By the way, this time�� cough�� are you planning to directly claim the bounty, or report it as the Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town?"


    "Uh..." Hamilton''s words made Rein involuntarily start pondering.


    He was no longer a newcomer within the imperial system, and of course, he understood the implications of Hamilton''s words.


    If claimed directly, that would mean receiving 1000 Imperial Gold Coins as a reward and, additionally, it could further enhance the rank of the Bounty Hunters.


    Whereas if he reported it as the Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town, the financial reward in terms of Gold Coins would basically be gone, all converted into Merit Points, and the killing of Adams would be listed in the resume as a separate deed.


    "Cough... Based on your combat performance this time, I think the merit reward you can get is definitely not small. Once you pass the knighthood assessment later, you are highly likely to be immediately promoted in position."


    Hamilton, seeing Rein hesitating, tactfully expressed his opinion.


    In fact, Rein was leaning towards the first option; during the previous battle, he had seen Adams'' combat power and the strength unleashed by a third-level Wizard Apprentice who had several Sorcery Scrolls on hand.


    Apparently, all these required money, that is, Gold Coins for support!


    But then...


    If one were to rise higher in position, would he still lack money?


    Just thinking about the compensation given by the Crowley family for hiring him as a Guardian Knight was enough to understand.


    At this thought, a smirk appeared at the corner of Rein''s mouth.


    Furthermore, if he reported it as the latter, Hamilton and his fellow Night Watchmen would add a commendable note to their resumes and receive a significant amount of merit rewards.


    "Of course, Lord Hamilton, let''s report it under the nomination of joint annihilation by the security forces of Flashgold Town. By the way, please do not skimp on the narration of yours and your colleagues'' contributions in the battle."


    "Good lad, cough�� much appreciated!" Hamilton, while coughing, couldn''t help but smile.


    Rein''s words naturally also reached the ears of the Night Watchmen.


    Many had been wounded by a female specter and were originally grimacing in pain while being treated, but now, their expressions had softened greatly, some even began to smile.


    Sometimes, as ordinary people, being a Night Watchman to them was more a profession that sustained their livelihood.


    If they could earn a bit more and make their families'' lives better, even if the tasks were sometimes dangerous and they might get hurt, they still found it worthwhile.


    "No need to speak of other things, the Deputy Lord is truly generous in terms of military achievements!" This was the sentiment of most elite Night Watchmen present.


    Thinking about the female specter, Rein turned his head and looked around, noticing that she seemed to have disappeared from the spot along with Adams'' defeat.


    Rein recalled that, at the moment just after the battle ended, he had vaguely seen her dissolving at the corner of the alley with a smile on her lips.


    "Sheriff Lord, Deputy Lord, this corpse��" a Night Watchman elite reported.


    "Leave it to the Deputy to handle!" Hamilton said with a smile as he waved his hand.


    Only then did Rein remember he still hadn''t had the chance to collect his spoils.


    He wondered what kind of loot this strongest opponent he had encountered so far might bring him.


    A sense of anticipation long absent began to rise in Rein''s heart.


    But... when Rein came to the heap of black-robed flesh, he couldn''t help but feel stunned!


    This�� was really a bit difficult to approach!


    After hesitating for a while, Rein, suppressing the sticky and warm sensation from his hand, began to search the black robe.


    The bottles and jars in the opponent''s waist pouch had shattered, but their contents had not yet leaked.


    Thus, Rein carefully chose not to disturb them first but opted to collect other items instead.


    Soon, Rein had accounted for all the spoils: a wand-like curved stick, a white slender phalange, an iron key, and a pouch containing a small amount of Gold Coins.


    That was it...


    This couldn''t help but disappoint Rein.


    The feeling was just like in Rein''s past life online games, when a group took down a big BOSS and then ended up with junk loot.


    But still, Rein carefully examined these three pieces of loot.


    The first was the stick, more precisely a short staff, with a slightly thicker head and a much smaller base, made from a single piece of unknown dark grey wood.

 Chapter 210: Chapter 150 A Little Trouble, Already Taken Care of (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_2

    As soon as Rein picked it up, he felt a coolness, delicacy, and heaviness, clearly indicating the high density of the wood.For the moment, Rein could not tell whether the material was valuable or what it was worth.


    The white, slender finger bone was even more intriguing to Rein.


    Since Rein''s spiritual power had reached 20 points, he could tell right away that the white finger bone had a rather distinct aura of the vengeful female spirit.


    That being said, it was very likely a remnant of her body from when she was alive.


    Of course, there was also a possibility that the finger bone had nothing to do with the vengeful woman in life and was merely transformed in some way by Adams, making it a medium for casting spells.


    Next came the money pouch, which Rein opened to find merely three or four dozen Gold Coins.


    Such a level of wealth was greatly disproportionate to his capabilities.


    He weighed the pouch in his hand and then put it away.


    Finally, Rein held the iron key in his hand and started fiddling with it.


    "Clearly, the items Adams left on his person don''t match up with his abilities; the odds are that he hid them somewhere."


    "Perhaps, this iron key in my hand is the key to it all."


    "Too bad... I can''t likely use this key to directly locate and uncover his secrets..."


    At that moment, from the corner of his eye, Rein spotted two familiar shapely figures at the entrance of the alley.


    It was Lagaray and Anna.


    Both of them had come.


    Rein was not at all surprised that Lagaray was aware of the commotion here.


    After all, with her rich combat experience as a barbarian girl, and considering her bedroom wasn''t far from here, it would have been strange if she hadn''t noticed such an intense battle.


    However...


    How did Anna wake up as well?


    Now the two of them each had separate rooms.


    That''s right, Rein suddenly remembered that Anna had begun the basic meditation technique with him at the same time, which must be the effect of the basic meditation technique.


    As one practices the basic meditation technique, their spiritual power gradually increases, and naturally, their perception improves.


    "Anna, Lagaray, why did you come over?" Rein called out.


    "Rein... here...." The two girls looked around, and since the alley was quite dark, they hadn''t seen Adams'' corpse at the end of it.


    "Just a small trouble, it''s already been taken care of," Rein assured them.


    Small trouble?


    Hearing Rein''s words, Hamilton''s mouth twitched involuntarily!


    A fugitive with a bounty of a thousand Gold Coins was just a small trouble in your eyes?


    Alright... the winner makes the rules!


    "Woof woof!" At that moment, the Lurcher ''Cookie'' also poked its head out beside Lagaray''s shapely legs.


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    Was exactly like his sister Bo He! Rein couldn''t help but complain in his mind.


    Hey!


    A spark of inspiration crossed Rein''s mind, making his eyes suddenly brighten!


    He quickly ran towards the entrance of the alley where Lagaray and Anna were.


    The two women, seeing Rein approaching, had differing thoughts.


    "It looks like Rein and the others must have won the fight just now, that''s great!"


    "Eh, Rein is running towards me, could it be that he wants to give me a hug after the victory?"


    "Should I respond, or perhaps give him a gentle hug in return?" Anna pondered with indecision.


    As for Lagaray, upon seeing Rein charging, her first thought was that Rein probably wanted to hug both her and Anna.


    "This guy is really getting out of hand!"


    "Aunt Emma really, always filling her son with the notion that once he becomes a noble lord, he can have a combination of a wife and lovers, no, a wife with multiple lovers!"


    "Doesn''t he know that we barbarian girls are very traditional!"


    "Ah! Well, a hug is no big deal," Lagaray thought to herself.


    As both women were internally struggling and awaiting Rein''s hug anxiously, Rein suddenly dropped to a crouch right in front of them.


    Rein grabbed ''Cookie''s head and said, "Cookie, come with me."


    In an instant, ''Cookie''s dog eyes sparkled!


    Its expression seemed to say, had its status in the family hierarchy really risen above the two female masters in its owner''s heart?


    Whether it was Rein''s imagination or not, he felt that ''Cookie,'' having taken the mutation growth potion, seemed to have grown smarter.


    Rein, holding ''Cookie,'' quickly arrived at the pile of black robe residues.


    This left the two women exchanging glances, both feeling somewhat disappointed.


    Rein then had ''Cookie'' sniff the bloody black robe on the ground, followed by the short staff and the iron key.


    After miming a few signals, ''Cookie''s eyes brightened as it began to sniff and run towards the north of Flashgold Town.


    This immediately delighted Rein.


    As the books from his previous life said, the sense of smell of canines was thousands of times better than that of humans, and it was indeed no exaggeration!


    "My lord, we might discover something unexpected," Rein said, turning his head to speak to Hamilton.


    Looking at the Lurcher sniffing and running, Hamilton instantly grasped the implications of Rein''s words.


    He laughed and said, "I''ll sit this one out, cough... I''d only be in the way, pick a few sharp ones to accompany you."


    "Alright, my lord," Rein nodded.


    At a distance, Rein gestured to Matteo.


    Matteo quickly ran over.


    "Call two smart ones to join me," Rein instructed.


    "No problem, Deputy Commander! Valres, Lenon, the two of you come with me," Matteo said with a pleased look, patting his chest. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 211: Chapter 150 A little trouble, has been dealt with (2 in 1 large chapter)_3

    Rein''s closeness made Matteo feel that his recent performance must have satisfied the Deputy Commander."At your command, Captain!" two stalwart Night Watchmen stepped forward and said.


    Just as Rein was about to follow ''Cookie'' to the north side of Flashgold Town with three people, he quickly noticed two familiar sets of footsteps behind him.


    He turned around and saw it was Lagaray and Anna.


    "Rein, do you need us to accompany you?"


    After thinking for a moment, Rein said, "Well... Anna, you should go home first, there might be some danger later. Lagaray, you can come with me."


    Anna nodded, at the same time, she slightly bowed her head, her eyes dimmed.


    As expected, Rein must think of her as a burden in his heart.


    She glanced enviously at Lagaray standing beside her, holding a brand-new metal shield, looking heroic.


    How wonderful it would be if she could be like Lagaray one day!


    ...


    Soon, Rein''s group of five arrived at the north side of Flashgold Town.


    However, what puzzled Rein was that the Lurcher ''Cookie,'' even after reaching the edge of the north side of Flashgold Town, kept running forward without any sign of stopping.


    Could it be that Adams'' residence was in an estate outside of Flashgold Town? Rein couldn''t help but speculate.


    But an hour passed!


    ''Cookie'' continued to sniff and run, and it seemed they were getting closer and closer to County Town.


    In an instant, Rein reacted!


    Yes, a master of Adams'' caliber was naturally most likely to be hidden in County Town.


    After all, a level three Wizard Apprentice looking to advance would need resources that a small town simply couldn''t provide.


    Or to say, it would be very inconvenient for such a master to reside in a small town and obtain resources.


    The group of five quickly passed through the city gates, but then ''Cookie'' headed towards a location Rein was increasingly familiar with. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Huh!


    This is near Frank''s Tavern.


    A flash of insight crossed his mind!


    In an instant, Rein connected the dots to an excellent location.


    Could it be that Adams was usually hiding in the Bat Market?


    Sure enough, the Lurcher ''Cookie'' walked into the alley marked with a bat symbol, and then barked a few times with a dumbfounded dog''s expression, looking at Rein.


    It seemed to be saying, ''It should be here, but the scent stops. There''s nothing ahead!''


    Rein smiled and turned to Matteo and the other two, saying, "Your uniforms are too conspicuous, wait here for a bit."


    "At your command, Deputy Commander!" Matteo said with a grin.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein said to Lagaray, "Your shield and figure are too noticeable, too. Better wait here with Matteo and the others for me."


    "Well... okay!" Lagaray clenched her hand on the shield and nodded.


    She was currently quite behind Rein in terms of strength, so she didn''t offer any objections.


    Rein then picked up ''Cookie'' and walked into the Bat Market.


    The four people on the side watched in surprise as Rein suddenly disappeared in front of them!


    Right away, the four of them exchanged puzzled looks!


    -----------------


    By this time, it had started to get light.


    Perhaps in a normal morning market, there should already be early-rising merchants and pedestrians mingling, but in the Bat Market, the human flow was extremely scarce, and the streets were empty.


    As soon as he entered, Rein set the Lurcher ''Cookie'' down, and ''Cookie''s dog eyes regained their previous liveliness. Sniffing around, it began to quickly scout ahead.


    Soon, the man and dog arrived at a shop with a sign hanging on the door featuring patterns of stars, the sun, and the moon.


    "Woof!" ''Cookie'' let out a soft bark.


    Afterward, it wagged its tail and walked back and forth in front of the closed shop door.


    Clearly, this was the place ''Cookie'' had determined Adams had stayed before.


    Rein raised his eyebrows in delight.


    Having tracked from Flashgold Town all the way to County Town, now, they finally found a site where the other party had likely stayed.


    Rein first looked around and, after realizing that no one on the street was paying attention to himself and ''Cookie,'' immediately circled the shop, carefully observing it.


    Soon, he noticed one of the windows of the shop was half-open.


    After a moment of thought, Rein began to execute his newly mastered core Beast Tamer skill, ''Beast Eye.''


    The next second, Rein''s vision switched to ''Cookie.''


    ''Cookie'' took a running start and leaped through the window about one and a half meters high.


    It wasn''t long before a man''s scolding voice came from inside: "Where did this stray dog come from!"


    Shortly after, ''Cookie'' jumped back out the window.


    At that time, Rein ended the skill ''Beast Eye'' and looked amused.


    "There''s only one adult male inside, very weak, seems to be Adams'' servant, or possibly just an ordinary employee to help watch the shop."


    "Should be easy to handle."


    So, Rein stepped forward and knocked on the door.


    "Thud, thud, thud!"


    The person inside asked cautiously, "Who''s there?"


    "We''re not open for business yet, the Diviner is not in." The other party added another sentence.


    The Diviner?


    It seems that this was most likely a false identity used by Adams to hide.


    Not opening the door?


    Rein raised his gauntlet-covered right hand and slammed it violently against the wooden door!


    "Crack!"


    Wood splintered!


    Rein chose to break in directly.


    Explore more adventures at M-V-L


    The shop''s wooden door suddenly had a hole the size of a washbasin, and without delay, Rein pulled open the door latch, pushed the door open, and walked in.

 Chapter 212: Chapter 150 A little trouble, has been dealt with (2 in 1 large chapter)_4

    "Who are you?" asked a man in his twenties inside, retreating step by step in fear upon seeing Rein clad in knight armor and carrying such an imposing aura."As an accomplice of Adams, you are under arrest!" Rein declared loudly.


    "Adams?"


    "Sir, are you mistaken? We don''t have anyone by that name here," the young man replied, looking utterly confused.


    "Recognize this?" Rein pulled out a staff from Adams from behind his back.


    The white knuckles surely weren''t shown off by Adams before, but Rein felt that Adams would most likely not hide such an unremarkable staff.


    As expected!


    Read new chapters at M-V-L


    "My boss''s staff?" The young man''s eyes suddenly widened, as if he had made a connection, and he exclaimed in disbelief.


    "Your boss''s real name is Adams, a fugitive wanted by the empire. Now, do you have anything else to say?"


    "Sir... I''ve been wronged!"


    "I only started working at this divination shop last month, I had no idea our boss was a fugitive wanted by the empire..." The young man''s legs gave way, and he slowly slumped against the wall, crying out his innocence with a look of disbelief.


    "Hmm, if what you say is true, you will be released soon."


    "Now, please cooperate with my work. Where is Adams''s, your boss''s, bedroom?" Rein asked, patiently organizing his thoughts.


    ...


    Ten minutes later, Rein walked out of the divination shop carrying a large black bag, followed by a dejected young man.


    Just as Rein was about to leave the Bat Market, two hooded figures in black robes approached him from the front of the street.


    Rein''s pupils contracted, and his expression turned stern.


    He could feel the active spiritual power of the two people opposite him.


    It seemed not inferior to his own, roughly that of a second-level Wizard Apprentice.


    Of course, they could be higher, like a third-level Wizard Apprentice, but deliberately disguising it as second-level.


    "Young man, no fighting is allowed inside the Bat Market; any dispute must be submitted to the market''s manager," one of the robed men said.


    "Are you the managers of the Bat Market?"


    "I am here to capture Adams, a fugitive wanted by the empire. I believe, even the Bat Market cannot protect a wanted criminal," Rein stated, pointing to the emblem on his knight armor.


    "This..." The two robed men, taken aback by Rein''s answer.


    The two exchanged glances for a moment, then said, "Since you are an official imperial agent performing your duties, that certainly is a different matter."


    Indeed, having the backing of a powerful entity is beneficial! Rein thought to himself.


    Once Rein left the Bat Market, Matteo, who had been waiting at the entrance, immediately came up to him, asking, "Sir, did everything go smoothly?"


    "Matteo, take this man into custody. We''ll interrogate him later about his relationship with Adams."


    Although Rein was almost certain that the employee was just an ordinary person, the only extraordinary aspect being his slightly higher spiritual power��a fairly common occurrence in the Bat Market��


    Typically, shop assistants are selected from ordinary people with relatively stronger spirits.


    "As you command, sir!"


    Immediately, Matteo signalled to two elite Night Watchmen behind him to escort the suspect, following Rein back to Flashgold Town.


    Two hours later, once back at home, Rein immediately went to the storage room and placed the black package directly on the table.


    A smile crossed Rein''s face as he waved vigorously through the air with both hands! S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This haul could definitely be called tremendous!


    Calming his surging emotions, Rein set about to inventory his acquisitions this time.


    A Crystal Ball, two Sorcery Scrolls, three books written in Lingwen (Akkadian), and a whole bunch of assorted materials.


    Currently, Rein had no idea of the effects of these items.


    So, the first thing Rein opened were the three books written in Lingwen.


    "Not bad!"


    "Not a decent person."


    "There''s a diary!"


    "In that case, the origins and uses of these items in my possession should generally be recognizable!" Rein, holding a book in his hands, said with a smile.

 Chapter 213: Chapter 151: Quite a Generous Bounty (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    As Rein flipped through the pages, his facial expression alternated between frowning and relaxing.Finally, he let out a long sigh and began to ponder deeply.


    It turned out that Adams, unlike the roguish wizard apprentices like Endri who became involved halfway, had a relatively orthodox background.


    According to the diary, Adams had once been a wizard apprentice to Solin Bergman, the advisor to Duke Louis of the Dragan Empire, many years ago.


    However, the young and impetuous Adams eventually became involved with the Duchess Catherine, wife of Duke Louis, but the affair was quickly exposed and secretly relayed to Duke Louis by one of Catherine''s personal maids. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, Adams, sensing something was amiss, discovered the squadron of knights sent to capture him.


    Adams believed that if he were caught by the furious Duke Louis, his life would not be spared, and moreover, he harbored resentment towards his mentor Solin for not protecting him.


    Immediately, Adams stole numerous casting materials and Sorcery Scrolls from his mentor Solin and fled the Imperial City quickly.


    "Not bad, this story could be passed down by the Wandering Bards! Tsk tsk, indeed, ''tis folly to be sage and serious in youth!"


    "Who would have thought that Adams, in his youth, was such a charmer."


    "He slept with the Duke''s wife... worth it."


    "Hmm, certainly stronger than that wandering bard Endri, who merely hooked up with an Earl''s wife, but Adams is different, that was the Duke''s wife..."


    "But... are all wizard apprentices so licentious?"


    "Plus, they all fancy married women, with a rascal''s attribute points maxed out..." Rein stroked his chin, musing to himself.


    "Additionally, the advisor Solin of Duke Louis, as described by Adams, seems to be a formal wizard from a school called the ''Igni Sect''."


    Although Adams''s description of his mentor Solin was limited to a single sentence, Rein felt it revealed quite a lot.


    First and foremost, in this world, some wizard apprentices or wizards themselves belonged to certain schools, meaning there was a complete lineage and training system.


    The existence of the ''Igni Sect'' indicated that there were probably other schools as well.


    This was certainly good news for Rein, who strove to seek the mysteries of witchcraft yet had always been groping his way like crossing a river by feeling for stones.


    Secondly, the fact that a formal wizard served as an advisor to a Duke of the Empire, upon reflection, suggested to Rein that the upper echelons of the Empire did not regard wizards as dangerous beasts; instead, they were seen as a source of strength.


    This instantly made Rein recall the advisers to lords from ancient times in his previous life.


    Putting all these ideas together in sequence, Rein thought that if he kept climbing upward with the support of the Empire, he would gradually come into contact with systematic wizardly knowledge.


    Moreover, there were other contents in the diary that left a deep impression on Rein.


    It appeared that in the eyes of a third-level wizard apprentice, knights below the level of Great Knight, be they veterans or Peak Knights, were no different from the weakest links.


    In Adams''s view, with strength at his level, it was only other mystical side professionals who could possibly pose a threat to him, meaning in his heart, ''only witchcraft can combat witchcraft.''


    Knight types, who relied purely on physical attacks, were not even worth consideration to Adams.


    No wonder Adams had looked down upon the assault from him and Hamilton, believing he could escape with ease.


    Thinking carefully, Rein recalled that under normal circumstances, and logically deducing the battle, indeed, there was hardly any chance for Adams to lose.


    Given the strength Adams had shown, he could easily have handled the assault of one Peak Knight and one veteran knight.


    It was just unfortunate for Adams to have come across someone like him who ''cheated''!


    An encounter later, with strength surpassing that of a Peak Knight and possessing a bit of witchcraft, a ''little monster'' was born.


    Thus, Adams met his unfortunate end in an unexpected place.


    Of course, what Rein focused on was that in Adams''s cognition and judgment, he, a third-level wizard apprentice, was at least on par with a Great Knight, if not slightly superior.


    Does this then mean that in terms of combat power in this world, a third-level wizard apprentice is equivalent to a Great Knight?


    No!


    After thinking it through more carefully, Rein felt there were one or two conditions that needed to be added.


    That is, a third-level wizard apprentice with a ''formal education'' and possessing several Sorcery Scrolls as trump cards should be considered above a Great Knight. As for wandering wizard apprentices or ''pauper'' apprentices, that may not necessarily be the case.


    ''Whether or not external forces can be borrowed'' directly determined the combat strength of a wizard apprentice!


    After pondering, Rein continued to flip through the pages of the diary, reading on.


    A quarter of an hour later, Rein picked up the crystal orb that was slightly smaller than a baby''s head and examined it carefully.


    "Who would have thought that this Crystal Ball is actually a testing crystal, capable of crudely testing a person''s affinity for various mystical side energy particles," Rein muttered to himself.


    Simply put, each person attracts different mystical side energy particles to varying degrees.


    For a wizard apprentice, energy particles that are more naturally attracted to and are thus easier to control would also be slightly more powerful.


    Therefore, Adams''s diary made it very clear that it was important for orthodox wizard apprentices to determine their affinity before learning witchcraft.

 Chapter 214: Chapter 151: Considerable Spoils of War (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    So as to redouble the effort when choosing a speciality later on!This benefited Rein, the ''wild'' Wizard Apprentice, immensely.


    Soon, Rein figured out how to use the ''affinity testing'' crystal ball.


    The method was simple, only requiring him to pour his spiritual power into the crystal ball and earnestly perceive the surrounding mystical side-energy particles.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein decided to test it immediately. Thus, he began to hold the crystal ball with both hands, closed his eyes, and concentrated his spirit.


    As Rein''s spiritual power flowed in, the crystal ball quickly emitted a soft white light, and at the same time, different colors of light started to swirl within the previously clear crystal ball.


    A few seconds later, the light gradually stabilized.


    At this moment, Rein opened his eyes and saw that the topmost layer of the crystal ball was filled with red mist, while in the middle there was a light silver mist, with both seeming to have almost the same volume. Although there were slight differences, the gap wasn''t significant.


    The light silver color was only slightly less than the red, with their combined volume accounting for nearly eighty to ninety percent of the space within the crystal ball.


    The rest were a mix of colors, almost a little of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple.


    According to Adams, the red represented affinity for flame energy particles: the larger the area it occupied in the crystal ball, the stronger the tester''s affinity for that type of energy particle.


    Rein nodded slightly, thinking to himself that this was right.


    This also explained why, when he first became a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, he could only manipulate flame energy particles.


    And as his spiritual power grew day by day, on the verge of becoming a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, he could barely affect other mystical side-energy particles around him, yet the power was still much weaker in comparison.


    However, this affinity testing crystal ball could only approximately measure the tester''s affinity direction and wasn''t capable of an accurate quantitative test.


    Simply put, it''s like if you took an exam and got scores of 60 in Chinese, 60 in Mathematics, and 10 in English, the ratio would be 6:6:1; of course, if your scores were 120, 120, and 20, the ratio would also be 6:6:1.


    What the crystal ball shows is a kind of ratio, not a specific value.


    As for Rein''s pale silver color...


    That was not recorded in Adams''s diary.


    This made Rein frown slightly.


    Clearly, if he could understand what the pale silver represented in terms of affinity direction, he could deliberately collect witchcraft and related knowledge in that direction, naturally enhancing the power of the witchcraft he cast over those with relatively weaker affinity.


    However...


    Since he couldn''t figure it out immediately, Rein contemplated for a short moment and decided to continue reading.


    An hour later, Rein had read through the entire diary of Adams.


    Looking again at the spoils on the table, a smile couldn''t help but spread across Rein''s face.


    Regarding the short wand, the diary mentioned that it was crafted from a special tree called Graywood, and had a slightly elevated effect on dark energy witchcraft.


    For Rein, this wasn''t of much use.


    But for those Wizard Apprentices who specialized in dark energy, they would likely take great pleasure in it.


    As for the slender white finger bone, the diary did not record anything, so he skipped over it.


    Regarding the two Lingwen books, one detailed the method of creating a potion named ''Arcane Elixir,'' which could slightly enhance spiritual power. However, nearly ninety-nine percent of the ingredients were unknown to Rein. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After briefly looking at it, Rein put it aside.


    Because for most Wizard Apprentices, the only way to enhance spiritual power was through years of practicing basic meditative techniques.


    And for a small number with rich resources or a legacy, there was a second method: they could enhance their spiritual power through the consumption of these rare elixirs.


    However... for Rein, he had a third approach.


    Its effects were far superior to the previous two methods.


    That was��adding points!


    So, for Rein, the Arcane Elixir, which could enhance a small amount of spiritual power, was not as precious to him as it might be to other Wizard Apprentices.


    Mainly because Rein considered one thing.


    At the current stage, if he chose to produce this elixir, he would have to search for these rare materials himself.


    Possibly, the time spent in the process could allow Rein to level up several aspects of his vocational panel.


    Therefore, after a short contemplation, Rein understood that it would be much easier to arrange for someone to collect them later on when his duties were further progressed, and then making the elixir would still be timely.


    The other book made Rein''s eyes light up because it recorded three types of witchcraft, to be precise, two curses plus one witchcraft.


    The first curse was ''Spiritual Fatigue.''


    The condition for casting this curse was a bit troublesome.


    The first step was to draw a pentagram��in reverse��along with a personal item that had intimate contact with the target of the curse. Of course, if there was access to the target''s hair or blood, that would be even better.


    Rein had an epiphany after reading the description of the effects of the curse ''Spiritual Fatigue.''


    The effect of curse ''Spiritual Fatigue'': It reduces the spirit of whoever is cursed, causing them to feel strong fatigue.


    This immediately reminded Rein of how he felt the previous night. He suddenly felt extraordinarily tired, almost unable to open his eyes, evidently due to this curse.

 Chapter 215: Chapter 151: Substantial Spoils of War (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Rein carefully studied the curse-type witchcraft again, and his brows furrowed immediately.Because the release of the curse "spiritual exhaustion" not only required learning some prerequisite knowledge, such as "basic principles of negative energy" and "human neurology," but also hinged on the manipulation of negative energy particles.


    The strength of the negative energy particles that the caster could manipulate was directly related to the strength of this curse''s effect.


    Of course, the strength of spiritual power is almost linked to the power of all witchcraft, which goes without mentioning here.


    That is to say, if Rein were to perform this witchcraft, with the same spirit power intensity, his curse effect might be a lot weaker than that of Adams''s.


    The second curse was called "Ghostly Entanglement."


    It also required personal objects closely associated with the curse''s target, such as hair or blood; secondly, it required an existing resentful spirit or other spiritual body creature. If not available, it wasn''t impossible, but the effect of the curse would be greatly reduced.


    Curse "Ghostly Entanglement" Effect: Causes the magnetic field of the curse''s target to change, making it extremely susceptible to the attention and attack of resentful spirits, malevolent spirits, and other spiritual body creatures.


    Seeing the effects of this curse, Rein couldn''t help but understand why Adams was referred to as a Ghost Manipulator.


    Indeed, there are only misnamed names, not misnamed nicknames.


    For most people, even for a formal knight, facing such a bizarre curse without the aid of external forces was very hard to resist.


    After thinking it over, although both these witchcrafts were naive energy curses, Rein found them difficult to learn, and the effects after learning might be passable.


    But Rein still planned to give them a try.


    However, in terms of learning order, these two curse-type witchcrafts had to come after the third witchcraft.


    The third witchcraft, which even Adams had not mastered, was named "High-Temperature Force Field."


    Judging from the name alone, it was a fire-type witchcraft, and moreover, it was a rare force field type of witchcraft.


    Witchcraft "High-Temperature Force Field" Effect: Forms a high-temperature spherical force field within a few meters radius around the caster.


    According to the sloppy notes in the book, Adams stole this witchcraft because it was a rare force field type, and Adams felt, although it was a fire-type witchcraft, it was very significant for reference.


    However, later, Adams found the witchcraft model structure of the "High-Temperature Force Field" a bit complex, making it difficult to master.


    More importantly, this witchcraft did not align with his combat philosophy.


    Adams preferred to build himself as a "cannon," focusing on learning long-range attack witchcraft, and the "High-Temperature Force Field" only had a range of a few meters, which suddenly diminished his desire to learn it.


    However, when Rein saw this witchcraft, what he thought was completely different.


    Rein''s current combat power, a significant part of it, came from the Knight (Transcendent) profession, meaning he mainly relied on close combat.


    The "High-Temperature Force Field" witchcraft seemed to have an inexplicable fit with him.


    Imagine, generating temperatures comparable to those under the Sahara Desert''s scorching sun within a few meters around oneself, and the enemies would quickly show signs of heatstroke, such as nausea, vomiting, dehydration...


    This picture was simply too perfect!


    Of course, the above scene was just Rein''s imagination; after all, the specific power would only be known after he learned it.


    However, since "High-Temperature Force Field" was a fire-type witchcraft, it matched perfectly with Rein''s affinity, which was a significant advantage.


    That is to say, once Rein mastered this witchcraft, its power could be slightly enhanced.


    Besides, this elemental-type witchcraft didn''t seem to require any prerequisite studies and could be directly learned, and once mastered, it could be quickly transformed into combat power. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, Rein decided to first learn the fire-type witchcraft "High-Temperature Force Field," then the two curses.


    Finally, only two Sorcery Scrolls were left.


    The creation of a Sorcery Scroll was extremely difficult, but its release was very simple, requiring only a small amount of spirit power to activate the scroll.


    There was no need to consider any witchcraft model, affinity, or other matters; it was the best way to quickly enhance a Wizard Apprentice''s combat power.


    The only downside was that it was expensive!


    Just as Rein was about to examine the Sorcery Scrolls, there was a knock at the door from Matteo.


    As soon as Matteo entered, he began to report on the investigation,


    "Deputy Commandant, we have clarified the identity of that young man; he was not lying and indeed became an employee of Adams''s shop about a month ago."


    "Additionally, he provided a rather useful piece of information; two days ago, a middle-aged man came to the shop looking for his boss. He feels that the attack you suffered might be related to this middle-aged man."


    Upon hearing this, Rein''s brow raised; this was very likely.


    After all, he had no grievances with Adams, so the attack against him must have been commissioned by someone else.


    "Hmm, do you have any specific information about this middle-aged man?" Rein asked.


    "Uh... the middle-aged man did not stay long, and Adams dismissed him soon after. So, the young man is not clear about the detailed content of their conversation or the specific identity of the middle-aged man."


    "However... sir, I just had someone draw a portrait based on the young man''s description. You can have a look," Matteo said, pulling out a rolled-up parchment from his chest, unrolling and presenting it in front of Rein.

 Chapter 216: Chapter 151: Quite Substantial Spoils of War (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4

    Rein''s heart leapt, and he nodded, saying, "Very good, Matteo, you are becoming more meticulous in your work."After carefully discerning, Rein confirmed that the person was neither Baron Alonzo nor Viscount Hamadi.


    Of course, this was assuming that neither of them was using some sort of well-crafted human skin mask.


    Rein reminisced in his mind and confirmed that he did not know this person.


    But Rein always felt that there was something familiar about the man''s appearance, yet he could not pinpoint the source of this familiarity at all.


    Less than a minute after Matteo had left, the storeroom where Rein was located again heard a knock at the door.


    Rein opened the door and saw Lagaray standing outside.


    "Rein, may I come in? I need to discuss something with you."


    "Of course, come in."


    "Rein, have you now reached the level of a senior knight?" Lagaray looked at Rein with her deep blue eyes, an expectant expression on her face.


    "Hmm? Lagaray, why would you ask that?" Rein smiled.


    "I heard it from the Night Watchmen; they all say your strength has surpassed that of the peace officer of Flashgold Town, Lord Hamilton."


    "Well... Perhaps." Rein nodded without denying it.


    "That''s wonderful! Rein, may I request something of you? I want to retrieve my brother and his teammates'' remains and their weapons from the Nightingale Forest."


    "I''ve been waiting too long..." As Lagaray spoke about it, the light died in her eyes, leaving her face forlorn!


    So that was it...


    Rein looked thoughtful.


    It was not that he was unwilling to go.


    Only, if a Crown Knight had easily disposed of Lagaray''s brother, a savage warrior with a ferocity level of 40%, clearly, the opponent was very strong.


    Although he had killed Adams, a third-level Wizard Apprentice, that did not mean he was confident in handling some of the mysterious events in this world.


    "Er... Lagaray, I will now go to Lord Hamilton and ask about the plans of the County Town and the church. Supposedly, the church''s people should be arriving soon," Rein thought and said.


    "The recent delays, I heard, were due to the monsoon and Sea Goddess Church working in coordination with the official empire to suppress the Cult," Rein added after thinking.


    At that moment, his sister, Bo He, suddenly yelled from downstairs, "Brother, someone is looking for you downstairs, and there''s a carriage!"


    Rein''s eyebrows raised; could it be that it was someone from the Crawley family?


    "Thump, thump, thump!"


    Bo He rushed upstairs, her face flushed and slightly excited, saying, "Brother, the carriage doesn''t bear the pattern of roses, it seems like a giant dragon?"


    Hmm?


    A giant dragon?


    Impossible!


    This immediately made Rein quite puzzled.


    He immediately excused himself to Lagaray and went downstairs.


    As soon as he stepped out of the doorway, he saw a luxurious carriage parked next to their house, clearly not in the style of the Crawley family, and the crest on the carriage was completely different.


    This time, the carriage had a design with more curves, giving it a more exquisite and noble impression.


    Moreover, the crest on the upper right corner of the carriage showed a giant dragon spreading its wings and roaring skyward, lifelike.


    Bo He was right! S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein''s pupils shrank!


    Clearly, the visitor was a prominent figure.


    Because, generally, nobles or institutions simply do not have the right to use a giant dragon as a crest, following the established custom of noble crest design in the Dragan Empire.


    Rein had heard about this from Jenny during a carriage conversation a few days ago.


    Upon seeing Rein approach,


    a middle-aged man dressed in a fitted tailcoat also alighted from the carriage, and said, "Excuse me, is this Lord Rein of Flashgold Town, the deputy peace officer?"

 Chapter 217: Chapter 152: The Second Witchcraft (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)

    ```"Yes!"


    The middle-aged man nodded and said, "I am an official of the Imperial Candidacy Examination Committee stationed in Mingster Province, Lord Rein, please get into the carriage so we can discuss in detail."


    Hmm?


    An official of the Candidacy Examination Committee?


    No wonder they dared to use the image of a giant dragon as the symbol on their carriage.


    After all, the other party is an organization directly under the Senate, the highest authority in the Empire.


    "Alright," Rein nodded hastily, not daring to be negligent, and followed the middle-aged man into the carriage.


    As soon as he entered, he found the carriage''s interior was unusually spacious; there were two rows of seats facing each other with a moderately sized, rectangular coffee table in between.


    A middle-aged man with a goatee, dressed in black hunting clothes with gold trim, was sitting calmly on the left side, watching Rein enter the carriage.


    "Lord Rein, this is Special Envoy Javier Stewart," said the man in the tailcoat following the introductions.


    "Envoy Stewart, greetings," Rein inclined his head slightly in a gesture of respect.


    Envoy?


    Rein couldn''t estimate how high-ranking this position was.


    But obviously, the other was a high-ranking noble.


    "Lord Rein is quite youthful and talented, please have a look at this information," Javier examined Rein and couldn''t help but smile; as he spoke, he pushed a file resembling a document bag across the coffee table toward Rein.


    "Of course, my lord," Rein replied after receiving it, and then began to read carefully.


    Minutes later, after finishing the documents, Rein''s face showed reflection.


    At that moment, seeing that Rein had finished reading, the Special Envoy named Javier spoke, "Due to the need for confidentiality, we cannot give you these documents; if you haven''t memorized them, you are welcome to read them again now."


    "There''s no need, I think I''ve committed it to memory. Thank you, Envoy Stewart."


    "By the way, please take good care of this credential badge for participating in the candidacy examination," Javier pointed toward the coffee table again.


    Rein nodded. He picked up the amethyst-colored badge from the coffee table, which was slightly larger than a Gold Coin. The badge bore the image of a Knight holding a sword and shield atop a horse, looking imposing and extraordinary.


    "Then, Lord Rein, please make sure not to be late. Tardiness will result in disqualification from the candidacy examination."


    "I apologize for the intrusion and wish you success in your examination," Javier said with a smile.


    Rein understood that this was an indication that their time for discussion was over.


    Presumably, the Envoy still had other candidates to notify for the examination.


    "Thank you, Envoy Stewart." After picking up the credential badge, Rein stood up and left the carriage. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shortly after, the carriage slowly started moving.


    Inside the carriage, the man in the tailcoat asked curiously, "Envoy Stewart, why did you make a special trip to see this Rein?"


    "The individual is merely of common birth. Though it is commendable that he has reached Transcendent at such an age, it doesn''t seem that rare in the whole of Mingster Province."


    Javier chuckled and said, "Hehe, the latest news is that this young Lord Rein, a while ago, defeated several Cultist monks by himself, thwarting one of their operations."


    "Eh? That is quite rare!" The man in the tailcoat showed a hint of surprise.


    "Doesn''t that mean this young Lord Rein might already possess strength comparable to that of a seasoned Knight?"


    "Not just that. Among those Cultist monks, there was a Black Flame Apostle, which has also been confirmed by Meister County''s Monsoon and the Church of the Ocean Goddess," Javier continued.


    "What?" The man''s eyes suddenly widened, truly taken aback this time.


    For Rein to defeat an Angel Envoy of that caliber at his age, even throughout Mingster Province, was exceptionally rare.


    To narrow the scope further, no individuals of common birth around fifteen years of age had achieved this... It seemed there were none!


    At least, in his memory, there were none.


    "It seems that this Lord Rein could very well be a potential ''Sword Bearer,''" the man in the tailcoat exhaled thoughtfully.


    He now understood the purpose behind the Special Envoy''s particular visit.


    Indeed.


    "Yes, but there is some uncertainty in becoming a ''Sword Bearer''; we shall wait and see," he replied.


    Soon, the luxurious carriage disappeared at the end of the road...


    After watching the carriage depart, Rein began to consider his preparations; the contents of the document bag were etched deeply in his mind.


    Firstly, the time and place for the candidacy examination: half a month from now, in Rosby City of Mingster Province, the County Town of Rosby.


    It was the first time Rein had heard of it.


    Thankfully, based on the map provided in the documents, Rosby City was right next to Meister County; it would take approximately five days by horse, which wasn''t too far.


    Moreover, the map also showed that this was a large city right on the coastline, surrounded by many islands near Rosby City.


    It appeared the examination might involve the islands, perhaps even directly related to the ocean.


    Eradicate pirates that had settled on certain islands?


    Or was it friction on the border with the emerging Eagle Federation?


    Rein shook his head lightly; none of this was certain, and he would only know after arriving in Rosby City.


    Additionally, he did not yet know whether he would be assigned an individual task or a team task for the examination, so Rein had to prepare earnestly.


    However, Rein was quite confident in his abilities.


    ```

 Chapter 218: Chapter 152: The Second Witchcraft (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_2

    After all, his current strength had already surpassed Lord Hamilton''s, and when Lord Hamilton had participated in the ennoblement assessment, he too secured a ''Good'' second-tier rating and was granted the title of baron.That is to say, as long as nothing unexpected occurs, he should at least be able to secure the baron title in this ennoblement assessment.


    Rather than returning to the second-floor storage room, Rein, after some thought, decided to first visit the town hall to find Lord Hamilton.


    It wasn''t long before Rein arrived at Lord Hamilton''s office.


    Upon entering, he was greeted by the strong scent of herbs, reminding him that Lord Hamilton had been quite seriously injured the previous night.


    Seeing Rein enter, Lord Hamilton smiled and said, "Rein, what brings you here? I was just about to send someone for you. I didn''t expect you to come on your own."


    "Lord, how are you feeling?"


    "It''s not too serious, but I do need to properly recuperate over the next few days."


    Rein nodded and continued, "That''s good to hear, Lord. The ennoblement assessment committee has already contacted me."


    "Oh? So soon?" Lord Hamilton said, his expression turning solemn.


    Immediately, Rein briefly shared with Lord Hamilton the people he had met and some of the discussions they had.


    He mainly wanted to hear Lord Hamilton''s analysis and see in which areas he still needed to prepare, given Lord Hamilton''s relevant experience.


    After listening, Lord Hamilton thought deeply and then said,


    "Regarding the position of envoy, I''m not too clear either. After all, any worker from the ennoblement assessment committee, as long as they hold specific tasks or responsibilities, can be regarded as envoys at the county or provincial level."


    "However, that''s not what you should focus on."


    "Rein, judging by your assembly location, it''s highly likely that the contents of this ennoblement assessment batch will involve the sea. You have about ten days left; you should make good use of this time to prepare."


    "For instance, in an aquatic environment, a knight''s heavy armor might sometimes become a burden, so, I suggest you prepare a set of leather armor."


    "Besides, you should also think carefully about other possible situations you might encounter."


    Rein nodded, indeed that was the case.


    However, at that moment an idea flashed through Rein''s mind.


    Perhaps, he could visit the bat market again; there might be some potions or strange objects suitable for use in aquatic environments.


    "Speaking of which, Rein, the messenger from the county just informed me that tomorrow, Rudolph, the head of the Monsoon and Sea Goddess Church, will once again lead a team to Nightingale Forest to deal with the Evil Spirit Knight issue," Lord Hamilton mentioned.


    "Initially, I thought I''d ask you to accompany him since I''m injured."


    "However... since you''re about to participate in the ennoblement assessment, it''s better...."


    At this point, Rein raised an eyebrow and interrupted Lord Hamilton''s next words,


    "Wait, Lord, since you are unwell, it''s more appropriate for me to go. Moreover, if I want to further enhance my strength, I believe I need more real combat experience!"


    He hadn''t expected that right after Lagaray had approached him, the church''s people would come calling.


    In addition, having the church accompany him naturally offered a greater security assurance, as they were experts in handling mysterious events with rich experience.


    Of course, most importantly, Rein was still considering whether he could further improve his strength by dealing with the Evil Spirit Knight task.


    Because at present, his Knight (Transcendent) career panel was not far from leveling up.


    Lord Hamilton glanced at Rein.


    Does your strength still need to be enhanced?


    This is an ennoblement assessment, not some kind of life-or-death ordeal!


    Lord Hamilton thought to himself in criticism.


    Of course, he definitely couldn''t say that. Looking at Rein earnestly, he asked, "Rein... are you sure you don''t need to spend some time preparing?"


    "Lord, the Evil Spirit Knight task shouldn''t take too much time. I think, after returning, I will still have plenty of time to prepare," Rein replied.


    "Very well!" Lord Hamilton nodded and agreed.


    After all, for him, given his current serious injuries that required a few days to recover, sending Rein was definitely the best choice.


    When Rein returned home and shared this news with Lagaray, the barbarian girl couldn''t help but be overjoyed.


    She had been waiting for this day for far too long.


    "Also, if nothing unexpected happens, I should be accompanying you tomorrow," Rein added after a moment''s thought. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh? Isn''t it supposed to be Lord Hamilton?"


    "He''s injured, so this time, I''ll be leading the team from Flashgold Town," Rein explained.


    "Alright, then I''ll go get ready." From Lagaray''s expression, there appeared to be an even brighter spark in her eyes.


    ...


    Only then did Rein find some free time to start examining the two Sorcery Scrolls.


    Rein first took out one of the Sorcery Scrolls, opening it cautiously.


    There are two ways to trigger a Sorcery Scroll: one is to tear it open directly, which is suitable for everyone including ordinary people.


    The other requires the injection of a slight amount of spiritual power, which is relatively more suitable for Wizard Apprentices. Through this method, one can slightly manipulate the angle and scope of the unleashed witchcraft.


    The first Sorcery Scroll bore intricate lines, triangles, and circles, emitting a faint chill, with a small spirit script (Akkadian) explanation, ''Arctic Wind.''


    Witchcraft ''Arctic Wind'' Effect: Summon an arctic airflow from the caster, blowing forward for tens of meters and causing the temperature in the area to drop drastically within a very short time.

 Chapter 219: Chapter 152 The 2nd Witchcraft (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_3

    Ice Frost Witchcraft?Rein fell into deep thought.


    From the description, it seemed to be an area-of-effect witchcraft with substantial power, but he wondered just how intense the described sharp drop in temperature was.


    Could it freeze seawater instantly, for example?


    After pondering, Rein put it away and slowly opened the second Sorcery Scroll.


    The pattern was similarly intricate, but this time the energy fluctuations emanating from the scroll were completely different from the previous one.


    And the Spirit script beside it read ''Summon Hurricane''.


    Witchcraft ''Summon Hurricane'' effect: Instantly summons a powerful hurricane, attacking a fan-shaped area directly in front of the caster.


    For such a vague description,


    Rein could only express deep aversion!


    Powerful energy?


    Just how powerful?


    Would this hurricane inflict slicing wounds on the enemies, merely blow them away, or even toss a cow into the sky?


    Rein was perplexed!


    Unfortunately, as there was only one copy of each Sorcery Scroll, it meant that Rein could not test the actual effects of the scrolls in advance.


    Additionally, Rein was quite puzzled as to why Adams, who majored in negative energy, would possess these two scrolls that were clearly of the ice and wind series.


    Could it be that he stole them years ago from his mentor Sorin?


    Or were they spoils from some secret mission?


    After a brief contemplation, Rein slightly shook his head��these had nothing to do with him.


    After stowing the two Sorcery Scrolls, he took out the book recording the witchcraft ''High-Temperature Field'' and began reading it meticulously.


    Half an hour later, Rein crossed his arms and began to pace back and forth in the storeroom.


    Since the first witchcraft Rein mastered, ''Scorching Touch,'' was also a fire-type witchcraft, he naturally compared the ''High-Temperature Field'' with ''Scorching Touch.''


    Clearly, the difficulty had escalated dramatically!


    The visualization difficulty of the ''Scorching Touch'' model was like learning the word ''big'' after learning the English alphabet (Will runes), but the visualization difficulty of the ''High-Temperature Field'' was completely different, like learning ''congratulation'' right after the alphabet.


    So, although Rein''s spiritual power had increased to 20 points and he was much quicker, he sensed and channeled the surrounding fire energy particles, but to fully visualize the ''High-Temperature Field'' witchcraft model synchronously was extremely difficult.


    After thinking, Rein decided to give it a try.


    After all, he had an advantage: succeeding once meant that it would be etched on the panel, allowing for steady future improvement without fear of forgetting, backsliding, or mistakes like a normal Wizard Apprentice might face.


    After failing more than ten times, finally, Rein succeeded once!


    Within a few meters around Rein, the air and the air in distant areas seemed to exhibit a slight refraction phenomenon, though it was hardly noticeable without close inspection. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But as per elementary physics on light refraction and reflection, this shouldn''t happen in the same medium.


    Because in the same medium, the transmission rate is fixed.


    But at this moment, it did occur.


    Clearly, this indicated that the temperature of the air around Rein was higher than other places, causing the air density and humidity to change due to temperature differences, resulting in a variance in transmission rate.


    An optical illusion like a mirage operates on this principle.


    Besides, Rein also discovered that the temperature in the force field rose extremely fast, akin to the effect of a combination of a microwave and an air fryer.


    The air could be heated to a designated temperature in just a few seconds.


    Thus, to measure the power of the ''High-Temperature Field,'' Rein had already placed three basins of water on the table at approximately one meter, two meters, and three meters away from him.


    Ten seconds later, Rein voluntarily stopped the witchcraft ''High-Temperature Field.''


    To his disappointment, none of the three basins of water boiled.


    This indicated that the temperature of the ''High-Temperature Field'' witchcraft was far less than that of ''Scorching Touch.''


    After all, with the power of ''Scorching Touch,'' the water would not only have boiled by now but would have evaporated away.


    After stopping, Rein went forward to feel the temperature of the water in the basins.


    Indeed, the basin three meters away seemed perfect for a foot soak, approximately forty to fifty degrees.


    But the basin two meters away was about seventy to eighty degrees, quite scalding, yet the temperature of the basin one meter away was almost the same as the three-meter one.


    This surprised Rein quite a bit.


    He had assumed that the basin one meter away would be the hottest.


    It appears that the maximum lethal radius of the ''High-Temperature Field'' is around two meters; any further or closer, and the power decreases.


    At that moment, the system notification also followed:


    [You have studied the High-Temperature Field, understanding enhanced!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill��High-Temperature Field]


    [Your skill High-Temperature Field improved, Experience +1]


    Meanwhile, under the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel below the Scorching Touch icon, a brand-new icon appeared.


    The icon''s border lit up slightly, and the pattern on the icon was a blurred figure wearing a hood, surrounded by a transparent, oval eggshell-like thin membrane.


    Rein focused on the new icon, noticing a line of small text below it.


    High-Temperature Field lv1 (1/100)


    High-Temperature Field lv1 effect: Consumes a certain amount of spiritual power to invoke surrounding fire energy particles with a specific witchcraft model, generating high-temperature air within a certain range around the host, lasting approximately one minute.

 Chapter 220: Chapter 152: The Second Witchcraft (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_4

    (Note: The spell duration is 3 seconds, the power is proportional to the host''s spiritual power, and the closer to the core area, the greater the power. Current effective kill range: 1~3 meters.)To be honest, the power of this sorcery was far from what Rein had anticipated.


    Isn''t it called a high-temperature force field?


    How come it''s not even a hundred degrees?


    Is this considered high temperature?


    Rein couldn''t help but mutter under his breath.


    However, Rein thought again.


    He seemed to have misunderstood the temperature.


    Because if you look at the definition from meteorology, a temperature over 35�� is considered high.


    The highest recorded temperature in the Sahara Desert from historical records is only 58��. It''s important to note that many temperatures mentioned as seventy or eighty degrees refer to the surface temperature, not the air temperature.


    Seventy or eighty degrees, that definitely counts as high temperature!


    Moreover, if we consider human body temperature, anything over 40�� is considered high temperature, so seventy or eighty degrees...


    Well...


    The master who named this sorcery ''high-temperature force field,'' you win.


    Also, Rein found out that this is a force-field type of sorcery, which lasts much longer than usual, so it consumes a lot more spiritual power each time it is used.


    As the saying goes, ''Knowledge is power.''


    Since it''s learned, one must find the appropriate scenario to use it.


    Rein soon began to consider the suitable scenarios for this sorcery.


    First, for the ''high-temperature force field,'' Rein felt it was quite suitable for general melee combat range.


    Because the general range of melee combat between enemies is about two to three meters.


    If the battle lasts over ten seconds, the opponent should be sweating profusely and start showing signs of heatstroke. Even if a knight''s transcendent constitution is several times that of a normal person, the prolonged duration will inevitably lead to a significant drop in combat effectiveness!


    Looked at in this way, this ''high-temperature force field'' isn''t so useless after all.


    After pondering for a moment, Rein''s face lit up with a bright smile.


    Of course, there are also drawbacks. It''s best to keep the enemy within a two to three-meter range during combat, and not let them get too far away or vary their distance.


    Second, it is not suitable against archers or other long-range attackers.


    All day long, Rein was basically studying this new sorcery ''high-temperature force field'' and reading materials from the books from Adams.


    Rein felt that the biggest gains weren''t so much the one or two sorceries, nor the precious sorcery scrolls, but rather, it was gaining a preliminary understanding of some concepts.


    For example, the concept of affinity for mysterious side energy particles, and the attitude of the empire''s upper echelons toward wizards and wizard apprentices, among others.


    Before this, Rein was utterly in the dark about these matters.


    -----------------


    The next morning, Rein and Lagaray arrived early at the town hall, accompanying Hamilton as they waited for the arrival of the church team.


    Soon, a long procession arrived slowly from the direction of County Town into Flashgold Town, distinctly appearing as the team from the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church judging by their attire.


    Soon, Rein spotted an old man in a blue robe with golden embroidery, holding a thick book, surrounded by silver-armored knights��it was Rudolph, the pastor they had previously dealt with.


    After some pleasantries, Rein, Lagaray, and over ten Night Watchmen from Flashgold Town, riding horses, joined the team coming from County Town.


    This time, Viscount Hamadi did not come, so while it was technically the team from County Town, it was almost exclusively the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church''s team.


    As they entered Nightingale Forest and drew closer to the target area, Rein noticed that aside from a few of the church''s paladins and Pastor Rudolph, the others, particularly those from Flashgold Town who followed him, were more or less nervous.


    Therefore, Rein rode up next to the Night Watchman''s captain Matteo and said, "Once we reach the target area, Matteo, have everyone be careful."


    "Leave the Evil Spirit Knights to those paladins from the church. Your team will handle some of the guard duties."


    "Yes, sir!" Hearing Rein''s arrangement, Matteo was naturally pleased.


    For these ordinary people, facing mysterious events often left them powerless, and if they encountered a commander who misused them as the main force, they would be doomed to suffer heavy casualties.


    Meanwhile.


    On the northwest edge of Nightingale Forest.


    A tall, slender female elf with jet-black hair had just arrived in Nightingale Forest, tired and dusty from her journey. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 221: Chapter 153: The Strength of the Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Quickly, Rein and his party were about to arrive at the area where Lagaray''s team had encountered the aged ogre.At that moment, Rudolph, the priest riding on horseback, suddenly looked up ahead, frowning ever so slightly.


    Almost simultaneously, Rein also raised his right hand and made a halt sign, shouting, "Stop!"


    Just then, Rein had felt a very distinct, malicious scrutiny coming from the dense forest about a few dozen meters to the left and in front of him.


    He was certain that this surveilling gaze was not from an ordinary beast, but instead from some sort of intelligent creature.


    Moreover, for Rein to feel an obvious malice meant that the strength of the other party was not to be underestimated.


    Rudolph, however, did not focus on that surveilling gaze but instead turned his head in surprise towards Rein.


    This young man, who at such a young age had become a Transcendent Knight, seemed to become more and more inscrutable to him.


    Because that surveilling gaze, even he had only just noticed it himself.


    But what he hadn''t expected was that Rein, right by his side, could also detect it so quickly��a Knight with such sharp perception...


    It should be noted that the reason he could detect it was because of his long tenure as a clergyman, which gave him an innate sensitivity to malice.


    As Rudolph was pondering what kind of offer might sway the young man before him, whom he thought should embrace the arms of the Goddess, Rein took the initiative to ask:


    "Rudolph, there seems to be something lurking in our direction, should we stop and check it out?"


    "Yes, let everyone else take a break as well," Rudolph decided to rest for a while after pondering for a moment.


    Traveling all the way from Flashgold Town to Nightingale Forest, while the Holy Temple Knights felt little impact, the county town''s peacekeeping troops and the Night Watchmen from Flashgold Town were beginning to show signs of fatigue.


    So, the entire team stopped rather quickly.


    Firstly, to rest for a bit, allowing the horses to recover some of the strength they had expended on the journey, and secondly, to send people to check the surroundings.


    Rein had Matteo deploy the Night Watchmen around the perimeter for vigilance while sending a few skilled individuals to scrutinize the area within a hundred-meter radius, especially where he had sensed that surveilling gaze, to see if they could find any valuable clues.


    After making these arrangements, Rein then came to Lagaray''s side and asked, "Lagaray, is this the place?"


    As they delved deeper into Nightingale Forest, Rein noticed that Lagaray''s mood seemed a bit downcast.


    The reason?


    Rein guessed that it was probably because the scenery was stirring up memories of the events of that day.


    "Yes, it''s right ahead. That''s where we found the old ogre that day," she replied.


    "The battle started soon after, and my brother defeated it. It fled in this direction," Lagaray said with a solemn expression, pointing ahead.


    Rein looked up, barely discerning that in the dense forest ahead, there seemed to be many signs of broken and fallen trees.


    In theory, in an environment like a primordial forest where vegetation grows very fast, traces of a normal battle would quickly be covered by the rapidly growing plants.


    That battle that took place over half a month ago must have been very intense.


    "Swoosh!"


    One of the Night Watchmen on vigil suddenly fired an arrow deep into the forest.


    "What''s going on?" Matteo approached and asked.


    "Captain, something suddenly moved over there. If I''m not mistaken, it should be a gnoll," the Night Watchman said with a serious tone.


    Since the elite Night Watchmen were accustomed to practicing archery, their eyesight was generally excellent, which was why Rein had specifically assigned the Night Watchmen to act as sentries and scouts.


    ..... S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shortly after, Matteo came over to Rein and Rudolph and reported, "Sirs, a Night Watchman has just reported sightings of gnolls around our party. Judging from some tracks, there are quite a few of them."


    Rein nodded and asked back, "Was there any trace of that old ogre found?"


    Was the surveillance a moment ago from the gnolls?


    That was highly likely.


    However... the gnolls that he had once dreaded were a thing of the past.


    Even if the ferocious gnoll that had given Rein a hard time were to come back to life, it was highly likely that it would not withstand his full force now.


    Furthermore, given the current strength of the team, even if faced with an assault by several dozen gnolls mixed with a few ferocious ones, they would be able to handle it with ease.


    But ogres were a different story.


    Apart from their powerful strength posing a substantial threat to the team, according to Lagaray''s previous account, these gnolls were likely the vassals of an old ogre.


    A bunch of disorganized gnolls and a group under the unified command of an elder ogre would have vastly different combat prowess.


    Rein understood this very clearly.


    "We haven''t found any traces of the aged ogre so far," Matteo shook his head.


    "What do you think, Rudolph?" Rein turned his head to ask for an opinion.


    Since the main force of the party came from the Church of Monsoon and Ocean Goddess, Rein behaved extremely courteously.


    Whether to sweep these gnolls first or head directly to the barbarian squad''s location where they had found the Evil Spirit Knight, it was up to Rudolph, the church leader of the team, to decide.


    Hearing Rein''s question, Rudolph smiled and said, "Let''s continue directly to our target area. Gnolls are widespread and trying to eradicate them would waste a lot of time."

 Chapter 222: Chapter 153 Churchs Strength (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "If they recklessly appear while we''re dealing with the Evil Spirit Knight, I trust you''ll let them know who''s boss, won''t you, Rein?""Of course. You can rest assured, Headmaster Rudolph. Against the werewolves, the Night Watchman and I will take responsibility for annihilating our enemies." Rein inclined slightly, swiftly agreeing to the task of guarding and eradicating the werewolves.


    "Matteo, spread the word, rest time is over, and the team should continue moving forward."


    "At your command, my lord!"


    Soon, after a brief rest, the team cautiously proceeded, always on guard for potential ambushes.


    However, contrary to everyone''s expectations, the werewolves seemed to merely scout around without any signs of launching an attack.


    Rein thought about it, which seemed normal.


    Due to their keen senses, much like wild animals, the werewolves who also lingered in the forest would have certainly noticed the strength of his team. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If they had no command from a stronger creature, the chance of them attacking was very low as they tend to bully the weak and fear the strong.


    After another half-hour of travel, the team finally reached the ruins that Lagaray mentioned previously.


    Several dozen meters ahead, a clear man-made structure could be seen, scattered with fallen columns covered in moss and vines, suggesting the ruins of a temple from long ago.


    Rein carefully observed for a while and found the place to be indeed eerie.


    Upon reflection, the journey so far had been filled with continuous chirping and buzzing due to the forest setting.


    Yet, as they neared this area, the noises from various creatures gradually quelled until, seemingly all at once ceased, leaving a deathly silence.


    Another thing was, the looming sense of being spied upon by the werewolves slowly vanished as they approached the region.


    Could it be that the werewolves also feared this area?


    So, did they dare not continue tracking them?


    Moreover, Rein''s increasing spiritual power was subtly alerting him to an obscure, hidden danger ahead.


    This type of danger was not manifest, hence Rein''s core skill "danger perception" did not trigger any early warning.


    It was as if you might see a wall teetering nearby, and if your perception were sharp enough, your instincts would tell you that if you approached, the wall might fall and hit you.


    That''s a latent danger, it doesn''t mean it will happen.


    It might also be possible that you pass by, and the wall doesn''t collapse but continues to teeter.


    But one thing is certain��that if you decide not to approach, then this latent danger poses no threat to you.


    However, if you do approach and the wall happens to colpase, that''s when your core skill "danger perception" would warn you at the moment the wall starts to tilt.


    At this moment, aside from the official Knights and Temple Knights who had reached Transcendent status, other Night Watchmen and the security team from the County Town dismounted and began to be vigilant.


    "This is my brother''s axe!" Lagaray pointed to a corner of a vine-entangled column not far away, exclaiming.


    Rein focused his eyes and saw a familiar battle axe lying quietly by the column, its exposed blade appearing untouched by serious damage.


    The nearly door-panel-wide, crescent-shaped blade was still reflecting a metallic sheen.


    This was indeed Lagaray''s brother''s weapon��the "Moon Blade Battle Axe"!


    Lagaray quickly leaped down from her horse, trotted over, and picked up the "Moon Blade Battle Axe," gently caressing it with her palm.


    Seeing this, Rein also dismounted and quietly walked to Lagaray''s side.


    He understood the sense of reminiscing through objects, so Rein chose to remain silent.


    Unfortunately, this moment of tranquility lasted mere seconds before it was shattered!


    "Hiii~~~"


    Suddenly, a horse''s neigh resounded from nearby.


    As everyone looked around, searching for the source of the sound, they saw a Black Armored Knight holding a three-to-four meter long riding spear, abruptly charging out from the dense forest to the left!


    The horse beneath the knight was exceptionally tall, cloaked in black armor, merging seamlessly with the knight in full black regalia, their charge like a moving fortress of darkness, now swiftly advancing towards the team.


    In an instant, there was slight panic; particularly a young Night Watchman in the front left side tasked with vigilance, who stood frozen upon this sight.


    "Get out of the way fast!" Matteo roared while forcefully pulling the stunned Night Watchman aside, narrowly avoiding the Black Armored Knight''s charge.


    A silver-armored Temple Knight then spurred his horse to advance quickly, seemingly attempt to block the attacker.


    But the Black Armored Knight''s spear, like a lightning bolt, thrust forward, entwined with a serpentine black energy that seemed to curl around the dark lance.


    "Clang!!"


    The black lance forcefully struck the silver shield, sending the Temple Knight who had moved to intercept flying off his warhorse.


    The Temple Knight flew four or five meters through the air before hitting the ground with a "thud", thankfully, the soft terrain of the Nightingale Forest, covered in shrubs and flowers, greatly reduced the impact, and the Knight''s injuries were not severe.

 Chapter 223: Chapter 153: The Strength of the Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter) _3

    A highly anticipated battle erupted unexpectedly!The recent attack by the opponent, a Riding Spear surrounded by black aura, had rudely cases Rudolph, the head of the Church of the Ocean Goddess who oversees demon hunting and exorcism, to turn serious.


    He, as the head in charge, immediately identified that the Black Armored Knight was indeed an Evil Spirit Knight, the swirling black aura around his body and the steed below him serving as the best proof.


    At that moment, the remaining three Templar Knights clad in silver armor seized the opportunity created by their companion and charged toward the Black Armored Knight.


    They quickly surrounded the Black Armored Knight and engaged in fierce combat.


    The whooshing noise made by the opponent when swinging the Riding Spear allowed Rein to easily determine that the opponent''s strength was above that of a senior knight, reaching the power of a Peak Knight, quite similar to his own. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The black aura accompanying each of the opponent''s strikes was exceedingly strange, enhancing his strength under its influence.


    No wonder Lagaray''s brother, a barbarian renowned for his strength and who had reached forty percent of his ferocious physical transformation, was also killed by the opponent''s Riding Spear!


    Luckily, although the Black Armored Knight evidently possessed superior individual strength, the Templar Knights worked well together, managing to exchange blows and making the battle tense.


    However, Rein''s purpose for coming to Nightingale Forest was partly to fulfill Lagaray''s wish and partly to gain experience, so if not now, then when?


    Just as Rein was about to draw the ''Indomitable Strength'' from behind and join the fight, Rudolph smiled and said, "Rein, arrange for the Night Watchman to handle watch duties to prevent interference from ogres or werewolves."


    "This..." Rein hesitated.


    Clearly, Rudolph meant well but performed a disservice; he was giving Rein and the other Night Watchmen a chance to watch the battle easily. Of course, he might also have intended to showcase the Church''s strength, laying the groundwork for persuading Rein to join the Church later.


    Not having to combat the Evil Spirit Knight directly was, of course, beneficial to the Night Watchman.


    After all, they, being the elite among ordinary people, would find it difficult to contribute in such a high-level battle.


    But for Rein, this meant a huge wave of experience about to slip through his fingers...


    "Well, Rudolph, maybe I can lend a hand to the Templar Knights," Rein still tried to argue.


    After all, if there were no surprises, the experience from this battle should be enough for Rein''s Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level to advance another level.


    "Haha, trust these young fellows of the Church," Rudolph chuckled as he stroked his beard and rejected Rein''s suggestion.


    "Alright then. All Night Watchman, on guard!" Rein thought for a moment, then gave the command.


    Since Rudolph refused, Rein did not insist, especially since this mysterious incident was primarily under the control of the Church of the Ocean Goddess.


    Besides, with half a month left until his knighthood evaluation, there was still a chance to level up.


    Upon hearing Rein''s command, the Night Watchman, who were initially looking for opportunities to assist in the fight, instantly relaxed their tense expressions and began to keep watch and observe the battle from the sidelines.


    Just when the four Templar Knights collectively managed to suppress the Evil Spirit Knight wielding the Riding Spear, suddenly, the tide of battle turned.


    The black aura that had been enveloping the Evil Spirit Knight exploded violently, and the powerful shockwave forced the four Templar Knights to stagger back several steps.


    Seizing the opportunity, the Black Armored Evil Spirit Knight prompted his steed to charge at a Templar Knight, performing a lunge combined with a Riding Spear stab.


    "Bang!"


    Not only was the Templar Knight knocked back, but he was severely injured!


    Rein clearly saw the unnatural twist in the left elbow of the injured Templar Knight, who had been holding a shield, indicating a probable fracture.


    This scene obviously caused Rudolph, who had just refused Rein''s request to join, to turn solemn. He began to flip through the book he had been holding all along. Amidst the rustling of pages, he loudly exclaimed:


    "...Invoke the mighty Ocean Goddess. Divine Arts: Protective Blessing!"


    As Rudolph recited the incantation, Rein felt as if an unknown rift in the surrounding space had opened beside him, a surging, vast, and holy energy directly infused into Rudolph nearby!


    Then, with a wave of Rudolph''s right hand, the four Templar Knights suddenly shone brightly.


    Their silver armor revealed intricate, milky-white designs, as if the armor were originally engraved with special patterns that were usually hidden but responded automatically when Divine Arts were employed.


    At that moment, the four Templar Knights, in combination with their silver armor, appeared as shimmering little silver figures.


    The silvery glow diminished the destructive power of the black aura. "Clang clang clang," the Black Armored Knight was surrounded again, but this time, he was unable to break free.


    It seemed the battle was decisively settled!


    While Rein stood by, intently observing the scene, deep in thought.


    If it were just the four Templar Knights, Rein believed he could defeat them if he unleashed his full power.


    But now, with the Templar Knights working in conjunction with Rudolph''s Divine Arts, it had caused an effect far greater than the sum of their parts.

 Chapter 224: Chapter 153 The Strength of the Church (Two in One Big Chapter)_4

    Rein could feel that, under the blessing of Rudolph''s Divine Arts, the originally powerful attacks of the Black Armored Knights, comparable to the full strikes of a Peak Knight with a Riding Spear, were significantly weakened by the silver light.This divine art is named ''Protection Blessing''?


    Indeed, it lived up to its name!


    At that point, seeing that the outcome was determined, Rudolph, the Meister, turned and smiled at Rein, "Rein, these young Templar Knights, whose talents far fall short of yours, were able to unleash great strength under the radiance of the goddess''s light."


    "And you, you are among the most gifted knights in all of Meister County. To embrace the goddess is your best choice! Rein, won''t you consider it?"


    "Well..." Rein hesitated but did not speak.


    Frankly speaking, is the church powerful?


    No doubt, it is strong!


    Even compared to the imperial official forces, it seemed not to be inferior by much.


    However, one thing Rein disliked was that this near-invincible strength of the church did not originate from within; rather, it seemed to be granted by some divine being they worshipped in the beyond.


    This sense of it not being truly ''his'' gave Rein the impression it was borrowed.


    How does that saying go, ''What isn''t yours will eventually have to be returned.''


    "Thank you for your generous love, Rudolph, but I''m scheduled to participate in the imperial ennoblement assessment in a few days, which is truly regrettable," Rein politely declined.


    While the two were talking, suddenly, from the dense forest to the right of the formation, another tall Black Armored Knight emerged, also wearing the characteristic crown helmet, only this time, the opponent wielded a long battle-axe instead of a long Riding Spear.


    The blade of the axe was about a half-meter long, but the handle was a good one and a half meters. However, matched with the tall funeral horse below the Black Armored Knight, it was just right.


    "There are actually two Evil Spirit Knights!" Meister Rudolph''s pupils shrank, and his expression was no longer relaxed.


    Because of the increasing number of mysterious incidents in various regions of Meister County recently, in order to save manpower, this time the team configuration was set according to investigative intelligence, that is, to handle one Evil Spirit Knight.


    Thus, Rudolph brought only four Templar Knights this time.


    In terms of strength, the combination of him and the four Templar Knights was relatively easy to defeat one Evil Spirit Knight.


    But if the opponents were two, then the balance of power would lean towards equilibrium! S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, Rudolph quickly came to realize another issue��that the danger level of this place might far surpass expectations.


    Perhaps, beneath the crumbling ruins, there lay secrets unknown to man.


    Rein also realized this issue.


    Concerning the emergence of Evil Spirit Knights, Hamilton once told him these words:


    "The appearance of Evil Spirit Knights signifies that some kind of evil force is invading... or reviving! Evil Spirit Knights are the minions of the Evil God and must have sensed some kind of summons to appear��"


    Clearly, with two Evil Spirit Knights appearing here, in this dilapidated and ancient temple, there surely must be some sort of treasure beckoning them here?


    Or some kind of evil existence?


    At that moment, the four Templar Knights also noticed the Evil Spirit Knight emerging from the side with a giant axe. After a quick exchange of glances, one immediately split off, attempting to intercept the opponent.


    However, obviously, even the Templar Knight boosted by the Divine Arts ''Protection Blessing'' could not possibly handle an Evil Spirit Knight alone, and within a few moments, he was decidedly at a disadvantage.


    The arrows of the Night Watchmen, tinkling harmlessly off the knight''s armor, fell to the ground in disappointment.


    Clearly ineffective!


    This time, Rein did not seek Rudolph''s opinion, because the newly appeared Evil Spirit Knight had already directly endangered the safety of his subordinates.


    Rein immediately lowered the face guard of his knight''s helmet and pulled out his Two-Handed Warhammer��''Strength Unyielding,'' motivating his horse to advance.

 Chapter 225: Chapter 154: High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Rein had already discovered a vulnerability of the temple knights, no, perhaps not a vulnerability, to be precise, it was a weakness.The temple knights'' attack power seemed somewhat insufficient, their longswords struggling to penetrate the double defenses of the dark aura and the opponent''s black armor, thus failing to inflict fatal damage which prolonged the battle.


    Otherwise, if the temple knights'' attack power had been sufficiently strong, then under the siege of four temple knights, one Evil Spirit Knight could not have lasted long.


    Just as Rein advanced on horseback, the usually unsmiling face of Instructor Rudolph looked even more stern.


    Rudolph had just said that Rein should trust that the young men of the church would easily win, and that Rein''s role was merely to observe the battle. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But before long, another Evil Spirit Knight wielding a giant axe appeared.


    Instructor Rudolph was not a rigid person; seeing the enemy''s strength surpass expectations, he naturally did not stop Rein from joining the fight, instead he appreciated Rein''s initiative as he moved forward to intercept the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight without a word.


    Rein could have chosen not to step forward, he could have waited for Rudolph to make a request, to ask for his help before taking action.


    However, that would seem rather like finding amusement in another''s misfortune, which would not be appropriate.


    The temple knight struggling against the Giant Axe Evil Spirit appeared to be only about twenty years old, and when he suddenly felt the pressure lighten upon seeing Rein come to assist, he was grateful.


    However, as a young man himself, having heard Rudolph''s praises of Rein along the way, and hearing Rudolph''s personal promise that once Rein decided to join the church, he would be a candidate for children of Meister County, felt somewhat bitter.


    After all, he had been with the church for eight years, but was still very far from being a nominated child of the church.


    Yet here was this man a few years younger than him from Flashgold Town, who could easily obtain those benefits if he chose to join the church.


    Thus, deep inside, Rein had stirred up a competitive spirit in him.


    "Although I acknowledge your strength, the instructor''s praise is a bit over the top; after all, you aren''t much stronger than me," the young temple knight thought to himself.


    This was not to say he had any objections against Rein.


    Perhaps, this was more of a male instinctive drive to compete, like bulls in rut, always ready to lock horns and fight over mating rights.


    As Rein engaged the Giant Axe Evil Spirit in combat, Rudolph continued flipping through his book and began to whisper a prayer.


    Clearly, as a minister specialized in hunting demons and expelling evil within the church of Monsoon and Ocean Goddess, Rudolph''s arsenal against the enemy was naturally not limited to a single Divine Art.


    "... Great Monsoon and Ocean Goddess, please endow the knights with your blessings... Faced with formidable foes, they will fight to the death, driving away evil, unhesitatingly! Divine Arts: Anthem of Fearlessness!"


    As Rudolph''s chanting grew louder, a female phantom holding a conch trumpet suddenly appeared behind him, following the sound of the trumpet.


    The next second, the pale blue phantom violently dissipated, transforming into a ripple that radiated in all directions.


    This magical energy seemed to automatically search for paths, and once it found a temple knight, a blue beam would burst forth upon the knights in battle.


    Quickly, the temple knights enveloped in the pale blue beams swiftly returned to their peak condition, their movements became faster, and they fought with remarkable valor, fearless of death!


    Beads of sweat were evident on Rudolph''s forehead, indicating that, while this Divine Art ''Anthem of Fearlessness'' was stronger than the previous ''Protection Blessing'', it also imposed a significant strain on him.


    When a pale blue beam shone upon him, the young temple knight felt his body surge with confidence, strength, and courage.


    Knowing that Rudolph had once again cast a Divine Art on them, he turned his head towards Rein and said,


    "Lord Rein, just support from the side, tackling the evil is our specialty as temple knights!"


    With that, the young temple knight, holding his sword and shield, charged forward.


    Under the enhancement of the Divine Art, the young temple knight performed well, evenly matching the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight in a back-and-forth battle.


    Rein was taken aback, watching the young temple knight, he shook his head slightly, smiled, and said nothing, and started to maneuver to the side to harass the Giant Axe Evil Spirit.


    In the previous few battles, to be honest, Rein''s Two-Handed Warhammer��''Indomitable Force''��had hardly exhibited its true power.


    Even when facing the Level Three Wizard Apprentice Adams, it only executed a final blow at the last moment.


    Actually, only when facing opponents in thick plate armor, against extreme defensive power, could the full potential of the two-handed hammer truly be unleashed.


    Therefore, seeing the slightly arrogant young temple knight voluntarily offering to take the front line and main attack, Rein was all too happy.


    Because it was perfect, he could calmly execute the Tokkal Hammer Technique on the side, and honing Hammer Skills through real combat was one of the fastest ways to boost his Hammer Skill Experience.


    Let''s not forget, Rein''s Hammer Skill level was not actually very high.

 Chapter 226 Chapter 154 High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-In-One Mega Chapter)_2

    His hammer skill level is merely at Lv4, and its enormous power relies more on the core skill "Hammer Mastery Lv3".As for whether Reine wanted to compete with this young Temple Knight for some sort of dominance?


    Not really...


    Firstly, there has to be something worth competing for.


    For example, when we talk about "competing for favor", both parties should be vying for the affections of the opposite sex; only then does the competition have meaning.


    Secondly, the parties involved in such a competition or attempt to assert dominance need to be of similar status or strength; otherwise, there''s no competition, just as a rich man wouldn''t compare wealth with a beggar.


    In the current situation, this young Temple Knight, if you don''t count the enhancement from Divine Arts, would absolutely not surpass the upper limit of a veteran knight in terms of strength.


    To be honest, that level of strength was already becoming negligible in Reine''s eyes.


    Reine moved to the rear of the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight and struck it with a giant hammer strike, of course, without activating "Overdrive".


    "Heavy Strike!!"


    Reine swung the hammer, its tip piercing through the knight''s protective dark aura and directly hitting the black armor.


    "Clang!!"


    The grating sound of metal clashing echoed all around.


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    Just one hit.


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight stumbled from Reine''s blow, its black armor pierced with several small holes from the concentrated spikes on the hammer''s head.


    Reine was elated; the penetrating power of the hammer''s spiked head was truly remarkable!


    Keep in mind that this was without activating any skills or transcendent traits, and yet it had such destructive force.


    If he did activate them...


    The young Temple Knight, seeing that Reine, without a word, tacitly coordinated with him to attack the Giant Axe Evil Spirit from behind, couldn''t help feeling a bit of competitiveness which felt like punching into a cotton pile.


    However, the young Temple Knight didn''t waste the opportunity Reine created and followed up with two consecutive stabs and a Shield Strike at the Giant Axe Evil Spirit.


    The continuous assault pinned down the Giant Axe Evil Spirit''s attention, allowing Reine the leeway to exercise the Tokkal Hammer Technique and inflict sustained damage from the side and rear.


    This gave Reine the pleasurable sensation of hammering at a wooden pile, farming experience points.


    Delightful!


    But the good times didn''t last long. Just as the two Evil Spirit Knights were being suppressed and victory seemed within reach, suddenly, the trees in the dense forest shook, and an Evil Spirit Knight wielding a flail burst out.


    What the hell?


    Damn, now there''s a third Evil Spirit Knight!


    Everyone was shocked at the sight that unfolded before them!


    Wasn''t there supposed to be only one Evil Spirit Knight?


    Lagaray was also taken aback with her beautiful eyes wide open in a dumbfounded daze.


    The newly appeared flail-wielding Evil Spirit Knight swung its weapon high, and in a single strike, sent a law enforcer from County Town flying through the air like a torn sack, his chest caved in and vomiting blood, clearly not long for this world.


    The flail was unlike ordinary ones, featuring a chain with three spiked iron balls, each the size of a melon, and immense destructive power.


    At this moment, Headmaster Rudolph''s eyes twitched violently!


    Damnit, three Evil Spirit Knights...


    It seemed he had no choice but to use that item!


    Rudolph swiftly reached into his robe, intending to pull something out.


    But in the next second, his eyes widened in shock, his mouth gaping, and the motion of pulling something out abruptly stopped!


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight suddenly fell off the funeral horse, and even the horse itself, struck by the massive impact force, nearly knelt on its front hooves.


    Rudolph saw clearly, a hole the size of an infant''s head had appeared in the back of the black armor worn by the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight.


    The one who struck was, of course, Reine!


    The sudden appearance of the flail-wielding Evil Spirit Knight didn''t faze the young Temple Knight, but the scene that just unfolded had him utterly astounded.


    At the moment, his face under the knight helmet was nearly catatonic, mouth agape, but thankfully, his helmet hid his expression from everyone else.


    God, Reine, was this strong without the blessing and protection of the Goddess?


    If there was such a blessing...


    The young Temple Knight didn''t dare to continue that thought.


    No wonder Reine, so young, could earn such high praise and overtures from Headmaster Rudolph.


    Such strength and talent were truly formidable.


    Looking at it now, the only one in the County Town Church who might be able to firmly outclass Reine would probably be the current Divine Child.


    No... it''s hard to say; perhaps only a one-on-one contest would tell.


    Meanwhile, Reine''s strike, after activating "Overdrive" and "Huge Strength", instantly extinguished any competitive thoughts the young Temple Knight might have harbored.


    Sometimes, that''s just how people are.


    If the difference with someone else is not too great, or if it''s just a small gap, most will feel they can catch up or even surpass them with their own efforts.


    But once that gap becomes substantial enough, most will completely lose the will to compete. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You take on that flail-wielding Evil Spirit Knight, I''ll finish up with this Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight and then come over to help you," Reine''s deep voice resounded.


    Now, with that flail-wielding Evil Spirit rampaging among those with ordinary fighting strength, Reine naturally couldn''t just stand by and watch; after all, they were his Night Watchmen subordinates.


    "Oh, yes... yes, Lord Reine!" the young Temple Knight momentarily paused, but then he quickly nodded in agreement and turned his horse to charge at the newly emerged flail-wielding Evil Spirit Knight.

 Chapter 227 Chapter 154 High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    And the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight, who had suffered a heavy blow, let out a furious roar. Following that, he raised the giant axe in his hand high with one hand, seemingly about to unleash some sort of devastating move.But Rein leaped up from his warhorse and struck the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight with a secret skill, the "Earth-splitting Hammer"!


    Because the force of Rein kicking off was too great, and through the transmission of force through the stirrups, his warhorse instantly collapsed on the ground.


    It couldn''t be helped; as Rein''s strength increased, ordinary warhorses were becoming increasingly unable to keep up with his power.


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight saw Rein''s formidable approach and immediately swung the one-and-a-half-meter long metal axe handle horizontally, trying to block Rein''s strike.


    "Clang!!!"


    Rein''s secret skill, "Earth-splitting Hammer," used the flat head of the warhammer; when it struck the giant axe, it nearly bent the metal handle into a bow shape.


    Although the material of the axe handle was extraordinary and could withstand Rein''s mighty "Earth-splitting Hammer," the entire body of the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight was sent flying into the soft forest ground due to Rein''s overwhelming strength.


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight now had everything below his waist helplessly trapped in the earth.


    Seeing this scene, Rudolph had been reaching into his chest to retrieve something, but he stopped.


    After carefully observing the battle between Rein and the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight, Rudolph withdrew his hand from his chest.


    It seemed that there was no need to use his trump card yet.


    This Rein...


    had given me another surprise.


    Is his combat power really this strong?


    He truly is an excellent candidate for a future Punishment Knight!


    No, I must try again later; such talent can''t be missed by the church, Rudolph thought to himself.


    As Rudolph pondered, the battle between Rein and the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight was reaching its conclusion.


    Rein used "Earth-splitting Hammer" to plant the Giant Axe Evil Spirit like a tree in the ground and, taking advantage of his opponent''s inability to recover, twisted his waist and hips in a motion akin to throwing a hammer throw, swinging the warhammer high.


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    This time, he aimed the pointed end at the enemy, sweeping up from the ground. It was the Tokkal Hammer Technique''s secret skill, "Rising Dragon Hammer"!


    "Boom!!"


    A sound akin to a watermelon being smashed by a stick abruptly resounded!


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight went from half-buried in the earth to rocketing into the air, suddenly taking flight, bringing with him a trail of dirt.


    Rein''s "Rising Dragon Hammer" had struck his opponent''s chin, sinking the pointed end deep beneath the edge of the faceplate, hence the sound of shattering.


    "Boom!!!"


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight, after fluttering in the air for a few seconds, crashed heavily to the ground, letting out a piercing scream!


    The next second, the swirling black mist that had been protecting him suddenly burst forth.


    Then his towering body, as if hollowed out, collapsed, and his full set of black armor scattered all over the ground.


    System prompt appeared:


    [Your Tokkal Hammer Technique skill has improved, experience +243]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience +81]


    [Congratulations, your Knight (Transcendent) profession level has ascended!]


    Originally, Rein''s Knight (Transcendent) profession level was already at lv3 (476/500), so this successful level-up brought him up to lv4 (57/1000). S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, Rein also received one Skill Point and one Attribute Point as level-up rewards.


    At that moment, Rein, with sharp eyes, noticed a black crystal the size of a thumb in the remains of the Giant Axe Evil Spirit.


    It immediately reminded him of the blood-red crystal that had once offered him a large number of experience points, so he picked it up as if by accident.


    Sure enough, the system prompt sounded:


    [Ding! Host detected to have obtained a demonic energy crystal, triggering profession change��Evil Spirit Knight!]


    [Prerequisites for changing profession to Evil Spirit Knight are: 1. Official Knight; 2. Spirit 15 points or above; Current conditions met, yes/no to change profession to Evil Spirit Knight?]


    -_-||


    This was entirely unexpected!


    Rein''s expression immediately turned into that of an elderly man staring at his phone.jpg.


    "The system is getting more and more absurd," Rein muttered to himself.


    "Evil Spirit Knight, such a thing doesn''t look like it''s meant for normal people at all, maybe skip the prompt for this kind of profession change next time!"


    Without hesitation, he chose no!


    Then, a second system prompt sounded:


    [Ding! Unknown absorbable energy detected, yes/no to absorb? (Note: After absorption, it can be converted to designated professional experience points.)]


    Huh?


    This is more like it!


    This is the right way to use a demonic energy crystal, just absorb it!


    Feeling elated, Rein quickly chose ''yes!''


    The next second, the weird black energy within the demonic crystal, like a surging tide, rushed through Rein''s arm, heading deeper into his body.


    Just as before, it seemed like the system selectively absorbed the crystal''s energy, and again, Rein felt no discomfort whatsoever.


    Moreover, the entire absorption and conversion process was completed almost instantly.


    [Ding! A total of 433 Transcendent experience points converted, please select Knight (Transcendent)/Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)/Beast Tamer (Transcendent) for the increase.]


    Seeing this, Rein pondered for a moment and then decided to add points to Beast Tamer (Transcendent).


    The reason was quite simple; his current Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession level was lv1 (12/100), and choosing to add points to Beast Tamer would allow him to directly ascend two levels.

 Chapter 228 Chapter 154 High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    But if the remaining options of Knight or Wizard Apprentice were chosen, neither would be able to level up.Obviously, having an extra two attribute points and two skill points would be much more attractive!


    Thus, Rein silently chanted in his mind, "Beast Tamer!"


    In an instant, two consecutive system prompts appeared:


    [Congratulations, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession level has increased!] S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Congratulations, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession level has increased!]


    Seeing the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) level jump from lv1 to lv3 (12/500) on the panel, Rein couldn''t help but reveal a brilliant smile.


    He continued to read on.


    At the bottom of the panel, it showed remaining attribute points: 3, and remaining skill points: 4.


    Among these, one skill point was left unallocated from the last level-up.


    One battle had brought him three attribute points and three skill points; Rein felt that his journey to the Nightingale Forest was indeed the right decision!


    Seeming to think of something, Rein suddenly looked up at the chained Evil Spirit in the next second.


    His eyes were filled with fervor!


    Next, due to the absence of a fourth Evil Spirit Knight.


    The subsequent battles had no suspense.


    After Rein killed the chained Evil Spirit Knight, the Riding Spear Evil Spirit Knight was also slain by the combined efforts of the three Temple Knights.


    This time, Rein obtained a second crystal of evil energy, but by interpreting the solemn expressions of Rudolph and the other Temple Knights as they gazed at the crystal, Rein knew he probably wouldn''t be able to absorb it on the spot.


    "Rein, this kind of crystal containing massive amounts of evil energy will attract many evil forces. I suggest it would be better to leave it to our church to handle," said Rudolph, the presiding bishop, as he stepped forward to speak to Rein.


    If it were anything else, Rein might have agreed.


    But now, this object meant ''experience candy'' to Rein, and naturally, there was no way he would hand it over to Rudolph. In fact, Rein was even considering if there was any way to trade for the Riding Spear Evil Spirit Knight''s crystal.


    "Bishop Rudolph, I would like to study it a bit. Please rest assured that if I can''t handle it, I will contact the church immediately. Thank you for your concern," Rein tactfully refused.


    Rudolph thought for a moment, apparently recalling Rein''s explosive strength, and convinced that Rein had the ability to deal with any evil forces that might be drawn in, he nodded and agreed, "Well then, please make sure to keep it safe!"


    After the battle ended, they counted the losses. Fortunately, two members of Flashgold Town''s Night Watchmen were severely injured, but miraculously, none were killed.


    In contrast, of the four Temple Knights, one was seriously injured, one slightly injured, with only two retaining their combat strength.


    All these encounters with three Evil Spirit Knights, each not weaker than a Peak Knight, took place even before they had entered the temple ruins.


    Therefore, as everyone gazed at the temple within reach, the mysterious and dilapidated temple seemed like a beast with its gaping maw open, waiting for them to unsuspectingly walk into.


    At that moment, Matteo came forward with a worried look and reported, "Lieutenant, do we need to go in here?"


    "Well..." Rein rubbed his chin, turning his head to look at Bishop Rudolph.


    Rudolph touched the scroll in his chest, pondered for a moment, and then spoke, "Since we''ve come this far, it''s still best that we investigate further to understand what exactly is hidden in this temple."


    "This time, I''ve also brought a high-level Divine Arts scroll bestowed by the archbishop. I believe a safe retreat, for us, should still be no problem."


    Rein''s eyebrows rose.


    A high-level Divine Arts scroll?


    He had just seen Bishop Rudolph use two Divine Arts, which indeed, in combination with the Temple Knights, could produce tremendous power.


    If there was a higher-level Divine Arts scroll, the dangers of the subsequent temple exploration should be relatively controllable.


    Mainly because the Evil Spirit Knight monsters alone had provided him with an exceptionally generous ''experience pill'' reward.


    It was difficult not to have Rein anticipate whether there could be similarly bountiful, or even more generous ''experience treasures'' within the temple.

 Chapter 229 Chapter 155 Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Of course, the most important reason he dared to enter the unknown Temple to explore was based on Rein Carlan''s rapidly increasing personal strength.Rein glanced at his panel:


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (132/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv4 (57/1000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv3 (12/500) / Blacksmith lv4 (329/1000)


    Constitution: 18


    Strength: 16


    Agility: 16


    Spirit: 20


    Remaining attribute points: 3


    Remaining skill points: 4


    Looking at the last 3 and 4 in the attributes column, Rein couldn''t help but think of a saying, "With grain in the house, there is no panic."


    Furthermore, as Rein''s spiritual power broke through twenty points, both the activity level and sensitivity of his spiritual power had greatly improved.


    Therefore, although Rein could feel that there was some kind of danger lurking inside the dilapidated temple, he could also vaguely sense that this danger seemed not potent enough to be completely unstoppable for him.


    After weighing the potential dangers and opportunities in his mind, Rein nodded and said,


    "I have no objections, but, Headmaster Rudolph, I suggest that the Night Watchmen and the security officers don''t need to enter either."


    "Let them be responsible for the surveillance outside, how about that?"


    Headmaster Rudolph gave a slight smile, nodded, and said, "Of course, that''s possible."


    Hearing this, many Night Watchmen sighed in relief.


    After all, having just witnessed the combat strength of the Evil Spirit Knights, they already knew that this mysterious event involved monsters whose fighting prowess even the Temple Knights would struggle to handle.


    Let alone these ordinary people, who really couldn''t be of much help.


    "Rein, I want to go too. I haven''t found my brother''s other battle ax yet." Lagaray walked up to Rein, her beautiful eyes looking up at him with great anticipation.


    "Well... it might be very dangerous inside, I will keep an eye out for your brother''s weapon, but my advice is that it would be safer for you to stay outside."


    Rein understood Lagaray''s urgent feelings, but he was more hesitant due to the dangers inside the temple.


    "I''m not afraid of danger! Besides, I will take good care of myself," Lagaray raised her blood-veined steel shield as she spoke.


    "Alright then, but stay close to me, and if anything goes wrong, we''ll retreat immediately." Seeing her determination, Rein knew he couldn''t persuade Lagaray otherwise, so he nodded reluctantly, agreeing to her idea of entering together.


    Eventually, Rudolph and Rein discussed and decided to have the severely injured Temple Knight and all the Night Watchmen and the security officers stay outside the temple.


    So Rudolph, Rein, Lagaray, and three Temple Knights, a total of six people, entered the temple to explore.


    After a brief rest and preparation, the group of six slowly entered the ruined Temple Garden.


    What once must have been a beautiful garden now, after countless periods of exposure to the sun and lack of maintenance, showed its grey-white granite walls almost entirely collapsed.


    The walls were covered with various climbing plants such as ivy, roses, and creeper, looking lush and possessed a weighty sense of having stood the test of time.


    Inside the garden, instead of the delicate, cultivated flowers, various wild weeds and bushes now thrived, with the occasional tall trees growing lush and strong.


    From the outside, if it weren''t for the still-visible collapsed granite walls, one would never guess this place had once been a man-made garden.


    "Rein, look," Lagaray pointed at the ground. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As she had been keeping an eye on the ground and corners for any weapons left by her brother and their squad members, Lagaray was the first to spot some kind of dragging trace on the ground.


    As soon as Lagaray spoke, everyone''s gaze focused on the ground where her finger pointed.


    "This is the trace of something heavy being dragged," one of the Temple Knights squatted down, examining it closely.


    "Not just something heavy; there are also sporadic blood stains on the surface of the soil. These must be traces of dragging a body," Rein, keenly observant, also took a close look and added.


    Within this bird-and-beast-absent temple ruins, it seemed the only ones capable of dragging bodies were the three Evil Spirit Knights. Rein thought to himself.


    Beforehand, he had thought that the Evil Spirit Knights just attacked and killed invaders within this area.


    Apparently, they also collected and dragged the bodies of the killed enemies into the temple.


    This just got interesting.


    Collecting flesh and blood, huh?


    It seemed eerily similar to the blood sacrifice rituals of the Black Flame Church.


    "There''s more here," another Temple Knight leading the way pointed out another new dragging trace.


    Everyone hurried forward to examine it again.


    Indeed, this trace was more pronounced.


    "Could it be that the Evil Spirit Knights are collecting human remains for some evil ritual?" the lightly injured Temple Knight speculated after pondering.


    "No, it''s not necessarily just human remains,"


    "This drag mark is much wider; it seems like it was caused by dragging the body of a beast. Look, there are hairs in the soil, and these thick, long hairs are unlikely to be human,"


    Rein picked up a black hair sticking stiffly with soil, feeling its hardness.


    Since his spiritual strength continued to grow, Rein''s level of perception had also risen. With his current perceptiveness, he could easily notice some details that were previously easy to overlook, which brought him a fair bit of joy.

 Chapter 155 Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Rein is right, this fur, if I''m not mistaken, should be from a ferocious wild boar''s bristles," Rudolph nodded and said.At the same time, he greatly appreciated Rein''s detailed observational skills.


    Careful and sensitive observation is also a manifestation of strength.


    "Gathering flesh or collecting carcasses, it seems there might be an altar inside, but it''s unknown whether the sacrificial ritual has been successfully conducted."


    "Moreover, everyone be alert and careful," Rudolph said solemnly, reminding everyone.


    The group nodded, gripped their weapons tighter, and continued forward.


    After passing through a garden overgrown with weeds and dense vines, what appeared before them was a building similar to the ancient Greek Parthenon Temple from Rein''s previous life.


    However, this temple seemed to have partially collapsed due to its age, much like the garden walls, and various vine plants had enveloped it, making the entire exterior resemble a lush green hill.


    The exterior of the temple had more than a dozen tall Doric-style columns, most of which still stood majestically, seemingly silently narrating past splendor and authority.


    "This style of temple... I seem to have seen it somewhere..." Arch Priest Rudolph murmured softly, his face showing a thoughtful expression.


    Meanwhile, Rein looked around and noticed that the drag marks on the ground were becoming more concentrated.


    It seemed... the drag marks converging from all directions, similar to dragging bodies, all ended at the dilapidated temple hall in front of them.


    Especially at the entrance of the temple hall, where the drag marks overlapped many times, they had formed traces that were obviously large and slightly indented, much like creeks joining into a river.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein walked over to a temple exterior wall obscured by vines and carefully inspected it.


    Generally speaking, if it were a temple, there should be some designs on the exterior wall, Rein thought to himself.


    Usually, these designs are used to record the deities worshipped, their great deeds, or grand battle scenes, for deities need faith and worship, and murals are one of the effective ways to propagate this.


    Soon, Rein discovered something.


    Under the cover of vines, there were quite a few line-shaped patterns on the exterior wall.


    "Sssshh!"


    After Rein tore off a large handful of vines, a very peculiar pattern was revealed before his eyes.


    The pattern, drawn with simple lines, was most notably dominated by an exceptionally tall tree, the figures of little people beneath it, in stark contrast, were dwarfed by its height, differing by tens or even hundreds of times.


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    Obviously, this represented a colossal tree, emphasizing its towering and majestic size.


    Additionally, there were countless tiny figures depicted as worshipping and praying under the tree, their actions humble. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, others also heard Rein tearing the vines and immediately walked over.


    "Is... is this a tree?" A young Temple Knight said, quite amazed.


    "Right!" came the voice of Arch Priest Rudolph from behind.


    "I think I might have guessed the origin of this temple, this is the distinctive pattern of the Mother Tree Sect!"


    "The Mother Tree Sect was active a long time ago, recorded in ancient texts thousands of years ago, said to have existed since the distant barbaric ages."


    "However, about two thousand years ago, at the beginning of the Empire, it was branded as a cult and eradicated. Although it''s said some scattered followers continued spreading it, it has essentially been extinct for many years," Rudolph briefly introduced the Mother Tree Sect.


    "Moreover, their main doctrine preached that life originated from a strange Mother Tree from the void, which brought vigorous vitality to the world, hence everyone must revere and worship the Mother Tree."


    "Listening to this... it seems this Mother Tree Sect doesn''t seem that wrong?" Rein asked, stroking his chin.


    "The exact reasons for its eradication, I can''t remember clearly, but it seems to be due to overly bloody sacrificial rituals and the seeking of complete autonomy. Those were probably the reasons leading to its eradication by the Empire," Rudolph thought for a moment and responded.


    "I see," Rein nodded.


    In his view, the bloody sacrificial rituals were probably not the focus.


    The focus was the latter''s ''seeking of autonomy.'' If the Empire''s strength was substantial, it would absolutely not permit autonomy; this would be no different from seceding and becoming an independent nation.


    "So it seems, this must be a site of a temple from the Mother Tree Sect."


    "No wonder, the helmets of these Evil Spirit Knights all have a crown-like design on top, it seems, this style of helmet must be a form of homage to the Mother Tree," Rein thought aloud.


    "Exactly!" Rudolph nodded.


    People are always particularly fearful of the unknown.


    Once everyone learned that this was a temple site of the Mother Tree Sect from thousands of years ago, they seemed much more relaxed, no longer as tense as before.


    Soon, the group followed the drag marks toward the temple hall.


    "Oh! This is my brother Haral''s battle axe!" Lagaray quickly walked up to the temple''s partially collapsed door and exclaimed softly.


    Rein followed Lagaray''s gaze, and sure enough, another Moon Blade Battle Axe had been abandoned there.


    From the traces on the ground and the location of the axe, it was likely that Haral, when he was dragged here, had not been fully dead and so had still been tightly gripping his battle axe.

 Chapter 155 Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Thinking of this, Lagaray, with brother Haral''s battle-axe in hand, looked towards the temple hall with a glitter in her eyes, seemingly harboring a glimmer of hope and anticipation!"Be careful, I can feel the evil aura growing stronger ahead, it''s right in the temple hall," the Bishop Rudolph warned solemnly as he stared at the hall in front of them.


    "Yes, Bishop!"


    Three temple Knights with sword and shield led the way, while Rudolph, Rein, and Lagaray followed closely behind, the six of them entering the dimly lit hall gradually.


    As they stepped into the hall, everyone''s pupils shrank!


    It was mainly because the scene in front of them was too bloody, too shocking!


    They saw a dense Flesh Forest before them, including humans, ogres, gnolls, and other sapient creatures, as well as some other beasts, which were exceptionally large and seemed to have been fierce predators in life.


    But now, these once powerful beings were skewered like kebabs on the thick, sharp branches.


    At first glance, these corpses seemed to be merely that, corpses. But as everyone approached, goosebumps instantly formed.


    It turned out that the heads or upper bodies of these sapient beings and beasts were still mostly intact, but the flesh of their lower halves had bizarrely merged with the tree trunks, forming a spiral structure resembling the ''Tianjin twisted doughnut'' Rein had seen in his previous life.


    Only, the ''flesh twisted doughnut'' in front of them was half grey bark and half vivid red flesh, intertwined in a chaotic spiral, fused together into one.


    This scene, in the dim hall, under the patchy light and shadow, evoked an indescribable feeling of disgust, horror, and eeriness.


    "This is the remains of my brother!" Lagaray''s eyes reddened as she pointed to a thick trunk with human remains twisted around it.


    "It looks like this is a rudimentary altar, apparently set for some kind of sacrificial ritual," a temple Knight said grimly.


    "It''s probably... not that simple," Rein said as he observed the scene, feeling there was more than met the eye than just a sacrificial procedure.


    Moreover, he now had a clear understanding of the ''bloody sacrificial ritual'' Rudolph had mentioned about the Mother Tree sect.


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    Just as Lagaray and several temple Knights were about to step forward for a closer look��


    Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind the group, reminiscent of the sound of a multitude of snakes slithering across the ground.


    Simultaneously, as the sound emerged, the already dim temple hall became even darker.


    Everyone immediately turned to look and saw that the half-collapsed doorway they had entered through was now covered with thick, writhing vines like living snakes.


    "Clang!"


    A temple Knight quickly drew his longsword, intending to chop through the vines, when suddenly, everyone turned again to face the center of the temple hall''s Flesh Forest.


    All felt a heart-palpitating sensation, as a vast and indistinct aura seemed to awaken rapidly!


    The next second, the dense Flesh Forest started to tremble, the flesh coiled around the branches shivering. Rein''s core "danger perception LV3" Skill began to frantically warn him!


    Rein narrowed his eyes and immediately pulled Lagaray, who was in front of him, back!


    Before he could say anything, there was a loud "boom" as the ground burst open, and a gargantuan monster leapt out from the earth!


    "Thud!!!"


    Hiss!


    Lagaray''s eyes widened dramatically, her mouth partly open as she gasped in shock.


    What kind of monster was this!


    The group then realized that the Flesh Forest was not a forest at all, but the roots of this massive monster. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yes, it was the roots!


    What appeared to be a forest was actually an upside-down growth, with the body of the Flesh Forest hidden underground while the roots sprawled above, mingling in strange twists with the various corpses dragged by the Evil Spirit Knights.


    The enormous monster seemed to be using the energy-rich Transcendent (ferocious) corpses as nourishment.


    But Rein had a feeling that the corpses were not simply nourishment; they seemed to be integrated into the creature''s body.


    The overly dark environment was definitely not conducive for the group''s battle, as most people did not possess Rein''s "Dark Vision" ability.


    Therefore, as Bishop Rudolph waved his right hand, a Divine Art similar to a flare lit up in front of the monster.


    In an instant, everyone could clearly see the monster''s true form.


    The creature''s body was a massive stump about two to three meters in diameter and seven to eight meters long, with roots of varying thickness growing densely around it, mingling with flesh.


    These roots, different in shape and size, meandered for over ten meters, making it a creature nearly twenty meters in length.


    This was the first time Rein had encountered a monster of such immense size!


    Moreover, he noticed that even the roots without entwined corpses were covered in skin resembling red biological muscle and fascia, aside from the grey bark.


    It seemed as though these roots had just finished digesting the corpses?


    The red flesh fascia appeared to still be active, constantly pulsating and expanding as if they were a heart, and oozing red fluid.

 Chapter 155 Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    This creature, neither plantlike nor animal-like in appearance, made one''s scalp tingle unpleasantly.With the surge of air, Rein instantly smelled the pungent odor of blood and rot. He couldn''t tell whether the stench came from the red flesh or the roots themselves.


    "Flesh Tree Spirit!" headmaster Rudolph suddenly exclaimed as something dawned on him.


    Having learned from the murals that they were in the ruins of a temple related to the Mother Tree cult, Rudolph''s first sight of this monster triggered a connection and soon he recalled its origin!


    "This is the Flesh Tree Spirit mentioned in the books, a guardian used by the Mother Tree cult to protect their highest deity!"


    "It is said to be dormant most of the time, requiring the sacrifice of a large number of Transcendent beings to awaken it. I didn''t expect to see a Flesh Tree Spirit guarding this place!" Rudolph spoke quickly.


    "If there''s a Flesh Tree Spirit here, could it be that this place has something to do with the Mother Tree..."


    "Boom!"


    An unexpected attack interrupted Rudolph''s explanation.


    Dozens of intertwined roots, forming a massive collective, suddenly smashed towards them, prompting the group to quickly roll away to avoid it.


    Nobody, including Rein, intended to attempt a frontal confrontation to test the opponent''s strength.


    Given the enormous size of the creature, weighing tens of tons, it was just not on the same level as a human.


    It would be as foolish for a strongman among humans to attempt to wrestle an elephant.


    And the Flesh Tree Spirit before them was ten times the size of an elephant. Read latest chapters at empire


    Moreover, its gigantic size did not hinder its agility; its movements were as brisk as a monkey''s.


    Faced with this behemoth, meters long and too large for several people to wrap their arms around, Rein, although wielding immense power, was momentarily unsure of how to proceed.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein quickly switched weapons, replacing his war hammer with the Glimmering Greatsword!


    Clearly, against a monster with so many roots, it was essential to do some pruning before even thinking about reaching its main body.


    At that moment, the Flesh Tree Spirit, having missed with its strike, began to transform.


    Two of the thickest roots lifted its massive upper body erect like arms, and hundreds of roots at its tail entwined to form a snake-like appendage.


    The top of the tree stump suddenly split open into a gaping maw, meters wide, resembling a giant creature with a split jaw.


    In the next second, like a crocodile, the creature made an incredibly swift rush and death roll towards the injured Knight who was slightly slower to react!


    "Boom!!"


    The Knight, unable to dodge in time, was shockingly swallowed whole by the gaping maw into the body of the Flesh Tree Spirit.


    The entire process was so fast, the young Knight didn''t even have time to scream before he vanished from the world.


    This filled Rudolph with a mix of shock and rage!


    He did not hesitate to pull out a high-level Divine Arts scroll from his bosom and tore it open!


    "Divine Arts: Sword of Judgment!"


    As Rudolph''s angry shout echoed,


    a pale blue Longsword, five meters long and emanating violent energy waves, suddenly appeared before him, pointing straight ahead.


    The appearance of the energy blade was abrupt, manifesting out of nowhere, and in less than a blink, the pale blue greatsword struck at the Flesh Tree Spirit like lightning!


    The Flesh Tree Spirit, still seemingly savoring its ''feast'', had no time to react or to dodge due to its huge size.


    "Puchi!"


    The main body of the Flesh Tree Spirit, the tree stump, was instantly pierced through by the pale blue energy Longsword, leaving a hole the size of a washbasin, clean through!


    Seeing the immense power of the Divine Arts cast by Headmaster Rudolph, the other two Knights who had just been immersed in the shock and sorrow of losing a comrade couldn''t help but feel an unexpected surge of joy!


    The very next second, a fierce roar echoed through the temple hall.


    "Roar!!!"


    The bloodthirsty tree spirit, which had just devoured a Knight, was now howling in agony, its massive body writhing and tumbling in excruciating pain.


    Rein looked on with astonishment at the Divine Art that had just been unleashed.


    Indeed, the church''s foundation was strong, and the attack of the pale blue Glimmering Greatsword was incredibly fast and powerful.


    Even he wasn''t sure if he could have avoided that strike.


    If he couldn''t have dodged it...


    The current plight of the bloodthirsty tree spirit was the best testament to the power of the Divine Arts.


    However...


    Rein''s keen perception noticed that although the bloodthirsty tree spirit couldn''t withstand the attack of the Sword of Judgment, it miraculously survived the hit, severely injured but not dead!


    No, it was not just surviving; its wounds were gradually healing!


    Many of its smaller roots withered and snapped off, falling to the ground and quickly turning to deadwood, while the flesh that had been entwined around the roots instantly turned to rot.


    This process seemed to draw life and energy from its roots, rapidly mending the tree spirit''s bodily injuries.


    Although the wound still contained a lot of the pale blue Longsword''s energy, as more and more roots perished, a strange energy was being produced in large quantities, causing the pale blue energy on the wound to be rapidly neutralized by this strange energy. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One could see that on the tree spirit''s body, the wound the size of a basin was visibly closing at a remarkable speed.


    With Dark Vision enhanced, Rein, even in the dim hall, could clearly see numerous root-like tendrils, as thick as fingers, growing from the inner walls of the tree spirit''s wound, quickly repairing it.


    But this scene went unnoticed by the others because the magic similar to Light Technique had faded.


    The two Knights who were closest to the bloodthirsty tree spirit, seeing its roots falling to the ground and turning into deadwood, believed that the powerful Divine Art just cast must have vanquished the tree spirit.


    All that was left was to wait for the bloodthirsty tree spirit to slowly perish amidst its howls of pain!


    Rein immediately cried out a warning, "Be careful! The bloodthirsty tree spirit isn''t dead!"


    "It''s regenerating quickly, attack now! Continue the attack!"


    "Huh?" The two Knights turned to Rein with puzzled looks.


    Wasn''t the creature continuously howling in agony, and hadn''t a large number of its roots already broken off and fallen? How could it not be dead?


    -----------------


    One minute earlier.


    As Rudolph tore open the high-level Divine Arts scroll ''Sword of Judgment''.


    "Eh! Such strong energy fluctuations!" Similarly in the Nightingale Forest, the black-haired Elf girl stopped in her tracks.


    The direction she looked up to was exactly where Rein''s team was located in the ruined temple.


    "This kind of energy fluctuation, eh! There''s another energy, this seems to be...." After pondering for a moment, the Elf''s eyes widened in surprise.


    After a brief deliberation, she immediately adjusted her direction and quickly advanced towards the direction of the ruined temple.


    Seemingly feeling that this still wasn''t fast enough.


    The next second, her tall figure suddenly disappeared from the spot, transforming into an eagle that swiftly took to the skies, flapping wings and flying at a great speed.

 Chapter 156 People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    In the dilapidated hall of the Mother Tree faith''s temple.Since Reine''s combat prowess was evident to all when he had slain the Evil Spirit Knight earlier,


    even though the two temple knights did not quite believe what Reine had said, they also did not openly question him.


    It was only their stunned body language that seemed to say, "Even though Lord Rein, you''re very strong, don''t talk nonsense!"


    At the same time, Rudolf, the head of the church, also held some doubts about Rein''s warning.


    After all, the scroll he had just torn open contained the high-level Divine Art, "Sword of Judgment."


    Others might not be aware of the power of this Divine Art, but as a professional member of the church, he was all too aware of its might.


    Once it hit, it not only caused a gigantic piercing injury in an instant to the enemy, but also, the surging energy swirling around the "Sword of Judgment" would linger, inflicting continuous damage to the wound.


    Put simply, if not killed by the initial strike, the enemy would die from the continuous loss of blood!


    But the next second, Rudolf''s mouth was agape with horror! The words of warning had only reached his throat when it was already too late...


    The two temple knights were struck by the Flesh Forest''s tail, which lashed out like a giant python, sending them flying through the air like golf balls.


    With a "snap," both were knocked more than ten meters into the air!


    In midair, the sound of bones breaking and tendons snapping could still be heard.


    Reine sighed deeply in his heart!


    Alas!


    A winning situation had been forcefully turned into a losing one!


    Furthermore, those two were probably not dead but crippled! No longer to be counted on...


    After all that, in the end, he was left alone in this melee, a "lone warrior" in close combat!


    As for Lagaray?


    Not having stepped into the Transcendent realm, she probably found even dealing with the Flesh Forest''s roots difficult.


    "Divine Art: Holy Force Levitation!"


    "Divine Art: Radiant Healing!"


    Rudolf, with a book in hand, directed two life-saving Divine Arts towards the midair temple knights with utmost speed.


    Rudolf cast two successive Divine Arts, exhausting the last of his spiritual power. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although the high-level Divine Art, "Sword of Judgment," was immensely powerful, it had drained a great deal of Rudolf''s spiritual power. Even as a head of the church, he was struggling to endure.


    With the help of "Holy Force Levitation," the two temple knights floated down to the ground as lightly as feathers.


    Rudolf and Lagaray hurried forward to assess the knights'' injuries.


    Unfortunately, the weaker of the two temple knights had already been beyond saving in midair, his organs and bones crushed to a pulp by the Flesh Forest''s blow. Enjoy new stories from empire


    The other, stronger temple knight had just barely survived, and with the aid of the Divine Art "Radiant Healing," was desperately trying to heal his ravaged organs, but he was completely incapacitated for the moment.


    So, within a matter of seconds, the tide had turned.


    Rudolf and Lagaray raised their heads to look at Reine, who was not far to their side.


    It seemed that Rein was the only one left who could interfere with the Flesh Forest...


    Faced with the gradually healing Flesh Forest, Rein knew he could not wait any longer; he had to take the initiative to attack.


    After all, while the Flesh Forest was still heavily wounded at the moment, he had to inflict sustained and sufficient damage.


    Only in this way could he possibly interrupt its self-healing, and subsequently find a vulnerability and kill it.


    "Limit Break!"


    Rein, brandishing the Glimmering Greatsword, charged headlong towards the Flesh Forest''s wildly flying roots without a second thought.


    "Swish, swish, swish!"


    Upon engaging, Rein found that the Flesh Forest was indeed very strong, no, super strong!


    He realized that even in its injured state, its root attacks were heavy and forceful, and the variously-sized flesh roots were incredibly tough.


    Each slash Rein made felt like cutting into a rubber tire, very difficult to sever.


    Thankfully, his Glimmering Greatsword had been forged with star metal and Glowstone, or else even his "Limit Break" might not have been enough to cut through these roots.


    One could imagine that if the Flesh Forest had not been hurt and was in its prime state, the number of roots as well as their offensive and defensive power would likely ascend to another level.


    If that were the case, Rein would have faced much more difficulty than he was facing now!


    Confronting such a formidable enemy, Rein activated his "Limit Break" right away, boosting all three of his attributes by more than sixty percent.


    His agility, in particular, increased substantially from 16 points to 26 points, naturally leading to a drastic increase in his movement speed. It was this incredible speed that allowed Rein to remain unyielding amidst the perilous battle conditions.


    At this moment, the battle scene in the great hall was Rein moving quickly without a pause, each step an act of slicing or dodging, in response to the hundreds of flesh roots encircling him.


    The roots varied in size and speed, with a multitude of attack methods: Some stabbed with sharp tips, some swept across, and others lashed downwards, the diversity was endless.


    Luckily, Rein''s Giant Bear Sword Technique had already reached level 6!


    Ever since reaching level 6, Rein had felt that his Giant Bear Sword Technique had entered a new major realm. According to Hamilton, that was the mastery level.

 Chapter 156 People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    So, depending on the "Breakthrough" and mastery-level swordsmanship, Rein barely managed to cope with the overwhelming offensive of the flesh roots.However, Rein soon realized that his current level of swordsmanship still wasn''t strong enough, unable to purely rely on swordsmanship to block many of the root attacks, forcing him to dodge at high speed!


    This led to a very critical problem!


    That is, Rein''s current physical strength was being consumed extremely fast!


    Based on the current rate of exhaustion, Rein estimated that he could only maintain the "Breakthrough" state for about a minute, and even with those three remaining attribute points, it would be like a drop in the bucket, not lasting very long.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein quickly made a decision!


    He immediately added a Skill Point to the Giant Bear Sword Technique, and the panel showed Giant Bear Sword Technique lv6 (345/3000) �� Giant Bear Sword Technique lv7 (345/5000).


    In an instant, fragmented training segments of the Giant Bear Sword Technique began to pour into Rein''s mind and synchronously implanted into his muscle memory.


    To Rein, it felt as though he had undergone years of arduous practice with the Giant Bear Sword Technique!


    At this point, Rein gained a deeper understanding of the Giant Bear Sword Technique; although it was still at the mastery level, it had significantly improved.


    At that moment, a majestic eagle flew over the ruined temple.


    Its sharp eyes first showed a human-like surprise at the temple below; the next moment, it seemed to hear the fierce fighting sounds and energy fluctuations coming from within the temple.


    With a dive, it arrived at the top of the temple, quietly peering inside through the crevices of the collapsed structure.


    The eagle that arrived was naturally the black-haired Elf.


    Soon, with her Dark Vision talent, she was able to make out the battle situation inside the hall.


    "Indeed... it''s a Flesh Tree Spirit, those corrupted ones from the Mother Tree Cult have resurfaced, haven''t they?"


    If Rein were beside her, he would definitely be able to discern from the black-haired Elf''s unfriendly tone that she had no fondness for the Mother Tree Cult.


    "Eh? Where are the people from the church?"


    "There was definitely a strong divine power fluctuation just now, which seems to be the aura of the gods of Monsoon and Ocean."


    After a thorough search with her keen eagle eyes, the black-haired Elf finally spotted Rudolph and the others in a dim corner of the hall.


    "Oh, they seem to be injured?"


    "I thought I was going to enjoy a good show..."


    The black-haired Elf seemed hesitant about whether to join the battle.


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    It was not for any other reason but because she had no fondness for the people of the church either.


    The various churches of mankind all considered her Druids to be heretics, so they did their utmost to avoid appearing before church personnel.


    "Forget it, when this young Knight can no longer hold on, I''ll help them out." After weighing the options with a frown, the black-haired Elf murmured.


    -----------------


    At this moment.


    Inside the dim temple hall, Rein, who had improved his swordsmanship, wielded the Giant Bear Sword Technique with each move incredibly swift and fluid, creating the impression of watching a waltz of strength and beauty at quadruple speed!


    Thanks to the "Exorcise" special effect of the Glimmering Greatsword, as well as the increase in sword speed following the "Breakthrough," the Glimmering Greatsword in Rein''s hands now resembled a laser greatsword!


    Thus, a radiant orb of light made up of high-speed dancing blades dashed left and right, speeding up and slowing down, and wherever it passed, the various sized flesh roots were severed and fell.


    Even after being chopped off, these wildly flailing roots didn''t lose their vitality immediately; they continued to twist and bend, both in the air and on the ground.


    Occasionally, the Flesh Tree Spirit would command a huge root the diameter of a washbasin to strike at Rein, and at that moment, the white glowing blade orb would immediately dodge.


    After the upgrade to lv7, Rein''s Giant Bear Sword Technique allowed him to endure much longer than the minute he was originally capable of, extending to at least two minutes, or even longer.


    This scene left Rudolph, Lagaray, and the remaining Temple Knight dumbstruck!


    Although they had witnessed Rein''s fight against the Evil Spirit Knight and knew that Rein was highly skilled with both hammer and sword, they hadn''t expected him to be this powerful!


    It was as if he were fighting the Flesh Tree Spirit alone!


    A single man turning the tide!


    A single man reversing the situation!


    However, Rudolph''s brows soon furrowed.


    "This way... it won''t work.... Because before the multitude of roots from the Flesh Tree Spirit can be cut down, Rein''s physical strength will likely be exhausted first!"


    "Right, he''s now initiated the Breakthrough but hesitates to use his Transcendent abilities, probably because he''s worried about draining his strength too soon and falling out of the Breakthrough state."


    "And once his speed slows down, Rein is done for. Human bodies can''t withstand attacks from such massive roots!" The equally injured Temple Knight beside him also saw the issue, looking even more troubled.


    In the eyes of both Rudolph and the Temple Knight, the situation Rein faced was almost a dead end.


    Because even if Rein possessed great strength, at most, he could maintain the "Breakthrough" for about two minutes. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But what about after two minutes?


    What to do then?


    Defeat was the only outcome waiting for him!


    "Magini, perhaps... it''s time to use that move!" With a grave expression, Rudolph said to the severely wounded Temple Knight Magini beside him.

 Chapter 156 People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Magini''s expression turned serious, and he immediately knocked on his chest with his right hand wearing an iron glove, firmly stating,"Instructor, to return to the embrace of the goddess is my long-held desire! To sacrifice myself for the eradication of evil in this world is my honor!"


    "Well done, Magini!"


    Rudolph patted the shoulder of the last remaining young temple knight, sighing inwardly.


    It had come to this, after all!


    The church had underestimated the intelligence from the Nightingale Forest.


    But upon reflection, this seemed inevitable.


    Recently, the manpower at the church had been too tight. The situation around Meister County was increasingly troubling, with a surge of mysterious incidents, and the church simply couldn''t gather enough hands.


    However... before returning to the embrace of the goddess, let''s take this flesh tree spirit with us!


    Just as the young temple knight named Magini was about to use a secret technique, Rudolph stopped him, saying, "Let Rein deal with more roots to create the best combat conditions. Once he can''t hold on, we''ll step in!"


    "That way... our chance of killing the flesh tree spirit will be higher."


    Magini nodded emphatically!


    ....


    Meanwhile, Lagaray''s face was solemn, her lips tightly pursed, holding the blood-etched steel shield with her fingers so tightly clenched that her knuckles turned white.


    This was the second time she had felt this sense of helplessness!


    The pain of being unable to do anything while her teammates struggled beside her was just too much.


    She swore that if she survived this incident, she would definitely take part in a life-and-death trial.


    ....


    The three of them were intently watching the rapidly moving orb of blades, for when it stopped, it would be Magini and Rudolph''s moment to use their final coup de grace.


    At the top of the temple hall, a pair of sharp eagle eyes watched Rein, his expression shifting from disdain at first to admiration now!


    Time ticked by, second by second...


    One minute...


    Two minutes...


    "Hmm?" Rudolph and the young knight Magini looked at each other, both seeing surprise in each other''s eyes.


    "How... how can Rein hold on for so long? That''s way too long!" Magini couldn''t help but exclaim.


    Seeing the surprise on the faces of the two men, the heavy-hearted Lagaray seemed to remember something, her expression rare and briefly lit with a smile, saying,


    "Rein has great stamina, sometimes I train with him all day, I''m exhausted, but he still looks energized and hardly tired at all!"


    "I''m quite sure, Rein''s endurance is extraordinary!"


    Rudolph and Magini heard this, their faces showing a curious look, exchanging glances!


    Endurance?


    Their practice... was it serious practice?


    You''re exhausted, and he''s still energized? Find adventures at empire


    Can I say I don''t believe it?


    I''ve never heard of the land being weary, the ox not tired!


    Moreover... you''re not an ordinary woman, you''re a barbarian woman! Even your stamina can''t withstand it? The two thought to themselves.


    But Lagaray didn''t seem to notice that her words had caused a misunderstanding among the two men beside her.


    Her beautiful eyes were completely focused on Rein.


    Although she had just heard about the instructor Rudolph and the temple knight''s last desperate strategy, she still planned to rush forward with her shield to protect Rein if his situation turned dire.


    Even if it was just to block a single blow, she would rush up without hesitation!


    At this moment, Rein''s physical strength had nearly reached its limit, but his heart was not panicking at all.


    Because he had "cheats"!


    Add points and recover!


    He was hesitating about how to add points.


    Right now, he had three choices for adding points.


    One was to add to his physical strength, which was also the most enduring choice; the second was agility, to move a bit faster, which naturally was safer; and lastly, adding points to his Spirit.


    The reason for the option to add points to Spirit was to prepare for a subsequent attack on the flesh tree spirit itself.


    After battling for so long, he wasn''t just thinking about giving the flesh tree spirit a ''shave'' and retreating, was he?


    Naturally, he wanted to find a way to kill the foe! S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, Rein had a sudden guess.


    That was, since the flesh tree spirit was called a tree spirit, was there a possibility that it was particularly afraid of fire?


    Although he couldn''t verify this immediately, as long as Rein could get close to its body, he could attack it with the two fire-based witchcraft spells he knew: "Scorching Touch" and "High-Temperature Force Field".


    However, considering the situation, the opponent was moving quickly and had very powerful attacks, leaving very limited time for Rein to cast witchcraft.


    Moreover, even if he could successfully cast the witchcraft "Scorching Touch", if the duration was too short, it might not inflict significant damage on the opponent.


    This point had been verified in a previous encounter with Adams.


    Otherwise, the 2,000-degree high temperature should have carbonized Adams''s body directly.


    Therefore, upon considering this, increasing the power of the witchcraft was crucial.


    But how to enhance the power of the witchcraft, the only solution Rein knew of was to increase his spiritual power.


    While fighting and thinking, Rein quickly made a decision��to add points to his Spirit!


    Although whether he added points to his physical strength, agility, or Spirit, none could guarantee that he would definitely be able to kill the flesh tree spirit.


    But by adding points to his Spirit, the power of his witchcraft would increase, which meant that his chances of successfully killing the flesh tree spirit would be higher.

 Chapter 156 People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    As his spiritual power increased from 20 points to 21 points, in an instant, Rein felt a rush of warmth pumping out from his heart, spreading rapidly to his limbs!This instantly filled Rein with vitality, and the exhaustion and sense of power depletion that followed his "Limit Break" vanished without a trace!


    For some reason, the famous prose poem "The Seagull" by the great writer Gorky from his previous life flashed through Rein''s mind. Find your next read at empire


    "This is the brave seagull, flying proudly amidst the roaring sea and through the lightning!"


    "It is the prophet of victory shouting!"


    "Let the storm come more fiercely!"


    Looking at the dense blood flesh roots coming at him from all angles, Rein felt like the seagull facing the storm, and he himself was like that brave yet tiny seagull!


    It was time to duel with the stormy winds and terrifying waves!


    The next second, under the watchful eyes of the three humans and one eagle at his side.


    Rein, who had already shown signs of fatigue and seemed likely to fall at any moment, suddenly appeared as though some divine art of time reversal had been cast on him, returning to the state he was in three minutes ago when he first activated "Limit Break."


    At that moment, Rein swung his greatsword, and the momentum of his sword surprisingly maintained an extraordinarily stable state once again!


    It was as fluent and filled with strength as when the battle had first begun, continuing to "shave" the blood flesh tree spirit as if wielding a razor!


    Young Knight Magini gaped with his mouth wide open, and his eyes suddenly grew twice as large, completely dumbfounded.


    His expression was exactly like that of... the class''s slacker, who upon facing a particularly hard question at the end of an extremely difficult test, is utterly shocked.


    Even the experienced instructor Rudolph was not much better than Magini at this moment.


    He too stared blankly at Rein, who had "wound up his clockwork" again, with disbelief written all over his face.


    Only Lagaray''s expression was somewhat more normal, after all, she had witnessed Rein''s "endurance" before during their sparring sessions, but even then, she was slightly taken aback this time.


    Lagaray glanced at the two beside her with an ''I told you Rein has a lot of endurance, but you wouldn''t believe me'' expression.


    After a few seconds, the instructor Rudolph and Knight Magini, with their mouths wide open, finally closed them and swallowed, glancing at Lagaray at their side. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seemingly a bit embarrassed, they immediately turned to look at each other, and in each other''s eyes, they saw full-blown shock and incomprehension.


    Girl, you said... this... Rein is enduring...


    But this kind of endurance is just too much!


    Instructor Rudolph''s face twitched a few times, and though he remained silent, he was screaming in his mind.


    And the eagle at the top of the hall had been about to fly down to rescue earlier.


    But just as it flapped its wings, the situation stabilized again!


    Now, even the sharp eyes of the eagle seemed bewildered.


    Meanwhile, Rein was fighting more smoothly and more effortlessly by the second because the memories of the lv7 Giant Bear Sword Technique that had just been infused into him had been completely assimilated by him after the recent combat!


    At the same time, Rein had some new ideas about the use of Skill Points.


    It seems...


    For seemingly basic skills like swordsmanship and Hammer Skill, once raised to a higher level before adding points, the benefits one receives are no less valuable than those from upgrading some rare skills.


    Seeing their teammate Rein performing so well, Instructor Rudolph and Knight Magini naturally would not foolishly rush forward to use their ultimate moves and fight desperately with the blood flesh tree spirit.


    After all, a bad life was better than a good death.


    So, time passed, second by second, two more minutes went by...


    Altogether, it was now six minutes later.


    Instructor Rudolph and Knight Magini were already mesmerized by the continuous action they were witnessing!


    It was like seeing a class of dozens of students running a thousand meters, and just as they started, a boy suddenly sprinted at the pace of a hundred-meter dash.


    Almost everyone thought that this boy, at that speed, would do well to last half a lap.


    But instead, he whizzed a full four hundred meters in a sprint and then continued at that high speed...


    Rein, on the brink of physical exhaustion once more, glanced at his panel and silently added points!


    As his spiritual power increased from 21 points to 22 points, instantaneously, another rush of warmth pumped from his heart to his limbs!


    This revived Rein in "full health" once again!


    Suddenly, his body was filled with vigor, the fatigue vanished, and he was ready to fight a "three hundred rounds" battle with the blood flesh tree spirit!


    Rein''s state, which seemed to be like an "eternal motion machine", finally caught the blood flesh tree spirit''s surprise and attention.


    For its blood flesh tendrils, though numerous, couldn''t withstand such relentless assault from Rein!


    Now, under Rein''s unwavering "shaving", the blood flesh tree spirit''s tens of meters long body surface had been shaved into patch after patch of "bald spots."


    That is to say, as long as Rein could maintain his current state for a few more minutes, he would undoubtedly shave the blood flesh tree spirit into a "bald stump!"

 Chapter 157 Can I Say It’s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)

    Moreover, under Rein''s relentless disturbance, the blood flesh treant was also in extreme discomfort, its main body still hadn''t completely healed from the penetrating wound caused by the high-level Divine Arts ''Sword of Judgment''.According to the previous healing speed, it should have healed five minutes earlier.


    But now, because of Rein''s interference, the huge wound had only shrunk from the size of a washbasin to the size of a fist.


    The underlying reason was that many of the roots that could have been used to heal the wound were cut off by Rein and scattered on the ground.


    The blood flesh treant''s intelligence was not low, and it knew it could not go on like this.


    If this continued, it might indeed be ground to death by this little thing before it...


    All of a sudden, its upper body shot up, and those fine tendrils that had been writhing inside the wound of the piercing injury all retracted at once.


    The next second, the blood flesh treant faced Rein and launched into a leap followed by a death roll attack!


    Rein''s pupils contracted as he quickly executed a side-roll to dodge.


    Just now, that was how the blood flesh treant had swallowed the lightly wounded temple Knight whole.


    So, although the blood flesh treant had been using its roots to fight Rein up until now, Rein had always been on guard for this powerful move.


    If this move hit directly, it would likely mean certain death!


    As expected, it tried the move again.


    The blood flesh treant''s massive maw brushed past Rein, its huge body moving with incredible speed, carrying vast kinetic energy. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an instant, the nearly twenty-meter long blood flesh treant streaked by like a meteor, smashing a massive hole in the sturdy white marble walls of the temple.


    Dust and debris filled the air!


    Additionally, Rein noticed that whenever the blood flesh treant itself began to attack, its healing completely stopped, probably due to large energy consumption or because the attack would tear at the wound.


    No wonder it had not engaged in the attack with its main body before.


    The blood flesh treant rose again, shaking its enormous body as if the collision with the wall had left it somewhat dizzy.


    However, when it came to its senses and realized it had not hit Rein, it seemed exceedingly irate!


    After reestablishing Rein''s location, the blood flesh treant let out a skyward roar.


    The next second, it inhaled a large breath of air, its body swelling in size, and then spat out clumps of bloody mucus from its gaping maw, spraying in all directions without a blind spot! Experience new tales on empire


    This scene, akin to a volcanic eruption, nearly covered the entire temple hall, leaving Rudolph and the other two in the corner with no escape!


    Facing this witchcraft-like attack from the blood flesh treant, Rudolph''s face paled, regretting not having taken measures sooner.


    Now, even if he and Magini used their final trump card, it would be too late!


    The temple Knight Magini immediately raised his steel shield to cover Rudolph.


    Lagaray, meanwhile, was crouching with her agile body, fixated on Rein with her beautiful eyes, holding a blood-rune shield in her left hand, her strong, shapely legs tensed, ready to pounce like a leopard.


    Lagaray seemed poised to rush to Rein''s side, ready to block the blood flesh treant''s spew with her shield.


    But the next second, she froze!


    The same happened to the Elf transformed into an eagle on the ceiling, who was about to swoop down and use ''Hurricane Technique'' to help, but she too halted her dive.


    Rein, in front of the blood flesh treant, boldly stepped forward without flinching, calmly retrieving a scroll from his arms!


    "I had intended to save this Sorcery Scroll ''Extreme Cold Wind'' for the certification exam later, but it looks like I''ll have to use it here," Rein said softly, with a hint of regret.


    While talking to himself, he did not slow his movements, quickly channeling a trace of spiritual power into the ''Extreme Cold Wind'' Sorcery Scroll and slightly controlling the direction of release.


    Suddenly, a freezing gust of wind appeared out of nowhere, blowing over a dozen meters in front of Rein, nearly engulfing the massive blood flesh treant completely.


    The next second, this frigid wind collided head-on with the bloody mucus spit out by the treant.


    The power of the cold far exceeded Rein''s expectations, as the bloody mucus instantly froze upon contact, falling to the ground like large chunks of ice and shattering with a ''crack''.


    And it wasn''t over yet; after freezing the bloody mucus, the cold gust still had enough force to head straight for the treant itself.


    The recent spewing had greatly drained the blood flesh treant''s energy.


    It was seen gasping heavily, the wound piercing its body widened again, and aside from a few of its larger roots, the rest had fallen off.


    Facing the onslaught of the extreme cold, the blood flesh treant, too slow to effectively dodge or block, was quickly covered in heavy white frost and crystals, its moving and attacking speed significantly reduced, as though it had gone from an agile monkey to a wobbly old woman nearly ninety years old.

 Chapter 157 Can I Say It’s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)_2

    Additionally, due to the huge temperature difference in the air, the temple hall was filled with an enormous amount of dense, white fog at this time, obscuring Rein''s figure, making even the unusually large flesh tree spirit unclear.At this moment, Rein stomped his right foot heavily and swung the greatsword in his hands. Like an arrow released from a bow, he rapidly shot toward the true body of the flesh tree spirit.


    Along the way for more than ten meters, there was a constant ''crack'' sound as the white roots kept falling to the ground.


    Under the influence of the low temperature, these originally tough roots had become extremely fragile.


    Thus, dozens of white tendrils were cleared by Rein in an instant, creating a long, direct pathway to the flesh tree spirit''s trunk!


    Rein shook the Glimmering Greatsword in his hands and, in the next second, he was already beside the trunk of the flesh tree spirit.


    As Rein''s left hand rested on the rough skin of the flesh tree spirit, a deep incantation began to resonate from his mouth.


    Yes, Rein was casting the level 2 sorcery ''Scorching Touch'' he had mastered!


    After a brief spell chant of just over two seconds, a red glow emerged from Rein''s palm and quickly penetrated into the rough skin of the flesh tree spirit.


    Twenty-two points of spiritual power significantly enhanced the potency of Rein''s Scorching Touch.


    Although it was not yet known by how much, it was sure to be significantly more than before.


    Hmm?


    In an instant, Rein felt as if he had ignited a powder keg!


    It seemed that the flesh tree spirit''s body was filled with gasoline, just lacking a fuse.


    And his ''Scorching Touch'' was that match.


    Suddenly Rein''s expression drastically changed, and he quickly retreated.


    The next second!


    "Boom!!"


    The flesh tree spirit let out a scream!


    The area that Rein had just touched exploded into a gigantic cavity half a person tall and, furthermore, blazing flames continued to burn the body of the flesh tree spirit at the wound.


    The roots around were frantically trying to extinguish the flames on the wound, but because they had been slowed down by the ''Extreme Cold Wind'' sorcery scroll, the firefighting effort was not effective.


    This caused the burning to gradually become more intense.


    Rein was immediately overjoyed!


    Obviously, this verified that his previous judgment was accurate.


    This flesh tree spirit, bearing the word ''tree'' in its name, indeed feared fire.


    Rein felt that he should really thank the person who first named the flesh tree spirit.


    Precise naming contained the key to defeating the enemy.


    Almost without hesitation, Rein decided he must definitely take advantage of the situation!


    Using the words of a great man: ''It is right to press home the pursuit and drive the beaten enemy; it is not fitting to exploit one''s reputation and play the tyrant.''


    Immediately, Rein propelled himself forward again, rapidly circling around the flesh tree spirit, attacking whenever an opportunity arose, and would release the ''Scorching Touch'' sorcery on other parts of the flesh tree spirit.


    Although the flesh tree spirit instinctively tried its best to dodge Rein''s attacks, having suffered from the ''Extreme Cold Wind'' sorcery, its body, including the roots, moved significantly slower and was utterly unable to avoid Rein''s strikes and approaches.


    Thus, within just a few more than ten seconds, several parts of the flesh tree spirit''s body were ignited by Rein!


    And with multiple parts exploding consecutively, it seemed to trigger some sort of chain reaction!


    Suddenly, the nearly twenty-meter long body of the flesh tree spirit stopped moving; it no longer avoided Rein''s attacks but started to tremble slightly.


    The next second, the vast body of the flesh tree spirit suddenly swelled and glowed a fiery red. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, its body seemed to be filled with magma, much like a volcano about to erupt.


    Immediately, Rein was startled and quickly retreated!


    He was still quite worried about whether the flesh tree spirit had any other trump cards, or some kind of desperate last resort move.


    But the next second, under Rein''s watch, the vast body of the flesh tree spirit sharply contracted back and rapidly shriveled, all the while emitting a large amount of pungent, foul-smelling black smoke.


    And its densely packed tendrils, at this time, seemed to have suddenly lost all vitality, hanging limply and motionlessly.


    It seemed that the swelling and contracting had released all the energy inside the flesh tree spirit in one go.


    For a moment, the flesh tree spirit was utterly silent!


    At this time, the system prompt sounded:


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been upgraded, Experience +1291]


    [Your Skill Scorching Touch has been upgraded, Experience +35]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +276, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +112]


    Upon seeing this, Rein immediately breathed a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, although the flesh tree spirit was formidable, it didn''t have any second phase or transformation.


    At this moment, it should truly be dead.


    Huh?


    What is this?


    Rein keenly noticed, under the carcass of the flesh tree spirit, he seemed to sense a special faint aura.


    This aura, which Rein was encountering for the first time, was filled with a sense of vitality, grandeur, and spirituality, and also seemed to carry an indescribable... evil?


    Immediately, Rein swiftly cut open the bottom of the flesh tree spirit.


    There, a crystal the size of a walnut and a pale gold little tree enveloped in a fist-sized transparent membrane appeared before Rein''s eyes.


    Hiss!


    This is...


    The sensation he had just perceived was likely the aura of the pale gold little tree, which was entirely a pale gold color, seemingly divine, but the sharp-eyed Rein noticed that beneath its pale gold exterior, there seemed to be a stream of black energy continuously flowing.

 Chapter 157 Can I Say It’s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)_3

    The aura of that crystal was quite similar to the energy crystal dropped by the Evil Spirit Knight, only it was thicker and more vast.After some thought, Rein lifted the crystal with the tip of his sword and took it out.


    As soon as it was in his hand, a system prompt sounded:


    [Ding! Detected unknown energy that can be absorbed. Do you wish to absorb it? (Note: After absorption, it can be converted into specified Professional Experience Points.)]


    As expected!


    This must be a kind of energy body that is even more advanced than the energy crystal.


    After all the hard work, it was finally time for the harvest.


    Rein felt a surge of joy in his heart and didn''t hesitate to choose ''Yes!''


    The next second, the thick black energy that flowed within the walnut-sized crystal suddenly rushed into Rein''s body through his arm.


    Just like last time, this time Rein once again didn''t feel any discomfort, and the whole absorption and conversion process was over.


    [Ding! A total of 1536 supernatural experience points converted. Please choose to upgrade Knight (Transcendent)/Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)/Beast Tamer (Transcendent).]


    Tsk tsk!


    The flesh tree spirit is mighty!


    Rein found that he had started to like the... unholy things of the Mother Tree Sect!


    The rewards are too generous!


    After pondering for a while, Rein decided to continue selecting Beast Tamer (Transcendent) to add points.


    The reason was simple, he could slowly accumulate experience for Knight or Wizard Apprentice through combat, but not for Beast Tamer.


    Moreover, he was currently a Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv3 (12/500); choosing to add points to Beast Tamer would allow him to level up twice.


    But if he chose Knight or Wizard Apprentice, he could only rise by one level.


    As for Blacksmith not being prompted, it''s because, in Rein''s view, Blacksmith isn''t a transcendent profession, so it isn''t difficult to level up.


    As Rein silently thought ''Beast Tamer!''


    Instantly, two consecutive system prompts appeared:


    [Congratulations, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) Profession Level has increased!]


    [Congratulations, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) Profession Level has increased!]


    Seeing the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) level change from lv3 (12/500) to lv5 (48/2000) on the panel, Rein couldn''t help but show a brilliant smile.


    He continued to read on.


    Gazing at the bottom of the panel revealed remaining attribute points: 3, and remaining Skill Points: 5.


    The remaining attribute points were back to three, and the remaining Skill Points had reached an astonishing five.


    This gave Rein the thrilling sense of getting richer and stronger with each battle!


    Since the pale golden sapling still hadn''t been checked, Rein didn''t linger in the joy of leveling up for long, but immediately took out the pale golden sapling, which was the size of a small fist, from the body of the flesh tree spirit.


    At that moment, the system prompt sounded again:


    [Ding! Detected that the host has obtained a Mother Tree seed, triggering a class transfer��Mother Tree Priest (Transcendent)!]


    [The prerequisites for transferring to Mother Tree Priest are: 1. Knight (Transcendent) lv3 or above, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv3 or above; 2. Constitution 15 points or above, Spirit 18 points or above; 3. Belief in the Mother Tree or use of the Mother Tree seed. Conditions met, do you wish to transfer to Mother Tree Priest (Transcendent)?]


    Hisss!


    Facing the class transfer information prompted by the system, Rein''s eyes suddenly widened!


    This was the first time he had seen prerequisites for a class transfer that were so demanding.


    It actually required both Knight and Wizard Apprentice to be lv3 or above.


    Rein''s brain whirred rapidly, and after a few seconds, he resolutely clicked ''No!''


    The reason was simple, the Mother Tree Sect had been listed as a Cult by the Empire; if he transferred to become a Mother Tree Priest (Transcendent), he would naturally be opposing the Empire, and Rein didn''t believe that the transcendent profession of Mother Tree Priest could bring benefits matching the huge risks!


    [Ding! Detected that the Mother Tree seed contains a large amount of life energy. Do you wish to absorb it? (Note: After absorption, the Mother Tree seed will be destroyed.)]


    Huh? Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Could it be like this?


    After a brief thought, Rein chose ''Yes!''


    Since he wasn''t transferring classes, it was natural to use it for absorption, at least it was all for his own benefit.


    In an instant, a stream of warm energy that made Rein feel indescribably cozy emanated from the pale golden Mother Tree seed, a sensation that the phrase ''ecstatic'' couldn''t describe even one-tenth of!


    At the same time, four quiet system prompts arrived:


    [Congratulations! Your Constitution Attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Strength Attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Agility Attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Spirit Attribute has increased!]


    This...


    All Attributes +1!


    The Mother Tree seed is amazing!


    Bring me a dozen, please!


    Rein, coming back to his senses, hadn''t expected to receive four system prompts in one go!


    At this time, the white mist also began to gradually dissipate.


    In the corner of the hall, Rudolph, Lagaray, and Magini were staring blankly at the clearly dead flesh tree spirit and at Rein who stood nearby, sword in hand.


    For a moment, the three of them didn''t know what to say!


    Things had changed so rapidly!


    In the span of half a minute, the flesh tree spirit that had been gaining the upper hand was now motionlessly sprawled at Rein''s feet.


    At this moment, under the sunlight seeping into the hall, Rein was coated in a soft golden glow, making him seem especially tall.


    And the flesh tree spirit, which had once been like a small mountain, was now charred throughout and emitting plumes of black smoke, completely reduced to a backdrop for the golden light.


    Then Rudolph, coming to a realization, furrowed his brows, stepped forward for a closer look at Rein, and slowly began to ask, "Rein, the wide-area frost attack you just performed, that was witchcraft, wasn''t it?"

 Chapter 157 Can I Say It’s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)_4

    He had just turned his sight away because it was blocked by Magini, so he did not see the scene when Rein pulled out the Sorcery Scroll.Rein looked up and saw the expression on Head Priest Rudolph''s face, a mix of joy and faint worry, and immediately understood what was going on.


    It seemed that Jenny had been right last time.


    The Church and the followers of the orthodox Knight''s Path were quite opposed to witchcraft and the ways of the Wizard.


    Rein expressed understanding of this, as it was somewhat similar to the strife over the orthodox path in the immortal-hero novels of his previous life, or the differences between the capitalists and socialists in modern society.


    "That''s correct, Head Priest Rudolph, I just used a Sorcery Scroll confiscated from a Wizard Apprentice, named ''Arctic Wind.''"


    Upon hearing it was from the spoils of war, Rudolph''s brow immediately relaxed, and his expression softened significantly, nodding and saying, "That''s good, witchcraft is indeed very powerful, but its learning process is fraught with many unpredictable dangers."


    After a pause, Rudolph continued: "And Divine Arts are not only more powerful but also safer, Rein, I hope you understand this."


    Naturally, Rein was not going to argue this matter with Rudolph at this time and simply smiled a little and nodded again.


    However, all of a sudden, Rein looked around with a puzzled expression. Right after he had killed the Blood Flesh Treant, he had felt a subtle sense of being watched.


    This feeling was very faint. Rein looked up again and saw several birds fluttering away at the top of the hall, so he slightly shook his head and thought to himself:


    "Maybe I''m just being too sensitive! Mistaking the curious prying of some birds and beasts for the prying of intelligent beings."


    Just then, something Rudolph said made Rein''s heart skip a beat.


    He only heard Rudolph muttering doubtfully to himself: Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s not right! After the death of a creature like the Blood Flesh Treant, there should have been at least large chunks of evil energy crystals."


    "Even normally, there should be shards of evil energy left behind. How could there be absolutely nothing?"


    "Rein, did you see anything like the crystals that drop when Evil Spirit Knights die?" Rudolph turned and asked.


    "Haha, no, I really didn''t. By the way, Head Priest Rudolph, could it be because the high-level Divine Arts ''Sword of Judgment'' you cast was too powerful?" Rein laughed.


    Sorry about that!


    Head Priest Rudolph, it''s just that I''ve absorbed them already.


    ...And I can''t exactly spit them back out for you.


    "This... it''s possible..." Rudolph frowned and pondered for a while, nodding his head, seeming to accept Rein''s explanation.


    "Head Priest, then let''s retreat now, shall we?" Rein, feeling somewhat guilty, quickly suggested.


    After all, the high-level Divine Arts scroll ''Sword of Judgment'' did play an extremely important role in killing the Blood Flesh Treant, but now the issue was that Rein had ''swallowed'' all the benefits himself.


    "Wait, there must be something of the Mother Tree Sect that required the protection of the Blood Flesh Treant here."


    "Or rather, there must be something very important to the Mother Tree Sect here, otherwise, the Blood Flesh Treant and Evil Spirit Knights wouldn''t have emerged out of nowhere."


    "Uh..."


    Could it be that thumb-sized pale golden sapling...


    Head Priest, can I say that I''ve absorbed it too?


    Rein sneakily glanced at Rudolph, who was searching around, and felt even more guilty...


    But at this moment, he could only remain silent, following behind Head Priest Rudolph pretending to search around the perimeter of the Temple Hall.


    Suddenly, Knight Magini in the center of the hall shouted: "Head Priest, there''s a stone slab here!"


    Rein raised an eyebrow, huh? There really was something?


    The two of them promptly walked over and saw that underneath the original position of the Treant, Magini had unearthed a black obsidian slab more than one meter long, written with something in an ancient language (Akkadian).


    Rudolph nodded confidently and said, "This must be it."


    "Was the Blood Flesh Treant guarding this slab?" Knight Magini asked curiously beside him.


    As a knight of the church''s temple, he hadn''t studied this kind of spiritual text; on normal days, he was so busy learning combat skills and prayers that he naturally couldn''t afford to divert his attention to anything else.


    However, Rudolph, as the head of the clergy, did have a certain degree of research on spiritual text.


    "Great Mother Tree... following... the most humble servant... I beseech you..."


    Rein initially watched with surprise, scrutinizing it closely for a moment, but soon, he lost interest.


    Because if he wasn''t mistaken, this appeared to be a ritual text or prayer, namely, the ritual language used during sacrifices to pray to the so-called Mother Tree.


    Clearly, to him, this was almost meaningless: he wasn''t a priest of the Mother Tree...


    Had Rein just changed his occupation to ''Priest of the Mother Tree,'' then this prayer would have been quite useful and worth studying seriously, but now, not so much.


    "Magini, dig this thing out and bring it back," Rudolph said after pondering for a moment.


    Although Rudolph, after translating, also believed that this seemed to just be an ordinary prayer, he thought carefully and surmised that the Obsidian tablet, which the Black Flesh Tree Spirit was guarding, must possess some special purpose or significance.


    It was just that, possibly due to his lack of expertise in this area, he couldn''t immediately discern the importance of the Obsidian tablet.


    Watching as the temple knight Magini ''huffed and puffed'' to dig out the heavy Obsidian tablet, Rein cast a dubious glance at Rudolph and thought:


    "Head of the clergy, do you really think the Black Flesh Tree Spirit was guarding this tablet?"


    ...


    Soon after, Rein and his party returned the way they had come, back to the entrance of the Temple Garden.


    At that moment, seeing Rein''s party emerge, the Night Watchman and the peace officers immediately surrounded them.


    After a brief conversation, upon hearing that there was a monster inside nearly twenty meters long, everyone clicked their tongues in amazement!


    From the expressions on their faces, they all seemed relieved.


    Otherwise, judging from the bodies of the fallen knights, it was clear that these ordinary people would have suffered horrific casualties, or even a total annihilation!


    Realizing this, the short Matteo and the other Night Watchmen looked at their own peace deputy officer Rein with grateful eyes.


    -----------------


    After Rein and his companions left the temple hall, the eagle perched at the top of the hall finally fluttered its wings and flew down.


    As it was about to land, the eagle suddenly transformed into a black-haired Elf, and the tall slender figure calmly walked over to the carcass of the Black Flesh Tree Spirit and began to investigate.


    "Strange, the Sorcery Scroll that the human knight tore open was clearly of the frost series, but the Black Flesh Tree Spirit clearly died from fire-based witchcraft," the black-haired Elf said with a puzzled expression.


    She had just witnessed the entire battle, but shortly after Rein tore open the Sorcery Scroll ''Gale of Extreme Cold,'' a dense fog filled the entire hall.


    By then, no one except Rein himself could see clearly what Rein was doing.


    Thus, the black-haired Elf''s confusion wasn''t surprising.


    "Could it be that the human knight just now used fire-based witchcraft?"


    The black-haired Elf quickly thought of a possibility.


    "Perhaps, it was because he carried a fire-based witchcraft scroll with him."


    "Eh? This aura is..."


    The black-haired Elf''s eyes suddenly widened, her cherry lips parting in an incredulous expression.


    Because she had just sensed a trace of the identical aura from the Elven Mother Tree seed. Discover exclusive content at empire


    She was naturally all too familiar with this aura, it was almost identical.


    "No, this should be the aura of the seed of the Dark Mother Tree, the one worshipped by the sect of the Mother Tree!"


    The next second, the black-haired Elf reacted.

 Chapter 158 First Intimate Contact (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    As soon as he thought of the dangers posed by the dark tree seed, the black-haired elf''s expression changed, and she muttered to herself, "No, I need to go and retrieve the dark tree seed.""The only one who had the chance to take the seed just now would be the young knight who used the Sorcery Scroll..."


    The image of Rein, the young knight wielding the Dual-Handed Greatsword, instantly came to the mind of the black-haired elf.


    The very next second, the black-haired elf transformed into an eagle once more and soared into the sky.


    Soon, she caught up with Rein and his group, who were preparing to return from the Temple Garden''s entrance.


    Half an hour later.


    "Captain, there''s something odd about that eagle circling above us for quite a few rounds," a Night Watchman noticed the eagle above and turned to speak to his captain, Matteo.


    "Hmm?" Matteo also looked up for a moment and nodded, saying,


    "Indeed, something isn''t right; it seems to be tracking our squadron. Could it be that a falconer from some unknown forces is nearby?"


    Matteo''s expression turned serious as he considered this and then kicked his horse''s sides firmly to accelerate and approached Rein, who was conversing with Lagaray, to report,


    "Adjutant Sir, there''s an eagle in the sky constantly tracking us; I suspect there is a falconer from unknown forces nearby..." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "An eagle?" Rein looked up questioningly.


    He saw several birds flying across the sky, but none were eagles, which meant there was no trace of an eagle in the sky at that moment.


    "Matteo, there''s no eagle?"


    "Eh? There definitely was one just now?" Matteo scratched his head, momentarily confused.


    However, it was clear since the eagle was no longer there, it was most likely his overthinking.


    Perhaps... the eagle was merely chasing its prey that happened to be near their group. Enjoy more content from empire


    In fact, at the very moment when Matteo looked up, the black-haired elf, in the guise of the eagle, had realized that her circling behavior had likely attracted the attention of certain individuals in the group below.


    Therefore, she decided to fly in the direction the group was moving and landed not far ahead of them before quickly transforming into a squirrel, which scampered up the high canopy of an oak tree to observe the group.


    The scrutiny of a squirrel would naturally not raise any alarm, not even for Rein, despite his remarkably keen senses.


    After all, in the Nightingale Forest, where wild beasts are abundant, if the scrutiny of a squirrel were to be of concern, then there would be far too many such scrutinizing gazes to be wary of.


    -----------------


    Half a day later, the group returned to Flashgold Town, and Hamilton was already waiting at the administrative hall''s entrance to greet everyone.


    As soon as the group entered Flashgold Town, a security officer notified him.


    Seeing Rein and the Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town mostly safe and sound, a look of relief quickly spread across Hamilton''s face.


    However, when he noticed the several stretchers being carried at the back of the group... and the two-man shortage in the knightly group from the church, Hamilton''s smile faded.


    After some inquiries, Hamilton looked astonished!


    He had not expected that what seemed to be a secure mission dealing with the Evil Spirit Knight would turn out to have such unexpected and twisted developments.


    Firstly, the number of Evil Spirit Knights had suddenly surged to three, and they all possessed almost the strength of Peak Knights.


    Secondly, inside the dilapidated temple hall was an ancient Cult''s relic, ''The Mother Tree Sect'', and there existed creatures like the flesh tree spirits with strength equivalent to that of a Great Knight!


    This made it difficult for Hamilton to imagine just how intense the battle had been.


    However, what particularly puzzled him was why his own elite Night Watchmen were mostly unharmed, whereas the church''s knights, who were much stronger and had stepped into transcendence, suffered such heavy casualties!


    The two surviving knights were severely injured, and two honorably fallen knights lay on the stretchers... this...


    And...


    Why did his own Adjutant Rein, after such a brutal battle, not only appear unscathed but also seem full of vigor?


    Such a state would make more sense to Hamilton if Rein had just woken up from an afternoon nap!


    "Huh? Rein''s aura..."


    "This... how does it feel like his strength has progressed again!"


    Hamilton''s eyes widened as he looked at Rein, evidently taken aback.


    However, before Hamilton could ask for details, Rudolph approached with a grave expression.


    "Father Rudolph, your efforts are commendable! The empire will surely honor and provide compensation for the two fallen knights of the church," Hamilton said to Rudolph.


    "Lord Hamilton, this time, we owe much gratitude to Flashgold Town''s Adjutant Rein for his significant support. Without him, our losses might have been even more severe," Rudolph said, glancing at Rein and speaking to Hamilton.


    "This... this is what we in Flashgold Town ought to do," Hamilton was taken aback upon hearing this.


    Because by the sound of it, Rein must have played a crucial role in the mission.


    Otherwise, given Rudolph''s typically rigid demeanor, he would not likely make such ''nice remarks'' for mutual flattery.


    ....


    After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the church''s group led by Father Rudolph did not continue their stay in Flashgold Town. Instead, they arranged for two carriages and set out for the County Town overnight.


    The urgency was due to the need for immediate treatment for the two grievously injured knights.

 Chapter 158 First Intimate Contact (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    In addition, Rudolph also needs to report to the bishop as soon as possible about the discovery of the ancient Cult''s "Mother Tree Sect" ruins.However...


    Before leaving, Rudolph specifically sought out Rein for a brief chat.


    "Rein, the doors of the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church will always be open for you!" S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Besides, I will report your performance in this incident to Lord Bishop."


    ...


    As soon as Rudolph had left, an incredibly curious Hamilton pulled Rein into his office to ask for details.


    Just now, with the church''s personnel present, there had been many things Hamilton naturally felt uncomfortable to inquire about.


    "This�� Lord, there''s not much to say, actually��"


    Once Rein had succinctly described both battles, Hamilton understood why Rudolph had placed such importance on Rein!


    He would have done the same in his position.


    Originally, he had thought that the church''s heavy casualties meant that they were undoubtedly the ones who had contributed most to resolving this mysterious incident.


    Even his own Night Watchman team probably had merely engaged in some alert duties, which was why they had so few casualties.


    But the outcome was beyond his expectations!


    Rein almost single-handedly turned the tide, representing the Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town, representing him, making a key contribution to this incident.


    "Rein, well done! I will report this situation in the next two days, and I bet you''ll get a hefty reward of Merit Points soon," Hamilton declared with amazement.


    Rein''s performance in the previous battle against Adams had already surprised Hamilton, but this time, it refreshed his understanding once again!


    "Thank you, my lord," Rein said with a slight bow, smiling.


    Merit Points were certainly desirable, and Rein naturally wouldn''t decline them, although he had already gained much from this incident.


    But who would complain about having too much money, right?


    However, when he thought about Merit Points, Rein was reminded that his custom-ordered water membrane steel Knight Armor would take two months to complete... which was simply too long...


    And the chromium iron set he was currently wearing, after the battles with Adams and the Bloodflesh Treant, was nearly ready to be scrapped.


    It seemed like he had to make another trip to the military supply department in County Town to exchange for a new set of Knight Armor for emergencies.


    Meanwhile, the black-haired Elf who had transformed into a squirrel, upon following Rein''s team to Flashgold Town, showed a trace of surprise in her gleaming eyes.


    Huh?


    Isn''t this the same place where she had sensed the general location of the amulet?


    Yes, that''s right!


    It must be within the bounds of this small town.


    The squirrel-shaped black-haired Elf nodded affirmatively.


    But since the amulet hadn''t been triggered for some time, she would need to search carefully to pinpoint its location.


    However...


    This matter could be put on hold for the time being, as she first needed to keep a close eye on that young Knight.


    The black-haired Elf was also hesitant at the moment; she wasn''t sure which approach to take to communicate with the young human Knight.


    The first approach would naturally be to find an opportunity for a private conversation, during which she would explain the danger that the Dark Elf Mother Tree seed posed to the world and then ask him to hand the seed over.


    But she instinctively felt that humans would not be so ''understanding'' and ''reasonable.''


    The second method would involve sacrificing her own moral character for the safety of the world and quietly taking the seed away��


    This act would be considered ''theft,'' or perhaps ''stealing,'' wouldn''t it?


    Therefore, the black-haired Elf was at a loss as to which method to choose.


    -----------------


    After having dinner with Lagaray, Anna, and his family, Rein returned to his room alone.


    He began to reflect on his own performance in the battle of Nightingale Forest.


    Simply put, ''battle analysis''!


    Because only by constantly reflecting and summarizing could he maintain progress.


    He had already experienced the benefits of doing so.


    "There were two battles in total this time. In the first battle, facing the Evil Spirit Knight protected by heavy armor and dark aura, my core skill ''Hammer Skill Expertise'', combined with the Tokkal Hammer Technique and the Pig-Headed Hammer, achieved a trinity of assault which resulted in tremendous killing power," he thought.


    "This is the best test of the outcome of the post-battle analysis last time!"


    Since the fight with the Angel Envoy of the Black Flame Church ended, Rein had set a plan ''to slowly practice Hammer Skill and utilize the Hammer''s strong armor-piercing and Shock damage to inflict heavy injuries on armored foes.''


    This time, ''the Heavy Hammer Armor-Piercing'' tactic was proven effective against the three Evil Spirit Knights!


    Rein''s eyes flickered as he pondered.


    "Additionally, the second battle, against the Bloodflesh Treant."


    "If it hadn''t been for Dean Rudolph starting off by casting the high-tier Divine Art ''Sword of Judgment'' and inflicting heavy damage on the Bloodflesh Treant, I might not have been able to defeat it despite doing my utmost."


    "However, that''s normal, considering that according to Lord Hamilton, the Bloodflesh Treant is an evil creature on the same level as a Great Knight."


    "Ultimately, I relied on the Sorcery Scroll ''Polar Wind'' and combined it with the elementary-level contact witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'' to take it down. To be honest, this stage was much easier than the previous direct confrontation with a greatsword."


    "This shows the undeniable importance of witchcraft. If I can master several witchcraft spells, I''d be able to utilize specific ones according to the enemy''s weaknesses, possibly achieving unexpected results."

 Chapter 158 First Intimate Contact (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    ```"Furthermore, the importance of spiritual power has become increasingly prominent."


    "After all, there''s currently no other method for me to enhance the power of witchcraft. Only by strengthening my spiritual power can I simultaneously enhance the power of witchcraft, and that is a clear fact."


    "From this perspective, unless something unusual happens, Spirit Attribute will be the priority for my future points allocation."


    "As for mastering multiple types of witchcraft?"


    Rein crossed his arms, stroked his chin with his right hand, and began pacing back and forth in the room, pondering.


    "The test crystal has confirmed that I have the strongest affinity for fire energy particles, no, there''s another one, the pale silver energy particles that I still haven''t figured out."


    "But even including the pale silver energy particles, I only have a relatively high affinity for two types of energy particles. Learning other types of witchcraft would be inefficient and less powerful than these two."


    "Hmm... I should focus on fire witchcraft first, and as for the others, I''ll slowly search for other witchcraft models."


    "After all, the biggest issue I''m currently facing is the scarcity of witchcraft models."


    "Oh, that''s right, the meeting Jenny and I scheduled should be tomorrow. Hopefully, the visit to her bestie''s library will yield some results."


    Rein suddenly recalled the arrangement with Jenny and his eyes brightened.


    Ever since experiencing the power of witchcraft in actual combat, Rein has been eagerly looking forward to each new type of witchcraft.


    "Also, this ancient sect ''The Mother Tree Sect'' that appeared, I have never heard of it. Including that pale golden sapling, I have no clue about its origin; it seems, I must pay close attention to various ancient lore next..."


    "So... the study of Lingwen (Akkadian language) must continue..."


    "After all... many ancient books were recorded by Wizards or Wizard Apprentices and written in Lingwen."


    Soon, Rein brought out the three Akkadian ancient texts and placed them on his desk.


    Currently, Rein has made more than half progress in studying these three Akkadian ancient texts. He can understand the meanings of most Akkadian words, but his pronunciation and fluency are still not standard, so further reinforcement is needed.


    While Rein was studiously learning Akkadian, Lagaray was restless in the next room.


    She had decided that she would leave Flashgold Town early the next morning, with the belongings (weapons) of her brother and teammates, and return to her barbarian tribe in the Frostwind Prairie of the Northern Empire.


    This was a task of great significance, one that she was obliged to complete.


    Because only then would the spirits of her brother and teammates be able to return to the Hall of Heroes.


    Additionally, she had made up her mind to apply for the trial by life and death with the tribal high priest once she returned to her tribe.


    She hadn''t mentioned either matter to Rein.


    Especially the latter, she had never planned on sharing with Rein.


    After spending some time with him, Lagaray found that she had developed quite a fondness for this big boy who had saved her twice! S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If she could successfully complete the trial by life and death, perhaps... there might be a future.


    But if she failed...


    In that case, it would mean that from her birth until her return to the Hall of Heroes, she had never been together with a boy she liked, which... would be rather regrettable.


    "Maybe tonight, I should visit his room..."


    "But would doing so hurt Anna?"


    "It shouldn''t, after all, I might not survive, and even if I do, it''s not certain that I''ll return or meet Rein again."


    Soon, Lagaray made up her mind. When the night grew deeper, she would go to Rein and then...


    Before dawn, she would set out alone on her journey back to the Frostwind Prairie!


    Late at night, just as the dark-haired Elf was about to sneak into Rein''s bedroom on the second floor, she saw through the window of the hallway that the door to the room next to Rein''s was slowly opening.


    A figure, dressed in a sheer garment with a curvaceous body, silently walked out.


    The dark-haired Elf''s eyes showed confusion.


    She recognized the girl immediately; it was the barbarian girl who had returned from the Nightingale Forest with the young human Knight during the day.


    So, she stopped her actions and quietly observed from the side.


    Without knocking, the barbarian girl quietly opened the young Knight''s door, and then swiftly slipped inside the room with a quick turn of her body.


    The dark-haired Elf was very curious!


    Could it be that the two were planning to discuss some secret matter?


    And had they specifically chosen midnight for their meeting?


    Could it possibly be about how to deal with the Dark Mother Tree seed?


    Thinking this, the dark-haired Elf''s eyes sparkled.


    The next second, a squirrel leaped from tree to rooftop of Rein''s new home and quickly ran to Rein''s second-floor bedroom window, peeking through the gap.


    With her Dark Vision, she could see everything clearly!


    The next moment, the squirrel she had transformed into wore an extremely human-like expression, with eyes that suddenly widened and mouth agape, yet her tiny hands were firmly covering her eyes.


    Inside the room, the voluptuous barbarian girl was in a riding position, attempting to tame a ''male steed'', while the young human Knight held tightly to the girl''s gourd-shaped slender waist.


    (Here follows the omission of ten thousand words.....)


    After a fierce battle, as the ''male steed''s'' endurance was quite astounding and difficult to tame!


    ```

 Chapter 158 First Intimate Contact (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    So, the savage girl ultimately gave up on trying to tame the beast, opting instead to lie down and rest.But perhaps because she was too tired from the day, the girl couldn''t rest well all night, no matter whether she lay flat, on her stomach, or on her knees.


    That night, the squirrel at Rein''s bedroom window came and went, back and forth, but never found the right opportunity to have a good talk with Rein about the serious matter of "world safety."


    As the sky gradually turned white, the squirrel, transformed from a black-haired elf, finally left with a reluctant shake of its head.


    Actually, Rein had been aware since Lagaray quietly entered the room.


    That familiar scent, he knew the visitor was certainly Lagaray.


    Only, he was wondering why Lagaray didn''t knock before coming in?


    But the next second, he was stunned because a certain part of his body entered an.... (Ten thousand words are omitted here).


    ...


    In the yard, an ant was suddenly entwined by a sticky tongue and, in the next second, was swallowed by a lying lizard.


    After chewing for a while, the lizard felt the ant bursting in its mouth, causing pain to its oral cavity.


    Therefore, the lizard quickly spit out the bursting ant, "ptui ptui," and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a poison fire ant.


    Poison fire ants have a self-protection mechanism that secretes a clear toxic fluid from their body surface once attacked, causing paralysis and irritant damage to their enemy.


    In the darkness of the night, the lizard had not seen clearly that this was not an ordinary ant, hence it mistakenly ate a poison fire ant.


    Just when the lizard was about to leave, it discovered ants attacking the vulnerable part of its lower half again. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made the lizard furious!


    It then once more swallowed the audacious ant with its slippery tongue, burst it, and killed it, but the next second, hurriedly spat it out again.


    Unexpectedly, this was another poison fire ant!


    All night long, the lizard was continuously attacked by poison fire ants at its vulnerable parts, and it persistently swallowed them with its slippery tongue, bursting them, killing them, and then spitting them out.


    Eventually, as dawn began to break, the lizard fled in a panic!


    It dared not stay in this accursed place any longer; damn the poison fire ants were too many, despite killing them all night long, there seemed to be no end!


    ....


    The next morning, when Rein woke up, he turned to look at Lagaray who was still deep in sleep beside him.


    The barbarian girl, in her sleep, revealed a large expanse of her fair and beautiful chest, her golden hair naturally spread on the white pillow, her delicate nose and cherry lips, a face more exquisite than most of the empire''s women.


    Just by looking at her face, one would never know that Lagaray came from a barbarian tribe of the Frostwind Prairie of the Empire.


    Moreover, Rein still hadn''t figured out what exactly happened last night.


    Why did Lagaray suddenly come to his room in the middle of the night?


    And last night, before he could even ask, suddenly, the ''battle'' between the two ignited.


    On one hand, it was because Lagaray''s exquisite face and curvaceous figure were too tempting.


    On the other hand, it was an issue with Rein himself.


    Ever since he had become Transcendent, his desires in that regard had grown stronger, so when Lagaray fired the first shot of the battle, Rein''s powder keg was lit, and the two naturally engaged in a fierce battle.


    Thinking back to the intense battle of last night, a smile couldn''t help but appear on Rein''s lips.


    He couldn''t resist stretching out his hand to gently smooth away the messy strands of hair on Lagaray''s face.


    At that moment, perhaps because of Rein''s action, the sleeping Lagaray started to stir, her long eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her deep blue eyes to Rein.


    Lagaray also looked at Rein in front of her, her mind a whirl of confusion.


    To be honest...


    This was quite different from what Lagaray had anticipated.


    Originally, her plan was to come quietly in the middle of the night, stay for a while, and then leave just as quietly.


    ```


    Before dawn, she would leave a letter by Rein''s bedside and then depart from Flashgold Town with her baggage, returning to Frostwind Prairie.


    After all, in her understanding, it should be the men who become exhausted and then fall into a deep sleep.


    Even though she knew Rein had incredible stamina, in this respect, surely he would follow the same pattern, right?


    However...


    It wasn''t until dawn began to break that Rein finally stopped!


    This not only reshaped her understanding, but it also drained all her energy...


    Now, she was experiencing a profound physical exhaustion, coupled with a spirited radiance of the mind; it was a complex fusion of contradiction within her.


    Additionally... this had made it impossible for Lagaray to carry out her original plans.


    But the thought of possibly encountering Sister Anna upon waking jolted Lagaray back to reality as she said:


    "I... I have to go now, Rein."


    "Go?" Rein raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.


    "Yes, I need to take my brother''s and everyone else''s relics back and hurry to Frostwind Prairie," Lagaray said seriously while looking straight into Rein''s eyes.


    "This... can''t you go back a bit later?"


    Da Vinci from a past life once said, ''The eyes are the window to the soul,'' and in fact, Rein had already understood the message in Lagaray''s eyes.


    So, Rein did not try to deter Lagaray, but the part of him that was reluctant to let go still asked if she could postpone her departure for a few more days.


    "I''m afraid not, I''ve stayed too long as it is, and I need to make a trip back to the tribe soon," Lagaray said, lowering her head slightly and giving a gentle shake.


    Indeed, the answer was as Rein had expected.


    From their time together over the past days, Rein had come to realize that perhaps due to growing up in the harsh conditions of Frostwind Prairie, Lagaray was resolute and indomitable, certainly not one to be indecisive.


    In an instant, Rein also understood why Lagaray had taken the initiative to come to his room last night.


    Because she was leaving...?


    "Then when will you come back?" Rein asked with a hint of reluctance.


    "I don''t know..." Lagaray shook her head again.


    She planned to immediately undergo the trial of life and death upon her return to the tribe, and facing the high mortality rate of the trial, she didn''t know if she would survive it.


    She wasn''t good at lying, so in response to Rein''s question, Lagaray really didn''t know what to say.


    Moreover, she did not want to tell Rein or anyone else about her plans to undergo the trial of life and death after returning to her tribe.


    "Rein... I really have to go now, if it gets any later, Anna will be up," Lagaray said as she stood up, her striking figure evident, and quickly dressed.


    "By the way, you... tell everyone for me that I''ve gone back to the prairie," she added.


    Watching Lagaray''s retreating figure, Rein felt a pang of loss!


    Rein knew all too well that with his current strength, there was so much he couldn''t change.


    Furthermore, he couldn''t indulge in transient pleasures at this moment.


    However, Rein believed that as long as he kept moving forward and breaking through, some things, some people, and some regrets would ultimately shift and change with his will! Continue your adventure at empire


    ...


    Breakfast time.


    "Sister Anna, have you seen Sister Lagaray?" Bo He asked curiously after noticing the absence of one at the breakfast table.


    "I haven''t seen her get up; maybe she''s still sleeping because yesterday''s journey to Nightingale Forest was exhausting," Anna said while smiling and patting Bo He''s head.


    "Uh... about that... Lagaray has already left, she''s gone back to the Frostwind Prairie," Rein said hesitatingly.


    Suddenly, several pairs of eyes turned to focus on Rein.


    "Hm?" Emma, who was sitting nearby, looked at Rein with surprise and asked, "Rein, what did you just say?"


    ```

 Chapter 159 The Elfs Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    "Uh... I''m saying, Lagaray has already left Flashgold Town, she went back to Frostwind Prairie," Rein repeated.Suddenly, the atmosphere at the dining table became tense, and mother Emma said in a low voice:


    "Rein, you didn''t do something to offend her, did you?" Continue your adventure with empire


    Rein''s heart skipped a beat at her words.


    "Otherwise, why would she leave without even saying goodbye to us? Whenever Lagaray saw me, she would always greet me with a smile and call me Aunt Emma."


    Mother Emma thought for a moment, then cast a suspicious look at Rein and added.


    This left Rein momentarily unsure of how to explain, but he definitely couldn''t admit to anything.


    "How could that be... Maybe Lagaray didn''t want a goodbye that was too heartfelt..."


    Before Rein could finish speaking, Anna looked at him with bright, sparkling eyes.


    Suddenly, Rein felt an inexplicable sense of guilt rise within him.


    "Then why did Lagaray only say farewell to you? Wouldn''t saying goodbye to you make her emotional too?" Anna said softly.


    The gazes of the entire family were once again focused on Rein!


    In that instant, Rein felt as though he had no defense.


    .....


    After quickly finishing breakfast, Rein went upstairs to the storeroom on the second floor.


    According to the arrangement with Jenny, he expected a carriage from the Crowley family to come and pick him up a bit later.


    Before that, Rein could take the opportunity to try and see how many Will runes he could visualize at once.


    Thanks to the battle in Nightingale Forest yesterday, Rein gained another 3 Spirit Attribute points, reaching a total of 23 points. Hence, compared to the previous 20 points of spiritual power, his progress was significant.


    Rein clearly remembered that when his Spirit Attribute had first reached 20 points after he changed his class to Beast Tamer, he could visualize sixteen Will runes at once and entered the commonly acknowledged level of a ''second-tier Wizard Apprentice.''


    Therefore, Rein knew very well that even with 23 points of Spirit, it was highly unlikely he could visualize all twenty-four basic Will runes of meditation and reach the level of a ''third-tier Wizard Apprentice.''


    However... when a person sees they are getting closer to their goal, or in other words, the distance to their objective is shrinking, their motivation to work hard becomes very strong!


    One minute later...


    Rein opened his eyes with joy. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, he had successfully visualized twenty Will runes, getting ever closer to the final goal of twenty-four.


    Don''t forget, Rein still had three free attribute points.


    However, after pondering for a while, Rein chose not to continue investing points in the Spirit Attribute right away.


    After all, the effect of ''adding points to recover'' could be a killer move if used well in battle.


    This was fully re-verified in the battle with the Bloodflesh Treant!


    So, it was a better choice to wait and add points during the next battle.


    As the carriage hadn''t arrived yet, Rein decided to test the changes in the strength of his witchcraft following the increase in his spiritual power.


    Since he had charred the wooden table last time, Rein had specially brought back a fire-resistant clay mold from the blacksmith''s shop a few days ago. The mold was a dark gray color and shaped like a large beaker.


    Rein placed a small piece of leftover Hardened Essence Gold inside the clay mold, and then he began to cast the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch.''


    As the deep incantation echoed, the Hardened Essence Gold piece in front of Rein''s palm began to heat up rapidly. After a few seconds, it started to redden and emit smoke.


    With Rein''s continuous guidance and the output of spiritual power, the Hardened Essence Gold turned completely into liquid in about ten seconds!


    Seeing this, Rein couldn''t help but smile.


    Previously, after about ten seconds of casting ''Scorching Touch'' and sustaining it, the highest temperature he could reach was around 1400 to 1500 degrees Celsius.


    Now, that temperature limit must have reached around 2000 degrees Celsius.


    That''s because the melting point of Hardened Essence Gold is around 2000 degrees.


    Rein remembered that when he last smelted Hardened Essence Gold at the blacksmith''s forge, he had to use the forge in combination with ''Scorching Touch'' to successfully melt it.


    But now, ''Scorching Touch'' alone was sufficient.


    This enhancement in witchcraft power was evident and, as his spiritual power grew, his abilities increased accordingly!


    However, Rein also acutely sensed that the comparative increase in power was not linear as the spiritual power increased.


    To put it simply, at first, if the spiritual power increased by one point, the ultimate temperature of ''Scorching Touch'' might increase by one hundred degrees. But over time, that increase dropped to eighty degrees, or even seventy degrees, for each additional point of spiritual power.


    Though the decrease in this rate of growth was slow, it was definitely occurring.


    With a slight frown, Rein pondered this for a while and surmised that it might be due to some aspect of the witchcraft model itself.


    From this perspective, it meant that in the future, he would need to search for higher-level witchcraft to learn.


    To be precise, choosing to learn witchcraft that suited his current level of strength was the optimal choice.


    But soon, Rein touched his nose and laughed at himself, with a self-deprecating smile.

 Chapter 159 The Elfs Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Now, he was a "poor farmer" in terms of the number of witchcraft he knew, so he was in no position to be picky. Even though he was of the highest affinity to the fire element, he only mastered two witchcraft spells.One of these spells was "Scorching Touch", an entry-level contact-based witchcraft. Although it had decent power, it came with many limitations in actual combat.


    For instance, during the battle with the flesh-spirit of the tree, it was only with the help of the Sorcery Scroll "Frosty Gale" that he found an opportunity to cast it.


    Moreover, "Scorching Touch" required continuous guidance to inflict maximum damage.


    In contrast, the casting and effect of "High-Temperature Force Field" were much easier.


    Once successfully cast, "High-Temperature Force Field" created a high-temperature field around Rein for about a minute.


    Just as Rein wanted to test how the power of "High-Temperature Force Field" had changed, he heard the "clippity-clop" of horse hooves.


    Looking out the window of the storage room on the second floor, Rein spotted the Crowley family carriage, adorned with the emblem of a rose and Kite Shield, slowly approaching his home.


    After tidying up a bit, Rein went downstairs.


    Just as he reached the carriage, a servant quickly opened the door of the carriage, and two beautiful girls dressed in cashmere long skirts and draped in light-colored mink shawls stepped out hurriedly. It was Jenny and her best friend, Agatha.


    At the first sight of Rein, the noble young ladies'' eyes lit up instantly.


    "Lord Reine, you''ve become even more manly in just a few days!" Jenny couldn''t help but praise.


    "Thank you!" Hearing the girl''s compliment, Rein felt naturally good.


    Manly?


    Well...


    But in Rein''s view, it must have been the increase in his spiritual power that enhanced his charm.


    "By the way, Lord Reine, this is my best friend Agatha. You remember her, right?" Jenny blinked and introduced.


    "Of course, the beautiful Miss Agatha Wiggins. I most certainly remember. Hello!" Rein greeted with a smile.


    "Lord Reine, hello." Agatha''s face, sprinkled with freckles, flushed slightly as she gave Rein a ladylike curtsy.


    Although Miss Agatha had some freckles on her nose, it did not detract from her beauty but instead gave her a youthful vitality.


    "Lord Reine, shall we set off now? My father is not at home today, so you can spend more time in the library," Agatha proposed.


    "Sure, thank you, Miss Agatha." Although Rein found it strange to hear Agatha say this, as it seemed like a young couple hiding from their parents for a secret rendezvous, he couldn''t deny the good intentions.


    Moreover, Rein was quite eager to see if he could find anything valuable in the Wiggins'' library, so he did not dwell on the awkwardness.


    The three of them boarded the carriage and headed for the Wigging family estate where Agatha lived. Find your next read on empire


    Once inside the carriage, Agatha took off her mink shawl, revealing her pale shoulders. The fully blossomed curves of the young girl were youthful and alluring.


    "Lord Reine, Jenny has been mentioning you these past few days, she said you..."


    "Agatha, stop talking nonsense in front of Lord Reine..."


    Jenny''s face turned red as she immediately covered Agatha''s mouth. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Agatha, in turn, quickly ''retaliated'' by tickling Jenny, and soon, the two beauties were laughing and playfully tussling with each other.


    Rein watched the scene unfold with a gentle smile, and shook his head slightly without a word.


    ...


    Just minutes before Rein had come downstairs, a squirrel had leaped down from the branches rapidly and slipped into Rein''s bedroom through a partly open window.


    After some searching, the squirrel''s large eyes betrayed a very human-like expression of puzzlement.


    This was because it hadn''t found the Dark Mother Tree seed it was looking for, nor even sensed its presence.


    The squirrel was naturally the transformed Elf.


    It appeared thoughtful, recalling the process of following Rein all the way, including to the sheriff''s office, which it had observed from the side.


    As for last night... the Elf had checked every few minutes.


    Therefore, it was certain that if the young Knight had not hidden the Dark Mother Tree seed, then it must be... carried on his person!


    Having realized this, the squirrel quickly planned its escape.


    But in the next second, it froze. The bedroom door was quietly opening, and a human girl, dressed in a pale gray layered cincher, was staring with wide, curious eyes at it.


    And its gaze was fixated on the wooden amulet on the girl''s chest that it recognized all too well.


    Anna had just heard some rustling from Rein''s room and, curious, had opened the door to check but instead found this adorable squirrel.


    Seeing how it rummaged through things so cleverly, she assumed it was looking for food.


    "What a cute little fellow, are you hungry? There''s not much to eat here in Rein''s room. Come here to me." Anna said softly, squatting down and extending her hands towards the squirrel, ready to embrace it.


    The squirrel hesitated but quickly turned and ran towards the window, disappearing from Anna''s sight.


    Anna couldn''t help but feel disappointed!


    That squirrel had given her a particularly warm feeling, but unfortunately, it had run away.


    The squirrel, still in its guise as the black-haired Elf, was now leaping quickly along the roadside trees, pursuing the carriage where Rein was.

 Chapter 159 The Elfs Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    The dark-haired elf had not expected this at all. She had planned to find the Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed first before searching for the amulet, but she never anticipated that the two items would be so close to each other.Moreover, she sensed a special blood connection from the human girl.


    In an instant, she figured out some things.


    However, the most pressing matter was to quickly catch up with the young knight called "Rein."


    Since he was carrying the seed with him, it was very likely that he intended to trade it.


    After dealing with this matter, she would come back immediately.


    -----------------


    As the carriage gradually left Flashgold Town and was traveling on the rural road, suddenly, Rein, with his sharp hearing, caught the carriage driver mumbling in surprise,


    "The weather is really too strange. It clearly seemed like a sunny day in the morning, but not long after, fog has started to form." S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The word ''fog'' immediately triggered Rein''s alertness; after all, whether it was the dense fog during the appearance of the Iron Maiden automaton or Adams''s "Black Fog" witchcraft, both were related to ''fog.''


    Thus, Rein turned his head and looked outside through the carriage window.


    Indeed, there appeared to be rising fog along the road, dense in some areas and somewhat thinner in others, which looked quite like patches of fog.


    The carriage quickly entered a particularly dense patch of fog, and visibility dropped from dozens of meters to just a few in an instant.


    The driver uttered a ''huh,'' and the speed of the carriage noticeably slowed down.


    But Rein suddenly felt his mind grow hazy, as though his head was spinning from hitting a large wave while on a boat, and the next second, the surroundings became eerily quiet.


    The clear chatter of the two ladies that he was used to hearing suddenly stopped.


    In his confusion, Rein immediately turned his gaze from outside to inside the carriage. In an instant, his pupils constricted, and he was shocked on the spot!


    Because he discovered that now, inside the carriage, he was the only person left, and Jenny and Agatha had vanished without a trace.


    This eerie scene made all the hairs on Rein''s body stand on end.


    With his strength as a Peak Knight, it would be impossible for anyone, even a Great Knight, to abduct the two women right under his watchful eye.


    Instantly, Rein thought of Adams who controlled the black fog...


    Obviously, only a wizard or someone from another mysterious profession could pull this off.


    Rein reached behind and gripped the hilt of his greatsword, on guard. It was peculiar to him why his level 3 ''danger perception'' had not given him any warning this time.


    Soon, Rein could feel the carriage gradually come to a stop.


    Suddenly, there was a knocking sound from outside the carriage.


    "Thump thump thump!"


    Rein was startled and tightened his grip on the sword hilt.


    The anticipated attack did not happen, but instead, this ''enemy'' had the courtesy to knock on the door. However, Rein quickly realized that it might not necessarily be an ''enemy.''


    After a thought, Rein opened the carriage door.


    He saw a tall, slender woman, dressed in a gray robe and wearing a hood, standing a few meters away from the carriage. From the hair that peeked out of her hood, it was an uncommon black.


    The next second, as if in response to seeing Rein step out of the carriage, she pulled back her hood, revealing a beautiful female face.


    And those distinctly pointed ears, characteristic of female elves, immediately drew Rein''s attention.


    A female elf?


    Rein''s eyes suddenly widened, and his descent from the carriage froze for a couple of seconds.


    The dark-haired elf, with a pair of bright eyes framed by long lashes, surveyed Rein and said, "Young man, please do not worry about your two friends."


    "We are currently in the Mist of Dreams, and at this moment, they have fallen into deep sleep, without any danger."


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    "I have come to ask you to hand over the Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed to me; keeping it in the hands of humans is far too dangerous."


    "Of course, I will provide you with a fair compensation."


    Rein was startled, but he quickly responded, "The Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed? Are you referring to that light golden little tree?"


    The dark-haired elf''s beautiful eyes sparkled with joy, as if to say ''it''s indeed with you.''


    "Yes, that''s the one."


    "Well..." Rein was somewhat stumped.


    He couldn''t just admit that it had been absorbed by his system panel, could he?


    Nor could he mention it had transformed into a superb effect of all attributes +1.


    "I indeed saw that light golden little tree, but it disappeared from my hands in a moment!" Rein thought for a moment and then decided to ''tell the truth.''


    After all, being absorbed by the system was a fact, and its disappearance from his hands was also a fact.


    The dark-haired elf frowned slightly, her expression revealing a touch of displeasure, "How is that possible?"


    "Really!" Rein spread his hands and said.


    "If you don''t believe me, Elf Lady, you can come and search."


    The dark-haired elf gave Rein another look and said, "Young man, the other day I saw you release a Sorcery Scroll, a smart move. Clearly, you are not unfamiliar with witchcraft."


    "I have a natural-based Sorcery Scroll ''Life Blossom'' here, to trade for the Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed in your hands."


    "Elf Lady, although I''d like to obtain your Sorcery Scroll, I really don''t have the Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed." Rein looked earnestly at the dark-haired elf and said.

 Chapter 159 The Elfs Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "Hm?"Perhaps it was because Reine''s expression was excessively sincere when he spoke, or it might have been because the Black-haired Elf could detect lies through some mysterious means.


    The Black-haired Elf first looked puzzled, then slowly stepped forward, came up to Reine, and circled around him while his delicate nostrils twitched slightly.


    The Black-haired Elf nodded with hesitation and said, "I truly can''t sense the presence of the Dark Mother Tree''s seed anymore. Could it have really disappeared?"


    "Uh... is it possible that its energy was exhausted, or maybe it was harmed by the power of witchcraft?" While smelling the pleasant, grassy fragrance emanating from the Black-haired Elf, Reine tried to sidestep the issue.


    "The former is not possible, the latter, although not highly likely, seems to be the only reasonable explanation," the Black-haired Elf considered and nodded.


    It seemed he accepted the explanation Reine provided.


    "Young man, since the Dark Mother Tree''s seed is destroyed, there could be nothing better. This is the Sorcery Scroll ''Bloom of Life'' I promised you, thank you for your honest answer."


    Saying this, the Black-haired Elf handed over a Sorcery Scroll to Reine.


    "Thank you, Lady Elf." Reine bowed slightly and accepted the Sorcery Scroll, feeling slightly surprised the moment he touched it.


    For the material of this Sorcery Scroll was quite unusual, different from any other Sorcery Scrolls he had encountered before.


    From the feel of it, the scroll seemed to be made from the leaves of some large tree, exuding a faint natural scent, unlike typical Sorcery Scrolls which were primarily made from animal skins.


    Just as Reine was about to lift his head and inquire about the specific effects of the Sorcery Scroll ''Bloom of Life'', he was startled to find that the Black-haired Elf had vanished.


    After pondering for a moment, Reine stored the Sorcery Scroll in his waist pouch.


    He then returned to the carriage and began to ponder the events that had just occurred.


    Suddenly, that slight dizziness reappeared, and quickly, Reine noticed the fog outside the window clearing rapidly, while Jenny and Agatha were now inside the carriage compartment.


    Both were leaning against each other, deep in sleep.


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    At that moment, the carriage resumed its slow progress forward. The coachman seemed to have awakened but was unaware that he had been asleep.


    Shortly after, both women''s long eyelashes trembled slightly, and their eyeballs moved rapidly under their eyelids. Soon, both woke up almost simultaneously.


    "Eh, Lord Reine, did we just fall asleep?"


    "Yes." Reine nodded and, at the same time, he softly touched the Sorcery Scroll in his jacket.


    Fortunately, the Sorcery Scroll was still there, indicating that what he had just experienced was not a dream. Reine thought to himself.


    "This is too strange, I clearly had a good sleep last night," Jenny was a bit baffled.


    "To have fallen asleep in front of Lord Reine, I am truly embarrassed," Agatha also looked puzzled.


    Reine smiled slightly and said, "Perhaps the coachman''s skill is too good, and the carriage too smooth, which made you both fall asleep."


    Although he said this, Reine was internally astonished by the magical nature of the dream-controlling witchcraft cast by the Black-haired Elf, which seemed to effortlessly control the dreams of different individuals within the reach of his sorcery.


    After a while, the road became busier with pedestrians and carriages, and the familiar black-gray tall city walls also appeared in Reine''s view.


    They had arrived at County Town. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was Reine''s second visit to County Town.


    Just like the last time, after entering the city, the carriage continued to drive for about half an hour, eventually stopping at the gate of a luxurious mansion with a garden.


    As the carriage slowly stopped, Agatha smiled faintly and said, "We''ve arrived, Lord Reine, this is my home."

 Chapter 160 Truly Scum to the Skies (Combined Double Chapter)

    Just when Rein entered the library of the Wiggins family,Flashgold Town.


    Anna, in her room, propped her delicate cheek with her right hand, while her left hand aimlessly flipped through the Trial Book, made of silver. She gazed out at the bleak winter scenery, her thoughts adrift.


    Two days before, she had successfully completed the eight Will runes of the basic etheric meditation technique on her first try, officially stepping into the ''Level 1 Wizard Apprentice'' rank.


    Originally, she had planned to share this good news with Rein.


    But ever since Rein had become a formal Knight, he had been far too busy��


    She found it very difficult now to find an appropriate time to be alone with Rein.


    When Lagaray and Rein had gone off together to the Nightingale Forest, a deep envy had welled up in Anna''s heart; she too wished to possess enough strength to join Rein in solving those difficult and mysterious matters.


    Besides, Lagaray''s sudden departure today made Anna feel that there seemed to be some little secret between Lagaray and Rein...


    As Anna was lost in thought, suddenly, the door to her room creaked open.


    In ran a cute squirrel.


    Startled by the sound of the door, Anna quickly turned around, only to find the ''little cutie'' who had scurried into Rein''s room in search of food that morning, and a warm, friendly smile spread across her lovely face as she said:


    "Come here, little squirrel, come to me."


    But... no sooner had Anna spoken


    than in the next second, her beautiful eyes widened in astonishment, and her little mouth opened into a perfect circle, as if she couldn''t believe what was unfolding before her.


    Because she saw that the adorable little squirrel had in an instant transformed into a tall female figure wearing a hooded cloak.


    What astonished her even more was that when the figure lifted the hood, she revealed a head of jet-black hair, a face of surpassing beauty, and a pair of pointed ears.


    For a moment, time seemed to stop right then!


    The scene before her eyes delivered a profound shock to Anna!


    But unexpectedly, at the bottom of Anna''s heart, there sprouted an involuntary sense of kinship, as if the strange Elf Lady before her had some innate, intangible connection with her.


    "Child, come, let me look at you," said the Elf Lady with the black hair, her voice soothing.


    Before Anna could react, the black-haired Elf walked forward and waved her hand, causing a pale green glow of witchcraft to suddenly appear around Anna.


    The Elf murmured, "Just as I suspected, Daryn''s handiwork, a fixed Disguise Spell."


    The next second, the Elf began chanting a spell.


    Soon after, a bright green light enveloped Anna. Find your adventure at empire


    Immediately, Anna felt as if a tightness around her whole body had been relieved!


    It was an indescribable sensation.


    It felt as though she had always been living life shrouded in a cape, but now that mysterious cape had suddenly been removed.


    "Child, you should call me auntie, I am your mother Delanna Eaglemoon''s sister, my name is Delana Eaglemoon," said the Elf.


    "I... I...." Anna stammered, at a loss. At that moment, she felt as if her mind was about to explode.


    My goodness!


    An unfamiliar female elf suddenly appears in my room claiming to be my relative.


    And I am human! My mother is human too, and her name isn''t Delanna.


    This Elf Lady must have mistaken me for someone else!


    Yet her aura felt so familiar, and what had just happened to me...


    In an instant, Anna was utterly confused!


    After a while, Anna managed to compose herself and carefully chose her words before speaking:


    "Um... Excuse me, beautiful Elf Lady, might you have mistaken me for someone else? I am human, and my mother''s name isn''t Daryn..."


    "Child, touch your own ears," the black-haired Elf said with a gaze full of tenderness and indulgence, gently touching the top of Anna''s head.


    Anna could feel the genuine kindness emanating from the Elf woman, and there was a special kind of warmth in being caressed by her.


    But why would she have me touch my ears?


    I couldn''t have ears as pointy as hers.


    Because she looked at herself in the copper mirror every morning when she groomed, Anna was certain that wasn''t the case.


    But when Anna touched what she knew to be her overly familiar ears, her eyes suddenly widened in disbelief.


    "How... how... how is this possible!" S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rushing to the copper mirror, when Anna saw the familiar yet alien reflection staring back at her, she murmured to herself, "So, I am half-Elf..."


    As a half-Elf, Anna''s ears weren''t as sharply pointed as a pureblood Elf''s but rather had a slight curve to them.


    All things considered, without the Disguise Spell, Anna was even prettier than before, and there was an exotic charm to her.


    "I wonder if Rein will still...," she said quietly to herself.


    After the Elf named Delana Eaglemoon recounted the story of Anna''s mother, her own sister, Anna finally believed that this Elf Lady before her could very well be her blood relative.


    And for the first time, Anna clearly understood her own mother''s story.


    It turned out that when her mother, Delanna Eaglemoon, was young, she had been deceived by a human Wandering Bard and had fallen in love before being persuaded and emboldened to steal some documents from the Druid Circle, including the Trial Book (The Silver Book).

 Chapter 160 Truly Scum to the Sky (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    In fact, the Wandering Bard was a third-level Wizard Apprentice who specialized in human transformation and had long coveted certain special methods of animal and plant transformation within the Druid Circle. Find more to read at empireHowever, the other party mistook the Trial Book for a blank diary.


    Therefore, when Rein got it, he discovered that it contained many negative energies and natural witchcraft-related methods of animal and plant transformation.


    After obtaining this information, the Wizard Apprentice sold Darien Yueling to an imperial noble of the Dragan Empire, but later it was heard that Darien had escaped. However, when people from the Druid Circle went to track her down, they were unable to find her.


    It was not until Anna last triggered the amulet, that Delana sensed something because it was crafted by her own hands and given to her sister, Darien, as a gift.


    If Rein heard this segment, he would undoubtedly curse out loud, "Bastard!"


    Not only did he deceive for lust, but he also made his own woman steal from her family...


    But the worst part was, after using her, he even sold his own woman!


    Such scum to the extreme!


    "Aunt Delanna, where is my mother now...?" Anna couldn''t help but ask nervously.


    "I don''t know, however... the one capable of hiding Darien and blocking our search, must be a high noble of the Dragan Empire,"


    "Because I''ve heard that these high nobles as the upper echelons of the empire, many of them fancy exotic beauties, especially Elf beauties."


    "From this angle, I think Darien should currently be safe."


    Anna, after hearing this, nodded.


    However, when she learned that her mother was likely still alive and not in danger, she couldn''t help but feel somewhat relieved.


    No wonder, there was a time when she and her mother lived a life of constant upheaval.


    Her mother must have been evading the pursuit of some high noble... but in the end, it seems she couldn''t escape.


    At this moment, Delana said, "So, child, it''s dangerous for you to be alone in the empire, come back with me to the Druid Circle now."


    "Ah? This..." Anna hesitated for a moment.


    Delana continued, "As a half-Elf, you need the power to protect yourself even more."


    "Child, you are at the age where your strength can grow the fastest; we need to hurry back to the Druid Circle and make up for the time you''ve lost. Do you understand?"


    After thinking it over, Anna nodded!


    Indeed, she had always been in need of protection.


    If she could possess enough power, how wonderful that would be!


    "Aunt Delana, I''ll go with you to the Druid Circle, but..."


    Anna looked at the Trial Book in Delana''s hands, which had now returned to its rightful owner, her eyes shimmering slightly. She knew Rein was very interested in some of its contents.


    After stammering for a bit, Anna asked, "Aunt Delana, may I copy down the contents on the Trial Book about Beast Taming and animal and plant transformation?"


    "Hmm? You... you intend to give it to that young man named... Rein?" Delana quickly grasped Anna''s intention and suddenly looked at her newly found niece with a complex expression on her face.


    "Yes!" Anna nodded emphatically.


    Alright then...


    Delana thought, innocent niece, do you have any idea the young man you like, he...


    In a flash, Delana''s mind conjured up the images she saw in Rein''s room the night before... which were capable of making one''s cheeks flush and heart race...


    "Aunt Delana, why are you looking at me with such a strange look?" Anna keenly noticed that when she mentioned wanting to leave it for Rein, Aunt Delana''s look suddenly became... very complicated.


    How to say it... It seemed to contain sympathy, pity, and many other emotions.


    "Anna, do you like Rein?" Delana asked very directly this time. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ah? No... not at all, it''s just that Rein saved me..." Anna blushed, lowered her head, and told Delana the whole story of how Rein saved her from the two wanted criminals.


    "So that''s how it is." Delana softened her gaze when she heard Rein had saved Anna.


    A hero saving the ''princess'' from villains, such a familiar and beautiful scenario; no wonder Anna''s heart was moved.


    Furthermore, Delana immediately thought of the Blood Flesh Sproutling in the broken temple, which died to fire witchcraft, although the fog was too dense for her to see clearly how Rein had killed the Blood Flesh Sproutling.


    But now, thinking it through, this young Knight might not be so simple.


    His killing of the Blood Flesh Sproutling was likely not dependent on a fire witchcraft scroll, but on his own understanding of witchcraft.


    A Knight and a Wizard Apprentice both?


    An impressive young man indeed.


    "Alright, Anna, the knowledge recorded here has already been modified by that despicable Wizard Apprentice, so copying it down wouldn''t be breaking the rules of the Druid Circle,"


    "Besides this, I will also leave a piece of fire witchcraft ''Incandescent Light'', which I accidentally acquired, for your ''good friend'' Rein, as a token of thanks for saving you."


    Saying so, Delana performed imprinting magic to transfer the contents recorded in the Trial Book onto a stack of paper. Meanwhile, she took out a leather scroll and handed it to Anna.


    Anna, after taking them, excitedly said, "Ah? That''s great! Thank you, Aunt Delana. I... I''ll write a letter to Rein; please wait for a moment."

 Chapter 160 Truly Scum to the Extreme (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Anna hastily picked up the quill and wrote:"Rein, by the time you read this letter, Aunt Delanna and I will have already set out back to the Druid Circle in Ferdinand Forest. I will work hard to improve my abilities, hoping that I can be of assistance to you the next time we meet."


    "Also, let me tell you a small secret: I can now visualize eight Will runes at once, Anna."


    Anna carefully placed the letter, the Beast Taming content on the imprinted paper, and the hide scroll that contained the record of fire-based witchcraft, neatly on the bedside table in Rein''s room.


    Then, with a lingering glance around Rein''s room, she turned to Delanna and said:


    "Aunt Delanna, shall we go then?"


    "Yes, good," Delanna nodded.


    However, just as Delanna was preparing to take Anna away, she abruptly sensed someone lurking near their dwelling.


    "Huh? Wait!"


    Delanna signaled Anna to stay in the room, and the next second, she transformed back into a squirrel, zipping from the room to the rooftop.


    Following that, an eagle took flight from the roof!


    Before long, Anna heard the sounds of fighting from not far to the southwest!


    But it quickly returned to quiet, as if the battle was over in a short while...


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    In the alleyway to the southwest corner, the black-haired elf Delanna, looking at the black flames surrounding her, said in a low voice: "This is Black Flame, could it be a follower of that deity?"


    While these black flames could not harm her in the slightest, only serving to hinder her movement, she had already discerned their origin.


    "It seems Lord Windwalker''s warning was correct, the sleeping gods are showing signs of awakening...." Delanna appeared to realize something and, for a moment, her face showed concern.


    A short while later, when Delanna returned to Anna''s room, her expression was serene.


    "Aunt Delanna, what just happened?" Anna asked anxiously.


    At that moment, a number of peace officers were hurrying toward that area on the street.


    "Nothing, it''s been taken care of. Anna, we need to leave!" Delanna shook her head without elaborating.


    "Oh, alright!"


    ...


    In the woods to the north of Flashgold Town.


    A lithe knight bearing a ''scythe''-shaped weapon was running swiftly, his hand pressing against his continuously bleeding abdomen, cursing under his breath as he ran: "How could a Druid suddenly appear near the Rein residence?"


    This man was the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, known as ''Knight of the Wild,'' Giovanni!


    ...


    -----------------


    Meister County City.


    Inside the Wiggins family library.


    Unaware of what had happened at his home, Rein was diligently searching through ancient books in the library.


    Unlike the Crowley family, although the Wiggins family''s library was somewhat larger, the books were not sorted separately according to whether they were written in Lingwen, hence Rein had to search shelf by shelf.


    Flipping through one book after another, Rein found himself shaking his head most of the time.


    After a while, Rein suddenly stopped because he came across a travelogue written in Lingwen that contained a section on the Mother Tree cult.


    The travelogue outlined the core tenet of the ''Mother Tree cult'': at the beginning of the world, a Mother Tree from the distant void descended upon the world, scattering seeds that became the origin of life.


    However, according to the sayings of the ancient Sages, the so-called ''Mother Tree'' was actually a powerful entity from an alien void, beguiling sentient beings into worship and sacrifice.


    Of course, all the sacrificial practices of the Mother Tree cult''s followers could receive rewards and gifts from the Mother Tree to varying degrees. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Several hours later, after having gone through all the ancient books written in Lingwen (Akkadian) in the library, Rein found that the only useful one was the travelogue he had just read.


    The rest were either ancient sacrificial ceremonies long vanished in the river of history, or eulogies from some bygone personage, leaving Rein somewhat disappointed inside.


    Although this result was within his expectations.


    But facing the actual result, Rein couldn''t help feeling an inevitable disappointment.


    "Perhaps, I should take a different approach to my search for witchcraft...."


    Rein realized that his current method of searching for witchcraft was like a person looking for something in a primeval forest obscured by tall trees.


    Since he could not see clearly all around, it was difficult to determine where the object was, so he could only try his luck everywhere.


    This clearly wasn''t a good method.


    A more effective way would be to first climb to a high place, like a watchtower, then look from afar and locate where the desired object is, or at least determine the direction.


    Then, when searching for it, it would be ''with a clear goal in sight''!


    "Currently, my level within the Empire seems similar to a watchtower," Rein thought.


    "Once I pass this ennoblement examination and become a formal noble, I should come to know many more secrets. Perhaps the direction to proceed with witchcraft or even the path of a Wizard will gradually become clear."


    Just like Adams''s inheritance, which actually came from a Wizard faction known as the ''Igne School.''


    But how to connect with such a school of Wizards is what Rein needs to consider now.


    However, as long as Rein continues to rise within the Empire''s power hierarchy, he will inevitably come across related information at some point in time.


    And if Rein wants to ascend quickly within the Imperial power structure, the invitation from the ''Sword Bearer'' mentioned last time by Hamilton and Colonel Connar of the Imperial Military might serve as a stepping stone to a fast-track promotion.

 Chapter 160 Truly Scum to the Sky (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    Rein continued to ponder.Because a comment from Colonel Connor had made a deep impression on him.


    "The Sword Bearers is a privileged organization that spans across the entire empire. If you could join, you would break out of the bounds of Meister County, even out of Mingster Province."


    "You will come into contact with a far broader world!"


    Would he come into contact with a far broader world? Rein murmured to himself.


    "In that case, the minimum criteria for my baronial evaluation must be to achieve the highest evaluation, that of a Baron."


    "It seems I need to prepare well."


    After all, even if he achieved the Baron evaluation, it didn''t guarantee that he would receive an invitation from the Empire''s ''Sword Bearers.'' Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only the sufficiently outstanding can stand out!


    With this thought, Rein''s eyes gradually brightened.


    At that moment, the laughter of Jenny and Agatha, like silver bells, came from the doorway of the library. They had just seen Rein so absorbed and had quietly left the library without accompanying him the whole time.


    Rein checked the time, it was exactly noon. It seemed the two ladies had likely come to invite him to join them for lunch.


    ...


    In the afternoon, after finishing with the Wigging family''s visit, Rein declined Jenny''s invitation to visit the Crowley family and, after exchanging at the County Town military supplies store for a new set of chrome-iron armor and otter leather armor, took a carriage back to Flashgold Town.


    The otter leather armor was something Hamilton had reminded him to prepare, as the baron evaluation was to take place in Rosby City, which is close to the sea.


    However, upon arriving at Flashgold Town, Rein did not go home directly but first stopped by Hamilton''s office.


    Since Rein planned to leave for Rosby City in a few days, he first came to greet Hamilton.


    "Oh, Rein, what brings you here?"


    "Right, there''s something I forgot to tell you. Since you solved that mysterious event at Agatha Mill last time, several nobles have contacted me, wishing to convey through me their hope that you might help solve some mysterious events on their estates."


    "However, considering that you are about to participate in the baronial evaluation, I thought these matters could be deferred. After all, if any accident happens and affects your performance during the evaluation, that would be too great a loss."


    "So, I''ve already declined them on your behalf."


    "Thank you, sir," Rein nodded.


    He himself had the same intention; he needed to make some preparations before departing and it indeed wasn''t a suitable time to deal with these mysterious events.


    Furthermore, after the recent event with the ''Mother Tree Sect'' in Nightingale Forest, Rein felt that the level of danger of mysterious events varied greatly and was much higher than he had initially estimated.


    Especially because of the special nature of the mysterious events, their investigation reports were often inaccurate.


    "Rein, did you come here to tell me that you are planning to depart in a few days?" Hamilton asked proactively.


    "Yes, sir, I plan to leave ten days from now."


    "Ten days from now?" Hamilton pondered and then advised, "Rein, I suggest you might leave a few days earlier. After all, arriving earlier will give you ample time to familiarize yourself with the surrounding environment."


    "You are very thoughtful, sir. Then I will leave seven days from now," Rein calculated and said.


    ....


    When Rein returned home, he suddenly found the house much quieter, and his mother Emma looked at him with a reproachful gaze.


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    As Rein was baffled, his younger sister Bo He rushed into his arms, looking upset, and said, "Brother, Sister Anna has left too��"


    "Hmm?"


    "What?" Rein''s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately asked back.


    "Sister Anna has left. It seems... she left you a letter; it''s on your bedside," his sister Bo He said with her eyes wide open.

 Chapter 161 Unexpected Letter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    When Rein climbed to the second floor again, he noticed that three bedrooms were suddenly emptied of two, which couldn''t help but make him sigh.If Lagaray''s departure was something Rein had anticipated early on, after all, she had mentioned it from the start.


    Then Anna''s departure was unexpected; he had thought she would stay here for quite a long time, but sometimes farewells come so suddenly.


    Moreover, he was also curious about why Anna decided to leave all of a sudden?


    Because from what he knew of Anna, this did not seem like her decision, or at least, it should not have been so hasty.


    Opening the door, Rein entered his own bedroom and immediately saw three neatly stacked items on the nightstand: a letter, a stack of papers, and a roll of beastskin.


    Without any hesitation, he picked up the letter and began to read it.


    Oh! Aunt?


    Druid Circle?


    Rein immediately associated this with the beautiful Elf Lady who wanted to trade with him for the Dark Mother Tree seeds, and it was very likely that the black-haired elf was Anna''s aunt.


    Otherwise, the probability of two Druids appearing in Flashgold Town within a short period of time was indeed too low, far too low.


    "I really hadn''t expected that she would be Anna''s aunt!"


    "Wait, if that''s the case, doesn''t that mean Anna is also an Elf? But Anna''s appearance..."


    In an instant, Rein thought of a key point, but after pondering and stroking his chin for a while, he still couldn''t understand the reason behind it.


    "Also, is the Druid Circle in Ferdinand Forest?"


    Rein thought about it and realized he had never heard of this ''Ferdinand'' forest before, so it must be quite far from Meister County.


    "Hoping to help me next time we meet?"


    Reading this, Rein felt that he somewhat understood the reason why Anna had decided to go to the Druid Circle.


    He had seen Anna''s determination when she was diligently studying basic meditation, as well as her perseverance while trying to heal Lagaray.


    So, Rein knew that despite Anna''s seemingly soft and shy exterior, she was actually very determined on the inside, a girl with a lot of willpower and conviction.


    However, when Rein read the last part of the letter��''I''ll tell you a little secret, I can now visualize eight Will runes at the same time''��he couldn''t help but imagine Anna''s expression while writing those words.


    Her beautiful face must have had a shy and joyous smile.


    Thinking of this, a smile also couldn''t help but appear on Rein''s face, and he silently thought:


    "Then I''ll look forward to your robust growth, but Anna, I''ll tell you a little secret too, actually, I can already visualize twenty Will runes at once."


    "So, the next time we meet, the likelihood is... I''ll still be protecting you...."


    It took a while for Rein to calm down from his slightly melancholic mood.


    It felt like the end of the college entrance exams in his previous life when good friends went their separate ways, even though they had agreed to meet again someday, it was likely that when that day truly arrived, quite a long time would have passed.


    Folding the letter carefully, he put it back in the envelope, then Rein picked up the stack of papers, and upon looking at them, he immediately recognized them.


    "Oh, isn''t this content..."


    Immediately, Rein realized that the ''Beast Taming Journal,'' also known as the Silver Book, must have been taken by Anna''s aunt, the black-haired Elf.


    But as the items were returned to their rightful owner, Rein didn''t feel any loss.


    The last item��the beastskin scroll��made Rein''s brows rise and his face light up with joy when he opened it! Enjoy more content from empire


    It was a new spell of witchcraft, and fire magic at that, which he had been wanting to find!


    "I never thought that I would have almost no gain in the Wigging family''s library, but coming back home, I actually obtained a fire spell."


    Thinking about it, Rein wasn''t sure if it was a gift from Anna or a sign of gratitude from the black-haired Elf for taking care of Anna, but that wasn''t important. What mattered was that if it weren''t for Anna, he wouldn''t have this achievement.


    So, the gratitude he felt for this gift he placed upon Anna.


    Right away, Rein began to carefully examine the beastskin scroll.


    "Scorching Light!" Rein softly read the name of the new spell.


    A burning beam of light?


    After looking it over several times, Rein found that the difficulty of visualizing the witchcraft model for this new "Scorching Light" spell was about the same as "High-Temperature Force Field," both being of about the same level of difficulty.


    Since Rein had already mastered two fire spells, "Scorching Touch" and "High-Temperature Force Field," and his spiritual power had also increased to 23 points,


    So, learning this new fire spell was not as difficult as the last time.


    Heading to the storeroom.


    About half an hour later, after failing seven or eight times, Rein finally succeeded!


    Only to see a flame, about twenty to thirty centimeters high and constantly burning fiercely, suddenly appear above Rein''s right palm, instantly illuminating the whole room.


    The overall shape of the flame was not very large, like an enlarged flame, but it seemed to have high heat, continuously transforming into light energy, giving an extraordinarily dazzling effect.


    Although Rein had anticipated it, after just squinting at it for a second or two, his eyes began to see white and he instinctively started to tear up and blink.


    Of course, tearing up and blinking are part of the eyes'' natural protective mechanism and there''s nothing bad about it.


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 Chapter 161 Unexpected Letter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2

    ```But shedding tears and blinking could be fatal in battle, especially against an equally matched opponent.


    Because it''s very likely that a single blink could cause one to miss taking the initiative, and if one instinctively covered their eyes amid such bright light, they might well be delivered into the embrace of the goddess.


    At the same time, Rein also felt a slight stinging sensation in his retina.


    He knew if he continued to stare at this incredibly bright flame, it wouldn''t take long before his retina suffered damage.


    With a gentle wave of his right hand, Rein cancelled the new witchcraft and crossed his arms in thought.


    This new witchcraft''s effect was similar to a ''flash grenade'' from his previous life!


    At the same time, Rein vaguely had some ideas about the applications of this witchcraft.


    However, to cast it in battle and combine it with his existing combat rhythm, there were a few minor issues with the witchcraft that needed to be resolved.


    Right then, a system prompt followed:


    [You have studied the Scorching Light, and your understanding has improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill�� Scorching Light]


    [Your skill Scorching Light has leveled up, Experience +1]


    Simultaneously, under the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel, next to the icon for the high temperature field, a brand-new icon appeared.


    The icon''s border briefly lit up, and the image depicted a raging flame, surrounded by short lines representing the rays of light.


    It was like a child''s drawing of the sun, with a circle of short lines around the blazing sun, clearly meant to signify the continuous emission of light.


    Rein focused his attention on the new icon, noting a line of small text underneath it.


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    Scorching Light lv1 (1/100)


    Scorching Light lv1 effect: Consumes a certain amount of spiritual power to trigger fire energy particles using a specific witchcraft model, forming a scorching flame above the caster''s palm. The flame will continue to emit strong light for about ten seconds.


    (Note: Casting time is 3 seconds; power is proportional to the caster''s spiritual power.)


    One of the small issues that needed solving was the casting time; 3 seconds was clearly too long.


    Finding a precious three-second window in battle was too difficult; it would be much better if it could be reduced to one second.


    Because in one second, such opportunities weren''t uncommon in battle.


    For instance, during a weapons clash, if both fighters were repelled simultaneously, then seizing the chance to cast "Scorching Light" unexpectedly would likely cause temporary blindness in the enemy.


    Even if the opponent wasn''t blinded, it could still create a good initial advantage or a degree of superiority.


    However... to achieve this effect, one naturally had to level up ''Scorching Light''.


    Because, according to experience with the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'', if ''Scorching Light'' could be increased to lv2, the casting time could likely be reduced by about 20%, from 3 seconds to 2.4 seconds.


    Rein pondered as he quickly did mental calculations.


    But 2.4 seconds was still too long. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it reached lv3, then it would go from 2.4 seconds to 1.9 seconds.


    Rein''s eyebrows lifted; this casting time would likely surprise an opponent, as it now began with a one.


    Of course, it would still be better if it could be reduced further, to a shorter time!


    If it reached lv4, it would go from 1.9 seconds to 1.5 seconds.


    A one-and-a-half second casting time?


    Rein nodded to himself, showing a satisfied expression.


    With merely half the original casting time of 3 seconds, its practicality in real combat was much higher.


    "I currently have 5 remaining Skill Points; if I consecutively allocate 3 Skill Points to the witchcraft ''Scorching Light'', I can reach this target," Rein thought to himself.


    "And even if... all 5 remaining Skill Points were invested in this new witchcraft...."


    "Tsk tsk... a one second casting time..."


    Rein stroked his chin, somewhat astounded!


    However, after some thought, Rein slightly shook his head.


    "That... can wait for now!"


    "After all, 3 Skill Points is not a small amount, whether added to the Giant Bear Sword Technique or the Tokkal Hammer Technique, either would bring significant improvements," Rein mused.


    The second small issue to resolve was the applicable scenario.


    Certainly, during overcast, drizzly weather conditions, the blinding effect of ''Scorching Light'' would presumably be quite good.


    Of course, for the best effect, it naturally would be to use it at night. It was estimated that it would instantly blind an unprepared enemy for several seconds, thus securing the victory!


    However, during bright, sunny weather, particularly when the sunlight was harsh, the effect of the new witchcraft ''Scorching Light'' would be greatly diminished.


    Rein paced back and forth in his room, summarizing the new witchcraft''s applicable scenarios.


    "Also, the new witchcraft would likely be extremely effective in dark, damp environments like mines,"


    "Especially against those accustomed to dim and moist conditions with faint light, presumably a single cast of ''Scorching Light'' could directly blind their eyes," he considered.


    Thinking this, a bright light flashed in Rein''s eyes.


    "Furthermore, if I wanted to cause strong blinding effects even on a sunny day, it wouldn''t be impossible..."


    "As my spiritual power increases, the power of ''Scorching Light'' will inevitably also increase. Once it crosses a certain brightness threshold, it should achieve an effect that could dazzle enemies even during daylight," he calculated.


    The last minor issue to solve was a matter of habit.


    ```

 Chapter 161 An Unexpected Letter (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Because casting the witchcraft "Blazing Light" requires one hand to be free, and the techniques Rein currently practices, whether it''s Giant Bear Sword Technique or Tokerka Hammer Technique, both involve two-handed weapons."So, in daily practice, I must consciously strengthen this aspect of training, so that in battle, I can naturally and smoothly seize the opportunity to cast the witchcraft ''Blazing Light''."


    Immediately, Rein began to ponder which moves could be followed by "Blazing Light".


    "After the secret move ''Rising Dragon Hammer'', there is a good chance to follow up with the new witchcraft ''Blazing Light''..." Explore more at empire


    "...After the secret move ''Roaring Strike'', if the enemy can still withstand it, I can also follow up with the new witchcraft ''Blazing Light''..."


    Half an hour later, Rein''s face revealed a look of joy.


    He had considered all his commonly used swordsmanship and Hammer Skills in conjunction with the new witchcraft and found that there were quite a few points of compatibility.


    What remained was the need for daily practice, accumulating over time.


    At that moment, Rein suddenly remembered that he had intended to test the effects of witchcraft "High-Temperature Force Field" after his spiritual power had increased by 3 points, but the plan had been interrupted by the arrival of the Crowley family''s carriage.


    Now was the perfect time to test it.


    So, Rein placed three basins of water on the table, as before, situated one meter, two meters, and three meters away from him.


    After ten seconds, Rein voluntarily stopped the witchcraft "High-Temperature Force Field".


    Because Rein had discovered that within the field, the temperature rose quickly, much like the combined effect of a microwave oven and an air fryer, capable of heating the air to the desired temperature within a few seconds.


    Although heating water took longer, the duration in the field didn''t show much difference.


    Compared to the last time, what pleased him was that the basin of water two meters away now faintly emitted white steam, indicating that the temperature had reached around ninety degrees Celsius.


    It wasn''t far from boiling.


    The power had clearly increased slightly from last time!


    The water in the basins at one meter and three meters also warmed significantly, going from roughly forty to fifty degrees to a scalding sixty to seventy degrees.


    Clearly, if an enemy were to fight within this high-temperature force field, they would be at a considerable disadvantage since the temperature exceeded even the scorching surface temperature of the Sahara Desert.


    Every second would be an agony for the enemy!


    Especially if the enemy were also clad in metal armor...


    In an instant, Rein''s mind conjured the image of those large, multilayered, shiny stainless steel steamers from breakfast joints in his previous life, filled neatly with big meat buns and steam billowing from the top!


    Thinking of this, Rein couldn''t help but reveal a bright smile on his face.


    -----------------


    In the following days, Rein scarcely left the house.


    Apart from occasionally training the greyhound ''Cookie'', Rein spent most of his time practicing the integration of witchcraft, swordsmanship, and Hammer Skill.


    During this period, apart from sharing a small portion of the fierce bear meat with ''Cookie'', Rein consumed the remaining tens of pounds of fierce bear meat completely!


    Additionally, with regard to the means of transportation for his journey, Rein considered whether to ask the Crowley family to prepare a carriage bearing the noble crest, which could save him some trouble at checkpoints along the way.


    But upon reflection, he thought it best to keep a low profile for his upcoming ennoblement assessment.


    After all, his conflict with the Cult of the Black Flame had become irreconcilable, and it would not be wise to let them know his destination.


    Besides, there was also the friction with Baron Alonso; though it seemed the baron hadn''t made any moves recently.


    Rein recalled the route from Flashgold Town to Rosby City.


    According to the information he had seen, there were roughly three routes from Flashgold Town to Rosby City.


    The reason for "roughly" was that as one reached a town, the closer to Rosby City, the more options for various side paths became available.


    If he chose some minor roads during his journey to conceal his movements, a carriage might not be appropriate since some of the paths were rugged, while traveling by horse would not only be more flexible but also more suitable.


    Thus, that afternoon, under the warm winter sun, Rein headed to the John''s Stable on the southern side of Flashgold Town.


    This visit was unlike the last when he came to learn riding; this time, Rein wanted to purchase two strong warhorses.


    Soon, Rein met with the sanguine-nosed middle-aged man��stable master John Moyle. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For John Moyle, Rein was certainly a memorable figure.


    "Lord Reine, what brings you here today?" John greeted him with utmost courtesy.


    It seemed that John was aware of Rein''s appointment as the Deputy Marshal of Flashgold Town.


    "Mr. John, today I''m planning to purchase two strong horses, so I need your help choosing them," Rein said with a smile.


    ...


    An hour later, Rein rode back home on a black horse while leading a brown one.


    The reason for purchasing two horses was that a single steed could not fully bear the weight of a fully armed Rein along with his luggage.


    One would be for riding, while the other would carry his baggage.


    In addition, Rein intended to conduct a small comparative experiment.

 Chapter 161 Unexpected Letter (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Experimental content: Study on the changes in muscle strength and endurance of horses after taking a mutated growth potion. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Test subjects: Two equally strong black and brown horses.


    Experimental process: Recorded the differences over seven days between the black horse, whose feed was supplemented with the mutated growth potion, and the brown horse, which was not.


    ...


    The day before departure.


    Rein obtained the experimental conclusions.


    Experimental conclusion: After seven days, no prominent mutations were observed in the black horse, but it is estimated that the black horse''s muscle strength and endurance have increased by about 20%.


    Clearly, the mutated growth potion could not only be used on dogs but could also strengthen animals to a certain extent.


    That afternoon, someone Rein knew well but had not expected at all visited his home��Shadia, the Chief Maid from the Habsburg estate.


    The usually stern Chief Maid rarely showed a smile and said, "Rein, in accordance with the lady''s request, here is a letter for you to pass on."


    "Eh? Is it a letter from Lady Cleya sent from the Imperial City?" Rein took the letter while asking.


    At the same time, he had a guess in his heart.


    "Exactly! The lady found out that you''ve stepped into Transcendent knighthood and was very surprised!" Shadia nodded and said.


    As expected, Cleya knows that I have entered into Transcendence, Rein thought to himself.


    The seal on the envelope was intact, obviously no one had opened it before Rein.


    In front of Shadia, Rein quickly opened the letter.


    Inside, there were two sheets of paper.


    The first sheet of paper read:


    "Rein, you can''t imagine my astonished expression when I found out that you had become Transcendent.


    Please allow me to take back my previous words.


    Perhaps one day, you will achieve greater things on the path of knighthood than I have.


    But good talent needs the guidance of a great teacher even more.


    I believe, now that you have stepped into Transcendence, you can understand this point even better.


    Therefore, here is a letter of introduction to Master Gunther Otinga.


    If you''re interested, within three months, you can go to the Golden Coast in Rosby County, where he lives in seclusion, to learn for a while.


    Trust me! Master Gunther is absolutely a master of exquisite swordsmanship.


    If you can gain something, it will definitely help you in the subsequent noble title conferral examination."


    ...


    At the end of the letter, there was the familiar signature: Cleya.


    The second sheet of paper was the letter of introduction from Cleya to Master Gunther Otinga for further study.


    "By the way, Rein, do you have anything you''d like me to pass on to the lady?" Shadia asked after seeing Rein finish reading the letter.


    After a moment of thought, Rein said, "Please tell Lady Cleya that I thank her for her concern and support, and I think I will find a suitable time to visit Master Gunther."


    Rein didn''t plan to refuse Cleya''s proposal to introduce him to a reclusive master of swordsmanship for study because his enlightenment on the path of knighthood came from Cleya''s guidance.


    Therefore, Rein always had a good impression of Cleya.


    Moreover, from the content of this letter, Cleya further expressed her goodwill toward him.


    Although at the beginning, Cleya believed he only had the potential to be a follower.


    ...


    The next morning, just as dawn broke and after saying goodbye to his family, Rein rode the strong black horse that had been fed the ''enhanced diet'' for seven days and set off for his destination��Rosby City.


    Soon, Rein''s figure disappeared at the end of the road.


    Five days later...


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    With the winter''s icy rain,


    In a large forest hung with white icicles, there was a winding gray path extending far towards the seaside.


    Two horses were riding slowly, one after the other, on the path. The stronger black horse in the lead carried a knight in full plate armor, a knight with a distinctive feature: a greatsword and a Two-Handed Warhammer were carried on his back, a rare combination of dual weapons.


    It was substantially different from the typical knight''s sword and shield or sword and bow combination.


    This knight was Rein.


    Fortunately, the knight''s armor was lined with lamb''s wool, providing excellent insulation, so even in the icy rain, with the environment cold and damp, Rein didn''t feel uncomfortable.


    Why not use the fire-based witchcraft ''High-Temperature Field'' to dry off?


    Don''t forget the warhorse under him, which couldn''t withstand such high temperatures.


    Following him was a brown horse, carrying three or four parcels, mostly daily necessities and food.


    After riding continuously for five days, their destination, Rosby City, was now not far ahead.


    Rein estimated that in at most half a day, he would arrive at his destination.


    About half an hour later, even the strong black horse under Rein started to breathe heavily, and in the cold icy rain, two columns of steam rose briskly in front of the horse''s head.


    Rein knew he needed to find a place to let the horse rest for a while.


    Actually, it was his fault, as the weight of his two weapons alone exceeded that of a standard knight''s armor and weapon load combined!


    Moreover, Rein also had to count his chromium steel suit, so it was normal for the strong black horse, which was still just an ordinary horse, to be struggling.


    Perhaps, with continued feeding of the mutated growth potion, there might be a possibility for the black horse to undergo some kind of mutation, but for now, it seemed that more time was needed to see the outcome.


    After turning a corner on a small forest path, Rein''s keen ears caught the crisp cracking sound of burning wood.


    Looking up, Rein peered through the thin icy rain and the dense mist, and saw someone had lit a campfire in the forest to their left.

 Chapter 162 Arrival

    A young man with thick eyebrows, also clad in knight armor, had kindled a bonfire under a large tree.The tree''s canopy was vast, its leaves broad and dense, offering excellent protection from the rain. Even the sporadic drops that fell were quickly sizzled away by the bonfire.


    However, Rein had no intention of approaching, not because he was afraid but because he had no interest in dealing with strangers whose backgrounds were unknown to him.


    Thus, Rein decided to ride on for a while before finding a place where he could rest alone.


    Seemingly hearing the sound of hooves, the thick-eyebrowed knight looked up, saw Rein''s solo rider with two horses attire, his face brightened, and he stood up to greet him, "Hey, I''m a knight heading to Rosby City for the knighthood examination. Judging by your attire, you must be too, right?"


    The other''s enthusiastic expression and frank introduction momentarily stunned Rein.


    Realizing Rein''s hesitation, the man then took out a purple-gold badge from his bosom that was nearly identical to the one in Rein''s hand and showed it to him.


    At the same time, he said, "Look, this is the proof badge. If you''re also going to Rosby City for the knighthood examination, you should be familiar with this item."


    "Since we''ve met, it must be fate. Maybe we can help each other out during the exam, so don''t be shy, come and take shelter from the rain."


    Rein glanced at the badge and knew it should be authentic. Since the other party was so enthusiastic, it seemed somewhat unkind to refuse further.


    After thinking it over, Rein guided his black horse to slowly ride over.


    "Hello, my name is Hass Klein, from Rosby County."


    "Rein, Meister County." Rein nodded and said.


    After Rein dismounted, he somehow glanced slightly at the dense forests on either side. However, this action went unnoticed by the other party as Rein''s face was covered by his knight''s visor and the turn of his head was very subtle.


    It seems... there are prying eyes...


    And not just one person...


    Interesting!


    "Rein, did it take you several days to come from Meister County?"


    "The roads are rough in winter. Come, have a cup of hot barley wine to warm up." Hass was very enthusiastic, picking up the iron kettle heated by the fireside and handing it to Rein.


    "Thank you, you''re too kind, but I don''t feel cold," Rein said, raising his hand and declining the iron wine kettle offered by Hass.


    "With this freezing rain, how can you not be cold? Come on, Rein, don''t be shy." Hass continued to warmly summon him, almost pushing the iron kettle into Rein''s arms.


    This made Rein raise an eyebrow and say, "Lord, you''ve played your part well enough, though it has been a bit too much."


    This statement made Hass pause, his expression changing instantly.


    He stared blankly at Rein for a moment, as if realizing Rein was not joking, then quickly stepped back a few paces and said, "How... how did you figure it out."


    However, quickly realizing something, he clapped his hands sharply, "clap, clap."


    Suddenly, the trees in the dense forest shook, and in a moment, about fifteen people burst out, wielding various weapons, and several held crossbow arrows. From their aura, most seemed to be commoners with a few possessing the strength of knight''s attendants.


    The man leading them, wielding a chain mace, moved with steady strides and long breaths, likely possessing the strength of a formal knight.


    "Are you a bandit gang? You don''t seem like it; typically, bandit gangs wouldn''t have two leaders of proper knightly rank," Rein spoke, focusing not on the people but on the young man known as ''Hass.''"


    "Sergei, why waste words on this guy? Just kill him. Go!" The burly leader gestured and launched an attack on Rein.


    Indeed, ''Hass'' was a false name, and Sergei must be his real name.


    However...


    A chilling flash of sword light passed, and Rein suddenly held a Dual-Handed Greatsword in his hands.


    "ROAR!!!!"


    The next second, a sound akin to a giant bear''s roar burst in everyone''s ears, instantly causing most people to clutch their heads, their faces contorted in pain as they fell to the ground, including those bandits possessing the strength of knight''s attendants.


    Only the burly man and Sergei managed to barely stand their ground, yet their eardrums bled, and they stood dazedly.


    "Thud! Thud!"


    Two heavy thuds were heard.


    The burly man and the one called Sergei both had their legs severed above the knees by Rein, and now their upper bodies lay on the ground, blood spurting.


    "AHH!!" The two screamed in unison.


    "Now, perhaps you can tell me who directed you, and... the origin of this proof badge," Rein said, his demeanor calm.


    "Go to hell, you bastard, you''re done for..." the burly man retorted harshly.


    However, the next second, he fell silent, his gaze turning to Rein in horror!


    Because Rein had approached one of his subordinates and efficiently slit the man''s throat, with an ease and nonchalance akin to slaughtering a chicken.


    The second one...


    ...


    The eighth one...


    Soon, around the bonfire lay a circle of dead bandits!


    Only the two men whose legs had been cut off and the leader named Sergei were left alive.


    The two seemed to have forgotten the pain of their severed limbs, exchanged a look, and realized that this time, they had kicked an iron plate.


    They no longer needed Rein to prompt anything.


    They quickly spilled everything, pouring out the details like bamboo tubes spilling beans.


    Having heard them out, Rein frowned.


    Turns out, there was a mysterious force known as ''Zaral''s Rebellion'' secretly backing them to carry out tasks that weaken the empire''s strength, and their current mission was to assassinate young knights attending the knighthood examination.


    Of course, if they could capture him alive, that would be even better. If successful, they would not only gain valuable armor and weapons but also be able to collect a substantial bounty with the purple-gold badge.


    Moreover, there indeed was a young knight named Hass, who had been drugged and was currently being held captive in the dense forest.


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    Rein swung his sword twice, promptly killing the two men.


    After some thought, he ventured into the dense forest and soon discovered a tall young man clad in a thin linen shirt, bound by heavy iron shackles on his hands and feet and with a dirty cloth stuffed in his mouth, behind a large tree.


    When he saw Rein, clad in knight armor, the bound man couldn''t help but struggle and grunt.


    "Clang! Clang!" Sparks flew everywhere.


    Rein flourished his sword twice, instantly splitting the thick iron shackles.


    The tall young man immediately freed himself, swiftly pulled the dirty cloth from his mouth, and spat twice, saying, "Thank you for saving me! My name is Hass, from Rosby Shire."


    "Rein, from Meister Shire."


    "Those deceitful, despicable creatures who drugged me, were they all killed by Lord Rein? " Hass asked angrily.


    "Hmm," Rein nodded.


    "That''s really great! Those despicable villains, they deserve to die!" Hearing that Rein had killed them, Hass burst into laughter.


    Hass stripped the breastplate that originally belonged to him off a robust man and began to converse with Rein around the campfire.


    Half an hour later.


    The now-acquainted pair chatted while riding their horses together, heading toward Rosby City.


    Although Rein did not fear the cold, it was obviously not a good idea to camp outside in the wintry rainy night.


    The two arrived at the gate of Rosby City by dusk, and after showing the purple-gold badges, they were quickly escorted by a staff member to their destination for this trip��the Naval Home Inn.


    At this moment, it was the time when the red sunset was descending; a gentle breeze caressed his face, and Rein immediately smelled a faint scent of the sea.


    He looked up, only to see, dozens of meters ahead, the vast and azure sea, with many white seabirds flying in the clear sky, including seagulls and albatrosses.


    Along the coastline were densely packed white sails, each representing a boat; although these vessels varied greatly in size, they seemed to be civilian fishing and transport ships.


    However, a few hundred meters away, there were clearly several large four-masted ships that appeared to be some type of warship.


    Rein pulled his gaze back and looked to his left, where there was a three-story building with a sign reading ''Naval Home Inn'' hanging above the door.


    Across the street from the inn stood a towering bronze statue with a five-masted sail, plus a very spacious gate attended by four guards in blue uniforms.


    Rein squinted his eyes and saw, written in gilded letters on the gate, ''Imperial South Sea Fleet, Sixth Division Base.''


    The Naval Home Inn?


    Well, indeed, just as the name implies, the naval base is right across the street.


    As the two entered the inn, a female attendant greeted them with a smile and asked, "Excuse me, are you the knights here to participate in the knighting assessment?"


    "Yes," Rein nodded.


    "Please follow me, I need you to register your information with Lady Marika." The attendant said as she led the way.


    The trio arrived at a room at the far end of the corridor on the first floor, the attendant knocked on the door and said, "Lady Marika, new knights have arrived."


    "Come in!" A crisp female voice came from inside the room.


    To their surprise, the room was occupied by a naval female officer with a graceful figure. Upon seeing Rein and Hass enter, she stood up and formally said:


    "I am Marika Morales, responsible for the knighting assessment on behalf of the Imperial Navy. You can consult me about any related matters, but first, I need to verify your information."


    "A female lieutenant colonel, that''s rare." Hass murmured after glancing at Marika''s shoulder rank.


    Rein noticed that her shoulder rank was a pair of golden leaves with a crescent moon.


    "Rein Carlan, Meister Shire, Flashgold Town, fifteen years old..."


    Rein took off his helmet, revealing a face even younger than Hass''s.


    "Rein... you''re only fifteen? My god!" Hass''s eyes widened in astonishment.


    However, Marika was even more astonished, thinking that although it was uncommon to see a knight at fifteen, the way these two seemed so familiar with each other, didn''t they know what each other looked like?


    "Hass Klein, eighteen years old..."


    The impressive naval lieutenant colonel, Marika, after registering their information, instructed:


    "During the knighting assessment period, your stay and meals at the Naval Home Inn are free, and you are also free to train at the training grounds behind the inn at any time." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Additionally, next door is the quartermaster''s room where you can buy various weapons, armor, and first aid supplies. Of course, the prices might be a bit higher than the market, but the quality is reliable."


    "Oh? Do they have knight plate armor crafted from rare ores?" Rein asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "Of course not," Marika rolled her eyes at Rein.


    "What a pity!" Rein shrugged, resignedly.


    "Lieutenant Colonel Marika, about the knighting assessment task?" Hass rubbed his hands together, inquiring about the related matters.


    "I''m sorry, according to the joint directive of the Imperial Navy and the Knighthood Assessment Commission, in order to maintain confidentiality, the specific tasks of this assessment will be announced on the day of the task itself," Marika shook her head and replied.


    "Wow, is this assessment that significant?" Hass exclaimed in surprise.


    A task related to the Imperial Navy?


    No wonder they were staying at the ''Naval Home Inn'' and being attended by a naval officer...


    Rein listened, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

 Chapter 163 Examination Day

    The second day after checking into the Navy Hotel, Rein didn''t go to the training grounds but chose to wander around the hotel and its vicinity instead.Soon, Rein gained a preliminary understanding of the environment here.


    Turns out, the islands surrounding Rosby City are riddled with pirate organizations and smuggling rings of various sizes, both large and small.


    Rein also overheard from naval officers chatting in the tavern on the first floor of the hotel that many Imperial Wanted Criminals who had fled from inland areas were also hiding on these islands.


    Furthermore, on some of the larger and more remote islands, there are indigenous tribes whose warriors paint their faces with camouflage and exhibit fierce combat prowess, with some of their leaders being as strong as formal Knights.


    As for why the Empire hasn''t been able to completely wipe out the ''ghouls and goblins'' on these islands?


    It seems that the newly formed Eagle Federation has restrained the majority of the Imperial Navy''s forces, of course, there are probably other reasons, but that''s not something Rein, who had only arrived a day ago, would know.


    Such a complicated situation plunged Rein into contemplation for a moment.


    Clearly, his Baron candidacy assessment task might involve attacking a pirate den, killing a wanted criminal, or even capturing a spy from the Eagle Federation, among other possibilities.


    If he could know the content of the task in advance, he''d certainly be able to prepare more effectively.


    However, upon further thought, Rein considered that with his Peak Knight strength, he was clearly one of the top contenders among all those participating in the candidacy assessment. If he was going to have a hard time, then the others would undoubtedly have an even tougher challenge.


    On the night he checked into the Navy Hotel, Rein noticed that aside from a small number of guests in naval uniform, the majority in the neighboring rooms were young people.


    These youngsters moved with steady steps and exhibited deep and long breaths, clearly they should all be Knights participating in the candidacy assessment like Hass and himself. Rein vaguely estimated their number and found several dozen.


    Moreover, with Rein''s Peak Knight strength and perceptive senses sharpened to a fine point of 23, although he could not accurately judge everyone''s strength, he could vaguely gauge their caliber.


    Most of these young people, including Hass, had the strength of formal Knights, though perhaps Rein might mistake a veteran Knight for a regular one due to some disparity in strength.


    But those he found somewhat inscrutable were only three or four individuals with gold or silver lines on their cuffs and collars, who were most likely noble heirs.


    No way around it, when talents are equal, noble heirs receive better upbringing and training from a young age, coupled with hereditary bloodlines and family-based Knight Breathing Methods, naturally making them stronger.


    Moreover, young people continued to arrive at the Navy Hotel today, holding bulging travel bags and arriving even later than he did.


    The latter''s arrival timing was surprisingly even later than his.


    In the afternoon of the same day, Rein went to the training grounds behind the hotel for the first time and discovered many young people practicing with various weapons, mostly swords and shields, hammers and shields, and bows and arrows, with a number working with Dual-Handed Greatswords.


    But there were far fewer practicing with Two-Handed Warhammers.


    A number of them were gathered in small groups, and when Hass saw Rein, he couldn''t help but be delighted, coming forward and saying, "Rein, you''ve finally come. Look, those are the noble heirs vying for the Baron title."


    "They should be the strongest among us candidates here," Hass added.


    Rein followed Hass''s gaze and saw three or four groups, each with one person at the center surrounded by others, either demonstrating martial techniques or discussing something.


    Upon observation, Rein saw that the situation was similar to what he had perceived before: those individuals had at least the strength of veteran Knights, while most of the others were of formal Knight strength.


    "That red-haired beauty is Eveline Norman, the daughter of Viscount Norman of Rosby County, pretty, isn''t she!"


    "Indeed, very beautiful!" Rein nodded, noting the woman had a demeanor somewhat like Cleya''s. Additionally, having just a few female Knights among a group of males made them stand out considerably.


    "What are they doing? Socializing?" Rein casually asked.


    "Making connections, so if there''s a team task, everyone will be somewhat familiar with each other," Hass explained.


    Rein silently nodded, not saying anything.


    After staying for a short while, Rein went back to his hotel room. On the training grounds, it wasn''t possible to display his true strength, for it would be too conspicuous.


    The next morning, the young Knights were all gathered, and only then did Rein learn that there were so many candidates participating in the Rosby City candidacy assessment��he counted nearly seventy or eighty.


    However, upon reflection, in such a vast area as Mingster Province, this number of people didn''t seem too many, with a few counties contributing as little as seven or eight, while others had just over ten.


    At that moment, a burly naval commodore strode over, followed by the slender naval commander Marika Morales and a guard.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the future hopes of the Empire, welcome to Rosby City, the base of the sixth division of the Imperial South Sea Fleet. This morning we need to do two things: draw lots and go over the rules," the commodore announced.


    His speech was crisp in true military fashion, and he quickly got to the point.


    "Everyone, come up and draw lots. Odd numbers are individual challenges, and even numbers are team missions," he said.


    The commander Marika gestured to the small box held by the guard, signifying for everyone to pick one.


    Soon, it was Rein''s turn.


    "32, huh, a team mission?" Rein didn''t expect to draw a team mission. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He vividly remembered Hamilton''s words cautioning him that, in a team mission, he had to be wary not just of the enemies but of certain teammates as well.


    What a hassle!


    Individual challenges would''ve been so much simpler.


    "Oh? You got a team mission? Rein, you''re really lucky," Hass said, looking enviously at Rein.


    "Not like me, ending up with an individual challenge. Damn it!"


    Rein glanced at Hass, his inner thoughts filled with irony.


    If only I could switch with you, Hass, I''d be eager to trade places! Rein thought to himself.


    At this moment, many young people who had also drawn team tasks began whispering amongst themselves as if coordinating something, with many faces showing delight.


    ...


    At this time, the burly navy commodore continued to speak:


    "All assessment personnel must strictly adhere to one rule, which is to use only their own strength, and the use of external forces, such as Sorcery Scrolls, transcendental potions, etc., is absolutely prohibited." Find more to read at empire


    "Of course, ordinary weapons and equipment, hemostatic medication, and bandages are not included in this prohibition!"


    "Sir, may I ask if I can use a bit of witchcraft, for example, the ''Light Body Skill'' from the wind witchcraft series��would that be considered a breach of rules?" asked a young man who appeared to be of common birth, suddenly raising his hand to inquire.


    Rein, upon hearing this, couldn''t help but look up at the young man, realizing that the question he wanted to ask had been raised by the other party.


    "You may! As I''ve said, use of one''s own strength is allowed."


    "If there are no questions, then at seven o''clock tonight, we shall set off. Please ensure everyone is prepared for battle. As for the specific tasks, due to the need for confidentiality, they will be distributed to you after we depart."


    "If anyone wishes to withdraw, you can now register your withdrawal with Major Marika," declared the navy commodore, his piercing gaze sweeping around.


    Rein felt as if those substantial eyes were upon him, and for an instant locked gazes with the commodore before quickly lowering his head again.


    This slight sense of oppression��Great Knight strength?


    Rein couldn''t help but speculate inwardly.


    "If there are no further questions, you are dismissed!" the navy commodore announced.


    Everyone then dispersed, discussing in small groups, and Rein followed the crowd back to the naval home inn.


    "Strange, why did that young man trigger my alarm response, could it be that his strength is sufficient to threaten me?"


    "It shouldn''t be. I haven''t heard that any scions from the upper nobility of Mingster Province are here this time."


    The navy commodore pondered briefly, shook his head, and walked away, talking to himself.


    At seven o''clock sharp in the evening.


    About thirty personnel participating in the team task gathered, and under the leadership of the navy commodore and several officers, boarded a twenty-meter-long sail-less swift boat,


    Upon boarding, Rein noticed that there were already several middle-aged men dressed in noble hunting attire within the cabin, who appeared to be officials from the Ennoblement Assessment Committee.


    After everyone had taken their seats in the cabin, an officer distributed a stack of papers.


    As the vessel progressed, the commodore said resonantly:


    "The details of this assessment task have been distributed��you''ll find them in your hands, along with recommendations for achieving different levels of rating specified at the bottom."


    ....


    Following the commodore''s explanation, Rein quickly scanned the contents of the paper.


    ...


    "Qualifying rating kill recommendation: Kill more than twelve Bloodsail pirates��the more the better. Note: The blood-colored headband on the enemy''s head is the best proof, as you can''t ensure that an assessor will see every Bloodsail pirate you kill."


    "Good rating kill recommendation: Kill five Bloodsail pirate chiefs, whose strength is about that of a provisional Knight. Or kill one Bloodsail pirate boatswain or someone of higher rank, generally of full Knight strength or slightly stronger. Note: If capable, it is advised to aim for the latter for a chance at a higher rating."


    "Excellent rating kill recommendation: Kill Bloodsail pirate first mates and those of higher rank. Their strength is about that of a senior and even Peak Knight. Note: Dangerous, it is not recommended for those of insufficient strength to take unnecessary risks."


    ...


    "Killing Bloodsail pirates, huh?"


    "Why didn''t they tell us in advance?"


    "At least we could have prepared something specific." Many whispered among themselves.


    At this moment, a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, dressed in noble hunting garb, took over the conversation from the navy commodore, saying:


    "Your ennoblement assessment task this time is not as simple as just clearing out the Bloodsail pirates, but in fact, to collaborate on a secret mission of the Imperial Navy."


    "According to reliable information, a secret messenger from the Eagle Federation has already arrived at Bloodsail Pirate-infested Meritet Island."


    "Therefore, the Ennoblement Assessment Committee decided to inform you of the specific task only after departure."


    Rein nodded in understanding; no wonder the specific task was only disclosed now.


    Such secret missions are naturally safer the later the information is disseminated.


    After the man with the handlebar mustache concluded his briefing, the navy commodore nodded to him with a smile and continued:


    "Of course, the strength of Bloodsail Pirate Group Leader Willy McCoy, known as Bloody Hand Willy and a Great Knight, is beyond your concern, as he will naturally be dealt with by Imperial Navy officers."


    "First Mate and Captain Klaut Dagan of the ''Rurik,'' Diviner and Captain Mala Nasr of the ''Wreckage,'' Captain Bilkel Jamal of the ''Hook,'' all possess Peak Knight strength, and likewise, it is advisable for you to avoid them."


    Hearing this, Rein''s eyes subtly shifted as he looked at the four wanted sketches on the paper, deep in thought.


    The first to catch his eye was the portrait of Bloodsail Pirate Group Leader��Willy McCoy.


    UKneatly bound into small braids on either side of the ears, dense lower jaw beard also tied into a braid, with a broad mouth and large eyes.


    Although wearing only a captain''s hat, he exuded an extraordinary aura of a formidable figure!

 Chapter 164 Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)

    Overview: The leader of the Bloodsail Pirate Gang, Willy McCoy, was once an Imperial officer with the strength of a Great Knight. He mastered the Imperial military swordsmanship, Black Shark Breathing Technique, and an unknown form of boxing, and he was skilled with a Knight''s Longsword, rapier, and Finger Tiger.Due to his ability to resolve most conflicts with a pair of iron Finger Tigers alone, and his capability to punch straight through the chest and abdomen of a fully armored official knight with one punch, he was known as ''Bloody Hand Willy''!


    (Note: His close combat prowess is extremely strong, and if detected, it is strongly advised to avoid him.)


    Finger Tiger?


    Rein knew about that. Typically consisting of four connected iron rings, the back of a Finger Tiger features a semi-circular iron hoop that is held in the palm of the hand, while the four rings fit over the index, middle, ring, and little fingers respectively.


    Additionally, some Finger Tigers have steel spikes added to the heads to further increase the damage dealt.


    If worn by someone proficient in boxing, both the speed and power of their attacks are quite formidable!


    The next one is the second in command of the Bloodsail Pirates and captain of the ''Rulur,'' Klaut Dagan.


    From his portrait, this is a standard handsome man, handsome face plus a goatee, looking more like a noble than a pirate.


    Overview: The deputy leader of the Bloodsail Pirates and captain of the ''Rulur'', Klaut Dagan, a fallen noble of the Empire, possesses the strength of a Peak Knight and has mastered Bloodsail Swordsmanship and an unknown breathing technique. He is skilled with a Knight''s Longsword.


    Nicknamed the ''Gentleman Pirate''.


    (Note: Second only to Bloody Hand Willy in strength, it is recommended to avoid him if encountered.)


    The third person made Rein''s pupils shrink.


    Huh?


    It was a Knight combined with a Wizard Apprentice?


    Interesting!


    The third portrait depicted Diviner and captain of the ''Wreck,'' Mala Nasr.


    This was a hooded man, his face slightly pale and almost devoid of beard, looking quite young. but from the weather-beaten look around his eyes, Rein believed his actual age was not small.


    Overview: Diviner and captain of the ''Wreck,'' Mala Nasr, of unknown origin, possesses the strength of a seasoned knight and a second-level Wizard Apprentice, clearly mastering ''Aquatic Plant Divination'' and the hydrotherapy witchcraft. Other witchcraft skills unknown, proficient in Bloodsail Swordsmanship.


    Mala Nasr is adept at divination and healing and has a good reputation among the Bloodsail Pirates.


    (Note: Due to the unknown extent of his mastery in witchcraft, it is recommended to avoid him if encountered.)


    The last person painted, the fourth, was the captain of the ''Hook,'' Bilkel Jamal


    He had a signature hooked arm and a mouth full of rotten teeth from a pipe, indeed looking most like the kind of pirate who drifts at sea day and night.


    Overview: Captain of the ''Hook,'' Bilkel Jamal, an old Bloodsail Pirate drifting at sea for over thirty years, has exceptional naval experience.


    Being the most senior in the Bloodsail Pirate Gang, he was mainly responsible for lateral communication with other pirate gangs and enjoyed some renown among them.


    Nicknamed "Old Rotter."


    (Note: Although he is older, his cunning and trickiness should not be underestimated, inexperienced fighters are advised not to engage him in combat.)


    At that moment, Rein''s ears twitched slightly, as he faintly heard some people discussing something amidst the noise of the crowd.


    "...choose the fourth one, nicknamed ''Old Rotter,'' Bilkel, should be the easiest to kill, we can go for that one."


    "Right, the others are too strong, too dangerous..."


    "But�� Nazbi might choose the fourth too..." S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If they beat us to it, we''ll just go for the second one, I have high-level armor, if it''s just swordsmanship, we should be able to fight..."


    "Yeah, too bad that diviner knows witchcraft, too dangerous, one curse and we''re done!"


    "..."


    Rein looked up, recognizing the speakers as the nobles'' progeny Hasan had once mentioned, who were among the top contenders in the credential exams.


    An excellent evaluation would involve killing the first mate, but naturally, it would be even better to take down a captain directly.


    However... from what had just been revealed between the lines, it appeared not to be so simple.


    These men likely had the same target as him.


    Were they aiming to achieve a high enough score to receive an invitation to become a ''Sword Bearer''?


    Returning his gaze, Rein''s eyes swept past the portraits of the four individuals once more, and finally, they went back up, lingering a bit longer on the portraits of ''Bloody Hand Willy'' and ''Diviner Mala''.


    Then, Rein continued looking down.


    On the paper, following the portraits of these four key figures, were the designs of two pirate ships, one a four-masted barque and the other a three-masted barque.


    The four-masted barque was ''Bloody Hand Willy''s'' flagship, looking almost identical to the regular main force barques of the Imperial Navy, which got Rein thinking.


    The three-masted barques, however, belonged to the other three pirate captains. Likely all manufactured in the shipyards of Rosby City, they shared mostly similar boat structures.


    Therefore, the three three-masted barques could share one design diagram.


    Rein mainly focused on the placement of the captain''s quarters, the first mate''s and the bosun''s and other high-ranking staff quarters, taking a detailed look.


    The captain''s quarters in these three-masted barques were usually positioned just shy of the stern, on the second deck level.

 Chapter 164 Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_2

    If it were moored at the harbor, Rein estimated the draft of the sailboat to be about four meters above the waterline based on the design plans.Additionally, the design plans showed that the captain''s cabin was equipped with a small side window, some circular, others semi-circular.


    Thus, they were quite easy to recognize, especially if there was a light on in the opponent''s room.


    This made Rein nod slightly to himself.


    However, a note on the design plan indicated the hull thickness of the three-masted sailboats was about thirty centimeters, and that of the four-masted ones nearly forty centimeters.


    This made Rein''s eyebrows furrow slightly once again.


    At the bottom of the paper was a structure resembling an ancient castle, two stories high and housing dozens of rooms in size. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the annotations beside it, Rein learned that this was the main base of the Bloody Hand pirates on Meritet Island, known as ''Bloody Hand Fortress,'' built from the island''s massive rocks, very sturdy.


    However, the pirates preferred to call it the ''Little Fortress.''


    Seeing this, a mixture of ships and fortress, Rein couldn''t help but wonder, were they planning to split forces for the battle?


    One team responsible for boarding combat?


    Another for assaulting the Little Fortress?


    At this moment, someone suddenly asked, "Sir, is this going to be a boarding battle? Are those leaders on their ships, or in the Bloody Hand Fortress?"


    Sure enough, Rein wasn''t the only one puzzled.


    "We don''t know yet," the naval commodore shook his head and said.


    "However, once we disembark, we should find out. It will not be a boarding combat, but rather an assault on the ship," he added.


    "What you need to do is familiarize yourself with the structural plans of both the ships and the fortress," the commodore further instructed.


    At this point, a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, dressed in noble hunting attire, reminded everyone:


    "Lastly, I want to remind everyone that unexpected situations can arise during combat, and in some cases, even the few of us responsible for the assessment might not be able to rescue in time."


    "So please cherish your life and don''t overreach," he added.


    He paused for a moment and said reassuringly, "Even if you do not pass the nobility examination this time, you can still apply again in five years."


    Although the man said this, Rein looked up slightly and felt that not many were taking it to heart.


    Since most had signed up for the nobility examination, they believed in their own abilities.


    And for the few twenty-seven or twenty-eight-year-olds, with age being a penalizing factor, this could be their last chance.


    After all, in five more years, they would be in their thirties, and unless their skills reached the level of a Veteran Knight, the hope of passing the nobility examination would naturally become slimmer.


    Hence, for them, going all out in the fight seemed to be the preferred choice.


    Isn''t there a saying from the previous life, "Strike it big, a bicycle becomes a motorcycle!"


    Now, they strike it big, a commoner becomes a noble!


    So... they naturally had to go for it.


    Now that the objective was clear, Rein slowly removed the chrome iron suit he was wearing and put on the leather armor made from otter skin.


    Fighting in the cramped space of a ship''s cabin, being more agile could offer significant advantages. Besides, wearing heavy armor would be quite awkward if one fell into the water...


    Moreover, Rein had the "Iron Skin lv3" Transcendent trait, which naturally made him more suited for combat in leather armor.


    After shedding over a hundred pounds of weight, Rein immediately felt much lighter.


    ...


    Around one o''clock in the morning,


    they arrived at Meritet Island.


    Only then did everyone realize that another ship followed behind them, from which dozens of elite naval assault troopers, dressed in the light armor of Swordsmen and accompanied by crossbows, as well as more than ten naval officers, disembarked in orderly fashion.


    It seemed that these were the main attacking forces.


    Oh?


    She actually came too.


    Rein quickly noticed one of the officers was someone he was familiar with, the female major named Mary who had been responsible for receiving them at the Navy''s Home Inn.


    However, Mary was not the only woman there; there were also two other female officers, who were likely responsible for recording, communication, and coordination.


    As Rein jumped off the ship, his Dark Vision allowed him to easily discern his surroundings. The island was not large, and the first thing that caught his eye was the low fortress at the island''s center. Despite being labeled a castle, it indeed resembled more of a small fortress.


    This was obviously the Bloody Hand Fortress.


    Rein could vaguely make out several guns, their dark metal gleaming, mounted on the walls of the Little Fortress.


    Besides, there was the makeshift dock about two to three hundred meters to their left, where a four-masted sailboat, three three-masted warships, and several small boats were moored.


    Clearly, these were the main ships of the Bloody Hand pirates and the two kinds of vessels depicted in the design plans.


    At that moment, a middle-aged man dressed as a pirate with a red headband suddenly emerged from the front, about a dozen meters away from the bushes, startling everyone.


    But the naval commodore seemed to have expected the man to be waiting for them, and calmly asked:


    "What''s the situation now?"


    "Sir, because the Bloody Hand pirates are on high alert for an attack from the Imperial Navy, Willy has arranged the meeting with the messenger on the central four-masted sailboat��the flagship, ''Bloody Hand.''"


    "From the banquet up until now, Bloody Hand Willy and the messenger haven''t come out, and they should still be on the flagship. The other three three-masted sailboats are also on full alert, including the captains and first mates; they are all aboard."

 Chapter 164 Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_3

    "So, it''s actually the small fortress that''s the weakest in defense, due to the absence of its core members," the Spy disguised as a Bloodsail pirate quickly reported the latest situation.Rein nodded slightly, it turned out there was a secret informant inside. No wonder the commodore said we would know the situation as soon as we landed.


    Looking at the current situation, it seemed they were planning to assault the pirate ships!


    However, from here to the makeshift dock where the pirate schooners were moored,


    First, they would have to walk along a rocky path, reach a beach with four or five signal bonfires burning, and only after that, could they engage in shipboard combat.


    At that moment, at the end of the path, Rein could see a line of torches slowly moving toward them. It seemed likely to be a pirate patrol. And on the beach over a hundred meters away, there were the vague figures of twenty to thirty pirates stirring.


    It looks like they would have to clear out the trash fish before boarding the ships.


    At this time, the naval commodore spoke up, "The assessment will now officially begin. You are all clear about the situation, and there will be someone keeping a record of all your kills."


    "Let''s begin!"


    At this, seven or eight newly knighted archers took the lead, moving out in front. Others, a bit more cautious, hid aside with their bows drawn, aiming at the group of pirates carrying torches as they approached.


    The ambush came from trained Knights against the unsuspecting Bloodsail pirates who were mere good fighters. The pirates had no time to mount any effective resistance.


    The knights took aim and ''whoosh, whoosh,'' quickly shot down the seven or eight patrolling Bloodsail pirates without even letting them scream.


    The record keepers behind them then began busily noting down the scores.


    As they continued along the path, they soon brought about the demise of a second Bloodsail pirate patrol squad.


    ...


    By the time everyone reached the beach, the most successful of the newly knighted had already made eight consecutive kills on the Bloodsail pirates, a bow expert among them.


    And by the bonfires on the beach, while the numbers of Bloodsail pirates weren''t few, when the time came to attack, it was still an embarrassment of riches!


    Especially one pirate leader, whose death was particularly gruesome, instantly struck by two sword thrusts and four sharp arrows.


    This was despite several Knights carrying heavy weapons having had no opportunity to showcase their skills.


    Because most of the time, they had to silence their enemies stealthily, after all, they hadn''t officially started the shipboard combat yet, so even if they were going to alert the enemy, it couldn''t be so soon.


    The newly knighted armed with heavy weapons naturally didn''t move as nimbly as the other Knights.


    Rein glanced to the side and saw dozens of elite naval assault troopers, already holding strong bows or crossbows, aiming at the Bloodsail pirates, confirming his guess even more.


    So, when the dozens of pirates on the beach had been neatly dispatched, some of the new knights still hadn''t made any moves. Your journey continues at empire


    Among them was one next to Rein, also carrying a Warhammer, who now couldn''t hide the anxiety on his face.


    He had been planning an ambush on a Bloodsail pirate, but was vexed when an arrow from another direction snatched away his target ''prey''. Although he glared in rage, there was nothing he could do.


    However, seeing Rein calm and composed, he couldn''t help but ask curiously, "Why aren''t you worried at all?"


    "The fastest among them have already met the twelve-kill requirement for the assessment," he added.


    "Ah... no worries, moreover, I''m not skilled in archery." Rein shrugged. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other glanced at the Dual-Handed Greatsword and Two-Handed Warhammer on Rein''s back and couldn''t help but offer consolation with a feeling of shared misery, "Indeed, you didn''t even bring a bow; that makes it even tougher."


    "Sigh! I wish I had practiced archery well," the other knight sighed.


    At this point, Rein stepped forward, picked up a thick plank that seemed to be used for ship repairs, coated on one side with tung oil.


    He examined it carefully in his hands, then forcefully broke it in two.


    He nodded to himself.


    By this time the Bloodsail pirates had been cleaned up from the beach, and the main event �C the boarding battle �C was about to begin.


    Everyone thought the commodore would step forward and make arrangements, but to their surprise, the twenty or so naval officers and the nobles in hunting attire tasked with the examination didn''t seem to have the intention of interfering. They just stood back smiling as they watched how the rest would act.


    Quickly, quite a few gathered spontaneously around some of the most powerful scions of nobility.


    At this moment, a man Rein had just heard of, ''Nazbi,'' led about a dozen people towards the ''Barbhaken.''"


    At the same time, several naval officers who were Peak Knights followed, along with the black-clothed examiners and the statisticians, who also promptly followed suit.


    Since each ship had a figurehead at its bow, like the ''Barbhaken'' with its large curved hook, recognition was quite simple.


    Of course, not all the participants in the examination chose to take part in the boarding combat.


    Because, according to the Spy''s intel, the easiest target should be the small fortress nearby, which almost lacked enemies of Peak Knight status,


    So a significant number of people spontaneously formed groups and charged towards the small fortress.


    With those two groups moving out, the remaining group wasn''t large, including Rein, there were only about ten people left.

 Chapter 164 Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_4

    "Tsk, a bunch of loafers," a noble scion said disdainfully."Only those who come with me to ''Ruler'' will get a good evaluation. It''s tough to get it at the small fortress," he continued.


    "I''ll take care of ''Gentleman Pirate'' Clout."


    Upon hearing that he could withstand the most troublesome second-in-command of the Bloody Sails, the rest of the newly-minted knights looked at each other.


    It was clear they were not content with just a passing evaluation; they aimed for a good one.


    After a moment''s thought, most of the others followed the noble scion to ''Ruler'', docked next to ''Hook''.


    After all, their numbers were no longer sufficient to attack another pirate ship.


    In other words, of the two remaining pirate ships, one was a four-masted vessel, the flagship ''Bloodsail'', with ''Bloody Hand Willy'' of Great Knight strength clearly being the navy''s target.


    The captain on the other, ''Wreckage'', was a mysterious professional with strange methods and equally troublesome.


    "Rein, aren''t you going?" The big hammer knight walked a few steps and, seeing Rein still unmoving, turned his head and asked in confusion.


    Rein shook his head slightly and said, "I''m not going."


    "Alright then! If it doesn''t work out, given your youth, you should still be able to get a passing evaluation at the small fortress."


    In the glow of the campfire, the big hammer knight saw Rein''s youthful face, assuming that it was a lack of strength that kept him from acting until now.


    "As for me, I plan to follow and see if there is a chance to get a good evaluation," said the big hammer knight before quickly heading toward ''Ruler''.


    Now, the only ones left on the beach without taking action were Rein and a red-haired female knight.


    Rein glanced at her. He seemed to remember Has mentioning her at the training field, something about her being Evelyn, the daughter of a certain Viscount from Rossby County.


    Evelyn also looked up at Rein, this youth carrying two heavy weapons that she hadn''t seen before at the training field, seemingly popping up out of nowhere.


    Evelyn was curious; while she planned to join the navy in attacking ''Bloodsail'', she wondered what this young man planned to do.


    Could he possibly be thinking the same as her?


    The pretty navy Major Maryca also noticed Rein still on the beach and found it strange.


    In her opinion, this young man''s strength was far from poor.


    After all, knights proficient with dual-handed heavy weapons rarely lack strength, especially someone who carried a Dual-Handed Greatsword and an additional heavy hammer. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But him staying on the beach couldn''t mean he planned to attack the flagship, could it?


    You see, in a navy commando team''s group attack, most of the time you wouldn''t even find an opportunity to strike before the enemy was killed.


    Unless you planned to duel with the higher-ups of the Bloody Sails, perhaps the navy would give you that opportunity.


    At that moment, Rein suddenly started moving.


    He made his way alone towards the northernmost three-masted ship, ''Wreckage''��the ship of the Diviner Mala Nasr.


    It was known that no examinees had chosen this warship because it was manned by a wizard apprentice whose strength was a mystery.


    The navy Rear Admiral, preparing to divide forces to attack ''Bloodsail'' and ''Wreckage'', was taken aback by Rein''s action!


    But the next second, he waved his hand, and Major Maryca, along with an officer of Peak Knight strength, quickly got the cue and followed immediately behind Rein.


    "Is he going to scout for information by himself? Wearing leather armor? Carrying heavy weapons, such an odd style."


    "Even if he can sneak in and scout out firsthand information, this evaluation counts kills. Surely this young man doesn''t think that scouting information alone will get him a passing evaluation?"


    "Besides, if he is discovered, he will immediately be surrounded by pirates, and the mission would essentially be a failure," the navy officer following Rein thought, as several questions arose in his mind.


    However, strangely enough, when Rein got near the ''Wreckage'', he stopped.


    He looked up, scanning the rear of the ship for a while.


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    Then, he simultaneously removed the Dual-Handed Greatsword and the heavy hammer from his back.


    This action...


    Both the navy officer and Major Maryca exchanged a questioning glance, seeing the confusion in each other''s eyes. Why take out both heavy weapons?


    Was he planning to use them as single-handed weapons?


    That would be quite unlikely!

 Chapter 165 Breaking into the Shell (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    At this moment on the ''Sunken Ship,'' inside the captain''s quarters, Captain Mala Nasr, dressed in a black robe, was not fiddling with his bottles and jars. Instead, he was unusually engaged in discussion with his first mate and the ship''s boatswain.The first mate was a one-eyed middle-aged man with a rough face and a fierce demeanor, clearly possessing the strength of at least a senior knight. He said, "Boss, why do you oppose collaborating with Bloody Hand Willy and the Eagle Federation?"


    "I''ve examined the fifty matchlock guns they brought this time. They are well-crafted and powerful, seemingly quite sincere."


    "Although such matchlock guns don''t pose a threat to us, the transcendent knights, for the brothers under our command, having more of these guns would substantially increase their combat ability."


    "Yes, boss, speak to Bloody Hand Willy. Distribute a few more to us on the ''Sunken Ship.'' The brothers have been complaining to me all day." The boatswain, a big man with a full beard, also chimed in at this point.


    Mala, with a worried look, glanced up at the two of them and said, "We can cooperate with other pirates, but if we partner with the Eagle Federation, I''m afraid we''ll become a thorn in the Empire''s side if they find out!"


    "Moreover, do you think the Eagle Federation is really here to help us? They just want to use us to further weaken the Imperial Navy."


    The one-eyed first mate and the bearded boatswain, both no fools, immediately realized the implications of Mala''s words and exchanged glances.


    "Why don''t you divine that, boss?" The one-eyed middle-aged man hesitated, then suggested as an idea occurred to him.


    "I''ve already divined it. Although the results were neither good nor bad, I have a nagging feeling that something is off, as if the divination was interfered with." Mala explained as he paced.


    "However... I plan to divine it again right now!" Mala''s face tensed up with determination.


    This time, he planned to attempt the ''Blood Grass Divination,'' a more advanced method than the ''Aquatic Plant Divination.'' S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Blood Grass Divination'' requires mixing the diviner''s own blood with aquatic plants, thereby increasing the accuracy of the divination.


    However, this more advanced method of divination, due to its toll on the body, was seldom used by Mala.


    But the keen senses of a wizard apprentice seemed to warn him that danger was imminent, especially since this evening, his eyelids had been twitching non-stop!


    ...


    By the dockside.


    The attack on the Bloodsail Pirate flagship ''Bloodsail'' had been launched, led by four naval officers with the strength of peak knights. The navy''s assault team followed closely behind, with the rear guarded by a rear admiral and another expert.


    Meanwhile, the navy''s assault team left behind fifteen men, who, under the command of another naval officer, seemed poised to simultaneously strike the ''Sunken Ship.''


    "By the way, Leonard, how long will the divination interference around Meritet Island last?"


    "Sir, it will last until dawn. If only a wizard apprentice performs the divination, I believe they won''t detect any problems." A confident naval colonel behind the rear admiral spoke up.


    Execution of ''Divination Interference'' is a routine procedure for some special operations.


    The rear admiral nodded, then turned to a middle-aged man in hunting attire with a handlebar mustache and said: Enjoy new chapters from empire


    "Lord Theo, let us then go and meet Bloody Hand Willy and the Eagle Federation''s envoy."


    "Certainly, I''d also like to see the prowess of Bloody Hand Willy." Theo, the head of the examination team, agreed with a smile.


    "Huh!"


    At that moment, the rear admiral seemed to sense something and turned his head towards the direction where Rein was.


    At that moment, Rein, with a greatsword in each hand, began murmuring a spell.


    "High Temperature Field!"


    As the deep incantation began, a subtle change appeared around Rein''s body after three seconds.


    Although from an outsider''s perspective, Rein''s form was still clearly visible, the difference in temperature caused a change in air density, creating a refraction of light.


    Simply put, if an enemy were to thrust a sword at Rein''s eye, there might be a slight deviation, diverting the strike to Rein''s forehead or another nearby area instead.


    The next second, Rein''s figure suddenly expanded, his muscles swelling as if inflated, doubling in size!


    Luckily, he had switched to an otter-skin armor, which was more elastic than metallic plate armor, thus preventing it from bursting suddenly.


    Suddenly, with a motion akin to throwing a javelin, Rein forcefully hurled the Glimmering Greatsword toward the stern of the ''Sunken Ship,'' anchored about twenty to thirty meters away!


    "Swish!!!"


    In an instant, the greatsword flew like a giant arrow straight toward the stern at a high velocity, so fast that only a bright blur was visible.


    By the time the sound reached everyone''s ears, the greatsword had already embedded itself in the ship''s hull at the stern, piercing through several tens of meters of the thick ship''s outer shell and leaving about a meter of shiny blade humming and vibrating.


    With ''Limit Break'' and the superhuman trait ''Huge Strength lv3'' activated, Rein forcefully pushed off, sprinting towards a small boat moored by the shore.


    The next second, Rein stepped onto the deck of the little boat, instantly causing a creaking sound from the deck, overwhelmed by the force.


    Apparently, Rein was using the small boat as a ''stepping stone,'' his powerful step immediately pressing the boat''s body down several dozen centimeters.

 Chapter 165 Breaking into the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter) _2

    Immediately following, he leapt into the air again like a large bird and flew toward the stern of the three-masted sailboat "The Wreck."At this moment, the beautiful Navy Major Mary, with her cherry lips wide open enough to fit an apple, stared with wide eyes, unable to recover her wits for a long time. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as if her expression was frozen in that moment forever.


    It wasn''t until Rein was flying straight from the dock to the stern of "The Wreck" that she came back to her senses, muttering, "He has this... this kind of strength, why doesn''t he join the others... And what is he planning to do?"


    "The stern..."


    Evelyn, the redhead girl, also widened her eyes quickly, watching Rein''s figure as he soared toward the stern of "The Wreck." However, her mind was rapidly trying to grasp Rein''s intentions.


    The few maneuvers he just executed had already demonstrated that Rein was undoubtedly an expert not inferior to her.


    But she was still somewhat perplexed as to why Rein was doing this!


    Why not take the common approach and board "The Wreck" using the gangplank?


    At this moment, the gangplank of "The Wreck" had not been removed and was still connected to the dock; with his strength, it should have been a breeze for him to barge in.


    Running to the stern...


    Could it be, he thought there would be fewer people if he boarded from the stern?


    It seemed that was the only explanation!


    The redhead girl nodded to herself, thinking in secret.


    And the Navy officer standing next to Major Mary, whose strength had reached that of a Peak Knight, was also looking at Rein with a face full of surprise. A thought instantly crossed his mind.


    That was that this young man could very likely create an explosive scene for them.


    Additionally, he murmured softly, "This is definitely not just a knight who has stepped into the Transcendent realm for the first time; not even a seasoned knight''s muscle changes can be this exaggerated, could he be...."


    A bit farther away, a Navy Rear Admiral and the middle-aged man from the examination group both raised their eyebrows, their eyes clearly revealing surprise.


    "Could it be he wants to directly attack the captain''s cabin?"


    "But the hull thickness of a three-masted sailboat is a full thirty centimeters at least," said the middle-aged man with a mustache, seemingly discerning Rein''s goal, speaking quietly.


    "That should be the case," the Navy Rear Admiral nodded, agreeing with the opinion of the mustachioed middle-aged nobleman.


    Just as everyone on shore was watching to see what Rein would do next,


    Rein, while descending, perfectly landed both feet and stood firmly on the Glimmering Greatsword wedged into the hull.


    Due to his body weight and the force of his high leap, the sword body, which was exceptionally flexible because it was mixed with stardust iron, immediately bent about thirty degrees, like a tightly pulled bow.


    At that moment, Rein bent his knees in preparation for a jump.


    Rein''s bent knees suddenly straightened with force, combining with the upward elasticity of the sword body. Rein, holding the Massive Hammer, shot up more than four meters high.


    "Strength Burst!"


    Simultaneously, his already bulging muscles swelled even more as he swung the Massive Hammer heavily��using "Unbreakable Strength," from bottom to top, spinning 360 degrees with a rotating force, he fiercely hammered toward the location of the small round window in the hefty hull.


    For there was the captain''s resting chamber of "The Wreck!"


    "Rising Dragon Hammer!"


    At this time, inside the captain''s resting chamber of "The Wreck,"


    En was biting into his own finger, dripping blood drop by drop onto a slender water grass.


    Suddenly, he seemed to catch a fleeting glimpse of a dark shadow passing by the small window at the side of the captain''s room.


    As he looked intently with confusion,


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    Suddenly!


    "Boom!"


    The thick wooden hull, thirty centimeters in front of his desk, burst apart with a loud bang!


    Countless tiny wooden splinters, under the impact of a tremendous force, scattered in all directions!


    These pieces of wood of varying sizes and bizarre shapes, with extremely sharp edges, scattered like a storm of high-speed bullets, overwhelming En and the other two people in the room!


    If it was just the shards of the hull, it wouldn''t be too much of a concern, as all three were at a Transcendent level and would only sustain minor external injuries at most.


    But as the three of them raised their hands to block the splinters attacking their eyes, something happened that terrified En to the core!


    Through the gaps between his fingers, he saw a massive, gleaming dark metallic hammer, along with the flying storm of wood shavings, coming down from above, fiercely targeting his forehead.


    "Earth-splitting Hammer!"


    At that very moment, the Wizard Apprentice instinct within En overwhelmed the Knight instinct. His immediate reaction wasn''t to roll and dodge, but to use spiritual power to trigger the life-saving amulet on his chest.


    This amulet was a one-time instantaneous witchcraft tool that En was loath to use unless it was a critical moment.


    Just like the sudden storm of wood shavings that had just occurred, he had not been willing to use it.


    "Ah!!!"


    With a scream from En, the amulet on his chest burst open, and at the same time, a water-blue film instantly enveloped him.


    With the protection of this shield-like film, En no longer panicked at the incoming hammer, his terrified expression calming down a lot.


    "Sss!"


    The sharp end of the black Massive Hammer, full of dense black spikes, hit the water-blue film forcefully, immediately denting it significantly.


    Then, to En''s disbelief, the longest and thickest of those spikes actually pierced straight through his "water film shield."

 Chapter 165 Breaking into the Shell (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Although only a little bit was pierced through, the black spike carried a violent shock force as it embedded about two centimeters into his forehead.At this moment, Marla''s light blue ''water membrane shield'', possibly due to being punctured, burst like a bubble with a ''pop'', completely shattering!


    Rein maintained his posture with both hands gripping the hammer, as he had just delivered an ''Earth-splitting Hammer'' strike downwards!


    Marla stood stiffly on the spot, his palm still open with fingers spread, guarding in front of his eyes, in a defensive manner, his facial expression was one of relief as if he had just released the life-saving water membrane shield.


    "Boom!!!"


    Just then, the back of Marla''s head, directly opposite where the forehead was pierced, suddenly exploded.


    Blood and white brain matter splattered everywhere!


    Instantly, his head was hollowed out!


    Because the back of Marla''s head had been completely blown off, but his face still remained intact.


    This gave people an illusion that from the front, Marla still bore an expression of relief on his face, as if he were still alive.


    The next second, his body twitched twice and he fell heavily to the ground.


    At this time, the first mate and boatswain had just put down their arms that had been shielding them from flying wood chips.


    They both looked at the scene before them in utter shock, eyes bulging, mouths agape.


    The scene had happened too quickly; they had no time to react, but as the storm of splintered wood cleared, they were immediately confronted with a terrifying sight.


    Their boss... had just died like that!


    They... specializing in Divination and water witchcraft, with strong self-defense capabilities, Marla their boss, just died like that?


    This suddenly gave them an absurd feeling, as if Marla had done nothing, just stood there and let the enemy hammer him to death!


    But obviously, that couldn''t be, a cornered rabbit will even bite, let alone their boss!


    Because the last time, when Rein was in ''triple stack state'', a giant hammer strike with a 261% strength amplification almost broke Adams'' black membrane shield at the time, that''s why he chose such a fierce approach this time. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And this time, with Rein''s strength further enhanced, reaching a 273% strength amplification along with the hammer technique secret skill ''Earth-splitting Hammer'', he finally achieved a shield-breaking strike!


    After killing the Diviner Marla with a hammer strike, Rein, to avoid exhausting his strength, immediately canceled ''Strength Burst'' but retained ''Limit Break'' and the Transcendent trait ''Huge Strength lv3''.


    As a result, his entire stature quickly shrank.


    Although Rein''s Constitution had improved quite a bit, with his Limit Break value increased, deploying ''Limit Break'', the Transcendent trait ''Huge Strength'', and a full hundred percent ''Strength Burst'' in such a triple stacked state, his explosive power was further enhanced.


    So, the strain on his body was still not minimal.


    But compared to the previous muscle-tearing ''aftereffect'', it had obviously improved quite a lot.


    However, to others, it seemed like after killing Marla, Rein was in a ''weakened'' state after a burst of secret techniques.


    Immediately, the two inside the captain''s cabin came to their senses and roared furiously:


    "He killed Boss Marla! Men!"


    "You''re dead! Quick, get someone here!"


    There was no need for them to yell; such a commotion in the captain''s cabin had already prompted the Bloodsail Pirates on guard nearby to rush in.


    Only to be confronted with the sight of their boss''s head hollowed out, they could not help but turn pale.


    "Kill him!!" the Bloodsail Pirates were ''enraged''.


    No matter what, Rein was only one man, while they...


    were an entire ship''s crew!!


    Amidst the clamorous shouts, many fearless Bloodsail Pirates immediately charged at Rein, brandishing various weapons. Enjoy new stories from empire


    However, as they approached Rein, they suddenly felt an intense heat, as if they were sprayed face-first with steam at eighty or ninety degrees Celsius.


    Instantly, many weaker Bloodsail Pirate lackeys screamed, trying to push themselves backwards in retreat.


    But they forgot they were in the captain''s cabin, a confined space that was not particularly spacious, yet so many of them had poured in.


    Although there was no stampede, the idea of retreat was simply wishful thinking!


    "Aaah!!!"


    One after another, the lackeys too weak to withstand the heat screamed as they covered their faces.


    In just a few seconds, many people''s skin had been scalded by Rein''s ''high temperature force field''!


    Turning from bright red to starting to whiten, this was...


    a sign of almost being cooked!


    A few who were too forceful in clutching their faces tore the epidermis from their faces, revealing the bloody underlying flesh.


    The surrounding Bloodsail Pirates witnessed this eerie spectacle, and for a moment, none dared step forward.


    But soon, from the continuously arriving Bloodsail Pirates, several raised their brand-new matchlock guns, already lit.


    Rein narrowed his eyes. Although he had the Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin lv3'' and did not fear such low-caliber bullet attacks, he had no need to have a showdown with the enemies here.


    He would stick to the plan he had set before! thought Rein.


    The next second, Rein used the weighty pig-head hammer to heavily strike the floor, breaking a large hole in the deck of the captain''s room, and he immediately jumped down to the next deck.

 Chapter 165 Breaking into the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Compared to the hull, the thickness of this deck was much thinner, making it much easier to shatter.The Bloodsail pirates, like a pack of hyenas, led by the burly first mate and the bearded bo''sun, pursued Rein relentlessly.


    But just as they jumped down, and some more Bloodsail pirates were rounding to the next lower deck, they saw Rein once again striking the deck. He quickly jumped into the hole in the deck, reaching the very bottom layer.


    This left the first mate and the bo''sun from the ''Wreck'' momentarily dumbfounded!


    They had never seen an ''assassin'' who, after completing the assassination, did not rush to escape but instead continued to ''penetrate deeper into enemy territory.''


    The mysterious actions of the enemy were completely incomprehensible!


    At this moment, because of Rein''s layer-by-layer destruction of the deck, he had nearly mobilized all the Bloodsail pirates aboard the ''Wreck.''


    So, nearly two hundred Bloodsail pirates began to rush toward the position where Rein was now.


    This instilled tremendous confidence in the burly first mate and the bearded bo''sun!


    "Even if you are the Great Knight, you''re done for this time! A single piss each could drown you!"


    ...


    By the dockside.


    "What is this nonsense, even if he could shatter the hull, launching a solo attack is bound to face an ambush by the Bloodsail pirates, truly a stupid act!" the male naval officer standing next to Marine Corps Major Mary exclaimed in astonishment, then scolded angrily.


    His long military experience had taught him to value ''perfect coordination and tight cooperation.''


    He deeply detested this kind of ''individual heroism.''


    Furthermore, as a Peak Knight himself, when he first saw Rein shatter the thick hull of the ''Wreck'' and break into the captain''s quarters with a single blow, he was initially taken aback by Rein''s strength, but this was immediately followed by a deep frown!


    Because no matter how strong one''s personal ability, human strength always has its limits.


    Facing more than ten, or even dozens of Bloodsail pirates single-handedly was clearly unwise.


    But compelled by duty, the naval officer of Peak Knight rank immediately tapped his foot on the ground and quickly chased toward the large hole in the ''Wreck.'' sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He probably wouldn''t make it in time, but he might at least recover the body! he thought.


    At this time, the beautiful Marine Corps Major Mary finally recovered from the shock of seeing Rein shatter the thick hull.


    She closed her cherry lips and followed the naval officer, hurrying after him.


    As one of the record-keepers for this knighting examination, she naturally had to keep up, or how could she document the firsthand situation?


    Following her, two naval officers and one person dressed in noble hunting attire from the assessment team immediately followed. Read the latest on empire


    These three individuals moved rapidly and efficiently, with every action showing signs of high-level expertise, appearing to be Peak Knights themselves.


    The blow that Rein struck to shatter the hull of the ''Wreck'' also caught the eyes of the naval commodore and the nobleman with a handlebar mustache on the beach.


    Strangely, the two remained motionless, appearing completely unconcerned for Rein''s safety.


    The naval commodore watched Rein charge into the captain''s quarters, and after several seconds, he turned with a smile to the man with the handlebar mustache and asked,


    "Sir Theo, having overseen so many knighting assessments, have you ever encountered such an interesting young man?"


    The handlebar-mustachioed middle-aged man, also looking pleased, pondered briefly before replying, "General Xilva, it must have been three years since I last saw such a spirited young person."


    The knighting examiner named Theo used the word ''spirited,'' which was quite telling.


    Naval Commodore Xilva, clearly understanding the implication, smiled and continued, "Indeed! There are many talented young people, but few as spirited as this one."


    "Sir Theo, I might have to trouble you with something."


    "Oh?" Theo raised an eyebrow, eagerly awaiting Xilva''s next words.


    After all, the opportunity to earn a favor from one of the young representatives of the Imperial Navy��Commodore Xilva��was not easy to come by.

 Chapter 166 Emerging from the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    In the blink of an eye, Rein had reached the bottom of the "Shipwreck," where his Glimmering Greatsword was inserted. At this moment, he could see a short section of the gleaming greatsword''s tip penetrating the thick hull, appearing to his right.However, coming to the bottom hold wasn''t just about retrieving his greatsword��more importantly, it was about implementing the plan!


    For this level also housed the storage location for the "Shipwreck''s" gunpowder barrels.


    In front of his eyes, inside a separate small cabin, dozens of large wooden barrels were neatly stacked on metal racks, which seemed to be raised off the ground slightly to prevent dampness.


    Rein first forcefully withdrew the greatsword and then switched from the hammer in his hand back to the Glimmering Greatsword.


    At that moment, a large group of Bloodsail pirates, led by the brutally-faced first mate and a bearded sailing master, surrounded him from all directions.


    Rein assessed his own physical exhaustion��the recent continuous bursts of energy were indeed very draining, so in his mind, he silently opted to allocate more points.


    Following the pre-planned allocation strategy, as his remaining attribute points changed from 3��2 and his spiritual power from 23 points��24 points, Rein suddenly felt a surge of warmth pumping out of his heart and rapidly spreading to his limbs!


    In an instant, Rein had restored his physical strength to peak condition!


    In terms of endurance battles, Rein, who could restore with "points allocation," had never feared anyone!


    The sight of Rein calmly holding the greatsword intimidated the group of Bloodsail pirates momentarily, causing them to shrink back in awe; this infuriated several pirate leaders who had not witnessed Rein''s prowess before!


    "Attack! Kill him!" bellowed a few of the Bloodsail pirate leaders as they led the charge.


    As the pirates roared, they launched another assault on Rein.


    Rein''s body once again swelled, most noticeably his bulging neck, as if his chest housed a boiling, bubbling pot of water, and his wide-open mouth was like a roaring steam whistle, releasing a colossal stream of heat!


    "Roar!!!"


    A roar louder than all their voices combined emanated from the bottom hold!


    "Roaring strike!"


    This made every pirate there change their expression, thinking to themselves, "This is bad!" but it was already too late to retreat!


    First, there was this wide-range sonic attack, which was most difficult to counter, unless...


    Your speed of retreat could surpass the speed of sound!


    Moreover, being in a cabin, a confined space, the lethality of the sonic waves was further enhanced by the echo!


    Thus, a moment later, a loud noise exploded by the ears of all the pirates.


    Dozens of Bloodsail pirates'' facial skin stretched, trembled, and distorted under the impact of the sonic waves, their eyes lost focus and even rolled back, and their heads went blank!


    "Aaah!!!" Screams echoed continuously.


    And after the loud noise, there was a buzzing noise in their ears and brains that lasted a long time without subsiding!


    Unlike before, this time Rein did not immediately unleash the Whirlwind Slash but instead...


    Took this opportunity to cast the witchcraft "Blaze of Light"!


    As a glaring flame suddenly lit up above the palm of Rein''s left hand, the previously dim environment was brightly lit like daylight in an instant.


    Now, those Bloodsail pirates were indeed miserable: their eardrums torn, heads throbbing with severe pain, just as they were starting to recover, they were almost blinded by the intense light, seeing only a sea of whiteness!


    The shift from extreme darkness to extreme light is unbearable for anyone!


    "Aaah!!!"


    Thus, just as the screaming had subsided slightly, it rose again sharply!


    Seconds later, when the Bloodsail pirates realized they could barely see again, they saw that intensive light moving towards a pile of cylindrical objects at the bottom of the hold.


    The first mate and sailing master, the first to recover their sight, saw Rein plug and light a fuse on a barrel of gunpowder, their expressions struck with horror!


    "Ssss!"


    The burning sound of the fuse, as relentless as a death sentence!


    Judging by the length of the fuse, it was probably going to explode in three seconds!


    Retreat!


    Quickly retreat! Even faster!


    The first mate and sailing master immediately abandoned all caution, scrambling to the upper deck!


    They were well aware that if that pile of gunpowder barrels exploded, not only would they be sent to heaven, but the "Shipwreck" itself would likely also be blasted in two. Just imagining that scene filled both with sheer terror!


    ''What kind of maniac has come from where to kill himself and choose mutual destruction!'' The two cursed in their minds, panicking as they ran for their lives.


    "Run!"


    Ordinary pirates also caught on at this time, and it was not feasible to push through this formidable opponent to extinguish the fuse.


    The only option now was to run! sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As long as they could make it to the decks at either end, even if there was an explosion, they might still have a chance to survive.


    "Boom!!!"


    Just as the Bloodsail pirates scattered chaotically, squeezing toward the ladder of the upper chamber like headless flies.


    Rein''s physique swelled once more, the 2.2-meter muscle behemoth reappeared, instantly switching weapons, and with one hammer blow created another large hole in the thirty-centimeter-thick oak hull.


    Then, Rein forcefully pushed off with his legs, leaping through the large hole, his entire body soaring like a giant bird towards the nearest small boat over ten meters away.


    It had been "breaking in" before, but now it was "breaking out"!


    Two seconds...


    At that moment, mid-leap Rein suddenly caught sight of a familiar, beautiful face peeking out from the hole in the captain''s quarters at the stern of the "Shipwreck."

 Chapter 166 Breaking Out of the Shell (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    This couldn''t help but make Rein''s pupils constrict and his face changed drastically as a thought flashed through his mind, "How is she there?" but without time to ponder the reason, he quickly shouted, "Run! The ship is going to explode!"While shouting, Rein swung his arms heavily twice.


    It turned out, just moments ago, Navy Lieutenant Mary, following a male navy officer, had entered the "Wreckage" captain''s rest chamber through the hole Rein had smashed.


    Upon entering the captain''s chamber, they were shocked to see the "Wreckage" captain and the Diviner, Mala Nasr, lying on the floor.


    They stared dumbfounded at this scene, completely unable to comprehend what kind of attack would cause such an effect where the back of the head was hollowed out, yet the face remained intact.


    Dual-Handed Hammer?


    If you smash with a hammer, wouldn''t the face be a mess too?


    Dual-Handed Greatsword?


    Shouldn''t that have either decapitated or split the person in two?


    Mary, shocked, then picked up a quill and hurriedly wrote, "Participant Rein, killed the bloodthirsty pirate ''Wreckage'' captain and Diviner Mala Nasr��"


    But before she could finish writing, suddenly, they felt the ship violently tremble as if another large hole had been struck.


    Thus, they immediately stuck their heads out to see Rein escaping from the hull at high speed, shouting "The ship is going to explode!"


    The color drained from everyone''s faces. Although they didn''t understand how the ship was going to explode, they didn''t dare to stay a moment longer!


    This newly appointed knight participating in the knighthood examination had already shocked them too much. It was highly likely he was telling the truth!


    They had to run first!


    So, everyone also quickly scrambled out of the hole in the captain''s chamber and jumped onto nearby boats, each leaping like a large bird over the sea surface.


    One second...


    Compared to the bloodthirsty pirates stumbling and trampling each other in the cramped cabin and wooden stairs, the imperial navy officers were very lucky, covering ten or twenty meters in the same time frame. Your journey continues at empire


    Facing the threat of death, every pirate scrambled frantically!


    Finally, as the explosion arrived, most of the pirates had barely managed to climb a few stair steps.


    "BOOM!!!"


    An explosion that shook the entire Meritet Island suddenly erupted! S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Including Rein, everyone was hit by the shockwave from behind - stumbling and nearly falling, followed by a shower of water dozens of meters high that drenched them all.


    They were all in such a disheveled state, one could only imagine the situation of the bloodthirsty pirates on the "Wreckage."


    Turning their heads, they saw the thirty-meter long "Wreckage" split in two, ablaze with fierce flames, and beginning to slowly sink.


    But since the "Wreckage" was docked at the pier near the shore, the water was not deep, which caused both halves of the ship''s body to protrude high out of the water, standing like giant reefs!


    ...


    On the dock outside.


    Navy Admiral Xilva was about to say something.


    Suddenly, a furious roar came from the direction of the "Wreckage," like the tangible roar of a giant bear.


    This made Admiral Xilva and the noble middle-aged man Theo stop their conversation and look toward the "Wreckage" once more.


    They saw the middle bottom part of the "Wreckage" suddenly explode open, and a familiar figure was quickly running out. The speed didn''t look like a retreat but rather an escape.


    "Eh! Is he being overwhelmed and fleeing?" On seeing this, the thought popped into both their minds.


    However, upon hearing Rein''s loud exclamation that the "ship is going to explode," the two high-ranking officials exchanged a look, both seeing shock in the other''s eyes.


    "It''s going to explode?"


    "He blew up the ''Wreckage''?"


    As the two officials were stunned, a terrifying explosion roared through the docks.


    The two raised their hands to block the fierce airflow caused by the shock wave; even at a distance of over a hundred meters, the violent airflow still made their clothes flutter loudly!


    "What on earth did this young man do?"


    "Didn''t they say on the way here that killing a pirate ship''s first mate was already considered an excellent evaluation?"


    "The hell is blowing up a whole ship of bloodthirsty pirates?" the two thought.


    Yet, both being seasoned in major events, Navy Admiral Xilva quickly recovered and said to the noble middle-aged man:


    "This kid, not only disrupted my earlier plans, but he also destroyed a three-masted warship we were about to capture!"


    "Yes, but... what he did, upon closer inspection, didn''t violate any assessment regulations," the middle-aged nobleman Theo said with a resigned smile.


    Who could have expected a knight participating in a knighthood examination, when dealing with pirates, to be fiercer than an experienced naval special forces team!


    "He really stirs up trouble, this kid!"


    "Plus... we might have to get busy!" Navy Admiral Xilva, once more focused his gaze on the ''Blood Sail.''


    Possibly influenced by the "Wreckage" being blown in half, the activities on the ''Blood Sail'' markedly increased at that moment.


    Both men, one after the other, charged towards the pirate flagship��the ''Blood Sail''.


    ...


    Everyone on the pirate ships including the ''Blood Sail,'' whether they were pirates, elite imperial navy, or knights participating in the knighthood examination, was shaken by the tremendous sound.


    On the ''Rule,'' led by a previously mentioned noble scion, a group of young knights was battling on the deck with curved-sword-wielding bloodthirsty pirates.

 Chapter 166 Breaking Out of the Shell (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    With many people involved, as they boarded the "Ruel", it was inevitable that they would be discovered sooner or later. Thus, after a period of stealth attacks, the conflict eventually escalated into a full-blown battle.As the explosive sounds from the "Wreck" rang out, everyone watched the fiercely burning and broken three-masted ship in awe of the Empire''s naval grandiosity, instantly boostin everyone''s morale!


    The same scene was unfolding on the "Hook"!


    Enjoy new adventures from empire


    On the "Bloodsail", being the flagship of the Bloodsail pirates, the pirates'' strength was not to be underestimated. They were fiercely battling with the Empire''s naval assault team, which was why Commodore Xilva had mentioned he would be "busy for a while."


    At that moment, Rein, who had caused such a commotion, stood calmly, seemingly admiring his own "masterpiece."


    But in reality, he was just checking the system notifications:


    [Your Skill High-Temperature Field has been improved, Experience +17]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been improved, Experience +54]


    [Your Skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has been improved, Experience +377]


    [Your Skill Blazing Light has been improved, Experience +19] S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +81, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +46]


    ...


    At this moment, Colonel Mary, stepping with a "clack clack clack" in her thick-heeled boots, quickly approached Rein and said somewhat angrily, "Knight Rein, why didn''t you tell us before you made such a big commotion."


    "Just now, we almost...."


    Rein turned his head and glanced at the drenched beauty of the Colonel.


    Her shapely naval uniform was clinging tightly to her body, accentuating her voluptuous figure, a pity that her pretty face was glaring at him with its beautiful eyes.


    However, Rein somewhat understood her feelings, as anyone would be furious if they nearly died at the hands of "friendly fire."


    As for Mary, who always cared about her appearance, not only was she drenched by the explosion of the "Wreck", but drops of salty sea water were still trickling down her beautiful, thick hair.


    That was indeed too much for someone who always loved cleanliness!


    "This... indeed, I was negligent," he said.


    "However... it doesn''t say in the guidelines that new knights taking the assessment need to report their action plans in advance, does it?"


    Rein felt it necessary to explain clearly.


    After all, had he not alerted his "allies" in time, it could have resulted in casualties on their side, so he added another sentence.


    "You..."


    Mary''s bosom heaved as Rein''s words resonated with her, but upon careful thought, she actually couldn''t find any flaw in what Rein had said.


    Because, indeed, the assessment rules never stated that new knights must report their action plans.


    "Then you tell me, how should I record and tally your kills?" Mary sharply turned the conversation, pointing to the Bloodsail pirates still alive in the sea and the many more bodies "drifting with the waves".


    Rein grumbled internally, ''You''re the recorder, isn''t that for you to figure out?'', while he soothingly said, "Colonel Mary, just record the captain, first mate, and boatswain of the ''Wreck''. Let''s not bother about the others."


    "No! As the recorder, I have to document everything clearly."


    "Then I really don''t have any good solution."


    ...


    Long before Rein saw the blueprint of the three-masted ship, he had considered this battle plan. At that time, he had studied the data on the ship''s hull thickness, deck thickness, and more several times.


    On the other hand, near the campfire on the beach, he also found the thick oak planks the pirates used for repairing their hulls and personally tested their strength.


    After ensuring all conditions were met, Rein finally decided to implement this battle strategy.


    His goal was simple: to kill as many Bloodsail pirates as possible and thus secure a high evaluation.


    After all, a mere excellent rating wasn''t Rein''s goal; receiving an invite to become a "Sword Bearer" was!


    The reason Rein didn''t choose the "Bloodsail" was that it was also the main attack direction of the naval assault team.


    Obviously, if the underlings were also counted, it wouldn''t compare to potentially capturing the "Wreck" in one fell swoop.


    Moreover, on the "Bloodsail", there was also a Great Knight-level expert, Bloody Hand Willy. Rein thought challenging him with a Leap Slash was too risky from any perspective.


    Even though, now with the strength of a level-two Wizard Apprentice, his total combat power exceeded that of a Peak Knight.


    But compared to a Great Knight, Rein estimated there was still a significant gap.


    As for how much of a gap, he really wasn''t sure.


    Because he had never crossed swords with an enemy of the Great Knight level.


    Lastly, another critical point was the mysterious messenger from the Eagle Federation. What exactly was their strength?


    The Imperial Navy''s provided information didn''t specify, and the navy commodore hadn''t mentioned it either.


    Unknowns are the biggest uncontrollables and sources of risk.


    However... choosing the "Wreck" essentially eliminated those issues.


    Looking back now, Rein thought his decision was quite wise.


    At that moment, Rein suddenly remembered something.


    He seemed to have forgotten to pick up the spoils of war, especially those of the "Wreck" captain and Diviner, Mala Nasr.


    As a Wizard Apprentice, there might be other witchcraft models on him, or some other items of interest to Rein, but he wasn''t particularly concerned about the spoils of others.

 Chapter 166 Breaking Out of the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    ```Fortunately, "Shipwreck" had split into two, but it had broken in the middle.


    Both ends, the stern and the bow, were now standing at a 45-degree angle towards the sky, and had not sunk into the water.


    Rein immediately turned his head and asked, "Major Mary, is the loot from the knighthood assessment considered personal property, or does it belong to the Empire?"


    "Ah?" Mary, who was still fuming, did not expect Rein to suddenly ask such a question out of the blue. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After thinking for a moment, she responded, "It''s personal property, of course, unless it involves something related to national security of the Empire; then it must be turned over."


    Rein nodded, "Thank you, Major Mary. I think I need to go find my loot. Would you like to come with me?"


    "Hmm? Uh... sure!" Mary was taken aback, but quickly nodded in agreement.


    Indeed, ''diverting attention'' is a good way to stop a woman from nagging you.


    Rein had often used it on his mother, Emma.


    Now it seemed, this was a ''universal skill''.


    "Shipwreck''s" captain''s quarters.


    Although it was Mary''s second time seeing the Diviner''s body, she couldn''t help but exclaim: "Knight Rein, how on earth did you... "


    While speaking, Mary pointed to the empty skull of the deceased.


    "Just a secret technique. By the way, I should have no problem getting an excellent evaluation for the assessment, right?" Rein didn''t wish to elaborate on his methods and used ''diversion of attention'' once again.


    "Of course, in my opinion, you deserve a higher level of evaluation. Unfortunately, the highest grade in the knighthood assessment is ''excellent''." Major Mary said with a slight smile.


    ...


    "Bloodsail''s" stern deck.


    Baron Xilva''s face was livid as he gazed at a ripple quickly moving away hundreds of meters out at sea; he knew beneath the surface was a newly developed device from the Eagle Federation, capable of short-duration underwater navigation.


    It seemed that his ships stationed at the open sea would probably not be able to stop the Federation''s approach.


    The raid had not been fully successful��a pity indeed!


    However, looking at ''Bloody Hand Willy'' sprawled beside him, like a mud doll, Baron Xilva''s complexion finally improved a bit.


    At least, he should be able to extract some useful information from Willy''s mouth.


    "Report, general: We''ve found a batch of new matchlock guns. Judging from the material and craftsmanship, they''re likely from the Eagle Federation," a Messenger reported.


    Xilva nodded without saying much.


    .....


    Meanwhile, the battle on Meritet Island was gradually reaching its end.


    And the task of compiling statistics was being rushed through overtime.


    Especially on "Shipwreck''s" side, Major Mary had to ask her colleagues for help to fish out the floating corpses and the half-dead Bloodsail pirates.


    The male naval officer was directing the assault team members, originally meant to attack "Shipwreck," in clearing the surface of the sea.


    Rein was quite lucky; the first mate with the full face of flesh and the bearded boatswain were both fished out.


    The veteran Knights'' robust bodies allowed them to survive, having avoided the center of the explosion.


    However, heavily injured as they were, they did not escape the Empire''s navy search and were captured on the spot.


    According to the statistics rules of the knighthood assessment, it had to be either witnessed by a recorder or corroborated with distinctive items or corpses.


    Now, the "three giants of Shipwreck" had all been accounted for and recorded under Rein''s kill list.


    ...


    An hour later.


    The new knights participating in the assessment were gathered once again and boarded the navy warship heading back.


    Unlike on the way there, this time they were on a large four-masted sailing ship of the Imperial Navy.


    Inside the cabin, some could not hide their joy, while others were downcast.


    "This time I killed six Bloodsail pirate leaders and got a good evaluation��I should have no problem!"


    "Alas! I only killed eleven common pirates; I''m afraid I might not make it this time!" a young man said, unable to hide his disappointment.


    "That''s what happens when you choose ''Little Fortress.'' It''s safe, but there are much fewer pirates inside than on a ship, and too many of you went there!"


    "Not surprised by your outcome," said another slightly older young man, with a hint of disdain.


    Many people are always like that, wanting big rewards without taking any risks.


    He had gone to "Hook''s Might," killing seven Bloodsail pirate leaders and eight common pirates, securing a good evaluation for himself!


    "Did you hear? The red-haired girl Evelyn killed the boatswain of ''Bloodsail'' and several pirate leaders."


    "That fierce? Doesn''t that mean she''s definitely getting an excellent evaluation! Tsk tsk, that''s a direct barony title right there, so envious!"


    "Yeah! Many knights serve decades for the Empire and only end up with a barony," said another young man enviously, glancing sideways at the red-haired girl.


    However, what puzzled him was that the red-haired girl Evelyn''s eyes kept darting to a black-haired young man beside her.


    ```

 Chapter 167 Rating (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    Although the ship named ''Sunken Vessel'' exploded in two, all the newly knighted participants of the knighthood exam had heard and seen it.However, apart from the red-haired girl Evelyn who had witnessed that Ren was responsible for it, everyone else had only heard the loud explosion and seen the ''Sunken Vessel'' burning and breaking in two.


    Therefore, they naturally assumed it was the work of the Imperial Navy, never even considering that it could have been one of the young participants in the knighthood examination.


    On the other hand, perhaps due to rules concerning confidentiality, the exam committee members and navy officials who had witnessed Ren blowing up the ship kept completely silent about the situation at the time.


    As for Evelyn, the only other eyewitness, she was reserved and a bit proud, and she had no desire to spread the news.


    Thus, one thing led to another, and none of the youths knew that Ren was behind the explosion of the ship.


    As for Ren himself, he naturally wouldn''t go around proclaiming his deed.


    At this moment, Ren was quietly sitting in a cabin chair, replaying the entire battle in his mind, as if the noisy sounds within the ship had nothing to do with him.


    If during that time, the Diviner Mala''s protective film had resisted his ''Earth-splitting Hammer,'' then the experienced knights, the first mate and the bosun of the ''Sunken Vessel,'' would have surely joined the fight.


    But since he had released a high-temperature field that lasted about a minute ahead of time, and the fight took place in a closed and small captain''s quarters, he still maintained a significant advantage.


    Defeating those few was just a matter of exerting himself a bit more!


    The only scenario in which he might have failed was if the Diviner Mala had chosen to flee right after resisting his hit.


    Then, relying on his familiarity with the ''Sunken Vessel,'' Mala might have escaped immediately, and Ren would have been too slow to catch up, all while being fatigued from killing off the Bloodsail footmen along the way.


    In that case, there would have been many variables.


    Even if he ultimately managed to destroy the ''Sunken Vessel,'' the Diviner Mala would have certainly escaped, and his achievements in battle would be significantly diminished.


    However...


    Upon further reflection, Ren realized that this possibility was not very high.


    After all, the ''Sunken Vessel'' was Diviner Mala''s lair; he had many treasures stored in the captain''s quarters, and also, he had never confronted Ren directly before.


    Putting himself in his shoes, he wasn''t likely to just give up his treasured possessions and quickly flee from his lair upon an encounter.


    Speaking of treasured possessions, Ren couldn''t help but glance down at the black cloth bag at his feet, which contained the spoils from Diviner Mala. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Inside the black cloth bag was just a small iron box.


    At that time, Ren had considered that carrying just a small iron box would be too conspicuous, so he found a black bag to cover it.


    This way, it appeared less conspicuous.


    Because many newly knighted participants had their gains in similarly large and small black bags during the knighting exam.


    In the small box found under the bed of the captain''s quarters of the ''Sunken Vessel,'' the first thing inside was a fish scale scroll documenting a water-related witchcraft called ''Hydrotherapy.''


    Combining this with the information previously given by the Imperial Navy, Ren guessed it was likely Diviner Mala''s signature water witchcraft.


    If it were another Wizard Apprentice, they would likely be thrilled to obtain an opponent''s signature spell; however, Ren felt slightly disappointed since it was not the best-suited fire witchcraft for him.


    For him, the shortage of witchcraft to learn wasn''t an issue; he had yet to study two curses from Adam, and now he had acquired ''Hydrotherapy.''


    He could study these witchcrafts, but in terms of power or effectiveness, there would be considerable discounts otherwise, the concept of affinity wouldn''t exist.


    Secondly, there was a letter inside Mala''s iron box; the letter itself was not important �C it was a letter Mala wrote to a friend, but it mentioned a piece of information.


    Regarding this information, Ren considered its value no less than the just-obtained water witchcraft ''Hydrotherapy.''


    Because the letter mentioned a mysterious market in Rosby City called the ''Nightingale Market.''


    This immediately reminded Ren of Meister''s ''Bat Market.''


    Perhaps, in the mysterious market in Rosby City, Ren could encounter something useful to him.


    Last, there was something interesting inside the small iron box; it was half of a treasure map.


    Upon seeing this, Ren couldn''t help but laugh; he hadn''t set out on a great voyage yet, but he had already come across a treasure map.


    Originally, Ren wasn''t very interested in treasure maps because the gold and silver treasures hidden by the pirates weren''t a great temptation to him.


    However, after seeing the notes written by Mala on the back of the treasure map, he changed his mind.


    Because it was the treasure of the Pirate King!


    The origin of this treasure map, after Mala''s long-term and meticulous investigation, was discovered to come from a pirate king named Vincent Sanborn, a fire witchcraft Wizard and a Great Knight.active hundreds of years ago, who was renowned for his fireball technique comparable to heavy artillery.

 Chapter 167 Ratings (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    It''s said that the power of a single Fireball Technique is even stronger than a 32-pound cannon!Especially when the target is those wooden-hulled ships, one fireball not only shatters the hull but also ignites the body of the ship, so Vincent Sanborn easily ascended to the throne of the Pirate King, known by the nickname "Shipburner."


    Fireball Technique!


    Rein couldn''t help but long for it!


    Although there is currently no clue about the other half of the treasure map, he already has one half after all.


    What if one day he could find the other half.


    Once he learns the witchcraft ''Fireball Technique,'' he would definitely add five Skill Points! Three would simply not do the word ''fireball'' justice!


    ....


    Half a day later, after a night of battle and tense statistics, the naval officers who participated in the assault on Meritet Island and the imperial ennobling evaluation team members were holding a joint meeting in the conference room of the Imperial South Sea Fleet''s Sixth Division, across from the Navy House Inn.


    A crisp female voice was reporting data clearly.


    The other party was a female officer dressed in a navy uniform, just like Major Mary, except her shoulder bore three stars, indicating she was a captain.


    "..."


    "Felipe Kurban, killed the ''Lihook''s'' first mate, three Bloodsail pirate leaders, and eight common pirates, scoring: four hundred points."


    "Bridget Sanchez, killed the ''Lihook''s'' captain, Bilkel Jamal, five Bloodsail pirate leaders, and three common pirates, scoring: six hundred fifteen points."


    Upon hearing this, many in the meeting room whispered:


    "Hiss~ If it weren''t for that Rein, this one would have been the top scorer in this ennobling evaluation, right?"


    "Right, if it hadn''t been for Rein, who blew up the ships, this one would have been first!"


    "This score, in the previous two evaluations, would have been confidently first; it''s hard to imagine that now it can only settle for second..." a member of the evaluation team dressed in noble hunting attire murmured.


    "Rein Carlan, killed the ''Wreck''s'' captain, Mala Nasr, the first mate, the boatswain, twenty-two Bloodsail pirate leaders, and one hundred forty-nine common pirates."


    The female captain paused upon reaching this point, then continued, "Score: two thousand two hundred eighty-five points!"


    Perhaps because of this score, the female captain''s final tone was much more excited than before.


    "Hiss~~~" Inside the meeting room, many couldn''t help but gasp.


    "Tsk tsk!" Many others made sounds of amazement and surprise.


    Although the event of ''ship-blowing'' had almost spread among the naval officers and the evaluation team at the scene last night.


    At that time, many had guessed that the newcomer ''Shipburner'' Knight would receive an extremely high score.


    But now, upon actually hearing such an exaggerated score of over two thousand points, they were still left flabbergasted.


    Not only because this score had left the second place more than three times behind, but also because you should know that the current second-place score, in previous ennoblement evaluations, would have been securely the first as well!


    This left everyone in awe!


    ''When was the last time such a preposterous score appeared in the ennoblement evaluation?'' Viscount Theo, dressed in noble hunting attire, couldn''t help but fall into reminiscence.


    This situation, even in the memory of this officer who had been in charge of the ennoblement evaluations for five years, seemed... to have never occurred!


    Even considering the records of all previous Mingster Province ennoblement evaluations, such an exaggerated score had not appeared in a very long time!


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the score report is complete!" the female captain declared firmly.


    "Very well, now that everyone has heard the statistics, do any of the reviewers have objections?" Vice Admiral Xilva said with a smile, nodding at the female captain to signal that she could sit down.


    "No objections!"


    "None."


    As Xilva''s gaze shifted to each reviewer, they each responded in turn.


    At this moment, a male naval officer serving as a reviewer furrowed his brow and raised a different opinion:


    "This... concerning Rein''s score, I have a question. His ship-blowing action, to some extent, disrupted the Imperial Navy''s attack on the Bloodsail pirates'' flagship��the ''Bloodsail.''"


    "Therefore, I think there is a problem with his actions, and it would be more appropriate to deduct some points."


    No sooner had the officer finished speaking than some people nodded slightly and began whispering among themselves.


    "It seems there is a certain rationale to it."


    "Rein''s act of blowing up ships did have elements of taking advantage; indeed, some points should be deducted."


    "Correct, he is strong, but not strong enough to leave second place so far behind." S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "..."


    "I object!" At that moment, a voice sweet as an oriole spoke up, as the svelte figure of a female naval officer stood, none other than Major Mary.


    Under everyone''s gaze, she spoke confidently, "I believe that we must first clarify something, do the participants of the ennoblement evaluation need to pre-report their individual plans of action?"


    "I think this point has not been required, neither in the notices nor during the operations on site."


    "As such, from the perspective of the participants, making maximum use of existing conditions to increase the kill count is not inappropriate in any way." As she spoke, Mary looked around the room, catching everyone''s eyes.

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    Many people thought it over, then nodded, seeming to agree... Indeed, it was so.Seeing this scene, Mary revealed a slight smile and continued,


    "Moreover, Knight Rein was able to combine the information from the records with the actual situation on-site and implement it effectively. I think, this point is key to his scoring far above others."


    Hearing this, Admiral Xilva of the Imperial Navy also looked at Mary with admiration.


    Because this was also the reason he held Rein in high regard.


    Apart from Rein''s own formidable strength, the ability to grasp the crux of a problem and execute a response swiftly was extremely important. And to find a young person with both aforementioned abilities was rare even within the whole Imperial Navy.


    And within the Sixth Squadron of the Southern Sea Fleet, it was even rarer. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing that no one else had opinions to offer, Admiral Xilva turned to Viscount Theo and said, "Viscount, as the person in charge of the ennoblement assessment, the decision is yours to make."


    Viscount Theo nodded with a smile and said, "Admiral Xilva, you are too courteous. I personally see no issue with Rein''s current score. However, according to our protocols, we need to take a vote."


    "Of course, this is a necessary procedure. Now, please, those in favor of Rein''s current score, raise your hand," Xilva said with a smile and raised his own right hand.


    Viscount Theo, next to him, naturally raised his right hand as well.


    Seeing that the two influential figures at the scene had reached an agreement, who else would not know what to do? Immediately, hands shot up!


    And the male naval officer''s mouth twitched slightly before he also raised his own right hand.


    "Passed unanimously!"


    ...


    After the people in the conference room dispersed, Admiral Xilva said to Viscount Theo with a smile, "Lord Viscount, do you remember last night when I mentioned I needed a favor from you?"


    "Of course, Admiral Xilva, go ahead," Theo responded with a smile.


    "I''ve reviewed Rein''s record, and I did not expect such a talented young man of the Empire, who has such strength, is currently just a minor deputy officer of the peace in Flashgold Town��it''s quite the waste."


    "Viscount, what do you think about allowing me to jump the queue and deliver the transfer orders to Rein at the same time as the assessment results are delivered?"


    "I think such a spirited young man should serve in the Imperial Navy��it would be a heinous waste otherwise!"


    Viscount Theo listened and smiled gently.


    He had vaguely guessed that the favor Xilva spoke of might have something to do with Rein, and it turned out to be true.


    Under normal circumstances, after participating in the ennoblement assessment, whether a new Knight passes and what kind of title is granted requires about a month''s wait for the result.


    At a slower pace, it might take two months, or even longer.


    Because according to regulations, the outcome of the ennoblement assessment should be announced and communicated to the concerned parties within three months after the assessment.


    For Viscount Theo, granting the title in advance was not a problem at all.


    As long as he reported it to the Imperial Senate, the results could be clarified in as soon as three days, and Rein could be granted the title of Baron.


    Such degree of maneuvering did not violate the Empire''s regulations, as it was within the scope of his authority.


    Therefore, the favor Xilva asked for was naturally doable!


    "Of course, Admiral Xilva. I agree with your suggestion. For such capable and driven young men, they should indeed be placed in positions suitable for them," Theo said, still smiling.


    What does ''placing them in positions suitable for them'' mean?


    Admiral Xilva scoffed inwardly.


    Could a normal person even come up with such roundabout talk? Crafty fox!


    ...


    Not long after returning to the Home of the Imperial Navy inn, Rein''s room was suddenly met with an urgent knock.


    "Knock, knock, knock!"


    Upon opening the door, Rein saw an elated Has standing there.


    Has suddenly grabbed Rein''s arms, and jubilantly said, "Rein! I''ve passed! Hahaha!"


    "Uh... Has, I remember your task was a solo one, but... Isn''t it only after a month that one finds out whether they''ve passed the assessment?" asked Rein, slightly puzzled.


    "My assessment required me to kill five ink-spewing merfolk, but I managed to kill six. Those damnable deep-sea merfolk have much stronger combat abilities than ordinary merfolk! Each one was no less formidable than an appointed Knight!"


    "Also, their cursed ink-spewing ability not only has a potent poison but also obscures the vision, it''s easy to get hit if you''re not careful!" Has babbled excitedly.


    But Rein could tell that Has was simply too happy and wanted someone to share his joy with.


    After talking for a while, Has suddenly remembered something and asked,


    "Rein, sorry, I forgot to ask you, how did your assessment go?"


    "With your skills, you should stand a chance to receive a good evaluation, right?" Has asked earnestly.


    Because Rein had saved him from that group of men before, Has knew Rein was stronger than him, though he wasn''t quite sure by how much.


    And although he had invited Rein to the training ground several times, Rein had declined.


    However, he believed that Rein had strength close to that of a seasoned Knight; after all, that group had two official Knights, which an ordinary Knight would not be able to contend with.


    "This... shouldn''t be a problem, I suppose," Rein thought for a moment and nodded.


    If he outright claimed he should receive an excellent evaluation, Rein felt it would be too pretentious.

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    Additionally, he didn''t want to dampen the spirits of this new friendship with his current state of happiness."It''s just like you! To receive such a high commendation! That''s really impressive!" Hass slapped Rein on the shoulder, admiringly.


    At that moment, the clomping of boots echoed from one end of the corridor, and the graceful Major Maryka, now in a brand-new naval uniform, approached Rein.


    When she arrived in front of the two men, Hass''s face turned slightly red, and he lowered his head, becoming oddly quiet.


    Maryka turned to Hass and said, "Knight, may I have a word alone with Knight Rein?"


    "Ah? Oh... of course.... Of course!" Hass scratched his head and stumbled over his words.


    Once Hass had left, Maryka said to Rein with a smile, "Knight Rein, I''ve just been informed by my superiors that you need to stay at the Navy Home Inn for another three days. Is that alright?"


    "Uh... no problem." Rein hesitated briefly but then quickly agreed.


    He didn''t ask for a reason.


    Because three days... might just be enough time for him to find that mysterious market, "Nightingale Market."


    Besides, for him, having the opportunity to learn more about the outside world was beneficial, and Rosby City was clearly a place with more information.


    After all, he had been staying in Flashgold Town and rarely had the chance to learn about external affairs.


    Seeing Rein agree, Maryka''s beautiful eyes gazed at him with a peculiar look and she smiled, saying, "Well done, Knight Rein!"


    With that, Major Maryka turned and left!


    This left Rein a bit confused; only five or six hours earlier, the Major had been angrily airing her grievances to him, and now she was offering him praise.


    But then again... receiving praise felt quite good.


    Hence, that afternoon, while most of the newly promoted knights, including Hass, began packing their bags to return home, Rein, who had been notified, continued to comfortably settle down.


    -----------------


    Meanwhile,


    in a mansion within Meister County City''s underground hall,


    "High Priest, after days of investigation, we believe the druid who encountered Lord Giovanni is no longer in Flashgold Town," the Black Flame Monk Lamar reported respectfully to the bulky figure seated before him.


    "Hmm? You mean to say the druid who suddenly appeared was just passing through?" The High Priest''s tone was clearly one of surprise.


    Seven or eight days earlier, he had been shocked to hear about Giovanni''s serious injury.


    He had not expected a novice Knight from a small town to become involved with a druid.


    If that were the case, it would certainly be worth scrutinizing.


    "Well... I can''t be sure. Because Rein also isn''t in Flashgold Town at the moment, I can''t confirm any connection between the two through actions directed towards Rein," Lamar thought carefully before cautiously answering the High Priest''s question.


    "What do you mean?"


    "High Priest, reliable sources indicate that Rein went to Rosby City a few days ago to participate in the noble title examination. Therefore, it is currently unclear whether there is a connection between Rein and the druid who injured Lord Giovanni..."


    "Besides, we have no leads on the origins of that druid," Lamar said, finding himself at a loss for words. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because even to him, the entire response seemed rather ''perfunctory.''


    But he really did his best!


    After Giovanni returned severely injured that day, Lamar was assigned the task of investigating the druid.


    At the time, he was deeply concerned, for if even Giovanni was no match, then he was even less so. Only through several days of discreet investigation did he confirm that the druid was no longer in Flashgold Town.


    But by that time, he discovered that Rein also seemed to be gone from Flashgold Town.

 Chapter 168 Becoming a Baron Starting Today (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Lamar was comparatively responsible, exhausting all sorts of efforts to inquire through a secret channel before learning the news that Rein might be attending the ennoblement assessment.It happened that he received an order from the High Priest to return and report, which led to the scene today.


    After listening to Lamar''s investigative results, the High Priest did not reply for a long while.


    Thus, the underground hall fell into a brief and gloomy silence, where Lamar could hear even his own breathing distinctly.


    The High Priest was speechless internally!


    This Rein, wasn''t he just a newly risen Knight?


    How could it be that after several encounters, they couldn''t deal with him, and instead, there seemed to be a trend of him getting stronger and stronger!


    This simply defied all logic!


    The previous installment of the Black Flame Prayer had also been missed due to the failed blood sacrifice in Flashgold Town, resulting in a fruitless effort.


    Right now, preparing for the next installment of the Black Flame Prayer ceremony was of the utmost importance.


    But if this Rein was not taken care of, it would not only be an embarrassment, but who knew if he might once again disrupt the order''s actions.


    At that moment, the High Priest''s large and corpulent body shifted slightly in the expansive chair, and he turned his head to look at Lamar, asking, "Just now, you said that this Rein has gone to Rosby City for the ennoblement assessment?"


    "Yes, Your Eminence," Lamar nodded affirmatively without hesitation.


    "And what do you think? Will he be able to pass the assessment?"


    Lamar really wanted to say ''of course,'' but felt that he shouldn''t boost the enemy''s morale and undermine his own prestige, so, after carefully choosing his words, he said:


    "He should... be able to, right?"


    The corpulent High Priest didn''t mind Lamar''s slick use of a questioning tone at the end, but continued, "If he can, then when he returns, it will be time to wait for the awarding of Knighthood and his promotion, is that correct?"


    "Yes, Your Eminence, that is the official procedure according to the empire," noticing that the High Priest was simply confirming the imperial official process, Lamar spoke with a much lighter tone.


    "Hm, Lamar, contact Baron Alonso and inform him of this situation. Since Rein has become a noble, let''s find a way to have him appointed as the sheriff of Fishing Port Town."


    As the High Priest spoke, a sharp gleam flashed through his small eyes on his chubby face.


    However, Maral frowned upon hearing this and said, "Your Eminence, do you intend to use the pirates'' hands to deal with him?"


    "No... it''s the Sea God Sect."


    "The Sea God Sect? Are they emerging again? Aren''t they afraid of another imperial purge?" Lamar asked in a startled and urgent manner.


    "Yes, after a long period of inactivity, they have begun to make moves. Otherwise, why do you think the pirates were so cooperative with our actions last time? It was the Sea God Sect behind them."


    So that was it!


    Lamar wore a look of sudden realization.


    No wonder the timing of the pirates'' attacks during previous actions were so well-coordinated with the Black Flame Order''s activities, diverting a significant portion of Meister County''s official imperial attention.


    At the time, he did not understand how the Black Flame Order could possibly restrain the pirates, only now realizing the High Priest had reached out to the Sea God Sect.


    Everything made sense now!


    "Lamar, go to Alonso and see to this matter. Afterward, our focus remains on preparing for the Black Flame Prayer ceremony," the High Priest''s deep voice resonated after a long pause.


    "By your command, Your Eminence, I shall go now," Lamar bowed with his hand on his chest and retreated slowly.


    -----------------


    Rosby City, Navy''s Home Inn.


    Has, a tall figure, was bidding farewell to Rein.


    "Rein, I''m currently residing in Richmond Fishing Port, right next to the Golden Coast. If you travel south from Rosby City, about a two-day journey will get you there. Remember to come and find me when you have time," he said.


    "Oh, and boiling giant spined salmon is our local specialty. I''ll definitely take you to enjoy it properly when you visit." As he mentioned the boiling giant spined salmon, Has''s Adam''s apple visibly bobbed.


    I didn''t expect this kid to be such a foodie!


    Rein, however, heard a familiar term ''Golden Coast.''


    Master Ganther, the swordsmanship master mentioned by Cleya, lived in seclusion on the Golden Coast.


    Perhaps he did indeed have a chance to meet Has again in the near future.


    Rein had been contemplating whether to take advantage of his trip to Rosby City for the assessment to continue southward to the Golden Coast to learn from the swordsmanship master, or to return home first.


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to return home first.


    Because if he went to study with Master Ganther, it could be a month at the least, several at the most, and not informing his parents in advance would surely cause them worry.


    Moreover, he was also the deputy sheriff of Flashgold Town, and if he were gone for a month, it was at least necessary to notify Hamilton in advance.


    "Alright, Has, I''ll definitely come to look for you when I get the chance," Rein said with a smile as he nodded.


    "Safe travels!"


    ... sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After sending Has off, Rein began to stroll around Rosby City.


    On the very day he arrived, he had already explored the area around Navy''s Home Inn, gaining a basic understanding of Rosby City.


    In terms of scale, Rosby City was almost twice the size of Meister City and also more prosperous, a characteristic of a trading port city.

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    In general, a trade-oriented city situated by the sea, as long as it has unfettered sea navigation and constant trade, will flourish far more than an inland city.Having three days, Rein was in no rush; he planned to first explore some bustling alleys or perhaps near some taverns.


    Just like the bat market, the Nightingale Market might also reside in a tranquil spot amidst the commotion.


    Under the warm winter sun, bursts of relatively warm and moist sea breeze blew, carrying a faint briny scent. Along the vibrant stands he passed, Rein saw a greater variety of seafood, shell products, and goods from remote islands than he had seen on the busy streets of Meister.


    After a large loop, Rein surprisingly couldn''t find the entrance to the Nightingale Market, which puzzled him a bit.


    Since he had wandered most of the bustling and lively areas of Rosby City throughout the morning.


    Could it be that the Nightingale Market was located in the opposite direction, perhaps among noble estates or affluent districts?


    After a short deliberation, Rein felt this possibility wasn''t highly likely.


    Suddenly, a spark of inspiration flashed through Rein''s mind; he had an epiphany.


    There was a place he had possibly been overlooking all this time.


    That was....the docks!


    Rosby City had several docks, such as the navy-only dock, fishing docks, and cargo docks, among which there were two fishing docks.


    Thus, Rein began searching each dock.


    Soon, as Rein reached near the cargo dock, he immediately saw a nightingale emblem not far from a tavern named "Sailor''s Home."


    This made Rein''s face light up, and he walked over.


    Similar to the bat market, after walking through an Illusion Array, Rein found himself in a market, still with that familiar scent.


    People were coming and going, most wearing hoods or even veils, a sign of concealing their movements, although some freely showed their faces, though they were relatively fewer.


    The market was rather crowded, yet voices were kept low.


    At that moment, the red-haired girl Evelyn was also in the Nightingale Market, gathering some raw materials for potions. Soon, she noticed that familiar figure.


    "Eh? What brings him here?"


    Seeing Rein roaming about, she couldn''t help but stop in her tracks.


    Truthfully, Evelyn was quite curious about Rein, who had executed the ship explosion during the ennoblement assessment.


    Although she was somewhat introverted and proud by nature, it depended on the person. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Being the most powerful among her age in Rosby City''s nobility, facing most young talents made a bit of pride and reserve inevitable.


    But Rein was different; his performance during the ennoblement was incredibly striking, commanding her respect.


    And with Rein''s keen senses, he naturally noticed the girl''s gaze.


    Although she wore a hood, the strand of red hair peeking out and the familiar bright eyes quickly allowed Rein to recognize her as the red-haired girl Evelyn.


    Soon, their eyes met.


    Rein smiled slightly at this, which made Evelyn immediately return the smile.


    After a thought, Evelyn approached and said, "Knight Rein, hello, I am Evelyn. Your performance during the ennoblement was quite astonishing."


    "You flatter me, Knight Evelyn. Haas has told me about your strength and... beauty. In comparison, I only found a loophole."


    Evelyn covered her mouth and giggled, saying, "Knight Rein, I thought someone as formidable as you would be busy practicing and not so eloquent, but now I see that is not the case."


    "By the way, Knight Rein, if I may ask boldly, what brings you to the Nightingale Market? Perhaps, as a local, I can be your guide." Evelyn offered.


    Evelyn also found it strange; why did her mood suddenly brighten upon hearing Rein''s compliment?


    After all, the young men who flattered her daily weren''t less than ten, usually seven or eight, were inevitable.


    Moreover, these individuals spoke more straightforwardly and exaggeratedly than Rein, but none gave her the same feeling as he just did.


    Rein had merely complimented her once, and since it was their first formal conversation, it was mostly polite, yet, somehow, it made her very happy.


    Perhaps it was because his strength was substantial enough? Evelyn pondered.


    "Of course, having the beautiful and powerful Knight Evelyn as my guide would absolutely be an honor." Rein promptly responded with a smile.


    Moreover, he thought about it and saw no point in concealing anything.


    After all, having come to the Nightingale Market indicated that from some perspective, both he and Evelyn were like-minded individuals; likely, she was also a Wizard Apprentice, just uncertain of which specialty.


    Thus, Rein continued, "I am looking to see if there are any witchcraft models suited for me, but after looking around, it seems there aren''t any powerful witchcraft available."


    Evelyn smiled and replied, "Of course, on a market of this mystical level, you won''t find powerful witchcraft or first-grade witchcraft. However, sometimes, you might find some decent beginner-level witchcraft."


    "Hmm? Is there a reason for that?" Rein asked, slightly puzzled.

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    "Because the actual managers behind these markets are a combination of the Empire and some wizard schools, some items are still restricted," Evelyn explained."I see!" Rein couldn''t help but nod.


    No wonder!


    He still remembered that last time at the Bat Market, he had taken a big bag of items from Adam''s shop and was later stopped by two managers of the market.


    However, after he revealed his identity, he was safely let go.


    Sure enough, behind these mysterious markets, just as he had guessed, was some kind of management under the Empire.


    Looking at the red-haired girl Evelyn in front of him, Rein couldn''t help but think of Jenny, who was also a noble girl.


    However, Jenny was of a slightly lower status and moreover, she was merely a noble lady without any combat skills.


    But the girl before him, Evelyn, was not only a viscountess, higher in rank than a baron, but her personal strength was also quite remarkable.


    Rein had a feeling that her strength might not be much weaker than his own.


    Like him, Evelyn was both a wizard apprentice and a knight, and belonged to those surpassing the strength of a typical peak knight.


    Then, Rein continued to inquire, "So, if one wants to learn powerful witchcraft, what are the ways to do so?"


    Evelyn looked at Rein with her beautiful eyes, and couldn''t help but cover her mouth and laugh, saying, "Knight Rein, you''re really pretending to be ignorant here."


    "What other way could there be? Generally speaking, there are two paths, one is to join an ancient school of wizards, the other is to hold a high enough position within the violent institutions of the Empire."


    "If the position is high enough, naturally you can access many secrets; confidential witchcraft, combat skills, and research materials, etc., can all be accessible."


    The two chatted as they browsed, quickly becoming familiar with each other.


    Evelyn had just realized that Rein was not actually a noble heir, which suddenly made her understand why Rein had asked so many questions that, to her, seemed like common knowledge.


    But on second thought, she was even more amazed!


    A commoner''s son attaining such a level of strength?


    Evelyn found that she was unable to see through Rein even more.


    Because she knew that whether as a knight or a wizard apprentice, the path of cultivation required numerous resources; if a commoner''s son wanted to reach Rein''s current level, it would be extremely difficult.


    With Evelyn as a ''guide,'' who was familiar with Nightingale Market, Rein quickly explored almost every part of the Nightingale Market.


    Indeed, as Evelyn had said, one could hardly see those powerful witchcraft at the market.


    However, there were many rare materials, such as the Star Grass required for another potion ''Spirit Potion'' noted in Rein''s ''Beast Taming Diary,'' which was available for sale here.


    Spirit Potion: After consumption, it can enhance an animal''s spirit.


    In some places, it is also called ''Wisdom Potion,'' which, when fed to animals, will improve their intelligence to a certain extent.


    This potion requires a primary ingredient, the sea star grass, which grows in the sea and gets its name because it has five points like a sea star.


    "Huh?" Rein, inside a shop, spotted an old book and, from the magical script on the cover, it was titled ''Witchcraft Notes.''


    There should be a name before those words but, perhaps due to its age or another reason, it was unreadable.


    Rein thought for a moment and asked, "Hello, may I browse through this book?"


    "You can see two pages," the clerk nodded and handed the book to Rein.


    After carefully turning through two pages, Rein closed the book. Evelyn also glanced over it from the side.


    Although Rein''s face was expressionless, he was quite delighted inside because the content on the first two pages indicated that it was likely a witchcraft notebook documenting fire magic.


    "How much for this book?"


    "Two thousand Imperial Gold Coins!"


    Rein nodded, the price was fairly acceptable. Just as he was considering buying something else to acquire this book,


    Evelyn suddenly interjected, "The first two pages are indeed official wizard manuscripts, but the material of the remaining pages seems a bit off. If you look closely, there''s a subtle difference; I feel this is not a complete piece."


    After hearing this, the clerk''s expression changed, but he simply forced a smile and said nothing.


    Rein instantly understood what had happened and immediately left the store with a darkened expression.


    "Thanks for the warning, Knight Evelyn." He had almost been duped.


    Rein felt that searching for witchcraft formulas at such mysterious markets was like hunting for antiques at Panjiayuan market in his past life. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Want to pick up a genuine artifact?


    It''s not to say it''s impossible, but the chances are extremely low and one needs to have a discerning eye.


    "Don''t mention it, Knight Rein, it''s just that I have a bit more experience than you. Finding good items here is still very difficult," Evelyn said with a slight smile.


    ...


    -----------------


    Mingster, Mingster Province capital.


    Special envoy, Javier Stewart, in his office, received the assessment materials for you this ennoblement from Theo of Rosby City, and was quite surprised for a moment.


    Because the name at the top was Rein.


    He had thought that Rein might achieve a good result, but after seeing his performance this time, it truly shocked him; what did scoring over two thousand points signify? He was very clear about it.


    After pondering, he quickly stamped the ''approved'' seal on the documents and immediately sent them off to Imperial City.

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    Two days later.Baron Theo was initially quite happy after receiving a reply from the Imperial Elders Council.


    However, accompanying it was a piece of paper in the style of an invitation, which immediately made Viscount Theo''s face turn solemn as he whispered, "It''s a ''Sword Bearer'' invitation!"


    Subsequently, he slightly shook his head and sighed, "It seems that I failed to earn General Xilva''s favor after all."


    After thinking it over, he felt it necessary to inform Xilva of this ''bad news'' prematurely to prevent further fruitless efforts from him.


    Just as he reached the office door of Xilva, he heard an unmistakably angry voice from inside.


    "That fool in Meister County actually rejected my order. Let me see, the one who rejected it is a baron named Alonso Habs."


    "Oh! Habs? This person must be a direct descendant of Count Habbs."


    As he mentioned ''Habs,'' Xilva was clearly surprised since, though he was stationed far in Rossby County, he was naturally aware of Count Habbs, the responsible person of the neighboring county.


    Since under current administrative authority, Rein is naturally subordinate to Meister County, any orders to transfer Rein should in principle go through Meister County.


    For horizontal or non-direct superior department orders, Meister County has the right to refuse or reject them.


    Unless it is from Mingster Province or a higher level order.


    Hearing this, Viscount Theo outside the door felt a surge of joy and quickly knocked on the door!


    "Knock knock knock!"


    "Come in!"


    "Lord Viscount, your timing is perfect!" Upon seeing Theo, Xilva involuntarily repeated his grievances.


    "No way! If the face of the Sixth Fleet is not enough, then I will issue the order under the name of the Imperial Southern Naval Fleet. I want to see who in Meister County dares to reject it!"


    After listening to Xilva''s complaints, Viscount Theo responded with a wry smile and reassurance:


    "General, I think you need not be angry. Perhaps, you should first take a look at this."


    Xilva, puzzled, took the ''invitation'' handed over by Viscount Theo.


    He saw an invitation he recognized yet rarely encountered before him.


    The invitation depicted five giant dragons of different postures, flying in the sky. These were the five-colored giant dragons!


    "This is an invitation from the Imperial Sword Bearer organization. How could it arrive so quickly!" Xilva exclaimed in shock.


    Initially, Xilva had planned to beat the timing, to recruit Rein under his command before some special departments in the empire noticed this promising individual.


    After all, on the empire scale, the Southern Naval Fleet was a huge entity responsible for the security of imperial territories. After transferring Rein, even if a special department wanted someone transferred, it would not be so easy.


    They could at least engage in some bureaucratic wrangling, and even if they ended up transferring him away, they could gain some other forms of compensation.


    But now, his order from the Sixth Fleet has been rejected by Meister County, and the Sword Bearer''s invitation has already arrived.


    These days turned out to be a flurry of futile activity...


    "Exactly, General. Once Rein receives this invitation, he will be a candidate for the Sword Bearers. Hence, even if you succeed in poaching him, the significance isn''t substantial."


    Xilva thought for a moment, sighed, and said, "Indeed, instead of this, it might be better to train someone on my own."


    "Lord Viscount, I will leave the announcement to you when it''s time. I won''t go over to Rein''s side, so I''ll leave it to you."


    As for Rein, he naturally had no idea about these intricate twists and turns.


    Rein was also completely unaware that he missed a chance to participate in a great voyage, experiencing the vast, tumultuous ocean, and clashing with pirates for treasures.


    The Navy''s Home Inn, a room on the second floor.


    A rhythmic yet steady knock suddenly came.


    Rein opened the door and was slightly startled to see the important figure he had only met during the ennoblement examination before him.


    This man, dressed in noble hunting attire and sporting a handlebar mustache, appeared to be Viscount Theo, a title Mary, the female Major, had told him.


    "Lord Viscount, good day!" Rein quickly invited him into the room.


    Clearly, the visitor must have an important matter to discuss. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Theo entered the room with a smile, looked around, and seeing that Rein''s belongings were neatly arranged in the inn room, his approval of Rein grew even more.


    Who said Rein had no sense of order? Clearly, he had plenty!


    "Knight Rein, I have just received a letter from the Imperial Ennoblement Examination Committee. Your excellent performance in the examination has been reviewed and approved, so you will be granted the title of Baron."


    "Thank you, Lord Viscount!" Rein immediately rejoiced, his fists clenched slightly.


    The dust had settled, and starting from today, he was a noble, a Baron!


    "However, Knight Rein, perhaps, you might be more interested in seeing this." Viscount Theo handed over a piece of paper styled as an ''invitation'' with a broad smile.

 Chapter 169 Invitation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Rein took the invitation letter, his heart already faintly guessing what it might entail.It was a pale cyan invitation, made from no ordinary paper, but what struck Rein the most was the design on its surface: five dragons with different postures, soaring through the sky.


    When Rein opened it, he only saw one line of text:


    "Rein Carlan is hereby invited to participate in the Sword Bearer selection of the Dragan Empire''s Mingster Province three months from now."


    Upon closer inspection, at the bottom right-hand corner, there was another line of small text outlining the selection''s time and place: the last day of the Month of Vitality, No. 1 Shaded Boulevard, Mingster.


    It was indeed an invitation to become a Sword Bearer!


    However, the invitation was quite different from what Rein had anticipated.


    Initially, Rein thought that receiving the so-called invitation letter would mean immediate membership into the ranks of the Empire''s Sword Bearers, but it seemed that was not the case.


    It turned out that the meaning of this invitation letter was to invite a person to qualify for the selection process.


    This was similar to a production crew from a previous life being invited to a film festival; whether they would win an award was uncertain, but it implied, "Your production has caught the attention of the jury, it stands a good chance of winning an award."


    Similarly, this Sword Bearer invitation letter conveyed, "Rein, your performance has been notable, we have taken notice, you might succeed."


    Nonetheless, as long as the opportunity was present, Rein believed he could seize it.


    On the other hand, the vast majority of people would never have such an opportunity in their lifetime, nor would they come into contact with a Sword Bearer invitation letter.


    Even though there were further selections to be made, this was undoubtedly good news.


    Two pieces of good news in a row left Rein struggling to hide the excitement in his heart.


    At this moment, Viscount Theo, who was nearby, noticed Rein had finished reading the invitation letter, and with a smile, he kindly reminded him:


    "Not every newly appointed Knight who receives a commendation is granted a Sword Bearer invitation. Only a few among those who are top-ranked receive such invitations."


    "By the way, Rein, perhaps you should take some time soon to think about designing a coat of arms that represents your Baron status."


    "A coat of arms?" Rein immediately snapped out of his thoughts and nodded. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He remembered that, like the carriage from the Crawley Baron family that had come to pick him up numerous times, it bore the exclusive emblem of the Crawley family: a kite shield with a rose-like flower on it.


    However, according to Jenny, there seemed to be some customary rules to follow when designing a coat of arms.


    These rules had gradually become a consensus among the nobility over the many years since the establishment of the Dragan Empire.


    For example, images like lions and crowns were typically not included in the coat of arms design of families that were not Dukes or Marquises, let alone those of a lower status.


    For example, a shield in the coat of arms might signify that the family''s combat skill is renowned for a particular shield technique, of course, it could also indicate sword and shield or hammer and shield combat skills, etc.


    But if your family is not proficient in shield-related combat skills, yet you use a shield as the emblem, it would be ridiculed by other nobles.


    Upon reflection, Rein thought he would need to consult with the Crawley Baron''s wife or Jenny upon his return.


    "Indeed, you have plenty of time, Rein. Once you have decided, you can submit it," Viscount Theo added.


    "There is another matter. On the last Sunday of the Month of Green Grass, new Barons and Viscounts within Mingster Province of the past year need to go to the provincial capital Mingster, to receive formal ennoblement by the Duke of Mingster."


    "Of course, this is merely an ennoblement ceremony. You, Rein, are already a Baron and can enjoy all the privileges that come with the title."


    "The Duke of Mingster simply represents His Majesty the Emperor in conferring the titles upon you; you are swearing allegiance to His Majesty the Emperor and the Empire."


    Since Theo knew from the records that Rein was of common birth, he elaborated in detail.


    Rein nodded, signaling his understanding.


    The Month of Green Grass, huh?


    The Sword Bearer invitation letter marked the Month of Vitality, which according to the calendar of his previous life corresponded roughly to March, and the Month of Green Grass represented April.


    It seemed certain that in three months, he would need to make a trip to Mingster.


    "Additionally, the series of noble privileges you enjoy after becoming a Baron, such as the right to debate and immunity, can be learned at a leisurely pace once you return home."


    As he spoke, Theo handed a small booklet to Rein, saying,


    "Rein, I look forward to your future performance. Should there be no unexpected events, we may meet again in Mingster." Viscount Theo smiled and then left the room.


    The two Attendants by the door followed suit, the group departing from the Navy Home Inn.


    For Rein, his journey for the ennoblement assessment had nearly ended perfectly.


    He had not expected that within just three days, he would receive the assessment results and the Sword Bearer invitation letter.


    The efficiency of the Empire''s operations had brought him an immense surprise.


    After a brief consideration, he decided to pack his bags and set off early for home, eager to share the good news with his parents and his sister Bo He.


    However, as Rein descended the stairs, he unexpectedly saw a striking figure waiting for him on the first floor of the Navy Home Inn.


    There stood Major Mary Ka, looking at Rein with a smile as he carried his luggage, taking two steps forward, she said, "Knight Rein, no, rather, Baron Rein, are you ready to head back?"

 Chapter 169 Invitation (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2

    "Major Marika, just call me Rein," Rein naturally could tell there was no malice in the other party''s words."Baron Rein, have you considered taking a position in the navy?"


    "Given the capability you demonstrated in this ennoblement assessment, you would surely be heavily utilized, the South Seas Fleet also needs capable young talents like you to join."


    Rein raised an eyebrow, he hadn''t expected that Major Marika would directly recruit him to join the navy.


    Honestly, if he hadn''t received an invitation from the Sword Bearers, he would seriously have considered her suggestion.


    Because in terms of opportunities and the scale of the organization, the Imperial Navy, no, just the South Seas Fleet alone, far exceeded Meister County.


    The promotion opportunities there, as well as the potential to encounter various kinds of witchcraft, naturally far surpassed those available in the remote Meister County.


    But now, this recruitment had lost its allure to Rein.


    Instead, dealing with many trivial matters in the meantime would drain a lot of his energy.


    For now, Rein planned to settle his family affairs and then find a time to head to the Golden Coast to seek further enhancement of his capabilities from Master Ganther.


    Because this was the most efficient and safest choice to improve his capabilities.


    Of course, handling certain mysterious events had brought Rein handsome rewards, but the inherent risks could not be entirely ignored.


    "Thank you for the invitation, Major Marika. I have long admired the Imperial Navy, but unfortunately, I have already received an invitation from a special department of the Empire, so... I am truly very sorry," Rein sincerely said.


    He mainly did not mention the Sword Bearers because he did not want to give Marika the impression of boasting.


    "Oh? So soon?" A trace of surprise flashed across Marika''s beautiful face.


    How could the special department of the Empire have contacted Rein so quickly?


    With such capability and efficiency, could it be...


    "Baron Rein, the special department you mentioned, it wouldn''t happen to be the Empire''s Sword Bearers, would it?" Marika couldn''t help but ask curiously.


    "Eh? How did you know? It indeed is the Sword Bearers," Rein nodded.


    This in turn surprised Rein, as Viscount Theo was unlikely to spread such news actively; this meant Marika had guessed it herself.


    And Major Marika suddenly seemed to realize something.


    No wonder, when she had talked with General Xilva about ''why not invite Rein to the South Seas Fleet,'' General Xilva had cryptically said, ''You might try, but I certainly can''t.''


    It appeared that General Xilva had already known about Rein receiving the invitation from the Empire''s Sword Bearers at that time.


    Resultantly, she had excitedly taken it upon herself to become this ''mediator.''


    ''The old fox'' was taking a shot in the dark to see if he could persuade Rein to stay.


    Understanding this brought a slight flush to Marika''s cheeks.


    Rein, observing Major Marika, felt a bit puzzled.


    Why was the Major showing a bashful expression? But her naval uniform combined with this shy expression indeed formed a beautiful scene.


    Indeed, several men nearby were already staring, dumbstruck.


    "Then, Baron Rein, I wish you a smooth journey! Remember to write to me," having realized there was no hope for Rein to join the navy, Marika quickly adjusted her mood, smiling as she waved her hand.


    "Thank you, Major Marika, I will, and you are welcome to visit Meister County anytime," Rein said with a smile.


    After bidding farewell to Marika, Rein, carrying his luggage, came to the stables at the side of the Navy Home Inn, placed his luggage on a chestnut horse, and then mounted a black horse, merging into the street crowds.


    However, Rein didn''t head north directly to Meister County but proceeded towards the noble residential area west of Rosby City.


    Soon, he arrived at the entrance of a luxurious mansion where the servant at the door immediately opened the gate, smiling as he greeted, "Knight Rein, Miss Evelyn is with her friends at the training ground."


    This was Evelyn''s home.


    Ever since Rein had encountered Evelyn unexpectedly at Nightingale Market, their relationship had quickly warmed up.


    Yesterday, at Evelyn''s invitation, Rein had visited her home, so the servants at the door were familiar with Rein, the young man who was a new friend of the miss.


    Initially, Viscountess Norman, curious yet slightly worried that her daughter had invited a young man she had never met before to their home as a guest,


    felt reassured when she met Rein and realized he was of commoner heritage, which was quite different from Evelyn''s status.


    Even though he was a newly knighted knight.


    But when Evelyn said, ''Mother, Rein is very likely to be the first in this ennoblement assessment,'' sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Viscountess Norman immediately dropped her objections, even strongly supporting her daughter to invite Rein over more often, saying it was proper to show extensive hospitality.


    This left Evelyn somewhat speechless.


    ''With her friends at the training ground?''


    Rein didn''t think much of it, stopping the servant from taking the horse to the stable for care, but instead followed the servant, riding directly to the training ground located beside the mansion''s back garden.


    Because he planned to greet them and then head straight back to Flashgold Town.


    There, he saw Evelyn, a redhead, sparring in Combat Skill with a male knight about her age. Aside from servants and guards obviously dressed in service uniforms, three men and a woman, wearing noble hunting outfits or Knight Armor, were spectating.

 Chapter 169 Invitation (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_3

    As Lord Reine rode his black horse into the training ground, he immediately drew the attention of several nobility scions.Lord Reine glanced around and recognized many familiar faces, all participants in the assessment at Rosby County.


    After just a few looks, Lord Reine shifted his focus to the ongoing contest in the field.


    Although Lord Reine didn''t hold much regard for those few, the noble scions were quite curious about his arrival, sizing him up thoroughly.


    However, they only looked for a brief moment before realizing that Lord Reine was not one of them.


    The horse had no extra ornaments, overly simple.


    Lord Reine wore a chromed iron set, just an ordinary set of knight armor.


    As Lord Reine approached, they could clearly see that there were no noble crests on the knight''s chestplate.


    Thus, they could almost be certain that Lord Reine was not a noble scion but a commoner''s son.


    "He seems to be the one who attended the ennoblement assessment this time, another county''s newly appointed knight, I saw him at the Navy House Inn," one of them said. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, I remember too, seemed to be mingling with that commoner knight, Hass."


    "Why is he here now?"


    "Now that you mention it, I remember too, but... on the night of the assessment, I didn''t see him. I was at the ''Ruer,'' Osby, you went to the ''Li Hook,'' right? Did you see him?"


    "No!" the young man named Osby, after staring at Lord Reine''s black hair for a few seconds, confidently said.


    "Hehe, so he must be one of those who went to the small fortress, right?"


    "Then the chances are slim that Evelyn actively invited him over, it''s more likely that he is one of Evelyn''s pursuers."


    "Every county has its delusional folk," the young man beside him sneered and said.


    "..."


    Lord Reine wasn''t paying any attention to what the onlookers were saying, he just glanced and then ignored them.


    However, his gaze lingered on Evelyn''s opponent a bit longer.


    Male, a peak knight, wielding a sword and shield, with proficient combat skills, quite impressive.


    Due to the opponent''s competence, although Evelyn caught a glimpse of Lord Reine, she had no opportunity to stop and greet him.


    Their eyes quickly met for a moment, exchanging a hasty greeting.


    "Bang!!"


    Evelyn and her opponent''s shields collided, each stepping back two paces, momentarily stalling the fight.


    Then, Evelyn said, "Stop! Salem, let''s call it a day for today."


    "Huh? Evelyn, I was just getting into it, why stop now?" the opponent took off his knight''s helmet, revealing blond hair and a handsome young face, probably about eighteen or nineteen years old.


    "A friend of mine has arrived," Evelyn pointed at Lord Reine, still mounted on the black horse, and said.


    Then, the young man named Salem squinted his eyes and scrutinized Lord Reine.


    Evelyn''s friend, he seemed never to have seen him before.


    However, seeing Evelyn''s demeanor, it seemed she valued this friend highly; could he be a rival?


    Hey? From his attire, it seemed he was not a noble.


    And moreover, he likely wasn''t from Rosby City either because if he were from Rosby City and had reached the status of a formal knight, Salem would have seen him before or at least heard of him.


    At this moment, Evelyn waved at Lord Reine, looking at his luggage and said, "Reine, are you preparing to go back? Why not stay a few more days?"


    Seeing Evelyn approaching, Lord Reine also dismounted the black horse and said with a smile, "Yes, Evelyn, I plan to return to Meister soon, so I came to say goodbye."


    "This friend of yours, Evelyn, did he come for the ennoblement assessment?" Salem stepped forward and asked.


    Seeing that Salem had taken the initiative to come forward, Evelyn knew it would be too impolite not to introduce them at this point.


    "Salem, this is Lord Reine from Meister County, a friend I met during the ennoblement assessment," Evelyn said.


    "Lord Reine, this is Salem, the second son of the Earl of Zeman."


    "Hello!"


    The two nodded at each other, acknowledging the greeting.


    At this moment, a few of the onlookers also came forward, one of them saying to Lord Reine, "Lord Reine, how about staying until tomorrow? It''s rare for everyone to gather together; we could exchange some combat skills."


    "That''s..." Lord Reine pondered.


    The people present seemed to be good ''experience grinding'' prospects, as his Tokkal Hammer Technique was already at lv4 (843/1000).


    Engaging them to potentially level up his Hammer Skill seemed like a good choice.


    "Hehe, Osby, don''t make it difficult for Lord Reine."


    "Perhaps, only I and Salem could spar a bit with Lord Reine, though chances are we wouldn''t prevail," Evelyn, noticing Osby''s insinuation, couldn''t help but laugh.


    In Evelyn''s view, Osby wasn''t a bad person, being an old acquaintance, she felt there was no need to make him embarrass himself publicly, hence she spoke out to hint.


    "Hmm?"


    Hearing Evelyn say this, the noble second generations present instantly understood that this Lord Reine must be something special.


    In an instant, several gazes concentrated on Lord Reine.


    Underneath all the scrutinizing eyes, Lord Reine remained calm and composed.


    But internally, he couldn''t help but smile wryly.


    "Well, Evelyn, you''re about to scare off my ''experience NPCs,''" Lord Reine thought to himself.

 Chapter 169 Invitation (Two-in-One Large Chapter)_4

    "Lord Reine is likely to be the top nominee of Mingster Province''s ennoblement examination this time, do you understand what I''m saying?" Evelyn said with a smile."What?" Everyone''s eyes suddenly widened, mouths gaping in extreme surprise.


    "The... first place? Isn''t that a bit exaggerated?" Osby, the young man, stuttered as he spoke.


    After a moment of tension, Osby''s eyes lit up as if he had thought of something and he immediately questioned, "Even if this Lord Reine is powerful, the examination results haven''t been released yet, right?"


    "Exactly, and the test results are classified only as excellent, good, or satisfactory. Evelyn, how do you know Reine is in first place?" Salem also questioned from the side.


    "Yeah!"


    "Moreover, Evelyn, you might not be aware, but the person I follow from Dorne County, Bridget Sanchez, is incredibly impressive!"


    "Along the way, I personally witnessed him kill the captain of the ''Razorhook'', Bilkel Jamal, and at least five leaders of the Bloodsail pirates." Osby stretched out five fingers, gesturing as he spoke.


    "Lord Reine, no matter how powerful, surely can''t be better than this Bridget Sanchez!"


    After hearing this, everyone nodded, agreeing with Osby''s analysis.


    Yes!


    Killing a captain and five leaders of the Bloodsail pirates is an achievement that is nearly impossible to surpass!


    Even Evelyn only managed to kill the bosun of ''Bloodsail'', but of course, since ''Bloodsail'' is the flagship, the significance of its bosun is higher than that of other pirate ships.


    But the Bridget Sanchez from Dorne County killed the captain of the ''Razorhook''.


    If this Lord Reine were to surpass Bridget Sanchez''s achievements, would it mean he wiped out an entire pirate crew by himself?


    That couldn''t possibly be, could it!


    "Eh? You all didn''t know?" Evelyn first expressed surprise, then showed a look of sudden realization. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made the nearby nobility juniors even more astounded, their gaze now focused on Evelyn.


    To Reine, it looked like the expression of ''a primary school student waiting for the teacher to announce the final exam results.''


    This made Reine, who was standing nearby, chuckle a bit.


    But at this moment, it was clearly not appropriate for him to say anything, whether to boast or to underplay himself; neither suited his personality.


    "Reine did turn the ''Shipwreck'' literally into a shipwreck, didn''t you hear that huge explosion at the time?" Evelyn retorted.


    Although the wording of this statement was a bit awkward, somehow, when Evelyn said it, there was a sense of pride and exhilaration.


    At this moment, she also felt a bit strange.


    Because generally speaking, she used to be in Reine''s position, referenced by friends, but now it was the other way around.


    If Reine could hear what Evelyn was thinking at the moment, he would immediately understand.


    It''s just like if in a past life, a good friend of his had won the first place in the 100 meters at a school sports meet, then later, when someone asked, ''Who''s this person beside you?'' one would proudly say, ''This is that 100 meters champion, don''t you know him?''


    "Ah?"


    "Wasn''t it said to be an action caused by the imperial navy at the time?"


    "Yes, the ship was literally blown in half. How could such power be possible for a newly knighted knight attending an assessment?"


    Several people immediately started questioning all at once.


    "If you don''t believe me, there''s nothing I can do, but I witnessed it with my own eyes," Evelyn shrugged.


    Upon hearing Evelyn''s words, everyone fell silent.


    Because they knew Evelyn well enough to know that she never cared to lie.


    So, their gazes once again fixated on Rein.


    "Lord Rein, although I believe what Evelyn has said, I find myself increasingly curious about your strength. Could we have a duel?" Salem asked with a very serious expression, speaking in a somber tone.


    He was a newly knighted knight from the previous round of ennoblement assessments.


    Although he had also received an "excellent" rating, he knew that between the same excellent ratings, there could be a huge difference from the first to the last.


    Because some earn their excellent ratings by giving their all, but for others, ''excellent'' is just the top grade they achieve with ease.


    And usually, the first in ranking is among the latter.


    Rein was initially startled, then his heart leaped with joy.


    Indeed, he had just regretted that a wave of experience was about to slip through his hands.


    But now, it seemed that the NPC with the highest ''Experience'' had come back.


    Since Rein wouldn''t likely challenge Evelyn, the woman he had just met, the strongest in the group would undoubtedly be Salem, the second son of the Earl, standing before him.


    "Of course," Rein nodded in agreement.


    And to avoid Evelyn''s objection, he had already started walking towards the center of the arena.


    Evelyn''s lips moved slightly, and seeing Rein''s eagerness, her face showed a tinge of worry.


    This made another female knight nearby find it a bit odd and she asked, "Evelyn, didn''t you say that Lord Rein is the best? Why are you still worried about him?"


    "I''m not worried about Rein... but I''m worried that Salem might get hurt badly," Evelyn spoke while recalling the scene where Rein had shattered the thick hull of the ''ship'' with one blow.


    That time, she had truly been shocked!


    These words made the others exchange bewildered looks.


    Can''t be serious!


    Salem was no ordinary person; he was a master who had also received an excellent rating in the previous ennoblement assessments, nearly equal to Evelyn.


    Even though he might not be Rein''s match, their strength couldn''t be that uneven.


    At this point, Rein and Salem had already reached the center of the training ground and stood their ground.


    Rein took down the ''Irresistible Force'' warhammer from behind his back and held it in his hand, his eyes intensely fixed on Salem, causing Salem to feel a shiver in his heart.


    Because Salem had a very strange feeling, as if Rein was looking at him as if he were a thing... How should one put it, an item?


    But at any rate, it did not look like the expression one would have when looking at another person....

 Chapter 170 Still Need to Filter (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Viscount Norman and his wife were also on the second floor of their luxurious mansion, looking out the window at the duel between the two men in the center of the training grounds."I''ve always thought Salem would be a good match for Evelyn, but now it seems, Evelyn seems to favor this Reine, whom she has only known for a short time,"


    "Dear, do you think Evelyn''s new friend is really that formidable, capable of defeating Earl Zeman''s second son, Salem?" a well-dressed lady asked, tilting her head.


    "If what Evelyn says is true, then her friend should have no problem winning," a middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed goatee nodded and said.


    This man was none other than Evelyn''s father��Viscount Norman.


    After hearing from his daughter about Reine''s performance in the ennoblement assessment, he had become quite interested in Reine.


    For he knew well that in this world, with enough strength, honor, status, and wealth would all follow in spades; these were merely the icing on the cake.


    Reine seemed to think of something, lifted the dusky pig-head hammer in his hand, and asked, "Lord Salem, do you need to switch to training weapons?"


    "No need, if we use training weapons, they simply won''t withstand our collision. Lord Reine, let''s use our own preferred weapons," Salem shook his head and said.


    "Fine!" Reine nodded without saying much else.


    What Salem said was true because the bout between him and Evelyn just now was also fought with their own weapons.


    Once a knight reached the level of a Peak Knight, they would be very familiar with their own weapons and combat skills. So, unless it was a duel at the level of secret techniques, they could generally control their actions with ease.


    Even if they were injured, the injuries would be relatively minor.


    Soon, Reine and Salem were exchanging blows.


    "Break limit!"


    After both men broke their limits, their movements and changes in position became incredibly fast!


    Reine, wielding a Two-Handed Warhammer, executed the Tokkal Hammer Technique, while Salem held a sword and shield, probably because his family''s combat skill was geared toward sword and shield techniques.


    "Bang!"


    "Clink clank!"


    The sounds of weapons clashing rang out constantly!


    The piercing noise made the servants nearby cover their ears in pain.


    However, after watching for a while, Evelyn''s brow slightly furrowed.


    It was apparent that Reine was not too strong but in fact too weak!


    It could be said that Reine''s current display of power compared to his performance during the ''ship-breaking'' incident at the ennoblement assessment was like comparing two different people.


    What was Reine doing?


    Was he deliberately concealing his strength? Or was he first testing Salem''s abilities?


    Or was it because Salem was a friend of his friend, so he held back?


    At this time, the female Knight beside Evelyn also seemed puzzled and asked, "Evelyn, didn''t you just say that this Lord Reine is incredibly strong? But why do I feel he is basically on the same level as you, Salem?"


    Seemly having heard the lady Knight''s remark, the others nearby began to express their own opinions.


    "Yes, Anise is right,"


    "This Lord Reine''s strength is indeed top-notch among his peers, but you too, Evelyn, and Salem as well, are at this level. It''s not as exaggerated as you described,"


    "Evelyn, looking at it this way, what you just said about Lord Reine being the first in the ennoblement assessment, I''m afraid it''s not so credible,"


    "Exactly! Although I''m not a match for this Lord Reine, I can say with certainty that his strength still falls short of Bridget Sanchez from En County," Osby also chimed in, his eyes flashing with a sharp light once again.


    Facing the suspicions of several companions, Evelyn didn''t know what to say for the moment and just quietly watched the duel between the two men in the center of the grounds.


    At this time, Reine was carefully controlling the extent of his ''break limit'' burst.


    Knight who surpassed the ''checkpoint'' of breaking the 60 percent barrier of their physical limit is referred to as a Peak Knight. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But a careful thought reveals that someone with a 70 percent breaking limit is still called a Peak Knight but is clearly more powerful than one with a 60 percent breaking limit, and someone with an 80 percent breaking limit is even more formidable but is still referred to as a Peak Knight.


    Thus, although they are all Peak Knights, the differences between them can be immense.


    For instance, Reine could sense that his opponent, the Earl''s second son Salem, had a limit break of about 65 percent, which indeed made him a Peak Knight, but it fell short by about 10 percent of his own 73 percent breaking limit.


    Moreover, Reine''s powerful Spirit and his resulting sharp perception allowed him to seize some details during high-speed combat movements.


    Therefore, Reine was not fully exerting himself at the moment but was roughly keeping his ''break limit'' at around 60 percent so he could trade blows with Salem.


    As for why he didn''t quickly end the battle?


    Of course, it was to gain experience with the Tokkal Hammer Technique!


    His previous fighting experiences told Reine that compared to ''intense battles that end quickly,'' the system rewarded more experience points for ''relatively intense battles that take a longer time'' to conclude.


    Of course, even if you drag out a battle with an opponent clearly weaker than yourself, the system''s experience rewards remain very low.


    For instance, the bouts between Reine and Lagaray, Senior Knight VS Junior Knight, took place several times, yet he gained only a few experience points.


    Therefore, Reine could not just defeat Salem with a few strikes; it went against the principle of maximizing experience gain.

 Chapter 170 Still Need to Filter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2

    Since he didn''t know Lord Reine was deliberately holding back, Salem, on the other hand, was becoming more confident as the fight progressed.If Salem had been somewhat cautious, or even slightly restrained at the start of the battle, about a minute into it, he felt he had a rough understanding of Reine''s strength.


    Was Reine''s strength formidable?


    Yes, but not as formidable as Evelyn had described.


    Was he going easy on him?


    Impossible!


    Was he hiding a trick up his sleeve?


    After observing Reine closely for a while, Salem noticed Reine''s composed expression and inwardly nodded, thinking Reine must have some secret techniques yet to be used.


    But wasn''t he the same?


    Thus, after a heavy clashing of shields with a "boom," both stepped back several meters and stood their ground.


    Salem declared with high spirits, "Lord Reine, it feels great to meet one''s match! Please allow me to fight freely. I will use Transcendent properties and secret techniques in the subsequent battle."


    "Please, do not hold back either."


    Reine raised an eyebrow, looking at the rather spirited Salem before him.


    This... "Experience NPC," aren''t you a bit too arrogant!


    If you don''t hold back, you would likely be dead by now.


    But then Reine thought, what''s wrong with an "Experience NPC" who tries his best to create as much experience as possible?


    In fact, such an attitude deserves praise!


    So be it, he would just match his power up to Salem''s until his opponent''s stamina ran out.


    Moreover, this was also one of the best ways to gain Experience.


    So, after a moment''s thought, Reine said with a smile, "Of course! Please, do as you wish, Lord Salem."


    "Be careful, Lord Reine!"


    "Agility!"


    The next second, with Salem''s shout, his speed suddenly increased by about twenty to thirty percent, leaving behind a blur as he charged towards Reine like an arrow released from its bow.


    A speed-type Transcendent property, huh!


    Not bad!


    Reine immediately maxed out his "Limit Break" level.


    Since Reine''s strength, agility, and physique had risen from 60% to 73%, even though Salem activated the Transcendent property "Agility," the gap between their agility was not too vast.


    On the other hand, Reine''s high Spirit resulted in superior perception and control over the battle''s finer details, which essentially balanced out the combat, allowing him to respond steadily.


    "Bang bang!"


    "Clang!!"


    Their weapons clashed even faster than before, sending sparks flying!!!


    The servants couldn''t bear it anymore and scrambled away.


    Salem''s nearly all-out effort excited several young onlookers.


    "Salem is getting serious now!"


    "It''s about time we show this foreigner the strength of Rosby City''s youth."


    "Yes, it should appear soon, the Earl Zerman family''s secret technique ''Phantom Strike''!" Osby, too, was looking forward to the central stage with great anticipation.


    However, Evelyn was full of doubts, wondering if this really was Reine''s true strength.


    Impossible!


    Even without deploying the Wizard Apprentice''s abilities, his strength shouldn''t be just this.


    Viscount Norman, watching from above, also furrowed his brow slightly.


    Huh?


    This differed from what his daughter had told him.


    It seemed that Reine''s strength was about the same as Salem''s.


    At that moment, the form of their duel in the center of the field suddenly changed!


    Suddenly, Reine''s pupils dilated sharply.


    For he had just realized that Salem''s Longsword in his right hand, initially pulled back, was now thrusting forward at an almost invisible speed.


    The attack was so swift that even though his elbow remained back, the actual strike had already reached in front of him.


    It seemed every young person who received a commendation in the ennoblement assessment had one or two trump cards.


    At this point, blocking with the heavy pig-headed hammer was too slow.


    However, this wasn''t a difficult problem for Reine, who hadn''t yet deployed his two Transcendent properties.


    Reine suddenly let go of the pig-headed hammer and, instead, reached out with his bare hands towards Salem''s Longsword.


    This scene stunned everyone!


    Was he willing to risk his hands like this?


    At the same time, Reine''s physique surged, his muscles bulging like those of a beast.


    But no matter how formidable the muscles, the body''s defensive power couldn''t possibly withstand the attack of a Peak Knight wielding a weapon! The crowd thought.


    "Sss!"


    A shower of sparks erupted!


    But Salem''s Longsword was abruptly stopped by Reine''s bare hands.


    "This... it really was stopped?" A female knight nearby murmured, covering her mouth in awe.


    Several onlookers exchanged bewildered looks, having never before seen Salem''s secret technique ''Phantom Strike'' neutralized by an opponent.


    To think he would barehandedly grab the Longsword executing a ''Phantom Strike.''


    Oh my!


    "I don''t believe Reine''s hands are unharmed; they must be ruined, just being forcibly endured!" Osby couldn''t help blurting out.


    "Snap!" Reine''s chrome iron gloves broke apart, falling to the ground.


    Everyone''s gaze concentrated on Reine''s hands.


    Unscathed!


    Not even a hint of blood.


    Maybe just a white mark...


    "How... how is this possible!" Osby pointed at this scene, disbelief written all over his face! Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest were just as astounded!


    Evelyn, on the other hand, simply nodded slightly.


    That''s more like it!


    This was more in line with the strength she knew he possessed.

 Chapter 285 170

    Rein pushed hard, driving Salem''s longsword aside and said,"A fine secret technique, Lord Salem, please continue!"


    By then, Salem, who had consecutively unleashed ''Limit Break'', his Transcendent traits of swiftness, and the ultimate move ''Phantom Strike,'' was now covered in sweat, nearly exhausted.


    He had intended this strike to secure the victory, but unexpectedly, it was foiled by Rein in a way he had never anticipated.


    "Hmm?"


    Upon hearing Rein''s words, Salem couldn''t help but blush, and thus, gathering his last bit of strength, he resumed the fight.


    But this time, Salem was even more overwrought, and in less than ten seconds, his steps became utterly disordered due to excessive fatigue.


    This made Rein shake his head slightly. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The ''Experience NPC'' before him had tried his best, it was time to end it!


    However, out of respect for Salem''s ''effort,'' Rein decided to finish the fight with ''Earth-splitting Hammer.''


    Suddenly, Rein''s body expanded further, exceeding six feet seven inches, his chromium knight''s suit hanging on his body like baby clothes, depicting Rein in a ''Strength Burst,'' turned into a ''Triple Stack'' state!


    That moment made Evelyn''s pupils shrink!


    Right!


    This was the form!


    This was the form in which Rein had beaten the ''Sunken Vessel'' that night!


    "Rein, don''t go too hard!" Evelyn called out from the side.


    She intended to rush forward to rescue, but it was already too late!


    Viscount Norman, located on the second floor of the manor, also showed a drastic change in expression, but at that moment he was too far from the training ground, even if he wanted to rescue, he was helpless!


    Thus, under the horrified gazes of all, they saw the beast-like Rein, swinging the pitch-black two-handed hammer in his hands, from top to bottom, with a screech tearing through the air, thundering down on Salem!


    Salem closed his eyes, thinking it was over!


    "Boom!"


    But the next second, Rein slightly tilted the hammer, striking it heavily into the ground in front of Salem.


    The ground within a radius of seven to eight meters was engulfed in flying dust, and seconds later, as the dust settled, a crater resembling one created by a meteorite appeared in the center of the training ground, with the deepest part reaching over a meter and a fan-shaped area extending forward with shock.


    It wasn''t until four to five meters out that the ground leveled out without significant unevenness.


    The once high-spirited Earl''s younger son, Salem, was then hurled high into the air and spat out a mouthful of blood.


    This was still because Rein had deliberately avoided hitting him directly, targeting the ground beneath his feet instead.


    "Thud!"


    Salem fell heavily to the ground but quickly struggled to his feet, his face showing a mix of fright and relief.


    At that moment, he truly smelled the scent of death!


    If Rein''s hammer had moved just a half meter further forward, he would have been doomed!


    Being struck by Rein''s pitch-black hammer would most likely mean no option for broken bones, mostly just a return to the goddess''s embrace.


    At that point, the observing noble youths finally reacted, rushing forward to help Salem up and quickly checking for injuries.


    However, they soon found that there were no obvious injuries on Salem''s body, indicating that the spitting of blood was only due to the aftermath of the shock.


    Though the injury was not light, it was ultimately not serious.


    Moreover, the second generation of nobles had sharp eyes, and they certainly saw that Rein had held back, not directing that last strike at Salem.


    So, their eyes were filled with awe and admiration as they looked at Rein at that moment.


    That female knight then finally closed her gaping mouth and said to Evelyn beside her, "Evelyn, I take back what I said earlier.... this solid training ground was turned into this by Rein, he truly is not a normal person."


    Right then, Evelyn too was staring blankly at the ground of her own training ground!


    If she had not been able to empathize when Rein shattered the thick hull of the ''Sunken Vessel'' before, since she had never struck a ship''s hull,


    But she knew just how hard the ground of her family''s training ground was, she had been training there since she was little.


    The repeatedly compacted soil there was almost as hard as ordinary rock.


    Yet it was turned into such a state by one strike from Rein!


    Meanwhile, at Rein''s side, the system prompt had appeared:


    [Your skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has improved, Experience +178]


    [You have been through a battle, Transcendent Knight Experience +69]


    ...


    Through this spar with Salem, Rein had successfully advanced his Tokkal Hammer Technique from lv4 (843/1000) to lv5 (21/2000).


    Right now, Rein was absorbing the fragmented Tokkal Hammer Technique training memories that had newly emerged in his mind.


    These memory fragments, each a separate snippet of hammer training, seemed as though Rein had personally experienced the training times, and now, he was quickly absorbing and integrating them into his muscle memory.


    Soon, Rein felt as if he had suddenly gained an additional two years of grueling Tokkal Hammer Technique practice.


    And some details of the hammer technique that he had previously overlooked were now gradually becoming clear in his mind.


    At this moment, Salem, supported by others and walking over, looked at Rein earnestly and said, "Thank you, Lord Rein, for holding back!"

 Chapter 170 Still Need to Filter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4

    Lord Reine came back to his senses and gave Viscount Salem a quick glance, noting his pale complexion and dejected demeanor, like a cock that had lost a fight.For this ''experience NPC'' who had tried his utmost and dutifully fulfilled his role, Reine still held a considerable respect.


    After all, the man had just given his all in a contest against him, providing a swell of experience that helped boost his Hammer Skill to level 5.


    Moreover, the fact that Salem could be grateful for Reine sparing him in the fight showed he was at least someone who knew when to advance or retreat.


    Therefore, Reine naturally wouldn''t hold back words of encouragement.


    "This... I''m sorry, Viscount Salem, you are quite strong, so I got a bit carried away just now and was a little too harsh," Reine said with a hint of apology.


    Upon hearing Reine''s praise and recognition, Salem''s initially downcast face suddenly reddened with excitement. He said, "It is an honor to spar with you, Lord Reine. I hope to have the opportunity to seek your guidance again in the future."


    Indeed, once one''s own strength far surpasses that of another, the other party would hardly feel inclined to contest too vigorously.


    And after all, young people do need the affirmation of their elders, or those like Reine who are ''strong.''


    In an instant, the idea crossed Reine''s mind.


    Perhaps he could consider befriending more young people with decent strength, and then, encourage them to spar with him more frequently.


    After all, youth and fervor signify a certain ease of motivation!


    However, Reine glanced again at the other young nobles beside Salem and slightly shook his head.


    He still needed to select carefully, discarding those who were too weak.


    At that moment, the Viscount and his wife Norman descended from the second floor of their mansion and came to the training ground.


    -----------------


    Meist County City.


    Inside the Bat Market.


    Experience tales at empire


    A store marked with symbols of stars, moons, and suns stood a tall customer draped in a black cloak.


    This person was Dennis''s father, Baron Norman.


    After nearly ten days without any response from his old friend Adams, Baron Norman felt something was amiss, so he made his way to Adams''s storefront.


    But he was shocked to find that the shop had been sealed off! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This cast a shadow over his heart!


    "This... it couldn''t be that Adams slipped up!"


    "That''s impossible!"


    "Could it be that some unexpected change occurred, involving other masters or powers stepping in?"


    Baron Norman furrowed his brows, deeply in thought.


    ...


    Meanwhile, inside a luxurious study at Earl Harris''s count mansion.


    A bearded man dressed in black noble attire with gold trim stared gloomily at an official letter in front of him, muttering to himself:


    "Damn it, how is this possible!"


    "That kid Reine... not only did he pass the ennoblement examination, but he also got an excellent rating and was awarded the title of Baron. His talent... is even more terrifying than Cleya''s!"


    "Reine became a Baron... he actually became a Baron!"


    "Compared to him, my years of effort are almost a joke!"


    Just yesterday, Lamar from the Black Flame Church came to discuss with him what to do if Reine passed his ennoblement examination.


    According to what Maral conveyed on behalf of the church''s high priest, they planned to have Reine reassigned to the Fishing Port Town as a peace officer if he passed the exam.


    At the time, he had confidently stated that no matter whether Reine received the title of Knight or the nobility title, he could handle the transfer.


    But he hadn''t anticipated the slap in the face to come so swiftly. Now that Reine was conferred the title of Baron, the job transfer was no longer within his power to decide.


    His father��Earl Harris��would surely summon Reine personally.


    All the arrangements he had made with the Black Flame Church were rendered void!


    How infuriating!


    The key issue was that Reine''s growth had been too rapid, exceeding everyone''s expectations!


    This couldn''t continue!


    Alonso''s expression grew increasingly somber as a decision formed in his heart.


    "Michel! Arrange a carriage, I need to go out."

 Chapter 171 The Rebel Conspiracy

    Before, although he wanted to participate in the Black Flame Prayer Ritual, his intention was merely to borrow a bit of divine power to enhance his own strength. Explore new worlds at empireAlonso did not wish to fully undergo the transformation by divine power!


    Although such a transformation could grant immense strength in an instant, he was well aware of its dangers.


    He would not choose this path unless it was a last resort.


    Additionally, the last Black Flame Prayer Ritual did not proceed smoothly, so even if he wanted to undergo the divine power transformation, he would have to wait for the next ritual.


    Thus, this time Alonso was going to a place, to meet a secretive person.


    And under normal circumstances, he would not be too willing to meet such a person. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This person was a spy embedded in the Meister County, belonging to the organization known as ''Zaral''s Rebellion'', named ''Magis'', but clearly, this was an alias.


    On the other hand, meeting with a spy from the rebellion also posed great risk for Alonso.


    After several turns, the carriage arrived in front of a low but heavily fortified building, next to the door of which were written in large letters ''Meister County Prison''.


    After alighting from the carriage, Alonso was escorted to an office once the guards reported his arrival.


    Before long, a middle-aged man dressed in the uniform of the prison guard captain appeared, followed by a trusted guard, and upon seeing Alonso, he revealed a slight smile.


    He looked around the room to confirm that Alonso was alone and then instructed his trusted guard to stand by the door, warning that no one was to enter.


    Immediately after, he closed the office door.


    "Look who''s here, none other than the distinguished Baron Alonso himself. Could it be that you''ve already decided to..." Magis said with a face full of smiles.


    Alonso waved his hand dismissively and said, "Listen, Magis, to prove your strength, I need you to kill someone for me, a newly appointed Knight named Rein."


    "If you can handle this, I might be able to help a little with the deal you mentioned last time."


    Upon hearing Alonso''s words, Magis looked visibly happier, which showed a noticeable softening in Alonso''s attitude from before.


    However, Magis suddenly found it odd, thinking that if the target was merely a new Knight, the Baron here would not have trouble dealing with him.


    So, Magis, wary, asked, "Baron, is this Rein merely a new Knight?"


    Alonso pondered for a moment and said, "This Rein is quite strong for his young age. I believe he now has at least the strength of a seasoned Knight."


    "Oh? A seasoned Knight? Haha, a piece of cake. Don''t worry, my Lord Alonso, we will take care of this." Having heard that the target was a seasoned Knight and not just any new Knight, Magis was relieved that they were being asked to intervene due to the target''s commendable strength.


    "Just don''t forget what you promised us," Magis reminded.


    "Of course!" Alonso stood up, ready to leave.


    But just as he was standing up, he offered a reminder:


    "Oh, and one more thing, I should remind you that the target previously killed a Black Flame Apostle. So I suggest you don''t take him lightly. Otherwise, if you suffer a significant loss, don''t say I didn''t warn you."


    "Hmm? Killed a Black Flame Apostle? My Lord Alonso, are you sure it was an Apostle, not just a monk?" Magis''s expression became serious, and he asked.


    "Yes, it was an Apostle," Alonso nodded.


    "That might indeed complicate things, requiring some effort, but no major issue." As a veteran who had been in Meister County for nearly two years, he naturally knew about the Black Flame Church and was aware of the strength varying among its different ranks.


    "Speaking of which, there is another piece of news I should tell you. This Rein recently received outstanding marks in the Knighting Exam organized by Mingster Province a few days ago and was granted the title of Baron."


    "Don''t you always wish to weaken the Empire''s power? This is a good opportunity to simultaneously eliminate a promising new Baron," added Alonso, thinking that to prevent any further complications, he should reveal Rein''s latest status openly.


    "What?" Magis''s expression changed dramatically, and he couldn''t help but exclaim.


    "Lord Alonso, is there any other news you haven''t fully shared with us?" Magis now looked at Alonso with suspicion, wondering what Alonso''s true intentions were in approaching them.


    It was unlike Alonso to trickle out information about the target, frustrating anyone to no end.


    "That''s all. Rein should currently be on his way back to Flashgold Town, coming from Rosby County," Alonso said.


    "But as a sign of concern for our allies, I do hope you send capable people to handle this. Otherwise, if he gets a chance to grow further, he might become a major trouble for you later on," Alonso shrugged.


    "Thank you for your concern, my Lord Alonso, please rest assured. If any problem arises, we will take responsibility for it," Magis said, somewhat relieved having heard there was no more news.


    He had just felt that he had fallen into a trap set by Alonso, agreeing to the demand before being led by the nose, the difficulty of the task rising step by step.

 Chapter 171 Rebellion Plot_2

    However, fortunately,this Rein was merely a Peak Knight!


    Relying on the forces stationed near Meister County, he should be completely manageable.


    On the other side, Alonso was also very satisfied with what Magis had just said.


    As for why not hire an assassin organization?


    The difference was that hiring an assassin, once failed, Rein would realize immediately, and it would be very easy to backfire.


    With the rebellion forces, this was an advantage.


    They themselves were a magnet for attracting firepower, even if they failed, Rein could not trace it back to himself, and instead, they could divert Rein''s attention through the rebellion forces.


    At the office door, Magis watched Alonso''s departing figure and fell into thought.


    "It seems I need to make contact outside the city."


    "Although the organization and Alonso are mutually using each other, him contacting us already violated a taboo, and soon he will realize that other than boarding our ship, he has no way back."


    Magis pulled out a piece of stone emitting a faint aqua glow from his bosom and murmured softly.


    Before long,


    a gray falcon rapidly flew toward the mountains outside of Meister City.


    ...


    To the east of Meister City lay a large area of undulating hills that stretched endlessly, a slightly muddy forest road led eastward.


    This road was the necessary route to Fishing Port Town, but this area was lush with vegetation and dense with trees, concealing numerous bandit gangs.


    Among them was a group holed up in an abandoned mine, the Zaral rebel forces'' stronghold in Meister County.


    Meister County had also tried to eliminate these bandit gangs but failed due to the overly complex terrain.


    A gray falcon swiftly flew into the secluded mine!


    If one could shift their gaze to the gray falcon at this moment, they would discover a hidden paradise within the mine.


    After passing through a dark tunnel over a hundred meters long, a spacious underground hall appeared before it, fires were lit all around, with many mercenaries dressed as robust men gathered in small groups.


    Some of them were cleaning matchlock guns, and if Rein could see these, he would find them almost identical to those he had seen on "Shipwreck" last time.


    Others were gathered around a knight in plate armor, listening intently.


    "Over the two millennia of imperial rule, corruption has gradually taken hold internally, with many nobles in various regions now harshly exploiting the people...."


    "...Following the frequent outbreaks of mysterious incidents, it collapsed under the last straw, which is why we, the Zaral Rebel Forces, were founded, to overthrow the corrupt rule of the Empire and establish a new, enlightened nation considering the people like the Eagle Federation..."


    Such preachings were not limited to this place.


    At least four or five groups within the hall were either discussing or listening to something.


    "...For the sake of a new nation, we must not fear death and resist the Empire! Moreover, many nobles actually support us. You see those matchlock guns; they can quickly level the combat power gap between us and the imperial troops."


    Some of these people appeared fervent, while others seemed suddenly enlightened, exhibiting a variety of expressions.


    Nearby in the underground hall, a single room was crafted using the recesses left from the original mining with some partitions added.


    Inside, two robust men were chugging red wine, and a lot of the red crystal-clear liquid spilled from the corners of their mouths, running down their necks, dispersing a strong aroma.


    At their feet lay about ten wooden crate boxes, decorated with the pattern of a kite shield and something akin to rose blossoms, neatly filled with bottles of Bordeaux vintage wine.


    "Tsk tsk...This operation went well, posing as bandits and snatching a cartload of precious twenty-year Bordeaux vintage." said a bearded burly man with a chuckle.


    "We can still sell the remaining wine, turning it into weapons and military funds!"


    "It''s all thanks to being well-informed from the city, otherwise, we wouldn''t have known such valuable vintage was in an inconspicuous merchant convoy."


    Then, a gray falcon flapped down beside a nearby cage.


    "Ah! Another message has arrived."


    The burly man walked over, removed a small bamboo tube from the falcon''s leg, took out a small paper slip inside, and started reading it.


    In a moment, he turned to the other robust man and said, "Margen, looks like we have work to do. The city wants us to kill a guy named Rein, supposedly a tough one, a Peak Knight, so they want us all out."


    "He should currently be traveling from the south of Rosby County to Flashgold Town, and that road is not far from here."


    .... S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    -----------------


    Rosby City.


    Continue your adventure at empire


    Viscount Norman''s mansion.


    Rein politely declined Viscount Norman and Evelyn''s invitation to stay longer, mounted a strong black horse, and began his journey back.


    When Rein returned to the spot where he had met Hass previously, a mix of emotions surged in his heart.


    A week ago, he had ventured in drizzling ice rain in cold and damp weather to Rosby City to participate in the accreditation assessment, feeling hopeful yet apprehensive about the road ahead.


    But now, as he resumed his journey home, the winter sun bathed the path in front, the winding trail through the forest no longer dark and damp but seemed like a road strewn with shattered gold.

 Chapter 171 The Rebels Plot_3

    ....Four days later, Rein set foot on the final stretch of his journey. In less than half a day''s travel, after crossing this range of hills, he would arrive at Flashgold Town. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the standpoint of territorial boundaries, Rein was already on the fringes of Flashgold Town.


    Upon embarking on the path toward Flashgold Town, Rein felt a sense of solidity, and... an urge to share his joy with his parents.


    They would never expect that in just a few days, they had become the parents of a Baron.


    Thinking this, a smile involuntarily rose to the corners of Rein''s mouth.


    Flashgold Town.


    A luxurious carriage stood parked at the doorstep of the Rein residence, flanked by two Cavalry guards at the front and back. Both the carriage and the breastplates of the Cavalry bore the noble crest, a Kite Shield adorned with a rose-like flower.


    A slender noble girl stood dismayed in a white dress, stepping out from the Rein household and walking towards the carriage. The girl was none other than Jenny.


    Soon after boarding, Jenny frowned and said to the noble lady inside the carriage, "Mother, Lord Rein still hasn''t returned... The delivery deadline is approaching. What should we do?"


    Although the Lady Crowley Baroness had weathered many storms, the current predicament left her unusually vexed.


    As the Crowley family had grown wealthy through wine trading, they were overjoyed and saw it as a major business opportunity when several nobles from County Town requested a batch of top-level Bordeaux vintage.


    However, just a few days prior, as the Crowley family prepared to transport this batch of Bordeaux vintage from the Eagle Federation from Fishing Port Town to County Town, it was unexpectedly hijacked.


    The two family retainers who were responsible for the convoy, both of whom were the Crowley family''s only remaining Knights in their forties or fifties, were left one dead and one critically injured.


    When news of this first broke, it struck the Crowley Baroness like a bolt out of the blue!


    Immediately after the incident, the Crowley Baroness and Jenny had made one trip to Rein''s house, but returned in disappointment upon learning Rein had gone to Rosby City for his ennoblement examination.


    Since ''Wild Wolf Hills'' nearby was teeming with bandits, the Crowley Baroness had gone several times to both the City Guard and County Town''s security office but failed to convince them to dispatch forces to extinguish the bandits and recover the goods.


    When she sought to hire a mercenary group, she found not a single one in County Town capable of undertaking such a formidable task.


    As the deadline loomed closer,


    Should it arrive, the Crowley family would immediately need to pay double the goods'' value in compensation to these nobles. It was no exaggeration to say this would severely wound the Crowley family''s vitality.


    "Perhaps, we must seek out Baron Alonso..." the Crowley Baroness''s brows furrowed tightly. When she uttered these words, to Jenny, it sounded more like self-encouragement.


    "Mother, let us wait a bit longer, who knows? Perhaps tomorrow Lord Rein will return," Jenny consoled.


    She knew Alonso had always harbored ill intentions towards her mother.


    If her mother sought him out, it would be tantamount to throwing herself into the tiger''s den.


    "Very well, we''ll wait one more day; otherwise, even if Rein returns, it will be too late to recover the goods," the Crowley Baroness nodded, her worries still evident.


    Normally, it wouldn''t be such a coincidence to not be there today, and return the next.


    Meanwhile, as Rein made his way along the narrow path, his eyes narrowed suddenly, he tugged at the reins, bringing his black horse to a halt.


    He sensed something was off��about twenty to thirty meters ahead, on either side of the road, tens of people were hidden within the dense forest. Clearly, it was an ambush.


    Though Rein didn''t know if he was the target, he had no desire to find out what being ambushed felt like.


    "Come out!" Rein called out sternly.


    A few seconds passed.


    Yet the opposition remained hidden in the forest, unresponsive.


    However, Rein''s acute perception detected the faint sound of ''sizzling,'' and his level 3 ''danger perception'' began to warn him subtly.


    He immediately realized what it meant and swiftly dismounted his warhorse, dashing into the nearby woods for cover.


    Suddenly!


    "Bang bang bang!" Multiple matchlock gunshots rang out.


    This response ignited a flame of anger in Rein!


    Seeing they had missed Rein, it seemed as though several people in the forest let out disappointed sighs.


    Right after, a rustling sound ensued as a group of sturdy men wielding various weapons and dressed in chainmail and leather armor burst out of the forest.


    Rein''s gaze instantly fell on the four or five individuals holding matchlock guns, along with the four or five leading men clad in plate armor.


    Indeed, matchlock guns!


    Five Knights?


    No, one seemed to be a Peak Knight...


    But none of that mattered!


    What mattered was Rein''s mood had soured!


    Anyone who is suddenly ambushed when nearly home would be in a foul temper.


    Especially when the assailants employ a sneak attack!


    Rein simultaneously drew the boarhead mace from his back while muttering something.


    Shortly, light refracting in the air faintly revealed something different within a few meters around Rein''s body.


    It was the witchcraft ''High Temperature Field''!


    In the next second, Rein charged out of the forest and directly toward his adversaries!


    At that moment, only a satisfying spree of slaughter could quell Rein''s wrath!

 Chapter 172 What a Big Hole

    Rein burst out of the dense forest, his body swelling to over two meters in height, with the chromium iron Knight armor looking like children''s clothing on his frame.What was originally a comical scene became terrifying the moment it caught the eyes of the elite rebel forces!


    This was Rein, who had released "Limit Break," activating the Transcendent attributes "Huge Strength" and "Strength Burst" to enter a "Triple-State"!


    This time, he employed a completely different strategy from the one he used in his previous clash with Salem.


    Because his purpose was different.


    Last time, it was to gain experience in the Tokkal Hammer Technique, but this time...


    Rein only wanted to vent the rage in his heart!


    Looking at the formidable Rein charging towards them with such speed made Andre, the leader of the rebel forces, his pupils shrink sharply!


    He knew their target was tough, but he hadn''t expected this level of difficulty.


    Besides, just because you''re a Peak Knight does that mean I''m not one? Andre thought to himself.


    Then Andre also let out a roar, his muscles bulging, transforming into a muscular man a shade shorter than Rein, and charged forward with his sword and shield raised.


    Huh, a Strength-type Knight?


    Indeed, in terms of strength, he seemed to have never feared anyone within the same rank.


    "Earth-Splitting Hammer!"


    Rein, using the momentum of his sprint, leapt into the air and swung his dark, two-handed hammer from above, bringing it down with a dull humming noise towards the muscular giant charging at him,


    "Ah!!!"


    Facing Rein''s earth-shattering strike, Andre let out a roar, his eyeballs bulging as if they were about to burst from their corners!


    He mustered all his strength, lifting his heavy steel shield with his left arm to block the blow from Rein''s hammer! Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Clang!"


    A flurry of sparks and a piercing clang of metal on metal erupted between the hammer and the shield!


    The next instant!


    "Boom!"


    The heavy steel shield shattered into pieces, flying like shrapnel in all directions! Several of Zaral''s elite rebels were struck by the fragments and fell silently to the ground.


    As for Andre, the impact from Rein''s hammer had sent him into the ground as if he had been slapped by a hill giant ten meters tall, with half of his body buried and his left shield arm grotesquely twisted!


    If Salem were here, he would surely remark how, even among Peak Knights, the gap could sometimes be unimaginably wide!


    "Ah!!!"


    At this point, Andre had lost all will to fight, screaming in agony as the injuries he sustained weren''t limited to his broken left arm��the shock that came from the shattered shield was the most lethal.


    The force rippled through him, severely damaging almost all the cartilage and tendons at his joints, and this was despite his formidable Peak Knight''s physique.


    Had it been an ordinary Knight, their spine could have been shattered by the impact!


    Seeing this scene, Andre''s trusted lieutenant Magis let out a roar and, waving his greatsword, charged at Rein, trying to stop him from further harming Andre!


    The other rebel elites hesitated for a moment before springing into action, clumsily rushing to rescue their leader from the ground.


    At this moment, Rein''s lips curved into a smile!


    After one hammer blow sent Magis stumbling back several steps,


    The next second, Rein raised his hammer high and used the "Earth-Splitting Hammer" again, slamming it heavily onto the ground in front of Andre.


    All within an eight to nine-meter radius were enveloped in dust, and those coming to help��whether Knight, squire, or elite��were all flung up into the air, some bleeding from the mouth due to the distance, others spewing blood profusely.


    Seconds later, as the dust settled, there appeared a crater in the middle of the road, resembling the aftermath of a 155mm howitzer shell with the deepest point reaching around one meter twenty, spanning a vast fan-shaped area and extending forwards.


    Only after six or seven meters did the ground return to its normal slope.


    Andre, who had narrowly escaped death by hammer, vomited blood while looking at Rein with fear in his eyes, his expression devoid of the confidence and spirit he had upon arrival!


    "Is this what a Peak Knight is?"


    "Damn, so this is all the strength of a Great Knight!" Andre roared in his heart and cursed the one who had sent the message to him mercilessly.


    If that person had been here, Andre had half a mind to eat his heart alive!


    In fact, this couldn''t really be blamed on ''Magis'', the spy in the prison...


    Rein, without hesitation, quickly switched his Pig Head Hammer to the Glimmering Greatsword and, with the momentum of a fierce tiger, charged into the midst of those disheveled and defeated soldiers, slashing wildly.


    Soon, Rein left only five knight-level leaders, including Andre and Margen, alive as captives. After severing the tendons in their hands and feet, he dragged them into the nearby dense forest for interrogation.


    With screams echoing one after another, a quarter of an hour later, Rein wiped the blood off his hands, his expression grim.


    The group that had attacked him turned out to be people from the Zaral rebellion.


    He immediately remembered the time in the forest near Rosby City when he had saved Hass, which had been supported secretly by the Zaral rebels. He didn''t expect that at his doorstep, he would encounter the elite of the rebellion.


    Why did they attack him?


    The muscular leader said it was an order from above, and the specifics were unclear. After repeated interrogation, Rein confirmed that the men indeed seemed to be unaware of the reason.


    He learned some information about the Zaral rebels and sent all of these people to embrace the goddess.


    These people turned out to be Zaral rebels stationed in Meister County, and moreover, their base was in a nearby abandoned copper mine in the ''Wild Wolf Hills.'' There were no longer any personnel as powerful as Peak Knights there.


    The strongest was just a senior knight left behind to guard the place; the elite of the mine had been mostly taken out with them.


    Initially, upon hearing this news, Rein couldn''t help but feel puzzled. The strength of this Zaral rebel force stationed in Meister County seemed weak. Is this it? What could they do against the empire?


    Rely on those few matchlock guns that seemed to be imports from the Eagle Federation?


    They might be okay for dealing with elite forces of ordinary humans, but against proper knights? Better save the effort!


    Wait, was it possible that they had a master in their midst, and this was a ruse to lure him in?


    After another round of interrogation, Rein came to understand that it wasn''t that the Zaral rebels lacked stronger people.


    It was because the overall development of the rebellion was mainly along the coastal cities with developed maritime trade, and it was gradually spreading to the surrounding and inland areas.


    For the Zaral rebels, although Meister County had a part of its territory by the sea, like Fishing Port Town, it wasn''t a mainstream commercial port, so in the rebellion''s plans, it was considered second-line.


    This explained why the highest combat power of the rebels in Meister County was just a Peak Knight.


    Furthermore, their main mission wasn''t to fight the empire or even to cause disturbances; their current orders were to win over nearby bandit gangs, gather supplies, build up strength, and wait for the next command.


    Unfortunately, they didn''t expect to be nearly wiped out by Rein in one fell swoop.


    Rein quickly contemplated. If only a senior knight was left watching over their base, wasn''t this the perfect opportunity to uproot them entirely?


    Even if they wanted to rebuild, it would take a considerable amount of time and effort.


    Rein looked up at the position of the sun. It was almost noon, and the abandoned mine wasn''t far from here. It should take him only half a day to get there and back.


    Spending half a day to uproot Zaral rebels'' base in Meister County sounded good!


    Having made up his mind, Rein immediately hid his two horses in a secret spot, then quickly headed toward the abandoned mine he had learned about during the interrogation.


    A quarter of an hour later, a small merchant caravan consisting of three wagons passed by the area. Seeing the huge pit on the ground, the coachman couldn''t help but look surprised.


    After reporting, a caravan leader wearing a thick waistcoat stepped down from the carriage, looked closely at the huge pit on the ground, and then looked up at the sky, muttering to himself:


    "Strange, I didn''t hear about any meteorite falling recently!"


    "How did such a big hole suddenly appear!"


    "What a hassle!"


    "Quick, get some people to fill in the hole a bit, we''ll go around."


    The middle-aged man gestured with his hand.

 Chapter 173 Seems Like Another Big Deal Has Been Accomplished!

    After more than an hour of trekking, Rein soon found the abandoned mine that the Zaral rebellion forces used as their stronghold, nestled in undulating hills.Rein had previously engaged in a brief battle, and despite its short duration, the full-throttle explosion along with the use of the secret technique "Earth-splitting Hammer" twice had significantly drained his physical energy.


    Now, after another hour of a ''forced march'', his physical condition had dropped to about 60 to 70 percent of its peak.


    Although Rein already knew that there were no strong figures guarding the enemy, there was an old saying from his past life, "Pride goes before a fall," and furthermore, there was no guarantee that the rebels hadn''t made any sudden personnel changes.


    Thus, after a moment of consideration, Rein decided to add a point to his Spirit Attribute to quickly recover his physical condition.


    As the remaining attribute points dropped from 2 to 1, and his spiritual power increased from 24 to 25 points, a surging heat flow pumped from his heart, rapidly spreading to his limbs and body.


    Instantly, Rein felt his condition return to its peak, and the muscle soreness from earlier exertions also vanished.


    Since this abandoned mine was the enemy stronghold in the entire Meister county, Rein remained very cautious, meticulously exploring the vicinity of the mine entrance first.


    Soon, Rein discovered two guard posts, one overt and one covert, and three hidden traps that could easily ensnare an unwary intruder.


    Indeed, the rebels were not some poorly disciplined bandits; their military training might not match that of the Empire''s regular army, but they were not devoid of combat ability, roughly between the militia and the City Guard.


    Thus, Rein quietly neutralized the two guard posts, bypassed the traps, and then slowly made his way into the mine.


    After eliminating two patrols, Rein passed through a dark, damp mine tunnel and arrived at a spacious underground hall.


    The hall, three meters high and roughly two to three hundred square meters in area, was likely a former intersection of several mine tunnels which had been further excavated and renovated.


    Fires were lit all around the hall, with about thirty burly men dressed as mercenaries huddled in small groups��some chatting, some oiling their longswords, and some wiping shiny matchlock gun barrels.


    Part of the group stood around a knight in plate armor, listening intently to him. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein''s eyes narrowed as he took a longer look at the knight in plate armor.


    It seemed this person was the stay-behind knight mentioned by the rebel leader, possessing the capabilities of a seasoned knight.


    Seconds later, Rein shifted his gaze from the individuals to the surroundings of the underground hall.


    Rein discovered that the hall connected to at least four deep tunnels.


    It appeared that Rein was right to have cautiously infiltrated, as his chosen tactic had proven effective.


    If he had barged in forcefully, even if he had managed to fight his way here successfully, those in the underground hall might have scattered and fled, and likely many would have escaped.


    After all, it was hard to ensure that all four tunnels didn''t lead to the outside.


    Furthermore, he was alone and couldn''t possibly intercept or eliminate dozens of rebels on the spot.


    Suddenly, a thought flashed through Rein''s mind like a bolt of lightning.


    Rein gently raised his left hand. Since his chromium armor glove had been damaged in his bout with Salem, he now stood with his bare palm exposed, his gaze focused on his little finger.


    There sat what appeared to be an emerald ring, but in reality, it was a ring filled with hallucinogenic poison gas.


    Rein had never used this item since he filled it with poison gas at the Bat Market, but he hadn''t anticipated such an ideal opportunity to use it today.


    Rein remembered, Endri had also used it in the Elim Mine.


    The very first time he was going to use it would also be in a mine.


    How ironic...


    Rein couldn''t help but laugh, then shook his head slightly.


    Pity that Endri wasn''t a hero.


    "Otherwise, I would definitely say ''Great minds think alike!''" Rein thought to himself.


    After sniffing the antidote in advance, Rein lightly pressed the needle-sized trigger on the side of the emerald ring and with a ''click,'' the colorless, odorless poison gas was instantly released and spread.


    After estimating the timing, Rein then drew the Glimmering Greatsword and calmly stepped forward.


    At the edge of the underground hall, several burly men who saw Rein''s sudden appearance, changed their expressions abruptly and yelled:


    "Who are you?"


    "How did you get in here!"


    As these men shouted, all members of the rebellion in the underground hall were alerted.


    They all looked up, fixing their eyes on Rein.


    Facing Rein, this uninvited guest, they immediately took up battle stances, but as they started to stand, they staggered and fell!


    Their faces instantly turned pale!


    The veteran knight, after taking four or five steps, wavered slightly, and glared at Rein with a steely gaze, saying:


    "Did you poison us?"


    Rein nodded and said, "Yes, I did!"


    "Despicable fellow, lacking in skill, you resort to such dirty tricks!"

 Chapter 173 Seems Like Another Big Deal Has Been Accomplained!_2

    "Die!"With the roar came a powerful, forceful strike from the knight''s longsword!


    Indeed, as a seasoned knight, Endri''s poison gas tactics had little effect on seasoned knights.


    It merely slowed the opponent''s speed and accuracy.


    However...


    The opponent clearly underestimated Rein''s strength.


    Assuming Rein used poison because he lacked in strength.


    Already less skilled than Rein, even slightly affected by the poison, this further widened the gap between their strengths!


    "Clang!"


    The swords clashed!


    The next second, the sound of a blade cutting into flesh rang out.


    "Ptui!"


    In just one encounter, Rein''s blade had penetrated the opponent''s right shoulder joint, slicing upwards and severing it completely.


    A forearm holding a knight''s longsword flew into the air!


    "Ptui!"


    Another sword strike saw Rein take a sidestep to the seasoned knight''s left rear side, quickly chopping down at a weak spot behind the opponent''s kneecap armor, severing one of his legs.


    "Ah! Who exactly are you?"


    "Ah! Why are you attacking us?"


    The head of the rebel guards screamed out in pain while incessantly asking questions.


    But Rein did not pay attention.


    It was you who attacked me first.


    Thus, naturally, you must endure the pain of my retaliation! Rein thought to himself.


    Seeing this spectacle, other rebel elites turned as pale as death!


    Their own boss, a seasoned knight, had been taken down in two moves and was now wailing in a pool of blood.


    Their strength, naturally, was even inferior.


    Seeking to save their lives, many began to try and get up, planning to run towards the tunnels around them.


    But after being poisoned, they now staggered like drunkards, falling down as soon as they got up, then struggling to rise again only to fall down under the stimulation of their survival instincts.


    After repeating this several times, most of them could no longer stand up, their expressions either blank or frightened, and they began to babble incoherently.


    Clearly, the hallucinogenic poison gas had started to act quickly among these people!


    Rein nodded to himself, observing this scene. The hallucinogenic poison gas was effective against a large number of ordinary people, avoiding the awkward situation of overkilling.


    At that moment, except for a few prospective knights who could still struggle a bit, the rest were like meat on a chopping block.


    After sparing a few who clearly looked like rebel leaders, Rein killed off the others one by one with his sword.


    Immediately after, Rein began to search the area.


    As this was a base for an organization, there was a rich reserve of materials �� stacks of smoked meat, loads of cabbages, potatoes, and other food.


    In a small room used as an armory, various weapons were displayed, such as knight''s longswords, shields, dual-handed greatswords, and several brand-new matchlock guns.


    Seemingly having thought of something, Rein, originally planning to check the next room, stopped in his tracks, turned back into the small room, and picked up a matchlock gun.


    Although Rein was not very familiar with matchlock guns, after seeing pirates during the "Shipwreck" battle, who had to light a matchlock before firing, he knew it was a primitive type of firearm.


    It seemed that according to the development course of his previous life, after matchlock guns came flintlock guns?


    Rein shook his head slightly because that was not his focus.


    What he had noticed was the barrel of the matchlock gun.


    In the moment he turned to leave, the corner of his eye was caught by the shiny barrel, the craftsmanship of which seemed quite unusual��


    It looked like some kind of stainless steel!


    He had heard last time that these matchlock guns all came from the Eagle Federation...


    Indeed, after a closer inspection of the barrel, Rein confirmed his suspicion.


    Considering the manufacturing technique of this barrel, the metallurgical level of the Eagle Federation was high, which sparked many thoughts in Rein.


    After a moment of contemplation, Rein took down the matchlock guns.


    He planned to study them slowly after returning home.


    When Rein entered another separate compartment nearby, upon entering, he saw a few bottles of Bordeaux aging on a table and the wine in the wooden cup shimmering like a ruby.


    He could not help but shake his head and exclaim:


    "Tsk tsk, the living conditions of the rebels are quite luxurious," he remarked.


    "Eh? Isn''t that the Crowley family''s crest?" Rein glanced unintentionally and spotted that familiar pattern �� a kite shield adorned with a rose-like flower on the surface of a wooden crate loaded with Bordeaux vintage.


    Undoubtedly, it was the Crowley family''s emblem.


    This immediately made Rein frown.


    Could it be that the Crowley family was connected to the Zaral rebels?


    No, that can''t be right! S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The image of Baroness Crowley, with her voluptuous and beautiful figure, slipped into Rein''s mind inadvertently.


    The matriarch of the Crowley family wouldn''t be that foolish.


    If she supplied wine to the rebels, even an idiot would know to erase your family''s crest thoroughly.


    Could someone have purchased it from the Crowley family''s store and then supplied it to the rebels?


    Forget it, why guess randomly when I can just ask directly.


    Luckily, I didn''t kill all of these people!


    Only after questioning a few leaders again did Rein realize.


    It turned out that these precious Bordeaux vintages had come from bandits disguised as rebels, looted along the way.


    This means that these ten or so wooden crates of Bordeaux vintage should indeed belong to the Crowley family.


    It seemed that on this occasion, the Crowley family had suffered a significant loss!


    After briefly taking inventory of the supplies within the base, Rein looked at the large pile of goods before him and couldn''t help but fall into thought.


    Since I am just one person, obviously, no matter how strong, I cannot carry so much back to Flashgold Town.


    Additionally, it is best to erase any traces, which means I should blow up this abandoned mine.


    The nearly a thousand Gold Coins found should naturally be taken, and these few matchlock guns too. As for the Bordeaux vintage...


    I might as well take them all.


    Who else but myself serves as the guardian knight of the Crowley family!


    Rein discovered that one day he would actually be troubled by too much loot.


    It seemed this was the only way.


    Rein utilized the flatbed cart found within the base to transport the Bordeaux vintage and some of the more valuable goods to a spot near the mine, concealed and marked them.


    Then he returned and carried several kegs of gunpowder to the middle section of the narrow mine tunnel and connected them with a fuse before igniting it.


    As Rein swiftly fled the mine, seconds later, a dull explosion sounded from the entrance of the mine, followed by a powerful blast that swept up the surrounding leaves and stones.


    After doing all this, Rein began his journey back to where he had hidden his horse.


    The sun set in the west, a thin mist rose over Flashgold Town, shimmering in the sunset like a thin golden veil.


    When Rein arrived home, he saw his sister Bo He playing with their greyhound ''Cookie'' in the front yard.


    Since Anna had left, his sister Bo He had been sullen for quite some time.


    Fortunately, as ''Cookie'' grew up, it was gradually able to accompany Bo He in her play.


    Thinking of this, Rein couldn''t help but think of the intelligence potion. As for the ingredients, he had already prepared them in Rosby City''s Nightingale Market. He planned to make it when he found time, perhaps even further enhancing ''Cookie''s intelligence.


    "Brother, Brother is back!" With the increasingly distinct sound of hooves, Bo He suddenly looked up, stunned for a moment, then joyfully shouted.


    ...


    Dinner time.


    The Rein family sat around the wooden dining table.


    "Rein, you say you''re now a baron?"


    Emma, his mother, dropped her wooden spoon with a ''clang'' into her soup bowl, splashing some vegetable broth, her eyes widening in shock as she stared at her son.


    Although she knew her son had gone to participate in the noble investiture exam, she had only ever hoped that he might pass and become a distinguished knight lord.


    How could Emma have imagined that her son could skip two ranks and become a baron directly!


    Good heavens!


    Goddess above!


    Old Rein''s jaw also dropped in disbelief, looking at his son.


    He never thought that he would one day be the father of a baron!


    Only sister Bo He seemed a bit bewildered, flapping her long eyelashes, peering at her brother, then turning to their parents.


    Judging by the expressions of her parents, Bo He could be sure of one thing.


    That was that her brother Rein had done something remarkable once again!

 Chapter 174 Magiss Surprise

    In the midst of shock, the Rein family''s dinner was still ongoing, although the atmosphere had turned a bit strange.It was like winning five million in a lottery in a previous life, where the whole family would be very happy.


    But if they had won a billion, the family would, amidst their happiness, start to think a lot, especially the adults.


    At that moment, old Rein and Emma''s minds were still in chaos, bombarded with various thoughts.


    For instance, what should she wear if she became the mother of a baron?


    Additionally, what manners and behaviors must be noticed to not disgrace Rein?


    Would other nobles ridicule them as country bumpkins?


    ...


    Only sister Bo He continued to eat joyously as always.


    Suddenly, Bo He''s big eyes fluttered twice, as if she had thought of something, and said, "Oh yes, brother, that beautifully dressed Jenny sister came looking for you today."


    "I told her you weren''t in, and then Jenny sister didn''t say much and just left."


    "Hmm?" After thinking, Rein nodded, indicating he understood.


    ....


    Meanwhile.


    In Meist County City.


    In a luxuriously decorated study on the second floor of the Baron Norman''s mansion.


    Baron Norman, clad in noble hunting attire, frowned as he looked at a stack of documents on the desk.


    On these pages, one name appeared over and over again��Rein.


    Then, a knocking sound came from the door.


    "Enter!" Baron Norman''s eyebrow quirked as he spoke.


    His son Dennis entered with a joyful expression, saying, "Father, I feel I''ve touched upon a certain bottleneck; I should be able to try taking an advanced magic potion now."


    Hearing this news, Baron Norman managed a slight curve on his face, saying, "Not bad."


    However, Dennis was deeply disappointed inside. He had been expecting high praise from his father, not just a calm utterance of the words "not bad."


    In the scene he imagined, when his father showed high approval, he would take the opportunity to bring up the matter of an alliance through marriage with the Crowley family.


    Lately, while using Divine Blood for his training, he had often thought of Lady Banon Crowley, quite a beauty.


    But now, the reality was far different from what he had expected.


    Dennis didn''t dare say anything; he read his father''s expression, which although still as emotionless as a statue, allowed Dennis, as his son, to sense that his father''s mood wasn''t that great.


    Thinking over, just as he was about to inquire, out of the corner of his eye, Dennis suddenly noticed the familiar name on the desk documents��Rein!


    Huh?


    All these documents are about Rein?


    Dennis''s pupils suddenly constricted!


    He then realized that his usually strong father was troubled by this farmer''s son!


    Dennis was a bit puzzled.


    This matter, hadn''t his father said it was handled by an almost infallible old friend?


    Why....


    Lips mumbling, Dennis eventually asked, pointing to the documents on the table, "Father... is there a problem with this?"


    Baron Norman''s expression darkened, he sighed and nodded.


    This made Dennis feel even more anxious.


    Another problem indeed! S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Damn!


    The heck, could this farmer''s son be the illegitimate child of Lady Luck?


    His family had dispatched numerous people time after time, yet none could finish him off!


    "Father, how... how is this possible!"


    "Didn''t you say your friend once even had a record of killing a Great Knight?"


    "Even if your friend''s strength has waned, killing a full-fledged knight should be as simple as slaughtering a chicken, right?"


    Upon hearing his son''s question, Baron Norman didn''t immediately reply; he had been pondering this issue just moments ago.


    The study fell into an eerie silence for a moment.


    After a long pause, Baron Norman seemed to have organized his thoughts, only to hear his deep voice begin:


    "The other day, since I hadn''t received any news from Adams, I felt concerned and decided to check on his shop."


    "As I expected, there was a problem."


    "Then, I obtained this information through a few friends who hold positions in the functional departments."


    Saying this, Baron Norman pointed at the documents on the desk.


    Dennis immediately reached out, picked up a document, and saw a passage that appeared to be copied from some official document:


    "....Ten days ago, fugitive Adams, sought by the Empire, was successfully killed in a coordinated siege by Hamilton, the security chief of Flashgold Town, Deputy Chief Rein, and dozens of elite Night Watchmen..."


    "A coordinated siege?" Dennis murmured upon seeing these words.


    No wonder it failed; it was an ambush!


    Dennis seemed to find a reasonable explanation.


    After all, the Empire''s semi-military force��the Night Watchmen��isn''t some uncoordinated group of bandits, but a tactically cohesive fighting collective, where one plus one surpasses two.


    Of course, the main reason was the significant decline in his father''s old friend''s strength...


    Just as Dennis was lost in thought, Baron Norman added a sentence that was almost ''shocking''!


    "Moreover, I''ve received the latest news from Alonso that this Rein has just passed the nobility investiture exam of Mingster Province and has been granted the title of a baron!"


    "What!"


    "A baron???"


    Hearing this news from his father, Dennis''s eyes suddenly bulged like walnuts, and his wide-open mouth could almost fit an entire roast chicken.


    Dammit, can things be this outrageous!


    He was still taking pride in being able to consume advanced magic potions when this commoner suddenly transformed into a noble!


    And a baron at that!


    This was the same title as his father''s!


    This former commoner''s status had now surpassed that of his own, a baron''s son!


    At this moment, Dennis felt the towering ''sense of superiority'' he had always harbored, utterly collapse!


    "Impossible, this can''t be possible! There must be a mistake!" A few seconds later, Dennis, red-faced and chest heaving, emotionally retorted.


    "The imperial dispatch arrived at the county town two days ago, handled by Alonso, and the relevant documents have been handed over to Count Habbs," Baron Norman stated calmly, without any rebuttal.


    Like being doused with a bucket of ice water, Dennis shook a few times then immediately calmed down.


    He knew that even if his father and Baron Alonso could make mistakes, Count Habbs wouldn''t; the empire wouldn''t...


    The thought of having to salute Rein first and address him as ''Lord Baron'' in the future made Dennis feel sicker than if he had eaten lukewarm dog feces!


    After being dazed for quite a while, Dennis finally snapped back to reality, reluctantly asking, "Father, what do we do now..."


    "Later, I will find a friend."


    Hearing this, Dennis barely restrained the urge to question his father; still looking for a friend?


    However...


    Pausing, Baron Norman continued, "If that fails, I will directly propose a ''bloody duel'' to Rein!"


    At this statement, Dennis''s spirits soared, he had long wanted his father to act and directly eliminate this farmer''s son.


    As for why his father couldn''t openly challenge Rein to a duel earlier, he understood that too clearly.


    Because a noble challenging a commoner to a duel would be condemned by other nobles and even the imperial senate.


    Moreover, the crucial point is, a commoner could refuse such an unfair duel request.


    But now that Rein has become a baron, equivalent in rank to his father, it made the duel suddenly feasible.


    Moreover, among the nobles'' duels, there''s ''bloody duel'' and ''ordinary duel,'' the ordinary duel ends when one party admits defeat, whereas a bloody duel ends only with death!


    However... a bloody duel must be approved by the local governor, and it needs to take place in a specified location under the supervision of numerous observers.


    "Father, are you confident?" Dennis, although having absolute faith in his father, who had a rich and fierce battle record, couldn''t help but ask.


    "I recently paid a hefty sum for a secret potion, and now there is news from the Imperial City that a potion master is willing to make it. Once I consume this potion, it will heal my internal injuries and restore my peak combat strength."


    Baron Norman didn''t directly answer Dennis.


    "That''s great! If you can regain your peak condition, Father, Rein will undoubtedly lose!" Dennis exclaimed excitedly, his face flush with excitement.


    "Alright, I need to step out."


    ....


    Baron Norman was then seen riding in a carriage to a heavily guarded low building��Meist County Prison.


    Baron Norman alighted from the carriage and, after being announced by the guards, found himself in an office.


    Soon, Magis, the middle-aged man dressed in the prison warden''s uniform, appeared.


    Upon seeing Baron Norman''s arrival, a trace of almost imperceptible surprise flashed across Magis''s eyes.


    Why are several nobles from Meist County suddenly interested in contacting their Zaral Resistance all at once?


    After some pleasantries, Baron Norman stated his purpose:


    "....So, if your organization can eliminate this newly appointed Baron Rein, then the previous request made by your organization can be agreed to by the Norman family," Baron Norman said gravely.


    Magis was so surprised that he almost exclaimed!


    But his years of experience as a spy managed to suppress this impulse.


    Rein again?


    What exactly had Rein done?


    Why did both Alonso and the Baron Norman here want him dead?


    If he is as they described, then... could there be a way to assimilate Rein into the organization? An idea suddenly crossed Magis''s mind.


    After all, faith is something that can brainwash, no, can be converted!


    Magis calculated the time; it had been five days, and surely within a week, there would be a result.


    Moreover, he hadn''t expected that one issue could serve two favors; thus, confidently gesturing with an index finger, he said:


    "Of course, no problem, one week! Baron Norman, I can give you a definite reply within a week!"


    Baron Norman looked at this liaison for the resistance with a scrutinizing gaze; he always felt that just a moment ago, the other''s look was strangely peculiar.


    Moreover, the other''s response was too certain, so certain that he somewhat didn''t believe it.


    After all, he had come here with an attitude of just giving it a try...


    Years of naval combat experience told him that the most reliable thing was still one''s own strength.


    Once he returned, he would still rush the secret potion.

 Chapter 175 Earl Harris (Two in One Mega Chapter)

    After dinner, Rein, back in his room, checked the system prompts from the previous two battles:.... S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Your skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has been enhanced, Experience +112]


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has been enhanced, Experience +32]


    [Your skill, High-Temperature Force Field, has been enhanced, Experience +11]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +69, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +12]


    Whether as a knight or as a wizard apprentice, he was steadily improving.


    Rein thought carefully and felt that even though he was already a second-level wizard apprentice, since he had never found any wizard schools or organizations, his combat strength was still primarily that of a knight''s path.


    He tentatively estimated that the ratio was about sixty-forty, with the knight''s combat strength accounting for about sixty percent of the overall strength, while the wizard''s was about forty percent.


    Of course, this did not mean that the wizard, accounting for only forty percent, could be taken lightly.


    For example, during the battle with the Flesh Tree Spirit, if he did not have the wizard side''s strength enhancement but replaced it entirely with knight strength, it was likely he would not have been able to win.


    Next, Rein planned to go to Master Ganther''s to study swordsmanship further, as part of advancing on the knight''s path.


    Once he passed the Sword Bearer''s assessment, Rein had a premonition that he would likely be able to touch upon the empire''s formal powers related to the mystical side.


    ...


    Early the next morning, when it was barely light, Rein heard the barking of the Lintian dog ''Cookie'' from the front yard.


    "Woof woof!"


    Rein stood up, looked out of the second-floor bedroom window, and saw a familiar carriage parked at the front door, with the slender noble girl Jenny stepping out of the carriage.


    It seemed the Crowley family was more anxious than he had anticipated, Rein thought to himself.


    He quickly donned a waistcoat and hurried downstairs.


    "Lord Rein, you are finally back!" Jenny, who was about to knock on the door, saw it swing open, and a familiar figure appeared before her, exclaiming with surprise.


    "Miss Jenny, good morning," Rein nodded and said.


    "Lord Rein, my mother is also in the carriage. Could you now..." Jenny began to say something but hesitated, her slender fingers nervously pointing at the carriage.


    "Of course, I can!"


    Rein raised an eyebrow; he had not expected the Baroness of the Crowley family to come as well.


    It seemed the matter was more serious than he had thought.


    Upon entering the carriage, Rein smelled a rich scent of rose perfume. He looked up and saw the Baroness, as ravishing as ever, only with a hint more worry on her forehead, slightly furrowed brows.


    Seeing Rein, her watery eyes were filled with anticipation.


    "Lord Rein, I''m so relieved to see you!"


    "Madam, good morning. Have you encountered some trouble?" Rein gently bowed in greeting.


    Although Rein had a suspicion, the trouble that the Crowley family faced was likely related to the rebels.


    Still, he wanted to hear the Baroness''s account first, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation.


    "Ah! The Crowley family has run into a big trouble... The loss of this batch of goods means we have to pay double the compensation, and I''ve calculated that to be about two thousand imperial gold coins..."


    "This could nearly deplete the Crowley family''s liquid assets... But the biggest issue is, the wine industry is fiercely competitive, and our rivals will kick us while we''re down..."


    Hearing this, Rein nodded slightly.


    He virtually confirmed that the difficulties the Crowley family faced were due to the heist of the Bordeaux vintage.


    How ironic!


    The beautiful woman continued her story:


    "So, I hope you, Lord Rein, can assemble a team to retrieve this batch of goods for the Crowley family. We will pay double for the recruitment of the personnel and your reward," she said, her eyes welling with tears, looking at Rein with hope.


    At this moment, Jenny''s eyes also reddened, as she had been accompanying her mother in reaching out in many directions these past days to no avail.


    She deeply realized that if a family did not have strong military support, relying solely on wealth accumulated from business was like a fat cow waiting to be slaughtered.


    She also understood why her mother had previously inquired about the newly risen commoner knight, hoping to find a commoner with a strong knightly talent to persuade him to marry into the Crowley family.


    "Madam, there''s no need to worry so much. Perhaps, we can go retrieve those goods right now."


    "What?" Both women''s eyes widened in astonishment, looking at Rein in disbelief.


    "However... perhaps it would be more appropriate to arrange a flatbed truck for transporting the goods," Rein suggested, glancing at the luxurious carriage and smiling.


    Seeing the confused looks on the faces of the two women, Rein did not keep them in suspense any longer.


    He briefly recounted how he had been ambushed on the way, countered the attackers, and eventually made his way into their stronghold, where he happened to come across the lost Bordeaux vintage.


    Rein did not conceal from the two women the behind-the-scenes black hand��Zaral''s rebels.


    Suddenly, Rein felt a fragrant, soft body throw itself into his arms.


    It was the Baroness of the Crowley family, unable to contain her joy at recovering the loss, who hugged him, crying tears of happiness!


    Rein suddenly stiffened!


    At that moment, Rein really wanted to say, ''Madam, you might be underestimating your allure to the opposite sex!''

 Chapter 175 Earl Harris (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Since Lagaray had left, Rein hadn''t craved meat for many days.At this moment, smelling the mature scent of a woman emanating from Lady Crowley, the baroness, and catching sight of vast expanses of milky white skin at her neck, Rein felt a surge of heat rise from his lower abdomen, immediately making his mouth dry and tongue parched.


    "Oh my!" The baroness suddenly let out a low exclamation as something seemed to poke her abdomen.


    The next second, the beautiful matron released Rein, her eyes cast downward in a slightly shy manner.


    She gently brushed away the strands of hair falling beside her ear, saying, "Lord Reine, I''m truly so embarrassed, I was just too overjoyed just now, please forgive my lapse in composure."


    Rein also coughed, to mask his embarrassment.


    If he had known, he would have worn his plate armor before coming out... now, clad only in a waistcoat and unable to conceal anything...


    It was then Rein took a proper look at Lady Crowley standing before him.


    The noblewoman was dressed in an elegant off-the-shoulder light purple gown adorned with lace fringes. Her white fur shawl had been set aside, perhaps due to the warmth inside the carriage. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because the shawl was not worn, a large expanse of white, smooth skin at the neck was exposed, and a golden brooch barely managed to fix the towering bodice of the gown in place.


    It offered a silent seduction!


    A woman''s skin is very sensitive.


    The beautiful matron immediately felt that Lord Rein opposite her was eyeing certain parts of her body, but she didn''t shy away, instead she subtly straightened her slender waist.


    That was too much for Rein to take!


    Additionally, he confirmed one thing��that "small branches bear large fruits" did indeed exist.


    The atmosphere inside the carriage suddenly took on an improper vibe.


    If Jenny hadn''t been there, perhaps...


    At that moment, Jenny glanced at her mother before looking down at Rein''s waist, promptly turning her head to stare outside the window as her cheeks reddened.


    Despite this, Rein managed to calm the heat stirring within him and, after a brief thought, said, "Madam, let''s arrange for people to go and retrieve the goods that rightly belong to the Crowley family."


    "Eh... right now? Okay, I''ll arrange it immediately��" Lady Crowley raised her head to look at Rein, then quickly averted her gaze, saying.


    After spending half the day, Rein led several trusted individuals from the Crowley household to a concealed location to retrieve the Bordeaux vintage, and while there, also moved the other spoils of war that belonged to him.


    When Rein climbed back into the carriage, he saw the voluptuous Lady Crowley, who seemed more radiant than in the morning due to her affairs being settled, her lovely face was beaming.


    "Lord Reine, I''m truly so grateful to you. If it weren''t for you..."


    Rein waved his hand, cutting off what she was about to say with a smile, "I am the guardian knight of the Crowley family, madam. You are being too formal."


    "Oh yes, madam," Rein continued, "it just so happens I have a matter that I may need to consult with you on."


    "Lord Reine, I dare not presume to teach, but please, do tell," Lady Crowley hastened to say, waving her hand.


    "It''s like this, I wanted to ask about the design of noble emblems��is there some sort of customary regulation? A couple of days ago, I was just made a baron of the empire, so..."


    "What!" Two exclamations interrupted Rein''s following words.


    Lady Crowley and Jenny both had their eyes wide open, their expressions incredulous as they gazed at Rein.


    Rein had become a baron?


    How could that be?


    How could it happen so quickly!


    A myriad of questions suddenly flooded the minds of the two women.


    "Lord Reine, did you say... you''re a baron now?" Lady Crowley was the first to recover and immediately asked, not minding whether it was presumptuous or not.


    "Yes, a couple of days ago, I participated in the nobility ennoblement examination in Mingster Province and earned a distinguished evaluation, so I was granted the title of baron," Rein nodded and explained succinctly.


    Lady Crowley nodded in understanding, "That makes sense! But Lord Reine, you really are remarkable. I heard that the passing rate for the ennoblement exam is less than half, and yet you managed to earn a distinguished evaluation, it''s truly impressive."


    Listening to the beautiful woman''s praise, Rein still felt quite pleased inside.


    "Regarding the emblem design, you really shouldn''t worry too much. In my opinion, baron is certainly not your final destination. As a title changes, one can redesign a family emblem, which is permitted by the empire."


    "So, you just need to tell me which symbols you like, and I can help you with some suggestions."


    "I see," Rein nodded.


    Of course, baron was not his end goal. Knowing that he could change the family emblem as his title elevated, that made things much easier.


    Rein then shared the rough idea he had in mind, crossing his arms as he spoke, "Could a greatsword and a two-handed warhammer be crossed over each other?"


    "Certainly, the two weapons each signify a type of combat skill you''re proficient in. The only concern is whether other nobles have already claimed such an emblem. If it''s taken, I suggest adding an additional symbol," the elegant woman detailed.


    "Like water, flame, forest, or other such symbols," she added.


    "Hmm, if it''s a repeat, then just add a ring of flames around the edge of the two weapons," Rein gestured.


    "That''s a great idea," she commented.


    "By the way, Rein, now that you''ve earned the barony, the empire will arrange an estate for you. However, you''ll have to take care of decorating it and hiring servants on your own. See, these miscellaneous affairs, would you like me to prepare them for you first?"

 Chapter 175 Earl Harris (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    The beautiful lady apparently thought of something and took the initiative to speak.Rein knew that the other party intended to repay him for today''s incident.


    "Hmm? Is there also a mansion included as a gift? If the lady can help, that would be fantastic," Rein''s eyes lit up.


    "Yes, that''s right, haven''t you met Count Harris yet? Normally, you should receive an invitation from the Governor of Meister County��Count Harris��very soon," the lady said with a light chuckle.


    "Indeed, I only returned to Flashgold Town last night and haven''t even had time to report back to the town," Rein shrugged and said.


    "That explains it. After Count Habbs receives you, soon, you, the rising new Baron, will become known to all the nobles of Meister County. I imagine you will be overwhelmed with visits and invitations," she said.


    Baroness Crawley seemed to envision some lively scene and couldn''t help but cover her mouth and giggle.


    Hmm?


    The thought of the nutrient-free social interactions among the nobility gave Rein quite a headache.


    He was still wholly focused on improving his strength; there was no time to deal with this.


    "Oh, by the way, you will need to recruit a reliable, experienced butler for your new mansion, otherwise a lot of things can become quite troublesome for the master..."


    This made Rein''s already furrowed brow tighten even more!


    There were just too many trivial matters!


    Handing these things off to his parents was clearly impractical.


    As for an experienced butler?


    He had no clue at the moment.


    Recruiting some servants was easy, but experienced butlers, who were very important in any family, were usually trained from a young age, much like the servant boys at the Habsburg estate.


    The astute beautiful lady, upon seeing Rein suddenly furrow his brow, guessed something and said, "Do you have any difficulties? Perhaps I can help with these trivial matters."


    When Baroness Crawley took the initiative to inquire, Rein thought to himself, yes, professional matters should be left to professionals.


    Baroness Crawley might not be good at combat, but she was quite adept at family management and business dealings.


    "Indeed, lady, I would love to push all these social engagements aside. Moreover, I really can''t think of where to find a butler who is both trustworthy and capable," Rein said with a wry smile.


    "Giggle~" The lady and Jenny couldn''t help but cover their mouths and laugh when they saw Rein''s rare wry smile.


    "Look, how about I temporarily take on the role of housekeeper until you find a suitable one?" Baroness Crawley said with a smile.


    "That would be wonderful, but it may be a bit demeaning for you..." Rein said, looking at the beautiful lady.


    Although Rein was not very clear on some matters, he did have some understanding. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Normally, it was not unusual for the wife of a Knight or a noble to serve as the housekeeper for a higher-ranking noble, such as a Viscount or at the count''s mansion.


    But it was quite rare for the wife of a Baron to take up a housekeeper role, unless it was for a Marquis or even a Duke''s family, but the highest-ranking title in the entire Meister County was Earl.


    "It''s just a temporary measure. Compared to your previous help for the Crawley family, these are all trivial matters," she said.


    "Ah, Lord Reine, I also plan to gift you one of the Crawley family''s shops as a token of thanks. The family currently has a tailor''s shop, a bakery, and a blacksmith''s shop in the county town..."


    Rein, who was about to decline, paused when he heard the familiar words "blacksmith''s shop," swallowed the refusal that was almost on his lips, and reconsidered.


    After thinking it over, Rein said:


    "Lady, I am particularly interested in the blacksmith''s shop, but in terms of forging rather than managing. So, I think the operations of the blacksmith''s shop should still be handled by the Crawley family, and we can split the profits. However, I might often forge some weapons or the like, which may affect the normal operations of the shop. Just giving you a heads-up," he said.


    "Hmm? Lord Reine, are you very interested in forging?" The beautiful lady looked at Rein in surprise, then exchanged glances with Jenny beside her.


    "Indeed, I am very interested," Rein nodded.


    Rein felt there was nothing shameful about it; even if he became a Duke one day, as long as the blacksmith''s profession panel existed, forging would still be an essential course for him!


    "Lord Reine, perhaps you don''t know, my late father, Baron Crawley, was a senior armor caster. He once wrote two volumes on armor casting techniques, which, perhaps, you could take a look at when you have time," Jenny said from the side.


    "Hmm?" A spark of interest flashed in Rein''s eyes.


    A senior armor caster?


    Books on Armor Casting Technique?


    "That''s wonderful! Lady, Jenny, I''ll first pay a visit to the Hamilton sheriff''s office, and after a while, how about we head to the county town together?" Rein was eager to see the books.


    Perhaps he had a hunch that the blacksmith''s subsequent professional path might include armor caster as a likely option.


    "Of course.," the beautiful lady said with a smile.


    ...


    At the administrative hall in Flashgold Town, in the sheriff''s office.


    "My lord, I''ve returned!"


    Seeing it was Rein, Hamilton''s face lit up with joy. He rose immediately from the large desk and approached Rein, looking him over before asking:


    "Rein, did you succeed?"


    "I did. With excellent evaluations, I was granted the title of Baron!" Rein said with a smile.

 Chapter 175 Earl Harris (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    ```"Fantastic! Rein, you always manage to surprise me! Eh? You said you''ve been granted the title of Baron? The results are out? How could it be so fast!" Hamilton said with surprise, bombarding Rein with several questions in a row.


    "Yes, the results came out in just three days! I have no idea why it was so quick, but... it seems that the official announcements for other people''s evaluations haven''t been issued yet."


    Rein recalled that the red-haired girl, Evelyn, should also have received an excellent evaluation, but she still hadn''t received any notification from the Empire.


    "Eh? Could it be that they made a special case for you? Good lad! No, now that you''ve been granted the title of Baron, I should be calling you ''my lord''!" Hamilton suddenly realized and said.


    Hamilton looked at Rein, filled with emotion!


    It had been less than half a year since he met Rein, who was then a mere page boy.


    But now, he was a Baron!


    "My lord, you jest," Rein promptly waved his hand and said.


    "Right, tell me briefly about the ennoblement examination. I''m very curious as to how you could receive special treatment from the Empire," said Hamilton, a lord who had only received a ''good'' evaluation himself, his interest piqued.


    Rein nodded and summarized the key points of the event for Hamilton.


    For instance, how he used the explosion of the ammo storage on a three-masted sailing ship to destroy ''The Wreck'', and how this time, he most likely ranked first in the ennoblement examination and so on.


    Hamilton listened intently, thoroughly engrossed, and it took him a while to digest what Rein had said. Then, he followed up with a question, "So, does that mean you received the Sword Bearer''s invitation as well...?"


    As Hamilton looked on with hopeful eyes, Rein nodded and said, "I have received it. In about three months, I must go to Mingster for the Sword Bearer selection."


    "That''s great! Rein, well done!" Hamilton patted Rein''s shoulder heartily.


    "Right, I almost forgot about an important matter."


    "Yesterday, Count Habbs sent someone with an order, hoping you could visit his mansion after you return." While speaking, Hamilton turned around and handed Rein a sheet of paper that resembled a letter.


    "That works out, I was planning to visit County Town shortly, so I''ll first pay a visit to Count Habbs."


    "Hmm, after you settle some things, come find me again. I have a friend who would like to ask for your help with a mysterious event," said Hamilton.


    "But I haven''t agreed yet. I''d like to hear your opinion first."


    "Very well, my lord, then I shall make my way to County Town first," Rein nodded in agreement.


    ...


    Having arrived at the County Town in the Crowley family''s carriage, Rein decided to make his first stop at Count Habbs'', and afterward, to visit the Crowley family to study the late Baron Crowley''s writings on the Armor Casting Technique.


    Soon, the carriage pulled up to the extensive grounds of the Count Mansion.


    This was Rein''s first visit to Count Habbs'' mansion. Although in a sense, he had been connected to the Habbs family from early on, it was only today that he had the chance to meet the most influential person in the whole of Mingster Province.


    Not a Viscount, but an Earl, and one with the prefix��hereditary.


    The weight of a hereditary Earl, even by the standards of the entire Dragan Empire, was no small matter.


    Moreover, Count Habbs was special due to the deep trust he had from the Empire''s upper echelons. After the previous Governor of Mingster Province was reassigned, Count Habbs took over the position, further deepening his influence.


    So for Rein, a newly minted Baron, many affairs were inextricably linked to this noble lord.


    However, when it came to his feelings about the Earl, Rein couldn''t quite say they were good or bad. It was rather interesting that Cleya, one of Habbs'' offspring, was on good terms with him, while Alonso had a feud with him.


    ```


    In a lavish study, Rein had his first encounter with Count Habs.


    The man was an elderly gentleman whose hair was meticulously groomed. Although his forehead was smooth and plump, showing no wrinkles or age spots, the white in his hair indicated that he was no longer young.


    Dressed in a black, gold-embroidered noble hunting outfit, he looked extremely proper. Even the pattern of the Caly bird on his chest was woven entirely out of gold threads, exuding a subdued sense of luxury.


    To Rein, the overall impression Count Habs gave was one of steadiness, authority, and inscrutability, as if he were facing a volcano about to erupt, always a bit on edge.


    "Good day, my lord Count," Rein bowed respectfully.


    "Hello, Baron Rein, please take a seat," a smile appeared on Count Habs''s face as he nodded to Rein.


    "Rein, I''ve heard that you''ve achieved an excellent evaluation in the recent ennoblement assessment of Mingster Province and were awarded the title of baron by the Empire, which greatly surprised me!"


    "Your performance was very impressive."


    "Thank you for your compliment, my lord Count," Rein said with a slight bow and a smile.


    "The reason I asked you here is twofold, to meet you and to inquire about your plans moving forward."


    "Rein, would you be interested in becoming the captain of my guard?" Count Habs shifted the conversation with a smile.


    Rein was taken aback!


    The captain of the guard? sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This position was out of the ordinary, a sign of the great trust Count Habs had in him.


    Indeed!


    According to his r��sum��, he had been born and raised in Flashgold Town.


    In the eyes of Count Habs, he was considered a local, born and bred, worthy of cultivation and trust.


    Unfortunately, his current ambitions were no longer limited to just Meyest County.


    In some ways, the experiences and sights available to Rein with the Southern Sea Fleet would be far greater than what he could encounter in Meyest County.


    Clearly, Rein could only politely decline the olive branch extended by Count Habs.


    "Thank you for acknowledging me, my lord Count, but I am truly sorry, I would like to take advantage of my youth to improve and hone myself further afield."


    Count Habs looked deeply at Rein, paused, and said, "The eaglet always yearns to spread its wings and soar to a wider sky, I understand that feeling, Rein. You have no need to apologize, I was the same when I was young."


    "Since that''s the case, in light of the excellent performance you showed during the ennoblement assessment, bringing honor to Meyest County, I shall give you three choices for your appointment."


    "The first option is to become the deputy officer of public safety in County Town, mainly responsible for the day-to-day and nighttime patrols within the town."


    "The second option is to become the judicial officer in charge of Meyest Prison."


    "The third option is to serve as the Governor and constable of Fishing Port Town, where pirates are rampant and the pressure on public safety is immense. I need a strong individual to take charge there."


    Hmm?


    Three choices for himself?


    Immediately, Rein started to ponder his options.

 Chapter 176 Lady Baroness Crowleys Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    After some consideration, Rein initially leaned towards the third option, which was to assume the position of Governor and Marshal of Fishing Port Town.The reason was simple: there would be plenty of battles waiting for him there!


    And through battle, he could achieve significant advancement.


    However, Rein hesitated because he did not yet understand the strength of the enemies Fishing Port Town was facing.


    As for why the appointment was primarily for Governor and secondarily for Marshal?


    Hamilton had mentioned this to Rein during their conversation before.


    Generally speaking, the marshals of the empire''s small towns are mainly Knights, occasionally they may be Squires or even Knights Bachelor, like Hamilton belongs to the latter category.


    But it was quite rare for a Knight Bachelor to serve as a marshal.


    And if a Baron were to serve as marshal, it would carry an obvious demotion connotation.


    Therefore, as Baron Rein, a normal appointment could not possibly be just the marshal of a small town.


    However, it was different for a Governor, who handled all the affairs of a small town and was the top authority.


    And it was not uncommon for Barons to serve as Governors of small towns.


    However, Rein was now considering another issue.


    Although it was not difficult for him to choose among the three options presented by Earl Habbs, the problem now was that he actually wanted to continue serving as Hamilton''s deputy in Flashgold Town.


    Because Rein''s next plan was to head to Golden Coast to study swordsmanship with Master Gandal for a while, continuing as the deputy marshal of Flashgold Town would allow him the greatest chance to shirk duties, as Hamilton would handle many matters for him.


    But if he chose to take the position in Fishing Port Town, it meant that he would not be able to travel to the Golden Coast in the short term.


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to be frank with Earl Habbs:


    "My lord Earl, regarding the appointment, I hope to postpone it for a while, as I am currently at a stage of increasing strength, so I would like to study swordsmanship under a master swordsman. So..."


    At this point, Rein felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, as Earl Habbs''s gaze was fixed on him.


    After all, from a certain perspective, Rein was already going against the wishes of his superior.


    Especially since the other party had given him the courtesy of choice.


    Following a brief silence in the room, Earl Habbs finally spoke.


    "All right, I''ll give you one month. However, in that case, I''ll arrange your appointment directly. In a month''s time, Rein, you''ll go and become the Governor and Marshal of Harbour Town."


    Upon hearing the last sentence, Rein''s face lit up with joy; he hadn''t expected Earl Habbs to ultimately secure this position for him.


    "Of course, thank you for your understanding and support, my lord Earl." S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After discussing these matters, Earl Habbs suddenly changed the subject with a smile, "Rein, I hear you and Cleya have known each other for quite some time?"


    "Hmm?" Rein immediately realized that the Earl before him must have thoroughly investigated him.


    It made sense��Habsburg Manor also belonged to the Earl, whether it was the estate''s Knight steward Lloyd, the swordsmanship instructor Perez, or even the Chief Maid Shadia.


    If they knew that Earl Habs wanted to learn about him, none would dare not to report truthfully.


    Considering this, it seemed that Earl Habbs''s agreement to let him go to the Golden Coast might still be due to Lady Creya''s influence.


    "Uh... yes, my lord Earl, in a sense, Lady Creya is indeed a mentor on my path as a Knight," Rein candidly replied.


    "Haha, very good, Rein, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can always come to me. Remember, Meister County will always be your home."


    "That will be all for today, as I have some matters to attend to. Regarding some minor issues, my steward Henrik will assist you with them."


    "Of course, thank you for your understanding and assistance, my lord Earl," Rein said, bowing slightly.


    The Earl Habbs then rang a bell on his desk.


    "Ding-a-ling-a-ling!"


    Soon, an elderly man dressed in a tailcoat entered and led Rein to a room on the first floor.


    Earl Habbs''s steward, Henrik, was actually a noble with the title of a baronet.


    Rein nodded politely.


    This reminded Rein of an ancient saying from his previous life, "Even a steward in the prime minister''s house was a seventh-grade official."


    It seemed that in any human society, with a solidified power hierarchy, the situation was pretty much the same.


    When steward Henrik opened the door, Rein raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    He had not expected the room to contain a model resembling a giant sandbox, which clearly depicted the terrain and layout of the entire County Town, with major streets marked in detail.


    Especially the noble estates area, which was simulated with little wooden houses, exquisitely crafted, almost to the scale of a proportionate reduction.


    "Baron Rein, these are the available estates; you may choose at your leisure," steward Henrik pointed at the three little wooden houses marked with white labels, saying.


    "Thank you!" Rein nodded and took a closer look.


    The noble estates area also had a hierarchy.


    The outermost circle was for Knights and baronets, who were not considered true nobility in the eyes of some upper-class nobles. They were the most numerous, but in the highly valuable County Town, their estates were also the smallest.


    Moving inward was the domain of Barons, who in County Town were considered the core force, significantly fewer in number than Knights and baronets.

 Chapter 176 Lady Baroness Crowleys Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Further inside, lie the viscounts'' mansions, numbering only five or six, resembling larger and more luxurious villas in small wooden house style.And at the very center, like stars clustered around the moon, naturally stands Earl Habs Mansion, the land under Lord Rein''s feet at this moment, spanning the most extensive area and boasting the greatest luxury.


    Within the baron-tier, Lord Rein''s gaze slowly swept over and quickly noticed the mansion marked with ''the Crowley family.'' Not far from it, roughly three mansions away, there was a white tag indicating a temporarily vacant baron''s mansion.


    After a moment''s thought, Lord Rein pointed to that one and said, "Would this be alright, Lord Henrik?"


    "Of course, as long as you like it, my lord Baron."


    "Then it''s this one!"


    "Very well, by the way, Baron Lord Rein, since you don''t have an estate yet, shall I register it as the Baron Rein family mansion, if that''s alright with you?"


    "Of course," Lord Rein nodded.


    In the Empire, for male nobles without their own lands, they are generally referred to as ''Lord plus name'' or ''barony plus name.'' For example, others could call Rein, ''Lord Rein'' or ''Baron Rein.''


    However, once they have their own land, for instance, if Rein''s estate were named ''Normandy,'' the formal address would primarily be ''Baron of Normandy.''


    Of course, the two previously mentioned forms of address can be used in informal occasions without any issue.


    About estates, this aspect was a bit different from Rein''s memory of his previous life. In the Dragone Kingdom, titles ranged from duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron, lord to knight.


    Nobles do not receive estates upon their initial ennoblement unless it is through inheritance.


    To acquire one''s land, one must exchange the corresponding Merit Points. The Empire''s aim in doing this was to encourage the noble class to continue serving it.


    Also, to strictly limit the nobles'' annexation of peasants'' lands.


    The Empire has strict limitations on the size of territories for all ranks of nobility within the imperial borders. For instance, the maximum land area for an earl within the Empire is one thousand hectares.


    Thus, when a particular earl''s estate reaches this limit, they can no longer exchange Merit Points for more land.


    Count Habs'' estate, for instance, includes Habsburg and the northern region of Flashgold Town, and it''s said to have reached the upper limit for an earl.


    But for an earl, this area isn''t considered large, as it doesn''t even encompass a small town.


    However, to motivate these nobles, the Empire issued the Pioneering Regulation, where Merit Points can be exchanged for pioneering orders of different levels, allowing them to claim large tracts of land outside the imperial territory, as long as they hold a pioneering order.


    "Additionally, Baron Lord Rein, every year you will receive 1% of the profits from Elim Mine, obtain exemption from Imperial Public Order Management regulations, so long as it''s not murder...." Steward Henrik listed the benefits one by one.


    Lord Rein listened and nodded along.


    He finally had his own exemption rights!


    It was a feeling akin to a serf finally turning over a new leaf.


    Moreover, do not underestimate the 1% annual income from Elim Mine; that alone amounted to nearly one thousand imperial gold coins.


    "Being a baron grants you a seat automatically in the Meister County noble council...." Steward Henrik continued.


    Rein wasn''t too interested in these details.


    His aim was clear: to acquire resources more conveniently through advancement in imperial office or an increase in noble rank.


    These resources included those necessary for advancing further along the paths of wizardry and knighthood that he wished to pursue.


    "That''s everything. If Baron Lord Rein has any questions, please feel free to inquire at any time," Steward Henrik said.


    "Thank you for the information, Lord Henrik."


    "By the way, Baron Lord Rein, would you like to inspect your mansion now? In case there are any issues, I can help you make a timely exchange," Henrik inquired.


    "Ah... that would be good!" Lord Rein nodded.


    It was perfect timing, as Baroness Crowley and Jenny should still be waiting for him in the carriage. Having them help him check over the place couldn''t be more appropriate.


    ...


    The group quickly arrived at the baron''s mansion Lord Rein had chosen and began to tour the property.


    It was a three-story, standalone villa located in the middle of the noble residences, occupying approximately three to four hundred square meters with the main building. The front courtyard spanned over three hundred square meters, and the rear courtyard was a staggering fifteen hundred square meters.


    The vast size of the backyard was primarily due to its training grounds and a stable that could accommodate ten horses.


    Thus, the total area of the villa was about two thousand square meters.


    What Lord Rein valued most was the training grounds in the backyard, similar to the one he saw at the Crowley family''s place last time.


    It hadn''t taken long for him to have his own private training ground, which made him quite happy.


    As for the stable, it was quite necessary for Rein at the moment, especially since he was currently feeding growth potions with mutations to his black horse.


    Upon the clean and tidy training ground, Lord Rein couldn''t help but pull out his Glimmering Greatsword with enthusiasm, performing a set of the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    "Whirlwind Slash!"


    "Smooth Cleaving Slash!"


    "..." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bold and resolute movements, coupled with the smooth flow of the technique, dazzled the pair of women watching from the side.


    After inspecting the training ground, the group went inside the villa to tour from the first floor up to the third. Lord Rein found that the County Town administration had maintained the estate very well.

 Chapter 176 Lady Baroness Crowleys Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Basically, everything that needed fixing had been fixed. Lord Reine touched the wooden handrail and found it smooth and like new.Seeing this, the butler Henrik couldn''t help but laugh. "My lord, the County Town administration has designated staff to clean this place every three days, so you can move in at any time."


    Lord Reine nodded. "It''s indeed well-maintained. Lord Henrik, thank you for bringing me here. I''ve decided on this one."


    "Very well, my lord, Madame Baron Crawley, Miss Jenny, the Earl has some matters that require my attention, so I will take my leave now." Butler Henrik bowed slightly as he said his farewells.


    Before leaving, he gave Lord Reine a knowing smile that only men understand.


    This left Lord Reine quite speechless; he was indeed innocent.


    "Lord Reine, when do you plan to move in?" Baroness Crawley flirted with her hair as she spoke.


    After a moment''s thought, Lord Reine responded, "As soon as possible. I plan to get my family settled here and then leave the County of Meister for a while."


    "After all, the public order is relatively better in the County Town, and that will give me more peace of mind."


    "Hmm? Lord Reine, you''re leaving again?" the beautiful woman asked in surprise.


    "Yes, I''m going to the County of Rossby to train with a master of swordsmanship for about a month and will return then."


    "By the way, madam, if you encounter any issues you can''t resolve, you can contact me. This time, I''ll take the Blue Helm Dove Jenny gave me last time," Reine said with a smile.


    As the beautiful woman heard that Lord Reine was going to enhance his abilities, her eyes sparkled, and she nodded in approval, also smiling as she said:


    "I finally understand why you, Lord Reine, are so powerful at such a young age. Besides your extraordinary knightly talent, this dedication is also beyond ordinary people."


    "Indeed, young William of the Stend family has also passed the knight''s ennoblement examination. The empire has not officially issued it yet, but little William has already been celebrating at home for three days," Jenny remarked with a slight disdain.


    ...


    After inspecting the mansion from top to bottom, Lord Reine returned to the nearby Crawley family home with Baroness Crawley and Jenny.


    "Lord Reine, it is already dinner time; I have already instructed the servants to prepare a banquet. Please grace us with your presence," the beautiful woman invited with a smile.


    "This... won''t I be imposing?" Lord Reine looked up at the sky, and indeed the sun was setting.


    He had planned to take some books related to the Armor Casting Technique and return to his home in Flashgold Town, but now it seemed rather late.


    Earlier today, he had helped the Crawley family retrieve some Bordeaux wine that had been stolen, and in the afternoon, he had visited Count Habs and inspected his future baronial mansion. Time had flown faster than he anticipated.


    "Yes, Lord Reine, you have helped the Crawley family a great deal this time; please honor us." Jenny also said with a smile.


    "Then, all right," Lord Reine nodded.


    A dinner it was, and since the hosts had repeatedly invited him, it would be inappropriate to refuse any further. Lord Reine readily agreed.


    Immediately thereafter, he followed Baroness Crawley and Jenny to the Crawley family''s banquet hall, which was also the dining room.


    The walls of the banquet hall were adorned with numerous shields, antlers, and other decorations, and over a dozen mountain-shaped candle holders lit up the entire hall brilliantly. An antique long table was laden with various foods, fine wines, and large bouquets of flowers.


    Although there were only three people dining��Lord Reine, Baroness Crawley, and Jenny��the food served was incredibly lavish.


    The beautiful woman, knowing Lord Reine''s exceptional appetite as a Transcendent knight, had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare two types of expensive, ferocious animal meats.


    After devouring an entire roast Red Crown turkey and a pot of stewed Cliff Spiked Wild Boar, a warm flow slowly rose in Lord Reine''s stomach and spread to his limbs.


    "Lord Reine, this is the twenty-year Bordeaux you helped retrieve. Please, taste it and see how it is," the beautiful woman said, smiling as she gestured with her wine glass.


    Looking at the amber-like red fine wine, Lord Reine could already smell the mix of grape and aged oak barrel, which made him eager to taste this world''s red wine.


    "Thank you, madam." Lord Reine raised his glass and drank it in one gulp.


    Immediately, a rich and aromatic flavor of fruits and wine circulated in his mouth, and the taste was quite excellent.


    Thus, accompanied by Baroness Crawley and Jenny, Lord Reine thoroughly enjoyed his meal.


    During dessert, Lord Reine inquired, "Madam, about the book on Armor Casting Technique, I would like to borrow it for a while, if I may..."


    "Of course, Lord Reine, please follow me," said the somewhat flushed beautiful woman after drinking, as she got up and led the way.


    In fact, the beautiful woman was also quite nervous about what was to happen.


    Since her husband, Baron Crawley, had passed away a year ago, the stunningly beautiful woman had been coveted by many, including wealthy merchants and nobles...


    Initially, she believed that with the Crawley family''s foundation and her business acumen, she would manage smoothly. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the beautiful woman soon realized that although she was capable in business and managing the family, in this world where power outweighed everything else, the Crawley family without a core fighting force was like a sailboat without a mast��vulnerable to capsizing in any significant storm.

 Chapter 176 Lady Baroness Crowleys Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    For instance, the plundering of Bordeaux vintage wine was typical.The beautiful lady increasingly felt that in Meister County, there seemed to be a hidden, manipulative force, controlling some people and some powers, intending to gradually erode the Crowley family.


    Now, she was powerless to resist this dark force!


    However... when she saw the goods were recovered this morning, she instantly felt that this young man, about the same age as her daughter, with his tall and robust figure, seemed like a solid shield, capable of protecting her and the future of the Crowley family.


    From that moment, the beautiful lady made up her mind to find a way to bind herself to this promising young man.


    At present, he was merely the Guardian Knight of the Crowley family, which was far from enough!


    Unfortunately, it seemed that from the start, he was utterly uninterested in Jenny, a noble lady.


    Especially since Jenny had invited her best friend Agatha to accompany him to the library, but he was equally disinterested in Agatha.


    And after he was ennobled as a Baron, the plan to marry into the family became completely impractical!


    This gave the beautiful lady quite a headache.


    It wasn''t until today, when she impulsively hugged him, that she realized the young man seemed quite interested in her instead.


    This made her hesitant for a while, one reason being Rein''s youth, and the other being her daughter Jenny...


    So, when Rein went to visit Earl Harris, she explicitly mentioned to her daughter Jenny the importance of Rein to the Crowley family, as well as the actions she might take...


    But what the beautiful lady did not expect was the strong support she received from her daughter Jenny.


    In fact, Jenny had seen over the course of the year how her mother struggled to keep the Crowley family functioning.


    As the saying goes, adversity breeds growth!


    Over the year, Jenny grew rapidly.


    She knew that if the Crowley family wanted to continue to stand strong in Meister County in the coming days, it had to find a powerful figure for support. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This person could be Baron Alonso, it could be other nobles, and now, there was Baron Rein.


    If one could choose, anyone would know, the best candidate would certainly be the young, promising Lord Reine.


    So, although Jenny felt a bit sour when she heard her mother''s plan, she knew the gravity of the situation; her mother was prioritizing the bigger picture.


    Of course, the main reason was that this promising Baron Rein was not interested in her but in her mother instead...


    This involuntarily made the young lady look down at her own chest, suddenly feeling quite disheartened.


    Watching the two ascend the stairs, Jenny slowly decreased her pace.


    Rein followed the beautiful lady up to the second floor of the villa.


    However... when he followed the beautiful lady into a room, Rein sensed something was amiss.


    Because this was evidently a bedroom, with a luxurious large bed in the center, nightstands on both sides, a dressing table, and so on...


    Entering the Baroness Crowley''s bedroom late at night, obviously, was not quite appropriate.


    Just as he turned around, he realized that Jenny, who had been following him, was nowhere to be seen.


    At this moment, only he and the Baroness Crowley were in the room.


    Just as he was contemplating how to broach the subject, he saw the beautiful lady bend over, her back to Rein, and lift her loosely knitted cashmere waistcoat, suddenly revealing her large, ripe-peach-like buttocks, in contrast to her slender waist.


    Under the stark visual contrast, Rein was instantly left thirsty and tongue-tied.


    The beautiful lady suddenly turned her head, her cheeks flushed, tussled her slightly messy hair by her ear, and said in a coquettish voice, "Lord Reine, could you help me with something?"


    "The Armor Casting Technique you want is in this cabinet, but it seems to be at the very bottom...."

 Chapter 177 Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)

    "The cabinet is really too dark. Could you help me hold the candelabra?" the beautiful lady asked in a delicate voice.Rein glanced at the beautiful scene before him and swallowed.


    However...he still suppressed the throbbing in his heart, reached for the nearby M-shaped candelabra, and stood behind the beautiful lady to help her illuminate the area.


    Under the flickering candlelight, Baroness Crowley, already flushed from drinking Bordeaux vintage, appeared even more exquisitely beautiful, like a blooming flower.


    This almost made Rein lose his composure!


    Seeing that Rein did not approach but obediently helped hold the candelabra to lighten the area, the lady sighed silently in her heart.


    Alas! It seems it could only be this way.


    Suddenly, whether intentional or accidental, the lady leaned back slightly.


    Instantly, a warm and exceptionally soft touch pressed against Rein.


    This caused Rein''s hand holding the candelabra to tremble slightly.


    A drop of burning wax fell onto the fair neck of the beautiful lady.


    "Ah~" the beautiful lady couldn''t help but exclaim softly.


    Could this young man actually have such a preference? the beautiful lady wondered to herself.


    But the lady''s cry was like the last straw that broke the camel''s back, as Rein had already been struggling to endure. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, the thought that sprang to Rein''s mind was, ''To endure what can be endured is intolerable!''


    Therefore, a strong hand gently grasped the lady''s slender waist, while the other hand set down the M-shaped candelabra and lifted up.....


    (Ten thousand words omitted here....)


    In the mansion''s back garden


    ....


    The next morning, Rein looked at the beautiful lady beside him, who was still in a deep, sweet sleep.


    Even from her expression at the moment, she still radiated immense pleasure and satisfaction.


    Rein recalled the reason he hadn''t resisted the temptation last night.


    On one hand, it might have been due to Baroness Crowley''s beautiful face and her exaggerated waist-to-hip ratio, and...last night, she was simply too tempting.


    On the other hand, it was due to Rein himself.


    Ever since he had had a profound interaction with the wild girl Lagaray some time ago, thoughts of this nature seemed to emerge in his mind from time to time.


    Especially as his limit value continued to increase, this feeling grew increasingly strong!


    Thinking of last night, a slight smile appeared on Rein''s lips.


    Although Baroness Crowley was merely a mortal,


    It seemed to be because of the winter morning sun, which streamed through the gaps in the curtains into the bedroom, and her long eyelashes slightly quivered. The next second, she opened her beautiful eyes.


    The beautiful lady looked deeply at the strong young man before her, and a surge of shyness and a hint of fear arose in her heart.


    Honestly....


    Although she knew Rein, being a Transcendent Knight, likely had extraordinary stamina, she never expected it to be so astonishing, almost tireless...


    Looking into the beautiful lady''s deep and shy gaze, Rein immediately reached out and pulled her into his embrace, his fingers gently caressing her porcelain-like smooth skin.


    Rein clearly understood Baroness Crowley''s intention in taking the initiative last night.


    But some things are better left unspoken.


    To put it bluntly, it would seem like a transaction.


    Moreover, Rein had just thought of something: although he now had the favor of this beautiful lady, there were quite a few others coveting her.


    Only when one''s own strength is sufficiently powerful is it most important, as it allows one to protect the people and things before them.


    As for the pleasures between men and women, they are merely diversions in cultivation, but one must never indulge in them.


    Suddenly, Rein remembered something.


    That is, whether it was Level 1 Wizard Apprentice Endri or Level 3 Wizard Apprentice Adams, both had left records of their romantic experiences in their diaries, and it seemed he, a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, was following in his predecessors'' footsteps!


    Not exactly!


    They were thieves; he certainly was not, since Baroness Crowley was a widow.


    Furthermore, Rein finally learned Baroness Crowley''s name��it was Jennifer Cecil.


    Having been born into a middle-class merchant family, after marrying Baron Crowley, Jennifer Cecil took over the management of the Crowley family''s businesses and expanded them several fold within years.


    This made Rein understand why she excelled in business and management.


    Suddenly, Rein thought of something and asked with a smile:


    "So...Jennifer, is there really a book on Armor Casting Technique?" Rein couldn''t help but ask.


    This caught the beautiful lady off guard, and she quickly understood Rein''s implication, immediately giving Rein a big eye roll, her cheeks flushing.


    She thought he believed she had been planning to seduce him all along!


    "Of course there is, it''s in the cabinet," the beautiful lady said coquettishly.


    So there really was one!


    Upon hearing this, Rein rose and indeed, there were two rolled-up sheepskin scrolls in the cabinet, not at the bottom but at the top.


    Rein had thought it was all an act by Jennifer and Jenny the entire time, but it seems it wasn''t.


    At most, it was just playing the final step!


    Additionally, the sheepskin scrolls were rather large, seeming to be whole sheepskins trimmed and prepared after processing.


    Just as Rein was about to open one to take a look, the bedroom door suddenly made a sound.


    "Knock, knock, knock!"


    "Mother, are you awake?"


    Jennifer also appeared visibly startled upon hearing Jenny''s voice.


    Although she had discussed this with her daughter Jenny beforehand, having her daughter suddenly appear at the door still made the beautiful lady slightly nervous.

 Chapter 177 Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)_2

    However, the beautiful woman soon calmed down, her face revealing contemplation.Jenny shouldn''t be disturbing her at this time, should she?


    Could something have happened?


    Immediately, the beautiful woman called out, "I''m awake! Jenny, wait a moment."


    It seemed that someone outside breathed a sigh of relief, and Jenny''s voice rose again, "Mother, Baron Alonso is here again, the guards can''t stop him, he''s already downstairs."


    "Hmm? Alonso?" Reine''s expression grew stern as he turned to look at the beautiful woman beside him.


    He felt that the beautiful woman was still virtuous, and he could tell that from certain aspects.


    How could Jennifer be involved with a guy like Alonso?


    If it weren''t for the fact that the man''s father was Count Habs, Alonso would probably have tall grass growing over his grave by now.


    Seeing Reine''s inquiring look, Jennifer seriously said, "Hmm, he has come several times this year, hoping I would become his mistress, but I refused."


    So that was it!


    Reine nodded.


    It seemed that yet another was coveting Jennifer.


    "You rest here; I''ll take care of him for you."


    "Hmm, right�� Reine, do you know he''s the eldest son of Count Habs?" the beautiful woman nodded first, then looked at Reine anxiously as she spoke.


    "Of course, not only that, I also have some rather unpleasant memories with him," Reine said gravely.


    Hearing Reine say this, the beautiful woman nodded in understanding and continued:


    "I suspect the robbery of our goods this time, and the oppressions against the Crawley family in County Town, are connected to him."


    "However, I have no evidence."


    Reine was taken aback when he heard this.


    They had used both threats and temptations!


    Jennifer wasn''t having it easy!


    After thinking for a moment, Reine embraced the beautiful woman and comforted her softly.


    "Reine, let me help you dress," the beautiful woman said, like a wife helping Reine get dressed.


    Indeed, a mature woman knows how to care for others.


    Soon, Reine, fully dressed, stepped out of the bedroom.


    Seeing Reine come out, Jenny at the door was startled!


    Well then!


    In front of her, the two were making no attempt to conceal anything.


    "This... Lord Reine, isn''t my mother coming?" Jenny asked softly.


    "Let Jennifer rest well, as for Alonso? Leave him to me," Reine said sternly.


    At that moment, a luxurious carriage had just stopped at the front door of the Crawley family villa, a middle-aged man dressed in noble hunting attire, with an arrogant demeanor, stepped down from the carriage.


    The Crawley family''s butler said with a worried expression, "Baron Alonso, the lady is resting and hasn''t gotten up yet; it''s not polite for you to go up now."


    "It''s alright, maybe Jennifer is ill, I should go check on her in her room," he said. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as he said this, it was as clear as ''Simazhao''s intentions known to all.''


    The butler, like a duck choked by the neck, initially wanted to say something but was silenced by Alonso''s shamelessly brazen words.


    Thus, under the helpless gaze of the servants, Baron Alonso, protected by his personal guards, stride confidently into the villa.


    At this moment, Alonso''s heart was extremely pleased as the ''fruit'' had ripened, and he was here to pick it, or at least to give it a squeeze.


    In the past six months, he had secretly contacted and influenced many low-level nobles and wealthy merchants to suppress all aspects of Crawley family''s business, already shaking their standing in the commercial field.


    This time the news of an imported batch of precious Bordeaux wines, he had leaked to the ''Wild Wolf Hills'' bandit group.


    Upon hearing that the Crawley family''s batch of Bordeaux wines had been robbed, his mood soared!


    He believed that this would be the last straw to break Jennifer''s spirit.


    So, he came this time as a victor, to see the devastated and compliant demeanor of the beautiful woman.


    Just the thought of the beautiful woman''s fiery figure and stunning face made Alonso''s heart suddenly heat up.


    He disliked using force.


    He preferred to have the beautiful woman surrender voluntarily and then inevitably come to plead with him, for to him, that was more interesting.


    After all, he was a gentleman. He couldn''t be forceful!


    Suddenly, Alonso stopped his steps.


    Because he felt an aggressive gaze trained on him from ahead.


    Alonso looked up to find a tall and commanding figure standing high on the central staircase of the second floor, gazing down at him.


    This situation, with the other party high above and him below, made him extremely uncomfortable, just as he was about to reprimand the other.


    Alonso took a closer look and his heart instantly ''thudded''!


    Was it Reine?


    How could this guy be here?


    "Baron Alonso, long time no see!" Reine, from his elevated position, greeted him with a smile, adopting the posture of the host.


    "You... Baron Reine, long time no see!" Alonso answered, suppressing his surprise and uncertainty.


    He knew that Reine had just met his father��Count Habs the day before.


    "Thank you, it seems Baron Alonso is well-informed. By the way, may I ask what brings you here��" Reine asked, feigning ignorance.


    "To visit a friend?" Alonso replied reluctantly.


    "Oh? It wouldn''t be Lady Crawley, would it? If so, please turn back," Reine said, effectively evicting him.


    "Hmm?" Alonso''s eyes twitched, sensing something unfavorable.


    "She worked hard all night and is now resting well!" Seeing that Alonso was still not backing down, Reine added a comment any man would understand.

 Chapter 177 Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)_3

    ```"What? How could this..."


    In an instant, Alonso reacted, his originally haughty face suddenly turned the color of pig liver!


    He huffed heavily and turned on his heel to leave!


    Damn it!


    At this moment, Alonso''s heart was bleeding.


    He felt as if the flower he had painstakingly nurtured for a year had suddenly been uprooted by a pig!


    Damn it, Rein!


    You damn bastard!


    Forget it, why bother with someone who''s about to die.


    Soon, the rebels will take care of him.


    When that time comes, Jennifer will still be mine.


    Explore more at empire


    However, the thought of Jennifer being ''used'' again made Alonso''s heart ache once more!


    Damn it... to think a young man would prefer a mature woman!


    Alonso had heard about Rein becoming the Guardian Knight of the Crawley family, but he never imagined that Rein would get involved with Jennifer, considering their significant age difference.


    Shouldn''t Jenny and Rein be more suited for each other?


    The more Alonso thought about it, the angrier he became, haunted by the feeling that his possession had been stolen!


    ...


    Jenny and the servants of the Crawley family watched Baron Alonso leave without uttering a harsh word, with a humiliated bearing, and turned to Rein with a look of astonishment.


    It seemed as if they were asking, "My lord, how did you manage it?"


    After all, in the entire Meister County, there were few who could make Baron Alonso swallow his pride.


    Indeed, if not out of respect for Alonso, most people would still give regard to Earl Harris.


    Rein watched Alonso depart, and after a short while, he returned to the bedroom. The beautiful woman, seeing Rein had taken care of the matter so quickly, asked curiously, "That was fast?"


    "Hmm, Alonso has left, and as long as I''m here, I believe he won''t come looking for you again," Rein replied.


    "Hmm, Rein, thank you," the beautiful woman said as she got out of bed and suddenly embraced Rein from behind.


    Instantly, a burning touch came from behind Rein, particularly from two points.


    Originally, Rein planned to carefully examine the two scrolls about the Armor Casting Technique, but to his surprise, the beautiful woman seemed to have fully recovered her strength after a night''s rest.


    In fact, Rein misunderstood.


    The reason for her embrace was because Rein had just swiftly dealt with Alonso''s harassment, which made Jennifer believe even more that she had chosen the right man, and in a burst of emotion, she hugged Rein from behind.


    But Rein mistook it for the beautiful woman wanting something more.


    Therefore...


    ''Symphonies'' once again echoed within the room!


    This caused Jenny, who was outside the door, to blush!


    She spat in disgust and hurriedly left....


    It wasn''t until noon that Rein, with two scrolls in hand, boarded the carriage and left the Crawley family estate for Flashgold Town, feeling refreshed.


    He was heading home to talk to his parents about moving once again.


    Just before he left, Jennifer assured Rein that she would soon send three maids, three male servants, and a team of guards ahead, and that she would also arrange to prepare some daily necessities right away.


    Basically, Rein could have his family move into the new residence by tomorrow.


    Having such a capable ''helpmeet'' to handle these matters brought joy to Rein''s heart.


    He planned to later hand over the high-value spoils captured from the rebel stronghold to Jennifer for her to manage.


    As for himself, he was only responsible for one thing, and that was to enhance his own strength!


    The carriage traveled smoothly.


    Inside the carriage, Rein slowly opened the first scroll and began to read intently.


    It was titled "Crawley''s Outline of Armor Casting Volume One."


    The opening paragraph succinctly described that the outline was mainly about forging metal plate armor rather than chain mail, scale armor, or other types of armor.


    However, what caught Rein''s attention were two sets of knight plate armor blueprints with exquisite patterns and varying levels of forging difficulty.


    The first set was called the Cavalry Lance Set, an eight-piece collection including a plate helmet, shoulder guards, breastplate, arm guards, gauntlets, leg guards, greaves, and war boots.


    Each component''s critical steps and difficulties were noted.


    The materials required were common iron ingots, and the full set of armor was slightly thin, presumably to reduce weight, making it suitable for second and third level attendants or prospective knights��a beginner''s set of plate armor.


    The second set was a chromium iron plate armor set, which Rein had purchased twice before at the County Town army supply store, considered a slightly superior set for official knights.


    Being already familiar with this set of armor, Rein quickly glanced over it and then planned to flip through the second scroll.


    That''s when the system alert suddenly sounded: S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host is reading a class-change-related item��"Crawley''s Outline of Armor Casting Volume One," which triggers the class change��Armor Caster!]


    [The preconditions for advancing from Blacksmith to Armor Caster are: (1) Blacksmith lv5 or higher; (2) Strength of at least 12 points, Constitution of at least 12 points; (3) independently forging ten acceptable pieces of plate armor; (4) knowledge related to the Armor Casting Technique... Current conditions not met! Advancement to Armor Caster failed!]


    Seeing the system alert pop up, Rein felt quite delighted!


    Indeed, as he had anticipated before, this book (scroll) related to the Armor Casting Technique was key to the blacksmith''s subsequent class advancement.


    Lady Crawley, you truly are my lucky star!


    ```

 Chapter 177 Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)_4

    However, when Rein carefully reviewed the prerequisite conditions, he found he had already met the second, third, and fourth items. The only one he had not fulfilled was the first condition.Rein flipped the system panel to the front page��the Attributes column.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (345/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv4 (277/1000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (64/2000) / Blacksmith lv4 (329/1000)


    Constitution: 19


    Strength: 17


    Agility: 17


    Spirit: 25


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 5


    As he had not practiced forging recently, Rein found his Blacksmith profession level had stagnated at lv4 (329/1000), a considerable distance from the lv5 required for a job change.


    But then, Rein suddenly thought of another issue.


    That is, if there are Armor Casters, there should naturally be related subsequent professions involved in weapon crafting such as ''Swordsmiths'', ''Hammer Smiths'', etc., though the names might not be exact. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So the question arises,


    After raising the Blacksmith level to lv5, should he opt to change his profession to Armor Caster immediately? Or should he hold off, try to find knowledge about other professions such as Swordsmith or Hammer Smith, and aim to transition into a weapon forging profession like those?


    Soon, Rein figured out exactly what he needed.


    He often engages in intense battles, and damage to his armor is a common occurrence.


    Just in the previous month, Rein had already damaged two sets of chrome steel armor.


    That means if he were an Armor Caster, he could manage some of the complex repair work himself.


    Secondly, once he changes his profession to Armor Caster, perhaps he could craft several sets of plate armor suited for different combat scenarios.


    The layered armor approach, that is a style in itself!


    Finally, based on previous job change experiences, a profession change generally brings an increase in attribute points and triggers certain core skills, significantly enhancing his combat capabilities.


    Therefore, changing his profession to Armor Caster fits him better than switching to a weapon forging related profession!


    Having realized this, Rein opened the second scroll.


    The first thing that caught Rein''s eye was the title "Crowley''s Compendium of Armor Casting Technique, Volume Two".


    Then, Rein noticed that the second volume also contained two sets of Knight plate armor details and patterns with different levels of difficulty.


    The first set is called the Ice Iron Suit, emanating a light blue metallic sheen throughout, with the same eight pieces as the Cavalry Suit.


    The crafting material is a rare type of Ice Iron Ingot, a special ore he had only heard of, which apparently offers special defensive power against flames.


    Sure enough, a note on the side stated that the Ice Iron Suit could slightly reduce the damage the wearer receives from flames.


    This reminded Rein of the higher tier Knight Plate Armor set��he had reserved at the County Town''s military supply depot��the Water-Film Steel Suit.


    The two seemed quite similar; the Ice Iron Suit probably belonged to the same high-grade tier as the Water-Film Steel Suit.


    What? This first set is already advanced Knight armor?


    Could the second set be even stronger? Find your next adventure on empire


    Rein quickly set his focus on the second armor set��the Secret Silver Engraved Plate Armor, which was dark silver in appearance. Moreover, the surface was carved with intricate lines and symbols, giving it a mysterious look.


    Such a design did not seem to be the result of mere hammering or forging; instead, it appeared to involve some form of witchcraft.


    However... what Rein was more curious about at this moment was the function of the Secret Silver Engraved Plate Armor.

 Chapter 178 Madam, Im Going to Forge Iron Properly (Two-in-One Long Chapter)

    As Rein focused his gaze on the annotations.Seconds later, Rein raised his eyebrows, quite shocked.


    It was written on the annotations: "Mithril Engraved Plate Armor, slightly enhances the power of witchcraft."


    Hmm?


    There is a common knowledge here.


    You have to know, nearly all metal Knight plate armors hinder the manipulation of mysterious side energy particles by spiritual power, and depending on the metal material of the armor, it could weaken the power by about 10%, 20%, or even more.


    Otherwise, why would wizards and wizard apprentices be fools?


    Would they not understand that wearing the hefty Knight armor, which provides higher defensive power, is better than opting for the thin Wizard Robe for battle?


    This point, Rein had already begun to feel during his previous battles.


    For instance, the chromium-iron set had reduced Rein''s witchcraft power by about one and a half percent.


    However, for Rein, at this stage, the primary issue was solving the problem of whether he had any witchcraft at all, not the pursuit of the ultimate power of a certain witchcraft, so he didn''t pay much attention to this.


    Of course, as Rein delved deeper into the path of wizardry, it was very likely that this 10% reduction in power would later exceed the defensive power of the chromium-iron armor itself.


    Hence, upon seeing that the effect of the Mithril Engraved Plate Armor "slightly enhances the power of witchcraft," this point overturned Rein''s previous fixed understanding.


    Calming the shock in his heart, Rein began to examine the production techniques and process for the Mithril Engraved Plate Armor seriously.


    Firstly, its main material is mithril ingots.


    Regarding mithril, Rein had certainly heard of it, it is a rare ore, said to have an excellent compatibility with all types of energy particles.


    It is considered to have the least weakening effect on the power of witchcraft among the metals, apparently less than 10%.


    However, a clear problem was that, if it was solely because mithril was used as the main material, it still would not suffice to achieve the effect of slightly enhancing witchcraft power as claimed in the annotations.


    Indeed, as he puzzled over this, Rein continued to read, and saw that there was a process later referred to as "inscription" in the sheepskin scroll, roughly meaning that intricate lines and symbols had to be carved and outlined on the surface of the forged mithril armor.


    This step was something Rein didn''t fully understand yet, but clearly, this was the key to why the Mithril Engraved Plate Armor could slightly enhance the power of witchcraft!


    Just as Rein pondered this matter, suddenly, a bolt of lightning crossed his mind.


    Isn''t that right?


    This technique...


    It clearly doesn''t seem like a skill that blacksmith brutes would master, but rather seems more like some mysterious art!


    Could it be that the late Baron Crawley was not only a blacksmith but also a senior wizard apprentice?


    Otherwise, it would be inexplicable how he managed to combine the blacksmithing technique with such a complex inscription so perfectly.


    Rein thought for a moment and muttered to himself,


    "It seems that the late Baron Crawley was not so simple after all."


    "Perhaps there''s an unknown story behind the man''s death."


    However, Rein soon shook his head slightly.


    Now, he didn''t have the time to investigate this, as clearly, it could involve a substantial amount of his time and energy.


    His current focus was still on improving his strength, to face the known and unknown challenges.


    As for the Mithril Engraved Plate Armor, it had to be put aside for the time being.


    Because you have to eat one bite at a time, and walk step by step. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right now, he wasn''t even a blacksmith, much less skilled in the art of inscription, so how could he craft the most complex Mithril Engraved Plate Armor?


    At this stage, Rein planned to first craft the simplest suit of armor, the Cavalry suit, as set out in the first volume.


    On one hand, making the Cavalry set would help elevate his Blacksmith Profession Level to lv5, and on the other, one of the prerequisites for becoming an Armorsmith was to independently forge any ten qualifying plate armor parts.


    So after putting the second volume away, Rein opened the first volume again and carefully started to review the manufacturing process of the Cavalry suit.


    By the time he arrived at Flashgold Town, Rein had the entire process of making the Cavalry suit down pat.


    The Cavalry suit had one good point, it required only ordinary iron ingots for forging, making material collection convenient and the price relatively cheap, suitable for mass and multiple productions, ideal for grinding experience.


    What left a deep impression on Rein was that the breastplate of the Cavalry armor was a rare "muscle-contour breastplate."


    It is the kind of breastplate worn by the ancient Spartan warriors of the previous world, the kind with contours of the pectoral and abdominal muscles, but for the sake of lightness, much thinner.


    At the same time, the process was not hammered out but directly cast using a mold, which naturally did not have the quality of a thousand-times hammered "muscle-contour breastplate." But in the sheepskin scroll, it seemed that the Cavalry set was designed as the mass-produced, entry-level gear.


    "Huh! The breastplate of the Cavalry set is made of two large iron plates, namely the front chest and back plates, which are cast separately and then combined..."


    Suddenly, Rein''s eyes brightened. Stay connected through empire


    He just had an idea, for he remembered a book on Lingwen he had read before, "Exploring the Application of ''Scorching Touch'' in the Field of Forging."


    "If it''s this kind of manufacturing process, it seems that I can combine this process with the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch,'' thereby greatly improving the efficiency of production...."


    "Perhaps, advancing to blacksmith lv5 will not take too long!"

 Chapter 178 Madam, Im Off to Forge in Earnest (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Once the family moves to County Town, I''ll be able to go to the blacksmith shop and try my hand at forging. If all goes well, maybe in two or three days, I could raise my Profession Level as a blacksmith to lv5!"However, Rein quickly thought of a problem.


    "If the experience reward given by the Cavalry breastplate is high, should I level up my blacksmith to lv6 before considering a career change to an armorsmith?"


    Rein hesitated, then after pondering for a moment, he slightly shook his head.


    "I''ll see when the time comes! Right now, I don''t know how much experience the system will give for making a Cavalry breastplate."


    "Besides, even if the experience rewarded by the system at blacksmith lv5 is generous, it doesn''t mean it will still be generous at lv6. During previous Skill Level-ups, I have experienced situations where the experience for existing skills was significantly weakened after a Profession Level-up."


    Of course, the main reason was the one-month vacation given by Count Habbs.


    So, he had to settle his family quickly and then head to the Golden Coast in Rosby County to study under Master Gunther Otinga.


    If changing careers to an armorsmith took only two or three days, that shouldn''t be a problem since settling his family and taking care of some miscellaneous matters would also require that much time.


    But if it took too long, it would not be worth the delay.


    After returning home, the first thing Rein said when he entered frightened his mother, Emma.


    "Mother, we might have to move again, you can start packing now."


    At that moment, old Rein was sitting in the backyard on a recliner, squinting leisurely in the warm winter sun while watching Bo He play with ''Cookie'' in the yard, enjoying the simple family pleasures.


    But when he accidentally heard Rein''s words, old Rein nearly fell from his recliner.


    "Rein, what''s happened?" Emma asked anxiously.


    Old Rein and his sister Bo He also hurried over from the backyard.


    It was then that Rein realized he had frightened his family by not providing enough detail.


    He quickly explained, "It''s good news, I''ve been granted the title of Baron, and the Empire has arranged a Baron''s mansion for me over in County Town."


    Hearing that it was this kind of situation, Emma patted her chest and relaxed, chiding, "Really, you should have explained things more clearly."


    After thinking it over, Emma asked reluctantly, "That... Rein, can''t we avoid moving? We like living here quite well. We''re satisfied. And we know all the neighbors. If we go to County Town..."


    Old Rein also nodded and agreed, "Yeah, Rein, we''re happy living here; we''re familiar with the surroundings. If we go to County Town, we won''t know anyone."


    In old Rein''s eyes, the large house they were currently living in was once the dream living condition he had yearned for.


    Now that he could live here, he was truly content.


    "About that..." Rein looked thoughtful.


    He could certainly understand his parents'' concerns, but... if his family continued to live in Flashgold Town, then their safety would be at risk��


    So, Rein quickly shook his head and said, "I''m afraid not. Since the new mansion is in the noble district of County Town, it will be more secure. If we stayed in Flashgold Town, it would be much more dangerous..."


    "But brother, if you''re here, wouldn''t that ensure our safety?" Bo He asked, her bright eyes fixed on Rein.


    She had always been confident in her brother''s abilities.


    Rein stroked his sister''s soft hair and said, "Of course, but I will soon be leaving on a trip to enhance my skills, likely for about a month."


    "So, Bo He, you wouldn''t want your brother to worry about your safety from afar, would you?"


    Upon hearing the words ''enhance skills,''


    Emma and old Rein exchanged glances. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They both understood that this concerned their son''s future prospects, and it was instantly clear that it wasn''t about whether they wanted to move, but they needed to move to County Town so that Rein could feel at ease while away from home.


    "Then that''s settled, we''ll start packing right away!" old Rein said decisively.


    Rein looked at his father and nodded slightly.


    It seemed that when faced with a significant event, men could still be more decisive than women.


    "Rein, then I''ll start packing now," Emma said and nodded, turning to go to the room to begin packing.


    "Mother, just pack the essentials. At the new residence, beds, bedding, and even clothes have all been prepared for us by others."


    "Oh, and there are also several servants and a guard troop that have already moved in to clean and provide protection," Rein advised.


    At Rein''s words, Emma, who had just turned to leave, suddenly stood frozen in place. Discover exclusive tales on empire


    And old Rein and Bo He''s eyes widened significantly when they looked at Rein, their mouths slightly agape, their expressions showing the shock of ''what did you just say?''


    Previously, they had only heard Rein mention that he had become a Baron.


    But as for the implications that his new title as a Baron could have on every aspect of their lives, they had never thoroughly thought it through.


    What they had envisioned was perhaps eating better, living better, maybe traveling by carriage, but that was about it.


    Now, hearing about ''servants,'' ''guards,'' and such from Rein, they started to grasp the full picture.


    Suddenly, their lives were about to be entirely different from before!

 Chapter 178 Madam, Im Off to Forge in Earnest (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    "Brother, does that mean someone can play with me now?" Bo He was the first to break the silence, sounding slightly happy."Of course," Rein nodded.


    .....


    The next morning, after loading the valuables onto the Crowley family''s carriage, Rein and his family set off for the County Town.


    Including the new house in Flashgold Town where they had lived for just a month, Rein entrusted the sale of the rest of the items to the Night Watchman''s captain, the short Matteo.


    It wasn''t long before Rein and his family quickly arrived at the doorstep of their new mansion.


    As Mother Emma stepped down from the carriage, she saw two neat rows of people standing on either side of the mansion''s gate: one row of uniformly dressed male and female servants and one row of fully armed guards. She was momentarily startled.


    Upon seeing Rein and his family step down from the carriage, the servants and guards immediately called out respectfully:


    "Lord Baron Rein, good day!"


    "Madam, Miss, good day!"


    The young Bo He clutched closely at her brother Rein''s coat, looking quite nervous.


    But soon, she peeped out from behind Rein, curiously looking around at the surroundings and the group of strangers calling her ''Miss.''


    At that moment, old Rein''s and Emma''s heads were still buzzing.


    They had previously imagined this scene, but the protagonist was their son��Rein. They had dreamt that, after their son had accomplished something, he would become a venerable Knight and enjoy the admiration of the public.


    But what they hadn''t expected was that one day, they too would be treated with such respect.


    Rein then waved his hand at the male servants and said, "Come here, take down the things, and everyone else, attend to your responsibilities."


    "At your command, Lord Baron!"


    At once, the two rows of people sprang into action; the guards continued their dutiful posts while three male servants came to the back of the carriage to help with the luggage.


    The female servants were diligently leading the way.


    "Rein, this place is so big," mother Emma said as she walked, curiously looking around. Discover exclusive content at empire


    This new mansion was at least ten streets bigger than their new house in Flashgold Town.


    She noticed that, although she had never seen such decorations and styles before, they exuded a low-key luxury; she liked everything about it.


    Suddenly, a radiant beautiful woman, accompanied by a lovely noble young lady, emerged from the mansion; it was none other than Baroness Jennifer Crowley and Jenny.


    "Father, mother, this is Baroness Crowley Jennifer, and I believe you have already met Miss Jenny," Rein introduced with a smile.


    Upon hearing that this lady was the esteemed ''Baroness,'' old Rein and mother Emma were slightly overwhelmed, not immediately sure how to address Jennifer, the noblewoman.


    However, Jennifer, who was quite adept at reading social cues, naturally wouldn''t let this awkward situation persist.


    She came forward with a beaming smile, pulling Emma''s hand in a down-to-earth manner, and said, "Sister Emma, just call me Jennifer. I''m also currently managing the Baron''s mansion."


    "So, if there''s anything you need, feel free to tell me. How about I give you a tour of the new mansion now?"


    The kind expression and warm words from the beautiful woman made Emma relax all at once.


    However, both she and old Rein immediately turned to look at Rein, their eyes full of inquiry as if to ask, ''Can this noble and beautiful Baroness actually be our housekeeper?''


    Rein nodded at them and said with a smile, "Father, mother, let Miss Jenny show you around. I have something to discuss with Baroness Crowley."


    This remark made the beautiful woman blush slightly.


    She thought Rein wanted to... with her...


    But the next second, after hearing what Rein had actually said, she realized she had misunderstood.


    "Madam, I need to use the Crowley family''s blacksmith shop. It needs to be soon... and I might also need some cooperation from the blacksmith shop," Rein spoke to the beautiful woman.


    "Of course, Baron Rein, shall I take you there now?" the beautiful woman said respectfully and formally, as others were present.


    Rein naturally noticed the alluring look in the beautiful woman''s eyes and couldn''t help but smile wryly, thinking to himself, Madam, I''m here to forge in a professional way, not to ''forge'' that...


    Of course, he couldn''t say that so directly.


    Rein then said, "A blacksmith shop is not where a noble lady should be, but you could take me there first and introduce me to the person in charge. Perhaps, I might also need their help with something minor."


    "After that, you can head back first; there''s a lot going on here at the new mansion, and my parents might need your company."


    ....


    An hour later.


    At the Crowley family blacksmith shop, inside a separate smelting room.


    After a brief introduction, Jennifer had already gone back earlier, while Rein had the blacksmith shop prepare a vacant room, clay molds, and a large amount of iron ingots for him.


    Rein planned to start making the Cavalry breastplate.


    The reason he chose the large and heavy breastplate, rather than other smaller knight armor pieces such as wrist guards, was that the breastplate alone didn''t require much hammering.


    In other words, if Rein''s witchcraft "Scorching Touch" could successfully cooperate with forging the breastplate, then he would be able to quickly produce a Cavalry breastplate and thus gain substantial Professional Experience Points. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 178 Madam, Im Going to Forge Iron Seriously (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4

    In the blacksmith''s furnace, there were already seven or eight iron ingots burned red-hot.Meanwhile, Rein raised both hands, holding them suspended about thirty to forty centimeters above the furnace.


    Soon after, he began to softly chant a spell.


    Just over two seconds later, a crimson glow emerged in front of Rein''s palms.


    Since Rein''s spiritual power had already reached 25 points, the power of the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'' was further enhanced.


    Rein could clearly feel the ambient fire energy particles rapidly gathering in front of his palms.


    Moreover, he was certain that he no longer needed the furnace''s heat assistance and could rely solely on the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'' to melt ordinary iron ingots with a melting point around 1500��.


    As Rein continued to output spiritual power, the already blazing furnace flames shot up suddenly, and the temperature quickly rose!


    The seven or eight iron ingots began to visibly brighten, soften, and then slowly melt like candles.


    Several minutes later, Rein opened a small gate and poured the molten iron from the furnace into a clay mold.


    After cooling, Rein picked up the blacksmith hammer and began to forge, smoothing some of the rough edges, and finally joined the front and back iron plates together, forming a complete ''muscle-type breastplate''.


    At this moment, a system notification appeared:


    [You have conducted the forging work of the Cavalry breastplate, insight enhanced!]


    [You have learned a new skill��Armor Casting Technique]


    [Your skill Armor Casting Technique has improved, Experience +33]


    [You focused on Cavalry breastplate forging, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +32]


    ...


    Hisss!


    These Experience Points! This efficiency!


    The application of witchcraft in forging is terrifyingly effective!


    Critically, it can be further accelerated.


    Rein had already thought of a method.


    After estimating the spiritual power consumed by the witchcraft Scorching Touch, he quickly had the staff in the blacksmith shop help make seven or eight identical clay molds.


    Rein repeatedly used the witchcraft ''Scorching Touch'', continuously melting and pouring into the eight pairs of clay molds, and after cooling, he performed the hammering and joining work.


    At this time, the system notifications nearly spammed up:


    [Your skill Armor Casting Technique has improved, Experience +33]


    [You focused on Cavalry breastplate forging, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +32]


    [Your skill Armor Casting Technique has improved, Experience +30]


    [You focused on Cavalry breastplate forging, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +31]


    ...


    Continue your story on empire


    After returning home for lunch with Jennifer, Jenny, and his family at noon, Rein plunged back into the blacksmith shop!


    Finally, as the bright moonlight shone into the room, a wonderful system notification appeared:


    [Congratulations, your Blacksmith Profession Level has increased!]


    As his Blacksmith Profession Level advanced to lv5, Rein once again gained an attribute point and a skill point.


    As a result, the remaining attribute points on his system panel reached 2, and the remaining skill points reached 6, the highest in history.


    After some thought, Rein forged another Cavalry breastplate.


    This time, he gained only 5 points of Blacksmith Profession Level experience, clearly, after reaching lv5, the Professional Experience Points gained from making Cavalry breastplates had greatly decreased.


    Thus, there was nothing to hesitate about, Rein decided to advance his profession immediately!


    [Prerequisites for advancing from Blacksmith to Armor Caster are: one, Blacksmith lv5 or higher; two, Strength 12 points or more, Constitution 12 points or more; three, independently forge any ten qualified plate armor components! Four, knowledge related to Armor Casting Technique....Current conditions met! Would you like to advance to Armor Caster?]


    [Note: After advancing to Armor Caster, the original Blacksmith panel will merge into the new Armor Caster profession panel, original Blacksmith core skills retained.]


    If core skills could be retained, then there was even less of an issue.


    After reading it over once more, Rein unhesitatingly chose yes! S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Ding! Advancement to Armor Caster successful! Strength +2, Constitution +2! Gain Armor Caster core skill: Armor Specialization lv1.]


    Oh! There''s a new core skill!


    Rein''s face brightened immediately.


    Because the appearance of each core skill almost always brought him an instant significant enhancement in strength.


    Just wondering if this time, it would still be the same.

 Chapter 179 A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    [Armor Crafting Specialization lv1 (Passive): As an armor smith who has studied the forging of metal armor for years, you''re very familiar with the production of various metal armors, slightly improving the success rate of metal armor production.]Oh!


    Is it actually a core skill for production?


    Rein''s heart suddenly felt a chill!


    What he wanted, of course, was a core combat skill, but to his surprise, this time it was a manufacturing core skill.


    This gave Rein a sense of false happiness.


    But there was nothing he could do about it now, so Rein continued to look at the skill effect description:


    [Core Skill: Armor Crafting Specialization lv1 (Passive)]


    Armor Crafting Specialization lv1 (Passive) effect: The pass rate of all the metal armors you make will significantly increase, the rate of good quality slightly increase, and the rate of high quality subtly improve.


    This content quickly made Rein fall into deep thought!


    This core skill... Read exclusive content at empire


    Seems not to be useless after all!


    Perhaps, when I can make higher-level knight plate armor, it could have a miraculous effect.


    Keep in mind, it''s quite difficult for a normal armor smith to forge high-quality knight plate armor, but with this core skill of Armor Crafting Specialization... Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein had already vaguely thought of scenarios where he could apply this core skill effectively.


    However... this can be put aside for now, and not rushed.


    At this time, Rein turned to carefully review his panel.


    The original Blacksmith panel had vanished, and now the Armor Smith Profession Panel was displayed.


    However, unlike the other three Transcendent professions, the color of the Armor Smith''s profession panel was still white, indicating a regular profession, not a Transcendent one.


    Also, Rein quickly noticed that, as previously reminded by the system, all of the original Blacksmith skills were incorporated into the Armor Smith panel.


    After being promoted to Armor Smith, the additional two points in Strength and two points in Constitution increased Rein''s Strength from 17 points to 19 points and his Constitution from 19 points to 21 points, crossing into the twenties.


    Feeling the surge of strength throughout his body, Rein felt a wave of joy inside.


    The promotion in Profession Level typically only offers one free attribute point per level up, but now Rein had gained four attribute points at once upon transitioning from Blacksmith to Armor Smith.


    This was equivalent to increasing Profession Level by four levels.


    Additionally, with the increase of these four attribute points, Rein''s physical limit had directly increased from 75% to 83%, getting closer and closer to the 100% breaking limit.


    His most important gain however was that, through this forging process Rein further proved that when forging is successfully combined with witchcraft, it would greatly enhance the experience in the forging profession.


    After thinking for a while, Rein decided not to continue building the Cavalry set and planned to return to his manor.


    He intended to make some preparations before a long journey.


    ...


    Inside Rein''s new manor.


    His daughter Jenny had already returned to the Crowly family manor while the beautiful Jennifer was currently in a bedroom of Rein''s new manor, taking a bath.


    As for why Jennifer stayed at Rein''s side instead of returning to the Crowly family''s manor, Jennifer convinced herself with a simple reason: she was now also the housekeeper of Rein''s new Baronial estate.


    So, as a housekeeper, she naturally needed to prepare a bedroom for herself in the new manor.


    As the warm water streamed over certain parts of her body, the beautiful woman couldn''t help but gently close her eyes, reminiscing about the beauty of that night.


    She hadn''t experienced that kind of exquisite sensation in over a year.


    And at her age, it was precisely the time she needed it the most....


    But of course, what was crucial was that the young man was incredibly ''gifted''.


    The beautiful woman thought about how the young man was not only genuinely gifted in strength but also ''gifted'' in that aspect, and suddenly felt a wave of crisis.


    Sigh! She was ultimately too old, no longer the ''fresh'' young girl.


    In the future, as the young man''s power grows, his status will inevitably rise, and the excellent women he could meet would increase....


    Even though she never thought of becoming the other half of the young man, at least she wanted to have a place in his heart. Jennifer thought to herself.


    Rely on family background?


    She was born to a middle-class merchant, and the Crowly family was just an ordinary Baronial family, while now, the young man was already a Baron... Clearly, it wouldn''t work!


    Rely on beauty?


    Jennifer, touching her still pretty face with the water, felt confident for the moment, but after all, she wasn''t eighteen�� she guessed that confidence would diminish over time!


    Rely on decent business skills?


    No, that was also merely an icing on the cake, requiring strong personal support.


    Looking at it, to keep the young man tied to herself in some way seemed to only have one method left.


    At this thought, a blush quickly spread across the beautiful woman''s face because she remembered something a friend had said while drunk��''Why am I not pretty, but can keep a man''s heart? Because I''m naughty....''


    While the beautiful woman was entertaining a bold idea, Rein had also returned to the new manor.


    After a quick wash upon returning to his bedroom, Rein began his daily practice of basic meditation techniques.


    The last time, just before Anna left, when his Spirit Attribute had reached 23 points, he was already able to visualize twenty Will runes at once.


    Now, with his Spirit Attribute reaching 25 points, Rein could visualize twenty-two Will runes at once.

 Chapter 179 A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2

    He was only two will runes short of successfully visualizing all twenty-four and reaching the level of a "third-level Wizard Apprentice."When one sees themselves getting closer to their goal, the sense of motivation just keeps growing!


    Rein felt the same way.


    At the moment, he actually really wanted to allocate the remaining two attribute points to Spirit.


    If he did, there was a chance that he could visualize all twenty-four will runes in one go today.


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    However...


    The game-changing trump card of "adding points to recover" obviously couldn''t be used here.


    So, he could only think about it.


    After concluding his practice of the basic meditation method, Rein began to contemplate the preparations for departure.


    First and foremost, the most important matter��"making sure the family is well settled before leaving"��was already taken care of.


    Because the noble district in the county town, in a sense, was already the safest area in all of Meist County.


    The noble district not only had very strict access control for people coming in and out, but there was also a higher density of patrolling City Guards, far more than in civilian or commercial areas.


    Under normal circumstances, as long as his parents and younger sister Bo He didn''t leave this area, it was highly unlikely that anything would happen.


    As for abnormal circumstances...


    Rein shook his head slightly, thinking there was no need to consider the abnormal.


    After all, this was a transcendent world, and to return a person to the embrace of the goddess, other than ordinary means, there were many mysterious methods.


    And for those, Rein had no good solutions at the moment.


    Even for himself, he could only rely on his mental power and constitution, significantly superior to ordinary people''s, to endure certain curses or invisible killing techniques.


    At the same time, this also always gave Rein a sense of urgency, driving him to continually increase his own strength.


    As for other matters...


    Rein''s thoughts shifted; since his family was already settled, nothing else was that important.


    Still, he had to send someone to Flashgold Town tomorrow to speak with Hamilton.


    About the secret affair, he feared he wouldn''t be able to make time for it for now; it would have to wait until he returned from the Golden Coast.


    There was no time to lose.


    Rein planned to say farewell to his family and Jennifer tomorrow and then immediately set off for the Golden Coast to seek out Master Ganther.


    At that moment, a soft knock came from outside the bedroom door.


    "Thump thump thump!"


    The sound was very light, as if afraid of disturbing someone in the next room.


    Rein vaguely guessed who it was.


    He raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of a smile forming on his face.


    "Please come in!"


    As Rein''s words fell, a woman wearing a hood and draped in a black cloak quickly opened the door and walked in.


    She swiftly removed her hood, revealing a beautiful face��it was the lovely matron Jennifer.


    Her beautiful eyes glanced at Rein before she immediately turned around and locked the door.


    Rein looked at the cloaked lady, somewhat puzzled by her attire today, which was very different from the noblewoman''s dress she wore during the day, and asked curiously, S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Eh, Jennifer, why are you dressed like..."


    In response to Rein''s question, the beautiful woman didn''t speak, instead she undid a strap on her black cloak.


    As the cloak fell to the floor, Rein''s eyes suddenly widened, his mouth slightly agape with shock.


    Wow, Jennifer sure knows how to play!


    Jennifer, who held the esteemed position of a Baroness, was actually dressed in an extremely fitted maid''s outfit, accentuating her lovely figure without a doubt.


    The fullness of her upper body was blinding white and seemed almost too much for the dress to contain, followed by a slender waist, with a little bit of flesh on her abdomen but not enough to appear bulky��instead, it added to her femininity.


    The skirt didn''t fall to the knees nor to the thigh but approached the end.


    Moving around posed the risk of exposing too much.


    The exaggerated proportions of her bust, waist, and hips instantly captured Rein''s attention.


    No wonder she had been sneaking around, exuding a guilty thief''s demeanor, and even wrapped herself in a black cloak for cover.


    If this got out, that a noble Baroness was dressed in a maid''s uniform visiting her young lover''s room in the middle of the night for pleasure, it would probably become the talk of the town in Meist County City, from the nobles to the common folk, by the next day.


    After all, this was just too damn playful!


    And the key thing was... it wasn''t over yet!


    The beautiful woman hesitantly took out a small stick-shaped, cylinder candlestick from behind her, shyly looked down, and said to Rein,


    "The candles on the mountain-shaped candlestick have three branches, which is too much for me... Can we use this instead?"


    At once, something like a flame ignited in Rein''s eyes...


    If one hesitates in that situation, can they even call themselves a man?


    Rein stepped forward in an instant and, amidst Jennifer''s surprised cry, scooped her up and headed for the large bed...


    (Ten thousand words are omitted here....)


    The next morning before dawn, Rein, holding the voluptuous woman in his arms, suddenly gained insight into a few sayings from his previous life, "The pleasures of the flesh are the grave of heroes," "Lust is a skinning knife"...


    No wonder, Jennifer, who was so "playful," was being targeted by many, including Alonso.


    Seeing the first light of dawn, Rein thought for a moment and said softly to the beautiful woman, "Jennifer, I plan to leave today."

 Chapter 179 A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_3

    ```"However, please keep my departure a secret for the time being."


    "By the time certain people realize it, I should be almost back. That way, you''ll all be relatively safer. After all, some may hesitate to act because of me," he explained.


    The beautiful lady nodded obediently upon hearing Rein speak of serious matters.


    Rein had mentioned this to her before, and she wholeheartedly agreed with his approach of not indulging in pleasures but pursuing continuous improvement in his strength.


    Especially after experiencing her own family''s rise and fall, she understood one thing very well: a family''s core fighting strength is indispensable.


    This was something she couldn''t compensate for, no matter how talented she was in business and how much wealth she created.


    Since many things in Rein''s new residence were still not in place, such as carriages, the lovely lady considerately asked: Continue reading stories on empire


    "Rein, do you need a carriage arranged to take you there?"


    "No need, I can get there faster on horseback," Rein shook his head.


    "Oh no!" exclaimed the lady, her face pale with shock.


    She hastily got up, revealing patches of her fair, creamy skin as she began to get dressed.


    "Hmm?" Rein looked at her, puzzled. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s getting light, I must return to my room immediately. If your parents..." she explained while dressing.


    Rein suddenly understood!


    After breakfast and saying goodbye to his family and Jennifer, Rein, wearing a hood and a black cloak, still with two horses, headed towards the Golden Coast in Rosby County.


    Because of the tight schedule, Rein did not go to Richmond Fishing Port to catch up with Has.


    He planned to drop by on the way back.


    ...


    Six days later, Rein arrived at a small town on the Golden Coast called Landonia.


    Amidst the azure sea and sky, with the cool sea breeze of winter, Rein found Master Ganther''s secluded spot right across from a white lighthouse on the coast with the help of the local residents.


    Rein hadn''t expected Master Ganther''s retreat to be quite so... distinctive!


    It was on a small island about twenty meters away from the shore.


    And between the island and the shore was only a narrow path connecting them.


    Perhaps calling it a path was not entirely accurate, for the middle section of the path was a stone arch bridge.


    Rein stood on the seashore, looking out to the sea.


    He could clearly see rough rocks scattered across the small island, and near the center, seven or eight simple stone houses and a group of figures practicing swordsmanship, facing the sea.


    Around the lighthouse, there were also several simple wooden houses. Unlike the stone houses on the island, there were mostly wooden structures here, and the number of young people far exceeded that on the island.


    These individuals, some alone and some in groups, were all practicing various forms of swordsmanship.


    Rein took a quick look and raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, "My goodness, most of them are official Knights, while a few are Squires, but the Squires are noticeably younger."


    "But then, the young people by the lighthouse aren''t on the island. Could it be there''s some sort of division? Only those above a certain level of swordsmanship can go to the island, and the rest can only train here?"


    Rein was somewhat puzzled.


    It seemed that his presence as a stranger was sensed, as many of the young people focused their gaze on him, but after a quick glance, nobody came forward, instead continuing their swordsmanship practice.


    Despite being tens of meters away, Rein''s keen perception allowed him to clearly hear the young people whispering amongst themselves.


    "Another one''s here!"


    "I wonder if he''s been introduced by a great noble, or if he''s like us, having to pass an examination."


    "Hmpf, what''s the use of being introduced by a great noble? Master Ganther won''t spoil them; if they''re not up to par, they''re just not up to par."


    "..."


    Rein frowned slightly, listening to this, it seemed that Master Ganther was quite strict.


    But soon, his brow relaxed.


    He was here to learn real skills.


    A great teacher produces great students; being strict is not a bad thing.


    As long as he could learn something!


    It seemed that someone on the island also noticed Rein, mounted on the tall black horse. One person, in particular, was quickly crossing the narrow path, rushing toward him.


    Seeing the other person draw near, and out of courtesy, Rein decided to dismount the black horse first.


    The newcomer was also a young man, holding a Dual-Handed Greatsword and standing nearly half a head taller than Rein, with a height of almost two meters.


    "Are you here to see Master Ganther?"


    "Yes," Rein replied.


    "Do you have an introduction letter?"


    "Yes," Rein nodded, about to take the letter from his pocket.


    At this point, the young man waved his hand and said, "That''s fine, no need to show it to me; you can give it directly to the Master later."


    The young man then took another look at Rein, who appeared quite ordinary to him, and then glanced at the noticeably larger and stronger black horse next to Rein, and said, "Nice horse."


    The implication was clear.


    The nice horse implied that Rein did not match the horse, because it was only the horse that was nice.


    But Rein didn''t mind.


    Because changing someone''s opinion isn''t about talk; it''s about showing strength.


    "Follow me," said the young man, seemingly surprised by Rein''s composed demeanor, and with a slight nod, turned to lead the way.


    ```

 Chapter 179 A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4

    "He asked haphazardly, "Where are you from?""From Meister County."


    "That''s quite close, just the neighboring county, " the young man nodded.


    "How did you get to know Master Ganther?" the young man continued.


    At this question, Rein glanced at him but did not answer.


    The young man did not mind and continued, "Do you know that Master Ganther''s training is famously impersonal?"


    "If you do not meet his training requirements, even if you''re introduced by a great noble, your training will end."


    "See that man there?" The other person pursed his lips.


    Following his direction, Rein saw a young nobleman in hunting attire, his face streaked with dejection as he packed his belongings onto a chestnut horse, seemingly preparing to leave.


    "Hmm, how long has he been here?" Rein asked for the first time.


    Clearly, by what the young man had said, this noble scion must have failed to meet Master Ganther''s training demands, hence he was choosing to leave in disappointment.


    "Seven days, " the young man replied. Read exclusive content at empire


    "But that''s quite good actually, there are others who lasted only three days; seven is somewhat decent, " the young man glanced at Rein, his words apparently trying to gauge Rein''s real thoughts from his expression.


    Because the newcomer seemed a bit unusual to him, too composed, giving him the feeling of standing against a thick, enduring reef by the shoreline.


    However, he was quickly disappointed.


    Because Rein''s expression remained undisturbed, showing no hint of his emotions. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, the two walked along a path to the other end of the island.


    There they saw a very bulky, tall elder directing several robust young men.


    Upon seeing Rein''s arrival, the tall elder turned and walked over.


    The elder had a head of gold hair mixed with traces of white, casually hanging at his back, his facial features sharp as if chiseled by fierce sea winds, his beard short and box-shaped, broad shoulders and a solid chest, resembling a majestic mountain harboring breathtaking strength.


    The elder''s eyes, sharp as a tiger''s, vivid with spirit, scrutinized Rein up and down.


    "Master Ganther, hello, my name is Rein, from Meister County, here is my letter of introduction, " Rein bowed slightly, respectfully handing over the letter Cleya had given him.


    "Oh, introduced by Cleya, is it?" The elder''s tiger eyes looked at Rein somewhat surprised, taking the letter.


    After quickly reading the letter, the elder scrutinised Rein again, his face showing surprise, and said,


    "The letter mentions that your knight talent may even surpass hers, " Master Ganther paused.


    The seven or eight young men around momentarily moved their ears, several of them waving their longswords while slightly turning their heads to sneak a peek at Rein.


    They seemed to be curious to see what this supposedly talented ''newcomer'' looked like.


    But soon, they resumed their prior activities, seemingly a bit ''disappointed'' in Rein, as he appeared quite unremarkable at first glance.


    "However, here, I don''t look at talent, only results. If you can meet the daily training requirements, you can stay."


    Master Ganther said in a deep voice.


    "I understand, Master Ganther."


    Master Ganther nodded and said,


    "Good, Bask, take the newcomer and help him settle his luggage."


    "Yes, Master Ganther, " the young man who had received Rein quickly replied.


    "Come see me in half an hour to start the first training task, " Ganther then turned to Rein.


    Rein paused slightly, nodded, and said, "Yes, Master."

 Chapter 180 Training from the Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    The young man who had just led the way suddenly became quite enthusiastic. As he walked in front, he started chatting more."So, your name is Rein, eh? I''m Bask. My father is Baron Randonya from Golden Coast, and I have an older brother..."


    Hearing this, Rein glanced at him.


    No wonder, judging from what he had sensed, the other party must have just stepped into formal knighthood not long ago; his strength was not strong, and there was a clear gap compared to a few practitioners on the island.


    So it was a ''local snake'' situation; he must have received some sort of preferential treatment from Master Ganther.


    This was also understandable. Although Master Ganther was devoted to studying swordsmanship, there always needed to be someone to help out with miscellaneous chores.


    Not to mention eating, which surely required someone to prepare additional food.


    Like Rein himself, for instance, who needed to consume dozens of pounds of ordinary food per meal to meet his nutritional needs.


    However, if he could add some ferocious beast meat, that would make things much better, but the cooking process was time-consuming and laborious, so having someone to take care of it would definitely save time and effort.


    Bask continued, "You''ll have to put in some extra effort later on."


    "According to Master Ganther''s custom, you are given a maximum of three days to complete the first training task. If you can''t complete it, then you''ll have to leave."


    "...."


    Rein found it strange why the other had suddenly become so enthusiastic.


    But after a moment''s thought, Rein seemed to understand something. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bask''s behavior was most likely not due to Master Ganther, nor because of Rein himself.


    Then the answer was almost self-evident��it was because of Cleya.


    Indeed, it wasn''t long before the young man named Bask turned the conversation to Lady Creya.


    He rubbed his hands together, seeming a bit embarrassed as he asked, "Rein, you and Lady Creya... you''re quite familiar with each other, aren''t you?"


    "Familiar; otherwise, she wouldn''t have written me an introduction letter, right?" Rein said with a smile.


    "Right, right, so you two are...?" Bask continued to inquire.


    Seeing Rein''s slight frown, Bask immediately waved his hands and hurriedly said, "Rein, don''t get me wrong. I wanted to ask whether Lady Creya... she doesn''t have a fianc�� yet, does she?"


    This took Rein by surprise!


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    Apparently, Cleya''s influence was quite far-reaching.


    She had been gone for so long and yet her legend was still circulating here.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein shook his head.


    "Ah! Lady Creya actually has a fianc��!" Bask exclaimed, looking shocked and dismayed.


    Rein simply looked at him, saying, "I shook my head because I don''t know."


    "Ah? So that''s the case, that''s great!" The moods of young people always change so quickly.


    "But... you might as well not bother, Cleya likes someone stronger than her, and your strength..." Rein glanced at him and immediately poured a bucket of cold water on the hopes of the young man named Bask.


    "Don''t underestimate me, Rein! I''m only sixteen and already a formal knight. I''m here training with Master Ganther so that I can stand out in the knightly competition!"


    "Although I''m slightly less skilled than Lady Creya, I''m only a little behind and I feel I still have a chance," the youth said confidently, changing his tone.


    Rein glanced at him again and did not continue the conversation, but in his mind, he silently added, ''You stand no chance, because your rival...''


    Soon, the two arrived at the center of the island near the simple stone huts made of piled stones.


    It was then that Rein discovered that from the coastline, due to the angle, he had only seen seven or eight stone huts.


    But in reality, some huts were hidden by others in front, so in total there were more than ten huts.


    "The doors with circles mean they''re taken; those without circles are empty. Rein, you can pick any of them to live in," said the young man on the side, gesturing with his hands for Rein to choose any hut.


    Rein walked around and found that someone seemed to clean the huts regularly, they were quite tidy inside, so he randomly chose one and moved his luggage in.


    At this point, Bask slapped his forehead and said, "Oh Rein, there''s another thing; if you want someone here to take care of your meals, you''ll have to pay a fee, and the same goes for your horse."


    "How much?" Rein nodded, finding it reasonable.


    "If it''s a nutritious meal with added ferocious beast meat, it''ll be pricier, ten Gold Coins a day for three meals. However, most people choose to add an extra meal in the evening, which is a lot cheaper."


    "For the horse, it''s one silver coin a day for care."


    "Okay! I''ll pay for a month upfront."


    Rein handed over three hundred and three Gold Coins to Bask right away.


    "Tsk tsk, such a wealthy man. Just to be clear, it''s not that I don''t want to round off the change for you, but this money goes to the family; it has nothing to do with me," Bask remarked after receiving the coins.


    Although he was also a noble scion, he was a second son, and the share he could get from the family was mostly divided by his brother��and that was on the premise that he had proven his value as an investment.


    Rein didn''t mind; he had recently made a good sum of money at the Zaral resistance base, so spending this amount was not painful.


    Besides, the very profitable matron Jennifer had also prepared an extra sum of money for him before his departure.


    So, money wasn''t a problem for Rein at the moment.


    "Hmm, who should I entrust the horse to then?" Rein nodded, and then looked around, realizing that there was no stable nearby.

 Chapter 180 Training from the Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "That''s simple, leave it to my servant. Grando!! Take good care of this lord''s horses."Suddenly, from a stone house in the farthest corner, a young servant quickly ran out. Bowing towards Rein and Bask, he said, "At your command, young master Bask."


    After settling down briefly, Rein thought for a moment and left his chrome iron suit and pigheaded hammer in the room. Wearing the black cinched waistcoat embroidered with gold and silver threads that Jennifer had prepared for him, he walked out of the stone house.


    Seeing Rein dressed in handsomely understated luxury, Bask was momentarily stunned and murmured softly, "He does look good, but this is training, not a fashion show."


    Rein didn''t care about such comments that stemmed from jealousy of his looks.


    The two then headed towards the location where Master Ganther had just been.


    At that moment, Rein couldn''t help but ask, "Bask, what exactly is this first task?"


    Bask smiled mysteriously and said, "Guess!"


    Rein''s face darkened!


    You''re not a beauty, why should I guess with you?


    Guess a ghost!


    Seeing Rein''s displeased expression, Bask finally restrained his smile, became a bit more serious, and said, "Cutting sea grass."


    Rein was taken aback!


    His steps slightly hesitated.


    It wasn''t too difficult; it seemed too simple actually.


    "Cutting sea grass?" Rein asked back in surprise.


    He had thought that the first task would involve battling some kind of sea creature, with a high probability of difficulty.


    Otherwise, why would so many young people be sweating it out near the lighthouse practicing their swordsmanship?


    Clearly, he had been stopped right at the first hurdle, unable to gain entry!


    However... perhaps the sea grass in this area has some peculiarities, making it quite challenging? Rein thought to himself.


    "Yes, cutting sea grass, but this type of sea grass is very tough. I''m not clear on the specific reasons, but it''s certainly hard to chop through. Try it yourself later and you''ll see." The young man nodded affirmatively.


    He was in charge of logistics here due to his connection, practicing with Master Ganther while also handling some odd jobs, hence he was very familiar with the master''s habits.


    The first step, or the first task, always started with cutting sea grass.


    The locals called the sea grass in this area "Tough Sea Grass." Compared to ordinary sea grass, its surface is covered all year round with a layer of water-insoluble mucus secreted, which often dissipates the force of sharp weapons like swords. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even after this tough sea grass is pulled from the seabed and the mucous layer is removed, the inherent toughness of the sea grass itself is extraordinarily surprising.


    When several strands are dried and twisted together, they can be used as ropes on sailboats.


    This can give you an idea of its remarkable toughness; hence it is called Tough Sea Grass.


    "However, Rein, if you use the Dual-Handed Greatsword, it will be more challenging for you."


    "If you knew how to use the Knight''s Longsword, the first task would probably be a bit easier for you." The young man glanced at the Glimmering Greatsword on Rein''s back and advised.


    Rein was somewhat enlightened by why Bask had said this.


    Because the cross-sectional area of a two-handed sword is much larger than that of a one-handed sword, the resistance when swinging it in water would naturally be much greater than that of a one-handed sword.


    However, after thinking it over, Rein asked back, "Has anyone completed the first task using a two-handed sword? Or what does Master Ganther think?"


    "Yes, but very few. The master never cares whether you use a one-handed or a two-handed sword, nor does he remind you. However, I heard him say that you should use whatever you fight with to cut."


    "Otherwise, according to the master, you probably won''t be able to complete the later training tasks."


    "In that case, I won''t switch! But... Bask, thanks for the heads up." Rein shrugged and said with a smile.


    This young man seemed nice, aside from being a bit of a chatterbox.


    The two went to the other end of the island.


    Master Ganther was still in the same place, coaching a few young people on their swordsmanship. After seeing Rein and Bask coming, he nodded slightly, signaling Rein to keep up. Explore more at empire


    Master Ganther took Rein to the side of the reef and pointed to the water, saying, "There is a type of Tough Sea Grass under the water. If you cut ten strands with a sword within three days, you will have completed the training task."


    "Remember, it''s to be done with a sword, not by pulling with your hands."


    "Understood, Master Ganther." Rein nodded.


    As Rein followed where Master Ganther pointed and gazed into the deep blue water, he realized that since this area was about twenty to thirty meters from the shoreline, the depth of water around the rocks had already exceeded two meters.


    About ten meters from where he stood, he could vaguely see the seabed where many elongated plants were swaying.


    Presumably, these were the Tough Sea Grass that Master Ganther had mentioned.


    Without asking anything further, Rein took a deep breath and slowly stepped into the deep blue water.


    Instantly, a wave of cold and the compressive sensation of water from all sides hit him.


    Being winter, the sea water was much colder than in summer. Even with Rein''s physical constitution, he couldn''t help but shiver slightly.


    However, with a Constitution of twenty-one, Rein quickly adapted to the icy marine environment.


    Just diving three or four meters, Rein already saw the seafloor where the green belt-like sea grass grew upward. At this moment, a large group of Tough Sea Grass was slightly swaying in the sea with the undercurrents.

 Chapter 180 Training from the Master (Double-Length Chapter)_3

    This tough seagrass was different from what Rein had envisioned, resembling more of the seaweed from his previous life but much narrower.Without much thought, Rein swung the Glimmering Greatsword in his hands and chopped directly at the swaying tough seagrass.


    ...


    On the shore.


    A young man with a buzz cut frowned and glanced at Bask, saying, "Bask, didn''t you tell him that using a Dual-Handed Greatsword to cut tough seagrass underwater is a disadvantage?"


    Bask shrugged and said helplessly, "Yeah, I told him, but he wouldn''t listen, what can I do."


    "It seems we have another who can''t grasp the situation. He probably thought the seagrass here was like what he''s seen before." Another young man commented.


    "That''s not necessarily true, the people Cleya introduces might actually be strong."


    "Not likely. Look at his age, he might have good talent, but at this age, his strength wouldn''t be very strong. After all, strength requires time to build up."


    "I think so too. He''ll likely surface soon and then request Master Ganther for a lighter, one-handed sword."


    "Let''s wait and see then. When he realizes it''s not working, he''ll remember what you said, Bask."


    Meanwhile, the group continued to practice their swordsmanship, occasionally glancing at the sea where Rein was.


    ...


    Under the sea.


    As water resistance was far greater than air resistance,


    Rein''s normally swift strike was much slower than on land.


    When the greatsword chopped onto the soft tough seagrass, the seagrass fluttered like a willow in the wind, barely feeling the impact at all, and astonishingly remained unharmed.


    Oops?


    Rein truly hadn''t expected this.


    His casual strike, which could withstand a blow from an average knight,


    Had unexpectedly come back fruitless.


    This made Rein slightly narrow his eyes, as he began to closely observe this type of tough seagrass.


    Although it was a sunny day with the sun up in the sky, since Rein was underwater, the sunlight penetrating the ocean was mottled by algae, plankton, various fishes, and aquatic plants, so visibility wasn''t high.


    However, Rein, possessing Dark Vision, wasn''t too bothered by this.


    He could see that the green surface of the tough seagrass had a nearly transparent gel layer.


    This must be what had absorbed the impact of his last strike.


    Of course, besides this, the floating state of the tough seagrass in the water also made it difficult to hit properly,


    Additionally, with the water resistance, these factors combined had caused Rein''s previous strike to return without success.


    Now knowing the reason, Rein swung his sword again!


    This time he exerted more force, and the effect was slightly better than last time.


    A faint white mark now appeared on the seagrass, clearly, his sword had broken through the gel barrier and sliced into the body of the seagrass, not just leaving almost no damage like last time.


    Rein continued observing for a while and then made consecutive chops with his sword.


    Soon after, Rein got a hint of the knack.


    He discovered that he had to constantly pay attention to the direction of the underwater current. When the seagrass swayed to the furthest point forward or backward, reaching a certain limit, striking then would be most efficient.


    He decided to try one more time.


    This time, his feet touched the seabed, mud instantly stirred up, but at that moment, Rein felt a sense of solidity.


    ''Breakthrough!''


    "Swoosh!" The Glimmering Greatsword moved, creating a swirl of bubbles.


    A strand of tough seagrass was cleanly cut, and seeing this within the water, Rein nodded slightly.


    He didn''t stop but continued ''swoosh swoosh'' to hack away, as movements in the water consumed more oxygen.


    And even Rein couldn''t breathe underwater like fish, so he had to work quickly.


    After getting the hang of it, relying on Rein''s 83% physical breakthrough limit made the task relatively easy.


    After all, this was just the first training task, and once the technique was mastered, it couldn''t be very difficult.


    Finally, before running out of breath, Rein surfaced from the water.


    Seeing Rein surface so quickly, the expressions on the shore were almost unanimously ''just as expected.''


    Including the one who had mentioned Rein might be strong, he looked particularly disappointed.


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    Because not even five minutes had passed, and even their strongest, Burnett, succeeded on his second attempt.


    Obviously, in such a short time Rein couldn''t have succeeded, so this surfacing was either to breathe and try again, or to ask Master Ganther for a lighter, one-handed sword.


    "See! I told you, even if his talent is strong, his strength wouldn''t be. I understand the nature of most noble offspring too well. They enjoy their excellent training conditions but..."


    Suddenly, the young man stopped mid-sentence, his expression incredulous.


    The others quickly looked puzzled and then all wore the same dumbfounded expressions.


    Hisss!


    Many people gasped in surprise.


    They saw Rein, dripping wet, dragging behind him a bundle of long tough seagrass, obviously more than ten strands!


    "This... how on earth could he be this fast?" the young man exclaimed, raising his finger and pointing at the scene.


    "Do any of us move that quickly?" S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How long did it take you, Doug?"

 Chapter 180 Training from the Master (Double-Length Chapter)_4

    "About two hours," a young man named Doug said in a deep voice."And you? Arturo"


    The young man named Arturo''s face turned slightly red as he said, "Half a day."


    Suddenly, everyone''s gaze fixed intently on Rein, in complete silence!


    "Very good, faster than I had anticipated. You have passed the first training task."


    "Now, take these tough seaweeds to Bask, and then come with me." Master Ganther, rarely showing a hint of a smile, led Rein into a stone hut.


    "Sit cross-legged on the stone slab," Master Ganther pointed to a large stone slab in the middle of the stone hut and said.


    "Yes, Master."


    "Now I will teach you a set of Underwater Breathing Technique, which is actually called Inner Breathing Technique, a kind of auxiliary method handed down from ancient times that can integrate with the Knight Breathing Method you have been cultivating to further transform your body."


    "No matter what breathing technique you practiced before, this Inner Breathing Technique is compatible with it."


    Huh?


    Wasn''t he supposed to be learning swordsmanship?


    Why is he suddenly learning this Inner Breathing Technique?


    However, learning something useful is always a good thing.


    Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door. Rein found the sound familiar��it was Bask''s footsteps.


    Sure enough, someone outside the door said, "Master, I have ground the tough seaweed juice."


    "Bring it in!" said Master Ganther.


    Bask brought in half a barrel of green liquid that emitted a strong fragrance of vegetation mixed with a hint of the sea.


    Rein knew this must be the tough seaweed he had cut down, but he still didn''t know what purpose the juice served after being pressed.


    "To learn to breathe through your skin rather than your mouth and nose will be quite difficult at first," Ganther continued speaking.


    "Breathing through the skin is a concept that''s hard to grasp for the average person. If you apply the fresh tough seaweed juice on your skin, it will help you accelerate the understanding of this Inner Breathing."


    "However, the juice of the tough seaweed evaporates very quickly in the air, about half an hour later, its effect in aiding understanding will begin to weaken."


    "This is the second training task. I hope you can master this Inner Breathing Technique within three days. If you need more tough seaweed juice, go back to the sea and cut some more." After finishing speaking, Master Ganther left the stone hut.


    Meanwhile, Bask muttered to himself in confusion, "Huh, strange. Wasn''t it always within seven days? How come it has changed to three days for Rein?"


    "Could it be that Master Ganther sees something in Rein? That shouldn''t be it...."


    After hearing Master Ganther''s words, Rein suddenly had an epiphany.


    So that''s it.


    He now understood the significance of the first training task.


    The first step was challenging, demanding a high level of the Knight''s Breathing Method and swordsmanship from those being tested.


    Even for a seasoned Knight, it would probably take several hours and multiple attempts to complete the task, and even more difficult for a full-fledged Knight.


    But it was a threshold, only by meeting this requirement, the subsequent training content would have meaning.


    It turned out that the tough seaweed was meant to speed up the understanding of this Inner Breathing Technique.


    Clearly, if you take a long time just to barely complete the ''cutting tough seaweed'' task,


    then the subsequent task��''master the Inner Breathing Technique within three days''��without the help of the juice, it almost becomes an impossible task.


    Therefore, Rein had come to understand that these training tasks were likely interconnected.


    Rein took off all his clothes and smeared the pale green seaweed juice over his skin.


    Soon, he felt a slight cooling substance seemingly seeping slowly into his skin. Rein held his breath, focusing on the sensation.


    Half an hour later, the system prompt rang:


    [You have trained in the Inner Breathing Technique, insights increased!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Inner Breathing Technique]


    [Your skill Inner Breathing Technique has been enhanced, Experience +1]


    ...


    Excellent!


    Looking at the new skill that appeared on the Knight (Transcendent) panel, Rein had now learned the Inner Breathing Technique, although it was just at level 1 (1/100).


    Rein glanced at his attribute panel:


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (345/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv4 (277/1000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (64/2000) / Armorsmith lv1 (17/100)


    Constitution: 21


    Strength: 19


    Agility: 17


    Spirit: 25


    Remaining attribute points: 2


    Remaining Skill Points: 6


    Although he had six remaining Skill Points, after a brief consideration, Rein decided not to rush into using them but to enhance step by step as per Master Ganther''s instructions.


    After all, with three days'' time, if any issues arose, he could still solve them by using the points then.


    Because Rein vaguely felt that every step arranged by Master Ganther had some purpose behind it, which ultimately was likely meant to help the apprentices comprehend something.


    After Rein finished using the bucket of rugged seaweed juice, he went back to the seaside. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, when Rein arrived at the rocks, seven or eight young people all looked his way, because they knew that Rein wasn''t just any noble progeny, but a mighty force to be reckoned with.


    However, Rein had no desire to chat with them at that moment.


    Having just continuously used the rugged seaweed juice, he had a vague enlightenment about the Inner Breathing Technique, so he needed to hurry and harvest some more rugged seaweed to strike while the iron was hot and speed up mastering the Inner Breathing Technique.


    Rein''s burly figure slowly submerged into the seawater.


    Instantly, Rein felt the coldness of the seawater and the pressure coming from all directions.


    And unlike last time, Rein could vaguely sense that his skin was "breathing."


    The magnitude was very slight, but he could faintly perceive it thanks to his keen senses.


    If previously, his mouth and nose breathing accounted for 99%, and skin breathing for 1%,


    now, his mouth and nose breathing accounted for 95%, skin breathing from 1%��5%.


    Rein closed his eyes, carefully sensing and experiencing this change.


    After a while, Rein began to swing the Glimmering Greatsword, harvesting the rugged seaweed!


    And comprehension of the Inner Breathing Technique allowed him to slightly extend his stay in the sea.


    ....


    When Rein dragged a bucket-sized bundle of rugged seaweed and slowly walked up to the shore rocks, the setting winter sun splashed over the sea and Rein, bathing him in light.


    For both the young people around the white lighthouse and those practicing swordsmanship on the island, the sight of Rein was aglow with brilliant golden light.


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    And as Rein boldly stepped onto the shore, for a moment, he seemed like a deity descending to earth.


    Youthful Bask muttered to himself as he watched the scene: "The gap between people does exist."


    "But it shouldn''t be this vast!"


    Suddenly, he realized something and quickly ran towards Rein.


    From his posture, it looked like he intended to take the rugged seaweed from Rein''s hands and volunteer to grind it...

 Chapter 181 Comprehension (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Three mornings later.When Rein once again walked ashore from the sea, the faces of the people practicing swordsmanship on the beach were a mix of different expressions.


    Seeing Rein stay underwater for at least fifteen minutes, Bask couldn''t help but mutter to himself, "Damn, why does it feel like I''m retarded compared to Rein''s learning progress..."


    "It''s really fucking demoralizing!"


    A few young people nearby glanced at each other. They felt the same way but didn''t say it out loud because of their vanity.


    They were taught by the same teacher, but Rein seemed like an apprentice from an accelerated elite class while they were from ordinary classes; he had completed in one week what took them a month to learn.


    No, it was even faster than that. Who could stand this!


    The crew-cut man sighed to himself, "It looks like he has mastered it, spending just three days to master the Inner Breathing Technique. It took me a full five days."


    "Now, there''s one more in our batch."


    Currently, Rein''s proficiency level in the Inner Breathing Technique was lv3 (14/500).


    As for why his improvement speed was so fast, it mainly relied on the accelerated enlightenment effect of the tenacious seaweed juice and the training in the sea.


    But now, it seemed he had reached a bottleneck; the progress of the Inner Breathing Technique slowed after entering lv3.


    In these three days, Rein also noticed that the young sword practitioners on the island would disappear for half a day every now and then, seemingly going on to the next phase of training.


    But he didn''t ask.


    Because in his view, focusing on doing the things he should be doing at the current stage, and pushing the progress and efficiency to the highest, was the most important thing.


    The content afterwards would naturally be taught by Master Ganther.


    In these three days, beneath the water, he practiced the Inner Breathing Technique while harvesting those tenacious seaweeds, gaining much insight.


    Rein found that using the Dual-Handed Greatsword underwater required much higher precision in every move than on land.


    If your greatsword swung at an off-angle, adjusting it underwater was much more difficult and slower than in air.


    Furthermore, when Rein was chopping the tenacious seaweed, he found that to achieve the best effect with each sword strike, one had to observe and understand the rhythm of the swaying seaweed in the water.


    This was a significant test of coordination for a swordsman''s hands, eyes, and heart.


    Although Master Ganther hadn''t taught him anything else in these three days, with just the dynamic action of ''cutting seaweed'' and the stillness of practicing the ''Inner Breathing Technique,'' Rein had been working non-stop all day.


    Rein had a feeling that even if from now on Master Ganther didn''t teach him the following content,


    he would still be able to learn something from these two activities and significantly improve his swordsmanship level.


    From others'' perspective, if they were to describe Rein in four words, ''Cultivation Maniac'' would be a perfect fit!


    Aside from eating and sleeping, Rein rarely chatted or rested; he was either smeared with tenacious weed juice in the stone hut, realizing the Inner Breathing Technique, or ''cutting seaweed'' in the sea.


    If one could overlook this area of the sea near the island from the sky, they would clearly see a noticeable ''bald patch'' in the large area where the tenacious seaweed was concentrated...


    But... this truly couldn''t be blamed on Rein.


    Because whenever Rein was cutting seaweed in the sea, the system prompts kept coming:


    [You have trained in Underwater Giant Bear Swordsmanship, comprehension improved!]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +15]


    [You have trained in the Inner Breathing Technique, comprehension improved!]


    [Your Skill Inner Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +2]


    ...


    This was quite addicting.


    Especially since the process of cutting seaweed underwater concurrently tempered both ''Giant Bear Sword Technique'' and ''Inner Breathing Technique,'' and moreover, the effect was much better than on land.


    With Rein''s current lv7 level of Giant Bear Sword Technique, if he practiced on land, he would mostly gain +5 or +6 Experience, but cutting seaweed in the sea almost doubled that amount.


    The efficiency was evident!


    Additionally, Rein made another important discovery.


    That was when he practiced the Inner Breathing Technique, he could clearly feel this training subtly influencing his original Giant Bear Breathing Technique, causing a minute change.


    It seemed to incrementally enhance his internal organs and overall bodily functions, a change that became more evident as the level of the Inner Breathing Technique improved. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And this time, when Master Ganther stood on the rocks and saw Rein emerge from the water, dragging a long bundle of ''tenacious seaweed,'' not out of breath despite the intense fifteen minutes of activity, he knew Rein still had energy to spare.


    That meant Rein had exceeded the task requirements.


    Without waiting for Rein to approach him, Master Ganther took the initiative, saying, "That will do, Rein. You can now proceed to the third training. Follow me."


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    People on the beach watched this scene with different thoughts running through their minds.


    Although they knew from day one that Rein was strong, they found his perseverance even more astonishing. He practiced almost without rest, like an iron man.


    So, in these three days, they had witnessed firsthand Rein''s visibly fast progress.


    From initially lasting seven or eight minutes underwater when cutting seaweed to now being able to stay more than fifteen minutes, the improvement in the Inner Breathing Technique was too obvious.

 Chapter 181 Comprehension (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    ```"Are we already moving on to the third training session? Our progress is catching up with us!" Arturo exclaimed in surprise.


    "Not catching up, we''re about to be surpassed," the young man named Doug said gravely.


    Everyone fell silent.


    In truth, Master Ganther''s second training task demanded that Rein master the Inner Breathing Technique within three days. According to the display on Rein''s professional panel system, reaching level 1 (1/100) of the Inner Breathing Technique was considered meeting the standard.


    However, Rein considered that since he had three days, he might as well improve the Inner Breathing Technique as much as possible, because he felt its unique function held great significance.


    On the other hand, Bask had once volunteered the information that the standard to judge whether you had mastered the Inner Breathing Technique was whether you could continuously slash through resilient seaweed for fifteen minutes underwater.


    Therefore, Rein modestly concealed his skill until the third day, when he finally revealed it.


    With his current level of control, he should be able to maintain a battle state under water for about half an hour.


    According to the system panel, Rein was not at level 1 (1/100) but had reached level 3 (14/500).


    At level 1 of the Inner Breathing Technique, one could roughly maintain underwater combat for fifteen minutes, while at level 3, it was as long as half an hour.


    Although this duration may not seem very long, one must understand that during this time, a person is constantly slashing through resilient seaweed, which is a state of high oxygen consumption due to vigorous movement, not simply holding one''s breath motionless in the water.


    This is completely different!


    Soon, under Master Ganther''s lead, Rein arrived below the cliffs at the northern end of the island, which was a completely opposite direction from the southern end where they previously practiced swordsmanship.


    No wonder Rein hadn''t noticed such an area before.


    "Bask, give the shark skin to Rein, and then prepare a tube worm!"


    "Of course, Master Ganther."


    Bask took out a dark grey leather armor covered with fine scales from behind him and handed it to Rein.


    Rein felt a little surprised but didn''t hesitate to receive it. The armor felt like toughened cowhide that had been soaked in oil, only much thicker.


    Its design was also quite unique, resembling the diving suits of yesteryears.


    "This is made from the skin of a reef shark, and it offers great defensive power against the attacks of nearshore madfish. Once you put it on, even if you face a swarm of them, you won''t have any safety issues," Master Ganther explained, turning his head towards Rein.


    Rein nodded and immediately began to put it on.


    Although he possessed the Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin lv3'' for protection, he estimated that his defensive power was not inferior to the shark leather armor, but he saw no need to stand out at this moment.


    Meanwhile, Bask started taking out a brown long worm, about one meter long and as thick as a thumb, constantly wriggling, from a wooden barrel he had prepared beforehand.


    "This is a tube worm, a favorite of the nearshore madfish. Your training task at this stage, Rein, is to kill as many nearshore madfish as possible within an hour," Master Ganther said, pointing at the brown worm.


    "As many as possible, Master Ganther? What''s the benchmark in your mind?" Rein asked after contemplating a bit. Your journey continues on empire


    After all, having a clear boundary or standard would be more motivating.


    "Let''s say ten! If you can kill ten nearshore madfish within an hour, you should be able to move on to the next training session," Master Ganther replied with a smile, glancing at Rein.


    "If you find it difficult to kill the madfish initially, you can take some time to further practice the swordsmanship you are already good at, like those others have done; you might discover a different insight."


    "Furthermore, the first training task ''Cutting Seaweed'' would be beneficial to keep practicing daily; it helps a lot with improving your Inner Breathing Technique," he continued, then paused before adding:


    "You have one month to complete this training task."


    With that, Ganther turned and walked away slowly.


    What the consequences of not achieving the goal were, Ganther did not say, but in truth, no further explanation was needed; failing left no other choice but to return to where one came from.


    "Okay, Master Ganther," Rein nodded and responded.


    Only after Ganther had departed did Bask look at Rein with an envious expression and say, "Wow, Rein, I didn''t realize you were making such rapid progress!"


    "Even Master Ganther is looking at you differently."


    "Oh? How can you tell? I haven''t noticed," Rein inquired, somewhat curious.


    Master Ganther gave an impression of a rather old-fashioned and strict teacher, not one easily approachable or invoking sentiments of closeness.


    "You need to compare it to how he treats others. With other people, Master Ganther doesn''t talk so much, he just drops the task requirement and leaves," Bask explained.


    Rein raised his eyebrows slightly; this was news to him.


    "Rein, you must be the fastest to complete the first training session, and the second fastest for the second. I wonder how long you''ll need for this third task?" Bask said with a smile.


    "Oh? For the second training task of mastering the Inner Breathing Technique, who was the fastest and how long did they take?" Rein couldn''t help but ask.


    "Half a day, it was Lady Creya who set the record," Bask said with an expression of admiration mixed with nostalgia.


    Rein glanced at Bask, shook his head slightly, and inwardly sighed that the boy was beyond help; women only affected the speed of one''s swordsmanship.


    Besides, it seemed that Creya was the ''one true love'' in Bask''s heart!


    ```


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 Chapter 320 181

    Half a day, huh.If I didn''t hide my incompetence, it seems like half an hour?


    Rein pondered for a moment, then shook his head again.


    What does more time mean? The most important thing is to truly learn something.


    "Rein, I''m going to release the tube worms now, pay attention to the sea surface, and soon the crazed nearshore fishes will come, and there is a high probability of more than one!"


    "Their favorite food is these tube worms." Bask reminded as the plan was set into motion.


    Rein nodded and began to fully concentrate on watching the sea surface, getting ready.


    Seeing this, Bask immediately threw the snake-like tube worm into the sea about four to five meters in front of them.


    The moment the tube worm hit the water, it began to struggle violently.


    Seeming to smell the scent emitted by the tube worm, Rein sharply observed several ripples forming on the sea surface tens of meters away.


    Three to four fishes, roughly thirty centimeters to half a meter in size, moved towards the tube worm as fast as torpedoes.


    As these fishes approached, Rein noticed that these fish, named crazed nearshore fishes, had a pale blue body with brown circular spots, a row of spiny fins on their back, and large mouths full of sharp teeth.


    The creatures ferociously pounced as soon as they saw the tube worm twisting its body in the water.


    In just a few moments, the tube worm was torn apart and devoured.


    Although Rein hadn''t yet entered the water to make a kill, from observing from the shore for a few seconds, he judged that this third training task��''hunting crazed nearshore fish''��was more than twice as difficult as the first task, ''cutting seaweed.''


    It''s no wonder that those seven or eight young people, although they arrived earlier than myself, seemed to be stuck at this stage.


    The biggest difference compared to the seaweed is that, although the seaweed drifted unpredictably under the influence of the undercurrents in the seawater, it still followed certain patterns.


    The drifting process of a seaweed was like a swinging pendulum.


    If a person could grasp the moment when the pendulum swings to its highest point front and back and swing their sword, it would make cutting the seaweed relatively easy.


    But these crazed nearshore fishes were different. With bodies shaped like shuttles, their streamlined forms allowed them to move through the water at high speeds.


    This was akin to upgrading from a fixed target practice to a moving target practice!


    Of course, the specifics would only be known after actually making a kill.


    Rein, dressed in sharkskin, drew his Dual-Handed Greatsword and started to wade into the water.


    Seeing Rein about to enter the water, Bask warned, "Rein, these fishes are also called ''ironhead fishes'' by the locals, their heads are as hard as iron shells. Be careful of their rush and bite."


    "Thank you." Rein nodded, acknowledging the advice.


    Rein took a deep breath, activated the Inner Breathing Technique, and began to step into the sea.


    As he was submerged by the seawater, the chilling water squeezed in from all directions.


    Huh?


    Rein found that the sharkskin, which was slightly bulky on land, did not hinder his movements in the water, apparently due to the special surface structure of the sharkskin, which itself had the effect of reducing water resistance.


    Coming to the vicinity of the crazed nearshore fishes still lingering around the remnants of the tube worm, Rein raised the Glimmering Greatsword, executed ''Limit Break,'' and instantly aimed a Smooth Cleaving Slash at one of the crazed nearshore fishes!


    Having been trained in ''cutting seaweed,'' Rein had already gained an initial understanding of exerting force underwater.


    Thus, the sword landed solidly on the body of the crazed nearshore fish.


    The body of the crazed nearshore fish was immediately torn open, and dark red blood oozed out.


    At the same time, Rein''s expression subtly changed!


    He felt like he was chopping through layers of thick cowhide, a sensation that transmitted from the greatsword to his hands.


    The defensive power of the creature was incredibly strong!


    His strike had not managed to kill it outright.


    Just when Rein thought he might have startled the creature into fleeing, the crazed nearshore fish, unexpectedly attacked from nowhere, quickly turned its body and charged at Rein, evidently counterattacking.


    This was significantly different from the typical behavior of most animals.


    Normally, animals would first flee after being suddenly attacked, then observe the attacker, before deciding whether to counterattack. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But true to its name, the crazed nearshore fish retaliated immediately after being attacked, paying no heed to the strength of its attacker.


    However, this also delighted Rein, as he was initially worried that his sword strike, failing to kill the crazed nearshore fish, would lead it to flee.


    Since Rein had just seen the speed of the crazed nearshore fish swimming in the water, he knew it was faster than a horse''s gallop.


    Just as the crazed nearshore fish was about to reach Rein, it flicked its tail fin forcefully, suddenly increasing its speed, causing Rein''s second sword strike to barely miss the fish''s body.


    The crazed nearshore fish took the opportunity to violently bite Rein, but with the sharkskin''s protection, Rein only felt a tug and suffered no harm. Experience more tales on empire


    Indeed, for Rein, even letting the crazed nearshore fish bite him probably wouldn''t have mattered, because the level 3 Iron Skin defensive power was even stronger than the sharkskin, so he was not worried.


    After several exchanges, Rein''s attacks were almost entirely ineffective.


    However, Rein soon identified the problem; the currents created by the high-speed movement of these fishes in the water were significantly disrupting the accuracy of his greatsword slashes.

 Chapter 181 Comprehension (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    This forced Rein to focus his attention on the swimming patterns of the nearshore frenzy fish, desperately seeking their weaknesses or patterns.But such patterns didn''t seem easy to grasp. Rein decided to ''cheat'' a little by studying the anatomy of the frenzy fish, which might give him some insights.


    So...


    "Huge Strength!"


    Thirty percent "Strength Burst!"


    Rein''s muscles swelled as he aimed a top-to-bottom Furious Slash at the head of the oncoming frenzy fish!


    "Bang!"


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    Contrary to Rein''s expectations, the frenzy fish''s head didn''t split into two but instead clamped onto the greatsword, still struggling fiercely.


    Huh?


    Such a hard head?


    Its vitality was also extraordinarily tenacious!


    Thinking back to the nickname ''Iron Head Fish'' that Bask had mentioned, Rein seemed to understand something.


    After killing a frenzy fish with the cheat-like ''Strength Burst'', Rein carried it ashore.


    "Rein, you... succeeded so quickly?" Bask looked at Rein with a face full of shock, pointing at the frenzy fish in Rein''s hand.


    What was more incredulous to Bask was that the fish''s head, the hardest part of its body, had actually been split open.


    This is just...


    Bask didn''t know what to say for a moment. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While Bask curiously investigated, Rein swiftly dissected the frenzy fish.


    First were its scales, which were extremely tough; each scale was semi-circular, fitting snugly onto the surface of the fish body, and then, layers upon layers of scales formed an armor-like scale mail as if forged from metal plates.


    This was genuine Scale Armor!


    This feature somewhat resembled the plecostomus that Rein had seen in his previous life, with a similarly structured scale covering.


    Additionally, beneath the outer skin and over much of the fish''s body, Rein found a layer of white exoskeleton, which further enhanced its defensive power, with the bone density and thickness of the head area being particularly exaggerated.


    This was already a dual-layer defense!


    Rein estimated that if such a fish were to die on the shore, even an ordinary person with a small knife might not be able to dissect its corpse.


    Therefore, when it was alive and swiftly swimming in the sea, one could imagine the difficulty of killing it.


    Of course, on the other hand, the difficulty stemmed from the training task set by Master Ganther��''to kill it with a sword in the water'', rather than utilizing other methods.


    Otherwise, with human ingenuity, even an average person would have ways to kill a frenzy fish, such as baiting or poisoning, and so on.


    After dissecting the frenzy fish, Rein gazed thoughtfully into the distance at the vast ocean.


    He had just realized that using the ''Triple Layers'' stance in the water didn''t boost his combat ability nearly as much as on land.


    The reason was simple: water resistance is hundreds of times that of air, and the resistance in seawater is even higher.


    If Rein remembered correctly, the resistance of seawater seemed to be over 800 times that of air.


    This made Rein''s overwhelming Strength dissolve softly against the seawater, reducing the power of his strike upon the frenzy fish significantly.


    For a simple comparison, if the ''Triple Layers'' provided a 100% increase to Rein''s combat ability on land, then in the sea, it probably only boosted it by about 20%.


    As for the solution?


    Rein quickly recalled what Master Ganther had said before he left��''You can take some time to practice the swordsmanship you were originally good at''.


    At the same time, he also remembered the scene of several young people continually practicing their swordsmanship on the shore.


    Clearly, the key to solving the problem lay here.


    Thus, facing the sea, Rein began to swing his greatsword on the rocky shore, practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique!


    Gradually, the completely different feelings of wielding a sword in the water and on land began to intertwine...


    Suddenly, a flash of insight crossed Rein''s mind, and enlightenment burst forth!


    At that moment, the system prompt also sounded...

 Chapter 182 Ding! Detection...... (Two-in-One Long Chapter)

    [Congratulations! You experienced an enlightenment and unlocked an additional effect for Melee Combat Skill: Precision lv1 (Passive)][Precision lv1 (Passive) Effect: You have gained a deeper understanding of your own combat skills and the weapon in your hands. You can precisely control the strength and landing point of each move, slightly reducing the possibility of your opponents dodging and parrying your attacks.]


    (Note: Precision is an additional effect of melee combat skills that unlocks automatically once conditions are met.)


    Rein first looked around the Knight (Transcendent) class panel, and then felt a bit strange because he didn''t find a new skill icon.


    However, when he carefully read the description of Precision lv1 again, he suddenly realized! Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because ''Precision'' is not a specific skill but an additional effect of combat skills, it naturally does not generate a new skill icon on the class panel.


    After Rein focused his attention on the icon representing the Giant Bear Sword Technique �� ''a bear holding a greatsword'' �� indeed, there was an additional line of small text below:


    Giant Bear Sword Technique lv7 (3023/5000), with the attached effect ''Precision lv2''.


    [Precision lv2 (Passive) Effect: You have a clearer understanding of your own combat skills and the weapon in your hands. You can precisely control the strength and landing point of each move, slightly reducing the possibility of your opponents dodging and parrying your attacks.


    (Note: To unlock Precision lv3 with Giant Bear Sword Technique, the following conditions must be met: one, Giant Bear Sword Technique lv9 or above; two, Strength 20 points, Agility 18 points, Constitution 20 or above.)


    Rein carefully read the text above, as if enlightened.


    The description of Precision effect at lv1 compared with lv2 is mostly similar, with the main difference being ''slight'' changed to ''modest''.


    Additionally, Rein''s lv7 Giant Bear Sword Technique carries the lv2 Precision effect, not lv1.


    This indeed matches the description that said ''it will automatically unlock after meeting the conditions!''


    Seemingly thinking of something, Rein immediately refocused, looking at the icon of two large hands holding a hammer �� Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Tokkal Hammer Technique lv5 (354/2000), with the attached effect ''Precision lv1''.


    Next is the description of Precision lv1 (Passive) Effect.


    (Note: To unlock Precision lv2 with Tokkal Hammer Technique, the following conditions must be met: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique lv6 or above; two, Strength 20 points, Agility 16 points, Constitution 18 or above.)


    After comparing the two items, it becomes easy to understand this ''Precision'' effect.


    ''Precision'' is not an independent skill. It is a special effect that derives from Rein''s current mastery of close combat skills once certain conditions are met.


    Meanwhile, Bask, seeing Rein suddenly practicing swordsmanship, was first confused, but soon his eyes widened, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief.


    After Rein stopped, Bask dared to interrupt Rein, stammering, "Re... Rein, did you just enter a state of enlightenment?"


    Rein turned his head toward Bask, smiled, and said, "Yeah, I gained a little insight. Bask, thank you for not interrupting my enlightenment."


    In the days they had spent together, Rein found Bask to be decent. Although sometimes talkative, at least he was good-hearted.


    Unlike some young folks who, upon seeing a comrade in sudden enlightenment, would explode with jealousy, then try in every way, sneaking about or pretending inadvertently, to interrupt the continuation of your enlightenment and block your progress.


    Many times, this partner might still be the one you enjoy spending time with usually.


    To use a phrase from his past life, it''s the concept of ''neither wanting a brother to suffer nor wanting a brother to drive a luxury car,'' it''s human nature.


    When Bask saw Rein''s affirmative answer, his face wore a surprised expression and said, "I''ve been with Master Ganther for a year and a half, and you''re the third person I''ve seen enter enlightenment. But the only one who achieved it within a few days of arriving, that''s unique."


    "Of the previous three, even the fastest one had at least a month of training before reaching enlightenment," he added.


    Rein nodded, indicating he understood.


    He certainly didn''t think he was the only one capable of enlightenment. With such a vast empire, and a large base number, various geniuses, even at a low proportion, were bound to emerge like bamboo shoots after the rain.


    Thinking it over, Rein couldn''t wait to test the power of this Precision again in combat.


    However, the school of fish near the beach that had previously been attracted by the tubeworms had already dispersed.


    Thus, Rein turned to Bask and said, "Bask, could you throw another tubeworm into the sea? I want to try out the effects after the enlightenment."


    "Oh, sure, sure!" Bask responded, initially startled, then quickly understood. Stay updated with empire


    Because he thought Rein''s reaction was too calm.


    You should know, those who had enlightenment always wore an ecstatic expression.


    Not like Rein, who was as calm as if such enlightenment were an everyday occurrence.


    Nevertheless, he quickly did as Rein asked, picking up a wriggling, snake-like tubeworm and tossing it into the sea about four to five meters away.


    At Rein''s line of sight, the scene he had witnessed last time reappeared.


    The distant sea surface immediately showed several ripples. With Rein''s vision, he could naturally see that this time, exactly six nearshore madfish were swiftly swimming towards them.


    Seeing this, Rein did not hesitate; he immediately grabbed his Dual-Handed Greatsword and slowly stepped into the sea toward the direction of the tubeworm.

 Chapter 182 Ding! Detection...... (Two in One Big Chapter)_2

    As the distance between the frenzied nearshore fish and Rein rapidly closed!This time, Rein started off by striking the midsection of one frenzied nearshore fish with his sword. Immediately, the pained fish began to counterattack against Rein.


    The powerful tail fin of the frenzied nearshore fish swung violently, and the entire body of the fish, like a torpedo, rushed toward Rein at high speed.


    However, this time, with the special effect ''Precision lv2'' from the Giant Bear Sword Technique, Rein was able to hit the rapidly approaching frenzied nearshore fish with almost every move.


    In just half a minute, Rein had added four or five cuts to the body of the frenzied nearshore fish.


    Excessive blood loss caused the frenzied nearshore fish''s strength to decline, and its swimming speed further decreased.


    Seeing this, Rein used ''Limit Break'' and, after a few rounds, had his sword slash across the junction of the fish head and body, delivering a Furious Slash that decapitated the frenzied nearshore fish!


    Throughout, he did not activate ''Triple Stance,'' nor did he use the nearly ''cheat-level'' core skill ''Strength Burst.''


    The time it took to kill a frenzied nearshore fish had improved from the initial five minutes to about two minutes now.


    The overall combat efficiency had increased by more than a notch!


    Rein couldn''t help but praise inwardly!


    Even if he learned nothing else, just coming this far for the melee special effect ''Precision'' alone was worth it.


    After continuously killing three frenzied nearshore fish, the other frenzied fish dispersed since the roundworms were all eaten.


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    Meanwhile, Rein in the sea carefully reflected on his experiences.


    He realized that although his combat power had been quite good, it was based on his superb physical condition, but he had never seriously reflected on his weapon and the combat skills he practiced.


    For example,


    Rein''s previous control over his body was like controlling a tractor��although the power was immense, there was no precision in the control.


    But now, he was like driving a finely engineered sports car, steering exactly where he intended, achieving centimeter-level control.


    Recalling the recent battle scene, Rein swung his greatsword and chopped at the frenzied nearshore fish, the error in his strike''s landing spot was merely three to five centimeters.


    It could essentially be said that the attack position he visualized in his mind and that produced by his hands on the frenzied nearshore fish had very little difference.


    Considering this was in high resistance seawater with the target moving at high speed.


    However...


    To become even more precise, Rein turned his gaze to the Knight (Transcendent) panel on the Giant Bear Sword Technique icon.


    "...to unlock Precision lv3, meet the following conditions: first, Giant Bear Sword Technique lv9 or higher..." Rein muttered to himself.


    No wonder!


    In his past life, he had heard that some people, to practice precision in fencing, would hang a small ball on a string and then repeatedly practice aiming to pierce the swinging ball.


    This was somewhat similar to his first training session of ''cutting seaweed.''


    Although the methods differed, ''cutting seaweed in water'' was much more challenging than ''piercing a small ball,'' but the purpose was the same.


    Both were training the precision of the swordsmanship!


    And now, considering the third training task��''kill ten frenzied nearshore fish in one hour''��it was a further enhancement of precision requirements, evolving Precision lv1 to lv2.


    Because the frenzied nearshore fish moved in a variable acceleration curve, unlike the seaweed or the small ball, which moved in a regular pendulum-like motion.


    Rein roughly estimated that when a formal Knight can exert the combat skill effect ''Precision lv2,'' then he could successfully kill a frenzied nearshore fish within five minutes.


    That meant he could complete this third training task.


    Actually, the difference between a formal Knight and an experienced Knight wasn''t too significant.


    Because the resistance in seawater far exceeded that in air, the power gap between an experienced Knight and a formal Knight was reduced.


    Assuming on land, an experienced Knight''s combat strength would be 50% higher than that of a formal Knight, but in seawater, the power an experienced Knight could exert might only be 20% higher than that of a formal Knight.


    Simply put, in the water, it was more about the skill and less about physical condition.


    This was like comparing a bodybuilding strongman and a child swimming to see who was faster, where clearly, swimming skills mattered more than physical condition.


    Of course, if the skill levels of the two were similar, the combat power of an experienced Knight would naturally be stronger than that of a formal Knight, and there wouldn''t be a reversal of the situation.


    Additionally, Rein found it interesting that other frenzied nearshore fish would disperse by themselves after consuming all the roundworms.


    This trait resembled solitary animals, like leopards, rather than group hunting animals like hyenas.


    Otherwise, Rein would have faced an assault from multiple frenzied nearshore fish.


    But this also had a downside, namely that five or six frenzied nearshore fish were attracted by a single roundworm, and yet Rein could only kill three, which was somewhat wasteful.


    Thinking it over, Rein, carrying three frenzied nearshore fish, slowly walked ashore.


    Almost immediately, he caught a whiff of food aroma and took a closer look.


    He saw Bask below the cliff, had actually started a bonfire and was roasting the meat from beneath the hard scales of the frenzied nearshore fish on a fine sword, the enticing aroma wafting from it.


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 Chapter 182 Ding! Detection...... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3

    As Bask saw Rein appear, he enthusiastically waved and said, "Rein, try my cooking! This grilled manic fish, in its original juice, tastes delicious!""You know, it also quickly restores physical strength, with an effect almost close to that of ferocious beast meat."


    Initially hesitating between eating and not eating, Rein raised an eyebrow when he heard the latter remark. Quickly restore physical strength?


    Naturally, he wanted to try it then.


    "Bang bang!"


    Rein swung his greatsword, delivering a series of precise chops and slices!


    Soon, he had cleaned out the meat of three manic fish he had just killed and told Bask, "One isn''t enough for the two of us, let''s grill all three."


    "Impressive!" Seeing Rein''s precise swordsmanship, Bask couldn''t help giving him a thumbs-up in admiration.


    "By the way, Rein, seeing the speed at which you killed those manic fish, you must have completed the third training task by now, right? If so, then you''re at the same stage as Frode, ready for the fourth training."


    "Oh? Bask, do you know what the fourth training task involves?" Rein casually asked.


    As for who Frode was, Rein didn''t care in the slightest.


    "Of course, it''s to kill thirty manic fish in one hour!"


    "Thirty?" Rein''s eyebrow flicked up.


    He clearly understood the difference between ten and thirty.


    It wasn''t simply a matter of adding more numbers, but a qualitative difference!


    If the requirement had been to kill ten manic fish in one hour, that would mean, on average, taking six minutes to kill each one, which would be manageable one by one.


    It would just take a bit more patience.


    But with thirty, averaging it to two minutes per fish, that meant the previous tactic of attacking them one by one would definitely not work.


    Because this would involve luring five or six manic fish with a single bait worm and then killing them all in a short period.


    This likely meant engaging multiple fish at once, which drastically increased the difficulty.


    "Rein, do you also think it''s difficult?" Bask grimaced.


    "Anyway, I''ve been here for a year and a half and haven''t seen anyone pass this fourth training task, including Lady Creya, who also got stuck on this one."


    "Oh? Lady Creya was stuck on this one too?" Upon hearing this, Rein couldn''t help but frown slightly.


    "Yes, if I remember correctly, Lady Creya killed twenty-seven in one hour, just shy of completing the task," Bask reminisced with a wistful look.


    Rein nodded.


    In his memory, Creya was still the one who had initiated him into knighthood.


    Back then, Creya seemed to him an unfathomably powerful figure.


    Unexpectedly, he had gradually caught up to, and perhaps even surpassed, her.


    That feeling... was quite peculiar.


    Rein estimated that when Creya had come to train with Master Ganther, it must have been one or two years ago, and her strength must have been at the level of an official knight then.


    So, even if she could execute the sword skill effect ''Precision lv2,'' killing thirty manic fish in one hour was still beyond her reach.


    The reason was simple: insufficient killing power!


    ''Precision'' enhances accuracy, but it doesn''t increase the upper limit of one''s killing power.


    It''s like a boxer whose maximum punch strength is 500 pounds; precision means he can land this maximum force on the opponent''s weak spot, but the punch doesn''t suddenly become 800 pounds.


    However, Rein was confident he could fulfill the task of killing thirty manic fish in the future.


    Because, by activating his core skill ''Strength Burst,'' he was fully capable of completing the training task by enhancing the upper limit of his attack power. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the problem was, others didn''t have this ''cheat'' skill.


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    So how did the others do it?


    Rein never forgot the reason he came to train with Master Ganther: to enhance his strength, not to show it off.


    He wasn''t here to boast.


    With that in mind, Rein glanced at the system prompt:


    [You have trained in Underwater Giant Bear Swordsmanship, comprehension has improved!]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Swordsmanship has improved, Experience +16]


    [You have trained in Inner Breathing Technique, comprehension has improved!]


    [Your Skill Inner Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +2]


    ...


    When he saw the experience gain from the Inner Breathing Technique, suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Rein.


    He remembered what Master Ganther had said before leaving��"...this will be rather helpful for improving your Inner Breathing Technique."


    The master naturally wouldn''t say something meaningless.


    Moreover, Rein himself could increasingly feel, especially after advancing the Inner Breathing Technique to level 3, that it had some clear synergistic effect with the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Rein believed the key to completing the subsequent training tasks under normal conditions likely lay in this Inner Breathing Technique.


    After pondering, Rein chose not to complete the third task��''killing ten manic fish in one hour''��within a single day.


    Instead, he planned to slow down a bit and focus on significantly improving the Inner Breathing Technique in the coming days.


    Subsequently, Rein lived almost like an ascetic monk.


    Apart from harvesting a batch of tough sea grass for juice every morning, Rein spent the rest of his time pondering the Inner Breathing Technique.

 Chapter 182 Ding! Detection...... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4

    As for the fight against the coastal madfish, he maintained a daily improvement of an additional one....


    On the third day, Rein killed seven coastal madfish within an hour....


    ...


    On the fifth day, Rein''s Inner Breathing Technique successfully advanced to lv4.


    At the same time, he also succeeded in killing ten coastal madfish within an hour, completing the third training task.


    At this time, Rein could clearly feel that the lv4 stage of the Inner Breathing Technique was having some kind of strange effect on his Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    But it seemed... just a little bit short!


    It was like smelting a red-hot iron ingot, but the temperature wasn''t high enough yet.


    On the fifth day, Master Ganther looked at Rein and showed a satisfied smile, saying, "Very good! Now Rein, you can proceed with the fourth training task, kill thirty coastal madfish within an hour."


    "The deadline is still one month."


    "This is a secret medicine made from reef shark glue, used the same way as ''Tough Seagrass Juice'', it can further enhance your Inner Breathing Technique."


    "When you feel the energy inside your body, try to guide it into your sword!"


    "..."


    Rein calculated the time.


    The journey here took six days, and eight days have passed since then. Considering the six days needed for the return trip, this means he has ten days left for training.


    It seems that completing this fourth training task within seven days is a limit on time.


    After all, he should save a few days to look into the subsequent training content.


    These days, as Rein was killing coastal madfish, the seven or eight young people who were also in this stage gasped in astonishment as they saw Rein increasing his speed by almost one fish per day. Explore more at empire


    "This rate of progress is frightfully fast!"


    When Rein completed the third training task on the fifth day, even those around him, who had anticipated his quick progress, couldn''t help but be shocked.


    "This... how the hell can he be so fast! He passed the third training task in just five days!" A young man named Arturo couldn''t help but mutter.


    Because he had already spent twenty-one days and was still stuck at seven fish an hour, unable to make any headway!


    "Now, Rein has surpassed most of us and is on the same pace as Frode," a young man named Doug said gravely.


    "Yes! Now the only ones undergoing the fourth training task are Frode and Rein."


    "Based on his speed of progress, catching up to Frode seems just a matter of time."


    "However... He''ll need at least half a month to catch up to Frode. After all, Frode has already reached twenty-two fish an hour," a young man pointed out the buzz-cut man fighting madfish in the sea.


    "Maybe... it won''t take that long!" Doug looked at Rein for a while, then turned to glance at Frode, who was battling in the water.


    Sure enough, Rein''s progress in the fourth training task was frighteningly fast!


    On the second day, he pushed his killing speed to twelve fish an hour!


    On the third day, he reached fifteen!


    On the fourth day, nineteen!


    On the fifth day, he directly reached twenty-four! He had already surpassed Frode''s twenty-three!


    What kind of monster is this?


    The rate of improvement seems to be getting faster and faster!


    The surrounding group of young people was practically scared out of their wits!


    On the sixth day, Rein''s best was killing twenty-six!


    Others might think that Rein was close to breaking through to thirty.


    But only Rein knew he had hit his limit!


    Twenty-six an hour was already him going all out, excluding the use of his core skill "Strength Burst"!


    Clearly, twenty-six was still a little short of thirty.


    Rein knew the problem, it was that the time to kill a single coastal madfish was still a little bit too long.


    This was closely related to insufficient attack power.


    Tomorrow was the last day Rein had set for himself.


    If he still couldn''t complete it, he planned to activate "Strength Burst" to increase his killing power and complete the task of killing thirty coastal madfish. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If possible, Rein would of course prefer to follow Master Ganther''s training plan step by step.


    Because through the previous training tasks, Rein had understood that Master Ganther''s training was tightly linked step by step.


    This training was very effective, not only to develop human potential but also to deepen the mastery of combat skills, these two are the foundation of a person''s combat power.


    And Rein''s core skill "Strength Burst" was more like an amplifier of combat power.


    Once the foundation was solidly laid and then amplified, the overall combat power could be further increased!


    This logic was simple, so Rein had been trying to complete the training tasks following the normal training method.


    But his time was limited, so this was a last resort.


    On the morning of the seventh day.


    The group of young people around, with mixed feelings, watched the peer who might set a new record.


    And Rein glanced at the Inner Breathing Technique on his Knight (Transcendent) panel, noticing that after his own arduous practice and the secret medicine provided by Master Ganther, the Inner Breathing Technique had reached lv4 (898/1000).


    So, he decided not to rush into using "Strength Burst" but to try and raise the Inner Breathing Technique to lv5.


    Half a day later...


    As Rein sheathed his sword, the system prompt came:


    [Your skill Inner Breathing Technique has improved, experience +2]


    [Congratulations, your skill Inner Breathing Technique has been raised to lv5]


    ...


    Just then, Rein suddenly felt his skin starting to heat up, and there was also a tingling, oddly peculiar sensation.


    Suddenly, another system prompt sounded:


    [Ding! It has been detected...]

 Chapter 183 Faith Trial (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    [Ding! It has been detected that the host''s Inner Breathing Technique has reached the minimum level required to fuse and enhance the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. Current conditions are met, fusion into a new breathing technique is possible. Would you like to proceed with the fusion? Yes/No][Note: After fusion into a new breathing technique, it will replace the original Giant Bear Breathing Technique and the Inner Breathing Technique.]


    Rein sharply noticed the word "enhance," so he didn''t hesitate at all, silently affirming "Yes" in his mind!


    The next second!


    Two streams of warm energy, one moving from the outside in, and the other from the inside out, merged together...


    Although he had anticipated this outcome, when Rein truly felt this moment, he was exceedingly excited!


    This must be his second major gain from coming to train with Master Ganther, aside from unlocking the melee combat skill effect "Precision."


    Although, he still didn''t know how much improvement the fusion of the breathing techniques would bring him.


    [Ding! Fusion commencing... Continuing fusion...]


    Clearly, the system seemed to have accelerated this fusion process.


    Otherwise, according to Rein''s estimation, this fusion process alone could have taken days.


    But now, it was completed in just a few minutes.


    [Ding! Fusion and modification of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and the Inner Breathing Technique successful, please name the new breathing technique.]


    Naming, huh?


    Rein was momentarily stunned!


    This was indeed a bit of a headache; he was notoriously bad at naming.


    Rein felt the new breathing technique; it was powerful and seamless, integrating the internal and external into one, but it was clearly based on the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, upgraded by the Inner Breathing Technique into a new breathing technique that considered both internal and external breathing.


    This adaptation and improvement seemed to be adaptive adjustments made after combining Rein''s current circumstances.


    It turned the originally general-purpose Giant Bear Breathing Technique into a more specialized breathing technique.


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    If put in proportion, it could be said that about sixty to seventy percent of the new breathing technique was still the original Giant Bear Breathing Technique, but the rest was no longer the same.


    If that''s the case, shall it be called "King Bear Breathing Technique"?


    That will do! Rein thought to himself.


    [Ding! "King Bear Breathing Technique" has been successfully named, and the secret techniques related to the original Giant Bear Breathing Technique have also been adjusted accordingly.]


    [The initial skill level of the "King Bear Breathing Technique" after fusion is lv5 (0/2000).]


    "Thank goodness, the skill level of the new breathing technique remained at lv5," Rein nodded.


    As for the first statement��''the secret techniques related to the original Giant Bear Breathing Technique'', Rein knew this referred to the original secret skill "Roaring Strike."


    However, the losses were not small.


    After the fusion, it consumed the experience of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique at level 5, which Rein had accumulated over several months since becoming a formal Knight.


    From this aspect, it seems that skills like breathing techniques are the hardest to improve, even with the supplementation of refining blackwood oil, and it would still require years of hard training.


    After the transformation was complete, Rein felt a stir in his heart.


    He naturally wanted to quickly experience the differences between the new "King Bear Breathing Technique" and the previous Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Therefore, while still in the seawater, Rein couldn''t help but stand on the seabed, practicing the first move of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, standing on one leg in a lunge, arms raised parallel, and slowly coordinating with his breathing.


    Very soon, Rein felt the differences.


    Firstly, in terms of breathing, if it had been the original Giant Bear Breathing Technique, practicing underwater would have been impossible. Before, taking a deep breath underwater would likely have resulted in choking.


    But the adapted and improved King Bear Breathing Technique allowed it.


    At this moment, by utilizing external skin breathing, Rein was able to train in the new King Bear Breathing Technique even underwater, suggesting a possibility of practicing it anywhere.


    At the same time, he could clearly feel a mysterious energy constantly circulating within him, as if a warm current, slightly strengthening in amplitude and speeding up as he practiced the King Bear Breathing Technique.


    When Rein performed the second pose of the breathing technique, similar to a "Russian press," he could keenly sense that the strengthening amplitude quickened a bit, and the circulation speed slightly increased again.


    Interestingly, this mysterious energy, through its pace of travel, seemed to be indirectly guiding Rein, as if instructing and adjusting his current breathing technique posture.


    To give an analogy, it was as if initially, Rein was practicing the "standard push-up," but now, if he continued with the "standard push-up," that mysterious energy would encounter resistance in its flow. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It would spontaneously guide Rein to spread his hands a bit wider, turning into a "wide-grip push-up" for training, and when Rein adjusted to a "wide-grip push-up," the mysterious energy''s flow rate would increase.


    Through this process, it seemed to tell Rein that this was presently the most efficient and suitable new breathing posture for him.


    This made Rein extremely pleased.


    At the same time, he could not help but admire the creator of the Inner Breathing Technique for being truly impressive!


    To be able to slowly adjust a general-purpose breathing technique into a specialized breathing technique suitable for each individual through such a combination of internal and external breathing.


    After Rein felt and operated the new King Bear Breathing Technique for a while, he suddenly recalled something Master Ganther had said before��"When you feel the energy within you, try to guide it into your sword!"


    With a slight stir in his heart, Rein.

 Chapter 183 Faith Trial (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Does Master Ganther mean to draw out this strand of mysterious energy and attach it to the sword?Clearly, the key to the fourth training task��the ''One Hour, Thirty Coastal Madness Fish Kill''��lies in the master''s words.


    Thus, Rein, at the bottom of the sea, tried to mobilize this strand of mysterious energy within him to his Glimmering Greatsword.


    When he focused his consciousness on the mysterious energy, there was indeed some effect; the energy started to move from within his body toward his arm, only it didn''t completely heed Rein''s command.


    Once it reached his arm, it became disobedient and circulated back and forth instead.


    This was like a child in a rice paddy, strenuously trying to catch a slippery and strong eel; despite all his efforts and using all his might, he could only grab its tail and failed to pull it out of its hole.


    Rein fell silent.


    After some contemplation, he guessed this was probably because he was not yet proficient enough with the new Bear King Breathing Technique��


    Is there any faster way to increase proficiency than accumulating points?


    Rein decided to invest some Skill Points into the new Bear King Breathing Technique.


    However, after giving it some thought, he first checked the system notification:


    [You have practiced the Bear King Breathing Technique, comprehension has improved!]


    [Your Skill Bear King Breathing Technique has advanced, Experience +5]


    Just thirty minutes had passed, and the Bear King Breathing Technique had only increased by 5 points, meaning if one practiced the breathing technique for ten hours a day, it would take twenty days to level it up to lv6.


    But the crux of the problem is, even for a Peak Knight''s physical capabilities, it is impossible to train in the breathing technique for ten hours every day��two to three hours was the limit.


    Therefore, the actual time span needed would be much longer. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clearly, without special medicine or methods, improving the Bear King Breathing Technique could only rely on slow and steady progress over time.


    This time, without hesitation, Rein added 1 Skill Point to the Bear King Breathing Technique.


    On the attribute panel, the remaining Skill Points went from 6��5, while the Bear King Breathing Technique jumped from lv5 to lv6 (1/3000).


    As the Bear King Breathing Technique advanced to lv6.


    Instantly, a multitude of scattered memories of practicing the Bear King Breathing Technique were infused into Rein''s mind.


    These fragmented memories of the breathing technique flitted through Rein''s mind like a series of images and were then integrated into the memory of his muscles and fascia as if it were instinct.


    When Rein opened his eyes again, it felt as though he had undergone half a year of arduous training in the Bear King Breathing Technique.


    Now, he could distinctly feel the accelerated circulation of blood throughout his body, as though he were at a Blacksmith''s forge, hammering iron next to a blazing furnace, while his muscles and fascia became tougher and stronger.


    But the most important change was inside his body, where the strand of mysterious energy was moving and strengthening at an extremely fast pace. Soon, it had multiplied many times over, changing from a strand to several strands, and finally into a thin wisp.


    This time, when Rein tried to guide it to the greatsword, it went significantly better.


    After several attempts, he finally succeeded!


    This time, the Glimmering Greatsword suddenly lit up with a barely noticeable faint sparkle.


    Rein knew that must be what Master Ganther was talking about.


    "Splash!" Rein burst out of the water and shouted to Bask on the shore, "Bask, I want to try again. Throw me some tube worms down now."


    Upon hearing Rein''s shout, Bask nodded and said, "Alright, Rein!"


    In fact, Bask had been waiting on the shore for quite some time, as he was waiting to see when Rein would start the fourth training task, thinking today might be the day Rein would complete it.


    Of course, he might fall short by one or two fish.


    After all, yesterday Rein had already killed twenty-six Coastal Madness Fish within an hour, and the goal of thirty fish was just within reach.


    Indeed, it wasn''t just Bask who was paying attention to Rein''s activities.


    The moment Rein surfaced and shouted, it also drew the attention of several young people nearby who were also practicing killing Coastal Madness Fish.


    They all looked sideways, focusing their gaze on Rein above the water.


    Over the past few days, having seen Rein''s increasingly fast killing pace nearing the thirty-fish goal, they too wanted to see if this ''newcomer'' who hadn''t been around for long would complete the fourth training task today.


    "Plop!"


    A tube worm was thrown by Bask into the sea not far from Rein!


    Suddenly, four or five Coastal Madness Fish were set in motion by the scent and came charging from the nearby sea with ripples trailing behind, striking at the wriggling tube worm.


    Seeing this, Rein took a deep breath, operated the Bear King Breathing Technique, and dived back into the water. This time, however, he chose to take the initiative, swimming towards the incoming Coastal Madness Fish.


    Heading straight for the fastest and nearest Coastal Madness Fish, Rein struck hard with his Dual-Handed Greatsword, tearing a gash on its tough head and a trickle of pale red blood seeped out into the ocean.


    However, since Rein had not managed to activate the wisp of mysterious energy, the damage from this strike was not much different from before.


    It was only a bit stronger than previous attempts, which was probably because the ''Bear King Breathing Technique'' had advanced to lv6.


    "Shh!"


    Next sword strike!


    Still failed to mobilize!


    The greatsword merely added another deep, bone-showing wound to the Coastal Madness Fish.

 Chapter 183 Test of Faith (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    But the third strike!Rein successfully activated it!


    The Glimmering Greatsword, with a sliver of light nearly imperceptible, slashed towards the midsection of the berserk fish near the shore!


    "Tssk!"


    Under this blow, the opponent''s sturdy scales and subcutaneous exoskeleton provided hardly any trouble for the greatsword carrying the sliver of light, and it cleaved the fish into two!


    To Rein, it felt as if he had been using a rusty, blunt kitchen knife to cut meat before, but just now, he had switched to a brand-new ''Henckels'' kitchen knife.


    This power gave Rein a shock at first!


    But immediately after, it brought him great joy!


    You see, it used to take at least two minutes for Rein to kill one of these nearshore berserk fish, but now, as soon as he could harness this mysterious energy, he could achieve a one-hit kill.


    It was simply a qualitative change and improvement!


    And just now, it took Rein only slightly over ten seconds to deal with the first berserk fish.


    Facing the second oncoming berserk fish, Rein felt a hint of excitement because he hadn''t even had the time to properly savor that previous strike before it was over!


    This time, he wanted to truly feel it...


    In less than three minutes, Rein had slain five nearshore berserk fish!


    But in the sea, Rein, holding the greatsword, still looked unsatisfied, as if he was still experiencing the difference.


    However...


    Rein''s killing efficiency left Bask speechless on the shore!


    Bask hastily threw another tube worm into the sea.


    Although Rein had been killing at an extremely fast pace, it was impossible for him to intercept all the berserk fish flocking towards the tube worm; thus, the last tube worm had already been gobbled up by the fish.


    However, that was also its last meal because in less than two minutes, that berserk fish was killed on the spot by Rein.


    The other youngsters on the shore, seeing Bask throw a second tube worm into the sea in less than three minutes, were all stunned!


    Beforehand, whether it was Rein or Frode, those on the shore assisting by throwing tube worms would do so at intervals of about six or seven minutes, Frode being slightly slower, around seven minutes.


    But this time, Bask threw the second tube worm in less than three minutes.


    Could it be that Rein had just taken about three minutes to kill four or five nearshore berserk fish?


    That...


    Seemed unlikely!


    Could it be because there were too few berserk fish attracted, only about three?


    The onlookers exchanged shocked looks!


    But they immediately stopped what they were doing and focused their attention to observe how many berserk fish were attracted by the second tube worm Bask threw.


    One...


    Two...


    ...


    This time there were six!


    They noted this number silently in their hearts.


    Next, of course, was to watch Rein''s performance.


    But Rein in the sea had just discovered that the mysterious energy was still unpredictable in its activation, and while its power was substantial during battle, it didn''t last long.


    He had just used the mysterious energy to kill five nearshore berserk fish and it had almost halved this thread of mysterious energy!


    Meaning, if he continued in the same way, this mysterious energy would be all but consumed.


    ...


    Indeed, after another three-plus minutes, once Rein had killed the second wave of six berserk fish, that thread of mysterious energy was completely spent.


    This time, the people on the shore were dumbstruck!


    Such killing speed!


    How could it be so fast?


    Even the Goddess''s illegitimate child probably couldn''t do better!


    ...


    However, without the boost of the mysterious energy, Rein''s killing speed decreased significantly, but it was still no problem for him to meet the objective of thirty nearshore berserk fish within one hour.


    So, Rein continued slaying while silently sensing.


    He discovered that the genesis of this mysterious energy seemed to stem from his body and that it regenerated rather slowly.


    Rein estimated that to return to the previous level of energy, he would need almost half a day.


    Perhaps, it might recover faster while he practiced the Bear King Breathing Technique.


    But essentially, once depleted in battle, it would likely not recover and be usable again.


    Thanks to the previous eleven berserk fish as a foundation, Rein managed to kill the target of thirty berserk fish in forty-eight minutes.


    When he emerged from the sea, he found that everyone, including Master Ganther, was waiting for him on the shore.


    "Very good, Rein. You have met the requirements of the fourth training task," Master Ganther said, smiling at the soaking-wet Rein.


    Rein smiled back and said, "Master, does that mean I can proceed to the next training?"


    "No rush! There seems to be a change in your breathing technique; stabilize it these next few days," Master Ganther smiled but did not agree for Rein to continue with the next training.


    Hmm?


    This...


    Rein felt helpless. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein still asked, "Master, could you at least introduce the content of the subsequent training tasks?"


    Hearing this, all the young people around stopped what they were doing and listened intently with their ears perked up.


    Although Master Ganther found it strange that Rein was eager for the subsequent training, he merely attributed it to Rein''s curiosity and didn''t think much of it, so he began to introduce:


    "The fifth and final training task..."

 Chapter 183 The Trial of Faith (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    ```"I prefer to call this the ''Trial of Belief,'' and moreover, it is not a mandatory training task. However, I have always believed that only by undergoing this trial can one fully comprehend and master the primal strength," said Lagaray.


    Primal strength?


    That mysterious energy flowing within oneself is what''s known as primal strength. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But how familiar, as if I''ve heard of it somewhere before.


    Jedi Knights?


    A thought suddenly popped into Rein''s head.


    But... truly, it does bear a striking resemblance!


    It seemed that the concept of primal strength in a blockbuster from a previous life emanated from some extraordinary energy within the body.


    Master Ganther continued, "If you do not undergo the ''Trial of Belief,'' that''s also fine."


    "After returning home, slowly grinding for a few years, you will naturally achieve mastery. The ''Trial of Belief'' simply accelerates this process."


    Rein understood. The fifth task was very dangerous, but also very effective, and it could save years of time.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein had no hesitation and said, "Master, I want to try!"


    "I want to attempt the ''Trial of Belief''!"


    "However, what exactly is the ''Trial of Belief''...?"


    "To slay the nearby sea serpents!" Master Ganther said solemnly, his expression stern.


    Sss!


    Around them rang out a collective gasp of astonishment!


    Especially Bask, who had his eyes wide and an expression of profound shock.


    Immediately, a sea of hushed whispers filled the air!


    "Sea serpents? Those are massive and ferocious beasts! They''re comparable to a Great Knight''s combat strength!"


    "No matter how strong Rein is, he surely can''t match a Great Knight!"


    "Has anyone ever actually completed this ''Trial of Belief''?"


    "It''s too difficult... Looking at it this way, the previous four tasks are like child''s play compared to this. This is the real killer training."


    "..."


    Being a native of Golden Coast, Bask was naturally aware of the near sea serpents and had even witnessed their terrifying combat strength firsthand.


    An adult near sea serpent, once ashore, had the power to destroy an entire human village.


    With a body covered in thick scales the size of a child''s fist, their defensive power far exceeded that of the raging sea fish. When normal knights attacked their scales, it was like scratching an itch.


    Unless equipped with giant crossbow arrows or bronze cannons, the situation called for a Great Knight to step in, possibly to drive away or kill the beast.


    Hearing the whispers of the crowd, Master Ganther looked at Rein, noting that his expression remained calm. He nodded slightly, feeling a great sense of approval in his heart.


    After some thought, Master Ganther said to Rein, "Rein, you must have sensed the primal strength within you by now, but it must be difficult to harness at will, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, Master," Rein nodded and replied.


    "Because only by believing in oneself, having a firm and clear belief, can one freely mobilize it!"


    "And for one to have such firm and clear belief, it is very difficult to come by out of thin air."


    "That''s why cults like the Evil God''s rely on prayer ceremonies time and time again to strengthen the believers'' faith. In each ceremony, akin to miracles, the faith of believers is established and reinforced!"


    ```


    "This is also why those Cultists are ultimately able to wield the Evil God''s immense power, they gave up believing in themselves and instead put their faith in the Evil God."


    "As for us, we need to go through tough battle after tough battle, face all kinds of difficult challenges, to firm up our own beliefs and purify them!"


    "When your faith is unwaveringly strong, you will believe in the sword in your hand and trust that it can cut through anything!"


    "If you understand this principle, you can harness the fundamental strength of your body and become one with the sword in your hand."


    Rein nodded silently without speaking!


    He understood the purpose of the ''trial of faith.''


    It was somewhat akin to the barbarian rite of life and death that Lagaray had mentioned before.


    At the brink of life and death, it triggered one''s potential, albeit for different reasons.


    The purpose of Master Ganther''s ''trial of faith'' was to firm one''s belief so they could freely use The Force!


    The purpose of the previous four training exercises was indeed to prepare for the ''trial of faith,'' to improve the chances of success! Rein thought to himself.


    "However, Rein, don''t think about the ''trial of faith'' for now, what you need to do is first stabilize your breathing technique."


    "After one month, once you''ve adjusted and are ready, we''ll undertake this final task." Master Ganther said with a smile.


    "This... Master Ganther, could I choose to go kill the sea serpent near the coast in three days?" Rein said, steeling himself.


    He certainly understood Master Ganther''s intentions, and he knew that his arrangements were most sensible.


    But...


    "Hmm?" Ganther''s brows evidently furrowed, his expression displeased.


    Finding a promising young talent so hard to come by, he had just spoken at length, his main point being his hope for Rein to proceed methodically.


    Three days...


    What can be done in three days!


    There wouldn''t even be enough time to stabilize a new breathing technique!


    Not to mention, allowing the new breathing technique to gradually enhance one''s strength and speed and other physical conditions, thus accumulating enough foundation to challenge the ''trial of faith.''


    Heading out now to fight the sea serpent near the coast, the risk would be almost several times greater than if he waited a month.


    And the people around, upon hearing Rein''s words, mostly went from looking at him with admiration or respect to an expression that said ''Rein, are you getting carried away?'' as they looked at him.


    A few who couldn''t hold back murmured softly, "What''s Rein thinking, to be so impatient?"


    "I originally thought Rein was a very steady person, but I didn''t expect..."


    "Yes, this is the first time I''ve seen Master Ganther talk so much, Rein seems rather ungrateful..."


    "..."


    Rein also knew that by making this request, he would certainly make Master Ganther have a somewhat negative impression of him.


    But he had no choice, he was running out of time...


    "Master Ganther, because in three days, I have to leave this place and return to Meister County."


    "So, I don''t want to leave with regrets!"


    "Besides, please believe me, I won''t take my life as a joke!"


    Rein looked at Master Ganther and spoke earnestly.

 Chapter 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    Master Ganther, after hearing what Rein had said, did not immediately respond but stared at Rein for a while before finally nodding and saying, "Good!"With Master Ganther''s approval, everyone else immediately fell silent, no longer whispering anything.


    "Rein, come with me." After saying this, Master Ganther led Rein to a secluded area. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone watched enviously as Rein and Master Ganther walked away.


    They could guess that most likely, the master was going to impart some secret techniques or killer moves to Rein, or perhaps some arcane knowledge.


    But now, they did not even have the privilege of listening in.


    So, Master Ganther had moved away from them.


    This made most of the young people present feel somewhat deflated.


    After a while, a young man with a crew cut named Frode snapped out of it and said solemnly, "Let''s go! Everyone, continue to train diligently."


    "Yes, don''t feel discouraged. Everyone has different talents. You have to believe that you can also succeed. Didn''t the master just say it? Believe in yourself!" another young man said, waving his clenched fist, his face flushing red as if to encourage himself.


    "Sigh! Easy to say, but... seeing someone like Rein really is disheartening," lamented another young man named Arturo.


    The others nodded vigorously.


    "Yes!"


    "The gap is too big; it really is disheartening!"


    "At least we see the difference between ourselves and a genius, right? It gives us more reason to work harder!" said another young man named Doug, his eyes resolute as he spoke softly.


    "..."


    Rein did not know that, even in the eyes of these talented youths, he was already considered a genius.


    Master Ganther took Rein to a slightly elevated rock, facing the vast and boundless blue sea.


    The sea wind made their coats rustle!


    "Rein, I originally thought about discussing this matter with you later."


    "But since you chose to challenge the seaside serpent dragon in three days, I think it''s necessary to tell you now."


    "I''ve already mentioned that the insight between life and death is essential to fully harnessing the primal force, which is a necessary condition for faith integration."


    "You must be curious because I haven''t explained why one should seek full mastery of the primal force. In fact, I advised most people to give up the trial of faith and simply return to refine their skills slowly."


    At this point, Rein frowned lightly and nodded, having had this doubt himself.


    "For most people, being able to invoke the primal force by over ninety percent is already sufficient for a lifetime," Master Ganther said, turning to look at Rein.


    "But you are different! You have the potential to go further, so I hope you can achieve full integration and complete control of your primal force."


    "Because this involves the emergence of the Will''s Radiance!"


    "Will''s Radiance?" Rein asked, puzzled.


    Master Ganther did not elaborate further but simply remarked, "You''ll understand later!"


    Your next read awaits at empire


    Alright.


    Rein was quite helpless with Master Ganther''s habit of speaking in riddles.


    "Although there are only three days left, you still need to stabilize the new breathing technique, and for your current condition, the fundamental attributes such as strength and speed are still very important. Don''t slack in your training."


    "Primal force is not born out of nothing; it stems from your own physique," Master Ganther advised.


    "I understand, thank you for your guidance, Master," Rein nodded and said.


    Back at the stone house, Rein reflected on the scene of when he had upgraded his new breathing technique underwater.


    When he advanced the Bear King Breathing Method to Lv6, first, the intensity of his primal force increased, from a wisp to a strand, showing a significant improvement.


    Next, there was control, from the original one successful invocation out of three or four attempts, nearly one in three, to almost one in two now.


    No wonder Master Ganther said that the last training session was optional for many people.


    If one does not strive for integration, for full manipulation of the primal force, then many can return and gradually enhance their control over several years, ultimately achieving about ninety percent success rate.


    But his case was different; he had a "cheat"!


    He must aim for a 100% invocation of the primal force!


    Especially since the master mentioned that it relates to the future path, although he still did not know what "Will''s Radiance" meant.


    So spending years just to refine this skill but not achieving perfection was definitely not his choice!


    And through attribute points, he could quickly restore himself to physical peak condition, having a trump card akin to miracles, especially best suited for turning thetables in desperate situations.


    Last of all...


    Rein touched the beautiful tree leaf given to him by the Elf Lady, the Sorcery Scroll "Blossom of Life."

 Chapter 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _2

    During this period of exploration, Rein had understood that this was a sorcery scroll for healing wounds.Thus, even if he was severely injured in battle, he still had the chance to turn the tide against adversity.


    With these methods in hand, Rein felt that no one else could claim to be more suited to "Turning the Tables" than himself.


    "However... should I continue to add points, or is it about fine for now?"


    "Given I am soon to face a sea serpent neck dragon comparable to a Great Knight, it''s better not to take it lightly."


    "Feeling the brink of life and death does spur growth, but the purpose is for you to feel it, not to actually seek death!"


    "What''s the point if you feel it just before death."


    "Facing life and death, forcing faith to fuse fully, thereby mobilizing the Source Force, and thus seeking life in death'' this is the true meaning of the trial by faith!"


    "Lastly, it''s about increasing the success rate of mobilizing the Source Force to the highest possible level, turning it into the ''final layer of paper window,'' which would then make breaking through much easier and quicker..." Rein mused, talking to himself.


    Having made up his mind, Rein did not hesitate any longer, choosing to add points again. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel decreased from 5 to 4, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique suddenly leveled up from lv6 to lv7 (1/5000).


    Instantly, a rush of fragmented memories about the new breathing technique was infused into Rein''s mind.


    These fragmented memories of the breathing technique, like a series of slideshows, flashed through Rein''s mind one by one, and then quickly integrated into the memory of his muscles and fascia.


    Your journey continues on empire


    When Rein opened his eyes again, it was as if he had undergone over a year of training in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    At this moment, apart from feeling his muscles and fascia becoming much tougher, the strand of Source Force within him was rapidly strengthening!


    The Source Force soon thickened notably, growing from a wisp as thin as three or four hairs to one as thick as a toothpick!


    This enhancement was visible to the naked eye!


    "Adding points really packs a punch!"


    "Compared to others, I just saved a year''s worth of painstaking training!"


    Rein, with a joyful expression, began to try guiding the Source Force again.


    Sure enough, after some attempts, the success rate was noticeably better.


    The success rate of mobilizing the Source Force increased from less than half to about sixty percent.


    Sixty percent?


    Rein couldn''t help but pontificate again.


    Before long, Rein gritted his teeth and added points to the new breathing technique again!


    As the remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel decreased from 4 to 3, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique instantly leveled up to lv8 (1/7000), becoming Rein''s highest-level skill at present.


    A flood of nearly two years'' worth of memories about training in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique began to pour into Rein''s mind...


    The strand of Source Force, previously as thick as a toothpick, now quickly strengthened to the thickness of chopsticks!


    "The feeling of getting stronger is really great!" Rein felt the surge of power in his body.


    The ongoing enhancement of his body''s muscles and fascia became even more intense; the originally thin fascia fibers began to grow thicker and stronger, linking increasingly firmly with Rein''s skeletal muscles.


    Suddenly, Rein''s eyes widened dramatically!


    Because he felt an inner part of his body suddenly make a ''bang'' sound, and he had broken through some sort of limit.


    It was like the feeling of a bowstring being pulled to its limit and then being forced further until the bowstring suddenly snapped!


    At that moment, two system notifications suddenly appeared:


    [Congratulations! Your Strength attribute has been enhanced!]


    [Congratulations! Your Agility attribute has been enhanced!]


    "Eh!"


    "A major increase in breathing technique leading to physical enhancement?"


    "This hasn''t happened in a long while!" Rein exclaimed.


    "However... logically, the first to enhance should be the Constitution Attribute, considering the Giant Bear Breathing Technique primarily strengthens Constitution. How did Agility increase?"


    Rein felt puzzled and couldn''t help but check the attribute panel.


    He found that although Constitution had not increased, it had reached 21 points; Strength, which was previously 19 points, had increased by 1 point, reaching 20 points, thus crossing into the 20-point range for both attributes.


    Meanwhile, Agility remained the lowest...


    "Before the increase, Agility should have been 17 points, the weakest attribute, so it must have been boosted by the enhancement of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique?" Rein pondered.


    "Yes, that must be it."


    "It''s also possible that the new Giant Bear Breathing Technique doesn''t have the ''weak link'' of the previous Giant Bear Breathing Technique, which was biased towards enhancing Strength and Constitution, and instead boosts all three attributes nearly equally..."


    Elated, Rein tried to mobilize the Source Force again.


    Soon, Rein discovered that the success rate of mobilizing the Source Force had now increased to about eighty percent!


    Just then, Rein felt a strong sensation of hunger suddenly emerge within his body.


    Continual point additions indeed significantly increased the total amount of Source Force.


    But this newly added Source Force was not created out of nothing, but derived from Rein''s own body, which was now significantly drained.


    Fortunately, the numerous sea madfish Rein had killed over the past seven days had already been processed by Bask into grilled fish jerky, some stored inside the stone house, others still drying.


    Rein immediately rummaged for it and started devouring large bites!


    After eating seventeen grilled madfish jerkies, Rein finally felt a sense of fullness in his stomach.


    After all, this was flesh from sea madfish comparable to ferocious beasts, which was quite filling.

 Chapter 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _3

    At this moment, Rein folded his arms and rubbed his chin in thought."Now it''s an 80% probability!"


    "If I add just one more point... wouldn''t that be close to the limit?"


    Glancing at the remaining Skill Points on the panel, Rein pondered and decided to try adding one more point.


    After all, casting a long-range witchcraft attack every second is still a long way off!


    By that time, he might have already accumulated enough Skill Points again.


    Thus, Rein added another point.


    With the remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel changing from 3 to 2, the Bear King Breathing Technique surged to lv9 (1/10000).


    A flood of memories on how to train in the Bear King Breathing Technique rushed into Rein''s mind��


    Meanwhile, a strand of primal force as thick as a chopstick inside his body quickly became as thick as a pinky finger.


    What Rein was most concerned about, the success rate of harnessing primal force, had increased to more than 90%, missing just by a sliver the point of perfection.


    But that sliver could only be achieved amidst life and death.


    At that moment, three system notifications suddenly appeared:


    [Congratulations! Your Constitution Attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Strength Attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Agility Attribute has increased!]


    Hisss!


    Leveling up just by adding points, seriously awesome!


    Rein looked at the attribute panel and, including the two previous points, this made for a total of five attribute points increase!


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (345/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv4 (866/1000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (64/2000) / Armorer lv1 (17/100)


    Constitution: 22


    Strength: 21 S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Agility: 19


    Spirit: 25


    Remaining Attribute Points: 2


    Remaining Skill Points: 2


    Feeling the power surging inside him, Rein had the sense that he could slay a small plesiosaur with a mere wave of his hand.


    Of course, Rein knew that this was merely an illusion caused by the rapid increase in his own strength.


    And it made sense!


    He had leveled up the Bear King Breathing Technique all the way to lv9, it better be impressive!


    Three days flashed by...


    Early in the morning on the third day, Master Ganther looked at Rein and immediately his pupils contracted, then his gaze repeatedly sizing up Rein with a slight look of surprise.


    After circling around Rein a few times, Master Ganther said, "What a rare talent for a knight, Rein, your new breathing technique has stabilized so quickly."


    This remark startled Rein.


    But thankfully, Rein quickly realized that Master Ganther, after all, wasn''t a clairvoyant; he could only tell that Rein''s aura was stable and had increased somewhat, but couldn''t determine exactly how much.


    It seems I still shouldn''t add too many Skill Points at once.


    Or perhaps it''s better to wait a while before adding points next time.


    After all, the magnitude of one''s personal strength increase from consecutive additions of points is still a bit exaggerated, Rein thought to himself.


    "Follow me!" Master Ganther, after expressing his amazement, said to Rein and began leading the way toward a small boat at the shore.


    Rein immediately followed quickly.


    It was a small boat about three to four meters long, shaped like a canoe with both ends curved upwards, with paddles at one end, and Bask was already waiting on it, waving excitedly upon seeing Master Ganther and Rein.


    After all, Rein was going to challenge the nearby plesiosaur this time!


    After both of them got on the boat, Bask started rowing, heading slowly in the southwest direction.


    Bask explained to Rein while rowing:


    "Right under that island in front, there is a nest of a nearshore plesiosaur. Ever since Master Ganther arrived, it has never dared to come close to the coast, which has made the residents of Randonia Town very happy."


    "Originally, this nearshore plesiosaur would occasionally come to Randonia Town to cause trouble. Even though it rarely caused casualties, it would provoke panic, which troubled my father greatly."


    Rein nodded, looking up to see indeed several islands stretching in a line, and following the direction Bask pointed, it should be the slightly larger island in the middle.


    Soon, the boat gently reached the island, and the three of them jumped off.


    After walking a short distance, they reached the bottom of a jagged cliff, where Master Ganther stopped and said, "The plesiosaur is here."


    Rein felt a bit puzzled as he looked around; it was all rocks with no visible caves or places to hide.


    But quickly, an idea flashed in his mind, and he said: "Master, is the entrance underwater?"


    Master Ganther smiled approvingly at Rein, saying, "Exactly, it''s under the water."


    "Just dive down here and you''ll find it. Go on! Believe in yourself!"


    Rein nodded.


    Rein leaped and plunged into the sea.


    At that moment, Bask, standing beside, showed a worried expression and said: "Master, can Rein really handle it? That''s a nearshore plesiosaur comparable to a Great Knight!"


    "I have confidence in him!" Master Ganther responded with a smile and then slowly made his way into the sea as well.


    "Master�� What are you doing?" Continue your journey on empire


    Master Ganther turned, giving Bask a look as if he were looking at an imbecile:


    "Of course, I have to watch from nearby in the cave. This is training, naturally there are final safety measures. But this isn''t something we can tell them in advance, otherwise, this ''trial of conviction'' would be meaningless."


    "Ah��" Bask''s eyes went wide, slightly stunned.


    So I''ve been worrying over nothing...


    By then, Rein had already found the entrance to the underwater cave, through a U-shaped channel covered with tough seagrass, and soon, Rein discovered that inside was a whole new world!

 Chapter 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _4

    on a sandy beach within the cave, a massive creature lay in deep slumber.the creature''s body was about fourteen or fifteen meters long, with thick scales the size of a palm covering its skin. its most distinctive feature was a long, snake-like neck and a body akin to that of a turtle, giving the impression of a snake carrying a turtle shell on its back!


    additionally, each limb of the nearby plesiosaur ended in flat, paddle-like structures. its head was small in relation to its body, merely the size of a basin, yet it possessed fine, sharp teeth and a hard beak.


    moreover, rein observed a long sword wound on the creature''s side. if he wasn''t mistaken, this must have been left by master ganther!


    however, judging by the destructive power of the wound, it seemed that master ganther could have easily killed the plesiosaur. hence, the reason for leaving it alive must have been for training purposes.


    rein looked around and found no shelter to hide his tracks, so sneaking up directly seemed to be the only option.


    if a surprise attack succeeded, that would be for the best. if not... it didn''t matter!


    as rein focused and held his breath, making his way slowly through the water toward the beach at the end of the cave.


    a number of swordfish swimming near the shallows seemed to have detected rein''s presence, swimming over to him and quickly circling a few times...


    the next second, the plesiosaur, which had been soundly asleep, suddenly opened its eyes, as large as goose eggs, and looked towards rein!


    in an instant, a majestic aura burst forth from the plesiosaur.


    although rein couldn''t immediately understand why he had awakened the creature.


    but that was okay, his original intention was to have a fierce battle with the plesiosaur, so whether it was awake or asleep, he didn''t care much.


    "break the limit!"


    "huge strength lv3"


    "strength burst!"


    having reached the shore, rein suddenly burst forth at full strength, brandishing his greatsword and charging at the plesiosaur.


    the plesiosaur, which had not taken rein, a ''little thing'', seriously at first, began to move its body only when it saw the ''little thing'' suddenly grow by two sizes and radiate a faint sense of threat.


    although the plesiosaur appeared cumbersome, it moved swiftly, but still seemed to be slightly too late sear?h the n??el fire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "pffft!"


    empowered by his momentum, rein''s sword directly severed the plesiosaur''s right forelimb.


    the palm leaf-sized right forelimb fell onto the sandy beach, with blood splattering from the wound!


    "roar!!"


    the plesiosaur let out a tragic scream, but in a flash, the warning bell of rein''s level 3 danger perception sounded, and a thick, snake-like dark shadow struck rein like lightning.


    rein raised his sword to block!


    "bang!"


    in an instant, rein was knocked back seven or eight meters by the immense strength, flipping in the air to dissipate the force before stabilizing once again.


    he saw that the shadow was the plesiosaur''s tail; its tail now had seven or eight palm-sized scales shattered.


    after receiving pain twice in a row, the plesiosaur seemed to become enraged. its relatively small eyes fiercely locked onto rein.


    the next second, it bent its long neck backward like a drawn bow.


    "swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"


    the plesiosaur''s neck trembled violently, and its sharp beak shot towards rein like lightning!


    rein hastily rolled to the side to dodge the strike, but to his surprise, the plesiosaur''s special move turned out to be a triple attack!


    the second strike, blocked by the greatsword!


    "clang!!!"


    the clash of beak and sword emitted a sound like the striking of metal!


    rein''s entire body was smashed into the sand, half-buried and unable to move.


    then, the third strike arrived!


    at this moment, rein''s defensive stance had already been disrupted by the two consecutive hits from the serpent-necked dragon. although he still held the glimmering greatsword in a blocking position, his defensive power had greatly diminished.


    facing a serpent-necked dragon whose strength could rival that of a great knight, rein knew that taking a direct hit, even with his transcendent trait "iron skin lv3", would leave him either dead or crippled!


    in the blink of an eye, rein felt an unprecedented sense of crisis, something he had never experienced before.


    but at the same time, this intense sense of crisis also forced rein''s entire spirit to concentrate to an extreme degree!


    no way to dodge!


    enjoy new tales from empire


    should he trust the sword in his hand, as master ganther had said?


    in that instant, rein had no other thoughts, his eyes fixed on the charging serpent-necked dragon, and he roared!


    "ha!!!"


    instead of defending, rein lashed out with his greatsword toward the approaching serpent-necked dragon''s head!


    under the full eruption of his power, the greatsword emitted a faint glow; for a moment, the tip of the sword seemed to elongate slightly, like a snake spitting out its tongue. there was nothing tangible, but rein felt as though the sword in his hand could cut through everything!


    was this invisible power a sword light? or sword energy?


    whatever it was, its power was peerless!


    "puchht!"


    in the disbelieving gaze of the sea serpent, its incredibly hard beak was split open, and then it found that it could see its other eye!


    blood gushed out like a fountain, shooting two meters high, and only then did the serpent-necked dragon, its head split in two, crash to the ground!


    at that moment, system promotions began to pop up like rapid-fire:


    [your skill giant bear sword technique has been enhanced, experience +1452]


    [you have gone through a battle, knight (transcendent) experience +382]


    ...


    [congratulations, your knight (transcendent) profession level has increased!]


    ...


    due to the continuous killing of nearshore frenzied fish over the past seven days, rein''s knight profession level was already on the cusp of breaking through, and this time killing the nearshore serpent-necked dragon brought a substantial amount of experience.


    thus, his knight (transcendent) level smoothly increased, reaching knight (transcendent) lv5 (218/2000)!


    leveling up granted him one skill point and one attribute point, bringing rein''s remaining skill points back up to three, and his remaining attribute points were now also three.


    unexpectedly, the system prompt began to rapidly flash again:


    [ding! it has been detected that the host has enough firm belief in the sword in hand, and the control over original power has reached 100%, triggering a special profession change��sword master (transcendent)!]


    [the prerequisites for changing to sword master (transcendent) are: one, the belief in the sword; two, original power control reaching 100%; three, any extraordinary swordsmanship at lv6 or above; four, any breath technique at lv6 or above; five, strength at 12 points or above, agility at 12 points or above, constitution at 12 points or above... all current conditions are met!]


    [....all prerequisites for changing to sword master (transcendent) are met, do you want to change to sword master (transcendent)? yes/no?]


    [warning: once you choose to change to sword master (transcendent), spiritual power will gradually solidify, which conflicts with the requirement for activating spirit power as the current wizard apprentice (transcendent) profession.]


    [this process is irreversible, please decide carefully!]


    huh!


    it was the first time rein saw the word ''warning'' in a system prompt.


    this couldn''t help but make him fall into deep thought!

 Chapter 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _4

    on a sandy beach within the cave, a massive creature lay in deep slumber.the creature''s body was about fourteen or fifteen meters long, with thick scales the size of a palm covering its skin. its most distinctive feature was a long, snake-like neck and a body akin to that of a turtle, giving the impression of a snake carrying a turtle shell on its back!


    additionally, each limb of the nearby plesiosaur ended in flat, paddle-like structures. its head was small in relation to its body, merely the size of a basin, yet it possessed fine, sharp teeth and a hard beak.


    moreover, rein observed a long sword wound on the creature''s side. if he wasn''t mistaken, this must have been left by master ganther!


    however, judging by the destructive power of the wound, it seemed that master ganther could have easily killed the plesiosaur. hence, the reason for leaving it alive must have been for training purposes.


    rein looked around and found no shelter to hide his tracks, so sneaking up directly seemed to be the only option.


    if a surprise attack succeeded, that would be for the best. if not... it didn''t matter!


    as rein focused and held his breath, making his way slowly through the water toward the beach at the end of the cave.


    a number of swordfish swimming near the shallows seemed to have detected rein''s presence, swimming over to him and quickly circling a few times...


    the next second, the plesiosaur, which had been soundly asleep, suddenly opened its eyes, as large as goose eggs, and looked towards rein!


    in an instant, a majestic aura burst forth from the plesiosaur.


    although rein couldn''t immediately understand why he had awakened the creature.


    but that was okay, his original intention was to have a fierce battle with the plesiosaur, so whether it was awake or asleep, he didn''t care much.


    "break the limit!"


    "huge strength lv3"


    "strength burst!"


    having reached the shore, rein suddenly burst forth at full strength, brandishing his greatsword and charging at the plesiosaur.


    the plesiosaur, which had not taken rein, a ''little thing'', seriously at first, began to move its body only when it saw the ''little thing'' suddenly grow by two sizes and radiate a faint sense of threat.


    although the plesiosaur appeared cumbersome, it moved swiftly, but still seemed to be slightly too late sear?h the n??el fire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "pffft!"


    empowered by his momentum, rein''s sword directly severed the plesiosaur''s right forelimb.


    the palm leaf-sized right forelimb fell onto the sandy beach, with blood splattering from the wound!


    "roar!!"


    the plesiosaur let out a tragic scream, but in a flash, the warning bell of rein''s level 3 danger perception sounded, and a thick, snake-like dark shadow struck rein like lightning.


    rein raised his sword to block!


    "bang!"


    in an instant, rein was knocked back seven or eight meters by the immense strength, flipping in the air to dissipate the force before stabilizing once again.


    he saw that the shadow was the plesiosaur''s tail; its tail now had seven or eight palm-sized scales shattered.


    after receiving pain twice in a row, the plesiosaur seemed to become enraged. its relatively small eyes fiercely locked onto rein.


    the next second, it bent its long neck backward like a drawn bow.


    "swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"


    the plesiosaur''s neck trembled violently, and its sharp beak shot towards rein like lightning!


    rein hastily rolled to the side to dodge the strike, but to his surprise, the plesiosaur''s special move turned out to be a triple attack!


    the second strike, blocked by the greatsword!


    "clang!!!"


    the clash of beak and sword emitted a sound like the striking of metal!


    rein''s entire body was smashed into the sand, half-buried and unable to move.


    then, the third strike arrived!


    at this moment, rein''s defensive stance had already been disrupted by the two consecutive hits from the serpent-necked dragon. although he still held the glimmering greatsword in a blocking position, his defensive power had greatly diminished.


    facing a serpent-necked dragon whose strength could rival that of a great knight, rein knew that taking a direct hit, even with his transcendent trait "iron skin lv3", would leave him either dead or crippled!


    in the blink of an eye, rein felt an unprecedented sense of crisis, something he had never experienced before.


    but at the same time, this intense sense of crisis also forced rein''s entire spirit to concentrate to an extreme degree!


    no way to dodge!


    enjoy new tales from empire


    should he trust the sword in his hand, as master ganther had said?


    in that instant, rein had no other thoughts, his eyes fixed on the charging serpent-necked dragon, and he roared!


    "ha!!!"


    instead of defending, rein lashed out with his greatsword toward the approaching serpent-necked dragon''s head!


    under the full eruption of his power, the greatsword emitted a faint glow; for a moment, the tip of the sword seemed to elongate slightly, like a snake spitting out its tongue. there was nothing tangible, but rein felt as though the sword in his hand could cut through everything!


    was this invisible power a sword light? or sword energy?


    whatever it was, its power was peerless!


    "puchht!"


    in the disbelieving gaze of the sea serpent, its incredibly hard beak was split open, and then it found that it could see its other eye!


    blood gushed out like a fountain, shooting two meters high, and only then did the serpent-necked dragon, its head split in two, crash to the ground!


    at that moment, system promotions began to pop up like rapid-fire:


    [your skill giant bear sword technique has been enhanced, experience +1452]


    [you have gone through a battle, knight (transcendent) experience +382]


    ...


    [congratulations, your knight (transcendent) profession level has increased!]


    ...


    due to the continuous killing of nearshore frenzied fish over the past seven days, rein''s knight profession level was already on the cusp of breaking through, and this time killing the nearshore serpent-necked dragon brought a substantial amount of experience.


    thus, his knight (transcendent) level smoothly increased, reaching knight (transcendent) lv5 (218/2000)!


    leveling up granted him one skill point and one attribute point, bringing rein''s remaining skill points back up to three, and his remaining attribute points were now also three.


    unexpectedly, the system prompt began to rapidly flash again:


    [ding! it has been detected that the host has enough firm belief in the sword in hand, and the control over original power has reached 100%, triggering a special profession change��sword master (transcendent)!]


    [the prerequisites for changing to sword master (transcendent) are: one, the belief in the sword; two, original power control reaching 100%; three, any extraordinary swordsmanship at lv6 or above; four, any breath technique at lv6 or above; five, strength at 12 points or above, agility at 12 points or above, constitution at 12 points or above... all current conditions are met!]


    [....all prerequisites for changing to sword master (transcendent) are met, do you want to change to sword master (transcendent)? yes/no?]


    [warning: once you choose to change to sword master (transcendent), spiritual power will gradually solidify, which conflicts with the requirement for activating spirit power as the current wizard apprentice (transcendent) profession.]


    [this process is irreversible, please decide carefully!]


    huh!


    it was the first time rein saw the word ''warning'' in a system prompt.


    this couldn''t help but make him fall into deep thought!

 Chapter 185 Prerequisites for Promotion to 【Great Knight (Transcendent)】 (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "rein, you have surprised me again. how about it, are you interested in staying to pursue the path of the sword saint?" master ganther did not directly answer rein''s question, but instead invited him with a smile.sword saint?


    rein''s eyes suddenly widened as he looked at the other person.


    so it really is the sword saint!


    turns out, master ganther was semi-retired at the golden coast to pursue the path of the sword saint.


    however...


    master... this path is incompatible with that of a wizard! rein cried in his heart, although he liked the high attack power of the sword saint''s path, his current situation only allowed him to refuse.


    "master, thank you for your appreciation, but for now, i wish to travel first. perhaps one day, when i can calm my heart, i will come back to the golden coast and seek your guidance." rein bowed deeply and said earnestly.


    "good! young people should indeed go out and see more! pursuing swordsmanship also requires an undistracted mind." hearing what rein had said, master ganther thought for a moment, nodded his head, and seemed to agree.


    master ganther did not persuade rein to stay any longer, but turned to explain the sword strike rein had just made:


    "that sword strike of yours had actually combined your belief in the sword with the primal force. in simple terms, this is known as sword glow, a capability that only swordmasters can wield."


    "essentially, it was your belief in the sword infused within the primal force. in that instant, ordinary primal force transformed into sword primal force, thus possessing a destructive power stronger than ordinary primal force."


    "i see, thank you, master, for clarifying!" rein bowed slightly in gratitude.


    sword primal force, huh?


    sure enough, just as he had speculated, the path of the swordsman, greatsword master, and sword saint is indeed closely linked to the sword, ultimately aiming perhaps to pursue the sword''s ultimate destructive power!


    "by the way, master ganther, are we heading back now?"


    "hold on, this adult nearshore plesiosaur is a treasure trove. being a large, ferocious marine beast, one could say it is full of treasures." master ganther said with a smile.


    "especially its heart, which can now be used to make ''beast essence,'' a magic potion essential for a knight''s promotion to great knight!"


    huh, advancing to great knight?


    rein''s eyes suddenly lit up. originally, after this trip, he was going to seek information about the knight''s further advancement processes. he had thought of asking hamilton, but later felt his progress was too shocking and decided to delay it for a while.


    unexpectedly, he had heard relevant information from master ganther.


    noticing rein''s astonished look, master ganther thought that rein was startled by the word ''beast'' and explained with a smile: "haha, why, do you think the plesiosaur doesn''t deserve to be called a beast?"


    "actually, ''beast'' is just our term for ferocious wild animals longer than ten meters."


    "its heart contains a special substance that, when refined by a pharmacist into ''beast essence,'' can complement the huge consumption required for a knight''s promotion to great knight."


    beast essence?


    listening to this, it seems somewhat similar conceptually to the advancement magic potions used by ordinary people stepping into the knight (transcendent) stage.


    just wondering if it has various subdivisions and specifics, like the advancement magic potions, rein thought to himself.


    just as rein was about to continue his inquiries with master ganther, suddenly, the system notification resurfaced:


    [ding! host has listened to transcendent secrets, triggering advancement profession��great knight (transcendent)!]


    [advancing to great knight (transcendent) prerequisites are: 1. physical limit value reaching 100%; 2. any breathing method lv9 or above; 3. strength 20 points or more, agility 20 points or more, constitution 20 points or more; 4. any close combat transcendent combat skill lv9 or higher; 5. high-grade magic potion ''beast essence''.... current conditions do not meet! advancement to great knight (transcendent) failed!]


    huh! s~ea??h the nov��lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    reading the system notification that popped up suddenly several times, rein was excited!


    he hadn''t expected that after just missing the occupation change to ''swordsman,'' he would receive promotion information for stepping into great knight (transcendent) after listening to master ganther''s secrets about beast essence and primal force!


    it felt truly like ''when one door closes, another opens''!


    "looking at the conditions, great knight (transcendent) and knight (transcendent) can be said to be of the same lineage, with many similar prerequisities."


    "although great knight seems a bit weaker in battle power compared to professions like swordsman and greatsword master with extreme attack power, its path does not conflict with that of a wizard. considering dual-classing is the primary thing to consider."


    moreover, the conditions for advancing to great knight, he was close to, or had already met.


    for example, condition one ''physical limit value reaching 100%'', rein checked the knight (transcendent) panel, and the limit value had reached 95%. this was due to the consecutive enhancements of bear king breathing technique earlier which had incrementally added five attribute points.


    and at the moment, there were still three remaining attribute points on the panel; there was no need to waste skill points, as it was merely a matter of when he would add the points to reach the 100% limit value.


    also, condition two ''any breathing method lv9'', he had already achieved. indeed, investing in breathing techniques was not in vain!


    as for condition three...


    just as rein was drifting into thought, master ganther spoke up: "let''s go, rein, we need to quickly handle the plesiosaur''s heart while it''s fresh."


    "yes, master!" rein immediately responded. experience tales at empire

 Chapter 185 Prerequisites for Promotion to 【Great Knight (Transcendent)】 (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    ...when rein emerged from the sea, dragging the enormous corpse of the plesiosaur, bask was utterly stunned.


    "rein, you... you succeeded so soon?"


    "or is this..." bask turned his head to look at master ganther.


    master ganther understood bask''s meaning; bask was asking if it was he who had helped rein kill the near-shore plesiosaur.


    master ganther shook his head and said, "it was rein who killed it alone! bask, don''t just stand there, the blood of the plesiosaur will attract many other ferocious sea beasts, hurry back!"


    "alright! master!"


    although bask agreed outright, his expression still betrayed his surprise as he bound the corpse of the plesiosaur to the rear side of the boat and began to row rapidly.


    yet as he rowed, bask''s gaze kept alternating between the huge plesiosaur corpse bobbing in the water and the calm-faced rein on the boat, and his heart was filled with inexplicable shock!


    by the time the three reached the shore of the island, rein noticed that a group of seven or eight young men, led by the crew-cut frode, were waiting at the seaside. experience more content on empire


    clearly, they had received the news and were waiting for the outcome.


    just as a young man named arturo was about to speak up, suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the massive body floating behind the boat and involuntarily blurted out, "is this... is this a success?"


    before rein could answer, bask, who had just jumped ashore, slightly raised his chin with pride and said, "that''s right! rein succeeded!"


    "look, there lies the corpse of the plesiosaur, everyone help out and lift it up first!"


    instantly, the gaze of all the young people present focused on rein, with varying expressions of shock and disbelief...


    when everyone saw the cause of death of the huge near-shore plesiosaur''s corpse after it was lifted onto the shore, their expressions grew even more astonished as their eyes went back and forth between rein and the plesiosaur.


    they seemed shocked as to why there was not a single wound on rein''s body, how had he killed such a large ferocious sea beast unscathed?


    what kind of strength was this?


    that was just too frightening!


    half an hour later, rein packed away the wooden box containing the enormous heart of the near-shore plesiosaur and placed it on the brown horse.


    this was something that master ganther had helped him process and given to him as a gift.


    as for the other parts of the near-shore plesiosaur, such as scales, outer skin, and meat, rein left them as a token of gratitude.


    "master, i am now ready to leave; thank you for your guidance during this time," rein said to master ganther, bowing respectfully.


    although rein and master ganther''s acquaintance had started with an introduction letter from cleya, by now, it was hard to say if rein weighed more in master ganther''s heart than cleya did.


    master ganther smiled reassuringly and said, "go back, your road ahead is still long, and perhaps, before long, i will be hearing about your deeds."


    the other young men, including frode and doug, also took turns bidding farewell to rein.


    rein smiled and nodded his head in response!


    although he hadn''t communicated much with the others during his nearly twenty days here, so their relationships couldn''t be said to be good or bad, with master ganther as a mutual connection, perhaps, when they met outside, he should lend them a hand.


    meanwhile, bask enthusiastically helped rein place his luggage onto the brown horse, saying, "rein, i''ll walk you to the main road."


    rein nodded his head, and then he turned around once more and said to master ganther and the others, "master, everyone, i hope we can meet again!"


    ...


    the crowd watched as rein''s figure gradually disappeared down the path, their faces filled with emotion.


    "master ganther, rein must be the fastest of all the trainees since your retirement, right?" the crew-cut youth frode asked curiously all of a sudden.


    master ganther, with a smile, did not directly answer frode''s question but instead encouraged, "there are far more geniuses in this world than you can imagine, keep pushing yourselves!"


    ...


    walking along the path, rein did not immediately mount his horse but led the black horse forward, with bask by his side, helping him lead the brown horse that was carrying the luggage.


    "by the way, rein, on your way back, it''s best to stick to the main roads and avoid the paths," bask said, seemingly recalling something, his expression turning serious.


    "recently, the area around rosby county has been unsafe, with several incidents of nobles'' carriages or lone knights being attacked and killed by bands of bandits," he added.


    "bandits?" rein echoed back.


    "yes, according to my father''s information, it seems that these bands of bandits are backed by zaral''s rebels. so, rein, be careful on your journey; don''t take them lightly as mere bandits," bask warned.


    "thank you! bask, i''ll be careful," rein graciously thanked the youth for his friendly warning.


    on the other hand, rein''s mind stirred at the mention.


    zaral''s rebels, eh? sear?h the n??efire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    he immediately thought of the time he had rescued hass, where those people seemed to be bandits from the area on the surface.


    he also recalled the battle at the rebel stronghold in meister county.


    the rebels not only had some hidden connections with several bandit groups in the surrounding area, but the rebels themselves often posed as bandit groups, engaging in plundering.


    it seemed the activity of this so-called rebel group had been increasing lately.

 Chapter 185 Prerequisites for Promotion to 【Great Knight (Transcendent)】 (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    moreover, judging from the region, it seems that the enemy''s activity in rossby county is much higher compared to that in meister county!although the insurgents i''ve encountered before were not very strong, with the strongest among them being a peak knight only.


    however, a rebellion of such a large scale must inevitably include masters of the great knight level, and i indeed cannot afford to take them lightly.


    at that moment, bask suddenly slapped his forehead with an enlightened look, bursting into laughter, "almost forgot, rein! you''re the man who solo killed the sea serpent! if the rebels encountered you,"


    "what they should be worried about is themselves! hahaha!"


    upon hearing bask''s words, rein couldn''t help but smile too.


    "bask, this is far enough, remember to contact me when you have time, or you can come find me in meister county," rein turned and said to bask.


    thanks to the time they had spent together, and not to mention bask being a good person who also offered rein several small favors, their relationship had become quite harmonious.


    "alright, rein! that... rein, could you deliver a message to lady cleya for me?" bask rubbed his hands together, looking somewhat embarrassed.


    "hmm? what message?" rein looked at bask somewhat puzzled.


    "well, when you see lady cleya, could you ask her if she remembers bask from the golden coast? i hope she can make time to come to the golden coast again and visit master ganther," bask said with a touch of shyness.


    "that... sure! if i get the chance to see her," rein said, a bit speechless.


    bask''s sheepish demeanor was just like that of a bashful young girl, and seeing such a thing on a big burly man was truly something that left one speechless!


    asking lady cleya to visit master ganther?


    is it not that you want to see cleya yourself, but you''re worried she might refuse, so you phrased it like that, right?


    also, ''bask from the golden coast?'' what kind of expression is that?


    why does it sound so much like the phrase ''summer lotus by the daming lake'' from my previous life?


    rein stopped dwelling on it further and lightly shook his head, then turned to mount his horse, waving his hand and saying, "i''m off! bask!"


    "goodbye, rein!"


    bask watched rein''s departing figure, lost in a trance.


    at that moment, the warm winter sunlight cast long shadows over rein, who was riding away with two horses, giving bask a feeling as if the path rein was heading towards was aglow with golden light, a road leading to the divine realm.


    ...


    explore more stories with empire


    since he hadn''t received any messages from the blue-helmeted pigeons, rein assumed that his family and the crowley clan in meister county probably hadn''t encountered any troublesome problems.


    with that in mind, rein decided to pay a visit to hass on his way back.


    rein had quite a fruitful near twenty-day stay at the golden coast, so he was in a very good mood.


    the richmond fishing port, where hass was located, was just north of the golden coast.


    and north was exactly the direction rein was headed. it was totally on the way. rein estimated that if he didn''t take a detour and traveled through the forest path, he should be able to reach the richmond fishing port by evening.


    "stewed giant thorn salmon, huh?"


    rein thought of the last time hass mentioned his hometown''s specialty delicacy, which brought a smile to his face.


    around noon, rein found a spot to rest in a forest by the road.


    while taking out some roasted madfish jerky from his sack and munching away, he also pondered the essence power.


    along the way, rein had found through repeated trials that although he could now manipulate the essence power with ease and unleash all of it in a burst, the power from the strike that killed the sea serpent eluded him.


    master ganther had explained this issue.


    without a life-and-death crisis and a lack of strong conviction, one can''t transform essence power into sword energy with more destructive force!


    the tier of sword energy seemed very high, utterly different from the common sharpness enhancement when essence power is attached to a sword.


    the former had immense power but seemed to involve the solidification of spiritual power, while the latter was much less powerful and seemed to be merely a shallow application of primal force.


    however, what rein was considering now was a different issue:


    "if i attach primal force to the sword, the effect is to increase the edge''s sharpness. so, what happens if i attach primal force to a hammer? it can''t possibly increase the sharpness of the hammer, right?"


    "after all, one end of the hammer is flat!"


    "so when i attach primal force to the sword, what exactly am i thinking?"


    as rein pondered, he took the greatsword off his back.


    he began to wield the glimmering greatsword while channeling primal force.


    after practicing the giant bear sword technique for a while, suddenly a flash of insight crossed rein''s mind, and he seemed to understand!


    at that moment, a system prompt rang out:


    [congratulations! following an epiphany, you''ve unlocked the close-combat combat skill added effect: sharpness lv1 (passive)]


    [sharpness lv1 (passive) effect: you have gained a basic understanding of the essence of primal force, able to effortlessly increase the power of the longsword in your hand, slightly enhancing its sharpness.]


    (note: this effect is only valid when the host has primal force and it has not been exhausted; effective only when the host holds an edged weapon.)


    (note: this effect is an added feature of a close-combat combat skill; once the conditions are met, the next level is automatically unlocked.)


    rein couldn''t help but be overjoyed!


    immediately, rein focused his attention on the icon representing the giant bear sword technique, and sure enough, the accompanying special effect of the technique had increased:


    giant bear sword technique lv7 (3023/5000), with added effects ''precision lv2'', ''sharpness lv2''.


    [precision lv2 (passive) effect:...]


    [sharpness lv2 (passive) effect: you have gained a further understanding of the essence of primal force, able to effortlessly increase the power of the longsword in your hand, modestly enhancing its sharpness.] s~ea??h the n?velfire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    (note: to unlock sharpness lv3 in giant bear sword technique, the following conditions must be met: first, giant bear sword technique lv9 or above; second, king bear breathing technique lv9 or above.)


    two added effects!


    rein closely examined the above text, and the descriptions of sharpness and precision were nearly the same; the main difference between lv2 and lv1 was the change from ''slightly'' to ''modestly''.


    but the unlocking conditions were not the same!


    after pondering for a moment, rein decided to try the tokkal hammer technique. since applying primal force to a sword produced a sharpness effect, what about applying it to a hammer?


    although rein already had a vague guess, he still needed to give it a try to know for sure!


    at that moment, rein''s ears twitched slightly!


    next, his level 3 danger perception started alerting him. the sense of crisis wasn''t strong, so rein didn''t turn his head to check but continued calmly wiping the glimmering greatsword in his hands.


    in the dense forest tens of meters away.


    a dozen or so men dressed as mercenaries were lying in ambush, each holding different weapons, all with steady breaths and fierce faces.


    one of the mercenaries was peering at rein through a monocular brass tube.


    however, likely considering the acute senses of a transcendent official knight, after the burly man glanced a few times, he quickly shifted his gaze, not continuing to stare at rein.


    "another lone official knight, but judging from his swordsmanship, seems to be quite skilled!"


    "pfft! no matter how skilled he is, how skilled could he be? look at his face, he''s clearly not even eighteen years old! don''t tell me, this guy could be a peak knight?" one of the brutes scoffed.


    "that''s right, scar is correct. no matter how strong he is, how strong could he be? we''ll start with a volley of crossbow arrows, that''ll turn him into a sieve immediately!"


    "yeah, carrying around a greatsword and a giant hammer, looks quite intimidating! but damned if he isn''t even wearing knight plate armor, probably still a novice knight with no real wilderness experience."

 Chapter 186 Surprise! Hint at the First Legendary Profession Panel! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    "enough, all of you, quiet down! since we''ve decided to go through with this, don''t take it lightly!" barked the burly man who''d been holding a brass monocular.then, he turned to a gaunt man beside him, who was holding a heavy crossbow and had only one eye left, and said, "one-eyed, take a few crossbowmen and start with a volley to test the waters, see what they''re made of."


    ''one-eyed'' had the strength of a formal knight and was a bowman. amongst their group, he was considered a powerful asset.


    the man known as ''one-eyed'' nodded slightly. without uttering a word, he immediately began loading his crossbow. sear?h the nov��lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the crossbow arrow he was fitting flashed with a pale green glint��it was obvious that the arrow was poisoned.


    indeed, silent people are often the most ruthless!


    after loading, one-eyed waved his hand to signal the other crossbowmen to cautiously step forward, positioning themselves within the maximum range of their weapons, directly encompassing rein who wasn''t too far away.


    the rest of the team were readying their weapons, grinning viciously and poised to strike.


    as soon as their crossbowmen injured the ''young knight,'' they would swarm him, outnumbering him!


    this tactic was meant for dealing with slightly stronger teams or masters. they had practiced it to perfection!


    subconsciously, they believed that this time, like before, the victory would come easily.


    by then, one-eyed and the other crossbowmen had found their positions and were raising their heavy crossbows to aim.


    suddenly, the young knight who had been polishing his greatsword just a second before vanished from their sights.


    huh?


    where did he go?


    including one-eyed, the crossbowmen all wore expressions of astonishment or bewilderment. they immediately lowered their crossbows and began looking around.


    the next second, the leader of the group, the robust man, turned pale and shouted, "watch out!"


    before he could finish speaking��


    "pfft!"


    one-eyed suddenly felt the world spinning around him.


    he wondered why he was flying through the air, but almost immediately, he saw a familiar headless torso. from the smooth cut on the neck, blood was spouting like a fountain!


    that''s my body, isn''t it?


    one-eyed was horrified!


    but the next second, a deep weariness began to assail his consciousness...


    yet, before he lost consciousness completely,


    one-eyed heard cries of agony rising all around him. he knew these voices well.


    but what was the high-speed slicing noise, that ''sss-sss-sss'' sound all about?


    he wanted to lift his head and see what was happening!


    but his eyelids were so heavy... he wanted to sleep...


    as ''one-eyed''s'' eyelids slowly closed, the scene around him had become a picture of chaos.


    some were luckier, merely decapitated at the neck.


    the less fortunate suffered a worse fate, cut into several pieces, limbs and body parts scattered everywhere, probably too difficult to piece back together...


    meanwhile, the robust man who''d been holding the brass monocular now had his eyes wide in terror, staring at rein. he desperately clutched at his neck, attempting to stop the gushing red blood.


    but it was futile, for the wound was too deep. almost half his neck was sliced open, and any deeper would have meant instant beheading.


    "thump!"


    the robust man knelt down, falling face up as his sturdy body convulsed, his strong life force not yet ready to give in.


    sometimes, a strong life force isn''t a blessing, as it only prolongs the suffering!


    with his dying thoughts, the burly man couldn''t comprehend how the situation, which had started as their ambush, had turned against them so swiftly.


    it seemed the other side had detected them in advance and charged without warning. in the blink of an eye, crossing the forty or fifty meters, they were upon them, swinging that greatsword.


    that greatsword... with its strange cold glow... so sharp...


    ...


    rein shook his greatsword, wiping the blood off the blade, and mumbled to himself:


    "a familiar scent! how interesting, bask just warned me to be wary of the rebels, and here they are!"


    "but really, their strength is just too pathetic!"


    rein found that the effect of sharpness lv2 was quite useful.


    when he slashed through the chainmail and thick leather of zaral''s rebels, it felt as if he was tearing through paper. find your next read on empire


    even the knight''s plate armor worn by the last robust man cracked open without much effort once rein targeted the weak joint between the helmet and breastplate.


    had it been before, it would not have been so effortless.


    of course, the effect of accuracy lv2 was also indispensable.


    or perhaps, it should be said that the combined effect of accuracy and sharpness made killing these mediocre ''trash fish'' too easy!


    after some thought, instead of resting, rein mounted his black horse and started towards rachmond fishing port town, where hass was.


    on horseback, rein switched his weapon. now, he was toying with a mace in his hand.


    "what effect would the force have if applied to the mace?"


    -----------------


    at the same time, in meister county prison, within an office,


    a middle-aged man dressed in the uniform of the prison guard captain furrowed his brow in deep thought.


    however, his morose expression was enough to indicate his mood was anything but pleasant.

 Chapter 186 Surprise! First Legendary Profession Panel Prompt! (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    indeed, as early as half a month ago, magis had noticed something was amiss with the situation at the base.normally, within the span of half a month, he would certainly have received some form of communication from the base, whether good news or bad. but in any case, there should have been some news!


    but now, the problem was that after such a long time, there had been no message from the base at all.


    this initially left him extremely puzzled!


    after waiting several more days, he knew for certain that something had happened at the base!


    therefore, magis immediately dispatched his most trusted confidant to check on the base�� the abandoned mine in the "wild wolf hills" in meister county.


    however, the situation report upon his confidant''s return made his heart skip a beat!


    according to his confidant, the old mine where the base was located had collapsed significantly, and judging from the traces of gunpowder at the entrance of the passage, it was clearly man-made, and not due to an earthquake or natural decay from aging.


    additionally, the several deliberately hidden traces of battle found nearby the mine further confirmed this.


    in other words, his organization''s base in meister county had been secretly and completely annihilated.


    could it have been done by the empire after its discovery, deploying people from a special unit?


    this truly left magis on tenterhooks for several days!


    but several days later, he noticed that the upper echelons of meister county were very quiet, and no particular news had come through, which confused him. that isn''t right! sea??h th�� n?velfire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    if it were a specialized operation by the empire, then conventionally, after the base was taken out, a great purge would follow. nobles, great families, merchant associations, and all connected to his organization in the county town would be rooted out!


    of course, he would not be spared in this process either.


    but now, it didn''t seem like it was the work of any imperial special unit!


    what was going on?


    while magis did think of that young upstart knight, rein, in his mind, rein was at best someone with the strength of a veteran knight and had no powerful companions. how could he possibly be involved in the total annihilation of the base?


    thus, magis began to have all his informants conduct investigations, but so far, they had never found the perpetrator!


    at the same time, in this month, he also faced questioning from two barons, alonso and norman, who doubted the credibility of their rebel organization, questioning how they could fail to deal with even a young upstart knight!


    he knew that this was not acceptable.


    if both men disseminated unreliable information about the resistance in noble circles within meister county, his organization''s operations throughout mingster county would lack the support of certain potential nobles.


    it can be said that the future actions of the entire organization in meister county would encounter significant obstacles, and he, as a key liaison, could not shirk responsibility!


    therefore, three days ago, he had sent out a call for help to those above.


    magis hoped that higher-ups would dispatch a powerful person to mingster county to take charge and swiftly reverse this unfavorable situation.


    as he estimated, someone should arrive within these few days.


    at that moment, there came a knock on the door, interrupting magis''s train of thought.


    "my lord, baron alonso has arrived!"


    "how has he come again?" magis said, his face showing a headache as he received the report from his confidant.


    obviously, he couldn''t refuse a meeting and could only nod and say, "fine, let him come over. it couldn''t be about that rein again! damn it!"


    these past few days, he had specifically tasked someone with investigating rein''s situation. although rein''s resume showed the young man was very promising and talented, he did not stand out much in the entire meister province.


    furthermore, such an unestablished youth was always vulnerable.


    magis was very confident in his own organization. once the person from above arrived, if they could find this rein and deal with him, it ought to be an easy task!


    after all, the former person in charge of the original base was a peak knight. this time, after the incident, the organization would most likely send a great knight-level expert to take over.


    however, the latest intel suggested that this rein had recently been absent from the county town, having gone to other places.


    his most trusted confidant was now gathering information through various channels, trying to figure out where exactly the other party had gone. continue your adventure at empire


    magis thought this way: even if they had not yet eliminated this youth, at least when alonso and norman asked, he would have a response. after all, with rein not currently in mingster county, there was nothing he could do, right?


    in that case, the others would not be too upset after listening to him. after all, he was making progress on the matter, or else he would not know that rein was not in the county town, right?


    but annoyingly, to this moment no information had come back regarding "where exactly rein had gone," which left him quite passive in face of alonso''s questioning.


    shortly, a familiar figure with a large stride entered the room. it was the bearded man wearing a black nobles'' hunting suit with gold-thread inlays, none other than baron alonso himself.


    seeing alonso enter, magis immediately stood up, and with a smile brimming on his face, he said, "the honorable baron alonso, if you seek me, just send me a word, and i should have come to visit you."


    since he hadn''t managed to handle the task entrusted by the other party, magis had to lower his posture a bit.

 Chapter 186 Surprise! The First Legendary Profession Panel Prompt! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    alonso looked at magis with a gloomy expression and said, "magis, you know why i am here! how long has it been? does it take a month to do this? are you playing me?""today, if you can''t give me a reasonable explanation, i think i will take back all the things i promised before!"


    hesitating upon hearing alonso''s words, magis was uncertain.


    alonso''s attitude was clearly more resolute than the last time; could it be that he had also heard about the trouble at the base?


    however, magis thought again and felt that this was unlikely, after all, the base wasn''t responsible for maintaining contact with the nobles of meister county; he was the one handling that aspect.


    but under the circumstances, he must give alonso an account, otherwise, he feared what the other party might do...


    however...


    he couldn''t reveal the news that the base had been completely wiped out by a mysterious person; after all, that was a family disgrace, and spreading the news would be too humiliating!


    as magis was indecisive, one of his trusted associates knocked on the door, came in, and whispered a few words to him.


    magis, already frustrated, had no intention of listening at first and was about to send his associate away when his expression suddenly hardened and he immediately turned to ask, "is the person in the interrogation room?"


    "yes, my lord!"


    at that moment, magis paused to think, then immediately turned with a serious look and said to alonso, "baron lord, please allow me to step away for five minutes. the explanation you want, i will give it to you in five minutes."


    after pondering for a moment, alonso said, "fine! i will give you five more minutes." experience more content on empire


    clearly, he too had sensed that magis must have received some kind of news.


    -----------------


    when rein arrived at rachmond fishing port town where hass was, he found it strange that most of the townsfolk had grim expressions, as if they had encountered some difficulty.


    however, since his goal was to visit hass, rein stopped an older woman:


    "hello!"


    "good day to you, knight lord!" facing rein, who was mounted on a tall horse and armed, the older woman was visibly nervous and quickly bowed in greeting.


    "i would like to know where hass klein''s home is?" rein asked.


    upon hearing that rein was looking for hass''s address, the older woman visibly relaxed a lot and answered, "captain hass? he''s injured; he should be resting at home right now. his home is just around the corner to the right, the first house there."


    "knight lord, do you need me to take you there?"


    "thank you! no need, i think i can find it," rein said with a smile, nodding his head and declining the older woman''s kind offer.


    although rein had a smile on his face, he was somewhat surprised in his heart.


    hass was injured?


    he wondered how serious it was.


    continuing on his black horse, rein soon arrived at the location the older woman had described.


    the house was similar to what rein had in flashgold town, quite nice for the average citizen.


    but for someone of the knightly class, it seemed a bit humble.


    that was normal, of course, as hass''s knightly title had probably not been conferred yet.


    rein knocked on the wrought iron gate!


    "thump, thump, thump!"


    at that moment, a ruddy-faced child cracked open the door and asked, "hello, whom are you looking for?"


    "is this the home of hass klein? i am his friend," rein inquired. s~ea??h the n?vel_fire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "yes, are you my brother''s friend? but why have i never seen you before!" the boy eyed rein suspiciously.


    "hehe, you can tell your brother that rein has come to visit," rein chuckled, not minding the suspicion.


    "alright, please wait a moment," the boy said as he now took in rein''s full appearance, noting the tall horse, the weapons, and the calm and friendly tone that commanded respect.


    the boy thus used an honorific and immediately turned to run into the house.


    soon, a familiar, tall figure hurried out, his left arm clearly wrapped in white bandages��it was hass.


    seeing rein, hass cheerfully exclaimed, "rein, you finally came to see me!"


    "i was about to come find you in meister county, but, unfortunately, i got injured these past few days!"


    "hass! it''s been a long time, how did you end up like this?"


    "come inside and we''ll talk!"


    hass quickly opened the door and invited rein in; the two exchanged pleasantries as they walked inside.


    ...


    "recently, a juvenile scalewhisker ironshell turtle has been coming near our fishing port, occasionally attacking the returning full-loaded fishing boats, which has caused a lot of distress for the townspeople. hence, sheriff benhad and i planned to find an opportunity to kill it," hass explained.


    "after some time searching, we found its lair! but due to the scalewhisker ironshell turtle''s formidable defensive power, we specially spent several days making a special type of crossbow arrow."


    "just two days ago, when we went to take it down, we suddenly realized that the creature had already matured. in the battle, both sheriff benhad and i were injured!"


    "apparently, it was attacking the fishing boats and consuming their catch to build up energy and break through its maturation phase. after we attacked the scalewhisker ironshell turtle, it became very vengeful, and now it''s attacking the fishing boats much more frequently."


    "even if the boats are empty, it will still attack!"


    "oh? how powerful is this scalewhisker ironshell turtle?" rein asked, raising an eyebrow.

 Chapter 186 Surprise! The First Legendary Profession Panel Prompt! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    ```"now the creature''s length has surpassed ten meters, reaching twelve meters. as for combat power, i''m afraid only a great knight could take it down," has sighed, seemingly regretful that at the time, he couldn''t seize the opportunity to kill the creature before its sea beast transformation.


    originally, rein was just listening to a story. after all, such incidents were not rare, and the empire had specific protocols to deal with them. but when he heard that the creature''s length was over ten meters, rein''s eyes gleamed!


    because didn''t that mean this ironback turtle with scales and whiskers, barely qualified as a gigantic creature?


    in that case, perhaps he could acquire an additional ''beast essence''.


    thus, rein asked with interest, "does the ironback turtle with scales and whiskers have any special moves?"


    "eh? do you want to try to kill the ironback turtle with scales and whiskers? no, no! although you''re a bit stronger than me, compared to the ironback turtle with scales and whiskers, there''s still a huge difference!"


    "uhh... i just want to understand more, i''m still quite unfamiliar with these ferocious sea beasts," rein shrugged and asked ''kindly''.


    "haha, that''s no problem! i thought you wanted to attempt to kill the ironback turtle with scales and whiskers. don''t even try it!"


    "sheriff benhad also retired from the imperial navy, possessing the strength of a seasoned knight, but he still got seriously injured," has solemnly warned.


    "the most troublesome thing about this ironback turtle with scales and whiskers is its powerful defensive capability, especially its shell, which is harder than steel!"


    "now, after undergoing metamorphosis, the ironback turtle with scales and whiskers can also cast an additional earthy-yellow shield, further enhancing its defensive power! when my knight''s longsword hacked at it, it couldn''t make a scratch!"


    "moreover, the ironback turtle with scales and whiskers itself is extremely strong and fast. luckily, we had brought several giant crossbows with us. otherwise, we might not have been able to come back. we even lost two men during the retreat."


    as has narrated, his face still seemed to bear traces of shock.


    rein nodded as he listened. this kind of strong defense was indeed a bit tricky to deal with.


    however... for him, it probably wouldn''t be too big of a problem.


    rein patted the pig-head hammer on his back.


    dinner time.


    rein met has''s parents. has''s father was a portly middle-aged man with a smile always lingering on his face, the head cook at the nearby campas manor.


    has''s mother, on the other hand, ran a bakery, with a kind face and a somewhat plump figure, likely due to years of kneading dough, requiring a sturdy ''base'' for the task.


    both parents spent their years dealing with ''food''!


    no wonder a commoner''s family could raise someone of has''s stature. rein thought to himself.


    upon meeting rein, and learning he was a friend made by has during the aristocratic enrollment examination, they greeted rein with great enthusiasm.


    the dinner ended in a warm and cheerful atmosphere, and rein got to taste the stewed giant spike salmon that has had been raving about!


    a twenty-plus pound salmon seasoned with garlic, basil, and sage, stewed for two hours: the aroma and flavor were irresistible!


    "how is it, rein? the giant spike salmon is delicious, right?"


    "it''s indeed very delicious!"


    "unfortunately, the fishing boats dare not go out to sea recently. you should know, these days are the best for catching giant spike salmon," has sighed, seemingly reminded of something.


    "is it because of that ironback turtle with scales and whiskers?"


    "yes, it lurks in the narrow channel leading in and out of the port. none of the fishermen are willing to risk their lives to go out to sea,"


    "after that incident, sheriff benhad said that because the whole of rosby county has been troublesome lately, it might take a few more days for the county town to send a team over,"


    so that was it. no wonder the townspeople all looked so worried; the town was a fishing port, with most residents involved in the fishing industry.


    "don''t worry! has, the empire''s borders are vast, and there are many masters. maybe some passing master will casually slay that ironback turtle with scales and whiskers," rein said with a smile, trying to offer some reassurance.


    "haha, i do hope that you, rein, can become such a master one day," has laughed heartily upon hearing this.


    he had not expected rein, usually not much of a talker, to have such a sense of humor sometimes.


    ...


    the next morning, rein mounted his black horse, bid farewell to the warm-hearted has family, and left richmond fishing port. but after he left the town, he took a detour to the seaside.


    ```


    last night at dinner, rein also learned the exact location of the scaled mane ironback turtle.


    rein planned, before leaving, to take care of the troubles of hass and the townspeople as well! enjoy new adventures from empire


    the holy mother?


    no!


    it could only be blamed on the scaled mane ironback turtle for growing too large!


    over ten meters, which is the category of behemoth as stated by master ganther, its heart would generate a special substance, which could be used to make ''behemoth essence''.


    so... an apology was due.


    besides, rein also wanted to try out the special effects of the hammer skill he realized last night!


    rein focused his attention on the knight (transcendent) panel, his large hands grasping the icon with the warhammer pattern��tokkal hammer technique.


    [shock lv1 (passive) effect: you have a basic understanding of the essence of primal force, and you can freely mobilize primal force to enhance the power of the warhammer in your hands, slightly increasing its shock effect.]


    (note: this effect is only effective when the host possesses primal force and it is not exhausted, and only when the host is holding a blunt weapon.)


    (note: this effect belongs to the additional special effects of melee combat skills, and will automatically unlock the next level upon satisfying the conditions.)


    this was a special effect about blunt weapons that rein realized yesterday.


    however, rein''s pig-head hammer was quite special; when the flat end of the pig-head hammer was used for attacking, it was considered a blunt attack, but when the spiked end was used, it would be considered a piercing attack, replete not with shock but with the sharpness effect.


    but now there was one more thing that rein needed to do, and that was to allocate skill points!


    the reason was simple; his current level of tokkal hammer technique was only lv5 (354/2000), and both the accompanying shock and precision effects were at the lv1 tier.


    it might be sufficient against general enemies, but against a large ferocious sea beast like the scaled mane ironback turtle, whose strength was comparable to a great knight''s and whose defensive power was far superior, rein felt it was better to improve another tier!


    "note: to unlock shock lv2 for tokkal hammer technique, the following conditions must be met: one, tokkal hammer technique lv6 or higher; two, bear king breathing method lv6 or higher."


    "note: to unlock precision lv2 for tokkal hammer technique, the following conditions must be met: one, tokkal hammer technique lv6 or higher; two, strength 20 points, agility 16 points, constitution 18 or higher."


    looking at the next tier requirements for these two effects, he only needed to add one skill point for both effects to advance to lv2. sear?h the n??el fire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    an extremely cost-effective move!


    when the remaining skill points on the attribute panel decreased from 3 to 2, tokkal hammer technique also jumped to the lv6 tier at once.


    in an instant, a stream of fragmented tokkal hammer technique training memories flooded into rein''s mind.


    these scattered fragments of hammer skill training memories flashed through rein''s mind like paintings, swiftly integrating into the memories of his body''s muscles and tendons.


    when rein opened his eyes again, it was as if he had experienced half a year''s worth of tokkal hammer technique training.


    what was more important, the two effects ''shock'' and ''precision'' both advanced to the lv2 tier.


    rein looked again at the new text descriptions for both effects. the descriptions for shock and precision were more or less the same, the main difference at lv2 compared to lv1 was that ''slightly'' changed to ''moderately''.


    meaning, their power was further enhanced!


    at that moment, suddenly, rein''s entire body stiffened!


    because just then, an unexpected system prompt appeared:


    [ding! detected that the host''s two extraordinary combat skills have reached lv6, triggering special promotion to the advanced class��weapon master (legendary)!]


    [preconditions for advancing to weapon master (legendary) are: one, at least three different categories of extraordinary combat skills lv10 or higher; two, physical breakthrough value reaches 100%; three, any breathing method lv9 or higher; four, strength 20 points or higher, agility 20 points or higher, constitution 20 points or higher; five, high-grade magic potion ''behemoth essence'' ... current conditions not met! advancement to weapon master (legendary) failed!]


    hiss!


    rein''s attention was almost entirely captured by two words��''legendary''


    legendary occupation panel?!


    staring at the sudden system prompt, rein read it over several times silently, his heart surging with excitement!

 Chapter 187 Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    enjoy more content from empirehe had not expected that merely thinking about enhancing his tokkal hammer technique to lv6 in order to kill the scalewhisker ironback turtle would accidentally lead to the discovery of the legendary weapon master class information!


    at that moment, rein felt as if he had been suddenly hit by a million-dollar jackpot!


    after all, this was a ''legendary'' class panel we''re talking about, which is clearly a notch above the ''transcendent'' level!


    after calming the excitement in his heart, rein started to systematically compare the preconditions of both the legendary weapon master and the transcendent great knight.


    he was very curious about why one was considered legendary and the other merely transcendent.


    "looking at the latter conditions, the legendary weapon master and the transcendent great knight almost completely overlap, so the greatest difference must be the first condition!"


    "any three extraordinary battle techniques of different weapon categories above lv10..." rein mulled over this sentence, his mind lighting up with understanding.


    clearly, it was this difference in conditions that designated the weapon master as a legendary class, while the great knight remained at the transcendent level.


    all three extraordinary battle techniques at lv10... s~ea??h the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    while it might look like just one condition, rein was acutely aware of how difficult it truly was.


    rein roughly estimated that if he didn''t have the system and had to rely on his own hard training, reaching lv10 in one extraordinary combat skill could take twenty or thirty years, and that''s assuming everything went smoothly.


    for three skills, that would be damn well sixty or seventy years!


    hiss!


    no wonder it''s rated as a legendary class panel, scary as hell!


    an ordinary person would grow old before even completing the training!


    gathering his thoughts, rein then focused on the words ''weapon categories''.


    "different weapon categories?"


    "a knight''s longsword and a bastard sword should both be considered single-handed swords; thus, the combat skills for these two types of weapons would fall under the category of one-handed swordsmanship," he pondered.


    "as for my dual-handed greatsword and two-handed warhammer, according to the system''s indications, they each belong to different categories, meaning i only need to choose one more to fulfill the three required categories!"


    "previously, i acquired the empire''s military swordsmanship, which, if assumed to be enhanced to lv10, would meet the conditions. however, should i choose single-handed swordsmanship for the third skill, or something else?"


    rein thought about it and found himself indecisive for a moment.


    after some time, he shook his head, muttering to himself.


    "no rush, my giant bear sword technique and tokkal hammer technique haven''t reached lv10 yet. i have time to contemplate this issue."


    "furthermore, judging from its name and prerequisites, the weapon master seems to specialize in a variety of weapons, which likely means strong combat capabilities, possibly on par with masters of the greatsword!"


    "and most importantly, according to the system''s hints, it doesn''t conflict with the path of a wizard!"


    it''s the lack of conflict that matters most!


    now, the former sense of loss rein felt for missing the career paths of a master of the sword, greatsword, and sword saint, which offer extremely high offensive capabilities, had completely vanished without a trace.


    even with the hint of transitioning into a great knight, rein had felt a bit disheartened, knowing great knights had considerably weaker attack power compared to greatsword masters.


    nothing lifts the spirit like joyous events!


    as rein mulled over these thoughts, he rode to a river mouth near the coast, which is also where the shipping lanes near richmond fishing port were located.


    scalewhisker ironback turtles, much like regular sea turtles, favor near-shore river mouths that flow into the sea.


    because this is where fresh and saltwater mix and food is abundant, and there also grow many sea reeds reaching three to four meters in height, perfect for hiding.


    at that moment, as the sea breeze passed, the dense sea reeds rustled.


    rein dismounted, carrying his greatsword and warhammer, and began to search carefully. he quickly found large and obvious clawed footprints.


    he carefully followed the clawed tracks, not expecting to leave the reed marsh so soon and to instead quickly arrive at a beach at the foot of a mountain.


    the other side of the beach was close to the sea.


    rein''s eyes narrowed, for he saw in the distance, a large mound of sand situated in a corner of the beach. despite being covered in sand, the partially exposed body, and the massive size were undeniably that of the scalewhisker ironback turtle mentioned by haas.


    his excellent vision allowed rein to examine the gigantic creature from head to toe, even from a hundred meters away. its eyes, as big as a grown man''s fist, were tightly closed, as though it was napping.


    the beak-like mouth stretched back almost to the neck.


    rein began to understand why it was named the scalewhisker ironback turtle.


    even the turtle''s eyelids had small, dense scales for protection, and its paws, partially uncovered by the sand, were coated with thick green scales.


    moreover, its lower jaw was adorned with dozens of thick whiskers, seemingly without any practical function but perhaps just to add to its intimidating appearance?


    since the creature was resting, an ambush was naturally the first choice, and of course, with the experience from the previous encounter with the aquatic plesiosaur, rein was well prepared for contingencies.


    if discovered, he was ready for a direct confrontation!


    rein took out his warhammer and, from a distance, began to quietly approach the scalewhisker ironback turtle from behind.


    wary that the energy fluctuations from witchcraft might awaken the napping scalewhisker ironback turtle, rein refrained from using fire-based spells like ''high-temperature field''.

 Chapter 187 Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    seemingly slow to react, rein focused intently and held his breath as he approached within about ten meters behind the scaled whisker ironback turtle; the creature still hadn''t moved.rein''s expression turned solemn as his legs suddenly exerted force. with a "thud!" sand erupted from beneath his feet, and he shot toward the scaled whisker ironback turtle like an arrow released from a bow!


    the specifics of a stealth attack?


    with a hammer, what technique do you need? the simpler, the more brutal, the more effective!


    if the opponent''s shell is the hardest part, then shatter it from the hardest point!


    "limit break!"


    "huge strength lv3!"


    "strength burst!"


    "earth-splitting hammer!!!"


    rein, leaping through the air, seemed to have ballooned to at least twice his size. his muscles and fascia tensed like the fully drawn string of a powerful bow, and he raised the dark pig head hammer above his head before fiercely striking down at the center of the scaled whisker ironback turtle''s shell!


    just as rein forcefully pushed off the ground, the scaled whisker ironback turtle''s fist-sized eyes suddenly popped open, sensing the danger.


    however, since rein had attacked from behind and was already directly above the shell, he was in the ironback turtle''s blind spot.


    so, the ironback turtle stretched its neck, looking quickly left and right, but failed to spot its enemy, which caused a look of confusion in its large eyes.


    but the next second!


    a huge crash resonated from the center of its back!


    "clang!!!"


    sparks flew everywhere!


    "crack!!!"


    the two sounds almost overlapped!


    under the effects of ''hammer mastery lv3'' along with the double special effects ''shock lv2'' and ''accuracy lv2,'' rein''s strike had the power of a 205mm howitzer shell.


    "augh!"


    accompanied by the scaled whisker ironback turtle''s scream, its shell��seven or eight meters in diameter and thick��was completely shattered by rein''s ferocious blow.


    especially at the center, which was completely fragmented.


    if someone had observed rein''s entire stealth attack from a distance, they would notice.


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    if the scaled whisker ironback turtle''s shell were compared to an iron basin, then the small black hammer, the size of a fingernail, had just smashed into it, causing the ironback turtle''s limbs and neck to catapult outward!


    rather comical!


    but just when rein was about to follow up his attack, a thick yellow energy covered the scaled whisker ironback turtle''s body, blocking all subsequent hammer blows.


    at this moment, the battle''s vibrations caused all the surrounding sand to scatter.


    rein got a clear look at the full span of the turtle''s shell, which closely resembled fossil giant tortoise shells from his previous life, with a dozen mountain-like ringed scales. now, the tops of these ''mountains'' were glowing with yellow light.


    this mysterious side of energy fluctuations?


    it must be the scaled whisker ironback turtle''s special ability, which is the earthen yellow shield hass mentioned.


    seemingly frightened by rein''s combat prowess, the scaled whisker ironback turtle, displaying no desire to continue fighting the ''little one'' in front of it, opted to make a break for the nearby sea, protected by its strongest defense.


    this immediately changed rein''s expression!


    the sea was not his battleground.


    right away, rein increased the frequency of swings with his pig head hammer, causing the yellow shield to "bang, bang" under the blows. although the color faded slightly, the yellow shield stood firm, like a rock immovable by the seaside waves.


    indeed, only witchcraft can defeat witchcraft, right?


    however, rein didn''t believe in such superstitions!


    add points!


    as the remaining skill points on the attribute panel dropped from 2��1, tokkal hammer technique was also instantly raised to lv7 level, equaling the giant bear sword technique.


    suddenly, fragments of memories about practicing tokkal hammer technique flooded into rein''s mind.


    these fragmented memories of hammer skill practice flashed one by one in rein''s mind and swiftly integrated into his muscle memory. it was as if he had spent over a year devoted to practicing tokkal hammer technique in some mysterious space, all by himself.


    however, there was a difference. with a lv3 hammer mastery boost, at this moment, the hammer skill''s power was no.1 among all his extraordinary combat skills.


    when rein gripped his pig head hammer again, a special feeling dawned on him.


    this sensation was not the familiarity of the proficient level, but rather a deeper connection to the essence of the weapon.


    "thud!!!"


    the hammer crashed down again!


    this time, the scaled whisker ironback turtle looked terrified and desperately bolted into the sea, because its yellow shield trembled violently under the hammer''s blow, on the verge of collapsing!


    -----------------


    one day earlier.


    outside an interrogation room at meister county prison.


    an informant was reporting to magis about the situation concerning a prisoner:


    "the man''s name is ville, originally a bandit who roamed the wild wolf hills. a few days ago, he got drunk in old john''s bar in county town, got into a fight, and was reported by someone. after the county town patrol verified the complaint, he was brought here," the confidant reported.


    "he was initially set to be executed by hanging, but since you said to investigate the hideout through various channels last time, we planted informants among the prison inmates," the confidant continued.


    "after learning this, he claimed to have crucial information to report!"


    "we''ve provisionally examined it and it seems legit. also, the guy proposes that if his information is true, he wants his freedom. i can''t make that decision on my own, so you need to come in person, sir," the confidant added. sear?h the n??el fire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "hmm, well done," magis patted the confidant''s shoulder.

 Chapter 187 Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    magis walked into the interrogation room, only to see a middle-aged man with disheveled hair, wearing a tattered gray linen coat, emanating a strange odor, shackled to the interrogation chair.upon seeing magis and his companion enter, the man''s eyes revealed terror, and his legs tightened even more, as if this man named ville was particularly afraid of someone like magis dressed in a prison guard''s uniform.


    magis examined the man for a moment, noting numerous whip marks and small burns all over his body, it seemed his subordinates had left quite an impression with their methods of punishment.


    however...


    this was good!


    the man''s psychological defenses were on the verge of collapse, and coaxing some words out of him should be very simple, and it would be easy to discern truth from falsehood.


    magis showed a radiant smile and said, "don''t be afraid, ville, just repeat to me what you said before."


    "this... my lord, then do you guarantee my release? the other lord just now said he can''t decide that; only you can make that decision," ville said with fear, glancing at the insignia on magis''s uniform, knowing that he was speaking with the one in charge.


    "that will require your full cooperation. believe me, if what you say is true, then releasing you would be a very easy task for me," magis said.


    the deep tone of magis''s voice and his slow speech inexplicably created a sense of trust in ville''s heart.


    but in fact, this was a psychological suggestion, making ville feel as if he had grasped a life-saving straw!


    he quickly began to speak:


    "that day, i was looking for suitable targets to rob near the abandoned mine, when by chance i saw several people moving a lot of stuff out of the woods onto two wagons, with a luxurious carriage at the front of them."


    "wait!" magis interrupted.


    "why go to the area around the abandoned mine? you should be aware of whose turf that is, right?"


    "it''s a new bandit group, rumored to be powerful. the boss told us not to provoke them, but we haven''t had any ''business'' for a long time, so i trespassed a little, just a bit," ville explained.


    magis nodded upon hearing ville''s explanation, it sounded reasonable with no obvious points of suspicion.


    he then gestured for ville to continue.


    "this made me very happy! at the time, i thought it must be some noble hiding their riches here, and i was going to make a fortune," ville went on.


    "so, after they left, i followed their tracks to the vicinity of the abandoned mine. at first, i hesitated, not daring to get close since it was another group''s territory."


    "but then i noticed something was off. it seemed like the place had been abandoned, so i moved in and realized that the group there must have been wiped out..."


    after ville finished his story, magis pondered for a while and asked, "do you remember anything about those people, or do you recognize them?"


    "i''ve never seen them before, but the young knight leading them had a distinctive look with a hammer and a greatsword on his back," ville gestured, making a crossing motion with his hands.


    magis nodded, his confidant had already told him about this, it was highly likely the newly elevated baron, rein.


    "by the way, you just mentioned that in front of the wagons, there was a luxurious carriage, is that correct?" magis seemed to recall something and asked again.


    "yes, my lord," ville nodded.


    "was there any distinctive feature or pattern on that luxurious carriage?"


    "uh... there was a crest on the carriage, and although it was a bit far, i have good eyesight and could make it out��it seemed to be a kite shield, and on the shield was a flower resembling a rose."


    upon hearing this, magis immediately beckoned and whispered to his confidant, "have you found out which noble family in meist county city bears that crest?"


    "my lord, i just looked it up; it''s the crest of the crowley family," the confidant whispered back.


    "the crowley family?" magis''s eyes narrowed in contemplation; he seemed unfamiliar with the family.


    seeing magis''s expression, the confidant knew his lord might not recall the family and reminded him softly, "do you forget? that beautiful lady, jennifer."


    a gleam flickered in magis''s eyes as he exclaimed, "her! that gorgeous widow?"


    immediately, magis remembered the stunning lady he had seen at the ball, who had even caught his own attention.


    didn''t alonso suppress her family harshly? how could they have the strength to attack his organization''s stronghold?


    magis asked again, "have you checked, who has the crowley family been seen with recently, or who have they grown close to?"


    "well... it is still being investigated, but it''s known that the crowley family has been quite close with rein; about two months ago, he became the crowley family''s guardian knight."


    "and now that rein has become a baron, the servants and guards of his new manor all come from the crowley family." s~ea??h the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "as for other information, it''s still being looked into... it won''t be so fast..."


    "this is enough!" magis''s face grew stern. continue reading on empire


    various signs indicated that this newly minted baron rein was behind the eradication of the stronghold.


    although he didn''t yet know how the other party managed it��since even with the crowley family involved, they still lacked sufficient strength��having a lead was good.


    with more time, they should be able to get to the bottom of it.


    since the interrogation was over, magis planned to return to his office as alonso was still waiting for his reply.

 Chapter 187 Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    seeing magis rise to his feet, ville couldn''t help but show anxiety and said, "sir, you haven''t said whether you can release me yet?"at ville''s words, magis''s motion to turn around slowed and he turned his head back to his trusted collaborator and said, "then as he wishes, release his soul."


    huh?


    release the soul?


    while ville was still pondering the meaning of this sentence, suddenly there was a ''crack'' sound, a sharp pain transmitted from his neck, and then, he found himself able to see the white wall behind him...


    back in the office, magis naturally was not going to honestly share information with alonso. just now in the corridor, he had thought of how to maximize his benefits.


    upon entering the door, magis feigned an angry demeanor and interrogated:


    "lord alonso, the newly promoted baron rein whom you asked us to kill last time, is probably not that simple, right?"


    "due to your concealment, the organization has lost a peak knight and several senior knights."


    "oh? so, you''ve already made your move? was the loss caused by rein alone, or were there others?" alonso hesitated, speaking somewhat unnaturally.


    he, of course, had concealed something��the fact that the ''beast knight'' giovanni was wounded by a strange druid was left unsaid.


    it wasn''t that he truly hoped the rebel forces wouldn''t succeed, only that alonso didn''t want the other party to hike up the price.


    moreover, he had warned magis to be cautious before the action commenced, so naturally, it couldn''t be blamed on him.


    magis observed alonso for a while, not seeing the expression he anticipated, then he swiftly changed the topic, saying, "whether rein was alone or had help, the organization can handle it."


    "however, lord alonso, given that rein''s strengths far exceeded expectations, the contents of our deal naturally need to be adjusted as well."


    ...


    still in meister county.


    the underground hall.


    giovanni, wearing a ''scythe''-shaped weapon on his back, bowed slightly to the corpulent high priest, saying, "high priest, my body has fully recovered, i heard from maral that the appearance of that druid in flashgold town last time was an accident, is that correct?"


    "yes, maral has rechecked multiple times. the druid''s trace has never appeared again; it must have been a coincidence passing through," the corpulent high priest nodded.


    "if that''s the case, then let me take the task of killing the newly promoted knight, rein!" giovanni


    "giovanni, are you sure your body has completely recovered? also, according to the latest news from alonso, this rein has been promoted not just to a knight but to a newly appointed imperial baron!"


    "what!" giovanni exclaimed in surprise.


    "doesn''t that sound incredible? at first, i didn''t quite believe it either, but this information has been confirmed through multiple sources to be true! including count habbs, who has already met with this rein."


    "actually, continuing to go after this rein now doesn''t quite align with our interests," continued the high priest gravely.


    hearing the high priest''s words implying giving up, giovanni''s eyebrows arched, and he solemnly said, "high priest, the dignity of the black flame church cannot be challenged! please let me handle this matter."


    "this..." the high priest was suddenly silent.


    although continuing to eliminate rein now doesn''t align with the church''s interests, the emotions of a capable subordinate also needed to be considered, putting the high priest in a tricky position.


    at this moment, the voice of maral came from the big gates of the underground hall, saying:


    "high priest, rein''s whereabouts have been discovered, he seems to be headed to rosby county."


    "moreover, according to reliable information, the appointment signed by count habbs just today shows that rein should be returning to meister county within five days, to take up the position of governor and sheriff of fishing port town."


    after a long pause, the high priest''s deep voice resonated again: "giovanni, then this matter is still yours to handle! however, i hope you can minimize the impact of this affair."


    "as you command, high priest! i will try to act on rein''s return journey and clean up any traces thoroughly so that it won''t implicate the church," giovanni replied, smirking slightly as he bowed.


    he knew the high priest had been persuaded by him.


    indeed, killing a newly appointed imperial baron could cause a severe backlash, possibly prompting an in-depth investigation by the imperial authorities.


    however... sea??h th�� n??efire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    having been severely injured because of this rein, he had to let out this bad blood no matter what.


    -----------------


    on a beach not far from richmond fishing port, a huge scale-whiskered ironback turtle lay in a pool of blood.


    meanwhile, a man was using a dual-handed greatsword to cut open the corpse of a giant turtle, seemingly trying to extract something.


    at that moment, a cylindrical object suddenly rolled out from within the scaly-backed iron turtle.


    huh?


    what''s this?


    a message-in-a-bottle?


    rein eyed a brown bottle that had fallen out of the scaly-backed iron turtle. the material, judging by its appearance, seemed to be the rarely seen glass, which piqued his curiosity.


    holding it up to the sunlight, rein examined it carefully and noticed it appeared to have something similar to paper inside.


    after a moment''s thought, rein carefully opened the stopper, and indeed, it was a message-in-a-bottle!


    the contents weren''t paper but seemed to be a piece of parchment.


    huh, why does this feel so familiar, this texture...


    in an instant, a flash of insight crossed rein''s mind. he quickly pulled out a small iron box from his bosom and compared them!


    incredibly, this was a quarter of pirate king vincent sanborn''s treasure map, the one linked to the fireball technique


    could it be that this scaly-backed iron turtle had some connection with the pirate king?


    this was indeed a possibility, considering turtles are renowned for their longevity!


    enjoy new stories from empire


    but this was still a highly improbable event, and rein felt he definitely had to thank the goddess of fortune!


    however, this made him feel both anxious and excited.


    previously having only half was still manageable, but now he had three-quarters...


    this made rein''s desire to find the remaining quarter of the treasure map even more intense.


    but such things were somewhat serendipitous, and after some thought, rein couldn''t help but sigh!


    rein built up a bonfire and began to simply process the materials from the scaly-backed iron turtle while contemplating the prerequisites for the "weapon master" job change.


    the second, third, and fourth prerequisites��"two, physical breakthrough limit reached 100%; three, any breathing technique lv9 or higher; four, strength 20 points or higher, agility 20 points or higher, constitution 20 points or higher;"


    for him, these were almost fully completed or already done, presenting no difficulty whatsoever.


    as for the fifth prerequisite, "high-level magic potion ''giant beast essence''," though slightly troublesome, he already had the hearts of two giant beasts as raw materials. once back in county town through the military supply department, this issue should not be difficult to resolve.


    if all else failed, contacting the empire''s military through hamilton should also not be a big problem.


    the real trouble now was in the first prerequisite, "one, any three different weapon category transcendent combat skills lv10 or above."


    this meant that before sorting out the high-level magic potion ''giant beast essence'', it would be best if he could gather enough skill points to raise three transcendent combat skills to lv10, which was of the utmost urgency.


    rein glanced at his attribute panel; he currently had one remaining skill point while both giant bear sword technique and tokkal hammer technique were at lv7, leaving a gap of five skill points.


    this five-point gap should not be too big of an issue.


    rein glanced at ''armorsmith lv1 (17/100)''; with the crowley family helping him gather materials, raising it should take no time at all, achieving 4-5 points of skills shouldn''t be too difficult.


    the key was the third combat skill...


    the empire''s military swordsmanship was only at lv3 (122/500), and shield defense and archery were also at lv3...


    even if he practiced day and night after returning, due to time constraints, he could at most push it to lv5, which meant there was still a five-point skill point gap waiting for him.


    seemingly unable to think of a good solution, rein couldn''t help but furrow his brow.


    just then, the fluttering sound of wings filled the air!


    a pigeon with a blue crest suddenly descended from the sky, landing next to the small pigeon cage on the brown horse, beginning to intimately mesh with another blue-helmeted pigeon.


    blue-helmeted pigeon!


    rein''s pupils contracted, and he immediately got up and walked over!


    before departing, rein had told the beautiful woman that if he encountered any trouble, she should contact him using the blue-helmeted pigeon...

 Chapter 188 Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    rein removed a small wooden cylinder, the thickness of a thumb, from the leg of the blue helmet pigeon, opened the stopper, and found a note from the crowley family inside:"baron norman has issued a bloody duel challenge to you today. it has been noted that he has also applied for the challenge with count habs at the same time. according to reliable information, the opponent has taken a secret potion and has returned to peak strength, possibly possessing the power to challenge a great knight (unconfirmed). please consider carefully whether to return to meister county anytime soon.��jennifer"


    after reading the letter from the lady, rein''s first reaction was a sigh of relief!


    "good, it''s not that a family member or jennifer herself had encountered any trouble."


    "a bloody duel?" rein mused thoughtfully.


    he had come to understand this term after being knighted, commonly used to resolve certain irreconcilable conflicts among nobility, divided into ordinary duels and bloody duels.


    ordinary duels allow for surrender, but bloody duels, indicated by the very word "bloody," mean much more; there can be no surrender, and it ends only with one party''s death!


    if ordinary duels can still be seen from time to time, bloody duels are much rarer. in meister county, not seeing a bloody duel once every year or two would be quite normal.


    however, the next second, rein was quite puzzled; where did this baron norman spring from?


    he was familiar with the name, but couldn''t for the life of him remember where he had heard it.


    after pondering for several seconds, rein''s eyes lit up, and he remembered!


    months ago, when he was practicing the giant bear sword technique in the dense forest at the entrance to flashgold town, he had been attacked by a middle-aged man wielding a sword.


    one of the man''s statements had made a deep impression on him to this day.


    rein still remembered the man''s exact words: "i am giving you a chance now. if you are willing to pledge allegiance to the norman family, it will be the most correct decision of your life."


    yes, that was the phrase!


    moreover, when the man spoke those words, that lofty attitude��though his words were inviting, it clearly felt like charity. at that time, rein had thought he was from some great nobility, but as it turned out...


    it was from the very family where dennis belonged! s��arch* the nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    so it goes without saying, this baron norman must be dennis''s father.


    but did their grudge really reach such a level?


    rein was quite puzzled!


    he and cleya barely had some contact; was that enough to warrant a baron father stepping in to defend his son in a bloody duel with him?


    thinking about it, rein found it utterly absurd!


    "all my previous life, i''ve heard that overindulgence by a mother often leads to a child''s failure, could this be a case of an overly indulgent father leading to failure?" rein shook his head, quite speechless!


    wait a moment!


    suddenly, a spark of realization flashed through rein''s mind.


    it was him!


    he remembered.


    previously, after being attacked by the level 3 wizard apprentice, adams, a young clerk from adams''s shop had said:


    "a middle-aged man came in not long before, and adams dismissed him. so, the details of their discussion and the man''s exact identity are unclear, but since that middle-aged man arrived, adams disappeared without a trace."


    afterward, night watchman captain matteo, who was rather short in stature, even provided him with a portrait of the middle-aged man, drawn based on the young clerk''s memory.


    rein pulled out the thin parchment from within his tunic.


    as he examined it carefully, sure enough, the more he looked, the more familiar the middle-aged man in the drawing became��it was clearly very similar to that rascal dennis.


    "so it turns out this middle-aged man is baron norman, and it was he who hired or asked adams to attempt to assassinate me!"


    at the time, rein always felt there was a faint familiarity about the middle-aged man''s face, but he just couldn''t quite place where that sense of familiarity came from.


    now, all has been revealed!


    having figured this out, rein couldn''t help but feel a flicker of anger rise in his heart!


    "to come and try to assassinate me several times over some petty issue of his son''s jealousy! had i not been strong enough, i might well be six feet under by now!"


    "and now a bloody duel again, has he become completely fixated on me?"


    "however... baron norman''s strength must be quite formidable! although jennifer is not entirely certain, if he does indeed have the strength to challenge a great knight, that would mean he has strength comparable to my own."


    "this is interesting!"


    rein had no fear whatsoever!


    one of the most important things he learned from his intensive training with master ganther was about belief. explore more at empire


    if a greatsword master holds an unshakeable belief that the sword in his hands can cut through anything, then rein gradually came to understand that having a firm belief in one''s own ability to defeat powerful adversaries is equally a formidable force!


    "do not worry. i will arrive in meister on schedule in four days! while ensuring safety, gather information on baron norman. also, look after the emotional well-being of my family.��rein"


    after thinking it over, rein quickly wrote a reply, placed it inside the little cylinder, and tied it to the blue helmet pigeon.


    with the flapping of wings, the blue helmet pigeon shot into the northern sky like an arrow released from a bow!


    his thoughts returning, rein started cutting the scaly whiskered ironback turtle''s shell into large pieces and, after roasting them briefly over a bonfire, stacked them up. these naturally protruding, thick, hard, and heavy shells made excellent shield materials.


    even for rein, cutting them open had required considerable effort.

 Chapter 188 Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    in addition, there''s the massive corpse of the ironback turtle with scaled whiskers, resembling a sand dune. with a bit of processing, one could harvest a ton or two of fierce beast meat. the quality of meat from such large, fierce wild beasts is very high; it would truly be a shame to discard it.after some thought, rein had already come up with a solution.


    it''s better to give it to hars than to waste such a treasure!


    "besides, it looks like there''s no time to go to rosby city now. i originally wanted to see evelyn and major mary."


    "now, i can only postpone it for another day!"


    meanwhile, rein recalled the sensation he felt when his tokkal hammer technique advanced to level 7.


    this must be a realm beyond mastery, reaching an even higher level.


    but he also knew that, to a large extent, this was dependent on the level 3 hammer skill specialization. otherwise, it made no sense for his level 7 giant bear sword technique to still be at the mastery level, while the level 7 tokkal hammer technique had entered the next realm.


    rein vaguely remembered master ganther mentioning that after mastery comes the level of a meister.


    however, the status he had barely achieved with the aid of hammer skill specialization could at most be considered as half-step meister level, and there was still a difference compared to the true meister level.


    at this moment, rein suddenly remembered that due to the sudden appearance of the floating bottle, and later being busy dealing with the heart of the ironback turtle with scaled whiskers, he hadn''t had the chance to check the system messages:


    [your skill tokkal hammer technique has improved, experience +1336]


    [you have experienced a battle, knight (transcendent) experience +379]


    ...


    after this battle, the level of knight (transcendent) reached level 5 (597/2000), and the tokkal hammer technique advanced to level 7 (1690/5000).


    and only 1 skill point remained, while all 3 attribute points had not been used.


    soon after processing the turtle shell, rein rode his horse a short distance south before heading back to richmond fishing port. he found two town residents who appeared honest and sincere, gave each of them a silver coin, and had them deliver a message to hars:


    "the problem has been solved. head to the beach at the entrance to the sea to collect the battle spoils. bring more people, and when you have time, find a caravan to send the turtle shell to me. ��rein."


    the shells of these ironback turtles with scaled whiskers were excessively heavy, and rein planned to have hars find a caravan to transport them for him.


    after completing all this, rein mounted his tall black horse and sped towards the direction of meister county.


    ....


    richmond fishing port, at hars''s doorstep.


    "a message from rein?"


    "he wants me to go to the beach at the entrance to the sea?" hars was initially quite bewildered.


    but when the messenger said, "when you have time, find a caravan to send the turtle shell to me!"


    hars''s eyes widened in shock, a bolt of lightning crossed his mind, and he muttered to himself, "could it be..."


    "impossible, impossible!"


    hars''s younger brother, confusedly looking up at his own brother, who rarely showed such a loss of composure, asked curiously, "brother, what''s impossible?"


    "i''ll tell you when i get back!"


    no sooner had the words left his mouth than the injured hars rushed out the door, and upon reaching the street, he immediately called out to two patrolling security officers, "jermie, gather ten men and come with me!"


    ....


    half an hour later. enjoy exclusive content from empire


    when hars arrived at the beach near the sea mouth with a number of security officers and night watchmen, they found the bloody mound already being scavenged by raptors.


    everyone looked at the scene before their eyes in utter shock!


    isn''t this the ironback turtle with scaled whiskers, whose strength matched that of a great knight?


    even though someone had removed its shell, it was immediately recognized by everyone.


    but then, cheers erupted all around.


    because they knew that the trouble troubling richmond fishing port had been resolved!


    hars muttered to himself, "how could rein be so strong!"


    "he''s just a bit stronger than me, isn''t he? his assessment was only rated as ''good''..."


    suddenly, something clicked for hars, and his eyes shone with realization.


    "it seems all this information was just my own imagination. on closer thought, rein never actually directly answered any of these questions!"


    "at the home hotel of the navy in rosby city, on the training ground, rein had declined my suggestion to spar, and later, during the endowment assessment..." s��ar?h the n??el fire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "now it seems, i''ve made a truly formidable friend!"


    "what kind of strength would it take to kill an ironback turtle with scaled whiskers, whose strength is on par with a great knight?"


    "moreover... rein is still so young!"


    "captain hars, i think you should see this." a security officer said with an uneasy expression.


    "hmm?"


    hars walked over and saw a collection of neatly sliced, thick turtle shells laid out orderly on one side.


    rein had indeed sent a message to hars, but the security officers didn''t know that!


    they had thought some other formidable wild beast had killed the ironback turtle with scaled whiskers, but now it was clear that wasn''t the case...


    because a wild beast wouldn''t slice open and neatly arrange turtle shells.


    so, for a moment, everyone was unsure how to deal with this ''mountain of meat'' and the valuable turtle shells, since by tradition, whoever made the kill had the right to own and distribute the spoils of battle.


    but upon seeing the neatly sliced, iconic shells of the ironback turtle with scaled whiskers, hars immediately realized what rein meant by ''finding a caravan to send him the turtle shell'' previously mentioned in the message!


    "haha, yes! it''s got to be that guy rein!" hars laughed heartily.


    with everything falling into place, hars had no more doubts!


    at the same time, he understood that while rein asked him to send the turtle shell, he left no instructions for the heaps of fierce beast meat. clearly, rein intended to leave the disposal of the ironback turtle''s corpse entirely up to him.

 Chapter 188 Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    hastings became excited, for this was a vast fortune for him!-----------------


    meist county city.


    alonso had not been back from the prison to the estate for long when the butler michel came up to him with a smiling face and reported, sea??h th�� n?vel(f)ire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "baron, i think you should take a look at this." michel respectfully handed alonso a thin stack of documents.


    "oh?" upon seeing michel''s smiling face, alonso knew there must be some good news in those documents.


    indeed, after alonso had received the documents and looked through them briefly, he quickly began to smile and said,


    "is this news accurate?"


    "it has been verified and is true! my lord, according to the information, it seems that baron norman is determined to engage in a bloody duel with reine."


    "after delivering the declaration of a bloody duel to reine''s new residence, baron norman immediately submitted an application for a bloody duel to your father, count habbs."


    upon hearing this, alonso''s smile briefly faded as he said, "what did my father say?"


    "after receiving the application for the bloody duel, lord count originally wanted to persuade baron norman to give up the duel, but was politely refused by the baron!" michel said, smiling.


    "hmm? baron norman didn''t even give face to my father?" alonso was taken aback upon hearing this.


    such a situation was extremely rare!


    "yes! it''s said that baron norman''s strength has returned to its peak, and these past few days he has already begun to prepare the items necessary for breaking through to a great knight. it''s very possible he plans to make the attempt right after the duel with reine."


    "if he successfully breaks through, baron norman is likely to be promoted, or to re-enlist with the imperial navy," michel explained.


    alonso nodded, understanding the situation.


    so, that was norman''s plan; no wonder he could afford to disregard even his own father''s influence.


    "hahaha! how interesting!" alonso suddenly laughed aloud.


    "since when did reine have such a deep feud with baron norman!"


    "if i had known this, i wouldn''t have wasted so much time with magis."


    alonso was well-aware of norman''s background: an imperial navy veteran with extremely rich combat experience. if it weren''t for an injury that had hindered his recovery, he would have had the chance to strive for the rank of great knight and the title of imperial navy commodore.


    but now, he had retired with the rank of a navy colonel several years ago.


    "by the way, michel, take three bottles of divine blood to baron norman, and say it is a token of my goodwill," alonso decided after a moment''s thought.


    "as you command, my lord!" michel bowed and slowly withdrew from the room.


    however...


    not long after the butler michel had left the room, he suddenly returned with a curious expression on his face.


    this made alonso somewhat puzzled, and he asked, "is there something else?"


    "uh... baron, a secret message has come from lord maral, stating that ''beast knight'' giovanni has recovered from his injuries, and has declared that he will seek an opportunity to kill reine in the next few days."


    "hmm?" upon hearing this news, alonso''s expression also turned strange, soon followed by a barely controllable burst of loud laughter.


    everything was good news since he returned! alonso thought to himself.


    "reine is really in demand! he''s on the black flame church''s hit list and is also the target of baron norman''s duel. i really wonder who will end up killing him. michel, what do you think? hahaha!"


    "this time, not even the goddess of fortune can save him," butler michel said, laughing along.


    "exactly, not even the goddess can save him now! besides those two, there''s one last safeguard," alonso said with conviction.


    this caused butler michel to look at his master with a puzzled expression.


    these two were already among the most powerful in meist county; could there be someone even stronger waiting in the wings?


    ''beast knight'' giovanni, as the leader of the wilderness brotherhood, might only be a peak knight by rank, but his ability to transform into a beast made him a fierce opponent. when fully exerted, even a great knight might be challenged.


    and with baron norman''s strength returned to its peak, his might was likely even greater. his long career in the navy had endowed him with vast combat experience.


    furthermore, it was said that he intended to challenge the rank of great knight immediately after his bloody duel with reine, suggesting he was already on the brink of a breakthrough!


    but the baron had invited a third person to be a backup against reine?


    someone whose abilities exceeded the other two? read exclusive chapters at empire


    this made michel''s expression freeze!


    could there truly be a great knight-level figure prepared to directly target reine?


    if so, reine might be talented, but he would be doomed still!


    meanwhile, in meist county.


    inside a study at the crawley family estate.


    the beautiful woman, jennifer, dressed in a one-shoulder pale purple gown adorned with intricate gold lace, sat behind the desk, sitting erect with an elegant posture.


    "jenny, has there been any news from reine?" the beautiful woman''s brow was furrowed with anxiety as she questioned her daughter.


    "not yet, mother, don''t worry yet," jenny replied, seeing her mother''s concern for reine, feeling an indescribable sourness in her heart. reine should have been... but now, it seems he had become her mother''s man.


    however, she quickly adjusted her mood and comforted her mother:


    "you know how strong lord reine is; he was already very powerful, and since he has gone for further training this time, he''s likely to become even stronger!"

 Chapter 188 Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "so, i actually think that this baron norman may not necessarily be a match for lord rein."despite her daughter''s reassurance, the beautiful woman''s brow was still marked with worry. shaking her head, she said,


    "it''s different, this opponent is not like any rein has faced before."


    "baron norman is from the same generation as your father. his strength is formidable �� he once had the chance to attain the rank of great knight in his youth. but due to severe injuries sustained in naval combat, along with lingering internal wounds after healing, his attempt to become a great knight failed, leading to his retirement."


    "now, through some rare secret potion, he has recovered the combat capabilities of his peak years. such an opponent, with his wealth of combat experience and formidable power, is probably unlike anyone rein has ever encountered before," the woman explained with a look of concern.


    hearing her mother explain this way, jenny couldn''t help but frown slightly.


    "mother, why would this baron norman issue a bloody duel challenge to lord rein?" jenny tried to comfort her mother in vain and changed the subject, as this question had also been on her mind for a while.


    baron norman, being of the same age as her father, would theoretically have little to do with rein. how could he have suddenly issued a duel challenge to rein?


    fortunately, the guards at rein''s new residence were from her family''s lineage. they recognized the importance of the situation immediately and reported to her mother first.


    now, rein''s parents and sister are still unaware of this news.


    after discussing with her mother, she felt that informing them would only cause unnecessary worry.


    of course, ultimately, it was up to rein to decide what to do about this matter.


    "i''m not entirely sure of the specifics, but i sent someone to inquire about it, and this matter is beyond reconciliation. along with issuing the challenge to rein, baron norman has also filed a formal request with count habs," she explained.


    "additionally, i have heard that he directly rejected count habs''s attempt to dissuade him."


    "which means that right from the start, he was determined to refuse any mediation and proceed with this bloody duel!"


    "ah, this..." jenny suddenly found herself at a loss for words.


    how could there be such a deep hatred between two barons who are at least a generation apart in age?


    "mother, is baron norman''s current strength at the level of a peak knight, or...? have you investigated?"


    "yes, he could be considered a peak knight, but the difference between him and a great knight is not that significant. i''ve bribed a servant from the norman family and learned that he seems to be gearing up for an attempt to become a great knight in the next few days. he is currently preparing some necessary items."


    "the exact timing, i''m still not quite sure," the beautiful woman added.


    "ah? what if he succeeds, then what do we do?" upon hearing this, jenny couldn''t help but cover her mouth with her small hand in shock.


    this made her worried as well.


    you must understand, we are talking about a great knight here!


    within a pool of dozens of formal knights, it''s rare to find even one great knight. a great knight is a significant figure whether within the empire''s military or its administrative bodies.


    -----------------


    three days later.


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    after crossing this forest and traveling for another half a day, rein would reach meist county city.


    at the moment, along the narrow path stretching through the dense woods, scattered individuals could be seen. they were traveling in pairs of two, seemingly watching and searching for something.


    "look, haji, isn''t that the man the wilderness brotherhood told us to keep an eye out for?" a thin middle-aged man asked his partner, tilting his head.


    "it should be! a black horse, carrying two weapons; one greatsword and a two-handed warhammer, everything matches up. go report this!" the man named haji said with a pleased expression. sear?h the n??el fire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    rein had noticed the occasional measuring glances cast his way, and after entering the forest, these glances had become more frequent.


    he knew that it wouldn''t be long before the other party would make a move!


    as expected, not far ahead a large group of individuals dressed as mercenaries, carrying all kinds of weapons, blocked his path.


    he, riding his horse, also slowly came to a halt.


    however...


    rein merely swept a glance over these people before shifting his gaze away from them, focusing instead on a large carriage behind them.


    although rein couldn''t see through the carriage, his level 3 ''danger perception'' was subtly alerting him to the threat.


    he knew that the real threat was inside, and that the group outside was just ''trash fish.''


    in the carriage, a tall and lean figure sat, dressed in a grey knight''s plate armor set. even while seated, his height was close to 1.9 meters, and his knight helmet nearly touched the top of the carriage.


    resting on his knees was an extremely strange, long-handled weapon, resembling an elongated sickle, with a handle about one meter long and the blade of the sickle itself also measuring a meter.


    outside the carriage, a bearded burly man peered through a small window and said to the person inside,


    "chief jo, if we kill this kid, do we really get a reward of two thousand imperial gold coins?"


    as the burly man asked, he looked at rein''s youthful face and his eyes flickered with the desire for money.


    "eh? captain sim, are you interested in having a go? of course, if your wolf bandits can take him down, two thousand imperial gold coins is yours to keep," said giovanni from within the armor, a meaningful smile crossing his hidden face.


    he would naturally welcome someone else taking the lead.


    "chief jo, leave it to us," said the bearded burly man, confidently patting his chest.

 Chapter 189 Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    the bearded strongman, holding a longsword, swung his arm and said, "go, kill him!"as soon as he spoke, he took the lead and charged forward, being one of the strongest bandits in the wild wolf hills and a rare veteran knight.


    his band of bandits was even named after the "wild wolves" of wild wolf hills, a testament to his confidence and ambition.


    with money, he could expand his team and improve their weapons and equipment. furthermore, completing this mission would deepen his cooperation with the brotherhood of the wilderness. it would kill two birds with one stone, so the bearded man was naturally very committed.


    when over twenty men dressed as mercenaries saw their leader charging, their morale instantly surged. their faces flushed as they screamed and excitedly rushed towards rein.


    several crossbow arrows were shot at rein before the others could even reach him!


    facing the oncoming rush, rein drew his greatsword, still keeping his gaze steady. "swoosh, swoosh," his figure moved slightly, and with a couple of shifts, he dodged the incoming crossbow arrows.


    "attack! kill him!" a few leaders of the wild wolf bandits hesitated, realizing the tough character they faced, but fueled by their superior numbers, they continued to roar and swung their weapons at rein.


    suddenly!


    rein''s chest suddenly puffed up, much like a frog inflates when it croaks!


    most notably, his swelling neck seemed like it harbored a steam-powered locomotive inside his chest, unable to contain the surging, high-temperature steam, about to burst forth from his swollen neck!


    sure enough, the next second, a huge gust of air, similar to a train''s whistle, roared out of rein''s widely opened mouth!


    "roar!!!"


    a roar that was much louder than all of their screams combined resounded!


    it left every charging bandit from the wild wolf bandits in shock, realizing they were in trouble; they tried desperately to stop their charge, but as the thought emerged in their minds, the wide-ranging sonic attack was already upon them!


    when facing the sonic attack, the only escape would be outpacing the speed of sound!


    but clearly, that was impossible for the bandits!


    instantly, a loud explosion blasted next to every bandit''s ears. most were immediately dazed, some even rolled their eyes, and their minds blanked out!


    their facial skin, under the subsequent shockwave, was repeatedly stretched, trembled, and deformed!


    immediately after, screams rang out high and low!


    "ah! ah!"


    and within seconds after the loud explosion, most bandits were seen clutching their ears, displaying expressions of unbearable pain. their ears and brains were still buzzing, unable to recover quickly!


    even giovanni in the carriage squinted, muttering, "sonic attack, huh? not a bad move."


    but oddly enough, the cries of agony in the area began to decrease. s~ea??h the n?velfire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    a gray shadow gripping a greatsword, like a high-speed sewing machine needle, darted back and forth among the twenty some bandits...


    the "hisss hisss hisss" sound of air being sliced continued without pause!


    seconds later!


    not one member of the wild wolf bandit gang, including their leader with the beard, was left standing. they had all been cut into segments and lay strewn across the field!


    rein shook the glimmering greatsword, tossing off the crimson bloodstains, while his eyes remained fixed on the large carriage without shifting.


    the reason for using the "roaring strike" as his opening move, part of the explanation lay here. there was a formidable opponent on the sidelines, watching intently. the longer the fight dragged out, the more disadvantageous it would be, not to mention the potential for a sneak attack at any moment.


    "clap clap clap!"


    crisp applause emerged from within the carriage.


    "impressive strength. i thought you would at least get injured, but it seems i underestimated your level."


    "however, it doesn''t really matter; your outcome won''t change much."


    along with a deep voice, a tall, slender knight, over two meters in height, holding a scythe-like weapon, slowly descended from the carriage.


    rein''s eyes narrowed, focusing on the newcomer. it seems that he was indeed the main opponent for today.


    the gray chest armor of the knight featured three dull, burning black flames, instantly reminding rein of those black-flame monks he had killed before.


    three black flames?


    it seems he was a personage in the black-flame cult?


    rein thought to himself.


    moreover, judging from the aura, the opponent wasn''t a great knight; moreover, his own level 3 ''danger perception'' alert wasn''t strong enough to be unbeatable by him.


    this slightly settled rein''s mind.


    perhaps, if he had not gone to master ganther to improve, he might have been outmatched by this individual. but now, it seemed they were rather evenly matched.


    of course, it was likely that the opponent had some tricks up his sleeve.


    but didn''t he have his own?


    seeing rein''s calm demeanor made giovanni slightly bored, shaking his head, "i enjoy the frenzy and screams of my prey before they die. you are too calm; i don''t like it."


    stay connected through empire


    "or perhaps, you don''t think you can escape this time, do you?"


    "last time, if not for that druid... forget it, let''s not talk about that."


    seemingly recalling the previous encounter made giovanni''s expression change under his helmet, leading him to abruptly cut off his words.

 Chapter 189 Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    rein understood.the guy in front of him was someone he had never seen before, but when the other mentioned "druid" last time, was he talking about a druid?


    it seemed that at some point in the past, anna''s aunt, the elf lady, had repelled him?


    that''s what rein speculated.


    "are you from the dark cult?" rein asked for the first time.


    "eh? not bad, you figured it out! but i don''t have much time to chit-chat with you. even though this place is remote, there are still occasionally trade caravans passing by, and it wouldn''t be good for them to see you, the baron, dead by my hand," he said.


    "i promised the high priest that i would make you, the newly-appointed baron, disappear without a trace," he added.


    as soon as he finished speaking, giovanni flicked the bizarrely-shaped sickle in his hand as if to attack, but then he stopped abruptly, intrigued by what rein said next.


    "actually, i''m quite happy to have run into you today," rein said, his eyelids lowered, his expression serene.


    "oh? why is that?" giovanni, surprised by rein''s unexpected response, paused his movement and asked with curiosity.


    "because i just learned something new and have been looking for a worthy opponent to try it out on. the savage beasts i''ve faced so far just lack that certain something, so i''m quite happy to meet you!" rein said as he raised his head, his eyes sparkling with eagerness.


    at this moment, giovanni felt very uncomfortable, as rein''s look made him feel as if he were the prey and rein was the hunter.


    "ha! didn''t expect you, the new baron, to be one for big talk. now you can die!"


    "as a punishment, i''ll make your death even more painful!"


    suddenly, black flames like tendrils wrapped around giovanni''s armored body and his bizarrely-shaped sickle as if it were a chain.


    rein''s gaze sharpened as he witnessed this technique for the first time.


    it seemed to enhance both defense and attach that weapon with added offensive capabilities!


    this must be some kind of dark magic from the dark cult, even more powerful than a black fireball.


    but... you have your dark magic, and i have witchcraft! rein thought to himself.


    "high-temperature force field!"


    chanting silently, rein quickly generated a spherical field of high-temperature force around him.


    "eh?"


    the high-temperature force field, invisible and intangible, still caused giovanni to pause slightly at the energy fluctuations emanating from rein. sea??h th�� ��ovelfire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "interesting, interesting, ha ha! i didn''t think you''d know witchcraft too. now killing you will be even more fun," giovanni said.


    with a swoosh, giovanni''s feet touched the ground, shattering it.


    the sound of him slicing through air was sharp as he lunged at rein!


    so fast!


    rein''s pupils narrowed, and he quickly raised his sword to block!


    with disdain evident, giovanni aimed a swift cut with his sickle at rein''s neck.


    considering the speed rein had just shown in the fight, it was too slow, and he surely couldn''t withstand this strike, even if he hadn''t activated his "break limit," and even if he had, by how much could it really improve?


    seventy percent? eighty percent?


    it wouldn''t change the outcome.


    yet bizarrely, rein''s speed suddenly almost doubled, precisely intercepting the blow.


    "clang!!!"


    sparks flew!


    giovanni, failing to land his strike, retreated several meters and said in a deep voice, "ninety percent?"


    it turns out rein had instantly activated "break limit" just before.


    rein was aware that giovanni was surprised by the level of his break limit, how high it was to reach ninety percent.


    but the fight had already begun, and only a fool would care for such an inquiry from the enemy.


    without considering it, rein took the opportunity of his opponent''s halted momentum to launch a counterattack!


    "clang, clang, clang!"


    both were extremely fast, like two wisps of smoke twirling around the path, sparks flying and the sound of clashing metal ringing incessantly.


    sometimes, as they fought off the path and into the forest, it was the trees that bore the brunt!


    trees as thick as bowls were cut down in an instant by their continuous strikes, falling amidst a cacophony of crashing sounds.


    yet rein realized that his witchcraft "high-temperature force field" had not been as effective as it should have been, clearly because the black flames ensnaring giovanni''s body had blocked his witchcraft''s damage.


    seeing rein''s speed nearly double after using "break limit," giovanni knew that the reason rein had escaped the church''s assassinations time and again was due to genuine skill.


    that was no empty bragging.


    while his speed was still superior to rein''s, the prospect of ending the fight as easily as a cat toying with a mouse was now impossible.


    however, this only made giovanni secretly more excited.


    to extinguish a genius was indeed more thrilling than eliminating an ordinary expert.


    "swoosh!"


    giovanni''s speed surged again, an indication he had activated his transcendent trait.


    "sss!"


    the sickle in his hand sped up so rapidly that its shadow was almost invisible.


    despite rein''s best efforts to dodge, he was still struck and sent flying!


    "tsk tsk, to have your break limit surpass ninety percent at your age, i must admit, you are a rare knight genius," giovanni remarked.


    "but, as i said, your end will not change!" giovanni looked at rein, speaking mockingly. explore new worlds at empire

 Chapter 189 Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    rein had retreated three steps before he abruptly stood firm, glancing down at his chest, where a deep scratch had already appeared on the chromite armor''s breastplate, now completely ripped open.if it hadn''t been for his level 3 transcendent trait "iron skin" protecting him, that hit would have injured him.


    the long-handled, odd-shaped scythe in the opponent''s hand was no ordinary weapon, and combined with the weird enhancement of black flames, its deadliness was substantial. before such lethal weaponry, the chromite suit was barely stronger than a thick piece of paper.


    moreover, his opponent was a speed-type knight.


    and not just any ordinary speed-type knight.


    though wearing shin guards, the length of his calves and their tightly fitting condition allowed rein to instantly discern that the opponent''s achilles tendons were extremely slender, even more taut and sturdy than those of the former sprinter, bolt. sear?h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    indeed, the opponent''s speed was extraordinarily rapid!


    thinking it through, rein directly ripped open the damaged knight''s chestplate throwing it onto the ground with a ''thud,'' and likewise removed his leg armor and the rest.


    giovanni, on the other hand, watched rein with a confident and somewhat condescending expression. after a moment, as if he had understood something, he said,


    "interesting! you don''t think that shedding this hundred-plus pounds of knight armor will let you catch up to my speed, do you?"


    "such fanciful thinking, but just one light slash from me, and without your knight armor to protect you, your body will hiss and split into two."


    seeing rein''s ''interesting'' action, giovanni watched him with a look of ''come on, show me,'' interestedly observing rein but not hurrying to act.


    sure enough, after shedding his chromite suit, rein wasn''t done yet. he placed the glimmering greatsword heavily into the ground and then pulled out a warhammer with his other hand.


    because for the current rein, with a level 3 specialization in hammer skill, a hammer was indeed his number one weapon.


    however, giovanni was unaware of this detail. he shook his head and said, "if you are after reduced weight, the hammer in your hand is obviously heavier than the sword. i really don''t understand your thinking."


    but having taken off the hundred-plus pounds of knight armor and having put down his seventy-eighty pounds glimmering greatsword, rein wielding the warhammer felt an indescribable lightness.


    he felt as if he might float away, as though he could fly just by jumping.


    "swoosh!"


    a figure wielding a hammer rushed towards giovanni rapidly.


    rein''s speed had clearly increased by more than twenty percent!


    giovanni sneered and with a ''swoosh'', disappeared from his original position.


    "clang!"


    the next second, he couldn''t laugh anymore!


    for as his odd-shaped scythe clashed with rein''s warhammer, a shock wave was transmitted instantly, causing him to freeze slightly, unprepared.


    following that, rein''s subsequent relentless barrage of hammer attacks, like hailstones crashing down, fiercely smashed towards giovanni.


    giant hammer strike! strike again! and again!


    giant hammer jump strike!


    giant hammer sweep!


    "clang clang clang!"


    although giovanni''s odd-shaped scythe was not ordinary and remained undamaged, every block made giovanni''s form stagger slightly due to the shock, nearly completely negating his speed advantage. rein''s tide-like offensive left giovanni unable to mount a counterattack, forced to constantly defend and block again and again.


    "boom!!!"


    finally, giovanni showed a flaw and rein struck his chest with the hammer. although protected by black flames and a swift retreat that absorbed some of the force, the hit still cracked his chestplate and forced him to stagger back over a dozen steps!


    "hiss!!"


    giovanni''s slender legs dug two long trenches in the ground before he barely steadied himself!


    "enough! it''s time to end this!" giovanni removed his helmet in one motion, revealing a slightly angry and flushed face.


    although he had sufficiently overestimated rein, he hadn''t expected that besides mastering the dual-handed greatsword, rein was even stronger with the two-handed warhammer, almost surpassing master level!


    this was utterly incomprehensible to him; even if rein had started practicing hammer skill and swordsmanship from the age of one, it wasn''t possible to reach this level with both weapons. if this was talent, it was incredibly unbelievable!


    giovanni also realized��


    if he didn''t bring out his trump card, with his enormous physical exertion, he might really not be able to defeat the current rein, since he had activated his limit breaker and transcendent traits, which consumed more energy than rein, who had only activated his limit breaker.


    the next second, he roared!


    "beastify!"


    giovanni''s figure began to undergo violent changes!


    all over his body, hair began to grow rapidly like wildfire, his face contorted and changed shape, his upper and lower jaws jutted out swiftly, sharp fangs suddenly protruded, and his hands transformed into claw-like shapes, yet still clutching his odd-shaped scythe.


    hiss!


    a transformation into wolverine?


    rein was both surprised and somewhat excited in his heart.


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    this was the first time he had encountered an enemy who could transform.


    "now, you can peacefully return to the goddess''s embrace!" said giovanni, now with a wolf''s head, pausing at every word.


    "whoosh!"


    his figure suddenly disappeared from the spot.


    the next second, a ''clang'' of metal clashing sounded where rein was standing.


    rein was knocked back more than ten meters by his opponent''s heavy cleave!

 Chapter 189 Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    after the transformation, the opponent''s speed and strength were further enhanced, and the speed had reached a level that was difficult for the naked eye to catch.although rein had strong dynamic vision and was still able to capture the movements of the opponent, his own limbs reacted a bit too slowly, so he was at a slight disadvantage in the earlier exchange.


    "you have no chance now!"


    "clang clang!"


    although rein was also extremely fast, he was still a bit slower compared to the transformed giovanni.


    from a closer perspective, one could see rein''s figure flickering uncertainly, but one could still make out his humanoid shape; as for giovanni, one couldn''t see him at all and could only hear his incessant talking.


    the whole combat scene gave the onlookers a strange feeling, as if rein was fighting with some blurry, unseen entity around him.


    every second, sparks from metallic collisions and piercing clanging sounds occurred multiple times around rein!


    but one couldn''t see who rein''s enemy was!


    "too slow!"


    "too slow!"


    "rein, you''re too slow!"


    "hahaha, you''re so slow that you''re going to die here!" giovanni burst into a mad laughter.


    rein remained calm, listening to giovanni''s crazed laughter, and couldn''t help but exclaim in his heart:


    "it seems that i need to add some agility."


    "originally, i wanted to reserve it for spirit, to complete the visualization of all twenty-four ''will'' runes of the basic meditation method in one go." read the latest on empire


    "what a pity!"


    as rein looked up at giovanni, the attribute points on his panel dropped from 3 to 2 in an instant, and his agility surged from 19 to 20.


    now, his agility too had crossed the crucial threshold of 20!


    at the same time, rein''s strength, agility, and constitution, all three basic attributes, met the pre-requisite condition of having each attribute reach or exceed 20, required for the weapon master (legendary) class-change.


    in an instant, rein felt the fatigue and soreness in his muscles, which had started to set in, vanish completely!


    his body returned to its peak condition in a flash.


    moreover, the slight increase in speed and dynamic vision that came with the improved agility enabled rein to keep up with the opponent''s attack rhythm. sea??h th�� n??elfir��.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    perhaps he was still a bit slower, but the gap had clearly narrowed!


    at this moment, after three or four minutes of intense combat, any minor change in movements was quickly perceived by the opponent.


    soon, giovanni sensed something was wrong.


    since just now, rein''s hammer swings had become incredibly smooth, with no tremor in his hands, as if he hadn''t tired at all since the fight began.


    but how could this be?


    giovanni, engaged in fierce combat, couldn''t afford to be distracted with detailed thoughts but could generally speculate.


    was rein holding back all this time?


    no!


    that was absolutely impossible!


    therefore, there was only one other possibility �� this was one of rein''s knight talents, an extraordinary form of stamina or endurance!


    but wasn''t rein''s talent too much to handle?


    masterful at swordsmanship, his hammer skill almost surpassing mastery, plus a special trait for physical endurance...


    giovanni felt his understanding of talent had been redefined!


    but soon, he noticed something even more astonishing and baffling!


    because, he found that rein''s speed seemed to have increased!


    although it was just a little bit, probably not even half of ten percent.


    but he wasn''t mistaken, the other''s speed indeed had increased.


    this...?


    if it were only the abnormal stamina that could be understood, but increasing speed, what was going on?


    giovanni felt his brain wasn''t quite up to the task!


    could it be that he was slowing down due to excessive stamina depletion, and so, relatively, it gave him the illusion that rein''s speed had increased?


    yes!


    this was the only explanation that seemed more reasonable...


    giovanni''s mind became chaotic, and rein, his opponent, sensed it immediately.


    at this moment, rein''s conviction was extraordinarily firm!


    what an opportunity!


    the next second, as rein silently recited "huge strength lv3," "strength burst!"


    in an instant, rein felt a strong rush of heat pumping from his heart, speeding up his bloodstream, causing his veins to bulge, and his muscles to swell dramatically, making his figure suddenly enlarge!


    rein raised the unstoppable force in his hands high, and with the force of lightning, he smashed down heavily on giovanni!


    not good!


    facing rein''s full-power strike, even giovanni, who was as strong as a great knight in his werewolf form, had to choose to retreat rather than withstand the blow!


    seeing the dark hammerhead brush past his nose by just twenty or thirty centimeters, giovanni felt a surge of joy.


    he had missed!


    but just as giovanni thought he had jumped out of the range of rein''s attack, rein''s hammer heavily struck the ground less than half a meter in front of giovanni!


    in giovanni''s astonished gaze.


    "boom!"


    instantly, a powerful shockwave radiated out from the hammerhead, sweeping towards giovanni in a fan-shaped motion with lightning speed!


    "earth-splitting hammer!"

 Chapter 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    half a minute earlier, a carriage guarded by several knights had just turned the corner of the winding forest path and caught sight of rein''s powerful hammer strike.the knights who witnessed this scene all had their expressions dramatically change, while at that moment, the curtains of the carriage window were pulled back slightly.


    underneath the hood was a beautiful young face, curiously watching in the direction of rein, when suddenly, a pair of eyes uncontrollably widened, and the cherry-like mouth quickly formed into an ''o'' shape!


    what came into the young maiden''s view was a huge humanoid creature with muscles so swollen it was ridiculous, holding a dark iron hammer high and striking the ground heavily, as if the earth itself was fracturing and sending shockwaves through everyone''s hearts.


    in an instant, the ground cracked open inch by inch, and an invisible shock force spread out rapidly from the point of impact.


    the stones and gravel on the ground, upon encountering this shock force, were instantly reduced to dust.


    so, with a face full of panic and a bit of confusion, ''beast knight'' giovanni took the full brunt of this intense shock force!


    even though he was protected by plate armor, even though he was shielded by vine-like living tendrils of black flame, he still stood frozen in place for about half a second under rein''s full-powered strike.


    when high-skilled combatants clash, the situation can change in the blink of an eye!


    half a second might only be enough time for a normal person to throw a punch, but for rein, it was enough to deliver at least three forceful and powerful hammers!


    "bang! bang!"


    the third strike was even followed by a secret tokkal hammer technique move, the ''rising dragon hammer!''


    rein twisted his body and swung his hips, channeling the strength of his core muscles, swinging his hands to create a dark afterimage that moved from the bottom upwards, severely striking giovanni''s wolf-jawed chin.


    "crack!"


    giovanni''s wolf-jawed chin was directly shattered, and at the same time, his entire body was thrown four or five meters upwards, his eyes rolling back in his head!


    but it still wasn''t over!


    rein kicked off the ground and quickly followed giovanni''s convulsing body in mid-air, delivering a rapid series of hammer blows!


    "bang bang bang!"


    with each hammer blow, the black flame tendrils on giovanni''s body grew dimmer, his plate armor shattered piece by piece, and the sound of breaking bones rang out clearly.


    these shattering sounds were akin to firecrackers, ''popping'' non-stop!


    "thud!"


    the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground was heard!


    this was because rein had interrupted his continuous hammering, causing giovanni''s body to heavily crash to the ground.


    despite having the vitality of a great knight in his beast form, giovanni''s body still twitched violently, but was clearly in its final throes, his wolf mouth damaged beyond recognition, spewing blood, his whole body showing various odd twists. s��ar?h the nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    from his posture, it was highly likely that there wasn''t a single bone intact in his entire body, lying on the ground like a pile of mud.


    giovanni''s body was rapidly changing, the black fur receding, his face shifting from that of a wolf to that of a man, but the crushing injuries to his jaw and the fractures throughout his body did not heal as a result.


    soon, a human corpse lay before rein.


    and there stood rein, holding his hammer, breathing heavily; the outburst of his full strength had greatly exhausted him.


    however, his eyes shone brightly at that moment!


    for rein, an opponent of this strength was too rare, and this battle was exhilarating.


    he had exerted all his recent improvements and thoroughly tested them in this fight.


    however, neither rein nor the people with the carriage noticed that, perched on a tall tree in the distant forest, there was a lean man in patterned leather armor, holding a bronze telescope, observing the situation here.


    upon seeing rein kill giovanni, he was shocked and muttered to himself, "impossible! how can this rein be so strong!"


    "this is, after all, the leader of the wilderness brothers, known as ''beast knight'' giovanni, who was killed by an obscure young man!"


    "earlier, i thought the baron was overreacting, but now it seems i''ve underestimated rein..."


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    "i must report to baron alonso immediately!"


    the lean man moved as swiftly as a monkey, quickly descending from the tree and disappearing in the direction of the county town after a few strides.


    after a while, the girl in the carriage finally regained her composure and with a voice as clear as that of an oriole, turned her head and asked, "knight lawrence, how... how strong is this person?"


    "very strong! no, extremely strong!" replied the knight clad in knight armor solemnly, glancing at rein.


    "stronger than you?" the young maiden inquired, puzzled.


    "yes, if i''m not mistaken, his opponent just now should be the leader of the wilderness brothers, known as ''beast knight'' giovanni, who is said to have escaped from the hands of great knights several times," the middle-aged knight lawrence remarked with a touch of reflection.


    "i never imagined he would meet his end here."


    "that strong?!" the girl exclaimed in surprise, covering her mouth.


    while she didn''t know who the ''beast knight'' was, she did know what a great knight was��the most formidable warriors, against whom even her family''s strongest fighters could not contend. if a young man could kill such a formidable person, his strength was unimaginable.


    "then, knight lawrence, in your opinion, who is stronger��father''s friend, lord hamilton, whom he mentioned last time, who might be able to deal with that issue, or this young man?"

 Chapter 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "this.... i haven''t met that young man before, so i''m also unable to make a judgment," lawrence thought for a moment, and wisely replied.but in his heart, he was thinking, how could there possibly be someone more impressive than this young man in front of him?


    he had never even heard of such an impressive young man, let alone met one.


    at that time, rein glanced at the system prompt:


    [your skill tokkal hammer technique has improved, experience +1034]


    [your skill giant bear sword technique has improved, experience +232]


    [your skill high-temperature field has improved, experience +12]


    [you have been through a battle, knight (transcendent) experience +298, wizard apprentice (transcendent) experience +13]


    in the recent battle, rein used the hammer technique most frequently and swordsmanship next, hence the distribution of the experience, with hammer technique taking the lion''s share.


    additionally, the level of knight (transcendent) reached lv5 (795/2000), and tokkal hammer technique was raised to lv7 (2724/5000), with the experience now more than halfway there.


    and the remaining attribute points, since he added 1 point to agility during the battle, were now only 2 points left, with the remaining skill points unchanged at 1 point.


    it was then that the sharp-eyed rein suddenly noticed that among the muddy remains of the corpse, a damaged pouch had fallen.


    this made rein''s heart stir slightly; what could it be that someone of such high caliber would carry with them?


    he stepped forward to open the pouch and saw inside a token made of an unknown metal. the design was three black flames burning fiercely, which looked very similar to the angel envoy token he had previously obtained from killing the black flame apostle.


    it must have been a form of identity recognition within the black flame church.


    rein shook his head slightly, finding it of little use to himself, although the goddess church seemed to attach great importance to it.


    huh?


    what''s this....


    inside the pouch, there was also a special beastskin scroll. rein carefully unrolled it and saw that it was filled with prayers written in lingwen.


    after some thought, rein concluded that this must be a prayer used for some kind of cult ritual, which still wasn''t very useful to him.


    this was somewhat disappointing to rein, for he had been quite hopeful about his spoils of war, but didn''t expect there to be only these two items.


    however, all of a sudden, rein''s eyes lit up, as if he had thought of something, and he muttered to himself,


    "perhaps, the goddess church would like this gift...."


    rein glanced from afar at the merchant caravan that was too afraid to approach because of the corner, paying them no mind. he dragged the man who could transform into a werewolf along with the man''s signature weapon and threw them onto the wagon.


    as for the previously hesitating caravan, upon seeing rein return to his normal size and tidy up the battlefield, it seemed that they deemed rein not a bad person, so they slowly approached from behind.


    however, rein had no interest in interacting with strangers at this juncture, so he mounted his black horse, drove the cart and the chestnut horse, and headed quickly to the county town.


    upon entering the county town, rein did not go straight home but first visited the wind and ocean goddess temple that he had never been to before.


    the tall and majestic temple could be seen from afar, supported by more than a dozen tall columns that greatly resembled the ionic style of his previous world.


    a distinct feature of this column style was that the top of each column had two symmetrical scrolls in a volutes pattern, with a small decorative band in between, making the whole design quite conspicuous and beautiful.


    it also matched well with the gentle temperament of the goddess.


    along the cascading steps in front of the temple was a circular fountain with, in its center, a statue of a beautiful woman holding a conch shell, standing about three meters tall.


    the water gushed tirelessly from the conch in the goddess''s hand, forming a miniature waterfall that fell straight down.


    a row of holy guards clad in silver armor stood guard all around.


    upon seeing the formidable-looking rein riding on a tall black warhorse, they exchanged glances, then immediately approached and asked, "sir knight, may i ask what brings you to the goddess church?" sear?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the holy guards had already noticed rein''s presence as soon as he appeared at the corner of the road.


    first, it was rein''s tall and outstanding black warhorse, and secondly, rein''s own aura of having just slain the ''beast knight'', which made the hearts of these holy guards, none of whom were as strong as official knights, tremble a bit.


    if it weren''t for their strong faith in the goddess, they might have already felt cowardly.


    "is rudolph the presbyter here?" rein asked, with a slight smile and very politely.


    "you know presbyter rudolph? the presbyter just returned yesterday, may i ask your name? i will announce you," said the holy guard who heard rein seemed to know presbyter rudolph, visibly relaxing.


    "you can tell presbyter rudolph that rein is visiting."


    "very well, lord rein."


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    the holy guard quickly ascended the steps and ran toward the temple interior.


    in a moment, an old man in a water-blue robe with golden trimmings, holding a thick book, came out from the temple.


    upon seeing the old man appear, rein smiled and dismounted from his warhorse.


    rudolph also saw rein riding the tall black warhorse and smiled, greeting him, "now, i suppose i can call you baron rein."


    the surrounding holy guards were stunned, wearing expressions of astonishment.

 Chapter 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    ```so young, and already a baron?


    they had thought it was some skilled knight, but to their surprise, it turned out to be an imperial baron, and such a young one at that. indeed, a rare sight.


    rein smiled and said, "abbot, you flatter me. you may still call me rein."


    at the same time, rein nodded slightly to the two holy temple knights standing behind rudolph as a sign of greeting.


    the two of them had fought together in the last battle in the nightingale forest, so they were familiar. one of them seemed to be called magini; rein remembered him.


    "baron sir!" the two holy temple knights bowed slightly and said.


    "abbot, there''s something that might trouble you this time." rein turned his head to signal the large carriage behind him, and then he fell silent.


    rudolph, seasoned and shrewd, immediately understood rein''s meaning and said, "baron rein, please come to my place."


    following that, he gestured to the two holy temple knights to lead the carriage into the temple grounds.


    it wasn''t until they reached the front courtyard of the temple that rein''s expression turned solemn, "abbot, on the way back to the county town, i was assassinated by the black flame cult, perhaps you should take a look at the assailant''s body first."


    "what? assassinated?" rudolph''s face changed, and he immediately gestured to the two holy temple knights to open the carriage.


    the two holy temple knights opened the carriage door and carried out the tall and thin body of the ''beast knight''.


    however, as soon as they lifted the body, they realized it was like a pile of sludge, its bones nearly shattered, sagging heavily downwards. next to it was a characteristic weapon, a bizarrely shaped scythe.


    the two holy temple knights exchanged a glance.


    "such formidable hammer skill!" one of the knights exclaimed.


    he also practiced hammer skill, so he recognized at first glance that the wounds on the body and its sludge-like condition were clearly caused by extremely powerful hammer skill.


    this level of mastery in applying the force of shock, without decades of hard practice, was impossible to achieve!


    and this baron rein is so young...


    the holy temple knight glanced at rein, filled with immense astonishment!


    "hmm! this is giovanni." abbot rudolph looked at the body and the characteristic weapon beside it �� a long-handled, oddly shaped scythe �� and his eyes narrowed suddenly.


    although he maintained a calm facade, he was incredibly shocked inwardly.


    this man was the leader of the wilderness brotherhood, involved in many of the dirty, underhanded dealings behind the scenes.


    indeed, the goddess church had long wanted to remove this cancer, but due to strong opposition from many nobles within the county town, and lacking clear evidence of the group being controlled by a cult, the matter had been postponed.


    moreover, giovanni was quite powerful in his own right, able to hold his own against a great knight after transforming. rudolph never expected him to die at rein''s hand.


    ah! rein managing to kill him, doesn''t that imply that rein...


    at that moment, rudolph connected the dots.


    "this is the wilderness brotherhood''s leader, giovanni, also known as ''beast knight''. rein, was it he who attacked you?" rudolph asked in surprise, looking at rein.


    "that''s correct, abbot. however, you might find his other identity more interesting." while speaking, rein took out from his bosom a diamond-shaped token with three black flame-like insignias and a prayer written in lingwen script, presenting it before the three of them.


    "black flame guardian''s token and black flame protection prayer!" rudolph exclaimed, his eyes widening as he took a closer look.


    "what!" the two holy temple knights inhaled sharply.


    "it''s actually a black flame guardian''s token!" they looked at each other, both seeing the shock in the other''s eyes.


    the exclamations of the group, particularly the normally composed abbot rudolph, immediately drew the attention of the holy temple knights and guards practicing combat skills in the temple courtyard.


    rein then looked at rudolph and the two holy temple knights, asking in confusion, "what is a black flame guardian? i remember the last time i killed a black flame apostle, i also found a black flame token."


    "however, that had one black flame, and this one with three black flames seems to be a level higher than the apostle''s." read new chapters at empire


    "you''re right, rein. the rank of this black flame guardian is second only to the high priest of the black flame. not only are they very strong, but they also keep their identities concealed. we knew before that there were two black flame guardians within the cult, but we never knew who they were," rudolph sighed.


    "never would i have imagined that the wilderness brotherhood''s leader giovanni was actually a black flame guardian!" s~ea??h the n?velfire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    although he found it hard to believe that this young-looking youth had caused the death of a black flame guardian, considering rein''s feats of killing a black flame apostle before, it seemed to remind him repeatedly that this was reasonable!


    moreover, this black flame guardian''s token and black flame protection prayer were the best proof!


    for the goddess church, this was obviously a great opportunity. with the leader of the wilderness brotherhood killed, now was the best time to conduct a cleanup operation.


    "magini, assemble the team immediately. i will report to the archbishop, and we must begin cleaning up the wilderness brotherhood at once!"


    "selkin, take these two items to the archbishop, and report the situation as well." after thinking it over, rudolph promptly gave orders.


    "rein, perhaps you should meet with the archbishop. i believe archbishop shion will be very pleased to see you," rudolph turned to rein and said.


    ```

 Chapter 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    rein thought for a moment, then quickly nodded and said, "i''m very honored, then i''ll trouble you."his purpose for coming to the church this time was to seek support from the church.


    however, he hadn''t expected to receive a personal audience with the highest official of the county town church��bishop shion.


    because rein was considering his imminent bloody duel with baron norman, he temporarily didn''t want to be distracted by dealing with the black flame cult. sea??h th�� n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    and in the county town, if he could get the support of the goddess church, it would mean his family''s safety was doubly ensured, which would relieve some of his worries.


    after all, in matters of mysterious curses and the like, the goddess church''s protective and responsive measures were much more adept than his own.


    watching rein and rudolph''s departing figures, many young temple knights and guards in the front yard of the temple whispered amongst themselves:


    "the guardian of black flame, tsk!"


    "it seems that we have never killed such a high-ranking member of the black flame cult, have we?"


    "yes, it is said that the strength of the guardian of black flame is even above that of a peak knight?"


    "this young man''s strength is too strong!"


    "rein? the one who''s been the talk of the town, baron norman''s opponent in a duel?"


    "so, he is rein?"


    "...."


    clearly, as followers of the divine, church people understood better than outsiders the true value of killing a guardian of the black flame... and the extreme difficulty involved.


    although these words also faintly reached the ears of rein, who was departing, because the feud between him and the black flame cult had become irreconcilable, rein wasn''t too concerned about whether this news leaked out or not.


    soon, rein arrived at the central area of the temple, which was a tall and magnificent hall with high vaulted ceilings adorned all around and at the top with various bas-reliefs and murals deeply related to the goddess.


    there stood an elderly man dressed in a water-blue robe with coarse golden trimmings, holding a staff, smiling kindly at rein as he entered the hall.


    the man''s hair was graying, suggesting great age, yet he appeared very spirited.


    rein raised his eyebrows slightly and proactively stepped forward to greet him, "bishop, it is an honor to meet you."


    "hello, my child!" bishop shion approached amiably and gave rein a gentle hug.


    "i''ve heard from rudolph that you killed a guardian of the black flame cult. child, whatever you require, feel free to ask me."


    rein was not dealing with the goddess church for the first time; he was already aware of the situation in the dragan empire, where imperial authority and divine authority were exercised in tandem, although, under the current circumstances, imperial authority was somewhat stronger.


    but with the status of a bishop, his standing in the entire meister county could be said to be second only to earl habs, the governor; and even when it came to eradicating cults, the bishop''s opinion carried more weight, which was also a kind of tacit understanding between the empire and the goddess church.


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    for such an important figure to be willing to meet with him was far better than rein had anticipated.


    originally, he merely wanted to mention the matter to rudolph, whom he was familiar with, and incidentally gain favor with the church, but he hadn''t expected to directly attract the attention of the county town goddess church''s bishop.


    since the great personage had initiated the conversation, rein thought it appropriate to make a suggestion at the right time.


    "bishop, it is my unquestionable duty to slay cultists. however, i am a bit worried about the safety of my family in the county town. as you know, some of the cult''s sorcery is unpredictable and difficult to guard against."


    "haha, so you''re worried about that. rudolph, arrange for two temple guards to go to rein''s mansion later and set up a divine arts array��''detect evil.''"


    "once the array is triggered, the temple will sense it here, and then we will be able to quickly dispatch church forces to help," said bishop shion, turning to talk to rein.


    rudolph timely added, "lately, there have been many mysterious and cult-related incidents, which have involved a lot of our manpower. otherwise, we wouldn''t have sent only two temple guards."


    rein nodded in understanding.


    furthermore, having temple knights stationed in his mansion all the time would actually make him feel a bit uncomfortable, almost as if he was being given undue attention��after all, each temple knight possessed the strength of a formal knight, which would be more suitable if he were an earl.


    "by the way, there has been a lot of buzz in the county town these past few days, saying that baron norman is seeking a bloody duel with you. child, do you need the church to intervene and negotiate on your behalf?" bishop shion said, remembering something and offering help proactively.


    "thank you for your concern, bishop. my confrontation with baron norman is inevitable, and i am looking forward to this duel," rein replied.


    "well then, may the goddess protect you. child, this is a silver conch medal from the goddess church, bestowed to those who have made outstanding contributions in driving out evil."


    "considering your battles with the cultists, both previous and recent, i think you have ample reason to receive this medal." as bishop shion spoke, he took from a tray held by an attendant beside him a medal the size of a child''s fist, shining with a silver glow.


    there was an exceptionally clear conch pattern on it, lifelike!


    "thank you, goddess, and thank you, bishop!" baron rein carefully accepted it and wore it on the inside lining.


    "baron rein, please keep this medal safe. in any place within the empire, as long as there is a temple of the church of the sea goddess and the monsoon, you can seek and receive help."


    "additionally, this medal has solidified a divine art that detects evil. when evil approaches, it will vibrate slightly to warn you," rudolph explained at the side.


    rein nodded and gave bishop shion a slight bow again to express his gratitude.


    "furthermore, considering you will soon be facing battle, i have a blessing from the goddess, which might be of help to you," bishop shion said to rein, smiling.


    "a blessing?" rein was taken aback, but rudolph at his side was giving him meaningful looks, signaling rein to accept it.


    rein thought it over and nodded, saying: "then, i am in your debt, bishop!"


    originally, rein was somewhat wary of such blessings from gods, but then he thought that his system seemed able to absorb the energy from both the blood-red crystal and the black crystal alike.


    so, a blessing from the goddess should also be a form of energy, right?


    as the high-pitched chanting rang out, the bishop with greying hair looked at rein, raising his sceptre. a blue light grew stronger and more brilliant, and the next second, a blue glow enveloped rein.


    a cool and mysterious energy seeped into rein''s body in streams and strands.


    a system prompt immediately followed:


    [ding! detected a presence of massive unknown absorbable energy nearby. absorb? (note: after absorption, it can be converted into specific professional experience points.)]


    rein felt an inexplicable joy in his heart!


    indeed, it can.


    in his heart, he silently chose "yes"!


    subsequently, the blue energy was quickly absorbed.


    [ding! a total of 1976 supernatural experience points converted, please choose knight (transcendent) / wizard apprentice (transcendent) / beast tamer (transcendent) to enhance.]


    huh!


    not bad at all!


    this trip to the church of the sea goddess was certainly worth it.


    but... on which transcendent profession should he use it?


    this suddenly put rein in a difficult position.


    because adding it to any one of the transcendent professions, he would receive the reward of rising one level only.


    ...


    -----------------


    at the same time, in a study of earl habbs mansion.


    "what? giovanni died in battle?" alonso stood up abruptly upon hearing the news, questioning with a shocked face.


    "yes, according to the report from the spies, it was witnessed firsthand. rein killed ''beast rider'' giovanni in battle," butler michel said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.


    just moments ago, when he heard this news, he too was astounded. everybody knew that as head of the brotherhood of the wilderness, giovanni not only helped the blackflame cult but also handled many difficult affairs for many nobles within county town.


    in the upper echelons of meister county''s society, the ''beast rider'' was very well known, but it was such a man who was slain on the spot in a one-on-one fight by rein.


    "are you sure no one else helped?" alonso still found it hard to believe and asked again.


    "positive! the spy was very clear, it was one-on-one. i too have repeatedly confirmed this," michel nodded, affirming it with certainty.


    alonso paced with a frown, and after several seconds as though realising something, he quickly gave orders:


    "notify baron norman immediately, tell him this news, and see if he needs any assistance. if we can help, promise it on my behalf."


    "at once, my lord," butler michel said, bowing slightly and quickly leaving the room.

 Chapter 191 Undercurrents Surge (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    meist county city.within the great hall of the monsoon and ocean goddess temple.


    rein glanced at the attribute panel, observing the experience situation of each transcendent profession, and his face showed contemplation.


    wizard apprentice (transcendent) lv4 (358/1000) / knight (transcendent) lv5 (795/2000) / beast tamer (transcendent) lv5 (64/2000).


    after a swift deliberation, rein first ruled out the knight (transcendent) profession panel because he was about to face many battles, and his current means of combating opponents were mainly knight combat skills; thus, the knight panel could garner a considerable amount of experience.


    next, as for the beast tamer, he had some new potions he wanted to try, which he estimated could bring a substantial amount of experience.


    from this perspective, it seemed that the first option was the most challenging to advance.


    therefore, in the end, rein focused his attention on the wizard apprentice (transcendent) profession panel.


    as rein silently chanted ''wizard apprentice,'' he instantly used 1976 experience points on the wizard apprentice (transcendent) profession panel.


    suddenly, a system prompt appeared:


    [congratulations, your wizard apprentice (transcendent) profession level has advanced!]


    the profession level of wizard apprentice (transcendent) on the panel increased from lv4 to lv5 (1325/2000), and at the bottom of the panel, it displayed remaining attribute points: 3, and remaining skill points: 2.


    seeing this, a radiant smile couldn''t help but spread across rein''s face.


    the goddess''s blessing?


    it really was quite good!


    rein sincerely performed a knight''s salute to bishop shion and said, "thank the goddess, and thank you, your excellency the bishop!"


    after a friendly conversation, rein took the initiative to say he had matters to attend to at home.


    thus, after saying his goodbyes to bishop shion and dean rudolph, rein slowly walked out of the hall.


    watching rein''s departing figure, bishop shion turned his head to ask, "rudolph, it''s still your discerning eye, i didn''t expect that the youth you reported to me once has grown to this extent."


    "it''s a pity, such an excellent young man did not join our church."


    ...


    when rein rode back to his new residence on his tall, black warhorse, the first to greet him was the greyhound ''cookie.''


    since rein had entrusted his sister bo he with cookie''s care before leaving, and after a month of adding a few drops of mutant growth potion to its meals three times a day, cookie''s physique had grown significantly beyond that of an average greyhound.


    moreover, rein keenly noticed that cookie''s body had begun to change from a slender dog, with muscles clearly bulging out, moving further away from the greyhound''s characteristic slim figure, seemingly beginning some kind of mutant growth.


    not bad!


    rein nodded slightly. although the bulking up might lead to a decrease in speed, he could accept this kind of mutation.


    if it had mutated like the ''king of dogs'' ''colt,'' acquiring an ability like ''rapid breeding,'' that would have been problematic for him.


    seeing that cookie, who had been playing with her, suddenly dashed away, bo he was taken aback, only to then look up and call out with a joyous expression, "brother, brother''s back!"


    rein dismounted, picked up his sister bo he, and lovingly ruffled her hair with a smile.


    soon, the news of rein''s return spread throughout the new manor.


    in a moment, the beautiful matron jennifer also briskly walked out from a villa within the estate.


    however, when she saw rein exchanging pleasantries with family, the matron could only hold back her desire to rush into rein''s arms, and instead, she watched them with a beaming smile.


    it didn''t take long for rein to notice his mother, who had a subtle worry on her beautiful face.


    rein said to his parents, emma and old rein, "father, mother, i have something i need to discuss with baroness crowley."


    "hmm, go ahead," his mother emma agreed without suspicion, nodding readily. s~ea??h the n??efire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    during the time rein was away, baroness crowley got along very well with her, and to emma, it seemed that the ladies of noble families were not as difficult to get along with as she had imagined.


    especially this stunningly beautiful baroness, although only a few years younger than her, the two together looked like they were from two different generations.


    her husband barely dared to lift his head whenever he saw the beautiful matron, immediately turning red at the sight of her.


    this made emma somewhat envious of the baroness''s natural beauty.


    watching the tall rein and the elegant matron leave, emma couldn''t shake the feeling that ''these two make a good pair.''


    but soon, emma shook her head, casting this ridiculous idea out of her mind.


    it would have made more sense if miss jenny had become rein''s wife.


    this arresting baroness, as beautiful as she was, was a widow, plus she was ultimately too old. read new chapters at empire


    rein and the beautiful matron quickly made their way to the study on the second floor.


    the matron locked the door, and the smile she had held in front of others could no longer be sustained; with a troubled face, she handed rein something that looked like an invitation card, saying worriedly, "darling, this is baron norman''s letter of challenge for a duel to the death."


    in private, the beautiful matron now addressed rein as ''darling.''


    rein smiled, said nothing, took the letter of challenge, and casually opened it to read:


    "baron rein: given that the dishonor you brought upon the norman family can only be cleansed with blood, please make certain to accept the challenge to defend the honor of a knight in a duel in the county town arena on the second sunday of the month of white snow, until one of us falls, after which all grievances shall be considered null and void!"

 Chapter 191 Undercurrents Surge (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    rein burst into incredulous laughter on the spot when he saw such a shameless challenge letter."god damn the insult to the norman family!"


    "it''s your norman family''s repeated assassination attempts on me that have led to the current situation!"


    however, rein soon realized that this was a strategy on the opponent''s part.


    "start with a verbal attack, garnering people''s sympathy, with the main idea being that i, a newly-minted baron, have insulted the norman family. otherwise, why would i challenge you to a duel?"


    as for evidence?


    of course, there''s none. that''s how the nobility operates...


    however, seeing the worried expression on the beautiful woman''s face beside him, rein gently smiled, stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her tender and graceful body, and comforted her:


    "jennifer, don''t worry. perhaps the situation isn''t as bad as you imagine."


    after thinking for a while, to comfort the beautiful woman, rein took out the silver conch medal that bishop shion had just awarded him and handed it to her.


    the woman''s beautiful eyes first looked at rein with confusion, but when she took the medal and saw it, she quickly understood and exclaimed, "is this the silver conch medal of the monsoon and ocean goddess church?"


    "exactly!"


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    "this is very difficult to be awarded. many people dedicate their entire lives to the goddess church and don''t even get the iron shell medal. my dear, how did you get this medal...?" the beautiful woman turned her head and curiously asked.


    rein didn''t answer directly but asked with a smile, "do you know about the wilderness brotherhood?"


    the woman nodded affirmatively, "of course, they are infamous throughout meister county. some time ago, shops under the crowley family were also disturbed by gang members instigated by them. i remember it took a lot of effort for me to put things right."


    "hmm, do you know who their leader is?" rein continued to ask.


    "it seems to be someone nicknamed ''beast knight giovanni,'' with incredible strength. it''s said that apart from the great knights whom he is slightly wary of, he doesn''t even take peak knights seriously," the woman answered promptly despite not understanding why rein suddenly mentioned the wilderness brotherhood and giovanni.


    "very well, whom do you think is stronger, giovanni or this baron norman at present?" rein posed another question.


    "that... about the same? they both are said to have combat strength very close to that of a great knight, but maybe giovanni is a little stronger," she contemplated and then replied.


    "hmm, remember you were wondering why the goddess church would award me with this silver conch medal?"


    "because i killed giovanni!" rein smiled, looking at the beautiful woman as he revealed the answer.


    instantly, the woman''s eyes widened in shock, her cherry lips parted wide enough to fit an egg.


    "this... this..." the woman struggled to articulate her thoughts.


    obviously, saying "this is impossible!" would be inappropriate, and saying "how could this be possible?" would be doubting rein, so naturally, she didn''t voice these thoughts.


    what the woman didn''t realize was that her man had grown so powerful.


    no! what was most terrifying was the rate of his strength increase!


    to think that rein had only just become a formal knight a few months ago!


    my god! this was completely unbelievable!


    soon, the woman understood why rein had gone around in such a big circle. s~ea??h the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    because her worries vanished in an instant, the woman''s previously anxious face quickly faded away, her fair skin beginning to glow radiantly, and her seductive, silky eyes looked at rein with deep affection mixed with admiration.


    being gazed at so intently by the beautiful woman, rein also felt a surge of masculine pride swell in his heart.


    although dinner time was approaching, the two, impassioned as dry tinder to flame, quickly got into action.


    rein gently picked up the woman and placed her in front of the study window for her to gaze out, while he lifted her skirt, revealing her fair, rounded...


    concerned about servants coming to call them for dinner and any other potential disturbances at any moment, this only increased the level of excitement quite a bit.


    the woman, suppressing her breaths, quickly succumbed...


    moving into a sage-like state of mind, rein began to contemplate serious matters.


    because if a man''s mind is only filled with thoughts of women, revolving everything around them, sorry, but that will only slow down the speed at which a man draws his sword.


    rein had long since realized this, so these things were merely diversions from his monotonous training, or rather, a way for him to feel joyously content before throwing himself back into training and battle with an even better disposition.


    reviewing the prerequisites for advancing his [weapon master (legendary)] profession panel, rein found that aside from the first one��three extraordinary battle techniques at level 10��the thing likely holding him back was a beast essence.


    as for extraordinary battle techniques at level 10, it was mainly about obtaining enough skill points through raising the profession level. however, for the beast essence, it seemed he knew only one way to get it.


    that was through the county town''s military supplies office.


    yet, rein had just thought of a problem. his dueling opponent, baron norman, was a retired imperial navy officer. if rein were to go to the military supplies office himself, it would likely be that news would reach norman''s ears fast and create obstacles for him, or for obtaining the beast essence.


    after some thought, rein looked down and asked:


    "by the way, jennifer, do you know about beast essence potions?"


    "the beast essence needed for a knight to become a great knight?" the woman, nestled in rein''s arms, spoke in a languid, post-rain tone.

 Chapter 191 Undercurrents Surge (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    "yes, what is the fastest way to obtain this? oh, and if raw materials are needed, i still have two beast hearts," rein added.hearing this, jennifer, who had been lying down, lifted her head, blinked her beautiful eyes, and wore a look of surprise, seemingly unable to believe the man''s words before her.


    although she was not a knight, as the ruler of the crowley family, she naturally knew such common knowledge.


    the implication in rein''s words was very clear��he needed the essence of the beast.


    this meant that the man before her, no, the ''great'' man, was about to challenge the level of a great knight.


    but it was currently the snow moon, and jennifer knew from emma that rein had just turned sixteen.


    was he about to become a great knight?


    my god!


    a sixteen-year-old great knight, could there be such an astonishing occurrence in mingster county town!


    this time, jennifer did not even ask rein if he was confident about ascending to the great knight rank; instead, she assumed that her young man surely was.


    wait, also, did rein just say he had two ready beast hearts in his possession?


    jennifer felt overwhelmed!


    calming her excitement, for the sake of her young man''s significant affair, jennifer pondered seriously and said softly:


    "there are three ways, but which is most suitable, i''m not certain."


    "moreover, this involves safety issues, so ultimately, you''ll need to decide."


    jennifer said this while pointing gently at rein''s chest with her fair fingers.


    "in the entire meister county, there are only two master pharmacists, and one is not adept at creating magic potions from beast essences. so, in reality, there is only one master pharmacist in the county town who can make the ''beast essence,'' and that is master holland."


    "however, the problem is, compared to the masters at the royal alchemist association, master holland''s success rate, whether in terms of potion efficacy or manufacturing success, leaves much to be desired."


    "if it were low or intermediate level magic potions, it would still be fine; but the beast essence is a high-level magic potion, and i''m afraid the success rate is worrying.... yet, this should be the fastest method. normally, if master holland agrees, he could complete the beast essence in three days."


    "of course, what you might receive in three days could also be a failure."


    "secondly, it would be through the yakesen auction house, an enormous auction house spanning the entire empire, reportedly backed by one of the empire''s most significant figures."


    "perhaps other auction houses might not have access to a beast essence, but the yakesen auction house likely can, though at a very high price. however, timing isn''t definite; it could be very quick, or it might take a month."


    "lastly, it would be through official imperial channels." s��arch* the n?vel(f)ire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "dear, as an imperial public servant now endowed with the rank of baron, you can directly order beast essence, of course, providing beast hearts can greatly reduce the price, but this method is the slowest, requiring at least a month."


    hearing jennifer''s profound knowledge of various secrets gave rein a delighted surprise, as if he had serendipitously discovered a treasure.


    to think that aside from her stunning beauty, the lady was not just a decorative vase; she was vastly knowledgeable about nobility secrets, business intelligence, and more.


    her just-completed item-by-item analysis was extremely helpful to him.


    "oh, jennifer, one more thing, can you send someone to contact the sheriff of flashgold town, hamilton, and tell him i invite him to discuss a matter," rein said.


    "mm," the beautiful woman replied, lying against rein''s chest obediently.


    feeling quite pleased, rein felt it necessary to reward the beautiful woman further, and thus, it was not until a servant came to report that dinner was ready, half an hour later, that the two concluded their deep interaction.


    the dazzling beauty tidied her disheveled hair, restoring her dignified matronly appearance, and they exited the study one after the other.


    it must be said, the beautiful woman''s efficiency was exceptional; shortly after dinner, rein saw hamilton, who had just arrived, in the study.


    upon seeing rein, hamilton grabbed him immediately and said gravely, "do you know about the deadly duel baron norman has challenged you to?"


    rein nodded, his face inevitably carrying a wry smile.


    he then repeated part of what he had discussed with jennifer to hamilton.


    though hamilton had mentally prepared himself to estimate rein''s combat ability as highly as possible, what rein had just shared still utterly astounded him!


    after examining rein from top to bottom, the person he knew best, yet felt so unfamiliar, hamilton asked, "rein, did you really kill giovanni solo?"


    although rein had already explained clearly, and the silver conch medal from the goddess church was definitely authentic, hamilton was still hard-pressed to believe that his former subordinate, his lieutenant, had reached such heights. your next read is at empire


    such heights... that he had to look up to!


    seeing rein nod, hamilton sighed.


    however, hamilton quickly adjusted his mindset and said, "but, rein, you still can''t be careless; baron norman has rich combat experience, and his combat ability is not inferior to giovanni''s."


    "i understand," rein nodded and said.


    "by the way, rein, you called me here for what?" hamilton asked.


    "sir, i wanted to ask about anything particular i should pay attention to in the process of transitioning from knight to great knight," rein asked.

 Chapter 191 Undercurrents Surge (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    "hm? you''ve already gotten to this extent?" hamilton''s eyes instantly lit up as he looked piercingly at rein."should be soon," rein nodded.


    hamilton appeared contemplative but did not immediately answer rein''s question. after a while, he finally spoke:


    "the biggest difference between a great knight and a knight lies in..."


    -----------------


    in the study of the baron norman''s mansion.


    baron alonso''s butler michel was paying a visit to baron norman.


    "lord baron, i bring greetings from baron alonso, and first of all, congratulations on your strength restoration to its peak," michel began.


    "thank alonso for me," norman replied with reserved pride, feeling a touch of displeasure in his heart.


    if before, he needed to show some respect to the butler of the earl''s eldest son, alonso, now that he had restored his strength and might soon become a great knight, that was no longer the case.


    he thought that even if alonso himself had come to congratulate him, it would be fitting, given his successful recovery through the secret potion. however, this time, like always, they had merely sent a butler over.


    although michel wasn''t strong, having been immersed in noble society for so many years, he could guess a bit of baron norman''s true feelings from his attitude and expressions. after silently mocking in his heart, he said with a smile:


    "lord baron, i have some news that i believe you''ll find interesting. it concerns your upcoming duel with rein."


    "oh?" baron norman raised an eyebrow, giving michel a casual glance, not very concerned.


    because as far as baron norman was concerned, his current strength allowed him to completely disregard any news about rein. s��arch* the nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    still, since michel mentioned it, he might as well listen.


    "today, outside the county town, rein single-handedly killed the leader of the wilderness brotherhood, the ''beast knight'' giovanni!" michel announced gravely, delivering shocking news.


    "what!" baron norman''s originally calm face suddenly turned to one of astonishment, and he stared at michel with intense eyes, involuntarily exclaiming.


    indeed! a smile crept at the corner of michel''s mouth.


    that''s what you get for pretending!


    shocked, aren''t you!


    thinking you''re all that just because your power has been restored!


    you''re merely a longsword in the hands of lord baron alonso, and what we are doing is simply making this longsword sharper.


    "absolutely true. our men witnessed it with their own eyes!" michel suppressed the smile on his lips and spoke solemnly.


    baron norman was no stranger to weathering storms; aside from his initial lapse, he quickly regained his composure.


    he didn''t speak for a long moment, instead frowning in thought.


    beast knight giovanni was not only familiar to baron norman, but a long time ago, due to a matter involving a family caravan, they had even crossed swords.


    at that time, norman had not been injured and was at his peak, but he still found himself slightly inferior in the fight, though giovanni, wary of his strength, had retreated on his own.


    so, even with his strength now restored to its peak, norman did not dare claim he could defeat giovanni.


    yet rein had already done so.


    this sent norman''s mood plummeting from the crest of a wave down to the trough.


    he had thought that the upcoming bloody duel in a week''s time was a done deal!


    rein, no matter how talented, if i don''t give you the chance to grow and nip you in the bud early, wouldn''t that solve the problem?


    but now, it seemed he had misjudged; rein''s growth rate was simply too astonishing!


    this level of talent, even if placed in the provincial city of mingster, would be quite explosive.


    it took a while, but finally butler michel spoke with a beaming smile, "lord alonso means that whatever you need from us, just ask. our goals are aligned; we all want you to emerge victorious in the bloody duel next week."


    norman nodded his head.


    it seemed from this.


    his original plan had to be advanced.


    originally, his idea was to kill rein in the bloody duel and then, riding on the momentum of victory, take the ''giant beast essence'' potion and strive to break through to become a great knight in one fell swoop.


    for someone his age, this was likely the greatest opportunity to break through to the rank of great knight.


    if he failed this time, there would be no secret potions left to restore him to his peak strength.


    but facing rein, who could already kill giovanni, it seemed the only way to achieve victory was for him to break through and become a great knight!


    although two days ago, he had already placed an order through his special channels for a bottle of giant beast essence, at the very least, it would take half a month to be delivered to meister.


    there just wasn''t enough time.


    after considering, baron norman spoke up, "i need a bottle of giant beast essence, and the sooner the better! at the latest, it must be delivered the day before the bloody duel, can you manage it?"


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    "what!" michel''s face showed shock; he immediately understood baron norman''s intention��the other party wanted to challenge the great knight realm in advance.


    if successful, he could simply crush rein in the bloody duel to claim victory.


    truly worthy of being an elite from the imperial navy, tsk tsk, he underestimated the man; such courage, risking his life for victory!


    "alright, i will inform baron alonso immediately. though it will be difficult, i believe lord alonso will find a way."


    "there is no time to waste, baron norman, i must take my leave now." knowing the gravity of the situation, michel chose to leave immediately.


    ...


    when michel arrived at baron alonso''s study and relayed the details of the meeting, alonso pondered and said:


    "there should still be a giant beast heart in the family treasury. i will request it from lord father immediately, and then, michel, you take it to master holland."


    "also, contact the yakesen auction house for me and inquire whether they have any giant beast essence. no matter the cost, we must secure it."


    "yes, respected baron!"


    ...


    -----------------


    late at night, in fishing port town of meister county.


    bright moonlight scattered across the sea, sparkling on the waves.


    a small boat ''swooshed'' onto the sand.


    seven or eight fully armed men quickly disembarked the boat, scanning the surroundings. following that, a squad leader-looking man whispered, "general parix, all clear! you may disembark."


    no sooner had the squad leader finished speaking than a gleaming suit of plate armor stepped out of the boat''s cabin, crushing a hermit crab into a pulp under his boot on the sandy beach.


    looking up the shining armor, a burly man in half-plate was seen exiting the cabin.


    after surveying his surroundings, he asked, "have you made contact with our liaison in meister, magis?"


    "where are the people coming to meet us?"


    "that fool andre, to be wiped out in one fell swoop, such an embarrassment! now i have to come and clean up his mess..."


    it appeared that general parix was quite dissatisfied with being sent by the rebel faction to oversee the overall operations in meister county!

 Chapter 362 192nd Chapter: Rapid Improvement (Combined Double Chapter)

    facing the stream of curses from brigadier general parix, not a single one of the sturdy men around him dared to speak up or join the conversation. each of them kept their gaze straight, surveying their surroundings with the utmost focus, as if they were all absorbed in their sentry duties.this bored brigadier general parix considerably.


    "who?" a burly man asked in a low voice, his eyes blazing as he stared at the pitch-black coast.


    soon, a gaunt man clad in leather armor appeared and, upon seeing parix, bowed respectfully and said, "brigadier general, i have been sent by lord magis to assist you."


    "since our original station has been destroyed, this time lord magis has helped us find a new base. it is still in the wild wolf hills, but the location has been changed. it''s now at the former encampment of the wild wolf bandits."


    "their main force was just annihilated today, and reliable information indicates that it was by the same person who destroyed our base."


    "hmm? go on, tell me more," said brigadier general parix, showing interest as he looked at the gaunt man.


    before he came here, he had already received magis''s assessment of the entire situation in meist county, and specifically, the intelligence had pointed out the prime suspect for the destruction of their base��a newly minted baron named rein.


    in magis''s view, if they wanted to raise the banner of the zaral rebellion again in meist county, this rein was the perfect figurehead.


    however, in brigadier general parix''s eyes, his mission in meist was much more important, and he had considerable doubts about magis''s suggestion.


    the aforementioned rein was merely a ''small pebble'' that could easily be crushed underfoot.


    magis, pah, just a high-ranking spy, with far too narrow a perspective!


    "this... brigadier general, i only heard the news. it is said that rein faced down and killed the leader of the wild brotherhood, giovanni, and a group of wild wolf bandits outside meist county city," the leather-armored man explained.


    "hmm? this rein again?"


    "that... what, the wild brotherhood? the leader? is he very strong?" parix asked, puzzled.


    "er... an enigmatic organization local to meist, and the strength of its leader giovanni is only slightly less than that of a great knight," the leather-armored man went on to explain.


    "only slightly less than a great knight? so, this giovanni isn''t a great knight?"


    "er... you are correct, brigadier general."


    "heh, and how long did it take this rein to kill this so-called leader?"


    "they were evenly matched, and the battle lasted for quite some time."


    "heh, next time don''t bother reporting such trivialities. what you need to focus on are individuals in meist with the strength of great knights, got it?" parix said with disdainful laughter.


    "er... yes, brigadier general!"


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    -----------------


    inside the study of rein''s new residence in meist county city.


    the conversation between rein and hamilton was still ongoing.


    "the biggest difference between a great knight and a knight lies in the body''s secondary evolution and the use of primal force."


    "during the knight phase, as our training deepens, generally, when we reach the status of a peak knight, primal force begins to develop within our bodies. however, at that stage, we are still unable to control it at will."


    hmm?


    hearing this, rein became somewhat perplexed.


    he was already capable of controlling it at will, so hamilton''s statement seemed slightly off.


    nevertheless, rein chose not to interrupt him and continued to listen. find adventures on empire


    hamilton went on:


    "the reason why a great knight''s combat power can crush that of a knight is key; a great knight can summon primal force to cover the body and weapon, thereby greatly enhancing both offensive and defensive power."


    after listening to hamilton''s explanation, rein''s confusion didn''t lessen but instead increased.


    after some thought, rein asked:


    "lord hamilton, are there any who can control that bit of primal force at will during the knight phase?"


    "yes, this generally only occurs among those with exceptional will or conviction, such as a peak knight completely devoted to the longsword, who might be able to control that bit of primal force in battle."


    "at the knight phase, those who can exert extraordinary combat power with a longsword are referred to as swordmasters. a swordmaster possesses killing power comparable to a great knight''s, but there is a vast disparity in terms of defensive power."


    ah, that makes sense!


    hamilton''s words were now largely in agreement with those of master ganther, and the system''s job-change prompt also corroborated this.


    comparable to the killing power of a great knight, huh?


    recalling the scenes of his own conquests over the sea serpent and the scale-bearded iron turtle, rein indeed felt that with conviction and primal force-imbued greatsword, it seemed capable of slicing through anything.


    "lord, you just mentioned a great knight can wield primal force on their longsword in battle. how does that differ from a swordmaster?" rein asked again.


    rein had his own guesses on this matter and was inquiring hamilton to confirm his thoughts.


    hamilton shook his head before replying, "it''s different, you can consider a swordmaster as the most special among great knights."


    "their longswords are not just infused with primal force but also their convictions. it''s a peculiar combination of conviction and primal force, possessing exceptionally lethal force!"


    as expected, rein nodded slightly; this matched what he had surmised earlier.


    now, he had one last question: "lord, regarding the high-grade magic potion essence from those giant beasts, are there any transcendent distinctions or anything else that should be noted?"

 Chapter 192 Rapid Improvement (Double Chapter Combined)_2

    You should know that advancing magic potions have quite a few intricacies.Upon hearing this question, Hamilton smiled and said,


    "That''s a good question. Actually, even before the emergence of high-tier magic potions like the Behemoth Essence, it was not impossible to advance from a knight to a Great Knight, just extremely rare, almost one in a hundred!"


    "If one forcibly breaks through and fails, the consequences are either death or severe injury."


    "However, with the aid of high-tier magic potions like the Behemoth Essence, the success rate has increased significantly, almost to one in ten, and the side effects of a failed breakthrough have relatively reduced a lot."


    "In this aspect, the Behemoth Essence is different from other advancing magic potions; as a high-tier magic potion, its primary function is to provide your body with enough energy for higher-level evolution."


    "The essence of the second evolution is to strengthen your existing transcendent traits and gradually root them in your bloodline. This process does not create new transcendent traits."


    Rein suddenly understood. That''s why the magic potions for officially advancing to knight were so precious!


    "So, to assess the quality of a Behemoth Essence, the main criteria is the amount of special evolutionary substance it contains, right?" Rein thought for a moment and then concluded.


    Hamilton looked at Rein with approval and said, "Exactly! But the more powerful the behemoth, the more evolutionary substance can be extracted from its heart." sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "However, in reality, Rein, the most critical or the most difficult part of advancing to a Great Knight lies in the control over one''s own body with a transcendent will; otherwise, promotion is bound to fail."


    Rein nodded in agreement.


    Then, he remembered that whether he was advancing to a Great Knight or a Weapon Master, the system''s description for Behemoth Essence was not specific��it just needed to be available.


    That means, as long as he has the Behemoth Essence, he can inevitably advance to a Great Knight, regardless of the quality of the Behemoth Essence.


    This is truly the greatest benefit!


    Having it equals success!


    "My lord, there''s something I need to ask your help with contacting Colonel Connor. I have a beast heart here and would like to request the military or the masters from the Royal Alchemist Association to help me craft a bottle of Behemoth Essence."


    As Rein spoke, he handed the box containing the behemoth heart from a nearshore Plesiosaur to Hamilton.


    "Hmm? You have a behemoth heart?" Hamilton showed a surprised expression again, but quickly regained his composure, as it was not surprising Rein had obtained one since he had even killed Giovanni.


    "Yes, I acquired one during my recent visit to Rossby County." Rein said with a smile.


    "Good! I''ll contact Connor as soon as possible." Hamilton quickly agreed without hesitation.


    ...


    Just about to leave, Hamilton suddenly stopped, turned around, and said, "Rein, there''s one thing... never mind, I''ll tell you after your duel."


    -----------------


    Meanwhile.


    In a lavish mansion in Meist County City, within a dim underground hall.


    Black Flame Priest Maral, sweating profusely, reported, "High Priest, it''s bad news. Lord Giovanni''s mission has failed, and he was killed on the spot by Rein!"


    "What, Giovanni is dead?" The fat high priest suddenly stood up from his large chair and immediately asked back.


    "Yes, my lord!" Maral answered with his head bowed.


    This was the first time he had seen such a loss of composure from the high priest, who began pacing slowly in the underground hall while muttering,


    "How could this be possible? With Giovanni''s speed... even if he couldn''t win, he should have been able to escape smoothly!"


    "High Priest, there is another piece of news..." Maral''s face soured as he spoke, knowing revealing it might further infuriate the high priest, but he still chose to say it.


    "Hmm?" The high priest stopped and looked at Maral suspiciously, as if questioning, ''Could there be worse news than Giovanni''s death?''


    "Umm... after killing Lord Giovanni, Rein sent his corpse directly to the temple of the Goddess of Monsoons and Oceans..." Maral''s voice trailed off more lightly.


    Because the high priest''s pale face suddenly flushed.


    Maral knew this was not a good sign; it was an indication of the high priest''s extreme anger!


    "Boom!"


    The high priest, with a ferocious look, extended his dry, thin arms and blasted a large clump of black flame onto the floor of the underground hall, creating a large hole.


    "Damn"


    "This Rein, I must have him killed!!"


    This black flame blast was so powerful, several times stronger than that of ordinary Black Flame Priests, it so frightened Maral that he almost jumped, worried that the high priest might vent his anger on him. Maral quickly said:


    "High Priest, perhaps we won''t need to act ourselves to achieve the goal of killing Rein."


    "Because there''s a rumor bubbling among the nobility of Meist County that Baron Norman is set to have a bloody duel with Rein next Sunday at the county''s dueling ground."


    "Oh? Is that so?" Experience exclusive tales on empire


    "Yes, my lord." Maral wiped the sweat from his forehead, relieved to see the high priest''s mood had improved.


    "Is that the retired imperial naval officer Norman?" It seemed he was recalling something; the high priest continued to inquire.


    "Exactly, that''s him."

 Chapter 192 Rapid Improvement (Double Chapter Combined)_3

    ```"I remember, wasn''t he gravely injured by a sneak attack, which greatly reduced his strength? His current strength should still be inferior to Giovanni''s, right? This doomed duel, isn''t it just going to inflate Rein''s arrogance further?" the High Priest said with an unpleasant tone.


    "That''s true, but news from Baron Alonso''s side states that Baron Norman''s strength has already been restored to its peak by a magic potion, and he is now trying to break through to become a Great Knight before the bloody duel."


    "Once he steps into the realm of the Great Knight, I believe the duel will be Rein''s last battle."


    "I see." The obese High Priest nodded, seemingly in a much better mood.


    He paced back to the chair in the center of the hall and said:


    "Lamar, since Giovanni has returned to the embrace of the God of Hunting, you will be in charge of contacting the Wilderness Brotherhood."


    "This... High Priest, just moments ago, the Wilderness Brotherhood''s headquarters in the County Town was destroyed by the Seasonal Winds and the Sea Goddess Church," Lamar wiped sweat beads from his forehead and said.


    "What?" The High Priest felt as if his mood was on a roller coaster upon hearing the report, suddenly engulfed by a sense of irritation with no outlet, and his gaze at Lamar turned quite unfriendly.


    "This is also because of Rein, isn''t it?" He quickly recalled what Lamar had just mentioned about Rein handing Giovanni''s body over to the Goddess Church, and he asked in response.


    "Yes, High Priest."


    Lamar nodded and slyly suggested:


    "Otherwise, why don''t we gather some men in the next two nights and launch a night raid on Rein''s new residence in the noble district? I believe even if he survives, his entire family will surely perish."


    "No, that''s not good!" the High Priest immediately shook his obese head.


    He wasn''t foolish enough to risk the entire Black Flame Church just to avenge Giovanni, openly making a move within the County Town would only make the Black Flame Church an immediate target of both the Empire and the Goddess Church.


    This would only end up benefiting other powers such as the Sea God Sect.


    "No hurry, isn''t Rein going to take a position in Fishing Port Town? Since that''s the case, let the Sea God Sect deal with him," the High Priest said calmly after a long while, shrinking his obese body into the chair.


    ...


    -----------------


    The next day, the beautiful Baroness Crowley was up early and left by carriage.


    For Jennifer, today was a busier day.


    Following Rein''s instructions, the first thing she would do is to rush to the blacksmith shop and arrange to quietly purchase chromium iron ingots on the market, as well as acquiring cold iron ingots or cold iron ore through multiple channels.


    Later, she would go to Yakesen Auction House to inquire about purchasing the essence of a giant beast.


    As agreed upon the previous night, if the high-level magic potion ''Beast Essence'' could be purchased within a week, even if the cost was high, she would choose to buy a bottle at a premium price.


    However, if the delivery was after the duel, then there was no need for it.


    Last, she needed to make a trip to Master Holland the potion master.


    At her feet at the moment was a delicate wooden box, which contained a giant beast''s heart from Rein, also the most important raw material for the high-level magic potion ''Beast Essence''.


    After waking up, Rein didn''t head straight to the blacksmith shop to raise his Profession Level but instead rode in a carriage that had been arranged early on to Earl Habs Mansion.


    Since he already had an agreement with the Earl, the first thing Rein needed to do after returning to the County Town was naturally to report to the Earl.


    Soon, the carriage smoothly arrived at the gates of Earl Habs Mansion, and led by the butler, Rein quickly found himself in the luxurious study, face to face with Earl Habbs.


    The Earl''s pepper-and-salt hair was still impeccably combed, and he was dressed in a noble hunting outfit with grey and gold trim, looking very gentlemanly. On the chest of the hunting outfit was a pattern of the Calybird, woven with gold thread.


    It was clear that Earl Habbs placed great importance on family honor.


    "Earl, good day!" Rein bowed respectfully. Continue reading on empire


    When Earl Habbs saw Rein enter, he put down his pen, lifted his head, and warmly sized up Rein, saying, "Rein, it seems your training has had good results."


    "It has indeed been quite beneficial, I''ve learned a lot during my training," Rein replied with a smile.


    "Very good, young people should have this kind of upward momentum. Actually, I was counting on your return and was about to send someone to find you."


    "Tell me, Rein, what is your view on the matter of Baron Norman challenging you to a duel?"


    "While I can''t cancel it, I could still assign you official duties for a period."


    Rein was inwardly moved as he could tell that the Earl leaned slightly in his favor.


    But there was no need!


    Moreover, against a Norman family that had been sending assassins after him, Rein naturally wanted to eradicate them completely.


    In normal circumstances, Rein had no good solution to the continuous assassination attempts, but this time the other party had proposed a bloody duel, which, from a certain angle, suited Rein''s desires.


    Because he had learned from Jennifer that Baron Norman was the backbone of the Norman family, and once the backbone was broken, the family''s fate was predictable. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein shook his head and said, "Earl, I also desire to confront Baron Norman to see how much progress I have truly made."

 Chapter 192 Rapid Improvement (Double Chapter Combined)_4

    Hearing Rein''s refusal, Count Habs helplessly shook his head and said, "Very well! Then, in accordance with the glorious traditions of the Empire, the two of you will resolve your grudges in the dueling arena.""Is the time set for next Sunday? Today is also Sunday. Seven days later, I will personally attend."


    "During these seven days, you prepare well for the duel, and as for Fishing Port Town, I will arrange for others to handle it first. Everything else can wait until after the duel is over."


    "Thank you, my lord!" Rein bowed slightly to express his gratitude.


    ...


    Continue reading at empire


    One hour later.


    Rein arrived at the Crowley family blacksmith shop.


    In a separate smelting room, there was already a good amount of clay and a large stack of chrome iron ingots, while there were only four or five ice iron ingots. However, there was no immediate need for the ice iron, so Rein was not in a hurry.


    Because he had previously attempted to continue making the Cavalry''s breastplate when he was promoted to Armor Caster, and only gained 5 Professional Experience Points for Armor Casting, Rein now planned to try making parts of the chrome iron set.


    With an integrated molding approach, the chrome iron set''s breastplate was a layered, exquisite chest armor, whose crafting was far more complicated than the previous Cavalry chestplate and naturally was not Rein''s first choice.


    This time, Rein chose to make the chrome iron greaves, which included the lower leg part and was made of two chrome iron plates hinged together.


    That is to say, relying on the witchcraft "Scorching Touch," Rein could imitate the forging process of the Cavalry chestplate and, in a short time, quickly make the chrome iron greaves.


    This also meant that he could quickly gain a considerable amount of Armor Casting Professional Experience.


    At this moment, seven or eight chrome iron ingots glowed red-hot within the blacksmith''s furnace.


    And Rein raised his hand, quietly chanting the incantation for the witchcraft "Scorching Touch."


    Soon, a rich crimson glow began to appear in front of Rein''s palm. For a time, the surrounding stray particles of fire energy quickly gathered in front of his palm.


    With the continuous output of his spiritual power, the flames in the forge suddenly leaped up significantly!


    And the seven or eight ingots began to redden and soften at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning into molten iron within minutes.


    Immediately, Rein opened a small gate on the blacksmith''s furnace and poured the scorching chrome iron liquid into the clay molds he had prepared in advance.


    After cooling down, Rein took two shin armor pieces out of the clay molds and picked up a blacksmith''s hammer to start hammering.


    Due to the improvement in Strength, Agility, and Constitution, Rein found it much easier to work than before, and soon, he joined the front and back chrome iron parts together to form a complete piece of greave. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, a system prompt appeared:


    [You have carried out the forging of the chrome iron greaves, and your comprehension has improved!]


    [You have understood a new Skill �� Greave Forging]


    [Your Skill in Greave Forging has improved, Experience +24]


    [You focus on the forging of chrome iron greaves, Armor Caster Profession Experience Points +28]


    ...


    Rein was thrilled by what he saw!


    Just as he had expected.


    After choosing the chrome iron set from "Crowley''s Armor Casting Manual Volume One," which was one level higher than the Cavalry chestplate, the experience gained as an Armor Caster increased substantially.


    In addition, Rein sensed an inexplicable intuition about the current success rate of armor casting.


    This must be the effect of ''Armor Casting Specialization lv1'', which slightly increased his success rate in forging armor.


    After some thought, Rein quickly asked the people in the blacksmith shop to help him make about ten pairs of matching clay molds (left and right greaves).


    Then, Rein began to cast "Scorching Touch" repeatedly, entering a continuous cycle of melting and forging!


    And the system prompts nearly spammed the screen.


    ...


    Throughout the day, aside from returning home for meal times, Rein spent all his time at the blacksmith shop.


    Although it was exhausting, the rewards were significant; within one day, Rein''s Profession Level as an Armor Caster had risen from lv1 to lv2.


    And as a result, Rein received one attribute point and one Skill Point as a level-up reward.


    After dinner, the beautiful matron who had been busy outside nearly all day came to the blacksmith shop to find Rein.


    "Jennifer, by the look on your face, it seems things haven''t gone very smoothly?" Rein, who was in the midst of forging greaves, looked up and noticed the discontent on the beautiful woman''s face.


    ""Hmm, there''s a bottle of ready-made beast essence at the Yakesen Auction House, but the person in charge, Lenon, said that it was just reserved by someone yesterday."


    "I negotiated for half a day, and even with a 30% surcharge, I couldn''t secure it." The beautiful lady spoke, her spirits slightly dampened.


    "Oh?" A thought flashed through Rein''s mind, and he already had an idea of who the reserver might be, likely not Norman, but Alonso.


    However, that didn''t matter.


    "What about Master Holland?" Rein asked.


    "He did agree to take on the work, but Master Holland received a batch of urgent orders yesterday and said he wouldn''t have time to craft for us until after half a month," the beautiful lady said helplessly.


    "I see, no problem, let''s continue to have Master Holland do the work." Rein thought for a moment, and then said.


    "Hmm?" Jennifer''s beautiful eyes showed a hint of surprise as she looked at Rein.


    She had thought Rein would choose to give up since this timeline couldn''t meet the blood duel by a whole week.


    "Don''t worry, I have a plan!" Rein said with a smile.


    Rein had anticipated this situation the day before.


    After learning from Hamilton that the combat power of a Sword Master was comparable to that of a Great Knight, Rein had made his plans.


    If, for instance, he were to raise his Giant Bear Sword Technique and the Tokkal Hammer Technique both to lv10, his strength would not only surpass that of a Sword Master, perhaps the term ''provisional Great Sword Master'' would be more apt.


    No, to be precise, ''provisional Weapon Master''.


    With the addition of the Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin lv3'' and the trump card ''healing with every attribute point addition,'' Rein felt that even if Norman became a Great Knight, he still had faith in himself to defeat him!


    It wasn''t overconfidence, but rather, from his encounter with Giovanni, whose transformed strength was comparable to a Great Knight and who was still defeated by him, it was evident.


    -----------------


    "What? Are you saying Rein spent the whole day at the blacksmith shop?" Alonso was astonished when he heard this news.


    "Yes, many people saw it, so it can''t be fake." The butler, Michel, didn''t understand either.


    "Thud, thud, thud!" A lean man dressed in leather armor entered promptly and reported:


    "Sir, you instructed me to keep a close watch on Baroness Crowley''s wife, and this morning, she just went to the Yakesen Auction House and stayed there for a long time. However, I have no idea what they discussed specifically."


    "Moreover, in the afternoon, she took a detour to Master Holland''s place."


    "Hmm?" Baron Alonso immediately turned his head to look at Michel by his side.


    After exchanging glances, both burst into laughter; Baron Alonso said, "Look, it turns out this Rein intentionally baffled us, while secretly having the Crowley family accomplish his true objective."


    "Michel, what do you think, what did Rein want to buy at the Yakesen Auction House?"


    Michel chuckled and replied, "If I''m not mistaken, it should be ''beast essence.''"


    "Exactly!"


    "Good thing you contacted the Yakesen Auction House ahead of time yesterday."


    "As for Master Holland, naturally, he can only attend to them after he''s done making the beast potion for us."


    The thought of having anticipated Rein''s plan made Alonso laugh heartily!


    And Michel too looked confident of victory.


    Because he had a hand in managing both affairs.


    -----------------


    On the third day, Rein''s Armor Casting Technique reached lv3.


    ...


    On the fifth day, it advanced to lv4!


    As a result, the remaining attribute points on the system panel reached 6, and the remaining Skill Points were 5.


    However, after his profession level as an armor caster reached lv4, the experience points from crafting chromium steel greaves began to plummet dramatically.


    Rein knew that he needed to switch to a higher-tiered Knight plate armor set if he wanted to continue advancing quickly.


    The snag was the quantity of ice iron ingots at hand seemed insufficient; he barely had over ten blocks, and coupled with the unsmelted ice iron ore, it doesn''t seem enough for Rein to raise his profession level as an armor caster to lv5.

 Chapter 193 The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)

    However, Rein thought about it and decided to try forging first.Because as he estimated, even if it was slightly off, it shouldn''t be too far off.


    When Rein opened "Crawley''s Armor Casting Technique Volume II," the design of the ice iron suit shone with a pale blue metallic luster and caught his eye.


    Rein also began to carefully examine it, choosing the part of the ice iron suit to forge,


    The ice iron suit, like the chromium iron suit, consisted of eight pieces.


    After some thought, Rein chose the ice iron shoulders because the design showed that the shoulders, resembling two arched covers, could be cast in one go.


    Unlike other suits'' shoulders, which had designs with multiple armor plates.


    Soon, Rein began smelting the ice iron ingots. Due to the extremely high flame resistance of the ice iron, the smelting temperature was exceptionally high, fortunately, Rein had the witchcraft "Scorching Touch" to assist, or else the blacksmith furnace alone would hardly suffice!


    Half an hour later, a system prompt appeared:


    [You have conducted forging work on the ice iron suit shoulders, insight improved!]


    [You have gained a new skill��Shoulder Forging]


    [Your skill ''Shoulder Forging'' has improved, Experience +24]


    [You focused on forging the ice iron suit shoulders, Armor Caster Professional Experience Points +138]


    ....


    Wow!


    Rein''s eyes brightened!


    The Experience reward is so generous!


    It seems that equipment crafted from rare ores is rated far higher by the system than those crafted from ordinary ores.


    At this rate, I do stand a chance to advance to lv5 Armor Caster before I run out of ice iron ingots and ore.


    Immediately, Rein got to work with full vigor.


    However, after over an hour, Rein quickly encountered another problem.


    That was, smelting ice iron required continuous assistance from witchcraft, and the spiritual power consumed during the process far exceeded that used in smelting regular iron ingots. More than an hour had nearly depleted Rein''s spiritual power.


    After some thought, Rein decided to add a point to his Spirit Attribute.


    This was because an increase in spiritual power would simultaneously increase the potency of his witchcraft, and adding points would restore him to his peak condition, meaning he could continue smelting at a faster pace.


    Finally, Rein considered that he was only two Will runes short of fulfilling the requirement to visualize twenty-four Will runes at once, which would allow him to step up to the rank of third-level Wizard Apprentice.


    As the remaining attribute points decreased from 6��5, his Spirit also increased from 25��26 points.


    Instantly, Rein felt exceptionally clear-headed; the recent fatigue from depleting his spiritual power vanished immediately!


    During the subsequent melting process, Rein found, as expected, that after adding the point, the power of the "Scorching Touch" witchcraft also slightly increased, making smelting the ice iron ingots even more efficient.


    Two hours later, seeing that his Profession Level as an Armor Caster had passed two-thirds, but his spiritual power was nearly exhausted again, Rein did not hesitate much before adding another point to his Spirit.


    As the remaining attribute points decreased from 5��4, his Spirit also increased from 26��27 points.


    Restored to his peak condition, he continued to work up a sweat!


    Half a day later, a system prompt sounded:


    [Congratulations! Your Profession Level as an Armor Caster has increased!]


    Rein''s Profession Level as an Armor Caster finally elevated to lv5, earning him additional rewards of one attribute point and one Skill Point.


    Thus, the remaining attribute points in the system panel increased to 5, and the remaining Skill Points reached 6.


    Rein looked at the 6 remaining Skill Points with a hint of excitement!


    Finally, I''ve saved up 6 points!


    Just by adding three points each to the Giant Bear Sword Technique and Tokkal Hammer Technique, I can instantly get two Extraordinary Combat Skills to level 10.


    After a brief rest, Rein focused his attention on the Transcendent Knight panel, his large hands holding the icon with the hammer pattern��Tokkal Hammer Technique lv7 (2724/5000).


    Ever since his Tokkal Hammer Technique reached the level 6 mark, the accompanying effects of Shock and Precision both advanced to level 2.


    And this time, once his Tokkal Hammer Technique advanced to lv10, it would also unlock the next tier of effects:


    "Note: To unlock Shock lv3 in Tokkal Hammer Technique, the following conditions are required: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique lv9 or above; two, Bear King Breathing Technique lv9 or above."


    "Note: To unlock Precision lv3 in Tokkal Hammer Technique, the following conditions are required: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique lv9 or above; two, Strength 22 points, Agility 18 points, Constitution 20 or above."


    The requirements for these effects at level 3, both only need the Hammer Technique to reach lv9. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Considering the level 2 effects last time, which allowed him to kill a beast comparable to a Great Knight, the power of level 3 effects need not be mentioned!


    As Rein muttered to himself to add points!


    The remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel shifted from 6��4, and the Tokkal Hammer Technique was instantaneously upgraded to level 9.


    Instantly, a massive surge of memories about the practice of the Tokkal Hammer Technique flooded into Rein''s mind.


    These scattered fragments of Hammer Technique memories almost formed a short film in Rein''s mind, which then rapidly integrated into the muscle memory of his entire body.


    However, the content of this memory was indeed a bit overwhelming, and it took Rein a moment to open his eyes.


    Just now, he seemed to have undergone several years of strenuous practice of the Tokkal Hammer Technique, and then, those years of Hammer Technique experiences were crammed into his brain in just a few seconds.


    Rein glanced at the Hammer Technique and sure enough, both effects ''Shock'' and ''Precision'' had advanced to level 3.


    Rein took a closer look, the new textual explanations for both effects were similar; the main change from level 2 was that ''minor degree'' had shifted to ''major degree''.

 Chapter 193 The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    The power further increased!However, considering that the Weapon Master (Legendary) class panel required the Extraordinary Battle Technique to be lv10, Rein took a brief rest and then added a Skill Point to the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    As the Hammer Skill reached lv10, suddenly, Rein''s entire body stiffened!


    The infusion of hammer training memory this time gave Rein an exceptionally long-lasting feeling. When he came to his senses, he realized that the feeling of holding ''unstoppable force'' in his hand was distinctly different from before.


    At this moment, two system prompts that surprised him suddenly appeared:


    [Ding! Host''s Tokkal Hammer Technique has reached lv10, unlocking the master-level hammer combat skill passive effect: Multiple Shocks (Passive), replacing the original effect: Shock lv3.]


    [Multiple Shocks (Passive) effect: Your control over hammer weapons and primal force has reached an extremely high degree, enabling you to deal multiple shock damages.]


    (Note: This effect is only valid when the host is wielding a hammer weapon and using the blunt end to attack.)


    (Note: This effect is proportional to the host''s primal force, Strength, specialization, and combat skill level.)


    [Ding! Host''s Tokkal Hammer Technique has reached lv10, unlocking the heavy weapon passive effect: Effortless (Passive)]


    [Effortless (Passive) effect: Your broad understanding of heavy weapons has also reached an extremely high degree, enabling you to swing the heavy weapon in your hands as if it were light, increasing your swinging speed by an additional 20%.]


    (Note: This effect is only valid when using heavy weapons.)


    Hiss!


    This made Rein overjoyed!


    Firstly, the power of this Multiple Shocks, just from the description, one could tell it greatly surpassed Shock lv3.


    Although Shock lv3 was also a very powerful effect, no matter how strong, it only had one layer of shock damage, easily blocked by armor or something else. Multiple Shocks, however, was different, often able to penetrate thick armor and strike the enemy within.


    The latter was even more incredible!


    Two-Handed Warhammers generally have the problem of being too heavy. Although their weight is the basis for their power, this also meant their swing speed was definitely not as fast as that of greatswords, not to mention lighter weapons like one-handed swords.


    But now, this passive effect of Effortless very well compensated for this shortcoming.


    Wait a second!


    Heavy weapons?


    Rein keenly noticed this change in terminology.


    It was his Hammer Skill that had increased to lv10, but what was unlocked was not just the effect for hammer weapons, but extended to all heavy weapon skills, this...


    Suddenly, the four words "understanding by analogy" caught Rein''s eye.


    This suddenly enlightened Rein!


    He seemed to understand why the pre-requisites for the Weapon Master (Legendary) class required three different weapon category skills to reach lv10.


    When Rein looked back at the panel, the Hammer Skill displayed as follows: Tokkal Hammer Technique lv10 (2724/20000), additional effects: Effortless, Multiple Shocks, Precision lv3. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One hit, three effects!


    Tsk, tsk!


    Looking around, Rein couldn''t help but take a newly forged pale blue ice iron shoulder guard and place it over a solid piece of wood. Then, exerting only fifty percent of his strength, he swung down the Warhammer with a heavy blow.


    "Bang!"


    The pale blue ice iron shoulder guard shattered instantly, but more exaggeratedly, although the ice iron armor should have provided defense and weakening, the wood beneath it should have remained relatively intact, without too much damage.


    But when Rein lifted the shattered ice iron shoulder guard, he found that the wood underneath was even more severely damaged, almost reduced to sawdust.


    Hiss!


    Rein could not help but exclaim!


    Is this the Multiple Shocks? Terrifying indeed!


    Just now, he clearly felt that his heavy blow dealt at least two layers of lv3 shock force: one shattered the armor, the other the wood.


    And if he struck with full force, it was highly likely that he could release three layers or even more of shock power.


    In that case...


    After calming the excitement in his heart, Rein''s attention returned to the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    If the Tokkal Hammer Technique lv10 brought him such a great surprise, then reaching lv10 with the Giant Bear Sword Technique should also...


    Rein''s eyes sparkled, full of anticipation.


    As he mentally allocated Skill Points!


    The remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel jumped from 3��0, and the Giant Bear Sword Technique leaped from lv7 to the lv10 tier.


    As a massive wave of memories flooded in...


    Two system prompts also appeared:


    [Ding! Host''s Giant Bear Sword Technique has reached lv10, unlocking the master-level sword combat skill passive effect: Steel Cleaver (Passive), replacing the original effect: Sharpness lv3.]


    [Steel Cleaver (Passive) effect: Your control over sword weapons and primal force has reached an extremely high degree, allowing you to cut through ordinary steel weapons and armor with a single stroke.]


    (Note: This effect is only valid when using sword weapons.)


    (Note: This effect is proportional to the host''s weapon, primal force, Strength, specialization, and combat skill level.)


    [Ding! Host''s Giant Bear Sword Technique has reached lv10, unlocking the sharp weapon passive effect: Armor Penetration (Passive)]


    [Armor Penetration (Passive) effect: Your broad understanding of sharp weapons has reached an extremely high degree, enabling you to focus force at a single point and burst forth, significantly increasing the probability of breaking through enemy armor.]


    (Note: This effect is only valid when using sharp weapons.)


    As expected!


    Rein looked at the Giant Bear Sword Technique lv10 (3023/20000) on the panel, with accompanying effects: Steel Cleaver, Armor Penetration, Precision lv3, with a joyful expression.


    Again, three effects!


    At the same time, Rein noticed that the Armor Penetration effect was not only targeted at sword weapons but all sharp weapons, including the pointed end of his Warhammer, would also get this effect added.

 Chapter 193 The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Feeling a bit itchy in his hands, Rein immediately tried out the new special effect. He swung the Glimmering Greatsword and aimed at the light blue ice iron shoulder guard, cleaving it with one stroke."Zizz!"


    The ice iron shoulder guard, forged from a rare ore, was split open by a single slash!


    Tsk, tsk, such power��it must be the combined effect of slashing through steel and armor piercing. Even armors made from special ores were cut open with one slash.


    However, Rein vaguely felt that the attacking power of the Two-Handed Warhammer was still higher than the greatsword''s.


    After a moment of thought, Rein began to understand��it might be due to the lv3 specialization in hammers because both the effects of ''Multiple Shocks'' and ''Steel Cutting'' were linked to the level of mastery.


    Moreover, regarding the terms ''heavy weapons'' and ''sharp weapons'' expressed by the system, Rein felt that he was gradually lifting the veil of mystery surrounding the special profession of a Weapon Master (Legendary).


    He had a faint understanding of what the core skills or rather, the professional traits of this legendary profession might be.


    After thinking about it, Rein found another interesting point.


    Generally speaking, to reach master-level proficiency in any weapon, even if one had considerable talent, it would require two to three decades of hard work. In terms of difficulty, it''s no less challenging than a knight''s promotion to a Great Knight, perhaps even harder.


    But now, both Rein''s greatsword and Two-Handed Warhammer had reached master-level proficiency; converted, it was equivalent to a knight with innate talent for swords and hammers practicing hard for five to six decades.


    What a hack, it was truly terrifying!


    Moreover, the combat power of this ''Almost Weapon Master'' was even stronger than Rein had anticipated.


    If he were to face Giovanni again in his transformed state with strength comparable to a Great Knight, Rein felt that the opponent would not be able to withstand three, maybe even one warhammer blow from him before being knocked to the ground!


    As for Norman?


    Rein was actually quite looking forward to his promotion to a Great Knight.


    Otherwise...


    The duel would seem too boring...


    Baron Norman''s manor.


    At this moment, all the guards in the manor were fully armed and highly alert around the villa.


    And Dennis was anxiously pacing back and forth in front of the indoor training room.


    Just now, his father, Baron Norman, had decided to take a high-level magic potion, ''Essence of the Beast,'' to break through to the Great Knight!


    Before this, Dennis''s mood was like a roller coaster, fluctuating wildly.


    A few days ago, when his father successfully recovered his peak strength, Dennis was so excited that he couldn''t sleep for several nights in a row. He thought that his father''s chances of killing Rein in the bloody duel were almost certain.


    But he hadn''t expected that things would take a turn for the worse so quickly. It was said Rein''s strength was improving rapidly, and that his father at his peak might not be able to defeat Rein. Even the odds were at most forty-sixty, with his father holding the weaker four.


    This news struck Dennis like a bolt from the blue!


    He couldn''t imagine�� if his father, Baron Norman, were to lose in the bloody duel, what a tragic and pitiful fate awaited him and his family.


    Because his strength was only at the level of an almost-knight, not even a true knight, and he certainly didn''t have the ability to support a baron''s family.


    And among nobles, apart from intermarriage, relationships were maintained mostly through strength. If the strength was inadequate, interests had to be conceded, which inevitably meant the decline of the Norman family, and to make matters worse, they had numerous enemies...


    "Clack!"


    The doors of the training room opened!


    A spirited Baron Norman stepped out with big strides!


    "Father, did you succeed?" Seeing this scene, Dennis couldn''t help blurting out the question.


    The baron smiled slightly and nodded!


    "That''s great! Father, you''ve finally become a Great Knight!" Seeing this, Dennis was overcome with joy and began to murmur to himself.


    It seemed that Lady Luck was still on their side, still standing with the Norman family!


    Rein! You''re doomed!


    Dennis shouted in his heart.


    He wished the bloody duel could start right now.


    Unfortunately, they had to wait until the day after tomorrow!


    "You there, come!" Baron Norman gestured to several of his trusted subordinates.


    Curious, Dennis and a few others followed Norman to the interior training ground.


    "Take the bow and shoot arrows at me!" Baron Norman crossed his arms behind his back, assuming a stance of facing the enemy empty-handed. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Several of the lieutenants were startled and exchanged glances, not sure whether to carry out the order or to refuse, because at that moment Baron Norman wasn''t wearing any armor, just wearing noble hunting attire with no protection at all.


    Dennis immediately guessed that his father wanted to test the combat power at the Great Knight level, so he quickly urged, "Don''t worry, with Father''s speed, you won''t be able to hit him even if you try."


    "As you command, young master!"


    "Baron, please be careful!"


    Several lieutenants with almost-knight strength understood and immediately took up strong bows and aimed at Baron Norman, beginning to shoot.


    "Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"


    To their astonishment, the arrows, shot with almost full force, seemed to be blocked by an invisible shield in front of Baron Norman. After their inertia dissipated, the arrows fell powerlessly to the ground.


    Dennis was getting more and more excited watching!


    Look, this is a Great Knight, a Great Knight!


    The defense of pure original force could nearly make the Great Knight unbeatable against lower-level enemies!


    This time, victory was assured!

 Chapter 193 The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    "Dennis, the news of my breakthrough must be kept confidential. Moreover, go to Alonso and inform him that I have successfully broken through to become a Great Knight,""Regarding the cost of that bottle of Beast Essence, I will pay him after the duel ends. Express my thanks to him for this." Baron Norman asked.


    "Yes, Father!" Dennis nodded and said.


    "By the way, what''s happening with Reine?" Thinking of something, Baron Norman looked up and asked.


    "He has been at the blacksmith''s shop for five consecutive days," Dennis immediately reported.


    Although he was initially puzzled, the fact remained that their several spies had gathered the same results.


    Moreover, whenever Reine went to the blacksmith''s shop, he would inevitably appear on the street; the spies could see him clearly, even noting that Reine''s timings for entering and leaving the blacksmith were highly regular.


    If one didn''t know Reine, others might really think that Reine was a blacksmith himself!


    However, this abnormal behavior naturally made many people curious.


    But after Dennis bribed a blacksmith apprentice under the Crowley family, it was revealed through the apprentice that Reine seemed to be crafting knight armor.


    At that moment, a thought surfaced in Dennis''s mind.


    Could it be that Reine had obtained some rare ore and thus wanted to create a suit of armor with strong defensive power to face his own father?


    The more Dennis thought about it, the more he felt that this was very likely.


    As the investigation progressed, Dennis discovered that the Crowley family was secretly collecting ice iron ore, further solidifying his belief beyond doubt.


    "What? You''re always at the blacksmith''s shop?" Baron Norman was taken aback.


    He thought that Reine must also be preparing intensely, either by rigorously practicing combat skills or by trying to make some breakthrough. Why was he spending all day at the blacksmith''s shop working on iron?


    This...


    Seeing the confusion on his father''s face, Dennis immediately shared his guess with the baron.


    "Father, Reine is likely crafting a set of knight armor made from rare ore materials. He probably thinks this could increase his odds of winning."


    "I see," Baron Norman pondered briefly, then his face showed a sudden realization.


    It makes sense because significant improvements in strength usually require years of diligent practice. It''s challenging to make considerable changes within just a few days. In the short term, acquiring a good weapon or a suitable set of armor can significantly increase one''s chances of winning.


    This is also a common practice before a duel.


    "By the way, Father, the news of your bloody duel with Reine is already buzzing outside. You may not know, but many business leagues have jointly opened a betting pool, wagering on the outcome between you and Reine,"


    "Currently, due to your breakthrough as a Great Knight not being widely known yet, the odds between you and Reine are still even."


    "What do you say, should we..." Dennis looked eagerly towards his father, Baron Norman.


    "Yes, let''s mortgage all the liquid assets, and also mortgage the eight shops we own in the County Town," Baron Norman thought for a while and then nodded his head, agreeing to his son''s suggestion.


    If before this, his confidence in winning the duel was only fifty percent,


    Now, his confidence in winning the duel was nearly a hundred percent!


    -----------------


    An hour later, in Alonso''s study.


    "That''s great! Dennis, your father''s success in advancing to become a Great Knight ensures his victory in this duel," Alonso Baron couldn''t help but burst into hearty laughter.


    "By the way, Dennis, would you be interested in taking up a nominal position in a business league under my name?"


    Alonso Baron''s offer immediately excited Dennis, and he couldn''t help but smile slightly.


    He certainly knew that this was Alonso Baron''s way of showing favor.


    Though it was called a nominal position, it actually meant easy money.


    It seems that the influence of his father becoming a Great Knight was gradually spreading.


    "Of course, thank you for your appreciation, Baron," Dennis said, bowing slightly.


    "Moreover, my father is very grateful for your help in acquiring that bottle of behemoth essence. The related expenses will be sent to you after the duel," he added.


    "Haha, Baron Norman, no need to mention it," Alonso said cheerfully, waving his hand.


    ...


    After Dennis had left, Alonso turned to his butler Michel and said, "The news of Norman''s promotion to Great Knight can''t be hidden for long. Michel, how much liquid capital do we still have?"


    After a moment''s thought, Michel quickly reported a figure:


    "We have left 18,343 imperial gold coins, mainly because we helped Baron Norman acquire a bottle of behemoth essence at the Yakesen Auction House, which was quite expensive."


    "Additionally, hiring Master Holland, the potion master, to produce the behemoth essence also cost a lot, but, it is highly likely an incoming asset. Once it''s successfully produced, it will be very valuable," Michel added.


    Baron Alonso was very satisfied with Michel''s professionalism. He nodded, stroking the seal ring in his hand, "Very well! Then let''s add another 18,000 imperial gold coins!"


    "As you wish, my lord, I will take care of it," Michel said with a smile, bowing before leaving.


    -----------------


    Lord Reine''s new residence.


    Jenny, dressed in a white floral dress, hurriedly ran to the room of the beautiful matron, lifting her long gown.


    As soon as she entered, she said rather anxiously to the beautiful woman:


    "Mother, there''s trouble. You asked me to inquire about changes in betting from Agatha''s side."


    "I just got the latest news that the Norman family has increased their bet. I guess you were right, Baron Norman has probably advanced to Great Knight."


    Since the Norman family had recently been on lockdown, the beautiful woman Jennifer couldn''t gather any useful information, so she had sent Jenny to her close friend Agatha for inquiries.


    The Wiggins family, where Agatha belongs, owns a large trading company, one of several joint venture companies opening books on the betting, therefore well-informed.


    "Oh, Mother, isn''t Lord Reine''s condition a bit off?"


    "You see him, he''s been in the blacksmith shop crafting armor every day. You know, the bloody duel will take place the day after tomorrow."


    "Lord Reine hasn''t underestimated Baron Norman, has he?"


    Hearing her daughter''s query, the beautiful woman also frowned slightly and said:


    "I know he''s been forging knight armor in the blacksmith shop, but like you said, even the best knight armor cannot fend off every attack, especially those that might come from a Great Knight."


    "I''ll go to the blacksmith shop now."


    ...


    Half an hour later, the beautiful woman arrived at the blacksmith shop.


    "Hmm? You say Norman has succeeded in becoming a Great Knight?" Lord Reine, upon hearing this news, his eyes suddenly brightened, and he turned to look at the beautiful woman.


    At first, the beautiful woman was worried about Reine, but she sharply noticed that in Reine''s eyes as he looked at her, there was no trace of worry or fear, but rather something... S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How could one put it?


    Joy, happiness?


    More precisely, it seemed... like a kind of triumphant pleasure!


    But how could that be?


    The beautiful woman was somewhat perplexed.


    However, she quickly adjusted her mindset and nodded, saying, "While it''s not 100% certain, from the increased bets, the Norman family seems to have gambled most of their estate."


    "It appears they are extremely confident in winning the duel."


    Lord Reine smiled and nodded at the beautiful woman, "Very well, this might be a rare good opportunity for us to make money."

 Chapter 194 Bloody Duel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Although the beautiful lady did not know from where the self-confidence of the ''young man'' before her originated, she glanced at Rein, nodded, and said,"Hmm, then I will immediately gather the entire family''s floating capital to place a bet."


    "Also, place the more than three thousand gold coins I have with you on it as well," Rein interjected.


    Originally, Rein intended to explain to the beautiful lady, but considering his current situation, it seemed difficult to clarify things in just a few words.


    After a moment of thought, Rein did not provide further explanation. Instead, he took a piece of ice iron shoulder armor, placed it on a solid log, and repeated the test he had just conducted.


    After all, actions speak louder than words.


    Showing his own strength was the best tranquilizer for the beautiful lady.


    "Bang!"


    Following the dull sound!


    When Rein lifted the shattered ice iron shoulder armor, beneath it the log was ''smashed into bits.'' This immediately made the beautiful lady''s watery eyes go wide and her cherry lips gaped open as if they could fit an entire apple.


    "My... My dear, have you also advanced to a Great Knight?" the beautiful lady asked, astonished.


    Although she was not skilled in martial prowess, she still had good judgment.


    She had never seen such destructive force in the family knights or even in the late Baron Crowley. The strength of the blow was simply astonishing.


    She could not think of any reason other than Rein''s promotion to a Great Knight that could account for this level of attack power!


    "Not yet, it''s just that in terms of strength, I am not inferior to an ordinary Great Knight," Rein replied with a smile, shaking his head.


    Rein''s words immediately dispelled the beautiful lady''s worries!


    If before, the beautiful lady was a bit concerned that Rein was being overly arrogant and not taking Baron Norman seriously, now having seen this scene, she realized her ''young man'' truly did not need to pay too much attention to what was happening on Baron Norman''s side!


    The last day.


    Inside Rein''s new residence.


    Since Rein had already achieved his anticipated goals, naturally, he would not choose to stay in the blacksmith shop any longer.


    Another reason was although Rein had already mastered the Giant Bear Sword Technique and the Tokkal Hammer Technique, he still wanted to fully understand their power, and the blacksmith shop was naturally not suitable for that purpose.


    So, for the entire day today, he stayed in the indoor training field of his new residence.


    This was one of the benefits of being promoted to Baron, having a several hundred square meter indoor training field at home; half a year ago, Rein could only enviously watch Cleya''s indoor training field.


    Who would have thought, so quickly, he now owned one of his own.


    Rein, holding a dark and stout pig head hammer, was seen continuously striking a practice dummy clad in two layers of plate armor.


    The reason for the two layers of plate armor was, naturally, because the damage from multiple shocks was too severe. If the dummy were not given two layers of plate armor, a single hammer blow would smash it into pieces.


    After some time of testing, Rein had basically confirmed that under full power, he could produce triple shock damage.


    And when using the secret technique...


    Rein focused his gaze on the Knight (Transcendent) panel, looking at the two icons placed above ''Tokkal Hammer Technique.''


    The patterns inside these two icons both depicted a strongman wielding a hammer, but with different poses.


    One showed a twisting motion, swinging a two-handed hammer from below upward with his body surging forward, while the other was hoisting a two-handed hammer overhead, slamming it hard onto the ground and causing a fan-shaped fracture zone on the surface, extremely fierce!


    They were the two secret techniques of the Tokkal Hammer Technique, ''Rising Dragon Hammer'' and ''Earth-splitting Hammer.''


    Rein stared at the small text in the lower right corner of the icons:


    Rising Dragon Hammer lv3 (Secret Technique) Effect: Use a special thrusting method to swing the hammer from below upwards, delivering a blow with rotational force mixed with multiple shock powers.


    Earth-splitting Hammer lv3 (Secret Technique) Effect: Use a special thrusting method to swing the hammer from above downwards, hitting the ground, producing a fierce blow with multiple shock powers.


    These two hammer techniques had also been successfully upgraded to lv3, and along with them, the accompanying forces changed from shock to multiple shocks, greatly increasing their power.


    After Rein''s recent tests, he found that when using these two hammer techniques while in a ''Triple State,'' he could inflict quadruple damage!


    The Rising Dragon Hammer was one layer of spinning force plus three layers of shock power, while the Earth-splitting Hammer, being incredibly fierce, produced four layers of shock power!


    In preparation for the bloody duel tomorrow, Rein reviewed the transformed strength of the ''Beast Knight'' Giovanni. His extraordinary physical constitution meant his movement and strike speed would be much higher than that of an ordinary knight. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, Rein planned to stick to the idea he had at the time, which was to forego the heavy knight''s plate armor and only carry a weapon to participate in the bloody duel!


    In doing so, having shed two hundred pounds, Rein would essentially be able to keep up with the opponent''s speed.


    Moreover, for him, under the influence of Hammer Mastery lv3, his most powerful weapon remained the two-handed hammer, not the greatsword, so Rein decided to choose the hammer for battle!


    And with the effect of ''Effortless Lift,'' Rein believed that the heavy hammer in his hands could keep up with the opponent''s striking speed.


    On the day of the duel.


    The beautiful lady Jennifer and Jenny accompanied Rein together, riding in a carriage to the dueling ground.

 Chapter 194 Bloody Duel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Soon, the carriage arrived at the dueling arena located in the central district of County Town.The entire exterior of the dueling arena was circular, with high walls built of grey-white strip stones. Thus, at first glance, the arena gave Rein the impression of the sort of circular colosseum of Ancient Rome, only on a smaller scale by a couple of rings.


    However, this was normal, after all, this was merely the dueling arena of County Town.


    Today, since two aristocrats were holding a blood duel here and with the major trade guilds'' extensive promotion, the crowd swelled, far exceeding that of the usual beast fights and the like.


    After all, the grudges and conflicts between nobles were a major topic of conversation for many commoners over tea and dinner.


    Now that such a significant spectacle was taking place, quite a few commoners had scrimped and saved to come and watch.


    Indeed, such events didn''t occur in Meister County for years on end.


    The carriage Rein was in hadn''t yet arrived at the entrance when some officials came running to welcome him. A small squad of guards quickly escorted and directed the carriage into a dedicated area inside the dueling arena.


    After a brief farewell, Rein stepped out of the carriage and walked towards the duelers'' passage, while the beautiful woman and Jenny, after gazing for a while at Rein''s departing figure, too walked through the noble-exclusive passage to the nobles'' stands located in the front row.


    At this moment, on the noble''s stands, Baron Alonso, Dennis, and many others were already there; even the Monsoon and Sea Goddess Church''s Reverend Rudolph had come. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Five minutes later.


    With the arrival of Count Habbs in black formal wear, Meister County''s Governor, the atmosphere inside the dueling arena suddenly became even more enthusiastic.


    And when Rein, bearing the power of ''Unbreakable Strength,'' and Norman holding a sword and shield, emerged respectively from the two passageways, left and right, thousands of people in the stands burst into shouts.


    At this point, the long-unseen Viscount Hamadi, dressed in exquisite noble attire, stepped into the center of the field.


    Seeing this scene, the whole venue fell silent.


    Only to hear Viscount Hamadi inquire,


    "Baron Norman, Baron Rein, you both are rare talents of the Empire. Here, I ask one last time, do you truly harbor irreconcilable differences between you that necessitate a bloody duel?"


    This was a necessary step in the official blood duel process.


    The purpose was to avoid unnecessary infighting; by now, it had become more of a formality.


    After all, if reconciliation was indeed possible, it would naturally have been settled before the start of the blood duel, not dragged out until this moment.


    "Affirmed!" Baron Norman said expressionlessly.


    "Affirmed!" Rein said likewise.


    "That is very regrettable! I declare, let the duel begin!" Viscount Hamadi shook his head, expressing regret as he spoke.


    Since the duelers had agreed beforehand to fight on foot, there were neither horses nor other mounts present.


    As the two stood facing each other in the center of the field.


    Baron Norman looked at the young man before him and showed a hint of a smile, saying,


    "Young man, although this is our first formal meeting, I think it''s necessary to tell you something as my opponent."


    "Of course, perhaps to you, this might be unfortunate news."


    "Please, speak." Rein smiled as well, replying.


    "Two days ago, I successfully advanced to the rank of Great Knight. So, you are bound to lose!" Baron Norman gazed into Rein''s eyes and declared emphatically.


    His purpose in telling this news to Rein before the duel was, naturally, to shake the opponent''s resolve, thus making victory easier for himself.


    However, he noticed that his words failed to cause even the slightest change in Rein''s facial expression, not even a flicker of an eyebrow.


    This made Baron Norman feel rather irked inside!


    Quite uncooperative, eh!


    But...


    The audience in the stands of the dueling arena, however, was very cooperative. Upon hearing the phrase ''Great Knight,'' there was an immediate uproar!


    Many had heard that Rein was an exceptionally rare commoner-born Baron, so numerous commoners had bet on Rein''s victory. But now, what had they heard!


    Rein''s opponent, Baron Norman, had actually reached the rank of Great Knight.


    Even a fool would know that ''Great'' before ''Knight'' naturally meant stronger!


    Rein was doomed to lose!


    Thus, many people began exclaiming on the spot, and some who had wagered heavily even began beating their chests in despair.


    In the stands.


    Upon witnessing this, Baron Alonso couldn''t help but laugh.


    As for Dennis, he was even less able to contain himself. If it were not for the fact that he was surrounded by nobles and their heirs from Meister County and had to upkeep appearances, he would have surely burst out laughing!


    But even now, the corners of his mouth were raised past the point of suppression!


    "This is too unfair to Rein!" Agatha indignantly said to Jenny at her side.


    "Beautiful Miss Agatha, this is a blood duel after all. There''s no talk of fairness here," Dennis said with a look of pleasure upon hearing her and turned to talk with a smile.


    After speaking, he deliberately glanced at the wife of Baron Crowley and Jenny to see their shocked expressions.


    But to Dennis''s disappointment,


    he saw no signs of particular sadness or astonishment on the two women''s faces, which left him slightly puzzled.


    But soon, he figured out something and shook his head with a hint of disdain, "Women, always acting. Just feigning composure. Heh, soon you will have to come begging to me."

 Chapter 194 Bloody Duel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    "Mother lush and beautiful, Jenny''s words also count as cute and lovely, not bad, not bad...."...


    At this moment, in one corner of the stands, several knights were escorting a woman in a black robe and hood, her figure graceful, as they looked for seats.


    If Rein were here, he would immediately recognize that these were the knights from the carriage that had suddenly appeared the day he killed Giovanni.


    "Miss Naya, you shouldn''t be here, your illness requires rest and recuperation," said the knight named Lawrence, who seemed quite content with the raucous environment of the dueling arena, frowning after just a glance around.


    "Knight Lawrence, I need to be here," Naya said.


    "The young man Lord Hamilton mentioned last time, who might be able to help me, is about to partake in a bloody duel with someone. What if he loses... how could I not come to see for myself?"


    The girl''s voice was very pleasant.


    "Well... okay then, but please pay close attention, and we will leave immediately if you start feeling unwell," Lawrence thought for a moment and then reluctantly agreed.


    "Eh?" Naya exclaimed with her little mouth covered.


    "Knight Lawrence, isn''t that the young man we encountered on the road that day?" Naya pointed at Rein in the middle of the arena.


    That day, she had asked Lawrence, the knight beside her, if that young man was formidable.


    "Eh! It really is, I didn''t expect it to be the same person," Knight Lawrence also nodded, his face showing surprise.


    The girl became even more curious about Rein; it seemed the person she was seeking was the same one she had encountered by chance.


    In the center of the arena.


    At that point, Rein said something that left everyone bewildered: "The outcome will not change, will it?"


    Upon hearing Rein say this, Baron Norman clearly hesitated but quickly nodded and said:


    "Indeed, the outcome will not change. Only one person can leave the blood duel alive, and it''s too late for you to beg for mercy now!"


    "Right, I heard you''ve been crafting armor lately. How come you''re not wearing it today?" Baron Norman looked puzzledly at Rein, who was dressed in leather armor.


    But before Rein could reply, the Baron went on:


    "Never mind, that''s not important!"


    "It''s a shame, you''re so young, and you''ll have to leave this beautiful world so soon."


    "Let''s begin!"


    No sooner had he spoken!


    Baron Norman, holding his sword and shield, tapped his toe, leaving behind an afterimage, and sped towards Rein!


    In terms of speed, Norman, having advanced to the rank of Great Knight, was now no less than Giovanni after his transformation.


    At the same time, Baron Norman''s armor glowed faintly, as though some special power was protecting him.


    Rein knew that this was neither witchcraft nor a Transcendent trait but Baron Norman''s own force defense, a special ability of a Great Knight.


    That is to say, Baron Norman''s defense at this moment consisted of not only his armor but also his force protection.


    Facing Baron Norman''s assault, Rein was not in the least bit afraid, but calmly took down the dark, indestructible Strength from his back and held it in his hand.


    "Clang!!!"


    Rein solidly caught Baron Norman''s sword strike with his hammer.


    "Eh?"


    A look of surprise flashed in Norman''s eyes!


    Could someone wielding a heavy hammer really have such fast hand speed?


    The next second, Rein swung his hammer down rapidly from above, delivering a fierce blow!


    Norman, having been promoted to Great Knight, and finding his initial attack ineffective, naturally did not choose to retreat or dodge in the face of Rein''s assault but instead raised his shield with his left hand to block.


    "Thud!"


    The moment the pitch-black pig''s head hammer struck the shield, Baron Norman''s previously calm face immediately changed, his eyes clearly revealing his astonishment.


    "This... this kind of Strength, could it be..."


    Before Norman could finish, Rein gave a slight smile and silently invoked:


    "Limit Break!" Stay tuned to empire


    "Huge Strength lv3!"


    Suddenly, Rein''s height shot up dramatically, and his muscles became thicker, as he unleashed a series of powerful hammer blows against Norman!


    "Thud! Thud! Thud!"


    With each blow that Baron Norman defended, his expression changed, and he was forced back two steps, his left shield-bearing hand starting to tremble.


    Thus, the spectators in the stands witnessed a scene that baffled them.


    A Peak Knight, fiercely wielding a hammer, made the Great Knight��Baron Norman��retreat step by step! S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And Dennis, who was shouting himself hoarse in the stands, was suddenly silenced, as if a duck being strangled, his cheering abruptly cut off!


    "This... how is this possible?"


    "Rein wasn''t supposed to be seriously injured by father in one move, was he?" Dennis muttered in shock.


    The fact that Rein, who was clearly still a knight, could fight on equal terms with his father, who had stepped into the rank of Great Knight��not just that, but was even gaining the upper hand��was a sight too shocking for him!


    For the vast majority of those present, upon hearing that Baron Norman had ascended to the rank of Great Knight, besides Count Habs and Chancellor Rudolph, no one else believed that Rein stood a chance.


    After all, what does it mean to be a Great Knight? Simply put, it is a level above a regular knight; otherwise, why would such a rank exist.


    Upon a closer examination, it''s easy to understand that the Great Knight represents the next evolution and breakthrough from a knight. If a knight could defeat them, what would be the significance of such evolution and breakthrough?


    But an event that shattered their understanding unfolded before their eyes.


    The next second, as Rein silently invoked, "Strength Burst!"

 Chapter 194 Bloody Duel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    In an instant, Rein''s heart suddenly pumped a hot stream that accelerated his blood flow, his veins bulged, and his entire figure rose again, resembling a muscle-bound beast.Rein heavily slammed down his hammer skill secret technique ''Earth-splitting Hammer!''


    Baron Norman''s face twitched. This time, he no longer wanted to withstand the blow for the sake of a Great Knight''s dignity, but instead chose to immediately retreat backward!


    "Boom!!!"


    Just as Baron Norman thought he had dodged the hit, Rein heavily struck the ground just one meter in front of him!


    In an instant, a powerful multi-shock force swept toward Norman in a fan shape.


    The nearby spectators only felt the stand under their feet suddenly shake, followed by ordinary viewers unable to stand steady, resembling drunkards.


    Looking at the dueling grounds, the ground within a dozen meters in front of Rein had been plowed by an unknown force, including all small stones, which burst open to form a large sunken fan-shaped area.


    Such power!!!


    The spectators were all dumbfounded!


    Is this a knight?


    My God! He''s even greater than a Great Knight!


    The multi-shock force caused even the Baron Norman, who was protected by his original force, to stagger slightly!


    Terrible! Norman cursed inwardly.


    But that brief pause gave Rein the opportunity he needed.


    Rein''s second ''Earth-splitting Hammer'' was already striking!


    "Ah!!! Secret technique ''Iron Wall Defense''!"


    Baron Norman roared angrily, his muscles swelled, and his whole body emitted a faint glow, which was the sign of the full force of the original force. He raised his shield high, hoping to block Rein''s strike!


    "Thud!!!"


    The moment the hammer struck the shield, although the shield was fortified by the original force, it still cracked directly!


    What followed next was


    a single shock, which was blocked by the original force defense on Baron Norman''s body.


    Double shock, which was weakened by the thick plate armor made of special minerals.


    But the third shock could only be resisted by Baron Norman the Great Knight''s strong physical strength.


    The key is...


    Continue reading at empire


    under Rein''s full force, the ''Earth-spliting Hammer'' had a total of four shocks!


    Therefore, the fourth shock penetrated deep into Norman''s body, causing damage to his relatively vulnerable internal organs and other tissues!


    "Pfuh!"


    Baron Norman staggered back more than ten steps and then spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood!


    At that moment, he felt a burning pain in his organs as if they were on fire.


    The audience in the stands, watching this scene, were all stunned.


    Wasn''t it said that Baron Norman was already a Great Knight?


    How could he be beaten like this?


    Especially Baron Alonso and Dennis, among others who had bet on Baron Norman''s victory, couldn''t believe their eyes at this moment.


    A Great Knight beaten by a knight?


    What''s going on?


    The battle in the center of the arena continued!


    Rein quickly rushed toward Baron Norman and struck him with the ''Rising Dragon Hammer.''


    Since Baron Norman''s organs were severely damaged, his movement speed was greatly reduced, and his shield had also shattered, so he could only block with his knight''s longsword.


    But he couldn''t block!


    He couldn''t block at all!


    "Thud!"


    After slightly being blocked by the knight''s longsword, the hammer still heavily smashed into Norman''s abdomen!


    Baron Norman was folded in half by the impact, with an oddly protruding bulge on his back, and his body shot up like a rocket!


    Seconds later, he finally crashed hard to the ground.


    This time, Rein did not pursue but stood in place holding the two-handed warhammer.


    Baron Norman, while violently coughing up blood, struggled to stand and stared intensely at Rein, "You...your hammer skill...has reached the master level?"


    Rein didn''t speak, merely nodding slightly.


    Baron Norman nodded reluctantly, muttering, "No wonder..."


    "Thud! Thud! Thud!"


    Multiple parts of Baron Norman''s body burst open instantly, his armor shattered, blood splattered, and he fell to the ground like a mud puddle, never to rise again.


    Rein''s last strike had directly shattered Norman''s internal organs into pieces.


    There was no saving him now!


    A newly advanced Great Knight of the empire had fallen!


    "This can''t be real! This can''t be!!" Dennis collapsed in his seat, his eyes lifeless as he stared at the scene before him, his face pale.


    Baron Alonso also had an ashen face, his previous betting now causing him a colossal loss!


    Jenny and Agatha, the two beautiful young women, covered their mouths in shock, staring at the victorious Rein.


    Even the beautiful woman Jennifer was not calm inside.


    Although she had seen Rein''s trump card demonstrated before, and she had a lot of confidence in Rein, seeing him win was still incredibly thrilling.


    After all, Rein''s opponent was a Great Knight!


    A Great Knight is not so easily defeated, but Rein did it! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The beautiful woman was very proud of her "little man."


    Besides, thinking of the tens of thousands of gold coins in betting returns, she was even more excited, and her beautiful pale face immediately turned flush.


    Meanwhile, Rudolph in the stands was also extremely shocked as he watched the scene unfold. Although he had known that Rein must have had some reliance since he had refused Shion Bishop''s mediation proposal,


    Now it seemed that he had still underestimated Rein.

 Chapter 194 Bloody Duel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_5

    Others might not be able to discern why Rein could win, but he was very clear, this was master-level Hammer Skill, a realm that ordinary knights might never touch in their lifetime, yet it had been reached by the young man before him.This talent was simply too terrifying!


    Suddenly, Rudolph thought of something and felt an urge to beat his chest in frustration!


    That''s right!


    If only he had fully drawn Rein to the church from the start! Enjoy more content from empire


    Why did he care about his pride back then, saying things like consider it, when he should have just dragged him away!


    A genius lost!


    Count Habs might have been the only person in the venue who was relatively calm; he smiled gently, nodded slightly to Rein, appearing very satisfied, but since the slain Norman was his subordinate, this recognition was very subtle.


    And most of the civilian audience was now cheering loudly.


    Originally, most of them thought that placing their bets on Rein meant they were sure to lose everything, but unexpectedly, the normal duel took a surprising turn, and they actually won.


    They were truly overjoyed!


    Rein knew that after this battle, his reputation had soared in Meister County!


    If before, the noble circles of County Town were not very familiar with him, after this bloody duel, Rein believed he would definitely be on the watch list of every major family.


    Because as far as he knew, the number of Great Knights in Meister County was very few.


    Even Viscount Hamadi, the head of County Town''s security, was merely a senior knight.


    But he had a record of slaying a Great Knight! S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I declare, the winner of this bloody duel, Baron Rein!" Viscount Hamadi took a deep look at Rein and announced loudly.


    What followed was a tidal wave of cheers!


    Darkness filled Dennis''s heart up in the stands!


    He knew it was over, all over!


    At this moment, many nobles around him were looking at him as if they couldn''t wait to tear him to pieces.


    Because of his father''s defeat, they, who had invested a lot of Gold Coins, suffered great losses!


    Soon, the people in the stands began to disperse, and the beautiful matron and Jenny approached.


    Count Habs did not come up to talk to Rein, as another Baron had died on the spot and he needed to maintain a neutral stance as a Governor''s political cultivation.


    Rudolph also seemed to have similar considerations, so after just sharing a gaze with Rein, he smiled, nodded, and left.


    Once the three were on the carriage, the beautiful matron could hardly contain her excitement and said, "Baron Rein, we have earned thirty-six thousand imperial Gold Coins!"


    "What!" Jenny, who was unaware that her mother and Rein had bet so much money, was naturally shocked upon hearing this news!


    What was the concept of thirty-six thousand imperial Gold Coins?


    The total value of all the Crowley family''s shops and trading caravans and such was only worth a little over ten thousand imperial Gold Coins.


    That is to say, Rein had earned the wealth of two Crowley families with a single duel!


    On the journey back, Jenny''s mind was in a whirl.


    When the carriage returned to the estate, within minutes a manservant came to report, "Lord Baron, madam, there is a visitor at the door. Here is the knight''s token the visitor sent."


    This situation was all within Rein''s expectation; since he had won, he figured that many such calls would probably follow.


    For these social engagements, Rein planned to decline as many as he could, and if he couldn''t get out of them, he would just have Jennifer attend on his behalf.


    Thus, Rein didn''t pay it much attention but...


    He glanced casually at the visitor''s token, and his gaze stayed on the emblem.


    Huh?


    This pattern��

 Chapter 195 [Wizard (Legendary)] Prerequisites for the Profession Panel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    The crest was of an exceptional design, depicting a winged woman whose visage was strikingly beautiful, but whose arms had metamorphosed into wings, and whose legs still retained human form. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Her whole figure appeared to be in flight, exuding a peculiarly eerie sense of beauty.


    Rein had no idea what creature this could be, but he felt it must also be a being from the arcane side.


    "Eh? This is the family crest of Viscount Usman," the beautiful woman said with a hint of surprise.


    "Viscount Usman?" Rein voiced his confusion.


    Having only recently been elevated, Rein was, naturally, not well-acquainted with the various nobles within the Meister County.


    Of course, the main reason was that Rein himself did not wish to expend his limited energy entangling with the various colored nobility.


    "Yes, the Usman family is said to be a branch of a certain Duke''s family in the Empire; a long time ago, they migrated to Meister," the beautiful woman thought for a moment before adding more explanation.


    "It was rumored that the Usman family were originally a lineage of Magicians, hence all their descendants carry the blood of sorcerers."


    "By the way, a Magician is a Wizard merged with a special bloodline, considered a particular branch of wizards," the beautiful lady elaborated in detail.


    "Hmm? Magician?" Rein raised an eyebrow, having indeed read about such matters in those few ancient spirit-scripted tomes.


    Ancient Magicians were actually a group that had fused with extraordinary bloodlines, a unique branch of ancient wizards. These wizards had assimilated a myriad of bloodline types, leading to varied combat capabilities with some extremely strong and others quite weak.


    Later, wizards discovered that although bloodline integration could bring a surge in strength for that generation, it also came with clear disadvantages.


    That is, an alien bloodline could subtly affect a person''s personality, emotions, appearance, and so forth, causing the ancient wizards to reflect upon an issue, "Though one has gained immense power, is he still himself?"


    Additionally, there was another issue: when reaching a certain level of power, the alien bloodline would deeply merge with the individual, thus passing down to the next generation.


    And so, a greater drawback emerged.


    Many Magician lineages with unstable bloodlines would experience mutations in their offspring. If the mutations were benign, that would have been very good, but all too often there would be uncontrollable, even malevolent mutations among the progeny.


    For those Magician families with relatively stable bloodlines, they faced the trouble of blood purity weakening over generations of offspring.


    Unless during this process, an exceptionally outstanding heir emerged to strengthen the bloodline, but the chances were extremely slim, leading many Magician families to extinction in the river of history.


    Upon hearing that the other party could be from an ancient Sorcerer family, Rein''s interest was piqued, and at the same time, he was quite curious as to what they wanted from him.


    "Invite them to the parlor," Rein turned to the servant and instructed.


    After some thought, Rein turned to the beautiful woman and said, "Madam, please accompany me."


    Since there were others present, Rein always addressed Jennifer as Madam.


    Outside the entrance of Rein Mansion.


    By the side of the carriage.


    "Miss Naya, wouldn''t it be inappropriate for me to invite him directly? Perhaps we should wait for Lord Hamilton to return and have him extend the invitation,"


    Naya replied, "Knight Lawrence, did you not hear it a couple of days ago? Baron Rein is about to depart to take up his new assignment in Fishing Port Town."


    "Besides, no one knows where Lord Hamilton has gone these past couple of days. I think I''d like to try inviting him myself."


    "Miss Naya, are you implying that the frequency of your episodes is increasing?" Knight Lawrence seemed to realize something and asked with a tinge of anxiety.


    Naya nodded gently without a word.


    Knight Lawrence instantly understood why Miss Naya was in such a rush.


    "Miss, I understand," he said.


    "Knight, Baron Rein invites you to come inside for a talk," announced the servant who had come out quickly from the mansion, addressing Knight Lawrence.


    ...


    Within the parlor.


    "Baron Rein, good day. I am Lawrence, a knight of the Usman family. This visit is to seek your assistance for Miss Naya," he said.


    "In fact, we had reached out to Lord Hamilton quite some time ago, but for some reason, we could not reach Lord Hamilton these past couple of days."


    Rein nodded.


    That day, Hamilton seemed to hold back from speaking, probably about this Usman family matter.


    In the last few days, Hamilton must have been busy with arranging the essence of the behemoth for Rein, hence not being in the County Town, as Rein had not seen Hamilton even during the duel.


    "This... As it involves some secrets, could you possibly find time to visit the Usman family''s estate?" Knight Lawrence looked at the beautiful woman and the Attendant, then spoke.


    "Knight Lawrence, how about this: if Lord Hamilton hasn''t returned in three days, I will pay a visit to the Usman family. Is that acceptable?" Rein considered before replying.


    It wasn''t that Rein liked to court trouble, but since Jennifer mentioned that they were a family of sorcerers, perhaps the Usman family might hold sorcery conducive to his needs.


    If he could help them with this undisclosed issue...


    "Of course, that would be fine. Thank you, Baron! I shall take my leave now," Lawrence said with a hint of joy.

 Chapter 196 Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    "1600!" a plump noble on the first floor raised his hand and said.But soon, the bids behind him quickly drowned out his, and for this rare ore, although it was relatively singular in nature, it still attracted the pursuit of many nobles as a material for knight armor specifically used in certain environments.


    "1700!"


    "...."


    "2100!"


    After the price rose to 2100 Gold Coins, the bidding began to slow down.


    Explore stories at empire


    Rein thought about it and directly had the beautiful lady bid 2500.


    When the beautiful lady on the second floor dignifiedly raised the 2500 sign, Idris, an old man with a monocle, his face joyful and his voice raised two octaves, shouted:


    "We have a bid of 2500 from a distinguished guest, any higher bids?"


    After three calls, no one responded.


    "Smack!"


    With the fall of the auction hammer, Rein successfully secured the ice iron ingots!


    Perhaps for others this price was somewhat high, but for Rein, these ice iron ingots had a special significance.


    Conservatively estimating, Rein felt that after using up all these ice iron ingots, he could elevate his armorsmithing Profession Level by at least one, and perhaps even two levels might just be possible.


    Having secured the ice iron ingots, Rein was even more anticipative of the upcoming auctions.


    Unfortunately, the next few auction items were mostly antiques.


    To this, Rein had no interest at all.


    Antiques were, in Rein''s view, items that were expensive but did not offer much practical use, serving more to indirectly highlight a family''s heritage.


    At this moment, a female Attendant knocked on the door and holding a luxurious carved wooden box, respectfully presented the twelve gold pearls that Lady Jennifer had just won at the auction.


    "Baroness Crawley, here are the auction items you won," the Attendant said with a bow as she handed over the wooden box.


    Unexpectedly, Jenny who was beside her quickly took it first. As she opened it, she was instantly captivated by a row of glittering gold pearls.


    "Mother, these gold pearls are really beautiful."


    The beautiful lady was also quite intrigued and picked up one to look at. It was glittering with a round, gentle luster, indeed exceptionally pretty.


    At this point, Idris, the chief auctioneer, began to introduce: "The next item up for auction is an extremely rare ore."


    As Idris spoke, he mysteriously lifted the red cloth on the tray.


    Huh? A rare ore?


    Rein''s attention was immediately diverted from the gold pearls as he focused on the auction stage, where Idris displayed the tray.


    On it were five long, metal ingots, appearing similar to silver ingots but noticeably brighter with tiny sparkling starlight mixed within.


    Shh! It''s Mithril ingots!


    This instantly delighted Rein.


    "Mithril ingots!"


    "It''s definitely Mithril!"


    .....


    Many nobles on the first floor also quickly recognized this precious rare ore as Mithril.


    Furthermore, the output of Mithril, whether in the Dragan Empire or the Eagle Federation, was extremely scarce, rarely encountered by ordinary people.


    This time, having five Standard Ingots appear all at once was quite rare indeed.


    Rein first heard about Mithril six months ago during a mission to eradicate mermen, where Captain Weilun mentioned someone had obtained a highly valuable Mithril ore by killing a merman.


    Just like the previous ice iron ingots, to Rein, Mithril was not just a rare ore but also a main material for crafting Secret Silver Engraved Plate Armor.


    Though having the material alone was not enough, Rein further needed to address the issue of inscriptions, but these problems could be tackled one by one.


    A skilled woman struggles without rice, thus the availability of materials sometimes stood as the utmost priority.


    Luckily, Rein had earned a large sum of Gold Coins from betting on a bloody duel this time.


    Otherwise, he likely wouldn''t have had sufficient funds to secure the Mithril ingots.


    Only after Idris, the chief auctioneer, had made a round showing the items and stirred up the lively atmosphere, he loudly announced: "The quantity of Mithril ingots this time totals five Standard Ingots, starting bid 2000 imperial Gold Coins, now, let the bidding begin!"


    "2500!" a thin noble on the first floor couldn''t wait to raise his hand, saying. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But trying to scare off others from competing for the Mithril by directly raising the bid by 500 was clearly a miscalculation.


    Soon, subsequent bids rose one after another, quite higher each time. Since Mithril had many more uses than the ice iron ingots, it naturally attracted the pursuit of most male nobles.


    "2800!"


    "...."


    "3500!"


    After the price rose to 3500 Gold Coins, the bidding increments began to slow down.


    At that moment, Rein leaned over and whispered in the beautiful lady''s ear, "No matter what others bid, always go one hundred higher than them."


    The beautiful lady immediately chuckled and said, "It seems that Baron Sir is very fond of Mithril, just like how we women love jewels like gold pearls!"


    Because in public, the beautiful lady always paid great attention to her demeanor and speech, addressing Rein quite formally.


    With many nobles competing in the auction, it wasn''t feasible to attempt to secure the Mithril ingots by suddenly raising the bid too much, so after expressing his determination to secure the ingots to the beautiful lady, he left the rest for her to handle the paddle.


    "3600!"


    "3700!"


    At that moment, with each new bid, the smile on Idris, the old man with a monocle, became even brighter. His voice rose steadily as he shouted, "We have a bid of 3700, any higher bids?"


    By now, there were not many nobles continuing to match the price.


    Although Mithril was scarce, at that point, it was starting to slightly overprice. If not in urgent need, many nobles began giving up on bidding.

 Chapter 196 Gains from the Auction (Two-in-One Large Chapter)_2

    "3800!" a young noble scion suddenly stood up, seemingly unable to contain his impatience.While raising his bid card, he looked around, trying to identify which family was not showing him respect.


    As his gaze swept over the crowd and landed on a box to the upper right of the second floor, the color drained from his face upon seeing the bidding beautiful woman, particularly when he noticed the black-haired young man beside her. He immediately sat back down obediently, coughed, and said,


    "Cough! Let me straighten my clothes..."


    "3900! We have a guest bidding 3900, is there a higher offer?" shouted the chief auctioneer upon noticing the beautiful woman raising her bid again.


    Nobles looked at this scene with curiosity. It was extremely rare for someone to rebuff the eldest son of Viscount Hamadi this way, prompting everyone to look towards the source.


    Ah! It turned out to be Baron Iron Hammer!


    The bidder was Lady Crawley, no wonder...


    It should be noted that, according to the rules of the Yakesen Auction House, the second floor boxes minium require a noble of rank to use them, and those nobles without a title could not apply on their own.


    In the end, Rein bought the five Mithril ingots for 3900 gold.


    This made Rein sigh with relief at a journey not wasted. Even if there were no further gains, just the acquisition of these two rare minerals alone satisfied him greatly.


    ...


    "Next, we have two rare Extraordinary Battle Techniques. To ensure that our guests do not miss out on a Combat Skill they desire, I will reveal the names of these techniques in advance,"


    Rein understood the intent behind Idris''s early disclosure; it was to intensify the competition.


    If the announcement wasn''t made ahead of time, many nobles would not hurry to make an offer, always hoping the next Extraordinary Battle Technique might be more suitable and cheaper for them.


    But in this case, if the two Extraordinary Battle Techniques belonged to different categories, there would be no undercutting each other; instead, their rarity would make the competition fierce.


    Therein lay the advantage of the early announcement.


    Fancy a single-handed sword Combat Skill?


    Just one, do you want it?


    "The first Extraordinary Battle Technique is a lesser-known single-handed swordsmanship guide �C ''Outline of Tidal Sword Art,'' containing two complete secret techniques," Idris pointed to the red silk cushioned tray beside him.


    On the tray rested an ancient parchment scroll, presumably the guide itself.


    "The second Extraordinary Battle Technique comes from the late master Kadar Es, ''Kadar''s Martial Arts Outline,'' also featuring two complete secret techniques."


    "Each of these Combat Skills, regardless of which one, can serve as a family heirloom, perhaps inspiring unique secret techniques in generations of inheritance."


    When Rein heard the name of the first Extraordinary Battle Technique, he frowned. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Single-handed swordsmanship?


    He wasn''t very interested.


    But when the second Extraordinary Battle Technique was announced, Rein was even more stunned!


    Hmm?


    Martial arts?


    This was completely unexpected.


    Surprisingly, there was an Extraordinary Battle Technique for martial arts. Given that nobles who fight using ''Finger Tigers'' were extremely rare,


    Even assassins preferred lethal daggers or short swords over Finger Tigers.


    After considering, Rein quickly made his decision.


    If he had to choose, he would opt for ''Kadar''s Martial Arts Outline,'' not the Tidal Sword Art.


    As for the reason?


    In the two battles he had fought, his opponents had been much faster than Rein, often putting him at a disadvantage during the fights.


    Combat Skills involving Finger Tigers and daggers typically include very agile footwork or evasive maneuvers.


    Once mastered, Rein felt they would greatly compensate for his shortcomings.


    Another consideration was the price. Clearly, the single-handed sword Combat Skills, being more widely practiced, would inevitably face fierce competition.


    Compared to that, there would be far fewer competitors for martial arts.


    ...


    As expected, the bidding for the ''Outline of Tidal Sword Art'' was fierce, going over thirty rounds and ultimately sold for eleven thousand gold to a baron.


    Whereas ''Kadar''s Martial Arts Outline'' saw much fewer bidders, just eight rounds in total, and was eventually bought by Rein for four thousand two hundred gold.


    The beautiful woman and Jenny exchanged glances, looking at Rein with some perplexity, seemingly unclear why Rein chose the less popular martial arts guide over the Tidal Sword Art, especially given his strong foundation in Dual-Handed Greatsword.


    But since the beautiful woman was not versed in martial prowess, she did not inquire further.


    -----------------


    Soon, an attendant came in with a tray holding the yellow parchment scroll, which was the ''Kadar''s Martial Arts Outline'' Rein had just bought.


    Rein received it with a smile and quickly opened it to read.


    "...Master Kadar Es, after observing the attacks of a fierce tiger, gradually created and perfected this martial art, hence, this martial art can also be known as the Fierce Tiger Fist Technique..."

 Chapter 196 Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    The foreword was brief. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Fierce Tiger Fist Technique?


    Rein pondered, This indeed shares some commonalities with the ancient martial arts from his previous life, all of which evolved from the observation of animals such as tigers, leopards, and bears, gradually transforming into fist techniques suitable for human use.


    Among them, the Health-preserving Fist "Five Animal Frolics," as well as the powerful combat-oriented Xingyi Quan and so on, were among the more typical representatives.


    Gathering his thoughts, Rein continued to read on.


    He saw that the Kadar Martial Arts was recorded with five styles of fist techniques.


    The first style is Straight Punch, paired with a forward-rushing step.


    The second style is Left Swing Fist, paired with a right sliding step.


    The third style is Right Swing Fist, paired with a left sliding step.


    The fourth style is Uppercut, paired with multi-directional sliding steps.


    Sliding steps involve pushing off the ground with either the left or right foot, moving laterally about the distance of a foot, with the other foot quickly following to maintain the original stance.


    These four styles, according to the outline''s records, could all be transformed into corresponding clawing moves, which is why they''re called Fierce Tiger Fist Technique.


    The final technique was the fifth style, an evasive move called Pendulum Retreat Step.


    Each style came with its corresponding footwork, especially the last style, which was a dodging move, and this made Rein quite happy.


    However, when Rein got to the bottom, his eyebrows raised in surprise.


    Huh?


    Is this... Finger Tigers?


    He saw a simple design of blade knuckles, noticeably different from regular ones, with sharp protrusions at the knuckles.


    Each protrusion shaped like a dagger, wider at the base and tapering to a point, with a length of about ten centimeters, capturing the essence of a fierce tiger''s claws.


    It''s not hard to imagine that being hit by a heavy punch wearing these blade knuckles, any enemy with insufficient defense would end up with four bloody holes in their body.


    In other words, this set of Kadar Martial Arts even had a matching type of blade knuckles designed, as wearing these blade knuckles would maximize the lethality.


    Next came the secret moves.


    As for the secret moves, the first one was called "High-Speed Combo," a technique for unleashing as many Straight Punches, Left Swing Fists, Right Swing Fists, and other moves as possible in a short amount of time.


    The second secret move was called "Hundred Crack Strike," requiring the use of blade knuckles and, similarly within a brief window, transforming punches into claw strikes with moves such as uppercuts, downward slashes, and left and right swings.


    After that, no more items that Rein was very eager to acquire appeared at the auction.


    After the auction ended and he returned home, Rein began practicing this "Kadar Martial Arts" eagerly.


    After all, as soon as he could elevate this Extraordinary Battle Technique to lv10, he would be able to change his class immediately to the Legendary profession [Weapon Master]!


    The mere thought of this filled Rein with an eager anticipation.


    In the indoor training area, Rein practiced move by move following the human-shaped diagrams in the outline.


    Soon, a system notification sounded:


    [You have trained in the Kadar Martial Arts, improving your understanding!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill ���� Kadar Martial Arts]


    [Your Skill Card Kadar Martial Arts has improved, Experience +1]


    The Kadar Martial Arts lv1 (1/100) appeared in the Knight (Transcendent) profession panel, with an icon depicting a towering figure with a tiger''s head and a human body in an upright stance, with a pair of claws and Finger Tigers very similar and in a sweeping posture, quite heroic.


    Since Rein was no longer a newbie, and his experience with learning Combat Skills was no longer that of a beginner from six months ago, he managed to raise it to lv3 in an afternoon.


    However, starting from lv3, the speed of improvement began to slow down.


    Rein knew how to speed up the process; if he could find a suitable person to practice or spar with, he could increase his level rapidly again.


    As for adding points?


    That was naturally something to consider after reaching lv5.


    "Thump, thump, thump!"


    Hmm?


    Normally the servants all knew not to disturb him in his training room.


    Could it be that something urgent had come up?


    Rein was a bit perplexed to hear the knock on the door, he said,


    "Come in!"


    Jenny appeared with an apologetic face, "Lord Reine, I''m sorry to interrupt, but there''s a merchant leader outside who has something he must deliver to you personally."


    "Hmm? A merchant?" Rein showed a puzzled look.


    "Yes, Lord Reine, it appears to be a merchant caravan from the County of Rosebi," Jenny said very certainly, adding after a pause.


    The County of Rosebi? Could it be...


    Rein immediately thought of a possibility.


    "Let''s go and see."


    When Rein and Jenny arrived in the front courtyard of the mansion, they saw a large pile of items wrapped in grey tarpaulin, already moved to the side of the courtyard.


    A chubby merchant approached with a smile, "Honorable Lord Reine, I am commissioned by Knight Hass to deliver these valuable items to your residence."


    "I apologize for the inconvenience of having you personally sign for them, but Knight Hass emphasized repeatedly that the contents are very valuable and must be handed directly to you."


    "Thank you, you''ve had a long journey," Rein said with a slight smile.


    And Jenny, very considerately, had the maids prepare some coins to thank the chubby merchant.


    After the chubby merchant left, Rein uncovered the tarpaulin, and sure enough, inside were the turtle shells that he had cut from the corpse of the Scale-Whisker Ironback Turtle, totaling twelve pieces.


    Actually, there were originally thirteen pieces, but one was shattered by Rein in combat.


    As for these hard, thick turtle shells, Rein had already planned their use��to forge an equipment that was not uncommon��a Turtle Shell Shield.

 Chapter 196 Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Of course, ordinary tortoiseshell shields are made of general turtle shells, and they are completely incomparable to the ones Reine was about to make.For Reine, his main purpose was to gain a substantial amount of Experience by making a shield out of the material of the Scale-whisker Iron-back Turtle.


    Of course, he was not entirely sure of this yet.


    It was merely a reasonable deduction from the fact that knightly plate armor made from rare ores offers a higher Experience reward.


    As an entry-level behemoth, the Scale-whisker Iron-back Turtle was comparable in strength to a Great Knight, so its shell naturally ranked as a rare material.


    Therefore, Reine felt there was a high probability that he would receive a handsome reward in terms of blacksmithing Experience.


    So, right after dinner, Reine went to the blacksmith shop.


    For the production of the tortoiseshell shield, Reine had already prepared in advance, simply speaking, by smoothing the edges of the shell and surrounding it with an iron ring, and then drilling a hole in the middle to insert a metal handle.


    With that, a tortoiseshell shield was completed.


    In general, the defensive power of the tortoiseshell shield heavily relies on the hardness of the shell material itself.


    Half an hour later...


    Reine wrapped a long, narrow strip of iron around the shell, and then picked up the blacksmith''s hammer, starting to beat it.


    After fixing it in place, he began to look for the appropriate place to drill near the top of the shell to attach the metal handle.


    Soon, he had completed the processes stated above and was holding a tortoiseshell shield in his hand, swinging it a few times with ease.


    At that time, the system prompt appeared:


    [You performed the forging work on a tortoiseshell shield, insight enhanced!]


    [You''ve learned a new skill��Tortoiseshell Shield Crafting]


    [Your skill in Tortoiseshell Shield Crafting has improved, Experience +124]


    [You focused on Tortoiseshell Shield Crafting, blacksmithing Professional Experience Points +202]


    ...


    Whew! These Experience Points are really generous!


    Reine''s eyes lit up immediately!


    "It seems my previous speculation was correct, the rarer the material, the higher the Experience reward, and also, the harder the crafting process, the higher the system''s Experience reward."


    This is the shell of the Scale-whisker Iron-back Turtle, comparable to rare ores, so the rewards in Experience were quite substantial.


    After a rough calculation, Reine found that once he had crafted all twelve shells, he would be able to level up the blacksmithing from lv5 to lv6, with plenty to spare.


    This naturally put Reine in a great mood, and he immediately started working with renewed vigor.


    After spending over four hours, Reine had consecutively crafted ten tortoiseshell shields and successfully advanced to lv6 as a blacksmith.


    He again received one Skill Point and one attribute point as a reward.


    And at that moment, the attribute panel showed the remaining attribute points had reached 6, and the remaining Skill Points were finally not zero, but one.


    A completely satisfied Reine then left the blacksmith shop and returned to the mansion to rest.


    -----------------


    Meanwhile.


    Since Reine had won the bloody duel and returned to the mansion, Baron Alonso''s face hadn''t lightened up.


    Even the usually trusted butler, Michel, hadn''t received a good look all day long.


    This time, it was Michel''s third visit, only to hear a maid report: "Butler Michel, Baron today smashed two antique vases and three teapots."


    Michel was also startled!


    It had been so many years, he hadn''t seen Baron Alonso this angry.


    Last time, it seemed to be when he was defeated by Lady Creya, right?


    He couldn''t remember clearly... S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After thinking it over, Michel decided to steel himself and knock on the door.


    Just then, suddenly, the study door opened, and Baron Alonso stepped out with a gloomy face.


    When he saw Michel, his expression softened a lot as he said, "Michel, arrange a carriage for me, I need to go out."


    "At your command, Baron."


    Before long, Alonzo was riding in a luxurious carriage to the Meister County jail.


    In the office of Magis.


    "Magis, you must have heard the news too? Lord Reine in a bloody duel, defeated the newly promoted Great Knight, Norman Baron. Do you still have confidence that you can accomplish what you promised earlier?" Alonzo asked expressionlessly.


    "Baron, please rest assured, I have been actively pushing forward with this matter," Magis replied.


    "Although this new Baron has outstanding combat abilities, this time, the person that the organization sent to Meister County is not an ordinary Great Knight, so I still have full confidence."


    "Please await good news, Baron."


    As Magis spoke, Alonzo was observing Magis''s expression, as if trying to determine whether his words were true.


    Alonzo watched for a moment, then nodded and said, "I hope it will be soon! Otherwise, Lord Reine''s growth might exceed both of our expectations."


    Although Magis spoke confidently, Alonzo, having experienced several consecutive failures, had his confidence at rock bottom.


    Honestly, if it weren''t for Magis mentioning that they "are not just any Great Knight," Alonzo would hardly have felt any anticipation.


    After Alonzo left, Magis frowned.


    This Baron''s strength has indeed increased too quickly!


    Moreover, although he had just promised with confidence, he himself was quite troubled because the newly-arrived General Parix obviously didn''t regard his suggestions very highly.


    A couple of days ago, after hearing his confidant''s report, he clearly understood the new Meister County leader''s general mindset.


    The other party wasn''t very concerned about Rein, who wasn''t even a Great Knight yet; the other party''s focus was broader-reaching.


    After thinking it over, Magis waved over his confidant and said, "You may need to make a trip to Wild Wolf Hills right away and report Rein''s performance in the bloody duel to General Parix immediately."


    "Now that he has demonstrated the power of a Great Knight level, I think, this time, General Parix shouldn''t underestimate him anymore," Magis sighed and said.


    "At your command, sir!"


    Soon, the confidant left the office.


    Two hours later, Magis''s confidant rushed on horseback to Wild Wolf Hills.


    "Eh? To counter-kill a Great Knight at a knight level?"


    "This situation is indeed rare. I didn''t expect such talent to emerge in a small place like Meister," General Parix, without any attempt to hide the surprise on his face, said.


    However, from his expression, there was not the slightest hint of fear or dread; instead, there was a faint sense of anticipation.


    After pondering for a while, he said, "Send a message back to Magis, just say that I am aware of this situation."


    "Originally, I wasn''t very interested. However, now that he can kill a Great Knight, this is quite intriguing to me. But if this Baron stays in the County Town, I won''t be able to make a move."


    "So, let Magis prepare his intelligence work well."


    "If he leaves the County Town, notify me immediately."


    At the end of his speech, General Parix also nodded towards intelligence work, letting the confidant know that this was a reminder for his boss to be diligent in his duties.


    "At your command, General," said the confidant, bowing respectfully before slowly retreating.


    -----------------


    The next morning, Hamilton, according to the previous arrangement, arrived on time at Rein Mansion.


    Soon, a luxurious carriage, carrying Rein and Hamilton, headed towards the Usman family estate just outside the County Town.


    Normally, most nobles choose to reside in the noble estate area of the County Town for two main reasons: safety and the convenience due to frequent banquets and salons.


    A minority of nobles, however, choose to live in manor houses adjacent to the County Town.


    Because the manors generally cover a larger area, they provide space for activities like horse riding and, relatively speaking, they offer more tranquility.


    The Usman family is among them; they seldom participate in banquets and social activities of the County Town, possibly due to being newcomers or perhaps for other reasons �� that remains unknown.


    Soon, the carriage arrived at the entrance of a rather historical manor.


    The manor was surrounded by walls covered with wisteria, money plant, and ivy, presenting a view rich in greenery that was very pleasing to the mood.


    Meanwhile, Knight Lawrence, whom Rein had met once before, was already at the entrance of the manor, leading several servants, waiting respectfully.

 Chapter 196 Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    "1600!" a plump noble on the first floor raised his hand and said.But soon, the bids behind him quickly drowned out his, and for this rare ore, although it was relatively singular in nature, it still attracted the pursuit of many nobles as a material for knight armor specifically used in certain environments.


    "1700!"


    "...."


    "2100!"


    After the price rose to 2100 Gold Coins, the bidding began to slow down.


    Explore stories at empire


    Rein thought about it and directly had the beautiful lady bid 2500.


    When the beautiful lady on the second floor dignifiedly raised the 2500 sign, Idris, an old man with a monocle, his face joyful and his voice raised two octaves, shouted:


    "We have a bid of 2500 from a distinguished guest, any higher bids?"


    After three calls, no one responded.


    "Smack!"


    With the fall of the auction hammer, Rein successfully secured the ice iron ingots!


    Perhaps for others this price was somewhat high, but for Rein, these ice iron ingots had a special significance.


    Conservatively estimating, Rein felt that after using up all these ice iron ingots, he could elevate his armorsmithing Profession Level by at least one, and perhaps even two levels might just be possible.


    Having secured the ice iron ingots, Rein was even more anticipative of the upcoming auctions.


    Unfortunately, the next few auction items were mostly antiques.


    To this, Rein had no interest at all.


    Antiques were, in Rein''s view, items that were expensive but did not offer much practical use, serving more to indirectly highlight a family''s heritage.


    At this moment, a female Attendant knocked on the door and holding a luxurious carved wooden box, respectfully presented the twelve gold pearls that Lady Jennifer had just won at the auction.


    "Baroness Crawley, here are the auction items you won," the Attendant said with a bow as she handed over the wooden box.


    Unexpectedly, Jenny who was beside her quickly took it first. As she opened it, she was instantly captivated by a row of glittering gold pearls.


    "Mother, these gold pearls are really beautiful."


    The beautiful lady was also quite intrigued and picked up one to look at. It was glittering with a round, gentle luster, indeed exceptionally pretty.


    At this point, Idris, the chief auctioneer, began to introduce: "The next item up for auction is an extremely rare ore."


    As Idris spoke, he mysteriously lifted the red cloth on the tray.


    Huh? A rare ore?


    Rein''s attention was immediately diverted from the gold pearls as he focused on the auction stage, where Idris displayed the tray.


    On it were five long, metal ingots, appearing similar to silver ingots but noticeably brighter with tiny sparkling starlight mixed within.


    Shh! It''s Mithril ingots!


    This instantly delighted Rein.


    "Mithril ingots!"


    "It''s definitely Mithril!"


    .....


    Many nobles on the first floor also quickly recognized this precious rare ore as Mithril.


    Furthermore, the output of Mithril, whether in the Dragan Empire or the Eagle Federation, was extremely scarce, rarely encountered by ordinary people.


    This time, having five Standard Ingots appear all at once was quite rare indeed.


    Rein first heard about Mithril six months ago during a mission to eradicate mermen, where Captain Weilun mentioned someone had obtained a highly valuable Mithril ore by killing a merman.


    Just like the previous ice iron ingots, to Rein, Mithril was not just a rare ore but also a main material for crafting Secret Silver Engraved Plate Armor.


    Though having the material alone was not enough, Rein further needed to address the issue of inscriptions, but these problems could be tackled one by one.


    A skilled woman struggles without rice, thus the availability of materials sometimes stood as the utmost priority.


    Luckily, Rein had earned a large sum of Gold Coins from betting on a bloody duel this time.


    Otherwise, he likely wouldn''t have had sufficient funds to secure the Mithril ingots.


    Only after Idris, the chief auctioneer, had made a round showing the items and stirred up the lively atmosphere, he loudly announced: "The quantity of Mithril ingots this time totals five Standard Ingots, starting bid 2000 imperial Gold Coins, now, let the bidding begin!"


    "2500!" a thin noble on the first floor couldn''t wait to raise his hand, saying. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But trying to scare off others from competing for the Mithril by directly raising the bid by 500 was clearly a miscalculation.


    Soon, subsequent bids rose one after another, quite higher each time. Since Mithril had many more uses than the ice iron ingots, it naturally attracted the pursuit of most male nobles.


    "2800!"


    "...."


    "3500!"


    After the price rose to 3500 Gold Coins, the bidding increments began to slow down.


    At that moment, Rein leaned over and whispered in the beautiful lady''s ear, "No matter what others bid, always go one hundred higher than them."


    The beautiful lady immediately chuckled and said, "It seems that Baron Sir is very fond of Mithril, just like how we women love jewels like gold pearls!"


    Because in public, the beautiful lady always paid great attention to her demeanor and speech, addressing Rein quite formally.


    With many nobles competing in the auction, it wasn''t feasible to attempt to secure the Mithril ingots by suddenly raising the bid too much, so after expressing his determination to secure the ingots to the beautiful lady, he left the rest for her to handle the paddle.


    "3600!"


    "3700!"


    At that moment, with each new bid, the smile on Idris, the old man with a monocle, became even brighter. His voice rose steadily as he shouted, "We have a bid of 3700, any higher bids?"


    By now, there were not many nobles continuing to match the price.


    Although Mithril was scarce, at that point, it was starting to slightly overprice. If not in urgent need, many nobles began giving up on bidding.

 Chapter 196 Gains from the Auction (Two-in-One Large Chapter)_2

    "3800!" a young noble scion suddenly stood up, seemingly unable to contain his impatience.While raising his bid card, he looked around, trying to identify which family was not showing him respect.


    As his gaze swept over the crowd and landed on a box to the upper right of the second floor, the color drained from his face upon seeing the bidding beautiful woman, particularly when he noticed the black-haired young man beside her. He immediately sat back down obediently, coughed, and said,


    "Cough! Let me straighten my clothes..."


    "3900! We have a guest bidding 3900, is there a higher offer?" shouted the chief auctioneer upon noticing the beautiful woman raising her bid again.


    Nobles looked at this scene with curiosity. It was extremely rare for someone to rebuff the eldest son of Viscount Hamadi this way, prompting everyone to look towards the source.


    Ah! It turned out to be Baron Iron Hammer!


    The bidder was Lady Crawley, no wonder...


    It should be noted that, according to the rules of the Yakesen Auction House, the second floor boxes minium require a noble of rank to use them, and those nobles without a title could not apply on their own.


    In the end, Rein bought the five Mithril ingots for 3900 gold.


    This made Rein sigh with relief at a journey not wasted. Even if there were no further gains, just the acquisition of these two rare minerals alone satisfied him greatly.


    ...


    "Next, we have two rare Extraordinary Battle Techniques. To ensure that our guests do not miss out on a Combat Skill they desire, I will reveal the names of these techniques in advance,"


    Rein understood the intent behind Idris''s early disclosure; it was to intensify the competition.


    If the announcement wasn''t made ahead of time, many nobles would not hurry to make an offer, always hoping the next Extraordinary Battle Technique might be more suitable and cheaper for them.


    But in this case, if the two Extraordinary Battle Techniques belonged to different categories, there would be no undercutting each other; instead, their rarity would make the competition fierce.


    Therein lay the advantage of the early announcement.


    Fancy a single-handed sword Combat Skill?


    Just one, do you want it?


    "The first Extraordinary Battle Technique is a lesser-known single-handed swordsmanship guide �C ''Outline of Tidal Sword Art,'' containing two complete secret techniques," Idris pointed to the red silk cushioned tray beside him.


    On the tray rested an ancient parchment scroll, presumably the guide itself.


    "The second Extraordinary Battle Technique comes from the late master Kadar Es, ''Kadar''s Martial Arts Outline,'' also featuring two complete secret techniques."


    "Each of these Combat Skills, regardless of which one, can serve as a family heirloom, perhaps inspiring unique secret techniques in generations of inheritance."


    When Rein heard the name of the first Extraordinary Battle Technique, he frowned. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Single-handed swordsmanship?


    He wasn''t very interested.


    But when the second Extraordinary Battle Technique was announced, Rein was even more stunned!


    Hmm?


    Martial arts?


    This was completely unexpected.


    Surprisingly, there was an Extraordinary Battle Technique for martial arts. Given that nobles who fight using ''Finger Tigers'' were extremely rare,


    Even assassins preferred lethal daggers or short swords over Finger Tigers.


    After considering, Rein quickly made his decision.


    If he had to choose, he would opt for ''Kadar''s Martial Arts Outline,'' not the Tidal Sword Art.


    As for the reason?


    In the two battles he had fought, his opponents had been much faster than Rein, often putting him at a disadvantage during the fights.


    Combat Skills involving Finger Tigers and daggers typically include very agile footwork or evasive maneuvers.


    Once mastered, Rein felt they would greatly compensate for his shortcomings.


    Another consideration was the price. Clearly, the single-handed sword Combat Skills, being more widely practiced, would inevitably face fierce competition.


    Compared to that, there would be far fewer competitors for martial arts.


    ...


    As expected, the bidding for the ''Outline of Tidal Sword Art'' was fierce, going over thirty rounds and ultimately sold for eleven thousand gold to a baron.


    Whereas ''Kadar''s Martial Arts Outline'' saw much fewer bidders, just eight rounds in total, and was eventually bought by Rein for four thousand two hundred gold.


    The beautiful woman and Jenny exchanged glances, looking at Rein with some perplexity, seemingly unclear why Rein chose the less popular martial arts guide over the Tidal Sword Art, especially given his strong foundation in Dual-Handed Greatsword.


    But since the beautiful woman was not versed in martial prowess, she did not inquire further.


    -----------------


    Soon, an attendant came in with a tray holding the yellow parchment scroll, which was the ''Kadar''s Martial Arts Outline'' Rein had just bought.


    Rein received it with a smile and quickly opened it to read.


    "...Master Kadar Es, after observing the attacks of a fierce tiger, gradually created and perfected this martial art, hence, this martial art can also be known as the Fierce Tiger Fist Technique..."

 Chapter 196 Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    The foreword was brief. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Fierce Tiger Fist Technique?


    Rein pondered, This indeed shares some commonalities with the ancient martial arts from his previous life, all of which evolved from the observation of animals such as tigers, leopards, and bears, gradually transforming into fist techniques suitable for human use.


    Among them, the Health-preserving Fist "Five Animal Frolics," as well as the powerful combat-oriented Xingyi Quan and so on, were among the more typical representatives.


    Gathering his thoughts, Rein continued to read on.


    He saw that the Kadar Martial Arts was recorded with five styles of fist techniques.


    The first style is Straight Punch, paired with a forward-rushing step.


    The second style is Left Swing Fist, paired with a right sliding step.


    The third style is Right Swing Fist, paired with a left sliding step.


    The fourth style is Uppercut, paired with multi-directional sliding steps.


    Sliding steps involve pushing off the ground with either the left or right foot, moving laterally about the distance of a foot, with the other foot quickly following to maintain the original stance.


    These four styles, according to the outline''s records, could all be transformed into corresponding clawing moves, which is why they''re called Fierce Tiger Fist Technique.


    The final technique was the fifth style, an evasive move called Pendulum Retreat Step.


    Each style came with its corresponding footwork, especially the last style, which was a dodging move, and this made Rein quite happy.


    However, when Rein got to the bottom, his eyebrows raised in surprise.


    Huh?


    Is this... Finger Tigers?


    He saw a simple design of blade knuckles, noticeably different from regular ones, with sharp protrusions at the knuckles.


    Each protrusion shaped like a dagger, wider at the base and tapering to a point, with a length of about ten centimeters, capturing the essence of a fierce tiger''s claws.


    It''s not hard to imagine that being hit by a heavy punch wearing these blade knuckles, any enemy with insufficient defense would end up with four bloody holes in their body.


    In other words, this set of Kadar Martial Arts even had a matching type of blade knuckles designed, as wearing these blade knuckles would maximize the lethality.


    Next came the secret moves.


    As for the secret moves, the first one was called "High-Speed Combo," a technique for unleashing as many Straight Punches, Left Swing Fists, Right Swing Fists, and other moves as possible in a short amount of time.


    The second secret move was called "Hundred Crack Strike," requiring the use of blade knuckles and, similarly within a brief window, transforming punches into claw strikes with moves such as uppercuts, downward slashes, and left and right swings.


    After that, no more items that Rein was very eager to acquire appeared at the auction.


    After the auction ended and he returned home, Rein began practicing this "Kadar Martial Arts" eagerly.


    After all, as soon as he could elevate this Extraordinary Battle Technique to lv10, he would be able to change his class immediately to the Legendary profession [Weapon Master]!


    The mere thought of this filled Rein with an eager anticipation.


    In the indoor training area, Rein practiced move by move following the human-shaped diagrams in the outline.


    Soon, a system notification sounded:


    [You have trained in the Kadar Martial Arts, improving your understanding!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill ���� Kadar Martial Arts]


    [Your Skill Card Kadar Martial Arts has improved, Experience +1]


    The Kadar Martial Arts lv1 (1/100) appeared in the Knight (Transcendent) profession panel, with an icon depicting a towering figure with a tiger''s head and a human body in an upright stance, with a pair of claws and Finger Tigers very similar and in a sweeping posture, quite heroic.


    Since Rein was no longer a newbie, and his experience with learning Combat Skills was no longer that of a beginner from six months ago, he managed to raise it to lv3 in an afternoon.


    However, starting from lv3, the speed of improvement began to slow down.


    Rein knew how to speed up the process; if he could find a suitable person to practice or spar with, he could increase his level rapidly again.


    As for adding points?


    That was naturally something to consider after reaching lv5.


    "Thump, thump, thump!"


    Hmm?


    Normally the servants all knew not to disturb him in his training room.


    Could it be that something urgent had come up?


    Rein was a bit perplexed to hear the knock on the door, he said,


    "Come in!"


    Jenny appeared with an apologetic face, "Lord Reine, I''m sorry to interrupt, but there''s a merchant leader outside who has something he must deliver to you personally."


    "Hmm? A merchant?" Rein showed a puzzled look.


    "Yes, Lord Reine, it appears to be a merchant caravan from the County of Rosebi," Jenny said very certainly, adding after a pause.


    The County of Rosebi? Could it be...


    Rein immediately thought of a possibility.


    "Let''s go and see."


    When Rein and Jenny arrived in the front courtyard of the mansion, they saw a large pile of items wrapped in grey tarpaulin, already moved to the side of the courtyard.


    A chubby merchant approached with a smile, "Honorable Lord Reine, I am commissioned by Knight Hass to deliver these valuable items to your residence."


    "I apologize for the inconvenience of having you personally sign for them, but Knight Hass emphasized repeatedly that the contents are very valuable and must be handed directly to you."


    "Thank you, you''ve had a long journey," Rein said with a slight smile.


    And Jenny, very considerately, had the maids prepare some coins to thank the chubby merchant.


    After the chubby merchant left, Rein uncovered the tarpaulin, and sure enough, inside were the turtle shells that he had cut from the corpse of the Scale-Whisker Ironback Turtle, totaling twelve pieces.


    Actually, there were originally thirteen pieces, but one was shattered by Rein in combat.


    As for these hard, thick turtle shells, Rein had already planned their use��to forge an equipment that was not uncommon��a Turtle Shell Shield.

 Chapter 196 Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Of course, ordinary tortoiseshell shields are made of general turtle shells, and they are completely incomparable to the ones Reine was about to make.For Reine, his main purpose was to gain a substantial amount of Experience by making a shield out of the material of the Scale-whisker Iron-back Turtle.


    Of course, he was not entirely sure of this yet.


    It was merely a reasonable deduction from the fact that knightly plate armor made from rare ores offers a higher Experience reward.


    As an entry-level behemoth, the Scale-whisker Iron-back Turtle was comparable in strength to a Great Knight, so its shell naturally ranked as a rare material.


    Therefore, Reine felt there was a high probability that he would receive a handsome reward in terms of blacksmithing Experience.


    So, right after dinner, Reine went to the blacksmith shop.


    For the production of the tortoiseshell shield, Reine had already prepared in advance, simply speaking, by smoothing the edges of the shell and surrounding it with an iron ring, and then drilling a hole in the middle to insert a metal handle.


    With that, a tortoiseshell shield was completed.


    In general, the defensive power of the tortoiseshell shield heavily relies on the hardness of the shell material itself.


    Half an hour later...


    Reine wrapped a long, narrow strip of iron around the shell, and then picked up the blacksmith''s hammer, starting to beat it.


    After fixing it in place, he began to look for the appropriate place to drill near the top of the shell to attach the metal handle.


    Soon, he had completed the processes stated above and was holding a tortoiseshell shield in his hand, swinging it a few times with ease.


    At that time, the system prompt appeared:


    [You performed the forging work on a tortoiseshell shield, insight enhanced!]


    [You''ve learned a new skill��Tortoiseshell Shield Crafting]


    [Your skill in Tortoiseshell Shield Crafting has improved, Experience +124]


    [You focused on Tortoiseshell Shield Crafting, blacksmithing Professional Experience Points +202]


    ...


    Whew! These Experience Points are really generous!


    Reine''s eyes lit up immediately!


    "It seems my previous speculation was correct, the rarer the material, the higher the Experience reward, and also, the harder the crafting process, the higher the system''s Experience reward."


    This is the shell of the Scale-whisker Iron-back Turtle, comparable to rare ores, so the rewards in Experience were quite substantial.


    After a rough calculation, Reine found that once he had crafted all twelve shells, he would be able to level up the blacksmithing from lv5 to lv6, with plenty to spare.


    This naturally put Reine in a great mood, and he immediately started working with renewed vigor.


    After spending over four hours, Reine had consecutively crafted ten tortoiseshell shields and successfully advanced to lv6 as a blacksmith.


    He again received one Skill Point and one attribute point as a reward.


    And at that moment, the attribute panel showed the remaining attribute points had reached 6, and the remaining Skill Points were finally not zero, but one.


    A completely satisfied Reine then left the blacksmith shop and returned to the mansion to rest.


    -----------------


    Meanwhile.


    Since Reine had won the bloody duel and returned to the mansion, Baron Alonso''s face hadn''t lightened up.


    Even the usually trusted butler, Michel, hadn''t received a good look all day long.


    This time, it was Michel''s third visit, only to hear a maid report: "Butler Michel, Baron today smashed two antique vases and three teapots."


    Michel was also startled!


    It had been so many years, he hadn''t seen Baron Alonso this angry.


    Last time, it seemed to be when he was defeated by Lady Creya, right?


    He couldn''t remember clearly... S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After thinking it over, Michel decided to steel himself and knock on the door.


    Just then, suddenly, the study door opened, and Baron Alonso stepped out with a gloomy face.


    When he saw Michel, his expression softened a lot as he said, "Michel, arrange a carriage for me, I need to go out."


    "At your command, Baron."


    Before long, Alonzo was riding in a luxurious carriage to the Meister County jail.


    In the office of Magis.


    "Magis, you must have heard the news too? Lord Reine in a bloody duel, defeated the newly promoted Great Knight, Norman Baron. Do you still have confidence that you can accomplish what you promised earlier?" Alonzo asked expressionlessly.


    "Baron, please rest assured, I have been actively pushing forward with this matter," Magis replied.


    "Although this new Baron has outstanding combat abilities, this time, the person that the organization sent to Meister County is not an ordinary Great Knight, so I still have full confidence."


    "Please await good news, Baron."


    As Magis spoke, Alonzo was observing Magis''s expression, as if trying to determine whether his words were true.


    Alonzo watched for a moment, then nodded and said, "I hope it will be soon! Otherwise, Lord Reine''s growth might exceed both of our expectations."


    Although Magis spoke confidently, Alonzo, having experienced several consecutive failures, had his confidence at rock bottom.


    Honestly, if it weren''t for Magis mentioning that they "are not just any Great Knight," Alonzo would hardly have felt any anticipation.


    After Alonzo left, Magis frowned.


    This Baron''s strength has indeed increased too quickly!


    Moreover, although he had just promised with confidence, he himself was quite troubled because the newly-arrived General Parix obviously didn''t regard his suggestions very highly.


    A couple of days ago, after hearing his confidant''s report, he clearly understood the new Meister County leader''s general mindset.


    The other party wasn''t very concerned about Rein, who wasn''t even a Great Knight yet; the other party''s focus was broader-reaching.


    After thinking it over, Magis waved over his confidant and said, "You may need to make a trip to Wild Wolf Hills right away and report Rein''s performance in the bloody duel to General Parix immediately."


    "Now that he has demonstrated the power of a Great Knight level, I think, this time, General Parix shouldn''t underestimate him anymore," Magis sighed and said.


    "At your command, sir!"


    Soon, the confidant left the office.


    Two hours later, Magis''s confidant rushed on horseback to Wild Wolf Hills.


    "Eh? To counter-kill a Great Knight at a knight level?"


    "This situation is indeed rare. I didn''t expect such talent to emerge in a small place like Meister," General Parix, without any attempt to hide the surprise on his face, said.


    However, from his expression, there was not the slightest hint of fear or dread; instead, there was a faint sense of anticipation.


    After pondering for a while, he said, "Send a message back to Magis, just say that I am aware of this situation."


    "Originally, I wasn''t very interested. However, now that he can kill a Great Knight, this is quite intriguing to me. But if this Baron stays in the County Town, I won''t be able to make a move."


    "So, let Magis prepare his intelligence work well."


    "If he leaves the County Town, notify me immediately."


    At the end of his speech, General Parix also nodded towards intelligence work, letting the confidant know that this was a reminder for his boss to be diligent in his duties.


    "At your command, General," said the confidant, bowing respectfully before slowly retreating.


    -----------------


    The next morning, Hamilton, according to the previous arrangement, arrived on time at Rein Mansion.


    Soon, a luxurious carriage, carrying Rein and Hamilton, headed towards the Usman family estate just outside the County Town.


    Normally, most nobles choose to reside in the noble estate area of the County Town for two main reasons: safety and the convenience due to frequent banquets and salons.


    A minority of nobles, however, choose to live in manor houses adjacent to the County Town.


    Because the manors generally cover a larger area, they provide space for activities like horse riding and, relatively speaking, they offer more tranquility.


    The Usman family is among them; they seldom participate in banquets and social activities of the County Town, possibly due to being newcomers or perhaps for other reasons �� that remains unknown.


    Soon, the carriage arrived at the entrance of a rather historical manor.


    The manor was surrounded by walls covered with wisteria, money plant, and ivy, presenting a view rich in greenery that was very pleasing to the mood.


    Meanwhile, Knight Lawrence, whom Rein had met once before, was already at the entrance of the manor, leading several servants, waiting respectfully.

 Chapter 197 Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    "Baron Reine, Lord Hamilton, welcome to Usman Manor. Miss Naya is already waiting for you in the drawing room, please follow me," Knight Lawrence said politely, inclining slightly before leading the way."Knight Lawrence, thank you for the trouble," they replied.


    As to why the Usman family had Miss Naya receive them,


    Reine had just learned on the way from Hamilton that Viscount Usman had recently rushed to the provincial capital of Mingster to visit a master potion maker, apparently to request the production of a special potion to alleviate Naya''s symptoms.


    When Reine and Hamilton entered the manor''s drawing room, they saw Miss Naya at first glance.


    She was dressed in a light green silk waistcoat, with fair skin, a beautiful face, and a graceful figure, not lacking at all where it mattered.


    Additionally, perhaps due to her magician bloodline, her brown eyes were deep and exuded a strange charm that made one feel a sense of affinity at first sight.


    "Baron Reine, your performance in the bloody duel was impressive," she said.


    "Lord Hamilton, it''s a pleasure to see you again," she added.


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    "Please take a seat," Naya''s crisp voice rang out as she curtsied to both men.


    "Miss Naya, thank you for your compliment," Reine replied with a slight bow and a smile.


    ...


    After an exchange of pleasantries, Hamilton stood up with a smile and said, "Miss Naya, the rest of the matter should be discussed between you and Baron Reine, I will go out and tour the manor."


    Knight Lawrence also smiled and added, "I will accompany Lord Hamilton."


    As they watched the two leave the drawing room, Naya turned to Reine and said,


    "Baron Reine, I assume Lord Hamilton has already informed you about my situation. So, please forgive my impertinence, but what would the Usman family need to offer in exchange for your assistance?"


    Reine had already considered this question beforehand. Considering Hamilton as the intermediary, and his wish to forge good relations with this magician family, he didn''t plan to make exorbitant demands.


    However, there was one thing he needed to clarify. "Miss Naya, there is one thing I would like to know first," Reine inquired.


    "If the two of us enter the dream realm and still cannot defeat the monster you speak of, can we return safely?"


    "Of course, this is not because I lack confidence, but merely to understand. I hope Miss Naya doesn''t mind."


    Naya smiled and said, "Of course not, even if you didn''t ask, I would have informed you before we officially enter the dream realm."


    She could tell from Reine''s every word that the most suitable candidate from Meister County��Baron Reine��didn''t seem opposed to helping her slay monsters in the dream realm.


    Of course, to her, this was a good thing; she wouldn''t need to spend effort convincing him.


    "Even if we are defeated, I still have the power to bring you, Lord Reine, back safely to the real world," Naya stated confidently.


    Reine nodded at this.


    "Good, that puts my mind at ease."


    "The second question is about that... the monster in the dream realm. How strong is it? Lord Hamilton wasn''t clear on this, so I hope Miss Naya can provide a detailed description," he requested.


    "That... the adversary isn''t really one specific monster but rather, in a certain area of the dream realm, there are many monsters of varied strength that appear."


    "Of course, for me, if I wish to break this nightmare, it''s crucial to defeat the source of it, a monster with the strength of a Peak Knight," she explained.


    "Well... to put it precisely, every time it appears in my nightmares, it becomes slightly stronger than the last. The last time, it already possessed the strength of a Peak Knight. Perhaps this time, it may possess the strength of an early Great Knight."


    "However, Baron Reine, with the strength you displayed in the bloody duel, plus my assistance, I believe that even if it has the strength of an early Great Knight, we have a good chance of victory," Naya said with added confidence, as if to allay Reine''s potential refusal.


    Reine nodded, sensing that Naya was likely not lying.


    After a short contemplation, Reine remarked, "It sounds manageable. By the way, if we successfully help Miss Naya with the problem, I would like to have a look at the Usman family library, if that''s alright?"


    With that, Reine finally made his condition known. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Visit the library?" Naya''s eyes widened in surprise, her mouth agape.


    She had anticipated some demands Reine might make, like a fine weapon, a top-level set of Knight Armor, a favored Extraordinary Battle Technique, or some cherished Sorcery Scrolls from her family''s collection, among other possibilities.


    But she had never expected Reine to make such a request.


    It was truly surprising!


    Seeing Naya''s delayed response, Reine furrowed his brows and asked, "Miss Naya, is there a difficulty?"


    "Please be assured, I do not intend to inspect the secretive records of your family, but merely to find some knowledge that is beneficial for me," he clarified.


    Naya then recovered, smiled, and said, "Baron Reine, please forgive my lapse just now; it''s because I truly didn''t expect your request to be so simple."


    "If it does not involve the Usman family''s secrets, I think there should be no problem with your request to browse our family''s library. I can agree to it right now," she assured.

 Chapter 197 Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Chapter)_2

    "Just, if that''s the case, I always feel like I''m owing you something," Naya said with a giggle, covering her mouth."Miss Naya is too kind. Then... shall we start now?" Rein smiled and said.


    The purpose of his visit was to be able to consult the books of this legendary family of magicians in order to better understand some knowledge related to wizards.


    Since she had agreed, the sooner the better.


    "Alright, Baron Rein, please follow me," she said.


    Naya, too, stood up in surprise and accompanied Rein out of the drawing room upon hearing his offer to volunteer.


    Outside, Hamilton and Knight Lawrence turned their heads upon hearing the door open and saw Naya''s smiling face, immediately realizing that she had already come to an agreement with Rein.


    The four of them passed through a long corridor and arrived at a bedroom that had been prepared in advance.


    Besides a large bed and several chairs, the room was empty.


    "Baron Rein, could you please join me and lie down on this bed, hand in hand?" Naya said straightforwardly.


    "Hm?" Rein appeared slightly surprised.


    But he quickly realized that this must be part of a ritual and nodded immediately, saying, "Alright, Miss Naya."


    So, under the watchful eyes of Hamilton and Knight Lawrence, Rein and Naya lay down on the large bed, hand in hand. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This situation, being watched by others while holding hands with a not-so-familiar woman, was new to Rein and not particularly pleasant.


    However, as soon as they held hands, Rein could feel the cool and smooth touch from Naya''s slender fingertips.


    In contrast, Naya found Rein''s palm rough and fiery, which inexplicably gave her a sense of security.


    This was also Naya''s first time holding the hand of a strange man; her cheeks flushed slightly, but soon she repressed her shyness and said softly, "Lord Reine, please close your eyes, and I shall lead you into the dream world."


    "Okay."


    Immediately, Rein closed his eyes.


    The next second, he felt a change as if his whole person suddenly began to fly high into the air, soaring endlessly when suddenly, he was surrounded by a verdant green.


    He had arrived in a strange world.


    It was also a boundless world.


    But distinctly divided into two colors; one was the green region Rein was currently in, filled with vast green trees and colorful flowers.


    The trees here were peculiar, each growing four or five meters above the ground in mid-air, and Rein could clearly see their spiraling and entwined roots.


    Besides that, there were the large flowers interwoven in shades of green, pink, red, and more. These flowers were immense, even taller than those trees which were seven or eight meters high, with each flower''s diameter greater than the water lilies Rein had seen in his previous life.


    Looking further afield, he could see a cluster of black, mist-shrouded mountains in the distance.


    The black mist above these mountains seemed to be slowly sweeping toward the green world; although it moved very slowly, Rein could faintly sense this trend.


    Is this the dream world?


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    How intriguing, Rein mused to himself.


    Suddenly, the sound of fluttering wings reached his ears and Rein turned his head to see an eagle-bodied creature with Naya''s face appear in the air, just like the family emblem.


    "Eh, Lord Reine, it seems you are not surprised by my current appearance," she said.


    "Miss Naya, your current form closely resembles the emblem of your family," Rein replied with a smile.


    "Oh, right, I remember now. Knight Lawrence had presented the emblem and visited you that day," Naya realized suddenly.


    "That is correct, Miss Naya. Shall we set off now?"


    "Of course. We need to head to that black area. To save time, I''ll fly with you for a while, which may cause a slight sting. You might have to endure it, Lord Reine."


    Rein nodded, but then it hit him.


    That phrase sounded a bit odd!


    Rein couldn''t help but shake his head slightly.


    As Naya hovered above Rein, flapping her wings with her hands turned into claws, she grabbed his shoulders and, with a strong flap, began to lift him up.


    After several flaps, Naya was red-faced as she barely managed to lift Rein.


    "Lord Reine, how can your spiritual power be so strong? Could it be that you''re also a wizard apprentice?" Naya exclaimed in surprise.


    Rein was quite shocked at how Naya could have identified it, but after thinking it over, he did not intend to deny it.


    Since he had already reached the dream world and was about to join Naya in battle, if he continued to hide it now, it would not only be detrimental to the upcoming fight but also reduce the mutual trust between teammates.


    So Rein nodded and said, "Yes, I am both a knight and a wizard apprentice."


    "And not just an ordinary wizard apprentice, right? Baron Rein, your spiritual power is at least at the level of a second-grade wizard apprentice or above, isn''t it?"


    Rein smiled and did not confirm nor deny.


    "No wonder! It seems we shouldn''t have any problems killing the monsters." Although Naya was struggling to carry Rein forward through the air, the smile on her face couldn''t be hidden.


    It was a mixture of pain and pleasure!


    "Miss Naya, is the black area we''re going to the one up ahead?"


    "Yes, Lord Reine, that black area ahead is where the monsters are located. Only by defeating the monster that guards the dream world node will this area''s dream be restored to normal, and my nightmare will come to an end."

 Chapter 197 Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    ```"However, once you enter that black region, you need to be careful,"


    "From time to time, monsters with strength comparable to that of official knights will emerge, and the deeper you go, the stronger the monsters become," Naya said with a serious expression.


    Rein nodded in understanding.


    Soon, they landed slowly at the boundary between the green and black areas, by which time Naya was already drenched in sweat.


    "I can''t fly in the black region, so from here, we''ll head in that direction," Naya said, pointing toward a black mountain ahead.


    "Alright, Miss Naya, you rest for a bit, and I will lead the way,"


    Rein thought for a moment, took down his two-handed warhammer, and started walking forward.


    The trees and flowers in the black region seemed as if they were painted with black lacquer, similar in shape to those in the green area, but with dark, ink-like colors on their surfaces. They also emitted a faint black mist, obscuring the view of the distance.


    Suddenly, a level 3 danger perception alerted Rein that some creature was lurking ahead.


    But Rein''s steps did not waver, because such a warning indicated that the monster''s strength was not formidable, posing little threat to him.


    "Swoosh!"


    A leopard with black tumors of various sizes on its body suddenly sprang out, biting at Rein.


    Naya immediately shouted, "Be careful!"


    "Bang!"


    Rein effortlessly swung his warhammer with incredible speed!


    The shadow of the hammer passed, and in an instant, the black leopard was torn apart, its black liquid splattering around, corroding the nearby plants with a sizzling sound!


    "Lord Reine, your strength is truly formidable," Naya hadn''t expected that a monster which would have given her trouble was killed by Rein with a single hammer blow.


    "Miss Naya, are there many monsters of this strength?" Rein''s eyes twinkled, seemingly harboring certain thoughts.


    "Of course, along the way, there are such monsters, but their strength will continue to grow stronger!" Naya nodded and said.


    However, the next second, she looked surprised. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because Rein had actually stowed away his black two-handed warhammer on his back and chose to move ahead unarmed.


    This scene instantly confused Naya a bit, as she didn''t understand what Rein was thinking.


    Even if the monsters are no match for you, you wouldn''t confront them empty-handed, right?


    She just wanted to give a reminder, but after hesitating for a moment, she still didn''t speak.


    Naya recalled her own explanation, which she had given quite clearly.


    Given that, the "Baron of the Warhammer" must have his own considerations.


    However, Naya''s confusion didn''t last long, as soon the next oncoming monster helped her solve the puzzle.


    "Swoosh!"


    "Bang! Snap!"


    Rein quickly stepped forward, throwing a punch that hit the abdomen of an oncoming baboon covered in black tumors, folding it in half.


    Then came a left swing fist, shattering the creature''s head.


    The headless baboon''s body twitched on the ground for a moment before lying still.


    Naya''s eyes widened in surprise!


    It was martial arts?


    The "Baron of the Warhammer" was also skilled in martial arts?


    A noble practicing martial arts was incredibly rare!


    Rein, on the other hand, shook off his hands. Having "Iron Skin lvl 3," the slight corrosion from the black liquid caused him no harm.


    At that moment, he glanced at the system prompt, a hint of joy in his heart:


    [Your skill Tokadar Fist Technique has improved, experience +27]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience +14]


    ...


    Although the experience rewards were not substantial, he had not expected to be able to grind skill experience for his newly learned "Kadar Martial Arts" in the dream.


    Although the Knight (Transcendent) profession experience was minimal, it did not matter to Rein, who was eager to quickly increase his martial arts experience to level 5, and possibly even level 6.


    Thus, after stopping Naya from trying to help several times, Rein alone dealt with nearly ten waves of monster attacks.


    From one at the beginning to later two and three, Rein dealt with them all by himself.


    This made Naya somewhat unable to understand exactly what Rein had in mind.


    Gentlemanly conduct?


    So, he didn''t need my help as a female and resolved everything by himself?


    Or is it that Lord Reine has a fondness for me, and therefore...


    After clearing the twelfth wave of monsters, Rein successfully advanced his Kadar Martial Arts from level 3 to level 4.


    At the same time, he and Naya had reached the foot of the mountain, where a large cave entrance was now before Rein''s eyes.


    "Lord Reine, the monster is there. As long as you defeat it, I can control the node and gain dominion over this dream, restoring it to its original state," Naya said, her expression serious as she fluttered her wings, pointing to the cave ahead.


    As Naya''s voice faded, heavy footsteps came from the cave.


    Rein''s expression became serious; he could sense the formidable aura of the monster inside. Clearly, it possessed the strength of a Great Knight.


    Moreover, it wasn''t just at the threshold of Great Knight status as Naya had suggested.


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    The monster''s oppressive force clearly surpassed what Norman had made him feel.


    Seconds later, a gigantic creature walked out, quadrupedal with an additional pair of arms holding a steel trident. Standing at least four meters tall, it was covered in green scales, resembling a huge green-scaled lizard walking upright.


    "Ah ha, little harpy, you''ve come again?"


    "Oh, and this time you''ve brought along an assistant."


    ```

 Chapter 197 Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Chapter)_4

    "Hahaha, interesting," a loud laugh came from the opposing giant mouth."This is a Nightmare Dragonkin, possessing an ability to control dreams even stronger than mine, but according to the ancient records of my family, these Nightmare Dragonkin were originally the guardians of dreams, but now, they have unexpectedly become destroyers,"


    "Nightmare Dragonkin?"


    Rein''s heart skipped a beat, and he scrutinized the towering creature before him.


    Quickly, Rein noticed that the surface of the creature''s body seemed to exude wisps of black mist that ordinary people would struggle to perceive. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn! I didn''t expect its strength to have truly reached the level of a Great Knight, and it seems to be more than just an entry-level Great Knight at that. This is troubling!" At that moment, Naya had just realized the Dragonkin''s strength had seemingly increased once more and expressed her worries immediately.


    "Miss Naya, don''t your family''s ancient records mention why this is happening?"


    "It might be due to the strange and evil Strength within the dreams growing stronger. Lord Rein, if you''re worried, we can give up this time," Naya seemed to suggest retreat as she judged the enemy''s Strength to have surpassed what she and Rein originally anticipated, biting her lip as she spoke.


    Rein contemplated for a moment, then shook his head, knowing that if they gave up this time, the monster''s Strength might rise again the next time, and it could truly become unsolvable.


    "How do we know we can''t win if we don''t fight."


    "What are you two little ones discussing?" came the booming voice.


    The towering Nightmare Dragonkin apparently didn''t take Rein and Naya seriously, showing no hurry to attack but instead spoke mockingly.


    "Miss Naya, let me try first," Rein said, pulling out the pighead hammer from his back and quickly chanting the witchcraft "High-Temperature Force Field."


    It had been a long time since he had activated witchcraft in sync with battle, Rein thought.


    Two seconds later, the air around Rein''s figure rippled slightly.


    "Limit Break!"


    "Huge Strength lv3"


    Rein whispered to himself.


    Immediately, the ground beneath his feet exploded, grass and trees flying about as Rein shot towards the towering Nightmare Dragonkin like an arrow released from a bow.


    The Nightmare Dragonkin, evidently surprised by Rein''s proactive attack, hesitated briefly but quickly responded, swinging its trident to defend.


    "Clang!!!"


    Under Rein''s furious assault, the pighead hammer collided violently with the dragonkin''s trident, emitting a piercing metallic clash.


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    Caught off-guard, the Nightmare Dragonkin was forced to retreat three steps by Rein''s hammer, while Rein himself was sent flying into the air by the dragonkin''s Huge Strength.


    The significant disadvantage in size meant Rein, despite his pre-emptiveness, could only manage a draw.


    But being knocked back by a mere little one angered the Nightmare Dragonkin.


    "Roar!"


    It bellowed and charged towards Rein, but suddenly, a fierce whirlwind blew from the side, kicking up sand and stones, causing the Dragonkin to squint shut its eyes and interrupting its charge, its hands protecting its eyes.


    The culprit was none other than Naya, flapping her wings mid-air and casting some kind of witchcraft or innate ability.


    Rein''s eyes narrowed immediately, thinking it was a good opportunity!


    "Strength Burst!"


    "Earth-splitting Hammer!!"


    Rein, who was leaping in mid-air, swelled up like an inflated balloon!


    With both hands raised high holding the dark pighead hammer, his body tensed like a fully drawn bowstring, he smashed down viciously towards the Nightmare Dragonkin, which was still covering its eyes!


    By the time the Nightmare Dragonkin realized the danger and hastily lifted its trident to defend.


    "Clang!!!"


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    It immediately felt a severe Shock in its hands holding the trident!


    Couldn''t hold on!


    Under the triple effects of ''Lifts-as-Light'', ''Multiple Shock'', and ''Precision Lv3'', Lord Rein''s all-out strike immediately caused the steel fork to slip from the nightmare dragon-person''s grip.


    Immediately afterward, Rein didn''t give his opponent a chance to catch their breath, continuing to swing his hammer relentlessly around the nightmare dragon-person.


    Deprived of their steel fork, the nightmare dragon-person was quickly pummeled into continuous, miserable screams, their green scales shattering one after another.


    At the same time, the lethal effects of the high-temperature witchcraft field began to show!


    In just seven or eight seconds, the towering nightmare dragon-person couldn''t hold on any longer, screaming while dragging its wretched body, attempting to flee.


    But escape only made the battle end quicker!


    Rein once again landed a heavy hammer blow on the spine of the fleeing nightmare dragon-person, instantly collapsing the dragon-person to the ground, unable to stand up again.


    Then, another hammer blow landed, cracking the opponent''s skull wide open!


    Beholding this scene, Naya was left dumbfounded.


    She had only used her siren''s innate ability ''Flying Sand'', and Rein had taken over the fight, pressing the nightmare dragon-person until victory!


    It was completely different from the narrow, hard-fought victory or even defeat she had imagined!


    This... this strength... is it really merely that of a knight?


    Many questions rose in Naya''s mind...


    After dealing with the dream dragon-person, Naya quickly flew into the cave and cast a certain witchcraft, soon a dense cluster of green specks began to appear in the cavern, rapidly spreading and driving away the dark mists!


    Vast areas began to turn green, and the plants gradually regained their colors...


    Naya was clearly in high spirits too. She descended from mid-air, transforming into her humanoid form, her smile radiant as she spun around, letting her pale green cinched waistcoat twirl elegantly.


    "Lord Rein, thank you!"


    "During this time, I''ve been plagued by nightmares every day, with these black areas closing in on me rapidly. I knew that if the green area were completely gone, and I failed to resist, I might be forever lost in the nightmare."


    "Miss Naya, you''re welcome."


    ...


    Both awakened almost simultaneously, and Hamilton and Lawrence, who had been anxiously waiting nearby, seeing Naya''s smile, immediately understood and relaxed, their expressions brightening with smiles.


    "It seems the problem has been resolved, hasn''t it?" Hamilton said with a smile.


    "Yes, thank you, Baron Hamilton, for the introduction. If it weren''t for Lord Rein, I''m afraid it wouldn''t have been so easy to resolve my dilemma," Naya said to Hamilton, curtsying in thanks.


    ...


    "By the way, Lord Rein, should I take you to our family''s library now, or would you prefer another time?"


    "Miss Naya, if possible, I''d like to go now."


    "Of course, Lord Rein, please follow me. Knight Lawrence, please entertain Baron Hamilton."


    Subsequently, Naya led Rein to the library located on the second floor of the villa.


    It was an extremely spacious room with a floor resembling marble, patterned with many red-brown concentric circles, equilateral triangles, squares, and other shapes that lent a sense of mystery. The walls were lined with towering bookshelves filled to the brim with all sorts of books.


    "Baron Rein, what kind of books are you looking for? Perhaps I can help you find them?" Naya turned to Rein and offered her assistance.


    Rein glanced at the sheer volume of books and couldn''t help but frown slightly. Obviously, reading all the books by himself would be impossible without a month''s time.


    Furthermore, there was no guarantee that the Usman family hadn''t hidden witchcraft or, say, wizard-related books in secret compartments or other concealed places.


    Moreover, there was another point: Naya already knew of his Wizard Apprentice status from the dream.


    So, after a brief contemplation, Rein thought it might be better to be direct and said:


    "This, Miss Naya... I would like to know what conditions must be met for a Wizard Apprentice to be promoted to a full-fledged Wizard."

 Chapter 198 The Prerequisites for Flame Walker (Legendary) (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    "Hmm? Don''t tell me, Lord Reine, you''re a wild..." Naya''s beautiful eyes widened, and her fair little hand covered her mouth as she spoke.She quickly realized that Rein was most likely an untamed Wizard Apprentice without a system inheritance.


    Rein smiled wryly and said, "Miss Naya, being too clever is not necessarily a good thing for a lady."


    "Ah... I''m sorry, Lord Reine, please forgive my rudeness. It''s just that this is so surprising to me. I thought you must have a system inheritance. Otherwise, how could you have achieved such a high level of spiritual power at such a young age?"


    System inheritance?


    He had a system.


    But not an inheritance... Rein grumbled inwardly.


    "But rest assured, although we come from a Magician family, we are still quite familiar with the process for a Wizard Apprentice to become a Wizard."


    "Oh? Could Miss Naya enlighten me?" Rein raised an eyebrow, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and spoke in the calmest tone he could manage.


    "Of course, Lord Reine, you''ve been such a great help to me. We''re friends now, aren''t we?" Naya smiled, revealing a row of pearly white teeth.


    "However, if you don''t mind, I''ll start with the qualifications of a Wizard. Afterwards, I''ll talk about the process of becoming a formal Wizard. Would that be alright?"


    "Of course, that would be fine." Rein couldn''t help but smile.


    He was in dire need of knowledge about witchcraft, and since Naya was willing to elaborate, he was eager to learn.


    Perhaps, this was Naya''s intention all along.


    It seemed she knew he had no Wizard inheritance, so she planned to explain things in more detail. Rein had a hunch about her intentions.


    "Wizard qualifications encompass various aspects, but the type and degree of elemental affinity, the strength of spiritual power, and so on, are all important factors..." Naya spoke eloquently.


    A few minutes went by, and Rein nodded repeatedly as he listened.


    It was no wonder she came from a Magician family; Naya easily clarified several issues that had previously troubled Rein.


    Like the matter of Wizard qualifications.


    Naya explained it quite clearly.


    Initially, Rein thought that the degree of elemental affinity and the strength of spiritual power, perhaps coupled with the speed of learning basic meditation, were the combined essence of Wizard qualifications.


    But now it seemed that wasn''t the case.


    These visible traits were like the reach and weight of a boxer from his past life.


    A long reach could at least be considered decent boxing talent, but it was only one factor; boxing talent also included punch speed, punching power, reaction speed, and so on.


    Wizard qualifications were the same.


    And the high or low level of Wizard qualifications, much like a boxer''s talent, didn''t guarantee who would be stronger in battle��it only meant there was a greater likelihood of a strong individual emerging.


    Often, it''s difficult to judge the more hidden qualities, such as an individual''s understanding, insight, and ability to innovate in witchcraft, which are numerous and varied.


    Naya smiled faintly, showing two dimples as she brushed a strand of black hair from her ear and continued:


    "As for advancing from a Wizard Apprentice to a Wizard, the first step is to clearly identify your elemental affinity, which will influence the choice of fixed witchcraft model when you advance."


    Fixed witchcraft model?


    Rein was slightly puzzled; this was a new term.


    Just as he was about to ask for more details on this subject, Naya countered:


    "Lord Reine, I see your spiritual power is at least at the level of a second-tier Wizard Apprentice. You must have already identified your elemental affinity, right?"


    "Well..."


    Naya''s question made Rein smile awkwardly.


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to be honest since she already knew his situation. There was no point in hiding anything, so he said, "Uh... well... I only know that one of my affinities is relatively high with the Fire Element. The other, I''m not quite sure about." sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Naya paused and then smiled sweetly, "Lord Reine, please follow me so I can test you. I think we should clarify your affinity first."


    "Thank you!" Rein was more than willing to have someone help test his elemental affinity.


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    Perhaps Naya could also explain what those mysterious silver energy particles he had sensed with his spiritual power were.


    With these thoughts, Rein felt a hint of anticipation within him.


    He immediately followed Naya out of the library.


    Soon, their figures side by side, gradually disappeared down the corridor.


    As for Naya, under normal circumstances she wouldn''t have had the authority to bring a stranger into the family''s library or use the family''s witchcraft tools to measure a stranger''s elemental affinity.


    However, since Naya had come of age recently and been identified as having an extremely high bloodline concentration, her status within the family had risen sharply.


    Now, Naya''s position could be said to be second only to that of the Usman family patriarch��her father.


    All the privileges mentioned beforehand had naturally become available to her.


    "Just ahead is my father''s study; there''s a testing Crystal Ball inside," Naya explained.


    "A testing Crystal Ball, is it the round type of crystal ball?" Rein couldn''t help asking.


    He also had one of those, a trophy he had obtained from Adams last time.


    "Huh? Lord Reine, you know about the testing Crystal Ball? Round? No, no, the one in our family is a faceted crystal, which is a bit more accurate than the crystal ball you mentioned," Naya replied.

 Chapter 389 198 chapters Pre-conditions for

    Soon, the two of them arrived at a well-furnished study, where all the tables and chairs were made of a high-quality dark reddish wood that appeared to be of considerable age, emitting a faint scent of raw wood.Rein immediately saw the prism-shaped crystal Naya had spoken of on the wide mahogany desk.


    It was a long prism around one meter tall, with equilateral triangular faces, reflecting colorful lights under the illumination of the candlelight. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lord Rein, since you''ve used the Crystal Ball, the method is actually the same. You hold it, concentrate your spirit, and then try to mobilize the mysterious side energy particles as much as possible," Naya explained the usage by the side.


    "Alright, Miss Naya," Rein nodded.


    After quickly inspecting it, Rein began to grasp the crystal prism with both hands, closed his eyes, and concentrated his spirit.


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    As Rein''s spiritual power infused into it, the prism soon emitted a soft white light, and at the same time, different colors of light began to surge within the transparent crystal.


    Seconds later, the light gradually stabilized.


    At that moment, Rein opened his eyes and saw a cluster of red mist at the top layer of the prism-shaped crystal and a faint silver mist in the middle, with both occupying almost the same length on the crystal''s scale.


    Although there were slight differences, they were just minor.


    The rest were a mixture of miscellaneous colors, almost of every shade.


    "Oh, Lord Rein, besides the common Fire Element affinity, you actually have an extremely rare Metal Element affinity," Naya said with some surprise as she looked at Rein.


    Huh?


    Metal Element affinity?


    Rein was taken aback!


    So that faint silver mysterious side energy particle was Metal Element?


    When the answer was revealed, Rein realized that he seemed to have always overlooked something.


    That was his Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin lv3''. When he first used it, he perceived the same faint silver light with his spiritual power.


    "Your Fire Element affinity is 71, and Metal Element affinity is 72, both are above average in strength, quite good!"


    However... Naya seemed to quickly think of something, frowning as she said to Rein,"Lord Rein, it''s such a pity!"


    "A pity?" Rein didn''t quite understand what Naya meant.


    From Naya''s expression just now, his Metal Element affinity should be considered rare and uncommon.


    Shouldn''t rarity be equated with value?


    "Yes! You possess a Metal Element affinity, and judging by the level of affinity, it''s also above average,"


    "However, you do not come from a large wizard family nor have you joined a wizard faction, so there is almost no way for you to acquire the scarce Metal series witchcraft," Naya explained regretfully.


    Upon hearing Naya''s explanation, a sense of alarm went through Rein''s heart.


    No way to acquire Metal series witchcraft?


    Rein immediately grasped Naya''s meaning.


    It was like learning the ''Dragon Slaying Technique'', but turning around to find out that there were no dragons left in the world...


    He had a rare Metal Element affinity, yet there was no way to get Metal series witchcraft...


    "Your Metal Element affinity, if it were thousands of years ago, countless wizard factions would be scrambling for you, but with the rise of the Empire and the demise of many factions, the already scarce Metal series witchcraft, what is handed down is even rarer...."


    "That''s why it''s such a pity," Naya sighed deeply as she explained in detail.


    "Well... my advice to you is still to consider a first-level Fire series witchcraft as the solidified witchcraft model when you are promoted to a full-fledged Wizard, as this will be relatively easier to find," Naya suggested after a moment''s thought.


    Rein nodded, understanding Naya''s point.


    Since Metal series witchcraft passed down is scarce, then choosing the relatively well-preserved Fire series witchcraft would at least provide more avenues for acquisition.


    However...


    ''Solidified witchcraft model''


    ''Innate wizardry''


    What do they mean?


    Rein timely asked about his confusion.


    "Miss Naya, this innate wizardry...."


    "I apologize, I forgot to tell you," Naya said with an apologetic smile.


    "When a third-level Wizard Apprentice is promoted to a full-fledged Wizard, one generally needs to choose a first-level witchcraft as the solidified model to form innate wizardry upon advancing,"


    "It''s like the innate abilities that some ferocious wild beasts carry with them,"


    "Innate wizardry is almost equivalent to a Wizard''s innate ability, characterized by significantly lower spiritual power consumption and extremely fast casting speeds,"


    Pausing, as if waiting for Rein to digest her words, Naya continued:


    "Over the years, Wizards have discovered that defensive first-level witchcraft is the best choice for the solidified witchcraft model. Now, this is also commonly accepted,"


    "As for choosing offensive witchcraft? Of course, it''s not impossible, and many Wizards in the Ancient Times chose offensive witchcraft,"


    "But it was later found that, when facing assassin attacks or assassination attempts, or against creatures or evil spirits with invisibility, one could be sent back to the Goddess''s embrace in one blow,"


    Rein nodded, beginning to understand.


    "By the way, Miss Naya, where might I find a first-level Fire series witchcraft?" After thinking for a while, Rein asked a key question.


    "Er... these are mostly held by medium to large wizard factions and the Empire. Comparatively, there are more factions for the four major elements. With your wizard qualifications, there''s a good chance you''ll pass the assessment and be able to join,"

 Chapter 198 The Prerequisites for Flame Walker (Legendary) (Double Chapter)_3

    "The four major elements?" Rein asked, puzzled."Yes, the fire, water, earth, and air elements that predominantly characterize the wizarding schools. They correspond to the four most common elemental affinities," she explained.


    Rein nodded in understanding.


    It seemed the reason why these four elemental affinities were so common among humans was that they had been passed down from ancient times, and the number of schools related to them was the greatest. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rare categories, like metal magic, struggled to survive wars and other calamities, and many had been lost to the annals of history.


    "So, there''s not a single school for metal magic now?" Rein still couldn''t let it go and questioned further.


    "Unfortunately, Lord Rein, as far as my experience goes, I haven''t heard of any schools that focus on metal witchcraft. Of course, it''s possible that my experience is simply insufficient," Naya said, shaking her head.


    "But indeed, with your rare metal affinity, joining a fire-based wizarding school would seem unsatisfying. Perhaps you could look into some of the empire''s powerful departments."


    "With your Knight talent, I think joining one of those special departments should not be difficult."


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    "The empire has them too?"


    "Certainly. Some of the empire''s special departments have collected a number of witchcraft models beyond your imagination, far exceeding that of ordinary wizarding schools."


    "They even have some incredibly rare witchcraft models, so I believe that if Lord Rein could join these departments, you would surely find models for metal witchcraft," Naya quickly replied.


    This was somewhat beyond Rein''s expectations.


    But it was actually a good thing.


    He no longer needed to search for any wizarding schools.


    Since the special departments in the empire had a richer collection of witchcraft models than the schools, once he passed the Sword Bearer''s exam in a little over a month, he would essentially have a way to access them.


    Rein pondered rapidly in his mind.


    "By the way, Lord Rein, regarding the selection of witchcraft models when being promoted to an official Wizard, although we are a family of Magicians and thus have no issues with selection, I''ve heard a visiting wizard elder briefly touch on the topic," she mentioned.


    "It seems that innate wizardry and the later development of a Wizard are somewhat related, but I''m not very clear on these connections. Hence, Lord Rein may need to seek further clarification from someone else," she added after a pause.


    Hmm? It''s related to later development directions too?


    Rein''s expression became contemplative.


    It looked like he needed to seek advice from more experienced individuals to answer this question.


    "Thank you very much for answering my questions, Miss Naya," Rein said, turning to Naya with a smile.


    "So, does that mean that as soon as the issue with a level-one defensive witchcraft model is resolved, one can be promoted to an official Wizard?" Rein continued to inquire.


    "It''s not that simple, which brings me to the second key point I haven''t mentioned. When being promoted to an official Wizard, one must use an important potion, the mist coagulant."


    "Mist coagulant?" Rein encountered yet another gap in his knowledge.


    "That''s right, the recipe for this mist coagulant is monopolized by the empire and all major wizarding schools, and it''s almost impossible for it to be found on the open market," Naya explained.


    "If you can get the mist coagulant, coupled with the level-one defensive witchcraft model mentioned earlier, you have the chance to strike for an official Wizard ranking."


    "Take the wizard elder who is friends with my father, for example. He used the fire-element level-one defensive witchcraft ''Flame Protection'' as his solidification model for promotion, combined with a supreme fire element affinity, successfully stepping into the realm of official wizards."


    At that moment, Rein was suddenly taken aback. He keenly noticed that the system prompt had appeared:


    [Ding! The host has heard a wizard''s secret and triggered the profession change��Flame Walker (Legendary)!]


    [Conditions for advancing to Flame Walker (Legendary) are as follows: 1, Wizard qualification (fire element affinity over 75); 2, Spirit of 30 points or more; 3, Basic meditation law will rune (24/24); 4, Mastery over the fire-element level-one witchcraft ''Flame Protection''; 5, Mist coagulant... Current conditions not met, upgrade to Flame Walker (Legendary) failed!]


    ...


    In the afternoon.


    After returning home, Rein went to the study alone and began to contemplate.


    He had learned quite a bit today, so after listening to Naya''s introduction to Wizardry, Rein chose not to stay any longer.


    "Clearly, to meet the conditions for advancing to an official Wizard, whether it is the defensive level-one witchcraft model or the crucially important mist coagulant, it''s highly unlikely to obtain them before joining a special department like Sword Bearer," he reasoned.


    "In the short term, my focus should still be on the transformation into a Weapon Master (Legendary)."


    "Being of ''Legendary'' tier as well, Weapon Master will certainly bring some surprises to myself."


    "It looks like I need to work on improving my Kadar Martial Arts."


    "However, if I want to quickly enhance Kadar Martial Arts from lv4 to lv10, it seems impractical to allocate all my points to it."


    "Bringing martial arts skill to lv5 or lv6 before using skill points is already the limit."


    "Currently, I have one remaining skill point. With that crate of ice iron ingots auctioned before, I''ll likely be able to increase my Armorer''s profession level by one, totaling two remaining skill points."


    "Knight (Transcendent) should also have a chance to be upgraded again soon, which would mean three remaining skill points."

 Chapter 198 The Prerequisites for Flame Walker (Legendary) (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "But where could those one or two remaining Skill Points come from?"Rein murmured to himself.


    He focused his attention on the attribute panel, inspecting the Profession Levels.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv5 (1546/2000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv5 (1789/2000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (102/2000) / Armorer lv6 (211/3000)


    Constitution: 22


    Strength: 22


    Agility: 20


    Spirit: 27


    Remaining attribute points: 6


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    "Perhaps, during the next battle, I should use more witchcraft, so that the Profession Level of the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) might rise by another level,"


    "As for the Beast Tamer (Transcendent), the gap to the next level is quite significant, but I do have all the ingredients for the Potion of Wisdom that I collected earlier at the Nightingale Market in Rosby City,"


    "If I make it all and feed it to a pet afterward, I wonder if the system will reward me with a wave of experience?"


    "However, in a few days I must assume my post in Fishing Port Town, and the forging must be completed as soon as possible. As for potion making, it would be best if possible..."


    -----------------


    Meanwhile,


    in a luxurious mansion in Meist County City,


    in the underground hall,


    the Black Flame Monk Maral reported respectfully, "Great Priest, the latest news is that Baron Norman was killed on the spot by Rein during the bloody duel!"


    The corpulent high priest slowly turned his head, lazily stretching out his bony arm, flicked his fingernail, and said, "Isn''t that something we had anticipated?"


    "Such a foolish fellow, not understanding his own strength, unwittingly bolstering this Rein''s arrogance."


    However, as he finished speaking, he noticed Maral remaining silent.


    Thus, he suspiciously lifted his head and glanced at Maral, who stood to the side with a troubled expression, seemingly having something to say but unsure how to start.


    The high priest immediately said irritably, "Speak up, you want to say that Baron Norman wasn''t weak, right?"


    "What, was the duel intense? Did Rein barely win?"


    Maral shook his head and said, "Uh... Great Priest, Baron Norman had successfully advanced to the Great Knight tier before participating in the bloody duel."


    "What, Norman advanced to Great Knight?" the corpulent high priest, his eyes suddenly widening in surprise, immediately turned to look at Maral and said.


    "Yes, Great Priest," Maral bowed slightly, respectfully replied.


    "Could it be that this Rein has also advanced to Great Knight?" the high priest, staring intently at Maral''s face, pressed on.


    "This... probably not..."


    "Then how did this Rein defeat a Great Knight? What did the people at the scene say?" the high priest, pondering, continued to rapidly inquire.


    "Uh... According to the people who witnessed the fight, they also couldn''t understand why Rein was able to defeat Baron Norman, who had just become a Great Knight. They just felt that Rein''s Hammer Skill was extremely powerful, rendering Baron Norman unable to resist,"


    "Later, I also quietly went to the scene and found the ground pitted and cratered, like the thorough shell blasting when pirates storm ashore, with a particularly noticeable fan-shaped depression over ten square meters, purportedly the result of Rein''s hammer strike,"


    "Now, this Rein has also acquired a nickname, the townspeople of the County Town call him ''Baron Hammer''...."


    There was a prolonged silence in the underground hall.


    "Snap!"


    The emaciated arm struck the armrest of the chair heavily, and the high priest, with an extremely unsightly expression, said, "After all, we allowed the opponent to grow...."


    "The strength of the Great Knight is always a hidden danger...."


    "Right, has Rein not yet been dispatched to Fishing Port Town?"


    It seemed that the high priest had already suffered numerous psychological blows from Rein, so he quickly adjusted his mindset and inquired.


    "Not yet, but... it should be in the next two days."


    "Hmm, organize Rein''s information and send it immediately to the Sea God Sect. If the Sea God Sect is not well-prepared, Rein might indeed catch them off guard."


    "By your command, High Priest!" Maral, clad in black robes, bowed and prepared to leave to attend to the related matters.


    At that moment, the high priest called out to him again.


    "Maral, how is the preparation for the prayer materials coming along?"


    Maral halted abruptly, then turned around and said, "They are all prepared. Rest assured, this time it will certainly not affect the normal process of the Black Flame Prayer Ritual."


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    "That''s good, since there''s less than a month until the prayer ritual," the high priest sighed deeply.


    "Hmm? High Priest, has the precise date been determined?" Maral looked up and asked.


    "I have already sensed a response to my prayers from the master; the next time point will be on the second Sunday of the Month of Vitality."


    "At that time, it will certainly give a huge surprise to Mingster Province, hahaha!" The corpulent high priest suddenly burst into loud laughter, as if he had thought of something.


    ...


    -----------------


    Wild Wolf Hills. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    General Parix of the Zaral Rebellion was standing on a hilltop, leisurely sipping coffee imported from the Eagle Federation, when he glanced at the subordinate hurrying towards him and said somewhat displeased:


    "Heshery, I instructed you to organize those newly recruited bandit groups to plunder nearby, why have you run back?"


    "General, we have discovered a big catch ahead, but even if we gather several bandit groups together, it would be difficult to take it down. So, what do you think..." a squad leader-like muscular man respectfully reported.


    "Oh? Is it the caravan of a noble from Meist County?"


    The burly Parix placed one of his armored boots on a small stool, while a gaunt imp quickly wiped it with a rag, huffing and puffing.


    Shortly, the armored boot was wiped sparkling clean.


    "Yes, going by the crest on the carriage, it seems to be the emblem of the Norman family. For a baronial family, it''s hard to imagine they could organize a convoy of dozens of carriages."


    "This time, it seems they have moved out en masse from the County Town, and the escort force accompanying them is also very strong, with four official knights alone."


    Listening to his subordinate''s report, Parix, wearing half armor, casually switched his legs, placing the other armored boot on the stool.


    Without needing to be asked, the imp quickly crouched down and resumed wiping.


    After a moment''s thought, Parix looked puzzled and spoke to himself: "The Norman family, it seems I''ve heard that name once��let me think."


    "Sir, it''s the family of Baron Norman who had a bloody duel with the newly-appointed Baron Rein," the muscular man carefully added.


    "Ah yes, right, I remember now, that family. Interesting, let''s go. I''ll take a look myself." Parix, recalling the fact, put down his coffee and extended two fingers, signaling the muscular man to follow.

 Chapter 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)

    A long line of carriages slowly trudged along a narrow path through the hills, from a distance resembling a gray long snake.As the party gradually approached, one could see that the surfaces of these carriages bore the uniform emblem of a two-headed wolf; clearly, this was a noble convoy.


    In one of the carriages, Dennis''s eyes were still faintly red, clearly not yet recovered from the death of his father, Baron Norman.


    To avoid potential repression from the Rein faction, Dennis decided to leave County Town without delay and return to his family''s estate in the countryside.


    Thus, taking most of the valuable belongings, Dennis organized this somewhat unwieldy convoy with the utmost speed.


    At that moment, a cavalryman swiftly rode his warhorse from the front of the convoy to the middle where Dennis''s carriage was positioned.


    "Whoa! Young master, a messenger just reported that there have been many bandit groups spotted recently in this area, and traces of bandits have just been found. So, should we take a detour?"


    "Take a detour?" Dennis looked out from the carriage window and saw over twenty carriages stretched out for more than a hundred meters, making it impossible to turn around quickly.


    If they really turned back, according to the messenger, wouldn''t that provide the perfect opportunity for the bandits to attack?


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    Besides, there were the bandit groups.


    Should we make such a fuss about bandit groups?


    Now, which county in the empire doesn''t have a bandit or two on its roads?


    Hence, thinking he had understood everything, Dennis said irritably, "Are you all made of paper? Do bandits have real knights? Even if they do, at most one, right? But you are four!"


    "This... alright then." The cavalryman who had come to report pondered and seemed to agree with his young master''s point. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The messenger then controlled his horse, heading to the front of the caravan to relay the message.


    Dennis watched the scene, feeling deeply shaken within.


    After his father was defeated in the duel, those nobles who had previously been close immediately turned against him, pledging allegiance to Baron Rein, who had risen from ''common folk.''


    What Dennis found most unbearable was the shiftiness of Baron Alonso, who had tried to win him over after his father became a Great Knight, but now, Dennis couldn''t even get a meeting with him...


    At the thought of this, Dennis''s hands involuntarily clenched tightly.


    I will have my revenge!


    I will make them all tremble at my feet!


    As Dennis''s thoughts wandered, he suddenly heard cries for help and the sharp sound of piercing the air coming from both the front and the back of the convoy!


    "Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"


    Do these bandits have the audacity to attack such a large convoy?


    Dennis fiercely pulled back the curtain and saw dozens of bandits surge from around them, brandishing crossbows, and causing heavy casualties among his family''s guards.


    Just as he was about to curse his guards for their incompetence, he suddenly sensed something was amiss.


    For the attackers, several stout men leading the bandits, possessed the strength of real knights!


    Hiss!


    Two, no, three real knights?


    Wait, this is...


    "This... this damn thing is a Great Knight!" Dennis''s pupils suddenly dilated, his eyes widened as he blurted out.


    For he recognized the faint luminescence on the other''s body, even more distinct than that of his father, Baron Norman.


    Then he saw a burly man in half-armor, casually advancing despite the rain of bolts from the guards, moving slowly yet swiftly.


    "Damn it! How could this be happening! By the goddess above!" Dennis whispered in horror.


    He couldn''t believe that a bandit group could include a Great Knight!


    Are Great Knights so ''cheap'' now?


    With the Great Knight joining in, the battle rapidly turned one-sided, and Norman family''s guards were decimated.


    ...


    Minutes later, like a dead dog, Dennis was grabbed and harshly thrown before the burly man in half-armor.


    Dazed by the fall, Dennis heard the burly man report to the big man: ""Sir, this is the heir of the Norman family, the eldest son of the former Baron Norman.""


    "Oh? Merely a squire?" General Parix initially had high hopes, but upon looking down, he was disappointed and shook his head.


    Dennis dared not lift his head, merely extending his gaze along the ground, where he saw a pair of gleaming plate-armored boots that filled his view, boots that didn''t even have a speck of mud despite having killed four family knights.


    As Dennis''s gaze lifted slightly, he saw several Norman family knights lying in pools of blood a few meters in front of him, which instantly sank his heart.


    He didn''t want to die!


    He was still young!


    He was about to become a real knight!


    "So... Sir, shall we just kill this boy?" The squad leader, dressed like a strongman, hesitated a while, unsure of his superior''s intentions.


    But upon hearing this, Dennis''s soul nearly fled!


    Instinctively, he shouted, "I''m useful! Don''t kill me. Aren''t you bandits? I know which nobles in County Town are the wealthiest, and looting them would yield a rich haul."


    "Oh?" General Parix smiled slightly upon hearing this.


    "Then let''s hear it."


    Grasping at this lifeline, Dennis suddenly had a spark of inspiration and blurted out:


    "There''s a newly ascended Baron named Rein who recently made a large sum of money, and the Crowley family has also made a hefty sum recently, at least tens of thousands of gold. Many in County Town know this, you can verify it...."

 Chapter 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_2

    ```"Hahaha, interesting. Has that Rein just won a bloody duel, and the opponent was your father?" General Parix burst into sarcastic laughter upon hearing Dennis''s reply.


    The moment sent a chill through Dennis''s heart.


    You bastards, aren''t you just a band of bandits?


    How do you know about the bloody duel?


    And how come you know it so well, that Rein beat my father? Dennis was somewhat befuddled for a moment.


    "Kid, seeing you flee like you''re moving house, you must be hiding from this Rein too, right?" General Parix looked down at Dennis, who lay at his feet.


    A bit confused, Dennis subconsciously nodded.


    "Would you like to have your revenge?" Parix continued to ask.


    "Revenge?!" For a moment, Dennis felt as if he had moved from hell to heaven; he hadn''t expected this ''Bandit'' Great Knight, who was stronger than his father, to actually be willing to help him take his revenge!


    "Of course! That would be...sir, could you help me with my revenge?"


    "No, no, you''ve got it wrong. Revenge is something you must do yourself, but I will help you."


    Hearing that the burly man wouldn''t take action directly sent Dennis on an emotional roller coaster, as his mood plunged once again.


    What use is help!


    Rein defeated even my father; even with help, I couldn''t possibly beat him! Dennis grumbled to himself.


    "But...but I''m no match for Rein at all, you know. My father became a Great Knight, yet he couldn''t defeat Rein..." Dennis said tactfully.


    "I have a way for you to gain great strength, albeit a bit... painful," General Parix thought for a moment, then chose the word "painful."


    "Painful?" Dennis was somewhat puzzled.


    At that moment, Parix waved his hand, and a burly man approached with an exquisitely carved wooden box, which he opened immediately. Your next read is at empire


    Inside was a pink potion in a transparent glass vial, bubbling slightly.


    The vial was corked, yet a sweet fragrance could still be detected.


    "This is a ''Mutation Potion''; only Squires can consume it, and they need to have a strong desire to survive. Only with that can one successfully gain great strength after consumption."


    "As for side effects... Well, it''s a bit painful," Parix explained with a seemingly benevolent face.


    "This..." Dennis appeared contemplative.


    He knew all too well that what this imposing man was saying wasn''t entirely true, or at least only partially true.


    But did he even have a choice now?


    Dennis lowered his gaze once more to the sight of several family knights lying dead in pools of blood, their eyes still open.


    He knew that if he dared refuse, his body might soon be joining theirs on the ground.


    So...he had no choice!


    "Alright! Sir, if after I take the potion I still can''t succeed in killing Rein, I hope you can step in to take care of him for me."


    "Of course, that would just be a trivial matter to me."


    "There are too many people here. Clean up the site, and then escort Master Dennis to our stronghold," Parix ordered.


    "By your command, sir."


    ...


    "Are you prepared?" Parix asked with a smile.


    "Ready, sir." Dennis had made up his mind. Sooner or later, he''d have to take it; might as well do it willingly and maybe even curry some favor with the man.


    "Very well." General Parix waved his hand, and the robust man next to him handed over the pink vial to Dennis.


    Dennis, with a fierce look in his eyes, didn''t hesitate. He popped the stopper and ''glug-glug-glug'' downed the pink liquid.


    "Burp~"


    Dennis burped satisfyingly, and his eyes lit up!


    He hadn''t expected the ''Mutation Potion'' to taste... surprisingly good!


    Parix, pleased with this scene, nodded and said with a smile, "It''ll hurt a bit in a moment, and to prevent you from harming yourself, we need to put some shackles on you."


    "This..." Dennis looked doubtful but stretched out his hands helplessly as the burly man approached him carrying the heavy shackles.


    "Click!"


    The shackles locked!


    Dennis felt the heavy, peculiar material of the metal shackles on his wrists.


    The air in the room almost stilled, and Dennis thought he could hear his heartbeat growing louder and more intense!


    About half a minute later, a burning pain surged from his stomach!


    "Agh!!"


    Dennis immediately screamed in agony!


    His body''s veins began to bulge and writhe!


    His skin also started displaying tiny, dense scales...


    Dennis felt pain deep in his bones!


    This is just a little pain? S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liar!!!


    ...


    "Sir, you said this boy is a noble offspring; can he endure it?" a squad leader dressed tough asked, looking at Dennis writhing and screaming on the ground in pain.


    They had tried this experiment on several others before, but none had withstood it.


    Any one of those individuals seemed more formidable than Dennis.


    "This ''Shadow Lizard Mutation Potion'' is an experimental drug from the Eagle Federation; however, the conditions for taking it are quite harsh. It works best on Squires, not on official Knights, because Knights who have taken advancement Magic Potions find it difficult to mutate."


    "Moreover, the person taking it must have a strong desire to survive. Once these two conditions are met, the success rate increases significantly," General Parix explained to his confidant.


    ```

 Chapter 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3

    However, he glanced at his confidant and noticed that his confidant''s expression seemed somewhat skeptical of Dennis''s ability to persevere."What, you doubt my judgment?"


    "Actually, the nobler one is, the more they fear death, and Dennis''s desire to survive is much stronger than that of an ordinary person. Moreover, his physical condition is among the best even among potential Knights."


    "Lord, you are wise!" The muscular man with the appearance of a small team captain said, his expression one of sudden realization.


    At this moment, Parix took a closer look at Dennis, who was in the process of transforming, and said:


    "He should be almost successful. Once he completes the transformation, send him directly to Meist County City to create panic."


    "At the same time, send some experts to record his survival period. This experimental record is very important. We can exchange it for many valuable items with the Eagle Federation."


    "As you command, Lord!" The muscular man responded immediately.


    "Also, tell those bandit groups cooperating with us to start moving, increasing their looting intensity in various areas. Soon, the situation in all of Meist will begin to destabilize."


    ...


    -----------------


    Meist County.


    Inside Ran''s new mansion''s study.


    At this moment, as Rein looked at his attribute page, he suddenly remembered that after the battle with the Nightmare Dragonkin, he had been busy asking Naya about some matters regarding Wizards, so he had forgotten to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill Tokadar Fist Technique has improved, Experience +32]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +16]


    [Your skill Tokadar Fist Technique has improved, Experience +37]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +18]


    ...


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Skill has improved, Experience +1889]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +455]


    [You have been through a battle, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +25]


    ...


    The ten or so points and the twenty-something points of Knight (Transcendent) professional experience were all from killing those black tumor monsters in the dream.


    The several hundred points of experience at the end were the rewards for killing the Nightmare Dragonkin.


    After this battle, the Knight (Transcendent) had reached level 5 (1789/2000), and it was not far to level 6, while Tokkal Hammer Skill had reached level 10 (6205/20000).


    Moreover, the Kadar Martial Arts, which Rein currently most focused on, had also reached level 4 (77/1000).


    It can be said that the trip to the Usman family was quite fruitful.


    Rein not only learned what the elusive light silver element was but also understood the prerequisites for the wizard''s job change, and at the same time, earned a significant amount of experience.


    Not staying too long at his own mansion, Rein continued to the blacksmith''s shop to start utilizing the ice iron ingots he had auctioned off earlier.


    As one ice iron spaulder after another was produced...


    Hours later, Rein had advanced the Armorer level 6 experience to (1221/3000).


    Just then, a knock suddenly sounded.


    "Knock, knock, knock!"


    "Come in!"


    A servant bowed respectfully and said, "Lord Baron, the military supply department has sent something, but it requires your personal signature for collection."


    Rein was momentarily startled but then immediately realized.


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    Oh?


    Could it be that the custom-made Knight Armor of water-membrane steel material was ready?


    Considering the timing, it should be about right.


    "Alright, you may go back to your duties."


    Thinking it over, Rein decided it was better to collect it as soon as possible.


    After all, he had spent a thousand Merit Points to exchange for this valuable high-level Knight Armor.


    Although Rein was now an Armorer himself capable of crafting such high-level Knight plate armor, such as the ice iron set he was currently making, which was of a similar grade to the water-membrane steel set,


    crafting a complete set was still a time-consuming and laborious process.


    Presently, Rein''s production speed was quite fast, merely focusing on the simplest spaulders of the ice iron set, mainly to quickly boost his Armorer level, which was a different concept from crafting a full set.


    Half an hour later, Rein arrived at the northern military supply department of the County Town in a carriage arranged by the noblewoman.


    The guards, upon seeing the noble crest on the carriage, immediately let him through without Rein having to show his sigil or anything else, demonstrating the privileges of nobility.


    Entering the military supply room''s hall again, Rein noticed the same person who had measured his height and weight last time working behind the counter.


    Seeing the handsome Rein dressed in black noble hunting attire, the ponytailed clerical girl seemed to sense something and immediately looked up at him.


    Clearly, the ponytailed girl remembered Rein well, and upon seeing him, she immediately came out from behind the counter, displaying a sweet smile, and said:


    "Lord Rein, you have arrived; your custom-made high-level Knight suit has arrived."


    "I have already received notification, and I came here to check it out." Rein nodded to the ponytailed clerical girl.


    "Very well, Lord Rein, please follow me to the fitting room. Once you try it on and if there are no problems, you can sign for it."


    "Thank you, that would be great."


    Immediately, Rein followed the ponytailed clerical girl to a nearby fitting room where a worker had pushed a heavy box over with a cart, placed it down, and then left.


    "Lord, your water-membrane steel set is inside here." The ponytailed clerical girl opened the box and gestured with her hand. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4

    Lord Reine nodded and took out the knight''s suit which had a silvery hue on the surface of the water membrane steel. The silver of this steel differed slightly from the common silver, as the surface appeared to have a layer of water-like film on it, making it exceptionally eye-catching.Additionally, Lord Reine noticed that in the center of the silver leg armor, there was a specially added cup, which was included following his request from last time.


    With the help of the ponytailed civilian girl, Lord Reine tried on the outfit and found it to be quite fitting.


    Although he had been a few centimeters shorter than he was now, because he had accounted for extra space at that time, the suit fit him perfectly at present.


    In front of Lord Reine, wearing the shining silver knight suit, the ponytailed civilian girl''s cheeks turned slightly red, and she frequently glanced at him, but then quickly lowered her head.


    "Not bad, I am very satisfied,"


    "That''s great, Lord Reine, if there are no further changes needed, then please sign for it here," the girl handed Lord Reine a thin wooden board, which had a receipt attached.


    Lord Reine took the quill and quickly wrote down his name.


    ...


    Not long after Lord Reine returned to the blacksmith shop from the military supply department, knocking sounds were heard again!


    "Thud thud thud!"


    This caused Lord Reine to frown slightly.


    "Come in!"


    "My dear, a messenger from Count Habs has just delivered a letter for you." The beautiful woman walked in, smiling with the letter in her hand.


    Upon seeing the beautiful woman, Lord Reine''s frown relaxed, but upon hearing what she said, a thought crossed his mind.


    Could it be a summon to Fishing Port Town?


    "Oh?"


    Taking the envelope from the beautiful woman, Lord Reine began to read its contents.


    The letter read:


    "Baron Reine: The situation in Fishing Port Town has further deteriorated. A cult known as the Sea God Sect has recruited multiple pirate groups, not only cutting off sea routes but also periodically launching raids on Fishing Port Town."


    "...I am currently in Rosby City, coordinating with the Sixth Division of the Empire''s Southern Sea Fleet, and soon, they will launch an attack on the Sea God Sect and the pirates from the sea, but we need you to coordinate on land..."


    "...In the next couple of days, a special task force from the Sixth Division will come looking for you..."


    After reading through the long letter, Lord Reine had a basic understanding of the situation in Fishing Port Town.


    Firstly, the fishermen were essentially unable to go to sea for fishing, and the entire Fishing Port Town was in a state of panic. Additionally, occasional pirate landings had already resulted in the deaths of two town sheriffs.


    This left the whole town on the verge of collapse.


    Now, there was a critical need for a powerful individual to stabilize the situation.


    Moreover, previous imperial fleet engagements had not been effective, revealing that the Sea God Sect and pirates would play ''hide and seek'' whenever they saw the imperial fleet approaching. As soon as the Southern Sea Fleet withdrew, the adversaries would resurface, consolidate, and continue to develop followers and conduct raids along the coast.


    In his letter, Count Habs gave Lord Reine two tasks.


    First, to maintain law and order in Fishing Port Town to prevent any further deterioration.


    Second, to identify which island along the coast the Sea God Sect and pirates mainly used as a hideout, to make it easier for the elite forces of the Empire''s Southern Sea Fleet to launch a decisive strike.


    Seeing Lord Reine''s furrowed brow, the beautiful woman asked with concern, "My dear, is Count Habs asking you to go to Fishing Port Town? I heard these days that the situation there is quite dire."


    Lord Reine nodded and said, "The situation indeed is severe, but not for now. I''ll leave after the navy arrives, probably in the next day or two."


    It seemed he had to accelerate his forging progress.


    To at least reach lv7 armorer before he left!


    ...


    -----------------


    So painful!


    Where am I? sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dennis opened his eyes and took a look around, finding himself in an empty room that was strangely familiar; wasn''t this the manor his family lived in before he left County Town?


    Why was he back here again?


    Was it possible that those people had sent him back?


    Dennis shook his head, and suddenly, he felt something was off.


    It was night, there was no moonlight, and the stars were dim, yet he could see things very... clearly, as if it were daylight!


    When Dennis stood up and saw his reflection in the wall mirror, he was stunned for a full few seconds. Then, he let out a strange cry!


    "Hiss~ Hiss~"


    What he saw in front of him was not a human, but a giant lizard standing on two legs!


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    Sharp claws, pale green scales, pointed spines��nothing about it resembled a human anymore.


    What kind of bloody mutation potion was this?


    It was clearly a lizard potion!


    ...


    A short distance away, in the nearby bushes, two skilled rebels lay in hiding. They were observing the mutated Dennis through a copper tube telescope.


    "Hey, do you think Dennis has gone mad?"


    "Probably not. Besides, he will certainly notice the change in his strength soon enough. Just watch, he will launch an attack shortly."


    A few minutes later.


    Looking at his own reflection, Dennis came to the realization that he had been tricked by that burly man!


    But the next second, as he felt the volcanic surge of power ready to erupt inside him, his regret diminished substantially.


    Extending his claw-like hands, Dennis made a light swing, producing a faint whistling sound as he cleaved through the air.


    At the same time, he keenly felt that he could control a certain... function of his skin.


    Upon trying it out,


    What!


    In the mirror, his own image had nearly ''disappeared''��was he changing color?


    It seemed like he had blended into his surroundings.


    This made Dennis''s mood improve quite a bit.


    Reine, wait for it! Heh, even if I can''t kill you, I can still silently take out all your family!


    And all the nobles who looked down on me! They must all die!


    "Swoosh!"


    An almost invisible figure darted out, racing towards the exterior of the manor!

 Chapter 200 Push Hard! Push Hard... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)

    Dennis felt that as soon as his left leg, which had turned into a sharp claw, lightly tapped the ground, his whole body charged forward with lightning speed, exceedingly fast.He was certain that this speed definitely surpassed that of an ordinary Knight.


    Even compared to the speed when his father broke through to become a Great Knight, it seemed to be not much slower.


    At this moment, Dennis''s mood, after taking the ''Mutation Potion'' and turning into a non-human state, improved a lot.


    Moving around, he seemed like a rapidly moving wisp of transparent mist. Having leaped onto a tall surrounding wall, he looked around.


    Since he was in the noble residential area of County Town, he could see the silhouettes of guards from various households training back and forth, despite it being nighttime.


    This immediately sparked an idea in him.


    He wanted to test the waters with a small attempt!


    After glancing around, he noticed that within a nearby estate, a guard had left the patrol team and seemed to be heading to the toilet. This made the scaly face of Dennis reveal a sinister smile.


    ''An excellent test subject...''


    The next second, Dennis''s nearly transparent figure ''whooshed'' and disappeared from the top of the wall.


    The guard, clad in chainmail, had just turned the corner of the corridor when suddenly, he felt a gust of strong wind against his face. Just as he was about to react, he heard a ''crack,'' and instantly froze on the spot.


    Then, his whole body began to tremble like a sieve, and the next second, he slowly collapsed to the ground.


    Now, the body on the ground had its skull completely dug out at the top, and most of its white brain matter scooped out.


    Dennis at this moment was playing with the bloodied and brain-covered skull with his right claw.


    His vertical pupils revealed surprise; he had not expected his attack power to reach such a level.


    Just one claw had directly lifted the skull of a well-trained guard!


    One should know that the skull is one of the toughest parts of the human body, and the strength of the guard was not weak, roughly equivalent to a first-level Knight''s Attendant, but against his non-full force strike, there was no power to resist. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    This only made Dennis''s confidence soar!


    Moreover, he felt that the power within his body seemed to be increasing every moment, and the feeling of possessing such a tsunami-like overwhelming strength was intoxicating!


    "Rein! I''m coming for my revenge!" Dennis mumbled to himself, looking at his hand that had mutated into a lethal claw.


    Quickly, with a leap, Dennis immediately disappeared from the spot.


    ...


    Meanwhile, two rebels holding a bronze telescope just saw a blur before Dennis vanished from their sight.


    This made them hastily look around, and after much effort, they saw a nearly transparent figure pop its head up from a distant building before disappearing again.


    After that, they found it difficult to track any further trace of him!


    Only then did the two of them realize that this Dennis was no longer the Dennis they had known before.


    Their observation mission was going to be tough!


    "Damn, the effects of the potion are so strong! How did this kid''s speed get so fast?"


    "This isn''t what the captain described!" the leading rebel spat and said.


    "The potion is so amazing; I just wonder if it can revert to a human body. If it can, I''d also request a bottle from the boss," the other rebel said enviously.


    "Don''t be stupid, Whitey! Don''t you know that the mortality rate after taking this potion is damn high? This one is already lucky!" the leading rebel smacked his companion''s head and scolded.


    The two hurried along, but as formal Knights, they still couldn''t catch up.


    "We really can''t keep up, Whitey; hurry up and report to the captain! This speed is much faster than that of a seasoned Knight," the rebel complained.


    "Also, you weren''t wrong at all; the potions of the Eagle Federation are really badass!" Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    -----------------


    Deep into the night, Rein was still sweating profusely in the blacksmith''s shop!


    As one ice iron shoulder guard after another was crafted....


    From dinner until now, in the span of four to five hours, Rein had advanced his Armorsmith Lv6 experience to (1839/3000).


    Wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead, Rein thought to himself:


    ''Luckily when the bloody duel was on, I had Jennifer place a bet and made a fortune! Otherwise, I wouldn''t have had the resources to use rare ores like ordinary ones, and I wouldn''t have to worry about whether I could sell the ice iron shoulder guards afterward...''


    ''After all, pieces like knight armor sell well as a set; individual pieces seem odd, especially since mine are part of a set made from the rare ore, ice iron.''


    ''Moreover, according to the current progress, another hard day''s work tomorrow should just about do it.''


    ''Although I''m using a shortcut, my strength has been genuinely forged through hard training.''


    ''Knock knock knock!''


    At that moment, a rapid knocking at the door suddenly interrupted Rein''s thoughts.


    Before Rein could open the door, the voice of a guard outside anxiously called out, "Baron, the estate has just been attacked!"


    "What!"


    Rein''s pupils shrunk as he immediately opened the door and asked, "What''s the situation now?"


    "Four guards have been killed, but the area patrol team responded quickly; the attacker has now fled. Baron, your parents and sister are safe and unharmed, just a bit shaken up," the guard replied.


    This immediately caused Rein to pause in his movements.

 Chapter 200 Push! Push Hard...... (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_2

    The family was just scared, which was a relief."What about Lady Baroness Crowley?" Rein asked again, knowing that the beautiful lady had been staying at his mansion these past few days, as she was nominally the housekeeper of his estate.


    "The lady was not harmed. During the attack, she was in the wine cellar."


    Rein nodded, relieved!


    However, Rein quickly dressed in his newly acquired water steel suit and hurried to his mansion.


    Along the way, Rein intermittently asked the mansion''s guards.


    "Who were the attackers?"


    "This... we are not clear, it seems it was a ferocious wild beast?" the messenger guard hesitated before replying.


    "Hmm? A beast?"


    This made Rein quite surprised.


    Because even if it was a ferocious beast, the chances of it running into a human city, let alone attacking a noble estate district just for food, were slim.


    This made no sense.


    "Were there other attacks in the noble district?"


    "There were, but none as severe as ours," the guard thought for a moment, then reported.


    "I see..." Rein, thoughtful, did not speak again.


    Soon, he arrived near his mansion, only to see familiar teams of Night Watchmen in black leather armor, along with many City Guards running back and forth, starting to enforce a curfew.


    Clearly, after the attack, the entire County Town''s defensive power had been mobilized.


    "What''s the situation now?" Rein stopped a man dressed as a captain of the Night Watchmen and asked.


    The man was about to get angry, but when he looked up and recognized Rein, he instantly shivered, recognizing the ''Iron Hammer Baron''!


    The Night Watchman captain immediately wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said,


    "Lord Baron Rein, several noble mansions have been attacked by a monster. Witnesses only saw a transparent shadow flash by, then it was either death or injury, but one thing we are sure about is that the attacker used its claws."


    "The attacker was fast, right?"


    "Yes, my lord."


    "Why did it run away then?"


    "Because we fired a signal flare. After seeing the signal flare, it broke through our encirclement and ran in that direction," the Night Watchman captain pointed in the direction of the city wall.


    "Good, thank you! I was once a Night Watchman too. If you encounter that monster while patrolling, run towards my mansion." Rein patted the man''s shoulder, saying.


    "Thank you, Lord Baron!" The Night Watchman captain, excited by Rein''s words, bowed respectfully.


    After a brief inquiry, Rein immediately returned inside the mansion.


    "Wow!!"


    Seeing Rein return, his sister Bo He rushed into her brother''s arms, crying, "Brother, Cookie is almost gone!"


    "Hmm?"


    Rein frowned abruptly, quickly went to the villa door, and found that the greyhound Cookie had four deep, bone-visible claw marks on its back, which were severely injured and now utterly immobilized.


    Seeing Rein arrive, Cookie looked at Rein and cried out a few "whimpers."


    "Don''t be afraid! I will heal you." Rein stepped forward and gently stroked the greyhound Cookie''s head, comforting it.


    At that moment, his mother Emma, father old Rein, and the beautiful lady also came out of the villa.


    "Father, Mother, rest assured, I am here," Rein reassured them.


    He then turned to the beautiful lady and said, "You call Jenny, and stay here tonight. It''s safer with me around."


    "Also, give enough compensation to the families of the guards who died in service, so their families can have peace of mind. If their families are in trouble, arrange what you can," he continued.


    "Yes, Baron Lord," the beautiful lady nodded and immediately sent someone to fetch Jenny.


    -----------------


    County Town.


    Inside an inconspicuous civilian house.


    Hearing his subordinates report on Dennis, General Parix''s brow involuntary knitted, showing a hint of surprise, he said:


    "Are you sure you saw correctly? Has the strength really increased that much?"


    "Reporting to the general, sir, we two can guarantee, we absolutely did not see wrongly!" two burly men confidently reported.


    General Parix glanced at the two men and nodded.


    One of the reasons he suddenly launched an attack was that he received news from inside County Town that Count Habbs was not in town, which meant he only needed to defend against the monsoon and the Sea Goddess Church''s powerhouses.


    The second reason was that he happened to encounter Dennis, a prime candidate for the mutation drug ''material''. Unexpectedly, this ''material'' has now surprised him again.


    Seemingly reminiscing, he mumbled to himself:


    "According to the physician who sent the potion, under normal circumstances, a near-knight consuming it would boost their combat power to the level of a seasoned knight or slightly higher." S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But in his case, the boost has almost surpassed a Peak Knight, which is exceedingly rare."


    "In that case... Dennis''s body is quite valuable, and it would likely interest the Eagle Federation."


    "Hmm, need to retrieve it quickly and then immediately freeze it, otherwise, it will affect the analysis..."


    "Looks like I need to make a trip."


    ...


    -----------------


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    After arranging things in the mansion, Rein checked the bodies of the guards.


    At that moment, Viscount Hamadi, the county''s security officer, arrived.


    However, just as he got there, a Messenger came and reported to him.


    And hearing the report, Viscount Hamadi could not help but change his expression.

 Chapter 200 Push Hard! Push Hard... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3

    He walked toward Rein and said,"Baron Rein, the Messenger just reported that Flashgold Town was attacked by a Bandit gang, and it seems several wealthy merchants'' residences to the north of the city were also hit just now. I need to quickly arrange for reinforcements."


    "As for here, I''ll increase the frequency and intensity of the patrols."


    Flashgold Town and other places were attacked as well?


    Rein nodded and replied, "Viscount, please go ahead with your urgent matters. According to the current situation, the likelihood of another attack is not high. Plus, I''ll be staying in the mansion."


    After Viscount Hamadi left, the more Rein thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    Firstly, the scars on the corpse of the guard were indeed claw marks, but the timing of the Bandit gang''s attack was too coincidental.


    Secondly, the Divine Arts mechanism ''Detect Evil'' in the room on the first floor of the villa had not been triggered, indicating that it was neither an evil being nor some kind of malevolent spirit.


    Therefore, if it truly were a beast, it must be one controlled by a human!


    Rein was virtually certain of this.


    Moreover, the attacker''s Strength was quite good, but their defensive power seemed not to be very strong; just moments before, beside the body of a guard, he had noted a fallen scale the size of a fingernail with a pale green hue.


    It seemed to have been knocked off during the guards'' onslaught.


    Furthermore, the fact that the assailant chose to retreat in the face of the Night Watchman''s ambush further supported this conclusion.


    In that case... it seems... I might be able to...


    An idea was forming in Rein''s mind.


    Late at night, Rein did not rest. Wearing a suit of water membrane steel, he arrived at the open space in the front yard, but this time without his two weapons on his back; instead, he began practicing Kadar Martial Arts.


    He had left both weapons in the storage room in the front yard.


    Half an hour later...


    A transparent shadow quietly returned.


    "Rein is practicing martial arts? Without carrying his weapons?"


    Dennis repeatedly observed Rein in the front yard, who was indeed practicing martial arts.


    Although he still felt something was off, at this moment, there seemed to be an extremely violent Strength inside him that needed release.


    Additionally, he always had a strong desire to kill the man before him in his heart.


    The combination of the two made Dennis feel unbearably sick unless he acted!


    In fact, this was due to the ''Shadow Thorny Lizard Mutation Serum'' containing a special substance extracted from the ovaries of the shadow thorny lizard, which had a strong assimilative effect on the human body.


    Now, not only was Dennis''s body mutated, but his personality had also undergone a degree of transformation.


    On the other hand, given the influence of the shadow thorny lizard''s mutagen, the fact that Dennis could resist rushing forward for so long signalled the depth of Rein''s shadow in his psyche.


    No matter!


    Even if I can''t defeat him, my speed is good enough to escape! Dennis licked his lips with his forked tongue and secretly mused.


    The next second, he rushed toward Rein like a translucent wisp of fog with a ''swish.''


    Actually, as soon as Dennis arrived, Rein''s level 3 ''danger perception'' had subtly warned him.


    So, although Rein looked calm and his martial arts movements remained unchanged, his heart was gradually filling with joy.


    He has finally come!


    "Clang!!"


    Sparks flew off the surface of the water membrane steel gauntlets.


    Rein firmly caught the attacker''s claw.


    Though he didn''t have his Finger Tigers, wearing the water membrane steel gauntlets meant there was not much difference, except that he couldn''t perform the specialized technique ''Hundred Crack Strike'' that required a blade.


    Moreover, after the strike, Rein quickly deduced, as he had anticipated, that the monster was incredibly fast but not very strong.


    "Swish! Swish! Clang!"


    The two quickly exchanged blows.


    Upon engaging, Dennis rejoiced.


    Without his weapons, Rein''s strength had dropped by more than a notch!


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    ''The Hammer Baron,'' without his hammer, was someone he could keep pace with in combat.


    Immediately, Dennis''s confidence surged, and he began to attack Rein with full force.


    This, of course, was all part of Rein''s deliberate plan. From some of the battle traces, Rein had deduced that the opponent''s Strength wasn''t actually very strong, and he might be able to use the opponent as a ''martial arts training partner.''


    Now that they had clashed, it turned out to be the case!


    This was like an ''experience treasure'' delivered to his door.


    Not to take full advantage of this opportunity to shear a big bunch of wool from his opponent would be a shameful waste.


    The guards on the side had already received Rein''s instructions to stay alert and protect the family and were not required to join the battle.


    So at this moment, they were watching the center of the front yard field, where a silvery blur and a translucent blur were exchanging blows at high speed.


    The shrill sound of their clash occasionally rose!


    And the ground would unexpectedly burst open with a small crater, with grass and plants breaking off like mown weeds.


    But no matter how hard the guards focused their attention, they couldn''t make out the specifics of the combatants'' movements.


    Dennis fought with growing excitement, sensing victory was within reach, for he had managed to strike Rein''s left arm twice.


    A thought suddenly sprang up in his mind.


    If Rein weren''t wearing this incredibly sturdy suit of iron, he would have been injured by now.


    And he might have already killed Rein!


    This thought excited Dennis tremendously!


    After all, even though his father became a Great Knight, he had still lost to Rein!

 Chapter 200 Push Hard! Push Hard... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4

    The dominance I felt in this battle was even more exhilarating than when I had Tina powerless under me!This gave Dennis an unbearable urge to mock Rein!


    The next second, Rein suddenly heard the creature opposite him actually speak.


    "Hiss, Rein... you''re dead meat today!" Dennis said while his forked tongue flicked in and out.


    "Oh? Who are you?"


    The two continued to trade blows at high speed while talking.


    "Me? I''m someone you''d never dream of."


    After fighting for a while, it would seem both of their energies should have been greatly drained.


    But, perhaps because of the potions he took, Dennis constantly maintained an excited state, several times more intense than hyperthyroidism. He felt an endless supply of strength in his body, enabling him to keep fighting.


    Rein, on the other hand, was clearly starting to breathe more heavily.


    This made Dennis even more triumphant.


    "Remember, the man who killed you is Dennis!"


    The next second, Dennis''s onslaught came like a tide!


    So it was him?


    Rein recalled the Dennis he had met once before, not expecting him to have transformed into this ghastly figure.


    Was there some connection between him and the bandit group?


    And how did he end up like this?


    But soon, Rein realized that it didn''t matter.


    What mattered was that his opponent''s stamina was exceptionally good.


    This also meant that he could shear more experience from his adversary!


    Although he was running low on stamina, it was perfect, as he had just become a fully-fledged wizard, which required a Spirit Attribute of over 30 points, and he was just short of that.


    So, with hardly any hesitation, Rein added one point to his Spirit Attribute.


    As his remaining attribute points went from 6��5, his Spirit also increased from 27 points��28 points.


    Suddenly, a warm surge burst forth from his heart and rapidly spread throughout his body.


    Instantly, all the fatigue in Rein''s body was swept away!


    Facing Dennis charging at him with full speed, Rein suddenly realized something.


    The other party must have no idea that his desperate attacks would actually benefit Rein immensely.


    God knows what the guy would feel if he ever found out!


    So, with a slight smile, Rein met him at high speed as well.


    "Ding! Ding! Clang!"


    The two were locked in battle once again.


    This time, Dennis became more and more irritable as he fought, more and more impatient.


    Rein was clearly running out of steam just a moment ago, and Dennis was close to winning; how had Rein suddenly become full of energy again?


    After several more exchanges, Dennis couldn''t help but ask:


    "Hiss~ How is it possible! Shouldn''t your strength be nearly spent?" Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Heh, I last longer, it''s normal that you wouldn''t know that," Rein casually replied.


    "Dammit!"


    Dennis could clearly tell that Rein was mocking him. His slit-like pupils narrowed as he attacked with all his strength.


    Rein''s chest, protected by a sturdy suit of armor called ''Water Film Steel Breastplate,'' coupled with the Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin Lv3,'' was unfazed by the continuous claw strikes. Naturally, Rein didn''t take such attacks seriously.


    Soon, Dennis''s transparent form began to flicker, likely due to excessive energy consumption. He gradually shifted out of his ''chameleon'' state, returning to his appearance covered with pale green scales.


    "Just like a wild beast!"


    "A bit faster! A bit faster and you might actually hurt me!"


    "Come on, use your strength! Put some muscle into it, Dennis!"


    Rein kept taunting Dennis with his words.


    It wasn''t that Rein was vicious with his words, he simply wanted to squeeze out the last bit of Dennis'' strength.


    Hearing Rein''s occasional mockery and teasing, Dennis, whose mind was slightly affected by the continuous transformation, now had bloodshot eyes!


    He practically used all his might, mustering the strength of a suckling babe, to launch an attack.


    As Rein''s understanding of the Kadar Martial Arts became deeper and more refined, he fought more and more smoothly...


    Moreover, since Dennis was using claws, this allowed Rein to make some sort of comparison between fists and claws, which seemed to have certain benefits for learning the secret technique "Hundred Crack Strike" later on.


    Dennis''s body began to emit white steam, and his complexion turned reddish through the pale green scales!


    "Snap!"


    Dennis, moving at high speed, suddenly staggered, his face changing color immediately!


    Damn it! Dennis felt something inside his body burst suddenly!


    Following that, he felt the strength in his body rapidly draining away...


    It was as if his body at that moment was a balloon that had been punctured by a needle, rapidly leaking something.


    Rein, on the other hand, had also stopped in place, watching as Dennis trembled nonstop, with scales and sharp claws starting to fall off all over his body...


    Seeing this eerie scene, Rein chose not to continue the attack.


    He guessed that the other party must have reached some kind of limit.


    A physical breakdown?


    Or some other reason, he wasn''t very sure.


    However, it was a bit disappointing �� such a good "experience farming target" was gone.


    In Rein''s heart, there was actually a bit of regret.


    If he had the choice, he would have preferred the other party to recover immediately.


    Or maybe... the current strange state of the other party was just a prelude to some kind of transformation...


    In that case, after the transformation was over, he could have another round of combat with him. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But wishes are always beautiful.


    And reality is "regrettable"...


    Seconds later, Dennis collapsed with a "thump," convulsing on the ground...


    One minute later, a emaciated Dennis with white hair and an appearance of extreme aging appeared before Rein.


    With a heightened sense of spirit, Rein felt that the other party''s vitality was now almost exhausted, even the sound of breathing was faintly discernible.


    Then, the system prompt suddenly appeared:


    [Your skill, Tokadar Fist Technique, has improved, Experience +977]


    [You have experienced a combat, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +89]


    ...


    The experience given by Knight (Transcendent) wasn''t much, but the lengthy duration of the battle and the use of martial arts made Rein''s Kadar Martial Arts jump directly from Lv4 (77/1000) to Lv5 (54/2000)!


    Seeing the monster ultimately turn into a human form startled the guards of the mansion, they gathered around and, after a careful check, reported, "Baron, the other party is dead!"


    "Who would have thought it was a human!"


    "...."


    Rein nodded and said, "Take care of the body."


    This body should be of great research value. He wondered if he would be awarded a significant number of Merit Points after handing it over to the empire.


    Martial arts at Lv5, what an unexpected joy; just another 5 points to Lv10...


    Rein turned to retrieve his two weapons, planning to return to his room for a short rest.


    Then suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.


    Immediately after, he quickly turned around, looking toward a certain spot on the street under the night sky...


    The mansion''s guards, who were originally cleaning up the battlefield, also seemed to sense a shift in the atmosphere, and they all looked up in the direction of their Baron''s gaze.


    What appeared were a pair of gleaming plate armored boots, emerging under the streetlamp at the bend of the nearby street...

 Chapter 201 Who Lasts Longer? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    As the figure gradually moved into the lamplight, a middle-aged man with a towering stature, clad in high-grade Knight Armor, appeared before everyone''s eyes.Next to him stood a slightly shorter but sturdy man, holding a Kite Shield in one hand and a single-edged battle axe about a meter long in the other.


    However, judging by the paint on the shield and axe handle, it seemed that the axe and shield shared the same color scheme as the towering middle-aged man''s armor, which suggested that the weapons the shorter man carried probably belonged to the middle-aged man.


    "It''s a bit of a pity, it seems I''ve missed an interesting battle," said the towering middle-aged man with a somewhat mocking expression on his face.


    "So, how did my little experiment surprise you?"


    Baron Parix carefully examined the bright silver membranous steel armor on Rein, and after noticing several faint newly added claw marks, he shook his head slightly in disappointment and said:


    "It seems your strength is not as formidable as the rumors suggest, after all, nobles of the Empire always like to sing each other''s praises."


    "Who are you?" Rein asked calmly in return.


    Even though his Level 3 ''danger perception'' was giving him a strong warning, one that even surpassed the sea serpent, the scaled-bearded ironback turtle, and even Baron Norman, a newly promoted Great Knight,


    it was not to the extent that it was completely overwhelming.


    Therefore, Rein''s heart was not filled with fear. Instead, he felt a surge of eagerness to try his hand.


    It seemed that after fighting the Nightmare Dragonman, he could once again go all out in combat!


    "I do not need to introduce myself! Otherwise, with so many people around, I would have to kill them all to keep them quiet," he said.


    "By the way, the body of this little experiment is still of some use to me; I need to take it back."


    "Also, there has always been someone who wanted me to get rid of you. Actually, we wouldn''t have met so soon. The original plan was to wait until you took up your post in Fishing Port Town before sending you on your way."


    "But now there''s been a slight change, so, unfortunately, you may have to depart a bit earlier."


    One reason Parix chose to act tonight was because of Magis.


    Magis had also given him several hints, and considering that he would need Magis'' help in the future, there was no point in delaying this matter further. It would be convenient to take Rein out while retrieving the body.


    As these words were spoken, the guards from the surrounding mansion and the arriving Night Watchmen from the County Town became tense. Everyone drew their bows and aimed arrows at the towering middle-aged man wearing the Knight Armor.


    Rein gestured with his hand, saying, "You all return to your posts, leave this to me."


    "Oh wow, this is interesting!" The towering middle-aged man raised his eyebrows as he looked at Rein with a certain admiration.


    "Smart move, this way my boots won''t get dirty. Otherwise, you know, killing too many people tends to accidentally soil one''s boots."


    "Alright then, seeing as I find you quite pleasant to look at, I''ll make sure you leave without pain," he went on.


    "Let''s not waste time, or there will be more and more people noticing this commotion."


    After finishing his sentence, Parix tapped the tip of his foot, and the hard slate of the street suddenly exploded beneath him. The debris had barely started to fly when his entire figure shot forward like an arrow off its string.


    The spectators around had not expected the towering figure in heavy Knight Armor to move with such speed.


    There was still an afterimage left in his original spot when he had already reached Rein.


    As an expert who had stepped into the Great Knight level for many years, Parix''s evolution in his physical body had begun to touch deeper layers.


    This process of evolution was continuous, akin to the growth and development of an adolescent.


    Therefore, the quality of his strength was significantly different from that of newcomers like Baron Norman, who had just stepped into the Great Knight realm.


    Not only would his strength, agility, and constitution continue to improve over time, but his Transcendent characteristics would also intensify and engrain into his bloodline as a natural talent. It would also impact and enhance his offspring''s knightly talents to some extent.


    But the most important aspect was the increase in the quantity of primal force after stepping into the Great Knight level, greatly enhancing both defense and combat capabilities.


    With these two factors combined, a Great Knight facing a Knight, even a Peak Knight, would result in a crushing blow.


    Furthermore, the disparity between Great Knights was vast.


    What a joke!


    Could a newly-promoted Great Knight possibly possess the same level of strength as him, having been a Great Knight for over five years? Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire


    Another point was that upon seeing the claw marks on Rein''s membranous steel armor, Parix was even more convinced of the embellished tales of Rein''s strength, such as defeating the newly promoted Great Knight Baron Norman in a bloody duel.


    In Parix''s eyes, Rein was merely a Meister ''prodigy'' with a slight gift for knighthood.


    Hence, Parix''s view of Rein and this battle was mostly one of mockery. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because of this mindset, he didn''t even bother to take the axe and shield from his subordinate just now; he simply flicked his forearm during his sprint, and ''click,'' a claw-like arm blade resembling Wolverine''s claws, cold and gleaming, appeared before Rein''s eyes.


    Parix, with his arm blade glowing faintly from the primal force, aimed viciously at Rein''s forehead and thrust it forcefully.


    If he were to be struck, it might be true what he said earlier �C Rein would be sent off without pain...

 Chapter 401 201

    Rein had been intently staring at the unfamiliar Great Knight before him.So when his opponent charged at high speed, he wasn''t the slightest bit afraid. He quickly took down the dark pig-headed hammer from behind and didn''t block, but instead swung the Heavy Hammer Furious Strike towards his adversary!


    At that moment, the special effect of the heavy weapon, "Weight as Light," played a crucial role!


    To the onlookers, it seemed impossible for Rein to block the strike, let alone counterattack with the cumbersome two-handed warhammer!


    But Rein''s speed was just a notch faster than everyone had estimated!


    "Clang!!!"


    Faced with Rein''s exceedingly swift Heavy Hammer Furious Strike, a sense of alarm surged through Parix. He instantly switched from attacking to blocking, catching the blow with his arm blade reinforced by the source energy.


    "Eh?"


    A trace of surprise flashed in Parix''s eyes!


    Holding a two-handed warhammer and still such fast speed?


    This young man before him, Rein, seemed to have something up his sleeve!


    Moreover, within that hammer strike, Parix felt a power seeping through his armor and energy defense, a power that was...


    But before he could fully savor Rein''s previous strike,


    Rein, holding the dark pig-headed hammer, swung out another blow as quick as lightning, moving from right to left!


    "Heavy Hammer Sweep!"


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    Facing Rein''s combo-like fierce counterattacks, Parix spun around while bringing up his arm blade to block once again.


    "Clang!!" Sparks flew everywhere!


    For a moment, Rein swung more than a dozen hammer strikes in succession, each one mighty and forceful with layers of Shock power. Eventually, Parix had to start expending significant amounts of source energy to withstand this continuous shock damage.


    "You''re quite responsive, eh? You''ve already activated your limit-breaking and Transcendent traits.


    "A smart move, but how long can you maintain this state?"


    "...."


    It seemed Parix was trying to provoke Rein verbally, causing him to reveal a flaw or hesitation. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, his words had no effect on Rein, whose black warhammer remained as steady and powerful as ever.


    Which frustrated Parix quite a bit.


    "Clang!!!"


    Another head-on collision!


    This time, Parix, who had been steadily standing his ground, suddenly took the impact to swiftly retreat more than ten paces.


    Even though he had moved out of Rein''s warhammer attack range and no longer needed to worry about blocking Rein''s hammer, his hands trembled slightly behind his back!


    Hiss!


    That really hurt!


    Could this strength be...


    "You... you''ve actually mastered Hammer Skill at a master level!" Parix''s eyes widened in shock as he looked at Rein in astonishment.


    Unlike Norman, who had just entered the Great Knight stage, Parix had come to realize that Rein''s power with the hammer was too strong, surpassing even the proficient level!


    You see, among the strong at the Great Knight level, weapon specialization typically just reached proficiency, or at most, a half-step into the master level.


    And like Rein, one who had mastered Hammer Skill to such a level was outstanding among Great Knights.


    What puzzled Parix was how this young man, Rein, had managed to master his Hammer Skill to such a high level at his young age?


    But quickly, before Rein could respond, Parix calmed his surprise. He retreated to a nearby squad leader who was dressed in sturdy attire, picking up the solid metal Kite Shield and the battle axe.


    "Rein, is it?"


    "A young man with great talent. Too bad the game is over!


    "You don''t think that was all my strength, do you? Now, I''m going to get serious!"


    While Parix had retreated, Rein didn''t chase him but started to murmur a magic spell...


    And as Parix turned to take up his axe and shield, a subtle fluctuation passed around Rein, and something different seemed to stir in the air.


    "Swoosh!"


    Parix powered up his source energy to its full extent, his body emitting a soft glow, as he charged at Rein once more!


    This time, he no longer had the teasing and playful attitude from before. Instead, there was a sincere sense of excitement and eagerness within him.


    A rare Hammer Skill genius from the Dragan Empire was about to die by his hand.


    The thrill of cutting down a talent was something he hadn''t felt in a long time!


    "Boom! Clang! Clang!"


    The figures of the two moved extremely fast, and even with the streetlights and the lamps in the garden illuminating their surroundings, it was nearly impossible to discern their movements in the dim setting.


    All that could be sensed were two blurs of fast-moving mist engaging in relentless combat.


    Rein had not chosen to unleash ''Strength Burst'' at full power but merely activated about thirty percent to almost even out the power disparity between him and Parix.


    Not using his secret techniques was due to the opponent''s slightly higher speed. Even if Rein had used all his power, he might have been easily dodged by Parix which would not only waste a significant amount of energy but also reveal his trump card prematurely.


    Simply put, the right moment for victory had not yet come.


    Although Parix had not gained the upper hand, he was not anxious, as his foundation was solid��he was a Great Knight, and Rein was a Knight, naturally having the superior physical prowess.


    Rein was currently able to keep up or defend against his aggressive pace thanks to the combination of full-powered Burst and master-level Hammer Skill.

 Chapter 201 Who Can Last Longer? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    But how long can a Peak Knight sustain such an all-out burst of power?Thirty seconds?


    Forty seconds?


    Or a few seconds more?


    He estimated that in less than a minute, Rein''s physical energy would be overtaxed, his speed would slow, and then he wouldn''t be able to keep up with his own pace in combat.


    By then, he would be able to quickly take down his opponent.


    Although this method of winning seemed somewhat dishonorable, that no longer mattered. After all, crushing a genius...


    However, it didn''t take long for Parix to sense that something was amiss.


    Why did he feel hotter and hotter?


    Especially the energy used for defense on the surface of his body was being consumed at an enormous rate, far beyond normal!


    What the hell was going on?


    This was truly bizarre!


    "Boom!!"


    Their hammer and shield clashed, and both retreated several steps again!


    Rein, with his Dark Vision, could clearly see the fine beads of sweat on his opponent''s forehead and the obvious heaving of his chest.


    Clearly, although his own physical strength was being consumed greatly, his opponent was not faring any better under the influence of his own full-powered Tokkal Hammer Technique and the witchcraft "High-Temperature Force Field."


    After some thought, Rein silently added a point to his agility attribute.


    The opponent was slightly faster than him, which made him at a disadvantage in combat.


    As his remaining attribute points decreased from 5 to 4, his agility increased from 21 points to 22 points.


    Instantly, a warm current surged powerfully from his heart and swiftly spread to every limb and joint.


    Suddenly, the sense of muscle soreness and fatigue in Rein''s body were swept away! Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    Looking at Parix, he noticed after a glance at Rein that his opponent''s physical exhaustion was considerable, which brought a glimmer of joy to his face.


    ''He''s just holding on!''


    ''Let''s see who can hold on longer and who has more endurance!''


    Immediately, Parix charged at Rein again.


    Once more, their figures moved at high speed in front of the mansion''s courtyard, only becoming more visible to the onlookers when they passed under the lights, flashing by in an instant.


    But before the spectators could get a clear view, the two disappeared into the darkness again.


    Soon, the entire front yard became a complete mess, with beautiful flowers and neatly pruned green plants all tragically ravaged.


    After enduring for several more seconds, Parix began to struggle.


    Even as a Great Knight, he could not maintain this full-powered combat for much longer.


    It was akin to the most trained sprinter in the 100 meters stretched to 200 meters; perhaps they could barely maintain their speed and condition, but at 400 meters, the speed would inevitably begin to decline significantly.


    This could be seen from the world record for the 400 meters at 43.03 seconds in comparison to the 100 meters world record at 9.58 seconds��the 400 meters world record is far slower than 9.58 multiplied by four. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    What left him speechless was that, with each swing of Rein''s Warhammer, it remained just as steady��how could this be possible?


    His own strength was greatly expended, and his rhythm was beginning to slow down, so how could Rein��merely at the level of a Peak Knight��have greater endurance than he did?


    It was maddening!


    Could it be that his opponent was not only a rare talent in Hammer Skill but also exceptionally gifted in stamina?


    That would be far too many talents!


    Looking at Rein, he observed his opponent''s rhythm starting to slow down, ever so slightly��a nuance perhaps imperceptible to onlookers or not apparent, but for Rein, engaged in combat, it was glaringly obvious, like a beacon in the darkness.


    It made Rein''s resolve firm.


    He had been prepared for an "endurance battle," thinking that this unknown Great Knight could withstand three rounds of adding attribute points. Yet, to his surprise, after only one round of adding points, his opponent seemed unable to hold on.


    After resisting for another several seconds.


    Even the spectators on the side began to realize that their "Bolt Baron" was starting to gain the upper hand, delivering more Warhammer strikes than before.


    On the other side, the unfamiliar Great Knight was clearly increasing the frequency of blocking with his shield.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    The clashing sounds of hammer and shield became more intense!


    However, Rein''s expression became more serious at this moment, because he always remembered a saying��"A cornered beast will still fight."


    If wild beasts knew to struggle for survival, then how much more so a human Great Knight!


    Hence, the closer he was to victory, the more cautious he needed to be!


    This caused Rein''s dark Two-Handed Warhammer to sweep through the air with even greater steadiness.


    But Parix became visibly more impatient.


    He had been waiting for Rein to show signs of fatigue or a lapse, so with his rich combat experience, he could still turn the tide of this passive situation around.


    But...


    Damn it, several minutes had passed, and his opponent was still as explosive as ever with his continuous Warhammer combos!


    It was like seeing Bolt from a previous lifetime in a 1500-meter race, sprinting at the speed of a 100-meter dash for the entire 1500 meters.


    Clearly, this situation could not continue.


    Now Parix faced two choices: one was to launch a full-out burst, using a nearly secret technique, which required a short period of charging and based on the current stamina of his opponent, there was a good chance it could be dodged.


    The second choice was to find a way to disarm his opponent''s Two-Handed Warhammer. If his opponent had mastered the Hammer Skill to the level of an expert, certainly he must have spent the vast majority of his focus and time on it.

 Chapter 201 Who Lasts Longer? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Although he had seen the dual-handed greatsword carried on Rein''s back, he would never believe that Rein''s swordsmanship was also of a master level!After all, at Rein''s age, a master of both hammer skill and swordsmanship?


    That would be absolutely ridiculous!


    Even in the most outrageous tales of a Wandering Bard, such a thing could never be fabricated and spread around.


    Having devised his tactic, Parix regained his confident demeanor.


    "Bang!"


    This time, when Rein''s Heavy Hammer Furious Strike hit the opponent''s shield, which was clearly made of special ore, a powerful denting force was obviously transmitted from the shield.


    Parix actively pulled back a part of his shield to unload the force and then suddenly released the battle-axe in his other hand, directly grabbing towards the handle of Rein''s warhammer!


    The plate gauntlet, emitting a dim luminescence, ''snap'' grabbed hold of Rein''s warhammer, and Parix''s eyebrows twitched, revealing a hint of joy!


    Just as he let go of the shield with his left hand, planning to use both hands to snatch away Rein''s great hammer, suddenly, Parix''s expression drastically changed!


    Because at this moment, the Rein he was facing expanded his muscles, as if inflating, growing twice as large! If it weren''t for the quality of the knight armor he was wearing, it would likely have burst open from the expansion!


    Parix exerted all his strength, but helplessly watched as the warhammer slowly slipped from his hands!


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    This strength!


    What on earth did Rein eat to grow up!


    Or was this some kind of secret technique?


    It was then that Parix, though slow to catch on, realized that something was definitely off about this Rein.


    However, Parix''s combat experience was rich, and he pulled and pushed the handle, raising it abruptly, making a swoop towards Rein''s chest.


    This forced Rein to release the hammer handle! He stepped backward.


    Parix''s face brightened, as he finally managed to seize the warhammer.


    However, a cold gleam slashed rapidly towards his head, and with alarm bells ringing in his mind, Parix quickly abandoned his offensive and dodged to the side.


    "Swoosh!"


    Only then did he realize it was the dual-handed greatsword on Rein''s back!


    There was hardly a moment''s pause!


    Rein then wielded the dual-handed greatsword, attacking the unarmed Parix.


    In just a few seconds,


    Parix''s expression turned as if he had seen a ghost!


    This damn... his swordsmanship is also at the master level!!


    Fuck!


    What kind of monster had he encountered?


    Even the goddess''s illegitimate child might not be this much!


    Distracted, Parix''s high-level knight armor accumulated several deep scratches!


    Faced with Rein''s master-level swordsmanship, even though Parix had the Original Force for defense and the high-level knight armor for protection, he still couldn''t withstand Rein''s attack.


    Fighting to this extent, Parix already had little desire to continue the battle.


    But the problem was, he couldn''t just retreat outright.


    At this moment, with so many people watching him being outmatched, if Zaral''s rebel forces wanted to accomplish anything significant in Meister County next, retreating in his current battered state would be absolutely terrible!


    Moreover, he hadn''t yet employed his near-secret technique; who said he was definitely going to lose!


    He still had a chance to win!


    With a vicious look, Parix faced Rein''s Smooth Cleaving Slash with his left forearm armored with Original Force enhanced defense.


    "Puchi!"


    Under the master-level sword technique effects ''Steel Cut'' and ''Armor Break,'' Rein''s sword nearly cut a third into the forearm, stopped only by the radius bone.


    Parix''s eyes bulged, painfully enduring as he threw a heavy punch with his right hand towards Rein''s abdomen.


    "Bam!!"


    Although Rein tensed his abdomen and performed the Pendulum Retreat Step from Kadar Martial Arts, due to the lower level of his martial arts, he was still sent flying seven or eight meters by Parix''s furious punch, and the Glimmering Greatsword flew out of his hand!


    Parix threw the greatsword stuck in his forearm armor, then hurled himself towards the single-bladed battle-axe lodged in the ground nearby.


    Judging from the wounds, Rein naturally had the upper hand. Although he suffered a heavy blow to his abdomen, he had the buffering from retracting his abdomen and the protection of his armor, moreover, he had a level 3 Transcendent trait ''Iron Skin'' for defense.


    So, when he saw his opponent endure his sword to grab the battle-axe, Rein knew it was time for the deciding move.


    He also, without hesitation, rolled towards the warhammer that had fallen nearby.


    Almost simultaneously, both men grabbed the weapons they were most skilled with.


    And the distance between them had widened from two or three meters to now more than ten meters.


    Without coordination, both began to gather their energy.


    Then, almost at the same moment, they charged towards each other!


    Parix''s single-bladed battle-axe condensed a luminescent glow, a solid white light slashed towards Rein in a Smooth Cleaving Slash!


    "Near secret technique�� ''Flash Cut!''" Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Rein activated ''Triple State,'' smashing the Earth-splitting Hammer from above down towards Parix!


    "Secret technique��''Earth-splitting Hammer!''"


    In an instant, the axe and hammer collided fiercely in mid-air!

 Chapter 202 Its Actually a F***ing... (Two-in-One Long Chapter)

    "Clang!!!" S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.A spark that was extremely dazzling in the darkness burst forth at the point where the two weapons clashed!


    Following that, a metal clashing sound that could tear eardrums resounded all around....


    Everyone''s eyes were wide open, and even though the sparks made their tears flow, they kept watching the scene in front of them without blinking. Although they had scarcely seen anything clearly throughout the battle, they were still bubbling with excitement.


    After the lightning-fast exchange, Rein and Parix were both sent flying backwards.


    Parix''s legs plowed two ravines more than ten meters long on the ground of the mansion''s front courtyard. His right hand, which was holding the axe, trembled non-stop and the next second, there was a ''crackling'' strange noise.


    All his plate gauntlets and arm armor on his right hand burst apart, revealing the inside which was a blur of flesh and blood. Anyone could see that this right arm was temporarily useless.


    And Rein wasn''t faring well either!


    After his warhammer was knocked away by the opponent''s axe filled with primal force, that powerful axe still had enough energy to cleave through the brand-new hydrosteel breastplate of a high-ranking knight that Rein was wearing.


    At that moment, Rein could feel a severe pain emanating from his chest.


    He looked down and saw a narrow, at least thirty centimeters long, slit cut through his thick knight''s breastplate. Through the slit, he could see a clear red line on the skin of his chest, from which blood was slowly seeping out.


    The power of the opponent''s axe had exceeded his expectations. Rein had originally thought that with his master-level Hammer Skill secret technique combined with his core skill ''Hammer Mastery lv3,'' he could at least be on par with his opponent.


    But unexpectedly, after knocking his Warhammer away, the opponent''s axe still had so much power left that it broke through his hydrosteel breastplate and ''Iron Skin lv3,'' and injured him.


    Although it had only sliced open the skin on his chest, creating a cut, it was enough to draw blood...


    However, when Rein looked up at his opponent and saw the almost completely disabled state of his right hand, a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.


    Rein was not afraid of getting hurt.


    Especially since his opponent''s injuries were much more severe than his own.


    Seeing that Rein was actually able to get up, Parix''s pupils shrank and he wore an expression of disbelief. Clearly his own strike had torn open the opponent''s knight''s breastplate, yet Rein seemed not to have suffered much damage.


    Parix murmured, "How is this possible!"


    "The move I just used was almost a secret technique!"


    "It should have gutted him, how could the injuries be so minor."


    Though Parix couldn''t figure it out, at this moment, his right hand had almost completely lost its combat ability, so he decided to retreat immediately.


    Still, he couldn''t help but take another unwilling look at Rein.


    It had been a long time since he had encountered a situation so unexpectedly difficult.


    He had thought it would be an easy task, but it turned out to be so tricky when actually carried out!


    As Parix''s gaze lingered on Rein, he gave a light exclamation.


    Because he saw that after quickly getting up, Rein hadn''t immediately picked up his weapon to rush at him.


    This gave Parix a sudden thought...


    Could it be that Rein''s swift rise was merely to mask his true injuries, and that his strike had actually reached vital organs like the heart and lungs?


    After a brief contemplation, Parix''s eyes suddenly lit up.


    It must be so.


    This makes sense!


    Because only this explanation would be logical!


    Otherwise, how could he possibly explain the lightness of the opponent''s injuries after facing his nearly secret technique strike?


    It seems that he had narrowly won this round!


    However.....


    Parix seemed to hear Rein mouthing something.


    This made him curious, and he immediately pricked up his ears to listen closely. The next second, his expression changed drastically��he heard that Rein was whispering a spell of witchcraft...


    "Fuck, this Rein is actually a Wizard Apprentice too..."


    Parix hadn''t finished cursing.


    Suddenly, he felt as if a sun had risen right in front of him!


    His eyes were struck by the extremely dazzling glare, and in an instant, tears streamed down his face....


    However, being a veteran of many battles, he quickly realized why Rein had not launched an attack before.


    The aim must have been to cast this spell of witchcraft.


    Perhaps Rein really wasn''t much injured?


    Rein had indeed been casting the witchcraft ''Blazing Light'' just then. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire


    Originally, the moment he got up, Rein had intended to attack.


    But then, a sudden inspiration struck his mind��he thought of this witchcraft ''Blazing Light,'' which was extremely suitable for the current environment.


    Moreover, his opponent was severely injured and unaware that he knew witchcraft, making it a perfect surprise.


    Sure enough, once the witchcraft ''Blazing Light'' was successfully cast, Parix looked shocked and instinctively closed his eyes.


    In that instant, Rein made his move.


    He charged at Parix like a cheetah launching an attack, halfway there, he reached out to scoop up the warhammer that had fallen to the side.


    Parix, with his wealth of combat experience, almost blinded in the next second, vaguely sensed imminent danger and immediately turned around to run toward the location of the street he remembered.


    Although a Great Knight''s body has strong adaptability, their sharp vision was more severely impacted than that of the guards in the nearby mansion.

 Chapter 202 Its Actually a F***ing... (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_2

    He barely managed to open his tearful eyes, only to feel a dizzying blur ahead, mixed with a spin of vertigo, unable to discern the direction of the street.But this moment''s hesitation was all it took for a strong gust to attack from behind, forcing him to awkwardly turn around in defense!


    Rein swiftly closed the distance in a single bound, his arm muscles bulging as he spun around, swinging a dark shadow of his hammer from below in an upward arc, striking Parix''s lower abdomen with immense force!


    It was the signature posture of the Tokkal Hammer Technique''s "Rising Dragon Hammer"!


    "Thump!!"


    Parix''s abdomen took a heavy blow, instantly folding his body in half, his limbs stretching forward as they stiffened, his tongue unnaturally sticking out of his wide-open mouth, his eyes bulging as if they would pop out of their sockets. Meanwhile, his whole body was hurled seven or eight meters away!


    Like a meteor, he crashed violently against the wall of a villa by the street.


    "Boom!!!"


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    Since the walls of a noble''s mansion were constructed with particular care, made of stacked strips of granite, the impact of Parix''s collision, though huge, did not break through.


    At this moment, Parix''s state was truly pitiable, embedded more than ten centimeters into the granite wall, his body convulsing incessantly. Yet a powerful desire to survive made him struggle, thinking of extricating himself from the wall.


    But before he could make a move,


    Rein took off with a flick of his toes, the ground flying up beneath him as he swiftly closed in on the wall-embedded Parix, aiming at his arms and leg joints for a series of crushing hammer blows!


    "Crack! Snap! Snap!"


    With each hammer blow, a joint on Parix''s body emitted a crisp sound of breaking bones, accompanied by an unnatural twist.


    This was because Parix''s high-grade knight plate armor, having lost the force defense from the Great Knight himself, could no longer withstand the force of Rein''s hammer blows independently.


    Each of Rein''s strikes caused severe deformation in Parix''s knight plate armor.


    Now, the twisted armor had become an impediment to healing the wounds.


    Seconds later, Rein stopped his assault.


    He believed that even if the other was a Great Knight, he couldn''t endure the damage of all his limbs having comminuted fractures.


    Perhaps in this world, there were ways to recover from such injury, but obviously, it wasn''t something that could be naturally recovered with just the physical condition of a Great Knight.


    "Thud!"


    A sound of a heavy object hitting the ground echoed.


    Parix, clad in twisted and bent knight plate armor, didn''t resist this time; merely succumbing to gravity, he fell from the wall and crashed heavily onto the ground.


    Parix, with the resilient vitality of a Great Knight, lay on the ground like a pile of mud, his body still twitching continuously. Of course, this was thanks to Rein not attacking his organs and head.


    Rein walked over slowly, squatted down, and said in a deep voice next to Parix, "Perhaps it''s time I send you on your way."


    "However, I''m quite interested in what you said about someone wanting to take me down through you."


    "If you cooperate, I''ll let you depart without pain soon, so you don''t have to suffer any longer."


    Parix strained to raise his head, took a look at Rein, and started to laugh, his smile mad, scornful, and meaningful...


    That''s when Rein suddenly heard sounds of a fight at the end of the street; looking up, he realized that the burly man was trying to escape, but had been surrounded by the Night Watchmen.


    "Catch him!"


    "Don''t let him get away!"


    "He''s with the guy lying on the ground!"


    ...


    Although the man''s skills indicated he was a seasoned knight, his morale overwhelmed, he was intercepted by a group of Night Watchmen.


    Rein stood up and walked toward him, seemingly slow but actually covering ground quickly, and after a few strides, arrived in front of him. It took only one punch to send him half a meter into the air. Following that, he curled up on the ground in a kneeling position, retching violently.


    If the boss won''t talk, perhaps it''s time to start with the underling. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However... a Great Knight is a notable figure wherever you go, which is why Rein hadn''t killed him outright.


    In less than half a minute, Rein learned the identity of the burly middle-aged man from the underling''s confession.


    "Huh? You''re saying you''re from the Zaral rebellion? And this... this is your new Meister in charge, General Parix?" Rein asked with a raise of his eyebrows.


    "Yes... my lord..." the burly man answered with an expression of intense agony, holding his belly and managing to speak.


    Rein observed his demeanor and seemed to realize the man wasn''t lying.


    A general?


    That sounded like no lowly position...


    Just as Rein was about to ''inquire'' further about this General Parix, two familiar figures approached rapidly with a large group of Night Watchmen clad in black leather armor.


    "Viscount Hamadi, Lord Hamilton." Rein looked surprised. Hamadi''s appearance here wasn''t strange, given a serious security incident had occurred in the County Town.


    But theoretically, Hamilton should have been engaged in battle with bandits in Flashgold Town; how did he also end up in the County Town all of a sudden?


    "Baron Rein, it seems you''ve already thwarted your enemy''s attack."


    Viscount Hamadi looked around and, seeing only two people, added, "The main force of the enemy has likely not arrived yet; we need to remain vigilant!"


    "Indeed! Rein, I learned from one of the bandit leaders who attacked Flashgold Town that the mastermind behind their operation, the Zaral rebellion, would strike County Town."

 Chapter 202 Its Actually a F***ing... (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_3

    ```"So, I immediately went to the County Town and reported this news to Viscount Hamadi. I didn''t expect to encounter your mansion being attacked,"


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    the enemy''s main force?


    Rein thought for a moment, then pointed at the prostrate Parix on the ground and said, "Viscount, perhaps this man is the leader of the enemy."


    "Hmm?" Both Hamadi and Hamilton looked at Rein with a surprised face.


    Only now did they notice that, under the dim streetlights, the ground behind Rein was full of trenches and ravines, along with the horrendously damaged front courtyard of the mansion.


    Hamilton glanced at Parix on the ground, who looked like a dead dog, and said,


    "He is...?"


    "It''s said that he''s the leader of the Zaral rebels in Meist County, a Great Knight."


    "A Great Knight?" Hamilton''s eyes widened in shock, flashing with a sharp light.


    "This man should be very valuable for interrogation; he''s not dead yet, right?"


    "Not yet dead, I deliberately avoided his vitals," Rein nodded.


    However, this statement sounded slightly off to Hamadi and Hamilton. Looking at the twisted and broken body in front of them, it was clear that although the vitals were avoided, the damage was...


    truly too gruesome, especially since the victim was a Great Knight. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What about dignity?


    "Excellent, Baron Rein, I suggest that you hand him over to the empire,"


    "Recently, there have been signs of rebel activity in all counties of Mingster Province. At this juncture, you capturing the person in charge of one county will surely reap a substantial Merit Points reward," Viscount Hamadi said with a look of joy.


    Rein glanced at Hamilton and saw the latter also nodding with a smile.


    So, Rein nodded and said, "Well, Viscount Hamadi, I''ll leave it to you then."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll send him straight to the County Jail and keep a tight watch. When Count Habs returns, he will probably personally interrogate him," Viscount Hamadi said with a smile in his eyes.


    "What about that one over there?" Hamilton pointed to the burly man who was kneeling and asked.


    "He''s not important," Rein said with a glance.


    After leaving the rest of the matters to the two of them, Rein returned to his mansion to reassure his parents, sister, and the beautiful Jennifer.


    Since his family and the beautiful woman were not skilled in combat, even though they were worried about Rein and wanted to see the battle''s outcome, under the dim night, they simply could not discern the clash between two people with Great Knight-level strength.


    They could only hear the continuous sounds of battle��"Boom! Crack! Clang!"


    Upon returning to his room, Rein looked at the system prompts:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, experience +878]


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, experience +1051]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience +476]


    [You have experienced a battle, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) experience +53]


    ...


    After this battle, the Knight (Transcendent) level reached lv6 (354/3000), earning one Skill Point and one attribute point as rewards.


    The remaining attribute points were restored to five, while the remaining Skill Points also reached three.


    The experience rewards for Tokkal Hammer Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique were substantial, but there was still quite a distance to level 10 skill advancement.


    However, this was not Rein''s current concern.


    Right now, his Kadar Martial Arts was already at lv5, and he had three Skill Points remaining.


    That meant, if he could quickly gain two more Skill Points, he would be able to immediately change his job to [Weapon Master (Legendary)].


    ...


    -----------------


    At night, Meist County City.


    A low but heavily guarded building was brightly lit.


    Teams dressed as the City Guard, or as the Night Watchman, were escorting captured bandits in and out of the building''s gates, and on the door, several large characters read ''Meist County Jail.''


    Half a day ago, Magis was quite excited upon receiving a report from a trusted aide that there was a major operation organized for the evening.


    After all, the stronger the organization, the bigger the commotion they caused, the greater his influence as the public liaison of the organization among the Meist nobility, and the more comfortable his life would be.


    On the contrary, if the organization was weak or eradicated by the empire, then he would have little standing to speak of, and might even lack a reason to exist.


    Just now, he was awakened in the middle of the night by a noisy commotion and immediately sensed something was off��because the whole jail seemed very lively.


    And he knew, an active jail was highly unusual!


    So, Magis immediately called for his trusted aide and asked:


    "What''s going on? Why are so many prisoners being brought in?"


    "This... just wait a moment, your lordship, I''ll go and investigate," the aide replied, appearing to have just been woken up himself.


    However, Magis didn''t seem to mind.


    After all, his subordinate had been running back and forth between the jail and the new organization base and indeed had been working hard.


    A few minutes later, the aide returned with an ugly expression and reported, "My lord, these are all bandits from the Wild Wolf Hills; it''s said that the organization is behind them."


    "What? Did the organization''s operation tonight fail?" Magis''s complexion changed abruptly, immediately guessing the implications.


    "It''s not clear yet; they''re all bandit gang members, I haven''t seen any members of the organization being caught," the aide said.


    "Could this be showing weakness to deceive the enemy? A new tactic by General Parix?" Magis heard this and felt somewhat relieved��at least there were no members of the organization involved, which was intriguing.


    "However... these bandit gangs can also be considered a potential force that the organization could utilize. Handing them over to the empire like this, doesn''t it seem a bit inappropriate..." Magis muttered to himself.


    ```

 Chapter 202 Its Actually a F***ing... (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_4

    After some thought, Magis waved his hand to a confidant and said, "You must contact the base immediately and ask Brigadier Parix what he means by this.""After all, he did this without notifying me, which is quite embarrassing among the nobility of Meister. They might think our organization has been defeated."


    "Yes, my lord! I''ll go right away!" Although the confidant was visibly tired, he bowed and quickly left the room.


    He planned to use the cover of night and the chaos to leave the city and make contact.


    But he had barely taken a few steps out of the prison gate when he saw a very familiar figure being carried by several people into the prison.


    His eyes bulged with surprise, and had he not covered his mouth, he would have certainly cried out in shock!


    He peered through the crowd and took another careful look.


    Wasn''t this the very Brigadier Parix he was supposed to contact!


    How could he be carried into the prison like a dead dog?


    Could it be that Count Habs had laid an ambush?


    That couldn''t be right!


    After all, the intelligence was passed on by us, and Count Habs has not been in the County Town these past few days.


    Could it be that the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church had made their move?


    These meddling zealots!


    After thinking it over, the confidant realized that there was clearly no need to go to the base anymore, after all, the person in charge of the base was already here.


    Alas! He better hurry back and report to Lord Magis!


    A few minutes later.


    In Magis''s room.


    "Knock knock knock!"


    "Come in!" Magis called out.


    "Huh? Why have you come back?" Seeing his confidant return so suddenly, Magis asked in surprise.


    With a strange look on his face, the confidant paused, seemingly trying to find the right words, "My lord, I just saw Brigadier Parix at the prison gate."


    Before he could finish, Magis sprang from his chair, exclaiming, "What is he doing here? How dare he come to me so openly?"


    "My lord! My lord! It''s not what you think, Brigadier Parix has been defeated and is seriously wounded. He''s now been brought to our prison gate, looking like he''s going to be imprisoned here."


    "What?" Always skilled at disguising his emotions, Magis could no longer hide his shock and exclaimed in dismay.


    Upon hearing his confidant''s report, Magis felt as if he had been struck by lightning, standing there dumbfounded, while a storm of emotions churned within him.


    Damn it!


    What the hell is going on? S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In Meist County City, he couldn''t think of anyone other than a few individuals like Count Habs, Bishop Shion, who could defeat Parix.


    But Parix, even if he''s too self-confident, surely wouldn''t attack these few people, would he?


    And besides, Count Habs was reportedly out of town and not in the County Town...


    Could it be that Parix attempted to attack the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church?


    No, impossible!


    Magis immediately shook his head.


    One would have to be kicked in the head by a mule to do such a foolish thing!


    Besides, even if Parix were defeated, he should have had a retreat plan, right?


    How could he not even manage to escape?


    For the moment, Magis couldn''t understand why such a bizarre incident could happen!


    And just the thought that if this matter were indeed true, Magis felt a tingling sensation on his scalp...


    After pacing back and forth in the room several times, Magis''s mood slightly returned to calm, and he asked his confidant once more, "Are you sure that the one who was carried in is Colonel Parix?"


    "My lord, I am quite certain, Colonel Parix has seen me many times before, his characteristically shiny combat boots are something I could not possibly misidentify," the confidant nodded with certainty.


    "So he has already been brought in?"


    "Yes, he should have been taken to the infirmary first, considering the severity of the colonel''s injuries as I saw them,"


    "Good, you find an opportunity now to probe the situation at the infirmary, I will cover for you. Additionally, arrange for someone to investigate what exactly happened," Magis nodded and said.


    "Understood, my lord."


    ...


    The confidant soon arrived at the infirmary and learned from the City Guard who were in charge of the escort that he was brought over from the noble''s district.


    Immediately, the confidant arranged for informants within the City Guard to go investigate ahead.


    Before long, the two informants tasked with the investigation found the site of the battle, near the Rein Mansion, where they saw nothing but large and small gullies and pits, hardly looking like a scene of human combat, more like a battle between two giant beasts.


    The two of them changed color instantly, looking at each other in dismay!


    Plus, through some casual conversation, the two learned the rough details of the incident from a City Guard on patrol nearby.


    Soon, the message was relayed to Magis''s confidant.


    Upon hearing this news, the confidant was stunned for a good while.


    This... Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    Was indeed somewhat inconceivable!


    Immediately, the confidant knocked on Magis''s door again.


    A few minutes later...


    "What? You''re saying Rein was the one who beat Parix into this state?" Magis''s face showed utter disbelief!


    While arranging for his confidant to investigate, Magis had also ''passed by'' the infirmary door and glanced in, seeing the dreadful state of Colonel Parix.


    His mind wouldn''t stop eliminating possibilities as to which major figure from the county town could have beaten Parix to such a state.


    The conclusion he reached was that it was likely the experts from the Monsoon and Sea Goddess Church, because many of the wounds on Colonel Parix''s body were caused by hammers resulting in crush injuries.


    And masters who wield hammers were commonly found among the Goddess Church''s Temple Knights, or even at a higher rank among the Punishment Knights.


    "Impossible!!!" Magis punched the desk with his fist, instantly splitting the solid wood desk onto the floor.


    He had repeatedly sent people to contact Parix, asking him to take out Rein.


    And now, look what had happened...


    Parix did make his move, only to be taken out by Rein!


    Fuck!


    Magis felt his entire being was in disarray...


    If you''ve died in battle, that''s one thing, but now you''ve been captured alive!


    Magis, having spent over two years mingling in the prison, knew all too well how terrifying the interrogation officer''s punishments were there, and he didn''t believe for a second that Parix could endure several rounds of torture...


    It seemed he needed to think of a way out...


    "My lord, shouldn''t we consider a way to rescue the colonel?" the confidant suggested rather ''directly.''


    Magis stared at his confidant for a few seconds before responding, "You do have a heart. However, Colonel Parix will undoubtedly be closely guarded at all levels."


    "With just a few of us trying to rescue him, it''s too difficult..."


    "My lord, actually, with us acting as insiders, the rescue wouldn''t be that difficult, it''s just that after getting out of the prison, we would need a powerful person to rendezvous. My lord, is there enough time to contact the higher-ups now?" the confidant pondered and inquired further.

 Chapter 203 Above Secret Techniques - Secret Technique (Combined Chapter)

    "It''s too late, even if we contact the authorities now, it would take at least five days for someone to come, and by then everything would be too late..." Magis shook his head and said.However, the words of his trusted aide did give Magis an inspiration.


    Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    But what he thought was not about rescuing, but assassination!


    After a moment''s thought, Magis''s eyes flickered and he took out a black pill the size of a fingernail from his bosom and handed it over, saying to his trusted aide, "Grind this thing into powder, and find a way to mix it into his medical treatment."


    "Given the severity of Parix''s injuries, he will definitely need some treatment before we can torture him for information," Magis said confidently. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Over the past two years, he had seen many such cases in the prison, so he was experienced.


    The trusted aide''s eyes widened in shock as he looked at the pill in front of him!


    He certainly knew what it was, a highly lethal poison, used by spies like them for suicide when they were in desperate situations.


    Although he did not know how effective this medicine would be against a Great Knight, he believed that Parix, severely injured as he was, could certainly not withstand the potency of the drug and would most likely die immediately!


    The key point was, he had not expected that right after he opened his mouth to suggest a rescue, his boss had turned around and asked him to assassinate the man!


    This...


    The confidant mumbled twice, but still decided to voice his confusion, "Sir, do you really intend to go through with this... He is, after all, a Great Knight of the organization!"


    Magis immediately shook his head as if it were a rattle drum and said, "No! Whether he is a Great Knight is no longer important now! What matters is that he is a bomb about to explode at any moment."


    "Once our esteemed General can''t withstand the torture, at that moment, no matter you, me, or anyone else in Meister County, we will all be caught in one net by the empire."


    The confidant was stunned for a while, then his eyes lit up, and looking at Magis with great admiration, he gave a thumbs up and said:


    "Sir, your decisiveness is this!"


    Magis continued:


    "Moreover, I will immediately inform the organization! Parix is a Great Knight, yes, but only at the first level of power, equivalent to an official knight among knights. This time, I will apply to the organization to directly dispatch a senior Great Knight to eradicate Rein, this cancer!"


    "I have a feeling that if we do not eliminate this guy, he will sooner or later become a major threat to the organization!"


    The confidant nodded in agreement and added, "You''re right, sir! This Rein has caused such great losses to the organization, I believe the organization will definitely regard him as a thorn in their side."


    "As long as the organization still has plans for Meister County, they will surely support your decision and send someone!"


    ...


    -----------------


    Dawn was breaking.


    Rein''s new residence.


    Since the battle had ended very late yesterday, Rein had gone to rest shortly after returning to his room.


    And early this morning, Rein began to preliminarily review the battle from last night.


    Only through constant reflection and summary can one continue to improve!


    Rein recalled that during his fight with the resistance army''s General Parix, what struck him most was the final axe strike delivered by his opponent.


    At that moment, the blade of the axe had gathered a substantial force, making it incredibly lethal!


    This technique seemed to be a very clever combination of native force and combat skills.


    Unlike the attacks of a greatsword master, this involved more integration of native force and combat skills, involving a massive amount of native force, which seemed to be a feat only achievable at the level of a Great Knight.


    And while the greatsword master focused more on conviction and combat skills, native force was secondary.


    Unfortunately, Rein had not learned this content from Master Ganther.


    Moreover, he did not have information on the technique Parix had used, otherwise, with his master-level control of combat skills, he should have been able to initially decipher the intricacies involved.


    Additionally, the utility of the high-grade Knight Armor began to gradually show itself.


    If he had been wearing just a chromium suit at the time, his injuries would definitely have been much more severe.


    Now, with the blocking of the high-grade Knight Armor, his body needed to bear much less lethal damage.


    Armored layers never go out of style!


    For him, the issue was balancing the weight of the armor and his mobility.


    Lastly, Rein felt that taking on a fight across a significant class difference always carried a high risk, so he needed to quickly advance to the next level.


    From the battle, given his current strength, he felt he had already surpassed the upper limit of a Peak Knight, and if one had to categorize, calling him an almost Great Knight would be more appropriate.


    Moreover, he was also a third-level wizard apprentice, although self-taught, which cast a big question mark on his combat ability, but even so, combining both aspects, he still managed to defeat the other party after only suffering minor injuries.


    Another Peak Knight would likely be undoubtedly defeated!


    Of course, regarding last night''s battle, Rein had a clear mind why he chose a direct confrontation then.


    Even if the strength of this resistance army General was a bit stronger, Rein reckoned he could handle it.


    He had the Sorcery Scroll ''Summon Hurricane'' in his pocket, and if he truly couldn''t match the opponent, he would decisively use this witchcraft scroll, and he also had a Healing Scroll ''Life Blossom''.

 Chapter 203 Above Secret Techniques - Secret Technique (Combined Chapter)_2

    These two scrolls were considered to be Rein''s two trump cards.That is why Rein had the confidence to confront enemies at the level of a Great Knight head-on.


    His greatest source of confidence, of course, came from his system.


    However, these two Sorcery Scrolls were one-time-use items; once they were consumed, he currently had no means to replenish them, which meant that each used scroll decreased his stockpile.


    After revisiting the strategy, Rein once again focused his thoughts on the remaining two Skill Points.


    He had already made preliminary plans on how to obtain the next two Skill Points.


    For one of them, Rein planned to slowly increase his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Professional Experience by practicing foundational meditation and exercising witchcraft each day.


    Rein estimated that the required five hundred points of Experience would take about ten days, which was closely linked to his continually enhanced spiritual power and subsequently strengthened stamina.


    In the past, casting witchcraft a few times would almost exhaust his spiritual power.


    As for the last Skill Point, Rein planned to first try crafting an Intelligence Potion to see its effect on Beast Tamer Professional Experience, especially since he had prepared the ingredients well in advance. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    Thinking it, he did it.


    Rein walked out of his room and quickly came to the adjacent potion room, which was actually similar to the storeroom he had in Flashgold Town.


    Recently, he had asked the beautiful lady to purchase some common glassware, such as beakers, for uncomplicated potion crafting, which for now was sufficient.


    Before starting the crafting process, Rein seriously reviewed the production procedure of the Intelligence Potion from the ''Beast Taming Diary'':


    "....Step one, first weigh a bunch of starweed and grind it into a powder...."


    Before long, Rein began working on the first step of the Intelligence Potion procedure��preparing the starweed solution.


    This step required grinding the starweed into powder before diluting it with distilled water and filtering it to produce the starweed solution. The process was not difficult, and Rein weighed the starweed and then crushed it with a wooden pestle...


    Minutes later, Rein nodded at the pale green liquid in the transparent test tube.


    Due to the enhancement of his spiritual power, the first step was exceptionally simple for Rein.


    Step two...


    Step three...


    Rein looked at the green reagent in the glass test tube, bubbling away, and nodded in satisfaction.


    A success on the first try! Not bad!


    At this moment, the system updated a series of notifications:


    [You crafted an Intelligence Potion, insight enhanced!]


    [You have gained a new skill�� Intelligence Potion Crafting]


    [Your Intelligence Potion Crafting skill has improved, Experience +30]


    [You focused on Intelligence Potion Crafting, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) Professional Experience +22]


    ....


    Huh?


    22 points, that''s a nice number of Experience Points, even higher than the previous Mutated Growth Potion.


    After several tries, Rein was almost certain.


    Each successful crafting of an Intelligence Potion could net him about twenty or more points of Experience Points. If he completed all ten batches, he could gain almost two hundred Beast Tamer Professional Experience Points.


    Besides, the Beast Tamer role could also derive Experience from subsequent nurturing.


    Rein roughly estimated that he could gain about five hundred Beast Tamer (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points through this batch of Intelligence Potions.


    The gap from the required two thousand points for leveling up was still significant.


    This made Rein frown slightly.


    "The main ingredient ''starweed'' isn''t sold in the bat marketplace..."


    While Rein was pondering solutions, a knocking at the door interrupted his thoughts.


    "Knock knock knock!"


    "Baron, a Night Watchman captain has come to visit you at the mansion''s entrance, saying his name is Matteo," reported a servant.


    Huh, Matteo?


    Rein immediately arched his brow, having always had a good impression of Matteo for his careful and efficient work. Thinking about it, it indeed had been a while since he last saw him.


    "Please, invite him in!"


    Soon, a man of modest height but slim build entered the room.


    "Matteo, what brings you to the County Town? Come, join me for breakfast," Rein said, looking up at Matteo with a smile.


    "Baron, please don''t bother about the breakfast. Entrusted by Lord Hamilton, I have to hurry to the prison next to represent the Night Watchman in a joint interrogation of that rebellious army brigadier general," Matteo said, apologetically waving his hand. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein nodded; he was aware that Matteo excelled in interrogations, and it surprised him that Hamilton had transferred him from Flashgold Town so quickly.


    "Lord Rein, this is something Lord Hamilton asked me to give to you; it was found on that rebellious army brigadier general, and it probably belongs to your war loot," Matteo said, raising his eyebrows and handing over a light-yellow sheepskin scroll.


    "We had to strip down that brigadier general''s Knight Armor and found this item inside the lining of his armor," Matteo said with a hint of pride, as he was the sharp-eyed one who discovered it.


    "Lord Rein, you severely damaged his armor in the fight, it took us a great deal of effort, and we couldn''t remove the armor that was already mangled with flesh," Matteo explained, gesturing with his hands the struggle they had the previous night removing the armor.


    "In the end, we had to call two blacksmiths with giant shears to help us remove the Knight Armor from him," Matteo concluded, detailing the effort taken.

 Chapter 410 203

    This couldn''t help but make Rein laugh as well."It''s my lack of thorough consideration; I should have split his armor open before handing him over to you," Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    "That would have saved you some trouble."


    However, Rein thought that if he had used his greatsword to split the opposing knight''s plate armor, he likely wouldn''t have obtained this Extraordinary Battle Technique.


    After all, if the secret was hidden in the concealed lining, he probably wouldn''t have searched the spoils so meticulously.


    "Originally, one of the prison''s interrogators took a fancy to your item, but I stopped him on the spot! The man was quite discontented, so I immediately retorted, ''Do you know who captured this Great Knight of the rebels? The Baron of Hammer!''"


    "Upon hearing it was the Lord, that interrogator immediately dared not utter a word," Matteo said, his expression bright and proud.


    Rein was, after all, from their Night Watcher''s Army.


    And even though Rein had been promoted to a Baron, his attitude towards the Night Watchmen remained as it had always been, which deeply moved them.


    Rein smiled slightly, patted the other''s shoulder, and said, "I appreciate it, Matteo!"


    ...


    After Matteo had left, Rein returned to his study, curiously unfolding the parchment scroll to see the title "Rocken''s Single-handed Axe Combat Skill Outline" emblazoned across the top.


    Rein glanced over it and noticed that it was an excellent Extraordinary Battle Technique that matched axe and shield, eloquently detailing the use of a single-handed axe and numerous shield defense techniques.


    Most importantly, it included the move ''Rocken''s Axe Skill Secret Technique - Flash Cut.''


    Reading its description, Rein suddenly understood what a secret technique was.


    Rein had heard Master Ganther mention the concept of secret techniques before, but he had never seen the true power of a genuine secret technique.


    A secret technique is an extraordinarily powerful strike that could be unleashed by a Great Knight in combination with master-level combat skill specialization.


    Rein recalled that a rebel colonel named Parix seemed not to have fully mastered this secret technique; the reason being that his mastery of Rocken''s Axe Skill was at most a half-step master level.


    If one were to describe it, that man''s strike would only qualify as a pseudo-secret technique, but not a true secret technique.


    Yet, the power of this pseudo-secret technique, even now, appeared to exceed the power limit of his own Hammer Skill secret technique, ''Earth-splitting Hammer.''


    Despite the seemingly small gap, it should be noted that his mastery of the Tokkal Hammer Technique was at a master level, further enhanced by an LV3 hammer specialization; Rein''s Earth-splitting Hammer secret technique decisively exceeded the power limits of ordinary knight-level secret techniques.


    One could imagine that if the opponent''s axe skill really reached the master level, he might not necessarily lose, but he would certainly sustain much more severe injuries.


    Although this Extraordinary Battle Technique is very impressive, for the current Rein, he would not choose to learn it.


    Those two Skill Points were his top priority.


    "Knock, knock, knock!"


    "Come in."


    "Dear, this is the Behemoth Essence that Master Holland has sent." The beautiful woman, looking worried, handed Rein a brown wooden box while speaking.


    "Hmm? Jennifer, you seem upset." Rein keenly noticed the woman''s brows were slightly furrowed, and he asked immediately as he took the box.


    The beautiful woman lowered her head to glance at the wooden box in Rein''s hands, then looked up at him again, saying,


    "According to Master Holland, although the essence was successfully created, its potency is probably among the lowest of the behemoth essences."


    "So, my dear, maybe you could wait a bit longer? Our finances are quite stable at the moment, and I''m planning to have the Yakesen Auction House assist in acquiring a high-quality behemoth essence from the Imperial City sometime soon," the beautiful woman slowly explained.


    Upon hearing this, Rein took the woman''s fair hands into his, gave them a pat, and comforted her,


    "Don''t worry, Jennifer, becoming a Great Knight is not a problem for me,"


    "The matter of acquiring a high-quality behemoth essence is insignificant to me."


    "As for the specific reasons... well... you can understand that I am very close to becoming a Great Knight; any bottle of behemoth essence would suffice for my breakthrough."


    Previously, although he had made a substantial sum in bets before a bloody duel,


    the principal amount of the bets was mostly funded by the beautiful woman, and now it seemed, a large part of that income was also being spent on him, like the previous acquisitions of ice iron ingots, mithril, etc.


    Now, with the beautiful woman still wanting to acquire high-quality behemoth essence for him, not only would her previous betting income be completely consumed, but it seemed she would have to inject even more money into it. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmm? Dear, you''re not deceiving me?" The beautiful woman expressed her surprise, as this was the first time she had heard such a claim from Rein.


    "Of course!" Rein nodded affirmatively.


    ...


    After the beautiful woman left, Rein thought for a while, safely stored away the second box of behemoth essence, and then continued to immerse himself in crafting intelligence potions.


    Two hours later, Rein had used up all the materials, having successfully created nine out of ten potions, with one inadvertently failing. However, the success rate remained impressively high at ninety percent.


    Having finished the potions, Rein naturally wanted to test their effect. Since the greyhound ''Cookie'' was severely injured, it was not suitable.


    Thinking for a bit, Rein took one of the intelligence potions and headed to the stables in the mansion''s backyard.


    "Baron, good day," a middle-aged servant, seeing Rein''s arrival at the stables, immediately bowed respectfully.

 Chapter 203 Above Secret Techniques - Secret Technique (Combined Chapter)_4

    He recognized this servant, who was responsible for the stables at their mansion, feeding and taking care of the horses. S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality."How''s ''Black Pearl''?" Lord Rein asked casually.


    ''Black Pearl'' was that black warhorse. Ever since about two months ago, when Rein had been adding a mutation growth potion to its feed, the creature''s physique had become increasingly robust and large.


    As for why it was named ''Black Pearl'', one would only need to refer to the origin of the greyhound ''Cookie'' to understand.


    It was a name given by his sister Bo He, and it must be said, this time the naming showed progress compared to the greyhound''s.


    "Well... sir, ''Black Pearl'' has seemed to bulk up even more recently. Its appetite is now shockingly large, consuming a whole bag of high-quality feed or grass in one meal, which is nearly three times the amount a normal warhorse would eat," the stableman reported.


    "Hmm, you''ve worked hard. If you want a horse to run, you''ve got to let it eat its fill!" Rein said with a smile.


    "Everything else is normal. Oh, but it seems to prefer not being cooped up in the stable. It likes to roam outside, so sometimes it gets a bit irritable," the stableman continued.


    Rein nodded in understanding; indeed, it had been a while since he had ridden out on it.


    The backyard space only allowed the horse to move slightly, nowhere near enough to gallop freely.


    Looking up, Rein saw that ''Black Pearl'' now had a completely different appearance from the other ordinary horses beside it.


    A standard big horse with a high head, its black coat glossy and sleek. Just moving around casually revealed the strong, bulky muscles underneath its skin.


    It could be said, without any exaggeration, that in the company of seven or eight warhorses, it stood out like a crane among chickens.


    Rein made a careful comparison. If the shoulder height of a regular warhorse in the stable was about 1.4 to 1.5 meters, then ''Black Pearl''s'' shoulder height had now reached 1.8 meters.


    Mind you, that''s the shoulder height. If you add the neck and the head, ''Black Pearl''s total height exceeded 2.2 meters.


    Obviously, such a significant change could no longer be simply described as ''bulked up.''


    The reason, naturally, was due to the continuous intake of the mutation growth potion for two months, which had induced some kind of mutation in ''Black Pearl,'' resulting in a complete alteration of its physique.


    If it were merely a matter of muscle gain, the horse''s skeletal structure would not have changed, but at this moment, ''Black Pearl''s'' bone structure and appearance had both transformed.


    Seeing Rein approach, ''Black Pearl'' nickered twice, snorted, and then rubbed its forehead against the palm of Rein''s outstretched hand.


    Clearly, ''Black Pearl'' was very happy about Rein''s arrival.


    Rein stroked ''Black Pearl''s'' head and took out the intelligence potion he was carrying, pouring it into the feed trough filled with high-quality feed.


    As the pale green bubbly liquid flowed out, ''Black Pearl'' first sniffed at it, then nickered and began to chew vigorously, seeming quite fond of the taste.


    One minute later, the system prompt refreshed:


    [By feeding your warhorse with high-quality feed mixed with the secret potion ''Intelligence Potion,'' its comprehension has slightly increased!]


    [Your Beast Taming Skill has been enhanced, Experience +45]


    [Your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession Experience +22]


    ....


    Rein nodded in satisfaction and glanced at the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession, which had now reached lv5 (348/2000).


    However, the intelligence potion differed from the mutation growth potion in its use.


    The intelligence potion only needed to be used once to gradually affect the pet; it wasn''t necessary to be continuously administered for two months like the mutation growth potion.


    This meant that Rein could only gain feeding experience from one pet once, but all things considered, he currently only had two pets.


    This was in part because he had not previously invested much energy in the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession, and secondly, it was because it was still unknown whether there was a limit to the number of pets a Beast Tamer could have.


    Recalling the previous profession panel quantity restriction, the system only displayed the prompt ''Total number of panels has reached the current limit'' after Rein had filled his profession panel quantity (3/3).


    Latter, after he advanced to become a Knight (Transcendent), his profession panel quantity was expanded by one, reaching (4/4).


    Therefore, Rein surmised that the number of pets for a Beast Tamer probably had a limit too. Without a particularly suitable pet, he had no plans to adopt pets randomly.


    At this moment, a servant hurried over and bowed to Rein:


    "Baron, a group of cavalry has arrived at the gates, and among them is a beautiful female officer. She says her name is Marika."


    Huh?


    How could it be her who came.


    Lord Rein immediately thought of the beautiful female major in a navy uniform, with a graceful figure.


    It must be what Count Habs mentioned last time, about the special task force of the Sixth Fleet. He hadn''t expected them to arrive so soon?


    Lord Rein raised an eyebrow and said, "Very well, I''ll be there at once."


    When Rein arrived at the front yard, he found a troop of cavalry had already been led into the front yard. In front of the cavalry, the beautiful woman Jennifer was receiving Major Marika Morales of the navy with a smile.


    Yet, what was more noticeable was the girl with twin ponytails in a light blue robe standing beside Marika. Judging by her age, she didn''t seem to be much older than Jenny.


    "Baron, I was just thinking of asking Major Marika and her party to wait for you in the drawing room," the beautiful woman said with a smile.


    "Baron Rein, it''s been a long time." Marika''s eyes brightened upon seeing Rein, and she greeted him with a smile.


    She hadn''t expected that the young man she hadn''t seen in a while had grown taller and more robust, and at the same time, he exuded a light, noble aura.


    This change seemed a bit too rapid.


    "Major Marika, it has indeed been a long time," Rein said with a nod and a smile.


    "Lord Rein, this is Veronica Meier, a disciple of Master Annius, the advisor to the Imperial Southern Sea Fleet and a Tier-3 Wizard Apprentice of the Ubrek School. Veronica specializes in the alteration of birds and serves as the liaison officer for this special task force."


    This immediately struck Rein as a surprise.


    Hmm?


    Ubrek School? It must be some wizardry school.


    Rein raised an eyebrow; he hadn''t expected the twin ponytailed girl to be a Tier-3 Wizard Apprentice, which was truly beyond his expectations.


    But then, a realization struck Rein.


    He remembered reading in Adams'' journal about a formal wizard serving as an advisor to the Duke of Empire.


    Indeed, the Imperial elite didn''t view wizards as a threat but as a helpful force.


    "Miss Veronica, nice to meet you," Rein said as he bowed slightly.


    "Baron Rein, I''ve long heard of your great reputation," Veronica''s voice turned out to be a rare, childish tone.


    Just then, the sound of flapping wings came from the sky, and at the same time, a dark shadow swiftly dived down from above.


    Rein''s pupils shrank, and his right hand immediately reached for the greatsword on his back.


    "Lord Rein, wait."


    "Hmm?"


    "This is a specially altered seagull, used for delivering our messages," Veronica called out immediately.


    A white seagull, much larger than ordinary seagulls, flapped its wings and landed on the arm Veronica had stretched out.


    Then Rein noticed that beneath Veronica''s blue robe, a tubular brown leather gauntlet was attached to her right forearm, probably serving as a perch for the bird''s talons.


    Rein raised an eyebrow.


    Specially altered seagull?


    Was it the effect of witchcraft or some kind of secret potion?


    But from any point of view, it seemed quite suitable to be his pet.


    What a pity, though��the seagull was still too weak. If it was a bird of prey, that would indeed be a very good choice...


    But then, if he were to get another bird of prey like an eagle...


    Wouldn''t he be ''holding the azure dragon in the left and leading the yellow dragon in the right''?


    Veronica quickly muttered an incantation under her breath, focusing intently on the white seagull''s eyes without moving, and after several seconds, she spoke:


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    "Major Marika, Baron Rein, Admiral Xilva has informed me that the fleet has left the harbor and is expected to reach the waters near Meister County in three days," she said.

 Chapter 204 The Method of Exchanging Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    After listening to Vinica''s narrative, Mary nodded and then turned to Reine, "Lord Reine, I''m really sorry, but it seems we need to set off as soon as possible.""No problem, Major Mary. However, it''s already half past ten, how about we depart after lunch?" Reine said with a smile.


    Mary and Vinica exchanged glances, then said with a smile, "Of course, that would be a disturbance to you, Baron Reine."


    "You are too polite; it is the hospitality I ought to offer," Reine said, bowing slightly with a smile.


    Without needing any further instructions from Reine, the beautiful woman beside them gradually stood up, saying with a smile:


    "Baron, I will go and ensure the kitchen prepares something special, so Major Mary and Miss Vinica can enjoy the culinary delights of Meister County."


    "Thank you, Jennifer," Reine said with a nod and a smile.


    After Jennifer left, Major Mary''s beautiful eyes lingered on the woman''s retreating figure for a moment before she turned to Reine and said, "Baron Reine, your housekeeper is quite a looker."


    "Even in Rosby City, she is extremely rare. From her demeanor, she doesn''t seem like a housekeeper but rather like a graceful noblewoman."


    Actually, Mary was quite surprised the first time she saw Jennifer.


    After some polite conversation, she understood why General Xilva had asked her to try inviting Reine and why he had so easily refused, as if she lacked charm.


    Aside from the invitation from the Empire''s Sword Bearers, the beautiful woman probably played a significant role.


    Understanding this, Mary''s mood became even better.


    It turned out it wasn''t that her own charm was insufficient, but that there was such a ''formidable'' beautiful woman present.


    Reine smiled and explained, "Major Mary is keen; Jennifer is actually a Baroness. Now, she is the head of the Crowley family, and I was once invited to become the Crowley family''s Guardian Knight.


    "Later, when I was knighted as a Baron, I didn''t have a suitable housekeeper candidate, so the Lady Crowley voluntarily took on the role of steward of the new manor."


    After hearing Reine''s ''explanation'', Mary and Vinica exchanged smiles, as if to say Reine was being somewhat self-deceiving.


    Clearly, with such a beautiful woman around, they didn''t believe Reine could be so ''gentlemanly.''


    However, they were tactful, and the topic did not go any further.


    ...


    Since it was rare to meet a third-level Wizard Apprentice, Reine timely asked Vinica couple of his questions.


    "Miss Vinica, may I ask if that white seagull of yours underwent some special transformation? I am eager to know if this is the result of witchcraft or some kind of potion?"


    "Of course, Lord Reine, it''s a witchcraft refined by my mentor, Wizard Aeneas, known in the navy as ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique.''"


    "I see," Reine said thoughtfully.


    The fact that the Empire''s navy used witchcraft for communication clarified many things.


    Previously, he had thought the Empire''s elites didn''t see wizards as a plague, but rather as an asset; but now it seemed his view was still conservative.


    The use of witchcraft within the military communication system indicated a bond between the Empire and the wizards much deeper than he had imagined.


    Reflecting on this, Reine felt his previous decision was correct.


    As long as he was backed by the Empire and continued to climb up the hierarchies, he should gradually gain access to systematic knowledge of witchcraft.


    "Miss Vinica, if I may inquire, I am very interested in your mentor''s ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique.'' Is it possible for you to sell it to me?"


    Reine tried his luck, although he had a premonition.


    After all, if he could indeed acquire it, he might be able to increase his Beast Tamer''s Profession Level once again in a short period of time.


    Furthermore, since her ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique'' was some form of witchcraft, he might also simultaneously advance the level of his Wizard Apprentice profession during the learning process.


    Two birds with one stone.


    "Hmm? Lord Reine, that is witchcraft, it''s only for..." Suddenly, Vinica''s eyes widened as she stared at Reine, her sentence trailing off abruptly.


    Then she pointed at Reine, surprised, and said, "Lord Reine, you...you''re actually a Wizard Apprentice!" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    "And, your spiritual power seems to be no less than mine. Are you also a third-level Wizard Apprentice?"


    Hearing Vinica''s words, Mary next to her suddenly covered her mouth, looking at Reine with surprise.


    She really hadn''t expected Reine, who had always presented himself with the talent of an outstanding knight, to also be a Wizard Apprentice.


    Reine was also quite astonished.


    When he asked the question, he had considered that his Wizard Apprentice identity might be revealed.


    But unlike before, he was now an Imperial noble, and on the other hand, he had a basic understanding of the Empire''s high-level attitude towards wizards.


    Therefore, even if it became known to others that he was a Wizard Apprentice, it wouldn''t be much of an issue.


    What surprised him was that Vinica was able to accurately judge that he was a third-level Wizard Apprentice.


    It seemed she must have some type of scouting witchcraft or detection tools at her disposal.

 Chapter 204 Witchcraft Exchange Method (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Previously, I accidentally obtained a basic meditation method and then tried practicing it; later, I found that my progress seemed quite good, so I continued to practice it until now," Lord Reine said with a smile, not denying it. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality."My goodness, Lord Reine, your talent... I don''t even know what to say."


    "Do you know how hard I work every day to get to where I am now, and you just easily became a third-level Wizard Apprentice!"


    "Goddess above, this is too unfair..." Vinica muttered, quite frustrated.


    At this moment, Mary finally understood.


    It seemed that when Reine achieved such a great feat during the knighting assessment process, it might not have been solely due to the Knight''s methods.


    However, the key issue was that a person with an extremely strong Knight talent also possessed a Wizard aptitude comparable to Vinica''s, which...


    Mary didn''t know what to say all of a sudden.


    One could only say that the goddess was really too biased toward Reine...


    After a while, Vinica calmed down and seriously answered Reine''s earlier question:


    "Lord Reine, this... I''m very sorry, but my mentor has already handed over the ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique'' to the imperial navy, and it has been included in the special item exchange listing."


    "So, due to the imperial secrecy regulations, I cannot directly teach this witchcraft to you," Vinica said, slightly apologetic.


    This made Reine slightly disappointed.


    However...


    Special item exchange listing?


    Is it something like an exchange list?


    "Even though I am a Baron, can I not exchange items through this... special item exchange listing?"


    "I''m very sorry, Baron Reine, that''s the case. Only by joining the imperial navy can one have the opportunity to exchange items from it."


    "Then the witchcraft in this special item exchange listing is probably very diverse?" Reine asked thoughtfully.


    He had just thought of a question.


    It seemed that what Naya from the Usman family said before must be true.


    The metal-based witchcraft, which was extremely difficult to find in the outside world, could very likely be available in this special item exchange listing of the imperial navy.


    "Yes, this is an internal exchange list of the imperial navy, from which you can exchange some items that are almost impossible to acquire from outside, such as some witchcraft, secret techniques, and special medicines, among other things, covering a wide range," Vinica explained.


    Hearing Vinica''s affirmative response, Reine couldn''t help but become more interested.


    "Then for the exchange, is it also done using Merit Points?" Reine continued to inquire.


    "Yes and no," Vinica shook her head, but she didn''t keep him in suspense and quickly continued to explain.


    "To exchange items from the special item exchange listing, you need task evaluation medals along with Merit Points for the exchange."


    Reine knew about Merit Points.


    But what are these task evaluation medals? Reine was hearing about something he had never heard of before.


    Seeing Reine still looking puzzled, Vinica immediately thought of something and took the initiative to say:


    "Task evaluation medals are only awarded after completing special combat missions for the imperial navy."


    "Lord Reine, you can understand that ordinary tasks do not have this evaluation medal. Only those that are relatively difficult or of special significance to the empire are awarded evaluation medals, classified as bronze, silver, gold, and diamond medals based on the level of evaluation."


    "For example, ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique'' requires three bronze medals and two thousand Merit Points for exchange."


    "I see," Reine nodded, quickly understanding the purpose of such an exchange.


    The items in the special item exchange listing were obviously rarer than those available at the general military supply office, being provided for the empire''s special combat talents.


    The aim, most likely, was to prevent ordinary combat personnel from accumulating small amounts of Merit Points over time and exchanging them for high-value items, hence the setting of this evaluation medal as a limitation.


    Merit Points were essentially money.


    And the bronze medal was like a one-time trading qualification voucher.


    If the qualifications were insufficient, having money was useless.


    Moreover, these qualification vouchers were one-time use only; once used up, one could only choose to continue completing special tasks for the empire to earn evaluation medals.


    Reine basically understood.


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    This was almost like buying grain in the planned economy of his previous life, where you needed both money and grain coupons.


    For Reine, he did not dislike the empire''s method.


    When one''s own strength was not enough, only by completing tasks for the empire could one obtain resources; he did not dislike this.


    Furthermore, after Vinica''s explanation, Reine realized that some resources related to Wizards seemed to be quite scarce across the entire empire, thus setting a higher threshold to prevent ordinary combat personnel from participating in the exchange.


    Thinking back.


    Why hadn''t the empire gathered those wandering Wizard Apprentices with mediocre qualifications? It was very likely because of this consideration.


    Resources were limited, so they were definitely used to look after those who were willing to serve the empire and had training value.


    "Lord Reine, it seems you are quite interested in training animals," Vinica said, her big eyes curiously staring at Reine, asking.


    "Yes, I am indeed quite interested in that," Reine nodded.


    "However, I think it should not be a big problem for you, I heard Colonel Mary say that you have already received an invitation letter from the imperial Sword Bearers'' organization."

 Chapter 414 204

    "As the top noble enlistment assessment candidate of Mingster Province this time, joining ultimately should pose no problem for you.""As a special talent, if this mission ends smoothly, Colonel Mary should be able to help you apply for an exchange without much trouble," Vinica turned to Mary with a smile and said.


    Hmm?


    An exchange without joining?


    Rein, after hearing Vinica''s suggestion, couldn''t help but look at Mary with a questioning tilt of his head.


    There, Mary looked back at Rein with a smile, nodded, and said, "Baron Rein, as the rising star of Mingster Province, the Southern Sea Fleet is indeed very willing to do this favor for you."


    "As far as I know, Major General Xilva still regrets that you declined the fleet''s invitation," she added.


    "That''s really great. The Sword Bearer organization has always been my goal; otherwise, I might have chosen to join the Southern Sea Fleet," Rein said with pleasure gleaming in his smile.


    If going to Fishing Port Town before were part of Rein''s duty as the Governor and Chief Peace Officer of Fishing Port Town,


    Then now, it was also because Rein wanted to rush to Fishing Port Town himself to complete the joint mission from Meister County and the Southern Sea Fleet, thus getting Mary to assist with the exchange for the bird transformation witchcraft.


    After lunch.


    "You two, I''ll go upstairs to fetch my baggage, please wait a moment."


    "Of course, Baron Rein at your convenience."


    Rein went to his study, thought for a while, and then took out two distinct but exquisitely made wooden boxes from beneath a bookshelf, which contained the ''magical essence of a giant beast''."


    He decided to take both bottles of ''magical essence of a giant beast'' with him.


    At that moment, the footsteps of a beautiful woman sounded outside the door.


    "Knock knock knock!"


    "Come in~"


    The beautiful woman walked in with a beaming smile.


    Huh?


    Rein was quite puzzled; she had specially changed into a gorgeous off-the-shoulder pale blue long dress before lunch, so why was she now wearing a black robe?


    Before he could ask, the beautiful woman cheerfully took the initiative to say, "Darling, it seems that Major Mary has quite a fondness for you."


    This statement made Rein pause for a moment and say, "I don''t think that''s likely; I''ve only met Major Mary during the enlistment assessment."


    "Is that so? Darling, don''t you think Major Mary in her naval uniform has a certain charm?" the beautiful woman moved closer, bringing a fragrant breeze and seductively said.


    This...


    Rein hesitated for a moment. He didn''t know whether to answer truthfully or to tell a ''little white lie'' to spare the beautiful woman''s feelings, considering he was about to embark on a mission with Mary.


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    Seeing Rein''s hesitation, the beautiful woman giggled while covering her mouth.


    All at once, the beautiful woman''s fair hand reached out and suddenly untied the black robe, and as it slid off, Rein''s eyes widened, and his mouth hung open slightly in shock.


    Turned out, the beautiful woman was wearing a uniform that hardly differed from that of Mary''s naval dress. In that moment, a stunning ''female officer'' was presented to Rein''s gaze.


    Moreover, the uniform obviously being a size too small made the beautiful woman''s shapely features stand out tautly; her charms were unquestionably on display.


    Rein felt a wave of warmth coursing through his lower abdomen.


    "This... Jennifer, we''re supposed to depart soon... It''s almost time..."


    "Commander, this time Colonel Jennifer will be at your service," the beautiful woman threw a sultry glance and smiled sweetly while gazing at Rein, then slowly bent down and began to undo Rein''s��


    (Ten thousand words are omitted here....)


    The villa downstairs.


    "Major Mary, Lord Rein is taking a bit long, isn''t he? It''s been half an hour; what''s taking him so long to come down?" The young girl''s twin ponytails bounced as she turned her head to ask with a hint of impatience.


    "This... There might be something," Major Mary thought about sending the beautiful woman upstairs to ask but when she looked around, she did not see the beautiful woman anywhere.


    In the study, Rein, due to the beautiful woman''s superb skills plus the uniform bonus, and the intermittent conversation of the two women outside the window...


    After a while, a refreshed Rein holding two boxes, descended the stairs.


    "Lord Rein, you finally show yourself. Making two ladies wait so long is not very gentlemanly," Vinica said with a hint of complaint.


    "Ah... Miss Vinica, I am terribly sorry. I just couldn''t find the ''magical essence of a giant beast'' at first and took some time to locate it," Rein replied, looking rather embarrassed.


    "Magical essence of a giant beast?" both women exclaimed in surprise.


    "Does that mean you are about to advance to Great Knight?" they asked.


    Rein looked up and saw that indeed, the ''divert attention'' tactic worked like a charm.


    Rein nodded and said, "Soon, it could happen at any time, which is why I thought it best to bring it along."


    At that time, as the Coachman brought Black Pearl to the front court of the residence, Vinica noticed the size of Black Pearl, looked closely with a puzzled expression and exclaimed:


    "Oh my, Baron Rein, your ''Jenny horse'' is almost as big as a ''Locke horse''."


    "That''s so rare."


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    An hour later.


    Wild Wolf Hills path.


    A luxurious carriage rode in the middle of the troop, with six Cavalrymen in front and six more behind; a Cavalryman led Rein''s Black Pearl following the carriage.


    Meanwhile, Rein sat inside the carriage, chatting idly with the two women.


    Being a Baron, and even more so as the Governor of Fishing Port Town, their destination, Rein naturally had the privilege of traveling by carriage.


    "Lord Rein, the road from Meister County to Fishing Port Town appears to be very safe; the public security is not bad," one of the women remarked.

 Chapter 204 Witchcraft Exchange Method (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "Yes, Lord Reine, we''ve traveled all the way from Rosby City, and over the past few days, we''ve encountered several groups of bandits in the process of robbing."Vinica nodded, her twin ponytails bouncing as she chimed in.


    The bandit groups in this region had previously been unified by the Zaral resistance.


    After they launched their attack yesterday, they were almost entirely wiped out.


    Even if there were a few stragglers left, they couldn''t threaten the safety of the trade routes in such a short time.


    ...


    Half a day later, the convoy had reached the territory of Fishing Port Town. All they had to do was pass through the forest ahead, and after about forty minutes'' journey, they would arrive at Fishing Port Town.


    In a valley to the west of Fishing Port Town,


    more than twenty burly men, armed with various weapons, were either lying down or resting against the trees.


    "Hook, why doesn''t the boss just take over Fishing Port Town directly?" a burly man with a beard asked another who had an iron hook for a left hand.


    "What do you know? If we took over Fishing Port Town directly, would these merchant convoys come to Fishing Port Town again? Even the merchant ships would stop coming; the pirates in our waters would have nothing but the northwest wind to drink!"


    "You''ve seen fishing nets, right? When fishing, the smaller fish and shrimp that are smaller than the mouth of the net slip through, while the bigger fish get caught. It''s the same principle. Get it?" The man known as Hook, proud of his knowledge, gestured dramatically.


    He was merely repeating word for word what he had heard earlier from the deputy leader, Phil.


    When he first heard this, he couldn''t help admiring the wisdom of the pirate group''s higher-ups.


    Sure enough, as expected, the burly men listening beside him all showed signs of sudden realization, looking at Hook with great admiration.


    Hook was quite pleased with this scene!


    At that moment, a lean man came running over quickly and said, "Hook, I just saw a big fish, but the defense force is not weak �� a full twelve cavalrymen."


    The burly men beside Hook smiled, delighted at the prospect of a big catch.


    "Shouldn''t we report to the boss and have him lead the charge?"


    "How many people did you say there were?" Hook, with a look of disdain, glanced at the lean man and asked.


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    "Twelve cavalrymen, plus a carriage."


    "Did you see clearly? Are they twelve cavalrymen, not twelve knights?"


    "Um... they should be cavalrymen, they''re not wearing full body armor, it''s all leather armor." The lean man pondered for a moment, then nodded confidently.


    "Hook, why wait for the boss? Can''t we just go for it?"


    "Yeah, let''s go for it, Hook!"


    "If it''s just twelve cavalrymen, a volley of crossbow arrows should pretty much secure us the victory."


    "We can take them down directly; there''ll be plenty more loot for us to divide!"


    "..."


    These words kept reaching Hook''s ears.


    Pirates lived by the edge of the sword, with plundering as their only way to make money.


    They had been waiting for half the day, thinking they wouldn''t get much today either!


    Hearing the news about the big fish invigorated them all.


    Hook, the bearded burly man, eyes flickering with thought, decided after a moment''s contemplation that this job was something his men would do on their own.


    "Let''s go! Do it!"


    With that, he waved his hook, and over twenty burly men eagerly advanced towards the direction of Reine''s convoy.


    Soon, the group had completed their ambush in the forest ahead of the convoy.


    "Hook, here, this convoy." The lean man pointed at Reine''s procession moving slowly on the side of the road.


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 Chapter 205 At Most, No More Than One Minute (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)

    In the carriage, Lord Reine chatted with Vinica about horse breeds with great interest.For Lord Reine, this was new knowledge.


    Vinica explained, "The ''Jenny'' horse is medium-sized, agile, and has good endurance. It is commonly used by local gentry for hunting or by light cavalry in combat. Moreover, it is the most common horse breed in the empire."


    "Many noblewomen, if they ride, generally choose this kind of horse because the ''Jenny'' horse has a gentler temperament and moves gracefully," she continued.


    Lord Reine recalled the horses he had seen at the stables in Flashgold Town.


    Indeed, judging by their build, they seemed to be of this type.


    It appeared to be just as Vinica had said, the so-called ''Jenny'' horse must be the most common horse breed in the empire.


    "However, Your Lordship''s black horse, although its build barely shows traces of the ''Jenny'' horse, would make most people think it''s a ''Roc'' horse," she added.


    Before Lord Reine could ask, Vinica began to introduce the ''Roc'' horse on her own.


    "The ''Roc'' horse is bred in Roc County for the empire''s heavy cavalry or fully-armed knights to charge into battle. It has strong weight-bearing capabilities and fast sprinting speed, but its agility is somewhat lesser," she explained.


    "Furthermore, they are expensive to buy and rarely circulated outside, generally used more by the nobility, proper knights, or heavy cavalry," she said.


    "The height and muscular build of the ''Roc'' horse are similar to that of your black horse."


    Lord Reine nodded, indicating he understood.


    No wonder when he was fully armed, he had distinctly felt that the yet unmutated ''Black Pearl'' struggled somewhat, gasping after just a short sprint.


    Only after ''Black Pearl'' had mutated did it improve significantly.


    At that moment, a small emerald bird suddenly descended outside the carriage, entered the compartment, and chirped several times in front of Vinica.


    Instantly, Vinica furrowed her brows and said, "Lord Reine, it seems there might be enemies lying in ambush ahead."


    Upon hearing this, Lord Reine frowned, then relaxed, saying, "I didn''t expect to encounter a roadblock so close to Fishing Port Town."


    Lord Reine concentrated and sensed his surroundings, indeed, not far ahead, there seemed to be several vague figures.


    However...


    Their strength seemed not to be strong.


    His level 3 danger perception skill gave him only a faint warning.


    Although these enemies'' strength was completely manageable by the navy''s elite team,


    Lord Reine thought about it and decided to go down and take a look himself.


    Not for any other reason, he planned to use Kadar Martial Arts to fight, which should also provide him with some experience points.


    ''Even a mosquito''s leg is meat.''


    If the trip to Fishing Port Town might elevate his Kadar Martial Arts to level 6, he could also save some skill points.


    Seeing Lord Reine hold the door handle, intending to leave the carriage, Major Mary exclaimed in surprise, "Lord Reine, are the enemies ahead so strong that you need to handle them personally?"


    After all, the twelve cavalrymen she brought were not ordinary cavalry.


    Among them, two were of official knight strength, and the remaining ten were well-trained, well-coordinated quasi-knights, forming a standard navy elite squad. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their team could typically handle a band of forty bandits without sustaining injuries.


    "Not really, I''ve just been sitting for a while and want to stretch a bit," Lord Reine said as he gripped the plate gauntlet in his hand.


    Hmm?


    This statement made both women exchange glances, at a loss for words for a moment.


    Watching Lord Reine open the carriage door and step down, Vinica nudged Mary and said, "Has Lord Reine always been like this? He feels like a battle maniac."


    Mary looked puzzled, thought for a moment, and then shook her head slightly.


    "Before? From what I recall... probably not..."


    "Come on, let''s also go down and take a look. You''ve talked so much about how strong Baron Reine''s combat abilities are; now''s the perfect chance to see them."


    Clearly, Vinica was somewhat skeptical about what Mary had previously said regarding Reine''s combat strength, as her concept of ''very strong in combat'' was completely different from Mary''s, being a level 3 Wizard Apprentice.


    Eager to observe firsthand, Vinica pulled Mary excitedly to alight from the carriage.


    The cavalrymen had already stopped and were on guard at Vinica''s sign earlier.


    Just as the leading two knights were preparing for battle, they hadn''t expected the carriage door to suddenly open and Baron Reine, wielding a sword hammer, to step down.


    The two navy knights exchanged glances, about to say something to Reine,


    when ''swoosh'', Reine vanished from the spot in a flash.


    This left them momentarily slack-jawed, unsure whether to stay on guard or move forward to assist in combat. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    ...


    Meanwhile, as Reine was alighting from the carriage, in the woods alongside the road not far away, Ironhook was scolding the gaunt man responsible for scouting.


    "How come there''s an extra knight?" Ironhook glanced at him discontentedly and said.


    "This... I didn''t know either, Ironhook, but with our strength, taking down one more official knight shouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    "Not that it''s a problem, but some of our brothers might get injured," Ironhook glanced at Reine and responded confidently.

 Chapter 205 At Most, It Wont Exceed One Minute (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    His judgment was based on the high probability that the figure was a noble knight, raised in luxury from a young age, lacking real combat experience, and who ultimately became a formal knight with the help of his family albeit with questionable battle prowess.Having a penchant for riding in carriages was one of the defining characteristics of a noble knight.


    A knight who had actually experienced the blood and fire of battle would never ride in a carriage like some fine lady!


    "Eh, where did that knight disappear to?" the lean man observing Rein remarked in surprise.


    "Gone?" Iron Hook looked puzzled and followed the original line of sight to see.


    Indeed, the person was gone!


    Iron Hook looked around, scanning the area, but saw no one.


    Suddenly, he heard screams rise from the left side of his group, followed by the sound of multiple trees breaking, and... the dense crunch of breaking bones.


    Iron Hook and the lean man immediately turned to look, and their expressions resembled those who had seen a ghost.


    The shining silver figure that should have been standing in front of the carriage somehow found its way to the rear of their group.


    Moreover, he hadn''t even drawn his weapon, purely relying on his bare hands, he had taken down most of the men.


    Iron Hook was stunned and then his face turned pale as he realized the enemy''s strength was far greater than he had anticipated; the enemy might not be a Peak Knight, far from the noble knight he had imagined.


    He immediately began to run towards the forest on one side, while the lean man ran in another direction.


    But two seconds later, a bright silver figure blocked his path.


    This sent a chilling fear through Iron Hook''s heart. He glanced to the side and saw the lean man twitching on the ground among the bushes, his fate unknown.


    Damn it, this was a ruthless extermination!


    Just as Iron Hook was gathering strength to attack, the next second, Rein''s figure disappeared before his eyes.


    "Bang bang crack!"


    Iron Hook immediately clutched his abdomen, convulsing on the ground like a shrimp that had landed on shore and was frantically twitching.


    Rein didn''t choose to finish him off.


    This area was already very close to Fishing Port Town.


    The group''s presence here was likely part of some larger, planned operation.


    Moreover, he could smell on them the odor that comes from years at sea, a seasoned sea brine scent, which is almost a trademark characteristic of pirates.


    Therefore, keeping two prisoners could perhaps yield the latest intelligence.


    ...


    When Rein returned to the carriage, the two women had just stepped off less than half a minute ago.


    Vinica looked around and did not see Rein''s figure, she couldn''t help but turn her head and ask the knight on guard beside her.


    "Where is Lord Rein?"


    "This...." The knight was about to say that Lord Rein might have gone to scout ahead.


    Suddenly, he saw a bright silver figure appear in front, and quickly pointed, saying, "Over there."


    "Huh?" Vinica and Mary turned their heads to see Rein emerging from the forest with strikingly swift movements.


    After only a few strides, he arrived in front of them.


    "Lord Rein, did you..." Vinica suddenly thought of a possibility, and she raised her fair finger, pointing towards the direction of the forest and asking.


    "The enemies have been dealt with!" Rein nodded, confirming Vinica''s guess.


    Instantly, everyone was somewhat taken aback, and their gazes inevitably focused on Rein.


    Rein''s armor, still shining silver and seemingly untouched, bore no trace of blood, and even the two weapons he carried on his back were free of any bloodstains.


    This...


    Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment!


    "By the way, who among you is skilled in interrogation?"


    "The enemies are likely pirates, perhaps we can get some of the latest news about the pirates or even the Sea God Sect from them," Rein looked over at Mary and then to the cavalrymen beside her, inquiring. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Pirates?" Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    Mary''s eyes sharpened, and she turned to a young knight beside her, saying, "Flado, interrogation is your specialty, right? You should be able to pry out the information we need from their mouths, correct?"


    "Of course, Major Mary, leave it to me," the young knight named Flado, although puzzled by how quickly Rein had resolved the fight, quickly took five cavalrymen into the forest.


    They were astonished as soon as they entered.


    They saw a large area where trees were broken, as if a hurricane had passed through, and every so often, there would be a sizable hole in the ground, the origin of which they couldn''t ascertain.


    Furthermore, the lying bodies of the pirates displayed no overt signs of injury, yet it was clear that most of the pirates were already dead.


    The only ones alive and still groaning were a man with a missing left hand fitted with an iron hook, and a lean man.


    However, as the cavalrymen were sorting out the pirate bodies, they quickly found something odd: most of the dead pirates had completely shattered breastbones, or the right side of their chest beneath their chain mail was caved in, seemingly as if their ribs had broken and pierced their hearts resulting in death.


    There was only one possibility for this to happen.


    It was the work of a heavy weapon, like a war hammer, landing a heavy blow.


    Yet during the interrogation, they were shocked!


    From the mouths of the two surviving pirate leaders, they learned that Rein had not used any weapons at all but had instead caused such destruction with just his bare fists!

 Chapter 205 At Most, It Wont Exceed One Minute (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    The entire battle seemed to be resolved in less than a minute, and to think, there were two formal knight-level pirate leaders here, plus more than twenty elite pirates!It seems that Major Mary''s description of Baron Rein before was still somewhat understated...


    Rein, who stood beside the carriage, glanced at the system prompt:


    [Your skill, Tokadar Fist Technique, has been upgraded, experience +109]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience +36]


    ...


    Seeing that his Kadar Martial Arts had reached lv5 (204/2000), progressing by one-tenth, Rein nodded slightly.


    Indeed, even a mosquito''s leg is still meat.


    If a few more groups of pirates like this were to come, the progress could reach a quarter, or even a third.


    But alas, those who are blind to danger are, after all, few and far between.


    Thinking of this, Rein couldn''t help feeling slightly disappointed.


    Five minutes later, the interrogation ended, and a young knight named Flado came to report.


    However, the way he frequently glanced at Rein was clearly different from before, showing a mix of admiration and worship.


    He reported, "Major Mary, Baron Rein, Miss Vinica, the interrogation has just ended."


    "The opponents are a small elite group affiliated with the Black Sail Pirate Crew, responsible for ambushing caravans on the roadsides to the west of Fishing Port Town, depending on the situation." Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Based on the description by the leader named Hook, their Black Sail Pirate Crew and two other small pirate crews had previously allocated territories at several other passages in and out of Fishing Port Town, each stationing their men to loot." Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And the person in charge of this matter is their vice-captain Phil Kraz."


    "Phil Kraz?" Major Mary''s face became stern.


    "Yes, Major Mary." The young knight nodded, his expression equally serious.


    Noticing Rein''s slightly puzzled look, Mary began to explain:


    "Phil Kraz, vice-captain of the Black Sail Pirate Crew, a senior knight, skilled in archery, of unknown age, a rare sharpshooter among pirates, known by the nickname ''Bloody Shooter.''


    Rein was taken aback.


    It seemed that Mary had done her homework well before coming to Meister County, having quite an understanding of the Black Sail Pirate Crew, which could be said to know them like the back of her hand.


    "It seems we''ve caught the tail of a big fish," Vinica said, slightly excited.


    "Exactly! Initially, I was planning to start by infiltrating a small pirate crew��the Roger Pirate Crew with a spy, and slowly trying to locate several large pirate crews and the Sea God Sect''s bases."


    "I didn''t expect to catch the tail of a large pirate crew��the Black Sail, directly." Mary also showed delight.


    Hearing this, Rein thought for a moment and asked a question he had previously wanted to ask:


    "Major Mary, why doesn''t the navy directly plant spies inside those large pirate crews? Wouldn''t that be more convenient?"


    Mary shook her head and said, "It''s not that we don''t want to, but that we can''t."


    "Basically, in large pirate crews, there are generally one to two members with mysterious side jobs, and they practice witchcraft like the Bewitching Art to screen new pirates, easily discerning spies."


    "Although we also have means to interfere, there are still certain risks."


    "But small pirate crews don''t have such personnel, making it much safer for spies to infiltrate."


    "I see." Rein nodded in understanding.


    Based on the previous encounters with the Blood Sail Pirate Crew, it should indeed be the case.


    During his ennobling mission, the diviner and captain of the ''Shipwreck,'' Mala Nasr, whom he had killed, was a senior knight and a second-level Wizard Apprentice, mastering ''Aquatic Plant Divination.''


    However, Mary soon showed a look of hesitation.


    "Hmm? Major Mary, isn''t this a good thing? Is there a difficulty?" Rein asked.


    "Well, this Phil is skilled in long-range attacks, and if we were to confront him, Vinica''s witchcraft might not have the advantage. And, I see that your weapon is also..." Mary glanced at the two heavy weapons Rein carried on his back.


    Rein realized suddenly.


    Generally speaking, the most reliable way to deal with a senior knight skilled in archery like Phil would naturally be a knight wielding a sword-shield or hammer-shield, able to effectively block the opponent''s lethal arrows with a shield.


    Yet what he carried on his back were either a two-handed warhammer or a dual-handed greatsword, naturally causing Mary''s concern.


    As for Vinica, if her specialty was limited to bird modifications, Rein guessed, she would be precisely countered by this ''Bloody Shooter.''


    After all, no matter how fast and powerful the opponent''s shooting was, no matter how many modified birds were involved, they were just moving targets.


    However, Vinica clearly did not agree with Mary''s judgment, as her twin pigtails hopped, she said, "Major Mary, you underestimate me. Just a senior knight, even if he is a sharpshooter, he won''t be a match for me."


    "Even my Big White cannot defeat him!"


    "Big White?" Rein showed a puzzled look.


    "It''s a white-feathered owl I raised, with a wingspan of four meters." Vinica spread her arms apart, indicating the size.


    "But its combat strength is only comparable to that of a senior knight, and facing such a sharpshooter, even if you equip Big White with defensive witchcraft, it won''t last long." Mary pointed out without hesitation that what Vinica said was merely wishful thinking on her part.

 Chapter 205 At Most, It Wont Exceed One Minute (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "Who said that!!!" Vinica''s face turned slightly red as she looked at Mary with indignation."Enough, Vinica, if you keep acting like a child, I''ll tell Master Annius once we get back."


    "You..." Hearing that Mary was going to tell on her, Vinica felt deflated. She slightly lowered her head in embarrassment and fiddled with the hem of her robe, remaining silent thereafter.


    However, Vinica wasn''t angry at Mary; she knew that what Mary had said was true and that it was a form of concern for her.


    It would indeed be risky to send Dabai.


    Unlike those white seagulls, if Dabai died, as an important contracted creature, it would cause significant damage to her spiritual power.


    After listening for a while, Reine spoke up.


    "Major Mary, if the opponent is just a senior knight, I think I should be able to handle it without any problems."


    Mary glanced at Reine, saw his calm expression, and knew he wasn''t forcing himself or worried; he was confident in his own strength.


    She nodded, but still warned Reine, "Baron Reine, though the opponent is only of senior knight strength, he has a record of killing a Peak Knight. Are you sure you can handle it?"


    "Yes, Major Mary."


    "If Baron Reine is handling the combat then, I''ll take on the scouting task!"


    Vinica had just missed seeing Reine''s battle and was quite disappointed.


    Now hearing that Reine wanted to kill the vice-captain of the Black Sail Pirate Group, nicknamed ''Bloody Shooter'' Phil, she brushed aside her prior displeasure and said with slight excitement,


    "Of course, Vinica, we''ll still need your witchcraft," Mary said with a smile.


    "Yes, Major Mary, let me see the map again."


    Two Cavalry immediately spread out a map of the area around Fishing Port Town in front of them.


    "One, two, three, four, plus the location of the vice-captain of the Black Sail Pirate Group, that makes five," the interrogating Flado Knight pointed out the approximate locations.


    Vinica nodded, indicating that she understood.


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    She then began reciting an unknown spell, and seconds later, more than a dozen white seagulls flew in from the sky. After circling for a few seconds, they began to land one by one. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed they flew to her side to receive some sort of command, and immediately afterward, the white seagulls flapped their wings vigorously and shot up into the sky, flying towards different directions over Fishing Port Town.


    Reine watched the scene before him with a hint of envy.


    If he had this type of witchcraft, he probably could use it more efficiently than Vinica.


    Because he possessed the core Skill ''Beast Eye.''


    [Core Skill: Beast Eye (Active)]


    Beast Eye (Active) Effect: Control the beasts under your command and observe the surroundings through their eyes.


    That is to say, he wouldn''t need to wait for the white seagulls to return like Vinica to know the enemy situation; he could almost instantly observe and understand the enemy movements.


    The following time was spent waiting.


    Worried about entering Fishing Port Town and alerting the enemy, but staying put was also too conspicuous, the group mounted their horses and continued moving slowly towards Fishing Port Town, deliberately slowing their pace while waiting for the scouting results from Vinica''s birds.


    About ten minutes later,


    the white seagulls began to return one after another.


    "Chirp chirp! Coo coo!" The white seagulls flapped their wings and individually came in front of Vinica, looking her in the eye for a few seconds before taking off again.


    Once all the white seagulls had reported back,


    Vinica pondered for a moment and said, "We''ve scouted all five locations. Four of them are just as the pirate leader said, there''s a group of elite pirates nearby."


    "However... ''Bloody Shooter'' Phil doesn''t seem to be at that location, whether it''s because of some cover or other reason, the seagulls report no sign of human activity below."


    Hmm?


    This made Mary hesitate for a moment.


    After all, her original plan was to capture the foe''s leader first; having found ''Bloody Shooter'' Phil, she believed with the cooperation of Reine and Vinica, this ''Bloody Shooter'' Phil would not be able to make any waves.


    But now...


    Reine thought for a moment and suggested, "Why don''t we start by clearing out these four points first? Perhaps, from their mouths, we might get some new information."


    "Wouldn''t that startle the snake by hitting the grass, as we are quite noticeable when we move as a group?" Mary seemed to disagree.


    "I can do it by myself. Normally, with the speed of ''Black Pearl,'' circling around in an hour should be enough,"


    "Lord Reine, aren''t you underestimating the time it takes to kill the enemy?" Vinica asked doubtfully.


    "Consider it settled, three minutes per location should be enough."


    "Killing a group of elite pirates in just three minutes? That sounds a bit exaggerated..." Vinica''s beautiful eyes widened in astonishment.


    "No, killing them normally takes only about half a minute, at most, it won''t exceed one minute. The remaining two minutes are for interrogation," Reine thought for a moment and seriously replied.

 Chapter 206 A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Suddenly, the people around looked at each other, not knowing how to respond to Baron Rein''s words.Accuse him of boasting?


    Say he can''t do it?


    But the recent battle had already proven Baron Rein''s strength well enough.


    He was not boasting!


    "Well, since Lord Rein is willing to take on the hard work, we''ll wait here for you," Mary couldn''t find any reason to refuse Rein''s request.


    After all, Rein offered to take on the pirates all by himself; who could ask for a better teammate than that?


    Everyone present, including Mary and Vinica, was quite impressed with Rein''s ''hardworking'' approach.


    This was not the first time that Mary had partnered with a young prodigy on a mission.


    Some young people with outstanding abilities, though not outright arrogant, would still be somewhat haughty, at the very least trying to show off, with minions beneath their notice, some even making a dramatic final appearance.


    Nothing like Rein, who had them wait on the spot while he dealt with the enemies.


    "Lord Rein, let my seagull guide you, so you can understand and reach the enemy''s position more swiftly," Mary offered.


    "Of course, thank you for your assistance, Miss Vinica," Rein said with a slight smile.


    Having the seagull as a guide would certainly make things quicker, and Rein was not the type to decline such help.


    Another benefit was that Vinica could also keep track of Rein''s progress through the seagull, keeping Mary and the others informed of his movements.


    "Oh, I almost forgot, Lord Rein, you are also a Wizard Apprentice; I have a better way," Vinica mentioned suddenly.


    "Hmm?" Rein looked towards Vinica with a hint of curiosity.


    The pretty girl with twin ponytails stepped towards Rein, saying, "Lord Rein, I can cast a spell mark on you, which allows you to read the spirit fragments observed by the seagull."


    "That will be much more effective than watching the seagull''s flight patterns," she explained.


    Read the seagull''s spirit fragments?


    To Rein, this was a novel concept and made him hesitate.


    The girl seemed to notice Rein''s hesitation and quickly added:


    "Don''t worry, Lord Rein, it won''t cause you any discomfort nor interfere with your combat. It''s more like... how should I put it, allowing you to receive specific spiritual waves from the seagull."


    Like a specific signal receiver?


    Rein was starting to grasp the concept.


    It was like a radio from his previous life, which needed to be tuned to a specific frequency to receive certain wavelengths; otherwise, all you''d hear was ''static'' noise.


    The spell mark Vinica was about to cast was essentially a specific frequency receiver, and the seagull''s spirit fragments were the wavelengths.


    Although Rein didn''t understand why Vinica was so insistent, he concluded that she probably didn''t have any malicious intent or ulterior motives.


    After a moment''s consideration, Rein nodded and said, "All right then, I appreciate your help, Miss Vinica."


    "It''s no trouble at all. Please do not resist, Lord Rein," Vinica said as she drew a wooden stick around half a meter in length from her robe''s sleeve, murmured a spell, and then lightly tapped Rein''s forehead.


    With Rein''s spiritual power, he could distinctly sense as if an external port had been added to his mental sea.


    Then a seagull, summoned by Vinica, flew down and circled Rein, and he heard a mental fragment surface within him, "The enemy... numerous... the valley..."


    Even though Rein had already anticipated this, he was still quite surprised by the effectiveness of the technique.


    Moreover, the simplicity of the message was likely influenced by the bird''s limited brain capacity, which prevented it from conveying complex content like a human.


    If it were a higher-level mammal, perhaps the messages transmitted could be more complex and precise.


    This realization ignited an eager anticipation within Rein for ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique.''


    "Lord Rein, with this, isn''t it more convenient for you to fight?" Vinica''s beautiful eyes caught the surprise that flickered in Rein''s gaze, and she spoke with a pleased tone.


    The girl''s deliberate demonstration of witchcraft did not repel Rein.


    "Indeed, it''s very useful," Rein confirmed with a smile.


    "By the way, Lord Rein, I also have several Sorcery Scrolls with me; would you like to take them as well?" Vinica asked. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hmm?


    Several Sorcery Scrolls?


    Rein looked at Vinica in surprise.


    He had not expected the girl before him to be an otherworldly ''pretty and wealthy'' type.


    His own two Sorcery Scrolls were treasures he had yet to bring himself to use...


    But considering that Vinica was a third-level Wizard Apprentice with an inheritance, Rein understood.


    A Wizard Apprentice with an inheritance usually carried multiple Sorcery Scrolls and even some special witchcraft tools on their travels to greatly enhance their combat power.


    Even a typical Great Knight would not be a match for them.


    However, Rein casually noticed Mary''s slightly furrowed brow.


    He immediately understood that these Sorcery Scrolls must have been provided by Vinica''s mentor for her protection.

 Chapter 206 A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Taking it myself clearly wasn''t appropriate.Another point was that soon I wouldn''t be with the team; in case Vinica and Mary were suddenly attacked by pirates or other forces, our overall combat ability would be greatly weakened.


    After all, a third-level Wizard Apprentice with or without a Sorcery Scroll was a completely different level of combat power.


    Relaying on this elite squad, Rein estimated that at best they could defeat forty or fifty pirates. If it was the black sail pirate vice-captain Phil leading the team, they would probably be overpowered.


    Therefore, Rein shook his head and declined, "Thank you, Miss Vinica, but for a small group of pirates, I think I won''t need to use this precious Sorcery Scroll. Keep it for your own protection."


    "Besides, your Spirit Imprint has already been a big help to me." Rein smiled at the young girl.


    "Lord Reine is right. Vinica, you should keep it for your own defense. It''s something Master Annius specifically instructed you to have on hand," Mary added just in time.


    "This... Alright then!" Seeing both insisted, Vinica could only nod her head and reluctantly agree.


    "Then I will set off now. Major Mary, please strengthen your vigilance. I should be back in about an hour."


    "Yes, Lord Reine, please be very careful." Mary nodded her head.


    "Lord Reine, follow my sea gulls then. Where the sea gulls circled overhead, that is where the enemies are located."


    "Hmm."


    Rein took his pack off the sturdy ''Black Pearl'', placed it on the luggage rack at the back of the carriage, and with a light leap, he controlled the ''Black Pearl'' to follow the direction the sea gulls were flying, quickly heading to the first location.


    -----------------


    Near a road north of Fishing Port Town.


    In a narrow, dense valley.


    A dozen burly men were each wiping their weapons; they were the elite of the small pirate group��the Clark Pirate Squad.


    "Hey, Blackbeard, those sea gulls in the sky are a bit strange, aren''t they?" One of the men inadvertently glanced at the sun and saw several birds clearly sea gulls circling overhead.


    "Hmm? What about them?" The burly man known as Blackbeard first looked up with confusion, then nodded his head soberly after a while.


    "Indeed odd; we''re not by the sea. Sea gulls usually circle around for food, like small fish and shrimps."


    As the first mate of the Clark Pirate Squad with abundant sea navigation experience, Blackbeard easily spotted what was awry.


    "Damn it, there isn''t a drop of water here, what the hell are these stupid birds looking for?" said the man with the scarred face who had first spoken, spitting out a blade of grass from his mouth.


    But Blackbeard was still pondering over the matter.


    When things are out of the ordinary, there must be a demon at work!


    He thought it would be best to tell his brothers to be on the alert.


    "Scar, tell the brothers to be on the alert!"


    But as soon as he spoke out, the scar-faced boatswain laughed it off without a care.


    "Just over a few stupid birds, isn''t that overreacting?"


    "This..." Blackbeard thought about it and felt the same. After all, it was just a hunch since not even the shadow of an enemy was seen. To be on alert now seemed a bit much.


    Primarily because pirates tend to be unruly, each with their own faction. Strength speaks louder, and although a dozen elite pirates, with his strength being slightly stronger, were not much stronger than Scar.


    Secondly, these men were all old slickers, and the team was not easy to lead, subtly divided into three factions.


    At this moment, a muffled hoofbeat suddenly came from a distance.


    "Eh! We have a visitor!"


    "Quick, brothers, get moving."


    With that, the slickers who had been basking in the sun perked up, and they suddenly sprang into action.


    A bird was one thing, but a horse was something else.


    A horse meant there might be income coming in! S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Look quick! Such a tall black warhorse, it must be valuable." One old slicker pointed at Rein galloping towards them.


    "That shiny silver armor looks good too, seems like high-quality knight''s plate armor, should be even more valuable!"


    "The guy must be a seasoned Knight, probably not easy to deal with."


    "What''s there to fear, it''s just one person!"


    ...


    "Hmm? Such a tall black warhorse? So fast! Is he coming for us?"


    When Blackbeard saw Rein riding the Black Pearl, charging rapidly towards them, for some reason, the first thought that popped up in his mind was that it seemed he was specifically targeting them.


    "Prepare for battle!" shouted Blackbeard.


    However, Reine, with the information given by the sea gulls, had already pinpointed the group''s location.


    At that moment, he looked up.


    Although the number of pirates was slightly smaller, they were more elite than the previous wave of pirates and seemed to have plenty of combat experience.


    But in the face of absolute strength, the value of experience greatly diminished.


    Reine, taking advantage of the horse''s galloping momentum, leaped into the air like an arrow from a bow, shooting towards the pirates.


    From the pirates'' point of view, they saw a blurred figure rush instantly towards them, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of their frontline comrades.


    Almost simultaneously, several blurred figures appeared!


    "Boom, boom, boom!"


    Upon contact, three fell immediately!


    This caused the remaining members of the Clark Pirate Squad, including Blackbeard and Scar, to be filled with terror!


    Damn it, where did this powerhouse come from!


    They feared that not even their own leader was this strong...

 Chapter 206 A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Why are they fixated on us?Moreover, this narrow mountain valley is an extremely secretive place, so how were we exposed?


    In a flash, a spark of inspiration crossed Blackbeard''s mind!


    He knew.


    It was those white seagulls!


    But at that moment, he suddenly saw an iron fist, glittering with silver light, appear in front of his stomach.


    "Bang!!!"


    Blackbeard''s eyes bulged out, nearly popping out of their sockets, as a bulge suddenly appeared on his back. His entire body was lifted half a meter off the ground by the force of the punch.


    The next second, he was on his knees, clutching his stomach, collapsed on the ground.


    Half a minute later, including the man with the scarred face, there wasn''t a single pirate left standing.


    Rein, following old routines, picked two pirates who were relatively strong and kept them alive to interrogate separately.


    "Which pirate crew do you belong to?"


    "The Clark Pirate Group."


    "Where''s your base, or rather, your lair?"


    "That...." Blackbeard''s eyes flickered as he hesitated whether to speak or not. He wondered if he should use this information to negotiate with the stranger in front of him for the condition of letting him live.


    "Too bad...you''ve made the wrong decision." Rein glanced over, shook his head, and with a punch to the forehead, turned and walked away.


    Scarface, on the other hand, had never seen an interrogation like Rein''s, where he hardly gave any time to think.


    Seeing Rein approaching him, he frantically waved his hands and said:


    "No, no... I''ll talk. Our base is on Egwass Island."


    "What about the base of the Sea God Sect?"


    "Sea God Sect? I really don''t know about that. Maybe our captain does."


    "And what about the bases of other pirate crews?"


    "That... I''m not too clear on that."


    "Hmm, goodbye!"


    Goodbye? Am I going to survive?


    Relief spread across Scarface''s expression.


    This was truly a stroke of luck from the jaws of death!


    But before he could fully blossom into a smile, Rein, who had just said goodbye, suddenly threw a punch as swift as lightning and then leapt onto the Black Pearl.


    And the next second, a "thud!" like the sound of a watermelon violently smashed with a bat rang out!


    While riding forward, Rein glanced at the system prompt:


    [Your skill Tokadar Fist Technique has improved, Experience +121]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +42]


    ...


    Seeing Kadar Martial Arts reach lv5 (325/2000), progress hitting one-seventh, Rein nodded slightly to himself.


    Indeed, even the leg of a mosquito is meat!


    This made him look forward with a slight anticipation to the pirates at the next point, hopefully, they would be a bit stronger.


    Fifteen minutes later, the second point was cleared...


    Twenty-eight minutes later, the third point was cleared...


    Kadar Martial Arts reached lv5 (587/2000), the progress now over one-quarter, and now it was time for the last point.


    ...


    At the side of the Special Forces carriage.


    A white seagull quickly descended and circled around Vinica before heading off once more.


    This was just one of the white seagulls responsible for continuously conveying messages.


    Seeing Vinica''s dazed expression, Mary asked, "What''s wrong? Is there a problem on Rein''s end?" S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, it''s just going too smoothly."


    "Lord Rein has barely stopped, now he''s already en route to the fourth point. Judging by his speed, I estimate that it''ll take at most fifty minutes to wrap this up if he keeps going like this."


    "Such exaggerated strength... He truly lives up to being the top of this year''s Mingster Province knighthood evaluation!" The girl''s twin ponytails bounced as she turned her head to speak to Mary.


    The Cavalry nearby exchanged glances, evidently quite amazed.


    It looked like they were probably here just to be onlookers on this mission...


    ...


    -----------------


    At that moment, a white seagull swooped down from the sky and circled around Rein.


    Rein quickly received the message it conveyed: "Enemy... many... one man in black..."


    Many?


    Rein thought for a moment but didn''t pay it much mind.


    For the white seagull, there was no distinction between a dozen and twenty, hence both scenarios were labeled as many��a limitation of its cognitive capacity.


    One man in black?


    This made Rein pause because it was the first time such ''accurate'' information had come through the white seagull.


    It seemed this man in black must be somewhat special.


    A heightened sense of alertness emerged within Rein''s heart.


    When Rein arrived near the fourth point, he saw a group of brawny men dressed as pirates bidding farewell to a man in a black robe.


    Clearly, the man in black mentioned in the seagull''s mental fragment was this man in the black robe!


    Rein immediately focused his attention on the man in the black robe.


    The man was muscular and robed in black, hooded, and had his hands crossed inside his sleeves, though it seemed like he was concealing something else inside, his billowing sleeves bulged out.


    The moment Rein laid eyes on this black-robed figure...


    He felt that the man was not simple.


    As the man lifted his head, revealing golden eyes beaming with hostility...


    Rein''s danger perception immediately began to send warnings.


    This intensity of warning...


    Nearly a Great Knight?


    This caused Rein''s heart to momentarily grow cold.


    "Captain Jeff, it looks like a little trouble has come knocking. Do you need my assistance to deal with it?" the man in the black robe asked, his voice strange and deep.


    "Well... if the envoy is interested, that would be ideal," Jeff, the brawny man, glanced at Rein, knowing he would not be easy to deal with.


    Riding in knightly plate armor, mounted on what seemed to be a heavy warhorse, clearly, he was a veteran knight, or even a Peak Knight.

 Chapter 206 A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Moreover, the figure in the black robe was charging straight at them, as if they had long been discovered.In that case, their purpose was not so simple. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein fixed his gaze on the black-robed individual, maneuvering his warhorse to slowly approach.


    At this moment, dozens of elite members from Jeff''s pirate crew, armed with weapons, all circled around them.


    "Kid, you..." A burly man wielding a chain hammer scolded Rein.


    "Bang!"


    It was just a punch, but Rein hit the burly man so hard that he folded up, arms and legs stretched straight out in front of him as he crashed heavily to the ground, the words at his mouth never to be spoken.


    Then, with a flurry of movement, several pirates who were unclear of the situation and attempted to launch a sneak attack were now also lying on the ground.


    All at once, the pirates were intimidated by Rein''s momentum and shrank back, not daring to advance.


    Rein''s eyes, however, stayed locked on the black-robed person, never wavering.


    He knew that this was the opponent he needed to take seriously, not the ''trash fish'' in front of him.


    Seeing his elite subordinates taken down so quickly, Captain Jeff couldn''t help but turn ashen. He thought about charging forward himself but gave up on the idea as he realized he had no chance of winning.


    Meanwhile, the emissary stood still, not daring to urge him on.


    "Oh, it turns out to be a Peak Knight, interesting," the figure in the black robe remarked.


    "Captain Jeff, it looks like you''ll have to thank me. If it weren''t for me being here by chance, I''m afraid you all..."


    "Of course, Emissary, the Jeff''s pirate crew needs your help."


    "Young man, impressive strength. It seems your identity is not so simple, but unfortunately, your life ends here."


    "Don''t you think you talk too much?" Rein said bluntly.


    "I''m in a hurry."


    Rein estimated the time; at this point, he was supposed to have started his return journey.


    But now, he was about three minutes late.


    After all, being punctual is a good habit, and Rein always tried to make it a priority whenever conditions allowed.


    Rein''s words caused the black-robed figure''s eyes to twitch, clearly angered.


    "Whoosh!" The figure charged at Rein at a speed that was no slower than his.


    Facing what was most likely a Great Knight-level expert, Rein naturally did not continue to choose the lv5 level Kadar Martial Arts to face his enemy, but instead, his right hand gripped the handle of the dual-handed hammer behind his back.


    However, oddly enough, when the attacker launched his assault, he did not use any weapons. Whether that was due to arrogance or some other reason was unknown...


    Heavy Hammer Furious Strike!


    Rein aimed a swift hammer blow at the figure''s head.


    Facing Rein''s strike laden with triple effects, ''Lifting as if Weighing Nothing,'' ''Multiple Shocks,'' and ''Precision lv3,'' the figure surprisingly did not dodge but raised his hand to block it directly.


    "Clang!!!" Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Whoosh!"


    The robes on the figure''s forearm instantly tore apart, and under Rein''s astonished gaze, revealed a pale golden huge claw!


    The claw''s outer shell must have been extremely sturdy, and the surface of the huge claw seemed to have a layer of light blue, watery energy flowing over it, which significantly weakened the multiple shock forces from Rein''s hammer.


    The figure''s bizarre appearance and the respectful manner of the surrounding pirates towards it, in an instant, made three words pop into Rein''s mind.


    "Sea God Sect?" Rein couldn''t help but blurt out.


    "Oh? You guessed correctly, but there''s no reward," replied the emissary.


    "Clang, clang!"


    "Bang!"


    As the battle ensued, the figure''s black robes were torn apart, revealing more and more of the body beneath them.


    The tentacle-like squirming beards...


    The chunky lobster-like exoskeleton protecting vital parts of the body...


    The wafting scent of the sea that the battle released...


    Aside from maintaining a humanoid silhouette, too many parts of the figure were no longer human!


    Rein''s original plan was just to take out these small factions of pirates and then look for the vice-captain of the Black Sail pirate crew. He had never anticipated crossing swords with the Sea God Sect so soon.


    But now, he was engaging in close combat with the Sea God Sect!

 Chapter 207 I Guess Hes Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    ```But that''s also good.


    After the initial probing, Rein had basically grasped the extent of his opponent''s strength.


    Comparable to the physical qualities of a Great Knight, but the opponent''s outer layer of water film was truly troublesome, seemingly able to neutralize most damage.


    With both factors combined, the opponent''s strength was even greater than that of the rebellious army''s General Zaral Parix.


    "Boom!!"


    The two were once again separated by over ten meters due to the fierce collision.


    At this time, the Sea God Sect''s Myarco also realized something was amiss, because his opponent was so strong, almost like a Great Knight.


    "Are you a Great Knight? No, you''re not showing any signs of primal force release!" Myarco could not help but scrutinize Rein repeatedly.


    Only then did he notice that Rein was holding a Two-Handed Warhammer in his hands and also carried a Dual-Handed Greatsword on his back.


    Such a gear setup was quite rare, instantly sparking a sense of familiarity in him.


    Suddenly, a flash of insight crossed his mind, and he blurted out, "You... You''re the new Governor of Fishing Port Town, Rein?"


    Myarco''s words immediately made Rein across from him startle.


    Huh?


    How does the opponent know who he is?


    If they knew he was Rein, that would still make sense, but knowing he was the new Governor of Fishing Port Town meant something quite out of the ordinary.


    However, Rein did not have the habit of replying to his enemies'' questions. Instead, he quickly recited a spell, casting the witchcraft ''High-Temperature Force Field.''


    At the same time, he slightly twisted the handle of his Two-Handed Warhammer, turning the pointed end of the war hammer''s head upwards.


    Although Rein didn''t respond to his question, Myarco had already convinced himself that his judgment wasn''t wrong.


    The figure of Rein, currently holding the Two-Handed Warhammer and carrying the Dual-Handed Greatsword, obviously matched the image transmitted by the Black Flame Church.


    Secondly, in this territory, aside from this newly appointed Governor of Fishing Port Town, it was highly unlikely for such other high-level masters to be present.


    Considering the timing, his arrival was indeed due in the next few days.


    Yet unexpectedly, the opponent had arrived a few days early.


    But that turned out to be fortunate.


    He didn''t expect to solve the opponent here before the ''Furious Wave Operation.''


    A smirk appeared on Myarco''s face.


    But the next second, his smile froze.


    "Hm? Fire-based witchcraft?" Myarco''s expression grew earnest.


    Amongst the disciples of the Sea God Sect, what they hated and feared the most was, naturally, flames.


    What surprised him was that Rein would actually cast witchcraft, which wasn''t recorded in the information passed on by the Black Flame Church.


    "Boom!!"


    The two once again engaged in high-speed combat.


    Seen were two blurry figures rapidly dashing across the open ground, while the earth would occasionally burst open, the muffled sounds of impacts frequently ringing in the ears.


    But in just a few seconds, Myarco realized something was off. While the strange witchcraft''s power unleashed by his opponent was not apparent, he felt waves of heat assaulting him and his water shield was beginning to show signs of evaporation.


    "Snap!"


    This strike saw Rein''s Warhammer pierce through the water membrane, striking Myarco''s hard lobster pincers, leaving a thumb-sized notch on their tough shell.


    This greatly startled Myarco!


    "You... What kind of witchcraft is this? How could it dissolve my shield?" Myarco exclaimed in surprise.


    In fact, he had misjudged.


    It wasn''t that Rein''s witchcraft ''High-Temperature Force Field'' dealt significant damage.


    It was merely the continuous high temperatures exceeding one hundred degrees that greatly reduced the stability of his water membrane shield, and its defensive power began to fluctuate, becoming increasingly unstable.


    What was more crucial was that Rein was currently using the pointed end of his Warhammer, which had an armor-piercing effect.


    [Armor Penetration (Passive) Effect: Your intuitive grasp of sharp weapons has reached a high level, allowing you to concentrate strength at a single point and detonate it, significantly increasing the probability of breaking through the enemy''s armor.]


    With both these factors in play, statistically speaking, the possibility of breaking through the water membrane shield became very high, and that last hammer strike had been a success!


    Seizing the opportunity, Rein continuously executed the Tokkal Hammer Technique, barraging with hammer strikes, instantly forcing Myarco into consecutive retreats.


    It seems Myarco realized how indecently pathetic he looked, especially in front of his fellow pirates, prompting him to bellow fiercely and counter with a hard smash of his lobster pincer against Rein''s Warhammer!


    "Clang!!!"


    Sparks flew in all directions!


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    Simultaneously, a segment the length of a phalanx of a finger on the lobster point was shattered by Rein''s Warhammer, but the massive rebound force caused both men to be repelled. Myarco, leveraging this painful strike, got a much-needed opportunity to catch his breath.


    This time, he had learned his lesson and didn''t waste time talking; instead, he began to rapidly recite some kind of prayer.


    But naturally, Rein wouldn''t allow his opponent to perform his dark rituals. With a push-off from the tip of his foot, the ground exploded with soil, and he zoomed towards Myarco like an arrow released from its bow!


    But the next second, Rein''s pupils abruptly narrowed. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Myarco''s chest suddenly swelled, his neck thickened alarmingly, as if a cannonball were about to be fired from his chest cavity!


    Rein was all too familiar with this kind of physical change; after all, his signature move of the Giant Bear Sword Technique �C ''Roaring Strike'' �C was just like this!


    Clearly, the opponent was preparing to launch some kind of area attack!


    But at this moment, he was still four or five meters away from Myarco, too late to stop it directly.


    ```

 Chapter 207 I Guess Hes Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    In the blink of an eye, Rein spun around and immediately dashed to the left. At the same time, he swung his dark, gloomy pig-head hammer from above, fiercely slamming it into the ground��the secret Hammer Skill technique known as "Earth-splitting Hammer"!"Boom!"


    A large clump of soil was struck hard into the air!


    Almost simultaneously, Myarco''s mouth spat out a wrist-thick stream of pale-yellow, foul-smelling liquid. He swiveled his head from side to side, spraying in all directions.


    One of the pirates from Jack''s crew couldn''t dodge in time and got completely drenched.


    "Sss! Sss!"


    The soaked pirate immediately screamed in agony. Clutching his face with both hands, he began melting like a wax figure from head to toe.


    Rein''s eyes narrowed; he had thought the enemy would use sonic attacks, but instead, Myarco had sprayed some kind of highly corrosive liquid. Nonetheless, this didn''t impede Rein''s response.


    Both were area attacks. The large piece of soil that Rein had just struck into the air met with the pale-yellow acid spewed by the enemy, creating a barrier like a curtain and kicking up a cloud of smoke on contact, blocking most of the liquid.


    Due to the barrier of soil, only a few drops of the acid landed on Rein''s hydrosteel armor, making a sizzling corroding noise.


    Seconds later, Myarco, who had stopped spraying acid, peered through the pale-yellow smoke to check the results of the attack, but suddenly, a blinding light shot out from the dissipating smoke.


    The glare caught Myarco off guard, forcing him to close his eyes and hastily use his arms to block the light''s assault on his retinas!


    "Scorching Light!"


    It turned out that Rein had seized the moment to cast this flashbang-like witchcraft.


    Immediately after, a figure burst out of the smoke��a dark greatsword aimed directly at Myarco, who was still covering his eyes!


    By the time Myarco realized what was happening, the dark pig-head hammer was already inches away!


    This caused his pupils to shrink in an instant. In a moment of crisis, he immediately blocked Rein''s hammer assault with the giant pincers on his hand, all the while with a ferocious expression, uttering two short, sharp tones!


    "Crack!"


    Myarco''s giant pincer carapace instantly shattered!


    However, the tip of Rein''s pig-head hammer had pierced into the giant pincer. Suddenly, Myarco''s squidy whiskers, which had looked quite harmless, shot out and tightly coiled around Rein''s pig-head hammer.


    At the same time, his mouth opened wide, as he was about to spit out that same corrosive liquid again.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Rein pushed off with the tip of his foot and, instead of withdrawing, delivered a lightning-fast uppercut straight to Myarco''s chin.


    This direct hit forced Myarco''s mouth shut, immediately aborting his plan to spit the acid at close range.


    Following that, instead of struggling with Myarco over the hammer, Rein grabbed the hilt of his greatsword and launched a vicious arcing slash.


    A flash of light whizzed by!


    "Thud!"


    The sound of something heavy hitting the ground echoed.


    There lay the pig-head hammer wrapped in octopus-like whisker tentacles on the ground.


    Rein''s previous slash had cut off most of Myarco''s whiskers.


    At the moment, pale green bodily fluid was spurting from the cut ends of Myarco''s whiskers.


    "Aaah!!!"


    Myarco only felt a chill on his chin, followed by an intense jolt of pain that made him scream out loud!


    One must realize that his octopus-like tentacles, though appearing as whiskers, were not dead hair but rather living tissue akin to muscle.


    Myarco''s complexion changed drastically. At this point, he had completely lost the desire to continue the fight.


    Dammit, this Rein is even stronger than the information passed on by the Black Flame Church!


    Curses, the Black Flame Church!


    Even they were faking it with their Sea God Sect!


    He had to return to the sect and report this news immediately.


    Myarco hurriedly retreated behind him, using one of the pirates as a shield.


    But Rein was relentless, delivering a 45-degree Smooth Cleaving Slash without a moment''s hesitation, cleaving the pirate into two halves and nearly spilling Myarco''s guts as well.


    This action terrified the surrounding pirates, who started to flee in fear. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire


    Myarco, in a disheveled state, once again took cover behind Captain Jack.


    This turned Captain Jack''s face iron blue.


    Fuck!


    If you can''t beat them, run for it!


    Dammit, using us as meat shields, what''s the meaning of this?


    Do you think we''re idiots?


    Fucking Sea God Sect!


    Facing the swiftly approaching Rein, Captain Jack performed a donkey roll to the side to avoid him.


    Though it was unbecoming of a pirate gang leader to dodge in such a manner, it effectively saved him from Rein''s Furious Slash.


    But Myarco hadn''t expected Captain Jack to suddenly dodge, resulting in a new wound on himself, which made him no longer dare to use the pirates as shields but instead fled rapidly towards the distance.


    Yet Rein was right on his heels.


    With big fish in sight, he naturally didn''t care about the pirate shrimps.


    Watching as the two disappeared into the distance, one chasing and the other fleeing, the remaining members of Jack''s pirate crew looked at each other in confusion. At that moment, a bearded burly man asked Captain Jack, "Boss, should we... go help?"


    "Help?" Captain Jack gave his subordinate a scornful look and smacked him on the back of the head with a slap.


    "Are you an idiot?"


    "But boss, Myarco is from the Sea God Sect..."

 Chapter 207 I Guess Hes Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    "Myarco is your daddy or what!!"With a ''slap,'' another blow landed on the back of the head!


    "Didn''t you see that bastard eventually couldn''t beat him and used us as human shields?"


    "Sea God Sect... damn it, a few years ago without them, we had it much easier in these waters, pah!"


    "Hurry up, before they come back, let''s retreat to the sea."


    "Boss, what if Myarco goes back and says we didn''t follow orders, what then?" The burly man finally came to his senses, this time, not even adding the word ''sir'' for the other party. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Him?"


    "I reckon he''s as good as dead!" Jack recalled the expressionless young man, his face growing stern with a hint of fear as he spoke.


    "Move it! Leave everything! Get back to the ship quickly."


    Captain Jack waved his hand and took the lead, and more than twenty pirates immediately followed suit, rushing toward the seashore.


    -----------------


    By the special task force''s carriage.


    A white seagull descended rapidly and circled around Vinica before alighting on her arm, seemingly receiving some information. Her brows furrowed as she said:


    "Eh, Lord Reine has deviated from the original route, he is now racing towards the seashore."


    "Hmm? Has he encountered some situation?"


    Mary''s expression couldn''t help but change slightly.


    "The white seagull told me that Lord Reine is chasing a man in black, both moving very quickly," said the girl with bouncing twin ponytails, turning her head to Mary.


    After a moment''s thought, Mary voiced her assessment:


    "I see... It seems quite likely that Lord Reine has stumbled upon some big fish."


    Having witnessed Reine''s speed, anyone who could escape from his grasp must be extraordinary. Among the pirates, such an individual would naturally be a big catch.


    Only, she feared that there might be some sort of trap, luring Reine into it. If that were the case, it would be bad.


    "Major Mary, should we immediately go to help?" the girl asked eagerly.


    After all, what excitement was there in merely being a messenger compared to engaging in battle herself! That''s what the girl thought.


    "Wait a bit, if Lord Reine needs help, I''m sure he would send a message through the white seagull to you, wouldn''t he?" Mary replied calmly.


    "That... should be the case..." said the girl, somewhat disheartened.


    ...


    -----------------


    Meanwhile, Reine and Myarco''s chase continued.


    Although Myarco''s giant pincers were shattered and his octopus tentacles had been cleanly severed, rendering him not lightly wounded, his legs were uninjured. Therefore, in his frenzied flight, Reine for the moment could not quite catch him.


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    However, Reine was not in a hurry since it was unlikely that Myarco could maintain such a desperate fleeing pace indefinitely. It should be only a matter of time before his energy drained, slowing him down.


    Indeed, a few minutes later, Myarco''s speed began to slacken, and Reine did not hesitate to add a point to agility.


    With the remaining attribute points going from 5��4, his agility went from 22 points to 23 points.


    Instantly, a warm current pumped vigorously from his heart, sweeping away all the soreness and fatigue from Reine''s muscles in the blink of an eye!


    "Swoosh!"


    A deep, bone-deep gash appeared on Myarco''s back shell!


    This made Myarco jump in fright, and when he looked back, his eyes bulged!


    He saw Reine getting closer and closer!


    How could this be possible?


    His own energy was depleting so much, but dammit, the other guy seemed just fine and was getting closer and closer.


    Myarco''s heart sank!


    Suddenly, a hidden cave appeared in front of Myarco.


    The cave was just big enough to fit a person, probably the burrow of some small bear species.


    Myarco''s eyes lit up as he came up with an excellent idea!


    That Reine was skilled with two-handed weapons, and whether it was the Two-Handed Warhammer or the Dual-Handed Greatsword, Myarco had just experienced firsthand that both were of very high caliber!


    Dammit, who knows how that kid trained!


    But in this narrow cave, if he dared to charge in, his two-handed weapons would hardly be able to swing freely, thus most of his combat power would naturally be wasted!


    Hehe!


    In that case, not only did he no longer need to run away, but he might even have the chance to turn the tables!


    "Swoosh!"


    Myarco plunged headfirst into the cave.


    Reine slowed down slightly at the mouth of the cave.


    He quickly scanned around the entrance, determining that this was not a trap prepared in advance by Myarco, but more likely an animal''s den, and also dashed into it.


    At this moment, he also surmised why Myarco would willingly enter a ''dead end.''


    "Boom! Boom!"


    The two started to exchange blows quickly within the narrow cave!


    Having put away the Glimmering Greatsword early on, Reine was now fighting the completely exhausted Myarco with his bare fists.


    While the Kadar Martial Arts at level 5 could not execute secret techniques nor completely dominate Myarco in skill, one shouldn''t forget that Reine was at his peak physical condition after just adding the points!


    Nothing beats the strength of youth!


    Every hit of his gauntlet-covered iron fists was heavy and powerful. In such cramped quarters, it was nearly impossible for the opponent to dodge, leaving no choice but to trade blows.


    Each time the shattered giant pincers defended, it was tantamount to Myarco suffering agony akin to childbirth!


    Minutes later.


    ...


    Reine emerged from the cave, dragging the barely alive Myarco by one leg!

 Chapter 207 I Guess Hes Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Although the opponent was beaten to the brink of death, he still refused to disclose any information related to the Sea God Sect.Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    The fanaticism of the cultists towards their faith is unimaginable to ordinary people!


    Rein thought about it, perhaps, for such cultists, the navy might have more targeted methods to pry open their mouths.


    However...


    Rein was not without his gains.


    He glanced at the system notifications that had just flooded his screen:


    [Your Skill "Tokkal Hammer Technique" has gained an increase, Experience +698]


    [Your Skill "Giant Bear Sword Technique" has gained an increase, Experience +466]


    [Your Skill "Kadar Martial Arts" has gained an increase, Experience +423]


    [Your Skill "High-Temperature Field" has gained an increase, Experience +26]


    [Your Skill "Blazing Light" has gained an increase, Experience +17]


    ...


    [You have undergone a battle, "Knight (Transcendent)" Experience +285, "Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)" Experience +151]


    "Kadar Martial Arts" has reached lv5 (1010/2000), progressing well over half!


    Because just now in the cave, Rein was punching, forcibly knocking down the opponent.


    And in that battle, Rein also used a lot of witchcraft, so the experience reward for "Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)" was quite considerable, now reaching lv5 (1670/2000).


    To prevent the opponent from using magic, Rein tore off a piece of rag and stuffed it into Myarco''s mouth.


    At the same time, he tied Myarco''s entire body up like a rice dumpling, considering for a moment, Rein then stepped forward and swung his hammer at Myarco''s legs for two heavy hits.


    "Crack!"


    "Snap!"


    Only to see Myarco, due to the severe pain, his eyes bulging out and his mouth ''wooing'' as if trying to shout something, but at this moment, he could only endure it all by himself.


    Rein looked at Myarco''s knees, now severely twisted and deformed, and nodded in satisfaction.


    The opponent was indeed capable of running; this back and forth had probably wasted at least half an hour of his time.


    However, capturing such a ''high-value'' target was overall very worthwhile.


    Holding the rope in hand, Rein jumped onto his horse, dragging Myarco along as he sped towards the meeting place he had agreed upon with Mary.


    As for why he didn''t carry Myarco on the back of the saddle, it was mainly because Rein considered the weird tactics of the cultists, letting the opponent be too close always bore certain risks.


    Maintaining a certain safety distance was indeed necessary.


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    On the side of the task force''s carriage.


    A green bird descended from the sky and circled around Vinica several times, Vinica immediately brightened her eyes and turned her head, saying, "Major Mary, a group of people are approaching us fast, it looks like a battle is unavoidable."


    "Hmm? A group of people? What did ''Green Emerald'' say?" Mary couldn''t help but change her expression.


    Clearly, if ''Green Emerald'' issued a warning, it definitely was not an ordinary merchant caravan.


    "''Green Emerald'' said, many... fast... and there are bows..."


    "In that case, I''ll send ''White Seagull'' to have a look." Vinica uttered a spell, and immediately, two white seagulls flew rapidly towards the direction warned by ''Green Emerald.''


    Half a minute later, suddenly, Vinica''s expression changed, and she exclaimed, "One of my white seagulls has been shot dead!"


    "No! Now two of them!"


    Although the white seagulls were not Vinica''s contract animals and their death didn''t affect her, their demise, having been her close companions, still infuriated her.!


    Meanwhile, Mary seemed to have thought of something.


    Hmm? Two white seagulls shot dead?


    Skilled in archery?


    Could it be that guy?


    Mary''s pretty face suddenly became stern, and she immediately issued an order, saying, "All units on alert, enemy incoming, it''s very likely..."


    At that moment, a group appeared around the corner of the road, with the leader being a one-eyed man carrying an exaggeratedly large bow, followed by more than twenty stout men on horses.


    "It is indeed ''The Bloody Shooter'' Phil Kraz!"


    "This is bad!"


    Mary frowned tightly.


    However, Vinica next to her did not think so, instead showing slight excitement as she said, "This is ''The Bloody Shooter''? I didn''t go looking for him, but he came right to our doorstep. And he killed my white seagulls!"


    Without waiting for Mary to say anything, Vinica uttered a spell, and suddenly, from the distance, a giant white snowy owl with a body size almost that of an adult, excluding its wings, flew in.


    And the next second, as Vinica pointed with her wand at the target, a pale blue halo began to appear around the giant white snowy owl.


    "Big White! Take him down!" Vinica''s twin ponytails bounced as she crisply shouted.


    "Chirp~"


    The witchcraft-empowered giant white snowy owl chirped joyfully and immediately rushed towards the distant ''Bloody Shooter'' Phil Kraz.

 Chapter 208 Its Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    And Phil Kraz, upon seeing the huge and clearly extraordinary white owl, was startled at first and intended to turn around and leave. However, he quickly calmed down and muttered to himself:"No, it doesn''t seem to be a wizard?"


    As an archer with excellent vision, just as he turned the corner, his gaze swiftly swept over the convoy where Mary and her companions were. He quickly disregarded the line of cavalry but the presence of the two women by the carriage caught his attention.


    It was initially because they were young and beautiful, but now, seeing the giant white owl shimmering with a faint blue glow, this method of dealing with him, an archer, didn''t seem very ''wizard-like''.


    Simply put, an experienced wizard or wizard apprentice, upon seeing his large bow, would have a mature set of tactics for dealing with a ranged archer, like casting a slow curse or witchcraft involving mists, etc.


    But most likely it wouldn''t be like this, casting protective spells on one''s contracted creature first rather than on oneself.


    Consequently, Phil Kraz, thinking of the young faces of the two women and combining the two pieces of information, guessed that they probably weren''t official wizards, not even experienced wizard apprentices. Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    So what was there to be afraid of?


    If that was the case, then the strength of this modified creature might not be strong.


    He immediately drew an arrow, nocked it to his bow, and aimed at the white owl, shooting at it.


    "Whoosh!"


    A steel arrow, accompanied by a piercing sound, was shot towards the wing of the giant white owl. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With his extensive combat experience, Phil Kraz knew that when facing a bird, if one wasn''t sure about hitting the body, aiming for the larger wings was sometimes a wise decision.


    Once a bird''s wings were injured, their flying speed would inevitably be drastically affected, or they might even become sitting ducks.


    "Bang!"


    The giant white owl flapped its wings hard. A pale blue membranous glow briefly brightened, and the high-speed steel arrow was deflected away.


    But Phil Kraz started to smile.


    Indeed, as expected, a creation or contracted creature of an official wizard would definitely not be this weak.


    Because he keenly noticed a small red spot had appeared on the pristine white wing of the owl.


    Clearly, the protective witchcraft couldn''t fully negate the damage from his arrow.


    Though the damage was negligible, he hadn''t even used his full strength!


    "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"


    His fingers moved as if playing the piano, continuously drawing and firing arrows rapidly without pause, so fast that the movements of his hands, drawing and shooting the arrows, were barely visible, blurring into an indistinct flurry of motion.


    And one after another, the heavy-duty steel arrows shot towards the giant white owl like bullets.


    "Tsk, tsk, that''s the boss''s secret archery technique ''Rapid Fire''!" those Black Sail pirates, who were initially scared by the sudden attack from the sky, were now reassured and excitedly spoke as they saw their boss showing off his power.


    "Yeah, for so long, I haven''t seen anyone who can completely withstand it. Even those twin Hammer-Shield Knights from Fishing Port Town got injured." another pirate commented admiringly.


    "...."


    What Phil Kraz had just used was exactly his secret archery technique: ''Rapid Fire.''


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    His accuracy was remarkable. Although the owl, Big White, tried to dodge desperately, its massive size meant that it became an easy target for the barrage of arrows unleashed by the ''Rapid Fire.''


    This caused Big White''s pale blue protective glow to flicker repeatedly, pushing its defenses to some kind of limit.


    Phil Kraz''s expression became stern, and a faint blood-red glow emanated from his body, with veins on his skin becoming prominently distended, presenting a frightening sight!


    And the bowstring in his hand was drawn to its utmost tension; on the steel arrow he now held, crisscrossing blood-red lines abruptly materialized.


    With a ''whistle'' sound!


    The blood-red steel arrow shot out at a remarkably high speed towards the giant white owl in mid-air!


    "There it is! The boss''s ''Blood Fury Strike''!"


    "Such a rare sight!"


    "I heard this move takes a lot out of him, the boss doesn''t like to use it much!"


    "...."


    The pirates, witnessing their vice-captain''s impressive show of strength, cheered and shouted in support.


    "Thwack!"


    In an instant, a flash of blood-red lightning pierced through the pale blue watery film''s protection, hitting Big White''s wing and ''zipped'' out with a trail of fresh blood.


    The sudden pain made Big White cry out and it immediately turned to fly back towards Vinica by the carriage.


    Despite its large size, the owl wasn''t old; it was still in its adolescent years, and it had never faced such a formidable opponent before, leading to it being intimidated by the enemy''s momentum and hastily fleeing.


    This caused Phil Kraz to laugh triumphantly.


    Just now, he had used his trump card��''Blood Fury Strike'', expending a portion of his own blood to deliver a strike far exceeding his normal strength.


    The attack was harsh on his body, which is why he didn''t like to use it normally, but...


    He had a feeling that the two beautiful women opposite were not simple, possibly big fish.


    And from the recent engagement, it was evident that one of them was merely a wizard apprentice, likely a novice, inexperienced in battling an archer like him.

 Chapter 208 Its Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Additionally, from the seagulls earlier to the giant white owl now, it seemed that all the witchcraft the opponent was skilled with related to ''controlling birds,'' which was completely countered by one''s own ability."Charge! Capture those two women alive, kill all the men!" Phil Kraz waved his hand grandly, laughing with satisfaction.


    Instantly, a group of elite pirates roared with laughter as they raised their weapons and rushed towards the carriage where the two women were!


    Vinica turned pale upon seeing this, as she would have been fine if Dai Bai only got hurt, but she feared the enormous emotional toll it would take on her if Dai Bai died in the battle.


    Now, as she saw the pirates storming towards her with raging momentum, a wave of panic washed over her unreasonably.


    Is this what real battle is?


    It was vastly different from the one-on-one, more instructional battles she had experienced before.


    Mary immediately cried out, "Everyone dismount, move behind the carriage, form a defensive stance to resist!"


    The twelve-person squad, truly elite naval forces, led by two official knights and ten cavalrymen, reacted swiftly; four armed with swords and shields reached the front while another four drew arrows to shoot, with the others ready for action.


    "Quick, Vinica, ask Lord Reine for reinforcements!" Mary quickly turned to Vinica.


    "Okay!" Vinica swiftly regained her composure and began transmitting messages using witchcraft.


    Meanwhile, Phil Kraz leisurely drew a steel arrow, aimed at a figure behind the distant carriage, and took aim.


    ....


    -----------------


    As Reine was rapidly heading towards the special forces team, suddenly, a seagull in the sky cried out sadly twice, then swiftly spiraled down towards Reine and circled twice.


    "Master.... danger.... bow...."


    "Companion... two... dead....."


    Hm?


    Upon receiving these fragments of consciousness, Reine was momentarily stunned!


    But he quickly realized that the special forces team must have encountered a formidable enemy.


    Could it be that the special forces team also encountered the Sea God Sect?


    Immediately, Reine flicked the reins and swiftly maneuvered ''Black Pearl'' toward the direction of the team, galloping at full speed.


    This greatly troubled the dragged Myarco of the Sea God Sect behind him!


    Despite his tough hide, Myarco was not lightly wounded and his wounds had only begun to heal prospectively; however, with Reine''s sudden acceleration, the jolting increased significantly, causing the initially healed wounds to burst open again!


    Damn it, why did this bastard suddenly speed up!


    Myarco couldn''t help but curse internally.


    -----------------


    Next to the special forces team''s carriage, a pale blue dome-shaped barrier had risen.


    It was an effect of a Sorcery Scroll used by Vinica; a group of pirates, under the command of their deputy leader, were furiously chopping at the barrier.


    Inside the barrier, five or so cavalrymen wielding swords and shields were either pierced by steel arrows through the chest or had their shields torn and their arms hit, resulting in serious injuries.


    Naturally, only Phil Kraz, nicknamed ''the Blood Shooter,'' could inflict such injuries with a single arrow.


    He looked leisurely at the people inside the pale blue barrier and said, "Although witchcraft is quite magical, even witchcraft has a duration or a capacity limit, and it cannot last indefinitely."


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    "How much longer can this barrier protect you?"


    Gazing at Phil Kraz''s smug expression, Vinica couldn''t help but angrily say to Major Mary, "Why won''t you let me use the ''Tomb of Water'' scroll."


    "If I used it, this ''Blood Shooter'' would surely die without a doubt!"


    Vinica, seeing the injured Dai Bai and the equally severely wounded members of the special forces team, felt a slight twinge of self-reproach.


    "Vinica, your ''Tomb of Water'' scroll is our last resort, even Master Annius had to pay a significant price to create it. It''s too precious!"


    "Enough time has passed by now, considering Lord Reine''s speed, he should be arriving soon."


    "If it really becomes too late, then using it wouldn''t be too late," Mary said calmly.


    Although they were at a disadvantage now, it was absolutely impossible for the opposition to break through the ''Water Barrier'' in a short period.


    Once Reine arrived, the odds of victory would undoubtedly reverse!


    Somehow, Mary felt a special sense of reliability about Reine deep in her heart.


    Just as Phil Kraz thought he had the upper hand, he heard the rhythmic sound of hooves from behind.


    This sound of hooves was more muted and heavy than usual, as if carrying something heavy, and along with the sound of hooves, there was also a hissing friction noise.


    He immediately turned around and saw a large black warhorse, carrying a knight, appear at the end of the road.


    Once the knight saw them, he charged towards them, but strangely, he was also holding a rope, seemingly dragging a humanoid object.


    Just as Phil Kraz turned to look at Reine, the two women also saw the distant arrival of Reine and couldn''t help but show great joy!


    "Everyone, hold on a bit longer, Lord Reine is here," Mary couldn''t help but show her joy. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although she had just reassured everyone with a steady demeanor, her heart was actually quite nervous; now seeing Reine appear, she involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though with Reine there, the enemy in front of them was nothing to fear!


    Meanwhile, Reine on horseback merely glanced and understood what was happening.


    It turned out that Phil Kraz, the notorious ''Blood Shooter'' they had been searching for, had unexpectedly appeared here with the special forces team.

 Chapter 208 Its Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Moreover, Vinica''s witchcraft seemed to be exactly counteracted by the enemy, rendering the scene rather chaotic, as a group of people all took refuge behind this pale blue water membrane barrier.From the bloodstains on the ground, it appeared that quite a few Cavaliers were already injured.


    In addition, there''s an upper limit to the endurance of witchcraft.


    Therefore, Rein needed to break the stalemate quickly!


    At first, Phil Kraz had not considered Rein a formidable opponent, thinking he might just be a lone Knight.


    Suddenly witnessing this scene, he came over to ''do a good deed''.


    Just as he was about to tell the other party to mind his own business, Phil Kraz''s expression changed slightly after clearly seeing the water membrane knight''s suit reinh was wearing.


    Because such expensive knight''s gear was definitely not something a lone Knight could afford, indicating that the other party was likely a noble Knight or held an official position in the empire.


    Hence, it was highly probable that there was some sort of connection between the other party and this group of people here.


    So, Phil Kraz immediately scrutinized Rein more seriously, and when he recognized the person Rein was dragging on the ground, his face drastically changed.


    All he could do was rub his eyes and stare.


    "Fuck! Isn''t that the Sea God Sect''s envoy��Myarco?" he couldn''t help but curse aloud.


    Yes, it was him!


    He had just met with him two hours ago.


    Although the other party was in terrible shape now, with a face swollen like a pig''s head, there was absolutely no mistake!


    Observing Myarco, who was tied up and nearly at death''s door, Phil Kraz''s eyelids twitched violently, and his pupils contracted!


    It seemed that the opponent was very strong!


    Myarco had been beaten to such a state!


    Thus, when Rein dismounted his warhorse, drew the Dual-Handed Greatsword from his back, and walked step by step towards them, Phil Kraz instantly experienced a sinking feeling.


    Immediately, he couldn''t contain himself and began shooting at Rein.


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    "Swish! Swish! Swish!"


    "Rapid Fire!"


    In a matter of seconds, the twenty special steel arrows in the quiver strapped to Phil Kraz''s waist were all fired in rapid succession!


    Seeing the incoming steel arrows, almost forming a continuous line, Rein was slightly taken aback. He hadn''t expected the ''Bloodthirsty Shooter''s'' archery to be at such a level.


    It was truly astounding!


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have a shield right now, which would have easily warded off the attack; now it was going to be a bit more troublesome.


    "Swoosh!"


    Rein immediately began dodging the attack at high speed, but the arrows were too fast and frequent, making some impossible to avoid, and he started slashing at them.


    "Clang clang!" After deflecting two steel arrows, Rein barely dodged the secret technique.


    "Swish!"


    Rein quickly charged towards Phil Kraz.


    If he only relied on the greatsword for defense, it would only be a matter of time before he faltered!


    Only offense could serve as the best defense!


    "Blood Fury Strike!" Phil Kraz once again unleashed this signature move.


    In the past, he would think long and hard before using it because each time he performed this attack, it would take him half a month to recover to his peak condition. But ever since he attended a Sea God Sect prayer, he had been granted a strand of the Sea God''s Power.


    The Sea God''s Power could negate the side effects of his attack at least three times!


    Basically, the higher-ups of large pirate groups all received numerous benefits from the Sea God Sect, while the smaller pirate groups did not enjoy such treatment. Instead, they got more stick than carrot, otherwise, the unruly pirates would not listen to the Sea God Sect so obediently.


    Under the policy of both carrot and stick, the pirates in this region were almost entirely unified by the Sea God Sect.


    Facing the swiftly approaching crimson arrow, Rein''s level 3 ''danger perception'' issued a strong warning. Clearly, this shot possessed enough force to pose a severe threat to Rein.


    "Defensive technique!"


    Rein very rarely used the only defensive move of the Giant Bear Sword Technique, plunging the greatsword heavily into the ground, countering the ''Bloodthirsty Shooter''s attack with the thick spine of the sword wide as a palm.


    "Clang!!!"


    The blood-colored arrow, as if alive, hammered hard on the greatsword, drilling fiercely at the spine of the Glimmering Greatsword suspended in mid-air, the force was so immense that it pushed Rein back a step.


    However, regardless, Rein had stoutly blocked the enemy''s killer arrow! Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was just the rice-sized dent that appeared on the spine of the Glimmering Greatsword that left Rein feeling distressed.


    Seeing that even his strongest attack did not vex Rein, Phil Kraz felt a sudden chill in his heart.


    Then he quickly glanced at the Sea God Sect''s envoy, tied up like a zongzi next to the tall black warhorse; Phil Kraz knew that he couldn''t rescue him this time.


    Moreover, if he did not want to end up like him, he needed to retreat immediately!


    So, without the slightest hesitation, Phil Kraz once again shot several arrows rapidly at Rein and then retreated swiftly towards the back.


    The pirates who had come with Phil Kraz were left somewhat speechless, exchanging glances.


    They couldn''t make heads or tails of the situation!


    Because the battle between their deputy leader, Phil Kraz, and this suddenly emerging stranger Knight had lasted less than ten seconds.

 Chapter 208 Its Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    In their eyes, the outcome was completely undecided!As a result, their own deputy head, nicknamed ''Blood Shooter'' Phil Kraz, started to retreat.


    Damn it, you sell out your own people?


    If you run, what about your brothers?


    The naval special forces team members, upon seeing this scene, were instantly invigorated, nearly bursting into cheers! The uninjured seven or eight people quickly emerged from behind the pale blue water membrane and began to coordinate with Rein in a counterattack. Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Just now, they had been suppressed for quite a long time.


    A group of people, pinned down by just one man, ''Blood Shooter'' Phil Kraz. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, they felt relieved!


    Rein shouted to Mary from afar, "That one, being dragged behind the black horse, is a Sea God Sect messenger!"


    In the midst of everyone''s stunned gazes, he shot forward like an arrow leaving the bowstring, chasing after Phil Kraz with great speed.


    Hearing Rein''s words, Mary was clearly startled, she turned her head with a touch of confusion, and asked Vinica beside her for confirmation, "Vinica, did you clearly hear what Lord Rein just said?"


    "Is he saying that the one being dragged behind the black horse is a messenger from the Sea God Sect?" Mary pointed in the direction of the black horse.


    And Vinica''s expression was just as shocked, her beautiful eyes blinked a few times, she also looked at Mary, and nodded, "If I heard correctly, I think, that''s exactly what Lord Rein just said!"


    Thus, the slightly excited pair quickly approached the Sea God Sect envoy to investigate.


    Indeed, after Vinica cast a witchcraft ''Evil Detection'', the intense evil pseudo-divine power emanating from the other party immediately confirmed his identity.


    In an instant, the two women realized that everything Rein had just said was true!


    He had really captured a messenger from the Sea God Sect!


    This revelation exhilarated both Mary and Vinica.


    Their mission was to find potential bases of the Sea God Sect and the various pirate groups through the pirates that had landed, to facilitate targeted elimination by the Empire''s southern fleets.


    But they hadn''t expected that a pirate leader, who they thought would take a meticulous plan and a long time to capture, would be caught so quickly.


    And it wasn''t just any pirate leader, but a higher-ranking envoy from the Sea God Sect. Not only had they achieved their goal in one step, but they had also exceeded it.


    This unexpected joy made both women overjoyed!


    At this moment, Mary also recalled that earlier, Rein had pursued an enemy while dealing with the fourth location.


    It must have been the Sea God Sect messenger before them. So this was the big fish indeed!


    And Vinica, watching ''Blood Shooter'' Phil Kraz, seemed to have thought of something. She immediately cast a kind of witchcraft, summoning flocks of white seagulls and green birds, and sent them chasing after him.


    With the birds'' positioning, it not only facilitated Lord Rein''s search but also allowed for critical moments of distraction!


    ''Blood Shooter'' Phil Kraz, you shot my Great White!


    This time, Lord Rein will surely deal with you properly! Vinica couldn''t help feeling secretly delighted.


    And ''Blood Shooter'' Phil Kraz regretted deeply at this moment. Damn it, those stupid birds in the sky really messed things up, revealing his trail in the forest without a doubt!


    If he had known, he would have shot all those birds down from the beginning!


    Rein, following the guidance of the white seagulls and green birds, quickly approached Phil Kraz.


    The closer they got, the closer they approached each other!


    Suddenly, seven or eight white seagulls and green birds, unafraid of danger, swooped towards Phil Kraz''s head, causing him a flurry of panic and forcing him to fend for himself.


    Rein certainly seized this perfect opportunity.


    With a quick stride, he reached Phil Kraz''s rear, a long glint of cold light flashed!


    ....


    A minute later, Rein dragged ''Blood Shooter'' Phil Kraz, limp as a dead dog, back to the side of the carriage and flung him heavily next to the Sea God Sect messenger Myarco.


    At that moment, the half-dead Myarco opened his eyes, and the next second, his eyes suddenly widened.


    Damn it! How could it be Phil Kraz?


    Could it be that he was also...


    Phil Kraz and Myarco, two brothers in misfortune, exchanged a deep look, seeing in each other''s eyes a sense of helplessness and despair.


    Damn it, who could have imagined this!


    Two hours ago, they were eagerly discussing their follow-up plans, filled with confidence for the future, but two hours later, they both ended up as prisoners to a young man!


    This change was simply too fast...


    Fast enough that anyone would struggle to accept it!

 Chapter 209 Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    And Vinica was using a pair of bright, sparkling beautiful eyes to size up Reine, as if she were getting to know him again."Baron Reine, your combat prowess feels stronger than even a Great Knight, no, it''s even stronger than an ordinary level three Wizard Apprentice." Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Major Mary had mentioned you before, and I thought there must have been a bit of exaggeration in it, but now it seems there was no exaggeration, and even that was an understatement!" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Reine smiled slightly and said, "Miss Vinica, in terms of true combat power, I should be no match for you. A level three Wizard Apprentice with a Sorcery Scroll, even a Great Knight would not be able to resist."


    "It''s just that for these two, I might not have any weaknesses they could target, so dealing with them is relatively easier." Reine said, gesturing toward the two people lying on the ground.


    "Lord Reine, excessive modesty is pride in itself." Major Mary, who had overheard their conversation, said with a smile as she walked over to Reine.


    Although she had personally witnessed Reine''s battle prowess during his knighthood examination, two months had passed, and Reine''s strength had significantly improved once again.


    The obstacles that were extremely difficult for ordinary knights seemed to be completely inapplicable to Reine.


    Originally, Major Mary had thought that the combat responsibility among their group would fall on Vinica, the level three Wizard Apprentice, but now it was clear that Reine was the one.


    "Yes! Lord Reine, right, I also want to thank you for taking revenge for my Big White!" Vinica stroked the giant white owl almost as tall as her, and curtsied to Reine as a lady should.


    "Oh, Big White got hurt?" Reine inspected Big White''s wounded wing closely, which must have been injured by Phil Kraz''s signature Skill, Blood Fury Strike, because a faint blood-colored aura still lingered.


    "Hoot hoot!" Big White hooted at Reine twice in a very human manner. Then, mimicking Vinica''s curtsy, it opened its wings slightly as a gesture of thanks to Reine.


    "Yes, this is my contract beast Big White, a modified white owl. Baron Reine, Big White says it is very grateful to you for avenging it." Vinica said with a smile.


    "Well, no need to thank me, Big White, it''s what I should do." Reine gauged Big White, assessing from its aura that this giant white owl��Big White��was likely not inferior to a seasoned knight.


    If pitted against an opponent other than Phil Kraz, who was extremely skilled in archery, the combination of Vinica and Big White would likely easily overpower the adversary.


    Big White would be the tank in the frontline, with Vinica providing witchcraft support from behind.


    "By the way, Lord Reine, I think we should find a safe place now, to properly interrogate these two." Major Mary indicated the two disheartened men on the ground with a slender white finger.


    "Of course, let''s head to Fishing Port Town now. The interrogation of these two is likely not something we can wrap up quickly. The town hall there should have detention rooms, which will be more convenient for interrogation." Reine nodded.


    With the right interrogation techniques, they should be able to excavate many ''secrets'' about the Sea God Sect and the Black Sail Pirates from these two.


    "However, Major Mary, these two are tough nuts to crack. If we stick to usual interrogation methods, they might not yield significant results." Reine glanced at Flado Knight as he cautioned Mary.


    "Cultists, indeed they''re not ordinary! Miss Vinica, we might need to trouble you for your witchcraft when the time comes." Mary said with a serious expression, knowing Reine''s worries were not unfounded.


    Flado Knight''s interrogation techniques might be formidable against ordinary pirates, but they might not be sufficient for these two.


    She still needs to think of a strategy.


    "Of course, Major Mary can come to me anytime. I have some Truth Serum here, which should be quite effective." Vinica nodded.


    After cleaning up the battlefield, the cavalry took charge of escorting Phil Kraz and Myarco, the two important figures, towards Fishing Port Town.


    About a quarter of an hour later, the dense rows of houses in Fishing Port Town were already clearly visible.


    But eerily, the pedestrians by the road were still few and far between.


    Reine squinted and looked into the distance carefully, noticing that many of the houses on the outskirts of the town had collapsed, as if they had been through intense fighting.


    On reflection, it was possible that the pirates had already possessed the strength to take over Fishing Port Town but had refrained from doing so to avoid the attention of the Empire''s higher echelons, or for other reasons. Therefore, they had focused on plundering the town instead.


    Soon, Reine and his party came upon a makeshift barricade set up on the street, with security officers on guard, looking at Reine and his group warily.


    "Halt, who are you?"


    As their identities as part of the naval task force were sensitive, the cavalry did not disclose their own identities but instead introduced Reine''s.


    "This gentleman is the newly appointed Governor and Chief of Security of Fishing Port Town, Baron Reine. We are his escorts."


    "Hmm? Baron Reine?" The security officers immediately looked at each other in confusion.


    They were not aware of this news.


    But soon, someone caught on and said, "Baron, knights, we have not received any notification about the situation you mentioned. Given the recent pirate infestation, please wait a moment while we immediately report this upwards."

 Chapter 209 Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    A security officer quickly ran toward the administrative hall in the center of the town.After a few minutes, several cavalry members from the front row of Rein''s team told the security officers, "Move these roadblocks for now. The pirates should not launch another attack soon."


    "Hmm? Is there any new situation?" Having observed for a few minutes, the security officers could basically confirm that those in front of them were unlikely to be pirates, as the dozen cavalry members, despite being somewhat injured, were all relatively young and handsome with pearly white teeth.


    Two cavalry members looked at each other and smiled. One of them turned to the officers and said, "For this, you should thank Baron Rein, as he has cleared out the pirates that were entrenched on the roads leading in and out of your town."


    "By the way, we also caught two big fish!"


    "What! Is Baron Rein that impressive?"


    "The pirates on a few of the roads into our town are members of the significant pirate group, Black Sail. They are very strong."


    "....."


    The security officers were extremely surprised upon hearing this news, and soon started whispering amongst themselves.


    "Of course!" The cavalrymen patted the saddlebags on their horses and showed the items they had seized.


    Upon seeing these, the security officers immediately recognized them as weapons and some iconic items from the pirates, such as the Black Sail pirate skull bandanas and the like.


    In the course of their exchange, the security officers began to follow the cavalry''s advice and started moving the roadblocks.


    At this moment, two burly men with bandages wrapped around them and wielding hammers and shields approached.


    Both men were family knights of Count Habbs with the strength of senior knights and were skilled in using hammer and shield.


    Judging by the clear bandage marks on their bodies, as the primary defensive force of Fishing Port Town, they had been under considerable pressure.


    Upon seeing the Reiman brothers approaching, Rein, who was inside the carriage, said to the two women, "Major Mary, Miss Vinica, please have a seat for a moment. I''ll go coordinate."


    "Of course, Baron Rein," the two women immediately nodded.


    Given their special status, coordinating the territorial work was naturally most suitable for Rein.


    When the Reiman brothers saw how young Rein was, they couldn''t help but be stunned, and Cornett Reiman quickly said, "Are you Baron Rein? You are quite young."


    "How could the Earl send such a young knight here?"


    "Although your team of cavalry appears elite, do you know that half of the twenty elite members I previously led have been killed or injured? It was not easy to hold the current situation."


    Since the Reiman brothers had been dispatched to Fishing Port Town before the bloody duel between Rein and Baron Norman, they were relatively uninformed.


    They were unaware that Rein had a record of a bloody duel with the Great Knight, let alone that he had just captured the ''Bloody Shooter'' Phil Kraz and the emissary of the Sea God Sect, Myarco.


    However, at that moment, after Cobert Reiman took a careful look at Rein, he tugged at his brother''s hand and said, "I believe in him!"


    The younger brother looked puzzledly at his elder brother, Cobert Reiman, who then pointed to the large bow hanging on the side of the black horse and counter-asked, "Does this bow look familiar?"


    The brother took a closer look and exclaimed, "Isn''t that the bow of ''Bloody Shooter'' Phil Kraz?"


    "Why would it be in his possession?"


    "Could it be..."


    Of course, Cornett Reiman was very familiar with this bow��it was because of this bow that he and his brother had been injured, and they had not yet fully recovered!


    At this time, a member of the specialized cavalry squad could not hold back any longer and blurted out, "''The Bloody Shooter,'' that guy, is right behind us!" Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Upon hearing this, the Reiman brothers immediately looked at each other in shock.


    Seizing weapons and capturing a leader were, of course, two different concepts! sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The ''Bloody Shooter,'' whom they viewed as a formidable enemy, was surprisingly handled by the new Governor on the way to Fishing Port Town, even before his official arrival.


    Such capability...


    The subsequent events proceeded smoothly.


    Rein and his group were soon taken to the town''s administrative hall.


    The Reiman brothers quickly aligned their attitudes and swiftly reported to Rein about the events that had occurred in Fishing Port Town during their half-month deployment.


    This allowed Rein to quickly get first-hand information about the current situation in Fishing Port Town.


    Initially, after the Reiman brothers had completed the handover with Rein, they were supposed to return to County Town, but upon seeing the cavalry escorting Phil Kraz into the interrogation room, they changed their minds.


    Especially after the brothers heard Mary mention that she would contact the South Sea Fleet to send interrogation specialists, they patted their chests and said, "We are professionals at this!"


    "Even the prison sometimes calls us in for inmates they can''t handle."


    Upon hearing this, Rein found it to be a boon. There was no need to wait for the navy to dispatch interrogation personnel.


    Thus, he had Mary commission Flado Knight and the two brothers to begin interrogating the prisoner.


    In the time following, Rein stuck to the established schedule, practicing meditation and witchcraft daily in the administrative hall.


    Based on the current progress, he would only need another seven to eight days to advance from Wizard Apprentice to level 6.


    However, Rein did not devote all his time and energy to his training.


    Every day, the white seagulls of Vinica would scatter to conduct reconnaissance work. Whenever they spotted pirate landing boats or pirate groups numbering more than ten, Rein would personally set out to eliminate them.

 Chapter 209 Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Of course, if there are few pirates, it will be handled by the navy special task force.Therefore, with the help of birds for enemy detection, in just a few days, the pirates near Fishing Port Town were nearly extinct.


    The residents of Fishing Port Town slowly started to return to their normal lives.


    This could be seen from the gradually increasing smiles on the faces of the residents.


    Moreover, as the Governor and Sheriff of Fishing Port Town, Rein led a team of cavalry around Fishing Port Town every day.


    Although this action was more of a formality and symbolic, it greatly restored the town residents'' confidence in the empire''s ability to eradicate pirates.


    Even though Fishing Port Town could not yet resume normal fishing operations and restore normal fishery production, security had been completely rejuvenated, and the previous arrogance of the pirates had been effectively curbed.


    However, for Rein, what was most important was that he had steadily improved his Kadar Martial Arts through practice and by killing pirates.


    Three days later, after clearing a small group of pirates who had landed, Rein finally received the system prompt that his Kadar Martial Arts had improved:


    [Your Skill Kadar Martial Arts has improved, Experience +59]


    [You have gone through a combat, Knight (Transcendent) Profession Experience Points +16]


    [Congratulations, your Skill Kadar Martial Arts has advanced to lv6]


    ...


    Instantly, Rein''s mind was filled with fragmented training memories about Kadar Martial Arts.


    After absorbing and digesting them, Rein felt as if he had been practicing Kadar Martial Arts for half a year!


    But just as Rein had regained his senses, he realized that the system prompt was not over yet.


    Another system prompt followed:


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique of Kadar Martial Arts: High-Speed Combo!]


    Indeed, generally speaking, once the control level of an Extraordinary Battle Technique reaches mastery, secret techniques start to be unlocked.


    Delighted, Rein saw a brand new icon located above "Kadar Martial Arts" on the Knight (Transcendent) attribute panel.


    The icon depicted a burly man swinging his fists forward rapidly, with dozens of fist shadows in front of him, looking vivid and fiercely powerful.


    In the lower right corner of the icon, there was a line of small text:


    High-Speed Combo lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Explodes in an extremely short time to deliver as many punching attacks as possible, including Left Swing Fist, Right Swing Fist, and uppercut.


    (Note: High-Speed Combo is a secret technique and cannot be improved directly through Skill Points.)


    (High-Speed Combo lv2 requires the following conditions: one, Kadar Martial Arts lv8 or higher; two, Strength 16 or higher, Constitution 16 or higher, Agility 18 or higher.)


    Rein tested it, with his Knight plate gauntlets, he could roughly strike twelve punches per second; without the plate gauntlets and shoulder armor, he could reach fourteen punches per second!


    This made Rein quite pleased as he now had another close combat trump card!


    His original weapons, whether the greatsword or the Two-Handed Warhammer, were both over one and a half meters in length, making them very inconvenient in narrow environments; this was clearly a notable weakness of his.


    Since both the Tokkal Hammer Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique had reached the master level of control, his combat power was greatly reduced without these handy weapons.


    This was vividly demonstrated during the battle with the Sea God Sect''s messenger Myarco in the cave.


    Looking at the triggering conditions for the secret technique ''High-Speed Combo lv2'', Rein pondered briefly before deciding to add points continuously right away.


    Raising Kadar Martial Arts from lv6 to lv7 was not something that could be done in a short period, and in about three to four days'' time, his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Profession Level would reach lv6.


    At that time, he could raise Kadar Martial Arts to lv10, satisfying all the requirements for the transition to [Weapon Master (Legendary)].


    So now, he planned to first apply these three remaining Skill Points to advance Kadar Martial Arts to lv9.


    This way, he could get used to it first.


    Furthermore, Kadar Martial Arts lv9 would inevitably trigger another Martial Arts secret technique ''Hundred Crack Strike'', which Rein was quite anticipating. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel went from 3 to 0, Kadar Martial Arts suddenly jumped from lv6 to lv9.


    A surge of Kadar Martial Arts training memories flooded in....


    And multiple system prompts also appeared:


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host''s Kadar Martial Arts has achieved lv7, unlocking the exclusive secret technique for Kadar Martial Arts: Hundred Crack Strike lv1.]


    Hundred Crack Strike lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Imitating the tiger''s claws, transforming fists into claws, and unleashing a burst of strikes such as upward slashes, downward chops, and left-right swings to deliver as many claw attacks as possible in an extremely short time.


    (Note: Hundred Crack Strike is a secret technique and cannot be improved directly through Skill Points.)


    (Note: Only effective when equipped with Finger Tiger.) Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire


    (Hundred Crack Strike lv2 requires the following conditions: one, Kadar Martial Arts lv9 or higher; two, Strength 18 or higher, Constitution 16 or higher, Agility 18 or higher.)


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host''s Kadar Martial Arts has achieved lv8, unlocking the exclusive secret technique for Kadar Martial Arts: High-Speed Combo lv2.]


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host''s Kadar Martial Arts has achieved lv9, unlocking the exclusive secret technique for Kadar Martial Arts: Hundred Crack Strike lv2.]


    ....


    On the fourth day, Rein''s brothers came to report.


    Previously, with the help of the ''Truth Serum'' provided by Vinica, they had exerted a substantial effort and finally made the other party confess some secret information, which they confirmed over two days of repeated verification.

 Chapter 209 Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    And Vinica immediately used seagulls to relay the location of the Sea God Sect''s stronghold near the Mingster County sea area as well as the locations of several major pirate group strongholds to the Empire''s South Sea Fleet.Next, it was a waiting game.


    After all, sea battles were not within the scope of this naval task force and Rein''s mission; that was left to the South Sea Fleet and Major General Xilva and their companions.


    Soon, Rein and his team received a response from the fleet.


    Major General Xilva instructed Rein and the task force to be prepared for coastal defense as the pirates, if heavily damaged by the imperial fleet during the naval battle, might become desperate and flee directly to the coastal areas.


    Though these were a ragtag bunch, they were formidable enemies for the coastal towns with weaker defenses, and a breach would result in extremely heavy losses.


    On the fifth day, the Reiman brothers came to report once again.


    "Baron, this is what we found hidden in the cracks of Phil Kraz''s breastplate armor, believed to be a quarter of the treasure map of the Pirate King, ''Shipburner'' Vincent Sanborn. Unfortunately, it''s not complete; it''s just one fourth," they said.


    "Hmm?" Rein''s heart leapt with joy as he immediately took the parchment and examined it closely.


    From the texture and patterns, this was indeed the missing final quarter of the treasure map.


    A quarter was still fine, but who wouldn''t be envious of a complete treasure map?


    After the two brothers left, Rein quickly took out the remaining three parts of the map and began to piece them together.


    When a complete treasure map lay before Rein, he found that the center of the map showed a ring of islands composed of multiple islets.


    However, the marked spot with an X was not on the ring of islands but on a small island adjacent to it.


    Clearly, the small island beside it was the destination and the location of the treasure.


    After pondering for a while, Rein decided not to consult Major Mary or Vinica about the location depicted on the treasure map.


    Through his time spent getting to know Fishing Port Town, Rein learned that the town was home to an old man who had once been a captain of an ocean-going merchant ship��Captain Kashan, whom he planned to consult.


    After crudely drawing a copy of the treasure map, Rein found Captain Kashan, an old man with a pipe in his mouth and white in his hair.


    "Baron, this ring-shaped chain of islands on the necklace here, judging from the number and shape of the islands, looks very much like the Saphira Islands located in the outer sea," he said.


    "And this island is just to the east of the Saphira Islands. If I''m not mistaken, this should be the Island of Fear."


    "The Island of Fear?"


    Upon hearing this name, Rein couldn''t help but frown slightly.


    From the name alone, it was evident that this was not some simple island.


    "Indeed! The reason why this island is called the Island of Fear is that it''s infested with a group of tricephalous sea hydrolizards," Captain Kashan nodded, speaking with a grave expression.


    "Tricephalous sea hydrolizards? Are they some kind of vicious beasts?" Rein couldn''t help but ask.


    Rein had not encountered such fierce beasts before but could tell from Captain Kashan''s slightly fearful demeanor that these creatures must be formidable.


    "Exactly, tricephalous sea hydrolizards are indeed extremely powerful vicious beasts. Every adult specimen is as strong as a veteran Great Knight, and the leader of the tricephalous sea hydrolizards is said to have the strength of a Peak Knight," he explained.


    "In the past, pirates who encountered a hurricane and whose ship was destroyed, leaving them washed up on the Island of Fear, met a dire fate. Over a hundred pirates, with only one escaping alive clinging to a plank, the rest were all devoured by the tricephalous sea hydrolizards."


    "Some incredulous pirates observed the island from a distance afterward and indeed found it occupied by a large group of tricephalous sea hydrolizards. This incident quickly spread, and the island was soon marked as a forbidden zone by pirates and oceanic merchant ships," Captain Kashan recounted slowly.


    Do the adult individuals truly rival the strength of a veteran Great Knight?


    And there''s a large group of them?


    Indeed, it is worthy of being called the Island of Fear!


    Rein broke into a cold sweat at the mere thought of stepping onto the island and facing the attacks of more than ten, perhaps even dozens, of sea hydra lizard creatures, each with the strength comparable to that of a veteran Great Knight.


    However, Rein then considered another problem: Why would Pirate King ''Shipburner'' Vincent Sanborn choose to hide his treasure on this island?


    Could it be that Vincent Sanborn, formerly a Wizard and a Great Knight, had some kind of contract with the leader of the three-headed sea hydra lizard clan?


    Or could it be that Vincent Sanborn, this Pirate King, had some sort of witchcraft, such as invisibility, that allowed him to easily conceal his treasures here?


    After pondering for a moment, Rein shook his head slightly.


    This question, it seems, could only be answered by the Pirate King himself.


    Another problem was that although Rein had deciphered the secret of the treasure map, the risk of landing on the island with his current strength was far too great.


    Rein''s mind raced as he contemplated various viable strategies.


    First of all, it wasn''t impossible to employ the power of the naval forces.


    But the issue was that once the South Sea Fleet of the empire intervened, the nature of the whole matter would change.


    Although naval officers like Major Xilva of the Sixth Fleet and Lieutenant Colonel Mary had a good impression of him, deploying battleships for the exploration of the Pirate King''s treasure would obviously be official business.


    Putting aside the problems of battle damage should a fight break out, the issue of profit distribution would be problematic.


    Rein might not necessarily receive what he wanted.


    Moreover, there could be other problems beyond combat. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, it''s impossible to guarantee that there aren''t people with ulterior motives within the navy. Seeing him obtain the Pirate King''s treasure might spark greed��thus, Rein quickly dismissed the idea of inviting the South Sea Fleet to participate.


    After some serious contemplation, Rein felt it would be more appropriate to wait until he was capable enough to explore the island on his own.


    Especially since in just under a month''s time, he was due to go to Mingster to participate in the examinations held by the imperial Sword Bearer organization.


    This matter was naturally of greater importance than the treasure of the Pirate King.


    Taking Mary''s words into account, Rein believed that once he joined the imperial Sword Bearer organization, he would be able to complete a variety of missions, accumulate enough Points, and exchange them for witchcraft or other important knowledge.


    This would significantly increase his Strength, and this method would be more enduring, reliable, and targeted.


    The treasure of the Pirate King, in some sense, was more like the icing on the cake.


    Moreover, he was just about to change his job to Weapon Master, and his Wizard Apprentice job had reached level three Wizard Apprentice.


    Rein believed that once he advanced to a formal Wizard, with the enhancement of both Legendary professions, he would have the initial capability to explore the island.


    This time would not be too long.


    Having thought through these issues, Rein''s eagerness for the Pirate King''s treasure cooled down from what it had been before.


    On the sixth day, news came from the naval fleet...

 Chapter 210 Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)

    At this moment, Major Mary approached the training ground with a smile, and joyfully said to Rein:"Lord Rein, the Empire''s South Sea Fleet in conjunction with the Seasonal Winds and the Goddess of the Sea Church, have both achieved decisive victories in the naval battle and the raid on the islands over the past two days."


    "Not only did they utterly rout the pirates'' joint fleet, but they also destroyed the bases of the Sea God Sect and various pirate groups within the nearby waters of Meister County."


    "Currently, the South Sea Fleet and the goddess church are in pursuit of the escaping Sea God Sect''s priests and the high-ranking members of the various pirate groups, most of whom are fleeing towards the open sea."


    "Therefore, I think our task force''s mission can be considered officially concluded."


    Upon hearing this good news, Rein also showed a smile, saying, "It seems that the information we relayed to the fleet did play a significant role."


    "Exactly, Baron Rein, the two prisoners you captured earlier provided crucial intelligence." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing Rein''s words, Major Mary''s smile became even more radiant, revealing her pearly white teeth.


    "Moreover, regarding the witchcraft ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique'' that Lord Rein requested��"


    "Major General Xilva has sent a reply, he has consulted the commander of the South Sea Fleet. Your application has been approved."


    "I believe, later today, you can contact Vinica to have her teach you the relevant witchcraft, which should be the quickest method."


    After listening to what Mary had said, Rein couldn''t help but feel overjoyed and nodded, saying, "That''s wonderful!"


    That is to say, he could now consult Vinica and learn this witchcraft at any time.


    Of course, this was good news!


    Once he mastered this witchcraft, he could find a relatively powerful raptor to become his third pet at any time.


    This way, he could control a certain local battle from a broader perspective.


    Perhaps it wasn''t very beneficial in one-on-one combat, but it was extremely useful in one-to-many, raid scenarios, and so on.


    Additionally, learning new witchcraft might very likely earn him a sizable amount of Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points.


    He might even level up his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) to LV6, thereby meeting all the conditions for the class change to [Weapon Master (Legendary)].


    Thinking this, Rein couldn''t help but feel a bit excited.


    "Thank you very much, Major Mary," said Rein, looking at the beautiful Major Mary and bowing slightly as a gentleman in gratitude.


    "Baron Rein, it is I who should thank you. Without the capture of the Sea God Sect''s envoy and the deputy leader of the Black Sail Pirates, we do not know when our task force''s mission would have been completed," Mary said with a smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.


    After the beautiful major left, Rein had intended to find Vinica right away, but as soon as he stepped out the door, he encountered the Reiman brothers coming towards him.


    So, Rein returned to his room once more.


    The Reiman brothers then reported: "Lord Baron, this is the ''Blood Fury Archery,'' dictated by Phil Kraz, the ''Bloody Shooter.''"


    Brother Cobert Reiman handed Rein a thin sheepskin scroll that still seemed a bit damp with fresh ink, obviously written not long before.


    "Since we don''t really understand archery, in case Phil Kraz has done anything tricky within it, we wouldn''t be able to detect it, but we think some of the archery techniques are quite meaningful to learn, so we specially brought it for Lord Baron to see."


    "Blood Fury Archery?"


    Rein took it and glanced at the title, feeling quite surprised in his heart.


    The Reiman brothers'' interrogation methods were impressive indeed!


    They even managed to extract the famous archery skills of Phil Kraz, the ''Bloody Shooter.''


    As for the Reiman brothers'' concerns about Phil Kraz tampering with the archery techniques?


    Rein wasn''t worried about that in the slightest.


    Because the system would automatically help him discern the truth, or rather, whether the techniques were effective Combat Skills.


    It''s simple, as long as this Extraordinary Battle Technique could be displayed on his profession panel, then it was genuine and he could start to learn it.


    So, where others might have to spend a lot of effort finding an archery master to validate it or learn it with trepidation, with Rein, these problems didn''t exist at all.


    However...


    If things had reached this extent, then Phil Kraz must have been completely drained by the Reiman brothers!


    Indeed, brother Cobert Reiman suggested:


    "Lord Baron, we think Phil Kraz, the ''Bloody Shooter,'' is no longer of much value. What do you think about finding a time to execute him by hanging at the town hall entrance in Fishing Port Town?"


    "This way, not only can we boost the morale of the residents of Fishing Port Town, telling them that the Empire can protect their safety, but it can also deter the pirates who always have their eyes on Fishing Port Town," added brother Cornett Leyman.


    After some thought, Rein nodded and said, "That''s fine, let''s proceed with executing Phil Kraz, the ''Bloody Shooter,'' these next couple of days!"


    "Very good, Lord Baron, we will arrange it right away."


    The Reiman brothers naturally harbored deep hatred for Phil Kraz who had injured them, and they had vented their frustrations during these past days of interrogation.


    However, they were concerned that if such an expert were to escape, it would be bad news for them, so they strongly advised Rein to execute him.

 Chapter 210 Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)_2

    After the Reiman brothers had left, Reine quickly began to peruse the scroll of ''Blood Fury Archery.''Although the teachings originated from Phil Kraz''s narration, the script was clear and well-written thanks to the scribe who had assisted in transcribing it, making it easy to read.


    Reine took a quick look and nodded slightly, thinking to himself that it was quite good.


    The secret techniques ''Rapid Fire'' and ''Blood Fury Strike'' were both described within, comprising a rather complete set of archery-based Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    However, Reine did not plan to study them at the moment.


    His main concern was to raise his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) level to lv6 as soon as possible, thereby acquiring the final Skill Point needed for the promotion to [Weapon Master (Legendary)].


    Once he succeeded in his class change, he would naturally have plenty of time to learn new Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    Now that the threats from the Sea God Sect and the pirates had been eliminated, Reine planned to gradually hand over the day-to-day management of Fishing Port Town to the Reiman brothers.


    Since the brothers had handled most of the town''s administrative work before his arrival, the transition was expected to be smooth.


    Because it was already the final days of the month of white snow, and they were about to step into the month of vitality.


    The selection for the Sword Bearers of the Empire was scheduled for the last day of the month of vitality, but since the venue was in the provincial capital, Mingster, Reine needed to reserve at least a week for travel; thus, by his calculations,


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    he could only stay in Fishing Port Town for about twenty more days.


    With the pirates'' threat no more, there was no real need for him to continue serving as Fishing Port Town''s Governor; therefore, Reine was already considering reporting to Count Habs in a couple of days so that the Earl could quickly choose someone suitable to replace him.


    Reine thought there was one more thing he needed to do.


    He walked to the bedroom and took out a pair of arm blades from General Parix of the Zaral resistance.


    The arm blades, which he had removed from Parix''s arm guards, had caught Reine''s attention due to their being made of some rare metal; their sharpness and hardness were impressive. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He, in particular, needed a pair of bladed knuckles, and hence had planned to use the arm blades to forge into his plate gauntlets, equipping them with a pair of short-bladed knuckles.


    The purpose, of course, was to execute the secret technique of Kadar Martial Arts, the ''Hundred Crack Strike.''


    Until today, because Reine''s martial arts level had been consistently low, he had put off this task.


    However, now that his level of Kadar Martial Arts had reached lv9 and triggered ''Hundred Crack Strike lv2,'' lacking bladed knuckles, relatively speaking, would affect the performance of his martial arts.


    While Reine was contemplating, there came another knock at the door.


    "Thump thump thump!"


    "Come in!"


    In came Vinica, wearing a long white dress and smiling brightly. Today, she was unusually not wearing a black Wizard Robe but a one-shoulder fitting long cashmere dress in white, which outlined her well-developed curves.


    Her twin ponytails behind her head swayed with youthful vigor.


    This brightened Reine''s eyes. He had intended to find her, but unexpectedly, she came to him first.


    Moreover, despite Vinica being just eighteen, her bust was by no means inferior to that of a mature woman, providing both for husband to play with and for children to nurse from��coupled with her youthful face, she could rival the characters that stepped right out of a comic book from his previous world.


    Before Reine could speak, Vinica took the initiative, "Lord Reine, I''ve come to ask for a favor."


    "Oh, Miss Vinica, please tell me. If I can be of assistance, it would be my honor," Reine replied with a nod and a smile.


    Reine naturally wanted to forge a good relationship with Vinica, who came from a line of Wizards.


    On one hand, he might need her to teach him more of Aeneas'' bird transformation technique and, on the other, he hoped to gain more knowledge of witchcraft from her.


    "Giggle, then thank you in advance, Lord Reine." Vinica couldn''t help but cover her mouth and laugh coquettishly, her beauty shaking with her laughter.


    "Here''s the thing, I''m looking for a type of sea bird called Iron Beak Sea Eagle, a kind of predatory bird."


    "You know, the birds I''ve previously bred or contracted were not birds of prey, and considering my position in the navy, birds adapted to marine environments were naturally my first choice. Combining the two, I''ve chosen this species as my new breeding focus."


    "However, I''ve searched around recently and discovered a small population on an island about a few kilometers southeast of Fishing Port Town."


    Hearing this, Reine finally understood why he hadn''t seen much of Vinica recently; she had been busy with this matter.


    Additionally, the Iron Beak Sea Eagle she mentioned piqued his interest.


    Perhaps he could consider the Iron Beak Sea Eagle as his third pet.


    But there was no need to rush the decision; he could first accompany Vinica to have a look.


    Vinica continued,


    "However... I had the seagulls survey that area, and it turns out to be one of the main habitats of the Black-Gilled Fishmen. So, it might be safer if you, Lord Reine, could come with me," she explained.


    "Those Black-Gilled Fishmen tend to attack in groups, and some individuals are quite strong, with strength comparable to that of a Knight trainee."


    "A very few even possess the strength of a full-fledged Knight, which might pose some difficulty for me if I were to go alone," Vinica''s bright eyes looked at Reine as she spoke.

 Chapter 210 Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)_3

    Although Vinica had not known Reine for long, she felt an inexplicable sense of trust toward him.She believed that if Reine were willing to accompany her, her goal of obtaining the ironbill sea eagle fledgling would definitely be achieved smoothly.


    Reine smiled.


    "Of course, Miss Vinica, when might we depart? Since I serve as the Governor of Fishing Port Town, I might need a little time to hand over my duties before I can accompany you."


    "Of course, Lord Reine, you agreed! That''s wonderful!" Vinica''s twin ponytails swung as her face lit up with joy and her pale hands clenched in excitement, clearly delighted that Reine had agreed to accompany her.


    "Could we leave early tomorrow morning? If all goes well, we ought to be able to make the round trip within the day. As for the vessel, I will make arrangements."


    "Yes, Miss Vinica, that works perfectly, as I also need your assistance with something," Reine nodded and said with a smile.


    "Oh? Please, speak, Lord Reine," Vinica watched Reine with a slight sense of curiosity.


    "Major Mary just informed me that my application to learn ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique'' has been approved by the Southern Fleet."


    "That''s great, I understand what you mean, whenever you are free, I..." Vinica immediately grasped his meaning and volunteered.


    "Now, if possible?"


    "Now?" Vinica couldn''t help but express her surprise.


    Lord Reine was indeed in a hurry.


    "Is that inconvenient, Miss Vinica?"


    "No, not at all! Please follow me, Lord Reine," Vinica''s petite hands gestured as she spoke.


    The two walked shoulder to shoulder toward a small alchemy room that Vinica had recently transformed at the town hall.


    While walking, Vinica explained:


    "My mentor''s bird transformation technique is not purely witchcraft; to be precise, it is a witchcraft ritual that requires some specific materials."


    "Among these, an essential component is either a newly hatched chick or an egg about to hatch."


    "Can either be used?" Reine asked casually. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, either can be used, though an egg about to hatch has the best effects, but if the egg contains an unformed embryo, the ritual will inevitably fail, hence, we generally choose a newly hatched chick."


    "Besides, we will need a fast growth potion and phantom spririt grass, and of course, the most important part is drawing the witchcraft circle..."


    Vinica already had a favorable impression of Reine, and now that she had been officially authorized, she taught with even more dedication and was forthcoming with information.


    Inside the alchemy room, Vinica personally demonstrated the technique for Reine to observe, using a white seagull fledgling as the test subject.


    This was perfect to make up for the ones that had died during their last experiment.


    Vinica first placed the fluffy white seagull fledgling on a soft cushion in the center of the room and then positioned a leaf with purple patterns in front of the fledgling.


    Having done this, she began grinding a special ink made of a mix of herbs.


    "Lord Reine, this is moonlight ink; we''ll use it to draw the six-pointed witchcraft circle later," Vinica explained while processing the ink.


    Such detailed explanation naturally increased Reine''s fondness for Vinica.


    This was because if he had instead obtained relevant books and had to study on his own, the learning process would definitely not be as efficient.


    Vinica''s hands-on teaching saved Reine a lot of learning time.


    After grinding, Vinica started using the pale silver moonlight ink to draw a six-pointed witchcraft circle on the ground.


    "A success on the first try! Nice!" Vinica''s face immediately lit up with a smile.


    It was best to succeed on the first try, especially in front of Lord Reine; otherwise, it would have been a bit embarrassing.


    Then came the final step.


    Vinica took out a bottle of pale green potion and held it in her hand, starting to chant a spell.


    As the crisp chanting sounded, the six-pointed witchcraft circle began to glow gradually, and a unique aura of witchcraft appeared!


    The next second, Vinica uncorked the potion bottle, and the pale green liquid, like a living thing, surged out from the bottle, coiling around the white fledgling. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    As Vinica pointed toward the pale purple leaf, the ritual neared its conclusion.


    The fledgling, the potion, and the leaf underwent a miraculous reaction....


    Suddenly, multiple system notifications appeared:


    [You have focused on observing ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique,'' understanding enhanced!]


    [You have grasped a new skill��Aeneas'' bird transformation technique]


    [Your skill ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique'' has improved, experience +69]


    [You focused on Aeneas'' bird transformation technique; Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) experience +151]


    ...


    [Congratulations, your Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level has advanced!]


    The panel now showed Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level from lv5 to lv6 (11/3000), and at the bottom of the panel, remaining attribute points: 5, and remaining skill points: 1 were displayed.


    Seeing this, a radiant smile spread across Reine''s face.


    Meanwhile, Vinica couldn''t help but feel a mix of surprise and curiosity as to why Lord Reine''s smile was so radiant after observing the demonstration.

 Chapter 210 Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)_4

    Could it be that Lord Reine has already learned it?Impossible!


    She only mastered it after studying with the mentor for a month!


    This time, the greatest gain for Reine was not just the raise in his Profession Level as a Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent), nor was it the newly mastered witchcraft ''Aeneas'' bird transformation technique'', but rather the newly acquired Skill Points. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    It was crucial for him.


    After returning to his room, Reine took out the ''Beast Essence'' and eagerly added the Skill Point to Kadar Martial Arts, which instantly advanced from lv9 to lv10.


    As the promotion was successful, the system prompt also rang out!


    [Ding! Host detected to have achieved lv10 in any three different categories of Extraordinary Battle Technique, triggering a job change to Weapon Master (Legendary)!]


    [To advance to Weapon Master (Legendary) the prerequisites are: one, at least three different categories of Extraordinary Battle Technique at lv10 or above; two, physical limit broken to 100%; three, any breathing technique at lv9 or above; four, Strength over 20 points, agility over 20 points, Constitution over 20 points; five, advanced Magic Potion ''Beast Essence''.... Current conditions met! Do you wish to advance to Weapon Master (Legendary)? Yes/No?]


    Seeing this job change information, Reine couldn''t help but rejoice, excitedly clenching his fists and swinging them emphatically!


    ...


    -----------------


    A few kilometers away from Fishing Port Town, on the shores of a secluded island, wave after wave of light blue surf rhythmically lapped against the sand with a "splash, splash!"


    Suddenly, a human-shaped object was washed ashore.


    "Cough...cough..."


    Along with the sound of coughing, a sullen-faced brawny man struggled to climb ashore, his mouth still dripping with a trace of fresh blood, as if he had just experienced a fierce battle and was seriously injured.


    "Ptui! The Imperial Navy... the Church of the Goddess... I, Wolod, will remember this..."


    "If it weren''t for the ''water clone technique'' scroll this time, I''d have been a goner!"


    In yesterday''s battle, had Wolod not used the ''water clone technique'' Sorcery Scroll to mimic his shape and divert the masters from the Imperial Navy and the Church of the Goddess, he would have nearly been killed on the spot.


    As the leader of the Black Sail Pirates, Wolod Nihalu, possessed the strength of both a senior Great Knight and a tier-three Wizard Apprentice.


    Because he was skilled at wielding a one-handed warhammer, and enjoyed crushing his enemies'' skulls during battle, he once killed a senior knight wearing a plate helmet with a single blow, thus earning the formidable nickname ''Skull Crusher''!


    "Hydrotherapy!" Wolod started chanting, and soon a bright white orb of water appeared in front of him.


    The next second, with a ''pop!'', the bright water orb exploded over his head, with fine mist-like water vapor spreading from his head all over his body.


    This rain-like mist seemed to have an excellent healing effect, rapidly healing some wounds on his body.


    "Hoo~~~"


    After the treatment, Wolod, whose complexion had been somewhat pale, now looked much better, and his brow began to smooth out.


    Over the past two years, he had had the opportunity to step into the formal ranks of Wizardry, precisely to become a ''Controller of Flowing Water,'' a wizard specializing in the control of water flows, through deals with the Sea God Sect.


    But unexpectedly, just as he was about to advance, his plans came undone!


    The most crucial defensive tier-one water witchcraft ''surrounding water flow'', which he had just obtained at a huge cost from the Sea God Sect, got lost before he could learn it in battle.


    Not to mention his dream of advancement was shattered, but his Black Sail Pirates that he had nurtured for years was also nearly wiped out.


    Wolod harbored a deep hatred for the Empire because of this!


    "Where is this?" Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It looks like an offshore island." Wolod looked around into the distance. He noticed a grey line on the horizon and knew it was the continental line.


    As the saying goes, the most dangerous places are the safest.


    His water clone had headed into the open sea, and now he found himself near the coast.


    Moreover, Cassella, the Sea God Sect''s regional head known as the Deep Water Lord, was fleeing into the open sea. The Imperial Navy and the Church of the Goddess would likely be deployed en masse to pursue her.


    He could take advantage of this small island to rest and recover from his injuries for a couple of days. As long as his combat power was restored, he had nothing to fear.


    After a bit of contemplation, Wolod had planned his next few days.


    Suddenly, Wolod''s figure gradually disappeared into the palm forest of the small island.

 Chapter 211 The Presence of a Legendary Profession! (Two Chapters Combined into One)

    [Note: After advancing to a Weapon Master (Legendary), the Knight (Transcendent) class panel will be overridden.]Yes!


    [Initiating class change... Continuing transformation...]


    [Ding! Class change to Weapon Master (Legendary) successful! Constitution +5, Strength +5, Agility +5, Spirit +3!]


    [Ding! Host has entered the Legendary tier, total number of class panels +1, current limit of class panels is 5.]


    [Received Weapon Master (Legendary) exclusive talent: Primary Weapon Mastery (Passive)]


    [Received Weapon Master (Legendary) exclusive talent: Primary Extraordinary Understanding (Passive)]


    [Transcendent trait ''Steel Skin lv3'' evolved into talent: Primary Steel Body (Passive)]


    [Transcendent trait ''Huge Strength lv3'' evolved into talent: Primary Huge Strength (Active)]


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host possesses the core skill ''Strength Burst'' which can be fused with the talent ''Primary Huge Strength'', automatically initiating fusion...]


    [Ding! Fusion successful!]


    [Talent: Primary Huge Strength (Active) upgraded to Talent: Intermediate Giant Force (Active)]


    ....


    After stepping into the role of a Weapon Master, Rein seemed to break through a deeper layer of shackles that had been constraining his body, located somewhere within.


    Now, Rein could feel every cell in his body buzzing with excitement and joy, a surging power coursing around him at this moment.


    The original Knight (Transcendent) panel had vanished without a trace, replaced by the Weapon Master (Legendary) class panel.


    The entire panel was also shimmering with a very special blue glow, distinctly different from the green glow of the previous Knight (Transcendent) class panel.


    The system notifications flooded the screen, almost too many for Rein to keep up with.


    But each item displayed warranted a detailed look, so Rein carefully reviewed them one by one.


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    Apart from Spirit, which had only increased by three points, all other attributes had risen by five points each!


    No wonder his body was filled with strength and vitality.


    His limit for the number of panels had increased by one, reaching a total of five (4/5).


    Seeing this, Rein couldn''t help but get excited.


    This meant that once he chose a new class, his strength would leap drastically once again!


    Next are the two ''Weapon Master (Legendary)'' exclusive talents.


    Rein focused his attention back on the Weapon Master (Legendary) class panel.


    But strangely, he couldn''t find the four talents that had just been notified by the system on the class panel.


    After searching around, Rein finally found the descriptions of these four talents below the Attributes section on the homepage.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Class: Weapon Master (Legendary) lv1 (0/100) / Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv6 (11/3000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (102/2000) / Armorsmith lv6 (211/3000)


    Constitution: 27


    Strength: 27


    Agility: 28


    Spirit: 31


    Remaining attribute points: 5


    Remaining skill points: 0


    Beneath the panel title, above the skill icons, several new lines of text had appeared:


    Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire


    [Weapon Master (Legendary) exclusive talent: Primary Weapon Mastery (Passive)]


    Primary Weapon Mastery (Passive) effect: The Weapon Master has a natural familiarity with various weapons, using any weapon comes with an ''Expertise lv1'' effect.


    (Note: ''Hammer Expertise lv3'' remains unchanged.)


    [Weapon Master (Legendary) exclusive talent: Primary Extraordinary Understanding (Passive)]


    Primary Extraordinary Understanding (Passive) effect: The Weapon Master picks up various combat skills effortlessly, learning any Extraordinary Battle Technique 30% faster.


    [Talent: Primary Steel Body (Passive)]


    Primary Steel Body (Passive) effect: The skin surface of the body is constantly interacting with the metallic elements around, greatly enhancing skin defensive power.


    (Note: Steel Body effect is positively correlated with Spirit.)


    [Talent: Intermediate Giant Force (Active)]


    Intermediate Giant Force (Active) effect: When used, Strength increases by up to 200%.


    (Note: The duration is related to Constitution.)


    (Note: The enhancement range can be controlled freely between 1% and 200%.)


    (Note: None of the talents can be increased with skill points.)


    Rein looked at the two exclusive talents of the Weapon Master and pondered.


    Perhaps, the reason the system recognizes the Weapon Master as a Legendary class is because of these two additional exclusive talents.


    It''s very likely that if he had changed class to a Great Knight, these two talents probably wouldn''t have appeared.


    Also, he was starting to understand why the Weapon Master, like a full-fledged Wizard, was also a Legendary class.


    That''s because this class has an extremely high potential for growth!


    Learning Extraordinary Battle Techniques 30% faster �C what does that mean?


    It means that as time goes by, as long as Rein continues to learn and improve his combat skill levels, his repertoire of tactics for dealing with opponents will grow larger and larger.


    Rein had already made up his mind.


    In the future, if he encountered any decent Extraordinary Battle Techniques, he would definitely claim them all.


    Of course, there''s no rush for this; he still has an Extraordinary archery skill he hasn''t learned yet, the ''Blood Fury Archery'' from ''Bloody Shooter'' Phil Kraz.


    But immediately, another problem came to Rein''s mind.


    That was, for him, learning these Extraordinary Combat Skills would naturally be much easier than for others, but the issue lies in the fact that different combat skills require different weapons to execute, and that could become a problem.


    He''d need many weapons.


    For no reason at all, Rein''s mind suddenly conjured an image of a Peking opera ''Daomadan'' character, with four different colored flags attached to their back.


    Except, he imagined himself equipped with four different weapons...


    No, in the future, four types would definitely not be enough, perhaps it would be six!


    Rein suddenly found himself at a loss for words...

 Chapter 211 The Presence of a Legendary Profession! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    If it really came down to that, this setup would be absolutely extraordinary!Of course, there''s another method �C arranging a team of Knight Attendants, with each person carrying a different type of weapon for him.


    It''s just....


    This spectacle seems a bit too grand....


    And far too eye-catching!


    After some thought, failing to come up with any good solution, Rein shook his head slightly and continued to read on.


    To his surprise, the two Transcendent characteristics of a Knight had actually transformed into talents.


    This brought a bit of secret delight to Rein; the advanced Magic Potion he had taken was of high quality, otherwise, he might now be lacking the ''Steel Body'' talent.


    The last talent, which was also the only one that had reached a mid-tier level, was the result of the system merging ''Huge Strength'' and ''Strength Burst''.


    Just as Rein was about to continue reading, a knock sounded at the door.


    "Thump thump thump!"


    "Baron Sir, Major Maryka and Miss Vinica are already waiting for you in the dining room for dinner," reported the servant outside the door.


    Rein glanced at the clock and realized that it was already seven o''clock in the evening, without him noticing. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "All right! I''ll be right there."


    His Spirit lifted at the happy occasion!


    During dinner, both Maryka and Vinica could feel the joy in Rein''s expression.


    The two women exchanged glances, both a bit puzzled and unable to fathom the reason for a while.


    Could it be because of the resolution of the issues with the Sea God Sect and the pirates?


    After dinner, Rein informed the Reiman brothers that he would need to go out the next day, and the administrative affairs of Fishing Port Town would be left to them.


    In addition, he held onto his brother, Cobert Reiman.


    "Cobert, in a while, I''ll propose to Count Habs that I step down from my dual roles as the Governor and the Marshal of Fishing Port Town, and for that position, I''d like to recommend you as the Governor. I''d like to hear your thoughts," Rein said.


    Actually, it was almost unnecessary to hear Cobert''s opinion once Rein finished speaking.


    Just from the joy that spread across Cobert''s face, it wasn''t hard to guess that he was very interested in Rein''s proposal.


    "Baron Sir, are you really planning to step down as the Governor of Fishing Port Town? In fact, we could serve as the Marshal to help you share some of the workload," Cobert said, rubbing his hands together.


    Rein smiled; he could clearly hear the underlying message in Cobert''s words.


    However, he wasn''t being modest; he truly no longer had the time to serve as the Governor of Fishing Port Town.


    "Let''s settle it then; I''ll write a letter to Count Habs later," Rein said, waving his hand.


    That decision was made.


    That night, Rein didn''t get a chance to test out his new Weapon Master talents.


    Instead, he went to the Blacksmith''s shop to have bladed Finger Tigers installed on his plate gauntlets.


    ...


    -----------------


    The following morning.


    At the Imperial Navy''s South Sea Fleet, a small team was heading out to sea in a dinghy.


    They were the ''Fish-Dragon Squad,'' responsible for pursuing Valod. They belonged to the Empire Navy''s special division ''Tide Walkers,'' structurally similar to the Empire''s ''Sword Bearers'' organization, but covering a much smaller scope.


    The name ''Tide Walkers'' actually held a deeper meaning, as it originated from a passage recorded in ancient texts: ''The Titan Giants... Striding upon the tides... Defeated the old gods.''


    "Captain, I heard that Valod has escaped in the direction of the open sea?" a young team member asked.


    A staunch middle-aged man with a goatee nodded and stayed silent.


    "This is troublesome," another member muttered while seemingly reviewing aggregated intelligence.


    He continued, "Valod is seriously wounded, and his most likely choice would be to land around Meister County Fishing Port Town or to hide on some small island, waiting to recover before moving inland again."


    "That would allow him to evade our search in the short term."


    "Landing in Fishing Port Town? It''s not impossible... He would need a place with people to secure supplies," another team member nodded, agreeing with the analysis.


    "What''s the defensive power like in Fishing Port Town?" asked the goatee-bearing captain in a deep and resonant voice.


    The young analyst, hearing the captain inquire, perked up and said:


    "Captain, while Fishing Port Town does have a certain level of defensive power, it pales in comparison to Valod''s strength."


    "According to intelligence, aside from two veteran Knights leading an elite team sent out by Earl Habs of Meister County, there''s also a special corps from our Imperial Navy in Fishing Port Town."


    "Is it the task force sent out by the Sixth Fleet?"


    "Yes, Captain Baron!"


    "Seems like the only person with some fighting capability is a young girl, right?" Captain Baron tried to recall, mumbling to himself.


    "Yes, captain, the strongest combatant in the special corps is called Vinica, an eighteen-year-old girl who is an apprentice to Master Annius, specializing in avian transmutation, a third-level Wizard Apprentice."


    "Specializing in what?"


    "Avian transmutation?"


    "Eighteen years old?"


    "A young girl?"


    "The Sixth Fleet sure has a big heart!" Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    "I wonder which general gave that order, unbelievable..."


    A few young team members behind Baron couldn''t help exchanging surprised glances and whispering among themselves!


    "Uh...can''t really blame the Sixth Fleet. They dispatched this team initially for intelligence gathering; they weren''t expecting to engage in direct combat," the young analyst who had made the previous comment added on reflex.


    "A third-level wizard apprentice specializing in avian transmutation? Even though that''s also a third-level wizard, there''s not much combat strength to speak of," Captain Baron frowned as he listened, shaking his head slightly before sighing.

 Chapter 211 The Grandeur of Legendary Professions! (Combined Mega Chapter)_3

    ```"Let''s hope Volod doesn''t go straight for Fishing Port Town."


    They had been careless this time, deceived by Volod''s water clone; they had almost reached the open sea before realizing they had been chasing a clone all along.


    As it was a water-based cloning technique, it lasted especially long in the sea, and the effect was exceptionally good; it had almost fooled them all. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Baron recalled the situation at the time.


    The young man analyzing the intelligence flipped to the last few pages, seeming to find something interesting; he raised his eyebrows and said:


    "Huh, Captain, I''ve looked at the latest intelligence, and the governor of Fishing Port Town is a baron named Rein. His strength seems quite formidable; perhaps he can put up a fight."


    "What strength?" Baron couldn''t help but turn to look at his subordinate, asking with a hint of confusion.


    "This... it says here he''s a Peak Knight."


    "Peak Knight?" Captain Baron looked at his subordinate in surprise.


    He did not believe his subordinates were incapable of assessing Volod''s strength; several captains of the Navy''s sixth-tier ships had died at the hands of the enemy.


    Weren''t those captains all Peak Knights?


    And they were the kind that had been battle-hardened!


    "Uh... Captain Baron, this Baron Rein seems a bit special. His intelligence file has a piece of confidential information; it says he was the top of the imperial examination for knighthood in the Mingster Province from the winter batch of Imperial Calendar year 2334."


    "Top of the examination?" Several young men turned their heads to look at their analyzing teammate.


    "This is a bit tricky to say." Baron immediately fell into contemplation.


    "However... the winter batch of Imperial Calendar year 2334? That was just over a month ago; I''m afraid he hasn''t grown into his potential yet."


    "Maybe he can hold his own for a bit, but it''s very likely he won''t win against Volod."


    "...."


    Several teammates began to discuss among themselves.


    "From another perspective, if such a talent were to die before his time, it would be a loss for the empire," Captain Baron said solemnly.


    "Odward, speed up to Fishing Port Town!"


    "Yes, Captain!" Immediately, the teammate named Odward at the stern began to cast a certain witchcraft, and with a burst of blue light, the speed of their small boat suddenly increased by two levels.


    Like an arrow loosed from its bow, it split the waves and sped towards the coastal area....


    -----------------


    Almost at the same time, Rein and Vinica boarded a small boat, heading towards the target island.


    Rein had declined the Reiman brothers'' suggestion to bring more hands. Accompanied by two prospective knights for protection,


    First because Fishing Port Town itself was lacking in defense capability, and second, sometimes it was easier to move with fewer people.


    So, this time Rein had Mary pick two team members from the naval task force who were adept at handling boats to accompany them.


    As it was an external mission, Vinica had changed into her pale blue, wide wizard robe, which concealed her lovely figure.


    As they gradually approached the island, they could see the shore dotted with many stilt houses; they could vaguely make out several humanoid creatures wandering about, seemingly fishing by the shore.


    Rein focused his gaze.


    They were likely the Black Gill fish-people.


    Compared to the Evil Fin fish-people he had once slain in Flashgold Town, these Black Gill fish-people were a pale black color, their bodies also covered with fine, slippery scales.


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    However, they were noticeably taller, averaging about 1.6 meters in height, and they also seemed to be stronger.


    Overall, compared to the Evil Fin fish-people, these Black Gill fish-people were larger in size!


    It seemed as Weilun had once said, ''The strength of Black Gill fish-people is a notch higher than that of Evil Fin fish-people.''


    As they drew closer,


    the forms of their enemies became clearer.


    They had a pair of bulging, bubble-like eyes on their fish heads, plus a big mouth full of sharp teeth that reeked of a fishy smell, though they lacked the distinctive dorsal fin the Evil Fin fish-people had on their backs.


    Their hands and feet had webs, and the weapons they held were also diverse, mostly poor-quality weapons like harpoons, spears, and large knives.


    "Lord Rein, do we need to find a shore without Black Gill fish-people to land?" asked a task force member with a serious face.


    Facing so many Black Gill fish-people, he was sure he could not cope if it came to a siege.


    But... with Lord Rein present, it was a different matter.


    Rein glanced around and noticed the stilt houses of Black Gill fish-people scattered all along the beach; finding a suitable landing point would likely take some time.


    Therefore, he shook his head and said, "No need, just land."


    The Black Gill fish-people were also bullies who feared the strong; seeing only four people in Rein''s group, several Black Gill fish-people quickly ran towards their camp. Soon, with loud cries, they brandished their weapons and started to hunt.


    "Gibberish" Amid the clamor, about twenty to thirty Black Gill fish-people warriors armed with various harpoons, knives, and clubs surged out, charging at Rein and his companions from both sides, full of menace.


    Seeing the Black Gill fish-people closing in, but with Baron Rein still standing calmly at the front, seemingly unfazed, the two task force members exchanged glances and couldn''t help but say, "Lord Rein...."


    "No rush, leave it to me." Rein said calmly.


    When the Black Gill fish-people got within about ten meters, close enough to smell the strong sea funk, Rein suddenly made his move.


    ```

 Chapter 211 The Grandeur of Legendary Professions! (Combined Mega Chapter)_4

    He pulled out the dark two-handed warhammer from behind, and immediately, with gravel flying underfoot, leapt high into the air, raising the warhammer with both hands and slammed it down heavily on the sandy beach!It was the secret move of the Tokkal Hammer Technique, the "Earth-splitting Hammer!"


    "Boom!"


    A visible blast of air, mixed with gravel, swept through all the black-jaw fishmen warriors in the fan-shaped area ahead at high speed!


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    When the shockwave had swept through, all the black-jaw fishmen warriors, as if struck by an immobilization spell, stood still in place.


    The next second, a rapid succession of bursting sounds emanated from the bodies of the black-jaw fishmen!


    The fishmen, like snakes with their spines removed, collapsed limply onto the beach.


    With just one strike, Reine had dealt with over thirty black-jaw fishmen warriors!


    "(Fishman Language) Walululu~~~"


    Seeing this, the black-jaw fishmen in the distance panicked and hastily turned and scattered!


    Too weak...


    Reine couldn''t help feeling a bit of regret in his heart.


    The first battle after his promotion to the "Legendary" class of Weapon Master was against these black-jaw fishmen.


    It truly felt like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.


    Although, compared to the evil-fin fishmen, these black-jaw fishmen were a notch stronger, and among this group of warriors, there were two or three particularly strong individuals at the level of quasi-knights.


    However, compared to Reine from half a year ago, his strength had undergone earth-shattering changes.


    "You two just wait here for us; the fishmen should not come back. If there really is any unexpected situation, you can retreat immediately. We will send up a flare when we are done."


    Reine turned and spoke to the two stunned special task force members.


    "Okay... okay... sir!" The task force members still hadn''t snapped out of it and stared dumbfounded at the beach, where the impact wave had carved away several dozen centimeters of gravel over several tens of meters.


    And on Vinica''s pretty face, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly in a smile that could hardly be suppressed, and her beautiful eyes frequently sized up Reine, full of fascination.


    However, Reine didn''t notice this; at the moment, he was looking at the system prompts:


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +27]


    [You have experienced a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Professional Experience Points +7]


    ...


    Clearly, compared to the Knight (Transcendent), the Weapon Master (Legendary) earned far fewer Professional Experience Points.


    After a moment''s thought, Reine figured that this was probably because the strength of the black-jaw fishmen was too weak.


    To earn decent Experience Points at the "Legendary" level, one should kill those at the "Transcendent" level, whereas killing those below the "Transcendent" level greatly reduces the Experience Points.


    Just then, a larger-than-average white seagull cried out from the sky, quickly spiraled down, and, flapping its wings, landed on Vinica''s right arm.


    A few seconds later, Vinica turned her head in surprise and said to Reine:


    "Lord Reine, Major Marika just urgently notified us, saying that she received the latest intelligence from the fleet."


    "They are pursuing a high-ranking member of the Black Sail Pirates, the gang leader known as ''Skull Crusher'' Wolod Nihalu, who might not have fled to the high seas but instead, has moved to the nearby sea area."


    "Major Marika instructed us to be very cautious and advised that it''s best to return to Fishing Port Town now."


    "As for Fishing Port Town, she asked you to rest assured, she has already coordinated with the Reiman brothers to strengthen its defense, with 24-hour patrols now in place."


    Black Sails Pirate Crew captain?


    Rein was startled to hear that, wasn''t that the pirate crew ''Blood Shooter'' Phil Kraz belonged to?


    Last time, it was Phil Kraz the vice-captain, now it''s the captain? Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    That indeed is a deep connection!


    However, he quickly collected himself and nodded, saying, "Yes, Major Mary is very meticulous. By the way, Miss Vinica, do you know anything about this captain of the Black Sails Pirate Crew?"


    Vinica nodded, her expression becoming serious as she explained:


    "Yes, I have heard of some deeds of this person nicknamed ''Skull Crusher.''


    "For instance, he once killed three captains of the South Sea Fleet''s Level 6 patrol ships, all of whom were navy colonels and had reached the level of Peak Knights, yet they all died by his hand."


    "Furthermore, this man is not only a seasoned Great Knight but also a seasoned level three Wizard Apprentice, just a step away from becoming a full-fledged wizard, making him extremely difficult to handle."


    "So, even though this ''Skull Crusher'' is already on the Imperial Navy''s wanted list, relying on the myriad of islets scattered across the nearby seas, he frequently plays hide-and-seek with the South Sea Fleet, evading capture for the time being."


    However, Vinica''s furrowed brows soon relaxed.


    Turning to Rein with a smile, she said:


    "However, it''s unlikely to be such a coincidence!"


    "Hehe, Lord Reine, with such a long coastal line, the chances of us encountering them are really small, let''s continue searching for Ironbeak Sea Eagle chicks."


    "After all, if we pass this recent period, the chicks will have grown, and the success rate of witchcraft will be greatly reduced."


    Rein smiled and nodded, saying, "Good!"


    It''s not that Rein didn''t value the urgent information provided by Major Mary, but because what Vinica said indeed matched his thoughts at the moment.


    However... deep inside, Rein didn''t mind encountering the captain of the Black Sails Pirate Gang by chance.


    A seasoned Great Knight and a seasoned level three Wizard Apprentice, huh?


    He wondered, compared to him, a novice Weapon Master and level three Wizard Apprentice, who would be stronger or weaker?


    If he had not been promoted to ''Weapon Master'' before, Rein might have worried about being in trouble if he couldn''t beat him.


    But now it was different; he was actually worried about lacking strong enough opponents to test his skills.


    If he could encounter this so-called ''Skull Crusher'' by chance, that would be fortunate. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But soon, Rein shook his head slightly, thinking, indeed, with such a long coastline, not knowing where the enemy might land, combined with the many islands scattered across the nearby regions.


    If he could stumble upon them, that would truly be miraculous!


    Wolod, on the other side of the island, suddenly woke up from a deep sleep, murmuring, "Eh? No earthquake?


    "But I definitely felt a slight tremor just now."


    Wolod looked at the sun rising above the sea level, knowing it was morning already.


    "Never mind, let''s get up and find something to eat!"


    "I wonder when someone from the Eagle Federation will come for me."


    "I already contacted them yesterday using the communication witchcraft device given by a spy from the Eagle Federation; they should find me within the next day or two."


    It wasn''t that Wolod wanted to be a dog for the Eagle Federation, but thinking about his promotion that fell through at the last moment and his painstakingly built Black Sails Pirate Crew being destroyed by the Imperial Navy all at once!


    Wolod felt he couldn''t swallow that disgrace; he couldn''t settle his mind without avenging this vendetta!

 Chapter 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    As Rein and Vinica made their way toward the cliff where the Ironbeak Sea Eagles nested, Rein checked the status of his freshly advanced class from yesterday, the Weapon Master (Legendary).In the corner below the bolded words "Weapon Master (Legendary)," a few lines of small text were visible:


    Physical First Order Breakthrough Limit (100%)


    Physical Second Order Breakthrough Limit (17%)


    (Note: Original Strength is approximately equal to the Physical Second Order Breakthrough Limit.)


    The power of Rein''s recent strike was much stronger than before.


    On one hand, it was due to an increase of five points in the basic attributes of Strength, Agility, and Constitution, and on the other, the previously capped Breakthrough Limit could now be exceeded.


    In fact, as soon as Rein saw the description of the Physical Second Order Breakthrough Limit, he had a suspicion.


    It seemed that the path of the Knight truly focused on pursuing the development of one''s own body, or rather, unlocking the body, thereby obtaining transcendental combat prowess.


    Also, during the battle with the Black Cheeked Fishmen, Rein had a chance to test out his understanding of how the First and Second Order Breakthrough Limits contributed to the enhancement of his attributes.


    The method was essentially the same as before.


    Assuming a basic Agility of 10 points, with the activation of the First Order Physical Breakthrough Limit, it would increase by 100%, becoming 20 points, calculated as 10 times (1+100%).


    Now, however, it would be 10 times (1+100%+17%), and not 10 times (1+100%) and then times (1+17%).


    Simply put, the increases from the First and Second Order Breakthrough Limits were additive, and 10 points of Agility could be boosted to 21.7.


    As for the calculation of Strength, the bonus from the talent ''Intermediate Giant Strength'' needed to be included.


    If the base Strength was also 10 points, then it would be 10 times (1+100%+17%+200%), which is clearly a terrifying increase.


    10 points of Strength, when fully exerted, could reach an extent of 41.7.


    Of course, such a full exertion would drain a great deal of stamina, and on the other hand, if one''s Constitution couldn''t keep up, there could be side effects such as muscle soreness or even outright paralysis.


    Rein had already experienced this firsthand.


    Switching the interface back to the homepage��attributes page��Rein looked at his four talents and began to comprehend something.


    Why are talents so important?


    Because if someone was born with the Junior Giant Strength Talent, once they became an adult, their base Strength would be slightly weaker compared to that of a formal Knight, but with the enhancement from the talent,


    in terms of Strength alone, they could completely compete with formal Knights, even senior ones.


    And if one possessed the Intermediate Giant Strength Talent... then as an adult, they could compete with Peak Knights; no wonder some races documented in ancient books were so formidable in battle.


    Walking beside Rein, Vinica, wearing a light blue robe, was clearly in high spirits, her beautiful eyes casting frequent glances toward Rein. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With Rein at her side, she felt an inexplicable sense of security.


    Moreover, whether it was an illusion or not, Vinica''s keen senses told her that Lord Rein in front of her seemed to have undergone some mysterious change since yesterday.


    This change was hard to define; it was as if Lord Rein had become more charismatic.


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    Due to the choice of their landing location, they were quite near to the cliff where the Ironbeak Sea Eagles nested.


    So, in less than twenty minutes, Rein and Vinica both arrived at the base of the cliff.


    The cliff was a formidable four to five dozen meters high and almost vertical, but the rock face was pockmarked with exposed brown rocks, which made it clear to Rein that climbing would not be difficult for him.


    The several huge Ironbeak Sea Eagles soaring above the cliff appeared to have noticed the unwelcome guests and began circling in the sky, observing Rein and Vinica.


    Rein looked up and scrutinized the Ironbeak Sea Eagles.


    The creatures were entirely brown with a wingspan of at least three meters. The iron beaks were black, curved, hook-shaped, and extremely sharp. From their appearance, their temperament seemed quite ferocious.


    Rein nodded to himself internally.


    Indeed, these birds, with the beginnings of vicious strength, could certainly be considered for him to capture a fledgling as his third pet and slowly train it later on.


    "Miss Vinica, is there anything specific you need me to do?" Rein asked.


    "Lord Rein, in a moment, I''ll have Big White attract the attention of the Ironbeak Sea Eagles. Then, I will rely on you to climb the cliff and catch a few of these Ironbeak Sea Eagle chicks," Vinica replied.


    "I only need three fledglings, and after you come down, I will cast the Mist Technique. Using the cover of the mist, we can safely leave this place," she added.


    Vinica clearly had experience and organized her plan methodically.


    "Oh, and Lord Rein," she continued, "the iron beak of the Ironbeak Sea Eagle is very powerful. A mere peck can breach the skulls of most animals once grasped in its talons."


    "Although it might not pose a threat to you, I would still urge you to be cautious," she cautioned.


    In fact, after arriving here, Vinica could have managed on her own, but she was quite looking forward to some interaction with Rein.


    "Understood, Miss Vinica," Rein nodded his response.


    Vinica needed three chicks, and with one for himself, it meant that he had to bring down at least four fledglings.


    "Lord Rein, when you''re ready, I''ll send Big White out," Vinica said.


    "Ready," Rein affirmed.


    Then, under Vinica''s command, the giant white owl Big White, covered in a pale blue water film, took flight towards the cliff, immediately provoking the Ironbeak Sea Eagles.

 Chapter 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    It was only a few seconds before the giant white owl entangled itself in a midair battle with four or five iron-billed sea eagles, sending feathers flying in disarray.Rein knew the opportunity was ripe and immediately began to ascend the cliffside.


    After several agile steps, Rein quickly arrived at an iron-billed sea eagle''s nest, where he saw two downy eaglets crying out, one of which seemed to have just hatched, barely opening its eyes.


    Are there two in a nest?


    After a moment of thought, Rein decided not to take them all and instead chose to carry off the younger chick before heading to the second sea eagle''s nest.


    "Huh, this isn''t a sea eagle egg, is it?"


    In the second nest, Rein looked with some surprise at the purple giant egg, which was clearly a different color and much larger than the broken shells beside it.


    ...


    As the battle between the giant white owl and the iron-billed sea eagles broke out,


    The cries of the iron-billed sea eagles, sharp and piercing, carried far and wide.


    At this time, on the other side of the island, ''Skull Crusher'' Walroth was grill-roasting a large fish by a campfire.


    Barely making out the cries of the iron-billed sea eagles, Walroth narrowed his eyes and listened intently.


    Huh? Seems like the cry of some kind of eagle.


    From the density and urgency of these calls, are they in combat?


    A frown creased Walroth''s brow, and he immediately rose from below the tree, pacing back and forth in thought among the palm trees.


    The eagle''s natural predators are few; what could have caused such cries unless someone is fighting with them?


    No good, I need to investigate.


    If it''s the imperial navy or a pursuit team from the mainland, I''m at a disadvantage.


    Walroth swiftly snatched up his fish and kicked sand, extinguishing the campfire with a sweep of gravel.


    Then, he turned heel and hastened toward the direction of the sea eagle''s cries.


    ...


    Minutes later,


    Walroth arrived near the cliffside, just below where the giant white owl and iron-billed sea eagles were engaged in battle.


    "Huh, this owl, could it be the bird transformation technique?" Walroth looked up, pupils contracting as he murmured.


    At the same time, he saw a beautiful girl in a light blue robe and a young man in knight''s plate armor, holding four or five chicks as well as a purple egg.


    At that moment, the young man in armor was quickly closing the distance to the girl.


    "Huh? High-grade knight''s plate armor? That must be some noble''s offspring." Walroth eyed the noble crest on Rein''s breastplate closely, guessing at Rein''s identity.


    Soon, Walroth''s attention turned to the girl.


    The sea breeze brushed past, outlining the beautiful curves of the girl in her flowing robe, prompting Walroth to lick his slightly cracked lips.


    As former captain of the Black Sail pirates, Walroth used to have his fill of women, but times were now different. Having fled in disarray for days, he hadn''t known the taste of flesh for some time.


    "Tsk, tsk, seems my luck isn''t bad��running into a female Wizard Apprentice, and these two must be a couple."


    "The sweet love between a knight and a girl?"


    "So tempting to shatter it!"


    Being an experienced level-three Wizard Apprentice and a seasoned Great Knight himself, Walroth quickly identified Vinica''s true identity as a Wizard Apprentice, which intrigued him even more.


    He also swiftly sketched out the likely relationship between the two.


    The young knight must be accompanying the girl to capture the young iron-billed sea eagles. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Being a combination of knight and Wizard Apprentice, their safety in this nearby sea region wasn''t a concern, so after searching around, Walroth found no one else nearby.


    Unfortunately, you two happened upon me...


    A sinister smile crept onto Walroth''s face.


    Break the young man''s spine, then make him watch as I ravage the girl...


    Thinking of this scene got Walroth excited...


    He immediately cast the Water Mirror Technique on himself, cloaking his form in a layer of mysterious water, making him vanish from sight.


    From the side, one could see Walroth disappear in place, obscured by the water mirror that allowed bystanders to see it, but not his figure.


    The effect of the Water Mirror Technique was similar to the famed Invisibility Spell.


    Although Walroth regarded Rein as merely a knight of moderate skill, he still opted for an ambush, hoping to win with a single strike.


    For a seasoned Great Knight like him to ambush a young knight was a low move, something perhaps only Walroth would stoop to.


    He planned to strike from behind with one blow, aiming to break the young man''s spine then and there.


    The opponent would only suffer and wriggle on the ground.


    Although the girl was a Wizard Apprentice, she would likely be overwhelmed, and he should be able to end the fight within a few seconds.


    Otherwise, a knight teamed with a Wizard Apprentice could cause him some trouble, leading to unforeseen complications.


    He couldn''t forget that he was still being pursued by the imperial navy. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    The next second, Walroth, carrying the Skull Warhammer, pushed off with his toes and lunged directly at Rein''s back!


    From the side, one could only see a distorted transparent figure flicker behind Rein!


    In an instant, a level-three danger perception alarm blared frantically for Rein.


    With Rein facing Veronica, and the attack coming from his back,

 Chapter 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    So, Rein instantly made a combat judgment, he could not dodge the opponent''s attack now and had only to withstand it.As Rein turned around, "Click!" the blade Finger Tigers shot out, and he crossed his arms in front of his chest.


    At that moment, a few meters in front of Rein, a flurry of light and shadow flashed, and suddenly, where there had been no one before, a sinister man holding a Skull Warhammer abruptly appeared.


    And just as the man appeared, his attack followed!


    "Clang!!!"


    Rein took the blow with the blade Finger Tigers on his armored gloves, but in the haste, he could not muster his strength. Rein was hit like he''d been struck by a cannonball, and his body was instantly flung seven or eight meters back, crashing heavily against the cliff behind him!


    "Boom!!!"


    At the cliff, dust billowed!


    Without looking, one knew that Rein''s entire body had been smashed into the cliff.


    "Eh, quite a quick reaction! Unfortunately, the outcome will not change," Vallord said, showing slight surprise at Rein''s ability to react to his surprise attack and turn to block.


    But once his strike hit, he knew it was all over!


    Even if the opponent were a Great Knight, he would be severely injured under his surprise attack, let alone this young man.


    Suddenly, Vinica let out a piercing scream!


    She then somewhat frantically cast a Water Membrane Technique to protect her body and began to rummage through her chest for something.


    After landing his blow, Vallord was no longer in a rush to attack again.


    Instead, he regarded the beautiful young girl before him with interest.


    Seeing the panicked expression on the girl''s face brought a perverse pleasure to Vallord''s heart.


    "Don''t move! Take your hands out," Vallord commanded, lifting his white Skull Warhammer.


    At that moment, Vinica glanced at the white Skull Warhammer in his hand and seemed to realize something. She tremblingly extended her fair fingers, pointing at Vallord and said, "You...you are ''Skull Crusher'' Vallord, the leader of the Bloodsail Pirate gang!"


    Hearing the girl''s words, Vallord was obviously startled and glanced at her, slightly surprised.


    "Eh, you actually know me?"


    Vallord scrutinized the young girl before him carefully. She wore a pale blue Wizard Robe, and additionally, her bird seemed vaguely familiar. He hazarded a guess at her background and said gravely, "You are with the Empire''s navy."


    Before Vinica could answer, Vallord discerned the answer he wanted from the girl''s astonished eyes.


    This made his smile even brighter.


    This was really interesting!


    The Empire''s navy had just chased him like a dog at a loss, and now, he had ironically found a girl affiliated with the Empire''s navy, just right to quench his resentment.


    However, the next second, Vallord''s smile froze.


    He felt something was amiss.


    He immediately looked to the side.


    Vallord''s eyes widened in disbelief at the scene before him.


    Where the cliff was, after the dust had settled, the young knight who should have been embedded in the cliff had disappeared.


    This alarmed him immediately!


    In the next second, he felt a wind at the back of his head, only to see a silhouette swinging down a Two-Handed Warhammer at him!


    Vallord instantly turned to block!


    "Clang!!!"


    The grating noise of the hard object striking echoed!


    Vallord firmly caught Rein''s strike.


    Although Rein had not pushed his Intermediate Giant Strength Talent to its utmost, at this moment, he was exercising at least over eighty percent of his strength, but Vallord managed to steady himself and catch this blow.


    Rein''s pupils contracted, indeed worthy of the Black Sail Pirate gang leader, very strong, and even stronger than the rebel General Parix.


    On the contrary, Vallord was more surprised!


    Being a senior Great Knight himself and having attacked a knight by surprise, it was impossible for the other party to be unharmed!


    It''s really unbelievable!


    The fact that Rein had just been flung by Vallord''s blow was not because his danger perception hadn''t worked.


    Having been alerted in advance, Rein was mentally prepared and his muscles tensed, taking the nearly full force of the other''s surprise attack.


    Otherwise, any Great Knight in that situation would have been severely injured by Vallord''s surprise attack.


    At this point, besides the Water Membrane steel armguard on Rein''s arm being severely dented, the rest of his body, thanks to the "Steel Body" talent, was practically unharmed.


    While both were lost in their thoughts, the fighting on the scene grew increasingly intense.


    Rein took the force of the leap to swing his dark hog-head hammer again, deploying the heavy hammer jump strike!


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    Vallord''s surprise grew even more! sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had thought his recent block would have flung Rein several meters away, but what he hadn''t anticipated was that the opponent had almost simultaneously absorbed the shock from the collision of the hammers and then launched another attack!


    "Clang!"


    Rein followed one blow with another, launching a fierce attack at Vallord!


    Rein''s attack speed became faster and faster, the dark hog-head hammer now barely discernible in outline, and the sound of hammer striking hammer was so fast it almost felt like a continuous line!


    This sight left Vinica beside them with wide eyes and her small cherry lips agape as if she could stuff an apple into her mouth!


    "This...this..."


    "According to the information, Vallord is both a senior Great Knight and a senior third-level Wizard Apprentice...nearly stepping into a full-fledged Wizard."

 Chapter 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "But looking at the battle, Lord Reine was not at all inferior to his opponent, he even had a slight upper hand!"Facing this situation, Vinica felt a bit dizzy...


    After dozens of continuous strikes, Volod started to grow gradually impatient.


    As the leader of the Black Sail pirate crew, being pushed to this extent by someone much younger than him, he considered it a great disgrace to his face.


    This situation had to change!


    He suddenly let out a roar, the white bone hammer in his right hand started to vibrate violently, emitting a sound similar to a rattlesnake shaking its tail!


    "High-frequency shock!"


    Reine squinted his eyes, knowing that the other party was definitely using some kind of secret technique, possibly even a secret technique.


    But he was not intimidated at all, Reine also executed the Tokkal Hammer Technique''s secret technique "Earth-splitting Hammer," choosing to clash directly with the opponent''s trump card!


    ''Clang!!!''


    It was like the sound of thunder exploding!


    Both of them were blown away, not to mention neither could hold onto their violently vibrating hammers.


    Thus, one large, one small, one white, one black, both hammers flew out tens of meters away, but this made Volod''s heart leap with joy, a smile immediately appeared on his face.


    Kid, you''re done for!


    Without your handy weapon, let''s see how I deal with you!


    Volod swiftly drew his secondary weapon��a pale silver dagger of palm-length from his waist, whereas Reine in turn drew out the Dual-Handed Greatsword from his back.


    Volod smiled.


    Although it was rare to see someone like Reine carrying two heavy weapons, normally, one would generally have a primary weapon. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had already experienced Reine''s Two-Handed Warhammer.


    With that level of power and mastery, he knew the Two-Handed Warhammer must certainly be Reine''s primary weapon.


    So clearly, the greatsword was probably his secondary weapon, which meant that the mastery would inevitably drop by a notch or even two.


    Thus, he was not worried about the upcoming battle at all.


    But the next second, Volod''s expression froze!


    After taking a hit from Reine''s Smooth Cleaving Slash, Volod felt his right hand holding the dagger go numb��how could this be possible?


    An expert is revealed by a single move!


    The opponent''s greatsword was also that proficient?


    Actually, for Reine, using the greatsword or the Two-Handed Warhammer, the difference in combat ability was negligible.


    But compared to his single-handed Warhammer, Volod''s dagger was lacking by more than just one tier.


    Thus, contrary to Volod''s expectations, after both their hammers were dropped, Reine actually gained the upper hand!


    Therefore, Reine, wielding the greatsword, pursued and chopped at Volod rapidly, while Volod could only parry Reine''s greatsword slashes with his dagger very cautiously, retreating all the way to a rock wall.


    At this point, Vinica was already stunned!


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    She had completely loosened her grip on the ''Water Tomb'' Sorcery Scroll she was holding tightly.


    And facing Reine''s slashes, all Volod could do was stick close to the rock wall, dodging rapidly while blocking.


    With one advancing and the other retreating, the rock wall showed, in just a few seconds, over a hundred deep greatsword slash marks approximately twenty to thirty centimeters deep.


    Volod was already quite disheveled at this point, his eyes flickered, and he immediately became fierce, tearing off a diamond-shaped crystal amulet from around his neck.


    Vinica, upon seeing the danger, shouted "Watch out!" while hastily tearing open a Sorcery Scroll to cast the Water Membrane Technique on Rein.


    Because just a moment ago, she had felt that the opponent''s amulet contained a powerful aquatic energy.


    Although it might not quite match the "Tomb of Water" Sorcery Scroll given to her by her tutor, the energy fluctuations were nearly the same.


    The moment Reine saw the diamond-shaped crystal, alarm bells rang in his head, and with a tip of his toes, he immediately flew backward.


    As soon as the fierce-looking Wald crushed the amulet in his hands!


    "Splash!"


    Instantly, a basin-sized, rapidly spinning stream of water appeared out of nowhere in front of him.


    The water, like a cannonball, spun towards Rein!


    Due to the high speed, Reine could only perform a "defensive move" and block with his Dual-Handed Greatsword in front.


    With a loud "bang," Reine, along with his greatsword, was blown back more than ten meters; his greatsword flew out of his hand upon first contact with the "Vortex Strike"!


    Almost at the same instant, the light blue water membrane on Rein''s body burst apart!


    Following that, even the high-level knight''s breastplate was left with a large dent!


    However, after these two layers of defense had slowed the impact, Rein, relying on his innate "Steel Body," still managed to absorb the remaining force of the shock!


    Seeing Rein''s greatsword flying out of his hand and him being blown back more than ten meters, Wald''s face lit up with joy!


    "You little pest, you almost had me capsized in the gutter," he said.


    "Now just die quietly!"


    Proudly, Wald tapped his foot on the ground, causing the soil to burst, and like an arrow freed from its bow, he dashed straight towards Rein. Unexpectedly, the next second, Rein sprang up from where he was and counterattacked!


    "Cling clang cling clang!"


    Since Wald''s dagger was a short blade, and Rein''s Finger Tiger was also considered a short weapon, both were extremely fast in their attacks, making the sound of their weapons clashing almost constant.


    It was like the continuous sound of a string of firecrackers exploding!


    In Vinica''s eyes, she just saw two mists drifting around the cliff face.


    Around the mist were continuous sparks, like fireworks bursting in a tree!


    At the same time, if a spark accidentally scraped against the nearby cliff, the rock would immediately show claw-like marks from a dagger or blade.


    Impossible, how could this be possible?


    It absolutely couldn''t be!


    Wald felt that the young man before him had completely surpassed his understanding.


    So proficient in the warhammer!


    So proficient in the greatsword!


    Damn it, even this Finger Tiger is mastered so thoroughly!


    If the opponent were a nearly hundred-year-old man, it wouldn''t be so surprising, but looking at his age, he didn''t appear to be over 20 years old.


    Even if he had started training from the age of one, to have mastered any single weapon to this extent would already make him a top genius!


    But now it''s freakin'' three...


    How could there be such a person?


    At such a young age, to have mastered all three weapons to this extent?


    Right now, Wald''s brain was spinning so fast it was about to explode, yet he couldn''t figure out why!

 Chapter 213 This is a 3 Against 1! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)

    The continued high-intensity combat caused Volod''s movements to begin to slow down ever so slightly, although the change was minimal.But as his opponent, Rein acutely perceived this change in Volod.


    However, Volod didn''t take this change to heart because, although his stamina had drastically decreased, his opponent wouldn''t be faring any better, and their decrease was likely even greater.


    Although he was constantly blocking the attacks from the opponent''s Finger Tiger with his Dagger, because he couldn''t afford a single misstep, it was extremely draining on his Spirit, but the opponent''s previous swinging of the Two-Handed Warhammer and greatsword was equally exhausting. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Based on normal logic and his rich combat experience, Volod''s thoughts were definitely correct, however...


    The problem was that Rein had a cheat...


    Seeing that his opponent''s strength was beginning to decline, while his own was also decreasing, Rein almost without hesitation added a point to his Constitution Attribute.


    With the remaining attribute points going from 5��4, his Constitution also increased from 27 to 28 points.


    Suddenly, a surge of warm energy forcefully pumped out from his heart and rapidly spread throughout Rein''s entire body.


    In an instant, the slight soreness in his muscles and the sense of fatigue were swept away!


    Rein steadied his hands, and his speed and strength abruptly returned to the level they had been at the beginning of the fight, stable, precise, and powerful.


    Within just half a second, Volod sensed that something was off.


    Because of the relative change in efficiency, Rein''s transformation was unusually noticeable to him, as his opponent.


    Volod''s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Rein.


    The opponent definitely didn''t have time to use any potion, nor to cast witchcraft, so... how could he suddenly be rejuvenated?


    Volod only felt that Rein''s attacks suddenly became exceptionally fierce and aggressive!


    He found it increasingly difficult to defend himself, and one misguided move could result in Rein slicing four gashes in his body.


    The blades of the Finger Tiger were from General Parix of the Zaral resistance army, crafted from some kind of rare ore, and with Rein''s forceful chopping, as soon as they cut into Volod''s leather armor, they could instantly leave four gashes!


    As time passed...


    Volod''s movements became more and more sluggish, his eyes bloodshot as he exerted all his power, move after move, barely blocking Rein''s attacks, but the wounds on his body were not decreasing but multiplying.


    Several times, Volod tried to repel Rein, hoping to take the opportunity to pull out a potion to drink, or to pull out a Sorcery Scroll to release, but all were interrupted by Rein''s almost close-quarters high-speed boxing.


    At this stage of the fight, Rein had almost fully gauged the upper limit of Volod''s strength.


    Consequently, the turning point of the entire battle had arrived!


    "Hundred Crack Strike!"


    In an instant, the swinging speed of Rein''s left and right hands greatly increased, and the attack speed of the Finger Tiger completely went up a notch.


    As the targeted individual��Volod��only saw a blanket of cold gleams from Rein''s Finger Tiger enveloping him.


    This gave him quite a shock!


    As an experienced third-level Wizard Apprentice, if the enemy''s attack speed wasn''t so fast, he would at least have a chance to use a Sorcery Scroll, and if the opponent''s speed was even slower, Volod could have comfortably started chanting spells.


    But alas, ever since Rein switched to the Finger Tiger for combat, from beginning to end, Volod never had a moment''s respite.


    He was constantly fully focused on wielding his Dagger to defend, which meant he had no opportunity to use any means of witchcraft against Rein.


    And the only instant-cast witchcraft item��the crystal necklace sealed with "Vortex Strike" sorcery��had already been used by him, but unfortunately this rare magical artifact didn''t help Volod secure victory.


    In a moment, with over a hundred high-speed blades slicing through the air, the sound of them cutting the atmosphere arose!


    "Swoosh swoosh swoosh!"


    The earth beneath Volod''s feet exploded, the hard rocks of the surrounding cliffs turned to dust, and he retreated step by step until he embedded himself in the tough cliff wall, with nowhere else to go.


    Seconds later, the tough leather armor made from an unknown beast''s hide worn by Volod was shredded by Rein''s Kadar Martial Arts secret technique "Hundred Crack Strike Lv2," which by then hung in tattered strips like rags over his body.


    At this moment, Volod''s body was covered in dozens of wounds of various sizes and depths, profusely oozing crimson blood.


    Volod, with a fierce look on his face, struggled to walk out from the embedded rock, obviously unwilling to admit defeat, but the severe injuries to his limbs made it impossible for him to move freely.


    He began to quietly chant the spell for Hydrotherapy.


    Rein''s pupils shrank; even like this, he was planning to cast witchcraft to attack him?


    Immediately, Rein felt rather annoyed with this "obstinate" captain of the Black Sail Pirates.


    "Pffcht!"


    The next second, Volod was hit by Rein''s jab to the neck''s vital point.


    Volod clutched his neck, his eyes bulging, spewing mouthfuls of blood...


    Originally, Rein had intended to spare his life because, as the captain of the Black Sail Pirates, Volod would likely yield a lot of valuable information upon interrogation, but considering the recent events, this guy was simply too dangerous.


    Rein felt that it would be better to turn his opponent into a corpse that could no longer cast spells.


    Looking at Volod slowly collapsing, Rein turned to Vinica, who had been dumbfounded by the side, and said, "Let''s get out of here first!"

 Chapter 213 This is 3 Against 1! (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_2

    "Sure...sure, Lord Reine!" Vinica nodded immediately.At this moment, her head was still buzzing.


    Anything Lord Reine said, she would just nod her head in agreement.


    The main reason Reine wanted to leave in such a hurry was that the noise from his recent fight with Walrode had been too loud.


    Secondly, the smell of blood on the other party might attract some unnecessary trouble.


    So, for safety''s sake, it was better to leave this place first, especially since he and Vinica had already successfully completed their mission on this small island.


    As for the spoils of war, he planned to search Walrode''s body when he returned to Fishing Port Town. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The iron-beaked sea hawks that had been battling the giant white owl had now distanced themselves far from Reine, circling high above the cliff and not daring to come down.


    It seemed they had sensed that the two humans who had just fought below the cliff were extremely powerful, and their animal instincts completely deterred them from approaching.


    Meanwhile, Great White proudly chirped a few times, took the initiative to grab Reine''s greatsword with its right claw, and his war hammer with its left claw after Reine had killed Walrode.


    Additionally, Great White''s beak held Walrode''s white bone hammer, which had also fallen nearby, and it flapped its wings, gliding a short distance to Vinica''s side as if to show off its achievement.


    This made Vinica laugh, as she petted Great White''s head and said, "You''re quite clever."


    Seeing there was nothing amiss, Reine quickly picked up Walrode''s still-bleeding corpse and hurried towards the boat.


    Vinica, holding four fledglings and the big purple egg, quickly followed.


    When Reine and Vinica arrived at the landing point, two special task force members guarding the small boat stared in shock at the bloody corpse in Reine''s hand.


    The two were stunned for a full two seconds before they quickly ran over and took Walrode''s body.


    "Lord Reine, what... what has happened?" one of the task force members asked in alarm, glancing at Reine''s high-end armor which now had several dents and damages.


    He knew about Lord Reine''s strength, for the enemy to have caused so much damage to his expensive armor, their strength must have been extraordinary.


    Before Reine could answer, Vinica replied, "We were just ambushed by ''Skull Crusher'' Walrode, the leader of the Black Sail pirates, but... Lord Reine countered and killed him on the spot!"


    Hearing Vinica''s words, the two task force members trembled slightly, looking thunderstruck and stood still for a while, then looked at each other as if to confirm what they had just heard. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    They had, of course, heard of ''Skull Crusher'' Walrode.


    Especially since their mission this time, as part of the task force sent to Meister County, was to investigate the Sea God Sect and pirate strongholds, and they had carefully gone over the related materials.


    This Black Sail pirate leader, being a senior Great Knight and a Level Three Wizard Apprentice, to be reduced to a dead dog by Lord Reine?


    "Hey, what are you two blanking out for, come on and start the boat," Vinica said, looking at the two task force members, still in shock, and urged them on.


    "Okay...okay, Miss Vinica!"


    Thinking of the possible dangers ahead, the two boarded the small boat and immediately drove it back towards Fishing Port Town at high speed.


    -----------------


    An hour ago.


    ''Fisherdragon Squad'' had just arrived at Fishing Port Town.


    After interfacing with Major Marica of the naval special task force,


    Baron soon learned that the two highest combat powers of the task force, Level Three Wizard Apprentice Vinica and the current Governor of Fishing Port Town, Reine, had both gone to a distant island to capture the young fledglings of the iron-beaked sea hawk.


    This made him scowl and he scolded, "That''s complete madness!"


    "Both of them gone, the remaining defensive force of Fishing Port Town is virtually nonexistent. If Walrode truly lands here, there will be no one to delay his actions."


    "This... Captain Baron, we have made rather extensive and thorough arrangements," Major Marica explained.


    On the other hand, the Reiman brothers didn''t look too pleased; clearly, this captain didn''t seem to regard them highly.


    However, the Reiman brothers weren''t foolish to contradict this battle-hardened imperial navy veteran on the spot.


    Just from his formidable aura alone, they knew that Captain Baron was surely a seasoned warrior of the empire''s navy.


    At that moment, a member of the Fisherdragon Squad walked in solemnly and said in a deep voice, "Captain, my albatross just reported that there''s a high-intensity battle going on on that small island with the iron-beaked sea hawks."


    "Hmm?" Captain Baron couldn''t help but look surprised at his own squad member.


    And Major Marica turned pale, suddenly thinking of a possibility.


    Could it be that Reine and Vinica had really encountered ''Skull Crusher'' Walrode?


    Good heavens!


    "Could such a low-probability event actually happen?"


    The Reiman brothers glanced at each other quickly, remaining composed.


    Unlike the Fisherdragon Squad and Marica, who were anxious and worried, they seemed to have a mysterious confidence in Reine.

 Chapter 450 213 chapter This is 3 vs 1! (2-in-1 large chapter)_3

    Actually, it was because for a period before, the two brothers had been called by Lord Reine to spar several times, and even though they were fully armed in a two-on-one situation, they were beaten soundly.Moreover, this was when Lord Reine was unarmed.


    Therefore, they didn''t think the situation on the island was as bad as the few people in front of them imagined.


    "Let''s go, depart immediately!" Baron Captain thought briefly, then made his decision immediately.


    "I''ll go too," Major Mary said anxiously.


    "No, you''re a civilian. Stay in Fishing Port Town."


    Baron Captain rejected the idea outright.


    "Major Mary, perhaps, the situation might not be as unfavorable as you think," Cobert Reiman consoled.


    "Let''s hope those two can hold on a bit longer."


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    Baron Captain sighed, his bulky figure instantly turned and exited the town hall.


    ...


    A speedboat like an arrow released from a bow, raced directly toward the island where the Iron Beak Sea Eagles were.


    On the boat, the conversation continued.


    "Baron Captain, heading there now..." a team member hesitated.


    "Yes, captain, what if that guy Worlord is setting a trap and turns to attack Fishing Port Town?"


    The Baron Captain frowned, silent for a long while, finally said, "Regardless, we have to check things out. According to what the Reiman brothers said, their Governor, Lord Reine, is not so easily defeated."


    "If we don''t come to the rescue, it could be worse."


    "Tsch, I don''t understand how these guys can be so confident in their own Governor," one team member scoffed.


    "Yeah, one is a newly-appointed town Governor, and the other has been a pirate gang leader at sea for more than a decade; not to mention, one witchcraft from Worlord could probably finish off this Baron Rein," another team member agreed.


    "Now it''s up to Vinica to see if she can coordinate well with this Baron Rein; if she can, they might be able to hold on a bit longer."


    "Heh, for how long? Even if we use sorcery to speed up, it will take at least twenty minutes to reach the island, plus the time we just wasted. Half an hour, do you think the two can last that long?"


    Immediately, all the team members of the Fish Dragon Squad went silent.


    Yes!


    Half an hour was really too long.


    Even a fight between two equally skilled Great Knights rarely lasted more than fifteen minutes.


    According to their estimate, even if Baron Rein and Vinica could coordinate well, it was highly probable they would be defeated within a few minutes. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only possible glimpse of hope was that Vinica, a Level 3 Wizard Apprentice, using a Sorcery Scroll could just manage to cause significant trouble for Worlord, and then, the two could split and escape.


    In that case, perhaps if one of them was lucky enough, they could wait until we arrived.


    Half an hour later, following the guidance of the albatross, Baron Captain led the Fish Dragon Squad to the base of the cliff.


    Originally, the Iron Beak Sea Eagles, seeing a strange albatross daring to invade their territory, were about to launch an attack, when suddenly, a group of humans each emitting a strong aura, arrived nearby.


    This made them hesitate immediately.


    After all, that giant white owl just before was a human subordinate, this albatross is probably the same, right?


    So, the Iron Beak Sea Eagles flew high up, circling above the cliff.


    Meanwhile, Baron Captain and his team, seeing the scene before them, couldn''t help but show expressions of shock.


    There were pits on the ground as if it had been pounded by a rain of meteorites, and at the bottom of the cliff, there were also markings of varying depths that looked as if they were made by various types of blades, all clearly visible!


    Baron Captain was the first to regain his composure, he quickly stepped forward, touching a gouge on the hard cliff face, dozens of centimeters deep, slowly saying:


    "This is master-level swordsmanship, this single stroke would require at least twenty years of arduous practice!"


    Baron Captain appeared to think of a problem, his brows furrowing as he turned his puzzled gaze toward a young team member and asked,


    "Didn''t you say this Baron Rein is young, how old is he?"


    "This..." the young man immediately pulled out a stack of reports and started flipping through them, finally staring blankly at the age section and murmuring, "Sixteen, how can he be only sixteen?"


    "Sixteen, huh..." Baron Captain stroked his stubbly chin, pondering.


    "It looks like there''s only one explanation: this Baron Rein is a young man with a strong talent for swordsmanship."


    "Otherwise, there''s no way to explain these cut surfaces and depths," Baron Captain said, looking at the cliff face, observing many traces very similar to the sword mark he just observed.


    People with a talent for swordsmanship, although rare, when considering the whole of Mingster Province, or even the Empire, aren''t that uncommon.


    Actually, in another squad of the special department ''Wave Stepper,'' Baron knew of a member who possessed a very strong talent for swordsmanship, probably on par with this young Baron Rein in strength.


    "Captain, I think you need to take another look over here," a Fish Dragon Squad member said, his expression odd as he looked at both Baron and the young man with the document.


    "Hmm?" Seeing the expression of the team member, Baron instantly sensed something ominous, could there be some new situation?


    Baron followed the team member, continuing along the rocky wall for more than twenty meters, then the markings on the rock changed significantly, from deep sword gouges dozens of centimeters deep to marks resembling claw scratches.

 Chapter 451 213 Chapter This is 3 versus 1! (2 in 1 large chapter)_4

    "Is this... a beast?" Baron''s pupils shrank.He carefully examined the dense claw marks on the cliff face and the four deep little holes occasionally placed at the positions of the phalanges.


    "No! These aren''t the marks of a beast''s claws; they must be from some kind of... Yes, they should be traces of Finger Tiger!" Baron pondered for a moment before speaking in a deep voice. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    But soon, his expression became puzzled again.


    Clearly, these could not have been made by ''Skull Crusher'' Walord since Walord was experienced in using a one-handed Warhammer; if memory served, his secondary weapon was supposed to be a short Dagger.


    Baron touched the occasional obvious fist impressions, murmuring, "Such an effect wouldn''t be possible without over a decade of rigorous practice...."


    "Which means, these definitely weren''t left by Walord..."


    Everyone at the scene looked at each other with bewilderment!


    "This... Captain, is it possible that the young Baron Rein is also a martial arts genius?" One of the team members asked hesitantly after mulling over it.


    ....


    -----------------


    About an hour later, near the sea surface of the island where the Iron Beak Sea Eagle was located, something resembling a periscope suddenly emerged.


    After the lens rotated around, two men dressed in special leather coats appeared above the surface of the water.


    "Brigadier General, I feel you needn''t have come to meet him personally," the younger man beside him said.


    "Walord, that guy, always had an ambiguous attitude towards us. Now that the Black Sail Pirate Group has been completely destroyed by the Dragan Empire''s navy, only then does he think of us." S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Heh, it really is a ''won''t shed tears until they see the coffin'' kind of guy; now, his value to our Federation has greatly diminished," he said with a smiling face.


    The middle-aged man beside him nodded his head, seemingly in agreement with the young man''s analysis. However, he changed his tone and said:


    "Although the Black Sail Pirate Group has been wiped out, Walord''s personal strength is very good, a senior level-three Wizard Apprentice and Great Knight; he still can be worthwhile to rope in."


    "That''s true... It''s impressive that he managed to escape this time," the young man pondered and then agreed after thinking.


    "Additionally, the most important point is that, according to reliable information, Walord knows the location of an ancient goblin ruin on a remote island."


    "It''s very possible that there, in that ruin, lies the power device solution that our Eagle Federation has been unable to conquer," the middle-aged man revealed an important piece of information.


    "So, that''s also why I personally came over," he disclosed.


    "I see!" The young man''s face clearly showed surprise upon hearing this news.


    Soon, the two men arrived at the location indicated by the communication device, near Walord''s fish grilling bonfire from before.


    "Eh? Where is he?"


    "The device is right here; this should be the place, no mistake." After searching and finding no trace of Walord, the young man immediately expanded the search area.


    "Brigadier General, there are footprints here... should be Walord''s, this direction...."


    Following Walord''s footprints, the two quickly found themselves near the cliff.


    Upon seeing a scene that looked like a small-scale war had taken place, they exchanged puzzled looks.


    After inspecting the site, the young man pointed to a place on the ground with scattered footprints and said:


    "Sir, it must be the empire''s navy pursuers; they discovered Walord before us. This line of footprints is the best proof."


    The middle-aged man nodded, affirming the young man''s judgment.


    Feeling encouraged by his superior''s agreement, the young man continued with his analysis:


    "Over there on the cliff, there are many traces of a Dual-Handed Greatsword chopping, which indicates that among the imperial search team, there is a master-level swordsman."


    "And on this side of the cliff, there are many claw-like weapon marks as well, indicating there is another expert close to the master level."


    "At the same time, there are scratches from a Dagger on the cliff, yet no hammer marks from Walord''s favored weapon, which is very strange..."


    As the young man spoke, he resumed his search and finally spotted marks on the ground resembling those of a heavy Warhammer impact.


    "Found it, here, this is the imprint of his Skull Warhammer, eh, these are the marks of a two-handed hammer..." the young man joyfully exclaimed.


    "I get it, it was three against one!"


    ...

 Chapter 214 Pre-requisites for the Legendary Warhammer Wizard (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    "Sir, it seems that Vorod has been defeated." The young man bent down, picking up several strips of leather armor fragments near a cliff side indented with the shape of a human body, and said.The Federation colonel examined the leather armor fragments in the young man''s hands, then looked down at the large pool of blood on the ground and nodded.


    "Indeed, and what''s more, he likely did not escape."


    "Judging from the footprints on the ground and the traces of the battle, it seems there were three master-level practitioners specializing in swords, war hammers, and Finger Tigers attacking Vorod. Those footprints over there likely belong to a Wizard Apprentice from the Dragan Empire''s pursuit detachment, aiding from the sidelines."


    The young man pondered for a bit, seemingly putting himself in the shoes of the other, and said:


    "That''s true, in such a situation, even with Vorod''s strength, defeat would be inevitable. The naval force of the Dragan Empire made a bold move, dispatching such a formidable team to deal with Vorod."


    "However... if that''s the case, Sir, the location of the ancient ruins that Vorod possessed..."


    The middle-aged man''s expression grew solemn, and after contemplating for a while, he said:


    "Although the Federation doesn''t want to face the Empire head-on at the moment, the ruins that Vorod controlled are of great significance to us. At the very least, the ancient ruins must not fall into the hands of the Empire."


    "Jonistone, contact the higher-ups and request coordination with ''Leviathan Team'' and have them pursue the Empire''s naval pursuit team."


    "If I''m not mistaken, such a powerful team likely comes from the Dragan Empire''s special division, ''The Wave Walkers''."


    "Additionally, charge the nearby forces to start investigating. "


    "This area should fall under Meister County of the Dragan Empire, right? Reach out to the Zaral resistance forces, those guys, and have them look into this matter."


    Command after command was orderly issued from the Federation colonel''s mouth.


    Especially Jonistone the young man, whose eyes lit up upon hearing the mention of ''Leviathan Team''.


    "Yes, Sir."


    "This is Meister County. The Zaral resistance has mentioned to me before that they''ve established a new stronghold here."


    "I will get in touch with them immediately and have them cooperate with the operations."


    The Federation colonel nodded and said, "Hmm, if Vorod is detained nearby, then have the Zaral resistance extract relevant information from him and then deal with him promptly."


    "If he''s dead, then track down the interrogation records and Vorod''s belongings."


    "Once... if Vorod has been taken by the Empire''s naval special division, then leave the follow-ups to the Leviathan Team!"


    "A very thorough plan, Sir!" the young man said with a smile, adding his assent.


    ...


    -----------------


    After boarding the small boat, the huge white owl, Dawhite, as if eager for praise, handed to Rein the pig head hammer and the Glimmering Greatsword from each of its claws.


    Watching Dawhite smugly suck up, Vinica couldn''t help but grin!


    Even animals with enhanced intelligence still venerated the strong.


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    The Skull Warhammer that Dawhite was holding in its mouth was now in Vinica''s hands first, who curiously examined it.


    She excitedly flipped the Skull Warhammer up and down, closely observed it, and then turned her head towards Rein to say:


    "Wow! This is Vorod''s signature weapon��the Skull Warhammer!"


    "Lord Rein, you might not know, I''ve heard that this Warhammer has a special origin."


    "Oh? Then please do tell, Miss Vinica." Hearing Vinica say this, Rein raised an eyebrow with interest and smiled as he looked at the pretty face of the twin-tailed young lady.


    He too had just glanced at the Skull Warhammer in the girl''s hand.


    The Warhammer was made of two parts, the handle was light silver with a metallic sheen, likely a rare metal.


    The hammer head was white, with elliptical protrusions and indentations, and upon closer inspection, it was actually a miniaturized human skull, hardened.


    Presumably... this was why the Warhammer was named the ''Skull Warhammer''.


    A Warhammer made from a skull, to shatter the skulls of enemies?


    Interesting, indeed, though it did convey a rather barbaric impression....


    What Vinica said next confirmed Rein''s guesses.


    "Lord Rein, you flatter me." Vinica laughed and began to explain.


    "This ''Skull Warhammer'' is said to have been a ritual tool from a native tribe on an island."


    "As you know, a skull is generally one of the hardest parts of an animal, and after being compressed by the witchcraft of the tribe''s shamans, its hardness reached a terrifying degree, surpassing ordinary steel."


    "You could say, it''s not inferior to most rare metals."


    "Moreover, such a witchcraft artifact has undergone years of tribal ritual ceremonies, in a certain sense, it has become an oddity intertwined with the power of belief."


    "I see!" Rein nodded, not expecting the Skull Warhammer to be a ritual tool with quite a history.


    That said, the Skull Warhammer was indeed no ordinary object.


    When collecting the pig head hammer earlier, Rein had noticed that its head, made with Hardened Essence Gold, had suffered some wear after a fierce battle. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the Skull Warhammer seemed utterly undamaged.


    After examining the artifact with interest for a while, Vinica handed the bone Warhammer to Rein and said with a sly smile, "Lord Rein, you may well treasure this trophy of war; it will serve as proof of your valour."

 Chapter 214 Prerequisites for [Warhammer Wizard (Legendary)] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Thank you for your praise, Miss Vinica." Hearing the words of the twin-tailed young girl, Rein smiled as well and accepted the warhammer.However, the moment Rein grasped the ''Skull Warhammer'', he was slightly stupefied. Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    [Ding! Detecting that the host has obtained a rare item��''Skull Warhammer'', a special advancement to Warhammer Wizard (Legendary) has been triggered!]


    [Pre-conditions for advancing to Warhammer Wizard (Legendary): First, any formal Wizard expert; second, any hammer-type transcendent artifact; third, any level 12 or above Warhammer type extraordinary combat skill; fourth, physical breaking limit of Second Order over 30%....Current conditions do not meet, advancement to Warhammer Wizard (Legendary) has failed!]


    Huh?


    This...


    Looking at the sudden system prompt, Rein''s attention was largely captured by one word��''Legendary''!


    This must be the fourth legendary profession panel I''ve triggered!


    Considering the power of the Weapon Master, a legendary profession, a wave of excitement surged through Rein''s heart!


    "Lord Rein, what is wrong?" Vinica, standing beside him, couldn''t help but ask, seeing Rein lost in thought.


    "Oh, it''s nothing."


    "I just think that what you just mentioned is likely true. This warhammer must have come from some native tribe''s sacrificial tool; I can feel a primitive aura." Rein smiled and deftly changed the subject.


    However, after carefully reviewing the system prompt several times, Rein had an insight.


    Previously, in the advancement prompt for Wizard (Legendary), he noticed that the wizard profession panel itself is a legendary profession panel.


    So this special profession based on Wizard (Legendary)��Warhammer Wizard, one can imagine, might even surpass the typical legendary professions in power.


    To make a simple analogy.


    It''s like comparing the Transcendent Knight profession panel and the Great Knight (Transcendent) profession panel. Although both are transcendent profession panels, obviously, the Great Knight (transcendent) profession panel is much stronger than the Transcendent Knight profession panel.


    A reasonable assumption would be, if the Transcendent Knight profession panel is at a mid-level in transcendent professions, then, very likely, the Great Knight (Transcendent) profession panel may be the pinnacle among transcendent professions.


    Similarly, if the Wizard (Legendary) profession panel is at a mid-level among legendary professions, then the Warhammer Wizard, this special profession, might very well be the top-tier among legendary professions.


    And my previous Weapon Master (Legendary), based on the advancement pre-conditions seen during conversion, should belong to a special advancement under Great Knight.


    So, by this judgment, the Weapon Master (Legendary) profession panel could only be considered an entry into legendary professions.


    Of course, it might be on par with a formal Wizard (Legendary), but in all likelihood, it couldn''t compare with this Warhammer Wizard (Legendary).


    However, after giving it some thought, Rein calmed his excitement.


    ''I am still some distance away from becoming a formal Wizard, and I also lack a critical defensive first-grade witchcraft.''


    ''At this stage, my goal is still to primarily explore the combat power of the Weapon Master, this legendary profession.''


    ''Perhaps, once I officially join the ''Sword Bearers'', I might have more options available on the path of the wizard.''


    Thinking this, Rein remembered that he had been too caught up in intense combat earlier and had not checked the system prompts.


    Rein scrolled through the system prompts, only then noticing the post-battle system notifications: S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been improved, Experience +998]


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has been improved, Experience +1042]


    [Your skill Kadar Martial Arts has been improved, Experience +1233]


    [You have experienced a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +377]


    (Note: The above skill experience has enjoyed a unique talent "Beginner Extraordinary Understanding" 30% boost.)


    ...


    [Congratulations, your Weapon Master (Legendary) profession level has increased!]


    [Congratulations, any of your legendary profession levels has reached lv2, unlocking Golden Skill Points.]


    (Note: Golden Skill Points can be synthesized from three skill points or can also be obtained by defeating formidable enemies.)


    Weapon Master (Legendary) immediately went up a level, gaining another attribute point and skill point, restoring the remaining attribute points back to 5, and the remaining skill points from 0 to 1.


    At the same time, Rein excitedly discovered that the profession level of Weapon Master (Legendary) had reached lv2 (284/300), nearly advancing to lv3.


    Certainly, fighting against the powerful brings sufficiently rich experience rewards from the system.


    Huh?


    These Golden Skill Points are meant for...?


    Rein pondered thoughtfully.


    At that moment, Vinica, standing beside him, interrupted Rein''s contemplation.


    She held a purple gigantic egg in her hands, with slightly furrowed brows, she looked up at Rein and said,


    "Lord Rein, please forgive me, I can''t recognize this bird egg as any type I am familiar with." Vinica shook her head, a bit embarrassed.


    After all, being a third-level Wizard Apprentice specializing in bird transformation and unable to identify a random bird egg brought by Rein was somewhat embarrassing.


    "However... Lord Rein, based on the size of the egg, it''s unlikely to be an iron-beaked sea eagle''s egg. Perhaps, this egg comes from some brood parasitic bird species."


    "Brood parasitic?" Rein frowned and asked.


    "Yes, Lord Rein, it''s where eggs are laid in the nests of other bird species, making other birds help raise them. We call this brood parasitism," Vinica explained.

 Chapter 214 Prerequisites for [Warhammer Wizard (Legendary)] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    As soon as Rein heard this, he had an epiphany.This was just like what the cuckoos did in his previous life.


    The cuckoo, or the Cuckoo bird, liked to lay its eggs in the nests of other birds, letting them raise its offspring.


    "But... the problem is, the Ironbeak Sea Eagles are already very fierce birds, what kind of bird could be even fiercer?"


    "Besides, according to what you said earlier, when you took the egg, there were still Ironbeak Sea Eagle chicks in the nest. This situation is different from the typical brood parasitism."


    "Generally, the eggs of brood parasites hatch faster than the original ones in the nest, and often, the parasitic birds will push the original eggs out of the nest one by one, leaving only their chick."


    "But now, the Ironbeak Sea Eagle''s chicks hatched first, so I''m a bit mystified." Vinica''s beautiful eyes also looked a bit perplexed. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein nodded; he understood the analysis of the girl with twin ponytails.


    Although he could wait for the giant egg to hatch on its own, the issue was that different bird species required different incubation temperatures and conditions.


    Moreover, the food to feed different birds varied greatly.


    If he could figure out the origin of this egg in advance, that would be best.


    Suddenly, it seemed as if Vinica thought of something. Her eyes lit up, and she said:


    "However... if you don''t mind, Lord Rein, I can record the situation of this egg now and send a message to my mentor, Master Annius, for consultation."


    "I think my mentor should be able to help you solve this puzzle."


    "Of course, Miss Vinica, that would be great," Rein said with a slight smile.


    "You are too polite. Just wait a moment, I''ll use the Image Stone to record it now." The girl with the twin ponytails quickly took out a stone resembling a goose egg that emitted a faint blue light from her waist pouch.


    She began chanting a spell, and soon, the blue-light goose egg stone flickered. A faint light covered the giant egg, completing the recording.


    After putting the Image Stone into a small pouch, Vinica summoned a white seagull and tied the pouch around its neck.


    Then the white seagull soared into the sky!


    ...


    As Rein and his group of four appeared far off near the maritime area of Fishing Port Town''s pier, it didn''t take long for Major Mary and the Reiman brothers to get the news and meet them at the dock.


    When they saw that both Rein and Vinica were safe and sound aboard the dinghy, they couldn''t help but rejoice.


    Especially Major Mary, who, while helping the first to disembark, Vinica, reproached, "It''s really good that you are unharmed!"


    "Just now, the Navy''s Fish-Dragon Squad came by and said it was likely you had encountered Black Sail Pirate Captain Wolord. Now it seems their intelligence work isn''t all that great, getting me wrongly concerned...."


    But soon, Major Mary was stunned!


    Her beautiful eyes widened, and her cherry lips gradually formed an ''O'' as she was left speechless.


    She noticed that the previously shiny silver knight''s armor Rein wore showed obvious signs of breakage and deformation.


    The surface of the knight''s armor even had traces of bloodstains, which was a stark contrast to the gleaming appearance from this morning!


    Obviously, Rein must have been through a big battle!


    The Navy''s Fish-Dragon Squad''s assessment wasn''t wrong!


    But... if they really did encounter Wolord, how could Rein and Vinica have possibly returned safely?


    For a moment, Major Mary was puzzled, struggling to understand the situation...


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    However, she soon got her answer.


    She saw that the two special forces members who had gone with Rein were now huffing and puffing as they carried a heavy body from the back of the dinghy.


    Major Mary''s beautiful eyes bounced back and forth between the body and Rein, and finally, she managed to calm her excitement, attempting to speak in a steady tone, "Lord Rein, this is..."


    "Major Mary, It''s just as you think, this is the Black Sail Pirate Captain, ''Skull Crusher'' Wolord."


    Vinica, watching Major Mary''s rare flustered demeanor, couldn''t help but cover her mouth and giggle teasingly.


    No sooner had she spoken.


    A hush fell over the crowd!


    Even the Reiman brothers were wide-eyed astounded, marveling at the body of Wolord!


    Because just after the Fish-Dragon Squad left, they had learned in detail about the Black Sail Pirate Captain from Major Mary.


    The ''Skull Crusher'' Wolord, who had ruled the seas for more than ten years, was actually both a Senior Great Knight and a Senior Third-Level Wizard Apprentice.


    At the time, when the brothers heard that the enemy was a Senior Great Knight, they became somewhat uneasy, looking at each other knowing the gravity of the situation.


    After all, impressive as the Baron was, he was only a Peak Knight.


    Against an enemy just stepping into Great Knight status, they still had confidence in Rein; after all, even if they couldn''t win, with the help of Miss Vinica, a Wizard Apprentice, escaping shouldn''t be a problem.


    But the problem now was that the enemy was both a seasoned Great Knight and a third-level Wizard Apprentice.


    That was a big issue!


    If they couldn''t win, they probably wouldn''t even be able to escape!


    But now, such a formidable fellow had also fallen at the feet of the Baron, leaving them both somewhat dumbfounded.

 Chapter 214 Prerequisites for [Warhammer Wizard (Legendary)] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "Someone helped?" Mary asked cautiously."Yes, I applied a Water Membrane Technique on Lord Rein." The twin-tailed girl quickly raised her hand and sweetly added.


    "Just a Water Membrane Technique?" Major Mary glanced at Vinica and asked again.


    Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire


    The ''Water Membrane Technique'' she of course knew was merely a basic-level witchcraft, capable of providing defense... well, if it was for a Knight-level battle, that would be considerably effective.


    But for a battle between Great Knights, it would be quite weak.


    If it were a match against someone like Volod...


    Then one could only say... it''s better than nothing!


    "Uh... the rest, mainly I also didn''t manage to...," the twin-tailed girl swayed her braids, seemingly embarrassed by the spectators around her, and spoke with her head down.


    However, Vinica quickly realized, the battle between Rein and Volod, if it were any other Wizard Apprentice, they probably wouldn''t have been able to intervene either!


    Their movements were just too fast, she held the ''Tomb of Water'' Sorcery Scroll at the time but hesitated to use it, worried about harming Rein by mistake.


    Therefore, after understanding this, the girl quickly lifted her head again and excitedly began to recount:


    "The battle between Lord Rein and Volod was just too fast..."


    Soon, through Vinica''s vivid storytelling, the scene of Rein''s fierce battle with ''Skull Crusher'' Volod came to life before everyone''s eyes.


    Major Mary and the Reiman brothers were all the more frequently casting their gazes toward Rein.


    Rein himself was somewhat speechless on the side.


    The gaze from the beautiful Major Mary did make him feel quite proud inside.


    But the frequent looks from the two burly siblings Reiman brothers were... indescribable.


    Thus, Rein coughed and interrupted, "Let''s head back to the town hall for now..."


    ...


    After returning to his room, Rein continued to ponder over the matter of the Golden Skill Points.


    Although the system hadn''t specified what Golden Skill Points could be used for, from their source, Rein thought they should be applied to some special skills, or perhaps for later enhancements in skills.


    But this was merely his conjecture, and the specifics would only be clear when the time came to use them.


    After resting briefly, Rein began to quickly review the recent battle.


    After all, only by constantly summarizing and improving could one maintain progression!


    What left the deepest impression on Rein was the crystal necklace used by Volod.


    Clearly, it was a magical artifact, within which a rather potent witchcraft was sealed. If it weren''t for the Water Membrane Technique from Vinica, the high-level knightly plate armor, and his innate ''Steel Body'' triple defense.


    Under that attack, Rein would have certainly been severely injured, and the battle situation might''ve turned!


    Moreover, when Volod fought him with a Dagger in hand, his repeated attempts to distance himself were very obvious, probably aiming to cast witchcraft.


    Looking at it now, the fact that Volod did not bolster himself with defensive witchcraft in advance showed he probably underestimated Rein.


    Otherwise, he should have been protected by defensive witchcraft.


    But... is it possible that the witchcraft Volod released during the sneak attack was incompatible with stacking defensive witchcraft?


    Rein couldn''t help but speculate.


    After thinking a bit, Rein shook his head slightly. This point wasn''t important.


    What was important was that in future battles against such veteran Wizard Apprentices, one must close the distance, not allowing the enemy the time and space to cast witchcraft.


    Therefore, Kadar Martial Arts, known for the fastest strike speed and highest attack frequency, would be the best choice.


    Furthermore, the High-frequency Shock-infused hammer blow Volod executed with one hand should be some sort of secret technique, the second one Rein encountered.


    The first was during the battle with Colonel Parix of the Zaral rebellion force.


    A secret technique''s power was clearly above that of secret skills. Under the enhancement of ''Warhammer Specialization lv3'', Rein was able to push the power of the secret skill ''Earth-splitting Hammer'' nearly to its limit.


    Yet, during the battle, he was still at a slight disadvantage. If others were to use secret skills against a secret technique, they would likely suffer a crushing defeat! S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seems, Rein also needed to master a secret technique of his own, and quickly!


    ...


    At this moment, a knock on the door suddenly interrupted Rein''s review thoughts.


    "Knock knock knock!"


    "Lord Rein, the Dragon-snake squad has returned. Captain Baron wishes to have a word with you," Major Mary''s clear voice came from outside the door.


    Hmm?


    Rein was momentarily taken aback. Had the Dragon-snake squadron not returned?


    Although they hadn''t been of help, Rein still highly regarded their quick response to make for the island.


    On the other hand, he was quite curious about the Dragon-snake squad.


    When disembarking the ship earlier, Major Mary had briefly mentioned the Dragon-snake squad, but seemingly due to the secret nature of the matter, she hadn''t elaborated, only vaguely mentioned it seemed to be a special department belonging to the navy.


    Now, with the opportunity to meet with the Dragon-snake squad up close, Rein was very interested in meeting with them.


    "Major Mary, I''ll be right there," said Rein.


    .....

 Chapter 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    When Reine first saw Baron, he knew the other must be a Great Knight.The opponent''s muscles were knotted, his stride rhythmic, and his breathing steady and powerful. Facing him felt like confronting an imminent volcanic eruption, filled with danger and that burgeoning Strength.


    Essentially, Reine was quite certain that Captain Baron''s Strength even surpassed that of Wollard.


    The other had to be at least a senior Great Knight, no, very likely a Peak Knight.


    However, Reine was still somewhat surprised at the moment. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because he had originally thought that the captain of the navy''s special department, the Dragonfish Squad, would most likely be a formal Wizard, but he did not expect him to still be a Great Knight.


    Could it be that formal Wizards were really so few?


    At least up to this point, he had not encountered one.


    Or was there some other reason?


    "Captain Baron, this is the Governor of Fishing Port Town, Baron Reine," Major Mary introduced, "Baron Reine, this is Captain Baron of the navy''s ''Dragonfish Squad''."


    "Captain Baron, hello," Reine said, bowing slightly. Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire


    At that moment, Captain Baron''s voice, rough as grinding rocks, responded, "Baron Reine, hello."


    Captain Baron''s piercing tiger-like eyes surveyed Reine up and down, then nodded and said:


    "Baron Reine, it seems the previous intelligence was inaccurate, your Strength is not that of a Peak Knight, but you have already stepped into the realm of a Great Knight."


    As soon as Captain Baron''s words fell, the gazes around Reine heated significantly.


    Especially the other five members of the Dragonfish Squad, who began sizing Reine up non-stop.


    "So he''s a Great Knight!"


    "No wonder Wollard died at his hands."


    "I thought Baron Reine was merely a Peak Knight before."


    "Now, it seems he possesses master-level swordsmanship and the Strength of a Great Knight, along with a third-level Wizard Apprentice assisting by his side, making the killing of the already wounded Wollard quite rational."


    The several teammates whispered among themselves for a moment, all displaying a look of sudden realization.


    The Reiman brothers, however, were very surprised by what Captain Baron had said.


    Because they were quite certain that just a few days ago, when Lord Reine had sparred with them, although they were defeated swiftly, they believed that Lord Reine had not yet reached the level of a Great Knight.


    Could it be that Lord Reine had suddenly made a breakthrough in these last few days? The Reiman brothers looked puzzled.


    The same question lingered in Major Mary''s mind, though she quickly realized something.


    Because she remembered that when they were about to depart from Meist County City, Reine left the mansion carrying a wooden box that contained the ''beast essence''.


    At that time she had this doubt, why did Reine need to bring that to Fishing Port Town if he was to take office? It seemed unlikely he was stepping into Great Knight.


    But now it seemed, she had underestimated Reine.


    Just in these last few days, Reine had quietly broken through to Great Knight, truly deserving the top rank in this imperial assessment.


    Facing Captain Baron''s affirmative tone, Reine did not deny it, but smiled and said, "I just happened to have some insights these past few days."


    Upon hearing such a statement from Reine, Captain Baron couldn''t help but laugh.


    Stepping into Great Knight, as if one could simply have some insights, it''s nothing but the natural result of rigorous training!


    "Baron Reine, it''s exceptional that you could reach this level of Strength at such an age, indeed a rare talent in the empire. It''s a pity that, just now, I heard from Colonel Mary you declined the invitation from the Imperial South Sea Fleet."


    "However, if I were you, I would also strive to join the ''Sword Bearers'' organization. After all, the ''Sword Bearers'' are stronger than the ''Wave Riders,'' covering a wider range."


    "Wave Riders?"


    Reine looked thoughtful, hearing this name for the first time.


    "Yes, the ''Wave Riders,'' a special department of the Imperial Navy." At this, Major Mary, smiling, explained.


    "I see," Reine nodded.


    This organization must focus majorly on the security of the imperial waters.


    Captain Baron continued, "Baron Reine, we must thank you for your help, allowing us to complete our mission ahead of schedule."


    For them, regardless of who killed Wollard, the mission was considered accomplished.


    Reine nodded, then proactively asked, "Captain Baron, do you need to take Wollard''s body back with you?"


    Considering the support from the Dragonfish Squad that had swiftly arrived, Reine was quite appreciative, thus he didn''t skimp on doing them a favor.


    Baron laughed heartily, waved his hand, and said, "Since Wollard is already dead, his mere body holds no significant value to us."


    "However, Baron Reine, you could claim a reward from the Imperial Navy for this."


    "By the way, if you find any items on him that might impact the security of the imperial waters, then I''d trouble you, Baron Reine, to contact us promptly, or you could reach out to Colonel Mary."


    "Alright, Captain Baron, as a baron conferred by the empire, it is indeed my duty," Reine nodded, naturally willing to cooperate.


    The spoils from Wollard, including his pouch and some potions on his person, had just been delivered to his room by the Reiman brothers, though he had not yet had the chance to check them.

 Chapter 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Baron Reine, we will now return and report back,""Captain Baron, I wish you a smooth journey,"


    Captain Baron nodded, stood up, and prepared to leave, his imposing figure reminiscent of a moving boulder.


    Meanwhile, the remaining five members of the Dragon-and-Snake Squad also prepared to turn and depart.


    Just then, one of the team members behind Captain Baron suddenly turned to Reine with an eager expression and said,


    "Lord Reine, I am particularly curious how you defeated Worlod. So, please forgive my boldness, but I wonder if it is convenient for you now. I would like to have a brief exchange with you."


    "Baron Reine has just been through a fierce battle. The request you''re making now isn''t very appropriate,"


    As the words left their lips, Major Mary immediately took on a stern expression and promptly rejected the proposal on Reine''s behalf.


    "That''s really a shame!" Trevo shrugged and said,


    "We are about to return. Missing this opportunity, I''m afraid it will be difficult to have a chance to exchange experiences with Baron Reine again."


    Reine noticed that, when the young man named Trevo proposed a match with him, Captain Baron''s expression did not display any displeasure, but rather a subtle eagerness.


    It seemed that Captain Baron was also interested in witnessing his strength.


    And for Reine, these ''experience NPCs'' who came knocking were naturally more than welcome.


    Secondly, and importantly, he also wanted to understand exactly how strong the so-called special department of the Imperial Navy, the ''Wave Walkers'''' Dragon-and-Snake Squad, really was?


    If he admitted that challenging Captain Baron would likely leave him with little confidence in victory,


    then starting with this team member who actively sought a challenge would be a window to assess the strength of the special navy department, which of course was a good thing.


    Reine smiled and turned to Major Mary, saying, "Major Mary, encountering the Dragon-and-Snake Squad here is also a rare opportunity." Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    "I would very much like to exchange experiences with the elites of the Dragon-and-Snake Squad."


    "This..." Major Mary was momentarily at a loss for words; her beautiful eyes looked at Reine, as if asking, ''Lord Reine, are you really sure?''


    Reine nodded to Mary.


    Upon hearing Reine''s agreement, the young man named Trevo was overjoyed and said, "Great, Lord Reine, there should be an indoor training room nearby, right?"


    "Of course, please follow me."


    The group promptly arrived at the indoor training room, located behind the town''s administrative hall.


    As it involved personnel from the Empire''s special department, in the interest of confidentiality, aside from the Dragon-and-Snake Squad, the Reiman brothers, Vinica, and Mary, other personnel had to temporarily vacate the training room.


    Once Reine and Trevo stood in the center of the training room,


    everyone present fixed their keen gaze on the two of them, with varied expressions.


    For instance, when Vinica saw Reine step forward, her twin ponytails bounced, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her expression was one of excitement.


    Next to her, Major Mary''s brows slightly furrowed.


    Although she knew that Reine had killed Worlod, the battle had only ended not long ago, and she worried whether Reine had fully recovered in terms of both physical strength and energy.


    Moreover, regarding the navy''s ''Wave Walkers'' special department, she had some understanding as a naval administrative officer.


    With its extremely high selection criteria, those who entered were the best among the best, and the young man challenging Reine was clearly seven or eight years older.


    With those additional seven or eight years of training and battle experience, Reine, despite being the top candidate in the Mingster Province knighting examination, might not hold much of an advantage.


    Therefore, at this moment, Mary was somewhat nervous and worried.


    Seeing Trevo create some distance, he raised his silver war bow and said, "Lord Reine, since I am an archer, please forgive me, but I need to maintain some distance before we can spar."


    Reine nodded and replied, "Of course, that is fine."


    He mainly wanted to assess the battle strength of the members of the Dragon-and-Snake Squad this time. If he went all out, he was confident he could defeat the opponent quickly, but that wouldn''t serve his purpose.


    Giving the opponent time to unleash their full potential would allow him to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Dragon-and-Snake Squad''s combat capabilities.


    Seeing Reine''s amiable attitude, Trevo also smiled and reminded him, "Lord Reine, my arrows might be quite powerful, so please be careful."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Trevo began chanting, casting spells of witchcraft. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Vinica whispered to Major Mary, "That''s the witchcraft ''Swift Wind''; it can increase one''s movement speed."


    Reine''s ears twitched, and he immediately understood, offering Vinica a faint smile for her action.


    It seemed Trevo was very familiar with this ''Swift Wind'', as the casting was exceptionally fast, taking just over a second to complete.


    Trevo then wrapped himself in a light blue stream of air, his movement speed suddenly skyrocketing. Even compared to Reine, a Great Knight, it was a close match.


    And the distance that Reine had been closing quickly was now being maintained steadily.


    "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"


    Arrow after arrow shot toward Reine, who didn''t draw his greatsword. Instead, using his Finger Tiger, he knocked away the arrows Trevo had sent his way.

 Chapter 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    But under the disturbance of the sharp arrows, the distance between the two had widened slightly again.At this moment, Trevo unexpectedly stood still and started to chant a spell silently. Next second, an arrow imbued with a faint white light shot straight at Reine.


    Originally, Reine planned to pull out the greatsword on his back to directly cut down the incoming arrow.


    But he had a second thought and abandoned that idea, instead slightly sidestepping to dodge. The arrow grazed by Reine''s side and struck a steel shield hanging on the wall of the training room.


    With a "snap!"


    The steel shield was suddenly punctured with a large hole.


    Seeing this power, Reine''s eyebrows raised.


    He knew this was a result of some witchcraft combined with the archery skills of the opponent, creating a compounded force.


    In terms of power, this arrow had already matched the level of a Peak Knight using a secret technique.


    As the fight continued, Reine soon heard from the soft conversation between Vinica and Mary the name of this witchcraft technique, "Sharpness Technique."


    Arrows imbued with the witchcraft "Sharpness Technique" kept shooting toward Reine.


    Though the arrows shot at him were occasionally empowered with Sharpness Technique, they were continuously deflected by Reine''s greatsword, even those enhanced arrows were split directly under his slashes.


    Three minutes had passed.


    Still, there was no clear winner. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made the other members of the Fish-Dragon Squad watch the scene with eyes twinkling, thoughts varied.


    However, Captain Baron''s expression revealed something different.


    He could clearly see that Reine wasn''t fighting with full strength because he continuously maintained almost the same distance from Trevo, almost as if deliberately allowing Trevo to act freely.


    At that moment, he suddenly spoke, "Trevo, stop now!"


    Upon hearing the captain speak, Trevo immediately stopped, though he was sweating profusely and his expression somewhat puzzled looking toward Captain Baron.


    After all, the battle had not yet been decided.


    "Trevo, can''t you see? Baron Reine has been holding back."


    Then, the others shifted their gazes back and forth between the two. Indeed, at that moment, there was not a single drop of sweat on Reine''s forehead, but in contrast, Trevo was already drenched in sweat.


    Moreover, except for getting closer at the beginning, Reine had mainly stayed near the same spot, a fact well recorded by the footprints on the ground.


    This made Trevo look at Reine appreciatively and say, "Thank you, Lord Reine, for your guidance!"


    Because, in his view, Reine was intentionally leaving him some dignity, but actually, Reine had his own plans.


    The battle with Trevo had given Reine some insights.


    His opponent was an archer whose witchcraft, whether it was enhancing movement speed via "Swift Wind" or increasing arrow power via "Sharpness Technique," perfectly matched the role of an archer.


    Simply put, the witchcraft used by him was intricately tied to his Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    But comparing to himself, aside from the witchcraft "High Temperature Stance," which relatively combined well with his Extraordinary Battle Techniques,


    other witchcraft like "Scorching Touch," were hard to integrate with his Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    From this perspective, compared to fire-based witchcraft, perhaps metal-based witchcraft would better match his Extraordinary Battle Techniques, hence enhancing his combat ability, more fitting for his Weapon Master (Transcendent) profession.


    For example, once he learned "Sharpness Technique," he could apply it to his Glimmering Greatsword or his Finger Tiger to improve his combat capability.


    Reine glanced at the system prompts:


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been enhanced, Experience +233]


    [Your Skill Kadar Martial Arts has been enhanced, Experience +348]


    [You experienced a fight, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +63]


    (Note: The above skill experience has enjoyed a 30% boost from the exclusive talent "Basic Extraordinary Understanding.")


    ... Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    [Congratulations, your Weapon Master (Legendary) Profession Level has increased!]


    Since the Weapon Master (Legendary) was already close to leveling up, after this duel, it had directly increased by one level, reaching lv3 (45/500).


    This also awarded Reine one attribute point and one skill point, making his remaining attribute points reach 6 and skill points change to 2.


    At this time, another team member from the Fish-Dragon Squad, a young man holding a short staff, approached, smiling at Reine, saying, "Baron Reine, my name''s Nathaniel. Seeing your spectacular duel with Trevo, I would also love to exchange some insights with you."


    "Of course!" Reine immediately nodded, agreeing.


    After all, once the Fish-Dragon Squad left, there wouldn''t be such good ''exchange'' opportunities.


    "However... Lord Reine, do you need to rest a bit first?" Although Nathaniel felt that Reine probably still had plenty of energy, considering he had just engaged in an intense battle for several minutes, claiming Reine had no significant exhaustion seemed unbelievable to him.


    Secondly, even if he won this way, such a victory would be greatly discounted.


    "There''s no need. My stamina is quite good, we can start immediately." Reine said.


    As soon as he spoke, Major Mary''s pretty face blushed slightly, and she scoffed internally.


    Although she had always been busy with naval clerical work and hadn''t married yet, she was already very familiar with certain matters and some double entendre statements.


    The twin-tailed girl, on the other hand, paid close attention to whether Reine could still win easily this time, especially since Nathaniel was a rather pure third-level Wizard Apprentice, whose combat style leaned more toward wizardry.

 Chapter 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    At this moment, she was somewhat worried that Reine had little experience in dealing with such an opponent.It seemed she also felt a bit embarrassed for her team to gang up on Reine in a continuous rotation. Nathaniel introduced himself, "Lord Reine, I am a third-level Wizard Apprentice. My witchcraft attacks are quite powerful, so I hope you won''t try to take them head-on."


    After a moment''s thought, Nathaniel turned around enthusiastically and began to cast his witchcraft toward a dummy clad in iron armor at a distance.


    Two seconds later, a mass of pale green liquid emitting a fishy stench surged toward the dummy.


    "Sizzle! Sizzle!" sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The greenish liquid corroded the iron armor, and within just one or two seconds, a large hole had been eaten through the heavy armor. It was clear that even Reine''s Water Membrane steel armor suit would be severely damaged if hit directly.


    In response to Nathaniel''s friendly gesture, Reine smiled and nodded, saying, "Thank you for the warning, I will be careful."


    The battle between the two began shortly after.


    After quickly casting the Water Membrane Technique on himself, Nathaniel raised his hand toward Reine, and his palm began to chant another spell.


    Reine had approached within ten meters or so in front of Nathaniel but sensed that something was amiss.


    Suddenly, Reine felt a cold, negative energy instantly invade his body, feeling very much like some kind of curse.


    Reine immediately felt a weakness in his limbs.


    Soon after, he heard Vinica whisper to Mary on the side, "That''s the Weakening Spell."


    Nathaniel''s face lit up with joy, and while he rapidly retreated, he fumbled for something in his robe.


    Although Reine was more interested in facing a variety of opponents, he did not want to lose.


    Therefore, Reine planned to use attribute points to try to counteract this negative energy.


    Just as Reine was about to use his attribute points, abruptly, a member of the Fish-Dragon team with a serious expression hurried over to Captain Baron and whispered something in his ear.


    Captain Baron''s expression changed at once.


    It seemed that something important had occurred.


    Captain Baron then suddenly said, "Baron Reine, Nathaniel, let''s stop the duel here. We have an urgent mission and must leave immediately!"


    Upon hearing this, Reine immediately abandoned the idea of using attribute points, and Nathaniel also stopped casting the witchcraft he was in the midst of performing.


    If that was the case, there was no need for him to use any attribute points ahead of time.


    Captain Baron nodded at Reine and the others before briskly leading his team away.


    Meanwhile, Vinica ran up and said, "Lord Reine, are you all right? This was the Weakening Curse. With your Constitution, it should dissipate in a few minutes."


    "I''m fine," Reine nodded and said.


    He could already feel the cold, negative energy in his body gradually fading, and its effect on him was diminishing.


    Although the second fight had essentially been cut short, Reine discovered a problem within himself.


    His methods of combat were not diverse enough, especially when facing opponents who could cast curses, Slow Techniques, or other weakening witchcraft. His inability to attack from a distance put him at a significant disadvantage.


    After a bit of reflection, Reine decided to improve his "Blood Fury Archery," this Extraordinary Battle Technique, over the coming days.


    Now he possessed the talent "Basic Extraordinary Understanding," which could increase his learning speed by thirty percent.


    He believed that with this talent, his mastery of the Combat Skill would be faster than before.

 Chapter 216 Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    At this moment, Rein suddenly thought of a question and turned to Vinica beside him to ask:"Miss Vinica, the witchcraft used just now by those two members of the Swordfish Squad, are they all from the special item exchange catalog provided by the Navy?"


    "Yes, Lord Rein, these two are probably Imperial Navy-trained Wizard Apprentices, quite different from a school wizard like me who learns under a mentor. Their witchcraft comes from exchanging special items," Vinica said with certainty, recalling her impression of the two members.


    "That means, if they have mission evaluation medals and Merit Points, they can exchange them for the witchcraft models they want," Rein asked again.


    "Exactly, that''s how it is," Vinica immediately answered.


    "The archer named Trevo just now, the witchcraft he used, ''Sharpness Technique'' if I heard you correctly, belongs to the metal element, right?" Rein had subtly felt the pale silver mysterious side energy particles fluctuating at the time.


    "Your perception is keen, Lord Rein. Indeed, it is the metal series ''Sharpness Technique,'' but unfortunately, I do not know this witchcraft," Vinica said with a hint of regret.


    She thought that if she had mastered ''Sharpness Technique,'' she would have been able to cast it on Lord Rein''s weapon during his earlier battle with Warlord.


    Therefore, Vinica decided that once she got back, she would ask her mentor Master Annius if she could learn ''Sharpness Technique.''


    Although her Constitution wasn''t particularly attuned to the metal element, it didn''t prevent learning, it would simply mean the effects would be somewhat weaker.


    Once learned, though, she could significantly enhance the damage of Lord Rein''s weapons in battle.


    Rein nodded, his eyes flickering slightly.


    Joining the Imperial Navy''s special division ''Tide Striders'' would allow one to exchange completed special tasks for metal element witchcraft ''Sharpness Technique.''


    Thus, joining the even stronger Imperial ''Sword Bearer'' organization would undoubtedly provide a wider range of metal element witchcraft to exchange.


    Joining the Imperial ''Sword Bearer'' is tied to the enhancement of his strength!


    It seemed he needed to prepare thoroughly, perhaps should inquire about the ''Sword Bearer'' recruitment evaluation.


    While everyone was exiting the training room, suddenly, a loud shouting voice came from the distant sky!


    Although the voice had become very faint by the time it reached everyone''s ears, it was still discernible as a human voice.


    It seemed that because the outcry was so concentrated, despite traveling a long distance, those present could still hear it clearly.


    Immediately, including Rein, everyone''s gaze turned toward the direction of the sound.


    That direction was toward the sea.


    Crucially, everyone was familiar with this voice, a sound like rubbing stones together��it was the voice of Baron, the captain of the Swordfish Squad and moreover, he could feel that Baron was quite angry at the moment.


    The other people present immediately exchanged glances, their expressions all changing.


    Obviously, the Swordfish Squad had encountered a formidable enemy. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Judging from the direction and distance of the sound, it should be in the nearby sea territory, not far from Fishing Port Town.


    At this point, the gazes of the few gathered fell back upon Rein, not solely because he was the Governor of Fishing Port Town, but also because he was the most powerful individual present.


    "Lord Rein, we..." Major Mary started with concern, but she stopped before continuing as a realization struck her.


    She had been about to suggest rescuing the Swordfish Squad.


    But she quickly grasped a problem��given that the Swordfish Squad, a special combat department of the Navy, was already finding the enemy challenging, did they really have the capacity to rescue them?


    Perhaps, for safety, her first choice should be retreat, not rescue.


    However, Rein didn''t hesitate much; after pondering briefly, he said, "Miss Vinica, could you trouble your White Seagull to carry out an immediate high-altitude reconnaissance over there."


    "In addition, time is pressing, so I shall head over first."


    "Wait, Lord Rein, I''ll go with you." Vinica wasn''t afraid at all; instead, she seemed a bit excited at the thought of fighting alongside Rein again. Her energetic twin tails swished vigorously, and her pale cheeks flushed even more.


    Faced with Vinica''s eagerness, Rein thought for a moment and agreed.


    After all, having a Level Three Wizard Apprentice by his side for assistance was quite valuable.


    "Colonel Mary, you and the Reiman brothers organize defenses at Fishing Port Town. If evacuation becomes necessary, Miss Vinica''s White Seagull will notify you in advance."


    "Understood, Baron sir!" the Reiman brothers responded crisply, as they simply had to follow Rein''s orders.


    "Well then... please, both of you be careful," although Colonel Mary agreed, her face showed worry.


    However, Mary understood that she was merely a civilian staff member of the Navy; even if she was worried internally, she knew she should defer to Rein and Vinica when it came to combat.


    ...


    By the time Rein and Vinica boarded the boat, the White Seagull that had gone for scouting had already swooped down from the sky.


    After watching the White Seagull for a few seconds, Vinica''s originally rosy face suddenly turned pale and she said, "Lord Rein, the Swordfish Squad is currently battling three large sea creatures!"

 Chapter 216 Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Additionally, from the description by the White Seagull, it seems that these sea beasts are being controlled by someone.""Hmm? Someone is controlling them?" Rein couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows.


    The combination of large sea beasts and humans, their combat power is definitely off the charts.


    At that moment, an albatross with a wingspan of several meters flew in quickly from a distance. Upon seeing Vinica, it immediately began to circle and descend.


    Rein had seen this albatross before, it was a pet of a member of the Fish-Dragon Squad.


    Soon, more detailed intelligence came from the albatross.


    "Lord Rein, communication from the Fish-Dragon Squad, they have been intercepted by a special combat squad from the Eagle Federation."


    "Captain Baron, asks us to immediately organize the evacuation of the people in Fishing Port Town, they won''t be able to hold out for long."


    "The Eagle Federation?" Rein couldn''t help but be greatly surprised.


    After all, this place is imperial territory. Could it be that the Eagle Federation intends to start a war with the Empire?"


    "Yes, Lord Rein, we...." The twin-tailed girl''s pretty face was both worried and excited.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein turned his head and smiled at the twin-tailed girl, saying, "Miss Vinica, are you scared?"


    "Of course not! I feel very safe with Lord Rein."


    As she spoke these words, the girl''s eyes sparkled.


    "Then let''s set off! Have White Seagull contact Major Mary and let them start organizing the evacuation first."


    "As for the Eagle Federation''s special combat squad, I am very interested."


    "Yes!" Seeing that Rein still planned to proceed, the twin-tailed girl couldn''t help but clench her fists excitedly, her face glowing with excitement.


    Rein glanced at the girl and couldn''t help but smile.


    Vinica gave him the impression of those cute yet playful gamer girls from his past life, big addiction but not much skill.


    Taking such people along for ranking up was quite difficult.


    After thinking a bit, Rein focused his attention on the system panel.


    Since he had to face a possible powerful enemy, there was no need to save his two Skill Points.


    Huge sea beasts, huh?


    In that case, it would not be wise to allocate points to Kadar Martial Arts; facing these massive or even gargantuan sea beasts, dual-handed weapons were necessary to deliver sufficiently powerful strikes.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein decided to allocate points to the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Although the Giant Bear Sword Technique now had the boost of the Legendary Weapon Master''s exclusive talent "Elementary Weapon Mastery (Passive)", making it slightly more powerful,


    Compared to that, with the "Hammer Specialization lv3" enhancement, the Tokkal Hammer Technique was still his most powerful Extraordinary Battle Technique.


    Thus, as the remaining Skill Points decreased from 2 to 1, the Tokkal Hammer Technique advanced from lv10 to lv11.


    Instantly, a torrent of hammer technique training memories flooded into Rein''s mind.


    After absorbing and digesting these memories, they gradually integrated into his muscles, creating muscle memory.


    However, Rein had a feeling that this allocation was a bit different from before.


    Vaguely, his mastery over the hammer technique seemed to have punctured through a barrier; he had a different insight into the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Especially concerning the original secret technique "Rising Dragon Hammer", its integration with his primal force had become even tighter.


    As Rein was just coming to his senses, two system notifications suddenly appeared:


    [Congratulations, your Tokkal Hammer Technique''s exclusive secret technique ''Rising Dragon Hammer'' has been promoted to the quasi-secret technique ''Rising Dragon Hammer!'']


    [After the promotion to quasi-secret technique, do you wish to change the skill name?]


    Quasi-secret technique?


    Immediately, the surprised and delighted Rein noticed some slight changes in the icon for ''Rising Dragon Hammer'' originally placed above ''Tokkal Hammer Technique'' on the Legendary Weapon Master panel.


    The icon depicted a burly man twisting his body, swinging a two-handed sledgehammer from bottom to top; now, he appeared more formidable and robust, with some kind of airflow-like ripples appearing on both sides of the hammer, making it look exceedingly crafted and robust.


    Beneath the icon, there was a line of small text:


    Rising Dragon Hammer (Quasi-Secret Technique) Effect: Combines primal force with a special method of exertion to swing the sledgehammer from bottom to top, delivering a strike that integrates primal force with rotational force.


    (Note: The quasi-secret technique cannot be directly enhanced by Skill Points.)


    (Note: The power of the quasi-secret technique directly correlates with the following: one, the Tokkal Hammer Technique skill level; two, primal force value; three, Hammer Specialization level; four, Strength value.)


    Regarding the renaming, Rein thought about it and chose no.


    Merely a quasi-secret technique, there was no need yet for a high-sounding name; besides, ''Rising Dragon Hammer'' sounded quite pleasant to the ear, so he decided not to bother renaming it for now.


    Obviously, since the secret technique was promoted to a quasi-secret technique, its power had inevitably been enhanced.


    As for the extent of the enhancement, that still had to be tested to be known. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Additionally, Rein looked thoughtfully at the second note, ''The power of the quasi-secret technique directly correlates with the following: one, the Tokkal Hammer Technique skill level...''


    Since further enhancing the power was possible, he still had one Skill Point left, so he might as well use it now!


    After all, his Hammer Skills weren''t limited to just one technique....


    Soon, Rein made up his mind.


    As the remaining Skill Points reduced from 1 to 0, the Tokkal Hammer Technique advanced from lv11 to lv12.


    Instantly, another torrent of hammer technique training memories surged into Rein''s mind.


    After Rein came to his senses, two more system notifications also quietly arrived:


    [Congratulations, your Tokkal Hammer Technique''s exclusive secret technique ''Earth-splitting Hammer'' has been promoted to the quasi-secret technique ''Earth-splitting Hammer!'']


    [After the promotion to quasi-secret technique, do you wish to change the skill name?]


    Indeed, Rein saw on the Legendary Weapon Master panel that the icon for ''Earth-splitting Hammer'', originally placed above ''Tokkal Hammer Technique'', had undergone some slight changes.

 Chapter 216 Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    The burly man, holding aloft a two-handed great hammer and ferociously striking the ground from above, appeared even more imposing at this moment. Before him lay a fan-shaped fractured area with unevenly sized rocks floating above the ground, exuding an unparalleled power.In the lower right corner of the icon, there was a line of small text:


    Earth-splitting Hammer (Near Secret Technique) Effect: Combines innate strength with a special powerful method of wielding, swinging the heavy hammer from above to strike the ground, delivering a blow with multiple shock forces.


    (Note: Near Secret Technique cannot be directly enhanced through Skill Points.)


    (Note: The power of the Near Secret Technique positively correlates with: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique skill level; two, innate strength value; three, hammer specialization level; four, strength value.)


    Similarly, Lord Reine did not opt to change the name of the skill, continuing to call it Earth-splitting Hammer.


    After both hammer skills had advanced to Near Secret Technique, he could distinctly feel his understanding of hammer techniques had deepened once more, and it seemed he was not far from truly mastering the secret technique.


    Unfortunately, he currently had no remaining Skill Points.


    However, this made Lord Reine somewhat look forward to the upcoming battle.


    One reason was to test the power of the Near Secret Technique, and of course, the Experience rewards after the battle.


    Meanwhile, Vinica on the side of the ship, watching Lord Reine, who was deep in thought, suddenly smiled slightly, revealing an eagerness to try.


    This caused Vinica to stare in astonishment.


    Did one face battle without fear, but instead a longing?


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    Lord Reine indeed possessed a potential essential for top-level combatants.


    ...


    When the two rushed to the scene, they could see from afar, five striped serpentine sea beasts, one large and four small, encircling and attacking the Fish-Dragon Squad perched on the coral reefs.


    Even the smaller sea beasts had bodies rising more than three meters above the water, and the biggest one stood at a staggering five meters!


    The spine-spiked necks of the serpentine sea beasts were connected by a thin stretch of membrane between each spike, giving the illusion of a snake head wearing an umbrella.


    "These are Spine-Ridge Sea Serpents!"


    "The venom spit by Spine-Ridge Sea Serpents is highly toxic, and they also possess substantial close-combat capabilities, making them as formidable as a Great Knight."


    "As for that giant Spine-Ridge Sea Serpent...." Vinica quickly said.


    Having experienced so many battles, Lord Reine merely glanced briefly and had already grasped the entire battlefield situation.


    If the Fish-Dragon Squad was built around the team leader Baron, who was a Peak Knight, then their opponents were the exact opposite.


    Their side seemed to be centered around a formal Wizard, with the remaining four being Great Knights, one wielding a sword and shield by the Wizard''s side, the other three wielding various weapons, controlling the serpentine sea beasts to encircle Baron.


    The opponent''s sea beasts also possessed the ability to spit venom and had formidable close combat capabilities.


    From the composition, it was difficult to determine which side was superior.


    But from the situation on the ground, it seemed Baron, the core of his team, was precisely being suppressed by the Wizard opposite him.


    As the team leader, Baron was swiftly moving to block attacks from three directions from the sea beasts, but the situation was perilous, with one member of the Fish-Dragon Squad lying on the coral reef, seemingly out of combat.


    Although Baron was illuminated by various witchcraft lights enhancing his speed and strength remarkably,


    These three sea beasts were not weak in combat, their bodies also kept shimmering with witchcraft light, whether it was support from others nearby or an innate ability of the large sea beasts.


    In addition, there were Great Knights on the backs of each of the sea beasts, coordinating in combat. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    More crucially, Lord Reine keenly noticed something: blood was trickling from the corners of Baron''s mouth.


    Moreover, during the fight, he occasionally paused and showed a pained expression.


    This made Lord Reine quickly realize, it was likely related to the robed figure on the back of the largest serpentine sea beast, who occasionally chanted spells while wielding a dagger.


    In other words, to turn the tide, the key to the entire battle was that robed figure.


    At that moment, there was a knight with a sword and shield standing by the robed figure''s side, seemingly to prevent any fast advances from Baron.


    Upon seeing the sudden appearance of Lord Reine and Vinica, members of the Fish-Dragon Squad showed puzzled expressions.


    Trevo, acting as the archer, immediately turned his head, addressing another team member, "What''s going on, didn''t you inform them and ask them to evacuate quickly?"


    "We can''t hold on much longer! If it weren''t for the proximity to Fishing Port Town, we could have retreated earlier, and Bastoss would not have been severely injured."


    The team member, clearly a bit aggrieved, said, "My albatross just told me it had already notified them, I think, it must be that Lord Reine decided to come!"


    Although Trevo had a good impression of Lord Reine, he couldn''t help feeling a bit angry at this moment, "This... young man, he''s too impulsive!"


    "He doesn''t realize that our competition with him, which was a one-on-one, is completely different from this kind of team combat."


    ...


    "Lord Reine, what should we do now?"


    "Let''s stop here, leave the rest to me," Lord Reine said as he noticed a small isle nearby that could serve as a prearranged battleground.

 Chapter 216 Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    After all, fighting sea beasts in the ocean puts us at a disadvantage."Very well, Lord Reine."


    At that moment, Vinica began chanting a witchcraft spell.


    Suddenly, Reine felt a massive amount of water energy particles gathering under his feet, giving him a sensation of being buoyed up.


    "Lord Reine, I have cast the witchcraft ''Water Walking,'' which is enough to support your weight on the surface of the sea for approximately half an hour," Vinica said.


    This news brought a smile to Reine''s face.


    He had been planning to lure his opponent to the nearby reefs for the fight, but now it seemed unnecessary; he now had far more options for the battleground.


    Then Vinica continued to caution him, "Just one more thing, Lord Reine. Should you cast any witchcraft, you must be careful."


    "It''s best not to interfere with the area beneath your feet, otherwise the witchcraft ''Water Walking'' I have cast on you may be nullified or become unstable."


    Reine nodded upon hearing Vinica''s reminder.


    He understood this point clearly.


    In simple terms, it meant he could not cast the witchcraft ''High-Temperature Force Field'' during the fight, since it would cover the area under his feet and affect the stability of ''Water Walking,'' but he could cast ''Scorching Touch'' or ''Blazing Light.''


    Then, a pale blue witchcraft light flashed by.


    In an instant, a thin layer of water membrane formed around Reine''s body, a water-based witchcraft technique he was quite familiar with��the ''Water Membrane Technique,'' which offered a certain level of defensive power.


    "Thank you, Miss Vinica. From here on out, leave it to me," Reine said with a nod, giving Vinica a slight smile.


    "Lord Reine, please be safe. If things get too difficult, I have an official Sorcery Scroll given to me by my mentor."


    "Understood."


    Reine didn''t say much more and stepped toward the ship''s rail, then stood firmly on the surface of the sea.


    ...


    The members of the Eagle Federation, of course, also noticed the appearance of Reine and Vinica.


    A man in a black robe glanced at the two of them and murmured, "Is this the local defensive force of the Dragan Empire? A third-level Wizard Apprentice and a knight, no, perhaps a Great Knight?"


    "Hoffman, you take care of these two destabilizing factors," he ordered.


    "As you command, Lord Nehru." The Great Knight, armed with a sword and shield, quickly steered his spineback sea serpent towards Reine at high speed.


    The man named Nehru, robed in black, had an energy fluctuation that obviously surpassed that of a third-level Wizard Apprentice. His gaze, however, remained fixed on Baron, who was engaged in rapid combat.


    As the third-ranked member of the ''Leviathan'' squad, he was the first to arrive upon receiving the information from the Federation navy, as he was collecting materials nearby.


    He had just arrived when he discovered the trail of the Dragan Empire''s combat team and so the battle had suddenly erupted.


    The opposing team''s captain was a Peak Knight, who turned out to be quite a handful after being enhanced by the other team members'' boosting witchcraft.


    Even Nehru had to exert quite some effort to suppress him.


    Nehru, holding a blade that emitted a faint black glow, the ''Curse Blade,'' couldn''t help but feel a bit of pride. If it weren''t for his particular advantage against the opposing Peak Knight, the other members of the ''Leviathan'' squad might not have been able to take them down.


    Just before, he had used this ''Curse Blade'' to cast three curses on his opponent: ''Weakness Curse,'' ''Pain Curse,'' and ''Coldheart Curse.''


    The opponent''s strength could no longer be wielded normally.


    Now, the scales of victory had tipped in his favor, and in a few more minutes, the opponent''s endurance would gradually be exhausted.


    Nehru observed for a while, then shifted his gaze to the distant figures of Rein and Vinica. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a faint incantation, Nehru made two light cuts on his own fingers with the dark-glowing dagger in his hand, drawing forth a deep red blood. In an instant, a strange fluctuation assaulted the distant Vinica.


    And a second later, another inexplicable wave struck Rein!


    After completing his spell, Nehru''s face paled slightly, but a smile crept across his lips.


    With this, Hoffman should be able to deal with the opponent with ease.


    The element of instability was about to be eliminated!


    Suddenly, Vinica, who stood next to Rein, clutched at her chest, her face changing dramatically as she said:


    "Lord Rein, I think I am affected by a Pain Curse! You must be careful, that black-robed man seems to be a Witchery Curses Master..."


    Pain Curse?


    Witchery Curses Master?


    Rein''s thoughts involuntarily drifted to Adams, the third-level Wizard Apprentice he had once killed. His methods were also quite bizarre.


    Of course, the one at present was a formal wizard, much stronger by comparison.


    But in this moment, Rein felt no fear; his own strength had also increased significantly since then.


    It was just that after hearing that the opponent was a Witchery Curses Master, a sense of caution arose within Rein''s heart.


    But in the next second, Rein felt a sharp increase in negative energy surrounding him; it invaded his body in a flash.


    "This effect... Is this... a Weakness Curse?"


    Rein immediately realized what it was, having experienced this sorcery not long ago.


    However, compared to the Weakness Curse cast by Nathaniel, this one was far more potent.


    If he didn''t dispel it swiftly, his combat effectiveness, as a Great Knight, would be reduced under the curse to that of a Peak Knight at best.


    This was a battle of life and death, not a competition, so without hesitation, Rein added an attribute point to his Spirit.


    With his remaining attribute points dropping from 6 to 5, and Spirit increasing from 31 to 32 points, a warm flow surged powerfully from his heart and quickly spread throughout his body.


    In an instant, the feeling of weakness throughout Rein''s body was swept clean away!


    Good! A faint smile appeared on Rein''s face.


    The increase in points led to recovery; it was still effective!


    At that moment, the Great Knight named Hoffman, controlling a spined sea serpent, also bore a smile as he charged toward the small boat where Rein was located.


    Because just then, he had sensed that the two enemies had been cursed by Lord Nehru.


    This kind of situation had occurred many times in previous battles.


    Therefore, there wasn''t much suspense left in the upcoming fight.


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    In his view, those two enemies were now no different from lambs to the slaughter!


    ...

 Chapter 217 The Power of Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    As Hoffman drew closer to Vinica and Rein, he could clearly see the young and beautiful twin-tailed girl, her hand clutching her chest and her willow-shaped eyebrows tightly knitted, an expression of pain etched across her face.This set Hoffman''s mind at ease!


    Clearly, Master Nehru''s curse was as effective as ever.


    Moreover, this female Wizard Apprentice''s age and appearance were both quite stunning.


    Especially when she was clutching her chest due to the "Pain Curse", the contour of that elevated area was perfectly outlined.


    This caused a flicker of other thoughts to pass through Hoffman''s mind.


    He was a man, and it was natural to have thoughts about an eighteen-year-old beautiful girl��it was normal. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, his attention couldn''t help but linger on the girl for an extra second or two.


    However, Hoffman still cautiously glanced at the young Great Knight beside her.


    The knight''s head was lowered, his face obscured, and he didn''t immediately draw his weapon when he saw the Spineback Sea Serpent quickly approaching��an indication that he likely was under the influence of Master Nehru''s "Weakness Curse".


    Both of them being cursed as expected gave Hoffman a sense of great relief.


    After thinking it over, he decided to first deal with the young Great Knight... As for the remaining girl, he might consider not killing her. A female Wizard Apprentice of such beauty would have considerable value wherever she was placed.


    If Master Nehru was not interested, he could bring her back to the Eagle Federation to enjoy at his leisure.


    With this thought, Hoffman''s heart heated up, and he immediately accelerated the Spineback Sea Serpent towards Rein.


    At that moment, Rein lifted his head and gave Hoffman a slight smile.


    Suddenly, a sense of alarm exploded within Hoffman''s mind!


    His pupils contracted sharply as the figure in front of him, like an inflating balloon, suddenly swelled, growing from two meters to about two meters thirty in height.


    The previously slightly loose bright silver knight armor was suddenly emitting a ''creaking'' noise from being squeezed, giving off the impression that it might burst at the seams due to the muscles expanding beneath.


    There wasn''t the slightest sign of him being afflicted by a weakness curse!


    "Swoosh!"


    At the same time.


    The young man opposite took a step forward!


    Instantly, the seawater exploded outward, and the immense reactionary force propelled the man''s figure high into the air.


    In midair, he held aloft a dark double-handed hammer, his entire posture stretched and poised like a bowstring drawn to the limit, then he swung down forcefully from above!


    In the blink of an eye!


    Hoffman had no time to dodge, his body instinctively knew he had to immediately raise his shield to block.


    It was because the opponent''s attack was too fast and abrupt, and more so because of Hoffman''s own initial misjudgment that after being weakened by the curse, the knight would be like meat on a chopping board.


    Furthermore, the attractive girl by the side had also drawn a portion of Hoffman''s attention.


    So, under various reasons, at this moment, he could only madly channel the strength within his body and lift the blood-veined steel shield in his left hand with all his might to protect himself.


    Just in time!


    He had blocked it!


    A look of relief at having narrowly escaped death, along with a resolve to retaliate fiercely afterward, surfaced on Hoffman''s face.


    "Thunk!!!"


    The moment the Pig-head Hammer touched the Blood-veined Shield, a blinding spark erupted.


    In an instant, the Blood-veined Steel Shield, alloyed with rare minerals, shattered into pieces!


    Hoffman''s expression, which had held for less than a tenth of a second, changed drastically, his eyes bulging, his face stricken with horror!


    The strength behind the opponent''s hammer was shockingly immense!


    It had shattered his Blood-veined Shield in a single contact.


    What was more terrifying was that he suddenly felt a strong force, mixed with strength, rippling through him from the armor gloves inch by inch across his body!


    For a moment, he lost all sensation in his left arm!


    Then a sharp pain followed.


    From the palm, to the forearm, to the arm, it spread throughout his body and even reached the Spineback Sea Serpent he was mounted on.


    From Vinica''s perspective, after receiving Rein''s hammer strike, Hoffman froze in place as if the image was permanently paused, the waves crashing, the sea breeze blowing gently.


    The next second!


    It started with Hoffman''s shield-bearing left hand.


    The left hand suddenly burst open, followed by the arm exploding, then the shoulder armor shattering, and then a sound of "crackling and popping" came from deep within Hoffman''s body.


    "You... you..."


    "This... this... how could..."


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    "Pugh!" Hoffman''s eyes bulged, and he violently spat out a mouthful of fresh red mix containing his innards, his face full of disbelief.


    "You... how could you... not have... not be affected... by the Weakness... Weakness Curse!!!"


    Hoffman''s entire body, like a dead snake with its spine pulled out, slumped weakly onto the body of the Spineback Sea Serpent, still struggling for breath, he managed to utter this question before dying.


    Sadly, Rein did not answer his dying question.


    Having lost balance, Hoffman''s eyes widened as his entire body slid from the back of the Spineback Sea Serpent into the sea.


    A death with eyes wide open!


    And the Spineback Sea Serpent, which had intended to spit venom for an attack, had its action interrupted directly by the multiple shockwaves that came with Rein''s precisely executed secret technique.


    At that moment, the Spineback Sea Serpent, regaining its senses from its frozen state, looked at Rein with its large snake eyes as if it had seen its natural enemy!

 Chapter 217 The Power of a Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Full of terror!


    And its neck, which originally displayed an umbrella-like spiny crest, now retracted like a closing umbrella, clinging tightly to the neck.


    This was an expression of fear, fright, and submission!


    But a dark hammer shadow flashed by, and the top of the spiny sea serpent''s head was instantly smashed open, splattering blood everywhere!


    The spiny sea serpent, whose spirit had been shocked, was sent to join its master after just one move by Rein''s pig-headed hammer.


    The spiny sea serpent immediately died from suffocation, its body that was initially upright on the sea surface slumped softly down, and its entire seven or eight meters long, bucket-thick body floated to the surface.


    The nerves and muscles in the body of the spiny sea serpent were still moving, its body slightly twisting and twitching continuously!


    At this moment, the sound of the waves crashing remained, but standing on the sea surface, there was only Rein left��the previously menacing enemy was now just a corpse drifting aimlessly on the sea.


    Standing on a nearby small boat, the twin-tailed young girl, although pale from pain, had a completely different spirit than before.


    Just like a girl fighting cancer in a past life, pained in appearance, but with a sparkle in her eyes!


    Her beautiful eyes stared at Rein''s robust figure, filled with surprise, admiration, affection, awe, and various other emotions.


    If it weren''t for seeing those watery beautiful eyes in person, it would be hard to imagine that just a look could convey so much meaning.


    Rein, on the other hand, shook his dark pig-headed hammer in his hand.


    He stood on the sea surface, savoring the "Earth-splitting Hammer" he had just executed.


    If described in four words, they would be extremely exhilarating!


    That hammer strike felt as though it released some kind of spirit, a combination of original force and clever technique.


    He could feel that the strike had a strange power that when clashing with the opponent''s shield, transmitted into the opponent''s body wreaking havoc, hence causing such great damage.


    And that strange power must contain the secret of the true secret technique.


    Perhaps, a regular secret technique would not be as strong as Rein''s strike.


    But the thing is, Rein possessed the level 12 Tokkal Hammer Skill, level 3 "Hammer Specialization", and the talent "Intermediate Giant Strength," all three amplifying his power. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    This was why even a Great Knight could be killed instantly by one hammer strike!


    Of course, the enemy''s unpreparedness and lack of focus played certain roles.


    But that was not the point, because even if the opponent had been prepared, they could not have withstood it.


    For Rein, at most, he would have struck with one more hammer.


    -----------------


    On the main battlefield.


    Members of the Fish-Dragon Team like Trevo and Nathaniel intended to assist Rein and Vinica. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, since they were already at a disadvantage on the main battlefield, after several attempts, they were disappointed to find there was no chance for them.


    But when the team captain, Baron, noticed that the Great Knight, who had originally been guarding beside the opponent''s black-robed Wizard and was controlling the spiny sea serpent, swiftly left,


    he immediately seized this opportunity and surged with all his remaining strength at the Wizard!


    Unfortunately!


    Baron''s outburst was quickly extinguished by the Wizard''s witchcraft attack.


    Although Baron''s counterattack had little effect, it made Nehru pay more attention to him.


    After all, in Nehru''s eyes, Baron was the big fish while the two newcomers were just trash fish.


    It''s always important to prioritize.


    Having continued to cast two witchcraft spells to suppress Baron,


    Nehru casually glanced over at Hoffman''s situation, but in an instant, his whole expression puzzled!


    Huh?


    Where is Hoffman?


    At that spot on the sea,


    the young Great Knight was still standing there,


    and the Wizard Apprentice girl was also there.


    But Hoffman, whom he had sent, and the spiny sea serpent under Hoffman, were nowhere to be seen.


    Where did Hoffman run off to?


    He had only taken his eyes off Hoffman for a mere four or five seconds, and now he couldn''t find him?


    Nehru blinked in confusion and then scrutinized carefully.


    The next second, he discovered that just a few meters in front of the young Great Knight, two familiar corpses, large and small, were bobbing up and down with the rhythm of the waves.


    This instantly made Nehru''s face twitch violently with disbelief!


    What the hell happened?


    In just a few seconds of distraction, Hoffman was dead???


    For Nehru''s brief lapse, Baron felt it most distinctly.


    Because Baron clearly felt the pressure weaken, and the black-robed Wizard, who had been closely watching him, now turned in surprise towards Rein and Vinica.


    This made him extremely curious��had something unexpected happened there?


    Thus, during a break in the battle, Team Captain Baron quickly glanced aside.


    With that look, Baron''s eyes suddenly widened...


    And the other members of the Fish-Dragon Team evidently also noticed the unusual behavior of the opposing black-robed Wizard and their leader.

 Chapter 217 The Power of a Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Immediately, several people also followed the gaze of the two, looking in the direction where Reine was. In the next second, everyone revealed expressions of shock, joy, and confusion.


    This... what''s happening?


    Trevo and Nathaniel exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with deep confusion!


    They had just been about to help Reine and Vinica, but...


    In just a few seconds, these two had dealt with the enemy???


    Because no one had seen how Reine had dispatched the Great Knight and the Spineback Sea Serpent, their minds couldn''t quite make sense of it.


    They didn''t know whether it was Reine or Vinica who had defeated the enemy.


    After all, they had already experienced Reine''s strength in the training room of the administrative hall of Fishing Port Town, and in their current judgment, it was highly unlikely that he could have accomplished this.


    ''It must have been Vinica using some kind of powerful Sorcery Scroll!''


    ''As for not sensing the energy fluctuations of witchcraft, that''s because the battle on the main battlefield was too intense, and the witchcraft from the enemy Wizards and attacks from the Spineback Sea Serpent interfered with our perception.''


    But no matter what, the victory of Reine and Vinica was a great thing for the Dragon-Fish Squad!


    This meant that the unfavorable situation they were initially in now had a chance to be turned around!


    The morale of the Dragon-Fish Squad instantly soared at a visible rate. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However...


    What was good for the Dragon-Fish Squad was clearly not good for Nehru.


    The Dragan Empire Navy Squad, which he had almost cornered, now regained vitality, which caused his complexion to instantly turn ashen!


    There was one thing he still couldn''t understand.


    How exactly did those two unstable elements break through his curse interference and kill Hoffman?


    But given the current situation on the main battlefield, Nehru seemed unable to spare a hand.


    Thus, without other options, Nehru''s best choice was to cast curses again and deal with those two unstable elements to stabilize the situation.


    Huh?


    When Nehru checked on the two again, he discovered that it seemed the female Wizard Apprentice was suffering from his Pain Curse, which meant the problem must lie with the young Great Knight.


    Perhaps the opponent had some kind of rare Sorcery Scroll or witchcraft artifact for dispelling curses.


    After a moment''s thought, Nehru made a decision!


    Because whether it was a Sorcery Scroll or a witchcraft artifact, the likelihood was that it could only dispel a curse once, after which it would either be used up or it would require time before it could be effective again.


    Therefore, in any case, the simplest way to deal with it was clear.


    That was to increase the power of the curse and the frequency of the curses, completely overwhelming the opponent''s ability to resist!


    Nehru''s expression became stern, and a hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes. With a short dagger emitting dark light, he fiercely slit his own left wrist; as a large amount of blood sprayed out, the dagger''s dark radiance intensified, absorbing all the blood in an instant.


    Meanwhile, Nehru''s lips moved slightly, and he began to chant a spell.


    As for why Nehru didn''t opt for a distant single-target elemental witchcraft attack, this was because his path as a Witchery Curses Master greatly differed from that of an elemental Wizard.


    After successfully advancing to a Witchery Curses Master, his focus shifted towards negative energy and curses.


    It wasn''t that Witchery Curses Masters couldn''t execute elemental witchcraft like the Water Arrow Art, but rather that it was not cost-effective.


    For one thing, the power would be weaker in comparison; secondly, the speed of casting and the spiritual power consumed held no significant advantages.


    However, when casting curse-related witchcraft, it was completely different for a Witchery Curses Master, who received a kind of enhancement in this area.


    So, for Nehru, using curse-based witchcraft to attack, although still costly, was extremely fast, consumed very little spiritual power, and had much stronger lethality! Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Nonetheless, although a Witchery Curses Master''s methods are bizarre and varied, they still adhere to the basic principle of equivalent exchange. Releasing a relatively weak curse might only require a single drop of blood.


    Just like what he had recently used against Reine and Vinica.


    But if one wanted to cast multiple curses, or execute a powerful curse to attack the enemy, the price to pay would be much greater.


    Such as a large amount of blood...


    Or even sacrificing a part of the body...


    ...


    -----------------


    Meanwhile, Reine in the distance glanced at the pale Vinica and quickly walked over to support the twin-tailed young woman, asking with concern, "Miss Vinica, how are you feeling?"


    "I''m all right, Lord Reine. If I''m not mistaken, I believe I have been struck by a Pain Curse."


    "Pain Curse?" Reine questioned with a hint of confusion.


    He had just been affected by what seemed to be a Weakness Curse, so clearly, the Pain Curse was a different matter.


    "Exactly, a person affected by a Pain Curse will constantly feel an intense agony. Lord Reine, I''m afraid I won''t be of much help in the battle to come."


    "A Pain Curse cast by a fully-fledged Wizard will greatly hinder my ability to concentrate and cast witchcraft. Currently, I don''t have a good way to counter this problem."


    "However, you can rest assured that if I just stay quietly here, the effects of the Pain Curse on me will be much less, and it will naturally fade after some time has passed."

 Chapter 217 The Power of a Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    "Affecting the casting of witchcraft? Staying still will ease the pain?" Reine asked with confusion.


    After all, the curse he had just been hit with was not the Pain Curse but the Weakening Spell.


    It seemed that the Witchery Curses Master tailored the curses differently depending on the enemy.


    The Pain Curse inflicted upon Vinica, the Wizard Apprentice, would amount to crippling a third-level Wizard Apprentice''s ability to fight if she couldn''t dispel it.


    The Weakening Spell cast upon him, a Great Knight, would reduce his combat capabilities from the level of a Great Knight to that of a knight if he couldn''t dispel it, significantly lessening his threat.


    But obviously, the enemy could cast two different curses on the same person.


    Or even...


    More than two curses, such as three... or even more...


    "Yes, Lord Reine."


    Reine nodded, as he began to understand, then turned to glance at Baron, the Fish-Dragon Squad Captain, who was swiftly moving across the main battlefield in the distance.


    At that moment, the pressure Baron must have been under was surely intense!


    "Miss Vinica, you should rest in the boat for a while; I''ll go and support Captain Baron."


    "Lord Reine, please be extremely careful. The Witchery Curses Master''s attacks are difficult to withstand, and their power should not be underestimated," Vinica said as Reine helped her to slowly sit down in the boat.


    Reine nodded, and promptly stood up, preparing to turn and leave.


    However, he quickly remembered something and began to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +791]


    [You have been through a combat, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +465]


    (Note: The above skill experience has been enhanced by 30% thanks to the exclusive talent ''Primary Extraordinary Understanding''.)


    ...


    [Congratulations, your Weapon Master (Legendary) Profession Level has increased!]


    The Profession Level of Weapon Master (Legendary) has been elevated by one level, reaching lv4 (10/1000).


    This allowed Reine to gain another attribute point and skill point, bringing his remaining attribute points back to 6 and his remaining skill points to 1.


    Since he was about to face a formal wizard for the first time, and a troublesome Witchery Curses Master at that, Reine pondered for a moment and decided to allocate another point to his Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    He had a vague sense that upon reaching lv12 in the Tokkal Hammer Technique, it felt as though just a bit more improvement could elevate it to an even higher realm.


    Perhaps then, he would grasp the true secret technique!


    At that moment, Reine''s brow suddenly furrowed.


    The system notification read as follows:


    [Addition of a skill point failed!]


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has reached lv12 and is at a certain threshold. It cannot be elevated through skill points! To improve further, please use Golden Skill Points!]


    Golden Skill Points?


    Reine quickly recalled the system''s previous message when his Weapon Master (Legendary) profession leveled up to lv2 �� ''Golden Skill Points can be synthesized from three skill points, or obtained by defeating powerful enemies.''


    At that time, he had wondered what the Golden Skill Points were for. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now it seemed that one of their uses was to break through certain limits of Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    However...


    Even if he couldn''t elevate the near-secret technique to a true secret technique, Reine was not about to choose flight over fight!


    Suddenly, just as Reine was rapidly moving toward the main battlefield, he sharply sensed an increase in dark energy particles around him, and, instantly, the same sense of weakness he had felt before surfaced again!


    This caused his movements to slow considerably.


    But this time, it was far from over!


    Reine felt a cold, mysterious side energy suddenly invade his body, like a cold little snake boring into his heart, followed by an intense pang of pain!


    An excruciating pain, steming from his throbbing heart.


    It forced Reine to come to a stop...


    But the negative energy condensed once more, surging into Reine''s body, adhering to every joint, fascia, and muscle...


    Reine felt every muscle, every fascia in his limbs ache profoundly!


    Now, even a slight movement of his hand would bring the piercing agony.


    This was Nehru casting the ''Weakening Spell,'' ''Cold-Heart Curse,'' and ''Pain Curse'' together!


    He applied the same tactic he used against the Peak Knight and Captain of the Fish-Dragon Squad, Baron, now onto Reine, with the aim of eradicating this unpredictable factor. Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire


    However...


    At that moment, standing midway, Reine, upon feeling the pain, silently opened the system''s attribute panel and added another point to his Spirit attribute.


    As his remaining attribute points decreased from 6 to 5, and his Spirit rose from 32 to 33 points, instantly, a warm current forcefully pumped from his heart, scattering the negative energy serpent coiled around his heart!


    Then, this warm current began to sweep through his entire body...


    All the negative energy lurking in the joints, fasciae, and muscles of Reine''s body, like snow under hot water, were promptly dispersed and melted by the warm current!


    In less than a second, Reine felt warm all over, the dark energy vanishing like specters banished into oblivion!


    That''s right!


    Reine cracked a slight smile.


    Although he didn''t know how to dispel curses, he had an edge!

 Chapter 218 Broken Eggs (Two in One Big Chapter)

    After exhausting a large amount of blood and executing a triple curse strike on Rein, Nehru immediately refocused his attention on the Fish-Dragon Squad.


    His three Great Knights continued to control the thorn-backed sea serpents to besiege the Fish-Dragon Squad, but their expressions had slightly changed.


    "Intensify the attack, maintain the pressure, they won''t be able to make any waves,"


    At this time, Nehru''s confident voice resonated in their hearts.


    Nehru''s words instantly made the three knights stiffen and swiftly increase their attack frequency, and the situation of the Fish-Dragon Squad became perilous once again.


    Previously, the Fish-Dragon Squad had been greatly buoyed in morale when they saw Rein and Vinica, managing to take down a combination of a Great Knight and a thorn-backed sea serpent. However, seeing Rein, who had come to support them, suddenly stop without any warning, they gasped in dismay.


    They knew then that the Witchery Curses Master on the giant thorn-backed sea serpent must have made a move!


    Although a Witchery Curses Master might not be formidable in direct combat, the variety of unpredictable curses could make their own squad suffer agonizingly and significantly affect their combat effectiveness.


    Otherwise, the mere combination of three Great Knights and three thorn-backed sea serpents could not possibly have trapped them.


    But the next second, they saw a white wave of air suddenly bursting up from the sea surface, heading straight for the battlefield, and the figure at the forefront of the wave was Rein!


    Having been affected by Nehru''s triple curse strike and halted, Rein, after removing the curse, had once again exploded off the tip of his toes, causing the seawater to burst open as he moved rapidly towards the main battlefield.


    This made the members of the Fish-Dragon Squad exchange glances. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This...


    The Witchery Curses Master didn''t target Rein?


    Impossible!


    They had just seen Rein suddenly stop in his tracks.


    Could it be that Rein had some special item capable of removing curses on him?


    And when Nehru saw Rein moving at high speed again, his face drastically changed, How could this be possible?


    He had just expended a significant amount of blood to cast three curses in succession!


    Suddenly, four words flashed in his mind.


    "Iron Will?"


    "Could it be... that he possesses the rare talent of Iron Will?"


    Otherwise, no special item could remove all three curses at once!


    Or, even if such a phenomenal thing exists, it definitely wouldn''t belong to a defense force leader from a little place in the Dragan Empire.


    People with the talent of Iron Will have an extraordinary resistance to pain.


    For someone like him, a Witchery Curses Master, they are an extremely troublesome target. Curses like the Pain Curse, Cold Heart Curse, etc., are almost ineffective against them.


    However, seeing Rein charging directly at him, Nehru''s grim face eased up significantly.


    Ha ha, a Great Knight, thinking that having a special talent would enable him to directly challenge a Wizard?


    Naive...


    Once the opponent gets closer, besides curses, he has ample methods to deal with that fellow.


    However, at this time, Rein, although heading straight towards the black-robed Wizard on the giant thorn-backed sea serpent, had the sole purpose of drawing the opponent''s attention to alleviate the pressure on the Fish-Dragon Squad, particularly on Captain Baron, and not to actually engage the Witchery Curses Master head-on.


    Rein had thought it over before the battle that the opponent''s methods were insidious. Without a substantial certainty, directly engaging would be unwise.


    Indeed, after Rein slightly drew the attention of the black-robed Wizard, the pressure on the Fish-Dragon Squad considerably lessened, especially for Captain Baron, who was launching counterattacks more frequently.


    At this moment, Rein''s path of advancement suddenly changed from a straight line to an arc, rapidly bending behind one of the Great Knights controlling the thorn-backed sea serpent who was attacking the Fish-Dragon Squad.


    The Great Knight was burly, wielding a sharp metal spear around two meters long, and judging by his physique, he was also a Great Knight inclined towards strength.


    As Rein suddenly attacked with a heavy hammer, the opponent raised both hands and crossed the spear to block.


    Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    But as the two weapons clashed, the Great Knight''s expression instantly changed!


    A multi-layered shock force transmitted violently from the spear he was blocking straight into his body, causing his entire body to stiffen for a moment, lasting only about 0.2 seconds.


    However, for combatants of Rein and his level, 0.2 seconds was enough to do a lot.


    In an instant, Rein sprang into the air, unleashing a near secret technique-level "Rising Dragon Hammer", and he used the spike-tipped end of the pig-head hammer.


    The sharp spike brutally pierced the Great Knight''s chin, and in an instant, the strike sent him flying four to five meters into the air!


    At the same time, his skull burst open directly, with white brain matter splattering from the broken skullcap.


    Meanwhile, his entire body twitched ceaselessly in midair...


    This scene made the members of the Fish-Dragon Squad realize just how Rein had killed the first Great Knight who wielded a sword and shield.


    This hammer technique and power, compared to sparring in the training room, seemed like he was a completely different person...


    This time, although Rein fought face-to-face with the opposing Great Knight, the kill was not much more difficult than the last.

 Chapter 218 Shattered Egg (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    It was mainly because the enemy didn''t know how he had killed the first Knight, so, tactically, they had been at a disadvantage in a straightforward confrontation.


    Seeing his second Great Knight fall in battle, Nehru was both shocked and enraged!


    What he hadn''t expected was that the young Great Knight who had originally charged at him would turn to attack his Great Knight instead, thereby relieving the Sea Serpent squad of their predicament.


    Weren''t young people supposed to be hotheaded?


    Damn it, this was even more cunning than an old fox!


    At this moment, the battle situation had deteriorated!


    With Rein''s intervention and the death of two enemy Great Knights, the battle quickly slipped into chaos.


    The Sea Serpent squad rapidly extricated themselves from their bind, while their captain, Baron, swiftly charged towards the Witchery Curses Master controlling the giant stinger-spine sea serpent. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein glanced over and silently praised him.


    Baron''s tactical awareness was very strong indeed, befitting the leader of the Empire''s Navy Special Combat Squad.


    Baron pressed forward, engaging the enemy''s Witchery Curses Master, while the remaining members of the Sea Serpent squad and Rein began to besiege the other two Great Knights controlling the stinger-spine sea serpents.


    The tide of the battle was turned in an instant!


    At that moment, a special pale blue mystic side energy enveloped him, and suddenly, he felt his whole body lighten, and his speed increased by twenty percent.


    Rein glanced sideways and saw that Nathaniel, who had stopped their spar prematurely before, had cast a buffing witchcraft "Gale of Swiftness" on him; he was now on the coral reef, quickly greeting him with a nod.


    Almost simultaneously, another member of the Sea Serpent squad cast a defensive witchcraft on Rein��Water Membrane Technique. A faint blue glow appeared on Rein again, revealing a thin, light blue water membrane on his body surface.


    Rein nodded at the Sea Serpent squad and without any delay, quickly rushed towards another Federation Great Knight.


    Nehru atop the giant stinger-spine sea serpent knew he had to make a decision at this moment!


    But quickly, he looked up into the distant sky, seeming to sense something, and frowned!


    Suddenly, the giant stinger-spine sea serpent beneath him took a deep breath, and a skyful of corrosive liquid was spewed out.


    This forced the Sea Serpent squad and Rein to halt their offensive moves and quickly evade.


    When the foul-smelling venom began to disperse, where was the figure of the enemy on the sea''s surface?


    So decisive?


    Rein was taken aback!


    The enemy''s retreat was too resolute.


    "It''s the Plesiosaur Squad''s Bald Eagle!" a member of the Sea Serpent squad pointed out towards the horizon.


    A giant raptor was approaching from the horizon, its white plumage exceptionally conspicuous.


    It seemed that because the situation was against them, and there were other Empire squads nearby, the Federation Witchery Curses Master quickly gave up the thought of continuing the fight, Rein speculated silently.


    With the end of the battle, the curses from the enemy Witchery Curses Master began to dissipate automatically over time.


    The Sea Serpent squad quickly administered hydrotherapy and healing potions to their severely injured teammate, stabilizing the injury soon after.


    And Vinica, after the Pain Curse gradually faded, approached the coral reef.


    Then, Captain Baron also came over, wiping the fresh blood from his mouth, and looked seriously at Rein, saying, "Baron Rein, thank you for your assistance; otherwise, our squad might have suffered heavy losses this time."


    Baron, you''re too kind, defending the sea borders is not only the duty of the Empire''s navy, I, as the governor of Fishing Port Town, also have a responsibility," Rein replied.


    The other members of the Sea Serpent squad also stepped forward to express their gratitude to Rein.


    The Sea Serpent squad''s attitude was much warmer than when they had been in Fishing Port Town.


    Especially Nathaniel, who gave a self-deprecating smile and said, "Baron Rein, it turns out you did not use your full strength in our spar. My challenge to you before was indeed presumptuous!"


    "Uh... Nathaniel, not at all, I really welcome the opportunity to spar with you all," Rein said earnestly.


    Sparring to gain experience and thus improve one''s occupational level panel, Rein was, of course, speaking truly.


    But when the Sea Serpent squad members heard Rein''s words, they felt that despite his youth, Baron Rein had none of the arrogance of young people and had a surprisingly good temperament and character, easy to communicate with.


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    Immediately, they all smiled and expressed their goodwill.


    After taking several doses of potions, Captain Baron''s injuries seemed to have improved a lot. Turning to Rein, he said:


    "Baron Rein, I noticed the Hammer Skill you used earlier; it must be on the level of a secret technique, right?"


    "Although it is very close to the power of a true secret technique, it seems to be missing something," he continued.


    Rein nodded and said, "You''re right, Captain Baron."


    Rein felt there was no harm in admitting this, as someone of Captain Baron''s calibre could almost immediately see at which level his move was.


    "Baron Rein, do you know how to elevate a nearly-secret technique to a true secret technique?" Captain Baron continued to say.


    Hearing the captain say this, everyone looked at the two of them with interest.


    Clearly, they also discerned that the captain intended to give young Baron Rein some pointers as a form of repayment for his rescue of the squad.

 Chapter 218 Shattered Egg (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Rein also heard the goodwill in Baron''s words and understood what he was implying, shaking his head, "I am still in the exploratory stage. Could Captain Baron provide some guidance?"


    Baron nodded and said, "Baron Rein, you possess exceptional talent, and my words are merely for your reference, you still need to adjust according to your own condition."


    "Although the level of Hammer Skill you have mastered has reached the requirements to perform the secret technique, the combination of Combat Skill and primal force is not intricately and flawlessly integrated."


    "Therefore, there''s still a bit of distance before you can step into the realm of the true secret technique."


    After listening to Baron''s words, Rein fell into deep thought.


    He had vaguely sensed the problem before, but he was not able to pinpoint it as precisely as Baron could.


    When Rein tried to execute the quasi-secret technique, he indeed felt that the mobilization of his body''s primal force in conjunction with his moves was not smooth, as if he could not achieve an extremely subtle combination of technique and primal force.


    Now it seemed, the issue was indeed there.


    After some thought, Rein continued to ask, "Captain Baron, how can I resolve this issue?" sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Baron did not beat around the bush, but said directly, "Two things: first, you need to strengthen your breathing practice, and second, practice the quasi-secret technique more to contemplate the primal force and the moves."


    "Given your talent, you should be able to resolve this problem in about half a year."


    Upon hearing Baron''s statement, the remaining members of the Fish-Dragon Squad couldn''t help but express their amazement.


    "Half a year?"


    "Just half a year?"


    "A Great Knight not yet eighteen years old is already terrifying, and he only needs another half a year or so to master a true secret technique..."


    Suddenly, everyone was at a loss for words!


    To execute a secret technique required accumulated primal force over many years, coupled with intensive practice and understanding of Extraordinary Battle Techniques, and finally, a most exquisite fusion of the two to successfully carry out a secret technique.


    In their mind, Great Knights capable of performing a secret technique, even within the ''Tide Walkers'' special division, were at least in their late twenties or nearing thirty.


    In fact, most were just over thirty.


    Breathing exercises, huh?


    Rein couldn''t help but fall into contemplation.


    His Bear King Breathing Technique had indeed been long neglected in upgrades, still remaining at level 9.


    Since Skill Points could not be added to the Tokkal Hammer Technique at level 12, Rein planned to use that one Skill Point later to upgrade the Bear King Breathing Technique and see the effect.


    As for the time required, it shouldn''t take as long as half a year.


    "Thank you for your guidance, Captain Baron." Rein sincerely thanked Baron in his heart, although he knew Baron''s kindness was due to his recent rescue operation.


    After pondering for a while, Baron then looked at Rein and said:


    "Baron Rein, the Eagle Federation has always avoided direct conflict with us."


    "But this time, they took the initiative to strike, and at the onset of the fight, they destroyed several of our large supply boxes, as if they were looking for something. This is quite unusual."


    "I have a feeling that the Eagle Federation''s eagerness might be related to the target of our squad''s pursuit, there appears to be some secret ties."


    "Captain Baron, do you mean that the enemy is likely to have come to rescue Volod?" Rein''s eyes flickered with thought, and he immediately spoke up.


    "Quite likely. For example, is there some secret cooperation or something else between the Eagle Federation and the Black Sail pirates?"


    "Of course, it could also be that they don''t want anything originally in Volod''s hands to fall into ours."


    "By the way, Baron Rein, did you find anything special among Volod''s battle loot?"


    Rein nodded after listening to Baron''s analysis. He was not very familiar with the Eagle Federation, but as a Baron conferred by the Empire, he naturally supported the Empire.


    "Captain Baron, I have yet to examine Volod''s battle loot. Shall we go back to Fishing Port Town now to check? Perhaps, we will make some discoveries," Rein proactively suggested.


    "Good!" Baron nodded. He too had this in mind but felt it was inappropriate to suggest examining the loot that originally belonged to Rein, especially since Rein had just rescued them.


    Thus, the group quickly returned to Fishing Port Town. After some cordial greetings with Major Mary and the Reiman brothers, they were led by the Reiman brothers to the exclusive office of the Governor of Fishing Port Town.


    The elder of the Reiman brothers, Cobert Reiman, said, "Baron Rein, what is placed on the coffee table belongs to you, the battle loot from Volod."


    Everyone looked in the direction the Reiman brothers were pointing, to see a somewhat damaged pouch and several unidentifiable potion bottles on the coffee table.


    "Actually, there were some more potions on him, but they were already shattered at that time, and the potions spilled out completely," Cobert Reiman added.


    Rein nodded. He had already anticipated this, as the combat move he used to kill Volod was the Kadar Martial Arts secret technique ''Hundred Crack Strike lv2''. To have these items preserved was already quite fortunate.


    "It''s unlikely to be the potions, it could be a secret letter or some other special item," Captain Baron beside him suggested. Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    So, with Rein''s permission, the Reiman brothers began to check the battle loot item by item in front of the Fish-Dragon Squad.

 Chapter 218 Shattered Egg (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

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    Apart from those potions and Gold Coins, they found an ancient parchment scroll in Wollow''s pouch. Upon opening it, they saw a location marked on the parchment.


    "Eh, is this a treasure map? Pirate treasure?" Cornett Leyman couldn''t help but be quite curious.


    Rein glanced at the island displayed on the map and felt a strange sense of familiarity.


    He remembered, wasn''t this the ring-shaped island?


    Previously, the necklace-shaped archipelago he had obtained from the treasure map of the Pirate King ''Shipburner'' Vincent Sanborn, turned out to be the destination.


    It seemed to be called the Saphira Islands?


    Rein looked closely and indeed, the destination marked on the map was the Saphira Islands!


    And the destination marked for the Pirate King''s treasure��the Island of Fear��was on the east side of the Saphira Islands.


    Rein couldn''t help but wonder, was it a coincidence that the two were so close?


    Or...


    At this moment, Cobert Reiman flipped the parchment scroll map over and saw a line of scrawled small characters on the back.


    These characters seemed to have been added later on.


    Only to hear Cobert Reiman read in a low voice, "The location of the ancient goblin empire city of Lombadon."


    Immediately, Baron, the team captain, looked at the map thoughtfully.


    After a moment, Baron said to Rein with a solemn face, "Baron Rein, this must be the item."


    Rein nodded and said, "Captain Baron, if this item is important to the imperial navy, I can directly hand this spoil over to you."


    Since the two maps happened to be in the same sea area, and Rein had already noted the location, even without the parchment scroll, he could still find the ancient goblin empire ruins.


    Furthermore, if this map had significant importance to the empire, then as an imperial Baron, according to the spoils distribution regulations, he also had the obligation to hand the map over to the empire.


    Of course, the empire would compensate him afterward.


    Baron looked at Rein and said, "Thank you. However, Baron Rein, according to the principles of spoils distribution, if we take this item from you, we are obliged to compensate you."


    "You have quite a talent in combat skills, Baron Rein. I have a personal spoil I acquired earlier, a shield-and-sword Extraordinary Battle Technique. If you are interested, this could be compensation for the transfer of the map. What do you think?"


    Upon hearing this, Rein immediately smiled. He hadn''t expected Captain Baron to be such a fair man.


    For him, this was certainly good news, as he was currently in need of shield-and-sword Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    Since his class change to Weapon Master (Legendary), having one more Combat Skill at hand meant one more method for tackling enemies in battle.


    He already had the Two-Handed Warhammer, greatsword, and bow; a shield-and-sword technique was exactly what was missing.


    Immediately, Rein nodded with a smile and said, "Of course, Captain Baron."


    Baron then took out a thin booklet from his chest and handed it to Rein.


    Upon receiving it, Rein opened it to see the following large words��"Solson Family Shield-and-Sword Technique Essentials."


    The Solson Family?


    Could it be a pirate family? Rein looked puzzled.


    But as he continued reading, Rein quickly discovered that this family was not a pirate family and had nothing to do with pirates at all.


    In fact, the Solson family was a fallen noble family. The last heir of the family died in battle when a merchant ship he was on got plundered by pirates, and this item ended up in the hands of some pirate group.


    In the end, it came into Captain Baron''s possession.


    After pondering for a little while, Rein decided to postpone learning this Extraordinary Combat Skill.


    After all, he was already rich in close combat techniques, so he planned to start learning ''Blood Fury Archery'' first. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon after bidding farewell to Rein and others, Captain Baron led the Dragonfin Squad away in a hurry, taking with them the parchment scroll marked with the ancient goblin ruins.


    And after Rein asked the Reiman brothers to strengthen the guard, he returned to his resting room.


    However, as he opened the door, he suddenly froze.


    He saw that the large purple egg on his desk... the top had already cracked open��

 Chapter 219 Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Inside the purple eggshell, a fuzzy pale-yellow bird head suddenly poked out, its beak clutching a small fragment of the broken shell. At first glance, the chick seemed no different from an ordinary baby chicken.


    On seeing Lord Rein, the chick''s lively eyes curiously observed him, seemingly sensing no ill intent, it chirped clearly and cheerfully twice.


    Rein smiled and approached, carefully picked up the fuzzy chick, and placed it on his palm, stroking it several times.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein stepped outside and said to a guard nearby, "Please ask Miss Vinica to come here."


    "At once, Baron!"


    Shortly, Vinica, clad in a light blue robe, came trotting into Rein''s resting room. Just as she was about to ask what was the matter, her beautiful eyes immediately focused on the newly hatched chick in Rein''s hand.


    Vinica couldn''t help but pause, her mouth opening slightly before she extended her fair fingers, asking in surprise, "Lord Rein, is this the little creature that came out of the purple egg?"


    "Yes, Miss Vinica, I asked you here to inquire if you can identify what kind of bird it is. Also, what would be appropriate to feed it?"


    Vinica walked forward briskly, then pinched the chick''s beak and checked its claws before nodding, saying, "Lord Rein, although I cannot accurately identify this bird''s species yet, it certainly belongs to some kind of raptor."


    "For feeding, insects, beast meat, or fish should do, and seeing how strong it is at birth, it is very likely a naturally ferocious species. If you can feed it meat from ferocious creatures directly, that would be best."


    After hearing this, Rein nodded and said, "Thank you, Miss Vinica."


    This made things simple.


    Ferocious beast meat was readily available for him; he still had plenty of bear meat left over from his training, which he could try feeding to the chick.


    He walked over to a cabinet, took out a piece of raw bear meat, and tore off a small strip to offer to the chick. The anxious chick opened its mouth wide and gulped down the small piece of meat like a pelican, then chirped happily twice, as if to say, ''Is there more? If there is, bring on some more.''


    After watching for a while, Vinica reminded him, "Lord Rein, it seems it really likes the bear meat you fed it. However, many chicks have been known to overeat to death, so you''d better pay attention to the quantity of food."


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    At that moment, sounds of flapping wings came from outside the window, and a large white seagull landed on the windowsill, looking at Vinica.


    Vinica''s face lit up with joy, and her twin ponytails swished energetically as she said, "Lord Rein, Master Annius has replied to my message; it seems we will soon know the answer." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl quickly walked to the window, opened it, and began exchanging words with the seagull.


    Seconds later, Vinica turned to Rein with a mix of surprise and a slight complaint, "Lord Rein, you''re really lucky, my mentor identified that it''s most likely an egg from a wandering Blood Feathered Horned Eagle."


    "I have been searching for so long; how come I''ve never been this lucky��"


    "Blood Feathered Horned Eagle? Miss Vinica, could you give me a brief introduction?" asked Rein, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.


    He did not know what kind of bird it was.


    "Of course, the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle is fierce by nature; a naturally aggressive species and unlike other raptor species, it''s not fast in flight. However, as an adult, its size approaches that of a horse with a wingspan of four to five meters, strong muscles, and it has a beak and talons as hard as steel, highly skilled at close combat," explained Vinica.


    "Moreover, the adult Blood Feathered Horned Eagle has a distinctive pair of antlers on its head."


    A raptor known for close combat?


    Though it may not have the innate ability of casting that Rein expected of a raptor, who''s to say that formidable close combat prowess isn''t a talent in itself?


    Rein nodded, yet slightly furrowed his brow and asked, "Then... Miss Vinica, why would an egg of the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle be found in the nest of an Iron-Beaked Sea Eagle?"


    Vinica chuckled good-naturedly, her face blooming into a smile as she spoke, "That''s precisely what I wanted to address. The Blood Feathered Horned Eagle''s intimidation forces lower-tier raptors to abandon their nests. Then, the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle lays its eggs there, typically one or two at most."


    "Additionally, they release a special scent that makes other raptors believe the egg is theirs, even if the sizes of the eggs are vastly different."


    Rein nodded, beginning to understand.


    "So, you''re suggesting that the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle is a type of raptor that practice brood parasitism?"


    Vinica shook her head and replied, "Not exactly. According to my mentor, it''s very rare for Blood Feathered Horned Eagles to do so."


    "Usually, if their living environment is stable, they won''t resort to this behavior, only in certain extraordinary circumstances, such as battles, competition, and so on, would they turn to brood parasitism."


    "Therefore, as you''ve seen, their egg hasn''t hatched prematurely and it hasn''t pushed the sea eagle''s chick out of the nest."


    Now Rein understood a little better.


    Seems like he was quite lucky this time, finding the egg of a naturally aggressive species.


    "By the way, my mentor also suggested that since the growth cycle of the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle is longer than most birds and because their temperament becomes extremely ferocious as they grow, please use the bird transformation technique as soon as possible to make it familiar with you and to promote its growth," Vinica stated.

 Chapter 219 Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Thank you, Miss Vinica, and please extend my thanks to Master Annius as well," Rein said with a slight bow and a nod.


    Indeed, entrusting a professional with such matters is the only way he could have received almost the perfect solution so quickly.


    "By the way, Lord Rein, although you observed my bird transformation technique last time, you probably haven''t mastered it yet, have you? These next few days, I''ll try to demonstrate it for you every day," Vinica said enthusiastically. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This...


    Gazing into Vinica''s sincere, beautiful eyes, Rein was at a loss for what to say for a moment.


    Should he tell her that he had already mastered Aeneas'' bird transformation technique?


    Such learning ability would be too frightening, after all, he had only observed it once!


    After a moment of thought, Rein nodded and said with a smile, "Then I''ll have to trouble Miss Vinica, as I''m indeed not very adept at the bird transformation technique yet."


    "Giggle, Lord Rein, your talent in the knightly arts is already exceptional; it''s completely normal if the goddess hasn''t granted you the same proficiency in witchcraft," Vinica said with a chuckle.


    Vinica couldn''t help but smile.


    Soon, the two arrived at the same simple alchemy chamber where Vinica had demonstrated before.


    "Lord Rein, you can use ready-made fast growth potions, phantom spirits, and so on," she said.


    "But the moonlight ink used later for drawing the six-pointed witchcraft array must be made by the caster personally. When making it, you need to infuse a very fine amount of spiritual power for it to be properly concocted," she added.


    "Furthermore, moonlight ink is time-sensitive. Its effect is best within twelve hours, barely usable between twelve and twenty-four hours. But once it exceeds twenty-four hours, the special energy particles it contains will largely dissipate, and it will almost become impossible to use for drawing a witchcraft array."


    "So, the first little challenge is concocting the moonlight ink..."


    "The second difficulty lies in drawing the witchcraft array by hand..."


    As Vinica once again demonstrated Aeneas'' bird transformation technique while pointing out the difficult steps of the technique with great care, one by one,


    Rein had already learned it, but seemed to be captivated by the girl''s sincerity and listened quite attentively.


    With the completion of the twin-tailed girl''s demonstration, Rein, who was observing, received several system prompts:


    [You focused on observing Aeneas'' bird transformation technique, comprehension enhanced!]


    [Your skill in Aeneas'' bird transformation technique has improved, experience +54]


    [You focused on Aeneas'' bird transformation technique, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) experience +132]


    ...


    [Congratulations, your skill in Aeneas'' bird transformation technique has advanced to lv2]


    After again gaining 54 experience points, Rein''s Aeneas'' bird transformation technique progressed from lv1 (69/100) to lv2 (23/300).


    Fragments of memory related to Aeneas'' bird transformation technique began to pour into Rein''s mind, which he quickly absorbed and mastered.


    "Lord Rein, it''s not enough to just observe; why don''t you give it a try?" The twin-tailed girl wiped the fine sweat from her forehead and suggested.


    After a moment''s thought, Rein felt that with two observations and Vinica''s meticulous instruction, he should be able to perform some of the steps without it being too extravagant.


    So, Rein nodded and said, "Of course, Miss Vinica, I''ll give it a try right now."


    "Certainly, Lord Rein, you can try first," Vinica smiled, stepping aside, curious to see how much Rein had grasped.


    Perhaps, after failing seven or eight times, he should at least be able to properly concoct the moonlight ink? Vinica thought to herself.


    Five minutes later...


    Looking at the moonlight ink in Rein''s hand, which he had successfully made at the first attempt and was emitting a faint glow, Vinica was taken aback and said, "Lord Rein, that''s wonderful; you''ve overcome the first difficulty."


    Ten minutes later.


    Vinica stared at the witchcraft array on the ground, nearly identical to her own, her beautiful eyes wide and her mouth slightly open in shock.


    She thought that perhaps she should take back what she had said earlier...


    It seems the goddess truly did endow Lord Rein with wizardly talents as outstanding as his knightly ones!


    Having placed the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle chick on the soft padding at the center of the witchcraft array, Rein held the potion and began chanting...


    As system prompts resounded, it marked the successful casting of the witchcraft.


    [You cast Aeneas'' bird transformation technique, comprehension enhanced!]


    [Your skill in Aeneas'' bird transformation technique has improved, experience +142]


    [You focused on Aeneas'' bird transformation technique, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) experience +278]


    .....


    And Rein distinctly felt a strange connection form between him and the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle chick.


    This was not an effect of the bird transformation technique; it seemed that by casting the technique, the system acknowledged that he and the chick had formed a pet relationship.


    Sure enough, the system prompts followed:


    [Ding! The host has established a contract with a ferocious wild beast for the first time, current pet count (3/3)]


    [Ding! A core event for the Legendary Beast Tamer profession conversion has been detected �� contracting a ferocious wild beast!]


    [Preconditions for advancing to Beast Tamer (Legendary): one, Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 or above; two, spiritual power of 24 points or above; three, having at least three ferocious wild beasts as pets; four, successfully raising at least one ordinary animal into a ferocious wild beast.... Current conditions do not match, advancement to Beast Tamer (Legendary) failed!]

 Chapter 219 Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Huh?


    Looking at the system prompt that suddenly appeared, Reine read through it several times, feeling quite delighted in his heart! S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because once the prerequisites for a profession were listed, although sometimes challenging, at least he knew what was lacking and where to start to fulfill each condition systematically.


    After being magically enhanced, the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle chick had grown significantly larger; at this moment, it affectionately ran over and nuzzled Reine, then opened its mouth wide and cried out a few times, seemingly saying ''I''m hungry!''


    Watching this scene, Vinica said with envy, "Lord Reine, could I borrow the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle to feed for a couple of days? Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of it."


    "Of course, you can," Reine nodded and replied with a smile.


    That was perfect since he needed to mull over and sort out some other matters without the distraction of the chick.


    Once back in his room, Reine started pondering the suggestions Captain Baron had given him earlier.


    Raising the quasi-secret technique to a secret technique was crucial for him; a key aspect was improving the ''Bear King Breathing Method.''


    Having a few Skill Points left, Reine decided to test its effect first.


    With Reine adding 1 Skill Point to the Bear King Breathing Method, it instantly advanced from lv9 to lv10.


    Immediately a torrent of memories about the practice of Bear King Breathing Method flooded into Reine''s mind.


    These breathing technique practice memories were like a long movie flashing through Reine''s mind, and before he knew it, they became ingrained in his body like instinct.


    When Reine opened his eyes again, it was as if he had gone through many years of arduous training in the Bear King Breathing Method.


    At this moment, he could clearly feel his blood circulation accelerating, as if there was a furnace inside him, providing a wealth of heat and some strange transformation to his body.


    At the same time, Reine felt that the muscles and fascia in his body also became stronger.


    And the primordial force in his body, previously as thin as a little finger, had rapidly increased to the thickness of an index finger, circulating swiftly throughout his body.


    Even though there was constant consumption during circulation, it seemed that every time it passed through a part of the body, hundreds of millions of cells would contribute tiny, nearly imperceptible drops of primordial force to this stream.


    So, through the accumulation of little contributions, the primordial force stream was maintained at the thickness of an index finger, endlessly flowing.


    At this moment, feeling the strengthening of his primordial force and the powerful energy within his body, Reine felt that he was just one step away from truly mastering the secret technique.


    It felt like there was just a sheet of paper in front of him; a small push was all it would take to reach his target.


    Unfortunately, his attribute panel now showed that he had zero remaining Skill Points.


    However, Reine took another look at his Profession Level for Weapon Master (Legendary), and thanks to the battle experience rewards he had received earlier, he had reached lv4 (649/1000), which was more than half way there.


    If he continued to train methodically, he should be able to reach this goal before heading to Mingster for the ''Sword Bearer'' assessment.


    Next was the combat debrief.


    The thing that Reine found most profound was not the troublesome Witchery Curses Master from the alliance, nor the variability of their curses, but rather the impact and understanding of small team combat.


    Perhaps some defensive witchcraft didn''t make a big impression on him, but it was different with others.


    For example, the witchcraft ''Water Walking'' that Vinica had cast on him before the battle, enabling him to fight on the water''s surface with ease, was exceptionally significant.


    Then there was Nathaniel''s witchcraft ''Swift Wind,'' which increased his speed by about twenty percent; knowing that a twenty percent speed increase for him could result in a forty percent increase in combat power.


    These two witchcrafts of differing effects, Reine believed, greatly enhanced his combat ability.


    It was because of the other members of the Fish-Dragon Squad''s support with various witchcrafts in combat, allowing Baron to hold on despite facing a Witchery Curses Master who was a strong counter to him. Find more adventures on My Virtual Library Empire


    Another point was that Reine had a premonition that if the empire''s navy''s special division ''Wave Strider'' utilized this small team approach, then the larger ''Sword Bearer'' faction of the empire would likely have a similar structure.


    However... that was a future concern, and for him, the priority was still to improve his own strength.


    This time, his encounter happened to be with a Witchery Curses Master skilled in curses, but if it had been another type of wizard, he might not have been able to cope as easily.


    Plus, the stronger he became, the more confidence he would have when facing potential future decisions involving mutual teammate selection.


    After thinking it over, Reine walked over to the desk, opened a drawer, and took out the roll of parchment for ''Blood Fury Archery,'' reading it carefully.


    He planned to enhance his archery skills first, also giving himself an additional long-range attack ability.


    After thoroughly reviewing ''Blood Fury Archery'' several times, Reine had an epiphany, left his room, and went to the training room in Fishing Port Town''s administrative hall.


    "Baron Sir!"


    "Good day, Baron Sir!" The guards, peace officers, and Night Watchmen greeted Reine as they saw him.


    Reine nodded and said, "Carry on with your practice."


    "Yes, Baron Sir."


    Reine then went to the archery range aside, picked up the strongest bow with the highest draw weight, and began to practice on his own.


    With the foundation of basic Archery skills, Reine took to Blood Fury Archery very quickly, and it wasn''t long before a system prompt appeared:

 Chapter 219 Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    [You practiced Blood Fury Archery, gaining insights!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Blood Fury Archery]


    [Your skill Blood Fury Archery has increased, Experience +2]


    ...


    [Detection of host practicing Basic Archery, which is also a form of archery. Do you want to fuse it into Blood Fury Archery? This fusion will consume 0 Skill Points.]


    (Note: After fusion, Basic Archery will no longer appear on the panel, but the host can still use the related moves.)


    (Note: After fusion, Blood Fury Archery will absorb the advantages of Basic Archery and improve upon them, while the host''s experience in Basic Archery will be converted into the experience of the improved Blood Fury Archery at a certain rate.)


    Reading the system notifications above, Rein slightly nodded.


    He had anticipated this, as his previous Basic Swordmanship and Dragan Empire Military Sword Technique, both Single-handed Sword Techniques, had undergone the same. Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire


    Without much hesitation, Rein immediately chose ''yes''.


    Soon after, Basic Archery lv3 vanished from the Weapon Master (Legendary) panel, replaced by Blood Fury Archery lv1 (78/100).


    To his surprise, the more than half of lv3 Basic Archery didn''t even reach lv2 Blood Fury Archery after conversion.


    It seemed that the level of Blood Fury Archery was far above that of Basic Archery.


    However, Rein quickly showed delight, for, to him, the stronger the Extraordinary Battle Technique, the better, as for the difficulty of practice?


    Heh, he had a cheat...


    After pondering for a while, Rein realized that after integrating Basic Archery, there was hardly any change in Blood Fury Archery, which also indirectly proved that Blood Fury Archery was significantly superior to Basic Archery.


    Or rather, this kind of fusion brought very minimal improvement and enhancement to Blood Fury Archery.


    Soon afterward, Rein continued practicing Blood Fury Archery.


    With the experience boost from the talent ''Basic Extraordinary Understanding,'' Rein successfully advanced Blood Fury Archery to lv2 within an hour.


    Almost simultaneously, scattered memories related to practicing Blood Fury Archery flooded into Rein''s mind and gradually integrated into his muscle memory.


    ....


    -----------------


    Near the coast of Meister County.


    Ten meters plus deep in the sea water.


    If Rein were there, he would be extremely surprised, for in front of him was a metallic object shaped like the Nautilus from the 19th century novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, about twenty to thirty meters long in an ellipsoidal shape.


    Though the exterior was made of riveted iron, looking not very advanced, placing it in the Dragan Empire would make it an unimaginably advanced product.


    Inside the submersible.


    The Federation Brigadier General was speaking with the young man Jonistone.


    "Jonistone, is there any definite news now about that ancient map of the Vold''s goblin empire? Have you contacted the Zaral rebellion, and is there any feedback?"


    "Well... Brigadier General, I contacted the rebellion half a day ago, but strangely, so much time has passed, and there has been no sign from them," Jonistone said, frowning.


    "This band of rebels, always quick to ask for aid on usual days, now when we actually need them, they are unreachable," the Federation Brigadier General said, showing anger.


    "His Excellency Nehru from ''Leviathan Team'' has asked us about the situation at Fishing Port Town; now the imperial navy''s strength in the nearby seas is starting to increase, and we don''t have much of a window left."


    "If no message comes through, pass a message to His Excellency Nehru, telling him to give up the plan to attack Fishing Port Town."


    "However, that young Great Knight from the Dragan Empire, mentioned by him, who possesses the rare talent ''Iron Will'', we must continue to investigate."


    "Such people with special talents pose a potential threat to our Federation, thus, we must nip it in the bud whenever possible," the middle-aged man said, his expression solidifying as he pondered for a moment.


    "At your command, Brigadier General," Jonistone said, bowing slightly.


    At that moment, an officer in a light blue uniform came over to Jonistone, whispered a few words to him, and handed him something.


    "Oh, Brigadier General, just as you mentioned the Zaral rebels, their message has arrived," Jonistone said with a smile, taking the information and speaking to the middle-aged man. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What do they say?"


    "Well, let me see." Jonistone quickly opened the information, scanning it rapidly, and within a minute, he spoke with some surprise:


    "Brigadier General, it turns out the Zaral rebels'' stronghold in Meister County has been destroyed by the Dragan Empire; no wonder there has been no news for so long."


    "Hmm? So, are we to assume that we can''t rely on the Zaral rebels anymore?" The Brigadier General was also a bit surprised, as the rebels were thriving in other counties of the Dragan Empire''s Mingster Province without any news of their strongholds being taken.


    Could it be that the defensive forces in Meister County are that strong?


    "Not exactly, sir. This piece of intelligence actually comes from a spy from the Zaral rebels located in Meister County."


    "The intelligence reports that their leader in Meister County was killed by a Baron named Rein, newly appointed by the Dragan Empire. Additionally, the key information in the intelligence about the coastal defensive forces in Meister County also pertains to this Rein."


    "Oh, what does it say?" The Brigadier General''s interest was evidently piqued.


    "The Governor and Sheriff of Fishing Port Town are both held by this Baron Rein of the Empire."


    "Oh, so the young man His Excellency Nehru was seeking is likely this Rein?"


    "Brigadier General, if the message from the Zaral rebels is accurate, I think he must be."


    "The intelligence states that Baron Rein is nicknamed ''The Warhammer Baron,'' which matches the description given by Lord Nehru about his age, proficiency with a weapon being a Two-Handed Warhammer, and so on," Jonistone said after pondering a moment and nodding.


    The Brigadier General pondered for a moment and then said, "Then send this intelligence to His Excellency Nehru immediately, and also advise him to keep it quiet if he indeed decides to attack Fishing Port Town and kill Baron Rein."


    "At your command, Brigadier General!" Jonistone then slowly stepped back and turned to leave.


    "Now, the activities of the cults are clearly intensifying everywhere; perhaps soon, we and the Dragan Empire will have a common enemy. At least, in some aspects, we can still collaborate with the Empire..." The Brigadier General muttered softly.


    ...

 Chapter 220 The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    The next morning dawned.


    Lord Rein had already started practicing the newly learned Blood Fury Archery with Cornett Leyman in the training room early in the morning.


    At this time, the great bow he held in his hands was the one from "Bloody Shooter" Phil Kraz, about 1.6 meters in length and made entirely of metal. Judging from the material, it was crafted from a rare ore known as magic steel ingots.


    Rein had once seen this type of material during his visit to the blacksmith''s shop inside Habsburg Castle, so he quickly recognized it as a special metal with very good toughness.


    In some respects, it was an excellent material for the bow body, but it required a very high level of strength from the archer.


    It''s known that the elasticity of a bow mostly comes from the bow body, not the bowstring.


    Bows used by ordinary people are usually made from woods like oak or cypress, whose strong fiber construction determines the bow''s elasticity and stability. However, for formal knights, the power generated from these ordinary oak or cypress bows is somewhat inadequate. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    This becomes abundantly clear when considering senior knights and Peak Knights.


    Thus, the vast majority of senior knights use metal bows crafted from special ores. As long as one has sufficient physical strength, issues like the weight and pull of the metal bow are not a problem.


    Moreover, if viewed from another perspective, they are actually advantages, and a metal bow can also serve as a defensive weapon during sudden close combat.


    However, for Rein, this metal bow was just passable, as his physical strength as a Great Knight was considerably stronger than that of "Bloody Shooter" Phil Kraz.


    But currently, Rein''s mastery of Blood Fury Archery wasn''t very high, albeit sufficient for him to use it.


    Just last night, Rein had sent out two letters, one of which was addressed to Lady Baroness Crawley.


    In the letter, Rein asked her to help procure some magic steel ingots. He planned to add this material to the great bow, recasting it to suit his level of strength after he returned to Meister County in some time.


    As for the bowstring, he had also found a better substitute�� a back tendon from the body of a Spineback Sea Snake, slightly elastic and extremely tough, capable of withstanding more pull force than the current bowstring of this bow.


    The other letter was written to Count Habs, stating that the situation in Fishing Port Town had stabilized with the threats from the Sea God Sect and pirates eliminated, and expressing his hope for permission to resign. In the letter, Rein did not go back on his word and recommended the Reiman brothers as successors.


    Lastly, Rein also mentioned in the letter that he would soon participate in the "Sword Bearer" organization''s assessment.


    Although the empire would officially inform Count Habs soon, Rein thought it was best to mention it proactively.


    Since the Reiman brothers were proficient in sword and shield combat skills, they provided excellent companions for archery practice. Thus, Rein had arranged for Cornett Leyman, the younger brother, to accompany him for archery practice that morning.


    As for the older brother, Cobert Leyman, he was responsible for attending to Fishing Port Town''s administrative affairs and couldn''t get away.


    With the Sea God Sect and most of the pirates in Meister County''s seas largely eliminated, Fishing Port Town had gradually started to resume fishing, merchant shipping, and so forth, resulting in an increase in administrative duties.


    Since Rein was not interested in these matters, he had let the relatively calm Cobert Leyman handle these tasks.


    In the meantime, he continued to practice the newly acquired Blood Fury Archery under Cornett''s tutelage, although it was tough on Cornett.


    According to the training content, if Cornett managed to reach within ten meters of Rein in less than five arrows, it would be considered Cornett''s victory; otherwise, Rein would have achieved his training goal.


    Cornett held a huge metal tower shield in both hands and rapidly dodged left and right in front of Rein while steadily advancing toward him.


    Rein then pulled his silvery-gray metal great bow, and a training arrow shot towards Cornett like lightning.


    Suddenly, Cornett, unable to dodge in time, tensed his muscles, with the veins in his hands and forearms that grasped the tower shield bulging and his muscles knotted!


    "Clang!"


    The clash of metal echoed as the impact of the blunt training arrow made Cornett, holding the tower shield, stop his forward momentum, and his pace unavoidably slowed.


    This gave Rein the opportunity to swiftly shoot another arrow at Cornett.


    The training arrows featured metal heads but were not sharp, being blunt-tipped instead, with shafts made of birch wood. Although not heavy, given Rein''s imposing strength as a Great Knight, each arrow he casually shot made it quite strenuous for Cornett to block with his tower shield.


    ...


    Just fifteen minutes later, Cornett was drenched in sweat, looking as though he had been dragged out of water.


    It wasn''t that Rein was unwilling to take it easy, but doing so would mean he''d earn very little experience points for his Blood Fury Archery Skill, so Cornett had to endure the hardship.


    However, despite the difficulty, Cornett''s eyes gleamed brightly.


    For him, being called by Lord Rein, a Great Knight, for practice was not only an honor but also a rare opportunity.


    If only he and his brother could have had such ''special training'' from Lord Rein before they encountered the "Bloody Shooter," they would not have been wounded under the arrows of the "Bloody Shooter."


    sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 220 The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    "Knock, knock, knock!"


    There was a sudden knock at the door of the training room.


    Mary, a major in a navy uniform, stood smiling at the door, looking at Rein.


    "Lord Rein, I heard from the guard that you''ve been practicing here for two hours. So, I had to intrude," she said.


    "Of course, Major Mary, let''s talk in the office next door," Rein smiled and gestured Mary to the adjacent office.


    He knew that Major Mary had come to him with matters to discuss.


    Once they were in Rein''s office,


    Mary said, "Lord Rein, regarding yesterday''s situation, I have drafted a letter and will report to the fleet immediately."


    Additionally, she added, "I wanted to ask for your opinion, Lord Rein. For your and Vinica''s rescue of the Fish-Dragon Squad, the navy will surely commend you. Do you have any special requests regarding this reward?"


    "Of course, I will compose another letter to General Xilva to assist in this matter, as, by tradition, since you are not part of the navy, tangible rewards are typically converted into Merit Points and Imperial Gold Coins," she explained in detail.


    Rein nodded his understanding.


    Because he wasn''t a part of the navy and the rescue wasn''t an established mission, the navy''s awards would only be in Merit Points and Gold Coins without any additional items.


    If he wanted something special, he would need General Xilva to intervene on his behalf.


    That was one advantage of having connections.


    Naturally, if General Xilva ever needed a favor in the future, Rein would be expected to reciprocate.


    The problem was, without a reference point, Rein was unclear about the value of his contribution to the rescue mission and what it could bring him.


    Asking for too much could suggest an arrogance of success, while asking for too little could mean a personal loss.


    However, having looked at Major Mary, Rein quickly had an idea and smiled, "Major Mary, if possible, I am interested in the ''Sharpness Technique,'' a metal-based witchcraft cast by Lord Trevo."


    "I''m just not sure if my contributions are enough to exchange for this spell. Naturally, I will sign a confidentiality agreement as required and won''t divulge any witchcraft awarded by the navy," he assured.


    After a moment''s thought, Mary said, "That should be about right. If it''s just to exchange for the ''Sharpness Technique,'' your contribution should be sufficient. However, the success of this request still depends on the fleet''s decision."


    "Of course, even if it isn''t successful, you won''t suffer any loss, and you can be assured of your Merit Points and Imperial Gold Coins," she reiterated.


    "Then, thank you, Major Mary," Rein said with a smile, bowing slightly.


    "By the way, Lord Rein, regarding the bounty for Waldo, it has been issued. Here is a bank draft for ten thousand Imperial Gold Coins. Please take good care of it," Major Mary smiled as she pulled out a palm-sized piece of special paper from her breast pocket and handed it to Rein.


    A bank draft?


    Rein, feeling the faint energy emanating from the bank draft, examined it closely, noting the peculiar material it was made of and the apparent marks of a special witchcraft. The heading read ''Dragan Empire Central Bank Draft.''


    The amount specified was: ten thousand Imperial Gold Coins. It was encircled by details such as time, ''Payable at Sight'', and other phrases.


    On the back of the draft was the stern visage of an elderly man.


    Major Mary interjected, "This is His Majesty the First Emperor of the Empire. Moreover, Lord Rein, this draft from the Central Bank of the Empire can be cashed at any bank within the empire''s territories within a year."


    "If it expires, reprocessing it through the navy can be quite troublesome," she warned.


    "Very well, Major Mary. I will cash it soon," Rein acknowledged with a smile and a nod.


    "Lord Rein, pardon the interruption; I''ll now make contact with the higher-ups," Mary said as she stood up gracefully, ready to leave, her elegant figure retreating.


    Just then, Rein suddenly thought of something, "Major Mary, I have a question. If the enemy from the previous encounter was from the Eagle Federation, what is the empire''s stance towards their intrusion into our territorial waters?"


    Upon hearing the question, Mary stopped, her lovely face tensing as she turned back,


    "Lord Rein, I inquired with the intelligence department about this yesterday. There''s no response about the specifics of the enemy yet. Most likely, they are similar to the Fish-Dragon Squad, pertaining to a special division of the Eagle Federation."


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    "But concerning small-scale infiltrations like this, neither the empire nor the Federation has a good solution at the moment."


    "Given the current situation, both the Empire and the Federation are wary of each other. They may have small skirmishes, but they won''t engage in actions harming civilians on a large scale. In this aspect, cults are more of a threat," she explained.


    Rein nodded, "If that''s the case, then that''s for the best."


    ----------------- S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Off the coast of Meister, on a secluded island near the outer edge,

 Chapter 220 The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Nehru was speaking to a man, his right side dominated by the massive sea serpent with spiky protrusions.


    "Wexman, according to the information passed to me from the Federal Navy, the young Great Knight with the talent of an iron Will is the Governor of Meister Fishing Port Town in the Dragan Empire. His name is Rein," said Nehru.


    "The best person to deal with this young man is still you," Nehru said gloomily.


    "Nehru, don''t put me on a pedestal. Besides, if he isn''t a member of the Dragan Empire Navy, why are you bothering with this? It''s likely that you''ll never encounter him," said the man named Wexman, dismissing the idea.


    His slender figure was toying with two Daggers, emitting a crimson light.


    The Daggers, like butterflies fluttering through flowers, rapidly danced between his unusually agile slender fingers.


    "No, you don''t understand. Guided by a Wizard''s intuition, I feel that if he lives, I will encounter him again someday soon," Nehru explained, waving his hand and speaking gravely.


    "Alright, I really don''t understand all this stuff about Witchery Curses Masters," Wexman remarked.


    "But... why not find someone else for this job?" Wexman pondered. Though he considered the combat abilities of Witchery Curses Masters mediocre, he acknowledged their proficiency with prophecies and divinations as more than mere fabrications.


    "Wexman, it''s only foolproof if you take action. I don''t trust the other members of the squad," Nehru said with a smile, flattering him a little.


    "Heh, don''t start with that. You know my rate is high, although we are teammates, I can at most give you a 20% discount," Wexman continued, nonchalantly flipping his Daggers. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Nehru didn''t mind his response, and smiled, seeing a tendency to agree, "Wexman, if you can kill Rein, I''ll give you the crate of shadow steel ingots I got last time."


    "A crate of shadow steel ingots is not enough. He''s in the Dragan Empire mainland; I''d have to traverse his heavily guarded maritime area�� the risk is not small."


    ...


    After some bargaining, Nehru''s expression remained poor, but his heart felt more at ease.


    Though it was a bit painful, having Wexman agree to take the job nearly guaranteed success.


    After all, assassinations are best left to professionals. Wexman, as a shadow assassin, was the best choice among those he knew.


    -----------------


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    Inside a mansion in Meist County City, in a subterranean hall.


    "High Priest, the latest news: the Imperial Southern Naval Fleet has defeated the Sea God Sect and most pirate gangs near the waters of Meist County," the monk Lamar respectfully reported to the obese figure seated before him.


    "Hmm? Weren''t they engaged in back-and-forth battles with the Imperial Navy before? How come they were suddenly defeated this time?" The High Priest sounded clearly surprised.


    "This... we still don''t know the exact details; we are currently awaiting further intelligence," said Lamar.


    "And what about the Governor of Fishing Port Town, Rein? Did the Sea God Sect manage to kill him amidst the chaos?" the obese High Priest suddenly asked.


    "This... from the battle reports sent to Meist, we haven''t seen that happen," Lamar delicately said.


    "So, the plan to have the Sea God Sect assassinate him has failed again?" murmured the High Priest.


    Lamar''s head hung even lower, not knowing what to say to the High Priest''s remark.


    Just then, another monk appeared at the hall entrance, hands holding a letter.


    Lamar gestured for him to bring it in.


    This sealed letter likely contained the latest news.


    He opened the letter quickly, glancing at it, his expression froze, and he stammered slightly, unsure of how to relay the news.


    "Just speak up, don''t beat around the bush," the seated obese High Priest, noticing Lamar''s hesitation, commanded.


    "Uh�� High Priest, according to the latest intelligence, it seems that Rein captured the deputy leader of the Black Sails Pirates and an envoy of the Sea God Sect, which led the Imperial Southern Naval Fleet to find the hidden bases of the major pirate gangs and the Sea God Sect."


    "What? So, you mean to say that not only did nothing happen to him on his trip to Fishing Port Town but he also managed to accumulate more merit by wiping out the Sea God Sect and the pirates?" His narrow eyes twitched slightly in reaction.


    Could there be anything more absurd?


    They had hoped the Sea God Sect would kill Rein, but now it seemed Rein had used the Imperial Navy to overturn the Sea God Sect entirely!


    Adding yet another brilliant stroke to his record!


    A brief silence fell in the subterranean hall.


    "This won''t do, we cannot let Rein continue to grow stronger. At some point, he will inevitably act against us," the High Priest stated, unable to contain himself any longer. His corpulent body rose from the large chair, pacing back and forth in the hall.


    "Lamar, do you have any suggestions?"


    The monk Lamar pondered carefully, then cautiously suggested,


    "Uh... this... High Priest, the only sure method I can think of is to lure him into the next Black Flame ritual and use the ritual''s power to eliminate him."


    "That''s a method that''s certainly guaranteed to kill him."

 Chapter 220 The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Just that moment, several methods flashed through Lamar''s mind, but he quickly dismissed each one.


    Because the aforementioned methods couldn''t guarantee that they would definitely kill Rein.


    Of course, this might also be because Rein had thwarted their assassination attempts too many times, instilling a sense of wariness in him.


    But utilizing the moment in the ritual when the God of Hunting, Luen''s slight oppressiveness descends, was bound to kill the opponent.


    "This is indeed a method, but the problem is, how can we lure Rein into the ritual?"


    "Additionally, if he discovers something amiss beforehand and causes a major disturbance, the ritual itself risks being interrupted," the chief priest''s beady eyes flickered for a moment as he spoke hesitantly.


    Because only after the ritual had officially begun would the slight oppressiveness of the God of Hunting descend.


    And if the opponent noticed something was amiss before that, all their efforts would be in vain.


    "Lord Chief Priest, I think we can have Baron Alonso hold a grand noble banquet right above the site of the ritual..."


    -----------------


    Three days later.


    Fishing Port Town administrative office training ground.


    Knight continued to hold his tower shield, swiftly dodging and advancing forward.


    Meanwhile, Rein pulled his silvery-gray metallic great bow to full draw, shooting a training arrow at Knight like lightning.


    In an instant, Knight''s muscles bulged, his upper body tilted forward, and he positioned the thick tower shield in front of him.


    "Bang!"


    A sound akin to striking a bell rang out!


    The blunt-headed training arrow instantly shattered, its wooden shaft splintering; the tremendous impact halted Knight, who was holding the tower shield, in his tracks and momentarily paralyzed him on the spot.


    Immediately after, Rein rapidly fired another arrow, and then another, overwhelming Knight who could hardly fight back.


    Just after five minutes, Knight was gasping for breath, appearing utterly drained.


    Knight gazed at Rein, his eyes filled with astonishment!


    He now somewhat understood Lord Rein''s frighteningly rapid rate of progress, no, it was terrifying!


    From initially being able to exchange blows, to now becoming practically a live target, all this had happened in just three days!


    In these three days, Rein''s Blood Fury Archery had sharply improved, stepping into level 4 this morning and establishing a certain level of long-distance fighting capability.


    This level of mastery in archery, if used against knight-ranked enemies, would no longer pose a problem. However, if facing Great Knight-ranked enemies, there was still some gap.


    However, at present, his training partner Knight could no longer keep up with his progress.


    If Rein were to go easy, he certainly could allow Knight to stick around a little longer, but the Experience he could gain in Blood Fury Archery would plummet. In that case, the training would lose its meaning.


    Rein was contemplating whether to let Cobert join in as well, so the brothers could train together, which might be better.


    However, Rein slightly shook his head after a moment of thought. Administrative duties in Fishing Port Town such as routine patrols needed someone in charge; it was not suitable to have both brothers serve as sparring partners.


    Besides, although the brothers coordinated well together, they could likely only help him train up to Blood Fury Archery level 5; advancing further than that was unlikely.


    Rein seemed to be out of good ideas for the moment.


    "Thud, thud, thud!"


    At that moment, two unexpected people appeared at the doorway of the training room.


    Lord Reine turned his head and couldn''t help but be startled.


    He saw Trevo from the Leviathan Team and Nathaniel, both smiling faintly as they stood at the entrance.


    "Lord Reine, we meet again," Trevo said with a smile.


    "Ah, what brings you two to Fishing Port Town again? Is there a new assignment?" Lord Reine asked with a hint of curiosity.


    The two exchanged glances, their smiles broadening, "You could say that it''s an assignment."


    "Lord Reine, this time I am here on a mission from above to teach you the witchcraft ''Sharpness Technique.''


    "Lord Reine, I never expected that aside from being an extremely talented Great Knight, you are also a Wizard Apprentice. It feels like the Goddess''s favor is all concentrated on you," Trevo said with a slightly envious tone.


    At that time, Trevo was indeed shocked when he heard that Lord Reine was also a Wizard Apprentice.


    Upon hearing this, Lord Reine couldn''t help but smile. He hadn''t expected the Imperial Navy to act so swiftly this time.


    It seemed General Xilva must have played a significant role.


    Of course, it might also be due to Captain Baron. As the captain of a special department''s team, Baron''s influence was not to be underestimated.


    "Welcome, both of you. I had thought the Imperial Navy would send someone else. It seems, then, that the fleet''s operations have concluded?"


    "That''s not the case. Captain Baron''s injuries will take about ten days to fully heal, so our team is in a temporary rest state," Nathaniel explained.


    Lord Reine nodded, understanding the situation. Otherwise, sending two combat team members for this task would have been most unreasonable; without these two, the Leviathan Team''s combat effectiveness would be greatly impacted.


    "Of course, we both volunteered for this mission," they added.


    "Also, there is another matter," Trevo began, looking around and then stopping.


    Realizing the situation, Lord Reine turned to Cobert and said, "Cobert, let''s stop here for today."


    "As you command, my lord," Cobert responded, indeed feeling quite exhausted.


    "Please follow me. Let''s talk in my office."


    The trio then proceeded to Lord Reine''s office and took their seats.


    "Lord Reine, according to the latest news, the Federation Witchery Curses Master we encountered that day, the intelligence department has already clarified his identity��Nehru, a formal member of the ''Leviathan Team'' of the Eagle Federation Navy, characteristically paranoid..." Trevo detailed.


    "Oh, the setup of squad units in the Eagle Federation is somewhat different from ours here in the Empire."


    "They have around 5-7 members per team, and each member oversees a varying number of followers. Thus, their team resembles a combination of four to five of our teams," Nathaniel added.


    Lord Reine nodded, making sense of the information.


    Otherwise, if a team was comprised solely of members as difficult as Nehru, that team''s combat effectiveness would be exaggerated, and the Leviathan Team surely wouldn''t be a match for them. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Based on the intelligence department''s assessment, several formal members of the Leviathan Team have already arrived at the coast of Mingster Province, seemingly to carry out a special mission,"


    "Additionally, based on divination and psychological profiling of Nehru, it is possible that he might take this opportunity to seek revenge on you, Lord Reine. Therefore, Captain Baron had us come here first."


    Hearing this, Lord Reine understood why the two had come to Fishing Port Town together; not only to teach him the ''Sharpness Technique'' witchcraft but also to prepare against potential revenge from the opponent.


    "Thank you both, and please convey my thanks to Captain Baron as well." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re too courteous, Lord Reine. Also, if you are free, I can teach you the Sharpness Technique right now," Trevo said, slightly bowing.


    "Then please, proceed, Lord Trevo," Lord Reine said, unable to suppress a smile.

 Chapter 221 Storm Crow (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    At that moment, there was suddenly the sound of boots ''tapping'' outside the door. Upon hearing it, Rein''s ears twitched; it was Major Maryka''s footsteps.


    "Thud Thud Thud!"


    "Come in!"


    As expected, the one who opened the door was Maryka, clad in a fitted navy uniform.


    Maryka had intended to say something, but the presence of the two members of the Fish-Dragon Squad caught her off guard, causing her to hesitate momentarily. However, she quickly put on a bright smile and said,


    "It seems that the two gentlemen from the Fish-Dragon Squad are much quicker in action than I had anticipated, Lord Reine. It looks like there is no need for me to relay the message from the fleet anymore." sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Indeed, that''s the case, Major Maryka," Rein said with a smile.


    "Gentlemen, I shall not interrupt your conversation any further." Major Maryka smiled and then turned to leave.


    She left behind a silhouette with the broad curves of a pencil skirt uniform, prompting Trevo and Nathaniel to exchange a look before turning to Rein and chuckling. "Lord Reine, it appears that Major Maryka, the ''Flower of the Sixth Fleet'' of the Imperial Navy, is quite concerned about you."


    "Hmm?" Rein glanced at the two men, noticed their knowing looks, and couldn''t help but be slightly taken aback before he shook his head in denial, "Gentlemen, there''s nothing going on between Major Maryka and me."


    "We merely have a professional relationship."


    "Haha, Lord Reine, there may be nothing now, but it doesn''t mean there won''t be anything in the future," Trevo said with a wink and a laugh.


    "Trevo, since Lord Reine does not wish to discuss this topic, let''s get down to business first," Nathaniel suggested, his teasing gaze eliciting a wry smile from Reine.


    "Indeed!"


    "Lord Reine, before I teach you the ''Sharpness Technique'', I will need you to sign this confidentiality agreement." Trevo took out a thin sheepskin scroll that emitted a faint energy fluctuation and handed it to Reine.


    "Of course." Reine nodded and began to examine it closely.


    The items listed on the scroll were various prohibitions, like ''Without the consent of the Imperial Navy, no witchcraft or Extraordinary Battle Technique obtained from the Imperial Navy may be disclosed to others, limited to personal practice and use...''


    The faint energy fluctuation seemed to be from some form of witchcraft spell.


    Soon enough, Rein picked up a quill and swiftly signed his name.


    After signing, he keenly sensed that the energy fluctuation was undergoing a subtle change and was establishing some kind of connection with his own spiritual power fluctuation, likely due to the spell on the sheepskin scroll being triggered.


    Seeing this, Trevo smiled, handing over another pale yellow beastskin scroll to Reine, "Lord Reine, this contains the introduction and witchcraft model of the ''Sharpness Technique''. Take a look at it, and later we can discuss it further."


    "Alright, thank you, Trevo," Rein replied with a smile. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    After seeing the two men out, Rein carefully perused the beastskin scroll.


    After reviewing it several times, he realized that the complexity of envisioning the witchcraft model for the new metal-based ''Sharpness Technique'' was similar to that of the fire-based ''Scorching Touch'', not overly difficult.


    As Rein had already mastered three spells��''Scorching Touch'', ''High-Temperature Force Field'', and ''Scorching Touch''��he did not encounter much difficulty when learning this new metal-based witchcraft.


    About half an hour later, after failing five or six times, Rein succeeded in his first attempt!


    The Glimmering Greatsword he held shimmered on the surface with a sudden and slightly dazzling silver radiance, different from the prickling kind of light, more akin to a flowing waterlike halo.


    At that moment, the light flowed over the surface of the greatsword like liquid silver, quite beautiful.


    Then, the system prompt followed:


    [You have studied the Sharpness Technique; comprehension has increased!]


    [You have grasped a new Skill��Sharpness Technique]


    [Your Skill, Sharpness Technique, has improved, Experience +1]


    ....


    Simultaneously, on the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel, next to the icon for Scorching Touch, a new icon appeared.


    The frame of the icon lit up slightly, and the icon itself displayed an image of a glowing handleless blade, surrounded by multiple short lines symbolizing sharpness.


    Rein focused his attention on the new icon, which had a line of small text underneath.


    Sharpness Technique lv1 (1/100)


    Sharpness Technique lv1 effect: Consumes a certain amount of spiritual power to manipulate nearby metal energy particles with a specific witchcraft model, enhancing the sharpness of a designated metal weapon for approximately one minute.


    (Note: Casting time is 3 seconds, and the power is proportional to the caster''s spiritual power.)


    After some thought, Rein took down a decorative steel shield from the wall of his room and gently swept his sword across it.


    A sensation of cutting into tough leather emanated from the greatsword''s hilt.


    Even though he had anticipated it, Rein''s eyes still narrowed in surprise at the effectiveness of the Sharpness Technique; it was better than he had expected.


    He recalled the scene when he sparred with Trevo a few days ago and realized the Sharpness Technique that Trevo had used, although quick, did not seem to have such a potent effect.


    Could it be because of his metal element affinity that he achieved a better effect than what Trevo had demonstrated?


    That must be it, Rein concluded with a nod.


    With a light wave of his hand, Rein canceled the new witchcraft and then channeled his Great Knight''s primal force into the Glimmering Greatsword, causing it to emit a faint luminescence.

 Chapter 221 Storm Crow (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    The effects wrought by the primal force paled in comparison to the ornate and dazzling silver glow of the "Sharpness Technique" of witchcraft.


    At this moment, Rein placed the greatsword flat on the desk, folding his arms as he began to ponder.


    By now, he had realized the differences in the application of the primal force infusion in comparison to the witchcraft "Sharpness Technique" when used on weapons.


    Setting aside the question of power for the moment, even just in terms of duration, there was a fundamental difference between the two.


    Once the output of primal force ceased, the enhancing effect on the greatsword would naturally dissipate instantly, but the Sharpness Technique''s effect lasted a full minute.


    Thus, if an Archer were to use arrows, while primal force could also be used to enhance the metal arrowheads, the effect would vanish as soon as the arrows were shot and left the hand, as the primal force couldn''t be maintained.


    But the Sharpness Technique was different; it could last a minute, making it far more applicable to arrows, throwing weapons, and similar situations than Rein''s current level of primal force enhancement.


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    Furthermore...


    A thought suddenly struck Rein.


    He grasped the greatsword again, first chanting and casting the "Sharpness Technique" of witchcraft; once the greatsword lit up with the rippling silver halo, Rein continued to infuse the greatsword with primal force.


    On the surface of the blade, in addition to the layer looking like a silver membrane, another layer of faint fluorescence was now superimposed.


    This made Rein nod to himself in approval. Indeed, it was possible to apply a double enhancement.


    As for the effect?


    Out of curiosity, Rein immediately swiped the greatsword, now enhanced with both the "Sharpness Technique" and the Great Knight''s primal force, across a steel shield. Instantly, he felt a sensation similar to cutting through butter transfer from the hilt.


    Hiss!


    It was incredibly sharp!


    Gazing at the smooth cut as if made by a cutter, Rein''s pupils constricted. He knew he hadn''t used much strength, but the result was far beyond his expectation.


    This made him stand in place, his thoughts flickering as he pondered.


    After a while, a knock on the door was heard.


    "Come in!"


    There stood Trevo at the doorway, smiling as he spoke, "Lord Rein, are we ready to start learning the Sharpness Technique now?"


    "Based on the difficulty of learning the Sharpness Technique, I''ve tentatively planned for ten days of progressive learning and practice, each session lasting about two hours," he continued.


    "Of course, Lord Rein, if you encounter any problems during this period, we can extend the number of teaching days," Trevo added.


    "I think I''ll be in Fishing Port Town for the coming period," he concluded.


    Rein was slightly startled by Trevo''s words.


    Although Trevo spoke politely, saying that the training could be extended if ten days weren''t enough, the problem was, Rein had already mastered the Sharpness Technique.


    As soon as he successfully cast it once, the system would prompt him, and he would naturally master the witchcraft.


    This presented a bit of a conundrum for Rein.


    What was beneficial to others was simply a waste of time for him.


    Of course, he could choose to hide this fact and slowly learn the Sharpness Technique with Trevo, but there was a saying, ''wasting time is wasting life.''


    At that moment, Rein inadvertently noticed the brown greatbow Trevo carried on his back and had an idea.


    Rein smiled and said, "Thank you, Lord Trevo. However, I would prefer if you could teach me the Sharpness Technique in conjunction with archery."


    "In our previous battle, the arrows embellished with the ''Sharpness Technique'' you used left a deep impression on me."


    Rein''s words hit the mark with Trevo.


    After all, no marksman would refuse praise for their archery skills.


    Trevo''s already smiling face bloomed like a chrysanthemum, and he readily agreed, "Of course, Lord Rein." S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon after, the two arrived in the training room, where Trevo began to demonstrate the casting of witchcraft "Sharpness Technique" while holding and notching an arrow.


    Although Trevo found it strange that the questions Rein asked were mostly about archery rather than the "Sharpness Technique," he still answered them readily.


    Another half an hour passed...


    Even the slow-witted Trevo started to feel that Rein seemed more interested in his archery skills than the witchcraft, so he finally realized what Rein''s main goal was��to learn how to improve his archery.


    After a moment of hesitation, Trevo seriously said, "Lord Rein, it''s clear that you are very interested in archery. In that case, in the next few days, perhaps I could teach you some training methods."


    "These methods are applicable regardless of which type of Extraordinary Battle Technique for archery you intend to practice."


    Rein smiled and nodded at once, saying, "Lord Trevo, that would be excellent."


    "Lord Rein, what do you think is the most important aspect for an Archer to hit a moving target?" Trevo asked seriously.


    When it came to archery, Trevo became much more earnest.


    His question caused Rein to fall into contemplation.


    Clearly, the answer wouldn''t be attributes related to physical qualities like strength or agility. Could it be eyesight?


    After a brief reflection, Rein shook his head slightly.


    Although keen vision helped in identifying distant targets, if the target was moving, merely seeing it clearly was obviously not sufficient.


    All of a sudden, a term sprang to Rein''s mind.

 Chapter 221 Storm Raven (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Rein tentatively answered, "Lord Trevo, is it prediction?"


    Trevo looked at Rein with an appreciative gaze and said, "Lord Rein, your wisdom is truly breathtaking."


    "You know, when my archery teacher once asked me this question, I pondered over it for a long time and answered incorrectly several times before figuring it out. I didn''t expect you to get it right on your first try."


    "It is prediction!"


    "Unlike shooting a stationary object, hitting a moving target at a distance requires predicting its direction and speed in advance. The greater the distance, the more crucial the prediction is."


    Rein nodded; he understood this point, having heard the saying ''A miss by an inch could lead to a failure of a thousand miles'' in his former life.


    If the prediction is wrong from the start, the arrow will deviate slightly at the beginning, and as it travels farther, the deviation could eventually be measured in meters, or even tens of meters.


    "Lord Rein, based on the demonstration just now, I''ve noticed that you already have a solid foundation in archery, and your physical condition is very strong in all aspects. Thus, we can directly proceed to the subsequent training," said Trevo.


    "Let''s start the first training now, shooting the Gold Coin."


    Trevo smiled and took out an imperial Gold Coin from his pocket, flicked it with his thumbnail, and the shiny coin tumbled through the air, landing back in Trevo''s palm after two seconds.


    "In a moment, I will flick the coin into the air from thirty meters away, and Lord Rein, you will need to hit it before it hits the ground. If your accuracy exceeds ninety percent, then you will have completed the first training session."


    Rein nodded.


    This pure skill training was more to his liking.


    Clearly, the training content of shooting the Gold Coin did not require much strength, but it demanded a high level of eyesight and prediction.


    "Lord Rein, please be prepared, I am going to start," Trevo announced from a distance.


    "Ding!"


    As Trevo flicked the coin into mid-air.


    "Whoosh!"


    Rein quickly drew his bow and shot!


    Unfortunately, he didn''t hit the coin on his first try, but the arrow wasn''t far off.


    After several more arrows, Rein subtly grasped the pattern of the coin''s velocity as it fell from its peak.


    In less than ten minutes, Rein started hitting the target occasionally.


    Half an hour later, his accuracy was close to fifty percent.


    Two hours later, his hit rate had reached over 90%.


    This pleasantly surprised Trevo; he hadn''t expected Rein to be so talented with the bow and arrow.


    "Very good, Lord Rein, your training progress shows you have remarkable archery talent. Now it''s time to increase the difficulty. I will increase the distance to fifty meters," Trevo said.


    "However, we can take a short break first."


    After a moment''s thought, Rein nodded and said, "All right, Lord Trevo."


    At that moment, Trevo glanced at the Dual-Handed Greatsword and Two-Handed Warhammer Rein was carrying on his back, and the metal greatbow he was still holding, and his face showed contemplation. Hesitating for a moment, he said:


    "Lord Rein, don''t you think you are carrying too many weapons, which must greatly reduce your speed?"


    "Yes, does Lord Trevo have any solution?" Rein, sensing that Trevo might have a solution for this vexing issue, quickly inquired with a stir of interest.


    "I just remembered that last year, when we were operating with a team of Sword Bearers, their captain used a rare metal-based witchcraft to transform metal. He turned a Longsword into a metal round shield in just a few seconds."


    "So, I was thinking, if you learned that witchcraft, it might be more convenient for you, at least you could carry just one of either the Dual-Handed Greatsword or the Two-Handed Warhammer."


    "If the bowstring issue could be resolved, you might only need to carry the weight of one weapon in metal." S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is there such witchcraft?" Rein asked excitedly after hearing this.


    He quickly asked, "Does the imperial navy have this witchcraft?"


    After all, there were still more than twenty days until the Sword Bearer assessment, and even if he joined successfully, he wouldn''t be able to exchange for this witchcraft immediately.


    Considering the navy''s special unit, the Wave Steppers, he would need to complete a mission of a certain difficulty level, receive an evaluation, and then could exchange for items of corresponding grade.


    If the navy had it, that would be best, perhaps he would have a chance to obtain this witchcraft.


    "Yes, Lord Rein, I am certain of this," Trevo affirmed.


    "Unfortunately, the special items exchange catalog on the navy side does not have it, I''m sorry to disappoint you," Trevo shook his head and said.


    This left Rein feeling somewhat disappointed.


    "By the way, Lord Rein, you are about to head to Mingster for the ''Sword Bearer'' organization''s assessment, aren''t you?" Trevo changed the subject and asked.


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    "Exactly, Lord Trevo, are you also interested in the Sword Bearer organization?" Rein curiously asked.


    "Haha, Lord Rein, I participated in the Sword Bearer assessment four years ago and was not selected, that''s how I ended up with the imperial navy''s Wave Steppers,"


    Rein raised his eyebrows; he hadn''t expected Trevo to have also participated in the Sword Bearer selection and been rejected. However...is the Sword Bearer assessment really that difficult?


    Shouldn''t be!


    Could a Great Knight also be rejected?


    "Hmm? Could Lord Trevo elaborate a bit? As far as I know, the Sword Bearer assessment shouldn''t be so difficult. Could it be that someone of your status as a Great Knight archer also got rejected?"

 Chapter 221 Storm Crow (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Trevo shook his head with a wry smile, "Lord Reine, at that time, I was merely a senior knight. Although my archery wasn''t bad, I hadn''t even passed the preliminary round."


    "Preliminary round?"


    "Eh? Lord Reine, have you not looked into it thoroughly?" This time, it was Trevo''s turn to be surprised.


    However, he quickly smiled and said, "Well, with your strength, you need not worry about the preliminary round. For you, the main exam is what''s critical."


    "This... if it''s convenient, Lord Trevo, could you perhaps talk about this preliminary round and main exam?"


    Upon hearing Lord Reine ask this, Trevo seemed to realize something. He looked at Reine with an extremely surprised expression, nodded, and said, "Of course."


    "The Sword Bearer organization''s assessment is divided into the preliminary round and the main exam. After passing the preliminary round, one officially becomes a Sword Bearer, considered a rare talent in the empire. However, only those who pass the main exam receive significant nurturing from the empire, the elites among elites."


    "Put it this way, Lord Reine, you can consider those in the preliminary round as ordinary team members, while those who pass the main exam are of captain-level. After the corresponding intensive training, those who pass the main exam can select members from the preliminary round to form a team."


    "Regarding the teams, as Lord Reine might have heard, the Sword Bearers also use a team mode to execute missions. The captain not only has the right to allocate the team''s spoils but also has a range of other priorities."


    "By the way, the pass rate for the main exam is extremely low, about one-tenth of the preliminary round."


    Reine nodded.


    It seemed that he needed to improve his strength as much as possible before participating in the Sword Bearer''s assessment.


    ...


    For two consecutive days, Reine had been practicing archery with Trevo. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was now trying to hit a gold coin from a hundred meters away.


    Through these days of practice, Reine''s Blood Fury Archery had also made great strides, just recently advancing to Lv5!


    And Reine, his understanding of prediction was growing more profound by the moment. Suddenly, he seemed to have pierced through a certain ''paper window.''


    At that moment, the system notification appeared:


    [Congratulations! You have experienced an epiphany, unlocking a long-range Combat Skill additional effect: Precise Aim Lv1 (Passive)]


    [Precise Aim Lv1 (Passive) effects: You have a preliminary judgment on the movement trajectory of your enemies and a basic understanding of the weapons in their hands. You can precisely control the impact point of each strike, slightly reducing the chances of your opponent dodging your attacks.]


    (Note: Precise Aim is an additional effect of long-range Combat Skills, which will be automatically unlocked under the right conditions.)


    A long-range effect, huh?


    Quickly, Reine saw a small line of text below the ''Blood Fury Archery'' icon on the Weapon Master (Legendary) profession panel:


    Blood Fury Archery Lv5 (112/2000), with added effect ''Precise Aim Lv1''.


    (Note: To unlock Precise Aim Lv2 in Blood Fury Archery, the following conditions must be met: Blood Fury Archery Lv7 or higher; Strength 16 points, Agility 20 points, Constitution 18 points or more.)


    ...


    -----------------


    A few kilometers from Meister County Fishing Port Town, on the coast.


    Two individuals slowly walked ashore from the sea, the leader a gaunt man in leather armor, with two daggers emitting a bloody glow hanging on either side of his waist. It was Wexman, whom Nehru had requested.


    Directly behind him, a step away, was a statuesque woman dressed in a black robe.


    The two emerged from the water, completely dry, without a trace of moisture.


    If someone had been swimming in the sea just now, they would have seen that the two were previously enveloped in bubbles under the surface of the water.


    "Zenina, check the defensive strength of Fishing Port Town, and try to locate that Reine. I think, barring any accidents, he should be either in the administration office or patrolling the main streets," Wexman said, turning to his robed follower.


    In fact, among the entire Leviathan Team, Wexman had the fewest followers, directly related to his combat style.


    His only companion was this maid��a relatively rare Grade 3 Shadow Wizard Apprentice specializing in Raven Manipulation Arts, Shadow Curses, and so forth.


    Basically, once this female Wizard Apprentice named Zenina identified the target, Wexman was set to make his move.


    "At your command, sir," she said.


    Zenina then quietly began chanting a spell. As the energy fluctuated and radiated, soon a significant number of unusually large ravens gathered around them. These ravens were almost indistinguishable from ordinary ravens.


    Except that their size was at least twice that of regular ravens.


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    These were special ravens, Storm Ravens, adept at moving in groups. Once amassed in sufficient numbers, they dared to attack predators and were even capable of tracking and locating tasks when dispersed.


    Soon, hundreds of Storm Ravens soared into the sky, heading towards Fishing Port Town a few kilometers away.


    ...


    Inside Fishing Port Town.


    Suddenly, a series of ''caw-caw'' sounds came from the horizon.


    Many residents couldn''t help but look up, only to see a flock of dark ravens flying overhead.


    Quickly, the ravens dispersed, seemingly searching for something.


    At the administration office entrance, two guards were chatting idly.


    Suddenly, one guard pointed towards a rooftop and said, "Eh, Jeff, did you see that big black bird? Looks like a raven, but it seems much larger than usual."


    "Indeed, it must be a raven, but such large ravens are indeed rare."


    "Eh, there''s another one here."


    "And over there too."


    "This..."


    Both guards exchanged glances, seeing a hint of concern in each other''s eyes. Something seemed... off!

 Chapter 222 Night Raid (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    After a moment of thought, one guard said to his companion, "Jeff, go and report to Lady Vinica immediately. She is a master in the field of birds and should know if there is any problem." Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    "Alright, I''m on it," the young guard named Jeff replied. The thought of the beautiful lady who could control the white seagulls warmed his heart, and he turned to report to her right away.


    Actually, even without the young man''s report, Vinica had already encountered a fight in the backyard of the administrative hall with a Blood Feathered Horned Eagle chick named ''Blood Feather'' and Storm Crows.


    It was ''Blood Feather'' who first noticed the sudden appearance of the Storm Crows around them. Although it was still a chick, as a naturally ferocious species, it had learned to fly the day before yesterday.


    Thus, naturally, it considered the skies above the administrative hall where its master, Lord Reine, resided and even those above Fishing Port Town as its own territory.


    Upon seeing so many Storm Crows invading, Blood Feather immediately launched an attack at one of the Storm Crows.


    At first, Vinica didn''t notice anything amiss, thinking they were just some kind of crow or perhaps a mutated version.


    It was not until Blood Feather decisively defeated a Storm Crow of similar size that the others quickly gathered more than ten Storm Crows, which instantly alarmed Vinica.


    While enhancing Blood Feather''s defensive power with a Water Membrane Technique, she observed them more carefully and soon discovered something unusual about these crows.


    Vinica found out that these crows were the rare Storm Crows, which did not have any habitat near the Meister County, nor in the entire Mingster Province.


    The origin of the Storm Crows was Storm Gulf, located thousands of kilometers away from here.


    Another point was, the expressions in the eyes of these Storm Crows seemed rigid, as if they were under some kind of control or surveillance witchcraft, which immediately put Vinica on alert.


    The enemy was spying!


    Almost without further thought, Vinica immediately ran to the training room because she knew that both Lord Reine and Lord Trevo were exchanging bow techniques there for the past few days.


    In midair, empowered by the ''Water Membrane Technique,'' Blood Feather fearlessly confronted the more than ten Storm Crows again, causing black feathers to frequently fall from the sky.


    ...


    "Thump thump thump!"


    The urgent knocking interrupted the bow technique lesson between Reine and Trevo.


    The girl with twin ponytails quickly walked in, anxiously saying, "Lord Reine, Lord Trevo, you must come quickly. There is a Wizard Apprentice controlling Storm Crows to spy on us nearby."


    Hmm?


    The two glanced at each other and immediately followed Vinica out of the training room.


    As they walked, the girl quickly said:


    "I just saw it, around the administrative hall, at least ten or more Storm Crows."


    "Storm Crows?" Trevo frowned, seemingly recalling something.


    "They are often controlled by wizards for attacking and spying. This means there''s likely a third-level Wizard Apprentice specializing in negative energy nearby controlling these Storm Crows," Vinica explained.


    When the three reached the backyard of the administrative hall, Nathaniel also just arrived. They saw Blood Feather still engaged in a ''battle'' with the hen-sized Storm Crows.


    Although Blood Feather was at a disadvantage, it was not injured thanks to Vinica''s ''Water Membrane Technique.'' It remained energetic, pecking and clawing at its opponents.


    Upon seeing this, Reine noted in admiration that it truly was typical of the specialized combatant Blood Feathered Horned Eagle, a chick that had only come out of its eggshell a few days ago, yet already possessed such combat strength.


    Trevo instinctively took his longbow from behind, ready to eliminate the group of Storm Crows.


    Just as Trevo was about to draw an arrow and shoot, Reine stopped him, turned with a smile, and said, "Lord Trevo, as a master archer, perhaps stay on guard against the potential enemy nearby."


    "Leave these crows to me; it''s a good chance to test my recent archery training," Reine added.


    Upon hearing this, Trevo also felt that the potential enemy posed the greatest threat and promptly nodded, agreeing, "Alright!"


    Reine quickly took a sharp arrow and aimed his bow at a Storm Crow assaulting ''Blood Feather.'' With a ''swish'' sound, the arrow instantly hit a hen-sized Storm Crow.


    Seeing its master join the fray, ''Blood Feather'' couldn''t help but crow loudly, its morale greatly boosted!


    Following the successful attack, Reine''s hands moved like playing a string instrument, rapidly drawing arrows, nocking, and shooting, each movement fluid and graceful.


    More crucially, through recent training, Reine had gained insight into predicting movements in archery, observing the flight trajectory of the Storm Crows just long enough to grasp it.


    Meanwhile, the dozen Storm Crows had gathered together, attacking Blood Feather, creating ideal shooting conditions for Reine.


    For a while, Reine''s arrows hardly missed.


    "Swish! Swish! Swish!"


    After seven or eight consecutive arrows, the Storm Crows finally realized that their numbers were dwindling! S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Quickly, they became aware that someone on the ground was attacking them, and in a burst of instinctive, shrill crowing, a clamor arose.

 Chapter 222 Night Raid (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    All the storm crows from Fishing Port Town had been mobilized, and a large mass of over a hundred storm crows began to gather in a dense, dark cloud above the town hall.


    These storm crows flapped their wings vigorously, quickly flying in circles, and Rein could vaguely make out the shape of the air currents swirling, seemingly with the tendency to form into a tornado.


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    Indeed, there are no wrong nicknames, only wrong names.


    It seemed that the ''storm'' in storm crows wasn''t just for show.


    Seeing this, Rein, worried for Blood Feather''s safety, immediately summoned it back.


    However, as Rein watched the large group of storm crows circling in the sky, his heart grew even calmer and his hands didn''t stop for an instant as they continued to draw arrows, notch the bow, aim, and shoot, with the whole set of actions becoming even faster.


    In a short while, his shooting speed reached its current peak.


    Vaguely, Rein felt that he had begun to grasp a certain knack of the secret technique��''Rapid Continuous Shooting''��within the Blood Fury Archery.


    "Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"


    Rein''s arrows were rhythmically shot, with the intervals between the twangs of the bowstring almost fixed, giving the bystanders the impression of a musical instrument being played.


    Meanwhile, Vinica and Nathaniel, who were intending to start chanting their spells, paused their incantations, surprised, and turned their gaze to Rein.


    Vinica''s pretty face showed confusion; she hadn''t expected Rein''s archery to be so strong.


    Because when she had faced the Federation''s Witchery Curses Master with Lord Reine before, she hadn''t seen him execute such formidable archery; otherwise, that battle could have been even easier.


    Nathaniel, knowing that his teammate Trevo had been teaching Rein archery these past few days and having occasionally watched the training, was even more astonished by how quickly Rein''s archery skills had improved.


    Rein''s archery had taken a qualitative leap compared to just a few days ago!


    Under Rein''s precise and rapid shooting offensive, in less than a minute, the large mass of storm crows that had been a dense cloud had thinned out and started fleeing in all directions.


    As for the tornado that was about to form at the start, it was now interrupted due to the dispersal of the storm crow flock!


    The skies above the town hall of Fishing Port Town cleared completely, with the winter sunlight shining down, making Rein, holding a golden metal bow, look like a dazzling pure gold sculpture.


    And around where Rein stood, due to the storm crows'' earlier stirring of air currents, some fallen black feathers were spiraling in midair, faintly forming ring patterns, encircling Rein.


    "Lord Reine, nice shooting," Trevo couldn''t help but raise a thumb and praised.


    As a sharpshooter, Trevo was very aware of how difficult it was to achieve Rein''s level.


    Even if he were to take the shot, the killing efficiency wouldn''t be much higher than Rein''s.


    Rein was slightly stunned as just then, a system prompt appeared:


    [Your Skill Blood Fury Archery has advanced, Experience +1159]


    [You have been through a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Professional Experience Points +118]


    (Note: The above Skill Experience has received a 30% increase from the exclusive talent "Elementary Extraordinary Understanding.")


    ...


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique of Blood Fury Archery: Rapid Continuous Shooting!]


    With a 30% Experience bonus from the Weapon Master (Legendary) talent "Elementary Extraordinary Understanding," Blood Fury Archery''s lv5 experience bar had risen dramatically, reaching lv5 (1498/2000).


    If those last twenty or thirty storm crows hadn''t escaped, perhaps Rein could have advanced Blood Fury Archery to lv6 already.


    What caught Rein''s attention now was the last prompt.


    At the same time, memories about the exclusive secret technique of Blood Fury Archery ''Rapid Continuous Shooting'' surfaced in Rein''s mind.


    Huh?


    What is this...


    Seeing the suddenly unlocked secret technique of archery, Rein''s face revealed not only joy but also a hint of surprise.


    Based on his experience with Giant Bear Sword Technique, without ''Sword Specialization,'' secret techniques wouldn''t unlock until lv6.


    Rein promptly saw a brand-new icon located above ''Blood Fury Archery'' in the Weapon Master (Legendary) panel.


    Inside the icon, a bow with a drawn string was depicted, along with an arrow ready to be shot, but what was even more striking was that in front of this arrow, there were three more arrows in mid-flight.


    In the lower right of the icon, there was a line of text:


    Rapid Continuous Shooting lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Use a quick and successive method of drawing and shooting arrows to shoot as many arrows as possible in a short time.


    (Note: Rapid Continuous Shooting is a secret technique and cannot be directly advanced through Skill Points.)


    (Rapid Continuous Shooting lv2 requires the following conditions: One, Blood Fury Archery lv8 and above (Bow Specialization can offset some level requirements); Two, Strength 18 points and above, Agility 22 points and above, Constitution 16 points and above.)


    Reading the line "Bow Specialization can offset some level requirements," Rein pondered.


    So that''s how it is! S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No wonder he was able to grasp the secret technique earlier with his Blood Fury Archery at only lv5, the key lay right here.


    This was truly where the value of the Weapon Master (Legendary) profession''s exclusive talent, ''Elementary Weapon Mastery,'' was revealed!


    Immediately, Rein thought of something else.


    In that case, relying on this exclusive talent, he could also master the exclusive secret techniques of other Extraordinary Combat Skills faster and earlier than ordinary people.

 Chapter 222 Night Raid (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    -----------------


    As seventy to eighty storm crows met their deaths, Zenina, cloaked in black and many kilometers away, swayed slightly.


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    These storm crows had been the subjects of her witchcraft "Eye of the Crow," so at this moment, she experienced a certain degree of witchcraft backlash.


    She frowned and massaged her temples:


    "Lord Wexman, perhaps I have located that Rein."


    "But strangely, he doesn''t match the description you gave me. It seems he''s an archer, and just now, he shot over eighty of my storm crows in a very short amount of time."


    "Hmm? An archer?" Zenina heard Wexman say, taken aback.


    He knew well, for just two days ago, Nehru had detailed to him that he was dealing with a young Great Knight adept with a Two-Handed Warhammer, not an archer.


    This discrepancy between the intelligence and the reality was quite rare.


    It instantly made the battle-hardened Wexman vigilant.


    At the same time, Wexman thought of something and asked:


    "Tell me more, how did he discover that there was something wrong with your storm crows?"


    "As you command, my lord. At the time...."


    After a series of questions and answers.


    Wexman paced back and forth on the beach for a while, then asked again:


    "So you''re saying, after he noticed something was off about your storm crows, he started shooting at them with arrows alone? No one else intervened during the entire process?"


    "Yes, my lord Wexman."


    "And are there other persons with him we should be wary of?"


    "Yes, according to ''Eye of the Crow,'' I preliminarily judge that there are at least two wizard apprentices and another archer with the target."


    "Two wizard apprentices and another archer? Their strength is no less than that of an elite squad of the Dragan Empire Navy," Wexman blurted out.


    "Yes, my lord, I too am quite surprised."


    "But one of them, a male and a female, performed witchcraft while another male wielded an archery bow; I believe my judgment is correct," Zenina confidently stated.


    For a moment, Wexman felt a hint of hesitation.


    Because the situation of the target now greatly differed from what Nehru had described.


    Not only did the target''s preferred weapon differ, but also the strength of the people around the target wasn''t just a novice female wizard apprentice as Nehru had said, but there was an extra archer and another wizard apprentice.


    This situation was somewhat unexpected.


    It wasn''t that he couldn''t forcefully proceed.


    The key issue was, that would be a losing deal.


    He could go in but Nehru would need to pay more!


    "Zenina, just maintain surveillance on the storm crows from a distance, and the moment the target leaves Fishing Port Town, let me know immediately."


    "Also, send a message to that guy Nehru, tell him the current situation, and that if he wants me to intervene, he needs to up the payment. It''s not that I''m raising my price on the spot, but Nehru''s information was wrong, so ask him if two boxes of shadow steel ingots will suffice."


    "As you command, my lord!" Zenina bowed slightly, then took two steps back and began chanting spells.


    -----------------


    Fishing Port Town administrative hall.


    The sudden swarm of crows had alarmed the others in the administrative hall, including Major Mary, who was drafting a letter. They quickly gathered in the courtyard behind the hall.


    Looking at the black feathers scattered across the courtyard, Major Mary knew that the enemy was formidable.


    Soon, they were discussing in Governor Rein''s office.


    "Nathaniel, Miss Vinica, both experienced wizard apprentices, I ask, can we track the enemy''s location using the storm crows?" Trevo voluntarily inquired.


    Trevo believed in offense as the best defense and being an archer, he had an advantage against wizards who needed to chant spells and had mediocre defensive power, not fearing even if they were wizards.


    After some thought, both shook their heads.


    "Trevo, I can''t track, but I can tell that the witchcraft they used must be ''Crow Swarm Summoning'' of the shadow series," Nathaniel said, sharing his experienced judgment.


    "Indeed, Trevo, the enemy uses witchcraft to summon the crows, which are not normally around the caster. This is entirely different from our process of modifying and taming birds," Vinica explained after a moment''s thought.


    "However, judging by the number of crows summoned, the enemy is likely the same as us, probably a third-tier wizard apprentice, not a full-fledged wizard," she added.


    Rein nodded.


    Not a full-fledged wizard, but a third-tier wizard apprentice, huh?


    That seemed a bit strange. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed that the likelihood that the enemy was that Federation Witchery Curses Master from before was not high.


    However, Rein noticed out of the corner of his eye that the usually silent Major Mary was frowning in thought. He then took the initiative to ask:


    "Major Mary, what do you think about this situation?"


    "The storm crows you mentioned just now remind me of several reports from the Empire''s Southern Navy where crows were also described."

 Chapter 222 Night Raid (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    "Oh, Major Mary, if it''s convenient, please do share," Lord Reine raised an eyebrow and said.


    "Let me think, once was when Brigadier General Chu Kwein of the Fourth Fleet was assassinated, the situation report seemed to have mentioned the appearance of these large ravens."


    "The second time was when Brigadier General Bravo of the First Fleet was assassinated, the report also described the presence of black birds."


    "As for the third time, I''m a bit unclear."


    "So, I believe that this is very likely just a scouting attempt by the enemy, and after that, they will carry out a real attack!"


    Major Mary''s words made everyone''s expression become solemn.


    If the powerful witchcraft ''Raven Call'' was just an appetizer, one could imagine that the subsequent real attack by the adversary would be very difficult to defend against.


    "Thanks to Major Mary''s reminder, I recall now that I too had heard that there are a few troublesome individuals within the combat squads of the Eagle Federation Navy, extremely adept at decapitation operations," Nathaniel said earnestly.


    "The Federation Navy? Then they''re in league with that Witchery Curses Master."


    "Then the target must definitely be Lord Reine!" The twin-tailed young girl suddenly thought of something and blurted out.


    The other three immediately turned their gazes towards Reine.


    Reine gave a slight smile and said, "Don''t worry so much, I''m not that fragile."


    After pondering for a moment, Reine continued to ask, "Major Mary, the two brigadier generals you just mentioned should both be of Great Knight strength, right? What were their causes of death?"


    "Yes, both were killed by blades. According to the autopsy results at the time, they believe it was a dagger, and what''s more, it is said not to be an ordinary dagger because both brigadier generals showed signs of excessive blood loss."


    "Moreover, the combat lasted for a very short time. The assassination of Brigadier General Bravo happened in just ten seconds from the cry of alarm until the guard rushed in." S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a dagger?


    And a highly experienced fourth-class ship captain lasted less than ten seconds?


    Reine immediately fell into deep thought, his eyes flickering. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    He was considering the situation from the assassin''s perspective, comparing and estimating the killing time to gauge the attacker''s strength.


    Even with a surprise attack, if the adversary continuously dodged or fled, Reine believed it would be difficult for him to eliminate an experienced Great Knight within ten seconds. From this, two points could be inferred.


    Firstly, the enemy''s speed was very fast, and secondly, their attack or the dagger had a great deal of power and was difficult to defend against.


    Lastly, the fact that the enemy always used assassination indicated a likelihood that they either did not like or were not skilled at direct combat.


    "Is there any way to reduce the enemy''s movement speed within a certain area?" Major Mary seemed to have also thought of the issue Reine was considering and spoke first.


    "Additionally, if the target is Lord Reine, do any of you have any items that could enhance defensive power?"


    "Reducing the enemy''s movement speed?" Trevo looked thoughtful and soon said, "I don''t have such witchcraft tools, but I do have paralysis poison that I apply to arrowheads, used against large sea beasts."


    "Would you like to prepare some, Lord Reine? It''s very effective. A hit from an arrow and it only takes a few seconds to knock down a cow. A large sea beast would require several more arrows."


    Meanwhile, the twin-tailed young girl hesitantly said, "I''ve used witchcraft tools that increase defensive power before, so... could a substitute doll work?"


    ...


    -----------------


    Nighttime.


    On a hidden beach in Fishing Port Town.


    Amidst the crevices of several towering rocks, a bonfire burned.


    Accompanied by the "crackling" sound of wood splintering, the sky filled with the flapping of wings as a black raven descended, settling on the shoulder of the robed woman, Zenina.


    Zenina spoke respectfully, "My lord, Lord Nehru has finally replied. Though reluctant, he has agreed to your request for two chests of shadow steel ingots."


    "Zenina, since that''s the case, let''s take a trip there!" Wexman slowly stood up, smiling as he looked towards the night sky covered in dark clouds, revealing only a faint glimmer of starlight.


    "At your command, my lord!"


    Zenina followed half a step behind Wexman.


    As the two gradually left the range of the bonfire, their shadows lengthened. Then, their figures completely vanished, as if they had melted into the darkness...

 Chapter 223 Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Fishing Port Town Administrative Hall.


    Inside a rest room.


    Rein was wiping the ''paralysis poison'' on the Finger Tiger blades embedded in his Knight gauntlets, which was provided by Trevo. On the bed beside him, there lay a gender-indistinct doll made of a special kind of wood.


    The doll was slightly larger than the palm of a hand, its head, torso, and limbs were connected by wood shaped like cylinders, and its face was only marked by a few crude strokes that indicated its mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. It looked rather rough and shoddily made.


    But when Vinica handed Rein the ''substitute doll,'' the envious look in Nathaniel''s eyes told Rein that the ''substitute doll'' Vinica provided was not as simple as it appeared.


    Later, through Nathaniel''s introduction, Rein learned.


    "The making of a substitute doll is extremely difficult, requiring a special type of person among official Wizards, colloquially known as ''Doll Masters,'' to create."


    "The method of usage is also quite simple, it can either be controlled with spiritual power or you can wrap a strand of the user''s hair or a drop of blood on the substitute doll."


    "The substitute doll will, within the next day, transform into the user''s appearance and emit the user''s aura �� even a regular Wizard may find it difficult to notice the difference. The deception is only discovered after an attack."


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    "Of course, there are limitations to the substitute doll; after the spell is cast, it does not become a moving doll but can only mimic the user''s static appearance. If it is damaged, it will revert to its doll form."


    "So, it is generally placed in a specific location to mislead enemies."


    Despite various limitations, for Wizards or Wizard Apprentices facing assassin-type enemies, it is one of the best witchcraft artifacts.


    This was also the reason why Nathaniel had an envious expression.


    At this moment, Nathaniel had already set up a warning spell formation around Rein''s room. If an enemy stepped in, it would set off an alarm, but this was not foolproof.


    Judging from the fact that the opponent was able to enter the quarters of a fourth-grade ship captain without any sound, they likely possessed some kind of magical artifact or special witchcraft that allowed them to enter the room and stage a sneak attack.


    During the previous discussion, a few of the men had settled on two plans to counter an attack.


    The first was if the opponent was not just one person but two or more, then Vinica would assist Rein, while Nathaniel and Trevo would take care of the rest.


    This pairing had also been carefully considered. Nathaniel and Trevo, both members of the Fish and Dragon Squad, knew each other well and could coordinate perfectly with just a glance. Their combat ability was greater than the sum of their parts.


    The second scenario was if there was only one opponent, then without a doubt, everyone would gang up on them...


    Against such a level of enemy, ordinary guards and Night Watchmen were of little use. They, led by the Reiman brothers, were primarily responsible for the external defense and for dealing with enemies within their capabilities, such as the Storm Crows.


    After the preparations were complete, Rein tied a strand of his hair on the doll and placed it in the bed under the quilt, while he fully armed himself and rested under the bed.


    ...


    When Wexman and Zenina arrived near the Fishing Port Town Administrative Hall, they saw teams of three Night Watchmen patrolling densely.


    "Hmph, childish tactics."


    "Zenina, same as always, if I don''t eliminate the target within ten seconds, you limit the others for a bit."


    "At your command, sir."


    At that moment, a shadow began to emerge from behind Wexman �� this was Wexman''s trump card, the shadow assassin.


    The shadow assassin was actually a rare Shadow Witchcraft, its body composed of shadow energy, usually having roughly thirty to forty percent of the caster''s own strength.


    However, after Wexman acquired this witchcraft, he spent over a decade attempting research and modifications to the witchcraft model, managing to slightly increase its potency.


    Now the shadow assassin possessed nearly half his original strength. Since it required continuous guidance, he couldn''t cast other witchcraft while maintaining the shadow assassin.


    Another point was that the shadow assassin couldn''t take direct hits, as it would disappear upon being hit.


    Once the shadow vanished, the caster would suffer from spiritual power backlash, which wasn''t long-lasting.


    The backlash wasn''t intense; it wouldn''t bring splitting headaches or unconsciousness. It merely rendered the caster temporarily unable to cast other witchcraft.


    That''s why, five years ago, Wexman spent a lot of time and effort to find an apprentice like Zenina who also specialized in Shadow Witchcraft and has been nurturing her ever since.


    The goal was to use defensive Shadow Witchcraft to strengthen the shadow assassin''s defensive power, preventing it from being hit directly, and to some extent, support his actions. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zenina began chanting, and soon, black shields appeared before and behind Wexman and the shadow assassin, then the shields slowly faded, leaving no trace of the witchcraft shadow shield on the surface.


    Wexman had considered whether to kill Rein''s companions one by one and then turn to Rein last.

 Chapter 223 Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    But after some thought, any number of unexpected changes could occur, leading the target to escape or some other unforeseen situations might arise.


    The best strategy would still be a one-hit kill!


    Moreover, after many years of assassinations, relying on the shadow assassin, Wexman had almost never missed.


    Wexman and an identical shadow assassin disappeared into the shadows of the street ahead; the next second, the shadow assassin passed through a wall.


    The very next second, Wexman''s figure also vanished suddenly, and in his place, the figure of the shadow assassin appeared��they had switched positions.


    It turned out this was the greatest effect of the shadow assassin; it could swap places with the caster. Of course, this ability would consume a significant amount of the caster''s spiritual power, and if used consecutively, the consumption of spiritual power would increase geometrically.


    Therefore, it was not something to be used frivolously.


    But this was already a very special ability; it was as if Wexman also indirectly possessed the ability to pass through walls.


    If Mary had witnessed this scene, she would definitely have understood how the other party had managed to kill a Great Knight captain in the sealed captain''s cabin.


    After arriving at the town hall, Wexman first controlled the shadow assassin to sneak into several rooms; a few minutes later, he had confirmed the target''s room.


    Meanwhile, Zenina outside, monitoring Wexman''s infiltration, began to cast Shadow Mist, a witchcraft, and soon, the mist near the town hall began to thicken gradually...


    The night deepened.


    Rein felt a level 3 danger perception warning start faintly within his heart.


    Oddly though, as he rotated his eyes slightly under the bed, observing his surroundings, he could see no trace of anyone.


    Suddenly, a shadowy figure, like mist, passed through the wall into his room and the next second, the figure flickered, as if the shadow had instantly become some sort of solid entity. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    A middle-aged man in leather armor appeared before Rein.


    Another second passed, and another shadowy figure passed through the wall into the room.


    Meaning, at that moment, two figures, identical but one shadowy and one solid, had entered Rein''s room.


    The entered middle-aged man in leather armor quickly locked his gaze on the stationary ''Rein'' on the bed, a slight smirk appearing on his face, then suddenly, he pulled out two daggers emitting a bloody glow from his waist.


    The set of movements of the middle-aged man in leather armor was almost immediately replicated by the identical shadowy figure without any delay.


    Then, the two figures, one shadowy and one solid, silently surrounded Rein''s bed from different directions, both holding twin daggers.


    Rein, lying under the bed, watched this unfold, connecting it to what Mary had previously mentioned about the two assassination attempts against an Imperial Navy Rear Admiral, and something clicked in his mind.


    The shadowy figure reached near the bed and launched the attack first!


    "Hiss!"


    A sound of a blade tearing through the air rang out as the shadowy figure with a dagger violently aimed at ''Rein''s'' head!


    If it had hit, it would certainly have been a fatal blow, penetrating from the forehead through to the brain.


    "Bang!"


    A sound like a bubble bursting rang out! S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before Wexman''s astonished eyes, the target who had been lying in the bed turned into a wooden dummy, and the shadow assassin''s dagger ended up stabbing into a wooden figure instead.


    There was no anticipated scenario where the opponent couldn''t react in time, resulting in the forehead being penetrated and the brain splattering everywhere.


    Neither was there the anticipated scenario where the opponent reacted in time, parried the shadow assassin''s strike, and then he would launch a surprise attack from behind, ensuring a kill!


    But none of these situations occurred.


    This left the experienced Wexman momentarily stunned.


    Just as he was inwardly cursing, planning to retreat quickly,


    in that instant, after the dummy was struck, the floor below suddenly exploded, showering bright glittering dust all around.


    Although Wexman''s pupils narrowed and he rapidly retreated, it was inevitable that a small amount of purple glitter dust contaminated his leather armor. The shadow assassin, also quick, ended up with a fair amount of glitter dust as well.


    Though the quantity was small, in the dark night, two brightly shining figures were quite conspicuous.


    Just as Wexman was about to wipe it off and leave immediately, a sudden alarm in his heart arose; the entire bed surged towards him like it was overwhelming the sky, and just as he was about to retreat, the bed exploded into pieces!


    A figure, young in appearance but unnaturally swollen with muscles, all shining silver, wielding a Two-Handed Warhammer, brought it crashing down from above!


    It was Rein, who had used ''Overlimit'' and his talent ''Intermediate Giant Force''!


    Naturally, Wexman chose not to face the heavy weapon head-on.


    His daggers, no matter how keen and refined, would be foolish to clash against a weapon several times heavier than himself.


    Wexman triggered Overlimit, his feet barely touching, his speed increased dramatically as he swiftly retreated, comfortably dodging Rein''s crushing hammer strike.


    Just as Wexman felt a bit of relief, thinking he had dodged the opponent''s hammer strike, and started to control the nearby shadow assassin for a counterattack, his pupils suddenly dilated.


    Because he saw that after Rein''s hammer didn''t hit him, it didn''t stop; rather, it gained speed and violently struck the room''s floor.


    In an instant, a powerful and invisible force transmitted from the point of impact between the hammer and the floor erupted.

 Chapter 223 Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    The ground shattered inch by inch and spread outwards in a fan shape, at which point a loud ''boom'' resounded.


    Both of them, including the shadow assassin, were attacked in an instant.


    The shadow assassin''s body flashed with a black light and emitted a ''pop'' sound as the shadow shield cracked in response, and the shadow instantly dissipated like smoke.


    Wexman, too, was struck by a backlash, his body stiffening again, but luckily, a flash of black light on him formed a thin black membrane that absorbed most of the damage from the multiple shocks.


    However, the shock''s power was immense, collapsing the wall behind Wexman as well, and for a moment, the shrill sound of the alert witchcraft array echoed as footsteps of various intensities started nearby.


    Then, a muffled groan was heard as Trevo and the others who were coming to support seemed to be hit by some kind of attack and restrained.


    Rein didn''t receive the support from Trevo and Vinica as planned, but he didn''t panic and continued to swing his hammer heavily at the leather-armored middle-aged man!


    At this moment, Wexman no longer wanted to continue fighting.


    For him, face didn''t matter, a misstep was okay, what was important was to gauge the situation, and clearly, the opponent''s defensive measures were very targeted, and their strength was much higher than expected.


    So, Wexman made what he considered to be the right choice.


    He planned to use the recoil from the moment their weapons clashed to retreat in flight, of course, he wouldn''t choose to confront the mightiest part of the hammer, but instead deftly stepped forward a little, positioning himself at the middle of the hammer''s handle.


    He didn''t believe that next time, the opponent would still have the witchcraft tool ''substitute puppet'' to misguide him.


    But as Wexman''s two blood-colored daggers crossed and blocked at the middle of Rein''s hammer handle, his body stiffened for a moment. His plan to retreat using the momentum not only failed, but he was fixed in place for an instant.


    Because at that moment, from the daggers came a fierce, multiple shock force. Although Wexman had the protection of the prime force and the shadow shield, his body wasn''t injured, but the momentary halt was unavoidable.


    That pause was all Rein needed to seize the opportunity!


    Rein, leveraging his strength, consecutively performed ''giant hammer strike,'' ''giant hammer sweep,'' and ''giant hammer jump strike.'' With the effect of ''effortless,'' his heavy and dark pig head warhammer swung swiftly, as light as a delicate sword.


    After that momentary freeze, Wexman lost the initiative and was immediately mired in Rein''s barrage of warhammer strikes, each collision causing him to stiffen for a split second.


    These split seconds deprived Wexman of the chance to leap out of Rein''s two-handed warhammer attack range, and each split second was just long enough for Rein to unleash another hammer blow. As a result, Wexman had no choice but to continuously fend off Rein''s attacks with his daggers.


    "Clang!!!"


    With each collision, sparks flew everywhere!


    "Clang!!!"


    The tremendous impact force shattered and sunk the ground beneath Wexman''s feet by several inches with each strike. It was this cushion that prevented Wexman from being injured by the warhammer''s powerful impact.


    But it also meant Wexman couldn''t continuously withstand Rein''s warhammer attacks in one spot, because after several blows, his ankles would sink into the ground, resulting in an even more passive situation.


    So, while fighting, he had to withstand the stiffness caused by the shock and laboriously step back, his movements as rigid as if he was doing the robot dance.


    After dozens of exchanges!


    The two had fought from the collapsed wall to the empty backyard of the town''s administrative hall.


    The sound of weapons clashing was deafening, and the strong airflow brought by the warhammer''s swift swings swept up the surrounding withered leaves and tiny branches, sending them swirling into the air!


    Wexman had never encountered such a stifling fight; his advantages in mobility and high-speed movement were completely suppressed by the opponent''s special multiple shock force after losing the first move.


    However, he wasn''t worried! Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because the opponent''s series of warhammer blows required continued execution without pausing. If Rein were to gather strength to use some kind of secret technique, Wexman could take advantage of the momentary gathering phase to escape.


    If Rein didn''t use his trump card, then how long could he maintain this highly stamina-draining sequence of warhammer attacks?


    The moment Rein runs out of steam or even slightly reduces in strength or speed, Wexman''s pressure would also rapidly decrease, and he''d easily break free.


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    Meanwhile, Wexman didn''t believe that the young-looking boy before him could surpass him in stamina; that was simply impossible.


    On Rein''s side, after his Earth-splitting Hammer induced multiple shocks and took out the shadow, enveloping his opponent.


    The entire rhythm of the battle then entered the scenario he had anticipated.


    As for what Rein needed to do, it was to ensure that each of his hammer blows was forceful and thunderous!


    As for the stamina consumption?


    That wasn''t his concern.


    Because at this moment, he had a full 6 remaining attribute points.


    As the fight neared one minute, Rein didn''t hesitate to apply one point to his stamina.


    With the remaining attribute points going from 6��5, his Constitution increased from 28 points to 29 points.


    Instantly, a surging warmth pumped vigorously from his heart and spread rapidly throughout his body.


    In a flash, the soreness and fatigue of Rein''s muscles vanished!


    One could see that each hit from Rein''s two-handed warhammer maintained the stable, precise, and powerful state it had at the start of the fight.

 Chapter 223 Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    A minute and a half later, Wexman''s eyes began to show obvious confusion and astonishment.


    Based on his extensive combat experience, he had judged that the young man before him should have shown signs of declining strength half a minute ago, which would turn the tide of the battle, allowing him to break free from the current passive situation.


    But damn it, a minute and a half had passed, and every swing of the other party''s hammer was still so powerful, so swift!


    On the contrary, it was his strength that was gradually waning.


    This inexplicable irritation began to bother Wexman.


    Had the opponent taken some potion beforehand?


    Therefore, he could maintain his current state.


    A potent stamina potion?


    Probably not!


    Because that could only increase his stamina by about ten to twenty percent.


    A magic blood potion?


    Clearly not either!


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    Since the effect only lasted for half a minute, it was always consumed during combat, and just now the opponent clearly had no chance to take any potion.


    ...


    Wexman''s mind raced, but he couldn''t figure out what kind of potion the opponent could have taken to have such a powerful effect!


    Could it be some new potion from the Dragan Empire?


    Or was this the opponent''s true strength?


    No, that was absolutely impossible!


    The guy before him was only a few years old; there was no way he had such strength.


    At this moment, Wexman felt a bit of regret. He should have prepared for this fight by treating his opponent as the most dangerous kind of enemy before making his move.


    It had been a long time since he found himself in such a predicament!


    There had been no sign from Zenina so far, which meant she was likely being held back by the other party''s two third-level Wizard Apprentices and one Spirit Archer.


    Another half minute passed...


    "Clang!!!"


    When Rein struck again with his hammer, he could clearly feel his opponent''s strength weakening in the block, as his knees bent even more than before.


    As the opponent in combat, nobody knew the subtle changes better than him, and it immediately became clear to Rein that his adversary''s strength was gradually bottoming out.


    Silently, Rein added a little more to his strength.


    With remaining attribute points going from 5��4, his Constitution also went from 29 points��30 points.


    In a flash, the fatigue from the continuous battle was swept away, and he felt invigorated!


    He knew that since he could sense the opponent''s decrease in strength, the opponent would likely realize this too. So if the opponent didn''t want to be worn down to death or hammered to death, he would have to act fast and seek a change.


    Rein''s eyes, bright and focused, watched every move his opponent made, his attention now highly concentrated.


    He continued to unleash a torrent of heavy hammer blows!


    And at this moment, Wexman was beginning to feel weak in his limbs.


    Even with his exceptional physical prowess, hard-blocking hundreds of full-force hammer smashes from an exceedingly strong opponent would take its toll. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What''s more, his Transcendent trait wasn''t strength-based.


    So, with time dragged out to this point, he had to take a risk!


    Faced with another ferocious hammer strike from Rein, Wexman''s face twisted with resolve. He didn''t retreat any longer but instead leaned forward, stepping in, blocking as much as he could with his left hand, and with his right hand gripping the Dagger, he swiftly thrust it towards Rein''s abdomen.


    Wexman had decided to exchange injury for injury, intending to resist Rein''s hammer with his left arm to gain a chance to puncture Rein''s abdomen.


    He had anticipated the possible countermeasures from his opponent. If the opponent dodged, it would disrupt his power generation and throw off his rhythm, allowing Wexman to escape this passive situation.


    If the opponent chose to exchange injuries, then at worst his left hand would be rendered incapable of fighting, but the opponent would surely suffer a severe stab wound to the abdomen.


    However, this meant he would be injured.


    Being injured in enemy territory was a very troublesome matter, which was why Wexman tried his best to avoid this situation.


    "Clang!!!"


    "Thwack!"


    Two different sounds of metal colliding erupted almost simultaneously!


    Rein''s near-full strength strike was clearly not something Wexman could block with one hand, and after the clash between hammer and dagger, the dark warhammer came crashing down hard on Wexman''s left arm.


    With a ''crack,'' the bones in his left shoulder joint were shattered by the warhammer!


    At the same time, Wexman''s blood-colored dagger pierced through Rein''s watersilk steel breastplate and into his abdomen.


    But a strong sense of resistance, as if stabbing into steel, came through the dagger, causing Wexman''s face to change instantly!


    This was the effect of Rein''s innate ''Steel Body'' ability.


    Wexman''s reaction was extremely fast; in the blink of an eye, his right hand''s dagger flicked upward to the center between Rein''s hands and then slashed backward, forcing Rein to let go of his hammer''s handle.


    Seeing Rein lose his best weapon, the Two-Handed Warhammer, Wexman, enduring the severe pain in his left shoulder, twisted his lips into a sinister smile, his heart settling down at last.


    Without your main weapon, let''s see how you fight against me now!


    Young man, your combat experience is still lacking!

 Chapter 224 The Choice of the 5th Profession (2 in 1 Big Chapter)

    Moreover, Wexman had already figured out Rein''s next move, which would surely be to rapidly retreat, then look for an opening in the battle to draw the Dual-Handed Greatsword he carried on his back.


    However, Wexman didn''t plan to give him that opportunity. He would cling to the boy like a persistent infection, preventing him from having any chance to use the secondary weapon.


    The intense pain from his left arm filled Wexman with hatred towards the boy. It had been a long, long time since he had suffered such a significant setback. Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire


    Wexman decided he would stab the opponent''s body with his Dagger, creating one hundred and eighty holes, to alleviate the hatred in his heart.


    But unexpectedly, the boy didn''t choose to retreat or to draw the Dual-Handed Greatsword on his back. Instead, his fists flew swiftly and furiously at him from both hands.


    Wexman''s pupils constricted, and he immediately swung his Dagger to block, while his peripheral vision caught sight of the four sharp blades springing from Rein''s gauntlets, making him exclaim, "Finger Tiger!"


    "Clang, clang, clang!"


    A torrent of metallic clashes, denser than before, rapidly sounded, almost melding into a single noise.


    Although Wexman was much faster than Rein in terms of sheer speed, this was when he was not injured.


    At this moment, his left arm hung uselessly by his side, devoid of any fighting capacity, and the loss of arm swinging and balance drastically affected Wexman''s movement speed.


    Furthermore, Wexman was not invincible, even a Peak Knight would be nearing the end of his stamina after the fierce battle they had just endured, reducing his movement speed once again!


    Thus, even though Wexman had finally escaped the predicament of stiffening for a moment with every hit, at this moment, he faced Rein''s extremely fast Finger Tiger without any chance to catch his breath.


    This started to completely break down Wexman''s previously calm mindset.


    He estimated his remaining stamina and knew he had to fight desperately now or he might actually die here.


    Wexman''s expression suddenly became ferocious. He no longer chose to block Rein''s Finger Tiger but decided to exchange blow for blow.


    "Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"


    "Pfft!"


    The two men became like two blurs of mist, drifting back and forth across the backyard, mud splashing and grass flying wherever they went!


    Rein waved his hands left and right, his movements fast as lightning, his actions a blur. It seemed as if he suddenly had eight arms, all striking at Wexman simultaneously.


    The Finger Tiger was like a tempest, filling the sky with afterimages. In the blink of an eye, it slashed across Wexman''s body over a dozen times.


    Meanwhile, Wexman''s crimson Dagger acted like a snake spitting venom, carving holes in Rein''s high-quality steel knight''s armor.


    Wexman laughed!


    The opponent hadn''t chosen to fight cautiously but had opted to trade blow for blow with him.


    His Dagger had the special effects of ''Vampirism'' and ''Recovery,'' meaning that with each strike, although the wounds weren''t deep, they would instantly cause significant blood loss. Meanwhile, some of the blood absorbed by the Dagger would convert into energy for him.


    This meant that he would become stronger as the battle progressed!


    But the next second, Wexman wasn''t laughing anymore!


    He could feel his Dagger piercing through the opponent''s armor and skin, injuring the body. Although the wounds were not deep, he felt the Dagger drawing blood and converting it into energy.


    However, why did it seem like the opponent''s movements were getting faster? Each time he struck, the opponent''s Finger Tiger would slash him more than ten times.


    That''s not right!


    Dammit, it wasn''t the opponent getting faster; it was himself slowing down!


    This numbness throughout his body��


    Damn!


    The damn Finger Tiger was poisoned!


    Wexman suddenly felt screwed!


    He was a master of assassination, but because he hadn''t prepared for Rein as the highest level of enemy, he hadn''t poisoned his Dagger.


    He hadn''t expected that this broad-browed, big-eyed young man, a mere Governor from a small town in the Dragan Empire, would use poison.


    Seconds later, both men stood still, motionless.


    Wexman couldn''t move. His body trembled uncontrollably, the numbness so evident. Now, he could hardly lift his arms.


    He couldn''t even speak; his tongue was numb!


    Wexman''s leather armor fell from him like autumn leaves, piece by piece. The remaining bits hung like ribbons. Now, his body bore hundreds of cuts from the Finger Tiger.


    "Bang!"


    Wexman, stiff as a concrete statue, thudded onto the ground!


    His posture still bent at the knees, Dagger in hand as if ready to strike; the sight was ironically comical.


    And in that moment, all he wanted to say to Rein was,


    "Damn! The dose of your paralysis poison is way too damn high!"


    This was also beyond Rein''s expectations. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When he had applied the paralysis poison to his Finger Tiger, it was only with the thought that if the enemy excelled in witchcraft, he would use the swiftly striking Finger Tiger to disrupt their chanting.


    If he could draw blood, even just once, it could have a miraculous effect!


    But unexpectedly, like him, the enemy was also more proficient in close combat, and in their high-frequency combat, neither had any chance to perform any form of witchcraft.

 Chapter 224 The Choice of the 5th Profession (2 in 1 Big Chapter)_2

    In such a situation, Rein hadn''t expected that there would still be an opportunity for his Sharpclaw Finger Tiger to come into play.


    Now, the opponent''s body had over a hundred wounds, all oozing with fresh blood, which was equivalent to completely absorbing the excessively large dosage of paralyzing poison that Rein had smeared on his Sharpclaw Finger Tiger.


    This amount of poison...


    It was estimated that even a gigantic sea creature weighing several dozen tons would likely collapse!


    At this moment, Rein''s high-level knight suit made of water membrane steel also had more than a dozen holes of various sizes.


    "Whoosh!"


    He tore off the water membrane steel breastplate, which had become riddled with holes, and Rein looked down to check his wounds.


    As he had expected, although there were many wounds��about a dozen or so��the depths were all shallow.


    This was due to the double defense provided by the water membrane steel plate armor and his talent ''Junior Steel,'' which meant the opponent''s dagger had only penetrated one or two centimeters, just enough to draw Rein''s blood.


    However, Rein acutely sensed a kind of weakness that comes from excessive loss of blood throughout his body.


    He glanced at the opponent''s dagger, which was glowing intensely with blood-colored light, and knew that the problem must lie with the opponent''s dagger. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It appeared to have some special blood-draining effect.


    Under Wexman''s gaze,


    Rein stepped forward, pried open each of the opponent''s already stiff fingers one by one, and started toying with the two blood-color daggers in his hands.


    He swung them casually a few times and found they felt quite smooth in his hand!


    Soon, Rein realized that this was because of his Weapon Master exclusive talent ''Junior Mastery,'' giving him a natural level 1 proficiency effect with daggers.


    But how should he test the effect of these daggers?


    Rein looked around, his face showing thoughtfulness, and quickly came up with an idea.


    He crouched down and, facing the enemy who was powerless to resist in a paralyzed state, swiftly stabbed him a few times with a "swish swish."


    Immediately, a faint warm current flowed from the blood-color dagger into his palm, which slightly invigorated his spirit.


    This immediately made Rein''s eyebrows perk up with surprise!


    It turned out that these blood-color daggers not only had a blood-draining effect but could also nourish the user with some sort of special substance.


    Meanwhile, Wexman, with his eyes wide open, watched as Rein stabbed himself with his own daggers, and although he was completely paralyzed at the moment, the frustration and agony were indescribably intense!


    Nehru! Damn it! You''ve screwed me over!


    But the next second, Wexman''s eyes suddenly showed terror.


    Because he saw the young man opposite him sever all the tendons in his hands and feet with a few "swish swish" motions using his dagger.


    Initially, Rein, out of concern for safety, had intended to slit the opponent''s throat directly.


    But after thinking it over, considering there were two members of the Empire''s Fish-Dragon Squad with him, perhaps they had better ways to exploit the value of the opponent while ensuring he didn''t cause any trouble.


    In that case, perhaps he could gain something beneficial from the side of the Empire''s navy.


    At this time, Trevo, Nathaniel, and Vinica rushed in from outside the administrative hall with anxious expressions, and upon seeing the sight in the backyard, they instantly froze.


    They saw the backyard ground crisscrossed with gullies and full of potholes, looking utterly devastated. Only broken branches and remnants of neatly trimmed plants and flowers remained!


    The group exchanged shocked glances, looking from Rein to the motionless, wounded, and oddly postured middle-aged man on the ground.


    They immediately understood what had happened!


    Rein had taken down the opponent, one-on-one.


    Vinica, seeing the dozen or so red spots on Rein''s bare upper body, couldn''t help but cover her mouth with her hand, her beautiful eyes widening in a look that was both worried and admiring.


    Without hesitation, Vinica quickly approached and said to Rein, "Lord Rein, your injuries need to be treated immediately."


    Trevo and Nathaniel exchanged a look and said, "Lord Rein, we are truly ashamed. You alone managed to capture the enemy''s leader, while the three of us failed to detain the third-level Wizard Apprentice outside."


    "Oh? There was only one Wizard Apprentice outside?"


    "Yes, Lord Rein, a rather rare shadow-element third-level Wizard Apprentice. We are almost certain that person was the one controlling the storm crows for reconnaissance."


    "Yes, and it was a woman," Nathaniel added. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Rein nodded and said, "You all worked hard. Lord Trevo, Lord Nathaniel, I wonder if you can extract some useful intelligence for the Empire''s navy from this guy?"


    As they were talking, Major Mary and the Reiman brothers also arrived in the backyard. Looking at the ground that appeared to have been bombarded by a meteor shower, they showed expressions of astonishment.


    Seeing that most were present, Rein briefly explained the situation of their encounter and his assessment of the enemy.


    Hearing that the enemy likely had the strength of a Peak Knight, everyone looked at Rein with eyes full of alarm!


    After contemplation, Major Mary said to Trevo and the others, "Lords, I believe the immediate priority is to contact the navy''s ''Tide Walkers.''


    "Based on the battle tonight, there is a high probability that the person before us is from the Federation navy. From what Lord Rein described, the enemy''s strength and status are comparable to Captain Baron."


    "Imagine, if such an important figure fell into our hands, how would the Federation react?"


    At this point, Major Mary paused.


    Light flashed in Trevo''s eyes as he said, "Major Mary, are you suggesting that the Federation navy would certainly organize a rescue mission?"

 Chapter 224 Selection of the 5th Profession (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3

    Mary nodded, continuing to speak, "That''s very likely. And one thing is for certain, the Federation Navy will definitely send someone over, at the very least to ascertain whether the person lying on the ground is dead or alive."


    "If he''s alive, they will organize a rescue," she added.


    Nathaniel nodded and said, "Major Mary, you''re absolutely correct. I will immediately contact Captain Baron and the navy''s ''Tide Strider'' to dispatch a fully armed squad here right away."


    "Lord Reine, let me help you treat your wounds first. Although Hydrotherapy can heal directly, cleaning the wound before treatment will produce a better effect," Vinica said.


    Vinica wasn''t focused on the person lying on the ground but on Reine before her.


    Major Mary also chimed in, "Lord Reine, please leave this place to me and the two gentlemen from the Fish-Dragon Squad!"


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    Reine glanced at the others and quickly nodded, saying, "Very well, then I''ll leave it in your hands."


    The others nodded in agreement, with Trevo adding, "Lord Reine, you go ahead and deal with your injuries with Miss Vinica first; leave this to us."


    Reine then turned and prepared to leave with Vinica. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wait, Lord Baron!"


    Cornett Leyman, the younger of the Leyman brothers, found something in the seam of the leather-clad middle-aged man''s trouser leg and pulled it out to discover a thin parchment scroll.


    "Did you think I wouldn''t find it just because you sewed it into the seam of your trouser leg?" the younger brother Cornett Leyman muttered to himself.


    "You''ve really underestimated me."


    When he respectfully handed the parchment to Reine, Reine was quite surprised.


    After all, during the battle, he had been focused solely on how to defeat his opponent, his Finger Tiger weapon not sparing places like the opponent''s pouch or other places where items might be concealed.


    By the time the battle ended, he had probably destroyed all those places where the opponent might have stashed items, like the pouch and the layers of leather armor.


    He hadn''t expected that the adversary would have hidden something in the lining of his trouser leg.


    Reine took the parchment, feeling a stir in his heart. Could this be the witchcraft that allowed the creation of his own shadow and launched synchronous attacks?


    However, as Reine unfurled the scroll, he was slightly taken aback.


    It didn''t contain the witchcraft.


    Instead, at the top of the parchment scroll were written the words ''Maxwell''s Rare Poison Crafting Secret Scroll''.


    At that moment, a system prompt suddenly appeared:


    [Ding! The host has obtained ''Maxwell''s Rare Poison Crafting Secret Scroll,'' triggering a special class transition��Deadly Poison Master (Transcendent)!]


    [The prerequisite conditions for transitioning to Deadly Poison Master (Transcendent) are: 1. Pharmacist or Poisoner lv5 or higher; 2. Spirit 18 points or higher; 3. Mastery of at least three rare poison recipes...Current conditions not met!]


    Huh?


    It was a special class transition.


    Reine''s eyes shimmered with thought.


    Since his transition to the legendary profession of [Weapon Master], his profession panel had expanded to include five slots. Aside from the four already occupied, one remained empty.


    Having not yet decided upon a fifth profession, that matter had been set aside.


    Now, it seemed that transitioning to a Pharmacist first might be a good choice. After reaching lv5, he could then transition to the special profession of [Deadly Poison Master], which was at least a Transcendent profession panel.


    On one hand, this could further improve his attack power; on the other, it could enhance his own ability to prevent and identify various poisons from enemies.


    "Lord Reine?" Vinica called softly.


    "Oh, yes, Miss Vinica, let''s go," Reine replied, and promptly tucked the parchment into his waistband and followed Vinica.


    However, Reine soon remembered something and began to review the system prompts as he walked:


    [Your Skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has improved, Experience +1669]


    [Your Skill, Kadar Martial Arts, has improved, Experience +1228]


    [You have been through a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +889]


    (Note: The above Skill Experience has enjoyed a 30% increase from the exclusive talent ''Elementary Extraordinary Understanding''.)


    [Congratulations, you''ve defeated a formidable enemy and earned one Golden Skill Point!]


    ...


    [Congratulations, your Weapon Master (Legendary) Profession Level has increased!]


    The Weapon Master (Legendary) Profession Level had advanced by one level to lv5 (17/2000).


    This also granted Reine another attribute point and one Skill Point, leaving him with 5 remaining attribute points and 1 remaining Skill Point.


    What surprised Reine further was that this battle had earned him one Golden Skill Point.


    Golden Skill Points?


    Reine soon recalled the system information he received when his Weapon Master (Legendary) profession had risen to lv2��''Golden Skill Points can be synthesized from three Skill Points or obtained by defeating formidable enemies.''


    Clearly, this time he had acquired one Golden Skill Point by defeating a formidable enemy.


    Immediately, Reine planned to apply this Golden Skill Point to his Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Because he was certain, just with this one additional Golden Skill Point, his Hammer Skill would reach a higher level.


    Then he would truly master the secret technique!


    But just as he was about to apply the point, Reine furrowed his brow in thought.


    If he was just a little closer to breaking through the barrier, was it necessary to waste this precious Golden Skill Point?


    -----------------


    Near the coast of the Meister county.


    At a depth of more than ten meters underwater,


    a metallic object approximately twenty to thirty meters long in the shape of an ellipsoid was slowly ascending.

 Chapter 224 The Choice of the 5th Profession (2 in 1 Big Chapter)_4

    "Why is there only one person?" Jonistone muttered to himself as he observed the ocean surface through the periscope, puzzled.


    They had just received a distress signal and immediately headed in that direction; also, based on the signal, it was the Federation Navy''s "Leviathan Team" command passphrase.


    But the operations of the "Leviathan" team were at least in the form of one official member accompanied by several followers, making it nearly impossible for just one person to be involved.


    Under the faint starlight, a woman in a black robe could be seen not far ahead of the submarine, covering a wound on her abdomen with her hand as she ran swiftly, with an arrow barely visible in the wound.


    The metal hatch on top of the submarine creaked open, and four soldiers wearing Federation Navy uniforms quickly climbed out, advanced toward her, and immediately helped the black-robed woman into the submarine. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shortly after, the submarine slowly descended and disappeared beneath the ocean surface.


    ....


    A quarter of an hour later, a male officer came to report, "Lord Jonistone, the lady who just arrived requested to see you, stating that she has something of great importance to discuss with you."


    "Oh? Has her injury been treated?"


    "Uh... it''s been treated. She didn''t like that we only have men here, so she treated her wound herself, and I can''t believe she was able to take care of such a serious injury on her own," the male officer couldn''t help but remark.


    "Alright, I understand. I''m on my way!"


    Jonistone still had his doubts. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire


    Although they were all part of the Federation Navy, normally their level wouldn''t have direct contact with the Leviathan Team.


    Most of the time, they reported up, and the Navy higher-ups would mobilize the Leviathan Team.


    He had no idea what the situation was for them to discuss this time.


    .....


    Inside the submarine''s medical bay.


    "What? Miss Zenina, you say that Lord Wexman of the Leviathan Team is in trouble?" Jonistone was shocked!


    Known as the "Shadow Assassin", Wexman''s fame was even above Nehru''s. As a member of the Federation Navy, Jonistone had certainly heard of him.


    "Yes, Lord Jonistone."


    "Then... may I boldly ask, is Lord Wexman alive or..." Jonistone, after the initial shock, immediately calmed down and continued to inquire after some thought.


    "This... I can''t be sure," the black-robed woman Zenina furrowed her brow, recalled for a moment, and shook her head.


    "Because I was being chased by three people, two of them were third-level Wizard Apprentices plus one marksman; I really couldn''t pay attention to the Lord. Moreover, I was following his orders to lead the others away, allowing him to confront the target person."


    Jonistone, recalling Zenina''s initial disheveled appearance with an arrow in her abdomen, nodded in understanding.


    Although she was a follower of Lord Wexman, she had clearly done her best, which was beyond reproach.


    "Afterwards, I waited at the designated place for a long while for the Lord, but he never showed. I just knew something must have happened to him."


    "So, at the moment, it''s only confirmed that something happened to Lord Wexman in Fishing Port Town, but what exactly happened is still unclear, right?" Jonistone frowned and said.


    "Yes."


    "There''s another matter, I don''t know if it''s appropriate to disclose it, but if it involves the Leviathan Team''s secret mission, Miss Zenina, you may refuse to answer."


    "Because if we''re to rescue Lord Wexman, we need to know the details of both your missions to assess whether we have the capability to conduct the rescue, or if we should report upwards."


    "This..." Zenina''s eyes flickered for a moment, unsure of how to begin.


    From what she knew, Lord Wexman had come to Fishing Port Town upon a personal request from Lord Nehru, and they even bargained once, frankly, it was a private job.


    Under normal circumstances, with Lord Wexman present, no one would dare mention it.


    But now, if this were to be disclosed, it might affect Lord Wexman''s reputation.


    Yet, Jonistone''s words were highly rational��otherwise, if the Federation Navy misjudged and there were significant casualties during the rescue operation, she could not escape blame either.


    After some thought, Zenina spoke, "Lord Wexman came to Fishing Port Town upon Lord Nehru''s request to assassinate a person named Rein!"


    "What? Rein!" Jonistone could no longer control his emotions and exclaimed in shock.


    Because he was familiar with this Rein!


    The information about Rein from Lord Nehru''s side had been provided by him!

 Chapter 225 Secret Technique! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)

    The black-robed woman, Zenina, looked at Jonistone with surprise as if to say, "What? This Reine is famous?"


    Jonistone pondered briefly and then confirmed again, "Is it that Reine, the executor from Fishing Port Town? The young one who is skilled with a two-handed warhammer?"


    Zenina carefully recalled the situation at that time, although she felt that what Lord Jonistone said was somewhat off.


    But after thinking about how she and Lord Wexman had located the other party within the administrative hall of Fishing Port Town, she nodded her head, agreeing with Jonistone''s statement.


    "That''s it!" Jonistone immediately stood up, rubbing his hands together while showing a thoughtful expression, pacing back and forth in the not-so-spacious room. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What exactly was the other party''s background?


    Why had Lord Nehru and Lord Wexman, one after another, hit a wall against this Reine?


    If you say that Lord Nehru''s time was because the Dragan Empire''s navy special squad was also present, that would be within a reasonable range.


    But Lord Wexman''s attack on the other party not only landed himself in trouble, this he could not quite understand.


    Could it be... that the other party was the son of some Duke or influential Marquis of the Dragan Empire, with a special defense force at his side?


    Otherwise, Jonistone could not think of any reasonable explanation.


    "But if that''s the case, it would be very difficult for us to have the capability to rescue Lord Wexman," he thought.


    "It seems that I can only immediately report this situation along with my own analysis quickly, and let those above decide!" Jonistone muttered, unable to judge Reine''s background on his own.


    ....


    -----------------


    Fishing Port Town administrative hall.


    Reine followed Vinica into her resting room within the administrative hall.


    Upon entering the room, Reine smelled the faint aroma of white sagebrush, which gave off a soothing and relaxing feeling.


    At this moment, Vinica, slightly shy, closed the door, tossed her golden pigtails, and said, "Lord Reine, I need to clear off those torn rags from your body, this process may be a bit painful."


    "But this is a necessary step before casting hydrotherapy, it can help you recover faster and better."


    Although Reine had taken off his water membrane steel cuirass, the shredded undergarments and some fragments of cloth, now soaked with sweat and blood, were clinging to his body.


    "Of course, a little pain is nothing," Reine said with a smile.


    Vinica swiftly approached, her cheeks flushed with a faint blush, and with her fair, delicate hands, she began to gently and carefully peel off the pieces of cloth from Reine''s body, her movements tender and meticulous.


    The twin-tailed girl''s delicate handling almost didn''t cause Reine any pain at all, instead, there was a tickling, numbing sensation on the surface of his skin.


    Sniffing the faint scent coming from the girl and watching her concentrate on the task, Reine couldn''t help but lower his head to take a closer look at Vinica.


    He saw her dense golden hair, tied into simple twin tails, giving off a cute and playful vibe.


    As he was looking down, Reine couldn''t see her beautiful eyes but only her nose bridge, beaded with fine sweat, petite and fair.


    Plus, those rosy cheeks added a youthful glow.


    Moving down from her slender, fair neck, what caught his eye were two firm, trembling mounds, as the light blue apprentice robe was propped up into a very attractive arc.


    This sudden curve was inevitably alluring, drawing involuntary glances, and Reine was no exception.


    This had nothing to do with anything else, purely an appreciation and longing for beautiful things.


    Just then, the twin-tailed girl had just finished cleaning the cloth scraps from Reine''s chest, and was about to ask Reine to turn around when she looked up and noticed Reine''s gaze on her.


    Following Reine''s line of sight, the girl looked down and the sight of her own fair skin instantly flushed Vinica''s cheeks red.


    However, the girl didn''t adjust her neckline but instead said boldly, "Lord Reine, I''m going to clean the back now." Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Caught in the act by the girl, Reine felt a bit embarrassed; he coughed and said, "Thank you, Miss Vinica," and quickly turned around.


    The twin-tailed girl continued to clean his back, and soon Reine was completely clean.


    She looked over her clean-up work and her face immediately showed a satisfied expression, nodding her head and saying:


    "Lord Reine, I''m about to cast witchcraft Hydroflow. The flushing might sting a bit, but after a while, when I cast Hydrotherapy, it won''t hurt, and the wounds will heal rapidly."


    "All right, thank you for your efforts," Reine nodded.


    The girl softly began chanting, and shortly, a pale blue energy swirled around Reine''s body; a fine stream of water, thick as a bowl''s mouth, appeared from nowhere, wrapping around Reine''s body like a transparent serpent, gently flushing away the blood and dirt.


    With a snap of her fingers from the girl, the murky water carrying away the dirt rushed down the nearby drain.


    Then, the girl continued chanting, casting the spell for Hydrotherapy.


    A rich, pale blue energy enveloped Reine, infiltrating the wounds from all sides, and they quickly started to heal and close up. In just seven or eight seconds, Reine found that the dozen wounds on his body had already healed.


    Seeing Reine''s sturdy, male allure-enhanced figure glowing slightly in recovery, the twin-tailed girl couldn''t resist touching it with her soft fingertips, murmuring to herself, "What a nice feel!"

 Chapter 225 Secret Technique! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Smelling the girl''s delicate body so close at hand, and hearing her words that obviously revealed a favorable impression, Rein couldn''t help but feel a bit restless.


    It had been a while since he was last in close contact with Baroness Crowley, and his Constitution had increased recently...


    This instinctively led Rein to gently place his hand on the waist of the twin-tailed girl. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the saying goes, "A man''s head and a woman''s waist should not be touched lightly."


    The twin-tailed girl''s body suddenly stiffened, but there was no hint of dodging or rejection. Instead, she lifted her head and looked at Rein with her large, water-filled eyes.


    At this point, no more words were needed, Rein gently used some force, and the girl was pulled into his embrace. He lowered his head and covered her blushing lips...


    Just when they were as close as paint, suddenly, footsteps sounded from outside the door.


    "Thump thump thump!"


    The knocking on the door rang out!


    The twin-tailed girl immediately jumped out from Rein''s arms like a startled rabbit, with a soft cry.


    "Lord Reine, has your condition improved?" came the voice of Major Mary from outside the door.


    Their first close encounter came to an abrupt end... Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire


    -----------------


    The next day, at the crack of dawn.


    Near Meister''s coastal waters, on a secluded island near the outer edge.


    Nehru was at the entrance of a cave, enjoying his gourmet food with relish. He was roasting fist-sized, oyster-like creatures of pale golden color on a cast-iron plate over a campfire, emitting waves of tempting aroma.


    At that moment, a familiar raven flew down, flapping its wings.


    Upon seeing it, Nehru''s heart leaped with joy!


    It seemed like that fellow Wexman had completed the deal.


    Although the guy always asked for a king''s ransom, his professional capability was unquestionable.


    Not only did he have a high success rate, but he also never delayed, often fulfilling deals swiftly. This was why Nehru, after agonizing over the steep price that was almost doubled, had still agreed to it.


    The raven perched on Nehru''s shoulder, and the next second, Nehru''s expression darkened!


    "What! Wexman has failed?" exclaimed Nehru.


    The raven too, startled by Nehru''s sudden burst of momentum, cawed alarmedly and quickly took flight.


    Nehru lost all interest in the golden clams roasting to a juicy finish before him, standing up with a displeased face, his gaze turned towards the distant sea, deep in thought.


    On one hand, he was shocked that Wexman could fail, but what troubled him most was the fact that Wexman, failure aside, had not even escaped!


    This was damn troublesome!


    Knowing it would save him trouble, he hadn''t even reported the matter up the chain of command, but had simply conspired with Wexman and acted on their own.


    If Wexman were dead, the whole affair would actually be simpler; he would at most be scolded.


    But if Wexman were not dead, the Federation navy would surely try to rescue him, and then the higher-ups would have to clean up his mess.


    Normally, as part of this special squad, doing private jobs was overlooked as long as it didn''t bring trouble to the Federation.


    But if trouble arose and they couldn''t manage the aftermath, that would be a different story.


    Forget it, it seemed that he had no choice but to contact the captain immediately...


    ....


    Meanwhile.


    A six-person squad in a blend of long robes and knightly plate armor swiftly disembarked from a ship at the docks of Fishing Port Town and headed straight for the town''s administrative hall.


    Although these six were dressed differently, their spirit, and the quality of their weapons spoke volumes��these were no ordinary people.


    Half an hour later, inside the meeting room of Fishing Port Town''s administrative hall.


    Including Rein, a group of people gathered around a long conference table with a middle-aged man speaking:


    "Baron Reine, Admiral Campbell, the commander of the Southern Fleet, has heard about your likely capture of the assassin of Generals Chu Kwein and Bravo, and he holds you in high regard."


    "This time our visit is both to oversee the transfer of the prisoner to the base and to inquire about some of your thoughts, Baron Reine."


    It seemed the man was worried he hadn''t been clear enough, so he added, "The admiral has specifically instructed me that your reasonable requests will be considered."


    "Thank you to the Imperial Navy for the commendation, I''m only doing my duty," said Reine.


    "As for rewards... if it''s possible, I''ve been looking for metal-related witchcraft. At present, I have only mastered the Sharpness Technique, which is a metal-related magic. It would be excellent if I could learn another new metal-related witchcraft."


    "Metal-related witchcraft?"


    The middle-aged man frowned slightly, pondering for a moment before saying, "Lord Reine, metal-related witchcraft of first level and above are highly confidential to the Empire, and those below the first level, to my knowledge, are rare. I''ll need to confirm this after I return."


    "Look, do you have any other requests as an alternative? If there really isn''t any, we don''t want Admiral Campbell to be seen as breaking his promise," said the middle-aged man with a smile.


    Rein smiled and said, "If there really isn''t any, then I would ask you to help me find an extraordinary Combat Skill for a Dagger."


    Rein had already prepared a backup plan, because Trevo had mentioned the night before that metal-related witchcraft were exceedingly rare even on the Navy''s special exchange list.


    "Your alternative plan is noted, Lord Reine," said the middle-aged man. He then turned to Major Mary and said, "The special task force''s mission here has concluded. According to fleet orders, you should return with us later."

 Chapter 1 - 1 - 1: Trimming Donkey Hooves

    Chapter 1 �C 1: Trimming Donkey Hooves


    Harvest Moon.


    In Meister County, at Flashgold Town, the courtyard outside Habsburg Manor.


    A slender, black-haired boy stood in a corner of the outer courtyard, holding his head where a large lump throbbed, as he stared blankly at the empty expanse of the yard and the towering castle in the distance.


    ��Hiss! Where is this place?�� Rein cradled his aching head as he took in his surroundings.


    In the courtyard, a group of teenage boys in coarse tunics formed a half-circle, watching a large, muscular adult man trim a donkey��s hoof.


    ��This�� this is hoof trimming???��


    Rein was flabbergasted!


    ... Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon after, a flood of memories surged into his mind, passing by like images in a slideshow!


    ��My name is now Rein, and I was accidentally kicked in the head by a donkey an hour ago. The lump on my forehead hasn��t subsided yet.��


    ��The adult trimming the donkey��s hoof is the blacksmith of Habsburg Manor.��


    ����..��


    Suddenly, the still dazed Rein heard the loud rebuke of the hoof trimming master.


    ��You little brats, didn��t you eat your breakfast? Can��t even hold down a donkey��s hoof!��


    ��Hurry up, hold it down!��


    Two young servants were sweating profusely as they tried to hold the donkey��s hoof, but their youth rendered them shaky against the strong animal.


    Rein shook his head as he watched; both young servants, like himself in this body, were weaklings who naturally couldn��t hold down the hoof!


    According to the memories in his mind, the original occupant of this body had joined the Habsburg Manor��s servant training only two days ago, only after his family squeezed out most of their savings and greased the palms of the manor��s servant chief to finally secure a spot.


    In this world, there��s a custom where nobles with lands generally select a small number of people to become official servants through servant training and examination, grooming them from a young age.


    Typically, positions for male servants include coachman, guard, cook, baker, butcher, wine maker, blacksmith, dog trainer, falconer, and so on.


    After three months, the manor will organize an assessment to recruit five outstanding young servants to become official household servants, including two blacksmith apprentices, two guards, and one dog trainer.


    So, the training content for this batch of male young servants is all centered around these three positions.


    ��An otherworldly version of civil servant exams?!��


    An idea suddenly popped into Rein��s mind.


    ��Transferring here is one thing, but is the goal of my diligent efforts really to become someone��s servant? What kind of nonsense is this?!��


    ��That��s just nuts!��


    At that moment, the chattering rattle of conversation exacerbated Rein��s headache, which was already throbbing from a donkey��s kick.


    Enduring the pain, Rein glanced sideways and saw several tall young servants in clean linen tunics not far from him, pointing and laughing at him while bursting into boisterous laughter.


    ��Kicked by a donkey�� too hilarious!��


    Upon seeing these individuals, related memories of the original body slowly emerged in Rein��s mind.


    These ��elites�� among the young servants were all children of the town��s shop owners, effectively the ��rich second generation.�� They stuck together and frequently bullied other young servants.


    Rein, having just arrived, was no exception and was immediately set upon by them, daily tasked with cleaning the dormitory��a job that should have been rotated among the young servants according to the rules.


    ��That one with the thick eyebrows is the son of the town��s tavern owner, nicknamed Thick Brows.��


    ��The freckled-faced one, the son of the town��s hotel owner, nicknamed Freckles.��


    ��The one in brown linen shorts is the son of the town��s tanner, he��s alright, no nickname.��


    ����.��


    ��Damn, how useless! To be bullied by a bunch of kids?�� Rein lowered his head to look at his scrawny body and shook his head helplessly.


    After the group mocked Rein for a while, they began to chat about various topics, and Rein, needing to understand this world, pretended not to care while listening intently!


    ��Did you hear? Albero Town, not far from our Flashgold Town, was attacked by a wandering ogre last night, many were killed or injured,�� said the boy with freckles softly.


    The freckle-faced boy��s family owned an inn; he was one of the only two well-informed rich kids.


    ��Is it true, why has it been all this kind of news lately! Just a few days ago, I heard from the merchant caravan that there seems to have been a cult sacrifice in Monheim Town, and quite a few people died,�� the thick-browed boy said with a terrified look on his face.


    The thick-browed boy��s family runs a tavern, another person who��s well-informed on the latest gossip.


    ��Ah, if only there was a chance to go to County Town, life there is much safer!�� the tanner��s son sighed and said.


    ��It��s not that easy! Only if you can make it through the selection and become an official guard, then get noticed by superiors and transferred to the main household in County Town, which is extremely difficult,�� the freckle-faced kid shook his head.


    ��Yeah, but no matter what, becoming an official guard after passing through the manor��s selection is the first step���� the thick-browed boy said confidently, waving his sturdy arm.


    ����..��


    Rein, hearing the content above, couldn��t help but fall into deep thought.


    ��Ogres?��


    ��Cultists?��


    ��Could this be a Transcendent world?��


    Rein couldn��t help feeling a little excited, worried, and full of yearning in his heart!


    He just didn��t know what sort of Transcendent world this was.


    There was very little related memory information in his mind!


    Because his original self had never ventured outside the limits of this small town, he had never encountered monsters or any mysterious existences.


    However��


    Wandering Bards and mercenaries coming from afar often brought all sorts of incredible news, about monsters frequently lurking in the night, gigantic sea monsters in the ocean, haunted houses in busy markets, and highly fatal plagues, among many others.


    The previous him would always treat these stories as if they were fairy tales.


    Listening to the tone of the rich kids, could these stories be true?


    Rein stroked his chin and pondered for a while.


    ��Next group, Rein, George!�� Baal shouted.


    Hearing his name, Rein immediately stood up and joined a boy with light yellow short hair, beginning the arduous task of pressing down on a donkey��s hoof.


    At that moment, Blacksmith Baal stepped forward, easily picking up a large iron shovel and began to trim the overgrown, bent hooves of the donkey.


    However, it seemed there was still some inflammation in the center of this donkey��s hoof, a faint trace of pus oozing out during the trimming process.


    ��Hee-haw!��


    The robust black donkey, suddenly feeling pain during the trimming, let out a loud bray, its body violently shaking and struggling.


    Rein immediately went all out to secure the donkey��s hoof in place, preventing it from moving and affecting Baal��s trimming.


    In less than two minutes, sweat was already pouring down Rein��s forehead, and his black hair began to stick to his forehead in clumps as his strength was nearly depleted.


    ��Luckily, this is the last hoof of this donkey.��


    ��Once we��re done with this black donkey, the next group of apprentices will take over, and I��ll be able to rest for a bit and catch my breath,�� he thought.


    ��Watch closely, you need to be bold yet careful when trimming hooves, and keep your wrist loose���� Baal demonstrated and explained as he worked.


    When the last hoof was finished, Rein and George collapsed onto the ground like deflated balls.


    Their wilted appearance immediately drew laughter from the ��rich kids�� standing by!


    Faced with such mockery, George��s face flushed with anger, but Rein remained indifferent, even pausing for a moment.


    Because a transparent box suddenly appeared on his retina and automatically flipped to the second page.


    On the second page were several lines of small text and a bunch of icons.


    [You have assisted in hoof-trimming work; comprehension improved!]


    [You have learned a new Skill��Hoof Trimming]


    [Your Skill Hoof Trimming received an upgrade, Experience +1]


    [Congratulations! You have triggered the Job Panel��Blacksmith Apprentice]

 Chapter 2 - 2 - 2 Profession [Blacksmith Apprentice]

    Chapter 2 �C 2 Profession [Blacksmith Apprentice]


    The title on the first line of the page reads in four large characters: Apprentice Blacksmith lv1 (0/100), with a dense array of icons below it.


    Except for the one icon at the bottom that was lit up, all the other icons were dim and obscure. Despite Rein trying hard to inspect them by squinting, he found he could not make them out clearly.


    The lit-up icon was the ��nailing horseshoes�� skill that had just been prompted.


    The icon was shaped like a rounded square, creatively depicted with a central image of the bottom of a hoof facing upwards, and beside it was a black iron shovel, vivid and lifelike.


    Beneath the icon, there were a few small words: nailing horseshoes lv1 (1/100).


    However, Rein was still a bit puzzled.


    Logically speaking, if his fixing of the donkey��s hooves could trigger the vocational panel, shouldn��t it have triggered the Veterinarian vocational panel?


    ...


    Why did it trigger the Apprentice Blacksmith vocational panel instead!


    Could it be because the skill of fixing donkey hooves was taught by a Blacksmith?


    Or was it because in this world, tasks like fixing donkey hooves and nailing horseshoes were done by Apprentice Blacksmiths?


    Rein shook his head slightly, baffled!


    Regardless, triggering the Apprentice Blacksmith vocational panel was always a good thing.


    What was the status of a blacksmith in the Age of Cold Weapons?


    Those who know, know!


    Rein touched his chin, and a smile suddenly appeared on his lips.


    ��Hey, Rein, what are you grinning about?�� George tugged on him.


    George had blond short hair and a lanky figure, Rein��s only close friend.


    ��Come on, do you want to do another round? It��s someone else��s turn now,�� George said, tilting his chin.


    Rein pondered for a moment.


    ��Master Baal, may I go for another round?�� Rein said, turning to Master Baal under the astonished gaze of the serving boys.


    His best pal George was constantly tugging subtly at his ragged clothes behind him, anxiously whispering lowly, ��Rein, did a donkey kick your head?��


    The next second, his voice abruptly stopped.


    ��Stop pulling, or I��ll have nothing to wear at all.�� Rein lifted the worn cloth coat, now nearly a strip of cloth.


    Rein��s volunteering surprised Baal. He looked at Rein��s serious face, then nodded and said:


    ��Okay, then��. Engels, you��re up next round.��


    Engels was the son of the town��s tanner, dressed in brown linen shorts.


    Upon hearing he could rest, he walked aside, chatting cheerfully again!


    Engels even patted Rein��s shoulder on his way out, saying, ��Smart move!��


    This wasn��t against the rules, after all, doing another round was Rein��s own suggestion, and besides, Engels aimed to be a guard at Habbs Manor, not an Apprentice Blacksmith��the task of fixing donkey hooves was something he absolutely didn��t want to touch!


    After working all morning, Rein stopped to rest only when he could hardly move anymore.


    This body was truly a bit too weak; otherwise, Rein figured he could have lasted even longer.


    Looking up at the panel, although his hands were trembling from fatigue, seeing the screen full of Experience +1 still felt as sweet to Rein as if he had eaten honey.


    [You assisted in fixing donkey hooves, insight improved!]


    [Your skill nailing horseshoes has improved, Experience +1]


    [You focused on learning nailing horseshoes for one hour, Apprentice Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +1]


    [Your skill nailing horseshoes has improved, Experience +1]


    [Your skill nailing horseshoes has improved, Experience +1]


    ��


    Circle the key points, Experience +1 and Apprentice Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +1, these two are different.


    The rate of increase in skill Experience is far greater than that in Apprentice Blacksmith Professional Experience Points.


    Looking at the skill��nailing horseshoes lv (12/100), Rein couldn��t help but fall into thought.


    In just one morning, he had gained 12 Experience points �C truly, the rate of increase wasn��t slow!


    After all, he was only helping to hold down the donkey��s hooves, not fixing them himself.


    However��.


    There were only a few dozen donkeys within Habbs Manor.


    So, at most, he could fix donkey hooves for one more day tomorrow, and then, the task of fixing donkey hooves would be done. After that, if he wanted to further improve his nail horseshoes skill, he would have to wait till next month or even the month after.


    Looking at it that way, it seemed he wouldn��t be able to level up the skill nailing horseshoes any time soon!


    Moreover��. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein glanced at the Apprentice Blacksmith, particularly the experience bar at the bottom right of the words lv1 (2/100).


    The Professional Experience had only increased by two points!


    Could it be because fixing donkey hooves was too unrelated to the Apprentice Blacksmith profession?


    Rein sighed internally, a bit troubled!


    ��How many years and months will it be before I can level up the Apprentice Blacksmith?��


    ��The assessment is in three months; if I can��t advance by then, there��s no chance at the assessment!��


    Thinking about it, Rein flipped the panel back to the first page.


    ��Huh! Is this first page��the attribute panel?��


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Apprentice Blacksmith lv1


    Constitution: 5


    Strength: 4


    Agility: 6


    Spirit: 8


    (Note: Ordinary adult males have an attribute of 6 for all fields.)


    ��Only 4 points in Strength��. absolutely feeble attributes! No wonder I struggled to hold down even a donkey��s hoof!�� Rein sighed helplessly internally.


    With Spirit being the highest at 8 points, higher than an ordinary adult��s��perhaps it was because of the merger between him and his original body?


    ��Rein, let��s go, stop dawdling! Off to lunch,�� his best friend George called out.


    ��What��s going on with you today? Why are you always so distracted?�� George asked with concern.


    Rein smiled slightly and said casually, ��Maybe it��s because I got hurt and I��m just overthinking. Let��s go, lunch!��

 Chapter 3 - 3 - 2 Profession [Blacksmith Apprentice]_2

    Chapter 3 �C 2 Profession [Blacksmith Apprentice]_2


    George was momentarily startled and then realized it was true, as he often found himself daydreaming!


    Moreover, his buddy Rein had his�� by a donkey.


    The treatment of child servants at the Habsburg manor wasn��t too bad, at least they could scrounge a relatively ��sumptuous�� meal.


    A piece of black bread, half a smoked fish, and a big bowl of vegetable broth��that was Rein and the other child servants�� lunch.


    Looking at the food which did little to whet Rein��s appetite, his friends beside him were swallowing salivating, their Adam��s apples bobbing ceaselessly.


    As a formal Attendant shouted, ��Eat up!��


    Everyone began to wolf down their food.


    ...


    Rein felt the loaf of black bread the size of a brick, its coarse texture and hard crust��boy oh boy! This couldn��t really be a brick painted black, could it?


    He glanced sideward, where his friends were already tearing the black bread roughly apart, crushing it into the bland vegetable soup, which soon thickened.


    Rein nodded slightly, understanding this method which was similar to eating naan.


    After doing the same, Rein also began to swallow eagerly.


    ��Ptooey! There are even wood shavings in the black bread! This stuff really isn��t fit for humans to eat!��


    Rein was speechless for a moment, thinking back to his past life when he had no idea what kind of meat was in his delivery food��that was sad enough.


    But this world was even worse, with no meat to be had at all!


    Rein struggled to swallow while his thoughts drifted.


    ��This child servant training kind of reminds me of the military training in my previous life, just that it lasts much longer, a full three months, and then there��s the assessment that I��ve been so anxious about.��


    ��Although I have the panel, based on the current rate of progress, it��s still a bit slow. To pass the assessment and become a Blacksmith apprentice smoothly, I��ll need to find ways to speed things up.��


    ��As for becoming a guard? Of course, I want to! Holding a shield and sword, clad in armor, just thinking about it gets my blood boiling!��


    ��But�� combining both my lives, I��ve never learned any swordsmanship or the like, so I��ll need to find an opportunity����


    ��But I must change this current situation!��


    Rein glanced at his buddy George, who was staring into space ahead, seemingly lost in thought about something.


    Following his gaze, Rein saw a girl in a gray linen maid��s outfit bending over to clear the table, her slightly upturned posterior sketching an alluring curve.


    So that��s what captured the young boy��s heart!


    Immediately, related memories of the former body surfaced; the girl��s name was Sophia, around their age, also a child servant of the manor.


    The difference is that the girls�� servant training is quite distinct from the boys��, usually starting with washing, cleaning, and laundry.


    Girls typically develop and mature earlier than boys. By now, Sophia could be considered a bud ready to bloom!


    Looking around, Rein noticed that Sophia attracted not just George��s gaze but that of several other young lads as well.


    However, for the long-tempered Rein, the allure of a maiden��s maid outfit was nothing much!


    But for teenage boys at the dawn of their hormones, it was a distraction that could make them forget to eat or sleep.


    ��George, what are you looking at?��


    George startled, his face turned red as he held up half of the black bread, ��No�� nothing, Rein. Oh, you worked hard all morning, if you��re not full, here, you can have my half, too.��


    ��Are you sure you��ve got enough?�� Rein looked up at George, asking in surprise.


    ��I��m almost full; you eat it,�� George said reluctantly.


    In fact, he could have squeezed that bit of black bread into his stomach; he wanted to use it to shut Rein up.


    Besides, he felt that after Rein had been injured yesterday and had worked so hard today, he truly needed to replenish his strength.


    Rein nodded, silently giving his best buddy George a ��good guy card�� in his mind, but as for the black bread mixed with sawdust, he could only decline politely!


    After a while, Rein thought about it and felt that it was necessary to remind his buddy, so he said in a low voice without lifting his head:


    ��George, even if you look at her a hundred times, she won��t be yours! Instead of wasting time, think about how to pass the assessment. As long as you pass the assessment, she will be yours!��


    Suddenly, George��s face turned bright red, and he looked around in panic before anxiously saying:


    ��Rein, even though we are best friends, you can��t just say anything, I didn��t peek at Sophia��.��


    ��Hehe�� I didn��t mention anyone; you��re the one who said Sophia.��


    Instantly, George was dumbfounded, realizing his buddy had become much more perceptive after his brain got kicked by a donkey, as if he had become smarter than before!


    ��Getting kicked in the head by a donkey also has its advantages?!��


    In the afternoon, a group of child servants continued to learn how to trim donkey hooves.


    After eating lunch, Rein��s strength had mostly recovered; even though he still had back pain, he was motivated by the constant +1, +1 increase in Experience.


    Rein was full of energy!


    However, the child servants hadn��t trimmed many donkey hooves in the afternoon when they saw more than twenty young men and women, mostly men, arrive at the central yard outside the castle.


    The newcomers appeared to be about the same age as Rein and the others, but the boys were tall, and the girls were youthful, beautiful, and exceptionally well-dressed, looking very much like the castle��s owners.


    As the group came closer, memories from his original self informed Rein that these were the offspring of some lower nobility and wealthy merchants under Count Habbs, training as Knight Attendants at the Habsburg estate.


    Since the Habsburg estate was only a half-day��s journey from County Town��a mere hour by horse��it made sense to hold Knight Attendant training there as it was the birthplace of the Habus family, continuing a tradition.


    Rein glanced back at the rich kids beside him; it turned out they were all ��faux rich second generations��!


    The newcomers were the real deal��authentic ��second generations��!


    The outer courtyard was a large enclosed space, typically used as a training ground for Knight Attendants and guards, but sometimes a small section was designated for other purposes.


    Meaning, these child servants were essentially interlopers occupying the training grounds meant for the true second generations.


    ��Snap!��


    ��Ouch!��


    A child servant who was staring at the real second generations got slapped on the head by Baal.


    Only to hear Baal say disdainfully:


    ��You little rascals, don��t be envious. They are born into a level you couldn��t reach in your lifetime no matter how hard you try!��


    ��You lot! If you learn a good craft well, you��ll be able to live comfortably in the future.�� S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Crude, but not devoid of reason.


    Rein agreed with Baal; in such times, upward social mobility was nearly impossible. If the child servants could learn one or two crafts well, that would be enough to secure their livelihood.


    Huh!


    Rein��s pupils shrank; it seemed he had seen something unbelievable.

 Chapter 4 - 4 - 3: The Transcendent World

    Chapter 4 �C 3: The Transcendent World


    He saw a stalwart man at least 1.9 meters tall, clad in gray metal armor, yet still striding as if on wings, wielding a Dual-Handed Greatsword wider than a palm, deliver a ferocious downward slash that struck a standing, bar-shaped stone block heavily.


    ��Whoosh!��


    A silvery arc flashed by.


    ��Crack!��


    The top half of the stone bar fell off at an angle, landing heavily on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.


    The freshly-cut surface of the stone was smooth and free of burrs.


    Immediately, the true second-generation heirs began clapping their hands.


    ...


    ��Amazing, Instructor Perez is really something!��


    ��Wow! Is this the strength of a real Knight? I don��t know when I��ll be able to reach this level.��


    ����..��


    Rein watched the scene unfold before him, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.


    ��A thick stone bar, hardly liftable by one person, split with a single sword strike??��


    ��Is this something a human could possibly do??��


    If the memories of transcendence and the unknown he had before were merely based on hearsay from Wandering Bards and mercenaries, now, this scene was unfolding right before Rein��s eyes!


    For a modern person, this impactful and vivid scene was akin to witnessing Iron Man landing on one��s own balcony, leaving Rein utterly dumbfounded!!


    After a prolonged moment of shock, Rein glanced at his transparent panel and realized it suddenly lost its appeal!


    Even if he truly became a Blacksmith, that would still make him just an ordinary person��.


    This world is indeed a Transcendent world! sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those wealthy heirs weren��t bragging!


    All the hearsay in the original host��s memory was true!


    ��No way!��


    ��Now that I��m in a Transcendent world, if there��s ever a chance to become Transcendent, I must try my hardest!��


    ��Otherwise, what difference would there be from a salted fish!��


    In the midst of his shock, Rein made up his mind!


    At that moment, something changed in the center of the training ground.


    It seemed that among those true second-generations, a noble girl dressed in hunting gear voluntarily stepped forward, wishing to spar with the burly swordsmanship instructor Perez, who was dressed in full armor.


    From Rein��s perspective, he couldn��t see the girl��s face, but from the side alone, he could sense that the noble girl must be beautiful, with a tight figure, like a leopardess ready to pounce.


    Indeed, the swordsmanship instructor Perez accepted, and the two soon crossed swords.


    ��Clang!!��


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    The shapely noble girl began the duel with a Leap Slash, holding a two-handed sword, clashing head-on against Perez��s greatsword.


    This strike hit Rein squarely in the heart.


    If the feat of splitting the stone earlier could possibly be attributed to personal talent, the clash they just witnessed, with very real sparks flying, confirmed the immense strength of both participants.


    The fact that a noble girl possessed such great strength was indisputable proof that this world was a Transcendent one!


    Rein could think of no other reasonable explanation.


    ��Cling clang cling clang!!��


    Although the noble girl wielded a heavy metal greatsword, her movements were incredibly fast, her figure agile like a gazelle, swiftly changing positions with a mere toe��s touch, continuously attacking Perez from various tricky angles.


    Her chestnut ponytail bounced behind her with each leap.


    Much like a rock in the sea, the swordsmanship instructor Perez remained steadfast, not initiating any counterattacks, but instead standing firm, continually parrying the noble girl��s assaults.


    ��Smooth Cleaving Slash!!��


    After the aristocratic young girl let out a sharp rebuke, she leapt several meters high. Mid-air, her lively figure tensed up like a bowstring pulled to its limits, brimming with explosive power.


    In an instant, the girl swiftly swung the broad two-handed sword��at least one and a half meters in length��drawing a semi-circular arc with a downward angle of forty-five degrees, and fiercely cleaved down towards the swordsmanship instructor Perez!


    ��Clang!!��


    A teeth-gritting metallic friction noise rose!


    Even though the child servants like Rein were at least twenty to thirty meters away from them, their ears ached from the impact of the collision, and their gums felt numb.


    The true second generations up front also couldn��t withstand it, frowning and covering their ears. Only four or five people managed to watch the sparring match without changing their expressions.


    Suddenly, a small spark of gray light splashed from the clash of the swords to the ground about a meter in front of Rein.


    Since the landing spot was close to Rein, he could clearly see that the spark seemed to be a small metal fragment, likely from a notch in the Dual-Handed Greatsword held by swordsmanship instructor Perez or the aristocratic young girl.


    At that moment, swordsmanship instructor Perez and the aristocratic young girl almost simultaneously looked towards Rein��s direction.


    In an instant, Rein��s heart jolted with fear, feeling as if he were being watched by a fierce beast, causing all the hairs on his body to stand on end!


    This oppressive feeling ��..


    However, after both sides took a casual glance, they turned their heads away and no longer paid attention to the fragment, appearing to only be checking whether the shards had hurt someone or not.


    And that aristocratic young girl��s glance back finally allowed Rein to get a clear view of the girl��s appearance.


    Four words described her: majestic and valiant!


    With an oval face and somewhat thick eyebrows that gave her a spirited air, a pair of brown-gray eyes sparkled brilliantly, and her tight-fitting hunting outfit only added to her agile form.


    She resembled a foreign actress Rein knew from his previous life��Cristiana Yeri, in her younger days.


    Swordsmanship instructor Perez then glanced at his Dual-Handed Greatsword, eyeing the irregularly shaped notch with a slight twinge of sorrow in his heart. This sword had been with him for many years, and he didn��t expect��


    ��Instructor Perez! I��m terribly sorry, I got too carried away just now and didn��t hold back. Your greatsword might need some repairs. I��ll speak to Master Verintan about it.��


    The aristocratic young girl, tactful and quick-witted, immediately spoke up after seeing the slight frown on Perez��s face.


    ��


    After the interlude of their sparring session, the true second generations under the guidance of swordsmanship instructor Perez began learning some advanced swordsmanship.


    Rein, standing to the side, bowed his head, staring blankly at the small iron shard embedded in the ground.


    After a long while, he realized that they seemed to have no intention of picking up the small iron shard, so he dug it out.


    The first feeling was its heaviness!


    The small fragment was surprisingly weighty in his hand, quite substantial, obviously not made of bronze, but also not seeming to be ordinary steel.


    With it, Rein could roughly estimate how heavy the Dual-Handed Greatsword of over one and a half meters truly was.


    Swinging a weapon weighing seventy or eighty pounds?


    This was several times heavier than weapons in the era of cold weaponry in his previous life! Rein realized instantly.


    It made some sense that the burly swordsmanship instructor Perez could wield it, but how could that delicately-built aristocratic young girl manage? What was the situation?


    Was it through some secret technique or training she acquired later on?


    Or was it from her bloodline, a sort of innate talent?


    ��If it��s the former case, then I should also stand a chance!�� Rein thought to himself.


    Haven��t learned any swordsmanship, too old to embark on a Transcendent path?


    ��That seems quite logical����but that��s for ordinary people!��


    ��I��m different!��


    ��If the system could trigger a Blacksmith Apprentice��s life profession panel, then it should also be able to trigger a combat profession��s panel, right?!��


    ��I heard that the training content for child servants includes learning basic swordsmanship?��


    ��I wonder if it will trigger the Swordsman��s panel, or the Warrior��s panel when the time comes?��


    Rein��s eyes slowly started to shine!!

 Chapter 5 - 5 - 4 The Donkey and the Horse Are All One Family

    Chapter 5 �C 4 The Donkey and the Horse Are All One Family


    ��`


    Apart from that, the fragment appeared as if it had been through a thousand hammers and a hundred refinings.


    Since it was a piece of the sword blade, Rein could clearly see the partial fish scale-like hammering marks on it.


    Though it was hand-forged, the layered fish scale pattern proved that the craftsman who made the greatsword was extremely skilled.


    Rein never underestimated hand forging; in his previous life, a level eight vice-worker making the casing for an atomic bomb was a bona fide fact.


    It seemed that even the world of forging here was much stronger than he had imagined.


    ��Change places!�� Baal��s shout instantly pulled Rein back from his wandering thoughts.


    ...


    Wrapping the small shard in a piece of rag, Rein slipped it into the pocket of his upper garment.


    He patted his butt, dusted off the dirt, and stood up to continue nailing horseshoes!


    [You have assisted in donkey hoof repair work, your comprehension has improved!]


    [Your Skill ��Hoof Repair�� has improved, Experience +1]


    [You focused on learning to repair donkey hooves for one hour, Blacksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points +1] S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Your Skill ��Hoof Repair�� has improved, Experience +1]


    ��..


    In the evening, after a hard day��s work, Rein returned to the servant children��s dormitory, which was a large bunk room for easier management.


    A bunk room slept more than a dozen people, and Rein and his best friend George were not in the same dormitory!


    Naturally, the best spots in the middle were occupied by the ��faux second generation,�� and Rein and the other boys slept on the edges of the bunk room.


    ��Rein! Move it, sweep the floor, and wipe the bed planks and the cabinets!�� Thick-Brows commanded arrogantly, as it was his turn to clean today.


    Rein glanced at Thick-Brows and cursed in his heart, ��Damn! I��m already exhausted from the day, and now I have to clean up after you?!��


    ��What are you looking at! Hurry up, or do you want a beating?!��


    Thick-Brows stood tall, his eyebrows forming an angry v-shape as he menacingly stepped forward and grabbed Rein by the collar.


    Rein was about to fight back when he remembered his thin arms and legs and his stature being half a head shorter than Thick-Brows. Starting a fight now would definitely not end well!


    He thought to himself, ��Damn it, interdimensional school bullying, huh! Just wait! I��ll endure it for a couple of days, then see how I deal with you!��


    But what he said was, ��Aren��t I just looking for a rag? I��m on it!��


    Hearing this, Thick-Brows suspiciously looked in the direction Rein was pointing. Indeed, there was a rag there, so he then grudgingly pushed Rein away and walked off!


    Rein picked up the rag and wiped all the bedsteads clean, then swept the floor, fetched water, mopped the floor, and after a series of chores, he was dead tired!


    As he worked, he pondered what triggered the activation of the professional panel?


    Previously, he had triggered Blacksmith Apprentice, so did that mean it was because he was learning how to repair donkey hooves?


    But now, he had been sweeping, mopping, and wiping tables for over an hour, and yet he hadn��t triggered the profession of Servant��.


    Was it because there was no Servant profession?


    Or was it that he hadn��t swept long enough?


    ��..


    After a tiring day, the servant boys had little desire to chat, and after a few brief conversations, they all drifted off to sleep.


    Rein, still fuming inside, tossed and turned, unable to sleep, his mind a mess.


    He thought about how he could seek rapid change because he did not want to continue living like this. He needed to teach Thick-Brows a lesson!


    Various ideas flashed through Rein��s mind, such as offering a gunpowder formula that used his academic advantage to Count Habbs?


    After thinking about it, no good!


    Based on the memories of his original self, let alone the Earl, even the Habsburg��s steward was a big shot with a Knight��s title, Rein, a mere servant boy, couldn��t possibly get in touch with them.


    Through the head manservant?


    Leaving aside whether the head manservant was reliable or not, even if the head manservant would help report up the chain, how would Rein, a poor commoner��s son, explain the source of his knowledge?


    Moreover, if any step in the process went wrong, he might even be risking his life, given that wealth stirs human hearts.


    Since it was a Transcendent world, the rule of might was natural!


    Quickly figuring out a way to level up, to take the first step, that was the real path to power!


    But�� speaking of might, that noble girl was really cool, awesome, and beautiful!


    Listening to how others addressed her, it seemed to be Lady Cleya.


    Was she the daughter of the Earl or some other noble family��s daughter?


    In Rein��s mind, he couldn��t help but envision the confident and heroic figure of the noble girl, her hunting outfit clinging to her skin, outlining the girl��s delicate figure, especially her taut buttocks��.


    In a daze, Rein unknowingly drifted off to sleep.


    The next morning.


    At the break of dawn, the servant children were called to start their chores.


    Today was still about learning to repair donkey hooves, but after today��s session, teaching how to nail horseshoes would pause until next month.


    This made Rein a bit anxious.


    Damn it, just when I finally got a golden finger, the donkey hooves are no more!


    ��`


    ��What if�� I just ask Master Baal to let me have a go at fixing it myself next time?��


    Rein glanced at his slender arms and immediately shook his head. Lacking experience and strength, even if Baal agreed, he was unlikely to fix the donkey��s hooves properly.


    Messing it up would be counterproductive.


    Today, the scions of nobility hadn��t come to the outer fort for training, which Rein somewhat regretted.


    After another day spent fixing donkey hooves, Rein looked at his skill��Hoo?ng (32/100)��and fell into deep contemplation. What should he do tomorrow?


    Another day passed.


    Early the next morning, Baal was still there, standing in front of the apprentices lined up in two rows, and loudly declared:


    ��Today, we learn to nail horseshoes! But before we nail horseshoes, we need to file down the hooves����


    Rein couldn��t listen anymore to the rest of the speech.


    Trim horse hooves?


    This�� should also count as hooves, right?


    Feeling a rush of excitement, Rein quickly flipped to the second page of the transparent frame, checking his skills again.


    Yes!


    It just said ��Hoo?ng,�� not specifying whether donkey or horse hooves.


    Moreover, judging by the vivid hoof icon, it should apply to all perissodactyls.


    Donkeys and horses are from the same family!


    But, whether it would work still needed to be confirmed.


    After a short while, Rein and the other apprentices were led to the northeastern corner of the outer fort near the stables.


    Looking at the tall horses in the stables, all the apprentices, except Rein, couldn��t help but show a bitter expression, making the pseudo-nobles who were half a head taller start to complain.


    Clearly, if it was so difficult to hold down a donkey��s hoof already, these larger and taller steeds would be even harder to secure.


    Of course, except for Rein.


    At this moment, Rein was full of longing, excitement, and anticipation for filing horse hooves!


    He couldn��t wait to start nailing horseshoes to confirm his guess.


    Before long, the first horse was led out of the stables by Master Baal.


    Judging by its size, it should be one of the smaller horses in the stables, but still larger than even the strongest black donkey.


    ��This is a nag! We��ll start with nags! Come on, the first group, Rein, George, come and hold the hooves!�� Baal bellowed with a commanding voice.


    Rein and George immediately filed out and began holding the hooves as instructed by the master.


    The master took pre-made horseshoes shaped like an inverted U, checked the fit against the secured hoof, and after estimating the nailing area, started ��snip-snip�� trimming the hooves.


    Feeling that the trimming was about right, he began to nail the horseshoe onto the hoof.


    ��The key to nailing horseshoes is first to roughly position the horseshoe on the hoof���� At this point, Baal began to demonstrate and explain to the apprentices while positioning the shoe.


    Rein could see clearly that the horseshoe had seven holes, and Baal nailed it seven times.


    Every time Baal nailed, the struggles of the nag intensified slightly, and Rein and George had to exert more effort to secure it.


    After the nailing was complete, Baal trimmed the rough edges again, finishing the horseshoeing for one hoof.


    Once they finished holding down all four hooves of the nag, and a sweaty Rein caught his breath, he suddenly froze!


    A system alert had just come through:


    [You assisted with horseshoeing, gaining insight!]


    [Your Hoo?ng skill has improved, experience +4]


    [You concentrated on learning to nail horseshoes for a quarter of an hour, gaining +1 Blacksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points]


    ��.


    Looking at the Hoo?ng skill experience bar climb again, a surge of excitement welled up inside Rein.


    Although he had anticipated gaining experience for horseshoeing too, seeing it actually happen still gave him a thrill.


    What was more critical was that the rate of experience gain was much faster than when fixing donkey hooves!


    Rein found that he seemed to have discovered the secret to rapid improvement.


    Previously, when he focused on fixing donkey hooves for an hour, he would only gain +1 Blacksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points.


    But this time, in just fifteen minutes, his Blacksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points increased by one.


    And now, the experience bar for Blacksmith Apprentice read (8/100).


    Rein guessed that this was probably because nailing horseshoes was more relevant to the Blacksmith Apprentice profession than fixing donkey hooves, which is why he gained more professional experience points.


    Though it was just Rein��s speculation, he believed it was mostly correct.


    It made Rein feel as if he had stumbled upon a new, bright path.


    ��This is it!��

 Chapter 6 - 6 - 5 Skill Improvement

    Chapter 6 �C 5 Skill Improvement


    As noon approached, suddenly, the system displayed a different notification:


    [You assisted in nailing horseshoes, insight improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill �� nailing horseshoes]


    [Your skill ��nailing horseshoes�� has increased, Experience +1]


    Curious, Rein immediately flipped to the second page, the one for the Blacksmith Apprentice��s profession panel.


    In the dense array of skills, aside from one lit-up icon of a hoof trimming, another icon now lit up in the position opposite to it.


    Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (1/100).


    ...


    This icon was simple, depicting a horseshoe in an inverted U shape, with seven tiny holes clearly visible on it.


    While other icons on the profession panel remained obscure and unclear.


    ��Could it be that after some time of diligent learning, a profession-related skill can be triggered to light up, and then one could continuously practice to enhance the skill level?��


    ��It seems that��s the case!��


    This discovery engaged Rein completely in the study of nailing horseshoes, to the extent that even the reappearance of the noble girl in the middle of the outer castle didn��t make him look up more than once.


    At lunchtime, his close friend George looked at him quite strangely and said,


    ��Rein, I��ve noticed you��ve changed!��


    These words slightly startled Rein. Could it be that as an old friend, George had noticed something was off about him?


    George continued,


    ��Rein, why are you working as if you��re on a stimulant?��


    ��Trimming donkey hooves and nailing horseshoes, you keep going till you absolutely can��t anymore before you stop.��


    Rein sighed in relief, so it was just this!


    He thought to himself, ��That��s because you don��t have a golden finger! Otherwise, George, you might be even more diligent than me.��


    ��Haha, maybe I just had a sudden realization! I��ve come to understand the importance of learning a trade,�� Rein said with a smile.


    ��Really?�� George looked at Rein suspiciously.


    He always felt something had changed about his best friend, but he couldn��t pinpoint exactly what.


    However, since Rein mentioned understanding the importance of learning a trade, George agreed with him.


    Although George��s family wasn��t very well-off either, both of his parents were freemen with land and a stable source of income, so his circumstances were much better than Rein��s.


    Unlike Rein��s home, where his father was a farmer who worked someone else��s land, and his mother had no stable source of income, not to mention, they also had a younger sister��


    So, it was understandable that Rein was more eager to master a trade than he was.


    After the young servants finished their lunch and rested briefly, they continued learning to nail horseshoes under Baal��s guidance.


    Initially, nailing horseshoes captured the attention of the young boys, but as they became a bit familiar with it, the pseudo-second generation began to grow impatient since their aim was to be guards; whether they learned nailing horseshoes or not didn��t matter.


    Soon, these pseudo-second generation kids started chatting about various topics.


    These moments were when Rein got to catch up on outside news, so he immediately perked up his ears and listened.


    ��Hey, have you heard? Recently, it��s been quite troubled. I heard that a vicious group of pirates landed ashore,�� Bushy Brows announced a big piece of news right off the bat.


    ��Pirates? Although Flashgold Town is not far from the sea, there is still some distance, right? How does pirates landing relate to us?�� Freckles responded with a question.


    ��Not sure, I heard from Billy, a guard from a merchant caravan that just came to Flashgold Town, that a band of pirates called Black Sails have landed. They seem to be afraid to attack the County Town, mainly targeting nearby small towns. I��ve heard that the Fishing Port Town, which is closest to the sea, suffered heavy losses, even the town��s sheriff was killed,�� Bushy Brows continued.


    ��No way! Aren��t town sheriffs usually potential Knights? Are the pirates that powerful?�� the baker��s child asked, dumbfounded.


    ��Yes, the Black Sails pirates are very strong! Moreover, I��ve heard that our town��s sheriff, Lord Kuzma, is being transferred to become the sheriff of Fishing Port Town. Additionally, the new sheriff coming to our town, supposedly from the County Town, is a lord.��


    ��Seems his name is Lord Hamilton? I��m not quite sure�� It should be that name������


    Freckles agreed and additionally revealed a big piece of news, earning Rein��s approval, truly proving himself to be a well-informed person.


    ��Oh! You heard about that news too, seems like it��s true then!�� Bushy Brows nodded at Freckles. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Right, Fishing Port Town isn��t far from Flashgold Town either, just about two days�� journey. Do you think the pirates might attack our town?�� Freckles continued to express his worries.


    ��Don��t worry, pirates usually hit the seashore and then leave; they won��t venture deeper inland. Otherwise, they wouldn��t be called pirates,�� Bushy Brows reassured.


    ��..


    The amount of information was a bit overwhelming!


    Pirates?


    A new sheriff?


    Rein was stunned as he listened, almost losing his grip on the horseshoe in his hand.


    Meanwhile, Master Baal asked with concern,


    ��Rein, if you��re too tired, take a break.��


    Rein had been very enthusiastic about learning these past few days, and his talent was quite impressive. Baal noticed this and his impression of Rein had improved a great deal.


    Diligence can always inadvertently change people��s perceptions of someone!


    ��It��s okay, I can keep going for a bit longer.��


    Rein shook his head, declining Baal��s kind gesture.


    ��Every opportunity to improve a skill must be grasped firmly; otherwise, wouldn��t it be a waste of this golden finger?��


    However, the matter with the pirates ultimately touched Rein a bit.


    It seemed this world wasn��t so peaceful.


    He needed to become stronger as quickly as possible!


    So, George found that his good friend Rein��s enthusiasm for work seemed even higher than the day before.


    Throughout the day, he barely rested at all, constantly helping with pressing horseshoes, then intently watching Master Baal nailing horseshoes.


    This kind of passion for learning was simply beyond understanding!


    After continuously nailing horseshoes for two days, at this moment, Rein stared blankly at his skill��Hoof Trimming lv1 (99/100).


    ��It seems today I can elevate the Hoof Trimming skill to the next level.��


    ��Just not sure what changes will occur once it upgrades to lv2?��


    Rein didn��t have to wait long, as he watched Baal making a horseshoe flawlessly smooth.


    The long-awaited system prompt finally appeared!


    [You assisted in nailing horseshoes, comprehension related to the skill increased!]


    [Your skill Hoof Trimming has been elevated, experience +1]


    [Congratulations, your skill Hoof Trimming has been upgraded to lv2]


    Looking at Hoof Trimming lv2 (1/300).


    Suddenly, Rein felt like he had a slightly different understanding of the task.


    It seemed as if there were fragmented memories in his mind, almost as if he had been trimming hooves for months.


    When Rein once again watched Baal trim the hooves, he felt he could understand a bit more.


    For example, why Baal��s wrist needed to flick just so when trimming at the most curved part of the hoof.


    Or why Baal needed to shake slightly when using the iron spade to scrape off excess from the hoof.


    Everything was so natural, falling into place seamlessly!


    He got it!


    ��.


    Rein had a feeling that although his strength hadn��t increased, he seemed to be able to start working on trimming hooves.


    He couldn��t yet do the whole task of nailing horseshoes.


    But he could try trimming hooves.


    Even though proposing this to Master Baal seemed a bit audacious, considering the fastest-learning apprentices couldn��t yet do it independently,


    but to gain more experience, the secret might be in getting hands-on himself!


    Rein glanced at the Blacksmith Apprentice lv1 in his occupation panel and the experience bar (22/100) right below it, and muttered, ��What a pity!��


    It seemed that upgrading skills was easier than elevating his profession level.


    He estimated that, at the current pace, it would take at least five more days to increase the level of his Blacksmith Apprentice profession.


    After some hesitation, Rein spoke up, ��Master Baal, could I try trimming the hooves? I feel like I can manage it.��


    Baal looked at Rein, evaluated his expression carefully, and upon confirming that Rein wasn��t joking��and recalling Rein��s efforts over the past few days��he nodded and said,


    ��Alright, go ahead and give it a try.��


    At this, all the apprentices were astonished, thinking, ��He��s only been learning for a few days and he��s got it?!��


    Even the resting pseudo-rich kids stopped their casual chat and turned their attention to Rein, although their goal was not to become the manor��s blacksmith apprentice.


    This act of showing off was clearly intolerable for them!


    ��What the hell is Rein up to, trying to show off? Dammit, we��ve got to give him a good beating tonight!�� the thick-browed boy spat out the stalk of grass from his mouth and cursed angrily.


    ��Just trying to catch Baal��s attention, the way he��s sucking up! F**k! We need to properly teach him a lesson tonight!�� the freckled boy chimed in.


    ��..

 Chapter 7 - 7 - 6: Level Up! The Counterattack Against Bullying

    Chapter 7 �C 6: Level Up! The Counterattack Against Bullying


    However��.


    When Rein��s right hand grasped the sharp iron shovel passed to him by the donkey hoof master, he misjudged the weight of the shovel, and he lost his balance all at once.


    This immediately drew another burst of laughter from the pretentious rich kids.


    It seemed like they were mocking Rein for overestimating his abilities.


    Rein��s face also turned red; he had only misjudged the weight of the shovel, it wasn��t that he couldn��t lift it at all.


    Baal, standing nearby, also slightly shook his head, seemingly not optimistic about Rein��s ability to fix the hoof properly.


    After all, Rein��s slender physique meant his strength was quite limited.


    ...


    ��Rein, you��.,�� George, standing beside him, also felt that Rein��s actions were too impulsive, making himself the butt of jokes among the other boys.


    This made George, as a good friend, feel somewhat unable to hold his head high.


    But the friendship between young boys is relatively simple, and George didn��t say anything. Instead, he put all his effort into holding the hoof down for Rein.


    Rein nodded at George, without saying much.


    ��Shush!��


    With George��s robust pressing, Rein didn��t need to expend too much strength to stabilize the hoof with his left hand, and although his right hand��s manipulation of the shovel was still somewhat unfamiliar and unsmooth, he basically managed to trim off the burrs cleanly.


    Expertise is apparent the moment one begins!


    Baal, who was watching nearby, immediately lit up and thought to himself, ��Not bad! Although this young man, Rein, is somewhat frail, he indeed knows the trick to trimming hooves, making use of the weight of the shovel to trim along the contour of the hoof.��


    The pretentious kids fell silent!


    It was apparent to everyone that Rein had truly learned how to trim hooves!


    Although he was a little inexperienced, that was only in comparison to Master Baal.


    George��s eyes widened as he watched Rein trimming the donkey��s hooves, unable to look away.


    ��My God! Rein, you just learned this a few days ago and you already can do it! That��s really amazing!��


    Upon hearing George��s praise of Rein, Freckle Face seemed quite disdainful, saying:


    ��Pfft~ What��s there to be proud of, it��s just shoeing a hoof, not swordsmanship!��


    ��Yeah, exactly!��


    Seeing Rein truly drawing attention to himself, the pretentious rich kids felt even more annoyed inside.


    ��


    Rein, however, paid no attention to everything happening around him.


    At this moment, his mind was already captivated by the system notifications.


    [You��ve performed hoof trimming, insight improved!]


    [Your skill in Trimming Hooves has improved, Experience +5]


    [You focused on trimming hooves, Blacksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points +2]


    ��Sss! Getting hands-on actually gives this much experience!��


    It was just as he had guessed!


    If he continued at this pace, leveling up his Blacksmith Apprentice Profession Level is just around the corner!


    No!


    There��s no need to wait!


    It��s very possible that today, he would be able to level up his Blacksmith Apprentice Profession to lv2!


    After finishing all four hooves, Rein was sweating profusely, but his eyes were sparkling brightly!


    ��Not bad, Rein! You can trim hooves independently now,�� Baal said, nodding his head in approval of Rein��s skills.


    ��Thank you, Master Baal,�� Rein nodded emphatically.


    ��And you all? If you want to compete for the Blacksmith Apprentice position, then learn seriously!�� Baal turned and bellowed at the child servants with a stern face.


    In the face of Baal, the pretentious kids naturally didn��t dare show their temper, but their glances toward Rein turned much more vicious.


    If previously they didn��t care about Rein��s diligence, because they felt superior, now Rein had gained Master Baal��s recognition and had made a name for himself in silence!


    This was something they couldn��t stand!


    At lunchtime, Rein felt a tense atmosphere around him.


    Apart from his close friend George, even the other boys from commoner families didn��t talk to Rein.


    Jealousy?


    Or was it agitation by the pretentious kids?


    Rein wasn��t sure, but he wasn��t concerned about it.


    He wouldn��t slow down his pace of becoming stronger just because of some people��s opinions!


    The pretentious kids, however, had major issues with Rein taking the spotlight.


    ��Rein, they can��t stand to see you do well,�� George saw what was going on and said reassuringly.


    ��I know, George! Don��t worry, I��m fine.��


    It was inevitable to encounter such situations once he started to stand out.


    But with his golden finger, that day was bound to come sooner or later.


    In his previous life, Rein had long been accustomed to this kind of situation.


    School bullying!


    Workplace suppression!


    The principle is the same.


    In the afternoon, the child servants continued their task of nailing horseshoes.


    After Rein finished trimming the hooves, Master Baal would nail the horseshoes on.


    The work of one was divided in two, so naturally Baal felt much more relieved, and his gaze towards Rein grew increasingly approving.


    As evening approached, Rein finally received the system notification for profession level advancement:


    [You��ve performed hoof trimming work, insight improved!]


    [Your skill in Trimming Hooves has improved, Experience +5]


    [You focused on fixing horseshoes, Blacksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points +2]


    [Congratulations, your Blacksmith Apprentice Profession Level has increased!]


    Blacksmith Apprentice leveled up?


    Rein couldn��t help but be overjoyed! sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He couldn��t wait to flip to the second page of the transparent frame, carefully checking it out.


    [Blacksmith Apprentice lv2 (0/300)]


    [Fixing Horseshoes lv2 (255/300)]


    [Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (45/100)]


    [Remaining attribute points: 1]


    [Remaining Skill Points: 1]


    As expected!


    Even though Rein knew his profession level would increase today, actually seeing this scene still makes it hard for him to contain his inner joy.


    Moreover, the Fixing Horseshoes skill seems about to step into level 3 soon.


    However, these are not the most important things!


    The important part is, at this moment, the panel at the bottom is showing attribute points: 1, and Skill Points: 1.


    This is the biggest gain from the Blacksmith Apprentice Profession Level increase!


    Leveling up just to get stronger?


    No, it��s because of my effort that I have these points.


    So, it��s not leveling up to get stronger, it��s effort = getting stronger!


    After some thought, Rein flipped the transparent frame back to the first page, which is the attribute page.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith Apprentice lv2


    Constitution: 5


    Strength: 4


    Agility: 6


    Spirit: 8


    Clearly, Rein��s Strength attribute is the lowest, there��s no helping it, with such a thin build, his strength naturally is weak.


    But now it��s different!


    Regarding how to allocate attribute points, Rein felt there was nothing to hesitate about, first to bolster his weaknesses.


    He didn��t want to be seen as weak any longer, nor did he want to be bullied; adding points to Strength was the inevitable choice at this stage.


    One point in Strength might not be enough, but it at least gave him some ability to fight back.


    After a brief consideration, Rein added one point to his Strength.


    Strength instantly became 5.


    Suddenly, Rein felt a warm current surge from his heart, spreading to his limbs and throughout his body, making him feel as comfortable as if he was soaking in a hot spring, with all the fatigue vanishing in an instant.


    Moreover, the increase of a single point in strength made Rein feel as if his body was brimming with energy, enough to ��fight�� through several hundred horseshoes without taking a break!


    Does adding points rejuvenate your state?


    This effect is incredible!


    Next were the Skill Points.


    Rein was about to add a point to Nailing Horseshoes when he suddenly stopped.


    If every level up in profession level only gives one Skill Point, it must be quite precious.


    Rein noticed that upgrading the Blacksmith Apprentice profession level from lv2 to lv3 now required 300 points of experience, up from the original 100.


    This implies that the difficulty of leveling up is increasing.


    ��I haven��t yet been exposed to other skills of the Blacksmith Apprentice. If I learn a skill that is extremely difficult to improve, like forging weapons or something, wouldn��t it be better to add points then?��


    After a moment��s thought, Rein decided to save this one Skill Point for later.


    And Rein, returning to the scene, was in such high spirits that it surprised everyone!


    One could see that with his increased Strength, Rein��s efficiency in trimming horseshoes had improved by at least 20%.


    Although still not up to Baal��s level, compared to the beginning, this was a significant improvement.


    The servant children closest to Rein were gaping in astonishment!


    At dinner, Rein ate three and a half bricks-sized black bread loaves and had three servings of vegetable soup, even licking the soup pot clean, a scene that left the rest of the servant children dumbfounded.


    Rein found that after adding one point to Strength, the increase was genuinely significant, but he also got hungry very quickly!!


    After eating his fill, Rein, returning to the dormitory, was blocked by bushy brows and freckles!


    ��Rein! You��ve done well today, showing off quite a bit!�� Bushy brows stepped forward, patting Rein��s face with a challenging expression.


    ��Damn it! I had to endure yesterday, but today is different!�� Rein��s eyes suddenly turned from gentle to fierce.


    ��Slap!��


    With all his might, Rein slapped Bushy brows across the face!


    Immediately, it rang in Bushy brows�� head, causing him to stagger and nearly fall to the ground!


    This slap left Freckles and a few onlookers, the fake-rich second generations, stunned, their minds racing with how Rein dared to strike!


    And Bushy brows, he was so shocked by Rein��s slap that he took a while to recover.


    But this was just the beginning!


    ��Boom!!��


    With a powerful knee thrust, Rein hit Bushy brows in the stomach, right under the diaphragm, making him vomit his dinner all over the place��


    A sour stench immediately spread out!


    ��Get him, beat up that brat Rein, he dared to fight back!�� Freckles shouted, and the surrounding faux-rich kids rushed up, starting to beat up Rein.


    But Rein, heedless of everything, tucked his head in and kept swinging his fists at the vomiting Bushy brows with lethal determination!


    This ruthless fierceness was truly frightening!

 Chapter 8 - 8 - 7 Wanted Notice

    Chapter 8 �C 7 Wanted Notice


    However, the incident here was quickly reported by other child servants.


    Soon after, a steward of the manor arrived, and the fighters were promptly separated.


    Coincidentally, this particular steward happened to be distantly related to the Rein family.


    As a result, both Rein and the thick-browed servant received fifty heavy strikes each and were punished with sweeping and mopping for a week; at the same time, a bruised and swollen Rein was transferred to George��s dormitory.


    But obviously, this matter was far from over!


    The thick-browed servant was tall and muscular; he had never expected Rein to launch a sneak attack, and he was caught off guard!


    However, by that evening, he had come to his senses, and his eyes were bloodshot with rage!


    ...


    As the bully among the child servants, he had never suffered such a loss before.


    The next day, while nailing horseshoes, the thick-browed servant glared at Rein with a murderous look,


    ��Thick-brows, how do you plan on getting revenge?�� a freckled servant beside him asked.


    Hearing this, the other pseudo-nobility child servants also turned their attention to the thick-browed servant.


    He had, in fact, already thought of a plan.


    In the manor, if he fought with Rein again, both would certainly be punished, and they might even be directly dismissed, which would be a loss not worth taking.


    ��Swordsmanship training starts next week, and I��ve heard there will be sparring sessions. At that time, that kid will suffer!�� Thick-brows said through gritted teeth.


    ��Wow! Thick-brows, you��ve learned swordsmanship? That��s incredible!��


    ��Not bad. I studied with my uncle for two years. I��ll make sure to beat him so badly that even his mother won��t recognize him!�� Thick-brows clenched his fist, showing his firm confidence!


    ��.


    Unlike Thick-brows, Rein was currently sweating profusely, as he trimmed hooves and explained the intricacies of the task to the other child servants.


    For instance, one should utilize the weight of the hoof rasp itself, trimming along the contour of the hoof.


    This attracted many child servants aspiring to be blacksmith apprentices to Rein.


    And as a result, Rein successfully divided the child servants who had originally been instigated by the pseudo-nobility!


    A great man in his previous life had said, make many friends and few enemies!


    Worried that the child servants would learn and surpass him?


    If one has a golden finger, why fear being surpassed by others?


    They might as well go to sleep!


    As long as one progresses faster than others, they will never have to worry about being overtaken!


    After finishing with the last horse in the stables, Rein wiped his sweat and opened his profession panel to check.


    [Blacksmith Apprentice lv2 (27/300)]


    There was still a way to go before his Profession Level as a Blacksmith Apprentice would increase to lv3, but Rein was already quite satisfied with his current progress.


    [Hoof Trimming lv2 (295/300)]


    [Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (56/100)]


    [Remaining Skill Points: 1]


    As for this one Skill Point, Rein had already decided not to use it for the time being.


    At present, whether it was hoof trimming or nailing horseshoes, improving these Skills was just a matter of time. As long as he had enough time, Rein would be able to easily level them up.


    Therefore, the later the Skill Point was used, the higher its cost-effectiveness would be.


    Moreover, since all the horses in the stable now had their horseshoes nailed, it would clearly be foolish to add a point to upgrade the skill of nailing horseshoes right now!


    He would wait until a Skill became hard to level up or required a massive amount of Experience to level up before using this Skill Point.


    Just then, a middle-aged man dressed in a neat grey linen robe came over to the child servants, apparently with an announcement.


    According to the memories of his original body, this man was a formal servant of the Habsburg Manor, responsible for arranging the training of child servants.


    He greeted Baal and then coughed twice before saying,


    ��Tomorrow is Sunday, and you��ll have a day of rest. After a while, you may go home on your own, and be sure to return to the manor on time tomorrow evening. From the day after tomorrow, you will start practicing basic swordsmanship. Mr. Humbert, a manor guard, will teach you then.��


    ��I hope you take this opportunity to study earnestly!��


    ��������


    The child servants�� training included one day of rest per week, coinciding with the day of church services, with the other six days spent within the manor.


    After speaking, the middle-aged man walked away with an air of composure.


    However, the words of the middle-aged man immediately ignited the child servants�� enthusiasm, like pouring oil into a fierce fire.


    The voices of the child servants discussing the news suddenly grew louder.


    ��Rein, did you hear that? We��re going to start swordsmanship training!�� George grabbed Rein��s arm and said with longing.


    ��Of course I heard. I��m excited too. Let��s work hard together, young man!�� Rein replied with a smile.


    The pseudo-nobility child servants were also thrilled!


    Because they knew that next week��s swordsmanship lessons would be the time when the bushy-browed teacher would give Rein a harsh lesson, they were expecting quite a show.


    Clearly, the past few days had not been joyous for the pretenders.


    Rein��s brilliance had overshadowed them.


    But they didn��t care much about it.


    A genius at fixing donkey��s hooves and nailing horseshoes?


    That��s nothing!


    But swordsmanship is different!


    As for next week��s basic swordsmanship training, Rein was naturally as excited as any normal boy would be!


    After all, which boy doesn��t love the excitement of swinging a sword and engaging in battle?


    But he was even more curious whether the swordsmanship training would trigger a new panel, such as a Swordsman, Guard, or Warrior panel?


    However, right now, he was not thinking about swordsmanship training.


    Because he was about to go home and see his original parents!


    Not only his parents, but the original owner of the body also had a seven-year-old sister.


    All at once, Rein couldn��t help but think of his parents from his previous life and wondered how they were doing��


    Alas! S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For a moment, Rein��s eyes held a touch of melancholy.


    Just then, George came over, glanced at the second-generation kids, and asked, ��By the way, Rein, what are you planning to do after you get home tomorrow? Want to join me in gathering nuts in the woods?��


    Rein, pulled from his thoughts, considered it.


    That might be a good idea to clear his head, and besides, it was autumn, just the right time when the ground was covered with nuts.


    Nuts are rich in nutrition and would be perfect for replenishing the nutrients his body needed.


    However��


    According to the memory of the original body, there were not many nuts to be picked in the town��s public woodland.


    Since it was a public forest, the town��s residents had already scoured it day by day.


    Before Rein could ask anything, George looked around, leaned in, and whispered, ��Rein, let��s go to the Habsburg Manor��s woodland. There are plenty of nuts there!��


    ��Ranger Gilliam Uncle is my relative. It��s fine if we go quietly. But you mustn��t tell anyone else!��


    So that was George��s plan!


    Not bad, the kid has potential!


    Rein gave a slight smile and said, ��Alright! It��s settled then.��


    The town��s forests were divided into two types, one was the public woodland, where everyone could gather firewood, nuts, and hunt.


    The other was the manor��s woodland, belonging to the Harrisburg Manor, where ordinary people were not allowed to engage in such activities.


    What George was suggesting was for the two of them to secretly go to the manor��s woodland and pick nuts.


    At dusk, with the pleasant breeze, Rein walked home alone; George had already gone home earlier.


    Rein��s home was located to the south of the town, directly opposite the Harrisburg Manor to the north.


    This meant that to get home, Rein practically had to cross the most bustling street of the town.


    This one is a bakery��


    This one is an inn, the freckled family��s inn��


    It seemed that every segment of the road he passed and every familiar shop he saw triggered memories of the original host to flood in, slowly merging with Rein��s own memories.


    However, as he passed the town square and saw a crowd of town residents gathered around the notice board, curiosity made him take a look as well.


    All over the board, there were many wanted posters, and one with the nickname ��Scarface�� was newly posted. The man had shoulder-length yellow hair, a horse-like face, and a scar that slanted across his face from the forehead, passing his nose, and ending at his right cheek.


    Real name: Unknown.


    Crimes: Raped three women in Peter Town, repeatedly robbed passersby, and is suspected to be linked to the recent frequent disappearances of children.


    Reward: Five Imperial Gold Coins.


    (Note: The reward can be claimed at any town or higher jurisdiction constabulary with his corpse or head.)


    ��Hiss! Five Imperial Gold Coins!�� Rein��s eyes lit up.


    ��With that money, I could��..��


    But then, Rein shook his head, sighed, and dismissed the somewhat unrealistic idea, continuing his walk home.


    This one is the blacksmith shop��


    Huh?


    Wait!

 Chapter 9 - 9 - 8: Young Girl Anna

    Chapter 9 �C 8: Young Girl Anna


    I could go to the blacksmith shop in town to work, and at the same time, I would be able to gain the professional experience of a blacksmith apprentice!


    However��.


    According to the memories of the original owner of this body, the blacksmith and owner of the shop, Boris, was stingy.


    Unless you were an experienced assistant, if you wanted to learn any craft, you had to pay a considerable apprenticeship fee, which seemed to be five or maybe ten silver coins?


    At this stage, Rein��s family definitely couldn��t afford that sum of money.


    It seemed I needed to think of other methods!


    ��Auntie Sima, hello,��


    ...


    ��Little Rein, hello, after working as a young servant for a week, I feel like you��ve grown more spirited and robust!�� Auntie Sima greeted Rein warmly, as she was quite familiar with Rein��s mother.


    Oh, really?


    At first, Rein thought that Auntie Sima was just being courteous.


    But when he lifted his arm and looked at his previously skinny limbs, he now saw muscles starting to protrude slightly, especially the biceps.


    Rein immediately lifted his clothing to check his abdomen and could vaguely make out the shape of a six-pack forming.


    You should know that although skinny people could easily have defined abs, the original body definitely had none, not even a shadow of them.


    But now, with a little more exercise, I might develop visible abs soon.


    Looking at it this way, the effect of that little bit of added Strength was indeed immediate!


    Rein stopped in front of a two-story house with a triangular roof.


    The roof of the house was slanted, covered with thatch, and apart from the mud walls around it, the rest of the structure was made of wood.


    There was some open space in front of and behind the house, where some green onions and vegetables were planted.


    A woman was bending over, pulling something from the ground; feeling someone approaching, she straightened up.


    ��Rein, is that you, Rein, coming back?��


    Looking at the woman��s kind and dignified face, a flood of related memories surged forth, and scenes of warmth played like slideshows in Rein��s mind, prompting him to blurt out, ��Mother, it��s me! I��m back!��


    ��Let me see, you��ve gotten stronger after a few days without seeing you. It seems that the manor takes good care of you servant children��s meals,�� Mother Emma said with a smile as she hugged Rein.


    In an instant, Rein felt an inexplicable surge of emotion.


    He didn��t know if this feeling was a natural reaction of this body.


    Or a kind of instinct inherent to all humans.


    But he knew that this emotion came from the heart, from deep within the soul.


    The woman was the mother of the original owner of this body, and now she was his mother too!


    ��Brother! Is that brother coming back?�� A pretty little girl with long hair suddenly ran in from the backyard, her hands still holding a bunch of green onions.


    In an instant, Rein overlaid the memory of a little girl named Bo He over the scene before him.


    This was Bo He, his sister!


    ��Bo He!�� Rein picked up his sister, spun her around, making Bo He giggle nonstop.


    Before long, Rein��s father also came back, a simple-looking, burly man with a square face, though his forehead had many wrinkles, which made it seem like he spent a lot of time worrying.


    Seeing Rein, he showed a slight smile and with his calloused, thick palms, patted Rein��s shoulder, saying, ��Rein, you��ve grown sturdy! It looks like you��ve even grown a bit taller!��


    ��Father! You��ve worked hard!�� Rein hugged his father tightly.


    Although old Rein didn��t know why his son was suddenly so��.emotional,


    He still laughed and returned the hug!


    In the evening.


    The family of four sat around a wooden table cosily, having dinner together.


    The dinner consisted of a portion of cured pork, a large bowl of mashed potatoes, a few slices of rye bread, and a bottle of milk.


    In an ordinary commoner��s household, this was considered a feast!


    Clearly, this was because today was the day Rein had come home.


    Usually, old Rein wouldn��t indulge in such good food.


    But after Rein wolfed down his share, he realized he was only half full.


    He was in a period of rapid physical growth and naturally had a big appetite; there was an old saying: A growing lad will empty his father��s lad.


    And ever since Rein added that point to his attribute, it seemed like it had drained the last bit of nutritional reserves from his body. These past two days, Rein felt he could eat a lot more.


    Moreover, there was a constant craving for meat swirling in his mind!


    ��`


    So, after finishing his own portion, Rein couldn��t help swallowing his saliva and forced himself to look away from the food.


    The mother glanced over and immediately sensed something, ��Rein, are you still hungry? Here, take these two slices of cured meat from me, I��m full.��


    ��Brother, I��m still little, this mashed potato is for you.�� Little Bo He pushed a bowl of mashed potatoes toward Rein.


    ��Rein, from my side��..�� Old Rein also said.


    ��This��.��


    Witnessing this scene before him, Rein was deeply moved!


    If before his efforts were due to his desire as a person from another world to change the status quo and his longing for this Transcendent world!


    But from this moment on, another deep, vivid stroke was added to Rein��s motivation!


    In the end, Rein accepted the cured meat and mashed potatoes from his mother and Little Bo He but refused the bread from his father.


    Because he knew that his father, who did manual labor, needed the nutrition even more than him.


    That night, Rein slept very soundly!


    The next morning, Old Rein declined Rein��s offer to help in the fields and left home early, and the mother also went to work at the inn in the small town.


    Only Rein and his sister Bo He were left at home.


    When Rein followed his sister��s voice to the small courtyard, he found Bo He planting carrots with a girl in their own yard.


    ��Brother, you��re up? I am planting carrots with Sister Anna,�� Bo He greeted with a smile.


    Anna?


    That��s right, she was their neighbor.


    A quiet and reticent young girl, it was said that she came to live in Flashgold Town with her mother.


    But a year ago, her mother mysteriously disappeared.


    Now, she lives alone in the wooden cabin next to Rein��s house.


    The girl turned her head, her facial contours were beautiful, but her complexion was wan.


    She seemed to be chronically malnourished, with her pale yellow hair a bit dry and split, but the deep brown pupils revealed a strong beauty.


    ��Re�� Rein�� hello,�� the girl greeted with her head down, shy and reserved.


    In age, Rein seemed to be a few months older than the girl.


    To his recollection, the girl had always been this afraid of strangers.


    ��Hello, Anna!��


    Just as Rein was thinking of helping them, his close friend George called from the door, ��Rein, let��s go pick nuts.�� S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Brother, I want to go too!�� Bo He excitedly said upon hearing that Rein was going to pick nuts.


    From the side, Anna seemed to have a longing look in her eyes.


    But after thinking it over, Rein still refused since they were going to Habsburg Manor��s woods, and he was only able to go because he was with George.


    If he brought others along, it would be inappropriate.


    So, Rein shook his head and said, ��Bo He, stay at home with Sister Anna, I��ll bring back nuts for you.��


    ��Okay~�� Bo He said pitifully, unwilling but still obediently complied.


    Indeed, the children of a poor family become responsible at an early age.


    Such a young age, yet so sensible!


    Rein patted Little Bo He��s head and then left with George.


    After walking for a while, George suddenly said with a puzzled face:


    ��Rein, why is your sister with Anna? Haven��t you heard? She��s an unlucky person.��


    ��An unlucky person?�� Rein asked, confused.


    ��I heard it by chance from my father; Anna��s mother didn��t just disappear, it seemed like she was taken away. But I��m not clear on the details.�� George said, glancing around to check if anyone was nearby before speaking in hushed tones.


    ��You mustn��t let this slip.��


    ��Who took her away?�� Rein asked, still puzzled.


    ��I really don��t know about that!�� George��s answer was also vague.


    ��By the way, Rein, have you heard? Recently on the north side of our town, two commoner families�� children have disappeared! Remember to warn Bo He not to wander off when there��s no need.��


    ��Huh? Is that so? Wasn��t it said that the disappearances of children were happening in other towns and that our Flashgold Town was safe? Is it spreading now?�� Rein was quite surprised.


    ��I��m not so sure about that���� George pondered, as it was another question touching upon his own knowledge gap.


    ��`

 Chapter 10 - 10 - 9: Upgrading in the Blacksmith’s Shop

    Chapter 10 �C 9: Upgrading in the Blacksmith��s Shop


    ��`


    By the time the two of them returned to their homes, Rein��s hands were filled with a full basket of wild blueberries, hazelnuts, and chestnuts.


    It was thanks to George��s help that they could sneak into the manor��s forest and gather various nuts and berries.


    A bountiful harvest!


    About seventy percent of the forests surrounding the town belonged to the Habsburg manor, while the remaining thirty percent were public woodland.


    However, the wild fruits and nuts in the public woods had already been picked clean by the townspeople.


    It was already time for lunch, and the autumn sun was exceptionally warm. When Rein was approaching his house, he could already see the white smoke rising from his chimney from afar, which made him feel really good.


    ...


    However, when he caught a glimpse of his neighbor��s house from the corner of his eye, he stopped in his tracks!


    He saw a young girl dressed in a gray linen coat, sitting on the wooden steps of her house, basking in the sunlight while carefully nibbling on a piece of bran bread.


    Even though it was bran bread, inferior to even black bread, the girl cherished each bite.


    With one hand she held the bran bread, and with the other, she caught the falling crumbs to put them into her mouth, not wanting to waste a single bit.


    After a few bites, the girl in the sunlight squinted her eyes, seemingly content just to have a piece of bran bread to eat.


    The girl was Anna!


    Rein stood frozen in place, staring dully at how carefully she ate, and his heart suddenly felt a tight pull.


    How much misfortune must one endure to find such happiness in eating a piece of bran bread?


    Rein looked down at the wild fruits in his hand and moved his lips as if to say something but was unsure what to say.


    He was not familiar with the girl; offering nuts and such out of the blue might not be welcomed.


    After some thought, Rein went into his room and poured out half of the gathered wild fruits and nuts, then handed the remaining half-basket to his sister Bo He.


    ��Bo He, go, take this half-basket of wild fruits to Sister Anna next door, and make sure she accepts it,�� Rein crouched down, patted Bo He��s little head, and said.


    It seemed from her brother��s serious gaze that Bo He understood something, and she nodded vigorously, saying:


    ��Yeah! Sister Anna lives alone and it��s really tough for her.��


    ��She will definitely like these wild fruits. Don��t worry! Brother, I will make sure Sister Anna accepts them. If she doesn��t, I��ll cry!�� Bo He fluttered her big eyes and waved her small hand forcefully.


    ��Yeah! Good girl.��


    Soon after, Bo He came running back with excitement on her face.


    ��Brother, Sister Anna accepted it. She told me to thank you! And we��ve agreed to continue planting in the garden this afternoon.��


    ��That��s great, Bo He!�� Hearing that Anna accepted the gift eased Rein��s concern, and he gave his sister a thumbs-up, complimenting her.


    ��


    After lunch, Rein headed toward the blacksmith shop in Flashgold Town.


    The blacksmith shop was on the main road of the town, and even before Rein got close, he could hear the ding ding dong dong of the blacksmithing from a distance.


    As soon as he entered the blacksmith shop, Rein immediately felt a wave of heat rush over him!


    Inside, several sturdy men were bustling about in the manner of helpers and apprentices, while Blacksmith Boris Patton was forging a pot.


    A few apprentices looked puzzled as Rein approached Boris.


    ��Uncle Boris, might I help around in the shop? I��m willing to do anything!��


    At the sound of his voice, Boris turned his head to look over.


    He looked Rein up and down and said, ��So it��s young Rein, huh? You seem to have grown stouter. But I��m sorry, the blacksmith shop doesn��t need more hands now.��


    ��Heh, Uncle Boris, I��d like to help for free; just assign me any task.��


    Huh?


    Helping for free?


    Was there such a good deal?


    Blacksmith Boris was initially stunned at the offer, then his gaze focused back on Rein, eyes blazing as he pondered what task to give him.


    A task that wouldn��t let Rein learn any trade secrets, yet would make good use of this offer of free labor.


    That��s when an apprentice blacksmith nearby heard this and raised an eyebrow, suggesting, ��Master, have Rein help with the bellows then!��


    Boris glanced at him, thought for a moment, and decided that the bellows was a good idea, requiring no special skills but just some strength.


    ��Alright then! Rein, remember not to mess with anything in the shop, and you��ll be in charge of the bellows this afternoon. Drews, you show Rein how to do it.��


    ��`


    Rein certainly had no objections; the bellows it was!


    As long as there was Experience!


    If shoeing a donkey could raise a blacksmith apprentice��s experience, all the more so with operating the bellows!


    Seated in front of the bellows, Rein vigorously pulled on the bellows under Drews��s guidance.


    A few burly apprentices nearby glanced at Rein, thinking his skinny arms and legs probably wouldn��t manage more than a few pulls.


    But once Rein got a grip on the basic technique of the bellows, he began to tirelessly pull away.


    [You have worked at the bellows, comprehension has improved!]


    [You have learned a new Skill��Bellows Operation]


    Rein felt a surge of joy in his heart; it was as he had anticipated.


    Subsequently, almost every pull of the bellows added +1, +1�� to the Experience.


    The blacksmith apprentice��s Professional Experience Points also quickly showed a +1 notification.


    This made Rein unable to hide his elation!


    Suddenly, Rein started pulling like a perpetual motion machine!


    The other apprentices looked on with surprise at Rein!


    They couldn��t understand why a mechanical, monotonous task could inspire such enthusiasm in the new kid, to the point where he did it with such gusto.


    Didn��t this damn kid know what ��volunteering�� meant?


    Was there really a need to be more zealous than they, the official blacksmith apprentices? It was indeed a rare sight!


    Rein continued until nightfall!


    The number of breaks he took in the meantime could be counted on the fingers of one hand.


    This earned him a new look of respect from the blacksmith Boris!


    At the same time, Boris took the opportunity to give several blacksmith apprentices a tongue-lashing, saying a lot about how they should learn from Rein and such.


    Suddenly, the blacksmith apprentices glanced at each other, seeing a sense of urgency in each other��s eyes.


    Though the work of a blacksmith apprentice was hard, the conditions were top-notch compared to apprentices in other trades. They didn��t say it aloud, but they valued it greatly in their hearts.


    Immediately, they all sped up their pace!


    Watching this unfold, blacksmith Boris couldn��t help but laugh.


    He had not expected that by agreeing to let Rein take on the task of operating the bellows, such an unintended effect would occur.


    It wasn��t long before Rein received a system notification about a Profession Level upgrade:


    [You have worked at the bellows, comprehension has improved!]


    [Your Skill in Bellows Operation has improved, Experience +3]


    [You were focused on the bellows, blacksmith apprentice Professional Experience Points +1]


    [Congratulations, your blacksmith apprentice Profession Level has been raised!]


    Eagerly flipping to the second page of the transparent box, Rein scrutinized it carefully.


    The first entry on the panel showed that the blacksmith apprentice had risen to level 3.


    [Blacksmith Apprentice lv3 (0/500)]


    [Bellows Operation lv2 (245/300)]


    [Hoof Repair lv2 (295/300)]


    [Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (56/100)]


    [Remaining Attribute Points: 1]


    [Remaining Skill Points: 2]


    Even though Rein knew his Profession Level might very well rise today, the actual sight of it still made it hard for him to suppress his inner joy!


    Even though he was working for free at Boris��s forge this time,


    the added 1 attribute point and 1 Skill Point at the bottom of the attribute panel right now were the best rewards for his voluntary work!


    S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 11 - 11 - 10 New Job Panel - [Militia]

    Chapter 11 �C 10 New Job Panel �C [Militia]


    Near evening, an exhausted Rein bid farewell to Blacksmith Boris and returned to the Habsburg manor.


    After hastily taking care of dinner, he fell asleep deeply in the dormitory.


    The next morning, the young servants were gathered together, and they were greeted by a tall and burly man walking towards them.


    This burly man had blond hair stiff like the bristles of a wild boar, thick brows over big eyes, a resolute face, and a bastard sword hanging at his waist which gave him a very steady presence when he walked.


    ��I am your swordsmanship instructor, Humbert. What you will be learning is the basic swordsmanship that all militia must master,��


    ��Has anyone among you learned swordsmanship before?��


    Having said this, the burly man scanned the group with his large eyes.


    ...


    Only George, somewhat excitedly, raised his right hand, saying, ��Reporting to Instructor Humbert, I��ve learned!��


    ��What kind of swordsmanship? For how long?��


    ��Basic swordsmanship as well, for about�� two years, I guess.�� George seemed to recall his learning process, his intermittent practice amounting to about two years in total.


    He had intended to understate the amount of practice to highlight his natural talent for swordsmanship, but under Humbert��s piercing gaze, he ended up revealing the truth.


    Humbert nodded and said, ��Anyone else?��


    No one responded.


    ��If no one else will, then you, come up here and demonstrate the basic swordsmanship you��ve learned.��


    ��Ah? Me�� demonstrate?�� Alright!�� Clearly, George was a bit nervous facing the robust Instructor Humbert.


    After taking the iron-wooden sword that Humbert handed him, George took up a swordsmanship starting pose and began to hack and chop vigorously.


    The servants, having never learned basic swordsmanship, watched with great interest, thinking that George executed the basic swordsmanship quite well.


    ��Stop! Not bad! You may step down,�� Humbert said with a slight frown, waving his hand.


    ��Oh�� oh, okay, Instructor.�� George, having received praise from the instructor, was visibly elated.


    However, Rein could see that Humbert did not seem satisfied with George��s demonstration of basic swordsmanship.


    Rein, however, thought to himself that George was quite good, both in terms of strength and proficiency with the techniques, at least far better than himself.


    Because he hadn��t learned basic swordsmanship.


    George returned to the group with a smile, seemingly very delighted that he had received the instructor��s praise on the first day of swordsmanship training.


    The group of servants, led by Humbert, headed to the training ground in the middle of the outer courtyard.


    The real second-generation kids did not come today.


    This was the servants�� first time at the training ground, and they couldn��t help looking around curiously.


    Under the awning, there were blunt two-handed swords, one-handed swords, shields, Riding Spears, and all sorts of training gear like training armor and thick padded jackets.


    But all these had nothing to do with the servants. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The instructor led them to a place with only wooden shortswords hanging, pointed and said:


    ��There! Each of you take a shortsword and after you��ve got it, line up!��


    Suddenly, the group noisily went up and each person took a sword.


    ��What��s this? Wooden swords, a child��s toy? My five-year-old brother plays with this kind of thing,�� Freckles said disdainfully, looking at the wooden sword.


    ��George, the swordsmanship you just did was quite something! I feel like you��re much better than me!��


    ��Eh, Freckles, have you also learned basic swordsmanship before?�� George asked, surprised.


    ��Of course, my uncle is a mercenary. I learned a bit from him since I was young, but I��ve nearly forgotten it all,�� Freckles boasted with pride.


    After all, in his opinion, when it came to swordsmanship among all the young servants, he was the second strongest after George.


    ��Not bad, George and Freckles, it looks like you two are going to shine!�� the Baker��s son exclaimed admiringly.


    ��Yeah, now a certain someone can��t attract attention by fixing hooves anymore, right? Men should be all about physical strength!�� Freckles glanced sideways at Rein and said.


    ��You���� George was becoming impatient to hear more.


    But Rein shook his head, dismissing George��s desire to argue with the others. After all, it was just idle talk, and he didn��t lose anything from it��arguing with a bunch of fake second-generations was pointless.


    And who said that if you have a foundation in swordsmanship, I definitely couldn��t catch up?


    Rein glanced at the two Skill Points reserved on his panel, his eyes flickering.


    ��Eh, this wooden sword isn��t quite what I expected!��, Rein exclaimed as he grasped the wooden sword, his eyes immediately lighting up.


    This wooden sword seemed to be made of oil-soaked ironwood; not only was it tough and durable, but its weight was also nearly the same as a real iron sword, making it the best possible training sword.


    Indeed, as the group of pretentious nobles got hold of the swords, they too realized the truth.


    ��I knew it, how could the Earl��s family use ordinary wooden swords? So they are made of ironwood after all.��


    ����.��


    Once all the pages had an ironwood sword in hand, the swordsmanship instructor Humbert began to shout loudly:


    ��Now, I will demonstrate the basic sword techniques you need to master!��


    ��Basic sword technique number one, striding thrust!��


    ��Basic sword technique number two, striding downward slash!��


    ��Basic sword technique number three, striding upward sweep!��


    The basic sword techniques consisted of these three moves, but Humbert��s actions were much quicker and more powerful than those of the thick-browed boy!


    The same set of movements had a world of difference when executed by the two of them.


    The pages watched Humbert��s demonstration attentively and, following his teachings, soon began to swing their ironwood swords, trying to imitate him.


    Without trying, one would never know; once they tried, they were shocked!


    Although the three movements of basic swordsmanship seemed simple, they were still quite difficult for most pages, including Rein, who had never practiced swordsmanship in either of his lives.


    They needed to not only swing the sword properly but also coordinate their steps, syncing hands and feet together.


    Such bodily coordination couldn��t be achieved without a lot of practice and wouldn��t come together in a short time.


    And so, under the scorching sun, a group of young lads sweated profusely, roaring as they tirelessly swung their ironwood swords, practicing the basic sword techniques.


    ��Do you want to be able to survive when facing danger!��, Humbert corrected each person��s movements while shouting words of encouragement with his robust voice.


    It seemed he was quite accustomed to this method of training.


    ��Yes!!��, a group of boys who had never been sweet-talked couldn��t help but respond passionately and in unison.


    ��Good! According to the key points of the movements I just mentioned, practice repeatedly! Keep practicing! Turn it into a natural instinct of the body!��


    Humbert continued to encourage the group of pages while also starting to explain the key points of the basic sword techniques.


    ��The striding thrust emphasizes the use of leg strength to transmit the power from the lower half of the body through the waist to the arm wielding the sword, so it��s essential to master the linkage of the muscles throughout the body!��


    ����..��


    [You have practiced the basic swordsmanship, and your comprehension has improved!]


    [You have grasped a new skill��Basic Swordsmanship]


    [Your skill Basic Swordsmanship has improved, Experience +1]


    [Congratulations, you have triggered the career panel��Militia]


    ��Shouldn��t it be Swordsman or Guard? The fact that I��ve triggered just the Militia career panel?�� Rein felt both joy and disappointment at this moment.


    The joy was because he had finally triggered a combat career panel, no longer having to rely solely on the Blacksmith��s Apprentice lifestyle career panel, signifying a pleasing first step on the path of martial strength.


    The disappointment was because this combat profession seemed weak just from the sound of it!


    From the name, it was apparent that Militia implied it wasn��t any serious military force, and the strength limit must be very low.


    ��However����


    ��For someone with zero foundation like me, triggering the Militia panel might not be a bad thing.��


    ��Because it may also mean that it wouldn��t be so difficult to raise my Profession Level.��


    Having come to terms with it, Rein couldn��t help but laugh, his disappointment vanishing!

 Chapter 12 - 12 - 11 A Genius in Swordsmanship as Well?

    Chapter 12 �C 11 A Genius in Swordsmanship as Well?


    ��`


    Within the transparent frame on the retina, the third page can now be turned to, titled ��Militia,�� and its content is still densely packed with icons.


    Among so many icons, only one was lit up��Basic Swordsmanship.


    After practicing swordsmanship for a while, Rein discovered that the difficulty of improving Basic Swordsmanship was higher than that of nailing horseshoes on the Blacksmith Apprentice panel.


    [You have trained in Basic Swordsmanship, and your insight has improved!]


    [Your Skill, Basic Swordsmanship, has been enhanced, Experience +1]


    After two hours, only one point was gained, Basic Swordsmanship lv1 (2/100).


    ...


    Rein roughly estimated, ��This means that if I practice for eight hours a day, I would need nearly a month to possibly reach level 2.��


    ��That��s not right, on average, there is no way I have eight hours of practice time. I heard that next week will start the Dog Trainer��s introductory training, and the week after next will be Archery training! And so on, cycling every three months.��


    ��That means on average, I only get a week each month to practice swordsmanship! Spread out over time, that��s equivalent to practicing swordsmanship for two hours a day, so it would take at least three months to have the chance to advance Basic Swordsmanship to level 2.��


    Obviously, this pace of improvement was far from satisfying Rein��s requirements.


    Because in three months, it would be the time for the Page��s assessment!


    If there was an opportunity to tread the Transcendent path with the position of a manor guard, Rein would definitely prioritize applying for the manor guard.


    After contemplating for a moment, Rein decided to allocate one precious Skill Point to Basic Swordsmanship to see the effect of the Skill Points.


    ��In this Transcendent world, if I want to make a name for myself, without a doubt, being a swordsmanship genius is a better choice than being a blacksmith genius!��


    Thus, Rein silently commanded in his mind and immediately added 1 point to Basic Swordsmanship.


    As a result, Basic Swordsmanship on the panel went from lv1�� to Basic Swordsmanship lv2 (0/300)


    Instantly, a surge of memories related to Basic Swordsmanship training flowed into Rein��s mind.


    These memories were fragmented training sequences, flashing through Rein��s mind like slides and embedding into his muscle memory.


    When Rein opened his eyes again and executed Basic Swordsmanship, it was as smooth as if he had been practicing eight hours daily for a month straight; every strike became increasingly fluid.


    [Your Skill, Basic Swordsmanship, has been enhanced, Experience +1]


    [You have focused on practicing Basic Swordsmanship for one hour, Militia Profession Experience Points +1]


    Huh! Rein noticed that after advancing Basic Swordsmanship to level 2, the speed of upgrading the Militia Profession Level seemed to accelerate as well.


    ��Could it be that level 2 swordsmanship is driving the increase of the level 1 Militia panel?��


    ��Rein, when did you learn Basic Swordsmanship? That��s not cool, learning Basic Swordsmanship behind my back!��


    Only then did Rein realize that George, who had been practicing hard on the side, was now staring at him blankly!


    Just now, George had noticed that his best friend Rein was skillfully executing Basic Swordsmanship and couldn��t help questioning it, puzzled.


    Rein shook his head: ��Of course not, where would I get the money to learn that?��


    George thought about it and nodded, yeah, that��s right.


    Huh? That��s not right!


    That sounds so off.


    ��Ah! Rein, you��re saying you must be a swordsmanship genius!�� George exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.


    ��That��.��


    ��Shouldn��t count, I just have a bit of a knack for Basic Swordsmanship.��


    George thought for a moment and nodded: ��That��s true, Basic Swordsmanship is only the most rudimentary introductory skill, and it doesn��t mean you��re a swordsmanship genius!�� S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I��ve heard my brother say that the nobles study family swordsmanship passed down through generations, which is much more difficult than Basic Swordsmanship.��


    ��Oh, is that so?�� Rein was taken aback, but then he didn��t give it much thought.


    After all, he had just started out with Basic Swordsmanship, and meals needed to be eaten one bite at a time; it was better to first master Basic Swordsmanship before anything else.


    A tall building rises from the ground!


    So, Rein didn��t idle away any more time and continued to sweat profusely on the side.


    Watching the continuous +1+1 in Experience Points, Rein was fully focused and exceedingly motivated!


    Even George was stunned on the side!


    Was this his lazy best friend?


    The hell, wasn��t he tired?!


    It was the same when he was fixing donkey hooves; Rein was full of determination, like a youth invigorated daily!


    George also kept encouraging himself, aiming to keep up with his best friend!


    But after a while of practicing, he realized it was really dull, tedious, tiring, and hard to keep up!!


    At this time, the fake second-generation rich kids nearby also noticed the changes in Rein.


    ��Bushy Brow, look, something��s off with that kid Rein! At first, he was fumbling around, but it��s just been over an hour, and now he seems to have gotten the hang of it!��


    Bushy Brow followed Freckles�� gaze and, after observing Rein��s movements for a few moments, wore a ghost-stricken look:


    ��This�� Damn, Rein definitely practiced before; he��s nearly caught up to me!��


    ��`


    ��What? That impressive!��


    ��Isn��t it said that Rein��s family is just a tenant farmer��s family? Where would they get the money to learn basic swordsmanship?��


    ��Exactly, and you see George, that boy, he and Rein are best buddies, it doesn��t make sense that Rein would learn swordsmanship under poor conditions, but George, who is better off, didn��t learn.��


    The freckled boy beside them, glancing at George who was still clumsily waving a wooden sword, pointed out a critical fact!


    In contrast, Rein��s skilled swordsmanship was almost blinding!


    The group of pseudo-second-generation kids immediately fell into contemplation.


    Could it be that Rein is a swordsmanship prodigy?


    Absolutely impossible!


    They might be willing to admit that there are geniuses in the world, but that genius definitely could not be the son of a farmer like Rein.


    The swordsmanship instructor Humbert had also noticed Rein��s changes, and couldn��t help being greatly surprised in his heart.


    For him, who had been teaching child servants in the manor for many years, if Rein had indeed not learned basic swordsmanship before, then Rein��s current level of swordsmanship might not be the highest, but it was definitely the fastest improving one!


    At first, when Rein executed those three basic moves, they were stiff and poor, clearly the work of a swordsmanship novice.


    But now, he seemed to have been practicing hard for one or two months and had become very adept; could it be that Rein possessed an extremely high comprehension for swordsmanship?


    Or was it a natural tacit understanding with the sword?


    Humbert decided to observe a bit longer.


    After all, some people like to be a little clever.


    This had happened before in previous child servant training sessions.


    Some child servants deliberately hid the fact that they had learned basic swordsmanship, initially making him very hopeful, but then their progress nearly came to a standstill.


    So, the lie was quickly exposed!


    Because it��s easy to tell the difference between someone who had learned earlier and someone who truly has talent as time goes on.


    Actually, Rein was already being quite restrained, intentionally slowing down the speed and accuracy of his ironwood sword��s chopping; otherwise, it would have been even more dazzling!


    While the child servants were undergoing basic swordsmanship training, sons of the low-level nobility and wealthy merchants had also come to the outer fort��s central area to practice swordsmanship.


    Leading them was the noble girl with the chestnut-colored ponytail!


    As the youngest daughter of the Habsburg Earl, wherever Cleya went, she was the center of attention.


    Cleya glanced over and saw the child servants practicing their basic swordsmanship.


    She nodded to herself, not bad!


    The training of the manor��s child servants was well implemented; Knight Lloyd was really dedicated.


    Oh?


    After casually glancing at the child servants, Cleya immediately noticed that two or three of them stood out from the rest of the group with their swordsmanship.


    First was a freckled boy, who was seriously practicing the three styles of basic swordsmanship, looking capable �C he was one of the more remarkable among the child servants.


    Second was the tall boy with thick eyebrows and big eyes, who had the most refined basic swordsmanship of all the child servants, but it seemed to be set in stone, and he made no progress after several practices.


    This was most likely someone who had practiced basic swordsmanship beforehand.


    He could be skipped over.


    The last one was a black-haired, skinny boy who stood at the very edge of the group, currently practicing while dripping with sweat.


    Even though his posture seemed far from standard to Cleya, and even the continuity of his force application had some issues, one could tell he was working hard.


    What particularly caught Cleya��s eye was that she noticed after several repetitions, his movements visibly became a bit more standard.


    This rate of improvement��


    Seemed like a promising seedling!


    Cleya tilted her head slightly and beckoned to Shadia, the Chief Maid standing beside her, and asked:


    ��Shadia, who is that, the black-haired boy on the far right?��


    ��That is Rein, a farmer��s child, his parents are tenants of the manor.��


    ��And the freckled boy?��


    ��That��s Leonard, the son of the Beech Hotel owner in Flashgold Town.��


    Cleya nodded, not saying anything further.


    At that moment, a nobleman who was paying attention to Cleya couldn��t help but speak out: ��Lady Cleya, they��re just a bunch of lowly commoners, not worthy of your noble concern.��


    ��Dennis! These are all subjects of the Habsburg family, not the lowborn you speak of!�� Cleya glanced unhappily at the nobleman, retorting.


    She had heard that in the New Continent, the commoners of the Eagle Federation were starting to run for parliament, yet many nobles in the ancient empire still believed their nobility was inborn, and that commoners were naturally inferior and ugly.


    This kind of bad habit made Cleya feel very helpless!


    After being rebuked by Cleya, the noble youth named Dennis clearly had a hint of anger on his face, but he did not dare to make a scene, only enduring in silence.


    Meanwhile, a young man dressed in silk clothes behind Dennis looked at Cleya, then at Dennis, seemingly thinking of something amusing, his mouth curving slightly into a smile.

 Chapter 13 - 13 - 12: Rein vs. The Brow

    Chapter 13 �C 12: Rein vs. The Brow


    Five days later.


    As Rein gradually demonstrated swordsmanship skills at a Lv2 standard, the observing swordsmanship instructor Humbert was mostly convinced that Rein possessed an extremely high understanding of swordsmanship.


    Frankly speaking, Rein was a swordsmanship prodigy, but only a common one �C one in a hundred.


    This made Humbert look at Rein in a new light.


    With proper training, he had the makings of a guard, or even a captain of the guard!


    ��Today, we will begin sparring with swords!��


    ��In swordsmanship, if you want to improve quickly, you need a sparring partner.��


    ...


    ��And the sparring partner should not be chosen at random, the best is someone of equal strength. Only then can your swordsmanship improve the most.�� Humbert��s ringing voice echoed across the training field.


    ��Rein, Richard, the two of you come up and demonstrate the sparring, the rest of you watch closely!�� Humbert called out.


    The man with thick eyebrows was none other than Richard.


    ��Yes, instructor!�� The two men said in unison.


    After speaking, they quickly stepped out from the ranks and positioned themselves in front of the troop, assuming the initial stance of basic swordsmanship, with the tips of their iron-wood swords pointing at each other.


    Thick-Eyebrow felt an indescribable anxiety and irritation about Rein��s recent changes.


    Previously, when Rein stood out while fixing donkey hooves or nailing horseshoes, he did not care at all.


    Because his goal was to become a manor guard, and it was clear from his studying basic swordsmanship with his relatives in advance for the past two years.


    But what he did not expect was that during the swordsmanship training, Rein once again attracted the attention of the swordsmanship instructor Humbert.


    This, he found difficult to accept!


    If this continued, this kid Rein would sooner or later become his formidable rival.


    Moreover, Rein had fought with him before, and he had come off worse.


    So, Thick-Eyebrow had been thinking all along whether he should ��accidentally�� hurt Rein during the sparring, maybe even to the point where Rein would be unable to hold a sword?!


    ��Begin!��


    Right after Humbert��s command, Rein and Thick-Eyebrow both thrust their swords at the same time, but Rein immediately noticed that Thick-Eyebrow��s sword was slightly faster.


    This was due to the other��s taller stature, longer reach, and more practiced basic swordsmanship giving him an advantage.


    Instantly, Rein quickly changed his move and used the strong sword body to block the opponent��s thrust.


    ��Bang!��


    The iron-wood swords clashed with a dull sound.


    Rein stepped back three paces, while Thick-Eyebrow only stepped back one, clearly showing he had the upper hand.


    Thick-Eyebrow showed a look of triumph!


    No matter how prodigious you are, kid, it��ll be at least half a year before you can surpass me.


    But Rein��s expression remained calm, as he had anticipated this situation all along.


    Firstly, when it comes to height, Thick-Eyebrow was nearly a head taller than him, which naturally meant he had a much longer reach.


    This is quite advantageous in a swordfight.


    Secondly, with nearly two years of studying basic swordsmanship, Thick-Eyebrow��s skills were not something Rein��s current Lv2 basic swordsmanship could compare with.


    Rein estimated that, converted into the system��s display of swordsmanship levels, Thick-Eyebrow��s swordsmanship skill should have reached or be close to a Lv3 standard.


    Rein continuously blocked Thick-Eyebrow��s multiple attacks, and it was fraught with danger!


    Although there was no threat to his life, the heavy strikes of the iron-wood sword were enough to cause excruciating pain!


    ��If I don��t increase my own swordsmanship level, I��m definitely going to lose this match!��


    ��What is Instructor Humbert��s purpose in having me spar with Thick-Eyebrow this time? To motivate me to strive harder after a defeat, or to further stimulate my potential?�� S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Bang! Bang! Bang!�� The dull sounds of the iron-wood swords clashing kept coming!


    Humbert, standing with his arms crossed, watched the two duel with an impassive face.


    Although he had already made up his mind that if nothing unexpected happened, Thick-Eyebrow would win the bout.


    Then Rein, having undergone a minor setback, should be inspired to strive harder!


    Good steel needs to be hammered!


    At this moment, the tall Cleya took the lead, accompanied by a group of nobles and rich merchants�� sons, riding into the outer fort from outside, seemingly having just finished their horseback riding training.


    On their high vantage point, they clearly saw two servant boys sparring.


    The sweaty Rein also sensed the hostility from Thick-Eyebrow!


    Because several times the opponent had deliberately aimed at his vital points.


    ��Damn! Holding a grudge, are we?��


    ��No wonder this bastard has been so quiet these past few days, so he��s been waiting for me here!��


    ��Serious injury? To put me out of action for one or two months?��


    ��Fuck, this is utterly intolerable!��


    Rein��s face showed a trace of fierceness!


    Add points!


    As Rein decisively used a skill point, in an instant, Basic Swordsmanship rose from lv2 to lv3. At the same time, fragments of training memories regarding Basic Swordsmanship also flooded into his mind.


    Meanwhile, the thick-browed man noticed that Rein had a moment of blankness.


    He inwardly thought, ��Good opportunity!��


    With that, a fierce look crossed his face as he stepped forward and chopped down at Rein��s right shoulder.


    If this blow were to hit, lying down for ten days to half a month would be considered mild, and moreover, it was very likely that he could not study swordsmanship for one or two months.


    Facing the thick-browed man��s attack, in an instant, Rein felt the wooden sword in his hand as if it was an extension of his own arm!


    That feeling was as though the longsword was an extension of his arm!


    In the blink of an eye, Rein once again blocked strongly with the sword horizontally.


    ��Bang!��


    The two wooden swords struck each other, once again making a dull sound.


    But this time, Rein firmly caught it and did not retreat!


    The thick-browed man, using the recoil from the clash, smoothly spun around and executed a spinning downward chop, swiftly aiming for Rein��s face and eyes.


    At this moment, the thick-browed man felt incredibly exhilarated!


    This move was him performing above his swordsman level.


    In his mind, there was no way Rein could block it!


    When the time came, all he had to do was pretend that it was an accidental injury and act the part!


    Heh, the nickname ��One-Eyed Rein�� doesn��t sound too bad!


    The corner of the thick-browed man��s mouth curled up with a tiny trace of smugness!


    This downward chop immediately made the onlooking boys exclaim in surprise.


    George watched Rein anxiously, unsure if his close friend could fend off this attack.


    Swordsmanship instructor Humbert was poised and ready to intervene and block the sword!


    A jolt of alarm shot through Rein��s heart, and in an instant, he put power into his waist, instinctively leaned back quickly, and, using the strong blade, once again shielded himself, blocking the thick-browed man��s fierce strike.


    Then, using the strength of his abdominal muscles, he sprang up and counterattacked rapidly.


    ��Snap!��


    The thick-browed man��s wrist, holding the sword, was struck heavily by Rein, and the wooden sword dropped in response!


    The swift reversal of the situation left the surrounding youths dumbfounded!


    Suddenly, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop!


    ��Huh! This sort of instinctive intuition with swordsmanship, seems like I underestimated myself before!�� Humbert was both surprised and slightly excited at this point.


    And at a distance, Cleya, daughter of Earl Habsburg, also had a glint of admiration in her beautiful eyes.


    ��I remember Shadia saying that this black-haired boy seems to be named Rein, his father is a tenant farmer of the manor. Very good, a clean family background, maybe�� I could try nurturing him?��


    If he truly had talent, she wouldn��t skimp on giving him a chance.


    However��.


    Whether or not he could seize the opportunity, that remained to be seen in his performance.


    ��Rein wins!�� Swordsmanship instructor Humbert immediately announced loudly, with an approving expression.


    The thick-browed man, expressionless, watched Rein��s retreating figure as he left the field, feelings of resentment rising in his heart!


    ��Go on and be smug, Rein! Just you wait, damn it!!��


    He had already thought of another way to deal with Rein!


    Originally, he had been too proud to stoop to such methods.


    But this brat Rein was improving too quickly!


    So quickly that it gave him a feeling of alarm and dread!


    His family had run a tavern for many years, and the thick-browed man knew many people from all walks of life.


    For instance, Drunk Jack, who was a great choice, having been a mercenary, was no ordinary talent!


    Rein, stepping off the field, suddenly stiffened!


    Then, he was overjoyed.


    The system notification read as follows:


    [Your skill Basic Swordsmanship has improved, Experience +17]


    [You have experienced a battle, Militia Professional Experience Points +9]


    ��A short bout of sparring, and I actually gained 9 points of Professional Experience Points, this is almost the result of two days�� worth of training!��


    ��It seems what Instructor Humbert said was completely right!��


    ��Constantly sparring with an opponent of similar level is the shortcut to rapidly improving swordsmanship!��


    For a moment, Rein felt that the thick-browed man was not as repulsive as before��.

 Chapter 14 - 14 - 13: The Tireless Rein

    Chapter 14 �C 13: The Tireless Rein


    ��However��.��


    ��After that defeat, it��s clear that even if he suggests sparring, the other party will definitely refuse!��


    ��What a pity��.��


    Rein glanced around at the young servants, the only one with strength close to his was Thick Eyebrows, so��choose Freckles?


    As Rein was pondering, Swordsmanship Instructor Humbert shouted loudly:


    ��Pair up yourselves and practice!��


    Thick Eyebrows directly chose Freckles for the practice.


    ...


    This meant Rein could only practice with George.


    But basically, with one exertion of force, Rein could defeat George, which greatly reduced the effectiveness of Rein��s practice!


    This scene was clearly seen by Humbert, who had always been paying attention to Rein.


    After thinking for a moment, the opportunity-seeking Humbert stepped forward and said:


    ��Rein, come here, let��s spar a bit.��


    The words of Swordsmanship Instructor Humbert took all the young servants by surprise.


    And the gaze with which Thick Eyebrows and the group of pretenders looked at Rein was filled with even more jealousy!


    Clearly, this also startled Rein. Although he had improved the basic swordsmanship to lv3, in terms of strength, he was definitely no match for Humbert.


    But upon further thought, Rein was overjoyed!


    Instructor Humbert was planning to feed him moves!


    Rein checked the Militiaman��s profession panel again, basic swordsmanship Lv3 (20/500) was still far from levelling up, but his current Militiaman level was already Militiaman Lv1 (69/100).


    If he could practice with an expert, Rein was sure that he could soon raise his Militiaman Profession Level to Lv2.


    ��Yes, Instructor Humbert!��


    ��Rein, don��t be nervous, attack me,�� Humbert said, smiling encouragingly.


    Rein nodded, bowed slightly to Instructor Humbert, and then assumed the basic swordsmanship starting stance.


    The next second, Rein��s right hand held the ironwood shortsword level with his chest, the tip pointing outward, his right foot took a step, he pushed off with the tip of his foot, propelling his whole body forward like an arrow shot from a bow toward Humbert.


    It was a standard striding thrust!


    Facing Swordsmanship Instructor Humbert, Rein��s strike was not held back but was made with full force.


    ��Bang!��


    The dull sound of ironwood meeting echoed.


    Humbert parried Rein��s thrust with a swing of his sword and quickly delivered a chopping blow, forcing Rein to retreat and block immediately.


    Upon clashing, Rein detected that Instructor Humbert controlled his strength to a very subtle degree.


    Almost every swing of the sword was nearly the same as Rein��s limit in strength.


    Their exchange was extremely fast, and in just over ten seconds, they had exchanged more than a dozen moves back and forth.


    ��Bang!��


    After another clash, they quickly separated.


    The sparring ended!


    ��Very good! Rein, take a rest,�� Humbert was very satisfied with Rein��s performance just now.


    It was clear to all the young servants below that Instructor Humbert was feeding moves to Rein.


    This was akin to the special coaching given in the past.


    Only top students got this kind of treatment!


    Now, all the young servants looked at Rein with jealousy��this kid had talent not only in blacksmithing but now in swordsmanship as well, which was really��.


    Among them, Thick Eyebrows was burning with the most jealousy, his eyes turning red with anger!


    ��Damn it, Rein! If it weren��t for this brat, now Instructor Humbert��s focus would definitely be on me!��


    ��The practice partner, too, would definitely be me!��


    ��


    Meanwhile, Rein was catching his breath deeply, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.


    ��Huff~~ Huff~~��


    The short battle with Swordsmanship Instructor Humbert had drained Rein of a lot of physical strength and spirit.


    Because the pressure Humbert gave him was far greater than Thick Eyebrows.


    Having regained his breath, he once again checked the system notifications:


    [Your skill ��Basic Swordsmanship�� has gained improvement, Experience +21]


    [You have experienced a battle, Militia Profession Experience Points +12]


    ��Hiss! That��s a lot of experience!��


    ��That brief sparring session of less than half a minute was equivalent to nearly three days of hard training on my own! Of course, this was the result of Humbert deliberately suppressing his own strength and feeding the moves to me.��


    Seeing that Rein seemed to have recovered, Humbert, with a smile on his face, leisurely walked up to him and said,


    ��Rein, your basic swordsmanship is now on par with a regular militiaman, but don��t be complacent. Continue to train hard!��


    ��Thank you for the compliment, instructor! I will keep working hard,�� Rein promptly replied respectfully.


    Humbert smiled and nodded. He glanced at the sunset about to dip below the horizon��it was Saturday, and the servant boys could go home.


    So, he turned to the servant boys and announced, ��Today��s swordsmanship practice is over! You are dismissed!��


    At once, the already exhausted servant boys couldn��t help but cheer, many of them flopped down on the ground to rest.


    Humbert then leisurely prepared to leave the outer castle courtyard.


    At that moment, he casually noticed Rein by his side staring intently at him, which made him curiously ask,


    ��Rein, what is it? Is there something you need?��


    Humbert was quite fond of this young man with a natural talent for swordsmanship.


    His steadfast character displayed during intense training deeply reminded him of his own younger days!


    ��This�� Humbert, may I have another bout with you?�� Rein asked with a hopeful expression.


    Such a great opportunity to earn experience points was not to be missed, after all.


    Humbert, unaware of Rein��s inner thoughts at that moment, thought Rein��s youthful spirit of not wanting to lose was coming through.


    He smiled and looked Rein up and down before saying, ��Sure! But�� Rein, are you sure you don��t need to rest a bit first?��


    ��As long as you want, I can keep practicing with you.��


    ��Really, Instructor?�� The joy on Rein��s face was evident.


    At this point, Rein was nearly at his physical limit, but the chance to have personal training with Humbert was too good to pass up, especially since dog trainer training was starting next week.


    Therefore, Rein hesitated no more and allocated the few attribute points he had reserved during his blacksmith apprenticeship upgrade directly to his Strength.


    Suddenly, a warm flow surged from his heart and spread throughout his body!


    In an instant, all of Rein��s fatigue vanished!


    Boosting points for recovery, powerful!


    After this increase, Rein��s Strength reached 6 points, roughly on par with the average adult male in this world!


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith Apprentice lv3 (0/500) / Militia lv1 (81/100)


    Constitution: 5


    Strength: 6


    Agility: 6


    Spirit: 8


    ��..


    The sparring resumed!


    After three rounds of sparring, Humbert was sweating profusely, while Rein still had a hungry look in his eyes, gazing eagerly at him, which made Humbert��s scalp tingle a bit.


    ��You know�� Rein, sometimes overtraining isn��t necessarily good. It��s important to balance work and rest,�� Humbert gently cautioned.


    ��Instructor, I��m not tired!�� Rein firmly responded.


    Looking at his panel showing Militia lv1 (99/100), Rein clearly didn��t want to remain just one point short of leveling up.


    ��Just one point away from upgrading my Militia Profession Level!��


    ��Instructor, push it a bit!�� Rein shouted inwardly!


    After a moment of silence, Humbert softly said, ��Ahem�� Rein, it��s getting dark, and well�� I have some things to take care of at home.��


    This�� S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Faced with Humbert��s subtle refusal, Rein felt helpless!


    He could only reluctantly watch as the back of his swordsmanship instructor, Humbert, quickly receded.


    ��.

 Chapter 15 - 15 - 14 The Invitation of the Chief Maid

    Chapter 15 �C 14 The Invitation of the Chief Maid


    Just as Rein fretted over that single Experience point, an attractive maid dressed in a gray uniform approached him and said,


    ��Rein, Chief Maid Shadia asks for your presence in the lower back garden.��


    Hmm?


    Rein, momentarily taken aback, hesitated briefly before nodding in acquiescence, ��Alright, I��ll be there momentarily.��


    ��George, you go on ahead and let my parents know that I may be late for dinner, asking them not to wait for me.��


    George, who had been waiting at the side, nodded. However, he was quite puzzled��when had Rein gotten to know Chief Maid Shadia?


    After all, the Chief Maid is a senior servant, second only to the butler and the treasurer in the Habsburg manor.


    ...


    Soon, Rein followed the maid, passing through the towering back doors of the castle and stepping into its rear gardens for the first time.


    ��Rein, please come in. Chief Maid Shadia is inside,�� said the beautiful maid with a slight smile before she took her leave.


    Rein nodded slightly in thanks for the maid��s guidance.


    At this moment, he already had some speculations in his heart.


    However, some things had to wait until the moment of revelation to be confirmed.


    When Rein entered the garden, he saw the lady standing by the flowerbeds��none other than the Chief Maid Shadia, likely in her forties.


    Dressed in a refined black maid��s uniform with a stern expression, she exuded an air of severity.


    But the protagonist in the back garden was not the Chief Maid.


    It was instead the noble young lady, wearing a fitted hunting outfit, who was not far from her, standing in the center of the garden!


    At that moment, she was fully engrossed in swinging her Dual-Handed Greatsword, seemingly in contemplation of some sort of swordsmanship.


    This was an incredibly pleasant surprise for Rein!


    He had not expected to catch the attention of such a distinguished individual.


    He always thought it would be quite an honor to attract the attention of Combat Instructor Humbert.


    Exaggerating a bit, having the attention of Habsburg Manor��s Butler and Knight, Lord Lloyd, would even be better!


    But he never expected to capture the attention of a noble young lady!


    He had heard of her identity��the youngest daughter of the Earl, her status far above that of Lord Lloyd, the Butler, and Knight of Habsburg Manor.


    ��Rein, there are swords over there. Pick one and attack me!�� Lady Creya stopped her movements, turned to Rein and instructed.


    Had Rein not anticipated such an event, his heart would surely be in turmoil at this moment.


    ��As you wish, Lady Creya.��


    As Rein approached the rack of weapons, he realized that the swords were all sharpened steel Longswords of various types��short swords, knightly Longswords, Bastard Swords, and even Dual-Handed Greatswords, all seeming to be of exceptional quality.


    After some thought, Rein chose a Knight��s Longsword that was about the same length as the training Ironwood sword he was familiar with, and stood ready in the center of the garden.


    This was his first time in either his past or present life holding such a sharp weapon, about to engage in a ��battle�� with someone. He couldn��t help but feel tense inside.


    ��If you��re ready, then let��s begin,�� Creya said with a slight smile, her Dual-Handed Greatsword now exchanged for a Bastard Sword.


    Rein nodded.


    ��Swoosh!��


    Creya immediately delivered a downward slash at Rein, who instinctively blocked with his sword horizontally.


    ��Clang!�� The sound of metal striking metal rang out.


    But this was just the beginning, Creya followed up with a rapid three-strike combination!


    Suddenly, Rein��s pupils shrank and he swiftly retreated! S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though he kept retreating, he was barely able to defend, with no chance to counterattack!


    Three seconds later, Creya��s sword stopped at Rein��s neck!


    Three seconds!


    He lasted only three seconds!


    In this sparring session with Creya, Rein resisted for merely three seconds before he was swiftly defeated.


    This was in spite of the fact that Creya had deliberately held back, controlling her physical abilities to match Rein��s level!


    Rein sensed this too, especially since he had seen her swinging around a seventy or eighty-pound Dual-Handed Greatsword as if it were a mere stick.


    Yet, this three-second skirmish brought Rein:


    [Your skill in Basic Swordsmanship has improved, Experience Points +15]


    [Having engaged in combat, your Militia Profession Experience Points +4]


    [Congratulations, your Militia Profession Level has increased!]


    [Remaining attribute points: 1]


    [Remaining Skill Points: 1]


    ��You��ve learned the basic swordsmanship quite well; it��s quite rare among young servants. You do have a certain talent for swordsmanship, but it��s not top-notch,�� the girl said, looking up at Rein.


    ��Unfortunately, your physical condition is a bit lacking. The hope of becoming a formal knight isn��t very great.��


    ��It seems I was hoping for too much. It��s really difficult to find someone with knight potential among ordinary people,�� Cleya said with a hint of disappointment.


    Wait a minute, who is she looking down on?


    At this moment, the look that the noble girl gave him made Rein realize why they say women are the driving force for a man��s determination to become stronger!


    ��Wait a moment, Lady Cleya, I want to try one more time. Can you give me another chance?�� Rein said, looking up at the girl with a burning gaze.


    ��Oh? Can you handle it?��


    The girl looked at Rein with a half-smile.


    At that moment, Rein really wanted to shout to Cleya that when a beauty asks a man if he can handle it, would any man give a second type of answer?


    Of course, he could!


    Without hesitation, Rein immediately added the attribute points he had just gained from leveling up to Militia lv2 into agility!


    In the martial world, only speed is unbreakable!


    It was precisely because Cleya��s sword was so fast that he had been unable to react in time.


    When his agility went from 6 to 7 points, a warm surge pumped from his heart, quickly spreading through his body, and suddenly Rein felt a renewed sense of strength throughout his body.


    That��s the best part about adding points; it always fully restores your stamina!


    The girl was about to refuse, but seeing the determined look in Rein��s eyes as he got up again, she nodded and said, ��Ok! But this is your last chance.��


    Rein gave a slight bow, and the next second.


    ��Whoosh!��


    The speed at which Rein stepped forward had increased by at least twenty percent, which slightly startled Cleya.


    ��Clang!��


    With his stamina fully recovered and his agility increased by one point, as well as his familiarity with the steel sword from the previous fight.


    Due to several contributing factors, his combat ability was now a whole level higher than before.


    Huh? This level of strength.


    The more the girl fought, the more surprised she became.


    ��Ding ding clang clang!�� The two engaged in rapid combat!


    The Chief Maid Shadia, watching from the side, also had a change in the way she looked at Rein, shifting from calm to surprised!


    ��Stop!��


    After a sudden thrust of her sword, the girl repelled Rein and said,


    ��Not bad, Rein. You can go back now.��


    Now Rein was a bit confused��did she acknowledge him or not?


    He had deliberately kept some Skill Points in reserve in case Lady Cleya was not satisfied, so he could��


    But given her current stance, all Rein could do was give a slight bow and say, ��Goodbye, Lady Cleya!��


    Then, Rein turned and left.


    The girl watched Rein��s departing figure intently.


    She had been ready to give up, but Rein had suddenly given her a pleasant surprise.


    From his expression, it seemed that even the strength he had just displayed wasn��t his limit; it appeared he still had something in reserve?


    Interesting.


    If that��s the case, then he might indeed be a knight prospect worth cultivating. However, there��s no rush; she needed to investigate his background first.


    At this moment, Shadia, pondering, asked with a hint of confusion,


    ��Miss, why do you value this Rein so much?��


    ��Although Rein seems to have decent talent, both Young Master Dennis and Young Master Marcos are already level three knight attendants, and they are much stronger than Rein, who is about the same age.��


    In the Chief Maid��s eyes, Rein might have good talent, but starting knight training now was just too late.


    She didn��t think Rein had any chance of catching up with Dennis and Marcos.


    Yet if Rein��s future was just to become an ordinary guard, then he wouldn��t be worth the trouble the mistress was taking.


    ��Shadia, Rein is fundamentally different from them. Dennis is the son of Baron Norman and has been practicing the family��s inherited Knight Breathing Method from a young age. His current strength is proof of mediocre talent at best,�� Cleya said slowly.


    ��And Marcos is the son of the president of the Bordeaux Merchants�� Guild. He has been taking all sorts of potions to enhance his attributes since he was a child. It may seem like he��s making fast progress, but he has already exhausted his potential, and the possibility of becoming a formal knight is very low,�� Cleya explained.


    Shadia��s eyes widened; it was the first time she had heard her mistress talk about this.


    ��So you mean to say, Rein has high potential?��

 Chapter 16 - 16 - 15 Drunkard Jack

    Chapter 16 �C 15 Drunkard Jack


    The girl did not answer immediately; instead, she turned around, bent down, and gently stroked a pure white horseshoe orchid in the back garden, creating a beautiful curve.


    ��Shadia, do you know what conditions a person needs to meet to become a Transcendent?��


    The Chief Maid furrowed her brow, deep in thought over the question.


    Though she was literate and often read books, they were mostly about noble etiquette, introductions to noble emblems, or the daily management of estates.


    The scope of this question frankly exceeded her knowledge.


    After a good while, the Chief Maid, frowning delicately and with some hesitation, replied, ��Talent?��


    The girl let out a gentle smile: ��You��ve got one right.��


    ...


    ��To become a Transcendent, one must have four conditions simultaneously: determination, talent, perseverance, and opportunity.��


    ��I had seen determination and perseverance in Rein, which is why I asked you to call him to the back garden.��


    ��Just now, I confirmed that he indeed possesses considerable talent.��


    Upon hearing this, the Chief Maid said with sudden realization, ��I see, but����


    ��Miss, you just mentioned three qualities that Rein possesses, but didn��t you say one needs four?�� S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Shadia, are you talking about opportunity? I am his opportunity!�� the girl declared, her face blooming into a radiant smile.


    ��.


    Inside the Flashgold Town Inn.


    Bushy brows were deep in conversation with a burly adult male in a secluded corner.


    ��Drunkard Jack, here are 10 silver coins; just break that kid Rein��s sword hand and it��ll be enough,�� Richard said sourly to the adult male beside him.


    Skillful, even with a talent?


    If his hand is broken, I��d like to see how the boy will learn swordsmanship!


    ��Just 10 silver coins? That��s not enough to buy me two days�� worth of drink.��


    The man known as Drunkard Jack was still somewhat sturdy in appearance, having once been a mercenary.


    Though he now spent his years frequenting taverns or mingling with streetwalkers, his strength was no longer what it once was.


    ��Richard, make it at least 15 silver coins, and I��ll take care of that kid for you!�� Drunkard Jack gestured for more money, greed shining in his eyes.


    ��Fine, 15 it is! But you have to make sure this doesn��t get out,�� Richard gritted his teeth and agreed to the price increase.


    After all, with the money he had on hand, he couldn��t afford to hire a real expert; he could only rely on people like Drunkard Jack.


    But to deal with Rein, that would suffice, right?


    ��Today he should be heading home to stay the night, and tomorrow evening he will return to the manor.��


    ��So, Drunkard Jack, if you��re going to act, seize the opportunity and make your move quickly!��


    ��Burp�� No worries!�� Drunkard Jack belched, patting his chest in assurance.


    ��Just a little brat!��


    Before leaving, Richard gave it some thought and reminded Drunkard Jack, ��That kid��s got some talent for swordsmanship; don��t capsize in the gutter!��


    ��Pfft! Don��t forget, I used to be a mercenary! A mercenary!�� Drunkard Jack muttered, scoffing at Richard��s caution.


    After Richard left, Drunkard Jack planned to have a couple more drinks.


    But as he lifted his head, he inadvertently caught sight of a familiar figure walking past the front of the tavern.


    ��Eh? Isn��t that the kid, Rein?��


    Drunkard Jack was overjoyed at once.


    ��Tsk tsk! Easy money!��


    Immediately, Drunkard Jack stood up and began to follow him.


    At dusk, as the sun set in the west, Rein hurried home, pondering what move Lady Creya would make next.


    Would she recruit him directly, or would she say��


    Suddenly, he heard the faint sound of footsteps from behind.


    The wind whistled behind his head!


    The effects of his agility raised to 7 points were now fully displayed.


    Rein abruptly darted forward, causing the attacker��s planned blow to the back of his head to miss entirely.


    But Rein hadn��t completely evaded injury; the strike still landed heavily on his back.


    ��Smack!��


    A severe pain shot through his back, but it was much better than being hit in the back of the head.


    At the same time, the attacker behind Rein had not expected his seemingly guaranteed strike to miss, and the person froze in surprise.


    Seizing the moment of the attacker��s hesitation, Rein quickly turned around and grabbed the stick used to attack him, pulling it with force!


    The attacker, of course, was not about to let go and immediately gripped the stick tightly, but in his haste, he still staggered from Rein��s pull.


    With this pull, the attacker��s mind momentarily relaxed.


    Indeed, his opponent was just a youngster, whose strength was far from matching his own; even with the element of surprise, the young foe couldn��t seize the stick from his hands, which was quite weak.


    As he was thinking this.


    ��Snap!��


    Rein delivered an extremely swift uppercut kick, striking hard at the center of his adversary��s groin.


    ��Ahh!!��


    The attacker��s face went ashen as a pig��s liver, releasing the stick in agony, clutching his groin with both hands, and immediately squatting down.


    Rein, holding the stick, aimed it at the attacker��s temple, and struck down hard!


    ��Bang!��


    Without even a grunt, the attacker crumpled to the ground.


    Only then did Rein start to breathe heavily.


    Although the struggle had lasted less than ten seconds, it was his first time being attacked in this world.


    It was a real fight!


    Luckily, he had made significant progress in all his physical attributes and swordsmanship lately.


    Otherwise, he might not have been able to react to the attacker��s first blow in time.


    He could have been taken down with just one strike of the cudgel!


    Rein quickly looked up and scanned the surroundings.


    At this time, most of the residents of Flashgold Town had already gone home for dinner, and there were few people on the nearby streets.


    And Rein��s home was at the end of the town��s main thoroughfare, an isolated location, which meant even fewer passersby.


    This meant that almost no one had noticed what had happened here.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein expended some effort to drag the attacker into the nearby woods and found a vine about as thick as a thumb to tie the person in loops around a large tree.


    It was then that Rein ripped off the black scarf the attacker had used as a disguise.


    ��Eh! Isn��t this�� isn��t this ��Drunkard Jack, �� who loiters in the tavern all the time?��


    Flashgold Town was not a big place, and Rein immediately recognized the person��s identity.


    After a bit of contemplation, Rein thought of several suspects who might have been behind this deed��Bushy Eyebrows? Freckles? Or was it the other two scions?


    Clearly, Bushy Eyebrows was the most likely.


    After thinking it over, Rein woke Drunkard Jack up.


    ��Rein, you little brat, untie me right now!!!��


    ��Hmm��..��


    Rein swiftly pulled off Drunkard Jack��s smelly socks and stuffed them into the fellow��s mouth.


    Although the dense forest had good sound insulation, to be on the safe side, Rein quickly covered his mouth.


    A month��s worth of stench from unwashed socks, once pressed into Jack��s mouth, even made him tear up and drip mucus!


    Rein, disgusted, rubbed the hand that had touched the opponent��s smelly socks on the ground.


    ��I ask, you answer! If you understand, nod your head!�� Rein crouched down and stared at Jack, who was tied up like a rice dumpling.


    Apparently, the stench was unbearable, and Jack nodded his head frantically!


    Rein took the dirty socks out of the mouth of Drunkard Jack and said, ��Who told you to attack me?��


    Drunkard Jack gasped for air and said, ��Rein, you��d better let me go right now, or else��.��


    ��Hmm��.��


    Once again, Jack��s mouth was gagged with the smelly sock.


    Rein looked at Drunkard Jack fiercely and said, ��Drunkard Jack, it seems you haven��t grasped the situation. We��re in the forest, and if I let a little blood, it won��t be long before wild animals are attracted.��


    ��You don��t have relatives in Flashgold Town, and nobody cares about you there, so when people notice your disappearance, it��s likely half a month will have passed.��


    ��You say��..��

 Chapter 17 - 17 - 16 What is this number?

    Chapter 17 �C 16 What is this number?


    At first, Drunkard Jack��s eyes held a strong sense of disdain.


    ��You, a mere brat, have the audacity to kill someone?��


    He simply didn��t believe it!


    But when Rein laid out a very feasible plan, word by word, his eyes slowly filled with horror!


    And Rein immediately caught the flash of terror that passed through the other��s eyes.


    He had a chance!


    This was nothing but a hollow tough guy.


    ...


    So, Rein continued to threaten with an emotionless face, ��And at that time, what would you have left? Probably not even your bones.��


    ��But no one will suspect me, because I��m just a child!��


    At this point, Drunkard Jack��s expression seemed to start yielding.


    Go to hell, still a child?!


    Is there such a ruthless child?


    Richard only wanted me to break your hand, but damn it, you��re directly after my life!


    Drunkard Jack had always been a coward; otherwise, he wouldn��t have stopped being a mercenary after doing it for some time.


    Because he felt that the blood-spattered life of a mercenary really didn��t suit him.


    This time, as soon as Rein removed the stinky sock from his mouth, Drunkard Jack immediately shouted, ��It was the tavern keeper��s kid, Richard, he gave me some money to break your hand!!��


    Upon hearing this, Rein knew it was that bushy-browed guy.


    Rein hadn��t ruled out the possibility that Drunkard Jack was lying, but it��s very hard to lie when one is scared.


    Of course, the most important thing was that the bushy-browed guy had the motive to do this.


    His natural talent in swordsmanship seemed to really irk Bushy-brows.


    Recalling the look in Bushy-brows�� eyes when he was defeated in the day��s sparring, Rein quickly connected the two events.


    ��


    Meanwhile, in the dense forest nearby, a silent spectator had appeared.


    Just now, Hamilton had heard an unusual noise from the woods. As the newly appointed town sheriff of Flashgold Town, he was quite concerned about the local security.


    So, he immediately slipped into the woods to investigate.


    What he saw surprised him: a slender youth had tied up a burly man and was interrogating him!


    With just a glance, Hamilton recognized the burly man tied to the tree; it was Drunkard Jack, a man with a terrible reputation in Flashgold Town.


    This good-for-nothing often loitered around, committing petty theft, and boasted about his mercenary past to several widows every day. As a potential threat to local security, Hamilton had been watching him closely ever since he came to Flashgold Town.


    Quickly, he learned the whole story from Drunkard Jack��s interrogation.


    He hadn��t expected that this daring youth was just a commoner��s son and was currently undergoing servant training at the Habsburg manor.


    ��An interesting little bugger.��


    Following Hamilton��s gaze, we turn back to Rein.


    Rein appeared deep in thought.


    But, he hadn��t really considered that Bushy-brows, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, could be so devious!


    As for the man in front of him��


    Rein began to size up Drunkard Jack.


    This made Drunkard Jack think that Rein was really about to bleed him, and he couldn��t help but cry out in terror, ��Rein, stop! Let��s talk this out nicely!��


    ��Smack!��


    Rein struck Drunkard Jack hard on the head, prompting a miserable howl from him.


    ��What number is this?��


    Huh?


    Drunkard Jack��s eyes widened as he stared at the single finger that Rein was holding up.


    He quickly said, ��It��s one, one!��


    ��Wrong answer.��


    ��Smack!�� Rein struck his head hard again with a stick!


    ��What number is this?�� Rein asked again calmly.


    Drunkard Jack��s eyes bulged as he stared at the hand Rein held out.


    He wasn��t seeing things!


    There was only one finger!


    ��One, it��s one, stop hitting me!��


    ��Still wrong.��


    ��Smack!��


    Immediately after, Rein struck Jack��s forehead with his stick again.


    ��How many is this?�� Rein asked, gesturing with his fingers once more.


    By this time, Drunkard Jack was not feeling good at all and wailed with a crying tone:


    ��Whatever you say it is����


    ��Eh, not knocked senseless yet?�� Rein muttered to himself.


    Although he spoke softly, Hamilton, not far away and with formidable strength, heard everything clearly, causing the corners of his mouth to twitch involuntarily.


    The kid��s ruthless enough to dumbfound someone.


    But soon, Hamilton understood something and a slight smile formed on his lips.


    He guessed that this young man actually didn��t want to kill Drunkard Jack outright, which is why he aimed to beat him senseless, avoiding future trouble.


    ��However, having an additional murder case in my jurisdiction is not a good thing.��


    So, Hamilton took a few steps forward, his leather boots making a sound as they stepped on dry twigs.


    Meanwhile, Rein had just noticed Drunkard Jack��s exposed money pouch, bulging as though it contained a fair amount of coins.


    This made Rein��s eyes shine with anticipation.


    Just as he bent down to take the other��s money pouch, his body suddenly froze!


    Then, he quickly stood up, turned, and gripping the stick tightly, looked towards the direction from where the noise was coming.


    Indistinctly, he saw a tall figure emerging from the dense forest, causing cold sweat to break out on Rein��s back ��whoosh�� in an instant.


    Moreover, Rein could barely make out a longsword at the person��s waist.


    This startled Rein, making the hairs on his body stand on end!


    ��They have a weapon!�� Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I don��t know if they are friend or foe.��


    ��No! They must be an enemy, I don��t recognize any mercenary.��


    ��I can��t risk my life on this.��


    ��I must first flee into the forest to lose this person and ensure safety.��


    In just a moment, a series of thoughts flashed through Rein��s mind.


    The next second!


    Rein shot into the nearby dense forest like an agile monkey, disappearing in an instant.


    Hamilton was momentarily dumbfounded!


    But he immediately realized something and couldn��t help but show a face that was both annoyed and amused.


    Suddenly, as the dirt beneath Hamilton��s feet burst apart, his towering figure shot into the dense forest like an arrow released from a bow, moving nearly twice as fast as Rein.


    Rein, meanwhile, was darting left and right through the forest, trying to confuse his pursuer��s line of sight, and after maintaining high-speed running for a while, he started to feel the strain on his stamina.


    He slowed down his pace to listen carefully, and after a while, there seemed to be no movement behind him.


    So, Rein immediately hid behind a large tree, panting heavily.


    ��Huff~ Huff~��


    He thought to himself: ��Who could that be?��


    Suddenly, a stranger��s voice came from beside Rein: ��Not a bad speed!��


    Rein, as if struck by lightning, was startled and thought, ��He won��t let me go? He actually chased me this far!��


    ��Dammit!��


    This made Rein feel even more certain that the other person was an enemy, not a friend.


    Instantly, Rein��s face showed determination, and he made a decision��he decided to add his last Skill Points to his basic swordsmanship.


    After all, what��s the use of points if you��ve lost your life!

 Chapter 18 - 18 - 17 I’m Still a Child

    Chapter 18 �C 17 I��m Still a Child


    In an instant, Rein��s basic swordsmanship skill level 3 had risen to level 4.


    In his mind, hundreds of training images flashed by like a slideshow.


    Suddenly, Rein exploded with a fierce energy, wielding the stick he had just picked up and performed a striding thrust directly at the opponent��s face!


    ��Since I can��t escape, I might as well fight for a chance to survive!��


    This extraordinary and swift strike surprised Hamilton, and his appreciation for Rein increased a notch.


    Such temperament, speed, and swordsmanship in a common young boy was indeed a rare gift!


    ��Snap!��


    ...


    However, against Rein��s full-powered blow, Hamilton merely extended his right hand and, very ordinarily, gripped and securely fixed the swiftly attacking stick in front of him.


    No matter how hard Rein tried, he couldn��t move the stick at all, which suddenly made his heart sink to the bottom.


    ��It��s over! The difference in strength is just too great!��


    It was then that Hamilton slowly continued speaking:


    ��Don��t be nervous, young man. I��ll handle that drunkard Jack for you. I��ll make sure he spends a good while in the solitary cell, and afterward, I won��t let him trouble you again.��


    ��Ah! Solitary cell? Are�� Are you the newly appointed sheriff?�� Rein was stunned at first, but then immediately realized and blurted out.


    Immediately after, Rein carefully sized up the other man.


    The man was tall and imposing, wearing a male noble��s hunting outfit that fit perfectly, with a longsword at his waist, he indeed looked more like a noble than a bandit or a bounty hunter.


    This slightly eased Rein��s mind.


    ��Clever young man, I am indeed the new sheriff of Flashgold Town, Hamilton,��


    Seeing the astonishment on Rein��s face, Hamilton couldn��t help but show a trace of a smile on his serious face.


    It wasn��t that he wanted to scare Rein, but Rein��s quick reactions were somewhat unexpected, leaving him no chance to speak.


    ��Sir, I��m really sorry, I didn��t know you were���� Rein clearly detected the goodwill in the other man��s words.


    ��Haha, there��s nothing wrong with what you did to that drunkard Jack; after all, he attacked you first and you were merely defending yourself.��


    ��However����


    ��You just swung a weapon at an Imperial Baron and the sheriff of Flashgold Town, what do you think I should do to punish you?�� Hamilton said, slightly teasing.


    ��Ah! This���� Rein was dumbfounded, the sheriff before him had changed his tone so suddenly.


    ��However, considering your youth, I can forgive you this time, but you need to do something for me,�� Hamilton seemed not to want to stress Rein further and quickly changed his tone again.


    ��What is it? I won��t do anything illegal or disorderly!�� Rein immediately became alert and shot a glance at Hamilton, realizing that he had been waiting for him.


    Hamilton was left speechless!


    Illegal or disorderly?


    As the sheriff of a town in the Empire, would I ask a child to do something illegal or disorderly?


    However, after thinking it over, he decided to reveal a bit of information to Rein, saying:


    ��I can��t tell you the details right now, but�� you should know about the child disappearances that have been happening from time to time. I��m closely monitoring this issue.��


    Upon hearing this, Rein sighed in relief!


    So, it was about that!


    Even in his past life, he had a deep disdain for human traffickers.


    Now, since Sheriff Hamilton had caught him in a bind, if it was just about him cooperating on the child disappearance cases, he could agree to that.


    Actually, even if he didn��t want to agree, the situation compelled him to!


    Although�� do all sheriffs nowadays have such a sense of responsibility?


    Suddenly, Rein didn��t dislike the man in front of him so much!


    No, wait!


    I am still a child!


    In terms of strength, I��m barely stronger than an ordinary militiaman; what could I possibly help him with?


    Rein immediately realized that something might be amiss here!


    Should he just refuse outright?


    It won��t work!


    They��ve got something on me.


    Forget it, just play along for now, and agree first.


    Strength!


    It looks like I need to enhance my strength after all!


    ��Okay! However�� Sir, my abilities are limited, I��m still a child, and I can��t help much,�� Rein spread his hands, his expression showing no fear of boiling water.


    This couldn��t help but make Hamilton laugh!


    In his heart, he thought, ��Still a child? With your disposition, swordsmanship, and speed, I��m afraid most of the militia aren��t a match for you!�� S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Don��t worry, it won��t exceed your capabilities,�� Hamilton said, smiling and shaking his head.


    ��Then�� respected Sheriff Sir, may I go home now?��


    ��Of course!��


    As soon as Hamilton finished speaking, Rein ran off like a startled rabbit, without looking back!


    This made Hamilton shake his head helplessly again. Such a shrewd little guy!


    ��However�� handling this case, indeed requires someone like Rein�� it might just have surprising effects!��


    Rein ran all the way to near his house before he slowed down, his chest heaving greatly.


    ��Huff~ Huff~��


    At this moment, his mood was both excited and scared, along with a bit of regret and disappointment!


    ��Everything about tonight��s incident was under control!


    But, unfortunately, I ran into the new Sheriff, Hamilton.


    His strength is too great!


    Rein thought about it, skill-wise Humbert, the servant swordsman, probably isn��t his opponent; it seems only the noble young men��s instructor, Lord Perez, could possibly fight him!


    Luckily, he doesn��t seem to be a particularly harsh person.


    Otherwise, I might have been in trouble!


    Also, what exactly does he want me to help with?


    But, thinking about how even after continuously boosting my agility and Militiaman Swordsmanship, I��m still no match for Hamilton, not even forcing out his true strength, it��s indeed a bit disheartening.


    The gap in strength is just too great!


    I still need to think of a way to enhance my strength quickly!��


    However�� today��s events, which were almost like actual combat, greatly benefited Rein.


    He focused his attention on the system, and the notification was as follows:


    [You have undergone a battle, Militiaman Professional Experience Points +23]


    ��


    [Your skill ��Basic Swordsmanship�� has been enhanced, Experience Points +11]


    [You have undergone a battle, Militiaman Professional Experience Points +8]


    The only thing that Rein slightly regretted was that he didn��t manage to grab Drunkard Jack��s waist pouch!


    Otherwise, the money inside would have been enough to buy some treats to reward himself and his family.


    Feeling a tad disappointed, Rein quickly returned home.


    ��Brother! You��re back!�� Bo He immediately gave Rein a big hug as soon as he arrived.


    Soon after, the family of four sat down at the simple dining table and started dinner.


    The warm oil lamp.


    The cozy atmosphere.


    Instantly dispelled the disappointment in Rein��s heart!


    Money!


    I��ll definitely find a way to earn it��.

 Chapter 19 - 19 - 18 The Evil in the Alley

    Chapter 19 �C 18 The Evil in the Alley


    Early the next morning, declining his best friend George��s suggestion to go to the forest to pick nuts again, Rein arrived at the blacksmith shop.


    Upon entering the blacksmith shop, he was immediately greeted by a wave of intense heat. The apprentices were all busy with their own tasks, while the blacksmith Boris Patton was forging an iron sword, which instantly caught Rein��s eye.


    Just as he was about to move closer to get a better look, Drews, who was working the bellows, eagerly waved at Rein, ��Rein! You��re here!��


    Hearing this memorable name, the blacksmith apprentices, who had been concentrating on their work, were all startled!


    Suddenly, a few of the burly apprentices exchanged glances, seeing a sense of urgency in each other��s eyes.


    The expression on their faces seemed to convey, ��Why is this kid here again! And this time, he��s not even coming in the afternoon but bright and early in the morning, bad luck!!��


    The blacksmith Boris, who rarely took the initiative to greet anyone, called out, ��Rein, you��re here!��


    ...


    ��Yes, Uncle Boris! Oh, you��re making a Longsword today!�� Rein pretended to have just noticed and took two steps forward, planning to observe Boris��s forging technique.


    The glowing hot sword embryo was clearly longer than the average one-handed sword.


    ��That��s right, today I��m making a Bastard Sword for a friend!�� Boris said succinctly.


    Rein suddenly understood; he knew what a Bastard Sword was, a type of sword that fell between one-handed swords and two-handed swords.


    It had advantages in length and offensive power over a one-handed sword, and was more convenient to carry than a two-handed sword. Nobility, Bounty Hunters, or mercenaries often used it and it required some time to train in order to use it with agility.


    ��By the way, Rein, last time you got familiar with working the bellows, so continue to help Drews with the bellows today,�� Boris didn��t let Rein sit idle and quickly gave him a task.


    ��Okay, Uncle Boris!�� Although it was just working the bellows again, Rein agreed promptly.


    Rein also wanted to learn other things like casting, forging nails, pots, and such, but trust between people takes time to build.


    If Rein had money now, he certainly could speed up this relationship, and maybe even get Boris the miser to start teaching him to forge some kind of ironware today.


    But alas, he was poor!


    Thinking of this, Rein felt a strong sense of annoyance toward Hamilton, the newly appointed Sheriff.


    Rein walked over to the bellows, and Drews, with a joyous expression, quickly stepped aside, ��Rein, you were already skillful at working the bellows last time, so I��ll leave this to you.��


    After speaking, Drews moved as agilely as a monkey, quickly joining Boris at his side, with an eager-to-learn expression, watching the creation of the Bastard Sword.


    Rein smiled to himself, betting that it wouldn��t be long before Drews would be assigned to other tasks by Boris.


    Sure enough, within five minutes, Boris sent Drews off to smelt iron ingots��.


    Rein couldn��t help but chuckle to himself; Boris Patton was notoriously stingy with his craft in Flashgold Town, without cold, hard cash, he definitely wouldn��t teach you anything substantial in a short time.


    Unless you spent enough time in the blacksmith shop!


    No longer distracted by watching others, Rein began to focus on the task of working the bellows!


    [You have performed the bellows work, and your comprehension has increased!]


    [Your Skill in working the bellows has improved, Experience +3]


    [You focused on the blower, Blacksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points +1]


    Aside from going home at noon to have lunch with his family, Rein spent the entire Sunday at the blacksmith shop.


    Of course, the results were gratifying!


    Rein flipped to the second page of the framework, the Blacksmith Apprentice professional panel. Blacksmith Apprentice lv3 was more than halfway completed, meaning that if everything went well, he would be able to advance to lv4 by next Sunday.


    ��`


    [Blacksmith Apprentice lv3 (265/500)]


    [Stoking Blower lv3 (395/500)]


    [Hoof Trimming lv2 (295/300)]


    [Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (56/100)]


    As dusk approached, an exhausted Rein stepped out of the blacksmith��s shop, ready to return to the Habsburg Manor.


    At the same time, not far from Rein, something sinister was happening in a secluded alley!


    In a low house, a skinny boy was about to go out to buy some stuff when suddenly, his mouth was covered with a piece of rag!


    Immediately, the skinny boy began to struggle.


    ��Mmmph!!��


    ��Damn it! Kid, behave!�� a deep male voice exclaimed!


    The next second, a sharp dagger, gleaming with a cold light, appeared in front of the boy.


    Instantly, the little boy dared not struggle any longer.


    A piece of hemp rope quickly bounded the little boy tightly, and a piece of coarse cloth was stuffed into his mouth before a pair of strong hands put him into a large black bag.


    Soon after, two burly figures carrying black bags disappeared quickly into the alley.


    ��Boss, what does the higher-up want with so many kids?��


    ��Including this one, we��ve already nabbed the eleventh child! I heard the other brothers are snatching kids too?��


    ��Could it be that the nobles�� demand for boys and girls has spiked recently?��


    ��But�� Could the nobles really fancy these skinny, odd-smelling street urchins or poor kids?�� Scarface seemed puzzled, turning his head in doubt to ask his companion with the scruffy beard.


    ��Scarface! Is this something you need to worry about? The higher-ups have made their request; as long as the money is right, we just do our job. Why bother asking so many questions!�� the scruffy-bearded man retorted irritably.


    However, after some thought, he seemed to agree there was some sense in Scarface��s words and added, ��It��s probably not the demand of the nobles in the County Town. I heard this might be the request of the Wilderness Brotherhood.��


    ��But, you��d better not inquire too much about these matters in front of others, or I��m afraid you won��t know how you died!��


    ��Yes, yes! You��re right, boss!��


    ��By the way, boss, we��ve nearly combed through the northern part of Flashgold Town. In a few days, I��ll check out the south side.��


    ��Be careful. The new sheriff, Hamilton, seems to be paying close attention to this matter; it��s going to be troublesome if he gets wind of it!�� warned the man with the scruffy beard.


    ��Don��t worry, boss! I push a snack cart along the streets; I can spot suitable targets with one glance!�� Scarface assured while tapping his chest.


    ��Hey boss, when we get this batch of money, where shall we go to have some fun first? The quality at Flashgold Town��s brothels is too low. Shouldn��t we go back to the County Town to play for a few days and lay low at the same time?!�� Scarface seemed to think of something delightful, his face showing a sleazy look. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Damn it! Scarface, you��ll end up dead on a woman��s belly someday! But you also make a point; after we get the money, we��ll make a trip back to the County Town,�� the scruffy-bearded man consented after some thought.


    ��Wearing this skin mask is so uncomfortable; it��s too tight! Boss, can you make me a new one?�� the burly man known as Scarface complained.


    ����..��


    Rein thought he heard some noise from the nearby alley, but after stopping to listen for a while, he shook his head and continued on his way to Habsburg Manor.


    What he didn��t know was that he had just passed by an evil deed!


    ��`

 Chapter 20 - 20 - 19 Training Dogs and Exotic Beast Meat

    Chapter 20 �C 19 Training Dogs and Exotic Beast Meat


    The next morning, the child servants began their dog training apprentice course under the guidance of an old man with a goat beard, accompanied by a sighthound much like the ones from his past life.


    Rein recognized the breed: long-limbed, with a body shaped like a bow, both speed and explosive power were truly astonishing. Even their heads seemed designed to reduce wind resistance, longer and more narrow than a usual dog��s head, but with strong jaw muscles and a formidable biting force, making them exceptional noble hunting dogs.


    However, with droopy eyelids, the old man showed little interest in teaching the child servants, evidently just going through the motions.


    ��In some time, each of you will receive a three-month-old sighthound. During the assessment, if you can command the sighthound to squat, attack, stop, and retrieve, you will be considered to have passed the test,�� he said.


    For the rest of the time, the old man had no wish to speak more than necessary with the child servants, instead directing them to the dog kennels on the west side of the outer fort to pick out a puppy, and after that, simply let them play with their dogs.


    Although the child servants were all confused, they were still very happy to have a small dog to play with.


    In the meantime, Rein paid close attention to the expression of the boy with thick eyebrows.


    ...


    As expected, this guy had something to hide.


    While playing with the puppies, he often got distracted, frequently casting sidelong glances at Rein.


    In his eyes was confusion, as if puzzled by something that should have happened but did not.


    Rein chuckled silently!


    The damned thick eyebrows, it��s definitely you, bastard!


    Just as Rein confirmed that the employer was the boy with thick eyebrows, the latter quickly concocted an excuse for the drunkard Jack, which was that Jack hadn��t found the chance to make a move on Rein the day before.


    ��Damn it, that good-for-nothing drunkard Jack, always dragging his feet when it��s time to get things done! Looks like I must urge him again this Sunday and make him take his shot as soon as possible!�� he murmured.


    Since Rein was now certain it was the boy with thick eyebrows, he relaxed and started playing with the puppy.


    But�� as fun as playing with dogs is,


    having played with them all day long, Rein��s strength had made almost no advancement!


    Moreover, the new job panel that Rein had been looking forward to, such as the dog trainer, had not been activated!


    This left Rein quite puzzled, could it be that there was no such profession as a dog trainer?


    That shouldn��t be the case!


    Rein was at a loss!


    In the evening, after the dog training session ended, a beautiful maid dressed in a gray uniform came to find Rein and said, ��Rein, the Chief Maid Shadia has asked to see you. Please come with me.��


    The timing of the maid��s appearance was not like last time, on a Saturday evening when nearly all the child servants had left.


    So, just as the pretty maid led Rein away,


    the rest of the child servants exploded in chatter!


    ��Fuck, how has Rein gotten in good with Chief Maid Shadia?�� the thick-eyebrowed boy said, his face darkening.


    ��Yeah! My family hasn��t even managed to establish a connection with Chief Maid Shadia, and Rein��s family is just a tenant farmer; he can��t possibly have that kind of network! That��s absolutely impossible!�� Freckles pondered for a moment and then shook his head.


    However, that scene had just intensified the thick-eyebrowed boy��s sense of urgency.


    Rein��s talent in swordsmanship was becoming more and more outstanding, and now he seemed to have built a connection with the Chief Maid, making it likely that the position of a bodyguard was well within his reach.


    ��Damn it!!��


    On the other side, Rein followed the beautiful maid as they made several turns, eventually reaching the castle��s back garden, which they merely passed through this time before continuing on. The maid led Rein into a room on the first floor of the castle.


    ��Knock knock knock!��


    The maid knocked on the door respectfully and said, ��Chief Maid Shadia, Rein is here!��


    ��Come in,�� came the response.


    The forty-year-old Chief Maid Shadia opened the door, gestured for Rein to enter the room, and after closing the door, stood respectfully to one side.


    After entering, Rein first detected a strange fragrance, not the scent of women��s perfume, but rather an aroma that could stir one��s appetite. Then he quickly took in the room��s features.


    The room seemed to be a spacious study, with a coffee table, several soft leather armchairs, and a simple mahogany desk, above which a candle on a mountain-shaped sconce was glowing warmly.


    But Rein also noticed another door at the back of the study, seemingly leading to another place.


    Lady Cleya, the youngest daughter of the Earl, was diligently writing something on a parchment scroll with a goose feather quill.


    ��Rein, on the side table, there��s a piece of bear meat specially prepared for you! Go eat it,�� Cleya said without looking up.


    Rein was taken aback, while Chief Maid Shadia gave a subtle gesture towards the side table.


    Indeed, on the side table there was a covered silver dish.


    Rein approached and opened it to find a palm-sized piece of beast meat, emitting an aroma that whetted the appetite; it turned out to be the enticing smell he had noticed when he first walked in.


    Bear meat?


    A kind of delicious bear meat?


    This meat smells absolutely amazing.


    But�� isn��t this portion a bit too small?


    Rein didn��t even use the knife beside him, only a fork to skewer the chunk of meat and began to gobble it down.


    Ss! Delicious and quite chewy!


    In no time at all, Rein had devoured the so-called bear meat and still felt unsatisfied, exclaiming, ��Tasty! Just too little of it!��


    At that moment, a slightly mocking smile appeared on the face of Chief Maid Shadia.


    Suddenly, Rein felt a warm current spreading rapidly from his stomach throughout his body.


    Soon, an extreme feeling of fullness emanated from his stomach, as if he had eaten ten packs of those military compressed biscuits from his previous life.


    Instantly, Rein felt as though his stomach was about to burst!


    Poisoned?


    Definitely not!


    Because there was absolutely no need for that.


    It was then that Lady Cleya��s voice, clear as a oriole, rang out, ��Rein, do you feel a bit overstuffed? That was Giant Bear meat, it is rich in nutrients and energy. Given your constitution, eating that much is already your limit.��


    ��So that��s it!�� Rein suddenly understood, no wonder he was only given a piece the size of a palm.


    Cleya stood up and handed a scroll made of sheepskin to Rein.


    ��Rein, have a look,�� she said.


    Upon receiving it, Rein opened the scroll to see seven figures in different positions with ��Giant Bear Breathing Technique�� written alongside them.


    Since it was written in the common tongue, Rein could recognize it. The empire did well in this aspect, as the spread of simple everyday written language among the populace was quite extensive.


    This�� this is the breathing technique?


    Rein felt blissfully surprised!


    It was like being suddenly hit by a pie falling from the sky.


    Rein greedily began to read the contents of the breathing technique.


    The figures were simple line drawings, but they vividly captured the essence of each movement, and combined with the descriptions of the breathing rhythm, seemed to be a set of high-difficulty yoga positions similar to what Rein knew in his previous life.


    At the end, there was a long paragraph about how to use a secret medicine called ��black balm�� in conjunction with the training that would greatly accelerate the progress of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    ��Giant Bear Breathing Technique? No wonder Lady Cleya can wield a Dual-Handed Greatsword that weighs seventy or eighty pounds as if it were a stick,�� Rein glanced at the imposing figure of Cleya and had an epiphany! sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Cleya was no ordinary person, keen and transparent in her thoughts. At the mere age of seventeen, she had already stepped into the realm of a formal Knight, capturing every move Rein made without missing a beat.


    Rein��s glance just now?


    Cleya��s face turned slightly red, but she quickly recovered her composure and said, ��Don��t guess! The technique I practice is not the Giant Bear Breathing Technique!��


    ��The Giant Bear Breathing Technique mainly develops one��s constitution and strength. I think it��s quite suitable for your current condition.��


    God damn appropriate for my current condition!


    Rein was initially embarrassed by Cleya��s revealing of his thoughts, but once she finished her sentence, he quickly grasped her meaning.


    She��s basically saying I��m a weakling in a roundabout way!

 Chapter 21 - 21 - 20: Giant Bear Breathing Technique

    Chapter 21 �C 20: Giant Bear Breathing Technique


    ��Rein, do you know why the maximum age for a page is fourteen?�� Cleya��s voice rang out.


    ��This��.�� Rein shook his head.


    ��Because fourteen is arguably the latest age to start learning the breathing techniques. Any later, one would miss the body��s rapid developmental phase, making it very difficult to train the breathing technique to a high level.��


    ��The parchment I��ve given you contains a set of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and instructions for using a secret potion, which can fully develop your physical Constitution; enough to serve you until you��re a third-level Knight Attendant. As for the advanced Magic Potion needed to be promoted to a formal Knight��.��


    At this point, Cleya paused, displaying a contemplative expression.


    ��You shouldn��t be progressing that quickly; there is no need to worry about promotion now, just focus on laying a solid foundation.��


    ��Before long, I will leave Habsburg Manor. I��ve also left you some of the black tung oil, and Shadia will arrange it for you.��


    ...


    Suddenly, Cleya changed the subject, her beautiful eyes looking at Rein as she asked:


    ��By the way, Rein, what is your purpose for participating in the page training this time?��


    Under the gaze of Cleya��s clear eyes, Rein found himself unable to think of any lies and honestly said, ��Err��.I want to pass the assessment and become a guard of Habsburg Manor!��


    ��Giggle giggle giggle!�� A melodious laugh like that of silver bells rang out.


    ��How about setting a more ambitious goal, like becoming a true Knight! If you can become a formal Knight before you turn eighteen, I promise you can become one of my followers.��


    ��If not, you can continue to be a guard.��


    ��However��.whether it��s learning the Giant Bear Breathing Technique or my promise to you, you must keep it a secret��even within Habsburg Manor. If this matter were known by others, it might not necessarily be a good thing for you!��


    Rein felt a surge of excitement in his heart, mixed with some confusion.


    His mind was already racing.


    A Knight, oh! This is about becoming a Knight!


    Stepping into a position of power; isn��t that much better than being a mere guard?


    Rein wished he could start practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique right now.


    But the secrecy�� this feels so familiar. Secrecy even within Habsburg Manor? Could it be about an aristocratic struggle for inheritance, training loyal subordinates from the bloodline? Or does Lady Creya aspire to the Earlship of Habsburg?


    Having been through a lot of TV dramas about the feuds and romances within wealthy families in his previous life, Rein could now think of many possibilities.


    ��However, for myself, the important thing is rapid development in the early stage.��


    ��Once I��ve grown, with a professional panel in hand, I needn��t fear anyone.��


    On the path to rise, it is inevitable to affect some people��s interests.


    Later, I will also encroach on the established stakeholders�� pie.


    Thus, encountering problems and challenges is unavoidable.


    Challenges��directly smash them!


    Problems��directly burst through!


    How could I not accept Lady Cleya��s assistance? If I were to give up such support because of some dangers, wouldn��t that be incredibly cowardly? S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein could not help but remember a saying from his previous life: ��He who does not seize the blessings bestowed by the heavens will incur divine wrath!��


    ��Of course, Lady Creya, your recognition is a tremendous honor for me!�� Rein respectfully bowed.


    For a noble who could offer immense help and was also a beauty, Rein certainly wasn��t stingy with ��sweet nothings.��


    A sycophant deserves a poor death?


    No, no!


    A servant belongs to the service industry, which falls under the tertiary sector. To sum it up in one word, flattery! In other words, providing emotional value to one��s master.


    Seeing Rein agree, Cleya nodded in satisfaction and said, ��Rein, first, take some time to look over the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, then I will guide you through the specific movement essentials.��


    ��Yes, Lady Cleya!�� Rein immediately focused his mind and began to earnestly read the seven movements of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    The seven movements varied in posture, but at a rough glance, Rein found that the set progressed from easy to difficult.


    The first movement was the simplest, akin to the single-leg lunge from his previous life, arms raised horizontally, synchronized with breathing.


    Having just eaten the fierce bear meat and feeling overheated, Rein was eager to move and thus started performing the first movement on the spot.


    At first, Rein felt it was manageable, but in less than five minutes his whole body began to heat up, sweat beads formed on his forehead, and he started to sway, let alone breathing steadily��that would be ridiculous, not panting was good enough!


    Rein knew he couldn��t persist, so he immediately stopped, because according to the instructions, one had to maintain each movement for thirty minutes with steady breathing in order to learn the next one.


    ��Miss Cleya, is there any trick to practicing this breathing technique?�� Rein rubbed his sore thighs and said.


    ��Breathing technique, breathing is most important. You must always maintain steady breathing, feel the changes inside your body, only then can it achieve the goal of strengthening the body,�� she replied.


    ��Rein, this is Kuroki oil; apply it to the sides of your thighs and knees and your shoulders when practicing the first movement of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. It can effectively enhance your perception of the body��s changes.��


    ��Alright, I��ll give it another try.�� Rein immediately took the small black bottle that Cleya handed to him.


    Upon opening the bottle, a unique fragrance escaped, somewhat reminiscent of the musk and tiger bone balm from Rein��s previous life.


    The liquid inside was yellowish-brown, like amber. Rein poured a little bit into his palm and followed Lady Cleya��s guidance on the side to warm it up before applying it to his knees and shoulders.


    Instantly, a burning warmth flowed into his skin from the areas where he rubbed it.


    When Rein attempted the first movement of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique again, he immediately felt different, as the burning warmth replaced the original muscle fatigue.


    He could feel every single muscle fiber in his thighs tensing up, which made him unconsciously focus his mind and consciously adjust his breathing to match the movements.


    [You have practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, comprehension has improved!]


    [You have acquired a new skill����Giant Bear Breathing Technique]


    [Your Giant Bear Breathing Technique skill has been enhanced, Experience +1]


    [Ding! Host triggered the core event for Knight Attendant class change����comprehension of Giant Bear Breathing Technique!]


    [Preconditions for advancement to Knight Attendant are: 1. Militia lv3 or above; 2. Strength 8 points or above, Agility 8 points or above, Constitution 8 points or above; 3. Any Rider Skill lv1 or above, Shield Defense lv1 or above, Any Archery Skill lv2 or above, Any Swordsmanship Skill lv3 or above,��..Current conditions do not meet the requirements! Advancement to Knight Attendant failed!]


    Surprise system prompts suddenly popped up, and Rein read over it several times, feeling both shocked and pleased!


    What shocked him was that the conditions for advancing to Knight Attendant were rather extensive. Relatively speaking, he could possibly meet the first and second conditions after some time.


    However, among the intricate sub-items of the third condition, besides Any Swordsmanship Skill lv3, which he met, he would have a hard time meeting the other parts in the short term.


    What pleased him was that now Rein knew what he was lacking and where to start in order to improve.


    ��Triggering an event to gain advancement information?�� Rein pondered silently.

 Chapter 22 - 22 - 21 Lady Creya’s Guidance

    Chapter 22 �C 21 Lady Creya��s Guidance


    The triggering event that had just taken place gave Rein a deeper understanding of his golden finger.


    Rein glanced at it, and this time the Giant Bear Breathing Technique lv1 (1/100) was displayed on the Militia panel, which was probably because there was no other more suitable Profession panel available.


    Obviously, it would have been even less suitable to show the Breathing Technique in the Blacksmith Apprentice��s Profession panel.


    As Rein pondered the conditions for advancement, this time he managed to maintain the first posture of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for an entire fifteen minutes, which was undoubtedly a huge improvement compared to the previous five minutes.


    This made Cleya, who was observing Rein from the side, smile and nod, saying, ��Very good, Rein, once you can maintain the first move for over half an hour, you can then try the second move.��


    Although Rein��s Constitution was a bit weak, his comprehension was excellent and he learned quickly!


    In fact, Rein��s ability to sustain it for so long this time was not without the aid of a wandering mind technique.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the Chief Maid Shadia was looking at Rein with a face full of amazement.


    ��With such a rate of improvement, no wonder Lady Cleya holds Rein in a different regard. It seems that when it comes to recognizing people, the young lady��s vision is indeed much stronger than mine.��


    [Congratulations! Your Constitution Attribute has increased!]


    Rein was startled and immediately focused his attention on the panel, where he noticed his Constitution had unexpectedly changed from five points to six points.


    He remembered clearly that he hadn��t spent any points just now.


    What was going on?


    Neither of his two professions, Blacksmith Apprentice and Militia, had gained a level, so why did his Constitution suddenly increase?


    Rein began to speculate.


    Was it due to practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique?


    This effect was too immediate!


    Wait, it couldn��t be entirely due to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    His previous swordsmanship training must have also laid a certain foundation, and his Constitution was already on the verge of breaking through. Practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique today was an opportunity.


    This explanation was the most fitting for the situation.


    What an unexpected joy!


    After the increase, Rein immediately felt all the fatigue in his body dissipate.


    Thus, when he attempted the first posture of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for the third time, perhaps due to the slight increase in Constitution, he directly extended the duration to around twenty-two minutes, shocking the Chief Maid Shadia once again!


    And Cleya, who stood nearby, also nodded in satisfaction at this moment.


    A very good Knight talent!


    Rein, dripping with sweat, finished his third attempt. Then, he suddenly thought of a question and, after some consideration, asked, ��Lady Cleya, do you know the fastest time someone has taken to master the first posture of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique?��


    Rein��s question was truly not to boast, but to understand his current level.


    He wanted to avoid standing out too much and being considered a freak!


    Cleya answered with a light smile, ��As far as I know, the fastest person to learn the first posture of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique took about five minutes. After spending five minutes to grasp the essentials, that person then proceeded to maintain the posture for over thirty minutes straight.��


    This made Rein��s expression freeze, giving him the feeling that he was the fool he had been laughing at!


    ��Alright, that��s enough for today! Rein, you should go back and rest. For the next few days, a maid will bring you here, and the Giant Bear Breathing Technique scroll will be kept safe by Shadia.��


    ��Yes, Lady Cleya, Chief Maid Shadia, then I will take my leave,�� Rein said, bowing slightly. He left the back garden under the guidance of the original maid.


    On his way back, Rein��s initially excited mood gradually calmed down as he seriously contemplated an issue.


    Today, he had obtained the Giant Bear Breathing Technique because Lady Cleya saw potential in his talent.


    Otherwise, even with a system, if he wanted to step onto the Transcendent path, it would probably be a long journey ahead.


    For the commoners of this world, stepping onto the Transcendent path is much more difficult than it is for noble scions!


    For example, after Rein entered his room, he first ate a piece of savage bear meat, which was completely different from the meat he usually ate; obviously, this type of meat was either extremely valuable or very difficult to capture.


    Without the backing of a power, ordinary commoners could hardly afford it.


    Rein thought to himself that without eating this piece of explosive bear meat, his current Constitution wouldn��t have been able to support him practicing the first form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique continuously.


    Secondly, the black balsam oil he had used during the practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. The recipe for it must be top secret, and the raw materials difficult to collect, of course, it might also be that the production process was complicated.


    He had just experienced it himself, practicing with and without the black balsam oil was completely different.


    The efficiency of his practice was at least three to five times worse.


    Looking at the Experience, one was a half-hour without any increase, but once he used the black balsam oil, it went up by five points in half an hour, the difference was huge.


    The third point was the advanced Magic Potion that Cleya had casually mentioned. Although he still didn��t know what it was, it seemed essential. Even for Cleya, when she mentioned this Magic Potion, her face showed a slightly furrowed brow.


    Clearly, the advanced Magic Potion must be incredibly precious.


    All in all, if he wanted to proceed smoothly on the Transcendent path, he needed money and the support of a major power behind him!


    This required showing others his value!


    This point, whether in his past life or this one, had not changed.


    After returning to the servant dormitory, George was the first to run over and ask,


    ��Rein, what did the Chief Maid want with you?��


    The entire servant dormitory immediately quieted down. Rein looked around and saw that nearly every servant boy had pricked up their ears to listen. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein couldn��t help but laugh and said, ��Guess!��


    ��Get out of here!�� George said with a laugh and a curse, his face full of expectation.


    However, since his close buddy didn��t say anything, George didn��t ask further, but the other servant boys were itching with curiosity!


    ��No wonder Rein dared to fight with Thick-Brows; turns out his family knows the Chief Maid.��


    ��Yeah, it seems that Rein��s family is not simple at all!��


    ��But, how come I heard that Rein is just the son of a farmer?��


    ����.��


    A dreamless night!


    The next day, the entry-level training with the dog trainer, was still about playing with little dogs!


    According to the old man, the purpose of this training was to increase the intimacy between the dog and its owner.


    But this made Rein feel like he was wasting his life!


    ��I want to practice swordsmanship!��


    ��I want to practice breathing techniques!��


    All these thoughts crowded Rein��s mind.


    However��.Rein still held onto the hope that he might trigger another Profession panel like Beast Tamer or Beast Taming, so he didn��t make excuses to take leave.


    After ending a day��s training with the dogs, Rein followed the beautiful maid once again to Lady Cleya��s study.


    He ate another piece of explosive bear meat; this time Rein took a careful look at the cut��it seemed to be bear ribs.


    Feeling unsated, Rein then thought about something.


    Isn��t it said that the best part of the bear is the bear��s paw?


    Too bad he had never eaten it in his previous life.


    He hoped to have a chance to taste it this time��the paw of this explosive bear should be even more delicious than a regular bear��s paw.


    Rein had assumed that today would be the same as yesterday��to continue practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    But today Cleya proposed a spar with Rein after he had practiced the first form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique just once.


    This filled Rein with unexpected joy!


    He had been playing with dogs during the day for the past two days, with almost no improvement in basic swordsmanship, and now the opportunity to spar was better than ever!

 Chapter 23 - 23 - 22: Rapid Progress

    Chapter 23 �C 22: Rapid Progress


    ��Ding ding dang dang!��


    Rein Carlan, giving his all, could still only hold out for about half a minute against Cleya, who was deliberately holding back, before quickly being defeated!


    Despite the sparring loss, there wasn��t a trace of dejection on Rein��s face, and there was even a hint of pleasure.


    Because a delightful system prompt sounded:


    [Your skill ��Basic Swordsmanship�� has improved, Experience +29]


    [You have engaged in a battle, Militia Profession Experience Points +17]


    The Chief Maid, Shadia, watching the duel, looked admiringly at Rein, who showed no sign of discouragement, and thought to herself, ��This is perhaps the reason Lady Creya values Rein �C he never gets disheartened by failure!��


    ...


    ��There are many young talents in Meister County whose strength outshines Rein��s like stars in the sky, but none have Rein��s temperament. After losing a spar with Lady Creya, they either wear a look of shame, or they keep pestering shamelessly.��


    ��No one is like Rein, who still looks delighted after a defeat. He truly loves swordsmanship!��


    Cleya, seeing Rein still eager to try again, had an even more appreciative look in her eyes, and she said in her clear voice,


    ��Rein, your speed and strength are on par with mine, you should have been able to last longer, but do you know why you were defeated so quickly?��


    ��Um�� is my swordsmanship still too weak?�� Rein scratched his head.


    ��Not entirely. Did you notice that every time you attack, you make your intentions too obvious?�� the girl said while demonstrating with her bouncy long legs.


    ��When you attack, look straight ahead, use the corner of your eyes to lock onto the target, and at no time should you expose your attacking intentions.��


    Initially, Rein listened with a relaxed attitude, but as the noble girl spoke these words,


    Rein��s expression turned serious as well, because Cleya was teaching him extremely crucial combat skills.


    If Cleya hadn��t suddenly pointed this out,


    it would have taken Rein much longer to realize it.


    ��Catching the enemy off guard, is that what you mean?��


    ��Very well summed up!�� the girl praised, ��That��s exactly it.��


    ��Once you reveal your attack intentions too soon, an experienced enemy will immediately dodge or block your attack route. Some may even deliberately lure you to attack their intentionally exposed weak spots, then quickly counterattack and defeat you.��


    After pondering for a moment, Rein understood the girl��s point.


    ��Please, Lady Cleya, let��s try again!��


    The girl nodded, signaling that Rein could attack again.


    This time, as Rein attacked, he kept his gaze level with the girl, his movements as light as a willow in the wind, and he swiftly took a step forward, thrusting his sword straight.


    The girl deftly blocked and stepped to the right, avoiding Rein��s attack.


    This time, Rein��s gaze stayed fixed on the girl, but he did not focus intently on any specific part of her body, which slightly slowed down Cleya��s anticipation compared to before, and the duel lasted noticeably longer than their previous bout.


    Suddenly, seizing an opportunity, Rein surged forward with a lunge, swinging a chopping attack, which the girl once again evaded with ease.


    During the exchanges deliberately set up by the girl, Rein and Cleya went back and forth, with the sound of ��ding ding dang dang�� of weapons clashing continuously echoing in the area.


    After a minute, exhausted, Rein lay on the ground, drenched in sweat.


    Although he was tired, the satisfying feeling of the exhilarating fight was so invigorating that Rein felt a tinge of longing for more.


    [Your skill ��Basic Swordsmanship�� has improved, Experience +37]


    [You have engaged in a battle, Militia Profession Experience Points +21]


    And then, there were those handfuls of experience points!


    Rein, I notice you have a particular interest in swordsmanship, and that��s good, but also not so good!�� Cleya saw that after every swordplay duel, Rein��s unparalleled passion was rekindled.


    ��But breath control is the foundation; you need to spend more time to master the Giant Bear Breathing Technique��s seven movements as soon as possible. The sooner you master them, the better for your body��s development,�� Cleya advised.


    ��Yes, Lady Cleya!�� Although Rein responded in this way, he couldn��t help but sigh inwardly, You don��t understand, my lady, only by sparring more can I improve quickly!


    Rein had never felt time fly by so quickly. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He now somewhat understood the feelings of those wealthy clients from his previous life��s gym, who spent small fortunes inviting beautiful personal trainers to accompany their workouts.


    Just like now, with him not spending a penny, the youngest daughter of the Earl was his workout partner.


    Today��s practice had already ended, but Rein was already looking forward to the next session.


    ��


    For four consecutive days, it was like this, and Rein��s strength improved by leaps and bounds!


    [Giant Bear Breathing Technique lv2 (12/300)]


    With the aid of the precious items, bear meat and black pine oil, Rein had already started practicing the second pose of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, which resembled the Russian kettlebell swing, but was far more difficult than the first pose.


    Rein could only persist for five minutes at present, a far cry from the half-hour mark.


    However, it still added a bit of strength to Rein, bringing his Strength to 7 points, surpassing that of an average adult.


    Though there wasn��t much change in Rein��s physical attributes data, his battle awareness had changed significantly.


    It could be said that the swordsmanship instructor Humbert taught Rein how to wield a sword, but Cleya taught Rein how to truly fight!


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith Apprentice lv3 (265/500) / Militiaman lv3 (78/500)


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 7


    Agility: 7


    Spirit: 8


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    [Basic Swordsmanship lv4 (578/1000)]


    Basic Swordsmanship had still not leveled up, requiring too much experience, but��. although the swordsmanship had not leveled up, Rein felt his basic swordsmanship was slowly improving.


    The Profession Level of the Militiaman, having risen to lv3, contributed another attribute point and a Skill Point to Rein.


    This time, Rein did not rush to allocate his points.


    The poses of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique became increasingly difficult; the second pose, though challenging, was certainly much easier compared to the third. He planned to wait until he reached level 3 of the breathing technique, then directly add points to move up to level 4.


    Saturday had come around again, and Rein could go home for a visit!


    Just as Rein was walking out of the castle in high spirits, accompanied by the beautiful maid, they encountered a tall young man dressed like a noble.


    ��Master Dennis,�� said the pretty maid upon seeing the other party, seemingly trembling slightly, and greeted him fearfully.


    Although Rein didn��t recognize the individual, he also inclined his body immediately in deference.


    This young man named Dennis glanced at them both and continued on his way, expressionless.


    However, having walked a small distance, he suddenly stopped; watching the departing Rein, he seemed to recall something.


    ��Isn��t that the commoner Cleya seemed to appreciate a bit?��


    And Rein, having left the Habsburg estate, walked along the main artery of the town, facing the evening breeze.


    Evening had fallen, and groups of three Night Watchmen, each holding a torch and clad in tight leather armor, had started adding oil to the street lamps.


    In this world, the Night Watchmen��s responsibilities Rein had come to understand, primarily involved maintaining civil order at night, firefighting, dealing with wild beasts or other unknown creatures that struck from the shadows, and handling emergencies.


    During the relatively safe daylight hours, however, the duty of maintaining public security fell to officers of civil order.


    But whether Night Watchmen or officers of civil order, both were under the jurisdiction of the imperial authority��s local law enforcement and were a separate concept from ordinary militiamen.


    This distinction was apparent from their fine leather armor and the horn bows on their backs and Bastard Swords hanging at their waists.

 Chapter 24 - 24 - 23 The Gears of Fate Begin to Turn

    Chapter 24 �C 23 The Gears of Fate Begin to Turn


    As Rein hurried to his front door, he saw his thinly clad neighbor, a young girl named Anna, holding a small basket and waiting in the slightly chilly autumn wind.


    When she heard footsteps and looked up to see Rein returning, her face lit up with a sweet dimpled smile, and she approached him saying,


    ��Rein, this is a pie I made from the wild blueberries and hazelnuts you gave me last time. I wanted to give it to you earlier, but Bo He told me you had gone for child servant training and only came back Saturday nights.��


    Looking at the small basket the girl handed over, a soft spot in Rein��s heart was touched!


    This girl, whose fate was so bleak, always kept gratitude and kindness in her heart.


    He had merely let Bo He give her some wild fruits he had found, yet she thought about how to repay him.


    It was late autumn now, the evening breeze was cool after dark, and the thinly dressed girl had been waiting for him at the door all this time.


    ...


    Looking at the neatly arranged five slices of pie in the basket, Rein didn��t even know what to say for a moment.


    After a long while, Rein stammered out,


    ��You��ve given them all to me, what about you?��


    ��I��ve kept a few slices, which is enough for me!�� The girl saw Rein accept the basket, smiled again, and cheerily turned to leave.


    Rein stared blankly at the girl, realizing he had even forgotten to say thank you.


    When Rein entered the house, Bo He saw the small blue basket in Rein��s hands and gleefully asked, ��Brother, is this for me?��


    Rein smiled and patted his little sister on the head, ��This was made by your Sister Anna.��


    ��Ah? Sister Anna made it? No wonder she hasn��t been playing with me lately, she said she was helping Aunt Mary.�� S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Helping?��


    ��Yes! Hardly anyone in the town wants to employ Sister Anna, but occasionally Aunt Mary lets Sister Anna help out. Sister Anna is very poor, and making pies requires flour, which is expensive. Sister Anna can only afford to buy flour by helping out.��


    Bo He, with her innocent big eyes, looked at Rein and clearly narrated.


    Rein looked at the pies in the basket and fell silent!


    After dinner with the family, Rein went back to his room early and lay down to rest.


    But he tossed and turned, unable to sleep!


    Suddenly, Rein thought he heard faint cries and the sound of something heavy falling next door.


    ��Anna��s house?��


    Rein��s pupils dilated, immediately thinking of the recent child disappearance cases in the town?


    Could it be that the criminals had targeted Anna?


    Suddenly, a rush of blood surged to his head.


    At once, Rein jumped out of bed like a carp, looked around, grabbed a carpenter��s hammer from the utility room, and dashed out as nimbly as a cat.


    As he approached Anna��s front door, the rustling voices, which had been unclear at first, were now increasingly clear:


    ��This girl has a fierce temper. After you��re done, boss, let me have a taste! There��s just her in this house, don��t worry, we��re going to have a lovely night, hehe!��


    ��Damn, it��s been a while since we had someone this tender! This is going to be enjoyable.��


    ��Not to mention, Scarface, you��ve picked a nice spot! Aside from being a bit skinny, the girl is pretty,�� another voice known as the boss spoke up.


    ��After we��re done, we can even sell her to the Brotherhood of the Wilderness; they��ve recently raised their prices, so we can make good money.��


    ��Boss, you can count on me! I was pushing a cart all over the south side of Flashgold Town just a couple of days ago.��


    ��Whimper���� It seemed like the sound of Anna, her mouth covered, crying.


    Ordinary people might not hear clearly from this distance, but Rein, whose physical condition had greatly improved recently, heard everything loud and clear.


    ��Crack!��


    ��Crash!��


    The noise grew louder, and occasionally the sound of ceramic pots falling and shattering could be heard.


    ��Hiss!��


    The sound of linen tearing rang out.


    Rein stood at Anna��s doorstep, feeling uneasy. He wanted to rush in to save her, but there were at least two thugs in Anna��s room. If he acted rashly and failed, it could likely cost both him and Anna their lives.


    The cold night wind blew, gradually calming Rein down!


    Call the Night Watchman now?


    It would make too much noise, and there wasn��t enough time!


    Besides, if the Night Watchman cornered them, the thugs might even kill Anna outright.


    Ask his father for help?


    Remembering his father��s aged face and stooped figure, Rein shook his head, erasing the thought from his mind.


    Rein looked again at the carpentry hammer in his hand, sharp on one end and round on the other, used by his father to repair old furniture at home. Although it was somewhat old, it was well-preserved.


    Rein turned the sharp end upward, hiding the hammer in his somewhat loose sleeve, and stepped forward to knock on the door:


    ��Knock, knock, knock��


    ��Anna, are you home?��


    The room suddenly went quiet, and very faint voices could be heard. If Rein hadn��t had exceptionally sharp hearing, he wouldn��t have been able to make them out at all.


    ��Boss, I��ll go check. It sounds like a kid. Should I just grab him?��


    ��Scarface, get rid of him quickly. We��ve got to enjoy ourselves tonight; don��t make too much noise!��


    ��Damn, this little girl might look thin, but she��s pretty strong!��


    ��..


    Dull footsteps sounded in the room as if the person inside first peered through the crack of the door to check the outside, confirming that it was just a young kid outside, then ��creak,�� the door was opened.


    What caught Rein��s eye was an unfamiliar face, without any scars, and he didn��t know why the man was nicknamed Scarface.


    The curved yellow hair and the man��s large, strong build gave Rein a vague sense of oppression.


    The man��s hand was still on the hilt of his sword at his waist, his expression alert.


    ��Kid, what do you want?�� The man��s fierce gaze took a closer look at the small, thin kid in front of him, and after confirming that he posed no threat, he relaxed somewhat and asked.


    ��You�� who are you? I�� I��m here to see Anna. Isn��t this Anna��s house?�� Rein feigned a cringing demeanor, his expression terrified.


    ��I��m Anna��s uncle, Anna and her aunt already left Flashgold Town; this house belongs to me now. You don��t need to come here anymore.�� Scarface forced a smile, carelessly concocted a lie, akin to a creepy uncle deceiving a child.


    ��How�� How could Anna just leave so suddenly? She didn��t even say goodbye to us.�� Rein muttered under his breath, his fists clenched, seemingly unwilling to accept that a budding romance was over before it had even begun.


    If it had been another time, Scarface might have teased the kid in front of him, but now, he was too busy with more pressing matters to chat idly with a kid.


    ��Alright, move along now!��


    Digging into his groin, Scarface impatiently waved his hand, signaling for Rein to leave quickly.


    ��Um�� okay, but, Mr. Anna��s uncle, could you please pass a small gift to Anna for me?��


    ��Hmm? Okay, give it here.�� Scarface paused but didn��t think too much and reached out his hand.


    All he wanted now was to quickly get rid of this annoying kid.


    The small hammer slid from Rein��s sleeve into his palm and was immediately gripped tightly.


    Meanwhile, Rein continued to speak calmly, ��I��ve prepared for Anna����


    Just as Scarface was about to hear what Rein had prepared, bending slightly forward to take what was in Rein��s hand, he suddenly couldn��t see the kid��s hands clearly��they were a blur.


    Suddenly, Scarface felt a pang of fear, his scalp tingling.


    A strong gust hit face-on, the pressure blowing Scarface��s curly yellow hair wildly about.


    A black spot appeared in Scarface��s vision, and suddenly it enlarged, turning out to be the sharp end of the small hammer.

 Chapter 25 - 25 - 24 This Night

    Chapter 25 �C 24 This Night


    ��`


    ��Snap!��


    The unsuspecting scarred face became motionless in an instant, a small pointed hammer nailed between his eyebrows, eyes wide open, a look of disbelief on his face.


    The next second, his entire body slowly fell forward.


    However��.


    A pair of small but fierce hands suddenly appeared in front of the heavy body, steadily catching the still-twitching frame of the scarred face.


    He laid it gently down beside the porch outside, without making a sound.


    ...


    Despite how stable Rein��s hands appeared just now, at this moment, his heart was pounding violently.


    Just before launching the attack, he had put the remaining few attribute points into agility.


    For an ambush, Rein believed, speed was unbeatable!


    If fast enough, even a bird could break through the bulletproof glass of an airplane.


    Besides, Rein was wielding a carpenter��s hammer.


    After removing the short sword and a delicate hand crossbow from the scarred face��s waist, Rein peered through the window, aimed with the hand crossbow first, no movement.


    Inside, a man with a full black beard was in the process of taking off his pants.


    The exposed young girl had already captured over ninety percent of his attention; he hadn��t noticed a slim shadow had already arrived behind him.


    ��Whoosh!��


    A black crossbow arrow hit the large back of the bearded man, who immediately let out a piercing scream. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then the bearded man turned his head fiercely to look behind, but before he could see who had ambushed him,


    a strong gust of wind hit his face!


    ��Purkch!��


    A sharp short sword inserted into his throat!


    Bearded man, pants not yet pulled up, hands clasping his neck wound, eyes bulging, looked at the slender Rein in astonishment.


    Seemingly unwilling to fall, he stumbled backward several times, slamming heavily against the wooden table before his body slowly collapsed, convulsing intermittently.


    Like a snake stripped of its spine.


    Rein had just used all his strength to make this overpowered striding thrust!


    ��Huff~Huff~��


    Rein gasped for air, his body soaked in sweat, standing still in place. If not for his chest heaving rapidly, one might mistake him for a statue.


    That last thrust seemed to have sapped all of Rein��s energy!


    This was Rein��s first kill in two lifetimes.


    At this moment, Rein only felt exhausted, a trace of confusion in his eyes.


    ��I killed someone?��


    ��I killed someone!��


    ��No, I didn��t kill, I protected someone!��


    After a long pause, the trace of confusion in Rein��s eyes gradually dissipated, his clenched fists and eyes gradually brightening as if he realized something.


    ��Coming to such a Transcendent world, even if I��m powerless to do much, I must at least survive well!��


    ��To be able to protect myself, protect my family, and if I am capable, then protect those I want to protect!��


    At that moment, Anna was shivering, covering her fair body with a tattered linen cloak, resembling a frightened little deer, timidly looking at Rein.


    When her tear-filled big eyes finally recognized her rescuer as the familiar Rein,


    she couldn��t help but fling herself on him, embracing Rein tightly.


    Faced with the girl��s warm body, Rein had absolutely no other thoughts.


    ��`


    He gently patted Anna��s back and said softly, ��Don��t be afraid, it��s safe now.��


    ��Anna, put on your clothes first. Just to be safe, I��ll go check again.��


    Suddenly, Anna let out a shy cry, only then realizing she was practically nude. Blushing, she immediately began to dress.


    It seemed that in an attempt to avoid Rein��s gaze, she turned away, inadvertently presenting a beautiful curve to him.


    Suddenly, Rein froze. He sensed something amiss at the entrance of Anna��s home.


    His mind screamed, ��Not good.��


    The intruder must have found the body at the door.


    Instantly, the romantic atmosphere that had filled the air vanished!


    ��Hurry and get dressed!�� Rein urgently instructed as he pulled the sharp dagger from Blackbeard��s throat, bringing with it a trail of blood.


    Rein turned immediately, positioning Anna behind him and facing the door with the tip of his sword. Anna began to hurriedly dress, noticing Rein��s tense expression and understanding that danger might descend upon them again.


    It looked like he would have to waste Skill Points, just as Rein was considering adding them to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    A figure Rein found familiar yet loathsome appeared in the doorway, followed by several fully armed elite Night Watchmen.


    ��It��s him!�� Rein couldn��t help but breathe a sigh of relief, and his entire body relaxed.


    Lord Hamilton, seeing the scene before him, was many times more astounded than Rein!


    He had finally received accurate information, having heard that a suspect in the children��s disappearance case might be active in this area tonight, but he never expected to walk into such a scenario!


    Is this really the work of a child?


    Did he actually kill two outlaws listed on the wanted poster?


    Although the outlaws�� strength was not deemed impressive, that was in comparison to himself; there was no way that two hardened criminals could be taken out by an ordinary youth!


    But the bloody reality informed Lord Hamilton, the town��s sheriff, that this lean young boy with the Blood Sword was indeed the ��culprit�� behind everything!


    If Rein��s composure and talent when dealing with Drunkard Jack had impressed Lord Hamilton, sparking a sense of valuing talented individuals,


    then what Rein had done this time was truly shocking to Lord Hamilton.


    Clearly, Rein could not have simply charged in and fought the two outlaws head-on and killed them, especially since there was a frail girl here who could have been taken hostage by the criminals.


    In such a scenario, even if it were him coming to the rescue, he would find it somewhat troublesome because he had to consider the girl��s safety.


    Under these circumstances, the fact that Rein managed to save the girl and kill the two outlaws proved his bravery and strategic mind!


    From this moment on, Lord Hamilton regarded Rein with newfound respect!


    In his heart, he no longer saw Rein as just a child, but as equivalent to one of his own elite Night Watchmen.


    Lord Hamilton��s eyes flickered, examining Rein up and down several times, and he praised inwardly, ��After having killed and seen blood, Rein��s entire Spirit state is indeed different.��


    If the previous Rein still had a hint of immaturity, like a rough gemstone,


    then the current Rein seemed like a gemstone that had just been polished on one side, beginning to shine with a light that demanded attention.


    ��Did you do this?�� Although he already knew the answer, Lord Hamilton asked once more.


    ��Yes, sir. These two men broke in late at night with the intention of raping the young girl. I happened to be nearby, heard the noise, and killed them both.��


    ��Sheriff, according to the imperial security management regulations, I shouldn��t be breaking any law this time, should I?�� After the killing, the completely transformed Rein spoke confidently.


    Just now, Rein thought it over; there was no need to hide anything from Lord Hamilton.


    He had interacted with Lord Hamilton before and knew that this experienced sheriff might view any concealment as a potential sign of guilt.


    ��Haha, of course, you��re not breaking the law! Rein, come, tell me how you managed to kill these two. Your strength is decent, but it would be nearly impossible for you to directly kill either of them in a head-on fight,�� Lord Hamilton said with a laugh as he walked toward Rein and waved his hand to the Night Watchmen behind him.


    The elite Night Watchmen in black leather armor entered and began to deal with the bodies on the ground.


    When they first saw the bodies, they were all stunned, clearly shocked as well; they glanced at Rein, and their eyes seemed to say that such a small kid could be so ruthlessly efficient!


    Soon, a capable Night Watchman came forward to report:


    ��Lord Hamilton, among the two deceased, one was wearing a skin mask confirmed to be Scarface, and the other was Blackbeard, both suspects in the children��s disappearance case we��ve been pursuing. Additionally, these two men were also outlaws listed on the wanted poster.��

 Chapter 26 - 26 - 25 The Harassed Sheriff

    Chapter 26 �C 25 The Harassed Sheriff


    ��Very well! Remove the body and clean up the traces in the room,�� Lord Hamilton nodded.


    ��A human-skin mask?��


    ��A wanted poster?��


    ��Scarface?��


    Upon hearing a string of keywords, Rein��s heart was initially puzzled, but then he was startled, obviously frightened. He hadn��t expected these two were wanted criminals; he was indeed lucky to have killed them both, it was partly due to luck!


    Scarface had been fooled by his frail appearance and acting skills, while the black-bearded man was driven by lust, focused entirely on Anna.


    If they had been slightly more cautious, under normal circumstances, he could have been turned over by either of them!


    ...


    But�� why does the name Scarface sound so familiar?


    That��s right! It��s that guy, worth a full five Imperial Gold Coins!


    Rein��s eyes lit up, instantly remembering the notorious bandit known as Scarface and the bounty amount on the wanted poster.


    This means he could claim a substantial reward.


    And what about that black-bearded guy who called Scarface boss? Shouldn��t he be worth even more?


    A wave of joy swept over Rein��s heart.


    ��Lord Hamilton, about the reward����


    ��You want the reward? Come to the town��s administration office tomorrow to find me!�� Lord Hamilton glanced at Rein with a smile that was not quite a smile, then turned and left.


    Rein felt that there was something hidden in the other man��s eyes; getting the reward tomorrow might not be so straightforward.


    The Night Watchmen quickly carried away the bodies inside the room and at the door and dealt with the bloodstains crudely, but the room still reeked of a heavy scent of blood.


    After all, two people had just died here.


    Rein glanced at Anna who was still shivering violently; clearly, it was no longer suitable for her to stay here.


    He was quite troubled but eventually thought that the only option was to let Anna stay at his home for the time being.


    ��Anna, please don��t mention what happened tonight to my parents or to Bo He, alright?�� Rein crouched down, gently speaking to Anna whose large eyes still held traces of fright.


    Anna didn��t speak, but instinctively nodded her head.


    That was enough.


    Gently picking up the somewhat limp girl, Rein returned to his own house next door.


    Perhaps because Rein was guarding her side, the girl fell into a deep sleep in the latter half of the night, with tears glistening on her long eyelashes.


    Although the matter was resolved and he felt very exhausted, Rein couldn��t fall asleep at once. The scene of the murder and the ferocious expressions of the two men as they lay dying replayed in his mind like a slideshow.


    Suddenly, Rein remembered that the system seemed to have sent a notification, but until now, he hadn��t had the chance to check it.


    He opened it to see:


    [You have been through a battle, Militiaman Professional Experience Points +121]


    [You have been through a battle, Militiaman Professional Experience Points +129]


    [Your skill, Basic Swordsmanship, has improved, Experience +34]


    Hisss!


    The Militiaman Profession Level has risen that much?


    Rein stared at his Militiaman lv3 (328/500) on the panel, lost in thought.


    ��`


    It seems that dangerous real combat is the best way to increase Experience Points!


    Although there was a young girl sleeping in the same room with him, the atmosphere couldn��t be any further from being romantic or intimate.


    Looking at Anna, who was curled up and exuded an extreme lack of security even through her sleeping posture, Rein couldn��t muster the slightest desire for this pitiful but tenacious and optimistic fragile girl.


    Talking about women?


    Clearly, Miss Cleya with her bouncy long legs and curvaceous figure held more allure in Rein��s heart!


    The next morning, under his parents�� astonished gazes, Rein took Anna downstairs for breakfast, with only Bo He looking quite happy about it.


    ��Father, Anna��s home had some strangers knocking on the door yesterday, and considering the recent cases of missing children, I decided to bring Anna over. Let��s have Anna stay with us for a while,�� Rein said, mixing truth with fiction.


    Old Rein glanced at Anna, who was eating shyly with her head down, and said with a smile, ��Alright, it looks like you��re the lucky one, you scamp!�� Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Rein, you have to be nice to that girl, Anna!�� his mother chimed in cheerfully, mincing no words.


    This made Anna blush deeply, her head nearly touching the table!


    ��Mother, we��re not in the kind of relationship you��re imagining!�� Rein helplessly rubbed his forehead, saying.


    ��Is that so? Then let me ask you, did you or did you not rest�� in the same room with her last night?�� The mother, considering Anna was right beside them, didn��t put it more directly.


    ��That��s because Anna was scared���� Rein explained, powerless.


    At this point, old Rein interjected with a somewhat serious expression, ��Rein, as a man, you must learn to take responsibility! Anna is a good girl, and you can��t let her down.��


    Great! Now look what��s happened!


    The misunderstanding couldn��t be any bigger!


    But faced with his parents�� advice, Rein could only listen obediently for now and find an opportunity to tell them the truth later.


    After breakfast, Rein almost fled to the town hall. After being announced by the guard at the door, a guard escorted Rein to Lord Hamilton��s office.


    As the town��s security officer, Lord Hamilton��s status was second only to the Governor.


    In some respects, given his control over the security forces and the Night Watcher��s Army and from the perspective of maintaining regional stability, a region��s security officer is an even more important role than the Governor.


    ��Knock, knock, knock!�� the guard knocked on the door.


    ��Come in!�� a deep and resonant voice responded.


    The guard opened the door, and as Rein walked into the room, he saw Lord Hamilton, dressed in noble hunting attire, sitting behind a mahogany desk in the room, currently browsing through some documents.


    Lord Hamilton looked up, and without bothering with pleasantries, simply said, ��Rein, take a seat first. I��m looking at a file here, give me a moment!��


    Rein nodded, pulled out a chair to sit down, and then began to look around.


    The office was bright and spacious, about forty to fifty square meters in size, with several soft deerskin chairs and a coffee table in the central area, and bookshelves on the sides.


    The wall side of the office held the mahogany desk where Lord Hamilton was currently seated, atop of it stacked a large number of parchment rolls that appeared to be various files and documents.


    Before Rein could finish surveying the room, Lord Hamilton put down the file he was examining, looked at Rein with a smile, and said, ��Rein, your growth has exceeded my expectations.��


    ��Are you interested in joining the Night Watchman��s squad to help me? See all these files? They are all unresolved cases, left by that fool Kuzma!��


    ��Recently, I��ve been severely understaffed! In fact, the entire Meister County��s security situation is not looking good. The day before yesterday, in the southwest of Flashgold Town, at Elim Mine, three miners went missing. It is said that some unidentified creatures appeared inside the gold mine, and only bloodstains were found at the scene.��


    ��Also, just yesterday, my guards reported finding traces of foul Finmen around the source of water for our town, upstream from Glimmer Lake. Bear in mind these disgusting creatures heavily pollute the water! But right now, I don��t have enough manpower to drive them away,�� Lord Hamilton pointed at the stack of parchment files on his mahogany desk, saying with a hint of anger.


    ��Kuzma?�� Rein had heard this name before, mentioned by the faux-rich kids during their idle chatter. He was the former security officer of Flashgold Town, and it seemed he left Lord Hamilton, the new appointee, with a multitude of messy issues to deal with.


    ��`

 Chapter 27 - 27 - 26 Bounty Hunters License

    Chapter 27 �C 26 Bounty Hunters License


    After some thought, Rein was not interested in Hamilton��s invitation.


    Although Night Watchmen were also ��civil servants,�� officially organized under the Empire, there was no need! With Lady Cleya��s high regard for him, Rein could currently lay a solid foundation at the Habsburg estate, safe and sound.


    Seemingly guessing Rein��s thoughts, Hamilton pulled out a grey pouch from the drawer and tossed it to Rein.


    ��Thud!��


    ��This is the bounty, 5 Gold Coins for Scarface, 10 for Blackbeard, totaling 15 Imperial Gold Coins.��


    ��Thank you!��


    Rein quickly caught the pouch, feeling exceptionally thrilled inside.


    ...


    He really hadn��t expected that, even though he hadn��t agreed to Hamilton��s recruitment, the man would neither withhold nor pinch him over the bounty issue.


    This suddenly improved Rein��s impression of Hamilton by quite a bit.


    However��. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This delight lasted only a few seconds before Hamilton��s next words dissipated it like smoke.


    ��Rein, I must remind you, the Scarface you killed had no notable background, but��.. Blackbeard, on the other hand, has a brother who is the boss of the Hyena Gang in Meister County, and he��s very powerful.��


    ��Just now, I was reviewing the dossier on Blackbeard,�� said Hamilton as he handed over the parchment roll to Rein.


    Rein took the sheepskin roll and immediately started reading through the dossier��only, the more he read, the more solemn his expression became!


    The dossier showed that the Hyena Gang commanded hundreds of men and dealt in all kinds of dirty deeds, like theft, extortion of protection fees, and occasionally even more detestable acts like trafficking women and children.


    What was especially noted in the dossier was that the Hyena Gang��s boss, nicknamed ��The Canine King�� Korr, had managed through some unknown means to tame a mutant Hyena Queen, as large as a boar, a few years ago. After raising a litter of pups, he equipped his core members with them.


    Dependent on the hyenas�� combat abilities, which far exceeded those of ordinary dogs, the Hyena Gang quickly rose above other gangs in Meister County, and it was rumored they even made connections with certain nobility in the city.


    Faced with such an unscrupulous gang, Rein knew that even if he wasn��t afraid, his family certainly couldn��t afford to provoke them!


    Realizing this, Rein knew that he could only rely on the law enforcement officer before him to escape this predicament; that was also the purpose of Hamilton showing him the dossier.


    Hamilton continued speaking:


    ��As I understand it, Blackbeard had a good relationship with his brother. He came out on his own this time to make some easy money. If his brother finds out his own sibling was killed by you, he will surely seek revenge.��


    After a few seconds of silence, Rein, with a calm expression, looked at Hamilton and said:


    ��Lord Hamilton, since you took the initiative to discuss this matter with me, you must have a way to resolve it.��


    Appreciation gleamed in Hamilton��s eyes; he himself, at Rein��s age, probably couldn��t have faced the situation as calmly as Rein did.


    Just as he was about to share his thoughts, suddenly, Hamilton��s eyes brightened as he looked at Rein!


    He had just noticed a significant change in Rein, who was sitting across from him, compared to the last time they met.


    The events of the previous night had happened in the dark, and Hamilton had not noticed Rein��s transformation due to the dim light.


    But today was daytime, and after scrutinizing Rein closely, Hamilton realized that his eyes were bright and spirited, his breathing steady and strong, bearing a great resemblance to how Hamilton himself had been when he first began learning the Knight Breathing Method!


    Hamilton couldn��t help but blurt out, ��Rein, have you practiced the Knight Breathing Method?!��


    This sudden realization alarmed Rein!


    ��You can see that??��


    However, Rein remained silent, maintaining a smile and calmly looking at Hamilton.


    To this, Hamilton didn��t seem to mind. Instead, he appeared thoughtful and murmured to himself:


    ��You have been training as a child servant on the Habsburg estate recently, which means that one of the knights within the Habsburgs must have taught you the breathing method. So, is this knight His Excellency the estate steward Knight Lloyd or the swordsmanship instructor Sir Perez?��


    Hamilton��s gaze was piercing as he watched Rein, trying to discern something from his expression.


    This made Rein re-evaluate Hamilton once again!


    He hadn��t expected that this robust man before him would have such a delicate mind, nearly guessing the whole matter correctly, except for the last part about the person involved.


    ��I��m sorry, Lord Hamilton, but I cannot reveal which lord taught me the breathing method.��


    ��Because I have promised to keep this secret!��


    ��Haha, good lad! However, the infighting among the heirs of the Count Habbs family is intense, and joining the estate might not necessarily be a good thing for you. The Count��s two sons are fighting over power and profit, while his young daughter has an exceptional knightly talent, having become an official knight two years ago and deeply favored by the old Count!��


    Hamilton waved his hand, obviously not minding whether Rein spoke or not, but instead revealed a significant secret to him.


    Infighting?


    Was it Lady Creya and her brothers or brother against brother?


    No wonder earlier Lady Creya said that she wanted the fact that she taught me the breathing method kept a secret and mentioned that letting it out might not be good for me.


    Rein suddenly understood!


    ��And, the eldest son of the Count Habbs, Alonso, has dubious relations with the Wilderness Brotherhood. So, Rein, as a talented individual, joining the Night Watcher��s Army and serving the Empire would be your best choice!��


    Hamilton slowly stood up, his bright eyes seriously fixed on Rein as he spoke.


    At that moment, he thought, ��Since Rein has already gained the appreciation of the upper echelons of the Habsburg estate and has practiced breathing techniques, it wouldn��t be quite appropriate for him to pretend to be an orphan to infiltrate the enemy as I had originally thought.��


    ��Once you join the Night Watcher��s Army, I will have reason to move our already stretched forces and pay special attention to the area where your family lives, ensuring the safety of you and your family. Against the threats of the Hyena gang, the Night Watchmen will be your solid support!��


    Hamilton��s words were very enticing to Rein!


    The information that the other party had shared was ��high-end information�� that Rein had never been privy to, but he believed that Hamilton wouldn��t deceive him on this matter.


    After all, some things are very easy to verify.


    Seeing that Rein was still hesitant, Hamilton continued to up the ante:


    ��Rein, practicing the breathing method isn��t cheap! You have completed two bounty tasks this time, earning more than 10 Imperial Gold Coins, which meets the minimum requirement to apply for an Imperial Bounty Hunters license.��


    Rein strongly agreed with Hamilton��s words, as cultivating the breathing method was indeed expensive.


    If it weren��t for Lady Creya providing him with berserker bear meat and the specialized secret medicine for the Giant Bear Breathing Technique��Black Kyrin oil, his progress wouldn��t be this rapid.


    However, what puzzled Rein was this Bounty Hunters license. What was that all about?


    Shouldn��t anyone be able to kill a wanted criminal and thus receive the bounty?

 Chapter 28 - 28 - 27 Horseshoe Forging

    Chapter 28 �C 27 Horseshoe Forging Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I apologize, Lord Hamilton, does a bounty hunter still need a permit?�� Rein asked, puzzled.


    ��Haha, Rein, it seems I need to explain to you that if you are the offspring of nobility, of course, you don��t need this bounty hunter permit. But for a person of common status who aspires to rely on bounties as a source of income, having this permit can be very convenient.��


    ��Firstly, the bounty hunter��s permit is universally recognized by the empire. It allows you to carry weapons during the day or at night. Otherwise, according to the Empire��s public security regulations, civilians can only keep their weapons at home, except under special circumstances.��


    ��Moreover, if one day the total amount of your accumulated bounties reaches 100 Gold Coins or more, you can apply for intermediate bounty hunter certification, which grants you the privilege of riding a horse.��


    This immediately left Rein stunned; official recognition of all-day weapon carrying and horse riding?


    Were these privileges, normally reserved for the nobility, also available to bounty hunters?


    Indeed, in this world military strength was the best pathway to class ascension!


    ...


    ��However��. The empire controls the number of bounty hunter slots quite strictly, but as it happens, I still have one recommendation slot available,�� Hamilton continued.


    Rein appeared pensive, naturally very tempted by the bounty hunter slot��bearing arms, riding, and earning a considerable amount of Gold Coins were crucial elements on his transcendental path.


    Because even if he became an estate guard or even a Night Watchman, the basic salary would definitely not suffice for his training.


    However, since Hamilton had already mentioned the scarcity of these slots, it was clear there were no pies falling from the sky!


    Actually, some things were already quite clear between the lines.


    But the issue was that he had already accepted Lady Clayia��s kindness, and now to switch to joining the Night Watcher��s Army��.


    After hesitating for a moment, Rein spoke up, ��Lord Hamilton, I��m very grateful for your appreciation, but I have already promised someone else��. um��. I might become a follower of a certain noble in the future, so��.��


    Before Rein could finish, Hamilton laughed heartily,


    ��So that��s what you are worried about! Rest assured, Rein, that is not a conflict at all. No matter whose follower you are, as long as he is a noble of the empire, you will inevitably pledge allegiance to our great Empire Emperor of the Dragan Empire!��


    ��For example, I am the safety officer of Flashgold Town and at the same time a follower of Marquis Habsburg. My official position within the empire��s administration actually counts as a plus in front of Marquis Habsburg.��


    Rein was suddenly astonished; so there was such a crafty move!


    Shouldn��t it be, ��The vassal��s vassal is not my vassal?��


    However, Rein quickly realized that the Dragan Empire he was in was not like the medieval Western Europe of his previous life, where kingdoms were fragmented. Instead, the central authority was very strong, and naturally, everyone pledged allegiance to the Empire Emperor.


    After Hamilton��s explanation, Rein quickly understood that it was very favorable for the empire��s nobles to have their followers become administrative officials in the kingdom��s power departments.


    ��By the way, Rein, you haven��t undergone the ceremony of swearing allegiance as a follower yet, have you?�� Hamilton inquired.


    ��That��. no.��


    Rein thought, indeed, there had been no form of allegiance ceremony between himself and Lady Cleya.


    Her exact words were that he could become her follower if he could step into the role of a formal knight.


    ��Then you should improve your strength quickly, it would be better to swear allegiance as a Guardian Knight, rather than just as a follower,�� Hamilton said.


    ��Lord Hamilton, is there a difference?�� Rein asked, somewhat astonished.


    Although the amount of information he encountered today was somewhat overwhelming, it also made him feel that his visit was well worth it. A short conversation with Hamilton had enlightened him about many things that he had had no access to before.


    That was the barrier to information caused by differing social strata!


    ��Simply put, it��s about having different levels of initiative. You can be the guardian knight for many people, but you can only be a follower to one!�� Hamilton thought for a moment, then explained.


    ��Thank you, Lord Hamilton, for clearing my confusion. As for your gracious offer to join the Night Watchman, I accept.��


    ��However, I am currently still in my page training period. Could I possibly join the Night Watchman after it ends?�� Rein inquired.


    ��Of course you can. The page training at Habsburg Manor is quite exceptional; it��s just right for you to also learn archery,�� Hamilton seemed quite familiar with the page training, knowing that it included archery instruction.


    ��But�� if there��s something I need from you, Rein, you��ll need to respond immediately,�� Hamilton added.


    ��Of course, Lord Hamilton,�� Rein agreed.


    The meeting ended in a harmonious atmosphere.


    Rein carefully pocketed the gray pouch containing fifteen Empire gold coins and said farewell to Hamilton, leaving the town hall of Flashgold Town.


    With the ��fortune�� now in his possession, Rein felt an extraordinary sense of joy. However, the threat of the Hyena Gang quickly spoiled his mood.


    Who would have thought that the leader of the Hyena Gang, Korr, was actually Black Beard��s brother.


    Strength, I must quickly increase my strength!


    However�� previously it was a lack of money, but now with money in hand, Rein naturally thought of slightly improving his family��s living conditions.


    As for the excuse, he had already worked it out: He would tell them that he received a reward of two Empire gold coins for providing Lord Hamilton, the new sheriff, with crucial clues in a child disappearance case.


    Then, he would tell his family that Lord Hamilton had agreed to let him join the Night Watcher��s Army after his page training concludes.


    With this, his family wouldn��t have to worry about his future, and the lifted burden would greatly improve the mood of the entire family, while also allowing himself to fully utilize the two gold coins.


    However, it was still early in the day, not yet nine o��clock; Rein decided to continue his work at the blacksmith��s shop to gain more professional experience.


    Oh! Speaking of the blacksmith��s shop, yes!


    Now that he had money, he could completely ask the blacksmith Boris to teach him real forging skills.


    The barrier before was that he couldn��t afford it��no money!


    But now, all that was needed was to pay a hefty tuition fee.


    Of course, it was worth it. If he could greatly improve the efficiency of gaining experience, it would not only allow his blacksmith apprenticeship Profession Level to rise rapidly but also lay a solid foundation for crafting his own equipment later.


    Thinking of this, Rein felt a surge of excitement.


    Thus, Rein turned left and right, rushing to the blacksmith��s shop!


    As soon as he entered the blacksmith shop, the continuous clang of hammering filled the air. The blacksmith apprentices were still busy at their work, and Blacksmith Boris was in the midst of horseshoe forging, which immediately caught Rein��s eye.


    This horseshoe forging, combined with hoof trimming, was precisely the complete set!

 Chapter 29 - 29 - 28: Promotion! Occupation [Blacksmith]

    Chapter 29 �C 28: Promotion! Occupation [Blacksmith]


    Boris placed an iron bar of about half a meter into the fire to heat it. Once the middle turned white-hot, he took it out, brushed away the impurities on the surface, then immersed it in water for quenching. Quenching was a process Rein was familiar with from his previous life; it made the iron bar much harder.


    Soon, through repeated hammering and heating, the iron bar gradually took on the shape of a crescent moon.


    Seeing Rein come in, Drews, who was working the bellows, greeted him eagerly, ��Rein! You��re here to help again today, want to continue with the bellows?��


    Rein smiled and said, ��Drews, I��m sorry, but I might not be able to work the bellows today!��


    Under Drews�� astonished gaze, Rein walked up to Boris and pointed to the horseshoe in the making, ��Uncle Boris, I want to learn this. How much is the tuition fee?��


    The blacksmith Boris looked at Rein in surprise and said, ��Rein, you have money? You are not my official apprentice; if you just want to learn horseshoe forging, the tuition is not cheap. Even though you have helped for free, I can��t give you a discount on how much I should charge.��


    After listening to this, Rein couldn��t help but inwardly scoff. The rumors were true: Blacksmith Boris was quite skilled, but exceedingly stingy!


    ...


    ��Of course, Uncle Boris. How much is the tuition to learn horseshoe forging?��


    ��To teach you horseshoe forging for a month, 12 silver coins! If you can��t learn it when the time is up, there��s nothing I can do about it, but the tuition is non-refundable.��


    Hiss! Hearing this price, the surrounding apprentices exchanged glances, as if to say that this time Rein was likely to suffer a self-inflicted disappointment!


    After all, this price was indeed too high for most people, let alone Rein, who did not come from a well-off family.


    Rein was also speechless.


    This price!


    Just for one month, and without guarantee of success!


    You should know that in Flashgold Town, the monthly income of an ordinary adult male is only about 2 to 3 silver coins.


    The currency system of the Dragan Empire was a bit similar to Rein��s previous life in England. One gold coin of the empire could be exchanged for 12 silver coins, one silver coin for 20 shillings, one shilling for 12 pennies, and one penny had the purchasing power of about one pound of rye bread.


    But he still had to learn!


    Rein feigned an expression of great distress and pulled out a gold coin from his embrace, handing it to the slightly surprised Boris, ��Deal! Uncle Boris!��


    ��This time, my family signed me up for the Habsburg Manor��s page training, aiming for a blacksmith apprentice, so they specifically prepared some money for me to learn the essential blacksmith skills����


    Rein half-truthfully explained, accounting for the source of the money.


    ��It seems Old Rein has high hopes for you. Work hard, lad! Don��t end up like my good-for-nothing boy, wandering off to County Town every day, now completely untraceable!�� Boris suddenly became emotional, patting Rein on the shoulder with a sigh.


    This made Rein change his opinion of Boris a bit, realizing that even a stingy man like Boris had the heart of a father wanting his son to succeed.


    ��Come on! Rein, give me a hand here!�� With that, blacksmith Boris handed Rein a heavy hammer.


    Just as Rein grasped the hammer handed to him by Boris, suddenly, a string of system notifications appeared, causing Rein to be slightly startled!


    [Ding! Host has come into contact with the blacksmith apprentice promotion medium �� Blacksmith��s Hammer!]


    [Preconditions for promotion to Blacksmith: 1. Blacksmith Apprentice lv3 at full level; 2. Strength of at least 6 points, Constitution of at least 6 points; 3. Forge ten qualifying blacksmith products�� Current conditions do not meet the requirements! Promotion to Blacksmith failed!]


    Rein was immediately thrilled; so this was the key to advancing from blacksmith apprentice to blacksmith!


    ��Rein! What are you standing around for?��


    ��Oh, right away, Uncle Boris!��


    Quickly coming back to his senses, Rein immediately began to assist with the forging.


    Being new to the craft, Rein only needed to complete one step: indenting a groove in the U-shaped iron bar.


    After the iron bar for the horseshoe was shaped into a crescent, the following steps required two people to work together.


    Blacksmith Boris clamped the iron bar with his left hand and heated it up again while holding a sharp tool in his right hand, shaped like an axe, moving it swiftly over the iron bar.


    Meanwhile, Rein swung the hammer forcefully in rhythm, striking the wider top of the ��axe,�� whose blade was relatively narrow, leaving a slender groove in the hot iron bar under the heavy blow.


    This groove in the horseshoe was to accommodate the soil on the ground to enhance the grip of the horseshoe.


    Although Boris charged extortionately, his teaching attitude was commendable; he guided Rein on the rhythm of force application while explaining to Rein the complete experience of horseshoe forging.


    This benefited Rein a great deal.


    Before long, the system prompt appeared again:


    [You have engaged in horseshoe forging, and your insight has improved!]


    [You have realized a new skill��horseshoe forging]


    [Your skill in horseshoe forging has improved, Experience +2]


    [You focused on forging horseshoes, Blacksmith Apprentice Professional Experience Points +5]


    Clearly, after participating in the horseshoe forging, the Professional Experience Points of the Blacksmith Apprentice soared, far surpassing previous bellows-pulling work.


    This might be the essence of ��pay to win��!


    At the same time, one after another, qualified horseshoes were forged by Rein and Boris.


    But unfortunately, perhaps because most of this part of the work was completed by Boris, the system did not recognize these horseshoes as being forged by Rein.


    Naturally, this did not meet the condition of forging ten qualified blacksmith products.


    This left Rein slightly disappointed.


    He still wanted to advance to a Blacksmith as quickly as possible.


    However, apart from horseshoes, what else could be learned quickly?


    Ah, there it is!


    That would be the nails used for horseshoes! These items are relatively simple to make, and logically, the horseshoe nails should also count as blacksmith products.


    Rein remembered a saying from his past life: ��For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the rider was lost; for want of a rider, the battle was lost; for want of a battle, the kingdom was lost; and all for the want of a horseshoe nail.��


    So, even though the horseshoe nail was small, it was equally important.


    Seizing the moment during a break, Rein asked Boris if he could start learning the skill of forging horseshoe nails first.


    Although Boris found it strange that Rein was insistent on learning how to forge horseshoe nails before the more important horseshoes, after giving it a bit of thought, he quickly agreed.


    The reason was that the forging of horseshoe nails was also part of the lesson fee paid by Rein. After all, once the horseshoes were made, they needed to be used in conjunction with horseshoe nails, and the sequence didn��t matter!


    Rein managed to contain his small surge of excitement and began to seriously forge horseshoe nails following Boris��s instructions.


    At first, the horseshoe nails that Rein produced were all bent and unusable, but slowly, the quality began to improve! S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, as Rein had previously guessed, the system recognized the horseshoe nails as falling within the category of any qualified blacksmith product.


    With that realization, Rein was overjoyed, and like he had been injected with chicken blood, he swung the hammer vigorously, dripping with sweat as he forged the horseshoe nails.


    Boris, on the other hand, looked at the enthusiastic Rein working on the horseshoe nails, shook his head, and said, ��What a strange habit!��


    Finally, before lunch, Rein achieved both of his goals.


    Any qualified blacksmith product (10/10), achieved!


    Blacksmith Apprentice lv3 (500/500) max level, achieved!

 Chapter 30 - 30 - 29 Core Skill

    Chapter 30 �C 29 Core Skill


    [Conditions detected for host upgrade to Blacksmith: 1. Blacksmith Apprentice lv3 max level; 2. Strength above 6 points, Constitution above 6 points; 3. Forge ten qualifying Blacksmith products. All conditions met, upgrade to Blacksmith yes/no?]


    [Note: After upgrading to Blacksmith, the new Blacksmith profession panel will replace the original Blacksmith Apprentice panel.]


    Clearly, this question did not require any consideration, Rein chose yes without hesitation!


    [Ding! Upgrade successful!]


    [Upgrade to Blacksmith successful! Strength +2! Gain core Blacksmith skills: Blacksmith��s Strength lv1, One-Handed Hammer Mastery lv1.]


    [Blacksmith��s Strength lv1 (Active): Due to years of forging, the Blacksmith possesses unusual explosive muscle strength.]


    [Hammer Mastery lv1 (Passive): Familiar with hammers both big and small from years of forging, they are used as extensions of his own limbs.]


    ...


    Hisss! Core skills have emerged?


    Rein was both shocked and delighted!


    This promotion�� truly represents a qualitative leap!


    After informing Blacksmith Boris that he would go home for lunch and return in the afternoon, Rein swiftly left the blacksmith shop, went around the corner of the street, and immediately found a secluded corner to carefully examine his attribute panel.


    The original Blacksmith Apprentice panel had disappeared, replaced with the Blacksmith panel.


    At the same time, two brand-new skill icons at the bottom of the panel flickered slightly, and from their size, the icons for the core skills seemed to be almost twice as large as those for ordinary skills.


    Rein first focused his attention on an icon resembling Popeye flexing his biceps, and beneath it there was a line of text.


    [Core Skill: Blacksmith��s Strength lv1 (Active)]


    Blacksmith��s Strength lv1 (Active) effects: Upon skill activation, your strength will slightly increase.


    ��Note: The skill effect will proportionally increase based on the host��s own strength, and its duration is proportional to the host��s Constitution and spiritual power.��


    Upon reading this, Rein quickly fell into deep thought!


    The additional two points of strength gained after the upgrade to Blacksmith allowed Rein��s strength attribute to surpass his previously highest Spirit Attribute, becoming his strongest attribute.


    It��s worth noting that 9 points of strength already greatly exceeded that of an average adult male, and it was probably slightly superior even compared to the elite members of Lord Hamilton��s Night Watcher��s Army.


    Feeling the surge of strength throughout his body brought Rein a burst of joy.


    Before the upgrade, even if the profession levels of Blacksmith Apprentice or Militia were to increase, each level would only grant one attribute point, but now just by upgrading, Rein had gained two additional points of strength.


    The increase was significant!


    At the same time, with this active skill��Blacksmith��s Strength, which could further enhance strength, Rein was very eager to try it out immediately, but there was nothing suitable around, and making too much noise would draw unnecessary attention.


    After a brief thought, Rein decided to head home, neglecting to even stop for groceries, remembering that there were some scattered large rocks along the way home that he could try his hand at.


    Swiftly, while walking home, Rein, looking around, quickly spotted a nearly half-human-high piece of stone not far off the roadside.


    So, after again making sure no one was around, Rein, eager to attempt, approached the stone.


    ��Lift!��


    With 9 points of strength, Rein, who originally would not have been able to move the heavy rock, now lifted it, although he turned red and found it strenuous. However, he now managed to stably hold it, lifting it a few feet off the ground.


    However, to advance further and lift the two to three hundred pound rock over his head, 9 points of strength still fell a bit short.


    Thus, Rein focused his attention on Blacksmith��s Strength.


    As the skill was activated, suddenly, a warm surge pumped from his heart, accelerating Rein��s blood flow, causing his veins to bulge and the muscles in his arms and shoulders to protrude. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein then forcibly lifted the heavy rock above his head and threw it four to five meters away.


    After throwing the rock, a delightful sensation instantly surged through his heart!


    This was the confidence and exhilaration that great strength brings to a man!


    Then, Rein glanced once more at his attribute panel, only to see Strength: 9 (+1.8), and the +1.8 in brackets was clearly the effect of Blacksmith��s Strength, though the duration was not displayed.


    Rein stood quietly in place, feeling the changes in his body.


    About half a minute later, Rein felt the warmth inside him gradually dissipate. It seemed that the Blacksmith��s Strength, an active Skill, could only last for about half a minute at present.


    But this had already made Rein more than overjoyed. Without a doubt, Blacksmith��s Strength was a Skill that could serve as a trump card.


    Glancing at the sun hanging slightly to the west, Rein muttered to himself, ��Oh no! I almost missed lunchtime!��


    So, without giving another glance at the other core Skill��Hammer Mastery��Rein quickly ran home.


    As soon as he entered the house, his mother greeted him.


    ��Why are you so late, did you go to the blacksmith��s shop again?�� Seeing Rein come back drenched in sweat, his mother asked with a heartache.


    Rein nodded and took the towel his mother offered, wiping the sweat beads off his forehead.


    Just as Rein was gathering his words, planning to discuss with his parents that he had agreed to join the Night Watcher��s Army at Lord Hamilton��s behest, his usually reticent father suddenly spoke, ��Rein, come here for a minute.��


    Rein was slightly surprised but followed his father into the room.


    He saw his father take an object wrapped in grey linen cloth from the old bedside table. As he slowly unwrapped it, two slightly worn Imperial Gold Coins and more than ten silver coins came into view.


    Old Rein hesitated for a moment, then picked up the only two Imperial Gold Coins and handed them to Rein.


    ��Rein, lately whenever you��re free, you run off to that Miser Boris�� blacksmith shop. But it��s useless unless you can pay the apprentice fee. You can��t possibly move that heartless man with sincerity.��


    ��Father, I���� Rein started to say something but was interrupted by a wave of Old Rein��s hand.


    ��Listen to me first, your mother and I have discussed this. These two gold coins should be enough for you to learn one or two forging skills from Boris, which might give you some advantage in the manor blacksmith apprenticeship assessment.��


    ��The little money left, we are keeping at home for you and Bo He to buy some white bread, meat, and eggs. We can��t give you more. You are both still growing, and your nutrition needs to keep up.��


    Looking at his father��s face, tanned by the sun, Rein was speechlessly moved!


    Firmly pushing back the gold coins his father had handed him, Rein raised his head and said,


    ��Father, you and mother need not worry about my future anymore.��


    ��I provided crucial leads on child disappearances to the newly appointed sheriff, Lord Hamilton. Lord Hamilton has promised that after my pageboy training ends, I can join the Night Watcher��s Army.��


    Having said this, amidst Old Rein��s astonished gaze, Rein also pulled out two brand-new Imperial Gold Coins from his own pocket and handed them over.


    ��Father, these two gold coins are a reward from Lord Hamilton; keep this money, and we can eat better at home every day.��


    Clearly, Rein wasn��t reluctant to give all the gold coins to his family, but giving more would have been inexplicable with just the explanation of providing a lead.


    ��Bang!��


    ��Rein, is this true?!��


    His mother, who had been listening at the door, could no longer contain her surprise and burst through the door, hurrying inside.


    ��Of course, look, if you and father really don��t believe me, you can go to the town hall and ask Lord Hamilton directly,�� Rein shrugged, a smile on his face.


    ��May the goddess of fortune bless us!�� His mother cried tears of joy, praying continuously while hurriedly wiping away her tears.


    ��.


    At lunchtime, Old Rein unusually splurged on several bottles of rye beer and seemed determined to have a few drinks with Rein, leaving Anna and Bo He exchanging puzzled looks.


    Anna sensed something, but felt too embarrassed to ask Rein directly.


    ��Rein, from now on, you��re a man! *hic* About you and Anna�� *hic* it��s up to you, son��I support you! *hic*��


    ��Father, this����


    Seeing his father, who had drunk too much, Rein felt a wave of embarrassment and quickly exchanged glances with Anna, who then swiftly diverted her eyes.


    The next second, like a frightened rabbit, Anna immediately lowered her head, a blush spreading across her fair cheeks.

 Chapter 31 - 31 - 30 Archery Training

    Chapter 31 �C 30 Archery Training


    After the meal, Anna spoke to Rein with a slightly shy expression, ��Rein, can you come to the room for a moment?��


    Having spent a day at Rein��s home, Anna still felt somewhat uneasy��not because Rein��s family treated her badly, but because�� they were too enthusiastic.


    The two made their way to a room on the second floor.


    ��Rein, I�� I want to go back to my own home,�� Anna said, lowering her head with her fingers interlocked tightly, clutching the hem of her skirt.


    For some reason, although Rein was her savior, every time she faced him, Anna always felt a bit nervous, and her heart would pound fiercely.


    ��That��s�� probably not a good idea,�� Rein shook his head and declined.


    ��Ah?! This�� why�� why not?�� Anna looked at Rein with a puzzled and surprised expression, her mind a tangle of confusion. This response was not what she had expected at all. Could it be that��


    ...


    While the girl��s thoughts fluttered, Rein spoke with a serious expression:


    ��According to Lord Hamilton, the constable, the Blackbeard I killed last time is the younger brother of the leader of the County Town hyena gang. I��m worried that they might send someone to investigate his brother��s disappearance!��


    ��So, it��s better for you to stay here for the time being and not go back.��


    ��Ah!�� Anna��s face immediately turned pale.


    ��Don��t worry, I will be joining the Night Watcher��s Army soon���� To calm Anna��s shocked emotions, Rein shared with her a part of his conversation in Lord Hamilton��s office.


    After his explanation, Anna felt somewhat relieved; her complexion also stabilized considerably, and she nodded:


    ��Then�� alright then! I��ll help out with whatever I can,�� she agreed.


    Rein waved his hand and said, ��If you have time, you could keep Bo He company. No one is at home usually, and I��m sure she��d be very happy to have your company.��


    ��Of course, that��s no problem. Bo He is very cute and well-behaved,�� Anna��s eyes narrowed happily into crescents as she spoke of Bo He.


    ��That��s enough then, don��t worry, things will get better and better!��


    Anna looked at Rein��s determined expression, nodded, and gave a firm ��Mhm.��


    Although Rein was only a few months older than her, he inexplicably gave her a sense of reliability. She believed in what Rein said!


    In the afternoon, on his way to the blacksmith shop, Rein checked another core skill of the blacksmith trade, ��Hammer Mastery,�� which was represented by the icon of a diagonally placed flathead hammer.


    [Hammer Mastery lv1 (Passive): Slight increase in damage when the host uses any hammer-type weapons.]


    Rein frowned as he read, having always practiced swordsmanship, was he now expected to learn some sort of hammer-based combat skill?


    It seemed that this skill wasn��t likely to immediately enhance his combat abilities.


    However, Rein was already quite satisfied with his promotion to blacksmith, both with the increase in Strength and the acquisition of new active skills, especially ��Blacksmith��s Strength.��


    Rein flipped to the first page of his status panel.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv1 (1/100) / Militiaman lv3 (328/500)


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 9


    Agility: 8


    Spirit: 8


    Remaining attribute points: 0


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Beneath both core skills, there was a mention of a ��lv�� suggesting that they were likely upgradable.


    But Rein noticed that there wasn��t an experience bar in brackets beneath them, which could very well mean that core skills couldn��t be upgraded through practice, but only through the use of Skill Points.


    This caused a slight frown on Rein��s brow.


    Because this meant that the already scarce Skill Points were now even more precious.


    Rein looked at the remaining 1 Skill Point on the panel, hesitating again and again, but still not assigning it.


    ��The Giant Bear Breathing Technique is currently at the second level, and progress isn��t too slow, but once it reaches the third level, it will take much longer.��


    ��I was thinking of waiting until I reach the third level of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique before using the points to jump directly to level 4. The advancement of breathing techniques can bring an all-around improvement to physical condition, making them highly cost-effective.��


    ��But now a core skill has emerged that cannot be improved through practice alone, which is quite troublesome,�� Rein mused as he walked towards the blacksmith��s shop.


    ��Moreover, given this trend, the shortage of skill points is likely to grow more significant over time.��


    ��As for a solution����


    ��Either I find a way to trigger more professions, but right now, this seems highly uncertain. I had hoped that a week of training with the greyhound would lead to a new profession panel like a Dog Trainer or Beast Tamer, but it never materialized.��


    ��So it seems the only thing I can control right now is to continue advancing the profession levels of a blacksmith or militiaman.��


    After reflecting for a while, Rein��s goal became clear. Once he returned to the blacksmith��s shop, his enthusiasm reignited, and he continued to learn horseshoe forging from Blacksmith Boris.


    After an afternoon of continued learning, Rein became increasingly adept at forging horseshoes, and Blacksmith Boris found less and less to do.


    This couldn��t help but impress Boris, who hadn��t expected the kid to have such a talent for blacksmithing!


    Regrettably, after an afternoon of ��hard work��, his blacksmith profession level had only risen by 5 points, now at Blacksmith lv1 (5/100).


    It seemed that after becoming a blacksmith, the experience provided by some of the forging outputs was becoming less and less.


    As the sky grew dark, Rein left the blacksmith��s shop and headed towards Habsburg Manor.


    After returning to the page dormitory, Rein chatted briefly with George before drifting off to sleep.


    The next morning, as a new week of training began, the pages were to undergo archery training, still overseen by Humbert, the manor��s veteran guard.


    As part of the Habsburg Manor Guard��s assessment, both swordsmanship and archery were mandatory skills to be learned.


    The group of pages arrived at the northwest corner of the outer yard of Habsburg manor, where ten neatly aligned targets were set up, and a variety of training bows of different sizes and draw weights were laid out in the adjacent shelter.


    Rein took a careful look and noticed that there were short bows, war bows, and longbows over one and a half meters in length.


    ��Today, we will be practicing archery. Everyone, go to the shelter and pick a bow that suits your strength and an arrow quiver,�� Instructor Humbert commanded, with his hands clasped behind his back and a stern tone.


    As soon as Instructor Humbert finished speaking, the pages swarmed the shelter to pick their bows.


    Because of limited strength, most of the pages chose short bows.


    But quite a few among the pseudo-nobles were tall and strong and opted for regular-sized war bows.


    Rein also selected a war bow, but he deliberately chose one that was slightly less powerful, about a medium draw weight.


    Otherwise, with his actual strength, Rein could have chosen the most potent war bow available here.


    Thick eyebrows glanced over at Rein and saw that he had picked a bow with a higher draw weight than his own. He couldn��t help but snort coldly, thinking to himself, ��That shouldn��t be right, Rein is supposed to be weaker than me!��


    However, he didn��t verbally mock Rein and instead turned away with a darkened expression.


    It seemed he remembered that very unpleasant brawl. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Remembering the fight, Thick Eyebrows felt his stomach churn a bit and cursed inwardly, ��Damn it! What the hell is Jack up to, it��s been a week, and now the guy��s gone missing.��


    ��But�� it��s likely that the drunk Jack has gone off to cause more trouble!��


    ��Seeing as we��ve had a similar incident before, that bastard spent half a month carousing at a widow��s expense after earning some money, only to be kicked out when he was broke.��


    Thick Eyebrows shook his head in frustration, regretting having paid Jack in full ahead of time that day!


    That good-for-nothing was just too unreliable!


    Rein was naturally very eager about archery, but currently, he couldn��t afford to allocate his precious skill points into it.


    So after a whole day of sincere effort, his progress in archery was modest, adding only a Basic Archery lv1 (8/100) badge to his existing militia panel.


    After all, Rome wasn��t built in a day, and accuracy in archery required extensive practice over time.


    This caused a flicker of disappointment in Humbert��s eyes, who had held high hopes for Rein.


    However, this turn of events delighted Thick Eyebrows, who had been quite anxious initially.


    Since archery was one of the mandatory parts of the guard��s assessment, Rein��s poor archery skills would significantly drag down his overall score during the evaluation.


    In contrast, his second-ranked swordsmanship combined with top-ranked archery would ensure his total score surpassed Rein��s.


    He had it in the bag!

 Chapter 32 - 32 - 31: Giant Bear Sword Technique

    Chapter 32 �C 31: Giant Bear Sword Technique


    At dusk, after finishing a day of archery training, Rein arrived at Lady Creya��s study.


    After practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for a while, Rein followed Lady Creya to a separate training room located behind the door at the back of the study.


    The room spanned a little over two hundred square meters, with various longswords, dual-handed greatswords, shields, and even bows and arrows placed on both sides; opposite them stood three fixed targets and wooden dummies for training.


    ��Clang!��


    Upon their swords clashing, Lady Creya��s chestnut ponytail flicked, and she almost stepped back, which surprised her.


    ��Rein, has your strength really increased this much?�� she asked. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein then realized that since he had changed his class to Blacksmith, his strength had soared to 9 points. He hadn��t fully controlled his power in the heat of sparring, which was why there was an evident increase in his sword��s force.


    ...


    Lady Creya, with her keen perception, detected this immediately!


    ��Haha, maybe it��s because the Giant Bear Breathing Technique is particularly suited for me!�� Rein said as he touched his nose, quickly inventing an explanation.


    Lady Creya��s large, brown-gray eyes scrutinized Rein skeptically and she murmured softly, ��But you��ve only reached the second form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, could it really have improved your physical constitution this much?��


    ��Although the Giant Bear Breathing Technique focuses on enhancing a person��s strength and constitution, this is the first time I��ve seen someone just starting out and already experiencing such a significant improvement in their physical condition.��


    Lady Creya furrowed her brows slightly and, after pondering for a moment without coming to any more plausible conclusion, she shook her head slightly and said:


    ��It seems that��s the only explanation for now, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique must be particularly compatible with your constitution.��


    ��In the entire empire, cases like yours are extremely rare, but not unheard of. It��s just that in Meister County, you may be the first!��


    A perfect match, my foot!


    Only Rein knew the real situation.


    However, Lady Creya��s piercing gaze that seemed to see into his heart had unsettled Rein just now.


    It seemed that next time, he needed to be more careful about this issue!


    ��However�� this is actually a good thing. I had set aside some scrolls for you, but now it seems I can teach you the swordsmanship that accompanies the Giant Bear Breathing Technique��the Giant Bear Sword Technique!��


    Lady Creya��s next words startled Rein.


    This turnaround was somewhat sudden��Giant Bear Sword Technique?


    Rein��s heart leapt with joy!


    Just by the name alone, he knew that the swordsmanship Lady Creya was about to teach him would be far superior to the basic sword techniques.


    Lady Creya had not anticipated that Rein would bring her another surprise.


    So far, Rein��s constitution and the Giant Bear Breathing Technique seemed an extremely good fit, and just a few days of practice had considerably enhanced Rein��s strength��a rare phenomenon.


    Now, she felt much more confident that Rein would enter the Transcendent stage and become an official Knight before turning 18.


    Otherwise, with her knightly talent��


    After another three years, she would probably at least have advanced to a Senior Knight. By then, a follower who was merely at the level of a third-class Knight Attendant would be too weak and meaningless.


    It wasn��t that her standards were too high, but to be her follower, one needed to possess a rate of progress close to hers��at least, not too far behind.


    Lady Creya, looking at Rein with admiration, continued in a clear voice:


    ��The Giant Bear Sword Technique originates from imitating the claw strikes of the bear-like Transcendent creatures, powerful and weighty, emphasizing strength and momentum!��


    ��Therefore, the Giant Bear Sword Technique is used in conjunction with heavy dual-handed greatswords, which sets a relatively high strength requirement for the user.��


    ��A regular person, however strong, would not be able to swing a dual-handed greatsword weighing tens of pounds if they haven��t practiced any breathing techniques, and even those few with exceptional talent would still have many flaws!��


    Upon hearing this, Rein strongly agreed!


    If his strength hadn��t reached 9 points, he probably wouldn��t even qualify to learn the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    He would have to wait until his Giant Bear Breathing Technique reached the fifth or sixth form, and his physical constitution had greatly improved, before he would be qualified to practice the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    That must also be why Lady Cleya left the sword technique scroll behind but did not teach it to him.


    After all, to learn the Giant Bear Sword Technique, you must at least be able to swing a Dual-Handed Greatsword!


    ��Now, your strength should be enough to wield the lightest thirty-six pound Dual-Handed Greatsword!�� Cleya said, pointing to the sword rack beside her.


    Rein��s gaze shifted to it and saw that these Dual-Handed Greatswords all had cross-shaped hilts, with long blades at least a meter and twenty centimeters in length.


    Moving forward, Rein selected the lightest Dual-Handed Greatsword, but even the lightest one was much heavier than a Longsword. With his strength at nine points, it was not so smooth to swing, but as Cleya said, he could barely use it now.


    At that moment, Cleya casually picked up a Dual-Handed Greatsword and began demonstrating.


    ��The Giant Bear Sword Technique comprises five forms, the first one being Furious Slash!��


    ��Watch closely, Rein,�� Cleya said with a stern expression, her entire body moving as quick as a darting rabbit.


    ��Swoosh!��


    Propelled by her elastic legs, she moved like a swift leopardess, stepping out in one big stride, already several meters away as she swung the Dual-Handed Greatsword in a powerful chopping motion from above toward the wooden dummy made of ironwood!


    With a ��crack,�� as the silvery gleam of the sword flashed by, the ironwood post in front of Cleya instantly split into two!


    Hisss! Such power!


    Rein was certain that Cleya had not given her full strength, she was just demonstrating for him, and yet the lethality was already so terrifying.


    He was starting to understand what Hamilton meant when he said she was quite talented.


    ��If you understand, try it yourself.��


    ��Okay, Lady Cleya.��


    Rein also followed Cleya��s demonstration, quickly stepping forward and harshly chopping down the Dual-Handed Greatsword on the ironwood post, from above.


    ��Thump!��


    A dull sound echoed, and Rein looked embarrassingly at the scene before him; his Dual-Handed Greatsword had penetrated about three inches into the ironwood post before getting stuck��


    ��You little dummy!��


    Seeing Rein��s awkward situation, Cleya couldn��t help but burst into laughter.


    Rein smiled sheepishly, but this was the first time he had seen Cleya shaking with laughter.


    Normally, Cleya maintained an elegant noble demeanor in front of others, and her style in combat was even more valiant and commanding.


    ��Rein, when you were exerting your force, your wrist was too tense. The movement for Furious Slash was too stiff. Remember, only at the instant of the chop you must grip tightly and release a trembling burst of force through your wrist.��


    ��That way, your sword won��t get stuck in the post,�� Cleya said with a playful smile.


    Especially when she got to the last part, Cleya glanced again at Rein��s greatsword stuck in the dummy, trying to contain her laughter.


    Rein suddenly realized, he hadn��t expected that using a Dual-Handed Greatsword would be so different from a Longsword.


    Under Cleya��s guidance, after several practices, a system prompt appeared:


    [You have trained in Giant Bear Sword Technique, improving related comprehension!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill��Giant Bear Sword Technique]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been enhanced, Experience +1]


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique lv1 (1/100) appeared on the militia panel, and its icon was amusingly a bear wielding a greatsword.


    While Rein was practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique in the castle, in a room on the second floor of the castle,


    a burly middle-aged man clad in grey heavy armor was respectfully reporting Rein��s situation to a noble young man with a sinister air about him.

 Chapter 33 - 33 - 32: The Hidden Enemy

    Chapter 33 �C 32: The Hidden Enemy


    ��Young Master, after investigation, the young man that Lady Creya has taken a liking to is named Rein, a fourteen-year-old farmer��s son, who is said to have considerable talent in swordsmanship.��


    ��These past few days, Lady Creya has been giving him extra training, seemingly placing high value on his swordsmanship talent.��


    The noble youth, with a somewhat pale complexion, furrowed his brows and rhythmically tapped his fingers on the smooth wooden armrest of his chair. After a moment of thought, he spoke:


    ��Rulse, by the look of it, Creya has taken a fancy to the swordsmanship talent of that lowborn and intends to cultivate him as her own direct line, doesn��t she?��


    ��Yes, Young Master Dennis,�� responded the attendant named Rulse, bowing slightly.


    If Rein had been present, he would have recognized the youth sitting on the deer leather chair as the expressionless noble young master he had encountered once before.


    ��Then, let this matter be leaked to Alonso, the eldest son of the Habbs family. He has a far greater ��interest�� in his sister Creya than we do.��


    ...


    ��If he learns that his sister has begun to cultivate a direct line, he will surely be more agitated than we are.��


    At this point, the noble youth named Dennis revealed a sly smile on his face.


    ��As for this lowborn named Rein, his fate will be quite interesting to watch, hahaha!�� Dennis couldn��t help but burst into laughter.


    ��Young Master Dennis, your wisdom is truly rare in this world. This way, we can achieve your goal without having to lift a finger,�� Rulse said with a smile, complimenting him at just the right time. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Originally, Rulse thought his young master might order him to discreetly deal with the farmer��s son, but that would risk directly offending Lady Creya.


    However, he hadn��t expected his young master to come up with such a scheme as ��using another��s hand to kill�� so quickly, one that could achieve their goal without bringing trouble upon themselves.


    The master will be relieved!


    Rulse served Baron Norman, having followed him in many battles during his younger years. Combining his robust personal strength with a bit of luck, he had survived and his skill had reached the level of a nearly commissioned Knight.


    A nearly commissioned Knight is all set, just one step away from becoming a formal third-tier Knight Attendant.


    However, due to Rulse��s advanced age, the possibility of using an extremely precious Magic Potion to advance and break through to Transcendent was less than ten percent.


    Therefore, the final arrangement had been for Baron Norman to appoint him as the chief guard of his eldest legitimate son, Dennis.


    ��By the way, Young Master Dennis, the day before yesterday Baron Norman asked if there��s any chance you could establish a romantic relationship with Lady Creya before she leaves Meister County?��


    Although he felt that asking this question might displease the young master before him, Rulse had no choice as Baron Norman was awaiting a reply, so he had to pluck up the courage to ask.


    When Dennis heard his loyal subordinate ask this question, his face immediately darkened.


    It was his sore spot!


    He had earnestly pursued Creya, only to receive the response, ��If you can defeat me in a spar, I��ll consider it. Do you want to try?��


    He would never forget that scene; he lasted only three seconds before embarrassingly admitting defeat!


    Latterly, he devised various strategies hoping to win Creya over with sincerity and perseverance, following her to Habsburg Manor for Knight Attendant training.


    But so much time had passed, and he had made no progress, let alone held Creya��s hand, with establishing a romantic relationship seeming even further away!


    Resorting to underhanded methods?


    In terms of status, Creya is the daughter of Count Habs.


    In terms of strength, she became an official knight at fifteen and is considered Meister County��s top talent. Moreover, she is about to leave to enroll at the Dragong Imperial Royal Academy.


    Having just become a third-tier Knight Attendant, if he dared to use any foul tricks, he would surely be squarely dealt with by Creya!


    Recalling past beatings that left him with a swollen nose and bruised face, Dennis involuntarily shivered!


    I wanted to lash out at Rulse, but after careful thought, I realized this was what my father wanted to inquire about. Feeling somewhat deflated, Dennis said, ��Rulse, reply to my father that I am trying hard!��


    ��Go, call Tina over,�� Dennis demanded, suppressing the fury in his heart, and waved his hand dismissively.


    ��Yes, young master!�� Rulse bowed respectfully and left the room.


    Soon after, a slim girl with features somewhat resembling Cleya��s walked timidly into the room and said fearfully, ��Young master Dennis.��


    ��Close the door and come here!�� Dennis said, looking at the girl��s fearful expression with disgust.


    Although this girl named Tina had some resemblance to Cleya in her looks, the difference in her temperament and figure was like night and day!


    But as a substitute, the bar couldn��t be set too high; after all, if it were, none could be found. This girl was, in fact, the daughter of a tailor whom Rulse had scoured the Meister County for and finally stumbled upon with great difficulty!


    Whenever Dennis was filled with rage with nowhere to vent, he would find her and lash out fiercely!


    ��Lift your head, Tina, and look at me! Imagine yourself as a noble from a prestigious family, unyielding and dignified!��


    ��Young master Dennis, I�� I can��t!��


    ��Useless thing! Then get down on your front!�� Instantly, blood rushing to his head with rage, Dennis grabbed the poor maidservant, turned her back to him, and pressed her harshly onto the desk.


    After a sound of fabric tearing, the maidservant��s pleas for mercy followed!


    ��It hurts! Young master!��


    ��Smack!��


    ��Shut up! Don��t make a sound!��


    The piteous maidservant could only stuff a roll of parchment into her mouth, while tears streamed down like pearls.


    At first, when her father sold her to young master Dennis, she was secretly thrilled, thinking she would become the personal maid to a noble young master and step into a wonderful life.


    But her mood quickly plunged from heaven to hell.


    On the first day, Dennis treated her brutally, and she soon realized she was nothing but a stand-in for the high-born and beautiful Lady Creya in her own young master��s heart.


    No! Even saying she was a stand-in was overestimating her worth!


    She was merely an object for her young master to vent his beastly lusts upon!


    ��


    For three consecutive days, after bow training at the estate, Rein would head to the castle to learn the Giant Bear Sword Technique with Cleya.


    Recently, the teachings felt a bit rushed to Rein.


    Within a span of three days, Cleya had successively taught him ��Furious Slash,�� ��Leap Slash,�� and ��Smooth Cleaving Slash.��


    At present, he had only just begun to grasp the first technique, ��Furious Slash.�� He could only say he understood the method of channeling and exerting force for ��Leap Slash�� and ��Smooth Cleaving Slash,�� but using them was still very clumsy.


    This point would have to be improved upon with continuous practice and refinement.


    That is, assuming he wouldn��t use Skill Points.


    By now, Rein had begun to guess that perhaps this was because the time of Cleya��s departure was drawing nearer.


    ��Rein, today I��ll teach you a defensive stance, which is the only defensive move in the Giant Bear Sword Technique. Come, attack me!�� Cleya raised her fine eyebrows, signaling Rein to advance on her.

 Chapter 34 - 34 - 33 Cleya’s Last Lesson

    Chapter 34 �C 33 Cleya��s Last Lesson


    Rein nodded.


    The next second, he swiftly stepped forward and his Dual-Handed Greatsword traced a lightning-fast semi-circular arc. At a downward angle of forty-five degrees, he fiercely cleaved down towards Cleya!


    ��Clang!!��


    A grating sound of metal against metal rang out.


    Cleya held her sword with both hands, her chestnut ponytail swaying. She used the ��strong blade�� near the crossguard to firmly catch Rein��s Smooth Cleaving Slash.


    The two quickly parted, and then Cleya began to explain,


    ��There are two variations of the Giant Bear Sword Technique��s defensive stance to cope with different situations. The first is similar to using a one-handed sword, applying the strong blade against the enemy��s cleaving skills.��


    ...


    ��The second is different. Come, Rein, thrust your sword at me.��


    As she spoke, Cleya gestured for Rein to attack her again.


    ��Alright, Lady Cleya, be careful!��


    ��Clang!!��


    The sound of this clang was quite crisp.


    Cleya��s Dual-Handed Greatsword stood erect, planted into the ground, perfectly blocking Rein��s striding thrust.


    Rein was jolted so much that his wrist turned sour, almost unable to hold the sword hilt. He looked closely and saw his sword tip was precisely on the groove of Cleya��s Dual-Handed Greatsword��s blade that was as wide as a palm.


    Cleya did not launch an attack, purely defending.


    And Rein��s greatsword did not scrape and spark, moving aside to continue thrusting at Cleya, because the blood groove on the greatsword restricted the sword tip.


    ��Do you understand?��


    ��The second variation of the Giant Bear Sword Technique��s defensive stance is designed to block the enemy��s quick thrusts. When the enemy attacks swiftly, it becomes very difficult to rely on the strong blade to cope.��


    ��But you need to be aware, in the selection of Dual-Handed Greatswords, you need to choose those with single or double blood grooves.��


    ��Furthermore, after blocking, you must immediately counterattack. The Giant Bear Sword Technique is not primarily a defensive sword technique. What you need is to disrupt the opponent��s offensive rhythm with fierce attacks, forcing them to be consumed with defense.��


    With Cleya��s concise and clear explanation, Rein had an epiphany.


    Rein thought about it carefully and realized it was indeed so! Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique encompasses five moves: ��Furious Slash,�� ��Leap Slash,�� ��Smooth Cleaving Slash,�� ��Defensive Stance,�� and the one he hadn��t learned, ��Whirlwind Slash.��


    From the names, it��s not hard to discern that out of the five moves, four are named with ��slash,�� fully demonstrating that the Giant Bear Sword Technique is primarily offensive.


    Unlike the one-handed sword skills which have many thrusting motions, the moves of the Giant Bear Sword Technique are all designed to make full use of the greatsword��s heavy blade, focusing mainly on powerful cleaving sword techniques!


    Guided by Cleya��s insightful instructions, Rein��s progress in practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique accelerated significantly.


    Having sparred many times with Cleya over the past three days using the Giant Bear Sword Technique, Rein��s Militia Profession Level had smoothly advanced to lv4 and was now Militia lv4 (18/1000).


    As a matter of course, he gained one attribute point and one skill point.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv1 (5/100) / Militia lv4 (18/1000)


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 9


    Agility: 8


    Spirit: 8


    Remaining Attribute Points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 2


    Regarding this attribute point, Rein did not hurry to use it since allocating points had the special effect of restoring status.


    Therefore, he planned to save it for an emergency.


    As for the two skill points, Rein was still somewhat undecided whether to use them to enhance his core skills or to improve the final two forms of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Since he was undecided, Rein planned to hold onto them for the time being.


    ��Rein, the last thing I��m going to teach you today is about the secret technique of the Giant Bear Sword Technique,�� Cleya signaled for Rein to stop practicing the ��defensive posture.��


    ��A secret technique?�� Rein was slightly taken aback upon hearing Cleya��s words.


    ��The Giant Bear Sword Technique, including the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, is not exclusive to the Habus family; it��s widely spread among the imperial nobility.��


    ��But only families that have studied the Giant Bear Sword Technique long enough can create their own secret techniques, or what could be called ultimate moves, based on the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and the Giant Bear Sword Technique.��


    ��And today, I will teach you, the Haubs family��s unique secret technique of the Giant Bear Sword Technique��the roaring strike!��


    ��This move requires strong lung power to simulate the sonic shockwave of a bears�� attack and should be executed in conjunction with the Whirlwind Slash,�� Cleya said eloquently.


    A sonic attack combined with a physical attack?


    Rein quickly grasped the power of this secret technique.


    If both parties were of similar strength, and one suddenly unleashed the roaring strike, as long as the opponent got momentarily stunned by the unexpected sonic attack, it would be game over.


    One could seize the opportunity to strike down the opponent directly.


    ��To help you understand, let��s demonstrate!�� A sly smile appeared on Cleya��s face.


    ��Okay, Lady Creya!��


    Rein gripped his Dual-Handed Greatsword tightly, with the tip pointing up at a forty-five-degree angle, ready in a starting position.


    ��Hah!!!��


    A huge roar blasted out from Cleya��s red lips, and even though Rein was prepared, he only felt a gust of wind hitting his face, causing his skin to tremble violently.


    His eardrums were in pain, and his whole head was buzzing!


    Although this lasted for a very brief moment, just under half a second, by the time Rein came to his senses again, he found that Cleya��s Dual-Handed Greatsword had already stopped at his neck.


    ��Pfft!�� Seeing Rein��s puzzled look just now, Cleya couldn��t help but laugh out loud.


    ��Cough�� How about it, Rein, did you feel the power of the roaring strike?�� Apparently realizing her behavior was not very ladylike, Cleya coughed and said.


    ��Actually, as a woman, I��m not at an advantage in executing this strike, and I don��t practice the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, so the move I just demonstrated was only a simulation.��


    Rein nodded silently without a word.


    Cleya was completely correct; if it had been a powerful knight who specialized in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique executing that move, his eardrums would probably have burst and bled instantly, and he would have been left dizzy on the spot.


    Rather than just being dazed for less than a second like just now.


    But in a fight between masters, who could afford to stop for one second? In his previous life, a hundred-meter sprinter could cover ten meters in one second, and in this world, with its exaggerated martial prowess, a second was enough to kill you several times over.


    Rein realized for the first time the importance of Constitution.


    If his Constitution were strong enough, he could withstand such dizziness and other abnormal resistances, while also speeding up his physical recovery, and bolstering his endurance, among other effects.


    It seemed he would have to devote more effort to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and practice it diligently since if the technique could be improved, it would enhance his physical attributes all-around, especially Constitution and Strength, which would receive additional bonuses from training in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    At that moment, Rein saw Cleya suddenly place her greatsword back onto the sword rack.


    While he was puzzled, he heard Cleya turn around and say, ��Rein, I will be going back to County Town to see my father in a moment.��


    ��Early tomorrow morning, I will be leaving Meister County to head to the Imperial Royal Academy.��


    Upon hearing this news, Rein was momentarily stunned. So soon?


    Although he had heard Cleya mention before that she would be leaving after a while, at this moment, he felt somewhat lost.

 Chapter 35 - 35 - 34: Transcendent Path

    Chapter 35 �C 34: Transcendent Path


    Perhaps it was because of the time they had spent together that he had grown much more familiar with the younger daughter of the Count��s family.


    ��Let��s end today��s training here. If you have any issues in the future, you can seek out Shadia.��


    Rein looked to the side and saw the Chief Maid Shadia slightly nodding at him.


    ��Hold on a moment, Lady Cleya, I still have a question about entering the Transcendent path. Is the path of the Knight the only way in this world?��


    ��How could that be possible?��


    Cleya couldn��t help but laugh. She realized she had been so focused on teaching Rein the Breathing Techniques and swordsmanship that she hadn��t discussed some basic knowledge with him.


    ��Of course, there are far more paths than just the Knight��s path. Even entering the path of the Knight isn��t considered the strongest in the transcendence realm. For instance, all the major churches in the Empire have their own transcendent path.��


    ...


    ��But the church��s transcendent paths require one to become a devout follower of God.��


    ��Whereas the Knight��s path is the most stable and least dependent on external forces. It allows for achieving transcendence by tapping into one��s potential.��


    ��At the same time, it��s also the path most accessible to ordinary people entering transcendence,�� Cleya explained.


    ��According to records, the Knight Breathing Method originated from our human ancestors�� studies on ferocious beasts, which eventually led to developing a training method suitable for humans.��


    ��The Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique that you are practicing are such methods.��


    After finishing, Rein nodded. He understood this kind of situation.


    Because in his previous life, ancestors used Five Animal Frolics for health and Xingyi Quan mimicking twelve animals like monkeys, tigers, and bears for combat.


    ��Ferocious beasts?��


    However, this was the first time Rein had heard of this concept and asked with curiosity. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Yes, ordinary animals under the influence of the mysterious side all have a certain chance of becoming ferocious or mutated beasts, thereby gaining much greater strength, agility, and recovery speed than their ordinary counterparts, akin to human Knights.��


    ��Hmm��actually, from this perspective, the transcendent paths of Knights and ferocious beasts are consistent. Both break through limits in some way; only humans practice breathing techniques, whereas animals rely more on innate talent or lineage.��


    ��Look!�� Suddenly, Cleya��s slender arm swelled, bulging her hunting coat��s sleeve, but it quickly shrank back.


    Rein widened his eyes and stared intently at the transformation of Cleya��s arm.


    Giant Barbie?


    He was stunned!


    So this was the true strength of Cleya!


    ��This is the strength you possess after becoming a formal Knight, breaking through the physical limits��what we call Limit Break.��


    ��Long ago, Limit Break was also called ��ferocious transformation,�� but later, to differentiate between humans and beasts, those who reached transcendence through breathing techniques were called Knights, and this transformation was named Limit Break, which essentially means the same as ferocious transformation.��


    ��Well, I should get going now,��


    Cleya glanced outside the window as the night deepened.


    ��Rein, the world is much broader and more dangerous than you imagine. I��ve taught you the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique. Work hard!��


    ��I hope to be surprised by you in a year.��


    After speaking, Cleya flashed a slight smile, swung her chestnut ponytail, and left the room, her figure quickly disappearing into the darkness outside the castle.


    ��


    Meanwhile, in the dining room of Count Habbs�� mansion in Meister County Town.


    A bearded man dressed in noble attire with black and gold edging was elegantly carving a large chunk of beef rib, handling the pure silver knife and fork with exceptional agility.


    On the silver plate, pieces of beef rib, cut as neatly as tofu, were quickly forked into his mouth.


    Soon, all the meat on that large beef rib was in his stomach, the bones picked clean without a trace of meat left.


    But it didn��t end there. With a series of crisp ��click�� sounds.


    The silver dinner knife in the man��s hand sliced through the tough beef ribs like butter, sucking the marrow within into his mouth.


    At that moment, a beautiful serving maid respectfully offered a hot towel.


    The man wiped his mouth and said, ��Michel, sorry to have kept you waiting.��


    His tone was very polite, but anyone could tell that it was merely a formality.


    ��What is the matter?��


    ��Baron, there is something I need to report to you.�� Named Michel, the butler waved his hand, dismissing all the maids from the dining room.


    ��News has come from Dennis that your sister, Lady Cleya, seems to have nurtured a legitimate descendant at the Habsburg estate, reportedly the son of a farmer, but with notable talent in swordsmanship.��


    As soon as the butler named Michel mentioned the three words ��Lady Cleya,�� the middle-aged baron��s face changed, obviously recalling some unpleasant memory.


    He elegantly sipped his red wine, paused, and asked, ��Considering the timing, Cleya must be about to head to the Imperial City, right?��


    ��Yes, under normal circumstances, Lady Cleya should be departing for the Imperial City within three days.��


    ��Otherwise, she might miss the opening ceremony of the Imperial Royal Academy.��


    The baron nodded and said, ��Then let��s give the face of my sister from Meister County, who possesses the strongest knight talent, and after she leaves, Michel, have someone erase that farmer��s son.��


    His tone was so casual, as if he were merely stepping on an ant by the roadside.


    ��As you command, Baron,�� Michel said respectfully.


    Just as the butler was about to leave, the baron spoke again, ��By the way, about that Black Flame Prayer Ceremony we spoke of last time, when can it be held?��


    ��There seems to be a small problem there�� Things have been tightly wound recently, and some materials might take more time to prepare.��


    ��Tell them to speed up! I don��t want to wait too long.��


    ��As you command, my lord, your will is my desire!��


    The man in question, named Alonso Habus, was granted his baronial title at the age of eighteen, as he was the eldest legitimate son of the Habus family.


    Back in his study, Alonso sat in his chair, idly toying with a silver, round family crest, which was a couple sizes larger than an Imperial gold coin.


    This was one of his habits.


    Whenever he needed to thoroughly consider an issue, he would spin the family crest on his finger.


    The craftsmanship of the Habus family crest was extremely exquisite: it depicted a swooping eagle with high-risen wings, each feather seemingly distinguishable, and its sharp talons pointed downward as though about to capture some prey.


    This was no ordinary eagle, but a transcendental raptor known as a ��Cali Bird.��


    Once mature, this bird��s wingspan could reach over four meters, far more ferocious than ordinary eagles.


    As the eldest son of the Habus family, Alonso was supposed to be the unquestioned heir to the family, but unfortunately, he was the weakest in terms of personal strength among Count Habbs��s three children.


    Nearing thirty, he had only just managed to step into the official knight rank and had made little progress in the past few years.


    In this world, if the power disparity among heirs was not significant, inheritance followed the order of seniority, but if the gap was too large��


    Then it was just too bad.


    Unfortunately for Alonso, his half-brother Descartes and his sister Cleya, both had exceptional talents.


    Descartes was already serving in the Imperial Military, with a promising future ahead.


    And Cleya needs no mention, a rare genius knight of Meister County. She broke through to official knight rank at the age of fifteen and was admitted to the Imperial Royal Academy for further education.


    The crux of the issue was that Alonso��s relationship with both had been poor from childhood, certainly not helped by his mother��s influence, and reversing it was likely impossible for him personally.


    Thus, the sense of urgency within Alonso grew increasingly intense; he did not wish to spend his life merely as a minor baron.


    He stowed away the silver Cali Bird crest of his family and gripped it tightly, saying, ��I hope the Black Flame Prayer Ceremony has the effects of legend!��

 Chapter 36 - 36 - 35 Attack from Nightingale Forest

    Chapter 36 �C 35 Attack from Nightingale Forest


    ��`


    Somewhere in the Nightingale Forest.


    The blood-red eyes of Savage Claw swept around the surrounding cowering gnolls; not a single one dared meet its gaze, but it knew it had to leave this place.


    Standing over seven feet tall and weighing 350 pounds, Savage Claw was a giant among gnolls, who averaged around six feet three inches and 200 pounds. Originally, it was the leader of this band of lowland gnolls, and its days had been very comfortable.


    But in the recent duel, it had been defeated by another, equally ferocious gnoll.


    The victor had emerged from the depths of the Nightingale Forest, a gnoll even stronger than it, towering over seven feet ten inches, with a terrifying strength.


    However��


    ...


    Even though Savage Claw had been defeated, it would not die.


    Not because of its opponent��s mercy, but because of its own strength.


    When Savage Claw attacked at full force, a faint blue energy flow would surround it, a special energy that helped Savage Claw completely negate the air��s resistance against it.


    This not only gave Savage Claw a moving speed far surpassing that of other gnolls, but it also enabled it to eliminate all its body odors during an attack, providing excellent stealth.


    This was also why Savage Claw was confident that it could live well on its own.


    With a heavy snort, Savage Claw left its former gnoll encampment and ran towards the eastern part of the forest.


    Without subordinates to command, hunting would now have to be done by Savage Claw itself.


    Now, it was roaming the woods near human towns, hoping for a different kind of bounty. It was getting tired of the meat of forest beasts.


    The meat of wild beasts could never compare to the deliciousness of human flesh, especially that of human females, which was exceptionally tender and juicy. One bite would cause red juices to splash everywhere, an utterly delightful taste.


    However, Savage Claw had tasted human flesh only three times. Although these events were in the distant past, the memories had left a profound impression, making it long for more.


    This was also the reason it was heading towards the eastern side of the forest.


    For it knew there was a human town nearby, which was the closest to it, apparently called�� Flashgold Town.


    Dusk had long fallen.


    The newly arrived Savage Claw, after avoiding several humans dressed in leather armor, carrying bows and swords, unknowingly approached a large fenced but open area.


    There, it smelled the dense, young, and tender scent of human flesh.


    This was the smell of ��younglings��!


    The taste of ��younglings�� was generally quite delicious, which made Savage Claw��s thick Adam��s apple bob up and down a few times. It hadn��t eaten all day, so Savage Claw decided to pick this spot.


    It observed and noticed that every so often a patrol of guards, clad in fine chainmail, with iron-covered oak shields in one hand and sword hilts in the other, would pass by.


    These must be the patrolling guards. In its own gnoll encampment, patrols were also organized.


    It wasn��t that Savage Claw feared these ��weak�� human guards, but it knew that by killing them, it would certainly alarm other guards and thus miss out on the delicious ��youngling�� flesh.


    Although humans were on average weak, these guards would call for help!


    And if it attracted those ��iron men,�� that would be problematic!


    Because the strength of those ��iron men�� was formidable, some almost as strong as it, or even stronger, and it didn��t want to encounter them.


    When it came to hunting, Savage Claw was very patient. Before becoming a leader, it also had to hunt for itself.


    Just a little longer, and it could enjoy fresh and tender meat!


    At that moment, in the western dormitory of the outer court, all the young servants had already laid down.


    Soft snores rose and fell in waves, and the day��s archery training had left the arms of most servants incredibly sore.


    Only bushy-browed En tossed and turned with worries in his mind, and so his sleep was unsettled.


    He felt as though in his half-asleep state, he had heard a ��bang�� as a door opened.


    ��Wonder which bastard was that loud!�� he muttered.


    But soon, he sensed something wrong because En heard a strange chewing sound.


    ��Crunch crunch!��


    Judging from the sound, it seemed to be coming from near the entrance of the servants�� dormitory.


    In the middle of the night, someone was eating?


    No, that��s not right!


    In this large dormitory, besides himself and Freckles and a few others, which servant had such luxury?


    ��`


    Wasn��t Rein��s original position by the door?


    Who��s sleeping there now?


    He couldn��t remember, but the very thought of Rein made his thick eyebrows furrow, and suddenly his thoughts became clearer!


    So, with a bit of grogginess, he propped up his upper body, huffing and puffing as he looked towards the doorway.


    Just as he was about to curse out loud, a strong scent of blood wafted over, sending a shiver down his spine, and his skin broke out in goosebumps, instantly making him fully alert.


    He saw a dark, hulking figure squatting by the door, cradling something in his arms and devouring it with big gulps.


    Immediately, he realized that none of the young servants had such a massive size; even being the biggest among them, he was still much smaller than the other.


    The dark figure squatting by the door seemed like a small mountain!


    This made his thick eyebrows think of some very eerie things, and large beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.


    His heart started pounding violently at once.


    He slowly lay back down!


    But his trembling hands betrayed his inner turmoil.


    ��Am I separated from that bed by the door by seven people? No, six people. That monster should leave after it��s had its fill, right?��


    ��Mom, bless me, I don��t want to die yet!��


    ��Dad, tell me what should I do?��


    The mentally crumbling thick eyebrows seemed completely at a loss for what to do.


    That��s right, there were guards!


    Every so often, a small patrol team of guards would pass by the young servants�� dormitory.


    I used to be annoyed by their noise!


    Seizing onto this lifeline, thick eyebrows immediately began to listen attentively for the rhythmic sound of footsteps outside.


    Unfortunately, it seemed that the patrolling team had just passed, or hadn��t arrived yet. Listening closely, the sinister ��crunch crunch�� of chewing actually became clearer.


    At this moment, he had never hoped so much for the arrival of the guards! sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One minute��.


    Two minutes��.


    Time passed agonizingly slow!


    Finally, he heard the somewhat heavy, rhythmic footsteps and yelled at the top of his lungs, ��Help!! There��s a monster!!��


    ��Are you crazy, thick eyebrows? Stop screaming nonsense!�� The freckle-faced boy sleeping next to him was the first to be woken by his shout.


    ��Yeah, Thick Eyebrows, what are you doing?�� asked the son of the tanner, rubbing his eyes.


    ����.��


    The young servants, one after another, were woken by thick eyebrows�� thunderous scream, and started complaining about him, but the next second, they all froze, their eyes bulging as they stared at the massive figure standing in the doorway.


    By the weak moonlight, the group of young servants could barely make out that the figure was humanoid, clad in torn leather shoulder guards and chainmail, with a protruding forehead and dense fur on the exposed parts �C but clearly not a human head. It was unmistakably the gigantic head of a hyena!


    Its face was ferocious and ugly!


    At that moment, the creature was gnawing on a long human thigh, with fresh red blood and bits of flesh dripping from its gaping maw!


    Savage Claw was very unhappy, having planned to secretly eat two ��cubs�� and then take two more away for the next day, but its perfect plan for the night was ruined by a ��cub��s�� piercing scream.


    Looking at the half-eaten ��cub�� on the ground, Savage Claw knew it was time to go!


    The human guards were about to come. It seemed that taking two was no longer an option, but one should be manageable.


    Then, Savage Claw grabbed a young servant who was petrified near the door, burst through the wooden door, and dashed outside.


    The patrolling guards of Habsburg��s estate had rushed towards the young servants�� dormitory upon hearing thick eyebrows�� scream, and now, they too had reached the entrance, ready to burst in.


    What they didn��t expect was the wooden door to suddenly ��BAM,�� splinter apart!


    The shattered wooden planks shot towards them like arrows!


    The next second, a ferocious monster, over two meters tall, charged out from inside, knocking the two guards blocking the way and sending them flying seven or eight meters before making its escape!


    Before long, the entire Habsburg estate was ablaze with lights!!

 Chapter 37 - 37: 36 chapters: Martial Law

    Chapter 37: 36 chapters: Martial Law


    Rein, who was in another servant��s dormitory, woke up immediately after George shouted that alert.


    He heard clearly that, besides screaming for help, George also cried out the words ��monster.��


    Without hesitation, Rein shook George awake and instructed him to wake everyone else.


    Rein himself quickly went to the door and looked outside.


    Just as he found it strange that there was no movement from the dormitory across from them, a five-man manor patrol headed briskly toward the opposite dormitory.


    The next second, Rein��s heart clenched violently!


    His scalp tingled, and his pupils contracted!


    ...


    Before his eyes, a massive shadow burst out from the opposite dormitory, shattering the door into fragments that instantly covered the few guards like a torrential downpour.


    As the guards raised their hands to shield themselves, two of them were sent flying.


    Without pausing!


    This enormous humanoid shadow, carrying a skinny, shirtless servant boy, quickly leaped over the fence.


    Judging by its speed, it was definitely faster than Bolt��s hundred-meter sprint that Rein had seen in his previous life!


    Under the moonlight, Rein could vaguely see the strong build of the creature, its hyena-like ugly face, and its thick, hairy arms.


    ��What�� what is this monster?�� Rein was shocked.


    A sense of crisis filled his heart immediately!


    In Rein��s mind, with his professional panel, as long as he ��grinded�� slowly and progressed step by step, he would eventually reach the peak in this world.


    But the scene before him snapped him back to reality.


    Sometimes, even if he did not seek danger, danger might actively seek him out!


    If that monster had chosen their servant��s dormitory, could they only rely on luck and sit waiting for death?


    No!


    Never!


    He needed to double his efforts!


    Rein��s face was as still as water, but his heart was churning.


    ��


    Soon, the Habsburg manor was in turmoil, and noise erupted everywhere.


    Guards rushed over from all directions. One after another, guards wearing nose-guard helmets, chain mail, and carrying sword-shields or spear-shields arrived.


    ��Woof, woof, woof!��


    Some guards also brought greyhounds, relying on the dogs�� keen sense of smell and the tracks on the ground; the guards quickly determined the direction and traces of the fleeing monster.


    Yet the guards still did not release the dogs to track it down, seemingly waiting for someone.


    Rein and the other servants had already walked out and were standing from a distance, looking at the cordoned dormitory opposite them, at the pale-faced servants who were either vomiting or sobbing, and couldn��t help feeling empathetic.


    If it weren��t for the protection of the goddess of fortune from the unknown, if the monster had chosen their servant��s dormitory to hunt in��


    The terrible consequences made George and the other servants shudder with fear!


    After a while, a towering figure clad in solid plate armor and a black cloak came over, and the guards saluted, ��Lord Lloyd!��


    The middle-aged man with a commanding presence was none other than Sir Lloyd, the steward and Knight of the Habsburg Manor.


    ��What��s the situation?��


    The arrival of Sir Lloyd immediately brought order to what had previously been a somewhat chaotic scene.


    Such was the deterrent power of a true Knight��s Transcendent Strength, which quickly stabilized people��s hearts.


    ��Two servant boys are dead, and one is missing, likely abducted!��


    ��According to the descriptions from the manor��s patrol guards and the huge footprints left on the ground, it appears that the attacker of the servant boys was a rogue werewolf-like creature, immensely large and powerful, far more so than an ordinary werewolf,�� reported a guard who looked like a squad leader.


    ��Take me to the scene.�� The Knight with golden hair and a goatee, Sir Lloyd, said in a deep voice after hearing the report from the guard.


    ��At once, my lord!��


    Two chainmail-clad guards led the way as the group made their way to the servant boys�� dormitory where Humbert and the others resided.


    The dormitory��s door had been utterly demolished, leaving a gaping hole nearly three meters high and over two meters wide. The surrounding wooden boards were shattered into jagged splinters. According to the guards�� account, the werewolf-like creature had simply smashed through the door. The level of strength required�� sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sir Lloyd couldn��t help but fall into deep thought.


    ��Sir Lloyd, this must be an exceedingly rare and aggressive werewolf-like creature!��


    A deep male voice sounded from behind Sir Lloyd; it was none other than Sir Perez, the Knight Instructor of the noble scions at Meister County.


    ��Lord Perez!�� the guards saluted him.


    ��Sir Perez, do you have any suggestions?�� Sir Lloyd asked, turning to Perez.


    ��The forest at night is not our domain. I suggest we bolster the manor��s night-time defenses and at daybreak, contact the new chief of security of Flashgold Town, Sir Hamilton, and organize a team to search together.��


    Unexpectedly, Perez, although looked imposing, suggested a highly cautious approach.


    Indeed, battling a ferocious werewolf-like creature in the woods at night was a daunting prospect, even for a Knight who had stepped into the realm of the Transcendent.


    More critically, the night-time forest was not the domain of humans. One might encounter creatures more terrifying than a ferocious transformed werewolf, which could lead not only to a failed hunt but also to significant casualties.


    After a brief consideration, Sir Lloyd nodded in agreement and turned to a Messenger beside him, ��Increase the guard, especially around the servants�� quarters, the stables, and animal pens.��


    ��Also, send someone immediately to Flashgold Town to notify them about the encounter with the ferocious werewolf-like creature.��


    ��The creature may not return here, but the possibility of it heading to Flashgold Town in search of food is not negligible. They should be prepared.��


    ��As you command, Lord Lloyd!�� After saluting, the Messenger quickly mounted a horse and left the manor.


    While Rein and George listened intently to the conversation between Sir Lloyd and Lord Perez from a distance, Humbert, also dressed in chainmail and a swordsmanship instructor for servant boys, hurried over to them and said:


    ��The servant boy training is suspended. You will all follow me and return to Flashgold Town immediately.��


    This left George and the other servant boys exchanging puzzled glances, but Rein, after a moment��s thought, understood why Sir Lloyd had made this decision.


    In the wake of the manor being attacked by a ferocious transformed werewolf, keeping a large number of servant boys there, before the danger was resolved, would only increase the pressure on Habsburg Manor.


    If a large number of servant boys were to be killed or injured, Sir Lloyd, as the principal person in charge of the manor, could not escape responsibility!


    Even as a Knight, he would face accountability from the nobles above him.


    Therefore, the best course of action was naturally to send the servant boys home.


    For the unfortunate servant boys who had died, arrangements needed to be made to compensate and console their families, minimizing the impact.


    Under the escort of Humbert and several other guards, the group of servant boys made their way back to Flashgold Town amidst the cover of night.

 Chapter 38 - 38 - 37: Triggering a Job Change—【Night Watchman】

    Chapter 38 �C 37: Triggering a Job Change����Night Watchman��


    ��Thud, thud, thud!��


    In the shocked expression of old Rein when he opened the door.


    Rein entered his home in Flashgold Town, where, aside from his sister Bo He, who had already been fast asleep, Rein��s mother and Anna had also been woken up by the noise of the door and had come out of their rooms.


    ��Rein, why have you come back? What has happened at the manor?�� With the cold wind from the door blowing on him, old Rein became much more alert, and seeing his son��s expression, he guessed that something had happened.


    Rein thought for a moment and decided to confront his parents directly, as he estimated that the news would spread soon.


    Moreover, if the ferocious werewolf continued to hunt humans around Flashgold Town, farmers like his father, who worked on the outskirts, would be amongst the most vulnerable groups.


    ��Father, just now, one of the servant boy��s dormitories at the manor was attacked by a werewolf. Two people were killed on the spot, and another was kidnapped.��


    ...


    ��Ah?��


    ��Hiss!�� Old Rein couldn��t help but suck in a cold breath.


    He was aware of werewolves, having seen one from a distance in his youth. These fierce humanoid creatures generally lived deep in the forests, so why had it come out this time?


    ��However, don��t worry too much, Knights Sir Lloyd and Sir Perez at the manor managed the situation on site. Flashgold Town has also been notified, so I believe the matter should be resolved soon.��


    To reassure his family, Rein did not mention that the attacker was a werewolf over two meters tall, as strong as a fully trained knight.


    Because mentioning the details would only increase his family��s worry.


    ��Mother, please don��t go to the woods to gather firewood or anything else tomorrow. You should be safe if you stay in town.��


    After thinking it over, Rein turned to his father and said,


    ��And father, it��s best if you don��t go to the farm outside town tomorrow.��


    ��Alright! I��ll listen to you.�� Old Rein nodded!


    Ever since Rein had told them that the new sheriff, Lord Hamilton, had invited him to join the Night Watchmen, old Rein believe that Rein had grown up.


    He was no longer a child who needed their care but an adult capable of bearing responsibilities.


    Thus, the persuasiveness of Rein��s words greatly increased!


    Rein nodded, and he and Anna went upstairs.


    Now that Rein had returned, Anna would have to share a room with Bo He, while Rein would sleep in his old room as usual.


    But just as Rein had lain down not long ago, suddenly, there was another knock at Rein��s house.


    When vigilant old Rein Peeked through the door slit and saw three Night Watchmen holding torches and clad in black leather coats, he immediately opened the door.


    Rein also came down from the second floor.


    The leading, somewhat familiar, and lean Night Watchman said, ��Rein, we��re short-handed tonight, and just now Lord Sheriff Hamilton informed me to have you join the night patrol in this area.�� Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Okay! Just give me two minutes,�� Rein agreed without hesitation.


    Because he was familiar with this Night Watchman, whose patrol area included the area near his house.


    If it had been somewhere else, Rein might have considered it further.


    But patrolling his own doorstep, for the safety of his family, he would definitely agree.


    Rein turned around and went upstairs, planning to take a short sword from the storage room on the second floor.


    ��Are you here to get the equipment? No need for trouble, everything has been prepared for you.�� The Night Watchman behind him took out a whole set of black leather armor, a bow, a quiver, and a Bastard Sword and handed them to Rein.


    This immediately delighted Rein; he hadn��t expected the other party to be so thoughtful.


    By the time Rein had put on the standard Night Watchman gear, apart from his slightly youthful face and shorter stature, he looked no different from the other Night Watchmen.


    ��Rein, be careful,�� his mother instructed with a worried face.


    She had originally thought that Rein joining the Night Watchmen was a good thing, but now that a crisis had occurred and her child had to deal with it personally, her brows were furrowed with unresolved worries.


    ��Don��t worry, Mother, I will take good care of myself.��


    After saying this, Rein bid farewell to his parents and began the night patrol with three Night Watchmen.


    ��Rein, I heard that the incident involved the trainee servants from the manor,�� asked the efficient Night Watchman.


    ��Yes! I personally witnessed that ferocious werewolf charge out of the servants�� dormitory in a violent frenzy, instantly knocking a guard flying and escaping,�� said Rein with a serious expression.


    Thinking of the other��s strength and agility, which were far beyond ordinary, he still felt a trace of fear.


    If this level of strength were converted according to the system��s quantified standards, wouldn��t it be around 18 or even 20 points!


    It was significantly beyond the limits that an ordinary person could achieve.


    The other three, seeing Rein��s solemn expression, exchanged looks and their expressions became much more serious.


    In their eyes, this young man, who had single-handedly dealt with two criminals last time and won Lord Hamilton��s praise, though young, was skilled and meticulous.


    Since he was giving it much importance, it seemed that the werewolf��s strength was truly formidable, not to be underestimated!


    No wonder Lord Hamilton emphasized that any Night Watchman who spotted the werewolf should immediately fire a signal.


    As long as it was within Flashgold Town, within half a minute, other Night Watchman squads would continuously arrive.


    And Lord Hamilton would also arrive immediately!


    During the conversation, Rein quickly learned what their mission was�� they were in charge of patrolling and ensuring safety on these two streets.


    ��Let��s light up these lamps first,�� said the efficient Night Watchman squad leader.


    Normally, under no unusual circumstances, not all the town��s streetlamps (oil lamps) were lit to save fuel by turning off a few.


    Only now did Rein just find out that the streetlamps in the town used a mixture with whale oil as the main ingredient for fuel.


    The oil consumption of a single lamp was not high, but if it were dozens or even hundreds of lamps, the cost would be substantial.


    Seeing the Night Watchmen carrying out the lighting, Rein volunteered, ��Let me try.��


    As a soon-to-be Night Watchman, it was always good to be diligent.


    It would allow him to quickly integrate with the veterans.


    Just as Rein put a match inside the lampshade to light the lantern, suddenly, the system alert sounded:


    [Ding! Detecting that the host is refilling the streetlamp, triggering job change����Night Watchman!]


    [Promotion to Night Watchman prerequisite conditions are: 1. Militia lv3 or above; 2. Strength 7 points or above, Agility 6 points or above, Constitution 6 points or above; 3. Any swordsmanship lv3 or above, any archery lv2 or above!��.Current conditions do not meet, promotion to Night Watchman failed!]


    Oh! It turns out to be a new combat profession!

 Chapter 39 - 39 - 38 Dark Vision and Danger Perception

    Chapter 39 �C 38 Dark Vision and Danger Perception


    Rein couldn��t help but be overjoyed. After scrutinizing the system��s description, he realized that only his archery skill did not meet the requirements.


    In recent days, although he had been training with the bow during the daytime servant training, because Rein hadn��t used any Skill Points, his archery was still at level 1 (12/100).


    To advance to lv2, it would take at least two to three months of effort.


    Rein took just a second to think before deciding to add a Skill Point to the basic archery.


    Although he originally planned to use that Skill Point on the core skill ��Blacksmith��s Strength�� or the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, neither option was likely to bring as much benefit as a career transition to a combat role.


    The reason was simple, just like the apprentice Blacksmith gained an increase in Strength attribute and core skills upon promotion.


    Therefore, it was reasonable to speculate that transitioning from Militia to Night Watchman would likely bring gains in attributes, and perhaps even new core skills!


    ...


    It might bring a qualitative change!


    If the ferocious werewolf decided to make a counterattack at this moment, with Rein��s current strength, the gap was too wide to withstand!


    Why not transition to ��Knight Attendant��?


    Because there simply wasn��t enough time, and one only has one life!


    Moving to the obviously stronger combat career, ��Night Watchman��, was the best choice at the moment.


    Skill Points, attribute points, or even other professional panels, as long as one is alive, there will always be opportunities.


    Rein thought this through very clearly.


    Previously, Rein had always had a doubt?


    Is the career panel ��Militia�� only and solely followed by ��Knight Attendant��?


    It turns out that is not the case.


    It��s just because he hadn��t met specific trigger conditions.


    Previously, for the Blacksmith apprentice��s promotion to Blacksmith, the trigger needed an item �� a Blacksmith��s hammer.


    But this time, the trigger condition for transitioning to Night Watchman was surprisingly refilling the street lamp oil��.


    This left Rein momentarily baffled by this transition or promotion trigger requirement.


    Shaking his head, Rein decided not to delve into this issue further for now.


    Completing the transition was the most important thing for now.


    He hoped it would bring a surprise!


    [��.All conditions for transitioning from Militia to Night Watchman are met, do/don��t transition to Night Watchman?]


    [Note: Transitioning to Night Watchman will overwrite the Militia panel.]


    Upon seeing this, Rein chose yes without any hesitation!


    [Ding! Transition successful!]


    [Transition to Night Watchman successful! Strength+1, agility+1, Spirit+1! Acquired Night Watchman core skills: danger perception lv1 (passive), Dark Vision (passive).]


    [danger perception lv1 (passive): As Night Watchmen guard humanity through the nights, your perception of danger is beyond ordinary people.]


    [Dark Vision (passive): As Night Watchmen frequently fight at night, your vision in the darkness is like that of nocturnal animals.]


    Wow! Not only did he gain three attributes, but both core skills were passive?


    This was somewhat unexpected for Rein!


    He saw that the word ��Militia�� had vanished from the original Militia panel, and in its place were the large characters ��Night Watchman��.


    Under the panel title, besides the icons like the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique, there were now two new icons added.


    Two new icons flashed around the edges, and Rein first focused his attention on an icon shaped like an eye. Immediately, a line of small text appeared below the icon.


    [Core Skill: Dark Vision (Passive)]


    Dark Vision (Passive) Effect: Your vision in unlit or dimly lit environments is greatly enhanced, almost to the level of nocturnal animals.


    Upon seeing this skill effect description, Rein looked around and indeed, everything was different. This night environment suddenly gave Rein a sense of inexplicable familiarity.


    At the same time, he now looked around at the pitch-black areas the streetlights couldn��t reach, places that were previously unclear to him.


    But now, it felt almost like twilight vision to him; though slightly dim, Rein could see very clearly.


    For example, in that dark corner, a rat had just emerged from its hole, sniffing around east and west, planning to find food��


    A cockroach had just crawled into a shadowy pile of garbage��


    Rein instantly grasped the significant advantage this passive ability provided him. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It made fighting at night akin to fighting with night-vision goggles, an unmistakably powerful tool!


    Furthermore, Rein immediately noticed that there was no experience bar below this icon.


    This indicated that the Dark Vision passive skill could not be enhanced by adding skill points.


    ��Rein? What��s wrong?�� an elite Night Watchman nearby asked as he noticed Rein suddenly freeze.


    ��Oh, nothing, I just thought of something,�� Rein quickly recovered, realizing he had been focusing on the newly appeared Night Watchman panel and had become somewhat distracted.


    ��Since you��ve selected it, let��s continue moving forward,�� the elite Night Watchman called out.


    ��Okay.��


    As Rein moved forward, he started examining the effects of the second core skill.


    [Core Skill: Danger Perception lv1 (Passive)]


    Danger Perception lv1 (Passive) Effect: Your awareness of danger in your surroundings is slightly enhanced.


    (Note: The sharpness of danger perception is related to the user��s spirit; the stronger the spiritual power, the more acute the perception.)


    After a brief reflection, Rein felt that this core skill was the biggest gain of the night.


    If Dark Vision straightforwardly endowed Rein with night-vision capabilities, then Danger Perception granted him an animal-like intuition for danger.


    In a sense, the importance of this ability could definitely be ranked first.


    In this transcendent world, events beyond control were not uncommon, such as the recent violent were-wolf-man incident Rein encountered.


    Before having the ability to directly contend, being able to sense danger in advance and evade it was a survival law for most animals.


    Rein believed this was equally applicable to himself, especially before he was strong enough.


    Rein and a few elite Night Watchmen patrolled cautiously through the night until the sky started to brighten. They had not encountered the violent were-wolf-man nor seen any distress signals from other Night Watchmen.


    It seemed that the violent were-wolf-man had not been in Flashgold Town or Habsburg Manor last night.


    Just as Rein and his companions were preparing to end their night patrol and each head back to rest, a Messenger came hurrying over to inform them to gather at the administration hall entrance. Lord Hamilton himself was going to lead a joint team with the Habsburg Manor to enter the Nightingale Forest and go after this monster.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein decided he wanted to witness it as well.


    Although he was unsure who would lead the team from Habsburg Manor, he assumed it would be someone with a strength similar to Lord Hamilton, possibly Knight Lloyd or Instructor Perez.


    With several knights of such caliber leading the way, along with numerous elite Night Watchmen and manor guards, Rein felt the risk was still manageable.


    The main reason was that after his class change to Night Watchman, his strength had further improved, and he was eager to see what a real battle between strong combatants looked like.


    Furthermore, although he had not been very close to the several young servants who had died, Rein also felt a pang of sorrow; after all, they had lived and trained together, sharing meals every day, and now they were gone.


    If safety was controllable, he wouldn��t mind striking that monster a few fierce blows!

 Chapter 40 - 40 - 39 Encirclement

    Chapter 40 �C 39 Encirclement


    It��s a pity that he doesn��t have a handy Dual-Handed Greatsword right now.


    If he had a Dual-Handed Greatsword, Rein could have fully unleashed the power of the Giant Bear Sword Technique, and his combat strength would have been further enhanced.


    At the moment, he only has a standard-issue Bastard Sword from the Night Watcher��s Army.


    However, the Bastard Sword would do, with a slightly longer hilt allowing for two-handed use, though the blade was too light to fully bring out the power of the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    Soon, Rein and the elite of the Night Watchmen met Hamilton in front of the city hall, clad in knight armor and wielding a sword and shield. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fully armed, Hamilton��s imposing figure combined with his nearly square stern face made his sheriff presence quite commanding.


    Upon seeing Rein, he nodded slightly as a gesture and didn��t have time to exchange more than a few words with him.


    ...


    Once everyone had gathered, Hamilton began briefing them,


    ��Just now, a good number of people from Habsburg Manor have entered the Nightingale Forest to the west and have roughly located the ferocious werewolf with the help of hawks and dogs.��


    ��The creature is cunning and is currently hiding in a secluded valley.��


    ��Now, our team along with the Habsburg Manor��s team, will advance in three groups to encircle and capture the ferocious werewolf.��


    ����..��


    It dawned on Rein that the manor��s hawks and greyhounds had set off first to ascertain the werewolf��s location��a clever tracking method indeed.


    After a simple mobilization ceremony, Hamilton donned his round, bucket-shaped plate armor helmet, took the lead personally, and swiftly headed toward the designated location with more than twenty elite Night Watchmen, including Rein.


    This time, the Night Watcher��s Army was responsible for the north side of the valley, which was furthest from Flashgold Town, so time was quite tight.


    Nightingale Forest.


    Inside a hidden valley.


    Savage Claw, feasting heartily on a ��young beast,�� glanced upwards at several eagles in the sky with his green oily eyes.


    These eagles seemed a bit odd, constantly circling and calling directly above him, but he didn��t care much about them.


    The place he occupied was a carefully chosen valley with three different exits leading outside.


    Even if humans came seeking revenge, they could do nothing to him, and he might even catch more ��meat�� to enjoy.


    If the ��iron-men�� came, he would just burrow deep into the forest, where humans would not dare to follow.


    ��Woof woof woof!��


    A burst of barking suddenly arose from the western entrance of the valley.


    This made Savage Claw immediately vigilant, and he put down the pitiful ��young beast,�� looking up to see.


    If he was not certain about the eagles, the barking confirmed that humans had indeed tracked him down.


    Suddenly, a slim and lean greyhound burst out of the dense woods; upon catching sight of Savage Claw, it began barking excitedly.


    If not for their significant difference in size, the greyhound would have surely charged at him!


    ��Such an annoying little thing, a human��s lapdog!��


    Savage Claw��s paws dug in, instantly sending dirt flying and creating a small depression in the ground; his massive form shot forward like an arrow toward the greyhound.


    ��Whimper~�� The greyhound��s eyes filled with terror, and it immediately turned around to return through the dense forest the way it came.


    Although the greyhound was not powerful in combat, its long and strong limbs made it very fast when running. Even though Savage Claw was faster, the dense trees in the forest made it difficult to kill the greyhound immediately.


    ��(Common language) Found it! It��s right here!��


    Noisy human voices followed.


    Savage Claw realized the situation seemed to be turning sour; he rolled his green oily eyes and halted his chase, quickly turning around to head for another exit at the south side of the valley.


    He quickly left the noisy commotion behind, which pleased Savage Claw.


    ��These foolish humans, making such a fuss and ending up with nothing��they must have quite the expression on their faces.��


    ��Tomorrow or the day after, I��ll make a comeback with a counterattack! Heh heh!��


    ��This time I didn��t get to eat the freshest, juiciest human females, a regret I must remedy!��


    As Savage Claw hurried along, thoughts like these crossed its mind, its eyes a gleaming, cunning green, flashing with sly satisfaction!


    ��Woof woof woof!��


    Suddenly, a chorus of barking erupted from the entrance to the southern valley.


    This caused Savage Claw to change color and come to an immediate halt, leaving behind two deep furrows in the ground!


    ��Damn it! The humans know about this southern exit too!��


    Savage Claw glanced hatefully in that direction and then made for the northern exit of the valley��it was their last way out.


    At this moment, Savage Claw��s state of mind was no longer the calm and serene one it had had at the start.


    But it wasn��t entirely in a panic either; as it ran, it muttered, ��Lucky for me I was prepared in advance, or else I would have been caught in a pincer attack by the humans.��


    As Savage Claw neared the northern exit of the valley, it deliberately slowed down, listening carefully for a while, and, hearing no dogs barking, revealed a satisfied smile.


    ��Stupid humans! You think you can catch your grandpa Savage Claw? Dream on! Heh heh heh!��


    After that, Savage Claw sprinted towards the northern exit.


    ��Whoosh whoosh whoosh!��


    A dense volley of arrows gave Savage Claw a huge fright, but luckily it was quick to react. Its large and strong body immediately produced a light cyan flow of air, and its speed surged dramatically, allowing it to dodge most of the arrow storm.


    Savage Claw dashed behind a large tree for cover, peering intently ahead.


    There, at the northern exit of the valley, loomed several humans clad in leather armor, bows in hand, and among them, leading the group, was an unusual ��Ironskin��.


    This team was none other than the Night Watcher��s Army, led by the ��Ironskin�� Hamilton, the Sword and Shield Knight.


    Although the sun had just risen, casting a dim morning light, within the Nightingale Forest, fog blurred the vision, and dense vegetation under the patchy tree shadows meant visibility wasn��t all that great.


    Fortunately, Rein now possessed the passive ability Dark Vision, which allowed him to clearly make out the vicious humanoid jackal-wolf figure.


    Standing over two meters tall, its limbs were long and powerful. It wore a shabby mix of leather and chainmail armor that seemed to be cobbled together from various human mercenaries, put on in a hurry and fitting poorly.


    The creature didn��t hold any weapons, but its claws gleamed coldly!


    The child-servant it had been carrying was nowhere to be seen, its fate easily imagined.


    While Rein and his companions observed the beast, Savage Claw was sizing them up as well.


    ����Ironskins�� are too tough to deal with, and there are so many human archers around.��


    This made Savage Claw extinguish the idea of a fight to the death.


    It immediately turned and rushed towards the valley��s southern exit.


    Faced with an ��Ironskin��, it would rather confront a horde of ordinary human soldiers.


    But as Savage Claw approached the southern exit, it was shocked to find there stood another ��Ironskin�� wielding a Dual-Handed Greatsword, alongside dozens of soldiers in chainmail, nasal helmets, and holding various weapons.


    At that moment, Savage Claw��s heart plummeted.


    Not giving up hope, it made a mad dash for the first exit, the western side of the valley, only to find yet another ��Ironskin�� with a sword and shield, and a group of human soldiers there as well.


    Savage Claw was in despair!!


    The next second, a fierce look crossed Savage Claw��s face!


    ��Now, leaving through the western and southern exits is out of the question; they��re still human territories, who knows what other traps await me there.��


    ��So the only way out is the northern valley exit, back into the depths of the forest, where I can catch my breath!��


    Having made up its mind, Savage Claw started to sprint with all its might, a grey-black shadow once again dashing at high speed towards the northern exit where Hamilton and Rein were positioned.

 Chapter 41 - 41 - 40: Hamilton VS Savage Claw

    Chapter 41 �C 40: Hamilton VS Savage Claw


    Rein had seen from afar, the vegetation in the distance collapsing as if cut down, and a familiar, towering figure appeared again!


    Seeing the aggressive demeanor of the other, Rein immediately became alert, thinking to himself, ��This is bad.��


    The fact that the opponent had returned to this valley��s exit meant they must have chosen this spot as their breakthrough point!


    This savage werewolf, in its life-or-death situation, would likely fight with all its might to break free.


    A fierce battle was probably about to ensue!


    Rein promptly accessed his panel and focused his attention on the first page of attributes.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    ...


    Occupation: Blacksmith lv1 (5/100) / Night Watchman lv1 (1/100)


    Constitution: 6


    Strength: 10


    Agility: 9


    Spirit: 9


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Since changing his job to Night Watchman, his strength, agility, and spirit had each increased by one point, his strength reaching 10 points, and agility had been boosted to 9 points.


    Considering the special recovery effect when adding attribute points, Rein still hadn��t used the remaining 1 attribute point.


    Instead, he used the last skill point on a core skill �C Blacksmith��s Strength.


    Instantly, the icon that resembled Popeye with prominent biceps lit up around the edges, and the row of small text underneath changed, displaying:


    [Core Skill: Blacksmith��s Strength lv2 (Active)]


    Blacksmith��s Strength lv2 (Active) effect: When the skill is activated, your strength increases slightly.


    (Note: The effect of this skill increases the host��s strength by a certain ratio, and its duration is proportional to the host��s constitution and spiritual power.)


    Rein read the details meticulously and noticed that besides the change from lv1 to lv2, the description for Blacksmith��s Strength had replaced the word ��slightly�� with �� slightly.��


    It seemed that Blacksmith��s Strength at lv2 would further increase the strength enhancement.


    Although he didn��t know exactly how much the enhancement was, it would definitely be stronger than the previous roughly 20%, perhaps 30%, or even more!


    ��Fire arrows!!��


    Facing the swiftly approaching savage werewolf, Hamilton swung his knight��s longsword forward fiercely, issuing the command!


    Instantly, including Rein, more than twenty elite Night Watchmen shot their arrows eagerly.


    However, the savage werewolf, covering its eyes with one thick arm, quickly changed its position, moving not only faster but also erratically left and right, making it hard to target.


    This move immediately allowed it to dodge most of the arrows!


    Only two arrows hit, but due to the plated armor and dense, wire-like muscles protecting it, they did not penetrate deeply.


    ��Roar!!��


    After forcefully snapping the arrows on its left shoulder and right chest, the werewolf roared furiously and surged straight toward Hamilton.


    ��Bring it on!��


    Hamilton, facing the high-speed attack of the savage werewolf, was undaunted and even slightly excited!


    Since transitioning from the imperial army to the local officer of Flashgold Town, Hamilton had not encountered such a ferocious opponent for a long time.


    Hamilton felt his blood start to boil!


    As the distance between them closed, the elite Night Watchmen��s arrows continued to be dodged by the opponent.


    Just as Hamilton felt the wind of the werewolf��s charge hitting his face, his sharp eyes detected a sinister smile on the face of the savage werewolf.


    This immediately made Hamilton��s heart skip a beat!


    Sure enough, a sudden change occurred!


    Just as the savage werewolf was about to engage Hamilton, it suddenly turned ninety degrees and, with a powerful side leap, charged toward the Night Watchmen elites on Hamilton��s left instead!


    It turned out that Savage Claw��s main advantage was exploiting Hamilton��s cumbersome ��iron shell,�� which couldn��t keep up with its speed!


    ��Cast nets!!�� Hamilton roared from behind.


    Suddenly, several hemp nets with a diameter of three to four meters were thrown directly at the werewolf.


    Hamilton had already planned a contingency.


    But Savage Claw seemed utterly unfazed, even showing a hint of disdain.


    On its pair of sharp claws, a faint blue aura began to swirl, the next second.]]>


    ��Swish, swish!��


    After two incredibly swift claw strikes, the hemp rope net instantly fell apart!


    They hadn��t expected the robust net soaked in linseed oil to be so easily torn apart by the opponent��s sharp claws, leaving everyone in shock.


    The next second, the fierce werewolf-human hybrid charged into the crowd and struck again with its claws, splattering blood!


    Although two elite Night Watchmen tried their best to defend with their swords, they were heavily thrown four to five meters away by the Savage Claw��s immense Strength, presumably breaking several ribs each.


    The severe injury of his subordinates immediately filled Hamilton with fury!


    He hadn��t expected this ferocious werewolf-human hybrid to have also awakened a special Transcendent trait����Void Breaker.��


    This innate ability not only increased its own movement speed but also enhanced its slashing effect, which was why the net was so easily torn apart.


    If they let this cunning werewolf-human hybrid escape, Flashgold Town would surely face a brutal retaliation from the creature!


    Just as Savage Claw was escaping towards the northern valley exit with a smug look, Hamilton responded swiftly!


    He heaved his shield and threw it hard at the werewolf-human hybrid, the flat shield spinning rapidly and whistling towards the creature��s back.


    The ��Iron Man��s�� strike clearly caught Savage Claw by surprise, forcing it to dodge to the side and slightly slow down.


    But immediately after, another dark object rapidly flew towards it!


    ��Clang!��


    Savage Claw forcefully struck it away, but its speed was further reduced.


    It was then that it realized the object was actually the ��Iron Man��s�� knight helmet.


    Meanwhile, the Night Watchmen had once again released a dense volley of arrows at the exit!


    This forced Savage Claw to move sideways to dodge again.


    Just then, Hamilton had seized the opportunity and caught up, his right hand clutching the knight��s longsword as he thrust at Savage Claw!


    Savage Claw was infuriated!


    ��Could the ��Iron Man,�� without shield and helmet, possibly block its claw attack?��


    It didn��t believe so!


    Savage Claw planned to quickly kill the ��Iron Man�� in front of it and then make its escape.


    Otherwise, being tangled by such a stubborn opponent, it feared it might not be able to escape the valley before getting surrounded by the other two ��Iron Men.��


    With a long howl, Savage Claw targeted Hamilton��s head with its killer move��Fury Claw Combo!


    ��Swish, swish, swish!��


    The high-speed claw strikes, coupled with its special ability, were so fast that almost stationary afterimages could be seen, its attacking power extremely formidable!


    Savage Claw had once killed a five-meter-long ferocious jungle lizard with this killer move.


    It didn��t believe a shieldless ��Iron Man�� could withstand it!


    But Hamilton didn��t dodge or retreat; instead, he roared, ��Heave! Huge Strength!��


    Hamilton��s arms suddenly swelled, and he followed with an upward slash, swinging the knight��s longsword like a bolt of silver lightning directly at Savage Claw��s body.


    ��Bang!��


    This scene left Rein and the other Night Watchmen stunned and their blood boiling all at once!


    Attack against attack! S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Killer move against killer move!


    In their eyes, the two dark figures collided heavily, then both blood-splattered and flew backward!


    Four bloody marks appeared on Hamilton��s thick chest armor, extending from the upper right to the lower left of his abdomen. Without the knight armor��s protection, the opponent��s strike surely would have split Hamilton open!


    Meanwhile, the ferocious werewolf-human hybrid was even more severely wounded, its right hand tightly clutching its left forearm, which Hamilton��s slash had cleanly severed.


    At that moment, fresh blood was spurting from the smooth cut!


    Savage Claw knew that if it didn��t run now, it was doomed.


    As the blood continued to drain from its left arm, it felt its strength rapidly fading.


    Savage Claw could no longer care about anything else, mustering its remaining strength to rush towards the Night Watchmen blocking its escape path.


    ��Bang, bang!��


    Three Night Watchmen were instantly sent flying by the three hundred-plus-pound Savage Claw.


    Next, it saw a particularly ��small�� human in front of it, a hint of joy appearing at the corner of Savage Claw��s mouth.


    If it could just knock this ��little guy�� aside, it would be able to make its escape to freedom!

 Chapter 42 - 42 - 41: Found a Bargain?

    Chapter 42 �C 41: Found a Bargain?


    The ��little one�� in front of Savage Claw was none other than Rein!


    As the ferocious werewolf-like creature charged at him, Rein saw that it had been seriously injured by Hamilton, with one arm severed. How much of its strength remained, fifty percent, or sixty percent?


    No matter what, it was certain that the enemy��s strength had greatly diminished!


    Moreover, Rein didn��t need to defeat it, he just had to delay it for a few seconds. Then the elite Night Watchmen would immediately surround it, leaving no escape.


    Isn��t it dangerous to intercept it?


    Of course, it��s dangerous!


    Rein, who possessed the passive ability ��Danger Perception Lv1��, felt alarms going off in his heart at this moment.


    ...


    But when Rein thought of the scene in the servant dormitory the night before, he shuddered with fear.


    Because, if such a vicious monster were to lurk around Flashgold Town every day, Rein didn��t know when misfortune would befall him, or descend upon his family and friends.


    Although Rein was still far from being a formal Knight and couldn��t unlock the body��s limits to the extent Hamilton could, Rein had other trump cards. To delay the foe for a few seconds, he was fairly confident!


    Seeing Rein actually planning to confront the enemy, Hamilton couldn��t help but shout anxiously, ��Rein, get out of the way!��


    Even though letting the ferocious werewolf-like creature escape would have serious consequences, Hamilton was even less willing to see a promising young man die tragically in front of him!


    Hamilton and the other elite Night Watchmen immediately ran at full speed towards the werewolf-like creature.


    Even though Rein��s plans were well-thought-out, only when he truly faced the ferocious werewolf-like creature did he realize he had oversimplified the situation.


    The ferocious face, indifferent eyes, and towering stature alone instilled fear in the heart of anyone who hadn��t stepped into the Transcendent realm.


    Luckily, Rein had killed criminals before and experienced real combat, otherwise, he would have lost the battle before it even began!


    ��Blacksmith Strength!��


    With a solemn expression, Rein focused his mind and silently invoked Blacksmith Strength. As he released this core Skill, the Strength value displayed on his Panel surged from 10 to 10 (+4)!


    The next second, a thick warm current violently pumped from Rein��s heart, like an overdose of adrenaline, accelerating his bloodstream and causing the muscle fibers throughout his body to tense up like strands of steel wire in an instant.


    Rein felt as if a ferocious tiger had suddenly awakened inside him.


    He had never felt so powerful before!


    ��Leap Slash!��


    With a roar, Rein gripped the Bastard Sword with both hands, leaped high into the air, and slashed downward like lightning at the towering ferocious werewolf-like creature in front of him!


    As he was usually trained with the heavy Dual-Handed Greatsword, this time, due to weapon limitations, he could only use the more nimble Bastard Sword. Even though the power was greatly diminished, the speed had almost doubled!


    In the moment when the injured Savage Claw was astonished that the ��little one�� in front of it dared to swing a sword at it, it suddenly felt like a formidable beast being provoked by an ant.


    Blazing with anger! S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Savage Claw immediately swung its intact right claw at its opponent with a rapid stroke!


    ��Bang!!��


    Savage Claw only saw a flash of silver before it sharply felt a stabbing pain coursing through its right claw. At the same time, it felt a force not much weaker than its own power transmitted from the opponent��s sharp sword!


    Then, Savage Claw incredulously discovered that it was actually knocked back several meters by the seemingly insignificant ��little one��s�� strike!


    Rein, having been flung by Savage Claw��s claw strike, flew backwards at an even faster speed than before.


    ��Thud, thud, thud!��


    Rein retreated more than ten steps, his face flushing with the exertion of clashing against the strike.


    The next second, he suddenly raised his head, his eyes burning as he stared at the heavily injured ferocious werewolf-like creature in front of him.


    It was too unexpected for him!


    He had actually managed to block it unharmed!


    What did this mean?


    Two words, can fight!


    If before the battle Rein was overwhelmed with emotions like worry, fear, and hesitation when facing such a fierce and powerful opponent,


    after clashing head-on, all those chaotic emotions were swept away from his mind!


    At this moment, his confidence surged!


    Rein��s strike had the Night Watchman elites following closely behind him looking on in astonishment.


    They had clearly witnessed the monstrous werewolf��s strength being on par with that of Lord Hamilton, a proper Knight.


    Yet Rein��s blow had caused the creature to retreat, almost blinding them with surprise!


    Could it be that the werewolf��s strength had declined so much that only one-tenth remained, allowing Rein to easily exploit a weakness?


    Rein��s attack also caught Lord Hamilton��s eye!


    Though he too was severely injured, he immediately clamped his muscles tight to stem the bleeding and, with a forceful push off the ground, sent dirt flying with a ��bang��.


    Seizing the opportunity provided by Rein��s interception, Lord Hamilton mustered all his strength and, lifting his Longsword, thrust it straight at the back of the monstrous werewolf!


    Alarm bells rang in the Savage Claw��s mind, and as soon as it felt the strong gust of wind behind it, it knew something was wrong and instinctively turned around, counterattacking with a claw strike.


    But the only claw it could use at that moment, its right, had been deeply gashed by Rein, visible to the bone, significantly reducing the power of its attack.


    ��Pffft!��


    Lord Hamilton��s sword pierced Savage Claw��s left chest, blood immediately seeping out, but in the next second, he too was sent flying by its counter strike.


    This time, Lord Hamilton could no longer contain the wounds on his body. Midair, you could see multiple wounds gush out blood, followed by a ��thud�� as he heavily fell to the ground.


    Seeing the ��Tin Man�� possibly beaten to the brink of death by its blow, Savage Claw couldn��t help but feel a surge of joy.


    But before that joy could be fully expressed on its face, it sensed another gust of wind coming from behind its head.


    This time, with its injuries further aggravated, it found its body couldn��t keep up with the commands of its brain.


    As it turned its head, Savage Claw saw only a beautiful arc of silver flash before its eyes.


    The next second, all Savage Claw felt was a tickling sensation in its neck, followed by the sensation of something wet running out��.


    Then a searing pain hit!


    Savage Claw clutched at its neck, trying to speak, but could only produce ��gurgle gurgle�� bubble sounds, as blood frothed from its mouth and the ferocity in its eyes gradually faded, leaving them lifeless��..


    ��Thud!��


    Savage Claw collapsed to the ground!


    Its large and muscular body continued to twitch as the grass was quickly stained red with blood.


    Even the strongest life force can��t last long when both carotid arteries in its neck are sliced open, spraying blood like fountains.


    At that moment, Rein was standing on the spot, taking deep breaths, his chest heaving like bellows.


    The life-and-death struggle, although it lasted mere seconds, demanded his utmost effort with every move.


    In the instant he launched his Leap Slash, Rein remembered Cleya��s teachings and altered the angle of his sword swing from a vertical top-to-bottom cut to a horizontal slash from right to left.


    Because from the moment he first collided with the monstrous werewolf, he realized that even with his massive Strength of 14 points, he couldn��t sever the creature��s claws, a testament to its incredible toughness.


    So, considering that the skull is inherently the hardest bone in the body, Rein opted for a horizontal cut��after all, the neck is much softer.


    The clash between Rein, Savage Claw, and Hamilton was over in a flash, and the Night Watchmen who were nearby hadn��t even covered two steps before the fight was already over!


    At this time, they were all gaping at the scene before them!


    Especially given Rein��s small frame displaying such explosive power and the fearless momentum of someone who dares to fight and risk it all, giving them the feeling that a little kitty had suddenly transformed into a roaring tiger!


    ��Good!! Ha ha ha! Cough��.cough��.��


    Lord Hamilton burst into laughter upon seeing Rein taking down Savage Claw, but his injured lungs soon made him cough uncontrollably.

 Chapter 43 - 43: 42 Early Return and ’Aftereffects

    Chapter 43: 42 Chapter Early Return and ��Aftereffects


    Just now, Lord Hamilton had confirmed Rein��s heritage, or rather his origin, as soon as he witnessed the sword technique Rein had used.


    ��This technique and momentum are clearly the Leap Slash from the Giant Bear Sword Technique. It seems his teacher must be Perez without a doubt! But�� this kid��s strength has increased too quickly, hasn��t it?��


    ��Or is it that this ferocious werewolf has been severely injured by me, so its strength has significantly decreased?��


    The other elite Night Watchmen were all staring at Rein with faces full of amazement!


    Only then did they realize that the boy, who was a head shorter than them, was hiding the strength of a tiger in his lean body, and his explosive power was incredibly astonishing, capable of sending the hundreds-of-pounds-heavy ferocious werewolf flying with a single blow.


    The small stature, such a simple and brutal way of fighting!


    But it really got the blood boiling!


    ...


    ��My lord, are you alright?�� Soon, two Night Watchmen quickly approached and helped Hamilton up, promptly treating the wounds on his body.


    ��Just wrap it up with bandages for now; I won��t die!��


    Seeing that their supervisor was unharmed, the Night Watchmen once again focused their attention on Rein.


    ��Good kid, it��s Rein, right? I��ll remember you!�� An elite Night Watchman walked up with a smile and clapped Rein on the shoulder.


    ��Rein, that was amazing!��


    ��I heard from Lord Hamilton that you are about to join us. Remember to come to our squad, I am����


    ��Get lost, Weilun, you��re already poaching people before Rein has even joined? Aren��t you shameless!��


    ��Yeah! Fair competition, let Rein choose himself!��


    ����.��


    Seeing the Night Watchmen��s enthusiasm, Rein responded with a smile to each one.


    At that moment, noises came from two other directions, with the barking of the greyhounds getting closer and closer. Clearly, the two teams from Habsburg Manor were about to reach this location.


    This made Rein��s gaze sharpen as he pondered.


    ��It��s best not to show up in front of the manor��s higher-ups yet.��


    Cleya had warned him of this before, and Rein himself wanted to keep a low profile too.


    He really didn��t want to get involved in the internal struggles of the Habbs Earl Family��s offspring.


    Right away, Rein stepped forward two paces to Hamilton, who was being bandaged up.


    ��Lord, I would like to return to Flashgold Town in advance. After all, my reason for coming this time����


    Rein stopped halfway through his sentence, but successfully misled Hamilton.


    Hamilton understood immediately because he also didn��t want Perez to see that he had ��taken�� his proud prot��g��.


    Then, Hamilton nodded and said, ��Rein, Weilun, you two are responsible for taking these few injured brothers back to Flashgold Town first.��


    ��Also, everyone pay attention, do not reveal that Rein was the one who ultimately killed the ferocious werewolf. To the outside world, just say it was I who killed it!��


    The elite Night Watchmen looked between their supervisor and Rein and, seeing Rein��s indifferent expression and complete lack of objection, they knew there must be some secret between the two, so they echoed loudly, ��As you command, my lord!��


    Rein couldn��t help but smirk inwardly upon seeing this.


    Reading people and situations really was an essential ��workplace�� skill.


    So, before the manor��s teams arrived, Rein and a few other Night Watchmen quickly left the valley first.


    On the way back, Rein finally had the opportunity to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved, Experience +157]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +87]


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique advanced directly from lv1 to lv2, reaching the level of lv2 (54/300).


    Especially for the ��Leap Slash,�� Rein now had many more insights in his mind.


    It was with the ��Leap Slash�� that he had killed the injured ferocious werewolf with a single strike.


    And seeing the Night Watchman Profession Level at lv1 (87/100) now nearly halfway filled, Rein was slightly startled.


    Indeed, this once again proved that life-and-death struggles are a shortcut to raising one��s combat profession level!


    Unfortunately, it��s just a bit too dangerous.


    Perhaps, once my own strength increases a bit more, I could consider taking on some of those bounty quests. Not only do they offer high rewards, but they can also improve my combat profession level.


    Two birds with one stone!


    Moreover, through this battle, Rein also roughly understood what the average strength of a formal Knight might be.


    From the process of the battle, it seemed that, after Hamilton exerted his full strength, he was roughly equal in strength to that ferocious man-wolf over two meters tall.


    Even after I activated Blacksmith��s Strength lv2, I was still slightly weaker than the ferociously transformed man-wolf in its grievously injured state.


    Thus, it is reasonable to speculate that the strength of the ferociously transformed man-wolf, when quantified, is about 15~16 points if it is seriously injured; in its prime, it should be around 20 points.


    Therefore, the strength of a formal Knight should not be too far off that, almost three to four times that of an ordinary person!


    No wonder Cleya said that the path of knighthood is a process of breaking through one��s own limits.


    To reach a strength three to four times that of an ordinary person does indeed signify surpassing a certain limit of the human body.


    In his previous life, Rein had seen a news story where it was said that the muscle strength of the human hundred-meter king Bolt was twice that of an ordinary person, which was close to the physical limit that could be achieved through later life training.


    Then three times!


    Or even four times!


    This has already far exceeded the physical upper limit that ordinary people can achieve through training.


    This must be the special and precious aspect of breath techniques, allowing practitioners to break through these bodily limits!


    Rein greatly admired the tremendous strength displayed by Hamilton.


    ��A formal Knight, huh? I wonder when I will be able to step into that role myself!��


    On the way back, the Night Watchman squad leader Weilun was exceptionally enthusiastic toward Rein.


    Clearly, Rein��s performance in the previous battle had impressed Weilun.


    ��Rein, when will you formally join the Night Watchmen? Remember to consider joining our squad first!�� Weilun said with a smile as he patted Rein on the shoulder.


    ��Of course, Captain Weilun, I will give it serious thought,�� Rein replied with a slight smile.


    After delivering the injured to the town��s administrative hall, specialized physicians came to take over.


    Rein, of course, went home first, planning to rest well.


    Upon Rein��s return home, his entrance startled his entire family and Anna.


    This was because of the intense fight with the ferocious man-wolf, which had left Rein��s body covered with bloodstains.


    After a thorough check, it was confirmed that Rein indeed had not been injured, which relieved his family.


    However, a hint of worry still shone in his mother��s eyes. She hadn��t realized that being a Night Watchman was so dangerous, involving battles with such monsters.


    Originally, she had been very happy that Rein could join the Night Watch, but now she felt conflicted.


    ��Don��t worry, Emma, since Rein has chosen this path, we must believe in him. It��s dangerous, but there are many opportunities, and it��s certainly better than me being a mudleg for a lifetime!�� Old Rein comforted his wife.


    At that moment, Rein rubbed Bo He��s head and greeted Anna. After hastily eating a few bites, he went to take a bath.


    Immediately afterwards, he fell into a deep sleep.


    He hadn��t rested properly from the previous night until now, and even though Rein was full of energy, he was exhausted at this point.


    When Rein woke up again, it was already the next morning.


    Rein was just thinking about getting up when, as he started to rise, he exclaimed ��ouch!�� and lay back down.


    It was then he realized that his muscles were incredibly sore all over his body, which immediately made him think of the Blacksmith��s Strength core skill he had used the day before.


    ��It must be because Blacksmith��s Strength, while granting me extraordinary power, also caused ��overload�� in my muscles after use!�� Rein blinked, understanding the most likely reason instantly.


    ��Fortunately, this ��side effect�� didn��t erupt on the spot, but manifested itself after a period of time.��


    S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 44 - 44 - 43: The True Gain

    Chapter 44 �C 43: The True Gain


    ��If it were to erupt immediately after the performance, that would be really interesting. If the enemy still has the strength for another round, it would be like entering a ��weak period�� during battle, so the Blacksmith��s Strength must be used with great care!��


    Rein grimaced as he endured the soreness in his muscles and fascia, and climbed up with a grimace.


    ��However, could it be that after my Constitution enhances, the severity of these ��aftereffects�� will decrease, or even eliminate them completely?��


    This speculation suddenly occurred to Rein.


    He was quite eager to try!


    ��But it��s a pity that there is only 1 attribute point left, I have to save it. Otherwise, I could directly add the point to confirm my speculation, and at the same time, immediately relieve this muscle soreness.��


    Rein had always treated the remaining 1 attribute point as his ��trump card�� to use.


    ...


    Unless he obtains new attribute points, he would not consider using it.


    After all, adding attribute points has a special effect of restoring the body��s condition.


    This is comparable to a ��divine technique�� in battle!


    After getting up, Rein unintentionally discovered in the bedroom mirror that his body had bulked up significantly.


    He hadn��t paid much attention before, but now that he took a closer look, he indeed had become much more robust.


    Rein looked down and touched the linen corset he was wearing, only to find the previously loose clothing was now slightly tight, subtly outlining the contours of his upper body muscles.


    Turning his gaze to his arms, Rein noticed that major muscle groups like the biceps and triceps had become significantly larger, bearing no resemblance to the bean sprout-like appearance when he had just crossed over to this world.


    After some thought, Rein took off the rather tight linen corset and rummaged through the wardrobe to find a larger-sized one.


    This one belonged to his father, the old Rein.


    After changing clothes, Rein��s physique was much more concealed, and his muscular contours were hardly noticeable.


    Looking at himself in the mirror, Rein nodded in satisfaction.


    When he reached the door frame, he sized up his height and realized that although the growth wasn��t obvious, he had actually grown nearly half a pinky finger taller.


    It was just that Rein��s horizontal development was faster, which made it seem like he hadn��t grown at all.


    When Rein arrived on the first floor, he saw through the window that in their small courtyard, Anna was accompanying Bo He in planting winter rapeseed in a small patch of land.


    Bo He was wearing a layered corset with a long light blue skirt resembling an apron over it.


    This kind of tube-shaped, waistless long skirt hung on the shoulders with straps, looked like a modern apron from the front, and made Bo He look very cute in Rein��s eyes.


    Bo He asked, ��Sister Anna, when can we harvest the winter rapeseed we planted?��


    ��Um�� around the Month of Blooming Flowers, I guess?�� Anna looked at Bo He with a smile, her eyes full of fondness.


    ��The Month of Blooming Flowers, ah, that��s still three, four, five �� nearly five months away,�� Bo He counted on her fingers, sounding a bit disappointed.


    However, Bo He soon pointed at the newly planted chives next to her and asked:


    ��Sister Anna, what about the chives we planted before? When can we harvest them?��


    ��These�� can be harvested sooner, probably by the Month of Green Grass, we should be able to harvest them!�� Anna said as she wiped a bit of mud from Bo He��s face.


    ��That��s great, that means we can harvest them after winter!�� Bo He smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons.


    Seeing the warm scene outside the window, Rein felt as if a layer of fog had been lifted from his soul.


    He remembered facing the ferocious werewolf the day before, whose menacing appearance, imposing stature, and bloodthirsty aura had brought a strong sense of oppression.


    If at that time he hadn��t held onto anything in his heart, his will would not have been so steadfast.


    Then it��s very likely that he would have dodged early on, hiding to the side without even the courage to swing his sword at the werewolf!


    Such a person, even if he could become stronger by continuously adding attribute points, would merely possess a strong shell. When facing real crises, hardships, and formidable enemies, he wouldn��t know how much of his fighting power he could actually utilize.


    Suddenly, Rein, who had just come to his senses, received a system notification:


    ��Congratulations! You��ve experienced an epiphany, and your Spirit Attribute has been slightly increased!��


    Rein was startled and immediately checked his attribute panel.


    Sure enough, the Spirit Attribute had increased from the original 9 to 11, a full two points, thereby once again surpassing Strength to become the highest attribute.


    When Rein looked up, he noticed that the way he perceived the objects around him seemed different.


    He could faintly sense that outside his line of sight, there should be three birds chirping away on the oak tree by the front door, and in the corner crack of the kitchen wall, there seemed to be a mouse cautiously poking its head out.


    This wasn��t an enhancement of vision but more like a change in perception; his senses seemed to have become sharper!


    Rein was somewhat astonished at the moment; he hadn��t expected that his reflections and conclusions about battles and life would bring him such a surprise.


    Perhaps this was the true reward hidden within battles!


    As Rein basked in joy, his stomach suddenly let out a ��gurgle gurgle�� sound.


    Only then did he remember that he had come downstairs to eat something.


    A large piece of white bread weighing about a pound, a slice of cured meat, and an egg were the breakfast his mother had prepared for him in advance.


    Obviously, this was an above-standard breakfast.


    For the people of this world, breakfast wasn��t considered a main meal, and generally, only laborers with strong physical demands would have a better breakfast.


    The improvement in the meals at home had occurred after Rein had handed over two Gold Coins. Knowing that her child was about to join the Night Watchman, his mother had immediately raised the quality of the family��s three meals a day by two levels.


    After wolfing down the food in a few bites, Rein patted his still flat stomach and sighed. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��My appetite is definitely getting better!��


    Speaking honestly, Rein was at most half-full right now. One reason was due to the rapid, intense spike in his physical constitution lately. The other was that he was in his growth phase, with his body eagerly needing nutrition.


    ��Looks like I��ll need to go to the pie shop later and buy a few meat pies to fill me up.��


    At that moment, as if hearing the noise in the kitchen, Bo He ran in excitedly and said sweetly, ��Brother, you��re finally awake. Come and join us in planting the winter canola!��


    ��Yes!��


    Seeing Bo He��s smiling face, Rein couldn��t help but step forward and pat her head, saying, ��Bo He, you and Sister Anna continue planting. I have something to do outside.��


    ��Okay~ Brother, come back soon.�� With that, Bo He bounced off to continue planting.


    Anna, standing by the door frame, shyly glanced at Rein, nodded, and said, ��Then�� I��ll go keep Bo He company.��

 Chapter 45 - 45 - 44 Boris the Blacksmith’s Recruitment

    Chapter 45 �C 44 Boris the Blacksmith��s Recruitment


    Looking at Anna��s side profile, Rein noticed that over time, Anna��s complexion seemed much improved, and her light yellow hair no longer looked as dry as before, gaining a slight sheen.


    Rein responded to Anna with a smile and a nod, but he quickly remembered something.


    ��Wait, Anna.��


    Anna turned around, her large, deep brown eyes looking at Rein with confusion.


    ��Right, Anna, did anyone from the manor come by this morning to notify us when the servant training will resume?��


    Anna shook her head and said, ��No one else came by this morning.��


    ��Okay, Anna, please remind me if someone from the manor comes with a notification.��


    ...


    ��Sure, okay,�� Anna nodded.


    Anna still talked to Rein with her head lowered, shy and timid. She didn��t dare to look at Rein��s face while speaking, and if she said a bit more, she would bow her head, a blush spreading across her pale face.


    This was because Rein had saved her once; in Anna��s heart, Rein was a trustworthy person, otherwise she might have spoken even less.


    It seemed that only when with Bo He did Anna feel unrestrained, laughing naturally and relaxed.


    For this, Rein didn��t immediately have a good solution; he just hoped time would make her more cheerful.


    ��The servant training is still on hold, it seems there��s still some cleanup work to be handled in the manor, or possibly some other issue.��


    ��Hamilton hasn��t sent anyone to look for me either, he must be busy treating his injuries.��


    Rein thought for a moment and decided to first go to the town��s blacksmith shop in town that morning to find the blacksmith Boris and continue advancing his Profession Level as a blacksmith.


    Why not train in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique?


    That was because Cleya had once instructed Rein that when the body is very tired or in a bad state, one must not force oneself to practice the breathing techniques.


    At the moment, Rein��s muscles ached profoundly all over, hardly a good state, so naturally, he shouldn��t force himself to practice the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    However, after leaving the house, Rein didn��t head straight to the blacksmith shop. Instead, he first went to a pie shop and bought three pies, each the size of a twelve-inch pizza from his previous life, and began to eat heartily.


    You should know, one twelve-inch meat pie should be enough for a meal for a family of three.


    But after eating three pies, Rein only just felt full.


    ��It looks like I need to find a way to earn more money, otherwise the few Gold Coins I have left won��t be enough to let me enjoy good food.��


    ��If I just eat plain white bread, the few Gold Coins I have could last a long time, but whether practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique or swordsmanship, both consume a lot of physical energy. My body craves meat!��


    Upon the mention of eating meat, Rein couldn��t help but recall the delicious taste of bear meat and involuntarily licked the corner of his mouth.


    ��If I were rich enough to eat bear meat rich in nutrients every day, I guess the progress of my Giant Bear Breathing Technique would hasten remarkably!�� sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein speculated.


    As soon as he stepped into the blacksmith shop, perhaps due to his recent advancement in the blacksmith profession, Rein suddenly felt a strange kinship with the clangs and heat that filled the blacksmith shop.


    ��Rein, you��re here! I heard that last night there was an attack by jackal-men at the manor, and several servents died?�� When Blacksmith Boris saw Rein walk in, he greeted him and immediately asked.


    ��Yes, Uncle Boris,�� Rein nodded, confirming Boris��s words.


    ��Such vicious events haven��t occurred in years, days are becoming less peaceful!�� Boris lamented.


    As expected, bad news travels fast.


    Clearly, the attack on the manor had already spread throughout Flashgold Town.


    The other blacksmith apprentices also started bombarding Rein with questions about the details.


    ��Rein, I heard several servants died?��


    ��I heard that wolf-man was over two meters tall?��


    ��Yeah, how can there be such a tall wolf-man! Aren��t wolf-men usually about the same size as us?��


    ����.��


    After some idle chat, Rein began to focus and started forging horseshoes with the blacksmith, Boris.


    However, this time, Rein took the lead and Boris assisted in the horseshoe forging.


    When Rein held the blacksmith hammer, he felt as if it was an extension of his own arm, swinging it was very natural and effective.


    This was probably the impact of a core blacksmith skill��Hammer Mastery.


    [You forged a horseshoe, insight enhanced!]


    [Your skill in horseshoe forging has improved, Experience +2]


    ��.


    [You focused on forging horseshoes for half an hour, blacksmith professional experience points +1]


    After advancing to a blacksmith, the experience gained from forging horseshoes had slowed down a lot. Even with Rein as the main forger, it basically took at least half an hour to gain 1 point.


    When someone is focused on their work, time flies by very quickly.


    By the time Rein realized it, it was already noon.


    Looking at the dozens of horseshoes stacked together, Rein still felt a great sense of accomplishment.


    At that moment, Rein noticed a burning gaze on him. Following the gaze, he saw Boris looking at him intensely.


    ��Rein, have you considered coming to work for me, with a salary?��


    No wonder Boris favored Rein, in his eyes, the amount of horseshoes that normally took at least half a day to complete were finished by Rein about two hours ahead of schedule.


    This forging efficiency truly amazed him!


    Of course, this was not because Rein��s forging skills had surpassed those of Boris.


    It was due to the overall enhancement of Rein��s attributes.


    Especially the growth in spiritual power, which allowed Rein to grasp the subtle changes in the material after each hammer strike.


    And the increase in strength allowed Rein to swing the seven or eight catties blacksmith hammer with ease, without using too much physical energy.


    Rein was taken aback upon hearing Boris��s offer.


    Before coming to Boris��s smithy, Rein had made sure to inquire about it; Boris��s smithy had only one assistant, and the others were paying apprentices.


    Normally, a smithy in Flashgold Town like this one would need at least two to three assistants.


    Being an assistant meant that you already had the skills of a blacksmith, achieving a level comparable to that of a certified blacksmith in either a certain ironwork craft or a forging process.


    This meant you could make a living off of it.


    Rein looked around and noticed that the other apprentices were occasionally casting anxious glances his way, seemingly nervous about Rein accepting the offer and taking the spot they had long coveted.


    But obviously, Rein was not going to choose to join Boris��s smithy.


    He came here to learn forging purely to enhance his professional level as a blacksmith, thus gaining more upgrade rewards.


    ��However��..now relying solely on forging horseshoes, the speed of gaining blacksmith professional experience has become very slow.��


    ��I could use this opportunity to ask Boris about the tuition for learning other forging skills.�� Rein thought to himself.

 Chapter 46 - 46 - 45 Ore Identification

    Chapter 46 �C 45 Ore Identification


    ��`


    For example, skills such as material selection, quenching, and grinding and so on were very practical, and perhaps one of these could bring Rein a relatively larger amount of Blacksmith Professional Experience Points.


    As for why not learn to make weapons, like a Dual-Handed Greatsword?


    It wasn��t that Rein didn��t want to but rather that Blacksmith Boris didn��t know how!


    Rein had long understood that Blacksmith Boris was merely skilled at crafting everyday items, mainly focused on making common iron goods used in daily life, such as horseshoes, iron pots, kitchen knives, and so on, not adept at forging weapons or armor.


    As for the skills involved in Boris��s making of the Bastard Sword last time, Rein had already clearly learned about it from Blacksmith Apprentice Drews.


    That was Boris��s secret skill, which he did not intend to teach any non-blood relatives.


    ...


    Therefore, Rein wasn��t going to make things difficult for himself.


    Moreover, his Giant Bear Sword Technique required a Dual-Handed Greatsword, not a Bastard Sword, because only a Dual-Handed Greatsword could fully unleash the power of the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    ��Uncle Boris, thank you for your kindness, but I would still like to try my hand at the manor��s trial,�� Rein said tactfully. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blacksmith Boris wasn��t offended by Rein��s refusal.


    ��Young man, it��s good to try out different things. If you can get into the manor, that would be an even better option.��


    ��By the way, Uncle Boris, how much would it cost to learn skills like material selection, quenching, and grinding, etc.?��


    ��I would like to have a better chance during the manor��s assessment.��


    Upon hearing Rein��s words, a collective gasp could immediately be heard from those around!


    Clearly, the surrounding Blacksmith Apprentices were surprised at Rein��s tall order; not only did he not want to be a helper, but he also wanted to learn so many skills, which would be costly and not easy to master entirely.


    ��That won��t be cheap, these three skills together will cost five Imperial Gold Coins!��


    ��However�� if you come to work as a helper, I could slowly teach you these skills for free over the course of about a year,�� Blacksmith Boris paused for a moment, smiling amiably at Rein, while also making an offer that was very tempting to ordinary people.


    This made the Blacksmith Apprentices, who were eavesdropping on the conversation, look enviously at Rein, their expressions seeming to say:


    ��Rein is so lucky to have such a talent for smithing! Why couldn��t I have been born with this talent?��


    Facing Boris��s invitation for the second time, Rein scratched his nose, smiling wryly.


    He hadn��t expected the normally ��stingy�� Blacksmith Boris to value him so highly.


    If it had been before, Rein would have agreed without hesitation.


    But now, his goal was the ��stars and sea��, how could he possibly confine himself to a small blacksmith shop!


    ��Uncle Boris, thank you for valuing me, but let��s forget about it. Five Gold Coins, right? That��s a lot of money; I would need to discuss it with my parents.��


    ��Oh, can I study these skills separately?�� Rein continued after some thought.


    ��No problem, the charge for material selection is one Gold Coin, and quenching and grinding will each cost two Imperial Gold Coins,�� Boris indicated with his hands.


    ��Alright! Uncle Boris, I will go home and discuss it with my parents now.��


    ��Of course, you can.��


    ��Then, Uncle Boris, see you this afternoon!��


    Rein, of course, did not mention this matter to his parents when he went home; whether studying separately or seeking his parents�� advice, both were merely pretexts.


    After eating lunch at home, Rein returned to the blacksmith shop carrying a Gold Coin.


    ��`


    Upon entering, he handed a Gold Coin to Blacksmith Boris as the tuition fee for selecting materials.


    After paying the fee, Blacksmith Boris took Rein to a warehouse behind the forge.


    This was Rein��s first visit here.


    He saw various unprocessed ores stacked inside, alongside neatly arranged bars of iron, copper, and tin.


    ��Rein, let��s start with selecting ores. Look at this, this is hematite,�� said Boris, picking up a human-head-sized ore intermixed with red and black colors.


    ��Generally, its surface is this dark red or black, with the fracture planes showing stripes or shell-like shapes��.��


    Rein listened attentively to Blacksmith Boris��s explanation while carefully weighing the heavy piece of hematite in his hands.


    ��This is cassiterite; it usually has a dull brown surface with a granular texture and a metallic luster, with cavities inside the ore��.�� Boris explained, picking up a dark brown ore.


    ��This is chalcopyrite����


    ������


    With 11 points of spiritual power, Rein possessed an observation skill, discernment, and memory far exceeding that of an ordinary person; he quickly understood the several most common types of ores that Boris explained.


    ��Generally, the higher the quality of the iron ore, the more black it will appear on the surface��.�� Seeing that Rein showed no signs of confusion, Boris continued his explanation.


    At that moment, Rein noticed the system prompts that appeared:


    [You have engaged in the study of ore identification, improving your understanding!]


    [You have realized a new skill��Ore Identification]


    [Your skill, Ore Identification, has improved, Experience Points +1]


    ��.


    [You have focused on learning Ore Identification for half an hour, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +1]


    Rein immediately saw a new icon light up below his Blacksmith panel.


    The icon, shaped like an irregular piece of iron ore, was clearly the newly acquired skill ��Ore Identification��.


    It was then that Blacksmith Boris stopped explaining and turned to Rein, saying:


    ��Rein, these are the most common ores, but besides these, there are some extremely rare ores that are much more difficult to identify.��


    ��However, the value of these ores is also extremely high.�� This piqued Rein��s curiosity straight away.


    Boris then took out a piece of ore with specks like little stars from a drawer and handed it to Rein, saying:


    ��This is star iron, also known as meteorite ore. It is said to come from falling meteors. When the meteor falls to the earth, it forms such meteorite ore, which is very rare.��


    Rein was immediately surprised when he took the so-called star iron!


    Because he noticed at once that this piece of star iron, or meteorite ore, weighed much more than ordinary hematite or magnetite.


    Despite a similar size, its weight was more than double theirs.


    Boris, seemingly aware of Rein��s surprised expression, couldn��t help but laugh, ��The texture is different right? This piece of star iron is no bigger than the size of a fist in my possession, yet its price is dozens of times higher than common iron ore.��


    ��Hiss!�� The price really shocked Rein!

 Chapter 47 - 47 - 46 Special Ores

    Chapter 47 �C 46 Special Ores


    Tens of times?


    That��s way too exaggerated!


    ��Star metal possesses extreme toughness and hardness. It��s an excellent material for sharp weapons such as daggers, knight��s longswords, bastard swords, or dual-handed greatswords.��


    ��Of course, weapons made purely of star metal are prohibitively expensive, even nobles are reluctant to waste so much.��


    ��A more common practice is to mix it with other materials, which can enhance weapon performance while reducing costs.��


    ��To identify star metal, first consider the weight: star metal is about twice as heavy as other iron ores of the same size. Second, look at the fracture surface, where tiny metallic grains sparkle under the light, just like stars in the sky.��


    ��This is also the origin of the name ��star metal��.��


    ...


    ����..��


    Well, although Boris was only a small-town blacksmith, he was quite proficient in some aspects of forging, at least in terms of identifying and working with star metal, Rein thought Boris��s research was quite thorough.


    Suddenly, Rein sharply noticed several system prompts that were a bit different:


    [You have learned to identify ores, enhancing your understanding!]


    [Your skill ��Ore Identification�� has improved, experience +17]


    [You learned to identify the special meteorite ore, blacksmith profession experience points +5]


    ��.


    Hey! Are there such benefits as well?


    This couldn��t help but delight Rein.


    Rein realized that once he got the hang of identifying special ores, he could quickly increase his blacksmith profession experience.


    ��It seems I��ve mastered another quick way to improve!��


    This made Rein look forward to Boris��s next presentation on special ores.


    However, just as Rein was staring at Boris with eager eyes, he heard Boris say, ��Let��s go take a look at the metal ingots after smelting.��


    This immediately made Rein ask, ��Uncle Boris, haven��t you only talked about one special ore? What about the others?��


    Blacksmith Boris��s face turned slightly red as he said, ��You rascal, think about it. How could my ordinary blacksmith shop have so many special ores! This piece of star metal is my only treasure!��


    This instantly left Rein extremely disappointed!


    Just when he had seen a way to quickly increase his blacksmith profession experience, it turned out that Boris had no other special ores.


    Disappointment was evident on Rein��s face.


    ��Cough�� Rein, if you want to learn to identify other special ores, you��ll have to go to the large blacksmith shops in County Town, erm�� Of course, the blacksmith shops in the manor castles definitely also have a good stock of special ores.��


    ��Hey, Uncle Boris, I know about the blacksmith shops in the manor, but why do they have a good stock of special ores?�� Rein couldn��t help but ask curiously.


    ��Haha, the equipment of the castle guards and the knights is often crafted by the blacksmith shops within the manor, so what do you think, do they have special ores?�� Boris couldn��t help laughing.


    So that��s how it is!


    Rein suddenly realized. Nobles, as the ruling class in this world, naturally gathered all the good things to themselves.


    Especially such special ores that can effectively improve the equipment of their knights, the more, the better, and no one would consider it too much.


    In that case, the blacksmith shop within the manor is the first choice.


    After all, County Town is too far, and without a horse to travel, it would take a whole day to go back and forth.


    Perhaps after the page boy training starts, I could ask Master Baal for some guidance on identifying special ores, even if I have to offer some compensation. But relative to the rise in Blacksmith Professional Experience Points, that would be insignificant.


    By evening, when Rein left the blacksmith shop, his Blacksmith Profession Level had reached Blacksmith lv1 (23/100). The speed of gaining experience in ore identification was slightly higher than horseshoe forging, but only marginally so.


    This was thanks to that special piece of ore. Otherwise, the contribution of ore identification to the Professional Experience of a Blacksmith wouldn��t be as great as that from forging horseshoes.


    On the way home, Rein turned into a pie shop and bought a large pie that he had eaten earlier at noon.


    Thus, at the dinner table, Rein couldn��t escape being nagged by his ever thrifty mother, ��Rein, next time you want a pie, just bring your own meat and dough for baking. That way, you can save at least 3 pennies!��


    Rein, however, sneakily winked at little Bo He, who was happily eating, causing her to giggle nonstop.


    Anna also ate a small piece of pie with her head lowered, smiling without a word. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing this, mother Emma took another look at her son and couldn��t help shaking her head helplessly.


    Lately, her son was getting more and more ideas!


    That night, with the muscle soreness greatly alleviated, Rein returned to his room and started practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for a while.


    However, because the black tung oil was stored with Chief Maid Shadia,


    Without the aid of black tung oil, although Rein practiced hard and sweated profusely, the effectiveness of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique practice was greatly reduced.


    [You have practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, and your insight has improved!]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +1]


    ��.


    [Giant Bear Breathing Techniquelv2 (37/300)]


    Since his body had not fully recovered, and he couldn��t overexert himself, Rein soon stopped practicing.


    ��Tomorrow is Saturday. By my calculations, I��ll probably have to wait until next Monday, after Sunday, to possibly resume the page boy training,�� Rein thought to himself.


    ��It seems I need to make a trip back to Habsburg Manor tomorrow to get a bottle of black tung oil from Chief Maid Shadia.��


    ��.


    The next morning.


    When Rein went to Habsburg Manor to find Chief Maid Shadia, he noticed that the manor��s defensive preparations had noticeably improved.


    Soon, Rein found Chief Maid Shadia, who still wore her usual impassive, somewhat solemn expression, dressed in the black maid outfit that represented a higher-ranking servant.


    From her demeanor, it seemed the Chief Maid hadn��t rested well in the past few days, looking slightly tired.


    Shadia, seeing Rein, showed a rare smile on her poker face, but the next second it was gone, and she asked, ��Rein, you��ve come for the black tung oil, haven��t you?��


    ��Yes, Chief Maid Shadia,�� Rein responded with a smile in return.


    Shadia nodded, ��I thought you might be coming to see me. When the page boy training will resume is still undecided, Knight Lloyd is worried that the jackalwolves from last time might have a pack nearby.��


    ��By the way, come with me, I��ve stored the black tung oil in my own room.��


    ��Hmm!��


    Rein followed Shadia, entering the castle, and the two navigated the long stone corridors, turning left and right. Shortly, he followed the Chief Maid to a room on the first floor of the castle.


    As Shadia was opening the door, Rein faintly heard from the other end of the corridor a ��ting ting tang tang�� noise.


    This sound was all too familiar to him �� it was the sound of a hammer striking an anvil!

 Chapter 48 - 48 - 47: The Threat of the Fish People

    Chapter 48 �C 47: The Threat of the Fish People


    ��Chief Maid Shadia, is that the blacksmith��s shop over there?�� Rein asked.


    Shadia paused her action of opening the door, glanced at the corridor, nodded, and said, ��Yes, Rein, are you interested in the blacksmith��s shop?��


    ��Haha, quite interested. By the way, is Master Baal there too?�� Rein scratched his head and smiled as he continued to ask.


    ��Yes, all the blacksmiths are here. Baal is the blacksmith in charge of forging daily supplies.��


    ��Aside from Baal, the castle blacksmith shop also has Blacksmith Bazil, who specializes in weapon forging. Additionally, there is another person who is in charge of the blacksmith shop, Blacksmith Snell, a disciple of Master Verintan from County Town, who specializes in armor crafting.��


    Seeing Rein��s highly interested expression, Shadia elaborated a bit more on the situation in the castle��s blacksmith shop.


    ��Master��s disciple,�� ��specializes in armor��


    ...


    Rein��s eyes lit up, keenly picking up on two keywords, and said, ��Could it be that this Blacksmith Snell is an armorer?��


    ��Not yet, but he is likely to become one soon. Once he passes the blacksmith association��s assessment at the end of the year, Snell should be promoted to armorer!�� Shadia said as she pushed open the door.


    This immediately gave Rein a feeling of unexpected relief as if he had suddenly found a promising path. He had always wanted to find a blacksmith with high forging skills, and unexpectedly, one was right within the Habsburg estate.


    Furthermore, since Baal was in charge of forging daily supplies, it made sense that he was responsible for related content in the servant training.


    ��Here you go, Rein, your ironwood oil.�� Seeing Shadia had already taken a bottle of ironwood oil from the room and handed it to Rein.


    Rein took it, and before even opening the stopper, he smelled a strange yet familiar scent of ironwood oil.


    ��Thank you!��


    Soon, this small black bottle was carefully tucked inside Rein��s clothes.


    ��By the way, Chief Maid Shadia, are you familiar with Blacksmith Snell of the blacksmith shop? If it��s convenient, could you introduce me?�� Rein asked.


    Rein thought that since Snell was the head of the blacksmith shop, establishing contact with him would be ideal.


    Hearing the name Snell, Rein sharply noticed that the chief maid��s complexion seemed to blush slightly, but it quickly faded.


    The next second, Shadia stared at Rein quite displeased and said,


    ��Rein, one��s energy is limited. I hope you can focus on practicing the Knight Breathing Method and not be distracted, lest you fail to meet the lady��s expectations.��


    ��This��.�� Rein was at a loss for words for a moment, not knowing what to say.


    It was normal for Shadia to think this way.


    After all, practicing the Knight Breathing Method and swordsmanship would take up most of a person��s time.


    Thus, anyone aspiring to reach the Transcendent level would not waste much energy on other matters.


    However�� what Shadia didn��t know was that this situation only applied to ordinary people.


    But Rein was different, he had a ��cheat��!


    For Rein, quickly leveling up his blacksmithing secondary profession was equivalent to quickly improving his combat profession!


    It would allow him to reach Transcendence sooner!


    But this, Rein obviously couldn��t explain to Shadia. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the chief maid��s displeased expression again, Rein knew that the idea of having Shadia help make contact was probably blown.


    So, Rein could only regretfully take the bottle of ironwood oil and head home.


    Since his body ached no more, Rein decided to wait until later to visit Boris��s blacksmith shop, planning to first practice the Giant Bear Breathing Technique at home.


    He opened the bottle, and a strange fragrance filled the air. Rein poured a little bit of the amber-colored black poplar oil into his palm. Following Lady Cleya��s previous instructions, he rubbed his hands together to warm the oil before applying it to his knees and shoulders.


    Instantly, a burning warmth flowed from the applied areas into his skin.


    About half an hour later, a sweaty Rein suddenly received a system notification:


    [Congratulations! Your Constitution Attribute has increased!]


    Oh! This time it was only the Constitution Attribute that increased.


    However, this had raised Rein��s Constitution from 6 points to 7 points.


    Rein remembered that the last time he practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, both Constitution and Strength had increased.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein seemed to understand why.


    ��That��s because my Strength Attribute is relatively high already, at a full 10 points, while my Constitution Attribute is comparatively low, at only 6 points. That��s why practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique resulted in a particularly rapid increase in Constitution.��


    ��


    Unexpectedly, after retrieving a bottle of black poplar oil from Shadia, the Chief Maid, on Saturday, three whole days had passed and the servant training class had still not resumed.


    But Rein didn��t mind.


    During those three days, he usually spent his days at the blacksmith��s shop, and his nights practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. His days were quite fulfilling.


    Now, he was past the halfway mark in his blacksmith profession level, reaching Blacksmith lv1 (52/100), and had made considerable progress with the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, reaching lv2 (51/300).


    Rein was keen to practice the Giant Bear Sword Technique as well, but unfortunately, there was no suitable place near his home.


    Additionally, he didn��t have a Dual-Handed Greatsword, only a standard Bastard Sword of the Night Watchman.


    Tuesday morning, just as Rein was planning to head to the blacksmith shop again, a locked-armored guard came to his door and said, ��Rein, the Sheriff wants to see you. If it��s convenient, come with me to the town hall now. Lord Hamilton is waiting in his office for you.��


    ��Alright! I��ll come right away.�� Rein didn��t hesitate at all and immediately agreed.


    Last time Lord Hamilton had been seriously injured, and Rein also wanted to see if his wounds had healed, since he was, after all, his boss.


    He had gone to the town hall a couple of days ago, but the guards had told him Lord Hamilton seemed to have gone back to the County Town to recuperate and had not yet returned.


    To see him today, there must be something urgent.


    ��Thud thud thud!��


    ��Come in!�� Hearing the familiar voice, Rein opened the door and entered, seeing Lord Hamilton still in his noble hunting attire, but his complexion was still somewhat pale, and Rein seemed to smell a certain medicinal potion.


    He was very familiar with this smell; he often smelled it whenever he passed by the town��s only Abel��s Potion Shop.


    ��Rein, take a seat!��


    ��Lord Hamilton, how has your injury recovered since last time?��


    ��It was supposed to have healed today, but the ferocious werewolf��s claws had some special energy. It took a lot of effort to deal with the wounds, and now I guess I��ll need about another week to recover fully.��


    Hamilton waved his hand, indicating that he didn��t want to talk further about his injuries, only to continue saying,


    ��I��ve called you here this time because there��s an urgent matter that needs your assistance.��


    ��Remember the fishmen I mentioned to you before?��


    ��Just yesterday, my guard came to report again that the Sinfin Fishmen have extended their activity area to less than a few miles from Glimmer Lake.��


    ��We need to immediately contain their expansion. Otherwise, if they start spawning in Glimmer Lake, that will be a huge problem.��

 Chapter 49 - 49 - 48: Fine Steel Greatsword and Merit Points

    Chapter 49 �C 48: Fine Steel Greatsword and Merit Points


    ��So, I want you to head out with a team of Night Watchmen today and clear out that filthy group of fish-smelling monsters. Or just chase them upstream; that��s fine too. Next week, once my injuries heal, I��ll personally lead a team to eradicate them all!��


    Hamilton said with a solemn expression.


    Glimmer Lake is the water source for Flashgold Town, and if it were contaminated by fish people, as the sheriff, he would bear an undeniable responsibility. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Rein started to think quickly.


    Erasing fish people wasn��t something he could not consider, especially since his Night Watchman Profession Level was about to increase. Indeed, a real battle presented a great opportunity.


    However, he didn��t know much about the group of fish people or their strength, so he decided it was best to ask first.


    ��Lord Hamilton, about the strength of these fish people��?��


    ...


    ��Rest assured, the intelligence reports indicate that only a small fish people tribe has moved near Glimmer Lake, and their numbers are not large.��


    Hamilton continued, fingertips crossed beneath his chin:


    ��The majority of fish people��s combat ability is generally below that of militiamen. It��s just that their numbers are a bit large, and they breed rapidly, much like wild weeds that grow wildly every year, making them impossible to eradicate completely.��


    ��Additionally, when they encounter an enemy they cannot defeat, they quickly dive underwater to hide. Therefore, Rein, if I were you, I would find a way to lure the fish people away from the water before striking hard.��


    An injured Hamilton detailed his experience fighting the fish people.


    ��Okay! Lord Hamilton, but I currently don��t have a suitable weapon. Could you lend me a Dual-Handed Greatsword?�� Rein thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.


    Since Hamilton had made it clear that the number of fish people wasn��t large and their strength was not formidable, and considering he wasn��t going to fight alone but with a squad of Night Watchmen, it was a suitable real battle opportunity.


    There was no reason not to agree��through it, he could not only gain some valuable combat experience but also improve his Night Watchman Profession Level.


    Additionally, if the fish people continued to breed, it would directly impact the water safety of Flashgold Town. By defeating the fish people, he would also be protecting himself and his family.


    ��Hahaha, a Dual-Handed Greatsword, you say? Of course, follow me.�� Hamilton laughed heartily and gave Rein a meaningful glance.


    That made Rein somewhat puzzled.


    Once Rein followed Hamilton to a small partition behind his office and saw a rack full of various short swords, longswords, bastard swords, and dual-handed greatswords, he couldn��t help but feel envious.


    However, there was only one dual-handed greatsword there.


    At that moment, Hamilton had already taken the dual-handed greatsword from the rack.


    ��Thank you!�� Rein said as he took it, simultaneously giving Hamilton a thoughtful look.


    It seemed that the sheriff had guessed that he had been practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique, which might explain the strange look he had given him.


    It was probably because Hamilton had recognized it when Rein had killed a mutated hyena-man last time.


    After all, the characteristics of the Giant Bear Sword Technique were quite distinct.


    Rein weighed the dual-handed greatsword Hamilton handed him, finding it was around forty pounds, a perfect weight for his use.


    The blade was about one meter and forty centimeters long, with a blood groove down the middle, a crossguard, and a pommel at the end of the handle with a small counterweight ball. On the ball was the emblem of the Night Watchmen: a figure holding a longsword and a torch, with a bow slung over its back.


    From the white forging patterns at the blade, this was a rare fine steel dual-handed greatsword.


    You see, a fine quality fine steel knight��s longsword would cost over a dozen imperial gold coins, and naturally, a dual-handed greatsword was even more expensive!


    Here, when we talk about fine quality, we refer to those knight��s longswords that can be used for high-intensity combat, not the common iron swords that militiamen could own.


    Those iron swords are more than ten times cheaper, costing only a few silver coins, and virtually every small town��s blacksmith could forge one.


    But a good-quality dual-handed greatsword, not only is the skill required for forging one higher than that of a similar level longsword, but the quality of the steel selected for the blade is also crucial. It needs high-quality steel and an experienced blacksmith to confidently forge a fine dual-handed greatsword.


    ��It��s been a long time since someone in the Night Watchman used a dual-handed greatsword like you. This dual-handed greatsword is also part of my personal collection, Rein, do you like it?��


    ��Of course I like it!��


    In fact, what Rein was thinking was more like, ��Like it? A good weapon is half the life of a warrior, absolutely indispensable!��


    ��Rein, if you can clean up the merfolk for me this time, then this fine steel greatsword is my gift to you. It��s also a reward for your assistance last time in killing that frenzied werewolf.��


    Lord Hamilton said heartily.


    ��This��.�� Rein wanted to refuse, but he just couldn��t let go of the greatsword.


    The greatsword was of excellent material and superb craftsmanship, and its weight was also very suitable for the level of strength Rein currently possessed, he really couldn��t find a reason to refuse.


    ��Thank you for your gift, my lord!��


    When the two sat down in the office again, Lord Hamilton suddenly remembered something, took out several documents from the office, and handed them to Rein, saying:


    ��One is the official document for you to join the Night Watcher��s Army, which needs your signature.��


    ��The other document records the merit event of your participation in killing the frenzied werewolf, which also needs your signature, then submission for archiving. This will serve as the basis for evaluating your Merit Points, and also as your qualification for future promotions.��


    Rein took them and started reading carefully.


    The first document was unproblematic, just a standard form that required his signature.


    The second document detailed how Rein participated in killing the frenzied werewolf and the role he played, very detailed.


    Additionally, the document already had Lord Hamilton��s and two other Night Watcher squad leaders�� signatures, likely to prevent the fabrication of deeds and for easy verification by superiors.


    Then, Rein readily signed his name on it.


    Lord Hamilton nodded with a smile and said, ��Excellent, Rein. Once your documents are officially approved, you��ll be a member of the Imperial Night Watcher��s Army.��


    ��It��s my honor, Lord Hamilton.��


    ��By the way, Lord Hamilton, besides promotion, does this merit have any other uses? Can it be used to exchange for some training resources, like frenzied beast meat?��


    ��Haha, of course, there are quite a few things Merit Points can be exchanged for.��


    ��Once your Merit Points come through this time, you should have a good look.��


    ��However, Rein, are you planning to use the merit points from this review to exchange for beast meat? On this point, I wouldn��t recommend it.�� Lord Hamilton first shook his head, then gave a mysterious smile.

 Chapter 50 - 50 - 49: By Glimmer Lake

    Chapter 50 �C 49: By Glimmer Lake


    Rein was first delighted when he heard that he could exchange for ferocious beast meat similar to ��Giant Bear Meat��, but after hearing the latter part of Lord Hamilton��s statement, he was stunned and looked at him with a puzzled face.


    Lord Hamilton did not beat around the bush and directly said, ��Although ferocious beast meat is rare, if the amount you need is not too large, you can completely buy it with gold coins in the county town.��


    ��Many monster hunters specifically do this business. Moreover, if you don��t mind spending more gold coins, you can always buy fresh, high-quality ferocious beast meat at the auction house in the county town.��


    ��So, regarding merit points, my advice to you is to spend them in more valuable places.��


    ��For example, to use them to improve your strength with secret potions or to choose to save up your merit points to exchange for the advanced magic potions necessary for the subsequent promotion to a formal knight.��


    ��If you want to buy high-quality advanced magic potions from the auction house, not only are they outrageously expensive, but the main problem is that they are hard to come by.��


    ��Your teacher must have told you this. Different knight breathing techniques require the ingestion of specific advanced magic potions to successfully promote. The better the quality of the same type of potion, the better the effect of the promotion.��


    ...


    Lord Hamilton talked at length, but Rein listened very carefully, hardly missing a word.


    Cleya did not mention anything about how to be promoted to a formal knight before she left.


    Come to think of it, it made sense.


    ��After all, starting from scratch, in Cleya��s view, it was impossible for him to encounter the promotion stage within a year.��


    Rein keenly caught several key points in Lord Hamilton��s words, such as ��buying meat with gold coins,�� ��advanced magic potions,�� and ��the better the quality, the better the effect.��


    At the same time, Rein recalled the last time Cleya talked about ��advanced magic potions.��


    That time, Cleya had mentioned ��advanced magic potions�� once and then avoided the topic, simply telling him to focus on building a solid foundation first.


    ��She must be worried that knowing too much might not be good for me.��


    ��After all, practicing combat skills requires full focus to achieve the best effects.��


    ��However, some time will pass before the merit points are finally assessed, and regarding the exchange, I have ample time to consider this issue.��


    Thus, Rein nodded and said, ��Thank you for the advice, Lord Hamilton. I will consider it carefully.��


    ��Alright! You should set out as soon as possible then, Weilun and the others should already be waiting for you at the door.��


    ��Yes, my lord!��


    Although Rein was a bit surprised to be departing immediately, he had a premonition that Lord Hamilton had sought him out for a reason, so it wasn��t completely out of the blue.


    When Rein reached the administrative hall��s entrance, he realized that the elite Night Watchmen accompanying him each had a nag.


    Although the nags did not compare to the impressive steeds in the manor��s stables, they were still adequate for traveling.


    Night Watchman Captain Weilun had also prepared a nag for Rein.


    ��Rein, we are now going to ride to Glimmer Lake, which will take about two hours to reach our destination, spend a few more hours to complete the mission, and we should be able to return to Flashgold Town before nightfall.��


    ��As for other matters, we can discuss them on the way.��


    Weilun briefly explained the arrangements.


    Rein immediately nodded his head.


    No wonder Weilun and the others had prepared nags.


    The distance from Flashgold Town to Glimmer Lake was a bit further than to the County Town, and walking there would probably take half a day.


    In that case, they might not be able to complete the mission before darkness fell.


    The forest at night was a place even knights preferred to avoid.


    For the Night Watchmen, surely the best choice was to complete the mission quickly and then return to Flashgold Town to rest.


    ��Alright, Captain Weilun, let��s set out then.��


    Before leaving, Rein also had someone send a message back home.


    However, it was awkward because Rein had never learned to ride horses, so after mounting, he was wobbly and unsteady; it took a long time for him to adapt before it got marginally better.


    ��Haha, Rein, once you join the Night Watchman, horseback riding is an essential skill; you need to learn it promptly,�� Weilun said with a laugh, patting Rein on the shoulder.


    ��On the southern side of Flashgold Town, John Moyle of John��s Ranch not only sells horses but also specifically teaches riding. The tuition seems to be two gold coins. Rein, you should find some free time to learn.��


    ��Having a horse will make completing many long-distance tasks much easier.��


    ��John��s Ranch, huh?�� Rein pondered.


    At the same time, he recalled when he had just learned the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. The requirements for his job change to ��Knight Attendant�� included mastering horsemanship.


    But Rein wasn��t sure if he could still change his job to Knight Attendant now that he had already changed from a militiaman to a Night Watchman.


    After a brief thought, Rein decided he still needed to find time to go to John��s Ranch to learn horsemanship.


    After all, a man with many skills is never oppressed!


    Two hours later.


    Rein, carrying a Dual-Handed Greatsword, stood with a group of Night Watchman on a slope, gazing at the nearby Glimmer Lake, shimmering in the distance.


    The morning mist had not yet completely dispersed; the sunlight shone on the lake��s surface, casting a thin golden glow, surrounded by dark green forests. Such a beautiful painting dazzled Rein.


    Rein murmured to himself, ��This should be called ��Golden Light Lake��; why is it called ��Glimmer Lake��?��


    ��Beautiful, isn��t it?�� Weilun, noting Rein��s enchanted demeanor, couldn��t help but ask with a smile.


    ��More than beautiful!�� Rein confidently said.


    ��Then you probably haven��t been here at night during summer. As for why it��s called Glimmer Lake, it��s because during summer nights, there are swathes of fireflies dancing on the lake��s surface, and that��s when Glimmer Lake is at its most beautiful!�� Weilun explained.


    ��Summer nights, huh? I��ll definitely have to come and see it next time,�� Rein couldn��t help but feel a hint of longing.


    ��Hey! Is that a merman?�� While admiring the beautiful view, Rein sharply noticed something, immediately pointed towards the furthest end of Glimmer Lake, and said. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Weilun and other elite Night Watchman immediately looked in the direction Rein was pointing.


    In the gradually dispersing mist, they could see several creatures about one and a half meters tall, with fish heads on human bodies, wandering around the lake shore. It seemed as if they had happily discovered a new habitat, or perhaps they were merely searching for food.


    ��They really are mermen����


    ��Didn��t we say that we still need to walk upstream along Glimmer Lake for a while?��


    ��These mermen have spread to the Glimmer Lake area so quickly?��


    ��Lucky we came in time!��


    Upon seeing the scene before them, the Night Watchman of Weilun��s squad couldn��t help but burst into animated discussion.


    Although, this mission required either driving away or killing the group of mermen.


    But Rein knew that the first choice was, of course, to kill them; that way, they wouldn��t have to trouble Lord Hamilton to come back after his recovery.


    ��Captain Weilun, how shall we eliminate these mermen?��


    Although Rein ranked first in combat ability, the other Night Watchman were more experienced in other areas, especially Captain Weilun, who was not someone a novice like Rein could compare with.


    So, Rein didn��t intend to offer any suggestions on tactical arrangements.


    To this, Weilun clearly had a plan already and smiled, ��These few can just be shot down with bows and arrows. When we find the mermen camp, I plan to have Matteo here to lure the mermen.��


    Rein turned his head to look, seeing the Night Watchman named Matteo, who was only slightly taller than Rein and shorter than most Night Watchman. He looked quite slender, but his whole demeanor was spirited, with a clever gleam in his eyes.

 Chapter 51 - 51 - 50 Preparations for Battle

    Chapter 51 �C 50 Preparations for Battle


    Rein faintly understood Weilun��s plan.


    Murlocs bully the weak and fear the strong, refraining from attacking robust humans if only a few of them are present, but upon seeing frail women and children, they immediately howl and, brandishing their weapons, commence the hunt.


    Therefore, Weilun intended to use the lean Matteo as bait to lure out the murlocs from their tribe and then encircle and kill them.


    Rein nodded, a very prudent scheme, allowing for an immediate retreat should any contingency arise.


    Wouldn��t it work to just attack the murloc tribe directly?


    It��s not that it wouldn��t work, but that it would be pointless!


    When murlocs encounter insurmountable enemies or danger, they will immediately dive into nearby waters, either to gather more murlocs for a counterattack or hide in the water until the formidable enemies leave.


    ...


    Therefore, if they can��t annihilate a large number of murlocs in one go, considering their extremely high reproductive rate, the waters will soon be teeming with murlocs again!


    ��Let��s go, let��s take out these few murlocs first!�� Weilun was pleased with Rein��s amiable attitude, turned to speak with the other Night Watchmen, and began to stealthily approach the murlocs.


    However, after only a few steps, Weilun turned his head to Rein and said, ��You know�� Rein, you can rest for a while, we can handle these murlocs with just our bows and arrows.��


    After saying this, Weilun also took down the bow and arrows from his back and gestured.


    This made Rein pause; he glanced at the other Night Watchmen and instantly understood, scratching his head and smiling, ��Alright, Captain Weilun, then I��ll support you from the rear.��


    He had come with only the dual-handed greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, having brought no bow and arrows at all.


    It wasn��t really about Rein being lazy, but because, with his LV2 basic archery, it was a bit embarrassing to show off.


    Weilun was aware of this too, hence he didn��t remind Rein before they set off.


    Of course, the main reason was that Rein wouldn��t consider wasting precious Skill Points on basic archery skills in the short term.


    Thus, Rein was left alone at the back, watching ten elite Night Watchmen slowly advance in a semi-encirclement formation. Once they reached shooting distance, they notched their bows and took aim.


    ��Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!��


    After a flurry of arrows whistled through the air,


    the four murlocs fell to the ground!


    Rein��s eyes brightened; he finally realized why Lord Hamilton had sent the Night Watchmen instead of the peace officers and guards from Flashgold Town.


    Because of archery!


    The archery skills of the Night Watchmen were generally a notch above those of the others.


    They were indeed perfectly suited for battling the murlocs.


    Rein stepped forward and began to carefully examine these humanoid creatures that Captain Weilun considered not very intelligent.


    These murlocs were about one and a half meters in length, covered with fine and slippery scales, seemingly having decent defensive power. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They had bulbous eyes protruding from their fish heads and large mouths filled with sharp teeth, from which a foul stench emanated.


    Both hands and feet had webs, and they held a variety of poor-quality weapons, primarily shoddy fish spears, greatswords, and short spears; none wielded short bows, and their equipment was quite crude.


    Rein even went so far as to poke the other side with the hilt of a sword. Sure enough, the layer of scales on the murloc��s surface had protection akin to a single layer of leather armor.


    Of course, if he were to strike with the fine steel greatsword in his hand, the difference with or without that layer of scales would be nonexistent.


    ��Rein, this is the distinctive mark of the Sinfin Murlocs; look!��


    Captain Weilun flipped over one of the dead murlocs, revealing a long dorsal fin that ran down the center of the murloc��s back. The fin, peppered with occasional sharp spines, was a dark gray color.


    ��Different features among murlocs represent different tribes, and sometimes the disparity in strength can be significant.��


    ��For instance, on the coastline near Fishing Port Town, the Blackgill fish people live, and their strength surpasses that of the Eviltail fish people by not just a little. Moreover, even within the same species of fish people, the strength of each tribe varies greatly.��


    Rein listened intently at the side, nodding from time to time.


    He could tell that Captain Weilun was passing on his experience to him.


    ��Let��s go, following the fish people��s tracks should lead us quickly to their encampment.��


    Alongside a small river upstream from Glimmer Lake, Rein and his group followed the webbed footprints left by the fish people on the bank, searching upstream.


    Soon, they found the tracks growing more concentrated.


    Before them on the riverbank, they saw over a dozen newly built stilt houses made of branches and thatch, and the camp was bustling with the shadowy figures of many short individuals. Clearly, this was the ��headquarters�� of the Eviltail fish people.


    Looking at the small Eviltail fish people tribe of no less than a hundred before him, Weilun couldn��t help but frown and said, ��This group of Eviltail fish people has relocated their entire tribe here, there are plenty more than expected!��


    ��I fear we will have a tough time dealing with them, this is quite different from what the reconnaissance report indicated.��


    ��Captain Weilun, what did the reconnaissance report say, that their numbers weren��t this many?�� Rein asked curiously.


    Weilun shook his head and said, ��The report mentioned small bands of Eviltail fish people being spotted upstream of Glimmer Lake, typically in groups of thirty to fifty. But this group, there are far too many, at least a hundred by estimation.��


    ��Let��s abandon this for now, and wait for Lord Hamilton to recover from his injuries. It would be most prudent for him to take action,�� Weilun suggested with a thoughtful frown.


    Rein glanced at the display on his panel showing the Night Watchman Profession Level lv1 (87/100) and the Giant Bear Sword Technique lv2 (269/300).


    Both were about to level up, and withdrawing now didn��t sit well with Rein at all.


    Thus, Rein inquired again, ��Captain Weilun, although their numbers are a bit high, the individual strength of the fish people isn��t strong. Would it be so difficult to kill them?��


    ��That��s the thing�� It��s not about just eliminating some of the fish people, but trying to annihilate them as completely as possible. With so many of them, even if we took them down one arrow at a time, it would take quite a long while,�� Weilun said with a furrowed brow.


    ��According to the original plan, you were to cut off their escape route, which I fear would put tremendous pressure on you, Rein.��


    He was worried Rein couldn��t withstand it!


    Hearing Weilun explain it this way, Rein��s brow smoothed out.


    Rein saw things differently.


    Firstly, this group of Eviltail fish people didn��t possess ranged weapons like bows and arrows, and his own practice of the Giant Bear Sword Technique was particularly well-suited for handling such melee fights.


    Furthermore, his strength had improved since the battle with the jackal men.


    The increase of two Spirit Points allowed Rein to grasp more details in combat, making it less likely for him to get injured.


    So, Rein said with a smile, ��Captain Weilun, I have confidence in myself, let��s give it a try. There shouldn��t be a problem.��


    Upon hearing Rein volunteer so readily, Weilun was momentarily stunned.


    But looking into Rein��s serious eyes, he realized this was no joke.


    Moreover, as the person who would be facing the most pressure in the battle, if Rein was prepared to give it a try and he insisted on retreating, it would be quite demoralizing.


    So, after pondering for a moment, Weilun slapped Rein��s shoulder firmly and said in a deep voice, ��Alright! Since you��re confident, Rein, let��s give it our all. But remember, if we can��t hold them off, retreat immediately.��


    ��Come on, let��s set up a trap here, just in case we need to pull back.��


    ��Right, Boss!��


    The Night Watchmen elite got to work immediately at Weilun��s signal.


    In no time at all, they had set up several spike traps and trip ropes and carefully marked each one to prevent their own from accidentally triggering them.

 Chapter 52 - 52 - 51: Unleashing Miracles?

    Chapter 52 �C 51: Unleashing Miracles?


    After everything was ready, Matteo advanced alone, disguising himself as a human hunter who mistakenly wandered near the Murloc camp.


    As Matteo shot and retreated, successfully killing three spear-wielding Murloc warriors, the entire Murloc camp erupted like a disturbed hornet��s nest.


    Following a noisy clamor in Murloc language, suddenly, twenty or thirty Murloc warriors armed with various spears, knives, and clubs surged out, charging at Matteo with overwhelming momentum.


    Murlocs are typically bullies that fear the strong and oppress the weak. Seeing only one human opponent, how could they resist charging at him!


    Matteo immediately pretended to be overpowered and hurried back to the ambush circle that had been set up in advance.


    Soon, this large group of Murloc warriors passed through a narrow mountain valley and directly rushed into the Night Watchman��s encirclement.


    ��Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!��


    ...


    The other prepared Night Watchman elites, from a higher position, drew their bows and shot arrows at the densely packed Murloc warriors with the fastest shooting speed.


    As expected, these Murloc warriors, with their bubble eyes, upon seeing nearly ten human Archers suddenly appear, instantly got scared and started to flee.


    Although they were fleeing in terror now, once they returned to their camp, they would quickly bring more Murloc warriors back for revenge.


    To prevent this, Weilun and Rein had already discussed using the strategy of gradually defeating the Murlocs step by step, never allowing this group of Murloc warriors to return.


    Suddenly, a figure swiftly attacked from behind, blocking the entrance of the valley with just one person.


    A long Dual-Handed Greatsword, like a silver blade, kept flipping up and down. With each beautiful arc it made, it brought up a storm of blood and gore as Murloc limbs, weapon fragments, or light blue blood were splattered into the air.


    ��(In Murloc language) Waaarluuuloo~~~��


    The Murloc warriors, caught between attacks from both sides, instantly panicked, scrambling around like headless flies!


    However, they helplessly found that with ��Dense Arrow Rain�� in front and ��Brutal Greatsword�� behind, after several futile and fruitless counterattacks, only a few Murlocs remained trembling within the encirclement.


    With a few twangs of bows, these last few were also eradicated!


    Looking at a large pile of Murloc bodies, Weilun stepped forward and patted Rein, who was heavily panting, and said, ��Well done, Rein!��


    ��I finally understand why Lord Hamilton values you so much. It seems your strength has improved since last time!��


    Weilun and the other elite Night Watchmans discovered, to their astonishment, that Rein had managed to emerge from the intense battle completely unscathed.


    This was due to his superhuman 11 points of spiritual power and his ��danger perception�� ability that allowed Rein to avoid many attacks that would have otherwise hit him.


    The sharpness of the ��danger perception�� ability correlates directly with Rein��s spirit; the stronger the spiritual power, the more acute the perception.


    ��Captain Weilun, you flatter me! It was good teamwork. Look, most of the Murlocs actually died from the arrows,�� Rein said with a smile, pointing at the Murloc bodies.


    Weilun��s smile grew even broader at Rein��s modesty.


    Who wouldn��t like a subordinate who not only has the strength but also knows how to speak well!


    ��You guys rest for a while, then clean up the next wave! I��ll keep watch,�� Weilun signaled for the others to take a brief rest.


    ��Alright!��


    Rein took this opportunity to focus his attention on the panel.


    The system had just prompted the following:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been upgraded, Experience Points+132]


    [You have undergone a battle, gaining Night Watchman Professional Experience Points+67]


    Night Watchman Profession Level successfully advanced to the next level, currently Night Watchman lv2 (54/300).


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv1 (52/100) / Night Watchman lv2 (54/300)


    Constitution: 7


    Strength: 10


    Agility: 9


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining attribute points: 2


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Additionally, the Giant Bear Sword Technique had reached lv3 (101/500).


    Having just battled the fishmen, the technique Rein used the most was the Giant Bear Sword Technique��s crowd-control move �� Whirlwind Slash.


    Therefore, after the upgrade of the Giant Bear Sword Technique, the fragments of swordsmanship training brought to Rein��s mind primarily consisted of memories related to Whirlwind Slash. These training memories were quickly assimilated by Rein and swiftly embedded into his muscle memory.


    Thus, when Rein grasped the Fine Steel Greatsword again, it seemed to feel a bit different.


    The greatsword in his hands felt even more familiar, and he was more proficient in handling it.


    About the Skill Points, after pondering briefly, Rein added that 1 point directly into the core skill ��Blacksmith��s Strength.��


    Given that level 2 of Blacksmith��s Strength had again demonstrated tremendous support! During roughly 40 seconds of burst duration, Rein nearly single-handedly held off and defeated a large crowd of fishman warriors.


    As soon as that 1 Skill Point was invested, the icon resembling Popeye flexing his biceps suddenly lit up around the edges.


    The line of text beneath the icon also changed, displaying:


    [Core Skill: Blacksmith��s Strength lv3 (Active)] sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blacksmith��s Strength lv3 (Active) Effect: When this skill is activated, your Strength will increase substantially.


    (Note: The effect of this skill is based on a proportionate increase to the host��s own strength, and its duration is proportional to the host��s Constitution and spiritual power.)


    Rein scrutinized it carefully, noting that besides the increase from lv2 to lv3, the description of Blacksmith��s Strength had changed the word ��slightly�� to ��substantially.��


    Clearly, lv3 of Blacksmith��s Strength would further increase the amplification of his Strength.


    Although he did not know the exact proportion, it was definitely stronger than the previous roughly 40%, and judging by the past increase, it could likely be 60%!


    Shoot! If the increase really is 60%, that would be 10 (+6), a total of 16 points of Strength.


    He wouldn��t be far behind a full-fledged Knight now!


    A thought suddenly flashed through Rein��s mind, ��Could it be that I am on the path of ��great strength brings miracles��?��


    After adding the Skill Point, looking at the panel which now showed 2 remaining attribute points.


    Rein thought briefly and quickly added 1 point to his Constitution, while keeping the last point in reserve as a backup.


    Rein clearly remembered, the duration this time was nearly ten seconds longer than the previous battle with the ferocious werewolves, which was likely due to the increase in his Constitution.


    As the effects of Blacksmith��s Strength became stronger, Rein naturally wanted to enhance its endurance.


    After all, being strong but not durable just wouldn��t do!


    A man has to be durable!


    And the special effect of full stamina recovery that came with adding points instantly invigorated the otherwise somewhat weary Rein!


    Immediately, Rein, holding the hilt of the greatsword, felt eager to test it out.


    However, before Rein could say anything, the fishmen in the camp opposite seemed to become restless as well.


    After all, the fishmen were not fools; seeing that none of the previous batch of fishman warriors had returned, they knew something might have gone wrong.


    At that moment, everyone saw a fishman warrior, who was notably taller than the other fishmen and wielding a gleaming trident, step out of the fishman camp, with what seemed like all the remaining fishman warriors rallying behind him.


    The opposing fishman swung his trident, and a massive throng of fishman warriors surged in their direction!

 Chapter 53 - 53 - 52: The Style of That ’Leap Slash’!

    Chapter 53 �C 52: The Style of That ��Leap Slash��!


    ��Aside from Rein and Matteo, everyone, return to your original positions!�� Weilun waved grandly, and the elite Night Watchmen immediately ceased their rest, each with bow drawn and arrows ready, continuing to hide in the surrounding grass encircling the area. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was still the short statured Matteo who went forward to lure the enemy, while Rein hid alone on the outer side of the valley, not far from the narrow passage.


    ��Swoosh, swoosh!��


    As Matteo ran and shot, the group of fishmen warriors, as expected, brandished their weapons and charged toward the encirclement while yelling chaotically.


    Just when everyone thought that the enemy would barge into the encirclement as before, the tall spearsman suddenly roared loudly!


    And these fishmen warriors actually began to slow down, barely stopping at the mouth of the valley.


    This immediately caused Weilun��s expression to drastically change as he thought to himself, ��This is not good!��


    ...


    Because the Night Watchmen were far fewer in number than the fishmen, if they were forced to fight, even if they could defeat the fishmen, nearly half would escape, not achieving the desired outcome.


    Moreover, in a head-on battle, the Night Watchmen would inevitably suffer significant casualties.


    This was something Captain Weilun did not want to see.


    The tall spearsman then stepped forward from the rear of the fishmen warriors, looking at the valley littered with fishmen corpses, and couldn��t help but roar again in anger.


    Matteo was even more anxious; he not only stopped retreating but also advanced toward the narrow passage, fiercely shooting several arrows at the clustered fishmen warriors.


    But except for the first arrow that killed one fishman warrior, the other two arrows were deflected by the tall spearsman with his gleaming spear.


    Matteo wanted to continue shooting, but he found out that he had already used up the dozens of arrows in his quiver!


    At this, Matteo was flustered!


    The man was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.


    Rein, lying in ambush outside the valley, also sensed that something was wrong.


    Through the grass, his eyes could clearly see twenty or thirty fishmen gathered at the pass, refusing to enter the encirclement in the valley.


    This seriously contradicted Captain Weilun��s plan to lure the enemy.


    Rein could even faintly hear Matteo��s cursing and mocking voice in the valley.


    ��Has the fishmen learned their lesson? Do they know it��s a trap inside?��


    ��Probably, after all, there are fishmen corpses everywhere inside, and the people hadn��t had time to deal with them before the second wave of fishmen arrived.��


    Given this, Rein had a bold idea!


    ��If you don��t want to enter, then I��ll force you in!��


    The next second, Rein shook his Dual-Handed Greatsword, and the soft sheepskin covering it was instantly flung aside.


    With a forceful tap of his toes, the ground beneath him sunk, and like a tiger descending the mountain, he charged directly into the rear of the fishmen warriors!


    At this time, Captain Weilun, lying in ambush in the valley grass, had large beads of sweat forming on his forehead!


    ��What should we do?��


    ��Charge out directly? No! That would definitely lead to a melee. We are too few in number, even a victory would be a pyrrhic victory!��


    ��But if we don��t charge out, once they block the pass, we��ll be even more passive!��


    ��Regardless, we have to charge!��


    Just as Weilun was about to rise, he suddenly discerned a disturbance at the mouth of the pass among the fishmen.


    He immediately focused his attention and saw a bright silver light suddenly appearing behind the fishmen, darting left and right, seemingly driving the fishmen warriors into the pass.


    ��Is�� is that Rein?!�� Weilun couldn��t help but blurt out as a flash of realization crossed his mind.


    That glow was indeed Rein, who had activated ��Blacksmith��s Power lv3��, and supported by his strength of 10 (+6), Rein was like an unleashed wild horse, rampaging through the group of fishman warriors.


    More terrifying was the Fine Steel Greatsword in Rein��s hands, which, propelled by a strength of 16, swung about like a high-speed sewing machine!


    With a flash of light, severed limbs and body parts danced in mid-air.


    ��(Merfolk Language) Blah blah blah!�� The towering spearfish warrior had, of course, also noticed Rein wreaking havoc behind him.


    He immediately roared and, brandishing his spear, charged rapidly towards Rein.


    ��Bring it on!��


    Upon seeing the towering spearfish warrior charging at him, Rein felt no fear; instead, a strong impulse to test his might surged within him.


    ��Leap Slash!��


    Rein pushed off the ground with his feet, causing the dirt to explode, and he rapidly soared into the air, slashing downward with a fierce Leap Slash at the incoming spearfish warrior.


    After this strike, Rein felt an exhilarating rush throughout his body!


    ��Crack!!��


    The tall fishman warrior, who had raised his steel fork in a desperate attempt to block, froze on the spot.


    By then, his steel fork was already split into two by Rein��s sword, and more fatally, a bloodline had appeared on his forehead, slicing through his chest and abdomen down to his lower body.


    ��Sizzle!��


    The next second, pale blue blood burst out from the bloodline like a fan-shaped fountain!


    The towering fishman warrior instantly split into two halves, his eyes bulging and his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something��


    Seeing their leader fail to withstand even a single strike sent the remaining fishman warriors into a terrified disarray!


    A group of surviving fishman warriors, their desire to fight completely obliterated, involuntarily hid in the narrow pass.


    Although they knew it might be dangerous inside, staying outside meant certain death!


    Between a possible death and an inevitable death, no one would foolishly choose the inevitable.


    It was the same for the fishmen.


    ��Yes!!��


    ��Rein did an amazing job!��


    ����.��


    At this moment, the elite Night Watchmen hidden in the bushes had all excitedly stood up, completely ignoring the less than ten ��defeated soldiers�� who rushed into their trap.


    The fight Rein had fought in less than half a minute had them boiling with excitement!


    The subsequent battle was without suspense.


    After several volleys of arrows, the valley was almost entirely filled with the disgusting smell of rotting fishman corpses.


    ��Haha, good job, Rein!!��


    Weilun strode over to Rein and gave him a hearty hug while he was still savoring that sword strike.


    After Rein��s rapturous Leap Slash, the fishman warriors dared not face him anymore, desperately squeezing towards the pass and rushing towards the valley.


    Thus, Rein stopped and carefully relished that ��Leap Slash.��


    This was the best ��Leap Slash�� Rein felt he had executed since he started learning the Giant Bear Sword Technique!


    The system notification confirmed this.


    ��[Your skill ��Giant Bear Sword Technique�� has improved, Experience +248]��


    ��[You have survived a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +83]��


    The progress bar of the Giant Bear Sword Technique surged significantly, jumping from lv3 (101/500) to lv3 (349/500), passing the halfway mark.


    Moreover, the Night Watchman��s Profession Level also showed a significant increase, reaching lv2 (137/300).


    The gains were indeed substantial!

 Chapter 54 - 54 - 53: Strange Ore

    Chapter 54 �C 53: Strange Ore


    The successive annihilation of two groups of fishmen warriors meant that the ��backbone�� of this small Evilfin fishmen tribe had been broken.


    After a brief rest, Captain Weilun started directing the final battle.


    However, this time, no matter how Matteo lured them, the remaining Evilfin fishmen would not leave their camp to pursue him; instead, they seemed to harbor a faint fear of Matteo, who was alone.


    ��What should we do?��


    ��Just charge in! The remaining fishmen seem to be all weak and sick.��


    ��We can��t just charge in; we need to move in from the riverbank and encircle the fishmen camp!��


    ��Alright! Then let��s move quickly and drive them into the forest from the shallows.��


    ...


    ��Yes, and then kill them one by one.��


    ������


    Rein��s recent battle had completely buoyed the morale of the Night Watchmen.


    Everybody was chipping in with suggestions, and in the midst of their many voices, the rough plan was completed, with Captain Weilun barely getting a word in.


    However, Weilun didn��t mind at all but instead nodded with a smile again and again.


    It had been a long time since he had seen his squad this spirited.


    As the captain, Weilun found it hard to believe that all this was triggered by a young man whose lips were still downy with youth!


    To have such strength at such a young age was no small feat!


    After the plan was set, the elite members of the Night��s Watch quickly began to act under Weilun��s command.


    Rein took the lead, his Dual-Handed Greatsword swinging with a continual whooshing sound, as they rapidly advanced along the riverbank, cutting straight through.


    It was like a sharp knife slicing along the riverbank, separating the fishmen camp from the stream.


    And right behind Rein were ten Night Watchmen wielding bows and arrows.


    They followed behind Rein, continuously drawing bows and shooting arrows, driving the fishmen deep into the forest.


    Most of the fishmen remaining in the camp were old, weak, or sick. From the moment Rein and the others appeared, the whole camp fell into chaos. Few had the courage to resist and most were frantically running without choosing their paths.


    Any slight hesitation could result in the fishmen��s death under the sharp arrows of the Night Watchmen.


    Thus, this fight encountered hardly any resistance and was akin to a swift breeze sweeping away the leaves, utterly defeating the remaining fishmen.


    After the panic, the fishmen that fled into the forest realized that it was a dead end as well.


    Not to mention anything else, just the fierce beasts lurking in the Nightingale Forest would consider them as food and devour them completely.


    So, these scattered fishmen could only choose to run back toward the stream from the forest, where they were once again faced with a barrage of arrows.


    The elite Night Watchmen killed these returning fishmen one by one.


    In the end, the fishmen who truly managed to escape into the river were few and far between.


    By this point, the small Evilfin fishmen tribe was completely doomed.


    Even if a handful of fishmen managed to flee, they were no longer a concern. Without a tribe and settlement to rely on, the remaining isolated fishmen were likely to become prey to other beasts soon.


    In the dense and overgrown Nightingale Forest, the roles of hunter and prey could switch far faster than one might imagine!


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved; Experience +49]


    [You have gone through a battle; Night Watchmen Professional Experience Points +15]


    Since the intensity of this battle was very low, almost like sweeping away fallen leaves with an autumn breeze, the Experience Rein gained was also much less. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, this was all expected.


    While Rein was checking the system messages, the Night Watchmen were not resting, but were quickly starting to loot the battlefield for spoils, heads bowed.


    Although the weapons of these Fishmen were crudely made, sometimes one could find quite a few good items among them.


    Once, someone had killed a Fishman and discovered that it was actually carrying a piece of Mithril ore the size of a fist; that person made a fortune on the spot.


    So, after the Fishmen had been completely eliminated, the Night Watchmen began to search for battle loot.


    ��Rein, don��t just stand there, come help!�� Captain Weilun called out to Rein with a smile and a wave.


    Truth be told, it wasn��t that Rein looked down on the Fishmen��s poor weapons and equipment.


    Rather, Rein believed that, as this was his first time participating in a Night Watchman squad��s battle, it was more beneficial for him to show restraint concerning the loot to integrate better into the team��s collective.


    Seeing Rein��s expression, Weilun immediately guessed something and laughed heartily, ��Haha, Rein, do you think the battle loot each person picks up belongs solely to themselves?��


    ��That would be total chaos!��


    Rein��s brow furrowed, could there be some etiquette involved?


    ��Uh, Captain Weilun, isn��t it that way?��


    ��Of course not, the distribution of battle loot is carried out according to regulations. Otherwise, those who get injured and can��t pick up any loot would be at a huge loss,�� Weilun explained.


    ��Fairly distributing battle loot is a tradition of the Night Watchmen, which, after long practice, has gradually been improved upon and formed into specific rules,�� Weilun briefly explained to Rein the loot distribution rules of the Night Watchmen.


    ����.��


    Rein nodded continuously as he listened. He hadn��t expected that there were actually intricacies involved just in the distribution of battle loot.


    For instance, in the loot distribution rules of the Night Watchmen, thirty percent was handed over to the Empire, and the remaining seventy percent was allocated to individuals.


    Within this remaining seventy percent, there were detailed rules regarding rewards for those who performed exceptionally in battle, the proportion of loot distribution based on different combat roles, the pricing of enemy weapons and equipment after the battle, and even how much compensation one should receive for having an arm severed on the battlefield.


    However, no matter how one calculated it, Rein had been incredibly instrumental in this battle and could almost directly claim half of the total amount of the seventy percent of the battle loot.


    After much searching, nearly half of the loot found by everyone turned out to be his!


    This suddenly made Rein, who had come to the realization, feel a bit embarrassed, so he quickened his pace and began searching the Fishman camp.


    The corpses in the valley had been thoroughly searched earlier, and now it was mainly the Fishman camp area.


    Rein stepped into one of the stilt houses and found it contained only numerous clay pots and dried fish, the entire house reeking of a strong fishy smell.


    This made him involuntarily furrow his eyebrows.


    Perhaps this fishy smell was a rare delicacy for the Fishmen, but for humans, it was somewhat unbearable.


    Rein casually rummaged around and could say he found nothing of value.


    So, he quickly left and moved on to the next stilt house.


    ��Huh! This stilt house seems quite a bit larger.��


    Rein noticed the difference as soon as he entered; since the stilt houses all had a conical appearance, the larger size wasn��t easy to distinguish from the outside.


    But one could tell the difference once inside.


    This stilt house had a lot more furnishings, and in one corner, there was even a worn wooden box.


    Rein��s eyes lit up immediately, and he used his greatsword to pry open the box, revealing a glint of shine within. There were a small amount of gold and silver coins, a piece of green agate, three or four pieces of magnetite, and a nugget of gold?


    Rein picked up the supposed gold nugget with delight, but as soon as he held it, he felt that the weight was off��it was clearly too light!


    Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be just a high-quality piece of brass ore.


    Rein was greatly disappointed at this discovery.


    Since the wooden box was beginning to rot and was too heavy to carry conveniently, Rein took the coins one by one and placed them in his pocket and packed the green agate and others into a large cloth bag.


    ��Huh! What��s this?��


    Suddenly, Rein discovered that in the half-empty wooden box, beneath several larger pieces of magnetite, there was a fist-sized, slightly luminescent mysterious ore.

 Chapter 55 - 55 - 54: The Ogre’s Trail

    Chapter 55 �C 54: The Ogre��s Trail


    This peculiar glow immediately caught Rein��s attention.


    Rein promptly picked up the ore, and as soon as he held it, he felt an unusually heavy sensation.


    ��Hiss! Such a high density, it might even be heavier than star iron!��


    Having learned how to identify ores from the blacksmith Boris last time, Rein was no longer ignorant about ores.


    Rein first squeezed it forcefully, then he lightly hacked at it a few times with his greatsword.


    The bizarre ore remained undamaged, which further strengthened Rein��s judgment.


    Simply based on its hardness and weight, this piece of ore must be some kind of special ore.


    ...


    Moreover, according to Rein��s initial judgment, the value of this piece of ore likely was not less than that of the piece of star iron that Boris owned.


    Thinking it over, Rein had no inclination to selfishly keep the ore for himself.


    Even if this ore was extremely valuable, he would probably receive it during the distribution of spoils based on his contribution, provided he didn��t want anything else.


    Consequently, Rein dumped everything from the wooden box into a large cloth bag.


    He then picked up the heavy bag and found his team leader, Weilun.


    ��So much?�� After seeing what was inside the cloth bag, Weilun immediately widened his eyes, a surprised expression facing Rein. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Rein, you really are�� our squad��s lucky star!�� Watching Rein, who had gathered a lot in such a short time, Weilun didn��t know what to say all of a sudden and could only shake his head and sigh at Rein��s good luck.


    ��Captain Weilun, when the valuation is done, and we distribute the spoils, I��ll take this ore,�� Rein said as he took out the softly glowing stone from the bag and handed it to Weilun.


    ��Seems like a special ore? That��s indeed rare, no problem!�� While Weilun was experienced and knowledgeable, his ability to identify ores was no better than Rein��s, he just knew that this wasn��t an ordinary ore.


    ��Go on then!�� Weilun said as he directly tossed the ore back to Rein.


    Just as Rein was puzzled.


    He heard Weilun say, ��You taking it now is the safest way, waiting until we bring the spoils back to town for the quartermaster to value it, it very well might get assessed into the empire��s required thirty percent share.��


    ��Just take it now, and if it��s valuable, remember to buy each of us a round of tequila!��


    Weilun said, patting Rein��s shoulder with a laugh.


    Clearly, in Weilun��s heart, winning over Rein, the promising star of the Night Watchman squad, was much more important than this special ore.


    ��Haha, of course, no problem, but this����


    Rein certainly understood Captain Weilun��s kindness, he just wasn��t sure if this distribution was really okay, so he didn��t know what to say next.


    Just then, a Night Watchman team member waved at Weilun, who was talking with Rein, and called out:


    ��Captain, you better come take a look at this!��


    From the tone, it seemed there was some unexpected discovery.


    Curious, Rein followed Weilun over.


    They saw a very noticeable trail of huge footprints stretching into the depths of the forest, as this area was near a small river and the ground was moist, the footprints were exceptionally clear.


    ��Hiss! They��re so big!�� Rein exclaimed in surprise as he looked at the row of footprints before him.


    ��Four toes! These are ogre tracks!!�� Unlike Rein��s surprise, Weilun��s expression changed dramatically!


    ��Rein, we need to leave here immediately! Damn it! To think that ogres appeared here, and it looks like this small tribe of Sinfin fishmen must have been driven here by the ogre.��


    ��Perhaps the ogres are keeping these fishmen as livestock. If that��s really the case, and we��ve killed so many fishmen����


    ��This is bad, we need to leave immediately!��


    ��Everyone, move! Stop collecting the spoils!�� Weilun immediately called out to everyone.


    Seeing Weilun look so anxious, Rein felt a tightening in his heart as well.


    After all, as the captain of the Night Watchman, Weilun was far more experienced than him, and the enemy had just witnessed his combat power.


    The fact that they were now hastily deciding to retreat indicated that the ogre��s strength must far surpass their group.


    Soon, everyone put the spoils on the pack horses, and then each leaped onto their horses, heading back the way they had come.


    Actually, Rein was still somewhat puzzled.


    ��Since we really discovered traces of the ogre, shouldn��t we stealthily approach and investigate?��


    ��Or is it that ogres have extremely acute senses of smell or hearing, making it impossible to approach?��


    ��After all, we don��t even know the number of ogres.��


    After hastily leaving the Glimmer Lake region, Rein could no longer hold back and asked:


    ��Captain Weilun, are ogres really that fearsome?��


    Weilun glanced at Rein and said gravely, ��More terrifying than you can imagine. You��ve also fought the savage werewolves before, were they not very strong?��


    ��Of course!�� Rein nodded, that savage werewolf was the strongest enemy he had encountered so far.


    ��Well, do you know what would happen if that savage werewolf encountered a mature ogre? It would either obediently become the ogre��s subordinate or it would run away immediately. There��s no third option.��


    ��The gap between them is like that between wolves and brown bears in the forest!�� Weilun gestured with his fingers and confidently stated.


    ��That large?�� Rein expressed surprised.


    This was far beyond his expectations; ogres were so powerful!


    He had thought their strength would be fairly similar.


    Weilun nodded and continued, ��Yes, Rein, have you heard about the recent ogre attack on Albero Town?��


    ��This�� I think I��ve heard something about it.�� Rein immediately recalled the content discussed by some pseudo-rich generation peers on the day he just crossed over, which seemed to be about this Albero Town.


    ��The sheriff of Albero Town, Knight Hamza Qulin, whose strength is not much inferior to Lord Hamilton, was severely wounded by that roaming ogre that night.��


    ��If it weren��t for other Night Watchmen risking their lives to distract the ogre, Sir Hamza, a knight of great strength, might have been killed in honor.��


    After hearing Weilun��s explanation, Rein raised an eyebrow; this really surprised him.


    He had always thought ogres were just large, slow-giant fools with immense strength, but according to Weilun��s description, it seemed not to be the case.


    He didn��t know Knight Hamza, but he was aware of Hamilton��s strength.


    If a knight like Hamza, whose strength was comparable to Hamilton��s, couldn��t withstand the ogre, Rein also had the awareness that even if he activated his Blacksmith Strength Lv3, he would not be a match for the ogre.


    ��I��ve been feeling that something��s been off this last year, there��s been too much happening in the Meister County!�� Weilun seemed to recall and sighed at this moment.


    ��After we get back, we must report this matter to Lord Hamilton immediately.��


    If Rein felt somewhat complacent after his mass killing at the merfolk camp,


    then after understanding the formidable strength of the ogre, that trace of complacency in his heart disappeared without a trace.


    ��The revolution is not yet successful, comrades still need to work hard!��


    A famous saying from his past life naturally came to Rein��s mind.

 Chapter 56 - 56 - 55: Code Name ’Poison Blade

    Chapter 56 �C 55: Code Name ��Poison Blade


    Flashgold Town, in the afternoon.


    A middle-aged man clad in a black waistcoat, of exceedingly ordinary appearance, stepped into the noisy tavern belonging to the family with thick eyebrows.


    At this time, the tavern was gradually filling with people��many mercenaries, artisans of various trades, idlers, and even off-duty law enforcement officers would come for a drink to relax after a day��s hard work.


    The man in black quietly ordered the most common rye beer and began sipping it in small mouthfuls.


    What went unnoticed was that his ears twitched slightly, as if he was carefully discerning whether there was any information he needed in the patrons�� boasts and conversations. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was known as ��Poison Blade,�� an assassin nurtured by the Brotherhood of the Wilderness, tasked mainly with dealing with people and matters that couldn��t withstand the light of day.


    This time, he had received orders from above; apparently, a big shot had commanded him to kill a young man and suggested that it would be best if the death looked accidental.


    ...


    Upon receiving the mission, ��Poison Blade�� immediately conducted a detailed analysis of the target based on the information given.


    ��Rein, aged between 14-16, the son of a farmer from Flashgold Town, currently undergoing servant training at the Habsburg manor, combat strength rating: Militia+.��


    When ��Poison Blade�� first saw the information before him, he didn��t show any signs of surprise.


    Because the whims of important figures are always a bit peculiar.


    In the past, he had done dirtier jobs involving even stranger targets such as a viscount��s personal maid, a baroness��s accompanying guard, and even a newborn baby from a noble family.


    Soon, ��Poison Blade,�� who was all ears, picked up the information he needed amidst the clamor of the tavern.


    ��What a tragedy! The only son of the Aiwen family died during servant training at the Habsburg manor, eaten alive by a Gnoll,�� said a man with a horse-like face dressed as a mercenary.


    ��Really? I thought the Habsburg manor always had guards. If even that place isn��t safe, doesn��t that make Flashgold Town even less so?�� The burly man across from him looked skeptical as he drank.


    ��Ha! Don��t be so quick to doubt! The son of the owner of this very Oak Tavern, where we are now, was training with the Aiwen boy. When that kid came back yesterday, he was scared out of his wits!��


    ��However�� I��ve heard he was the first one to cry for help at that time!��


    ��Look! That��s the young man sitting over there,�� the horse-faced mercenary lifted his head, gesturing.


    The burly man immediately looked over and nodded, no longer doubting. The young man sitting there was indeed the son of the owner of the Oak Tavern, apparently named Richard, whom he had met a few times.


    ��So it looks like the story must be true.��


    ��So is the servant training suspended now?��


    ��Of course, the training��s been put on hold ever since the incident,�� the horse-faced mercenary gulped down half a glass of rye beer and belched contentedly!


    ��Poison Blade�� quickly learned that the servant training the target was attending had been suspended.


    ��In that case, there��s no need to carry out my original plan of sneaking into the Habsburg manor.��


    ��The most difficult part of the mission was unexpectedly avoided.��


    This brought a slight smile to ��Poison Blade��s�� face.


    The reduction in mission difficulty was certainly good news.


    Now, all he had to do was lie in wait on the target��s journey home and kill him.


    Strength slightly better than that of a militia, heh.


    ��


    Meanwhile.


    Inside Lord Hamilton��s office at the Flashgold Town government hall,


    Weilun and Rein sat in front of Hamilton��s desk, reporting on the situation of their trip.


    ��So, the number of fishmen greatly exceeded expectations this time?�� Hamilton��s brows furrowed slightly, but the next second they relaxed.


    ��The scout report was flawed, but you still completed the mission very well. Good job, really excellent work!�� Hamilton looked at Weilun and Rein appreciatively.


    Pairing the two of them together seemed to be quite a good idea after all.


    Rein grew strong very quickly, capable of taking on ��hard bones��, but he lacked experience.


    Weilun, on the other hand, was seasoned and slick, but his strength was average. When facing enemies with stronger capabilities, he was at a complete loss.


    The two complemented each other perfectly.


    At that moment, Weilun gave Rein a glance and continued his report to Hamilton with a solemn face:


    ��My lord, after we eradicated that small evil fin fishmen tribe, we also discovered ogre footprints nearby.��


    ��What? You��ve found traces of an ogre? How many?�� Hamilton asked in surprise, his hands propping up the mahogany desk as he immediately stood up.


    ��Yes, Lord Hamilton. Near the fishmen camp, we found huge footprints left by an ogre. After an initial survey, they appear to belong to the same ogre.��


    ��That means we can confirm the presence of at least one ogre.��


    ��But as for whether there are any other ogres, we are not sure.��


    Perhaps worried about misleading his superior��s judgment, Captain Weilun spoke very cautiously about this matter.


    ��Good, it��s right to be cautious. Ogres are not something you can handle,�� Hamilton replied, regaining his composure and slowly sitting down again.


    ��It seems that we need to report this matter to the County Town.��


    ��I��m still recovering from my injuries; if an ogre attack like the one in Albero Town occurs, that would be terrible.��


    After pondering for a moment, Hamilton picked up a quill pen and began writing swiftly on a piece of paper. Once he finished, he sealed it in an envelope.


    Hamilton then took out a red granule the size of a fingernail from a drawer, placed it on the seal of the envelope, and pressed down hard with his left fist!


    After Hamilton lifted his hand, the red granule had been flattened, revealing the embossed image of a mounted Night Watchman holding a torch on the wax seal.


    It was then that Rein noticed Hamilton��s ring on his left middle finger was a seal ring, with an indented surface bearing a special pattern or text representing its owner.


    After completing these actions, Hamilton rang a delicate copper bell on the desk.


    ��Ding-a-ling-a-ling!��


    A young man dressed as a guard walked in and bowed slightly, ��Lord Hamilton, what are your commands?��


    ��Hudson, you must go to the County Town immediately and deliver this letter to Viscount Hamadi, the sheriff there. Do not delay on this matter, go now!�� Hamilton commanded sternly.


    ��By your command, Lord Hamilton,�� Hudson, the guard, saluted and quickly left the office.


    ��Weilun, tell the Night Watchmen to increase the frequency of patrols at night for the next few days�� I will have the guards participate as well,�� Hamilton ordered.


    ��As you command, Lord Hamilton,�� Weilun also stood up to leave and make the arrangements.


    Now in the office, it was just Rein and Hamilton.


    On the way, Captain Weilun had not been very clear when talking about ogres, and now Rein wanted to ask for more details: ��My lord, are you also concerned about ogres, with your strength?��


    Hamilton nodded solemnly:


    ��These evil and brutal humanoid creatures grow to an average height of three meters and weigh seven to eight hundred pounds as adults. They are adept at using weapons like giant wooden clubs and mallets. Even full-fledged Knights find it difficult to withstand their blows in direct combat.��


    ��Three meters�� ��Seven to eight hundred pounds��?


    Upon hearing these figures, Rein felt a chill of shock. He knew all too well what those numbers signified.

 Chapter 57 - 57 - 56: Bounty Hunters’ Badge

    Chapter 57 �C 56: Bounty Hunters�� Badge


    ��`


    You should know that even the famous NBA star O��Neal was only about two meters twenty tall and weighed three to four hundred pounds.


    The ogre��s heavy weapon could even cause shock damage to a knight��s flesh through plate armor.


    ��Moreover, ogres like to gather creatures such as gnolls and jackalweres as their followers. When ogres attack human villages, these scoundrels will also come to get their share!��


    Rein nodded his head. No wonder, he finally understood why Hamilton placed such great importance on ogres.


    It turned out that the opponent was not only formidable when fighting alone but also called upon a bunch of ��lackeys�� as followers.


    ��Erm, Lord Hamilton, can��t we set a trap and then lure the ogre into it for an ambush? Why do we have to fight the ogre head-on?�� This was also the point that Rein could not fathom.


    ...


    After all, it was by learning to use tools that humans could kill large beasts.


    Hamilton shook his head and said,


    ��Digging traps works against ordinary wild beasts, but for ogres, they have strong danger perception and can easily detect and avoid traps. Trying to defeat them with traps is utterly outlandish.��


    ��The same goes for ferocious wild beasts; they all possess extremely strong danger perception abilities.��


    ��So, facing them, there aren��t many cunning methods available. Humans can only rely on their own transcendental strength,�� Hamilton explained.


    This revelation stunned Rein!


    Ogres were so difficult to deal with that once they launched an attack on human settlements, they often caused significant casualties.


    For the local sheriff, the appearance of an ogre was a very serious security risk within his jurisdiction.


    Moreover, Rein finally understood why knights held such a high status in this world.


    Because in a world that so heavily relied on individual high-end combat power, knights with formidable strength were the cornerstone of social stability.


    ��Alright, enough about ogres. Rein, I have something here that you will definitely like.��


    Upon hearing Hamilton��s words, Rein showed curiosity.


    ��I just got it myself too.�� Hamilton took out a circular badge from the drawer, larger than a Gold Coin by one round, and handed it to Rein.


    Rein took it carefully and began to inspect it closely.


    Once in hand, the badge gave Rein a hefty feeling, and judging by the material, it seemed to be made of copper.


    It appeared to be mixed with a small amount of other metals, looking much like gold but duller, with a very beautiful luster.


    On the front was the head of a howling running wolf, with sharp fangs and ferocious eyes vividly engraved.


    On the back, it said Rein Carlan, Flashgold Town, Meister County, and a long string of numbers.


    ��This is the badge of a junior Bounty Hunter. With this, you can carry weapons with you whenever you leave the house,�� Hamilton finally revealed.


    ��So this is the Bounty Hunter badge, but how did it come so quickly?�� Rein��s eyes flashed with joy.


    ��Haha, Rein, you��re in luck. When your application was submitted, it just hit the time node, otherwise, you would have to wait at least another month,�� Hamilton said with a slight smile.


    Rein nodded his head, it seemed his luck was indeed good.


    With the Bounty Hunter badge, he could carry weapons with him, which would definitely be more secure.


    And not have to use a hammer to deal with thugs like before!


    However, having the ��Hammer Expertise�� skill and keeping a hammer as a backup didn��t seem like a bad idea.


    Rein suddenly became thoughtful.


    ��


    Before long.


    After leaving Hamilton��s office, Rein continued to wrap his Dual-Handed Greatsword in a large piece of sheepskin, then slung it over his shoulder and prepared to head home.


    Even now with the Bounty Hunter badge, Rein did not wish to show off.


    Be humble in life, but high-profile in actions!


    ��`


    ��Rein, wait a moment.�� Weilun approached with a face full of joy.


    ��Captain Weilun, what is it?��


    ��Here! This is your share of the spoils. The quartermaster has just finished assessing it.�� Weilun said with a smile, handing a cloth bag to Rein.


    ��Such efficiency? Truly admirable!�� Rein said with a smile as well.


    Rein weighed the cloth bag Weilun had handed him, and a look of surprise crossed his face.


    Upon opening it, his suspicions were confirmed.


    ��Why so much?��


    Rein��s surprise was not without reason, for there were ten Empire Gold Coins inside.


    ��The quartermaster determined your share of the loot to be 20 gold and 9 silver, so I just gave you 10 gold, and I rounded off the change. You don��t mind, do you?�� Captain Weilun said with a beaming smile.


    ��Of course not!��


    ��No! I mean, it seems like too much for me.�� Rein earnestly said.


    ��You deserve it! Now, you go on home. I have to find the others and distribute the money.�� Weilun patted Rein��s shoulder, not giving him a chance to refuse any longer.


    ��Thank you, Captain Weilun. Goodbye.��


    After watching Weilun leave, Rein joyfully tucked the money pouch carefully into his chest to keep it safe.


    At that moment, his hand brushed against that peculiar ore.


    ��How about taking a detour to the blacksmith��s shop now and ask Boris what kind of ore this actually is?��


    ��Forget it, I should just go home first; it��s not urgent at this moment.��


    Rein looked up at the ever-darkening sky and abandoned his plan of going to the blacksmith, heading directly towards his home instead.


    By now, ��Poison Dagger�� had already arrived near Rein��s home, completed the survey of the terrain, and confirmed through observation that Rein had not yet returned home.


    Then, ��Poison Dagger�� began to make preparations.


    As an assassin, a job was just a job, and ��Poison Dagger�� never allowed personal feelings to get in the way of his work.


    Therefore, when his dagger aimed for the necks of children, young women, noble ladies, or the elderly, he didn��t hesitate in the slightest.


    His sharp dagger also ensured that his victims left this world without much pain.


    ��Poison Dagger�� believed this was the greatest mercy he could offer.


    Since the client had another requirement, which was to make the death look like an accident as much as possible, he also had a full plan in place for that.


    At that moment, he was applying poison to his ��Black Spike�� dagger, a poison that caused paralysis and dizziness.


    He planned to strike the target once and then drag him into the nearby woods.


    After that, he would draw some blood from the victim. The scent of blood would quickly attract wild animals. By the time people discovered the young man��s remains several days later, they would assume he had wandered into the woods and been attacked by beasts.


    It seemed�� not quite perfect.


    But the money given by the client was only enough for him to do so much.


    ��Poison Dagger�� didn��t plan on putting in any more effort.


    After arranging everything, ��Poison Dagger�� stood patiently in a dark alley, his gaze fixed ahead, quietly waiting for his target to arrive.


    ��.


    ��Ah! This must be it!��


    ��Poison Dagger�� looked pleased; once he had seen a person��s portrait, he almost never made a mistake. He was confident that the young man approaching from afar was Rein, his target for the assassination.


    Therefore, he stepped briskly out of the alley and walked towards Rein.


    S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 58 - 58 - 57 ’Poisonous Blade’ VS Rein

    Chapter 58 �C 57 ��Poisonous Blade�� VS Rein


    Under the cloak of night, Rein, delighted, was carrying a sheepskin-wrapped greatsword and walking towards his home.


    At that moment, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man in black approached him with a smile and asked, ��Hello, could you tell me how to get to the Oak Tree Tavern in Flashgold Town?��


    The Oak Tree Tavern?


    That��s the Brow family��s place!


    Just as Rein was about to turn around to point out the direction, a sudden alarm went off in his mind!


    A streak of black light, fast as lightning, was rushing towards him.


    ��Ha!!��


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, Rein twisted his body with all his might, gripping the Dual-Handed Greatsword with both hands, and from top to bottom, he swung with all his strength, delivering a Furious Slash! S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Almost simultaneously, a streak of black light flashed by, and Rein felt a slight pain in his right rib.


    ��Bang!!��


    Dust flew up!


    It was the first time Rein had missed.


    His strike, the Furious Slash, had not hit the target; the Dual-Handed Greatsword heavily fell on the ground.


    ��It��s a dagger!��


    ��Assassin!��


    Rein instantly realized that this strange middle-aged man in black was most likely an assassin.


    No wonder he moved so fast, dodging his counterattack in an instant.


    Suddenly, the black light struck again!


    ��Defensive stance!��


    Instinctively, Rein used the only defensive sword technique from the Giant Bear Sword Technique, designed to counter high-speed moving enemies. He raised the Fine Steel Greatsword vertically, blocking the path of the attacker��s black light.


    ��Clang!!��


    The assassin��s dagger struck hard on the broad blade of the Dual-Handed Greatsword, to no effect.


    However, the force of the rebound caused a slight delay in the assassin��s movement!


    ��Good opportunity!!��


    Rein kicked powerfully at the wide back ridge of his sword, and the tip suddenly kicked up a large cloud of dust, covering the assassin��s whole body like a torrential downpour, forcing him to raise his hands to shield himself.


    ��Blacksmith��s Strength!��


    ��Whirlwind Slash!!��


    As the assassin lifted his arms to protect his eyes and retreated swiftly, Rein swung the Dual-Handed Greatsword around in a semicircular area attack��the Whirlwind Slash!!


    This sword technique, which Rein had often used while clearing out murlocs, proved exceptionally swift and devastating.


    The one-and-a-half-meter-long Dual-Handed Greatsword traced a beautiful, bright, semicircular arc.


    With Rein��s reach combined with the length of the greatsword, the assassin, although retreating at high speed, really couldn��t avoid it!


    He was still half a meter short of escaping the reach of the greatsword; the assassin had no choice but to twist his body forcibly, raising the short dagger to protect his waist, blocking Rein��s ferocious attack.


    It must be said that the assassin��s close-combat skills were extremely strong, as he managed to adopt a defensive posture mid-air to avoid being bisected by Rein��s Dual-Handed Greatsword!


    ��Clang!!��


    But tragedy still struck!


    The ferocious Dual-Handed Greatsword struck heavily on the small dagger.


    Especially since the assassin had underestimated Rein��s explosive strength!


    Under the berserk force of sixteen points of strength, the assassin was bent over like a straw; his whole body was violently smashed!


    Then, with a ��bang,�� like a cannonball, he was severely hacked into the woods by the roadside.


    ��Puh!!��


    The assassin heavily collided against a large tree, hugged by one person, and violently spat out a mouthful of fresh blood!


    Then, with another ��bang,�� he was bounced back to the ground by the tree trunk, continuing to vomit large amounts of blood.


    His dagger-holding right hand was now grotesquely twisted, clearly indicating a complete fracture of the forearm. The broken radius and ulna bones protruded through the flesh on one side.


    But the opponent was lucky!


    Because the opponent��s dagger was clearly no ordinary weapon, when split by Rein��s Dual-Handed Greatsword, it didn��t shatter!


    Had it been a dagger of normal material, it would have likely shattered on the spot or broken in half, and the person would have been bisected by Rein right then and there.


    The opponent tried several times to get up, but each attempt was exceptionally difficult, and clumsily, he fell back to the ground.


    Rein��s recent Whirlwind Slash not only broke the opponent��s arm but also left his ribs and organs in a complete mess.


    A normal person would have been dead by now, only a well-trained assassin with strong vitality like this could survive.


    As Rein rapidly approached, the assassin��s eyes revealed despair.


    ��Damn it, who said the guy was just a farmer��s son with a bit of talent in swordsmanship, slightly stronger than a militiaman?��


    ��The strength of that last strike exceeded that of an average third-level Knight Attendant!��


    ��Damn, we screwed up this time. A combatant comparable to a qualified knight was written off as just a bit stronger than a militiaman.��


    ��Damn the guy who did the intel; fuck you!��


    Unfortunately, Rein could not hear ��Poison Blade��s�� internal monologue, or else Rein would have touched his nose and told ��Poison Blade�� that he was wrongly blaming others because the intelligence was essentially correct.


    Because ��Poison Blade�� had indeed overestimated Rein.


    Without the enhancement from the Skill ��Blacksmith��s Strength,�� Rein��s power would diminish significantly, at best, he would be at the level of a first-level Knight Attendant!


    So, the intelligence indicating that Rein��s strength was Militiaman+ was actually quite accurate, slightly flawed but not wrong.


    But Rein��s skill ��Blacksmith��s Strength lv3�� was too abnormal, boosting his strength by sixty percent in an instant, turning the kitten into a tiger!


    This kind of discrepancy would be unbearable for anyone.


    Additionally, a fresh trick works wonders everywhere!


    As for the other moves of the Giant Bear Sword Technique, Rein might not be so proficient and swift, but he was familiar with the Whirlwind Slash!


    Having swept through a day-long Fishman camp, Rein had been mostly practicing this very move.


    The abnormal skill ��Blacksmith��s Strength lv3�� paired with the fresh move ��Whirlwind Slash,�� had almost caused ��Poison Blade��s�� intestines to spill out!


    Just when Rein was about to approach quickly and press the opponent for information.


    The black-clad assassin lying on the ground looked up at Rein defiantly with a hint of resolve in his eyes, and the next second, his mouth overflowed with a lot of black blood.


    ��Not good!�� Rein rushed forward, but it was already too late.


    The assassin had actually committed suicide!


    Such a professional assassin?!


    Rein quickly recalled everyone he had offended.


    The first was bushy brows, but from his last hiring of the likes of ��Drunk Jack����and only asking him to break Rein��s hand��it seemed unlikely that this fierce and ruthless professional assassin was hired by him.


    Firstly, the style did not match; the level of bushy brows�� hatred for him did not reach such an extent.


    Secondly, the cost of hiring such a professional assassin was likely beyond what a teenager could afford.


    ��Could it be, was it because of killing Blackbeard, and Boss Kole of the Hyena Gang found out?�� Rein murmured.


    ��Or, was it because I accidentally got involved in the succession disputes of Count Habbs?��


    These were the only two possibilities so far.


    Rein thought it through and felt that whether it was the Hyena Gang or Count Habbs�� successors, both had the motive and means to hire an assassin.


    ��Strength! I still need to enhance my strength!��


    Rein once again felt a strong sense of urgency in his heart.


    This time, if it weren��t for his ��danger perception�� skill and the fact that the opponent��s strength was within his capability to handle, he could have turned the tables against the wind.


    Otherwise, he would really have been done for!


    As Rein was about to go forward and collect the spoils of war, the next second, he suddenly felt a slight dizziness in his head.


    He sharply looked down and only then did Rein notice the light cut below his right rib, although it bled little and the cut was shallow, the burst skin felt utterly numb!


    This made him realize at once.


    ��Shit! The bastard used poison!��

 Chapter 59 - 59 - 58: Pharmacist Abel

    Chapter 59 �C 58: Pharmacist Abel


    Rein��s complexion changed, but upon closer consideration, he was not very panicked in his heart.


    For the color of the wound did not darken or show any other reaction, suggesting that the poison was not very potent.


    Moreover, he had always kept 1 attribute point in reserve.


    Exactly for times like this!


    Without delay, Rein added this one attribute point to his constitution.


    Instantly, a warm current surged from his heart, filling Rein with new strength and erasing the dizziness he had just experienced.


    This immediately brought a sense of stability to Rein��s mind.


    ...


    However, the sensation in the area of the wound had not returned, indicating that the poison was still present!


    It seemed that adding the point was more like refreshing the state of his body, but the poison in the wound was still threading its way deeper into his system.


    Rein immediately seized the time to move forward, first lifting the corpse of the assassin with the tip of his sword to confirm that the man had indeed ceased breathing, then he quickly began to search the body.


    Generally speaking, since the assassin had used poison, he must have carried both poison and antidote on him, though of course, there might not be an antidote for the specific poison that had just affected Rein, but it was likely that the assassin had the same poison.


    Therefore, if Rein could find the poison that had affected him on the assassin��s body, he might be able to understand what poison it was, which would make it much easier to deal with afterward.


    A few seconds later, Rein was dumbfounded!


    He saw that in the assassin��s belt pouch, he had turned up seven or eight bottles and jars of different colors, but the problem was, none of these bottles and jars bore any labels.


    It appeared that the assassin relied on differences such as color and the shape of the bottle to remember which kind of poison or antidote was inside each one.


    After a moment of thought, Rein seemed to come up with an idea.


    Immediately, Rein no longer took the time to look closely but dragged the assassin��s body behind a large rock and took all the bottles, jars, dagger, and the money pouch, and hurried towards the town.


    Turning left and right, Rein quickly arrived at the door of a shop marked with the signs of herbs and reagents.


    The shop was named Abel��s Pharmacy.


    The owner of the pharmacy was named Abel, a middle-aged man around forty, tall and thin, who was usually silent and hardly appeared in front of the townsfolk, spending his time alone fiddling with his concoctions in the pharmacy.


    At first, the townspeople called him ��Oddball�� Abel.


    But later on, as the residents of Flashgold Town gradually realized that the potions Abel crafted were more effective than those from other places and were also slightly cheaper than similar potions on the market, their perception of him improved markedly.


    No longer did they refer to him as ��Oddball�� Abel; instead, they respectfully called him Pharmacist Abel or Mr. Abel.


    Additionally, there was a curious incident to mention: ever since Abel demonstrated his extraordinary knowledge in potion-making, Molly, the eighteen or nineteen-year-old beautiful daughter of the tailor shop owner next to the pharmacy, began to fall in love with Abel, the nearly forty-year-old bachelor!


    This matter initially astonished the people of Flashgold Town, but upon further reflection, they realized that apart from immersing himself in potion research, Abel had no vices such as gambling or drinking and seemed to be indeed a fine man for fostering a family.


    The residents who came to this understanding envied Molly for her discernment, and the couple has now been married for half a year.


    Rein had come here not to buy potions but to seek the help of Abel, proficient in potion studies, to identify which bottle contained the correct antidote.


    After all, professional matters should be left to professionals.


    As for what Abel might perceive?


    At a time like this, who would care about such a thing? sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Preserving one��s life was of the utmost importance!


    Moreover, since Abel was always reserved and hardly spoke, Rein wasn��t too worried that this apothecary would spread rumors about him.


    When Rein reached Abel��s Pharmacy, that sensation of dizziness had started to bother him again.


    However, it did seem a bit better than just now.


    He didn��t know whether it was because his constitution had grown stronger, or because the potency of the poison had started to wane.


    It seemed that adding attribute points could only restore all of his physical energy, but it couldn��t dispel this adverse condition!


    He still needed an antidote.


    As he walked into the pharmacy, the owner Abel was not there; instead, his newlywed wife Molly sat behind the counter.


    Rein was well aware that the expertise in potions lay with Abel, not with the woman in front of him.


    In fact, this young bride only knew the names and prices of each potion.


    Rein hesitated for a moment then quickly stepped forward and asked,


    ��Molly, is Mr. Abel here?��


    ��Oh, if it isn��t little Rein, you��ve grown taller and even more handsome. As for Abel, the new marshal has called for him; he should be over at the town administrative office. What��s the matter, do you need something?�� Molly said with a smile, standing up to greet Rein.


    Both having grown up in Flashgold Town, Molly and Rein had known each other for a long time.


    ��Um�� just a small issue. The marshal? Then I��ll go find Mr. Abel at the town administrative office. Goodbye, Molly.�� Rein waved his hand and quickly left the pharmacy, heading towards the administrative office.


    ��Hey, Rein, you could wait���� Molly shook her head as she watched Rein hurry away, unable to understand why he was in such a rush.


    Soon, Rein arrived at the town administrative office and after asking the guards, he quickly found out the answer.


    Indeed, Molly was right; Abel was here, currently in Hamilton��s office.


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    ��Come in!��


    So, before long, Rein was back in Hamilton��s office again.


    Upon entering the office, he saw Abel, clad in a black robe, standing next to Hamilton, apparently examining the knight��s injuries.


    This caused Rein to pause for a moment, but then a slight smile appeared on his face.


    This just proved that Abel��s medical skills were very high since even the injuries of an official knight like Hamilton were being treated by him. Rein thought confidently that the poison afflicting his own body would be no trouble at all.


    ��Eh! Rein, why have you come back?�� Hamilton asked, looking puzzled.


    Rein didn��t answer directly, but he tilted his head slightly to glance at Pharmacist Abel, then turned his gaze back to Hamilton.


    Hamilton instantly understood and waved his hand, saying, ��It��s fine, Rein, just say what you need to. Abel is an old friend of mine!��


    Rein nodded and said, ��I was just attacked by an assassin and poisoned!��


    ��What?!�� Hamilton immediately stood up from his chair, his eyes wide as he stared at Rein, clearly shocked by the news.


    And Abel, normally so stoic, also looked at Rein with surprise on his face, as if to say, ��You a kid, and yet there are assassins out to kill you?��


    Rein didn��t continue to explain, but instead stepped forward and with a rustle, he placed all the bottles and jars he had been carrying onto Hamilton��s spacious desk.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein also took out the black dagger and placed it on the desk as well.


    Now, Hamilton fell silent too.


    He exchanged a look with Abel, both seeing surprise in the other��s eyes.


    But at that moment, both knew that Rein had not lied.

 Chapter 60 - 60 - 59 Detoxification and Analysis

    Chapter 60 �C 59 Detoxification and Analysis


    ��Rein, don��t panic, let me take a look first,�� Abel said at that moment.


    He paused his examination of Hamilton��s wounds, walked around the desk, and came over.


    Abel first inspected Rein��s wound, then picked up the black dagger and sniffed it, and after checking Rein��s pupils, he said:


    ��Don��t worry, the poison you��ve been hit with is a paralytic toxin. Even without an antidote, the effect will naturally wear off after half a day.��


    Something seemed to occur to Abel, and he raised his eyebrows and continued:


    ��However�� Rein, your body is quite robust!��


    Because if an ordinary person were scratched like that, most likely within a few minutes they would gradually feel dizzy and numb in their hands and feet, followed by a loss of consciousness.


    ...


    Abel hadn��t expected Rein to be able to hold out until now, and even at that moment, he couldn��t really tell that Rein was close to succumbing.


    This surprised him a lot.


    Abel��s words allowed Rein to relax inside.


    So it was just a paralytic poison!


    That��s a relief!


    Nevertheless, if there��s an antidote among these bottles and jars, it would of course be best to take it immediately.


    Before Rein could even speak, Abel had already started carefully examining the collection of bottles and jars placed on the desk.


    Abel picked up a small round black bottle, opened the stopper, merely sniffed it, and then began to explain:


    ��This is a lethal poison; its main ingredients are deathcap and toxic bloom. If one is stabbed with it, they will succumb to the poison and die in a short amount of time.��


    Then, he took another square-shaped bottle, opened the stopper, sniffed it, and said:


    ��This is a wounding poison, made primarily from serrated grass, causing the wound to bleed continuously.��


    ����..��


    One after another, the longest identification time did not exceed five seconds.


    ��This�� This is too familiar!��


    ��Someone who didn��t know any better would think that Abel made these poisons and antidotes himself!��


    Rein watched with wide eyes, only this thought running through his mind.


    Moreover, in his subconscious, Rein somewhat doubted that the man before him was merely a simple pharmacist.


    The other party was just too familiar with all sorts of concoctions!


    Soon, Abel found the antidote among the assassin��s diverse bottles and jars.


    ��These two bottles are the antidotes, but they need to be mixed together to create the actual antidote,�� Abel indicated.


    Rein��s face darkened at once.


    Who would have thought of that?


    It��s damn crafty, keeping the antidote in two separate bottles and requiring them to be mixed before use!


    Only someone well-versed in pharmacology could spot such a trick at a glance.


    Lucky for him, he had found Abel.


    Thinking it through, Rein felt a wave of relief mixed with fear.


    Abel poured the two concoctions together, mixed them thoroughly, observed for a few seconds,


    ��Alright, these two concoctions have been pre-mixed in the correct proportions, but the antidote might be a bit pungent.��


    ��Of course, Mr. Abel!�� Rein nodded promptly in response.


    ��Take a couple of strong sniffs, and it will counteract the effects of the paralytic poison,�� Abel said as he handed over the antidote to Rein.


    With a look of joy on his face, Rein nodded and said, ��Thank you, Mr. Abel.��


    He quickly took the antidote and took a fierce sniff, but the very next second, Rein��s face turned green and he almost retched from disgust.


    It really was unbearably foul-smelling! sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein had never experienced the stench of a skunk��s spray, but he assumed it had to be quite similar!


    At that moment, he only felt his temples throbbing, and it was as if a nerve in his head was twitching.


    Seeing Abel��s somewhat amused expression, Rein finally understood why Abel had asked him in the first place.


    What a sly character!


    But I have to say, the dizziness almost completely disappeared, and the effect was indeed very significant.


    This caused Rein to furrow his brows tightly and inhale again.


    That��s potent!


    It��s like snorting mustard up your nose.


    But the effect was really good; after two sniffs, Rein became totally clearheaded!


    The dizziness disappeared in an instant.


    Also, he started to feel a dull pain at the wound on his right rib.


    After Abel had helped with the poisoning, he seemed to have other matters to attend to, and after instructing Rein on a few things to pay attention to for his recovery, he took his leave.


    At this moment, only Rein and Lord Hamilton were in the office.


    ��Have you dealt with the body?�� Lord Hamilton asked proactively.


    ��Uh�� not yet. I placed the opponent��s body behind a pile of rubble about half a person��s height, in the woods near the south side of the town square in Flashgold Town.��


    ��I got it. I��ll have someone take care of it.�� After saying that, Lord Hamilton shook a bell on the table.


    At that moment, a guard walked in.


    ��Call for the Night Watchman.��


    ��As you command, Lord Hamilton!��


    Soon after, Weilun, the familiar Night Watchman captain, walked in.


    He saw Rein, smiled, and nodded.


    ��Lord Hamilton, you called for me?��


    ��Weilun, there��s a body behind a half-person-tall pile of rubble in the woods near the south end of the town square. Take a few men and handle it.��


    ��Understood, my lord. I will take care of it immediately,�� Weilun replied with a stern face and promptly went to handle the task.


    At this time, Rein started to inquire, ��Lord Hamilton, do you think it��s possible that the fact I killed Blackbeard has already been found out by the Hyena Gang��s boss, Cole?��


    Upon hearing this, Lord Hamilton showed a contemplative expression, tapping his fingers on the desk nonstop.


    He understood what Rein was getting at.


    Rein was asking if the assassin could have been sent by the Hyena Gang��s boss, Cole.


    But soon, he shook his head, dismissing Rein��s speculation.


    ��I don��t think so. If the Hyena Gang wanted to target you, they would definitely send core members of their gang to Flashgold Town, not the kind who hires assassins.��


    ��Rein, tell me about the assassin you encountered. What did he look like, his combat skills, or any distinctive features?��


    Rein did not hold back.


    He gave a rather complete account of his encounter with the assassin to Lord Hamilton.


    Afterwards, he particularly emphasized the assassin��s fighting style and the fact that he took poison to commit suicide at the end.


    With hardly any hesitation, Lord Hamilton stated confidently, ��Such a professional killer is either from organizations like the Shadow Stingers or raised by major nobles or groups.��


    ��The Hyena Gang is far from a major organization.��


    ��To hire an assassin from organizations like the Shadow Stingers would cost a substantial amount.��


    ����King of Dogs�� Cole is notoriously miserly. You only have to look at how his own brother, Blackbeard, had to resort to child trafficking to make extra money.��


    ��There��s no way he would spend a fortune to hire a professional assassin to avenge his brother.��


    ��So, I can pretty much rule out that this was the doing of Cole.��


    Listening to Lord Hamilton��s analytical breakdown, Rein nodded his head.


    Then, the answer was almost self-evident!


    This took Rein by surprise; Cleya had just left, and now he was targeted by her brothers.


    No!


    The term ��underhanded tactics�� no longer sufficed to describe what happened.


    This was clearly an attempt on his life.


    This caused a nameless rage and anxiety to rise within Rein��s heart.

 Chapter 61 - 61 - 60

    Chapter 61 �C 60 ��Plate Armor�� and the Future ��Poison Sword Saint��?


    ��Fuck, when nobles like you squabble among yourselves, is killing me supposed to lock in your victory or something?��


    ��Or do you see me as just a chicken, a warning to the monkeys? Or an ant, to be simply wiped out?��


    ��Shit! Being weak is a sin indeed!��


    Hamilton glanced at the stony-faced Rein, although he didn��t know who or what kind of power Rein had offended.


    One thing he was curious about, however, was why Rein didn��t go to his ��teacher�� Perez for guidance.


    Maybe it was because he was his superior?


    ��Rein, don��t be in a hurry to retaliate when your own strength is still relatively weak. There will naturally be opportunities after you��ve grown stronger,�� he advised. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Rein nodded, his expression clearing slightly.


    Shit, he too wanted revenge without delay, to just go out and slaughter whoever was behind this.


    But alas, his strength did not permit it!


    So, he could only inspire himself with the thought that ��a gentleman��s revenge is not too late even after ten years.��


    ��But ten years is too long.��


    ��Seize the day, that��s the spirit of us young people!��


    With that in mind, Rein looked up and asked,


    ��Lord Hamilton, do you have any good methods for dealing with assassination attempts?��


    Clearly, if the other person didn��t succeed this time, based on what Rein understood about the nature of nobles, there would likely be a next time.


    Hamilton furrowed his brow slightly, thought for a moment, and said, ��Besides increasing your own strength, strengthening your defenses might be a good way to deal with assassins.��


    ��Right, I have a suit of board armor here that you might find useful.��


    ��Board armor?��


    Rein looked puzzled.


    Hamilton then stood up and gestured for Rein to follow as they went to the small compartment behind his office.


    Aside from the rack of swords, there was also a large clothes rack against the wall in the compartment.


    During Rein��s last visit, he had been so drawn to the various longswords on the sword rack that he had completely ignored it.


    Hamilton took down a waistcoat that appeared to be made of cotton and handed it to Rein.


    As soon as Rein took it in hand, he was slightly surprised by the weight. He hefted it and found the cotton waistcoat to be quite heavy, weighing about twenty to thirty pounds, obviously concealing a secret.


    Indeed, in the lining between the front and back of the garment, Rein could easily feel small, hard, two-finger-wide strips of metal.


    Additionally, it seemed for weight reduction, no metal plates had been placed in the arms.


    Upon turning the inside out, Rein fully understood the concept of ��board armor.��


    This armor wasn��t strictly board armor; its exterior was cotton, and inside were more than ten vertically aligned strips of metal.


    These strips overlapped each other and were connected by horizontally arranged rivets inside the lining of the cotton garment.


    So, from the outside, it looked no different from an ordinary cotton waistcoat, but in essence, it was completely different.


    ��With this board armor, defending against ordinary assassination attempts will be somewhat easier,�� Hamilton motioned for Rein to put it on.


    Once Rein had donned the heavy ��board armor,�� his sense of security increased substantially.


    If he encountered an assassin like the last time, who aimed a dagger at his chest or abdomen, Rein felt almost confident to take the hit and then retaliate with a fierce move.


    ��Regarding the cost of this ��board armor,�� Lord Hamilton, I only have eighteen Imperial Gold Coins on hand. I will make up the rest to you later,�� Rein said as he took a small cloth bag out of his bosom and handed it to Hamilton.


    It was the assassin��s money pouch.


    Originally, it held eight gold coins and a number of silver coins. Combined with the ten Gold Coins Rein received from exterminating the fish-men, it amounted to roughly eighteen Gold Coins.


    Hamilton waved his hand and said, ��Rein, as a member of the Night Watchman and I as your superior, this is perhaps one of the few things I can do for you.��


    ��


    Rein left Hamilton��s office once more, this time with a suite of board armor.


    Of course, he also took back the pile of bottles and the black Dagger.


    Moreover, based on what Mister Abel had previously recited, Rein used a goose feather pen to label the names of these poisons and antidotes, such as wound poison, lethal poison, and paralytic poison, and so on.


    Rein realized that the biggest gain of the day was the batch of poison and antidote he had acquired.


    Although poisoning may not be the most honorable tactic, it ultimately comes first in saving one��s own life.


    ��Greatness is the epitaph of the noble; meanness is the passport of the mean.��


    Rein strongly agreed!


    Rein knew very clearly that whether you are noble or despicable, the most important thing is to survive first.


    So, it would be foolish to let nobility influence you when the enemy employs poison.


    When he got back, he planned to further study the toxicity of the poisons, perhaps test their duration on small animals, for instance.


    Then he would smear a bit on his Fine Steel Greatsword.


    The blade is so long, would it require more poison?


    Since these poisons were essentially picked up for nothing, what��s the harm in wasting a little!


    If they really worked well, he might consider keeping them in stock.


    In his past life, he had heard of the ��Lime Martial Saint��; perhaps becoming the ��Poison Sword Saint�� in this world wouldn��t be too bad either.


    At this point, Rein remembered he hadn��t checked the system notifications that had come during the earlier fight.


    Immediately, Rein concentrated and began to check:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +101]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +55]


    Good gracious!


    The progress bar for the Giant Bear Sword Technique had jumped significantly, from lv3 (398/500) to lv3 (499/500), missing just 1 point to level up.


    In addition, the Night Watchman��s Profession Level also showed a significant increase, reaching lv2 (207/300).


    After a moment��s thought, Rein stepped into a secluded area of the woods and began to practice the Giant Bear Sword Technique with swift ��swish swish�� motions.


    Shortly after, a smile appeared on Rein��s face.


    System notifications arrived:


    [You have trained in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, and your comprehension has improved!]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +1]


    Instantly, the Giant Bear Sword Technique advanced from lv3 (499/500) to lv4 (0/1000).


    Pieces of fragmented Giant Bear Sword Technique training memories began to flood into Rein��s mind. He quickly absorbed and mastered these memories, embedding them into his muscle memory.


    At this point, Rein had gained a deeper understanding of the Giant Bear Sword Technique!


    By the time Rein arrived home, it was already past the dinner hour.


    But upon opening the door, he was greeted by the sight of his mother waiting at the dining table.


    ��How come you��re so late? I heard today that you went out on a mission?�� his mother said, taking the pies from Rein��s hand.


    ��Yes, and it went quite well.��


    ��Really?�� His mother gave Rein a skeptical look, as she distinctly remembered him wearing different clothes, but now he had changed.


    ��What about these clothes?�� his mother asked, pointing to Rein��s attire.


    ��Hm?�� Rein looked down and realized why his mother found something amiss.


    ��Oh, this is a ��brigandine�� Lord Hamilton gave me.��


    ��Actually, you can let go of your worries now.��


    Rein slapped the brigandine forcefully, producing a series of dull ��thumps��.


    ��Wow, there��s such clothing?��


    His mother touched the garment, her face revealing a surprise when she noticed the difference.


    ��So now, when I go out on missions, you won��t have to worry all the time.��


    Rein took the opportunity to comfort his mother.


    After a hasty dinner, Rein returned to his room to start tallying the gains from this trip.

 Chapter 62 - 62 - 61 Expelling Evil

    Chapter 62 �C 61 Expelling Evil


    ��`


    Gazing at the strange ore, a dagger made of an unknown black metal, eighteen gold coins and seventeen silver coins, along with a collection of bottles and jars containing poison and its antidote, Rein pondered for a moment before deciding to put away the gold coins and silver coins first.


    Then, he sorted the poisons and antidotes, placing them in a wooden box which he hid under his bed.


    As for the curious piece of ore, Rein picked it up, weighed it in his hand, and planned to consult with the blacksmith Boris about it the next day.


    Worried that blacksmith Boris might covet it?


    As if the greatsword were just for show!


    Rein had no concerns about this at all.


    ...


    Finally, he picked up the black dagger, plucked a strand of hair and placed it upon the blade.


    With a gentle blow, the hair was instantly split in two by the edge of the dagger.


    ��Hiss! Sharp enough to cut hair!��


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to carry the dagger with him for self-defense as the dual-handed greatsword was sometimes too conspicuous and not always convenient in certain situations.


    Having dealt with the spoils of battle, Rein turned his attention to the panel.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv1 (52/100) / Night Watchman lv2 (207/300)


    Constitution: 9


    Strength: 10


    Agility: 9


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining attribute points: 0


    Remaining skill points: 0


    The Blacksmith��s Strength lv3, Hammer Mastery lv1, Danger Perception lv1, Giant Bear Sword Technique lv4 (0/1000).


    The one attribute point he had held in reserve was gone.


    This disappointed Rein a bit.


    He no longer had that trump card for a turnaround.


    ��However�� I��m over halfway to the next level of the blacksmith profession, and nearly two-thirds through the Night Watchman level. If I really buckle down these next couple of days and focus on improving one aspect, I will again have an attribute point to use.��


    ��It��s no big deal.��


    Although Rein had spent the entire day traveling, fighting, and ending with an assassination attempt,


    thanks to his recent boost in constitution, he was still feeling quite good.


    Therefore, Rein decided to go ahead with his practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique as usual.


    ��Diligence leads to excellence, play leads to ruin!��


    However, when Rein started practicing the second movement of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique today, he noticed a significant difference.


    The second movement, resembling a Russian kettlebell swing, had become increasingly easy for him to perform as his strength rapidly grew, but he still hadn��t managed to sustain it for half an hour or more.


    He had improved from the initial five minutes to eighteen minutes just a couple of days ago.


    Yet today, Rein persevered for a whole twenty-seven minutes straight.


    [You have practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, and your understanding has improved!] S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, experience +2]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, experience +2]


    ��


    This was getting very close to the thirty-minute mark.


    It also meant that Rein was soon going to be able to practice the third part of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    This realization filled Rein with excitement!


    He also noticed that the rate at which he was gaining experience for the Giant Bear Breathing Technique seemed to be increasing according to the system notifications.


    In one hour, he had gained a total of 26 experience points, advancing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique to lv2 (77/300).


    Of course, there was a daily limit to how long one could practice breathing techniques. With Rein��s current physical condition, one hour was nearly the limit.


    To do more would be to damage his body and overdraw on his potential.


    The quicker experience gain made Rein reflective.


    ��Could it be that the improvement in both my constitution and strength is causing the breathing technique practice to yield significant progress?��


    ��`


    ��The increase in Strength before made it easier for me to perform the second form, and now the further improvement of my Constitution has enhanced my endurance,�� Reincarlan noted.


    The training of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique enhanced Constitution and Strength, and in turn, the increase in these attributes facilitated the progress of the technique itself.


    They complemented each other perfectly.


    Reincarlan nodded.


    ��Right, that seems to be the case,�� he agreed.


    The next morning, Rein arrived early at the blacksmith��s shop in the small town.


    ��Rein, you��re here!�� the blacksmith Boris greeted him with a smile.


    ��What do you plan to learn today? Or are you going to forge some horseshoes again?��


    ��Not in a hurry, Uncle Boris, I came to ask you something.��


    Rein looked around, turned his back to the other apprentices, and pulled out the strange mineral that emitted a blurred soft light from his chest.


    Blacksmith Boris��s eyes immediately bulged!


    The next second, he snapped back to reality, glanced around quickly, and then grabbed Rein, pulling him into the storeroom behind the blacksmith shop. He asked, impatient and eager, ��This is Glowstone!! Rein, how did you find such a rare mineral?��


    ��Glowstone?��


    Rein showed a puzzled face; it was the first time he had heard this name.


    However, it seemed Boris recognized this mineral.


    It looked like he had come to the right person.


    ��Yes! Glowstone, very precious!��


    ��Uncle Boris, is it even more valuable than your star iron?�� Rein inquired.


    ��Exactly, several times more valuable than star iron!�� Boris confirmed, nodding emphatically.


    This immediately filled Rein with elation.


    Setting aside its use, such a small piece was actually worth dozens of Empire gold coins.


    Even before Rein could ask about its use, Boris had already started to explain non-stop.


    ��Once incorporated into a weapon in a certain ratio, Glowstone imbues the weapon with special exorcising capabilities, which is why it is so valuable,�� Boris said.


    ��Exorcising?��


    Rein stumbled upon yet another unfamiliar term.


    ��Yes, to drive away evil. You must have heard of that, Rein,�� Boris said, looking at him and continued.


    ��In this world, there are some strange places that spawn skeletons, zombies, or other evil Spiritual Bodies, as well as minions of demons or Evil Gods from other worlds.��


    ��Normal weapons hardly harm these monsters; only special weapons can do the job.��


    ��And weapons mixed with Glowstone, called ��Glowstone Weapons��, can inflict significant damage on those evil beings when swinging.��


    Now it made sense.


    Rein suddenly realized.


    ��But Uncle Boris, how come I��ve never encountered any of these evils?�� Rein couldn��t help but ask curiously.


    Boris rolled his eyes and replied,


    ��Of course there isn��t any near Flashgold Town. Generally, the Empire and the major churches�� Transcendents have already cleared up the evil within the Empire��s boundaries.��


    ��Besides, if you had encountered these evil creatures, would you still be alive to come back and talk to me?��


    ��However, there have been rumors lately of Cultists conducting blood sacrifices, so it��s not impossible that some evil has popped up in our County Town.��


    ��You never know, you never know!�� Boris shook his head.


    Since there was a special effect of ��driving away evil��, Rein naturally wanted to infuse his greatsword with this Glowstone.


    ��Uncle Boris, could you incorporate this Glowstone into a Dual-Handed Greatsword?�� Rein asked hopefully.


    ��That��s not that I��m unwilling, but my forging skills simply aren��t up to the task,�� Boris said.


    ��Also, melting Glowstone requires a higher temperature than melting iron ore, and our forge isn��t hot enough.��


    ��If you want to fuse the Glowstone into a greatsword, you��ll have to go to the County Town!�� Boris suggested.


    ��Only the advanced blacksmith shops there have blast furnaces, and there are skillful Swordsmiths who can help you infuse the Glowstone into a Dual-Handed Greatsword.��


    ��County Town, huh?��


    Rein nodded, deep in thought.

 Chapter 63 - 63 - 62 Barbarians and the Shield Maiden

    Chapter 63 �C 62 Barbarians and the Shield Maiden


    County Town is the stronghold of the Habus Earl Family, and Cleya��s brothers should all be in County Town as well.


    Now is clearly not the right time to head to County Town in search of a high-level blacksmith shop.


    Rein immediately dismissed the idea of going to County Town, as it was most important for him to focus on raising his blacksmith profession level.


    He turned to Boris and said, ��Uncle Boris, today I��d like to learn about weapon sharpening����


    ��Sure, come on!�� Boris agreed without hesitation, as it didn��t matter whether Rein learned tempering or sharpening first since he had already paid the tuition fees.


    Ever since acquiring the Fine Steel Greatsword, Rein had decided to learn weapon sharpening first and leave the tempering for later.


    Because to maintain a weapon in good condition, maintenance is important, and sharpening is a crucial part of weapon maintenance.


    ...


    Quickly, Boris brought Rein to the open space behind the blacksmith shop.


    There lay several whetstones of different sizes, strewn haphazardly around.


    ��These are all oilstones used for sharpening knives, but why do you think they��re called oilstones? Take a guess, Rein.�� Boris said with a smile, pointing at a large stone about the height of an average person��s thigh.


    The stone��s top surface showed a fine concave curve from repeated use.


    ��Could it be related to oil?�� Rein pondered briefly before guessing.


    Boris picked up a single-hand sword that was waiting to be sharpened, and sat down on a wooden stool in front of the oilstone, seemingly preparing to demonstrate for Rein.


    ��You��re basically correct. It��s called an oilstone because before using it, you have to drop a bit of oil on its surface,�� Boris revealed the answer.


    He then took a small iron pot, poured a little oil onto the top surface of the oilstone, and scraped it a few times with the blade to spread it evenly.


    ��The main purpose of applying oil is to reduce friction,�� he explained.


    ��Ho ho!��


    Boris gripped the sword hilt with his right hand and pressed his fingers on the sword��s spine with his other hand as he began the sharpening process.


    ��After finishing the sharpening, the metallic particles from the blade or edge will remain on the oil, allowing them to be easily wiped off with a cloth, which is very convenient,�� Boris explained while demonstrating.


    The whole set of actions was not difficult.


    Rein watched attentively, and as soon as Boris finished demonstrating, he immediately began to try it himself.


    It didn��t take long for Rein to find the knack, and system prompts soon appeared:


    ��You have sharpened a weapon, gaining insight!��


    ��You have learned a new skill��Weapon Sharpening��


    ��Your Skill Weapon Sharpening has improved, Experience +1��


    ��.


    ��You focus on weapon sharpening for ten minutes, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +1��


    Beneath the blacksmith panel, alongside existing icons such as repairing donkey hooves, nailing horseshoes, and stoking bellows, a new icon had been added.


    This new icon, situated above the icons like repairing donkey hooves, featured an oblong whetstone with a short sword on top, clearly depicting a weapon-sharpening scene, vivid and lifelike.


    Another important point was that Rein discovered the blacksmith professional experience provided by weapon sharpening was higher than that from ��Ore Identification��.


    In about an hour he could gain approximately 5 profession experience points.


    This made Rein very excited!


    The reason seemed to be because weapon sharpening required precise vision, strong hand strength, and constant concentration.


    Fortunately, Rein��s Constitution, Strength, and Spirit attributes had all increased significantly recently.


    So, even though sharpening weapons was exhausting, Rein was still able to persevere for a long time.


    One��


    Two��


    ��


    So, Rein, whose heart was set on leveling up his Blacksmith occupation, worked tirelessly through the entire morning sharpening weapons without taking any rest at all.


    He cleared out nearly half of the pile of weapons laid out on the ground, needing to be sharpened.


    He didn��t even spare the kitchen knives!


    As noon approached, Rein wiped the large sweat droplets from his forehead and let out a long sigh before finally taking a break from his work.


    Glancing at his panel, his Blacksmith profession level had successfully reached Blacksmith lv1 (76/100).


    This gave Rein a thrill of satisfaction, a sense that hard work indeed pays off!


    Rein��s work efficiency even brought a beaming smile to Boris, who was watching from a distance.


    ��Rein, won��t you consider coming to work for me? I��ll pay you extra!��


    ����..��


    After declining Boris the Blacksmith��s offer again, Rein got up and headed home. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not long after Rein left the blacksmith shop, heavy hoofbeats suddenly echoed from the main road behind him in the little town.


    The somewhat heavy sound of these hoofbeats immediately caught the attention of the townspeople on the road, who turned their heads to look.


    Rein was no exception and turned to look as well, only to see a group of five people riding tall warhorses approaching from the north.


    After entering the town, the group slowed down, allowing Rein to get a clear view of their features.


    The leader was a burly man with a full beard; although he rode an exceptionally tall black warhorse, his feet were only twenty to thirty centimeters from the ground, looking as if an adult was riding a pony.


    Rein understood that the illusion was due to the man��s towering stature.


    This couldn��t help but astound him!


    That height must be over two meters three!


    The man wore a horned helmet and thick leather armor, studded with sharp spikes on its surface.


    Besides his shoulders and torso, his limbs were mostly exposed, apparently to maintain flexibility during combat.


    His arm muscles bulged, and the muscles on his thighs were terrifying, each like protruding rocks, a clear indication that he was a fierce warrior of strength.


    The most eye-catching feature was the huge single-bladed axes hanging on either side of his horse, one on each side.


    As the group drew closer, the town��s residents stepped aside, looking at them with a mix of awe and reverence.


    And Rein was in the perfect position to notice further details about them.


    He saw the crescent shape of the axe head, almost as wide as a door at its widest point before tapering towards both ends, the axe itself being about a meter long, with the round metal handle nearly half a meter.


    These were heavy and sharp heavy weapons��the ��Moon Blade Battle Axes��!


    Encountering such a massive ��giant�� paired with heavy axes, it was no wonder that even the sturdy black warhorse was struggling to carry the load.


    The black horse snorted fiercely, and in this slightly chilly late autumn, two columns of steam visibly rose intermittently.


    The people following were also dressed in a similar wild style to the ��giant��, each strong, imposing, and fierce in stature.


    Wait! That��s not right, the last one was actually a young girl, about eighteen or nineteen!


    Although she wore similar clothes, her physique was much more delicate.


    Mounted on her horse, Rein could still roughly estimate her height to be between one meter seventy and one meter eighty.


    Indeed, much more ��delicate��.


    Behind her was an exceedingly exaggerated round shield, the shield��s diameter well exceeding one meter, making the ��delicate�� girl appear even tinier.


    The shield seemed to be made of some kind of thick wood, with a protruding iron disc about the size of a palm at the center and a narrow band of iron wrapped around the edges to tighten it.


    There was also a long-handled battle axe hanging on the side of the horse, but it was clearly two sizes smaller than the ��giant��s�� axe and unlike the crescent-shaped blade, it was a common lumberjack axe design.


    Could this actually be a very rare female shield-bearer?


    This turn of events left Rein curious, and he couldn��t help but take a few more glances at her.

 Chapter 64 - 64: Dangerous Encounter

    Chapter 64: Dangerous Encounter


    The shield girl��s bronze skin looked very healthy, her deep blue eyes, delicate nose, and cherry lips fashioned an unexpectedly exquisite face.


    Compared to her rugged attire, there was a distinct beauty!


    A light grey linen headband intertwined on her forehead, securing her light yellow hair that naturally fell to her shoulders.


    The headband was likely used to keep the hair at the sides of her forehead from interfering with her vision during combat.


    The girl��s attire was somewhat different from the other warriors in her squad, seemingly wearing a short-sleeved chainmail underneath with a leather vest over it, exposing her smooth, fair thighs.


    Her figure was curvy, especially the upper body, which was quite sensational.


    Even the combination of the chainmail and leather vest couldn��t obscure her exaggerated, firm curves, presenting an enticing arc.


    ...


    Not far from Rein, there happened to be two patrolling officers who also witnessed this scene and whispered to each other:


    ��These seem to be barbarians from the Northern Empire!��


    ��What do you think they��re doing all the way here in Meister County?��


    ��Can��t you tell? Look at the silver Bounty Hunters badges on their chests; that��s a mid-level Bounty Hunters badge, and these folks must be a team.��


    ��Wait, I think I��ve heard of a purely barbarian Bounty Hunters squad in Meister County, and it seems to be these people right here.��


    An officer pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and he excitedly said, ��I remember now!��


    ��That��s right! It must be them! The lead big barbarian, nicknamed ��Giant,�� his real name is Haral, known for his exaggerated height and a pair of crescent battle axes!��


    Seemingly having heard the two officers�� quiet conversation, the leading barbarian, Haral, actually turned and glanced at them.


    Such keen hearing!


    But�� it seems they were right on the mark!


    Rein couldn��t help but take another look at the knowledgeable officer.


    Barbarians, huh?


    Rein suddenly realized, no wonder their appearance and style were so rugged!


    They truly lived up to the name barbarians.


    For they much resembled the ��barbarians�� also known as Viking pirates in Rein��s past-life memories from Europe.


    But��.


    What would a barbarian Bounty Hunters squad be doing in Flashgold Town?


    Logically, they should all be mixing in the County Town, only in the big city where there are enough bounty tasks to earn Gold Coins.


    Wait a minute!


    A thought suddenly crossed Rein��s mind.


    ��Could it be for killing the ogres in Nightingale Forest?��


    Rein stroked his chin, the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.


    He had heard before that sometimes the officials would offer high rewards for particularly dangerous missions.


    This prevented the Empire��s official manpower from being tied up and reduced unnecessary casualties.


    It also mobilized the enthusiasm of hundreds of mercenaries and Bounty Hunters, preventing these hormone-driven individuals from disrupting local security.


    Two birds with one stone!


    If it was to kill ogres, that clearly counted as a dangerous task.


    At that moment, Rein suddenly smiled and shook his head.


    ��What am I guessing here for.��


    ��The destination they��re heading toward is clearly the town hall, just ask around after lunch, and I��ll know everything.��


    ��For now, better hurry home!��


    ��Spend the afternoon in the blacksmith shop, and see if today or at the latest by tomorrow, I can level up my Blacksmith Profession Level.��


    Without those attribute points on hand, Rein always felt a bit uneasy.


    Thus, upon returning home, Rein, under the astonished gazes of his family and Anna, devoured his food with the speed of a whirlwind!


    ��Eat slowly, Rein!��


    ��Brother, you eat so fast!��


    ��Uh�� I��m full, father, mother, Anna, you guys eat slowly, I��m heading to the blacksmith shop first!��


    Rein said with a smile as he rubbed little Bo He��s head and then left the house.


    Watching their son head out with such enthusiasm, the family members exchanged glances, all with a look of surprise on their faces.


    This��..


    But being diligent is a good thing, isn��t it?!


    As soon as Rein stepped out, he walked briskly towards the administrative hall.


    Upon reaching the hall, he approached a familiar guard and inquired about the barbarians he had seen earlier.


    ��Rein, you mean them? Indeed, they just spent some time in Lord Hamilton��s office, apparently seeking help,�� he said.


    ��I heard they took on Viscount Hamadi��s bounty in County Town, to eliminate the ogres in Nightingale Forest.��


    ��But due to the unclear situation, they are also worried about encountering multiple ogres, so they asked Lord Hamilton to provide more detailed intelligence.��


    ��Lord Hamilton agreed to their request and said he would contact the Habsburg estate soon to send out hawks for scouting.��


    ��These barbarians seem to have gone to the Beech Hotel now, waiting for the results of the hawk scouting.��


    ��I guess they��ll stay a few days before they act.��


    Rein nodded, ��I see, thank you.��


    A wise move, having hawks to help scout is much better than going to Glimmer Lake themselves to track the ogres.


    The latter is not only tiring but also very dangerous!


    Moreover, they are experienced and know that most sheriffs will not tolerate ogres in their jurisdiction, so they will likely agree to help in the investigation.


    ��It seems like this is indeed an exceptionally efficient team of bounty hunters!��


    Blacksmith shop.


    In the afternoon, Rein continued to focus intently on weapon polishing, except for drinking water and using the restroom, it was as if he was welded next to the grinding stone.


    The sound of ��whoosh whoosh�� polishing echoed in the open space of the blacksmith shop for the entire afternoon.


    The few blacksmith apprentices in the shop had already become numb to Rein��s tireless performance.


    Since Rein had behaved similarly with the bellows previously, they were not too surprised.


    But they still couldn��t avoid being compared thriftily with Rein by Boris.


    After several hours, Rein finally received the delightful system prompt: Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��You have polished weapons, insight enhanced!��


    ��Your weapon polishing skill has improved, Experience +1��


    ��


    ��You focused on weapon polishing for ten minutes, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +1��


    ��Congratulations, your Blacksmith Profession Level has increased!��


    Rein, seeing his Blacksmith Profession Level on the panel rise from lv1��lv2 (0/300), couldn��t help but wipe his sweat, showing a relieved smile.


    Looking further down, he saw at the bottom of the panel the remaining attribute points: 1, and remaining skill points: 1.


    With this point of attribute points, Rein felt much more at ease.


    Always prepared for what comes next!


    As for the skill point, Rein thought about it and decided to hold on to it for now, thinking it over when he got home.


    Since he had leveled up, Rein planned to head home early. It was now early evening, about half an hour earlier than he had anticipated.


    In high spirits, Rein took a detour to the pie shop and bought Bo He her favorite meat pie.


    As Rein was walking home with the pie, he saw a group of rough-looking, tattooed strongmen carrying clubs and leading four or five shiny-coated, spotted dogs, hurriedly walking down the street.


    The pedestrians nearby, seeing them, quickly dodged to avoid any trouble.


    One of the leaders, a bald strongman, took out a piece of clothing and let the spotted dogs sniff it again, and soon the dogs started sniffing around as they walked, unknowingly heading in the direction of Rein��s home.

 Chapter 65 - 65 - 64: Lure the Enemy Deep

    Chapter 65 �C 64: Lure the Enemy Deep


    Upon seeing that group of people, Rein��s heart immediately ��clenched��.


    He instantly dashed into a nearby alley, watching intently.


    These mangy, spotted dogs looked quite different from regular dogs.


    That��s why Rein immediately thought of the Hyena Gang that Hamilton had mentioned.


    With their somewhat rounded, large ears, bodies covered in splotches of various sizes, a row of narrow mane running from the back of the head down the spine, and the extra protruded upper and lower jaws and canines, they looked to have an extremely strong bite, enough to be intimidating.


    As the group moved on, Rein, who followed them all the way, increasingly felt something was amiss��these directions clearly led to his home.


    ��Could it be that the Hyena Gang has finally realized Blackbeard and Scarface are missing and came knocking?��


    ...


    At the doorstep of Anna��s house, the few spotted hyenas stopped and began to furiously bark, a sight that immediately brought smiles of delight to several burly men.


    A bald, burly man, together with four or five of his men, surveyed the house, muttering amongst themselves.


    Although a distance away, Rein, whose physical abilities had significantly improved, could hear their conversation clearly.


    ��This should be the last place Blackbeard was seen.��


    ��Boss, why don��t we storm in?��


    ��Are you an idiot! With so many people around, do you want to get caught by the sheriff? We��ll sneak in��.once it��s dark,�� scolded the bald, burly man as he smacked his subordinate on the head.


    ��You all go ask around, whose house is this?��


    ��Okay, boss!��


    Suddenly, the bald man��s underlings dispersed, asking the passersby questions.


    ��Looks like I guessed right!��


    ��Thankfully, I didn��t let Anna go back, or the consequences would be unimaginable!��


    Rein��s eyes narrowed as he swiftly climbed to the second floor of his home from the alley.


    He needed to fetch his greatsword.


    Looking at the situation, trouble was definitely brewing!


    In Rein��s courtyard, Anna, seeing her home surrounded by a group of fierce burly men and hyenas, had her complexion turn pale.


    Her usually fair face now looked even paler.


    She crouched down, tightly hugging little Bo He, her lips pursed, daring not to make a sound.


    At that moment, one of the bald, burly man��s subordinates walked up to Anna and Bo He and asked:


    ��Hey! Little girl, do you know who owns this house?��


    The man also figured, as a neighbor, Anna was likely to know whose house it was.


    He spotted her and Bo He first, as they were gardening in Rein��s courtyard.


    That pleased him, as it meant they didn��t have to go asking around anymore.


    When faced with the question from this Hyena Gang member, Anna trembled, her lips stammered, but she made no sound.


    ��Are you mute? Speak up!�� Seeing Anna silent, the gang member lost his patience, his attitude turning even worse.


    Meanwhile, Rein, who was now in his room on the second floor, had just picked up the sheepskin-wrapped Fine Steel Greatsword. He glanced downstairs and cursed, ��Damn!�� S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Did they figure out that it��s Anna��s house so quickly?��


    Originally, Rein wanted to follow these men after they left, then take them out quietly.


    But he hadn��t expected them to target Anna so swiftly.


    Almost without hesitation, Rein decided to take the offensive.


    At that moment, he silently climbed down from the second floor to the alley and then strode towards the entrance of the alley.


    It wasn��t until he was nearly at the front of Anna��s house that he pretended to notice the bald, burly man and his group, his expression hesitant, not daring to approach.


    Rein��s ��sneaky�� behavior immediately caught the attention of the bald, burly man and his gang!


    Immediately, a burly man stepped forward suspiciously and asked, ��Kid, is this your home?��


    ��No, no, how could this be my home!�� Rein pretended to be frightened and quickly waved his hands.


    As he spoke, he quickly stepped back.


    This only made the bald strongman more suspicious of Rein.


    Suddenly, Rein turned and ran toward the forest on the other side!


    Seeing Rein��s panicked look, the bald strongman��s face suddenly broke into a radiant smile as he turned to his subordinates and shouted, ��We��ve got our man! This kid is definitely up to something! Catch him, release the dogs!��


    ��He actually thinks he can escape the tracking of our Gang of Hyenas, how na?ve!�� several gang members joked as they released their tightly held leashes.


    Four or five spotted hyenas, like unleashed wild horses, followed behind Rein, barking wildly as they speedily gave chase.


    Meanwhile, the gang member who had planned to give Anna a good lecture saw that the ��rightful owner�� had been found, so he glared fiercely at Anna and immediately ran back to the side of the bald strongman.


    The bald man and a group of subordinates, giggling and laughing, casually followed behind the pack of hyenas towards the woods.


    All of their faces bore a confident look that Rein would surely not escape!


    Anna and Bo He, however, were watching the scene unfold with a mixture of surprise and panic.


    But soon, Anna realized something and stamped her foot in frustration, her hands clenched at the cuffs, knuckles whitening, her face filled with anxiety.


    Although she didn��t understand what was going on with Rein, who had changed a lot lately and had even rescued her from two villains the last time, she still felt that Rein might not be able to withstand the attack of so many people and dogs.


    At that moment, Anna felt completely useless!


    Rein was once again solving her problems, but facing the endangered Rein, she had no idea what she could do to help him.


    ��Sister Anna, don��t worry, I believe brother will definitely scare these bad guys away,�� Bo He said, batting her large innocent eyes at the anxious Anna.


    Bo He��s faith in her brother carried a strange confidence.


    Perhaps every little sister fantasizes about having a brother who can protect her!


    However, hearing Bo He speak so confidently, Anna��s heart actually felt less anxious than before.


    Yes, last time Rein had miraculously appeared and killed two burly villains, saving her.


    Who could have expected that?


    This time, Rein should create a miracle again!


    However, Anna was still trying to think of what she could possibly do.


    That��s it! She remembered!


    The new sheriff in town seemed to have a good relationship with Rein.


    ��Bo He, you go inside the house by yourself; sister is going to look for the sheriff,�� Anna crouched down, gently holding Bo He��s hands as she spoke softly.


    ��Okay! Sister Anna, go ahead! I��ll lock the door!��


    ��Good girl!��


    Anna gently touched Bo He��s head, then quickly got up, grasped the hem of her long dress, and ran towards the town hall.


    In the woods.


    Rein raced along and, feeling it was secluded enough, started to slow down his pace.


    The five spotted hyenas, quickest of all, had chased up to him as he stopped and immediately surrounded Rein, barking furiously.


    Rein showed no sign of panic, leaning against a tree, holding the Dual-Handed Greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, and swung it forcefully a few times. The strong whooshing sound instantly scared the hyenas from immediately attacking.


    ��How come these Gang of Hyenas�� members haven��t caught up yet?��


    ��Why are they so slow?�� Rein muttered.


    The few spotted hyenas in front of him could be dispatched by Rein in just a few seconds if he chose to strike them down.


    But doing so might alert the gang members early to the anomaly, causing them to scatter in all directions.


    Therefore, if he wanted to catch all in one net, he could only pretend to be surrounded by the pack, waiting for the enemy to take the bait!

 Chapter 66 - 66 - 65: One Man Surrounds a Group of People

    Chapter 66 �C 65: One Man Surrounds a Group of People


    Rein waited for a full five minutes before the bald bruiser finally arrived with five men in tow.


    ��Boss, this kid thought he could outrun our gang��s ��precious��, what a fool! Now he��s surrounded, hahaha.��


    ��Yeah, boss, this brat dared to run, shall we break his legs first?�� one of the gang members said with a snarl, waving a thick wooden stick.


    ��Kid, weren��t you quite the runner? Why aren��t you running now?��


    At that moment, the bald bruiser glanced disdainfully at Rein and said, ��Brat, why run at the sight of us?��


    ��Also, is that house yours?��


    ��Tell me, where did Blackbeard go?��


    ...


    The bald man��s barrage of questions instantly confirmed all of Rein��s speculations.


    As expected, they were members of the Hyena Gang.


    ��You��re from the Hyena Gang?�� Rein asked.


    ��Eh! Kid, how did you know? Could it be that our Hyena Gang��s reputation has spread from County Town to Flashgold Town already?�� a gang member said, a look of delight crossing his face.


    But after hearing Rein��s question, the bald man felt something was amiss.


    Although the kid in front of him seemed scared, his eyes were too calm, not like he was really frightened!


    Just as he was about to say something else, Rein, with his head lowered, said:


    ��Since you��re from the Hyena Gang, then I��m sorry!��


    The next second, Rein��s hands shook, and the Dual-Handed Greatsword, wrapped in sheepskin, immediately revealed its true form.


    ��Moreover, I must emphasize that it��s not me who��s surrounded.��


    ��It��s�� you who are surrounded by me!��


    Now, the few Hyena Gang members also realized something was wrong.


    ��How do you have a weapon?��


    ��You�� you��re violating the Empire��s public security regulations!��


    One of the gang members looked down at the wooden stick in his hand, then at the Dual-Handed Greatsword in Rein��s, and thought, ��Damn, why does it feel like this kid is even more brazen than us?��


    ��Whoosh!!��


    What responded to them was Rein��s Whirlwind Slash, swift as thunder.


    Rein took a step and flashed into the center of the few spotted hyenas nearest him, and his Fine Steel Greatsword drew a beautiful semicircle in an instant.


    Suddenly, blood and limbs flew in all directions!


    Two of the spotted hyenas were beheaded by Rein in one fell swoop!


    Another two had their forelimbs chopped off and were squirming on the ground.


    These vicious dogs had been barking at Rein for quite some time, and now, at last, it was much quieter.


    A whine�� the only surviving hyena cowered behind the bald man��s legs in fright.


    The scene had the few Hyena Gang members�� eyelids twitching!


    ��Don��t panic! It��s just one kid, and there are five of us, what��s there to fear! Charge!!�� The bald bruiser steeled his heart and led the charge, swinging a long wooden stick as he rushed towards Rein.


    Hearing the bald bruiser��s words, the few simple-minded Hyena Gang members with well-developed limbs snapped back to reality.


    Their expressions seemed to say, ��Right, no matter how tough this kid is, he��s still just one person, and we��ve got a whole five people here!��


    Immediately, they followed the bald bruiser and rushed at Rein.


    Rein chuckled to himself; if these guys had decided to run in different directions, he wouldn��t have been able to chase them all at once.


    But unexpectedly, they still dared to counterattack. Was it because he still looked like a youth?


    He really didn��t know what to say for a moment!


    ��Whirlwind Slash!��


    ��Furious Slash!��


    Rein charged like a tiger descending the mountain, and after two strokes, there were only two people left standing on the field.


    ��Run! Hurry and go notify the gang!�� The bald muscular man reacted quickly, pushing another gang member and shouting loudly.


    He realized that this unremarkable-looking youth was obviously intentionally hiding his strength, luring them into a trap.


    His few companions were likely to meet their end here!


    The bald man reacted quickly, but Rein��s reaction was faster.


    As that Hyena Gang member turned to flee, a shadow had already caught up from behind.


    ��Swish!��


    Blood splattered, and in an instant, everything below the opponent��s knees was severed, with the total number of people on the ground increasing by one.


    The next second, the bald muscular man couldn��t escape the fate of losing his legs either.


    Now, including the bald muscular man, all members of the Hyena Gang were lying on the ground, all nice and neat, not a single one missing!


    Rein didn��t spare the Hyena that had narrowly escaped either, executing it directly.


    Instantly, the once imposing line of Hyena Gang members was now all laid out on the ground.


    At that moment, Rein took a walk around the field and finished off all those who hadn��t fully died yet, leaving only two witnesses alive as planned.


    This scene almost made the two bald men wet themselves, as they shouted, ��Don��t kill us!! Don��t kill us!��


    ��Shut up, whoever blabbers, I��ll finish off!�� Rein��s icy gaze silenced the two witnesses instantly, as they looked at Rein in terror, afraid of provoking him further.


    In fact, up to this moment, the two hadn��t figured out how their hunt for Blackbeard had led them to this grim reaper!


    Rein had deliberately left two witnesses alive but injured to interrogate them separately about ��King Dog�� Cole��s situation.


    He then separated the bald man from the other gang member by about twenty meters and, as both legs of the bald man had been cut off, he wasn��t worried about him running away.


    Rein interrogated the gang member first.


    ��Spill it! How did your Hyena Gang leader Cole instruct you?�� Holding the Dual-Handed Greatsword, Rein patted the crippled gang member��s cheek and said.


    ��Keep your voice down, don��t let the bald guy hear. I will verify the stories from both of you!��


    The shivering crippled gang member nodded repeatedly and said, ��Don��t kill me, I��ll talk! Boss Cole sent us to investigate the disappearance of his brother Blackbeard from a few days ago.��


    ��We asked Blackbeard��s old flame in County Town, a courtesan. She told us that before he left, he mentioned he was headed to Flashgold Town to get some goods.��


    ��So, that��s why we came.��


    Rein nodded, waved his sword tip, and commanded, ��Continue!��


    ��The Hyena��s sense of smell is exceptionally sharp. If they sniff Blackbeard��s old clothes, they can follow the scent to the places where Blackbeard had been in Flashgold Town.��


    Rein nodded, so that was it!


    It made sense, these Hyenas had large noses, their sense of smell was far more acute than the average canine��s. Clearly, they had picked up on Blackbeard��s scent lingering in Anna��s home from a few days ago.


    That was how they had tracked him down!


    ��What about the strength of your Hyena Gang leader ��Cole��? And that mutant Hyena known as the Hyena Queen?�� Rein continued his questioning.


    ��Boss ��Cole��s�� strength����


    ������


    Rein asked the same questions to the bald gang leader.


    Being a gang leader, the bald man��s information was more comprehensive.


    After cross-verifying the information from both, Rein sent them off to reunite with the other gang members.


    Since they were part of a gang, they naturally should be kept together in order. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, that included their Hyenas!

 Chapter 67 - 67 - 66: The Change of the Blacksmith’s Power

    Chapter 67 �C 66: The Change of the Blacksmith��s Power


    Passive defense, especially against a county town gang with no bottom line, Rein thought was not a good approach.


    So, what he could do was to carefully plan and see if he could take the initiative to strike first and solve the problem once and for all.


    Otherwise, the disappearance of such a core group in Flashgold Town would certainly alarm ��Dog King�� Cole.


    Once they attacked again, it would not just be a few people.


    It��s possible that ��Dog King�� Cole would personally take action!


    At that time, not only would Anna be taken away, but it could also jeopardize the safety of Rein��s family.


    This was something Rein simply could not agree to!


    ...


    As for seeking help from Hamilton?


    Rein had already considered this, and even if they agreed to offer protection, unless the whole family stayed indoors all the time, there would always be a day when a slip-up occurred, giving the Hyena gang an opportunity to catch them.


    This was a risk Rein could not afford to take, nor could he dare to.


    From the recent interrogation, Rein had obtained some key information.


    It turned out that although most of the Hyena gang��s operations were in the county town, ��Dog King�� Cole had an unbreakable routine of returning to the dog-fighting farm almost every day to rest.


    Accompanying him were over a dozen core members of the Hyena gang.


    The dog-fighting farm, although named like a ��manor,�� was in fact just a farm situated between Flashgold Town and County Town, according to the bald man and another gang member.


    The huge wooden dog sculpture at the entrance was its hallmark.


    The dog-fighting farm, as the name suggests, was a place ��Dog King�� Cole set up for dog-fighting gambling, where almost every day was filled with the barking of dogs and the shouting of gamblers, never-ending chaos.


    Therefore, ��Dog King�� Cole came up with a solution by surrounding the entire farm with a two-meter-high white birch fence.


    At the same time, a large number of fruit trees were planted inside the fence, effectively blocking the noise from inside the farm, otherwise, the clamor from dog-fighting could probably be heard miles away.


    In addition, Rein was relieved to learn from the bald man��s description that ��Dog King�� Cole was tall and strong.


    But ��Dog King�� Cole��s strength was not that of a formal Knight, meaning that he had not yet reached the Transcendent level.


    However, the Hyena Queen could not be underestimated even more; as big as a wild boar, with immense strength, and she had birthed a large litter of pups, which ��Dog King�� Cole let roam in the dog-fighting farm.


    Those five hyenas were all offspring of the Hyena Queen!


    After raiding their loot, Rein pondered as he walked towards home.


    Just as he was about to reach the front door, he saw Anna and little Bo He.


    They both seemed to be anxiously explaining something to a few Night Watchmen, frequently pointing towards the forest, with expressions close to tears.


    Additionally, Rein took a closer look and recognized these three Night Watchmen; they were Captain Weilun and the two elite members of the Night Watch he had stayed with previously.


    He was naturally quite familiar with them, after all, they had fought against vicious Worgs together and slaughtered murlocs.


    ��Why have they come?��


    ��Could it be that Anna called for them?��


    Without hesitation, Rein quickly stepped forward.


    Seeing Rein return, Anna and little Bo He immediately rushed over excitedly.


    ��Brother, Sister Anna and I were so worried about you!�� little Bo He plunged straight into Rein��s arms, holding him tightly.


    ��Sister Anna was going to the administrative hall to call for the guardian officer, but halfway there we ran into Uncle Weilun and the others.��


    Rein��s heart warmed, and turning his head, he saw Anna looking at him with concern; her face was pale, and her chest was heaving, clearly from running with her frail body.


    Seeing Rein look at her, their eyes met, and Anna shyly lowered her head.


    At this moment, Weilun stepped forward and said to Anna and little Bo He, ��You two worry too much! I told you nothing would happen to Rein, but you didn��t believe me.��


    ��Now you believe it, huh! Haha!��


    ��Rein, what��s the situation? Was it a few scumbags from the Hyena gang?�� Weilun turned and asked Rein.


    Rein nodded.


    ��Yes, four or five Hyena gang lackeys came here with their hyenas, they were investigating the disappearance of Blackbeard.��


    ��This matter!�� Weilun glanced at little Bo He without saying much more.


    Rein immediately understood and patted Little Bo He��s head, saying, ��Bo He, you go home with Sister Anna first. Big brother and Captain Weilun have something to discuss.��


    Bo He blinked her large eyes, glanced at Rein and Weilun, then turned to take Anna��s fair hand of her own accord.


    ��Mm, big brother, make sure you come back early, okay? We��ll wait for you to have dinner together.��


    Rein smiled and nodded, saying, ��Go on, then.��


    After watching the two of them enter the house, Rein��s expression became solemn before he spoke to Weilun:


    ��Captain Weilun, there are the bodies of some of the Hyena Gang members I killed in the forest. I might need your help dealing with them.��


    This statement immediately caused the other two elite Night Watchmen to change their expressions and cast sidelong glances at Rein.


    Weilun��s face hardened. ��You killed them all?��


    Rein nodded.


    He hadn��t spared even a single dog!


    ��Alright, I��ll take care of it!��


    ��However�� once the Hyena Gang finds out, they��re likely to target you like mad dogs! Rein, be careful on your own. I��ll strengthen the nighttime patrols around your house.��


    ��Thank you, Captain Weilun. I��ll be careful,�� Rein said with a warmth in his heart as he nodded.


    Weilun patted Rein��s shoulder and quickly led his two subordinates in the direction Rein had indicated.


    As soon as he entered his house, Rein could sense something odd about the atmosphere.


    He heard his mother ask, ��Rein, I heard from Sima that a group of people with hyenas were loitering at our doorstep?��


    ��But when I just asked Anna and Bo He, both of them said they were in the yard planting vegetables and hadn��t noticed,�� his mother Emma continued with a hint of suspicion as she looked once more at the two women. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein immediately had a clear understanding in his heart.


    It seemed Anna harbored the same thoughts as him, not wanting to overly worry their parents about the matter.


    ��Mother, Aunt Sima must have seen wrong, as I didn��t see anyone with hyenas when I came back either!��


    ��Is that so? Sima really is getting old; her eyesight is going!��


    Hearing Rein say the same, Mother Emma finally relaxed and stopped probing into the matter.


    After dinner, Rein went back to his room.


    But shortly after, there was a knock at the door.


    ��Come in!��


    It was Anna knocking, and little Bo He was also peeking around the doorway.


    ��Come on in, both of you!��


    Once the two women were inside, Rein closed the door and said in a low voice, ��Don��t worry about the Hyena Gang, I��ll handle it.��


    ��And, Anna, thank you for not telling my parents about this. Otherwise, it would have just caused them unnecessary worry.��


    ��No, no! It should be me thanking you, Rein�� you��ve helped me once again!�� Anna said, lowering her head with interlocked fingers, nervously twisting the hem of her long waist-clinching dress.


    Little Bo He giggled and said to Anna, ��Sister Anna, if you pull any more, the dress will tear!��


    ��Ah!�� Anna immediately let go of her hands, but realizing Bo He was teasing her, a blush couldn��t help but spread across her face.


    ��


    After Anna and Bo He had left, Rein remembered to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been improved, Experience +67]


    [You have been through a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +34]


    The experience points were not much.


    It was expected, after all, a few gang members were involved, and their contribution to the experience points probably largely came from those few hyenas.


    Rein glanced at the remaining 1 Skill Point he had and, after a moment of thought, decided to continue to allocate it to the Blacksmith��s Strength.


    Since he was about to go do a job, naturally, he had to invest points in a skill that could ��Decisive Hammer��!


    After Blacksmith��s Strength was upgraded from lv3 to lv4, the text suddenly distorted.

 Chapter 68 - 68 - 67 Strength Burst

    Chapter 68 �C 67 Strength Burst


    What used to be the ��Blacksmith��s Strength�� in four characters was changed to ��Strength Burst,�� which could not help but greatly surprise Rein.


    There was such a change!


    [Core Skill: Strength Burst (Active)]


    Effect: When the skill is activated, your strength will double!


    (Note: This skill originates from the Blacksmith��s Strength pushed to its limit and its duration is directly proportional to the host��s constitution and spiritual power.)


    (Note: This skill cannot be further improved at this stage.)


    Rein noticed that after the evolution of Blacksmith��s Strength into Strength Burst, not only had the name changed, but the lv sign was also gone, indicating that the core skill Strength Burst, like Dark Vision, could no longer be enhanced through Skill Points.


    ...


    Moreover, the description of the skill effect had undergone a significant change, from ��greatly enhanced�� to ��doubled.��


    This change perfectly complies with the rule ��less is more!��


    Doubled!


    This meant that during the period the skill was activated, Rein��s current 10 points of strength would instantly increase to 20 points.


    This already surpassed the likes of an official knight like Hamilton and was on par with the ferocious hyena-men, perhaps even slightly beyond!


    What does this imply?


    This means that as long as the enemy��s strength is below that of an official knight,


    during the duration of Strength Burst, it would be nearly impossible for them to match Rein in strength!


    What this represents goes without saying; Rein licked his lips, his corners turning up slightly.


    ��This really came at the right time!��


    Previously, when Rein was interrogating the leader of the Hyena Gang in the dense forest, he had asked about the strength of ��Dog King�� Kole,


    ��Is your boss Kole, an official knight?��


    The other party shook his head.


    At that moment, Rein was greatly relieved!


    At the same time, a plan slowly started to take shape in his mind.


    Since the strength of ��Dog King�� Kole was not that of an official knight, he was in trouble.


    Revenge couldn��t wait for another day!


    Rein intended to strike directly at the heart of the Hyena Gang before they could react!


    Previously, faced with the assassination among the heirs of Earl Harris��s family, Rein had already been boiling with rage.


    But there was no helping it; the situation was stronger than people!


    And now these darn Hyena Gang were bullying him?


    After some thought, Rein took out a small sharpening stone he had purchased from Blacksmith Boris, and dropped a few drops of oil on it.


    He then picked up the Fine Steel Greatsword and started to sharpen it energetically.


    The Dual-Handed Greatsword had a tiny notch that had been damaged by a black dagger during a fight with an assassin.


    As the greatsword was sharpened on the oilstone, the fine notch on the blade soon became barely visible, becoming incredibly sharp once again.


    Was that the end of it?


    No.


    Coat it with paralyzing poison?


    Too kind.


    Coat it with wounding poison?


    Still not quite right.


    So, deadly poison was the best choice!


    Rein took out a black square bottle and poured a few drops of brownish poison liquid onto a small piece of cloth, then gently wiped the Fine Steel Greatsword with the cloth.


    Mainly on both sides of the blade.


    Oh? Not enough to use!


    Rein discovered that applying poison to the Dual-Handed Greatsword really used a lot of the poison.


    After adding it three times, it still wasn��t enough.


    Finally, Rein poured about one third of the bottle before it was sufficient.


    He applied it to both sides of the blade, front and back!


    Looking at the Fine Steel Greatsword emitting a faint green glow, Rein finally nodded in satisfaction, then wrapped the greatsword again in sheepskin.


    After checking one more time, Rein seemed to remember something, took out a long strip of gray cloth, fiddled with it on his face, and used a black dagger to cut two holes in the middle before tucking it into his chest.


    Everything was ready!


    Before departing, Rein still practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for a while.


    A fist always ready, a song always on the lips.


    As long as he was breathing, the practice of the breathing technique would never stop.


    However, Rein was very good at controlling the extent, in order to adjust his body��s functions to their optimal state.


    After his family had fallen asleep, Rein quietly left the house through the second-floor window.


    Looking up, Rein noticed the sky was pitch black tonight, devoid of moonlight and starlight, covered instead with thick clouds.


    With his Night Watchman core skill ��Dark Vision,�� Rein felt no discomfort; instead, he felt a slight thrill.


    His heart beating a bit faster, he carefully avoided the patrolling Night Watchmen and hastened toward County Town.


    According to the information he had extracted earlier, he needed to follow the main road heading north, and after about an hour��s walk, he would see the conspicuous sign of the Dog Fighting Farm.


    After seeing the sign and turning right, another five minutes�� walk would bring him to the Dog Fighting Farm.


    Before long, having covered most of the distance, Rein suddenly felt his face getting wet.


    He looked up and saw the dark, unlit sky now starting to drizzle.


    This was actually a good sign!


    Rainy nights, perfect for murder without leaving traces.


    Carrying a sheepskin-wrapped greatsword, Rein first walked a full circle around the Dog Fighting Farm from a distance.


    Originally, he had planned to hop directly over a fence into the farm.


    But with his passive skill ��Danger Perception lv1,�� Rein felt something was off as soon as he approached the birch fence.


    He faintly sensed danger, as if climbing over the fence would be perilous.


    Therefore, Rein stood outside the fence and inspected the inside carefully. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With his Dark Vision, he quickly spotted the problem.


    It turned out that behind the fence, in the wooded area, the ground was lined with many large wild boar traps, the serrated jaws of the traps covered with fallen leaves �C if one wasn��t observant, they would be hard to notice.


    If one were to get caught, there was a high probability of breaking a shinbone, unless you were a Knight wearing thick plate armor boots.


    Beyond that, Rein also spotted quite a few doghouses in the orchard.


    These half-meter tall doghouses were almost all occupied, each housing a glossy-furred fierce dog.


    The night rain grew heavier!


    The sound of the pouring rain, ��wharalala,�� masked Rein��s footsteps and also diluted his scent.


    Allowing Rein to observe the Dog Fighting Farm from outside at ease.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein quickly circled back to the main entrance of the Dog Fighting Farm. Although it was very late, he could still faintly hear bursts of cheering coming from inside.


    Clearly, some dogfight competition was still ongoing inside the farm.


    This was a bit later than Rein had anticipated.


    Thinking it over, Rein decided to wait a little longer before making his move.


    It would be better to act after the dogfight competition inside had ended and the crowd had dispersed.


    After all, not everyone who came for the dog fight belonged to the Hyena Gang; a significant portion were customers from County Town.


    Rein even saw several carriages, each bearing various intricate designs representing the family crests of some nobles.


    This indicated that at least some nobles�� heirs came to this Dog Fighting Farm in Coer for entertainment.


    It seems the rumor that the Hyena Gang had backing was probably true.


    Not going to Hamilton was also the right move.


    As a Lord and the town��s security officer, Hamilton might agree to protect his family, but he definitely would not offend certain nobles in County Town for him, to eliminate the Hyena Gang.


    If it were doable, Hamilton would have done it by now.


    After all, from a security perspective, taking down the Hyena Gang would certainly be a notable achievement.


    But the Hyena Gang��s continued existence must have its reasons.


    Rein was never lacking in patience when it came to important matters.


    Over an hour later, the competition inside the farm seemed to have ended, and the carriages at the entrance had also returned to County Town with their owners.


    The Dog Fighting Farm was rarely this tranquil.


    With the night deepening and the rain softly falling, the two young gang members responsible for guarding the gate were languidly hiding under a nearby shelter to rest, not even bothering to close the farm gate.

 Chapter 69 - 69 - 68: Dogfighting Manor

    Chapter 69 �C 68: Dogfighting Manor


    One of them was already sound asleep, while the other had his arms crossed and his head down, dozing off against a porch pillar.


    As a local gang in Meister County, the quality of the Hyena Gang��s members could easily be imagined, with most being mere thugs.


    Expecting them to stand guard dutifully in the rainy weather in the middle of the night was simply a fool��s dream.


    The negligent guards naturally made things much easier for Rein.


    Rein took a grey cloth out of his pocket, covered his eyes with it, and tied it tightly at the back of his head, resembling ��Zorro.��


    Except that Zorro��s mask was black, while Rein��s was grey.


    Sneaking in quietly, Rein, with ten points of Strength, simply used both hands to snap the neck of the dozing young man and slowly laid his body down.


    ...


    Then, he grabbed the throat of the man who was fast asleep and dragged him into the curtain of rain.


    In the dense forest.


    At first, the man didn��t understand what was happening and tried to struggle fiercely, but when Rein landed a punch in the upper right section of his abdomen �C right where the stomach was �C his eyes bulged out immediately.


    He became much more compliant in an instant.


    But that wasn��t the end of it, as Rein wasn��t in a rush to question him.


    After stuffing his mouth and giving him another round of brutal beating, only after breaking two of the man��s fingers did he leisurely ask, ��Is Kol inside?��


    ��Yes, yes!�� The man, subjected to a beating and finger breaking without a word from Rein, was nearly driven to a mental breakdown.


    If you��re going to interrogate me, then ask!


    If you don��t ask, how do you know I won��t cooperate?


    You just beat the shit out of me without even asking a question?


    However, the upside was that as soon as Rein started asking questions, the man spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube.


    ��How many people are inside, and tell me everything you know in detail.��


    ��There are about fifteen or sixteen core members of our Hyena Gang inside, plus our boss, Kol.��


    ��What about the Hyena Queen?��


    ��The Hyena Queen never leaves Kol��s side; she��s inside the big house.�� S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next second, ��Snap!��


    The Hyena Gang member��s head twisted at a strange one hundred and eighty degrees.


    With his bulging eyes staring in death, as if to say, I cooperated so well, why did you still kill me?


    There were no noble scions staying at the dogfighting estate.


    This made Rein all the more unconcerned.


    Rein, sneaking his way in, would choose to kill on sight any patrolling members or affiliates of the Hyena Gang.


    It wasn��t until Rein reached the three-story wooden lodge at the heart of the dogfighting estate that he was spotted by several wandering hyenas.


    ��Woof woof!��


    ��Who��s there?��


    As soon as Rein saw them, he stopped hiding and instead rushed straight towards the house��s front door.


    ��Whoosh!��


    A Smooth Cleaving Slash sent two Hyena Gang members guarding the door flying, and at the same time shattered the thick wooden door to smithereens.


    In the hall, aside from a fat, white, corpulent man sitting at the center, there were two ordinary-looking middle-aged men, likely higher-ups of the Hyena Gang, apparently tallying the evening��s dogfighting proceeds.


    On the long table, there lay stacks of gold coins, over a hundred silver coins, and even more shillings and pennies.


    From the amount and variety of coins on the table, it wasn��t hard to tell that the daily gambling income from dogfighting at the estate was substantial.


    Moreover, it catered to all classes; the poor could place bets with pennies and shillings, while wealthy merchants and nobles naturally bet with gold coins as the unit.


    When the two Hyena Gang upper echelons saw Rein bursting through the door, they couldn��t help but stand up and shout.


    ��Guards! Guards!��


    ��No need to shout anymore; all your guards have returned to the Goddess��s embrace.��


    Rein took a look around, his gaze skipping over the two normal-sized humans and focusing instead on the enormous fat man and a huge hyena.


    This was a fat, bald, white giant of a man who stood over two meters tall, seated comfortably in the center of the hall on a custom-made soft chair upholstered with tender deer leather, his heavy weight causing a deep depression in the cushion.


    Clearly, this was the boss of the Hyena Gang, Kole.


    His dangling left hand was stroking a huge hyena that rivaled a wild boar in size.


    When it noticed someone had entered, the massive hyena slightly lifted its head that was resting on the ground and squinted its eyes to look.


    Rein immediately realized that this enormous hyena must be the rumored mutated Hyena Queen.


    Confronted with Rein��s sudden intrusion, the fat man ��Kole�� didn��t panic like the other two upper echelons of the Hyena Gang.


    Instead, he seemed leisurely as he sized up Rein, his fleshy face making his small eyes stand out, his black and rolling pupils moving briskly, a glint of slyness flashing in his squinted eyes.


    ��This strange friend, if there has been some misunderstanding, we can sit down and have a good talk.��


    ��If you��re an assassin, that��s also simple. Look, there��s plenty of money on the table. If someone hired you to kill me, you can take twice the amount they��re paying you, right from there.��


    Unfortunately, despite his smooth talk, Rein didn��t believe a single word.


    Because Rein already knew Kole was known for his stinginess, furthermore, the conflict between him and the Hyena Gang had reached a point beyond reconciliation.


    Either you die, or I do!


    ��Whoosh!��


    Without an ounce of hesitation, Rein pushed off the ground and charged swiftly towards Kole.


    Just then, the two upper echelons of the Hyena Gang roared angrily, swinging their iron batons as they lunged at Rein from both sides, trying to block Rein��s strike at their boss.


    ��Clang!!��


    The two Hyena Gang leaders coordinated their attack flawlessly, striking almost simultaneously, and managed to block Rein��s sword with their iron batons.


    Although both were shaken to the point that their knees buckled, and their arms went numb, this brought them some joy, and they thought to themselves:


    ��We thought a lone assassin would be so ferocious. Turns out, he��s about the same level as us!��


    One of them shouted triumphantly, ��Boss, leave this overconfident fool to us��we��ll make sure he never returns!��


    ��King Canine�� Kole also relaxed his expression at this point, his right hand that was clutching the chair��s armrest loosened quite a bit, instead showing a look of someone enjoying a good show.


    In his heart, he was laughing: ��The strength and speed of that sword blow just now��just the level of a primary Knight Attendant, about the same as my two boys, and nowhere near my own.��


    ��Really don��t know who hired this guy to assassinate me, didn��t even figure out their own strength; what is this, a joke? Pure stupidity!��


    Rein had just invoked the ��Blacksmith��s Strength�� in his heart, but after he swung his sword, he remembered that ��Blacksmith��s Strength�� had already upgraded to a higher level, ��Strength Burst.��


    Looking at the two smug Hyena Gang leaders, Rein said with a smile:


    ��Overestimating your capabilities? Who gave you the confidence that you could stop me?��


    The next second!


    A sound similar to ripping silk echoed!


    This was Rein��s first time executing the newly acquired skill ��Strength Burst.��


    Instantly, he felt his heart contract forcefully, pumping a great torrent of warmth, every major muscle in his body seemed to have been injected with adrenaline, all becoming engorged, swelling, and bulging.


    As his stature suddenly increased by more than twenty centimeters, Rein��s loose plate armor, a product from Hamilton, was stretched taut, and the cotton cloth at the arms, devoid of any metal plates, even ripped open several large gaps,


    ��Swoosh!!��


    With another Whirlwind Slash executed, the two dumbstruck Hyena Gang leaders were suddenly cut in half at the waist, blood splattering everywhere. The lower halves of their bodies remained upright in place for a few seconds, while the upper halves fell to the ground and started to twitch.


    ��Ting Dang!��


    The iron batons slipped weakly from their hands, their faces frozen in disbelief and excruciating pain!


    ��A full-fledged Knight!!��


    Kole, the heavy white fat man weighing several hundred pounds, leaped up from his soft chair upon witnessing the scene, his squinting eyes bulging, a face filled with horror and surprise.


    And the massive Hyena Queen, who had been lying around lazily, also instantly got up, focusing her wary gaze on Rein.

 Chapter 70 - 70 - 69: Feeling Like I’m Back on Track (Please Follow)

    Chapter 70 �C 69: Feeling Like I��m Back on Track (Please Follow)


    Rein had never felt so good before!


    At this moment, his body was filled with explosive strength, as if his body had been a dormant volcano, but after being guided by the core skill ��Strength Burst,�� it instantly became an active volcano, with the magma erupting suddenly!


    ��A formal Knight?��


    Rein chewed on the four words that Cole had blurted out and looked down at his swollen body.


    He instantly realized why the other party had this misunderstanding.


    Because his current appearance greatly resembled Hamilton when breaking limits; his arms suddenly doubled in thickness, twisted with muscles.


    At this point, Cole��s expression was no longer composed but instead extremely solemn, holding tightly onto two long crescent-shaped greatswords, one meter long blade plus a half-meter handle, totaling one and a half meters in length, not much different from Rein��s Dual-Handed Greatsword.


    ...


    ��Even if you are a formal Knight, you shouldn��t have intruded into the Dog-Fighting Estate!��


    ��How long can your breaking limits state last!��


    However, Rein didn��t mean to explain.


    His core skill ��Strength Burst�� could only last a few seconds, and listening to the opponent for even one more second was a waste of a chance to fight.


    To listen, he would wait until he had absolute control of the fight.


    Taking advantage of the chubby Cole��s rambling, Rein pushed hard with his right leg, shooting towards him like an arrow released from a bowstring!


    ��Clang!!��


    Rein and Cole fiercely struck each other!


    The grating sound of metal clashing was almost nauseating!


    Rein stepped back slightly, but Cole had it worse; his two or three hundred pound body was directly sent flying back to the spacious armchair!


    ��Smack!��


    No matter how sturdy the chair was, it couldn��t withstand the high-speed impact of several hundred pounds of flesh, it immediately split into pieces, dust flying everywhere.


    And Cole was in a terrible state, sitting on the ground, nowhere near the poise of the Hyena Gang leader!


    ��Damn it, launching a sneak attack!�� chubby Cole saw that Rein simply didn��t bother with small talk, attacking without a word, even more sneaky than him, cursing out loud in anger.


    ��Maria, summon the pack of dogs! Bite him to death!!��


    At that moment, the Hyena Queen named Maria, upon receiving her master Cole��s command, immediately cried out to the sky, ��Awoo!!��


    Suddenly, a group of vicious hyenas, slightly larger than normal size, baring their teeth, sprang out from all directions, swiftly closing in on Rein.


    Rein quickly estimated that there were about forty to fifty in front of him, and moreover, an unending stream of hyenas kept appearing from behind!


    Indeed! There are only wrong names, no wrong nicknames.


    The nickname ��Dog King�� truly deserved its name!


    These barking hyenas, which seemed to be hybrids of the Hyena Queen and other dog-fighting breeds, appeared to be unified due to the strong genes of the Hyena Queen, mostly spotted.


    Even the length of canine teeth, the protrusion levels of the upper and lower jaws, and the shapes of ears and tails varied greatly, but each was definitely robust and fierce, with sharp claws and teeth.


    At first glance, they were intimidating!


    Seeing this scene, Rein instantly understood why the Hyena Queen was called ��Queen.�� She was damn prolific!


    An army of one?!


    ��Awoo!�� The Hyena Queen cried out once again.


    Upon receiving this command from the ��Queen,�� these strong hybrid hyenas attacked Rein from all sides.


    Had it been an ordinary person, they might have been overwhelmed by now, but Rein��s Giant Bear Sword Technique was well-suited for this situation.


    ��Whirlwind Slash!!��


    Rein swung the Dual-Handed Greatsword, unleashing a fierce slash, where a silver arc about two meters in radius flashed by.


    In front of Rein, at least four or five hybrid hyenas were torn apart, limbs and flesh scattered.


    After two or three consecutive Whirlwind Slashes, this group of forty or fifty hybrid hyenas had been reduced by nearly half.


    The rest, emitting ��whining�� noises, tucked their tails and started retreating.


    This scene greatly enraged the Hyena Queen!


    Nearly half of her offspring were slaughtered by this human right before her eyes!


    The Hyena Queen��s face twisted viciously, her eyes glowed red, and with a powerful push of her forepaws, her huge body charged at Rein like a young calf.


    Meanwhile, the chubby white man, Cole, also charged with a greatsword raised high.


    Their coordination appeared to be quite seamless.


    This was exactly what Rein had hoped for.


    He had been most concerned that his opponents would keep summoning hyenas and engage him in a drawn-out battle; unexpectedly, Cole and the Hyena Queen decided to directly clash with him!


    The other hybrid hyenas, seeing their queen charging forward, also took the opportunity to attack Rein from all directions once again.


    ��Leap Slash!!��


    Facing the approaching Hyena Queen, Rein chose to directly confront her head-on, leaping high into the air and slashing down with lightning speed!


    In midair, the Hyena Queen��s fierce ��claw strike�� contested Rein��s 20 Strength under ��Leap Slash��.


    But after all, the Hyena Queen was not a truly wild beast, she was just a mutated hyena with a massive body.


    ��Crack!��


    In an instant, three-quarters of the Hyena Queen��s right forepaw was severed by Rein��s fine steel greatsword.


    ��Aoww!!!�� The Hyena Queen howled in pain immediately!


    At this moment, Cole��s greatsword chop attacked from the side, but was neatly blocked by Rein��s ��Guard��.


    ��Clang!!!��


    Rein blocked Cole��s powerful and forceful strike using ��Strong Blade��, shaking it fiercely to repel Cole, who weighed several hundred pounds, back several steps.


    Without stopping, Rein faced the surging tide of hybrid hyenas all around him, once again wielding a magnificent silver crescent arch!


    ��Swoosh swoosh swoosh!��


    Two Whirlwind Slashes followed by a Smooth Cleaving Slash, the whistling sound of air being cut echoed, and hybrid hyenas were grazed and severed upon contact.


    The formidable momentum of the hyenas was utterly quashed by Rein!


    The crowd of hybrid hyenas whimpered and retreated once again.


    Suddenly, there was empty space around Rein! sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this time, the Hyena Queen, curled up with her severed paw and standing on three legs, let out another mournful howl, her body swaying unsteadily as if she was about to fall.


    Cole, initially puzzled, scanned around quickly and saw those hyenas injured by Rein��s greatsword lying motionless on the ground.


    Some had merely their skin nicked, yet they were motionless!


    This shocked Cole immensely.


    But the next second, an idea struck him, and he looked at Rein incredulously, exclaiming, ��You�� you actually poisoned your blade!!��


    To still use poison at the level of a formal knight?


    Poisoning a Dual-Handed Greatsword?


    Could this really be something a typical knight would do?


    At this moment, Cole��s world view was shattered!


    A head full of question marks ???


    Hell, who had he gotten himself involved with this time!


    Facing this powerful and shameless enemy, Cole completely lost his will to fight.


    Just as he planned to find an opportunity to escape, suddenly, the ��assassin�� before him shrank back to his original size like a deflated balloon.


    At the same time, he staggered unsteadily and almost fell!


    This gave Cole a sense of revival from despair!


    ��Hahahaha, so after your Strength Burst, your body can��t hold up anymore!�� Cole couldn��t help but laugh heartily.


    What a turnaround!


    At this moment, Cole felt he was back in the game!


    He could finally avenge his beloved Maria!


    ��Then die!!�� Cole��s face twisted viciously as he raised his greatsword high.

 Chapter 71 - 71 - 70 ’The Dog King’ Khol’s Secret

    Chapter 71 �C 70 ��The Dog King�� Khol��s Secret


    Just now, Rein��s ��Strength Burst�� duration ended.


    So, his physique shrank from ��Schwarzenegger�� back to that of an ordinary person��s.


    Since it was his first time using this new skill, Rein realized he had underestimated the ��aftereffects��.


    At this moment, his muscles were incredibly sore, and he almost lost his balance for a moment.


    No wonder the panel notes said it was not to be further upgraded at this stage.


    If he boosted it further, while it would certainly be strong, once the duration was up, the ��aftereffects�� might just kill him on the spot!


    However, Rein quickly thought that this was probably because his Constitution was too low.


    ...


    His Strength surged to 20 points during the outburst, supported only by a Constitution of 9 points.


    A small horse pulling a heavy cart is bound to struggle!


    If his Constitution were higher, like 10 or 11 points, or even more, the effects of the ��aftereffects�� would presumably be much more bearable.


    Facing the ferociously charging Colin, with a fierce and smug expression, Rein lifted his head and gave him a mysterious smile.


    ��Are you sure?�� S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These three words made Colin��s pupils shrink, a chill running down from the top of his head to his heels, as if he had been struck by lightning, his rushing hulking mass suddenly frozen in place!


    The next second, the portly Colin bent his knees slightly, preparing to retreat!


    But sorry!


    Too late!


    For just as Rein lifted his head, his panel��s remaining attribute points suddenly dropped from 1 to 0, and his Constitution surged from 9 to 10.


    Instantly, Rein felt as if the thousands of ants biting his muscles were swept away, the soreness and swelling gone!


    His body��s condition returned to its prime in an instant.


    No, it was even 1 point stronger than at his peak!


    The next second, as Rein silently invoked ��Strength Burst�� again.


    Instantly, he felt a powerful surge of warmth from his heart, accelerating his blood flow, veins bulging, and muscles swelling intensely.


    His body swelled once more, transforming back into ��Schwarzenegger��!


    So, in the face of Colin, who was now panicking and somewhat baffled, Rein swung the Fine Steel Greatsword, empowered with the strength of 20 points once again!


    ��Furious Slash!��


    In the blink of an eye, a huge shadow blocked in front of ��Dog King�� Colin.


    But without a second thought, Rein stepped forward and, with a sweeping slash, split the bulky Hyena Queen in two, her fetid blood and organ fluids splashing directly onto the portly Colin!


    ��Ah! You bastard! I��ll kill you!! You actually killed my Maria!!��


    ��Do you know how much effort I put into raising Maria! I��m going to chop you into minced meat!!��


    Rein, who had initially considered capturing Colin alive and interrogating him, saw him raving madly like a lunatic, wildly swinging his greatsword around.


    Rein knew it was highly unlikely that he could get any useful information out of Colin��s mouth anymore.


    He had gone mad!


    ��Swoosh!��


    So, decisively, Rein ended it, cutting Colin��s throat with a single sword stroke!


    ��You�� you dare kill me, the Wilderness�� Brotherhood will sooner or later�� avenge�� me!�� Colin clutched his neck, bubbling blood from his mouth, his face filled with resistance, threatening intermittently.


    ��Don��t tell me you have another brother, the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood?��


    ��You are�� pfft!!�� Colin suddenly understood something.


    He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, eyes wide with rage, and died instantly!


    In the moment before his death, Kolt finally realized that the man before him was actually brought here by his own younger brother, Blackbeard.


    However�� what truly made Kolt die with his eyes open was, damn it, how the hell did Blackbeard piss off the other party?


    With the deaths of both the Hyena Queen and ��Dog King�� Kolt, the mongrel hyenas scattered, tails tucked, fleeing in every direction.


    Rein swung his greatsword with force, shaking off the blood and wiping it down. The Fine Steel Greatsword, which had been emitting a faint green glow, now shone like new.


    Rein wrapped the greatsword up again in sheepskin and slung it over his shoulder.


    Then, he immediately began searching ��Dog King�� Kolt��s body.


    A green agate ring and a pure gold ring were quickly removed by Rein.


    On the other��s neck lay a thick gold necklace, heavy in Rein��s hand, likely weighing three or four pounds.


    After that, Rein walked over to the large coffee table and put dozens of Gold Coins and several hundred Silver Coins into a large cloth bag all at once.


    As for the multitude of shillings and pennies, Rein ignored them entirely.


    They were too low in value, heavy, and took up too much space.


    Clearly, this dogfighting manor, as the lair of the Hyena Gang, should have a place where ��Dog King�� Kolt stored important items.


    Thus, Rein began to rapidly check each room, one after another, floor by floor.


    Soon, in a luxurious bedroom on the second floor, Rein discovered a hidden compartment.


    The location of the compartment was rather secretive, behind a painting, with just enough space to fit a backpack.


    Moving aside the painting, there was only a brown wooden box inside the compartment. The box appeared quite valuable. Upon opening it, Rein was taken aback to find a book inside.


    The book��s cover was extremely ornate, seemingly crafted from pure silver material, inlaid with noble sapphires, rubies, and turquoise. Its most distinctive feature was the extremely delicate carving of animals, patterns, and leaf veins.


    Rein��s first impression was that the book looked more like a rare piece of art than anything else.


    Considering ��Dog King�� Kolt��s appearance of weighing several hundred pounds, Rein couldn��t for the life of him associate this book with Kolt.


    Rein would never believe for a second that Kolt was a man who loved to read!


    The Hyena Gang��s boss a cultured man?


    Therefore, there must be something peculiar about this book!


    However, before touching it, Rein stood at a distance and cautiously used the tip of his Fine Steel Greatsword to gently lift the cover of the book and flip through a few pages.


    After confirming there was no issue, Rein then approached and quickly skimmed through a few pages.


    Rein��s expressions changed rapidly, one moment smiling, the next moment showing a puzzled look.


    He finally understood how Kolt had acquired that mutated Hyena Queen.


    Aparently, Kolt had created her using some records and recipes from this book.


    The contents of the book were highly eclectic, and the handwriting was quite sloppy.


    Furthermore, one could clearly see the writing of two different people.


    For instance, there was a passage that read:


    ��Damn it! Why did the other party only bring one bottle of that strange potion? If there had been two, then I could have had two beloved ��Marias��.��


    ��I copied the unknown text onto a piece of paper and sought out several so-called scholars, but none could understand it! These charlatans����


    ������


    The handwriting was definitely Kolt��s.


    Naturally, the other type of handwriting must be that of the book��s original owner.

 Chapter 72 - 72 - 71 The Book

    Chapter 72 �C 71 The Book


    Rein tentatively concluded that this was likely the diary or notes of someone, which recorded some insights and experiences in taming dogs, horses, birds, and other creatures.


    Since the record keeper did not leave behind their name, for the time being, Rein referred to the book as the ��Beast Taming Diary��.


    What set it apart was that the later entries in the diary required certain special potions to be realized.


    The last few even necessitated chanting some incantations that Rein couldn��t understand at all, in combination with specific rituals for completion.


    This immediately led Rein to speculate, could this be the diary of a Beast Tamer?


    Or could there be Druids in this world, and this was written by one?


    Rein��s mind raced with possibilities, but unfortunately, whether it was the potions or the rituals, large portions were interspersed with unknown script, making it presently impossible for Rein to concoct these potions or set up the rituals.


    ...


    In other words, the only sections he could fully understand were a small part at the beginning of the notebook.


    Mostly, there were recipes beneficial to the nurturing of animals��.


    Oh! Underneath the book in the wooden box, there was even a wooden amulet being pressed down.


    The amulet was strung on a sturdy, thin leather cord, with the front bearing a flourished large tree with a straight trunk and a canopy like a large mushroom, and on the back, a roaring Giant Bear, both carved with lifelike detail.


    Rein picked up the leather cord and carefully examined the amulet before slipping it inside the book.


    He planned on retreating first.


    Because for the moment, he couldn��t decipher the significance of these two items.


    After securing the important book against his chest, Rein searched the rooms where valuable items might be hidden one more time.


    Indeed, in a small compartment on the third floor, Rein found a hiding place for Gold Coins, roughly counting close to three hundred.


    Rein quickly pocketed them as well.


    Before leaving, Rein set fire to the three-story house!


    Afterward, Rein took advantage of the darkness and quickly left the dogfighting estate.


    Since most of the house was made of pure wood structures, although there was light rain outside, it had little effect; soon, the firelight illuminated the nearby sky.


    Rein, who sneaked back home in the night, only felt completely relieved after entering his own room. Then, he began to feel an all-over muscle soreness and exhaustion.


    It seemed that even though his Constitution had improved slightly, he still couldn��t completely eliminate the ��side effect�� of muscle weakness following the use of ��Strength Burst��.


    However, there was obviously an improvement.


    Rein distinctly felt that the muscle soreness was much weaker than the first time he ended ��Strength Burst��.


    Furthermore, the onset of this ��side effect�� of soreness and weakness seemed to be delayed, not appearing immediately.


    All these should be due to the increase in Constitution.


    After carefully stashing a large bag of Gold and Silver Coins under his bed, Rein finally had the spare time to pay attention to the system prompts:


    ��


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +245]


    [You have experienced combat, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +123]


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique surged by nearly a quarter of an experience bar, reaching lv4 (245/1000).


    And to Rein��s surprise, his Night Watchman Profession Level went from lv2 (207/300) to lv3 (30/500), gaining another attribute point and Skill Point.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv2 (0/300)/Night Watchman lv3 (30/500)


    Constitution: 10


    Strength: 10


    Agility: 9


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Attribute points are still at a constant 1 point, so there��s no plan for that.


    As for Skill Points, Rein thought it over, and since ��Strength Burst�� could no longer be improved, he naturally leaned toward ��danger perception lv1�� over the other upgradable core skill, ��hammer proficiency lv1��.


    After all, the weapon he was currently using was a Dual-Handed Greatsword, not a hammer.


    Moreover, the earlier one detected danger, the sooner one could seize the initiative.


    Especially when Rein had encountered a sudden attack from an assassin last time, ��danger perception lv1�� had come in really handy. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, after a moment��s thought, Rein added a Skill Point to the core skill ��danger perception lv1��, instantly upgrading it from lv1 to lv2.


    At the same time, Rein immediately felt his sense of touch, hearing, and vision sharpening further.


    And�� an indistinct, almost imperceptible innate response.


    ��Is this the sixth sense?��


    The term spontaneously popped into Rein��s mind.


    But Rein quickly shook his head, since he had never possessed a sixth sense and naturally couldn��t determine what this faint response really was.


    Let��s assume it��s the sixth sense for the time being.


    Simultaneously, the panel��s description of danger perception also changed accordingly.


    [Core Skill: danger perception lv2 (Passive)]


    danger perception lv2 (Passive) effect: Your awareness of danger in your surroundings has slightly increased.


    (Note: The acuity of danger perception is related to the host��s Spirit; the stronger the spiritual power, the sharper the perception.)


    Changed from ��slight�� to ��small degree��, this was similar to the changes after upgrading the Blacksmith��s strength earlier.


    Having finished allocating Skill Points, Rein took out the beautifully bound and luxurious book from his chest, examined it for a moment, and then placed it under the bed.


    Feeling a bit tired tonight, he planned to read it thoroughly tomorrow morning.


    Lying in bed, Rein��s mood had calmed down a lot compared to this evening when he discovered that the Hyena gang members had tracked down Anna��s house.


    At that time, he was filled with emotions like anxiety and anger when he saw the gang interrogating Anna and Bo He.


    After two consecutive killings, especially since eliminating the ��Hyena King�� Kael and obliterating the entire Hyena gang, Rein��s anger had been fully vented.


    Now, his thoughts were drifting away.


    Scenes of recent battles, such as with the Hyena gang, the assassin, the malicious mermen, the frenzied werewolves, and so on, flowed through Rein��s mind.


    ��Although this world is a Transcendent one, it seems even more stark, following the law of the dark jungle even more strictly.��


    ��Currently I am still very weak. If I want to protect myself, my family, and those I wish to protect, then I must grow faster and become sufficiently strong����


    ��Moreover, this world seems to be even more dangerous than I imagined����


    ������


    Gradually, Rein fell into a deep sleep!


    The next morning.


    Rein woke up early, sitting by the window, he began to flip through that beautiful book.


    The patterns on the cover seemed to represent some sort of reverence for nature, as it depicted bears, deer, wolves, leopards, various flowers, and tall trees.


    Additionally, the animals portrayed here were in peaceful postures, not in aggressive stances.


    Turning the pages, Rein carefully read the few paragraphs written by the original owner at the front of the diary.


    This section mainly described techniques for strengthening dogs and gaining their favor, ��Providing dogs with nutritional meals three times a day can effectively promote their growth and development����


    ��Nutritional meal recipe: 2 ounces of water root grass, 2 eggs, half a pint of milk, and 20 ounces of pork or chicken����


    ��Huh! They��re eating better than I do!�� Rein exclaimed involuntarily.


    ��No wonder that mutated Hyena Queen grew so big; it must be because of this nutritional meal?��


    ��Is this the canine version of ��if you want to win someone��s favor, first capture their stomach��?��


    Rein couldn��t help but laugh.

 Chapter 73 - 73 - 72: Water Root Grass

    Chapter 73 �C 72: Water Root Grass


    As Rein continued to read on, he realized his guess was indeed wrong.


    For he saw the following record:


    ��Canine enhancement: To break the shackles of a canine��s nature and increase its potential to become ferocious, you can try a daily nutritional meal as the base, with an additional 2 fluid ounces of the mutant growth potion each month (fluid ounce, a unit of volume)����


    ��Of course, this unstable potion could cause unpredictable changes in the canine. It must be administered with caution, and observations should be made closely. Should anything go awry, stop the administration immediately, and use����


    ��Mutant growth potion formula: 1 ounce of golden sunflower, 1 pair of nocturnal vampire bat wings, 2 carrion wolf claws����


    Upon reading this, Rein couldn��t help but ponder. Connecting with the content previously written by Kole, Rein quickly made a rough guess about the situation of the Hyena Queen in his mind.


    Kole must have cultivated the Hyena Queen ��Maria�� by chance using just one bottle of the mutant growth potion. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    But it seemed just as written in the book, in addition to becoming stronger and larger, the Hyena Queen also mutated.


    Only�� the direction of mutation was the rarely seen�� reproductive direction��


    This truly was��


    Indeed worthy of being called a mutant growth potion��


    Rein couldn��t help but shake his head.


    Continuing to flip through the book, Rein saw many other cultivation methods for different animals.


    Many of the cultivation methods needed to be used in conjunction with potions,


    and Rein had never heard of those potion recipes. Moreover, the process of making these formulas often involved sections or paragraphs of text written in an unknown language.


    ��Is it written in another language to keep it secret, or is it that during the concoction, one needs to recite some kind of incantation?��


    This made Rein lost in thought, seeming more likely that the latter was the case.


    Gently placing the book down.


    Rein always felt that this book wasn��t so simple.


    Imagine, why would a diary used for recording by a person have such a magnificent cover?


    The cover was made of silver, not to mention adorned with noble sapphires, rubies, and turquoise. This was something Rein found a bit difficult to understand.


    Shaking his head, since he couldn��t figure it out at the moment, Rein decided to let it go for now.


    Setting the book aside, Rein picked up the Wooden Amulet strung on a fine leather cord to look at.


    But after a long look, aside from seeing that the the animals and plants on both sides of the amulet were carved exquisitely, he could make out nothing else.


    However, he also understood that anything ��King of Canines�� Kole had put into the wooden box with the book couldn��t be simple.


    It might be just as precious as this book.


    A flash of inspiration suddenly crossed Rein��s mind.


    ��Is it possible that both the book and the amulet belong to the same master?��


    This immediately made his eyes light up.


    In that case, it would be easy to explain why ��King of Canines�� Kole placed the two items together.


    Furthermore, whether it was the patterns on the silver cover of the book or the designs on the amulet, ��nature�� could summarize both.


    Rein stroked his chin, nodding occasionally, the more he thought about it the more he felt he was grasping the thread of something.


    However��


    Understanding something and being able to read it are two different matters.


    So, in the end, Rein could only keep the amulet sandwiched in the ��Beast Taming diary�� and carefully treasure it.


    Afterward, Rein crossed his arms and paced back and forth in the room, deep in thought.


    ��The canine cultivation in the front part of the ��Beast Taming diary,�� I can understand, and the various materials should also be purchasable. I could try to create something using some of the recipes and formulas mentioned.��


    ��Perhaps it could trigger the profession panel related to Beast Taming.��


    ��The issue of canines is even easier to solve. During the last servant training session, I could have obtained a greyhound puppy for my home. Only I wasn��t assessed as a dog trainer, so I didn��t waste money to claim it at the time since adoption would cost three silver coins.��


    ��I can go to the estate myself later and get the canine situation settled. The rest�� that would be the recipes and potion formulas. If I��m just starting out, I can begin with simple recipes,��


    ��The trouble with the potion formulas is the unknown script, which is quite annoying. I��ll need to figure out where I can study this knowledge. Since Cole mentioned that ordinary scholars are not familiar with it, this script must be uncommon.��


    ��But�� this can be set aside for now.��


    ��Also, the nutrition meal formula: two ounces of water root grass, two eggs, half a pint of milk, twenty ounces of pork or chicken����


    ��It seems I haven��t really heard of water root grass, so I��ll have to check the potion shop first.��


    ��That��s decided then. I��ll go to the potion shop to see if there��s water root grass for sale. If so, I��ll buy the ingredients first, then go to get the canine.��


    Rein quickly went over what he needed to do and prepared to head out to Abel��s potion shop.


    Abel��s potion shop sells not only ready-made potions but also a variety of herbs and raw materials.


    If water root grass is for sale in town, the potion shop is the likeliest place.


    Soon, Rein arrived at Abel��s potion shop. He noticed that Molly was still the one tending the shop. She greeted Rein with a smile as he entered:


    ��Rein, are you here to see Abel again today?��


    ��No, Sister Molly, please pass my thanks to Mr. Abel for his help last time. I��ve come today to ask if you have water root grass for sale?��


    ��Water root grass? Let me check.�� Molly seemed a bit uncertain whether the shop had this herb, and immediately turned around to check the shelves with the herbs.


    ��Yes, we do, Rein. How many do you want?��


    ��I��ll take three,��


    ��Three? That won��t be cheap, you know. They��re priced at five silver coins each, so for three, that would be fifteen silver coins! I really don��t know what Abel was thinking pricing this herb so high,��


    Molly picked up a pale yellow herb to inspect and muttered complaints about Abel now and then.


    ��Fifteen silver coins?�� Rein couldn��t help but be taken aback.


    At five silver coins each, if he hadn��t made a windfall from the canine estate, he might have found this price a bit hard to swallow.


    ��Yeah, by the way, Rein, what do you need it for?�� Molly blinked her large eyes, clearly curious about Rein��s purchase of the water root grass.


    ��Haha, Sister Molly, here are fifteen silver coins.�� Rein handed over the money with a smile, deliberately not answering Molly��s question directly.


    After receiving the three stems of water root grass, Rein quickly left Abel��s potion shop.


    Water root grass resembled radishes in appearance, with a pale yellow skin. It seemed to be the rhizome of a plant but was much smaller than radishes and had more developed roots.


    Upon leaving the potion shop, Rein went to other stores and quickly bought all the remaining ingredients.


    When Rein returned home, his parents were still not back.


    However, Anna and Bo He noticed right away what Rein was carrying in his hands.


    ��Wow! Brother, what made you think of buying so much food today?��


    ��That��s great; we can have so many tasty things for dinner!��


    ��Um�� that, Bo He, haha, yes!�� Seeing his sister so happy, Rein didn��t have the heart to voice what he was actually thinking.


    What to say?


    That he was planning on trying to make dog food?


    It wasn��t urgent.


    The daily ingredients could always be replenished later.


    Naturally, his sister��s happiness was more important.


    At that moment, a familiar voice came from outside.


    ��Rein, are you home?�� George called from the doorway.


    ��I am! George, long time no see.�� Rein opened the door and greeted him with a smile.


    ��Whoa! Rein, you��ve changed so much!�� George gestured at Rein��s height, saying in surprise.

 Chapter 74 - 74 - 73 This is a Failed Demonstration

    Chapter 74 �C 73 This is a Failed Demonstration


    ��`


    Rein used to be shorter than him, only reaching up to his eyebrows.


    But in less than half a month, Rein had grown rapidly, almost as tall as him!


    This greatly amazed George, who grabbed Rein��s arm and exclaimed, ��Rein, what on earth have you been eating recently? How did you grow so fast!��


    But the next second, George froze; he lowered his head to look at the arm he was holding.


    He couldn��t get his hand around it!


    George instinctively pinched with his fingers, feeling the firm yet elastic sensation from his fingertips.


    ...


    George was stunned!


    ��Re��Rein! You��ve changed�� way too much!!�� George stammered, eyes wide and mouth agape.


    Not only had Rein grown taller, but his entire figure had also become larger, though it wasn��t immediately obvious since his build was still proportionate. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately for George, it was the arm he touched; had he felt Rein��s chest or back, he would have encountered the rigid metal bars of the ��plate armor shirt.��


    ��Smack!��


    ��Two big guys, cut out the touchy-feely,�� Rein protested as if annoyed.


    Actually, Rein wanted to prevent George from continuing to touch him here and there, exposing the fact that he was wearing a cotton plate armor shirt.


    It wasn��t that he worried George would tell others, but naturally, the fewer people who knew about it, the better.


    ��Sigh�� Rein, this change in you is just too great!�� George seemed quite disheartened.


    ��When you eat well, you naturally grow tall!�� Rein gestured towards the eggs, milk, and meat he had just bought, sitting to one side.


    George looked puzzled, then suddenly his expression cleared, ��No wonder!��


    ��Right, what did you want to see me about today?�� To avoid dwelling on the issue, Rein changed the subject.


    ��I just got a notification from the manor: training for page boys is resuming this afternoon,�� George said, slapping his forehead as he remembered the matter at hand.


    Huh! I had planned to visit the Habsburg manor later to settle the matter with the greyhound puppies, but I didn��t expect the training to resume in the afternoon.


    After a brief consideration, Rein decided to attend the page boys�� training in the afternoon, and after it ended, he would head to the manor��s kennel to pick out a greyhound.


    Rein naturally brought along his cotton plate armor shirt and dagger, but left the Dual-Handed Greatsword behind; it was just too conspicuous.


    In the afternoon.


    Outside the training ground of Habsburg manor, the page boys�� training began anew.


    Today��s session was focused on the basics of swordsmanship.


    ��We��ve learned the basics of swordsmanship before. Basic swordsmanship has only three moves, but whether it��s the striding thrust, downward slash, or upward sweep, they are all offensive moves with no defense techniques,��


    ��So today, we are going to learn how to use the long sword in your hand for defense!�� the swordsmanship instructor Humbert declared loudly.


    ��Rein, come forward and demonstrate with me.��


    ��Yes, Instructor!�� Rein was taken aback for a moment but quickly agreed and briskly walked to the front.


    ��Are you ready?��


    ��I��m ready, Instructor.��


    ��Hmm, the rest of you, pay close attention to my demonstration,�� Humbert nodded and then turned to address the group of page boys loudly.


    Humbert raised the wooden sword in his hands level to Rein��s chest and delivered a rapid striding thrust.


    However, Rein on the opposite side found it odd that the instructor would thrust such a slow sword, even for a demonstration; it just seemed a little too unrealistic.


    ��Surely the instructor must have something up his sleeve?��


    Therefore, Rein naturally took a step back, easily dodging Humbert��s thrust.


    Just as Rein thought Humbert would follow up with another attack, he found that Humbert was looking at him with a strange expression.


    The scene unfolding before him was a bit different from what Humbert had anticipated.


    Although he had long known that Rein had a natural talent for swordsmanship, having sparred with Rein several times, Humbert was also aware of Rein��s general strength.


    But the thrust he had just performed was executed with seventy percent of his real strength; logically, Rein should have barely failed to react in time, with Humbert��s sword tip pointing directly at his chest.


    Then, Humbert would have used this as a proper demonstration, to tell all the page boys about the importance of defense, and how to do it.


    ��`


    Humbert had not expected Rein to be able to dodge so easily.


    Clearly, this was a failed demonstration!


    ��Rein, very effective defense, let��s go again,�� Humbert said.


    This time, Humbert��s gaze was noticeably more serious, and he planned to use ninety percent of his strength.


    After all, if the demonstration failed twice, he wouldn��t know how to explain the content that was supposed to follow.


    He couldn��t possibly switch to someone else to demonstrate, could he?


    Would he still have any face left as the manor��s senior guard and the children��s swordsmanship tutor?


    Clearly, Rein was not aware of the swordsmanship instructor Humbert��s inner thoughts and immediately nodded:


    ��Alright, instructor!��


    This time, Humbert didn��t ask if Rein was ready, and as soon as he saw Rein take his position, he suddenly thrust forward with a striding motion.


    ��Whoosh!��


    This thrust was much faster than the previous one, so fast that it even slightly pierced the air, producing a faint whistling sound.


    Rein��s eyes narrowed, and he silently sighed to himself that instructor Humbert was finally taking it a bit more seriously this time!


    The previous attack was too perfunctory, but this one was much stronger. The question was, just how much of his real skill was the instructor using this time? Fifty percent? Or perhaps sixty percent?


    While Rein pondered this in his mind, his body��s movements were not slow in the least.


    Retreating quickly as if by instinct, Rein swiftly swung his sword, using the ��strong�� part of the blade near the hilt to block Humbert��s thrust.


    Perhaps it was because his attributes, especially his spiritual power, had greatly improved, Rein was able to grasp Humbert��s longsword trajectory very well.


    Moreover, being accustomed to the heavier Dual-Handed Greatsword, swinging the wooden sword felt like waving a straw, quick and easy, so the block was not difficult but rather smooth.


    ��Bam!��


    The two wooden training swords struck each other swiftly and then separated sharply.


    One could see that Humbert��s wooden sword had been knocked aside, while the tip of Rein��s sword pointed steadily at Humbert��s chest, motionless.


    At this moment, Humbert could no longer suppress the surprise in his heart, quietly uttering ��huh��, while his mind was overwhelmed by a storm of shock.


    ��If the first time could be put down to my own underestimation, leading to the sword being easily dodged by Rein, but this time, I deliberately caught Rein off guard.��


    ��Moreover, the speed of my thrust this time was obviously much faster than the last.��


    ��But even under such circumstances, Rein easily blocked it.��


    ��This��..��


    Humbert didn��t know what had happened to Rein lately, but he hadn��t seen the boy in just half a month, and his strength had improved to this extent?


    As for the other children who were watching, some were enthralled, others were shocked and bewildered.


    Most of the children had only seen the swordsmanship instructor Humbert and Rein exchange blows at an extremely fast pace, then heard a ��bam�� and it was all over.


    As for how Rein defended, they really didn��t see it clearly.


    Humbert was slightly stunned, then a flash of insight struck him, and he immediately thought of a way to cover up this failed demonstration.


    ��Ahem�� Rein just demonstrated very well!��


    Humbert cleared his throat and continued:


    ��Just now, I attacked Rein with a striding thrust, and Rein sidestepped and quickly blocked my thrust with the ��strong�� part of the blade, then counterattacked with a thrust, a very good response.��


    ��Everyone should learn from Rein��s defensive tactics, very standard and practical!��


    Upon hearing Humbert��s praises, Rein was clearly startled.


    This did not seem to match the demonstration he had anticipated; shouldn��t it have been him thrusting and then Humbert calmly blocking?


    But then again�� what the instructor just explained seems to make a lot of sense!


    ��


    The group of children looked at Rein with a mix of shock and envy.


    The one with thick eyebrows stood out the most; as the second-best swordsman among the children, he knew deeply how difficult it was to practice the rapid sequence of defense and counterattack that Rein had just demonstrated.

 Chapter 75 - 75 - 74: Turning a Passive Situation into an Active One

    Chapter 75 �C 74: Turning a Passive Situation into an Active One


    If he was able to spar with Rein before, this time after watching the demonstration between Instructor Humbert and Rein, the determination in his thick-browed heart to compete with Rein was completely extinguished.


    ��Is this what a swordsmanship prodigy looks like?!��


    It��s truly despair-inducing!


    At this moment, his heart was filled with deep disappointment!


    During the following sparring session, Rein, however, found it completely uninteresting.


    Clearly, none of the attendants could bring him any experience in basic swordsmanship anymore.


    If he wanted to earn experience points in basic swordsmanship more quickly, only Instructor Humbert��s personal sparring would suffice, but recalling the instructor��s dodgy gaze from earlier, Rein knew better than to ask too much of him.


    ...


    For the first time, Rein felt that the attendant training which had greatly improved his strength was slowly failing to keep pace with his progress, becoming something of a ��chicken rib.��


    So, seizing a break in practice, Rein approached Instructor Humbert and asked softly, ��Instructor, may I go practice archery?��


    Since Humbert was both the swordsmanship and archery instructor, he hardly hesitated and nodded immediately, ��You may! Rein, go to the practice range over there by yourself.��


    After all, he knew that apart from himself, there was nobody else among the attendants who could adequately spar with Rein in swordsmanship.


    But he couldn��t very well spar with him personally, for if he were to��


    Would he still have a face to show?


    At the end of the day, for Rein to continue attending such basic swordsmanship training was meaningless.


    Archery, on the other hand, remained Rein��s ��shortcoming.��


    Humbert fully supported this.


    Rein was immediately delighted and said, ��Thank you, Instructor Humbert.��


    Rein himself had only intended to try his luck, not expecting Instructor Humbert to agree so readily.


    Thus, under the astonished gazes of the other attendants, Rein concluded his basic swordsmanship training early and went alone to the nearby target range for archery practice.


    The Night Watchman��s elite archery had left a profound impression on Rein.


    Dense and precise arrow volleys efficiently killed the murloc invaders.


    Because Rein was reluctant to spend his precious skill points on basic archery, he now had to devote some time and energy to earnestly practicing archery himself.


    Picking up a war bow with roughly a hundred pounds draw weight, Rein began practicing at the wooden targets.


    Following his increase in various attributes, obviously, even archery training was beneficial to him.


    With such a draw weight, a normal guard might experience severe fatigue in their arm after drawing the bow twenty or thirty consecutive times, making it difficult to draw again, but the enhancements to Rein��s constitution and strength made it seem as effortless as eating and drinking, requiring only a short rest after over a hundred draws.


    The further improvement of his spirit led to a heightened sensitivity in perception, and Rein found himself hitting the bullseye much more frequently during archery practice than before.


    Especially the continuous stream of system prompts, which served as a great source of motivation for Rein.


    ��[You have practiced basic archery, and your comprehension has improved!]��


    ��[Your skill ��Basic Archery�� has improved, experience points +1]��


    ��.


    Fortunately, although the target range was also outside the fortress, it was at the northwest corner, some two to three hundred meters away from the central area where the attendants were, and not clearly visible.


    Otherwise, Rein��s archery might have been enough to drop the jaws of Instructor Humbert and all the attendants in shock.


    By midday, his basic archery skill had improved significantly, reaching lv2 (18/300).


    Indeed, physical fitness is the foundation of mastering all combat skills. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With good physical fitness, learning anything would be much faster.


    When his physical attributes improved by one or two points before, the change was imperceptible, but after an all-around increase, Rein felt the difference quite clearly.


    That afternoon, Rein, George, and the rest of the attendants made their way to the manor��s servants�� dining hall.


    ��`


    But when Rein faced the servant��s lunch before him again, he couldn��t help but sigh. A large plate of mashed potatoes, two thin slices of pickled pork, and a large bowl of vegetable soup were far from enough to meet his body��s nutritional needs.


    Previously, the intensity of the training couldn��t keep up.


    Now, even the nutrition couldn��t keep up.


    ��The current servant training is really of little use to me now!��


    As for archery, Rein believed the Night Watchman should have the corresponding training facilities.


    If it was only the daily forging of iron tools, then the Blacksmith Boris should have been able to teach everything, it would just cost a bit more in tuition, but the freedom was worth it.


    ��Rein, why aren��t you eating?�� George, who was sitting nearby, asked as he saw Rein staring blankly.


    ��It��s nothing.�� Rein shook his head and after nibbling on a few bites, he stopped eating.


    In the afternoon, Rein still trained in archery by himself. After the servant training ended, he first informed Humbert and George that he had some family matters and would not participate in the servant training for the time being.


    Then he found a maid to help him contact Chief Maid Shadia.


    Soon, Rein saw Shadia once again.


    She was still in her unchanging black maid��s attire and her expression was serious, but when she saw the noticeably taller and sturdier Rein, her face softened somewhat as she slightly smiled and nodded:


    ��Rein, you��ve grown taller and stronger. It seems you have been earnestly practicing the breathing technique left by Lady Cleya, very good.��


    ��By the way, are you here because you��ve run out of the black pine oil?��


    Rein shook his head, ��Thank you for your affirmation, Chief Maid. I came to say that I don��t plan to attend the servant training anymore.��


    ��I��d like to practice the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and the Giant Bear Sword Technique at home, which might be a bit more freeing.��


    Chief Maid Shadia, after a brief moment of thought, understood Rein��s concerns and nodded:


    ��Indeed, since Lady Cleya left, training at home might indeed be more convenient for you.��


    ��.


    After informing Chief Maid Shadia, Rein quickly headed to the kennels; he planned to pick up a greyhound puppy to take home.


    Without much thought, Rein paid three silver coins and picked up the greyhound puppy he had played with before.


    Of course, there are differences between greyhounds, such as lineage and physique.


    But the physical robustness of a common dog didn��t seem very significant to Rein.


    The main purpose of adopting the dog was to try out some of the recipes and potions recorded in the ��Beast Taming Diary,�� and to see if a new professional panel could be triggered.


    Since that was the case, there was no need to go through the trouble of careful selection. The familiar greyhound puppy he knew was just fine.


    So, under the sunset, Rein left the manor with the puppy in his arms, heading towards Flashgold Town.


    ��


    Meanwhile, since ��Poison Blade�� hadn��t returned or submitted a mission report within the designated deadline, the Wilderness Brotherhood soon realized that the mission had likely failed.


    As this was a mission handed down by a significant figure from County Town, the Wilderness Brotherhood urgently assigned someone to gather new information on their target, Rein.


    They quickly came across a surprising piece of news.


    The once seemingly unremarkable farmboy had actually obtained a junior Bounty Hunter license, and from the look of the dates, even before ��Poison Blade�� had taken on the mission.


    Those who can obtain a Bounty Hunter license are likely to be well above the militia level in strength, possibly reaching the level of a first-tier Knight Attendant, or even a little higher��at the level of a second-tier Knight Attendant.


    If that was the case, it wouldn��t have been surprising if ��Poison Blade�� had been caught off guard and capsized in the gutter.


    So, the problem was identified.


    It wasn��t that the Wilderness Brotherhood was too incompetent, but rather that the inaccurate information had cost them a carefully trained assassin!


    Suddenly, the Wilderness Brotherhood shifted from a passive to an active stance.


    ��`

 Chapter 76 - 76 - 75: The First Attempt at Premium

    Chapter 76 �C 75: The First Attempt at Premium ��Dog Food


    After several days of brewing, the news had made its way up the chain and then back down again.


    Just as Rein returned to Flashgold Town in the glow of the setting sun, within a study on the second floor of the Habsburg manor castle,


    Noble scion Dennis seemed to be engaging in some Knight Breathing Method training, with some specific parts of his body smeared with an oily dark liquid that emitted a distinctive medicinal scent.


    And his captain of the guards, Rulse, was at the side, reporting something.


    ��What? A mishap?�� Dennis��s face bore an incredulous expression.


    ��How could there be a mishap?��


    ��This�� the butler Michel says it was because we provided wrong intelligence, leading to the failure of the mission, so we must take full responsibility!�� Rulse looked at the distressed young master Dennis, thought for a moment, and still decided to relay the exact words of the other party.


    ...


    ��Damn taking full responsibility!��


    ��Did that greedy bastard Michel really say that?�� Dennis flew into a rage.


    Rulse nodded and continued:


    ��Michel said that Baron Alonso is still unaware of the matter. He��s given us three days to resolve this situation perfectly.��


    ��Otherwise, he will report to Baron Alonso, and by that time, your Divine Blood quota for next month will very likely be gone.��


    Rulse��s words seemed to gradually calm Dennis down.


    Divine Blood had become popular among the nobles of Meister County in the last year, delaying aging for the elders and greatly promoting those who had not yet embarked on the path of the Transcendent Knight Breathing Method.


    He had just sensed a clear improvement during his breathing method practice, which was worlds apart from before.


    Most importantly, this ��Divine Blood�� had no side effects. The only drawback was its scarcity and cost!


    Dennis, bearing the title of a baron��s son, only had a small vial��s quota per month, and it required him to shell out a hundred shiny imperial Gold Coins.


    He had found out just a couple of days ago that this ��Divine Blood�� had originated from Baron Alonso himself.


    As the steward and prime confidante of Baron Alonso, Michel��s threat was not an empty one!


    After pondering for a while, Dennis finally spoke, ��Rulse, investigate this Rein further. Could he really be some rare swordsmanship prodigy?��


    ��If that��s the case, we��ll spend some money to have an assassin from the Shadow Stingers take care of him.��


    ��Young master, that�� if we wait until my investigation is finished before calling on the Shadow Stingers, it will surely exceed three days.��


    ��How about this, once the investigation is over, I��ll take action myself. I��ve bought a few bottles of poison commonly used by assassins, including one lethal poison that is extremely potent; just a small wound is enough to be fatal.��


    ��This�� �� Though there was no doubt about Rulse��s strength, as long as the other party wasn��t a formal knight, he would surely succeed. However, Rulse��s Combat Skills were all military-oriented, leaving obvious traces after a fight.


    It was for this reason that Dennis had been reluctant to have his captain of the guards take personal action.


    But now, with only three days remaining��


    Unless he was willing to forfeit his quota of the Divine Blood, his captain of the guards was the best choice.


    And moreover, Rulse had already prepared the poison��


    ��Fine then! Just make sure not to leave any obvious traces!��


    ��At your command, young master. It is my honor to serve you,�� Rulse bowed, then slowly left the study.


    ��By the way, send for Tina.��


    ��.


    After Rein returned home with a three-month-old greyhound puppy, having taken a detour through the store, he immediately attracted the great interest of his sister Bo He.


    ��Brother, weren��t you at the manor attending squire training? Why did you come back?��


    ��Wow! Brother, is this a hound? Are we going to keep it?�� Bo He asked while excitedly reaching out her little hand to pet the black greyhound puppy.


    Because it was only three months old, the greyhound��s fur was still relatively soft, making it very warm and comfortable to touch.


    Rein nodded as he saw the happy expression on Bo He��s face.


    ��That��s great! I��ve always wanted to have one,�� cheered Bo He unabashedly.


    Previously, due to the modest conditions at home, having a small animal had always been a luxury for Bo He, so naturally she was overjoyed now that it was possible.


    ��Sister Anna, come and touch it, it��s so comfortable!�� Bo He called Anna over.


    ��Hmm,�� Anna was also beaming with joy, seemingly very fond of small animals as well.


    The greyhound puppy was originally a bit shy, but it became less fearful after being gently stroked a few times by the two girls�� soft hands.


    Before long, it had indulged in the kneading of their four pale, soft hands, and from time to time it emitted a comfortable ��aowuu�� sound.


    ��By the way, brother, what��s its name?�� Bo He looked up and asked.


    ��That�� It doesn��t have a name yet, how about�� just calling it Skinny Dog?�� Rein suggested offhandedly.


    After all, a greyhound puppy would grow up to be quite slender. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next second, Rein felt two disdainful glares coming from his side.


    Rein awkwardly smiled and said, ��I��m still considering. If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them.��


    ��Brother, how about we call it Cookie?�� Bo He suggested enthusiastically from the side.


    ��Cookie, like the cookie from a biscuit?��


    The name didn��t seem that great, but when Rein glanced at Anna, he saw her nodding in agreement.


    Well then�� It looked like he would have to go with the majority.


    Rein ruffled little Bo He��s hair and said, ��Alright! We��ll follow your suggestion, it will be named Cookie.��


    ��You��re the best, brother!�� Bo He immediately gave Rein an enthusiastic hug.


    Leaving ��Cookie�� with the two girls, Rein then started to prepare a nutritious meal for dogs according to the instructions in the ��Beast Taming Journal.��


    ��Water grass, 2 ounces, two eggs, half a pint of milk, and either 20 ounces of pork or chicken����


    Rein mixed them together as he compared them against the requirements.


    Soon, a plate of something resembling a soft and wet minced meat mixture was ready.


    When Rein handed over the dish to the greyhound puppy, Bo He eyed it with some disdain and said,


    ��Brother, why are you feeding Cookie this? Why not give it bones to eat?��


    Rein snorted with irritation, ��Bones? Those things are far more expensive than beef.��


    ��Ah?�� Bo He exclaimed, looking at her brother��s facial expression which didn��t seem like he was joking.


    She knew that because of her brother, life had been getting better at home, but they didn��t have beef every day.


    But for her brother to say that this dish, in fact, was even pricier than beef, that really surprised Bo He.


    Anna too widened her beautiful eyes, observing the damp minced meat in Rein��s hand carefully, seemingly perplexed by its high cost.


    The greyhound puppy��s reaction, on the other hand, was much more direct!


    When Rein approached with the plate, the puppy immediately focused on the food inside, quickly standing up from its lying position, ears perked, and tail wagging around Rein, its eyes firmly fixed on his plate.


    It was clearly hooked by Rein��s gourmet ��dog food.��

 Chapter 77 - 77 - 76: The Third New Profession

    Chapter 77 �C 76: The Third New Profession


    Rein placed the plate on the ground, and the Whippet puppy instantly ��woofed�� and darted over, gobbling up the food.


    Seeing the Whippet puppy eating so relishingly, Rein couldn��t help but feel a bit helpless.


    ��Not bad, you��ve got good taste! You know it��s the good stuff!��


    ��If this doesn��t work, you scrawny dog! This will be your last meal!��


    ��Damn it! Can��t believe it��s eating better than us!�� Rein muttered resentfully in his heart.


    ��Giggle!�� Hearing this, his sister Bo He couldn��t help but giggle.


    Even the usually shy Anna snorted with laughter and quickly covered her mouth with her little hand.


    ...


    But Anna��s laughter threshold seemed quite low, she bowed her head, her cheeks turned red, and she was still snickering.


    At this moment, Rein suddenly froze, and then his face lit up with joy!


    Because the system prompt appeared:


    [You have fed a canine, and your related comprehension has improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Dog Training]


    [Your skill Dog Training has improved, experience +1]


    [Congratulations, you have triggered the career panel��Beast Tamer]


    ��.


    [The total number of career panels has reached the current limit (3/3)!]


    ��The manor��s Beast Tamer old man has led us astray, ah, how could teasing a dog increase intimacy compared to feeding it?��


    ��I should have thought of this earlier!��


    Rein was speechless in his heart.


    This simple truth, and yet he had only come to realize it now.


    But when Rein saw the last item in the system prompt, the excitement in his chilled as if someone had doused him with a bucket of cold water!


    Reached the limit?


    Does that mean his current roles as a Blacksmith, Night Watchman, and Beast Tamer are the only three professions he has?


    However�� the shrewd Rein immediately noticed the word ��current�� in the system��s wording.


    The two words were not hard to understand.


    ��That is to say, under the current conditions, I can only have three career panels.��


    So what are the current conditions referring to? Is it the sum of the four attribute stats, or does a single attribute have to exceed a certain value? Or is it that I have to break through to become a Knight?


    It��s very likely that after meeting certain conditions, I should be able to break this limit.


    Of course, it might also require some sort of ��event��, similar to triggering a career panel, to make the breakthrough.


    However, Rein couldn��t figure out what the condition for breaking the limit was at the moment.


    ��What a pity! I haven��t had the chance to try other side professions yet��Baker, Cobbler, Tailor and so many others, it would be so nice if there wasn��t a limit on the number of professions!�� Rein couldn��t help but feel a bit regretful.


    But upon further reflection, Rein felt a bit relieved.


    ��Because if it��s true that I can only ever have three career panels.��


    ��Then the three professions I have now without making a deliberate choice, it turns out they��re all pretty good.��


    ��And when combined together, they can even be considered an excellent combination.��


    After all, aside from Blacksmith, it��s unlikely that other life professions would bring him the awesome core skill ��Strength Burst��, right?


    As for a Tailor? Uses needles��


    Baker? Uses an oven��


    Cobbler? Let��s not even talk about cobblers��


    No matter how you look at it, none of the other professions seemed as reliable as a Blacksmith��s hammer!


    As for Beast Tamer, it appears only Falconer might be comparable.


    ��Right, the system only mentions a limit of three professions, but it doesn��t say I can��t advance or change professions.��


    This thought made Rein��s eyes brighten.


    ��I can delve deeper into these three professions!��


    ��For example, a Blacksmith should be able to advance to a Swordsmith or something, right? At least, Swordsmith is something I��ve heard of. Likewise, if there is a Swordsmith, there should also be Armorers and so on.��


    ��And the dog trainer,�� Weilun boldly guessed, ��what follows is probably something like Beast Tamer or Beast Driver, right?��


    ��As for my current combat profession, the Night Watchman��.��


    ��Well! It��s actually the hardest to guess what the advanced profession would be!��


    ��But it��s likely similar to a Transcendent path like the Knight��s, considering the breathing technique is still clearly listed on the Night Watchman��s skill panel.��


    Having figured it out, Rein decided to continue looking further.


    On the newly added page, the title read three big characters: Dog Trainer lv1 (0/100)


    The icon that was lit up at the bottom was the dog training skill he was just prompted about.


    The icon as a whole still had rounded square edges, with the pattern in the center depicting a well-behaved dog sitting and sticking out its tongue, looking lifelike.


    There were also a few small characters below the icon: Dog Training lv1 (1/100).


    At this moment, Mother Emma had finished preparing dinner and came out from the adjacent kitchen.


    When she noticed the three of them crowded around something on the ground, she couldn��t help but come over out of curiosity. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Surprise showed on Mother Emma��s face when she saw a greyhound lying on the floor eating; she seemed to have something she wanted to say but was trying to hold back.


    However, after a while, Mother Emma couldn��t help herself and pulled Rein��s sleeve, taking him to the room next door to ask:


    ��Rein, I heard from Bo He that you went to the manor for page boy training, right?��


    ��Also, you�� why did you bring a dog back?��


    ��Although our family��s situation has been slowly improving, keeping a dog��.��


    Faced with his mother��s triple query, Rein couldn��t help but smile wryly, thought for a moment, and said:


    ��Mother, I��m about to officially join the Night Watchman, so I won��t participate in the page boy training; these two days are a good time for me to adjust myself.��


    ��Don��t worry! Our lives are definitely going to get better and better.��


    ��By the way, this is the reward from the last time Captain Weilun and I went to Glimmer Lake to clear out the fishmen.��


    Rein took out three Gold Coins from his bosom and handed them to Mother Emma, without mentioning anything about raising the greyhound.


    Initially wanting to say something, Mother Emma, upon seeing the three shimmering imperial Gold Coins Rein produced, exclaimed in surprise, ��Is the reward for a mission so generous?��


    ��Yes! So, Mother, don��t worry, we will definitely get better and better.�� In fact, Rein still withheld some information; the value of just that Glowstone alone was worth at least dozens of imperial Gold Coins.


    Moreover, he didn��t want to mention the details of the mission to avoid worrying his mother.


    Mother Emma��s expression was complex as she nodded and took the Gold Coins; she didn��t say anything more about Rein raising a dog.


    She had realized that some of her thoughts could not apply to her son Rein.


    After all, he was now making in one mission what she made in a year.


    Therefore, if Rein had his own ideas, she should just let him do as he pleased.


    Soon after, Old Rein also returned home, and he, too, was surprised to see the greyhound.


    But after Mother Emma whispered to him, he looked at Rein in astonishment and then nodded.


    Dinner was spent in a warm and cozy atmosphere with the family.


    At night, Rein began his regular practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique as usual.


    Starting today, Rein could basically start practicing the third form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    This stance, unlike the second form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique called ��Russian Squat Thrust,�� which primarily trained arm strength, focused on the core muscles of the waist and abdomen, the lungs, and coordination of the body.


    The third form involved squatting down with one leg bent, the other leg extended to the side, arms raised above the head with fingers interlocked, then touching the knee with the head, and finally, slowly standing up from the squatting position with the one leg.


    For ordinary people, even if they had excellent flexibility and strength, it would be impossible to stand up with one leg.


    It seemed that starting from this third form, Rein��s practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique was partially stepping onto the path of Transcendent practice.


    The movement involved core muscles and fascia of the waist, abdomen, and shoulders.


    So, when Rein first tried it, he felt an unusually satisfying soreness in the muscles of his waist, abdomen, and the tendons behind his thighs where the black birch oil had been applied.


    Even though Rein already had a Constitution of 10, after persevering for about 12 minutes, he had to stop and rest, sweating profusely.


    But the effects were significant.


    [Your practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique has led to an insight, increasing your understanding!]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +2]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +3]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +2]


    ��.

 Chapter 78 - 78 - 77: Choice is More Important Than Effort

    Chapter 78 �C 77: Choice is More Important Than Effort


    Practicing yielded Experience, from the original consistent +2, it had changed to occasionally seeing a +3.


    This also meant that the speed of gaining experience for the Giant Bear Breathing Technique had become slightly faster than before.


    After three attempts, Rein extended the single session to 14 minutes. Although the total duration of the three times was less than 45 minutes, his experience increased by 28 points, and the Giant Bear Breathing Technique reached lv2 (114/300).


    Given Rein��s current physical condition, he could perform the third form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique about three times, and basically, this intensity was close to his limit.


    The next morning, Rein got up early and went to the woods near his home.


    The practice of the Giant Bear Sword Technique required a spacious place, and after walking some distance in the woodland, Rein found a slightly open clearing.


    This clearing was about seventy to eighty square meters, surrounded by dense oak trees and larches, providing a good natural sound insulation. Even when Rein swung his Dual-Handed Greatsword forcefully, the howling noise did not carry beyond the woodland to the main road.


    ...


    Then, Rein shook the sheepskin-wrapped Fine Steel Greatsword and began to practice.


    Rein first raised the Fine Steel Greatsword high, then suddenly swung it downward at a ninety-degree angle to the front, swiftly turning to follow with a forty-five-degree Smooth Cleaving Slash.


    Immediately after, he quickly stepped forward, pushed off powerfully, and leaped high into the air to deliver a Leap Slash downward, the greatsword driving the airflow to emit a series of whooshing sounds��


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique comprised five forms: Furious Slash, Leap Slash, Guard, Smooth Cleaving Slash, and Whirlwind Slash.


    It could be said that Rein had become very proficient in these sword moves through frequent use in numerous battles.


    A set of movements was both fast and stable!


    After practicing several times, Rein suddenly remembered a phrase Cleya had mentioned before:


    ��The Giant Bear Sword Technique originated from mimicking the claw strikes of bear-like Transcendent creatures, emphasizing great strength and momentum!��


    This made him reflect once again, quite moved.


    Each time, when his strength improved slightly, he could clearly feel the enhancement in the power of the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    Thus, whenever he activated ��Strength Burst��, the power of the Giant Bear Sword Technique increased exponentially.


    Thinking this, Rein consciously incorporated the concepts of ��strength�� and ��momentum�� and practiced the Giant Bear Sword Technique again.


    [You trained in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, insights improved!]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +2]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +1]


    ��.


    This brought a smile to Rein��s face; the notifications for the Giant Bear Sword Technique experience were no longer just +1, but occasionally +2, further accelerating the pace of training in the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    Indeed, apart from diligent practice, any skill requires active reflection!


    After a morning of hard training, Rein��s Giant Bear Sword Technique progressed from lv4 (245/1000) to lv4 (298/1000).


    In the afternoon, Rein went to John��s Farm not far south of Flashgold Town.


    Last time, the Night Watchman Captain Weilun had reminded him that he could find John Moyle at John��s Farm to learn riding for two Gold Coins.


    But it had been delayed due to some issues.


    The reason that spurred Rein to decide to learn riding immediately was not only because future tasks would require more frequent horseback travel.


    The main reason was that Rein wanted to see if riding could trigger an ��event��, such as a prompt for a job change.


    Flashgold Town in late autumn was picturesque.


    Walking on the road outside the town, fields on both sides were a golden yellow, with wheat swaying in the autumn breeze. Many fields had begun the harvest, and heaps of wheat sheaves were piled up together.


    Watching the hardworking farmers of Flashgold Town, Rein felt a different kind of emotion since his father, old Rein, was also among them.


    ��After officially joining the Night Watchman, maybe I can persuade my parents to take a break or switch to a lighter job,��


    ��After all, for me now, whether they earn money or not really isn��t important anymore.��


    ������


    Soon, Rein arrived at John��s Farm, which occupied a large area. Even from the outside, one could clearly see a racetrack enclosed by a wooden fence and the stables nearby.


    At that moment, numerous black, white, and brown horses were leisurely strolling in the racetrack, enjoying the sunny afternoon.


    Soon, Rein met a middle-aged man with a ruddy, bulbous nose, and after inquiring, found out he was indeed John Moyle.


    After paying two Gold Coins as a fee, Rein began to formally learn how to ride.


    Due to Rein��s physical condition having long surpassed that of ordinary people, he quickly learned how to maintain balance on a horse under the astonished gaze of John Moyle.


    In less than half an hour, Rein could comfortably control the horse to either halt or trot forward.


    However, Rein did encounter some difficulties while trying to make the horse switch from trotting to galloping around the riding arena. Rein tried squeezing his legs against the horse��s belly several times, but the horse beneath him seemed unable to fully understand his intentions, merely quickening its pace instead.


    ��Mr. John, how can I make the horse run?��


    ��Uh�� this was actually supposed to be part of the lessons three days from now.��


    ��Rein, you have so quickly mastered balance and controlling the horse to move in a straight line. It��s hard to believe you had never learned horse riding before.��


    John Moyle was initially taken aback, and after scrutinizing Rein for a moment, he remembered to answer Rein��s question.


    Because he was so surprised; he had taught hundreds of beginners in horse riding, but it was the first time he saw someone who could control a horse to move in a straight line effortlessly after about half an hour from a standing start.


    ��As for your question, the answer is simple. Rein, the horse beneath you actually needs you to provide more specific instructions.��


    ��If you are just squeezing the horse��s belly, it��s hard for the horse to distinguish whether you want to trot or gallop.��


    ��Because a trot is a two-beat gait and running is a three-beat gait, so you need to lightly tap the horse��s belly with your outer leg when its right front and left hind hooves touch the ground, while your inner leg stays close to the horse����


    ��I see����


    Under John Moyle��s demonstration, Rein quickly grasped the essentials.


    A system prompt then followed:


    [You have trained in horse riding, insight enhanced!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Horse Riding]


    [Your skill Horse Riding has improved, Experience +1]


    Unfortunately, the new skill ��Horse Riding�� did not bring any related hints for a career change for Rein.


    However, learning a new practical skill was in itself a joyous accomplishment.


    ��.


    Three regular days later.


    After a few days of exploring, Rein had largely figured out how to rapidly advance as a dog trainer.


    Basically, if he fed the greyhound pup a nutritious meal, his Dog Training skill would improve by four to five points, and his dog trainer Profession Level Experience would increase by one point.


    But if he took the dog for a walk, the progression was much faster, about fifteen minutes later, his dog trainer Profession Experience would increase by one point.


    Consequently, Rein added a new daily essential activity��dog walking!


    Every evening, after feeding ��Cookie,�� Rein would take it out for a walk.


    This made Rein, who had never owned a dog in his previous life, feel a surge of emotions!


    Additionally, two days ago, when Rein was preparing dog nutrition meals, he triggered another professional skill of a dog trainer����Dog Food Production.��


    Possibly because the ��dog food�� Rein prepared was quite special, every time Rein made these dog nutrition meals, his ��Dog Food Production�� skill improved rapidly, and his dog trainer Profession Level also increased swiftly.


    [You made dog food, insight enhanced!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Dog Food Production]


    [Your skill Dog Food Production has improved, Experience +5] S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [You focused on Dog Food Production, your dog trainer Profession Experience +2]


    ��.


    This series of actions significantly accelerated Rein��s dog trainer Profession Experience.


    Just recently, he had successfully advanced to dog trainer lv2 (0/300).


    Advancing to lv2 in three days, this rocket-like speed was something Rein had not anticipated.


    Thus, Rein also received a reward of 1 attribute point and 1 skill point.


    This could not help but make Rein chuckle to himself:


    ��Indeed, often, making the right choice is more crucial than putting in effort.��

 Chapter 79 - 79 - 78: Comprehending a Unique Secret Technique

    Chapter 79 �C 78: Comprehending a Unique Secret Technique


    ��`


    However, Rein also noticed a point where the third new profession ��Dog Trainer�� differed from that of a Blacksmith and a Night Watchman.


    That was the lack of a core skill.


    In this respect, Dog Trainer was similar to the entry-level profession of Militia.


    Therefore, Rein surmised that he probably had to wait until Dog Trainer advanced to a subsequent profession to acquire a core skill.


    Additionally, over these three days, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique smoothly increased from lv2 to lv3 (0/500).


    Just the day before yesterday, the training in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique rewarded Rein with a +1 increase in Strength.


    ...


    This once again proved the foundational role of the Knight Breathing Method on the Transcendent path of becoming a Knight.


    At the same time, the improvement in the breathing technique brought an important change for Rein, as his control over his body��s muscles seemed to be even higher.


    Specifically, Rein could now easily control the intensity of ��Strength Burst.��


    Previously, once Rein used the core skill ��Strength Burst,�� he would double his strength without regard.


    But now, Rein could gradually control the degree of this burst, such as increasing his strength by fifty or seventy percent.


    This change not only proved that Rein��s control over his own strength was more refined, but it also indirectly increased the duration of the burst.


    Basically, if Rein kept the Strength Burst to about fifty percent, he could maintain the effect for almost two minutes.


    If he went all out, it would be around fifty seconds, slightly better than the previous forty-five seconds.


    Besides, the ��side effect�� of sore muscles throughout the body would be greatly mitigated in proportion to the intensity of Rein��s burst.


    This delighted Rein.


    Refining his control over his own strength was, after all, tantamount to an increase in power!


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv2 (0/300)/Night Watchman lv3 (30/500)/Dog Trainer lv2(31/300)


    Constitution: 10


    Strength: 11


    Agility: 9


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining attribute points: 2


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Rein saw on the attribute panel that, besides Agility, the other attributes had already crossed the threshold of 10 points.


    Suddenly, Rein remembered that a long time ago, the system had once notified him of the prerequisite conditions for the ��Knight Attendant�� profession, which required a minimum of 8 points in Strength, Agility, and Constitution to advance to Knight Attendant.


    This presumably represented the physical attribute threshold for a level one Knight Attendant.


    ��So, if Strength, Agility, and Constitution all exceed 10 points, does that mean the strength of a level two Knight Attendant?��


    ��That should be about right! If there��s a difference of 2 points in Strength, Agility, and Constitution, such a power gap is very noticeable.��


    Putting other things aside, Rein thought back to his swordsmanship practice with Humbert the instructor two days ago, and quickly understood why Humbert had that expression at the time.


    It wasn��t that Instructor Humbert was holding back, it was that he had become stronger!


    ��Reasonably assuming, once all three attributes exceed 12, it��s very likely that one becomes a level three Knight Attendant.��


    ��Which means, if I add 1 point to Agility, making it 10 points, I should be considered to have the strength level of a level two Knight Attendant.��


    ��Hmm�� just over a month��s time, from a skinny youth to becoming a level two Knight Attendant, this level of progress is quite something, isn��t it!��


    ��`


    Regarding these two attribute points, apart from keeping one as a standby, Rein was momentarily hesitant to use the other between Constitution and agility.


    Constitution could lessen the ��aftereffects�� of the core skill ��Strength Burst�� and increase the duration of his practice.


    But agility was equally important, especially since his Giant Bear Breathing Technique wasn��t one that primarily enhanced agility.


    Using strength to overpower finesse is all well and good, but great strength is useless if you can��t hit your opponent.


    After pondering for a moment, Rein still couldn��t decide.


    The allocation of Skill Points posed a similar dilemma.


    The core skill ��danger perception�� was currently at lv2, which was fundamentally sufficient.


    So, Rein wondered if he should invest a point into the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, directly taking it from lv3 to lv4, which should bring a further increase in strength and Constitution benefits in the short term.


    On the other hand, danger perception was a core skill that could only be upgraded with Skill Points, whereas the Giant Bear Breathing Technique could be improved through practice.


    But upon careful thought, Rein realized that ��danger perception�� was a sense for danger. When danger was unavoidable, it was ultimately his own strength that determined victory or defeat.


    The Knight Breathing Method was crucial to rapidly consolidating and enhancing his own strength, the key to deciding said victories!


    Consequently, after slight deliberation, Rein eventually decided to invest a Skill Point into the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    With the Giant Bear Breathing Technique promoted to lv4.


    Instantly, fragmented memories of practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique flooded Rein��s mind.


    These memories were disjointed fragments of breathing exercises; a series of images flashed through Rein��s mind and quickly implanted into the memory of his muscles and fascia.


    When Rein opened his eyes again, it was as if he had undergone a month or two of intensive practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. At this moment, he could distinctly feel a certain odd sensation throughout his body, as if there was an itchy feeling coming from deep within his fascia.


    An instinct from within his body urged him to apply the black tung oil again and start practicing the third form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Indeed, the itchy feeling grew stronger, and Rein felt the fascia in his body start to mutate; it was as if fine, incredibly resilient fascial fibers were extending, rooting deeply into his bones and muscle fibers.


    This change noticeably enhanced Rein��s explosive strength and resistance to blows; even his skin became tougher, resembling oil-soaked cowhide.


    Beyond that, Rein felt an itchy and hot sensation in his chest, as if he wouldn��t be comfortable without letting out a roar.


    At that moment, a system notification arrived quietly:


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique that combines Giant Bear Breathing Technique with Giant Bear Sword Technique: roaring strike!]


    Following that, an elated Rein saw a brand-new icon located above the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique on the Night Watchman panel.


    The icon depicted the head of a roaring giant bear, its mouth wide open, fangs sharp, appearing lifelike and ferocious.


    roaring strike lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Uses powerful lung capacity to simulate the sonic impact of a giant bear��s attack, combined with the execution of Whirlwind Slash.


    (Note: roaring strike is a secret technique and cannot be directly upgraded with Skill Points.)


    (roaring strike lv2 requires the following conditions: Giant Bear Breathing Technique lv5 or above, Giant Bear Sword Technique lv5 or above; Strength 12 points, Constitution 12 or above.)


    So that��s how it is!


    It seems that the sensation of discomfort without a big roar must be due to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique��s exercise of the lungs. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it weren��t already nighttime, Rein would certainly have let out a few loud roars.


    But the memory of Cleya��s demonstration made him shake his head.


    With one shout from him, the residents of Flashgold Town nearby would probably all be woken up!


    With no other choice, Rein had to restrain himself!


    The last point was that Rein discovered he had easily surpassed the requirement of maintaining the third form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique for half an hour without realizing it.


    This meant that he was now ready to practice the fourth form of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique!

 Chapter 80 - 80 - 79: The Glowing Amulet

    Chapter 80 �C 79: The Glowing Amulet


    However, Rein felt that he had almost reached his limit for today��s breath training exercise and could start the fourth technique tomorrow.


    Overtraining would be counterproductive.


    After pondering for a moment, Rein retrieved the lavishly covered ��Beast Taming Diary�� from under the bed and began to read it earnestly.


    The content recorded within was exceedingly practical for Rein, as proven by the canine nutrition meal alone.


    Thus, Rein planned to continue his research and try to develop more recipes, which might once again speed up his Profession Level advancement as a dog trainer.


    Another problem that now lay before Rein was the issue of how to recognize the unknown scripts.


    This was a big problem. If he couldn��t decipher the meaning of these scripts, it meant that Rein couldn��t learn a very important part of the content in the book��the potion formulas.


    ...


    Considering that ��King of Dogs�� Cole had mentioned that he had hired several scholars from the County Town who were also unable to recognize it, the difficulty of deciphering these scripts must be immense.


    But for Rein to simply give up was clearly impossible.


    ��Because within it, there might be some specific events related to my advancement from a Dog Trainer to a Beast Tamer, or perhaps there are key potions hidden in the book��none of these possibilities can be ruled out.��


    ��One thing is for certain, if I manage to thoroughly research these potions and create them, it will undoubtedly greatly enhance my Profession Level as a Dog Trainer.��


    After serious thought, Rein came up with two possible solutions to this problem.


    The first option was for Rein to transcribe a few of the discontinuous alien characters, write them on paper, and ask Chief Maid Shadia to help look for related text introductions or annotations in the castle��s library.


    The second option was to wait until he officially joined the Night Watchman and then search for related materials through official channels.


    Just as Rein was mulling over this issue, a soft knock on the door sounded.


    ��Come in!��


    Rein knew it had to be Anna.


    It had been the same in recent days; Bo He would bring ��Cookie�� to their room for some fun before bedtime.


    And after Bo He fell asleep, Anna was responsible for bringing ��Cookie�� to Rein��s room.


    Perhaps because Rein was a Dog Trainer and ��Cookie��s�� owner, ��Cookie�� always chose to return to Rein��s side before going to sleep.


    ��Anna, has Bo He fallen asleep?�� Rein asked gently, turning around.


    ��Yes, she just fell asleep a little while ago, I��ll go back now.��


    Anna glanced at Rein and nodded shyly, but as she turned around, she seemed to notice something.


    ��Oh, Rein, such a quaint amulet, may I take a look?�� Anna asked, extending her hand curiously toward the Wooden Amulet that Rein had placed beside the book.


    ��Of course, you may!�� Rein casually picked up the Wooden Amulet and handed it to Anna.


    Anna took it and first examined it with delighted scrutiny before gently touching the amulet��s surface with her delicate fingers, as if she were caressing a newborn baby.


    ��What a unique amulet, the carvings are as though they were real, it feels so delicate to the touch,�� Anna said involuntarily.


    Clearly, Anna lo very much liked the amulet.


    Just as Rein was about to tease Anna, suddenly, a strange occurrence happened!


    ��Ah!!��


    The Wooden Amulet suddenly lit up with a soft green glow, shocking Anna to the point where she nearly dropped it on the floor.


    But it seemed as though she felt the green light to be very soft and comforting, so she bravely continued to hold the amulet in her hand, despite her fright.


    Rein had already walked over by then, just as surprised.


    He had had the amulet for several days now, but no matter how he handled it, such a peculiar phenomenon had never occurred before.


    ��Rein, it seems�� I feel�� like I can control this green light,�� Anna said, looking up at Rein with her big eyes and speaking earnestly.


    ��Don��t panic, and don��t move��let me have a look,�� Rein said soothingly.


    Rein carefully felt the green glow, which seemed to hold a mysterious allure that was drawing him closer. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein��s higher Spirit Attribute had come into play at this moment.


    He felt as if he could sense the green light emitting a certain fragrance of vegetation and the vitality of life.


    Furthermore, Rein��s danger perception yielded no reaction, so he was fairly certain that the green light posed no threat.


    Moreover, at this time, Anna was holding the amulet, with her entire person bathed in the green light��s glow.


    If there were something amiss with the green light, Anna would have been the first to encounter trouble.


    Thus, Rein boldly reached out to touch the green light slowly.


    The moment Rein��s touch met it, the green light suddenly moved away from the amulet, enveloping his entire body in an instant.


    Suddenly, Rein felt as though he were soaking in a hot spring.


    It was as if he were a fetus floating in amniotic fluid.


    An unknown energy, signifying life and vitality, was now pouring continuously into his body.


    It made him feel thoroughly translucent!


    Even the air in the room seemed much fresher, and with each breath Rein took, it was as if he were inhaling the essence of plants.


    It felt like going from a big city to the Shennongjia Forest Region in an instant, where the air is so fresh it��s overpowering, and the negative ion content is off the charts!


    Gradually, the green light began to fade away.


    Rein felt exceptionally well, and glancing down, he noticed the small scars on the back of his hand from the battle had vanished without a trace.


    His hand now looked like a freshly peeled egg, devoid of any mark of scars.


    ��This is definitely Transcendent Strength! But it��s clearly not the Transcendent of the knight��s path, seeming more like Magic or witchcraft, using some kind of peculiar energy particles,�� Rein was very sure in his mind.


    But why could Anna trigger it, while his own touches had elicited no response whatsoever?


    Rein was puzzled for the moment.


    Suddenly, Anna��s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her delicate body swayed.


    Rein immediately noticed that Anna was clearly very exhausted at this point.


    ��Could it be because she triggered the strange green light from the amulet?��


    Thus, Rein quickly stepped forward, took hold of Anna, and said softly, ��Anna, are you alright? Maybe you should rest on the bed for a while.��


    ��Mhm!�� Perhaps because Rein was supporting her, a faint blush slowly suffused Anna��s pale face.


    But she listened to Rein and slowly seated herself on the bed.


    ��I��m fine, just feeling so tired, as if I have been sewing clothes all day and my head is spinning.��


    Rein immediately realized that Anna��s condition was very much in line with the symptoms of severe mental exhaustion.


    It appeared that Anna had triggered some kind of formation or something else on the Wooden Amulet, which caused the green light.


    And the entire triggering process required a considerable expenditure of her spiritual power.


    ��


    In the depths of the far-off Ferdinand Forest.


    An elf with a tall and slender figure, hair black as ink, suddenly turned and gazed toward the south.


    In that direction, she seemed to sense the presence of her lost Natural Healing Amulet.


    With furrowed brows and fluttering long eyelashes, she sensed carefully once more.


    Without a doubt! The familiar fluctuation was very faint, but it was unmistakably hers��.


    It appeared someone had triggered her amulet.

 Chapter 81 - 81 - 80 Rulse’s Surprise

    Chapter 81 �C 80 Rulse��s Surprise


    Although Rein had wanted to let Anna try to trigger it again to verify his guess,


    seeing Anna��s pale face made it clear that it was not appropriate at the moment.


    ��Anna, how did you spend your childhood?��


    ��As a child, I moved from place to place with my mother, never staying in one place for more than a year. So, every time I settled into a place, we would have to leave again,��


    ��No child wanted to be friends with me.��


    ��Later, I stopped trying to make friends. I knew I would leave soon, and it would be very heartbreaking if I had friends,�� Anna slowly recounted her experiences from her childhood.


    ��Do you know why your mother kept moving?�� Rein asked.


    ...


    Anna gently shook her head, her eyes also showing a hint of confusion.


    That inexplicably gave Rein a sense of vulnerability and loneliness.


    Furthermore, listening to Anna��s story, it seemed that Anna��s mother had always been trying to evade something. Hence, the constant moving.


    Of course, the above was merely Rein��s personal speculation.


    However, speaking of this reminded Rein of something his friend George had cryptically mentioned once, that Anna��s mother had been abducted.


    ��Who did George hear it from?��


    ��It seems he heard it from his father?��


    Rein tried hard to recall the situation at the time.


    ��And what about you, Rein?��


    ��I feel like you��ve changed a lot recently!��


    ��You��ve grown taller and a lot more robust, and overall�� how should I say it, bursting with vitality and energy, it feels like you��ve completely changed as a person!�� Anna turned her head and gave Rein a sweet smile.


    Facing Anna��s compliments, Rein scratched his head, momentarily unsure of what to say.


    Isn��t it just like becoming a different person!


    ��Hahaha, it may be due to the Attendant training,�� he said.


    ����.��


    After chatting for a while, Anna seemed really tired, and Rein quickly sent her back to rest.


    After several days of investigation into Rein, Rulse had confirmed that the information he had submitted to Michel previously indeed had some omissions.


    It appeared that by completing a certain bounty mission, Rein had achieved the certification of a Junior Bounty Hunter.


    This caused Rulse to seriously increase his degree of regard for Rein.


    If previously he had shown moderate attention, now he truly valued him.


    After all, Rein��s personal history, in Rulse��s opinion, was like a blank slate.


    Born into a farmer��s family and raised in Flashgold Town, he had almost never left Flashgold Town��


    And yet, this son of a farmer had managed in just over a month��s time to undergo a transformation and become a Bounty Hunter.


    This was too legendary, often appearing more in stories sung by Wandering Bards.


    Even though this young man named Rein had once been taught by Lady Creya, the degree of improvement was still astonishing.


    After all, while Lady Creya is renowned as a genius knight of Meister, that doesn��t necessarily mean Rein is too.


    Initially, Rulse had thought Rein was participating in attendant training, but after pretending to pass by the training site several times, he never found the black-haired young man.


    After observing a few more times, he confirmed that Rein was no longer participating in attendant training.


    This only made him more pleased, especially since, after the recent violent werewolf attack incident, the Habsburg estate had enhanced its security measures.


    Even for him, to quietly eliminate a serving boy within the manor was extremely difficult, and also entailed considerable risk.


    Now that the other party wasn��t in the Habsburg Manor, he must be at home.


    Thus, Rulse began to search for the location of Rein��s home.


    Just last night, he had treated a drunk to a drink at the Oak Tavern in Flashgold Town and had learned the location of Rein��s home from the drunken man for just a silver coin.


    Then, Rulse was delighted to find that Rein��s home was located near the southern edge of Flashgold Town, next to a forest with not many people passing by, making it an excellent spot for taking action.


    After scouting the area last night, Rulse arrived early in the morning today at an alley near Rein��s home to start his stakeout.


    Coincidentally, less than five minutes after Rulse began his stakeout, Rein came out carrying a sheepskin-wrapped Dual-Handed Greatsword, heading to the clearing in the forest for his morning training!


    This made the corners of Rulse��s mouth lift slightly, he hadn��t expected things to go this smoothly!


    It seemed the Goddess of Fortune was on his side.


    A moment later, Rulse discreetly followed Rein to the clearing deep in the forest. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, as he watched Rein from a distance practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique, the shock in his heart was indescribable, and his eyes flickered incessantly.


    ��This�� how is this possible!��


    ��From the information gathered, this young man named Rein, had never undergone any knight attendant training or even basic militia training before,��


    ��Yet, without any foundation, he managed to train to this extent in just over a month!��


    ��In comparison, Master Dennis��s progress in training after drinking ��Divine Blood�� this month was slightly inferior!��


    If Rulse hadn��t seen the boy��s eyes clear and lively, he would have thought he was possessed by an Evil God.


    ��This young man��s knightly potential is simply top-tier, entirely comparable to Lady Creya of Meister County, who��s known as a prodigious knight!��


    He now understood why Lady Creya valued this young man��s talent so highly.


    The talent of this young man, in any part of the empire, was worth courting and nurturing.


    ��Such a young man, it would be a real pity to kill him directly!�� Rulse shook his head slightly, sighing inwardly.


    Although he had always known that Rein was likely already loyal to Creya, he still planned to first ask if he would like to join the Norman family.


    This was a form of respect for talent.


    If he agreed, Baron Norman would undoubtedly be very pleased. In that case, even if he faced a scolding from his young master, it didn��t matter.


    However��.if he refused��.


    Then it would really be regrettable!


    It��s well known that many young eagles never had the chance to spread their wings before crashing to their deaths beneath the trees.


    To ensure foolproof success, Rulse hid behind a tree at a distance, slowly applying a pale green lethal poison to his Longsword.


    Rein, while practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique, had always felt as if he was being watched, but perhaps because the malice wasn��t very apparent initially, his core skill ��Danger Perception lv2��, hadn��t issued a strong warning.


    But just now, an alarm suddenly went off in his mind.


    Rein knew that the person watching him really existed, and he was probably about to make a move.


    And at that same moment, he pinpointed the enemy��s approximate location.


    It was to his left rear.


    ��Who��s there!�� Rein looked sharply in the direction of Rulse.


    This prompted Rulse to elevate his assessment of Rein, ��Such keen perception, truly an enviable talent.��


    Thus, in Rein��s line of sight, a man clad in hunting attire and carrying a sword at his waist slowly emerged from the dense forest.

 Chapter 82 - 82 - 81: Continuous Addition

    Chapter 82 �C 81: Continuous Addition


    ��Rein?�� a deep male voice sounded.


    ��May I ask who you are?��


    ��You don��t need to know who I am, listen carefully, Rein.��


    ��I��m giving you an opportunity right now. If you��re willing to pledge allegiance to the Norman family, this will be the best decision of your life.��


    The other party did not directly answer Rein��s question, but instead said something unexpected.


    Hearing this, Rein was taken aback, ��Hm? Is this�� a recruitment?��


    However, the superior attitude of the other party was plainly more like charity��


    ...


    Rein instinctively felt awkward and uncomfortable.


    Nevertheless, Rein still planned to politely inquire about the other party��s background.


    After all, with such a pompous recruitment, the background must be prominent, possibly from some hereditary Earl or even Marquis family.


    But in Meister County, there seemed to be only one hereditary Earl family��the Habus family.


    Thus, Rein naturally asked:


    ��Thank you for your appreciation�� sir, but please forgive my ignorance, is the Norman family a great noble family from another county?��


    ��You�� Rein, what you just said is an offense to the noble Baron Norman. The wrath of the Norman family is not something you can withstand,�� the middle-aged man visibly displayed anger.


    ��Baron?�� Rein instantly realized; the person was from a lesser-known Baron family named Norman, not the Earl or Marquis he had conjectured.


    His question had clearly angered the other party, seen as a challenge and scorn.


    ��But surely, he would never accept the other party��s offer.��


    ��Give up being the Guardian Knight for the fair, beautiful Lady Creya with long legs to become a servant in some Baron��s house whose lands he did not even know?��


    ��That would be a brain kicked by a donkey�� tssk!��


    Rein shook his head, straightened his expression, bowed slightly, and apologized:


    ��I��m sorry, thank you for your appreciation, but I cannot accept!��


    ��Then it is truly a pity! You refused an opportunity to save your own life. A genius is going to fall here, truly regrettable,�� the middle-aged man shook his head slightly.


    The next second, the situation turned volatile!


    ��Clang!��


    The other party immediately drew a longsword, pushed off with the tip of his foot, and attacked Rein!


    ��So fast!��


    Rein��s pupils constricted!


    The speed of the opponent was no less than that of the assassin who had attacked him last time.


    ��Clang!��


    Rein barely managed to block the strike of the longsword with his Fine Steel Greatsword, but he was still knocked back two steps.


    ��Failed recruitment turns to assassination, how domineering?!��


    ��Moreover, the strength and agility of the opponent, fearsomely near that of a formal knight!��


    Rein was surprised, but the opponent was even more so.


    Rulse had never expected the son of a farmer to have reached such a level!


    To actually withstand his full-powered strike and only retreat a few steps, he was even more proficient than what Rulse had estimated when he watched Rein practice swordsmanship!


    It should be noted, his strength was that of an almost-knight.


    This indicates that the opponent��s strength had completely reached the level of a Tier-3 Knight Attendant.


    No wonder the last attempt failed!


    ��Even compared to himself, the gap isn��t too big. Could it be because of the breathing technique the other was practicing?��


    ��It��s just that the opponent��s speed was a bit slow, clearly two levels below his own.��


    ��Good, although there are variables, everything is still within control.��


    Since the opponent was slower, the experienced Rulse instantly thought of the best tactic.


    That was to make use of the fastest Thrusting Sword Technique, catching the opponent off guard.


    Rein had already activated ��Strength Burst�� at 30% of its full capacity, pushing his strength beyond 14 points, only to find himself still falling slightly behind.


    This allowed Rein to estimate that his opponent��s strength was around 15 points, but definitely not exceeding 16 points.


    However, compared to him, the opponent��s speed was just too fast.


    If it weren��t for his level 2 danger perception, he might have already been injured.


    Good, now there��s no hesitation about how to distribute his points!


    Rein immediately used one attribute point on agility, successfully boosting it to the major milestone of 10 points.


    ��Clang!!��


    Thus, a split second later, Rulse��s swifter thrusting strike was still solidly blocked by the young man opposite him.


    This brought a flicker of surprise to Rulse��s face; the speed of the youth opposite him had actually increased!


    From initially dominating in speed to now being only slightly better.


    ��Thankfully, I was prepared, having applied lethal poison. Just one hit and it should be over.��


    Rulse��s sword moves became even swifter, striking at Rein like a fierce storm.


    ��Cling clang clang!��


    ��Bang!�� Rein��s chest was brushed by Rulse��s sword, cutting through the surface of his cotton jacket.


    ��Huh! Plate armor??��


    Rulse, thinking he had secured the victory, was surprised to find that the youth opposite him was wearing a rarely seen plate armor!


    Which caused his strike just now to be in vain!


    As the fight progressed to this point, Rulse might not have realized himself that he had gradually deviated from his original plan.


    His initial plan was, once Rein refused, to take him down within a few seconds, then deal with the body quickly before leaving.


    But now, although he was slightly ahead, the whole fight had become fiercely contested.


    ��In this case, to take down the opponent in a short time and leave without trouble is extremely difficult.��


    ��We��re not far from the main road. If I take too long, it might draw the attention of others, which would be troublesome.��


    ��It looks like I have to use my secret technique!��


    On the other side, Rein was also intently watching Rulse, his mind swiftly searching for a strategy to break through the enemy.


    ��The opponent��s swordsmanship is very practical, extremely deadly, and he has abundant experience. His overall ability is clearly above mine.��


    ��The most troublesome thing is the opponent��s attack speed, even faster than that assassin!��


    ��Even after adding one point to agility, it��s still not enough!��


    Rein had also considered suddenly unleashing his full strength and performing a roaring strike.


    ��But seeing the opponent��s ease in attacking, if I don��t time it right, even if I unleash full power with Strength Burst, I might not be able to hit him.��


    ��And once it fails and the opponent gets wary, it would be harder to find such an opportunity again.��


    ��Roaring Strike is my only chance to turn the tables; it must only be used when there��s absolute certainty!��


    ��Eh! The knight��s longsword��s pale green glow? It��s poisoned?��


    Taking advantage of this moment, Rein keenly noticed that the knight��s longsword was emitting a faint pale green glow.


    This alarmed and angered Rein!


    ��Had I not been wearing plate armor just now, would I have already been poisoned!��


    It was a situation where any mistake could be deadly.


    Keeping any attribute points now would be suicidal.


    Rein decisively used his last attribute point on agility again. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this, his agility reached 11 points.


    His overall condition also returned to its peak.


    Suddenly, Rulse made a move!


    All he saw was Rulse swinging his sword again toward Rein, his right hand��s longsword moving at high speed, transforming into three blades, with a sharp slicing sound, simultaneously stabbing towards Rein��s forehead, neck, and chest.


    This was Rulse��s trump card, one of the Dragonguard��s secret sword techniques, Swift Sword Triple Strike!!

 Chapter 83 - 83 - 82 Roaring Strike

    Chapter 83 �C 82 Roaring Strike


    In the blink of an eye, Rein instantly deduced that this must be the opponent��s ace in the hole!


    Utilizing ultra-fast sword speed to pierce three vital points on his body, the sword moved so quickly that afterimages appeared on his retina, which is why he saw the illusion of three swords thrusting at the same time.


    But in Rein��s heart there was no fear, instead, he felt excitement!


    This move was the enemy��s trump card, his own crisis, but on the other hand, also his own opportunity.


    Although the opponent was extremely fast, having fully committed to this killer move meant changing direction as before had become exceedingly difficult for him.


    It was just like a sprinter at full speed trying to come to an immediate stop, which was nearly impossible to achieve.


    In a split second, a fierce determination flashed in the corner of Rein��s eye.


    ...


    He didn��t execute the ��defensive stance��, the only defensive move in the Giant Bear Sword Technique!


    Instead, he chose to counterattack!


    ��Strength Burst!��


    Rein��s entire body suddenly swelled, his height shooting from around 1.7 meters to approximately 1.9 meters, with muscles all over his body taut and bulging.


    ��Breaking limit! Are you a proper Knight?!�� Rulse cried out in shock, unable to help but exclaim.


    This caused Rulse��s attacking momentum to falter, and the power of his killer move greatly diminished.


    Of course, Rulse couldn��t be blamed.


    Rein��s ��Strength Burst�� was too similar to that of an official Knight performing ��Breaking limit��.


    Anyone watching would have thought Rein was a formal Knight in the act of ��Breaking limit��.


    Seizing the opportunity while the opponent hesitated ever so slightly, Rein��s chest puffed up, the veins in his neck protruding, with neck muscles twisting and expanding like those of a python.


    This set off alarm bells in Rulse��s mind, and he instinctively began to retreat at high speed!


    The execution of his ace move, ��Swift Sword Triple Strike��, thus came to an abrupt end.


    No wonder Rulse made such a decision.


    Originally, his three strikes were aimed at Rein��s vital areas, but with Rein��s drastically changed physique, even if the stabs went through, they probably wouldn��t be able to end Rein��s life instantly, only leaving him injured but not dead.


    Yet Rein��s present physical form was too horrifying; Rulse immediately sensed that Rein��s follow-up attack would definitely be thunderous!


    Rulse didn��t want to trade life for life.


    So, the only option was to retreat!


    But having just charged forward at high speed, retreating immediately was not so simple.


    However, Rulse lived up to his level as a prospective Knight with powerful body control; the inertia of his body went from moving forward to retreating in barely half a second of stillness on the spot.


    But in that brief less-than-half-second timeframe, the tables turned!


    ��Hah!!!!��


    With a great roar,


    Rein��s mouth opened wide, and a raging torrent of breath blasted out like a cannonball!


    A massive wave of sound, centered around Rein��s gaping maw, swept out like a tsunami in all directions.


    This kind of area-of-effect sound attack was clearly something Rulse couldn��t avoid, and with the distance between him and Rein, the strength of the sound wave could be said to be at its peak.


    Rulse only felt a strong gust of wind blow against his face, causing his skin to violently tremble.


    At the same time, his eardrums felt a stabbing pain, his head instantly buzzing!


    And after the sound wave swept past Rulse, it kept spreading out at high speed, causing nearby trees to rustle loudly and leaves to rain down.


    Although Rulse was only affected by the sound attack for a very brief moment��merely a fraction of a second��by the time he could react once again,


    he found himself seemingly unable to move!


    Instantly, he felt an intense pain in his abdomen!


    Turns out, as Rein let out that deafening roar, his bulging muscles propelled his hands to sweep the Fine Steel Greatsword at high speed across Rulse��s waist and abdomen, leaving behind in mid-air a beautiful silver semi-circle.


    Time seemed to stand still for a few seconds.


    Rulse lowered his head.


    ��Whoosh!�� A large amount of fresh blood flowed out, along with intestines and other organs.


    ��Ah!!��


    Rulse couldn��t help but let out a scream of agony.


    ��Thump!��


    Rulse dropped the Knight��s Longsword and knelt on the ground, desperately trying to cover the long wound with his hands and continuously trying to stuff the fallen intestines back inside.


    Although he had been through many battles, he had always been the victor.


    Of course, he had never experienced such pain�� as well as the fear of impending death!


    Such an injury, even if he were a Knight, would be too much to bear, let alone that he wasn��t one.


    Soon, as life drained away, Rulse��s movements slowed down.


    He lifted his head, staring intently at Rein, his mouth moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, nothing came out, and he collapsed to the ground.


    The look of unwillingness in his eyes also faded��


    Rein was also suffering, supporting himself with the Fine Steel Greatsword in one hand and clutching his chest with the other, he began to cough violently.


    ��Cough�� Cough����


    ��The first time using the ��roaring strike�� special move, I exerted too much force; it seems to have hurt my lungs a bit.��


    ��But luckily, the results were significant!��


    Rein, looking at Rulse��s corpse, also felt somewhat sentimental. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��The opponent was completely superior to me, with both Strength and agility likely around thirteen or fourteen points. Even after I increased my agility by two points, I was still firmly suppressed by him!��


    ��Without the insight into the special move ��roaring strike,�� this battle could have been very grim!��


    This intensified the sense of urgency in Rein��s heart once more.


    Throughout the entire battle until its end, there were still many questions in Rein��s mind.


    ��Where did this Norman Baron family come from?��


    ��Refuse to be recruited, then must die? It can��t be that drastic, can it����


    ��So, how exactly did I get involved with them?��


    After thinking for a while, Rein decided he might take the time to carefully inquire with Hamilton later.


    After all, he had been transferred from the County Town, and he should be quite familiar with the major noble families within the Meister County.


    ��If the territory of this so-called Norman Baron family is in Meister County, then Hamilton should probably be able to provide some useful information.��


    Without any hesitation, Rein stepped forward and cautiously delivered another stab to the body.


    Once he confirmed that the other party was truly dead, Rein quickly bent down and started to search, soon finding a small black square bottle in the man��s pouch.


    ��Eh! This design�� could it be lethal poison?��


    Then, Rein found a small bag of gold coins, about a dozen Gold Coins and over twenty Silver Coins, in the man��s pouch.


    The last item was an exceptionally neatly folded piece of parchment that, judging by its yellowed surface and slightly whitened edges from abrasion, seemed to have some age and had been frequently perused by its owner.


    Rein didn��t open it immediately.


    Because the ��roaring strike�� he had just used made a deafening sound, and even with the barrier of the dense woods, Rein believed it had already reached the nearby road.


    Thus, as soon as Rein finished searching the body, he immediately dragged it deeper into the woods and slightly modified the battle marks on the scene with his greatsword to cover them up.


    After giving it some thought, Rein decided not to pick up the opponent��s weapon.


    Because the pommel of the opponent��s Knight��s Longsword had a distinct pattern, Rein wouldn��t be able to use it even if he took it back, and melting it down at the Blacksmith��s place was equally risky. So, it was better to leave it.


    Soon, the smell of blood would attract wild animals, and for them, this would be a feast.


    Having done all this, Rein turned and walked towards home.

 Chapter 84 - 84 - 83 Imperial Military Swordsmanship

    Chapter 84 �C 83 Imperial Military Swordsmanship


    ��`


    ��Brother, why did you come back so early today?�� Anna, who was playing with ��Cookie,�� looked up to see her brother Rein returning and asked with slight surprise.


    At that moment, Anna also looked up towards Rein.


    Seeing Anna��s rosy complexion, Rein knew that after a night��s rest, she had recovered from the fatigue caused by using the amulet yesterday.


    ��Well, something came up, cough�� cough���� Rein patted little Anna��s head.


    ��By the way, Anna, could you come with me for a moment?��


    ��Hm? Of course.�� Anna nodded and stood up, but when she took a closer look at Rein, she noticed something amiss.


    ...


    Rein seemed to have a pale complexion and had just coughed.


    As Rein passed by her, she also detected a faint smell of blood.


    This scent was deeply ingrained in her memory, for her home had also been filled with this same smell that night.


    This immediately made Anna tense.


    Upon entering the room with Rein, Anna asked anxiously, ��Rein�� are you injured?��


    ��What! How did you know, Anna?�� Rein was initially surprised, but then, looking down at his damaged cotton armor, he immediately understood.


    ��It��s nothing serious, just a minor injury, but I might need to bother you to touch that amulet again.��


    At the moment, Rein was also unsure whether the amulet had a limit on the number of times it could be used.


    Or could it be that after consuming that mysterious energy, the amulet needed a certain amount of time to absorb some kind of external energy before it could be used again?


    ��Yes, no problem at all. I��ll try!�� Anna nodded emphatically, grateful for the rare opportunity to be of help to Rein.


    ��Relax a little, I��m really fine�� cough����


    Seeing Rein cough while insisting he was fine, Anna couldn��t help but give him a reproachful look.


    Immediately taking the wooden amulet Rein handed her, Anna focused her mind and gently touched it.


    Sure enough, the amulet emitted a soft green glow again!


    This time, Anna felt it was a bit easier to control than the last.


    The green light quickly leapt from the amulet and flew towards Rein��s body.


    Instantly, the green light intensified!


    Enveloped in the green light, Rein felt as if a cool, soothing stream was flowing into his body from the outside, quickly coating the damaged capillaries and alveoli of his lungs.


    An exceptionally cool and refreshing sensation spread from within.


    Seconds later, Rein felt his injuries had fully healed, and he no longer felt the urge to cough!


    This once again made Rein marvel at the miraculous nature of this energy.


    It also proved that the wooden amulet could indeed be a magical item used repeatedly.


    However, when Rein looked up, he saw Anna��s complexion had turned pale again, just like the night before.


    ��Anna, I��m sorry����


    ��Don��t say that, Rein, I��m really happy to help you, truly.��


    ��By the way, are you feeling better now?��


    ��Of course, I��ve fully recovered! Thank you, Anna.�� Rein smiled and patted his chest, indicating he was completely healed!


    After sending Anna back to her room to rest, Rein curiously opened the sheepskin scroll.


    Upon opening it, Rein was somewhat astonished. The top was inscribed with bold letters: ��Dragan Empire Military Swordsmanship.�� Below the text were seven separate diagrams depicting a stick figure performing various sword techniques. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Further down were two slightly more complex diagrams, also showing a stick figure executing a type of sword technique.


    ��`


    The stick figures in the book all had one-handed swords.


    They differed drastically in style from the Giant Bear Sword Technique Rein was practicing.


    After scrutinizing the images, Rein��s expression initially showed both shock and delight, but soon he began to furrow his brow in thought.


    It turned out that the seven patterns represented basic sword moves with a simple style, somewhat straightforward, yet upon closer inspection, they also contained a sense of sharpness and even brutality.


    Because the sword moves targeted the critical points of an enemy, it was no wonder they were called military swordsmanship, where simplicity implied ease of learning, and the ruthless sharpness was aimed at quickly dispatching foes.


    The two slightly more complex patterns at the bottom were secret techniques derived from military swordsmanship; one was the ��Swift Sword Triple Strike�� performed by the middle-aged man earlier, and the other was another move called ��Flash Strike��.


    Without a doubt, imperial military swordsmanship with secret techniques was more than ten times as precious as the plain imperial military swordsmanship!


    Although the military swordsmanship of the Dragan Empire was also an outstanding swordsmanship, without secret techniques, it couldn��t be considered true Extraordinary Swordsmanship.


    If Rein had only discovered the seven basic military sword moves, he might not have been inclined to learn them immediately.


    But upon realizing the existence of two secret techniques, his desire to learn them grew incredibly strong!


    He had felt the power of the ��Swift Sword Triple Strike�� personally, and if his opponent had been determined to trade injury for injury, even if Rein had been lucky enough to win, he surely would have sustained serious injuries.


    According to the description, ��Flash Strike�� was even more powerful and equally more difficult to perform, seeming to require the capability of a formal Knight.


    This left Rein rather covetous.


    He decided to try learning them later that evening.


    It was then that Rein had the time to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +267]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +131]


    Although a normal fight wasn��t lengthy, totally at most around two minutes, but every second was a precarious balance between life and death, so the generous Experience granted was to be expected.


    Rein��s Giant Bear Sword Technique lv4 (298/1000) progress crossed halfway, reaching Giant Bear Sword Technique lv4 (565/1000).


    Rein then flipped back to the ��Attributes Page�� on the system panel.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv2 (0/300) / Night Watchman lv3 (161/500) / Dog Trainer lv2 (31/300)


    Constitution: 10


    Strength: 11


    Agility: 11


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining Attribute Points: 0


    Remaining Skill Points: 0


    Now his attributes were very balanced, just one point shy in Constitution from reaching 11 in each attribute.


    Afterward, Rein folded his arms and paced back and forth in the room, deep in thought, reflecting on the battle he had just fought, summarizing the gains and losses.


    Meister County City.


    Within a manor that belonged to either a noble or a wealthy merchant, the storeroom on the second level below ground had clearly undergone expansion, its area comparable to an average noble��s banquet hall.


    While the walls weren��t graced with fine murals or richly decorated, they were carved with mysterious and brutal ritual scenes and various bizarre monsters, giving the entire hall a dark and eerie atmosphere.


    In such a spacious hall, only two mountain-shaped wall lamps were lit, their flames struggling to burn, but still unable to light up the overly large hall sufficiently.


    At that moment, a deep voice emerged from the center of the dimly lit hall.


    ��How much longer until the Black Flame Prayer Ceremony?��

 Chapter 85 - 85 - 84: Fusion

    Chapter 85 �C 84: Fusion


    ��High Priest, it will take about another month,�� answered a tall figure clad in knight armor, standing in the middle of the underground hall.


    Why say tall?


    That was because the figure was over two meters and twenty centimeters tall, but even encased in armor, his limbs were very ��slender.��


    To others, his legs looked like the long, thin thighs of a ��grasshopper,�� thin yet extremely capable of leaping.


    Moreover, the weapon he carried on his back was also weird��it was a scythe-like serrated curved blade about two meters long.


    However, he clearly wasn��t the highest-ranking person in the underground hall, as he was reporting with a slight bow to someone sitting in the shadows, referred to as the High Priest.


    ��We are running out of time. I have felt the Lord��s will gradually awakening. The Black Flame Prayer Ceremony must be held as soon as possible!��


    ...


    ��Half a month, hold the ceremony within half a month to coincide with the Lord��s further resurrection!��


    ��This�� Understood, High Priest. However, if we intensify the acquisition of ��materials,�� it will inevitably cause some disturbances and further attention from the empire��s officials.��


    ��Heh, those greedy nobles, it��s time for them to be of use,�� the High Priest��s tone was deep and slightly mocking.


    ��Ehm�� High Priest, speaking of those nobles, it seems they are getting restless.��


    The shadow waved his hand and said, ��Take another twelve bottles of ��Divine Blood�� to appease them; it��s best if you can get those nobles to cooperate with you.��


    ��If they look for excuses to shirk, at least make them turn a blind eye.��


    ��These next few days, make sure the gangs below expedite their work and at the same time, raise the bounty.��


    ��Lastly, be ready to conduct a blood sacrifice if we do not make it in time!��


    ��A blood sacrifice�� High Priest, the last incident in Monheim Town was quite significant. It��s said that the ��Sword Bearers�� are paying close attention����


    The High Priest waved his withered right hand and said, ��I have already felt the Lord��s response to my prayers.�� S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Go and get in touch with Alonso, as the most eager nobleman to participate in the Black Flame Ceremony and receive the Lord��s blessing, he ought to do something.��


    ��As you command, High Priest!��


    ��By the way, have people investigated how the Hyena Gang was destroyed?��


    ��Is it the doing of the ��Sword Bearers��?�� As he mentioned ��Sword Bearers,�� the High Priest��s voice became noticeably more solemn.


    ��No, according to what we observed at the scene, most of the Hyena Gang members died of severe poisoning, a method uncharacteristic of the ��Sword Bearers.��


    ��Additionally, inside the gang��s stronghold in the county town, several dozen ��materials�� were left untouched. If it was the ��Sword Bearers,�� they would not have ended things hastily; they always plan thoroughly before acting and would surely have rescued these people.��


    ��It must have been an act of vengeance or a random incident, perhaps the Hyena Gang offended some wandering knight or a certain noble.��


    ��It��s just�� the marks on the wounds are quite unusual, not like those made by daggers or short swords, but rather resembling those made by greatswords or axes.��


    The shadow nodded and said, ��As long as it wasn��t the ��Sword Bearers,�� that��s all that matters. Weapons naturally vary with the individual. Good that it wasn��t the ��Sword Bearers��!��


    ��Speed things up, otherwise by the time the empire reacts, we might never have such a good opportunity again!��


    ��As you command, High Priest. I will see to it right away.��


    The tall figure briefly bowed and then turned to leave the underground hall.


    At that moment, only the High Priest remained in the hall.


    Then, under the dim light of a distant wall lamp, one could vaguely see that the body shrouded under his black robe was abnormally bloated, presenting a stark contrast to his withered arms.


    ��


    �����������C


    That afternoon, Rein seriously began practicing the imperial military swordsmanship.


    The woodland near his home was naturally no longer an option.


    But fortunately, the army swordsmanship used a one-handed sword, which meant Rein only needed a small space to practice.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein asked Anna for the key and went alone with the Night Watchman��s issued bastard sword to Anna��s house next door.


    After slightly moving the table and chairs, it made for a decent indoor practice area.


    Since Rein had a foundation in swordsmanship at level 4 (578/1000), he picked up the army swordsmanship faster than he had anticipated.


    Before long, a system prompt appeared:


    [You have practiced the Imperial Army Sword Technique, insight increased!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Imperial Army Sword Technique]


    [Your skill Imperial Army Sword Technique has improved, Experience +1]


    ��


    [Detected that the host has been practicing Single-handed Sword Technique. Would you like to merge it into the Imperial Army Sword Technique? This merge will consume 0 Skill Points.]


    (Note: After merging, the Basic Sword Technique will no longer be displayed on the panel, but the host can still use the related sword techniques.)


    (Note: After the merge, the Imperial Army Sword Technique will absorb the advantages of the Basic Sword Technique and improve them. The experience you gained in Basic Sword Technique will be converted into the experience for the improved Imperial Army Sword Technique at a certain ratio.)


    The first three prompts hadn��t changed, but the fourth and completely different system prompt clearly caught Rein��s attention.


    ��Both are one-handed sword techniques, so they can be merged?��


    ��No wonder I didn��t see this prompt when I was practicing the two-handed ��Giant Bear Sword Technique�� before.��


    ��Also, a merge usually requires consuming skill points. Is it because there is a certain lineage connection between the Basic Sword Technique and the Imperial Army Sword Technique, or is it because the Basic Sword Technique is too basic? Thus it shows 0 points?��


    Several questions naturally popped into Rein��s mind.


    Clearly, if it had required skill points, Rein would likely not have chosen to merge.


    Because the current one skill point, whether used on breathing techniques or the Giant Bear Sword Technique, would bring significant improvements to Rein.


    Of course, since this time the merge cost was zero, Rein pondered briefly and then chose yes.


    Soon, the Sword Bearer panel��s Basic Sword Technique level 4 (578/1000) vanished, replaced by Imperial Army Sword Technique level 2 (128/300).


    Level 4 beyond halfway in Basic Sword Technique, barely converted to less than half of level 2 in Imperial Army Sword Technique.


    But this already made Rein��s face light up with joy, as it at least saved him ten days to half a month of tough training.


    Almost simultaneously, some fragmented memories about practicing Imperial Army Sword Technique flashed through Rein��s mind and gradually integrated into his muscle memory.


    Shortly, Rein sharply noticed that the Imperial Army Sword Technique he executed was slightly different from that in the scroll, with more cunning angles and seemingly greater power.


    This must be what the system prompt meant by saying that after merging, the Imperial Army Sword Technique had absorbed the strengths of the Basic Sword Technique and improved upon them.


    However�� it must be because the Basic Sword Technique was too elementary, the improvement was very slight.


    If Rein��s perceptions hadn��t been exceptionally sharp, he wouldn��t have noticed it at all.


    Just then, a crisp voice called from the door, ��Brother, Uncle Weilun has come to see you.��


    Upon hearing this, Rein immediately stopped practicing the Imperial Army Sword Technique and opened the door to step outside.


    The middle-aged man in black leather armor, standing right there, was the familiar captain of the Night Watchman, Weilun.


    Seeing Rein come out, Bo He smiled sweetly at Weilun and bounced back to dig in the small courtyard with Anna, along with the periodic appearances of ��Cookie�� the dog, creating a warm atmosphere.


    ��Rein, why are you at Anna��s house?�� Weilun curiously glanced behind the door and asked.


    ��Haha, Captain Weilun, is there something you need?��


    All at once, Weilun looked deeply at Rein and said, ��Rein, I have some good news for you!��

 Chapter 86 - 86 - 85: Onboarding and Testing

    Chapter 86 �C 85: Onboarding and Testing


    ��The hyena gang of County Town was wiped out. ��Dog King�� Kole and a number of the gang��s key members were found dead in their lair��the Dog Fighting Manor��three days ago,�� Weilun narrated slowly.


    Weilun had considered whether the young man before him, who was only a few years older than his daughter, might have done it.


    But after some thought, he concluded it probably wasn��t him.


    Although ��Dog King�� Kole��s body had been burned to ashes and was unrecognizable,


    the deaths of the other gang members suggested they had all perished from severe poisoning.


    This approach was likely the work of a well-trained assassin.


    Therefore, there was a high probability that the hyena gang, used to their arrogant ways, had inadvertently offended some noble who then hired a hitman to exterminate them thoroughly.


    ...


    ��Oh? Captain Weilun, do you know who did it?�� Rein asked, feigning surprise even though he had a clear idea.


    ��Not sure, but according to my colleagues in County Town, the investigation at the scene suggests that it was the work of a professional killer. Many of the gang members and dogs in the manor that weren��t burnt died from severe poisoning,�� Weilun explained, shaking his head.


    Hearing this, Rein breathed a sigh of relief.


    ��Coating my weapons with poison was initially just to increase the efficiency of the kills. I hadn��t expected it to also mislead the investigation.��


    ��Next time, if necessary, I can continue to use this method.��


    After chatting for a few more moments, Weilun remembered the purpose of his visit and said,


    ��Right, Rein, if you��re not busy, come with me to the town��s administration office. Lord Hamilton is waiting for you in his office.��


    ��Okay, let��s go now,�� Rein nodded immediately.


    He also had questions he wanted to ask Lord Hamilton.


    When Rein arrived at Hamilton��s office,


    As soon as he entered, Rein noticed that Sheriff Hamilton, although a formal Knight, looked exhausted, rubbing his brow with one hand while flipping through case files with the other.


    Seeing Rein come in, Hamilton nodded and said, ��Rein, take a seat.��


    ��Things have been a bit off lately.��


    ��There are too many security incidents, along with some mysterious events involving cults, monsters, and so on. Even the Seasonal Winds and the Church of the Ocean Goddess in County Town are constantly preoccupied.��


    Hamilton complained off-handedly.


    ��By the way, Rein, the reason I called you here is because your Night Watchman paperwork has all been processed.�� Hamilton smiled, and handed Rein a circular silver badge, two sizes larger than a Gold Coin.


    Rein took it and examined it carefully.


    On the front was an upper body image of holding a torch in one hand and a sword in the other, with a bow slung over the back, while the back was akin to a Bounty Hunters�� badge, also inscribed with ��Rein Carlan�� and a long string of numbers.


    Rein quickly determined that the badge was primarily made of pure silver, mixed with a small amount of other metals to prevent it from being too soft.


    ��This represents the elite badge of the Night Watchman.��


    ��Generally, it takes a common Night Watchman about two years to accumulate enough Merit Points to be promoted to the elite level,�� Hamilton said with a smile.


    ��Thank you, Lord Hamilton,�� Rein said with a happy expression, bowing slightly to show his gratitude.


    ��You don��t need to thank me, it was just a small effort on my part. You��re the one who has worked hard. This is your deserved reward.��


    ��Right, here��s the exchange booklet. It lists all the items you��re currently eligible to exchange for, you might want to take a look,�� Hamilton said, handing over a small booklet to Rein.


    ��Also, you should have over a hundred Merit Points. Let me see, Rein�� Gnolls, Murlocs, your total is��119 Merit Points,�� Hamilton stated after revealing a number.


    ��Thank you, sir,�� Rein said, unable to determine just how much the number of Merit Points he had would allow him to exchange, but guessed it wouldn��t be anything particularly useful since it was only over a hundred.


    Rein opened the booklet Hamilton gave him.


    On the cover of the booklet were the bold words: ��Dragan Empire Security and Guard Troops Merit Points Exchange Booklet (Non-commissioned)��.


    ��Eh! Isn��t it supposed to be exclusively for the Night Watchman?�� Rein looked up at Hamilton, a touch of surprise in his expression.


    ��Haha, of course not. The Night Watchman, constables, including the City Guard, all belong to the category of the empire��s security and defense forces, so Merit Points are universal,�� Hamilton explained with a laugh.


    ��I see,�� Rein realized, finding the system reasonable, and so he began to leaf through the pamphlet.


    ��At the elite level, the redeemable items include�� potions�� weapons����


    Rein quickly found that his 119 Merit Points were neither a lot nor a little.


    Basically, his Merit Points were enough to exchange for four Fine Steel Greatswords.


    ��Wow! You can even exchange for Dragan Empire military swordsmanship and the corresponding Military Breathing Method?��


    ��Is it really 1200 points for these Merit Points?��


    This made Rein a bit astonished!


    After all, he only had 119 points, not even a tenth of what was needed.


    It was hard to know if any of the elite members of the Night Watchman had successfully redeemed the Dragan Empire military swordsmanship and corresponding Military Breathing Method!


    However, the Dragan Empire military swordsmanship and the Military Breathing Method could be exchanged separately, requiring 400 and 800 Merit Points, respectively.


    Additionally, the Military Breathing Method was the only breathing technique available in the exchange booklet.


    That is to say, the Dragan Empire military swordsmanship he had obtained from that middle-aged man was actually worth 400 Merit Points.


    Indeed, a ��counter-kill�� like that was the fastest way to make money!


    Unfortunately, he did not see the Black Kirin Oil, or anything related to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique available for exchange.


    He wasn��t sure if it was because his elite level in the Night Watchman wasn��t high enough, or for some other reason.


    However, as Cleya mentioned, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique was widely disseminated, with many noble families passing it down and studying it, so in theory, the imperial military would naturally have carried out research into it.


    In that case, it was probably because he was of too low rank.


    ��By the way, my lord, does the Night Watchman have a specialized training ground?�� Rein asked.


    For him, improving his strength was always the most important thing. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The woodland near his house, he definitely wasn��t suitable for going there in the short term.


    And Anna��s house was fine for one or two makeshift training sessions, but it wasn��t a long-term solution.


    ��Haha, of course, it��s right behind the administrative office of the small town,�� Hamilton said, standing up and laughing as if he had thought of something, brushing off his previous weariness.


    ��Come, I��ll take you to see it, and by the way, it��s a good opportunity to introduce you to the others.��


    ��At this time, except for those who were on night duty yesterday, most of them should be at the training grounds.��


    After leaving the office and making two consecutive right turns, Rein followed Hamilton to a training ground, not very large, just a few hundred square meters, but it was equipped with various dummies, targets, and all kinds of longswords.


    At the moment, many people were training on their own here, and after sweeping the area with a glance, Rein noticed that the majority, about sixty percent, were practicing archery.


    ��My lord!��


    ��Lord Hamilton!��


    ��Constable, my lord!��


    Upon seeing Hamilton��s arrival, the training members of the Night Watchman, constables, and others all stopped their activities and greeted him.


    ��This is Rein, a new member who joined our Night Watchman today; everyone, please make his acquaintance,�� Hamilton introduced.


    ��Right, Rein, to let everyone gauge your strength, go ahead, use all your power, and throw a punch right here,�� Hamilton turned his head and, with a smile, extended his palm towards Rein.


    Actually, Hamilton had always been curious about Rein��s strength and potential.


    Since the previous occasion when Rein had managed to stop that ferally transformed werewolf, Hamilton had been harboring this thought.


    But firstly, at that time, he was hindered by his own injuries, and secondly, Rein had not officially joined the Night Watchman, so Hamilton hadn��t spoken up.


    But now that Rein was an official member of the Night Watchman and directly under his command, Hamilton naturally thought it was time to test this young man whom he regarded highly.

 Chapter 87 - 87 - 86 Don’t bully... well, wait and see!

    Chapter 87 �C 86 Don��t bully�� well, wait and see!


    Hearing his superior make such a statement, the Night Watchmen beside him all looked at Rein with considerable curiosity.


    Some of the Night Watchmen had seen Rein during the last battle with the frenzied jackalweres, while others had not.


    But now, they all crowded around, looking forward to the young man��s performance with great anticipation.


    Caught off guard by Lord Hamilton��s sudden request, Rein was startled at first, but the next second, he smiled, nodded, and happily agreed.


    ��Of course, Lord Hamilton.��


    He finally understood why, when he asked about the training grounds of the Night Watchmen, Lord Hamilton��s mood lifted.


    It seemed that at that moment, the other party had already thought of testing his strength.


    ...


    But inside, Rein thought to himself that he definitely couldn��t use ��Strength Burst�� at full capacity.


    Otherwise, his Strength of 22 points would probably exceed even that of Lord Hamilton, a formal Knight.


    ��Injuring one��s own superior on the first day of employment, that approach����


    As he imagined that scene, Rein couldn��t help but shake his head slightly. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��However�� I did manage to barely fend off an injured frenzied jackalwere last time, my current base Strength of 11 points is of course still a bit weak.��


    ��So, I should only use about thirty percent of my ��Strength Burst��.��


    ��A little surprise for my superior is still necessary!��


    Having made his decision, Rein positioned himself to throw a punch.


    The next second, with a push from his left foot, his figure flashed past everyone, and he threw an extended-stance straight punch that hit hard against the palm of Lord Hamilton��s outstretched right hand.


    ��Thump!��


    A dull sound of a fist colliding with a palm echoed.


    As his punch landed, Rein felt that Lord Hamilton��s large hand was like layers of tough leather glued together,


    absorbing the impact of his punch, making it dissipate until it was invisible.


    Lord Hamilton controlled the rebound of his strength to a very small degree, rendering Rein almost unable to feel any force from the hand.


    This delicate control over strength, signifying a higher and more profound mastery of one��s own muscles and more, was beyond Rein��s current reach.


    ��Very good! Rein, your knighthood potential is even better than I imagined.��


    After feeling the power of Rein��s punch, the corners of Lord Hamilton��s mouth twitched slightly with a mix of shock and delight, and his eyes shone keenly as if he had found a treasure.


    There was still a tingling sensation in his palm.


    ��Rein��s abilities have actually improved so quickly!��


    Lord Hamilton��s right elbow bent slightly, his arm trembled at an almost imperceptible high speed several times, and then he placed his hands behind his back.


    Among the onlooking Night Watchmen, there were those who recognized talent when they saw it.


    From Rein��s movement speed to the crisp sound of his punch, they could tell the young man before them was extraordinary.


    And their superior��s surprised expression confirmed their suspicions.


    Lord Hamilton looked around and then turned to Rein, ��Come, let��s go to my office.��


    When the two returned to the office, Lord Hamilton took the initiative to ask, ��You should be practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, right?��


    Rein nodded. Even if he didn��t admit it, with Lord Hamilton��s knowledge, he would have guessed it already.


    ��Your current strength has already reached the level of a Tier 3 Knight Attendant. Given your rate of progress, you��ll probably be able to challenge a full-fledged Knight in about half a year!��


    ��Such a praiseworthy talent.��


    ��However, the advanced Magic Potion will be a big problem; there��s too little time, and it��s highly unlikely that you��ll be able to accumulate enough Merit Points through the tasks of the Night Watchmen to exchange for an advanced Magic Potion.��


    Lord Hamilton seemed to think of something, frowning as he spoke.


    ��This matter, it seems, can only be resolved by your mentor.��


    ��Um�� Lord Hamilton, could you talk about the advancement Magic Potion?�� Rein had been wanting to ask this question.


    Previously, Cleya had avoided the topic, and Lord Hamilton had only mentioned it in passing when discussing Merit Points, without going into detail.


    ��Hasn��t your teacher Perez told you about it?�� Lord Hamilton looked at Rein with a slightly surprised expression.


    After hearing this, Rein paused slightly.


    ��My own teacher?��


    Then it dawned on Rein.


    ��The fact that my breathing technique and swordsmanship were actually taught by Lady Cleya, I have never affirmed this to Lord Hamilton.��


    ��So, in his mind, he has always imagined that my teacher was the renowned Dual-Handed Greatsword expert, Lord Perez.��


    ��Although Lady Cleya had mentioned that it would be best to keep the matter of her teaching me the breathing technique and sword skills to myself.��


    ��But the problem now is, I have already been subjected to internal strife from within the Habus family.��


    ��Looking at the current situation, the Night Watchman, one of the official powers I��ve joined in the empire, might be the only force that could possibly make them think twice before acting against me.��


    ��Therefore, gaining the recognition of my current superior, Lord Hamilton, is quite crucial!��


    ��If I keep hiding this and once he casually asks Perez about this matter when they meet, it would be bad to get exposed instead.��


    After some thought, Rein decided that there was no longer any need to keep this from Lord Hamilton.


    On the contrary, revealing this ��secret�� would most likely be seen as an act of ��goodwill�� in his eyes.


    ��About that�� Lord Hamilton, the truth is I��m not very familiar with Meister Perez. My breathing technique and sword skills were actually imparted to me by Lady Cleya,�� said Rein, touching his nose and speaking somewhat sheepishly.


    ��What?�� Upon hearing Rein��s response, Lord Hamilton was dumbfounded.


    ��You clever rascal! To think you��ve hidden this from me for so long!�� The next second, something seemed to dawn on Lord Hamilton, and he burst into laughter.


    ��No wonder you don��t even know about the advancement Magic Potion.��


    ��It seems that when Lady Cleya left Meister County, you must have just started your training and your talents weren��t fully manifested yet.��


    ��Otherwise, she would have certainly left some special arrangements, or perhaps, she might have even taken you with her to the Imperial City.��


    Imperial City?


    Upon hearing these words, Rein was stunned. The capital of the Dragan Empire was a place of much aspiration. If he had the chance, he would definitely want to see it!


    In addition, Lord Hamilton quickly understood the reason why Rein had been targeted for assassination the last time.


    ��No wonder you were the target of an assassin��s attempt last time!��


    Speaking of this matter, Rein casually asked, ��By the way, Lord Hamilton, could you briefly talk about the heirs of Count Habbs? Other than Lady Cleya����


    Lord Hamilton nodded and said, ��Rein, I understand what you��re getting at. Count Habbs�� eldest son, Alonso�� how should I put it, he strikes me as a rather obsessed individual.��


    ��Moreover, he seems to be involved with some Cult activities, which has already drawn the attention of the higher-ups.��


    ��So, regarding your situation, it��s not convenient for me to intervene. Even if I did, the outcome might not be as expected.��


    ��Um�� Lord Hamilton, apart from this eldest son, doesn��t he have a second son?��


    Because Rein was puzzled, why had Lord Hamilton directly mentioned Alonso? Didn��t Cleya have two older brothers?


    Lord Hamilton looked momentarily startled, then shook his head and said, ��It couldn��t be Descartes, because he is currently at the imperial military headquarters. How could he care about someone so insignificant as you, far away in Meister County?��


    ��Besides, Descartes has always had a good relationship with Cleya, so why would he harm you?��


    ��What?�� Rein��s brow raised in surprise, learning of this new piece of information.


    It seemed certain that the assassin must have been sent by Alonso!


    ��Excellent! This trip hasn��t been wasted.��


    ��I��ve finally figured out who it was that tried to harm me!��


    ��What��s that saying�� never mind, we��ll see how it goes!��

 Chapter 88 - 88 - 87: Advanced Magic Potion

    Chapter 88 �C 87: Advanced Magic Potion


    Meanwhile.


    Habsburg Manor.


    Inside a study on the second floor of the castle, Dennis was reading the revenues and expenditures of the family estate. However, after only a few glances, he furrowed his brows, seemingly unable to continue his interest.


    ��Knock, knock, knock��


    At that moment, a rhythmic knocking sound arose.


    This slightly pleased Dennis, as it seemed Rulse must have completed his task and returned.


    He thought about the time, which should be about right.


    ...


    Because today was the final deadline set by Michel.


    ��Come in!��


    ��Eh! Why is it you?��


    But to Dennis��s surprise, it was not Rulse who entered but Tina.


    Knowing Tina, she never appeared before him unless called.


    ��Den��.Master Dennis, Lord Rulse told me if he didn��t make it back by sunrise today, to let you know the task failed.��


    Tina was clearly frightened of Dennis, not daring to lift her head as she spoke with her gaze lowered.


    ��What? Say that again!��


    Dennis abruptly stood up, his face contorted with a ferocious expression as he bellowed.


    ��Ru��.Lord Rulse said��..��


    Tina, already terrified of Dennis, stuttered under his murderous gaze, struggling to speak clearly.


    After much effort, Tina managed to repeat the words once again.


    The study then fell into a long silence.


    Only the heavy breathing persisted, growing more rapid!


    ��Damn it, are you joking with me?��


    ��Rulse is battle-hardened; how could he possibly fail a mission, damn it, especially against merely a farmer��s son!�� Dennis took a while to digest the meaning of Tina��s words.


    The opposite Tina trembled in fear, but she picked up on one term ��farmer��s son.��


    So, a ��farmer��s son�� could upset the noble young master to this extent.


    It seems��.


    ��Ah!��


    Tina screamed as she was suddenly grabbed by the hair and pulled over, then harshly slammed onto the large desk.


    ��Sssla!��


    Tina felt a chill over her body as her clothes were ripped open.


    Immediately after, a sharp pain shot through her body!


    ��.


    After a series of intense panting, Dennis seemed somewhat tired.


    But as he vented, he appeared to regain his composure.


    Looking at Tina, who was gently sobbing with bruises of blue and purple, Dennis coldly stated, ��Repeat exactly what Rulse said to you before he left, without missing a single word.��


    ��Lord Rulse said��.��


    Tina��s words were nearly identical to before, and Dennis could not glean any useful information from them.


    ��How exactly did Rulse fail?��


    ��Could Cleya have left that peasant any treasures?��


    ��Where did the two of them fight?��


    ��If Rulse failed his mission, did he divulge any information to the other party?��


    ��Moreover, with Rulse��s failure, I will certainly face my father��s rebuke, and I might not even be able to stay at Habsburg Manor any longer.��


    ��Lastly, it looks like this month��s ��Divine Blood�� quota is gone����


    Dennis thought momentarily and realized his mind was swamped with a plethora of vexing problems.


    And the cause of this passive situation was that person called��.


    Dennis rubbed his temples, he had always been called a ��farmer��s son,�� and suddenly, he forgot the other person��s name.


    Oh~, right, he remembered now, it was Rein!


    Dennis wanted to send someone to investigate, but the few subordinates he had left were all much weaker than Rulse.


    After thinking it over, he decided against sending anyone to look for Rulse��s whereabouts.


    After pacing back and forth in the room for a while, Dennis returned to his desk and sat down blankly.


    After further contemplation, he picked up a quill and swiftly scribbled on a piece of paper, soon producing a sincerely worded letter of apology.


    The first sentence began with ��Dear father��.��


    At this point, the situation here had somewhat spiraled out of Dennis��s control. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Especially with Rulse��s death, he didn��t believe it was an incident that could be kept hidden; instead of hiding it, it was better to report to his father and ask for help promptly.


    Since Rulse was his father��s favorite, it was highly likely his father would send someone to investigate.


    By that time, Rein would naturally come to their attention.


    ��


    Flashgold Town governmental hall.


    Inside Hamilton��s office.


    Rein thought for a moment and realized he had figured out the assassin��s matter.


    But what connection did he have with that middle-aged man, the Norman family?


    Just as Rein was about to ask, Hamilton began discussing the advanced magic potion on his own.


    This caused Rein to focus and listen carefully.


    ��Rein, regarding the advanced magic potion, first, you must understand that each breathing technique corresponds to a different magic potion!��


    ��Fortunately, you practice the widely disseminated Giant Bear Breathing Technique, so relatively speaking, the corresponding advanced magic potion is easier to obtain.��


    ��The method for making an advanced magic potion isn��t difficult; it involves one main ingredient along with several auxiliary ingredients, just a simple mixing. But the difficulty lies in finding a good main ingredient.��


    ��The key main ingredient of an advanced magic potion is generally called ��Transcendent Relic,�� like the one for your Giant Bear Breathing Technique, which requires a Transcendent Relic from a berserk bear species����Giant Bear��s Paw��.��


    ��With the aid of the advanced magic potion, the enhancement level of certain or multiple attributes developed by the breathing technique will be exceptionally high.��


    ��For instance, the Swift Leopard Breathing Technique focuses on significantly enhancing agility and slightly strength, and if the advanced magic potion is made from a leopard��s Transcendent Relic, like the ��Shadow Leopard��s Tendon��!��


    ��Then, after consuming the advanced magic potion, the enhancement of the agility attribute would be especially substantial. However, if the main ingredient is from another transcendent creature, like the wind serpent, the effect would be somewhat inferior.��


    Rein nodded, indicating he understood what Hamilton was saying.


    ��Through advancement via a magic potion, not only can safety be greatly enhanced, but it can also augment the transcendent traits brought by the breathing technique.��


    ��For example, you, Rein, if you step into the transcendent realm using the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and its corresponding advanced magic potion, in general, you would awaken a transcendent characteristic��Huge Strength, a special ability that enables superlative exertion of one��s strength.��


    ��Transcendent characteristic,�� ��Huge Strength��?


    Rein sharply caught these key phrases, and several thoughts flashed through his mind.


    ��I wonder if it could be used in conjunction with my ��Strength Burst��?��


    ��It��s highly likely effective, but I fear my body can��t handle it!��


    ��It seems�� I need to further strengthen my Constitution.��


    Hamilton continued enthusiastically:


    ��Likewise, practitioners of the Swift Leopard Breathing Technique, after stepping into the transcendent realm, are very likely to awaken a transcendent characteristic��agility, a special ability that enables superlative exertion of one��s agility.��


    ��But this is not absolute, there was once a practitioner of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique who, after consuming the advanced magic potion made from a ��Giant Bear��s Paw�� of a mountain berserk bear, not only awakened the transcendent characteristic ��Huge Strength��.��


    ��He also awakened a rare transcendent characteristic����Thick Skin��!��


    ��A special transcendent characteristic that combines mysterious side energy particles.��


    At this point, Hamilton showed a look of longing.


    Rein was also surprised; could one actually awaken two transcendent characteristics?

 Chapter 89 - 89 - 88: Huh? Transcendent Profession Panel!

    Chapter 89 �C 88: Huh? Transcendent Profession Panel!


    This was clearly not due to the Breathing Method, leaving only two other reasons.


    Either it was due to individual physiological differences,


    or it was because of differences in the main ingredient of the advancement magic potion.


    Perhaps it was both.


    ��After all, the differences between people can sometimes be greater than anything else!��


    ��And bear-like Transcendent creatures definitely aren��t limited to just one or two types; there should be many varieties.��


    Moreover, Rein then thought of something related to what Hamilton had just mentioned about the ��special transcendent characteristics of mysterious side energy particles��.


    ...


    ��That�� Sir, the ferocious werewolf we hunted down last time, was the light blue airflow around it what you were referring to as some special transcendent characteristic of mysterious side energy particles?��


    Hamilton looked at Rein with approval and said, ��Smart! Indeed it is.��


    ��That werewolf possessed a special innate ability named ��Rift.�� S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��The innate abilities of monsters are the same as our human Knights�� Transcendent characteristics, just termed differently to distinguish between humans and other creatures.��


    ��This innate ability not only enhances their movement speed but also strengthens their slashing effect, a desired Transcendent characteristic for those specializing in assassination and scouting.��


    ��Um�� Lord Hamilton, since there are people who have awakened two Transcendent characteristics, are there people who have awakened three?�� Rein asked again.


    Given Hamilton��s interest, Rein naturally took the opportunity to ask more.


    ��Haha, of course there are, but most often it is because the Breathing Method they practice is extraordinary, and these Breathing Methods are usually possessed by deeply-rooted noble families.��


    ��Perhaps, in the entire Meister County, only the Habus Earl Family might have them.��


    ��However, Rein, the widespread dissemination of Breathing Methods also means that the difficulty of finding or buying advancement magic potions is greatly reduced, which isn��t really a bad thing for most people!�� Hamilton said seriously, looking at Rein.


    Is that so?


    Isn��t it better for the Breathing Method to be rarer, more powerful, and harder to practice?


    What kind of logic is this?


    Rein felt a bit confused after hearing this.


    Hamilton didn��t keep him in suspense and continued explaining:


    ��For example, there was once a powerful Breathing Method called the ��Thunderbird Breathing Technique,�� which was a hereditary Breathing Method of a certain hereditary Marquis family in the empire. But do you know? The main ingredient required for its advancement magic potion is ��Thunderbird Wings.��


    ��Over the past thousand years, as Thunderbirds gradually became harder to find, naturally, ��Thunderbird Wings�� also became unobtainable. Thus, the family��s stockpile of ��Thunderbird Wings�� has continually been depleted for advancing this Breathing Method.��


    ��Several hundred years ago, as the stockpile of ��Thunderbird Wings�� ran out, no one has been able to successfully advance in this Breathing Method since.��


    Hamilton showed a hint of regret as he spoke.


    ��So it is, the higher the level of the Breathing Method, the more stringent the requirements for the advancement magic potion.��


    ��Whereas the more common Breathing Methods, though less powerful compared to higher-level ones, have a high substitutability for the main ingredients of their advancement magic potions, making them easy to find.�� Rein pondered for a moment and then summarized.


    ��Exactly, that��s right!�� Hamilton nodded.


    ��So, for the common folk��s offspring aspiring to achieve Transcendence, practicing a common Knight Breathing Method isn��t a bad thing at all.��


    [Ding! Host has listened to Transcendent secrets, triggering the advanced job change��Knight (Transcendent)!]


    [Prerequisites for advancing to Knight (Transcendent) include: one, any Knight Breathing Method lv5 or above; two, strength 12 points or more, agility 12 points or more, constitution 12 points or more; three, any Riding Technique lv3 or above, Shield Defense lv3 or above, any Archery lv3 or above, any Close Combat Skill lv4 or above; four, corresponding advancement magic potion��


    current conditions not met! Advancement to Knight (Transcendent) failed!]


    ��What! This works too?��


    Rein read through the sudden system prompt several times, feeling both surprised and delighted!


    He hadn��t expected that merely listening to Hamilton��s explanations about advancement magic potions and transcendence could yield such a discovery.


    It had directly triggered his job advancement information!


    ��Looking at the conditions, advancing my job change to Knight doesn��t seem to require having the Knight Attendant job panel.��


    ��I had been worried that I would need to change my job to Knight Attendant first before triggering the Knight job change. Now it seems like I was worried for nothing.��


    The primary condition is Knight Breathing Method lv5, right?


    Indeed, with successful practice of the Breathing Method along with advancement magic potions, advancing to Knight does seem logical.


    ��Rein?��


    Hamilton, seeing Rein staring blankly on the spot, couldn��t help but tease with a smile:


    ��Could it be that you��ve heard too much about transcendence and are having a hard time accepting it?��


    No way!


    I hope you would talk even more!


    But those words Rein could only think to himself.


    ��Haha, of course not, Lord Hamilton. I��m very grateful for your guidance today. I hope you can continue to mentor me in the days to come.��


    Rein bowed slightly to express his gratitude.


    Today, Hamilton��s explanation resolved many doubts in Rein��s mind.


    Just as Hamilton was about to say something,


    suddenly, urgent knocking sounds came from the door.


    ��Please come in!�� Hamilton straightened his face and looked towards the door.


    ��Lord Hamilton, Viscount Hamadi, the sheriff of the County Town, requests your immediate presence in the County Town,�� a Messenger came in and reported.


    Hamilton nodded, then turned to Rein and said, ��Rein, it seems our talk will have to wait until next time.��


    ��By the way, you should join Weilun��s squad first, he��ll arrange your daily tasks.��


    ��Weilun has complained to me several times, asking why I haven��t processed your onboarding yet.��


    ��Yes, Lord Hamilton. Captain Weilun and I are also quite familiar. I��m delighted to be able to join his squad.�� Rein stood up and said with a smile.


    After leaving Lord Hamilton��s office, Rein found Weilun at the training ground behind the administrative hall.


    When Weilun heard that Rein had officially joined and was even assigned to his squad, his face lit up with joy.


    He slapped Rein heavily on the shoulder and said with a laugh:


    ��Haha, excellent! I��ve finally waited for you!��


    ��Rein, you have no idea how many times I��ve talked to Lord Hamilton!��


    ��Captain Weilun, when do I join your night patrols? Do we start tonight?�� Rein proactively asked.


    ��No need to rush, let��s start tomorrow. Go home today, get ready, and give your family a heads up.��


    ��Eh�� Okay!�� Rein nodded.


    Back at home, Rein was alone in his room, deeply contemplating.


    His initial idea of joining the Night Watchman was to have protection in his weaker hours.


    But now, as one of the imperial official forces, the Night Watchman was like a great tree.


    What he needed to do now was to enhance his authority or post within the Night Watchman, thus gaining access to more resources and secret knowledge.


    To achieve this, he had to continually complete related missions, carry out valuable deeds, and accumulate enough Merit Points.


    These tasks were not the general duties of the Night Watchman��s night patrols.


    The Merit Points brought by daily duties were far too insignificant for Rein.


    Only those unexpected and more dangerous missions could bring considerable Merit Points, like the previously participated missions to suppress the ferocious werewolves and to eliminate evil finfolk.


    ��So, next, I need to do two things: one, continue to train hard to enhance my strength. Two, take on as many unexpected or urgent Night Watchman missions as possible to earn high Merit Points.��


    As for Bounty Hunting?


    The bounty tasks that Bounty Hunters undertake for money are basically a different matter from the Night Watchman��s duties.


    However, Rein did not mind completing some easy bounty tasks during the daytime when he rested.


    After all, those absolutely wicked criminals in the bounty tasks were, in Rein��s eyes, walking ��human Experience��.


    If there was a fight, it meant that there was a chance for Rein to increase his Profession Level as a Night Watchman, naturally a good thing.


    Of course, the prerequisite was that he could win!


    So, after going full circle, he returned to focusing diligently on training and improving his strength.


    At the same time, Rein carefully analyzed the four requirements for promotion to a formal Knight.


    First was any Knight Breathing Method at level 5 or above. This was not a big problem; as long as he advanced one more level in any profession, he could elevate his Breathing Method from level 4 to level 5.


    Next, it was the three basic attributes of strength, agility, and constitution. He was only one or two points away, and considering that the Giant Bear Breathing Technique prominently enhanced strength and constitution, Rein had to think about prioritizing adding points to agility after leveling up.


    Last was achieving level 3 in riding and archery. These points were also not difficult; more practice at John��s Farm for riding and some additional practice in the administrative hall��s training ground for archery would suffice.


    Shield defense was a bit troublesome. That either required spending Merit Points to exchange for Combat Skill or finding someone to teach him.


    ��.


    One day later.


    Rein, accompanied by ��Cookie��, began his first night patrol.


    His night patrol partners were Captain Weilun and the short Matteo, both acquaintances, which made the atmosphere relaxed and led to constant casual conversation. The topic soon shifted to Rein��s Greyhound, ��Cookie��.


    ��Rein, this is a Greyhound, right? It looks like it should be about half a year old,�� the short Matteo said, glancing at ��Cookie,�� who had sleek fur, long limbs, and increasingly visible muscles.


    ��Eh�� not really, ��Cookie�� is just over three months old,�� Rein recalled the time and said.


    ��What? How long did you say?�� Matteo was immediately startled, and Captain Weilun also turned his head.


    ��Just over three months.��


    ��Rein, really? Are you pulling my leg?�� Matteo looked suspiciously at Rein��s expression, seeming to confirm something.


    ��This�� not at all.�� At that moment, Rein came to understand why Matteo might doubt.


    It was no wonder!


    Recently, under the ��nourishment�� of Rein��s nutritional meals, although money was spent lavishly, ��Cookie��s growth speed had entered the fast lane, visibly growing taller and stronger every day.


    This forced Rein to begrudgingly spend twice the money of his family��s meal budget to buy raw materials to feed ��Cookie��.


    ��Well then, Rein, you��re really lucky to have bought such a ��uniquely talented�� Greyhound.��


    Once Matteo confirmed Rein was not joking and thought about it, he attributed ��Cookie��s rapid growth to some kind of innate talent in the dog.


    Captain Weilun couldn��t help but give ��Cookie�� a few more looks, marveling.


    ��Haha�� indeed, my luck has been pretty good lately,�� Rein could only agree with a smile.


    ��By the way, Rein, I��ll tell you a dog food recipe later that might help ��Cookie�� grow faster; it��s just mixing a raw egg into rice,�� Matteo said enthusiastically.


    Rein was taken aback!


    This��.


    ��Matteo, you��re too kind. I��ll thank you on ��Cookie��s�� behalf first.��


    ��Woof, woof, woof!��


    Just then, ��Cookie�� suddenly started barking wildly towards a small alley on the right.

 Chapter 90 - 90 - 89: Convergence

    Chapter 90 �C 89: Convergence


    The three immediately looked in that direction, only to see darkness inside.


    But Rein, with his Dark Vision, could already see two tall black figures flashing by at the end of the alley, each carrying a large sack that seemed to wriggle, about half the height of a person.


    ��That��s Quinn��s patrol area, Captain, do we go have a look?�� Matteo clearly sensed something amiss. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��There are two people, each carrying a big sack.�� Rein said gravely, his mind already racing with unpleasant possibilities.


    Weilun and Matteo couldn��t help but look at Rein in astonishment, as if to say, can you really see all that clearly?


    ��Let��s go! Follow them.�� Weilun decided to pursue after a moment��s thought.


    Guided by ��Cookie,�� the three quickly chased after them.


    ...


    It seemed that the two figures ahead realized they were being hotly pursued by a dog and three men, and in their panic, they suddenly threw down the large sacks they were carrying and fled with even greater speed.


    Just as Rein was about to take the lead in the chase, suddenly, an orange flare shot through the air, originating from the northwest corner above Rein and his companions.


    ��It��s our distress signal.��


    ��We need to get there right away,�� Weilun said solemnly upon seeing it.


    ��Boss, it��s children!�� Matteo had already opened the two large sacks discarded on the ground.


    Inside each sack was a child with a gagged mouth and bound hands and feet. Upon seeing the Night Watchman in black leather armor, both children started struggling ��mmph mmph�� against their restraints.


    ��Matteo, you stay here and look after the kids.��


    ��Rein and I will immediately go over there, be careful on your own!�� Weilun instantly assigned their duties.


    ��Alright, Boss! You go ahead, I��ll be careful,�� Matteo said while untying the children.


    Rein glanced at the two traffickers who had vanished from sight, knowing that this was not the right moment to chase them.


    After all, rescuing comrades was more important.


    However, when Weilun and Rein arrived at the northwest corner of the town, they found that the crisis had been averted.


    The Night Watchman of that area had also encountered traffickers, but this time, the opponents appeared to be strong, managing to break through and calmly leave despite the encirclement of three Night Watchmen.


    Additionally, one of the Night Watchmen was stabbed in the right arm during the attempt to stop them.


    Although the foes had fled, Rein still had an uneasy feeling that something was not quite right. The group selling children had been too brazen and frequent recently!


    This, naturally, infuriated the Flashgold Town security officer Hamilton, who immediately strengthened the night staffing in Flashgold Town.


    However��


    Since that day, for three consecutive evenings, the area of Rein��s night patrol had been peaceful.


    It seemed that the swagger of the traffickers had been effectively curbed.


    Meanwhile, Rein gradually became familiar with the duties of the Night Watchman.


    The Night Watchman of Flashgold Town mainly handled the town��s nightly security, fire emergencies, wild beast disturbances, and signaling major dangers, while during the day, this work fell to the town guards.


    As the daytime is generally safer than the night, Night Watchmen typically possess combat capabilities one notch higher than town guards.


    Of course, the compensation was also better.


    A regular Night Watchman��s monthly salary reached 8 imperial silver coins, while an elite like Rein received 1 imperial Gold Coin.


    In addition, based on the team captain��s arrangement, there would be 1-2 days of rest each week.


    Not sleeping for a whole night wasn��t actually tiring for Rein, who practiced a breathing method for cultivation.


    As long as he went back and slept a little, once he awoke again, Rein would be in a spirited and vigorous state.


    And he could use the remaining time of the day for other activities, such as practicing the breathing method in his room, improving his horseback riding at John��s Farm, or going to the training ground to practice swordsmanship and archery, and so on.


    Furthermore, Rein gathered from Captain Weilun through indirect inquiries about something.


    The Empire had strict restrictions on commoners learning breathing methods and Extraordinary sword techniques, which was evident from the need to exchange a large amount of Merit Points.


    But for the nobility, it was very ��tolerant.��


    Nobles could teach their followers breathing methods and Extraordinary sword techniques!


    This explained why so many commoners were desperate to become servants or guards of the nobility.


    This system had been in place for a long time and had received widespread approval from nobles of all ranks.


    On the other hand, it was incredibly difficult for commoners to advance on their own.


    Rein briefly assessed the obstacles a commoner would have to overcome to become a Transcendent.


    First, one needed to join an official Imperial organization, accumulate enough Merit Points over time, and learn breathing methods and Extraordinary Combat Skills.


    Then, continue to collect Merit Points to exchange for an ��Advancement Magic Potion.�� If one was lucky enough to become a Transcendent, after being officially acknowledged by the Empire, they could become the lowest level of nobility��a non-hereditary knight.


    The only disappointment over the last few days was that Hamilton, as the security officer of Flashgold Town, was incredibly busy.


    Rein had planned to ask him for lessons in swordsmanship, along with a chance to farm some ��Experience,�� but had not found the right opportunity.


    Over three days, Rein��s most progressed profession, the costly Dog Trainer, had astonishingly reached lv2 (223/300).


    Part of this was because Rein took ��Cookie�� for night patrols, which the system recognized as ��walking the dog.��


    Rein had calculated before that approximately every fifteen minutes of ��walking the dog,�� the Dog Trainer��s Profession Level experience would increase by one point.

 Chapter 91 - 91 - 89: Convergence_2

    Chapter 91 �C 89: Convergence_2


    Thus, through a full night of ��walking the dog,�� his experience naturally increased rapidly.


    The only thing that made Rein a bit displeased was that, as a member of the Night Watcher��s Army in Flashgold Town, there were too few experts in comparison.


    On the training ground of the administrative hall, if Rein used the Giant Bear Sword Technique, there essentially wasn��t an opponent who could last three exchanges.


    Therefore, when Rein sparred with other Night Watchmen, he would use the Bastard Sword combined with Imperial Military Swordsmanship and then take the time to practice archery as well.


    A few days passed, and the results were quite good.


    The Night Watchman��s Profession Level had reached lv3 (247/500), and the Imperial Military Swordsmanship and Basic Archery had improved even more, reaching lv2 (245/300) and lv2 (121/300) respectively.


    Before he realized it, three days had passed.


    ...


    Today, as dawn broke, Rein finished a night of patrol and had not been home long before he received a notification from the guards: Lord Hamilton requested his presence.


    Rein thought for a moment, then took his greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, donned the Night Watchman��s black standard leather armor, and headed to the town��s administrative hall.


    In the office, Hamilton handed Rein a sheepskin scroll.


    ��For this mission, we have to go personally.��


    Rein took the scroll and skillfully flipped through it, starting with the mission description: multiple miners had gone missing at the Elim Mine, and the three Bounty Hunters who went to investigate had since vanished without a trace.


    As of yesterday, the number of missing miners had exceeded ten, and the miners at Elim Mine were all terrified, not a single one dared to go down to work again, forcing the mine to close.


    ��.


    ��Eh! Elim Mine? I seem to have heard news of incidents there before.��


    ��I didn��t expect it to still be unresolved��.��


    ��The current situation, it��s clearly gotten more serious!��


    Rein immediately remembered hearing related news about the Elim Mine from Hamilton.


    Continuing to browse through the case file, the end of the scroll only had one sentence about the mission requirement: What exactly happened inside Elim Mine? S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��This is an investigation mission?�� Rein looked at Hamilton in surprise.


    Normally, the official Imperial forces wouldn��t get involved in mere investigations; these are usually handled through bounties, leaving Bounty Hunters to complete them more often.


    But this time was different, with the Flashgold Town��s sheriff Hamilton himself taking action, Rein faintly felt the significance of the Elim gold mine.


    Hamilton��s following words confirmed Rein��s guess.


    ��Though the output of the Elim Mine has been declining year by year, its importance to Meister County remains significant. The higher-ups have asked me to figure out what happened in Elim Mine as soon as possible.��


    ��In addition, although this is just an investigative mission, a mysterious event most likely occurred.�� Hamilton��s expression became serious.


    ��A mysterious event?�� Rein pondered these words.


    ��Correct! The disappearance of the three Bounty Hunters, including one experienced Monster Hunter, can now be classified as a mysterious event. This means it��s possible that monsters or some kind of supernatural forces appeared in the mine.��


    ��Lord, if it��s monsters, why not offer a bounty for Monster Hunters to take care of it? Of course, I��m just curious, not afraid,�� Rein asked.


    After all, it was Hamilton who told him that if he wanted to buy Berserker Bear meat, he could find Monster Hunters in County Town.


    ��That��s because one of the Bounty Hunters, Nedved, was himself an experienced Monster Hunter. His disappearance has led to no Monster Hunters in County Town willing to take on this task.��


    After listening to Hamilton explain the circumstances, Rein nodded,


    The disappearance of three Bounty Hunters, one of whom was an experienced Monster Hunter, gave him a foreboding sense of unease.


    ��Lord Hamilton, what do you think might have happened inside the mine?�� Rein couldn��t help asking, since Hamilton, with his broad experience, would likely have a judgment about the possible situation.


    Hamilton pondered for a moment and said, ��Initially, I wondered if Gnolls had appeared in Elim Mine, but Gnolls are not strong fighters, and they usually come in large numbers, yet so far, there are no reports of any sightings of Gnolls.��


    ��Furthermore, the disappearance of three experienced Bounty Hunters suggests that the likelihood of Gnolls being the creatures inside is slim.��


    ��Therefore, I suspect that there��s a type of monster adept at lurking and ambushing inside the mine.��


    ��For instance, the Venomtail Scorpion excels at stealth and sneak attacks, and it also particularly favors the dark and damp environment of mines. If it strikes a miner or Bounty Hunter during an attack, it can swiftly deliver a fatal blow without a sound.��


    ��Not even a scream would be heard.��


    ��Of course, it could also be other ambush-preferring creatures, such as Troglodytes and so on; it��s still too soon to say.��


    Heeding Hamilton��s reasoned analysis, Rein nodded, feeling somewhat less worried.


    With his experienced superior leading the team, safety shouldn��t be a big concern.


    ��Rein, you were planning to earn more Merit Points to exchange for advanced Magic Potions, right?��


    ��This might be a good opportunity, as tasks involving mysterious events typically offer three to five times the Merit Points of ordinary tasks, or even more.��


    ��Additionally, if the monsters are easy to deal with, we can eliminate them directly, and that would mean even more Merit Points.�� Hamilton said to Rein with a smile.

 Chapter 92 - 92 - 89: Convergence_3

    Chapter 92 �C 89: Convergence_3


    Rein raised an eyebrow at the news and chuckled as well.


    In fact, Hamilton needn��t have called for him; if Rein had known how rewarding the mission was, he would have volunteered to join on his own.


    Rein was very much aware that he didn��t need to wait half a year more to accumulate experience as Hamilton had suggested.


    If all went well, in about a month or two, he could meet all the conditions for a knight��s promotion, except for the ��Advanced Magic Potion.��


    So, Rein was in urgent need of Merit Points to exchange for the ��Advanced Magic Potion.��


    Although this mission entailed a certain degree of danger, with Hamilton, a certified Knight, leading the team, the risks should be relatively manageable.


    Rein felt that as long as he was careful, there shouldn��t be any major problems.


    ...


    ��That would be best. By the way, my lord, when do we depart?��


    ��We��ll set out once everyone has arrived. The County Town has sent some people over, too; we��ll leave together once they��re here.��


    ��Also, I��ve had Weilun and the others prepare some antidotes, ropes, fishing nets, and the like.��


    ��Rein, if you have anything you need to get ready, you still have time to prepare.��


    ��Yes, my lord.�� Rein nodded upon hearing that others from the County Town would be joining them.


    In truth, Rein had most of the gear he needed on him.


    However, considering the search in the mine, bringing ��Cookie�� along might be a wise choice.


    After all, dogs�� sense of smell and hearing are much sharper than humans��.


    So, Rein returned home once more to fetch ��Cookie.��


    When he came back to the town hall entrance, he saw a group of new arrivals, and Hamilton was coming out to meet them.


    ��Lord Hamilton, long time no see!�� A middle-aged man with a goatee, dressed in proper hunting clothes, greeted Hamilton with a slight bow.


    Rein could vaguely sense that the man was not weak; though not a formal Knight, he was clearly a Knight��s Attendant.


    ��Steward Schmidt, hello.�� Hamilton nodded with a smile.


    ��Lord Hamilton, Viscount Hamadi himself wanted to come, but the Viscount is preoccupied with affairs, so he entrusted me to investigate the situation at the Elim Gold Mine.��


    ��The incidents at the gold mine have greatly concerned both Count Habbs and Viscount Hamadi,�� said the middle-aged man named Schmidt with a smile.


    ��This time, in addition to inviting the knowledgeable Wandering Bard��Lord Endri to accompany us,��


    ��I have also specially recruited three experienced Bounty Hunters in the County Town.��


    Steward Schmidt gestured to an old man with a goat beard wearing a gray hood and carrying a staff, dressed in a gray robe.


    The old man took off his hood, bowed slightly to Hamilton, and said, ��Lord Hamilton, I am honored to meet you.��


    ��Lord Endri, hello.�� Hamilton also nodded in return with a smile.


    Rein, intrigued by the introduction of the well-informed Wandering Bard, took a closer look.


    ��Wondering if the other party might recognize the unknown script from his ��Beast Taming Diary.''��


    ��Too bad, now isn��t the right time or place for his identity.��


    Then, Schmidt pointed to three men wearing gray leather armor, ��These three are experienced Bounty Hunters.��


    ��Lord Hamilton, we, Faruja, Selim, and Aximu, are at your service.�� The three muscular Bounty Hunters stepped forward and bowed slightly to Hamilton.


    ��Welcome!�� Hamilton nodded slightly.


    Although he was leading the team this time, he was well aware that the Night Watcher��s Army excelled in cooperative fighting; compared to exploration and searching, experienced Bounty Hunters were more adept.


    At that moment, Hamilton saw that Rein had arrived and nodded to him as a signal.


    ��Now that everyone is here, shall we set out?��


    ��Of course. The sooner we depart, the sooner we complete our reconnaissance mission.�� Schmidt nodded with a smile of agreement.


    Thus, the twelve elite members of the Night Watcher��s Army, plus the five people with Schmidt, mounted their horses and quickly headed towards the Elim Gold Mine, located to the southwest of Flashgold Town.


    sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 93 - 93 - 90: Elim Mine

    Chapter 93 �C 90: Elim Mine


    It was late autumn, and as a group of people gradually moved toward the southwest road of Flashgold Town, the scenery on both sides began to change.


    From the originally vast fields of mostly harvested wheat, it transformed into gently rolling hills.


    The large swathes of trees on the hills had already turned yellow, shining like a beautiful golden scroll under the sunlight.


    Since everyone was on horseback, about an hour later, the official investigation team led by Hamilton arrived at the mid-slope of a hill.


    This was the main entrance to the Elim Mine.


    At this time, a middle-aged man dressed as a mine supervisor, along with a few miners dressed in half-length coarse cloth jackets and knee-length shorts, had already been waiting at the entrance of the mine.


    Rein looked around and saw behind the mine��s gate a large area filled with wooden huts, which seemed to be the dwellings of the miners, and faint crying sounds could be heard, presumably from the relatives of miners who had lost their family members.


    ...


    The dark entrance of the mine was scattered with about a dozen small mining carts, and a metal rail about a meter wide stretched into the mine.


    Surrounding them were wooden fences over two meters high, enclosing the entire entrance and residential area of the mine. These fences, made of beech wood, were quite solid.


    After Captain Weilun asked a few questions, the disheveled miners indeed did not know exactly what had happened inside; they had only heard strange clashing sounds followed by horrific screams.


    By the time they assembled a group and rushed over, they only found some remaining bloodstains.


    After several such incidents, they no longer dared to check on the situation.


    Especially after the Bounty Hunters came and disappeared without a trace, these miners dared not even enter the mine anymore.


    Clearly, these responses provided little help for the investigation team wanting to understand exactly what had happened inside the mine.


    Shortly after hearing this, Hamilton decided that they needed to enter the mine to conduct a direct investigation.


    So, three Bounty Hunters walked in the front, followed closely by Weilun and Rein along with several Night Watchmen, with Schmidt, Endri, and Hamilton in the middle, and the remaining seven or eight elite Night Watchmen at the back.


    The entire team formed a long line, slowly advancing deeper into the mine.


    It wasn��t for lack of a desire to adopt a more compact security formation, but because the special terrain of the mining tunnel dictated it.


    The tunnel at the entrance of the mine was relatively spacious, and after many years of excavation, it was almost wide enough for three or four people to walk abreast, and there were oil lamps hanging on the rock walls on both sides, providing fairly clear lighting, allowing for faster advancement.


    But as they went deeper, especially after passing a junction, the tunnels of the mine gradually became narrower, particularly as many of the hanging oil lamps on the tunnel walls were damaged, significantly reducing visibility within the mine.


    ��That junction just back there leads to the old mine pit, which had been mostly mined out decades ago,�� said the mine supervisor.


    ��The tunnel we are now entering was only excavated about twenty years ago. Although its gold reserves are not as extensive as those of the old pit, they are still moderate,�� he explained.


    ��The problem is occurring in this new pit,��


    As they went deeper, hardly any of the oil lamps were lit.


    At this point, the only source of light relied on the torches each person carried.


    The alertness of the group gradually heightened to its peak.


    ��Why aren��t these oil lamps lit? Is it out of oil?�� muttered one of the Bounty Hunters leading the way.


    ��These oil lamps�� if they��re not refilled in time, they can only last two or three days. It��s been quite some time since then, so���� the supervisor attempted to explain.


    But at this moment, Rein began to sense something was off.


    As he delved deeper into the mine, his level 2 danger perception started to frequently warn him, as if something dangerous lurked deep in the mine tunnels, and this feeling was growing stronger.


    This made Rein tense his muscles, ready to dodge or attack at any moment.


    ��Something��s not right, look at this oil lamp, it seems like something clawed it directly off the wall,�� said the Bounty Hunter in the lead, who seemed to notice something.


    He raised his torch high, illuminating a side of the rock wall where there were visible scratch marks.


    It appeared to be the work of some beast��s claws.


    As everyone focused their attention in the direction he indicated, suddenly, a large gaping mouth sprang out from the junction of the tunnel floor and rock wall, biting towards a Night Watchman.


    ��Watch out!�� Since Rein was always on guard, he reacted immediately and shouted loudly. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, his position was behind the attacked Night Watchman, naturally making it impossible to block the attack in time.


    But Rein reacted quickly, forcefully kicking the attacked Night Watchman.


    This kick narrowly allowed him to dodge the deadly bite!


    The next second, a chorus of shouts erupted from the group.


    In the flickering torchlight, one of the Bounty Hunters shouted in a horrified tone, ��It��s a Crystal Stone Lizard!��


    ��There��s a Crystal Stone Lizard here!��


    Thanks to Rein��s Dark Vision, he could clearly see the full appearance of the attacker.

 Chapter 94 - 94 - 90: Elim Mine_2

    Chapter 94 �C 90: Elim Mine_2


    This creature known as the Crystal Lizard was three to four meters long, with thick skin that felt like dotted with mineral grains on its body. When it lay at the intersection of the ground and the rock wall in the gold mine tunnel, it was incredibly hard to distinguish!


    No wonder ��Cookie�� just now was completely unaware of its presence.


    At this moment, he was barking furiously at the Crystal Lizard.


    Although Rein kicked the Night Watchman companion aside, the Crystal Lizard swung its long tail, striking fiercely at the Night Watchman��s lower back.


    With a ��crack��, the Night Watchman was flung away, crashing heavily against the mine��s rock wall, seemingly with a serious spinal injury, writhing in pain on the spot.


    At that moment, the two nearby Bounty Hunters quickly reacted, aiming their bastard swords at the Crystal Lizard and delivering several thrusts.


    ��Ding! Ding!��


    ...


    Sparks flew, but to little effect!


    The layer of skin on the Crystal Lizard��s back, with its mineral-like texture, had a defensive power that probably didn��t lose out to a stone of the same thickness; the Bounty Hunters�� attacks seemed no more than tickling it.


    ��Be careful! The Crystal Lizard��s back has the strongest defense, target its eyes or belly,�� S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    an elderly voice called out from the middle of the group. It was the knowledgeable and experienced Wandering Bard, Endri, offering a reminder.


    But knowing and being able to execute were two different things.


    At this moment, only a few, including the Knight being squeezed in the middle of the group, Lord Hamilton, could do it.


    Rein also had a tough time, as using a dual-handed greatsword to poke eyes was incomparably more difficult than using a one-handed sword.


    In the dim and narrow mine tunnel, the Crystal Lizard moved not slowly; though not as fast as a cheetah, it was not much different from a wild boar in speed.


    Trying to hit the creature��s walnut-sized eyes with the longsword in hand was easier said than done.


    As for the belly, that was even harder.


    It required flipping over the entire Crystal Lizard.


    Considering its length was not long, but its muscles were tight and its skin tough and thick, it probably weighed quite a bit; Rein estimated its weight to be no less than six or seven hundred pounds.


    So even though they knew who the opponent was and its weak points, the three Bounty Hunters at the forefront had no way of dealing with it for the time being, allowing the Crystal Lizard to continue inflicting injuries on two elites of the Night Watchmen.


    After a bit of chaos, everyone began to regain their senses and started to draw their longswords, aiming at the Crystal Lizard,


    Seeing that its sneak attack had failed, and there was no opportunity to exploit at this moment, the Crystal Lizard swiftly turned 180 degrees and, flicking its tail, escaped deeper into the mine.


    ��Chase it!��


    ��Don��t let it get away!��


    If the Crystal Lizard managed to escape successfully, considering its ability to hide, it would be extremely difficult to find it again.


    Rein, at the front of the group, leaped forward and slid his fine steel greatsword under the Crystal Lizard, then with both hands, he gave a hefty heave, actually flipping the six or seven hundred pounds of the Crystal Lizard into mid-air.


    The force of this heave was skilfully managed by Rein, flipping the body of the Crystal Lizard just at ninety degrees, exposing its soft, gray-white underbelly in front of Rein.


    If anyone could see the Crystal Lizard��s front at this moment, they would notice the rare panic in its walnut-sized eyes.


    And its strong limbs, now quite helplessly flailing in mid-air.


    ��Swoosh!��


    A silver arc flashed by!


    The relatively soft belly of the Crystal Lizard was slashed open, leaving a narrow gash over a meter long.


    A stream of pale green, fluorescent blood gushed out instantly!


    Right after, the Crystal Lizard heavily crashed to the ground, a large pool of pale green fluorescent blood spreading beneath it. It struggled a few times before becoming motionless.


    This scene caused the three Bounty Hunters to look at Rein with newfound respect.


    Originally, when they had first entered the mine, they assumed that Rein, with his youthful face, must be a new Night Watchman, inexperienced and knowing very little. Hence, the trio felt no desire to engage in conversation with him and had hardly spoken to Rein throughout.


    But an expert is revealed as soon as they act!


    If it were them, trying to flip a 600 to 700-pound Crystal Lizard with a double-handed lift would be impossible, even with pre-accumulated force, not to mention doing so with the swiftness and grace that Rein did.


    It was clear that this young Night Watchman was no novice but a highly skilled master.


    At this moment, Hamilton, Endri, and Schmidt finally squeezed from the middle to the front of the group.


    Upon seeing Rein kill the Crystal Lizard on the spot, Hamilton couldn��t help but smile, stepping forward and clapping Rein��s shoulder, ��Well done!��


    Schmidt looked Rein up and down, then smiled and said to Hamilton, ��Lord Hamilton, could we consider this investigative mission concluded? It seems that the culprit behind the incidents at Elim Mine has been found and taken care of by one of your men!��


    ��I can return to County Town as soon as possible and relay the good news to the Earl and Baron!��


    The Wandering Bard, Endri, holding his wooden staff, approached the Crystal Lizard. He squatted down to take a closer look and said, ��So it truly is the exceedingly rare Crystal Lizard. No wonder many of the miners fell victim without even a chance to cry out.��


    ��Crystal Lizards generally lie in wait silently before ambushing their prey; they prefer environments like this human mine.��


    ��They have a strong sense of territory; generally, you��ll find only one in any given mine.��


    ��However, it��s become rare to see these creatures nowadays. This Crystal Lizard could fetch a very nice price. Lord Hamilton, the blood of the Crystal Lizard is of some use to me, may I purchase some?��


    Hamilton glanced at Rein, seeing no objection from him, he smiled and said, ��Of course, Master Endri, no problem at all. But, as Schmidt has mentioned, shall we leave the mine first?��


    ��Haha, of course!�� Endri laughed heartily.


    So, four elite Night Watchmen carrying the Crystal Lizard led the way, Hamilton and the others remained in the middle of the group, and Rein was warmly engaged by the three enthusiastic Bounty Hunters.


    The contrast between before and after was astonishing!


    The party slowly made their way back through the winding tunnels of the mine, spirits high due to the smoothness of the expedition.


    Moreover, according to what the Wandering Bard Endri said, the Crystal Lizard was quite valuable. Whether for the elite Night Watchmen or the Bounty Hunters, this journey could yield a generous share of the spoils or remuneration.


    Despite two of the elite Night Watchmen being injured, it was much less damage than they might have expected.


    After all, Lord Hamilton had made it clear before departure that this was a mysterious incident!


    The difficulty of such mysterious incidents was something all the elite Night Watchmen were well-prepared for.


    ��


    What nobody noticed,


    was that up on the rock wall of the mine tunnel, a pair of fist-sized yellow eyes suddenly opened and were silently observing Rein and his party as they passed by.

 Chapter 95 - 95 - 91: Splitting the ’Rock Groin

    Chapter 95 �C 91: Splitting the ��Rock Groin


    Rein, while responding to the enthusiastic Bounty Hunters, started checking the system notifications:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +145]


    [You have been through a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +76]


    The battle was extremely short. Although Rein only used thirty percent of his ��Strength Burst�� and swung his sword twice, each strike was an excellent combination of his current level of strength and skill.


    Therefore, the experience gained was considered quite substantial.


    Meanwhile, the three Bounty Hunters beside him were now engaging Rein eagerly, a stark contrast to their indifferent demeanor when they had first arrived, as if they had completely changed their faces.


    ��Did a troll appear near Flashgold Town?��


    ...


    ��I personally saw Haral, that ��little giant,�� accept this task in County Town.��


    ������


    Listening to the Bounty Hunters talk about that ��giant�� who had left a deep impression on him, Rein immediately thought of the day that group of Bounty Hunters entered Flashgold Town.


    And the barbarian girl with the large shield who was the last in line.


    Rein naturally wanted to learn more about the barbarians and trolls.


    Especially since several days had passed, and he seemed to have heard no news about them from anyone else.


    It seemed like the barbarian Bounty Hunters had waited at the Beech Hotel for a few days before setting out after receiving confirmed news about the trolls.


    But today, it had been two or three days since they left the inn at Flashgold Town, and by counting the days, they should have been back by now.


    However, for some reason, Rein had not heard any news of their return.


    Could it be that they went straight back to County Town?


    Possible.


    Perhaps these three Bounty Hunters from County Town knew something.


    With that thought, Rein also nodded slightly, replying somewhat reservedly, ��Yes, that team of barbarian warriors is very strong.��


    ��Yes, but, Rein, I see that you��re so young and already possess such strength. In no time at all, you will������


    Just as that Bounty Hunter was eagerly talking, a kind of high-frequency Shock sound, inaudible to human ears, seemed to permeate the air.


    Buzz buzz buzz!


    A trembling presence suddenly descended, making everyone feel something was off.


    ��Crack crack crack!��


    Before everyone could look around, Rein and the others felt the ground shake, and the ceiling of the mining tunnel began to drop various sizes of rocks, causing everyone to stagger and struggle to maintain their balance.


    ��Could it be an earthquake?�� many exclaimed.


    ��Cookie�� started barking frantically behind them, and Rein��s mind instantly rang alarm bells.


    ��Not good, it��s an attack!��


    But before Rein could turn around, he felt a huge gust of wind hit him from behind.


    Rein immediately rolled forward on the spot, dodging the attack from behind.


    But the two elite Night Watchmen following closely behind Rein could not dodge in time.


    ��Pop!��


    The sound of a hammer forcefully striking a watermelon rang out!


    The heads of the two elite Night Watchmen burst open like exploded watermelons, instantly splattering blood and white brain matter everywhere.


    His colleagues, who had been conversing cheerfully just a moment ago, were now dead on the spot!


    Rein quickly turned around, and only then did he see that their attacker was a giant creature standing three meters tall, its head nearly touching the top of the mining tunnel.


    It resembled a giant, with a pockmarked and uneven body surface, wielding a stone mallet over two meters in length.


    That horrifying strike had been delivered by swinging that stone mallet.


    But what Rein could not fathom was how such a massive creature, which they had not noticed upon their earlier arrival at the tunnel, could remain unnoticed; they had passed through this area upon entering.


    Moreover, logically, a creature of this size and build should produce a sound from its movement in the tunnel that Rein could have felt from dozens of meters away, yet the attack had been so sudden and stealthy.


    Furthermore, this time he had ��Cookie�� with him; a dog��s hearing and smell are dozens of times better than a human��s, but even so, they only detected something was amiss a moment before the attack.


    Truly bizarre!


    At this moment, Captain Weilun was already red-eyed with rage. The two who had just died were his direct subordinates, with whom he had been through numerous tasks and battles, creating a bond unlike any other.


    Unexpectedly, they had perished here.


    Instantly, Weilun used all his strength to deliver an exceptionally swift striding thrust at the creature��s chest.


    It seemed�� the creature was too slow to react.


    Just as Weilun thought his strike would be successful,


    ��Ding!��


    Everyone was shocked to see that when Weilun��s thrust hit the creature��s body, sparks flew.


    By then, because of the falling rocks and dust, and the sudden attack, many people��s torches had fallen to the ground, and the whole mining tunnel was flickering between light and dark, with most people only able to see a towering humanoid figure attacking them.


    But Rein, with his Dark Vision, immediately noticed that the creature��s irregularly surfaced body was entirely made of a special type of rock, and in terms of defensive power, it was even stronger than the Crystal Stone lizard they had just encountered.


    No wonder Weilun��s thrust, even though successful, was futile.


    At that moment, the monster seemed to react, swinging its huge stone mace towards Weilun.


    ��Be careful!!�� Hamilton, positioned in the middle of the team, bellowed.


    Just as he turned around, he saw two of his men killed with a single blow from the mace, a double kill.


    Now, even Weilun was about to die at the enemy��s hand, which made Hamilton nearly uncontrollable with anger!


    Weilun quickly retreated, but the speed of the mace was incredibly fast, and seeing the massive hammer about to crash onto his head, Weilun had already closed his eyes in despair.


    ��It��s over!��


    ��He was about to follow the footsteps of those two underlings!��


    He hadn��t expected the monster to be massive but not slow in its attack speed.


    The monster swung up its stone mace, as if it were an extension of its own arm, even faster than imagined.


    At that moment, Rein had just rolled up from the ground and, seeing this, was too late to rescue Weilun.


    ��Clang!!��


    Weilun only felt a deafening clash of metal next to his ear, but the next second he realized he hadn��t died.


    Suddenly opening his eyes, he saw his boss Hamilton, whose arm muscles swelled dramatically, stubbornly holding a steel shield in front of him. However, Hamilton��s cheeks were already so red they were nearly bleeding, clearly almost at his limit.


    It turned out that when Hamilton saw Weilun was also about to die under the monster��s hammer, he burst out in rage, knocking several people aside, and rushed from the middle of the team to Weilun��s side, blocking the monster��s strike just in the nick of time!


    ��Run!!�� Hamilton roared.


    The next second, Weilun, red-faced and embarrassed, turned and ran towards the back, clearly, his impudence had forced his boss Hamilton to bear the brunt of the monster��s attack.


    But competing in strength with a three-meter-tall stone monster was obviously a foolish act.


    Even if Hamilton was a full-fledged Knight at full power, he couldn��t withstand it.


    It was a difference in species!


    At that moment, Rein keenly noticed that after taking a hit from the monster, Hamilton��s thick arms were constantly trembling, and the steel shield now had a deep dent.


    If not for its good quality and toughness, it would have probably cracked! S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The monster seemed surprised too that this rather small fellow could actually withstand its hit.


    But soon, a tint of annoyance revealed itself in its earthy large eyes, as it swung the hammer from low to high fiercely at Hamilton again!


    ��Pop!��


    This time Hamilton couldn��t hold on anymore; the moment the stone hammer hit the shield, he was blasted away like a cannonball at high speed.


    Then, with a ��thud,�� he violently crashed into the stone rock wall!


    At that moment, the fire finally illumined the monster��s body.


    ��Ugly, pitted stone surface�� ��humanoid creature��


    Seeing this from the rear of the team, Endri immediately showed a look of shock and shouted, ��This is the legendary Tunneling Stone Monster!��


    ��Damn it, this kind of creature was supposed to be extinct hundreds of years ago; how could one appear here!�� Endri said incredulously.


    Immediately after, his eyes showed deep longing, or rather, greed.


    Endri continued to shout, ��Everyone be careful, it��s incredibly strong and covered in special rock, don��t fight it head-on!��


    ��However, if we can kill it, we might get the ��Heart of the Stone Monster,�� which is a treasure worth a fortune!��


    When mentioning ��Heart of the Stone Monster�� and ��worth a fortune,�� Endri��s voice was particularly high and motivational, carrying a hint of seduction.


    When Rein heard Endri mention the ��Heart of the Stone Monster,�� he immediately remembered the advanced Magic Potion that Hamilton had mentioned to him the last time.


    Bmecause the core of the advanced Magic Potion was the so-called ��Transcendent Oddities.��


    A special item that many transcendent beings, including ferocious beasts, might form at a certain probability upon death.


    These ��oddities�� could never be found within the bodies of these transcendent beings while they were alive.


    But once a transcendent being died, their transcendent traits might condense into ��Transcendent Oddities,�� thereby being preserved, worth a fortune.


    Certainly, the ��Heart of the Stone Monster�� Endri mentioned must be this kind of ��Transcendent Oddity.��


    As soon as the three Bounty Hunters beside Rein heard the words ��worth a fortune,�� they licked their dry lips, eyes radiating an intense glow.


    The trio instantly exchanged glances and decided to engage immediately.


    Although this Tunneling Stone Monster was incredibly strong, its attack speed didn��t seem much faster than a normal person, and they, with their superior agility, could easily dodge its attacks.


    Rock Guard?


    With axe and chisel, after a few strikes, they didn��t believe the monster��s Rock Guard would hold!


    ��Go!��


    One of the Bounty Hunters, looking furious, pushed off with the tip of his foot and charged forward, brandishing a short-handled battle axe.


    The other two exchanged looks, gritted their teeth, and also immediately followed suit, rushing forward.


    Seeing this scene, Rein couldn��t help but marvel internally.


    ��It perfectly illustrates the saying, men die for wealth as birds die for food!��


    The Bounty Hunter in the lead, truly skilled, agilely slid under the Tunneling Stone Monster.


    Immediately after, he expertly swung his axe directly at the stone hips of the beast, delivering a powerful chop!


    ��Clang!!!��

 Chapter 96 - 96 - 92: The Real Minced Meat Sauce and the Sliding Shovel

    Chapter 96 �C 92: The Real Minced Meat Sauce and the Sliding Shovel


    Sparks flew from beneath the Stone-Drilling Monster��s crotch, but regretfully, they could not breach its defense.


    Clearly, this common weak spot in humans was not applicable to the Stone-Drilling Monster.


    However, most creatures do not enjoy being chopped at their groin, and it seemed that was universally true.


    In an instant, the Bounty Hunter��s action infuriated the Stone-Drilling Monster.


    The monster swung its massive stone maul high above its head, aiming a heavy blow at the Bounty Hunter between its legs.


    ��Boom!��


    Dust flew up, and the shock made everyone tremble.


    ...


    The Bounty Hunter had already leapt to the Stone-Drilling Monster��s back, chopping at its knee joints and back with his axe.


    ��Clang clang bang bang!��


    What a commotion!


    Seeing this, the other two Bounty Hunters exchanged glances, both spotting joy and hope in each other��s eyes.


    This Stone-Drilling Monster was indeed tall, strong, and defensively powerful, but it was not agile.


    As long as they could exploit this Achilles heel, they could eventually grind the Stone-Drilling Monster down to death.


    With this in mind, the two Bounty Hunters coordinated with the first to attack, circling the monster��s legs, ceaselessly aiming for its knees.


    Sparks scattered nonstop and debris continued to fall, revealing a light grey color different from the surface rock material.


    This immediately brightened their eyes.


    The situation seemed to be overwhelmingly positive!


    Yet this made the Stone-Drilling Monster extremely angry, and after a roar, its entire body seemed to grow slightly larger.


    The creature raised its right leg high, paused slightly as if gathering strength, and then stomped down towards the ground with the speed of lightning!


    Rein had been observing this completely unknown monster from the sidelines.


    But as soon as he saw the monster��s power-gathering move, he narrowed his eyes, suspecting that the three Bounty Hunters were about to suffer!


    At that moment, Endri shouted a warning, ��No good, it��s ��Boulder Trample��, get out of the way!��


    ��Thud!!��


    A tremendous force erupted from the center of the ground where the Stone-Drilling Monster had stomped, spreading outwards like waves at great speed.


    It was as if a stone had been thrown onto a calm lake, rippling the surface.


    Only now, the lake��s surface was replaced by the ground.


    Even Rein, standing over ten meters away, felt the ground shake violently; it was as if he were standing on a soft piece of dough that was constantly undulating and quivering, making it hard for him to stand steady.


    One could only imagine the plight of the three Bounty Hunters who were much closer!


    Although the Bounty Hunters had begun to flee, the shockwave was faster and wider, throwing them to the ground.


    At that moment, the three of them turned pale with shock.


    Fighting such a creature was like dancing on a tightrope; needless to say, the consequences of falling down and losing control of their bodies were imaginable.


    Sure enough, a massive stone maul came crashing down from the sky.


    In an instant, a Bounty Hunter was flattened into a paste, with limbs, organs, and blood splattering in all directions.


    Literally, a meat paste!


    A nearby Bounty Hunter, splattered with a face full of blood, turned ashen with fear and immediately tried to scramble away.


    But it was too late!


    The next second, he was hit in the midsection by the massive stone mallet, now swung once again, sending him crashing against the tunnel��s rock wall, turning into a mush of gore.


    The leading Bounty Hunter��s face was now etched with terror and disbelief.


    His expression hardened, he once again attempted the same trick, sliding under the Stone-Drilling Monster��s crotch to escape to the other side.


    ��Whoosh!��


    He slid through successfully!


    A smile broke out on the Bounty Hunter��s face as he rushed towards the others.


    ��Watch out!�� the people shouted.


    ��What?��


    ��Why do they all look so horrified?��


    ��It shouldn��t be! The Stone-Drilling Monster isn��t agile enough to catch up.��


    The Bounty Hunter couldn��t understand and glanced back in confusion while running at full speed.


    Only to see a huge shadow charging towards his forehead.


    ��It��s over!��


    ��Damn it! It can throw too!��


    ��Smack!��


    Like a fly being smacked, the scene unfolded before everyone��s eyes.


    As it turned out, the Stone-Drilling Monster had just hurled its maul, which weighed hundreds of pounds, at the fleeing Bounty Hunter with full force!


    Directly smashing him into a meat pancake.


    At this point, all three Bounty Hunter brothers had fallen in battle!


    It wasn��t that the others watched idly as the trio died, but rather that the situation went from very promising to total annihilation in less than ten seconds.


    It was certainly beyond everyone��s expectations!


    Rein sighed softly in his heart, noting that the three Bounty Hunters were clearly driven by greed.


    Had they succeeded, they indeed would have been entitled to a lion��s share of the value of the ��Heart of the Stone Monster�� as per usual practice.


    Regrettably, they had underestimated the strength of a Boulder Trample.


    Now it seemed that even a true Knight, if not careful, could fall in an instant when facing a Boulder Trample, let alone the far inferior three Bounty Hunters.


    Seeing the grim fate of the three made most of those present shudder with fear, and to say they weren��t afraid would be a lie.


    Fortunately, Hamilton had also somewhat recovered by this time.


    Only his steel shield was almost twisted into a pretzel, and the left hand that held the shield was obviously more seriously injured, the armored gauntlet was even deformed at this moment, a testament to the immense Strength of the Boulder Trample.


    Looking around, Hamilton quickly judged that continuing this way would not do.


    The might of the Boulder Trample was astonishing; just two blows had driven him back and then effortlessly slaughtered three Bounty Hunters, its ferocious and invincible momentum reaching its peak.


    They had to dampen the creature��s sharpness!


    In addition, the tunnel at hand was too narrow; their entire team was stretched out like a long dragon, with one end blocked by the Boulder Trample, unable to surround it and harness their numerical advantage.


    Hamilton grabbed the mine supervisor, who was pale as death, by the collar and roared, ��Where in the mine is there more space?��


    ��There is�� there is!��


    ��The branch�� There��s a minecart transfer station at the branch!�� Facing Hamilton��s fierce gaze, the pale-faced gold mine supervisor snapped to his senses and hastily pointed in the direction.


    ��Night Watchman, fire arrows, everyone retreat to the branch!�� Hamilton shouted.


    Because the Elim Mine was so old and rich in gold deposits, there were several old tunnels that had been mined for gold, and the branch where several tunnels intersected was the minecart transfer station.


    Rein nodded slightly in agreement with Hamilton��s decisive decision, very much approving of his superior��s choice.


    He remembered the branch from his entrance.


    It seemed to be the meeting point of two or three old and new tunnels. As he had passed by earlier, Rein had glanced over and, with the aid of his Dark Vision, could nearly see the area��s size clearly, close to a hundred square meters.


    Clearly, fighting there would certainly be better than sticking to this narrow tunnel.


    With Hamilton��s leadership, the elite Night Watchman��s previously panicky expressions gradually faded, replaced by orderly arrow fire as they began to coordinate and retreat while shooting.


    ��Ting ting dang dang!��


    Although the Night Watchman��s archery skills were quite exquisite and their arrows sharp, they still couldn��t breach the Boulder Trample��s ��monstrous�� defensive power.


    The flurry of arrows could hardly cause any substantive damage to the Boulder Trample.


    Therefore, the Night Watchman instinctively aimed at the creature��s eyes, forcing it to cover them with its arms.


    So, the arrows had at least a decent disruptive effect.


    Meanwhile, this allowed the entire team to retreat in an orderly fashion while engaging in battle, eventually reaching the minecart transfer station at the branch.


    However, many of the keenly observant Night Watchman noticed that the Boulder Trample��s body seemed to have swelled slightly more than before.


    Moreover, its movement and attack speeds had also increased a bit from earlier.


    This gave Rein cause for concern as well.


    ��Is this Boulder Trample��s strength actually increasing as the fight goes on?��


    ��Truly monstrous indeed!��


    At this moment, the Wandering Bard Endri, who stood next to the viscounty pale Schmidt, whispered, ��As soon as there��s an opportunity, follow me and we leave immediately.��


    ��This Boulder Trample seems to have awakened a furious talent, and even if we all attacked together, we might not withstand it.��


    ��Soon, Hamilton and these Night Watchman will suffer heavy losses.��


    ��Manager Schmidt, make sure to stick close to me for a quick escape!��


    ��Alright�� alright!��


    Having been intimidated by the Boulder Trample, Manager Schmidt quickly agreed upon hearing Endri��s words, grasping at it like a drowning man clutching at a straw; as someone usually in charge of the viscounty��s internal affairs, he was rather unaccustomed to such perilous situations, and he momentarily felt helpless!


    As the Boulder Trample was slowly lured into the widest part of the tunnel��the minecart transfer station��the tide of battle quickly turned.


    In the relatively open space, the seven or eight still combat-capable Night Watchman finally managed to encircle the Boulder Trample and, together with their leader Hamilton, assault it from all sides.


    Rein at this moment was still observing for any weaknesses.


    Apart from the eyes, which were an obvious weak point, to be honest, the Boulder Trample��s body was nearly covered from top to bottom with hard, thick layers of rock, leaving no obvious vulnerabilities exposed.


    ��Cast the net!!�� While engaging the Boulder Trample��s attention upfront, Hamilton quickly commanded.


    Instantly, three or four hemp rope nets were thrown onto the monster.


    But due to the vast disparity in strength, even when three or four Night Watchman strained with all their might to pull on one end of the net, the Boulder Trample still managed to grab and toss it aside with a single swipe.


    Meanwhile, Endri and Schmidt had already snuck to the minecart transfer station��s exit, looking ready to flee at any moment.


    Rein certainly noticed this scene.


    ��As expected, all the ��smart people�� from the County Town are thinking of escaping first when things look bad,�� he mused.


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    Rein shook his head slightly; doing so would be of no use in changing the current situation.


    Now, he had a tentative plan in mind, but he wasn��t yet certain of its effectiveness.


    However�� time could no longer be delayed; he had to act!

 Chapter 97 - 97 - 93: Transcendent Oddities

    Chapter 97 �C 93: Transcendent Oddities


    Otherwise, if these two really managed to escape, it would deal a heavy blow to the morale of the elite Night Watchmen who are holding their ground in battle!


    After all, anyone would think: ��Damn it, I��m fighting to the death here, and these two just ran away.��


    Once confidence is lost, I��m afraid Hamilton could fight to his last breath and still not be able to turn the tide.


    However, just as Rein was about to launch an attack, Hamilton, who was a Knight, taught everyone a lesson on ��what a Knight��s strength really is��!


    Hamilton, wielding a sword and shield, quickly charged towards the rock monster.


    Seeing the ��little guy�� attack again, the monster immediately focused its attention on Hamilton and swung its over two-meter-long giant stone mace at him with great force.


    Since there was no need to save anyone this time, Hamilton dealt with the rock monster��s mace attack in a completely different way.


    ...


    Instead of backing away, Hamilton stepped towards the rock monster to face the incoming mace, avoiding the most powerful part of the mace head and, with a loud ��bang��, blocked it with his shield at the center of the mace handle.


    He took the rock monster��s strike squarely!


    At the same time, Hamilton roared with anger, and after deflecting the monster��s mace with his shield, his longsword in his right hand delivered a horizontal slash at the monster��s thick neck.


    ��Clang!��


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    But Hamilton had Knight-level strength, far surpassing that of the three Bounty Hunters.


    Although he did not break through the rock monster��s stony exterior with one strike, he shattered several blocky stones at its neck and left a sword mark several centimeters deep.


    The monster roared in pain right away!


    It became visibly more enraged, lifting its right foot high, ready to unleash that powerful stomp it had used before.


    Hamilton��s pupils constricted. He struck the monster��s belly with a Shield Strike and, using the recoil from the shield, he rapidly retreated.


    ��Boom!!��


    The rock monster stomped down heavily.


    ��Boulder Trample!��


    A circle with a radius of about three meters centered on the monster��s foot collapsed more than ten centimeters into the ground, and all sorts of crushed rocks and clods of dirt were blasted over a meter high into the air.


    Even those standing seven or eight meters away were having trouble keeping their balance.


    After evading the monster��s strike, Hamilton pushed off with his right leg and quickly returned, wielding his sword and shield, to engage the monster in combat once again.


    ��Bang!��


    ��Ding!��


    Hamilton was sent flying once more.


    This time, Hamilton seemed a bit overwhelmed, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth!


    But he also successfully deepened the original sword mark on the monster��s neck, exposing a different shade of gray-white beneath the rocky exterior.


    This sight made Rein��s eyes light up!


    Before, the plan in his mind wasn��t very certain, but now, it instantly came together with the last piece of the puzzle. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And seeing their superior demonstrate such power greatly boosted the morale of the elite Night Watchmen.


    ��Huh! Didn��t expect the sheriff of Flashgold Town to be so strong,�� Endri couldn��t help but show a hint of surprise in his eyes.


    ��If that��s the case, then there might still be a chance to kill this Burrower Beast.��


    After murmuring to himself for a few moments, he took out a pale yellow Beastskin Scroll from his bosom.


    From its appearance, it didn��t seem much different from an ordinary parchment scroll.


    However, as he chanted a strangely intoned spell, the next second, the Beastskin Scroll suddenly emitted a pale green light and then instantly turned to powder.


    In front of Endri, a large mass of foul-smelling, pale green liquid abruptly appeared.


    This caused Rein, who was nearby, to have a contraction of his pupils.


    ��Is this�� a power from the mysterious aspect?��


    ��But why is this fellow only making a move now?��


    ��If he had acted earlier, the entire situation would have been completely different!��


    But soon, Rein figured it out. The opponent must have judged that the scales of victory were tipping in favor of the Night Watchman and thus, the original plan to escape swiftly changed to ��adding flowers to the brocade�� with a wave of their hand.


    Moreover, judging by the pained expression on the opponent��s face, this scroll must be extremely valuable.


    Got it! The opponent wants to gain the rights to divide the spoils of war!


    ��..


    In an instant, many questions and speculations flashed through Rein��s mind.


    ��Acid Missile Scroll?�� Hamilton, who was in the midst of battle, also noticed the anomaly and looked at Endri with surprise.


    He recognized at a glance that the object used by the opponent was a Sorcery Scroll ��Acid Missile��.


    Almost simultaneously, Hamilton understood why the other had been reluctant to use it until now.


    Immediately, Hamilton cursed in a low voice, ��A Wizard Apprentice disguised as a Wandering Bard, huh? A bunch of delicate egoists!��


    ��Casting such a precious sorcery scroll without giving notice in advance so others could coordinate! What a pain in the ass!��


    By the time Hamilton wanted to coordinate, it was already too late, and instead, he had to quickly move away from the vicinity of the Burrower Beast to avoid being splashed by the acid.


    ��Go!��


    Endri��s face almost contorted in a spasm, seemingly exerting a great deal of effort to control the stinky liquid, which he directed straight at the Burrower Beast.


    It seemed the creature had sensed the special energy fluctuation early on, periodically glancing in Endri��s direction.


    So, when it saw the approaching mass of pale green liquid, it suddenly darted to the side with a flicker, narrowly evading the attack by a hair��s breadth.


    The mass of pale green liquid, upon striking the tunnel wall, sizzled with intense corrosion.


    Quickly, it melted a basin-sized hole in the rock.


    The potency of this attack made even Rein take notice.


    But unfortunately, the attack missed, otherwise the Burrower Beast would have been grievously wounded.


    This made Endri so furious he was nearly pounding his chest and stamping his feet on the spot!


    Rein thought for a moment and did not immediately draw the Fine Steel Greatsword from his back. Instead, he adjusted his position to circle behind the Burrower Beast, seized the opportunity, and quickly started charging.


    Rein��s footsteps seemed slow but were actually quick. He continually adjusted his steps so as to always stay directly behind the constantly moving Burrower Beast.


    As he was about to close in, Rein suddenly pushed off the ground, and the hard earthen floor of the mine showed a small depression.


    At that moment, like a cannonball, he surged towards the back of the Burrower Beast��s head.


    Rein silently invoked ��Strength Burst�� in mid-air, tensed his abdomen, brought his legs together, and stretched them out straight, aiming a vicious double-footed kick at the back of the Boulder Trample Beast��s head.


    A 22-point Strength flying kick had already surpassed that of Hamilton, the official Knight, even exceeding the full-strength blow of a ferociously transformed jackal-man.


    And the point of attack was the back of the Boulder Trample Beast��s head.


    With that kick, Rein sent the beast stumbling forward, nearly causing its massive body to fall to the ground.


    But the stone beast, true to its rock-hard defense, took Rein��s kick head-on, and with a shaky, slightly dazed head, used its hands to prop itself up, adamantly refusing to fall completely.


    Rein then used the recoil to execute a 360-degree spin in the air and landed firmly on the ground.


    Immediately after, he sprinted quickly to the side.


    This move left Hamilton, Endri, and the other Night Watchmen bewildered for a moment.


    All eyes focused on Rein, waiting to see how he would deal with the thick-skinned, immensely strong Boulder Trample Beast.


    After all, knocking down and killing were two different concepts.


    However, it seemed Hamilton vaguely understood Rein��s plan and immediately shouted, ��Continue to throw the nets, pull the ropes!��


    Thus, the group of red-faced Night Watchmen strained to pull the ropes together, attempting to disrupt the Boulder Trample Beast��s movements and delay its actions.


    After shaking its head, the stone beast realized that it had placed its hands on the ground, causing its gigantic stone-headed maul to roll to the side. Just as it extended a finger to grab its weapon,


    Rein was already swiftly sprinting in from behind.


    ��Leap Slash!��


    He chopped down heavily on the Boulder Trample Beast��s right hand fingers.


    Empowered by the immense strength of the core skill ��Strength Burst,�� Rein targeted the ��delicate�� fingers.


    ��Crack!��


    Rein severed four fingers in an instant!


    The Boulder Trample Beast roared in fury, clearly in deep pain.


    It appeared that even stone beasts felt pain in each finger!


    Nevertheless, Rein��s strike further enraged the creature, which with a violent yank, toppled all the elite Night Watchmen who had been pulling the hemp rope nets.


    The next second, several hemp rope nets were abruptly torn apart by the Boulder Trample Beast.


    But just as the Night Watchmen were exclaiming in shock,


    The Boulder Trample Beast suddenly saw its own large stone-headed maul hurtling towards it.


    It paused, puzzled, for it had not even reached its hammer.


    A muscular ��little fellow�� was brandishing a gigantic stone-headed maul that was even taller than himself, striking the Boulder Trample Beast��s head fiercely.


    ��Boom!��


    The beast, caught off guard, was sent staggering back three steps by the forceful blow.


    Each step shattered the mine��s long-compacted ground, demonstrating how heavy and powerful the Boulder Trample Beast was!


    But it also showed the incredible strength of Rein��s hammer strike!


    Perhaps due to some specialization with hammers, Rein clasped the handle with both hands, still barely managing to grip the large stone-headed maul, yet he swung it as if it were strangely familiar.


    He wielded this massive hammer with ease that belied the effort expected, yet its power was undiminished!


    This spectacle instantly made all the Night Watchmen��s faces flush with excitement, they were thrilled to the point of nearly breaking into applause.


    Let��s not forget, Rein was one of their own.


    Hamilton watched with continuous admiration.


    He had tested Rein��s strength and knew that Rein was not an official Knight.


    But at the moment, Rein��s strength seemed even greater than his!


    Could it be some inherent talent?


    He would need to have a good talk with the young man Rein later!


    ��Boom!��


    While the beast was dazed by the impact, Rein delivered another hammer blow right to the Boulder Trample Beast��s head, instantly stunning it.


    ��Boom!��


    ��Boom!��


    ��


    After several more blows, the Boulder Trample Beast finally fell, collapsing onto its back.


    ��Bang��


    A cloud of dust rose from the ground.


    But Rein knew that the beast had merely fainted, not died.


    He dropped the stone-headed maul and turned to pull out the Dual-Handed Greatsword planted in the ground nearby, charging straight for the beast��s head.


    ��Leap Slash!��


    Rein leaped high, exerting all his strength, aimed for the deep sword mark left by Hamilton on the neck, and chopped down hard!


    ��Crack!��


    The beheading was a success!


    The Boulder Trample Beast��s body and head were severed!


    Rein was also drenched in sweat, his muscles returned to normal, gasping for air, looking completely drained.


    No wonder, this was the side effect of using ��Strength Burst�� with full force, and now Rein��s muscles ached and his combat ability was significantly weakened.


    However, it was then that Rein realized this Boulder Trample Beast seemed not an ordinary creature, but more like a silicon-based lifeform or perhaps an elemental creature.


    The cut surface oozed no blood or anything like that, its body seemingly composed of different types of rock material from the inside out.


    Then, the three-meter tall Boulder Trample Beast suddenly began to transform, a dull yellow glow gradually spreading over its body, then converging toward the chest.


    The dull yellow glow started to cover the whole body of the stone beast and gradually thickened on the upper body, then concentrated on the chest.


    The glow shifted from pale yellow to a dense yellow, and the luminosity intensified, eventually surpassing even the brilliance of gold.


    ��This�� I didn��t expect it to actually appear!�� Wandering Bard Endri��s eyes shone with blatant greed.

 Chapter 98 - 98 - 94 What are the Prerequisites?

    Chapter 98 �C 94 What are the Prerequisites?


    Endri also saw the appearance of a Transcendent oddity, the ��Stone Monster��s Heart,�� for the first time.


    No, to be precise, there should be very few people in the world who have witnessed the appearance of a ��Stone Monster��s Heart.��


    After all, creatures like the digging stone monster haven��t appeared in the imperial territory for many years.


    The majority of ��Stone Monster��s Hearts�� come from outside the imperial territory, in places like primeval forests and hills. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, almost every ��Stone Monster��s Heart�� can fetch a sky-high price at auctions, naturally much higher than a thousand imperial gold coins.


    This isn��t even at an auction in a place like Meister County, but at the provincial-level auctions held by the major provinces.


    The ��worth a fortune�� he had previously mentioned was, of course, just a way to encourage everyone to fight.


    ...


    Especially for those in need, its value is actually difficult to estimate.


    Like the other Night Watchmen, Rein was staring wide-eyed at the miraculous scene before him.


    It was Hamilton who reacted first, laughing and saying to Rein, ��It seems we��re in luck!��


    ��Rein, as the ��prime contributor,�� you go and collect the Stone Monster��s Heart. We should retreat first!��


    Now with heavy losses on our side, lingering in Elim Mine is definitely not a good idea.


    Who knows if there��s another digging stone monster lurking in this mine!


    ��Yes, Lord Hamilton!�� Rein replied with a smile and a nod.


    Facing such a rare treasure, Rein naturally wanted to feel it up close as well.


    Immediately, he stepped forward quickly and swung his fine steel greatsword at the chest of the digging stone monster.


    Perhaps because the digging stone monster was already dead, when Rein��s fine steel greatsword hacked down, the thick layer of hard rock at the monster��s chest actually crumbled away like debris.


    This made it easy for Rein to carve open the monster��s chest.


    Soon, a heart about the size of an infant��s head, emitting a gentle yellow glow, appeared before Rein��s eyes.


    This was also Rein��s first encounter with a so-called Transcendent oddity. He hesitantly set down his fine steel greatsword and took the ��Stone Monster��s Heart�� out with both hands.


    A warm sensation with a special rhythm came from his fingertips and palms.


    It was a strange feeling, and Rein had never experienced anything quite like it before.


    [Ding! Host has come into contact with the Transcendent oddity ��Stone Monster��s Heart,�� triggering the special advancement profession��Giant Stone Guardian (Transcendent)!]


    [Prerequisites for advancing to Giant Stone Guardian are: ???��.Current conditions not met, advancement to Giant Stone Guardian failed!]


    Rein was immediately taken aback!


    ��Eh! It��s a special Transcendent combat profession!��


    ��But what the hell does the three question marks for prerequisites mean?��


    ��Does it mean the gap between me and this special advancement profession is too great?��


    ��Or is it because there��s some element of uncertainty between me and this profession?��


    After being stunned for a few seconds, Rein came to his senses, realizing that this Transcendent oddity seemed to be of great use to him.


    Without delay, Rein turned eagerly to Hamilton and said, ��Lord Hamilton, may I directly purchase the ��Stone Monster��s Heart��?��


    Hamilton, supported by Weilun, approached and examined the ��Stone Monster��s Heart�� emitting a gentle yellow glow, laughing, ��I, too, am seeing the legendary ��Stone Monster��s Heart�� for the first time.��


    ��Rein, what made you think of wanting this? The price isn��t cheap, you know?��


    ��Even if valued at a thousand imperial gold coins, you need to pay three-tenths of the spoils to the empire, which means you need to fork out 300 gold coins.��


    ��Then, out of the remaining seven-tenths of the spoils, you still need to distribute at least 200 imperial gold coins to others, including myself.��


    Although Hamilton did not know why Rein suddenly took a liking to this, he did not object, merely stating that Rein needed to pay a considerable sum of money.


    Rein had already anticipated this point.


    Since the last time he had robbed ��Hound King�� Kol, he could immediately come up with three hundred gold coins.


    As for the remaining two hundred gold, scraping them together by hook or by crook was estimated to be not a big problem either.


    ��Of course! It��s only fair.�� Seeing that Hamilton was not opposed, Rein couldn��t help but express his elation.


    Hamilton looked at Rein with surprise again. He had not expected Rein to want it so badly��five hundred imperial gold coins was no small amount.


    At that moment, Endri whispered something to Schmidt at the side.


    Then, the butler named Schmidt suddenly interjected, ��Wait a moment!��


    ��According to the Night Watchman��s Empire spoils distribution regulations, this ��Stone Monster��s Heart�� should have three-tenths belonging to the empire, and only the remaining seven-tenths can be distributed as spoils. Lord Hamilton, is this correct?��


    Upon hearing Schmidt speak, Rein��s heart sank.


    Remembering some of Endri��s previous actions, he already had a vague idea of what they were up to.


    ��Damn shameless, both Endri and Schmidt, thinking of running away when the battle situation seemed unfavorable, and then wanting a share when the tides turned.��


    ��And now, do they want to meddle in the distribution of the spoils?��


    Hamilton��s face also darkened, well aware of the noble��s schemes. He quickly understood their intention.


    However, their question was straightforward and fair, and though they hadn��t been much help during the fight, they were representatives of the county town, the Earl, and the Viscount, so he obviously could not ignore them.


    After some consideration, Hamilton had no choice but to nod and say, ��Yes, Butler Schmidt, that��s indeed the case.��


    As soon as Hamilton nodded in agreement, the butler named Schmidt immediately became animated and said:


    ��As a representative of Count Habs and Viscount Hamadi of the county town, I have the right to take custody of and appraise this ��Stone Monster��s Heart.''��


    ��Of course, the distribution of the seven-tenths of the spoils of war to the valiant warriors will not change!��


    Schmidt seemed to enter a realm he was familiar with when it came to the distribution of spoils, a complete contrast from his previous state of utter panic caused by the mountain monster. It was like seeing two different faces!


    This made Hamilton, Rein, and the rest of the Night Watchmen feel as nauseated as if they had swallowed a fly.


    Indeed, it was the typical noble countenance. With minor interests at stake, one could afford to be magnanimous and give Hamilton face, just like with the crystal lizard incident earlier.


    But when the interests involved were substantial, Hamilton��s face obviously didn��t carry the same weight.


    Rein knew that all of this seemed to be instigated by the so-called Wandering Bard, Endri.


    ��You��ll be in charge of keeping and appraising?��


    ��After you return to County Town, whatever the appraised value, isn��t it entirely up to you?��


    Besides, Rein knew from the moment Endri had seen the mountain stone creature and exclaimed ��extinct�� that even an auction house couldn��t immediately come up with an accurate price.


    After all, it��s hardest to appraise something that��s out of print.


    For a moment, the spacious minecart transfer station was silent.


    The elite members of the Night Watchmen, although injured, glared at this steward Schmidt with fury.


    Rein felt he had to do something. After all, if he left it to the other party for safekeeping and valuation, he��the ��primary hero����stood to lose the most!


    Suddenly, a stroke of inspiration flashed across Rein��s mind.


    He suddenly thought of why those three Bounty Hunters had rushed to attack the mountain stone creature so frantically?


    Would the steward Schmidt be able to get involved if they had succeeded in killing it then?


    Of course not!


    Bounty Hunters abide by the most primitive rules of spoils distribution: whoever makes the kill gets the right to distribute, everyone else who assisted can only claim a small share.


    That��s why, under these rules, Bounty Hunters are reckless and fearless!


    Bounty Hunters, as the name implies, everything for the bounty!


    Bounty is above all!


    This is inscribed in the Empire��s code of law.


    ��Don��t forget, you yourself are a Bounty Hunter!��


    With this in mind, a sly smile crept across Rein��s lips.


    Immediately, Rein quickly fastened his Bounty Hunter badge to the front of his left chest and said, ��That Schmidt�� Lord Schmidt. I am actually a Bounty Hunter.��


    ��Therefore, according to the Empire��s laws, the Bounty Hunter who makes the final kill naturally obtains the right to distribute the spoils.��


    ��So, I��m sorry, but this ��Heart of the Stone Creature�� cannot be entrusted to you for safekeeping.��


    ��Because, it is inherently my battle trophy!��


    ��How could that be!!!�� Schmidt, red-faced and flustered like a duck whose neck had been squeezed, exclaimed.


    ��How�� how could you possibly be a Bounty Hunter? Aren��t you a Night Watchman!!��


    At this moment, even Endri was looking at Rein dumbfounded.


    Rein��s cunning move had virtually dazzled the two men.


    Rein smiled slightly.


    He took off his junior Bounty Hunter badge from his chest, showed it to the two men briefly, and said, ��This is a genuine Bounty Hunter badge, applied for by Lord Hamilton himself, and I just received it a few days ago.��


    Rein��s statement also caught Hamilton and the other Night Watchmen nearby off guard.


    Hamilton, however, had a sudden realization, with an air of ��you sly dog, you got me monologuing,�� as if he had just thought of such a scheme himself.


    Plus, seeing Rein making meaningful eye contact, how could Hamilton not know what to do?


    After all, it��s better to have the spoils stew in one��s own pot, where anyone can eat.


    But if even the pot is taken away by someone else, then there��s nothing left for anyone!


    This logic was instantly clear to everyone.


    ��Right, I had completely forgotten, this mission, I invited Rein to help as a Bounty Hunter,�� Hamilton smacked his forehead, and decisively affirmed.


    When even the leader of the Night Watchmen in Flashgold Town acknowledged Rein as a Bounty Hunter for this investigation, what was there left to dispute!


    This turn of events whitened Endri��s face with fury, his body trembling.


    So, in full view of everyone, Rein cheerfully stowed the softly glowing yellow ��Heart of the Stone Creature�� into his waist pouch.


    Worried about offending the representative of the County Town, aren��t you?


    Having the Transcendent treasure in hand, even if he couldn��t use it immediately, at worst he could trade it with Hamilton for a superior potion of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, right?


    Then, once he became a formal Knight, would he need to fear a representative?


    Don��t forget, a representative is ultimately just that, a representative.


    ��As for the distribution of interests between myself, Hamilton, and the other Night Watchmen, that can naturally be negotiated with Hamilton after returning.��


    ��At least, the spoils cannot fall into the hands of outsiders.��


    ��On this point, my interests align with Hamilton��s!��


    Having pocketed the ��Heart of the Stone Creature��, it was only then that Rein remembered to check the system notifications.

 Chapter 99 - 99 - 95: Talking Too Much is Really Not Good!

    Chapter 99 �C 95: Talking Too Much is Really Not Good!


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has been upgraded, Experience +267]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman Professional Experience Points +258]


    Before the battle with the quarry stone monster, Rein had spent a long time observing his opponent, contemplating numerous combat plans.


    In the end, the situation was changed by the two strikes from Hamilton, making all the hard work worthwhile.


    After defeating the stone monster, Rein had reaped a rich reward of Night Watchman professional experience, and the Night Watchman had been leveled up from level 3 to level 4.


    However, this time the experience gained for the Giant Bear Sword Technique was less.


    This was also quite understandable.


    ...


    Rein had been swinging a hammer for a long time, naturally resulting in less improvement in his swordsmanship.


    Nevertheless, even so, after two consecutive battles, Rein��s Giant Bear Sword Technique level 4 was about to be maxed out, currently at Giant Bear Sword Technique lv4 (967/1000).


    Rein once again flipped to the homepage of the system panel����Attributes Page��


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Blacksmith lv2 (0/300) / Night Watchman lv4 (32/1000) / Dog Trainer lv2 (223/300)


    Constitution: 10


    Strength: 11


    Agility: 11


    Spirit: 11


    Remaining Attribute Points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    Just as Rein was hesitating about how to allocate the points, a deep voice suddenly came from behind him.


    He recognized the voice��it should have been Endri��s voice.


    But this time the tone was bizarre, seeming to be filled with resentment and dissatisfaction, making Rein suddenly unsure.


    ��You ignorant common folks, how do you know the value of the ��Heart of the Stone Monster.''��


    ��Why must you force me?��


    ��You bunch of idiots!��


    ��Ah!!�� Only a scream was heard from behind.


    Those who were cleaning up the battlefield immediately turned to look.


    What they saw next was a shocking scene.


    Endri was holding a rapier, and at that moment, the rapier had pierced through the chest of the County Town representative��Schmidt, the butler.


    The location was the middle-left part of the thorax, clearly where the heart was located.


    Schmidt shook like a sieve, one hand holding the rapier, the other pointing at Endri, his face showing disbelief, his mouth muttered twice, but in the end, he did not manage to speak, and his body slowly slumped down.


    This scene evidently astounded everyone.


    ��So you kill a companion just because you couldn��t get the treasure?��


    ��What��s the meaning of this?��


    Rein was also staring dumbfounded at the scene before him.


    ��Has Endri gone mad?��


    ��To actually dare to directly kill Schmidt, the representative of Earl Harris and Viscount Hamadi?��


    With a calm face, Endri glanced at Schmidt, who was still twitching on the ground, and said:


    ��Since I can��t get it, there��s no use keeping you.��


    ��Then you all can die!��


    ��Swoosh!��


    Endri struck again with a rapier, slashing the neck of the petrified gold mine supervisor standing next to him.


    The gold mine supervisor clutched his neck tightly and with a ��thud��, he fell to the ground, his body incessantly twitching!


    Afterward, Endri raised his head, surveyed the surroundings, looking at everyone with the eyes of someone watching dead men. Soon, his gaze focused on Rein.


    Supported by Weilun, the severely wounded Hamilton, with a serious expression, looked at Endri and said, ��Endri, are you trying to commit murder for treasure?��


    ��You are overestimating yourself! There are so many of us here, you are just seeking your own death!��


    Endri scoffed and said, ��Oh, you guessed it? I just observed that you are strong, indeed, Hamilton, your identity must be more than just a small town��s sheriff, right?��


    ��But�� that no longer matters!��


    ��Hamilton, if you weren��t injured, I might still fear you a bit. Unfortunately, in this state, how much strength can you really use?��


    ��A knight severely wounded, an almost knight exhausted but with some brute strength, besides, a few ordinary Night Watchmen���� Endri looked around at the people, giving a gentlemanly review one by one.


    Rein was taken aback.


    ����Exhausted�� ��brute strength�� is he talking about me?��


    Moreover, Rein also didn��t expect Endri to be so bold as to plan to kill everyone present.


    Was that even possible?


    ��Though I am severely injured, to kill an apprentice wizard like you would probably still be no problem.�� Hamilton pushed Weilun aside and drew his knight��s longsword to go forward.


    But he had only taken one step when Hamilton��s figure swayed slightly, and his expression suddenly changed.


    ��You poisoned me?��


    ��Smart! Hallucinogenic poison gas, this is something that can affect even a knight like you, especially now that you are severely injured, you definitely cannot resist.�� Endri slightly proudly displayed a ring on the ring finger of his right hand.


    ��Hmm, hallucinogenic poison gas?��


    Rein immediately realizes something is wrong!


    The scenery before his eyes suddenly blurs, and he feels a bit unstable on his feet!


    The other elite Night Watchmen fared even worse, already falling to the ground like drunken strongmen, unable to stand up after several attempts, speaking utter nonsense.


    Clearly, for ordinary people, the onset of hallucinogenic poison gas is rapid and effective.


    In this state, even a child with a knife could finish off the elite Night Watchmen.


    Not to mention, switching to the ruthless Endri.


    No wonder this guy looked determined to win!


    So he had a trump card!


    ��Luckily, I had accumulated quite some experience before coming here and had killed the Crystal Lizard and the Mountain Stone Monster, just in time for a level up!��


    ��Next time, I must always keep some attribute points in reserve!��


    ��It seems I��ve been advancing too quickly recently, getting a bit carried away!��


    Rein reflected, then quietly added that one attribute point to his Constitution.


    Instantly, a warm current pumped out from his heart and spread rapidly to his limbs, filling Rein with renewed strength and erasing the muscle soreness from his earlier use of Strength Burst.


    All issues with blurred vision and dizziness were gone as well.


    However, Rein knew he had to act quickly.


    Allocating points could not detoxify him, it was more like a reset of his body��s current state of poisoning, just like the last time.


    The air was still filled with toxic gas, so he had to finish Endri quickly.


    Conveniently, Endri��s first choice was also Rein.


    The reason was simple; the treasure ��Heart of the Stone Monster�� was with Rein.


    Killing for treasure was most essential, wasn��t it?


    Endri walked up to Rein, looked down at him with a smirk, and said, ��Boy, you��ve got good talent, too bad!��


    After speaking, he pointed the tip of his rapier at Rein��s heart.


    ��Oh, do you have any last words for your loved ones? Maybe, if I��m in a good mood someday, I could pass them on.�� Endri teased Rein.


    Rein gave Endri a slight smile.


    The next second, he rolled up to his feet, his neck veins bulging as he roared!


    ��Ha!!!��


    Rein��s mouth opened wide, and a roaring gust of air blasted out like a cannonball!


    At such close range, even though Rein didn��t deliberately gather strength for the Roaring Strike, the massive sound wave swept towards Endri like a tsunami.


    As Endri��s face showed a startled expression, his face skin was violently distorted by the blast, trembling!


    Simultaneously, his eardrums burst instantly, causing a buzzing in his head!


    The man stood frozen on the spot.


    ��Whoosh!��


    A beautiful silver arc appeared before Endri.


    Rein, holding his greatsword, remained in his Furious Slash pose, motionless. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Time seemed to freeze at that moment.


    The next second, a line of blood appeared on Endri��s forehead, running from top to bottom!


    ��Pfft!��


    Two halves of a body fell to the left and to the right respectively.


    Endri was directly cut in half by Rein��s greatsword.


    ��Too much talking, really isn��t good!��


    Nevertheless, the poison was still unresolved.


    So, Rein quickly started searching Endri��s body.


    But he was now slightly regretting splitting Endri in half as it meant he had to search the two parts of the body separately.


    Quickly, Rein found a palm-sized leather wallet, a rapier hidden inside a wooden staff, a worn sheepskin covered diary, and three differently shaped bottles.


    After some thought, Rein also took off an emerald ring from Endri��s right ring finger that looked like it harbored vast properties, a poison ring indeed.


    Although he found bottles that looked like antidotes, Rein wasn��t sure which one was the antidote.


    Considering Endri didn��t succumb to this hallucinogenic poision, there was a high probability that there was an antidote.


    Endri didn��t possess the physical strength of a formal knight, it didn��t make sense that Hamilton could not resist it, but he could.


    After the previous assassin poisoning event, Rein was not completely clueless about poisons and antidotes.


    Using the process of elimination, Rein held the most likely bottle and walked over to the staggering ��Cookie��.


    Rein muttered, ����Cookie��, you��ve eaten so many good things, testing a drug for your owner isn��t too much, right?��


    ��If this bottle isn��t the antidote, then it��s likely the hallucinogenic poison itself.��


    ��Given that it��s a hallucinogenic poison, it shouldn��t be lethal, letting you sniff it might just make the madness last a bit longer.��


    Rein opened the bottle, held his breath, fanned the wind with his hand, and a light green stench wafted towards ��Cookie��.��


    ��Cookie�� immediately showed a nauseous expression after sniffing the stench, and in less than two seconds, began retching.


    This made Rein��s heart suddenly drop!


    Just as Rein thought he had made a mistake, ��Cookie��s eyes quickly cleared up, and he slowly stood up, soon walking normally again.


    Rein was delighted, clearly this was the antidote.


    Rein also took a light sniff himself, and instantly, his face turned green!


    ��It really stinks!��


    However, the effect was indeed excellent as Rein��s vision cleared up immediately.


    Without delay, Rein administered the antidote to everyone present.


    Soon, everyone recovered one by one.


    Seeing the split body of Endri, no one had any doubts that Rein had saved them.


    Hamilton patted Rein on the shoulder and said, ��Good lad, if it weren��t for you, we would have been victimized by that despicable Wizard Apprentice today.��


    ��Wizard Apprentice? Wasn��t he a Wandering Bard?�� Rein was startled.


    ��Only his outward appearance. In fact, Endri was a Wizard Apprentice.��


    ��Judging by his recent need for a Sorcery Scroll to successfully cast ��Acid Missile��, I reckon he was just a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice.��


    Hamilton shared his speculation.

 Chapter 100 - 100 - 96: Three Consecutive Prompt Messages

    Chapter 100 �C 96: Three Consecutive Prompt Messages


    Wizard Apprentice?


    Listening by the side, Rein was deep in thought.


    Clearly, what the opponent had used was witchcraft; the pale green corrosive liquid sphere was called ��acid missile,�� and its power was quite remarkable.


    Seeing the look of yearning on Rein��s face, Hamilton immediately understood something and said,


    ��These wizard apprentices vary in strength.��


    ��However, Rein, you are one of the most talented knights I��ve come across. Don��t get distracted, stick to the path of the knight.��


    ��Only knights are orthodox. Many of these wizard apprentices end up neither human nor ghost.��


    ...


    ��Uh�� Thank you for the reminder, sir.��


    Rein nodded initially, but his eyes flickered.


    ��Clearly, Hamilton is a resolute supporter of transcendental knights.��


    ��Asking him more about wizard apprentices would only displease him.��


    ��I��ll look for a better opportunity next time.��


    The crystal lizard was loaded onto the mining cart; the elite Night Watchman pushed it out slowly.


    The body of the rock beast, following the appearance of the ��Heart of the Stone Beast,�� seemed to have had its essence drained, leaving behind only a carcass of ordinary granite, which was essentially worthless.


    And heavy as well.


    So, it was simply abandoned inside the mine.


    Upon exiting the gold mine, the gathering of miners saw the body of the crystal lizard on the mining cart and couldn��t help cheering warmly for Hamilton and Rein��s group.


    After whispering a few words to Weilun, Hamilton stepped forward and loudly said,


    ��Your foreman has tragically died in battle. Now, choose a temporary foreman to oversee the gold mine.��


    The miners looked at each other, their faces showing no hint of sadness.


    Apparently, the gold mine foreman, killed by Endri, was not well-liked at all.


    Suddenly, there was some movement in the crowd, and a middle-aged man with a face full of wrinkles and dark skin was pushed forward as the temporary foreman.


    Once everything at the gold mine was arranged, the group quickly returned to Flashgold Town.


    Since the gold mine was located southwest of Flashgold Town, and Rein��s home was on the south side of the town,


    Rein then broke off from the main group, stopped by his house, and soon after, he arrived at Hamilton��s office, handing over three hundred imperial gold coins directly to Hamilton.


    ��Sir, here are three hundred gold coins. I might need some time to give you the remaining two hundred,�� Rein said.


    Even though the rules for bounty hunters�� loot distribution did not require him to give so much,


    Rein knew very well that without Hamilton holding off and injuring the monster first, his chances of achieving a successful kill would have been slim.


    Moreover, this mission at Elim Gold Mine was actually an internal task of the Night Watchman. Had it not been for Endri��s appearance, Rein wouldn��t have claimed the ��Heart of the Stone Beast�� as a bounty hunter.


    If it had been in the name of the Night Watchman, Rein would have had to pay far more than this.


    Thus, Rein actually got quite a bargain.


    ��Okay!�� Hamilton looked at Rein with relief, although he was a bit surprised that Rein could bring out so much money at once.


    He didn��t say much and simply accepted it.


    After thinking it over, Hamilton said with a frown, ��By the way, Rein, I have a suggestion that you might want to consider.��


    ��Please, tell me, sir,�� Rein said, curious, watching Hamilton��s slightly troubled expression.


    ��With your rate of progress, you could choose to sell the ��Heart of the Stone Beast�� to the imperial army in exchange for a high-quality advancement magic potion.��


    ��Although the advancement magic potion suitable for your breathing technique can be obtained using Merit Points, those exchanged are just of ordinary quality.��


    ��High-quality ��Giant Bear��s Paw�� is rare, and even if it��s available, the competition among nobles is fierce! So, the imperial army is the best choice.��


    Rein immediately understood Hamilton��s point, nodded, and began to seriously consider it.


    This investigation mission in the Elim Gold Mine was initially intended to earn more Merit Points to exchange for advancement magic potions.


    Now, just by selling the ��Heart of the Stone Beast�� to the imperial army, he could achieve this goal, no, exceed it.


    Because, according to Hamilton, high-quality advancement magic potions might trigger two transcendent features.


    During his pondering, Rein inadvertently caught a glimpse of the ��investigative report�� Hamilton was drafting himself, noticing he had written up to the part about the rock beast and stopped abruptly.


    Instantly, Rein understood.


    ��It seems Hamilton also encountered a dilemma! If the ��Heart of the Stone Beast�� were to be included in the report, the news would inevitably spread among the nobility, and countless powerful entities might come looking for me.��


    ��Hamilton was considering this, which is why he subtly made this suggestion to me.��


    ��In the short term, I will not be able to successfully transfer jobs with the ��Heart of the Stone Beast�� on hand!��


    He who carries the jade is guilty, that much Rein understood.


    ��What��s most crucial for me at present is to step into the transcendent as soon as possible. The world is so vast, and the amount of treasures isn��t limited to just the ��Heart of the Stone Beast��.��


    ��As my strength improves, the opportunities to obtain treasures will also increase.��


    ��What��s more important, however, is to smoothly get through this period of being weak!��


    ��Besides, I��ve already gotten on the bad side of the Norman family, Baron Alonso, and who knows if the Brotherhood of the Wilderness will trace anything back to me����


    After such contemplation, Rein was suddenly enlightened!


    ��I was blinded by the system notification of the special promotion to ��Giant Stone Guard��!��


    ��Greed is indeed the original sin!��


    Having figured it all out, Rein smiled slightly and bowed slightly, saying,


    ��Of course, that��s a great suggestion, Lord Hamilton. I��ll leave this matter to you then!��


    ��Good! Good!�� the more Hamilton looked at Rein, the more he liked him, and he repeatedly said the word ��good�� twice.


    At the same time, the investigation report he was writing no longer had any obstacles.


    Hamilton��s quill flew swiftly between his fingers. With a few swift strokes, he completed the report on the Elim Mine.


    Meanwhile, Rein took out the ��Stone Monster��s Heart��, emitting a soft yellow glow from his waist pouch, and diligently handed it to Lord Hamilton.


    ��


    After returning home, Anna and Bo He were taking care of ��Cookie��. Rein greeted them and went back to his room.


    After quietly thinking to himself, Rein decided to add that newly gained skill point to his Giant Bear Breathing Technique lv4.


    As the Giant Bear Breathing Technique advanced to lv5.


    Instantly, a surge of memories about the practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique came flooding into Rein��s mind.


    These fragmented breathing technique memories passed one by one through Rein��s mind and awakened instinctively within the muscle and fascia memory of his body.


    When Rein opened his eyes again, it was as if he had undergone months of rigorous training in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    At this moment, he distinctly felt a warmth throughout his body, his muscles somewhat swollen, and the fascia within seemed tougher, like a web of sinew, linking all his bones and muscles together.


    With this, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique finally advanced to lv5, fulfilling the breathing technique requirement for the Knight (Transcendent) job advancement.


    Rein thought briefly and decided to strike while the iron was hot. He quickly applied black tung oil on a few special points and began practicing the fourth stance of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    The movement of the fourth stance required him to do a one-handed handstand, then touch his feet to his head, forming a circle with his body.


    This movement differed significantly from the previous three stances in that while the initial ones focused on upper body muscle and fascia training, the fourth stance began to aggressively train the body��s flexibility, stretching the fascia.


    The previously initiated changes in his bodily fascia intensified, the threads of fascia fibers thickening, and their connection to Rein��s skeletal and muscle fibers growing stronger.


    Suddenly, Rein��s eyes snapped open!


    It seemed as if he had broken through some kind of barrier.


    It was like the sensation of a bow stretched to its limit before being drawn tighter and then snapping.


    At that moment, three system notifications quietly arrived:


    [Congratulations! Your Constitution attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Strength attribute has increased!] Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Congratulations! Your agility attribute has increased!]


    This��.


    Rein couldn��t help but laugh loudly!


    It had been a long time since he had last gained an attribute increase while practicing a breathing technique.


    It was about time.


    But what Rein had not expected was that he would receive three system notifications at once!


    This went to show that the Giant Bear Breathing Technique did indeed enhance agility, but only through the practice of the later stances.


    That made sense; otherwise, Knights practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique wouldn��t be prevalent if they couldn��t hit anyone despite their great strength.


    It could only be said that, comparatively, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique primarily enhanced Strength and Constitution.


    Feeling the great power surging through his body, Rein realized he had now satisfied the first prerequisite for advancing to Knight (Transcendent): any Knight Breathing Technique above lv5.


    And the second requirement, with Strength above 12 points, agility above 12 points, and Constitution above 12 points, he had also just met.


    The only things left were horseback riding, shield defense, and archery skills to train above lv3; then he would be all set.


    Riding and archery were easy to talk about.


    It was only shield defense that meant he still had to find Lord Hamilton or the quartermaster to exchange a related Combat Skill.


    ��Also, once the Giant Bear Sword Technique steps into lv5, I should be able to unlock the roaring strike lv2,�� Rein thought.


    Thinking of the roaring strike, Rein quickly opened the Night Watchman panel.


    He focused his mind on an icon located above the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique. The icon depicted a ��profile picture�� of a roaring giant bear!


    That was the roaring strike icon.


    He looked again at the small text below it:


    Roaring strike lv2 requires the following criteria: One, Giant Bear Breathing Technique lv5 or above, Giant Bear Sword Technique lv5 or above; two, Strength 12 points, Constitution 12 or above.


    (Note: roaring strike is a secret technique and cannot be directly enhanced with skill points.)


    Rein nodded, remembering correctly that once his Giant Bear Sword Technique reached lv5, he could unlock roaring strike lv2.


    This made Rein quite anticipatory!


    The power of roaring strike lv1 was already so impressive; he wondered what lv2 would be like!

 Chapter 101 - 101 - 97: Diary of an Unserious Person

    Chapter 101 �C 97: Diary of an Unserious Person


    Looking at all the attributes, Rein��s strength had genuinely stepped into the realm of a Level 3 Knight Attendant.


    And with the secret technique ��roaring strike�� and the core skill ��Strength Burst,�� Rein should have no rivals below the rank of a formal Knight.


    However, speaking of rivals,


    Rein immediately thought of that guy Endri.


    According to Hamilton��s description, Endri seemed to be a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice. His pure combat strength was not strong, but he had many tricky methods.


    ��If I encounter him unawares, I��ll definitely suffer a huge loss.��


    ��If his strength isn��t enough, he resorts to using poison!��


    ...


    Rein didn��t think there was anything wrong with that.


    After all, history is written by the victors.


    As for Hamilton��s kind reminder, Rein naturally understood that the other party wanted him to focus his limited energy on the transcendent path of a Knight.


    To sum it up, it was just two words: ��specialization.��


    But Rein was specializing now too!


    He was just specializing in three things: Blacksmith, Night Watchman, and Dog Trainer.


    This didn��t contradict what Hamilton had said.


    It seemed that Rein remembered he had yet to sort his loot. He laid out several of Endri��s items in a row on the table in his room.


    First was the weapon that looked like a staff but concealed a thin sword inside it. After pondering for a moment, Rein hid it under his bed.


    He didn��t need it on a regular basis.


    He had his Fine Steel Greatsword and the Bastard Sword issued by the Night Watchman. The staff with the concealed sword could be used for surprise attacks in the future.


    Next was the leather coin pouch. Rein emptied all the coins out of it.


    ��Oh wow!��


    ��Not bad at all, actually over sixty Gold Coins and quite a few Silver Coins.��


    Rein thought to himself, indeed, ��wizards�� are much richer than ��assassins.��


    Three bottles, two of which he didn��t know the use for yet. Rein planned to find time to ask Abel about them.


    Additionally, Rein weighed the ring that released hallucinogenic poison gas in his hand.


    The exterior was an Emerald Ring, but there was a small trigger the size of a needle��s head on one side of the emerald; it seemed that the poison gas could be silently released with a press.


    ��Wandering Bard?��


    ��Why does it feel even more assassin-like than the last assassin?��


    Rein criticized in his heart.


    Lastly, Rein picked up the somewhat aged diary with a sheepskin cover.


    After flipping through a few pages, Rein discovered that it was indeed Endri��s diary.


    It detailed his travels and various scandalous secrets. Perhaps, the order of these two terms should be reversed.


    The most recent page recorded events from two days ago when he received an invitation from Schmidt and planned to join the investigation mission at Elim Mine.


    As Rein read through the diary carefully,


    he suddenly felt as if he was searching for knowledge in a saucy novel.


    ��Damn it, who keeps a diary if they��re decent!��


    ��The indecent ones, they all bloody love to keep diaries!��


    For example, there was a long description that read:


    ��In the month of Green Grass, I came to Yorkshire. Through Viscount Charles��s introduction, I met the wife of Earl York. The lady was tall and curvy, with skin as pale as milk. The pink nails on her delicate feet shimmered with a mesmerizing glow�� It took me a great deal of effort to find the love charm herb, and eventually, I got her��(300 words omitted)��


    ����When passing by Emerald Bay, we went to the Emerald Pub. The striptease dancer there was really too spicy, wearing virtually nothing. For three consecutive days, I didn��t leave the inn����


    These descriptions had Rein��s young blood boiling and his imagination running wild.


    However, when he flipped to the last page, his expression became solemn.


    ����Damn wizard��s talent, my basic meditation method has hardly made any progress, and the potions to increase spiritual power are insanely expensive! How wonderful it would be if I could find a treasure of immeasurable value����


    ����Considering the investigation mission tomorrow, I went to the bat market in Meist County City and bought a small bottle of hallucinogenic poison gas to fill the ring with����


    Basic meditation method?


    Suddenly, Rein��s pupils constricted!


    Immediately, he flipped through Endri��s diary over and over again, seven or eight times, but in the end, he still found no trace of the basic meditation method, much to his disappointment.


    The so-called basic meditation method wasn��t recorded in the diary.


    After calming his emotions, Rein continued to read carefully.


    An hour later, Rein closed Endri��s diary that he had come from, deep in thought.


    The basic meditation method was crucial, and maybe he could find out more about it at the bat market.


    ��Bat market�� must be what these wizard apprentices referred to when buying or trading goods.


    Based on the description in the diary, this bat market was likely located somewhere in the County Town.


    Unfortunately, since he had already come to the attention of Alonso, the Baron and eldest son of the Earl, going to the County Town was still a bit too risky. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, if all these wizard apprentices were as cunning and ruthless as Endri, going there now, he could easily capsize in the gutter.


    After some thought, Rein decided to wait until he was officially knighted and stepped into the transcendent before looking for this so-called bat market.


    Afterward, Rein sorted through the things he needed to complete next.


    First was to raise the Giant Bear Sword Technique to lv5.


    Next, when he had the chance, was to visit the quartermaster and exchange for some shield defense combat skills.


    The rest could proceed as planned.


    ��Knock knock knock��


    A knock on the door interrupted Rein��s musings.


    ��Rein, may I come in?�� Anna��s gentle voice came from outside the door.


    ��Of course.��


    Rein turned around and saw Anna walking in with her head down, seemingly too shy to look him directly in the eye.


    But the next second, Anna��s slightly heaving chest took a deep breath as if mustering courage, and soon, she looked up at Rein and said:


    ��Rein, I heard this afternoon that several Night Watchmen had been sacrificed. You�� you must be careful when you go out.��


    Rein suddenly realized!


    It was naturally a bit embarrassing for a girl to express such concern, especially someone with a personality like Anna��s.


    ��Thank you, Anna, I��ll be careful.��


    ��Ri�� Right, you aren��t hurt, are you? Do you need me to use an amulet��.��


    ��I��m really not, look,�� Rein lifted his sleeve and then raised his shirt as a sign.


    ��Brother, it��s time for dinner,�� Bo He��s crisp voice came.


    At that moment, a cute little head peeked around the door, and it was Bo He.


    Seeing her brother Rein lifting his shirt, and then looking at Sister Anna, Bo He��s mouth hung open in a perfect circle, her surprise clear to see.


    ��Bo He, it��s not what you think,�� Anna immediately blushed and waved her hands in denial.


    ��Little clever one, what are you thinking about? Brother is just letting Anna help see if there is a wound!�� Rein said with a laugh as he patted Bo He��s head.


    ��


    When Rein went downstairs, he saw that his mother Emma had prepared a lavish dinner.


    Three marinated herrings, a large portion of pickled pork, a whole roast chicken bought from the market, a big bowl of mashed potatoes, five large one-pound loaves of white bread, and a bottle of milk.


    A month before, such an extravagant dinner would have been unthinkable.


    But now, as long as Rein was at home, it had become a normal part of daily life.


    And as Rein��s appetite grew bigger and bigger, the food prepared by mother Emma got better and better, of course, nearly half of it went into Rein��s stomach.


    The family of four plus Anna sat warmly around a simple wooden table, sharing dinner.


    ��.


    Since Rein and a group of Night Watchmen had participated in the battle at the Elim Mine during the day, Hamilton specially granted them two days�� leave.


    But the Whippet ��Cookie�� was used to wandering around at night and, after circling Rein��s feet a few times, barked twice at the door.


    Immediately, Rein understood ��Cookie��s meaning; it wanted him to take it for a night patrol!


    So, amidst Bo He��s giggling and under Anna��s serene smile, Rein could only take ��Cookie�� out for a walk.


    In a short while, Rein encountered three other Night Watchmen colleagues on night patrol.


    As they passed by each other, Rein greeted them with a smile.


    ��Eh! Is that the Greatsword Rein?��


    ��Yeah! Don��t you know him? They say he slew a five-meter-tall monster with a greatsword today, right in the Elim Mine.��


    ����.��


    Although Rein had walked away, in the quiet of the night, he could clearly hear the three Night Watchmen colleagues talking about him.


    ��Greatsword Rein?��


    Rein touched the Fine Steel Greatsword on his back, thinking to himself, okay! This nickname doesn��t seem so bad.


    But hearing the part about a five-meter-tall monster??


    Rein was speechless!


    What had that to do with anything? He wondered which Night Watchman who went on the investigative mission during the day had gossiped; a three-meter-tall monster had become five meters��.


    ��Woof woof!��


    Suddenly, ��Cookie�� started barking furiously at the side of the road towards the woods.


    This made Rein immediately alert.


    Could it be that there��s some wild beast?


    But acting on the principle that less is often better than more, Rein didn��t intend to enter the woods at night to check things out.


    But the next second, ��Cookie�� trotted around Rein a few times and then tugged at the hem of Rein��s trousers with its mouth, seemingly urging Rein to go look urgently.


    This made Rein a bit puzzled.


    ��It doesn��t seem to be a wild beast, ��Cookie�� doesn��t have the emotion of fear.��


    ��Alright! Let��s go have a look then.��


    Rein couldn��t help being curious.


    ��Cookie�� took the lead, quickly darting into the woods. Thanks to Rein��s greatly enhanced physical condition, and his Dark Vision, even in the night forest, he could keep pace right behind the Whippet.


    However, Rein��s right hand was already resting on the hilt of the Fine Steel Greatsword on his back.


    If something seemed amiss, he could react immediately.


    ��Eh! Something��s not right, there seems to be a scent of blood!�� Rein��s nostrils twitched.


    ��No wonder ��Cookie�� wanted me to come over.��


    Ahead of them, ��Cookie�� suddenly stopped and then turned its head, barking at Rein a few times as if to say, this is the place.


    Rein immediately used his Dark Vision to focus in that direction, only to see in the dappled moonlight of the woodland, a woman he recognized well lying diagonally on the ground, with her characteristic shield by her side.


    ��This��. this is that barbarian shield-maiden?�� Rein couldn��t help but exclaim softly.


    The iconic shield of the barbarian girl was already missing almost a small half, and judging from the spikes and serrated cracks on the broken edge, it seemed to have been smashed by some kind of heavy hammer or similar heavy weapon.


    The girl��s curvaceous body bore no obvious wounds, but the arm that held the shield was twisted strangely, most likely dislocated or broken.


    Eh! Something��s wrong!


    Rein suddenly noticed black vapors billowing from the twisted arm of the other party, exhaling an unsettling aura.

 Chapter 102 - 102 - 98 Strange Black Qi

    Chapter 102 �C 98 Strange Black Qi


    The dark energy felt like a living thing, akin to a black octopus wrapping around an arm and ceaselessly tumbling.


    Rein had never seen such a bizarre thing before.


    But upon closer thought, it seemed somewhat similar to the green light emitted by the wooden amulet.


    ��Some kind of evil, mysterious side energy?�� Rein wondered, filled with confusion.


    ��But how is this possible? Wasn��t the barbarian squad off to kill the ogre?��


    When that barbarian bounty hunter squad entered Flashgold Town, the exceptionally tall and robust barbarian leader Haral, nicknamed ��Giant��, was still fresh in Rein��s mind, to wound the shield maiden, one would probably have to get past him first, right?


    ��Now the shield maiden lies here, her fate unknown��could it be that the ogre was so fierce and knew witchcraft?�� Rein thought it unlikely that the matter was that simple, and at the same time, a feeling of dread suddenly took hold of him.


    ...


    ��Regardless, I should first see if she can still be saved.��


    Rein immediately approached and began to carefully inspect her.


    He slowly turned her over to lie on her back.


    The girl��s expression was one of pain, her eyebrows deeply furrowed, and blood trickled from the corners of her mouth, indicating she might have suffered some internal injuries.


    Her forehead band was gone, and her pale yellow hair, drenched with blood and sweat, hung down in tangled locks, sticking to her forehead and cheeks.


    Rein placed two fingers on the girl��s pale neck artery, felt for a moment, and nodded.


    ��There��s a pulse, faint breathing; good, she��s not dead, there��s hope,�� Rein breathed a sigh of relief. Before, he might not have been able to do anything, but ever since Anna had been able to control that miraculous green light.


    He felt as long as the shield maiden wasn��t dead, Anna should be able to heal her gradually.


    Only this dark energy��


    Seemed a bit tricky, mixing uncertainty into the healing process.


    Just then, the young Whippet ��Cookie�� barked furiously at something behind Rein.


    With his danger perception triggered, Rein immediately put down the shield maiden and turned to look.


    He saw several pairs of oily green eyes slowly approaching from the depths of the forest.


    ��It��s forest wolves!�� Using his Dark Vision, Rein quickly identified the creatures, seven or eight brownish-gray forest wolves closing in.


    The wolves were larger than any North American gray wolves Rein had seen in his previous life. On average, each forest wolf was no less formidable than a grown man armed with a pitchfork.


    ��Whine~��


    ��Cookie�� was clearly panicked and scared, shrinking closer to Rein��s feet.


    The wolf pack slowly advanced.


    Seeming to see their opponent as ��weak��, the pack leader �C the size of a calf �C emitted a low growl, prompting the charge.


    Two to three meters long, the brownish-gray wolf-shadows streaked towards Rein like lightning.


    ��Strength Burst!��


    Rein��s body suddenly shot up twenty or thirty centimeters, his muscles bulged, and veins popped.


    Then, a silvery arc of light flashed upwards, brutally opening the underside of the alpha wolf.


    ��Swoosh!��


    The sound of flesh being sliced filled the air.


    ��Howl~~~��


    A pitiful howl rang out as the alpha wolf, still twitching and weighing a couple hundred pounds, spilled blood and organs from its torn abdomen while airborne!


    The next second, it landed heavily on the ground, its belly split open by Rein��s sword.


    This immediately caused the other charging forest wolves to shudder with fear, quickly turning away from the ��fierce man�� that was Rein!


    Rein kicked the alpha wolf��s carcass back into the hungry pack with force.


    Watching the intimidating Rein, the wolf pack whined and backed off.


    At this moment, ��Cookie�� seemed to sense the authority of its master and the retreat of the enemy.


    It trotted forward a couple of steps and barked ferociously at the wolves, at least twice its size.


    ��Bark, bark, bark!��


    It perfectly exemplified the phrase ��courting strength from its master.��


    Rein quickly picked up the barbarian girl from the ground, grabbed the nearby battle-axe and broken shield, and turned to leave.


    Saving her was the priority!


    This was also why Rein chose to use the skill ��Strength Burst�� to kill the lead wolf instantly; he needed a swift resolution.


    After Rein left, the pack swiftly surrounded the still-twitching carcass of their former leader, indulging in a grisly feast.


    They were entirely unconcerned that it was the body of one of their kind.


    ��A full belly�� was their utmost priority.


    ��


    Upon entering the house and seeing Rein holding a woman, covered in blood, his mother Emma gasped in shock.


    ��Anna, start getting things ready. Mother, it��s only wolf blood,�� Rein said.


    The astonished Anna immediately understood and ran upstairs quickly.


    She knew Rein wanted her to prepare the miraculous amulet for healing.


    ��What�� what��s this?��


    ��Mother, I found her lying by the roadside while walking the dog, so I brought her back,�� Rein explained.


    This reassured mother Emma somewhat, who said, ��But shouldn��t we call a doctor?��


    ��It shouldn��t be a serious problem, I��ll take her upstairs and let Anna take a look first,�� Rein added without elaboration and carried the barbarian girl upstairs.


    Mother Emma was left surprised.


    ��Should Anna take a look at her?��


    ��Since when did Anna learn to heal?��


    ��Is Anna a physician?��


    ��I��ve never heard her mention that.��


    ��


    Once Rein gently laid the tall and graceful barbarian girl on the bed.


    Anna, who had been waiting by the side, slowly stepped forward, but Rein stretched out his hand to stop Anna, who was about to start healing immediately, and pointed to the dark mist on the barbarian girl��s left arm:


    ��Anna, be careful, that dark mist seems very strange.��


    ��If it��s not working, don��t force it.��


    Rein��s caring words made Anna blush; she obediently nodded her head and gave a firm ��En.��


    Right after, Anna clasped the amulet with both hands, closed her eyes, and focused her spirit on the wooden amulet.


    Soon, a thick green light appeared in the palms of Anna��s hands.


    Under Anna��s control, the soft, rich green light quickly fell upon the barbarian girl��s body.


    In an instant, the girl��s entire figure blazed with green light!


    No, the left hand that held the shield alone still emitted a faint black mist.


    The black mist, as if aware that the green light sought to expel it, was ��gnashing its teeth and flailing its claws�� in a fierce struggle against the green energy controlled by Anna.


    However, the green energy continuously supported by Anna seemed to be a step stronger than the black mist.


    Soon, the green light forced the black mist to retreat bit by bit, moving up from the girl��s left forearm to her palm.


    At this moment, Rein noticed that Anna��s forehead had begun to be dotted with fine beads of sweat.


    Clearly, such manipulation was extremely draining on Anna��s spirit.


    Just when Rein was considering whether to advise Anna to rest for a bit, the green light suddenly flourished further, and he saw the black mist being forced out of the shieldmaiden��s left hand, instantly dissipating into the air.


    However, the air seemed to be filled with a faint stench of blood and rot.


    It was like the smell that rushes out when an old house that hasn��t been lived in for over a decade is suddenly opened.


    At this point, Anna��s slender frame wobbled; her originally rosy complexion turned into a weak pallor, and Rein immediately supported Anna to sit down at the edge of the bed.


    ��Anna, you pushed yourself too hard! Why didn��t you split it into two sessions?��


    ��No, Rein, I could feel that the black mist was very terrible; if I had stopped, the black mist would have revived like a phoenix from the ashes and re-occupied her arm,�� Anna shook her head and explained earnestly as she looked into Rein��s eyes, a hint of stubbornness hardly noticeable in her gaze.


    ��En?�� So that was it, Rein nodded his head.


    When Rein looked at the barbarian girl again, he found that her previously furrowed brows had now relaxed, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. From her face, she appeared to be much better than before the treatment.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein turned to Anna and said, ��Anna, you go rest for a while, I��ll take care of her here.��


    ��En.�� Anna obediently nodded and, assisted by Rein, went back to the adjacent room to rest.


    Her current state was indeed not good; the recent healing had consumed too much of her spirit, and now Anna felt waves of dizziness sweeping over her, in desperate need of a good sleep.


    ��.


    Rein did not have to wait too long.


    About half an hour after the treatment, the barbarian girl gradually came to.


    With a soft moan, the barbarian girl opened her bewildered eyes.


    ��You��re awake?�� Rein said softly.


    The girl shuddered and slowly turned her head to look at Rein, saying, ��Awake?��


    Her eyes gradually cleared, but the next second, as if remembering something, she uncontrollably curled up, hugged her knees, and started sobbing softly on the bed.


    This reaction immediately puzzled Rein.


    But quickly, he realized that it was very likely that something had happened to the rest of her squad.


    ��Um�� would it be possible for you to tell me what happened to you?��


    ��I remember that day, your squad came to Flashgold Town,�� Rein chose his words carefully and spoke slowly.


    After sobbing for a while, the girl slowly began to speak, ��Is this�� Flashgold Town?��


    ��Yes, this is Flashgold Town; you are safe here. By the way, may I know your name? My name is Rein,�� Rein was pleased they could communicate.


    ��My name is Lagaray, from the barbarian tribe of the Frostwind Prairie in the Northern Empire,�� she lifted her head, her red and swollen eyes looking straight at Rein, and although her eyelashes were wet with tears, her gaze revealed an unwavering resolve.


    That resolve gave Rein the impression of a boulder standing unyielding amidst the howling northern winds.


    This time, there was no need for Rein to ask again. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The barbarian girl named Lagaray slowly recounted the story that had befallen their squad two days before.


    ��The Falcon investigation report from the Habsburg manor wasn��t wrong; there indeed was only one ogre, but what we didn��t realize until we got there was that it was an old ogre, extremely cunning.��


    An old ogre?


    Could it possibly wield witchcraft?


    Doubts arose in Rein��s mind, but he didn��t interrupt, instead patiently listening to Lagaray��s story.


    ��In reality, it had numerous minions, but they were spread out, stationed around the place it resided. This led us to misjudge the situation initially.��


    ��When we launched our attack, that deceitful old ogre summoned its jackalmen and kobold minions to besiege us.��


    ��Fortunately, my brother Haral is a ferocious Berserker, his physical liberation exceeds forty percent.��

 Chapter 103 - 103 - 99 Crown Knight

    Chapter 103 �C 99 Crown Knight


    ��A Berserker Warrior?�� Rein asked, slightly puzzled.


    He understood.


    But he remembered clearly that both Cleya and Hamilton had said the term ��berserk�� was used to describe beasts, as opposed to humans.


    So, with a tone of inquiry, Rein asked,


    ��Do you mean a knight?��


    Lagaray nodded, saying, ��Yes! Berserk and what you call ��breaking limits�� mean the same thing. Our barbarian tribes have always referred to warriors who break their limits as Berserker Warriors, in accordance with the terminology handed down from Ancient Times.��


    After coming from Frostwind Prairie to County Town to find her brother Haral, she had been living here for a while now, and knew some of the cultural differences between the two sides.


    ...


    With Rein��s interruption, Lagaray answered the doubts of her life-saving benefactor.


    This allowed Rein to learn quite a bit about the barbarians from Lagaray.


    It turned out, the barbarians did not practice the traditional breathing methods. According to Lagaray, the barbarians had traces of giant blood in their veins.


    They practiced a breathing method known as brute force, which was quite primitive. Its effect was to tap into the potential of their own bloodline to strengthen their constitution and simultaneously enhance strength and agility, enabling the barbarian tribes to combat the harsh survival conditions of Frostwind Prairie.


    This made Rein pause.


    The breathing method sounded similar to his own Giant Bear Breathing Technique. Both primarily focused on enhancing constitution and strength, although in terms of increasing agility, it was somewhat inferior to the brute force breathing method.


    When barbarians practiced, they also had medicines similar to ��black balsam oil��.


    According to Lagaray��s account, barbarian shamans would provide the tribe��s warriors with special potions made of various herbs to promote the training progress of their brute force breathing method.


    Upon hearing this, Rein felt that the entire barbarian training system was somewhat cruder compared to the orthodox Knight Breathing Method, but overall the difference didn��t seem large.


    But soon, Rein changed his mind.


    Because, instead of using advance magic potions, barbarians actually went through life-or-death trials to break into transcendence.


    This surprised Rein.


    Barbarians had only a twenty to thirty percent chance of successfully becoming berserk.


    For orthodox knights, even if the breakthrough failed after taking an advance magic potion, the death rate was only about ten percent, with another forty percent risking a decline in strength, and a fifty percent chance of successfully breaking through.


    This contrasted starkly with the barbarians�� situation where failure to break through meant death.


    Rein thought to himself that indeed, the knight��s path, as the most secure transcendent path in the long history of humanity, had perpetuated with good reason.


    ��By the way, Lagaray, I��m sorry to have asked so many questions about your tribe, please continue with what happened in Nightingale Forest.�� Rein, suddenly remembering that he had side-tracked Lagaray��s narrative, said with a hint of apology.


    Lagaray didn��t mind and nodded, continuing,


    ��My brother alone turned the tide of battle, slaughtered a large number of hyena-men, and made the old ogre retreat step by step.��


    ��Just when we thought the situation was settled, that old ogre suddenly began to flee and eventually ran into an unknown ruin.��


    As she spoke of the ruin, Rein could clearly detect a quiver in Lagaray��s voice.


    ��These ruins were deep within Nightingale Forest, scattered with collapsed, moss-covered columns entangled in vines. We surmised that it seemed to be a temple from long ago.��


    ��We pursued it closely, chasing after that old ogre, but suddenly, a mysterious knight appeared and began attacking us.��


    ��It seemed he was not a living person; the war horse he rode was actually a death horse. I once chopped down hard on the horse��s leg with my axe, but it only revealed pallid flesh without a drop of blood.��


    Rein could sense a tinge of fear in Lagaray��s eyes, the instinctive terror one faces against an enemy much more powerful than oneself.


    Although Rein was curious about what a ��death horse�� was, he chose not to inquire further but let Lagaray continue her story.


    ��The knight wore full armor, and most distinctive was the crown-shaped adornment at the top of the closed helmet.��


    A crown-shaped knight helmet?


    Rein immediately pondered, as symbols or markers such as the crown were typically associated with races or churches that worshiped nature deities.


    For example, the book he acquired from the ��Hound King�� Core contained patterns of large trees, flowers, and more.


    ��He was too strong; with a single strike, he killed one of our squad members.��


    ��I blocked his riding spear only once. My shield shattered, my arm broke, and I suffered this strange black air damage. My brother went all out in attack but still was no match for the Crown Knight.��


    ��The other squad members sacrificed themselves to protect my safe exit, one after another fighting to their death��.��


    Lagaray seemed to be reminded of that heart-wrenching scene, her eyes reddening again, misty with tears.


    Hearing this, Rein could not help but ask, ��What about your brother?��


    ��He died too. The last thing I saw was my brother desperately trying to divert the Crown Knight��s attention from me, and then he was impaled through the chest by the knight��s riding spear��.��


    Clearly, mentioning this brought up the most painful memory in Lagaray��s mind.


    Lagaray could no longer hold back and began to sob, covering her face with her hands.


    ��I��m sorry��.�� Rein apologized.


    He realized she had just woken up, her emotions yet stabilized; perhaps it would be more appropriate to ask after some time had passed.


    After a long while, Lagaray recomposed herself, turned her head to Rein, and said,


    ��There��s one important thing; my brother insisted that I must pass on the message. That Crown Knight seems to be a very rare Evil Spirit Knight.��


    ��Evil Spirit Knight?�� Rein was taken aback, touching upon yet another one of his blind spots in knowledge.


    But no matter what, if ��Little Giant�� Haral��s formidable strength was not the match of that Evil Spirit Knight, Rein didn��t think Flashgold Town��s sheriff Hamilton could defeat that fellow.


    If this so-called ��Evil Spirit Knight�� were to attack Flashgold Town, who knows what kind of tragedy would occur.


    Rein was clearly aware of the severity of this problem.


    Although a lot was still unclear, Rein felt that he had to notify Hamilton immediately, so he could be prepared in advance.


    After a moment of thought, Rein said to Lagaray, ��You should rest well tonight, I will go and inform Lord Hamilton, the sheriff of Flashgold, right away.��


    ��Mhm!�� Lagaray nodded her head.


    Rein turned and left.


    However, as he reached the door, something suddenly occurred to him, and he turned back to Lagaray, asking, ��Do you need something to eat?��


    Lagaray gently shook her head.


    It seemed she was still immersed in grief.


    ��


    Although it was already around ten o��clock at night, Hamilton was surprisingly still in his office, albeit his wounds seemed to have been treated.


    When Rein arrived at the office, he could distinctly smell the strong scent of healing potions.


    Upon hearing about Haral encountering the Evil Spirit Knight and his squad nearly being wiped out, Hamilton was shocked. He jumped up from his chair and blurted out, ��What! An Evil Spirit Knight?��


    After receiving Rein��s affirmative answer, Hamilton could no longer contain himself and his face turned pale with anxiety.


    The sheriff of Flashgold Town paced back and forth in his office, unable to hide the worry etched between his brows.


    It was the first time Rein had seen Hamilton so agitated.


    ��Messenger!!�� sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A messenger dressed as a guard quickly ran in, saluting and saying, ��Lord Hamilton, what are your orders?��


    ��Send a message to Viscount Hamadi in the County Town and the Church of the Sea Goddess immediately. An Evil Spirit Knight has been spotted near Flashgold Town!��


    ��And! Send someone to notify Lord Lloyd of the Habsburg Manor.��


    ��Besides, alert all the Night Watchmen to raise their guard!��


    That a Transcendent human knight could be driven into such an anxious state clearly indicated that the so-called ��Evil Spirit Knight�� was no ordinary foe.


    Hamilton murmured to himself:


    ��Haral��s limit breaking level has already surpassed forty percent, which basically places him at the level of a Senior Knight, yet he was still no match for the foe. This suggests that this Evil Spirit Knight might possess the strength of a Peak Knight, or even stronger.��


    ��Senior Knight�� ��Peak Knight��?


    Rein nodded. Adding the initial ��Formal Knight��, it must be the classification of knight ranks, he thought.


    ��Sir, is the Evil Spirit Knight really that fearsome?�� Seeing Hamilton��s solemnity, Rein couldn��t help but ask curiously.


    Hamilton nodded, speaking with a grave tone, ��The fearsomeness of the Evil Spirit Knight is one aspect, but that��s not the most important thing.��


    ��The appearance of an Evil Spirit Knight signals that some evil is invading�� or awakening! Ancient texts have recorded that Evil Spirit Knights are the minions of the Evil God. It must have sensed its master��s call to appear here.��


    ��That��s the biggest problem!��


    Minions of the Evil God?


    With the word ��God�� in it, even if Rein didn��t understand much about this world, he knew it must be troublesome to deal with. No wonder Hamilton was treating it as a dire threat.


    However, the words ��Evil Spirit�� reminded Rein of the Glowstone he had acquired.


    After all, according to the blacksmith Boris, if it could be fused into a weapon, it would possess great power against evil.


    Too bad!


    He couldn��t go to the County Town at his current stage.


    Otherwise, with a powerful weapon in hand, he would naturally have more assurance of safety.


    When Rein stepped out of Hamilton��s office, the cold moonlight, filtering through gaps in the clouds, draped over the town like a silver veil, giving it an almost dreamlike ambiance.


    The chilly wind of a deep autumn night struck Rein��s face, making him even more alert.


    After some thought, Rein halted his steps towards home and turned towards the adjacent administrative building��s training ground instead.


    The entire training ground was deserted, silent and empty.


    ��From Hamilton��s demeanor, it seems the arrival of this Evil Spirit Knight could signify a grave crisis looming over the whole of Flashgold Town.��


    ��The only thing I can rely on is the continuous improvement of my own strength.��


    ��Furthermore, my understanding of this world is still too shallow. It seems I must strive to earn Merit Points and elevate my rank while relying on the Night Watchmen.��


    Rein checked the Night Watchman panel, and with the Experience gained from killing the wolves, his Giant Bear Sword Technique was just a few points shy of reaching level 5.


    He planned to level up his Giant Bear Sword Technique before returning home.


    As Rein drew his Fine Steel Greatsword, a figure swung the greatsword in the training ground, sweating profusely.


    About an hour later, a system prompt arrived.

 Chapter 104 - 104 - 100 Hmm! I am also a Blacksmith

    Chapter 104 �C 100 Hmm! I am also a Blacksmith


    [You have trained in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, and your comprehension has improved!]


    [Your skill, the Giant Bear Sword Technique, has gained a boost, Experience +2]


    [Congratulations, your Giant Bear Sword Technique has advanced to lv5]


    ��.


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked an exclusive secret technique that combines the Giant Bear Breathing Technique with the Giant Bear Sword Technique: roaring strike lv2!]


    Suddenly, Rein stood motionless in the training ground.


    As the Giant Bear Sword Technique smoothly entered lv5 (0/2000), a series of fragmented training memories of the Giant Bear Sword Technique began to flood into Rein��s mind. The adept techniques contained within these memories quickly integrated into his muscle memory.


    ...


    When Rein swung his Fine Steel Greatsword again, he felt a smoothness and familiarity that surpassed what he had known before.


    Moreover, still basking in the joy of the Giant Bear Sword Technique��s level-up, Rein saw the successful unlocking of roaring strike lv2 on the Night Watchman panel.


    Double happiness!


    By the time Rein returned home, it was well into the night, and he made do with a night��s sleep in the small partitioned room.


    The next morning, when Rein went to his room, he was startled to find Lagaray and Anna sitting on the bed, holding hands and leaning close together, whispering and chatting.


    This scene left Rein stunned.


    They��re holding hands already?


    Indeed, the friendship between girls�� such a mysterious thing��


    ��Rein, you��re back,�� Anna said, blushing as she saw Rein and stood up.


    ��You two��?��


    ��I�� I was just chatting with Lagaray about the time you saved me,�� Anna explained.


    Lagaray looked at Rein with a calm expression, asking, ��What did the sheriff say?��


    ��He takes it very seriously, and he has already notified the County Town and the church. How about you? Do you feel better?��


    ��Much better,�� Lagaray nodded.


    ��Brother, it��s time for breakfast!�� At that moment, Bo He suddenly poked her head in from the doorway.


    ��Oh! Is this a new sister?�� Bo He gazed at the beautiful and exotically styled new ��sister�� with fluttering eyelashes, her voice tinged with curiosity.


    Bo He had already been asleep in her own room the previous night when Rein brought Lagaray home, naturally unaware of what had happened then.


    ��What a cute little girl. Rein, is this your sister?�� Lagaray��s eyes lit up as she saw Bo He, and she got up and walked over, embracing Bo He in her ample bosom.


    Rein nodded and said, ��Yes, this is my sister, Bo He. Bo He, this is Sister Lagaray.��


    ��Sister Lagaray, hello! Wow, sister, you��re so tall! Even taller than my brother,�� Bo He exclaimed in amazement.


    It was only then that Rein realized Lagaray was actually slightly taller than himself when she stood up.


    He had been growing rapidly lately, now around one hundred seventy-five centimeters tall. Of course, his height would continue to increase swiftly over time.


    By comparison, Lagaray��s height was roughly one hundred seventy-eight centimeters.


    But overall, she didn��t come across as slender; her figure was curvy, yet just right.


    After breakfast, Rein returned to his own room.


    Having thought of Glowstone because of the incident with the Evil Spirit Knight, Rein especially took out the Glowstone to look at it and couldn��t help but sigh.


    At that moment, Lagaray and Anna came in together. Seeing the ore in Rein��s hands, Lagaray couldn��t help exclaiming, ��Sacred stone!��


    ��Sacred stone? Isn��t it called Glowstone?�� Rein couldn��t help showing his confusion.


    Isn��t it called Glowstone? Could it be that the Blacksmith Boris was fooling me? Surely not.


    ��Oh, yes, sacred stone is what we barbarians call it. According to the official naming of the Empire, it is indeed called Glowstone,�� Lagaray nodded, explaining.


    ��May I take a look?��


    ��Of course!�� Rein smiled, handing over the mysterious ore that emitted a hazy, soft light to Lagaray.


    Lagaray took the Glowstone from Rein, her gaze full of reverence for it, and she slowly began to explain why:


    ��Glowstone holds a special place in the hearts of us barbarians.��


    ��Given the harsh environment we live in, we often encounter strange nature spirits, malignant spirits, or minions of the Evil God. Having a weapon infused with Glowstone is a crucial reliance in defeating them.��


    ��But Glowstone mines are incredibly hard to find, so we have this reverent name for it: sacred stone.��


    ��If my brother had brought our tribe��s Glowstone weapons with him, maybe he could have defeated that Crown Knight, or at the very least, he might have been able to escape alive.�� Lagaray��s expression saddened once again as she thought of her brother.


    ��Why didn��t your brother���� Rein could not help asking but then felt it was inappropriate to continue.


    However, Lagaray didn��t wait for Rein to finish his question and took the initiative to explain.


    ��Because weapons forged with Glowstone are very rare, the tribe��s rules state that these Glowstone weapons cannot be used in normal circumstances, except for certain special missions.��


    ��By the way, Rein, why don��t you incorporate the Glowstone into your greatsword?��


    Lagaray had already noticed the Dual-Handed Greatsword that Rein carried on his back upon his return.


    ��Well�� I asked the blacksmith in our town, and ordinary blacksmiths don��t have the capability to smelt Glowstone. Besides, another issue is the lack of a skilled swordsmith. So, even if Glowstone could be smelted, there��s no one to help me forge Glowstone weapons,�� Rein explained.


    ��Plus, I have some special reasons why I can��t go to the County Town to find a high-level blacksmith to do this for now,�� Rein added.


    ��Oh? In that case�� maybe I can help you with this?�� Upon hearing the reasons, Lagaray nodded and spoke to Rein seriously.


    ��Actually, besides using high temperatures to smelt Glowstone, it can also be done by adding a flux, with fluorite and a little of our barbarian blood.��


    ��`


    ��Hmm? There��s such a method?�� Rein couldn��t help but widen his eyes, looking at Lagaray.


    But seeing the serious expression on her face, he knew she wasn��t spouting nonsense.


    ��This is a common method used by us barbarians when forging Glowstone weapons.��


    ��Furthermore, I��m pretty good with forging axes, and I should have no problem with Dual-Handed Greatswords. Rein, could you show me your Dual-Handed Greatsword?��


    ��Of course, you can! But�� Lagaray, are you also a Blacksmith?�� Hearing that Lagaray had a special method to melt Glowstone and could even forge Dual-Handed Greatswords, he couldn��t help but be overjoyed.


    ��Yes! I am a Blacksmith too.�� Lagaray nodded confidently, her face showing a hint of a smile, as if reminiscing about something pleasant.


    Rein quickly handed his Fine Steel Greatsword to Lagaray.


    Lagaray examined Rein��s Fine Steel Greatsword carefully, touching the spine and blade with her fingers, and said confidently, ��If it��s a Dual-Handed Greatsword of this quality, I think I should have no problem.�� S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Perhaps, it might even be better.��


    ��Rein, find an ordinary Blacksmith shop, and I can forge you a Glowstone Greatsword mixed with Glowstone for you.��


    ��That��s really fantastic!��


    The events of today were somewhat beyond Rein��s expectations.


    The Glowstone he had saved for a long time finally had a use.


    Moreover, Rein had never imagined that the barbarian girl Lagaray he had rescued was actually a high-level Blacksmith.


    ��By the way, Lagaray, how long have you been studying forging?��


    ��Well���� Lagaray��s eyes seemed to reveal a sense of nostalgia.


    ��Since I was a child, I followed my father in our tribe��s blacksmith shop forging weapons.��


    ��I started trying to forge small Daggers around the age of five. Although my specialty is axes, I have also forged a few Dual-Handed Greatswords, since there are a few warriors in the tribe who use them.��


    ��I see!��


    ��Shall we go now then?��


    ��Right now?��


    ��Yes! I��m a Blacksmith too, and can help out a bit!�� Rein said with a laugh.


    Although his title as a Blacksmith was in name only, the only thing he knew how to forge was horseshoes.


    But when it comes to face, what matters is what lies beneath the surface!


    In fact, Rein saw this as an opportunity to learn some advanced forging techniques from Lagaray.


    Even though he didn��t use axes, many things are common across different items.


    In a past life, wasn��t there a saying, ��One method understood, all methods understood? ��


    Forging axes and Longswords, there must be many areas where one can infer other things from one fact.


    Additionally, the most important point was that as his Blacksmith level increased, Rein hardly had any Skills that could quickly increase his Blacksmith Experience!


    He believed that even if he didn��t learn to forge Dual-Handed Greatswords, learning to forge axes would be fine too.


    Because forging weapons would certainly grant him a significant boost in professional Blacksmith experience.


    Soon enough, Rein brought Lagaray to a small town��s blacksmith shop.


    But as soon as they entered, they startled all the apprentices and even the Blacksmith Boris was no exception.


    They had never seen a barbarian girl with such a wild aura and beauty.


    Taking advantage of everyone��s stunned silence, Rein pulled Boris to the backyard.


    ��Uncle Boris, can we close the shop for a day today? I��ll cover any losses incurred.��


    Before Boris could even ask why,


    Rein continued, ��The barbarian girl who came in just now, she��s going to help me cast Glowstone into my greatsword.��


    As soon as he finished speaking, Boris nearly popped his eyes out in surprise, blurting out, ��Rein, what did you say???��


    ��To give uncle a day off.��


    ��No, the next part!��


    ��To have Lagaray help me cast Glowstone into my greatsword.��


    ��Rein, you don��t think I don��t know my shop doesn��t have a high furnace, do you? And yet you joke about it! Even if she masters the craft of Dual-Handed Greatswords, I don��t have the matching tools here,�� Boris said with slight helplessness.


    ��Of course, I know that. I have already told Lagaray, and she said she has a special flux formula that can solve this problem,�� Rein said, smiling.


    Boris wanted to say that couldn��t be possible.


    But, seeing Rein��s serious look, Boris knew Rein was not joking.


    ��Then�� Rein, can we make a deal? Can I stay and lend a hand? You know, I am a Blacksmith too, and I could be of some assistance,�� Boris said, rubbing his hands, unusually embarrassed.


    Suddenly, Rein got it!


    Obviously, watching a high-level Blacksmith work was a rare learning opportunity.


    What helping hand, he just wanted to steal some secrets!


    Rein thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, ��Uncle Boris, I can��t decide that for Lagaray, I need to ask her.��


    ��Yes, yes! Rein, I��ll be in your debt. Just let me help out, and you can use the blacksmith shop for free. If one day is not enough, two days, or even three days, are all possible!�� Boris, typically stingy, rarely made a generous promise while patting his chest confidently.


    ��`

 Chapter 105 - 105 - 101: Rocket-like Boost

    Chapter 105 �C 101: Rocket-like Boost


    When Rein tactfully shared Boris��s little scheming with Lagaray, she did not mind him watching and agreed readily with a nod.


    Perhaps, in the eyes of Lagaray, the high-level Blacksmith, the ordinary blacksmiths of the town could barely steal any relevant smithing skills, even if they were to observe her entire process.


    Just the flux mixing step alone, which requires a precise ratio of Glowstone and barbarian blood, would pose a significant challenge to ordinary blacksmiths.


    However, Rein thought of something and quietly asked Lagaray, ��Lagaray, can the greatsword incorporate Glowstone and, at the same time, meteorite iron?��


    ��Ah, yes, meteorite iron. I don��t know what you barbarians call it,�� Rein gestured and said. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lagaray��s eyes lit up and she said, ��Of course, it is possible. Do you have some meteorite iron? I was a bit worried that using purely Glowstone might make the blade��s hardness and toughness a bit weak. That would require extra care during the forging.


    ��But if some meteorite iron is incorporated, I can assure you that your new weapon would be above the standard of Huestone weapons, even if placed among our barbarian tribes.��


    ...


    Rein gave a mysterious smile and said, ��You will have it soon.��


    Then, Rein pulled Boris aside to a corner. After some hard bargaining along with the enticing offer to let him watch, an offer Boris could hardly refuse, Rein successfully acquired Boris��s beloved meteorite iron at the price of thirty Empire Gold Coins.


    Of course, the price was also because Boris��s piece of meteorite iron was barely larger than a fist.


    But it was more than enough to be melded into a greatsword to enhance its hardness and toughness.


    Boris, with a mix of joy and pain, immediately announced that the blacksmith shop would close for the day.


    Rein originally thought that Boris, always being a miser, rarely gave the blacksmith apprentices a day off, and logically, these apprentices who long complained about Boris the Miser should be thrilled.


    But when Boris spread the news, the apprentices looked at each other for a while, then one by one, they began making excuses, seemingly eager to stay and continue working.


    However, Rein soon figured out from their occasional enthusiastic glances toward Lagaray that their motives were not that simple.


    Eventually, Boris forcefully sent this bunch of blacksmith apprentices away!


    Rein and Boris then closed the doors of the blacksmith shop, hung a ��Closed�� sign, and went back to the yard, ready to assist Lagaray.


    The two were just stunned by the scene in front of them as they had not expected Lagaray to have already begun her process alone.


    Lagaray had already mixed quite a bit of clay and started building a small cylindrical furnace, apparently planning to melt Rein��s Glowstone in it separately.


    Although there was a regular furnace at the smithy, Lagaray was already using it to melt the meteorite iron and Rein��s original greatsword.


    Considering the Glowstone piece wasn��t large, the furnace she built was only about a meter high with a diameter roughly the size of a washbasin.


    Soon, Lagaray finished the construction and was now carefully placing charcoal inside.


    ��Lagaray, is there anything I need to do?�� Rein asked, becoming a bit anxious on the side.


    After all, he wanted to be actively involved in the process of creating a Glowstone weapon. One could imagine, just by thinking with their toes, that being part of crafting a Glowstone weapon would bring a massive influx of blacksmith professional experience.


    But just standing on the side was making Rein extremely restless.


    Lagaray thought for a moment, realizing there really wasn��t anything that needed Rein��s help, and seriously replied:


    ��Rein, you don��t need to do anything. I can handle the whole process myself.��


    The moment Lagaray finished speaking, Rein felt as though he was watching a huge wave of blacksmith experience slipping from before his eyes.


    With his brain working overtime, Rein finally thought of a reason, albeit not a great one, and immediately, with a grave expression, said:


    ��Lagaray, since we are forging my Dual-Handed Greatsword, please assign me some tasks so that I can be involved.��


    Rein emphasized the word ��my�� heavily.


    Although Lagaray didn��t understand Rein��s eagerness, his words made sense since it was his weapon, and wanting to be involved was a reasonable request.


    Without thinking much about the tiny request of her lifesaver, Lagaray nodded in agreement.


    ��Uh�� okay then!��


    This made Rein sigh in relief internally. Thankfully, he was now involved!


    However, after looking around, Lagaray realized she really couldn��t find anything for him to do, so she casually said, ��Rein, you�� help set up the blower and the pipes for this small furnace.��


    ��Set up the blower?�� Rein immediately looked dumbfounded. The skill of setting up a blower wasn��t in his blacksmith repertoire.


    He knew how to operate a blower but not how to install one!


    Boris, watching Rein��s stunned expression, couldn��t help but laugh, and immediately started, ��Rein, come with me. I��ll show you how to do it.��


    It was obvious that Boris was in a good mood.


    After all, not every blacksmith gets the chance to witness the birth of a Glowstone weapon.


    Soon, Rein followed Boris to the storeroom and picked up a set of equipment for blower operation.


    The main items were a rough iron pipe over two meters long and a floor-standing round blower stitched together from multiple layers of cowhide, which when pulled and pressed would produce a blowing effect.

 Chapter 106 - 106 - 101 Rocket-like Improvement_2

    Chapter 106 �C 101 Rocket-like Improvement_2


    As for why the gas won��t flow back?


    That��s because there is a check valve on the part where the hand presses, which closes when pressed down and opens when pulled up, sucking in the surrounding air into the bellows.


    Soon, under Boris��s guidance, Rein inserted one end of the iron pipe into the clay furnace and fitted the other end onto the bellows.


    ��Hmm, not bad!�� Lagaray glanced over, nodded her head, and signaled that Rein had done a decent job.


    ��It��s about time, continue to add some charcoal and burn it for a bit, let the clay solidify, then we can put in the Glowstone,�� Lagaray said, patting the clay in her hand and standing up.


    ��Is that it?�� Boris couldn��t help but exclaim in surprise.


    He hadn��t expected Lagaray to use the ��reduction method�� for melting Glowstone, which completely baffled Boris, who was observing attentively.


    ...


    This method was used to melt the most common ores such as brown iron ore and red iron ore.


    It was the most primitive and simplest of methods.


    Although Boris didn��t know the specific melting point of Glowstone, he knew it had to be much higher than that of iron ore.


    So, instinctively, he felt it shouldn��t work, but after catching a glimpse of Lagaray��s naturally composed expression, Boris swallowed back the rest of his words.


    After all, he had only just received permission to observe, and he didn��t want to lose it just because of a slip of the tongue.


    ��Hmm, in a while we��ll just put the Glowstone and charcoal together inside,�� Lagaray said confidently.


    Once everything was ready.


    Lagaray mixed the softly glowing Glowstone with charcoal and placed it in the newly dried clay furnace.


    ��Rein, do you know how to work the bellows?�� Lagaray asked.


    ��Of course, working the bellows is my strong suit!�� Rein said, nodding confidently.


    Finally, it was time for the part he was familiar with!


    [You worked the bellows, gaining related insight!]


    [Your Skill ��Operating the Bellows�� has improved, Experience +3]


    [You focus on working the bellows, Blacksmith Profession Experience Points +1]


    ��


    About half an hour later, Lagaray began the most crucial step.


    She first took out two walnut-sized white stones from her pouch, likely fluorite, placing one into the furnace melting the star iron and instructed Boris to pay close attention to changes on the surface of the star iron.


    The other stone was put into the furnace melting the Glowstone, and right after that, Lagaray cut her wrist with a small knife, and a streak of fresh blood flowed out, gradually dripping onto the Glowstone.


    ��Lagaray, didn��t you say just a little bit of blood was needed? What are you doing?�� Rein felt both shocked and touched.


    Just as Rein was about to stop working the bellows and rush to stop Lagaray.


    ��Don��t stop, if you stop now, all will be in vain,�� Lagaray said calmly, her focus remaining on the Glowstone inside the melting furnace.


    This gave Rein a strange feeling.


    At that moment, Lagaray seemed to emanate an invisible strength, as if narrating the birth of a Glowstone weapon, a necessary process.


    This caused Rein, who was just about to stand up, to hesitate and continue working the bellows powerfully, looking at Lagaray with admiration and concern.


    Fortunately, the process did not last too long.


    Seemingly determining enough blood had been provided, Lagaray, a bit pale, quickly took out a piece of white linen bandage to wrap her wound.


    Another half-hour passed.


    The impurities in the Glowstone gradually melted into slag, flowing out like magma from the opening at the bottom of the furnace.


    Inside the furnace, only an egg-sized lump of the essence of Glowstone remained, malleable like playdough, but the light it emitted was ten times more intense than before.


    ��It��s about time! I��m going to take it out and forge it,�� Lagaray said again after a glance, turning to speak to Rein.


    Lagaray used the tongs in one hand to hold the glowing Glowstone and a heavy hammer in the other, beginning to strike.


    ��Ding ding!��


    With each hammer blow came sparks, and the Glowstone seemed to shine a bit brighter, but the white bandage on Lagaray��s wrist turned a shade redder.


    ��Shall I take over?�� Boris and Rein offered in unison.


    ��`


    ��No! Your strength isn��t enough to further remove the impurities from the Glowstone,�� Lagaray glanced at Boris before shaking her head and refusing.


    This left Boris somewhat red-faced with embarrassment, having forged iron for half his life only to be told by a young girl that his strength was insufficient.


    ��Let me do it!�� Confident in wielding a hammer and having mastered the hammer, Rein chimed in.


    ��Can you manage?�� Lagaray, looking a bit pale, glanced at Rein.


    Rein seemed to have enough strength, but how well could he handle the hammer?


    At this point, after the bloodletting, she indeed felt tired. If she could save some energy for the later stages of forging, it would obviously ensure a better quality for the greatsword.


    ��Don��t worry! With your guidance beside me, it shouldn��t be a problem. Besides, if I��m not up to it, there��s still time to switch to you,�� Rein assured her.


    ��Hmm, okay, give it a try,�� she conceded.


    ��Too heavy, lighter!��


    ��Okay! How about now?��


    ��Hmm, good, that weight is just right.��


    After half an hour of continuous forging, when the impurities were mostly removed, Lagaray had Rein hammer the Glowstone into long, thin strips.


    The same process was repeated with star iron.


    Then Lagaray, using tongs in one hand, took a red-hot greatsword out of the original forge of the blacksmith shop, and with the other hand layered the thin strips of Glowstone and star iron on top of it.


    She directed Rein to continue hammering them together.


    ��Ding ding!��


    With every strike of the hammer, the union between the greatsword, Glowstone, and star iron deepened.


    ��Fold it over,�� she instructed.


    ��Fold it?�� Rein asked in surprise.


    ��Yes!�� Lagaray stepped forward to take over from Rein, folding the layered star iron, Glowstone, and the sword��s body in half, stacking them on top of each other.


    After repeating this process twice,


    Rein��s greatsword no longer resembled its former appearance. Instead, it had become a rectangular iron bar, about twenty to thirty centimeters long and roughly ten centimeters thick.


    ��Forge it into a sword blank,�� she said.


    ��Okay,�� Rein responded, swinging his hammer with force.


    After repeatedly hammering it for some time, they finally began the process of quenching and polishing, which were more delicate and all done by Lagaray herself.


    Meanwhile, Rein finally had the chance to check the system notifications:


    [You worked on forging a Dual-Handed Greatsword, insight improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill����Dual-Handed Greatsword Forging]


    ��


    [You worked on Glowstone weapon forging, insight improved!] sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [You have comprehended a new skill����Glowstone Weapon Forging]


    ��.


    [Your skill in Dual-Handed Greatsword Forging has improved, experience +1]


    [You focused on forging a Dual-Handed Greatsword, Blacksmith Profession Experience Points +2]


    ��


    [Your skill in Glowstone Weapon Forging has improved, experience +1]


    [You focused on Glowstone Weapon Forging, Blacksmith Profession Experience Points +5]


    ��


    [Congratulations, your Blacksmith Profession Level has increased!]


    Indeed, Rein felt as sweet as if he had drunk honey upon seeing the Blacksmith Profession Level rise to lv3.


    And more great surprises awaited him.


    ��`

 Chapter 107 - 107 - 102 But There’s One Condition

    Chapter 107 �C 102 But There��s One Condition


    Regarding the attribute points brought about by leveling up, Rein usually kept them unused, according to habit.


    As for the Skill Points, Rein hadn��t decided where to use them yet.


    So, he also left them untouched for the time being.


    With Lagaray completing the last step of the process, she handed over a Dual-Handed Greatsword that glimmered with a faint light to Rein.


    Upon seeing the brand-new greatsword, Rein��s first impression was that it resembled the ��Laser Sword�� from Star Wars in his previous life, except it wasn��t as bright.


    However, what was magical was that, after swinging the greatsword a few times, the originally faintly glowing blade gradually calmed down.


    It seemed that the Glowstone��s dazzling light was retracting into the Fine Steel Greatsword, but upon close inspection, one would notice three exceptionally bright, wavy patterns still emitting a faint glow at the edge of the blade.


    ...


    Because the greatsword had integrated Glowstone and star iron, its weight had increased noticeably, but it might also be due to the removal of impurities during the reforging, so overall, the difference wasn��t too significant.


    And with Rein��s steadily increasing Strength, the weight of the greatsword felt just right in his hand.


    Moreover, he could clearly feel that the greatsword was different from before, not just sharper, but as if there was something else indescribable within it.


    ��Rein, are you wondering why the light of the Glowstone weapon is gradually fading?�� Lagaray noticed Rein��s astonishment and took the initiative to ask.


    ��Indeed, it��s quite strange,�� Rein nodded.


    ��Glowstone weapons only emit that kind of faint glow when they encounter evil. They don��t normally show it, except for a brief period right after they��ve been successfully forged,�� Lagaray explained.


    ��By the way, Rein, aren��t you going to name your greatsword? It��s a Glowstone weapon after all!!�� Boris, who seemed to be ready to leave, couldn��t help interjecting when he saw the two preparing to leave.


    On hearing this, Lagaray also nodded in agreement, ��A Glowstone weapon indeed deserves a unique name.��


    Rein thought for a while, but had to admit he was terrible at naming. Eventually, he came up with a name.


    ��Err�� how about calling it the Glimmering Greatsword?��


    Boris slapped his forehead, looking speechless.


    But unexpectedly, Lagaray actually nodded, seeming to think it was not a bad choice, and said, ��Not bad, but how about we change one word to Glimmering Greatsword, Rein, what do you think?��


    ��Great name!�� Rein couldn��t help but praise.


    Meanwhile, Blacksmith Boris was staring at the two with a speechless expression, mumbling something under his breath, but he didn��t speak up in the end.


    Actually, he was inwardly screaming that such a name should include the creator��s own name, to be remembered for centuries to come! At least it should be something like ��Rein��s Sword�� or ��Rein��s Demon-Repelling Greatsword��! And if it were his creation, he would definitely have named it ��Boris��s Sword��.


    After solemnly wrapping the ��Glimmering Greatsword�� in soft sheepskin, Rein and Lagaray bid farewell to Blacksmith Boris.


    At this time, the sun had just passed directly overhead, and it was approximately one o��clock in the afternoon.


    It was only now that Rein felt a wave of hunger pangs from his stomach, as he had been so focused on forging a new weapon that he had nearly missed lunch.


    Because Lagaray��s appearance and clothing were too distinctive, Rein decided to take her home to solve the lunch issue.


    On the way, Rein thought of something and turned his head to look at the bandages around Lagaray��s wrist, speaking apologetically.


    ��I��m sorry, Lagaray, for making you����


    But before he could finish, Lagaray interrupted him.


    ��Rein, you saved my life. Helping you forge a weapon does not even begin to repay you. You don��t need to apologize,�� Lagaray said seriously, her deep blue eyes looking intently at Rein.


    Her words caught Rein off guard.


    Soon, Rein understood why Lagaray would say such a thing.


    It was because he considered himself and Lagaray to be friends now. Forging the Glimmering Greatsword was an embodiment of their friendship, but to Lagaray, it was a way to repay him for saving her life.


    Rein thought to himself that he better not continue this topic any further, or it might seem he was holding a favor over her.


    After considering it for a moment, Rein instead asked, ��So, Lagaray, what are your plans after this?��


    ��I want to retrieve my brother��s and the others�� weapons and, if possible, find their remains,�� Lagaray said with a mix of longing and regret in her expression.


    There was no help for the regret; weapons might be retrievable, but finding the remains was nearly impossible with the many wild beasts and unknown creatures in Nightingale Forest.


    Besides, even if she wanted to retrieve the weapons, it would be very difficult to do so on her own.


    ��Why the weapons?�� Rein asked, puzzled.


    ��In the legends of our barbarian tribes, the spirit of a warrior resides within their weapon. Bringing the weapons back to the tribe allows the spirits of the warriors who perished abroad to return to the Hall of Heroes.��


    Rein nodded, and after a brief thought, he reassured her, ��It��s not completely without chance. Perhaps, you��ll be able to fulfill this wish sooner than you think.��


    ��The appearance of the Evil Spirit Knight has been reported to the County Town and the Church by Lord Hamilton, the sheriff. I think people should arrive in Flashgold Town soon to address this issue.��


    Rein was confident in the Empire��s official strength; otherwise, how could the Empire maintain such vast territories?


    His words restored a glint of life in Lagaray��s eyes; she pursed her lips and said, ��Rein, I heard from Anna that you��re a Night Watchman of Flashgold Town and that you��re quite familiar with Lord Hamilton. Could you do me a favor?��


    Although Lagaray hadn��t specified what kind of favor, Rein already had a guess in his mind.


    ��Do you want to join the County Town��s team to kill the Evil Spirit Knight, to avenge your brother?�� Rein proactively said.


    ��Mm!�� Lagaray nodded.


    Rein fell silent, wanting to say that her brother had fought to the death to help her escape, not to watch his sister rush back into danger for his sake.


    But Rein knew if he did not let Lagaray seek revenge, she might forever live in the shadow of that event, not knowing how long it would take for her to emerge from it.


    Of course, the most important thing was that if Lagaray was going with the County Town��s team, there would likely be a certain level of safety guaranteed.


    So, Rein nodded and said, ��I promise you, I��ll accompany you to see Lord Hamilton this afternoon, but I cannot guarantee he will agree, and if it��s the County Town��s team, it��s highly likely that Lord Hamilton won��t be the commander.��


    ��Meaning, even Lord Hamilton might not be able to decide anything.��


    Lagaray nodded, uttered a sound of acknowledgment, and did not say anything else.


    After lunch.


    The two made their way to Hamilton��s office.


    For Hamilton, he had long wanted to meet Lagaray, the only survivor of the Bounty Hunters�� team, to learn more about the Evil Spirit Knight.


    After a discussion, Lagaray put forward her request.


    However, upon hearing Lagaray��s request, Hamilton furrowed his brow and said:


    ��Lagaray, I regret and sympathize with what happened to you. At the moment, I am not certain which lord has come from the County Town, so I can��t guarantee they will agree to let you go with them.��


    ��However, I will speak with them and ask that they bring back your brother��s and companions�� weapons; that shouldn��t be a problem. Of course, if there are remains, they will assist in retrieving and burying them as well.��


    ��Thank you, Lord Hamilton.�� Lagaray gave a slight bow, expressing her gratitude.


    After leaving the office, Rein said to Lagaray, ��I��m going to the training ground to practice archery for a while, want to come with me?��


    ��Sure!�� Lagaray seemed to be in a much better mood having attended to the matter, showing glimpses of a lively teenage girl��s spirit.


    Once the two arrived at the training ground, Rein noticed there were very few people there, due to the heightened alert ordered by Hamilton, which had mobilized nearly all of the Night Watchmen and peace officers.


    It was only during archery practice that Rein discovered Lagaray��s archery skills were far superior to his own.


    Lagaray had unbound the bandages on her wrist, revealing only a light scar on her tough barbarian skin. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After practicing archery for a while, Lagaray took the initiative to invite Rein to test their close-combat skills, which was exactly what Rein was looking for.


    He had always lacked a suitable sparring partner, a ��source of experience,�� which at the moment was temporarily unavailable.


    Lagaray chose an oak shield and an ironwood axe, and Rein, naturally, did not use the ��Glimmering Greatsword�� on his back but held an ironwood greatsword as he and Lagaray took their places on the field.


    Lagaray tapped her oak shield with her ironwood axe and said with a clear ring, ��Come on, then!��


    ��You better be careful,�� Rein replied.


    Rein pushed off with his left foot and charged towards Lagaray, leaping into the air when he was three meters away and bringing down his greatsword in a powerful overhead chop.


    It was the Giant Bear Sword Technique��s ��Leap Slash��.


    Just as Rein thought Lagaray would certainly dodge the heavy and mighty Leap Slash, she did the opposite and advanced, leaping up to meet the greatsword head-on with her raised round shield.


    ��Bang!��


    The loud sound of sword clashing against shield filled the air, and Rein, suspended mid-jump, felt a tremendous recoil force against his greatsword, almost losing his grip on the hilt.


    Kicked back by the violent shield, Rein was forced to retreat several meters.


    This left Rein looking at Lagaray in astonishment.


    He had never encountered such a counter to his ��Leap Slash�� before.


    ��What��s the matter, Rein? Surprised?�� Lagaray couldn��t help but let a smile creep across her face.


    ��If you come across an opponent with strength and agility similar to yours, that Leap Slash of yours isn��t hard to counter,�� she added.


    ��Besides, I have the shield I am most familiar with in my hands.�� Lagaray lifted her round shield to illustrate her point.


    In an instant, a spark of realization flashed through Rein��s mind.


    He thought, why do I need to go to the quartermaster to exchange for shield combat techniques? Right in front of me, I have a ��master�� of shield handling!


    I��ve been so foolish!


    It only just now occurred to me!


    ��Lagaray, is this some kind of combat skill for using shield defense? Can you teach it to me?�� Rein asked with a hint of anticipation.


    ��You want to learn?�� Hearing Rein��s request, Lagaray��s expression was strange; it was as though she was mixed with feelings of reminiscence, happiness, and difficulty, all at once.


    But the next second, her eyes showed unwavering resolve.


    Lagaray smiled and said, ��Yes, I can teach you��but there is one condition!��

 Chapter 108 - 108 - 103: Sudden Incident

    Chapter 108 �C 103: Sudden Incident


    ��`


    ��What condition?�� Rein couldn��t help but show a hint of confusion as he asked.


    ��Um�� Rein, if you can defeat me, I��ll teach you shield technique,�� Lagaray��s face rarely showed a blush, as she remembered something her father had once told her.


    ��Huh?�� Rein was first taken aback, then overjoyed, and nodded vigorously without delay.


    In that case, there was no need to hold back excessively anymore. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aside from other considerations, judging from the exchange just now, Rein was confident that he could overcome Lagaray with ��Strength Burst��!


    ��Lagaray, then you need to be careful.��


    ...


    Thirty percent Strength Burst!


    Rein charged at Lagaray once again, delivering a powerful forty-five-degree diagonal slash at the barbarian girl Lagaray with even greater force; his ironwood greatsword tearing the air, producing a piercing whistle.


    This made Lagaray��s expression turn solemn, as she tightly watched the angle of Rein��s blade and quickly maneuvered her shield at a forty-five-degree angle to meet the greatsword.


    ��Bang!!��


    The dull sound of sword colliding with shield echoed once more.


    But this time, Rein did not retreat; with his Strength Burst at thirty percent, his power already slightly exceeded Lagaray��s.


    However, Lagaray only stepped back half a pace, stabilizing her frame naturally with her robust thighs, without any sign of clumsiness.


    This caused Rein to once again raise his evaluation of the shield techniques that Lagaray possessed.


    ��Bang!��


    ��Bang!��


    Half a minute passed, and despite Rein wielding the ironwood greatsword in a barraging onslaught with attacks like ��Furious Slash��, ��Smooth Cleaving Slash��, and ��Leap Slash��, Lagaray solidly caught each one.


    Although Rein constantly had the upper hand, pressing Lagaray, the barbarian girl remained very stable, even in retreat.


    Facing Rein��s powerful ��Leap Slash��, she responded with a spinning retreat step, easily neutralizing the attack.


    ��Bang!��


    After another exchange of sword against shield, Rein voluntarily stepped back, wiping the sweat from his forehead and looking seriously at the barbarian girl, ��Lagaray, if you can take my last strike, then consider it my loss.��


    ��Huh? Rein, do you have a trump card?�� Lagaray, equally drenched in sweat, kept her beautiful eyes locked on Rein.


    She was truly surprised. Anna had told her Rein��s age, two years younger than herself, but given Rein��s recent display of strength, he was already on par with her, soon-to-be a ferociously-transformed barbarian warrior.


    What surprised her even more was that this younger boy before her still had an ace up his sleeve!


    She had believed that Rein had already shown all his abilities just now.


    Rein watched Lagaray��s eyes, nodded to signal his oncoming attack.


    The next second, his ��Strength Burst�� instantly increased to sixty percent. Rein��s veins bulged, muscles swelled, and immediately after, he delivered a powerful ��Leap Slash�� at Lagaray!


    However, as he was not fully bursting with power, this swelling of the muscles remained within reasonable limits and did not reach the extremely exaggerated extent of a full burst.


    But Lagaray was instantly struck dumb, her mouth forming a perfect ��o��, thinking to herself whether Rein was really the barbarian or if she was.


    As Rein��s thunderous strike descended, Lagaray hurriedly lifted her shield to block, her right hand gripping the axe in reverse, both hands joining forces to raise the shield. But under the crushing force,


    with a loud ��bang,�� Lagaray was sent flying seven or eight meters and crashed to the ground.


    Seeing this, Rein thought to himself that this was bad, preoccupied with learning combat skills, he had accidentally injured his ��teacher��.


    So, he quickly went to offer assistance.


    Luckily, Lagaray��s shield technique was indeed extraordinary; even under such a heavy blow from Rein, she was uninjured, feeling only a soreness in her left wrist.


    As Rein was helping Lagaray up, a familiar guard suddenly burst in, speaking with a tone of urgency, ��Rein, Lord Hamilton is looking for you, there��s an urgent mission!��


    This caused both Rein and Lagaray to be taken aback, but Rein quickly responded, ��Alright, I��m on my way.��


    At the same time, he couldn��t help but turn to Lagaray with a look of regret, ��It��s really too bad, Lagaray. Perhaps you should head back first, I can only ask for your guidance in shield technique another time.��


    ��Also, could you please let my family know that I might not make it back in time for dinner.��


    ��Sure!�� Lagaray��s eyes twinkled as she nodded with a smile.


    As Rein hurriedly entered Hamilton��s office, he saw his familiar acquaintance, the short figure of Matteo, also there, panting heavily, his chest rising and falling rapidly.


    Additionally, Rein was surprised to find that Hamilton had changed his attire; the noble��s hunting gear had been replaced with a suit of light silver knightly plate armor.


    At that moment, Hamilton was putting on the last of his plate armor gloves and, upon seeing Rein enter, gestured for Matteo to explain the situation once again to Rein.


    Matteo quickly said, ��Rein, we��ve found a suspected cultist hideout at the Stewart Farm north of Flashgold Town. Captain Weilun has already taken people over there.��


    ��The enemy is strong; as soon as we engaged, we discovered that at least two of them are third-level knight Attendants guarding the hideout. We urgently need reinforcements!��


    ��Cultists?�� Rein was also startled to hear this.


    But Rein also had a question because in his memory, Captain Weilun had always been a cautious and prudent person.


    So why would Weilun lead a small team of Night Watchmen to the site without first reporting back to Lord Hamilton, given the unclear enemy situation?


    ��`

 Chapter 109 - 109 - 103 Sudden Incident_2

    Chapter 109 �C 103 Sudden Incident_2


    After all, if cultists were so easy to deal with, they would have been wiped out long ago.


    Seeing the doubt in Rein��s eyes, Matteo immediately explained:


    ��At noon today, the child who should have been playing in Captain Weilun��s yard suddenly disappeared. Afterward, we immediately used dogs to track the scent and it led us straight here to the Stewart Farm.��


    ��Then we discovered that in addition to Captain Weilun��s child, at least four or five other missing children from Flashgold Town were traded into the stronghold.��


    ��What!�� Rein looked stunned!


    It turned out to involve Weilun��s own child, no wonder!


    There was nothing more to say, it was utterly understandable.


    ...


    By now, Hamilton had already gotten dressed and, turning his head to look at Rein, he paused for a moment and spoke seriously, ��You already understand the situation. If it really is a cultist stronghold, this mission carries a great risk.��


    ��Just now, I have sent someone to inform Sir Lloyd at the Habsburg Manor, requesting his support.��


    ��Rein, being a new member of the Night Watchman, you might not be fully aware of the situation with the cultists. However, among the Night Watchman, you are known to be the strongest, so, I want to ask you, are you willing to come along?��


    After thinking for a moment, Rein spoke earnestly, ��Lord Hamilton, Captain Weilun is my friend, and moreover, rescuing the missing children of Flashgold Town is my duty as a Night Watchman.��


    ��Also, you��ve said, sir, that the harder the mission, the higher the reward in Merit Points, right?�� The last sentence, Rein said with a smile.


    ��Of course! Good lad!��


    ��Speaking of which, here��s a set of my spare Knight Armor. It��s not a full set, but it��s still quite heavy. Try it on and see if it fits.��


    ��Clang!�� Hamilton brought out a heavy set of Knight Armor from a compartment behind him.


    ��Being armored is always a bit safer!�� As he spoke, Hamilton handed it over to Rein.


    As Rein took it, he realized the Knight Armor weighed over a hundred pounds.


    But as Hamilton had said, it seemed not to be a full set of Knight Armor. After Rein put it on, he found it consisted of only five parts: a helmet with a visor, shoulder guards, a breastplate, leg guards, and shin guards.


    Lacking gauntlets, boots, and arm guards, it seemed to be designed to reduce the weight for quicker movement.


    Though it was Hamilton��s spare set of Knight Armor, it was of excellent quality, and the lining of the armor was made of soft lambskin, which was very stretchable.


    So, even though Hamilton was half a head taller than Rein, when Rein put it on, it was only slightly loose, and he had no problems using it.


    Instead, Rein clad in Knight Armor and carrying a greatsword wrapped in sheepskin on his back, cut a figure both heroic and vibrant!


    ��Not bad! Let��s go!�� Seeing Rein, Hamilton nodded his head and walked straight out of the office.


    At the entrance of the administration hall, all the home-based Night Watchman had already been waiting, and thus, a group of more than ten men mounted the guards�� horses, prepared in advance, and galloped at full speed towards Stewart Farm, north of Flashgold Town.


    ��


    In the center of Stewart Farm, inside a two-story farmhouse.


    Seven or eight burly men, either clad in plate armor or chain mail, were currently surrounding a man in a black robe.


    Around them, two trembling men knelt on the ground.


    ��Lord Morte, the two idiots from the Bloodhand Gang weren��t careful enough and got tracked down by the Empire��s ��black-skin dogs,''�� a burly man wearing plate armor and carrying a heavy hammer spoke to the figure in black robes, with a respectful tone. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Just these two fools!�� the man with the hammer pointed at the two people kneeling on the ground and added.


    ��Oh? What about the people you Wilderness Brotherhood sent to meet them? Were they also this careless? Didn��t use scent-masking powder?�� the black-robed person known as Morte��s face darkened, obviously unhappy about such an accident.


    Just now, he had heard the barking of dogs not far from the farmhouse.


    Clearly, the Empire��s Night Watchman had used dogs to track them to this place.


    But this, he had already warned the Wilderness Brotherhood��s people beforehand, whether dealing with the gangs in County Town or the various pirates on the West Coast, they must always be cautious in their dealings, and they must use scent-masking powder and masks to hide their tracks.


    Moreover, what made him more troubled was that just two days ago, the Church had issued an order to increase the bounty and accelerate the search for ��materials.��


    Now, just two days later, something had happened on his watch, he feared what the High Priest��


    This inexplicably made Morte feel a bit irritable!


    ��This���� the man with the hammer glanced at his subordinate behind him and explained apprehensively.


    ��First, because it��s been so long without incidents, everyone has become complacent, and second, because Matthias had some drinks today at noon, so he got a bit careless����


    ��Lord Morte, the ��black-skin dogs�� outside, shall I go clean them up now?�� The hammer-wielding man was obviously trying to protect his subordinate and volunteered to black-robed Morte.


    ��No formal Knights on their side?��


    ��No, just a small team of ��black-skin dogs.�� I can take care of them all by myself!�� The man with the hammer patted his chest plate forcefully with his iron-gloved right hand.


    The subordinate named Matthias looked at his boss with gratitude.


    Hearing there were no formal Knights did make Morte��s expression a bit better.


    It seems the kids can be taken away.


    ��Wait, first go bring up the twenty-odd kids from the cellar and load them onto the wagons.��


    ��Later, I��ll cover you, and you take these kids to the safe spot I told you about last time.�� Morte overrode the suggestion from the man with the hammer.


    Now was a period when the Church highly valued ��materials.�� If he were to lose all twenty-odd kids this time, he would surely be held accountable by the higher-ups, something he could not afford. He still wanted to further increase his control over Black Flame.


    Giving up a hideout was a minor issue in comparison.


    ��Lord, why don��t we just kill them and be done with it? Do we really need to abandon this hideout?�� the hammer-wielding man didn��t quite understand why they needed to retreat.


    Just killing the opposition and preventing any leak of information would be better.


    ��Don��t be so sure of their lack of strength. Since they��ve managed to follow us, how do you know they haven��t reported in?��


    ��That�� Alright! Lord Morte, I��m on it.��


    ��Right, what about these two idiots? Shall we just kill them?�� the hammer-wielding man pointed at the two men kneeling to the side, their bodies trembling non-stop.


    ��No, they��re still of use to me. Perhaps, I can make a ��trade�� with them.��


    Morte stroked his chin, a sinister smile playing on his face hidden underneath the black hood.

 Chapter 110 - 110 - 104 Arrogance

    Chapter 110 �C 104 Arrogance


    In the woods outside the fence of Stewen Farm.


    At this moment, Weilun could hardly conceal his anxiety.


    Just a moment ago, he thought he could not only save his daughter but also demolish a child trafficking den.


    However, as soon as they made contact, their group of seven or eight people was repelled by two gatekeepers from the enemy side.


    Indeed! Just the gatekeepers.


    This awoke Weilun to the realization that the enemies inside were extremely strong; what he had found was likely not just a den but an important stronghold or even their main base.


    Therefore, he immediately sent the short-statured Matteo to report to Lord Hamilton and ask for reinforcements.


    ...


    ��Boss, look, two carriages are coming out of the farmhouse��s back door!�� a Night Watchman responsible for surveillance reported to Weilun in a low voice.


    Weilun immediately looked up and saw two black carriages with large compartments slowly driving out of the farmhouse.


    Each carriage was pulled by a pair of horses, and apart from the two people driving them, who seemed to be the same guards they had fought, there were four or five fully-armed mercenaries escorting each carriage.


    Moreover, it was clear that they had been spotted by the enemy, who glanced provocatively in their direction, sneering in what seemed like disdain.


    ��Abby must be on that carriage,�� Weilun thought of his daughter being on board, and with a heavy heart, he slammed his hand against a tree trunk, his eyes turning red with urgency.


    Suddenly, he lunged forward, intent on charging to rescue her.


    But the two elite Night Watchmen at his side immediately grabbed their captain tightly.


    ��Wait, captain, you��ll be walking into certain death. If those two guards are that strong, the others will undoubtedly be stronger!��


    Weilun focused his gaze and saw that those few men either wore plate armor or chainmail, their equipment was even stronger than that of the elite Night Watchmen.


    ��Yes, let��s wait. Lord Hamilton should be arriving any moment now.��


    ��Boss, if you make the ultimate sacrifice, what will happen to Abby?�� sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Even if Lord Hamilton rescues Abby in the end, think about how heartbroken she will be to know you��re gone,�� another elite Night Watchman immediately joined in persuading.


    Hearing this, Weilun��s struggling body stilled slightly.


    ��Yes, if I die, Abby��.,�� the redness in Weilun��s eyes receded somewhat.


    ��But I��ll only wait five minutes, no more. If Lord Hamilton hasn��t arrived by then, don��t try to stop me.��


    ��Alright, captain. If Lord Hamilton isn��t here within five minutes, we��ll join you in the charge,�� an impassioned elite Night Watchman said.


    This touched Weilun deeply. He patted the young man��s shoulder, wanting to say something but ultimately remained silent.


    Time ticked away by the second!


    Soon, the seven or eight mercenaries dressed up and ready to go, began to move, intending to drive the carriages away from Stewen Farm.


    Weilun felt an intense urgency.


    ��I��m going up first!�� Weilun, with a resolved face, turned to the other Night Watchmen and said.


    ��The enemy is very strong, I��ll hold them off to slow them down. You follow from a distance and have Lord Hamilton avenge me!��


    ��Captain!��


    Just as Weilun was preparing to move forward, one of the elite Night Watchmen excitedly shouted, ��Lord Hamilton��s arrived!��


    A troop of Cavalry could be seen approaching rapidly from the south, but at almost the same moment, a figure in a black robe slowly emerged from the second floor of the farmhouse.


    The figure moved unhurriedly, exuding a calm composure as if strolling in their own backyard garden.


    Sensing something, he slightly lifted his head and looked towards the south.


    ��They��ve finally arrived, a bona fide Knight, this could be somewhat troublesome. Just don��t know if he��ll accept my ��kind�� gesture,�� the black-robed Mort muttered to himself.


    Then, with a wave of his hand, a heavily-armored brute came out from the farmhouse, dragging two weeping, pleading men behind him.


    Upon their arrival, Hamilton and Rein immediately made quick contact with Weilun. After briefing them on the situation, everyone turned their attention to the black-robed figure at the farmhouse entrance.


    Hamilton, with a grave expression, looked at the black-robed middle-aged man and lingered a few seconds on the man��s cuffs and collar, saying, ��A Blackflame monk?��


    Rein could feel Hamilton��s left hand, holding the shield, tighten��clearly, this so-called Blackflame monk was a formidable adversary, to the point where even Hamilton was wary.


    ��Oh! You actually know about us? It seems you��re not just any ordinary Knight, are you?�� The black-robed figure finally looked at Hamilton with a hint of seriousness.


    ��This is the sheriff of Flashgold Town, Lord Hamilton!�� Matteo, the short-statured man beside him, seemed slightly indignant at the other��s attitude and exclaimed loudly.


    Hamilton did not speak but instead recalled a previous incident in County Town, where he had a brief encounter with a Blackflame monk.


    The opponent had the formidable physique of a Knight, along with strange and powerful black flames, resulting in Hamilton suffering a not insignificant setback.


    Furthermore, since that fight, his position as captain of the county patrol had been reassigned, and he had been moved laterally to become the sheriff of Flashgold Town.


    This indirectly confirmed his suspicion that the opponent had deep connections within the noble circles of County Town, even able to influence the reassignment at his level of duty.


    At that moment, Rein also saw the man��s face clearly, the elongated corners of his eyes giving a viper-like sharpness.


    ��Your Honor, the sheriff, I have a suggestion that might be beneficial for both parties. I wonder if you��d like to hear it,�� the Black Flame Sorcerer spoke unhurriedly, as if he was the representative of the imperial authority.


    Rein��s first time seeing such an arrogant fellow!


    ��Go ahead,�� said Hamilton, his eyebrows furrowing at the words. However, seeming to consider certain factors, Hamilton forced himself to suppress his anger.


    ��These two are the child traffickers; I��ll hand them and this hideout over to you so that your trip here won��t be in vain. Moreover, you��ll be able to add a merit to your record,�� the Black Flame Sorcerer glanced at the two men kneeling beside him, gesturing.


    ��Then, we both walk away��a perfect solution, isn��t it?�� the Black Flame Sorcerer said with a smile.


    ��Fat chance! My daughter is still in your hands, you scum!�� Weilun couldn��t help but shout.


    ��Oh? Is that so?�� The Black Flame Sorcerer was visibly taken aback, then he laughed.


    ��I apologize for that; we didn��t mean to kidnap the wrong person. What��s��your daughter��s name? We will release her immediately,�� said the Black Flame Sorcerer, seemingly somewhat embarrassed as he gave a slight bow and smiled.


    ��Abby!�� Weilun��s gaze flickered and he stuttered before finally uttering the name.


    Hamilton remained silent, his expression as still as water, his gaze fixed on the other man.


    ��Kev, go fetch a little girl named Abby,�� the Black Flame Sorcerer commanded loudly.


    Then he turned to Weilun with a smile and said, ��Don��t worry, your daughter will be back in your arms soon.��


    His demeanor and attitude were natural, not at all like someone who considers child trafficking a violation of imperial law.


    Rein knew this was actually a form of towering arrogance, an arrogance that contempted all the empire��s law enforcers present.


    The Black Flame Sorcerer clearly believed that by releasing the little girl Abby, he was already making a significant concession.


    From beside the carriage, the man with the massive hammer shouted, ��At once!��


    He flipped the black curtain covering the back of the carriage and called out loudly, ��Who��s Abby? If it��s you, nod your head!��


    Although the carriage was not very close to Rein and the others, it was only a few dozen meters away, so nearly all the Night Watchmen could clearly see inside the carriage.


    A sea of children was visible inside, packed tight, their hands and feet bound, their mouths stuffed with cloth, like animals waiting to be slaughtered.


    ��Looks like she��s not in this carriage after all,�� muttered the man named Kev, about to let the black curtain fall back into place.


    Suddenly, a little girl made a few muffled noises and quickly began nodding her head, her eyes filled with joy and fear. If one followed her gaze, they would see that she was looking right at Weilun.


    Initially, the little girl Abby didn��t understand the situation and was afraid to admit it. But upon seeing her familiar father��s figure through the gap in the curtain, she began nodding vigorously.


    All at once, the eyes of the other children, filled with longing and hope, widened as they watched Hamilton, Rein, and Weilun, along with the other Night Watchmen in uniform.


    They too were hoping to be rescued like that fortunate girl.


    This caused the faces of the elite Night Watchmen to change, their eyes slightly reddening, as if they all felt a wave of shame washing over them.


    ��Why didn��t you say so earlier!�� bristled the man with the hammer, picking up the little girl Abby as one might pick up a lightweight chick, and brought her straight to the Black Flame Sorcerer.


    The Black Flame Sorcerer glanced at the emotional Weilun and said, ��It seems she��s the right girl. Kev, loosen the ropes and let her go to her family.��


    With a heh-heh laugh, Kev removed the cloth from little girl Abby��s mouth and untied the ropes on her body.


    The restoration of his daughter Abby brought Weilun to tears of joy.


    ��Your Honor, the sheriff, look, now we can leave, can��t we?�� Mort said with a smirk, starting to speak while waving for the hammer man and another strong man watching the two gang members to leave.


    It was phrased as a question, but his tone and actions were more of a notification than actually seeking Hamilton��s opinion.


    The ��reasonableness�� of the other party made Hamilton hesitate for a moment.


    Firstly, the enemy was strong; if a battle were to break out, the casualties would be severe, and the fate of the more than twenty children was uncertain.


    But letting them go like this was hard to swallow!


    ��To watch as an ennobled lord and sheriff of the empire, more than twenty children are being taken away before my very eyes; I, Hamilton, feel I could never live with myself,�� he thought.


    Perhaps it was because he too came from a common background, not a noble one.


    ��If I hold this guy off, can you take down the others and save the children?�� Hamilton turned to the Night Watchmen, whispering, but his piercing eyes lingered the longest on Rein.


    Rein nodded, about to speak, when one of the Night Watchmen began to recite:


    ��The night is dark and full of terrors, but I am the sword in the darkness, the shield that guards the realms of the empire��.��


    Following him, the other elite Night Watchmen also joined in softly, ����.I am the light that brings the dawn, the peace that burns away the night��.��


    Their voices grew louder!


    ��When danger looms, I am the horn that wakes the sleepers��.I shall live and die at my post��.��


    By now, the voices of the twenty or so Night Watchmen present had fused into a mighty torrent. Though not deafening, the resolved sound made one take notice.

 Chapter 111 - 111: 105

    Chapter 111: 105


    ��Rein, this is the Night Watchman��s oath, unfortunately, you are yet to swear allegiance and now you have to face such�� a tough battle,�� the short Matteo explained to Rein in a low voice.


    At this moment, Matteo��s face was flushed with excitement, clearly inspired by the Night Watchman��s chanting of the oath!


    Rein nodded. His heart was touched as well, but he kept silent.


    ��Hmm?�� Not far away, the black-robed Mort, who had just turned to leave, stopped in his tracks, lifted his head, and with a twitch of his mouth, stared at the group of Night Watchmen led by Hamilton with an ugly expression.


    Did the sheriff of Flashgold Town get his head caught in a door?


    Dammit, isn��t it better to go back and get a promotion and a raise now?


    They have already returned your subordinates�� children to you!


    ...


    What does the offspring of those lowlifes have to do with you?


    Do you need to risk your life for this?


    True imperial brainwashed fools!


    ��It seems you are going to disappoint my kindness! How foolish!�� Mort, the black-robed monk, said with a dark expression.


    Suddenly, a cluster of black flames sprouted from Mort��s hands, immediately setting two nearby Blood Hand Gang members on fire.


    ��Ahh!!!��


    The two men rolled on the ground in agony, but after a few seconds, no more sounds came from them. They lay motionless, burning like a bonfire, and a smell of scorching filled the air in an instant.


    Seeing such a display of power, including Rein, the faces of all the Night Watchmen present suddenly changed.


    Rein was especially shocked in his heart!


    This was the third time he had witnessed the application of these mysterious side energy particles.


    The previous two times were Anna��s amulet��s green light and Lagaray��s arm��s black gas, but this time it was the opponent��s black flames.


    All were incredibly powerful, yet had completely different effects.


    ��You go after those two carriages, leave this one to me!�� Hamilton, his face solemn, stared at the black-robed figure without turning back.


    ��Sir, we can take down this guy together,�� a few of the elite Night Watchmen said, lifting their war bows.


    Although the opponent��s attack was strange, they believed that with their bows and arrows�� long-range attack, they could still injure the opponent.


    ��No! Rescuing the children is what��s most important,�� Hamilton waved his hand.


    ��Go now, that��s an order!��


    Only Hamilton knew that the opponent��s strange black flames could attack directly from a distance. His Night Watchmen staying behind wouldn��t be of much use, at best they could serve as cannon fodder.


    ��Yes, Sir!��


    ��Sir, be careful!��


    ������


    Without a word, Rein glanced at the black-robed figure and then at Hamilton. He followed Matteo, bypassing the wooden fence of Steward farm, and set off in pursuit of the carriages.


    Mort, the black flame monk left at the scene, looked at Hamilton with a curious and scrutinizing gaze and said, ��You seem confident!��


    ��Why do you think you can withstand me? And you believe that your Night Watchmen can rescue the people?��


    At that moment, Hamilton��s mind flashed with the image of beheading the stone monster with a single sword stroke and he grinned, saying, ��How about we make a bet?��


    ��I bet I can!��


    Before Mort could respond, Hamilton, like a bolt of silver lightning, shield and sword in hand, charged directly at the black-robed figure.


    �� S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two carriages were currently moving along a small road in the northeast direction.


    At that moment, the hammer-wielding man looked back and couldn��t help but twitch at the corners of his eyes, as if he had seen something unbelievable.


    Immediately after, he scolded, ��A bunch of ungrateful black-skinned dogs, daring to chase after us! I��ve said it, Lord Morte is too merciful to them!��


    ��In my view, a dog is a dog, if you beat it hard enough, it naturally runs away!��


    ��I��ll go get rid of them, you guys go ahead!��


    The hammer-wielding man pulled hard on the reins of his horse, turning around.


    ��Boss, shall I go?�� a tall man wielding a flail asked.


    ��No need! I��ll be back soon,�� the hammer-wielder said, waving his hand confidently.


    ��Alright! Boss, be careful,�� several people nearby said.


    ��No worries, just a bunch of black-skinned dogs. I��ll send them back to the goddess��s embrace. Just not sure if the goddess wants them, hehe!�� The hammer-wielder buckled his plate helmet, turning into a veritable iron lump, charging toward the elite Night Watchmen following behind.


    ��Shoot arrows!��


    Seeing the enemy, merely one person, daring to charge at their group of more than twenty, they realized the enemy had absolute confidence in his own strength.


    ��Ding ding dang dang!��


    Indeed, while most of the arrows hit the target, the enemy��s full plate armor��s impressive defensive power managed to block all these attacks.


    ��He��s an almost-knight! And not just an ordinary almost-knight!�� Matteo��s pupils shrank.


    He knew if the enemy was an almost-knight, that spelled trouble.


    An almost-knight, with both strength and agility reaching the peak of normal human capabilities, just one step away from becoming a formal knight, typically wore full plate armor as the formal knights did, providing them with formidable defensive power. The elite Night Watchmen��s arrows were almost ineffective. To beat the enemy, they would have to engage in close quarters combat.


    But as you can imagine, it would take significant casualties for the Night Watchmen clad in leather armor to take down an ��iron can.��


    Moreover, Matteo could see that the enemy dodged arrows too easily, too naturally.

 Chapter 112 - 112 - 105: Demonstrating Power_2

    Chapter 112 �C 105: Demonstrating Power_2


    This reminded him of a saying, he couldn��t remember who specifically said it anymore, but he remembered the exact words clearly:


    ��Even among prospective knights, there are differences.��


    The reason was that some prospective knights, due to the scarcity of the corresponding advancement magic potions, would stay at this level for a long time, thereby achieving a very high standard in all their skills.


    These kinds of prospective knights were the toughest to deal with!


    ��Let��s do this!!��


    Matteo was about to draw his longsword after putting away his bow, but as his hand just touched the hilt, a strong hand stopped his motion of drawing the sword.


    ��Matteo, leave this to me! You guys keep up with the carriage.�� Rein turned his head, his expression calm as he addressed everyone.


    ...


    ��Rein, you��.��


    ��Trust me! However strong he is, could he be stronger than the Mountain Stone Monster?��


    Hearing Rein��s words, several Night Watchmen who had participated in that battle were spirited.


    Matteo looked into Rein��s determined eyes, nodded vigorously, and said, ��Alright! But be careful, Rein. Even among prospective knights, there are differences! This guy is probably the toughest kind!��


    ��But I have confidence in you! Show him the might of the Night Watchmen!��


    ��Okay!�� Rein glanced at the swiftly approaching figure of his opponent and then at the attribute panel where his strength, physique, and agility had all reached 12 points, he thought, not the same huh? Maybe.


    Waving to Matteo and the others to circle around, Rein dismounted and went straight towards the man with the heavy hammer who was attacking.


    Rein��s disadvantage lay in the fact that his opponent wielded a two-handed heavy hammer which, although not a spiked armor-breaking hammer, posed a significant threat to knight armor.


    And his current weapon, the ��Glimmering Greatsword��, though exceptionally sharp after being infused with star iron, wasn��t likely to cleave through thick knight armor in one blow.


    Kev, seeing an opponent dressed in knight armor but smaller in size than him, approaching alone to intercept him, couldn��t help but smirk, releasing a sinister laugh.


    ��Oh! There��s another different black dog!��


    From the black leather armor on Rein��s arm that was not covered by knight armor, Kev deduced that Rein must also be one of the Night Watchmen.


    ��I��ll finish you off in one move, then turn all those black dogs into dead dogs!��


    The distance between the two rapidly closed, and as they were less than five meters apart, Kev swung his two-handed hammer heavily from above towards Rein��s helmeted head.


    ��Clang!!��


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    Rein��s Glimmering Greatsword solidly blocked the opponent��s heavy hammer.


    Under the Level 5 Giant Bear Sword Technique, Rein deftly parried the heavy hammer��s powerful and forceful blow, ingeniously offsetting the head of the hammer and using the strong blade of his sword to catch the metal shaft just below the hammer head. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With fifty percent ��Strength Burst�� reaching a strength level of sixteen or seventeen, one could say that this was the level of force a full-fledged knight would exert.


    Therefore, Kev, seeing Rein solidly catch his strike, was extremely astonished.


    Although Matteo had already gone ahead to follow the carriage, worrying that Rein might not prevail, he still left behind three elite Night Watchmen for support.


    ��Mohan, you guys keep up, leave this to me!�� Rein said steadily.


    ��Alright! Reindeer, you must be careful! We have confidence in you!�� Mohan looked at Rein, knew they couldn��t intervene in Rein��s battle with the heavy hammer man, nodded, and immediately signaled the other two elite Night Watchmen to chase the carriage.


    Seeing that Rein was ignoring him, fighting him while still talking to someone else, Kev was immediately furious.


    This situation usually only happened to him, but this time, it was reversed.


    ��Good! You have thoroughly angered me! I will turn you into a dead dog!��


    ��Sweeping Heavy Hammer!��


    Suddenly leveraging force from a retreat, Kev then charged at Rein again, his heavy hammer sweeping from left to right in a powerful horizontal strike.


    ��Whoom!!��


    This strike was exceedingly fast; merely the hammerhead stirring the air emitted a buzzing roar.


    Clearly, Rein had realized that this must be some secret technique of the opponent��s hammer skills.


    If it struck any part of the body, even with his thick knight armor, just the shockwave alone could severely injure the corresponding body part.


    Facing such intense shock attacks, the armor wouldn��t offer much protection!


    ��You know why I had them all leave?��


    ��That��s because I didn��t want to hide anymore!��


    A deep voice rose from beneath Rein��s knight helmet.


    In an instant, Kev had a bad premonition!


    Next, he saw the short figure across from him swell up as if inflated, and what was once slightly loose knight armor now looked absurd, as if a brawny man was wearing children��s clothes.


    But Kev was in no mood to laugh at this time!


    In a flash!


    With full ��Strength Burst�� activated, Rein, possessing 24 points of strength, steadied the opponent��s secret technique ��Sweeping Heavy Hammer�� with the end of his greatsword!


    ��Clang!!��


    The force of the backlash was so great it directly shattered Kev��s armored gloves!


    ��How is this possible!��


    ��Even as a formal knight, you shouldn��t be this strong!!�� Kev��s eyes bulged, his mouth agape, a look of horror on his face!


    He had sparred with formal knights before, dammit, even if the opponent was a formal knight, they couldn��t have blocked his strike so easily!!


    You must know, that strike was a secret technique!


    A secret technique!!


    And it was blocked by the opponent��s ordinary defensive sword move, not to mention it had shattered his armored gloves!


    Seizing the moment of his opponent��s distraction, Rein didn��t hesitate to deliver a fully powered ��Smooth Cleaving Slash,�� chopping down sharply from a 45-degree angle above, instantly creating a beautiful silver arc in the air!


    Thrillingly exhilarating!


    Kev desperately raised his heavy hammer to block!


    ��Screech!!!��


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    Accompanied by a very sharp metal scraping noise.


    Both parties suddenly stood still!


    Beneath the evening sunset, a breeze blew by.


    ��Clang!!��


    The heavy hammer fell to the ground, now split in two from the middle of the iron handle, its broken surface smooth and clean.


    The next second!


    Dazzling fresh blood gushed out like a fountain from the ghastly sword wound on Kev that ran from his left shoulder to his right hip on his upper body!


    Then, two sounds of ��thump!��


    The two halves of Kev, clad in heavy knight armor, fell to the ground consecutively!


    It turned out that at that moment, any notion of blocking with the heavy hammer or the thumb-thick knight armor had been completely split apart by Rein��s Glimmering Greatsword, by the enormous strength from Rein��s 24 points of power!


    At that moment, Rein shook his greatsword in his hand, looking at Kev��s still convulsing corpse, and softly said, ��Dead dog? Yes, indeed a dead dog.��

 Chapter 113 - 113 - 106 Motionless

    Chapter 113 �C 106 Motionless


    Just as Rein was about to leave, he remembered that the other party used a heavy hammer, and then it seemed like he thought of something. He approached the two halves of the hammer man��s corpse and began to search.


    Soon, in addition to a bag of not-so-heavy coins, Rein also found a thin booklet.


    It made Rein pause and wonder to himself why all the people he encountered recently loved to keep diaries?


    Upon opening it, he realized he had misunderstood the hammer man. The other party was actually a serious researcher of hammer techniques.


    This booklet in his hand was a detailed record of what the hammer man had learned when he was young from a hammer skill master named Tokkal. It was titled ��The Fundamentals of Tokkal��s Hammer Skill��.


    Rein nodded to himself in approval. Having gained something valuable after the ��hard work�� of killing an enemy naturally filled him with joy.


    ��I have the core skill ��Hammer Mastery,�� but it has been idle all this time because I didn��t have the right hammer technique to go with it. Finally, I��ve encountered a combat skill regarding hammer techniques! Good!��


    ...


    But glancing at the other party��s heavy hammer, which he had chopped in half, the corners of Rein��s mouth twitched as he shook his head helplessly.


    What a pity!


    After securing the booklet and the bag of coins, Rein felt his muscles starting to ache, a clear sign of the ��aftereffect�� of going all out.


    However, he had reserved attribute points for moments like this.


    After some thought, Rein added one point to his Constitution, bringing it up to 13 points, making it his strongest attribute.


    In an instant, Rein felt the soreness and aching throughout his body disappear!


    His entire body��s condition adjusted to an optimal state.


    Rein, now full of spirit, quickly caught up with the other Night Watchmen.


    He saw Matteo and his fellow Night Watchmen hanging far behind the enemy caravan, not rashly launching an attack.


    It seemed that the enemy had not gone too far, either trusting in the strength of their ��hammer man�� or for some other reason.


    This, however, saved Rein the effort of tracking.


    Rein��s appearance was like an injection of adrenaline for Matteo and the others.


    ��Taken care of?�� The astonishment in the eyes of Matteo and the other Night Watchmen was hard to conceal.


    They knew how strong the hammer man was.


    He was dealt with by Rein so quickly?


    They had just left, and Rein had arrived right after, that��. must have been only about a minute��s difference!


    The hammer man, such a formidable figure, was taken down by Rein?


    The elite Night Watchmen found their heads struggling to wrap around this idea.


    In fact, if they had known that Rein took merely ten seconds to kill the hammer man and spent a full fifty seconds cleaning up the battlefield, one could only wonder what they would think��.


    ��Cough�� The other party wasn��t as strong as you imagined. Although he had the strength of a Knight-in-training, his heavy hammer was too slow, which allowed me to catch a flaw in an instant and win with one strike,�� Rein said, noticing the burning gaze of the others and feeling it was necessary to provide an explanation.


    Thinking it over, everyone found it made sense!


    Rein was relatively smaller and naturally more agile. If he could seize a moment when the other party��s hammer swing was slow during a sequence, a one-strike kill was indeed possible.


    But the seven men on the other side, seeing Rein actually catch up and their leader did not, had expressions like they had seen a ghost, greatly shocked in their hearts!


    They looked at each other for a long while, the scene falling into silence.


    ��You��re saying the boss��,�� the chain hammer man squeezed out a sentence from his throat.


    No one answered��


    The answer was obvious.


    ��Damn it! How is this possible!�� The chain hammer man slammed his heavy chain hammer onto the ground and cursed.


    They were, of course, well aware of their boss ��Hammer�� Kels��s strength. Even within the Brotherhood of the Wilderness, he ranked high in power. But the boss hadn��t returned, and that short guy had.


    What this implied was clear without words.


    The men exchanged glances, each seeing the gravity in the other��s eyes.


    And so the two wagons came to a halt.


    They knew if they didn��t deal with this group of Night Watchmen and that fellow, they probably wouldn��t be able to escape.


    ��That guy in plate armor is a bit odd. First, we��ll deal with those black-skinned dogs, then all of us will go together and avenge our boss!�� the burly man wielding a curved sword said.


    ��Okay, I��ll hold him off first. You guys attack from both sides later. Once the black-skinned dogs are down, we��ll surround and kill him,�� the sword-and-shield man thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement.


    After speaking, the sword-and-shield man turned to the only man with a large bow among them: ��Zago, you��re in charge of suppressing those black-skinned dogs with arrows. Watch for the right moment to support us.��


    Aside from the sword-and-shield man and the chain hammer man, the rest were in chain armor. Facing the elite arrows of the Night Watchmen, they could not completely ignore them.


    ��Got it!��


    Meanwhile, Rein and Matteo and the rest saw the enemy suddenly stop and immediately became vigilant, observing the other party closely.


    The opponents had two men in plate armor who looked to be Knight-in-training, one with sword and shield and the other with a heavy chain hammer.


    The four others were wearing chainmail, each one wielding a single-handed hammer, single-handed axe, curved sword, and bastard sword respectively.


    The last one was clad in leather armor, holding a bow and watching them.


    There were a total of seven men.


    Clearly, aside from one ranged fighter, the other six were melee combatants.


    After considering for a moment, Rein turned to Matteo and said, ��I��ll advance and draw their attention. Unless something unexpected happens, except for that archer, they��ll probably all come to surround me. When they do, you take the chance to save the children.��


    ��Oh, and by the way, take down that archer!��


    Before Matteo and the others could voice their dissent, Rein walked slowly forward.


    Indescribable poise and confidence!


    But it also gave the other Night Watchmen an inexplicable sense of trust.


    ��Bah! Damn it, I don��t believe he can actually kill the boss. I��ll shoot him with an arrow first!�� the opposing archer spat on the ground and watched with indignation as Rein approached with ease.


    He intended to shoot an arrow at Rein��s unarmored arm, but the sword-shield man stopped him.


    ��Don��t!�� the sword-shield man raised his hand.


    Because the sword-shield man knew that if they were the first to shoot an arrow, the Night Watchmen with over twenty bows would surely retaliate, and four of their own, clad in chain mail, could not entirely avoid injury from the arrows.


    In that case, their own situation would become even less advantageous.


    ��If the enemy dares to come forward alone, it��s naturally to draw us away from the wagon and engage in close combat, probably to rescue the kids on the wagon.��


    The sword-shield man quickly realized why Rein had come up alone.


    This was a brazen and obvious strategy!


    However, since he could defeat Kev and was so confident, wasn��t it fair for their six to fight one?


    Could it be that they should follow the rules of knightly duels and queue up to fight him one by one?


    What a joke!


    Moreover, he truly didn��t believe that one person could win against their six.


    Under the lead of the sword-shield man, the hammer man and the other chain mail-wearing men followed closely behind, quickly forming a semicircular formation to surround Rein.


    The scene before them was indeed as Rein had predicted, but it also caused the elite Night Watchmen to worry.


    ��This�� Could Rein be taking on too much?�� an elite Night Watchman furrowed his brow upon seeing Rein��s situation, about to fight six on one.


    ��Yeah! Those two in plate armor must be Squires!��


    ��The other four are probably Level 3 Knight Attendants����


    ��Good heavens! By the Goddess above, can Rein really do this?��


    ����.��


    The Night Watchmen began to worry en masse!


    ��I believe in Rein!�� Matteo, however, had an inexplicable confidence in Rein.


    ��Should we interfere with those wearing chain mail?�� someone asked.


    ��Not for now, stick to the plan. We��ll keep an eye on their archer and see if there is a chance to save the children.��


    Although Rein was now surrounded by the enemy, he didn��t see it that way from the center of the arena.


    The present formation of the six men who had him completely encircled was ideal for unleashing his ��roaring strike.��


    In other words, even if the six were mere scarecrows at his disposal to position as he pleased, Rein could not have arranged a more suitable formation himself.


    ��If I don��t give them a good shout, even the Goddess might not stand for it����


    ��Just right, I��ve never tried out my Level 2 ��roaring strike.''��


    The sword-shield man saw the Night Watchmen seemed to be slowly moving towards the two wagons and instantly revealed a fierce and ruthless expression. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They could delay no longer��further delay meant that even if they won against this fellow, if the kids were rescued, they would still be unable to face Lord Morte!


    ��Attack!��


    Thereupon, he immediately signaled the others to launch their attack!


    But the sword-shield man himself was cautious, guarding with his shield in the forefront, his right hand wielding the longsword and thrusting it towards Rein.


    Almost simultaneously.


    The hammer man raised his hammer high, his face twisted with ferocity, his eyes fixed on Rein��s knight helmet as he exerted all his strength to bring the hammer down forcefully.


    If he connected, he was confident he could shatter even a plate helm with one strike.


    The axe man aimed for the gap where Rein��s helmet met his plate armor, swiftly delivering a chopping blow, intent on decapitating Rein.


    The bastard sword-wielding man was the most ruthless. He too thrust with his sword, aiming for the cross-shaped gap in Rein��s visor in a bid to blind him and penetrate his brain for a sure kill.


    The curved blade man targeted Rein��s unprotected arm, planning to sever Rein��s right arm first.


    To their horror, they realized that the man in front of them, who was half a head shorter, suddenly emitted a thick sense of danger, sounding the alarm for all of them inwardly!


    This sensation was as if they were facing��


    A long-dormant volcano suddenly erupting!


    A giant dragon abruptly awakening from its slumber!


    They saw his chest dramatically swell, the knight��s breastplate that was slightly loose now seemed ready to burst, his neck muscles and veins bulged, enlarging by an entire size.


    The six immediately sensed trouble!


    ��Roar!!!��


    A roar, resembling that of a giant dragon, resounded in the ears of the six men!


    Instantly, the six men remained in their attacking stances, weapons in hand, but frozen in place!


    As if struck by lightning!


    Time seemed to stand still!

 Chapter 114 - 114 - 107: Meeting Head On

    Chapter 114 �C 107: Meeting Head On


    The cause of the aforementioned effects was Rein��s upgraded Level 2 Roaring Strike!


    Although, to the six of them, the time from when their ears stopped ringing and vision blurred to when they regained consciousness seemed very long.


    But in reality, as all six were Strengths above Level 3 Knight Attendants, their figures had only paused for about half a second.


    Yet half a second, in a duel between masters, could decide far too much.


    ��Swoosh!��


    A silver arc flashed through the air!


    ��Thump!!��


    ...


    ��Thump!!��


    Several sounds of heavy objects hitting the ground echoed in quick succession.


    The four chainmail-clad men, each holding various weapons, were all cut in two by Rein��s strike.


    Some were neatly bisected at the waist; others, due to the posture of wielding their weapons, were diagonally cleaved; and some were split open from the elbow through the chest. Without exception, all were severed into two parts.


    ��Ah!!!��


    Since the men cut in half were not dead on the spot, they were writhing and screaming in agony on the ground.


    And because their vitality was far beyond that of ordinary people, they were likely to scream in such agony for several minutes.


    The man in plate armor wielding a chain hammer was rather lucky, for Rein��s sword had just brushed past the lower edge of his helmet, decapitating him immediately, sparing him the agony of wailing on the ground.


    The man with the steel shield and sword and shield in plate armor was now ashen-faced!


    At this moment, his Kite Shield had been reduced to two halves, one half having fallen to the ground, the other still in his hand.


    Because he had remained cautious from the start and had not attacked with full force, maintaining a certain distance, he was the only one of the six to have survived by a fluke.


    He finally understood how his boss had met his end.


    The opponent��s strike was something they at their level could not withstand.


    Immediately, the swordsman shouted as if mad:


    ��Knight!��


    ��You must be a formal Knight!��


    But the next second, he didn��t receive a reply from Rein, he was met with a powerful Leap Slash from Rein!


    Rein leapt up violently and executed a Leap Slash at the sword and shield man, who only managed to block slightly with his Longsword. With a ��clang�� sound of a huge impact, the sword broke, and the man was violently cleaved away.


    ��Splurt!��


    Before the man had even landed, Rein followed up with a greatsword thrust, piercing directly through the gap in the neck of his plate armor and killing him.


    Because of the thundering roar that Rein had just unleashed, which had startled all the elites of the Night Watchmen who were about to rescue the children, they all jumped, causing them to turn around to check what was going on.


    But as they turned their heads, the sight they beheld left Matteo and the elite Night Watchmen dumbstruck!


    ��This��..��


    They knew Rein was strong in combat, but neither during the previous extermination of the fishmen nor during the killing of the mountain-digging monster had he ever displayed such formidable combat strength!


    This change in his physique was very much like a Knight breaking through his limits; no wonder those men thought Rein was a Knight.


    Had it been them, they would have thought the same.


    ��Rein�� have you advanced to a formal Knight?�� asked a Night Watchman who was on good terms with Rein, with hesitance in his voice.


    At this moment, Rein had returned to his normal stature, and seeing everyone looking at him with such surprise, he shook his head and said half genuinely, half falsely:


    ��I��m not a formal Knight yet.��


    ��Just now was a sort of secret technique, it��s probably because the breathing method I��m practicing is quite special.��


    At those words, everyone just nodded blankly.


    It seems��


    It sounds like��


    Alright then! Since Rein said it, it must be true!


    Just now, Rein had fully utilized ��Strength Burst�� and ��Giant Bear Roar Level 2,�� together with his newly forged ��Glimmering Greatsword��, he had cleared the area in just three seconds!


    Not only had he shocked his fellow Night Watchmen, but he also scared the Archer who had been standing guard by the two horse-drawn carriages nearly senseless.


    By the time the Archer came to his senses, he was surrounded by the group, bows drawn and aimed at him.


    Having no other choice, he had to lower his weapons and raise his hands in surrender.


    He definitely did not want to end up like the others who were still screaming miserably on the ground��


    That was just too horrific!


    The other Night Watchmen were quickly rescuing the children who had been forcefully taken away, one by one, from the two horse-drawn carriages.


    Since Rein had only employed the ��Strength Burst�� skill for merely three seconds, and considering he had improved his Constitution a bit before that, there was almost no backlash to speak of at the moment.


    Thinking it over, Rein felt the miserable howls of the men were somewhat alarming for the children.


    Thus, Rein approached the men and swiftly ended their suffering, while also searching their bodies.


    He looked at the heavy purses in his hand, shook his head, and couldn��t help but feel disappointment.


    It was a pity they didn��t contribute anything else, like a manual of Combat Skills or the like.


    Indeed, why aren��t minions as good as the boss?


    The reason was evident in whether they liked to study or not.


    Suddenly, Rein looked intently toward the south.


    In the direction of the Stuart farm, the once two-story farmhouse was now ablaze with roaring flames, which, unlike normal red or pale yellow flames, were a pale black color.


    This made Rein realize instantly that this seemed to be the Black Flame Magician��s fire.


    From the faint sounds of explosions, it could be inferred that the battle between the Black Flame Magician and Hamilton must be fierce.


    After a moment of thought, Rein spoke in a deep voice, ��Matteo, leave some people to take good care of the children; we��ll go support the adults first!��


    ��


    Meanwhile, Hamilton was clearly at a disadvantage in the battle against the Black Flame Monk.


    Relying on his agile figure and the excellent quality of his steel shield, he successfully became the monk��s live target.


    That��s right!


    A live target!


    Anyone who saw the fight between the two would have this thought.


    For now, the Black Flame Monk��s hands were both wrapped in black flames, and he wasn��t using any weapons; merely with a black flame from his left hand and another from his right, he forced Hamilton to jump up and down, not daring to directly face the tremendously powerful black flames.


    The surface of Hamilton��s originally smooth steel shield had long since become pitted and dented, with two particularly deep depressions that were almost puncturing through the shield.


    These two depressions were the result of Hamilton initially taking the monk��s black flames head-on!


    So, after taking a couple of hits straight on, Hamilton was no longer daring to do so.


    The attack power of the monk��s black flames was simply terrifying, and the strong corrosive effect it brought was even more formidable than that of the Black Flame Monk Hamilton had briefly clashed with before.


    It was almost enough to penetrate his steel shield in a single strike.


    Why not rush up?


    Because the current distance was still manageable, Hamilton could dodge; if he continued to advance, the hit rate of the monk��s black flames would skyrocket.


    During the assault, the Black Flame Monk Mort sneered, ��Is this the so-called Knight of the Empire? A sheriff charged with the safety of a small town?��


    ��Not daring to confront my attack head-on, yet only daring to roll around on the ground like a wild boar, truly disappointing!��


    ��Perhaps you should change your name to Boar Knight!��


    However, when a loud roar from the north rang out, Mort��s expression suddenly changed, followed by an angry curse, ��A bunch of useless idiots, actually failing to deal with them.��


    Since the roar was unmistakably human.


    Moreover, the most important thing was that this voice was not recognizable as any of his acquaintances.


    Clearly, the commotion had to be from the enemy!


    The thought of losing over twenty ��materials�� and facing punishment from the high priest made Mort entirely unsettled!


    A great opportunity!


    Hamilton��s eyes instantly lit up!


    He took advantage of the moment Mort suddenly turned his head towards the north to unleash his Strength Burst. Like an arrow released from a bow, he charged straight at his opponent.


    His muscles swelled, though not as exaggerated as Rein��s, but what was special was that Hamilton��s movement speed also significantly increased.


    It seems this was some kind of balanced Transcendent trait that provided a modest boost to both strength and agility.


    ��Flash Strike!��


    Hamilton roared, as the Knight��s Longsword in his hand seemed to transcend the limits of time and space, abruptly leaping to appear right in front of the Black Flame Monk!


    Mort was shocked and furious, not expecting to be in such a predicament from a moment��s inattention. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Seeking death!��


    As Mort tried desperately to dodge, he flung two black flames heavy with force at Hamilton.


    ��Boom!��


    First, Mort��s abdomen was pierced by Hamilton��s Knight Longsword; then, after dodging one black flame, Hamilton could no longer evade the other, and was sent flying.


    The steel shield on his left hand shattered instantly, his gauntlet and arm armor both turned to charred black, severely damaged.


    ��Sizzle!��


    Tiny black flames burned on the surface, making a fierce corrosive noise.


    Mort quickly got up, clutching his stomach, but then his expression drastically changed!


    Seeing the Knight Longsword in Hamilton��s hand now emitting a faint white glow, he exclaimed in shock, ��Klarhest weapon?��


    His abdominal wound seemed to be seared by high temperatures, emitting trickles of black smoke, and the surface skin was undergoing some bizarre change.


    Mort hesitated no longer and immediately retreated swiftly toward the north, where safety lay.


    But Hamilton was also without the chance to pursue.


    At that moment, he was hastily beginning to remove the arm armor and gauntlet from his left hand.


    Because to his horror, he felt a stabbing pain in his arm; the skin had developed several clearly burnt-black patches that were beginning to darken even more!


    It seemed the black flames had an extra kind of damage to flesh.


    Even a mere touch was almost too much for his Knight-level body to withstand.


    Hamilton��s expression grew stern as he lifted his Knight Longsword to deal with the blackened wounds.


    After slicing off the blackened parts, the stabbing pain vanished and the blood seeping from his wounds returned to a bright red.


    He breathed a sigh of relief, but as he looked up to see Mort disappearing, he thought to himself, ��Damn it!��


    Because Mort��s escape route was headed in the same direction as Rein and the rest of the Night Watchmen were pursuing.


    At this time, Rein and more than ten others, including Matteo, were moving swiftly toward the Stewart Farm, when suddenly, Rein��s heart tightened, followed by a blaring alarm!


    His level 2 danger perception had never triggered such a strong alert!


    Just as Rein was about to warn everyone, suddenly, a slightly staggering black figure emerged upfront!


    ��It��s that Black Flame Monk!�� Rein��s pupils constricted sharply!


    They had run headlong into the injured Black Flame Monk!


    Upon seeing the monk, all the Night Watchmen��s faces changed color, immediately drew their bows and aimed at the enemy.


    And at that moment, the Black Flame Monk Mort, full of fury, saw the sudden appearance of the Watchmen, his lips curling into a smug and cruel smile.


    ��Perfect! Just what I need to vent my anger!��

 Chapter 115 - 115 - 108: Unspeakable Complaints

    Chapter 115 �C 108: Unspeakable Complaints


    Although Mort was seriously injured right now, the recent encounter with the town sheriff of Flashgold Town had been beyond his expectations. The man had possessed a rare luminestone weapon, making it difficult for Mort��s wounds to heal at the moment. But killing these ordinary people in front of him was just a matter of counting seconds.


    In the eyes of the Night Watchmen, they only saw the figure in the black robe clutching his abdomen with one hand, while the other started to wrap in black flames. Then his figure flashed, and he rapidly advanced toward them.


    ��Fire the arrows!!��


    Suddenly, a dense shower of arrows was directed at the Black Flame Mage Mort.


    Mort��s figure quickly darted left and right, continuing to rush forward. Despite the pain of his injuries, he easily dodged the arrows, and not one of the more than ten Night Watchmen��s arrows hit him!


    ��Whoosh!��


    The Black Flame Mage, Mort, was now within an arm��s reach!


    ...


    Though Mort��s stature wasn��t towering, in the minds of the Night Watchmen, his presence was like the ominous clouds that cover the sky before a torrential downpour, bearing down on them.


    Many of them wore expressions of terror, and for a moment, they were so petrified that they even forgot to draw their longswords!


    This slight reaction caused Mort��s eyes to move slightly, revealing a hint of disdain. Indeed, ordinary people were just that��ordinary.


    From the moment Mort appeared to when he dodged the arrows and charged at them, Rein��s eyes were intently fixed on him, his spirit highly focused, never once shifting his gaze.


    Is he injured?


    Rein muttered to himself.


    If that��s the case, then it��s not impossible to fight!


    About one minute of ��Strength Burst,�� and I only used a mere three seconds just now.


    Although the opponent was injured and his speed greatly affected, his combat awareness was still top-notch, as could be seen from the way he dodged the arrows.


    I must catch him off guard, and if I can severely injure him with one strike, then with his injuries compounded, the overall situation will be decided!


    Mort��s pupils reflected the evening scenery around him, as well as the figures of the Night Watchmen in front of him, their faces showing astonishment, fear, disbelief, and more!


    No!


    There was one exception!


    A young man wearing plate armor.


    Soon, Mort dismissed it as the man being stunned with fear or too slow to react.


    Mort remembered him because this young man was one of the only two wearing plate armor who had come with the sheriff of Flashgold Town��he must be a trusted subordinate of the sheriff.


    So be it, I��ll send you back to the embrace of the goddess first!


    You can blame your superior for this, Mort thought to himself.


    Thus, Mort��s black figure suddenly adjusted direction, swiftly closed in on Rein, and the black flames in his hand already began to flourish, releasing menacing black fire!


    But the next moment, Mort instinctively sensed something was wrong; as the distance closed, he could see through the gaps in the opponent��s plate armor visor, into his eyes.


    The opponent��s eyes had an unusual black pupil, but there was not a trace of fear or panic in his gaze, instead, it was eerily calm!


    As still as a dead pond, without a ripple.


    However, by this time, Mort��s right hand was already raised, the black flames in his hand began to expand, and his whole body was rushing forward. He was somewhat surprised, but not enough to change his mind or abandon the attack.


    But suddenly, Mort��s pupils shrank as if he saw something dreadful!


    Rein��s body suddenly swelled and grew larger, his figure shifting from slightly short to a nearly two-meter tall burly man, the once slightly oversized knight��s plate armor now looked extremely ��petite�� on him.


    Most prominent was Rein��s bulging neck, as if his chest housed a steam train��s locomotive, and his neck was the whistle, about to spew forth a massive current of heat!


    ��No good!��


    Mort��s color changed instantly, wanting to retreat with a flying leap!


    But the injury in his abdomen and the inertia of his body made this unlikely.


    Moreover, such a wide-ranging sound wave attack was most unavoidable, unless�� your speed exceeded the speed of sound!


    But clearly, even if Mort were unharmed, he was still far from reaching the speed of sound.


    So, unable to dodge, he could only take it head-on!


    ��Hah!!!��


    In an instant! A loud bang exploded next to Mort��s ears, his entire face stretching and violently trembling under the impact of the sound wave, his eardrums burst, and his head buzzed. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But what truly horrified him was the shining blade coming straight at him.


    Retreat!


    Quicker! Even quicker!


    Mort, being a Black Flame Mage with the physical quality of a formal knight, was still able to react in time, even though he was grievously injured and hit with Rein��s level 2 ��roaring strike.��


    But Mort felt a sudden lightness in his body as if missing a part, and then, by a hair��s breadth, he dodged the bright glow!


    ��Snap!��


    An arm still entwined with black flames fell to the ground.


    It was Mort��s right arm, the very one he had raised and was about to attack with!


    Yet what terrified Mort even more was the intense, burning pain that emanated from where his arm had been severed.


    It was a pain he had just felt in his abdomen.


    ��Glimmering weaponry!!��


    ��How the fuck do you have glimmering weaponry too?!��


    ��Could it be that he��s the Sheriff��s catamite?��


    ��Otherwise, how could he possibly have glimmering weaponry?��


    ��But can a Knight��s catamite really be this strong? That doesn��t make sense!!��


    Mort just couldn��t figure out why his opponent also had an extremely rare piece of glimmering weaponry��it seemed like it was specifically prepared for him.


    Could it all have been a premeditated trap aimed at him??


    Across from him, Rein didn��t pursue but swiftly dismounted because, in his recent roaring strike, the horse had been paralyzed on the ground from the massive sonic attack.


    At this moment, Mort came to his senses. All the aforementioned reasons were no longer important.


    There was only one thought in his mind.


    And that was to flee at once!


    What mission, what ��materials,�� what control over the Black Flame��none of it was as important as his own life!


    In an instant, Rein moved!


    Although he had heavily wounded his opponent with a single move, the Black Flame Mage��s abilities constantly filled him with apprehension. Thus, he had been observing the Black Flame Mage��s face. When he saw obvious fear and a shifty gaze, Rein knew the foe had lost his fighting spirit.


    The opportunity naturally arose!


    Being injured in the abdomen would inevitably affect the lower limbs�� movement, and the loss of a right arm would impact the whole body��s coordination and balance even more.


    This let Rein quickly catch up to the panicked, fleeing Black Flame Mage Mort.


    Just as Mort struggled to gather his strength, planning to hit Rein with a Black Flame fireball��


    ��Swish, swish!��


    An arm wreathed in black flames flew through the air again, and Mort stumbled violently, crashing to the ground.


    Then a long, narrow wound appeared on his back, starting from his right shoulder blade, diagonally down to his left waist, the gash trailing a sizzling noise as it burned.


    Rein didn��t stop; his Glimmering Greatsword in hand grew brighter, gradually emitting a faint white light.


    Mort struggled to his feet again, intending to continue running, but the next second, a flash of light passed by.


    His head tumbled down from his body, and blinding fresh blood, like a fountain, gushed out from the body that was still twitching!


    A human fountain on display!


    Only then did Rein slightly shake his greatsword, looking at the head that had stopped rolling, observing the face filled with disbelief and terror, and the bulging eyes as he softly said,


    ��Sorry, I couldn��t hold back, because your Black Flame was too dangerous����


    Clearly, Mort heard those words!


    Because Rein saw Mort��s cracked lips faintly quiver a few times, but with only a head left, he couldn��t make any sound.


    What a pity, Rein thought, unaware of what Mort wanted to say, but it was likely some sort of curse. Better left unheard.


    But actually, the only thing Mort wanted to say at that moment was, ��Fuck, you can��t hold back? I��ve had both my arms chopped off by you, think about it! How can I still attack you with the Black Flame?��


    ��Don��t you know how important it is to capture me alive? What a fool!��


    ����..��


    Mort��s grievances vanished along with his fading consciousness, ultimately amounting to nothing.


    Meanwhile, each Night Watchman nearby was covering his ears, and a few of those closest to Rein had blood seeping from their ears.


    There was nothing Rein could do about this; the roaring strike was an area attack, and the sound waves couldn��t actively distinguish between friend and foe, sparing allies and only targeting enemies. Therefore, accidental injuries were inevitable.


    But not a single Night Watchman, including Matteo, held any blame towards Rein. At this moment, they had never felt such a sense of security!


    That��s right. The Night Watchmen in charge of protecting the townspeople at night felt a profound sense of security in their hearts.


    This was a sense of security brought about by the incredible strength of their companion!


    Just now, they all thought they might have to sacrifice themselves for the Empire.


    But unexpectedly, even after having raised their expectations for Rein��s strength through the two recent battles, they didn��t anticipate his abilities to be far beyond what they had imagined!


    Because Rein had once again shown astounding strength, achieving a miraculous turnaround!


    As the Night Watchmen stared dumbfounded at the scene unfolding before them, a familiar figure quickly approached on the nearby road.


    It was their superior��Hamilton, the Sheriff of Flashgold Town.


    His Knight��s armor was dented and battered, wielding a steel shield that was now only half its original size. The arm holding the shield was bloodied, and the only intact weapon on him was the Knight��s longsword in his right hand. He looked to have suffered a terrible beating at the hands of the cloaked people.


    This made everyone shift their gaze from Hamilton back to Mort��s decapitated cloaked body and Rein standing unscathed beside him.


    This��.


    Filled their hearts with numerous questions!


    And Hamilton, upon seeing this scene, felt no less shock than his Night Watchman subordinates.


    He slowed his pace, approached the scene, and was so astonished for a while that he couldn��t speak, just moving his gaze back and forth between Rein and the headless cloaked corpse on the ground.

 Chapter 116 - 116 - 109: Secret

    Chapter 116 �C 109: Secret


    Although Hamilton knew that the Black Flame Monk must have been slain by Rein, he couldn��t help but ask, ��Rein�� did you kill this?��


    When Rein turned his head to look, he was startled by Hamilton��s appearance at that moment.


    At the same time, the surprise in the other��s eyes also caught Rein��s attention instantly.


    Rein didn��t know what to say, but he heard him say, ��Sir, since you had already severely injured the opponent before, by the time he faced us, he hardly had any fighting strength left.��


    ��And the Night Watchman colleagues�� barrages of arrows also prevented the opponent��s strange Black Flame from being released in time. So, he was fortuitously slain by me.��


    As soon as these flattering words were spoken, Hamilton��s stern face softened considerably, and he looked at Rein with increased admiration.


    Although several Night Watchmen had become deaf, many who were slightly far from Rein only felt a piercing pain in their eardrums, and hearing Rein��s words, they felt a sense of relief.


    ... sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who says we��re useless? Look, our arrow barrage also played a big role! many thought.


    ��Eh! Rein, this Dual-Handed Greatsword���� It was then that Hamilton noticed that the greatsword Rein was holding seemed to be the one he had given him before, but on closer inspection, it seemed a bit different.


    Hamilton took a closer look and saw that under the glow of the evening sun, the surface of the Dual-Handed Greatsword in Rein��s hand was emitting a faint white light.


    ��This is�� a Glowstone weapon!�� Hamilton��s eyebrows raised in surprise.


    ��Rein, did you merge a Glowstone into that Fine Steel Greatsword??�� Hamilton finally thought of something and couldn��t help blurting out.


    Upon seeing this, Rein knew he couldn��t hide it from Hamilton anymore, so he smiled, nodded, and told Hamilton about how he was lucky to have stumbled upon a small piece of Glowstone while exterminating fish-men.


    Additionally, he recounted how the captain, Weilun, and he decided to keep the Glowstone, without knowing its value, leading to the agreement that Rein would get the stone, but he had to treat his squad members to tequila.


    Hamilton couldn��t help but laugh at this, ��Rein, it seems that Lady Luck is indeed on your side, to encounter such good fortune.��


    As for his subordinates privately allocating spoils of war, as long as it didn��t cause any conflicts, being the superior, he generally wouldn��t intervene��Hamilton was no exception.


    If this had been a month ago, Rein might have still hidden the fact, but now there was no need to do so.


    Hamilton then turned serious and glanced at the corpse of the Black Flame Monk on the ground before narrating to Rein,


    ��This guy here is an adherent of the covert sect, the Black Flame Church, and we commonly refer to them as Black Flame Monks. You see that burning black flame emblem on his collar and cuffs? That��s a very clear sign.��


    As Hamilton narrated, Rein focused his gaze on the monk��s cuffs and collar, and indeed as Hamilton had described, there was a vivid flame pattern woven from some kind of shiny black metal wire.


    Although the opponent was also dressed in a black robe, the two blacks were not the same; the flame pattern��s color was brighter, while the robe was more of a matte black. If you didn��t look closely, it was indeed difficult to distinguish.


    ��I had once briefly encountered a Black Flame Monk in County Town, where his Black Flame caught me off guard,��


    ��Afterward, after consulting many people, I learned that they seemed to belong to a secretive church worshipping some Evil God��Black Flame Church. For all minions of Evil Gods, Glowstone weapons tend to be particularly lethal.��


    ��That��s why I spent a good amount of money to have someone purchase a Longsword infused with Glowstone. I hadn��t expected you���� Hamilton looked enviously at Rein��s greatsword.


    At that moment, Rein suddenly understood.


    He glanced at the Longsword in Hamilton��s hand and then at the wound on the abdomen of the black-robed corpse.


    No wonder, although the opponent had been hit by just one sword strike from Hamilton, his combat strength had dropped so much, allowing Rein himself to take quite the advantage.


    It seemed that his ability to slay the Black Flame Monk also reflected a bit of serendipity involving time, location, and people.


    For instance, the opponent had already been severely wounded by Hamilton.


    For another, he happened to have the Glowstone weapon����Glimmering Greatsword,�� crafted by Lagaray, which played an unexpected role when facing the Black Flame Monk.


    Moreover, his own strength that continued to increase day by day, as Rein thought to himself.


    However, having faced a Black Flame Monk once, Rein felt an even more pressing desire for the mysterious side of energy particles than before.


    Seeing the injuries on Hamilton��s body was enough to know the mighty power of the Black Flame.


    Was this some kind of Divine Arts? Or perhaps witchcraft?


    However, he was about to complete the last requirement for the transition to Transcendent Knight����3, any riding skill lv3 or above, shield defense lv3 or above, any archery skill lv3 or above, any melee combat skill lv4 or above.��


    Rein planned to learn shield techniques and increase them to lv3, fulfilling all requirements for the transition to a Transcendent Knight, then he would begin seeking ways to control those mysterious energies.


    ��By the way, Rein, aren��t you going to look for the spoils of war that belong to you?�� Hamilton reminded with a smile.


    With this reminder from Hamilton, Rein then remembered that he had forgotten to collect the spoils from the Black Flame Monk.


    Such a powerful enemy surely carried quite a few valuable items.


    At this thought, Rein��s heart stirred slightly.


    ��Haha, as you command, my lord!��


    Rein stepped forward and began searching through the headless corpse of the Black Flame Monk, first pulling out a leather coin pouch, heavy enough to indicate a substantial amount of coins.


    But no matter how many coins there were, they were just ordinary loot and failed to catch Rein��s attention.


    Next, Rein pulled out a soft, lambskin-wrapped, elongated object from the monk��s waist pouch, which immediately caught Hamilton��s attention.


    Upon unwrapping it, they saw a blood-red potion, resembling a vial from a former life, thick like amber, instantly drawing Rein��s interest.


    ��Divine Blood?�� Hamilton exclaimed, losing his composure.


    Divine Blood?


    Rein was taken aback. Had he really obtained the blood of a god just by killing a Black Flame Monk?


    Also, Rein felt somewhat relieved that he hadn��t split his opponent in two; otherwise, this bottle of ��Divine Blood�� might have been destroyed by his own hands.


    Seeing the puzzled look on Rein��s face, Hamilton coughed and said, ��This is a potion secretly circulating among the nobles and wealthy merchants of Meister County.��


    ��It��s said to delay aging for the elderly and significantly boost those practitioners of the Knight Breathing Method who have not yet reached the Transcendent level. Most importantly, this ��Divine Blood�� doesn��t have any side effects. The only drawback is its rarity.��


    Delay aging?


    Enhance the breathing technique?


    Rein��s eyes lit up.


    There was such a wonderful thing?


    Nobles really knew how to enjoy life. While he worked hard practicing the breathing technique, others could rocket their progress just by drinking this, Rein thought.


    ��However�� according to reliable information, the origin of this ��Divine Blood�� is closely related to the Black Flame Cult I just mentioned, so I��ve always felt there��s more to this ��Divine Blood�� than meets the eye,�� Hamilton continued.


    ��This so-called lack of side effects, I suspect, might be due to the insufficient strength of those who have tested it, which could lead to an inability to detect any issues,�� Hamilton speculated after some thought.


    This made Rein shiver inside.


    He felt Hamilton��s concern was not unfounded but very likely.


    Moreover, with his professional panel in hand, consuming something potentially problematic was naturally not an option.


    ��So, Rein, what do you think�� Could I perhaps purchase that bottle of Divine Blood from you? I would entrust someone to deliver it to the Imperial City��s Royal Alchemist Association, where perhaps the master pharmacists there might discover something,�� Hamilton asked.


    Hamilton seemed to feel his request was a bit much, so he hesitated for a moment before telling Rein outright why he desired the ��Divine Blood.��


    After all, a normal person who obtained ��Divine Blood,�� hearing it had no side effects and could enhance the practice of the Knight Breathing Method, would undoubtedly be overjoyed and certainly choose to consume it themselves rather than selling it to someone else.


    ��Of course, my lord,�� Rein agreed without hesitation.


    First of all, he had no interest in potentially problematic enhancement potions and didn��t want to take any risks. Secondly, he was able to kill the Black Flame Monk; Hamilton��s contribution in causing damage to the monk during their first battle was indisputable.


    If Hamilton, his superior, decided to forcefully take half of the loot, Rein would have no objections, considering this was a legitimate Night Watchman mission, unlike the previous situation.


    Upon hearing Rein��s prompt agreement, Hamilton was momentarily stunned, then looked at Rein in surprise and said, ��Rein, you should think this over carefully. This is ��Divine Blood.�� Are you sure you won��t regret giving it to me?��


    ��It will be difficult to obtain another bottle if you regret it later.��


    ��My lord, do you think I need to use ��Divine Blood�� with my talent?�� Rein smiled and handed the bottle of ��Divine Blood�� to Hamilton.


    Upon hearing this, Hamilton couldn��t help but chuckle, he patted Rein on the shoulder, took the Divine Blood, and said, ��Good lad! You have ambition!��


    Afterward, Rein went back to the corpse of the Black Flame Monk and continued his search.


    After a meticulous search, he found a rolled-up strip of paper the width of a little finger on the robed corpse, resembling the pigeon message strips from Rein��s former life. The written content was incomplete, seemingly unfinished.


    But the content that was there made Rein frown.


    ��My lord, perhaps you should take a look at this.��


    ��Hmm?�� Hamilton was quite curious; even when Rein had discovered the Divine Blood, he hadn��t been this solemn.


    He took the strip of paper and, upon reading it, furrowed his brows deeply.

 Chapter 117 - 117 - 110: Promotion and Undercurrents

    Chapter 117 �C 110: Promotion and Undercurrents S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Lord Hamilton, the ��material�� mentioned on the note naturally refers to the children they are forcibly abducting through various gangs and pirates. If my guess is correct, this Black Flame Cult you mentioned, is apparently preparing for something very important to them recently,��


    ��You are correct, Rein, I will immediately report this matter to County Town,�� Lord Hamilton nodded, sharing the feeling.


    The child abductions that had been happening more and more frequently of late signally loudly that the Black Flame Cult was very likely the puppeteer behind the curtains.


    At that moment, a Messenger approached and reported, ��Sheriff, Knight Lloyd and his team have arrived at the Steward Farm. Sir, should we go to them, or should we have Knight Lloyd come here?��


    ��Have the children been rescued?�� Lord Hamilton asked after hearing the Messenger��s report, instead of making a direct decision, he turned to ask Rein.


    Rein nodded and said, ��All successfully rescued, not one dead, not one injured!��


    ��Very good! Then let��s go to Steward Farm to welcome back Knight Lloyd and his men,�� Lord Hamilton said with a broad gesture, clearly in good spirits.


    ...


    ��By the way, Messenger, immediately report to the Viscount, Hamadi, the Chief of Public Security in County Town, tell them we have destroyed a secret base of the Cult and have rescued dozens of children.��


    ��At your command, sir!��


    With the arrival of Knight Lloyd, Steward Farm suddenly bustled with activity, the perimeters also thoroughly searched and surrounded by the guards from Habbs Manor who had arrived with him.


    Rein even saw his familiar swordsmanship instructor, Humbert.


    However, it seemed that Humbert never expected the man standing beside Flashgold Town��s sheriff, Lord Hamilton, wearing knightly plate armor to be Rein.


    Of course, this was partly due to Rein wearing his knightly helmet with only a narrow T-shaped slot to allow for vision and breathing, which made it impossible for outsiders to see the face of the knight beneath the helm. Explore more at freewebnovel


    Therefore, Humbert naturally couldn��t recognize Rein.


    And Rein, as well, had no intention of ��shocking everyone�� by going over to greet Humbert and give him a ��scare��.


    Steward Farm, being a secret base of the Black Flame Cult, should have had plenty of clues about the cult. But Mort��s massive fire had burned all traces clean away.


    This made the ��little note�� Rein took from Mort all the more significant and of great importance to Lord Hamilton.


    Rein didn��t stay at Steward Farm for too long; he returned to Flashgold Town with the Night Watchman team that escorted the children back.


    On the way back, Rein finally had time to check the system prompts:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, experience +86]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman professional experience points +42]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, experience +278]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman professional experience points +142]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, experience +326]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman professional experience points +172]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, experience +359]


    [You have experienced a battle, Night Watchman professional experience points +205]


    ��


    A dense stream of system prompts almost filled the screen.


    From the initial bout with Lagaray to the battle with the sledgehammer man, then the one against six, and finally the fight with a Black Flame Cultist, the sum total of experience awarded was significantly hefty.


    The Profession Level of Night Watchman and the Giant Bear Sword Technique both climbed by more than half, Night Watchman reaching lv4 (593/1000), while Giant Bear Sword Technique reached lv5 (1049/2000).


    While Rein was returning to Flashgold Town,


    Weilun, accompanied by his daughter, found Lord Hamilton, who was still dealing with the aftermath at Steward Farm, and said, ��Sir, I request to resign from my position as the leader of the Night Watchman. I deeply regret my negligence in the entire course of events.��


    ��If it weren��t for your timely arrival at the end, stopping that black-robed person, and Rein successfully rescuing all the children, I would have felt guilty for the rest of my life,�� Weilun added as he bowed deeply.


    Lord Hamilton was silent, mulling over the scene; his emotions were complex.


    He had children too, and from a father��s perspective, there was nothing wrong with what Weilun did.


    Unfortunately, he was the Captain of the Night Watchman.


    Lord Hamilton nodded and said, ��Granted! Weilun, I accept your request. By the way, do you have a recommendation for the position of Night Watchman Captain?��


    ��Thank you, sir. I recommend Rein and Matteo. Of course, I prefer Rein. Even though he has not been part of the Night Watchman for long, his strength is evident to all. Without him, this rescue could not have proceeded so smoothly,�� Weilun earnestly expressed.


    For Rein, Weilun was genuinely grateful.


    Having gone through this event, he felt he had been too negligent towards his family before. It would be a joy to spend more time with his daughter Abby and his family from now on.


    When Rein got home, he quickly discovered that Lagaray and Sister Anna were missing from the house.


    ��Bo He? Where��s Sister Anna?�� Rein couldn��t help but ask his sister, who was playing with the Lintree hound.


    ��Sister Anna and Lagaray are next door at Sister Anna��s place, they��re tidying up the room. They said they are staying over there tonight,�� Bo He informed him.


    ��Oh?�� Upon hearing this, Rein felt a touch of emptiness.


    Since the Blackbeard incident began, Anna had been living in his house, and it seemed he had grown quite accustomed to her presence.

 Chapter 118 - 118 - 110: Promotion and Undercurrents_2

    Chapter 118 �C 110: Promotion and Undercurrents_2


    ��`


    But thinking about it, his room was already full, and with the addition of Lagaray, there was simply no space left.


    Moreover, the threat from the hyena gang had long been resolved, and it was only fair for Anna to go back to her own place. Besides, with Lagaray��s strength, protecting Anna would be more than enough.


    After some thought, Rein didn��t seek out Lagaray and the others but returned to his own room.


    Lying in bed, Rein was still reflecting on the battle with the black flame monk.


    He had won that fight by the skin of his teeth.


    Now, recalling the event carefully, Rein felt a chill run down his spine; if the black flame monk hadn��t been injured by Hamilton, he probably would have stood no chance of defeating him.


    ...


    No, it wasn��t just unlikely that he would defeat him.


    He probably would have been forced to flee in a panic, and even his life would have been at risk.


    Moving at such speed and agility with a sword wound in the abdomen, Rein could only imagine how much faster the monk would have been uninjured.


    His finishing move could easily have been dodged by the opponent.


    ��I really need to improve my strength!�� Rein muttered.


    Soon, Rein, exhausted from the day, fell into a deep sleep.


    The next two days in Flashgold Town were calm and peaceful.


    Rein finally learned Lagaray��s shield technique, and it showed up on the Night Watchman��s panel as ��Skill: Shield Defense lv1��.


    In the following days, Rein also reflected on some of the combat skills he had used in recent battles, feeling that he had gained a lot from the experience.


    Additionally, with Lagaray��s careful instruction by his side, Rein��s shield defense improved rapidly, reaching Shield Defense lv2 (124/300) just recently.


    Having a sparring partner made a significant difference.


    It reminded Rein of the time when Cleya was still around, and how his learning of the Giant Bear Sword Technique had progressed by leaps and bounds.


    With Lagaray as his sparring partner, his swordsmanship and shield defense improved day by day.


    It seemed that due to the affair with the Black Flame Church stronghold, the County Town had yet to send a team to investigate the Evil Spirit Knight, which left Lagaray feeling somewhat dispirited.


    Early on the third day, Rein received a message from the guards, informing him that Hamilton wanted to see him in his office.


    This left Rein somewhat puzzled. Could it be that there was news about the Black Flame Church so soon?


    He walked into Hamilton��s office.


    Although the office was filled with the scent of healing potions, Hamilton, dressed in noble hunting attire, was energetically attending to his duties. Clearly, the destruction of the stronghold and the defeat of the black flame monk had left Hamilton invigorated.


    ��Rein, take a seat,�� he said.


    ��The reason I asked you here is to promote you to the position of Night Watchman captain,�� Hamilton said with a smile.


    ��


    In a study room on the second floor of Habsburg Castle.


    The door suddenly opened without a knock.


    This displeased the room��s occupant, Dennis, who was about to reprimand the intruder when he looked up and his pupils constricted.


    ��Father�� Father!�� Dennis hadn��t expected the person opening the door to be his father. As he rose to his feet, his voice trembled with fear.


    His father, Kroos Norman, was a retired colonel of the Dragan Empire Navy, many of whose strict and decisive ways were reflected in his behavior.


    Since childhood, Dennis hadn��t been spared hardship. This time, by using the pursuit of Cleya as an excuse, he had managed to spend a short term away from his father��s iron grip at the Habsburg estate. But now, due to Rulse��s death, his father had come in person.


    ��Come with me,�� said the imposing middle-aged man with sword-like eyebrows that gave a sharp and forceful impression. He glanced at his son and spoke coldly.


    Without any thought of resisting or even uttering a word of rebuttal, Dennis obediently followed behind, heading to the estate��s main gate.


    When the two reached the gate of Habsburg Castle, they saw a black carriage waiting for them, with a striking black and gold double-headed wolf crest on its panel, the family emblem of the Normans.


    Once on the carriage, Baron Norman handed Dennis a dossier without a word and passed it to him.


    ��`


    Dennis was initially startled, then realized what was happening, and immediately took the documents, browsing through them swiftly in front of Baron Norman.


    Upon first glance, Dennis couldn��t help exclaiming, ��This is that farmer��s son Rein��s����


    He then looked up at his father in surprise. He hadn��t expected his father to start investigating the farmer��s son Rein, who had killed Rulse, so quickly.


    But Baron Norman��s face was still expressionless.


    This made Dennis feel uneasy; he knew what his father meant: he was to finish reading the materials before they talked.


    Additionally, his father at this moment was the most terrifying, for he was suppressing the anger within him, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.


    As he continued to go through the materials, Dennis grew more and more alarmed; many of the documents were new to him.


    ����Exterminating the murlocs at Glimmer Lake����


    ����Promoting Rein to an elite Night Watchman����


    ����In dealing with the Elim Mine incident, killing the Crystal Stone lizard�� slaying the injured Tunneling Stone monster��.��


    ����Rein, highly regarded by the peace officer of Flashgold Town, Hamilton����


    The recent information about Rein was incredibly detailed, as though it had been copied directly from the Night Watchman archive in County Town.


    As for the record of Rein killing the Black Flame Monk a couple of days ago, the archive didn��t have it, which suggested that this information was obtained three days ago.


    ��Finished?�� asked Baron Norman in a deep voice, resonating within the enclosed carriage.


    ��Yes,�� Dennis nodded.


    ��I got it a few days ago with the help of a former naval colleague,�� Baron Norman explained.


    ��Rein��s strength, although he��s not yet a formal knight, is certainly not just that of an elite Night Watchman. I judge his strength to be at least at the level of a third-grade knight��s attendant, or even�� a prospective knight!�� Baron Norman spoke firmly.


    ��What? How is that possible? It��s only been a little over a month since Cleya approached him. How could he possibly have improved so fast?�� Dennis exclaimed with a shocked expression!


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    ��Only a little over a month? Was it Cleya who approached him first?�� Dennis let slip some information that Baron Norman didn��t know, to his father��s considerable surprise.


    ��That��should be impossible,�� Baron Norman mused after a moment.


    After all, to cultivate the breathing technique from zero to the level of a prospective knight in just over a month was talent that was beyond comprehension.


    ��It��s true! Father, I��ve seen Rein a little over a month ago; he was thin and looked just like an ordinary person!�� Dennis explained, his face flushed with earnestness.


    ��If it��s true, as you say, then his knightly talent is greater than the most talented genius of our Meister County. Do you realize what this means?�� Baron Norman frowned.


    ��It means he��ll soon be promoted to knight?�� Dennis guessed, looking at the baron with a puzzled expression.


    ��Wrong! It��s highly possible that he��s already discovered from Rulse��s belongings that Rulse came from the Norman family. Giving such a genius more time to grow means he will become a major problem.��


    Dennis suddenly realized, ��So, Father, you��re planning to take care of this personally����


    But Dennis was interrupted before he could finish speaking.


    ��Wrong! It��s not appropriate for me to act, given his sensitive identity. Phil Kraz will take care of it in a day that��s not too far off.��


    Phil Kraz?


    Why did that name sound so familiar?


    Dennis pondered, certain he had heard of this person before.


    ��The Black Sail pirate?�� Dennis couldn��t help but whisper.


    He remembered then. Phil Kraz was the deputy commander of the Black Sail pirates, possessing not just the strength of a senior knight but also excelling in archery. He was a rare sharpshooter among pirates with the nickname ��Bloody Shooter.��


    When his father had served in the empire��s navy, he had bestowed favors upon some pirate groups, who in return offered extra protection to the Norman family��s merchant ships. The Black Sail pirates were one of them. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seemingly aware that Dennis had made the connection, Baron Norman slowly revealed a secret: ��Phil Kraz, the deputy commander of the Black Sail pirates, owes me a big favor.��


    ��They had plans to join forces with several other pirates and launch raids on several small towns in Meister County soon,�� he continued.


    ����.��

 Chapter 119 - 119: 111 chapters Women as beasts of burden

    Chapter 119: 111 chapters Women as beasts of burden


    ��Phil Kraz had now placed Flashgold Town on the list of places to be raided, and as a Night Watchman, Rein was bound to encounter the pirates head-on, and he himself would make a special trip to Flashgold Town to take care of Rein.��


    Dennis remained silent.


    His father��s plan was meticulous�� and shrewd.


    No one would associate ��Rein��s death�� with the Norman family, nor would anyone suspect a hereditary baron family over the death of a genius.


    It seems, as the heir to a baron, he still had much to learn!


    ��


    Flashgold Town administrative hall.


    ...


    The conversation between Rein and Lord Hamilton was still ongoing in the office.


    Upon hearing the news of his promotion, Rein naturally felt a flicker of joy inside.


    Primarily because this aligned with his expectation����to raise his tier within the imperial officials, thus gaining more support and information.��


    Rein hadn��t immediately realized that the captaincy had become vacant only after Weilun firstly resigned.


    He had thought it was just a routine promotion following the completion of the merit review for the last child rescue mission.


    ��Thank you, Lord Hamilton!�� Rein bowed slightly, expressing his gratitude.


    Hamilton smiled and nodded, saying, ��The Night Watchmen need capable young people like you to join and take on greater responsibilities!��


    ��Right, as the captain of the Night Watchmen, you will be responsible for the area originally under Weilun��s jurisdiction, primarily the night patrols in the southern part of Flashgold Town, of course, there are other matters as well.��


    ��Specifically, you can transition with Weilun.��


    ��Eh? Captain Weilun he��.�� Rein was stunned, was the captaincy��


    After Hamilton mentioned that Weilun had applied to step down to an ordinary Night Watchman, Rein couldn��t help but feel melancholic.


    His very first Night Watchman mission����clearing the merfolk at Glimmer Lake,�� was led by Weilun, and it was during that mission that he was lucky enough to find a piece of Glowstone at the merfolk camp.


    He hadn��t expected Weilun to step down so soon; Rein planned to visit the former captain Weilun later.


    ��Rein, there��s another matter, perhaps even more important to you. Your advanced Magic Potion is already on the way, and it should arrive in two days,��


    ��In two days? That��s great!�� Rein was visibly more excited about this news than about his promotion to captain!


    It meant a promotion to a formal Knight! S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had been waiting too long.


    Thinking of the advanced Magic Potion naturally made Rein think about the requirements for becoming a knight. Currently, he still hadn��t met the shield defense criterion, although his archery and horsemanship skills had both advanced to lv3 the day before.


    Rein glanced at shield defense under the Night Watchman panel, currently at shield defense lv2 (124/300), which was the result of training all day for eight hours with Lagaray.


    If there were only two days left, he realistically couldn��t expect to advance his shield defense to lv3 or higher, unless he used Skill Points.


    But Rein was naturally reluctant to use his precious Skill Points on shield defense.


    ��It looks like I��ll have to keep pushing Lagaray for the next two days, striving to advance my shield defense to lv3 or higher before the advanced Magic Potion arrives so I can take it immediately upon receipt.��


    ��Just right, I��ve passed the midway point of my Night Watchman Profession Level and am close to leveling up from the trials with Lagaray these past few days.��


    ��Perhaps, before my promotion, I can push my Night Watchman level a bit higher,�� Rein thought. Join us on freewebnovel


    On reflection, though it felt like he had been waiting a long time to be promoted to Knight, when calculated carefully, it had only been about two months since he started learning the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    At that moment, Hamilton interrupted Rein��s thoughts.


    ��Right, Rein, since Lady Creya didn��t mention the advanced Magic Potion, I assume she also didn��t tell you about some other relevant details, like the precautions for use?��


    ��Precautions for use? Lady Creya indeed never mentioned those.�� Rein glanced at Hamilton with a hint of confusion, shaking his head.


    ��I think it��s necessary to remind you.��


    ��Rein, before you take the advanced Magic Potion, you must bring yourself into optimal physical condition.��


    As he spoke, Hamilton paused, seemingly pondering, then he thought of something and started searching through a drawer in his desk, pulling out a thin booklet and handing it to Rein.


    ��Specifically, it��s all in this booklet. This booklet comes with the advanced Magic Potion when exchanged for through Merit Points, and I��ll give this one to you.��


    ��Since you purchased directly from the military and didn��t have this guide,�� Hamilton explained.


    ��Thank you, sir.�� Rein took it and saw that it was titled ��Advanced Magic Potion Consumption Guide.��


    ��Also, before you consume it, you must be very careful to safeguard your advanced Magic Potion. If others knew you possess a rare advanced Magic Potion corresponding to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, you could be in significant trouble,��


    At this, Hamilton frowned, seemingly also a bit worried.


    ��Ah, your advanced Magic Potion has arrived too early! If it had come just half a year later, no, even three months might have been just right,�� Hamilton shook his head.


    But he understood that the military wouldn��t keep this rare advanced Magic Potion for Rein just because he hadn��t advanced yet.

 Chapter 120 - 120 - 111: Women as Beasts of Burden_2

    Chapter 120 �C 111: Women as Beasts of Burden_2


    Moreover, it was very unsafe to do so, as the potion could easily be diverted to meet the urgent requirements of some noble��s offspring. If that happened, Rein would have no choice but to find a corner and cry his eyes out.


    ��Thank you very much, sir! I will be careful,�� Rein said, naturally expressing his gratitude for Hamilton��s concern.


    He also understood why Hamilton was worried, believing that he wasn��t yet ready to take the advanced magic potion and needed more time to improve himself.


    But in fact, Rein had already decided that as soon as he got his hands on the advanced potion, he would consume it right away!


    Rein had given this matter thought: possessing a piece of the rare potion specific to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique was like holding a hot potato, an item that many would covet, so he couldn��t afford to delay!


    ��Clang��


    At that moment, Hamilton threw Rein a heavy bag of coins, smiling as he said, ��Rein, this is the money for purchasing ��Divine Blood.�� I might have gotten a bit of a bargain, but don��t mind that.��


    ...


    Rein gave a slight smile and pushed the bag of coins back to Hamilton, saying, ��Sir, I don��t need the money. I really like this set of Knight Armor; could you give it to me instead?��


    Hamilton was startled for a moment but then burst into laughter the next second and said, ��Haha, you sly fox, all right!��


    He instantly understood Rein��s intention and looked at him with even greater appreciation.


    After all, which boss wouldn��t like a subordinate who was not only capable but also didn��t hog the limelight and knew how to act appropriately!


    After leaving Hamilton��s office, Rein went straight home.


    First, Rein carefully reviewed the guide, which mainly explained that one must promptly use the Knight Breathing Method to channel the overwhelming energy of the advanced potion after consumption, cautiously transforming one��s own muscle fascia growth step by step.


    Moreover, during this process, the primary substance in the potion would have a peculiar effect on the user; many Knights failed to get past this stage, leading to failed advancements, mutations, or even death.


    However, for Rein, he had his own plan.


    With his profession panel, there was no such thing as advancement failure.


    So once the advanced potion arrived, Rein would choose to consume it immediately and advance.


    Of course, what he needed to do now was ��squeeze�� Lagaray for more shield practice!


    Half a day later.


    Having the constitution of a barbarian, Lagaray, after acting as a sparring partner for Rein for half a day, also couldn��t help but gasp for breath.


    At that moment, the already voluptuous figure of Lagaray became even more pronounced, immediately attracting the gazes of other Night Watchmen and peace officers within the administrative building, their eyes frequently darting in her direction.


    From their expressions, they seemed to be saying that Rein was lucky indeed to have such a beautiful, exotic barbarian lady sparring with him.


    ��If I could have such a gorgeous woman wholeheartedly sparring with me, my strength would surely improve as well!�� thought many of the Night Watchmen.


    ��Rein, we��ve already done this ten times, don��t you want to take a break?�� Lagaray couldn��t figure out where Rein��s passion for practicing shield defense came from, she couldn��t find a reasonable explanation.


    If it was due to a special love and dedication for Combat Skills, then why wasn��t he practicing the ��Hammer Skill Essentials of Tokkal�� he had recently acquired?


    Thus, Lagaray was bewildered.


    Could it be true, as Anna said last night, that Rein liked her type?


    At this moment in Lagaray��s mind, she couldn��t help but picture Anna��s petite but slightly unripe figure contrasted with her own developed��body��


    Alright! They were indeed two completely different styles!


    So was Rein practicing shield defense to display his talent in order to gain her attention and favor?


    Suddenly, Lagaray began to let her thoughts wander wildly.


    Rein, on the other hand, seeing Lagaray who was obviously weary, felt a bit embarrassed; there was an old saying, ��Men are beasts of burden, and women are to be used by men!�� But this time, Rein had directly used Lagaray as a ��beast of burden��!


    ��Erm��okay! Then let��s rest��for five minutes?�� Rein could only consider Lagaray��s feelings, and took the initiative to suggest a short break.


    Lagaray couldn��t help but roll her eyes at Rein. Five minutes?


    Was he really that stingy!


    Even though he was a barbarian, his physical recovery wasn��t that swift!


    ��Ten minutes! Otherwise, find someone else,�� Lagaray said irritably.


    ��Haha, alright!�� Rein scratched his head, as someone needing favors had no other options��


    At that moment, a Night Watchman who couldn��t stand by anymore came over, glanced at the sweat-drenched Lagaray, then turned to Rein and said, ��Rein, are you trying to practice shield defense? Even though I��m no match for you on my own, why don��t you consider multiple people at once?��


    ��Your strength and speed are too far behind Rein��s����


    However, before Lagaray could finish speaking, Rein interrupted.


    ��Wait!�� Rein interjected.


    It wasn��t that his fellow Night Watchman��s words made sense, but what the other said triggered a new idea in Rein.


    ��Maybe we should give it a try!�� Rein said with a smile.


    Rein then donned a full set of heavy Knight Armor, and after adding over a hundred pounds to his weight, his agility and speed naturally declined. Meanwhile, he had three fellow Night Watchmen, during his bout with Lagaray, aim at him with bows and shoot training arrows from time to time.


    Under these circumstances, the pressure on Rein naturally skyrocketed! S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The efficiency of his experience gain also became much higher.


    Finally, by the next morning, Rein��s shield defense had reached lv3 (0/500), and the Night Watchman Profession Level soon after hit lv5 (0/2000), earning him one more attribute point and one more Skill Point.


    In the afternoon, Rein was called to Hamilton��s office, who said the Magic Potion had arrived.


    Upon entering the office, Rein saw a burly man with a beard, wearing the uniform of the Imperial Army, reminiscing with Hamilton.


    Just from the side and back, the man��s broad lats sounded like those of a fierce tiger, coupled with a solid waist, perfectly fitting the phrase ��tiger��s back and bear��s waist.��


    The soft deerskin chair was deeply indented by his weight, a testament to the firmness of his muscles and heaviness of his body.


    Hearing the noise of Rein��s entrance, the man fully turned his body to see who it was.


    This allowed Rein to get a good look at the man��s rugged face, thick beard that wasn��t too long, and a side-swept hair style. His overall bearing was wild and uninhibited.


    ��Rein, this is my old friend, Colonel Conner Domingo of the Imperial Army, also known as ��Greatsword Conner,''�� Hamilton said with a smile.


    A Colonel in the Imperial Army?


    Seems like a big shot!


    Greatsword Conner?


    Well, in front of him, it looks like my nickname ��Greatsword Rein�� won��t be necessary anymore�� Rein mused to himself.


    ��This time, Colonel Conner is here to deliver an advanced Magic Potion to you.��


    However, as Hamilton said this, Rein was quite puzzled. An advanced Magic Potion, no matter how precious, surely didn��t warrant a special delivery by an Imperial Army Colonel!


    ��Colonel Conner, good to meet you!�� Rein said respectfully with a bow.


    ��Hmm, so this is the young man you mentioned, Hamilton? He really does seem to have exceptional talent.��


    ��What about it, Rein? Interested in joining the Imperial Army��s Knight Corps?�� the Colonel known as ��Greatsword Conner�� asked with a smile after sizing up Rein.


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    ��Conner! Are you trying to poach in front of me? That��s too much! Rein, don��t listen to him!�� Hamilton pointed at Conner with a look of feigned anger.


    Rein, of course, knew the two were jesting and kept his eyes down, listening attentively.


    ��Right, let��s discuss serious matters. Conner, aren��t you going to introduce the Giant Bear Magic Potion to Rein?��


    ��Hmm, right, I should introduce it,�� Conner nodded and said.


    ��The main ingredient of your Giant Bear Magic Potion comes from the ��Paw of the King Ironmane Bear.��


    ��Bears are not social animals, King Ironmane Bear refers to����

 Chapter 121 - 121 - 112: [Knight (Transcendent)]

    Chapter 121 �C 112: [Knight (Transcendent)]


    ��King Ironmane Bear refers to a mutated giant bear whose Strength is far beyond that of a common Ironmane bear, possessing immense defensive power, and is both rare and extremely difficult to kill.��


    ��Moreover, a prospective Knight who consumes the Transcendent curiosity ��Paw of the Giant Bear�� from a King Ironmane Bear as the main ingredient for an advanced Magic Potion, upon successfully becoming Transcendent, there are a few who have awakened two Transcendent traits. Besides the most common ��Huge Strength,�� there is a very rare Transcendent trait called ��Iron Skin��!��


    ��And this Transcendent trait has almost never been seen among prospective Knights who have taken typical Ironmane bear ��Paw of the Giant Bear�� as the primary ingredient for an advanced Magic Potion, further proving the preciousness of the King��s supernatural curiosities.��


    ��Compared to the huge number of practitioners of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique in the empire, the appearance of the King Ironmane Bear��s Transcendent curiosity ��Paw of the Giant Bear�� fetches a very high premium.��


    ��If we compare prices, the one you��ve provided this time, ��Heart of the Stone Monster,�� doesn��t fall far short.��


    ��Moreover, the compounding of this ��Bear Magic Potion�� is helmed by a Master from the Royal Alchemist Association, who, delighted by the hunt, personally took on the task. After all, main ingredients of this caliber are indeed rare, and not many opportunities come by for a Potion Master.��


    ��Therefore, this ��Bear Magic Potion�� is quite valuable, and there are no shortage of covetous eyes, which is why I personally delivered it here.��


    ...


    ��Of course, there��s another reason. I wanted to see for myself if the person who is about to take this advanced Magic Potion is truly as talented as Hamilton says, ha ha.��


    While speaking, Colonel Connor picked up a brown leather briefcase from the side and handed it to Rein.


    ��Lord Hamilton flatters me. Thank you, Colonel Connor, for delivering the potion personally,�� Rein said after listening, slightly bowing to express gratitude to Colonel Connor and respectfully taking the briefcase.


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    The case was heavier than he had expected.


    Although with Hamilton handling the exchange, the chances of a problem were not great, Rein��s mood was somewhat anxious until he had the ��Bear Magic Potion�� in hand.


    For example, he worried that some high-ranking military official might have taken a fancy to the high-quality Bear Magic Potion.


    Or that only an ordinary Bear Magic Potion would be delivered in the end?


    Thus, the moment Rein actually got his hands on the Bear Magic Potion with ��Paw of the Giant Bear�� from a King Ironmane Bear as the primary ingredient, he was quite exhilarated inside.


    First was that the ��Heart of the Stone Monster�� had not been in vain, having truly exchanged for an equally valuable advanced Magic Potion.


    Second, Rein had the chance to awaken two Transcendent traits when he attempted to break through to Transcendence. Of course, according to Colonel Connor just now, even with the King��s material, this probability was not high.


    But to go from nearly zero to a minority is in itself a significant improvement.


    ��Rein, now I am worried that this ��Bear Magic Potion�� is too precious. If word gets out, some might come knocking immediately,�� Hamilton said, frowning. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colonel Connor��s brow also furrowed upon hearing this. Hamilton��s worries were exactly what he was concerned about.


    Therefore, after Master Inigo had finished compounding, he sealed the news and took it to his friend right away, but as far as he knew, some ��well-informed�� people were still probing whether the potion compounding had been completed.


    Rein, on the other hand, thought for a moment. Since both these important figures were present, why not take the ��Bear Magic Potion�� right here and now?


    The more Rein thought about it, the more he liked the idea.


    It would minimize the risk of holding the ��Bear Magic Potion�� and add the protection and guidance of two influential figures, which was much better than his original plan.


    Rein��s initial plan was to take it upon returning home, with Lagaray serving as his protective force.


    But it was clear upon reflection that Lagaray��s Strength was only equivalent to that of an average prospective Knight in the empire. If they were to be disturbed by someone with powerful backing or formidable Strength, Lagaray would clearly be of little help��


    ��Um�� both of you, may I take it right now?�� Rein asked, startling both men.


    Hamilton and Connor looked as if a thunderbolt had just exploded out of the blue!


    ��What? Take it now? Rein, are you ready?�� Hamilton was stunned at first, but then he jumped up from his chair, hands on the desk, and asked in astonishment.


    In truth, he had intended to say, ��Are you joking?,�� but he immediately thought of the scene where Rein had killed the Black Flame monk and so he promptly changed his tune, asking in a more tactful manner.


    Because in his memory, Rein was never one to speak rashly.


    Colonel Connor was equally astonished, having previously discussed these concerns with his friend Hamilton and knowing that Rein��s training as a Knight had lasted only a few months. Naturally, he was equally shocked by Rein��s declaration!


    ��I��m certain I��m ready! So if it��s convenient, both of you, may I take it right now?��


    Hamilton did not immediately reply to Rein but paced back and forth in the room, deep in thought. After a moment, he then asked:


    ��Have you read the warning notes for taking the potion?��


    ��I have!��


    ��Are you sure there��s no problem?��


    ��Absolutely!��


    ��Fine! The room next to mine is my resting room. Rein, get ready then take it directly!�� Hamilton said gravely.


    ��Understood, my lord.�� With that, Rein picked up the briefcase and went into the adjacent compartment.


    Connor��s lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but then he closed his mouth, remembering that the person in question was after all Hamilton��s prot��g��.


    Moreover, judging by his good friend Hamilton��s expression, which didn��t seem feigned, could it be that this young man named Rein really possessed such strong knightly talent that he could become a Squire from scratch in just a few months?


    Connor shook his head slightly, telling himself there was no need to ponder now; the result would naturally be known after a few hours.


    Rein came to Hamilton��s resting room and, without much hesitation, opened the heavy brown leather suitcase.


    Inside was a slightly smaller box with intricate patterns on its surface that seemed to flow with visible strange energy, causing Rein to be taken aback.


    This seemed to be some sort of witchcraft!


    Rein held no great doubts, as the suitcase had been handed to him personally by Colonel Connor.


    If the other party wanted to harm him, they could crush him with their power directly; there was absolutely no need to go to such lengths.


    Furthermore, Rein felt the energy on the patterns was somewhat similar to the green energy Anna had once controlled, which meant the patterns on the box were likely meant to preserve freshness or maintain a certain state.


    This made Rein all the more expectant about the contents of the box.


    ��Click!��


    Rein released the clasp and slowly opened the box; as he did so, the energy from the patterns began to dissipate, suggesting a one-time consumable. He saw a thick white mist emanating from within, along with an accompanying strange fragrance.


    Rein quickly determined that the white mist was condensed water vapor.


    But what was this strange scent? And why did it smell so much like some kind of food?


    As the mist cleared, instead of the special-colored liquid potion in a bottle Rein had imagined, what appeared before him was a gigantic bear paw shimmering with a faint silver light and an alluring aroma.


    Rein was truly stunned!


    An idea suddenly sprang to his mind, ��Could it be that advancement might fail because of a small appetite, unable to finish this giant bear paw?��


    Naturally, the image of a petite female Squire struggling with such a giant bear paw surfaced in Rein��s mind��


    At that moment, Rein noticed a small metallic strip on top of the bear paw, which looked like some kind of plaque or tag. It read:


    ��Made primarily from King Ironmane Bear, please consume this Giant Bear Magic Potion within three hours of opening the box��Inigo Orfastein.��


    ��Inigo Orfastein?��


    Obviously, it was a name, likely that of the creator of the Giant Bear Magic Potion, the master Pharmacist Colonel Connor had mentioned.


    After carefully removing the metal tag, Rein began to try his first bite.


    Delicious!


    Absolute deliciousness!


    Soon after the bear paw entered his mouth, a brief chew turned it into a mushy consistency, which he swallowed down.


    After the first bite, a warm sensation quickly filled his stomach, as if he had swallowed a hot spring, nourishing his belly.


    [Ding! Detected that the host is consuming an advanced magic potion, triggering job change��Knight (Transcendent)!]


    [Preconditions for advancing to Knight (Transcendent): 1. Any Knight Breathing Method lv5 or above; 2. Strength 12 points or above, agility 12 points or above, Constitution 12 points or above; 3. Any Riding Skill lv3 or above, shield defense lv3 or above, any Bow Skill lv3 or above, any Melee Combat Skill lv4 or above; 4. Appropriate advancement magic potion��.All conditions met!]


    [��.Night Watchman advancement to Knight (Transcendent) conditions all met, yes/no to complete advancement to Knight (Transcendent)?]


    [Note: Advancing to Knight (Transcendent) will overwrite the Night Watchman job panel.]


    Though he had anticipated this outcome, seeing it for real still filled Rein��s heart with excitement!


    Knight (Transcendent), the word ��Transcendent�� within the brackets, its meaning went without saying.


    Having reached the level of an official Knight, within the Empire, this represented a commoner��s step into the threshold of nobility, though of course, only after having received a formal investiture could one officially step into the nobility.


    Although just the lowest non-hereditary nobility, the word ��nobility�� implied far too many undertones.


    Additionally, Rein finally felt a weight lift off his chest, as previously triggered jobs appeared ��odd and peculiar�� to him��.


    This time, however, it was different��it was the most orthodox of Knights!


    Even though it would overwrite the Night Watchman panel, Rein still chose yes without hesitation!


    One was a Transcendent job panel, and the other was a common job panel; obviously, there was no need to think too hard.


    [Ding! Job change commencing��Transformation ongoing��.]

 Chapter 122 - 122 - 113: It’s Not Heavy Metal Exceeded, Is It?

    Chapter 122 �C 113: It��s Not Heavy Metal Exceeded, Is It?


    With the second and third bites taken,


    the warmth grew hotter, spreading to all the organs of the body. As it was transported along with the blood, it seemed to also transmit a strange energy into the muscles, fascia tissue, organs, and bones.


    Soon, the entire bear paw was consumed by Rein.


    Not long after, the cozy warmth all over his body abruptly underwent a drastic and rapid change. The initial cozy feeling was now overwhelmed by the stinging pain in his muscles and fascia tissues.


    But following Hamilton��s earlier admonition, Rein had to immediately start practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Starting from the first move, Rein could clearly feel the strange energy being drawn by his Giant Bear Breathing Technique. Under the orderly guidance of the breathing technique, his muscles and fascia tissues began to grow more rapidly.


    If the earlier practice of the breathing technique was like a seed slowly sprouting from the earth, then slowly growing into a small, green sapling,


    ...


    then at this moment, after taking the advanced Magic Potion, Rein��s muscle and fascia growth seemed like a sapling quickly growing into a small tree, beginning to sprout its own branches and green leaves.


    Half an hour passed, and Rein felt his muscles and fascia still ��developing�� and ��regenerating�� endlessly.


    As Rein felt his strength continuously increasing, a violent and mad notion suddenly burst from the depths of his body, urging him to destroy everything within his sight.


    For the average would-be Knight, this was an extremely dangerous juncture; if they managed to get through it, they could successfully step into transcendence. If not, it meant failure, manifesting as either a decrease in strength or even death!


    However, for Rein, this advancement process was bound to be successful, so he took this opportunity to carefully experience this overwhelming wave of negative emotions.


    After a while, the violent and mad notion gradually disappeared, and Rein��s personal Will also underwent a certain tempering; the entire transformation process seemed to be gradually coming to an end.


    Rein felt a peculiar change in his heart; with each beat, it pumped out strands of strange energy, circulating it throughout his body with his blood.


    This should be the source of a true Knight��s transcendent power.


    [Ding! Job change to Knight (Transcendent) successful! Constitution +3, Strength +3, Agility +2, Spirit +1!]


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Knight (Transcendent) lv1 (0/100) / Blacksmith lv3 (0/500) / Dog Trainer lv2 (287/300)


    Constitution: 16


    Strength: 15 S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Agility: 14


    Spirit: 12


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining skill points: 2


    [Gained Transcendent Knight Trait: Huge Strength lv1 (Active)]


    [Gained Transcendent Knight Trait: Iron Skin lv1 (Passive)]


    [Ding! Host has stepped into transcendence, total number of job panels +1, current job panel upper limit is 4.]


    Wow! Four attributes added!


    Moreover, two transcendent traits really triggered!


    This made Rein clench his fists, unable to hide his excitement!


    The difference between one trait and two traits is almost like the difference between an ordinary person and a genius.


    Honestly, this was somewhat unexpected for Rein, for his level 5 Giant Bear Breathing Technique wasn��t especially high; from this, it seems that the advanced Magic Potion made from the King Ironmane Bear��s ��Giant Bear��s Paw�� must have played a special role!


    The original Night Watchman panel now saw the words ��Night Watchman�� disappear, replaced by the four characters ��Knight (Transcendent)��.


    In the bottom right corner of these four characters, there was also a line of small text: Physical Breakthrough Limit (3%) +.


    The entire panel also flashed a special green light, showing a clear difference from the previous white job panel.


    Below the panel title, above the skill icons, there were two additional lines of text:


    [Transcendent Trait: Huge Strength lv1 (Active)]


    Huge Strength lv1 Effect: Slightly increases strength.


    (Note: The degree of strength increase from the Transcendent Trait Huge Strength is positively correlated with the Breakthrough Limit; the higher the degree of breaking the limit, the greater the increase in strength.)


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    (Note: To advance to the next level, a Breakthrough Limit of over 30% is required.)


    [Transcendent Trait: Iron Skin lv1 (Passive)]


    Iron Skin lv1 Effect: The body automatically absorbs free metal elements, slightly enhancing skin defensive power.


    (Note: The increase in defensive power from the Transcendent Trait Iron Skin is positively correlated with Spirit and Breakthrough Limit; the higher the Spirit and Breakthrough Limit, the stronger the absorption ability, the greater the enhancement.)


    (Note: To advance to the next level, a Breakthrough Limit of over 30% and a Spirit of 12 points or more is required.)


    (Note: Transcendent Traits cannot be directly enhanced with skill points.)


    After stepping into the official Knight level, Rein seemed to feel every cell in his body rejoicing.


    Rein casually moved a few times, then held the bastard sword issued by the Night Watchman in his hand; with further enhancement of his muscles and fascia, swinging the bastard sword felt as light as a feather. Only the sharp sound of breaking wind could be heard repeatedly, though the sword shadows were invisible, only flashes of light passing by.


    The transformation was astounding!


    The substantial enhancement of Rein��s physical attributes allowed him to perform more precise movements with his weapon, naturally boosting his combat strength.


    Furthermore, Rein had a strange feeling, as though he could extract some sort of substance from the Bastard Sword.


    It seemed it was��.


    With a thought, Rein immediately began to control it.


    Indeed, a faint, almost imperceptible pale-silver mist spread from Rein��s right hand, which was holding the Bastard Sword, rapidly spreading up his arm and across his whole body.


    Rein could feel that this was seemingly an effect of his Knight Transcendent trait��Iron Skin.


    It seemed he could accelerate the combination of certain or multiple free metal elements with the keratin layer of his skin, thus providing formidable defensive power.


    Out of curiosity, Rein used the Bastard Sword in his right hand to lightly touch his left forearm.


    There wasn��t a single mark!


    ��Sss��..��


    Only after applying a bit more pressure did he manage to leave a faint white mark.


    This delighted Rein immensely.


    Such defense was akin to wearing a suit of plate armor, though it was unknown whether it could defend against the sinister black flames of the Black Flame monks.


    However, Rein also noticed that the original metallic luster of the Bastard Sword had dulled quite a bit.


    Upon careful consideration, it was clearly due to his Transcendent trait, Iron Skin, which seemed to have drawn some of the metal elements from the Bastard Sword to his body, thus affecting the weapon itself.


    ��Eh! My body is absorbing metal elements?��


    ��This�� won��t I be overloading on heavy metals?��


    Suddenly, Rein thought of a very alarming modern-day issue.


    This made him immediately lift his arm to carefully examine his skin��s surface.


    Upon close inspection, Rein found that the metal attachment and fortification were merely affecting the outermost layer of his skin, specifically the stratum corneum of the epidermis, and did not at all involve the dermis.


    This immediately relieved Rein!


    ��It��s great to have increased strength, but if it leads to heavy metal overload and premature death, then it would not be worth it!��


    Additionally, Rein checked the Knight (Transcendent) panel and found that the original Night Watchman core Skills ��Danger Perception lv2�� and ��Dark Vision�� still existed and had been inherited.


    This brought Rein double joy!


    Thinking back, Rein realized that not advancing from the Knight Attendant vocational panel to Knight (Transcendent) might not necessarily be a bad thing.


    Because, from a logical guess, the core Skill of Knight Attendant would likely be something that enhanced attack or fortified defense.


    But he already had the ��Strength Burst�� Core Skill and the secret technique ��Roaring Strike�� from the Blacksmith vocational panel, making him strong in terms of attack. Thus, in Rein��s view, ��Danger Perception lv2�� and ��Dark Vision�� were quite suitable for him at the moment.


    Another thing that delighted Rein immensely was the system notification of an additional vocational panel slot.


    This meant that if he was truly able to trigger some occupation involving controlling mysterious side energy particles in the future, he would not face a shortage of vocational panel slots.


    Just as Rein was about to try out the effect of the Transcendent trait ��Huge Strength,�� he heard voices coming from the office next door belonging to Hamilton.


    Judging from the unfamiliar voices, there were clearly one or more visitors there.


    Rein initially did not pay much attention, but he quickly picked up on a keyword, ��Giant Bear Magic Potion,�� which immediately stopped his actions and made him listen intently.


    ��Colonel Connor, Sheriff Hamilton, I simply wish to ask you gentlemen to introduce me to the lucky individual who acquired the advanced Magic Potion made from the ��Paw of the King Ironmane Bear.�� I think such a small request should not be too much for you to refuse, right?��


    ��Lord Gordon, the advanced Magic Potion has already been used. So, I do not think there is any need for you to meet the person now,�� replied Colonel Connor.


    ��Colonel Connor, you only arrived in Flashgold Town this afternoon, and there��s no need to deny that; I am well aware. Furthermore, from what I understand, a Knight-in-training would take at least several days to prepare before taking an advanced Magic Potion, even longer, correct?��


    ��So, I am certain that even if the advanced Magic Potion is not with you, it must be on that lucky individual, isn��t it?��


    ��Besides, gentlemen, just by making an introduction, you could earn the friendship of Lord Marquis Fritz; isn��t it worth serious consideration?��


    At this point, the room fell briefly silent.


    It seemed due to Connor and Hamilton not speaking, the male named Gordon continued:


    ��Gentlemen, one of Lord Marquis Fritz��s descendants practices the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, which is why he requires this advanced Magic Potion this time.��


    ��Furthermore, I can assure both of you that I will offer the lucky individual a compensation that will surely satisfy him.��


    Hearing this, Rein knew that trouble was at the door!


    And he had made a very wise decision earlier by choosing to take the advanced Magic Potion directly in Hamilton��s lounge.


    Had he decided to take the advanced Magic Potion home, he could have been intercepted by the opposing party the moment he stepped out of the administrative hall��s front doors!


    However, now that he had successfully advanced into the Transcendent, then��.


    Suddenly, Rein opened the lounge door and walked out calmly.

 Chapter 123 - 123 - 114: Playing the Game Unconventionally

    Chapter 123 �C 114: Playing the Game Unconventionally


    Connor and Hamilton exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of helplessness in the other��s eyes.


    Just then, suddenly, there came a knock on the office door, and without waiting for permission from those inside, the person outside pushed open the door and walked in.


    This made the young master known as Gordon very displeased. He said, ��Your Excellency the Sheriff, it seems that you are far too lax in demanding basic manners from your subordinates.��


    ��If such a thing were to happen in Makado City, you would become the laughing stock among the nobility!��


    However, he noticed that Connor and Hamilton were not paying attention to him; instead, they were looking at the newcomer with odd expressions, which made him curiously turn his head to look over.


    A young man clad in knight��s plate armor entered, a greatsword seemed to be strapped to his back, and with the armored helmet removed, he carried it tucked under his left arm at his waist.


    Therefore, from the newcomer��s features, one could easily discern that he was not very old.


    ...


    The young man was Rein!


    Only to hear Rein say, ��Sir, I am the lucky fellow you were looking for.��


    ��What?�� This made Gordon��s face fill with surprise. He scrutinized Rein carefully, and then, pointing at him, he stood up in shock and said, ��You�� you actually took that advancement magic potion directly?��


    Because he could clearly sense that the unrestrained, vibrant life force field emanating from Rein was a common phenomenon observed when a squire just broke through to become a formal knight.


    This transformation process usually lasts two to three days, so it is very easy to distinguish.


    ��Believe me, you have done a very, very foolish thing!�� Gordon said with an extremely unsightly expression.


    He could not fathom that anyone, upon receiving an advancement magic potion, would choose to take it directly without even an hour��s delay��what incredible confidence!


    Shouldn��t one normally adjust their physical state and mentality to reach an optimal condition before taking it?


    This youth does not play by the rules at all!


    Gordon felt sick to his stomach thinking about how such a rare advancement potion was squandered by the youngster before him.


    Rein raised his eyebrows slightly, a look of displeasure on his face as he said, ��Sir, should my successful advancement not be an occasion for celebration?��


    By this time, Hamilton and Colonel Connor, having come to their senses, were looking at Rein with surprised faces.


    Taking a few seconds to size up Rein, Hamilton stood up, a smile spreading across his face as he looked at Rein and said,


    ��Rein, congratulations on finally ascending to the Transcendent! I knew with your talent, this day would not be far, but I didn��t expect it to come this quickly!��


    ��Haha, congratulations, Rein!�� At this moment, a smile also appeared on Connor��s face as he stood up and spoke.


    Just then, a person dressed like a knight in plate armor, standing beside Gordon, quietly whispered a couple of words into his ear, instantly enlightening Gordon and changing the way he looked at Rein.


    Only to hear him say, ��Rein, is it? Since you claim to have successfully ascended to the Transcendent, that is indeed rare for someone your age. However, this Knight Caralvi by my side has taken a fancy and hopes to test his strength against you.��


    ��No!�� Hamilton shook his head, flatly rejecting the offer on behalf of Rein.


    The Knight Caralvi beside Gordon, by Hamilton��s instinctual judgment, was possibly even stronger than him, likely a seasoned knight.


    If he went a little too far in the bout, Rein, the newly promoted knight, would likely be severely injured on the spot, thus interrupting the entire Transcendent transformation process, and his strength would fall by ten to twenty percent for no reason.


    Because the Transcendent transformation is not something that can be fully completed in just a few hours��it generally takes about two to three days.


    Of course, the first few hours after taking the potion are when the transformation is most intense, completing about seventy to eighty percent of the total transformation, but this does not mean that the remaining twenty to thirty percent of the transformation is unimportant.


    ��Your Excellency the Sheriff, why not? Could it be that this Rein�� Sir, has not truly ascended to the Transcendent, instead relying on some potion��s effect?�� Gordon said smugly, as if he had seen through their act.


    ��This����


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    After hearing Gordon��s words, Hamilton was at a loss for words.


    He did not expect the other party to suspect that Rein hadn��t actually taken a magic potion but had consumed some other kind of potion to achieve the appearance of a burgeoning life force field, akin to just having ascended to the Transcendent.


    Rein, standing to one side, understood that the Knight Caralvi had whispered this piece of information to Gordon.


    Rein assessed the knight, and from his perception, the knight��s strength seemed to be about the same as Hamilton��s, although Rein could not discern any finer details.


    But Rein had a faint feeling that the knight might be stronger than him, though only by a very limited margin.


    Right now, having just made his breakthrough, he urgently needed an opponent to test the changes in his strength.


    Of course, what was most important was for Rein to demonstrate his power, to show that he had indeed truly stepped into the Transcendent state and become a formal knight.


    In doing so, he could also prove that he had indeed taken the rare advancement potion, thereby avoiding the endless harassment from other nobles seeking the potion.


    Clearly, there were far more nobles than just young master Gordon here, who coveted that advancement potion.


    Thus, Rein first looked at Hamilton and Connor, giving them a glance to signal his confidence, then turned to Gordon and said, ��A test? Certainly no problem.��


    This brought a look of joy to Gordon��s face as he turned to Hamilton and said, ��Your Excellency the Sheriff, it seems you do not have as much courage as your subordinate.��


    Hamilton��s face had already darkened when Rein rashly agreed, and now with Gordon��s taunting remarks, his expression became even uglier. At the same time, he also felt a trace of displeasure towards Colonel Connor.


    Before this young master Gordon, my modest position as the security officer of Flashgold Town naturally could not compare to Connor, the Imperial Army Colonel, yet Connor stood by silently without saying a word.


    Lord Hamilton turned his head toward Connor, and Colonel Connor seemed to realize something, walking up beside Lord Hamilton and whispering, ��Perhaps Rein will give us a surprise.��


    ��Hmm?�� Lord Hamilton looked at Connor with an extremely incredulous gaze.


    His expression seemed to say, Rein has only just stepped into the Transcendent realm, and you��re telling me there could be a surprise in his duel with an experienced knight? Are you stupid, or am I stupid?


    Connor let out a helpless smile, as there were some things that were naturally not appropriate to discuss in front of Gordon.


    But ever since Rein had entered the room, Connor had a vague feeling that Rein, who had just become Transcendent, might pose a certain threat to him.


    Yes! A threat to him, a Peak Knight.


    So, after a brief congratulations, Connor had been pondering over this matter.


    When he returned to his senses, he saw his good friend, Lord Hamilton, giving him a cold look, which made him feel both annoyed and amused!


    ��Then let��s go! You should have a training ground here, right?�� said young master Gordon with a smile on his face.


    ��Yes, right next door,�� Rein nodded.


    Connor patted Lord Hamilton on the shoulder and said, ��Let��s go! Relax!��


    Thus, the group of five, led by the guards, arrived at the training ground behind the administrative hall.


    Upon seeing so many important figures entering, the various Night Watchmen and security officers who were practicing in the training ground all stopped their movements and turned to look over.


    ��Security Officer!��


    ��Lord Hamilton!��


    ��Hmm! You all stop for a moment, Rein will have a duel with this�� Knight Caravel!�� Lord Hamilton said with a somber face.


    ��What?��


    ��Rein is going to duel a formal knight?��


    The crowd started murmuring among themselves.


    ��Could it be that Rein is already a formal knight?��


    ��Impossible, I was rescuing kidnapped children with Rein just two days ago, and he wasn��t a knight then, how could he become one in just three days!�� a Night Watchman shook his head and said.


    ��Rein may be strong, but compared to a formal knight, he is probably no match.��


    ��Indeed, Rein is now like a banner for us Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town, what is Lord Hamilton thinking? If Rein loses, won��t it be a disgrace to our town?��


    ��Losing to a formal knight is not a big deal! If it were you, you probably wouldn��t even qualify to duel!�� Matteo retorted irritably.


    The knight named Caravel walked to the center of the field and stood still, but when a Night Watchman offered him a practice sword, he completely ignored it.


    Gordon simply waved his hand on the side and said, ��Such practice swords cannot be used for a duel between knights, let them use their own weapons!��


    This comment caused a stir among the watching Night Watchmen; the opponent was actually going to use a real weapon. Was this still just a duel?


    It was nothing less than a formal combat!


    This time, even Colonel Connor squinted his eyes. Using a practice weapon and a combat weapon were two entirely different concepts.


    If they were using practice weapons��wooden swords made of iron��they would be at low risk in the duel given that both were clad in plate armor, with little chance of accident.


    If Rein were to lose, he wouldn��t sustain any serious injuries.


    But if they were to use combat weapons, then the risk in the duel would sharply increase, almost akin to a real fight!


    A slight mistake could lead to serious injury.


    ��I have no objections!�� Rein said with a serious expression, showing no fear.


    ��Very well, lucky one, let��s begin then!�� a deep voice sounded, coming from none other than Knight Caravel.


    ��Clang!��


    He drew out the two longswords that hung at his waist, revealing himself to be a rare dual-sword style knight.


    Rein too took down the Dual-Handed Greatsword ��Glimmering Greatsword�� off his back, holding it in his hand. The substantial increase in strength allowed Rein to now effortlessly hold the Dual-Handed Greatsword with one hand.


    Of course, if he wanted the attacks to be powerful, he would naturally need to wield it with both hands to chop.


    Seeing Rein was ready, the next second, with a ��swoosh��, Caravel in his hundred-plus pound knight��s plate armor charged towards Rein with the agility of a swift cheetah, surprisingly light on his feet.


    At his move, the surrounding Night Watchmen could only see a blur before the opponent disappeared from sight. When their eyes caught him again, he was already upon Rein.


    ��A speed-type knight!�� Lord Hamilton squinted and said. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 124 - 124 - 115 Stop Playing

    Chapter 124 �C 115 Stop Playing


    This made Hamilton��s heart cry out ��Damn!��


    Because Rein practiced the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, even though he had transcended, he was still a strength-type knight. Facing a speed-type knight whose power vastly exceeded his own, he was inevitably pressed into a defensive battle.


    If the roles were switched, then the fight might still be anyone��s game.


    After all, it wasn��t that rare for a rookie knight with a speed advantage to dodge a few blows from an experienced strength-type knight if they were extra cautious.


    Rein��s expression remained calm; facing the direction from which Calavi attacked again, he delivered a fierce Whirlwind Slash.


    The opponent tapped the tip of his foot and leaped high, aiming for Rein��s head, his swords rapidly crossing in attack, executing a classic knightly sword technique��Cross Slash!


    A chilling cross-shaped flash appeared before Rein��s eyes.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye.


    Unfazed, Rein countered with his Glimmering Greatsword, unleashing a powerful, forceful Furious Slash!


    ��Clang!��


    Sparks flew in all directions!


    The ear-piercing sound of metal clashing resonated.


    Calavi, mid-air, swiftly performed a 360-degree turn to dissipate the force from that direct clash.


    Meanwhile, Rein didn��t move an inch, not pursuing his opponent.


    Logically speaking, his opponent, while still mid-air, was the perfect target.


    Everyone was curious why Rein didn��t advance, but the sharp-eyed Matteo had already noticed that Rein��s boots had sunk into the ground by more than ten centimeters.


    This astonishment left all the Night Watchmen dumbfounded!


    To achieve that effect on the solid training ground! How immense the strength must be! They had tried stomping hard, but the ground would only kick up a bit of dust, hardly showing a footprint.


    No wonder Rein hadn��t pursued his attack; he was also dissipating the counterforce.


    ��Swoosh!��


    Calavi tapped the ground with his toe again, and in an instant, like an arrow off its bowstring, he surged toward Rein, his dual swords stabbing continuously at lightning speed.


    ��Hiss hiss hiss!�� S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sharp sound of slicing air assaulted them!


    Rein��s pupils narrowed as he swung the Glimmering Greatsword rapidly to block.


    ��Clang clang clang ding!��


    The opponent��s sword speed was just too fast. Even though Rein had reached a transcendent state and greatly increased his strength, he still couldn��t fully block all the attacks.


    A stab from the opponent heavily landed on Rein��s breastplate, producing a ��ding�� sound!


    Upon closer inspection, one could see a small dent on Rein��s breastplate.


    Clearly, the opponent��s dual swords were not ordinary steel weapons, just like Rein��s Glimmering Greatsword; they must have been mixed with some rare metal, which explains their remarkable power.


    Seeing this, Gordon couldn��t help but nod to himself, his face full of smiles.


    ��Hehe, with the next strike, this Rein probably won��t be so lucky.��


    Continue the excitement on


    ��Calavi hasn��t even shown his real strength yet, and this lucky fellow is already unable to withstand it!��


    At this point, Hamilton was already considering stopping this ��unfair�� duel from continuing.


    However, just as he was about to say something, he was stopped by Colonel Connor who said, ��Hold on, keep watching and pay attention to Rein��s condition. He isn��t panicking, doesn��t look like he��s about to lose!��


    Hamilton paused, perplexed, and upon closer observation as his friend Connor had suggested, he noticed that Rein was entirely too calm, not seeming forced at all.


    So, he decided to continue watching.


    Rein thought silently and subtly added an attribute point to agility. The opponent��s speed was a bit too fast, and at the moment, he still didn��t want to reveal his transcendent characteristic ��Iron Skin��; thus, he needed to keep up with the opponent��s attack rhythm as much as possible.


    Thus, Rein��s agility attribute instantly rose from 14 to 15 points, and simultaneously, his fatigue vanished, returning him to peak condition!


    Calavi slightly bent his knees and, swinging his dual swords, attacked Rein again, his speed even faster than before.


    Facing this strike from Calavi, Rein decided to test his knight transcendent characteristic ��Huge Strength lv1��.


    Suddenly, Rein��s muscles swelled slightly.


    Seeing this, a smirk appeared under Calavi��s helmeted face. Still too young and inexperienced! Using the transcendent characteristic ��Huge Strength�� so quickly. But what use is huge strength if you can��t hit your target!


    Just as he planned to quickly move behind Rein to attack, Rein��s whole body suddenly performed a Whirlwind Slash, the speed unexpectedly fast!


    This forced Calavi to choose to meet Rein��s ��Huge Strength lv1��-boosted Whirlwind Slash head-on!


    ��Clang!!��


    Calavi��s swords crossed, forcefully withstanding this mighty blow from Rein.


    He had obviously also activated a limit break, his body under the armor had also swollen slightly.


    However, since his Knight Breathing Method was not based on strength, even as a seasoned knight, he still couldn��t gain the upper hand in a direct clash with Rein.


    At this moment, Rein glanced at the change in his own data; his strength had gone from 15 points to 19.5, clearly an effect of the transcendent characteristic ��Huge Strength lv1��.


    Strength had increased by thirty percent, but that was far from the growth brought about by Strength Burst.


    It was unclear whether the effects were cumulative, but this was the perfect opportunity to test it.


    Rein activated ten percent of his Strength Burst and watched as his strength attribute jumped again, reaching 21 points.


    With 21 points in strength, Caravel��s hands began to tremble, and the Glimmering Greatsword pressed down harder, approaching Caravel��s knightly helm. Clearly, Rein��s level of strength was becoming too much for him to withstand.


    ��Ha!�� Rein increased the degree of his Strength Burst once more!


    This time, Caravel could no longer resist. He was knocked back as if hit by a wild boar, hurtling towards the training ground��s wall with even greater speed than before.


    Along the way, everything from archery targets to wooden chairs and sword racks were smashed to smithereens, until finally, with a loud ��bang,�� he crashed into the wall!


    From the point of impact, the wall displayed circular ripples and a significant dent.


    Fortunately, the wall was of good quality; otherwise, Caravel would have certainly broken through it!


    On the ground, one could still see two clear trenches, not very deep but noticeably distinct, precisely where Caravel��s feet had dragged.


    ��Impressive! Rein must have officially become a knight!��


    ��Rein previously claimed he wasn��t a knight, but now it seems he clearly is one! I mean, how else could he have remained so calm against that Black Flame priest?�� Matteo suddenly realized something and exclaimed in revelation.


    ��Yes! Yes! No wonder Rein could take on six mercenaries alone; he must have already been a knight at that time.��


    ��That ability to expand his muscles must be a knight��s special ability, right? Truly fierce!�� another Night Watchman chimed in.


    ����.��


    This made Gordon twitch the corner of his mouth, his expression sour. In his view, cleaning up that ��lucky fellow�� should have been an easy feat.


    But now, things had turned into such a ��complicated mess,�� which annoyed Gordon to no end. He shouted from the side, ��Caravel, stop playing around!��


    This caused the previously excited and joyful Night Watchmen to exchange glances, wondering if it was really all still under control.


    What happened next left them dumbfounded!


    They saw Caravel slowly extricate himself from the wall.


    He twisted his neck, producing no creaking sound, but rather the friction noise between the plate mail helmet and the chest armor, which further proved the ��tin can��s�� defensive power.


    As for Rein, facing such a resilient opponent like Caravel sparked not fear but a thrill within him.


    Having just advanced to a knight, he found it perfect to test his combat strength against an opponent.


    ��Swish!��


    Suddenly, Caravel��s form sped up significantly, bringing him within a few meters in front of Rein in a flash.


    At this point, the onlooking Night Watchmen could no longer see clear details of Caravel��s attacks.


    ��Transcendent attribute, agility?�� Rein couldn��t help but look solemn. At this moment, Caravel��s speed had nearly reached the limits of what the naked eye could detect.


    In that case, there was no choice but to use this move!


    Rein��s chest suddenly swelled, his knight chest armor nearly bursting, and the muscles and veins in his neck expanded noticeably.


    ��Ha!!!��


    A deafening roar erupted right next to Caravel��s ear!


    In an instant, Caravel��s entire form froze momentarily.


    Taking advantage of that brief pause, Rein executed a Furious Slash, sending his opponent flying once more with a combination of Transcendent attribute ��Huge Strength�� and fifty percent ��Strength Burst.��


    This combined strike utterly dazed Caravel!


    Due to the immense power of the attack, it almost completely tore off his chest armor.


    ��Bang!��


    Like a cannonball, Caravel was sent back to the same wall indentation, but this time, the already damaged wall could no longer withstand the impact.


    Thus, Caravel broke through the wall, flying out into the street!


    Everyone in the training ground watched this scene, dumbfounded.


    This��.


    The situation had reversed too quickly!


    Most people hadn��t even caught up.


    ��Cough�� It seems Rein has won. Young Master Gordon, can the farce end now?�� Colonel Connor coughed at this moment, addressing Gordon.


    At this point, Gordon��s face flushed red with embarrassment at Connor��s words, unable to utter a single word, and could only ��hmmph�� heavily before turning away.


    Meanwhile, the Night Watchmen immediately began cheering, ��Well done, Rein!��


    ��Rein, should we refer to you as Sir Knight now?��


    ����..��


    Just then, Hamilton, who had also been in shock, seemed to think of something important, suddenly turning to Rein with a serious tone:


    ��Rein, there��s something very important you might need to start preparing for.��

 Chapter 125 - 125 - 116: The Secret of Enfeoffment

    Chapter 125 �C 116: The Secret of Enfeoffment


    Rein, who was still basking in the aftermath of the recent battle, couldn��t help but turn his head in confusion upon hearing what Hamilton had said.


    Hamilton looked around and said, ��Come, let��s go talk about this matter in the office.��


    Rein nodded, naturally agreeing to it.


    After Hamilton and the other two had left, the entire training ground was like a hot pot that had just had a bucket of cold water poured into it, immediately boiling over!


    ��Rein has actually become a formal knight at such a young age! Such knightly talent must be rare even in the County Town, right?��


    ��Yes! Have we ever seen such a young knight like Rein in Flashgold Town before?��


    ��The last one, Vasiliy, seemed to be eighteen years old!��


    ...


    ����..��


    In the office.


    The three men sat facing each other. Connor was still smiling as he sized up Rein, as if looking at a raw gemstone that had just been unearthed.


    Hamilton, however, wore a serious expression and said earnestly to Rein, ��Rein, you need to start preparing for something in advance, the ennoblement examination of the empire.��


    ��The ennoblement examination of the empire?�� Rein asked, slightly puzzled.


    After becoming a Transcendent, isn��t one directly ennobled by the empire as a knight, the lowest level of nobility?


    Why is there a need for an examination? Rein thought to himself.


    As if understanding the confusion on Rein��s face, Hamilton did not keep him in suspense and continued to explain:


    ��If you are a legitimate heir of a noble family, you can indeed bypass this step and be directly ennobled by the empire. However, for illegitimate heirs, commoners who are promoted, and outsiders who pledge allegiance, a contribution to the empire must be made before they can have the opportunity to be ennobled.��


    Rein nodded; he understood. The empire offers you the treatment of a noble, naturally requiring you to make corresponding contributions. Otherwise, unless your ancestors had earned great merit, where could you find such a good deal that offers benefits without work?


    ��Of course, some newly-promoted knights with lesser strength choose to pledge loyalty to some great nobles and become knights for noble families, but I think, you will definitely not choose this path,�� continued Hamilton.


    Rein nodded in agreement.


    If one can actively choose the big tree to rely on, it is naturally best to choose the thickest one; after all, no nobility can compare to the mighty empire, the tallest tree.


    Be it providing all kinds of rare resources, uncommon combat skills, or secret knowledge, the officialdom of the Dragan Empire is always the strongest within its territory.


    ��So, Lord Hamilton, do you mean to say that this empire ennoblement examination is difficult or has a threshold?�� Rein pondered for a moment and then spoke up.


    ��Correct!��


    ��If you are a noble scion, simply becoming a Transcendent is enough to register for the ennoblement examination.��


    ��But for a commoner, this matter is much more troublesome.��


    ��First of all, you need to submit an application to the ennoblement examination committee under the Council of Elders, who will review your background and past to confirm that you are not a spy or from some hostile forces.��


    ��Secondly, you need to hold a position or carry out tasks in the official departments of the empire and gradually accumulate Merit Points. Only when your Merit Points exceed 1000 can you qualify to apply for the examination.��


    ��As for you, Rein, there��s no need to worry about the application part. If you agree, I will submit your application when the time comes. Additionally, you are already serving with the Night Watchmen. So, from this perspective, you are already half a step ahead of others.��


    ��Thank you, my lord. What is my current Merit Points total?��


    ��324 points, which already includes the points for eradicating the secret base of the Black Flame Church,�� Hamilton announced the number right away.


    Still lacking nearly two-thirds, it appears that gathering 1000 Merit Points is not so simple.


    After all, the simpler the tasks, the fewer the Merit Points awarded. And the more dangerous the tasks, although the rewards are much greater, they come with the risk of life and death, whether they are worth it is for one to weigh. Rein mused to himself.


    However, there were still a few questions in his mind that Rein felt he needed to clarify.


    ��My lord, what does the ennoblement examination typically involve? Or rather, what is the exam content?�� Rein inquired.


    ��Generally, it involves completing a certain mission. It could be for several people or for an individual. The performance of every participant in the mission will be recorded and submitted to the ennoblement examination committee for judgment,�� explained Hamilton.


    After a moment��s thought, Hamilton added, ��You can think of the mission where you killed the Black Flame monk and rescued the children as a kind of examination task. Of course, there are differences, with the most important being the evaluation.��


    ��With a high enough evaluation, you might be directly granted the title of Baron, otherwise that of a knight, which is just above the passing line,�� Hamilton explained.


    Rein, having listened to the explanation, displayed a contemplative expression, realizing that different performances led to different evaluations.


    ��That��s not right! Wouldn��t it be better to take the examination later? After all, more time for training means higher strength,�� Rein immediately spotted an inconsistency. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Then why does Lord Hamilton want me to prepare and participate as soon as possible?�� Rein questioned the apparent inconsistency.


    At this point, Colonel Connor, who had been listening for a while, spoke up with a smile, ��Do you find it a bit perplexing why Hamilton is urging you to hurry?��


    Rein nodded and said, ��Indeed, I do have such a doubt. Isn��t it more appropriate to have greater strength for the evaluation?��


    ��That is because age is also an important factor affecting the evaluation,�� Connor said with a smile.


    ��Moreover, Hamilton didn��t mention a very important reason. It��s about the invitation to the ��Sword Bearers�� of the empire, which is only issued to those who obtain the rank of Baron or higher.��


    ��At this time, the advantage of age becomes very crucial.��


    ��Sword Bearer��?


    This seemed to touch on yet another blind spot in Rein��s knowledge.


    Seeing the somewhat bewildered look on Rein��s face, Colonel Connor added:


    ��Sword Bearer, Rein, you can understand it as a privileged organization spanning the entire empire with an extremely wide coverage. If you can join, you��ll leap beyond just the Meister County, even beyond Mingster Province.��


    ��You will come into contact with a far broader world!��


    This couldn��t help but stir a slight movement in Rein��s heart. Could he come into contact with a broader world?


    Naturally, that would be good.


    At that moment, Hamilton continued after Connor, saying:


    ��Therefore, most newly advanced knights, in the interest of stability, choose to gradually increase their Merit Points. Usually taking two to three years, they��ll amass the 1,000 points needed to participate in the ennoblement assessment, aiming to pass and obtain the knightly title and honor.��


    ��But Rein, I think with your talent, it would be a true waste to do so!��


    ����Sword Bearer��! When I was young, I too strived and struggled toward this goal, but the gap in talent ultimately led to my defeat,�� Hamilton reminisced, unable to help but sigh.


    ��Of course, Rein, the final decision on this matter has to be your own.��


    ��Connor and I are merely informing you of this opportunity, and we both feel that it would be a tremendous pity for such great talent not to give it a try.��


    Rein nodded, saying, ��Thank you both for informing me of such important news.��


    After a moment of thought, without much hesitation, Rein stated, ��If there��s a chance to experience a broader world, then�� I should definitely take a look.��


    The moment Rein uttered these words, Hamilton immediately burst into laughter, his eyes showing increasing admiration as he said:


    ��Alright, if there are any tasks that come up with high merit rewards, I��ll keep an eye out for you. Rein, just wait for my message.��


    ��Also, I��ll arrange for someone else to take over the Night Watch��s night patrol duties.��


    ��It��s quite unexpected��no sooner had I appointed you as captain of the Night Watch than you stepped into the Transcendent today!��


    ��In that case�� be my deputy for now. As for your application for the deputy sheriff of Flashgold Town, I will file it with the County Town tomorrow.�� Hamilton was clearly in a good mood, offering proactively.


    ��Then, my thanks to you, Lord Hamilton,�� Rein said earnestly.


    ��


    By the time Rein left Hamilton��s office, it was already evening.


    Rein took a deep breath and gazed at the small town gradually lighting up with lanterns and lamps.


    The nightscape of Flashgold Town had not changed, but he himself was markedly different from when he had arrived.


    Or rather, Rein, having stepped into the Transcendent, had taken the first step toward taking control of his own destiny.


    When Rein returned home, he was greeted by the tantalizing aroma of food��the scent of dinner being prepared by his mother, Emma.


    ��Brother, you��re back!�� Bo He, who had been playing with their spaniel ��Cookie,�� ran over happily and hugged Rein enthusiastically upon seeing him enter.


    However, seemingly sensing something, Bo He let go and looked up at Rein with a puzzled expression, saying, ��Brother, how come you feel different than before?��


    ��It��s like�� you��re glowing all over.��


    The child��s keen perception had immediately noticed the strong life force emanating from Rein, though she didn��t know how to articulate it or what it meant.


    Hearing the commotion of Rein��s return, Lagaray and Anna came down from upstairs.


    Upon hearing Bo He��s remark, they began to size up Rein.


    Anna, too, felt that Rein had changed, but she couldn��t pinpoint how.


    But Lagaray was different; her eyes suddenly widened with shock as she pointed at Rein and exclaimed, ��Rein, you�� you��ve become Transcendent?��


    At this, the entire family��s attention focused on Rein, even his mother Emma peeked out from the kitchen, looking at him.


    Rein touched his head, smiled, and said, ��By luck! This afternoon, I took a Magic Potion at Lord Hamilton��s place, and I��ve successfully stepped into the Transcendent!��


    ��Clang!�� Emma��s ladle fell to the ground, her whole body shaking like she had been struck by lightning, a flush creeping over her face as she looked as if she were about to faint from excitement.


    Rein quickly stepped forward to steady her.


    Original content from M-VL-em|p,yr


    Old Rein, with a bottle in hand, was shaking as if he had Parkinson��s, mumbling with his lips, trying to say something but not knowing where to start.


    Anna watched Rein with large eyes fluttering, a complex expression on her face.


    That night, old Rein drank himself into a stupor!

 Chapter 126 - 126 - 117: Son-in-law?

    Chapter 126 �C 117: Son-in-law?


    After dinner, Rein was inevitably pulled aside by his mother, Emma, who then bombarded him with questions.


    The question she had been pressing in her heart was finally voiced after her son Rein attained Transcendence, ��Rein, I��ve noticed you��ve been challenging that girl Lagaray to contests these past few days, do you like her?��


    Rein was taken aback upon hearing this.


    Before he could even share his opinion,


    Emma continued, ��That��s believable, Anna is a bit too thin after all. But�� now that you��re a Knight, should you consider marrying a noble lady?��


    ��Of course, I��m not against you interacting with Anna, she��s a good girl, and that barbaric girl Lagaray isn��t bad either. I��ve heard nowadays many noblemen have lovers����


    Although they were in the room, Rein knew all too well about the poor soundproofing of their home and feared that continuing this conversation could lead to��


    ...


    ��Hold on, uh�� Mother, let��s talk about this later. I��ve just been promoted to Transcendent, and I still need time to adjust my physical condition. Let��s discuss this matter later,�� he said.


    Rein beat a hasty retreat!


    Sure enough, when he stepped out of the room, he saw Anna, her face flushed and her head bowed.


    Lagaray too had a rare blush on her face, but upon seeing Rein emerge, she huffed loudly, carried her chin high with a hint of haughtiness, and pulled Anna away.


    This made Rein breathe a sigh of relief.


    Otherwise, he didn��t know how he would face Lagaray and Anna later; it might have been so awkward that he could ��dig out a three-room flat with his toes.��


    Back in his own room, Rein calmed his mind and started checking the system prompts:


    ��[Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +286]��


    ��[You experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +32]��


    Rein frowned immediately upon seeing this, obviously, the experience gain for Giant Bear Sword Technique hadn��t changed much, but the experience for Knight (Transcendent) was significantly less compared to his earlier status as a Night Watchman.


    But after a moment��s thought, Rein started to smile.


    At least it could still be improved through fighting, right?


    What��s there to be unhappy about! sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was merely a matter of ��grinding��.


    After that, Rein focused his attention on two Transcendent attributes.


    Regarding the Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin��, Rein had practically tested it in Hamilton��s resting room and was fairly familiar with it.


    And the Transcendent trait ��Huge Strength��, in his fight against Karavi, Rein had also gained a preliminary understanding.


    It seemed similar to ��Strength Burst�� at a low range, and if used together, it was still quite a burden on his body. Fortunately, when he advanced to a formal Knight, his Constitution had directly increased to 16 points.


    So Rein guessed that using ��Huge Strength�� together with one hundred percent ��Strength Burst�� in the short term wouldn��t be a big problem, only that the ��side effects�� might be quite intense.


    Besides, he tried combining ��Huge Strength�� and ��Strength Burst�� multiple times, and by looking at the panel��s numeric display, he confirmed that the stacking method was not multiplicative but straightforwardly additive.


    If his base Strength was 10, then the combined state would be ��Huge Strength�� at thirty percent, plus ��Strength Burst�� at one hundred percent, resulting in a total increase of 130%, thus in the combined state, the panel displayed his Strength score as 23.


    About the limit breaking, actually, he had already exceeded the limit while using the Transcendent trait ��Huge Strength�� in a previous battle.


    But the 3% degree of exceeding the limit was really too low, almost the same as not having exceeded at all on the attribute panel, so he hadn��t noticed it.


    However, now that Rein thought carefully about it, he realized that exceeding the limit was very different from the ��Huge Strength�� Transcendent trait.


    After exceeding the limit, his Constitution, Strength, and Agility were comprehensively enhanced, and the degree was exactly the percentage displayed on the panel.


    So, if Rein��s limit exceedance reached 10%, once activated, his Constitution, Strength, and Agility would all increase by an additional ten percent.


    While the ��Huge Strength lv1�� Transcendent trait was an increase of thirty percent in Strength.


    After pondering for a while, Rein simply summarized his current understanding.


    Exceeding the limit is an explosive enhancement to one��s physical quality, whereas Transcendent traits focus on enhancing a particular attribute or characteristic.


    No wonder the degree of exceeding the limit likely determined the combat strength of a Knight, of course, this refers to cases where only one Transcendent trait is possessed.


    After all, possessing only one Transcendent trait is the current situation for the vast majority of Knights.


    Just then, Rein suddenly noticed on the Knight (Transcendent) panel, the ��Physical Limit Exceedance Value (5%)�� had a plus sign next to it.


    Oh! That��s not right, the value inside the parentheses was clearly 3% before, how come it changed to 5%?


    Rein noticed the change immediately.


    He recalled carefully, and it seemed that it happened during the contest against Karavi, when he had added a point to Agility. Could that be the reason for the change?


    Could enhancing attributes increase the limit exceedance value?


    But what��s the deal with this plus sign?


    Rein pondered for a moment, then focused his consciousness on the ��+�� sign. Suddenly, a Skill Point disappeared, and the Break Limit value shot up to 15%.


    Hisss! So it could be done this way!


    One Skill Point corresponds to a 10% Break Limit value?


    After a brief contemplation, Rein couldn��t help but feel delighted.


    Clearly, this was a good thing, as once the physical Break Limit was elevated to a certain level, both the ��Break Limit�� and the two Transcendent traits ��Huge Strength�� and ��Iron Skin�� would improve, meaning his combat power would increase.


    Wait a second��


    If attribute points could also enhance the Break Limit, would it make a difference whether he added points to agility, strength, or constitution, that is, would different increases in attributes have different impacts on the Break Limit?


    If that were the case, choosing to add points to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique would also be an option because it builds up over time, enhancing his strength and constitution.


    However, this method would take much longer, unlike the immediate effects witnessed from direct attribution!


    After flipping through the panel for a while, Rein once again retrieved the Silver Book of ��Beast Taming Diary�� that originally came from ��Hound King�� Cole.


    Now that he had stepped into the Transcendent realm, studying this unknown script was officially on his schedule.


    Rein opened the Silver Book, thought for a moment, and copied a few unidentified characters onto a small piece of paper.


    After his selection, these characters were non-sequential, so Rein was not worried that anyone would discern anything from them.


    If asked, he could easily claim he had seen them in some ancient tome and was merely curious to learn about them.


    He planned to ask Hamilton the next morning, with the reason being that he wanted to learn a bit about script and asking for an introduction to the scholars in the county town.


    Of course, Rein had a backup plan, which was to search and head to the ��Bat Market�� himself. There, it was highly probable he could find relevant material.


    However, that place was a den of mixed repute, and Rein still hesitated, especially remembering the Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, Endri, whose combat methods were diverse and cunning. Even though Rein was now a knight, he was not to be underestimated.


    Rein had a premonition that, if he could decipher these unknown characters, it would likely bring tremendous benefits to the use of the mysterious side energy particles he had contemplated before.


    The next morning, as Rein stepped out of his house, he found a carriage adorned with noble crest marks stopped at his door, flanked by four cavalry guards, each looking vigorous and powerful.


    The crest was a Kite Shield with a rose-like floral design on it.


    However, Rein��s limited knowledge of noble crests kept him from identifying whose carriage it might be.


    Just then, a middle-aged man dressed in a black tailcoat came forward with a welcoming smile, ��You must be Lord Rein? Baroness Crowley is in the carriage waiting for you. The lady wishes to have a word with you.��


    ��Hmm?�� Rein heard this with a start; he was certain he had never met any Baroness Crowley.


    Just as he was about to politely refuse, the middle-aged man continued, ��The lady has come from the county town and has been waiting here for half an hour already, so����


    This made Rein reconsider, and from the man��s tone, it seemed he was not here to cause trouble.


    Thinking it over, Rein nodded and said, ��Alright! Let��s have a chat then.��


    This pleased the butler-like middle-aged man immensely, who went ahead and opened the carriage door for Rein, who stepped in.


    Upon entering the carriage, Rein was greeted by a fragrant waft of perfume. He looked up to see a noblewoman and a young noble lady sitting properly, gazing at him with grace.


    The noblewoman was dressed in an elegant off-the-shoulder deep blue gown adorned with lace and a few pearls.


    The style exposed a lot of her fair skin, and a sapphire brooch secured the bustling top of her gown, which trembled slightly.


    The young noble lady appeared much greener, her attire more conservative. She looked at Rein and quickly diverted her gaze, her cheeks turning slightly red, but she seemed to think of something and looked back at him again.


    Upon seeing Rein settled, the noblewoman began softly, ��This must be the accomplished young Lord Rein.��


    ��Yes, honored lady, may I know the purpose of your visit����


    The noblewoman glanced at Rein, saying, ��I heard that a knight prodigy has emerged from Flashgold Town����


    ��Therefore, I must implore you to consider my proposal. Marry into the Crowley family and we can provide many supports. For instance, Lord Rein can forgone the noble title examination and directly inherit the Baronetcy of the Crowley family.��


    ��My husband, Baron Crowley, passed away a year ago due to illness, so once you and Jenny are married, you can soon inherit the baronetcy.��


    ��Of course, once you and Jenny��s children come of age, they would need to inherit the Baronetcy of the Crowley family. Furthermore����


    After the conversation, Rein blushed.


    The lady��s words immediately reminded him of his mother Emma��s words from the previous night, ��marry a noble��s daughter��.


    He hadn��t expected the news of his stepping into the Transcendent to spread so quickly. Baroness Crowley intended to make him a ��son-in-law��, and the young noble lady beside her would be his wife if he agreed.


    According to the traditions of the Dragan Empire, if he agreed, he could instantly climb to high status, enjoying the support of a baronet family and manage it together with Miss Jenny.


    However, he would also lose many things, like the right to pass his surname to his offspring, and��


    Baroness Crowley, seeing Rein frequently glancing at her but now suddenly falling silent, seemed to have thought of something. She hesitated for a moment before throwing another ��blockbuster��.

 Chapter 127 - 127 - 118 Unexpected Joy

    Chapter 127 �C 118 Unexpected Joy


    ��Lord Reine, if you have intentions towards me�� I would not oppose it.�� Seemingly embarrassed by the topic at hand, the beautiful lady��s fair, oval face flushed a deeper shade of red, adding an allure to her features.


    This statement shocked Reine to the core.


    At the same time, it also ignited a warm surge in the lower belly of Reine, who had not been with a woman since his arrival in this world, causing him to feel dry-mouthed and tongue-tied instantly.


    At this moment, he finally understood the openness regarding sexual matters among the nobility: as long as interests were aligned, many once unimaginable things could become possible. Reine, being a normal man, could not deny the temptation.


    If Reine had been unaware of the existence of the ��Sword Bearer�� and the details of the ennoblement examination, perhaps he would have considered it seriously, but now, he was sure he would not choose the path of marrying into a family.


    Suppressing the turmoil within, Reine calmed his emotions and thought for a while before speaking:


    ��Madam, marrying into a family is out of the question. However, your great favor flatters me greatly; if the Crowley family faces any difficulty that I am capable of handling, I will not hold back my assistance.�� Continue your saga on


    ...


    Upon hearing this, disappointment was clearly visible on the face of the Baroness Crowley. She had heard such pleasing words too many times at noble gatherings and knew that no one ever took them seriously.


    Since the death of her husband due to a strange illness, the Crowley family had been without a direct bloodline Knight, and two Knights in their forties and fifties had set their sights on her and her daughter after the Baron��s death, hence her urgent need to find a powerful Knight.


    The newly knighted Reine, coming from commoner origins and possessing considerable strength, was one of her best options, which was why the Baroness Crowley had hastened here from the County Town so early in the morning.


    In the entire region of Meister County, newly knighted commoners were rare, but surely there were others besides Reine within a month.


    However, newly knighted Knights of commoner origin usually have mediocre abilities, and someone with exceptional Knightly talents like Reine was indeed a rarity.


    ��That is truly regrettable.��


    ��Then, Lord Reine, would you consider becoming a Guardian Knight for the Crowley family? We are willing to sponsor a sum each year for the maintenance and purchase of your armor, weapons, and horses.��


    Fearing another refusal from Reine, Lady Crowley hastily added, ��Lord Reine would only need to help when the Crowley family faces danger; we would not disturb you during your other times of training.��


    Seeing Lady Crowley��s big, hopeful eyes looking at him, Reine pondered for a moment, carefully choosing his words, and said, ��But I might not be capable of handling every danger that the Crowley family faces, so����


    ��Of course, we would only ask for Lord Reine��s help with matters that are within your capabilities,�� seeing a hint of willingness from Reine, Lady Crowley began to use the respectful ��you�� in her address.


    Though Reine, now with Knightly prowess, had not been officially knighted by the empire and was not yet a noble, being addressed as ��you�� by a Baroness made him feel the changes that came with increased strength.


    Reine thought for a moment, nodded, and said, ��Well then, madam, your sincerity has moved me. I am willing to become the Guardian Knight for the Crowley family, how about a tentative two years?��


    Reine was aware of what being a Guardian Knight entailed, as Hamilton had once explained to him that if a Knight is very powerful, many families will seek to have him as their Guardian Knight.


    Sometimes, the mere name of a powerful Guardian Knight could deter threats, ensuring long-lasting peace for a smaller family.


    Similarly, during this process, the Guardian Knight would receive support from the family in certain aspects.


    As for who benefits or loses more, it��s up to the beholder.


    ��Of course, that��s wonderful, Lord Reine!�� the Baroness Crowley exclaimed joyfully.


    ��Then, Lord Reine, when are you free soon? Please allow the Crowley family to host a small welcome ceremony for you.��


    ��Hmm? A ceremony isn��t really necessary,�� Reine frowned slightly, not wanting to waste time on social events or ceremonies.


    ��Please do us the honor; after all, becoming the Guardian Knight of the Crowley family is no small matter, and we also need to deter some who bear ill will towards the Crowley family.��


    ��I see�� alright then! But today is not possible; let��s tentatively schedule it for next week,�� Reine thought it over, deciding that since he had agreed, he might as well go through with some of the formalities.


    ��Very well, we shall set the time for next week,�� upon hearing Reine��s agreement, Lady Crowley instantly relaxed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Just having Reine appear would be the best deterrence against the two scheming Knight servants.


    ��By the way, Lord Reine, if there is anything you need, you can always contact the Crowley family,�� the lady added, clearly in high spirits. While it wasn��t the best outcome, it was still very good and not a wasted trip.


    Just as Reine was about to take his leave, suddenly a thought crossed his mind.


    ��Actually, madam, there is a small favor I need. Could you possibly help with����


    ��Certainly, Lord Reine, please feel free to ask,�� the lady eagerly responded.


    She was more than willing to help Reine; this was an opportunity for her to deepen relations and maintain good rapport with a young Knight with a promising future.


    Reine then pulled out a piece of paper he had prepared earlier and handed it over to Lady Crowley.


    As she took it, she curiously looked it over, but from her blank expression, it was clear she did not recognize the writing.


    Just as Lord Reine was about to say something, Miss Jenny, who had been silent next to the lady, now turned slightly and looked towards the scrap of paper. Upon seeing the text on it, she couldn��t help but exclaim, ��Is this a mystical text?��


    ��Eh! Miss Jenny, you recognize this kind of writing?�� A slight movement stirred in Reine��s heart as he spoke.


    ��Uh�� Lord Reine, I haven��t formally studied this type of writing. I only know a bit, as there are books about it in our family library which is why I recognized it.��


    ��Oh, you have books? Could I possibly borrow them?�� Reine could hardly contain his joy as he spoke.


    ��This�� Of course, I��ll sort them out for you once I get back,�� Jenny nodded and agreed.


    Reine nodded; he hadn��t expected such an unexpected pleasure.


    Originally he had planned to first inquire with Lord Hamilton and had even prepared a second plan in case that failed. But now, he had resolved it just by stepping out of his house!


    They agreed to send the books over in two days, after which Reine bid farewell to Baroness Crowley and Miss Jenny and left the carriage.


    After getting off, Reine continued towards the town hall.


    Upon arriving at the hall, since he had already found a way to learn about the unknown script, he wasn��t in a hurry to proceed to Hamilton��s office. Instead, he took a detour to the training grounds.


    The first thing Reine saw was the training grounds�� wall, which had been smashed open yesterday; it had already been repaired. It appeared the town hall��s work efficiency was quite high.


    Seeing Reine approaching, many Night Watchmen who were training stopped and gathered around him. This was because Reine��s temperament was not peculiar and he was easy to get along with. Of course, the most important reason was that Reine had become Transcendent.


    It could be said that since joining, Reine had risen step by step witnessed by other Night Watchmen, naturally endearing him to them.


    ��Reine, you came! We thought you wouldn��t come anymore.��


    ��Yeah, you��ve been promoted to Transcendent now. From now on, we should call you Sir Knight, haha.�� Matteo, who was short in stature, said with a laugh.


    ������


    Reine looked at the smiling faces of his colleagues. Although there was an element of flattery, human admiration for strength was natural and nothing to complain about.


    After greeting everyone, Reine asked his colleagues for help. His reason was that he wanted to test his reaction time, so he needed a few colleagues to shoot arrows at him with bows.


    In reality, Reine��s real purpose was to confirm his guess from the previous day.


    After seeing the notice from the system about the Knight Professional Experience Points he had gained from yesterday��s battle, Reine vaguely guessed that after becoming Transcendent, if his opponents were not Transcendent, the combat experience rewards he could get would probably be very little.


    ��All four of you, shoot at me with all your might! Use combat arrows, and don��t stop unless I say to,�� Reine instructed.


    The few hesitated only briefly, then nodded.


    Matteo said, ��Now that you��re a Knight and wearing armor, combat arrows probably won��t hurt you. But still, be careful, Reine. It��d be embarrassing to get injured by us, haha.��


    ��Sure, remember to attack with all your might! If you can injure me, first round of tequila is on me tonight at the Oak Tree Tavern,�� Reine said with a laugh.


    ��Haha, great! Everyone, let��s put in some effort. Don��t underestimate us,�� Matteo said cheerfully.


    ��Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!��


    No sooner had Reine taken his position at the center of the ground than arrows from the four men shot at him like rapid-fire.


    After being promoted to Knight, the overall enhancement of his attributes allowed Reine to dodge the majority of arrows without even activating ��Break Limit��. For the few arrows that did come close, he deflected them with his armored gloved hands.


    After testing a few times,


    Reine waved his hand, telling the wheezing Matteo and the others to stop.


    Indeed, the test results were as he expected. The fight against Matteo and the others, if previously he could still gain a small amount of Experience, now essentially did not trigger the Experience acquisition reminder. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From several tests, he had only occasionally received two +1 Experience notices.


    Clearly, if Reine wanted to efficiently earn Knight Professional Experience Points, he would need to seek opponents who were also on the Transcendent level.


    With this thought, a smile formed on Reine��s face; it seemed he would only need to fleece Lord Hamilton now.


    However, just as Reine entered Hamilton��s office, he saw Hamilton look up at him and say, ��Reine, you��ve come at the right time. I was just about to send someone for you.��


    Before Reine could ask, Hamilton handed him a thin sheepskin scroll for a Bounty Order.

 Chapter 128 - 128 - 119: The Haunted Mill

    Chapter 128 �C 119: The Haunted Mill


    ��Reine, you could first look through the information related to this Bounty Order,��


    ��Originally, it was just a bounty, but after being posted for a long time without resolution, it has now turned into a mysterious event that needs to be resolved by official imperial channels,��


    ��This is one of several mysterious events that have occurred recently in the regions belonging to Meist County, which I selected. Once a mysterious event is resolved, the merit rewards are three to five times, or even more, than those of ordinary events,��


    ��Reine, considering that you have already stepped into the ranks of a Transcendent Knight and also possess the ��Glimmering Greatsword,�� I think you will not face much trouble with this mission as long as you are careful about your safety,��


    Reine nodded, having no objections to Lord Hamilton��s arrangements.


    With the ��Glimmering Greatsword�� in his hand, if the source of the mysterious event was some form of evil, he still carried a certain advantage,


    Reine took the Bounty Order and began to read it closely; after a short while, he looked up at Hamilton in surprise and said, ��I never expected ghosts to truly exist!��


    ...


    ��Although it could be exaggerated by common folk, these entities do exist in reality, just in extremely rare numbers, hence most often they are regarded as mere legends,��


    ��Such Bounty Orders are generally not considered by typical bounty hunters because they lack the capabilities to eliminate these ghosts and would only endanger their lives, making it not worth the risk,��


    ��Furthermore, those who can eliminate these ghosts are usually known as Demon Hunters, a group even rarer than the spirits themselves,�� Hamilton explained.


    ��Demon Hunters?�� Reine mulled over the title internally.


    This world��s Demon Hunters wouldn��t also be using a pair of swords��one silver and one steel��would they?


    ��Yes, it is said that to become a Demon Hunter, one needs to awaken some kind of Transcendent trait, but the specifics, I am not too clear about,��


    ��Of course, apart from Demon Hunters, there are also individuals within the church capable of eradicating them, but throughout the entire Meist County, there is only one large cathedral dedicated to the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess,��


    ��Those capable of dispelling evil are mostly high-ranking church officials, and if the mysterious events do not occur within the County Town, they generally do not partake,��


    ��The same is true for the advisors of the great nobles,��


    Reine nodded in understanding, realizing that people with such capabilities are rare and high-ranking, and naturally, they would not be the ones to take on such bounties,


    ��Lord Hamilton, then I will make minor preparations and head to Agatha Mill as soon as possible,��


    ��Oh, Reine, I have a bottle of ��Holy Water�� here from the Buffalo Cathedral in the County Town. If you are dealing with a resentful spirit or some such evil creature, ��Holy Water�� should be highly effective,��


    Considering this, Hamilton took an oval-shaped glass vial from a drawer,


    The liquid inside was clearly visible, a pale blue in color,


    Reine took it and examined it carefully; he could feel a subtle energy within, but it seemed to pose no threat to him,


    ��Thank you, my lord,�� Reine said, slightly bowing in gratitude.


    It seemed that Lord Hamilton had made thorough considerations for his first mysterious mission,


    After leaving the office, Reine thought it over and realized he didn��t have much to prepare,


    The ��Glimmering Greatsword�� was currently strapped to his back, and he was wearing knight armor. Other shields seemed redundant since acquiring the supernatural trait ��Iron Skin��, which could hinder the performance of his Dual-Handed Greatsword, S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After pondering for a while, Reine decided he could set out immediately,


    Considering it was only around nine in the morning, he could perhaps return by evening if all went smoothly,


    Given the ��official duty�� nature of this mission, Reine unhesitatingly chose a warhorse from the stable in the administrative hall,


    With a slight kick, Reine mounted the horse, ready to set off,


    Just then, a carriage arrived at the entrance of the small town��s administrative hall, and Reine casually glanced at the insignia on the carriage��it was the noble crest of the Habus family: ��a stooping bird of prey��,


    Though Reine was a bit puzzled, he presumed they were here for Hamilton and didn��t concern himself much, planning to ride off,


    ��Excuse me, is this Lord Reine?��


    Just as Reine was about to depart, a middle-aged man��s voice called out from behind him,


    Turning around in bewilderment, Reine saw a man in a long black robe, with a parted hairstyle in the middle, stepping out of the carriage and smilingly addressing him,


    ��Yes, may I ask who you are?��


    ��Lord Reine, I am Michel, the butler of Baron Alonso, the eldest legitimate son of the Habus family,��


    ��Alonso��?


    Upon hearing the name, Reine��s pupils contracted; he certainly knew who the man was, just not the reason for his visit,


    All Michel, the butler, did was maintain his formulaic smile and continued, ��There might have been a small misunderstanding between us before, but that��s all in the past,��


    ��This time, Baron Alonso has sent me to have a talk with you, Lord Reine. If it��s convenient for you, please join me in the carriage,�� Michel continued with a smile, gesturing towards the carriage,


    ��This��.�� Reine pondered,


    Worried about an assassination attempt?


    The other party wasn��t foolish; it was highly unlikely that they would try to assassinate him in front of many guards at the door of a small town��s administrative hall,


    This time, it seemed they were here to recruit him, but��could a past assassination attempt really be brushed off with just a small misunderstanding?


    Reine had already decided, despite whatever enticing offers they might make, to listen first and gauge their intentions,


    ��Alright!�� Reine dismounted and walked over, while Michel warmly opened the carriage door for him,


    As soon as Reine stepped into the carriage, he was stunned.


    The next second, he realized what was going on and slowly sat down on the sheepskin-covered carriage seat.


    Opposite him were a pair of beautiful twin girls, dressed in identical white, off-the-shoulder dresses with trim, which accentuated their delicate and tender bodies to the fullest extent.


    When the two girls saw Lord Reine��s gaze, they shyly lowered their heads, and their delicate bodies even leaned closer to each other, giving one the sense of appreciating the beauty of joint lotus blossoms.


    Lord Reine couldn��t help but look a few more times.


    For beautiful things, humans instinctively pursue them.


    Michel, who was nearby, seeing Lord Reine��s slightly shocked expression and his subsequent frequent glances toward the twin girls, nodded slightly with a smile.


    It seemed that this arrangement of his was quite to the liking of this ��farmer��s son.��


    Previously, his judgment was that since the ��farmer��s son�� had such exceptional talents but had never shown them before, it was very likely that he had a special affection for Lady Creya; otherwise, it was hard to explain this situation.


    If so, even though they might not find a beauty comparable with Lady Creya, there is a saying, two is better than one.


    Now, it seemed the effect was not bad.


    ��Lord Reine, Baron Alonso highly appreciates your talent. If you agree to become a follower of Lord Alonso, then these two beautiful girls from Crab Claw Peninsula will be your maidservants,�� he said.


    ��Furthermore, Lord Reine, here is a set specially prepared for you��..��


    ��Wait a minute, Michel butler, if I heard you correctly, did you just say ��follower��?�� Lord Reine frowned, interrupting Michel��s continuous story.


    ��Yes, if you become a follower of Lord Alonso, all your cultivation expenses will be��.��


    ��Sorry, but please forgive me for not being able to agree,�� Lord Reine shook his head and outright refused.


    What a joke.


    If previously Lord Reine was unclear about the difference between a follower and a guardian knight, after Lord Hamilton��s explanation, he understood it very clearly.


    Being a follower might seem nice, with the master covering food, lodging, and cultivation resources, but the consequence was that there was almost no autonomy.


    This was fundamentally in conflict with what Reine sought��to control his own fate.


    Thus, Lord Reine did not hesitate to refuse.


    ��What?!�� Michel had the expression of a duck whose neck was being squeezed, and the twin girls also covered their mouths, looking at Reine with a face full of surprise.


    Michel was stunned for a good while before he said with a gloomy expression, ��Lord Reine, I think you should reconsider Baron��s suggestion carefully.��


    ��Thank you, but there��s no need,�� Reine replied.


    ��Michel butler, I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave,�� said Lord Reine, and immediately turned around and stepped down from the carriage.


    Lord Reine knew very well what his refusal meant, but to be informed is to be calm, to be compassionate is to be anxiety-free, and to be brave is to be fearless!


    Meanwhile.


    In Meist County City.


    In a luxurious mansion��s underground hall.


    A slender knight holding a scythe-like weapon was respectfully reporting: Stay tuned with


    ��High Priest, the cause of Mort��s death has been clarified: according to the findings, he was killed by a newly emerged knight. Here is the information concerning that knight.��


    The scythe-wielding knight handed over a document to the High Priest, who was sitting in a large armchair. Under the light of a wall lamp, the cover of the document clearly bore the name Reine.


    ��In addition, since the stronghold near Flashgold Town has been exposed, we lost more than twenty ��materials��, and there is definitely not enough time for the Black Flame Prayer Ceremony. Therefore, we must expedite it by holding a blood sacrifice.��


    ��As for the location of the blood sacrifice, please instruct, High Priest,�� the scythe-wielding knight continued.


    ��Oh! A newly emerged knight from Flashgold Town? How coincidental.��


    ��The location�� have you heard? An Evil Spirit Knight has appeared near Flashgold Town. This might just be our opportunity.��


    ��Are you suggesting Flashgold Town, High Priest? But isn��t that a bit too close to the County Town? Moreover, the Habsburg Manor is just up there���� the scythe-wielding knight hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.


    ��The Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church should be dispatching someone to Nightingale Forest soon to investigate the Evil Spirit Knight incident, by which time the defensive force in Flashgold Town is bound to be drawn away, leaving it vulnerable.��


    ��As for the personnel arrangement of the Habsburg Manor, leave that to Alonso.��


    ��As you command, High Priest.��


    ��


    After refusing Michel, Lord Reine quickly rode his horse to the Agatha Mill, located not far from the County Town.


    This mill, by jurisdiction, was no longer under the management of Flashgold Town but belonged to the outskirts of County Town.


    The geographic location of the mill was excellent, backed by a grassy hillside, with a large wheat field in front, making it an ideal spot for a mill.


    But even in the harvest season, the road leading to the windmill was sparsely populated.


    Lord Reine continued to ride towards the mill.


    As he approached, he noticed three large, lighthouse-shaped windmills. While one was still in use, the doors of the other two mills were tightly locked and completely unused.


    At that moment, a round, chubby middle-aged man approached, wiping the sweat from his brow as he hurried over.

 Chapter 129 - 129 - 120: Whispers in the Ear

    Chapter 129 �C 120: Whispers in the Ear


    ��May I ask who you are?�� the middle-aged man, although not recognizing Rein, still bowed respectfully and asked.


    It was mainly because the present Rein was no longer the thin, ordinary citizen of two months ago.


    Rein, now of average height and build, rode a tall horse, clad in a knight��s armor, and carried a Dual-Handed Greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, clearly a formidable warrior at first glance.


    The impression he gave was, if not of an official knight, then at least of a knight in training.


    ��I am Rein. Is this Agatha Mill? I heard about the mysterious events here and have come to handle it,�� said Rein as he dismounted and nodded to the middle-aged man.


    Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man��s face lit up and he exclaimed, ��Yes, this is Agatha Mill. Lord Reine, I am Gregory Victor, the steward of the Watson Baron family. I am very pleased to meet you!��


    ��Mr. Gregory, could you please tell me the details of what happened here?�� Rein looked around and noticed that while the issue involved two windmills, there were very few people grinding flour at the remaining one.


    ...


    It seemed that the rumored presence of ghosts and the series of deaths had left most people feeling fearful.


    ��Of course, Lord Reine, please come this way and have a seat, drink a cup of bitter chamomile tea.��


    Rein followed Gregory into a nearby farmhouse where they sat down, and Gregory began to recount the full details of the incident.


    ��Not long after Baron Watson purchased Agatha Mill, one day a thick fog enveloped the mill and lasted the entire day. By the next day, we found two farmers who had come to grind their grain dead inside the windmill closest to the mountain.��


    ��They had been gutted, a gruesome death, with clear claw marks on their necks and bodies. Initially, we thought it was some kind of beast, so we hired a Bounty Hunter to come, but by the next day, the Bounty Hunter, too, had been killed by whatever was here.��


    ��After the successive deaths, an experienced Bounty Hunter came, examined the wounds on the bodies, and inspected near the windmill. He said that he smelled decay and ghostly spirits.��


    ��Since then, no Bounty Hunter has dared to take on this task.��


    ��Until recently, Baron Watson sent a squad of family guards to inspect, and after one night, all five of them lay dead inside the two windmills.��


    ��Their chainmail had been torn open by claws, and their flesh was mangled! After that, the two windmills were isolated and closed off.�� At this point, the middle-aged man looked slightly terrified, still haunted by the memory of the scene.


    Rein nodded, noting that this ghost or monster��s claws were highly deadly, capable of tearing directly through chainmail.


    ��Mr. Gregory, have you ever seen the monster?��


    ��I haven��t�� No one has actually seen what the monster looks like. That��s what is most unsettling,�� Gregory replied, frowning.


    The unknown brings fear.


    ��I understand, leave the rest to me,�� Rein nodded and said.


    Whether it was a ghost, was still unknown.


    Rein planned to first visit the two windmills, despite the bodies having been dealt with, the scene might still have some traces.


    ��Lord Rein, here are the keys to all the farmhouses and the three windmills,�� said Gregory as he respectfully handed Rein a set of bronze keys.


    ��Then I��ll leave it to you, Lord Rein. I will immediately report your arrival to Baron Watson.��


    Rein nodded, took the key, and then went down alone to the two windmills.


    It was near noon by then, but strangely, the weather began to change; instead of the sun shining brightly, a faint mist started to rise.


    This made Rein feel odd, as mist usually occurred in the early morning or evening. At noon, when the sunlight was usually at its strongest, any mist should have dissipated, but now it was forming.


    This instinctively made Rein more alert.


    Using the bronze key, Rein unlocked the door of the first windmill with a ��click,�� and immediately, a musty smell of damp grains hit him, mixed with a kind of rancid odor.


    Because both windmills were shaped in a cylindrical form that was narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, the mill area on the bottom floor was vast, approximately over a hundred square meters in a circular area.


    It contained numerous pieces of farming equipment, millstones, and other items.


    Going forward, Rein began to inspect around the millstone. Although some time had passed, he could still see distinct dark red blood stains on the side of the millstone.


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    Rein crouched down and examined it closely. From the splattered blood stains, combined with what the steward Gregory had said, it appeared that the farmer who came to grind flour had been attacked by some kind of claw, hitting directly at the neck, causing blood to spray and leading to his rapid death.


    After examining the first windmill, Rein opened the door and walked out.


    By then, the fog outside had thickened further, and visibility had started to decrease significantly. Rein could only see objects about ten meters in front of him; beyond that, even with his vision, he could not see clearly.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein did not retreat but went to the door of the second windmill, used the bronze key to open it, and stepped inside. This windmill had almost the same interior structure as the first.


    Similarly, Rein found blood stains of previous victims near this millstone, also in a radial splatter.


    From this, Rein believed that the two victimized farmers had died from the same type of attack.


    That meant the killer was the same beast or type of creature.


    Suddenly, Rein keenly sensed something flowing in the air. The exposed skin of his hands felt the movements in the air within the room.


    This made Rein immediately grab the ��Glimmering Greatsword�� from his back and hold it in his hand.


    Despite wearing knightly plate armor and possessing the Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin,�� Rein didn��t want to be ambushed by an unknown enemy, who knew how powerful the attacker could be!


    At that moment, the fog around became denser, slowly seeping from the outside into the windmill, making the interior less visible.


    The next second, Rein��s hair stood on end because he thought he heard whispering voices near his ear.


    Subconsciously, he listened closely. It seemed to be a woman��s shout, like she was saying,


    ��Danger�� run!�� Run!�� Run!��


    This suddenly gave Rein a chilling shock.


    He decided to leave the windmill first to think of a strategy, as this place indeed seemed rather eerie.


    Just as Rein turned around, he froze in place.


    Because right at the door of the windmill he had just exited, there was now a girl standing with a sorrowful expression.


    Golden twin ponytails, a plaid long skirt, and a white apron on her chest, her sleeves rolled up on her arms, looking every bit the farm girl.


    The appearance of the other party was so sudden and eerie that Rein suddenly felt his scalp tingle, and goosebumps covered his body.


    ��Is this a ghost?��


    ��But why is there no warning from my danger perception?��


    At that moment, Rein was holding a sword in one hand and began reaching for his waist pouch with the other; he planned to pull out ��Holy Water�� just in case.


    Suddenly, from the thick fog behind him, a long but muscular arm silently extended, aiming for Rein��s neck with sharp nails that resembled eagle claws.


    Almost at the same time, a level 2 danger perception warning violently alerted in Rein��s mind, and the next second, his head was suddenly attacked, emitting a grating metallic sound from his heavy plate helmet!


    As Rein hurriedly dodged, he swiftly swung his sword backward, and the forceful sword wind stirred the surrounding fog violently.


    Rein could sense that his greatsword seemed to have hit something, but the feeling was strange, not like hitting any solid object.


    The sensation felt more like he was cutting through water.


    Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from behind him, so shrill that it almost affected one��s sanity. Rein too was disoriented by the abrupt screeching, his forehead furrowing deeply.


    When Rein looked around again, the farm girl in the plaid long skirt had vanished from the doorway.


    ��Tick-tock!��


    Rein focused his gaze and saw several drops of blood on the ground.


    On the blade of his Glimmering Greatsword in his hand, it now began to faintly glow, and there was also a smear of dark red blood.


    Red blood?


    It seems it��s not a ghost after all.


    Rein lifted the Glimmering Greatsword to his nose and sniffed slightly, the blood carried a pungent odor, distinctly different from the rusty smell typical of human blood.


    Clearly, it must be the owner of this pungent blood that was attacking him.


    Rein had a premonition that the attacker could hide within the dense fog, then launch sudden attacks.


    For such ambush-type monsters, Rein could only defend passively, encouraging the attacker to come forth, as it was impossible to find any trace of the attacker in the fog otherwise.


    After some thought, Rein added his last Skill Points to danger perception level 2.


    [Core Skill: Danger Perception lv3 (Passive)]


    Danger Perception lv3 (Passive) effect: Your awareness of dangers around you has markedly increased.


    (Note: The acuteness of danger perception is related to the host��s spirit; the stronger the spiritual power, the more sensitive the perception.)


    The level 3 danger perception provided Rein with a dramatic improvement; whereas before, the level 2 danger perception only alerted him at the instant an attack was launched.


    Now Rein had a hunch about the specific direction from which the enemy was coming.


    For instance, he could faintly sense that somewhere not far behind him, there seemed to be a monster watching him.


    The level 3 danger perception allowed Rein to feel the rough direction of the danger source.


    Rein didn��t turn around but stood still with the Glimmering Greatsword in his hand, having already formulated a counterattack plan in his mind.


    Time passed by every minute and second, and it seemed the creature behind him was becoming impatient.


    At the same time, the farm girl appeared again.


    This time, she emerged about ten meters to the front-right of Rein, closer than before.


    She walked slowly towards Rein with a sorrowful expression on her face, her countenance filled with agony.


    However, despite the farm girl��s approach, the level 3 danger perception still did not alert Rein!


    Instead, alarm bells rang out from behind!


    Suddenly, from the dense fog behind Rein, a sharp claw fiercely stretched out again! Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because Rein was already on high alert, he instantly reacted.


    ��Limit Break!��


    Rein��s chest bulged suddenly, the muscles and veins in his neck swelling like a python.


    ��Roaring Strike!��


    Instantly, a massive wave of sound, centered at Rein��s mouth, surged outwards.


    The dense fog was instantly dispersed by the shockwave, revealing a hunched but lanky creature with sharp claws within the fog.


    The creature��s ugly face featured bulging eyes, and it watched Rein in fright, its entire posture poised as if about to pounce from above, its claws aimed at Rein��s neck.


    Clearly, the sonic attack was equally effective against this monster hidden in the mist.


    During the creature��s momentary rigidity, a bright silver light flashed.


    ��Thump!��


    The sound of a heavy object falling echoed, and a grotesque head now tumbled rolling across the floor of Agatha Mill.


    The creature was decapitated by Rein!


    The next second, Rein turned his head again to look at the girl.


    This time, her expression suddenly changed.

 Chapter 130 - 130 - 121: Abandoned Child

    Chapter 130 �C 121: Abandoned Child


    Rein seemed genuinely pleased that Rein had slain the monster, and a faint smile emerged on his originally solemn and wooden face.


    This made Rein slow his movement to reach for the ��Holy Water�� in his belt pouch.


    But after thinking it over, Rein still took out the Holy Water and held it in his hand.


    Noticing the energy contained in the Holy Water, the girl glanced at the Holy Water in Rein��s hand, and her face turned to panic immediately, her hands waving in front of her chest as an ethereal and panicked voice arose:


    ��Warrior�� do not harm me, I��m not a bad person.��


    Huh?


    Can talk?


    ...


    But why does this voice sound so familiar.


    Could it be the voice of the woman who just reminded me to run? Rein thought to himself.


    At this moment, the fog seemed to thin a bit, and the girl��s figure became a little clearer��


    But upon closer inspection, Rein realized that her body had an unreal feel to it. As the mist gradually dissipated, it gained a transparency.


    Rein thought for a moment and slowly said, ��Do you understand what I��m saying?��


    The girl nodded her head.


    Relieved, Rein continued to ask, ��Was it you who just reminded me to escape?��


    ��Yes, warrior. But I didn��t expect you to be so powerful, you directly killed that fog demon.�� The girl��s consciousness seemed to become clearer, her facial expressions no longer stiff, and her speech more fluent.


    ��Was that creature just now called a fog demon?�� Rein asked.


    ��Yes, I heard the previous Bounty Hunter, before he died, refer to the creature as a fog demon. It controls the thick fog and likes to launch sudden attacks on humans within the fog, making it difficult for most people to resist its attack.��


    ��And you? What��s your story? You warned me to run, yet you drew my attention whenever this�� fog demon attacked me. It seems like you were helping it attack me!�� Rein countered.


    ��I��m sorry! Warrior, I�� I was controlled by the fog demon and had to do those things.��


    ��I truly am very sorry!�� The girl��s expression turned sorrowful, and she slowly began to sob.


    Rein waved his hand, not dwelling on the issue, and continued to ask:


    ��How did you become like this?�� Stay immersed with


    ��What��s your name?��


    ��My name is Agatha! I don��t know what happened. When I woke up again, I had turned into this,�� the spiritual body of the girl replied.


    Her name led Rein to immediately associate with the mill called Agatha Mill, and curiously, Rein asked, ��Could it be that this mill and you��?��


    ��Yes, warrior, this mill was originally run by my father and me��.��


    As Agatha narrated, Rein understood the whole story.


    One day, Agatha was violated by Kolm Tuck, the butler of Baron Watson, and when Agatha��s father discovered this and argued with Kolm, Kolm, in a fit of anger, killed both Agatha and her father and buried them under the two windmill mills.


    The tragedy should have ended there.


    But somehow, some strange change occurred in the deceased Agatha.


    When Agatha awoke again, she found herself turned into a ghost.


    While still in a daze, a fog demon attacked. The creature had the ability to control the thick fog and spiritual bodies.


    Thus, the deceased Agatha was forced to succumb to its evil grasp, being coerced to attract the attention of those victims so the fog demon could launch its deadly attack from behind.


    Rein nodded his head; it seemed the rumors about decay and ghosts were not wrong.


    At that moment, Agatha hesitated for a while and said, ��Warrior, may I make a request? If possible, could you help me take revenge?��


    ��I�� I have no reward to offer you, perhaps the brass ring on my corpse is the only thing I have that��s of any value, but it seems insufficient to compensate you.��


    Rein thought it over and did not immediately agree or refuse.


    As true as Agatha��s story might be, and as tragic as her encounter was, Rein was not reluctant to help, but he did not want to stir up trouble without resolving the matter.


    Since the killer was clearly favored and trusted by a baron as his butler, getting him to confess, while also requiring the baron��s cooperation, required careful thought.


    Seconds later, Rein spoke up, ��Agatha, recount the entire event to me in detail, and maybe we can find evidence beneficial to us.��


    ��Even if it��s me, getting a baron��s butler to admit his guilt outright is likely going to be very difficult.��


    Agatha nodded and immediately began recounting everything.


    ��


    After hearing Agatha��s account again, Rein left the windmill with the body of the fog demon. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he stepped out of the mill, Rein glanced at the system prompt, his eyes twinkling slightly.


    He hadn��t expected that killing the fog demon would yield such a generous experience reward from the system.


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been improved, experience points +274]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience points +54]


    Knight level1 (86/100) was now on the verge of leveling up.


    It seemed that the experience rewards from such creatures were particularly generous, at least, in Rein��s view, the fog demon��s combat power actually was not strong, feeling even less than Karavi, only its attacks benefited from being strange and unexpected.


    If only he could grasp the moment when the creature revealed its physical form during an attack and deal maximum damage, it would be possible to grievously injure or even kill it in a single strike.

 Chapter 131 - 131 - 121 Abandoned Child_2

    Chapter 131 �C 121 Abandoned Child_2


    At the request of Agatha, Reine had already formulated a not-so-mature plan in his mind.


    It might not succeed, but Reine still intended to try.


    Gregory, who had returned from Watson Manor and had been waiting outside, exclaimed with surprise when he saw Reine come out:


    ��Lord Reine, good to see you safe coming����


    Suddenly, Gregory��s voice stopped abruptly because he was terrified by the sight of the monster corpse that Reine dragged out, his eyes wide with fright.


    ��There really are monsters! I thought it was a ghost. Such unreliable bounty hunters!�� he murmured.


    ��Steward Gregory, I have temporarily resolved the issue with the mill. If you want a permanent solution, I need to meet with Lord Watson.��


    ...


    ��Lord Reine, you want to meet the baron?��


    Find new adventures on


    ��That��s wonderful, Lord Baron just told me he would like to meet you too. At this moment, he should be right in the nearby Watson Manor.��


    Before long, Gregory led Reine to the nearby Watson Manor.


    It turned out that Baron Watson had arrived at the manor from the county town in the afternoon to inspect it. Hearing that someone was handling the mill��s issue, he planned to meet.


    ��Lord Watson, it��s an honor to meet you,�� Reine bowed slightly.


    Although he had now become Transcendent, he was not technically a noble, so he still followed basic etiquette.


    Baron Watson was a tall middle-aged man dressed in noble hunting attire, and the man next to him, wearing a black robe, was likely the murderer Agatha had spoken of��the butler Colm.


    Baron Watson smiled as he evaluated Reine, saying, ��So you are the newly Transcendent Reine? I didn��t expect you to be the one to resolve this.��


    Reine was slightly taken aback, as he had not expected news of his becoming Transcendent to spread so quickly.


    ��Yes, Lord Baron. It was Lord Hamilton who mentioned to me the mysterious incident at Agatha Mill. For now, it seems I have resolved it.��


    ��Temporarily?�� Baron Watson frowned.


    ��Yes, although I dealt with the murderer of the farmers and guards, the Fog Demon, the fundamental problem at Agatha Mill has not been resolved, there is something more secretive involved.��


    As Reine mentioned the word ��secretive,�� he deliberately glanced at the butler Colm, who instantly looked panicky.


    ��Hmm? Reine, please explain in detail.�� Clearly, Baron Watson��s curiosity was piqued after hearing about the secrets.


    Thus, Reine began to slowly narrate the story.


    ��Agatha��s tragic experience turned her into a vengeful spirit, constantly attracting various monsters to the Agatha Mill. Thus, only by laying her to rest can the mill possibly resume normal operations.��


    Hearing this, beads of sweat the size of beans began to form on Butler Colm��s forehead.


    ��Reine, Agatha��s plight is indeed deplorable; how can we lay her to rest? Do we need to catch the murderer? Do you have any clues?��


    ��Lord Baron, there��s no need for that much trouble.��


    ��Could it be that you know who the murderer is?�� Baron Watson realized, looking toward Reine.


    Reine nodded, his gaze fixed on the now trembling Butler Colm, saying, ��The murderer is right in front of us, Lord Baron.��


    Following Reine��s gaze, Baron Watson looked doubtfully at the standing Butler Colm, which immediately shocked him, saying:


    ��What? Is it Colm?��


    ��Lord Reine, this is a slanderous accusation by the ghost, slander!�� The butler, Colm, trembled all over, his face flushed. Despite his fear of the Transcendent Reine, he still forced himself to argue.


    Thinking it over, the Baron��s expression became stern as he said.


    ��Reine, we still need evidence for this matter. The words of a ghost are not necessarily credible.��


    Such a vile act committed by someone close to him made Baron Watson instinctively reluctant to believe, although from Butler Colm��s demeanor at this moment, Baron Watson was aware that Colm was likely involved.


    Evidence?


    Reine chuckled.


    This incident happened months ago. Without modern forensic methods, only some form of witchcraft from the supernatural realm might force the true culprit to confess their crime.


    Clearly, Reine did not possess such abilities now.


    ��Reine, I plan to completely shut down Agatha Mill, and as for Colm, I will also dismiss him,�� Baron Watson glanced at Butler Colm, then turned to Reine and said.


    It seemed Baron Watson had already thought of a solution.


    Merely dismissing him was a trivial punishment compared to what happened to Agatha and her father.


    Fortunately, Reine was well-prepared.


    ��My lord, perhaps you believe that by doing this, Agatha��s ghost will not haunt you anymore, right? But I��ve heard that ghosts can further transform, even becoming vengeful spirits!��


    ��Moreover, the area around Agatha Mill might attract more monsters, and your manor isn��t too far from the mill.��


    ��Do you really not mind if things escalate to that extent? I��m afraid by then, even spending a fortune to hire the church��s higher-ups might not resolve the issue.��


    These words were all fabricated by Reine on the spot, based on rumors he had heard in the past few days from Lord Hamilton��s side, primarily to scare.


    Baron Watson��s complexion worsened as Reine spoke.


    Reine��s words were something he had also heard bits about.


    Moreover, seeking the aid of high ranking church officials was not so easy, requiring not only a hefty sum of money but also significant favors.


    Baron Watson��s brow furrowed deeply, his gaze flickering as he clearly weighed the pros and cons. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though Colm had served the Watson family as a butler for many years and was usually quite competent, Baron Watson was unaware that he could commit such an act, especially since the situation could potentially lead to serious losses for the Watson family.


    Initially, he had thought to downplay the situation, but now hesitated after hearing Reine��s words.


    Meanwhile, Butler Colm��s face turned deathly pale, and his legs trembled so much that he could barely stand.


    ��Colm, go with Reine to Agatha Mill and settle this affair,�� Baron Watson decided quickly after a moment of thought.


    Clearly, after hearing Reine��s ��analysis��, Baron Watson was prepared to give up on Butler Colm.


    ��My lord, I am innocent!�� The once robust butler, Colm, now seemed like a spineless snake, collapsing to the ground.


    ��My lord, you��ve made a wise decision,�� Reine chuckled.


    Reine then grabbed Colm by the scruff of his neck, as if lifting a small chicken, and headed towards Agatha Mill.

 Chapter 132 - 132 - 122: Unexpected Job Change Information

    Chapter 132 �C 122: Unexpected Job Change Information


    After arriving at Agatha Mill, Rein threw the butler, Colm, to the ground with a single motion.


    ��Clang!��


    A rust-covered shovel was thrown in front of the shivering Colm.


    ��Mr. Butler, go and dig up the remains of Agatha and her father!�� Rein lowered his head, looking into Colm��s eyes, and slowly said.


    ��Of course, you can choose to refuse, but if you do, you��ll have to spend the night in this windmill, letting Agatha keep you company for a nice long chat.��


    The previously hesitating Colm, upon hearing he would be locked in with a ghost, immediately thought of all sorts of horrifying legends and chilling scenes, his face turned pale in an instant and he quickly said, ��I��ll dig, I��ll dig!��


    Baron Watson, who was standing nearby, couldn��t help but shake his head at the scene.


    ...


    Now it seemed almost certain that his butler Colm was the murderer.


    No wonder Colm had reported to him that he had acquired the neighboring Agatha Mill for an incredibly low price; he even remembered praising him for it at the time.


    Now it was clear that the mill, being Agatha and her father��s means of livelihood, wouldn��t have been sold so easily.


    In no time, Colm had dug up a skeleton that had almost turned to white bones. From the clothes, it was faintly recognizable as the ghostly Agatha Rein had seen before, in her checkered dress with a white apron.


    The moment the remains were unearthed, the onlookers surrounding the area burst into an uproar.


    They hadn��t expected that behind the mysterious events at Agatha Mill, in addition to monsters, there was such secrecy.


    ��That��s Agatha, that sweet girl��s dress; her favorite was this checkered dress, I heard it was the last thing her mother made for her before she passed away,�� cried a woman who knew Agatha well, recognizing her clothes immediately, unable to hold back her tears.


    ��Yes, Agatha was a kind-hearted girl, every time I came to grind flour, she would charge me less,�� said a farmer with a limp.


    ��It��s truly so sad����


    ������


    Rein took to heart the words of the onlookers and quickly sketched an image in his mind of the checkered-dress girl who was warm to others and always ready to help.


    He couldn��t help but despise Colm even more!


    ��Bury Agatha behind the third windmill,�� he said.


    It was Agatha��s own request; she wanted to be buried with her father.


    Furthermore, she had one more small wish: the area behind the third windmill was the highest point on the slope, and she wanted to be buried there with her father so that she could overlook the entire Agatha Mill.


    Soon, the second set of remains was also dug up by Colm.


    Seeing this, the onlooking clergyman Gregory, the farmers, and others looked at Colm with eyes filled with hatred, his actions were just too inhumane.


    Rein walked to the simple pit that had been dug in advance, looked at the two sets of remains placed side by side, bent down, and picked up the brass ring that was on the finger of Agatha��s remains.


    Strangely, perhaps because the ghostly Agatha had agreed to give the ring to Rein, the surface of the brass ring was surprisingly clean, not stained with a single foreign substance.


    The moment Rein picked up the ring, suddenly, he froze.


    [Ding! Detected the host obtaining an unknown relic, triggering the career change to Spirit Medium!]


    [The prerequisites for advancing to a Spirit Medium are: 1. Any relic attached with the aura of a spiritual body; 2. Spirit 12 points or above. Current conditions met. Yes/No to change career to Spirit Medium?]


    A new career panel was triggered!


    And it seemed to be the mysterious side career he had long awaited; Rein couldn��t help but be overjoyed.


    However��


    At this moment, he had only one slot left on his career panel (3/4), which was added when Rein broke through to the Transcendent tier, so he definitely had to choose carefully.


    He had some understanding of the career panel by now: generally, the careers with more prerequisites, or the more stringent the prerequisites, tend to be more powerful.


    Looking at the prerequisites required for the Spirit Medium, this career most likely wasn��t a powerful one.


    It could be similar to the Spirit Mediums Rein had heard about in his previous life, which initially had only the ability to see some spirits or to communicate with them in a rudimentary way.


    Clearly, this didn��t align with the kind of mysterious side career that could significantly enhance his combat strength, which Rein had been hoping for.


    By contrast, Rein was more impressed by the Wizard Apprentice recorded in Endri��s diary. In his mind, becoming a Wizard Apprentice would be a better choice.


    After careful thought, Rein chose No and did not immediately switch careers to ��Spirit Medium��.


    He planned to wait and see for a little while longer; if it didn��t work out, there would still be time to change careers later.


    [Yes/No to name the unknown relic?]


    To name it?


    He remembered Agatha saying that as long as he wore the brass ring, he would earn the favor of certain spirits; he decided to name it after her, calling it ��Agatha��s Ring.�� Rein thought to himself.


    [Ding! Naming successful!]


    [Acquired the relic ��Agatha��s Ring��]


    (Note: This is an ordinary brass ring, but it bears the sincere gratitude and blessing of a young girl��s soul. Wearing it will make some spectral beings feel a sense of fondness towards the wearer.)


    Although Baron Watson found it a bit strange why Rein would remove a brass ring that was obviously worthless from the remains, he did not ask.


    Shortly after, several security officers from the county town arrived at the scene. After asking about the incident and recording it, they took the weeping Colm away.


    What awaited him was a brief stint in prison, followed by execution after trial!


    Rein and Baron Watson had already agreed on this.


    As long as the baron did not intervene, Colm��s fate was actually sealed at that moment.


    The servant of a noble; it is the noble behind them that is the foundation for the servant.


    With this, the matter was concluded.


    By evening, Rein, carrying the bundled corpse of the mist yaoi, rode his warhorse back to Flashgold Town. Although the mystical event had been resolved, he was far from happy inwardly.


    The young life of Agatha was forever frozen in her prime, making Rein feel somewhat heavy at heart.


    After returning to Flashgold Town, Rein did not go straight home but instead first visited Lord Hamilton��s office.


    Now that the mystical event had been resolved, it was naturally necessary to inform him first.


    ��Huh! Rein, you��re back so soon?�� Lord Hamilton asked in surprise as he saw Rein enter.


    In his plan, even if everything went smoothly, Rein would not have returned until tomorrow.


    ��Yes, my lord, everything went rather smoothly.�� Rein said, and then recounted the day��s events to Lord Hamilton.


    After listening, Lord Hamilton also sighed about the misfortune of Agatha and her father.


    ��I didn��t expect this mysterious event to have such twists. But to think the real monster turned out to be a mist yaoi. Right, Rein, you��re not hurt, are you?��


    Lord Hamilton looked Rein over, not noticing any obvious injuries, and couldn��t help but laugh and nod.


    ��No, I have to thank you for this set of knight��s plate armor you gave me.�� Rein said while showing the slash on the back of the knight��s helmet to Lord Hamilton.


    The scratch was four fingers wide, and at its deepest, nearly two-thirds the thickness of the plate armor. This meant that if the mist yaoi had been even a bit stronger, it might have been possible to penetrate the armor��s protection.


    This was also the reason why the squad of family guards sent by Baron Watson had been annihilated��the chainmail simply could not withstand such an attack.


    Read more adventures at


    ��Huh! With this kind of strength, as well as the ability you mentioned to hide in the mist���� Lord Hamilton took the helmet and began to frown more deeply as he examined it.


    He, too, wouldn��t dare say he could have easily defeated the creature.


    ��Rein, now you understand, don��t you? Why sometimes no matter how many ordinary people there are, they can��t solve these mystical events and only add to the panic.�� Lord Hamilton thought for a moment, then continued.


    ��Yes, my lord.��


    Rein wholeheartedly agreed with this point. No matter how many ordinary people there were against such monsters, they would be simply delivering themselves. Knights, as the most visible transcendent human strength, could be said to form the stable foundation of the entire society.


    ��By the way, you��ll need to reforge this damaged helmet. Leave it here, and I��ll send someone to the county town to have it repaired and then returned to you tomorrow.��


    ��Uh�� my lord, this small issue, perhaps I can take care of the repair myself. Actually, I��m also a blacksmith.�� Rein said with a smile.


    ��Hmm? Alright then!�� Lord Hamilton glanced at Rein in surprise but did not inquire further.


    Because Rein had already brought him too many surprises recently.


    ��Right, did you bring back the mist yaoi��s corpse?��


    ��I have, my lord.��


    ��The Empire��s Mystic Research Institute has a special department for purchasing such monster��s corpses; if you��re willing to sell, you can exchange it for merit points or Empire gold coins.�� S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Rein, if you don��t have other plans for the mist yaoi��s corpse, perhaps this would be a good option.��


    Mystic Research Institute?


    It sounded like a rather high-end institution.


    This piqued Rein��s curiosity a bit.


    Actually, he was quite interested in studying these mysterious creatures, but unfortunately, he had no means at the moment to process or preserve the mist yaoi��s corpse.


    Besides, he also lacked the relevant knowledge in this field of research, something he would have to address later.


    However, he hadn��t expected that the mist yaoi��s corpse could be directly exchanged for merit points.


    In that case, there wasn��t much to consider.


    After all, gathering 1000 merit points a bit sooner to sign up for the knighthood exam was a top priority.


    ��Let��s exchange it for merit points.�� Rein declared.


    ��Good! That��s what I think too. Gold coins can be earned anywhere, but merit points are not easy to come by.�� Lord Hamilton nodded his head, appearing quite agreeable.


    After handing over the mist yaoi��s corpse, Rein left the town hall.


    However, as he was almost home, Rein was surprised to find the familiar carriage from the morning now parked at his doorstep.


    Could it be��

 Chapter 133 - 133 - 123 The Secret of the Book

    Chapter 133 �C 123 The Secret of the Book


    As Reine grew closer, it seemed the person inside the carriage had also seen him.


    Just as Reine approached, the door of the carriage swung open, and a young, slender noblewoman stepped out, dressed in a white gown��it was Jenny.


    ��Lord Reine, we have been waiting for you; Miss Jenny waited almost an hour,�� said the butler, introducing her.


    ��Lord Reine, I have brought the books you asked me to find,�� Jenny said as she handed over two thick volumes.


    ��Uh��.�� This suddenly made Reine a bit embarrassed.


    She had waited so long just so he could receive the books as quickly as possible.


    Although, Reine knew there was an intention to curry favor on her part.


    ...


    But respecting another person, that feeling was indeed lovely!


    Reine bowed slightly, saying, ��Miss Jenny, thank you very much!��


    ��Giggle, Lord Reine, you are too kind. As the Guardian Knight of our family, it��s the least I can do,�� Jenny said with a light laugh, covering her mouth.


    After a moment��s thought, Reine added, ��That�� if you ever find yourself in trouble one day, please send someone to notify me; perhaps I can be of some small help.��


    ��Lord Reine, I truly appreciate that! It��s getting late now, so I won��t disturb you any further, but if you need anything in the future, feel free to contact me.��


    Clearly, Reine��s current demeanor made Jenny feel the hour��s wait had been worthwhile.


    Her purpose in coming was to ingratiate herself with Reine, a knight of emerging potential.


    Now, having Reine say such a sentence to her was already a sort of tacit promise.


    ��Alright, Miss Jenny, goodbye!�� Reine waved his hand and said with a smile.


    What he didn��t notice at that moment was that four pairs of big eyes were watching his brief exchange with Jenny: Anna and Lagaray through the door crack, Bo He through the doghole named ��Biscuit��, and his mother Emma through the kitchen window.


    When Reine returned home and entered the door, he found several people looking at him with various expressions.


    This suddenly startled Reine.


    Children can hardly keep secrets, and hearing Bo He flutter his big eyes asking, ��Brother, who is that beautiful lady who came down from the carriage?��


    The moment Bo He spoke, the others�� gazes converged on Reine.


    This immediately gave Reine a feeling, as if it were greater pressure than facing a mist wraith!


    ��


    After dinner. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Reine, who had hurriedly retreated to his own room, eagerly began to read through the two books Jenny had brought him.


    Soon, Reine discovered that ��Spirit�� was formally called Akkadian, a language passed down from ancient times containing magical powers. However, its complex pronunciation and throat vibrations made it extremely difficult to learn.


    However, his spiritual power had reached 12 points, greatly improving his learning efficiency. Quickly, through studying with the help of the two books, Reine had already grasped the meanings of dozens of simple Akkadian vocabulary words.


    As for pronunciation, he had not mastered it.


    Thinking things over, Reine somewhat impatiently reached under the bed and pulled out the ��Beast Taming Diary�� with a silver cover.


    Sure enough, among the previously unintelligible text, there were a few words Reine could now understand.


    ����The leaping spirit of the elements����


    ����Secret fire servant����


    Just as Reine was heartily engrossed, a gentle knock on the door sounded.


    ��Knock! Knock! Knock!��


    From that knock, Reine already knew who it was.


    ��Come in!�� Reine closed the book with the silver cover.


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    Anna stood shyly at the door, seemingly noticing Reine was reading, and thus asked, ��Reine, may I come in?��


    ��Of course,�� Reine said, rising to his feet with a smile.


    The ��Beast Taming Diary,�� with its silver cover and jewel-encrusted design, immediately caught Anna��s attention.


    ��Oh! What a beautiful book. Reine, may I take a look?�� Anna glanced at the book in silver, then at Reine, and asked.


    ��Of course you may.��


    Reine certainly wouldn��t object to Anna flipping through it, as he was already studying Akkadian. Perhaps, someday, he might understand the spells but be unable to cast them, and need Anna to give it a try.


    The wooden amulet was a perfect example.


    The wooden amulet had no reaction when Reine touched it, but Anna could perform some kind of miraculous healing witchcraft upon contact.


    As Anna took the book in silver and leaned against the window, just as she was about to flip through it, suddenly, something peculiar happened with the book.


    ��Reine? The pattern on the cover is moving,�� Anna said, looking up at Reine, slightly frightened.


    ��What?�� Reine narrowed his eyes and quickly stepped forward.


    Soon, Reine saw that it might have been the moonlight shining on the ��Beast Taming Diary�� from outside that caused it.


    On the surface of the silver cover, the largest sapphire, ruby, and turquoise seemed to have absorbed some of the moonlight, and at that moment, their glow was shifting, undergoing some magical change.


    The three gemstones shone brilliantly, then a bright but not blinding beam of light connected the three gems.


    At that moment, the pattern on the silver cover also dynamically changed.


    The engraved bear, the patterns, and the veins of the leaves all shifted, the bear walked away, and the flower and leaves dispersed around, leaving the middle of the cover suddenly revealing a round water well filled with water.

 Chapter 134 - 134 - 123 The Secret of the Book_2

    Chapter 134 �C 123 The Secret of the Book_2


    The water in the well, reflecting the moon, shimmered beautifully.


    Three large characters written in Acati script were inscribed beside the well, seemingly the words ��Moon Well,�� but Rein didn��t recognize the last character.


    But, combining it with the design, it probably read ��Moon Well.��


    At this moment, Rein��s feelings were quite mixed.


    He had possessed the ��Silver Book�� for a long time now.


    It was the same last time with the amulet.


    Every time he touched it, nothing happened, but when Anna touched it, a miraculous transformation would occur.


    ...


    Who was being underestimated?


    Suddenly, Anna��s figure staggered. She clutched her head, appearing to be in great discomfort, which made Rein hurry to support her.


    But in that instant, the surrounding scenery changed dramatically!


    Rein felt as though he had stepped into a time tunnel. Familiar scenes around him stretched and compressed. Then, in the next second, the scenery became clear again.


    However, Rein was taken aback right away!


    At this moment, he was greeted by the fragrant air filled with floral scents and a dense, lush forest filled with towering trees and shrubs, interspersed with many vibrant flowers.


    Colorful butterflies fluttered and bees circled in figure eights.


    The sounds around him included various insects buzzing, bird calls, and the roars of unknown beasts.


    This left Rein momentarily dazed; he couldn��t tell if he had been teleported to some unknown forest sanctuary or if this was merely an illusion?


    Especially since, at that moment, he was still embracing the slight figure of Anna, exactly as he had been in his room just before, which made it even harder for him to distinguish the reality.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein checked his profession panel and found it was still accessible.


    Meanwhile, Anna was still bowing her head, her hands clutching her head, displaying an expression of extreme discomfort.


    So, Rein gently patted Anna��s back and called out softly, ��Anna? Anna?��


    Gradually, Anna seemed to feel a bit better.


    She first looked up, glanced around, then immediately showed a bewildered and surprised expression. With confused eyes, she looked at Rein and then, as if realizing something, exclaimed, ��Rein, where are we?��


    Hmm?


    From Anna��s expression, it seemed she was seeing the same green forest as he was.


    Could it be that they had indeed been teleported to some mystical realm?


    And was that Silver Book the gateway to this mystical realm?


    What immense power! Rein thought.


    Suddenly, Rein was unsure of what to do next.


    The current situation had completely exceeded his expectations.


    Suddenly, from deep within Rein��s heart, a distant voice seemed to call, ��Come�� closer�� here��.��


    Rein listened carefully, and he could faintly make out that it was a female voice.


    Rein looked at Anna, and they both saw astonishment in each other��s eyes. Rein said, ��Anna, did you hear it?��


    ��Yes! It seems to be calling us over.�� Anna nodded and said.


    Clearly, both of them heard some kind of summons coming from ahead.


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to check it out. Otherwise, just staying put seemed like a fruitless option. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, Rein, leading Anna, slowly walked forward.


    It seemed they were headed deeper into the forest, at this moment, the woods grew denser and denser.


    Suddenly, the sound of breaking branches erupted, and a huge brown bear appeared in front of them. This bear was over two meters tall and four to five meters long, nearly twice the size of the brown bears Rein had seen in his previous life in C?te d��Ivoire.


    Suddenly, it stood up, facing Rein and Anna, and let out a fierce roar!


    The deafening sound waves immediately blasted in all directions.


    Rein quickly stepped in front of Anna to protect her. Since he had taken off the greatsword after getting home, he wasn��t carrying the Glimmering Greatsword at this moment.


    But some things had to be done, weapon or no weapon.


    Just as Rein was preparing to wrestle with the huge brown bear, the next second, something unexpected happened.


    After roaring, the bear shook its massive head and walked away to the side, gradually disappearing into the dense forest.


    Rein and Anna exchanged glances, not quite understanding why the brown bear had suddenly given up on attacking.


    After a pause, the two continued walking forward.


    Soon after, another unexpected incident occurred.


    ��Swoosh!��


    A dark shadow flashed by not far in front of them!


    Rein��s pupils constricted; he saw clearly that it was a huge black panther.


    At this moment, the panther was hiding in the dense forest, quietly watching them.


    Once again, Rein shielded Anna behind him and began to confront the black panther.


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    But it wasn��t long before the black panther also mysteriously left.


    By now, Rein had some suspicions forming in his mind.


    However, he didn��t say anything and continued to lead Anna forward.


    After a long while, the two finally saw that deep within the dense forest, there seemed to be a small clearing, and at the center of the clearing, there was a sort of glow emanating.


    The two immediately quickened their pace.


    As they approached, they saw a well on the clearing. The water in the well reflected the moon, and the surface rippled slightly, looking exactly like the well that appeared on the silver cover.


    ��How beautiful!�� seeing this scene, Anna walked to the edge of the well and couldn��t help but reach out to touch the water.


    Suddenly, as Anna��s pale fingers touched the well water, the water rippled violently, shattering their reflections in the water in an instant.


    The next second, the surrounding scenery rapidly changed, the trees around them stretched and changed color like dough, and everything around them underwent unpredictable changes.


    It was as if Rein and Anna were passing through a wormhole; except for them, everything around turned bizarre and fantastical.


    It seemed like a moment, yet also seemed very long.


    When they came to their senses again, Rein and Anna found themselves back in their room, with Anna still holding the book with the silver cover.


    Only this time, the pattern on the cover had changed back to its original appearance, and the miraculous ��Moon Well�� was nowhere to be seen.


    ��Rein, this���� Anna, for a moment, didn��t know what to say.


    Rein, however, kept his gaze fixed on the ��Book of Silver�� in Anna��s hands.


    The next second, Rein stretched out his hand, intending to open the ��Book of Silver�� again, but quickly, his hand stopped mid-air, as Rein recalled the uncomfortable feeling from just a moment ago, which made him shudder.


    However, thinking it over, Rein had some guesses, and so, he continued to open the book directly to the second page.


    Sure enough, the content inside was completely different from before.


    The first line, written in the common language, read: ��Congratulations, you have passed the Druid Circle��s Trial of Will.��

 Chapter 135 - 135 - 124: The New Transcendent Profession

    Chapter 135 �C 124: The New Transcendent Profession


    A willpower trial?


    It seems the previous one must have been some kind of Illusion Technique?


    But that was almost too realistic!


    Without pondering for too long, Rein and Anna gazed intently down at the next page.


    After a long while, Rein finally exhaled deeply, a look of joy on his face, but in the next second, his brows furrowed.


    It turned out that the willpower trial was a method used by the Druid Circle to select and test newcomers, and those who passed the willpower trial were deemed ready to begin practicing the basic meditation method.


    What followed was indeed a record of the basic meditation method.


    ...


    However, Rein was a bit troubled by the fact that Anna could trigger the Wooden Amulet but he had no reaction at all. Would he be able to practice the Druid Circle��s basic meditation method?


    At this point, Anna turned her head to look at Rein with a gaze that was passionate yet somewhat anxious. ��Rein, can I practice this meditation method?�� she asked.


    As Rein��s power rapidly increased, Anna had always felt a sense of anxiety, as if Rein was growing further and further away from her.


    This feeling peaked today when she saw Rein chatting and laughing with that elegant noble lady through the crack of the door.


    Now, with the meditation method laid out before her, she was eager to learn it, even though she was not sure how powerful she would become after mastering it. However, she had heard various legends from the mystical side.


    Regardless, she would certainly be much more formidable than she was now if she learned it, thought Anna.


    ��Of course, you can,�� replied Rein without hesitation.


    If there was a chance he couldn��t practice the Druids�� basic meditation method, clearly Anna had a high likelihood of being able to.


    In fact, even now, Rein wasn��t sure whether the change in the ��Trial Book�� was triggered by the moonlight alone, or whether Anna��s touch was also an essential part of it, or if there were other triggering conditions.


    But from what Rein guessed, this time it might still be because of Anna, just like with the Wooden Amulet.


    When they turned to the next page, suddenly, the Trial Book emitted a green glow.


    As the green light shone upon them, their minds abruptly received content and methods for practicing the basic meditation method.


    Faced with this magical phenomenon, both Anna and Rein exchanged glances, seeing surprise and admiration in each other��s eyes.


    After some time, Rein studied the contents and methods of the basic meditation method several times before he confirmed that it seemed he could also practice the Druidic basic meditation method.


    He didn��t yet know how effective it would be.


    But he was fairly certain he could learn it.


    According to the instructions, the prerequisite for practicing the basic meditation method was to have spiritual power beyond that of an ordinary person, a criterion both Rein and Anna met, and that was the purpose of the willpower trial.


    Rein roughly estimated that this threshold was around 10 Spirit Attribute points, nearly twice that of an average person, while he had 12 Spirit points, making it much easier for him than Anna.


    Additionally, after observing the content of the basic meditation method in his mind, Rein started to understand why Endri��s diary had no such records.


    That was because the content of the basic meditation method turned out to be a series of three-dimensional symbols, and they became more complex the further one got.


    No wonder the Druid Circle transferred knowledge through that method of green light.


    Just as Rein was about to try practicing the basic meditation method, the knocking on the door sounded again.


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    However, before Rein could call out to come in, the door was opened from the outside.


    There stood Lagaray with a teasing expression looking at them both.


    Sensing Lagaray��s peculiar gaze, Anna looked down to inspect herself, and only then she realized that because she and Rein had been watching the ��Trial Book�� together, their hands were still intertwined, bodies pressed closely to each other.


    Immediately, Anna��s face flushed red, and her fair little hand quickly withdrew from Rein��s, her body springing away like a startled bunny.


    In truth, Lagaray was falsely accusing Rein and Anna. Honestly, their experience had just been too magical for them to have considered anything romantic; their hands were intertwined because Rein was protecting Anna during the trial.


    And their bodies were pressed closely together because they were both attracted to the magical changes in the ��Trial Book��.


    ��What exactly are you two secretly doing? I��ve knocked twice now,�� said Lagaray, glancing at them both with a peculiar look.


    Anna immediately lowered her head in embarrassment, her face burning red.


    But Rein was stunned. It seemed that during the willpower trial with Anna, Lagaray had already been by once. No wonder she knocked and then just pushed the door open without waiting this time.


    ��Anna, do you even know what time it is? Do you plan to sleep here tonight?�� Lagaray asked Anna, smiling mischievously.


    ��No, no!�� Anna��s face became even redder, as if about to bleed, and she waved her hands frantically.


    ��Rein, thank you for today. Well�� I��m going to sleep now. You should rest early too,�� Anna said, and quickly pushed Lagaray out of the room.


    Before leaving, Lagaray gave Rein a meaningful glance.


    Then, their footsteps descending the stairs followed.


    Rein shook his head, dispelling the romantic thoughts from his mind.


    At that moment, having just acquired the basic meditation method, he was like a boy deeply engrossed in a video game, with no mind to pay attention to a girlfriend.


    Soon, Rein began to visualize the first three-dimensional symbol in his mind according to the method of practicing the basic meditation method.


    These three-dimensional symbols, as described in the basic meditation method, were known as will runes.


    The will rune was a rather intricate three-dimensional pattern that had to be vividly imagined in the mind.


    According to the introduction in the meditation technique, if one could visualize all eight Will runes at once, that would be considered stepping into the first stage.


    Of course, the primary function of the meditation technique was to enhance spiritual power gradually through the visualization of Will runes.


    After several attempts, Rein was pleasantly surprised to discover that on his best try, he had successfully visualized seven Will runes at once��just one short of reaching the first stage described in the meditation technique.


    However, at that moment, Rein felt a throbbing pain accompanied by a slight headache at his temples��evidently, this was likely due to the length of the meditation practice approaching his current limit.


    Indeed, this was very similar to the Knight Breathing Method, with an implicit time restriction each day; once one reached the physical limit, it was necessary to rest and recover gradually.


    At the same time, although he had yet to trigger a job change or anything of the sort, Rein had a vague premonition that something might change once he reached the first stage of the meditation technique.


    For now, what he needed to do was to quickly resolve this final step; after all, he had already succeeded in visualizing seven Will runes at once��only one more was needed.


    It didn��t take long for Rein to think of the simplest method, which was naturally to add points.


    If one point wasn��t enough for the Spirit attribute, then two points��he was confident that he could easily handle the eighth Will rune with the additional points.


    Of course, the approach most people took was to enhance their spiritual power slowly through practice with the first seven Will runes, even though it was a bit slower.


    That night, feeling somewhat mentally exhausted, Rein fell into a deep sleep.


    The border of Mingster Province.


    In a certain forest.


    A tall figure wearing a grey robe and a hooded cloak was heading south through the forest, the occasional glimpse of jet-black hair indicating that she seemed to be the female Elf who had rushed there from Ferdinand Forest.


    Suddenly, she stopped, lifting her head slightly, revealing a delicate face beneath her hood. As she drew closer, she clearly sensed the fluctuations from the activation of the Trial Book.


    Frowning, her eyes flickered, and in a low whisper, she muttered, ��How is this possible?��


    ��The amulet being triggered could be a fluke, but activating the Trial Book requires fulfillment of��.��


    ��


    The next day after waking up, Rein��s first thought was about how to tackle the basic meditation technique because he was agonizing over being so close to reaching the first stage.


    After some thought and checking his panel, he found that the Dog Trainer job was the easiest to level up, currently at lv2 (292/300).


    Although he hadn��t been taking ��Cookie�� on night patrols recently, he managed to raise his Dog Trainer level to this point by crafting premium ��dog food�� and feeding it.


    So, first thing in the morning, Rein took the Greyhound ��Cookie�� out for a walk.


    After coming back, he prepared a lavish feast for ��Cookie�� and successfully raised his Dog Trainer level to lv3 (1/500), gaining one Skill Point and one attribute point.


    Having sorted out the Dog Trainer upgrade, Rein handed ��Cookie�� over to Bo He and, without any hesitation, returned to his room.


    Without any hesitation, Rein added an attribute point to Spirit, instantly raising it from 12 to 13.


    Rein immediately felt a sense of clarity in his ears and eyes, although the improvement was not huge.


    Right away, Rein started to try the first eight Will runes of the basic meditation technique again.


    The first Will rune


    ��


    The seventh Will rune


    The eighth Will rune!


    [Ding! Host has completed the basic meditation technique Will runes (8/8) and triggered a job change��Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)!]


    [To advance to Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent), the prerequisites are: 1. Wizard��s aptitude; 2. Spirit 12 points or above; 3. Basic meditation technique Will runes (8/8)��. All current conditions met, do you want to change job to Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)? Yes/No?]


    Seeing this job change notification, Rein couldn��t help but feel overjoyed, excitedly clenching his fists and swinging them with force!


    Yes!


    [Ding! Job change to Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) successful! Spirit +2!]


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Job: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv1 (0/100)/Knight (Transcendent) lv1 (86/100)/Blacksmith lv3 (0/500)/Dog Trainer lv3 (1/500)


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    Constitution: 16


    Strength: 15


    Agility: 15


    Spirit: 15


    Remaining attribute points: 0


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    The additional increase in Spirit made Rein realize that his perception of the surroundings had changed.


    This was not just an improvement in eyesight, but an all-encompassing enhancement of hearing, smell, and other senses, including an even deeper change��he became more sensitive to perceptions.


    Rein could faintly detect various energy particles floating in the air around his body.


    When he closed his eyes, this sensation became especially intense.


    However, when Rein looked at the Wizard Apprentice job panel, he couldn��t help but twitch at the corner of his mouth.


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 Chapter 136 - 136 - 125: Shouldn’t It Be Past the Growth Period?

    Chapter 136 �C 125: Shouldn��t It Be Past the Growth Period?


    Although the entire panel was also flashing with a beautiful green light, there was only a lonely skill icon flickering, which was the Basic Meditation Method lv1 (12/100).


    There was not a single combat skill.


    This gave Rein a feeling of false joy.


    After a stroke of serendipity, he had triggered the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) job panel, but since he hadn��t learned any sorcery, it could be said that this Transcendent panel was currently not living up to its name.


    Compared to the Knight (Transcendent) job panel, the difference in combat power was like heaven and earth.


    However, Rein glanced at his Spirit attribute, which had at least risen to 15 points, comforting his wounded soul since Spirit concerned many of his core skills�� power or duration.


    For example, ��Strength Burst�� was directly proportional to Rein��s Constitution and Spirit.


    ...


    For example, ��danger perception,�� whose acuity was directly proportional to Rein��s Spirit��the stronger the spiritual power, the sharper the perception.


    So, looking at it this way, Rein had successfully triggered a new Transcendent job as a ��Wizard Apprentice,�� which then greatly enhanced the original Transcendent job, ��Knight.��


    Rein stroked his chin, thinking this way, which gave him a bittersweet feeling.


    Well, an inexplicable sense of joy.


    Rein carefully recalled that Endri, whom Lord Hamilton called a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice��the guy who talked a bit too much��was probably at the same level as himself currently.


    It seemed that he couldn��t cast sorcery independently, but could only rely on rare sorcery scrolls or other items to perform spell attacks.


    Rein wondered if Endri was just too incompetent, or if there were other conditions that needed to be met.


    Thinking it over, Rein began his first session of meditation practice since becoming a Wizard Apprentice.


    Perhaps because his spiritual power had increased to 15 points, Rein smoothly visualized nine Will runes at once and still had energy to spare.


    However, Rein didn��t rush to visualize the tenth Will rune, but as the practice method suggested, he began to sense and try to guide the free-floating mysterious energy particles around him.


    Closing his eyes and fully engaging in perception, Rein gradually felt the various mysterious energy particles in the surrounding space��a sensation that was very peculiar and hard to describe in words.


    But feeling them was one thing; trying to guide these energy particles was another.


    After several attempts, Rein finally discovered a type of energy particle that seemed to respond more actively to him.


    Rein opened his eyes, striving to guide these energy particles to converge around his palm.


    On Rein��s palm skin, a very dim red light briefly glowed. If one didn��t look closely, it was hardly noticeable. This effect lasted only a few seconds before the red light vanished without a trace.


    However, Rein was not discouraged but rather delighted.


    After all, being able to visually observe such a magical change on his first attempt at guiding was quite exciting for Rein.


    ��Next, it seems I only need to follow the steps to visualize more Will runes and further increase my spiritual power. At the same time, I��ll continue to attempt to guide the free-floating energy particles,�� he muttered.


    ��It��s a pity that I don��t have any basic-level sorcery to learn,�� Rein thought to himself.


    It felt like owning a gold mine but not being able to spend the gold.


    It was like learning the Knight Breathing Method, but not learning any combat skills.


    This couldn��t help but remind Rein of the time Cleya taught him the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique��having a guide was indeed beneficial.


    Now, he felt like a wild wizard, figuring out almost everything on his own.


    Unfortunately, Hamilton was a staunch knightly idealist, and it wasn��t appropriate to ask him about wizardly affairs.


    Suddenly, a thought flashed through Rein��s mind, and he murmured:


    ��To further break through the dog��s limitations and increase the possibility of evolving into a more ferocious state, I could try a daily nutrition meal as the basis, combined with a monthly 2-ounce dose of the Mutation Growth Elixir����


    ��That��s right, the Mutation Growth Elixir!��


    Rein quickly opened the Book of Silver, turning to the page on enhancing dogs, ��Mutation Growth Elixir formula: 1 ounce of sunflowers, a pair of nocturnal vampire bat wings, 2 claws of a carrion wolf����


    At this moment, Rein attempted to decipher the previously incomprehensible latter part.


    (Akadian) When making�� spell�� mobilize��


    ��This seems like a viable path. However, I still need to solve two problems: firstly, to continue learning Akadian, as my current vocabulary is certainly insufficient. Also, dumb Akadian won��t work; I need to be able to chant!��


    ��Secondly, acquiring the necessary materials. For this, perhaps only the ��Bat Market�� in County Town can address this issue. Items like ��nocturnal vampire bat wings�� and ��carrion wolf claws�� clearly don��t look like something a reputable pharmacy would sell.��


    As Rein pondered, suddenly, a somewhat urgent knocking sound came from outside his home.


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    ��Is Rein home?��


    Oh, that was the voice of the short Matteo.


    Rein hurried downstairs to open the door, only to hear Matteo say, ��Rein, Lord Hamilton wants you to immediately go to the town hall. The team that had been investigating the Evil Spirit Knights in Nightingale Forest has just arrived.�� Read amazing stories on


    ��Also, Rein, Lord Hamilton asked me to notify that barbarian girl Lagaray; she should be staying at your place, right? Could you inform her for me?��


    ��Sure! I��ll be right there. I��ll notify Lagaray.�� After a moment��s thought, Rein responded.


    ��Okay! I still need to prepare a few things, so I��ll be leaving first.��


    Matteo chuckled and thumped Rein��s robust chest as a greeting, then quickly stepped away.


    The approval for Rein��s appointment as deputy sheriff had not yet been granted by the county town; otherwise, Matteo wouldn��t have been so casual.


    However, Rein quite enjoyed his current status.


    If people he knew saw him and acted all constrained, it would make him a bit uncomfortable.


    Although he had just activated his Wizard Apprentice Transcendent panel, Rein was thinking of studying it carefully. Still, he had promised Lagaray earlier and naturally didn��t want to break his word.


    So, picking up his knight��s helmet��which he hadn��t had time to repair��Rein donned the five-piece set of knight armor and, carrying a sheepskin-wrapped Glimmering Greatsword, left the house.


    Rein first turned left and arrived at Anna��s doorstep, where he knocked on the door.


    Soon, Anna opened the door and was quite pleased to see it was Rein.


    Yesterday, she had undergone a trial of will with Rein, and the scene was still fresh in her mind. Whenever Anna thought of how Rein had protected her while standing behind him, her heart couldn��t help but flutter.


    She had not shared this with Lagaray; it was her little secret.


    ��Rein, why have you come, oh, are you about to go on a mission?�� Anna, seeing Rein fully armed, couldn��t help but ask.


    ��Yes, later I need to join the county��s investigation team on a trip to Nightingale Forest. Oh, Anna, is Lagaray here?�� Rein nodded in confirmation of Anna��s guess.


    ��She is.�� Hearing that Rein had come looking for Lagaray made Anna feel slightly disappointed.


    She had thought that Rein had come to share insights on the basic meditation techniques.


    In fact, she had seriously practiced the basic meditation techniques last night and could now visualize six Will Runes in a single session, merely two steps away from eight.


    ��Rein, did you need me?�� Lagaray��s familiar voice came from inside the room.


    Apparently hearing the conversation between Rein and Anna, Lagaray emerged from the bedroom, sleep still in her eyes, wearing a thin nightgown that barely covered her voluptuous and energetic figure.


    This made Anna take a few more glances at her, then look down at herself as her fair hands clenched suddenly.


    ��Ahem��. Lagaray, the county��s team to investigate the Evil Spirit Knights has arrived. If�� you want to join, you��ll need to get ready quickly.�� Rein coughed and shifted his gaze slightly aside.


    ��Hmm? Did you say the county has finally sent someone?�� Lagaray��s entire demeanor froze, her eyes wide open.


    Only just realizing, she hurriedly turned around and dashed into the bedroom, saying, ��Three minutes, I��ll be ready soon.��


    Shortly, Lagaray appeared in a warrior��s outfit with short-sleeved mail over a leather harness, her round, pale legs impressively flexible.


    Rein merely glanced at her and felt that Lagaray��s figure was even more stunning than when he had first met her.


    Lagaray was past her growing phase, wasn��t she?


    ��Hey! Lagaray, is your shield fixed?��


    Rein was surprised to see that Lagaray carried a shield nearly identical to the previous one on her back, made of solid wood with a palm-sized, raised iron disk at the center, tightly encircled by a narrow strip of iron.


    ��Yes! Though I couldn��t find iron fir wood, I did find a large piece of oak, so I used it to repair the shield,�� Lagaray shifted slightly, allowing Rein a clear view of the shield on her back.


    Rein then remembered that Lagaray was not only a barbarian warrior but also a skilled blacksmith.


    For her, fixing a shield was a simple task, provided she had the right materials.


    Indeed, upon closer inspection, he could see that the grain of one large piece of wood was inconsistent with the others and the color was slightly different. However, if one wasn��t looking closely, it was quite indistinguishable.


    The two bid farewell to Anna and headed towards the town hall.


    When Rein and Lagaray arrived at the town hall, a mixed-style team was already stationed at the entrance.


    Four knights clad in bright silver armor and draped in white cloaks were particularly striking. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their armor was intricately patterned, different from the regular knight armor, and they had a prominent golden emblem on their chests: a long-skirted woman standing atop waves, blowing a horn.

 Chapter 137 - 137 - 126 Why Muscles Can Get So Big! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 137 �C 126 Why Muscles Can Get So Big! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    With the enhanced perception he obtained after his class change to Wizard Apprentice, Rein could faintly sense the powerful physical strength contained within the armor of the four silver Knights wielding swords and shields.


    Clearly, these four were not ordinary cavalry but genuine Knights who had stepped into transcendence.


    Rein had heard from Hamilton that not only the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church but other churches as well referred to their transcendent Knights as Temple Knights, and those below transcendent were called Temple Guardians.


    To eliminate the Evil Spirit Knight, would they dispatch four Temple Knights at once?


    How powerful the Goddess Church must be!


    Could there be another purpose, such as investigating the cause of the Evil Spirit Knight��s appearance? Rein couldn��t help but speculate.


    Additionally, there were two formal Knights, dressed in relatively simple knight plate armor, and based on the crest on their chests, they seemed to be the guard Knights of some nobility, with one of them even equipped with the rarely seen round arm shield.


    ...


    As Rein approached, he encountered many familiar faces of the Night Watchmen along the way, greeting each with a smile, and his Night Watchman comrades also responded with smiles and waves.


    At that moment, Hamilton emerged, accompanied by two ��VIPs,�� and from his slightly trailing posture, it was evident that these two held higher status than Hamilton.


    One was an elder dressed in a water-blue robe with gold trim, holding a thick book; from his attire, he was evidently the leader of this mission from the Goddess Church.


    The other was a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache clad in Knight Armor, probably a nobleman, and the two Knights from before were likely his guard Knights.


    Hamilton noticed Rein and Lagaray approaching as well.


    Perhaps Rein was not so conspicuous, but Lagaray, as a rare ��female�� and with the ��large shield�� on her back, was quite eye-catching.


    If this had been before, Rein, as a Night Watchman, would naturally not have had the chance to be introduced. Stay informed on


    But today was different, as his advancement to transcendent at such a young age had earned him the privilege of being introduced by Hamilton.


    ��Viscount Lord, Reverend, this is Rein, also the Vice Officer of Public Security for Flashgold Town that you��ve just appointed,�� Hamilton said with a smile.


    ��Rein, this is Lord Hamadi Viscount, the Chief of Public Security of the County Town, and this is Reverend Rudolph from the Goddess Church.��


    ��Good day, Viscount Lord,��


    ��Good day, Reverend,�� Rein said with a slight bow.


    At the same time, he was quite astonished internally��Chief of Public Security of the County Town? That was the superior of his own boss! He didn��t expect that due to the Evil Spirit Knight, the latter would come in person.


    And, Hamilton had just said his appointment as Vice Officer of Public Security was confirmed?


    This was indeed good news; after all, the higher the position, the more information and resources he could access, Rein thought to himself.


    When they heard of Rein��s new position, elevated from Night Watchman Captain to Vice Officer of Public Security of Flashgold Town, his fellow Night Watchmen and the public security officers were momentarily stunned but then resumed their composure as if it was to be expected.


    Some of the Night Watchmen even showed joy on their faces as if they shared in the glory, as if the promotion were their own.


    Others whispered among themselves, seemingly explaining the situation to those who were not yet informed.


    Rein��s strength was one thing, but more importantly, despite his young age, Rein was quite skillful in interpersonal relations, humble, capable of fighting tough battles, and after several missions, many of his Night Watchman comrades held a deep respect for the young man.


    For instance, during the extermination of the Evil Finfolk, Rein was assigned the heaviest task, blocking all escape routes for the dispersed Finfolk by himself. Even though there were more Finfolk than expected, Rein nonetheless managed to tackle the difficult challenge.


    In the child rescue incident, it was even more apparent. Every Night Watchman involved in the mission gave Rein a thumbs up as he single-handedly took down several formidable villains and rescued more than twenty children.


    This earned genuine admiration from the Night Watchmen who participated in the mission.


    Without Rein, they didn��t know how many might have died!


    Lagaray watched from the side, a glint of admiration flashing in her eyes.


    Although she had some understanding back in the training grounds, she hadn��t anticipated that Rein��s popularity among the Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town would be so high!


    While Rein was chatting with the ��VIPs,�� a pair of beautiful eyes watched him quietly through the window of a carriage not far away.


    A few minutes before, Miss Jenny from the Crowley family was passing through the town��s administration office in a carriage, heading south toward Rein��s home.


    Her mother, Lady Viscountess Crowley, had been urging her to communicate more with Rein and maintain a good relationship.


    Personally, she also had a favorable impression of the somewhat handsome young man, but unfortunately, Rein had declined her mother��s suggestion last time.


    Ever since she found out that Rein was interested in spiritual texts, Jenny often visited her family��s library. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, she had found an ancient book recorded in spiritual writing, that is, the Akkadian language, which she thought might interest Rein.


    Of course, Jenny��s main objective was to find an excuse to interact more with Rein through the gift of the book.


    Additionally, to facilitate communication between Rein and the Crowley family, Jenny had specially prepared a pair of Blue Helmet Pigeons. These messenger pigeons were extremely fast, with a tuft of blue feathers on their heads that resembled a knight��s helmet, hence the name Blue Helmet Pigeons.

 Chapter 138 - 138 - 126: Why can muscles get so big! (Two-in-one big chapter)_2

    Chapter 138 �C 126: Why can muscles get so big! (Two-in-one big chapter)_2


    At this moment, the pair of blue-capped pigeons stayed quietly in a birdcage at her feet.


    Hearing the nearby commotion, Jenny peered through the carriage window and saw the bustling scene in front of the town hall of Flashgold Town. Four uncommon Lady Knight Templars of the Goddess Church piqued Jenny��s curiosity, and she scrutinized them for a while.


    ��Hey, isn��t that Rein?�� Jenny spotted Rein greeting the Viscount.


    Rein, out of politeness, had already removed his knight��s helmet, so Jenny recognized him at a glance.


    ��Caso, pull the carriage over to the side,�� Jenny said to the coachman, Caso.


    ��As you wish, Miss Jenny.��


    The carriage came to a steady stop by the roadside, and Jenny listened attentively.


    ...


    Since Rein and the others were knights, their voices were not deliberately concealed; Jenny could hear them clearly from twenty or thirty meters away.


    ��Deputy officer of town security in Flashgold Town?�� Jenny��s beautiful eyes sparkled upon hearing this.


    As a noble lady, she naturally understood the imperial administrative system��s appointments.


    Despite the title ��deputy,�� considering Rein��s current age, this was quite impressive.


    In the imperial administrative system, competition was inevitable, with its share of pettiness, but there was one type where military merit was most valued. As long as one��s military deeds were sufficient, promotion would be smooth sailing.


    The background-less Rein becoming deputy officer indicated that he must have accrued substantial bona fide achievements; otherwise, he would have never received the appointment.


    ��Mother��s judgment is as excellent as always!��


    ��However, is Rein about to leave?�� Jenny frowned. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had come to Flashgold Town specifically to find Rein, but given the current situation, it seemed that he might have some important mission to undertake with the Goddess Church.


    This caused an inexplicable irritation in Jenny��s heart.


    ��


    ��So you are Rein, truly a promising youth!��


    ��I��ve reviewed your records; I had no idea that you, having joined Lord Hamilton��s ranks not long ago, had completed many challenging tasks. With your capabilities, Flashgold Town is indeed too small for you. Have you considered coming to the County Town?�� Hamadi, the Viscount, said smilingly.


    Somehow, Rein always felt that this superior of his superior had a disingenuous smile.


    The smile was very insincere!


    ��Thank you for the compliment, Viscount, but the cost of living in the County Town is too steep. If I were to move there, I��m afraid I couldn��t afford a house,�� Rein said with a laugh, tactfully declining.


    Rein��s response triggered hearty laughter from the others.


    ��Viscount, although Rein has completed many tasks, he is still much too young and needs more training. Let him stay with me a little longer,�� Lord Hamilton chimed in to defuse the situation.


    Prior to this, Rudolph, the preacher, had not paid much attention to Rein, but after sizing him up carefully and hearing from Lord Hamilton that Rein was under fifteen years old, he became quite interested in him.


    Rein certainly noticed the preacher Rudolph��s gaze. Although the eyes were gentle, they had a penetrating quality.


    ��Rein, would you be interested in joining the Church and embracing the Goddess? I believe with your qualifications, you have a good chance of vying for the next Meister in the County Town.��


    As soon as Rudolph, the preacher, opened his mouth, he made a grand proposal, shocking Viscount Hamadi and Lord Hamilton, who were nearby.


    They knew Preacher Rudolph all too well. As the one responsible for demon hunting and exorcism in the County Town��s Church of the Sea Goddess, he was usually serious and had a rather old-fashioned demeanor.


    To their surprise, he showed a particular fondness for Rein.


    And the four Lady Knight Templars couldn��t help but turn their heads slightly to look at Rein.


    The others might not be members of the Church and might not realize the weight and significance of the term ��Meister�� within the Church.


    But they knew it all too well.


    Every Meister was a candidate for the district��s bishop.


    Which meant that if Rein became a Meister, he would have a strong chance of succeeding the Meister of the County��s Church of the Sea Goddess.


    Preacher Rudolph��s words also left Rein feeling flattered but overwhelmed.


    However, Rein never considered himself wholly devoted to a single deity. If he joined the Church, he guessed it would be only a matter of time before he became a Blasphemer.


    After thinking it through, Rein politely declined, ��Thank you for your kindness, Preacher, but Lord Hamilton has been very caring towards me. Please forgive me for not being able to join your esteemed Church.��


    At that moment, Viscount Hamadi spoke, ��It��s getting late, Hamilton, with the Preacher personally making the trip, I think you should accompany us to the Nightingale Forest.��


    ��This�� What about Flashgold Town?�� Lord Hamilton hesitated.


    ��Ahaha, isn��t that a simple matter? Just leave Rein to watch over Flashgold Town!��


    ��Alright! I��ll follow the Viscount��s arrangement,�� Lord Hamilton said, nodding after a brief reflection.


    ��Rein, you��ll stay and guard Flashgold Town. If all goes well, we should be back by evening, at the latest by tomorrow. While I��m away, I��m entrusting you with the town��s security,�� he said.


    Rein was stunned by these words.


    No, please! I was planning to harvest a wave of experience�� How could this��


    Rein inwardly screamed; he desperately wanted to refuse.


    Content source


    But clearly, it was not the place to do so.


    After all, this order had come from the superior of his superior, and moreover, his direct superior, Lord Hamilton, had agreed.


    Consequently, Rein could only respond, ��By your command, Lord Hamilton.��

 Chapter 139 - 139 - 126: Why can muscles get so big! (Two-in-one big chapter)_3

    Chapter 139 �C 126: Why can muscles get so big! (Two-in-one big chapter)_3


    ��Oh, Hamilton, if you are worried, I can ask Andrews to stay in Flashgold Town as well, now are you reassured?�� Viscount Hamadi said with a smile.


    ��Rein, this is Knight Andrews.�� Viscount Hamadi pointed to the towering guard knight equipped with an arm shield.


    ��Lord Andrews, hello.��


    ��Hello, Lord Rein.�� A deep voice came from the other��s knight��s helmet.


    Oh! This Knight Andrews is very strong.


    Rein��s senses told him that Andrews seemed to be an experienced knight.


    This made Rein a bit puzzled, wondering why Viscount Hamadi would leave an experienced knight behind.


    ...


    But he didn��t think much about it, perhaps it was for Hamilton��s peace of mind?


    Of course, that��s unknown. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before the team departed, Rein and Lagaray instructed that it would be best if they could bring back her brother and the belongings of his comrades, but if not, ensuring their own safe return was most important.


    Soon, the team from County Town joined the team from Flashgold Town, a majestic group of forty to fifty people, and they set off towards the western Nightingale Forest.


    This time, Hamilton took nearly twenty Night Watchmen, which amounted to more than half of the defensive power of Flashgold Town.


    After seeing off the team, Andrews spoke up: ��Lord Rein, as the new Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town, could you show me around Flashgold Town? Although I��ve been here a few times, it��s been a long while.��


    For Andrews�� request, Rein naturally had no problem, because it just so happened that it was customary every day for the town sheriff to patrol around Flashgold Town on horseback.


    Although this was more of a formality, it remained a method to deter minor criminals and had been passed down to the present day.


    So, Rein often saw Hamilton taking time to patrol with two guards, the three of them riding together.


    Thus, Rein readily nodded and agreed.


    ��Of course, there��s no problem, Lord Andrews. Please follow me.��


    Through idle chatter with Andrews, Rein learned that after receiving the message about the ��Evil Spirit Knight,�� County Town took it very seriously.


    However, the entire Meister County had been unsettled recently, and the Seasonal and Marine Goddess Church had already sent out several teams to other places, with a team just returning yesterday.


    Therefore, the delay in the team coming to Flashgold Town to investigate the Evil Spirit Knight was a few days.


    Meanwhile, Jenny, who was secretly relieved that Rein didn��t need to go on a mission this time, saw Rein and an unfamiliar knight, starting to mount their horses and head towards the edge of town.


    This made her heart tighten.


    But seeing their slow pace, Jenny soon realized that Rein was just going for his routine patrol.


    As an aristocrat��s offspring, of course, she knew this was a routine of the sheriff. Your journey continues on


    Thus, Jenny thought for a moment, then said to the coachman: ��Caso, follow Lord Rein from a distance with the carriage, and also, let the two family cavalrymen wait here.��


    ��As you command, miss,�� the coachman Caso quickly greeted the two family cavalrymen in charge of protecting Jenny.


    Jenny wanted to approach directly, but with someone new beside Rein, now was not an appropriate time to deepen their interaction, so she could only have the coachman follow at a distance.


    And Jenny��s eyes were fixed on Rein, the more she looked, the more she felt the knight in armor looked dashing, making her heart race.


    Rein and Andrews soon reached the edge of the town.


    At that moment, a woman��s scream suddenly rang out from within Flashgold Town.


    Rein narrowed his eyes and instantly turned his head towards the direction from which the sound came.


    But suddenly, his heart sounded an alarm!


    His level 3 danger perception told Rein that the source of danger was right beside him!


    Was it Andrews?


    ��Oh no!��


    ��Iron Skin!��


    Without the time to turn his head, Rein instinctively activated his second Transcendent ability ��Iron Skin,�� and suddenly, he felt a forceful and scorching attack hit his lower back!


    ��Bang!��


    ��Crack!��


    The next second, he was blasted from his horse like a cannonball, hitting the ground.


    Instantly, the ground formed a deep crater where Rein landed, dust billowing!


    And Jenny, who was following from afar, had her eyes wide open, her hands covering her mouth in utter disbelief, watching the scene unfold before her.


    The unfamiliar knight beside Rein, wasn��t he Viscount Hamadi��s guard knight?


    Why would he suddenly attack Rein?


    And Jenny had just witnessed the attack, seeing black flames suddenly surge from the attacker��s palm, striking Rein��s waist with great speed, even tearing through his knight armor!


    Oh my goodness! Rein, just recently appointed as Deputy Sheriff, the guardian knight his family had just made contact with, was now ambushed and killed?


    Great Goddess above, how could such a horrifying event occur!


    But what terrified her even more happened.


    The tall, thin knight who ambushed and killed Rein was now focusing his gaze on her carriage.


    ��What a pity, the young knight prodigy, never had the chance to fully mature.��


    ��Oh! We have a few spectators here. Too bad! If you��ve seen something you shouldn��t have, you��ll have to join Rein now!�� Andrews said, his voice tinged with an indescribable glee.

 Chapter 140 - 140 - 126: Why can muscles get so big! (Two-in-one big chapter)_4

    Chapter 140 �C 126: Why can muscles get so big! (Two-in-one big chapter)_4


    The next second, Andrews shook the reins, turned his horse around, and intended to kill all the witnesses on the carriage behind him.


    Just as he was about to charge over, his entire body suddenly stiffened, as if perceiving something unbelievable.


    Before he even turned his head.


    A voice he thought he would never hear again rang out from behind him.


    ��Lord Andrews, I didn��t expect you to be a member of the Black Flame Cult!��


    Reine climbed out of the crater in the ground, now in a wretched state, the Knight��s breastplate given by Hamilton had been directly shattered by Andrews��s Black Flame strike.


    But surprisingly, there were no apparent wounds on Reine��s body.


    ...


    Upon closer observation, one could even see a faint silvery glint on the surface of his exposed skin.


    Quietly, Reine decided to allocate the Skill Points meant to enhance his basic meditation technique to breaking his limits.


    In an instant, the limit break value rose from 15% to 25%!


    Andrews stared at Reine with a shocked face, the scene before him had truly startled him!


    ��How�� how could you take my full-powered Black Flame strike and still remain unscathed?!�� Andrews blurted out in disbelief.


    His heart was screaming as well, how could this be possible!


    Even seasoned Knights, if they were ambushed with this strike, would be gravely injured!


    And Reine, a youngster who had just stepped into Transcendence a few days ago, was fine?


    Truly damn hellish!


    Reine, of course, wouldn��t answer his question. At this moment, his heart was filled with rage and also a hint of trepidation.


    If he hadn��t awakened his second Transcendent characteristic ��Iron Skin��, he might have been lying down forever.


    Reine had never suffered such a loss before!


    So, seizing the moment while his opponent was stupefied, Reine instantly ��broke his limit�� and pulled out the Dual-Handed Greatsword from behind his back, leaping towards Andrews with a ��Leap Slash��.


    The purpose of breaking the limit was, of course, to match the opponent��s speed!


    The 25% limit break instantly increased Reine��s agility from 15 points to just over 18, but not quite 19.


    When Andrews realized what was happening, Reine��s Dual-Handed Greatsword was already above his head.


    But Andrews was no ordinary Knight; a veteran with a limit break exceeding 30%, he managed to hastily use his Arm Shield in his left hand to block Reine��s strike!


    ��Clang!!!��


    Although it was blocked.


    The impact of Reine��s strike caused Andrews��s steed to kneel with all four legs and collapse on the ground, unable to rise again.


    ��Such a rare Knight talent, in just a few days your physical limit break has almost reached that of a seasoned Knight,�� Andrews said slowly, parrying Reine��s sword with a gloomy expression. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��If you were given more time to grow, you really would become a big problem for us.��


    ��However, the farce can end now!�� Andrews forcefully pushed with his left hand, repelling Reine��s strike, his face showing disdain.


    Immediately following, Reine lunged at Andrews again with a ��Furious Slash��, coming from above at a ninety-degree angle, straight down!


    ��You think this is useful��..��


    ��What?�� The word hadn��t even left his mouth.


    Andrews�� expression changed dramatically, as if he had seen a ghost!


    For at that moment, the Rein he was facing had muscles swelling to the point of shattering his knight��s breastplate into pieces!


    His muscles inflated like they were being pumped with air, growing by two whole sizes!


    ��Pfft!��


    Andrews�� expression would be forever frozen in that look.


    ��This absolutely cannot be a knight who has just stepped into the transcendent. Not even a Peak Knight��s muscle change is so exaggerated!!�� This was the last thought Andrews had before his death.


    Rein, who had cleaved Andrews in two with a single stroke, began to rapidly shrink back to his normal size.


    Planting the Glimmering Greatsword heavily into the ground, Rein leaned on it while gasping for air.


    At that moment, his entire muscular body and fascia ached unbearably as if every muscle was being torn apart little by little!


    Just now, it had been Rein��s first time combining the knight��s universal transcendent ability ��Breaking Limits��, the transcendent characteristic ��Huge Strength��, with a full-powered ��Strength Burst��, all in a triple overlapping state for that single strike.


    Though it had lasted for less than two seconds and had instantly killed a senior knight who possessed the ability to control black flames, the after-effects were also extremely serious.


    The reason for the triple Burst was that after Rein��s first swing was blocked, he had calculated that his opponent was a senior knight. Under maximum conditions, it was Breaking Limits at 60%, plus a Strength-type transcendent characteristic at 60%, adding up to at most a 120% enhancement.


    With their base Strength nearly equal, Rein only had a sure win by combining the three Bursts to achieve a 155% enhancement. Explore more stories at


    Even though Andrews�� transcendent characteristic might not have been Strength-related and might not have reached a 120% enhancement, Rein didn��t want to make any more mistakes.


    Meanwhile, Jenny in the distant carriage compartment was stunned, her cherry lips agape wide enough to fit an apple, her beautiful eyes round and wide, unable to snap back to reality for a long time.


    The splendor of that single swing had caught her eyes and was now imprinted in her heart.


    My God!


    Was Rein a god descended to Earth?


    How could muscles get so big?


    That��s terrifying! No, it��s so reassuring!


    Moreover, the transition from near-death to suddenly coming back to life was too sudden, like a person about to drown suddenly surfacing and taking a deep breath. This caused Jenny��s face to flush red, and she even rolled her eyes, nearly fainting from the excitement.


    And the Coachman Caso, alike had his jaw nearly drop to the ground, but after all, he was a man in his forties and quickly regained his composure, saying, ��Miss, shall we go help? It seems that Lord Reine is also quite exhausted.��


    ��Yes! Yes! Caso, let��s go right now.��


    Rein, enduring the excruciating pain of muscle tearing, pulled up his status panel to check.


    [Your Skill ��Giant Bear Sword Technique�� has improved, Experience Points +289]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience Points +57]


    The Knight (Transcendent) panel has successfully advanced to Knight (Transcendent) lv2 (43/300), awarding one attribute point and one Skill Point.


    Without hesitation, Rein allocated the attribute point to Constitution, and instantly, his Constitution rose from 16 to 17.


    Suddenly, a warm surge burst forth from his heart and rapidly spread throughout his body!


    In an instant, all of Rein��s muscle tearing sensation, soreness, and fatigue disappeared!


    Adding points is damn useful!

 Chapter 141 - 141 - 127: Could it have just been switched? (Two in one large chapter)

    Chapter 141 �C 127: Could it have just been switched? (Two in one large chapter)


    At that moment, Lord Reine noticed that after the battle with Andrews, combined with previous experiences against ��Karawi,�� ��Fog Specters,�� and others, the Giant Bear Sword Technique had now reached lv5 (1988/2000).


    Only one step away, he could enter the gates of lv6.


    So, when Jenny came down from the carriage, her face full of worry, and hurried over with her long dress in both hands, what she saw was Lord Reine, who had been covered in sweat and contorted in pain, suddenly stand up with a look of joy, brimming with vigour.


    It completely stunned Jenny!


    ��Lo�� Lord Reine, are you all right?�� Jenny stammered, still unable to recover from her shock.


    ��Eh! Miss Jenny, what brings you here?�� Reine asked in surprise. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Could it be that the Crowley family was also involved in this matter?


    ...


    After the recent ambush, Lord Reine��s vigilance was exceptionally high.


    ��I�� I came to bring Lord Reine����


    ��Wait! �� Lord Reine gave a shushing gesture and said. Find more to read at m_v l|-NovelFire


    Because at that moment, he heard more cries of alarm coming from within Flashgold Town.


    The noise was loud and seemed further away, but with Lord Reine��s perception, he could still faintly make out the screams and shouts of a crowd.


    It seemed that the Blackflame Church had not only sent Andrews.


    And from the looks of it, their goal was not merely to kill him, but something bigger.


    The purpose of the Blackflame Church��s action this time was probably anything but simple.


    Lord Reine glanced at the corpse of Andrews beside him; the body, as evidence, couldn��t be left exposed to the elements, and the battle loot had yet to be claimed.


    After a moment��s thought, Lord Reine turned to Jenny and said, ��Miss Jenny, could you collect my battle loot for me?��


    ��Ah? Battle loot?�� Jenny was momentarily astonished, failing to grasp his meaning until Lord Reine pointed towards the unfamiliar knight��s corpse, then she understood what he meant.


    ��I need to investigate the situation in town right now.��


    As he spoke, Lord Reine was about to head back to the town, but after taking a couple of steps, he turned back and cautioned:


    ��By the way, Miss Jenny, you should leave Flashgold Town as soon as possible.��


    At that time, Jenny was staring at the gruesome corpse nearby, lost in thought.


    How�� how should this be dealt with?


    It was only at Lord Reine��s reminder that she came to her senses, hurriedly responding:


    ��Yes�� of course, Lord Reine!��


    Just then, two cavalrymen were swiftly approaching from the direction of Flashgold Town.


    Lord Reine��s eyes narrowed at once, and he gripped the Glimmering Greatsword in both hands, readying himself for combat.


    ��Wait�� Lord Reine, those two look like my escort cavalry.�� Jenny was startled when she saw Reine draw his sword.


    ��Oh?�� Even though Jenny said this, Lord Reine remained on guard.


    After all, if he didn��t learn from his previous experience, it would eventually be his doom.


    After the two cavalrymen arrived, they swiftly saluted Jenny and urgently reported, ��Miss Jenny, the Flashgold Town church has been attacked, and the town��s guard forces are weak. We advise you to leave Flashgold Town immediately.��


    ��The church?�� Lord Reine��s pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly made a connection.


    Today was Sunday, and there would be at least a hundred or two people in the church, Lord Reine,


    Andrews�� the Blackflame Church?


    Could it be that the Blackflame Church was intending to perform a blood sacrifice in Flashgold Town?


    Because during his training as a page, Lord Reine had heard about the cult sacrifice incident in Monheim Town.


    After becoming the Captain of the Night Watchman, Lord Reine even went to check the relevant records; the truth was more gruesome than the rumors, with over a hundred people dead in Monheim Town at once.


    The official response of the Empire to conclude the matter was to blame seven or eight bandits, but Lord Reine knew it was a stopgap measure by County Town to quickly calm the public��s unrest and to downplay the incident.


    Now thinking about it, it was most likely also the handiwork of the Blackflame Church!


    ��Cough�� I won��t leave, he is Lord Reine, the Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town. You two arrived at the right time, help the Lord with collecting the battle loot,�� Jenny quickly assessed the situation and then declined the cavalrymen��s suggestion.


    Jenny was very clear in her thoughts.


    Although staying in Flashgold Town was dangerous, this was an excellent opportunity to strengthen her bond with Lord Reine.


    ��Battle loot?�� The two cavalrymen took a look around and immediately saw the bloody heap, jumping in fright.


    ��This was a rogue of senior knight strength, already slain by Lord Reine. We��ll just follow Lord Reine and assist with collecting the battle loot,�� Jenny said.


    Senior knight?


    Was that bloody mass a senior knight?


    This made the two cavalrymen look again, finding indeed a plate-armored knight. They exchanged glances and saw the shock in each other��s eyes.


    In that case, there really was no need to retreat just yet.


    ��Yes, Miss Jenny,�� the two cavalrymen immediately jumped off their horses, filled with confidence, and began the collection.


    Lord Reine glanced at Jenny, somewhat surprised that the noble lady had such courage and so much confidence in him.


    He nodded at Jenny and said, ��I��ll go first, you can follow behind at your own pace. If something doesn��t feel right, leave immediately without hesitation.��


    ��Of course, Lord Reine,�� Jenny replied with a pleased look, spotting that look of acknowledgment from Reine, and quickly nodded in agreement.


    At once, Lord Reine dashed towards Flashgold Town, while occasionally glancing at the Knight (Transcendent) panel.

 Chapter 142 - 142 - 127: Could it have just been switched? (Two in one large chapter)_2

    Chapter 142 �C 127: Could it have just been switched? (Two in one large chapter)_2


    After a moment of contemplation, I decided to allocate the newly acquired Skill Point to break my limit.


    The reason was simple, since I was about to face a fierce battle, naturally, I wanted to invest in something that would quickly increase my combat strength.


    Breaking the limit affected two Transcendent attributes, ��Huge Strength�� and ��Iron Skin��, and after allocating the point, both of these Transcendent attributes should advance to lv2.


    As I allocated the point, instantly, my limit break increased from 25% to 35%.


    Suddenly, it was as if I could hear the sound of glass shattering, akin to the noise of a key turning in a lock; Rein only felt a kind of ��shackle�� deep within him ��click��, and in an instant, it was unlocked.


    This feeling was so peculiar!


    It was as if Rein had always been dancing with shackles on, and now, all of a sudden, the shackles were removed.


    ...


    Every cell in his body was cheering!


    ��No wonder the 30% limit is a hurdle; it seems that once it��s surpassed, some sort of shackle within the body is unlocked.��


    ��Now, I suppose I��ve entered the ranks of a seasoned knight!�� Rein murmured to himself.


    Before Rein had the chance to deeply sense this change, the two Transcendent attributes that were associated with him also broke through to lv2.


    [Transcendent Attribute: Huge Strength lv2 (Active)]


    Huge Strength lv2 effect: Strength significantly increases.


    (Note: The Transcendent attribute Huge Strength��s enhancement of the host��s strength is positively correlated with the limit break percentage. The higher the degree of limit break, the greater the increase in strength.)


    (Note: To advance to the next level, a limit break of 60% or higher is required.)


    [Transcendent Attribute: Iron Skin lv2 (Passive)]


    Iron Skin lv2 effect: The body automatically absorbs stray metal elements, significantly strengthening skin defense.


    (Note: The enhancement of Iron Skin to defensive power is positively correlated with spiritual power and limit break percentage. The higher the spirit and limit break percentage, the stronger the absorption capacity and the greater the enhancement.)


    (Note: To advance to the next level, a limit break of 60% or above and a spiritual power of 18 points or more are required.)


    (Note: Transcendent attributes cannot be directly enhanced with Skill Points.)


    As expected, both Transcendent attributes advanced to lv2, and they even provided the requirements for the next level.


    To reach the next level of the ��Huge Strength�� Transcendent attribute, a limit break of over 60% was necessary, while the ��Iron Skin�� attribute had even more stringent requirements, needing a spiritual power of over 18 points.


    Suddenly, Rein shifted his gaze away from the Knight (Transcendent) panel, looking towards the spire of the approaching town church, his confidence redoubled!


    Ten minutes earlier. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Enjoy new adventures from m-v l��e-NovelFire


    Flashgold Town Church.


    The church of the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess, just like many others, featured classic stained glass windows and a slender, tapering architectural style.


    In addition, at the very top of the church, there was a gilded statue of the small Monsoon and Ocean Goddess.


    It happened to be Sunday, so at this time, the church was packed with Flashgold Town residents worshipping the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess.


    The arduous day-to-day labor and occasional disasters led to a world with far more believers than in Rein��s previous life, and significantly more devout ones at that.


    At this time, over a hundred men and women from the town, both old and young, were earnestly praying to the statue of the goddess holding a conch shell, led by a white-haired priest named Thomason.


    However, in the spacious hall of the church, instead of Priest Thomason, a black-robed monk was loudly chanting some sort of incantation; seven or eight burly men dressed as mercenaries, armed to the teeth, guarded the surroundings with eagle eyes.


    Besides them, there appeared to be another black-robed monk in a dark hood, head bowed, hands in sleeves, standing in a corner of the hall, silent as stone.


    And below, silent as death, were the hundred or so Flashgold Town residents who had been attending the service.


    In front of them lay the corpses of a few who had resisted, their bright red blood staining the solemn and sacred church.


    As the black-robed monk continued chanting the incantation, the black bone wand in front of him began to emit strands of eerie black thread-like substances from its crystal top, slowly filling the room.


    The residents of Flashgold Town who came into contact with it soon fell to the ground, trembling all over!


    This sight filled everyone with even more dread, trembling uncontrollably. It wasn��t that they didn��t want to resist; it��s just that resistance meant immediate death, and dying later was always better than dying sooner.


    Among the trembling crowd was a man with thick eyebrows.


    He had never imagined that, on this Sunday, right after finishing his page training, his mother would urge him to attend the weekly church service, seeking the goddess��s blessing for success in the habbs manor guard examination.


    Instead, less than half an hour into the service, a group of fierce-looking mercenaries stormed in, and Priest Thomason presiding over the service was immediately lying in a pool of blood.


    Right after, the church��s main doors were locked, trapping all the town��s residents inside.


    At first, the man with thick eyebrows thought it was a robbery by some gang of bandits, and considering his family��s wealth, he wasn��t too worried.


    But as the robed figure began to chant the eerie incantations, he made the connection to a cultist ritual sacrifice, and instantly, he turned pale!


    Cultists were known for taking lives without a second thought!


    ��Pseudo rich kids�� have one advantage at least: being well-informed. He knew what the other party was up to, or, in other words, under the current circumstances, the man with thick eyebrows knew exactly why he might die.


    Unlike the ordinary town residents who, perhaps up to the very moment of death, would not understand why they were dying.


    The man with thick eyebrows considered resisting; he always believed that with his swordsmanship, he could take on ordinary thugs with no issue.

 Chapter 143 - 143 - 127: Could it be that it was just switched out? (Two in one large chapter)_3

    Chapter 143 �C 127: Could it be that it was just switched out? (Two in one large chapter)_3


    ��`


    But when he saw his uncle, the peace officer who had taught him swordsmanship, struck down by a sword and lying in a pool of blood, that little bit of confidence in his bushy eyebrows shattered like glass.


    He didn��t dare entertain any thoughts of resistance in his heart; after all, resistance meant immediate death, but if he cowered in the crowd like a quail, perhaps he could delay his demise!


    At this moment, the figure of a man appeared unbidden in his mind.


    A figure that was even shorter and frailer than him.


    During the swordsmanship competition in the servant training, the person turned the impossible into possible, and reversing his defeat, he had beaten him.


    If he were here, would he dare to draw his sword against them?


    ...


    After some thought, he shook his head; chances were he wouldn��t dare either.


    After all, the gap in strength was simply too great.


    Although, he had heard that the guy had become the Night Watchman of the town, but what of it? He was still an ordinary person, and in the face of these fierce bandits, probably only a formal Knight would suffice.


    Seeing wisps of eerie black mist spread, his heart immediately tightened, and he muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear:


    ��Mother! You��ve doomed your own son; do you realize that?��


    ��Goddess above! I pray someone can save me!��


    ��I sincerely apologize for all the wrongs I��ve done before and beg the Goddess to send someone to rescue me!��


    ��I��m still young; I truly don��t want to die!��


    At this moment, his eyes had never been so devout!


    If Rein were here, he would have recognized that, apart from him, many of the servant boys he knew were also here, including his good friend George.


    This was because the Habsburg Manor was going to hold a servant assessment next week.


    Therefore, many servants accompanied their families to the church to worship devoutly, praying that the Goddess would bless them with a smooth assessment.


    At this moment, they all looked in horror at the scene before them.


    At the very edge of the church hall, there was another figure familiar to Rein, that of his mother Emma, who was bowing her head in shock and trembling, her expression one of horror.


    But at this moment, surprisingly, she didn��t immediately pray to the Goddess for protection; rather, the first thing that came to her mind was her son Rein and his increasingly tall figure. Stay tuned to m-v l|e-NovelFire


    ��With such a big incident happening, Rein, as the captain of the Night Watchmen, should be rushing over, right?��


    ��No, no! Rein mustn��t come!��


    ��They are too many and too powerful; even if Rein comes, he definitely can��t win against them!��


    ��Goddess protect! Please don��t let Rein come, let him be safe and sound!�� Emma thought silently to herself.


    At this time, a Black Flame Monk, robed in black, stood blocking the entrance to the church��s outer square. Four or five bodies dressed in peace officer uniforms lay haphazardly on the ground, and opposite him stood the remaining twenty or so Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town, along with a few peace officers.


    The Night Watchmen had their bows drawn and aimed at the Black Flame Monk, and the peace officers had also drawn their Longswords, surrounding him. But they were all tense, with a few pale and trembling.


    This gave the monk holding the black flame in his hand an air of being the lone man guarding a pass against a thousand enemies.


    The first few peace officers to arrive had already fallen prey to him.


    Among the remaining defenses of Flashgold Town, the short Matteo held the highest position.


    As the captain of the Night Watchmen, he clenched his fists, his face flushed with blood, but he dared not order his men to shoot.


    Matteo never lacked the courage to fight, but facing the Black Flame Monk who had even given officer Hamilton a tough time before, he knew that if he were to shout ��fire��, it was likely all of them would fall here.


    The black flames flickering in his opponent��s hand made Matteo apprehensive; to the average-strength Night Watchman, it was almost unbeatable.


    You may say, ��Hasn��t Rein already killed a Black Flame Monk? It can��t be that scary, right?��


    True, but that was a Black Flame Monk in a state of severe injury.


    The one before them now was a Black Flame Monk in his prime.


    It��s not the same thing at all!


    So despite having him surrounded, Matteo was almost certain that even if they fought to the death, they wouldn��t even be able to touch him.


    Maybe before they were all wiped out, they could inflict a wound or two on him.


    That would be the extent of it!


    Although Matteo had already sent out messengers to chase after Lord Hamilton��s party at the first opportunity, it had already been an hour since they��d left; in terms of time, they were likely too late to help.


    Additionally, Matteo had dispatched messengers to the nearby Habs Manor to seek the help of Knight Lloyd, but it would probably take some time for the reinforcements from the manor to arrive.


    So even though Matteo wasn��t very confident that Rein could defeat the opponent, at this moment their only hope was for Rein, the newly appointed deputy peace officer still in Flashgold Town.


    ��You don��t even have the courage to shoot me with your arrows? As the imperial peacekeeping force, that��s sincerely pathetic,�� the Black Flame Monk sneered, twirling the ball of black flames in his hand.


    ��Was it you lot of trash that ganged up and killed Mort? Doesn��t look like it!��


    ��Well! If you stand there obediently without moving, perhaps I might spare your lives.��


    ��Oh, right, I remember now, you wouldn��t be waiting for that�� what��s his name�� Rei�� Rein! That��s the name, isn��t it?�� sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Heh, you wouldn��t be waiting for him, would you?��


    ��Too bad, you won��t be waiting for him to come.��


    ��`

 Chapter 144 - 144 - 127: Could it be that it was just switched out? (Two in one large chapter)_4

    Chapter 144 �C 127: Could it be that it was just switched out? (Two in one large chapter)_4


    This made Matteo and the other Night Watchmen couldn��t help but change their expressions; for a moment, they felt as if their opponent had suddenly seen through their hand!


    Listening to the opponent��s tone, it seemed like Rein��


    Suddenly, screams erupted inside the church, one after another.


    This made many family members of the Night Watchmen inside the church become agitated, turning their heads to Matteo and saying:


    ��Captain, let��s go all out!��


    ��Yes, let��s go all out!!��


    The desperate declaration of this bunch of ants made Otis want to laugh.


    ...


    ��Hahaha, go all out? A bunch of ants, what do you have to compete with me!��


    Just then, a young yet resonant voice suddenly erupted, ��Hasn��t anyone taught you to respect the warriors who face death with honor?��


    Suddenly, Otis could no longer laugh!


    Because a person he hadn��t expected appeared in his sight, and also in the sight of the Night Watchmen.


    ��Rein!��


    ��Deputy Marshall, sir!��


    At that moment when Matteo saw Rein appear, he felt an urge to cry! The burden he was carrying on his shoulders suddenly felt lifted.


    ��Reporting to the Deputy Marshall, a Black Flame Monk has taken control of the townspeople inside the church!��


    ��Matteo, you all have worked hard. Leave this place to me!�� Rein, looking at the Black Flame Monk opposite him, said.


    ��You�� you are that new knight, Rein?��


    ��How is this possible, you shouldn��t����


    ��And where��s Andrews? You definitely cannot be his match!�� The Black Flame Monk named Otis burst out with a triple question.


    However, Rein naturally didn��t bother with him and silently drew his Glimmering Greatsword.


    Otis, with his brows deeply furrowed, couldn��t wrap his head around this puzzle.


    ��Could it be that Andrews fought against you and you managed to escape?��


    After thinking it over, Otis felt that this was the only reasonable explanation.


    Moreover, seeing the shattered state of Rein��s armor, it appeared as though Andrews had beaten him severely.


    If this were true, Rein was likely a Transcendent knight with attributes like agility.


    No wonder!


    Otis immediately ruled out all other possibilities and arrived at a conclusion that he thought was very reliable!


    For a speedy type knight like Rein, the best strategy is close combat.


    If he were to use ranged attacks like Black Flame Fireballs, it would be futile if the opponent was too fast.


    With his extensive combat experience, Otis quickly thought of the best strategy against Rein.


    Fortunately, Otis��s close combat strength was not weak either, skillful with a pair of Daggers, and although his strength was just that of a formal knight, his Transcendent attribute leaned towards agility.


    Having thought all this through, Otis confidently said, ��You barely escaped from Andrews��s hands, yet didn��t seize this luck, and even dared to come here.��


    ��This is truly your tragedy!��


    His words made Rein startle for a moment!


    ��Whoosh!��


    Otis immediately dashed forward, charging straight at Rein.


    His maneuver once again startled Rein!


    Because Rein had been thinking about how to dodge the Black Flame Fireballs in the opponent��s hands and then look for chances to get close to swiftly kill him.


    But now what did he see?


    The Black Flame Monk didn��t even throw a single Black Flame Fireball at him but instead rushed towards him for a close combat?


    Could there be some conspiracy here?


    No matter!


    Close combat is his own only advantage!


    Since the opponent was so confident, maybe he was also a Strength type player; it was safer to directly use his ultimate move!


    Just in time, Rein had broken through to 35% beyond his limit, stepping into the realm of a seasoned Knight, and his Transcendent trait ��Huge Strength�� had reached an enhancement of 60%.


    Rein planned to activate an additional 25% of ��Strength Burst��, aiming for a total strength enhancement of 120%, to probe the depth of his opponent first.


    Moreover, Rein was confident that, at this level of triple overlap state, both the duration and the side effects would be much weaker, and in a short time, there would virtually be no side effects at all.


    This was the advantage of having high Constitution.


    No wonder a great man once said, a good body is the capital of revolution!


    As for why not to burst out with full strength?


    That was because he needed to maintain a certain level of combat ability for the subsequent church rescue.


    Seeing the Black Flame monk rapidly attacking Rein, Matteo, while keeping his eyes fixed, quickly said to the other Night Watchmen: ��In a moment you guys from��.��


    But he was cut off mid-sentence!


    Instead, he muttered to himself: ��Rein��s strength��. has reached this level��.��


    Suddenly, a pair of daggers flickering with a chilling cold light appeared in the hands of the Black Flame monk, attacking close in front of Rein in the blink of an eye.


    As he attacked at high speed, the airflow raised rustled the battered plate armor on Rein��s body!


    In the moment when his adversary appeared confident.


    Everyone present only heard several sounds of bowstrings being plucked, and the source was Rein in the center of the arena!


    ��Boom! Boom! Boom!��


    Rein��s figure suddenly enlarged, his muscles bulged, especially his chest and neck, which swelled almost twice like a Zarah cobra about to attack its prey!


    ��Roar!!!��


    A roar sounded!


    A wave of tangible air Shockwave burst from Rein��s mouth, spreading outwards, and Otis was the first to face it head-on!


    Otis��s face turned to utter horror, as he never expected Rein to have such a wide-ranging sonic attack technique. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This kind of attack was completely unavoidable; one could only withstand it!


    Continue your journey on m|v-l��e-NovelFire


    And Otis reacted very quickly, shrinking his neck and crossing his arms in front of his face instantaneously!


    ��Bang!��


    As the gust hit, Otis only felt a sharp pain in his ears and a buzzing in his head!


    But he instinctively felt something was wrong, and just as he was about to lower his arms to check, he suddenly felt the sky darken, and then, his left eye was looking at his own right eye!


    No, to be precise, his left eye saw the right side of his body, and his right eye saw the left side.


    Before Otis could recover from his confusion,


    His world went dark!


    He succumbed to nothingness!


    And at the edge of the arena, everyone was stunned, their hands covering their ears, staring dumbfounded at Rein, still in a downward chopping posture.


    And�� the Black Flame monk split in two!


    The Night Watchmen were dumbfounded on the spot, a variety of ��ingenious thoughts�� popping into their minds.


    ��Is this the Black Flame monk they were once terrified of?��


    ��The one that even Lord Hamilton was severely injured by?��


    ��This�� couldn��t have been switched out just now, right?��


    ��Why does it feel like Rein just chopped down a fake Black Flame monk!��


    ��


    It truly wasn��t just Rein posing.


    It was because, at that moment, his Giant Bear Sword Technique had progressed to lv6.


    Thus, as the Giant Bear Sword Technique smoothly stepped into lv6 (124/3000), numerous memories of training with the Giant Bear Sword Technique began to infuse into Rein��s mind.


    Meanwhile, the various techniques contained within these memory fragments quickly integrated into Rein��s muscle memory.


    However, this time seemed a bit different.


    But Rein had not yet had time to fully appreciate it when he suddenly saw, the church doors straight in front of him were being opened from the inside!

 Chapter 145 - 145 - 128: Can’t Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 145 �C 128: Can��t Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    The one who opened the church door was a member of the Wilderness Brotherhood, dressed like one of the fully armed mercenaries. At this moment, his eyes bulged out as he stared at the Lord Blackflame Monk, who had been cleaved in half. His expression froze instantly!


    He��d been sent to check the situation because he had just heard a roar outside the church door that didn��t seem humanly possible.


    And what he saw left him utterly speechless!


    ��This�� this��.��


    ��You�� who are you?��


    Only then did he regain his senses and involuntarily looked towards the center of the area, where Reine was still posed with his greatsword swinging down, and asked.


    As the church door opened and sunlight streamed into the hall, the trembling townspeople inside felt a strange warmth in their hearts, as if a seed of hope was sprouting.


    ...


    The trapped townspeople turned to look towards the open door.


    Though their view was partially blocked by the fully armed burly man, they could still vaguely see what was happening outside in the plaza.


    They saw many Night Watchmen and sheriffs, a Knight in tattered plate armor, and a robed figure lying in a pool of blood!


    ��He��s come! The sheriff has come to save us.��


    ��Amazing! We��re finally going to be saved!��


    ����.��


    The crowd immediately grew agitated!


    At that moment, the burly man felt a surge of elation, identifying the Knight holding the greatsword as Sheriff Hamilton.


    But then, as he glanced at the two robed figures on the stage, he was still somewhat worried.


    After all, the enemy��s strength was far superior to Flashgold Town��s defenses.


    Fighting one robed figure, ��Lord Hamilton�� had his breastplate shattered. But here, there were still two robed figures��.


    The burly man mistakenly thought that the shattered plate armor on Reine had been caused by the previous fight with the robed figure.


    Meanwhile, Reine��s mother, Emma, had her eyes suddenly widen!


    Being a mother, she recognized immediately that the ��Greatsword Knight�� was her son, Reine.


    Although he was wearing a knight��s helmet, she was too familiar with that set of knightly plate armor which Reine had been wearing every day recently.


    At this moment, seeing Reine��s battered knightly breastplate, Emma felt both worried and happy!


    Worried because she feared Reine might not overcome the villains, and happy because her own son had come to save her��how could she not be?


    ��Goddess bless! I hope Reine can successfully drive these villains away!��


    ��


    The two Cavalry members from the Crowley family, although following Miss Jenny��s orders to properly collect the mangled corpse of Andrews Knight and closely followed Reine,


    still didn��t fully believe in the young Lord Reine��s combat prowess since they hadn��t witnessed it firsthand.


    However, when they saw Reine kill the black-robed figure��who was clearly stronger than an official knight��with a single blow, the two exchanged looks, both seeing shock in each other��s eyes!


    You should know that both of them were merely at the strength level of a second-tier knight��s attendant.


    At that moment, Jenny��s carriage also arrived at the church plaza just in time to see Reine in his stance with his greatsword lowered.


    Jenny looked at Reine standing in the middle of the church plaza. At that moment, the sunlight cast a faint golden glow on his magnificent and youthful body, mixed with the aura of having defeated an enemy, like a god descended from heaven!


    It seemed to echo the statue of the Seasonal and Ocean Goddess on top of the church!


    Jenny couldn��t help but squint her eyes into crescents, the look of infatuation so deep she found it hard to pull away. This made her legs involuntarily cross tighter.


    Naturally, Jenny compared the young and handsome Reine to a family knight of her own clan who was nearly fifty years old and harbored ill intentions towards her and her mother, Richard.


    She found no comparison at all!


    Jenny thought, ��It looks like I��ve bet on the right person!��


    However, when she saw her family��s two dazed cavalrymen, she frowned slightly.


    Jenny lifted the carriage��s curtain, slightly displeased, and said to the two family cavalrymen:


    ��What are you two daydreaming about? Why aren��t you helping Lord Reine collect the spoils of war?��


    ��Spoils of war?��


    ��Yes�� yes��.��


    The two cavalrymen started off confused, but quickly caught on and immediately dismounted to walk over to Reine��s side.


    ��Lord Reine, we��ll keep your spoils of war for you!�� the two said respectfully as they bowed to Reine. Then, each grabbed half of the robed figure��s body and returned to their horses.


    This action caught the nearby Night Watchmen��and even the rugged Wilderness Brotherhood member at the church door��off guard.


    ��Is there such a show of prowess?��


    ��Lord Reine even has his own corps for handling, no, collecting spoils of war?��


    ��How confident must one be to arrange something like this?��


    In an instant, Matteo and several Night Watchmen felt a surge of confidence swell within them. Read exclusive content at m_v-l��-NovelFire.net


    Despite the enemy��s formidable strength, the advantage was theirs! S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, with the two bloody halves of the body hanging on either side of the horses, the cavalrymen turned to Miss Jenny, troubled, and said, ��Uh�� Miss Jenny, we kind of don��t have enough space here!��


    Jenny looked at the two cavalrymen, who had the bewildered expressions of geese, shook her head, and said resignedly, ��Can��t you just get a cart for hauling goods?��

 Chapter 146 - 146 - 128: Can’t Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 146 �C 128: Can��t Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��.


    Through the gates, Rein peered inside to assess the situation and quickly took in everything within the hall.


    At the same time, he realized that it must have been his earlier roar that had alerted the enemies within the church!


    Though his initial move had the setback of alarming the enemies, it also had the advantage of letting him know the situation within the church beforehand.


    The strange ritual and the tendrils of dark mist made Rein highly wary.


    Moreover, he noticed that the dense crowd of townsfolk inside the church hall couldn��t hold out much longer.


    Because Rein saw very clearly that those townspeople near the prayer altar had all collapsed, their condition unknown.


    ...


    And as wisps of dark mist, alive like creatures, continued to spread around, even more townspeople began to fall.


    After carefully counting the number of enemies in the hall, Rein was shocked.


    ��Two Black Flame monks and seven or eight Squires?��


    This was a strong force indeed��


    He hadn��t expected the Black Flame Church to dispatch so many elites all at once.


    However, he suddenly remembered the peculiar sensation he felt after the Giant Bear Sword Technique had improved.


    It seemed as though once the Giant Bear Sword Technique reached level 6, it had entered a new realm��as if previously he��d been occupied with familiarizing himself with the moves, but now, he had entered a mastery phase, where everything felt instinctive.


    ��In that case, it seems I might be up for a fight after all����


    While Rein was gauging the strength of his opponents, they were also observing the situation in the church square.


    Especially the robed figure conducting the ritual, who, upon seeing Otis laying in a pool of blood, was visibly shaken, the person wobbled, and the mass of dark mist, as vast as an octopus, also became unstable.


    ��What the hell is going on?�� Metry roared inwardly.


    ��Metry, focus on the ritual. Leave the outside matters to me!�� said the robed figure with hands tucked in the sleeves, slowly emerging from the corner and speaking to the Black Flame monk conducting the ritual.


    ��At once, Angel Envoy!�� The Black Flame monk conducting the ritual responded respectfully.


    Watching the person addressed as Angel Envoy slowly approach the gates, Metry felt a wave of relief.


    ��Heh heh! No matter how you��ve done it, meeting the Angel Envoy means you can only pray for your misfortune!��


    ��Soon, you will witness the terrifying power of the Angel Envoy!��


    A smirk with a touch of schadenfreude crept onto Metry��s lips.


    At that moment, Rein was already charging towards the entrance of the church hall, followed by several officers, while the Night Watchmen took up their bows and aimed at the entrance.


    The seven fully-armed burly men from within the hall were now rapidly coming to assist, eight in total, arrayed in two rows, firmly blocking the church hall entrance.


    Rein scanned these men, and his enhanced perception as a ��Wizard Apprentice�� told him that among them, only two had the strength of a Knight, while the rest were mere Squires!


    Needing to hurry and rescue the townsfolk, Rein swiftly decided on a strategy of swift and decisive combat!


    As the burly men pulled out their hand crossbows and aimed at Rein,


    suddenly, a roar erupted!


    Following it, a silver sword light surged at the entrance of the church!


    When the sword light passed, the four men in the front were immediately taken out.


    But it didn��t end there. With a stride, Rein��s greatsword swept up, slicing through the armpit of a man in plate armor, a forearm still in its armor lofting through the air.


    Immediately after, Rein performed a Smooth Cleaving Slash, splitting the man diagonally from his shoulder down at a forty-five degree angle!


    Enjoy more content from m-v l��-NovelFire.net


    At this time, the other three burly men finally snapped out of their shock from Rein��s roaring strike, but the scene before them filled them with utter horror.


    Five of their brothers had fallen in less than two seconds!


    How the hell were they supposed to fight back!


    With the sword light flashing again, Rein executed a Furious Slash, instantly killing the last Squire-strength bandit!


    Now, the only ones still standing were two Knights, both already gravely injured.


    Just as Rein was about to finish off these two as well, suddenly, a swift dark wave appeared before his eyes.


    His level 3 ��danger perception�� went crazy with warnings, prompting Rein to instinctively guard himself with his greatsword.


    ��Clang!��


    In an instant, he felt a hot black current, carrying a tremendous force, slamming into him and sending him flying.


    Because he had blocked the attack in advance, Rein felt the huge strength cause no real damage as he flew through the air.


    However, the hot black current was rather peculiar!


    Rein felt a sting on his exposed skin and saw that he had become wrapped in fine strands of Black Flame, clinging like a pernicious disease.


    At this moment, these strands of Black Flame were trying to break through his skin to attack his insides; even with the protection of his Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin lv2��, it felt incredibly difficult to resist!


    ��Thump!��


    Rein hit the ground hard!


    At the same time, Rein heard screams nearby!


    It turned out the attack hadn��t only sent him flying but also several officers who had been charging in with him; they were also blown away. Since they hadn��t had time to react, their bodies bore deeper, bone-visible wounds compared to Rein��s. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 147 - 147 - 128: Can’t Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 147 �C 128: Can��t Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Moreover, these security officers were merely ordinary people. Once wrapped in the subsequent dark flames, they could no longer resist and screamed as they turned into a human-shaped black fireball, soon burning into a pile of black ashes.


    At this point, even Rein was unable to help.


    It wasn��t that he didn��t want to, but that he was powerless!


    Rein narrowed his eyes, only then did he clear see that the attacker was the dark flame monk who had stood in the corner of the church hall, hands tucked in his sleeves.


    At that moment, he was holding an extremely rare, giant scythe-shaped weapon. The long handle was nearly a meter long, and the blade was a narrow arc, also nearly a meter long.


    The strike just now was a sort of area attack similar to his ��roaring strike.��


    It originated from the attacker��s body and blasted out a shockwave accompanied by dark flames, along with a 360-degree attack from that giant scythe.


    ...


    Anyone within his range of attack would be struck.


    Rein had never encountered such a maneuver from any of the previous dark flame monks.


    It seemed likely that this opponent��s rank was higher than any of the dark flame monks he had faced before.


    Perhaps, this individual was the leader of this Cult of the Dark Flame operation!


    ��Clap!��


    Rein��s knight helm, which was already damaged, shattered completely due to the burning power of the dark flame, revealing Rein��s young and handsome face!


    Even the giant scythe-wielding monk was taken aback by this sight!


    He seemed surprised by how young Rein was.


    The town residents in the church hall, seeing the greatsword knight knocked down, entwined in dark flames, and then falling heavily, felt as if their hearts were in their throats.


    But seeing the greatsword knight rise again, seemingly unharmed, sparked excitement in them.


    However, when they saw the ��greatsword knight��s�� helm shatter and his true face revealed, many people were stunned on the spot!


    Particularly, Rein��s good friend George, at this moment, could not help but raise his hand in shock, pointing at Rein and saying,


    ��Isn��t that Rein?��


    ��My best friend became a knight???��


    Another page shook his head immediately in denial: ��Rein? Are you crazy, George! It��s just a look-alike!��


    Joking aside, Rein was still in page boy training with them a month ago!


    And now, you��re saying this man, who kills brigands as if they were chickens, is Rein?


    Equally shocked on the spot was the broad-browed individual.


    When he saw that familiar face, he felt that the greatsword knight seemed oddly familiar!


    Thus, his brain began to whirl rapidly, and suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind, his eyes widening as he exclaimed: ��Damn! That IS Rein!��


    The broad-browed individual tried hard to superimpose the memory of a skinny figure onto this ��greatsword knight,�� but he found, damn it, that they simply did not overlap!


    He scrutinized the other��s eyebrows again, muttering to himself: ��No! It absolutely can��t be Rein!��


    ��But��. it really does look like Rein!��


    ��Could it be Rein��s older brother?��


    ��But I don��t recall ever hearing about Rein having such a formidable older brother!��


    ��I need to find out more about this as soon as possible, if Rein has such an impressive brother, I should proactively go and apologize to their family.��


    In that moment, the broad-browed individual thought of many things��.


    Mother Emma, although she had long known that the greatsword knight was Rein, still felt a thrill when she truly saw her son��s face.


    She wanted to shout ��Rein!��, but feared distracting her child during the battle.


    Moreover, having just witnessed her child calmly killing several brigands, her heart had skipped a beat.


    She had never seen such a cold side of Rein before.


    And seeing how Rein killed like slaughtering chickens with a serene expression told her, clearly, this was not his first time killing.


    This suddenly made Emma feel as though her son was somehow the most familiar stranger!


    Inside the carriage, Jenny, upon seeing Rein being struck by the robed figure wielding a giant scythe in an attack like a black tornado, couldn��t help her heart skipping a beat. Read new chapters at .com


    Only when she saw Rein rise again did she breathe a sigh of relief.


    However, worry began to show in her eyes for the first time.


    She could tell that the individual wielding the giant scythe was extremely formidable!


    Even if Rein could win, it wasn��t going to be easy.


    As for the possibility of Rein being defeated?


    Sorry, that option was not within Jenny��s range of choices.


    The current grave situation made Jenny��s mind race, and when she noticed the blue-helmeted pigeon in the cage at her feet, her eyes lit up. She immediately took out a small slip of paper and a feather pen from the carriage and began writing.


    ��Mother: Flashgold Town is under attack by cultists, please urgently contact County Town for support! Jenny!��


    ��Flap-flap!�� The sound of wings flapping arose.


    A pigeon, seemingly wearing a blue helmet, shot out of the carriage window like a bolt of lightning, soaring into the sky!


    �����������C


    On the road to Nightingale Forest to the west of Flashgold Town, a cavalryman dressed in Night Watchman regalia was fiercely whipping his horse to speed towards the direction of Nightingale Forest.


    He was the Messenger sent by the captain of the Night Watchman, Matteo, to seek help from the sheriff Hamilton, who had left Flashgold Town an hour ago.


    Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 148 - 148 - 128: Can’t Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 148 �C 128: Can��t Overlap No Matter What! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4 Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Swoosh!��


    Suddenly, a sharp arrow struck his steed right beneath him!


    With the horse��s neighing, its leg kneeling, the Night Watchman Messenger was tossed off its back.


    The attackers were cunning, ensuring nothing went wrong by shooting the horse instead of the man directly.


    ��Swoosh!��


    Right after that, another arrow from the dense woods at the side aimed at the Messenger who had just been thrown into mid-air.


    ��Thud!�� The arrow penetrated the flesh!


    ...


    With a scream, the heavily fallen Messenger struggled to get up.


    But as he lifted his head, he saw two men who looked like mercenaries come out from the dense forest, grinning with satisfaction.


    ��Thinking of sending a message? Heh heh!��


    ��Just go back to the embrace of the goddess honestly!��


    ��


    North of Flashgold Town.


    The same scene unfolded on the road leading to the Habsburg estate!


    The ambush on the Night Watchman Messenger resulted in the failure to deliver the request for help.


    �����������C


    Flashgold Town.


    In the church square.


    ��Quite an impressive Transcendent feature, is it some kind of defense enhancement?�� the black flame monk spoke, his speech slow and his voice calm, exuding an indescribable elegance as if he were a nobleman.


    But Rein didn��t answer his question; instead, he took advantage of the moment to turn his head and quickly said to Matteo, ��Matteo, you guys attack from both sides, go and rescue first!��


    Understanding Rein��s intention, Matteo immediately led a dozen or so Night Watchmen, smashing through the church windows on both sides and attacking the black flame monk who was conducting the ritual from various angles.


    Though their arrows were easily blocked by the protective black flames of the black flame monk.


    But he couldn��t move, becoming a live target.


    This made rescuing the civilians possible.


    Apart from the many who had been unconscious due to the dark energy, most people began to climb the windows to escape.


    This occurrence vexed and hastened the black flame monk performing the ritual.


    At this moment, he couldn��t give up, as the blood sacrifice ritual was about to be completed. Even though many had escaped, the sacrifice��s quality would only be slightly inferior and still acceptable. However, if he gave up now, the entire ritual would fail.


    This was obviously unacceptable.


    ��It��s almost there!��


    ��Once I free up my hands, all of you bastards are going to die sooner or later!��


    ��But with the Angel Envoy��s strength, to be tangled up by the opponent, this really is unexpected!��


    Through the shattered windows of the church, Matteo immediately spotted Rein��s mother Emma, which startled him!


    ��No way! Rein is currently fighting a formidable enemy; although we might not be much help, we definitely can��t let Rein��s mother get injured!�� This was Matteo��s first thought upon seeing Emma.


    The next second, Matteo seized the opportunity to rush into the hall, quickly fleeing while protecting Emma.


    Meanwhile, the black-robed figure, called ��Angel Envoy��, was clearly incensed by Rein��s dismissive attitude.


    With a tip of his foot, the entire person rapidly closed in on Rein!


    Rein instantly activated ��Limit Break��, immediately increasing his Strength, Agility, and Constitution by 35%, and he attacked the black-robed figure with a Leap Slash.


    The black-robed man rapidly used his giant scythe to block.


    ��Clang!!��


    A grating sound of metal striking metal filled the air.


    The opponent��s strength was immense; Rein��s Jump Slash, despite his running start, was solidly countered without the figure taking a step back.


    This made Rein frown, and he thus abandoned his initial idea of going all out with his big move.


    After all, if he exhausted himself and the opponent still withstood it, then he, left with ��aftereffects��, would be meat on the chopping block �� doomed for sure.


    Therefore, he had to find the opponent��s weakness before unleashing his big move to take the opponent down in one fell swoop.


    ��Clash and clang!��


    The level 6 Giant Bear Sword Technique indeed helped Rein a lot.


    Even though the opponent��s Strength and Agility exceeded his, not by much, with Agility just a notch better than his, while Strength was two notches higher.


    So, Rein, using the smooth Giant Bear Sword Technique to constantly deflect and counter, managed to fight quite impressively.


    However, noticing the chaos of the people fleeing in the hall, the black flame monk fighting Rein seemed to grow a bit impatient.


    His strength and speed were above Rein��s, but he could not seem to take Rein down all at once.


    The black-robed man lifted his giant scythe into the middle, apparently about to release a move similar to the 360-degree black flame shockwave he had just used.


    Previously, when Rein was killing those squire-knights, he hadn��t taken note.


    But this time, fully focused, Rein quickly noticed a slight pause in the opponent��s move transitions.


    Good opportunity!


    ��Whoosh!��


    Rein��s blade slashed through the opponent��s black robe, cutting into the abdomen.


    But suddenly, an exceptionally strong resistance surged through Rein��s hands. This feeling�� Discover more content at .com


    It was as if he were using the Glimmering Greatsword to cut through ten layers of thick cowhide soaked in oil!


    The smiling visage beneath the black robe��s hood became visible, and then the giant scythe heavily chopped down at Rein, while a black flame tornado spiraled outwards in a 360-degree direction!


    ��Clang!�� Again, Rein was hurled several meters away, but with a quick roll, he minimized the impact.


    However, his body was once again wrapped in tendrils of black flame, subjecting Rein to another bout of scorching pain.


    If not for ��Iron Skin lv2,�� those two hits might have cost Rein more than half his life!


    Indeed, only with layered armor does one live longer!


    And with the opponent��s cloak ripped by Rein, a large portion of flesh underneath, covered by the black cloak, was exposed.


    It was a ghastly pale substance, similar to wrinkled skin!

 Chapter 157 - 157 - 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 157 �C 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    At this time,


    in Jenny��s carriage,


    with Rein��s meager Arcadian vocabulary, he had only managed to decipher the somewhat blurry inscriptions on the book��s cover, which roughly meant: ��Regarding�� forging����


    Yes, just these two words, which Rein quickly distinguished.


    But Rein was already captivated!


    He couldn��t help but be fascinated.


    Because this was a book written in Mage-script (Arcadian), and it was related to forging.


    ...


    Don��t forget, Rein had the Blacksmith profession panel. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, any method or trick that could potentially swiftly raise his Blacksmith profession level was of extraordinary significance for him��it could be said to be equivalent to an Extraordinary Battle Technique.


    Moreover, this was a book on forging written in Arcadian; perhaps there were some unknown mysteries within it.


    This made Rein��s thoughts slightly agitated.


    Thus, inside the carriage, Rein began to inquire of Jenny about the origins of this book.


    ��Miss Jenny, did you find this book in your family��s library?��


    ��Yes, Lord Reine. These past two days, I had nothing to do and stumbled upon it quite by accident while I was browsing through the library.��


    ��This book seems to have been neglected for a long time. When I found it, it was covered in dust and placed in the most inaccessible corner of the bottom shelf.��


    Jenny��s bright eyes looked at Rein, and she could tell he was very interested in the book. So, she elaborated a bit more, albeit somewhat exaggeratedly.


    In reality, the book was located on the Crowley family��s most valued ancient manuscripts shelf.


    When her father, Baron Crowley, was alive, he valued these rare ancient books greatly, and at that time, Jenny didn��t have the opportunity to access them.


    Now, naturally, there was no one to stop her.


    Besides, this was the last book related to Mage-script that she could find in her family library.


    And why say this?


    Obviously, to highlight the depth of her family��s heritage, so that Rein, the Guardian Knight, would pay more attention to the Crowley family and�� her!


    After listening, Rein��s eyes brightened, and he thought to himself, could it really be chanced upon so casually?


    Tsk tsk!


    The depth of a noble family��s heritage is truly remarkable!


    In that case��


    At the same time, a thought popped into Rein��s mind.


    He spoke: ��That�� Miss Jenny. If you have time, could you please properly organize the family��s library? Should there be similar books, do remember to let me take a look at them. Would that be possible?��


    Upon hearing this, Jenny was momentarily stunned!


    She had merely exaggerated a little bit just now, aiming to highlight the strength of her family��s foundation so that the Guardian Knight would pay more attention to her and her family.


    She had not expected Lord Reine to suddenly make such a request.


    Was this request excessive?


    Of course not!


    Jenny��s mind swiftly went to work, and in a flash, an idea struck her!


    Right! Her own family might be gone, but she had best friends.


    If it came down to it, she would mobilize her best friends to help search. She refused to believe that, in the vast Meister County Town, she couldn��t find a few Mage-script books!


    Therefore, Jenny confidently said: ��That�� of course, no problem!��


    ��Miss Jenny, I��m really grateful!��


    Soon, the group arrived smoothly at Reine��s front door in the carriage.


    When Rein helped his mother Emma down from the carriage, the family door suddenly opened, and old Rein and Bo He ran out quickly, their faces a mix of anxiety and joy.


    ��Lord Reine, I��ll not go in and disturb you then!�� Seeing the situation, Jenny naturally would not impose.


    Rein guessed that the incident at the church must have spread throughout Flashgold Town an hour before.


    Flashgold Town wasn��t large, and such matters naturally spread quickly.


    Even old Rein, who had gone to the farms early in the morning, had already rushed back home.


    ��Emma, are you all right?��


    ��Momma!�� Bo He rushed into her mother Emma��s arms.


    After a bit of commiseration, the family��s mood finally stabilized a bit.


    After reassuring his father and Bo He, Rein went upstairs.


    He took off the battered and tattered Knight��s armor and wiped down his body a bit. Rein then changed into a linen tunic with a cinched waist.


    Immediately afterward, he began to search for the other two Mage-script books to find out what those few words on the cover of the book actually meant.


    After all, that half-understanding, half-knowing feeling was the most irritating.


    It��s like how the saying goes with women, ��half-concealing the face behind a pipa is most enticing.��


    When Rein spent about ten minutes to translate the title of the book, a sense of joy surged in him.


    So the title of the ancient book meant: ��An Exploration of the Application of Scorching Touch in the Realm of Forging.�� Read new chapters at .com


    However, a question lingered in Rein��s mind: What exactly was this ��Scorching Touch��?


    Was it some kind of witchcraft? Or a special artifact, or maybe some kind of technique?


    Before Rein could continue to the next page for research, ��knock knock knock,�� the sound of knocking came.


    The youthful voice of Bo He called out: ��Brother, someone is downstairs, looking for you.��


    ��All right, Bo He, I��m coming right down.��


    Clearly, an attack had just taken place in Flashgold Town, and Rein, as the Deputy Marshal, still had a lot to handle, so this wasn��t a good time for research.


    As Rein went downstairs and saw a fellow Night Watchman colleague, he heard him report: ��Lord Reine, several nobles, including Knight Lloyd, have come from the church. They wish to invite you over.��

 Chapter 158 - 158 - 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 158 �C 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Alright, we��ll head over now,��


    However, after thinking it over, Rein changed out of his clothes, replacing his linen waistcoat with the plate armor he had worn before.


    Although he possessed the Transcendent characteristic ��Iron Skin,�� having an extra layer of protection on the outside would undoubtedly be safer.


    After all, when it��s possible to ��stack armor,�� one should always layer up as much as possible!


    When Rein returned to the church, he saw several individuals clad in Knight Armor, among them Knight Lloyd and swordsmanship instructor Perez, both of whom were ��old acquaintances.��


    Uh�� it was Rein who knew these two. They, however, did not recognize him, as Rein��s previous status was far too low for them to have taken notice!


    Inside the carriage, the gorgeous Baroness Cleya lifted the curtain, nodded at Rein as he approached, and offered a faint smile.


    ...


    The only person present whom Rein didn��t recognize was a bearded middle-aged man.


    ��Knight Lloyd, swordsmanship instructor Perez, I am Rein. May I ask, who is this?��


    ��This is Baron Alonso,�� Knight Lloyd introduced.


    Alonso?


    Rein��s pupils suddenly contracted; wasn��t that the name of the man behind the attack on him?


    This person is?


    And according to the previous introduction by Hamilton, this man was also Cleya��s brother.


    Count Habs��s eldest legitimate son!


    If he didn��t know the previous incident was orchestrated by this person, Rein would truly have been deceived by this ��actor�� Baron.


    At this moment, Alonso was also ��curiously�� sizing up Rein.


    ��Good day, Baron, �� Rein bowed slightly and said with a smile.


    This gesture fully displayed Rein��s self-cultivation as an ��actor.��


    After exchanging pleasantries, Knight Lloyd immediately clarified the reason for calling Rein over.


    After all, they found the matter at hand too absurd and extraordinary!


    So, Knight Lloyd directly asked, ��Rein, did you kill these Cultists whose strength reached the Transcendent level?��


    Just now, they had inspected the corpses on the flatbed, and judging by the black robes and attire, they were indeed Cultists of the Black Flame.


    Moreover, the cuts on these corpses indicated that they were all slain with extremely clean and decisive strokes!


    Of course, the angles of the cuts varied; some were split right down the middle, while others were diagonally severed.


    But regardless of the angle, the attacks they suffered were all exceptionally fierce and ruthless.


    This sort of swordsmanship and strength was something Knight Lloyd knew he couldn��t achieve, let alone Rein, who was only a squire in his eyes.


    The same doubt lingered in the minds of swordsmanship instructor Perez and Alonso as well.


    When they heard Knight Lloyd raise the question, they promptly directed their gaze at Rein.


    Rein nodded and said, ��Yes, Knight Lloyd.��


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    Rein did not intend to conceal it, because there really was no way to do so.


    This time, with Hamilton not around, he was the only Transcendent combatant in Flashgold Town.


    Additionally, besides his Night Watchman colleagues who witnessed him killing the Black Flame Cultists, many residents of Flashgold Town who were rescued also saw the event.


    So, it wasn��t that he didn��t want to hide it; he simply couldn��t!


    ��Rein�� have you advanced to Knight?�� the swordsmanship instructor Perez couldn��t help but ask.


    Before Rein could reply, Baron Alonso next to him answered on his behalf, ��I happen to know this; Rein advanced to Transcendent some time ago!��


    A few days earlier, he had sent his butler Michel to communicate with Rein, so he was naturally aware of Rein��s advancement.


    ��However, it seems that everyone has underestimated your strength this time,�� Alonso said with a probing look, sizing up Rein and harboring many questions within.


    Even if one had advanced to Transcendent and become an official Knight, dealing with the Cultists of the Black Flame would most likely end in defeat. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And to do what Rein did, killing four Black Flame Cultists��


    Nobody present could confidently claim they could achieve such a feat!


    ��Baron, thank you for your praise,�� Rein said with a modest smile.


    Fully upholding the composure of an ��actor��!


    After all, when one needed to feign politeness, it was necessary to play the part.


    At that moment, the noisy sound of hooves approached from nearby, as if a large group of riders was racing over from not far away.


    Rein looked up to see a troop of Cavalry suddenly appearing on the western road out of Flashgold Town, with a visibly anxious Hamilton at the lead.


    Apparently, the Messenger that little Matteo had sent out finally managed to deliver the message.


    It seemed, though, that the notification had arrived a bit late!


    The battle had already ended nearly an hour ago, thought Rein to himself.


    ��Dole finally managed to notify the lord!�� muttered Matteo next to him.


    No wonder Matteo complained; during battle, every second counted, and it was almost negligence to notify them so late.


    Knight Lloyd glanced at the Cavalryman next to Hamilton and said, ��The previous Messenger must have been killed; this is the Cavalry I sent to deliver the notification.��


    ��Hmm?��


    Rein glanced around, indeed, there was no sign of the Night Watchman named Dole, but he did spot a similarly tense-looking Lagaray.


    The investigation team that set out in the morning had now returned with all members intact!


    After dismounting, Hamilton, wearing a grim expression, greeted Rein, Lloyd, and the others, then immediately began to inspect the situation on site.

 Chapter 159 - 159 - 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 159 �C 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3 sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the sheriff of Flashgold Town, he was the first person responsible for defense, and naturally, as soon as he heard Flashgold Town was attacked by cultists, he rushed back immediately.


    Rein exchanged a few polite words with Lagaray before being called aside by Hamilton.


    Rudolph, the head of the Church, and four Temple Knights, upon hearing that cultists attacked Flashgold Town, also decided to return at once.


    After all, the Evil Spirit Knight was deep in Nightingale Forest, posing a latent threat that would not erupt immediately.


    The recently restless cult was somewhat troublesome for the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church.


    Thus, Rudolph and the Temple Knights, following Hamilton, began to examine the bodies of several Black Flame monks on the wagon.


    ��Such fierce swordsmanship!�� a Temple Knight exclaimed.


    ...


    The others nodded in agreement. They, as Temple Knights who had combated them, knew all too well how difficult it was to split a Black Flame monk in half.


    ��Eh! This one is Metry.�� Rudolph��s eyes suddenly narrowed.


    Although he appeared expressionless, his heart was already in turmoil.


    Although he did not recognize the other two, he had had several encounters with this Metry, who always managed to escape.


    The man had once been a Wizard Apprentice, but somehow got involved with the Black Flame Church. Allegedly due to his proficiency in a certain ��technique��, he was highly regarded by the upper echelons of the Black Flame Church.


    Your next journey awaits at .com


    Unexpectedly, he had died here.


    Although he didn��t believe that these three Black Flame monks had all been killed by the relatively youthful-looking young man before him,


    the facts seemed to keep reminding him that this was the only explanation!


    Moreover, with so many witnesses around, logically, this incident couldn��t be fabricated.


    Of course, for the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church, this incident was undoubtedly a great opportunity, whether or not Rein had killed them didn��t really matter.


    What mattered was, the Black Flame Church had lost four Transcendents in Flashgold Town, which had severely weakened them!


    ��Eh! Rudolph, something��s off. There are one, two�� six halves, which is the bodies of three Black Flame monks. But�� where is the body of the fourth?�� a detail-oriented Temple Knight suddenly asked.


    Right then, Matteo pointed to a clump of black ash outside the church square: ��Look! The other one is over there.��


    Everyone immediately followed Matteo��s gaze.


    All they saw was a large pile of black ash.


    Rudolph and the few Temple Knights quickly walked over. Although the person had turned into a pile of ash, they were still able to detect some clues.


    ��Rudolph, it��s a human skin armor.�� A Temple Knight used his longsword to poke around in the ash for a moment, picked up a thumb-sized fragment, examined it, and then looked up at Rudolph with a face full of astonishment to report.


    ��What! Say that again!�� Rudolph suddenly showed a trace of astonishment.


    ��Rudolph, it��s an Apostle��s medallion.�� Another Temple Knight��s longsword seemed to have touched something hard; after clearing it, he cried out in surprise.


    A diamond-shaped black flame medallion appeared before everyone.


    ��This is an Apostle!�� Rudolph could no longer maintain his calm expression, staring dumbstruck at the medallion.


    ��An Apostle??�� The other two Temple Knights also widened their eyes in shock, mouths agape.


    The exclamations of the church members, particularly the always composed Rudolph, immediately drew the attention of everyone nearby.


    Whether it was Knight Lloyd, Swordsmanship Instructor Perez, or Hamilton, they all turned to look immediately.


    At this time, Baron Alonso was as if struck by lightning, standing in shock!


    He roared inwardly: ��What! Another Black Flame Apostle died?��


    ��To think that this is a Black Flame Apostle!��


    ��An Apostle, even more powerful than veteran knights!��


    Basically, without a Peak Knight appearing, there had never been a record of a ��Black Flame Apostle�� being killed.


    At most, it had been ��Black Flame Apostles�� being repelled by the combined forces of several veteran knights!


    Although his relationship with the Black Flame Church was a mutually beneficial partnership, he was unaware of the specific personnel involved in a certain operation of the church.


    He had previously heard that all four Transcendents sent by the Black Flame Church had been killed by Rein, which had already shocked him immensely!


    But he hadn��t expected that among those four, there was also an Apostle of the Black Flame Church that had been killed!


    This honestly shocked him beyond belief, shocking him to the core!


    Compared to everyone else, obviously, the church members �� Rudolph and the four Temple Knights, understood more about the significance and�� the difficulty of this feat.


    At that moment, Rein was being pulled aside by Hamilton, having a separate conversation.


    ��Rein, did you kill all four Black Flame Church Transcendents by yourself?�� Hamilton was also astounded, sizing up his ��capable subordinate�� as he asked.


    Though he had estimated Rein��s combat capability as high as possible, the scene before him still left him utterly shocked!

 Chapter 152 - 152 - 129: You Don’t Take the Road to Heaven (Two-in-One Chapter)_4

    Chapter 152 �C 129: You Don��t Take the Road to Heaven (Two-in-One Chapter)_4


    ��Unless he��s a Peak Knight, how could Lord Angel Envoy possibly have been defeated!��


    After swinging that ��Peak Sword,�� Rein��s body was now like a deflated balloon, rapidly shrinking back, propping himself up with his greatsword, taking deep breaths, all while looking utterly exhausted.


    This was definitely not an act.


    At this moment, he had hardly any fighting strength left.


    Although Rein had increased his Constitution from 16 to 17 points after his battle with Andrews, compared to the 44 points of Strength he had driven during the burst, this bit of Constitution was still a drop in the bucket.


    Therefore, when Rein saw the Giant Scythe Blackflame Monk walking toward him across the church hall, he inwardly cursed, ��Damn!��


    However, the increase in Constitution did have an effect.


    ...


    At the very least, Rein could bear the pain and stand upright, calmly watching the other approach.


    Seeing the tranquil gaze of the young man before him, staring directly at him perhaps with the intimidating presence of having slain an Angel Envoy, Mitry��s forehead instantly broke out in large beads of sweat.


    The next second, Mitry stepped back in fear before quickly turning and running off, so fast he was like a streak of black lightning!


    But after running over ten meters, Mitry suddenly braked, then turned back fiercely, his gaze locking onto Rein once more!


    At this time, Mitry seemed to have regained his senses, thinking to himself, ��No! Even if this Rein is strong, there��s no way he could maintain a good physical condition after fighting Lord Angel Envoy.��


    Thus, Mitry cautiously and carefully observed Rein��s body, noting how Rein was slightly trembling all over, and how his clothing barely allowed him to stand straight.


    The Knight��s armor all over his body was also broken to bits, offering virtually no defensive power at all!


    Moreover, there were many charred areas on the exposed parts of his body.


    ��This����


    ��I knew it, this kid might have been lucky enough to kill Lord Angel Envoy, but he must be completely drained now!��


    ��Damn it, I almost fell for this kid��s trick!��


    ��Now this is good, this huge advantage needs to fall into my own hands, thank the great God of Hunting!��


    ��As the culprit for disrupting the blood sacrifice ritual and killing Lord Angel Envoy, as long as I slay him, there��s no doubt that I will definitely receive the High Priest��s lavish rewards.��


    ��Perhaps I might even become the new Lord Angel Envoy, haha!��


    A triumphant smirk appeared at the corner of Mitry��s mouth.


    When Rein saw the other returning, his heart suddenly sank, feeling that it was bad news!


    After all, besides himself, there was no one else in Flashgold Town capable of contending with the Blackflame Monk.


    But��


    When the anxious Rein inadvertently saw the profession panel, his eyes widened in shock!


    The system prompt read:


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved, Experience +121] Discover exclusive tales on .com


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +40]


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved, Experience +542]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +233]


    [Congratulations, your Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level has increased!]


    ��Holy shit! Did I just level up?��


    ��The experience given by this Giant Scythe Blackflame Monk is freaking massive!��


    Rein had never imagined that he could level up again right after killing Andrews! S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And all this happened in less than half an hour!


    Furthermore, after the previous level-up, his Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level was lv2 (43/300), and levelling up required 257 points.


    Rein never expected that by killing the Blackflame Monk before, and adding this Giant Scythe Blackflame Monk, he would get a total of 273 points, with 40 + 233 experience points.


    Now, his Knight (Transcendent) had already advanced to lv3 (16/500).


    Of course, all these weren��t the most important.


    The important thing was the attribute point provided by the level up.


    Without hesitation, Rein immediately added that point to his Constitution.


    Instantly, his Constitution rose from 17 to 18 points.


    A surge of warmth pumped fiercely from his heart and quickly spread throughout his body.


    This made Rein feel as if he had returned to his peak condition, his body brimming with energy!


    The side effects of having fully exerted the ��Triple Overlap State�� had now completely disappeared without a trace.


    His overall condition couldn��t be better!


    Watching the approaching Blackflame Monk, Rein��s mouth turned up slightly, mentally reciting:


    ��You didn��t take the way to heaven, and now you��ve barged into a doorless hell����

 Chapter 161 - 161 - 132: Handing Over? Go to Hell!

    Chapter 161 �C 132: Handing Over? Go to Hell!


    Flashgold Town Church Square.


    A group of nobles dressed in splendid garments or clad in plate armor were gathered around a young man demonstrating swordsmanship in the center of the area.


    The Night Watchmen, who had been busy nearby, couldn��t help but slow down their actions and stretch their necks curiously to watch the scene unfold.


    ��Eh, it��s Lord Reine!��


    ��Yes, it��s the new Assistant Security Officer, Lord Reine!��


    ��That��s right, it��s Reine; he seems to be demonstrating swordsmanship.��


    Since Reine had been the youngest among the Night Watchmen, although his positions had continually risen, many still called him by his name.


    ...


    It wasn��t a lack of respect but merely a matter of not having had enough time to adjust.


    At first, they called him ��Little Reine,�� then just ��Reine,�� and about half a month ago they called him ��Captain.�� Now, he had become the Assistant Security Officer. His promotion speed had been unmatched!


    One wonders how long it will be before the ��Assistant�� in his title is dropped.


    Reine suddenly looked solemn, beginning with an extremely swift Furious Slash followed by a fierce Leap Slash.


    Instantly, sharp swooshing sounds filled the area!


    ��Smooth Cleaving Slash!��


    ��Leap Slash!��


    ��Whirlwind Slash��


    ����.��


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique performed by Reine linked each move seamlessly, giving the impression that one was watching a dance of strength and beauty!


    ��Indeed, Reine��s Giant Bear Sword Technique has reached the mastery level!��


    ��This boy Reine is improving too quickly!�� Hamilton��s eyes suddenly widened as he muttered to himself.


    As Reine��s direct superior, Hamilton could say that he had watched Reine grow stronger step by step from an ordinary farmer��s son.


    Now, reflecting back, Hamilton realized that every once in a while, Reine��s strength would advance to a new level.


    Upon careful comparison of the gap in combat strength between him and Reine, Hamilton was astounded to find that Reine��s current strength seemed to no longer be beneath his own!


    Perhaps there was a slight difference in combat experience, but it was negligible.


    Hamilton had to admit, Reine was now a master of the same level as him!


    But how old was he?


    How old was Reine?


    One had to say, the speed of Reine��s rise was dazzling!


    ��This�� this is the mastery level of the Giant Bear Sword Technique!��


    ��Only fourteen or fifteen years old and he has reached this level! Truly an astonishing talent!��


    At the edge of the area, the person who felt the deepest impact from Reine��s performance of the Giant Bear Sword Technique was Perez, a noble scion and swordsmanship instructor from the Habsburg Estate!


    At the moment, he too had a face of disbelief, watching Reine demonstrate the Giant Bear Sword Technique in the center of the area.


    Since Perez also specialized in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, he clearly remembered that it took him about four to five years to reach the level Reine was displaying now!


    Though he wasn��t familiar with Reine and didn��t know how long Reine had been practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique,


    one could guess just by reason that Reine had not been practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique for long.


    Perhaps�� one year?


    But in any case, it couldn��t have been more than two years!


    The reason was simple, the sheer weight of a Dual-Handed Greatsword, weighing several tens of pounds, was evident.


    An eleven or twelve-year-old commoner��s child would definitely not be able to swing it.


    After all, from Reine��s seemingly normal physique, one could tell that he wasn��t someone with an extraordinary innate strength.


    Meanwhile, Alonso grew increasingly anxious as he watched, his expression gradually turning grim. A certain fear began to form in his mind because he realized the rapid improvement of Reine��s strength uncontrollably reminded him of someone.


    That person was his sister��Cleya!


    Alonso remembered clearly, when he was already a Level Three Knight Attendant, Cleya had just learned to hold a sword.


    But two years later, he could only manage a draw against Cleya.


    The third year��.


    Defeated, never victorious!


    Although, in the recent year, with a sufficient supply of Divine Blood from the Cult, his strength had increased rapidly, but now it seemed foolish to compare his training progress with someone with exceptional talent.


    Fortunately, Alonso had anticipated this with his sister Cleya.


    Thus, he had chosen to collaborate with the Cult and looked forward to the gains from the Black Flame Prayer Ceremony.


    At that time, if he could obtain control over the Black Flame or some other special abilities through the ceremony, he would be facing a tremendous increase in strength!


    While Alonso was unsettled, the people from the church were also intently watching Reine��s swordsmanship demonstration.


    ��Berial, how do you rate Reine��s swordsmanship?�� Priest Rudolph turned to ask a Temple Knight beside him.


    ��Very strong, on par with me, but considering his age, I am far from comparable!��


    ��I think, this newly knighted Transcendent Lord Reine, must possess both excellent swordsmanship and knightly talents.��


    ��Just as I thought. It��s a pity, such a talent didn��t join our Goddess Church,�� Priest Rudolph nodded with a sigh.


    ��However��.. Priest Rudolph, if Reine��s current displayed strength is considered, he might be able to kill an ordinary Cult member for sure, but I think he would still find it challenging to kill a high-ranking Angel Envoy.��


    The knight named Berial, seemed to be observing very carefully, and after a serious examination, stated his judgement.


    ��Hmm, you are right! However, I suspect Lord Reine must have an ace up his sleeve that he naturally wouldn��t display in this setting,�� Priest Rudolph nodded, fully agreeing with Berial��s opinion.


    ��Based on his swordsmanship display, it at least has the potential to kill at the ��Angel Envoy level��, doesn��t it?�� Rudolph said with a smile.


    ��Uh�� You are right!�� Berial was initially stunned, then also agreed with a laugh.


    Among all the nobles present, the only one who could not quite see through the intentions of the others was Viscount Hamadi from County Town, who watched Reine expressionlessly, pondering something.


    Beside them, Baroness Cleya and Jenny watched with gleaming eyes.


    For them, they naturally hoped that Reine, the Guardian Knight of the Cleya family, would be as strong as possible.


    The demonstration of Reine��s swordsmanship lasted no longer than ten seconds, yet it ended.


    However, it left a profound impression on the onlookers.


    Hamilton stepped forward, his expression complex, and patted Reine��s shoulder, whispering, ��Reine, you��ve given me another big surprise.��


    ��Your Giant Bear Sword Technique has already reached the level of mastery, which is truly remarkable!��


    ��Besides, once the review comes through, I estimate the 1000 Merit Points needed for your ennoblement will be sufficient.�� Your next read is at .com


    ��I was a bit worried that you ascended to Transcendent too soon and lacked strength, but now it seems my worries were somewhat unnecessary.��


    ��Hmm?��


    This news brought a slight joy to Reine, as he hadn��t expected that these Cultists of the Black Flame were so ��valuable.��


    He had thought that he would need several months to accumulate the necessary 1000 Merit Points to register for the ennoblement assessment.


    While Reine and Hamilton were talking, a knight approached Rudolph and whispered in a low voice:


    ��Elder Rudolph, I think you should check the situation inside the church����


    Rudolph raised his eyebrows, glanced at the knight in slight surprise after seeing him nod slightly, which caused Rudolph to frown.


    Rudolph, followed by Berial, quickly walked into the church to inspect the site.


    After carefully examining several corpses of Flashgold Town residents, Elder Rudolph, with a grave expression, said, ��A ritual of the Black Flame Cult was certainly conducted here, and apparently, it was successful.��


    ��Hmm! If based on what the Night Watchman just said, all the Transcendents of the Black Flame Cult were killed by Reine, then their Energy Storage Crystals should be in Reine��s possession,�� Berial suddenly realized something, then spoke up to remind the others.


    ��That��s correct!��


    ��Ask Reine if the ��Energy Storage Crystal�� is still there, or if it got destroyed during the previous battles,�� Elder Rudolph speculated, speaking in a solemn tone.


    ��At your command, Elder!�� Berial strode out of the church.


    Soon, Berial approached Reine, who was still talking with Hamilton, and asked, ��Excuse me, Lord Reine, during the battle with the Cultists, did you happen to see a rhombus-shaped crystal?��


    Reine pondered for a moment and nodded. He certainly remembered the blood-colored rhombus crystal atop the bone staff.


    Not just remembered, but remembered vividly, since touching the staff had given him a prompt to change profession.


    ��That��s wonderful! Lord Reine, this crystal holds exceptional significance for the church. Could you���� Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Hold on, this crystal, according to regulations, belongs to the spoils of war and must be handed over to the empire. I��m afraid the church will have to excuse itself,�� suddenly, someone interrupted Berial��s speech.


    Reine turned to look, seeing Viscount Hamadi smiling as he approached.


    ��What do you say, Hamilton?�� Viscount Hamadi then turned to Hamilton.


    ��Well�� Viscount, you are correct according to the regulations,�� Hamilton said, his expression slightly uneasy, but he still nodded.


    Although he doubted Viscount Hamadi��s position, without conclusive proof, it was not possible to bring down a Viscount.


    Regarding the sudden betrayal and assassination attempt on Reine by Andrews, Hamadi explained that he was completely hoodwinked and unaware.


    Moreover, even if Viscount Hamadi had issues, as per regulations, it was up to the provincial level to deal with it.


    ��Reine, regarding the value assessment of the Energy Storage Crystal, after conversion, it can directly transfer into Merit Points for you. Perhaps, Merit Points are more useful to you than Gold Coins,�� Hamadi turned to Reine and said.


    Reine glanced at Hamilton, who nodded slightly to him.


    It seemed that he, himself, would likely not be able to keep this item deemed mysterious by the system.


    ��A rank higher in office can crush one to death,�� and even two ranks higher, he had originally wanted to keep it to study.


    Thus, Reine nodded to Hamadi, ��Alright, Viscount, please wait a moment, I��ll be right home.��


    After returning home, Reine went to his room and immediately locked the door and picked up the bone staff to examine closely.


    However, Reine then thought that both Hamadi and the knight had only mentioned the crystal, so maybe he didn��t have to hand in the staff itself.


    Wondering if he could detach the crystal alone.


    After a bit of fiddling, Reine quickly discovered that there seemed to be a slot between the bone staff and the blood-colored rhombus crystal, then, gripping the fist-sized crystal in one hand and the staff in the other, he pulled hard.


    With a ��click��, the blood-colored rhombus crystal was removed.


    ��Since you all just want the crystal, I��ll keep the staff,�� Reine thought to himself.


    However, as Reine held the crystal, the system prompt suddenly sounded.


    [Ding! A large amount of unknown absorbable energy detected. Yes/No absorb? (Note: After absorption, it can be converted into specified Professional Experience Points.)]


    Sheesh!


    ��Damn! Is there such a good thing?��


    ��Then, do I even need to think about it, of course, I choose to absorb!��


    ��Hand it over? To hell with that!��

 Chapter 154 - 154 - 130: You Wouldn’t Eat Alone, Would You? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 154 �C 130: You Wouldn��t Eat Alone, Would You? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Please wait a moment, Knight Lloyd, I will go with you,�� Alonso quickly caught on.


    He chuckled bitterly in his heart. Alonso had never imagined that the problem in this matter would turn out to be Lady Crawley, Baroness Crawley. It was really unexpected.


    Now, all he could do was to volunteer to go to Flashgold Town to try to clear himself of any suspicion in this affair.


    ��Wait, Knight Lloyd, I will also accompany you. After all, Jenny is in Flashgold Town, and I can��t rest easy,�� the Baroness Crawley hastily added.


    �����������C


    Flashgold Town.


    Outside the church square.


    ...


    Although Metry charged rapidly towards Rein, he did not foolishly engage in close combat. His first instinct was to use a remote attack to take down Rein, who appeared ��exhausted.��


    He stopped about twenty meters from Rein and cautiously controlled a ball of dark flame, accurately tossing it at Rein.


    This made Rein inwardly lament, ��What a pity.��


    ��Swoosh!��


    With a side step, Rein dodged Metry��s dark flame fireball.


    Immediately after, Rein charged swiftly at Metry. His agile figure and smooth movements showed no signs of injury or exhaustion!


    Metry��s pupils dilated sharply, and with a look of disbelief, he exclaimed,


    ��How is this possible!!��


    ��How can you be uninjured?��


    ��You��re supposed to be exhausted!!��


    Facing Rein, who transformed from a seemingly ill cat into a ferocious tiger, Metry could not fathom the reason!


    The trembling of his muscles and the way he barely stood steady, leaning on his greatsword, Metry was certain that even the best Wandering Bard or opera actor could not fake such a realistic effect!


    In the short half-second that Metry was stunned, Rein had already covered a distance of more than ten meters.


    The distance between the two rapidly closed.


    Metry immediately took on a panicked expression.


    He quickly retreated backward, while fully exerting himself to launch dark flame fireballs.


    ��Whoosh whoosh whoosh!��


    It seemed as if he had some sort of enhancement; his speed of releasing the dark flame fireballs was even faster than the previous dark flame monks!


    The fireballs battered Rein like a barrage of cannon fire.


    ��Limit Break!��


    With Limit Break activated, Rein��s strength and agility immediately increased by 35%, and his speed increased once more!


    The incoming dark flame fireballs passed through Rein��s high-speed afterimages, missing their target and impacting the ground behind him, exploding and sending dust flying.


    The distance between them grew ever closer.


    Rein dodged the next two dark flame fireballs with a quick left-right maneuver.


    Then, with a rare upward slash of the Glimmering Greatsword, he directly chopped off Metry��s right hand that held a peculiar bone wand. Experience exclusive tales on .com


    With the experience of the Giant Bear Sword Technique at level 6 as a guide, Rein instinctively stepped to the right, his greatsword following through with a Smooth Cleaving Slash!


    ��Zzt!��


    Rein��s left foot braked sharply, stopping from high-speed motion while maintaining the side-swinging posture.


    ��Aaaah!!!��


    A piercing scream came from behind him!


    ��Thud!��


    A heavy object hitting the ground followed. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein��s wrist flicked slightly, and the crimson on his greatsword diminished considerably.


    Only then did he slowly turn around.


    He saw that the dark flame monk had been cleaved diagonally from the right shoulder to the left hip into two halves by him. The sound of the heavy object was the upper body falling to the ground.


    The dark flame monk��s strong vitality now became a shackle and torment, not allowing him to die quickly, only to face the gradual approach of death.


    This fear of death was an instinct of all living beings. Therefore, the man continued to howl in desperation!


    But all this had nothing to do with Rein anymore.


    Without bothering about the man��s fate, Rein stepped forward and picked up the bizarre bone wand, clutched in the severed right hand.


    It was due to this item that the dark flame monk had greatly increased his speed of casting fireball attacks.


    Moreover, Rein also noticed that it played a key role in the sinister ritual that had just taken place, with strands of a bloody scent still emanating from the crimson crystal at the top of the bone wand.


    However, the moment Rein held the bone wand, suddenly, a system prompt resounded.


    This caught Rein completely off guard!


    The system prompt was as follows:


    [Ding! Host has acquired an unknown mysterious object, triggering a career change��Dark Flame Monk!]


    [The prerequisites for advancing to Dark Flame Monk are: 1. Possession of any Transcendent profession panel; 2. Spirit above 12 points; 3. Worship the God of Hunting or use the unknown mysterious object. The current conditions are met. Would you like to change careers to Dark Flame Monk? Yes/No?]


    Huh!


    His career panel system could even change to a Dark Flame Monk?


    A career that clearly belongs to an evil alignment?


    This made Rein quite curious!


    That strange dark flame indeed possessed great power; the Dark Flame Monk seemed like a combination of a Wizard and a Knight.


    If it weren��t for his Transcendent trait ��Ironskin lv2,�� he might have died several times over!


    But when Rein thought of the ��serpent waist�� incident, he shuddered all over!


    ��While improving strength is indeed my desire, becoming something that is neither human nor ghost is really����


    ��Moreover, after the career change, it will certainly overwrite the original Knight (Transcendent) panel because my current panel total is already 4/4, so it��s not an addition but a career change.��

 Chapter 155 - 155 - 130: You Wouldn’t Eat Alone, Would You? (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 155 �C 130: You Wouldn��t Eat Alone, Would You? (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3


    After pondering silently for a while, Lord Reine shook his head slightly and chose not to.


    At that moment, two cavalrymen walked in and bowed respectfully to Lord Reine, pointing to the corpse that was severed into two pieces on the ground, ��Lord Reine, this��should we move it outside as well?��


    Lord Reine nodded.


    With the few bodies from before, he had three pieces of spoils of war he had yet to collect. It was a pity that the one with the strongest strength had ��self-immolated��, and the spoils of war had vanished along with the ashes!


    Just as Lord Reine was walking out of the church hall.


    ��Reine.��


    A familiar voice sounded not far away.


    ...


    ��Mother?�� Reine was more than familiar with this voice, and he turned his head in surprise. Experience more tales on .com


    He saw his mother Emma being helped down from the compartment of a luxurious carriage by the noble lady Jenny.


    ��How did these two get together?�� Reine was instantly confused.


    ��Reine, are you alright?�� His mother Emma hurried forward, scrutinizing Reine��s injuries closely,


    ��Mother, I��m fine! I��m tough, don��t worry!�� Reine patted his chest confidently.


    With his Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin lv2��, he estimated that his defensive power wasn��t much different from that of the Ironmane Bear. Although he probably wasn��t on par with the Bear King, he was indeed tough.


    After a careful examination, mother Emma found that it was indeed just charring caused by flames, with no injuries. She let out a long sigh of relief, finally at ease.


    ��By the way, Reine, this is Miss Jenny, you should know her, right? That was Miss Jenny I saw last time, wasn��t it?�� Mother Emma seemed to remember something and eyed Reine with a somewhat reproachful look.


    ��Yes, mother, Miss Jenny is my friend.�� Reine turned to look at Jenny and nodded with a smile.


    The certainty in Reine��s eyes brought an unexpected joy to Jenny��s heart, for she knew that what she had done previously had worked out better than expected.


    She cleared her throat and said, ��Lord Reine, I just happened to meet your mother����


    Jenny briefly explained the situation, and Reine turned to his mother Emma again, seeing her nod slightly, he couldn��t help but really acknowledge the lady Jenny before him.


    Not everyone would think of the safety of others in a dangerous environment.


    At least from this aspect, Miss Jenny was quite commendable.


    ��Mother, shall I take you home first?�� Reine thought for a moment, then decided to take his mother home to rest first.


    ��Yes, Emma, you must be shocked, take my carriage and go home to rest a bit earlier,�� Jenny immediately agreed.


    ��Alright, Reine, then you����


    ��Mother, I��ll accompany you back home first, and I��ll come back later.��


    Before Reine left, he waved to Matteo, the little fellow, saying, ��Matteo, I��ll leave this place to you. I��m going to take my mother home and will come back later.��


    ��Understood, rest assured, Lord Reine! Leave this place to me,�� Matteo assured him, patting his chest.


    Thus, Reine and his mother Emma boarded Jenny��s carriage and headed towards home.


    On the carriage, Reine suddenly remembered that Jenny had seemingly come to look for him, but because Flashgold Town was attacked, they hadn��t really had a chance to talk properly.


    ��Right, Miss Jenny, your visit this time is for?��


    ��Oh! Lord Reine, I almost forgot, last time you mentioned to me that you wanted to learn script. In addition to the two books last time, this time, I happened to find an ancient book written in script in our family��s library. I thought you might be interested, so I personally delivered it to you,�� Jenny explained.


    As she spoke, Jenny handed an ancient book with a slightly damaged cover to Reine.


    Reine took it and raised an eyebrow in surprise!


    Although his knowledge of script (Akkadian) was just beginning, this book��


    �����������C


    Lloyd led the way on his horse, followed by Perez and Alonso with two squads of cavalry, and at the very end were the Baroness Crowley��s carriage and guards.


    The group moved like a long snake, departing from County Town and making their way swiftly toward Flashgold Town.


    Midway through their journey, they encountered a Night Watchman from Flashgold Town heading to report to County Town and hurriedly asked, ��Flashgold Town has been attacked?��


    ��Are you Knight Lloyd?��


    ��Yes, the Flashgold Town church was suddenly attacked by Cultists during worship, and by now, many residents have been injured or killed!��


    The Night Watchman from Flashgold Town, who had seen the person in charge of the Habsburg estate on several occasions, was delighted to speak.


    He was the second batch of messengers Matteo had sent for help.


    Since the first group of messengers had not returned for a long time, Matteo quickly sent out more personnel.


    This Night Watchman left Flashgold Town shortly after Reine had just arrived at the church.


    ��How many of them are there? Where is the Sheriff Lord Hamilton?�� Lloyd asked anxiously.


    ��Lord Hamilton left for the Nightingale Forest with the church��s party this morning.��


    ��What!�� Lloyd and Perez looked at each other, both seeing deep concern in the other��s eyes!


    Flashgold Town might be doomed!


    Both he and Perez weren��t there!


    Lord Hamilton wasn��t there either!


    There was utterly no Transcendent power in the entire Flashgold Town!


    Even with the brave ordinary lawmen and Night Watchmen, it was impossible to hold off Cultists led by Transcendent power.


    ��Now, who is in charge of Flashgold Town��s defense?��


    ��Uh�� the newly promoted Deputy Sheriff, Lord Reine.��


    S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 156 - 156 - 130: You’re Not Going to Hog It All, Are You? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 156 �C 130: You��re Not Going to Hog It All, Are You? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Lord Reine?�� Lloyd and Perez both looked stunned.


    They had only recently heard Hamilton mention a young man named Reine, purported to possess a natural talent for knighthood and had even been appointed as the Captain of the Night Watchman.


    But when had he been appointed as the deputy sheriff?


    However, none of that mattered now.


    What was important was that, based solely on Reine��s words, it was impossible to withstand the Cultists.


    Alas! Flashgold Town�� it couldn��t be another Monheim Town tragedy!


    Lloyd and Perez couldn��t help but fiercely spur their steeds, racing towards Flashgold Town.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Alonso, who had overheard, maintained a distraught facade, but inwardly, his thoughts were the complete opposite.


    And when Knight Lloyd and his party arrived at the outskirts of Flashgold Town, they saw smoke billowing from the town center and, hearing no cries of battle, their hearts sank. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��It appears the Cultists have already struck!��


    Alonso also noted the same scene with a tinge of satisfaction in his heart, thinking that the Blackflame Church had acted swiftly to complete the blood sacrifice ritual.


    They must have already evacuated.


    Given the time, it was about right.


    This thought relaxed Alonso quite a bit, the situation was under control.


    Upon entering the town, they were met with intermittent wails of grief.


    This further solidified in Baron Alonso��s heart.


    It seemed, he just had to go through the motions.


    The only pity was that the original plan was to let the pirates plunder Flashgold Town to cover up the Blackflame Church��s blood sacrifice ritual.


    But now, that wouldn��t be appropriate.


    Chances were, the Blackflame Church��s actions couldn��t be concealed.


    And in the carriage behind, Lady Crawley��s heart clenched as she saw the terrible state of Flashgold Town.


    ��This�� so many people dead, Jenny couldn��t be in danger, could she?��


    As they drew closer to the Flashgold Town church, the sight of each withered corpse being brought out caused both Lloyd and Perez to frown deeply.


    Not until they approached the church and saw a group of Night Watchmen gathered did they immediately spur their horses forward and demand:


    ��Who is in charge here?��


    ��I am!�� Matteo turned around at the noise and said.


    ��Oh! Knight Lloyd, you��ve finally arrived!��


    ��The Cultists have already retreated?�� Lloyd asked with a grave expression.


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    Matteo shook his head and pointed to a cart by the church plaza: ��The Cultists are right there.��


    ��Huh?��


    The group looked on, puzzled.


    On the cart lay a number of bloody, indistinct shapes that appeared to be corpses.


    ��This�� you��re saying all the Cultists are dead?�� Lloyd quickly caught on, asking in surprise.


    Matteo nodded, ��Yes, they were all slain by Lord Reine!��


    ��Impossible!�� Alonso couldn��t help but blurt out.


    But he immediately realized this was inappropriate and quickly added, ��I mean, did they have no Transcendents?��


    ��Of course they did, my lord, the enemy brought four Transcendents.��


    ��I knew it!�� Alonso sighed with relief.


    He had just realized that what the Captain of the Night Watchmen meant was that the Cultists�� underlings who had been killed were all here.


    Matteo, however, gave Alonso an odd look and said, ��The bodies of three out of the four enemy Transcendents are here.��


    ��What? Three out of four Transcendents were slain by you?�� Alonso��s eyes suddenly widened, and he expressed disbelief.


    At that moment, he thought he must be hallucinating!


    ��`


    ��Yes, how is that possible, how did you manage to kill them?�� Lloyd was not doubting that Matteo was lying, but he felt that the whole affair was a bit preposterous.


    Twenty-some ordinary Night Watchmen had repelled four Transcendent-powered Cultists and even killed three of them.


    Not even the autobiography of a Wandering Bard would dare to write such a thing!


    Perez was also looking at Matteo with a face full of disbelief.


    Even the beautiful Baroness Crawley had lifted the curtain of the carriage compartment at this moment, staring at Matteo with a bewildered expression.


    She had heard the name Reine from the conversation just now.


    Although she knew that Reine was a capable fighter, the extent of his prowess was beyond her belief!


    Seeing the attention of several VIPs from County Town focused on him, Matteo also felt the pressure.


    However, he still found it odd that these prominent individuals from County Town seemed to have trouble believing in their combat strength.


    Additionally, he felt it was necessary to correct the mistakes in the other party��s words, after all, it was related to the rewards for their merits.


    Of course, though Lord Reine took the lion��s share, being a collective, the Night Watchmen would also be entitled to a small share of the glory.


    ��Well�� Your Excellency, it wasn��t three that were killed, but four Transcendents!��


    ��Look! There��s still one there, burnt to ashes!��


    Matteo pointed to a pile of black ash outside the church square.


    This time, whether it was Lloyd, Perez, Alonso or Baroness Crawley, no one spoke a word!


    They all stared wide-eyed at the pile of black ashes!


    The scene fell into complete silence!


    �����������C


    In a valley to the east of Flashgold Town.


    Seventy to eighty burly men, armed with various types of weapons, were gathering and resting.


    The leader was a one-eyed man carrying an exaggeratedly large bow on his back.


    He was Phil Kraz, the deputy captain of the Black Sail Pirates, not only possessed the strength of a seasoned Knight, but was especially skilled in archery, a rare sharpshooter among pirates known by the nickname ��Bloody Shooter.��


    He paced back and forth with a puzzled look on his face.


    Because this went against the agreement with the Cult of the Black Flame!


    The other party had made it very clear before: roughly by ten o��clock, once the flare was launched, they were to raid Flashgold Town, for which the Cult of the Black Flame had paid them a handsome sum of money.


    But it was almost half-past ten in the morning now, and no flares had been seen above Flashgold Town.


    Instead, they had seen several plumes of black smoke �C perhaps a few households getting an early start on the midday meal?


    Damn it, his men were hungry!


    Also, he had promised Baron Norman that he would help him take care of a rookie with the strength of an almost-Knight, said to be serving amongst the Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town with quite a talent for knighthood.


    Of course, such a trifling matter was but a gesture.


    The main issue was, if the signal still didn��t arrive, he was in for some trouble!


    To withdraw or to engage?


    ��Damn it, what the hell is that sneaky Cult up to?��


    ��We��ve been waiting for half a day already!��


    A pirate spat out the grass root in his mouth, complaining impatiently.


    ��Boss, why bother waiting for their signal, can��t we just hit them directly?��


    ��Yeah, let��s just do it, boss!��


    ��Since when do Black Sail Pirates take orders from those Cultists?��


    One person started it, and in an instant, ignited the volatile temper of the pirates.


    They had traveled from the coastal area in the middle of the night to plunder Flashgold Town, not even stopping for breakfast, all dreaming of a big score.


    And now, there was no word from those sons of bitches.


    They better not be double-crossing!


    ��`

 Chapter 157 - 157 - 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 157 �C 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    At this time,


    in Jenny��s carriage,


    with Rein��s meager Arcadian vocabulary, he had only managed to decipher the somewhat blurry inscriptions on the book��s cover, which roughly meant: ��Regarding�� forging����


    Yes, just these two words, which Rein quickly distinguished.


    But Rein was already captivated!


    He couldn��t help but be fascinated.


    Because this was a book written in Mage-script (Arcadian), and it was related to forging.


    ...


    Don��t forget, Rein had the Blacksmith profession panel. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, any method or trick that could potentially swiftly raise his Blacksmith profession level was of extraordinary significance for him��it could be said to be equivalent to an Extraordinary Battle Technique.


    Moreover, this was a book on forging written in Arcadian; perhaps there were some unknown mysteries within it.


    This made Rein��s thoughts slightly agitated.


    Thus, inside the carriage, Rein began to inquire of Jenny about the origins of this book.


    ��Miss Jenny, did you find this book in your family��s library?��


    ��Yes, Lord Reine. These past two days, I had nothing to do and stumbled upon it quite by accident while I was browsing through the library.��


    ��This book seems to have been neglected for a long time. When I found it, it was covered in dust and placed in the most inaccessible corner of the bottom shelf.��


    Jenny��s bright eyes looked at Rein, and she could tell he was very interested in the book. So, she elaborated a bit more, albeit somewhat exaggeratedly.


    In reality, the book was located on the Crowley family��s most valued ancient manuscripts shelf.


    When her father, Baron Crowley, was alive, he valued these rare ancient books greatly, and at that time, Jenny didn��t have the opportunity to access them.


    Now, naturally, there was no one to stop her.


    Besides, this was the last book related to Mage-script that she could find in her family library.


    And why say this?


    Obviously, to highlight the depth of her family��s heritage, so that Rein, the Guardian Knight, would pay more attention to the Crowley family and�� her!


    After listening, Rein��s eyes brightened, and he thought to himself, could it really be chanced upon so casually?


    Tsk tsk!


    The depth of a noble family��s heritage is truly remarkable!


    In that case��


    At the same time, a thought popped into Rein��s mind.


    He spoke: ��That�� Miss Jenny. If you have time, could you please properly organize the family��s library? Should there be similar books, do remember to let me take a look at them. Would that be possible?��


    Upon hearing this, Jenny was momentarily stunned!


    She had merely exaggerated a little bit just now, aiming to highlight the strength of her family��s foundation so that the Guardian Knight would pay more attention to her and her family.


    She had not expected Lord Reine to suddenly make such a request.


    Was this request excessive?


    Of course not!


    Jenny��s mind swiftly went to work, and in a flash, an idea struck her!


    Right! Her own family might be gone, but she had best friends.


    If it came down to it, she would mobilize her best friends to help search. She refused to believe that, in the vast Meister County Town, she couldn��t find a few Mage-script books!


    Therefore, Jenny confidently said: ��That�� of course, no problem!��


    ��Miss Jenny, I��m really grateful!��


    Soon, the group arrived smoothly at Reine��s front door in the carriage.


    When Rein helped his mother Emma down from the carriage, the family door suddenly opened, and old Rein and Bo He ran out quickly, their faces a mix of anxiety and joy.


    ��Lord Reine, I��ll not go in and disturb you then!�� Seeing the situation, Jenny naturally would not impose.


    Rein guessed that the incident at the church must have spread throughout Flashgold Town an hour before.


    Flashgold Town wasn��t large, and such matters naturally spread quickly.


    Even old Rein, who had gone to the farms early in the morning, had already rushed back home.


    ��Emma, are you all right?��


    ��Momma!�� Bo He rushed into her mother Emma��s arms.


    After a bit of commiseration, the family��s mood finally stabilized a bit.


    After reassuring his father and Bo He, Rein went upstairs.


    He took off the battered and tattered Knight��s armor and wiped down his body a bit. Rein then changed into a linen tunic with a cinched waist.


    Immediately afterward, he began to search for the other two Mage-script books to find out what those few words on the cover of the book actually meant.


    After all, that half-understanding, half-knowing feeling was the most irritating.


    It��s like how the saying goes with women, ��half-concealing the face behind a pipa is most enticing.��


    When Rein spent about ten minutes to translate the title of the book, a sense of joy surged in him.


    So the title of the ancient book meant: ��An Exploration of the Application of Scorching Touch in the Realm of Forging.�� Read new chapters at .com


    However, a question lingered in Rein��s mind: What exactly was this ��Scorching Touch��?


    Was it some kind of witchcraft? Or a special artifact, or maybe some kind of technique?


    Before Rein could continue to the next page for research, ��knock knock knock,�� the sound of knocking came.


    The youthful voice of Bo He called out: ��Brother, someone is downstairs, looking for you.��


    ��All right, Bo He, I��m coming right down.��


    Clearly, an attack had just taken place in Flashgold Town, and Rein, as the Deputy Marshal, still had a lot to handle, so this wasn��t a good time for research.


    As Rein went downstairs and saw a fellow Night Watchman colleague, he heard him report: ��Lord Reine, several nobles, including Knight Lloyd, have come from the church. They wish to invite you over.��

 Chapter 158 - 158 - 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 158 �C 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Alright, we��ll head over now,��


    However, after thinking it over, Rein changed out of his clothes, replacing his linen waistcoat with the plate armor he had worn before.


    Although he possessed the Transcendent characteristic ��Iron Skin,�� having an extra layer of protection on the outside would undoubtedly be safer.


    After all, when it��s possible to ��stack armor,�� one should always layer up as much as possible!


    When Rein returned to the church, he saw several individuals clad in Knight Armor, among them Knight Lloyd and swordsmanship instructor Perez, both of whom were ��old acquaintances.��


    Uh�� it was Rein who knew these two. They, however, did not recognize him, as Rein��s previous status was far too low for them to have taken notice!


    Inside the carriage, the gorgeous Baroness Cleya lifted the curtain, nodded at Rein as he approached, and offered a faint smile.


    ...


    The only person present whom Rein didn��t recognize was a bearded middle-aged man.


    ��Knight Lloyd, swordsmanship instructor Perez, I am Rein. May I ask, who is this?��


    ��This is Baron Alonso,�� Knight Lloyd introduced.


    Alonso?


    Rein��s pupils suddenly contracted; wasn��t that the name of the man behind the attack on him?


    This person is?


    And according to the previous introduction by Hamilton, this man was also Cleya��s brother.


    Count Habs��s eldest legitimate son!


    If he didn��t know the previous incident was orchestrated by this person, Rein would truly have been deceived by this ��actor�� Baron.


    At this moment, Alonso was also ��curiously�� sizing up Rein.


    ��Good day, Baron, �� Rein bowed slightly and said with a smile.


    This gesture fully displayed Rein��s self-cultivation as an ��actor.��


    After exchanging pleasantries, Knight Lloyd immediately clarified the reason for calling Rein over.


    After all, they found the matter at hand too absurd and extraordinary!


    So, Knight Lloyd directly asked, ��Rein, did you kill these Cultists whose strength reached the Transcendent level?��


    Just now, they had inspected the corpses on the flatbed, and judging by the black robes and attire, they were indeed Cultists of the Black Flame.


    Moreover, the cuts on these corpses indicated that they were all slain with extremely clean and decisive strokes!


    Of course, the angles of the cuts varied; some were split right down the middle, while others were diagonally severed.


    But regardless of the angle, the attacks they suffered were all exceptionally fierce and ruthless.


    This sort of swordsmanship and strength was something Knight Lloyd knew he couldn��t achieve, let alone Rein, who was only a squire in his eyes.


    The same doubt lingered in the minds of swordsmanship instructor Perez and Alonso as well.


    When they heard Knight Lloyd raise the question, they promptly directed their gaze at Rein.


    Rein nodded and said, ��Yes, Knight Lloyd.��


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    Rein did not intend to conceal it, because there really was no way to do so.


    This time, with Hamilton not around, he was the only Transcendent combatant in Flashgold Town.


    Additionally, besides his Night Watchman colleagues who witnessed him killing the Black Flame Cultists, many residents of Flashgold Town who were rescued also saw the event.


    So, it wasn��t that he didn��t want to hide it; he simply couldn��t!


    ��Rein�� have you advanced to Knight?�� the swordsmanship instructor Perez couldn��t help but ask.


    Before Rein could reply, Baron Alonso next to him answered on his behalf, ��I happen to know this; Rein advanced to Transcendent some time ago!��


    A few days earlier, he had sent his butler Michel to communicate with Rein, so he was naturally aware of Rein��s advancement.


    ��However, it seems that everyone has underestimated your strength this time,�� Alonso said with a probing look, sizing up Rein and harboring many questions within.


    Even if one had advanced to Transcendent and become an official Knight, dealing with the Cultists of the Black Flame would most likely end in defeat. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And to do what Rein did, killing four Black Flame Cultists��


    Nobody present could confidently claim they could achieve such a feat!


    ��Baron, thank you for your praise,�� Rein said with a modest smile.


    Fully upholding the composure of an ��actor��!


    After all, when one needed to feign politeness, it was necessary to play the part.


    At that moment, the noisy sound of hooves approached from nearby, as if a large group of riders was racing over from not far away.


    Rein looked up to see a troop of Cavalry suddenly appearing on the western road out of Flashgold Town, with a visibly anxious Hamilton at the lead.


    Apparently, the Messenger that little Matteo had sent out finally managed to deliver the message.


    It seemed, though, that the notification had arrived a bit late!


    The battle had already ended nearly an hour ago, thought Rein to himself.


    ��Dole finally managed to notify the lord!�� muttered Matteo next to him.


    No wonder Matteo complained; during battle, every second counted, and it was almost negligence to notify them so late.


    Knight Lloyd glanced at the Cavalryman next to Hamilton and said, ��The previous Messenger must have been killed; this is the Cavalry I sent to deliver the notification.��


    ��Hmm?��


    Rein glanced around, indeed, there was no sign of the Night Watchman named Dole, but he did spot a similarly tense-looking Lagaray.


    The investigation team that set out in the morning had now returned with all members intact!


    After dismounting, Hamilton, wearing a grim expression, greeted Rein, Lloyd, and the others, then immediately began to inspect the situation on site.

 Chapter 159 - 159 - 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 159 �C 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3 sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the sheriff of Flashgold Town, he was the first person responsible for defense, and naturally, as soon as he heard Flashgold Town was attacked by cultists, he rushed back immediately.


    Rein exchanged a few polite words with Lagaray before being called aside by Hamilton.


    Rudolph, the head of the Church, and four Temple Knights, upon hearing that cultists attacked Flashgold Town, also decided to return at once.


    After all, the Evil Spirit Knight was deep in Nightingale Forest, posing a latent threat that would not erupt immediately.


    The recently restless cult was somewhat troublesome for the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church.


    Thus, Rudolph and the Temple Knights, following Hamilton, began to examine the bodies of several Black Flame monks on the wagon.


    ��Such fierce swordsmanship!�� a Temple Knight exclaimed.


    ...


    The others nodded in agreement. They, as Temple Knights who had combated them, knew all too well how difficult it was to split a Black Flame monk in half.


    ��Eh! This one is Metry.�� Rudolph��s eyes suddenly narrowed.


    Although he appeared expressionless, his heart was already in turmoil.


    Although he did not recognize the other two, he had had several encounters with this Metry, who always managed to escape.


    The man had once been a Wizard Apprentice, but somehow got involved with the Black Flame Church. Allegedly due to his proficiency in a certain ��technique��, he was highly regarded by the upper echelons of the Black Flame Church.


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    Unexpectedly, he had died here.


    Although he didn��t believe that these three Black Flame monks had all been killed by the relatively youthful-looking young man before him,


    the facts seemed to keep reminding him that this was the only explanation!


    Moreover, with so many witnesses around, logically, this incident couldn��t be fabricated.


    Of course, for the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church, this incident was undoubtedly a great opportunity, whether or not Rein had killed them didn��t really matter.


    What mattered was, the Black Flame Church had lost four Transcendents in Flashgold Town, which had severely weakened them!


    ��Eh! Rudolph, something��s off. There are one, two�� six halves, which is the bodies of three Black Flame monks. But�� where is the body of the fourth?�� a detail-oriented Temple Knight suddenly asked.


    Right then, Matteo pointed to a clump of black ash outside the church square: ��Look! The other one is over there.��


    Everyone immediately followed Matteo��s gaze.


    All they saw was a large pile of black ash.


    Rudolph and the few Temple Knights quickly walked over. Although the person had turned into a pile of ash, they were still able to detect some clues.


    ��Rudolph, it��s a human skin armor.�� A Temple Knight used his longsword to poke around in the ash for a moment, picked up a thumb-sized fragment, examined it, and then looked up at Rudolph with a face full of astonishment to report.


    ��What! Say that again!�� Rudolph suddenly showed a trace of astonishment.


    ��Rudolph, it��s an Apostle��s medallion.�� Another Temple Knight��s longsword seemed to have touched something hard; after clearing it, he cried out in surprise.


    A diamond-shaped black flame medallion appeared before everyone.


    ��This is an Apostle!�� Rudolph could no longer maintain his calm expression, staring dumbstruck at the medallion.


    ��An Apostle??�� The other two Temple Knights also widened their eyes in shock, mouths agape.


    The exclamations of the church members, particularly the always composed Rudolph, immediately drew the attention of everyone nearby.


    Whether it was Knight Lloyd, Swordsmanship Instructor Perez, or Hamilton, they all turned to look immediately.


    At this time, Baron Alonso was as if struck by lightning, standing in shock!


    He roared inwardly: ��What! Another Black Flame Apostle died?��


    ��To think that this is a Black Flame Apostle!��


    ��An Apostle, even more powerful than veteran knights!��


    Basically, without a Peak Knight appearing, there had never been a record of a ��Black Flame Apostle�� being killed.


    At most, it had been ��Black Flame Apostles�� being repelled by the combined forces of several veteran knights!


    Although his relationship with the Black Flame Church was a mutually beneficial partnership, he was unaware of the specific personnel involved in a certain operation of the church.


    He had previously heard that all four Transcendents sent by the Black Flame Church had been killed by Rein, which had already shocked him immensely!


    But he hadn��t expected that among those four, there was also an Apostle of the Black Flame Church that had been killed!


    This honestly shocked him beyond belief, shocking him to the core!


    Compared to everyone else, obviously, the church members �� Rudolph and the four Temple Knights, understood more about the significance and�� the difficulty of this feat.


    At that moment, Rein was being pulled aside by Hamilton, having a separate conversation.


    ��Rein, did you kill all four Black Flame Church Transcendents by yourself?�� Hamilton was also astounded, sizing up his ��capable subordinate�� as he asked.


    Though he had estimated Rein��s combat capability as high as possible, the scene before him still left him utterly shocked!

 Chapter 160 - 160 - 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 160 �C 131: Just Let Him Live a Little Longer! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    After encountering the Messenger sent by Knight Lloyd, the news nearly made Hamilton black out!


    In his heart, on one hand, he was worried that Rein might have encountered misfortune; on the other hand, with such a serious security incident occurring in Flashgold Town, he was inevitably going to be held accountable, and perhaps, he might even be stripped of his noble title.


    At that moment, he immediately glanced at Viscount Hamadi, the chief of public security of the County Town, but from the other��s shocked expression, Hamilton couldn��t instantly determine whether the chief genuinely didn��t know or was deliberately concealing something!


    However, when he had hastened to Flashgold Town, the situation took a dramatic turn!


    He hadn��t expected that he, who was sure to be held accountable, might actually turn misfortune into a blessing!


    ��Flashgold Town suffered a sudden assault by Cultists, Sheriff Hamilton rushed to the scene on horseback, deserted his post, resulting in heavy casualties among the residents of Flashgold Town!��


    ��Under the command of Sheriff Hamilton, Flashgold Town feigned weakness to lure the enemy into the jar, completely annihilating a large group of Cultists led by four Transcendents. Although there were some casualties, it severely dealt a blow to the arrogant spirit of the Cult!��


    ...


    The disparity between these two official reports is too significant to detail!


    And the key person in all this was Rein!


    ��Um�� Lord Hamilton, it was indeed I who killed them. Of course, I couldn��t have done it without the help of my fellow Night Watchmen!�� Rein said, pointing to Matteo and others nearby.


    This made Matteo and the other Night Watchmen feel as sweet as if they had tasted honey!


    Look! This is what a good superior in the Dragan Empire looks like!


    Never claiming credit for himself!


    Instead, he even shared the credit with them!


    ��Also, it��s about my Giant Bear Sword Technique, I suddenly had a bit of an epiphany, seemed to have reached a different level.�� Of course, Rein would not reveal his true strength.


    He chose what he could reveal and spoke about it a little.


    Yet, Rein was not lying, because what he spoke was indeed the outright truth.


    Ever since the Giant Bear Sword Technique reached level 6, he sensed a clear difference compared to before.


    Upon hearing this, Hamilton vaguely guessed something, could it be��


    This couldn��t help but make him raise an eyebrow, curiously speaking, ��Oh? Rein, why don��t you demonstrate it for me now.��


    ��Sure!��


    Rein was also eager to showcase the improvement in his swordsmanship.


    As for whether he could convince everyone that he relied on his swordsmanship talent to deal with those four Transcendent Cultists, that was a different matter. Explore new worlds at .com


    But at the very least, it would give them a reason, a lead to believe it was possible for him to have killed those four.


    Otherwise, letting them speculate wildly or even sending someone to secretly observe or monitor him afterward would be too passive!


    Upon hearing that Rein wanted to showcase his swordsmanship, whether it was Viscount Hamadi, Baron Alonso, or nobles big and small like Lloyd and Perez, all turned their attention to him.


    And the priests and knights who initially intended to enter the church to inspect the situation also stopped in their tracks, stood still, and turned around to watch.


    After all, having learned that three of the Cultists and one Black Flame Apostle were killed by this young Knight Rein, nearly everyone��s curiosity was piqued!


    Furthermore, the beautiful Baroness Crowley, along with Jenny, gracefully descended from the carriage.


    Everyone almost formed a large circle, intently watching Rein as he drew the Glimmering Greatsword.


    ��Ah! It��s a lumistone weapon!�� Priest Rudolph exclaimed in a low voice.


    He hadn��t foreseen that this young man would keep surprising him one after another.


    A lumistone weapon is not so easy to come by, one must either purchase it at a high price from an auction or rely on personal fortune.


    Of course, the church has sacred power weapons, which can achieve the same effect as a lumistone weapon, thus there is no need to spend money on lumistone weapons.


    Seeing so many people gathering to watch, Rein felt no nervousness whatsoever.


    After all, he was exactly planning to show off his strength, and revealing the ��tip of the iceberg�� at this moment was just right!


    And the Giant Bear Sword Technique was a very good part of that iceberg.


    Rein positioned himself at the center of the area, assumed the initial stance of the Giant Bear Sword Technique��


    �����������C


    Fifteen minutes earlier.


    East side of Flashgold Town.


    On the side of the Black Sail pirates, Phil, carrying an exaggeratedly large bow, pondered for a moment before turning to a bearded pirate beside him and said, ��Andre, send a couple of sharp ones into the town for reconnaissance!��


    ��Yes, boss!�� the bearded man said in a deep, resonant voice.


    Clearly, having seventy to eighty rough men who licked blood off their blades turn around and leave without firing a shot was very damaging to morale, even if the order was given by Phil Kraz, the deputy leader of the Black Sail pirates.


    So, Phil decided to send a few men to scout the town first to see what the situation was like.


    If the defense forces of Flashgold Town were weak, he planned to proceed with the raid, signal or no signal!


    Otherwise, his subordinates would definitely have complaints, and that would make them difficult to lead in the future.


    After all, most pirates, who had ��hung their heads on their belts,�� would follow whoever could lead them to wealth.


    Using brute force was the last resort, as that might cause his men to defect to other pirate groups.


    Soon, two relatively short pirates, who looked like ordinary citizens after a bit of dressing up, were chosen by the bearded man.


    The two pirates quickly headed towards Flashgold Town to carry out their reconnaissance mission.


    Seven or eight minutes later, the two pirate scouts arrived inside Flashgold Town.


    Initially, hearing the intermittent cries within the town, the two pirates�� eyes lit up with wild joy. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hey!


    This seemed like it had just been attacked!


    Moreover, there didn��t seem to be much defense on the streets, at least they didn��t see many security officers in sight.


    After sneaking around a bit, the two planned to head back and report immediately.


    However, just as they were turning to leave, they suddenly heard a flurry of hoofbeats and felt a slight tremor underfoot.


    The two immediately turned around and saw at the end of the street, on the western side of Flashgold Town, a large group of cavalry charging towards the town.


    The sharp-eyed duo instantly noticed many knights in full plate armor in the troop, and even saw some uniquely adorned church paladins.


    In an instant, cold sweat broke out on their foreheads.


    God damn it, if the enemy had arrived just a minute later, they would have reported back that ��the defense is weak, attack is feasible.��


    After that, they didn��t know how many of their pirate group would survive, but these two were definitely not going to make it!


    Because even if they did survive, Phil was likely to kill them.


    ��Let��s go! Hurry and report back! It��s a trap!��


    ��Damn it, no wonder those bastards didn��t send any signal; they had already run away!��


    The two pirate scouts, while complaining, hurried back to their hidden valley.


    After hearing their description, the Black Sail pirates also felt a chill down their spine��it was a trap indeed!


    At the same time, they realized that today��s raid was probably not going to happen.


    Even though they were ready to risk their lives, they weren��t mindless. Clearly, the enemy was just waiting for them to fall into their trap; they weren��t going to foolishly charge forward.


    Such foolhardy pirates had long since died out!


    ��Retreat!�� Phil��s eyes twinkled, and after a brief moment of thought, he raised his arm and waved, signaling his men to retreat.


    He and those two scouts who were responsible for gathering information thought differently.


    Phil actually thought the Black Flame Cult was quite reliable. Just look, they didn��t betray them! Knowing it was futile, they didn��t recklessly fire off signal rockets to get the Black Sail pirates killed.


    Yeah, they could continue to work with the Black Flame Cult in the future.


    But��


    The little favor he��d promised to Viscount Norman couldn��t be fulfilled this time.


    Well, let that junior knight level brat live a bit longer.


    Lucky fellow!

 Chapter 161 - 161 - 132: Handing Over? Go to Hell!

    Chapter 161 �C 132: Handing Over? Go to Hell!


    Flashgold Town Church Square.


    A group of nobles dressed in splendid garments or clad in plate armor were gathered around a young man demonstrating swordsmanship in the center of the area.


    The Night Watchmen, who had been busy nearby, couldn��t help but slow down their actions and stretch their necks curiously to watch the scene unfold.


    ��Eh, it��s Lord Reine!��


    ��Yes, it��s the new Assistant Security Officer, Lord Reine!��


    ��That��s right, it��s Reine; he seems to be demonstrating swordsmanship.��


    Since Reine had been the youngest among the Night Watchmen, although his positions had continually risen, many still called him by his name.


    ...


    It wasn��t a lack of respect but merely a matter of not having had enough time to adjust.


    At first, they called him ��Little Reine,�� then just ��Reine,�� and about half a month ago they called him ��Captain.�� Now, he had become the Assistant Security Officer. His promotion speed had been unmatched!


    One wonders how long it will be before the ��Assistant�� in his title is dropped.


    Reine suddenly looked solemn, beginning with an extremely swift Furious Slash followed by a fierce Leap Slash.


    Instantly, sharp swooshing sounds filled the area!


    ��Smooth Cleaving Slash!��


    ��Leap Slash!��


    ��Whirlwind Slash��


    ����.��


    The Giant Bear Sword Technique performed by Reine linked each move seamlessly, giving the impression that one was watching a dance of strength and beauty!


    ��Indeed, Reine��s Giant Bear Sword Technique has reached the mastery level!��


    ��This boy Reine is improving too quickly!�� Hamilton��s eyes suddenly widened as he muttered to himself.


    As Reine��s direct superior, Hamilton could say that he had watched Reine grow stronger step by step from an ordinary farmer��s son.


    Now, reflecting back, Hamilton realized that every once in a while, Reine��s strength would advance to a new level.


    Upon careful comparison of the gap in combat strength between him and Reine, Hamilton was astounded to find that Reine��s current strength seemed to no longer be beneath his own!


    Perhaps there was a slight difference in combat experience, but it was negligible.


    Hamilton had to admit, Reine was now a master of the same level as him!


    But how old was he?


    How old was Reine?


    One had to say, the speed of Reine��s rise was dazzling!


    ��This�� this is the mastery level of the Giant Bear Sword Technique!��


    ��Only fourteen or fifteen years old and he has reached this level! Truly an astonishing talent!��


    At the edge of the area, the person who felt the deepest impact from Reine��s performance of the Giant Bear Sword Technique was Perez, a noble scion and swordsmanship instructor from the Habsburg Estate!


    At the moment, he too had a face of disbelief, watching Reine demonstrate the Giant Bear Sword Technique in the center of the area.


    Since Perez also specialized in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, he clearly remembered that it took him about four to five years to reach the level Reine was displaying now!


    Though he wasn��t familiar with Reine and didn��t know how long Reine had been practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique,


    one could guess just by reason that Reine had not been practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique for long.


    Perhaps�� one year?


    But in any case, it couldn��t have been more than two years!


    The reason was simple, the sheer weight of a Dual-Handed Greatsword, weighing several tens of pounds, was evident.


    An eleven or twelve-year-old commoner��s child would definitely not be able to swing it.


    After all, from Reine��s seemingly normal physique, one could tell that he wasn��t someone with an extraordinary innate strength.


    Meanwhile, Alonso grew increasingly anxious as he watched, his expression gradually turning grim. A certain fear began to form in his mind because he realized the rapid improvement of Reine��s strength uncontrollably reminded him of someone.


    That person was his sister��Cleya!


    Alonso remembered clearly, when he was already a Level Three Knight Attendant, Cleya had just learned to hold a sword.


    But two years later, he could only manage a draw against Cleya.


    The third year��.


    Defeated, never victorious!


    Although, in the recent year, with a sufficient supply of Divine Blood from the Cult, his strength had increased rapidly, but now it seemed foolish to compare his training progress with someone with exceptional talent.


    Fortunately, Alonso had anticipated this with his sister Cleya.


    Thus, he had chosen to collaborate with the Cult and looked forward to the gains from the Black Flame Prayer Ceremony.


    At that time, if he could obtain control over the Black Flame or some other special abilities through the ceremony, he would be facing a tremendous increase in strength!


    While Alonso was unsettled, the people from the church were also intently watching Reine��s swordsmanship demonstration.


    ��Berial, how do you rate Reine��s swordsmanship?�� Priest Rudolph turned to ask a Temple Knight beside him.


    ��Very strong, on par with me, but considering his age, I am far from comparable!��


    ��I think, this newly knighted Transcendent Lord Reine, must possess both excellent swordsmanship and knightly talents.��


    ��Just as I thought. It��s a pity, such a talent didn��t join our Goddess Church,�� Priest Rudolph nodded with a sigh.


    ��However��.. Priest Rudolph, if Reine��s current displayed strength is considered, he might be able to kill an ordinary Cult member for sure, but I think he would still find it challenging to kill a high-ranking Angel Envoy.��


    The knight named Berial, seemed to be observing very carefully, and after a serious examination, stated his judgement.


    ��Hmm, you are right! However, I suspect Lord Reine must have an ace up his sleeve that he naturally wouldn��t display in this setting,�� Priest Rudolph nodded, fully agreeing with Berial��s opinion.


    ��Based on his swordsmanship display, it at least has the potential to kill at the ��Angel Envoy level��, doesn��t it?�� Rudolph said with a smile.


    ��Uh�� You are right!�� Berial was initially stunned, then also agreed with a laugh.


    Among all the nobles present, the only one who could not quite see through the intentions of the others was Viscount Hamadi from County Town, who watched Reine expressionlessly, pondering something.


    Beside them, Baroness Cleya and Jenny watched with gleaming eyes.


    For them, they naturally hoped that Reine, the Guardian Knight of the Cleya family, would be as strong as possible.


    The demonstration of Reine��s swordsmanship lasted no longer than ten seconds, yet it ended.


    However, it left a profound impression on the onlookers.


    Hamilton stepped forward, his expression complex, and patted Reine��s shoulder, whispering, ��Reine, you��ve given me another big surprise.��


    ��Your Giant Bear Sword Technique has already reached the level of mastery, which is truly remarkable!��


    ��Besides, once the review comes through, I estimate the 1000 Merit Points needed for your ennoblement will be sufficient.�� Your next read is at .com


    ��I was a bit worried that you ascended to Transcendent too soon and lacked strength, but now it seems my worries were somewhat unnecessary.��


    ��Hmm?��


    This news brought a slight joy to Reine, as he hadn��t expected that these Cultists of the Black Flame were so ��valuable.��


    He had thought that he would need several months to accumulate the necessary 1000 Merit Points to register for the ennoblement assessment.


    While Reine and Hamilton were talking, a knight approached Rudolph and whispered in a low voice:


    ��Elder Rudolph, I think you should check the situation inside the church����


    Rudolph raised his eyebrows, glanced at the knight in slight surprise after seeing him nod slightly, which caused Rudolph to frown.


    Rudolph, followed by Berial, quickly walked into the church to inspect the site.


    After carefully examining several corpses of Flashgold Town residents, Elder Rudolph, with a grave expression, said, ��A ritual of the Black Flame Cult was certainly conducted here, and apparently, it was successful.��


    ��Hmm! If based on what the Night Watchman just said, all the Transcendents of the Black Flame Cult were killed by Reine, then their Energy Storage Crystals should be in Reine��s possession,�� Berial suddenly realized something, then spoke up to remind the others.


    ��That��s correct!��


    ��Ask Reine if the ��Energy Storage Crystal�� is still there, or if it got destroyed during the previous battles,�� Elder Rudolph speculated, speaking in a solemn tone.


    ��At your command, Elder!�� Berial strode out of the church.


    Soon, Berial approached Reine, who was still talking with Hamilton, and asked, ��Excuse me, Lord Reine, during the battle with the Cultists, did you happen to see a rhombus-shaped crystal?��


    Reine pondered for a moment and nodded. He certainly remembered the blood-colored rhombus crystal atop the bone staff.


    Not just remembered, but remembered vividly, since touching the staff had given him a prompt to change profession.


    ��That��s wonderful! Lord Reine, this crystal holds exceptional significance for the church. Could you���� Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Hold on, this crystal, according to regulations, belongs to the spoils of war and must be handed over to the empire. I��m afraid the church will have to excuse itself,�� suddenly, someone interrupted Berial��s speech.


    Reine turned to look, seeing Viscount Hamadi smiling as he approached.


    ��What do you say, Hamilton?�� Viscount Hamadi then turned to Hamilton.


    ��Well�� Viscount, you are correct according to the regulations,�� Hamilton said, his expression slightly uneasy, but he still nodded.


    Although he doubted Viscount Hamadi��s position, without conclusive proof, it was not possible to bring down a Viscount.


    Regarding the sudden betrayal and assassination attempt on Reine by Andrews, Hamadi explained that he was completely hoodwinked and unaware.


    Moreover, even if Viscount Hamadi had issues, as per regulations, it was up to the provincial level to deal with it.


    ��Reine, regarding the value assessment of the Energy Storage Crystal, after conversion, it can directly transfer into Merit Points for you. Perhaps, Merit Points are more useful to you than Gold Coins,�� Hamadi turned to Reine and said.


    Reine glanced at Hamilton, who nodded slightly to him.


    It seemed that he, himself, would likely not be able to keep this item deemed mysterious by the system.


    ��A rank higher in office can crush one to death,�� and even two ranks higher, he had originally wanted to keep it to study.


    Thus, Reine nodded to Hamadi, ��Alright, Viscount, please wait a moment, I��ll be right home.��


    After returning home, Reine went to his room and immediately locked the door and picked up the bone staff to examine closely.


    However, Reine then thought that both Hamadi and the knight had only mentioned the crystal, so maybe he didn��t have to hand in the staff itself.


    Wondering if he could detach the crystal alone.


    After a bit of fiddling, Reine quickly discovered that there seemed to be a slot between the bone staff and the blood-colored rhombus crystal, then, gripping the fist-sized crystal in one hand and the staff in the other, he pulled hard.


    With a ��click��, the blood-colored rhombus crystal was removed.


    ��Since you all just want the crystal, I��ll keep the staff,�� Reine thought to himself.


    However, as Reine held the crystal, the system prompt suddenly sounded.


    [Ding! A large amount of unknown absorbable energy detected. Yes/No absorb? (Note: After absorption, it can be converted into specified Professional Experience Points.)]


    Sheesh!


    ��Damn! Is there such a good thing?��


    ��Then, do I even need to think about it, of course, I choose to absorb!��


    ��Hand it over? To hell with that!��

 Chapter 162 - 162 - 133: Three Levels Up!

    Chapter 162 �C 133: Three Levels Up!


    Yes! sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next second, the rich blood-red energy in the diamond-shaped crystal surged into Rein like a flood escaping a dam.


    However, it seemed that the system absorbed it in a ��discard the dregs and keep the essence�� manner, leaving Rein with no discomfort. Instead, a lot of black ash-like substance fell to the ground from his left hand that was holding the blood-red crystal.


    The absorption and transformation process was completed almost instantly.


    ��[Ding! Transformed a total of 1024 supernatural experience points, please choose Knight (Transcendent)/Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) to level up.]��


    Seeing this, Rein pondered for a moment and decided to choose the latter for points allocation.


    The reason was simple; he was currently a Knight (Transcendent) lv3 (84/500). If he chose Knight, he could only level up once, while as a Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv1 (0/100), he could level up three times.


    ...


    Moreover, Rein noticed that the experience gained in battle was automatically added to the Knight (Transcendent) profession panel. Could this be because the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession panel had no attack skills?


    Or was it for some other reason?


    But for now, he did not worry at all about the leveling speed of the Knight (Transcendent) profession level.


    On the other hand, it seemed that the professional experience of a Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) could currently only be increased through practicing basic meditation.


    After weighing the two options, the choice was not difficult to make.


    Rein silently recited ��Wizard Apprentice!�� in his mind.


    In an instant, three system notifications appeared before Rein:


    ��[Congratulations, your Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level has increased!]��


    ��[Congratulations, your Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level has increased!]��


    ��[Congratulations, your Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level has increased!]��


    Although Rein had predicted that his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession panel might jump three levels at once,


    Seeing this scene unfold, he too was struggling to contain his joy.


    Rein clenched his fists and swung vigorously in mid-air twice!


    This move had saved him at least half a year, or even one to two years of time.


    After calming his excitement a bit, Rein looked at the panel where the level of Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) had jumped from lv1 to lv4 (124/1000) and couldn��t help but show a radiant smile.


    Continuing to look down,


    He saw at the bottom of the panel a prompt indicating remaining attribute points: 3, and remaining skill points: 4.


    Among these remaining skill points, one had been left unassigned from the last level-up.


    Looking at the attribute points and skill points in front of him, Rein suddenly felt like he had jumped from being poor straight into the middle class.


    Previously, he had to carefully consider each point allocation; now, things were different��he had plenty to spare!


    However��


    After thinking about it, Rein didn��t choose to allocate his points immediately but decided to deliver the items first before coming back to consider how to allocate the points carefully.


    After all, with his newfound ��savings,�� he couldn��t just spend them recklessly; he needed to be frugal and deliberate.


    Rein looked at the diamond-shaped crystal, which initially had a rich blood color but now showed a pure transparency, and a sly smile spread across his face.


    He wondered if Viscount Hamadi, upon seeing the current state of the crystal, would still be willing to exchange the spoils for Merit Points.


    ��Forget it! I��ll just give him the bone staff as well!�� thought Rein.


    ��After all, since I��ve reaped such a huge advantage, offering the crystal and the bone staff shows my sincerity,�� Rein thought to himself.


    ��Click!��


    Rein then attached the transparent diamond-shaped crystal back to the bone staff, and then, he quickly went downstairs and headed towards the church.


    Soon, when Rein returned, he saw the church��s Rudolph and Viscount Hamadi seemingly arguing about something.


    This made Rein slow down his steps and listen.


    ��Your Excellency Viscount, it is customary for the Energy Storage Crystals to be handed over to our church for handling.��


    ��Rudolph, as you yourself said, it is a customary practice. According to the empire��s rules, first and foremost, it belongs to the empire.��


    ����.��


    Aha! This crystal really must be a treasure!


    It even caused these two dignitaries to scramble and fight over it, what a pity that this ��Energy Storage Crystal�� has now become a ��blank crystal.��


    Although Rein didn��t know why they valued this crystal so much, it was obviously for the blood-red energy within it.


    Rein made his footsteps slightly heavier, causing Hamadi and Rudolph to stop their dispute and look over.


    When Rein passed the bone staff to Hamadi, he could clearly feel Alonso��s eyes flicker, and although he tried hard to conceal it, there was an undeniable joy on his face.


    Rudolph, however, glanced at the transparent crystal on top of the bone staff and then at Rein, his face showing confusion.


    Clearly, Rudolph had realized that it was a ��blank crystal.��


    ��Haha, Rein, that��s it!�� Viscount Hamadi laughed as he spoke.


    ��You��re too kind, Viscount.��


    However, as soon as Hamadi took it over, the next second, his expression changed dramatically, turning incredibly grim!


    ��Empty?��


    ��What do you mean, empty?�� Rein played dumb. Continue your adventure at .com


    Hamadi��s eyes were fixed intently on Rein as he said, ��Rein, was it like this when you got this ��Sacrificial Staff��?��


    ��Of course, Viscount.�� Rein said, telling a barefaced lie without batting an eyelid.


    ��Right, so this bone stave is called ��Sacrificial Staff��, huh? Viscount, you really have a deep understanding of the Black Flame Cult,�� Rein added.


    ��Cough�� The cult poses a great threat to the Empire, so I took the effort to learn more about them,�� Hamadi, realizing his slip of the tongue, coughed slightly and said.


    It seems the blood sacrifice ritual was not successful.


    It must have been interrupted just as it was about to succeed.


    What a pity.


    In an instant, Hamadi guessed the most likely scenario that had occurred.


    ��Viscount, about the matter you mentioned before, assisting me in converting my spoils of war into Merit Points���� Rein said.


    ��Of course, no problem!�� Viscount Hamadi waved his hand dismissively.


    However, from the slight twitch of Hamadi��s mouth, Rein could tell that deep inside, Hamadi was incredibly disappointed!


    Viscount Hamadi, looking rather unsightly, charged Hamilton with certain tasks and quickly left Flashgold Town. Baron Alonso from County Town didn��t stay long either and was the first to head back to County Town.


    The delegation from the Church of the Monsoon and the Sea Goddess, led by Head Priest Rudolph, after a thorough investigation, also began to leave Flashgold Town and return to County Town to report.


    Baroness Crowley and Jenny, after bidding Rein farewell, followed the church��s delegation back to County Town.


    As for the aftermath of the cultists�� attack on Flashgold Town, since Hamilton, the town��s sheriff, had returned, naturally, he was left to take full responsibility for the handling of the matter.


    And so, Rein and Lagaray started walking home.


    Despite feeling a tinge of disappointment, Lagaray didn��t mind too much; after all, the long-anticipated journey to Nightingale Forest was halted mid-way due to the cultist incident.


    Fortunately, it was not a matter of never going, but merely a delay of a few days; hence, her slightly dispirited mood soon adjusted.


    Having returned home, Rein began to reflect on his performance in the recent battles.


    Simply put, it was a ��post-mortem��!


    After all, the old ancestors had said, ��Learning without thought leads to confusion, thought without learning leads to danger!��


    Although this was originally intended for academic study, the principle was the same.


    Reflecting earnestly after battle is the key to improvement.


    ��In the four battles I encountered, it was quite clear that my combat methods were too simplistic,�� Rein mused.


    ��The greatsword is indeed very useful in many situations, but when facing enemies with strong defensive power, it��s difficult to inflict effective damage, like when facing an enemy of the Angel Envoy��s caliber.��


    ��Perhaps, my next step should be to gradually start learning the Hammer Skill. The overwhelming armor penetration and shock from a heavy hammer can do severe damage to enemies with stacked armor.�� Rein pondered with a twinkle in his eyes.


    Use valuable Skill Points to improve Hammer Skill?


    Of course not!


    As long as I use the heavy hammer more frequently in battle, I��ll naturally be able to improve quickly.


    ��Furthermore, it��s about the armor. Despite having the supernatural trait ��Iron Skin lv2��, wearing a full set of sturdy knight��s plate armor can still mitigate a lot of damage. So, acquiring a set of solid plate armor is also a matter of urgency!��


    ��As for attribute points and Skill Points����


    ��Perhaps I should first take a look at ��An Exploration of the Application of Scorching Touch in the Field of Smithing������


    Soon, Rein took out the three ancient Akkadian tomes and placed them on his table.


    Since he was not very proficient in Akkadian, Rein could only study and research while referencing the materials.


    It took a long time for him to briefly browse through the ancient tome.


    After finishing, Rein, with his arms crossed and fingers stroking his chin, started pacing back and forth in his room, his brow furrowed or relaxed at intervals.


    This was a non-formal book written by a third-level Wizard Apprentice named Lias Johnston several centuries ago. Before embarking on his path as a Wizard Apprentice, he used to be a blacksmith, so naturally, he included some of his personal creative ideas.


    According to the book, ��Scorching Touch�� is a beginner-level fire witchcraft spell that requires manipulating the free fire energy particles in the air for casting.


    Luckily, the book also contained the incantation and witchcraft model for ��Scorching Touch��.


    Therefore, for Rein, who could already sense fire energy particles, this was clearly good news.


    Moreover, the difficulty of learning ��Scorching Touch�� wasn��t high, and with his current level, he could already begin trying to learn it.


    However, according to the book, ��Scorching Touch�� is a contact-based witchcraft spell that requires close proximity to inflict damage.


    According to the book, this is typical of most beginner-level witchcraft spells.


    This made Rein hesitate for a moment, even though he currently had four Skill Points at his disposal.


    After all, this was far from what he had hoped for; it wasn��t the powerful, long-range attack like a Black Flame Fireball that he had imagined.


    Moreover, to reach the level of direct application in smithing as described in the book, one would need a high degree of mastery over the spell.


    After some consideration, Rein didn��t rush into practicing the fire witchcraft spell ��Scorching Touch�� and began his daily foundational meditation exercises.


    Because as clearly stated in the book, visualizing ten Will runes at once is the minimum requirement for practicing ��Scorching Touch��, and if one can��t even achieve that, then there��s no point in attempting it.


    Before long, Rein��s forehead was slightly sweaty, but the next moment, he exhaled deeply, successfully visualizing ten Will runes simultaneously!


    At that moment, a system prompt quietly appeared:


    [Congratulations! Your Spirit Attribute has been increased!]


    Rein��s face lit up, and he glanced at his status panel to see his Spirit Attribute increase from 15 points to 16 points.


    In doing so, his chances of successfully learning the fire witchcraft spell ��Scorching Touch�� had greatly improved!

 Chapter 163 - 163 - 134: Won’t This Cause Reckless Slaughter?

    Chapter 163 �C 134: Won��t This Cause Reckless Slaughter?


    Next, Rein began to contemplate the witchcraft model of ��Scorching Touch�� as recorded.


    A witchcraft model, in a nutshell, is a combination of several Will runes.


    Simply put, if each Will rune is likened to the English letters ��abcd��, then the witchcraft model would be a specific word such as ��abandon��.


    Of course, Will runes are three-dimensional structures in space, not as simple as English letters.


    But that��s the idea.


    On the other hand, there are a total of twenty-four Will runes, not much different from the twenty-six letters in the English alphabet.


    This is also why one needs to learn meditation techniques before studying witchcraft.


    ...


    Closing his eyes and fully concentrating on his perceptions, Rein slowly began to sense the various mysterious energy particles in the space around him.


    It seemed to be an enhancement of spiritual power, or perhaps the experience from last time, this time Rein sensed and guided the fiery and bright fire elemental energy particles much faster than before.


    However, corresponding to guiding the fire elemental energy particles, visualizing the complete witchcraft model of ��Scorching Touch�� was quite challenging.


    After failing seven or eight times consecutively, finally, Rein succeeded once!


    A faint red glow softly lit up in front of Rein��s palm, hardly noticeable unless looked at closely.


    Unfortunately, this effect lasted only a few seconds before the red glow vanished without a trace.


    But Rein was not discouraged, rather he was thrilled.


    Because he had actually succeeded just now. ��Scorching Touch�� was not only a contact-based witchcraft, but also, a channeling type of witchcraft.


    If anything unexpected occurred during the channeling process, it would be terminated or interrupted.


    System prompt:


    [You have studied Scorching Touch, and your comprehension has improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Scorching Touch]


    [Your skill Scorching Touch has improved, experience +1]


    Meanwhile, below the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel, which previously had only one icon for basic meditation, now on top of that, a brand-new icon had appeared.


    The icon��s border briefly lit up, and on the center, there was an image of an open palm with a flicker of flame in front of it.


    Rein focused on the new icon, and saw a line of small text below it.


    Scorching Touch lv1 (1/100)


    Scorching Touch lv1 effect: Consumes a certain amount of spiritual power to manipulate nearby fire elemental energy particles using a specific witchcraft model, producing high-temperature damage within a certain range in front of the host��s palm.


    (Note: Casting time 3 seconds, power proportional to duration and host��s spiritual power, the closer the contact distance, the greater the power. Current effective lethal distance: 0~0.5 meters.)


    Yay! It worked!


    Rein��s face lit up with joy.


    He immediately began testing its power.


    Rein first positioned his right palm about 30 centimeters above a wooden table, then he initiated ��Scorching Touch��, quickly seeing a faint red glow flicker in his palm.


    A wave of heat began to radiate from the center of his palm.


    After two or three seconds, Rein noticed that the natural wood color of the tabletop seemed to show some slight signs of charring.


    This made him exclaim in astonishment, ��This power, not bad at all!��


    Following this, Rein lowered the height of his palm to 10 centimeters.


    After reducing the distance between his palm and the tabletop by 20 centimeters, the speed of blackening significantly increased.


    At this point, a faint black handprint almost visibly appeared on the wooden table.


    Rein thought for a moment, then pressed his right palm directly onto the table.


    Instantly, the charred area, with Rein��s palm as the center, rapidly spread outward, quickly forming a black circle as big as the bottom of a basin.


    Waves of pungent burnt odor also emerged from the tabletop.


    At this point, Rein quickly lifted his right palm from the tabletop, interrupting the newly learned witchcraft ��Scorching Touch��.


    Looking at the circular charred pattern on the table, Rein couldn��t help but feel amazed and delighted! Your next read is at .com


    ��Not bad at all! The temperature must��ve reached three to five hundred degrees! The wood surface has carbonized.��


    ��It��s a pity there��s no very accurate way to measure the temperature, can only roughly guess now.��


    ��However, compared to what��s described in the books, for use in forging, there��s clearly a big gap.��


    ��After all, the melting point of bronze is nearly a thousand degrees, and for iron, it��s about fifteen hundred degrees.��


    Rein pondered for a while and muttered to himself.


    The successful mastery of ��Scorching Touch�� uplifted Rein��s spirits, and he tried the newly mastered witchcraft several more times in a row.


    Instantly, round charred marks were left on the room��s walls and on the back of chairs!


    After several attempts, Rein still couldn��t quite hide his excitement.


    However, he also felt a slight unease in his brain, a drowsy sensation, a kind of mental fatigue. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein knew this must be due to excessive consumption of spiritual power.


    So, Rein quickly stopped and rested for a moment.


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    ��Rein, are you there?�� It was the voice of his mother, Emma.


    ��I��m here!��


    As Emma opened the door, she looked around with a puzzled expression, her nostrils flaring slightly, and she suspiciously asked Rein:


    ��Rein, are you roasting something?��


    ��What��s that burnt smell? It��s all the way downstairs,��


    ��Ah?��


    At that moment, Rein realized that he had been too focused on experimenting with the ��Scorching Touch�� witchcraft, and now, his own room was filled with a slightly acrid smell of firewood.


    ��No! It might have been a candle accidentally lighting the wood,�� Rein hurriedly denied.


    Mother Emma mumbled a few words, obviously wanting to say more.


    Because as soon as she opened the door, she saw a round, smoking, charred pattern on the wall.


    Is this the area a candle could burn?


    Are you kidding me?


    But thinking of her son Rein��s might when slaying enemies, Emma suppressed her concerns, swallowing the words that had reached the tip of her tongue.


    ��The child is grown, let him have his own secrets,�� Emma thought to herself.


    ��Well��okay then! Remember to ventilate more,�� mother Emma said before closing the door again.


    ��Yes, Mother!�� Rein said, touching his head awkwardly.


    Although Mother Emma had witnessed his strength, Rein still did not want his family to know about his studies in witchcraft right away.


    After all, the Knight��s Transcendent path is highly acceptable in the eyes of ordinary people.


    But Wizards are different, their various mysterious witchcraft, and many evil and frightening images of Wizards, still inspire fear among ordinary people through the songs of Wandering Bards.


    So, Rein thought, in front of his family, he still needed to maintain the grand professional image of a Knight.


    Thinking of the Knight profession, Rein was reminded of the weapon most loyal to a Knight or warrior��


    Rein placed the greatsword wrapped in sheepskin on the table, unfolded the sheepskin, lifted the ��Glimmering Greatsword��, and inspected it carefully.


    Although the addition of star metal had increased the hardness of the greatsword several times over, the strength of his enemies also improved day by day, so now, there were many tiny nicks on the blade of the greatsword.


    The blade needed to be re-polished.


    Rein took out a small sharpening stone, dropped a few drops of oil on it, and began sharpening seriously.


    After sharpening, he laid the greatsword flat and observed it from different angles. Confirming that there weren��t any serious issues with the blade��s curvature or nicks, Rein then wrapped the ��Glimmering Greatsword�� back in sheepskin and set it aside.


    Next, Rein flipped to the first page of the panel system �� the attribute page, and started examining it closely.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (124/1000)/Knight (Transcendent) lv3 (84/500)/Blacksmith lv3 (0/500)/Dog Trainer lv3(1/500)


    Constitution: 18


    Strength: 15


    Agility: 15


    Spirit: 16


    Remaining attribute points: 3


    Remaining Skill Points: 4


    Looking at the numbers 3 and 4 at the bottom, Rein��s lips curved into a smile.


    It��s not easy, rare to be a ��big spender��!


    Soon, Rein began to ponder the specifics of allocating the points.


    First, regarding attribute points, adding points to Strength would directly increase Rein��s combat power, especially since his Transcendent trait ��Huge Strength lv2�� as well as the core skill ��Strength Burst��, both enhance his basic strength.


    If added to Constitution, it would extend the duration of bursts and improve resistance against various abnormal statuses, which is also very significant.


    Agility is equally important.


    But currently, Rein doesn��t have any abilities or skills that significantly boost Agility, so if he were to allocate points, it could be postponed, to be decided based on the situation at that time.


    As for Spirit, in the short term, it actually wouldn��t bring an immediately noticeable improvement in Rein��s strength.


    If it is not very urgent, Rein could slowly increase it through the practice of basic meditation.


    After much thought, Rein still hadn��t decided, so he decided to not allocate the attribute points just yet.


    After all, keeping them for recovery during battle is also akin to a miracle!


    Then, Rein focused his attention on the Skill Points.


    Regarding Skill Points, the direction of allocation could either be towards the Knight (Transcendent) panel or the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel.


    First, let��s look at the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel with only two skills.


    If he added points to basic meditation, the benefit would likely be a faster increase in Spirit Attribute.


    While adding points to ��Scorching Touch�� would bring multiple benefits, including enhancing the damage effect of the witchcraft and using it for forging to elevate the Blacksmith��s Profession Level.


    However, it is still unclear how much the increase would be, whether it would reach lv2 or lv3 to smelt bronze, or even iron ingots.


    But as an entry-level touch-based witchcraft, it can only damage enemies within a very close range, which is a significant limitation.


    Honestly, the attack range of ��Scorching Touch�� might not even be wider than that of the Dual-Handed Greatsword!


    This is why Rein hesitated.


    If it were a powerful long-range attack witchcraft like the ��Fireball Technique��, Rein would certainly not hesitate to enter continuous allocation mode!


    ��Bang bang bang!��


    Fireball machine gun!


    Just thinking about it is exhilarating!


    Wouldn��t this cause chaos?


    Rein couldn��t help but envision it.

 Chapter 164 - 164 - 135: It seems like a chaotic slaughter!

    Chapter 164 �C 135: It seems like a chaotic slaughter!


    Next up was the Knight (Transcendent) panel.


    The options here are much wider.


    Rein��s first thought was to add points to break the limit value.


    Breaking the limit is a burst enhancement of bodily attributes that boosts strength, agility, and constitution significantly during its activation.


    Due to the previous increase of two points in constitution, Rein��s current limit-breaking value had reached 40%.


    It seemed that constitution was more positively correlated to the bodily limit break compared to agility.


    A 40% limit-breaking value meant that after activating the limit break, Rein��s strength, agility, and constitution would all increase by 40%, sending his combat power skyrocketing!


    ...


    The capabilities of a seasoned Knight would be fully demonstrated!


    Moreover, with four skill points currently in Rein��s hands, if they were all invested into the limit-breaking value, it could directly hit 80%!


    Tsk tsk!


    That would surpass the 60% threshold and step into the realm of a Peak Knight!


    At the same time, Rein��s two transcendent traits, ��Huge Strength lv2�� and ��Iron Skin lv2��, could also smoothly progress to lv3.


    With both effects combined, his strength would make leaps and bounds!


    This fully reflected the saying, ��The extent of limit break largely determines a Knight��s combat strength!��


    Another option for adding points was the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    Rein��s Giant Bear Sword Technique was currently at lv6, and to advance it in the proper order, it would require a whole 3000 experience points to reach lv7.


    Clearly, assigning skill points to any lv6 skill would result in a considerable savings in time and benefits.


    Not to mention, the Giant Bear Sword Technique was Rein��s main combat skill, and reaching lv7 would also provide an immediate and significant boost to his combat power.


    In addition, investing points in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique also seemed like a decent choice, and high-level practice of the technique would surely enhance his strength and constitution quickly.


    Of course, the effects of adding points to the Giant Bear Breathing Technique would not be apparent in just a day or two.


    Even at the quickest, it would take a month or two to gradually see the value of the added points.


    Beyond these options, the core skill ��danger perception lv3�� was also a good choice, especially since core skills can only be improved by adding skill points, not by accumulating experience points like other skills, which could naturally be ground out over time if there was no rush.


    But core skills are different, as one simply can��t grind them out!


    Speaking of core skills, Rein couldn��t help but remember another core skill he had long neglected����Hammer Mastery��.


    [Hammer Mastery lv1 (Passive) Effect: The host receives a slight increase in damage when using any hammer-type weapon.]


    Rein was no longer as ignorant of the system as he was in the beginning.


    After reading the system��s description of Hammer Mastery a couple more times, Rein vaguely guessed that if he invested points in it, the effect would likely change to ��small increase�� and then to ��large increase��.


    This made Rein narrow his eyes as his mind started to race.


    ��Maybe I shouldn��t be swinging around wildly without care!��


    ��But it seems, in time, I could be swinging around with impact!��


    Thus, Rein took out a thin booklet he had found, which was the ��Tokkal Hammer Technique Outline��.


    After studying ��Tokkal��s Hammer Technique Outline��, he found that Tokkal Hammer Technique was very similar to the Giant Bear Sword Technique, but even more extreme with no defensive moves��all were offensive!


    ��Giant hammer strike,�� ��giant hammer jump strike,�� and ��giant hammer sweep�� all confirmed this.


    Soon after, Rein received a system notification:


    [You have studied the Tokkal Hammer Technique, comprehension improved!]


    [You have grasped a new skill��Tokkal Hammer Technique]


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, experience +1]


    Rein opened the Knight (Transcendent) profession panel, and saw that among the ten or so skill icons below, a new one was lit up.


    Tokkal Hammer Technique lv1 (1/100).


    The icon was simple, depicting two large hands holding a huge hammer, appearing very powerful.


    As for practicing Hammer Skill, Rein thought of the ��hammer tire flipping training�� from his previous life, which seemed to be one of the most common strength training methods in various fighting disciplines.


    Swinging a big hammer might look simple, but its function is quite complex!


    It can not only fully exercise a person��s rotational explosive power, but also develop the stabilizing strength of the waist, abdomen, and other core muscle groups.


    Of course, for Rein, with his 18-point Constitution and 15-point Strength, this process was somewhat redundant.


    What he really needed now was a sparring partner to help him quickly improve his Hammer Skill level.


    Thinking of this, the first person that came to Rein��s mind was the ��shield master�� Lagaray!


    However, it was a bit late, and after some thought, Rein decided to wait until tomorrow morning.


    Throughout the night, Emma tossed and turned unable to sleep, waking old Rein numerous times with questions:


    ��Ah, didn��t you see how Rein was today?��


    ��How does Rein manage to kill so calmly?��


    ��How many people has Rein actually killed?��


    ��This can��t be the first time he��s killed someone, can it?��


    ����.��


    Though very sleepy, old Rein still gently held Emma��s hand, patting it lightly, and comforted her:


    ��Don��t overthink it, I know you got a scare, go to sleep early, it��ll be fine after a while, don��t be afraid.��


    In fact, Emma had felt a sudden jolt in her heart ever since she had witnessed her son Rein, with a calm complexion, kill several Black Flame monks.


    Because she had never seen such a cold side of Rein before. Enjoy new tales from .com


    Once asleep, she would remember that scene, and the calm expression on Rein��s face as he killed.


    Late into the night, old Rein finally got a little fed up with Emma��s anxiety and said in annoyance,


    ��Think of it this way, if Rein hadn��t killed them, wouldn��t you be one of those lying on the ground?��


    ��Also, have you forgotten the state your friend Sima ended up in?��


    This left Emma speechless for quite some time!


    Sima was her best friend, and Rein knew her well, but this time, she too had met a grisly end in the church, at the hands of the cultists, especially that horrific ritual that reduced a person of about one hundred seventy or eighty pounds to just over forty pounds of dried corpse.


    The terror of that sight made Emma shiver just by thinking about it!


    ��Yeah, if my own son didn��t kill them, they would have killed me!�� Emma murmured to herself.


    Suddenly, Emma felt an inexplicable sense of safety in Rein��s calm demeanor while he was killing!


    The next morning, when Rein sat down for breakfast, he was startled by old Rein��s dark eye bags.


    ��Father, what��s this�� Did you not rest well last night?��


    Old Rein glanced at Emma and said, ��It��s alright, just some mosquitoes buzzing non-stop in the middle of the night, barely got them killed before dawn was upon us!��


    Rein was taken aback as he looked outside at the chilly weather of early winter and thought, are there still mosquitoes at this time of year?


    After breakfast, just when Rein was about to go find Lagaray to practice some Hammer Skill, George��s familiar voice came from outside the door.


    ��Is Rein there?��


    Upon hearing this, Rein immediately opened the door and went out.


    Seeing Rein, George stepped forward to compare their heights and his eyes suddenly widened as he exclaimed,


    ��Hiss! Rein, you�� are you really Rein?��


    Although Rein had already grown as tall as he was half a month ago, now he was a bit taller than George!


    This left George looking at Rein with a face full of disbelief, ��Rein, how�� how did you grow so fast!��


    ��No, no, that��s not important!��


    ��What I want to ask you is, the person who slaughtered the cultists in the church square yesterday, the one who saved us, was it you?��


    As George asked this question, his gaze was fixed intently on Rein.


    Rein thought for a moment and decided not to hide it, nodding and saying, ��George, yes, that was indeed me!��


    ��Rein, I knew it was you! And they still didn��t believe me!�� said George excitedly.


    ��No, wait!��


    ��Rein, doesn��t that mean you��ve already stepped into the Transcendent and become a formal Knight?�� George asked belatedly.


    Rein looked at his friend and nodded again.


    Although he didn��t want to admit it in front of his good friend George, some things were gradually becoming harder to conceal.


    After all, by now, the Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town could pretty much vouch for his strength.


    ��Rein�� Rein! You�� I�� Does this mean I now have a friend who��s a formal Knight?�� George stammered in wonder.


    ��Of course, unless you don��t consider me your friend!�� Rein gave George a friendly punch on the chest and smiled.


    At this moment, George��s expression was incredibly complex!


    How did Rein become a Knight so quickly?


    This is just too fast!


    And on top of that, I actually have a friend who��s a formal Knight!


    That��s just too cool!


    For a while, a myriad of thoughts swirled through George��s young mind! S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Half an hour later.


    Training grounds of the Administrative Hall.


    Lagaray picked out an ironwood axe and held a freshly repaired giant round shield, while Rein gripped a several dozen pound oak hammer, and the two took their positions in the arena.


    Lagaray tapped the large shield with her ironwood axe, signaling with a crisp sound, ��Come on!��


    ��Lagaray, you better be careful then.��


    Rein pushed off with his left foot and rushed swiftly towards Lagaray. When he was a few meters away, he leaped, swinging the oak hammer down in a forceful overhead giant hammer strike.


    It was the Tokkal Hammer Technique��s ��giant hammer jump strike��!


    Lagaray didn��t back down but instead jumped up high, lifting her shield for a heavy shield strike!


    ��Bam!!��


    A dull sound of hammer meeting shield echoed!


    Lagaray, airborne, felt a powerful Shock force reverberate through her shield, sending her flying back several meters.


    Immediately, she looked at Rein with astonishment.


    Wasn��t it said that he had just learned Hammer Skill?


    How could he be so powerful already!

 Chapter 165 - 165 - 136 Actually.......I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)

    Chapter 165 �C 136 Actually����.I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)


    Although Lagaray knew that Rein had entered the Transcendent realm, she did not witness the scene where Rein killed four Black Flame cultists.


    So, with a suspicious look, Lagaray glanced at Rein and said, ��Rein, didn��t you say you had just learned Hammer Skill?��


    ��This�� it is indeed just recently learned!�� Rein touched his nose.


    It must be the effect of his Hammer Skill specialty.


    Of course, that was obviously something Rein could not mention.


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +17]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points +0]


    ...


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +15]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points +1]


    ��.


    After a few minutes of sparring, the improvement in the Tokkal Hammer Technique was quite significant.


    However, in terms of the Profession Level of Rein��s Transcendent Knight, the growth in experience was almost negligible.


    Of course, the occasional +1 in experience points was better than nothing.


    The sparring continued.


    ��Boom!��


    Lagaray was once again struck by Rein��s ironwood warhammer, hitting her shield and sending her flying back several meters.


    ��Enough!��


    Lagaray��s ample chest heaved as she rolled her eyes at Rein, who didn��t have a single bead of sweat on his forehead, and said irritably.


    Wasn��t this bullying?


    Rein had entered the Transcendent realm, and clearly, his Hammer Skill was also well-founded. She simply couldn��t withstand a few of Rein��s hammer blows.


    Even with her favorite shield!


    Lagaray thought to herself.


    Additionally, even though she was a barbarian, with Strength and Constitution surpassing those of an average aspiring Knight, Lagaray always felt that Rein was the real monster, more of a barbarian than her.


    ��Uh�� alright then!�� Rein could tell that Lagaray was really trying her best.


    Just�� he had only used about sixty percent of his Strength. Any less and the sparring match wouldn��t provide enough experience for Tokkal Hammer Technique, but any more and Lagaray wouldn��t be able to handle it.


    Quite the dilemma!


    As for feeling tired?


    Not at all!


    With a Constitution of eighteen, sparring with Lagaray felt to Rein like a marathon runner from his past life having jogged just ten kilometers.


    It was barely a warm-up!


    The Night Watchmen nearby kept glancing over at Lagaray and Rein.


    Although Flashgold Town had just suffered an attack from the cultists, increasing the workload of the Night Watchmen, after witnessing the formidable strength of the cultists, many of the Night Watchmen, no matter how busy, would make time to come to the training grounds to improve themselves.


    One of the Night Watchmen turned to the short-statured Matteo and whispered, ��Boss, do you think our Deputy Commander is going easy on that beautiful barbarian girl?��


    ��You don��t understand!��


    ��It��s all about playfulness!�� Matteo glanced at his subordinate Night Watchman and said.


    ��Playfulness?�� The Night Watchman thought for a moment, appeared to realize something, then nodded continuously with a look of sudden understanding.


    ��I see, no wonder the Deputy Commander, despite being so strong, still insists on sparring with her.��


    ����.��


    Even though their conversation was in hushed tones, Rein and Lagaray, with their strengths, heard everything loud and clear.


    This caused Lagaray��s cheeks, already flushed from the intense exercise, to redden even more.


    ��By the way, Lagaray, can you forge a warhammer?�� Rein asked while waving the ironwood warhammer in his hand.


    ��Hmm! It��s just that the typical material for a warhammer might not be suitable for you.�� Lagaray looked at the ironwood warhammer in Rein��s hand and said.


    Rein immediately nodded in agreement, ��You��re right! I need a good warhammer.��


    This point, with his increasing strength, had made the importance of a good weapon ever more apparent.


    Before Rein had transcended, a Fine Steel Greatsword of decent quality was already struggling to withstand the intensity of his combat, let alone now that Rein had the strength of a seasoned Knight.


    Moreover, when unleashing the ��stacking state,�� Rein��s demand for a weapon was exceptionally high!


    Could the weapon wielded at twenty points of Strength be the same as one wielded at forty points of Strength? S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The answer was clearly no!


    ��From what I know, if you want to make a warhammer that meets the strength requirements of a proper Knight like you, the best would be blood-patterned steel. This steel is very strong and tough, ideal for forging warhammers,�� she advised.


    ��Secondly, there��s starmetal like you saw last time. Adjust the composition a bit, and it��s also great for making warhammers,�� she added.


    ��That blood-patterned steel, is it also extracted from some kind of rare ore?�� Rein inquired.


    If there was a better material choice, he naturally wanted to choose the better option.


    ��Yes, it��s also refined from special ores and is very rare,�� Lagaray confirmed with a nod.


    This gave Rein a bit of a headache; clearly, these high-grade goods wouldn��t be available at Boris the Blacksmith��s shop in the small town.


    Last time, he had bought up the only starmetal Boris had and infused it into his Glimmering Greatsword.


    Check with the quartermaster nearby?


    After thinking for a while, Rein immediately shook his head. Even if the quartermaster��s stock was diverse, such rare raw materials would not likely be available for exchange.


    Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Rein��s mind, and he remembered something!


    He recalled the blacksmith Boris once mentioned to him:


    ��Rein, if you want to learn about identifying other special ores, you��ll have to go to the large blacksmith shops in County Town, uh�� of course, there are definitely also many kinds of special ores stocked in the blacksmith shops inside the manor castles.��


    That��s right!


    How could he not have thought of that?


    In fact, he could go check out the blacksmith shop at the Habsburg manor. Read new chapters at .com

 Chapter 166 - 166 - 136 Actually.......I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)_2

    Chapter 166 �C 136 Actually����.I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)_2


    Lord Reine quickly regained his composure!


    He remembered the blacksmith shop located on the first floor of the castle.


    Back then, he was just a quiet, unknown servant boy.


    Continue reading at .com


    But now the situation was quite different.


    Yesterday, Knight Lloyd from the manor and Instructor Perez had a long conversation with him, and both had invited him to visit the Habsburg manor whenever he was free.


    It was a good opportunity to bring up the matter of the blood-patterned steel.


    ...


    As long as it was available, there should be no problem!


    Moreover, he had harvested more than two hundred Imperial gold coins from the spoils of the Black Flame Cultist, which along with his previous collection, should be enough to directly purchase the blood-patterned steel.


    Having realized all this, Lord Reine��s lips couldn��t help but curl up slightly, clearly in a great mood.


    Lagaray watched Lord Reine, puzzled.


    She was confused as to why Lord Reine, who clearly seemed a bit troubled for a moment, suddenly started smiling.


    At this moment, a man dressed as a servant walked into the training grounds, scanned the surroundings briefly, and quickly spotted Lord Reine in the center of the field talking to the barbarian girl, Lagaray.


    The man walked up and respectfully said, ��Lord Reine, I am a servant from the Habsburg manor. Knight Lloyd would like to invite you to dinner, and I wonder if you are available this evening?��


    ��Oh�� of course, you may bring this beautiful young lady with you.�� The man, adept at reading the room, noticed Lagaray beside Lord Reine and immediately thought of something, quickly adding another sentence.


    This made Lagaray, who was usually cheerful, a bit shy. However, different from Anna, she still looked intensely at Lord Reine.


    She wanted to see how Lord Reine would respond.


    ��Lagaray, if you are free tonight, why don��t you join me?�� Lord Reine thought that having Lagaray with him when selecting ores would be more convenient.


    After all, the manor��s blacksmith shop might not necessarily have the blood-patterned steel required for forging a warhammer.


    But the manor��s blacksmith shop, more than likely, has other special ores similar to blood-patterned steel, which might also be suitable for making a warhammer.


    However, Lord Reine had very little knowledge about special ores. Bringing Lagaray, a senior blacksmith, would naturally save a lot of trouble.


    ��Thank you, no need, I��ll stay with Anna,�� said Lagaray, visibly pleased that Lord Reine intended to bring her along, but she immediately declined.


    She had little interest in dealing with the Imperial nobility.


    In fact, she also found it odd why she had taken a liking to Lord Reine.


    Was it because he had saved her?


    No.


    Perhaps, in the blood of a barbarian, there was a gene to revere the strong.


    After all, in a place like Frostwind Prairie, only the strong could survive and thrive.


    ��I��ll be leaving first!�� Lagaray waved and walked straight out of the training grounds.


    Lord Reine watched Lagaray��s retreating figure, slightly puzzled as to why she refused, shook his head slightly, and then said to the servant, ��Tell Knight Lloyd that it will just be me tonight.��


    ��Very well, Lord Reine. We look forward to your presence tonight,�� the servant bowed slightly and quickly left.


    Besides a warhammer, Lord Reine also needed a set of sturdy knight��s armor.


    Unfortunately, Lagaray did not make armor.


    Thinking it over, Lord Reine went to see the Night Watchman��s quartermaster.


    This was his first time visiting the quartermaster.


    Previously, his predecessor, Weilun, had arranged everything for him.


    Upon seeing Lord Reine enter, the rotund quartermaster immediately stood up from his chair and greeted him respectfully, ��Vice officer sir!��


    ��Eh! You recognize me?�� Lord Reine curiously asked.


    ��Of course, Lord Reine. Your performance when you killed the Cultist yesterday, I believe, will be remembered forever by everyone present,�� Thompson complimented while reminiscing about the scene.


    Yesterday, he too was trembling among the crowd praying in the church.


    He thought it was definitely the end for him.


    But he hadn��t expected the sudden appearance of Lord Reine, who seemed like a god descending, who eliminated three Transcendent Cultists consecutively and saved almost half the people inside the church.


    Having experienced this event, it would be impossible for Thompson to forget Lord Reine!


    ��By the way, Vice Officer sir, what brings you here this time?��


    ��Do you have ready-made knight��s armor here?�� S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Yes, right this way.�� Thompson immediately nodded, his plump body nimbly turned and led Lord Reine to a storage room, pulling out two sets of heavy knight armor suits.


    Lord Reine was initially pleased but upon closer inspection, he couldn��t help feeling a bit disappointed.


    The armory stored two sets of knight��s armor, but their quality was quite average, even inferior to the set Hamilton had given him last time.


    This was probably intended for knight-errants.


    Such knight��s armor, beyond adding over a hundred pounds of weight, would hardly offer much defensive power.


    ��Do you have a warhammer?�� Lord Reine asked again.


    ��Yes, Vice Officer sir, did you want a two-handed warhammer or a one-handed warhammer?��


    ��Two-handed warhammer.��


    Thompson quickly brought over a large two-handed warhammer and handed it to Lord Reine.


    Lord Reine, upon inspecting it, was quite surprised; except for the iron hammerhead, the rest was made of wood.


    This led Lord Reine to internally complain that this wasn��t much different from the ironwood warhammers used in training gyms.

 Chapter 167 - 167 - 136 Actually.......I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)_3

    Chapter 167 �C 136 Actually����.I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)_3


    ��The handle is made of wood?��


    ��Uh�� yes, my lord, the handle is made of oak, which is very flexible and durable.��


    Rein nodded.


    Clearly, there wouldn��t be any suitable high-quality weapons for him in the military storeroom.


    After all, the majority of the equipment there was intended for ordinary members of the Night Watchman and the peacekeeping officers.


    Noticing the look of disappointment on Rein��s face, Thompson carefully asked, ��Deputy Officer, are you perhaps looking for a better quality weapon or armor?��


    ��Don��t you know, at your level, the equipment that needs to be exchanged can only be viewed at the military supply office in the County Town.��


    ...


    ��Hm? Go to the County Town?��


    ��Isn��t there a booklet?��


    Rein gestured the size of the booklet that Lord Hamilton had shown him before.


    He still remembered the large characters written on the cover of the booklet: ��Imperial Law Enforcement and Defense Forces Merit Points Exchange Booklet (Junior Officers)��.


    Thompson had a sudden realization!


    ��That��s right, as a deputy law enforcement officer, even your Merit Points Exchange Booklet is different from the previous ones, it��s for the level of junior officers, considered confidential, and can only be viewed with the military supply officer in the County Town,�� he said.


    So that was it, Rein nodded his head.


    Indeed, the higher the rank, the more one could exchange, and many of the items might involve some secrets.


    When Rein returned home, he intended to study the Akkadian language, but just as he sat down, a Messenger arrived, stating that Lord Hamilton had requested to see him.


    Soon, Rein arrived at Hamilton��s office.


    The moment Rein entered, Hamilton said with a smile, ��Rein, the merit assessment for your last killing of three Black Flame monks and one Black Flame Apostle has come out. With your previous Merit Points, the total is 1489 points.��


    Hamilton himself was somewhat astonished when he first saw the number.


    He had expected Rein to definitely reach 1000 Merit Points this time, but he had not anticipated it to exceed the amount by so much.


    It seemed that the Black Flame Apostle alone contributed over 500 points.


    ��That many?�� Rein couldn��t help but exclaim.


    ��Surprising, isn��t it? I was surprised too,�� Hamilton said.


    Seeing Rein��s wide-eyed and astonished expression balanced out Hamilton��s feelings quite a bit.


    Rein had given him quite a few shocks recently!


    Now, it was time for him to surprise Rein in turn.


    ��Here, this is the relevant documentation for participating in the ennoblement assessment, you need to fill it out yourself,�� Hamilton handed him a thin document.


    ��Okay.�� Rein took it and began to read carefully.


    The document consisted of two pages, with very brief content.


    Actually, it was a waiver indicating that there are risks associated with the assessment and that participation should be cautious.


    One could opt out anytime before the assessment task was given.


    However, if one chose to withdraw after the task was set, they would have to wait five years before they could apply again. Two consecutive withdrawals would result in a lifetime ban from applying.


    After quickly scanning the document, Rein immediately picked up a quill and briskly filled in his name.


    ��By the way, Rein, I heard you were practicing with a heavy hammer at the training ground this morning?�� Hamilton took the document Rein handed over and asked casually.


    ��Yes, my lord.��


    Rein was a bit surprised; news traveled that quickly?


    The morning��s events had reached Hamilton��s ears by the afternoon.


    Hamilton frowned slightly and said, ��Although the damage from a heavy hammer is astonishing, I fear it will be difficult to make any substantial progress if you don��t practice for a long time.��


    ��My advice is to focus on the Giant Bear Sword Technique, and practice the hammer after the ennoblement assessment is over.��


    Rein nodded, not disagreeing, knowing that Hamilton meant well.


    But he had a Modifier, it was different!


    ��By the way, regarding the ennoblement assessment, there are two things I would remind you of,�� Hamilton thought for a moment before speaking again.


    ��The first is, if you encounter a multi-person or team task, you must be wary of some of your teammates.��


    ��By team members, I don��t mean just the nobles�� children but also the commoners.��


    Perhaps reminded of something, Hamilton��s expression turned solemn as he mentioned the last sentence.


    ��Of course, it would be better if you could draw a solo mission. Although it may be more difficult, the situation is relatively easier to control.��


    ��Moreover, according to your current strength and age, as long as you can complete the task normally, the score should not be low. Securing a knighthood should be quite assured.�� sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��As for the baron title, I think it��s not necessary to force it. Everything should still put personal safety first.��


    ��Thank you for your concern, my lord, I will pay attention,�� Rein said seriously, nodding at Hamilton��s grave tone.


    Explore stories at .com


    ��Then you should prepare well in the coming days. According to tradition, once you submit the application, someone will contact you within a month.��


    ��One month?�� Rein pondered.


    A month��s time was enough for him to take his power to the next level!


    Evening.


    Walking in the twilight, Rein, clad in plate armor and carrying the sheepskin-wrapped Glimmering Greatsword, arrived at Habsburg Manor, a place he hadn��t visited in nearly a month.


    In the glow of the sunset, Habsburg Manor was like a golden building draped in a thin layer of gold, mesmerizingly beautiful.


    For the first time, Rein discovered that the scenery of the manor was truly beautiful.


    Possibly due to his previous state of mind, he had not appreciated it properly before.


    It was like a five or six-year-old boy, held in the arms of a stunningly curvaceous woman, completely oblivious, while actually being entranced by a stick of candy, unable to look away.

 Chapter 168 - 168 - 136 Actually.......I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)_4

    Chapter 168 �C 136 Actually����.I am very interested in forging! (Two in one big chapter)_4


    Lord Rein, familiar with the path, arrived at the entrance of the manor. Enjoy new adventures from .com


    At that moment, a maid was already waiting at the door. Seeing Rein, she approached respectfully and asked, ��Excuse me, are you Lord Rein?��


    Rein nodded and said, ��Yes, I am.��


    ��Please follow me.��


    ��Alright,�� Rein followed the maid into the castle.


    After the maid led Rein to a lavishly decorated reception room, she said, ��Lord Rein, please have a seat in the parlor. I will immediately go to report to the master.��


    As Rein leisurely admired the exquisite decorations of the parlor, a familiar figure appeared at the door.


    ... S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Eh? You�� You��re Rein?�� The Chief Maid Shadia, holding a silver teapot, stared at Rein with a face full of surprise, as if she was somewhat uncertain.


    After all, Rein��s physique had changed quite a bit over the past month.


    However, when Rein looked up, Shadia confirmed that the young man sitting in the castle��s parlor was indeed Rein.


    ��How come you are here?�� Shadia was still dressed in the black maid��s attire that represented high-ranking servants.


    Rein stood up and smiled at Chief Maid Shadia, just about to say something, when footsteps were heard coming from the doorway.


    This made Shadia slightly nervous.


    She knew that Knight Lloyd was to entertain an important guest that evening.


    Thus, she had specifically brought tea, preparing to receive the guest personally.


    But now Rein was here, for reasons unknown.


    ��Right, Rein, you came for the black tung oil, didn��t you?��


    ��But I remember I showed you the way last time, didn��t I?��


    ��Rein, quickly follow me, this is the reception room, and an important guest is about to arrive����


    At that moment, Knight Lloyd walked in, accompanied by Perez, the swordsmanship instructor.


    The arrival of both Transcendents caused Chief Maid Shadia��s complexion to change!


    Lloyd and Perez glanced past Shadia, fixing their gaze on Rein.


    This caused Shadia to silently curse ��oh no�� in her heart!


    Though Knight Lloyd was a kind person, as the man in charge of the manor, he was quite old-fashioned and strict with rules.


    As for Lord Perez, she could sense the pride hidden deep in his bones.


    This pride was not pejorative but more the pride of a knight, proud of one��s own skills!


    As Shadia��s brain raced to find a suitable reason for Rein, she heard Lloyd��s hearty laughter, ��Rein! You finally arrived!��


    The normally proud swordsmanship instructor Perez also smiled at Rein.


    For in his heart, Rein��s outstanding Giant Bear Sword Technique had already earned Perez��s recognition.


    Ah?


    Shadia couldn��t help but widen her eyes suddenly, her lips parting slightly in shock as she watched this unfold.


    This�� this��


    What is going on here!


    Could it be that the important guest tonight is Rein?


    ��Knight Lloyd, Lord Perez, you���� Shadia looked between Rein and the two noble knights.


    ��Eh, Shadia, you know Rein?�� Knight Lloyd, noticing Shadia��s shocked expression, initiated the conversation.


    Before Shadia could respond, Rein laughed and said, ��Ha-ha, Knight Lloyd, you might not know, but I once participated in the page training at the manor. During that time, Chief Maid Shadia took good care of me.��


    ��Oh?�� Knight Lloyd looked at Shadia with a smile on his face.


    ��That��s�� that��s how it is,�� Shadia was still a bit slow to react.


    ��Rein, would you like me to give you a tour of the castle first?�� Knight Lloyd was very thoughtful and did not inquire too much or mention Rein��s page training at the manor.


    After all, many people do not like their past, especially the less glorious times, to be mentioned.


    ��Of course, it would be an honor,�� Rein said with a smile.


    ��


    ��This is the back garden, but unfortunately, it is now the Frost Month, and many flowers have already finished blooming,�� Knight Lloyd explained.


    Rein nodded.


    Returning to the castle��s back garden now, he couldn��t help but recall the scenes where he and Cleya had sparred here.


    ��


    ��This way is the blacksmith shop,�� Knight Lloyd pointed to the end of the castle��s first-floor corridor and said.


    ��Oh? The blacksmith shop?�� Rein asked knowingly.


    ��May I take a look inside? Actually, you two may not know�� I have a great interest in blacksmithing!��

 Chapter 169 - 169 - 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two in One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 169 �C 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two in One Big Chapter)


    Knight Lloyd, who had originally planned to casually mention the blacksmith shop, couldn��t help but understand what Rein was implying once he said so. He immediately smiled and said, ��Perfect, then let��s go take a look together.��


    ��Rein, Perez and I are very fond of exquisite weapons and armor, yet we are not very familiar with the process of their making.��


    As befitting a Knight who also managed the manor, Lloyd had a way with words that felt refreshingly pleasant.


    Following behind the trio was Chief Maid Shadia, who had trailed them all the way. At this moment, she finally managed to pull herself back to reality.


    Looking at Rein, who was chatting and laughing with the two formal knights, Shadia couldn��t shake off a surreal feeling!


    How much time had passed?


    Had Rein already stepped into transcendence and become a formal knight?


    ...


    This pace was on par with Lady Cleya��s!


    No, it was even faster than the young lady��s!


    Shadia��s gaze once again settled on Rein, as she compared him to the Rein she remembered from before.


    He had noticeably grown taller and had become stronger.


    Unintentionally, standing beside the towering Knight Lloyd, who was nearly one hundred ninety centimeters tall, Rein didn��t seem much shorter; it seemed his height had already surpassed one hundred eighty centimeters.


    Moreover, the glimpses of muscular arms, broad shoulders, and a solid chest that Rein occasionally revealed made him indistinguishable from a grown adult!


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    The more she observed, the greater Shadia��s astonishment grew!


    Of course, Rein noticed the frequent glances from the Chief Maid behind him.


    He knew she must have many questions at the moment, but now was clearly not a good time for a conversation with Shadia.


    Rein hadn��t even anticipated that he would bump into Shadia just as he entered the castle.


    He had actually been planning to use up the rest of his black kiri oil and then chat with her about his transcendence.


    At that moment, under Knight Lloyd��s lead, Rein entered the castle��s blacksmith shop.


    Upon entering the blacksmith shop, a wave of heat hit them, and the relentless sound of hammering filled their ears.


    Rein quickly glanced around and noticed that there were three blacksmiths crafting weapons, armor, and daily necessities, along with about fifteen or sixteen apprentices and helpers.��


    In terms of size, it was three to five times larger than Boris��s shop in Flashgold Town.


    In addition, the blacksmith shop had a high ceiling of about six meters, appearing spacious and open, with the most eye-catching feature being a cylindrical structure more than four meters high, similar to a blast furnace.


    This caused Rein��s heart to leap with slight joy.


    The larger the scale, the more likely it was that he could find the special ores he needed in large quantities.


    Rein also spotted an old acquaintance��Blacksmith Baal, who was forging horseshoes.


    Seeing Knight Lloyd and Instructor Perez enter, S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    everyone couldn��t help but look up. Those whose work could be temporarily set aside stopped their tasks, while those who couldn��t slow down, also slowed their hammering pace.


    Clearly, as the person in charge of the manor, Knight Lloyd��s authority was held in high regard.


    At that moment, a burly man with a full beard put down his work and handed it to a blacksmith apprentice. Rein noticed that he seemed to have been forging a plate armor gauntlet.


    ��Knight Lloyd, Instructor Perez, what brings you two here?�� said the bearded, burly man.


    ��Snell, the main guest tonight isn��t me, but rather this gentleman, Knight Rein, the deputy of the Flashgold Town guard,�� Knight Lloyd said with a smile as he introduced him.


    The man named Snell was clearly taken aback, his expression one of surprise.


    Clearly, he had not expected the young-faced lad before him to be the guest of honor tonight, and that he had already reached the transcendent level of a knight.


    ��Rein, this is Snell, who just passed the Imperial Blacksmith Association��s armor-smithing assessment,�� Lloyd Knight introduced.


    ��Lord Rein, greetings! I am Snell,�� Snell said with a slight bow.


    Armor-smith?


    Rein��s eyes lit up upon hearing this.


    ��Greetings, Lord Snell!��


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    Daily blacksmiths already held a high status among commoners, but an armor-smith was a step-up profession for blacksmiths.


    Generally speaking, after being recognized as a master blacksmith, one��s skills would already be exceptional, but to further advance, one would need to choose a specialized field and delve deep into it, such as armor-smiths, swordsmiths, and so forth.


    As an armor-smith, Snell naturally deserved the honorific ��Lord�� from Rein.


    ��Snell, then please show us around,�� Lloyd said cheerfully.


    ��As you command, my lord!��


    In the meantime, Blacksmith Baal, who had been forging horseshoes, was looking at Rein with a puzzled expression.


    The young man��s face reminded him of a boy who had once participated in page training, even sharing the same name!


    The only difference was in stature, which was now quite large.


    The status was worlds apart as well, one being the son of a farmer and the other, the officer of the Flashgold Town guard.


    Looking back, that boy, Rein, had shown quite a talent for trimming hooves and nailing horseshoes.


    But recently, he had heard that the boy had ceased to participate in the page training.


    Such a shame!


    If he had continued, there was a good chance he could have passed the page examination and become an apprentice at the manor��s blacksmith shop.


    With this thought, Baal shook his head slightly and focused back on forging the horseshoes.


    Soon, Snell led everyone to the area of greatest interest to Rein��the blacksmith shop��s storage room.


    ��Lord Rein, this here is the storage room. We keep some of the commonly used materials like iron ingots, flux, and special ores,�� Snell explained.


    The storage room was roughly seventy to eighty square meters large. Upon entering, Rein saw rows of wooden shelves bearing at least a dozen varieties of special ores, the names of which he couldn��t even recall.

 Chapter 170 - 170 - 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 170 �C 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Additionally, various high-quality, smelted metal ingots were stacked on the ground.


    Seeing Lord Reine walk over to the shelf where special ores were displayed, seemingly attracted by the ores in front of him, filled Snell with pride and joy.


    These special ores had been slowly collected through industry connections he had commissioned.


    Some were even rarely seen in auction houses.


    Seeing Lord Reine pick up an ore and examine it intently, Snell felt a sense of validation!


    That what he valued was also valued by others.


    If his initial introductions were more out of courtesy to a guest, his introductions at this moment were heartfelt:


    ...


    ��Lord Reine, this is Star Iron. It possesses excellent hardness and toughness and is an excellent material for sharp weapons, suitable for crafting various daggers, longswords, or dual-handed greatswords.��


    ��This is Fire Rock ore, found around the fiery rims of volcanoes, extremely rare ����


    ��This is Bloodstone ore����


    Snell, who held the title of Armorsmith from the Blacksmiths Association and whose knowledge in forging far exceeded that of the town blacksmith Boris, continued his introduction. System prompts appeared in quick succession, flooding the screen:


    [Your Ore Identification skill has improved, Experience +19]


    [You have learned to identify the special ore Fire Rock, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +6]


    [Your Ore Identification skill has improved, Experience +21]


    [You have learned to identify the special ore Bloodstone, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +7]


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    [Congratulations, your Ore Identification skill has advanced to lv2]


    ��


    Here it comes! It��s here!


    Instantly, Lord Reine��s smile grew even brighter!


    His purpose for attending the dinner at Habsburg Manor had been partially fulfilled.


    Suddenly, fragmented memories about these special ores filled Lord Reine��s mind, as if he had been studying these ores for months, making him quite familiar with their properties.


    Not long after Lord Reine had fully assimilated these fragmented memories, system prompts came through again: S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��


    [Congratulations, your Ore Identification skill has advanced to lv3]


    This ��


    Just after absorbing and assimilating the fragmented memories in his mind, more fragmented memories about ore identification followed.


    This truly made Lord Reine experience what it��s like to ��gain more by listening to a wise man��s word than reading books for ten years!��


    Looking at these dazzling special ores, Lord Reine felt as if he had discovered a gold mine.


    Lord Reine thought of the Church of Black Flame��s strange black flames and the immensely high temperature damage.


    He also noticed that several of the special ores were materials resistant to high temperatures.


    After a moment��s thought, Lord Reine felt that if he could prepare a set of heat-resistant knight��s plate armor for the eventual battle, he would probably have an advantage against the sorcery attacks of the Church of the Black Flame!


    Unfortunately, the prices of these ores were indeed too expensive.


    It seemed he would need to hurry to make money!


    Moreover, given Lord Reine��s superficial knowledge of metals from his previous life, he realized that this world��s research into alloys was still at a very primitive level.


    He had initially thought it was because the blacksmiths he met were not skilled enough, but even Snell, a master armorer, had only a superficial experience with alloys and no systematic research.


    An alloy is a substance with metallic properties, synthesized by certain methods from two or more metals or metals and nonmetals.


    For example, bronze, a typical metal-metal alloy, consists of copper and tin in certain proportions, with variations in ratio greatly affecting the alloy��s properties.


    Lord Reine felt he had grasped the thread of a complex mystery, facing these extraordinary special ores which were truly a gold mine, but it was a massive undertaking, not the right time to embark on this work.


    After Snell had finished introducing all the special ores, Lord Reine checked his Blacksmith profession panel and saw that his Blacksmith had advanced to lv3 (112/500) and Ore Identification to lv3 (27/500).


    That accelerated like a rocket!


    For Snell, seeing Lord Reine��s expressions alternating between eager curiosity and deep contemplative stupor was very enjoyable.


    Although he still did not know to what extent this stranger and young Lord Reine was fond of forging, based on his attitude, Snell was very approving.


    Therefore, Snell started his introductions with even more zeal.


    If Lord Reine knew Snell��s thoughts, he would surely grasp Snell��s hands, shake them vigorously, and exclaim, ��Comrade! Let��s strive for the craft of forging for life!��


    After finishing the introductions of the ores on the shelves, Snell started introducing the neatly stacked metal ingots nearby.


    ������


    ��This is Blood Pattern Steel ingot, forged by mixing a certain proportion of Bloodstone ore with iron. It has high strength and toughness, suitable for forging blunt weapons.��


    Hey! Isn��t this the Blood Pattern Steel that Lagaray talked about?


    Lord Reine picked up one, which was quite heavy, seemingly only slightly less dense than the Star Iron.


    Lord Reine carefully estimated the number of Blood Pattern Steel ingots stacked together; there were more than twenty. Roughly calculating, if he could purchase half, that should be sufficient for forging his warhammer.


    ��Master Snell, could you sell me some of these Blood Pattern Steel ingots?�� Lord Reine interjected during Snell��s introduction.

 Chapter 171 - 171 - 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 171 �C 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��This��.�� Snell couldn��t hide his troubled expression.


    Although he wanted to do Lord Reine a favor, the blood-patterned steel ingots had already been allocated.


    Reine keenly noticed that the other had discreetly glanced at Knight Lloyd standing nearby.


    Clearly, the blood-patterned steel ingots were meant for Knight Lloyd��s plan, but before Reine could say anything further,


    Knight Lloyd laughingly said, ��Since Reine has a need, let him have them first. Snell, a few days delay on my shield and armor won��t make a difference.��


    Reine suddenly realized!


    So, these blood-patterned steel ingots were intended for forging Knight Lloyd��s gear, no wonder!


    ...


    Reine remembered that Knight Lloyd excelled in sword-and-shield combat, having always seen him equipped thus, apparently a Knight focused on defense.


    ��Thank you, Knight Lloyd. I��m currently practicing Hammer Skill and plan to forge a Warhammer, thus I needed some blood-patterned steel.��


    With the blood-patterned steel now secured, Reine also openly shared his purpose with Lloyd.


    ��Hmm? Reine, have you been practicing Hammer Skill recently?�� Perez seemed quite surprised upon hearing this.


    He had planned to discuss the Giant Bear Sword Technique with Reine after the banquet, hearing him abandon his exceptional talent in Swordsmanship to instead practice Hammer Skill naturally puzzled him.


    ��Yes, Master Perez, mastering an additional skill is beneficial, but I still primarily use the greatsword in real combat.�� Reine replied with a smile, naturally not divulging his true reasons.


    At this moment, the Hammer Smith Snell suggested, ��Lord Reine, do you need me to contact the Hammer Smith in County Town to help forge your Warhammer?��


    ��Ah�� Thank you, Lord Snell, but I have already contacted a friend.�� Reine politely declined Snell��s offer.


    He was still hoping to learn Hammer Skill from Lagaray to advance his Blacksmith Profession Level, so naturally he wouldn��t choose to have the Warhammer crafted in County Town.


    Before arriving, Reine had prepared three hundred Imperial Gold Coins, nearly his entire fortune, and had spent two hundred eighty coins on purchasing the blood-patterned steel ingots, almost depleting his funds instantly.


    ��This here is the forging area, where Master Blacksmith Bazil is currently making a bronze Warhammer���� Snell continued to explain.


    Huh!


    Bronze?


    Wouldn��t that have a much lower melting point than iron?


    Reine recalled his chemistry knowledge from a past life, although he didn��t know the exact melting points, he remembered that bronze was definitely below one thousand degrees, while iron was around fifteen hundred degrees.


    The difference was extremely significant.


    Reine glanced at his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel which listed ��Scorching Touch�� and began to formulate a preliminary plan!


    Due to his fondness for the blacksmith shop, Reine stayed there a bit longer, so after concluding the visit, Knight Lloyd suggested heading straight for the banquet hall, and Reine naturally agreed.


    This visit had already proven to be a great success!


    Habsburg Manor.


    The ground floor dining hall was bright with lights. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At least a ten-meter-long rectangular dining table, covered with elegant tablecloths, was where Knight Lloyd took his place at the head of the table.


    Reine and Perez each sat on the right and left hand sides of Lloyd respectively.


    Besides the three of them, there were no other diners.


    Only chambermaids moved back and forth like scene changes in a play.


    Although it was just the three of them dining, given that all three were transcendent human knights with huge appetites,


    soon, half of the table full of delicacies had been devoured.


    At that moment, Knight Lloyd used a white napkin to dab at the corners of his mouth and said, ��Reine, the last time we were at the church in Flashgold Town, what you demonstrated must have been the Giant Bear Sword Technique, right?��


    Upon hearing this, Reine��s eyes flickered slightly; he knew the main event was coming.


    Knight Lloyd inviting him wasn��t merely for a banquet.


    Before coming, Reine had pondered this issue.


    In general, he guessed that Lloyd would inquire about the origins of his breathing technique or sword skills, and how long he had been studying them.


    Naturally, there might be some overtures or alliances to follow, or something else entirely.


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    Putting himself in Lloyd��s shoes, if he discovered that a servant who had been training in the manor a few months ago had suddenly become transcendent, he would definitely want to understand the situation clearly.


    Concerning Lloyd��s question, Reine didn��t plan to deliberately hide anything, considering he had already told Hamilton.


    As the saying goes, ��When you tell a secret to one person, it��s as if you��ve told it to everyone.��


    ��Actually, my Giant Bear Breathing Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique, I learned them here in the castle.�� Reine also wiped his mouth with a white napkin and said with a smile.


    Lloyd and Perez looked at each other with puzzled faces, as if saying, how could this be possible!


    Immediately after, both turned their eager eyes on Reine, waiting for an answer.


    Reine didn��t plan to keep them in suspense and directly said, ��It was Lady Creya who taught me the breathing technique and the sword technique.��


    ��Hahaha!��


    ��So that��s it!�� Upon hearing this answer, both Lloyd and Perez burst out laughing.


    ��Perez and I had thought of many possibilities, considering the Giant Bear Sword Technique is widely known throughout the empire, but we never imagined you had grown up right under our noses.�� Lloyd said with a somewhat resigned laugh, shaking his head.


    ��Count Habbs also heard about your situation and specifically asked me to talk to you, to inquire if you are willing to become a follower of the Earl.��

 Chapter 172 - 172 - 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 172 �C 137: Is There Such a Good Thing? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��But it seems now it��s too late for you, my lord. You already belong to Miss Cleya,��


    Rein smiled without saying a word.


    As of this moment, only Rein himself was aware that there was no follower��s contract of any kind signed between him and Cleya.


    After Rein revealed the origins of his breathing technique and swordsmanship, he distinctly felt Knight Lloyd become more amiable.


    All he heard the other say was, ��Rein, you mentioned you��ve been learning Hammer Skill recently. How about we exchange some pointers after the banquet?��


    Hmm?


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    ...


    Is this my lucky break?


    An ��NPC�� coming to me to level up?


    Rein couldn��t help but beam with joy and hastily agreed, ��Of course, it would be my honor!��


    From their conversation, Rein learned that Knight Lloyd, besides being skilled with a one-handed sword, was also highly proficient with a one-handed hammer.


    After all, in a knight��s battle, whoever first breaches the opponent��s ��iron shell�� can claim to have won half the battle.


    ��Wait a moment, Lloyd, we agreed that I would first exchange Giant Bear Sword Technique with Rein,��


    ��As for the Hammer Skill, let��s talk about that later,�� said the typically reticent instructor Perez, suddenly interjecting.


    Eh!


    Is this double happiness knocking at my door?


    Rein��s eyes lit up when he heard this!


    He truly hadn��t expected that Lagaray, who was reluctant to be his ��NPC�� for experience during the day, would now be replaced by two Transcendent-level ��NPCs�� in the evening.


    Tsk tsk, the Habsburg estate seems to be quite the lucky place for me!


    All Rein could say was quickly, ��Knight Lloyd, Instructor Perez, please no more quarreling, we will have plenty of time for exchanges tonight.��


    In his heart, Rein silently added, ��I hope tonight, neither of you will mind getting tired����


    After the banquet.


    In the castle��s indoor training field.


    At the center of the area, Rein and Perez stood facing each other, both grasping fine steel greatswords.


    The next second, Rein swiftly took a step forward, his greatsword tracing a semi-circular arc like lightning, slashing down at a 45-degree angle towards Perez with a heavy chop!


    The man opposite, Perez, performed almost the same action, also striking down at the same time.


    ��Clang!!��


    The grating sound of metal on metal rang out.


    They quickly separated after the clash.


    Just from one strike, Rein could feel that Perez was almost at the same level of strength as him, making him an opponent of equal match. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, this was without activating any skills.


    Immediately after, they crossed swords again.


    ��Ting ting clang clang!��


    Their fight grew faster and faster, soon leaving only two blurred shadows in fast combat in the area.


    ��Clang!!��


    After a heavy exchange, both were sent flying back by the impact.


    Rein and Perez neither activated ��Limit Break�� nor used secret techniques; it was simply casual sparring.


    After all, going all out at the first exchange wouldn��t be a friendly contest.


    Rein glanced at the system prompt:


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +56]


    [You have participated in a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +17]


    Not bad!


    Steadily improving.


    Worried the experience is too low?


    But it��s safe, and I can do it again and again!


    A constitution of eighteen points allowed Rein and Perez to feel almost no fatigue after their brief sparring.


    That is to say, Rein could fight them in rotation.


    He against the two of them��one after the other!


    After watching Rein and Perez spar, Knight Lloyd also seemed a bit impatient to join in.


    ��Rein, how about you? Need a rest?��


    ��Not at all, Knight Lloyd. Then I��ll switch to the Warhammer!�� Rein walked to the side and picked up an ironwood warhammer.


    ��Of course.��


    When Rein really switched to a warhammer, both Lloyd and Perez were quite curious.


    One of the key reasons Lloyd wanted to spar with Rein was to understand and assess Rein��s strength in detail.


    Since Rein was willing to demonstrate hammer skills he had never shown before, it couldn��t be better.


    �����������C


    Meanwhile.


    In a luxurious manor in Meist County City.


    Within the dim underground hall.


    The slender knight carrying a ��scythe��-like weapon was reporting respectfully, ��High Priest, in these past two days, many nobles have passed on messages, asking us to be mindful of the impact and act discreetly; the affair in Flashgold Town has put them at a disadvantage.��


    ��Additionally, the cause of Flashgold Town��s disastrous defeat has been investigated. According to reliable information�� it is still that same up-and-coming knight Rein! It��s said that his outstanding swordsmanship talent was the reason why Ashim, Andrews, and the others were killed one by one. This has also been confirmed by Baron Alonso.��


    ��Hmm? It��s Rein again? Reliant on swordsmanship?��


    ��Then let��s find a suitable moment to send over an Iron Maiden automaton, and see if he can cut through it! Hehe���� A deep laugh emanated from the shadows.


    ��As you command, High Priest!�� Upon hearing the High Priest��s words, a smile appeared on the face behind the knight��s helmet.

 Chapter 173 - 173 - 138: The True Value of Hammer Specialization!

    Chapter 173 �C 138: The True Value of Hammer Specialization!


    After both men had taken their positions, they quickly began to exchange blows, but soon, Rein was caught by Knight Lloyd during a pause in his moves, and a Shield Strike pushed him back several steps.


    Compared to the previous battle between Rein and Perez, it seemed as though they were entirely different people.


    However, the system notification was a pleasant surprise for Rein:


    [Your skill ��Tokkal Hammer Technique�� has been improved, experience +27]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) professional experienced +9]


    If not for the quick defeat, at least forty to fifty points of Hammer Skill experience could have been gained from one match!


    Lloyd then looked at Rein with a puzzled expression and asked, ��Rein, you must have just started learning the Hammer Skill not long ago, right?��


    ...


    This caused Rein��s face to turn slightly red.


    Obviously, bringing out a Hammer Skill that had been learned only a day ago in a match against a formal Knight carried somewhat disrespectful connotations.


    Especially since in the previous match, Rein had fought Perez to a standstill using the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    However, what was barely acceptable was that, seemingly with the aid of ��Hammer Specialization lv1��, at least Rein��s Tokkal Hammer Technique looked decently executed, not like it was his first day learning it.


    Otherwise, even a magnanimous Knight like Lloyd might have just walked away.


    After a brief reflection, Rein decided to add a skill point to the core skill ��Hammer Specialization lv1��.


    After all, with excellent experience ��NPCs�� like Lloyd and Perez around, if he couldn��t pique their interest and ride the wave for a big boost in experience, it would be too disrespectful to such an opportunity!


    Moreover, ��Hammer Specialization�� is a core skill that can only be improved using skill points and can��t be enhanced through regular training.


    In this regard, Hammer Specialization seemed more like a talent.


    Thus, with the added point, the remaining skill points on the panel changed from 4��3, and Hammer Specialization was instantly upgraded from lv1 to lv2.


    Instantly, Rein felt different when he held the two-handed hammer.


    It was an indescribable feeling, as if Rein had a natural familiarity with the hammer, almost as though the hammer was an extension of his arm.


    Simultaneously, the panel��s description of Hammer Specialization also changed accordingly.


    [Core Skill: Hammer Specialization lv2 (Passive)]


    [Hammer Specialization lv2 (Passive): When the host uses any hammer-type weapon, damage is slightly increased.]


    From ��slight�� to ��minor��, this change was exactly the same as when the strength of Blacksmith had been upgraded.


    ��Knight Lloyd, I have been studying the Hammer Skill for a while, it might be because I am not yet familiar with the ironwood hammer. Let��s have another go,�� said Rein, after adding the point and telling a white lie.


    Lloyd nodded, seeming to accept Rein��s explanation that unfamiliarity with the weapon could affect performance, a common occurrence.


    The two swiftly took positions and began the second match!


    Indeed, with the boost from Hammer Specialization at lv2, Rein performed much better this time around.


    Although he still did not defeat Knight Lloyd, who wielded both hammer and shield, he did manage to make it quite enjoyable for his opponent.


    At the end of the match, the system notification immediately appeared:


    [Your skill ��Tokkal Hammer Technique�� has been improved, experience +54]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) professional experienced +16]


    [Congratulations, your skill ��Tokkal Hammer Technique�� has been upgraded to lv2]


    Yay! Upgraded!


    Looking at ��Tokkal Hammer Technique lv2 (1/300)��.


    Suddenly, Rein��s mind was filled with fragmented memories of training in the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    These memories were scattered fragments of Hammer Skill training, passing through Rein��s mind like slides and quickly embedding themselves in his muscle memory.


    To Rein, it felt as though he had been practicing the Tokkal Hammer Technique daily for months.


    ��Rein, shall we call it a night?�� asked Knight Lloyd.


    To be honest, he was still somewhat disappointed with Rein��s Hammer Skill.


    Knight Lloyd felt that Rein��s mastery of the hammer was not refined and significantly lagged behind his expertise in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, making their exchange more about instinct than skill.


    Huh?


    I just leveled up and the experience ��NPC�� wants to leave?


    ��Knight Lloyd, during our match just now, I seemed to have gained some insights into the Hammer Skill. How about another round?�� Rein said with a smile.


    The moment Rein finished speaking, Lloyd and Perez exchanged smiles.


    They privately thought that Rein still had the heart of a youth, somewhat lacking in skill but enthusiastic about playing.


    After the two matches, they both had a clear understanding of Rein��s level of Hammer Skill.


    But��


    After a brief thought, Lloyd nodded his head, agreeing to Rein��s suggestion. ��Alright.��


    Young people, after all, deserved some face.


    I��ll just go easy on him! thought Lloyd.


    The two swiftly took positions and began the third match.


    However, this match truly shocked both Lloyd and Perez!


    Boosted by the now lv2 ��Hammer Specialization�� and Tokkal Hammer Technique, Rein��s capability saw another minor leap.


    If in the previous match Knight Lloyd could easily win against Rein,


    this match was genuinely hard to conclude.


    Initially planning to go easy, Knight Lloyd found himself increasingly astounded as they fought!


    ��Boom!!��


    After several minutes of intense fighting and dripping with sweat, Knight Lloyd narrowly claimed victory.


    Lloyd first looked dubiously at Rein, then with a sudden flash of realization, burst out laughing:


    ��I understand now, Rein!��


    ��Were you worried, at first, that defeating me would be embarrassing for me? So, you gradually revealed your true strength?��


    Rein looked at Lloyd, stunned.


    Is that really how your mind works?


    Well�� as long as you��re happy!


    What can you do if you are an ��NPC�� filled with experience?


    So, Rein merely smiled faintly and said nothing.


    Rein��s smile convinced the two bystanders of their earlier judgment even more.


    ��Rein, don��t hold back, please give it your all!��


    Knight Lloyd��s expression became serious, and he assumed a ready-for-another-round stance, without mentioning his previous statement, ��Let��s call it a night then.��


    Sure enough, there��s nothing cuter than a competitive experience ��NPC��!


    Rein put on a distressed expression, and reluctantly nodded, saying, ��This�� all right then!��


    Actually, he was overjoyed inside.


    However�� since Knight Lloyd asked him to give it his all, he really could only��


    System! Add points!


    Thus, as Rein allocated his points, his remaining Skill Points decreased from 3 to 2, and the core skill ��Hammer Skill Specialization�� immediately upgraded from lv2 to lv3.


    In an instant, Rein felt a different sensation while holding his ironwood hammer.


    If lv2 had increased Rein��s innate familiarity with the hammer, this time, Rein felt as if the hammer was connected to his bloodline! Read new chapters at .com


    Simultaneously, the description of ��Hammer Skill Specialization�� on his panel also changed.


    [Core Skill: Hammer Skill Specialization lv3 (Passive)]


    [Hammer Skill Specialization lv3 (Passive): When the host uses any hammer-type weapon, damage significantly increases.]


    From ��slightly�� to ��significantly�� shows what that implies without further explanation.


    Thus, under the enhancement of lv3 ��Hammer Skill Specialization�� and lv2 Tokkal Hammer Technique, Rein finally overpowered Knight Lloyd, who wielded a hammer and shield.


    With a loud ��Bang!�� Rein forcefully struck and sent Knight Lloyd flying with the ironwood hammer.


    But Lloyd��s expression showed no displeasure at all, as if he was saying, ��I knew it, you were holding back, and I��ve exposed you!��


    Meanwhile, Perez, who was watching eagerly, said, ��Lloyd, you��ve had three matches with Rein already, it��s my turn now, isn��t it?��


    ��Perez, don��t rush, let me have two more rounds!�� Knight Lloyd was in high spirits and naturally did not want to stop now.


    Watching this scene, a smile appeared on the corner of Rein��s mouth.


    He thought, don��t rush, you two!


    Don��t worry, I understand the principle of ��sharing the love��!


    ��.


    After the fifth round.


    ��Rein, take on Perez�� your stamina�� alas! Youth is wonderful!�� the forty-something Lloyd said breathlessly.


    After the eighth round��.


    ��Rein, take on Lloyd for now, I need a break too!�� the thirty-something Perez also declared he was beat, while also marveling greatly at Rein��s abnormal stamina.


    Rein looked at the two experience ��NPCs�� who were utterly exhausted, his face showing helplessness.


    He thought, where has your previous enthusiasm gone?


    Suddenly, the system notification brought more good news:


    [Your Skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has been upgraded, Experience +59]


    [You have fought a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points +18] S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Congratulations, your Skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has upgraded to lv3]


    ��


    Instantly, Rein��s mind was filled with fragmented training memories about the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    After absorbing and digesting it, Rein felt as if he had practiced the Tokkal Hammer Technique for six months!


    But Rein just came back to his senses, realizing that the system notification had not ended.


    There was another system message quietly arriving:


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique of the Tokkal Hammer Technique: Rising Dragon Hammer!]


    A Hammer Skill secret technique?


    Wait? How come so soon!


    He clearly remembered that the requirements for mastering the Rising Dragon Hammer in the Tokkal Hammer Technique were very high.


    Immediately, thrilled and surprised, Rein saw a brand-new icon above the ��Tokkal Hammer Technique�� on the Transcendent Knight panel.


    The icon featured an image of a brawny man twisting his body, swinging a two-handed hammer upward, looking lifelike and fiercely powerful.


    In the bottom right of the icon, there was a line of small text:


    Rising Dragon Hammer lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Using a unique method of energy release, swing the hammer from below upward, delivering a spinning force hit.


    (Note: Rising Dragon Hammer is a secret technique and cannot be directly improved through Skill Points.)


    (Rising Dragon Hammer lv2 requirements: 1. Tokkal Hammer Technique lv6 or above (Hammer Skill Specialization can offset some of the level requirements); two. Strength 18 points or above, Constitution 16 points or above, Agility 16 points or above.)


    Seeing the ��Hammer Skill Specialization can offset some Hammer Technique level requirements,�� Rein had an epiphany.


    So that��s how it is!


    No wonder he could master the secret technique so early when his Tokkal Hammer Technique was only at lv3��here lay the key.


    This was the real value of Hammer Skill Specialization!


    Then, Rein thought of something else.

 Chapter 174 - 174 - 139 The Right Way to Use Witchcraft

    Chapter 174 �C 139 The Right Way to Use Witchcraft


    So, if my Tokkal Hammer Technique reached lv4, then there��s a good chance I could learn the secret skill ��Rising Dragon Hammer lv2��!


    However��


    The secret skill ��Rising Dragon Hammer lv2�� has high requirements for both Strength and agility.


    It��s understandable that it requires a high Strength, needing to reach 18 points,


    but the requirement for 16 points in agility left me a bit puzzled.


    After some thought, I figured that it��s probably because to achieve the best effect of the ��Rising Dragon Hammer��, you need to hit the enemy��s chin!


    To do this in the rapidly changing conditions of battle, obviously, without sharp observational skills and swift speed, it��s not possible.


    ...


    Additionally, I thought of something else!


    The secret skills of the Tokkal Hammer Technique are not limited to just the ��Rising Dragon Hammer��. The outline also records another skill named ��Earth-splitting Hammer��, which has even higher requirements than the ��Rising Dragon Hammer��!


    I recalled the Tokkal Hammer Technique outline regarding the secret skill ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� and guessed that the key might also likely be in the Strength attribute.


    After all, according to the description in the outline, ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� is a more formidable secret skill than ��Rising Dragon Hammer��, and it most likely requires even greater Strength.


    ��It makes sense. As the name implies, ��splitting the earth����you try splitting it without immense Strength!�� I thought to myself.


    Late at night.


    After bidding farewell to the weary knights Lloyd and Perez, I was escorted back to my home in Flashgold Town by the carriage at the Habsburg Manor.


    On the carriage, along with the ten blood-patterned steel ingots I had purchased, there were several ingots of bronze, copper, and tin.


    Additionally, I was holding a bronze warhammer.


    It was the same kind of bronze warhammer crafted by the senior blacksmith Bazil that I saw during my visit to the blacksmith shop on the first floor of the castle.


    During the banquet, I had expressed a desire to purchase one, and I didn��t expect Knight Lloyd to arrange this so quickly.


    Of course, this was also because the bronze warhammer wasn��t very expensive.


    I wanted the bronze warhammer mainly as a transitional weapon. Normally, if I didn��t fully release the ��Triple State��, it wouldn��t easily damage the warhammer.


    The second reason is more important. I plan to use this bronze warhammer as a template to try making one myself.


    As for how to attempt this, I already had a preliminary plan in mind.


    After hauling various metal ingots to my room, I diligently completed my daily practice of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and basic meditation.


    Soon after, I fell into a deep sleep.


    The next morning, early.


    At the break of dawn.


    I had woken up early. At this time, I took two iron basins from downstairs back to my room.


    Based on my previous plan and my superficial knowledge of high school chemistry, I placed a silver-white rectangular tin ingot in one of the iron basins. Then, my right hand raised about twenty centimeters above the ingot, hovering in mid-air.


    Suddenly, I began to softly chant a spell.


    Yes, I was casting the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch��!


    Just three seconds later, as the chanting ended, a faint red glow emerged from my palm.


    The surrounding air began to emit waves of heat under the influence of the light, and the bright silver tin ingot, twenty centimeters in front of my right palm, was rapidly changing.


    The bright silver tin ingot quickly transformed from a solid to a pool of silver liquid.


    Success!


    The temperature of ��Scorching Touch��, even through twenty centimeters of air, was still able to melt the tin ingot!


    This couldn��t help but bring a smile to my face.


    From what I could see, the first step of my plan had been achieved!


    Overjoyed, I followed the same procedure for the copper ingot, casting the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� once again.


    As I continued casting, the copper ingot began to glow red hot, but it just wouldn��t melt.


    After several seconds, suddenly, I felt a wave of dizziness. I knew it was due to excessive consumption of spiritual power.


    This made me frown and I immediately stopped casting ��Scorching Touch��.


    The first step had been successful, but this second step was now stuck!


    Of course, I knew the reason.


    Based on my high school chemistry knowledge, it was because the melting point of copper is far higher than that of tin.


    However, knowing the problem doesn��t mean it can be solved immediately.


    Or rather, when there are multiple solutions, careful consideration is still needed.


    I crossed my arms and started pacing back and forth in the room.


    After thinking about it, I opened the green-glowing Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession panel and carefully read the small print under the ��Scorching Touch lv1�� icon:


    ��Casting time 3 seconds, power proportional to the duration and the host��s spiritual power, the closer the contact distance, the greater the power. Current effective lethal range: 0~0.5 meters.��


    Taking a look at the description, the solution seemed simple: just increase my Spirit Attribute, and that certainly would solve the problem.


    If my spiritual power were strong enough, not only would the power of the witchcraft increase, but I could also sustain it for a longer time.


    As for how much Spirit Attribute needs to be increased?


    That needs to be tested to find out.


    However, from the reddening and heating up of the copper ingot, it seems that just increasing my spiritual power by one or two points might just do the trick.


    So, would using Skill Points to enhance ��Scorching Touch lv1�� be effective?


    That�� I��m not really sure.


    Because as far as ��Scorching Touch�� goes, its power seems to be linked to spiritual power, not mentioned to be related to skill level.


    Of course, the main reason is that I have other plans for those two Skill Points.


    Because my knight��s breakthrough level had already reached 40%, just investing two more Skill Points would elevate it to 60%, thereby elevating me to the level of a ��Peak Knight��.


    Moreover, two Transcendent traits ��Huge Strength lv2�� and ��Iron Skin lv2�� could both advance to lv3.


    This would greatly enhance my strength, proving to be a very critical ��trump card��!


    So, I have no plans to use these two Skill Points for now.


    After some thought, Lord Reine decided to first try adding a point to his Spirit Attribute.


    After all, enhancing the Spirit Attribute was bound to have an effect, though he was unsure if it would reach the desired outcome.


    As the remaining attribute points decreased from 3��2, his Spirit also increased from 16 points��17 points.


    In an instant, Lord Reine felt his mind become exceptionally clear, and the sense of mental fatigue he had just felt vanished completely!


    Adding points for recovery!


    It was still so useful!


    At the same time, Lord Reine specifically looked at the limit-breaking value in the Knight (Transcendent) panel.


    He was surprised to find that after increasing his Spirit by one point, the limit-breaking value had increased to 43%, which seemed to be a stronger effect than adding points to Constitution.


    This let Lord Reine��s thoughts run wild!


    Could it be that the process of physical limit-breaking did have some kind of secret connection with the Spirit?


    However, shortly after, Lord Reine gently shook his head, choosing not to ponder this matter further.


    At this moment, he was focused on melting the copper ingots.


    Repeating the process he had done before.


    As Lord Reine softly chanted an incantation, the purple-red copper ingots in the iron pot started to turn red and hot, displaying signs of beginning to melt.


    This greatly delighted Lord Reine!


    With the continuous output of spiritual power, the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� grew more powerful, and the copper ingots finally began to melt!


    Step two of the plan, achieved!


    Next was step three.


    This time, Lord Reine placed copper ingots and tin ingots in the iron pot in a five-to-one ratio.


    After resting for a bit, Lord Reine began to repeat the process he had just done.


    Once the tin ingots and copper ingots had both melted and mixed together, the system notifications almost spammed:


    [You conducted Smelting Bronze work, comprehension has improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill �� Smelting Bronze]


    [Your Skill in Smelting Bronze has improved, Experience +67]


    [You focused on Smelting Bronze, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +22]


    It seemed that because Lord Reine had completed the smelting of bronze in just about ten seconds, the system awarded a large amount of experience points. Continue reading on .com


    Under normal circumstances, smelting bronze is a slow process.


    Compared to other blacksmith skills he had learned before, the increment of experience points would typically be +1 or +2 every few minutes.


    But because Lord Reine greatly compressed the smelting time, the experience points were distributed in one go! S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made Lord Reine exceptionally happy!


    Because it confirmed his hypothesis.


    It showed that the design scheme he had thought of beforehand was feasible.


    Of course, what was more important was what came after.


    If Lord Reine were to forge a bronze warhammer or other bronze tools, the time taken would be greatly shortened.


    That meant, Lord Reine could gain a large amount of Blacksmith Professional Experience in a short time.


    This was also inspired by the ancient book ��Explorations in the Application of Scorching Touch in the Forging Field.��


    ��Knock Knock Knock!��


    A slightly urgent knocking sound echoed.


    ��Lord Reine!��


    Oh! It was his mother Emma��s voice.


    Lord Reine immediately got up and opened the door.


    Outside the door, his mother Emma looked at Lord Reine, then peered into his room, but Lord Reine��s robust figure nearly completely blocked the door, preventing her from seeing clearly what was happening inside.


    Only to hear his mother Emma complaining, ��Lord Reine, are you burning something with your candles again? The smell of something burning has reached downstairs again!��


    Hearing that it was about this, Lord Reine couldn��t help but give a wry smile and said, ��Mother, don��t worry, I��ll be careful, it shouldn��t happen again.��


    It��s not that Lord Reine hadn��t considered going to the smithy.


    After all, the subsequent forging process would be most suitable in a blacksmith shop.


    However�� Lord Reine didn��t want to reveal his ability in witchcraft yet.


    So, he tried it out in his own room first.


    In a little while, Lord Reine planned to go to Boris��s blacksmith shop, clear out the personnel, and borrow it again for a day.


    But for confidentiality reasons, this time, Lord Reine planned to even send blacksmith Boris away.


    Partly, to validate some of his subsequent ideas, and partly, to have Lagaray help him forge the blood-veined steel warhammer, and harvest a wave of Blacksmith Profession Level.


    At that moment, Bo He poked her little head through the door crack, saying, ��Brother, a beautiful carriage has arrived downstairs, it looks just like the last one, oh! There��s a beautiful rose shield painted on the carriage.��


    Upon hearing this, Lord Reine��s eyebrow raised.


    He knew this was the coat of arms of the Baron Crawley family.


    Lord Reine suddenly remembered that today was the day he had agreed to become a Guardian Knight for Lady Crawley.


    The other party must have invited many nobles and friends to the welcome banquet, and now it wasn��t appropriate to ask them to change the time.


    Of course, since he had already promised, Lord Reine wasn��t one to go back on his word.


    It looks like his plan to elevate his Blacksmith Profession Level and forge the blood-veined steel warhammer would have to be postponed by a day.


    ��Thank you, Bo He, brother will come down immediately.��


    Thinking it through, Lord Reine dressed in his plate armor, carrying the Glimmering Greatsword wrapped in sheepskin, and holding a bronze warhammer, walked downstairs.


    Seeing Lord Reine come out, a butler dressed in a tailcoat immediately jumped down from the carriage.


    As the other party opened the carriage door, a slender and beautiful figure elegantly stepped down and performed a curtsy towards Lord Reine, saying, ��Good morning, Lord Reine.��

 Chapter 175 - 175 - 140 Is the Drama Here Already? (Two-in-One Long Chapter)

    Chapter 175 �C 140 Is the Drama Here Already? (Two-in-One Long Chapter)


    ��Miss Jenny?�� Lord Reine appeared slightly surprised.


    He had not expected Jenny to come and pick him up herself.


    This showed how much the Crowley family valued his appointment as the family��s Guardian Knight.


    After some simple greetings, Lord Reine followed Jenny into the carriage.


    Soon, the carriage was slowly heading towards the county town, expertly driven by the coachman, providing a smooth ride.


    ��Miss Jenny, have you ever heard of the ��Bat Market��?�� Lord Reine suddenly asked. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��The Bat Market? I��ve never heard of that,�� Jenny replied, looking a bit bewildered. After thinking for a moment, she shook her head.


    ...


    Lord Reine nodded.


    That was quite normal.


    It seemed that the ��Bat Market�� was quite secretive and not a place just anyone could enter.


    That was troublesome.


    On this trip, he had intended to visit the ��Bat Market�� to see if there were any more items related to wizards or witchcraft for sale, and also to purchase some ingredients listed in the ��Beast Taming Diary.��


    Jenny frowned in thought for a moment and said, ��Lord Reine, perhaps my mother might know of this ��Bat Market�� you speak of.��


    ��If she doesn��t know, I can also ask my friends.��


    ��I believe if it��s within Meist County City, the Crowley family can certainly help you locate it.��


    Lord Reine smiled slightly and said, ��Well then, thank you, Miss Jenny.��


    Jenny made a valid point. Indeed, he had somewhat underestimated the resourcefulness and power of a noble family.


    This instantly brightened Lord Reine��s mood.


    When they were halfway through their journey, Jenny seemed to remember something and said to Lord Reine, ��By the way, Lord Reine, as per tradition, after you become a Guardian Knight of the Crowley family, we will provide you with a suit of knightly plate armor, appropriate weapons, and a warhorse.��


    ��Of course, you can also choose Gold Coins as your reward.��


    ��Which option would you prefer?��


    This made Lord Reine quite pleased.


    Lately, he had been somewhat short on funds. The three hundred imperial Gold Coins he brought to the Habsburg estate yesterday were almost all spent, mainly on knightly weapons and armor, which were substantial expenses.


    Especially high-quality weapons and armor, which were worth ten or even several dozen times more than ordinary weapons.


    A common militiaman��s iron sword could be obtained for just a few silver coins and could be forged by any blacksmith in a small town.


    However, swords fit for intense combat, like the Bastard Sword the Night Watchman was currently using, cost more than ten times as much, requiring four to five imperial Gold Coins each.


    The Fine Steel Greatsword that Lord Reine had previously used cost twenty to thirty imperial Gold Coins.


    The expense of good weapons was clearly evident.


    After some thought, Lord Reine spoke up, ��Miss Jenny, if it��s convenient, let��s just convert it into Gold Coins.��


    Why choose Gold Coins?


    That was because Lord Reine had essentially secured his weapons himself. A ��Glimmering Greatsword�� was currently strapped to his back, and although the Two-Handed Warhammer hadn��t been forged yet, the blood-etched steel ingot for the material was already prepared.


    Moreover, the weapons provided by the Crowley family were likely to be Fine Steel weapons of excellent quality but, to be honest, they didn��t meet Lord Reine��s combat needs.


    As for armor��


    Although Lord Reine currently lacked a suit of knightly plate armor, he already had a plan in mind to acquire one.


    As for a warhorse, given his current status as a deputy of public safety, he could use the ��public carriage����the warhorses housed in the administrative stable for transportation.


    If he were to raise a warhorse himself, one issue was that he had no stable at home; secondly, caring for a horse was quite a hassle.


    Jenny smiled slightly and said, ��Lord Reine, just as I guessed.��


    She then opened a nearby brown wooden box, took out a heavy leather purse, and said, ��Lord Reine, this is your annual payment, five hundred imperial Gold Coins.��


    Hm?


    Lord Reine looked at Jenny with a bit of surprise.


    He had not expected the money to be paid even before he officially became the Crowley family��s Guardian Knight.


    Besides, after inquiring about prices from Hamilton, he had to admit the amount was quite generous, even higher than he had anticipated.


    It was indeed nice to feel valued.


    ��Thank you, Miss Jenny,�� Lord Reine immediately accepted and thanked her.


    Soon, the carriage arrived at the outskirts of Meist County City.


    From the carriage window, Lord Reine saw that pedestrians and carriages were increasingly frequent, and a tall, dark-gray city wall extended in front of his line of sight.


    This was his first visit to the county town, which was named Meist, with the entire Meist County named after the city, a common naming convention in the Dragan Empire.


    As the Crowley family��s carriage approached the city gate, Lord Reine saw a long queue of people entering the city, split into two, lining up at the smaller side gates. Your journey continues on .com


    From their attire, these people were mostly commoners, mercenaries, and merchants, undergoing inspections and paying fees to enter the city.


    The widest main gate, however, was relatively empty, even if a few carriages passed by, they barely stopped before moving on.


    The carriage Lord Reine was in headed straight for the main gate, and upon seeing the Crowley family��s baronial crest on the carriage, the guards clad in chainmail and wielding long spears quickly allowed them through.

 Chapter 176 - 176 - 140: The Play is Here? (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 176 �C 140: The Play is Here? (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2 S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A simple matter fully embodied the privileges of nobility.


    After the carriage entered the town, Lord Reine saw bustling shops and streets, much livelier than Flashgold Town.


    However, he faintly smelled various unpleasant odors, seemingly a mixture of human excrements and other stenches, which made him frown.


    It seemed that this area was likely a civilian district, with seemingly poor hygiene conditions.


    The carriage continued to drive for about half an hour, making a left turn and two right turns, arriving at a villa district, which was significantly cleaner and broader than the civilian district seen upon entering the town.


    The ground was very spacious and neat, and on the outer walls of the independent villas, a variety of meticulously planted greenery and flowers could be seen.


    Even now, in the frosty month, there were still many cold-resistant flowers blooming, which was quite beautiful.


    ...


    As the carriage slowly stopped, Miss Jenny gave a slight smile and said, ��We��ve arrived, Lord Reine, this is the Crawley family��s estate here in County Town.��


    Experience tales with .com


    Lord Reine nodded.


    Upon alighting from the carriage, Lord Reine saw the plump Lady Crawley, accompanied by two tall knights and five or six servants, waiting inside the mansion gate. Upon seeing Lord Reine descend, a smile appeared on her beautiful face and said:


    ��Lord Reine, welcome to the Crawley family!��


    ��Thank you, madam, you are too kind,�� Lord Reine immediately bowed slightly, smiling as he spoke.


    However, he keenly noticed that the two knights by Lady Crawley��s side seemed unwelcoming toward his arrival, even showing subtle hostility.


    This was because, with the improvement of Lord Reine��s spiritual power, and his ��danger perception�� reaching the Lv3 level, he could easily discern the gazes that clearly held hostility.


    After a moment of thought, Lord Reine recalled that these must be the two family knights Lady Crawley had previously mentioned.


    ��Lord Reine, if I may, this is Knight Shelton of the Crawley family,�� Lady Crawley slightly raised her hand, introducing the bald knight on her left.


    ��Knight Shelton, hello,�� he said.


    ��Lord Reine, hello,�� replied the knight.


    This bald knight was at least in his forties, but his tall and sturdy figure still possessed a certain menacing force.


    ��And this is Knight Stein,�� Lady Crawley then pointed to the bearded knight on her right.


    ��Knight Stein, hello,�� said Lord Reine.


    ��Knight Reine, hello,�� Stein responded.


    ��Lord Reine, let us then head inside; the journey must have been tiring,�� she said.


    At this moment, the beautiful Lady Crawley proactively stepped forward, taking Lord Reine��s left arm, and walked him inside.


    As they walked, her pale, ample bosom brushed against Lord Reine��s arm with each step.


    This caused the two nearby knights to exchange glances, seeing both resentment and a kind of longing in each other��s eyes.


    Mad, seeing the fresh meat has come, she just had to stick herself to it?


    Damned slut!


    Still pretending to be pure in front of me.


    The knight named Stein seemed even less patient, and upon seeing this scene, it wasn��t long before he couldn��t restrain himself and spontaneously said:


    ��I heard that Lord Reine has only recently become Transcendent?��


    ��Yes, Knight Stein, I indeed have become Transcendent less than a month ago,�� Lord Reine nodded, casually replying.


    ��Oh? I thought that was just a rumor. While it��s not impossible for a new knight to become a Guardian Knight of the Crawley family, shouldn��t a Guardian Knight display convincing strength?��


    ��How about it, Lord Reine, would you mind demonstrating on the training ground? Of course, I can act as your sparring opponent,�� Stein suggested with seemingly reasonable doubt, yet with an undertone of provocation.


    This caused Lady Crawley, who was holding Lord Reine��s hand, to tense noticeably.


    Clearly, she was annoyed that Stein had so quickly proposed a duel with Lord Reine; she thought it would at least wait until the afternoon, or perhaps even later, for such a scenario to unfold.


    ��Stein, you are too impudent. Lord Reine has just arrived��.�� Lady Crawley chided, quite angered.


    This quickly?


    The real action has already begun?


    Lord Reine raised his eyebrows; having promised Lady Crawley and since he had also taken money on the carriage ride, he naturally had to handle the matter well.


    He simply waved his hand, stopping Lady Crawley from continuing her speech.


    ��Oh? Knight Stein, are you proposing a challenge?��


    Upon meeting these two family knights for the first time, Lord Reine took a careful look and realized their strength was indeed very average.


    As such, Lord Reine did not intend to waste much time on these two.


    He would quickly demonstrate his strength, fulfilling Lady Crawley��s request.


    This way, he could still find time to visit the army supply at County Town and perhaps even gather some information about the ��Bat Market.��


    Wait!


    Lord Reine suddenly thought these two might be great ��NPCs�� for experience.


    He just might need to steer the situation slightly.


    Thinking about his gains from the Habs estate just the day before, a faint smile rose on his lips.


    Thus, he formulated a small plan in his mind.


    Upon hearing Lord Reine��s straightforward acceptance, Stein could not help but laugh.


    Just a green young man after all.


    A little provocation and he accepts the challenge.


    This is in the bag!


    ��If Lord Reine doesn��t mind, it would indeed be my honor,�� Stein offered ingratiatingly.

 Chapter 177 - 177 - 140 Is the Drama Coming? (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 177 �C 140 Is the Drama Coming? (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��`


    ��Being able to exchange combat experiences with Knight Stein is also something I��ve been looking forward to,�� Reine replied with a smile.


    Soon, a group of people arrived at the training ground behind the villa.


    A number of barons, sons of lords, or their representatives who had been invited to the ceremony, affiliated with the Crowley family, also flocked to the training ground after hearing that there was going to be an official duel between knights.


    The training ground within the Crowley Baron��s estate wasn��t large, covering only a few hundred square meters and not equipped with a racetrack, owing to the fact that the estate was situated within Meist County City.


    Land in the city was incredibly valuable, and even nobles were generally reluctant to use it to build racetracks.


    Those larger training grounds that are equipped with racetracks are generally outfitted by the nobility on their estates in the suburbs.


    ...


    On the training ground.


    Reine and Stein stood facing each other in the center of the field, but this time Reine was wielding a bronze warhammer instead of the Glimmering Greatsword.


    Before entering the field, Reine had handed over the sheepskin-wrapped Glimmering Greatsword and a few other items to Jenny for safekeeping.


    ��Lord Reine, won��t you change into knight armor?�� Stein squinted his eyes and asked, looking at Reine dressed in plate armor.


    Reine shook his head slightly, ��No need, this armor will do.��


    Stein nodded, sword and shield in hand, and suddenly went from stillness to motion, charging at Reine vigorously.


    ��Clang!!��


    The sound of metal striking metal rang out!


    Both men took a step back, seeming to be evenly matched.


    Immediately after, the two entangled in a struggle.


    Their movements were extremely quick, and among the onlookers, apart from those whose skills were of a certain standard, many of the noble daughters could only listen to the commotion.


    They could not see the figures clearly and only heard the ��ding ding dang dang�� of weapons clashing.


    ��Eh! This Reine is quite strong; he��s actually fighting Stein to a standstill,�� the older Knight Shelton said, his eyes narrowing slightly, deep in thought.


    In his mind, this young knight shouldn��t be as strong as Stein.


    Generally speaking, no matter how talented one is, a short promotion period is a significant disadvantage!


    Logically, there should be quite a gap between Stein, a veteran official knight, and his opponent in terms of proficiency in combat skills and the degree of transcendence. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, catching up takes time!


    So, logically, Stein should be able to defeat his opponent without much effort.


    However, to Shelton��s surprise, the battle turned out to be a deadlock, seeming like a contest of who had the better stamina.


    Equally surprised was Jenny standing nearby.


    She was watching the battle with a puzzled look on her face.


    Her mind was filled with questions!


    Why had Lord Reine switched to hammer skill?


    And why did it seem like Lord Reine was holding back?


    Why was that?


    Shouldn��t he have decisively defeated Stein to establish his authority?


    After mulling over it for a long while, Jenny couldn��t figure out why Reine was doing this.


    After about seven or eight minutes, Reine saw that Stein, after the intense battle, showed signs of fatigue and his movements started to deteriorate; he knew that continuing the act would be too deliberate.


    Taking advantage of a momentary instability in Stein��s steps, Reine knocked him down with a hammer blow.


    Then, he pretended to be quite exhausted, propping himself on the bronze warhammer and standing in the center of the field, gasping for air.


    ��Lord Reine, youth is an advantage indeed. You have more stamina than me; otherwise, the outcome of this battle might have been difficult to say,�� said Stein, although defeated, he was clearly not convinced.


    Based on his own feelings from the recent exchange, if it weren��t for Reine��s youth and slightly better physical stamina, the results could have been very different!


    Reine smiled faintly, not acknowledging his vanquished opponent��s grumbling, as if he hadn��t heard Stein��s dissatisfaction.


    Stein glanced at a smiling Reine, then got up sullenly and left the middle of the field.


    Reine, meanwhile, delightedly checked the system notifications:


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has been improved, Experience +79]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points +26]


    It seemed that because the recent battle lasted a long enough time, the system awarded a high amount of experience.


    Indeed, the recent fight had exhausted almost all of a seasoned knight��s stamina.


    After getting up, Stein walked over and whispered something to Knight Shelton.


    Then, the older, bald knight Shelton slowly stepped forward, smiling amiably, ��Lord Reine, I hope you don��t mind this old fellow joining in, do you?��


    ��You know, at my age, my stamina has decreased a lot, so competing with you, Lord Reine, is just right. I��m certainly not looking to take advantage of you.��


    Huh?


    Reine hadn��t expected this.


    He never thought his acting was so convincing that Knight Shelton would so quickly volunteer to test himself against him.


    Luckily, he wasn��t truly exhausted. On the contrary, his strategy was very successful, as it had drawn out the older, bald knight.


    He not only planned to win the victory but also to claim the moral high ground while simultaneously farming for hammer skill experience.


    However, there was just one thing��


    This Knight Shelton seemed a bit too shameless.


    Witnessing this, the Crowley Baron��s wife, observing the battle, felt a touch anxious, her grip on Jenny��s hand involuntarily tightening, seemingly worried that Reine would accept the challenge.


    ��`

 Chapter 178 - 178 - 140: Is the Drama Already Here? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 178 �C 140: Is the Drama Already Here? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    After all, unlike Jenny, she hadn��t witnessed Reine killing Andrews and the other Blackflame monks with her own eyes.


    However, Jenny knew that Reine was probably ��acting��, though she didn��t understand the purpose of his act.


    Reine couldn��t possibly tell Jenny that he was doing it to ��farm a round of experience��.


    ��My lady mother, there��s no need to worry overly.��


    ��I feel, well, Lord Reine seems to be feigning weakness deliberately, although I��m not sure why he would do such a thing,�� Jenny whispered to Baroness Crawley.


    ��Hmm? Is that so?�� Baroness Crawley glanced at Jenny and noticed her daughter��s expression didn��t seem to be one of mere consolation.


    After all, even a well-meaning lie would soon be exposed by the upcoming contests.


    ...


    Reine, standing at the center of the arena, said, ��Since Knight Sheldon has taken an interest, I shall naturally comply.��


    Sheldon��s face lit up with a pleased expression at Reine��s agreement.


    Seemingly unwilling to leave Reine time to recover his strength, Sheldon burst forth with all his might, wielding his hammer and shield as he charged swiftly towards Reine.


    However, after a fierce onslaught, Sheldon found Reine��s defense to be as solid as a rock.


    Despite Reine��s appearance of weariness throughout, he looked as though, with just a bit more effort from Sheldon, he could be overcome. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Five minutes later.


    The bald-headed Knight Sheldon, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, realized he still hadn��t managed to defeat Reine, and bellowed in discontent:


    ��You�� this is impossible!��


    ��You should be exhausted by now; how can you still hold out for so long!��


    Reine simply smiled slightly, saying, ��Perhaps, as Knight Stein just mentioned, it��s because I��m young and thus have better stamina.��


    With that, Reine sent Sheldon flying with his hammer, ending the fight.


    Since Sheldon was already out of strength, Reine naturally had no intention of continuing the ��act��.


    The system prompt then appeared:


    [Your Skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +67]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points +22]


    Tsk tsk!


    Age really does affect one��s stamina.


    These experience points aren��t even as high as the ones from Stein just now!


    Reine silently critiqued in his mind.


    On their way here, Jenny had also indicated her position to him concerning the two Crawley family knights.


    If possible, Jenny had hoped that Reine would not kill or severely injure the two men.


    After all, they had served the Crawley family for many years and had not shown any intention of rebellion; their desires were more oriented toward the Crawley family��s beauty and wealth.


    Therefore, Jenny hoped Reine could simply deter the two men.


    Considering the Crawley family��s request, Reine gave it some thought before agreeing.


    After all, it was a request from the Crawley family themselves, and there was no need for him, a Guardian Knight, to overdo it, especially since anything that happened later would be the family��s own business.


    The onlookers weren��t fools; after watching two contests in succession, they also sensed something amiss.


    At the end of the first match, Reine seemed to have overexerted himself and shouldn��t have been able to hold out for long, but now, at the end of the second match, he seemed to be in high spirits as he strolled off the field, currently chatting with Lady Crawley.


    Meanwhile, many young noble ladies on the sidelines, having seen Reine��s performance, began whispering amongst themselves.


    Especially Agatha Wiggins, one of Jenny��s close friends, rushed excitedly to Jenny��s side and said:


    ��Jenny, your taste is getting better and better! Where did you find such a handsome young man? Not only is he strong, but his stamina is incredible. You are so lucky!��


    While speaking, she also gave Jenny a teasing look.


    ��Agatha, don��t talk nonsense. Reine is our family��s new Guardian Knight, and besides, it was my mother who found him, it has nothing to do with me,�� Jenny said somewhat shyly, understanding the insinuation in her friend��s words.


    ��Oh, so it was Baroness Crawley? I never thought she liked them young, giggle.��


    ��You��re terrible, saying such things in broad daylight,�� Jenny retorted.


    The two young noblewomen immediately started jesting and playing around with each other.


    After the contest, Reine requested from Baroness Crawley to make a trip to the military supply office in the County Town.


    Although both Jenny and the Baroness would have liked Reine to stay at the estate and socialize more with the guests, Reine had no interest in doing so.


    At present, he hadn��t passed the nobility��s accreditation test and wasn��t strictly speaking a noble yet.


    On the other hand, Reine felt that socializing would only be meaningful once he reached a certain threshold of status and position.


    However, there was an appointment ceremony and banquet at the Crawley family estate that evening, which Reine was bound to attend.


    Reine took the carriage arranged by the Crawley family to the northern military supply office in the County Town.


    Located next to the City Guard��s camp, the supply office in the County Town was responsible for the merit exchange matters of the internal defense troops, including the City Guard, Night Watchmen, and public order officers.


    After showing the badge that represented his position as Deputy Officer of Public Safety in Flashgold Town, Reine was allowed to enter. He had received the badge along with his appointment, serving as a replacement for his previous Night Watchman Captain��s badge.


    Upon entering the military supply room, Reine found it to be several times larger than the one in Flashgold Town, with four or five young and attractive female clerks in uniform stationed there.


    The setup gave him a feeling reminiscent of the service halls of his previous life.

 Chapter 179 - 179 - 141: Left or Right? (Two-in-One Large Chapter)

    Chapter 179 �C 141: Left or Right? (Two-in-One Large Chapter)


    Lord Reine looked around and noticed that in front of the desks of these few staff members, there were indeed wooden pencil-box-sized standing desk signs, respectively labeled ��Non-commissioned Officer Exchange��, ��Junior Officer Exchange��, and one semi-enclosed window labeled ��Senior Officer Exchange��.


    At the ��Non-commissioned Officer Exchange�� window, there were two or three people standing, and in front of the ��Junior Officer Exchange�� window, there was no one at all.


    Lord Reine did not hesitate; he walked straight to the Junior Officer Exchange window.


    The female staff member at the window, seeing the clearly young Lord Reine approaching, was taken aback at first, but still stood up with respect to greet him, ��My lord, please show your credentials.��


    Lord Reine handed over the badge representing his position as the Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town to the ponytailed girl.


    ��Please wait a moment.��


    After the ponytailed civilian girl had taken the badge presented by Lord Reine, she began to check it against the register on the desk.


    ...


    Soon, the surprised look on the young female staff member��s face intensified as she said, ��Lord Reine, hello, you have a total of 1,489 Merit Points.��


    ��This is your exchange book, you may exchange for any item listed in here.��


    The other party handed Lord Reine a booklet the size of an A4 paper and as thick as a fingernail cover.


    Oh?


    This booklet was much larger and thicker than before.


    After Lord Reine took it, he saw that the cover of the thick booklet was inscribed with several large characters: ��Imperial Security and Guards Troop Merit Points Exchange Book (Junior Officer)��.


    Seeing the two words ��Junior Officer�� at the end, Lord Reine couldn��t help but chuckle.


    ��Indeed, my approach was correct; by relying on the empire, as long as my rank steadily increases, the resources I can obtain will continue to grow.��


    The previous booklet was for ��Non-commissioned Officer,�� naturally, there weren��t many items that could be exchanged, and secrecy wasn��t needed; it could be exchanged at the military supplies officer in Flashgold Town.


    But it was different at the Junior Officer level; there were many more items that could be exchanged, and only at the County Town military supply office.


    Upon opening the booklet, Lord Reine found that the major categories were not much different from the ��Non-commissioned Officer�� booklet, but the content in the detailed items had become much more abundant.


    For instance, in the category of breathing techniques that could be exchanged, Lord Reine was very impressed that in the ��Non-commissioned Officer�� level booklet, there was only the Military Breathing Method.


    But in the ��Junior Officer�� level booklet, there were many more breathing techniques available for exchange, amounting to seven or eight kinds.


    However, all naturally were quite valuable; merely for breathing techniques, the Merit Points needed for exchange started at a thousand.


    For example, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique practiced by Lord Reine himself and others that he had heard of before like ��Shadow Panther Breathing Technique��, ��Running Wolf Breathing Technique��, and so on, were all available here.


    Furthermore, even the specific secret medicines required for practicing certain breathing techniques were available for exchange.


    For instance, the Black Resin Oil corresponding to Lord Reine��s Giant Bear Breathing Technique was available in the ��Junior Officer�� booklet.


    This made Lord Reine marvel while simultaneously delighting him.


    Oh?


    And there was refined Black Resin Oil?


    Lord Reine squinted his eyes; he saw another type of secret medicine that complemented the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    But it had two extra words, ��refined��; furthermore, the price for exchange was more expensive than the Black Resin Oil.


    Ordinary Black Resin Oil would exchange for thirty Merit Points a bottle, which could roughly last for a month��s use.


    However, the price for refined Black Resin Oil was one hundred Merit Points per bottle.


    Reading the description, Lord Reine suddenly realized!


    The refined Black Resin Oil was a highly concentrated mixture of Black Resin Oil with other special medicines, suitable for knights formally practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Conversely, the ordinary Black Resin Oil was suited for those below the level of knights.


    No wonder he had felt that the effect of Black Resin Oil was weakening recently and thought about increasing the dosage; the key issue lay here.


    After stepping into Transcendence, the corresponding secret medicines also needed to be updated, it��s just that refined Black Resin Oil was much more expensive.


    As for Lady Creya, since she never thought that she would step into Transcendence so quickly, she had never mentioned this aspect of things. About this point, Lord Reine pondered briefly and came to understand.


    Since there was refined Black Resin Oil, it was natural to buy two bottles to be used in conjunction with practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    ��Two bottles of refined Black Resin Oil,�� Lord Reine told the ponytailed civilian girl.


    ��Alright, Lord Reine, it has been noted down for you; do you have any other needs for exchange?�� the girl asked respectfully.


    Lord Reine nodded and said, ��Yes.��


    His main reason for coming today was to check if there were any high-end knight plate armors available. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, quite naturally, Lord Reine turned the pages to the section on armor and defensive gear.


    There were all kinds of armors of different uses and materials crafted before his eyes.


    After ruling out those like leather armor and chain mail, what remained were knight plate armors.


    After looking for a while, Lord Reine had a fairly clear understanding of the knight plate armors.


    The ordinary knight plate armor sets were cheap, had stock, and could be taken immediately. However, if they were crafted from rare metals, especially those customized knight plate armors, not only was the customization costly, the production period was also long.


    Moreover, the regular maintenance costs were also a considerable expense.


    And if they got damaged during battle, the cost to repair them could buy several sets of ordinary knight plate armors.


    However, if one wasn��t short of money, then all the aforementioned drawbacks weren��t really drawbacks.


    These knight armors crafted from special materials were naturally expensive for a good reason, either they had superior defensive power or could resist special damages like fire, acid, etc.

 Chapter 180 - 180 - 141: To Place on the Left or the Right? (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 180 �C 141: To Place on the Left or the Right? (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2


    Rein thought for a moment and decided to use two hundred Merit Points to exchange for a set of wear-resistant chrome iron Knight Armor. This set, consisting of eight pieces, was priced at two hundred points.


    Additionally, he planned to spend a thousand Merit Points to order a high-class set of Knight Armor made from a special material called water membrane steel, which was resistant to high temperatures and corrosion.


    The reason for this naturally took into account the influence of the Cult of the Black Flame.


    Nevertheless, with this transaction, Rein��s seemingly ��enormous�� total of 1489 Merit Points was also not really sufficient for extensive spending.


    By then, only 89 Merit Points would remain.


    Indeed, Merit Points (money) are


    hard to earn, yet particularly easy to spend.


    ...


    After some thought, Rein said, ��A set of chrome iron Knight Armor.��


    ��Alright, Lord Reine, which size do you need for the chrome iron Knight Armor set? Currently, we have the 180 model, 185 model, and 190 model in stock; you can get them right away,�� the ponytailed civilian girl asked.


    ��The 185 model!�� Rein decided to choose a slightly larger size since he was still growing.


    It would be embarrassing if it became too small in less than a month.


    As for the muscle expansion during outburst, this was already taken into consideration in the design of the Knight Armor, so its inner lining was made of soft, elastic multi-layer lambskin.


    It would not present a problem for handling the muscle expansion triggered by a knight��s ��breaking limit.��


    ��Very well, Lord Reine,�� the girl said with a sweet smile, recording the order for the chrome iron set.


    Just as she thought Rein had finished exchanging, she heard him add, ��Plus, an order for a set of high-class Knight Armor made of water membrane steel.��


    ��Er�� Lord Reine, you�� you want to order a high-class suit of Knight Armor?�� the young female staffer reconfirmed.


    Apparently hearing the word ��order,�� other female staffers nearby also turned their gazes towards them.


    A few young people who were exchanging at the officer window also looked at Rein, their faces filled with envy.


    He seemed younger than them but was able to exchange for a high-class custom set of Knight Armor. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Yes,�� Rein nodded in confirmation.


    ��The custom order is estimated to take two months, Lord Reine. Is that acceptable to you?��


    Rein nodded again.


    ��Then please follow me, as it��s a custom order, we need to take measurements of your height, weight, and other sizes.��


    Oh?


    Measurements needed?


    Well, fine, high-end goods are different!


    Rein followed the ponytailed civilian girl into a separate small room next door, similar to a changing room.


    The ponytailed civilian girl quickly started taking measurements earnestly.


    ��My lord, please stretch out your arms.��


    ��Height 180 cm, chest circumference 130, leg length����


    All of Rein��s body parameters were recorded one by one.


    When measuring the leg length, the crouching civilian girl suddenly blushed and looked up to ask, ��Lord Reine, normally, do you prefer it on the left side or the right?��


    Huh?


    Left side or right side?


    At first, Rein was confused, but then, following the girl��s gaze, he immediately understood and said, ��Ah�� can it be placed in the center?��


    ��That��s possible, we just need to make a separate cup guard. I��ll make a note of that,�� she said while taking notes, a blush appearing on her face.


    For some reason, Rein suddenly found the civilian girl crouching before him, taking measurements, quite alluring.


    Could it be because his physical functions had greatly improved after becoming Transcendent?


    While Rein was being measured in the changing room, he saw two persons dressed as City Guard officers entering the military supply hall through the crack of the door.


    Rein casually glanced at them and then moved his gaze away.


    The City Guard, although like the Night Watchman, belonged to the Imperial Internal Defense Forces, they were on different paths. Rein had never interacted with the City Guard, so he naturally did not pay special attention.


    The two of them seemed to be waiting for something and were not in a hurry to get it done; they were chatting leisurely.


    ��Zelko, have you heard? Recently, the relations between the Empire and the Federation seem a bit tense, and there seems to be frequent mobilization of the Imperial Navy,�� one said.


    ��Is that so? It��s the first I��ve heard of it,�� the one named Zelko responded, seemingly not taking it seriously.


    After all, such rumors occurred eight or ten times a year, but none of them ever turned out to be true.


    ��My nephew was originally stationed at Lancaster Naval Base, but now he has been transferred to our county. It��s what he told me,�� the middle-aged officer said, seemingly adding more to convince the disbeliever.


    ��Hmm? If it comes from someone inside the Imperial Navy, then it should be quite credible,�� the youth named Zelko replied, looking a bit more serious and pondering for a moment.


    Although Rein was quite far from the two, his keen senses had picked up their conversation clearly.


    The Federation?


    The Eagle Federation across the sea?


    Are relations tense?


    Find your next read on


    Is there going to be a war?


    Surely not��


    After a little consideration, Rein realized that in event of war, Meister County could indeed be in danger because a large part of the county was coastal, such as Fishing Port Town which lay adjacent to the sea.


    He had heard before that Kuzma, the former sheriff of Flashgold Town, had been transferred there.


    When Rein and the ponytailed civilian girl emerged from the changing room, the two City Guard officers immediately ceased their conversation as though they did not want Rein and the others to overhear the news.

 Chapter 181 - 181 - 141: Should it be placed on the left or the right? (Two in One Big Chapter)_3

    Chapter 181 �C 141: Should it be placed on the left or the right? (Two in One Big Chapter)_3


    Rein returned to the service window, waiting for the clerical girl to help him record.


    During this idle moment, he flipped through the exchange book again.


    When he saw the category of potions, he paused, randomly picking one to read.


    ��


    Huge Strength Potion: A battle potion. After consumption, there��s a high probability that the consumer��s strength will increase by about 10 to 20 percent for a short time. The duration and effect vary greatly depending on the consumer��s constitution and the extent to which limits are broken.


    (Note: Side effects include muscle soreness, lasting for hours of varying lengths.)


    ��


    ...


    Constitution Potion: A cultivation-assist potion. If consumed continuously for a week, it will increase the consumer��s constitution to a certain degree, generally around 10 percent.


    (Note: Sourced from the Mingster Province branch of the Royal Alchemist Association, trustworthy.)


    ��


    It seems that the profession of a pharmacist really is coveted everywhere.


    Immediately, Rein thought of the formulas in the ��Beast Taming Diary.��


    He already had the Transcendent profession of a Wizard Apprentice, and now he was already trying to produce the formulas from the ��Beast Taming Diary.��


    The only issue now was sourcing the raw materials.


    It seems he will have to ask Lady Crowley, Baroness, about the location of the ��Bat Market�� later.


    As long as the materials are ready, it shouldn��t be too difficult for him to advance in potion making.


    As Rein continued to flip through the book, he saw the entry for ferocious beast meat.


    He quickly came across the berserk bear meat he had eaten once before.


    ��..


    Berserk Bear Meat: Ferocious beast meat, rich in energy. Long-term consumption can slightly enhance constitution and strength.


    ��.


    Although Hamilton had once advised Rein not to exchange for ferocious beast meat, Rein thought it over and decided that the situation is different now.


    After weighing his options, Rein said to the ponytailed clerical girl, ��Another hundred pounds of berserk bear meat, please.��


    ��Okay, a hundred pounds of berserk bear meat will need 50 Merit Points, which I��ve deducted for you.��


    ��Sir, would you like the hundred pounds of berserk bear meat delivered to your home, or will you be taking it with you now?�� the ponytailed clerical girl asked.


    This was when having a carriage came in handy.


    ��I��ll take it with me now.��


    ��Very well, sir.��


    After this trip, Rein was left with only 39 Merit Points, essentially ��back to square one.��


    �����������C


    When Rein left the armory, he had already changed into a brand-new set of chromium-iron knight plate armor in the changing room.


    The silver-grey armor was naturally much better looking than his previous plate mail.


    The hundred pounds of berserk bear meat and the plate mail were placed directly onto the carriage by Rein.


    When Rein returned to the Crowley family estate, as soon as he entered, he ran into Jenny and her best friend Agatha.


    Their beautiful eyes lit up instantly upon seeing him.


    ��Lord Rein, you look so dashing in your new knight��s armor!�� Jenny couldn��t help but compliment.


    ��Thank you!�� Hearing the maiden��s praise, Rein naturally felt good.


    ��By the way, Lord Rein, this is my best friend Agatha Wiggins, daughter of Baron Wiggins,�� Jenny introduced.


    ��Agatha, I don��t need to introduce Lord Rein to you, do I? You��ve already seen his impressive figure at the training ground this morning,�� Jenny said with a smile.


    ��Miss Agatha, hello,�� Rein greeted with a smile.


    The Miss Agatha before him had some freckles on her nose, but they didn��t detract from her beauty; instead, they gave her a lively and cheerful appearance. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Lord Rein, hello,�� Agatha said, her cheeks slightly flushed as she gave Rein a curtsy. Enjoy more content from


    ��Actually, Lord Rein, about that ��Bat Market�� you asked me about last time, it seems my best friend here knows where it is,�� Jenny mentioned.


    ��Oh? Really? That��s great!�� Rein��s brow lifted in delight.


    However, reconsidering, Rein took another careful look at Jenny��s best friend and realized�� she might not be just a simple noble lady.


    Just as Rein was making his guesses, Agatha quickly waved her hands to deny, saying, ��Lord Rein, don��t listen to Jenny��s nonsense. I just think I��ve heard of this place before.��


    ��I heard my advisor mention the ��Bat Market�� by chance; it seems to be near the Frank Tavern in the County Town. However, I��m not too sure of the exact location,�� Agatha added.


    ��Miss Agatha, your modesty is appreciated, but even this helps me a great deal,�� Rein realized. So that was it.


    Just a moment ago, he thought Miss Agatha might be a ��fellow traveler.��


    Now, it seems that she is not.


    ��Lord Rein, would you like me to inquire further to get more details?�� Agatha��s large watery eyes looked at Rein inquiringly.


    ��Thank you, Miss Agatha, but there��s no need to trouble yourself. I believe that now that I��ve a rough idea of the location, I should be able to find it,�� Rein politely declined.


    After all, his spiritual power had reached 17 points by now, making his senses incredibly sharp.


    If he narrowed down the location to a few hundred meters around Frank Tavern, Rein believed there was a high chance he could find it.


    ��Lord Rein, why don��t we accompany you?��


    Rein naturally declined, ��Miss Jenny, the ��Bat Market�� is not a place suitable for noble ladies to visit, and I am merely curious and wish to see it for myself.��


    Hearing Rein��s response, both Jenny and Agatha appeared somewhat disappointed.


    Therefore, after agreeing to return before evening, Rein donned a wide black cloak and rode in Crowley family��s carriage toward Frank Tavern.

 Chapter 182 - 182 - 141: Should It Be Placed on the Left or Right? (Two in One Big Chapter)_4

    Chapter 182 �C 141: Should It Be Placed on the Left or Right? (Two in One Big Chapter)_4


    Explore new worlds at


    The carriage traveled for about twenty minutes, and Rein arrived at the entrance of the Frank Tavern.


    Rein slightly observed through the carriage window.


    This place was situated on a street dense with people.


    The bustling pedestrians and various vending calls were incessant, with many civilians, mercenaries, and other professionals entering and exiting the Frank Tavern, making it look quite lively.


    Having the carriage parked nearby, Rein decided to start his search around the Frank Tavern.


    Dressed in a black robe and wearing a hood, Rein quickly got off the carriage and began a careful search around the tavern as the center.


    ...


    After searching around the Frank Tavern for a while, Rein realized that he might have oversimplified things.


    Although his spiritual power was high and his perception sharp, he was equally susceptible to various noises and odors. This area, being a civilian district, was densely populated and noisy with poor sanitary conditions.


    Half an hour had passed, and Rein still hadn��t found the so-called ��Bat Market.��


    This couldn��t help but disappoint Rein a bit.


    ��It seems I��ll have to come back tomorrow.�� S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, looking at the flow of people entering and exiting the Frank Tavern, Rein decided to sit inside for a while to see if he could overhear any useful information.


    After all, taverns are generally places where information spreads quickly.


    As Rein was walking towards the tavern, he muttered softly, ��Bat Market, bat����


    Suddenly, a spark crossed Rein��s mind.


    Of course!


    Bats!


    Could it be that a bat is a symbol or a mark for this market?


    It seemed that he had just passed an alley with a shop that had a closed door, featuring a bat symbol on its sign.


    Immediately, Rein turned around and quickly headed towards that alley.


    Sure enough, upon entering the alley, Rein saw, at the end of it, a wrought iron sign on a shop bearing a slightly obscured bat pattern.


    Rein was delighted and approached for a closer inspection.


    The shop��s sign read ��Lilith��s Divination Shop,�� and although it was daytime, the iron door was tightly locked, appearing not to be open for business.


    Could it be a shop that only opened at night?


    Thinking it over, Rein decided to knock on the door to inquire, as this was the only establishment he recalled nearby that featured a bat symbol.


    However, as Rein took a step forward, he instantly sensed something was amiss!


    As if entering a bubble, a ripple flashed by and he disappeared in the alley.


    At that moment, the scene before Rein differed vastly from what he had seen from the outside.


    From the outside, it appeared to be a small divination shop with a closed door, but upon entering, he found it was a secretive market!


    Clearly, this was the ��Bat Market.��


    The illusion Rein had seen just now must have been some sort of Illusion Array or witchcraft intended to mislead the eyes.


    Additionally, it seemed to be an open type of market, lacking the guards Rein initially thought would be there, or the need to utter a specific incantation or know a specific password to enter.


    Instead, he had entered quite easily.


    This instantly gave Rein a feeling of ��searching thousands of times among the crowd, only to find the person leisurely standing in dim light.��


    Looking at the scene before him, Rein was in high spirits!


    Moreover, Rein felt more and more that coming to the County Town was the right choice, perhaps, the Crowley family was truly his lucky star.


    Soon, Rein squinted and began to examine carefully.


    At first glance, the Bat Market didn��t differ much from an ordinary market outside.


    However, if one observed carefully, there was a big difference. Like Rein, many of the people here wore hoods, as if they didn��t want others to know their origins or identities.


    Furthermore, although there were many people in the Bat Market, the noise level was quite low, with conversations between people very hushed, seemingly to avoid letting others overhear the content.


    This couldn��t help but make Rein frown.


    If that was the case, it was not very friendly for newcomers like him.

 Chapter 183 - 183 - 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 183 �C 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Rein thought for a moment, then merged into the crowd and began to slowly browse on his own.


    Even though the Bat Bazaar had many vendors, Rein hesitated to casually make purchases.


    Perhaps the items on the stalls were more beautiful and cheaper, but they required a pair of eyes experienced and insightful enough to discern their authenticity.


    As of now, Rein still lacked this ability.


    Luckily, there were also many formal shops along the street and, judging by the various signs hung at the tops of the shops, Rein could easily distinguish the main business of each.


    Relatively speaking, these formal shops with fixed locations should have better credit.


    Rein observed several shops in succession and eventually chose one with a relatively large flow of customers, a potion shop marked by herbs, beakers, and test tubes on its sign, and entered.


    ...


    Inside, the clerks were three bright-eyed boys in their teens, two of whom were serving customers.


    Seeing Rein come in, the free boy proactively approached with a warm greeting, ��Sir, welcome to Patricia��s Potion Shop, how may I assist you?��


    ��Do you have hallucinogenic gas?�� Although the other party was just a young boy, Rein did not underestimate him and directly mentioned the poison gas Endri had used in battle.


    Previously Rein might not have noticed, but now, with the enhancement of his spiritual power, Rein could basically judge the boy��s spiritual power through his mental state and appearance, and it seemed to exceed that of an average adult man.


    It was unclear whether this was innate or the result of practicing basic meditation techniques.


    But clearly, the boy should not be treated as an ordinary child.


    ��Uh�� that�� yes, sir, we have that,�� the boy replied, looking at Rein with a slightly surprised expression.


    ��The price?�� Rein asked tersely. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��1 fluid ounce of hallucinogenic potion costs 25 Imperial Gold Coins.��


    The boy then took out a bottle of dark liquid from behind the counter, along with a small packet wrapped in paper, apparently filled with a powdery substance.


    Rein did not ask but waited for the boy to introduce the items, as speaking out would instantly give him away. In unfamiliar places, it was best to be cautious.


    ��Sir, this bottle contains the hallucinogenic potion, and this packet is the corresponding amount of catalyst, which, when injected, will quickly vaporize the hallucinogenic potion to form hallucinogenic gas,�� the boy explained.


    I see.


    Rein was thinking that if the hallucinogenic potion were like gas that would evaporate as soon as it was opened, it would be quite cumbersome to store in the Emerald Ring.


    It turned out there was something like a catalyst.


    ��I��d like a smaller amount,�� Rein said, glancing at the phial in the boy��s hand, which was clearly much larger than the one he had found on Endri.


    ��Then we only have this, 0.2 fluid ounces, for the price of 5 Gold and 6 Silver,�� the boy produced a thumb-sized bottle from the cabinet behind him.


    Looking at the bottle the boy brought out this time, Rein nodded.


    It was similar in size to the one he had found on Endri��s body, and it should also fit just right in the Emerald Ring in one go.


    ��I��ll take five bottles.��


    The boy clearly hesitated, not understanding why the customer wanted to buy five small bottles; obviously, purchasing a larger bottle was more economical.


    After all, the same volume, but a little cheaper in price.


    However, looking at Rein, the boy clearly didn��t dare to question further.


    ��Certainly, sir.��


    ��Do you have sunflowers?��


    ��Yes, sir.��


    ��How about the wings of nocturnal vampire bats?��


    ��That�� we also have,�� the boy was noticeably becoming nervous. He guessed that the gentleman before him was likely a pharmacist specializing in negative energy. As is known, many of those in this particular field tend not to be in good spirits.


    As the boy was preparing the materials Rein required, Rein also looked around the room.


    Rein was surprised to discover that many of the potions, he seemed to have seen in the Merit Exchange Catalog as well.


    It made Rein recall the potion masters in the so-called Royal Alchemist Association, whose identity was probably not that simple and were likely not ordinary people.


    After all, superior spiritual power presents a clear advantage in concocting potions, whether in controlling the quality of ingredients or in the finesse of various operational techniques.


    Besides, some potion creations were clearly beyond the reach of ordinary people, like advanced magic potions.


    Enjoy new adventures from


    With more careful thought, the power of the Empire seemed unfathomable, and what he had seen was just the tip of the iceberg!


    ��All right, sir, all the materials you require are prepared,�� the boy respectfully placed a black linen bag on the counter and said to Rein.


    ��


    When Rein left the potion shop, he was already carrying that large bag.


    Glancing down, the thought of feeding a dog with such expensive materials made the corners of his mouth twitch slightly.


    Just now, Rein had purchased all the raw materials needed for the Mutative Growth Potion in one go, such as sunflowers, wings of nocturnal vampire bats, claws of carrion wolves, and more.


    Of course, even if the potion was successfully made, it was not intended for Rein��s own use, but for ��Cookie��.


    Just now, Rein calculated the cost, and factoring everything together, even with a successful single production, the cost per fluid ounce of the Mutative Growth Potion approached nearly 12 Imperial Gold Coins.


    Considering the probability of failure and the need for continued medication over three months, Rein purchased ingredients for ten batches in one go.

 Chapter 184 - 184 - 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 184 �C 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��` Experience tales with


    That cost 120 Imperial Gold Coins, almost one third of the 500 Imperial Gold Coins Rein had just recently acquired.


    Become a part-time Pharmacist?


    It��s too costly at the initial stage!


    Besides, without adding Skill Points, Rein didn��t know what his success rate would be.


    After purchasing all the planned materials, Rein��s mood improved.


    Since he was at the Bat Market anyway, he decided to take a stroll to understand the situation better and to see if there were any witchcraft-related books available for purchase.


    ...


    Soon, he saw numerous stalls selling various unidentified herbs and raw materials.


    From time to time, customers would stop to scrutinize the materials closely and converse quietly with the stall owners.


    Rein tried once; he pretended to look at the materials, hoping to eavesdrop, but the owner stopped talking the moment they saw Rein pause.


    However, Rein wasn��t discouraged.


    This was to be expected, as the Bat Market was a place for Wizard Apprentices to gather and exchange goods, meaning most of the customers were likely Wizard Apprentices.


    Even a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, with their far superior spiritual power, wouldn��t be so easily overheard by Rein.


    After walking around, Rein realized that the Bat Market was not very big��just about a hundred meters long, about the size of a street.


    Moreover, the items for sale were odd��things like the eyeballs of some creature, dried lizard-like creatures, and various strange plants, most of which Rein didn��t recognize.


    Therefore, it was only natural that Rein wasn��t able to find anything useful.


    Also, with regard to the witchcraft he was keen to collect, Rein had searched around and frustratingly found no stores solely selling witchcraft, though he had seen books similar to the ancient ones Jenny had brought in a few general stores.


    Initially, Rein was quite excited, but after flipping through just a couple of pages, he realized that these ancient books were either purely travel logs or incomplete diaries of Wizard Apprentices with too many missing pages, rendering them unreadable.


    That couldn��t help but disappoint Rein.


    Additionally, the owners�� quoted prices left Rein speechless; these ancient books written in Akkadian were priced at several hundred Gold Coins each, and those incomplete Wizard Apprentice diaries were priced at nine hundred Imperial Gold Coins.


    Checking the time, Rein decided to return to the Crowley family manor.


    As Rein left the Bat Market and entered the carriage, the coachman couldn��t help but ask curiously:


    ��Sir, are we returning now?��


    ��Yes.��


    ��By the way, sir, why did you spend so much time at the bakery? The Baker in the master��s kitchen is much better than any in town,�� said the coachman hesitantly.


    Rein was taken aback by this remark.


    He had seen a divination shop, not a bakery; could it be��


    In an instant, Rein seemed to realize something.


    Indeed, that bat symbol concealed some secrets, and it seemed only after meeting certain criteria could one see it.


    Rein thought briefly that the determining criterion was very likely the Spirit Attribute.


    It��s highly probable that only when a person��s Spirit Attribute reached a certain level could they see the bat symbol and the door to the divination shop, thereby gaining entry to the market.


    If it were an ordinary person, they probably wouldn��t even be able to see the bat symbol, let alone find a way into the Bat Market.


    Rein nodded slightly to himself, musing that this automatic selection mechanism was quite neat.


    Meanwhile, on his way back to the Crowley family manor in the carriage:


    Meist County City.


    Inside the Norman Baron��s family manor. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the help of Divine Blood, Dennis, who had stepped into the level of a formal Knight, was trying on formal attire with the aid of a servant.


    Looking at the handsome reflection in the mirror, he was quite pleased with himself.


    Shortly, he would attend a banquet at the Crowley family estate.


    The theme of the banquet was to celebrate the addition of a Guardian Knight to the Crowley family.


    Although Dennis was unaware of where the Crowley family had invited an official knight to serve as their family��s Guardian Knight, this didn��t particularly concern him.


    Because he knew that the Crowley family��s major issue was finding a suitable marriage union, after all, no formal knight would choose to marry into the family.


    Dennis had also begun preparing to advance to Magic Potions; whether in a month or three, he planned to make his move toward becoming Transcendent.


    As long as he became a formal Knight, he was almost certain of securing a marriage with the Crowley family.


    Jenny was far less significant in Dennis��s heart compared to the Baroness of the Crowley family��that stunning widow.


    Thinking of the voluptuous lady, Dennis��s heart couldn��t help but entertain more romantic notions.


    Although she wasn��t as significant as Cleya, she was more than enough for short-term mental solace.


    As for Tina, her status was a bit too low; frankly, Dennis was somewhat tired of her.


    Just then, his room door suddenly opened, and just as Dennis was about to reprimand the servant for their lack of manners, he saw the Norman Baron, dressed for hunting, enter.


    ��Dennis, you can cancel your banquet plans,�� said the Baron.


    ��What?�� Dennis was taken aback and a little confused.


    ��The new Guardian Knight hired by the Crowley family is Rein.��


    ��Rein? But I don��t know of a knight by the name of Rein,�� Dennis said, frowning in thought, but still not understanding.


    ��`

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    Chapter 185 �C 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    In Dennis��s mind, Rein was still not equated with a formal knight.


    ��It��s the farmer��s son from Flashgold Town, Rein,�� Baron Norman said in a deep voice. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��What, that lowlife Rein has already become a Transcendent and is now a formal knight?��


    Upon hearing this news from his father, Dennis was incredibly shocked, his eyes bulging out and his mouth gaping wide enough to fit an entire apple.


    After being stunned for quite some time, Dennis finally came to his senses and asked, ��Father, shouldn��t he have already died���� Find more to read at .com


    At this point, Dennis remembered there were servants around and immediately stopped speaking.


    Baron Norman waved his hand and instantly, the two maids who had been helping Dennis dress immediately left the room.


    ...


    Now, only Baron Norman and his son were in the room.


    ��Yesterday, there was a message from the Black Sails that they didn��t find a suitable opportunity to attack Flashgold Town, so Phil Kraz didn��t manage to kill Rein,�� explained Baron Norman.


    ��Damn those Black Sail pirates, they really are so unreliable! If they had killed Rein as agreed, none of this would have happened,�� said Dennis, unable to conceal his fury.


    ��We can��t really blame the Black Sail Pirate Crew. I have looked into it. The few pirating crews, including the Black Sails, have some sort of arrangement with the Black Flame Church, deciding to attack several small towns simultaneously.��


    ��However, I heard that a few days ago, Hamilton, the sheriff of Flashgold Town, severely damaged the Black Flame Church that was attacking, probably leading to the Black Sail Pirate Crew not continuing their attack on Flashgold Town.��


    ��Nevertheless, Dennis, like you said, the opponent��s progress is incredibly fast, abnormally so,�� Norman continued thoughtfully.


    ��It appears we need to resolve this matter quickly!��


    ��After all, if Rein passes the ennoblement exam and becomes an official noble of the empire, killing him afterward will be much more troublesome.��


    ��Once an official noble dies under unusual circumstances, the investigative forces sent by the empire are hard to deal with.��


    ��Father, are you finally planning to take action personally?�� Dennis asked, his eyes lighting up, looking forward to Norman��s response.


    You see, in his heart, his father had always been an invincible presence since childhood.


    He firmly believed that if his father took action personally, that Rein wouldn��t survive till tomorrow.


    ��No,�� Baron Norman shook his head and said.


    ��I need to seek help from an old friend.��


    ��.


    Meist County City.


    Inside the Bat Market.


    A shop bearing symbols of stars, the moon, and the sun received a tall customer clad in a black robe.


    ��Old friend, long time no see!�� Baron Norman, removing his hood, greeted with a smile, warmly saying hello.


    ��Huh! Norman, what a rare visitor, what brings you to me today?��


    In the room��s shadow, an old man wearing a black robe with gray hair, raised his eyebrows in surprise seeing the suddenly appearing Baron Norman.


    The boy serving promptly hung a ��Closed for Business�� sign on the door and locked it.


    ��Old friend, this time I��ve come to ask you to take action once,�� Norman said seriously, sitting across from the old man with graying hair.


    ��Norman, you know I haven��t taken action in a long time,��


    ��Of course, Adams, being one of the rare apprentices to specialize in spellbinding curses, I know the cost of asking you to act,�� Norman said in a grave voice.


    ��This is the target, I hope you can resolve it quickly.��


    Norman handed a thin binder over to the old man.


    ��.


    After returning to the Crowley family estate, Rein, dressed in a silver-gray chromed iron suit of knightly plate armor, concluded the appointment ceremony amid the gazes and applause of the crowd.


    Next was a banquet filled with mingling and forming connections.


    However, at this moment, all Rein could think about was heading home early, as he had several tasks waiting for him, such as forging a blood-patterned steel warhammer and improving his Blacksmith Profession Level.


    Also, he needed to familiarize himself with the production process of the Mutant Growth Potion.


    Although Rein had bought the raw materials and understood the production process written in Akkadian, he still needed to study it carefully before actual production.


    Thus, Rein hurriedly made his way through the banquet and left under the wistful gazes of Lady Baroness Crowley and Jenny, heading back to his home in Flashgold Town.


    Before leaving, however, Jenny did share some good news with Rein��that her best friend, Agatha had ancient books written in Spiritscript (Akkadian).


    But Agatha had no way to remove the precious ancient books from the family library.


    It seemed the only feasible solution was for Rein to go with Jenny to visit and then read the books on site in the library, a possibility Agatha assured could be arranged.


    Rein immediately agreed and tentatively planned to visit the Wiggin family with Jenny in three days.


    ��..


    Back on the carriage to Flashgold Town, Rein quietly contemplated.


    His goals were quite clear.


    He was now on the right path in his knightly pursuit, and it was just a matter of progressive enhancement from here on.


    However, if he could only rely on knightly skills, his means of dealing with the various strange enemies of this world would still be too limited.


    Not to mention, if that Endri��s spiritual power had been slightly higher and he could have cast a few more low-level witchcrafts, then both Rein and Hamilton, back in the Elim Mine, would have probably found themselves in big trouble.

 Chapter 186 - 186 - 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 186 �C 142: The Sudden Spiked Wheel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Additionally, take for example the Black Flame Apostle whose body stretched like rubber, capable of suddenly elongating. If Rein hadn��t pinpointed the adversary��s weakness, relying purely on his greatsword to hack and slash, he would never have triumphed over his foe.


    It can be said that if it were not for Rein, had any other seasoned knight been in his place, they likely would have met their demise right there and then!


    On the other hand, it��s clear that the Black Flame Cult doesn��t merely have one Apostle-level expert; rather, they must have individuals or methods stronger than the Apostle level.


    Therefore, Rein felt that by rapidly improving the levels of other professional panels, such as Blacksmith and Dog Trainer, he could accumulate a certain amount of Skill Points and attribute points to enhance the combat effectiveness of his Wizard Apprentice.


    After all, even the might of a rudimentary touch-based witchcraft��the ��Scorching Touch����had amazed Rein.


    As for witchcraft, Rein believed that he could find some by continuously searching.


    Therefore, preparing Skill Points in advance wasn��t contradictory.


    ...


    Upon returning home, Rein discovered it was already ten o��clock.


    After giving it some thought, Rein decided to contact Lagaray tomorrow about forging a Warhammer. First, he organized the materials he had purchased that day, and then began his unwavering daily routine of practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and basic meditation.


    As soon as his practice ended, Rein swiftly fell asleep.


    Suddenly, just as he had drifted off, Rein jolted awake with a start.


    Just now, his level 3 danger perception had alerted him to an approaching threat.


    This caused Rein to immediately rise and investigate; peering through the window, he saw a mist slowly rising over Flashgold Town.


    At first glance, the emergence of mist on a night during Frost Moon seemed normal, but Rein keenly sensed that the mist was faintly black and was thickening at a visible rate.


    This instantly sent a chill through Rein��s heart.


    Without delay, he began to don his chromite suit of knight��s plate armor and slung the Glimmering Greatsword and bronze Warhammer over his shoulder.


    Just as Rein had fully armed himself, he observed that the mist outside the window had become so dense that it was impossible to see beyond ten meters.


    This mist is problematic!


    At the same time, the sense of danger in Rein��s heart grew increasingly intense.


    Thinking quickly, Rein hurried to his sister Bo He��s room, scooped her up from her sleep, and carried her downstairs.


    He rapidly knocked on his parents�� bedroom door.


    ��Thump, thump, thump�� S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Who is it?�� his mother Emma��s languid voice rang out, while his father, old Rein, was in a deep sleep, snoring loudly.


    ��It��s me, mother, Rein.��


    ��Hm?�� As Emma opened the door and saw Rein fully armored, she startled, instantly becoming wide awake from her grogginess.


    ��Rein, what��s this?�� Mother Emma��s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Rein holding his sister.


    ��Mother, wake father up, and take care of Bo He.��


    ��There��s something off about the mist outside, stay in the room and don��t come out.�� After handing Bo He to his mother Emma, he pointed to the nearly pitch-black dense mist outside the window and explained.


    Emma took one look and sensed something amiss too.


    At that moment, the mist felt like tentacles, continuously and sinuously penetrating through the cracks of the door and windows��peculiarly exhibiting a faint black color.


    Suddenly, Rein��s inner alarm bells rang loudly!


    ��Boom!!!��


    A pair of huge iron spikes, each a meter in diameter and spinning rapidly, plunged into the wall on one side of the kitchen, cutting through swiftly.


    The structure of Rein��s house couldn��t withstand such a forceful attack, and two large holes appeared immediately, with dirt flying and dust billowing.


    ��Ah!!�� Mother Emma screamed in terror.


    ��Quick, hide!�� Rein pushed his mother aside and quickly locked the door. Your adventure continues at .com


    He then took the Glimmering Greatsword from his back and charged out the door.


    Though the dense fog enveloped the outside, fighting in the confined space of the house was even less advantageous for Rein to wield two-handed weapons.


    Moreover, Rein wanted to see what exactly was launching the attack!


    The enemy��s rapidly spinning spikes stirred the thick fog, momentarily clearing the area and allowing Rein to get a basic view of his adversary.


    Rein��s pupils shrank drastically.


    What in the world is this monster!


    Before him appeared to be a giant metallic golem fashioned from metal, nearly three meters in height, resembling a large metal doll girl.


    What was strange was that the entity had a head shaped like a girl with closed eyes and twin ponytails, while the lower half was in the form of a cone-shaped skirt that tapered larger at the base. Its feet were two rapidly spinning wheels ablaze with black flames.


    At the ends of its two arms, instead of hands, were the rapidly spinning metal spikes that had just attacked the walls of Rein��s house.


    ��Feet with Wind Fire Wheels, head with twin ponytails?��


    Rein was dumbfounded!

 Chapter 187 - 187 - 143: The Trick to Defeating the Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 187 �C 143: The Trick to Defeating the Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Just as Rein was shocked that the attacker was actually a metal doll girl, the eerie doll seemed to immediately spot Rein standing nearby.


    ��Ga ga ga!��


    The metal doll��s wheels on its feet began to spin rapidly, adjusting the direction of its body, directing its pair of swiftly rotating spike wheels straight at Rein.


    As Rein��s expression turned stern and he braced himself for battle, suddenly, a sharp whistling noise erupted!


    The heavy metal puppet managed to accelerate to a jaw-dropping speed in the blink of an eye, charging at Rein with incredible velocity.


    Rein��s internal alarm bells rang loud, and he instinctively performed a sidelong roll to dodge the opponent��s ferocious strike.


    ��Boom!!��


    ...


    The large metal puppet charged directly into a civilian house across the street, easily creating a huge hole in the wall of the house opposite Rein��s home.


    Screams erupted from within that household!


    Rein��s pupils shrank suddenly!


    Such a fast sprinting speed?


    It was even faster than the acceleration of a supercar from his previous life!


    How could the metal doll girl, with her heavy body and such a high drag coefficient, possibly sprint so fast? That��s unscientific!


    For the moment, Rein couldn��t figure out how the metal doll girl��s mechanism operated.


    But now was not the time for detailed thinking, he��d have to fight first!


    ��Leap Slash!��


    Having activated ��Limit Break,�� Rein��s figure blurred as he leaped high, aiming for the metal doll girl��s relatively small neck, and brought his sword down heavily.


    ��Clang!!��


    Sparks flew!


    The ear-piercing sound of metal clashing rang out, as if striking a large bell.


    Whatever metal the metal doll��s outer shell was made of, even the Glimmering Greatsword mixed with star iron cried out in agony, seemingly unable to withstand the intense force of the rebound.


    The shockwave almost caused Rein to lose his grip on the sword hilt!


    Rein��s expression changed once again.


    It was the first time he encountered an enemy that his Glimmering Greatsword, mixed with star iron, could not cut through.


    Though he had anticipated that this day would come eventually.


    But he didn��t expect it to come so soon, and moreover, that his enemy would not be a conventional biological creature, but rather a metal doll. Explore new worlds at


    Of course, after a short exchange of blows, Rein didn��t come away empty-handed.


    After dodging the opponent��s two ultra-fast sprints, Rein noticed that the doll was relatively slower when adjusting its direction.


    So, for the time being, Rein could maintain a stalemate, neither winning nor losing.


    And this scene was also observed by a Dark Flame Acolyte lurking quietly nearby, who couldn��t help but smile.


    ��Good swordsmanship? But what use is even the best swordsmanship if it can��t break through the defenses of an iron maiden doll?��


    ��Once you run out of stamina, it��ll be the end for you,�� said the Dark Flame Acolyte, confident in the trap he��d orchestrated.


    ��It��s a pity about Ashim, Andrews, and those other fools; they only knew how to fight head-on.�� Remembering his colleagues who died at Rein��s hand, the Dark Flame Acolyte shook his head slightly, lamenting.


    At that moment, the front door to Anna��s house burst open, as Lagaray, with a large shield in hand, dashed out agilely, seemingly intent on coordinating with Rein to take down the metal doll girl.


    Clearly, the commotion from the recent battle between Rein and the enemy was too great, awakening Anna and Lagaray.


    Realizing trouble, Rein immediately shouted, ��Lagaray, get back inside!��


    ��Whoosh!��


    Once the doll spotted Lagaray, it launched itself into a sprint directly at her!


    ��Thump!��


    With just one strike, the metal doll shattered the solid shield in Lagaray��s hands with its swiftly spinning spike wheel, sending her flying four or five meters away.


    Fortunately, thanks to the blockage of the oak shield, Lagaray was not seriously injured.


    Only then did Lagaray realize just how potent the enemy��s attack power was that Rein was facing.


    Rein quickly grabbed Lagaray, pulling her behind him for protection, and out of necessity, he clashed against the metal doll girl��s high-speed spike wheel head-on.


    ��Zi!!��


    Sparks scattered!


    Two small notches appeared on Rein��s Glimmering Greatsword, causing him great distress!


    However, Rein��s block provided Lagaray with the chance to return to Anna��s house and take cover.


    The battlefield was that of an experienced Knight; Lagaray��s abilities as a squire were a bit too weak.


    ��Clang clang!!��


    Rein��s greatsword struck continuously at several potential weak points on the metal doll girl, to no avail.


    This forced Rein��s mind to work in overdrive.


    The next second, his eyes lit up!


    ��Maybe I should try this method.��


    So, under the puzzled gaze of the Dark Flame Acolyte, Rein suddenly sheathed his greatsword and took out the metal Warhammer from his back.


    ��Eh! What��s he doing?��


    ��According to investigation, Rein is also a Blacksmith, but using a hammer against the iron maiden doll? That��s an absolute joke!�� the Dark Flame Acolyte looked on with disdain as Rein pulled out the bronze Warhammer.


    Anna, who was watching the fight through the window inside the room, looked on in astonishment as Rein took the large hammer from behind.


    Isn��t Rein skilled with the greatsword?


    Why would he switch to a hammer when facing a formidable opponent?


    Anna couldn��t understand it.


    Lagaray was even more perplexed, as Rein had only practiced Hammer Skill with her a few days ago.


    How much could his proficiency with the hammer have improved in just a few days? Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was well aware of the huge gap between Rein��s swordsmanship and Hammer Skill.

 Chapter 188 - 188 - 143: The Trick to Defeating the Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 188 �C 143: The Trick to Defeating the Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Could it be that Rein was avoiding damaging his beloved greatsword?


    Lagaray couldn��t help showing a worried expression.


    Rein, you fool, if the sword is damaged it can be reforged, but you only have one life!


    Just as Lagaray was about to remind him with her words, she saw Rein circling the Iron Maiden automaton, ��bang bang pang pang�� striking it a series of times.


    Although the banging sounds grew louder, it was clear they were not causing any damage to the Iron Maiden automaton.


    While the previous greatsword at least managed to create sparks against the automaton��s sturdy shell and even some scratches.


    Watching this scene unfurl, the figure in the black robe was also baffled?


    ...


    Logically speaking, Rein was not a fool.


    What is he doing?


    However, Rein��s eyes grew brighter and brighter.


    He slowly found it!


    He found the key thing in defeating the opponent��the ��resonance frequency��!


    It��s just that the Strength he currently exerted was not enough!


    ��Huge Strength!��


    With the activation of the Transcendent trait ��Huge Strength lv2,�� Rein��s Strength received another 60% increase, and his base limit-breaking already enhanced his Strength by 43%.


    That is to say, Rein��s Strength enhancement had reached 103%, jumping from 15 attribute points to 30.


    ��Clang!!��


    A deafening strike resounded!


    Under the impact of 30 attribute points�� worth of Huge Strength, the Iron Maiden automaton was immediately knocked back, but its structure, akin to that of a weathervane, allowed it to quickly regain its balance.


    ��Just using a Transcendent trait will work?


    ��Heh heh, what a joke! We even had professionals in the church test it; even a Peak Knight can��t break the Iron Maiden!�� The Black Flame monk watching from afar laughed upon witnessing this scene.


    ��However, I can understand. A man in front of the girl he loves, knowing he is no match, still cannot admit defeat and struggles like a beast at bay.��


    ��Seems�� it��s still not enough!�� Rein also instantly realized.


    The resonance frequency of the Iron Maiden automaton��s shell was higher than he had anticipated.


    The huge clanging sound also attracted the Night Watchman patrolling through the thick fog, as they swiftly burst through it and headed toward the source of the noise.


    A trio of Night Watchmen in a night patrol squad promptly arrived at the scene of the skirmish between Rein and the Iron Maiden automaton.


    The raging battle had dispersed much of the dense fog around, so the trio immediately made out the fighting parties. One was the familiar Deputy of Public Security��Rein, and the other was a strange and eerie metal maiden automaton.


    ��It��s Lord Rein!��


    ��Quick, go help!��


    The trio immediately rushed to assist!


    ��Don��t come over!�� Rein, noticing this scene, immediately shouted a warning.


    But it was too late.


    ��Boom!!��


    The Iron Maiden automaton��s arms, wielding giant one-meter diameter spiked wheels, suddenly accelerated into a sprint towards the trio!


    The three Night Watchmen were immediately struck mid-air with screams!


    Two were hit head-on by the spiked wheels, each pierced through from head to crotch with a row of spikes, and it was apparent they were beyond saving.


    The one in the middle was suddenly bound by a black, slender chain that appeared out of nowhere, and rapidly dragged toward the direction of the Iron Maiden automaton.


    ��Creak!��


    The cylindrical skirt of the Iron Maiden automaton suddenly opened two iron doors, dragging the Night Watchman inside.


    Seconds later, from the base of the automaton��s cylindrical shape, ��pfft!�� a lump of red flesh was ejected.


    On the ground, there was now a puddle of mushy flesh, while the skin of the Night Watchman was peeled off in one complete piece.


    The two women in the house watched this scene in shock, then exchanged looks of disbelief while Anna involuntarily shrank closer to Lagaray.


    This was truly horrific!


    Who on earth could have created such an evil thing! S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing his subordinates from the Night Watch be tragically killed, Rein��s expression turned stern, anger welling up in his heart, but soon after, his swift-moving footsteps suddenly faltered and slowed down.


    The Black Flame monk watching from a distance immediately showed an expression that seemed to have anticipated this.


    ��Generally speaking, the duration of a Knight pushing their body to the limit isn��t very long, especially when also exerting a Transcendent trait.��


    ��Now it seems he��s out of strength and the state has worn off automatically!��


    ��Heh heh, that kid Rein is done for!��


    ��


    Rein quickly glanced at the panel, and then, almost without thinking, chose to add an attribute point to Strength.


    As the remaining attribute points decreased from 2��1, his Strength also increased from 15 points��16 points.


    Suddenly, a warm flow emerged forcefully from his heart and quickly spread throughout his body!


    All at once, the muscle soreness and fatigue covering Rein��s body vanished without a trace!


    And why did he choose to add to Strength?


    That��s because Rein considered that the two secret techniques of the Tokkal Hammer Technique required a high degree of Strength, and relying solely on the Giant Bear Breathing Technique��s enhancement likely wouldn��t meet the criteria in the short term.


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    With the activation of the core Skill ��Strength Burst,�� Rein��s body was like a prehistoric behemoth suddenly awakening!


    The chromed iron plate armor wrapping his body was squeaking as it was squeezed by Rein��s expanding muscles.


    ��Limit Break,�� ��Huge Strength,�� and an additional fifty percent from ��Strength Burst��!


    Rein activated the ��Triple Stacked State��!


    ��Clang!!��


    With Rein��s strike, the metal handle of the bronze Warhammer was significantly bent, like a fully drawn bowstring, while the Iron Maiden automaton was suddenly rattled, completely frozen in place.

 Chapter 189 - 189 - 143: The Trick to Defeating an Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 189 �C 143: The Trick to Defeating an Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    This scene made the Blackflame cultivator��s eyes suddenly widen, and he couldn��t help but exclaim: S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Wasn��t that kid completely drained of his strength? How the hell did he suddenly become full of energy again? This is impossible!!��


    ��Damn it, this is unreal!��


    ��However�� this must be some kind of secret technique�� Hmph�� it��s just slowing down your march towards death by a bit!��


    Soon, the Blackflame cultivator seemed to think of something and instantly concocted a reasonable explanation.


    In addition, the thought of the Iron Maiden��s tremendous defensive power made his expression regain some calmness.


    ��Clang! Clang! Clang!��


    ...


    The striking noises became denser and denser!


    For some reason, the Blackflame cultivator felt his heartbeat speeding up involuntarily in tune with Rein��s intense hammering.


    He vaguely sensed that something was amiss, but all of a sudden, he couldn��t pinpoint the crux of the problem!


    51%


    52%


    ��


    Rein was gradually increasing the level of his core skill ��Strength Burst.��


    He found it!


    Rein��s eyes suddenly lit up!


    A 52% ��Strength Burst�� combined with ��Limit Break�� and ��Huge Strength�� hammering, precisely triggered the maximum vibration of the Iron Maiden doll!


    That is to say, the resonance frequency was found!!


    Thus, Rein controlled the force of his blows and hammered away at the Iron Maiden with the intensity of hail!


    ��Clang Clang Clang!!!��


    This time, the Iron Maiden��s body began to oscillate greatly and stiffen, completely incapable of countering Rein��s attacks!


    The next second, Rein withdrew his hammer and quietly watched the still buzzing Iron Maiden doll!


    At a distance, the Blackflame cultivator stood frozen, staring at this scene.


    He couldn��t understand why the Iron Maiden doll just stood there like it had malfunctioned, staying motionless as Rein hammered it like a live target, completely unaware of how to fight back!


    This made no sense at all!


    ��Crack!��


    A crack suddenly appeared on the exquisitely metal face of the Iron Maiden doll, followed by the sound of something breaking, ��crack��, reverberating throughout its body!


    At that moment, Rein confidently stepped forward and lightly tapped it with another blow!


    ��Crash!!!��


    The three-meter-tall Iron Maiden doll, like a giant vase, saw its previously indestructible shell shatter in an instant, revealing its true form.


    Inside, the metal walls were covered with skinned human faces, and shockingly, there was indeed a girl inside who had her eyes gouged out.


    Her entire body was impaled on a black iron rod, surrounded by strange black qi, seemingly in a frenzied, unconscious state, controlling the doll.


    Perhaps, the girl in this state didn��t even know what she was attacking!


    This scene immediately reminded Rein of his past life, where gamers wearing 3D glasses were immersed in the world of gaming��how similar it was to the sight before him.


    It seemed both were immersed in a fantasy world!


    At this time, more Night Watchmen gathered around, and Hamilton rushed over from the administrative hall at the center of Flashgold Town. Upon seeing the scene, he exclaimed in shock, ��It��s the Iron Maiden doll!��


    Only then did Rein realize that his previous reference as Iron Maiden was inaccurate; it should indeed have been Iron Maiden doll.


    Could it be that the girl with her eyes gouged out was a virgin?


    Otherwise, where did the term Iron Maiden come from?


    Rein shook his head slightly.


    Maybe, this question could be asked to Hamilton later.


    Off in the distance, the Blackflame cultivator��s face twitched as he finally realized that the mission, damn it, had actually failed!


    A mission that was almost impossible to fail had actually failed!


    Damn it!!


    As for why it failed?


    Up until now, he hadn��t figured it out!


    The Iron Maiden doll, with its tremendous defensive power, was somehow bizarrely smashed by Rein!


    All he could do was mutter to himself, ��How is this possible�� How can this be����


    The next second, he finally snapped out of his shock, turned around, and walked away without looking back.


    As the Blackflame cultivator disappeared, the abrupt dark black fog around Flashgold Town also began to dissipate gradually.


    Under the dim moonlight, Rein could soon see Hamilton��s shocked face and the group of Night Watchmen.


    Just then, with a ��clatter��, the bronze Warhammer Rein was holding dropped its head to the ground.


    It seemed that the fierce battle had brought the brand new Warhammer forged just one day ago to its end!


    Fortunately, the bronze Warhammer had not been destroyed earlier during the fight.


    This showed, without doubt, the importance of a good weapon at times like this!


    ��Rein, I didn��t expect you to have defeated the Iron Maiden doll,�� Hamilton approached, patting Rein��s shoulder approvingly.


    ��This eerie thing has appeared several times within Meister County, causing a lot of casualties each time before leaving gracefully.��


    ��Mainly, it has an abnormally sturdy shell that��s very tough to deal with. Rein, how did you do it?�� Hamilton inquired curiously.


    ��Uh�� this�� erm���� Rein thought for a moment, at a loss on how to explain this ��resonance�� issue to Hamilton.


    Brother, you haven��t studied elementary physics, and I can��t just explain it all of a sudden.


    Rein thought to himself.


    ��Every object has a specific frequency, and if you can grasp that frequency, you can use it to destroy the object,�� Rein said, selecting his words carefully.


    ��Hmm? Frequency?�� Hamilton looked puzzled. Experience exclusive tales on .com


    But seeing Rein��s serious expression, he knew Rein wasn��t tricking him.

 Chapter 190 - 190 - 143: The Trick to Defeating the Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 190 �C 143: The Trick to Defeating the Enemy (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��This��okay! Although I don��t know what you mean by ��frequency,�� it sounds quite magical!��


    ��By the way, Rein, what do you plan to do with the Iron Maiden automaton?��


    At this moment, the nearby Night Watchmen had already stepped forward, collecting the fragments that had fallen from the Iron Maiden.


    Meanwhile, Lagaray, Anna, and Rein��s parents had all come out of the house.


    The recent battle had caused considerable damage to Rein��s home, and since Anna��s house was right next door to Rein��s, it too had suffered collateral damage, with the structure of the house sustaining a certain degree of destruction!


    Lagaray picked up a metal fragment and said, ��Rein, maybe you could use it to forge a warhammer.��


    ��Hmm?�� Rein turned his head in confusion to look at Lagaray.


    ...


    ��If I��m not mistaken, this puppet��s shell is made of rare hardened essence gold ingots, which have very high durability and strength, stronger than your blood-patterned steel, and more suited to making warhammers.��


    ��So, I��m also very curious, Rein, how did you manage to break through the automaton��s sturdy shell?�� Lagaray��s beautiful eyes were fixed on Rein, filled with curiosity.


    Thus, Rein explained the concept of resonance to Lagaray once again. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Confused listeners +1!


    However, Rein hadn��t expected that after destroying the Iron Maiden automaton, he would have this unexpected windfall!


    He had obtained forging materials even better than blood-patterned steel, which was a pleasant surprise indeed.


    After thinking it over, Rein said to Hamilton, ��Sir, I will keep a part of the Iron Maiden automaton��s shell to forge a warhammer, and the remaining framework and extra parts can be exchanged for merit points, how does that sound?��


    ��A very sensible arrangement! The Empire��s Guild of Mysteries will certainly be interested in this automaton.��


    ��Perhaps, Rein, you may receive a substantial merit award this time!�� Hamilton said with a smile.


    Overnight, Hamilton and the Night Watchmen hadn��t really rested well, as the events that had occurred here naturally had to be reported to the County Town at the earliest opportunity, and some of the frightened civilians also needed consoling.


    Indeed, this is the advantage of a deputy position!


    Let the person in charge handle everything.


    Rein told his sister, Bo He, to continue sleeping with their parents, and in addition, he asked Anna and Lagaray to rest in Bo He��s room on the second floor of his house.


    With everyone together, safety would be heightened, moreover, it made it easier for Rein to protect them.


    After returning to his own room, Rein began to review his Profession Panel and the system notifications:


    ��


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique of the Tokkal Hammer Technique: Earth-splitting Hammer!]


    ��


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has improved, experience +137]


    [Your skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has improved, experience +219]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience +97]


    At this time, Rein��s Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level had reached lv3 (389/500).


    The rapid rise was not only due to the experience reward from this battle but mainly stemmed from the time at Habsburg Manor, when he sparred with the two knights, Lloyd and Perez.


    Moreover, the ��cooperation�� of the two knights from the Crowley family played a part.


    Looking further down the Knight (Transcendent) panel, Rein saw his Tokkal Hammer Technique at lv3 (365/500) and fell into deep thought.


    In the recent battle, he had switched weapons, from the Glimmering Greatsword to a bronze warhammer.


    Therefore, having used two different combat skills, he saw improvements in both.


    Huh?


    A new Hammer Skill technique unlocked?


    It seemed that as soon as he had added points to his strength, he had successfully unlocked it.


    Immediately, the delighted Rein saw a brand-new icon on the Knight (Transcendent) panel, located just above ��Tokkal Hammer Technique�� and almost parallel to ��Rising Dragon Hammer��.


    The icon inside showed a muscular man in a different pose.


    He was seen holding a two-handed warhammer high above his head and striking down toward the ground with great force, creating a fan-shaped fractured area on the ground. It looked remarkably similar to the signature move of the mountain-digging monster����Boulder Trample,�� truly robust and powerful!


    Your next journey awaits at .com


    There was a line of small text in the lower right corner of the icon:


    Earth-splitting Hammer lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Uses a unique method of exerting force to swing the heavy hammer from above to strike the ground, delivering an impact with a shock force.


    (Note: Earth-splitting Hammer is a secret technique and cannot be directly improved with Skill Points.)


    (Earth-splitting Hammer lv2 requires the following conditions: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique lv6 or above (Hammer Specialty can offset some level requirements); two, Strength of at least 20 points, Constitution of at least 16 points, Agility of at least 14 points.)


    Rein then glanced at the ��Rising Dragon Hammer�� description and compared the two hammer technique secrets.


    He found that ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� had a higher requirement for strength, while ��Rising Dragon Hammer�� demanded more agility.


    Besides, the ��Rising Dragon Hammer�� wielded rotational power, whereas ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� delivered shock power, seeming more representative of hammer-type weapons!


    After considering, Rein decided that first thing tomorrow morning, he would craft the new warhammer together with Lagaray.


    As for the production of the mutating growth potion, it would have to be postponed.


    �����������C


    While Rein and Hamilton were dealing with the aftermath.


    Meist County City.


    In a room of a luxurious mansion.


    The Black Flame Monk who had returned from Flashgold Town was currently reporting to a tall, thin knight who stood over two meters tall.


    Up to this moment, the expression of the Black Flame Monk still seemed unnatural, as he was evidently still shaken by the scene of Rein shattering the Iron Maiden construct.


    ��Hmm? How could it have failed? Could it be that someone else interfered? Was it that peace officer from Flashgold Town, Hamilton?�� The tall, thin knight asked in quick succession upon hearing the news of the mission��s failure from the Black Flame Monk.


    Surprise and confusion were evident in his voice.


    ��This�� Rein is not only skilled in swordsmanship but also in hammer skills!�� the Black Flame Monk pondered briefly before explaining.


    He was still trying to figure out how to clearly describe what he had witnessed.


    However, after much thought, he could not come up with a proper explanation and could only attribute it to Rein��s exquisite hammer skills.


    Even to him, this explanation didn��t seem very convincing.


    ��Skilled in hammer skills? What does that have to do with anything? Don��t tell me that Rein smashed the Iron Maiden construct with a hammer!�� The tall, thin knight looked at the Black Flame Monk as if he was looking at a fool.


    Ironically, that was exactly what had happened!


    But of course, that wasn��t something the Black Flame Monk could admit aloud.


    ��Well�� how should I put it? I am not entirely clear on the specifics, but what I saw was indeed Rein shattering the Iron Maiden construct with a hammer,�� the Black Flame Monk said, spreading his hands.


    He remembered the scene, and it indeed looked as effortless as smashing a vase when Rein broke the Iron Maiden construct to pieces.


    After listening to the reasons given by the other party, the tall, thin knight��s tone suddenly rose, clearly filled with anger, and he said:


    ��Lamar! Do you think that reason you just gave is credible? How am I supposed to explain this to the High Priest!


    ��Do you have any idea how many expensive materials are needed to create an Iron Maiden construct? How could it possibly be smashed by a knight, even if it is a Peak Knight!


    ��Am I supposed to tell the High Priest that actually, that Rein is a Great Knight?


    ��This���� Faced with the tall, thin knight��s retort, the Black Flame Monk named Lamar was suddenly at a loss for words and didn��t know how to explain further.

 Chapter 191 - 191 - 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 191 �C 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    The next morning, Rein awoke, and the first thing he did was reflect on whether his response to last night��s Iron Maiden Doll attack was appropriate.


    There is an old saying from his previous life: ��Reflect on oneself three times a day.��


    Although the content of reflection was different, the principle was the same.


    ��First of all, an improvement from last time is that I now have the Hammer Skill as a means to fight the enemy,��


    ��So, after grasping the critical resonance frequency of the enemy, I was able to quickly use the immense shock power of the heavy hammer to inflict serious damage on defensively strong enemies like the Iron Maiden Doll!��


    Rein��s eyes twinkled as he continued to ponder.


    ��However, the drawback is still significant, as my means of combat are still limited to physical attacks,��


    ...


    ��No, to be precise, close-range physical attacks.��


    ��Regardless of whether it��s a greatsword or a heavy hammer, neither breaks out from this limitation.��


    ��Of course, that��s inherent to the Knight (Transcendent) profession. At most, I could practice throwing or improve my archery skills to gain long-range physical attack capabilities,�� S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��But in this Transcendent world, that��s still far from enough!��


    ��Next, I need to find more ways to counter enemies, such as delving deeper into the only witchcraft I currently command, ��Scorching Touch,�� and collect as many witchcraft as possible,��


    ��Another concern is about the origins of the Iron Maiden Doll last night.��


    ��According to Hamilton, it seems he plans to classify it as a mystical event,��


    ��But since the attack was directly targeted at my house, it doesn��t seem like a random mystical event. In terms of isolation, Anna��s house is located farther on the outskirts of the town than mine; it makes no sense for the enemy to bypass her house and attack mine directly,��


    ��Moreover, the human skin hanging on the inner walls of the Iron Maiden Doll feels somewhat related to the Black Flame Cult�� like the human skin armor that Angel Envoy was wearing����


    Rein was very skeptical about this.


    Enjoy exclusive adventures from


    ��However, if the Black Flame Cult is targeting me, then the safety of my family is a big concern����


    Upon thinking of this, Rein immediately went out and headed to the town hall, where he found the diminutive captain of the Night Watchman, Matteo, who was still busy due to the attack,


    ��Lieutenant, sir!�� Matteo greeted him cheerfully as he saw Rein approach.


    Despite having been up for most of the night, Matteo was in great spirits, likely due to the Night Watchman��s habit of being active at night. A night of busyness was not enough to tire him,


    Rein also smiled and nodded at this familiar face, saying, ��Matteo, do you know if there are any vacant houses near the town hall?��


    Just then, Rein had considered whether moving might be a good idea.


    The first reason was that his current house had been severely damaged due to the Iron Maiden Doll attack, but the main reason was concern for safety; thus, Rein planned to purchase a house near the administration center of Flashgold Town,


    In that way, at least the safety would be much better.


    After all, the area around the administration center was the safest part of Flashgold Town.


    ��Eh? Lieutenant sir, are you planning to move?�� Matteo asked curiously.


    ��Yes! The damage from last night��s attack was severe, and besides, I feel that our house is a bit too remote, possibly unsafe. I plan to buy a ready-to-move-into house near the town center,�� Rein explained.


    Matteo nodded after listening and said,


    ��Coincidentally, sir! After the last Cultist attack, several houses in the town center have been unoccupied, some of which are empty because the household members all died in that church attack,


    ��And some are on sale because the only survivors of the families, considering safety, plan to move to the County Town,�� Matteo explained,


    Indeed, for these trivial matters, Matteo was definitely more familiar than Hamilton, which was why Rein approached the captain of the Night Watchman, Matteo, instead of Hamilton.


    The County Town clearly wasn��t suitable for Rein and his family to move to at the moment, given that Rein currently held the position of Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town.


    ��All right, Matteo, then help me find a suitable, ready-to-move-into house, and it would be better if it��s a bit larger. As for the price, try not to exceed three hundred Imperial Gold Coins,�� Rein thought for a moment and said,


    ��Three hundred gold? Rest assured, sir, with that price, you can almost buy the best house in Flashgold Town,�� Matteo clapped his chest, assuring,


    ��Then I��ll go and take a look at the few vacant houses later, sir. I��ll report back to you in a bit.��


    ��Um�� Matteo, if you find a suitable house, you can find me at Boris��s blacksmith shop,��


    ��Alright, sir!��


    After handling that, Rein took a detour back home.


    Once home, Rein discussed the move with his parents.


    ��Rein, moving closer to the town center is naturally a good thing, but surely, buying a house there must cost a lot of money, right?�� his mother, Emma, said with a furrowed brow,


    ��Mother, don��t worry about the money, father and you shouldn��t think about it; I have already arranged everything,��


    ��But�� Rein, your income from the Night Watchman can��t be that high, can it? This money���� Emma seemed to think of something, as her expression turned slightly serious while looking at Rein,


    ��Mother, where are you going with this��. All this money is from my trophies and task rewards; you should still remember the scene of me defeating the Cultists,�� Rein said somewhat helplessly to his mother, Emma,

 Chapter 192 - 192 - 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 192 �C 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Mother Emma was taken aback, seemingly recalling the scene, and couldn��t help but nod.


    ��Rein, regarding this matter, your mother and I will follow your arrangements!�� Father Old Rein finally managed to get these words out after listening for a long time, but that settled the matter. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Brother, when are we moving?�� Sister Bo He, who was standing nearby, curiously asked.


    For a child, as long as the family is together, moving to a new home is actually a joyous occasion.


    ��I��ve already asked Matteo to look into it. If all goes well, we can move by the afternoon. Father, Mother, you should pack up in the morning, I need to go to the blacksmith��s shop for a while.��


    ��After I come back, we��ll move.�� Rein said indulgently as he fondly patted his sister Bo He��s head.


    ��Mhm, then I��ll help Sister Anna pick the winter rape�� It��s a pity, they haven��t grown up yet.�� Bo He recalled the winter rape she and Anna had planted in the yard, obviously reluctant to leave them.


    ...


    ��


    After discussing with his family, Rein then went upstairs and mentioned the moving plans to Anna and Lagaray, and both women readily agreed.


    For Anna, being with Rein was naturally a good thing, and she had no reason to object.


    And Lagaray�� Find your next read on


    She had no house in Flashgold Town, so naturally, she could only follow Rein or Anna.


    After contacting regarding the moving plans, Rein called Lagaray to go to Boris��s blacksmith shop, carrying a large bag of metal fragments from the automatons originating from the Ironworks.


    That was the rare material Lagaray had spoken of��Hardened Essence Gold.


    However, just as they stepped outside, Lagaray suddenly stopped Rein, frowning and said, ��Rein, I might have overlooked a problem, and it might not be easy to resolve.��


    ��This Hardened Essence Gold is hard to smelt, it requires a very high temperature, and if we use the same small town blacksmith shop as last time, I don��t think I can smelt it.��


    ��Hmm?�� Rein frowned upon hearing this.


    That was indeed a problem.


    But the next second, an idea flashed through Rein��s mind.


    ��Maybe I have a solution.��


    ��I��ll try it in a while, and if that doesn��t work, there��s another place that has a high furnace, we can go there.�� Rein said with a smile.


    Lagaray looked at Rein and, rather than expressing doubt, she nodded trustingly.


    It seemed that the words of a strong individual carried higher credibility.


    Soon, they arrived at the blacksmith shop.


    As soon as Rein entered the blacksmith shop, he noticed that several apprentices hadn��t been here for a while.


    Seeing Rein enter, Boris showed a happy smile, but his expression changed when he saw Lagaray, and said:


    ��Rein, long time no see! You didn��t come today to use my shop again, did you?��


    ��Uncle Boris, you guessed right. Today we��re going to be a bother again.�� Rein said with a smile.


    Boris showed a wry smile, turned to his apprentices, and bellowed, ��You rascals, you should thank Rein, you get another day off, scatter!��


    After Boris chased the apprentices away, he walked up to Rein and whispered, ��Rein, I��ve heard that a new deputy sheriff has arrived in town, and they say he looks a lot like you, have you heard about it?��


    Upon hearing Boris��s words, Lagaray couldn��t help but laugh out loud.


    ��That�� Uncle Boris, that��s actually me!�� Rein said, slightly embarrassed.


    ��Huh? It��s you?�� Boris looked Rein over suspiciously, patted his shoulder, and added:


    ��Don��t joke with your uncle, but it��s good that you have that ambition!��


    Rein was taken aback and couldn��t help shaking his head in resignation.


    Then, it seemed Boris thought of something, locked the blacksmith shop��s main door and hung up a ��Closed�� sign.


    Afterward, he came back and eagerly said to Rein, ��So, what are we forging today? I can help.��


    Having said that, he frequently glanced at Lagaray by Rein��s side.


    ��This�� Uncle Boris, today��s forging probably can��t have spectators.�� Rein glanced at Lagaray as he spoke.


    ��Huh? Oh�� alright!�� Boris, assuming it was Lagaray��s wish, said with slight regret.


    However, when Rein handed Boris a small bag of gold coins, his face quickly lit up with a smile.


    After Boris left, only Lagaray and Rein were left in the blacksmith shop.


    ��Rein, you just said you had a way to smelt this?�� Lagaray pointed at the large bag of Hardened Essence Gold fragments, curiously asking.


    Rein nodded.


    ��Yeah, you handle the smelting, and I��ll go make a clay mold for the two-handed warhammer.��


    ��Okay, I��ll give it a try.��


    ��Right, Rein, what style of warhammer do you want?�� It seemed Lagaray remembered something, and she turned back and asked just as she was stepping away.


    New n????vel chapters are published on .c��?.


    ��What are the usual styles of hammers?��


    Rein suddenly realized that he didn��t need to stick to the previous style of the Bronze Warhammer. His previous bronze warhammer had flat sides on the hammerhead, primarily relying on tremendous shock impact to damage the enemy.


    ��Generally speaking, knights use Morningstar Hammers or spiked warhammers more often.�� Lagaray thought for a moment and said.


    ��Morningstar Hammer?�� Rein couldn��t immediately recall this style of hammer.


    However, he was familiar with the spiked warhammer; one side of the hammer was flat, and the other side had spikes, designed specifically for armor penetration.

 Chapter 193 - 193 - 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 193 �C 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��`


    ��Hmm, the head is round, and fit it with multiple metal spikes�� a bit like a mace,�� Lagaray briefly sketched with her hands.


    With that said, Rein quickly understood!


    Rein concentrated, lost in thought.


    He possessed the secret hammer skill, ��Earth-splitting Hammer,�� and obviously, using the Morningstar Hammer to perform it wasn��t quite suitable.


    By comparison, a spiked hammer with one flat end would be most appropriate.


    The spiked end could utilize the secret skill ��Rising Dragon Hammer�� with its rotational force, strengthening armor penetration!


    ...


    And the flat end could deploy the secret skill ��Earth-splitting Hammer,�� further enhancing shock damage!


    ��Lagaray, let��s go with the spiked warhammer,�� Rein decided.


    ��Alright!��


    Just as Lagaray was about to turn and leave again, Rein called out to her.


    ��Wait!�� Rein suddenly thought of something.


    He quickly grabbed a charcoal pencil and sketched a few lines on the parchment scroll.


    Then, Rein handed the parchment scroll to Lagaray, saying, ��Could you make a warhammer like this? It��s also a kind of variation of the spiked warhammer.��


    ��The head will keep one flat side unchanged, while the spiked side will resemble the Morningstar Hammer, fitted with multiple spikes,�� explained Rein.


    ��It��s not a problem to make it, but���� Lagaray gave Rein a peculiar look and said.


    ��Don��t you think this design makes the hammer look like a wild boar��s head?��


    ��The spiked end, with all those spikes, looks just like the bristles on a boar��s head.��


    Lagaray seriously doubted Rein��s aesthetic judgment.


    Hehe!


    It seems his sketching groundwork isn��t bad at all.


    Right, this is the classic boar head hammer! Rein thought to himself.


    ��Hmm, the boar head hammer, quite vivid! The perfect combination of Morningstar Hammer and spiked warhammer, isn��t it?��


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    ��However, I have a better-sounding name in mind, ��Unyielding Force!�� What do you think?�� Rein said with a smile.


    ��Unyielding Force, you�� alright, whatever makes you happy! I��ll go make the mold then.�� Lagaray rolled her eyes at Rein, saying helplessly. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the very least, she couldn��t comprehend Rein��s aesthetics and�� his choice of name.


    While Lagaray went to craft the clay mold for the warhammer, Rein placed the pieces of Hardened Essence Gold into the blazing blacksmith��s furnace.


    But obviously, the furnace that struggled to smelt regular iron ore certainly couldn��t melt chunks of Hardened Essence Gold.


    Even if Rein pumped the bellows vigorously, it was of no use.


    The method Rein had in mind, of course, wasn��t this.


    He focused his attention on the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel and added a Skill Point to the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch.��


    Although the two remaining Skill Points were originally saved to break through limits to face formidable enemies.


    But Rein considered that if he successfully forged the warhammer, his Blacksmith Profession Level would most likely increase.


    In that case, the Skill Points remaining after leveling would return to two, and it wouldn��t affect anything.


    Of course, the main purpose of adding the point was to verify Rein��s previous conjecture: whether the power of the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� was linked not only to spiritual power but also to its Skill Level?


    With the addition of that one Skill Point, Rein��s mind filled with fragmented memories of practicing the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch.��


    It was as if he had been training in ��Scorching Touch�� day and night for months.


    Soon, Rein found that he could omit several syllables from the original spell.


    In other words, the chanting speed increased!


    Coming back to his senses, Rein refocused on the ��Scorching Touch�� icon, and saw that the line of text below it had quietly changed.


    Scorching Touch lv2 (5/300)


    Effect of Scorching Touch lv2: Consumes a certain amount of Spirit, channels the surrounding fire elemental particles with a specific witchcraft model, producing high-temperature damage within a certain range in front of the host��s palm.


    (Note: The casting time is 2.4 seconds, power is proportional to the duration and the host��s Spirit, the closer the contact distance, the greater the power. Current effective killing distance: 0~0.5 meters.)


    Huh?


    Rein sharply noticed the change in the system��s description.


    The casting time had been reduced from the original 3 seconds to 2.4 seconds, a nearly 20% decrease, probably due to the compression of spell syllables.


    However, what Rein was most concerned about, the power aspect, seemed to have remained unchanged.


    This made Rein a bit frustrated.


    It seems that the power of witchcraft still depends on Spirit, while proficiency only affects the speed of casting witchcraft.


    Upon reflection, Rein found it quite reasonable.


    Since the witchcraft model is fixed, how could the power increase with proficiency if the consumed Spirit remains constant?


    If it could, then it would lead to a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, through long-term practice, casting a very powerful witchcraft, which obviously isn��t possible.


    Of course, there might be other methods to enhance the power of witchcraft.


    But for now, what Rein could do seemed to be limited to increasing Spirit to boost the power of witchcraft.


    Indeed, for Wizards or Wizard Apprentices, Spirit is fundamental!


    However, the fact that adding points can increase the casting speed of witchcraft is extremely valuable in combat.


    What does nearly half a second faster in casting witchcraft mean in actual combat?


    It goes without saying!


    After some thought, Rein decided to first verify whether the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� could aid in melting the Hardened Essence Gold with the blacksmith��s furnace.


    ��`

 Chapter 194 - 194 - 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 194 �C 144: An Unstoppable Force (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Rein raised both hands, hovering them about thirty centimeters above the blacksmithing forge. Then, he softly began to chant a spell. Stay tuned to


    The time it took for him to perform his witchcraft this time was clearly much shorter than before. In just over two seconds, a red glow emerged from Rein��s palms.


    Rein could clearly feel that the stray fire energy particles around him were rapidly converging in front of his palms.


    Suddenly, the already roaring flames of the furnace surged even higher!


    It was evident that the furnace temperature was quickly rising due to the enhancement of Rein��s witchcraft, ��Scorching Touch��.


    It��s working!


    A thrill of joy rose in Rein��s heart!


    ...


    Since ��Scorching Touch�� was a channeling type of witchcraft, maintaining stable channeling would continuously gather the stray fire energy particles around him.


    Soon, the temperature inside the blacksmith��s forge reached over two thousand degrees.


    The fragments of Hardened Essence Gold that had been bright red at the start began to shine more brightly and soften, melting like wax soon thereafter.


    So, when Lagaray came in carrying two clay molds, she witnessed a scene that left her astonished.


    However, by that time, Rein had already stopped casting ��Scorching Touch��, so Lagaray didn��t see Rein performing the witchcraft.


    Of course, this was intentional on Rein��s part.


    As for his ability in witchcraft, it seemed wiser to keep it a secret for now.


    ��Rein, you��.��


    After snapping back to reality, Lagaray immediately placed the prepared clay molds beneath the forge��s spout.


    As the molten liquid Essence Gold slowly flowed into the clay molds, Lagaray covered them and waited for them to solidify slowly and cool down.


    Rein took the opportunity to glance at the system notifications:


    [You have performed Hardened Essence Gold smelting work, related insights have increased!] S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [You have gained a new skill��Smelting Hardened Essence Gold]


    [Your skill in Smelting Hardened Essence Gold has improved, Experience +76]


    [You focused on Smelting Hardened Essence Gold, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +48]


    ��


    Indeed, the experience reward was generous!


    Not long after, Lagaray dismantled the clay cast, and a rough Hardened Essence Gold Warhammer was born from the mold.


    It��s just that the spikes on the pointed end of the hammerhead needed to be reattached.


    The pointed end was riddled with holes, while the flat end merely needed a bit of grinding to finish off.


    The twenty to thirty centimeter long metal spikes, now cooled in another clay mold, were ready for Lagaray.


    Lagaray began to insert the metal spikes, padded with metal sheets, into the holes of the hammerhead, then returned it to the forge for an integrated melting process.


    What followed were the more delicate tasks.


    Such as grinding, adding grooves to the hammer handle, improving the grip��s friction, and so on.


    Typically, if the Warhammer��s wielder was below the Transcendent level, a combination of a wooden handle with a metal hammerhead was commonly used, being light enough for ordinary people to handle.


    But for a Knight (Transcendent) using the Warhammer, naturally, an integrated metal handle with a metal hammerhead was preferred��though it added weight, more importantly, it increased the weapon��s durability and strength.


    [You have performed forging work on the Two-Handed Warhammer, related insights have increased!]


    [You have gained a new skill��Two-Handed Warhammer Forging]


    ��


    [Your skill in Two-Handed Warhammer Forging has improved, Experience +1]


    [You focused on Two-Handed Warhammer Forging, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +2]


    ��


    [Congratulations, your Blacksmith Profession Level has increased!]


    Looking at the Blacksmith Profession Level, which hadn��t increased for a long time and now was at Blacksmith lv4 (0/1000), Rein couldn��t help but smile.


    His remaining attribute points and Skill Points had both returned to a status of two points each.


    Just then, a familiar voice came from outside the blacksmith��s shop.


    ��Is the Deputy Commander there?��


    It was Matteo at the door.

 Chapter 195 - 195 - 145: The Old Grandpa Visits (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 195 �C 145: The Old Grandpa Visits (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    ��Matteo, come in,��


    As soon as Matteo had walked into the blacksmith shop, he instantly noticed the brand new Two-Handed Warhammer in the hands of the barbarian girl Lagaray; the Warhammer was nearing completion and was in the process of being polished.


    Matteo��s eyes immediately widened, staring transfixed at the dense spikes on the top of the hammerhead!


    He had never before seen such an exaggerated, even ��ferocious�� design for a hammerhead.


    ��Lieutenant, this�� this black Warhammer, is it your new weapon?�� Since Matteo had been present at last night��s attack by the Iron Maiden automaton, he knew that Rein��s bronze Warhammer had shattered, so he asked.


    ��Yes, how is it, Lagaray��s craftsmanship is not bad, right!�� Rein, too, was looking at the ��hog��s head hammer�� with a satisfied expression.


    ��Yeah! It��s really impressive!��


    ...


    ��Sir, how heavy is this Warhammer? It looks very heavy!�� Matteo, quite interested, walked around the Warhammer that was being polished and asked after a careful inspection.


    ��Uh�� this���� Rein only felt that the hog��s head hammer should weigh over a hundred pounds, much heavier than the Glimmering Greatsword.


    But the exact weight, he really didn��t know.


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    ��It��s almost one hundred fifty pounds!�� said Lagaray, the barbarian girl polishing the Warhammer, rolling her eyes at Rein.


    Her expression seemed to say, as the owner of the hammer, not even knowing the weight of his Warhammer.


    ��Hisss~�� Matteo couldn��t help but suck in a breath of cold air, his eyes widening again!


    One could hardly imagine the effect of a spiked Warhammer weighing nearly one hundred fifty pounds, should its point strike a human body!


    Terrifying! Terrifying! S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��By the way, Matteo, have you found a house yet?�� Rein turned to look at Matteo and asked.


    It was only then that Matteo remembered the purpose of his visit to the blacksmith shop; he slapped his forehead and said, ��Oh! Right, sir, I��ve checked out a few houses near the town administration hall, and I think there are two that should meet your requirements.��


    ��If it��s convenient, sir, we can go and take a look now.��


    ��Okay! Let��s go take a look now,�� Rein nodded.


    He wanted to settle the matter of the house quickly so that he could get his parents to start moving.


    Additionally, the creation of the Warhammer only needed a final touch, and staying around wasn��t going to gain him much blacksmithing experience.


    Immediately afterwards, Rein said to Lagaray, ��I��ll step out for a bit to check out the house, the rest is hard work for you.��


    But Rein had just taken a step when he seemed to remember something, quickly turning around, he said, ��Oh, right, how about using the blood-vein steel ingots to craft a shield?��


    Lagaray paused at this, stopping her work and looking up at Rein with her beautiful eyes, ��That would certainly suit well.��


    Rein nodded, smiling and saying, ��Then I will go back home later and bring you the blood-vein steel ingots; remember to craft a new shield for yourself.��


    ��This����


    Lagaray looked at Rein thoughtfully, initially wanting to decline, but then she hesitated.


    ��No, it��s too precious. Besides, a single shield wouldn��t need that many blood-vein steel ingots���� Lagaray shook her head.


    However, before Lagaray could finish, Rein interrupted her.


    Rein waved his hand, saying, ��Don��t refuse. In last night��s battle, your oak shield was damaged. Without a shield, you can��t perform at your best.��


    ��If there are surplus blood-vein steel ingots, then make a blood-vein steel shield for me as well.�� Rein looked at Lagaray seriously.


    This caused Lagaray to blush slightly and she lowered her head a bit.


    ��Also, if the church��s troops arrive in a couple of days and we go to the Nightingale Forest, without a shield���� Rein shrugged.


    Rein��s last words made Lagaray stop declining; she nodded, ��Okay! Then I won��t be shy, Rein, thank you.��


    Smiling, Rein left the blacksmith shop.


    Upon stepping out, Rein decided he would first go with Matteo to view the house.


    Because once it was decided, he could have his parents start moving, and along the way, he could also go home to fetch the blood-vein steel ingots.


    ��Matteo, which one shall we see first?�� Rein asked.


    ��Sir, the first house we are going to see belonged to the pie shop owner Makoff Delgado,��


    ��Makoff was a good man, but unfortunately, his whole family died in the church, killed in the Cult��s ritual.�� Matteo briefly explained the background of the house.


    ��The pie shop owner?�� Rein��s brow lifted, as if he remembered something.


    ��The one not far from Abel��s potion shop?��


    ��You know of it, sir? Yes, that��s the one,�� Matteo initially showed surprise, but then it seemed natural to him that Makoff and Rein were both from Flashgold Town and they knew each other.


    Rein of course knew the pie shop well.


    He had often bought meat pies there; Makoff��s meat pies were one of his sister Bo He��s favorite pies, second only to the meat pies made by their mother Emma.


    Shortly after, the two arrived in front of the first house, a two-and-a-half-story residence just over a hundred meters from the Flashgold Town administration hall.


    The house had an independent fence, and there were small yards both in front and in the back, but the front yard alone was much larger than Rein��s family��s front yard.


    Also, there were quite a few flowers planted in the front yard, with barely any weeds around, indicating that the original owner Makoff and his family regularly took care of it.


    Rein nodded slightly; the yard seemed very suitable for digging around, and he believed his sister Bo He would most certainly like it.

 Chapter 196 - 196 - 145: The Old Grandpa Visits (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 196 �C 145: The Old Grandpa Visits (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    After making a simple round about the house, Rein noticed that there was a backyard behind the house, slightly smaller than the front yard.


    Looking at it, the overall layout of the house was very similar to Rein��s own home, only that it was much larger in terms of land area, nearly double.


    Knowing that Rein would come to inspect the house, Matteo had already prepared the keys ahead of time.


    ��Click!�� Matteo took the initiative to open the front door.


    As the door opened, Rein walked inside and saw that the decor was quite new and, most importantly, it was spacious.


    The ground floor consisted of a dining and kitchen area and a living room with a fireplace, while the second floor had four bedrooms plus a storage room. Described as a storage room, it was currently empty, only furnished with a few simple tables and chairs.


    Additionally, there was a spacious basement on the lower level, which could be used to store some perishable vegetables, grains, or even wine.


    ...


    The house��s overall structure was rational and at least two or three grades better than Rein��s current home.


    Rein nodded slightly.


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    It was a very nice house, and he was quite satisfied with it.


    ��Matteo, how much is this house?��


    ��Two hundred and eighty gold coins, ready for transfer at any time.��


    ��Okay, this one it is.��


    ��My lord, don��t you want to take a look at the other house?�� Matteo couldn��t help but ask with curiosity.


    He thought the other house was quite nice too, and it even had a separate stable.


    ��No need.�� Rein shook his head.


    Rein had his reasons for choosing this place; Matteo had also briefly mentioned that the other house was located to the east of the town center, further from Abel��s potion shop, and even further from the town hall.


    ��Matteo, come back home with me first, then you can help my parents with the transfer process,�� Rein said.


    ��Very well, my lord.��


    On their way back, they soon passed by Abel��s potion shop, where, unlike usual, Rein noticed from a distance that the shop��s door was kept tightly shut.


    This couldn��t help but puzzle Rein.


    Usually, even if the potion shop was busy, either Abel or Molly would be there.


    Shutting the shop like this was a rare occurrence.


    However, having matters at hand, Rein naturally had no inclination to inquire further.


    After returning home, Rein briefly informed his parents of the situation and handed the purse containing three hundred Imperial gold coins to his mother, Emma, before sending them off with Bo He to handle the transfer procedures with Matteo.


    Meanwhile, Rein took ten ingots of blood-patterned steel and headed back to the blacksmith shop.


    As soon as he entered, Rein saw Lagaray swinging a brand-new pig-headed hammer, though her movements appeared sluggish, clearly requiring great effort!


    Seeing Rein come in, Lagaray smiled.


    ��Rein, you��ve arrived just in time! I��ve just finished the last process. Try out your new weapon,�� she said as she handed the pig-headed hammer to Rein. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as Rein took it, he felt the weight of the dark pig-headed hammer; it was rather heavy in his hand.


    But after Lagaray had increased the texture on the handle and the binding ropes, the grip felt good, and it was convenient to swing with either one hand or both hands.


    Immediately with the new weapon in hand, Rein happily went to the blacksmith shop��s open-air backyard to swing it around.


    After executing a few hammer skills, the pig-headed hammer felt quite comfortable to use.


    The only small issue was the weight of the hammer; being made entirely of hardened essence gold, it was heavier than Rein had expected, which slowed down the swinging speed during attacks slightly.


    But after a moment��s deliberation, Rein didn��t see it as a major problem.


    After all, in the face of a powerful foe, he would inevitably be in a ��second state�� or ��third state�� form.


    Having added a bit of strength earlier, Rein��s knight (Transcendent) panel strength limit had now increased to 45%.


    Just activating ��Limit Break,�� with strength, agility, and stamina amplified by 45%, turned the somewhat heavy pig-headed hammer into a very handy one.


    And once at full power, Rein estimated the hammer would even feel a bit light.


    This was an issue that he couldn��t address at the moment.


    After all, there was a significant difference between Rein��s physical condition when erupting in power and when not.


    ��How is it, are you satisfied?�� Lagaray, observing Rein demonstrate with the hammer, asked with a smile.


    ��Very satisfied, Lagaray, thank you.��


    ��Good! Then I��m off to make the clay mold for the shield. By the way, what size do you want your shield?�� Lagaray asked.


    ��Uh�� If there��s enough blood-patterned steel ingots, the same size as yours will do, but if there isn��t enough, a slightly smaller size is also fine,�� said Rein after thinking for a moment.


    After all, to him, shields were hardly ever used; it could be kept as a spare for Lagaray.


    ��Okay!�� Lagaray nodded, knowing well that Rein almost never used a shield.


    While Lagaray was off making the clay mold, Rein placed the ten ingots of blood-patterned steel into the blacksmith furnace.


    Following the method from last time, Rein used witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� to melt all the blood-patterned steel ingots into a liquid state.


    It wasn��t long before Lagaray entered with the clay mold.


    Given her previous experience, she wasn��t too surprised by the speed of the blood-patterned steel ingots melting and placed the mold at the furnace��s outlet. Opening the valve, Rein watched the blood-patterned steel liquid slowly pour into the mold��s pouring hole.


    Rein also glanced at the system prompt and was delighted:


    [You have performed blood-patterned steel smelting, improving related comprehension!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Smelting Blood-Patterned Steel]

 Chapter 197 - 197 - 145: The Old Man Comes Knocking (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 197 �C 145: The Old Man Comes Knocking (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    [Your skill in Smelting Blood-Patterned Steel has improved, Experience +72]


    [You focused on smelting Blood-Patterned Steel ingots, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +39]


    ��


    [You undertook shield forging work, related comprehension has improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill �� Shield Forging]


    ��


    [Your skill in Shield Forging has improved, Experience +2]


    ...


    [You focused on Shield Forging, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +3]


    ��


    With Lagaray by his side, his Profession Level as a Blacksmith was always able to increase quickly!


    An hour later, Lagaray held the brand-new Blood-Patterned Steel Shield, her face alight with joy!


    Matteo glanced at his Blacksmith Profession Level, although the system��s experience reward was still generous, since he had just leveled up his Blacksmith profession, it was currently at Blacksmith lv4 (329/1000).


    When Matteo and Lagaray returned, they found that Matteo had brought along quite a few Night Watchmen, who were already helping with the move.


    And Anna, standing to the side, seemed to have started packing clothes too, probably notified by her sister Bo He.


    Soon, Matteo and Lagaray joined the moving army.


    �����������C


    Meanwhile.


    In Meist County City.


    Inside the study of the Norman Baron��s family estate, a conversation between father and son was in progress.


    ��Father, the person you contacted this time, won��t there be an issue like last time with the Black Sail Pirates?�� Dennis stood next to his father, Baron Norman, his expression tinged with worry, as he inquired.


    Ever since hearing that that ��lowborn��, that farmer��s son he completely looked down upon, Rein, had become a Transcendent Knight before him, he had been extremely irritable.


    A ��lowborn�� had just turned his life around like that?


    Wouldn��t he become a noble just like him after passing the ennoblement assessment?


    Just thinking about the possibility of such an event occurring, the frustration and envy in his heart almost completely overwhelmed Dennis.


    That��s why Dennis took the initiative to visit his father, Baron Norman��whom he normally feared��to inquire about the situation.


    ��The one taking action this time is an old friend of mine, a third-grade Wizard Apprentice specializing in Witchery Curses, Adams Nolan. His methods of killing are very tricky, and I can hardly see how Rein would have any chance of escaping fate.��


    Baron Norman��s right hand rhythmically tapped the armrest of the luxurious calf leather armchair.


    Dennis knew that this was a habit of his father��s, reflecting a certain confidence in controlling the situation.


    That immediately set his mind at ease.


    Although he had heard of the strength of a third-grade Wizard Apprentice, he didn��t understand what the Witchery Curses specialty entailed.


    But judging by his father��s demeanor, there should be great assurance.


    ��Adams once had the feat of killing three Peak Knights in a row in battle!��


    ��Additionally, I��ve heard he has a record of killing a Great Knight. Although Adams has never directly confirmed this rumor, I suspect it is true.��


    ��Because I also knew that Great Knight, but then he disappeared and, as I heard, never reappeared.��


    ��Although Adams failed to advance to a Witchery Curses Master a few years ago, reducing his strength, having him handle Rein, I think, shouldn��t be a problem at all, even with Rein��s exceptional Knight talent.��


    Baron Norman spoke slowly.


    Each word from the Baron was like a hammer strike upon Dennis��s heart.


    Driving away the restlessness and envy there!


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    He hadn��t expected that his father��s friend would be so formidable!


    Dennis��s face flushed with excitement, his heart trembling more than it even did when behaving recklessly with Tina!


    ��


    �����������C


    Flashgold Town.


    Rein��s new home.


    After several hours of relocation, with the help of many Night Watchmen subordinates, the entirety of the moving process was essentially completed.


    Rein, seeing everyone busily sweating at work, paused to think, then decided to invite the Night Watchman colleagues for a meal in the evening to express his gratitude.


    So, he asked his mother Emma to go to the market to buy some meat like chicken, duck, fish, vegetables, and fruits, and his father, the senior Rein, to purchase some good barley and fruit wines.


    Regarding the old house��s refurbishment, Rein entrusted Matteo to find someone to fix it up and then put it on sale directly afterwards.


    After sorting out these trivial matters, Rein looked at the empty storeroom on the second floor, lost in thought. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shortly after, Rein walked out of his house and headed to Abel��s closed Potion Shop.


    Peering through the gap in the door to make sure no one was inside, Rein circled halfway around to the residential entrance at the back of Abel��s Potion Shop and knocked on the door.


    ��Who is it?�� A very hoarse voice asked, but Rein could recognize it as the voice of the Pharmacist, Abel, immediately.


    ��It��s me, Rein.��


    ��Creak!��


    The door opened, and a tall, gaunt figure with bloodshot eyes and disheveled hair appeared before Rein, who was taken aback by the sight.


    Thankfully, Rein��s heightened senses allowed him to identify the familiar presence as undoubtedly Pharmacist Abel.


    ��You�� are you Mr. Abel?��


    ��How did you��?�� Rein couldn��t help but ask.


    Abel looked up with his bloodshot eyes at Rein, saying only one phrase.


    ��Molly��s dead����


    ��Ah? How did Molly die?�� Rein was startled and quickly asked.


    The Molly he remembered, who was newly married and both beautiful and gentle, had died at the young age of twenty?


    Rein��s heart suddenly filled with a sense of life��s fragility.


    At the same time, he realized just how precious it was for his family to be safe together.

 Chapter 198 - 198 - 145 Grandpa Visits (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 198 �C 145 Grandpa Visits (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4


    Additionally, Reine instantly understood why Abel had become like this.


    The pain of losing a beloved spouse must be absolutely heart-wrenching!


    ��Last week, Molly was killed by a cultist while she was at church,��


    ��What!�� Reine��s pupils contracted, he hadn��t expected that among the people who died at the church last week, Molly would be one of them.


    ��Reine, you came this time��?��


    Reine mumbled hesitantly, knowing it was not the right time to speak up, but after thinking it over, he said, ��Mr. Abel, I would like to learn how to make potions����


    Abel waved his hand dismissively, ��I��m not in the mood to make potions right now, let alone teach you.��


    ...


    ��However�� if you really want to learn, you could try self-study.��


    Abel took a journal from the room and said, ��This contains some of my experiences in potion-making. If you truly have the talent, it should be of some help to you.��


    Reine immediately took it, feeling a bit disappointed but expecting as much.


    This was an unassuming black notebook with a leather cover that looked quite old in terms of material.


    Furthermore, the surface of the black leather was stained with various colorful potions and the notebook was emitting an uncomfortable odor, likely due to the potion residues.


    But seeing how Abel treasured it, this notebook must contain his hard work.


    If it weren��t for the fact that Abel was devastated, Reine guessed that he probably wouldn��t have allowed him to have it.


    ��Mr. Abel, thank you very much!��


    After some thought, Reine added, ��Mr. Abel, if Molly was still with us, she wouldn��t want to see you in despair. I hope you can pull yourself together and continue to live well.��


    ��


    After leaving Abel��s place, Reine went to the general store to purchase some basic apparatus for potion making.


    Then, Reine returned to the storage room on the second floor of his new home, ready to try his hand at making a mutation growth potion.


    At the same time��


    At the entrance of Reine��s old home, an old man in a black robe and holding a wooden cane arrived. The old man wore a hood, and his face was not visible.


    Looking at Reine��s old home, now deserted, a hint of confusion appeared on the old man��s face.


    He thought to himself that Norman��s work was becoming increasingly unreliable.


    However��


    He quickly spotted a Night Watchman dressed in uniform leather armor entering Reine��s home, seeming to move something.


    The old man approached and asked, ��Young man, does Reine live here?��


    ��Oh, you know the Deputy Commander? Lord Reine has moved. Would you like me to take you there?�� asked the young Night Watchman enthusiastically, apparently mistaking the old man for a friend of Reine. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Enjoy exclusive chapters from


    ��Thank you!��


    The old man followed the young Night Watchman and quickly arrived near Reine��s new home.


    However, just as they were about to arrive, the old man whispered, ��Young man, you just had a dream, and now you��ve woken up����


    ��Hmm, what did you say, old man����


    The young Night Watchman turned his head, but the moment he saw the old man��s deep eyes, he suddenly became stupefied, his eyes unfocused and his pupils dilated!


    But the next second, the young Night Watchman returned to normal, showing no signs of peculiarity.


    He muttered to himself for a while, then walked away on his own.


    He completely forgot that he had just been guiding an old man.


    The old man quickly arrived at the front door of Reine��s new home, noting the comings and goings of no less than a dozen Night Watchmen, he frowned slightly.


    So many people.


    This would not be an easy task��


    Perhaps it was better to wait until nighttime.


    But�� there was still one thing he had to do��


    The old man looked around and quickly noticed a little girl digging determinedly in the front yard.


    ��Little sister, is this Reine��s home?�� the old man walked up and spoke to Bo He across the wooden fence.


    When Bo He innocently looked up with her big eyes at the old man, she instantly became unfocused and numbly nodded, ��Yes, grandpa.��


    ��Then go fetch me one of your brother Reine��s garments. If there��s hair, even better����


    ��Okay, grandpa.��


    Immediately, Bo He turned around and left, soon arriving at Reine��s room where she found an Egyptian linen surcoat of her brother��s and brought it down.


    This scene was observed by Anna who was tidying the room, although she didn��t know what Bo He was doing with Reine��s clothes, she didn��t ask.


    After Bo He handed over the linen surcoat to the old man, a few minutes passed and she shook her head, feeling dizzy and unable to remember what had happened.


    And the old man disappeared into the evening sunset.

 Chapter 199 - 199 - 146: The Third Transcendent Profession

    Chapter 199 �C 146: The Third Transcendent Profession


    Rein bolted the storeroom door, and then, he began to leaf through the black-covered journal of insights Abel had given him.


    However, after reading a few pages, Rein realized that the experiences Abel had recorded were all about the production of ordinary potions. Although there was a certain reference value, the difference was still significant when compared to the mutant growth potion he was about to try making.


    Especially the last step.


    After some thought, Rein put down the book and began to pace the storeroom in contemplation.


    ��Considering my past experience in making nutrient meals, if I can successfully make the mutant growth potion, the profession level of Beast Tamers should receive a substantial boost,�� he mused.


    ��And then, the process of using the mutant growth potion to feed the Spirit Corgi ��Cookie�� will bring a significant amount of experience as well.��


    ��So, regardless of how effective this potion is, it��s still necessary for me.��


    ...


    ��But the mutant growth potion seems to be very different from the ordinary potions that Abel made, should I start with making ordinary potions first?��


    ��


    At this thought, Rein suddenly smiled.


    ��Let��s not even talk about whether making ordinary potions could improve the success rate of the mutant growth potion��I almost forgot, I have a cheat����


    Right away, Rein decided to give it a try firsthand.


    However, Rein had never made a potion before, so he inevitably felt some trepidation.


    But seeing the ten neatly laid-out portions of raw materials on the table, Rein quickly calmed down again.


    ��With so many portions, I should be able to succeed with at least one!��


    ��As long as I succeed once, there shouldn��t be many issues afterwards.��


    ��Who let us have cheats! Once learned, it won��t regress but only improve with the increase of experience.��


    ��.


    Still, before making the attempt, Rein carefully reviewed the formula and production process of the mutant growth potion recorded in the ��Beast Taming Journal�� once more:


    ��One ounce of Gold Marigold, one pair of wings from a Nightwalker Vampire Bat, two claws of a Carrion Wolf�� First step, grind the Gold Marigold����


    After contemplating for a while, Rein began the first step of making the mutant growth potion��preparing the Gold Marigold solution.


    This step required him to grind one ounce of Gold Marigold into powder and then mix it with distilled water, dilute and filter it to obtain the Gold Marigold solution. The whole process was not difficult, and Rein measured out the specified amount of Gold Marigold and started pounding it into powder with a wooden pestle��


    Minutes later, looking at the pale golden liquid in the transparent test tube, a slight smile appeared on Rein��s lips.


    Perhaps because of the enhancement of his bodily constitution, especially the increase in his spiritual power, Rein managed to successfully prepare the Gold Marigold solution in one go quite easily.


    As the saying goes, a good start is the first step towards success.


    This immediately boosted Rein��s confidence immensely!


    The second step required drying the wings of the Nightwalker Vampire Bat and grinding them into powder��


    This process became exceptionally simple for Rein who possessed level 2 witchcraft ��Scorching Touch.��


    If it were an ordinary person, they would need to dry the wings slowly over candle flame, which is not only slow but also extremely draining and prone to charring.


    But for Rein, after he executed his witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� and controlled the distance and the output of spiritual power, it only took a few seconds to complete this second step.


    And furthermore��


    The result was excellent too! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking it over, Rein felt that if it were an ordinary person with average spiritual power, even if they could complete this second step, they would likely be very exhausted by then and probably need to rest before continuing with the subsequent steps.


    But he did not need to.


    The final third step was to evenly sprinkle the Gold Marigold solution and the Vampire Bat wing powder on the Carrion Wolf claws, and at the same time, chant a spell to mobilize the mysterious energy particles in the surroundings to exert a certain influence on them.


    Clearly, this last step could only be completed by a Wizard Apprentice or other occupations capable of controlling mysterious energy particles to some extent.


    This is why the experiences in making ordinary potions recorded in Abel��s journal were not much help in making the mutant growth potion.


    Rein, following the third step��s procedure, first placed a pair of Carrion Wolf claws into a beaker, then evenly sprinkled the Gold Marigold solution and Vampire Bat wing powder on top of them.


    Next, Rein chanted the spell recorded in Akkadian in the ��Beast Taming Journal�� in a low voice:


    ��(In Akkadian) Spirits of fire, who are wild and scorching, and Spirits of nature, frolicsome and warm, heed my call����


    Suddenly, the two specific types of mysterious energy particles began to converge towards the Carrion Wolf claws in the beaker under the combined drive of Rein��s spell and spiritual power, exerting a magical influence on them.


    And the Carrion Wolf claws gradually began to undergo a peculiar change.


    However��


    After just two or three seconds, Rein sensed something was amiss!


    Because for this third step, according to the instructions in the ��Beast Taming Journal,�� Rein needed to manipulate two types of mysterious energy particles.


    One was the flame energy particle, which was not difficult for Rein to manipulate, but the other, a green energy particle, Rein found extremely challenging to handle!


    ��Sssss~~~��


    A burning smell wafted through the air and the Carrion Wolf claws melted instantaneously into a pool of pitch-black, mud-like substance.


    The first attempt had failed!


    Twelve Gold Coins�� worth of raw materials went down the drain��


    Rein watched silently as this unfolded, pondering the problem and�� solutions.


    However, Rein was not discouraged.


    On the contrary, being able to reach the third step on his first attempt made Rein eager to try a second time!


    A few minutes later, Rein decided to make another attempt.


    ��


    ��Sizzle~~~��


    Once again, the smell of burning wafted through the air, and the second batch of raw materials was ruined!


    In addition, trying twice in a row made Rein feel a bit mentally exhausted.


    After all, the potion-making process required his full attention, plus the casting of the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch.��


    After some thought, Rein decided to try adding a point to his Spirit Attribute.


    After all, increasing spirit was sure to improve his level of control over the mysterious energy particles around him, but what he wasn��t sure about was whether it would achieve the desired effect.


    Rein flipped his Profession Panel to the first page��the Attribute page. As the remaining attribute points went from 2��1, his Spirit also went from 17 points��18 points.


    Instantly, a warm current flowed from his heart and spread throughout his body.


    Rein immediately felt his mind become clearer, and the mental fatigue he had just felt disappeared in an instant!


    In addition, Rein also felt a distinct difference.


    It seemed��


    18 points of spiritual power was some kind of threshold, and now that he had crossed it, the various mysterious energy particles around him seemed more active than before in his perception.


    Your next chapter is on


    But on second thought, Rein realized that it wasn��t the energy particles that had become more active, but rather his own senses had become sharper.


    Moreover, the energy particles of fire still felt the clearest to Rein.


    Instead of rushing into the third attempt at making the Mutation Growth Potion, Rein chose to first practice the basic meditation method.


    Indeed, after the increase in spiritual power, Rein successfully visualized fourteen Will runes in one go, and still had a bit of energy left over.


    Previously, with 15 points of spiritual power, he was able to visualize ten Will runes at once, showing significant progress.


    According to the introduction in the basic meditation method, if one could visualize sixteen Will runes in one go, they would step into the second stage, also known as a level two Wizard Apprentice.


    And Rein was just one step away from this!


    Furthermore, Rein discovered that while previously he could only manipulate fire energy particles, he could now slightly control other types of energy particles as well.


    Clearly, this also meant that Rein��s chances of successfully making the third step of the Mutation Growth Potion had greatly increased.


    Calming the excitement in his heart, Rein tried again.


    The first step��


    ��


    By the third step, as Rein recited the spell once more, this time the green energy particles finally gathered onto the carcass wolf��s claws in accordance with Rein��s guidance, along with the fire energy particles��


    It worked!


    Rein��s eyes instantly lit up!


    In the beaker, there was now a grey-green liquid, and no trace was left of the carcass wolf��s claws, the black powder from the nocturnal vampire bat, or the pale golden liquid from the gold sunflower.


    Suddenly, system notifications chimed:


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host has completed the production of the secret potion ��Mutation Growth Potion�� and has triggered the job change to Beast Tamer (Transcendent)!]


    [Conditions for promotion to Beast Tamer are: first, a Dog Trainer or Pharmacist of lv3 or above; second, spiritual power of 12 points or above; third, ownership of one or more wild beasts as a care subject��. Current conditions met, do you wish to change jobs to Beast Tamer (Transcendent)!]


    [Note: After changing jobs to Beast Tamer (Transcendent), the Dog Trainer��s Profession Panel will be overridden.]


    Huh! A new Transcendent profession!


    However, what Rein didn��t quite understand was why, after making the Mutation Growth Potion, a Pharmacist job, which would be a more logical trigger, wasn��t activated. Why did it trigger the Transcendent job of a Beast Tamer?


    Therefore, with his questions in mind, Rein looked closely at the system��s description again.


    ��Secret potion��?


    Rein caught the keyword!


    Upon further reflection, Rein started to understand.


    Normal potion production would not involve the third step, which required chanting a spell and using spiritual power to manipulate mysterious energy particles.


    Clearly, the Mutation Growth Potion Rein had produced was not an ordinary potion, but a special kind of potion known as a ��secret potion��.


    Hence, this also explained why it didn��t trigger the regular profession of ��Pharmacist��.


    Secondly, it might be because of his prerequisite profession of Dog Trainer.


    This was already reflected in ��prerequisite condition one��.


    Last, it was probably because the Mutation Growth Potion itself was intended to be used for strengthening animals.


    Thus, the combination of these factors led to the triggering of the job change to Beast Tamer (Transcendent).


    Facing this job change, Rein pondered for a moment and then chose yes without hesitation!


    [Ding! Job change successful!]


    [Congratulations on successfully changing your job to Beast Tamer (Transcendent)! Agility +1, Spirit +1! You have obtained the core skills of Beast Tamer (Transcendent): Beast Affinity lv1 (Passive), Beast��s Eye (Active).]

 Chapter 200 - 200 - 147 The Scenery is Uniquely Beautiful from This Angle

    Chapter 200 �C 147 The Scenery is Uniquely Beautiful from This Angle


    [Beast Affinity lv1 (Passive): As Beast Tamers have dealt with wild beasts for years and are familiar with their habits, they find it easier to gain the favor of unfamiliar wild beasts.]


    [Beast��s Eye (Active): The beasts under your command serve as your loyal eyes and ears.]


    ��Eh!��


    ��I��ve actually obtained two core skills; this seems to be the first time I��ve gotten the core skills of a Transcendent profession.��


    This was somewhat unexpected for Rein!


    He saw that the words ��Dog Trainer�� on the original panel had changed to ��Beast Tamer��, and the entire panel had turned green.


    Although the difference seemed minor, its significance was anything but minor!


    ...


    One was a common profession, the other a Transcendent one. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Below the panel title, aside from the original icons, such as ��Dog Food Production�� and ��Dog Training��, two new icons had lit up above these.


    Rein first focused his attention on one of the icons.


    The pattern of this icon depicted a person sitting cross-legged on the ground, beside a tiger lying down, suggesting a harmonious coexistence between humans and fierce beasts.


    Beneath it, a line of small print appeared:


    [Core Skill: Beast Affinity lv1 (Passive)]


    Beast Affinity lv1 (Passive) Effect: When you come into contact with strange wild beasts, you have a certain chance to gain the beast��s favor, and the success rate of taming unfamiliar wild beasts is slightly increased.


    (Note: The effect of Beast Affinity is positively correlated with the host��s Spirit; the stronger the spiritual power, the better the effect.)


    Beneath this icon was an experience bar, clearly indicating that Beast Affinity was a skill that could be enhanced by adding points.


    ��However, at present, this core skill doesn��t seem to be very useful!��


    Rein crossed his arms and rubbed his chin lightly, contemplating the potential applications of this core skill.


    ��If, one day, I were to fight in the forest or do something else, this core skill might actually be useful.��


    ��But once removed from environments like forests teeming with wild beasts, this core skill seems somewhat useless����


    ��Oh well, there��s no rush to add points to this skill for the moment; I can decide later on.��


    Rein shook his head slightly, feeling a little disappointed with this core skill.


    Then, Rein shifted his attention to the neighboring icon, which resembled the big eyes of an owl.


    Another line of small print appeared beneath it:


    [Core Skill: Beast��s Eye (Active)]


    Beast��s Eye (Active) Effect: Control the beasts under your command and observe the surroundings through their perspective.


    (Note: The duration of Beast��s Eye is positively correlated with the host��s spiritual power; the stronger the spiritual power, the longer the duration.)


    The system��s description was clear and straightforward.


    Rein immediately understood the important significance this active ability might have for him.


    For example, in certain scenarios, Rein could use the eyes of a beast to observe the environment and conduct reconnaissance; its utility was self-evident!


    Moreover, Rein noticed right away that there was no experience bar beneath this icon.


    Meaning, the active skill Beast��s Eye couldn��t currently be enhanced by adding Skill Points.


    However, Rein felt that this ��Beast��s Eye�� was stronger than the first core skill ��Beast Affinity��, or rather, it had a much wider range of practical applications.


    Immediately, Rein walked over to the window of the storage room.


    From his second-floor window, Rein could see a fully-grown greyhound wagging its tail, following Lagaray back and forth, as if it were ��coveting�� the large bowl of savory meat Lagaray was holding.


    Rein smiled at the scene and immediately used the newly acquired skill ��Beast��s Eye.��


    The moment the skill was activated, Rein felt a special change in his spiritual power.


    It was as if a radar station was emitting electromagnetic waves all around, and swiftly, through some kind of radiation, Rein��s mind locked onto his greyhound ��Cookie��.


    Instantly, Rein felt as if his soul had projected itself into ��Cookie��.


    Looking up, Rein saw a large, round buttocks in front of him, swaying as it walked forward. Although the buttocks were large, their movement was not excessively jiggly, indicating firmness.


    Hisss!


    Rein immediately realized he was looking at Lagaray��s voluptuous buttocks through ��Cookie��s�� dog eyes.


    He wanted to move his gaze away at once.


    But the next second, Rein felt that he couldn��t look away; he needed to maintain ��Cookie��s�� original state so as not to attract attention.


    At that moment, the courtyard downstairs was busy with Night Watchmen moving furniture and cleaning up, going in and out.


    So Rein kept this posture, following behind Lagaray��s buttocks, walking a distance and deeply experiencing the effect of this new core skill!


    ��Tsk tsk����


    ��The effect of this core skill�� really accentuates the front and back!��


    ��No, that��s not right, it��s impressive!��


    After sustaining it for a while, Rein began to vaguely feel a significant drain of spiritual power from his physical body.


    Just as he was reluctantly thinking of ending this first trial of the new skill, he saw Anna suddenly walk next to Lagaray, gave ��him�� a strange look, and said something.


    Seeing Anna��s odd gaze, Rein immediately terminated his first attempt at using the new skill ��Beast��s Eye��!


    In an instant, Rein��s soul felt like it had returned to his own body.


    At that moment, his perspective returned to looking down from the second-floor storage room window, his heart still slightly nervous as though he had been caught doing something bad.


    ��Did you see how Cookie was looking at you? It felt off, almost lewd����


    ��And the part it was staring at���� Anna said to Lagaray with a hint of confusion.


    ��Hmm?��


    After hearing Anna��s words, Lagaray turned her head to look at ��Cookie�� and saw its dumbfounded expression, which made her laugh.


    ��Anna, you��re thinking too much. Cookie is staring at the meat in my hand; it must be the angle.��


    ��Eh!��


    ��Its eyes weren��t like this just now!�� Anna turned around to confirm again, only to find that ��Cookie��s�� gaze had suddenly changed.


    It seemed to have returned to its original, normal state.


    This made her quite puzzled.


    You see, as Anna practiced basic meditation, she found her perception becoming sharper and sharper, especially towards animals and plants��


    As for ��Cookie,�� it was stunned for a moment, shook its dog head, apparently puzzled by why its consciousness had suddenly blanked out for a while��


    ��Woof woof!��


    Cookie barked twice and then, as if sensing it, turned to look at the second-floor window; it could feel its master, Rein, watching it from there.


    At this time, Rein was pondering two issues about the new skill ��Beast Eye.��


    The first issue was about skill activation.


    At the moment of activating ��Beast Eye,�� there was actually a considerable distance between him and ��Cookie.��


    He had just connected with and sensed ��Cookie�� through a kind of ��radiation�� similar to electromagnetic waves.


    Its essence relied on the consumption of his spiritual power.


    So, it seems that it��s better for him to have ��Cookie�� by his side the next time he activates this skill.


    That way, he could save a significant amount of spiritual power, which could then extend the duration of the skill.


    Because the saved spiritual power could be used for maintenance.


    The second issue was that after using ��Beast Eye,�� Rein could only see; he could not hear the conversations around ��Cookie.��


    Enjoy new chapters from


    Of course, he couldn��t use ��Cookie��s�� sense of smell, which was thousands of times superior to humans��, to assess the surroundings either.


    That��s when Rein looked at the system prompt on the panel.


    Right after the job transfer prompt, a new row of prompts appeared:


    [You have crafted a Mutant Growth Potion, insight has improved!]


    [You have learned a new skill �C Mutant Growth Potion Crafting]


    [Your skill in Mutant Growth Potion Crafting has improved, Experience +30]


    [Focusing on Mutant Growth Potion Crafting, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) class experience +12]


    ��


    ��Is every secret potion crafting a new skill?��


    ��This is quite similar to the Blacksmith profession!�� Rein thought to himself.


    After his job transfer to Beast Tamer (Transcendent), agility +1, spirit +1, now Rein��s spirit had reached 19 points.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (132/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv3 (389/500) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv1 (12/100) / Blacksmith lv4 (329/1000)


    Constitution: 18


    Strength: 16


    Agility: 16


    Spirit: 19


    Remaining attribute points: 1


    Remaining Skill Points: 2


    Additionally, something that Rein noticed was that on his Knight (Transcendent) class panel, the breakthrough percentage had gone from 45% �� 51% due to the continuous increase in attributes.


    At that moment, there was a knock on the door.


    ��Knock knock knock!��


    ��Brother, it��s time to eat; everyone is waiting for you.�� Bo He��s crisp voice came from outside the door.


    ��Alright, Bo He, I��m coming.�� Rein stopped his contemplations, opened the door, and quickly walked out.


    When Rein, leading his sister Bo He, walked downstairs, he saw that the long solid wood dining table in the living room on the first floor was full of sumptuous foods.


    Around the long table, Matteo and seven or eight Night Watchmen were sitting on one side, while Old Rein, Mother Emma, Anna, and Lagaray were on the other, with two empty seats reserved for Rein and Bo He.


    In addition, two of the Night Watchmen whom Rein recognized were bustling back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room, tirelessly serving drinks; the atmosphere was lively indeed.


    The housewarming dinner was enjoyed amidst joyful spirits.


    ��Matteo and all Night Watchmen colleagues, I��m very grateful for everyone��s help today. To be honest, I��m embarrassed that I barely contributed to the moving process.��


    ��Tonight, please eat and drink well!�� Rein raised his glass and thanked everyone with a smile.


    ��Deputy Commander, you are too kind!��


    ��Indeed! It was just a little favor!��


    ��


    ��Come! Let��s all raise a glass to our young Deputy Commander!�� Matteo raised his glass and said with a laugh.

 Chapter 201 - 201 - 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 201 �C 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    After the housewarming banquet, Rein walked around the front and backyards with his family.


    ��Brother, my favorite part is the big yard. Now, Sister Anna and I can plant lots and lots of vegetables and flowers,�� his sister Bo He said happily.


    Seeing his sister��s beaming smile, Rein was also touched by the joy and said, ��Well, then this yard is yours to take care of. I hope you��ll make it beautiful.��


    Meanwhile, their parents had an expression of immense satisfaction and contentment.


    Rein, who took in all these scenes, nodded slightly. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps, this moment right before his eyes was one definition of happiness.


    Since Rein still had several things to handle, he didn��t stay for too long but quickly went back to the storeroom.


    ...


    Rein took out the hundred pounds of bear meat he had exchanged earlier at the County Town��s military supply station.


    At the banquet, he hadn��t eaten enough but had instead drunk quite a bit.


    Rein had been craving bear meat for some time now.


    He would occasionally reminisce about the first time he tasted bear meat in Cleya��s study.


    Now, Rein��s demand for food was increasing, and so were his standards for quality.


    Ordinary food provided no benefit to the increase of his strength.


    But ferocious beast meat was different: rich in various nutrients and still capable of aiding the advancement of his Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    That was why Rein had previously exchanged for the bear meat and planned to gradually incorporate high-quality food into his daily meals from then on.


    At that moment, Rein directly cut off a large piece, about three to four pounds of bear meat, and placed it on a previously prepared iron plate.


    Since the bear meat had already been bled and cleaned, it didn��t require any additional washing.


    Rein didn��t use an ordinary cooking method for the bear meat.


    Indeed!


    After all, high-end ingredients often only need the simplest cooking methods.


    This time Rein decided to simply ��scorch�� the bear meat at a high temperature before eating it.


    Rein placed his palms about half a meter above the bear meat, silently chanting an incantation and cast the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch��.


    Seconds later, an enticing aroma of cooked meat began to spread throughout the storeroom.


    So why use witchcraft to cook?


    Rein considered the principle of the ovens in his previous life: the fast and contained high temperature can lock the moisture and flavor inside the food.


    Therefore, Rein thought to use the high temperature of the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� to scorch the bear meat in mere seconds, achieving an effect similar to an oven from his previous life, retaining the moisture and flavor.


    Gazing at the fragrant seven-tenths-done bear meat, Rein sprinkled some salt over it and then began to chew with big bites.


    Hiss!


    It was still just as delicious!


    In no time, Rein had eaten more than half of the three-to-four-pound bear meat.


    Quickly, Rein felt a warm current spread rapidly from his stomach throughout his body.


    It may have been because he had become Transcendent, and his bodily functions had significantly improved.


    Although Rein ate much more bear meat this time than ever before, he didn��t feel the strong sensation of fullness as before, just a comfortable warmth throughout his body.


    Suddenly, the sound of paws scratching at the door came from the entrance.


    Rein knew it must be the Lurcher ��Cookie��!


    After all, aside from her, everyone else in the house would knock, not scratch at the door, and who else would have such a keen sense of smell?


    As soon as Rein cracked the door open a bit, the Lurcher ��Cookie�� squeezed her way in.


    She circled around Rein eagerly, wagging her tail frenetically, her eyes fixedly staring at the little bit of roasted bear meat remaining in Rein��s hand, her face full of longing.


    Rein shook his head, unable to help himself, and said:


    ��I have to hand it to you, don��t tell me you haven��t had enough to eat either!��


    Despite his words, Rein tore off a small strip from the remaining roast bear meat in his hand and dripped several drops of a ��mutated growth elixir�� onto it before giving it to her.


    ��Cookie�� first sniffed the meat with her sensitive nose and then showed an almost humanlike expression of surprised delight.


    With a woof, she swallowed the bear meat.


    The next second, ��Cookie��s eyes widened dramatically, and she looked at Rein as if to say: ��Master, there is something this delicious!��


    ��A dog��s life can��t ask for more! This life is worth it!��


    Seeing ��Cookie�� licking her lips with a look of wanting more, Rein said without a good temper:


    ��Alright, don��t expect any more, that��s enough for you to absorb.��


    With that, Rein stuffed the last bit of bear meat into his mouth.


    It wasn��t really that he was stingy.


    It was because ��Cookie�� was just a regular Lurcher and not some ferocious wild beast; consuming too much high-quality food could lead to indigestion.


    Sure enough, as if feeling the power of the bear meat, ��Cookie�� quickly curled up in a corner of the storeroom and started to doze off with half-closed eyes.


    But Rein noticed the system��s refreshed notification:


    [By feeding the Lurcher ��Cookie�� bear meat laced with a secret medicine mutated growth elixir, your understanding has slightly improved!]


    [Your Beast Taming Skill has improved, Experience +15]


    [Your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession experience +11]


    Oh!


    Rein now noticed that on his green Beast Tamer panel, the original ��Dog Training�� Skill had automatically changed to ��Beast Taming��, and ��Dog Food Making�� had been similarly updated to ��Beast Food Making��.

 Chapter 202 - 202 - 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 202 �C 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    It seems that the system��s so-called ��coverage�� is not about completely eliminating or fully accepting.


    In addition, using secret medicines or high-quality food for feeding can accelerate the gain of experience points.


    This was also verified during the recent feeding.


    After resolving several doubts in the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) panel, Rein began to practice the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, making the most of the special nutrients contained in the bear meat.


    After finishing the Breathing Technique training, Rein started practicing the basic meditation method.


    Because he gained one point in his Spirit Attribute when he transferred to a Beast Tamer, Rein wanted to test how many Will symbols he could visualize at once now.


    One minute later��


    ...


    Rein opened his eyes joyfully.


    This time, he managed to visualize sixteen Will symbols all at once, stepping into what��s commonly referred to as a ��Level 2 Wizard Apprentice.��


    Moreover, Rein confirmed that the ��lv�� levels displayed on the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession panel had nothing to do with the conventional ��Level 1 or 2 Wizard Apprentice.��


    Reaching Wizard Apprentice lv2 does not equate to being considered a ��Level 2 Wizard Apprentice�� in the common sense of this world; furthermore, he��s actually at a lv4 Wizard Apprentice, but there��s no such concept as a Level 4 Wizard Apprentice in this world.


    The highest level for a Wizard Apprentice is three.


    So, it��s understandable that these are two entirely unrelated systems.


    After pondering for a while, Rein realized that the biggest difference in becoming a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice was the disparity in combat power. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Previously, when he had just visualized eight Will symbols and became a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, his combat power was far from that of a formal Knight.


    At that time, his only feature was that, compared to an ordinary person, his spiritual power was much stronger, and his perception much more acute.


    To exert considerable combat power, however, he would have to rely on external objects, like the ��acidic missile scroll�� that Endri used in the Elim Mine.


    However, with the advancement to a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, there was a significant increase in combat power.


    Although Rein currently had no scrolls or other magical items at his disposal, he could achieve substantial combat power merely using the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch.��


    As the low chant of his incantation echoed, the iron pot in front of Rein��s palm began to heat up rapidly, turning red, smoking, and softening within seconds.


    It was on the verge of melting!


    Keep in mind, the melting point of iron is nearly fifteen hundred degrees!


    This means that the same spell, cast after advancing to a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, was significantly more powerful than before.


    Previously, the temperature reached after a few seconds of guiding Rein��s ��Scorching Touch�� was around a thousand degrees, but now he could reach fourteen to fifteen hundred degrees.


    In addition, previously Rein could only cast ��Scorching Touch�� two or three times, but now he could generally release it five or six times.


    The improvement in combat power was obvious!


    If, during a battle, he had the chance to cast ��Scorching Touch�� without being rushed, even a Peak Knight might be severely injured or even killed on the spot!


    After all, no living being can withstand the continuous roasting of fifteen hundred degrees that can melt steel.


    However, an enemy isn��t a wooden figure that would stand still for several seconds.


    This is the current weakness of Rein��s witchcraft.


    First, it has good power, but it��s a contact-based spell.


    Second, it needs continuous channeling to release the maximum damage. Read the latest on .com


    �����������C


    Meanwhile��


    In a luxurious residence in Meist County City.


    A dim basement hall.


    The slender Knight carrying a ��scythe��-like weapon was quietly reporting, ��High Priest, the mission to kill the newly-promoted Knight, Rein, has failed again!��


    ��Moreover, according to Lamar��s words, the Iron Maiden automaton was also destroyed by Rein���� he stammered, seemingly finding it difficult to continue.


    After all, how could the High Priest believe the reasons reported by Lamar when he himself hardly believed them?


    Indeed��


    ��Hmm? How is that possible?�� The High Priest could accept the failure to eliminate Rein, but he was astonished when he heard about the destruction of the Iron Maiden.


    Surprise and disbelief were clearly audible in his voice!


    ��That�� Rein is not only proficient in swordsmanship but also in Hammer Skill, no, he should be considered an expert in Hammer Skill!�� the slender Knight reasoned, trying to explain as best as he could.


    After all, Lamar was present at the time, so he could only go by what Lamar had explained!


    Even though, before making his report, he had been considering how to make his explanation more persuasive, it seemed there was never a suitable rationale��


    ��An expert in Hammer Skill? A newly-promoted Knight was able to smash the shell of the Iron Maiden with a hammer?�� There was a tone of disbelief in the words.


    At that moment, a large and corpulent figure stood up from the shadows!


    Despite being almost as tall as the slender Knight who stood over two meters tall, the new figure��s bulk was comparable to seven or eight slender knights.


    If Rein had been there, he would have immediately associated the figure with sumo wrestlers from his previous world, it was such a striking resemblance, except the figure was wearing a hood and a long robe.

 Chapter 203 - 203 - 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 203 �C 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��This�� High Priest, I��m only conveying what Lamar reported,�� the tall Knight said, stepping back as he noticed the High Priest standing up. He spoke with a hint of nervousness.


    After hearing the other party��s reasons, the High Priest��s voice rose sharply, clearly filled with anger, as he said:


    ��Giovanni! You��ve been the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood for too long, have you gone stupid?��


    ��Do you think that reason holds any ground? You should know that even a Peak Knight couldn��t possibly destroy an Iron Maiden puppet with a hammer.��


    ��You have disappointed me greatly!��


    ��This���� Facing the High Priest��s skepticism, Giovanni, the president of the Wilderness Brotherhood, suddenly found himself at a loss for words, not knowing how to explain.


    However, he quickly recovered and said, ��High Priest, I let Lamar come as well; he��s just outside the door. How about we listen to his report directly?��


    ...


    Clearly, Giovanni did not want to take the blame.


    The corpulent High Priest nodded slightly.


    After the Black Flame Monk Lamar came in and reported, the High Priest fell silent��


    After a moment, the High Priest��s deep voice rang out again, ��Giovanni, then let��s leave this matter to you, the beast knight.�� Read exclusive chapters at


    ��The dignity of the Black Flame Church cannot be challenged! Go!��


    ��By your command, High Priest!�� Giovanni and Lamar both touched their chests and bowed in salute, they said.


    �����������C


    Night had fallen.


    The moon was bright, and the stars sparse, silence enveloped everything.


    A thin mist began to float over Flashgold Town.


    Rein had returned to his new bedroom to rest early, and was already in deep sleep.


    Meanwhile, a hooded old man in a black robe slowly walked towards the center of Flashgold Town from its outskirts, adeptly avoiding the patrolling squads of Night Watchmen at every turn.


    He stopped about forty or fifty meters away from Rein��s new home, looked around, and then entered a dark, unlit alley nearby.


    Shortly after he entered, three Night Watchmen from Flashgold Town passed by the mouth of the alley on patrol.


    After the squad of Night Watchmen left, the old man began quietly scratching something into the ground with his wooden cane.


    Soon, a pattern about one meter in diameter resembling an inverted pentagram appeared on the ground; from afar, it looked like child��s graffiti.


    Then, the old man took out a piece of clothing brought to him by Bo He and placed it in the center of the inverted pentagram.


    Next, the old man began to chant softly, directing the wooden cane in his hand towards the pattern on the ground.


    ���� (Akkadian) Curse: Spiritual Fatigue!��


    As soon as the old man��s words fell, Rein, who was sleeping in a bedroom about forty to fifty meters away, suddenly furrowed his brows in his deep sleep.


    In his dreams, Rein felt exceedingly tired, almost unable to open his eyes or wake up��


    At that moment, it seemed the old man sensed the curse had taken effect; a slight smile appeared under his hood, but it was not yet over. He then took a slender finger bone from his pocket.


    The finger bone was long, seemingly from the skeleton of an adult human female.


    With the finger bone in hand, the old man started chanting softly again.


    Seconds later, a transparent human-shaped spiritual body appeared before him, and from its slender figure, it seemed to have been a beautiful human woman in life.


    ��Go, Sandra, deal with the owner of that garment!�� the old man commanded.


    The named female spirit, Sandra, obediently walked next to the inverted pentagram, sensed the scent of the garment, and then nodded at the old man. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then floated like a mist toward where Rein was located.


    Soon, the female spirit, Sandra, passed through the wall into Rein��s bedroom, and she saw him lying on the bed, his brows furrowed.


    Expressionless, Sandra walked slowly forward, her cold, sharp claws shifting from ethereal to solid, ready to strike Rein fatally when suddenly, she froze!


    Her gaze focused on a slightly inconspicuous Brass Ring on the index finger of Rein��s left hand.


    She felt a familiar presence emanating from it, understanding the message contained within it: ��He is my friend, please do not harm him.��


    If Rein had been awake at that moment, he would have noticed that the ring being scrutinized was the oddity known as ��Agatha��s Ring.��


    (Agatha��s Ring: A simple Brass Ring with a young girl��s soul imbued with sincere gratitude and blessings. Wearing it generates goodwill in some undead creatures.)


    At that moment, the slim female spirit, Sandra, revealed a hint of hesitation and did not attack immediately.


    It seemed that the ring had touched some deep emotion within her.


    Unnoticed by Sandra, the very target she aimed to kill was now squinting at her.


    Actually, just as Sandra prepared to strike, Rein��s level 3 ��danger perception�� had already alarmed him.


    However, the alarm in Rein��s mind mysteriously disappeared soon after.


    But Rein was now wide awake, considering the scene before him. He also found it strange that the female spirit was supposed to attack him, yet she hesitated on the spot.


    After waiting for a while longer, he saw the female spirit turn and leave the room through the wall.


    This left Rein somewhat puzzled for a moment.

 Chapter 204 - 204 - 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 204 �C 148: Curse, Illusion Technique, and Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    After waiting a few seconds, Rein quickly got up and walked to the window. Through it, he saw an almost transparent female specter drifting towards the pitch-dark alley across the way.


    Rein pondered for a moment but decided not to immediately follow.


    He felt that the enemy he encountered this time was no ordinary foe, as they were controlling specters to attack him.


    However, for some unknown reason, the female specter hadn��t attacked him in the end.


    Clearly, with such a mysterious enemy lurking, it was difficult for anyone to sleep in peace!


    It was best to do some reconnaissance first.


    ��Beast Eye!��


    ...


    Rein remembered this new core skill of the Beast Tamer and cast it at once.


    As the core skill ��Beast Eye�� was activated, Rein��s spirit seemed to possess the sleeping greyhound ��Cookie�� in the storage room next door.


    ��Cookie�� suddenly stood up, dashed down the stairs, out of the door, and ran towards the dark alley.


    ��Cookie�� quickly arrived at the mouth of the alley and human-like, poked its head out, glancing inside.


    Thanks to canine dark vision, Rein could clearly see through ��Cookie��s�� eyes a slightly stooped figure in a hooded black robe in the alley.


    The female specter that had just floated into his room seemed to be conversing with the hooded person.


    However, ��Cookie��s�� gaze had dwelt on the hooded figure for only a few seconds before the person immediately turned their head.


    This sent a chill through Rein��s heart, and he promptly made ��Cookie�� whimper and run away.


    The old man glanced over and, seeing only a stray dog, paid it no further attention.


    From his observation, Rein discovered that the enemy��s perception was very sharp�� it was very likely that their spiritual power exceeded his own!


    ��Is the enemy a level three Wizard Apprentice, or perhaps a stronger profession?�� Rein speculated.


    Facing such a formidable enemy, Rein��s brain whirred into action.


    ��With such a cunning foe, I can��t rest until they are dealt with!��


    ��The battle seems inevitable����


    ��At this moment, they probably haven��t realized I��ve found them.��


    ��If I were to launch a surprise attack now����


    Rein immediately canceled ��Beast Eye,�� quickly donned his chromed armor, picked up his Warhammer and greatsword, and dashed outside.


    Upon nearing the alley, Rein slowed his steps.


    For safety��s sake, it was naturally best to enhance his abilities further.


    The next second, Rein allocated another Skill Point in the Transcendent panel of the Knight, increasing his limit break from 51% to 61%.


    This advancement took Rein from the level of an experienced Knight straight into the Peak Knight level.


    Consequently, both transcendent attributes ��Huge Strength�� and ��Iron Skin�� advanced to level 3!


    [Transcendent Attribute: Huge Strength lv3 (Active)]


    Effect of Huge Strength lv3: Strength multiplies.


    (Note: The degree to which the transcendent attribute Huge Strength enhances the host��s strength is positively correlated with the limit break value, the higher the limit break, the greater the strength enhancement.)


    [Transcendent Attribute: Iron Skin lv3 (Passive)]


    Effect of Iron Skin lv3: The body automatically absorbs free metallic elements, forming a metallic film on the skin��s surface.


    Note: The defensive power of the metallic film is positively correlated with the Spirit and limit break value, the stronger the Spirit and the higher the limit break, the stronger the metal absorption ability and defensive power.)


    ��Multiplier of strength,�� ��metallic film,�� huh!


    This boosted Rein��s confidence!


    As Rein appeared at the entrance of the alley, the hooded old man turned around. Underneath the hood, a pair of profound eyes looked at Rein with mild surprise and said,


    ��Huh? How did you find me?��


    At that moment, Adams was quite perplexed as to how Rein had managed to find this alley where he was hiding.


    Yet, from his tone, there was no sign of panic or concern.


    It seemed he had absolute confidence in his own abilities!


    Rein smiled and did not answer Adams��s question.


    Instead, he took a signal flare from his bosom and in an instant, with a ��whoosh,�� the signal flare shot into the sky and promptly exploded.


    That��s right!


    It was the Night Watchman��s call for reinforcements signal flare.


    As the deputy security officer of Flashgold Town, Rein naturally carried a signal flare with him at all times.


    Facing an enemy with such wily methods, Rein felt that fighting alone might not be the best idea. Besides, they were very close to the administration hall; Hamilton should arrive in less than a minute! Discover more stories at


    ��Heh, stupid fool!�� Faced with Rein��s silent but decisive action to fire the signal flare to call for backup, Adams couldn��t help but rage, feeling somewhat played!


    ��The goddess of luck allowed you to luckily escape disaster, but you��re actually seeking your own death!�� As he spoke, he quickly took out a scroll from his bosom and tore it open.


    Rein��s pupils instantly shrank!


    ��Break the limit!��


    As Rein, holding the Warhammer, was about to sidestep to avoid the scroll attack from the other party!


    Suddenly, Rein felt a bout of dizziness, and in an instant, the surrounding scenery drastically changed.


    The walls of the narrow alley became as soft as noodles, the old man in the black robe standing opposite Rein was stretched and flattened.


    This feeling was terrible, like someone prone to seasickness alone in a dinghy amidst tumultuous waves at sea!


    Rein, enduring the discomfort, forcibly shook his head��


    At that moment, Rein saw the surroundings clearly again.


    However�� the figure of his little sister Bo He suddenly appeared in front of him, she waved at him and said with a smile, ��Brother, come play with me?��


    Bo He��s sweet childlike voice made Rein feel an irresistible surge of indulgence.


    It seemed as though refusing to join her for a while would be the biggest mistake in the world.


    But the next second, Rein immediately realized that he shouldn��t be in this alley right now, engaged in battle with a mysterious old man in a black robe, how could��


    Suddenly, an alarm bell went off in Rein��s mind!


    Almost at the same time, Rein felt a sharp pain in his chest, followed by being blown away!


    When Rein got back up, the scene had returned to the dark alleyway, and the mysterious old man in the black robe was still standing opposite him.


    At this moment, he felt a burning pain all over his body. Looking down, he saw a large hole corroded in the chromium iron chestplate at his chest. Thankfully, the silver-gray metallic film on the surface of his body had blocked further damage.


    But it seemed the metallic film��s energy was nearly depleted, and its luster was quickly fading.


    Damn!


    This is so powerful!


    Rein cursed to himself internally.


    If he hadn��t just stepped into the realm of a Peak Knight and had his Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin�� upgraded to level 3, he guessed the opponent��s bizarre attack would have caused severe injury, or even taken him out in one blow!


    ��Eh? He��s not dead?��


    Seeing that Rein��s sturdy knight��s chestplate was blown open, Adams, who had thought Rein was surely doomed, suddenly widened his eyes and his mouth fell agape!


    At this moment, he was even more shocked than Rein!


    Knowing that a combination of the Illusion Technique scroll and his own witchcraft ��Lesser Shadow Arrow�� should take down a Peak Knight without a second word, he couldn��t believe this youngster had survived!


    Not only did he survive, but he was also able to stand up!


    That��s unbelievable!


    Could it be the opponent��s knight chestplate has strong negative energy defensive power?


    But it didn��t seem like it!


    The opponent��s knight chestplate was clearly corroded with a big hole by his own ��Lesser Shadow Arrow.�� S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A perplexed Adams furrowed his brows in thought.


    Suddenly, a series of rapid footsteps sounded at the mouth of the alley. Hamilton, having heard the commotion, led more than a dozen Night Watchmen as they rushed over.


    ��You�� you��re Adams!!!�� The moment Hamilton laid eyes on the old man, his pupils sharply constricted, and his complexion changed as he spoke.

 Chapter 205 - 205 - 149 What... What kind of monster are you! (Two in one big chapter)

    Chapter 205 �C 149 What�� What kind of monster are you! (Two in one big chapter)


    Hamilton walked over to Rein, speaking with a grave expression:


    ��Adams Nolan, the Shadow Stinger, top-level assassin, third-level wizard apprentice, known as ��Ghost Manipulator,�� ��Bewitcher,�� a wanted felon of the Empire.��


    ��His main charge is the murder of Meist County City Guard Lieutenant Colonel, the Peak Knight Baron Fares Cardis, and he is also a suspect in the murder of the wealthy merchant Jabi Bogado and the town mayor Saskia Laza, as well as several other homicide cases��.��


    ��Any citizen of the Empire who sees Adams should immediately report to the nearest Imperial authority and will receive a reward of 50 Imperial Gold Coins, and those who manage to kill him will be rewarded with 1000 Imperial Gold Coins.��


    Rein knew that Hamilton was not only informing him about the other��s information but also trying to intimidate the enemy.


    At this moment, the elite Night Watchmen following behind Hamilton lit up the alley with torches and oil lamps, spreading out to surround it layer by layer.


    ��Eh! Who are you? The town sheriff or the mayor? To think you know me.��


    ...


    Adams found that tonight��s Flashgold Town had given him a bit more surprise than expected.


    He had not anticipated that someone in a small town would be so familiar with the contents of the Empire��s Bounty Order against him; it was as if they knew it better than he did himself.


    And to recognize him at first sight was even more remarkable.


    Now, with sword and shield in hand, Hamilton had already come to Rein��s side. He glanced at the large hole in Rein��s Knight��s plate armor on his chest, his pupils contracted, then turned his gaze to the cloaked old man across from him, named Adams, and said:


    ��Fares Cardis was one of my best friends!��


    ��Oh? So today you intend to avenge your friend?�� Adams��s tone was very calm, as if not at all concerned that he was currently being trapped in the alley by over a dozen Night Watchmen with bows at the ready.


    ��Rein, tonight will be a tough fight but�� as long as we can disrupt his use of witchcraft and hold out until reinforcements arrive, we can win!�� Hamilton whispered to Rein.


    Rein��s eyebrows raised slightly, and he nodded faintly.


    Hamilton��s remark revealed quite a bit.


    First of all, it showed that Hamilton himself didn��t have the confidence to defeat or kill this third-level wizard apprentice named Adams head-on.


    It was, in fact, the first time Rein had heard Hamilton speak like this.


    Secondly, had Hamilton just said to disrupt the other��s witchcraft? That suggested their tactics would primarily be to harass and delay the enemy.


    ��Oh? Delay? What an interesting idea,�� Adams said, glancing at Hamilton with a hint of mockery.


    Clearly, Hamilton hadn��t expected the other��s perception to be so sharp that he��d caught every word he��d just said!


    ��You take the left, I��ll take the right!��


    ��Fire the arrows!!�� Hamilton immediately commanded with a stern face.


    Following that, he charged towards Adams from the right with his sword and shield.


    Rein followed closely, attacking from the left with his Two-Handed Warhammer.


    The dense barrage of arrows from the elite Night Watchmen was unleashed like a torrential downpour toward Adams in the alley before the two sheriffs could reach him.


    But before the arrows could strike Adams, a large swathe of eerie black fog burst forth around him. The fog spread rapidly towards both ends of the alley.


    The arrows pierced through the black fog with a ��ding ding dang dang�� and stuck into the ground, failing to hit Adams, who had already vanished into the mist. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Hamilton and Rein charged into the fog, they seemed to instantly lose sight of their target.


    However, Rein, with his core skill ��Dark Vision,�� quickly adapted to the view within the dark fog, making out the slightly hunched, faint outline in the eerie mist.


    But Rein soon sensed something was off with this black fog!


    It seemed not just to conceal one��s form but also to possess other strange abilities.


    The fog whirled rapidly around their bodies like serpents, making them feel a negative energy constantly invading their bodies, quickly bringing a sense of fatigue.


    After only a few seconds, Rein felt his limbs weaken, and his movements swinging the Two-Handed Warhammer became increasingly clumsy.


    ��Argh!!��


    Suddenly, at that moment, cries of pain arose from the Night Watchmen at the rear of the alley.


    This made Rein��s eyes narrow!


    Attacking their rear were female spirits manipulated by Adams.


    Obviously, if they didn��t dispel the black fog, the Night Watchmen would simply become sitting ducks, and as time passed, neither he nor Hamilton would likely endure.


    This was far too passive!


    Facing such an intangible thing as the black fog, it seemed one could only fight the intangible with the intangible.


    Rein swiftly sheathed his Warhammer and drew the Glimmering Greatsword from his back, then charged towards the slightly stooped figure in the black fog. Your journey continues with


    ��Eh! To think you could discern my location,�� said Adams from within the fog, noticing Rein rushing towards him immediately.


    Originally, he had been leisurely waiting for the ��Evil Fog�� to corrode the bodies of the two knights before finishing them off at his convenience.

 Chapter 206 - 206 - 149 What... What kind of monster are you! (Two in one big chapter)_2

    Chapter 206 �C 149 What�� What kind of monster are you! (Two in one big chapter)_2


    ��`


    He hadn��t expected that one of the two could determine his position in the black fog.


    ��Roar!!!��


    Just as Rein was about three meters away from Adams, he instantly unleashed the secret technique of the Giant Bear Sword Technique�� ��roaring strike��!


    A ripple visible to the naked eye centered around Rein��s gaping mouth quickly spread outwards, and the black fog, like a sea surface hit by a meteorite, was forcefully scattered by Rein��s sonic attack, clearing a large circle!


    And Adams��s figure, hidden in the black fog, was clearly revealed.


    Clearly, Rein��s secret technique had greatly surprised Adams!


    ...


    It also caught Adams off-guard, and his moving figure suddenly came to a halt.


    This delighted Rein, and he brought his Glimmering Greatsword down on his opponent with great force!


    ��Smooth Cleaving Slash!��


    ��Puff!��


    It felt like striking a rapidly flowing stream, the sensation transmitted from the greatsword to Rein��s hand.


    A black membrane resembling an eggshell surfaced on Adams��s body.


    Apparently, this black membrane was invisible when not under attack, but it appeared when hit.


    At this moment, black light flowed over the surface of the membrane, blocking Rein��s strike which was intended to be decisive from outside.


    Beneath the membrane, Adams now looked at Rein with shock in his eyes, his complexion no longer casual as before but rather seriously assessing Rein and said, ��I didn��t expect you, a newly advanced Knight, to have such strong strength.�� S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Internally, Adams couldn��t help but sneer, ��Norman has really set me up, this guy named Rein is more than just a newly advanced Knight��he��s as strong as many veteran Knights.��


    Because Rein��s roaring strike had dispersed part of the black fog in the center of the alley, Hamilton and the elite Night Watchmen on the outside could see Rein and Adams fighting and quickly rushed to assist.


    Hamilton struck Adams with a powerful Shield Strike!


    Your journey continues at


    But the same scene occurred.


    Ripples appeared on the surface of the black membrane, but the eggshell-like membrane remained unchanged.


    Immediately after, Hamilton let out a roar, his muscles bulged, and he stabbed his Knight��s Longsword at the black membrane with three rapid thrusts!


    The ripples grew larger, and there was a slight indentation on the surface of the eggshell-like membrane, but clearly, such force was still not enough to overcome the defensive power of the black membrane!


    Rein��s eyes narrowed at this sight!


    ��Limit Break!��


    61% Strength, Physical, and Agility enhancement!


    ��Huge Strength lv3!��


    100% Strength enhancement!


    ��Strength Burst!��


    100% Strength enhancement!


    In an instant, Rein felt a surge of warmth forcefully pumped from his heart, speeding up the blood in his veins, veins bulging, his muscles swelling abruptly.


    The next second! His entire figure swelled!


    The joints of his chrome iron armor showed huge gaps, and the Knight plate armor, which was slightly oversized, again became child-sized!


    At the same time, Rein quickly switched weapons in his hands, reverting back to his warhammer.


    For breaking shields, the spike-studded warhammer naturally had much greater power than the Glimmering Greatsword!


    ��Boom!!��


    Rein��s giant hammer strike with a 261% strength enhancement forcefully dented the black membrane to the size of a washbasin.


    And almost all the dense spikes on the warhammer��s head were close to poking Adams��s eyelids!


    This stunned Adams inside the black membrane in an instant!


    Adams let out a shriek for the first time:


    ��This is impossible! You�� what kind of monster are you!!��


    ��Even a Peak Knight doesn��t have your kind of attack power!!��


    Seeing this, Hamilton felt a surge of joy and immediately went all out, coordinating his attacks with Rein.


    Rein��s strike truly terrified Adams!


    He immediately began fumbling for something in his clothes, losing all semblance of his earlier confidence.


    Quickly, Adams pulled out an ancient-looking gray scroll and tore it open!


    And at that moment, Rein��s second hammer blow was about to land, making the black membrane nearly transparent, clearly a sign that the energy was on the verge of depletion.


    ��Damn it! Wasting one of my precious life-saving scrolls!��


    ��(in Arcadian) Lesser Physical Reflective Shield!�� Adams shouted.


    Instantly, just before the black membrane became completely transparent, a circular shield resembling a bubble took over from the black membrane, floating around Adams��s body.


    The shield emitted a faint silver light, distinctive from the black membrane it replaced.


    Rein and Hamilton continued to attack from left and right, targeting both sides of Adams.


    When Rein��s warhammer hit the shield again, suddenly, as if struck by lightning, a silver streak traveled from the shield up the warhammer to Rein.


    Rein immediately felt a numbing pain all over his body!


    Fortunately, his Transcendent feature, ��Iron Skin lv3,�� protected him, and he was relatively unharmed.


    Hamilton, however, was less fortunate. Smoke wafted from the joints of his Knight��s armor, indicating he was seriously hurt!


    This shield��


    Powerful indeed!


    It��s similar to a damage reflection effect!


    Rein couldn��t help but be wary of Adams!


    He had thought that unleashing his full power would sweep the opponent away, but Adams kept throwing one trump card after another.


    No wonder he was a criminal with a bounty of a thousand Empire Gold Coins��damn strong indeed!


    ��`

 Chapter 207 - 207 - 149 What... What kind of monster are you! (Two-in-one big chapter)_3

    Chapter 207 �C 149 What�� What kind of monster are you! (Two-in-one big chapter)_3


    Rein somewhat understood why the adversary was able to kill the Peak Knight.


    Because some of the opponent��s tactics were nearly unsolvable for the knights.


    At least, that was the case at the knight level, as for the Great Knight, that was still unknown.


    Additionally, was a third-level Wizard Apprentice this powerful?


    What about a formal Wizard then��.


    ��.


    ��Your attack is futile! Prepare to die!��


    ...


    Adams, protected by a ��Lesser Physical Reflection Shield,�� suddenly moved again, his face showing a mix of anger and ruthlessness!


    While mocking Rein and Hamilton, he was also quietly chanting, preparing some kind of witchcraft.


    Hamilton already looked desperate!


    His recent two attacks not only left the opponent unscathed, but his own body had been severely damaged by the opponent��s strange silver shield. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Rein was different!


    Rein was protected by Iron Skin lv3 and hadn��t sustained serious injuries, yet he also stopped attacking, knowing that attacking recklessly would only cause him to be injured by the counterattacks of that strange silver shield.


    However��


    Rein truly didn��t believe that the opponent��s shield could indefinitely defend against his attacks!


    Now Rein had two options, one was to replenish his strength and attack with full force again, trying to see if he could break through.


    Of course, whether he could break through or not, Rein had no idea at the moment.


    The second option was to circle to the opponent��s back, avoiding the sight of Hamilton and the others, and utilize the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch.��


    Adams thought that Rein and Hamilton didn��t understand Akkadian, but in fact, when Adams tore the scroll, Rein had clearly heard a key word, ��Physical.��


    Thus, Rein could basically determine that the opponent��s silver shield was specifically designed to defend against physical attacks and had some kind of energy counterattack, most likely unable to withstand witchcraft or energy attacks.


    The whole decision-making process was completed in an instant!


    Rein quickly circled to Adams��s back, opting for the second strategy, applying the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch.��


    The reason was simple, the opponent had killed a Peak Knight before.


    This indicated that even if the Peak Knight used his desperate final moves, he still wasn��t able to overcome the opponent.


    Besides, this specialized defense shield was far more powerful than the initial black film.


    Rein surmised that although ��Triple State�� was fierce, choosing to take it head-on wasn��t very safe.


    Battle requires wisdom.


    Referring to the sayings of great people, that would be ��Being good at seizing opportunities, targeting the enemy��s weaknesses, turning passivity into initiative!��


    At this moment, Adams was clearly preparing to cast a powerful spell, and would not move for a short time, so this was also an opportunity.


    The next second, Rein flashed to Adams��s back, raised his left hand, aiming at Adams��s back heart, approximately two to three centimeters from the opponent��s silver shield, achieving almost the closest distance.


    Rein remembered very clearly, his ��Scorching Touch�� was a contact-based witchcraft, the closer the distance, the greater the power!


    But Adams was completely unaware of this!


    Because at this moment, all he had in his mind was the fury of killing both men, and he also didn��t think that two knights could have any means to break the ��Lesser Physical Reflection Shield.��


    Moreover, the elite Night Watchmen in the alley were continuously shooting arrows at him, the sound of which was incessant.


    This also made him unable to hear the soft chanting of Rein behind him.


    ��(Akkadian)��. Drag into the illusion!�� With the last syllable of Adams��s chant, his face suddenly showed a trace of a smug smile.


    A special kind of spiritual power mixed with a strange energy rapidly spread to an area of several tens of meters.


    Including Hamilton and up to the Night Watchmen at the alley entrance, everyone��s expressions became blank, stunned on the spot, as if turned into scarecrows!


    But at the same time, Adams��s expression suddenly changed!


    His entire body suddenly stiffened!


    Immediately afterward, he let out a scream!


    ��Ah!��


    The next second, Adams staggered to the ground, and his pale silver shield also gradually disappeared, it was unclear whether it was due to time running out or because Adams was suddenly injured.


    But none of that mattered!


    A black light, like a dragon leaping out from the sea, in a split second, rose from the ground straight up under Adams��s chin.


    ��Boom!!��


    Adams was seen trembling even on tiptoes, shooting straight up into the sky, soaring three to four meters high!


    In mid-air, it was clearly visible that Adams��s jaw had been instantly shattered by that black light!


    Blood, shattered bones, and tissue from skin and muscles splattered everywhere.


    It was evident how powerful that black light was!


    This strike was precisely the secret technique of Tokkal Hammer Skill, ��Rising Dragon Hammer!��


    The one who executed it, was naturally only Rein.


    Originally, just now, both he and Adams had almost simultaneously completed their techniques, and while Rein was affected by an Illusion Technique, Adams got attacked by the high temperatures of ��Scorching Touch.��


    And right before Rein felt dizzy and was dragged into some illusion, he quickly added one point to his Spirit Attribute, which abruptly increased his spiritual power, immediately breaking the Illusion Technique��s effect on him.


    Initially, Rein had intended to use the recovery effect of the point addition to clear his mind, but in actuality, the sudden increase in spiritual power seemed to directly break the Illusion Technique��s influence.


    Of course, Rein was not clear about the specific mechanism involved.


    But regardless, all of this allowed Rein to use his full spiritual power to guide the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch,�� continuing to attack Adams with high temperatures.

 Chapter 208 - 208 - 149 What... What kind of monster are you! (Two-in-one big chapter)_4

    Chapter 208 �C 149 What�� What kind of monster are you! (Two-in-one big chapter)_4


    As temperatures neared 1500 degrees, even just lasting for a second or two, they were capable of causing significant damage to the human body.


    Thus, by the time Adams realized what was happening, his internal organs and bodily fluids had already suffered severe damage from the high temperatures.


    This is also why, stumbling, Adams almost couldn��t stand up and had to support himself with both hands on the ground.


    At that moment, Adams, suspended in midair, began to fall!


    Although the opponent��s jaw was gone, Rein was still somewhat worried that the opponent might have some strange or ultimate survival trick, so he immediately unleashed a combination attack without any hesitation.


    Right after the secret Skill ��Rising Dragon Hammer,�� he immediately followed it with the second secret Skill of Tokkal Hammer Technique�� ��Earth-splitting Hammer��!


    ��Earth-splitting Hammer!��


    ...


    ��Boom!!!��


    The heavy flat end of the warhammer struck the ground forcefully.


    The intense shockwave spread out in a fan shape, ravaging the ground ahead.


    A large fan-shaped area of the ground, like tofu, shattered into pieces and was propelled a meter into the air.


    Adams, still immersed in the severe pain of his shattered jaw, had just touched the ground when everything went dark, and he never woke up again.


    By the time Hamilton and the other Night Watchmen came to their senses from Adams��s Illusion Technique, the scene before them was as follows:


    Rein stood upright, holding the black warhammer with one hand; in front of him spread the shattered fan-shaped area of the ground, and on that ground, there was a mess of bloody flesh wrapped in a black robe, almost completely unrecognizable as a human form.


    Clearly, Rein had defeated his opponent!


    Including Hamilton himself, everyone had not seen how Rein had defeated the opponent, but at this moment, they all stared in shock at the shattered area.


    Anyone could tell how terrifying the force of the attack must have been to shatter such a large area of hard stone ground!


    But only Rein knew that the key to his victory over Adams lay in witchcraft, not Hammer Skill.


    At this moment, Rein was distracted by a system notification:


    [Your Skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has been enhanced, Experience +138]


    [Congratulations, your Skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has been upgraded to lv4]


    [Your Skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has been enhanced, Experience +127]


    [Your Skill, Scorching Touch, has been enhanced, Experience +14]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +87, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +13]


    ��


    Huh!


    I didn��t expect it could be like this!


    The Experience rewards from one battle seemed to be automatically distributed by the system according to some rule among the Knight and Wizard Apprentice professions.


    Rein stared at the system prompt, his mind quickly processing.


    ��This battle, since I used the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch,�� not only did ��Scorching Touch�� as a Skill get an experience reward, but correspondingly, the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Profession Experience was also increased?��


    ��Why then, in previous battles, why was there no Profession Experience rewarded to the Wizard Apprentice? Could it be because I did not use any witchcraft in those battles?��


    ��It seems likely to be the case.�� S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��But�� if it really is so, that��s obviously good news! In that case, to raise the Wizard Apprentice Profession Level, in addition to practicing basic meditation, I can also improve by frequently using witchcraft in battle.��


    ��It seems�� I��ve found the trick to advance the Wizard Apprentice Transcendent Profession!��


    Soon, a realization dawned on Rein, and his eyes brightened as he figured out the key.


    At this time, Hamilton stepped forward, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked at the jumbled pile of black robe and flesh, and in a tone of surprise mixed with confusion, he asked, ��Rein, did you defeat Adams?��


    ��Yes, sir, with your coordination, I seized the opportunity and luckily managed to kill him.��


    ��Well�� the power of your warhammer is beyond my imagination!�� Hamilton, after a long pause, managed to squeeze out these words.


    Hamilton distinctly remembered how he, holding the Longsword, had repeatedly stabbed at the opponent, but all were blocked by that silver shield; furthermore, he had been seriously injured by the counterattack of the shield.


    And Rein was able to break that silver shield?


    However, staring intently at the shattered fan-shaped area on the ground, Hamilton quickly came to realize that it made sense for Rein, with such a powerful Hammer Skill, to be able to kill the opponent!

 Chapter 209 - 209 - 150 A Little Trouble, Already Taken Care of (2-in-1 Big Chapter)

    Chapter 209 �C 150 A Little Trouble, Already Taken Care of (2-in-1 Big Chapter)


    Since the Tokkal Hammer Technique had advanced to lv4 (3/1000), Rein was currently perceiving the fragmented training memories of the Tokkal Hammer Technique that had appeared in his mind.


    These memory fragments were scattered segments of hammer training, which Rein was quickly digesting and absorbing, integrating them into his muscle memory.


    The entire process felt to Rein as if he had suddenly gained a year��s worth of arduous practice experience in the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Some previously overlooked details of the hammer technique were also perfected and supplemented.


    Moreover, Rein noticed that his Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level had reached lv3 (476/500) and was about to advance to lv4.


    Of course, the Profession Level of a Wizard Apprentice, being already at lv4, was still far from advancing again.


    ��Cough�� cough�� Rein, I really didn��t expect, cough�� you could actually kill that guy Adams.�� Hamilton patted Rein��s shoulder, saying with a face full of relief.


    ...


    However, it seemed that because of the recent backlash damage from a ��Lesser Physical Reflection Shield��, Hamilton��s physical condition was not too good at the moment.


    His body had been wounded by some unknown energy and he was constantly coughing.


    ��By the way, this time�� cough�� are you planning to directly claim the bounty, or report it as the Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town?��


    ��Uh���� Hamilton��s words made Rein involuntarily start pondering.


    He was no longer a newcomer within the imperial system, and of course, he understood the implications of Hamilton��s words.


    If claimed directly, that would mean receiving 1000 Imperial Gold Coins as a reward and, additionally, it could further enhance the rank of the Bounty Hunters.


    Whereas if he reported it as the Deputy Sheriff of Flashgold Town, the financial reward in terms of Gold Coins would basically be gone, all converted into Merit Points, and the killing of Adams would be listed in the resume as a separate deed.


    ��Cough�� Based on your combat performance this time, I think the merit reward you can get is definitely not small. Once you pass the knighthood assessment later, you are highly likely to be immediately promoted in position.��


    Hamilton, seeing Rein hesitating, tactfully expressed his opinion.


    In fact, Rein was leaning towards the first option; during the previous battle, he had seen Adams�� combat power and the strength unleashed by a third-level Wizard Apprentice who had several Sorcery Scrolls on hand.


    Apparently, all these required money, that is, Gold Coins for support!


    But then��


    If one were to rise higher in position, would he still lack money?


    Just thinking about the compensation given by the Crowley family for hiring him as a Guardian Knight was enough to understand.


    At this thought, a smirk appeared at the corner of Rein��s mouth.


    Furthermore, if he reported it as the latter, Hamilton and his fellow Night Watchmen would add a commendable note to their resumes and receive a significant amount of merit rewards.


    ��Of course, Lord Hamilton, let��s report it under the nomination of joint annihilation by the security forces of Flashgold Town. By the way, please do not skimp on the narration of yours and your colleagues�� contributions in the battle.��


    ��Good lad, cough�� much appreciated!�� Hamilton, while coughing, couldn��t help but smile.


    Rein��s words naturally also reached the ears of the Night Watchmen.


    Many had been wounded by a female specter and were originally grimacing in pain while being treated, but now, their expressions had softened greatly, some even began to smile.


    Sometimes, as ordinary people, being a Night Watchman to them was more a profession that sustained their livelihood.


    If they could earn a bit more and make their families�� lives better, even if the tasks were sometimes dangerous and they might get hurt, they still found it worthwhile.


    ��No need to speak of other things, the Deputy Lord is truly generous in terms of military achievements!�� This was the sentiment of most elite Night Watchmen present.


    Thinking about the female specter, Rein turned his head and looked around, noticing that she seemed to have disappeared from the spot along with Adams�� defeat.


    Rein recalled that, at the moment just after the battle ended, he had vaguely seen her dissolving at the corner of the alley with a smile on her lips.


    ��Sheriff Lord, Deputy Lord, this corpse���� a Night Watchman elite reported.


    ��Leave it to the Deputy to handle!�� Hamilton said with a smile as he waved his hand.


    Only then did Rein remember he still hadn��t had the chance to collect his spoils.


    He wondered what kind of loot this strongest opponent he had encountered so far might bring him.


    A sense of anticipation long absent began to rise in Rein��s heart.


    But�� when Rein came to the heap of black-robed flesh, he couldn��t help but feel stunned!


    This�� was really a bit difficult to approach!


    After hesitating for a while, Rein, suppressing the sticky and warm sensation from his hand, began to search the black robe.


    The bottles and jars in the opponent��s waist pouch had shattered, but their contents had not yet leaked. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, Rein carefully chose not to disturb them first but opted to collect other items instead.


    Soon, Rein had accounted for all the spoils: a wand-like curved stick, a white slender phalange, an iron key, and a pouch containing a small amount of Gold Coins.


    That was it��


    This couldn��t help but disappoint Rein.


    The feeling was just like in Rein��s past life online games, when a group took down a big BOSS and then ended up with junk loot.


    But still, Rein carefully examined these three pieces of loot.


    The first was the stick, more precisely a short staff, with a slightly thicker head and a much smaller base, made from a single piece of unknown dark grey wood.

 Chapter 210 - 210 - 150 A Little Trouble, Already Taken Care of (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 210 �C 150 A Little Trouble, Already Taken Care of (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_2 sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as Rein picked it up, he felt a coolness, delicacy, and heaviness, clearly indicating the high density of the wood.


    For the moment, Rein could not tell whether the material was valuable or what it was worth.


    The white, slender finger bone was even more intriguing to Rein.


    Since Rein��s spiritual power had reached 20 points, he could tell right away that the white finger bone had a rather distinct aura of the vengeful female spirit.


    That being said, it was very likely a remnant of her body from when she was alive.


    Of course, there was also a possibility that the finger bone had nothing to do with the vengeful woman in life and was merely transformed in some way by Adams, making it a medium for casting spells.


    Next came the money pouch, which Rein opened to find merely three or four dozen Gold Coins.


    ...


    Such a level of wealth was greatly disproportionate to his capabilities.


    He weighed the pouch in his hand and then put it away.


    Finally, Rein held the iron key in his hand and started fiddling with it.


    ��Clearly, the items Adams left on his person don��t match up with his abilities; the odds are that he hid them somewhere.��


    ��Perhaps, this iron key in my hand is the key to it all.��


    ��Too bad�� I can��t likely use this key to directly locate and uncover his secrets����


    At that moment, from the corner of his eye, Rein spotted two familiar shapely figures at the entrance of the alley.


    It was Lagaray and Anna.


    Both of them had come.


    Rein was not at all surprised that Lagaray was aware of the commotion here.


    After all, with her rich combat experience as a barbarian girl, and considering her bedroom wasn��t far from here, it would have been strange if she hadn��t noticed such an intense battle.


    However��


    How did Anna wake up as well?


    Now the two of them each had separate rooms.


    That��s right, Rein suddenly remembered that Anna had begun the basic meditation technique with him at the same time, which must be the effect of the basic meditation technique.


    As one practices the basic meditation technique, their spiritual power gradually increases, and naturally, their perception improves.


    ��Anna, Lagaray, why did you come over?�� Rein called out.


    ��Rein�� here��.�� The two girls looked around, and since the alley was quite dark, they hadn��t seen Adams�� corpse at the end of it.


    ��Just a small trouble, it��s already been taken care of,�� Rein assured them.


    Small trouble?


    Hearing Rein��s words, Hamilton��s mouth twitched involuntarily!


    A fugitive with a bounty of a thousand Gold Coins was just a small trouble in your eyes?


    Alright�� the winner makes the rules!


    ��Woof woof!�� At that moment, the Lurcher ��Cookie�� also poked its head out beside Lagaray��s shapely legs.


    This movement��


    Was exactly like his sister Bo He! Rein couldn��t help but complain in his mind.


    Hey!


    A spark of inspiration crossed Rein��s mind, making his eyes suddenly brighten!


    He quickly ran towards the entrance of the alley where Lagaray and Anna were.


    The two women, seeing Rein approaching, had differing thoughts.


    ��It looks like Rein and the others must have won the fight just now, that��s great!��


    ��Eh, Rein is running towards me, could it be that he wants to give me a hug after the victory?��


    ��Should I respond, or perhaps give him a gentle hug in return?�� Anna pondered with indecision.


    As for Lagaray, upon seeing Rein charging, her first thought was that Rein probably wanted to hug both her and Anna.


    ��This guy is really getting out of hand!��


    ��Aunt Emma really, always filling her son with the notion that once he becomes a noble lord, he can have a combination of a wife and lovers, no, a wife with multiple lovers!��


    ��Doesn��t he know that we barbarian girls are very traditional!��


    ��Ah! Well, a hug is no big deal,�� Lagaray thought to herself.


    As both women were internally struggling and awaiting Rein��s hug anxiously, Rein suddenly dropped to a crouch right in front of them.


    Rein grabbed ��Cookie��s head and said, ��Cookie, come with me.��


    In an instant, ��Cookie��s dog eyes sparkled!


    Its expression seemed to say, had its status in the family hierarchy really risen above the two female masters in its owner��s heart?


    Whether it was Rein��s imagination or not, he felt that ��Cookie,�� having taken the mutation growth potion, seemed to have grown smarter.


    Rein, holding ��Cookie,�� quickly arrived at the pile of black robe residues.


    This left the two women exchanging glances, both feeling somewhat disappointed.


    Rein then had ��Cookie�� sniff the bloody black robe on the ground, followed by the short staff and the iron key.


    After miming a few signals, ��Cookie��s eyes brightened as it began to sniff and run towards the north of Flashgold Town.


    This immediately delighted Rein.


    As the books from his previous life said, the sense of smell of canines was thousands of times better than that of humans, and it was indeed no exaggeration!


    ��My lord, we might discover something unexpected,�� Rein said, turning his head to speak to Hamilton.


    Looking at the Lurcher sniffing and running, Hamilton instantly grasped the implications of Rein��s words.


    He laughed and said, ��I��ll sit this one out, cough�� I��d only be in the way, pick a few sharp ones to accompany you.��


    ��Alright, my lord,�� Rein nodded.


    At a distance, Rein gestured to Matteo.


    Matteo quickly ran over.


    ��Call two smart ones to join me,�� Rein instructed.


    ��No problem, Deputy Commander! Valres, Lenon, the two of you come with me,�� Matteo said with a pleased look, patting his chest.

 Chapter 211 - 211 - 150 A little trouble, has been dealt with (2 in 1 large chapter)_3

    Chapter 211 �C 150 A little trouble, has been dealt with (2 in 1 large chapter)_3


    Rein��s closeness made Matteo feel that his recent performance must have satisfied the Deputy Commander.


    ��At your command, Captain!�� two stalwart Night Watchmen stepped forward and said.


    Just as Rein was about to follow ��Cookie�� to the north side of Flashgold Town with three people, he quickly noticed two familiar sets of footsteps behind him.


    He turned around and saw it was Lagaray and Anna.


    ��Rein, do you need us to accompany you?��


    After thinking for a moment, Rein said, ��Well�� Anna, you should go home first, there might be some danger later. Lagaray, you can come with me.��


    Anna nodded, at the same time, she slightly bowed her head, her eyes dimmed.


    ...


    As expected, Rein must think of her as a burden in his heart.


    She glanced enviously at Lagaray standing beside her, holding a brand-new metal shield, looking heroic.


    How wonderful it would be if she could be like Lagaray one day!


    ��


    Soon, Rein��s group of five arrived at the north side of Flashgold Town.


    However, what puzzled Rein was that the Lurcher ��Cookie,�� even after reaching the edge of the north side of Flashgold Town, kept running forward without any sign of stopping.


    Could it be that Adams�� residence was in an estate outside of Flashgold Town? Rein couldn��t help but speculate.


    But an hour passed!


    ��Cookie�� continued to sniff and run, and it seemed they were getting closer and closer to County Town. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an instant, Rein reacted!


    Yes, a master of Adams�� caliber was naturally most likely to be hidden in County Town.


    After all, a level three Wizard Apprentice looking to advance would need resources that a small town simply couldn��t provide.


    Or to say, it would be very inconvenient for such a master to reside in a small town and obtain resources.


    The group of five quickly passed through the city gates, but then ��Cookie�� headed towards a location Rein was increasingly familiar with.


    Huh!


    This is near Frank��s Tavern.


    A flash of insight crossed his mind!


    In an instant, Rein connected the dots to an excellent location.


    Could it be that Adams was usually hiding in the Bat Market?


    Sure enough, the Lurcher ��Cookie�� walked into the alley marked with a bat symbol, and then barked a few times with a dumbfounded dog��s expression, looking at Rein.


    It seemed to be saying, ��It should be here, but the scent stops. There��s nothing ahead!��


    Rein smiled and turned to Matteo and the other two, saying, ��Your uniforms are too conspicuous, wait here for a bit.��


    ��At your command, Deputy Commander!�� Matteo said with a grin.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein said to Lagaray, ��Your shield and figure are too noticeable, too. Better wait here with Matteo and the others for me.��


    ��Well�� okay!�� Lagaray clenched her hand on the shield and nodded.


    She was currently quite behind Rein in terms of strength, so she didn��t offer any objections.


    Rein then picked up ��Cookie�� and walked into the Bat Market.


    The four people on the side watched in surprise as Rein suddenly disappeared in front of them!


    Right away, the four of them exchanged puzzled looks!


    �����������C


    By this time, it had started to get light.


    Perhaps in a normal morning market, there should already be early-rising merchants and pedestrians mingling, but in the Bat Market, the human flow was extremely scarce, and the streets were empty.


    As soon as he entered, Rein set the Lurcher ��Cookie�� down, and ��Cookie��s dog eyes regained their previous liveliness. Sniffing around, it began to quickly scout ahead.


    Soon, the man and dog arrived at a shop with a sign hanging on the door featuring patterns of stars, the sun, and the moon.


    ��Woof!�� ��Cookie�� let out a soft bark.


    Afterward, it wagged its tail and walked back and forth in front of the closed shop door.


    Clearly, this was the place ��Cookie�� had determined Adams had stayed before.


    Rein raised his eyebrows in delight.


    Having tracked from Flashgold Town all the way to County Town, now, they finally found a site where the other party had likely stayed.


    Rein first looked around and, after realizing that no one on the street was paying attention to himself and ��Cookie,�� immediately circled the shop, carefully observing it.


    Soon, he noticed one of the windows of the shop was half-open.


    After a moment of thought, Rein began to execute his newly mastered core Beast Tamer skill, ��Beast Eye.��


    The next second, Rein��s vision switched to ��Cookie.��


    ��Cookie�� took a running start and leaped through the window about one and a half meters high.


    It wasn��t long before a man��s scolding voice came from inside: ��Where did this stray dog come from!��


    Shortly after, ��Cookie�� jumped back out the window.


    At that time, Rein ended the skill ��Beast Eye�� and looked amused.


    ��There��s only one adult male inside, very weak, seems to be Adams�� servant, or possibly just an ordinary employee to help watch the shop.��


    ��Should be easy to handle.��


    So, Rein stepped forward and knocked on the door.


    ��Thud, thud, thud!��


    The person inside asked cautiously, ��Who��s there?��


    ��We��re not open for business yet, the Diviner is not in.�� The other party added another sentence.


    The Diviner?


    It seems that this was most likely a false identity used by Adams to hide.


    Not opening the door?


    Rein raised his gauntlet-covered right hand and slammed it violently against the wooden door!


    ��Crack!��


    Wood splintered!


    Rein chose to break in directly.


    The shop��s wooden door suddenly had a hole the size of a washbasin, and without delay, Rein pulled open the door latch, pushed the door open, and walked in.

 Chapter 212 - 212 - 150 A little trouble, has been dealt with (2 in 1 large chapter)_4

    Chapter 212 �C 150 A little trouble, has been dealt with (2 in 1 large chapter)_4


    ��Who are you?�� asked a man in his twenties inside, retreating step by step in fear upon seeing Rein clad in knight armor and carrying such an imposing aura.


    ��As an accomplice of Adams, you are under arrest!�� Rein declared loudly.


    ��Adams?��


    ��Sir, are you mistaken? We don��t have anyone by that name here,�� the young man replied, looking utterly confused.


    ��Recognize this?�� Rein pulled out a staff from Adams from behind his back.


    The white knuckles surely weren��t shown off by Adams before, but Rein felt that Adams would most likely not hide such an unremarkable staff.


    As expected!


    ...


    ��My boss��s staff?�� The young man��s eyes suddenly widened, as if he had made a connection, and he exclaimed in disbelief.


    ��Your boss��s real name is Adams, a fugitive wanted by the empire. Now, do you have anything else to say?��


    ��Sir�� I��ve been wronged!��


    ��I only started working at this divination shop last month, I had no idea our boss was a fugitive wanted by the empire���� The young man��s legs gave way, and he slowly slumped against the wall, crying out his innocence with a look of disbelief.


    ��Hmm, if what you say is true, you will be released soon.��


    ��Now, please cooperate with my work. Where is Adams��s, your boss��s, bedroom?�� Rein asked, patiently organizing his thoughts.


    ��


    Ten minutes later, Rein walked out of the divination shop carrying a large black bag, followed by a dejected young man.


    Just as Rein was about to leave the Bat Market, two hooded figures in black robes approached him from the front of the street.


    Rein��s pupils contracted, and his expression turned stern.


    He could feel the active spiritual power of the two people opposite him.


    It seemed not inferior to his own, roughly that of a second-level Wizard Apprentice.


    Of course, they could be higher, like a third-level Wizard Apprentice, but deliberately disguising it as second-level.


    ��Young man, no fighting is allowed inside the Bat Market; any dispute must be submitted to the market��s manager,�� one of the robed men said.


    ��Are you the managers of the Bat Market?��


    ��I am here to capture Adams, a fugitive wanted by the empire. I believe, even the Bat Market cannot protect a wanted criminal,�� Rein stated, pointing to the emblem on his knight armor.


    ��This���� The two robed men, taken aback by Rein��s answer.


    The two exchanged glances for a moment, then said, ��Since you are an official imperial agent performing your duties, that certainly is a different matter.��


    Indeed, having the backing of a powerful entity is beneficial! Rein thought to himself.


    Once Rein left the Bat Market, Matteo, who had been waiting at the entrance, immediately came up to him, asking, ��Sir, did everything go smoothly?��


    ��Matteo, take this man into custody. We��ll interrogate him later about his relationship with Adams.�� S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Rein was almost certain that the employee was just an ordinary person, the only extraordinary aspect being his slightly higher spiritual power��a fairly common occurrence in the Bat Market��


    Typically, shop assistants are selected from ordinary people with relatively stronger spirits.


    ��As you command, sir!��


    Immediately, Matteo signalled to two elite Night Watchmen behind him to escort the suspect, following Rein back to Flashgold Town.


    Two hours later, once back at home, Rein immediately went to the storage room and placed the black package directly on the table.


    A smile crossed Rein��s face as he waved vigorously through the air with both hands!


    This haul could definitely be called tremendous!


    Calming his surging emotions, Rein set about to inventory his acquisitions this time.


    A Crystal Ball, two Sorcery Scrolls, three books written in Lingwen (Akkadian), and a whole bunch of assorted materials.


    Currently, Rein had no idea of the effects of these items.


    So, the first thing Rein opened were the three books written in Lingwen.


    ��Not bad!��


    ��Not a decent person.��


    ��There��s a diary!��


    ��In that case, the origins and uses of these items in my possession should generally be recognizable!�� Rein, holding a book in his hands, said with a smile.

 Chapter 213 - 213 - 151: Quite a Generous Bounty (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 213 �C 151: Quite a Generous Bounty (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    As Rein flipped through the pages, his facial expression alternated between frowning and relaxing.


    Finally, he let out a long sigh and began to ponder deeply.


    It turned out that Adams, unlike the roguish wizard apprentices like Endri who became involved halfway, had a relatively orthodox background.


    According to the diary, Adams had once been a wizard apprentice to Solin Bergman, the advisor to Duke Louis of the Dragan Empire, many years ago.


    However, the young and impetuous Adams eventually became involved with the Duchess Catherine, wife of Duke Louis, but the affair was quickly exposed and secretly relayed to Duke Louis by one of Catherine��s personal maids.


    Fortunately, Adams, sensing something was amiss, discovered the squadron of knights sent to capture him.


    Adams believed that if he were caught by the furious Duke Louis, his life would not be spared, and moreover, he harbored resentment towards his mentor Solin for not protecting him.


    ... sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Immediately, Adams stole numerous casting materials and Sorcery Scrolls from his mentor Solin and fled the Imperial City quickly.


    ��Not bad, this story could be passed down by the Wandering Bards! Tsk tsk, indeed, ��tis folly to be sage and serious in youth!��


    ��Who would have thought that Adams, in his youth, was such a charmer.��


    ��He slept with the Duke��s wife�� worth it.��


    ��Hmm, certainly stronger than that wandering bard Endri, who merely hooked up with an Earl��s wife, but Adams is different, that was the Duke��s wife����


    ��But�� are all wizard apprentices so licentious?��


    ��Plus, they all fancy married women, with a rascal��s attribute points maxed out���� Rein stroked his chin, musing to himself.


    ��Additionally, the advisor Solin of Duke Louis, as described by Adams, seems to be a formal wizard from a school called the ��Igni Sect��.��


    Although Adams��s description of his mentor Solin was limited to a single sentence, Rein felt it revealed quite a lot.


    First and foremost, in this world, some wizard apprentices or wizards themselves belonged to certain schools, meaning there was a complete lineage and training system.


    The existence of the ��Igni Sect�� indicated that there were probably other schools as well.


    This was certainly good news for Rein, who strove to seek the mysteries of witchcraft yet had always been groping his way like crossing a river by feeling for stones.


    Secondly, the fact that a formal wizard served as an advisor to a Duke of the Empire, upon reflection, suggested to Rein that the upper echelons of the Empire did not regard wizards as dangerous beasts; instead, they were seen as a source of strength.


    This instantly made Rein recall the advisers to lords from ancient times in his previous life.


    Putting all these ideas together in sequence, Rein thought that if he kept climbing upward with the support of the Empire, he would gradually come into contact with systematic wizardly knowledge.


    Moreover, there were other contents in the diary that left a deep impression on Rein.


    It appeared that in the eyes of a third-level wizard apprentice, knights below the level of Great Knight, be they veterans or Peak Knights, were no different from the weakest links.


    In Adams��s view, with strength at his level, it was only other mystical side professionals who could possibly pose a threat to him, meaning in his heart, ��only witchcraft can combat witchcraft.��


    Knight types, who relied purely on physical attacks, were not even worth consideration to Adams.


    No wonder Adams had looked down upon the assault from him and Hamilton, believing he could escape with ease.


    Thinking carefully, Rein recalled that under normal circumstances, and logically deducing the battle, indeed, there was hardly any chance for Adams to lose.


    Given the strength Adams had shown, he could easily have handled the assault of one Peak Knight and one veteran knight.


    It was just unfortunate for Adams to have come across someone like him who ��cheated��!


    An encounter later, with strength surpassing that of a Peak Knight and possessing a bit of witchcraft, a ��little monster�� was born.


    Thus, Adams met his unfortunate end in an unexpected place.


    Of course, what Rein focused on was that in Adams��s cognition and judgment, he, a third-level wizard apprentice, was at least on par with a Great Knight, if not slightly superior.


    Does this then mean that in terms of combat power in this world, a third-level wizard apprentice is equivalent to a Great Knight?


    No!


    After thinking it through more carefully, Rein felt there were one or two conditions that needed to be added.


    That is, a third-level wizard apprentice with a ��formal education�� and possessing several Sorcery Scrolls as trump cards should be considered above a Great Knight. As for wandering wizard apprentices or ��pauper�� apprentices, that may not necessarily be the case.


    ��Whether or not external forces can be borrowed�� directly determined the combat strength of a wizard apprentice!


    After pondering, Rein continued to flip through the pages of the diary, reading on.


    A quarter of an hour later, Rein picked up the crystal orb that was slightly smaller than a baby��s head and examined it carefully.


    ��Who would have thought that this Crystal Ball is actually a testing crystal, capable of crudely testing a person��s affinity for various mystical side energy particles,�� Rein muttered to himself.


    Simply put, each person attracts different mystical side energy particles to varying degrees.


    For a wizard apprentice, energy particles that are more naturally attracted to and are thus easier to control would also be slightly more powerful.


    Therefore, Adams��s diary made it very clear that it was important for orthodox wizard apprentices to determine their affinity before learning witchcraft.

 Chapter 214 - 214 - 151: Considerable Spoils of War (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 214 �C 151: Considerable Spoils of War (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    So as to redouble the effort when choosing a speciality later on!


    This benefited Rein, the ��wild�� Wizard Apprentice, immensely.


    Soon, Rein figured out how to use the ��affinity testing�� crystal ball.


    The method was simple, only requiring him to pour his spiritual power into the crystal ball and earnestly perceive the surrounding mystical side-energy particles.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein decided to test it immediately. Thus, he began to hold the crystal ball with both hands, closed his eyes, and concentrated his spirit.


    As Rein��s spiritual power flowed in, the crystal ball quickly emitted a soft white light, and at the same time, different colors of light started to swirl within the previously clear crystal ball.


    A few seconds later, the light gradually stabilized.


    ...


    At this moment, Rein opened his eyes and saw that the topmost layer of the crystal ball was filled with red mist, while in the middle there was a light silver mist, with both seeming to have almost the same volume. Although there were slight differences, the gap wasn��t significant.


    The light silver color was only slightly less than the red, with their combined volume accounting for nearly eighty to ninety percent of the space within the crystal ball.


    The rest were a mix of colors, almost a little of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple.


    According to Adams, the red represented affinity for flame energy particles: the larger the area it occupied in the crystal ball, the stronger the tester��s affinity for that type of energy particle.


    Rein nodded slightly, thinking to himself that this was right.


    This also explained why, when he first became a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, he could only manipulate flame energy particles.


    And as his spiritual power grew day by day, on the verge of becoming a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, he could barely affect other mystical side-energy particles around him, yet the power was still much weaker in comparison.


    However, this affinity testing crystal ball could only approximately measure the tester��s affinity direction and wasn��t capable of an accurate quantitative test.


    Simply put, it��s like if you took an exam and got scores of 60 in Chinese, 60 in Mathematics, and 10 in English, the ratio would be 6:6:1; of course, if your scores were 120, 120, and 20, the ratio would also be 6:6:1. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What the crystal ball shows is a kind of ratio, not a specific value.


    As for Rein��s pale silver color��


    That was not recorded in Adams��s diary.


    This made Rein frown slightly.


    Clearly, if he could understand what the pale silver represented in terms of affinity direction, he could deliberately collect witchcraft and related knowledge in that direction, naturally enhancing the power of the witchcraft he cast over those with relatively weaker affinity.


    However��


    Since he couldn��t figure it out immediately, Rein contemplated for a short moment and decided to continue reading.


    An hour later, Rein had read through the entire diary of Adams.


    Looking again at the spoils on the table, a smile couldn��t help but spread across Rein��s face.


    Regarding the short wand, the diary mentioned that it was crafted from a special tree called Graywood, and had a slightly elevated effect on dark energy witchcraft.


    For Rein, this wasn��t of much use.


    But for those Wizard Apprentices who specialized in dark energy, they would likely take great pleasure in it.


    As for the slender white finger bone, the diary did not record anything, so he skipped over it.


    Regarding the two Lingwen books, one detailed the method of creating a potion named ��Arcane Elixir,�� which could slightly enhance spiritual power. However, nearly ninety-nine percent of the ingredients were unknown to Rein.


    After briefly looking at it, Rein put it aside.


    Because for most Wizard Apprentices, the only way to enhance spiritual power was through years of practicing basic meditative techniques.


    And for a small number with rich resources or a legacy, there was a second method: they could enhance their spiritual power through the consumption of these rare elixirs.


    However�� for Rein, he had a third approach.


    Its effects were far superior to the previous two methods.


    That was��adding points!


    So, for Rein, the Arcane Elixir, which could enhance a small amount of spiritual power, was not as precious to him as it might be to other Wizard Apprentices.


    Mainly because Rein considered one thing.


    At the current stage, if he chose to produce this elixir, he would have to search for these rare materials himself.


    Possibly, the time spent in the process could allow Rein to level up several aspects of his vocational panel.


    Therefore, after a short contemplation, Rein understood that it would be much easier to arrange for someone to collect them later on when his duties were further progressed, and then making the elixir would still be timely.


    The other book made Rein��s eyes light up because it recorded three types of witchcraft, to be precise, two curses plus one witchcraft.


    The first curse was ��Spiritual Fatigue.��


    The condition for casting this curse was a bit troublesome.


    The first step was to draw a pentagram��in reverse��along with a personal item that had intimate contact with the target of the curse. Of course, if there was access to the target��s hair or blood, that would be even better.


    Rein had an epiphany after reading the description of the effects of the curse ��Spiritual Fatigue.��


    The effect of curse ��Spiritual Fatigue��: It reduces the spirit of whoever is cursed, causing them to feel strong fatigue.


    This immediately reminded Rein of how he felt the previous night. He suddenly felt extraordinarily tired, almost unable to open his eyes, evidently due to this curse.

 Chapter 215 - 215 - 151: Substantial Spoils of War (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 215 �C 151: Substantial Spoils of War (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3 S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein carefully studied the curse-type witchcraft again, and his brows furrowed immediately.


    Because the release of the curse ��spiritual exhaustion�� not only required learning some prerequisite knowledge, such as ��basic principles of negative energy�� and ��human neurology,�� but also hinged on the manipulation of negative energy particles.


    The strength of the negative energy particles that the caster could manipulate was directly related to the strength of this curse��s effect.


    Of course, the strength of spiritual power is almost linked to the power of all witchcraft, which goes without mentioning here.


    That is to say, if Rein were to perform this witchcraft, with the same spirit power intensity, his curse effect might be a lot weaker than that of Adams��s.


    The second curse was called ��Ghostly Entanglement.��


    It also required personal objects closely associated with the curse��s target, such as hair or blood; secondly, it required an existing resentful spirit or other spiritual body creature. If not available, it wasn��t impossible, but the effect of the curse would be greatly reduced.


    ...


    Curse ��Ghostly Entanglement�� Effect: Causes the magnetic field of the curse��s target to change, making it extremely susceptible to the attention and attack of resentful spirits, malevolent spirits, and other spiritual body creatures.


    Seeing the effects of this curse, Rein couldn��t help but understand why Adams was referred to as a Ghost Manipulator.


    Indeed, there are only misnamed names, not misnamed nicknames.


    For most people, even for a formal knight, facing such a bizarre curse without the aid of external forces was very hard to resist.


    After thinking it over, although both these witchcrafts were naive energy curses, Rein found them difficult to learn, and the effects after learning might be passable.


    But Rein still planned to give them a try.


    However, in terms of learning order, these two curse-type witchcrafts had to come after the third witchcraft.


    The third witchcraft, which even Adams had not mastered, was named ��High-Temperature Force Field.��


    Judging from the name alone, it was a fire-type witchcraft, and moreover, it was a rare force field type of witchcraft.


    Witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field�� Effect: Forms a high-temperature spherical force field within a few meters radius around the caster.


    According to the sloppy notes in the book, Adams stole this witchcraft because it was a rare force field type, and Adams felt, although it was a fire-type witchcraft, it was very significant for reference.


    However, later, Adams found the witchcraft model structure of the ��High-Temperature Force Field�� a bit complex, making it difficult to master.


    More importantly, this witchcraft did not align with his combat philosophy.


    Adams preferred to build himself as a ��cannon,�� focusing on learning long-range attack witchcraft, and the ��High-Temperature Force Field�� only had a range of a few meters, which suddenly diminished his desire to learn it.


    However, when Rein saw this witchcraft, what he thought was completely different.


    Rein��s current combat power, a significant part of it, came from the Knight (Transcendent) profession, meaning he mainly relied on close combat.


    The ��High-Temperature Force Field�� witchcraft seemed to have an inexplicable fit with him.


    Imagine, generating temperatures comparable to those under the Sahara Desert��s scorching sun within a few meters around oneself, and the enemies would quickly show signs of heatstroke, such as nausea, vomiting, dehydration��


    This picture was simply too perfect!


    Of course, the above scene was just Rein��s imagination; after all, the specific power would only be known after he learned it.


    However, since ��High-Temperature Force Field�� was a fire-type witchcraft, it matched perfectly with Rein��s affinity, which was a significant advantage.


    That is to say, once Rein mastered this witchcraft, its power could be slightly enhanced.


    Besides, this elemental-type witchcraft didn��t seem to require any prerequisite studies and could be directly learned, and once mastered, it could be quickly transformed into combat power.


    Therefore, Rein decided to first learn the fire-type witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field,�� then the two curses.


    Finally, only two Sorcery Scrolls were left.


    The creation of a Sorcery Scroll was extremely difficult, but its release was very simple, requiring only a small amount of spirit power to activate the scroll.


    There was no need to consider any witchcraft model, affinity, or other matters; it was the best way to quickly enhance a Wizard Apprentice��s combat power.


    The only downside was that it was expensive!


    Just as Rein was about to examine the Sorcery Scrolls, there was a knock at the door from Matteo.


    As soon as Matteo entered, he began to report on the investigation,


    ��Deputy Commandant, we have clarified the identity of that young man; he was not lying and indeed became an employee of Adams��s shop about a month ago.��


    ��Additionally, he provided a rather useful piece of information; two days ago, a middle-aged man came to the shop looking for his boss. He feels that the attack you suffered might be related to this middle-aged man.��


    Upon hearing this, Rein��s brow raised; this was very likely.


    After all, he had no grievances with Adams, so the attack against him must have been commissioned by someone else.


    ��Hmm, do you have any specific information about this middle-aged man?�� Rein asked.


    ��Uh�� the middle-aged man did not stay long, and Adams dismissed him soon after. So, the young man is not clear about the detailed content of their conversation or the specific identity of the middle-aged man.��


    ��However�� sir, I just had someone draw a portrait based on the young man��s description. You can have a look,�� Matteo said, pulling out a rolled-up parchment from his chest, unrolling and presenting it in front of Rein.

 Chapter 216 - 216 - 151: Quite Substantial Spoils of War (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4

    Chapter 216 �C 151: Quite Substantial Spoils of War (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4


    Rein��s heart leapt, and he nodded, saying, ��Very good, Matteo, you are becoming more meticulous in your work.��


    After carefully discerning, Rein confirmed that the person was neither Baron Alonzo nor Viscount Hamadi.


    Of course, this was assuming that neither of them was using some sort of well-crafted human skin mask. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein reminisced in his mind and confirmed that he did not know this person.


    But Rein always felt that there was something familiar about the man��s appearance, yet he could not pinpoint the source of this familiarity at all.


    Less than a minute after Matteo had left, the storeroom where Rein was located again heard a knock at the door.


    Rein opened the door and saw Lagaray standing outside.


    ...


    ��Rein, may I come in? I need to discuss something with you.��


    ��Of course, come in.��


    ��Rein, have you now reached the level of a senior knight?�� Lagaray looked at Rein with her deep blue eyes, an expectant expression on her face.


    ��Hmm? Lagaray, why would you ask that?�� Rein smiled.


    ��I heard it from the Night Watchmen; they all say your strength has surpassed that of the peace officer of Flashgold Town, Lord Hamilton.��


    ��Well�� Perhaps.�� Rein nodded without denying it.


    ��That��s wonderful! Rein, may I request something of you? I want to retrieve my brother and his teammates�� remains and their weapons from the Nightingale Forest.��


    ��I��ve been waiting too long���� As Lagaray spoke about it, the light died in her eyes, leaving her face forlorn!


    So that was it��


    Rein looked thoughtful.


    It was not that he was unwilling to go.


    Only, if a Crown Knight had easily disposed of Lagaray��s brother, a savage warrior with a ferocity level of 40%, clearly, the opponent was very strong.


    Although he had killed Adams, a third-level Wizard Apprentice, that did not mean he was confident in handling some of the mysterious events in this world.


    ��Er�� Lagaray, I will now go to Lord Hamilton and ask about the plans of the County Town and the church. Supposedly, the church��s people should be arriving soon,�� Rein thought and said.


    ��The recent delays, I heard, were due to the monsoon and Sea Goddess Church working in coordination with the official empire to suppress the Cult,�� Rein added after thinking.


    At that moment, his sister, Bo He, suddenly yelled from downstairs, ��Brother, someone is looking for you downstairs, and there��s a carriage!��


    Rein��s eyebrows raised; could it be that it was someone from the Crawley family?


    ��Thump, thump, thump!��


    Bo He rushed upstairs, her face flushed and slightly excited, saying, ��Brother, the carriage doesn��t bear the pattern of roses, it seems like a giant dragon?��


    Hmm?


    A giant dragon?


    Impossible!


    This immediately made Rein quite puzzled.


    He immediately excused himself to Lagaray and went downstairs.


    As soon as he stepped out of the doorway, he saw a luxurious carriage parked next to their house, clearly not in the style of the Crawley family, and the crest on the carriage was completely different.


    This time, the carriage had a design with more curves, giving it a more exquisite and noble impression.


    Moreover, the crest on the upper right corner of the carriage showed a giant dragon spreading its wings and roaring skyward, lifelike.


    Bo He was right!


    Rein��s pupils shrank!


    Clearly, the visitor was a prominent figure.


    Because, generally, nobles or institutions simply do not have the right to use a giant dragon as a crest, following the established custom of noble crest design in the Dragan Empire.


    Rein had heard about this from Jenny during a carriage conversation a few days ago.


    Upon seeing Rein approach,


    a middle-aged man dressed in a fitted tailcoat also alighted from the carriage, and said, ��Excuse me, is this Lord Rein of Flashgold Town, the deputy peace officer?��

 Chapter 217 - 217 - 152: The Second Witchcraft (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 217 �C 152: The Second Witchcraft (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)


    ��`


    ��Yes!��


    The middle-aged man nodded and said, ��I am an official of the Imperial Candidacy Examination Committee stationed in Mingster Province, Lord Rein, please get into the carriage so we can discuss in detail.��


    Hmm?


    An official of the Candidacy Examination Committee?


    No wonder they dared to use the image of a giant dragon as the symbol on their carriage.


    After all, the other party is an organization directly under the Senate, the highest authority in the Empire.


    ...


    ��Alright,�� Rein nodded hastily, not daring to be negligent, and followed the middle-aged man into the carriage.


    As soon as he entered, he found the carriage��s interior was unusually spacious; there were two rows of seats facing each other with a moderately sized, rectangular coffee table in between.


    A middle-aged man with a goatee, dressed in black hunting clothes with gold trim, was sitting calmly on the left side, watching Rein enter the carriage.


    ��Lord Rein, this is Special Envoy Javier Stewart,�� said the man in the tailcoat following the introductions.


    ��Envoy Stewart, greetings,�� Rein inclined his head slightly in a gesture of respect.


    Envoy?


    Rein couldn��t estimate how high-ranking this position was.


    But obviously, the other was a high-ranking noble.


    ��Lord Rein is quite youthful and talented, please have a look at this information,�� Javier examined Rein and couldn��t help but smile; as he spoke, he pushed a file resembling a document bag across the coffee table toward Rein.


    ��Of course, my lord,�� Rein replied after receiving it, and then began to read carefully.


    Minutes later, after finishing the documents, Rein��s face showed reflection.


    At that moment, seeing that Rein had finished reading, the Special Envoy named Javier spoke, ��Due to the need for confidentiality, we cannot give you these documents; if you haven��t memorized them, you are welcome to read them again now.��


    ��There��s no need, I think I��ve committed it to memory. Thank you, Envoy Stewart.��


    ��By the way, please take good care of this credential badge for participating in the candidacy examination,�� Javier pointed toward the coffee table again.


    Rein nodded. He picked up the amethyst-colored badge from the coffee table, which was slightly larger than a Gold Coin. The badge bore the image of a Knight holding a sword and shield atop a horse, looking imposing and extraordinary.


    ��Then, Lord Rein, please make sure not to be late. Tardiness will result in disqualification from the candidacy examination.��


    ��I apologize for the intrusion and wish you success in your examination,�� Javier said with a smile.


    Rein understood that this was an indication that their time for discussion was over.


    Presumably, the Envoy still had other candidates to notify for the examination.


    ��Thank you, Envoy Stewart.�� After picking up the credential badge, Rein stood up and left the carriage.


    Shortly after, the carriage slowly started moving.


    Inside the carriage, the man in the tailcoat asked curiously, ��Envoy Stewart, why did you make a special trip to see this Rein?��


    ��The individual is merely of common birth. Though it is commendable that he has reached Transcendent at such an age, it doesn��t seem that rare in the whole of Mingster Province.��


    Javier chuckled and said, ��Hehe, the latest news is that this young Lord Rein, a while ago, defeated several Cultist monks by himself, thwarting one of their operations.��


    ��Eh? That is quite rare!�� The man in the tailcoat showed a hint of surprise.


    ��Doesn��t that mean this young Lord Rein might already possess strength comparable to that of a seasoned Knight?��


    ��Not just that. Among those Cultist monks, there was a Black Flame Apostle, which has also been confirmed by Meister County��s Monsoon and the Church of the Ocean Goddess,�� Javier continued.


    ��What?�� The man��s eyes suddenly widened, truly taken aback this time.


    For Rein to defeat an Angel Envoy of that caliber at his age, even throughout Mingster Province, was exceptionally rare.


    To narrow the scope further, no individuals of common birth around fifteen years of age had achieved this�� It seemed there were none!


    At least, in his memory, there were none.


    ��It seems that this Lord Rein could very well be a potential ��Sword Bearer,''�� the man in the tailcoat exhaled thoughtfully.


    He now understood the purpose behind the Special Envoy��s particular visit.


    Indeed.


    ��Yes, but there is some uncertainty in becoming a ��Sword Bearer��; we shall wait and see,�� he replied.


    Soon, the luxurious carriage disappeared at the end of the road��


    After watching the carriage depart, Rein began to consider his preparations; the contents of the document bag were etched deeply in his mind.


    Firstly, the time and place for the candidacy examination: half a month from now, in Rosby City of Mingster Province, the County Town of Rosby.


    It was the first time Rein had heard of it.


    Thankfully, based on the map provided in the documents, Rosby City was right next to Meister County; it would take approximately five days by horse, which wasn��t too far.


    Moreover, the map also showed that this was a large city right on the coastline, surrounded by many islands near Rosby City.


    It appeared the examination might involve the islands, perhaps even directly related to the ocean.


    Eradicate pirates that had settled on certain islands?


    Or was it friction on the border with the emerging Eagle Federation?


    Rein shook his head lightly; none of this was certain, and he would only know after arriving in Rosby City.


    Additionally, he did not yet know whether he would be assigned an individual task or a team task for the examination, so Rein had to prepare earnestly.


    However, Rein was quite confident in his abilities.


    ��`


    S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 218 - 218 - 152: The Second Witchcraft (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 218 �C 152: The Second Witchcraft (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_2


    After all, his current strength had already surpassed Lord Hamilton��s, and when Lord Hamilton had participated in the ennoblement assessment, he too secured a ��Good�� second-tier rating and was granted the title of baron.


    That is to say, as long as nothing unexpected occurs, he should at least be able to secure the baron title in this ennoblement assessment.


    Rather than returning to the second-floor storage room, Rein, after some thought, decided to first visit the town hall to find Lord Hamilton.


    It wasn��t long before Rein arrived at Lord Hamilton��s office.


    Upon entering, he was greeted by the strong scent of herbs, reminding him that Lord Hamilton had been quite seriously injured the previous night.


    Seeing Rein enter, Lord Hamilton smiled and said, ��Rein, what brings you here? I was just about to send someone for you. I didn��t expect you to come on your own.��


    ��Lord, how are you feeling?��


    ...


    ��It��s not too serious, but I do need to properly recuperate over the next few days.��


    Rein nodded and continued, ��That��s good to hear, Lord. The ennoblement assessment committee has already contacted me.��


    ��Oh? So soon?�� Lord Hamilton said, his expression turning solemn.


    Immediately, Rein briefly shared with Lord Hamilton the people he had met and some of the discussions they had.


    He mainly wanted to hear Lord Hamilton��s analysis and see in which areas he still needed to prepare, given Lord Hamilton��s relevant experience.


    After listening, Lord Hamilton thought deeply and then said,


    ��Regarding the position of envoy, I��m not too clear either. After all, any worker from the ennoblement assessment committee, as long as they hold specific tasks or responsibilities, can be regarded as envoys at the county or provincial level.��


    ��However, that��s not what you should focus on.��


    ��Rein, judging by your assembly location, it��s highly likely that the contents of this ennoblement assessment batch will involve the sea. You have about ten days left; you should make good use of this time to prepare.��


    ��For instance, in an aquatic environment, a knight��s heavy armor might sometimes become a burden, so, I suggest you prepare a set of leather armor.��


    ��Besides, you should also think carefully about other possible situations you might encounter.��


    Rein nodded, indeed that was the case.


    However, at that moment an idea flashed through Rein��s mind.


    Perhaps, he could visit the bat market again; there might be some potions or strange objects suitable for use in aquatic environments.


    ��Speaking of which, Rein, the messenger from the county just informed me that tomorrow, Rudolph, the head of the Monsoon and Sea Goddess Church, will once again lead a team to Nightingale Forest to deal with the Evil Spirit Knight issue,�� Lord Hamilton mentioned.


    ��Initially, I thought I��d ask you to accompany him since I��m injured.��


    ��However�� since you��re about to participate in the ennoblement assessment, it��s better��.��


    At this point, Rein raised an eyebrow and interrupted Lord Hamilton��s next words,


    ��Wait, Lord, since you are unwell, it��s more appropriate for me to go. Moreover, if I want to further enhance my strength, I believe I need more real combat experience!��


    He hadn��t expected that right after Lagaray had approached him, the church��s people would come calling.


    In addition, having the church accompany him naturally offered a greater security assurance, as they were experts in handling mysterious events with rich experience.


    Of course, most importantly, Rein was still considering whether he could further improve his strength by dealing with the Evil Spirit Knight task. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because at present, his Knight (Transcendent) career panel was not far from leveling up.


    Lord Hamilton glanced at Rein.


    Does your strength still need to be enhanced?


    This is an ennoblement assessment, not some kind of life-or-death ordeal!


    Lord Hamilton thought to himself in criticism.


    Of course, he definitely couldn��t say that. Looking at Rein earnestly, he asked, ��Rein�� are you sure you don��t need to spend some time preparing?��


    ��Lord, the Evil Spirit Knight task shouldn��t take too much time. I think, after returning, I will still have plenty of time to prepare,�� Rein replied.


    ��Very well!�� Lord Hamilton nodded and agreed.


    After all, for him, given his current serious injuries that required a few days to recover, sending Rein was definitely the best choice.


    When Rein returned home and shared this news with Lagaray, the barbarian girl couldn��t help but be overjoyed.


    She had been waiting for this day for far too long.


    ��Also, if nothing unexpected happens, I should be accompanying you tomorrow,�� Rein added after a moment��s thought.


    ��Oh? Isn��t it supposed to be Lord Hamilton?��


    ��He��s injured, so this time, I��ll be leading the team from Flashgold Town,�� Rein explained.


    ��Alright, then I��ll go get ready.�� From Lagaray��s expression, there appeared to be an even brighter spark in her eyes.


    ��


    Only then did Rein find some free time to start examining the two Sorcery Scrolls.


    Rein first took out one of the Sorcery Scrolls, opening it cautiously.


    There are two ways to trigger a Sorcery Scroll: one is to tear it open directly, which is suitable for everyone including ordinary people.


    The other requires the injection of a slight amount of spiritual power, which is relatively more suitable for Wizard Apprentices. Through this method, one can slightly manipulate the angle and scope of the unleashed witchcraft.


    The first Sorcery Scroll bore intricate lines, triangles, and circles, emitting a faint chill, with a small spirit script (Akkadian) explanation, ��Arctic Wind.��


    Witchcraft ��Arctic Wind�� Effect: Summon an arctic airflow from the caster, blowing forward for tens of meters and causing the temperature in the area to drop drastically within a very short time.

 Chapter 219 - 219 - 152 The 2nd Witchcraft (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_3

    Chapter 219 �C 152 The 2nd Witchcraft (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_3


    Ice Frost Witchcraft?


    Rein fell into deep thought.


    From the description, it seemed to be an area-of-effect witchcraft with substantial power, but he wondered just how intense the described sharp drop in temperature was.


    Could it freeze seawater instantly, for example?


    After pondering, Rein put it away and slowly opened the second Sorcery Scroll.


    The pattern was similarly intricate, but this time the energy fluctuations emanating from the scroll were completely different from the previous one.


    And the Spirit script beside it read ��Summon Hurricane��.


    ...


    Witchcraft ��Summon Hurricane�� effect: Instantly summons a powerful hurricane, attacking a fan-shaped area directly in front of the caster.


    For such a vague description,


    Rein could only express deep aversion!


    Powerful energy?


    Just how powerful?


    Would this hurricane inflict slicing wounds on the enemies, merely blow them away, or even toss a cow into the sky?


    Rein was perplexed!


    Unfortunately, as there was only one copy of each Sorcery Scroll, it meant that Rein could not test the actual effects of the scrolls in advance.


    Additionally, Rein was quite puzzled as to why Adams, who majored in negative energy, would possess these two scrolls that were clearly of the ice and wind series.


    Could it be that he stole them years ago from his mentor Sorin?


    Or were they spoils from some secret mission?


    After a brief contemplation, Rein slightly shook his head��these had nothing to do with him.


    After stowing the two Sorcery Scrolls, he took out the book recording the witchcraft ��High-Temperature Field�� and began reading it meticulously.


    Half an hour later, Rein crossed his arms and began to pace back and forth in the storeroom.


    Since the first witchcraft Rein mastered, ��Scorching Touch,�� was also a fire-type witchcraft, he naturally compared the ��High-Temperature Field�� with ��Scorching Touch.��


    Clearly, the difficulty had escalated dramatically!


    The visualization difficulty of the ��Scorching Touch�� model was like learning the word ��big�� after learning the English alphabet (Will runes), but the visualization difficulty of the ��High-Temperature Field�� was completely different, like learning ��congratulation�� right after the alphabet.


    So, although Rein��s spiritual power had increased to 20 points and he was much quicker, he sensed and channeled the surrounding fire energy particles, but to fully visualize the ��High-Temperature Field�� witchcraft model synchronously was extremely difficult.


    After thinking, Rein decided to give it a try.


    After all, he had an advantage: succeeding once meant that it would be etched on the panel, allowing for steady future improvement without fear of forgetting, backsliding, or mistakes like a normal Wizard Apprentice might face.


    After failing more than ten times, finally, Rein succeeded once!


    Within a few meters around Rein, the air and the air in distant areas seemed to exhibit a slight refraction phenomenon, though it was hardly noticeable without close inspection.


    But as per elementary physics on light refraction and reflection, this shouldn��t happen in the same medium.


    Because in the same medium, the transmission rate is fixed.


    But at this moment, it did occur.


    Clearly, this indicated that the temperature of the air around Rein was higher than other places, causing the air density and humidity to change due to temperature differences, resulting in a variance in transmission rate.


    An optical illusion like a mirage operates on this principle. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Besides, Rein also discovered that the temperature in the force field rose extremely fast, akin to the effect of a combination of a microwave and an air fryer.


    The air could be heated to a designated temperature in just a few seconds.


    Thus, to measure the power of the ��High-Temperature Field,�� Rein had already placed three basins of water on the table at approximately one meter, two meters, and three meters away from him.


    Ten seconds later, Rein voluntarily stopped the witchcraft ��High-Temperature Field.��


    To his disappointment, none of the three basins of water boiled.


    This indicated that the temperature of the ��High-Temperature Field�� witchcraft was far less than that of ��Scorching Touch.��


    After all, with the power of ��Scorching Touch,�� the water would not only have boiled by now but would have evaporated away.


    After stopping, Rein went forward to feel the temperature of the water in the basins.


    Indeed, the basin three meters away seemed perfect for a foot soak, approximately forty to fifty degrees.


    But the basin two meters away was about seventy to eighty degrees, quite scalding, yet the temperature of the basin one meter away was almost the same as the three-meter one.


    This surprised Rein quite a bit.


    He had assumed that the basin one meter away would be the hottest.


    It appears that the maximum lethal radius of the ��High-Temperature Field�� is around two meters; any further or closer, and the power decreases.


    At that moment, the system notification also followed:


    [You have studied the High-Temperature Field, understanding enhanced!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill��High-Temperature Field]


    [Your skill High-Temperature Field improved, Experience +1]


    Meanwhile, under the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel below the Scorching Touch icon, a brand-new icon appeared.


    The icon��s border lit up slightly, and the pattern on the icon was a blurred figure wearing a hood, surrounded by a transparent, oval eggshell-like thin membrane.


    Rein focused on the new icon, noticing a line of small text below it.


    High-Temperature Field lv1 (1/100)


    High-Temperature Field lv1 effect: Consumes a certain amount of spiritual power to invoke surrounding fire energy particles with a specific witchcraft model, generating high-temperature air within a certain range around the host, lasting approximately one minute.

 Chapter 220 - 220 - 152: The Second Witchcraft (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 220 �C 152: The Second Witchcraft (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_4


    (Note: The spell duration is 3 seconds, the power is proportional to the host��s spiritual power, and the closer to the core area, the greater the power. Current effective kill range: 1~3 meters.)


    To be honest, the power of this sorcery was far from what Rein had anticipated.


    Isn��t it called a high-temperature force field?


    How come it��s not even a hundred degrees?


    Is this considered high temperature?


    Rein couldn��t help but mutter under his breath.


    However, Rein thought again.


    ...


    He seemed to have misunderstood the temperature.


    Because if you look at the definition from meteorology, a temperature over 35�� is considered high.


    The highest recorded temperature in the Sahara Desert from historical records is only 58��. It��s important to note that many temperatures mentioned as seventy or eighty degrees refer to the surface temperature, not the air temperature.


    Seventy or eighty degrees, that definitely counts as high temperature!


    Moreover, if we consider human body temperature, anything over 40�� is considered high temperature, so seventy or eighty degrees��


    Well��


    The master who named this sorcery ��high-temperature force field,�� you win.


    Also, Rein found out that this is a force-field type of sorcery, which lasts much longer than usual, so it consumes a lot more spiritual power each time it is used.


    As the saying goes, ��Knowledge is power.��


    Since it��s learned, one must find the appropriate scenario to use it.


    Rein soon began to consider the suitable scenarios for this sorcery.


    First, for the ��high-temperature force field,�� Rein felt it was quite suitable for general melee combat range.


    Because the general range of melee combat between enemies is about two to three meters.


    If the battle lasts over ten seconds, the opponent should be sweating profusely and start showing signs of heatstroke. Even if a knight��s transcendent constitution is several times that of a normal person, the prolonged duration will inevitably lead to a significant drop in combat effectiveness!


    Looked at in this way, this ��high-temperature force field�� isn��t so useless after all.


    After pondering for a moment, Rein��s face lit up with a bright smile.


    Of course, there are also drawbacks. It��s best to keep the enemy within a two to three-meter range during combat, and not let them get too far away or vary their distance.


    Second, it is not suitable against archers or other long-range attackers.


    All day long, Rein was basically studying this new sorcery ��high-temperature force field�� and reading materials from the books from Adams.


    Rein felt that the biggest gains weren��t so much the one or two sorceries, nor the precious sorcery scrolls, but rather, it was gaining a preliminary understanding of some concepts. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For example, the concept of affinity for mysterious side energy particles, and the attitude of the empire��s upper echelons toward wizards and wizard apprentices, among others.


    Before this, Rein was utterly in the dark about these matters.


    �����������C


    The next morning, Rein and Lagaray arrived early at the town hall, accompanying Hamilton as they waited for the arrival of the church team.


    Soon, a long procession arrived slowly from the direction of County Town into Flashgold Town, distinctly appearing as the team from the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church judging by their attire.


    Soon, Rein spotted an old man in a blue robe with golden embroidery, holding a thick book, surrounded by silver-armored knights��it was Rudolph, the pastor they had previously dealt with.


    After some pleasantries, Rein, Lagaray, and over ten Night Watchmen from Flashgold Town, riding horses, joined the team coming from County Town.


    This time, Viscount Hamadi did not come, so while it was technically the team from County Town, it was almost exclusively the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church��s team.


    As they entered Nightingale Forest and drew closer to the target area, Rein noticed that aside from a few of the church��s paladins and Pastor Rudolph, the others, particularly those from Flashgold Town who followed him, were more or less nervous.


    Therefore, Rein rode up next to the Night Watchman��s captain Matteo and said, ��Once we reach the target area, Matteo, have everyone be careful.��


    ��Leave the Evil Spirit Knights to those paladins from the church. Your team will handle some of the guard duties.��


    ��Yes, sir!�� Hearing Rein��s arrangement, Matteo was naturally pleased.


    For these ordinary people, facing mysterious events often left them powerless, and if they encountered a commander who misused them as the main force, they would be doomed to suffer heavy casualties.


    Meanwhile.


    On the northwest edge of Nightingale Forest.


    A tall, slender female elf with jet-black hair had just arrived in Nightingale Forest, tired and dusty from her journey.

 Chapter 221 - 221 - 153: The Strength of the Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 221 �C 153: The Strength of the Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Quickly, Rein and his party were about to arrive at the area where Lagaray��s team had encountered the aged ogre.


    At that moment, Rudolph, the priest riding on horseback, suddenly looked up ahead, frowning ever so slightly.


    Almost simultaneously, Rein also raised his right hand and made a halt sign, shouting, ��Stop!��


    Just then, Rein had felt a very distinct, malicious scrutiny coming from the dense forest about a few dozen meters to the left and in front of him.


    He was certain that this surveilling gaze was not from an ordinary beast, but instead from some sort of intelligent creature.


    Moreover, for Rein to feel an obvious malice meant that the strength of the other party was not to be underestimated.


    Rudolph, however, did not focus on that surveilling gaze but instead turned his head in surprise towards Rein.


    ...


    This young man, who at such a young age had become a Transcendent Knight, seemed to become more and more inscrutable to him.


    Because that surveilling gaze, even he had only just noticed it himself.


    But what he hadn��t expected was that Rein, right by his side, could also detect it so quickly��a Knight with such sharp perception��


    It should be noted that the reason he could detect it was because of his long tenure as a clergyman, which gave him an innate sensitivity to malice.


    As Rudolph was pondering what kind of offer might sway the young man before him, whom he thought should embrace the arms of the Goddess, Rein took the initiative to ask:


    ��Rudolph, there seems to be something lurking in our direction, should we stop and check it out?��


    ��Yes, let everyone else take a break as well,�� Rudolph decided to rest for a while after pondering for a moment.


    Traveling all the way from Flashgold Town to Nightingale Forest, while the Holy Temple Knights felt little impact, the county town��s peacekeeping troops and the Night Watchmen from Flashgold Town were beginning to show signs of fatigue.


    So, the entire team stopped rather quickly.


    Firstly, to rest for a bit, allowing the horses to recover some of the strength they had expended on the journey, and secondly, to send people to check the surroundings.


    Rein had Matteo deploy the Night Watchmen around the perimeter for vigilance while sending a few skilled individuals to scrutinize the area within a hundred-meter radius, especially where he had sensed that surveilling gaze, to see if they could find any valuable clues.


    After making these arrangements, Rein then came to Lagaray��s side and asked, ��Lagaray, is this the place?��


    As they delved deeper into Nightingale Forest, Rein noticed that Lagaray��s mood seemed a bit downcast.


    The reason?


    Rein guessed that it was probably because the scenery was stirring up memories of the events of that day.


    ��Yes, it��s right ahead. That��s where we found the old ogre that day,�� she replied.


    ��The battle started soon after, and my brother defeated it. It fled in this direction,�� Lagaray said with a solemn expression, pointing ahead.


    Rein looked up, barely discerning that in the dense forest ahead, there seemed to be many signs of broken and fallen trees.


    In theory, in an environment like a primordial forest where vegetation grows very fast, traces of a normal battle would quickly be covered by the rapidly growing plants.


    That battle that took place over half a month ago must have been very intense.


    ��Swoosh!��


    One of the Night Watchmen on vigil suddenly fired an arrow deep into the forest.


    ��What��s going on?�� Matteo approached and asked.


    ��Captain, something suddenly moved over there. If I��m not mistaken, it should be a gnoll,�� the Night Watchman said with a serious tone.


    Since the elite Night Watchmen were accustomed to practicing archery, their eyesight was generally excellent, which was why Rein had specifically assigned the Night Watchmen to act as sentries and scouts.


    ��..


    Shortly after, Matteo came over to Rein and Rudolph and reported, ��Sirs, a Night Watchman has just reported sightings of gnolls around our party. Judging from some tracks, there are quite a few of them.��


    Rein nodded and asked back, ��Was there any trace of that old ogre found?��


    Was the surveillance a moment ago from the gnolls?


    That was highly likely.


    However�� the gnolls that he had once dreaded were a thing of the past.


    Even if the ferocious gnoll that had given Rein a hard time were to come back to life, it was highly likely that it would not withstand his full force now.


    Furthermore, given the current strength of the team, even if faced with an assault by several dozen gnolls mixed with a few ferocious ones, they would be able to handle it with ease. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But ogres were a different story.


    Apart from their powerful strength posing a substantial threat to the team, according to Lagaray��s previous account, these gnolls were likely the vassals of an old ogre.


    A bunch of disorganized gnolls and a group under the unified command of an elder ogre would have vastly different combat prowess.


    Rein understood this very clearly.


    ��We haven��t found any traces of the aged ogre so far,�� Matteo shook his head.


    ��What do you think, Rudolph?�� Rein turned his head to ask for an opinion.


    Since the main force of the party came from the Church of Monsoon and Ocean Goddess, Rein behaved extremely courteously.


    Whether to sweep these gnolls first or head directly to the barbarian squad��s location where they had found the Evil Spirit Knight, it was up to Rudolph, the church leader of the team, to decide.


    Hearing Rein��s question, Rudolph smiled and said, ��Let��s continue directly to our target area. Gnolls are widespread and trying to eradicate them would waste a lot of time.��

 Chapter 222 - 222 - 153 Church’s Strength (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 222 �C 153 Church��s Strength (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��If they recklessly appear while we��re dealing with the Evil Spirit Knight, I trust you��ll let them know who��s boss, won��t you, Rein?��


    ��Of course. You can rest assured, Headmaster Rudolph. Against the werewolves, the Night Watchman and I will take responsibility for annihilating our enemies.�� Rein inclined slightly, swiftly agreeing to the task of guarding and eradicating the werewolves.


    ��Matteo, spread the word, rest time is over, and the team should continue moving forward.��


    ��At your command, my lord!��


    Soon, after a brief rest, the team cautiously proceeded, always on guard for potential ambushes.


    However, contrary to everyone��s expectations, the werewolves seemed to merely scout around without any signs of launching an attack.


    Rein thought about it, which seemed normal.


    ...


    Due to their keen senses, much like wild animals, the werewolves who also lingered in the forest would have certainly noticed the strength of his team.


    If they had no command from a stronger creature, the chance of them attacking was very low as they tend to bully the weak and fear the strong.


    After another half-hour of travel, the team finally reached the ruins that Lagaray mentioned previously.


    Several dozen meters ahead, a clear man-made structure could be seen, scattered with fallen columns covered in moss and vines, suggesting the ruins of a temple from long ago.


    Rein carefully observed for a while and found the place to be indeed eerie.


    Upon reflection, the journey so far had been filled with continuous chirping and buzzing due to the forest setting.


    Yet, as they neared this area, the noises from various creatures gradually quelled until, seemingly all at once ceased, leaving a deathly silence.


    Another thing was, the looming sense of being spied upon by the werewolves slowly vanished as they approached the region.


    Could it be that the werewolves also feared this area?


    So, did they dare not continue tracking them?


    Moreover, Rein��s increasing spiritual power was subtly alerting him to an obscure, hidden danger ahead.


    This type of danger was not manifest, hence Rein��s core skill ��danger perception�� did not trigger any early warning.


    It was as if you might see a wall teetering nearby, and if your perception were sharp enough, your instincts would tell you that if you approached, the wall might fall and hit you.


    That��s a latent danger, it doesn��t mean it will happen.


    It might also be possible that you pass by, and the wall doesn��t collapse but continues to teeter.


    But one thing is certain��that if you decide not to approach, then this latent danger poses no threat to you.


    However, if you do approach and the wall happens to colpase, that��s when your core skill ��danger perception�� would warn you at the moment the wall starts to tilt.


    At this moment, aside from the official Knights and Temple Knights who had reached Transcendent status, other Night Watchmen and the security team from the County Town dismounted and began to be vigilant.


    ��This is my brother��s axe!�� Lagaray pointed to a corner of a vine-entangled column not far away, exclaiming.


    Rein focused his eyes and saw a familiar battle axe lying quietly by the column, its exposed blade appearing untouched by serious damage.


    The nearly door-panel-wide, crescent-shaped blade was still reflecting a metallic sheen.


    This was indeed Lagaray��s brother��s weapon��the ��Moon Blade Battle Axe��!


    Lagaray quickly leaped down from her horse, trotted over, and picked up the ��Moon Blade Battle Axe,�� gently caressing it with her palm.


    Seeing this, Rein also dismounted and quietly walked to Lagaray��s side.


    He understood the sense of reminiscing through objects, so Rein chose to remain silent.


    Unfortunately, this moment of tranquility lasted mere seconds before it was shattered!


    ��Hiii~~~��


    Suddenly, a horse��s neigh resounded from nearby.


    As everyone looked around, searching for the source of the sound, they saw a Black Armored Knight holding a three-to-four meter long riding spear, abruptly charging out from the dense forest to the left!


    The horse beneath the knight was exceptionally tall, cloaked in black armor, merging seamlessly with the knight in full black regalia, their charge like a moving fortress of darkness, now swiftly advancing towards the team. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an instant, there was slight panic; particularly a young Night Watchman in the front left side tasked with vigilance, who stood frozen upon this sight.


    ��Get out of the way fast!�� Matteo roared while forcefully pulling the stunned Night Watchman aside, narrowly avoiding the Black Armored Knight��s charge.


    A silver-armored Temple Knight then spurred his horse to advance quickly, seemingly attempt to block the attacker.


    But the Black Armored Knight��s spear, like a lightning bolt, thrust forward, entwined with a serpentine black energy that seemed to curl around the dark lance.


    ��Clang!!��


    The black lance forcefully struck the silver shield, sending the Temple Knight who had moved to intercept flying off his warhorse.


    The Temple Knight flew four or five meters through the air before hitting the ground with a ��thud��, thankfully, the soft terrain of the Nightingale Forest, covered in shrubs and flowers, greatly reduced the impact, and the Knight��s injuries were not severe.

 Chapter 223 - 223 - 153: The Strength of the Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter) _3

    Chapter 223 �C 153: The Strength of the Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter) _3


    A highly anticipated battle erupted unexpectedly!


    The recent attack by the opponent, a Riding Spear surrounded by black aura, had rudely cases Rudolph, the head of the Church of the Ocean Goddess who oversees demon hunting and exorcism, to turn serious.


    He, as the head in charge, immediately identified that the Black Armored Knight was indeed an Evil Spirit Knight, the swirling black aura around his body and the steed below him serving as the best proof.


    At that moment, the remaining three Templar Knights clad in silver armor seized the opportunity created by their companion and charged toward the Black Armored Knight.


    They quickly surrounded the Black Armored Knight and engaged in fierce combat.


    The whooshing noise made by the opponent when swinging the Riding Spear allowed Rein to easily determine that the opponent��s strength was above that of a senior knight, reaching the power of a Peak Knight, quite similar to his own.


    The black aura accompanying each of the opponent��s strikes was exceedingly strange, enhancing his strength under its influence.


    ...


    No wonder Lagaray��s brother, a barbarian renowned for his strength and who had reached forty percent of his ferocious physical transformation, was also killed by the opponent��s Riding Spear!


    Luckily, although the Black Armored Knight evidently possessed superior individual strength, the Templar Knights worked well together, managing to exchange blows and making the battle tense.


    However, Rein��s purpose for coming to Nightingale Forest was partly to fulfill Lagaray��s wish and partly to gain experience, so if not now, then when?


    Just as Rein was about to draw the ��Indomitable Strength�� from behind and join the fight, Rudolph smiled and said, ��Rein, arrange for the Night Watchman to handle watch duties to prevent interference from ogres or werewolves.��


    ��This���� Rein hesitated. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clearly, Rudolph meant well but performed a disservice; he was giving Rein and the other Night Watchmen a chance to watch the battle easily. Of course, he might also have intended to showcase the Church��s strength, laying the groundwork for persuading Rein to join the Church later.


    Not having to combat the Evil Spirit Knight directly was, of course, beneficial to the Night Watchman.


    After all, they, being the elite among ordinary people, would find it difficult to contribute in such a high-level battle.


    But for Rein, this meant a huge wave of experience about to slip through his fingers��


    ��Well, Rudolph, maybe I can lend a hand to the Templar Knights,�� Rein still tried to argue.


    After all, if there were no surprises, the experience from this battle should be enough for Rein��s Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level to advance another level.


    ��Haha, trust these young fellows of the Church,�� Rudolph chuckled as he stroked his beard and rejected Rein��s suggestion.


    ��Alright then. All Night Watchman, on guard!�� Rein thought for a moment, then gave the command.


    Since Rudolph refused, Rein did not insist, especially since this mysterious incident was primarily under the control of the Church of the Ocean Goddess.


    Besides, with half a month left until his knighthood evaluation, there was still a chance to level up.


    Upon hearing Rein��s command, the Night Watchman, who were initially looking for opportunities to assist in the fight, instantly relaxed their tense expressions and began to keep watch and observe the battle from the sidelines.


    Just when the four Templar Knights collectively managed to suppress the Evil Spirit Knight wielding the Riding Spear, suddenly, the tide of battle turned.


    The black aura that had been enveloping the Evil Spirit Knight exploded violently, and the powerful shockwave forced the four Templar Knights to stagger back several steps.


    Seizing the opportunity, the Black Armored Evil Spirit Knight prompted his steed to charge at a Templar Knight, performing a lunge combined with a Riding Spear stab.


    ��Bang!��


    Not only was the Templar Knight knocked back, but he was severely injured!


    Rein clearly saw the unnatural twist in the left elbow of the injured Templar Knight, who had been holding a shield, indicating a probable fracture.


    This scene obviously caused Rudolph, who had just refused Rein��s request to join, to turn solemn. He began to flip through the book he had been holding all along. Amidst the rustling of pages, he loudly exclaimed:


    ����Invoke the mighty Ocean Goddess. Divine Arts: Protective Blessing!��


    As Rudolph recited the incantation, Rein felt as if an unknown rift in the surrounding space had opened beside him, a surging, vast, and holy energy directly infused into Rudolph nearby!


    Then, with a wave of Rudolph��s right hand, the four Templar Knights suddenly shone brightly.


    Their silver armor revealed intricate, milky-white designs, as if the armor were originally engraved with special patterns that were usually hidden but responded automatically when Divine Arts were employed.


    At that moment, the four Templar Knights, in combination with their silver armor, appeared as shimmering little silver figures.


    The silvery glow diminished the destructive power of the black aura. ��Clang clang clang,�� the Black Armored Knight was surrounded again, but this time, he was unable to break free.


    It seemed the battle was decisively settled!


    While Rein stood by, intently observing the scene, deep in thought.


    If it were just the four Templar Knights, Rein believed he could defeat them if he unleashed his full power.


    But now, with the Templar Knights working in conjunction with Rudolph��s Divine Arts, it had caused an effect far greater than the sum of their parts.

 Chapter 224 - 224 - 153 The Strength of the Church (Two in One Big Chapter)_4

    Chapter 224 �C 153 The Strength of the Church (Two in One Big Chapter)_4


    Rein could feel that, under the blessing of Rudolph��s Divine Arts, the originally powerful attacks of the Black Armored Knights, comparable to the full strikes of a Peak Knight with a Riding Spear, were significantly weakened by the silver light.


    This divine art is named ��Protection Blessing��?


    Indeed, it lived up to its name!


    At that point, seeing that the outcome was determined, Rudolph, the Meister, turned and smiled at Rein, ��Rein, these young Templar Knights, whose talents far fall short of yours, were able to unleash great strength under the radiance of the goddess��s light.��


    ��And you, you are among the most gifted knights in all of Meister County. To embrace the goddess is your best choice! Rein, won��t you consider it?��


    ��Well���� Rein hesitated but did not speak.


    Frankly speaking, is the church powerful?


    ...


    No doubt, it is strong!


    Even compared to the imperial official forces, it seemed not to be inferior by much.


    However, one thing Rein disliked was that this near-invincible strength of the church did not originate from within; rather, it seemed to be granted by some divine being they worshipped in the beyond.


    This sense of it not being truly ��his�� gave Rein the impression it was borrowed.


    How does that saying go, ��What isn��t yours will eventually have to be returned.�� S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Thank you for your generous love, Rudolph, but I��m scheduled to participate in the imperial ennoblement assessment in a few days, which is truly regrettable,�� Rein politely declined.


    While the two were talking, suddenly, from the dense forest to the right of the formation, another tall Black Armored Knight emerged, also wearing the characteristic crown helmet, only this time, the opponent wielded a long battle-axe instead of a long Riding Spear.


    The blade of the axe was about a half-meter long, but the handle was a good one and a half meters. However, matched with the tall funeral horse below the Black Armored Knight, it was just right.


    ��There are actually two Evil Spirit Knights!�� Meister Rudolph��s pupils shrank, and his expression was no longer relaxed.


    Because of the increasing number of mysterious incidents in various regions of Meister County recently, in order to save manpower, this time the team configuration was set according to investigative intelligence, that is, to handle one Evil Spirit Knight.


    Thus, Rudolph brought only four Templar Knights this time.


    In terms of strength, the combination of him and the four Templar Knights was relatively easy to defeat one Evil Spirit Knight.


    But if the opponents were two, then the balance of power would lean towards equilibrium!


    Moreover, Rudolph quickly came to realize another issue��that the danger level of this place might far surpass expectations.


    Perhaps, beneath the crumbling ruins, there lay secrets unknown to man.


    Rein also realized this issue.


    Concerning the emergence of Evil Spirit Knights, Hamilton once told him these words:


    ��The appearance of Evil Spirit Knights signifies that some kind of evil force is invading�� or reviving! Evil Spirit Knights are the minions of the Evil God and must have sensed some kind of summons to appear����


    Clearly, with two Evil Spirit Knights appearing here, in this dilapidated and ancient temple, there surely must be some sort of treasure beckoning them here?


    Or some kind of evil existence?


    At that moment, the four Templar Knights also noticed the Evil Spirit Knight emerging from the side with a giant axe. After a quick exchange of glances, one immediately split off, attempting to intercept the opponent.


    However, obviously, even the Templar Knight boosted by the Divine Arts ��Protection Blessing�� could not possibly handle an Evil Spirit Knight alone, and within a few moments, he was decidedly at a disadvantage.


    The arrows of the Night Watchmen, tinkling harmlessly off the knight��s armor, fell to the ground in disappointment.


    Clearly ineffective!


    This time, Rein did not seek Rudolph��s opinion, because the newly appeared Evil Spirit Knight had already directly endangered the safety of his subordinates.


    Rein immediately lowered the face guard of his knight��s helmet and pulled out his Two-Handed Warhammer����Strength Unyielding,�� motivating his horse to advance.

 Chapter 225 - 225 - 154: High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 225 �C 154: High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Rein had already discovered a vulnerability of the temple knights, no, perhaps not a vulnerability, to be precise, it was a weakness.


    The temple knights�� attack power seemed somewhat insufficient, their longswords struggling to penetrate the double defenses of the dark aura and the opponent��s black armor, thus failing to inflict fatal damage which prolonged the battle.


    Otherwise, if the temple knights�� attack power had been sufficiently strong, then under the siege of four temple knights, one Evil Spirit Knight could not have lasted long.


    Just as Rein advanced on horseback, the usually unsmiling face of Instructor Rudolph looked even more stern.


    Rudolph had just said that Rein should trust that the young men of the church would easily win, and that Rein��s role was merely to observe the battle.


    But before long, another Evil Spirit Knight wielding a giant axe appeared.


    Instructor Rudolph was not a rigid person; seeing the enemy��s strength surpass expectations, he naturally did not stop Rein from joining the fight, instead he appreciated Rein��s initiative as he moved forward to intercept the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight without a word.


    ...


    Rein could have chosen not to step forward, he could have waited for Rudolph to make a request, to ask for his help before taking action.


    However, that would seem rather like finding amusement in another��s misfortune, which would not be appropriate.


    The temple knight struggling against the Giant Axe Evil Spirit appeared to be only about twenty years old, and when he suddenly felt the pressure lighten upon seeing Rein come to assist, he was grateful.


    However, as a young man himself, having heard Rudolph��s praises of Rein along the way, and hearing Rudolph��s personal promise that once Rein decided to join the church, he would be a candidate for children of Meister County, felt somewhat bitter.


    After all, he had been with the church for eight years, but was still very far from being a nominated child of the church.


    Yet here was this man a few years younger than him from Flashgold Town, who could easily obtain those benefits if he chose to join the church.


    Thus, deep inside, Rein had stirred up a competitive spirit in him.


    ��Although I acknowledge your strength, the instructor��s praise is a bit over the top; after all, you aren��t much stronger than me,�� the young temple knight thought to himself.


    This was not to say he had any objections against Rein.


    Perhaps, this was more of a male instinctive drive to compete, like bulls in rut, always ready to lock horns and fight over mating rights.


    As Rein engaged the Giant Axe Evil Spirit in combat, Rudolph continued flipping through his book and began to whisper a prayer.


    Clearly, as a minister specialized in hunting demons and expelling evil within the church of Monsoon and Ocean Goddess, Rudolph��s arsenal against the enemy was naturally not limited to a single Divine Art.


    ���� Great Monsoon and Ocean Goddess, please endow the knights with your blessings�� Faced with formidable foes, they will fight to the death, driving away evil, unhesitatingly! Divine Arts: Anthem of Fearlessness!��


    As Rudolph��s chanting grew louder, a female phantom holding a conch trumpet suddenly appeared behind him, following the sound of the trumpet.


    The next second, the pale blue phantom violently dissipated, transforming into a ripple that radiated in all directions.


    This magical energy seemed to automatically search for paths, and once it found a temple knight, a blue beam would burst forth upon the knights in battle.


    Quickly, the temple knights enveloped in the pale blue beams swiftly returned to their peak condition, their movements became faster, and they fought with remarkable valor, fearless of death!


    Beads of sweat were evident on Rudolph��s forehead, indicating that, while this Divine Art ��Anthem of Fearlessness�� was stronger than the previous ��Protection Blessing��, it also imposed a significant strain on him. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When a pale blue beam shone upon him, the young temple knight felt his body surge with confidence, strength, and courage.


    Knowing that Rudolph had once again cast a Divine Art on them, he turned his head towards Rein and said,


    ��Lord Rein, just support from the side, tackling the evil is our specialty as temple knights!��


    With that, the young temple knight, holding his sword and shield, charged forward.


    Under the enhancement of the Divine Art, the young temple knight performed well, evenly matching the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight in a back-and-forth battle.


    Rein was taken aback, watching the young temple knight, he shook his head slightly, smiled, and said nothing, and started to maneuver to the side to harass the Giant Axe Evil Spirit.


    In the previous few battles, to be honest, Rein��s Two-Handed Warhammer����Indomitable Force����had hardly exhibited its true power.


    Even when facing the Level Three Wizard Apprentice Adams, it only executed a final blow at the last moment.


    Actually, only when facing opponents in thick plate armor, against extreme defensive power, could the full potential of the two-handed hammer truly be unleashed.


    Therefore, seeing the slightly arrogant young temple knight voluntarily offering to take the front line and main attack, Rein was all too happy.


    Because it was perfect, he could calmly execute the Tokkal Hammer Technique on the side, and honing Hammer Skills through real combat was one of the fastest ways to boost his Hammer Skill Experience.


    Let��s not forget, Rein��s Hammer Skill level was not actually very high.

 Chapter 226 - 226 - 154: High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-In-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 226 �C 154: High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-In-One Mega Chapter)_2


    His hammer skill level is merely at Lv4, and its enormous power relies more on the core skill ��Hammer Mastery Lv3��.


    As for whether Reine wanted to compete with this young Temple Knight for some sort of dominance?


    Not really��


    Firstly, there has to be something worth competing for.


    For example, when we talk about ��competing for favor��, both parties should be vying for the affections of the opposite sex; only then does the competition have meaning.


    Secondly, the parties involved in such a competition or attempt to assert dominance need to be of similar status or strength; otherwise, there��s no competition, just as a rich man wouldn��t compare wealth with a beggar.


    In the current situation, this young Temple Knight, if you don��t count the enhancement from Divine Arts, would absolutely not surpass the upper limit of a veteran knight in terms of strength.


    ...


    To be honest, that level of strength was already becoming negligible in Reine��s eyes.


    Reine moved to the rear of the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight and struck it with a giant hammer strike, of course, without activating ��Overdrive��.


    ��Heavy Strike!!��


    Reine swung the hammer, its tip piercing through the knight��s protective dark aura and directly hitting the black armor.


    ��Clang!!��


    The grating sound of metal clashing echoed all around.


    Just one hit.


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight stumbled from Reine��s blow, its black armor pierced with several small holes from the concentrated spikes on the hammer��s head.


    Reine was elated; the penetrating power of the hammer��s spiked head was truly remarkable!


    Keep in mind that this was without activating any skills or transcendent traits, and yet it had such destructive force.


    If he did activate them��


    The young Temple Knight, seeing that Reine, without a word, tacitly coordinated with him to attack the Giant Axe Evil Spirit from behind, couldn��t help feeling a bit of competitiveness which felt like punching into a cotton pile.


    However, the young Temple Knight didn��t waste the opportunity Reine created and followed up with two consecutive stabs and a Shield Strike at the Giant Axe Evil Spirit.


    The continuous assault pinned down the Giant Axe Evil Spirit��s attention, allowing Reine the leeway to exercise the Tokkal Hammer Technique and inflict sustained damage from the side and rear.


    This gave Reine the pleasurable sensation of hammering at a wooden pile, farming experience points.


    Delightful!


    But the good times didn��t last long. Just as the two Evil Spirit Knights were being suppressed and victory seemed within reach, suddenly, the trees in the dense forest shook, and an Evil Spirit Knight wielding a flail burst out.


    What the hell?


    Damn, now there��s a third Evil Spirit Knight! S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone was shocked at the sight that unfolded before them!


    Wasn��t there supposed to be only one Evil Spirit Knight?


    Lagaray was also taken aback with her beautiful eyes wide open in a dumbfounded daze.


    The newly appeared flail-wielding Evil Spirit Knight swung its weapon high, and in a single strike, sent a law enforcer from County Town flying through the air like a torn sack, his chest caved in and vomiting blood, clearly not long for this world.


    The flail was unlike ordinary ones, featuring a chain with three spiked iron balls, each the size of a melon, and immense destructive power.


    At this moment, Headmaster Rudolph��s eyes twitched violently!


    Damnit, three Evil Spirit Knights��


    It seemed he had no choice but to use that item!


    Rudolph swiftly reached into his robe, intending to pull something out.


    But in the next second, his eyes widened in shock, his mouth gaping, and the motion of pulling something out abruptly stopped!


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight suddenly fell off the funeral horse, and even the horse itself, struck by the massive impact force, nearly knelt on its front hooves.


    Rudolph saw clearly, a hole the size of an infant��s head had appeared in the back of the black armor worn by the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight.


    The one who struck was, of course, Reine!


    The sudden appearance of the flail-wielding Evil Spirit Knight didn��t faze the young Temple Knight, but the scene that just unfolded had him utterly astounded.


    At the moment, his face under the knight helmet was nearly catatonic, mouth agape, but thankfully, his helmet hid his expression from everyone else.


    God, Reine, was this strong without the blessing and protection of the Goddess?


    If there was such a blessing��


    The young Temple Knight didn��t dare to continue that thought.


    No wonder Reine, so young, could earn such high praise and overtures from Headmaster Rudolph.


    Such strength and talent were truly formidable.


    Looking at it now, the only one in the County Town Church who might be able to firmly outclass Reine would probably be the current Divine Child.


    No�� it��s hard to say; perhaps only a one-on-one contest would tell.


    Meanwhile, Reine��s strike, after activating ��Overdrive�� and ��Huge Strength��, instantly extinguished any competitive thoughts the young Temple Knight might have harbored.


    Sometimes, that��s just how people are.


    If the difference with someone else is not too great, or if it��s just a small gap, most will feel they can catch up or even surpass them with their own efforts.


    But once that gap becomes substantial enough, most will completely lose the will to compete.


    ��You take on that flail-wielding Evil Spirit Knight, I��ll finish up with this Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight and then come over to help you,�� Reine��s deep voice resounded.


    Now, with that flail-wielding Evil Spirit rampaging among those with ordinary fighting strength, Reine naturally couldn��t just stand by and watch; after all, they were his Night Watchmen subordinates.


    ��Oh, yes�� yes, Lord Reine!�� the young Temple Knight momentarily paused, but then he quickly nodded in agreement and turned his horse to charge at the newly emerged flail-wielding Evil Spirit Knight.

 Chapter 227 - 227 - 154: High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 227 �C 154: High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    And the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight, who had suffered a heavy blow, let out a furious roar. Following that, he raised the giant axe in his hand high with one hand, seemingly about to unleash some sort of devastating move.


    But Rein leaped up from his warhorse and struck the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight with a secret skill, the ��Earth-splitting Hammer��!


    Because the force of Rein kicking off was too great, and through the transmission of force through the stirrups, his warhorse instantly collapsed on the ground.


    It couldn��t be helped; as Rein��s strength increased, ordinary warhorses were becoming increasingly unable to keep up with his power.


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight saw Rein��s formidable approach and immediately swung the one-and-a-half-meter long metal axe handle horizontally, trying to block Rein��s strike.


    ��Clang!!!��


    Rein��s secret skill, ��Earth-splitting Hammer,�� used the flat head of the warhammer; when it struck the giant axe, it nearly bent the metal handle into a bow shape.


    ...


    Although the material of the axe handle was extraordinary and could withstand Rein��s mighty ��Earth-splitting Hammer,�� the entire body of the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight was sent flying into the soft forest ground due to Rein��s overwhelming strength. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight now had everything below his waist helplessly trapped in the earth.


    Seeing this scene, Rudolph had been reaching into his chest to retrieve something, but he stopped.


    After carefully observing the battle between Rein and the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight, Rudolph withdrew his hand from his chest.


    It seemed that there was no need to use his trump card yet.


    This Rein��


    had given me another surprise.


    Is his combat power really this strong?


    He truly is an excellent candidate for a future Punishment Knight!


    No, I must try again later; such talent can��t be missed by the church, Rudolph thought to himself.


    As Rudolph pondered, the battle between Rein and the Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight was reaching its conclusion.


    Rein used ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� to plant the Giant Axe Evil Spirit like a tree in the ground and, taking advantage of his opponent��s inability to recover, twisted his waist and hips in a motion akin to throwing a hammer throw, swinging the warhammer high.


    This time, he aimed the pointed end at the enemy, sweeping up from the ground. It was the Tokkal Hammer Technique��s secret skill, ��Rising Dragon Hammer��!


    ��Boom!!��


    A sound akin to a watermelon being smashed by a stick abruptly resounded!


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight went from half-buried in the earth to rocketing into the air, suddenly taking flight, bringing with him a trail of dirt.


    Rein��s ��Rising Dragon Hammer�� had struck his opponent��s chin, sinking the pointed end deep beneath the edge of the faceplate, hence the sound of shattering.


    ��Boom!!!��


    The Giant Axe Evil Spirit Knight, after fluttering in the air for a few seconds, crashed heavily to the ground, letting out a piercing scream!


    The next second, the swirling black mist that had been protecting him suddenly burst forth.


    Then his towering body, as if hollowed out, collapsed, and his full set of black armor scattered all over the ground.


    System prompt appeared:


    [Your Tokkal Hammer Technique skill has improved, experience +243]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience +81]


    [Congratulations, your Knight (Transcendent) profession level has ascended!]


    Originally, Rein��s Knight (Transcendent) profession level was already at lv3 (476/500), so this successful level-up brought him up to lv4 (57/1000).


    At the same time, Rein also received one Skill Point and one Attribute Point as level-up rewards.


    At that moment, Rein, with sharp eyes, noticed a black crystal the size of a thumb in the remains of the Giant Axe Evil Spirit.


    It immediately reminded him of the blood-red crystal that had once offered him a large number of experience points, so he picked it up as if by accident.


    Sure enough, the system prompt sounded:


    [Ding! Host detected to have obtained a demonic energy crystal, triggering profession change��Evil Spirit Knight!]


    [Prerequisites for changing profession to Evil Spirit Knight are: 1. Official Knight; 2. Spirit 15 points or above; Current conditions met, yes/no to change profession to Evil Spirit Knight?]


    -_-||


    This was entirely unexpected!


    Rein��s expression immediately turned into that of an elderly man staring at his phone.jpg.


    ��The system is getting more and more absurd,�� Rein muttered to himself.


    ��Evil Spirit Knight, such a thing doesn��t look like it��s meant for normal people at all, maybe skip the prompt for this kind of profession change next time!��


    Without hesitation, he chose no!


    Then, a second system prompt sounded:


    [Ding! Unknown absorbable energy detected, yes/no to absorb? (Note: After absorption, it can be converted to designated professional experience points.)]


    Huh?


    This is more like it!


    This is the right way to use a demonic energy crystal, just absorb it!


    Feeling elated, Rein quickly chose ��yes!��


    The next second, the weird black energy within the demonic crystal, like a surging tide, rushed through Rein��s arm, heading deeper into his body.


    Just as before, it seemed like the system selectively absorbed the crystal��s energy, and again, Rein felt no discomfort whatsoever.


    Moreover, the entire absorption and conversion process was completed almost instantly.


    [Ding! A total of 433 Transcendent experience points converted, please select Knight (Transcendent)/Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)/Beast Tamer (Transcendent) for the increase.]


    Seeing this, Rein pondered for a moment and then decided to add points to Beast Tamer (Transcendent).


    The reason was quite simple; his current Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession level was lv1 (12/100), and choosing to add points to Beast Tamer would allow him to directly ascend two levels.

 Chapter 228 - 228 - 154: High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 228 �C 154: High-Level Divine Arts Scroll (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    But if the remaining options of Knight or Wizard Apprentice were chosen, neither would be able to level up.


    Obviously, having an extra two attribute points and two skill points would be much more attractive!


    Thus, Rein silently chanted in his mind, ��Beast Tamer!��


    In an instant, two consecutive system prompts appeared:


    [Congratulations, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession level has increased!]


    [Congratulations, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession level has increased!]


    Seeing the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) level jump from lv1 to lv3 (12/500) on the panel, Rein couldn��t help but reveal a brilliant smile.


    ...


    He continued to read on.


    At the bottom of the panel, it showed remaining attribute points: 3, and remaining skill points: 4.


    Among these, one skill point was left unallocated from the last level-up.


    One battle had brought him three attribute points and three skill points; Rein felt that his journey to the Nightingale Forest was indeed the right decision!


    Seeming to think of something, Rein suddenly looked up at the chained Evil Spirit in the next second. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His eyes were filled with fervor!


    Next, due to the absence of a fourth Evil Spirit Knight.


    The subsequent battles had no suspense.


    After Rein killed the chained Evil Spirit Knight, the Riding Spear Evil Spirit Knight was also slain by the combined efforts of the three Temple Knights.


    This time, Rein obtained a second crystal of evil energy, but by interpreting the solemn expressions of Rudolph and the other Temple Knights as they gazed at the crystal, Rein knew he probably wouldn��t be able to absorb it on the spot.


    ��Rein, this kind of crystal containing massive amounts of evil energy will attract many evil forces. I suggest it would be better to leave it to our church to handle,�� said Rudolph, the presiding bishop, as he stepped forward to speak to Rein.


    If it were anything else, Rein might have agreed.


    But now, this object meant ��experience candy�� to Rein, and naturally, there was no way he would hand it over to Rudolph. In fact, Rein was even considering if there was any way to trade for the Riding Spear Evil Spirit Knight��s crystal.


    ��Bishop Rudolph, I would like to study it a bit. Please rest assured that if I can��t handle it, I will contact the church immediately. Thank you for your concern,�� Rein tactfully refused.


    Rudolph thought for a moment, apparently recalling Rein��s explosive strength, and convinced that Rein had the ability to deal with any evil forces that might be drawn in, he nodded and agreed, ��Well then, please make sure to keep it safe!��


    After the battle ended, they counted the losses. Fortunately, two members of Flashgold Town��s Night Watchmen were severely injured, but miraculously, none were killed.


    In contrast, of the four Temple Knights, one was seriously injured, one slightly injured, with only two retaining their combat strength.


    All these encounters with three Evil Spirit Knights, each not weaker than a Peak Knight, took place even before they had entered the temple ruins.


    Therefore, as everyone gazed at the temple within reach, the mysterious and dilapidated temple seemed like a beast with its gaping maw open, waiting for them to unsuspectingly walk into.


    At that moment, Matteo came forward with a worried look and reported, ��Lieutenant, do we need to go in here?��


    ��Well���� Rein rubbed his chin, turning his head to look at Bishop Rudolph.


    Rudolph touched the scroll in his chest, pondered for a moment, and then spoke, ��Since we��ve come this far, it��s still best that we investigate further to understand what exactly is hidden in this temple.��


    ��This time, I��ve also brought a high-level Divine Arts scroll bestowed by the archbishop. I believe a safe retreat, for us, should still be no problem.��


    Rein��s eyebrows rose.


    A high-level Divine Arts scroll?


    He had just seen Bishop Rudolph use two Divine Arts, which indeed, in combination with the Temple Knights, could produce tremendous power.


    If there was a higher-level Divine Arts scroll, the dangers of the subsequent temple exploration should be relatively controllable.


    Mainly because the Evil Spirit Knight monsters alone had provided him with an exceptionally generous ��experience pill�� reward.


    It was difficult not to have Rein anticipate whether there could be similarly bountiful, or even more generous ��experience treasures�� within the temple.

 Chapter 229 - 229 - 155: Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 229 �C 155: Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Of course, the most important reason he dared to enter the unknown Temple to explore was based on Rein Carlan��s rapidly increasing personal strength.


    Rein glanced at his panel:


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (132/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv4 (57/1000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv3 (12/500) / Blacksmith lv4 (329/1000)


    Constitution: 18


    Strength: 16


    Agility: 16


    ...


    Spirit: 20


    Remaining attribute points: 3


    Remaining skill points: 4


    Looking at the last 3 and 4 in the attributes column, Rein couldn��t help but think of a saying, ��With grain in the house, there is no panic.��


    Furthermore, as Rein��s spiritual power broke through twenty points, both the activity level and sensitivity of his spiritual power had greatly improved.


    Therefore, although Rein could feel that there was some kind of danger lurking inside the dilapidated temple, he could also vaguely sense that this danger seemed not potent enough to be completely unstoppable for him.


    After weighing the potential dangers and opportunities in his mind, Rein nodded and said,


    ��I have no objections, but, Headmaster Rudolph, I suggest that the Night Watchmen and the security officers don��t need to enter either.��


    ��Let them be responsible for the surveillance outside, how about that?��


    Headmaster Rudolph gave a slight smile, nodded, and said, ��Of course, that��s possible.��


    Hearing this, many Night Watchmen sighed in relief.


    After all, having just witnessed the combat strength of the Evil Spirit Knights, they already knew that this mysterious event involved monsters whose fighting prowess even the Temple Knights would struggle to handle.


    Let alone these ordinary people, who really couldn��t be of much help.


    ��Rein, I want to go too. I haven��t found my brother��s other battle ax yet.�� Lagaray walked up to Rein, her beautiful eyes looking up at him with great anticipation.


    ��Well�� it might be very dangerous inside, I will keep an eye out for your brother��s weapon, but my advice is that it would be safer for you to stay outside.��


    Rein understood Lagaray��s urgent feelings, but he was more hesitant due to the dangers inside the temple.


    ��I��m not afraid of danger! Besides, I will take good care of myself,�� Lagaray raised her blood-veined steel shield as she spoke.


    ��Alright then, but stay close to me, and if anything goes wrong, we��ll retreat immediately.�� Seeing her determination, Rein knew he couldn��t persuade Lagaray otherwise, so he nodded reluctantly, agreeing to her idea of entering together.


    Eventually, Rudolph and Rein discussed and decided to have the severely injured Temple Knight and all the Night Watchmen and the security officers stay outside the temple.


    So Rudolph, Rein, Lagaray, and three Temple Knights, a total of six people, entered the temple to explore.


    After a brief rest and preparation, the group of six slowly entered the ruined Temple Garden.


    What once must have been a beautiful garden now, after countless periods of exposure to the sun and lack of maintenance, showed its grey-white granite walls almost entirely collapsed.


    The walls were covered with various climbing plants such as ivy, roses, and creeper, looking lush and possessed a weighty sense of having stood the test of time.


    Inside the garden, instead of the delicate, cultivated flowers, various wild weeds and bushes now thrived, with the occasional tall trees growing lush and strong.


    From the outside, if it weren��t for the still-visible collapsed granite walls, one would never guess this place had once been a man-made garden.


    ��Rein, look,�� Lagaray pointed at the ground.


    As she had been keeping an eye on the ground and corners for any weapons left by her brother and their squad members, Lagaray was the first to spot some kind of dragging trace on the ground. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as Lagaray spoke, everyone��s gaze focused on the ground where her finger pointed.


    ��This is the trace of something heavy being dragged,�� one of the Temple Knights squatted down, examining it closely.


    ��Not just something heavy; there are also sporadic blood stains on the surface of the soil. These must be traces of dragging a body,�� Rein, keenly observant, also took a close look and added.


    Within this bird-and-beast-absent temple ruins, it seemed the only ones capable of dragging bodies were the three Evil Spirit Knights. Rein thought to himself.


    Beforehand, he had thought that the Evil Spirit Knights just attacked and killed invaders within this area.


    Apparently, they also collected and dragged the bodies of the killed enemies into the temple.


    This just got interesting.


    Collecting flesh and blood, huh?


    It seemed eerily similar to the blood sacrifice rituals of the Black Flame Church.


    ��There��s more here,�� another Temple Knight leading the way pointed out another new dragging trace.


    Everyone hurried forward to examine it again.


    Indeed, this trace was more pronounced.


    ��Could it be that the Evil Spirit Knights are collecting human remains for some evil ritual?�� the lightly injured Temple Knight speculated after pondering.


    ��No, it��s not necessarily just human remains,��


    ��This drag mark is much wider; it seems like it was caused by dragging the body of a beast. Look, there are hairs in the soil, and these thick, long hairs are unlikely to be human,��


    Rein picked up a black hair sticking stiffly with soil, feeling its hardness.


    Since his spiritual strength continued to grow, Rein��s level of perception had also risen. With his current perceptiveness, he could easily notice some details that were previously easy to overlook, which brought him a fair bit of joy.

 Chapter 230 - 230 - 155: Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 230 �C 155: Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Rein is right, this fur, if I��m not mistaken, should be from a ferocious wild boar��s bristles,�� Rudolph nodded and said.


    At the same time, he greatly appreciated Rein��s detailed observational skills.


    Careful and sensitive observation is also a manifestation of strength.


    ��Gathering flesh or collecting carcasses, it seems there might be an altar inside, but it��s unknown whether the sacrificial ritual has been successfully conducted.�� S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Moreover, everyone be alert and careful,�� Rudolph said solemnly, reminding everyone.


    The group nodded, gripped their weapons tighter, and continued forward.


    After passing through a garden overgrown with weeds and dense vines, what appeared before them was a building similar to the ancient Greek Parthenon Temple from Rein��s previous life.


    ...


    However, this temple seemed to have partially collapsed due to its age, much like the garden walls, and various vine plants had enveloped it, making the entire exterior resemble a lush green hill.


    The exterior of the temple had more than a dozen tall Doric-style columns, most of which still stood majestically, seemingly silently narrating past splendor and authority.


    ��This style of temple�� I seem to have seen it somewhere���� Arch Priest Rudolph murmured softly, his face showing a thoughtful expression.


    Meanwhile, Rein looked around and noticed that the drag marks on the ground were becoming more concentrated.


    It seemed�� the drag marks converging from all directions, similar to dragging bodies, all ended at the dilapidated temple hall in front of them.


    Especially at the entrance of the temple hall, where the drag marks overlapped many times, they had formed traces that were obviously large and slightly indented, much like creeks joining into a river.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein walked over to a temple exterior wall obscured by vines and carefully inspected it.


    Generally speaking, if it were a temple, there should be some designs on the exterior wall, Rein thought to himself.


    Usually, these designs are used to record the deities worshipped, their great deeds, or grand battle scenes, for deities need faith and worship, and murals are one of the effective ways to propagate this.


    Soon, Rein discovered something.


    Under the cover of vines, there were quite a few line-shaped patterns on the exterior wall.


    ��Sssshh!��


    After Rein tore off a large handful of vines, a very peculiar pattern was revealed before his eyes.


    The pattern, drawn with simple lines, was most notably dominated by an exceptionally tall tree, the figures of little people beneath it, in stark contrast, were dwarfed by its height, differing by tens or even hundreds of times.


    Obviously, this represented a colossal tree, emphasizing its towering and majestic size.


    Additionally, there were countless tiny figures depicted as worshipping and praying under the tree, their actions humble.


    At this moment, others also heard Rein tearing the vines and immediately walked over.


    ��Is�� is this a tree?�� A young Temple Knight said, quite amazed.


    ��Right!�� came the voice of Arch Priest Rudolph from behind.


    ��I think I might have guessed the origin of this temple, this is the distinctive pattern of the Mother Tree Sect!��


    ��The Mother Tree Sect was active a long time ago, recorded in ancient texts thousands of years ago, said to have existed since the distant barbaric ages.��


    ��However, about two thousand years ago, at the beginning of the Empire, it was branded as a cult and eradicated. Although it��s said some scattered followers continued spreading it, it has essentially been extinct for many years,�� Rudolph briefly introduced the Mother Tree Sect.


    ��Moreover, their main doctrine preached that life originated from a strange Mother Tree from the void, which brought vigorous vitality to the world, hence everyone must revere and worship the Mother Tree.��


    ��Listening to this�� it seems this Mother Tree Sect doesn��t seem that wrong?�� Rein asked, stroking his chin.


    ��The exact reasons for its eradication, I can��t remember clearly, but it seems to be due to overly bloody sacrificial rituals and the seeking of complete autonomy. Those were probably the reasons leading to its eradication by the Empire,�� Rudolph thought for a moment and responded.


    ��I see,�� Rein nodded.


    In his view, the bloody sacrificial rituals were probably not the focus.


    The focus was the latter��s ��seeking of autonomy.�� If the Empire��s strength was substantial, it would absolutely not permit autonomy; this would be no different from seceding and becoming an independent nation.


    ��So it seems, this must be a site of a temple from the Mother Tree Sect.��


    ��No wonder, the helmets of these Evil Spirit Knights all have a crown-like design on top, it seems, this style of helmet must be a form of homage to the Mother Tree,�� Rein thought aloud.


    ��Exactly!�� Rudolph nodded.


    People are always particularly fearful of the unknown.


    Once everyone learned that this was a temple site of the Mother Tree Sect from thousands of years ago, they seemed much more relaxed, no longer as tense as before.


    Soon, the group followed the drag marks toward the temple hall.


    ��Oh! This is my brother Haral��s battle axe!�� Lagaray quickly walked up to the temple��s partially collapsed door and exclaimed softly.


    Rein followed Lagaray��s gaze, and sure enough, another Moon Blade Battle Axe had been abandoned there.


    From the traces on the ground and the location of the axe, it was likely that Haral, when he was dragged here, had not been fully dead and so had still been tightly gripping his battle axe.

 Chapter 231 - 231 - 155: Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 231 �C 155: Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Thinking of this, Lagaray, with brother Haral��s battle-axe in hand, looked towards the temple hall with a glitter in her eyes, seemingly harboring a glimmer of hope and anticipation!


    ��Be careful, I can feel the evil aura growing stronger ahead, it��s right in the temple hall,�� the Bishop Rudolph warned solemnly as he stared at the hall in front of them.


    ��Yes, Bishop!��


    Three temple Knights with sword and shield led the way, while Rudolph, Rein, and Lagaray followed closely behind, the six of them entering the dimly lit hall gradually. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As they stepped into the hall, everyone��s pupils shrank!


    It was mainly because the scene in front of them was too bloody, too shocking!


    They saw a dense Flesh Forest before them, including humans, ogres, gnolls, and other sapient creatures, as well as some other beasts, which were exceptionally large and seemed to have been fierce predators in life.


    ...


    But now, these once powerful beings were skewered like kebabs on the thick, sharp branches.


    At first glance, these corpses seemed to be merely that, corpses. But as everyone approached, goosebumps instantly formed.


    It turned out that the heads or upper bodies of these sapient beings and beasts were still mostly intact, but the flesh of their lower halves had bizarrely merged with the tree trunks, forming a spiral structure resembling the ��Tianjin twisted doughnut�� Rein had seen in his previous life.


    Only, the ��flesh twisted doughnut�� in front of them was half grey bark and half vivid red flesh, intertwined in a chaotic spiral, fused together into one.


    This scene, in the dim hall, under the patchy light and shadow, evoked an indescribable feeling of disgust, horror, and eeriness.


    ��This is the remains of my brother!�� Lagaray��s eyes reddened as she pointed to a thick trunk with human remains twisted around it.


    ��It looks like this is a rudimentary altar, apparently set for some kind of sacrificial ritual,�� a temple Knight said grimly.


    ��It��s probably�� not that simple,�� Rein said as he observed the scene, feeling there was more than met the eye than just a sacrificial procedure.


    Moreover, he now had a clear understanding of the ��bloody sacrificial ritual�� Rudolph had mentioned about the Mother Tree sect.


    Just as Lagaray and several temple Knights were about to step forward for a closer look��


    Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind the group, reminiscent of the sound of a multitude of snakes slithering across the ground.


    Simultaneously, as the sound emerged, the already dim temple hall became even darker.


    Everyone immediately turned to look and saw that the half-collapsed doorway they had entered through was now covered with thick, writhing vines like living snakes.


    ��Clang!��


    A temple Knight quickly drew his longsword, intending to chop through the vines, when suddenly, everyone turned again to face the center of the temple hall��s Flesh Forest.


    All felt a heart-palpitating sensation, as a vast and indistinct aura seemed to awaken rapidly!


    The next second, the dense Flesh Forest started to tremble, the flesh coiled around the branches shivering. Rein��s core ��danger perception LV3�� Skill began to frantically warn him!


    Rein narrowed his eyes and immediately pulled Lagaray, who was in front of him, back!


    Before he could say anything, there was a loud ��boom�� as the ground burst open, and a gargantuan monster leapt out from the earth!


    ��Thud!!!��


    Hiss!


    Lagaray��s eyes widened dramatically, her mouth partly open as she gasped in shock.


    What kind of monster was this!


    The group then realized that the Flesh Forest was not a forest at all, but the roots of this massive monster.


    Yes, it was the roots!


    What appeared to be a forest was actually an upside-down growth, with the body of the Flesh Forest hidden underground while the roots sprawled above, mingling in strange twists with the various corpses dragged by the Evil Spirit Knights.


    The enormous monster seemed to be using the energy-rich Transcendent (ferocious) corpses as nourishment.


    But Rein had a feeling that the corpses were not simply nourishment; they seemed to be integrated into the creature��s body.


    The overly dark environment was definitely not conducive for the group��s battle, as most people did not possess Rein��s ��Dark Vision�� ability.


    Therefore, as Bishop Rudolph waved his right hand, a Divine Art similar to a flare lit up in front of the monster.


    In an instant, everyone could clearly see the monster��s true form.


    The creature��s body was a massive stump about two to three meters in diameter and seven to eight meters long, with roots of varying thickness growing densely around it, mingling with flesh.


    These roots, different in shape and size, meandered for over ten meters, making it a creature nearly twenty meters in length.


    This was the first time Rein had encountered a monster of such immense size!


    Moreover, he noticed that even the roots without entwined corpses were covered in skin resembling red biological muscle and fascia, aside from the grey bark.


    It seemed as though these roots had just finished digesting the corpses?


    The red flesh fascia appeared to still be active, constantly pulsating and expanding as if they were a heart, and oozing red fluid.

 Chapter 232 - 232 - 155: Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 232 �C 155: Appearance (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    This creature, neither plantlike nor animal-like in appearance, made one��s scalp tingle unpleasantly.


    With the surge of air, Rein instantly smelled the pungent odor of blood and rot. He couldn��t tell whether the stench came from the red flesh or the roots themselves.


    ��Flesh Tree Spirit!�� headmaster Rudolph suddenly exclaimed as something dawned on him.


    Having learned from the murals that they were in the ruins of a temple related to the Mother Tree cult, Rudolph��s first sight of this monster triggered a connection and soon he recalled its origin!


    ��This is the Flesh Tree Spirit mentioned in the books, a guardian used by the Mother Tree cult to protect their highest deity!��


    ��It is said to be dormant most of the time, requiring the sacrifice of a large number of Transcendent beings to awaken it. I didn��t expect to see a Flesh Tree Spirit guarding this place!�� Rudolph spoke quickly.


    ��If there��s a Flesh Tree Spirit here, could it be that this place has something to do with the Mother Tree����


    ...


    ��Boom!��


    An unexpected attack interrupted Rudolph��s explanation.


    Dozens of intertwined roots, forming a massive collective, suddenly smashed towards them, prompting the group to quickly roll away to avoid it.


    Nobody, including Rein, intended to attempt a frontal confrontation to test the opponent��s strength.


    Given the enormous size of the creature, weighing tens of tons, it was just not on the same level as a human.


    It would be as foolish for a strongman among humans to attempt to wrestle an elephant.


    And the Flesh Tree Spirit before them was ten times the size of an elephant.


    Moreover, its gigantic size did not hinder its agility; its movements were as brisk as a monkey��s.


    Faced with this behemoth, meters long and too large for several people to wrap their arms around, Rein, although wielding immense power, was momentarily unsure of how to proceed.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein quickly switched weapons, replacing his war hammer with the Glimmering Greatsword!


    Clearly, against a monster with so many roots, it was essential to do some pruning before even thinking about reaching its main body.


    At that moment, the Flesh Tree Spirit, having missed with its strike, began to transform.


    Two of the thickest roots lifted its massive upper body erect like arms, and hundreds of roots at its tail entwined to form a snake-like appendage.


    The top of the tree stump suddenly split open into a gaping maw, meters wide, resembling a giant creature with a split jaw.


    In the next second, like a crocodile, the creature made an incredibly swift rush and death roll towards the injured Knight who was slightly slower to react!


    ��Boom!!��


    The Knight, unable to dodge in time, was shockingly swallowed whole by the gaping maw into the body of the Flesh Tree Spirit.


    The entire process was so fast, the young Knight didn��t even have time to scream before he vanished from the world.


    This filled Rudolph with a mix of shock and rage!


    He did not hesitate to pull out a high-level Divine Arts scroll from his bosom and tore it open!


    ��Divine Arts: Sword of Judgment!��


    As Rudolph��s angry shout echoed,


    a pale blue Longsword, five meters long and emanating violent energy waves, suddenly appeared before him, pointing straight ahead.


    The appearance of the energy blade was abrupt, manifesting out of nowhere, and in less than a blink, the pale blue greatsword struck at the Flesh Tree Spirit like lightning!


    The Flesh Tree Spirit, still seemingly savoring its ��feast��, had no time to react or to dodge due to its huge size.


    ��Puchi!��


    The main body of the Flesh Tree Spirit, the tree stump, was instantly pierced through by the pale blue energy Longsword, leaving a hole the size of a washbasin, clean through!


    Seeing the immense power of the Divine Arts cast by Headmaster Rudolph, the other two Knights who had just been immersed in the shock and sorrow of losing a comrade couldn��t help but feel an unexpected surge of joy!


    The very next second, a fierce roar echoed through the temple hall.


    ��Roar!!!��


    The bloodthirsty tree spirit, which had just devoured a Knight, was now howling in agony, its massive body writhing and tumbling in excruciating pain.


    Rein looked on with astonishment at the Divine Art that had just been unleashed.


    Indeed, the church��s foundation was strong, and the attack of the pale blue Glimmering Greatsword was incredibly fast and powerful.


    Even he wasn��t sure if he could have avoided that strike.


    If he couldn��t have dodged it��


    The current plight of the bloodthirsty tree spirit was the best testament to the power of the Divine Arts.


    However��


    Rein��s keen perception noticed that although the bloodthirsty tree spirit couldn��t withstand the attack of the Sword of Judgment, it miraculously survived the hit, severely injured but not dead!


    No, it was not just surviving; its wounds were gradually healing!


    Many of its smaller roots withered and snapped off, falling to the ground and quickly turning to deadwood, while the flesh that had been entwined around the roots instantly turned to rot.


    This process seemed to draw life and energy from its roots, rapidly mending the tree spirit��s bodily injuries.


    Although the wound still contained a lot of the pale blue Longsword��s energy, as more and more roots perished, a strange energy was being produced in large quantities, causing the pale blue energy on the wound to be rapidly neutralized by this strange energy.


    One could see that on the tree spirit��s body, the wound the size of a basin was visibly closing at a remarkable speed.


    With Dark Vision enhanced, Rein, even in the dim hall, could clearly see numerous root-like tendrils, as thick as fingers, growing from the inner walls of the tree spirit��s wound, quickly repairing it.


    But this scene went unnoticed by the others because the magic similar to Light Technique had faded.


    The two Knights who were closest to the bloodthirsty tree spirit, seeing its roots falling to the ground and turning into deadwood, believed that the powerful Divine Art just cast must have vanquished the tree spirit.


    All that was left was to wait for the bloodthirsty tree spirit to slowly perish amidst its howls of pain!


    Rein immediately cried out a warning, ��Be careful! The bloodthirsty tree spirit isn��t dead!��


    ��It��s regenerating quickly, attack now! Continue the attack!��


    ��Huh?�� The two Knights turned to Rein with puzzled looks.


    Wasn��t the creature continuously howling in agony, and hadn��t a large number of its roots already broken off and fallen? How could it not be dead? Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    �����������C


    One minute earlier.


    As Rudolph tore open the high-level Divine Arts scroll ��Sword of Judgment��.


    ��Eh! Such strong energy fluctuations!�� Similarly in the Nightingale Forest, the black-haired Elf girl stopped in her tracks.


    The direction she looked up to was exactly where Rein��s team was located in the ruined temple.


    ��This kind of energy fluctuation, eh! There��s another energy, this seems to be��.�� After pondering for a moment, the Elf��s eyes widened in surprise.


    After a brief deliberation, she immediately adjusted her direction and quickly advanced towards the direction of the ruined temple.


    Seemingly feeling that this still wasn��t fast enough.


    The next second, her tall figure suddenly disappeared from the spot, transforming into an eagle that swiftly took to the skies, flapping wings and flying at a great speed.

 Chapter 233 - 233 - 156: People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 233 �C 156: People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    In the dilapidated hall of the Mother Tree faith��s temple.


    Since Reine��s combat prowess was evident to all when he had slain the Evil Spirit Knight earlier,


    even though the two temple knights did not quite believe what Reine had said, they also did not openly question him.


    It was only their stunned body language that seemed to say, ��Even though Lord Rein, you��re very strong, don��t talk nonsense!��


    At the same time, Rudolf, the head of the church, also held some doubts about Rein��s warning.


    After all, the scroll he had just torn open contained the high-level Divine Art, ��Sword of Judgment.��


    Others might not be aware of the power of this Divine Art, but as a professional member of the church, he was all too aware of its might.


    ...


    Once it hit, it not only caused a gigantic piercing injury in an instant to the enemy, but also, the surging energy swirling around the ��Sword of Judgment�� would linger, inflicting continuous damage to the wound.


    Put simply, if not killed by the initial strike, the enemy would die from the continuous loss of blood!


    But the next second, Rudolf��s mouth was agape with horror! The words of warning had only reached his throat when it was already too late��


    The two temple knights were struck by the Flesh Forest��s tail, which lashed out like a giant python, sending them flying through the air like golf balls. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a ��snap,�� both were knocked more than ten meters into the air!


    In midair, the sound of bones breaking and tendons snapping could still be heard.


    Reine sighed deeply in his heart!


    Alas!


    A winning situation had been forcefully turned into a losing one!


    Furthermore, those two were probably not dead but crippled! No longer to be counted on��


    After all that, in the end, he was left alone in this melee, a ��lone warrior�� in close combat!


    As for Lagaray?


    Not having stepped into the Transcendent realm, she probably found even dealing with the Flesh Forest��s roots difficult.


    ��Divine Art: Holy Force Levitation!��


    ��Divine Art: Radiant Healing!��


    Rudolf, with a book in hand, directed two life-saving Divine Arts towards the midair temple knights with utmost speed.


    Rudolf cast two successive Divine Arts, exhausting the last of his spiritual power.


    Although the high-level Divine Art, ��Sword of Judgment,�� was immensely powerful, it had drained a great deal of Rudolf��s spiritual power. Even as a head of the church, he was struggling to endure.


    With the help of ��Holy Force Levitation,�� the two temple knights floated down to the ground as lightly as feathers.


    Rudolf and Lagaray hurried forward to assess the knights�� injuries.


    Unfortunately, the weaker of the two temple knights had already been beyond saving in midair, his organs and bones crushed to a pulp by the Flesh Forest��s blow.


    The other, stronger temple knight had just barely survived, and with the aid of the Divine Art ��Radiant Healing,�� was desperately trying to heal his ravaged organs, but he was completely incapacitated for the moment.


    So, within a matter of seconds, the tide had turned.


    Rudolf and Lagaray raised their heads to look at Reine, who was not far to their side.


    It seemed that Rein was the only one left who could interfere with the Flesh Forest��


    Faced with the gradually healing Flesh Forest, Rein knew he could not wait any longer; he had to take the initiative to attack.


    After all, while the Flesh Forest was still heavily wounded at the moment, he had to inflict sustained and sufficient damage.


    Only in this way could he possibly interrupt its self-healing, and subsequently find a vulnerability and kill it.


    ��Limit Break!��


    Rein, brandishing the Glimmering Greatsword, charged headlong towards the Flesh Forest��s wildly flying roots without a second thought.


    ��Swish, swish, swish!��


    Upon engaging, Rein found that the Flesh Forest was indeed very strong, no, super strong!


    He realized that even in its injured state, its root attacks were heavy and forceful, and the variously-sized flesh roots were incredibly tough.


    Each slash Rein made felt like cutting into a rubber tire, very difficult to sever.


    Thankfully, his Glimmering Greatsword had been forged with star metal and Glowstone, or else even his ��Limit Break�� might not have been enough to cut through these roots.


    One could imagine that if the Flesh Forest had not been hurt and was in its prime state, the number of roots as well as their offensive and defensive power would likely ascend to another level.


    If that were the case, Rein would have faced much more difficulty than he was facing now!


    Confronting such a formidable enemy, Rein activated his ��Limit Break�� right away, boosting all three of his attributes by more than sixty percent.


    His agility, in particular, increased substantially from 16 points to 26 points, naturally leading to a drastic increase in his movement speed. It was this incredible speed that allowed Rein to remain unyielding amidst the perilous battle conditions.


    At this moment, the battle scene in the great hall was Rein moving quickly without a pause, each step an act of slicing or dodging, in response to the hundreds of flesh roots encircling him.


    The roots varied in size and speed, with a multitude of attack methods: Some stabbed with sharp tips, some swept across, and others lashed downwards, the diversity was endless.


    Luckily, Rein��s Giant Bear Sword Technique had already reached level 6!


    Ever since reaching level 6, Rein had felt that his Giant Bear Sword Technique had entered a new major realm. According to Hamilton, that was the mastery level.

 Chapter 234 - 234 - 156: People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 234 �C 156: People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    So, depending on the ��Breakthrough�� and mastery-level swordsmanship, Rein barely managed to cope with the overwhelming offensive of the flesh roots.


    However, Rein soon realized that his current level of swordsmanship still wasn��t strong enough, unable to purely rely on swordsmanship to block many of the root attacks, forcing him to dodge at high speed!


    This led to a very critical problem!


    That is, Rein��s current physical strength was being consumed extremely fast!


    Based on the current rate of exhaustion, Rein estimated that he could only maintain the ��Breakthrough�� state for about a minute, and even with those three remaining attribute points, it would be like a drop in the bucket, not lasting very long.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein quickly made a decision!


    He immediately added a Skill Point to the Giant Bear Sword Technique, and the panel showed Giant Bear Sword Technique lv6 (345/3000) �� Giant Bear Sword Technique lv7 (345/5000).


    ...


    In an instant, fragmented training segments of the Giant Bear Sword Technique began to pour into Rein��s mind and synchronously implanted into his muscle memory.


    To Rein, it felt as though he had undergone years of arduous practice with the Giant Bear Sword Technique!


    At this point, Rein gained a deeper understanding of the Giant Bear Sword Technique; although it was still at the mastery level, it had significantly improved.


    At that moment, a majestic eagle flew over the ruined temple.


    Its sharp eyes first showed a human-like surprise at the temple below; the next moment, it seemed to hear the fierce fighting sounds and energy fluctuations coming from within the temple.


    With a dive, it arrived at the top of the temple, quietly peering inside through the crevices of the collapsed structure.


    The eagle that arrived was naturally the black-haired Elf.


    Soon, with her Dark Vision talent, she was able to make out the battle situation inside the hall.


    ��Indeed�� it��s a Flesh Tree Spirit, those corrupted ones from the Mother Tree Cult have resurfaced, haven��t they?��


    If Rein were beside her, he would definitely be able to discern from the black-haired Elf��s unfriendly tone that she had no fondness for the Mother Tree Cult.


    ��Eh? Where are the people from the church?��


    ��There was definitely a strong divine power fluctuation just now, which seems to be the aura of the gods of Monsoon and Ocean.��


    After a thorough search with her keen eagle eyes, the black-haired Elf finally spotted Rudolph and the others in a dim corner of the hall.


    ��Oh, they seem to be injured?��


    ��I thought I was going to enjoy a good show����


    The black-haired Elf seemed hesitant about whether to join the battle.


    It was not for any other reason but because she had no fondness for the people of the church either.


    The various churches of mankind all considered her Druids to be heretics, so they did their utmost to avoid appearing before church personnel.


    ��Forget it, when this young Knight can no longer hold on, I��ll help them out.�� After weighing the options with a frown, the black-haired Elf murmured.


    �����������C


    At this moment.


    Inside the dim temple hall, Rein, who had improved his swordsmanship, wielded the Giant Bear Sword Technique with each move incredibly swift and fluid, creating the impression of watching a waltz of strength and beauty at quadruple speed!


    Thanks to the ��Exorcise�� special effect of the Glimmering Greatsword, as well as the increase in sword speed following the ��Breakthrough,�� the Glimmering Greatsword in Rein��s hands now resembled a laser greatsword!


    Thus, a radiant orb of light made up of high-speed dancing blades dashed left and right, speeding up and slowing down, and wherever it passed, the various sized flesh roots were severed and fell.


    Even after being chopped off, these wildly flailing roots didn��t lose their vitality immediately; they continued to twist and bend, both in the air and on the ground.


    Occasionally, the Flesh Tree Spirit would command a huge root the diameter of a washbasin to strike at Rein, and at that moment, the white glowing blade orb would immediately dodge. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the upgrade to lv7, Rein��s Giant Bear Sword Technique allowed him to endure much longer than the minute he was originally capable of, extending to at least two minutes, or even longer.


    This scene left Rudolph, Lagaray, and the remaining Temple Knight dumbstruck!


    Although they had witnessed Rein��s fight against the Evil Spirit Knight and knew that Rein was highly skilled with both hammer and sword, they hadn��t expected him to be this powerful!


    It was as if he were fighting the Flesh Tree Spirit alone!


    A single man turning the tide!


    A single man reversing the situation!


    However, Rudolph��s brows soon furrowed.


    ��This way�� it won��t work��. Because before the multitude of roots from the Flesh Tree Spirit can be cut down, Rein��s physical strength will likely be exhausted first!��


    ��Right, he��s now initiated the Breakthrough but hesitates to use his Transcendent abilities, probably because he��s worried about draining his strength too soon and falling out of the Breakthrough state.��


    ��And once his speed slows down, Rein is done for. Human bodies can��t withstand attacks from such massive roots!�� The equally injured Temple Knight beside him also saw the issue, looking even more troubled.


    In the eyes of both Rudolph and the Temple Knight, the situation Rein faced was almost a dead end.


    Because even if Rein possessed great strength, at most, he could maintain the ��Breakthrough�� for about two minutes.


    But what about after two minutes?


    What to do then?


    Defeat was the only outcome waiting for him!


    ��Magini, perhaps�� it��s time to use that move!�� With a grave expression, Rudolph said to the severely wounded Temple Knight Magini beside him.

 Chapter 235 - 235 - 156: People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 235 �C 156: People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Magini��s expression turned serious, and he immediately knocked on his chest with his right hand wearing an iron glove, firmly stating,


    ��Instructor, to return to the embrace of the goddess is my long-held desire! To sacrifice myself for the eradication of evil in this world is my honor!��


    ��Well done, Magini!��


    Rudolph patted the shoulder of the last remaining young temple knight, sighing inwardly.


    It had come to this, after all!


    The church had underestimated the intelligence from the Nightingale Forest.


    But upon reflection, this seemed inevitable.


    ...


    Recently, the manpower at the church had been too tight. The situation around Meister County was increasingly troubling, with a surge of mysterious incidents, and the church simply couldn��t gather enough hands.


    However�� before returning to the embrace of the goddess, let��s take this flesh tree spirit with us!


    Just as the young temple knight named Magini was about to use a secret technique, Rudolph stopped him, saying, ��Let Rein deal with more roots to create the best combat conditions. Once he can��t hold on, we��ll step in!��


    ��That way�� our chance of killing the flesh tree spirit will be higher.��


    Magini nodded emphatically!


    ��.


    Meanwhile, Lagaray��s face was solemn, her lips tightly pursed, holding the blood-etched steel shield with her fingers so tightly clenched that her knuckles turned white.


    This was the second time she had felt this sense of helplessness!


    The pain of being unable to do anything while her teammates struggled beside her was just too much.


    She swore that if she survived this incident, she would definitely take part in a life-and-death trial.


    ��.


    The three of them were intently watching the rapidly moving orb of blades, for when it stopped, it would be Magini and Rudolph��s moment to use their final coup de grace.


    At the top of the temple hall, a pair of sharp eagle eyes watched Rein, his expression shifting from disdain at first to admiration now!


    Time ticked by, second by second��


    One minute��


    Two minutes��


    ��Hmm?�� Rudolph and the young knight Magini looked at each other, both seeing surprise in each other��s eyes.


    ��How�� how can Rein hold on for so long? That��s way too long!�� Magini couldn��t help but exclaim.


    Seeing the surprise on the faces of the two men, the heavy-hearted Lagaray seemed to remember something, her expression rare and briefly lit with a smile, saying,


    ��Rein has great stamina, sometimes I train with him all day, I��m exhausted, but he still looks energized and hardly tired at all!��


    ��I��m quite sure, Rein��s endurance is extraordinary!��


    Rudolph and Magini heard this, their faces showing a curious look, exchanging glances!


    Endurance?


    Their practice�� was it serious practice?


    You��re exhausted, and he��s still energized?


    Can I say I don��t believe it?


    I��ve never heard of the land being weary, the ox not tired!


    Moreover�� you��re not an ordinary woman, you��re a barbarian woman! Even your stamina can��t withstand it? The two thought to themselves.


    But Lagaray didn��t seem to notice that her words had caused a misunderstanding among the two men beside her.


    Her beautiful eyes were completely focused on Rein.


    Although she had just heard about the instructor Rudolph and the temple knight��s last desperate strategy, she still planned to rush forward with her shield to protect Rein if his situation turned dire.


    Even if it was just to block a single blow, she would rush up without hesitation!


    At this moment, Rein��s physical strength had nearly reached its limit, but his heart was not panicking at all.


    Because he had ��cheats��!


    Add points and recover!


    He was hesitating about how to add points.


    Right now, he had three choices for adding points. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One was to add to his physical strength, which was also the most enduring choice; the second was agility, to move a bit faster, which naturally was safer; and lastly, adding points to his Spirit.


    The reason for the option to add points to Spirit was to prepare for a subsequent attack on the flesh tree spirit itself.


    After battling for so long, he wasn��t just thinking about giving the flesh tree spirit a ��shave�� and retreating, was he?


    Naturally, he wanted to find a way to kill the foe!


    Just then, Rein had a sudden guess.


    That was, since the flesh tree spirit was called a tree spirit, was there a possibility that it was particularly afraid of fire?


    Although he couldn��t verify this immediately, as long as Rein could get close to its body, he could attack it with the two fire-based witchcraft spells he knew: ��Scorching Touch�� and ��High-Temperature Force Field��.


    However, considering the situation, the opponent was moving quickly and had very powerful attacks, leaving very limited time for Rein to cast witchcraft.


    Moreover, even if he could successfully cast the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch��, if the duration was too short, it might not inflict significant damage on the opponent.


    This point had been verified in a previous encounter with Adams.


    Otherwise, the 2,000-degree high temperature should have carbonized Adams��s body directly.


    Therefore, upon considering this, increasing the power of the witchcraft was crucial.


    But how to enhance the power of the witchcraft, the only solution Rein knew of was to increase his spiritual power.


    While fighting and thinking, Rein quickly made a decision��to add points to his Spirit!


    Although whether he added points to his physical strength, agility, or Spirit, none could guarantee that he would definitely be able to kill the flesh tree spirit.


    But by adding points to his Spirit, the power of his witchcraft would increase, which meant that his chances of successfully killing the flesh tree spirit would be higher.

 Chapter 236 - 236 - 156: People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 236 �C 156: People Have Grown Numb to It (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    As his spiritual power increased from 20 points to 21 points, in an instant, Rein felt a rush of warmth pumping out from his heart, spreading rapidly to his limbs!


    This instantly filled Rein with vitality, and the exhaustion and sense of power depletion that followed his ��Limit Break�� vanished without a trace!


    For some reason, the famous prose poem ��The Seagull�� by the great writer Gorky from his previous life flashed through Rein��s mind.


    ��This is the brave seagull, flying proudly amidst the roaring sea and through the lightning!��


    ��It is the prophet of victory shouting!��


    ��Let the storm come more fiercely!��


    Looking at the dense blood flesh roots coming at him from all angles, Rein felt like the seagull facing the storm, and he himself was like that brave yet tiny seagull!


    ...


    It was time to duel with the stormy winds and terrifying waves!


    The next second, under the watchful eyes of the three humans and one eagle at his side.


    Rein, who had already shown signs of fatigue and seemed likely to fall at any moment, suddenly appeared as though some divine art of time reversal had been cast on him, returning to the state he was in three minutes ago when he first activated ��Limit Break.��


    At that moment, Rein swung his greatsword, and the momentum of his sword surprisingly maintained an extraordinarily stable state once again!


    It was as fluent and filled with strength as when the battle had first begun, continuing to ��shave�� the blood flesh tree spirit as if wielding a razor!


    Young Knight Magini gaped with his mouth wide open, and his eyes suddenly grew twice as large, completely dumbfounded.


    His expression was exactly like that of�� the class��s slacker, who upon facing a particularly hard question at the end of an extremely difficult test, is utterly shocked.


    Even the experienced instructor Rudolph was not much better than Magini at this moment.


    He too stared blankly at Rein, who had ��wound up his clockwork�� again, with disbelief written all over his face.


    Only Lagaray��s expression was somewhat more normal, after all, she had witnessed Rein��s ��endurance�� before during their sparring sessions, but even then, she was slightly taken aback this time.


    Lagaray glanced at the two beside her with an ��I told you Rein has a lot of endurance, but you wouldn��t believe me�� expression.


    After a few seconds, the instructor Rudolph and Knight Magini, with their mouths wide open, finally closed them and swallowed, glancing at Lagaray at their side.


    Seemingly a bit embarrassed, they immediately turned to look at each other, and in each other��s eyes, they saw full-blown shock and incomprehension.


    Girl, you said�� this�� Rein is enduring��


    But this kind of endurance is just too much!


    Instructor Rudolph��s face twitched a few times, and though he remained silent, he was screaming in his mind.


    And the eagle at the top of the hall had been about to fly down to rescue earlier.


    But just as it flapped its wings, the situation stabilized again!


    Now, even the sharp eyes of the eagle seemed bewildered.


    Meanwhile, Rein was fighting more smoothly and more effortlessly by the second because the memories of the lv7 Giant Bear Sword Technique that had just been infused into him had been completely assimilated by him after the recent combat!


    At the same time, Rein had some new ideas about the use of Skill Points.


    It seems��


    For seemingly basic skills like swordsmanship and Hammer Skill, once raised to a higher level before adding points, the benefits one receives are no less valuable than those from upgrading some rare skills.


    Seeing their teammate Rein performing so well, Instructor Rudolph and Knight Magini naturally would not foolishly rush forward to use their ultimate moves and fight desperately with the blood flesh tree spirit.


    After all, a bad life was better than a good death.


    So, time passed, second by second, two more minutes went by��


    Altogether, it was now six minutes later.


    Instructor Rudolph and Knight Magini were already mesmerized by the continuous action they were witnessing!


    It was like seeing a class of dozens of students running a thousand meters, and just as they started, a boy suddenly sprinted at the pace of a hundred-meter dash.


    Almost everyone thought that this boy, at that speed, would do well to last half a lap.


    But instead, he whizzed a full four hundred meters in a sprint and then continued at that high speed��


    Rein, on the brink of physical exhaustion once more, glanced at his panel and silently added points!


    As his spiritual power increased from 21 points to 22 points, instantaneously, another rush of warmth pumped from his heart to his limbs!


    This revived Rein in ��full health�� once again! Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, his body was filled with vigor, the fatigue vanished, and he was ready to fight a ��three hundred rounds�� battle with the blood flesh tree spirit!


    Rein��s state, which seemed to be like an ��eternal motion machine��, finally caught the blood flesh tree spirit��s surprise and attention.


    For its blood flesh tendrils, though numerous, couldn��t withstand such relentless assault from Rein!


    Now, under Rein��s unwavering ��shaving��, the blood flesh tree spirit��s tens of meters long body surface had been shaved into patch after patch of ��bald spots.��


    That is to say, as long as Rein could maintain his current state for a few more minutes, he would undoubtedly shave the blood flesh tree spirit into a ��bald stump!��

 Chapter 237 - 237 - 157: Can I Say It’s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)

    Chapter 237 �C 157: Can I Say It��s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)


    Moreover, under Rein��s relentless disturbance, the blood flesh treant was also in extreme discomfort, its main body still hadn��t completely healed from the penetrating wound caused by the high-level Divine Arts ��Sword of Judgment��.


    According to the previous healing speed, it should have healed five minutes earlier.


    But now, because of Rein��s interference, the huge wound had only shrunk from the size of a washbasin to the size of a fist.


    The underlying reason was that many of the roots that could have been used to heal the wound were cut off by Rein and scattered on the ground.


    The blood flesh treant��s intelligence was not low, and it knew it could not go on like this.


    If this continued, it might indeed be ground to death by this little thing before it��


    All of a sudden, its upper body shot up, and those fine tendrils that had been writhing inside the wound of the piercing injury all retracted at once.


    ...


    The next second, the blood flesh treant faced Rein and launched into a leap followed by a death roll attack!


    Rein��s pupils contracted as he quickly executed a side-roll to dodge.


    Just now, that was how the blood flesh treant had swallowed the lightly wounded temple Knight whole.


    So, although the blood flesh treant had been using its roots to fight Rein up until now, Rein had always been on guard for this powerful move.


    If this move hit directly, it would likely mean certain death!


    As expected, it tried the move again.


    The blood flesh treant��s massive maw brushed past Rein, its huge body moving with incredible speed, carrying vast kinetic energy.


    In an instant, the nearly twenty-meter long blood flesh treant streaked by like a meteor, smashing a massive hole in the sturdy white marble walls of the temple.


    Dust and debris filled the air! S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Additionally, Rein noticed that whenever the blood flesh treant itself began to attack, its healing completely stopped, probably due to large energy consumption or because the attack would tear at the wound.


    No wonder it had not engaged in the attack with its main body before.


    The blood flesh treant rose again, shaking its enormous body as if the collision with the wall had left it somewhat dizzy.


    However, when it came to its senses and realized it had not hit Rein, it seemed exceedingly irate!


    After reestablishing Rein��s location, the blood flesh treant let out a skyward roar.


    The next second, it inhaled a large breath of air, its body swelling in size, and then spat out clumps of bloody mucus from its gaping maw, spraying in all directions without a blind spot!


    This scene, akin to a volcanic eruption, nearly covered the entire temple hall, leaving Rudolph and the other two in the corner with no escape!


    Facing this witchcraft-like attack from the blood flesh treant, Rudolph��s face paled, regretting not having taken measures sooner.


    Now, even if he and Magini used their final trump card, it would be too late!


    The temple Knight Magini immediately raised his steel shield to cover Rudolph.


    Lagaray, meanwhile, was crouching with her agile body, fixated on Rein with her beautiful eyes, holding a blood-rune shield in her left hand, her strong, shapely legs tensed, ready to pounce like a leopard.


    Lagaray seemed poised to rush to Rein��s side, ready to block the blood flesh treant��s spew with her shield.


    But the next second, she froze!


    The same happened to the Elf transformed into an eagle on the ceiling, who was about to swoop down and use ��Hurricane Technique�� to help, but she too halted her dive.


    Rein, in front of the blood flesh treant, boldly stepped forward without flinching, calmly retrieving a scroll from his arms!


    ��I had intended to save this Sorcery Scroll ��Extreme Cold Wind�� for the certification exam later, but it looks like I��ll have to use it here,�� Rein said softly, with a hint of regret.


    While talking to himself, he did not slow his movements, quickly channeling a trace of spiritual power into the ��Extreme Cold Wind�� Sorcery Scroll and slightly controlling the direction of release.


    Suddenly, a freezing gust of wind appeared out of nowhere, blowing over a dozen meters in front of Rein, nearly engulfing the massive blood flesh treant completely.


    The next second, this frigid wind collided head-on with the bloody mucus spit out by the treant.


    The power of the cold far exceeded Rein��s expectations, as the bloody mucus instantly froze upon contact, falling to the ground like large chunks of ice and shattering with a ��crack��.


    And it wasn��t over yet; after freezing the bloody mucus, the cold gust still had enough force to head straight for the treant itself.


    The recent spewing had greatly drained the blood flesh treant��s energy.


    It was seen gasping heavily, the wound piercing its body widened again, and aside from a few of its larger roots, the rest had fallen off.


    Facing the onslaught of the extreme cold, the blood flesh treant, too slow to effectively dodge or block, was quickly covered in heavy white frost and crystals, its moving and attacking speed significantly reduced, as though it had gone from an agile monkey to a wobbly old woman nearly ninety years old.

 Chapter 238 - 238 - 157: Can I Say It’s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)_2

    Chapter 238 �C 157: Can I Say It��s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)_2


    Additionally, due to the huge temperature difference in the air, the temple hall was filled with an enormous amount of dense, white fog at this time, obscuring Rein��s figure, making even the unusually large flesh tree spirit unclear.


    At this moment, Rein stomped his right foot heavily and swung the greatsword in his hands. Like an arrow released from a bow, he rapidly shot toward the true body of the flesh tree spirit.


    Along the way for more than ten meters, there was a constant ��crack�� sound as the white roots kept falling to the ground.


    Under the influence of the low temperature, these originally tough roots had become extremely fragile.


    Thus, dozens of white tendrils were cleared by Rein in an instant, creating a long, direct pathway to the flesh tree spirit��s trunk!


    Rein shook the Glimmering Greatsword in his hands and, in the next second, he was already beside the trunk of the flesh tree spirit.


    As Rein��s left hand rested on the rough skin of the flesh tree spirit, a deep incantation began to resonate from his mouth.


    ...


    Yes, Rein was casting the level 2 sorcery ��Scorching Touch�� he had mastered!


    After a brief spell chant of just over two seconds, a red glow emerged from Rein��s palm and quickly penetrated into the rough skin of the flesh tree spirit.


    Twenty-two points of spiritual power significantly enhanced the potency of Rein��s Scorching Touch.


    Although it was not yet known by how much, it was sure to be significantly more than before.


    Hmm?


    In an instant, Rein felt as if he had ignited a powder keg!


    It seemed that the flesh tree spirit��s body was filled with gasoline, just lacking a fuse.


    And his ��Scorching Touch�� was that match.


    Suddenly Rein��s expression drastically changed, and he quickly retreated.


    The next second!


    ��Boom!!��


    The flesh tree spirit let out a scream!


    The area that Rein had just touched exploded into a gigantic cavity half a person tall and, furthermore, blazing flames continued to burn the body of the flesh tree spirit at the wound.


    The roots around were frantically trying to extinguish the flames on the wound, but because they had been slowed down by the ��Extreme Cold Wind�� sorcery scroll, the firefighting effort was not effective.


    This caused the burning to gradually become more intense.


    Rein was immediately overjoyed!


    Obviously, this verified that his previous judgment was accurate.


    This flesh tree spirit, bearing the word ��tree�� in its name, indeed feared fire. S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein felt that he should really thank the person who first named the flesh tree spirit.


    Precise naming contained the key to defeating the enemy.


    Almost without hesitation, Rein decided he must definitely take advantage of the situation!


    Using the words of a great man: ��It is right to press home the pursuit and drive the beaten enemy; it is not fitting to exploit one��s reputation and play the tyrant.��


    Immediately, Rein propelled himself forward again, rapidly circling around the flesh tree spirit, attacking whenever an opportunity arose, and would release the ��Scorching Touch�� sorcery on other parts of the flesh tree spirit.


    Although the flesh tree spirit instinctively tried its best to dodge Rein��s attacks, having suffered from the ��Extreme Cold Wind�� sorcery, its body, including the roots, moved significantly slower and was utterly unable to avoid Rein��s strikes and approaches.


    Thus, within just a few more than ten seconds, several parts of the flesh tree spirit��s body were ignited by Rein!


    And with multiple parts exploding consecutively, it seemed to trigger some sort of chain reaction!


    Suddenly, the nearly twenty-meter long body of the flesh tree spirit stopped moving; it no longer avoided Rein��s attacks but started to tremble slightly.


    The next second, the vast body of the flesh tree spirit suddenly swelled and glowed a fiery red.


    At this moment, its body seemed to be filled with magma, much like a volcano about to erupt.


    Immediately, Rein was startled and quickly retreated!


    He was still quite worried about whether the flesh tree spirit had any other trump cards, or some kind of desperate last resort move.


    But the next second, under Rein��s watch, the vast body of the flesh tree spirit sharply contracted back and rapidly shriveled, all the while emitting a large amount of pungent, foul-smelling black smoke.


    And its densely packed tendrils, at this time, seemed to have suddenly lost all vitality, hanging limply and motionlessly.


    It seemed that the swelling and contracting had released all the energy inside the flesh tree spirit in one go.


    For a moment, the flesh tree spirit was utterly silent!


    At this time, the system prompt sounded:


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been upgraded, Experience +1291]


    [Your Skill Scorching Touch has been upgraded, Experience +35]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +276, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +112]


    Upon seeing this, Rein immediately breathed a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, although the flesh tree spirit was formidable, it didn��t have any second phase or transformation.


    At this moment, it should truly be dead.


    Huh?


    What is this?


    Rein keenly noticed, under the carcass of the flesh tree spirit, he seemed to sense a special faint aura.


    This aura, which Rein was encountering for the first time, was filled with a sense of vitality, grandeur, and spirituality, and also seemed to carry an indescribable�� evil?


    Immediately, Rein swiftly cut open the bottom of the flesh tree spirit.


    There, a crystal the size of a walnut and a pale gold little tree enveloped in a fist-sized transparent membrane appeared before Rein��s eyes.


    Hiss!


    This is��


    The sensation he had just perceived was likely the aura of the pale gold little tree, which was entirely a pale gold color, seemingly divine, but the sharp-eyed Rein noticed that beneath its pale gold exterior, there seemed to be a stream of black energy continuously flowing.

 Chapter 239 - 239 - 157: Can I Say It’s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)_3

    Chapter 239 �C 157: Can I Say It��s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)_3


    The aura of that crystal was quite similar to the energy crystal dropped by the Evil Spirit Knight, only it was thicker and more vast.


    After some thought, Rein lifted the crystal with the tip of his sword and took it out.


    As soon as it was in his hand, a system prompt sounded:


    [Ding! Detected unknown energy that can be absorbed. Do you wish to absorb it? (Note: After absorption, it can be converted into specified Professional Experience Points.)]


    As expected!


    This must be a kind of energy body that is even more advanced than the energy crystal.


    After all the hard work, it was finally time for the harvest.


    ...


    Rein felt a surge of joy in his heart and didn��t hesitate to choose ��Yes!��


    The next second, the thick black energy that flowed within the walnut-sized crystal suddenly rushed into Rein��s body through his arm.


    Just like last time, this time Rein once again didn��t feel any discomfort, and the whole absorption and conversion process was over.


    [Ding! A total of 1536 supernatural experience points converted. Please choose to upgrade Knight (Transcendent)/Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)/Beast Tamer (Transcendent).]


    Tsk tsk!


    The flesh tree spirit is mighty!


    Rein found that he had started to like the�� unholy things of the Mother Tree Sect!


    The rewards are too generous!


    After pondering for a while, Rein decided to continue selecting Beast Tamer (Transcendent) to add points.


    The reason was simple, he could slowly accumulate experience for Knight or Wizard Apprentice through combat, but not for Beast Tamer.


    Moreover, he was currently a Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv3 (12/500); choosing to add points to Beast Tamer would allow him to level up twice.


    But if he chose Knight or Wizard Apprentice, he could only rise by one level.


    As for Blacksmith not being prompted, it��s because, in Rein��s view, Blacksmith isn��t a transcendent profession, so it isn��t difficult to level up.


    As Rein silently thought ��Beast Tamer!��


    Instantly, two consecutive system prompts appeared:


    [Congratulations, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) Profession Level has increased!]


    [Congratulations, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) Profession Level has increased!]


    Seeing the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) level change from lv3 (12/500) to lv5 (48/2000) on the panel, Rein couldn��t help but show a brilliant smile.


    He continued to read on.


    Gazing at the bottom of the panel revealed remaining attribute points: 3, and remaining Skill Points: 5.


    The remaining attribute points were back to three, and the remaining Skill Points had reached an astonishing five.


    This gave Rein the thrilling sense of getting richer and stronger with each battle!


    Since the pale golden sapling still hadn��t been checked, Rein didn��t linger in the joy of leveling up for long, but immediately took out the pale golden sapling, which was the size of a small fist, from the body of the flesh tree spirit.


    At that moment, the system prompt sounded again:


    [Ding! Detected that the host has obtained a Mother Tree seed, triggering a class transfer��Mother Tree Priest (Transcendent)!]


    [The prerequisites for transferring to Mother Tree Priest are: 1. Knight (Transcendent) lv3 or above, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv3 or above; 2. Constitution 15 points or above, Spirit 18 points or above; 3. Belief in the Mother Tree or use of the Mother Tree seed. Conditions met, do you wish to transfer to Mother Tree Priest (Transcendent)?]


    Hisss!


    Facing the class transfer information prompted by the system, Rein��s eyes suddenly widened!


    This was the first time he had seen prerequisites for a class transfer that were so demanding.


    It actually required both Knight and Wizard Apprentice to be lv3 or above.


    Rein��s brain whirred rapidly, and after a few seconds, he resolutely clicked ��No!��


    The reason was simple, the Mother Tree Sect had been listed as a Cult by the Empire; if he transferred to become a Mother Tree Priest (Transcendent), he would naturally be opposing the Empire, and Rein didn��t believe that the transcendent profession of Mother Tree Priest could bring benefits matching the huge risks!


    [Ding! Detected that the Mother Tree seed contains a large amount of life energy. Do you wish to absorb it? (Note: After absorption, the Mother Tree seed will be destroyed.)]


    Huh?


    Could it be like this?


    After a brief thought, Rein chose ��Yes!��


    Since he wasn��t transferring classes, it was natural to use it for absorption, at least it was all for his own benefit. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an instant, a stream of warm energy that made Rein feel indescribably cozy emanated from the pale golden Mother Tree seed, a sensation that the phrase ��ecstatic�� couldn��t describe even one-tenth of!


    At the same time, four quiet system prompts arrived:


    [Congratulations! Your Constitution Attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Strength Attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Agility Attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Spirit Attribute has increased!]


    This��


    All Attributes +1!


    The Mother Tree seed is amazing!


    Bring me a dozen, please!


    Rein, coming back to his senses, hadn��t expected to receive four system prompts in one go!


    At this time, the white mist also began to gradually dissipate.


    In the corner of the hall, Rudolph, Lagaray, and Magini were staring blankly at the clearly dead flesh tree spirit and at Rein who stood nearby, sword in hand.


    For a moment, the three of them didn��t know what to say!


    Things had changed so rapidly!


    In the span of half a minute, the flesh tree spirit that had been gaining the upper hand was now motionlessly sprawled at Rein��s feet.


    At this moment, under the sunlight seeping into the hall, Rein was coated in a soft golden glow, making him seem especially tall.


    And the flesh tree spirit, which had once been like a small mountain, was now charred throughout and emitting plumes of black smoke, completely reduced to a backdrop for the golden light.


    Then Rudolph, coming to a realization, furrowed his brows, stepped forward for a closer look at Rein, and slowly began to ask, ��Rein, the wide-area frost attack you just performed, that was witchcraft, wasn��t it?��

 Chapter 240 - 240 - 157: Can I Say It’s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)_4

    Chapter 240 �C 157: Can I Say It��s Already Been Absorbed by Me? (Two in One Chapter)_4


    He had just turned his sight away because it was blocked by Magini, so he did not see the scene when Rein pulled out the Sorcery Scroll.


    Rein looked up and saw the expression on Head Priest Rudolph��s face, a mix of joy and faint worry, and immediately understood what was going on.


    It seemed that Jenny had been right last time.


    The Church and the followers of the orthodox Knight��s Path were quite opposed to witchcraft and the ways of the Wizard.


    Rein expressed understanding of this, as it was somewhat similar to the strife over the orthodox path in the immortal-hero novels of his previous life, or the differences between the capitalists and socialists in modern society.


    ��That��s correct, Head Priest Rudolph, I just used a Sorcery Scroll confiscated from a Wizard Apprentice, named ��Arctic Wind.����


    Upon hearing it was from the spoils of war, Rudolph��s brow immediately relaxed, and his expression softened significantly, nodding and saying, ��That��s good, witchcraft is indeed very powerful, but its learning process is fraught with many unpredictable dangers.��


    ...


    After a pause, Rudolph continued: ��And Divine Arts are not only more powerful but also safer, Rein, I hope you understand this.��


    Naturally, Rein was not going to argue this matter with Rudolph at this time and simply smiled a little and nodded again.


    However, all of a sudden, Rein looked around with a puzzled expression. Right after he had killed the Blood Flesh Treant, he had felt a subtle sense of being watched.


    This feeling was very faint. Rein looked up again and saw several birds fluttering away at the top of the hall, so he slightly shook his head and thought to himself:


    ��Maybe I��m just being too sensitive! Mistaking the curious prying of some birds and beasts for the prying of intelligent beings.�� Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, something Rudolph said made Rein��s heart skip a beat.


    He only heard Rudolph muttering doubtfully to himself:


    ��That��s not right! After the death of a creature like the Blood Flesh Treant, there should have been at least large chunks of evil energy crystals.��


    ��Even normally, there should be shards of evil energy left behind. How could there be absolutely nothing?��


    ��Rein, did you see anything like the crystals that drop when Evil Spirit Knights die?�� Rudolph turned and asked.


    ��Haha, no, I really didn��t. By the way, Head Priest Rudolph, could it be because the high-level Divine Arts ��Sword of Judgment�� you cast was too powerful?�� Rein laughed.


    Sorry about that!


    Head Priest Rudolph, it��s just that I��ve absorbed them already.


    ��And I can��t exactly spit them back out for you.


    ��This�� it��s possible���� Rudolph frowned and pondered for a while, nodding his head, seeming to accept Rein��s explanation.


    ��Head Priest, then let��s retreat now, shall we?�� Rein, feeling somewhat guilty, quickly suggested.


    After all, the high-level Divine Arts scroll ��Sword of Judgment�� did play an extremely important role in killing the Blood Flesh Treant, but now the issue was that Rein had ��swallowed�� all the benefits himself.


    ��Wait, there must be something of the Mother Tree Sect that required the protection of the Blood Flesh Treant here.��


    ��Or rather, there must be something very important to the Mother Tree Sect here, otherwise, the Blood Flesh Treant and Evil Spirit Knights wouldn��t have emerged out of nowhere.��


    ��Uh����


    Could it be that thumb-sized pale golden sapling��


    Head Priest, can I say that I��ve absorbed it too?


    Rein sneakily glanced at Rudolph, who was searching around, and felt even more guilty��


    But at this moment, he could only remain silent, following behind Head Priest Rudolph pretending to search around the perimeter of the Temple Hall.


    Suddenly, Knight Magini in the center of the hall shouted: ��Head Priest, there��s a stone slab here!��


    Rein raised an eyebrow, huh? There really was something?


    The two of them promptly walked over and saw that underneath the original position of the Treant, Magini had unearthed a black obsidian slab more than one meter long, written with something in an ancient language (Akkadian).


    Rudolph nodded confidently and said, ��This must be it.��


    ��Was the Blood Flesh Treant guarding this slab?�� Knight Magini asked curiously beside him.


    As a knight of the church��s temple, he hadn��t studied this kind of spiritual text; on normal days, he was so busy learning combat skills and prayers that he naturally couldn��t afford to divert his attention to anything else.


    However, Rudolph, as the head of the clergy, did have a certain degree of research on spiritual text.


    ��Great Mother Tree�� following�� the most humble servant�� I beseech you����


    Rein initially watched with surprise, scrutinizing it closely for a moment, but soon, he lost interest.


    Because if he wasn��t mistaken, this appeared to be a ritual text or prayer, namely, the ritual language used during sacrifices to pray to the so-called Mother Tree.


    Clearly, to him, this was almost meaningless: he wasn��t a priest of the Mother Tree��


    Had Rein just changed his occupation to ��Priest of the Mother Tree,�� then this prayer would have been quite useful and worth studying seriously, but now, not so much.


    ��Magini, dig this thing out and bring it back,�� Rudolph said after pondering for a moment.


    Although Rudolph, after translating, also believed that this seemed to just be an ordinary prayer, he thought carefully and surmised that the Obsidian tablet, which the Black Flesh Tree Spirit was guarding, must possess some special purpose or significance.


    It was just that, possibly due to his lack of expertise in this area, he couldn��t immediately discern the importance of the Obsidian tablet.


    Watching as the temple knight Magini ��huffed and puffed�� to dig out the heavy Obsidian tablet, Rein cast a dubious glance at Rudolph and thought:


    ��Head of the clergy, do you really think the Black Flesh Tree Spirit was guarding this tablet?��


    ��


    Soon after, Rein and his party returned the way they had come, back to the entrance of the Temple Garden.


    At that moment, seeing Rein��s party emerge, the Night Watchman and the peace officers immediately surrounded them.


    After a brief conversation, upon hearing that there was a monster inside nearly twenty meters long, everyone clicked their tongues in amazement!


    From the expressions on their faces, they all seemed relieved.


    Otherwise, judging from the bodies of the fallen knights, it was clear that these ordinary people would have suffered horrific casualties, or even a total annihilation!


    Realizing this, the short Matteo and the other Night Watchmen looked at their own peace deputy officer Rein with grateful eyes.


    �����������C


    After Rein and his companions left the temple hall, the eagle perched at the top of the hall finally fluttered its wings and flew down.


    As it was about to land, the eagle suddenly transformed into a black-haired Elf, and the tall slender figure calmly walked over to the carcass of the Black Flesh Tree Spirit and began to investigate.


    ��Strange, the Sorcery Scroll that the human knight tore open was clearly of the frost series, but the Black Flesh Tree Spirit clearly died from fire-based witchcraft,�� the black-haired Elf said with a puzzled expression.


    She had just witnessed the entire battle, but shortly after Rein tore open the Sorcery Scroll ��Gale of Extreme Cold,�� a dense fog filled the entire hall.


    By then, no one except Rein himself could see clearly what Rein was doing.


    Thus, the black-haired Elf��s confusion wasn��t surprising.


    ��Could it be that the human knight just now used fire-based witchcraft?��


    The black-haired Elf quickly thought of a possibility.


    ��Perhaps, it was because he carried a fire-based witchcraft scroll with him.��


    ��Eh? This aura is����


    The black-haired Elf��s eyes suddenly widened, her cherry lips parting in an incredulous expression.


    Because she had just sensed a trace of the identical aura from the Elven Mother Tree seed.


    She was naturally all too familiar with this aura, it was almost identical.


    ��No, this should be the aura of the seed of the Dark Mother Tree, the one worshipped by the sect of the Mother Tree!��


    The next second, the black-haired Elf reacted.

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    Chapter 241 �C 158: First Intimate Contact (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    As soon as he thought of the dangers posed by the dark tree seed, the black-haired elf��s expression changed, and she muttered to herself, ��No, I need to go and retrieve the dark tree seed.��


    ��The only one who had the chance to take the seed just now would be the young knight who used the Sorcery Scroll����


    The image of Rein, the young knight wielding the Dual-Handed Greatsword, instantly came to the mind of the black-haired elf.


    The very next second, the black-haired elf transformed into an eagle once more and soared into the sky.


    Soon, she caught up with Rein and his group, who were preparing to return from the Temple Garden��s entrance.


    Half an hour later.


    ��Captain, there��s something odd about that eagle circling above us for quite a few rounds,�� a Night Watchman noticed the eagle above and turned to speak to his captain, Matteo.


    ...


    ��Hmm?�� Matteo also looked up for a moment and nodded, saying,


    ��Indeed, something isn��t right; it seems to be tracking our squadron. Could it be that a falconer from some unknown forces is nearby?��


    Matteo��s expression turned serious as he considered this and then kicked his horse��s sides firmly to accelerate and approached Rein, who was conversing with Lagaray, to report,


    ��Adjutant Sir, there��s an eagle in the sky constantly tracking us; I suspect there is a falconer from unknown forces nearby����


    ��An eagle?�� Rein looked up questioningly.


    He saw several birds flying across the sky, but none were eagles, which meant there was no trace of an eagle in the sky at that moment.


    ��Matteo, there��s no eagle?��


    ��Eh? There definitely was one just now?�� Matteo scratched his head, momentarily confused.


    However, it was clear since the eagle was no longer there, it was most likely his overthinking.


    Perhaps�� the eagle was merely chasing its prey that happened to be near their group.


    In fact, at the very moment when Matteo looked up, the black-haired elf, in the guise of the eagle, had realized that her circling behavior had likely attracted the attention of certain individuals in the group below.


    Therefore, she decided to fly in the direction the group was moving and landed not far ahead of them before quickly transforming into a squirrel, which scampered up the high canopy of an oak tree to observe the group.


    The scrutiny of a squirrel would naturally not raise any alarm, not even for Rein, despite his remarkably keen senses.


    After all, in the Nightingale Forest, where wild beasts are abundant, if the scrutiny of a squirrel were to be of concern, then there would be far too many such scrutinizing gazes to be wary of.


    �����������C


    Half a day later, the group returned to Flashgold Town, and Hamilton was already waiting at the administrative hall��s entrance to greet everyone.


    As soon as the group entered Flashgold Town, a security officer notified him.


    Seeing Rein and the Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town mostly safe and sound, a look of relief quickly spread across Hamilton��s face.


    However, when he noticed the several stretchers being carried at the back of the group�� and the two-man shortage in the knightly group from the church, Hamilton��s smile faded.


    After some inquiries, Hamilton looked astonished!


    He had not expected that what seemed to be a secure mission dealing with the Evil Spirit Knight would turn out to have such unexpected and twisted developments.


    Firstly, the number of Evil Spirit Knights had suddenly surged to three, and they all possessed almost the strength of Peak Knights.


    Secondly, inside the dilapidated temple hall was an ancient Cult��s relic, ��The Mother Tree Sect��, and there existed creatures like the flesh tree spirits with strength equivalent to that of a Great Knight!


    This made it difficult for Hamilton to imagine just how intense the battle had been.


    However, what particularly puzzled him was why his own elite Night Watchmen were mostly unharmed, whereas the church��s knights, who were much stronger and had stepped into transcendence, suffered such heavy casualties!


    The two surviving knights were severely injured, and two honorably fallen knights lay on the stretchers�� this��


    And��


    Why did his own Adjutant Rein, after such a brutal battle, not only appear unscathed but also seem full of vigor?


    Such a state would make more sense to Hamilton if Rein had just woken up from an afternoon nap!


    ��Huh? Rein��s aura����


    ��This�� how does it feel like his strength has progressed again!��


    Hamilton��s eyes widened as he looked at Rein, evidently taken aback. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, before Hamilton could ask for details, Rudolph approached with a grave expression.


    ��Father Rudolph, your efforts are commendable! The empire will surely honor and provide compensation for the two fallen knights of the church,�� Hamilton said to Rudolph.


    ��Lord Hamilton, this time, we owe much gratitude to Flashgold Town��s Adjutant Rein for his significant support. Without him, our losses might have been even more severe,�� Rudolph said, glancing at Rein and speaking to Hamilton.


    ��This�� this is what we in Flashgold Town ought to do,�� Hamilton was taken aback upon hearing this.


    Because by the sound of it, Rein must have played a crucial role in the mission.


    Otherwise, given Rudolph��s typically rigid demeanor, he would not likely make such ��nice remarks�� for mutual flattery.


    ��.


    After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the church��s group led by Father Rudolph did not continue their stay in Flashgold Town. Instead, they arranged for two carriages and set out for the County Town overnight.


    The urgency was due to the need for immediate treatment for the two grievously injured knights.

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    Chapter 242 �C 158: First Intimate Contact (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    In addition, Rudolph also needs to report to the bishop as soon as possible about the discovery of the ancient Cult��s ��Mother Tree Sect�� ruins.


    However��


    Before leaving, Rudolph specifically sought out Rein for a brief chat.


    ��Rein, the doors of the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church will always be open for you!�� S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Besides, I will report your performance in this incident to Lord Bishop.��


    ��


    As soon as Rudolph had left, an incredibly curious Hamilton pulled Rein into his office to ask for details.


    ...


    Just now, with the church��s personnel present, there had been many things Hamilton naturally felt uncomfortable to inquire about.


    ��This�� Lord, there��s not much to say, actually����


    Once Rein had succinctly described both battles, Hamilton understood why Rudolph had placed such importance on Rein!


    He would have done the same in his position.


    Originally, he had thought that the church��s heavy casualties meant that they were undoubtedly the ones who had contributed most to resolving this mysterious incident.


    Even his own Night Watchman team probably had merely engaged in some alert duties, which was why they had so few casualties.


    But the outcome was beyond his expectations!


    Rein almost single-handedly turned the tide, representing the Night Watchmen of Flashgold Town, representing him, making a key contribution to this incident.


    ��Rein, well done! I will report this situation in the next two days, and I bet you��ll get a hefty reward of Merit Points soon,�� Hamilton declared with amazement.


    Rein��s performance in the previous battle against Adams had already surprised Hamilton, but this time, it refreshed his understanding once again!


    ��Thank you, my lord,�� Rein said with a slight bow, smiling.


    Merit Points were certainly desirable, and Rein naturally wouldn��t decline them, although he had already gained much from this incident.


    But who would complain about having too much money, right?


    However, when he thought about Merit Points, Rein was reminded that his custom-ordered water membrane steel Knight Armor would take two months to complete�� which was simply too long��


    And the chromium iron set he was currently wearing, after the battles with Adams and the Bloodflesh Treant, was nearly ready to be scrapped.


    It seemed like he had to make another trip to the military supply department in County Town to exchange for a new set of Knight Armor for emergencies.


    Meanwhile, the black-haired Elf who had transformed into a squirrel, upon following Rein��s team to Flashgold Town, showed a trace of surprise in her gleaming eyes.


    Huh?


    Isn��t this the same place where she had sensed the general location of the amulet?


    Yes, that��s right!


    It must be within the bounds of this small town.


    The squirrel-shaped black-haired Elf nodded affirmatively.


    But since the amulet hadn��t been triggered for some time, she would need to search carefully to pinpoint its location.


    However��


    This matter could be put on hold for the time being, as she first needed to keep a close eye on that young Knight.


    The black-haired Elf was also hesitant at the moment; she wasn��t sure which approach to take to communicate with the young human Knight.


    The first approach would naturally be to find an opportunity for a private conversation, during which she would explain the danger that the Dark Elf Mother Tree seed posed to the world and then ask him to hand the seed over.


    But she instinctively felt that humans would not be so ��understanding�� and ��reasonable.��


    The second method would involve sacrificing her own moral character for the safety of the world and quietly taking the seed away��


    This act would be considered ��theft,�� or perhaps ��stealing,�� wouldn��t it?


    Therefore, the black-haired Elf was at a loss as to which method to choose.


    �����������C


    After having dinner with Lagaray, Anna, and his family, Rein returned to his room alone.


    He began to reflect on his own performance in the battle of Nightingale Forest.


    Simply put, ��battle analysis��!


    Because only by constantly reflecting and summarizing could he maintain progress.


    He had already experienced the benefits of doing so.


    ��There were two battles in total this time. In the first battle, facing the Evil Spirit Knight protected by heavy armor and dark aura, my core skill ��Hammer Skill Expertise��, combined with the Tokkal Hammer Technique and the Pig-Headed Hammer, achieved a trinity of assault which resulted in tremendous killing power,�� he thought.


    ��This is the best test of the outcome of the post-battle analysis last time!��


    Since the fight with the Angel Envoy of the Black Flame Church ended, Rein had set a plan ��to slowly practice Hammer Skill and utilize the Hammer��s strong armor-piercing and Shock damage to inflict heavy injuries on armored foes.��


    This time, ��the Heavy Hammer Armor-Piercing�� tactic was proven effective against the three Evil Spirit Knights!


    Rein��s eyes flickered as he pondered.


    ��Additionally, the second battle, against the Bloodflesh Treant.��


    ��If it hadn��t been for Dean Rudolph starting off by casting the high-tier Divine Art ��Sword of Judgment�� and inflicting heavy damage on the Bloodflesh Treant, I might not have been able to defeat it despite doing my utmost.��


    ��However, that��s normal, considering that according to Lord Hamilton, the Bloodflesh Treant is an evil creature on the same level as a Great Knight.��


    ��Ultimately, I relied on the Sorcery Scroll ��Polar Wind�� and combined it with the elementary-level contact witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� to take it down. To be honest, this stage was much easier than the previous direct confrontation with a greatsword.��


    ��This shows the undeniable importance of witchcraft. If I can master several witchcraft spells, I��d be able to utilize specific ones according to the enemy��s weaknesses, possibly achieving unexpected results.��

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    Chapter 243 �C 158: First Intimate Contact (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��`


    ��Furthermore, the importance of spiritual power has become increasingly prominent.��


    ��After all, there��s currently no other method for me to enhance the power of witchcraft. Only by strengthening my spiritual power can I simultaneously enhance the power of witchcraft, and that is a clear fact.��


    ��From this perspective, unless something unusual happens, Spirit Attribute will be the priority for my future points allocation.��


    ��As for mastering multiple types of witchcraft?��


    Rein crossed his arms, stroked his chin with his right hand, and began pacing back and forth in the room, pondering.


    ��The test crystal has confirmed that I have the strongest affinity for fire energy particles, no, there��s another one, the pale silver energy particles that I still haven��t figured out.��


    ...


    ��But even including the pale silver energy particles, I only have a relatively high affinity for two types of energy particles. Learning other types of witchcraft would be inefficient and less powerful than these two.��


    ��Hmm�� I should focus on fire witchcraft first, and as for the others, I��ll slowly search for other witchcraft models.��


    ��After all, the biggest issue I��m currently facing is the scarcity of witchcraft models.��


    ��Oh, that��s right, the meeting Jenny and I scheduled should be tomorrow. Hopefully, the visit to her bestie��s library will yield some results.��


    Rein suddenly recalled the arrangement with Jenny and his eyes brightened.


    Ever since experiencing the power of witchcraft in actual combat, Rein has been eagerly looking forward to each new type of witchcraft.


    ��Also, this ancient sect ��The Mother Tree Sect�� that appeared, I have never heard of it. Including that pale golden sapling, I have no clue about its origin; it seems, I must pay close attention to various ancient lore next����


    ��So�� the study of Lingwen (Akkadian language) must continue����


    ��After all�� many ancient books were recorded by Wizards or Wizard Apprentices and written in Lingwen.��


    Soon, Rein brought out the three Akkadian ancient texts and placed them on his desk.


    Currently, Rein has made more than half progress in studying these three Akkadian ancient texts. He can understand the meanings of most Akkadian words, but his pronunciation and fluency are still not standard, so further reinforcement is needed.


    While Rein was studiously learning Akkadian, Lagaray was restless in the next room.


    She had decided that she would leave Flashgold Town early the next morning, with the belongings (weapons) of her brother and teammates, and return to her barbarian tribe in the Frostwind Prairie of the Northern Empire.


    This was a task of great significance, one that she was obliged to complete.


    Because only then would the spirits of her brother and teammates be able to return to the Hall of Heroes.


    Additionally, she had made up her mind to apply for the trial by life and death with the tribal high priest once she returned to her tribe.


    She hadn��t mentioned either matter to Rein.


    Especially the latter, she had never planned on sharing with Rein.


    After spending some time with him, Lagaray found that she had developed quite a fondness for this big boy who had saved her twice!


    If she could successfully complete the trial by life and death, perhaps�� there might be a future.


    But if she failed��


    In that case, it would mean that from her birth until her return to the Hall of Heroes, she had never been together with a boy she liked, which�� would be rather regrettable.


    ��Maybe tonight, I should visit his room����


    ��But would doing so hurt Anna?��


    ��It shouldn��t, after all, I might not survive, and even if I do, it��s not certain that I��ll return or meet Rein again.��


    Soon, Lagaray made up her mind. When the night grew deeper, she would go to Rein and then��


    Before dawn, she would set out alone on her journey back to the Frostwind Prairie!


    Late at night, just as the dark-haired Elf was about to sneak into Rein��s bedroom on the second floor, she saw through the window of the hallway that the door to the room next to Rein��s was slowly opening. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A figure, dressed in a sheer garment with a curvaceous body, silently walked out.


    The dark-haired Elf��s eyes showed confusion.


    She recognized the girl immediately; it was the barbarian girl who had returned from the Nightingale Forest with the young human Knight during the day.


    So, she stopped her actions and quietly observed from the side.


    Without knocking, the barbarian girl quietly opened the young Knight��s door, and then swiftly slipped inside the room with a quick turn of her body.


    The dark-haired Elf was very curious!


    Could it be that the two were planning to discuss some secret matter?


    And had they specifically chosen midnight for their meeting?


    Could it possibly be about how to deal with the Dark Mother Tree seed?


    Thinking this, the dark-haired Elf��s eyes sparkled.


    The next second, a squirrel leaped from tree to rooftop of Rein��s new home and quickly ran to Rein��s second-floor bedroom window, peeking through the gap.


    With her Dark Vision, she could see everything clearly!


    The next moment, the squirrel she had transformed into wore an extremely human-like expression, with eyes that suddenly widened and mouth agape, yet her tiny hands were firmly covering her eyes.


    Inside the room, the voluptuous barbarian girl was in a riding position, attempting to tame a ��male steed��, while the young human Knight held tightly to the girl��s gourd-shaped slender waist.


    (Here follows the omission of ten thousand words��..)


    After a fierce battle, as the ��male steed��s�� endurance was quite astounding and difficult to tame!


    ��`

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    Chapter 244 �C 158: First Intimate Contact (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    So, the savage girl ultimately gave up on trying to tame the beast, opting instead to lie down and rest.


    But perhaps because she was too tired from the day, the girl couldn��t rest well all night, no matter whether she lay flat, on her stomach, or on her knees.


    That night, the squirrel at Rein��s bedroom window came and went, back and forth, but never found the right opportunity to have a good talk with Rein about the serious matter of ��world safety.��


    As the sky gradually turned white, the squirrel, transformed from a black-haired elf, finally left with a reluctant shake of its head.


    Actually, Rein had been aware since Lagaray quietly entered the room.


    That familiar scent, he knew the visitor was certainly Lagaray.


    Only, he was wondering why Lagaray didn��t knock before coming in?


    ...


    But the next second, he was stunned because a certain part of his body entered an��. (Ten thousand words are omitted here).


    ��


    In the yard, an ant was suddenly entwined by a sticky tongue and, in the next second, was swallowed by a lying lizard.


    After chewing for a while, the lizard felt the ant bursting in its mouth, causing pain to its oral cavity.


    Therefore, the lizard quickly spit out the bursting ant, ��ptui ptui,�� and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a poison fire ant.


    Poison fire ants have a self-protection mechanism that secretes a clear toxic fluid from their body surface once attacked, causing paralysis and irritant damage to their enemy.


    In the darkness of the night, the lizard had not seen clearly that this was not an ordinary ant, hence it mistakenly ate a poison fire ant.


    Just when the lizard was about to leave, it discovered ants attacking the vulnerable part of its lower half again.


    This made the lizard furious!


    It then once more swallowed the audacious ant with its slippery tongue, burst it, and killed it, but the next second, hurriedly spat it out again.


    Unexpectedly, this was another poison fire ant!


    All night long, the lizard was continuously attacked by poison fire ants at its vulnerable parts, and it persistently swallowed them with its slippery tongue, bursting them, killing them, and then spitting them out.


    Eventually, as dawn began to break, the lizard fled in a panic!


    It dared not stay in this accursed place any longer; damn the poison fire ants were too many, despite killing them all night long, there seemed to be no end!


    ��.


    The next morning, when Rein woke up, he turned to look at Lagaray who was still deep in sleep beside him.


    The barbarian girl, in her sleep, revealed a large expanse of her fair and beautiful chest, her golden hair naturally spread on the white pillow, her delicate nose and cherry lips, a face more exquisite than most of the empire��s women.


    Just by looking at her face, one would never know that Lagaray came from a barbarian tribe of the Frostwind Prairie of the Empire.


    Moreover, Rein still hadn��t figured out what exactly happened last night.


    Why did Lagaray suddenly come to his room in the middle of the night?


    And last night, before he could even ask, suddenly, the ��battle�� between the two ignited.


    On one hand, it was because Lagaray��s exquisite face and curvaceous figure were too tempting.


    On the other hand, it was an issue with Rein himself.


    Ever since he had become Transcendent, his desires in that regard had grown stronger, so when Lagaray fired the first shot of the battle, Rein��s powder keg was lit, and the two naturally engaged in a fierce battle.


    Thinking back to the intense battle of last night, a smile couldn��t help but appear on Rein��s lips. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He couldn��t resist stretching out his hand to gently smooth away the messy strands of hair on Lagaray��s face.


    At that moment, perhaps because of Rein��s action, the sleeping Lagaray started to stir, her long eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her deep blue eyes to Rein.


    Lagaray also looked at Rein in front of her, her mind a whirl of confusion.


    To be honest��


    This was quite different from what Lagaray had anticipated.


    Originally, her plan was to come quietly in the middle of the night, stay for a while, and then leave just as quietly.


    ��`


    Before dawn, she would leave a letter by Rein��s bedside and then depart from Flashgold Town with her baggage, returning to Frostwind Prairie.


    After all, in her understanding, it should be the men who become exhausted and then fall into a deep sleep.


    Even though she knew Rein had incredible stamina, in this respect, surely he would follow the same pattern, right?


    However��


    It wasn��t until dawn began to break that Rein finally stopped!


    This not only reshaped her understanding, but it also drained all her energy��


    Now, she was experiencing a profound physical exhaustion, coupled with a spirited radiance of the mind; it was a complex fusion of contradiction within her.


    Additionally�� this had made it impossible for Lagaray to carry out her original plans.


    But the thought of possibly encountering Sister Anna upon waking jolted Lagaray back to reality as she said:


    ��I�� I have to go now, Rein.��


    ��Go?�� Rein raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.


    ��Yes, I need to take my brother��s and everyone else��s relics back and hurry to Frostwind Prairie,�� Lagaray said seriously while looking straight into Rein��s eyes.


    ��This�� can��t you go back a bit later?��


    Da Vinci from a past life once said, ��The eyes are the window to the soul,�� and in fact, Rein had already understood the message in Lagaray��s eyes.


    So, Rein did not try to deter Lagaray, but the part of him that was reluctant to let go still asked if she could postpone her departure for a few more days.


    ��I��m afraid not, I��ve stayed too long as it is, and I need to make a trip back to the tribe soon,�� Lagaray said, lowering her head slightly and giving a gentle shake.


    Indeed, the answer was as Rein had expected.


    From their time together over the past days, Rein had come to realize that perhaps due to growing up in the harsh conditions of Frostwind Prairie, Lagaray was resolute and indomitable, certainly not one to be indecisive.


    In an instant, Rein also understood why Lagaray had taken the initiative to come to his room last night.


    Because she was leaving��?


    ��Then when will you come back?�� Rein asked with a hint of reluctance.


    ��I don��t know���� Lagaray shook her head again.


    She planned to immediately undergo the trial of life and death upon her return to the tribe, and facing the high mortality rate of the trial, she didn��t know if she would survive it.


    She wasn��t good at lying, so in response to Rein��s question, Lagaray really didn��t know what to say.


    Moreover, she did not want to tell Rein or anyone else about her plans to undergo the trial of life and death after returning to her tribe.


    ��Rein�� I really have to go now, if it gets any later, Anna will be up,�� Lagaray said as she stood up, her striking figure evident, and quickly dressed.


    ��By the way, you�� tell everyone for me that I��ve gone back to the prairie,�� she added.


    Watching Lagaray��s retreating figure, Rein felt a pang of loss!


    Rein knew all too well that with his current strength, there was so much he couldn��t change.


    Furthermore, he couldn��t indulge in transient pleasures at this moment.


    However, Rein believed that as long as he kept moving forward and breaking through, some things, some people, and some regrets would ultimately shift and change with his will!


    ��


    Breakfast time.


    ��Sister Anna, have you seen Sister Lagaray?�� Bo He asked curiously after noticing the absence of one at the breakfast table.


    ��I haven��t seen her get up; maybe she��s still sleeping because yesterday��s journey to Nightingale Forest was exhausting,�� Anna said while smiling and patting Bo He��s head.


    ��Uh�� about that�� Lagaray has already left, she��s gone back to the Frostwind Prairie,�� Rein said hesitatingly.


    Suddenly, several pairs of eyes turned to focus on Rein.


    ��Hm?�� Emma, who was sitting nearby, looked at Rein with surprise and asked, ��Rein, what did you just say?��


    ��`

 Chapter 245 - 245 - 159: The Elf’s Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 245 �C 159: The Elf��s Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    ��Uh�� I��m saying, Lagaray has already left Flashgold Town, she went back to Frostwind Prairie,�� Rein repeated.


    Suddenly, the atmosphere at the dining table became tense, and mother Emma said in a low voice:


    ��Rein, you didn��t do something to offend her, did you?��


    Rein��s heart skipped a beat at her words.


    ��Otherwise, why would she leave without even saying goodbye to us? Whenever Lagaray saw me, she would always greet me with a smile and call me Aunt Emma.��


    Mother Emma thought for a moment, then cast a suspicious look at Rein and added.


    This left Rein momentarily unsure of how to explain, but he definitely couldn��t admit to anything.


    ...


    ��How could that be�� Maybe Lagaray didn��t want a goodbye that was too heartfelt����


    Before Rein could finish speaking, Anna looked at him with bright, sparkling eyes.


    Suddenly, Rein felt an inexplicable sense of guilt rise within him.


    ��Then why did Lagaray only say farewell to you? Wouldn��t saying goodbye to you make her emotional too?�� Anna said softly.


    The gazes of the entire family were once again focused on Rein!


    In that instant, Rein felt as though he had no defense.


    ��..


    After quickly finishing breakfast, Rein went upstairs to the storeroom on the second floor.


    According to the arrangement with Jenny, he expected a carriage from the Crowley family to come and pick him up a bit later.


    Before that, Rein could take the opportunity to try and see how many Will runes he could visualize at once.


    Thanks to the battle in Nightingale Forest yesterday, Rein gained another 3 Spirit Attribute points, reaching a total of 23 points. Hence, compared to the previous 20 points of spiritual power, his progress was significant.


    Rein clearly remembered that when his Spirit Attribute had first reached 20 points after he changed his class to Beast Tamer, he could visualize sixteen Will runes at once and entered the commonly acknowledged level of a ��second-tier Wizard Apprentice.��


    Therefore, Rein knew very well that even with 23 points of Spirit, it was highly unlikely he could visualize all twenty-four basic Will runes of meditation and reach the level of a ��third-tier Wizard Apprentice.��


    However�� when a person sees they are getting closer to their goal, or in other words, the distance to their objective is shrinking, their motivation to work hard becomes very strong!


    One minute later��


    Rein opened his eyes with joy.


    This time, he had successfully visualized twenty Will runes, getting ever closer to the final goal of twenty-four.


    Don��t forget, Rein still had three free attribute points.


    However, after pondering for a while, Rein chose not to continue investing points in the Spirit Attribute right away.


    After all, the effect of ��adding points to recover�� could be a killer move if used well in battle.


    This was fully re-verified in the battle with the Bloodflesh Treant!


    So, it was a better choice to wait and add points during the next battle.


    As the carriage hadn��t arrived yet, Rein decided to test the changes in the strength of his witchcraft following the increase in his spiritual power.


    Since he had charred the wooden table last time, Rein had specially brought back a fire-resistant clay mold from the blacksmith��s shop a few days ago. The mold was a dark gray color and shaped like a large beaker.


    Rein placed a small piece of leftover Hardened Essence Gold inside the clay mold, and then he began to cast the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch.��


    As the deep incantation echoed, the Hardened Essence Gold piece in front of Rein��s palm began to heat up rapidly. After a few seconds, it started to redden and emit smoke.


    With Rein��s continuous guidance and the output of spiritual power, the Hardened Essence Gold turned completely into liquid in about ten seconds!


    Seeing this, Rein couldn��t help but smile.


    Previously, after about ten seconds of casting ��Scorching Touch�� and sustaining it, the highest temperature he could reach was around 1400 to 1500 degrees Celsius.


    Now, that temperature limit must have reached around 2000 degrees Celsius.


    That��s because the melting point of Hardened Essence Gold is around 2000 degrees.


    Rein remembered that when he last smelted Hardened Essence Gold at the blacksmith��s forge, he had to use the forge in combination with ��Scorching Touch�� to successfully melt it.


    But now, ��Scorching Touch�� alone was sufficient.


    This enhancement in witchcraft power was evident and, as his spiritual power grew, his abilities increased accordingly!


    However, Rein also acutely sensed that the comparative increase in power was not linear as the spiritual power increased.


    To put it simply, at first, if the spiritual power increased by one point, the ultimate temperature of ��Scorching Touch�� might increase by one hundred degrees. But over time, that increase dropped to eighty degrees, or even seventy degrees, for each additional point of spiritual power.


    Though the decrease in this rate of growth was slow, it was definitely occurring.


    With a slight frown, Rein pondered this for a while and surmised that it might be due to some aspect of the witchcraft model itself.


    From this perspective, it meant that in the future, he would need to search for higher-level witchcraft to learn.


    To be precise, choosing to learn witchcraft that suited his current level of strength was the optimal choice.


    But soon, Rein touched his nose and laughed at himself, with a self-deprecating smile.


    S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 246 - 246 - 159: The Elf’s Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 246 �C 159: The Elf��s Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Now, he was a ��poor farmer�� in terms of the number of witchcraft he knew, so he was in no position to be picky. Even though he was of the highest affinity to the fire element, he only mastered two witchcraft spells.


    One of these spells was ��Scorching Touch��, an entry-level contact-based witchcraft. Although it had decent power, it came with many limitations in actual combat.


    For instance, during the battle with the flesh-spirit of the tree, it was only with the help of the Sorcery Scroll ��Frosty Gale�� that he found an opportunity to cast it.


    Moreover, ��Scorching Touch�� required continuous guidance to inflict maximum damage.


    In contrast, the casting and effect of ��High-Temperature Force Field�� were much easier.


    Once successfully cast, ��High-Temperature Force Field�� created a high-temperature field around Rein for about a minute.


    Just as Rein wanted to test how the power of ��High-Temperature Force Field�� had changed, he heard the ��clippity-clop�� of horse hooves.


    ...


    Looking out the window of the storage room on the second floor, Rein spotted the Crowley family carriage, adorned with the emblem of a rose and Kite Shield, slowly approaching his home.


    After tidying up a bit, Rein went downstairs.


    Just as he reached the carriage, a servant quickly opened the door of the carriage, and two beautiful girls dressed in cashmere long skirts and draped in light-colored mink shawls stepped out hurriedly. It was Jenny and her best friend, Agatha.


    At the first sight of Rein, the noble young ladies�� eyes lit up instantly.


    ��Lord Reine, you��ve become even more manly in just a few days!�� Jenny couldn��t help but praise. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Thank you!�� Hearing the girl��s compliment, Rein felt naturally good.


    Manly?


    Well��


    But in Rein��s view, it must have been the increase in his spiritual power that enhanced his charm.


    ��By the way, Lord Reine, this is my best friend Agatha. You remember her, right?�� Jenny blinked and introduced.


    ��Of course, the beautiful Miss Agatha Wiggins. I most certainly remember. Hello!�� Rein greeted with a smile.


    ��Lord Reine, hello.�� Agatha��s face, sprinkled with freckles, flushed slightly as she gave Rein a ladylike curtsy.


    Although Miss Agatha had some freckles on her nose, it did not detract from her beauty but instead gave her a youthful vitality.


    ��Lord Reine, shall we set off now? My father is not at home today, so you can spend more time in the library,�� Agatha proposed.


    ��Sure, thank you, Miss Agatha.�� Although Rein found it strange to hear Agatha say this, as it seemed like a young couple hiding from their parents for a secret rendezvous, he couldn��t deny the good intentions.


    Moreover, Rein was quite eager to see if he could find anything valuable in the Wiggins�� library, so he did not dwell on the awkwardness.


    The three of them boarded the carriage and headed for the Wigging family estate where Agatha lived.


    Once inside the carriage, Agatha took off her mink shawl, revealing her pale shoulders. The fully blossomed curves of the young girl were youthful and alluring.


    ��Lord Reine, Jenny has been mentioning you these past few days, she said you����


    ��Agatha, stop talking nonsense in front of Lord Reine����


    Jenny��s face turned red as she immediately covered Agatha��s mouth.


    Agatha, in turn, quickly ��retaliated�� by tickling Jenny, and soon, the two beauties were laughing and playfully tussling with each other.


    Rein watched the scene unfold with a gentle smile, and shook his head slightly without a word.


    ��


    Just minutes before Rein had come downstairs, a squirrel had leaped down from the branches rapidly and slipped into Rein��s bedroom through a partly open window.


    After some searching, the squirrel��s large eyes betrayed a very human-like expression of puzzlement.


    This was because it hadn��t found the Dark Mother Tree seed it was looking for, nor even sensed its presence.


    The squirrel was naturally the transformed Elf.


    It appeared thoughtful, recalling the process of following Rein all the way, including to the sheriff��s office, which it had observed from the side.


    As for last night�� the Elf had checked every few minutes.


    Therefore, it was certain that if the young Knight had not hidden the Dark Mother Tree seed, then it must be�� carried on his person!


    Having realized this, the squirrel quickly planned its escape.


    But in the next second, it froze. The bedroom door was quietly opening, and a human girl, dressed in a pale gray layered cincher, was staring with wide, curious eyes at it.


    And its gaze was fixated on the wooden amulet on the girl��s chest that it recognized all too well.


    Anna had just heard some rustling from Rein��s room and, curious, had opened the door to check but instead found this adorable squirrel.


    Seeing how it rummaged through things so cleverly, she assumed it was looking for food.


    ��What a cute little fellow, are you hungry? There��s not much to eat here in Rein��s room. Come here to me.�� Anna said softly, squatting down and extending her hands towards the squirrel, ready to embrace it.


    The squirrel hesitated but quickly turned and ran towards the window, disappearing from Anna��s sight.


    Anna couldn��t help but feel disappointed!


    That squirrel had given her a particularly warm feeling, but unfortunately, it had run away.


    The squirrel, still in its guise as the black-haired Elf, was now leaping quickly along the roadside trees, pursuing the carriage where Rein was.

 Chapter 247 - 247 - 159: The Elf’s Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 247 �C 159: The Elf��s Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    The dark-haired elf had not expected this at all. She had planned to find the Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed first before searching for the amulet, but she never anticipated that the two items would be so close to each other.


    Moreover, she sensed a special blood connection from the human girl.


    In an instant, she figured out some things.


    However, the most pressing matter was to quickly catch up with the young knight called ��Rein.��


    Since he was carrying the seed with him, it was very likely that he intended to trade it.


    After dealing with this matter, she would come back immediately.


    �����������C


    ...


    As the carriage gradually left Flashgold Town and was traveling on the rural road, suddenly, Rein, with his sharp hearing, caught the carriage driver mumbling in surprise,


    ��The weather is really too strange. It clearly seemed like a sunny day in the morning, but not long after, fog has started to form.��


    The word ��fog�� immediately triggered Rein��s alertness; after all, whether it was the dense fog during the appearance of the Iron Maiden automaton or Adams��s ��Black Fog�� witchcraft, both were related to ��fog.��


    Thus, Rein turned his head and looked outside through the carriage window.


    Indeed, there appeared to be rising fog along the road, dense in some areas and somewhat thinner in others, which looked quite like patches of fog.


    The carriage quickly entered a particularly dense patch of fog, and visibility dropped from dozens of meters to just a few in an instant.


    The driver uttered a ��huh,�� and the speed of the carriage noticeably slowed down.


    But Rein suddenly felt his mind grow hazy, as though his head was spinning from hitting a large wave while on a boat, and the next second, the surroundings became eerily quiet.


    The clear chatter of the two ladies that he was used to hearing suddenly stopped.


    In his confusion, Rein immediately turned his gaze from outside to inside the carriage. In an instant, his pupils constricted, and he was shocked on the spot!


    Because he discovered that now, inside the carriage, he was the only person left, and Jenny and Agatha had vanished without a trace.


    This eerie scene made all the hairs on Rein��s body stand on end.


    With his strength as a Peak Knight, it would be impossible for anyone, even a Great Knight, to abduct the two women right under his watchful eye.


    Instantly, Rein thought of Adams who controlled the black fog��


    Obviously, only a wizard or someone from another mysterious profession could pull this off.


    Rein reached behind and gripped the hilt of his greatsword, on guard. It was peculiar to him why his level 3 ��danger perception�� had not given him any warning this time.


    Soon, Rein could feel the carriage gradually come to a stop.


    Suddenly, there was a knocking sound from outside the carriage.


    ��Thump thump thump!��


    Rein was startled and tightened his grip on the sword hilt.


    The anticipated attack did not happen, but instead, this ��enemy�� had the courtesy to knock on the door. However, Rein quickly realized that it might not necessarily be an ��enemy.��


    After a thought, Rein opened the carriage door. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He saw a tall, slender woman, dressed in a gray robe and wearing a hood, standing a few meters away from the carriage. From the hair that peeked out of her hood, it was an uncommon black.


    The next second, as if in response to seeing Rein step out of the carriage, she pulled back her hood, revealing a beautiful female face.


    And those distinctly pointed ears, characteristic of female elves, immediately drew Rein��s attention.


    A female elf?


    Rein��s eyes suddenly widened, and his descent from the carriage froze for a couple of seconds.


    The dark-haired elf, with a pair of bright eyes framed by long lashes, surveyed Rein and said, ��Young man, please do not worry about your two friends.��


    ��We are currently in the Mist of Dreams, and at this moment, they have fallen into deep sleep, without any danger.��


    ��I have come to ask you to hand over the Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed to me; keeping it in the hands of humans is far too dangerous.��


    ��Of course, I will provide you with a fair compensation.��


    Rein was startled, but he quickly responded, ��The Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed? Are you referring to that light golden little tree?��


    The dark-haired elf��s beautiful eyes sparkled with joy, as if to say ��it��s indeed with you.��


    ��Yes, that��s the one.��


    ��Well���� Rein was somewhat stumped.


    He couldn��t just admit that it had been absorbed by his system panel, could he?


    Nor could he mention it had transformed into a superb effect of all attributes +1.


    ��I indeed saw that light golden little tree, but it disappeared from my hands in a moment!�� Rein thought for a moment and then decided to ��tell the truth.��


    After all, being absorbed by the system was a fact, and its disappearance from his hands was also a fact.


    The dark-haired elf frowned slightly, her expression revealing a touch of displeasure, ��How is that possible?��


    ��Really!�� Rein spread his hands and said.


    ��If you don��t believe me, Elf Lady, you can come and search.��


    The dark-haired elf gave Rein another look and said, ��Young man, the other day I saw you release a Sorcery Scroll, a smart move. Clearly, you are not unfamiliar with witchcraft.��


    ��I have a natural-based Sorcery Scroll ��Life Blossom�� here, to trade for the Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed in your hands.��


    ��Elf Lady, although I��d like to obtain your Sorcery Scroll, I really don��t have the Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed.�� Rein looked earnestly at the dark-haired elf and said.

 Chapter 248 - 248 - 159: The Elf’s Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 248 �C 159: The Elf��s Surprise (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Hm?��


    Perhaps it was because Reine��s expression was excessively sincere when he spoke, or it might have been because the Black-haired Elf could detect lies through some mysterious means.


    The Black-haired Elf first looked puzzled, then slowly stepped forward, came up to Reine, and circled around him while his delicate nostrils twitched slightly.


    The Black-haired Elf nodded with hesitation and said, ��I truly can��t sense the presence of the Dark Mother Tree��s seed anymore. Could it have really disappeared?��


    ��Uh�� is it possible that its energy was exhausted, or maybe it was harmed by the power of witchcraft?�� While smelling the pleasant, grassy fragrance emanating from the Black-haired Elf, Reine tried to sidestep the issue.


    ��The former is not possible, the latter, although not highly likely, seems to be the only reasonable explanation,�� the Black-haired Elf considered and nodded.


    It seemed he accepted the explanation Reine provided.


    ...


    ��Young man, since the Dark Mother Tree��s seed is destroyed, there could be nothing better. This is the Sorcery Scroll ��Bloom of Life�� I promised you, thank you for your honest answer.��


    Saying this, the Black-haired Elf handed over a Sorcery Scroll to Reine.


    ��Thank you, Lady Elf.�� Reine bowed slightly and accepted the Sorcery Scroll, feeling slightly surprised the moment he touched it.


    For the material of this Sorcery Scroll was quite unusual, different from any other Sorcery Scrolls he had encountered before.


    From the feel of it, the scroll seemed to be made from the leaves of some large tree, exuding a faint natural scent, unlike typical Sorcery Scrolls which were primarily made from animal skins.


    Just as Reine was about to lift his head and inquire about the specific effects of the Sorcery Scroll ��Bloom of Life��, he was startled to find that the Black-haired Elf had vanished.


    After pondering for a moment, Reine stored the Sorcery Scroll in his waist pouch.


    He then returned to the carriage and began to ponder the events that had just occurred.


    Suddenly, that slight dizziness reappeared, and quickly, Reine noticed the fog outside the window clearing rapidly, while Jenny and Agatha were now inside the carriage compartment.


    Both were leaning against each other, deep in sleep.


    At that moment, the carriage resumed its slow progress forward. The coachman seemed to have awakened but was unaware that he had been asleep.


    Shortly after, both women��s long eyelashes trembled slightly, and their eyeballs moved rapidly under their eyelids. Soon, both woke up almost simultaneously.


    ��Eh, Lord Reine, did we just fall asleep?��


    ��Yes.�� Reine nodded and, at the same time, he softly touched the Sorcery Scroll in his jacket.


    Fortunately, the Sorcery Scroll was still there, indicating that what he had just experienced was not a dream. Reine thought to himself.


    ��This is too strange, I clearly had a good sleep last night,�� Jenny was a bit baffled.


    ��To have fallen asleep in front of Lord Reine, I am truly embarrassed,�� Agatha also looked puzzled.


    Reine smiled slightly and said, ��Perhaps the coachman��s skill is too good, and the carriage too smooth, which made you both fall asleep.��


    Although he said this, Reine was internally astonished by the magical nature of the dream-controlling witchcraft cast by the Black-haired Elf, which seemed to effortlessly control the dreams of different individuals within the reach of his sorcery.


    After a while, the road became busier with pedestrians and carriages, and the familiar black-gray tall city walls also appeared in Reine��s view.


    They had arrived at County Town.


    This was Reine��s second visit to County Town. S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just like the last time, after entering the city, the carriage continued to drive for about half an hour, eventually stopping at the gate of a luxurious mansion with a garden.


    As the carriage slowly stopped, Agatha smiled faintly and said, ��We��ve arrived, Lord Reine, this is my home.��

 Chapter 249 - 249 - 160: Truly Scum to the Skies (Combined Double Chapter)

    Chapter 249 �C 160: Truly Scum to the Skies (Combined Double Chapter) S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just when Rein entered the library of the Wiggins family,


    Flashgold Town.


    Anna, in her room, propped her delicate cheek with her right hand, while her left hand aimlessly flipped through the Trial Book, made of silver. She gazed out at the bleak winter scenery, her thoughts adrift.


    Two days before, she had successfully completed the eight Will runes of the basic etheric meditation technique on her first try, officially stepping into the ��Level 1 Wizard Apprentice�� rank.


    Originally, she had planned to share this good news with Rein.


    But ever since Rein had become a formal Knight, he had been far too busy��


    She found it very difficult now to find an appropriate time to be alone with Rein.


    ...


    When Lagaray and Rein had gone off together to the Nightingale Forest, a deep envy had welled up in Anna��s heart; she too wished to possess enough strength to join Rein in solving those difficult and mysterious matters.


    Besides, Lagaray��s sudden departure today made Anna feel that there seemed to be some little secret between Lagaray and Rein��


    As Anna was lost in thought, suddenly, the door to her room creaked open.


    In ran a cute squirrel.


    Startled by the sound of the door, Anna quickly turned around, only to find the ��little cutie�� who had scurried into Rein��s room in search of food that morning, and a warm, friendly smile spread across her lovely face as she said:


    ��Come here, little squirrel, come to me.��


    But�� no sooner had Anna spoken


    than in the next second, her beautiful eyes widened in astonishment, and her little mouth opened into a perfect circle, as if she couldn��t believe what was unfolding before her.


    Because she saw that the adorable little squirrel had in an instant transformed into a tall female figure wearing a hooded cloak.


    What astonished her even more was that when the figure lifted the hood, she revealed a head of jet-black hair, a face of surpassing beauty, and a pair of pointed ears.


    For a moment, time seemed to stop right then!


    The scene before her eyes delivered a profound shock to Anna!


    But unexpectedly, at the bottom of Anna��s heart, there sprouted an involuntary sense of kinship, as if the strange Elf Lady before her had some innate, intangible connection with her.


    ��Child, come, let me look at you,�� said the Elf Lady with the black hair, her voice soothing.


    Before Anna could react, the black-haired Elf walked forward and waved her hand, causing a pale green glow of witchcraft to suddenly appear around Anna.


    The Elf murmured, ��Just as I suspected, Daryn��s handiwork, a fixed Disguise Spell.��


    The next second, the Elf began chanting a spell.


    Soon after, a bright green light enveloped Anna.


    Immediately, Anna felt as if a tightness around her whole body had been relieved!


    It was an indescribable sensation.


    It felt as though she had always been living life shrouded in a cape, but now that mysterious cape had suddenly been removed.


    ��Child, you should call me auntie, I am your mother Delanna Eaglemoon��s sister, my name is Delana Eaglemoon,�� said the Elf.


    ��I�� I��.�� Anna stammered, at a loss. At that moment, she felt as if her mind was about to explode.


    My goodness!


    An unfamiliar female elf suddenly appears in my room claiming to be my relative.


    And I am human! My mother is human too, and her name isn��t Delanna.


    This Elf Lady must have mistaken me for someone else!


    Yet her aura felt so familiar, and what had just happened to me��


    In an instant, Anna was utterly confused!


    After a while, Anna managed to compose herself and carefully chose her words before speaking:


    ��Um�� Excuse me, beautiful Elf Lady, might you have mistaken me for someone else? I am human, and my mother��s name isn��t Daryn����


    ��Child, touch your own ears,�� the black-haired Elf said with a gaze full of tenderness and indulgence, gently touching the top of Anna��s head.


    Anna could feel the genuine kindness emanating from the Elf woman, and there was a special kind of warmth in being caressed by her.


    But why would she have me touch my ears?


    I couldn��t have ears as pointy as hers.


    Because she looked at herself in the copper mirror every morning when she groomed, Anna was certain that wasn��t the case.


    But when Anna touched what she knew to be her overly familiar ears, her eyes suddenly widened in disbelief.


    ��How�� how�� how is this possible!��


    Rushing to the copper mirror, when Anna saw the familiar yet alien reflection staring back at her, she murmured to herself, ��So, I am half-Elf����


    As a half-Elf, Anna��s ears weren��t as sharply pointed as a pureblood Elf��s but rather had a slight curve to them.


    All things considered, without the Disguise Spell, Anna was even prettier than before, and there was an exotic charm to her.


    ��I wonder if Rein will still��,�� she said quietly to herself.


    After the Elf named Delana Eaglemoon recounted the story of Anna��s mother, her own sister, Anna finally believed that this Elf Lady before her could very well be her blood relative.


    And for the first time, Anna clearly understood her own mother��s story.


    It turned out that when her mother, Delanna Eaglemoon, was young, she had been deceived by a human Wandering Bard and had fallen in love before being persuaded and emboldened to steal some documents from the Druid Circle, including the Trial Book (The Silver Book).

 Chapter 250 - 250 - 160 Truly Scum to the Sky (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 250 �C 160 Truly Scum to the Sky (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2


    In fact, the Wandering Bard was a third-level Wizard Apprentice who specialized in human transformation and had long coveted certain special methods of animal and plant transformation within the Druid Circle.


    However, the other party mistook the Trial Book for a blank diary.


    Therefore, when Rein got it, he discovered that it contained many negative energies and natural witchcraft-related methods of animal and plant transformation.


    After obtaining this information, the Wizard Apprentice sold Darien Yueling to an imperial noble of the Dragan Empire, but later it was heard that Darien had escaped. However, when people from the Druid Circle went to track her down, they were unable to find her.


    It was not until Anna last triggered the amulet, that Delana sensed something because it was crafted by her own hands and given to her sister, Darien, as a gift.


    If Rein heard this segment, he would undoubtedly curse out loud, ��Bastard!��


    Not only did he deceive for lust, but he also made his own woman steal from her family��


    ...


    But the worst part was, after using her, he even sold his own woman!


    Such scum to the extreme!


    ��Aunt Delanna, where is my mother now��?�� Anna couldn��t help but ask nervously.


    ��I don��t know, however�� the one capable of hiding Darien and blocking our search, must be a high noble of the Dragan Empire,��


    ��Because I��ve heard that these high nobles as the upper echelons of the empire, many of them fancy exotic beauties, especially Elf beauties.��


    ��From this angle, I think Darien should currently be safe.��


    Anna, after hearing this, nodded.


    However, when she learned that her mother was likely still alive and not in danger, she couldn��t help but feel somewhat relieved.


    No wonder, there was a time when she and her mother lived a life of constant upheaval.


    Her mother must have been evading the pursuit of some high noble�� but in the end, it seems she couldn��t escape.


    At this moment, Delana said, ��So, child, it��s dangerous for you to be alone in the empire, come back with me to the Druid Circle now.��


    ��Ah? This���� Anna hesitated for a moment.


    Delana continued, ��As a half-Elf, you need the power to protect yourself even more.��


    ��Child, you are at the age where your strength can grow the fastest; we need to hurry back to the Druid Circle and make up for the time you��ve lost. Do you understand?�� S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After thinking it over, Anna nodded!


    Indeed, she had always been in need of protection.


    If she could possess enough power, how wonderful that would be!


    ��Aunt Delana, I��ll go with you to the Druid Circle, but����


    Anna looked at the Trial Book in Delana��s hands, which had now returned to its rightful owner, her eyes shimmering slightly. She knew Rein was very interested in some of its contents.


    After stammering for a bit, Anna asked, ��Aunt Delana, may I copy down the contents on the Trial Book about Beast Taming and animal and plant transformation?��


    ��Hmm? You�� you intend to give it to that young man named�� Rein?�� Delana quickly grasped Anna��s intention and suddenly looked at her newly found niece with a complex expression on her face.


    ��Yes!�� Anna nodded emphatically.


    Alright then��


    Delana thought, innocent niece, do you have any idea the young man you like, he��


    In a flash, Delana��s mind conjured up the images she saw in Rein��s room the night before�� which were capable of making one��s cheeks flush and heart race��


    ��Aunt Delana, why are you looking at me with such a strange look?�� Anna keenly noticed that when she mentioned wanting to leave it for Rein, Aunt Delana��s look suddenly became�� very complicated.


    How to say it�� It seemed to contain sympathy, pity, and many other emotions.


    ��Anna, do you like Rein?�� Delana asked very directly this time.


    ��Ah? No�� not at all, it��s just that Rein saved me���� Anna blushed, lowered her head, and told Delana the whole story of how Rein saved her from the two wanted criminals.


    ��So that��s how it is.�� Delana softened her gaze when she heard Rein had saved Anna.


    A hero saving the ��princess�� from villains, such a familiar and beautiful scenario; no wonder Anna��s heart was moved.


    Furthermore, Delana immediately thought of the Blood Flesh Sproutling in the broken temple, which died to fire witchcraft, although the fog was too dense for her to see clearly how Rein had killed the Blood Flesh Sproutling.


    But now, thinking it through, this young Knight might not be so simple.


    His killing of the Blood Flesh Sproutling was likely not dependent on a fire witchcraft scroll, but on his own understanding of witchcraft.


    A Knight and a Wizard Apprentice both?


    An impressive young man indeed.


    ��Alright, Anna, the knowledge recorded here has already been modified by that despicable Wizard Apprentice, so copying it down wouldn��t be breaking the rules of the Druid Circle,��


    ��Besides this, I will also leave a piece of fire witchcraft ��Incandescent Light��, which I accidentally acquired, for your ��good friend�� Rein, as a token of thanks for saving you.��


    Saying so, Delana performed imprinting magic to transfer the contents recorded in the Trial Book onto a stack of paper. Meanwhile, she took out a leather scroll and handed it to Anna.


    Anna, after taking them, excitedly said, ��Ah? That��s great! Thank you, Aunt Delana. I�� I��ll write a letter to Rein; please wait for a moment.��

 Chapter 251 - 251 - 160: Truly Scum to the Extreme (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 251 �C 160: Truly Scum to the Extreme (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3


    Anna hastily picked up the quill and wrote:


    ��Rein, by the time you read this letter, Aunt Delanna and I will have already set out back to the Druid Circle in Ferdinand Forest. I will work hard to improve my abilities, hoping that I can be of assistance to you the next time we meet.��


    ��Also, let me tell you a small secret: I can now visualize eight Will runes at once, Anna.��


    Anna carefully placed the letter, the Beast Taming content on the imprinted paper, and the hide scroll that contained the record of fire-based witchcraft, neatly on the bedside table in Rein��s room.


    Then, with a lingering glance around Rein��s room, she turned to Delanna and said:


    ��Aunt Delanna, shall we go then?��


    ��Yes, good,�� Delanna nodded.


    ...


    However, just as Delanna was preparing to take Anna away, she abruptly sensed someone lurking near their dwelling.


    ��Huh? Wait!��


    Delanna signaled Anna to stay in the room, and the next second, she transformed back into a squirrel, zipping from the room to the rooftop.


    Following that, an eagle took flight from the roof!


    Before long, Anna heard the sounds of fighting from not far to the southwest!


    But it quickly returned to quiet, as if the battle was over in a short while��


    ��


    In the alleyway to the southwest corner, the black-haired elf Delanna, looking at the black flames surrounding her, said in a low voice: ��This is Black Flame, could it be a follower of that deity?��


    While these black flames could not harm her in the slightest, only serving to hinder her movement, she had already discerned their origin.


    ��It seems Lord Windwalker��s warning was correct, the sleeping gods are showing signs of awakening��.�� Delanna appeared to realize something and, for a moment, her face showed concern.


    A short while later, when Delanna returned to Anna��s room, her expression was serene.


    ��Aunt Delanna, what just happened?�� Anna asked anxiously.


    At that moment, a number of peace officers were hurrying toward that area on the street.


    ��Nothing, it��s been taken care of. Anna, we need to leave!�� Delanna shook her head without elaborating.


    ��Oh, alright!��


    ��


    In the woods to the north of Flashgold Town.


    A lithe knight bearing a ��scythe��-shaped weapon was running swiftly, his hand pressing against his continuously bleeding abdomen, cursing under his breath as he ran: ��How could a Druid suddenly appear near the Rein residence?��


    This man was the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, known as ��Knight of the Wild,�� Giovanni!


    ��


    �����������C


    Meister County City.


    Inside the Wiggins family library.


    Unaware of what had happened at his home, Rein was diligently searching through ancient books in the library.


    Unlike the Crowley family, although the Wiggins family��s library was somewhat larger, the books were not sorted separately according to whether they were written in Lingwen, hence Rein had to search shelf by shelf.


    Flipping through one book after another, Rein found himself shaking his head most of the time.


    After a while, Rein suddenly stopped because he came across a travelogue written in Lingwen that contained a section on the Mother Tree cult.


    The travelogue outlined the core tenet of the ��Mother Tree cult��: at the beginning of the world, a Mother Tree from the distant void descended upon the world, scattering seeds that became the origin of life.


    However, according to the sayings of the ancient Sages, the so-called ��Mother Tree�� was actually a powerful entity from an alien void, beguiling sentient beings into worship and sacrifice.


    Of course, all the sacrificial practices of the Mother Tree cult��s followers could receive rewards and gifts from the Mother Tree to varying degrees.


    Several hours later, after having gone through all the ancient books written in Lingwen (Akkadian) in the library, Rein found that the only useful one was the travelogue he had just read.


    The rest were either ancient sacrificial ceremonies long vanished in the river of history, or eulogies from some bygone personage, leaving Rein somewhat disappointed inside.


    Although this result was within his expectations.


    But facing the actual result, Rein couldn��t help feeling an inevitable disappointment.


    ��Perhaps, I should take a different approach to my search for witchcraft��.��


    Rein realized that his current method of searching for witchcraft was like a person looking for something in a primeval forest obscured by tall trees.


    Since he could not see clearly all around, it was difficult to determine where the object was, so he could only try his luck everywhere.


    This clearly wasn��t a good method.


    A more effective way would be to first climb to a high place, like a watchtower, then look from afar and locate where the desired object is, or at least determine the direction.


    Then, when searching for it, it would be ��with a clear goal in sight��!


    ��Currently, my level within the Empire seems similar to a watchtower,�� Rein thought.


    ��Once I pass this ennoblement examination and become a formal noble, I should come to know many more secrets. Perhaps the direction to proceed with witchcraft or even the path of a Wizard will gradually become clear.�� Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just like Adams��s inheritance, which actually came from a Wizard faction known as the ��Igne School.��


    But how to connect with such a school of Wizards is what Rein needs to consider now.


    However, as long as Rein continues to rise within the Empire��s power hierarchy, he will inevitably come across related information at some point in time.


    And if Rein wants to ascend quickly within the Imperial power structure, the invitation from the ��Sword Bearer�� mentioned last time by Hamilton and Colonel Connar of the Imperial Military might serve as a stepping stone to a fast-track promotion.

 Chapter 252 - 252 - 160: Truly Scum to the Sky (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 252 �C 160: Truly Scum to the Sky (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4


    Rein continued to ponder.


    Because a comment from Colonel Connor had made a deep impression on him.


    ��The Sword Bearers is a privileged organization that spans across the entire empire. If you could join, you would break out of the bounds of Meister County, even out of Mingster Province.��


    ��You will come into contact with a far broader world!��


    Would he come into contact with a far broader world? Rein murmured to himself.


    ��In that case, the minimum criteria for my baronial evaluation must be to achieve the highest evaluation, that of a Baron.��


    ��It seems I need to prepare well.�� S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    After all, even if he achieved the Baron evaluation, it didn��t guarantee that he would receive an invitation from the Empire��s ��Sword Bearers.��


    Only the sufficiently outstanding can stand out!


    With this thought, Rein��s eyes gradually brightened.


    At that moment, the laughter of Jenny and Agatha, like silver bells, came from the doorway of the library. They had just seen Rein so absorbed and had quietly left the library without accompanying him the whole time.


    Rein checked the time, it was exactly noon. It seemed the two ladies had likely come to invite him to join them for lunch.


    ��


    In the afternoon, after finishing with the Wigging family��s visit, Rein declined Jenny��s invitation to visit the Crowley family and, after exchanging at the County Town military supplies store for a new set of chrome-iron armor and otter leather armor, took a carriage back to Flashgold Town.


    The otter leather armor was something Hamilton had reminded him to prepare, as the baron evaluation was to take place in Rosby City, which is close to the sea.


    However, upon arriving at Flashgold Town, Rein did not go home directly but first stopped by Hamilton��s office.


    Since Rein planned to leave for Rosby City in a few days, he first came to greet Hamilton.


    ��Oh, Rein, what brings you here?��


    ��Right, there��s something I forgot to tell you. Since you solved that mysterious event at Agatha Mill last time, several nobles have contacted me, wishing to convey through me their hope that you might help solve some mysterious events on their estates.��


    ��However, considering that you are about to participate in the baronial evaluation, I thought these matters could be deferred. After all, if any accident happens and affects your performance during the evaluation, that would be too great a loss.��


    ��So, I��ve already declined them on your behalf.��


    ��Thank you, sir,�� Rein nodded.


    He himself had the same intention; he needed to make some preparations before departing and it indeed wasn��t a suitable time to deal with these mysterious events.


    Furthermore, after the recent event with the ��Mother Tree Sect�� in Nightingale Forest, Rein felt that the level of danger of mysterious events varied greatly and was much higher than he had initially estimated.


    Especially because of the special nature of the mysterious events, their investigation reports were often inaccurate.


    ��Rein, did you come here to tell me that you are planning to depart in a few days?�� Hamilton asked proactively.


    ��Yes, sir, I plan to leave ten days from now.��


    ��Ten days from now?�� Hamilton pondered and then advised, ��Rein, I suggest you might leave a few days earlier. After all, arriving earlier will give you ample time to familiarize yourself with the surrounding environment.��


    ��You are very thoughtful, sir. Then I will leave seven days from now,�� Rein calculated and said.


    ��.


    When Rein returned home, he suddenly found the house much quieter, and his mother Emma looked at him with a reproachful gaze.


    As Rein was baffled, his younger sister Bo He rushed into his arms, looking upset, and said, ��Brother, Sister Anna has left too����


    ��Hmm?��


    ��What?�� Rein��s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately asked back.


    ��Sister Anna has left. It seems�� she left you a letter; it��s on your bedside,�� his sister Bo He said with her eyes wide open.

 Chapter 253 - 253 - 161: Unexpected Letter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 253 �C 161: Unexpected Letter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)


    When Rein climbed to the second floor again, he noticed that three bedrooms were suddenly emptied of two, which couldn��t help but make him sigh.


    If Lagaray��s departure was something Rein had anticipated early on, after all, she had mentioned it from the start.


    Then Anna��s departure was unexpected; he had thought she would stay here for quite a long time, but sometimes farewells come so suddenly.


    Moreover, he was also curious about why Anna decided to leave all of a sudden?


    Because from what he knew of Anna, this did not seem like her decision, or at least, it should not have been so hasty.


    Opening the door, Rein entered his own bedroom and immediately saw three neatly stacked items on the nightstand: a letter, a stack of papers, and a roll of beastskin.


    Without any hesitation, he picked up the letter and began to read it.


    ...


    Oh! Aunt?


    Druid Circle?


    Rein immediately associated this with the beautiful Elf Lady who wanted to trade with him for the Dark Mother Tree seeds, and it was very likely that the black-haired elf was Anna��s aunt.


    Otherwise, the probability of two Druids appearing in Flashgold Town within a short period of time was indeed too low, far too low.


    ��I really hadn��t expected that she would be Anna��s aunt!��


    ��Wait, if that��s the case, doesn��t that mean Anna is also an Elf? But Anna��s appearance����


    In an instant, Rein thought of a key point, but after pondering and stroking his chin for a while, he still couldn��t understand the reason behind it.


    ��Also, is the Druid Circle in Ferdinand Forest?��


    Rein thought about it and realized he had never heard of this ��Ferdinand�� forest before, so it must be quite far from Meister County.


    ��Hoping to help me next time we meet?��


    Reading this, Rein felt that he somewhat understood the reason why Anna had decided to go to the Druid Circle.


    He had seen Anna��s determination when she was diligently studying basic meditation, as well as her perseverance while trying to heal Lagaray.


    So, Rein knew that despite Anna��s seemingly soft and shy exterior, she was actually very determined on the inside, a girl with a lot of willpower and conviction.


    However, when Rein read the last part of the letter����I��ll tell you a little secret, I can now visualize eight Will runes at the same time����he couldn��t help but imagine Anna��s expression while writing those words.


    Her beautiful face must have had a shy and joyous smile.


    Thinking of this, a smile also couldn��t help but appear on Rein��s face, and he silently thought:


    ��Then I��ll look forward to your robust growth, but Anna, I��ll tell you a little secret too, actually, I can already visualize twenty Will runes at once.��


    ��So, the next time we meet, the likelihood is�� I��ll still be protecting you��.��


    It took a while for Rein to calm down from his slightly melancholic mood.


    It felt like the end of the college entrance exams in his previous life when good friends went their separate ways, even though they had agreed to meet again someday, it was likely that when that day truly arrived, quite a long time would have passed.


    Folding the letter carefully, he put it back in the envelope, then Rein picked up the stack of papers, and upon looking at them, he immediately recognized them.


    ��Oh, isn��t this content����


    Immediately, Rein realized that the ��Beast Taming Journal,�� also known as the Silver Book, must have been taken by Anna��s aunt, the black-haired Elf.


    But as the items were returned to their rightful owner, Rein didn��t feel any loss.


    The last item��the beastskin scroll��made Rein��s brows rise and his face light up with joy when he opened it!


    It was a new spell of witchcraft, and fire magic at that, which he had been wanting to find!


    ��I never thought that I would have almost no gain in the Wigging family��s library, but coming back home, I actually obtained a fire spell.��


    Thinking about it, Rein wasn��t sure if it was a gift from Anna or a sign of gratitude from the black-haired Elf for taking care of Anna, but that wasn��t important. What mattered was that if it weren��t for Anna, he wouldn��t have this achievement.


    So, the gratitude he felt for this gift he placed upon Anna.


    Right away, Rein began to carefully examine the beastskin scroll.


    ��Scorching Light!�� Rein softly read the name of the new spell.


    A burning beam of light?


    After looking it over several times, Rein found that the difficulty of visualizing the witchcraft model for this new ��Scorching Light�� spell was about the same as ��High-Temperature Force Field,�� both being of about the same level of difficulty.


    Since Rein had already mastered two fire spells, ��Scorching Touch�� and ��High-Temperature Force Field,�� and his spiritual power had also increased to 23 points,


    So, learning this new fire spell was not as difficult as the last time.


    Heading to the storeroom.


    About half an hour later, after failing seven or eight times, Rein finally succeeded! sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only to see a flame, about twenty to thirty centimeters high and constantly burning fiercely, suddenly appear above Rein��s right palm, instantly illuminating the whole room.


    The overall shape of the flame was not very large, like an enlarged flame, but it seemed to have high heat, continuously transforming into light energy, giving an extraordinarily dazzling effect.


    Although Rein had anticipated it, after just squinting at it for a second or two, his eyes began to see white and he instinctively started to tear up and blink.


    Of course, tearing up and blinking are part of the eyes�� natural protective mechanism and there��s nothing bad about it.

 Chapter 254 - 254 - 161: Unexpected Letter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 254 �C 161: Unexpected Letter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2


    ��`


    But shedding tears and blinking could be fatal in battle, especially against an equally matched opponent.


    Because it��s very likely that a single blink could cause one to miss taking the initiative, and if one instinctively covered their eyes amid such bright light, they might well be delivered into the embrace of the goddess.


    At the same time, Rein also felt a slight stinging sensation in his retina. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He knew if he continued to stare at this incredibly bright flame, it wouldn��t take long before his retina suffered damage.


    With a gentle wave of his right hand, Rein cancelled the new witchcraft and crossed his arms in thought.


    This new witchcraft��s effect was similar to a ��flash grenade�� from his previous life!


    ...


    At the same time, Rein vaguely had some ideas about the applications of this witchcraft.


    However, to cast it in battle and combine it with his existing combat rhythm, there were a few minor issues with the witchcraft that needed to be resolved.


    Right then, a system prompt followed:


    [You have studied the Scorching Light, and your understanding has improved!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill�� Scorching Light]


    [Your skill Scorching Light has leveled up, Experience +1]


    Simultaneously, under the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel, next to the icon for the high temperature field, a brand-new icon appeared.


    The icon��s border briefly lit up, and the image depicted a raging flame, surrounded by short lines representing the rays of light.


    It was like a child��s drawing of the sun, with a circle of short lines around the blazing sun, clearly meant to signify the continuous emission of light.


    Rein focused his attention on the new icon, noting a line of small text underneath it.


    Scorching Light lv1 (1/100)


    Scorching Light lv1 effect: Consumes a certain amount of spiritual power to trigger fire energy particles using a specific witchcraft model, forming a scorching flame above the caster��s palm. The flame will continue to emit strong light for about ten seconds.


    (Note: Casting time is 3 seconds; power is proportional to the caster��s spiritual power.)


    One of the small issues that needed solving was the casting time; 3 seconds was clearly too long.


    Finding a precious three-second window in battle was too difficult; it would be much better if it could be reduced to one second.


    Because in one second, such opportunities weren��t uncommon in battle.


    For instance, during a weapons clash, if both fighters were repelled simultaneously, then seizing the chance to cast ��Scorching Light�� unexpectedly would likely cause temporary blindness in the enemy.


    Even if the opponent wasn��t blinded, it could still create a good initial advantage or a degree of superiority.


    However�� to achieve this effect, one naturally had to level up ��Scorching Light��.


    Because, according to experience with the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch��, if ��Scorching Light�� could be increased to lv2, the casting time could likely be reduced by about 20%, from 3 seconds to 2.4 seconds.


    Rein pondered as he quickly did mental calculations.


    But 2.4 seconds was still too long.


    If it reached lv3, then it would go from 2.4 seconds to 1.9 seconds.


    Rein��s eyebrows lifted; this casting time would likely surprise an opponent, as it now began with a one.


    Of course, it would still be better if it could be reduced further, to a shorter time!


    If it reached lv4, it would go from 1.9 seconds to 1.5 seconds.


    A one-and-a-half second casting time?


    Rein nodded to himself, showing a satisfied expression.


    With merely half the original casting time of 3 seconds, its practicality in real combat was much higher.


    ��I currently have 5 remaining Skill Points; if I consecutively allocate 3 Skill Points to the witchcraft ��Scorching Light��, I can reach this target,�� Rein thought to himself.


    ��And even if�� all 5 remaining Skill Points were invested in this new witchcraft��.��


    ��Tsk tsk�� a one second casting time����


    Rein stroked his chin, somewhat astounded!


    However, after some thought, Rein slightly shook his head.


    ��That�� can wait for now!��


    ��After all, 3 Skill Points is not a small amount, whether added to the Giant Bear Sword Technique or the Tokkal Hammer Technique, either would bring significant improvements,�� Rein mused.


    The second small issue to resolve was the applicable scenario.


    Certainly, during overcast, drizzly weather conditions, the blinding effect of ��Scorching Light�� would presumably be quite good.


    Of course, for the best effect, it naturally would be to use it at night. It was estimated that it would instantly blind an unprepared enemy for several seconds, thus securing the victory!


    However, during bright, sunny weather, particularly when the sunlight was harsh, the effect of the new witchcraft ��Scorching Light�� would be greatly diminished.


    Rein paced back and forth in his room, summarizing the new witchcraft��s applicable scenarios.


    ��Also, the new witchcraft would likely be extremely effective in dark, damp environments like mines,��


    ��Especially against those accustomed to dim and moist conditions with faint light, presumably a single cast of ��Scorching Light�� could directly blind their eyes,�� he considered.


    Thinking this, a bright light flashed in Rein��s eyes.


    ��Furthermore, if I wanted to cause strong blinding effects even on a sunny day, it wouldn��t be impossible����


    ��As my spiritual power increases, the power of ��Scorching Light�� will inevitably also increase. Once it crosses a certain brightness threshold, it should achieve an effect that could dazzle enemies even during daylight,�� he calculated.


    The last minor issue to solve was a matter of habit.


    ��`

 Chapter 255 - 255 - 161: An Unexpected Letter (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 255 �C 161: An Unexpected Letter (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3


    Because casting the witchcraft ��Blazing Light�� requires one hand to be free, and the techniques Rein currently practices, whether it��s Giant Bear Sword Technique or Tokerka Hammer Technique, both involve two-handed weapons.


    ��So, in daily practice, I must consciously strengthen this aspect of training, so that in battle, I can naturally and smoothly seize the opportunity to cast the witchcraft ��Blazing Light��.��


    Immediately, Rein began to ponder which moves could be followed by ��Blazing Light��.


    ��After the secret move ��Rising Dragon Hammer��, there is a good chance to follow up with the new witchcraft ��Blazing Light������


    ����After the secret move ��Roaring Strike��, if the enemy can still withstand it, I can also follow up with the new witchcraft ��Blazing Light������


    Half an hour later, Rein��s face revealed a look of joy.


    He had considered all his commonly used swordsmanship and Hammer Skills in conjunction with the new witchcraft and found that there were quite a few points of compatibility.


    ...


    What remained was the need for daily practice, accumulating over time.


    At that moment, Rein suddenly remembered that he had intended to test the effects of witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field�� after his spiritual power had increased by 3 points, but the plan had been interrupted by the arrival of the Crowley family��s carriage.


    Now was the perfect time to test it.


    So, Rein placed three basins of water on the table, as before, situated one meter, two meters, and three meters away from him.


    After ten seconds, Rein voluntarily stopped the witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field��.


    Because Rein had discovered that within the field, the temperature rose quickly, much like the combined effect of a microwave oven and an air fryer, capable of heating the air to the desired temperature within a few seconds.


    Although heating water took longer, the duration in the field didn��t show much difference.


    Compared to the last time, what pleased him was that the basin of water two meters away now faintly emitted white steam, indicating that the temperature had reached around ninety degrees Celsius.


    It wasn��t far from boiling.


    The power had clearly increased slightly from last time!


    The water in the basins at one meter and three meters also warmed significantly, going from roughly forty to fifty degrees to a scalding sixty to seventy degrees.


    Clearly, if an enemy were to fight within this high-temperature force field, they would be at a considerable disadvantage since the temperature exceeded even the scorching surface temperature of the Sahara Desert.


    Every second would be an agony for the enemy!


    Especially if the enemy were also clad in metal armor��


    In an instant, Rein��s mind conjured the image of those large, multilayered, shiny stainless steel steamers from breakfast joints in his previous life, filled neatly with big meat buns and steam billowing from the top!


    Thinking of this, Rein couldn��t help but reveal a bright smile on his face.


    �����������C


    In the following days, Rein scarcely left the house.


    Apart from occasionally training the greyhound ��Cookie��, Rein spent most of his time practicing the integration of witchcraft, swordsmanship, and Hammer Skill.


    During this period, apart from sharing a small portion of the fierce bear meat with ��Cookie��, Rein consumed the remaining tens of pounds of fierce bear meat completely!


    Additionally, with regard to the means of transportation for his journey, Rein considered whether to ask the Crowley family to prepare a carriage bearing the noble crest, which could save him some trouble at checkpoints along the way.


    But upon reflection, he thought it best to keep a low profile for his upcoming ennoblement assessment.


    After all, his conflict with the Cult of the Black Flame had become irreconcilable, and it would not be wise to let them know his destination.


    Besides, there was also the friction with Baron Alonso; though it seemed the baron hadn��t made any moves recently.


    Rein recalled the route from Flashgold Town to Rosby City.


    According to the information he had seen, there were roughly three routes from Flashgold Town to Rosby City.


    The reason for ��roughly�� was that as one reached a town, the closer to Rosby City, the more options for various side paths became available.


    If he chose some minor roads during his journey to conceal his movements, a carriage might not be appropriate since some of the paths were rugged, while traveling by horse would not only be more flexible but also more suitable.


    Thus, that afternoon, under the warm winter sun, Rein headed to the John��s Stable on the southern side of Flashgold Town. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This visit was unlike the last when he came to learn riding; this time, Rein wanted to purchase two strong warhorses.


    Soon, Rein met with the sanguine-nosed middle-aged man��stable master John Moyle.


    For John Moyle, Rein was certainly a memorable figure.


    ��Lord Reine, what brings you here today?�� John greeted him with utmost courtesy.


    It seemed that John was aware of Rein��s appointment as the Deputy Marshal of Flashgold Town.


    ��Mr. John, today I��m planning to purchase two strong horses, so I need your help choosing them,�� Rein said with a smile.


    ��


    An hour later, Rein rode back home on a black horse while leading a brown one.


    The reason for purchasing two horses was that a single steed could not fully bear the weight of a fully armed Rein along with his luggage.


    One would be for riding, while the other would carry his baggage.


    In addition, Rein intended to conduct a small comparative experiment.

 Chapter 256 - 256 - 161: Unexpected Letter (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 256 �C 161: Unexpected Letter (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Experimental content: Study on the changes in muscle strength and endurance of horses after taking a mutated growth potion.


    Test subjects: Two equally strong black and brown horses.


    Experimental process: Recorded the differences over seven days between the black horse, whose feed was supplemented with the mutated growth potion, and the brown horse, which was not.


    ��


    The day before departure.


    Rein obtained the experimental conclusions.


    Experimental conclusion: After seven days, no prominent mutations were observed in the black horse, but it is estimated that the black horse��s muscle strength and endurance have increased by about 20%.


    ...


    Clearly, the mutated growth potion could not only be used on dogs but could also strengthen animals to a certain extent.


    That afternoon, someone Rein knew well but had not expected at all visited his home��Shadia, the Chief Maid from the Habsburg estate.


    The usually stern Chief Maid rarely showed a smile and said, ��Rein, in accordance with the lady��s request, here is a letter for you to pass on.��


    ��Eh? Is it a letter from Lady Cleya sent from the Imperial City?�� Rein took the letter while asking.


    At the same time, he had a guess in his heart.


    ��Exactly! The lady found out that you��ve stepped into Transcendent knighthood and was very surprised!�� Shadia nodded and said.


    As expected, Cleya knows that I have entered into Transcendence, Rein thought to himself.


    The seal on the envelope was intact, obviously no one had opened it before Rein.


    In front of Shadia, Rein quickly opened the letter.


    Inside, there were two sheets of paper.


    The first sheet of paper read:


    ��Rein, you can��t imagine my astonished expression when I found out that you had become Transcendent.


    Please allow me to take back my previous words.


    Perhaps one day, you will achieve greater things on the path of knighthood than I have.


    But good talent needs the guidance of a great teacher even more.


    I believe, now that you have stepped into Transcendence, you can understand this point even better.


    Therefore, here is a letter of introduction to Master Gunther Otinga.


    If you��re interested, within three months, you can go to the Golden Coast in Rosby County, where he lives in seclusion, to learn for a while.


    Trust me! Master Gunther is absolutely a master of exquisite swordsmanship.


    If you can gain something, it will definitely help you in the subsequent noble title conferral examination.��


    ��


    At the end of the letter, there was the familiar signature: Cleya.


    The second sheet of paper was the letter of introduction from Cleya to Master Gunther Otinga for further study. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��By the way, Rein, do you have anything you��d like me to pass on to the lady?�� Shadia asked after seeing Rein finish reading the letter.


    After a moment of thought, Rein said, ��Please tell Lady Cleya that I thank her for her concern and support, and I think I will find a suitable time to visit Master Gunther.��


    Rein didn��t plan to refuse Cleya��s proposal to introduce him to a reclusive master of swordsmanship for study because his enlightenment on the path of knighthood came from Cleya��s guidance.


    Therefore, Rein always had a good impression of Cleya.


    Moreover, from the content of this letter, Cleya further expressed her goodwill toward him.


    Although at the beginning, Cleya believed he only had the potential to be a follower.


    ��


    The next morning, just as dawn broke and after saying goodbye to his family, Rein rode the strong black horse that had been fed the ��enhanced diet�� for seven days and set off for his destination��Rosby City.


    Soon, Rein��s figure disappeared at the end of the road.


    Five days later��


    With the winter��s icy rain,


    In a large forest hung with white icicles, there was a winding gray path extending far towards the seaside.


    Two horses were riding slowly, one after the other, on the path. The stronger black horse in the lead carried a knight in full plate armor, a knight with a distinctive feature: a greatsword and a Two-Handed Warhammer were carried on his back, a rare combination of dual weapons.


    It was substantially different from the typical knight��s sword and shield or sword and bow combination.


    This knight was Rein.


    Fortunately, the knight��s armor was lined with lamb��s wool, providing excellent insulation, so even in the icy rain, with the environment cold and damp, Rein didn��t feel uncomfortable.


    Why not use the fire-based witchcraft ��High-Temperature Field�� to dry off?


    Don��t forget the warhorse under him, which couldn��t withstand such high temperatures.


    Following him was a brown horse, carrying three or four parcels, mostly daily necessities and food.


    After riding continuously for five days, their destination, Rosby City, was now not far ahead.


    Rein estimated that in at most half a day, he would arrive at his destination. Discover hidden stories at empire


    About half an hour later, even the strong black horse under Rein started to breathe heavily, and in the cold icy rain, two columns of steam rose briskly in front of the horse��s head.


    Rein knew he needed to find a place to let the horse rest for a while.


    Actually, it was his fault, as the weight of his two weapons alone exceeded that of a standard knight��s armor and weapon load combined!


    Moreover, Rein also had to count his chromium steel suit, so it was normal for the strong black horse, which was still just an ordinary horse, to be struggling.


    Perhaps, with continued feeding of the mutated growth potion, there might be a possibility for the black horse to undergo some kind of mutation, but for now, it seemed that more time was needed to see the outcome.


    After turning a corner on a small forest path, Rein��s keen ears caught the crisp cracking sound of burning wood.


    Looking up, Rein peered through the thin icy rain and the dense mist, and saw someone had lit a campfire in the forest to their left.

 Chapter 257 - 257 - 162: Arrival

    Chapter 257 �C 162: Arrival


    A young man with thick eyebrows, also clad in knight armor, had kindled a bonfire under a large tree.


    The tree��s canopy was vast, its leaves broad and dense, offering excellent protection from the rain. Even the sporadic drops that fell were quickly sizzled away by the bonfire.


    However, Rein had no intention of approaching, not because he was afraid but because he had no interest in dealing with strangers whose backgrounds were unknown to him.


    Thus, Rein decided to ride on for a while before finding a place where he could rest alone.


    Seemingly hearing the sound of hooves, the thick-eyebrowed knight looked up, saw Rein��s solo rider with two horses attire, his face brightened, and he stood up to greet him, ��Hey, I��m a knight heading to Rosby City for the knighthood examination. Judging by your attire, you must be too, right?��


    The other��s enthusiastic expression and frank introduction momentarily stunned Rein.


    Realizing Rein��s hesitation, the man then took out a purple-gold badge from his bosom that was nearly identical to the one in Rein��s hand and showed it to him.


    ...


    At the same time, he said, ��Look, this is the proof badge. If you��re also going to Rosby City for the knighthood examination, you should be familiar with this item.��


    ��Since we��ve met, it must be fate. Maybe we can help each other out during the exam, so don��t be shy, come and take shelter from the rain.��


    Rein glanced at the badge and knew it should be authentic. Since the other party was so enthusiastic, it seemed somewhat unkind to refuse further.


    After thinking it over, Rein guided his black horse to slowly ride over.


    ��Hello, my name is Hass Klein, from Rosby County.��


    ��Rein, Meister County.�� Rein nodded and said.


    After Rein dismounted, he somehow glanced slightly at the dense forests on either side. However, this action went unnoticed by the other party as Rein��s face was covered by his knight��s visor and the turn of his head was very subtle.


    It seems�� there are prying eyes��


    And not just one person��


    Interesting!


    ��Rein, did it take you several days to come from Meister County?��


    ��The roads are rough in winter. Come, have a cup of hot barley wine to warm up.�� Hass was very enthusiastic, picking up the iron kettle heated by the fireside and handing it to Rein.


    ��Thank you, you��re too kind, but I don��t feel cold,�� Rein said, raising his hand and declining the iron wine kettle offered by Hass.


    ��With this freezing rain, how can you not be cold? Come on, Rein, don��t be shy.�� Hass continued to warmly summon him, almost pushing the iron kettle into Rein��s arms.


    This made Rein raise an eyebrow and say, ��Lord, you��ve played your part well enough, though it has been a bit too much.��


    This statement made Hass pause, his expression changing instantly.


    He stared blankly at Rein for a moment, as if realizing Rein was not joking, then quickly stepped back a few paces and said, ��How�� how did you figure it out.��


    However, quickly realizing something, he clapped his hands sharply, ��clap, clap.��


    Suddenly, the trees in the dense forest shook, and in a moment, about fifteen people burst out, wielding various weapons, and several held crossbow arrows. From their aura, most seemed to be commoners with a few possessing the strength of knight��s attendants.


    The man leading them, wielding a chain mace, moved with steady strides and long breaths, likely possessing the strength of a formal knight.


    ��Are you a bandit gang? You don��t seem like it; typically, bandit gangs wouldn��t have two leaders of proper knightly rank,�� Rein spoke, focusing not on the people but on the young man known as ��Hass.����


    ��Sergei, why waste words on this guy? Just kill him. Go!�� The burly leader gestured and launched an attack on Rein.


    Indeed, ��Hass�� was a false name, and Sergei must be his real name.


    However��


    A chilling flash of sword light passed, and Rein suddenly held a Dual-Handed Greatsword in his hands.


    ��ROAR!!!!��


    The next second, a sound akin to a giant bear��s roar burst in everyone��s ears, instantly causing most people to clutch their heads, their faces contorted in pain as they fell to the ground, including those bandits possessing the strength of knight��s attendants.


    Only the burly man and Sergei managed to barely stand their ground, yet their eardrums bled, and they stood dazedly.


    ��Thud! Thud!��


    Two heavy thuds were heard.


    The burly man and the one called Sergei both had their legs severed above the knees by Rein, and now their upper bodies lay on the ground, blood spurting.


    ��AHH!!�� The two screamed in unison.


    ��Now, perhaps you can tell me who directed you, and�� the origin of this proof badge,�� Rein said, his demeanor calm.


    ��Go to hell, you bastard, you��re done for���� the burly man retorted harshly.


    However, the next second, he fell silent, his gaze turning to Rein in horror!


    Because Rein had approached one of his subordinates and efficiently slit the man��s throat, with an ease and nonchalance akin to slaughtering a chicken.


    The second one��


    ��


    The eighth one��


    Soon, around the bonfire lay a circle of dead bandits!


    Only the two men whose legs had been cut off and the leader named Sergei were left alive.


    The two seemed to have forgotten the pain of their severed limbs, exchanged a look, and realized that this time, they had kicked an iron plate.


    They no longer needed Rein to prompt anything.


    They quickly spilled everything, pouring out the details like bamboo tubes spilling beans.


    Having heard them out, Rein frowned.


    Turns out, there was a mysterious force known as ��Zaral��s Rebellion�� secretly backing them to carry out tasks that weaken the empire��s strength, and their current mission was to assassinate young knights attending the knighthood examination.


    Of course, if they could capture him alive, that would be even better. If successful, they would not only gain valuable armor and weapons but also be able to collect a substantial bounty with the purple-gold badge.


    Moreover, there indeed was a young knight named Hass, who had been drugged and was currently being held captive in the dense forest.


    Enjoy new stories from empire


    Rein swung his sword twice, promptly killing the two men.


    After some thought, he ventured into the dense forest and soon discovered a tall young man clad in a thin linen shirt, bound by heavy iron shackles on his hands and feet and with a dirty cloth stuffed in his mouth, behind a large tree.


    When he saw Rein, clad in knight armor, the bound man couldn��t help but struggle and grunt.


    ��Clang! Clang!�� Sparks flew everywhere.


    Rein flourished his sword twice, instantly splitting the thick iron shackles.


    The tall young man immediately freed himself, swiftly pulled the dirty cloth from his mouth, and spat twice, saying, ��Thank you for saving me! My name is Hass, from Rosby Shire.��


    ��Rein, from Meister Shire.��


    ��Those deceitful, despicable creatures who drugged me, were they all killed by Lord Rein? �� Hass asked angrily.


    ��Hmm,�� Rein nodded. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��That��s really great! Those despicable villains, they deserve to die!�� Hearing that Rein had killed them, Hass burst into laughter.


    Hass stripped the breastplate that originally belonged to him off a robust man and began to converse with Rein around the campfire.


    Half an hour later.


    The now-acquainted pair chatted while riding their horses together, heading toward Rosby City.


    Although Rein did not fear the cold, it was obviously not a good idea to camp outside in the wintry rainy night.


    The two arrived at the gate of Rosby City by dusk, and after showing the purple-gold badges, they were quickly escorted by a staff member to their destination for this trip��the Naval Home Inn.


    At this moment, it was the time when the red sunset was descending; a gentle breeze caressed his face, and Rein immediately smelled a faint scent of the sea.


    He looked up, only to see, dozens of meters ahead, the vast and azure sea, with many white seabirds flying in the clear sky, including seagulls and albatrosses.


    Along the coastline were densely packed white sails, each representing a boat; although these vessels varied greatly in size, they seemed to be civilian fishing and transport ships.


    However, a few hundred meters away, there were clearly several large four-masted ships that appeared to be some type of warship.


    Rein pulled his gaze back and looked to his left, where there was a three-story building with a sign reading ��Naval Home Inn�� hanging above the door.


    Across the street from the inn stood a towering bronze statue with a five-masted sail, plus a very spacious gate attended by four guards in blue uniforms.


    Rein squinted his eyes and saw, written in gilded letters on the gate, ��Imperial South Sea Fleet, Sixth Division Base.��


    The Naval Home Inn?


    Well, indeed, just as the name implies, the naval base is right across the street.


    As the two entered the inn, a female attendant greeted them with a smile and asked, ��Excuse me, are you the knights here to participate in the knighting assessment?��


    ��Yes,�� Rein nodded.


    ��Please follow me, I need you to register your information with Lady Marika.�� The attendant said as she led the way.


    The trio arrived at a room at the far end of the corridor on the first floor, the attendant knocked on the door and said, ��Lady Marika, new knights have arrived.��


    ��Come in!�� A crisp female voice came from inside the room.


    To their surprise, the room was occupied by a naval female officer with a graceful figure. Upon seeing Rein and Hass enter, she stood up and formally said:


    ��I am Marika Morales, responsible for the knighting assessment on behalf of the Imperial Navy. You can consult me about any related matters, but first, I need to verify your information.��


    ��A female lieutenant colonel, that��s rare.�� Hass murmured after glancing at Marika��s shoulder rank.


    Rein noticed that her shoulder rank was a pair of golden leaves with a crescent moon.


    ��Rein Carlan, Meister Shire, Flashgold Town, fifteen years old����


    Rein took off his helmet, revealing a face even younger than Hass��s.


    ��Rein�� you��re only fifteen? My god!�� Hass��s eyes widened in astonishment.


    However, Marika was even more astonished, thinking that although it was uncommon to see a knight at fifteen, the way these two seemed so familiar with each other, didn��t they know what each other looked like?


    ��Hass Klein, eighteen years old����


    The impressive naval lieutenant colonel, Marika, after registering their information, instructed:


    ��During the knighting assessment period, your stay and meals at the Naval Home Inn are free, and you are also free to train at the training grounds behind the inn at any time.��


    ��Additionally, next door is the quartermaster��s room where you can buy various weapons, armor, and first aid supplies. Of course, the prices might be a bit higher than the market, but the quality is reliable.��


    ��Oh? Do they have knight plate armor crafted from rare ores?�� Rein asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ��Of course not,�� Marika rolled her eyes at Rein.


    ��What a pity!�� Rein shrugged, resignedly.


    ��Lieutenant Colonel Marika, about the knighting assessment task?�� Hass rubbed his hands together, inquiring about the related matters.


    ��I��m sorry, according to the joint directive of the Imperial Navy and the Knighthood Assessment Commission, in order to maintain confidentiality, the specific tasks of this assessment will be announced on the day of the task itself,�� Marika shook her head and replied.


    ��Wow, is this assessment that significant?�� Hass exclaimed in surprise.


    A task related to the Imperial Navy?


    No wonder they were staying at the ��Naval Home Inn�� and being attended by a naval officer��


    Rein listened, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

 Chapter 258 - 258 - 163: Examination Day

    Chapter 258 �C 163: Examination Day


    The second day after checking into the Navy Hotel, Rein didn��t go to the training grounds but chose to wander around the hotel and its vicinity instead.


    Soon, Rein gained a preliminary understanding of the environment here.


    Turns out, the islands surrounding Rosby City are riddled with pirate organizations and smuggling rings of various sizes, both large and small.


    Rein also overheard from naval officers chatting in the tavern on the first floor of the hotel that many Imperial Wanted Criminals who had fled from inland areas were also hiding on these islands.


    Furthermore, on some of the larger and more remote islands, there are indigenous tribes whose warriors paint their faces with camouflage and exhibit fierce combat prowess, with some of their leaders being as strong as formal Knights.


    As for why the Empire hasn��t been able to completely wipe out the ��ghouls and goblins�� on these islands?


    It seems that the newly formed Eagle Federation has restrained the majority of the Imperial Navy��s forces, of course, there are probably other reasons, but that��s not something Rein, who had only arrived a day ago, would know.


    ...


    Such a complicated situation plunged Rein into contemplation for a moment.


    Clearly, his Baron candidacy assessment task might involve attacking a pirate den, killing a wanted criminal, or even capturing a spy from the Eagle Federation, among other possibilities.


    If he could know the content of the task in advance, he��d certainly be able to prepare more effectively.


    However, upon further thought, Rein considered that with his Peak Knight strength, he was clearly one of the top contenders among all those participating in the candidacy assessment. If he was going to have a hard time, then the others would undoubtedly have an even tougher challenge.


    On the night he checked into the Navy Hotel, Rein noticed that aside from a small number of guests in naval uniform, the majority in the neighboring rooms were young people.


    These youngsters moved with steady steps and exhibited deep and long breaths, clearly they should all be Knights participating in the candidacy assessment like Hass and himself. Rein vaguely estimated their number and found several dozen.


    Moreover, with Rein��s Peak Knight strength and perceptive senses sharpened to a fine point of 23, although he could not accurately judge everyone��s strength, he could vaguely gauge their caliber.


    Most of these young people, including Hass, had the strength of formal Knights, though perhaps Rein might mistake a veteran Knight for a regular one due to some disparity in strength.


    But those he found somewhat inscrutable were only three or four individuals with gold or silver lines on their cuffs and collars, who were most likely noble heirs.


    No way around it, when talents are equal, noble heirs receive better upbringing and training from a young age, coupled with hereditary bloodlines and family-based Knight Breathing Methods, naturally making them stronger.


    Moreover, young people continued to arrive at the Navy Hotel today, holding bulging travel bags and arriving even later than he did.


    The latter��s arrival timing was surprisingly even later than his.


    In the afternoon of the same day, Rein went to the training grounds behind the hotel for the first time and discovered many young people practicing with various weapons, mostly swords and shields, hammers and shields, and bows and arrows, with a number working with Dual-Handed Greatswords.


    But there were far fewer practicing with Two-Handed Warhammers.


    A number of them were gathered in small groups, and when Hass saw Rein, he couldn��t help but be delighted, coming forward and saying, ��Rein, you��ve finally come. Look, those are the noble heirs vying for the Baron title.��


    ��They should be the strongest among us candidates here,�� Hass added.


    Rein followed Hass��s gaze and saw three or four groups, each with one person at the center surrounded by others, either demonstrating martial techniques or discussing something.


    Upon observation, Rein saw that the situation was similar to what he had perceived before: those individuals had at least the strength of veteran Knights, while most of the others were of formal Knight strength.


    ��That red-haired beauty is Eveline Norman, the daughter of Viscount Norman of Rosby County, pretty, isn��t she!��


    ��Indeed, very beautiful!�� Rein nodded, noting the woman had a demeanor somewhat like Cleya��s. Additionally, having just a few female Knights among a group of males made them stand out considerably.


    ��What are they doing? Socializing?�� Rein casually asked.


    ��Making connections, so if there��s a team task, everyone will be somewhat familiar with each other,�� Hass explained.


    Rein silently nodded, not saying anything.


    After staying for a short while, Rein went back to his hotel room. On the training grounds, it wasn��t possible to display his true strength, for it would be too conspicuous.


    The next morning, the young Knights were all gathered, and only then did Rein learn that there were so many candidates participating in the Rosby City candidacy assessment��he counted nearly seventy or eighty.


    However, upon reflection, in such a vast area as Mingster Province, this number of people didn��t seem too many, with a few counties contributing as little as seven or eight, while others had just over ten.


    At that moment, a burly naval commodore strode over, followed by the slender naval commander Marika Morales and a guard.


    ��Ladies and gentlemen, the future hopes of the Empire, welcome to Rosby City, the base of the sixth division of the Imperial South Sea Fleet. This morning we need to do two things: draw lots and go over the rules,�� the commodore announced.


    His speech was crisp in true military fashion, and he quickly got to the point.


    ��Everyone, come up and draw lots. Odd numbers are individual challenges, and even numbers are team missions,�� he said.


    The commander Marika gestured to the small box held by the guard, signifying for everyone to pick one.


    Soon, it was Rein��s turn.


    ��32, huh, a team mission?�� Rein didn��t expect to draw a team mission.


    He vividly remembered Hamilton��s words cautioning him that, in a team mission, he had to be wary not just of the enemies but of certain teammates as well.


    What a hassle!


    Individual challenges would��ve been so much simpler.


    ��Oh? You got a team mission? Rein, you��re really lucky,�� Hass said, looking enviously at Rein.


    ��Not like me, ending up with an individual challenge. Damn it!��


    Rein glanced at Hass, his inner thoughts filled with irony.


    If only I could switch with you, Hass, I��d be eager to trade places! Rein thought to himself.


    At this moment, many young people who had also drawn team tasks began whispering amongst themselves as if coordinating something, with many faces showing delight.


    ��


    At this time, the burly navy commodore continued to speak:


    ��All assessment personnel must strictly adhere to one rule, which is to use only their own strength, and the use of external forces, such as Sorcery Scrolls, transcendental potions, etc., is absolutely prohibited.�� Find more to read at empire


    ��Of course, ordinary weapons and equipment, hemostatic medication, and bandages are not included in this prohibition!��


    ��Sir, may I ask if I can use a bit of witchcraft, for example, the ��Light Body Skill�� from the wind witchcraft series��would that be considered a breach of rules?�� asked a young man who appeared to be of common birth, suddenly raising his hand to inquire.


    Rein, upon hearing this, couldn��t help but look up at the young man, realizing that the question he wanted to ask had been raised by the other party.


    ��You may! As I��ve said, use of one��s own strength is allowed.��


    ��If there are no questions, then at seven o��clock tonight, we shall set off. Please ensure everyone is prepared for battle. As for the specific tasks, due to the need for confidentiality, they will be distributed to you after we depart.��


    ��If anyone wishes to withdraw, you can now register your withdrawal with Major Marika,�� declared the navy commodore, his piercing gaze sweeping around.


    Rein felt as if those substantial eyes were upon him, and for an instant locked gazes with the commodore before quickly lowering his head again.


    This slight sense of oppression��Great Knight strength?


    Rein couldn��t help but speculate inwardly.


    ��If there are no further questions, you are dismissed!�� the navy commodore announced.


    Everyone then dispersed, discussing in small groups, and Rein followed the crowd back to the naval home inn.


    ��Strange, why did that young man trigger my alarm response, could it be that his strength is sufficient to threaten me?��


    ��It shouldn��t be. I haven��t heard that any scions from the upper nobility of Mingster Province are here this time.��


    The navy commodore pondered briefly, shook his head, and walked away, talking to himself.


    At seven o��clock sharp in the evening.


    About thirty personnel participating in the team task gathered, and under the leadership of the navy commodore and several officers, boarded a twenty-meter-long sail-less swift boat,


    Upon boarding, Rein noticed that there were already several middle-aged men dressed in noble hunting attire within the cabin, who appeared to be officials from the Ennoblement Assessment Committee.


    After everyone had taken their seats in the cabin, an officer distributed a stack of papers.


    As the vessel progressed, the commodore said resonantly:


    ��The details of this assessment task have been distributed��you��ll find them in your hands, along with recommendations for achieving different levels of rating specified at the bottom.��


    ��.


    Following the commodore��s explanation, Rein quickly scanned the contents of the paper.


    ��


    ��Qualifying rating kill recommendation: Kill more than twelve Bloodsail pirates��the more the better. Note: The blood-colored headband on the enemy��s head is the best proof, as you can��t ensure that an assessor will see every Bloodsail pirate you kill.��


    ��Good rating kill recommendation: Kill five Bloodsail pirate chiefs, whose strength is about that of a provisional Knight. Or kill one Bloodsail pirate boatswain or someone of higher rank, generally of full Knight strength or slightly stronger. Note: If capable, it is advised to aim for the latter for a chance at a higher rating.��


    ��Excellent rating kill recommendation: Kill Bloodsail pirate first mates and those of higher rank. Their strength is about that of a senior and even Peak Knight. Note: Dangerous, it is not recommended for those of insufficient strength to take unnecessary risks.��


    ��


    ��Killing Bloodsail pirates, huh?��


    ��Why didn��t they tell us in advance?��


    ��At least we could have prepared something specific.�� Many whispered among themselves.


    At this moment, a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, dressed in noble hunting garb, took over the conversation from the navy commodore, saying:


    ��Your ennoblement assessment task this time is not as simple as just clearing out the Bloodsail pirates, but in fact, to collaborate on a secret mission of the Imperial Navy.��


    ��According to reliable information, a secret messenger from the Eagle Federation has already arrived at Bloodsail Pirate-infested Meritet Island.��


    ��Therefore, the Ennoblement Assessment Committee decided to inform you of the specific task only after departure.��


    Rein nodded in understanding; no wonder the specific task was only disclosed now.


    Such secret missions are naturally safer the later the information is disseminated.


    After the man with the handlebar mustache concluded his briefing, the navy commodore nodded to him with a smile and continued:


    ��Of course, the strength of Bloodsail Pirate Group Leader Willy McCoy, known as Bloody Hand Willy and a Great Knight, is beyond your concern, as he will naturally be dealt with by Imperial Navy officers.��


    ��First Mate and Captain Klaut Dagan of the ��Rurik,�� Diviner and Captain Mala Nasr of the ��Wreckage,�� Captain Bilkel Jamal of the ��Hook,�� all possess Peak Knight strength, and likewise, it is advisable for you to avoid them.��


    Hearing this, Rein��s eyes subtly shifted as he looked at the four wanted sketches on the paper, deep in thought.


    The first to catch his eye was the portrait of Bloodsail Pirate Group Leader��Willy McCoy. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    UKneatly bound into small braids on either side of the ears, dense lower jaw beard also tied into a braid, with a broad mouth and large eyes.


    Although wearing only a captain��s hat, he exuded an extraordinary aura of a formidable figure!

 Chapter 259 - 259 - 164: Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)

    Chapter 259 �C 164: Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)


    Overview: The leader of the Bloodsail Pirate Gang, Willy McCoy, was once an Imperial officer with the strength of a Great Knight. He mastered the Imperial military swordsmanship, Black Shark Breathing Technique, and an unknown form of boxing, and he was skilled with a Knight��s Longsword, rapier, and Finger Tiger.


    Due to his ability to resolve most conflicts with a pair of iron Finger Tigers alone, and his capability to punch straight through the chest and abdomen of a fully armored official knight with one punch, he was known as ��Bloody Hand Willy��!


    (Note: His close combat prowess is extremely strong, and if detected, it is strongly advised to avoid him.)


    Finger Tiger?


    Rein knew about that. Typically consisting of four connected iron rings, the back of a Finger Tiger features a semi-circular iron hoop that is held in the palm of the hand, while the four rings fit over the index, middle, ring, and little fingers respectively.


    Additionally, some Finger Tigers have steel spikes added to the heads to further increase the damage dealt.


    If worn by someone proficient in boxing, both the speed and power of their attacks are quite formidable!


    ...


    The next one is the second in command of the Bloodsail Pirates and captain of the ��Rulur,�� Klaut Dagan.


    From his portrait, this is a standard handsome man, handsome face plus a goatee, looking more like a noble than a pirate.


    Overview: The deputy leader of the Bloodsail Pirates and captain of the ��Rulur��, Klaut Dagan, a fallen noble of the Empire, possesses the strength of a Peak Knight and has mastered Bloodsail Swordsmanship and an unknown breathing technique. He is skilled with a Knight��s Longsword.


    Nicknamed the ��Gentleman Pirate��.


    (Note: Second only to Bloody Hand Willy in strength, it is recommended to avoid him if encountered.)


    The third person made Rein��s pupils shrink.


    Huh?


    It was a Knight combined with a Wizard Apprentice?


    Interesting!


    The third portrait depicted Diviner and captain of the ��Wreck,�� Mala Nasr.


    This was a hooded man, his face slightly pale and almost devoid of beard, looking quite young. but from the weather-beaten look around his eyes, Rein believed his actual age was not small.


    Overview: Diviner and captain of the ��Wreck,�� Mala Nasr, of unknown origin, possesses the strength of a seasoned knight and a second-level Wizard Apprentice, clearly mastering ��Aquatic Plant Divination�� and the hydrotherapy witchcraft. Other witchcraft skills unknown, proficient in Bloodsail Swordsmanship.


    Mala Nasr is adept at divination and healing and has a good reputation among the Bloodsail Pirates.


    (Note: Due to the unknown extent of his mastery in witchcraft, it is recommended to avoid him if encountered.)


    The last person painted, the fourth, was the captain of the ��Hook,�� Bilkel Jamal


    He had a signature hooked arm and a mouth full of rotten teeth from a pipe, indeed looking most like the kind of pirate who drifts at sea day and night.


    Overview: Captain of the ��Hook,�� Bilkel Jamal, an old Bloodsail Pirate drifting at sea for over thirty years, has exceptional naval experience.


    Being the most senior in the Bloodsail Pirate Gang, he was mainly responsible for lateral communication with other pirate gangs and enjoyed some renown among them.


    Nicknamed ��Old Rotter.��


    (Note: Although he is older, his cunning and trickiness should not be underestimated, inexperienced fighters are advised not to engage him in combat.) S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Rein��s ears twitched slightly, as he faintly heard some people discussing something amidst the noise of the crowd.


    ����choose the fourth one, nicknamed ��Old Rotter,�� Bilkel, should be the easiest to kill, we can go for that one.��


    ��Right, the others are too strong, too dangerous����


    ��But�� Nazbi might choose the fourth too����


    ��If they beat us to it, we��ll just go for the second one, I have high-level armor, if it��s just swordsmanship, we should be able to fight����


    ��Yeah, too bad that diviner knows witchcraft, too dangerous, one curse and we��re done!��


    ������


    Rein looked up, recognizing the speakers as the nobles�� progeny Hasan had once mentioned, who were among the top contenders in the credential exams.


    An excellent evaluation would involve killing the first mate, but naturally, it would be even better to take down a captain directly.


    However�� from what had just been revealed between the lines, it appeared not to be so simple.


    These men likely had the same target as him.


    Were they aiming to achieve a high enough score to receive an invitation to become a ��Sword Bearer��?


    Returning his gaze, Rein��s eyes swept past the portraits of the four individuals once more, and finally, they went back up, lingering a bit longer on the portraits of ��Bloody Hand Willy�� and ��Diviner Mala��.


    Then, Rein continued looking down.


    On the paper, following the portraits of these four key figures, were the designs of two pirate ships, one a four-masted barque and the other a three-masted barque.


    The four-masted barque was ��Bloody Hand Willy��s�� flagship, looking almost identical to the regular main force barques of the Imperial Navy, which got Rein thinking.


    The three-masted barques, however, belonged to the other three pirate captains. Likely all manufactured in the shipyards of Rosby City, they shared mostly similar boat structures.


    Therefore, the three three-masted barques could share one design diagram.


    Rein mainly focused on the placement of the captain��s quarters, the first mate��s and the bosun��s and other high-ranking staff quarters, taking a detailed look.


    The captain��s quarters in these three-masted barques were usually positioned just shy of the stern, on the second deck level.

 Chapter 260 - 260 - 164: Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_2

    Chapter 260 �C 164: Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_2


    If it were moored at the harbor, Rein estimated the draft of the sailboat to be about four meters above the waterline based on the design plans.


    Additionally, the design plans showed that the captain��s cabin was equipped with a small side window, some circular, others semi-circular.


    Thus, they were quite easy to recognize, especially if there was a light on in the opponent��s room.


    This made Rein nod slightly to himself.


    However, a note on the design plan indicated the hull thickness of the three-masted sailboats was about thirty centimeters, and that of the four-masted ones nearly forty centimeters.


    This made Rein��s eyebrows furrow slightly once again.


    At the bottom of the paper was a structure resembling an ancient castle, two stories high and housing dozens of rooms in size.


    ...


    From the annotations beside it, Rein learned that this was the main base of the Bloody Hand pirates on Meritet Island, known as ��Bloody Hand Fortress,�� built from the island��s massive rocks, very sturdy.


    However, the pirates preferred to call it the ��Little Fortress.��


    Seeing this, a mixture of ships and fortress, Rein couldn��t help but wonder, were they planning to split forces for the battle?


    One team responsible for boarding combat?


    Another for assaulting the Little Fortress?


    At this moment, someone suddenly asked, ��Sir, is this going to be a boarding battle? Are those leaders on their ships, or in the Bloody Hand Fortress?��


    Sure enough, Rein wasn��t the only one puzzled.


    ��We don��t know yet,�� the naval commodore shook his head and said.


    ��However, once we disembark, we should find out. It will not be a boarding combat, but rather an assault on the ship,�� he added.


    ��What you need to do is familiarize yourself with the structural plans of both the ships and the fortress,�� the commodore further instructed.


    At this point, a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, dressed in noble hunting attire, reminded everyone:


    ��Lastly, I want to remind everyone that unexpected situations can arise during combat, and in some cases, even the few of us responsible for the assessment might not be able to rescue in time.��


    ��So please cherish your life and don��t overreach,�� he added.


    He paused for a moment and said reassuringly, ��Even if you do not pass the nobility examination this time, you can still apply again in five years.��


    Although the man said this, Rein looked up slightly and felt that not many were taking it to heart.


    Since most had signed up for the nobility examination, they believed in their own abilities.


    And for the few twenty-seven or twenty-eight-year-olds, with age being a penalizing factor, this could be their last chance.


    After all, in five more years, they would be in their thirties, and unless their skills reached the level of a Veteran Knight, the hope of passing the nobility examination would naturally become slimmer.


    Hence, for them, going all out in the fight seemed to be the preferred choice.


    Isn��t there a saying from the previous life, ��Strike it big, a bicycle becomes a motorcycle!��


    Now, they strike it big, a commoner becomes a noble! S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So�� they naturally had to go for it.


    Now that the objective was clear, Rein slowly removed the chrome iron suit he was wearing and put on the leather armor made from otter skin.


    Fighting in the cramped space of a ship��s cabin, being more agile could offer significant advantages. Besides, wearing heavy armor would be quite awkward if one fell into the water��


    Moreover, Rein had the ��Iron Skin lv3�� Transcendent trait, which naturally made him more suited for combat in leather armor.


    After shedding over a hundred pounds of weight, Rein immediately felt much lighter.


    ��


    Around one o��clock in the morning,


    they arrived at Meritet Island.


    Only then did everyone realize that another ship followed behind them, from which dozens of elite naval assault troopers, dressed in the light armor of Swordsmen and accompanied by crossbows, as well as more than ten naval officers, disembarked in orderly fashion.


    It seemed that these were the main attacking forces.


    Oh?


    She actually came too.


    Rein quickly noticed one of the officers was someone he was familiar with, the female major named Mary who had been responsible for receiving them at the Navy��s Home Inn.


    However, Mary was not the only woman there; there were also two other female officers, who were likely responsible for recording, communication, and coordination.


    As Rein jumped off the ship, his Dark Vision allowed him to easily discern his surroundings. The island was not large, and the first thing that caught his eye was the low fortress at the island��s center. Despite being labeled a castle, it indeed resembled more of a small fortress.


    This was obviously the Bloody Hand Fortress.


    Rein could vaguely make out several guns, their dark metal gleaming, mounted on the walls of the Little Fortress.


    Besides, there was the makeshift dock about two to three hundred meters to their left, where a four-masted sailboat, three three-masted warships, and several small boats were moored.


    Clearly, these were the main ships of the Bloody Hand pirates and the two kinds of vessels depicted in the design plans.


    At that moment, a middle-aged man dressed as a pirate with a red headband suddenly emerged from the front, about a dozen meters away from the bushes, startling everyone.


    But the naval commodore seemed to have expected the man to be waiting for them, and calmly asked:


    ��What��s the situation now?��


    ��Sir, because the Bloody Hand pirates are on high alert for an attack from the Imperial Navy, Willy has arranged the meeting with the messenger on the central four-masted sailboat��the flagship, ��Bloody Hand.����


    ��From the banquet up until now, Bloody Hand Willy and the messenger haven��t come out, and they should still be on the flagship. The other three three-masted sailboats are also on full alert, including the captains and first mates; they are all aboard.�� Find exclusive stories on empire

 Chapter 261 - 261 - 164: Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_3

    Chapter 261 �C 164: Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_3 Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��So, it��s actually the small fortress that��s the weakest in defense, due to the absence of its core members,�� the Spy disguised as a Bloodsail pirate quickly reported the latest situation.


    Rein nodded slightly, it turned out there was a secret informant inside. No wonder the commodore said we would know the situation as soon as we landed.


    Looking at the current situation, it seemed they were planning to assault the pirate ships!


    However, from here to the makeshift dock where the pirate schooners were moored,


    First, they would have to walk along a rocky path, reach a beach with four or five signal bonfires burning, and only after that, could they engage in shipboard combat.


    At that moment, at the end of the path, Rein could see a line of torches slowly moving toward them. It seemed likely to be a pirate patrol. And on the beach over a hundred meters away, there were the vague figures of twenty to thirty pirates stirring.


    It looks like they would have to clear out the trash fish before boarding the ships.


    ...


    At this time, the naval commodore spoke up, ��The assessment will now officially begin. You are all clear about the situation, and there will be someone keeping a record of all your kills.��


    ��Let��s begin!��


    At this, seven or eight newly knighted archers took the lead, moving out in front. Others, a bit more cautious, hid aside with their bows drawn, aiming at the group of pirates carrying torches as they approached.


    The ambush came from trained Knights against the unsuspecting Bloodsail pirates who were mere good fighters. The pirates had no time to mount any effective resistance.


    The knights took aim and ��whoosh, whoosh,�� quickly shot down the seven or eight patrolling Bloodsail pirates without even letting them scream.


    The record keepers behind them then began busily noting down the scores.


    As they continued along the path, they soon brought about the demise of a second Bloodsail pirate patrol squad.


    ��


    By the time everyone reached the beach, the most successful of the newly knighted had already made eight consecutive kills on the Bloodsail pirates, a bow expert among them.


    And by the bonfires on the beach, while the numbers of Bloodsail pirates weren��t few, when the time came to attack, it was still an embarrassment of riches!


    Especially one pirate leader, whose death was particularly gruesome, instantly struck by two sword thrusts and four sharp arrows.


    This was despite several Knights carrying heavy weapons having had no opportunity to showcase their skills.


    Because most of the time, they had to silence their enemies stealthily, after all, they hadn��t officially started the shipboard combat yet, so even if they were going to alert the enemy, it couldn��t be so soon.


    The newly knighted armed with heavy weapons naturally didn��t move as nimbly as the other Knights.


    Rein glanced to the side and saw dozens of elite naval assault troopers, already holding strong bows or crossbows, aiming at the Bloodsail pirates, confirming his guess even more.


    So, when the dozens of pirates on the beach had been neatly dispatched, some of the new knights still hadn��t made any moves. Your journey continues at empire


    Among them was one next to Rein, also carrying a Warhammer, who now couldn��t hide the anxiety on his face.


    He had been planning an ambush on a Bloodsail pirate, but was vexed when an arrow from another direction snatched away his target ��prey��. Although he glared in rage, there was nothing he could do.


    However, seeing Rein calm and composed, he couldn��t help but ask curiously, ��Why aren��t you worried at all?��


    ��The fastest among them have already met the twelve-kill requirement for the assessment,�� he added.


    ��Ah�� no worries, moreover, I��m not skilled in archery.�� Rein shrugged.


    The other glanced at the Dual-Handed Greatsword and Two-Handed Warhammer on Rein��s back and couldn��t help but offer consolation with a feeling of shared misery, ��Indeed, you didn��t even bring a bow; that makes it even tougher.��


    ��Sigh! I wish I had practiced archery well,�� the other knight sighed.


    At this point, Rein stepped forward, picked up a thick plank that seemed to be used for ship repairs, coated on one side with tung oil.


    He examined it carefully in his hands, then forcefully broke it in two.


    He nodded to himself.


    By this time the Bloodsail pirates had been cleaned up from the beach, and the main event �C the boarding battle �C was about to begin.


    Everyone thought the commodore would step forward and make arrangements, but to their surprise, the twenty or so naval officers and the nobles in hunting attire tasked with the examination didn��t seem to have the intention of interfering. They just stood back smiling as they watched how the rest would act.


    Quickly, quite a few gathered spontaneously around some of the most powerful scions of nobility.


    At this moment, a man Rein had just heard of, ��Nazbi,�� led about a dozen people towards the ��Barbhaken.����


    At the same time, several naval officers who were Peak Knights followed, along with the black-clothed examiners and the statisticians, who also promptly followed suit.


    Since each ship had a figurehead at its bow, like the ��Barbhaken�� with its large curved hook, recognition was quite simple.


    Of course, not all the participants in the examination chose to take part in the boarding combat.


    Because, according to the Spy��s intel, the easiest target should be the small fortress nearby, which almost lacked enemies of Peak Knight status,


    So a significant number of people spontaneously formed groups and charged towards the small fortress.


    With those two groups moving out, the remaining group wasn��t large, including Rein, there were only about ten people left.

 Chapter 262 - 262 - 164: Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_4

    Chapter 262 �C 164: Take a Risk, Commoner Turns Noble (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_4


    ��Tsk, a bunch of loafers,�� a noble scion said disdainfully.


    ��Only those who come with me to ��Ruler�� will get a good evaluation. It��s tough to get it at the small fortress,�� he continued.


    ��I��ll take care of ��Gentleman Pirate�� Clout.��


    Upon hearing that he could withstand the most troublesome second-in-command of the Bloody Sails, the rest of the newly-minted knights looked at each other.


    It was clear they were not content with just a passing evaluation; they aimed for a good one.


    After a moment��s thought, most of the others followed the noble scion to ��Ruler��, docked next to ��Hook��.


    After all, their numbers were no longer sufficient to attack another pirate ship.


    ...


    In other words, of the two remaining pirate ships, one was a four-masted vessel, the flagship ��Bloodsail��, with ��Bloody Hand Willy�� of Great Knight strength clearly being the navy��s target.


    The captain on the other, ��Wreckage��, was a mysterious professional with strange methods and equally troublesome.


    ��Rein, aren��t you going?�� The big hammer knight walked a few steps and, seeing Rein still unmoving, turned his head and asked in confusion.


    Rein shook his head slightly and said, ��I��m not going.��


    ��Alright then! If it doesn��t work out, given your youth, you should still be able to get a passing evaluation at the small fortress.��


    In the glow of the campfire, the big hammer knight saw Rein��s youthful face, assuming that it was a lack of strength that kept him from acting until now.


    ��As for me, I plan to follow and see if there is a chance to get a good evaluation,�� said the big hammer knight before quickly heading toward ��Ruler��.


    Now, the only ones left on the beach without taking action were Rein and a red-haired female knight.


    Rein glanced at her. He seemed to remember Has mentioning her at the training field, something about her being Evelyn, the daughter of a certain Viscount from Rossby County.


    Evelyn also looked up at Rein, this youth carrying two heavy weapons that she hadn��t seen before at the training field, seemingly popping up out of nowhere.


    Evelyn was curious; while she planned to join the navy in attacking ��Bloodsail��, she wondered what this young man planned to do.


    Could he possibly be thinking the same as her?


    The pretty navy Major Maryca also noticed Rein still on the beach and found it strange.


    In her opinion, this young man��s strength was far from poor.


    After all, knights proficient with dual-handed heavy weapons rarely lack strength, especially someone who carried a Dual-Handed Greatsword and an additional heavy hammer.


    But him staying on the beach couldn��t mean he planned to attack the flagship, could it?


    You see, in a navy commando team��s group attack, most of the time you wouldn��t even find an opportunity to strike before the enemy was killed.


    Unless you planned to duel with the higher-ups of the Bloody Sails, perhaps the navy would give you that opportunity.


    At that moment, Rein suddenly started moving.


    He made his way alone towards the northernmost three-masted ship, ��Wreckage����the ship of the Diviner Mala Nasr.


    It was known that no examinees had chosen this warship because it was manned by a wizard apprentice whose strength was a mystery.


    The navy Rear Admiral, preparing to divide forces to attack ��Bloodsail�� and ��Wreckage��, was taken aback by Rein��s action!


    But the next second, he waved his hand, and Major Maryca, along with an officer of Peak Knight strength, quickly got the cue and followed immediately behind Rein.


    ��Is he going to scout for information by himself? Wearing leather armor? Carrying heavy weapons, such an odd style.��


    ��Even if he can sneak in and scout out firsthand information, this evaluation counts kills. Surely this young man doesn��t think that scouting information alone will get him a passing evaluation?�� sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Besides, if he is discovered, he will immediately be surrounded by pirates, and the mission would essentially be a failure,�� the navy officer following Rein thought, as several questions arose in his mind.


    However, strangely enough, when Rein got near the ��Wreckage��, he stopped.


    He looked up, scanning the rear of the ship for a while.


    Then, he simultaneously removed the Dual-Handed Greatsword and the heavy hammer from his back.


    This action��


    Both the navy officer and Major Maryca exchanged a questioning glance, seeing the confusion in each other��s eyes. Why take out both heavy weapons?


    Was he planning to use them as single-handed weapons?


    That would be quite unlikely!

 Chapter 263 - 263 - 165: Breaking into the Shell (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 263 �C 165: Breaking into the Shell (Two-in-One Big Chapter)


    At this moment on the ��Sunken Ship,�� inside the captain��s quarters, Captain Mala Nasr, dressed in a black robe, was not fiddling with his bottles and jars. Instead, he was unusually engaged in discussion with his first mate and the ship��s boatswain.


    The first mate was a one-eyed middle-aged man with a rough face and a fierce demeanor, clearly possessing the strength of at least a senior knight. He said, ��Boss, why do you oppose collaborating with Bloody Hand Willy and the Eagle Federation?��


    ��I��ve examined the fifty matchlock guns they brought this time. They are well-crafted and powerful, seemingly quite sincere.��


    ��Although such matchlock guns don��t pose a threat to us, the transcendent knights, for the brothers under our command, having more of these guns would substantially increase their combat ability.��


    ��Yes, boss, speak to Bloody Hand Willy. Distribute a few more to us on the ��Sunken Ship.�� The brothers have been complaining to me all day.�� The boatswain, a big man with a full beard, also chimed in at this point.


    Mala, with a worried look, glanced up at the two of them and said, ��We can cooperate with other pirates, but if we partner with the Eagle Federation, I��m afraid we��ll become a thorn in the Empire��s side if they find out!��


    ��Moreover, do you think the Eagle Federation is really here to help us? They just want to use us to further weaken the Imperial Navy.��


    ...


    The one-eyed first mate and the bearded boatswain, both no fools, immediately realized the implications of Mala��s words and exchanged glances.


    ��Why don��t you divine that, boss?�� The one-eyed middle-aged man hesitated, then suggested as an idea occurred to him.


    ��I��ve already divined it. Although the results were neither good nor bad, I have a nagging feeling that something is off, as if the divination was interfered with.�� Mala explained as he paced.


    ��However�� I plan to divine it again right now!�� Mala��s face tensed up with determination.


    This time, he planned to attempt the ��Blood Grass Divination,�� a more advanced method than the ��Aquatic Plant Divination.��


    ��Blood Grass Divination�� requires mixing the diviner��s own blood with aquatic plants, thereby increasing the accuracy of the divination.


    However, this more advanced method of divination, due to its toll on the body, was seldom used by Mala.


    But the keen senses of a wizard apprentice seemed to warn him that danger was imminent, especially since this evening, his eyelids had been twitching non-stop!


    ��


    By the dockside.


    The attack on the Bloodsail Pirate flagship ��Bloodsail�� had been launched, led by four naval officers with the strength of peak knights. The navy��s assault team followed closely behind, with the rear guarded by a rear admiral and another expert.


    Meanwhile, the navy��s assault team left behind fifteen men, who, under the command of another naval officer, seemed poised to simultaneously strike the ��Sunken Ship.�� Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��By the way, Leonard, how long will the divination interference around Meritet Island last?��


    ��Sir, it will last until dawn. If only a wizard apprentice performs the divination, I believe they won��t detect any problems.�� A confident naval colonel behind the rear admiral spoke up.


    Execution of ��Divination Interference�� is a routine procedure for some special operations.


    The rear admiral nodded, then turned to a middle-aged man in hunting attire with a handlebar mustache and said:


    ��Lord Theo, let us then go and meet Bloody Hand Willy and the Eagle Federation��s envoy.��


    ��Certainly, I��d also like to see the prowess of Bloody Hand Willy.�� Theo, the head of the examination team, agreed with a smile.


    ��Huh!��


    At that moment, the rear admiral seemed to sense something and turned his head towards the direction where Rein was.


    At that moment, Rein, with a greatsword in each hand, began murmuring a spell.


    ��High Temperature Field!��


    As the deep incantation began, a subtle change appeared around Rein��s body after three seconds.


    Although from an outsider��s perspective, Rein��s form was still clearly visible, the difference in temperature caused a change in air density, creating a refraction of light.


    Simply put, if an enemy were to thrust a sword at Rein��s eye, there might be a slight deviation, diverting the strike to Rein��s forehead or another nearby area instead.


    The next second, Rein��s figure suddenly expanded, his muscles swelling as if inflated, doubling in size!


    Luckily, he had switched to an otter-skin armor, which was more elastic than metallic plate armor, thus preventing it from bursting suddenly.


    Suddenly, with a motion akin to throwing a javelin, Rein forcefully hurled the Glimmering Greatsword toward the stern of the ��Sunken Ship,�� anchored about twenty to thirty meters away!


    ��Swish!!!��


    In an instant, the greatsword flew like a giant arrow straight toward the stern at a high velocity, so fast that only a bright blur was visible.


    By the time the sound reached everyone��s ears, the greatsword had already embedded itself in the ship��s hull at the stern, piercing through several tens of meters of the thick ship��s outer shell and leaving about a meter of shiny blade humming and vibrating.


    With ��Limit Break�� and the superhuman trait ��Huge Strength lv3�� activated, Rein forcefully pushed off, sprinting towards a small boat moored by the shore.


    The next second, Rein stepped onto the deck of the little boat, instantly causing a creaking sound from the deck, overwhelmed by the force.


    Apparently, Rein was using the small boat as a ��stepping stone,�� his powerful step immediately pressing the boat��s body down several dozen centimeters.

 Chapter 264 - 264 - 165: Breaking into the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter) _2

    Chapter 264 �C 165: Breaking into the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter) _2


    Immediately following, he leapt into the air again like a large bird and flew toward the stern of the three-masted sailboat ��The Wreck.��


    At this moment, the beautiful Navy Major Mary, with her cherry lips wide open enough to fit an apple, stared with wide eyes, unable to recover her wits for a long time.


    It was as if her expression was frozen in that moment forever.


    It wasn��t until Rein was flying straight from the dock to the stern of ��The Wreck�� that she came back to her senses, muttering, ��He has this�� this kind of strength, why doesn��t he join the others�� And what is he planning to do?��


    ��The stern����


    Evelyn, the redhead girl, also widened her eyes quickly, watching Rein��s figure as he soared toward the stern of ��The Wreck.�� However, her mind was rapidly trying to grasp Rein��s intentions.


    The few maneuvers he just executed had already demonstrated that Rein was undoubtedly an expert not inferior to her.


    ...


    But she was still somewhat perplexed as to why Rein was doing this!


    Why not take the common approach and board ��The Wreck�� using the gangplank?


    At this moment, the gangplank of ��The Wreck�� had not been removed and was still connected to the dock; with his strength, it should have been a breeze for him to barge in.


    Running to the stern��


    Could it be, he thought there would be fewer people if he boarded from the stern?


    It seemed that was the only explanation!


    The redhead girl nodded to herself, thinking in secret. Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    And the Navy officer standing next to Major Mary, whose strength had reached that of a Peak Knight, was also looking at Rein with a face full of surprise. A thought instantly crossed his mind.


    That was that this young man could very likely create an explosive scene for them.


    Additionally, he murmured softly, ��This is definitely not just a knight who has stepped into the Transcendent realm for the first time; not even a seasoned knight��s muscle changes can be this exaggerated, could he be��.��


    A bit farther away, a Navy Rear Admiral and the middle-aged man from the examination group both raised their eyebrows, their eyes clearly revealing surprise.


    ��Could it be he wants to directly attack the captain��s cabin?��


    ��But the hull thickness of a three-masted sailboat is a full thirty centimeters at least,�� said the middle-aged man with a mustache, seemingly discerning Rein��s goal, speaking quietly.


    ��That should be the case,�� the Navy Rear Admiral nodded, agreeing with the opinion of the mustachioed middle-aged nobleman.


    Just as everyone on shore was watching to see what Rein would do next,


    Rein, while descending, perfectly landed both feet and stood firmly on the Glimmering Greatsword wedged into the hull.


    Due to his body weight and the force of his high leap, the sword body, which was exceptionally flexible because it was mixed with stardust iron, immediately bent about thirty degrees, like a tightly pulled bow.


    At that moment, Rein bent his knees in preparation for a jump.


    Rein��s bent knees suddenly straightened with force, combining with the upward elasticity of the sword body. Rein, holding the Massive Hammer, shot up more than four meters high.


    ��Strength Burst!��


    Simultaneously, his already bulging muscles swelled even more as he swung the Massive Hammer heavily��using ��Unbreakable Strength,�� from bottom to top, spinning 360 degrees with a rotating force, he fiercely hammered toward the location of the small round window in the hefty hull.


    For there was the captain��s resting chamber of ��The Wreck!��


    ��Rising Dragon Hammer!��


    At this time, inside the captain��s resting chamber of ��The Wreck,��


    En was biting into his own finger, dripping blood drop by drop onto a slender water grass.


    Suddenly, he seemed to catch a fleeting glimpse of a dark shadow passing by the small window at the side of the captain��s room.


    As he looked intently with confusion,


    Suddenly!


    ��Boom!��


    The thick wooden hull, thirty centimeters in front of his desk, burst apart with a loud bang!


    Countless tiny wooden splinters, under the impact of a tremendous force, scattered in all directions!


    These pieces of wood of varying sizes and bizarre shapes, with extremely sharp edges, scattered like a storm of high-speed bullets, overwhelming En and the other two people in the room! S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it was just the shards of the hull, it wouldn��t be too much of a concern, as all three were at a Transcendent level and would only sustain minor external injuries at most.


    But as the three of them raised their hands to block the splinters attacking their eyes, something happened that terrified En to the core!


    Through the gaps between his fingers, he saw a massive, gleaming dark metallic hammer, along with the flying storm of wood shavings, coming down from above, fiercely targeting his forehead.


    ��Earth-splitting Hammer!��


    At that very moment, the Wizard Apprentice instinct within En overwhelmed the Knight instinct. His immediate reaction wasn��t to roll and dodge, but to use spiritual power to trigger the life-saving amulet on his chest.


    This amulet was a one-time instantaneous witchcraft tool that En was loath to use unless it was a critical moment.


    Just like the sudden storm of wood shavings that had just occurred, he had not been willing to use it.


    ��Ah!!!��


    With a scream from En, the amulet on his chest burst open, and at the same time, a water-blue film instantly enveloped him.


    With the protection of this shield-like film, En no longer panicked at the incoming hammer, his terrified expression calming down a lot.


    ��Sss!��


    The sharp end of the black Massive Hammer, full of dense black spikes, hit the water-blue film forcefully, immediately denting it significantly.


    Then, to En��s disbelief, the longest and thickest of those spikes actually pierced straight through his ��water film shield.��

 Chapter 265 - 265 - 165: Breaking into the Shell (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 265 �C 165: Breaking into the Shell (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3


    Although only a little bit was pierced through, the black spike carried a violent shock force as it embedded about two centimeters into his forehead.


    At this moment, Marla��s light blue ��water membrane shield��, possibly due to being punctured, burst like a bubble with a ��pop��, completely shattering!


    Rein maintained his posture with both hands gripping the hammer, as he had just delivered an ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� strike downwards!


    Marla stood stiffly on the spot, his palm still open with fingers spread, guarding in front of his eyes, in a defensive manner, his facial expression was one of relief as if he had just released the life-saving water membrane shield. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Boom!!!��


    Just then, the back of Marla��s head, directly opposite where the forehead was pierced, suddenly exploded.


    Blood and white brain matter splattered everywhere!


    ...


    Instantly, his head was hollowed out!


    Because the back of Marla��s head had been completely blown off, but his face still remained intact.


    This gave people an illusion that from the front, Marla still bore an expression of relief on his face, as if he were still alive.


    The next second, his body twitched twice and he fell heavily to the ground.


    At this time, the first mate and boatswain had just put down their arms that had been shielding them from flying wood chips.


    They both looked at the scene before them in utter shock, eyes bulging, mouths agape.


    The scene had happened too quickly; they had no time to react, but as the storm of splintered wood cleared, they were immediately confronted with a terrifying sight.


    Their boss�� had just died like that!


    They�� specializing in Divination and water witchcraft, with strong self-defense capabilities, Marla their boss, just died like that?


    This suddenly gave them an absurd feeling, as if Marla had done nothing, just stood there and let the enemy hammer him to death!


    But obviously, that couldn��t be, a cornered rabbit will even bite, let alone their boss!


    Because the last time, when Rein was in ��triple stack state��, a giant hammer strike with a 261% strength amplification almost broke Adams�� black membrane shield at the time, that��s why he chose such a fierce approach this time.


    And this time, with Rein��s strength further enhanced, reaching a 273% strength amplification along with the hammer technique secret skill ��Earth-splitting Hammer��, he finally achieved a shield-breaking strike!


    After killing the Diviner Marla with a hammer strike, Rein, to avoid exhausting his strength, immediately canceled ��Strength Burst�� but retained ��Limit Break�� and the Transcendent trait ��Huge Strength lv3��.


    As a result, his entire stature quickly shrank.


    Although Rein��s Constitution had improved quite a bit, with his Limit Break value increased, deploying ��Limit Break��, the Transcendent trait ��Huge Strength��, and a full hundred percent ��Strength Burst�� in such a triple stacked state, his explosive power was further enhanced.


    So, the strain on his body was still not minimal.


    But compared to the previous muscle-tearing ��aftereffect��, it had obviously improved quite a lot.


    However, to others, it seemed like after killing Marla, Rein was in a ��weakened�� state after a burst of secret techniques.


    Immediately, the two inside the captain��s cabin came to their senses and roared furiously:


    ��He killed Boss Marla! Men!��


    ��You��re dead! Quick, get someone here!��


    There was no need for them to yell; such a commotion in the captain��s cabin had already prompted the Bloodsail Pirates on guard nearby to rush in.


    Only to be confronted with the sight of their boss��s head hollowed out, they could not help but turn pale.


    ��Kill him!!�� the Bloodsail Pirates were ��enraged��.


    No matter what, Rein was only one man, while they��


    were an entire ship��s crew!!


    Amidst the clamorous shouts, many fearless Bloodsail Pirates immediately charged at Rein, brandishing various weapons. Enjoy new stories from empire


    However, as they approached Rein, they suddenly felt an intense heat, as if they were sprayed face-first with steam at eighty or ninety degrees Celsius.


    Instantly, many weaker Bloodsail Pirate lackeys screamed, trying to push themselves backwards in retreat.


    But they forgot they were in the captain��s cabin, a confined space that was not particularly spacious, yet so many of them had poured in.


    Although there was no stampede, the idea of retreat was simply wishful thinking!


    ��Aaah!!!��


    One after another, the lackeys too weak to withstand the heat screamed as they covered their faces.


    In just a few seconds, many people��s skin had been scalded by Rein��s ��high temperature force field��!


    Turning from bright red to starting to whiten, this was��


    a sign of almost being cooked!


    A few who were too forceful in clutching their faces tore the epidermis from their faces, revealing the bloody underlying flesh.


    The surrounding Bloodsail Pirates witnessed this eerie spectacle, and for a moment, none dared step forward.


    But soon, from the continuously arriving Bloodsail Pirates, several raised their brand-new matchlock guns, already lit.


    Rein narrowed his eyes. Although he had the Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin lv3�� and did not fear such low-caliber bullet attacks, he had no need to have a showdown with the enemies here.


    He would stick to the plan he had set before! thought Rein.


    The next second, Rein used the weighty pig-head hammer to heavily strike the floor, breaking a large hole in the deck of the captain��s room, and he immediately jumped down to the next deck.

 Chapter 266 - 266 - 165: Breaking into the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 266 �C 165: Breaking into the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4 S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Compared to the hull, the thickness of this deck was much thinner, making it much easier to shatter.


    The Bloodsail pirates, like a pack of hyenas, led by the burly first mate and the bearded bo��sun, pursued Rein relentlessly.


    But just as they jumped down, and some more Bloodsail pirates were rounding to the next lower deck, they saw Rein once again striking the deck. He quickly jumped into the hole in the deck, reaching the very bottom layer.


    This left the first mate and the bo��sun from the ��Wreck�� momentarily dumbfounded!


    They had never seen an ��assassin�� who, after completing the assassination, did not rush to escape but instead continued to ��penetrate deeper into enemy territory.��


    The mysterious actions of the enemy were completely incomprehensible!


    At this moment, because of Rein��s layer-by-layer destruction of the deck, he had nearly mobilized all the Bloodsail pirates aboard the ��Wreck.��


    ...


    So, nearly two hundred Bloodsail pirates began to rush toward the position where Rein was now.


    This instilled tremendous confidence in the burly first mate and the bearded bo��sun!


    ��Even if you are the Great Knight, you��re done for this time! A single piss each could drown you!��


    ��


    By the dockside.


    ��What is this nonsense, even if he could shatter the hull, launching a solo attack is bound to face an ambush by the Bloodsail pirates, truly a stupid act!�� the male naval officer standing next to Marine Corps Major Mary exclaimed in astonishment, then scolded angrily.


    His long military experience had taught him to value ��perfect coordination and tight cooperation.��


    He deeply detested this kind of ��individual heroism.��


    Furthermore, as a Peak Knight himself, when he first saw Rein shatter the thick hull of the ��Wreck�� and break into the captain��s quarters with a single blow, he was initially taken aback by Rein��s strength, but this was immediately followed by a deep frown!


    Because no matter how strong one��s personal ability, human strength always has its limits.


    Facing more than ten, or even dozens of Bloodsail pirates single-handedly was clearly unwise.


    But compelled by duty, the naval officer of Peak Knight rank immediately tapped his foot on the ground and quickly chased toward the large hole in the ��Wreck.��


    He probably wouldn��t make it in time, but he might at least recover the body! he thought.


    At this time, the beautiful Marine Corps Major Mary finally recovered from the shock of seeing Rein shatter the thick hull.


    She closed her cherry lips and followed the naval officer, hurrying after him.


    As one of the record-keepers for this knighting examination, she naturally had to keep up, or how could she document the firsthand situation?


    Following her, two naval officers and one person dressed in noble hunting attire from the assessment team immediately followed. Read the latest on empire


    These three individuals moved rapidly and efficiently, with every action showing signs of high-level expertise, appearing to be Peak Knights themselves.


    The blow that Rein struck to shatter the hull of the ��Wreck�� also caught the eyes of the naval commodore and the nobleman with a handlebar mustache on the beach.


    Strangely, the two remained motionless, appearing completely unconcerned for Rein��s safety.


    The naval commodore watched Rein charge into the captain��s quarters, and after several seconds, he turned with a smile to the man with the handlebar mustache and asked,


    ��Sir Theo, having overseen so many knighting assessments, have you ever encountered such an interesting young man?��


    The handlebar-mustachioed middle-aged man, also looking pleased, pondered briefly before replying, ��General Xilva, it must have been three years since I last saw such a spirited young person.��


    The knighting examiner named Theo used the word ��spirited,�� which was quite telling.


    Naval Commodore Xilva, clearly understanding the implication, smiled and continued, ��Indeed! There are many talented young people, but few as spirited as this one.��


    ��Sir Theo, I might have to trouble you with something.��


    ��Oh?�� Theo raised an eyebrow, eagerly awaiting Xilva��s next words.


    After all, the opportunity to earn a favor from one of the young representatives of the Imperial Navy��Commodore Xilva��was not easy to come by.

 Chapter 267 - 267 - 166: Emerging from the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 267 �C 166: Emerging from the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    In the blink of an eye, Rein had reached the bottom of the ��Shipwreck,�� where his Glimmering Greatsword was inserted. At this moment, he could see a short section of the gleaming greatsword��s tip penetrating the thick hull, appearing to his right.


    However, coming to the bottom hold wasn��t just about retrieving his greatsword��more importantly, it was about implementing the plan!


    For this level also housed the storage location for the ��Shipwreck��s�� gunpowder barrels.


    In front of his eyes, inside a separate small cabin, dozens of large wooden barrels were neatly stacked on metal racks, which seemed to be raised off the ground slightly to prevent dampness.


    Rein first forcefully withdrew the greatsword and then switched from the hammer in his hand back to the Glimmering Greatsword.


    At that moment, a large group of Bloodsail pirates, led by the brutally-faced first mate and a bearded sailing master, surrounded him from all directions.


    Rein assessed his own physical exhaustion��the recent continuous bursts of energy were indeed very draining, so in his mind, he silently opted to allocate more points.


    ...


    Following the pre-planned allocation strategy, as his remaining attribute points changed from 3��2 and his spiritual power from 23 points��24 points, Rein suddenly felt a surge of warmth pumping out of his heart and rapidly spreading to his limbs!


    In an instant, Rein had restored his physical strength to peak condition!


    In terms of endurance battles, Rein, who could restore with ��points allocation,�� had never feared anyone!


    The sight of Rein calmly holding the greatsword intimidated the group of Bloodsail pirates momentarily, causing them to shrink back in awe; this infuriated several pirate leaders who had not witnessed Rein��s prowess before!


    ��Attack! Kill him!�� bellowed a few of the Bloodsail pirate leaders as they led the charge.


    As the pirates roared, they launched another assault on Rein.


    Rein��s body once again swelled, most noticeably his bulging neck, as if his chest housed a boiling, bubbling pot of water, and his wide-open mouth was like a roaring steam whistle, releasing a colossal stream of heat!


    ��Roar!!!��


    A roar louder than all their voices combined emanated from the bottom hold!


    ��Roaring strike!��


    This made every pirate there change their expression, thinking to themselves, ��This is bad!�� but it was already too late to retreat!


    First, there was this wide-range sonic attack, which was most difficult to counter, unless��


    Your speed of retreat could surpass the speed of sound!


    Moreover, being in a cabin, a confined space, the lethality of the sonic waves was further enhanced by the echo!


    Thus, a moment later, a loud noise exploded by the ears of all the pirates.


    Dozens of Bloodsail pirates�� facial skin stretched, trembled, and distorted under the impact of the sonic waves, their eyes lost focus and even rolled back, and their heads went blank!


    ��Aaah!!!�� Screams echoed continuously.


    And after the loud noise, there was a buzzing noise in their ears and brains that lasted a long time without subsiding!


    Unlike before, this time Rein did not immediately unleash the Whirlwind Slash but instead�� S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Took this opportunity to cast the witchcraft ��Blaze of Light��!


    As a glaring flame suddenly lit up above the palm of Rein��s left hand, the previously dim environment was brightly lit like daylight in an instant.


    Now, those Bloodsail pirates were indeed miserable: their eardrums torn, heads throbbing with severe pain, just as they were starting to recover, they were almost blinded by the intense light, seeing only a sea of whiteness!


    The shift from extreme darkness to extreme light is unbearable for anyone!


    ��Aaah!!!��


    Thus, just as the screaming had subsided slightly, it rose again sharply!


    Seconds later, when the Bloodsail pirates realized they could barely see again, they saw that intensive light moving towards a pile of cylindrical objects at the bottom of the hold.


    The first mate and sailing master, the first to recover their sight, saw Rein plug and light a fuse on a barrel of gunpowder, their expressions struck with horror!


    ��Ssss!��


    The burning sound of the fuse, as relentless as a death sentence!


    Judging by the length of the fuse, it was probably going to explode in three seconds!


    Retreat!


    Quickly retreat! Even faster!


    The first mate and sailing master immediately abandoned all caution, scrambling to the upper deck!


    They were well aware that if that pile of gunpowder barrels exploded, not only would they be sent to heaven, but the ��Shipwreck�� itself would likely also be blasted in two. Just imagining that scene filled both with sheer terror!


    ��What kind of maniac has come from where to kill himself and choose mutual destruction!�� The two cursed in their minds, panicking as they ran for their lives.


    ��Run!��


    Ordinary pirates also caught on at this time, and it was not feasible to push through this formidable opponent to extinguish the fuse.


    The only option now was to run!


    As long as they could make it to the decks at either end, even if there was an explosion, they might still have a chance to survive.


    ��Boom!!!��


    Just as the Bloodsail pirates scattered chaotically, squeezing toward the ladder of the upper chamber like headless flies.


    Rein��s physique swelled once more, the 2.2-meter muscle behemoth reappeared, instantly switching weapons, and with one hammer blow created another large hole in the thirty-centimeter-thick oak hull.


    Then, Rein forcefully pushed off with his legs, leaping through the large hole, his entire body soaring like a giant bird towards the nearest small boat over ten meters away.


    It had been ��breaking in�� before, but now it was ��breaking out��!


    Two seconds��


    At that moment, mid-leap Rein suddenly caught sight of a familiar, beautiful face peeking out from the hole in the captain��s quarters at the stern of the ��Shipwreck.��

 Chapter 268 - 268 - 166: Breaking Out of the Shell (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 268 �C 166: Breaking Out of the Shell (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2


    This couldn��t help but make Rein��s pupils constrict and his face changed drastically as a thought flashed through his mind, ��How is she there?�� but without time to ponder the reason, he quickly shouted, ��Run! The ship is going to explode!��


    While shouting, Rein swung his arms heavily twice.


    It turned out, just moments ago, Navy Lieutenant Mary, following a male navy officer, had entered the ��Wreckage�� captain��s rest chamber through the hole Rein had smashed.


    Upon entering the captain��s chamber, they were shocked to see the ��Wreckage�� captain and the Diviner, Mala Nasr, lying on the floor.


    They stared dumbfounded at this scene, completely unable to comprehend what kind of attack would cause such an effect where the back of the head was hollowed out, yet the face remained intact.


    Dual-Handed Hammer?


    If you smash with a hammer, wouldn��t the face be a mess too?


    ...


    Dual-Handed Greatsword?


    Shouldn��t that have either decapitated or split the person in two?


    Mary, shocked, then picked up a quill and hurriedly wrote, ��Participant Rein, killed the bloodthirsty pirate ��Wreckage�� captain and Diviner Mala Nasr����


    But before she could finish writing, suddenly, they felt the ship violently tremble as if another large hole had been struck.


    Thus, they immediately stuck their heads out to see Rein escaping from the hull at high speed, shouting ��The ship is going to explode!��


    The color drained from everyone��s faces. Although they didn��t understand how the ship was going to explode, they didn��t dare to stay a moment longer!


    This newly appointed knight participating in the knighthood examination had already shocked them too much. It was highly likely he was telling the truth!


    They had to run first!


    So, everyone also quickly scrambled out of the hole in the captain��s chamber and jumped onto nearby boats, each leaping like a large bird over the sea surface.


    One second��


    Compared to the bloodthirsty pirates stumbling and trampling each other in the cramped cabin and wooden stairs, the imperial navy officers were very lucky, covering ten or twenty meters in the same time frame. Your journey continues at empire


    Facing the threat of death, every pirate scrambled frantically!


    Finally, as the explosion arrived, most of the pirates had barely managed to climb a few stair steps.


    ��BOOM!!!��


    An explosion that shook the entire Meritet Island suddenly erupted!


    Including Rein, everyone was hit by the shockwave from behind �C stumbling and nearly falling, followed by a shower of water dozens of meters high that drenched them all.


    They were all in such a disheveled state, one could only imagine the situation of the bloodthirsty pirates on the ��Wreckage.��


    Turning their heads, they saw the thirty-meter long ��Wreckage�� split in two, ablaze with fierce flames, and beginning to slowly sink.


    But since the ��Wreckage�� was docked at the pier near the shore, the water was not deep, which caused both halves of the ship��s body to protrude high out of the water, standing like giant reefs! sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��


    On the dock outside.


    Navy Admiral Xilva was about to say something.


    Suddenly, a furious roar came from the direction of the ��Wreckage,�� like the tangible roar of a giant bear.


    This made Admiral Xilva and the noble middle-aged man Theo stop their conversation and look toward the ��Wreckage�� once more.


    They saw the middle bottom part of the ��Wreckage�� suddenly explode open, and a familiar figure was quickly running out. The speed didn��t look like a retreat but rather an escape.


    ��Eh! Is he being overwhelmed and fleeing?�� On seeing this, the thought popped into both their minds.


    However, upon hearing Rein��s loud exclamation that the ��ship is going to explode,�� the two high-ranking officials exchanged a look, both seeing shock in the other��s eyes.


    ��It��s going to explode?��


    ��He blew up the ��Wreckage��?��


    As the two officials were stunned, a terrifying explosion roared through the docks.


    The two raised their hands to block the fierce airflow caused by the shock wave; even at a distance of over a hundred meters, the violent airflow still made their clothes flutter loudly!


    ��What on earth did this young man do?��


    ��Didn��t they say on the way here that killing a pirate ship��s first mate was already considered an excellent evaluation?��


    ��The hell is blowing up a whole ship of bloodthirsty pirates?�� the two thought.


    Yet, both being seasoned in major events, Navy Admiral Xilva quickly recovered and said to the noble middle-aged man:


    ��This kid, not only disrupted my earlier plans, but he also destroyed a three-masted warship we were about to capture!��


    ��Yes, but�� what he did, upon closer inspection, didn��t violate any assessment regulations,�� the middle-aged nobleman Theo said with a resigned smile.


    Who could have expected a knight participating in a knighthood examination, when dealing with pirates, to be fiercer than an experienced naval special forces team!


    ��He really stirs up trouble, this kid!��


    ��Plus�� we might have to get busy!�� Navy Admiral Xilva, once more focused his gaze on the ��Blood Sail.��


    Possibly influenced by the ��Wreckage�� being blown in half, the activities on the ��Blood Sail�� markedly increased at that moment.


    Both men, one after the other, charged towards the pirate flagship��the ��Blood Sail��.


    ��


    Everyone on the pirate ships including the ��Blood Sail,�� whether they were pirates, elite imperial navy, or knights participating in the knighthood examination, was shaken by the tremendous sound.


    On the ��Rule,�� led by a previously mentioned noble scion, a group of young knights was battling on the deck with curved-sword-wielding bloodthirsty pirates.

 Chapter 269 - 269 - 166: Breaking Out of the Shell (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 269 �C 166: Breaking Out of the Shell (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3


    With many people involved, as they boarded the ��Ruel��, it was inevitable that they would be discovered sooner or later. Thus, after a period of stealth attacks, the conflict eventually escalated into a full-blown battle.


    As the explosive sounds from the ��Wreck�� rang out, everyone watched the fiercely burning and broken three-masted ship in awe of the Empire��s naval grandiosity, instantly boostin everyone��s morale!


    The same scene was unfolding on the ��Hook��!


    Enjoy new adventures from empire


    On the ��Bloodsail��, being the flagship of the Bloodsail pirates, the pirates�� strength was not to be underestimated. They were fiercely battling with the Empire��s naval assault team, which was why Commodore Xilva had mentioned he would be ��busy for a while.��


    At that moment, Rein, who had caused such a commotion, stood calmly, seemingly admiring his own ��masterpiece.��


    But in reality, he was just checking the system notifications:


    ...


    [Your Skill High-Temperature Field has been improved, Experience +17]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been improved, Experience +54]


    [Your Skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has been improved, Experience +377]


    [Your Skill Blazing Light has been improved, Experience +19]


    [You have undergone a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +81, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +46]


    ��


    At this moment, Colonel Mary, stepping with a ��clack clack clack�� in her thick-heeled boots, quickly approached Rein and said somewhat angrily, ��Knight Rein, why didn��t you tell us before you made such a big commotion.��


    ��Just now, we almost��.��


    Rein turned his head and glanced at the drenched beauty of the Colonel.


    Her shapely naval uniform was clinging tightly to her body, accentuating her voluptuous figure, a pity that her pretty face was glaring at him with its beautiful eyes.


    However, Rein somewhat understood her feelings, as anyone would be furious if they nearly died at the hands of ��friendly fire.��


    As for Mary, who always cared about her appearance, not only was she drenched by the explosion of the ��Wreck��, but drops of salty sea water were still trickling down her beautiful, thick hair.


    That was indeed too much for someone who always loved cleanliness!


    ��This�� indeed, I was negligent,�� he said.


    ��However�� it doesn��t say in the guidelines that new knights taking the assessment need to report their action plans in advance, does it?��


    Rein felt it necessary to explain clearly.


    After all, had he not alerted his ��allies�� in time, it could have resulted in casualties on their side, so he added another sentence.


    ��You����


    Mary��s bosom heaved as Rein��s words resonated with her, but upon careful thought, she actually couldn��t find any flaw in what Rein had said.


    Because, indeed, the assessment rules never stated that new knights must report their action plans. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Then you tell me, how should I record and tally your kills?�� Mary sharply turned the conversation, pointing to the Bloodsail pirates still alive in the sea and the many more bodies ��drifting with the waves��.


    Rein grumbled internally, ��You��re the recorder, isn��t that for you to figure out?��, while he soothingly said, ��Colonel Mary, just record the captain, first mate, and boatswain of the ��Wreck��. Let��s not bother about the others.��


    ��No! As the recorder, I have to document everything clearly.��


    ��Then I really don��t have any good solution.��


    ��


    Long before Rein saw the blueprint of the three-masted ship, he had considered this battle plan. At that time, he had studied the data on the ship��s hull thickness, deck thickness, and more several times.


    On the other hand, near the campfire on the beach, he also found the thick oak planks the pirates used for repairing their hulls and personally tested their strength.


    After ensuring all conditions were met, Rein finally decided to implement this battle strategy.


    His goal was simple: to kill as many Bloodsail pirates as possible and thus secure a high evaluation.


    After all, a mere excellent rating wasn��t Rein��s goal; receiving an invite to become a ��Sword Bearer�� was!


    The reason Rein didn��t choose the ��Bloodsail�� was that it was also the main attack direction of the naval assault team.


    Obviously, if the underlings were also counted, it wouldn��t compare to potentially capturing the ��Wreck�� in one fell swoop.


    Moreover, on the ��Bloodsail��, there was also a Great Knight-level expert, Bloody Hand Willy. Rein thought challenging him with a Leap Slash was too risky from any perspective.


    Even though, now with the strength of a level-two Wizard Apprentice, his total combat power exceeded that of a Peak Knight.


    But compared to a Great Knight, Rein estimated there was still a significant gap.


    As for how much of a gap, he really wasn��t sure.


    Because he had never crossed swords with an enemy of the Great Knight level.


    Lastly, another critical point was the mysterious messenger from the Eagle Federation. What exactly was their strength?


    The Imperial Navy��s provided information didn��t specify, and the navy commodore hadn��t mentioned it either.


    Unknowns are the biggest uncontrollables and sources of risk.


    However�� choosing the ��Wreck�� essentially eliminated those issues.


    Looking back now, Rein thought his decision was quite wise.


    At that moment, Rein suddenly remembered something.


    He seemed to have forgotten to pick up the spoils of war, especially those of the ��Wreck�� captain and Diviner, Mala Nasr.


    As a Wizard Apprentice, there might be other witchcraft models on him, or some other items of interest to Rein, but he wasn��t particularly concerned about the spoils of others.

 Chapter 270 - 270 - 166: Breaking Out of the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 270 �C 166: Breaking Out of the Shell (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��`


    Fortunately, ��Shipwreck�� had split into two, but it had broken in the middle.


    Both ends, the stern and the bow, were now standing at a 45-degree angle towards the sky, and had not sunk into the water.


    Rein immediately turned his head and asked, ��Major Mary, is the loot from the knighthood assessment considered personal property, or does it belong to the Empire?��


    ��Ah?�� Mary, who was still fuming, did not expect Rein to suddenly ask such a question out of the blue.


    After thinking for a moment, she responded, ��It��s personal property, of course, unless it involves something related to national security of the Empire; then it must be turned over.��


    Rein nodded, ��Thank you, Major Mary. I think I need to go find my loot. Would you like to come with me?��


    ...


    ��Hmm? Uh�� sure!�� Mary was taken aback, but quickly nodded in agreement.


    Indeed, ��diverting attention�� is a good way to stop a woman from nagging you.


    Rein had often used it on his mother, Emma.


    Now it seemed, this was a ��universal skill��.


    ��Shipwreck��s�� captain��s quarters.


    Although it was Mary��s second time seeing the Diviner��s body, she couldn��t help but exclaim: ��Knight Rein, how on earth did you�� ��


    While speaking, Mary pointed to the empty skull of the deceased.


    ��Just a secret technique. By the way, I should have no problem getting an excellent evaluation for the assessment, right?�� Rein didn��t wish to elaborate on his methods and used ��diversion of attention�� once again.


    ��Of course, in my opinion, you deserve a higher level of evaluation. Unfortunately, the highest grade in the knighthood assessment is ��excellent��.�� Major Mary said with a slight smile.


    ��


    ��Bloodsail��s�� stern deck.


    Baron Xilva��s face was livid as he gazed at a ripple quickly moving away hundreds of meters out at sea; he knew beneath the surface was a newly developed device from the Eagle Federation, capable of short-duration underwater navigation.


    It seemed that his ships stationed at the open sea would probably not be able to stop the Federation��s approach.


    The raid had not been fully successful��a pity indeed!


    However, looking at ��Bloody Hand Willy�� sprawled beside him, like a mud doll, Baron Xilva��s complexion finally improved a bit.


    At least, he should be able to extract some useful information from Willy��s mouth.


    ��Report, general: We��ve found a batch of new matchlock guns. Judging from the material and craftsmanship, they��re likely from the Eagle Federation,�� a Messenger reported.


    Xilva nodded without saying much.


    ��..


    Meanwhile, the battle on Meritet Island was gradually reaching its end.


    And the task of compiling statistics was being rushed through overtime.


    Especially on ��Shipwreck��s�� side, Major Mary had to ask her colleagues for help to fish out the floating corpses and the half-dead Bloodsail pirates.


    The male naval officer was directing the assault team members, originally meant to attack ��Shipwreck,�� in clearing the surface of the sea.


    Rein was quite lucky; the first mate with the full face of flesh and the bearded boatswain were both fished out.


    The veteran Knights�� robust bodies allowed them to survive, having avoided the center of the explosion.


    However, heavily injured as they were, they did not escape the Empire��s navy search and were captured on the spot.


    According to the statistics rules of the knighthood assessment, it had to be either witnessed by a recorder or corroborated with distinctive items or corpses.


    Now, the ��three giants of Shipwreck�� had all been accounted for and recorded under Rein��s kill list.


    ��


    An hour later.


    The new knights participating in the assessment were gathered once again and boarded the navy warship heading back.


    Unlike on the way there, this time they were on a large four-masted sailing ship of the Imperial Navy.


    Inside the cabin, some could not hide their joy, while others were downcast. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��This time I killed six Bloodsail pirate leaders and got a good evaluation��I should have no problem!��


    ��Alas! I only killed eleven common pirates; I��m afraid I might not make it this time!�� a young man said, unable to hide his disappointment.


    ��That��s what happens when you choose ��Little Fortress.�� It��s safe, but there are much fewer pirates inside than on a ship, and too many of you went there!��


    ��Not surprised by your outcome,�� said another slightly older young man, with a hint of disdain.


    Many people are always like that, wanting big rewards without taking any risks.


    He had gone to ��Hook��s Might,�� killing seven Bloodsail pirate leaders and eight common pirates, securing a good evaluation for himself!


    ��Did you hear? The red-haired girl Evelyn killed the boatswain of ��Bloodsail�� and several pirate leaders.��


    ��That fierce? Doesn��t that mean she��s definitely getting an excellent evaluation! Tsk tsk, that��s a direct barony title right there, so envious!��


    ��Yeah! Many knights serve decades for the Empire and only end up with a barony,�� said another young man enviously, glancing sideways at the red-haired girl.


    However, what puzzled him was that the red-haired girl Evelyn��s eyes kept darting to a black-haired young man beside her.


    ��`

 Chapter 271 - 271 - 167 Rating (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 271 �C 167 Rating (Two-in-One Big Chapter)


    Although the ship named ��Sunken Vessel�� exploded in two, all the newly knighted participants of the knighthood exam had heard and seen it.


    However, apart from the red-haired girl Evelyn who had witnessed that Ren was responsible for it, everyone else had only heard the loud explosion and seen the ��Sunken Vessel�� burning and breaking in two.


    Therefore, they naturally assumed it was the work of the Imperial Navy, never even considering that it could have been one of the young participants in the knighthood examination.


    On the other hand, perhaps due to rules concerning confidentiality, the exam committee members and navy officials who had witnessed Ren blowing up the ship kept completely silent about the situation at the time.


    As for Evelyn, the only other eyewitness, she was reserved and a bit proud, and she had no desire to spread the news.


    Thus, one thing led to another, and none of the youths knew that Ren was behind the explosion of the ship.


    As for Ren himself, he naturally wouldn��t go around proclaiming his deed.


    ...


    At this moment, Ren was quietly sitting in a cabin chair, replaying the entire battle in his mind, as if the noisy sounds within the ship had nothing to do with him.


    If during that time, the Diviner Mala��s protective film had resisted his ��Earth-splitting Hammer,�� then the experienced knights, the first mate and the bosun of the ��Sunken Vessel,�� would have surely joined the fight.


    But since he had released a high-temperature field that lasted about a minute ahead of time, and the fight took place in a closed and small captain��s quarters, he still maintained a significant advantage.


    Defeating those few was just a matter of exerting himself a bit more!


    The only scenario in which he might have failed was if the Diviner Mala had chosen to flee right after resisting his hit.


    Then, relying on his familiarity with the ��Sunken Vessel,�� Mala might have escaped immediately, and Ren would have been too slow to catch up, all while being fatigued from killing off the Bloodsail footmen along the way.


    In that case, there would have been many variables.


    Even if he ultimately managed to destroy the ��Sunken Vessel,�� the Diviner Mala would have certainly escaped, and his achievements in battle would be significantly diminished.


    However��


    Upon further reflection, Ren realized that this possibility was not very high.


    After all, the ��Sunken Vessel�� was Diviner Mala��s lair; he had many treasures stored in the captain��s quarters, and also, he had never confronted Ren directly before.


    Putting himself in his shoes, he wasn��t likely to just give up his treasured possessions and quickly flee from his lair upon an encounter. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Speaking of treasured possessions, Ren couldn��t help but glance down at the black cloth bag at his feet, which contained the spoils from Diviner Mala.


    Inside the black cloth bag was just a small iron box.


    At that time, Ren had considered that carrying just a small iron box would be too conspicuous, so he found a black bag to cover it.


    This way, it appeared less conspicuous.


    Because many newly knighted participants had their gains in similarly large and small black bags during the knighting exam.


    In the small box found under the bed of the captain��s quarters of the ��Sunken Vessel,�� the first thing inside was a fish scale scroll documenting a water-related witchcraft called ��Hydrotherapy.��


    Combining this with the information previously given by the Imperial Navy, Ren guessed it was likely Diviner Mala��s signature water witchcraft.


    If it were another Wizard Apprentice, they would likely be thrilled to obtain an opponent��s signature spell; however, Ren felt slightly disappointed since it was not the best-suited fire witchcraft for him.


    For him, the shortage of witchcraft to learn wasn��t an issue; he had yet to study two curses from Adam, and now he had acquired ��Hydrotherapy.��


    He could study these witchcrafts, but in terms of power or effectiveness, there would be considerable discounts otherwise, the concept of affinity wouldn��t exist.


    New n????vel chapters are published on .c��?.


    Secondly, there was a letter inside Mala��s iron box; the letter itself was not important �C it was a letter Mala wrote to a friend, but it mentioned a piece of information.


    Regarding this information, Ren considered its value no less than the just-obtained water witchcraft ��Hydrotherapy.��


    Because the letter mentioned a mysterious market in Rosby City called the ��Nightingale Market.��


    This immediately reminded Ren of Meister��s ��Bat Market.��


    Perhaps, in the mysterious market in Rosby City, Ren could encounter something useful to him.


    Last, there was something interesting inside the small iron box; it was half of a treasure map.


    Upon seeing this, Ren couldn��t help but laugh; he hadn��t set out on a great voyage yet, but he had already come across a treasure map.


    Originally, Ren wasn��t very interested in treasure maps because the gold and silver treasures hidden by the pirates weren��t a great temptation to him.


    However, after seeing the notes written by Mala on the back of the treasure map, he changed his mind.


    Because it was the treasure of the Pirate King!


    The origin of this treasure map, after Mala��s long-term and meticulous investigation, was discovered to come from a pirate king named Vincent Sanborn, a fire witchcraft Wizard and a Great Knight.active hundreds of years ago, who was renowned for his fireball technique comparable to heavy artillery.

 Chapter 272 - 272 - 167 Ratings (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 272 �C 167 Ratings (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    It��s said that the power of a single Fireball Technique is even stronger than a 32-pound cannon!


    Especially when the target is those wooden-hulled ships, one fireball not only shatters the hull but also ignites the body of the ship, so Vincent Sanborn easily ascended to the throne of the Pirate King, known by the nickname ��Shipburner.��


    Fireball Technique!


    Rein couldn��t help but long for it!


    Although there is currently no clue about the other half of the treasure map, he already has one half after all.


    What if one day he could find the other half.


    Once he learns the witchcraft ��Fireball Technique,�� he would definitely add five Skill Points! Three would simply not do the word ��fireball�� justice!


    ...


    ��.


    Half a day later, after a night of battle and tense statistics, the naval officers who participated in the assault on Meritet Island and the imperial ennobling evaluation team members were holding a joint meeting in the conference room of the Imperial South Sea Fleet��s Sixth Division, across from the Navy House Inn.


    A crisp female voice was reporting data clearly.


    The other party was a female officer dressed in a navy uniform, just like Major Mary, except her shoulder bore three stars, indicating she was a captain.


    ������


    ��Felipe Kurban, killed the ��Lihook��s�� first mate, three Bloodsail pirate leaders, and eight common pirates, scoring: four hundred points.��


    ��Bridget Sanchez, killed the ��Lihook��s�� captain, Bilkel Jamal, five Bloodsail pirate leaders, and three common pirates, scoring: six hundred fifteen points.��


    Upon hearing this, many in the meeting room whispered:


    ��Hiss~ If it weren��t for that Rein, this one would have been the top scorer in this ennobling evaluation, right?��


    ��Right, if it hadn��t been for Rein, who blew up the ships, this one would have been first!��


    ��This score, in the previous two evaluations, would have been confidently first; it��s hard to imagine that now it can only settle for second���� a member of the evaluation team dressed in noble hunting attire murmured.


    ��Rein Carlan, killed the ��Wreck��s�� captain, Mala Nasr, the first mate, the boatswain, twenty-two Bloodsail pirate leaders, and one hundred forty-nine common pirates.��


    The female captain paused upon reaching this point, then continued, ��Score: two thousand two hundred eighty-five points!��


    Perhaps because of this score, the female captain��s final tone was much more excited than before.


    ��Hiss~~~�� Inside the meeting room, many couldn��t help but gasp.


    ��Tsk tsk!�� Many others made sounds of amazement and surprise.


    Although the event of ��ship-blowing�� had almost spread among the naval officers and the evaluation team at the scene last night.


    At that time, many had guessed that the newcomer ��Shipburner�� Knight would receive an extremely high score.


    But now, upon actually hearing such an exaggerated score of over two thousand points, they were still left flabbergasted.


    Not only because this score had left the second place more than three times behind, but also because you should know that the current second-place score, in previous ennoblement evaluations, would have been securely the first as well!


    This left everyone in awe!


    ��When was the last time such a preposterous score appeared in the ennoblement evaluation?�� Viscount Theo, dressed in noble hunting attire, couldn��t help but fall into reminiscence.


    This situation, even in the memory of this officer who had been in charge of the ennoblement evaluations for five years, seemed�� to have never occurred!


    Even considering the records of all previous Mingster Province ennoblement evaluations, such an exaggerated score had not appeared in a very long time!


    ��Ladies and gentlemen, the score report is complete!�� the female captain declared firmly.


    ��Very well, now that everyone has heard the statistics, do any of the reviewers have objections?�� Vice Admiral Xilva said with a smile, nodding at the female captain to signal that she could sit down.


    ��No objections!��


    ��None.��


    As Xilva��s gaze shifted to each reviewer, they each responded in turn.


    At this moment, a male naval officer serving as a reviewer furrowed his brow and raised a different opinion:


    ��This�� concerning Rein��s score, I have a question. His ship-blowing action, to some extent, disrupted the Imperial Navy��s attack on the Bloodsail pirates�� flagship��the ��Bloodsail.���� sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Therefore, I think there is a problem with his actions, and it would be more appropriate to deduct some points.��


    No sooner had the officer finished speaking than some people nodded slightly and began whispering among themselves.


    ��It seems there is a certain rationale to it.��


    ��Rein��s act of blowing up ships did have elements of taking advantage; indeed, some points should be deducted.��


    ��Correct, he is strong, but not strong enough to leave second place so far behind.��


    ������


    ��I object!�� At that moment, a voice sweet as an oriole spoke up, as the svelte figure of a female naval officer stood, none other than Major Mary.


    Under everyone��s gaze, she spoke confidently, ��I believe that we must first clarify something, do the participants of the ennoblement evaluation need to pre-report their individual plans of action?��


    ��I think this point has not been required, neither in the notices nor during the operations on site.��


    ��As such, from the perspective of the participants, making maximum use of existing conditions to increase the kill count is not inappropriate in any way.�� As she spoke, Mary looked around the room, catching everyone��s eyes.

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    Chapter 273 �C 167 Ratings (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Many people thought it over, then nodded, seeming to agree�� Indeed, it was so.


    Seeing this scene, Mary revealed a slight smile and continued,


    ��Moreover, Knight Rein was able to combine the information from the records with the actual situation on-site and implement it effectively. I think, this point is key to his scoring far above others.��


    Hearing this, Admiral Xilva of the Imperial Navy also looked at Mary with admiration.


    Because this was also the reason he held Rein in high regard.


    Apart from Rein��s own formidable strength, the ability to grasp the crux of a problem and execute a response swiftly was extremely important. And to find a young person with both aforementioned abilities was rare even within the whole Imperial Navy.


    And within the Sixth Squadron of the Southern Sea Fleet, it was even rarer.


    ...


    Seeing that no one else had opinions to offer, Admiral Xilva turned to Viscount Theo and said, ��Viscount, as the person in charge of the ennoblement assessment, the decision is yours to make.��


    Viscount Theo nodded with a smile and said, ��Admiral Xilva, you are too courteous. I personally see no issue with Rein��s current score. However, according to our protocols, we need to take a vote.��


    ��Of course, this is a necessary procedure. Now, please, those in favor of Rein��s current score, raise your hand,�� Xilva said with a smile and raised his own right hand.


    Viscount Theo, next to him, naturally raised his right hand as well.


    Seeing that the two influential figures at the scene had reached an agreement, who else would not know what to do? Immediately, hands shot up!


    And the male naval officer��s mouth twitched slightly before he also raised his own right hand.


    ��Passed unanimously!��


    ��


    After the people in the conference room dispersed, Admiral Xilva said to Viscount Theo with a smile, ��Lord Viscount, do you remember last night when I mentioned I needed a favor from you?��


    ��Of course, Admiral Xilva, go ahead,�� Theo responded with a smile.


    ��I��ve reviewed Rein��s record, and I did not expect such a talented young man of the Empire, who has such strength, is currently just a minor deputy officer of the peace in Flashgold Town��it��s quite the waste.��


    ��Viscount, what do you think about allowing me to jump the queue and deliver the transfer orders to Rein at the same time as the assessment results are delivered?��


    ��I think such a spirited young man should serve in the Imperial Navy��it would be a heinous waste otherwise!��


    Viscount Theo listened and smiled gently.


    He had vaguely guessed that the favor Xilva spoke of might have something to do with Rein, and it turned out to be true.


    Under normal circumstances, after participating in the ennoblement assessment, whether a new Knight passes and what kind of title is granted requires about a month��s wait for the result.


    At a slower pace, it might take two months, or even longer.


    Because according to regulations, the outcome of the ennoblement assessment should be announced and communicated to the concerned parties within three months after the assessment.


    For Viscount Theo, granting the title in advance was not a problem at all.


    As long as he reported it to the Imperial Senate, the results could be clarified in as soon as three days, and Rein could be granted the title of Baron.


    Such degree of maneuvering did not violate the Empire��s regulations, as it was within the scope of his authority.


    Therefore, the favor Xilva asked for was naturally doable!


    ��Of course, Admiral Xilva. I agree with your suggestion. For such capable and driven young men, they should indeed be placed in positions suitable for them,�� Theo said, still smiling.


    What does ��placing them in positions suitable for them�� mean?


    Admiral Xilva scoffed inwardly.


    Could a normal person even come up with such roundabout talk? Crafty fox!


    ��


    Not long after returning to the Home of the Imperial Navy inn, Rein��s room was suddenly met with an urgent knock.


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    Upon opening the door, Rein saw an elated Has standing there.


    Has suddenly grabbed Rein��s arms, and jubilantly said, ��Rein! I��ve passed! Hahaha!��


    ��Uh�� Has, I remember your task was a solo one, but�� Isn��t it only after a month that one finds out whether they��ve passed the assessment?�� asked Rein, slightly puzzled.


    ��My assessment required me to kill five ink-spewing merfolk, but I managed to kill six. Those damnable deep-sea merfolk have much stronger combat abilities than ordinary merfolk! Each one was no less formidable than an appointed Knight!��


    ��Also, their cursed ink-spewing ability not only has a potent poison but also obscures the vision, it��s easy to get hit if you��re not careful!�� Has babbled excitedly.


    But Rein could tell that Has was simply too happy and wanted someone to share his joy with.


    After talking for a while, Has suddenly remembered something and asked,


    ��Rein, sorry, I forgot to ask you, how did your assessment go?��


    ��With your skills, you should stand a chance to receive a good evaluation, right?�� Has asked earnestly.


    Because Rein had saved him from that group of men before, Has knew Rein was stronger than him, though he wasn��t quite sure by how much.


    And although he had invited Rein to the training ground several times, Rein had declined.


    However, he believed that Rein had strength close to that of a seasoned Knight; after all, that group had two official Knights, which an ordinary Knight would not be able to contend with.


    ��This�� shouldn��t be a problem, I suppose,�� Rein thought for a moment and nodded.


    If he outright claimed he should receive an excellent evaluation, Rein felt it would be too pretentious. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

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    Chapter 274 �C 167 Ratings (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Additionally, he didn��t want to dampen the spirits of this new friendship with his current state of happiness.


    ��It��s just like you! To receive such a high commendation! That��s really impressive!�� Hass slapped Rein on the shoulder, admiringly.


    At that moment, the clomping of boots echoed from one end of the corridor, and the graceful Major Maryka, now in a brand-new naval uniform, approached Rein.


    When she arrived in front of the two men, Hass��s face turned slightly red, and he lowered his head, becoming oddly quiet.


    Maryka turned to Hass and said, ��Knight, may I have a word alone with Knight Rein?��


    ��Ah? Oh�� of course��. Of course!�� Hass scratched his head and stumbled over his words.


    Once Hass had left, Maryka said to Rein with a smile, ��Knight Rein, I��ve just been informed by my superiors that you need to stay at the Navy Home Inn for another three days. Is that alright?��


    ...


    ��Uh�� no problem.�� Rein hesitated briefly but then quickly agreed.


    He didn��t ask for a reason.


    Because three days�� might just be enough time for him to find that mysterious market, ��Nightingale Market.��


    Besides, for him, having the opportunity to learn more about the outside world was beneficial, and Rosby City was clearly a place with more information.


    After all, he had been staying in Flashgold Town and rarely had the chance to learn about external affairs.


    Seeing Rein agree, Maryka��s beautiful eyes gazed at him with a peculiar look and she smiled, saying, ��Well done, Knight Rein!��


    With that, Major Maryka turned and left!


    This left Rein a bit confused; only five or six hours earlier, the Major had been angrily airing her grievances to him, and now she was offering him praise.


    But then again�� receiving praise felt quite good.


    Hence, that afternoon, while most of the newly promoted knights, including Hass, began packing their bags to return home, Rein, who had been notified, continued to comfortably settle down.


    �����������C


    Meanwhile,


    in a mansion within Meister County City��s underground hall,


    ��High Priest, after days of investigation, we believe the druid who encountered Lord Giovanni is no longer in Flashgold Town,�� the Black Flame Monk Lamar reported respectfully to the bulky figure seated before him.


    ��Hmm? You mean to say the druid who suddenly appeared was just passing through?�� The High Priest��s tone was clearly one of surprise.


    Seven or eight days earlier, he had been shocked to hear about Giovanni��s serious injury.


    He had not expected a novice Knight from a small town to become involved with a druid. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If that were the case, it would certainly be worth scrutinizing.


    ��Well�� I can��t be sure. Because Rein also isn��t in Flashgold Town at the moment, I can��t confirm any connection between the two through actions directed towards Rein,�� Lamar thought carefully before cautiously answering the High Priest��s question.


    ��What do you mean?��


    ��High Priest, reliable sources indicate that Rein went to Rosby City a few days ago to participate in the noble title examination. Therefore, it is currently unclear whether there is a connection between Rein and the druid who injured Lord Giovanni����


    ��Besides, we have no leads on the origins of that druid,�� Lamar said, finding himself at a loss for words.


    Because even to him, the entire response seemed rather ��perfunctory.��


    But he really did his best!


    After Giovanni returned severely injured that day, Lamar was assigned the task of investigating the druid.


    At the time, he was deeply concerned, for if even Giovanni was no match, then he was even less so. Only through several days of discreet investigation did he confirm that the druid was no longer in Flashgold Town.


    But by that time, he discovered that Rein also seemed to be gone from Flashgold Town.

 Chapter 275 - 275 - 168: Becoming a Baron Starting Today (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 275 �C 168: Becoming a Baron Starting Today (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Lamar was comparatively responsible, exhausting all sorts of efforts to inquire through a secret channel before learning the news that Rein might be attending the ennoblement assessment.


    It happened that he received an order from the High Priest to return and report, which led to the scene today.


    After listening to Lamar��s investigative results, the High Priest did not reply for a long while.


    Thus, the underground hall fell into a brief and gloomy silence, where Lamar could hear even his own breathing distinctly.


    The High Priest was speechless internally!


    This Rein, wasn��t he just a newly risen Knight?


    How could it be that after several encounters, they couldn��t deal with him, and instead, there seemed to be a trend of him getting stronger and stronger!


    ...


    This simply defied all logic!


    The previous installment of the Black Flame Prayer had also been missed due to the failed blood sacrifice in Flashgold Town, resulting in a fruitless effort.


    Right now, preparing for the next installment of the Black Flame Prayer ceremony was of the utmost importance.


    But if this Rein was not taken care of, it would not only be an embarrassment, but who knew if he might once again disrupt the order��s actions.


    At that moment, the High Priest��s large and corpulent body shifted slightly in the expansive chair, and he turned his head to look at Lamar, asking, ��Just now, you said that this Rein has gone to Rosby City for the ennoblement assessment?��


    ��Yes, Your Eminence,�� Lamar nodded affirmatively without hesitation.


    ��And what do you think? Will he be able to pass the assessment?��


    Lamar really wanted to say ��of course,�� but felt that he shouldn��t boost the enemy��s morale and undermine his own prestige, so, after carefully choosing his words, he said:


    ��He should�� be able to, right?��


    The corpulent High Priest didn��t mind Lamar��s slick use of a questioning tone at the end, but continued, ��If he can, then when he returns, it will be time to wait for the awarding of Knighthood and his promotion, is that correct?��


    ��Yes, Your Eminence, that is the official procedure according to the empire,�� noticing that the High Priest was simply confirming the imperial official process, Lamar spoke with a much lighter tone. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Hm, Lamar, contact Baron Alonso and inform him of this situation. Since Rein has become a noble, let��s find a way to have him appointed as the sheriff of Fishing Port Town.��


    As the High Priest spoke, a sharp gleam flashed through his small eyes on his chubby face.


    However, Maral frowned upon hearing this and said, ��Your Eminence, do you intend to use the pirates�� hands to deal with him?��


    ��No�� it��s the Sea God Sect.��


    ��The Sea God Sect? Are they emerging again? Aren��t they afraid of another imperial purge?�� Lamar asked in a startled and urgent manner.


    ��Yes, after a long period of inactivity, they have begun to make moves. Otherwise, why do you think the pirates were so cooperative with our actions last time? It was the Sea God Sect behind them.��


    So that was it!


    Lamar wore a look of sudden realization.


    No wonder the timing of the pirates�� attacks during previous actions were so well-coordinated with the Black Flame Order��s activities, diverting a significant portion of Meister County��s official imperial attention.


    At the time, he did not understand how the Black Flame Order could possibly restrain the pirates, only now realizing the High Priest had reached out to the Sea God Sect.


    Everything made sense now!


    ��Lamar, go to Alonso and see to this matter. Afterward, our focus remains on preparing for the Black Flame Prayer ceremony,�� the High Priest��s deep voice resonated after a long pause.


    ��By your command, Your Eminence, I shall go now,�� Lamar bowed with his hand on his chest and retreated slowly.


    �����������C


    Rosby City, Navy��s Home Inn.


    Has, a tall figure, was bidding farewell to Rein.


    ��Rein, I��m currently residing in Richmond Fishing Port, right next to the Golden Coast. If you travel south from Rosby City, about a two-day journey will get you there. Remember to come and find me when you have time,�� he said.


    ��Oh, and boiling giant spined salmon is our local specialty. I��ll definitely take you to enjoy it properly when you visit.�� As he mentioned the boiling giant spined salmon, Has��s Adam��s apple visibly bobbed.


    I didn��t expect this kid to be such a foodie!


    Rein, however, heard a familiar term ��Golden Coast.��


    Master Ganther, the swordsmanship master mentioned by Cleya, lived in seclusion on the Golden Coast.


    Perhaps he did indeed have a chance to meet Has again in the near future.


    Rein had been contemplating whether to take advantage of his trip to Rosby City for the assessment to continue southward to the Golden Coast to learn from the swordsmanship master, or to return home first.


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to return home first.


    Because if he went to study with Master Ganther, it could be a month at the least, several at the most, and not informing his parents in advance would surely cause them worry.


    Moreover, he was also the deputy sheriff of Flashgold Town, and if he were gone for a month, it was at least necessary to notify Hamilton in advance.


    ��Alright, Has, I��ll definitely come to look for you when I get the chance,�� Rein said with a smile as he nodded.


    ��Safe travels!��


    ��


    After sending Has off, Rein began to stroll around Rosby City.


    On the very day he arrived, he had already explored the area around Navy��s Home Inn, gaining a basic understanding of Rosby City.


    In terms of scale, Rosby City was almost twice the size of Meister City and also more prosperous, a characteristic of a trading port city.

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    Chapter 276 �C 168: Becoming a Baron Starting Today (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    In general, a trade-oriented city situated by the sea, as long as it has unfettered sea navigation and constant trade, will flourish far more than an inland city.


    Having three days, Rein was in no rush; he planned to first explore some bustling alleys or perhaps near some taverns.


    Just like the bat market, the Nightingale Market might also reside in a tranquil spot amidst the commotion.


    Under the warm winter sun, bursts of relatively warm and moist sea breeze blew, carrying a faint briny scent. Along the vibrant stands he passed, Rein saw a greater variety of seafood, shell products, and goods from remote islands than he had seen on the busy streets of Meister.


    After a large loop, Rein surprisingly couldn��t find the entrance to the Nightingale Market, which puzzled him a bit.


    Since he had wandered most of the bustling and lively areas of Rosby City throughout the morning.


    Could it be that the Nightingale Market was located in the opposite direction, perhaps among noble estates or affluent districts?


    ...


    After a short deliberation, Rein felt this possibility wasn��t highly likely.


    Suddenly, a spark of inspiration flashed through Rein��s mind; he had an epiphany.


    There was a place he had possibly been overlooking all this time.


    That was��.the docks! S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rosby City had several docks, such as the navy-only dock, fishing docks, and cargo docks, among which there were two fishing docks.


    Thus, Rein began searching each dock.


    Soon, as Rein reached near the cargo dock, he immediately saw a nightingale emblem not far from a tavern named ��Sailor��s Home.��


    This made Rein��s face light up, and he walked over.


    Similar to the bat market, after walking through an Illusion Array, Rein found himself in a market, still with that familiar scent.


    People were coming and going, most wearing hoods or even veils, a sign of concealing their movements, although some freely showed their faces, though they were relatively fewer.


    The market was rather crowded, yet voices were kept low.


    At that moment, the red-haired girl Evelyn was also in the Nightingale Market, gathering some raw materials for potions. Soon, she noticed that familiar figure.


    ��Eh? What brings him here?��


    Seeing Rein roaming about, she couldn��t help but stop in her tracks.


    Truthfully, Evelyn was quite curious about Rein, who had executed the ship explosion during the ennoblement assessment.


    Although she was somewhat introverted and proud by nature, it depended on the person.


    Being the most powerful among her age in Rosby City��s nobility, facing most young talents made a bit of pride and reserve inevitable.


    But Rein was different; his performance during the ennoblement was incredibly striking, commanding her respect.


    And with Rein��s keen senses, he naturally noticed the girl��s gaze.


    Although she wore a hood, the strand of red hair peeking out and the familiar bright eyes quickly allowed Rein to recognize her as the red-haired girl Evelyn.


    Soon, their eyes met.


    Rein smiled slightly at this, which made Evelyn immediately return the smile.


    After a thought, Evelyn approached and said, ��Knight Rein, hello, I am Evelyn. Your performance during the ennoblement was quite astonishing.��


    ��You flatter me, Knight Evelyn. Haas has told me about your strength and�� beauty. In comparison, I only found a loophole.��


    Evelyn covered her mouth and giggled, saying, ��Knight Rein, I thought someone as formidable as you would be busy practicing and not so eloquent, but now I see that is not the case.��


    ��By the way, Knight Rein, if I may ask boldly, what brings you to the Nightingale Market? Perhaps, as a local, I can be your guide.�� Evelyn offered.


    Evelyn also found it strange; why did her mood suddenly brighten upon hearing Rein��s compliment?


    After all, the young men who flattered her daily weren��t less than ten, usually seven or eight, were inevitable.


    Moreover, these individuals spoke more straightforwardly and exaggeratedly than Rein, but none gave her the same feeling as he just did.


    Rein had merely complimented her once, and since it was their first formal conversation, it was mostly polite, yet, somehow, it made her very happy.


    Perhaps it was because his strength was substantial enough? Evelyn pondered.


    ��Of course, having the beautiful and powerful Knight Evelyn as my guide would absolutely be an honor.�� Rein promptly responded with a smile.


    Moreover, he thought about it and saw no point in concealing anything.


    After all, having come to the Nightingale Market indicated that from some perspective, both he and Evelyn were like-minded individuals; likely, she was also a Wizard Apprentice, just uncertain of which specialty.


    Thus, Rein continued, ��I am looking to see if there are any witchcraft models suited for me, but after looking around, it seems there aren��t any powerful witchcraft available.��


    Evelyn smiled and replied, ��Of course, on a market of this mystical level, you won��t find powerful witchcraft or first-grade witchcraft. However, sometimes, you might find some decent beginner-level witchcraft.��


    ��Hmm? Is there a reason for that?�� Rein asked, slightly puzzled.

 Chapter 277 - 277 - 168: Becoming a Baron Starting Today (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 277 �C 168: Becoming a Baron Starting Today (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��Because the actual managers behind these markets are a combination of the Empire and some wizard schools, some items are still restricted,�� Evelyn explained.


    ��I see!�� Rein couldn��t help but nod.


    No wonder!


    He still remembered that last time at the Bat Market, he had taken a big bag of items from Adam��s shop and was later stopped by two managers of the market.


    However, after he revealed his identity, he was safely let go.


    Sure enough, behind these mysterious markets, just as he had guessed, was some kind of management under the Empire.


    Looking at the red-haired girl Evelyn in front of him, Rein couldn��t help but think of Jenny, who was also a noble girl.


    ...


    However, Jenny was of a slightly lower status and moreover, she was merely a noble lady without any combat skills.


    But the girl before him, Evelyn, was not only a viscountess, higher in rank than a baron, but her personal strength was also quite remarkable.


    Rein had a feeling that her strength might not be much weaker than his own.


    Like him, Evelyn was both a wizard apprentice and a knight, and belonged to those surpassing the strength of a typical peak knight.


    Then, Rein continued to inquire, ��So, if one wants to learn powerful witchcraft, what are the ways to do so?��


    Evelyn looked at Rein with her beautiful eyes, and couldn��t help but cover her mouth and laugh, saying, ��Knight Rein, you��re really pretending to be ignorant here.��


    ��What other way could there be? Generally speaking, there are two paths, one is to join an ancient school of wizards, the other is to hold a high enough position within the violent institutions of the Empire.��


    ��If the position is high enough, naturally you can access many secrets; confidential witchcraft, combat skills, and research materials, etc., can all be accessible.��


    The two chatted as they browsed, quickly becoming familiar with each other.


    Evelyn had just realized that Rein was not actually a noble heir, which suddenly made her understand why Rein had asked so many questions that, to her, seemed like common knowledge.


    But on second thought, she was even more amazed!


    A commoner��s son attaining such a level of strength?


    Evelyn found that she was unable to see through Rein even more.


    Because she knew that whether as a knight or a wizard apprentice, the path of cultivation required numerous resources; if a commoner��s son wanted to reach Rein��s current level, it would be extremely difficult.


    With Evelyn as a ��guide,�� who was familiar with Nightingale Market, Rein quickly explored almost every part of the Nightingale Market.


    Indeed, as Evelyn had said, one could hardly see those powerful witchcraft at the market.


    However, there were many rare materials, such as the Star Grass required for another potion ��Spirit Potion�� noted in Rein��s ��Beast Taming Diary,�� which was available for sale here.


    Spirit Potion: After consumption, it can enhance an animal��s spirit.


    In some places, it is also called ��Wisdom Potion,�� which, when fed to animals, will improve their intelligence to a certain extent.


    This potion requires a primary ingredient, the sea star grass, which grows in the sea and gets its name because it has five points like a sea star.


    ��Huh?�� Rein, inside a shop, spotted an old book and, from the magical script on the cover, it was titled ��Witchcraft Notes.��


    There should be a name before those words but, perhaps due to its age or another reason, it was unreadable.


    Rein thought for a moment and asked, ��Hello, may I browse through this book?��


    ��You can see two pages,�� the clerk nodded and handed the book to Rein.


    After carefully turning through two pages, Rein closed the book. Evelyn also glanced over it from the side.


    Although Rein��s face was expressionless, he was quite delighted inside because the content on the first two pages indicated that it was likely a witchcraft notebook documenting fire magic.


    ��How much for this book?��


    ��Two thousand Imperial Gold Coins!��


    Rein nodded, the price was fairly acceptable. Just as he was considering buying something else to acquire this book,


    Evelyn suddenly interjected, ��The first two pages are indeed official wizard manuscripts, but the material of the remaining pages seems a bit off. If you look closely, there��s a subtle difference; I feel this is not a complete piece.��


    After hearing this, the clerk��s expression changed, but he simply forced a smile and said nothing.


    Rein instantly understood what had happened and immediately left the store with a darkened expression.


    ��Thanks for the warning, Knight Evelyn.�� He had almost been duped.


    Rein felt that searching for witchcraft formulas at such mysterious markets was like hunting for antiques at Panjiayuan market in his past life. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Want to pick up a genuine artifact?


    It��s not to say it��s impossible, but the chances are extremely low and one needs to have a discerning eye.


    ��Don��t mention it, Knight Rein, it��s just that I have a bit more experience than you. Finding good items here is still very difficult,�� Evelyn said with a slight smile.


    ��


    �����������C


    Mingster, Mingster Province capital.


    Special envoy, Javier Stewart, in his office, received the assessment materials for you this ennoblement from Theo of Rosby City, and was quite surprised for a moment.


    Because the name at the top was Rein.


    He had thought that Rein might achieve a good result, but after seeing his performance this time, it truly shocked him; what did scoring over two thousand points signify? He was very clear about it.


    After pondering, he quickly stamped the ��approved�� seal on the documents and immediately sent them off to Imperial City.

 Chapter 278 - 278 - 168: Becoming a Baron Starting Today (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 278 �C 168: Becoming a Baron Starting Today (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Two days later.


    Baron Theo was initially quite happy after receiving a reply from the Imperial Elders Council.


    However, accompanying it was a piece of paper in the style of an invitation, which immediately made Viscount Theo��s face turn solemn as he whispered, ��It��s a ��Sword Bearer�� invitation!��


    Subsequently, he slightly shook his head and sighed, ��It seems that I failed to earn General Xilva��s favor after all.��


    After thinking it over, he felt it necessary to inform Xilva of this ��bad news�� prematurely to prevent further fruitless efforts from him.


    Just as he reached the office door of Xilva, he heard an unmistakably angry voice from inside. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��That fool in Meister County actually rejected my order. Let me see, the one who rejected it is a baron named Alonso Habs.��


    ...


    ��Oh! Habs? This person must be a direct descendant of Count Habbs.��


    As he mentioned ��Habs,�� Xilva was clearly surprised since, though he was stationed far in Rossby County, he was naturally aware of Count Habbs, the responsible person of the neighboring county.


    Since under current administrative authority, Rein is naturally subordinate to Meister County, any orders to transfer Rein should in principle go through Meister County.


    For horizontal or non-direct superior department orders, Meister County has the right to refuse or reject them.


    Unless it is from Mingster Province or a higher level order.


    Hearing this, Viscount Theo outside the door felt a surge of joy and quickly knocked on the door!


    ��Knock knock knock!��


    ��Come in!��


    ��Lord Viscount, your timing is perfect!�� Upon seeing Theo, Xilva involuntarily repeated his grievances.


    ��No way! If the face of the Sixth Fleet is not enough, then I will issue the order under the name of the Imperial Southern Naval Fleet. I want to see who in Meister County dares to reject it!��


    After listening to Xilva��s complaints, Viscount Theo responded with a wry smile and reassurance:


    ��General, I think you need not be angry. Perhaps, you should first take a look at this.��


    Xilva, puzzled, took the ��invitation�� handed over by Viscount Theo.


    He saw an invitation he recognized yet rarely encountered before him.


    The invitation depicted five giant dragons of different postures, flying in the sky. These were the five-colored giant dragons!


    ��This is an invitation from the Imperial Sword Bearer organization. How could it arrive so quickly!�� Xilva exclaimed in shock.


    Initially, Xilva had planned to beat the timing, to recruit Rein under his command before some special departments in the empire noticed this promising individual.


    After all, on the empire scale, the Southern Naval Fleet was a huge entity responsible for the security of imperial territories. After transferring Rein, even if a special department wanted someone transferred, it would not be so easy.


    They could at least engage in some bureaucratic wrangling, and even if they ended up transferring him away, they could gain some other forms of compensation.


    But now, his order from the Sixth Fleet has been rejected by Meister County, and the Sword Bearer��s invitation has already arrived.


    These days turned out to be a flurry of futile activity��


    ��Exactly, General. Once Rein receives this invitation, he will be a candidate for the Sword Bearers. Hence, even if you succeed in poaching him, the significance isn��t substantial.��


    Xilva thought for a moment, sighed, and said, ��Indeed, instead of this, it might be better to train someone on my own.��


    ��Lord Viscount, I will leave the announcement to you when it��s time. I won��t go over to Rein��s side, so I��ll leave it to you.��


    As for Rein, he naturally had no idea about these intricate twists and turns.


    Rein was also completely unaware that he missed a chance to participate in a great voyage, experiencing the vast, tumultuous ocean, and clashing with pirates for treasures.


    The Navy��s Home Inn, a room on the second floor.


    A rhythmic yet steady knock suddenly came.


    Rein opened the door and was slightly startled to see the important figure he had only met during the ennoblement examination before him.


    This man, dressed in noble hunting attire and sporting a handlebar mustache, appeared to be Viscount Theo, a title Mary, the female Major, had told him.


    ��Lord Viscount, good day!�� Rein quickly invited him into the room.


    Clearly, the visitor must have an important matter to discuss.


    Theo entered the room with a smile, looked around, and seeing that Rein��s belongings were neatly arranged in the inn room, his approval of Rein grew even more.


    Who said Rein had no sense of order? Clearly, he had plenty!


    ��Knight Rein, I have just received a letter from the Imperial Ennoblement Examination Committee. Your excellent performance in the examination has been reviewed and approved, so you will be granted the title of Baron.��


    ��Thank you, Lord Viscount!�� Rein immediately rejoiced, his fists clenched slightly.


    The dust had settled, and starting from today, he was a noble, a Baron!


    ��However, Knight Rein, perhaps, you might be more interested in seeing this.�� Viscount Theo handed over a piece of paper styled as an ��invitation�� with a broad smile.

 Chapter 279 - 279 - 169: Invitation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 279 �C 169: Invitation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Rein took the invitation letter, his heart already faintly guessing what it might entail.


    It was a pale cyan invitation, made from no ordinary paper, but what struck Rein the most was the design on its surface: five dragons with different postures, soaring through the sky.


    When Rein opened it, he only saw one line of text:


    ��Rein Carlan is hereby invited to participate in the Sword Bearer selection of the Dragan Empire��s Mingster Province three months from now.��


    Upon closer inspection, at the bottom right-hand corner, there was another line of small text outlining the selection��s time and place: the last day of the Month of Vitality, No. 1 Shaded Boulevard, Mingster.


    It was indeed an invitation to become a Sword Bearer!


    However, the invitation was quite different from what Rein had anticipated.


    ...


    Initially, Rein thought that receiving the so-called invitation letter would mean immediate membership into the ranks of the Empire��s Sword Bearers, but it seemed that was not the case.


    It turned out that the meaning of this invitation letter was to invite a person to qualify for the selection process.


    This was similar to a production crew from a previous life being invited to a film festival; whether they would win an award was uncertain, but it implied, ��Your production has caught the attention of the jury, it stands a good chance of winning an award.��


    Similarly, this Sword Bearer invitation letter conveyed, ��Rein, your performance has been notable, we have taken notice, you might succeed.��


    Nonetheless, as long as the opportunity was present, Rein believed he could seize it. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other hand, the vast majority of people would never have such an opportunity in their lifetime, nor would they come into contact with a Sword Bearer invitation letter.


    Even though there were further selections to be made, this was undoubtedly good news.


    Two pieces of good news in a row left Rein struggling to hide the excitement in his heart.


    At this moment, Viscount Theo, who was nearby, noticed Rein had finished reading the invitation letter, and with a smile, he kindly reminded him:


    ��Not every newly appointed Knight who receives a commendation is granted a Sword Bearer invitation. Only a few among those who are top-ranked receive such invitations.��


    ��By the way, Rein, perhaps you should take some time soon to think about designing a coat of arms that represents your Baron status.��


    ��A coat of arms?�� Rein immediately snapped out of his thoughts and nodded.


    He remembered that, like the carriage from the Crawley Baron family that had come to pick him up numerous times, it bore the exclusive emblem of the Crawley family: a kite shield with a rose-like flower on it.


    However, according to Jenny, there seemed to be some customary rules to follow when designing a coat of arms.


    These rules had gradually become a consensus among the nobility over the many years since the establishment of the Dragan Empire.


    For example, images like lions and crowns were typically not included in the coat of arms design of families that were not Dukes or Marquises, let alone those of a lower status.


    For example, a shield in the coat of arms might signify that the family��s combat skill is renowned for a particular shield technique, of course, it could also indicate sword and shield or hammer and shield combat skills, etc.


    But if your family is not proficient in shield-related combat skills, yet you use a shield as the emblem, it would be ridiculed by other nobles.


    Upon reflection, Rein thought he would need to consult with the Crawley Baron��s wife or Jenny upon his return.


    ��Indeed, you have plenty of time, Rein. Once you have decided, you can submit it,�� Viscount Theo added.


    ��There is another matter. On the last Sunday of the Month of Green Grass, new Barons and Viscounts within Mingster Province of the past year need to go to the provincial capital Mingster, to receive formal ennoblement by the Duke of Mingster.��


    ��Of course, this is merely an ennoblement ceremony. You, Rein, are already a Baron and can enjoy all the privileges that come with the title.��


    ��The Duke of Mingster simply represents His Majesty the Emperor in conferring the titles upon you; you are swearing allegiance to His Majesty the Emperor and the Empire.��


    Since Theo knew from the records that Rein was of common birth, he elaborated in detail.


    Rein nodded, signaling his understanding.


    The Month of Green Grass, huh?


    The Sword Bearer invitation letter marked the Month of Vitality, which according to the calendar of his previous life corresponded roughly to March, and the Month of Green Grass represented April.


    It seemed certain that in three months, he would need to make a trip to Mingster.


    ��Additionally, the series of noble privileges you enjoy after becoming a Baron, such as the right to debate and immunity, can be learned at a leisurely pace once you return home.��


    As he spoke, Theo handed a small booklet to Rein, saying,


    ��Rein, I look forward to your future performance. Should there be no unexpected events, we may meet again in Mingster.�� Viscount Theo smiled and then left the room.


    The two Attendants by the door followed suit, the group departing from the Navy Home Inn.


    For Rein, his journey for the ennoblement assessment had nearly ended perfectly.


    He had not expected that within just three days, he would receive the assessment results and the Sword Bearer invitation letter.


    The efficiency of the Empire��s operations had brought him an immense surprise.


    After a brief consideration, he decided to pack his bags and set off early for home, eager to share the good news with his parents and his sister Bo He.


    However, as Rein descended the stairs, he unexpectedly saw a striking figure waiting for him on the first floor of the Navy Home Inn.


    There stood Major Mary Ka, looking at Rein with a smile as he carried his luggage, taking two steps forward, she said, ��Knight Rein, no, rather, Baron Rein, are you ready to head back?��

 Chapter 280 - 280 - 169: Invitation (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 280 �C 169: Invitation (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2


    ��Major Marika, just call me Rein,�� Rein naturally could tell there was no malice in the other party��s words.


    ��Baron Rein, have you considered taking a position in the navy?��


    ��Given the capability you demonstrated in this ennoblement assessment, you would surely be heavily utilized, the South Seas Fleet also needs capable young talents like you to join.��


    Rein raised an eyebrow, he hadn��t expected that Major Marika would directly recruit him to join the navy.


    Honestly, if he hadn��t received an invitation from the Sword Bearers, he would seriously have considered her suggestion.


    Because in terms of opportunities and the scale of the organization, the Imperial Navy, no, just the South Seas Fleet alone, far exceeded Meister County.


    The promotion opportunities there, as well as the potential to encounter various kinds of witchcraft, naturally far surpassed those available in the remote Meister County.


    ...


    But now, this recruitment had lost its allure to Rein.


    Instead, dealing with many trivial matters in the meantime would drain a lot of his energy.


    For now, Rein planned to settle his family affairs and then find a time to head to the Golden Coast to seek further enhancement of his capabilities from Master Ganther.


    Because this was the most efficient and safest choice to improve his capabilities.


    Of course, handling certain mysterious events had brought Rein handsome rewards, but the inherent risks could not be entirely ignored.


    ��Thank you for the invitation, Major Marika. I have long admired the Imperial Navy, but unfortunately, I have already received an invitation from a special department of the Empire, so�� I am truly very sorry,�� Rein sincerely said.


    He mainly did not mention the Sword Bearers because he did not want to give Marika the impression of boasting.


    ��Oh? So soon?�� A trace of surprise flashed across Marika��s beautiful face.


    How could the special department of the Empire have contacted Rein so quickly?


    With such capability and efficiency, could it be��


    ��Baron Rein, the special department you mentioned, it wouldn��t happen to be the Empire��s Sword Bearers, would it?�� Marika couldn��t help but ask curiously.


    ��Eh? How did you know? It indeed is the Sword Bearers,�� Rein nodded.


    This in turn surprised Rein, as Viscount Theo was unlikely to spread such news actively; this meant Marika had guessed it herself.


    And Major Marika suddenly seemed to realize something.


    No wonder, when she had talked with General Xilva about ��why not invite Rein to the South Seas Fleet,�� General Xilva had cryptically said, ��You might try, but I certainly can��t.��


    It appeared that General Xilva had already known about Rein receiving the invitation from the Empire��s Sword Bearers at that time.


    Resultantly, she had excitedly taken it upon herself to become this ��mediator.��


    ��The old fox�� was taking a shot in the dark to see if he could persuade Rein to stay.


    Understanding this brought a slight flush to Marika��s cheeks.


    Rein, observing Major Marika, felt a bit puzzled. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why was the Major showing a bashful expression? But her naval uniform combined with this shy expression indeed formed a beautiful scene.


    Indeed, several men nearby were already staring, dumbstruck.


    ��Then, Baron Rein, I wish you a smooth journey! Remember to write to me,�� having realized there was no hope for Rein to join the navy, Marika quickly adjusted her mood, smiling as she waved her hand.


    ��Thank you, Major Marika, I will, and you are welcome to visit Meister County anytime,�� Rein said with a smile.


    After bidding farewell to Marika, Rein, carrying his luggage, came to the stables at the side of the Navy Home Inn, placed his luggage on a chestnut horse, and then mounted a black horse, merging into the street crowds.


    However, Rein didn��t head north directly to Meister County but proceeded towards the noble residential area west of Rosby City.


    Soon, he arrived at the entrance of a luxurious mansion where the servant at the door immediately opened the gate, smiling as he greeted, ��Knight Rein, Miss Evelyn is with her friends at the training ground.��


    This was Evelyn��s home.


    Ever since Rein had encountered Evelyn unexpectedly at Nightingale Market, their relationship had quickly warmed up.


    Yesterday, at Evelyn��s invitation, Rein had visited her home, so the servants at the door were familiar with Rein, the young man who was a new friend of the miss.


    Initially, Viscountess Norman, curious yet slightly worried that her daughter had invited a young man she had never met before to their home as a guest,


    felt reassured when she met Rein and realized he was of commoner heritage, which was quite different from Evelyn��s status.


    Even though he was a newly knighted knight.


    But when Evelyn said, ��Mother, Rein is very likely to be the first in this ennoblement assessment,��


    Viscountess Norman immediately dropped her objections, even strongly supporting her daughter to invite Rein over more often, saying it was proper to show extensive hospitality.


    This left Evelyn somewhat speechless.


    ��With her friends at the training ground?��


    Rein didn��t think much of it, stopping the servant from taking the horse to the stable for care, but instead followed the servant, riding directly to the training ground located beside the mansion��s back garden.


    Because he planned to greet them and then head straight back to Flashgold Town.


    There, he saw Evelyn, a redhead, sparring in Combat Skill with a male knight about her age. Aside from servants and guards obviously dressed in service uniforms, three men and a woman, wearing noble hunting outfits or Knight Armor, were spectating.

 Chapter 281 - 281 - 169: Invitation (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_3

    Chapter 281 �C 169: Invitation (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_3


    As Lord Reine rode his black horse into the training ground, he immediately drew the attention of several nobility scions.


    Lord Reine glanced around and recognized many familiar faces, all participants in the assessment at Rosby County.


    After just a few looks, Lord Reine shifted his focus to the ongoing contest in the field.


    Although Lord Reine didn��t hold much regard for those few, the noble scions were quite curious about his arrival, sizing him up thoroughly.


    However, they only looked for a brief moment before realizing that Lord Reine was not one of them.


    The horse had no extra ornaments, overly simple.


    Lord Reine wore a chromed iron set, just an ordinary set of knight armor.


    ...


    As Lord Reine approached, they could clearly see that there were no noble crests on the knight��s chestplate.


    Thus, they could almost be certain that Lord Reine was not a noble scion but a commoner��s son.


    ��He seems to be the one who attended the ennoblement assessment this time, another county��s newly appointed knight, I saw him at the Navy House Inn,�� one of them said.


    ��Yes, I remember too, seemed to be mingling with that commoner knight, Hass.��


    ��Why is he here now?��


    ��Now that you mention it, I remember too, but�� on the night of the assessment, I didn��t see him. I was at the ��Ruer,�� Osby, you went to the ��Li Hook,�� right? Did you see him?��


    ��No!�� the young man named Osby, after staring at Lord Reine��s black hair for a few seconds, confidently said.


    ��Hehe, so he must be one of those who went to the small fortress, right?��


    ��Then the chances are slim that Evelyn actively invited him over, it��s more likely that he is one of Evelyn��s pursuers.�� S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Every county has its delusional folk,�� the young man beside him sneered and said.


    ������


    Lord Reine wasn��t paying any attention to what the onlookers were saying, he just glanced and then ignored them.


    However, his gaze lingered on Evelyn��s opponent a bit longer.


    Male, a peak knight, wielding a sword and shield, with proficient combat skills, quite impressive.


    Due to the opponent��s competence, although Evelyn caught a glimpse of Lord Reine, she had no opportunity to stop and greet him.


    Their eyes quickly met for a moment, exchanging a hasty greeting.


    ��Bang!!��


    Evelyn and her opponent��s shields collided, each stepping back two paces, momentarily stalling the fight.


    Then, Evelyn said, ��Stop! Salem, let��s call it a day for today.��


    ��Huh? Evelyn, I was just getting into it, why stop now?�� the opponent took off his knight��s helmet, revealing blond hair and a handsome young face, probably about eighteen or nineteen years old.


    ��A friend of mine has arrived,�� Evelyn pointed at Lord Reine, still mounted on the black horse, and said.


    Then, the young man named Salem squinted his eyes and scrutinized Lord Reine.


    Evelyn��s friend, he seemed never to have seen him before.


    However, seeing Evelyn��s demeanor, it seemed she valued this friend highly; could he be a rival?


    Hey? From his attire, it seemed he was not a noble.


    And moreover, he likely wasn��t from Rosby City either because if he were from Rosby City and had reached the status of a formal knight, Salem would have seen him before or at least heard of him.


    At this moment, Evelyn waved at Lord Reine, looking at his luggage and said, ��Reine, are you preparing to go back? Why not stay a few more days?��


    Seeing Evelyn approaching, Lord Reine also dismounted the black horse and said with a smile, ��Yes, Evelyn, I plan to return to Meister soon, so I came to say goodbye.��


    ��This friend of yours, Evelyn, did he come for the ennoblement assessment?�� Salem stepped forward and asked.


    Seeing that Salem had taken the initiative to come forward, Evelyn knew it would be too impolite not to introduce them at this point.


    ��Salem, this is Lord Reine from Meister County, a friend I met during the ennoblement assessment,�� Evelyn said.


    ��Lord Reine, this is Salem, the second son of the Earl of Zeman.��


    ��Hello!��


    The two nodded at each other, acknowledging the greeting.


    At this moment, a few of the onlookers also came forward, one of them saying to Lord Reine, ��Lord Reine, how about staying until tomorrow? It��s rare for everyone to gather together; we could exchange some combat skills.��


    ��That��s���� Lord Reine pondered.


    The people present seemed to be good ��experience grinding�� prospects, as his Tokkal Hammer Technique was already at lv4 (843/1000).


    Engaging them to potentially level up his Hammer Skill seemed like a good choice.


    ��Hehe, Osby, don��t make it difficult for Lord Reine.��


    ��Perhaps, only I and Salem could spar a bit with Lord Reine, though chances are we wouldn��t prevail,�� Evelyn, noticing Osby��s insinuation, couldn��t help but laugh.


    In Evelyn��s view, Osby wasn��t a bad person, being an old acquaintance, she felt there was no need to make him embarrass himself publicly, hence she spoke out to hint.


    ��Hmm?��


    Hearing Evelyn say this, the noble second generations present instantly understood that this Lord Reine must be something special.


    In an instant, several gazes concentrated on Lord Reine.


    Underneath all the scrutinizing eyes, Lord Reine remained calm and composed.


    But internally, he couldn��t help but smile wryly.


    ��Well, Evelyn, you��re about to scare off my ��experience NPCs,���� Lord Reine thought to himself.

 Chapter 282 - 282 - 169: Invitation (Two-in-One Large Chapter)_4

    Chapter 282 �C 169: Invitation (Two-in-One Large Chapter)_4


    ��Lord Reine is likely to be the top nominee of Mingster Province��s ennoblement examination this time, do you understand what I��m saying?�� Evelyn said with a smile.


    ��What?�� Everyone��s eyes suddenly widened, mouths gaping in extreme surprise. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��The�� first place? Isn��t that a bit exaggerated?�� Osby, the young man, stuttered as he spoke.


    After a moment of tension, Osby��s eyes lit up as if he had thought of something and he immediately questioned, ��Even if this Lord Reine is powerful, the examination results haven��t been released yet, right?��


    ��Exactly, and the test results are classified only as excellent, good, or satisfactory. Evelyn, how do you know Reine is in first place?�� Salem also questioned from the side.


    ��Yeah!��


    ��Moreover, Evelyn, you might not be aware, but the person I follow from Dorne County, Bridget Sanchez, is incredibly impressive!��


    ...


    ��Along the way, I personally witnessed him kill the captain of the ��Razorhook��, Bilkel Jamal, and at least five leaders of the Bloodsail pirates.�� Osby stretched out five fingers, gesturing as he spoke.


    ��Lord Reine, no matter how powerful, surely can��t be better than this Bridget Sanchez!��


    After hearing this, everyone nodded, agreeing with Osby��s analysis.


    Yes!


    Killing a captain and five leaders of the Bloodsail pirates is an achievement that is nearly impossible to surpass!


    Even Evelyn only managed to kill the bosun of ��Bloodsail��, but of course, since ��Bloodsail�� is the flagship, the significance of its bosun is higher than that of other pirate ships.


    But the Bridget Sanchez from Dorne County killed the captain of the ��Razorhook��.


    If this Lord Reine were to surpass Bridget Sanchez��s achievements, would it mean he wiped out an entire pirate crew by himself?


    That couldn��t possibly be, could it!


    ��Eh? You all didn��t know?�� Evelyn first expressed surprise, then showed a look of sudden realization.


    This made the nearby nobility juniors even more astounded, their gaze now focused on Evelyn.


    To Reine, it looked like the expression of ��a primary school student waiting for the teacher to announce the final exam results.��


    This made Reine, who was standing nearby, chuckle a bit.


    But at this moment, it was clearly not appropriate for him to say anything, whether to boast or to underplay himself; neither suited his personality.


    ��Reine did turn the ��Shipwreck�� literally into a shipwreck, didn��t you hear that huge explosion at the time?�� Evelyn retorted.


    Although the wording of this statement was a bit awkward, somehow, when Evelyn said it, there was a sense of pride and exhilaration.


    At this moment, she also felt a bit strange.


    Because generally speaking, she used to be in Reine��s position, referenced by friends, but now it was the other way around.


    If Reine could hear what Evelyn was thinking at the moment, he would immediately understand.


    It��s just like if in a past life, a good friend of his had won the first place in the 100 meters at a school sports meet, then later, when someone asked, ��Who��s this person beside you?�� one would proudly say, ��This is that 100 meters champion, don��t you know him?��


    ��Ah?��


    ��Wasn��t it said to be an action caused by the imperial navy at the time?��


    ��Yes, the ship was literally blown in half. How could such power be possible for a newly knighted knight attending an assessment?��


    Several people immediately started questioning all at once.


    ��If you don��t believe me, there��s nothing I can do, but I witnessed it with my own eyes,�� Evelyn shrugged.


    Upon hearing Evelyn��s words, everyone fell silent.


    Because they knew Evelyn well enough to know that she never cared to lie.


    So, their gazes once again fixated on Rein.


    ��Lord Rein, although I believe what Evelyn has said, I find myself increasingly curious about your strength. Could we have a duel?�� Salem asked with a very serious expression, speaking in a somber tone.


    He was a newly knighted knight from the previous round of ennoblement assessments.


    Although he had also received an ��excellent�� rating, he knew that between the same excellent ratings, there could be a huge difference from the first to the last.


    Because some earn their excellent ratings by giving their all, but for others, ��excellent�� is just the top grade they achieve with ease.


    And usually, the first in ranking is among the latter.


    Rein was initially startled, then his heart leaped with joy.


    Indeed, he had just regretted that a wave of experience was about to slip through his hands.


    But now, it seemed that the NPC with the highest ��Experience�� had come back.


    Since Rein wouldn��t likely challenge Evelyn, the woman he had just met, the strongest in the group would undoubtedly be Salem, the second son of the Earl, standing before him.


    ��Of course,�� Rein nodded in agreement.


    And to avoid Evelyn��s objection, he had already started walking towards the center of the arena.


    Evelyn��s lips moved slightly, and seeing Rein��s eagerness, her face showed a tinge of worry.


    This made another female knight nearby find it a bit odd and she asked, ��Evelyn, didn��t you say that Lord Rein is the best? Why are you still worried about him?��


    ��I��m not worried about Rein�� but I��m worried that Salem might get hurt badly,�� Evelyn spoke while recalling the scene where Rein had shattered the thick hull of the ��ship�� with one blow.


    That time, she had truly been shocked!


    These words made the others exchange bewildered looks.


    Can��t be serious!


    Salem was no ordinary person; he was a master who had also received an excellent rating in the previous ennoblement assessments, nearly equal to Evelyn.


    Even though he might not be Rein��s match, their strength couldn��t be that uneven.


    At this point, Rein and Salem had already reached the center of the training ground and stood their ground.


    Rein took down the ��Irresistible Force�� warhammer from behind his back and held it in his hand, his eyes intensely fixed on Salem, causing Salem to feel a shiver in his heart.


    Because Salem had a very strange feeling, as if Rein was looking at him as if he were a thing�� How should one put it, an item?


    But at any rate, it did not look like the expression one would have when looking at another person��.

 Chapter 283 - 283 - 170: Still Need to Filter (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 283 �C 170: Still Need to Filter (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Viscount Norman and his wife were also on the second floor of their luxurious mansion, looking out the window at the duel between the two men in the center of the training grounds.


    ��I��ve always thought Salem would be a good match for Evelyn, but now it seems, Evelyn seems to favor this Reine, whom she has only known for a short time,��


    ��Dear, do you think Evelyn��s new friend is really that formidable, capable of defeating Earl Zeman��s second son, Salem?�� a well-dressed lady asked, tilting her head.


    ��If what Evelyn says is true, then her friend should have no problem winning,�� a middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed goatee nodded and said.


    This man was none other than Evelyn��s father��Viscount Norman.


    After hearing from his daughter about Reine��s performance in the ennoblement assessment, he had become quite interested in Reine.


    For he knew well that in this world, with enough strength, honor, status, and wealth would all follow in spades; these were merely the icing on the cake.


    ...


    Reine seemed to think of something, lifted the dusky pig-head hammer in his hand, and asked, ��Lord Salem, do you need to switch to training weapons?��


    ��No need, if we use training weapons, they simply won��t withstand our collision. Lord Reine, let��s use our own preferred weapons,�� Salem shook his head and said.


    ��Fine!�� Reine nodded without saying much else.


    What Salem said was true because the bout between him and Evelyn just now was also fought with their own weapons.


    Once a knight reached the level of a Peak Knight, they would be very familiar with their own weapons and combat skills. So, unless it was a duel at the level of secret techniques, they could generally control their actions with ease.


    Even if they were injured, the injuries would be relatively minor.


    Soon, Reine and Salem were exchanging blows.


    ��Break limit!��


    After both men broke their limits, their movements and changes in position became incredibly fast!


    Reine, wielding a Two-Handed Warhammer, executed the Tokkal Hammer Technique, while Salem held a sword and shield, probably because his family��s combat skill was geared toward sword and shield techniques.


    ��Bang!��


    ��Clink clank!��


    The sounds of weapons clashing rang out constantly!


    The piercing noise made the servants nearby cover their ears in pain.


    However, after watching for a while, Evelyn��s brow slightly furrowed.


    It was apparent that Reine was not too strong but in fact too weak!


    It could be said that Reine��s current display of power compared to his performance during the ��ship-breaking�� incident at the ennoblement assessment was like comparing two different people. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What was Reine doing?


    Was he deliberately concealing his strength? Or was he first testing Salem��s abilities?


    Or was it because Salem was a friend of his friend, so he held back?


    At this time, the female Knight beside Evelyn also seemed puzzled and asked, ��Evelyn, didn��t you just say that this Lord Reine is incredibly strong? But why do I feel he is basically on the same level as you, Salem?��


    Seemly having heard the lady Knight��s remark, the others nearby began to express their own opinions.


    ��Yes, Anise is right,��


    ��This Lord Reine��s strength is indeed top-notch among his peers, but you too, Evelyn, and Salem as well, are at this level. It��s not as exaggerated as you described,��


    ��Evelyn, looking at it this way, what you just said about Lord Reine being the first in the ennoblement assessment, I��m afraid it��s not so credible,��


    ��Exactly! Although I��m not a match for this Lord Reine, I can say with certainty that his strength still falls short of Bridget Sanchez from En County,�� Osby also chimed in, his eyes flashing with a sharp light once again.


    Facing the suspicions of several companions, Evelyn didn��t know what to say for the moment and just quietly watched the duel between the two men in the center of the grounds.


    At this time, Reine was carefully controlling the extent of his ��break limit�� burst.


    Knight who surpassed the ��checkpoint�� of breaking the 60 percent barrier of their physical limit is referred to as a Peak Knight.


    But a careful thought reveals that someone with a 70 percent breaking limit is still called a Peak Knight but is clearly more powerful than one with a 60 percent breaking limit, and someone with an 80 percent breaking limit is even more formidable but is still referred to as a Peak Knight.


    Thus, although they are all Peak Knights, the differences between them can be immense.


    For instance, Reine could sense that his opponent, the Earl��s second son Salem, had a limit break of about 65 percent, which indeed made him a Peak Knight, but it fell short by about 10 percent of his own 73 percent breaking limit.


    Moreover, Reine��s powerful Spirit and his resulting sharp perception allowed him to seize some details during high-speed combat movements.


    Therefore, Reine was not fully exerting himself at the moment but was roughly keeping his ��break limit�� at around 60 percent so he could trade blows with Salem.


    As for why he didn��t quickly end the battle?


    Of course, it was to gain experience with the Tokkal Hammer Technique!


    His previous fighting experiences told Reine that compared to ��intense battles that end quickly,�� the system rewarded more experience points for ��relatively intense battles that take a longer time�� to conclude.


    Of course, even if you drag out a battle with an opponent clearly weaker than yourself, the system��s experience rewards remain very low.


    For instance, the bouts between Reine and Lagaray, Senior Knight VS Junior Knight, took place several times, yet he gained only a few experience points.


    Therefore, Reine could not just defeat Salem with a few strikes; it went against the principle of maximizing experience gain.

 Chapter 284 - 284 - 170: Still Need to Filter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 284 �C 170: Still Need to Filter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2


    Since he didn��t know Lord Reine was deliberately holding back, Salem, on the other hand, was becoming more confident as the fight progressed.


    If Salem had been somewhat cautious, or even slightly restrained at the start of the battle, about a minute into it, he felt he had a rough understanding of Reine��s strength.


    Was Reine��s strength formidable?


    Yes, but not as formidable as Evelyn had described.


    Was he going easy on him?


    Impossible!


    Was he hiding a trick up his sleeve?


    ...


    After observing Reine closely for a while, Salem noticed Reine��s composed expression and inwardly nodded, thinking Reine must have some secret techniques yet to be used.


    But wasn��t he the same?


    Thus, after a heavy clashing of shields with a ��boom,�� both stepped back several meters and stood their ground.


    Salem declared with high spirits, ��Lord Reine, it feels great to meet one��s match! Please allow me to fight freely. I will use Transcendent properties and secret techniques in the subsequent battle.��


    ��Please, do not hold back either.��


    Reine raised an eyebrow, looking at the rather spirited Salem before him.


    This�� ��Experience NPC,�� aren��t you a bit too arrogant!


    If you don��t hold back, you would likely be dead by now.


    But then Reine thought, what��s wrong with an ��Experience NPC�� who tries his best to create as much experience as possible?


    In fact, such an attitude deserves praise!


    So be it, he would just match his power up to Salem��s until his opponent��s stamina ran out.


    Moreover, this was also one of the best ways to gain Experience.


    So, after a moment��s thought, Reine said with a smile, ��Of course! Please, do as you wish, Lord Salem.��


    ��Be careful, Lord Reine!��


    ��Agility!��


    The next second, with Salem��s shout, his speed suddenly increased by about twenty to thirty percent, leaving behind a blur as he charged towards Reine like an arrow released from its bow.


    A speed-type Transcendent property, huh!


    Not bad!


    Reine immediately maxed out his ��Limit Break�� level.


    Since Reine��s strength, agility, and physique had risen from 60% to 73%, even though Salem activated the Transcendent property ��Agility,�� the gap between their agility was not too vast.


    On the other hand, Reine��s high Spirit resulted in superior perception and control over the battle��s finer details, which essentially balanced out the combat, allowing him to respond steadily.


    ��Bang bang!�� S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Clang!!��


    Their weapons clashed even faster than before, sending sparks flying!!!


    The servants couldn��t bear it anymore and scrambled away.


    Salem��s nearly all-out effort excited several young onlookers.


    ��Salem is getting serious now!��


    ��It��s about time we show this foreigner the strength of Rosby City��s youth.��


    ��Yes, it should appear soon, the Earl Zerman family��s secret technique ��Phantom Strike��!�� Osby, too, was looking forward to the central stage with great anticipation.


    However, Evelyn was full of doubts, wondering if this really was Reine��s true strength.


    Impossible!


    Even without deploying the Wizard Apprentice��s abilities, his strength shouldn��t be just this.


    Viscount Norman, watching from above, also furrowed his brow slightly.


    Huh?


    This differed from what his daughter had told him.


    It seemed that Reine��s strength was about the same as Salem��s.


    At that moment, the form of their duel in the center of the field suddenly changed!


    Suddenly, Reine��s pupils dilated sharply.


    For he had just realized that Salem��s Longsword in his right hand, initially pulled back, was now thrusting forward at an almost invisible speed.


    The attack was so swift that even though his elbow remained back, the actual strike had already reached in front of him.


    It seemed every young person who received a commendation in the ennoblement assessment had one or two trump cards.


    At this point, blocking with the heavy pig-headed hammer was too slow.


    However, this wasn��t a difficult problem for Reine, who hadn��t yet deployed his two Transcendent properties.


    Reine suddenly let go of the pig-headed hammer and, instead, reached out with his bare hands towards Salem��s Longsword.


    This scene stunned everyone!


    Was he willing to risk his hands like this?


    At the same time, Reine��s physique surged, his muscles bulging like those of a beast.


    But no matter how formidable the muscles, the body��s defensive power couldn��t possibly withstand the attack of a Peak Knight wielding a weapon! The crowd thought.


    ��Sss!��


    A shower of sparks erupted!


    But Salem��s Longsword was abruptly stopped by Reine��s bare hands.


    ��This�� it really was stopped?�� A female knight nearby murmured, covering her mouth in awe.


    Several onlookers exchanged bewildered looks, having never before seen Salem��s secret technique ��Phantom Strike�� neutralized by an opponent.


    To think he would barehandedly grab the Longsword executing a ��Phantom Strike.��


    Oh my!


    ��I don��t believe Reine��s hands are unharmed; they must be ruined, just being forcibly endured!�� Osby couldn��t help blurting out.


    ��Snap!�� Reine��s chrome iron gloves broke apart, falling to the ground.


    Everyone��s gaze concentrated on Reine��s hands.


    Unscathed!


    Not even a hint of blood.


    Maybe just a white mark��


    ��How�� how is this possible!�� Osby pointed at this scene, disbelief written all over his face!


    The rest were just as astounded!


    Evelyn, on the other hand, simply nodded slightly.


    That��s more like it!


    This was more in line with the strength she knew he possessed.

 Chapter 285 - 285: 170

    Chapter 285: 170


    Rein pushed hard, driving Salem��s longsword aside and said,


    ��A fine secret technique, Lord Salem, please continue!��


    By then, Salem, who had consecutively unleashed ��Limit Break��, his Transcendent traits of swiftness, and the ultimate move ��Phantom Strike,�� was now covered in sweat, nearly exhausted.


    He had intended this strike to secure the victory, but unexpectedly, it was foiled by Rein in a way he had never anticipated.


    ��Hmm?��


    Upon hearing Rein��s words, Salem couldn��t help but blush, and thus, gathering his last bit of strength, he resumed the fight.


    But this time, Salem was even more overwrought, and in less than ten seconds, his steps became utterly disordered due to excessive fatigue. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    This made Rein shake his head slightly.


    The ��Experience NPC�� before him had tried his best, it was time to end it!


    However, out of respect for Salem��s ��effort,�� Rein decided to finish the fight with ��Earth-splitting Hammer.��


    Suddenly, Rein��s body expanded further, exceeding six feet seven inches, his chromium knight��s suit hanging on his body like baby clothes, depicting Rein in a ��Strength Burst,�� turned into a ��Triple Stack�� state!


    That moment made Evelyn��s pupils shrink!


    Right!


    This was the form!


    This was the form in which Rein had beaten the ��Sunken Vessel�� that night!


    ��Rein, don��t go too hard!�� Evelyn called out from the side.


    She intended to rush forward to rescue, but it was already too late!


    Viscount Norman, located on the second floor of the manor, also showed a drastic change in expression, but at that moment he was too far from the training ground, even if he wanted to rescue, he was helpless!


    Thus, under the horrified gazes of all, they saw the beast-like Rein, swinging the pitch-black two-handed hammer in his hands, from top to bottom, with a screech tearing through the air, thundering down on Salem!


    Salem closed his eyes, thinking it was over!


    ��Boom!��


    But the next second, Rein slightly tilted the hammer, striking it heavily into the ground in front of Salem.


    The ground within a radius of seven to eight meters was engulfed in flying dust, and seconds later, as the dust settled, a crater resembling one created by a meteorite appeared in the center of the training ground, with the deepest part reaching over a meter and a fan-shaped area extending forward with shock.


    It wasn��t until four to five meters out that the ground leveled out without significant unevenness.


    The once high-spirited Earl��s younger son, Salem, was then hurled high into the air and spat out a mouthful of blood.


    This was still because Rein had deliberately avoided hitting him directly, targeting the ground beneath his feet instead.


    ��Thud!��


    Salem fell heavily to the ground but quickly struggled to his feet, his face showing a mix of fright and relief.


    At that moment, he truly smelled the scent of death!


    If Rein��s hammer had moved just a half meter further forward, he would have been doomed!


    Being struck by Rein��s pitch-black hammer would most likely mean no option for broken bones, mostly just a return to the goddess��s embrace.


    At that point, the observing noble youths finally reacted, rushing forward to help Salem up and quickly checking for injuries.


    However, they soon found that there were no obvious injuries on Salem��s body, indicating that the spitting of blood was only due to the aftermath of the shock.


    Though the injury was not light, it was ultimately not serious.


    Moreover, the second generation of nobles had sharp eyes, and they certainly saw that Rein had held back, not directing that last strike at Salem.


    So, their eyes were filled with awe and admiration as they looked at Rein at that moment.


    That female knight then finally closed her gaping mouth and said to Evelyn beside her, ��Evelyn, I take back what I said earlier��. this solid training ground was turned into this by Rein, he truly is not a normal person.��


    Right then, Evelyn too was staring blankly at the ground of her own training ground!


    If she had not been able to empathize when Rein shattered the thick hull of the ��Sunken Vessel�� before, since she had never struck a ship��s hull,


    But she knew just how hard the ground of her family��s training ground was, she had been training there since she was little.


    The repeatedly compacted soil there was almost as hard as ordinary rock.


    Yet it was turned into such a state by one strike from Rein!


    Meanwhile, at Rein��s side, the system prompt had appeared:


    [Your skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has improved, Experience +178]


    [You have been through a battle, Transcendent Knight Experience +69]


    ��


    Through this spar with Salem, Rein had successfully advanced his Tokkal Hammer Technique from lv4 (843/1000) to lv5 (21/2000).


    Right now, Rein was absorbing the fragmented Tokkal Hammer Technique training memories that had newly emerged in his mind.


    These memory fragments, each a separate snippet of hammer training, seemed as though Rein had personally experienced the training times, and now, he was quickly absorbing and integrating them into his muscle memory.


    Soon, Rein felt as if he had suddenly gained an additional two years of grueling Tokkal Hammer Technique practice.


    And some details of the hammer technique that he had previously overlooked were now gradually becoming clear in his mind.


    At this moment, Salem, supported by others and walking over, looked at Rein earnestly and said, ��Thank you, Lord Rein, for holding back!��

 Chapter 286 - 286 - 170: Still Need to Filter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4

    Chapter 286 �C 170: Still Need to Filter (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4


    Lord Reine came back to his senses and gave Viscount Salem a quick glance, noting his pale complexion and dejected demeanor, like a cock that had lost a fight.


    For this ��experience NPC�� who had tried his utmost and dutifully fulfilled his role, Reine still held a considerable respect.


    After all, the man had just given his all in a contest against him, providing a swell of experience that helped boost his Hammer Skill to level 5.


    Moreover, the fact that Salem could be grateful for Reine sparing him in the fight showed he was at least someone who knew when to advance or retreat.


    Therefore, Reine naturally wouldn��t hold back words of encouragement.


    ��This�� I��m sorry, Viscount Salem, you are quite strong, so I got a bit carried away just now and was a little too harsh,�� Reine said with a hint of apology.


    Upon hearing Reine��s praise and recognition, Salem��s initially downcast face suddenly reddened with excitement. He said, ��It is an honor to spar with you, Lord Reine. I hope to have the opportunity to seek your guidance again in the future.��


    ...


    Indeed, once one��s own strength far surpasses that of another, the other party would hardly feel inclined to contest too vigorously.


    And after all, young people do need the affirmation of their elders, or those like Reine who are ��strong.��


    In an instant, the idea crossed Reine��s mind.


    Perhaps he could consider befriending more young people with decent strength, and then, encourage them to spar with him more frequently.


    After all, youth and fervor signify a certain ease of motivation!


    However, Reine glanced again at the other young nobles beside Salem and slightly shook his head.


    He still needed to select carefully, discarding those who were too weak.


    At that moment, the Viscount and his wife Norman descended from the second floor of their mansion and came to the training ground.


    �����������C


    Meist County City.


    Inside the Bat Market.


    Experience tales at empire


    A store marked with symbols of stars, moons, and suns stood a tall customer draped in a black cloak.


    This person was Dennis��s father, Baron Norman.


    After nearly ten days without any response from his old friend Adams, Baron Norman felt something was amiss, so he made his way to Adams��s storefront.


    But he was shocked to find that the shop had been sealed off!


    This cast a shadow over his heart!


    ��This�� it couldn��t be that Adams slipped up!��


    ��That��s impossible!��


    ��Could it be that some unexpected change occurred, involving other masters or powers stepping in?��


    Baron Norman furrowed his brows, deeply in thought.


    ��


    Meanwhile, inside a luxurious study at Earl Harris��s count mansion. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A bearded man dressed in black noble attire with gold trim stared gloomily at an official letter in front of him, muttering to himself:


    ��Damn it, how is this possible!��


    ��That kid Reine�� not only did he pass the ennoblement examination, but he also got an excellent rating and was awarded the title of Baron. His talent�� is even more terrifying than Cleya��s!��


    ��Reine became a Baron�� he actually became a Baron!��


    ��Compared to him, my years of effort are almost a joke!��


    Just yesterday, Lamar from the Black Flame Church came to discuss with him what to do if Reine passed his ennoblement examination.


    According to what Maral conveyed on behalf of the church��s high priest, they planned to have Reine reassigned to the Fishing Port Town as a peace officer if he passed the exam.


    At the time, he had confidently stated that no matter whether Reine received the title of Knight or the nobility title, he could handle the transfer.


    But he hadn��t anticipated the slap in the face to come so swiftly. Now that Reine was conferred the title of Baron, the job transfer was no longer within his power to decide.


    His father��Earl Harris��would surely summon Reine personally.


    All the arrangements he had made with the Black Flame Church were rendered void!


    How infuriating!


    The key issue was that Reine��s growth had been too rapid, exceeding everyone��s expectations!


    This couldn��t continue!


    Alonso��s expression grew increasingly somber as a decision formed in his heart.


    ��Michel! Arrange a carriage, I need to go out.��

 Chapter 287 - 287 - 171: The Rebel Conspiracy

    Chapter 287 �C 171: The Rebel Conspiracy


    Before, although he wanted to participate in the Black Flame Prayer Ritual, his intention was merely to borrow a bit of divine power to enhance his own strength. Explore new worlds at empire


    Alonso did not wish to fully undergo the transformation by divine power!


    Although such a transformation could grant immense strength in an instant, he was well aware of its dangers.


    He would not choose this path unless it was a last resort.


    Additionally, the last Black Flame Prayer Ritual did not proceed smoothly, so even if he wanted to undergo the divine power transformation, he would have to wait for the next ritual.


    Thus, this time Alonso was going to a place, to meet a secretive person.


    And under normal circumstances, he would not be too willing to meet such a person.


    ...


    This person was a spy embedded in the Meister County, belonging to the organization known as ��Zaral��s Rebellion��, named ��Magis��, but clearly, this was an alias.


    On the other hand, meeting with a spy from the rebellion also posed great risk for Alonso.


    After several turns, the carriage arrived in front of a low but heavily fortified building, next to the door of which were written in large letters ��Meister County Prison��.


    After alighting from the carriage, Alonso was escorted to an office once the guards reported his arrival.


    Before long, a middle-aged man dressed in the uniform of the prison guard captain appeared, followed by a trusted guard, and upon seeing Alonso, he revealed a slight smile.


    He looked around the room to confirm that Alonso was alone and then instructed his trusted guard to stand by the door, warning that no one was to enter.


    Immediately after, he closed the office door.


    ��Look who��s here, none other than the distinguished Baron Alonso himself. Could it be that you��ve already decided to���� Magis said with a face full of smiles.


    Alonso waved his hand dismissively and said, ��Listen, Magis, to prove your strength, I need you to kill someone for me, a newly appointed Knight named Rein.��


    ��If you can handle this, I might be able to help a little with the deal you mentioned last time.��


    Upon hearing Alonso��s words, Magis looked visibly happier, which showed a noticeable softening in Alonso��s attitude from before.


    However, Magis suddenly found it odd, thinking that if the target was merely a new Knight, the Baron here would not have trouble dealing with him.


    So, Magis, wary, asked, ��Baron, is this Rein merely a new Knight?��


    Alonso pondered for a moment and said, ��This Rein is quite strong for his young age. I believe he now has at least the strength of a seasoned Knight.��


    ��Oh? A seasoned Knight? Haha, a piece of cake. Don��t worry, my Lord Alonso, we will take care of this.�� Having heard that the target was a seasoned Knight and not just any new Knight, Magis was relieved that they were being asked to intervene due to the target��s commendable strength.


    ��Just don��t forget what you promised us,�� Magis reminded.


    ��Of course!�� Alonso stood up, ready to leave.


    But just as he was standing up, he offered a reminder:


    ��Oh, and one more thing, I should remind you that the target previously killed a Black Flame Apostle. So I suggest you don��t take him lightly. Otherwise, if you suffer a significant loss, don��t say I didn��t warn you.��


    ��Hmm? Killed a Black Flame Apostle? My Lord Alonso, are you sure it was an Apostle, not just a monk?�� Magis��s expression became serious, and he asked.


    ��Yes, it was an Apostle,�� Alonso nodded.


    ��That might indeed complicate things, requiring some effort, but no major issue.�� As a veteran who had been in Meister County for nearly two years, he naturally knew about the Black Flame Church and was aware of the strength varying among its different ranks.


    ��Speaking of which, there is another piece of news I should tell you. This Rein recently received outstanding marks in the Knighting Exam organized by Mingster Province a few days ago and was granted the title of Baron.��


    ��Don��t you always wish to weaken the Empire��s power? This is a good opportunity to simultaneously eliminate a promising new Baron,�� added Alonso, thinking that to prevent any further complications, he should reveal Rein��s latest status openly.


    ��What?�� Magis��s expression changed dramatically, and he couldn��t help but exclaim. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Lord Alonso, is there any other news you haven��t fully shared with us?�� Magis now looked at Alonso with suspicion, wondering what Alonso��s true intentions were in approaching them.


    It was unlike Alonso to trickle out information about the target, frustrating anyone to no end.


    ��That��s all. Rein should currently be on his way back to Flashgold Town, coming from Rosby County,�� Alonso said.


    ��But as a sign of concern for our allies, I do hope you send capable people to handle this. Otherwise, if he gets a chance to grow further, he might become a major trouble for you later on,�� Alonso shrugged.


    ��Thank you for your concern, my Lord Alonso, please rest assured. If any problem arises, we will take responsibility for it,�� Magis said, somewhat relieved having heard there was no more news.


    He had just felt that he had fallen into a trap set by Alonso, agreeing to the demand before being led by the nose, the difficulty of the task rising step by step.

 Chapter 288 - 288 - 171 Rebellion Plot_2

    Chapter 288 �C 171 Rebellion Plot_2


    However, fortunately,


    this Rein was merely a Peak Knight!


    Relying on the forces stationed near Meister County, he should be completely manageable.


    On the other side, Alonso was also very satisfied with what Magis had just said.


    As for why not hire an assassin organization?


    The difference was that hiring an assassin, once failed, Rein would realize immediately, and it would be very easy to backfire.


    With the rebellion forces, this was an advantage.


    ...


    They themselves were a magnet for attracting firepower, even if they failed, Rein could not trace it back to himself, and instead, they could divert Rein��s attention through the rebellion forces.


    At the office door, Magis watched Alonso��s departing figure and fell into thought.


    ��It seems I need to make contact outside the city.�� Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Although the organization and Alonso are mutually using each other, him contacting us already violated a taboo, and soon he will realize that other than boarding our ship, he has no way back.��


    Magis pulled out a piece of stone emitting a faint aqua glow from his bosom and murmured softly.


    Before long,


    a gray falcon rapidly flew toward the mountains outside of Meister City.


    ��


    To the east of Meister City lay a large area of undulating hills that stretched endlessly, a slightly muddy forest road led eastward.


    This road was the necessary route to Fishing Port Town, but this area was lush with vegetation and dense with trees, concealing numerous bandit gangs.


    Among them was a group holed up in an abandoned mine, the Zaral rebel forces�� stronghold in Meister County.


    Meister County had also tried to eliminate these bandit gangs but failed due to the overly complex terrain.


    A gray falcon swiftly flew into the secluded mine!


    If one could shift their gaze to the gray falcon at this moment, they would discover a hidden paradise within the mine.


    After passing through a dark tunnel over a hundred meters long, a spacious underground hall appeared before it, fires were lit all around, with many mercenaries dressed as robust men gathered in small groups.


    Some of them were cleaning matchlock guns, and if Rein could see these, he would find them almost identical to those he had seen on ��Shipwreck�� last time.


    Others were gathered around a knight in plate armor, listening intently.


    ��Over the two millennia of imperial rule, corruption has gradually taken hold internally, with many nobles in various regions now harshly exploiting the people��.��


    ����Following the frequent outbreaks of mysterious incidents, it collapsed under the last straw, which is why we, the Zaral Rebel Forces, were founded, to overthrow the corrupt rule of the Empire and establish a new, enlightened nation considering the people like the Eagle Federation����


    Such preachings were not limited to this place.


    At least four or five groups within the hall were either discussing or listening to something.


    ����For the sake of a new nation, we must not fear death and resist the Empire! Moreover, many nobles actually support us. You see those matchlock guns; they can quickly level the combat power gap between us and the imperial troops.��


    Some of these people appeared fervent, while others seemed suddenly enlightened, exhibiting a variety of expressions.


    Nearby in the underground hall, a single room was crafted using the recesses left from the original mining with some partitions added.


    Inside, two robust men were chugging red wine, and a lot of the red crystal-clear liquid spilled from the corners of their mouths, running down their necks, dispersing a strong aroma.


    At their feet lay about ten wooden crate boxes, decorated with the pattern of a kite shield and something akin to rose blossoms, neatly filled with bottles of Bordeaux vintage wine.


    ��Tsk tsk��This operation went well, posing as bandits and snatching a cartload of precious twenty-year Bordeaux vintage.�� said a bearded burly man with a chuckle.


    ��We can still sell the remaining wine, turning it into weapons and military funds!��


    ��It��s all thanks to being well-informed from the city, otherwise, we wouldn��t have known such valuable vintage was in an inconspicuous merchant convoy.��


    Then, a gray falcon flapped down beside a nearby cage.


    ��Ah! Another message has arrived.��


    The burly man walked over, removed a small bamboo tube from the falcon��s leg, took out a small paper slip inside, and started reading it.


    In a moment, he turned to the other robust man and said, ��Margen, looks like we have work to do. The city wants us to kill a guy named Rein, supposedly a tough one, a Peak Knight, so they want us all out.��


    ��He should currently be traveling from the south of Rosby County to Flashgold Town, and that road is not far from here.��


    ��.


    �����������C


    Rosby City.


    Continue your adventure at empire


    Viscount Norman��s mansion.


    Rein politely declined Viscount Norman and Evelyn��s invitation to stay longer, mounted a strong black horse, and began his journey back.


    When Rein returned to the spot where he had met Hass previously, a mix of emotions surged in his heart.


    A week ago, he had ventured in drizzling ice rain in cold and damp weather to Rosby City to participate in the accreditation assessment, feeling hopeful yet apprehensive about the road ahead.


    But now, as he resumed his journey home, the winter sun bathed the path in front, the winding trail through the forest no longer dark and damp but seemed like a road strewn with shattered gold.

 Chapter 289 - 289 - 171: The Rebel’s Plot_3

    Chapter 289 �C 171: The Rebel��s Plot_3


    ��.


    Four days later, Rein set foot on the final stretch of his journey. In less than half a day��s travel, after crossing this range of hills, he would arrive at Flashgold Town.


    From the standpoint of territorial boundaries, Rein was already on the fringes of Flashgold Town.


    Upon embarking on the path toward Flashgold Town, Rein felt a sense of solidity, and�� an urge to share his joy with his parents.


    They would never expect that in just a few days, they had become the parents of a Baron.


    Thinking this, a smile involuntarily rose to the corners of Rein��s mouth.


    Flashgold Town.


    ...


    A luxurious carriage stood parked at the doorstep of the Rein residence, flanked by two Cavalry guards at the front and back. Both the carriage and the breastplates of the Cavalry bore the noble crest, a Kite Shield adorned with a rose-like flower.


    A slender noble girl stood dismayed in a white dress, stepping out from the Rein household and walking towards the carriage. The girl was none other than Jenny.


    Soon after boarding, Jenny frowned and said to the noble lady inside the carriage, ��Mother, Lord Rein still hasn��t returned�� The delivery deadline is approaching. What should we do?��


    Although the Lady Crowley Baroness had weathered many storms, the current predicament left her unusually vexed.


    As the Crowley family had grown wealthy through wine trading, they were overjoyed and saw it as a major business opportunity when several nobles from County Town requested a batch of top-level Bordeaux vintage.


    However, just a few days prior, as the Crowley family prepared to transport this batch of Bordeaux vintage from the Eagle Federation from Fishing Port Town to County Town, it was unexpectedly hijacked.


    The two family retainers who were responsible for the convoy, both of whom were the Crowley family��s only remaining Knights in their forties or fifties, were left one dead and one critically injured.


    When news of this first broke, it struck the Crowley Baroness like a bolt out of the blue!


    Immediately after the incident, the Crowley Baroness and Jenny had made one trip to Rein��s house, but returned in disappointment upon learning Rein had gone to Rosby City for his ennoblement examination.


    Since ��Wild Wolf Hills�� nearby was teeming with bandits, the Crowley Baroness had gone several times to both the City Guard and County Town��s security office but failed to convince them to dispatch forces to extinguish the bandits and recover the goods.


    When she sought to hire a mercenary group, she found not a single one in County Town capable of undertaking such a formidable task.


    As the deadline loomed closer,


    Should it arrive, the Crowley family would immediately need to pay double the goods�� value in compensation to these nobles. It was no exaggeration to say this would severely wound the Crowley family��s vitality.


    ��Perhaps, we must seek out Baron Alonso���� the Crowley Baroness��s brows furrowed tightly. When she uttered these words, to Jenny, it sounded more like self-encouragement.


    ��Mother, let us wait a bit longer, who knows? Perhaps tomorrow Lord Rein will return,�� Jenny consoled.


    She knew Alonso had always harbored ill intentions towards her mother.


    If her mother sought him out, it would be tantamount to throwing herself into the tiger��s den.


    ��Very well, we��ll wait one more day; otherwise, even if Rein returns, it will be too late to recover the goods,�� the Crowley Baroness nodded, her worries still evident.


    Normally, it wouldn��t be such a coincidence to not be there today, and return the next.


    Meanwhile, as Rein made his way along the narrow path, his eyes narrowed suddenly, he tugged at the reins, bringing his black horse to a halt. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He sensed something was off��about twenty to thirty meters ahead, on either side of the road, tens of people were hidden within the dense forest. Clearly, it was an ambush.


    Though Rein didn��t know if he was the target, he had no desire to find out what being ambushed felt like.


    ��Come out!�� Rein called out sternly.


    A few seconds passed.


    Yet the opposition remained hidden in the forest, unresponsive.


    However, Rein��s acute perception detected the faint sound of ��sizzling,�� and his level 3 ��danger perception�� began to warn him subtly.


    He immediately realized what it meant and swiftly dismounted his warhorse, dashing into the nearby woods for cover.


    Suddenly!


    ��Bang bang bang!�� Multiple matchlock gunshots rang out.


    This response ignited a flame of anger in Rein!


    Seeing they had missed Rein, it seemed as though several people in the forest let out disappointed sighs.


    Right after, a rustling sound ensued as a group of sturdy men wielding various weapons and dressed in chainmail and leather armor burst out of the forest.


    Rein��s gaze instantly fell on the four or five individuals holding matchlock guns, along with the four or five leading men clad in plate armor.


    Indeed, matchlock guns!


    Five Knights?


    No, one seemed to be a Peak Knight��


    But none of that mattered!


    What mattered was Rein��s mood had soured!


    Anyone who is suddenly ambushed when nearly home would be in a foul temper.


    Especially when the assailants employ a sneak attack!


    Rein simultaneously drew the boarhead mace from his back while muttering something.


    Shortly, light refracting in the air faintly revealed something different within a few meters around Rein��s body.


    It was the witchcraft ��High Temperature Field��!


    In the next second, Rein charged out of the forest and directly toward his adversaries!


    At that moment, only a satisfying spree of slaughter could quell Rein��s wrath!

 Chapter 290 - 290 - 172: What a Big Hole

    Chapter 290 �C 172: What a Big Hole


    Rein burst out of the dense forest, his body swelling to over two meters in height, with the chromium iron Knight armor looking like children��s clothing on his frame.


    What was originally a comical scene became terrifying the moment it caught the eyes of the elite rebel forces!


    This was Rein, who had released ��Limit Break,�� activating the Transcendent attributes ��Huge Strength�� and ��Strength Burst�� to enter a ��Triple-State��!


    This time, he employed a completely different strategy from the one he used in his previous clash with Salem.


    Because his purpose was different.


    Last time, it was to gain experience in the Tokkal Hammer Technique, but this time��


    Rein only wanted to vent the rage in his heart!


    ...


    Looking at the formidable Rein charging towards them with such speed made Andre, the leader of the rebel forces, his pupils shrink sharply!


    He knew their target was tough, but he hadn��t expected this level of difficulty.


    Besides, just because you��re a Peak Knight does that mean I��m not one? Andre thought to himself.


    Then Andre also let out a roar, his muscles bulging, transforming into a muscular man a shade shorter than Rein, and charged forward with his sword and shield raised.


    Huh, a Strength-type Knight?


    Indeed, in terms of strength, he seemed to have never feared anyone within the same rank.


    ��Earth-Splitting Hammer!��


    Rein, using the momentum of his sprint, leapt into the air and swung his dark, two-handed hammer from above, bringing it down with a dull humming noise towards the muscular giant charging at him,


    ��Ah!!!��


    Facing Rein��s earth-shattering strike, Andre let out a roar, his eyeballs bulging as if they were about to burst from their corners!


    He mustered all his strength, lifting his heavy steel shield with his left arm to block the blow from Rein��s hammer!


    ��Clang!��


    A flurry of sparks and a piercing clang of metal on metal erupted between the hammer and the shield!


    The next instant!


    ��Boom!��


    The heavy steel shield shattered into pieces, flying like shrapnel in all directions! Several of Zaral��s elite rebels were struck by the fragments and fell silently to the ground.


    As for Andre, the impact from Rein��s hammer had sent him into the ground as if he had been slapped by a hill giant ten meters tall, with half of his body buried and his left shield arm grotesquely twisted!


    If Salem were here, he would surely remark how, even among Peak Knights, the gap could sometimes be unimaginably wide!


    ��Ah!!!��


    At this point, Andre had lost all will to fight, screaming in agony as the injuries he sustained weren��t limited to his broken left arm��the shock that came from the shattered shield was the most lethal.


    The force rippled through him, severely damaging almost all the cartilage and tendons at his joints, and this was despite his formidable Peak Knight��s physique.


    Had it been an ordinary Knight, their spine could have been shattered by the impact!


    Seeing this scene, Andre��s trusted lieutenant Magis let out a roar and, waving his greatsword, charged at Rein, trying to stop him from further harming Andre!


    The other rebel elites hesitated for a moment before springing into action, clumsily rushing to rescue their leader from the ground.


    At this moment, Rein��s lips curved into a smile!


    After one hammer blow sent Magis stumbling back several steps,


    The next second, Rein raised his hammer high and used the ��Earth-Splitting Hammer�� again, slamming it heavily onto the ground in front of Andre.


    All within an eight to nine-meter radius were enveloped in dust, and those coming to help��whether Knight, squire, or elite��were all flung up into the air, some bleeding from the mouth due to the distance, others spewing blood profusely.


    Seconds later, as the dust settled, there appeared a crater in the middle of the road, resembling the aftermath of a 155mm howitzer shell with the deepest point reaching around one meter twenty, spanning a vast fan-shaped area and extending forwards.


    Only after six or seven meters did the ground return to its normal slope.


    Andre, who had narrowly escaped death by hammer, vomited blood while looking at Rein with fear in his eyes, his expression devoid of the confidence and spirit he had upon arrival!


    ��Is this what a Peak Knight is?��


    ��Damn, so this is all the strength of a Great Knight!�� Andre roared in his heart and cursed the one who had sent the message to him mercilessly.


    If that person had been here, Andre had half a mind to eat his heart alive!


    In fact, this couldn��t really be blamed on ��Magis��, the spy in the prison��


    Rein, without hesitation, quickly switched his Pig Head Hammer to the Glimmering Greatsword and, with the momentum of a fierce tiger, charged into the midst of those disheveled and defeated soldiers, slashing wildly.


    Soon, Rein left only five knight-level leaders, including Andre and Margen, alive as captives. After severing the tendons in their hands and feet, he dragged them into the nearby dense forest for interrogation.


    With screams echoing one after another, a quarter of an hour later, Rein wiped the blood off his hands, his expression grim.


    The group that had attacked him turned out to be people from the Zaral rebellion.


    He immediately remembered the time in the forest near Rosby City when he had saved Hass, which had been supported secretly by the Zaral rebels. He didn��t expect that at his doorstep, he would encounter the elite of the rebellion.


    Why did they attack him?


    The muscular leader said it was an order from above, and the specifics were unclear. After repeated interrogation, Rein confirmed that the men indeed seemed to be unaware of the reason.


    He learned some information about the Zaral rebels and sent all of these people to embrace the goddess.


    These people turned out to be Zaral rebels stationed in Meister County, and moreover, their base was in a nearby abandoned copper mine in the ��Wild Wolf Hills.�� There were no longer any personnel as powerful as Peak Knights there.


    The strongest was just a senior knight left behind to guard the place; the elite of the mine had been mostly taken out with them.


    Initially, upon hearing this news, Rein couldn��t help but feel puzzled. The strength of this Zaral rebel force stationed in Meister County seemed weak. Is this it? What could they do against the empire?


    Rely on those few matchlock guns that seemed to be imports from the Eagle Federation?


    They might be okay for dealing with elite forces of ordinary humans, but against proper knights? Better save the effort!


    Wait, was it possible that they had a master in their midst, and this was a ruse to lure him in?


    After another round of interrogation, Rein came to understand that it wasn��t that the Zaral rebels lacked stronger people.


    It was because the overall development of the rebellion was mainly along the coastal cities with developed maritime trade, and it was gradually spreading to the surrounding and inland areas.


    For the Zaral rebels, although Meister County had a part of its territory by the sea, like Fishing Port Town, it wasn��t a mainstream commercial port, so in the rebellion��s plans, it was considered second-line.


    This explained why the highest combat power of the rebels in Meister County was just a Peak Knight.


    Furthermore, their main mission wasn��t to fight the empire or even to cause disturbances; their current orders were to win over nearby bandit gangs, gather supplies, build up strength, and wait for the next command.


    Unfortunately, they didn��t expect to be nearly wiped out by Rein in one fell swoop.


    Rein quickly contemplated. If only a senior knight was left watching over their base, wasn��t this the perfect opportunity to uproot them entirely?


    Even if they wanted to rebuild, it would take a considerable amount of time and effort.


    Rein looked up at the position of the sun. It was almost noon, and the abandoned mine wasn��t far from here. It should take him only half a day to get there and back. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Spending half a day to uproot Zaral rebels�� base in Meister County sounded good!


    Having made up his mind, Rein immediately hid his two horses in a secret spot, then quickly headed toward the abandoned mine he had learned about during the interrogation.


    A quarter of an hour later, a small merchant caravan consisting of three wagons passed by the area. Seeing the huge pit on the ground, the coachman couldn��t help but look surprised.


    After reporting, a caravan leader wearing a thick waistcoat stepped down from the carriage, looked closely at the huge pit on the ground, and then looked up at the sky, muttering to himself:


    ��Strange, I didn��t hear about any meteorite falling recently!��


    ��How did such a big hole suddenly appear!��


    ��What a hassle!��


    ��Quick, get some people to fill in the hole a bit, we��ll go around.��


    The middle-aged man gestured with his hand.

 Chapter 291 - 291 - 173: Seems Like Another Big Deal Has Been Accomplished!

    Chapter 291 �C 173: Seems Like Another Big Deal Has Been Accomplished!


    After more than an hour of trekking, Rein soon found the abandoned mine that the Zaral rebellion forces used as their stronghold, nestled in undulating hills.


    Rein had previously engaged in a brief battle, and despite its short duration, the full-throttle explosion along with the use of the secret technique ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� twice had significantly drained his physical energy.


    Now, after another hour of a ��forced march��, his physical condition had dropped to about 60 to 70 percent of its peak.


    Although Rein already knew that there were no strong figures guarding the enemy, there was an old saying from his past life, ��Pride goes before a fall,�� and furthermore, there was no guarantee that the rebels hadn��t made any sudden personnel changes.


    Thus, after a moment of consideration, Rein decided to add a point to his Spirit Attribute to quickly recover his physical condition.


    As the remaining attribute points dropped from 2 to 1, and his spiritual power increased from 24 to 25 points, a surging heat flow pumped from his heart, rapidly spreading to his limbs and body.


    Instantly, Rein felt his condition return to its peak, and the muscle soreness from earlier exertions also vanished.


    ...


    Since this abandoned mine was the enemy stronghold in the entire Meister county, Rein remained very cautious, meticulously exploring the vicinity of the mine entrance first.


    Soon, Rein discovered two guard posts, one overt and one covert, and three hidden traps that could easily ensnare an unwary intruder.


    Indeed, the rebels were not some poorly disciplined bandits; their military training might not match that of the Empire��s regular army, but they were not devoid of combat ability, roughly between the militia and the City Guard.


    Thus, Rein quietly neutralized the two guard posts, bypassed the traps, and then slowly made his way into the mine.


    After eliminating two patrols, Rein passed through a dark, damp mine tunnel and arrived at a spacious underground hall.


    The hall, three meters high and roughly two to three hundred square meters in area, was likely a former intersection of several mine tunnels which had been further excavated and renovated.


    Fires were lit all around the hall, with about thirty burly men dressed as mercenaries huddled in small groups��some chatting, some oiling their longswords, and some wiping shiny matchlock gun barrels.


    Part of the group stood around a knight in plate armor, listening intently to him.


    Rein��s eyes narrowed as he took a longer look at the knight in plate armor.


    It seemed this person was the stay-behind knight mentioned by the rebel leader, possessing the capabilities of a seasoned knight.


    Seconds later, Rein shifted his gaze from the individuals to the surroundings of the underground hall. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein discovered that the hall connected to at least four deep tunnels.


    It appeared that Rein was right to have cautiously infiltrated, as his chosen tactic had proven effective.


    If he had barged in forcefully, even if he had managed to fight his way here successfully, those in the underground hall might have scattered and fled, and likely many would have escaped.


    After all, it was hard to ensure that all four tunnels didn��t lead to the outside.


    Furthermore, he was alone and couldn��t possibly intercept or eliminate dozens of rebels on the spot.


    Suddenly, a thought flashed through Rein��s mind like a bolt of lightning.


    Rein gently raised his left hand. Since his chromium armor glove had been damaged in his bout with Salem, he now stood with his bare palm exposed, his gaze focused on his little finger.


    There sat what appeared to be an emerald ring, but in reality, it was a ring filled with hallucinogenic poison gas.


    Rein had never used this item since he filled it with poison gas at the Bat Market, but he hadn��t anticipated such an ideal opportunity to use it today.


    Rein remembered, Endri had also used it in the Elim Mine.


    The very first time he was going to use it would also be in a mine.


    How ironic��


    Rein couldn��t help but laugh, then shook his head slightly.


    Pity that Endri wasn��t a hero.


    ��Otherwise, I would definitely say ��Great minds think alike!���� Rein thought to himself.


    After sniffing the antidote in advance, Rein lightly pressed the needle-sized trigger on the side of the emerald ring and with a ��click,�� the colorless, odorless poison gas was instantly released and spread.


    After estimating the timing, Rein then drew the Glimmering Greatsword and calmly stepped forward.


    At the edge of the underground hall, several burly men who saw Rein��s sudden appearance, changed their expressions abruptly and yelled:


    ��Who are you?��


    ��How did you get in here!��


    As these men shouted, all members of the rebellion in the underground hall were alerted.


    They all looked up, fixing their eyes on Rein.


    Facing Rein, this uninvited guest, they immediately took up battle stances, but as they started to stand, they staggered and fell!


    Their faces instantly turned pale!


    The veteran knight, after taking four or five steps, wavered slightly, and glared at Rein with a steely gaze, saying:


    ��Did you poison us?��


    Rein nodded and said, ��Yes, I did!��


    ��Despicable fellow, lacking in skill, you resort to such dirty tricks!��

 Chapter 292 - 292 - 173: Seems Like Another Big Deal Has Been Accomplained!_2

    Chapter 292 �C 173: Seems Like Another Big Deal Has Been Accomplained!_2


    ��Die!��


    With the roar came a powerful, forceful strike from the knight��s longsword!


    Indeed, as a seasoned knight, Endri��s poison gas tactics had little effect on seasoned knights.


    It merely slowed the opponent��s speed and accuracy.


    However��


    The opponent clearly underestimated Rein��s strength.


    Assuming Rein used poison because he lacked in strength.


    ...


    Already less skilled than Rein, even slightly affected by the poison, this further widened the gap between their strengths!


    ��Clang!��


    The swords clashed!


    The next second, the sound of a blade cutting into flesh rang out.


    ��Ptui!��


    In just one encounter, Rein��s blade had penetrated the opponent��s right shoulder joint, slicing upwards and severing it completely.


    A forearm holding a knight��s longsword flew into the air!


    ��Ptui!��


    Another sword strike saw Rein take a sidestep to the seasoned knight��s left rear side, quickly chopping down at a weak spot behind the opponent��s kneecap armor, severing one of his legs.


    ��Ah! Who exactly are you?��


    ��Ah! Why are you attacking us?��


    The head of the rebel guards screamed out in pain while incessantly asking questions.


    But Rein did not pay attention.


    It was you who attacked me first.


    Thus, naturally, you must endure the pain of my retaliation! Rein thought to himself.


    Seeing this spectacle, other rebel elites turned as pale as death!


    Their own boss, a seasoned knight, had been taken down in two moves and was now wailing in a pool of blood.


    Their strength, naturally, was even inferior.


    Seeking to save their lives, many began to try and get up, planning to run towards the tunnels around them.


    But after being poisoned, they now staggered like drunkards, falling down as soon as they got up, then struggling to rise again only to fall down under the stimulation of their survival instincts.


    After repeating this several times, most of them could no longer stand up, their expressions either blank or frightened, and they began to babble incoherently.


    Clearly, the hallucinogenic poison gas had started to act quickly among these people!


    Rein nodded to himself, observing this scene. The hallucinogenic poison gas was effective against a large number of ordinary people, avoiding the awkward situation of overkilling.


    At that moment, except for a few prospective knights who could still struggle a bit, the rest were like meat on a chopping block.


    After sparing a few who clearly looked like rebel leaders, Rein killed off the others one by one with his sword.


    Immediately after, Rein began to search the area.


    As this was a base for an organization, there was a rich reserve of materials �� stacks of smoked meat, loads of cabbages, potatoes, and other food.


    In a small room used as an armory, various weapons were displayed, such as knight��s longswords, shields, dual-handed greatswords, and several brand-new matchlock guns.


    Seemingly having thought of something, Rein, originally planning to check the next room, stopped in his tracks, turned back into the small room, and picked up a matchlock gun.


    Although Rein was not very familiar with matchlock guns, after seeing pirates during the ��Shipwreck�� battle, who had to light a matchlock before firing, he knew it was a primitive type of firearm.


    It seemed that according to the development course of his previous life, after matchlock guns came flintlock guns?


    Rein shook his head slightly because that was not his focus.


    What he had noticed was the barrel of the matchlock gun.


    In the moment he turned to leave, the corner of his eye was caught by the shiny barrel, the craftsmanship of which seemed quite unusual��


    It looked like some kind of stainless steel! S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had heard last time that these matchlock guns all came from the Eagle Federation��


    Indeed, after a closer inspection of the barrel, Rein confirmed his suspicion.


    Considering the manufacturing technique of this barrel, the metallurgical level of the Eagle Federation was high, which sparked many thoughts in Rein.


    After a moment of contemplation, Rein took down the matchlock guns.


    He planned to study them slowly after returning home.


    When Rein entered another separate compartment nearby, upon entering, he saw a few bottles of Bordeaux aging on a table and the wine in the wooden cup shimmering like a ruby.


    He could not help but shake his head and exclaim:


    ��Tsk tsk, the living conditions of the rebels are quite luxurious,�� he remarked.


    ��Eh? Isn��t that the Crowley family��s crest?�� Rein glanced unintentionally and spotted that familiar pattern �� a kite shield adorned with a rose-like flower on the surface of a wooden crate loaded with Bordeaux vintage.


    Undoubtedly, it was the Crowley family��s emblem.


    This immediately made Rein frown.


    Could it be that the Crowley family was connected to the Zaral rebels?


    No, that can��t be right!


    The image of Baroness Crowley, with her voluptuous and beautiful figure, slipped into Rein��s mind inadvertently.


    The matriarch of the Crowley family wouldn��t be that foolish.


    If she supplied wine to the rebels, even an idiot would know to erase your family��s crest thoroughly.


    Could someone have purchased it from the Crowley family��s store and then supplied it to the rebels?


    Forget it, why guess randomly when I can just ask directly.


    Luckily, I didn��t kill all of these people!


    Only after questioning a few leaders again did Rein realize.


    It turned out that these precious Bordeaux vintages had come from bandits disguised as rebels, looted along the way.


    This means that these ten or so wooden crates of Bordeaux vintage should indeed belong to the Crowley family.


    It seemed that on this occasion, the Crowley family had suffered a significant loss!


    After briefly taking inventory of the supplies within the base, Rein looked at the large pile of goods before him and couldn��t help but fall into thought.


    Since I am just one person, obviously, no matter how strong, I cannot carry so much back to Flashgold Town.


    Additionally, it is best to erase any traces, which means I should blow up this abandoned mine.


    The nearly a thousand Gold Coins found should naturally be taken, and these few matchlock guns too. As for the Bordeaux vintage��


    I might as well take them all.


    Who else but myself serves as the guardian knight of the Crowley family!


    Rein discovered that one day he would actually be troubled by too much loot.


    It seemed this was the only way.


    Rein utilized the flatbed cart found within the base to transport the Bordeaux vintage and some of the more valuable goods to a spot near the mine, concealed and marked them.


    Then he returned and carried several kegs of gunpowder to the middle section of the narrow mine tunnel and connected them with a fuse before igniting it.


    As Rein swiftly fled the mine, seconds later, a dull explosion sounded from the entrance of the mine, followed by a powerful blast that swept up the surrounding leaves and stones.


    After doing all this, Rein began his journey back to where he had hidden his horse.


    The sun set in the west, a thin mist rose over Flashgold Town, shimmering in the sunset like a thin golden veil.


    When Rein arrived home, he saw his sister Bo He playing with their greyhound ��Cookie�� in the front yard.


    Since Anna had left, his sister Bo He had been sullen for quite some time.


    Fortunately, as ��Cookie�� grew up, it was gradually able to accompany Bo He in her play.


    Thinking of this, Rein couldn��t help but think of the intelligence potion. As for the ingredients, he had already prepared them in Rosby City��s Nightingale Market. He planned to make it when he found time, perhaps even further enhancing ��Cookie��s intelligence.


    ��Brother, Brother is back!�� With the increasingly distinct sound of hooves, Bo He suddenly looked up, stunned for a moment, then joyfully shouted.


    ��


    Dinner time.


    The Rein family sat around the wooden dining table.


    ��Rein, you say you��re now a baron?��


    Emma, his mother, dropped her wooden spoon with a ��clang�� into her soup bowl, splashing some vegetable broth, her eyes widening in shock as she stared at her son.


    Although she knew her son had gone to participate in the noble investiture exam, she had only ever hoped that he might pass and become a distinguished knight lord.


    How could Emma have imagined that her son could skip two ranks and become a baron directly!


    Good heavens!


    Goddess above!


    Old Rein��s jaw also dropped in disbelief, looking at his son.


    He never thought that he would one day be the father of a baron!


    Only sister Bo He seemed a bit bewildered, flapping her long eyelashes, peering at her brother, then turning to their parents.


    Judging by the expressions of her parents, Bo He could be sure of one thing.


    That was that her brother Rein had done something remarkable once again!

 Chapter 293 - 293 - 174 Magis’s Surprise

    Chapter 293 �C 174 Magis��s Surprise


    In the midst of shock, the Rein family��s dinner was still ongoing, although the atmosphere had turned a bit strange.


    It was like winning five million in a lottery in a previous life, where the whole family would be very happy.


    But if they had won a billion, the family would, amidst their happiness, start to think a lot, especially the adults.


    At that moment, old Rein and Emma��s minds were still in chaos, bombarded with various thoughts.


    For instance, what should she wear if she became the mother of a baron?


    Additionally, what manners and behaviors must be noticed to not disgrace Rein?


    Would other nobles ridicule them as country bumpkins?


    ...


    ��


    Only sister Bo He continued to eat joyously as always.


    Suddenly, Bo He��s big eyes fluttered twice, as if she had thought of something, and said, ��Oh yes, brother, that beautifully dressed Jenny sister came looking for you today.��


    ��I told her you weren��t in, and then Jenny sister didn��t say much and just left.��


    ��Hmm?�� After thinking, Rein nodded, indicating he understood.


    ��.


    Meanwhile.


    In Meist County City.


    In a luxuriously decorated study on the second floor of the Baron Norman��s mansion.


    Baron Norman, clad in noble hunting attire, frowned as he looked at a stack of documents on the desk.


    On these pages, one name appeared over and over again��Rein.


    Then, a knocking sound came from the door.


    ��Enter!�� Baron Norman��s eyebrow quirked as he spoke.


    His son Dennis entered with a joyful expression, saying, ��Father, I feel I��ve touched upon a certain bottleneck; I should be able to try taking an advanced magic potion now.��


    Hearing this news, Baron Norman managed a slight curve on his face, saying, ��Not bad.��


    However, Dennis was deeply disappointed inside. He had been expecting high praise from his father, not just a calm utterance of the words ��not bad.��


    In the scene he imagined, when his father showed high approval, he would take the opportunity to bring up the matter of an alliance through marriage with the Crowley family.


    Lately, while using Divine Blood for his training, he had often thought of Lady Banon Crowley, quite a beauty.


    But now, the reality was far different from what he had expected.


    Dennis didn��t dare say anything; he read his father��s expression, which although still as emotionless as a statue, allowed Dennis, as his son, to sense that his father��s mood wasn��t that great.


    Thinking over, just as he was about to inquire, out of the corner of his eye, Dennis suddenly noticed the familiar name on the desk documents��Rein!


    Huh?


    All these documents are about Rein?


    Dennis��s pupils suddenly constricted!


    He then realized that his usually strong father was troubled by this farmer��s son!


    Dennis was a bit puzzled.


    This matter, hadn��t his father said it was handled by an almost infallible old friend?


    Why��.


    Lips mumbling, Dennis eventually asked, pointing to the documents on the table, ��Father�� is there a problem with this?��


    Baron Norman��s expression darkened, he sighed and nodded.


    This made Dennis feel even more anxious.


    Another problem indeed!


    Damn!


    The heck, could this farmer��s son be the illegitimate child of Lady Luck?


    His family had dispatched numerous people time after time, yet none could finish him off!


    ��Father, how�� how is this possible!��


    ��Didn��t you say your friend once even had a record of killing a Great Knight?��


    ��Even if your friend��s strength has waned, killing a full-fledged knight should be as simple as slaughtering a chicken, right?��


    Upon hearing his son��s question, Baron Norman didn��t immediately reply; he had been pondering this issue just moments ago.


    The study fell into an eerie silence for a moment.


    After a long pause, Baron Norman seemed to have organized his thoughts, only to hear his deep voice begin:


    ��The other day, since I hadn��t received any news from Adams, I felt concerned and decided to check on his shop.��


    ��As I expected, there was a problem.��


    ��Then, I obtained this information through a few friends who hold positions in the functional departments.��


    Saying this, Baron Norman pointed at the documents on the desk.


    Dennis immediately reached out, picked up a document, and saw a passage that appeared to be copied from some official document:


    ����.Ten days ago, fugitive Adams, sought by the Empire, was successfully killed in a coordinated siege by Hamilton, the security chief of Flashgold Town, Deputy Chief Rein, and dozens of elite Night Watchmen����


    ��A coordinated siege?�� Dennis murmured upon seeing these words.


    No wonder it failed; it was an ambush!


    Dennis seemed to find a reasonable explanation.


    After all, the Empire��s semi-military force��the Night Watchmen��isn��t some uncoordinated group of bandits, but a tactically cohesive fighting collective, where one plus one surpasses two.


    Of course, the main reason was the significant decline in his father��s old friend��s strength��


    Just as Dennis was lost in thought, Baron Norman added a sentence that was almost ��shocking��!


    ��Moreover, I��ve received the latest news from Alonso that this Rein has just passed the nobility investiture exam of Mingster Province and has been granted the title of a baron!��


    ��What!��


    ��A baron???��


    Hearing this news from his father, Dennis��s eyes suddenly bulged like walnuts, and his wide-open mouth could almost fit an entire roast chicken.


    Dammit, can things be this outrageous!


    He was still taking pride in being able to consume advanced magic potions when this commoner suddenly transformed into a noble!


    And a baron at that!


    This was the same title as his father��s!


    This former commoner��s status had now surpassed that of his own, a baron��s son!


    At this moment, Dennis felt the towering ��sense of superiority�� he had always harbored, utterly collapse!


    ��Impossible, this can��t be possible! There must be a mistake!�� A few seconds later, Dennis, red-faced and chest heaving, emotionally retorted.


    ��The imperial dispatch arrived at the county town two days ago, handled by Alonso, and the relevant documents have been handed over to Count Habbs,�� Baron Norman stated calmly, without any rebuttal.


    Like being doused with a bucket of ice water, Dennis shook a few times then immediately calmed down. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He knew that even if his father and Baron Alonso could make mistakes, Count Habbs wouldn��t; the empire wouldn��t��


    The thought of having to salute Rein first and address him as ��Lord Baron�� in the future made Dennis feel sicker than if he had eaten lukewarm dog feces!


    After being dazed for quite a while, Dennis finally snapped back to reality, reluctantly asking, ��Father, what do we do now����


    ��Later, I will find a friend.��


    Hearing this, Dennis barely restrained the urge to question his father; still looking for a friend?


    However��


    Pausing, Baron Norman continued, ��If that fails, I will directly propose a ��bloody duel�� to Rein!��


    At this statement, Dennis��s spirits soared, he had long wanted his father to act and directly eliminate this farmer��s son.


    As for why his father couldn��t openly challenge Rein to a duel earlier, he understood that too clearly.


    Because a noble challenging a commoner to a duel would be condemned by other nobles and even the imperial senate.


    Moreover, the crucial point is, a commoner could refuse such an unfair duel request.


    But now that Rein has become a baron, equivalent in rank to his father, it made the duel suddenly feasible.


    Moreover, among the nobles�� duels, there��s ��bloody duel�� and ��ordinary duel,�� the ordinary duel ends when one party admits defeat, whereas a bloody duel ends only with death!


    However�� a bloody duel must be approved by the local governor, and it needs to take place in a specified location under the supervision of numerous observers.


    ��Father, are you confident?�� Dennis, although having absolute faith in his father, who had a rich and fierce battle record, couldn��t help but ask.


    ��I recently paid a hefty sum for a secret potion, and now there is news from the Imperial City that a potion master is willing to make it. Once I consume this potion, it will heal my internal injuries and restore my peak combat strength.��


    Baron Norman didn��t directly answer Dennis.


    ��That��s great! If you can regain your peak condition, Father, Rein will undoubtedly lose!�� Dennis exclaimed excitedly, his face flush with excitement.


    ��Alright, I need to step out.��


    ��.


    Baron Norman was then seen riding in a carriage to a heavily guarded low building��Meist County Prison.


    Baron Norman alighted from the carriage and, after being announced by the guards, found himself in an office.


    Soon, Magis, the middle-aged man dressed in the prison warden��s uniform, appeared.


    Upon seeing Baron Norman��s arrival, a trace of almost imperceptible surprise flashed across Magis��s eyes.


    Why are several nobles from Meist County suddenly interested in contacting their Zaral Resistance all at once?


    After some pleasantries, Baron Norman stated his purpose:


    ����.So, if your organization can eliminate this newly appointed Baron Rein, then the previous request made by your organization can be agreed to by the Norman family,�� Baron Norman said gravely.


    Magis was so surprised that he almost exclaimed!


    But his years of experience as a spy managed to suppress this impulse.


    Rein again?


    What exactly had Rein done?


    Why did both Alonso and the Baron Norman here want him dead?


    If he is as they described, then�� could there be a way to assimilate Rein into the organization? An idea suddenly crossed Magis��s mind.


    After all, faith is something that can brainwash, no, can be converted!


    Magis calculated the time; it had been five days, and surely within a week, there would be a result.


    Moreover, he hadn��t expected that one issue could serve two favors; thus, confidently gesturing with an index finger, he said:


    ��Of course, no problem, one week! Baron Norman, I can give you a definite reply within a week!��


    Baron Norman looked at this liaison for the resistance with a scrutinizing gaze; he always felt that just a moment ago, the other��s look was strangely peculiar.


    Moreover, the other��s response was too certain, so certain that he somewhat didn��t believe it.


    After all, he had come here with an attitude of just giving it a try��


    Years of naval combat experience told him that the most reliable thing was still one��s own strength.


    Once he returned, he would still rush the secret potion.

 Chapter 294 - 294 - 175 Earl Harris (Two in One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 294 �C 175 Earl Harris (Two in One Mega Chapter)


    After dinner, Rein, back in his room, checked the system prompts from the previous two battles:


    ��.


    [Your skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has been enhanced, Experience +112]


    [Your skill, Giant Bear Sword Technique, has been enhanced, Experience +32]


    [Your skill, High-Temperature Force Field, has been enhanced, Experience +11]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +69, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +12]


    Whether as a knight or as a wizard apprentice, he was steadily improving.


    ...


    Rein thought carefully and felt that even though he was already a second-level wizard apprentice, since he had never found any wizard schools or organizations, his combat strength was still primarily that of a knight��s path. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He tentatively estimated that the ratio was about sixty-forty, with the knight��s combat strength accounting for about sixty percent of the overall strength, while the wizard��s was about forty percent.


    Of course, this did not mean that the wizard, accounting for only forty percent, could be taken lightly.


    For example, during the battle with the Flesh Tree Spirit, if he did not have the wizard side��s strength enhancement but replaced it entirely with knight strength, it was likely he would not have been able to win.


    Next, Rein planned to go to Master Ganther��s to study swordsmanship further, as part of advancing on the knight��s path.


    Once he passed the Sword Bearer��s assessment, Rein had a premonition that he would likely be able to touch upon the empire��s formal powers related to the mystical side.


    ��


    Early the next morning, when it was barely light, Rein heard the barking of the Lintian dog ��Cookie�� from the front yard.


    ��Woof woof!��


    Rein stood up, looked out of the second-floor bedroom window, and saw a familiar carriage parked at the front door, with the slender noble girl Jenny stepping out of the carriage.


    It seemed the Crowley family was more anxious than he had anticipated, Rein thought to himself.


    He quickly donned a waistcoat and hurried downstairs.


    ��Lord Rein, you are finally back!�� Jenny, who was about to knock on the door, saw it swing open, and a familiar figure appeared before her, exclaiming with surprise.


    ��Miss Jenny, good morning,�� Rein nodded and said.


    ��Lord Rein, my mother is also in the carriage. Could you now���� Jenny began to say something but hesitated, her slender fingers nervously pointing at the carriage.


    ��Of course, I can!��


    Rein raised an eyebrow; he had not expected the Baroness of the Crowley family to come as well.


    It seemed the matter was more serious than he had thought.


    Upon entering the carriage, Rein smelled a rich scent of rose perfume. He looked up and saw the Baroness, as ravishing as ever, only with a hint more worry on her forehead, slightly furrowed brows.


    Seeing Rein, her watery eyes were filled with anticipation.


    ��Lord Rein, I��m so relieved to see you!��


    ��Madam, good morning. Have you encountered some trouble?�� Rein gently bowed in greeting.


    Although Rein had a suspicion, the trouble that the Crowley family faced was likely related to the rebels.


    Still, he wanted to hear the Baroness��s account first, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation.


    ��Ah! The Crowley family has run into a big trouble�� The loss of this batch of goods means we have to pay double the compensation, and I��ve calculated that to be about two thousand imperial gold coins����


    ��This could nearly deplete the Crowley family��s liquid assets�� But the biggest issue is, the wine industry is fiercely competitive, and our rivals will kick us while we��re down����


    Hearing this, Rein nodded slightly.


    He virtually confirmed that the difficulties the Crowley family faced were due to the heist of the Bordeaux vintage.


    How ironic!


    The beautiful woman continued her story:


    ��So, I hope you, Lord Rein, can assemble a team to retrieve this batch of goods for the Crowley family. We will pay double for the recruitment of the personnel and your reward,�� she said, her eyes welling with tears, looking at Rein with hope.


    At this moment, Jenny��s eyes also reddened, as she had been accompanying her mother in reaching out in many directions these past days to no avail.


    She deeply realized that if a family did not have strong military support, relying solely on wealth accumulated from business was like a fat cow waiting to be slaughtered.


    She also understood why her mother had previously inquired about the newly risen commoner knight, hoping to find a commoner with a strong knightly talent to persuade him to marry into the Crowley family.


    ��Madam, there��s no need to worry so much. Perhaps, we can go retrieve those goods right now.��


    ��What?�� Both women��s eyes widened in astonishment, looking at Rein in disbelief.


    ��However�� perhaps it would be more appropriate to arrange a flatbed truck for transporting the goods,�� Rein suggested, glancing at the luxurious carriage and smiling.


    Seeing the confused looks on the faces of the two women, Rein did not keep them in suspense any longer.


    He briefly recounted how he had been ambushed on the way, countered the attackers, and eventually made his way into their stronghold, where he happened to come across the lost Bordeaux vintage.


    Rein did not conceal from the two women the behind-the-scenes black hand��Zaral��s rebels.


    Suddenly, Rein felt a fragrant, soft body throw itself into his arms.


    It was the Baroness of the Crowley family, unable to contain her joy at recovering the loss, who hugged him, crying tears of happiness!


    Rein suddenly stiffened!


    At that moment, Rein really wanted to say, ��Madam, you might be underestimating your allure to the opposite sex!��

 Chapter 295 - 295 - 175 Earl Harris (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 295 �C 175 Earl Harris (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Since Lagaray had left, Rein hadn��t craved meat for many days.


    At this moment, smelling the mature scent of a woman emanating from Lady Crowley, the baroness, and catching sight of vast expanses of milky white skin at her neck, Rein felt a surge of heat rise from his lower abdomen, immediately making his mouth dry and tongue parched.


    ��Oh my!�� The baroness suddenly let out a low exclamation as something seemed to poke her abdomen. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next second, the beautiful matron released Rein, her eyes cast downward in a slightly shy manner.


    She gently brushed away the strands of hair falling beside her ear, saying, ��Lord Reine, I��m truly so embarrassed, I was just too overjoyed just now, please forgive my lapse in composure.��


    Rein also coughed, to mask his embarrassment.


    If he had known, he would have worn his plate armor before coming out�� now, clad only in a waistcoat and unable to conceal anything��


    ...


    It was then Rein took a proper look at Lady Crowley standing before him.


    The noblewoman was dressed in an elegant off-the-shoulder light purple gown adorned with lace fringes. Her white fur shawl had been set aside, perhaps due to the warmth inside the carriage.


    Because the shawl was not worn, a large expanse of white, smooth skin at the neck was exposed, and a golden brooch barely managed to fix the towering bodice of the gown in place.


    It offered a silent seduction!


    A woman��s skin is very sensitive.


    The beautiful matron immediately felt that Lord Rein opposite her was eyeing certain parts of her body, but she didn��t shy away, instead she subtly straightened her slender waist.


    That was too much for Rein to take!


    Additionally, he confirmed one thing��that ��small branches bear large fruits�� did indeed exist.


    The atmosphere inside the carriage suddenly took on an improper vibe.


    If Jenny hadn��t been there, perhaps��


    At that moment, Jenny glanced at her mother before looking down at Rein��s waist, promptly turning her head to stare outside the window as her cheeks reddened.


    Despite this, Rein managed to calm the heat stirring within him and, after a brief thought, said, ��Madam, let��s arrange for people to go and retrieve the goods that rightly belong to the Crowley family.��


    ��Eh�� right now? Okay, I��ll arrange it immediately���� Lady Crowley raised her head to look at Rein, then quickly averted her gaze, saying.


    After spending half the day, Rein led several trusted individuals from the Crowley household to a concealed location to retrieve the Bordeaux vintage, and while there, also moved the other spoils of war that belonged to him.


    When Rein climbed back into the carriage, he saw the voluptuous Lady Crowley, who seemed more radiant than in the morning due to her affairs being settled, her lovely face was beaming.


    ��Lord Reine, I��m truly so grateful to you. If it weren��t for you����


    Rein waved his hand, cutting off what she was about to say with a smile, ��I am the guardian knight of the Crowley family, madam. You are being too formal.��


    ��Oh yes, madam,�� Rein continued, ��it just so happens I have a matter that I may need to consult with you on.��


    ��Lord Reine, I dare not presume to teach, but please, do tell,�� Lady Crowley hastened to say, waving her hand.


    ��It��s like this, I wanted to ask about the design of noble emblems��is there some sort of customary regulation? A couple of days ago, I was just made a baron of the empire, so����


    ��What!�� Two exclamations interrupted Rein��s following words.


    Lady Crowley and Jenny both had their eyes wide open, their expressions incredulous as they gazed at Rein.


    Rein had become a baron?


    How could that be?


    How could it happen so quickly!


    A myriad of questions suddenly flooded the minds of the two women.


    ��Lord Reine, did you say�� you��re a baron now?�� Lady Crowley was the first to recover and immediately asked, not minding whether it was presumptuous or not.


    ��Yes, a couple of days ago, I participated in the nobility ennoblement examination in Mingster Province and earned a distinguished evaluation, so I was granted the title of baron,�� Rein nodded and explained succinctly.


    Lady Crowley nodded in understanding, ��That makes sense! But Lord Reine, you really are remarkable. I heard that the passing rate for the ennoblement exam is less than half, and yet you managed to earn a distinguished evaluation, it��s truly impressive.��


    Listening to the beautiful woman��s praise, Rein still felt quite pleased inside.


    ��Regarding the emblem design, you really shouldn��t worry too much. In my opinion, baron is certainly not your final destination. As a title changes, one can redesign a family emblem, which is permitted by the empire.��


    ��So, you just need to tell me which symbols you like, and I can help you with some suggestions.��


    ��I see,�� Rein nodded.


    Of course, baron was not his end goal. Knowing that he could change the family emblem as his title elevated, that made things much easier.


    Rein then shared the rough idea he had in mind, crossing his arms as he spoke, ��Could a greatsword and a two-handed warhammer be crossed over each other?��


    ��Certainly, the two weapons each signify a type of combat skill you��re proficient in. The only concern is whether other nobles have already claimed such an emblem. If it��s taken, I suggest adding an additional symbol,�� the elegant woman detailed.


    ��Like water, flame, forest, or other such symbols,�� she added.


    ��Hmm, if it��s a repeat, then just add a ring of flames around the edge of the two weapons,�� Rein gestured.


    ��That��s a great idea,�� she commented.


    ��By the way, Rein, now that you��ve earned the barony, the empire will arrange an estate for you. However, you��ll have to take care of decorating it and hiring servants on your own. See, these miscellaneous affairs, would you like me to prepare them for you first?��

 Chapter 296 - 296 - 175 Earl Harris (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 296 �C 175 Earl Harris (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    The beautiful lady apparently thought of something and took the initiative to speak.


    Rein knew that the other party intended to repay him for today��s incident.


    ��Hmm? Is there also a mansion included as a gift? If the lady can help, that would be fantastic,�� Rein��s eyes lit up.


    ��Yes, that��s right, haven��t you met Count Harris yet? Normally, you should receive an invitation from the Governor of Meister County��Count Harris��very soon,�� the lady said with a light chuckle.


    ��Indeed, I only returned to Flashgold Town last night and haven��t even had time to report back to the town,�� Rein shrugged and said.


    ��That explains it. After Count Habbs receives you, soon, you, the rising new Baron, will become known to all the nobles of Meister County. I imagine you will be overwhelmed with visits and invitations,�� she said.


    Baroness Crawley seemed to envision some lively scene and couldn��t help but cover her mouth and giggle.


    ...


    Hmm?


    The thought of the nutrient-free social interactions among the nobility gave Rein quite a headache.


    He was still wholly focused on improving his strength; there was no time to deal with this.


    ��Oh, by the way, you will need to recruit a reliable, experienced butler for your new mansion, otherwise a lot of things can become quite troublesome for the master����


    This made Rein��s already furrowed brow tighten even more!


    There were just too many trivial matters!


    Handing these things off to his parents was clearly impractical.


    As for an experienced butler?


    He had no clue at the moment.


    Recruiting some servants was easy, but experienced butlers, who were very important in any family, were usually trained from a young age, much like the servant boys at the Habsburg estate.


    The astute beautiful lady, upon seeing Rein suddenly furrow his brow, guessed something and said, ��Do you have any difficulties? Perhaps I can help with these trivial matters.��


    When Baroness Crawley took the initiative to inquire, Rein thought to himself, yes, professional matters should be left to professionals.


    Baroness Crawley might not be good at combat, but she was quite adept at family management and business dealings.


    ��Indeed, lady, I would love to push all these social engagements aside. Moreover, I really can��t think of where to find a butler who is both trustworthy and capable,�� Rein said with a wry smile.


    ��Giggle~�� The lady and Jenny couldn��t help but cover their mouths and laugh when they saw Rein��s rare wry smile.


    ��Look, how about I temporarily take on the role of housekeeper until you find a suitable one?�� Baroness Crawley said with a smile.


    ��That would be wonderful, but it may be a bit demeaning for you���� Rein said, looking at the beautiful lady.


    Although Rein was not very clear on some matters, he did have some understanding.


    Normally, it was not unusual for the wife of a Knight or a noble to serve as the housekeeper for a higher-ranking noble, such as a Viscount or at the count��s mansion.


    But it was quite rare for the wife of a Baron to take up a housekeeper role, unless it was for a Marquis or even a Duke��s family, but the highest-ranking title in the entire Meister County was Earl.


    ��It��s just a temporary measure. Compared to your previous help for the Crawley family, these are all trivial matters,�� she said.


    ��Ah, Lord Reine, I also plan to gift you one of the Crawley family��s shops as a token of thanks. The family currently has a tailor��s shop, a bakery, and a blacksmith��s shop in the county town����


    Rein, who was about to decline, paused when he heard the familiar words ��blacksmith��s shop,�� swallowed the refusal that was almost on his lips, and reconsidered.


    After thinking it over, Rein said:


    ��Lady, I am particularly interested in the blacksmith��s shop, but in terms of forging rather than managing. So, I think the operations of the blacksmith��s shop should still be handled by the Crawley family, and we can split the profits. However, I might often forge some weapons or the like, which may affect the normal operations of the shop. Just giving you a heads-up,�� he said.


    ��Hmm? Lord Reine, are you very interested in forging?�� The beautiful lady looked at Rein in surprise, then exchanged glances with Jenny beside her.


    ��Indeed, I am very interested,�� Rein nodded.


    Rein felt there was nothing shameful about it; even if he became a Duke one day, as long as the blacksmith��s profession panel existed, forging would still be an essential course for him!


    ��Lord Reine, perhaps you don��t know, my late father, Baron Crawley, was a senior armor caster. He once wrote two volumes on armor casting techniques, which, perhaps, you could take a look at when you have time,�� Jenny said from the side.


    ��Hmm?�� A spark of interest flashed in Rein��s eyes. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A senior armor caster?


    Books on Armor Casting Technique?


    ��That��s wonderful! Lady, Jenny, I��ll first pay a visit to the Hamilton sheriff��s office, and after a while, how about we head to the county town together?�� Rein was eager to see the books.


    Perhaps he had a hunch that the blacksmith��s subsequent professional path might include armor caster as a likely option.


    ��Of course.,�� the beautiful lady said with a smile.


    ��


    At the administrative hall in Flashgold Town, in the sheriff��s office.


    ��My lord, I��ve returned!��


    Seeing it was Rein, Hamilton��s face lit up with joy. He rose immediately from the large desk and approached Rein, looking him over before asking:


    ��Rein, did you succeed?��


    ��I did. With excellent evaluations, I was granted the title of Baron!�� Rein said with a smile.

 Chapter 297 - 297 - 175 Earl Harris (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 297 �C 175 Earl Harris (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��`


    ��Fantastic! Rein, you always manage to surprise me! Eh? You said you��ve been granted the title of Baron? The results are out? How could it be so fast!�� Hamilton said with surprise, bombarding Rein with several questions in a row.


    ��Yes, the results came out in just three days! I have no idea why it was so quick, but�� it seems that the official announcements for other people��s evaluations haven��t been issued yet.��


    Rein recalled that the red-haired girl, Evelyn, should also have received an excellent evaluation, but she still hadn��t received any notification from the Empire.


    ��Eh? Could it be that they made a special case for you? Good lad! No, now that you��ve been granted the title of Baron, I should be calling you ��my lord��!�� Hamilton suddenly realized and said.


    Hamilton looked at Rein, filled with emotion!


    It had been less than half a year since he met Rein, who was then a mere page boy. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    But now, he was a Baron!


    ��My lord, you jest,�� Rein promptly waved his hand and said.


    ��Right, tell me briefly about the ennoblement examination. I��m very curious as to how you could receive special treatment from the Empire,�� said Hamilton, a lord who had only received a ��good�� evaluation himself, his interest piqued.


    Rein nodded and summarized the key points of the event for Hamilton.


    For instance, how he used the explosion of the ammo storage on a three-masted sailing ship to destroy ��The Wreck��, and how this time, he most likely ranked first in the ennoblement examination and so on.


    Hamilton listened intently, thoroughly engrossed, and it took him a while to digest what Rein had said. Then, he followed up with a question, ��So, does that mean you received the Sword Bearer��s invitation as well��?��


    As Hamilton looked on with hopeful eyes, Rein nodded and said, ��I have received it. In about three months, I must go to Mingster for the Sword Bearer selection.��


    ��That��s great! Rein, well done!�� Hamilton patted Rein��s shoulder heartily.


    ��Right, I almost forgot about an important matter.��


    ��Yesterday, Count Habbs sent someone with an order, hoping you could visit his mansion after you return.�� While speaking, Hamilton turned around and handed Rein a sheet of paper that resembled a letter.


    ��That works out, I was planning to visit County Town shortly, so I��ll first pay a visit to Count Habbs.��


    ��Hmm, after you settle some things, come find me again. I have a friend who would like to ask for your help with a mysterious event,�� said Hamilton.


    ��But I haven��t agreed yet. I��d like to hear your opinion first.��


    ��Very well, my lord, then I shall make my way to County Town first,�� Rein nodded in agreement.


    ��


    Having arrived at the County Town in the Crowley family��s carriage, Rein decided to make his first stop at Count Habbs��, and afterward, to visit the Crowley family to study the late Baron Crowley��s writings on the Armor Casting Technique.


    Soon, the carriage pulled up to the extensive grounds of the Count Mansion.


    This was Rein��s first visit to Count Habbs�� mansion. Although in a sense, he had been connected to the Habbs family from early on, it was only today that he had the chance to meet the most influential person in the whole of Mingster Province.


    Not a Viscount, but an Earl, and one with the prefix��hereditary.


    The weight of a hereditary Earl, even by the standards of the entire Dragan Empire, was no small matter.


    Moreover, Count Habbs was special due to the deep trust he had from the Empire��s upper echelons. After the previous Governor of Mingster Province was reassigned, Count Habbs took over the position, further deepening his influence.


    So for Rein, a newly minted Baron, many affairs were inextricably linked to this noble lord.


    However, when it came to his feelings about the Earl, Rein couldn��t quite say they were good or bad. It was rather interesting that Cleya, one of Habbs�� offspring, was on good terms with him, while Alonso had a feud with him.


    ��`


    In a lavish study, Rein had his first encounter with Count Habs.


    The man was an elderly gentleman whose hair was meticulously groomed. Although his forehead was smooth and plump, showing no wrinkles or age spots, the white in his hair indicated that he was no longer young.


    Dressed in a black, gold-embroidered noble hunting outfit, he looked extremely proper. Even the pattern of the Caly bird on his chest was woven entirely out of gold threads, exuding a subdued sense of luxury.


    To Rein, the overall impression Count Habs gave was one of steadiness, authority, and inscrutability, as if he were facing a volcano about to erupt, always a bit on edge.


    ��Good day, my lord Count,�� Rein bowed respectfully.


    ��Hello, Baron Rein, please take a seat,�� a smile appeared on Count Habs��s face as he nodded to Rein.


    ��Rein, I��ve heard that you��ve achieved an excellent evaluation in the recent ennoblement assessment of Mingster Province and were awarded the title of baron by the Empire, which greatly surprised me!��


    ��Your performance was very impressive.��


    ��Thank you for your compliment, my lord Count,�� Rein said with a slight bow and a smile.


    ��The reason I asked you here is twofold, to meet you and to inquire about your plans moving forward.��


    ��Rein, would you be interested in becoming the captain of my guard?�� Count Habs shifted the conversation with a smile.


    Rein was taken aback!


    The captain of the guard?


    This position was out of the ordinary, a sign of the great trust Count Habs had in him.


    Indeed!


    According to his r��sum��, he had been born and raised in Flashgold Town.


    In the eyes of Count Habs, he was considered a local, born and bred, worthy of cultivation and trust.


    Unfortunately, his current ambitions were no longer limited to just Meyest County.


    In some ways, the experiences and sights available to Rein with the Southern Sea Fleet would be far greater than what he could encounter in Meyest County.


    Clearly, Rein could only politely decline the olive branch extended by Count Habs.


    ��Thank you for acknowledging me, my lord Count, but I am truly sorry, I would like to take advantage of my youth to improve and hone myself further afield.��


    Count Habs looked deeply at Rein, paused, and said, ��The eaglet always yearns to spread its wings and soar to a wider sky, I understand that feeling, Rein. You have no need to apologize, I was the same when I was young.��


    ��Since that��s the case, in light of the excellent performance you showed during the ennoblement assessment, bringing honor to Meyest County, I shall give you three choices for your appointment.��


    ��The first option is to become the deputy officer of public safety in County Town, mainly responsible for the day-to-day and nighttime patrols within the town.��


    ��The second option is to become the judicial officer in charge of Meyest Prison.��


    ��The third option is to serve as the Governor and constable of Fishing Port Town, where pirates are rampant and the pressure on public safety is immense. I need a strong individual to take charge there.��


    Hmm?


    Three choices for himself?


    Immediately, Rein started to ponder his options.

 Chapter 298 - 298 - 176: Lady Baroness Crowley’s Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 298 �C 176: Lady Baroness Crowley��s Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    After some consideration, Rein initially leaned towards the third option, which was to assume the position of Governor and Marshal of Fishing Port Town.


    The reason was simple: there would be plenty of battles waiting for him there!


    And through battle, he could achieve significant advancement.


    However, Rein hesitated because he did not yet understand the strength of the enemies Fishing Port Town was facing.


    As for why the appointment was primarily for Governor and secondarily for Marshal?


    Hamilton had mentioned this to Rein during their conversation before.


    Generally speaking, the marshals of the empire��s small towns are mainly Knights, occasionally they may be Squires or even Knights Bachelor, like Hamilton belongs to the latter category.


    ...


    But it was quite rare for a Knight Bachelor to serve as a marshal.


    And if a Baron were to serve as marshal, it would carry an obvious demotion connotation.


    Therefore, as Baron Rein, a normal appointment could not possibly be just the marshal of a small town.


    However, it was different for a Governor, who handled all the affairs of a small town and was the top authority.


    And it was not uncommon for Barons to serve as Governors of small towns.


    However, Rein was now considering another issue.


    Although it was not difficult for him to choose among the three options presented by Earl Habbs, the problem now was that he actually wanted to continue serving as Hamilton��s deputy in Flashgold Town.


    Because Rein��s next plan was to head to Golden Coast to study swordsmanship with Master Gandal for a while, continuing as the deputy marshal of Flashgold Town would allow him the greatest chance to shirk duties, as Hamilton would handle many matters for him.


    But if he chose to take the position in Fishing Port Town, it meant that he would not be able to travel to the Golden Coast in the short term.


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to be frank with Earl Habbs:


    ��My lord Earl, regarding the appointment, I hope to postpone it for a while, as I am currently at a stage of increasing strength, so I would like to study swordsmanship under a master swordsman. So����


    At this point, Rein felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, as Earl Habbs��s gaze was fixed on him.


    After all, from a certain perspective, Rein was already going against the wishes of his superior.


    Especially since the other party had given him the courtesy of choice.


    Following a brief silence in the room, Earl Habbs finally spoke.


    ��All right, I��ll give you one month. However, in that case, I��ll arrange your appointment directly. In a month��s time, Rein, you��ll go and become the Governor and Marshal of Harbour Town.��


    Upon hearing the last sentence, Rein��s face lit up with joy; he hadn��t expected Earl Habbs to ultimately secure this position for him.


    ��Of course, thank you for your understanding and support, my lord Earl.��


    After discussing these matters, Earl Habbs suddenly changed the subject with a smile, ��Rein, I hear you and Cleya have known each other for quite some time?��


    ��Hmm?�� Rein immediately realized that the Earl before him must have thoroughly investigated him.


    It made sense��Habsburg Manor also belonged to the Earl, whether it was the estate��s Knight steward Lloyd, the swordsmanship instructor Perez, or even the Chief Maid Shadia.


    If they knew that Earl Habs wanted to learn about him, none would dare not to report truthfully.


    Considering this, it seemed that Earl Habbs��s agreement to let him go to the Golden Coast might still be due to Lady Creya��s influence.


    ��Uh�� yes, my lord Earl, in a sense, Lady Creya is indeed a mentor on my path as a Knight,�� Rein candidly replied.


    ��Haha, very good, Rein, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can always come to me. Remember, Meister County will always be your home.��


    ��That will be all for today, as I have some matters to attend to. Regarding some minor issues, my steward Henrik will assist you with them.��


    ��Of course, thank you for your understanding and assistance, my lord Earl,�� Rein said, bowing slightly.


    The Earl Habbs then rang a bell on his desk. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Ding-a-ling-a-ling!��


    Soon, an elderly man dressed in a tailcoat entered and led Rein to a room on the first floor.


    Earl Habbs��s steward, Henrik, was actually a noble with the title of a baronet.


    Rein nodded politely.


    This reminded Rein of an ancient saying from his previous life, ��Even a steward in the prime minister��s house was a seventh-grade official.��


    It seemed that in any human society, with a solidified power hierarchy, the situation was pretty much the same.


    When steward Henrik opened the door, Rein raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    He had not expected the room to contain a model resembling a giant sandbox, which clearly depicted the terrain and layout of the entire County Town, with major streets marked in detail.


    Especially the noble estates area, which was simulated with little wooden houses, exquisitely crafted, almost to the scale of a proportionate reduction.


    ��Baron Rein, these are the available estates; you may choose at your leisure,�� steward Henrik pointed at the three little wooden houses marked with white labels, saying.


    ��Thank you!�� Rein nodded and took a closer look.


    The noble estates area also had a hierarchy.


    The outermost circle was for Knights and baronets, who were not considered true nobility in the eyes of some upper-class nobles. They were the most numerous, but in the highly valuable County Town, their estates were also the smallest.


    Moving inward was the domain of Barons, who in County Town were considered the core force, significantly fewer in number than Knights and baronets.

 Chapter 299 - 299 - 176: Lady Baroness Crowley’s Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 299 �C 176: Lady Baroness Crowley��s Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Further inside, lie the viscounts�� mansions, numbering only five or six, resembling larger and more luxurious villas in small wooden house style.


    And at the very center, like stars clustered around the moon, naturally stands Earl Habs Mansion, the land under Lord Rein��s feet at this moment, spanning the most extensive area and boasting the greatest luxury.


    Within the baron-tier, Lord Rein��s gaze slowly swept over and quickly noticed the mansion marked with ��the Crowley family.�� Not far from it, roughly three mansions away, there was a white tag indicating a temporarily vacant baron��s mansion.


    After a moment��s thought, Lord Rein pointed to that one and said, ��Would this be alright, Lord Henrik?��


    ��Of course, as long as you like it, my lord Baron.��


    ��Then it��s this one!��


    ��Very well, by the way, Baron Lord Rein, since you don��t have an estate yet, shall I register it as the Baron Rein family mansion, if that��s alright with you?��


    ... S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Of course,�� Lord Rein nodded.


    In the Empire, for male nobles without their own lands, they are generally referred to as ��Lord plus name�� or ��barony plus name.�� For example, others could call Rein, ��Lord Rein�� or ��Baron Rein.��


    However, once they have their own land, for instance, if Rein��s estate were named ��Normandy,�� the formal address would primarily be ��Baron of Normandy.��


    Of course, the two previously mentioned forms of address can be used in informal occasions without any issue.


    About estates, this aspect was a bit different from Rein��s memory of his previous life. In the Dragone Kingdom, titles ranged from duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron, lord to knight.


    Nobles do not receive estates upon their initial ennoblement unless it is through inheritance.


    To acquire one��s land, one must exchange the corresponding Merit Points. The Empire��s aim in doing this was to encourage the noble class to continue serving it.


    Also, to strictly limit the nobles�� annexation of peasants�� lands.


    The Empire has strict limitations on the size of territories for all ranks of nobility within the imperial borders. For instance, the maximum land area for an earl within the Empire is one thousand hectares.


    Thus, when a particular earl��s estate reaches this limit, they can no longer exchange Merit Points for more land.


    Count Habs�� estate, for instance, includes Habsburg and the northern region of Flashgold Town, and it��s said to have reached the upper limit for an earl.


    But for an earl, this area isn��t considered large, as it doesn��t even encompass a small town.


    However, to motivate these nobles, the Empire issued the Pioneering Regulation, where Merit Points can be exchanged for pioneering orders of different levels, allowing them to claim large tracts of land outside the imperial territory, as long as they hold a pioneering order.


    ��Additionally, Baron Lord Rein, every year you will receive 1% of the profits from Elim Mine, obtain exemption from Imperial Public Order Management regulations, so long as it��s not murder��.�� Steward Henrik listed the benefits one by one.


    Lord Rein listened and nodded along.


    He finally had his own exemption rights!


    It was a feeling akin to a serf finally turning over a new leaf.


    Moreover, do not underestimate the 1% annual income from Elim Mine; that alone amounted to nearly one thousand imperial gold coins.


    ��Being a baron grants you a seat automatically in the Meister County noble council��.�� Steward Henrik continued.


    Rein wasn��t too interested in these details.


    His aim was clear: to acquire resources more conveniently through advancement in imperial office or an increase in noble rank.


    These resources included those necessary for advancing further along the paths of wizardry and knighthood that he wished to pursue.


    ��That��s everything. If Baron Lord Rein has any questions, please feel free to inquire at any time,�� Steward Henrik said.


    ��Thank you for the information, Lord Henrik.��


    ��By the way, Baron Lord Rein, would you like to inspect your mansion now? In case there are any issues, I can help you make a timely exchange,�� Henrik inquired.


    ��Ah�� that would be good!�� Lord Rein nodded.


    It was perfect timing, as Baroness Crowley and Jenny should still be waiting for him in the carriage. Having them help him check over the place couldn��t be more appropriate.


    ��


    The group quickly arrived at the baron��s mansion Lord Rein had chosen and began to tour the property.


    It was a three-story, standalone villa located in the middle of the noble residences, occupying approximately three to four hundred square meters with the main building. The front courtyard spanned over three hundred square meters, and the rear courtyard was a staggering fifteen hundred square meters.


    The vast size of the backyard was primarily due to its training grounds and a stable that could accommodate ten horses.


    Thus, the total area of the villa was about two thousand square meters.


    What Lord Rein valued most was the training grounds in the backyard, similar to the one he saw at the Crowley family��s place last time.


    It hadn��t taken long for him to have his own private training ground, which made him quite happy.


    As for the stable, it was quite necessary for Rein at the moment, especially since he was currently feeding growth potions with mutations to his black horse.


    Upon the clean and tidy training ground, Lord Rein couldn��t help but pull out his Glimmering Greatsword with enthusiasm, performing a set of the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    ��Whirlwind Slash!��


    ��Smooth Cleaving Slash!��


    ������


    The bold and resolute movements, coupled with the smooth flow of the technique, dazzled the pair of women watching from the side.


    After inspecting the training ground, the group went inside the villa to tour from the first floor up to the third. Lord Rein found that the County Town administration had maintained the estate very well.

 Chapter 300 - 300 - 176: Lady Baroness Crowley’s Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 300 �C 176: Lady Baroness Crowley��s Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Basically, everything that needed fixing had been fixed. Lord Reine touched the wooden handrail and found it smooth and like new.


    Seeing this, the butler Henrik couldn��t help but laugh. ��My lord, the County Town administration has designated staff to clean this place every three days, so you can move in at any time.��


    Lord Reine nodded. ��It��s indeed well-maintained. Lord Henrik, thank you for bringing me here. I��ve decided on this one.��


    ��Very well, my lord, Madame Baron Crawley, Miss Jenny, the Earl has some matters that require my attention, so I will take my leave now.�� Butler Henrik bowed slightly as he said his farewells.


    Before leaving, he gave Lord Reine a knowing smile that only men understand.


    This left Lord Reine quite speechless; he was indeed innocent.


    ��Lord Reine, when do you plan to move in?�� Baroness Crawley flirted with her hair as she spoke.


    ...


    After a moment��s thought, Lord Reine responded, ��As soon as possible. I plan to get my family settled here and then leave the County of Meister for a while.��


    ��After all, the public order is relatively better in the County Town, and that will give me more peace of mind.��


    ��Hmm? Lord Reine, you��re leaving again?�� the beautiful woman asked in surprise.


    ��Yes, I��m going to the County of Rossby to train with a master of swordsmanship for about a month and will return then.��


    ��By the way, madam, if you encounter any issues you can��t resolve, you can contact me. This time, I��ll take the Blue Helm Dove Jenny gave me last time,�� Reine said with a smile.


    As the beautiful woman heard that Lord Reine was going to enhance his abilities, her eyes sparkled, and she nodded in approval, also smiling as she said:


    ��I finally understand why you, Lord Reine, are so powerful at such a young age. Besides your extraordinary knightly talent, this dedication is also beyond ordinary people.��


    ��Indeed, young William of the Stend family has also passed the knight��s ennoblement examination. The empire has not officially issued it yet, but little William has already been celebrating at home for three days,�� Jenny remarked with a slight disdain.


    ��


    After inspecting the mansion from top to bottom, Lord Reine returned to the nearby Crawley family home with Baroness Crawley and Jenny.


    ��Lord Reine, it is already dinner time; I have already instructed the servants to prepare a banquet. Please grace us with your presence,�� the beautiful woman invited with a smile.


    ��This�� won��t I be imposing?�� Lord Reine looked up at the sky, and indeed the sun was setting.


    He had planned to take some books related to the Armor Casting Technique and return to his home in Flashgold Town, but now it seemed rather late.


    Earlier today, he had helped the Crawley family retrieve some Bordeaux wine that had been stolen, and in the afternoon, he had visited Count Habs and inspected his future baronial mansion. Time had flown faster than he anticipated.


    ��Yes, Lord Reine, you have helped the Crawley family a great deal this time; please honor us.�� Jenny also said with a smile. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Then, all right,�� Lord Reine nodded.


    A dinner it was, and since the hosts had repeatedly invited him, it would be inappropriate to refuse any further. Lord Reine readily agreed.


    Immediately thereafter, he followed Baroness Crawley and Jenny to the Crawley family��s banquet hall, which was also the dining room.


    The walls of the banquet hall were adorned with numerous shields, antlers, and other decorations, and over a dozen mountain-shaped candle holders lit up the entire hall brilliantly. An antique long table was laden with various foods, fine wines, and large bouquets of flowers.


    Although there were only three people dining��Lord Reine, Baroness Crawley, and Jenny��the food served was incredibly lavish.


    The beautiful woman, knowing Lord Reine��s exceptional appetite as a Transcendent knight, had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare two types of expensive, ferocious animal meats.


    After devouring an entire roast Red Crown turkey and a pot of stewed Cliff Spiked Wild Boar, a warm flow slowly rose in Lord Reine��s stomach and spread to his limbs.


    ��Lord Reine, this is the twenty-year Bordeaux you helped retrieve. Please, taste it and see how it is,�� the beautiful woman said, smiling as she gestured with her wine glass.


    Looking at the amber-like red fine wine, Lord Reine could already smell the mix of grape and aged oak barrel, which made him eager to taste this world��s red wine.


    ��Thank you, madam.�� Lord Reine raised his glass and drank it in one gulp.


    Immediately, a rich and aromatic flavor of fruits and wine circulated in his mouth, and the taste was quite excellent.


    Thus, accompanied by Baroness Crawley and Jenny, Lord Reine thoroughly enjoyed his meal.


    During dessert, Lord Reine inquired, ��Madam, about the book on Armor Casting Technique, I would like to borrow it for a while, if I may����


    ��Of course, Lord Reine, please follow me,�� said the somewhat flushed beautiful woman after drinking, as she got up and led the way.


    In fact, the beautiful woman was also quite nervous about what was to happen.


    Since her husband, Baron Crawley, had passed away a year ago, the stunningly beautiful woman had been coveted by many, including wealthy merchants and nobles��


    Initially, she believed that with the Crawley family��s foundation and her business acumen, she would manage smoothly.


    However, the beautiful woman soon realized that although she was capable in business and managing the family, in this world where power outweighed everything else, the Crawley family without a core fighting force was like a sailboat without a mast��vulnerable to capsizing in any significant storm.

 Chapter 301 - 301 - 176: Lady Baroness Crowley’s Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 301 �C 176: Lady Baroness Crowley��s Request (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    For instance, the plundering of Bordeaux vintage wine was typical.


    The beautiful lady increasingly felt that in Meister County, there seemed to be a hidden, manipulative force, controlling some people and some powers, intending to gradually erode the Crowley family.


    Now, she was powerless to resist this dark force!


    However�� when she saw the goods were recovered this morning, she instantly felt that this young man, about the same age as her daughter, with his tall and robust figure, seemed like a solid shield, capable of protecting her and the future of the Crowley family.


    From that moment, the beautiful lady made up her mind to find a way to bind herself to this promising young man.


    At present, he was merely the Guardian Knight of the Crowley family, which was far from enough!


    Unfortunately, it seemed that from the start, he was utterly uninterested in Jenny, a noble lady.


    ...


    Especially since Jenny had invited her best friend Agatha to accompany him to the library, but he was equally disinterested in Agatha. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And after he was ennobled as a Baron, the plan to marry into the family became completely impractical!


    This gave the beautiful lady quite a headache.


    It wasn��t until today, when she impulsively hugged him, that she realized the young man seemed quite interested in her instead.


    This made her hesitant for a while, one reason being Rein��s youth, and the other being her daughter Jenny��


    So, when Rein went to visit Earl Harris, she explicitly mentioned to her daughter Jenny the importance of Rein to the Crowley family, as well as the actions she might take��


    But what the beautiful lady did not expect was the strong support she received from her daughter Jenny.


    In fact, Jenny had seen over the course of the year how her mother struggled to keep the Crowley family functioning.


    As the saying goes, adversity breeds growth!


    Over the year, Jenny grew rapidly.


    She knew that if the Crowley family wanted to continue to stand strong in Meister County in the coming days, it had to find a powerful figure for support.


    This person could be Baron Alonso, it could be other nobles, and now, there was Baron Rein.


    If one could choose, anyone would know, the best candidate would certainly be the young, promising Lord Reine.


    So, although Jenny felt a bit sour when she heard her mother��s plan, she knew the gravity of the situation; her mother was prioritizing the bigger picture.


    Of course, the main reason was that this promising Baron Rein was not interested in her but in her mother instead��


    This involuntarily made the young lady look down at her own chest, suddenly feeling quite disheartened.


    Watching the two ascend the stairs, Jenny slowly decreased her pace.


    Rein followed the beautiful lady up to the second floor of the villa.


    However�� when he followed the beautiful lady into a room, Rein sensed something was amiss.


    Because this was evidently a bedroom, with a luxurious large bed in the center, nightstands on both sides, a dressing table, and so on��


    Entering the Baroness Crowley��s bedroom late at night, obviously, was not quite appropriate.


    Just as he turned around, he realized that Jenny, who had been following him, was nowhere to be seen.


    At this moment, only he and the Baroness Crowley were in the room.


    Just as he was contemplating how to broach the subject, he saw the beautiful lady bend over, her back to Rein, and lift her loosely knitted cashmere waistcoat, suddenly revealing her large, ripe-peach-like buttocks, in contrast to her slender waist.


    Under the stark visual contrast, Rein was instantly left thirsty and tongue-tied.


    The beautiful lady suddenly turned her head, her cheeks flushed, tussled her slightly messy hair by her ear, and said in a coquettish voice, ��Lord Reine, could you help me with something?��


    ��The Armor Casting Technique you want is in this cabinet, but it seems to be at the very bottom��.��

 Chapter 302 - 302 - 177: Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)

    Chapter 302 �C 177: Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)


    ��The cabinet is really too dark. Could you help me hold the candelabra?�� the beautiful lady asked in a delicate voice.


    Rein glanced at the beautiful scene before him and swallowed.


    However��he still suppressed the throbbing in his heart, reached for the nearby M-shaped candelabra, and stood behind the beautiful lady to help her illuminate the area.


    Under the flickering candlelight, Baroness Crowley, already flushed from drinking Bordeaux vintage, appeared even more exquisitely beautiful, like a blooming flower.


    This almost made Rein lose his composure!


    Seeing that Rein did not approach but obediently helped hold the candelabra to lighten the area, the lady sighed silently in her heart.


    Alas! It seems it could only be this way.


    ...


    Suddenly, whether intentional or accidental, the lady leaned back slightly.


    Instantly, a warm and exceptionally soft touch pressed against Rein.


    This caused Rein��s hand holding the candelabra to tremble slightly.


    A drop of burning wax fell onto the fair neck of the beautiful lady.


    ��Ah~�� the beautiful lady couldn��t help but exclaim softly.


    Could this young man actually have such a preference? the beautiful lady wondered to herself.


    But the lady��s cry was like the last straw that broke the camel��s back, as Rein had already been struggling to endure. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, the thought that sprang to Rein��s mind was, ��To endure what can be endured is intolerable!��


    Therefore, a strong hand gently grasped the lady��s slender waist, while the other hand set down the M-shaped candelabra and lifted up��..


    (Ten thousand words omitted here��.)


    In the mansion��s back garden


    ��.


    The next morning, Rein looked at the beautiful lady beside him, who was still in a deep, sweet sleep.


    Even from her expression at the moment, she still radiated immense pleasure and satisfaction.


    Rein recalled the reason he hadn��t resisted the temptation last night.


    On one hand, it might have been due to Baroness Crowley��s beautiful face and her exaggerated waist-to-hip ratio, and��last night, she was simply too tempting.


    On the other hand, it was due to Rein himself.


    Ever since he had had a profound interaction with the wild girl Lagaray some time ago, thoughts of this nature seemed to emerge in his mind from time to time.


    Especially as his limit value continued to increase, this feeling grew increasingly strong!


    Thinking of last night, a slight smile appeared on Rein��s lips.


    Although Baroness Crowley was merely a mortal,


    It seemed to be because of the winter morning sun, which streamed through the gaps in the curtains into the bedroom, and her long eyelashes slightly quivered. The next second, she opened her beautiful eyes.


    The beautiful lady looked deeply at the strong young man before her, and a surge of shyness and a hint of fear arose in her heart.


    Honestly��.


    Although she knew Rein, being a Transcendent Knight, likely had extraordinary stamina, she never expected it to be so astonishing, almost tireless��


    Looking into the beautiful lady��s deep and shy gaze, Rein immediately reached out and pulled her into his embrace, his fingers gently caressing her porcelain-like smooth skin.


    Rein clearly understood Baroness Crowley��s intention in taking the initiative last night.


    But some things are better left unspoken.


    To put it bluntly, it would seem like a transaction.


    Moreover, Rein had just thought of something: although he now had the favor of this beautiful lady, there were quite a few others coveting her.


    Only when one��s own strength is sufficiently powerful is it most important, as it allows one to protect the people and things before them.


    As for the pleasures between men and women, they are merely diversions in cultivation, but one must never indulge in them.


    Suddenly, Rein remembered something.


    That is, whether it was Level 1 Wizard Apprentice Endri or Level 3 Wizard Apprentice Adams, both had left records of their romantic experiences in their diaries, and it seemed he, a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, was following in his predecessors�� footsteps!


    Not exactly!


    They were thieves; he certainly was not, since Baroness Crowley was a widow.


    Furthermore, Rein finally learned Baroness Crowley��s name��it was Jennifer Cecil.


    Having been born into a middle-class merchant family, after marrying Baron Crowley, Jennifer Cecil took over the management of the Crowley family��s businesses and expanded them several fold within years.


    This made Rein understand why she excelled in business and management.


    Suddenly, Rein thought of something and asked with a smile:


    ��So��Jennifer, is there really a book on Armor Casting Technique?�� Rein couldn��t help but ask.


    This caught the beautiful lady off guard, and she quickly understood Rein��s implication, immediately giving Rein a big eye roll, her cheeks flushing.


    She thought he believed she had been planning to seduce him all along!


    ��Of course there is, it��s in the cabinet,�� the beautiful lady said coquettishly.


    So there really was one!


    Upon hearing this, Rein rose and indeed, there were two rolled-up sheepskin scrolls in the cabinet, not at the bottom but at the top.


    Rein had thought it was all an act by Jennifer and Jenny the entire time, but it seems it wasn��t.


    At most, it was just playing the final step!


    Additionally, the sheepskin scrolls were rather large, seeming to be whole sheepskins trimmed and prepared after processing.


    Just as Rein was about to open one to take a look, the bedroom door suddenly made a sound.


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    ��Mother, are you awake?��


    Jennifer also appeared visibly startled upon hearing Jenny��s voice.


    Although she had discussed this with her daughter Jenny beforehand, having her daughter suddenly appear at the door still made the beautiful lady slightly nervous.

 Chapter 303 - 303 - 177: Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)_2

    Chapter 303 �C 177: Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)_2


    However, the beautiful woman soon calmed down, her face revealing contemplation.


    Jenny shouldn��t be disturbing her at this time, should she?


    Could something have happened?


    Immediately, the beautiful woman called out, ��I��m awake! Jenny, wait a moment.��


    It seemed that someone outside breathed a sigh of relief, and Jenny��s voice rose again, ��Mother, Baron Alonso is here again, the guards can��t stop him, he��s already downstairs.��


    ��Hmm? Alonso?�� Reine��s expression grew stern as he turned to look at the beautiful woman beside him.


    He felt that the beautiful woman was still virtuous, and he could tell that from certain aspects.


    ...


    How could Jennifer be involved with a guy like Alonso?


    If it weren��t for the fact that the man��s father was Count Habs, Alonso would probably have tall grass growing over his grave by now.


    Seeing Reine��s inquiring look, Jennifer seriously said, ��Hmm, he has come several times this year, hoping I would become his mistress, but I refused.��


    So that was it!


    Reine nodded.


    It seemed that yet another was coveting Jennifer.


    ��You rest here; I��ll take care of him for you.��


    ��Hmm, right�� Reine, do you know he��s the eldest son of Count Habs?�� the beautiful woman nodded first, then looked at Reine anxiously as she spoke.


    ��Of course, not only that, I also have some rather unpleasant memories with him,�� Reine said gravely.


    Hearing Reine say this, the beautiful woman nodded in understanding and continued:


    ��I suspect the robbery of our goods this time, and the oppressions against the Crawley family in County Town, are connected to him.��


    ��However, I have no evidence.��


    Reine was taken aback when he heard this.


    They had used both threats and temptations!


    Jennifer wasn��t having it easy!


    After thinking for a moment, Reine embraced the beautiful woman and comforted her softly.


    ��Reine, let me help you dress,�� the beautiful woman said, like a wife helping Reine get dressed.


    Indeed, a mature woman knows how to care for others.


    Soon, Reine, fully dressed, stepped out of the bedroom.


    Seeing Reine come out, Jenny at the door was startled!


    Well then!


    In front of her, the two were making no attempt to conceal anything.


    ��This�� Lord Reine, isn��t my mother coming?�� Jenny asked softly.


    ��Let Jennifer rest well, as for Alonso? Leave him to me,�� Reine said sternly.


    At that moment, a luxurious carriage had just stopped at the front door of the Crawley family villa, a middle-aged man dressed in noble hunting attire, with an arrogant demeanor, stepped down from the carriage.


    The Crawley family��s butler said with a worried expression, ��Baron Alonso, the lady is resting and hasn��t gotten up yet; it��s not polite for you to go up now.��


    ��It��s alright, maybe Jennifer is ill, I should go check on her in her room,�� he said.


    As soon as he said this, it was as clear as ��Simazhao��s intentions known to all.��


    The butler, like a duck choked by the neck, initially wanted to say something but was silenced by Alonso��s shamelessly brazen words.


    Thus, under the helpless gaze of the servants, Baron Alonso, protected by his personal guards, stride confidently into the villa. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Alonso��s heart was extremely pleased as the ��fruit�� had ripened, and he was here to pick it, or at least to give it a squeeze.


    In the past six months, he had secretly contacted and influenced many low-level nobles and wealthy merchants to suppress all aspects of Crawley family��s business, already shaking their standing in the commercial field.


    This time the news of an imported batch of precious Bordeaux wines, he had leaked to the ��Wild Wolf Hills�� bandit group.


    Upon hearing that the Crawley family��s batch of Bordeaux wines had been robbed, his mood soared!


    He believed that this would be the last straw to break Jennifer��s spirit.


    So, he came this time as a victor, to see the devastated and compliant demeanor of the beautiful woman.


    Just the thought of the beautiful woman��s fiery figure and stunning face made Alonso��s heart suddenly heat up.


    He disliked using force.


    He preferred to have the beautiful woman surrender voluntarily and then inevitably come to plead with him, for to him, that was more interesting.


    Experience tales with empire


    After all, he was a gentleman. He couldn��t be forceful!


    Suddenly, Alonso stopped his steps.


    Because he felt an aggressive gaze trained on him from ahead.


    Alonso looked up to find a tall and commanding figure standing high on the central staircase of the second floor, gazing down at him.


    This situation, with the other party high above and him below, made him extremely uncomfortable, just as he was about to reprimand the other.


    Alonso took a closer look and his heart instantly ��thudded��!


    Was it Reine?


    How could this guy be here?


    ��Baron Alonso, long time no see!�� Reine, from his elevated position, greeted him with a smile, adopting the posture of the host.


    ��You�� Baron Reine, long time no see!�� Alonso answered, suppressing his surprise and uncertainty.


    He knew that Reine had just met his father��Count Habs the day before.


    ��Thank you, it seems Baron Alonso is well-informed. By the way, may I ask what brings you here���� Reine asked, feigning ignorance.


    ��To visit a friend?�� Alonso replied reluctantly.


    ��Oh? It wouldn��t be Lady Crawley, would it? If so, please turn back,�� Reine said, effectively evicting him.


    ��Hmm?�� Alonso��s eyes twitched, sensing something unfavorable.


    ��She worked hard all night and is now resting well!�� Seeing that Alonso was still not backing down, Reine added a comment any man would understand.

 Chapter 304 - 304 - 177: Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)_3

    Chapter 304 �C 177: Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)_3


    ��`


    ��What? How could this����


    In an instant, Alonso reacted, his originally haughty face suddenly turned the color of pig liver!


    He huffed heavily and turned on his heel to leave!


    Damn it!


    At this moment, Alonso��s heart was bleeding.


    He felt as if the flower he had painstakingly nurtured for a year had suddenly been uprooted by a pig!


    ...


    Damn it, Rein!


    You damn bastard!


    Forget it, why bother with someone who��s about to die.


    Soon, the rebels will take care of him.


    When that time comes, Jennifer will still be mine.


    Explore more at empire


    However, the thought of Jennifer being ��used�� again made Alonso��s heart ache once more!


    Damn it�� to think a young man would prefer a mature woman!


    Alonso had heard about Rein becoming the Guardian Knight of the Crawley family, but he never imagined that Rein would get involved with Jennifer, considering their significant age difference.


    Shouldn��t Jenny and Rein be more suited for each other?


    The more Alonso thought about it, the angrier he became, haunted by the feeling that his possession had been stolen!


    ��


    Jenny and the servants of the Crawley family watched Baron Alonso leave without uttering a harsh word, with a humiliated bearing, and turned to Rein with a look of astonishment.


    It seemed as if they were asking, ��My lord, how did you manage it?��


    After all, in the entire Meister County, there were few who could make Baron Alonso swallow his pride.


    Indeed, if not out of respect for Alonso, most people would still give regard to Earl Harris.


    Rein watched Alonso depart, and after a short while, he returned to the bedroom. The beautiful woman, seeing Rein had taken care of the matter so quickly, asked curiously, ��That was fast?��


    ��Hmm, Alonso has left, and as long as I��m here, I believe he won��t come looking for you again,�� Rein replied.


    ��Hmm, Rein, thank you,�� the beautiful woman said as she got out of bed and suddenly embraced Rein from behind.


    Instantly, a burning touch came from behind Rein, particularly from two points.


    Originally, Rein planned to carefully examine the two scrolls about the Armor Casting Technique, but to his surprise, the beautiful woman seemed to have fully recovered her strength after a night��s rest. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, Rein misunderstood.


    The reason for her embrace was because Rein had just swiftly dealt with Alonso��s harassment, which made Jennifer believe even more that she had chosen the right man, and in a burst of emotion, she hugged Rein from behind.


    But Rein mistook it for the beautiful woman wanting something more.


    Therefore��


    ��Symphonies�� once again echoed within the room!


    This caused Jenny, who was outside the door, to blush!


    She spat in disgust and hurriedly left��.


    It wasn��t until noon that Rein, with two scrolls in hand, boarded the carriage and left the Crawley family estate for Flashgold Town, feeling refreshed.


    He was heading home to talk to his parents about moving once again.


    Just before he left, Jennifer assured Rein that she would soon send three maids, three male servants, and a team of guards ahead, and that she would also arrange to prepare some daily necessities right away.


    Basically, Rein could have his family move into the new residence by tomorrow.


    Having such a capable ��helpmeet�� to handle these matters brought joy to Rein��s heart.


    He planned to later hand over the high-value spoils captured from the rebel stronghold to Jennifer for her to manage.


    As for himself, he was only responsible for one thing, and that was to enhance his own strength!


    The carriage traveled smoothly.


    Inside the carriage, Rein slowly opened the first scroll and began to read intently.


    It was titled ��Crawley��s Outline of Armor Casting Volume One.��


    The opening paragraph succinctly described that the outline was mainly about forging metal plate armor rather than chain mail, scale armor, or other types of armor.


    However, what caught Rein��s attention were two sets of knight plate armor blueprints with exquisite patterns and varying levels of forging difficulty.


    The first set was called the Cavalry Lance Set, an eight-piece collection including a plate helmet, shoulder guards, breastplate, arm guards, gauntlets, leg guards, greaves, and war boots.


    Each component��s critical steps and difficulties were noted.


    The materials required were common iron ingots, and the full set of armor was slightly thin, presumably to reduce weight, making it suitable for second and third level attendants or prospective knights��a beginner��s set of plate armor.


    The second set was a chromium iron plate armor set, which Rein had purchased twice before at the County Town army supply store, considered a slightly superior set for official knights.


    Being already familiar with this set of armor, Rein quickly glanced over it and then planned to flip through the second scroll.


    That��s when the system alert suddenly sounded:


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host is reading a class-change-related item����Crawley��s Outline of Armor Casting Volume One,�� which triggers the class change��Armor Caster!]


    [The preconditions for advancing from Blacksmith to Armor Caster are: (1) Blacksmith lv5 or higher; (2) Strength of at least 12 points, Constitution of at least 12 points; (3) independently forging ten acceptable pieces of plate armor; (4) knowledge related to the Armor Casting Technique�� Current conditions not met! Advancement to Armor Caster failed!]


    Seeing the system alert pop up, Rein felt quite delighted!


    Indeed, as he had anticipated before, this book (scroll) related to the Armor Casting Technique was key to the blacksmith��s subsequent class advancement.


    Lady Crawley, you truly are my lucky star!


    ��`

 Chapter 305 - 305 - 177: Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)_4

    Chapter 305 �C 177: Unbearable Tolerance (Combined into One Large Chapter)_4


    However, when Rein carefully reviewed the prerequisite conditions, he found he had already met the second, third, and fourth items. The only one he had not fulfilled was the first condition.


    Rein flipped the system panel to the front page��the Attributes column.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (345/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv4 (277/1000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (64/2000) / Blacksmith lv4 (329/1000)


    Constitution: 19


    Strength: 17


    Agility: 17


    ...


    Spirit: 25


    Remaining attribute points: 1 Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Remaining Skill Points: 5


    As he had not practiced forging recently, Rein found his Blacksmith profession level had stagnated at lv4 (329/1000), a considerable distance from the lv5 required for a job change.


    But then, Rein suddenly thought of another issue.


    That is, if there are Armor Casters, there should naturally be related subsequent professions involved in weapon crafting such as ��Swordsmiths��, ��Hammer Smiths��, etc., though the names might not be exact.


    So the question arises,


    After raising the Blacksmith level to lv5, should he opt to change his profession to Armor Caster immediately? Or should he hold off, try to find knowledge about other professions such as Swordsmith or Hammer Smith, and aim to transition into a weapon forging profession like those?


    Soon, Rein figured out exactly what he needed.


    He often engages in intense battles, and damage to his armor is a common occurrence.


    Just in the previous month, Rein had already damaged two sets of chrome steel armor.


    That means if he were an Armor Caster, he could manage some of the complex repair work himself.


    Secondly, once he changes his profession to Armor Caster, perhaps he could craft several sets of plate armor suited for different combat scenarios.


    The layered armor approach, that is a style in itself!


    Finally, based on previous job change experiences, a profession change generally brings an increase in attribute points and triggers certain core skills, significantly enhancing his combat capabilities.


    Therefore, changing his profession to Armor Caster fits him better than switching to a weapon forging related profession!


    Having realized this, Rein opened the second scroll.


    The first thing that caught Rein��s eye was the title ��Crowley��s Compendium of Armor Casting Technique, Volume Two��.


    Then, Rein noticed that the second volume also contained two sets of Knight plate armor details and patterns with different levels of difficulty.


    The first set is called the Ice Iron Suit, emanating a light blue metallic sheen throughout, with the same eight pieces as the Cavalry Suit.


    The crafting material is a rare type of Ice Iron Ingot, a special ore he had only heard of, which apparently offers special defensive power against flames.


    Sure enough, a note on the side stated that the Ice Iron Suit could slightly reduce the damage the wearer receives from flames.


    This reminded Rein of the higher tier Knight Plate Armor set��he had reserved at the County Town��s military supply depot��the Water-Film Steel Suit.


    The two seemed quite similar; the Ice Iron Suit probably belonged to the same high-grade tier as the Water-Film Steel Suit.


    What? This first set is already advanced Knight armor?


    Could the second set be even stronger? Find your next adventure on empire


    Rein quickly set his focus on the second armor set��the Secret Silver Engraved Plate Armor, which was dark silver in appearance. Moreover, the surface was carved with intricate lines and symbols, giving it a mysterious look.


    Such a design did not seem to be the result of mere hammering or forging; instead, it appeared to involve some form of witchcraft.


    However�� what Rein was more curious about at this moment was the function of the Secret Silver Engraved Plate Armor.

 Chapter 306 - 306 - 178: Madam, I’m Going to Forge Iron Properly (Two-in-One Long Chapter)

    Chapter 306 �C 178: Madam, I��m Going to Forge Iron Properly (Two-in-One Long Chapter)


    As Rein focused his gaze on the annotations.


    Seconds later, Rein raised his eyebrows, quite shocked.


    It was written on the annotations: ��Mithril Engraved Plate Armor, slightly enhances the power of witchcraft.��


    Hmm?


    There is a common knowledge here.


    You have to know, nearly all metal Knight plate armors hinder the manipulation of mysterious side energy particles by spiritual power, and depending on the metal material of the armor, it could weaken the power by about 10%, 20%, or even more.


    Otherwise, why would wizards and wizard apprentices be fools?


    ...


    Would they not understand that wearing the hefty Knight armor, which provides higher defensive power, is better than opting for the thin Wizard Robe for battle?


    This point, Rein had already begun to feel during his previous battles.


    For instance, the chromium-iron set had reduced Rein��s witchcraft power by about one and a half percent.


    However, for Rein, at this stage, the primary issue was solving the problem of whether he had any witchcraft at all, not the pursuit of the ultimate power of a certain witchcraft, so he didn��t pay much attention to this.


    Of course, as Rein delved deeper into the path of wizardry, it was very likely that this 10% reduction in power would later exceed the defensive power of the chromium-iron armor itself. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hence, upon seeing that the effect of the Mithril Engraved Plate Armor ��slightly enhances the power of witchcraft,�� this point overturned Rein��s previous fixed understanding.


    Calming the shock in his heart, Rein began to examine the production techniques and process for the Mithril Engraved Plate Armor seriously.


    Firstly, its main material is mithril ingots.


    Regarding mithril, Rein had certainly heard of it, it is a rare ore, said to have an excellent compatibility with all types of energy particles.


    It is considered to have the least weakening effect on the power of witchcraft among the metals, apparently less than 10%.


    However, a clear problem was that, if it was solely because mithril was used as the main material, it still would not suffice to achieve the effect of slightly enhancing witchcraft power as claimed in the annotations.


    Indeed, as he puzzled over this, Rein continued to read, and saw that there was a process later referred to as ��inscription�� in the sheepskin scroll, roughly meaning that intricate lines and symbols had to be carved and outlined on the surface of the forged mithril armor.


    This step was something Rein didn��t fully understand yet, but clearly, this was the key to why the Mithril Engraved Plate Armor could slightly enhance the power of witchcraft!


    Just as Rein pondered this matter, suddenly, a bolt of lightning crossed his mind.


    Isn��t that right?


    This technique��


    It clearly doesn��t seem like a skill that blacksmith brutes would master, but rather seems more like some mysterious art!


    Could it be that the late Baron Crawley was not only a blacksmith but also a senior wizard apprentice?


    Otherwise, it would be inexplicable how he managed to combine the blacksmithing technique with such a complex inscription so perfectly.


    Rein thought for a moment and muttered to himself,


    ��It seems that the late Baron Crawley was not so simple after all.��


    ��Perhaps there��s an unknown story behind the man��s death.��


    However, Rein soon shook his head slightly.


    Now, he didn��t have the time to investigate this, as clearly, it could involve a substantial amount of his time and energy.


    His current focus was still on improving his strength, to face the known and unknown challenges.


    As for the Mithril Engraved Plate Armor, it had to be put aside for the time being.


    Because you have to eat one bite at a time, and walk step by step.


    Right now, he wasn��t even a blacksmith, much less skilled in the art of inscription, so how could he craft the most complex Mithril Engraved Plate Armor?


    At this stage, Rein planned to first craft the simplest suit of armor, the Cavalry suit, as set out in the first volume.


    On one hand, making the Cavalry set would help elevate his Blacksmith Profession Level to lv5, and on the other, one of the prerequisites for becoming an Armorsmith was to independently forge any ten qualifying plate armor parts.


    So after putting the second volume away, Rein opened the first volume again and carefully started to review the manufacturing process of the Cavalry suit.


    By the time he arrived at Flashgold Town, Rein had the entire process of making the Cavalry suit down pat.


    The Cavalry suit had one good point, it required only ordinary iron ingots for forging, making material collection convenient and the price relatively cheap, suitable for mass and multiple productions, ideal for grinding experience.


    What left a deep impression on Rein was that the breastplate of the Cavalry armor was a rare ��muscle-contour breastplate.��


    It is the kind of breastplate worn by the ancient Spartan warriors of the previous world, the kind with contours of the pectoral and abdominal muscles, but for the sake of lightness, much thinner.


    At the same time, the process was not hammered out but directly cast using a mold, which naturally did not have the quality of a thousand-times hammered ��muscle-contour breastplate.�� But in the sheepskin scroll, it seemed that the Cavalry set was designed as the mass-produced, entry-level gear.


    ��Huh! The breastplate of the Cavalry set is made of two large iron plates, namely the front chest and back plates, which are cast separately and then combined����


    Suddenly, Rein��s eyes brightened. Stay connected through empire


    He just had an idea, for he remembered a book on Lingwen he had read before, ��Exploring the Application of ��Scorching Touch�� in the Field of Forging.��


    ��If it��s this kind of manufacturing process, it seems that I can combine this process with the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch,�� thereby greatly improving the efficiency of production��.��


    ��Perhaps, advancing to blacksmith lv5 will not take too long!��

 Chapter 307 - 307 - 178: Madam, I’m Off to Forge in Earnest (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 307 �C 178: Madam, I��m Off to Forge in Earnest (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Once the family moves to County Town, I��ll be able to go to the blacksmith shop and try my hand at forging. If all goes well, maybe in two or three days, I could raise my Profession Level as a blacksmith to lv5!��


    However, Rein quickly thought of a problem.


    ��If the experience reward given by the Cavalry breastplate is high, should I level up my blacksmith to lv6 before considering a career change to an armorsmith?��


    Rein hesitated, then after pondering for a moment, he slightly shook his head.


    ��I��ll see when the time comes! Right now, I don��t know how much experience the system will give for making a Cavalry breastplate.��


    ��Besides, even if the experience rewarded by the system at blacksmith lv5 is generous, it doesn��t mean it will still be generous at lv6. During previous Skill Level-ups, I have experienced situations where the experience for existing skills was significantly weakened after a Profession Level-up.��


    Of course, the main reason was the one-month vacation given by Count Habbs.


    ...


    So, he had to settle his family quickly and then head to the Golden Coast in Rosby County to study under Master Gunther Otinga.


    If changing careers to an armorsmith took only two or three days, that shouldn��t be a problem since settling his family and taking care of some miscellaneous matters would also require that much time. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But if it took too long, it would not be worth the delay.


    After returning home, the first thing Rein said when he entered frightened his mother, Emma.


    ��Mother, we might have to move again, you can start packing now.��


    At that moment, old Rein was sitting in the backyard on a recliner, squinting leisurely in the warm winter sun while watching Bo He play with ��Cookie�� in the yard, enjoying the simple family pleasures.


    But when he accidentally heard Rein��s words, old Rein nearly fell from his recliner.


    ��Rein, what��s happened?�� Emma asked anxiously.


    Old Rein and his sister Bo He also hurried over from the backyard.


    It was then that Rein realized he had frightened his family by not providing enough detail.


    He quickly explained, ��It��s good news, I��ve been granted the title of Baron, and the Empire has arranged a Baron��s mansion for me over in County Town.��


    Hearing that it was this kind of situation, Emma patted her chest and relaxed, chiding, ��Really, you should have explained things more clearly.��


    After thinking it over, Emma asked reluctantly, ��That�� Rein, can��t we avoid moving? We like living here quite well. We��re satisfied. And we know all the neighbors. If we go to County Town����


    Old Rein also nodded and agreed, ��Yeah, Rein, we��re happy living here; we��re familiar with the surroundings. If we go to County Town, we won��t know anyone.��


    In old Rein��s eyes, the large house they were currently living in was once the dream living condition he had yearned for.


    Now that he could live here, he was truly content.


    ��About that���� Rein looked thoughtful.


    He could certainly understand his parents�� concerns, but�� if his family continued to live in Flashgold Town, then their safety would be at risk��


    So, Rein quickly shook his head and said, ��I��m afraid not. Since the new mansion is in the noble district of County Town, it will be more secure. If we stayed in Flashgold Town, it would be much more dangerous����


    ��But brother, if you��re here, wouldn��t that ensure our safety?�� Bo He asked, her bright eyes fixed on Rein.


    She had always been confident in her brother��s abilities.


    Rein stroked his sister��s soft hair and said, ��Of course, but I will soon be leaving on a trip to enhance my skills, likely for about a month.��


    ��So, Bo He, you wouldn��t want your brother to worry about your safety from afar, would you?��


    Upon hearing the words ��enhance skills,��


    Emma and old Rein exchanged glances.


    They both understood that this concerned their son��s future prospects, and it was instantly clear that it wasn��t about whether they wanted to move, but they needed to move to County Town so that Rein could feel at ease while away from home.


    ��Then that��s settled, we��ll start packing right away!�� old Rein said decisively.


    Rein looked at his father and nodded slightly.


    It seemed that when faced with a significant event, men could still be more decisive than women.


    ��Rein, then I��ll start packing now,�� Emma said and nodded, turning to go to the room to begin packing.


    ��Mother, just pack the essentials. At the new residence, beds, bedding, and even clothes have all been prepared for us by others.��


    ��Oh, and there are also several servants and a guard troop that have already moved in to clean and provide protection,�� Rein advised.


    At Rein��s words, Emma, who had just turned to leave, suddenly stood frozen in place. Discover exclusive tales on empire


    And old Rein and Bo He��s eyes widened significantly when they looked at Rein, their mouths slightly agape, their expressions showing the shock of ��what did you just say?��


    Previously, they had only heard Rein mention that he had become a Baron.


    But as for the implications that his new title as a Baron could have on every aspect of their lives, they had never thoroughly thought it through.


    What they had envisioned was perhaps eating better, living better, maybe traveling by carriage, but that was about it.


    Now, hearing about ��servants,�� ��guards,�� and such from Rein, they started to grasp the full picture.


    Suddenly, their lives were about to be entirely different from before!

 Chapter 308 - 308 - 178: Madam, I’m Off to Forge in Earnest (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 308 �C 178: Madam, I��m Off to Forge in Earnest (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��Brother, does that mean someone can play with me now?�� Bo He was the first to break the silence, sounding slightly happy.


    ��Of course,�� Rein nodded.


    ��..


    The next morning, after loading the valuables onto the Crowley family��s carriage, Rein and his family set off for the County Town.


    Including the new house in Flashgold Town where they had lived for just a month, Rein entrusted the sale of the rest of the items to the Night Watchman��s captain, the short Matteo.


    It wasn��t long before Rein and his family quickly arrived at the doorstep of their new mansion.


    As Mother Emma stepped down from the carriage, she saw two neat rows of people standing on either side of the mansion��s gate: one row of uniformly dressed male and female servants and one row of fully armed guards. She was momentarily startled.


    ...


    Upon seeing Rein and his family step down from the carriage, the servants and guards immediately called out respectfully:


    ��Lord Baron Rein, good day!��


    ��Madam, Miss, good day!��


    The young Bo He clutched closely at her brother Rein��s coat, looking quite nervous.


    But soon, she peeped out from behind Rein, curiously looking around at the surroundings and the group of strangers calling her ��Miss.��


    At that moment, old Rein��s and Emma��s heads were still buzzing.


    They had previously imagined this scene, but the protagonist was their son��Rein. They had dreamt that, after their son had accomplished something, he would become a venerable Knight and enjoy the admiration of the public.


    But what they hadn��t expected was that one day, they too would be treated with such respect.


    Rein then waved his hand at the male servants and said, ��Come here, take down the things, and everyone else, attend to your responsibilities.��


    ��At your command, Lord Baron!��


    At once, the two rows of people sprang into action; the guards continued their dutiful posts while three male servants came to the back of the carriage to help with the luggage.


    The female servants were diligently leading the way.


    ��Rein, this place is so big,�� mother Emma said as she walked, curiously looking around. Discover exclusive content at empire


    This new mansion was at least ten streets bigger than their new house in Flashgold Town.


    She noticed that, although she had never seen such decorations and styles before, they exuded a low-key luxury; she liked everything about it.


    Suddenly, a radiant beautiful woman, accompanied by a lovely noble young lady, emerged from the mansion; it was none other than Baroness Jennifer Crowley and Jenny.


    ��Father, mother, this is Baroness Crowley Jennifer, and I believe you have already met Miss Jenny,�� Rein introduced with a smile.


    Upon hearing that this lady was the esteemed ��Baroness,�� old Rein and mother Emma were slightly overwhelmed, not immediately sure how to address Jennifer, the noblewoman.


    However, Jennifer, who was quite adept at reading social cues, naturally wouldn��t let this awkward situation persist.


    She came forward with a beaming smile, pulling Emma��s hand in a down-to-earth manner, and said, ��Sister Emma, just call me Jennifer. I��m also currently managing the Baron��s mansion.��


    ��So, if there��s anything you need, feel free to tell me. How about I give you a tour of the new mansion now?��


    The kind expression and warm words from the beautiful woman made Emma relax all at once.


    However, both she and old Rein immediately turned to look at Rein, their eyes full of inquiry as if to ask, ��Can this noble and beautiful Baroness actually be our housekeeper?��


    Rein nodded at them and said with a smile, ��Father, mother, let Miss Jenny show you around. I have something to discuss with Baroness Crowley.��


    This remark made the beautiful woman blush slightly.


    She thought Rein wanted to�� with her��


    But the next second, after hearing what Rein had actually said, she realized she had misunderstood.


    ��Madam, I need to use the Crowley family��s blacksmith shop. It needs to be soon�� and I might also need some cooperation from the blacksmith shop,�� Rein spoke to the beautiful woman.


    ��Of course, Baron Rein, shall I take you there now?�� the beautiful woman said respectfully and formally, as others were present.


    Rein naturally noticed the alluring look in the beautiful woman��s eyes and couldn��t help but smile wryly, thinking to himself, Madam, I��m here to forge in a professional way, not to ��forge�� that��


    Of course, he couldn��t say that so directly.


    Rein then said, ��A blacksmith shop is not where a noble lady should be, but you could take me there first and introduce me to the person in charge. Perhaps, I might also need their help with something minor.��


    ��After that, you can head back first; there��s a lot going on here at the new mansion, and my parents might need your company.��


    ��.


    An hour later.


    At the Crowley family blacksmith shop, inside a separate smelting room.


    After a brief introduction, Jennifer had already gone back earlier, while Rein had the blacksmith shop prepare a vacant room, clay molds, and a large amount of iron ingots for him.


    Rein planned to start making the Cavalry breastplate.


    The reason he chose the large and heavy breastplate, rather than other smaller knight armor pieces such as wrist guards, was that the breastplate alone didn��t require much hammering.


    In other words, if Rein��s witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� could successfully cooperate with forging the breastplate, then he would be able to quickly produce a Cavalry breastplate and thus gain substantial Professional Experience Points. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 309 - 309 - 178: Madam, I’m Going to Forge Iron Seriously (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4

    Chapter 309 �C 178: Madam, I��m Going to Forge Iron Seriously (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4


    In the blacksmith��s furnace, there were already seven or eight iron ingots burned red-hot.


    Meanwhile, Rein raised both hands, holding them suspended about thirty to forty centimeters above the furnace.


    Soon after, he began to softly chant a spell.


    Just over two seconds later, a crimson glow emerged in front of Rein��s palms.


    Since Rein��s spiritual power had already reached 25 points, the power of the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� was further enhanced.


    Rein could clearly feel the ambient fire energy particles rapidly gathering in front of his palms.


    Moreover, he was certain that he no longer needed the furnace��s heat assistance and could rely solely on the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� to melt ordinary iron ingots with a melting point around 1500��.


    ...


    As Rein continued to output spiritual power, the already blazing furnace flames shot up suddenly, and the temperature quickly rose!


    The seven or eight iron ingots began to visibly brighten, soften, and then slowly melt like candles.


    Several minutes later, Rein opened a small gate and poured the molten iron from the furnace into a clay mold.


    After cooling, Rein picked up the blacksmith hammer and began to forge, smoothing some of the rough edges, and finally joined the front and back iron plates together, forming a complete ��muscle-type breastplate��.


    At this moment, a system notification appeared:


    [You have conducted the forging work of the Cavalry breastplate, insight enhanced!]


    [You have learned a new skill��Armor Casting Technique]


    [Your skill Armor Casting Technique has improved, Experience +33]


    [You focused on Cavalry breastplate forging, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +32]


    ��


    Hisss!


    These Experience Points! This efficiency!


    The application of witchcraft in forging is terrifyingly effective!


    Critically, it can be further accelerated.


    Rein had already thought of a method.


    After estimating the spiritual power consumed by the witchcraft Scorching Touch, he quickly had the staff in the blacksmith shop help make seven or eight identical clay molds.


    Rein repeatedly used the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch��, continuously melting and pouring into the eight pairs of clay molds, and after cooling, he performed the hammering and joining work.


    At this time, the system notifications nearly spammed up:


    [Your skill Armor Casting Technique has improved, Experience +33]


    [You focused on Cavalry breastplate forging, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +32]


    [Your skill Armor Casting Technique has improved, Experience +30]


    [You focused on Cavalry breastplate forging, Blacksmith Professional Experience Points +31]


    �� sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Continue your story on empire


    After returning home for lunch with Jennifer, Jenny, and his family at noon, Rein plunged back into the blacksmith shop!


    Finally, as the bright moonlight shone into the room, a wonderful system notification appeared:


    [Congratulations, your Blacksmith Profession Level has increased!]


    As his Blacksmith Profession Level advanced to lv5, Rein once again gained an attribute point and a skill point.


    As a result, the remaining attribute points on his system panel reached 2, and the remaining skill points reached 6, the highest in history.


    After some thought, Rein forged another Cavalry breastplate.


    This time, he gained only 5 points of Blacksmith Profession Level experience, clearly, after reaching lv5, the Professional Experience Points gained from making Cavalry breastplates had greatly decreased.


    Thus, there was nothing to hesitate about, Rein decided to advance his profession immediately!


    [Prerequisites for advancing from Blacksmith to Armor Caster are: one, Blacksmith lv5 or higher; two, Strength 12 points or more, Constitution 12 points or more; three, independently forge any ten qualified plate armor components! Four, knowledge related to Armor Casting Technique��.Current conditions met! Would you like to advance to Armor Caster?]


    [Note: After advancing to Armor Caster, the original Blacksmith panel will merge into the new Armor Caster profession panel, original Blacksmith core skills retained.]


    If core skills could be retained, then there was even less of an issue.


    After reading it over once more, Rein unhesitatingly chose yes!


    [Ding! Advancement to Armor Caster successful! Strength +2, Constitution +2! Gain Armor Caster core skill: Armor Specialization lv1.]


    Oh! There��s a new core skill!


    Rein��s face brightened immediately.


    Because the appearance of each core skill almost always brought him an instant significant enhancement in strength.


    Just wondering if this time, it would still be the same.

 Chapter 310 - 310 - 179: A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 310 �C 179: A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)


    [Armor Crafting Specialization lv1 (Passive): As an armor smith who has studied the forging of metal armor for years, you��re very familiar with the production of various metal armors, slightly improving the success rate of metal armor production.] Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Oh!


    Is it actually a core skill for production?


    Rein��s heart suddenly felt a chill!


    What he wanted, of course, was a core combat skill, but to his surprise, this time it was a manufacturing core skill.


    This gave Rein a sense of false happiness.


    But there was nothing he could do about it now, so Rein continued to look at the skill effect description:


    ...


    [Core Skill: Armor Crafting Specialization lv1 (Passive)]


    Armor Crafting Specialization lv1 (Passive) effect: The pass rate of all the metal armors you make will significantly increase, the rate of good quality slightly increase, and the rate of high quality subtly improve.


    This content quickly made Rein fall into deep thought!


    This core skill�� Read exclusive content at empire


    Seems not to be useless after all!


    Perhaps, when I can make higher-level knight plate armor, it could have a miraculous effect.


    Keep in mind, it��s quite difficult for a normal armor smith to forge high-quality knight plate armor, but with this core skill of Armor Crafting Specialization��


    Rein had already vaguely thought of scenarios where he could apply this core skill effectively.


    However�� this can be put aside for now, and not rushed.


    At this time, Rein turned to carefully review his panel.


    The original Blacksmith panel had vanished, and now the Armor Smith Profession Panel was displayed.


    However, unlike the other three Transcendent professions, the color of the Armor Smith��s profession panel was still white, indicating a regular profession, not a Transcendent one.


    Also, Rein quickly noticed that, as previously reminded by the system, all of the original Blacksmith skills were incorporated into the Armor Smith panel.


    After being promoted to Armor Smith, the additional two points in Strength and two points in Constitution increased Rein��s Strength from 17 points to 19 points and his Constitution from 19 points to 21 points, crossing into the twenties.


    Feeling the surge of strength throughout his body, Rein felt a wave of joy inside.


    The promotion in Profession Level typically only offers one free attribute point per level up, but now Rein had gained four attribute points at once upon transitioning from Blacksmith to Armor Smith.


    This was equivalent to increasing Profession Level by four levels.


    Additionally, with the increase of these four attribute points, Rein��s physical limit had directly increased from 75% to 83%, getting closer and closer to the 100% breaking limit.


    His most important gain however was that, through this forging process Rein further proved that when forging is successfully combined with witchcraft, it would greatly enhance the experience in the forging profession.


    After thinking for a while, Rein decided not to continue building the Cavalry set and planned to return to his manor.


    He intended to make some preparations before a long journey.


    ��


    Inside Rein��s new manor.


    His daughter Jenny had already returned to the Crowly family manor while the beautiful Jennifer was currently in a bedroom of Rein��s new manor, taking a bath.


    As for why Jennifer stayed at Rein��s side instead of returning to the Crowly family��s manor, Jennifer convinced herself with a simple reason: she was now also the housekeeper of Rein��s new Baronial estate.


    So, as a housekeeper, she naturally needed to prepare a bedroom for herself in the new manor.


    As the warm water streamed over certain parts of her body, the beautiful woman couldn��t help but gently close her eyes, reminiscing about the beauty of that night.


    She hadn��t experienced that kind of exquisite sensation in over a year.


    And at her age, it was precisely the time she needed it the most��.


    But of course, what was crucial was that the young man was incredibly ��gifted��.


    The beautiful woman thought about how the young man was not only genuinely gifted in strength but also ��gifted�� in that aspect, and suddenly felt a wave of crisis.


    Sigh! She was ultimately too old, no longer the ��fresh�� young girl.


    In the future, as the young man��s power grows, his status will inevitably rise, and the excellent women he could meet would increase��.


    Even though she never thought of becoming the other half of the young man, at least she wanted to have a place in his heart. Jennifer thought to herself.


    Rely on family background?


    She was born to a middle-class merchant, and the Crowly family was just an ordinary Baronial family, while now, the young man was already a Baron�� Clearly, it wouldn��t work!


    Rely on beauty?


    Jennifer, touching her still pretty face with the water, felt confident for the moment, but after all, she wasn��t eighteen�� she guessed that confidence would diminish over time!


    Rely on decent business skills?


    No, that was also merely an icing on the cake, requiring strong personal support.


    Looking at it, to keep the young man tied to herself in some way seemed to only have one method left.


    At this thought, a blush quickly spread across the beautiful woman��s face because she remembered something a friend had said while drunk����Why am I not pretty, but can keep a man��s heart? Because I��m naughty��.��


    While the beautiful woman was entertaining a bold idea, Rein had also returned to the new manor.


    After a quick wash upon returning to his bedroom, Rein began his daily practice of basic meditation techniques.


    The last time, just before Anna left, when his Spirit Attribute had reached 23 points, he was already able to visualize twenty Will runes at once.


    Now, with his Spirit Attribute reaching 25 points, Rein could visualize twenty-two Will runes at once.

 Chapter 311 - 311 - 179: A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 311 �C 179: A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2


    He was only two will runes short of successfully visualizing all twenty-four and reaching the level of a ��third-level Wizard Apprentice.��


    When one sees themselves getting closer to their goal, the sense of motivation just keeps growing!


    Rein felt the same way.


    At the moment, he actually really wanted to allocate the remaining two attribute points to Spirit.


    If he did, there was a chance that he could visualize all twenty-four will runes in one go today.


    Stay connected through empire


    However��


    ...


    The game-changing trump card of ��adding points to recover�� obviously couldn��t be used here.


    So, he could only think about it.


    After concluding his practice of the basic meditation method, Rein began to contemplate the preparations for departure.


    First and foremost, the most important matter����making sure the family is well settled before leaving����was already taken care of.


    Because the noble district in the county town, in a sense, was already the safest area in all of Meist County.


    The noble district not only had very strict access control for people coming in and out, but there was also a higher density of patrolling City Guards, far more than in civilian or commercial areas.


    Under normal circumstances, as long as his parents and younger sister Bo He didn��t leave this area, it was highly unlikely that anything would happen.


    As for abnormal circumstances��


    Rein shook his head slightly, thinking there was no need to consider the abnormal.


    After all, this was a transcendent world, and to return a person to the embrace of the goddess, other than ordinary means, there were many mysterious methods.


    And for those, Rein had no good solutions at the moment.


    Even for himself, he could only rely on his mental power and constitution, significantly superior to ordinary people��s, to endure certain curses or invisible killing techniques.


    At the same time, this also always gave Rein a sense of urgency, driving him to continually increase his own strength.


    As for other matters��


    Rein��s thoughts shifted; since his family was already settled, nothing else was that important.


    Still, he had to send someone to Flashgold Town tomorrow to speak with Hamilton.


    About the secret affair, he feared he wouldn��t be able to make time for it for now; it would have to wait until he returned from the Golden Coast.


    There was no time to lose.


    Rein planned to say farewell to his family and Jennifer tomorrow and then immediately set off for the Golden Coast to seek out Master Ganther.


    At that moment, a soft knock came from outside the bedroom door.


    ��Thump thump thump!��


    The sound was very light, as if afraid of disturbing someone in the next room.


    Rein vaguely guessed who it was.


    He raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of a smile forming on his face.


    ��Please come in!��


    As Rein��s words fell, a woman wearing a hood and draped in a black cloak quickly opened the door and walked in.


    She swiftly removed her hood, revealing a beautiful face��it was the lovely matron Jennifer.


    Her beautiful eyes glanced at Rein before she immediately turned around and locked the door.


    Rein looked at the cloaked lady, somewhat puzzled by her attire today, which was very different from the noblewoman��s dress she wore during the day, and asked curiously,


    ��Eh, Jennifer, why are you dressed like����


    In response to Rein��s question, the beautiful woman didn��t speak, instead she undid a strap on her black cloak.


    As the cloak fell to the floor, Rein��s eyes suddenly widened, his mouth slightly agape with shock.


    Wow, Jennifer sure knows how to play!


    Jennifer, who held the esteemed position of a Baroness, was actually dressed in an extremely fitted maid��s outfit, accentuating her lovely figure without a doubt.


    The fullness of her upper body was blinding white and seemed almost too much for the dress to contain, followed by a slender waist, with a little bit of flesh on her abdomen but not enough to appear bulky��instead, it added to her femininity.


    The skirt didn��t fall to the knees nor to the thigh but approached the end.


    Moving around posed the risk of exposing too much.


    The exaggerated proportions of her bust, waist, and hips instantly captured Rein��s attention.


    No wonder she had been sneaking around, exuding a guilty thief��s demeanor, and even wrapped herself in a black cloak for cover.


    If this got out, that a noble Baroness was dressed in a maid��s uniform visiting her young lover��s room in the middle of the night for pleasure, it would probably become the talk of the town in Meist County City, from the nobles to the common folk, by the next day.


    After all, this was just too damn playful!


    And the key thing was�� it wasn��t over yet!


    The beautiful woman hesitantly took out a small stick-shaped, cylinder candlestick from behind her, shyly looked down, and said to Rein,


    ��The candles on the mountain-shaped candlestick have three branches, which is too much for me�� Can we use this instead?�� S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At once, something like a flame ignited in Rein��s eyes��


    If one hesitates in that situation, can they even call themselves a man?


    Rein stepped forward in an instant and, amidst Jennifer��s surprised cry, scooped her up and headed for the large bed��


    (Ten thousand words are omitted here��.)


    The next morning before dawn, Rein, holding the voluptuous woman in his arms, suddenly gained insight into a few sayings from his previous life, ��The pleasures of the flesh are the grave of heroes,�� ��Lust is a skinning knife����


    No wonder, Jennifer, who was so ��playful,�� was being targeted by many, including Alonso.


    Seeing the first light of dawn, Rein thought for a moment and said softly to the beautiful woman, ��Jennifer, I plan to leave today.��

 Chapter 312 - 312 - 179: A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_3

    Chapter 312 �C 179: A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_3


    ��`


    ��However, please keep my departure a secret for the time being.��


    ��By the time certain people realize it, I should be almost back. That way, you��ll all be relatively safer. After all, some may hesitate to act because of me,�� he explained.


    The beautiful lady nodded obediently upon hearing Rein speak of serious matters.


    Rein had mentioned this to her before, and she wholeheartedly agreed with his approach of not indulging in pleasures but pursuing continuous improvement in his strength.


    Especially after experiencing her own family��s rise and fall, she understood one thing very well: a family��s core fighting strength is indispensable.


    This was something she couldn��t compensate for, no matter how talented she was in business and how much wealth she created.


    ...


    Since many things in Rein��s new residence were still not in place, such as carriages, the lovely lady considerately asked: Continue reading stories on empire


    ��Rein, do you need a carriage arranged to take you there?��


    ��No need, I can get there faster on horseback,�� Rein shook his head. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Oh no!�� exclaimed the lady, her face pale with shock.


    She hastily got up, revealing patches of her fair, creamy skin as she began to get dressed.


    ��Hmm?�� Rein looked at her, puzzled.


    ��It��s getting light, I must return to my room immediately. If your parents���� she explained while dressing.


    Rein suddenly understood!


    After breakfast and saying goodbye to his family and Jennifer, Rein, wearing a hood and a black cloak, still with two horses, headed towards the Golden Coast in Rosby County.


    Because of the tight schedule, Rein did not go to Richmond Fishing Port to catch up with Has.


    He planned to drop by on the way back.


    ��


    Six days later, Rein arrived at a small town on the Golden Coast called Landonia.


    Amidst the azure sea and sky, with the cool sea breeze of winter, Rein found Master Ganther��s secluded spot right across from a white lighthouse on the coast with the help of the local residents.


    Rein hadn��t expected Master Ganther��s retreat to be quite so�� distinctive!


    It was on a small island about twenty meters away from the shore.


    And between the island and the shore was only a narrow path connecting them.


    Perhaps calling it a path was not entirely accurate, for the middle section of the path was a stone arch bridge.


    Rein stood on the seashore, looking out to the sea.


    He could clearly see rough rocks scattered across the small island, and near the center, seven or eight simple stone houses and a group of figures practicing swordsmanship, facing the sea.


    Around the lighthouse, there were also several simple wooden houses. Unlike the stone houses on the island, there were mostly wooden structures here, and the number of young people far exceeded that on the island.


    These individuals, some alone and some in groups, were all practicing various forms of swordsmanship.


    Rein took a quick look and raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, ��My goodness, most of them are official Knights, while a few are Squires, but the Squires are noticeably younger.��


    ��But then, the young people by the lighthouse aren��t on the island. Could it be there��s some sort of division? Only those above a certain level of swordsmanship can go to the island, and the rest can only train here?��


    Rein was somewhat puzzled.


    It seemed that his presence as a stranger was sensed, as many of the young people focused their gaze on him, but after a quick glance, nobody came forward, instead continuing their swordsmanship practice.


    Despite being tens of meters away, Rein��s keen perception allowed him to clearly hear the young people whispering amongst themselves.


    ��Another one��s here!��


    ��I wonder if he��s been introduced by a great noble, or if he��s like us, having to pass an examination.��


    ��Hmpf, what��s the use of being introduced by a great noble? Master Ganther won��t spoil them; if they��re not up to par, they��re just not up to par.��


    ������


    Rein frowned slightly, listening to this, it seemed that Master Ganther was quite strict.


    But soon, his brow relaxed.


    He was here to learn real skills.


    A great teacher produces great students; being strict is not a bad thing.


    As long as he could learn something!


    It seemed that someone on the island also noticed Rein, mounted on the tall black horse. One person, in particular, was quickly crossing the narrow path, rushing toward him.


    Seeing the other person draw near, and out of courtesy, Rein decided to dismount the black horse first.


    The newcomer was also a young man, holding a Dual-Handed Greatsword and standing nearly half a head taller than Rein, with a height of almost two meters.


    ��Are you here to see Master Ganther?��


    ��Yes,�� Rein replied.


    ��Do you have an introduction letter?��


    ��Yes,�� Rein nodded, about to take the letter from his pocket.


    At this point, the young man waved his hand and said, ��That��s fine, no need to show it to me; you can give it directly to the Master later.��


    The young man then took another look at Rein, who appeared quite ordinary to him, and then glanced at the noticeably larger and stronger black horse next to Rein, and said, ��Nice horse.��


    The implication was clear.


    The nice horse implied that Rein did not match the horse, because it was only the horse that was nice.


    But Rein didn��t mind.


    Because changing someone��s opinion isn��t about talk; it��s about showing strength.


    ��Follow me,�� said the young man, seemingly surprised by Rein��s composed demeanor, and with a slight nod, turned to lead the way.


    ��`

 Chapter 313 - 313 - 179: A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4

    Chapter 313 �C 179: A Bold Idea (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4


    ��He asked haphazardly, ��Where are you from?��


    ��From Meister County.��


    ��That��s quite close, just the neighboring county, �� the young man nodded.


    ��How did you get to know Master Ganther?�� the young man continued.


    At this question, Rein glanced at him but did not answer.


    The young man did not mind and continued, ��Do you know that Master Ganther��s training is famously impersonal?��


    ��If you do not meet his training requirements, even if you��re introduced by a great noble, your training will end.��


    ...


    ��See that man there?�� The other person pursed his lips.


    Following his direction, Rein saw a young nobleman in hunting attire, his face streaked with dejection as he packed his belongings onto a chestnut horse, seemingly preparing to leave.


    ��Hmm, how long has he been here?�� Rein asked for the first time.


    Clearly, by what the young man had said, this noble scion must have failed to meet Master Ganther��s training demands, hence he was choosing to leave in disappointment.


    ��Seven days, �� the young man replied. Read exclusive content at empire


    ��But that��s quite good actually, there are others who lasted only three days; seven is somewhat decent, �� the young man glanced at Rein, his words apparently trying to gauge Rein��s real thoughts from his expression.


    Because the newcomer seemed a bit unusual to him, too composed, giving him the feeling of standing against a thick, enduring reef by the shoreline.


    However, he was quickly disappointed.


    Because Rein��s expression remained undisturbed, showing no hint of his emotions. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, the two walked along a path to the other end of the island.


    There they saw a very bulky, tall elder directing several robust young men.


    Upon seeing Rein��s arrival, the tall elder turned and walked over.


    The elder had a head of gold hair mixed with traces of white, casually hanging at his back, his facial features sharp as if chiseled by fierce sea winds, his beard short and box-shaped, broad shoulders and a solid chest, resembling a majestic mountain harboring breathtaking strength.


    The elder��s eyes, sharp as a tiger��s, vivid with spirit, scrutinized Rein up and down.


    ��Master Ganther, hello, my name is Rein, from Meister County, here is my letter of introduction, �� Rein bowed slightly, respectfully handing over the letter Cleya had given him.


    ��Oh, introduced by Cleya, is it?�� The elder��s tiger eyes looked at Rein somewhat surprised, taking the letter.


    After quickly reading the letter, the elder scrutinised Rein again, his face showing surprise, and said,


    ��The letter mentions that your knight talent may even surpass hers, �� Master Ganther paused.


    The seven or eight young men around momentarily moved their ears, several of them waving their longswords while slightly turning their heads to sneak a peek at Rein.


    They seemed to be curious to see what this supposedly talented ��newcomer�� looked like.


    But soon, they resumed their prior activities, seemingly a bit ��disappointed�� in Rein, as he appeared quite unremarkable at first glance.


    ��However, here, I don��t look at talent, only results. If you can meet the daily training requirements, you can stay.��


    Master Ganther said in a deep voice.


    ��I understand, Master Ganther.��


    Master Ganther nodded and said,


    ��Good, Bask, take the newcomer and help him settle his luggage.��


    ��Yes, Master Ganther, �� the young man who had received Rein quickly replied.


    ��Come see me in half an hour to start the first training task, �� Ganther then turned to Rein.


    Rein paused slightly, nodded, and said, ��Yes, Master.��

 Chapter 314 - 314 - 180: Training from the Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 314 �C 180: Training from the Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    The young man who had just led the way suddenly became quite enthusiastic. As he walked in front, he started chatting more.


    ��So, your name is Rein, eh? I��m Bask. My father is Baron Randonya from Golden Coast, and I have an older brother����


    Hearing this, Rein glanced at him.


    No wonder, judging from what he had sensed, the other party must have just stepped into formal knighthood not long ago; his strength was not strong, and there was a clear gap compared to a few practitioners on the island.


    So it was a ��local snake�� situation; he must have received some sort of preferential treatment from Master Ganther.


    This was also understandable. Although Master Ganther was devoted to studying swordsmanship, there always needed to be someone to help out with miscellaneous chores.


    Not to mention eating, which surely required someone to prepare additional food.


    ...


    Like Rein himself, for instance, who needed to consume dozens of pounds of ordinary food per meal to meet his nutritional needs.


    However, if he could add some ferocious beast meat, that would make things much better, but the cooking process was time-consuming and laborious, so having someone to take care of it would definitely save time and effort.


    Bask continued, ��You��ll have to put in some extra effort later on.��


    ��According to Master Ganther��s custom, you are given a maximum of three days to complete the first training task. If you can��t complete it, then you��ll have to leave.��


    ����.��


    Rein found it strange why the other had suddenly become so enthusiastic.


    But after a moment��s thought, Rein seemed to understand something.


    Bask��s behavior was most likely not due to Master Ganther, nor because of Rein himself.


    Then the answer was almost self-evident��it was because of Cleya.


    Indeed, it wasn��t long before the young man named Bask turned the conversation to Lady Creya.


    He rubbed his hands together, seeming a bit embarrassed as he asked, ��Rein, you and Lady Creya�� you��re quite familiar with each other, aren��t you?��


    ��Familiar; otherwise, she wouldn��t have written me an introduction letter, right?�� Rein said with a smile.


    ��Right, right, so you two are��?�� Bask continued to inquire.


    Seeing Rein��s slight frown, Bask immediately waved his hands and hurriedly said, ��Rein, don��t get me wrong. I wanted to ask whether Lady Creya�� she doesn��t have a fianc�� yet, does she?��


    This took Rein by surprise!


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    Apparently, Cleya��s influence was quite far-reaching.


    She had been gone for so long and yet her legend was still circulating here.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein shook his head.


    ��Ah! Lady Creya actually has a fianc��!�� Bask exclaimed, looking shocked and dismayed.


    Rein simply looked at him, saying, ��I shook my head because I don��t know.��


    ��Ah? So that��s the case, that��s great!�� The moods of young people always change so quickly.


    ��But�� you might as well not bother, Cleya likes someone stronger than her, and your strength���� Rein glanced at him and immediately poured a bucket of cold water on the hopes of the young man named Bask.


    ��Don��t underestimate me, Rein! I��m only sixteen and already a formal knight. I��m here training with Master Ganther so that I can stand out in the knightly competition!��


    ��Although I��m slightly less skilled than Lady Creya, I��m only a little behind and I feel I still have a chance,�� the youth said confidently, changing his tone.


    Rein glanced at him again and did not continue the conversation, but in his mind, he silently added, ��You stand no chance, because your rival����


    Soon, the two arrived at the center of the island near the simple stone huts made of piled stones.


    It was then that Rein discovered that from the coastline, due to the angle, he had only seen seven or eight stone huts.


    But in reality, some huts were hidden by others in front, so in total there were more than ten huts.


    ��The doors with circles mean they��re taken; those without circles are empty. Rein, you can pick any of them to live in,�� said the young man on the side, gesturing with his hands for Rein to choose any hut.


    Rein walked around and found that someone seemed to clean the huts regularly, they were quite tidy inside, so he randomly chose one and moved his luggage in.


    At this point, Bask slapped his forehead and said, ��Oh Rein, there��s another thing; if you want someone here to take care of your meals, you��ll have to pay a fee, and the same goes for your horse.�� sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��How much?�� Rein nodded, finding it reasonable.


    ��If it��s a nutritious meal with added ferocious beast meat, it��ll be pricier, ten Gold Coins a day for three meals. However, most people choose to add an extra meal in the evening, which is a lot cheaper.��


    ��For the horse, it��s one silver coin a day for care.��


    ��Okay! I��ll pay for a month upfront.��


    Rein handed over three hundred and three Gold Coins to Bask right away.


    ��Tsk tsk, such a wealthy man. Just to be clear, it��s not that I don��t want to round off the change for you, but this money goes to the family; it has nothing to do with me,�� Bask remarked after receiving the coins.


    Although he was also a noble scion, he was a second son, and the share he could get from the family was mostly divided by his brother��and that was on the premise that he had proven his value as an investment.


    Rein didn��t mind; he had recently made a good sum of money at the Zaral resistance base, so spending this amount was not painful.


    Besides, the very profitable matron Jennifer had also prepared an extra sum of money for him before his departure.


    So, money wasn��t a problem for Rein at the moment.


    ��Hmm, who should I entrust the horse to then?�� Rein nodded, and then looked around, realizing that there was no stable nearby.

 Chapter 315 - 315 - 180: Training from the Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 315 �C 180: Training from the Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��That��s simple, leave it to my servant. Grando!! Take good care of this lord��s horses.��


    Suddenly, from a stone house in the farthest corner, a young servant quickly ran out. Bowing towards Rein and Bask, he said, ��At your command, young master Bask.��


    After settling down briefly, Rein thought for a moment and left his chrome iron suit and pigheaded hammer in the room. Wearing the black cinched waistcoat embroidered with gold and silver threads that Jennifer had prepared for him, he walked out of the stone house.


    Seeing Rein dressed in handsomely understated luxury, Bask was momentarily stunned and murmured softly, ��He does look good, but this is training, not a fashion show.��


    Rein didn��t care about such comments that stemmed from jealousy of his looks.


    The two then headed towards the location where Master Ganther had just been.


    At that moment, Rein couldn��t help but ask, ��Bask, what exactly is this first task?��


    ...


    Bask smiled mysteriously and said, ��Guess!��


    Rein��s face darkened!


    You��re not a beauty, why should I guess with you?


    Guess a ghost!


    Seeing Rein��s displeased expression, Bask finally restrained his smile, became a bit more serious, and said, ��Cutting sea grass.��


    Rein was taken aback!


    His steps slightly hesitated.


    It wasn��t too difficult; it seemed too simple actually.


    ��Cutting sea grass?�� Rein asked back in surprise.


    He had thought that the first task would involve battling some kind of sea creature, with a high probability of difficulty.


    Otherwise, why would so many young people be sweating it out near the lighthouse practicing their swordsmanship?


    Clearly, he had been stopped right at the first hurdle, unable to gain entry!


    However�� perhaps the sea grass in this area has some peculiarities, making it quite challenging? Rein thought to himself.


    ��Yes, cutting sea grass, but this type of sea grass is very tough. I��m not clear on the specific reasons, but it��s certainly hard to chop through. Try it yourself later and you��ll see.�� The young man nodded affirmatively.


    He was in charge of logistics here due to his connection, practicing with Master Ganther while also handling some odd jobs, hence he was very familiar with the master��s habits.


    The first step, or the first task, always started with cutting sea grass.


    The locals called the sea grass in this area ��Tough Sea Grass.�� Compared to ordinary sea grass, its surface is covered all year round with a layer of water-insoluble mucus secreted, which often dissipates the force of sharp weapons like swords.


    Even after this tough sea grass is pulled from the seabed and the mucous layer is removed, the inherent toughness of the sea grass itself is extraordinarily surprising.


    When several strands are dried and twisted together, they can be used as ropes on sailboats.


    This can give you an idea of its remarkable toughness; hence it is called Tough Sea Grass.


    ��However, Rein, if you use the Dual-Handed Greatsword, it will be more challenging for you.��


    ��If you knew how to use the Knight��s Longsword, the first task would probably be a bit easier for you.�� The young man glanced at the Glimmering Greatsword on Rein��s back and advised.


    Rein was somewhat enlightened by why Bask had said this.


    Because the cross-sectional area of a two-handed sword is much larger than that of a one-handed sword, the resistance when swinging it in water would naturally be much greater than that of a one-handed sword.


    However, after thinking it over, Rein asked back, ��Has anyone completed the first task using a two-handed sword? Or what does Master Ganther think?��


    ��Yes, but very few. The master never cares whether you use a one-handed or a two-handed sword, nor does he remind you. However, I heard him say that you should use whatever you fight with to cut.�� S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Otherwise, according to the master, you probably won��t be able to complete the later training tasks.��


    ��In that case, I won��t switch! But�� Bask, thanks for the heads up.�� Rein shrugged and said with a smile.


    This young man seemed nice, aside from being a bit of a chatterbox.


    The two went to the other end of the island.


    Master Ganther was still in the same place, coaching a few young people on their swordsmanship. After seeing Rein and Bask coming, he nodded slightly, signaling Rein to keep up. Explore more at empire


    Master Ganther took Rein to the side of the reef and pointed to the water, saying, ��There is a type of Tough Sea Grass under the water. If you cut ten strands with a sword within three days, you will have completed the training task.��


    ��Remember, it��s to be done with a sword, not by pulling with your hands.��


    ��Understood, Master Ganther.�� Rein nodded.


    As Rein followed where Master Ganther pointed and gazed into the deep blue water, he realized that since this area was about twenty to thirty meters from the shoreline, the depth of water around the rocks had already exceeded two meters.


    About ten meters from where he stood, he could vaguely see the seabed where many elongated plants were swaying.


    Presumably, these were the Tough Sea Grass that Master Ganther had mentioned.


    Without asking anything further, Rein took a deep breath and slowly stepped into the deep blue water.


    Instantly, a wave of cold and the compressive sensation of water from all sides hit him.


    Being winter, the sea water was much colder than in summer. Even with Rein��s physical constitution, he couldn��t help but shiver slightly.


    However, with a Constitution of twenty-one, Rein quickly adapted to the icy marine environment.


    Just diving three or four meters, Rein already saw the seafloor where the green belt-like sea grass grew upward. At this moment, a large group of Tough Sea Grass was slightly swaying in the sea with the undercurrents.

 Chapter 316 - 316 - 180: Training from the Master (Double-Length Chapter)_3

    Chapter 316 �C 180: Training from the Master (Double-Length Chapter)_3


    This tough seagrass was different from what Rein had envisioned, resembling more of the seaweed from his previous life but much narrower.


    Without much thought, Rein swung the Glimmering Greatsword in his hands and chopped directly at the swaying tough seagrass.


    ��


    On the shore.


    A young man with a buzz cut frowned and glanced at Bask, saying, ��Bask, didn��t you tell him that using a Dual-Handed Greatsword to cut tough seagrass underwater is a disadvantage?��


    Bask shrugged and said helplessly, ��Yeah, I told him, but he wouldn��t listen, what can I do.��


    ��It seems we have another who can��t grasp the situation. He probably thought the seagrass here was like what he��s seen before.�� Another young man commented.


    ...


    ��That��s not necessarily true, the people Cleya introduces might actually be strong.��


    ��Not likely. Look at his age, he might have good talent, but at this age, his strength wouldn��t be very strong. After all, strength requires time to build up.��


    ��I think so too. He��ll likely surface soon and then request Master Ganther for a lighter, one-handed sword.��


    ��Let��s wait and see then. When he realizes it��s not working, he��ll remember what you said, Bask.��


    Meanwhile, the group continued to practice their swordsmanship, occasionally glancing at the sea where Rein was.


    ��


    Under the sea.


    As water resistance was far greater than air resistance,


    Rein��s normally swift strike was much slower than on land.


    When the greatsword chopped onto the soft tough seagrass, the seagrass fluttered like a willow in the wind, barely feeling the impact at all, and astonishingly remained unharmed.


    Oops?


    Rein truly hadn��t expected this.


    His casual strike, which could withstand a blow from an average knight,


    Had unexpectedly come back fruitless.


    This made Rein slightly narrow his eyes, as he began to closely observe this type of tough seagrass.


    Although it was a sunny day with the sun up in the sky, since Rein was underwater, the sunlight penetrating the ocean was mottled by algae, plankton, various fishes, and aquatic plants, so visibility wasn��t high.


    However, Rein, possessing Dark Vision, wasn��t too bothered by this.


    He could see that the green surface of the tough seagrass had a nearly transparent gel layer.


    This must be what had absorbed the impact of his last strike.


    Of course, besides this, the floating state of the tough seagrass in the water also made it difficult to hit properly,


    Additionally, with the water resistance, these factors combined had caused Rein��s previous strike to return without success.


    Now knowing the reason, Rein swung his sword again!


    This time he exerted more force, and the effect was slightly better than last time.


    A faint white mark now appeared on the seagrass, clearly, his sword had broken through the gel barrier and sliced into the body of the seagrass, not just leaving almost no damage like last time.


    Rein continued observing for a while and then made consecutive chops with his sword.


    Soon after, Rein got a hint of the knack.


    He discovered that he had to constantly pay attention to the direction of the underwater current. When the seagrass swayed to the furthest point forward or backward, reaching a certain limit, striking then would be most efficient.


    He decided to try one more time.


    This time, his feet touched the seabed, mud instantly stirred up, but at that moment, Rein felt a sense of solidity.


    ��Breakthrough!��


    ��Swoosh!�� The Glimmering Greatsword moved, creating a swirl of bubbles.


    A strand of tough seagrass was cleanly cut, and seeing this within the water, Rein nodded slightly.


    He didn��t stop but continued ��swoosh swoosh�� to hack away, as movements in the water consumed more oxygen.


    And even Rein couldn��t breathe underwater like fish, so he had to work quickly.


    After getting the hang of it, relying on Rein��s 83% physical breakthrough limit made the task relatively easy.


    After all, this was just the first training task, and once the technique was mastered, it couldn��t be very difficult.


    Finally, before running out of breath, Rein surfaced from the water. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Rein surface so quickly, the expressions on the shore were almost unanimously ��just as expected.��


    Including the one who had mentioned Rein might be strong, he looked particularly disappointed.


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    Because not even five minutes had passed, and even their strongest, Burnett, succeeded on his second attempt.


    Obviously, in such a short time Rein couldn��t have succeeded, so this surfacing was either to breathe and try again, or to ask Master Ganther for a lighter, one-handed sword.


    ��See! I told you, even if his talent is strong, his strength wouldn��t be. I understand the nature of most noble offspring too well. They enjoy their excellent training conditions but����


    Suddenly, the young man stopped mid-sentence, his expression incredulous.


    The others quickly looked puzzled and then all wore the same dumbfounded expressions.


    Hisss!


    Many people gasped in surprise.


    They saw Rein, dripping wet, dragging behind him a bundle of long tough seagrass, obviously more than ten strands!


    ��This�� how on earth could he be this fast?�� the young man exclaimed, raising his finger and pointing at the scene.


    ��Do any of us move that quickly?��


    ��How long did it take you, Doug?��

 Chapter 317 - 317 - 180: Training from the Master (Double-Length Chapter)_4

    Chapter 317 �C 180: Training from the Master (Double-Length Chapter)_4


    ��About two hours,�� a young man named Doug said in a deep voice.


    ��And you? Arturo��


    The young man named Arturo��s face turned slightly red as he said, ��Half a day.��


    Suddenly, everyone��s gaze fixed intently on Rein, in complete silence!


    ��Very good, faster than I had anticipated. You have passed the first training task.��


    ��Now, take these tough seaweeds to Bask, and then come with me.�� Master Ganther, rarely showing a hint of a smile, led Rein into a stone hut.


    ��Sit cross-legged on the stone slab,�� Master Ganther pointed to a large stone slab in the middle of the stone hut and said.


    ...


    ��Yes, Master.��


    ��Now I will teach you a set of Underwater Breathing Technique, which is actually called Inner Breathing Technique, a kind of auxiliary method handed down from ancient times that can integrate with the Knight Breathing Method you have been cultivating to further transform your body.��


    ��No matter what breathing technique you practiced before, this Inner Breathing Technique is compatible with it.��


    Huh?


    Wasn��t he supposed to be learning swordsmanship?


    Why is he suddenly learning this Inner Breathing Technique?


    However, learning something useful is always a good thing.


    Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door. Rein found the sound familiar��it was Bask��s footsteps.


    Sure enough, someone outside the door said, ��Master, I have ground the tough seaweed juice.��


    ��Bring it in!�� said Master Ganther.


    Bask brought in half a barrel of green liquid that emitted a strong fragrance of vegetation mixed with a hint of the sea.


    Rein knew this must be the tough seaweed he had cut down, but he still didn��t know what purpose the juice served after being pressed.


    ��To learn to breathe through your skin rather than your mouth and nose will be quite difficult at first,�� Ganther continued speaking.


    ��Breathing through the skin is a concept that��s hard to grasp for the average person. If you apply the fresh tough seaweed juice on your skin, it will help you accelerate the understanding of this Inner Breathing.��


    ��However, the juice of the tough seaweed evaporates very quickly in the air, about half an hour later, its effect in aiding understanding will begin to weaken.��


    ��This is the second training task. I hope you can master this Inner Breathing Technique within three days. If you need more tough seaweed juice, go back to the sea and cut some more.�� After finishing speaking, Master Ganther left the stone hut.


    Meanwhile, Bask muttered to himself in confusion, ��Huh, strange. Wasn��t it always within seven days? How come it has changed to three days for Rein?��


    ��Could it be that Master Ganther sees something in Rein? That shouldn��t be it��.��


    After hearing Master Ganther��s words, Rein suddenly had an epiphany.


    So that��s it.


    He now understood the significance of the first training task.


    The first step was challenging, demanding a high level of the Knight��s Breathing Method and swordsmanship from those being tested. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even for a seasoned Knight, it would probably take several hours and multiple attempts to complete the task, and even more difficult for a full-fledged Knight.


    But it was a threshold, only by meeting this requirement, the subsequent training content would have meaning.


    It turned out that the tough seaweed was meant to speed up the understanding of this Inner Breathing Technique.


    Clearly, if you take a long time just to barely complete the ��cutting tough seaweed�� task,


    then the subsequent task����master the Inner Breathing Technique within three days����without the help of the juice, it almost becomes an impossible task.


    Therefore, Rein had come to understand that these training tasks were likely interconnected.


    Rein took off all his clothes and smeared the pale green seaweed juice over his skin.


    Soon, he felt a slight cooling substance seemingly seeping slowly into his skin. Rein held his breath, focusing on the sensation.


    Half an hour later, the system prompt rang:


    [You have trained in the Inner Breathing Technique, insights increased!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Inner Breathing Technique]


    [Your skill Inner Breathing Technique has been enhanced, Experience +1]


    ��


    Excellent!


    Looking at the new skill that appeared on the Knight (Transcendent) panel, Rein had now learned the Inner Breathing Technique, although it was just at level 1 (1/100).


    Rein glanced at his attribute panel:


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (345/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv4 (277/1000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (64/2000) / Armorsmith lv1 (17/100)


    Constitution: 21


    Strength: 19


    Agility: 17


    Spirit: 25


    Remaining attribute points: 2


    Remaining Skill Points: 6


    Although he had six remaining Skill Points, after a brief consideration, Rein decided not to rush into using them but to enhance step by step as per Master Ganther��s instructions.


    After all, with three days�� time, if any issues arose, he could still solve them by using the points then.


    Because Rein vaguely felt that every step arranged by Master Ganther had some purpose behind it, which ultimately was likely meant to help the apprentices comprehend something.


    After Rein finished using the bucket of rugged seaweed juice, he went back to the seaside.


    This time, when Rein arrived at the rocks, seven or eight young people all looked his way, because they knew that Rein wasn��t just any noble progeny, but a mighty force to be reckoned with.


    However, Rein had no desire to chat with them at that moment.


    Having just continuously used the rugged seaweed juice, he had a vague enlightenment about the Inner Breathing Technique, so he needed to hurry and harvest some more rugged seaweed to strike while the iron was hot and speed up mastering the Inner Breathing Technique.


    Rein��s burly figure slowly submerged into the seawater.


    Instantly, Rein felt the coldness of the seawater and the pressure coming from all directions.


    And unlike last time, Rein could vaguely sense that his skin was ��breathing.��


    The magnitude was very slight, but he could faintly perceive it thanks to his keen senses.


    If previously, his mouth and nose breathing accounted for 99%, and skin breathing for 1%,


    now, his mouth and nose breathing accounted for 95%, skin breathing from 1%��5%.


    Rein closed his eyes, carefully sensing and experiencing this change.


    After a while, Rein began to swing the Glimmering Greatsword, harvesting the rugged seaweed!


    And comprehension of the Inner Breathing Technique allowed him to slightly extend his stay in the sea.


    ��.


    When Rein dragged a bucket-sized bundle of rugged seaweed and slowly walked up to the shore rocks, the setting winter sun splashed over the sea and Rein, bathing him in light.


    For both the young people around the white lighthouse and those practicing swordsmanship on the island, the sight of Rein was aglow with brilliant golden light.


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    And as Rein boldly stepped onto the shore, for a moment, he seemed like a deity descending to earth.


    Youthful Bask muttered to himself as he watched the scene: ��The gap between people does exist.��


    ��But it shouldn��t be this vast!��


    Suddenly, he realized something and quickly ran towards Rein.


    From his posture, it looked like he intended to take the rugged seaweed from Rein��s hands and volunteer to grind it��

 Chapter 318 - 318 - 181: Comprehension (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 318 �C 181: Comprehension (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Three mornings later.


    When Rein once again walked ashore from the sea, the faces of the people practicing swordsmanship on the beach were a mix of different expressions.


    Seeing Rein stay underwater for at least fifteen minutes, Bask couldn��t help but mutter to himself, ��Damn, why does it feel like I��m retarded compared to Rein��s learning progress����


    ��It��s really fucking demoralizing!��


    A few young people nearby glanced at each other. They felt the same way but didn��t say it out loud because of their vanity.


    They were taught by the same teacher, but Rein seemed like an apprentice from an accelerated elite class while they were from ordinary classes; he had completed in one week what took them a month to learn.


    No, it was even faster than that. Who could stand this!


    ...


    The crew-cut man sighed to himself, ��It looks like he has mastered it, spending just three days to master the Inner Breathing Technique. It took me a full five days.��


    ��Now, there��s one more in our batch.��


    Currently, Rein��s proficiency level in the Inner Breathing Technique was lv3 (14/500).


    As for why his improvement speed was so fast, it mainly relied on the accelerated enlightenment effect of the tenacious seaweed juice and the training in the sea.


    But now, it seemed he had reached a bottleneck; the progress of the Inner Breathing Technique slowed after entering lv3.


    In these three days, Rein also noticed that the young sword practitioners on the island would disappear for half a day every now and then, seemingly going on to the next phase of training.


    But he didn��t ask.


    Because in his view, focusing on doing the things he should be doing at the current stage, and pushing the progress and efficiency to the highest, was the most important thing.


    The content afterwards would naturally be taught by Master Ganther.


    In these three days, beneath the water, he practiced the Inner Breathing Technique while harvesting those tenacious seaweeds, gaining much insight.


    Rein found that using the Dual-Handed Greatsword underwater required much higher precision in every move than on land.


    If your greatsword swung at an off-angle, adjusting it underwater was much more difficult and slower than in air.


    Furthermore, when Rein was chopping the tenacious seaweed, he found that to achieve the best effect with each sword strike, one had to observe and understand the rhythm of the swaying seaweed in the water.


    This was a significant test of coordination for a swordsman��s hands, eyes, and heart.


    Although Master Ganther hadn��t taught him anything else in these three days, with just the dynamic action of ��cutting seaweed�� and the stillness of practicing the ��Inner Breathing Technique,�� Rein had been working non-stop all day.


    Rein had a feeling that even if from now on Master Ganther didn��t teach him the following content,


    he would still be able to learn something from these two activities and significantly improve his swordsmanship level.


    From others�� perspective, if they were to describe Rein in four words, ��Cultivation Maniac�� would be a perfect fit!


    Aside from eating and sleeping, Rein rarely chatted or rested; he was either smeared with tenacious weed juice in the stone hut, realizing the Inner Breathing Technique, or ��cutting seaweed�� in the sea.


    If one could overlook this area of the sea near the island from the sky, they would clearly see a noticeable ��bald patch�� in the large area where the tenacious seaweed was concentrated��


    But�� this truly couldn��t be blamed on Rein.


    Because whenever Rein was cutting seaweed in the sea, the system prompts kept coming:


    [You have trained in Underwater Giant Bear Swordsmanship, comprehension improved!]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +15]


    [You have trained in the Inner Breathing Technique, comprehension improved!]


    [Your Skill Inner Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +2]


    ��


    This was quite addicting. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Especially since the process of cutting seaweed underwater concurrently tempered both ��Giant Bear Sword Technique�� and ��Inner Breathing Technique,�� and moreover, the effect was much better than on land.


    With Rein��s current lv7 level of Giant Bear Sword Technique, if he practiced on land, he would mostly gain +5 or +6 Experience, but cutting seaweed in the sea almost doubled that amount.


    The efficiency was evident!


    Additionally, Rein made another important discovery.


    That was when he practiced the Inner Breathing Technique, he could clearly feel this training subtly influencing his original Giant Bear Breathing Technique, causing a minute change.


    It seemed to incrementally enhance his internal organs and overall bodily functions, a change that became more evident as the level of the Inner Breathing Technique improved.


    And this time, when Master Ganther stood on the rocks and saw Rein emerge from the water, dragging a long bundle of ��tenacious seaweed,�� not out of breath despite the intense fifteen minutes of activity, he knew Rein still had energy to spare.


    That meant Rein had exceeded the task requirements.


    Without waiting for Rein to approach him, Master Ganther took the initiative, saying, ��That will do, Rein. You can now proceed to the third training. Follow me.��


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    People on the beach watched this scene with different thoughts running through their minds.


    Although they knew from day one that Rein was strong, they found his perseverance even more astonishing. He practiced almost without rest, like an iron man.


    So, in these three days, they had witnessed firsthand Rein��s visibly fast progress.


    From initially lasting seven or eight minutes underwater when cutting seaweed to now being able to stay more than fifteen minutes, the improvement in the Inner Breathing Technique was too obvious.

 Chapter 319 - 319 - 181: Comprehension (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 319 �C 181: Comprehension (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��`


    ��Are we already moving on to the third training session? Our progress is catching up with us!�� Arturo exclaimed in surprise.


    ��Not catching up, we��re about to be surpassed,�� the young man named Doug said gravely.


    Everyone fell silent.


    In truth, Master Ganther��s second training task demanded that Rein master the Inner Breathing Technique within three days. According to the display on Rein��s professional panel system, reaching level 1 (1/100) of the Inner Breathing Technique was considered meeting the standard.


    However, Rein considered that since he had three days, he might as well improve the Inner Breathing Technique as much as possible, because he felt its unique function held great significance.


    On the other hand, Bask had once volunteered the information that the standard to judge whether you had mastered the Inner Breathing Technique was whether you could continuously slash through resilient seaweed for fifteen minutes underwater.


    ...


    Therefore, Rein modestly concealed his skill until the third day, when he finally revealed it.


    With his current level of control, he should be able to maintain a battle state under water for about half an hour.


    According to the system panel, Rein was not at level 1 (1/100) but had reached level 3 (14/500).


    At level 1 of the Inner Breathing Technique, one could roughly maintain underwater combat for fifteen minutes, while at level 3, it was as long as half an hour.


    Although this duration may not seem very long, one must understand that during this time, a person is constantly slashing through resilient seaweed, which is a state of high oxygen consumption due to vigorous movement, not simply holding one��s breath motionless in the water.


    This is completely different!


    Soon, under Master Ganther��s lead, Rein arrived below the cliffs at the northern end of the island, which was a completely opposite direction from the southern end where they previously practiced swordsmanship.


    No wonder Rein hadn��t noticed such an area before.


    ��Bask, give the shark skin to Rein, and then prepare a tube worm!�� S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Of course, Master Ganther.��


    Bask took out a dark grey leather armor covered with fine scales from behind him and handed it to Rein.


    Rein felt a little surprised but didn��t hesitate to receive it. The armor felt like toughened cowhide that had been soaked in oil, only much thicker.


    Its design was also quite unique, resembling the diving suits of yesteryears.


    ��This is made from the skin of a reef shark, and it offers great defensive power against the attacks of nearshore madfish. Once you put it on, even if you face a swarm of them, you won��t have any safety issues,�� Master Ganther explained, turning his head towards Rein.


    Rein nodded and immediately began to put it on.


    Although he possessed the Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin lv3�� for protection, he estimated that his defensive power was not inferior to the shark leather armor, but he saw no need to stand out at this moment.


    Meanwhile, Bask started taking out a brown long worm, about one meter long and as thick as a thumb, constantly wriggling, from a wooden barrel he had prepared beforehand.


    ��This is a tube worm, a favorite of the nearshore madfish. Your training task at this stage, Rein, is to kill as many nearshore madfish as possible within an hour,�� Master Ganther said, pointing at the brown worm.


    ��As many as possible, Master Ganther? What��s the benchmark in your mind?�� Rein asked after contemplating a bit. Your journey continues on empire


    After all, having a clear boundary or standard would be more motivating.


    ��Let��s say ten! If you can kill ten nearshore madfish within an hour, you should be able to move on to the next training session,�� Master Ganther replied with a smile, glancing at Rein.


    ��If you find it difficult to kill the madfish initially, you can take some time to further practice the swordsmanship you are already good at, like those others have done; you might discover a different insight.��


    ��Furthermore, the first training task ��Cutting Seaweed�� would be beneficial to keep practicing daily; it helps a lot with improving your Inner Breathing Technique,�� he continued, then paused before adding:


    ��You have one month to complete this training task.��


    With that, Ganther turned and walked away slowly.


    What the consequences of not achieving the goal were, Ganther did not say, but in truth, no further explanation was needed; failing left no other choice but to return to where one came from.


    ��Okay, Master Ganther,�� Rein nodded and responded.


    Only after Ganther had departed did Bask look at Rein with an envious expression and say, ��Wow, Rein, I didn��t realize you were making such rapid progress!��


    ��Even Master Ganther is looking at you differently.��


    ��Oh? How can you tell? I haven��t noticed,�� Rein inquired, somewhat curious.


    Master Ganther gave an impression of a rather old-fashioned and strict teacher, not one easily approachable or invoking sentiments of closeness.


    ��You need to compare it to how he treats others. With other people, Master Ganther doesn��t talk so much, he just drops the task requirement and leaves,�� Bask explained.


    Rein raised his eyebrows slightly; this was news to him.


    ��Rein, you must be the fastest to complete the first training session, and the second fastest for the second. I wonder how long you��ll need for this third task?�� Bask said with a smile.


    ��Oh? For the second training task of mastering the Inner Breathing Technique, who was the fastest and how long did they take?�� Rein couldn��t help but ask.


    ��Half a day, it was Lady Creya who set the record,�� Bask said with an expression of admiration mixed with nostalgia.


    Rein glanced at Bask, shook his head slightly, and inwardly sighed that the boy was beyond help; women only affected the speed of one��s swordsmanship.


    Besides, it seemed that Creya was the ��one true love�� in Bask��s heart!


    ��`

 Chapter 320 - 320: 181

    Chapter 320: 181


    Half a day, huh.


    If I didn��t hide my incompetence, it seems like half an hour?


    Rein pondered for a moment, then shook his head again.


    What does more time mean? The most important thing is to truly learn something.


    ��Rein, I��m going to release the tube worms now, pay attention to the sea surface, and soon the crazed nearshore fishes will come, and there is a high probability of more than one!��


    ��Their favorite food is these tube worms.�� Bask reminded as the plan was set into motion.


    Rein nodded and began to fully concentrate on watching the sea surface, getting ready.


    ...


    Seeing this, Bask immediately threw the snake-like tube worm into the sea about four to five meters in front of them.


    The moment the tube worm hit the water, it began to struggle violently.


    Seeming to smell the scent emitted by the tube worm, Rein sharply observed several ripples forming on the sea surface tens of meters away.


    Three to four fishes, roughly thirty centimeters to half a meter in size, moved towards the tube worm as fast as torpedoes.


    As these fishes approached, Rein noticed that these fish, named crazed nearshore fishes, had a pale blue body with brown circular spots, a row of spiny fins on their back, and large mouths full of sharp teeth.


    The creatures ferociously pounced as soon as they saw the tube worm twisting its body in the water.


    In just a few moments, the tube worm was torn apart and devoured.


    Although Rein hadn��t yet entered the water to make a kill, from observing from the shore for a few seconds, he judged that this third training task����hunting crazed nearshore fish����was more than twice as difficult as the first task, ��cutting seaweed.��


    It��s no wonder that those seven or eight young people, although they arrived earlier than myself, seemed to be stuck at this stage.


    The biggest difference compared to the seaweed is that, although the seaweed drifted unpredictably under the influence of the undercurrents in the seawater, it still followed certain patterns.


    The drifting process of a seaweed was like a swinging pendulum.


    If a person could grasp the moment when the pendulum swings to its highest point front and back and swing their sword, it would make cutting the seaweed relatively easy.


    But these crazed nearshore fishes were different. With bodies shaped like shuttles, their streamlined forms allowed them to move through the water at high speeds.


    This was akin to upgrading from a fixed target practice to a moving target practice!


    Of course, the specifics would only be known after actually making a kill.


    Rein, dressed in sharkskin, drew his Dual-Handed Greatsword and started to wade into the water.


    Seeing Rein about to enter the water, Bask warned, ��Rein, these fishes are also called ��ironhead fishes�� by the locals, their heads are as hard as iron shells. Be careful of their rush and bite.��


    ��Thank you.�� Rein nodded, acknowledging the advice.


    Rein took a deep breath, activated the Inner Breathing Technique, and began to step into the sea.


    As he was submerged by the seawater, the chilling water squeezed in from all directions.


    Huh?


    Rein found that the sharkskin, which was slightly bulky on land, did not hinder his movements in the water, apparently due to the special surface structure of the sharkskin, which itself had the effect of reducing water resistance.


    Coming to the vicinity of the crazed nearshore fishes still lingering around the remnants of the tube worm, Rein raised the Glimmering Greatsword, executed ��Limit Break,�� and instantly aimed a Smooth Cleaving Slash at one of the crazed nearshore fishes!


    Having been trained in ��cutting seaweed,�� Rein had already gained an initial understanding of exerting force underwater.


    Thus, the sword landed solidly on the body of the crazed nearshore fish. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The body of the crazed nearshore fish was immediately torn open, and dark red blood oozed out.


    At the same time, Rein��s expression subtly changed!


    He felt like he was chopping through layers of thick cowhide, a sensation that transmitted from the greatsword to his hands.


    The defensive power of the creature was incredibly strong!


    His strike had not managed to kill it outright.


    Just when Rein thought he might have startled the creature into fleeing, the crazed nearshore fish, unexpectedly attacked from nowhere, quickly turned its body and charged at Rein, evidently counterattacking.


    This was significantly different from the typical behavior of most animals.


    Normally, animals would first flee after being suddenly attacked, then observe the attacker, before deciding whether to counterattack.


    But true to its name, the crazed nearshore fish retaliated immediately after being attacked, paying no heed to the strength of its attacker.


    However, this also delighted Rein, as he was initially worried that his sword strike, failing to kill the crazed nearshore fish, would lead it to flee.


    Since Rein had just seen the speed of the crazed nearshore fish swimming in the water, he knew it was faster than a horse��s gallop.


    Just as the crazed nearshore fish was about to reach Rein, it flicked its tail fin forcefully, suddenly increasing its speed, causing Rein��s second sword strike to barely miss the fish��s body.


    The crazed nearshore fish took the opportunity to violently bite Rein, but with the sharkskin��s protection, Rein only felt a tug and suffered no harm. Experience more tales on empire


    Indeed, for Rein, even letting the crazed nearshore fish bite him probably wouldn��t have mattered, because the level 3 Iron Skin defensive power was even stronger than the sharkskin, so he was not worried.


    After several exchanges, Rein��s attacks were almost entirely ineffective.


    However, Rein soon identified the problem; the currents created by the high-speed movement of these fishes in the water were significantly disrupting the accuracy of his greatsword slashes.

 Chapter 321 - 181: Comprehension (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 321: Chapter 181: Comprehension (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    This forced Rein to focus his attention on the swimming patterns of the nearshore frenzy fish, desperately seeking their weaknesses or patterns.


    But such patterns didn��t seem easy to grasp. Rein decided to ��cheat�� a little by studying the anatomy of the frenzy fish, which might give him some insights.


    So��


    ��Huge Strength!��


    Thirty percent ��Strength Burst!��


    Rein��s muscles swelled as he aimed a top-to-bottom Furious Slash at the head of the oncoming frenzy fish!


    ...


    ��Bang!��


    Contrary to Rein��s expectations, the frenzy fish��s head didn��t split into two but instead clamped onto the greatsword, still struggling fiercely.


    Huh?


    Such a hard head?


    Its vitality was also extraordinarily tenacious!


    Thinking back to the nickname ��Iron Head Fish�� that Bask had mentioned, Rein seemed to understand something.


    After killing a frenzy fish with the cheat-like ��Strength Burst��, Rein carried it ashore.


    ��Rein, you�� succeeded so quickly?�� Bask looked at Rein with a face full of shock, pointing at the frenzy fish in Rein��s hand.


    What was more incredulous to Bask was that the fish��s head, the hardest part of its body, had actually been split open.


    This is just��


    Bask didn��t know what to say for a moment.


    While Bask curiously investigated, Rein swiftly dissected the frenzy fish.


    First were its scales, which were extremely tough; each scale was semi-circular, fitting snugly onto the surface of the fish body, and then, layers upon layers of scales formed an armor-like scale mail as if forged from metal plates.


    This was genuine Scale Armor!


    This feature somewhat resembled the plecostomus that Rein had seen in his previous life, with a similarly structured scale covering.


    Additionally, beneath the outer skin and over much of the fish��s body, Rein found a layer of white exoskeleton, which further enhanced its defensive power, with the bone density and thickness of the head area being particularly exaggerated.


    This was already a dual-layer defense!


    Rein estimated that if such a fish were to die on the shore, even an ordinary person with a small knife might not be able to dissect its corpse.


    Therefore, when it was alive and swiftly swimming in the sea, one could imagine the difficulty of killing it.


    Of course, on the other hand, the difficulty stemmed from the training task set by Master Ganther����to kill it with a sword in the water��, rather than utilizing other methods.


    Otherwise, with human ingenuity, even an average person would have ways to kill a frenzy fish, such as baiting or poisoning, and so on.


    After dissecting the frenzy fish, Rein gazed thoughtfully into the distance at the vast ocean.


    He had just realized that using the ��Triple Layers�� stance in the water didn��t boost his combat ability nearly as much as on land.


    The reason was simple: water resistance is hundreds of times that of air, and the resistance in seawater is even higher.


    If Rein remembered correctly, the resistance of seawater seemed to be over 800 times that of air.


    This made Rein��s overwhelming Strength dissolve softly against the seawater, reducing the power of his strike upon the frenzy fish significantly.


    For a simple comparison, if the ��Triple Layers�� provided a 100% increase to Rein��s combat ability on land, then in the sea, it probably only boosted it by about 20%.


    As for the solution?


    Rein quickly recalled what Master Ganther had said before he left����You can take some time to practice the swordsmanship you were originally good at��.


    At the same time, he also remembered the scene of several young people continually practicing their swordsmanship on the shore.


    Clearly, the key to solving the problem lay here.


    Thus, facing the sea, Rein began to swing his greatsword on the rocky shore, practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique!


    Gradually, the completely different feelings of wielding a sword in the water and on land began to intertwine��


    Suddenly, a flash of insight crossed Rein��s mind, and enlightenment burst forth!


    At that moment, the system prompt also sounded��


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 Chapter 322 - 182 Ding! Detection...... (Two-in-One Long Chapter)

    Chapter 322: Chapter 182 Ding! Detection���� (Two-in-One Long Chapter)


    [Congratulations! You experienced an enlightenment and unlocked an additional effect for Melee Combat Skill: Precision lv1 (Passive)]


    [Precision lv1 (Passive) Effect: You have gained a deeper understanding of your own combat skills and the weapon in your hands. You can precisely control the strength and landing point of each move, slightly reducing the possibility of your opponents dodging and parrying your attacks.]


    (Note: Precision is an additional effect of melee combat skills that unlocks automatically once conditions are met.)


    Rein first looked around the Knight (Transcendent) class panel, and then felt a bit strange because he didn��t find a new skill icon.


    However, when he carefully read the description of Precision lv1 again, he suddenly realized!


    Because ��Precision�� is not a specific skill but an additional effect of combat skills, it naturally does not generate a new skill icon on the class panel.


    ...


    After Rein focused his attention on the icon representing the Giant Bear Sword Technique �� ��a bear holding a greatsword�� �� indeed, there was an additional line of small text below:


    Giant Bear Sword Technique lv7 (3023/5000), with the attached effect ��Precision lv2��.


    [Precision lv2 (Passive) Effect: You have a clearer understanding of your own combat skills and the weapon in your hands. You can precisely control the strength and landing point of each move, slightly reducing the possibility of your opponents dodging and parrying your attacks. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    (Note: To unlock Precision lv3 with Giant Bear Sword Technique, the following conditions must be met: one, Giant Bear Sword Technique lv9 or above; two, Strength 20 points, Agility 18 points, Constitution 20 or above.)


    Rein carefully read the text above, as if enlightened.


    The description of Precision effect at lv1 compared with lv2 is mostly similar, with the main difference being ��slight�� changed to ��modest��.


    Additionally, Rein��s lv7 Giant Bear Sword Technique carries the lv2 Precision effect, not lv1.


    This indeed matches the description that said ��it will automatically unlock after meeting the conditions!��


    Seemingly thinking of something, Rein immediately refocused, looking at the icon of two large hands holding a hammer �� Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Tokkal Hammer Technique lv5 (354/2000), with the attached effect ��Precision lv1��.


    Next is the description of Precision lv1 (Passive) Effect.


    (Note: To unlock Precision lv2 with Tokkal Hammer Technique, the following conditions must be met: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique lv6 or above; two, Strength 20 points, Agility 16 points, Constitution 18 or above.)


    After comparing the two items, it becomes easy to understand this ��Precision�� effect.


    ��Precision�� is not an independent skill. It is a special effect that derives from Rein��s current mastery of close combat skills once certain conditions are met.


    Meanwhile, Bask, seeing Rein suddenly practicing swordsmanship, was first confused, but soon his eyes widened, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief.


    After Rein stopped, Bask dared to interrupt Rein, stammering, ��Re�� Rein, did you just enter a state of enlightenment?��


    Rein turned his head toward Bask, smiled, and said, ��Yeah, I gained a little insight. Bask, thank you for not interrupting my enlightenment.��


    In the days they had spent together, Rein found Bask to be decent. Although sometimes talkative, at least he was good-hearted.


    Unlike some young folks who, upon seeing a comrade in sudden enlightenment, would explode with jealousy, then try in every way, sneaking about or pretending inadvertently, to interrupt the continuation of your enlightenment and block your progress.


    Many times, this partner might still be the one you enjoy spending time with usually.


    To use a phrase from his past life, it��s the concept of ��neither wanting a brother to suffer nor wanting a brother to drive a luxury car,�� it��s human nature.


    When Bask saw Rein��s affirmative answer, his face wore a surprised expression and said, ��I��ve been with Master Ganther for a year and a half, and you��re the third person I��ve seen enter enlightenment. But the only one who achieved it within a few days of arriving, that��s unique.��


    ��Of the previous three, even the fastest one had at least a month of training before reaching enlightenment,�� he added.


    Rein nodded, indicating he understood.


    He certainly didn��t think he was the only one capable of enlightenment. With such a vast empire, and a large base number, various geniuses, even at a low proportion, were bound to emerge like bamboo shoots after the rain.


    Thinking it over, Rein couldn��t wait to test the power of this Precision again in combat.


    However, the school of fish near the beach that had previously been attracted by the tubeworms had already dispersed.


    Thus, Rein turned to Bask and said, ��Bask, could you throw another tubeworm into the sea? I want to try out the effects after the enlightenment.��


    ��Oh, sure, sure!�� Bask responded, initially startled, then quickly understood.


    Because he thought Rein��s reaction was too calm.


    You should know, those who had enlightenment always wore an ecstatic expression.


    Not like Rein, who was as calm as if such enlightenment were an everyday occurrence.


    Nevertheless, he quickly did as Rein asked, picking up a wriggling, snake-like tubeworm and tossing it into the sea about four to five meters away.


    At Rein��s line of sight, the scene he had witnessed last time reappeared.


    The distant sea surface immediately showed several ripples. With Rein��s vision, he could naturally see that this time, exactly six nearshore madfish were swiftly swimming towards them.


    Seeing this, Rein did not hesitate; he immediately grabbed his Dual-Handed Greatsword and slowly stepped into the sea toward the direction of the tubeworm.


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 Chapter 323 - 182 Ding! Detection...... (Two in One Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 323: Chapter 182 Ding! Detection���� (Two in One Big Chapter)_2


    As the distance between the frenzied nearshore fish and Rein rapidly closed!


    This time, Rein started off by striking the midsection of one frenzied nearshore fish with his sword. Immediately, the pained fish began to counterattack against Rein.


    The powerful tail fin of the frenzied nearshore fish swung violently, and the entire body of the fish, like a torpedo, rushed toward Rein at high speed.


    However, this time, with the special effect ��Precision lv2�� from the Giant Bear Sword Technique, Rein was able to hit the rapidly approaching frenzied nearshore fish with almost every move. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In just half a minute, Rein had added four or five cuts to the body of the frenzied nearshore fish.


    Excessive blood loss caused the frenzied nearshore fish��s strength to decline, and its swimming speed further decreased.


    ...


    Seeing this, Rein used ��Limit Break�� and, after a few rounds, had his sword slash across the junction of the fish head and body, delivering a Furious Slash that decapitated the frenzied nearshore fish!


    Throughout, he did not activate ��Triple Stance,�� nor did he use the nearly ��cheat-level�� core skill ��Strength Burst.��


    The time it took to kill a frenzied nearshore fish had improved from the initial five minutes to about two minutes now.


    The overall combat efficiency had increased by more than a notch!


    Rein couldn��t help but praise inwardly!


    Even if he learned nothing else, just coming this far for the melee special effect ��Precision�� alone was worth it.


    After continuously killing three frenzied nearshore fish, the other frenzied fish dispersed since the roundworms were all eaten.


    Meanwhile, Rein in the sea carefully reflected on his experiences.


    He realized that although his combat power had been quite good, it was based on his superb physical condition, but he had never seriously reflected on his weapon and the combat skills he practiced.


    For example,


    Rein��s previous control over his body was like controlling a tractor��although the power was immense, there was no precision in the control.


    But now, he was like driving a finely engineered sports car, steering exactly where he intended, achieving centimeter-level control.


    Recalling the recent battle scene, Rein swung his greatsword and chopped at the frenzied nearshore fish, the error in his strike��s landing spot was merely three to five centimeters.


    It could essentially be said that the attack position he visualized in his mind and that produced by his hands on the frenzied nearshore fish had very little difference.


    Considering this was in high resistance seawater with the target moving at high speed.


    However��


    To become even more precise, Rein turned his gaze to the Knight (Transcendent) panel on the Giant Bear Sword Technique icon.


    ����to unlock Precision lv3, meet the following conditions: first, Giant Bear Sword Technique lv9 or higher���� Rein muttered to himself.


    No wonder!


    In his past life, he had heard that some people, to practice precision in fencing, would hang a small ball on a string and then repeatedly practice aiming to pierce the swinging ball.


    This was somewhat similar to his first training session of ��cutting seaweed.��


    Although the methods differed, ��cutting seaweed in water�� was much more challenging than ��piercing a small ball,�� but the purpose was the same.


    Both were training the precision of the swordsmanship!


    And now, considering the third training task����kill ten frenzied nearshore fish in one hour����it was a further enhancement of precision requirements, evolving Precision lv1 to lv2.


    Because the frenzied nearshore fish moved in a variable acceleration curve, unlike the seaweed or the small ball, which moved in a regular pendulum-like motion.


    Rein roughly estimated that when a formal Knight can exert the combat skill effect ��Precision lv2,�� then he could successfully kill a frenzied nearshore fish within five minutes.


    That meant he could complete this third training task.


    Actually, the difference between a formal Knight and an experienced Knight wasn��t too significant.


    Because the resistance in seawater far exceeded that in air, the power gap between an experienced Knight and a formal Knight was reduced.


    Assuming on land, an experienced Knight��s combat strength would be 50% higher than that of a formal Knight, but in seawater, the power an experienced Knight could exert might only be 20% higher than that of a formal Knight.


    Simply put, in the water, it was more about the skill and less about physical condition.


    This was like comparing a bodybuilding strongman and a child swimming to see who was faster, where clearly, swimming skills mattered more than physical condition.


    Of course, if the skill levels of the two were similar, the combat power of an experienced Knight would naturally be stronger than that of a formal Knight, and there wouldn��t be a reversal of the situation.


    Additionally, Rein found it interesting that other frenzied nearshore fish would disperse by themselves after consuming all the roundworms.


    This trait resembled solitary animals, like leopards, rather than group hunting animals like hyenas.


    Otherwise, Rein would have faced an assault from multiple frenzied nearshore fish.


    But this also had a downside, namely that five or six frenzied nearshore fish were attracted by a single roundworm, and yet Rein could only kill three, which was somewhat wasteful.


    Thinking it over, Rein, carrying three frenzied nearshore fish, slowly walked ashore.


    Almost immediately, he caught a whiff of food aroma and took a closer look.


    He saw Bask below the cliff, had actually started a bonfire and was roasting the meat from beneath the hard scales of the frenzied nearshore fish on a fine sword, the enticing aroma wafting from it.


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 Chapter 324 - 182 Ding! Detection...... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3

    Chapter 324: Chapter 182 Ding! Detection���� (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3


    As Bask saw Rein appear, he enthusiastically waved and said, ��Rein, try my cooking! This grilled manic fish, in its original juice, tastes delicious!��


    ��You know, it also quickly restores physical strength, with an effect almost close to that of ferocious beast meat.��


    Initially hesitating between eating and not eating, Rein raised an eyebrow when he heard the latter remark. Quickly restore physical strength?


    Naturally, he wanted to try it then.


    ��Bang bang!��


    Rein swung his greatsword, delivering a series of precise chops and slices!


    ...


    Soon, he had cleaned out the meat of three manic fish he had just killed and told Bask, ��One isn��t enough for the two of us, let��s grill all three.��


    ��Impressive!�� Seeing Rein��s precise swordsmanship, Bask couldn��t help giving him a thumbs-up in admiration.


    ��By the way, Rein, seeing the speed at which you killed those manic fish, you must have completed the third training task by now, right? If so, then you��re at the same stage as Frode, ready for the fourth training.��


    ��Oh? Bask, do you know what the fourth training task involves?�� Rein casually asked.


    As for who Frode was, Rein didn��t care in the slightest.


    ��Of course, it��s to kill thirty manic fish in one hour!��


    ��Thirty?�� Rein��s eyebrow flicked up.


    He clearly understood the difference between ten and thirty.


    It wasn��t simply a matter of adding more numbers, but a qualitative difference!


    If the requirement had been to kill ten manic fish in one hour, that would mean, on average, taking six minutes to kill each one, which would be manageable one by one.


    It would just take a bit more patience.


    But with thirty, averaging it to two minutes per fish, that meant the previous tactic of attacking them one by one would definitely not work.


    Because this would involve luring five or six manic fish with a single bait worm and then killing them all in a short period.


    This likely meant engaging multiple fish at once, which drastically increased the difficulty.


    ��Rein, do you also think it��s difficult?�� Bask grimaced.


    ��Anyway, I��ve been here for a year and a half and haven��t seen anyone pass this fourth training task, including Lady Creya, who also got stuck on this one.��


    ��Oh? Lady Creya was stuck on this one too?�� Upon hearing this, Rein couldn��t help but frown slightly.


    ��Yes, if I remember correctly, Lady Creya killed twenty-seven in one hour, just shy of completing the task,�� Bask reminisced with a wistful look.


    Rein nodded.


    In his memory, Creya was still the one who had initiated him into knighthood.


    Back then, Creya seemed to him an unfathomably powerful figure.


    Unexpectedly, he had gradually caught up to, and perhaps even surpassed, her.


    That feeling�� was quite peculiar.


    Rein estimated that when Creya had come to train with Master Ganther, it must have been one or two years ago, and her strength must have been at the level of an official knight then.


    So, even if she could execute the sword skill effect ��Precision lv2,�� killing thirty manic fish in one hour was still beyond her reach.


    The reason was simple: insufficient killing power!


    ��Precision�� enhances accuracy, but it doesn��t increase the upper limit of one��s killing power.


    It��s like a boxer whose maximum punch strength is 500 pounds; precision means he can land this maximum force on the opponent��s weak spot, but the punch doesn��t suddenly become 800 pounds.


    However, Rein was confident he could fulfill the task of killing thirty manic fish in the future.


    Because, by activating his core skill ��Strength Burst,�� he was fully capable of completing the training task by enhancing the upper limit of his attack power.


    But the problem was, others didn��t have this ��cheat�� skill.


    So how did the others do it?


    Rein never forgot the reason he came to train with Master Ganther: to enhance his strength, not to show it off.


    He wasn��t here to boast.


    With that in mind, Rein glanced at the system prompt:


    [You have trained in Underwater Giant Bear Swordsmanship, comprehension has improved!]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Swordsmanship has improved, Experience +16]


    [You have trained in Inner Breathing Technique, comprehension has improved!]


    [Your Skill Inner Breathing Technique has improved, Experience +2]


    ��


    When he saw the experience gain from the Inner Breathing Technique, suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Rein.


    He remembered what Master Ganther had said before leaving������this will be rather helpful for improving your Inner Breathing Technique.��


    The master naturally wouldn��t say something meaningless.


    Moreover, Rein himself could increasingly feel, especially after advancing the Inner Breathing Technique to level 3, that it had some clear synergistic effect with the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Rein believed the key to completing the subsequent training tasks under normal conditions likely lay in this Inner Breathing Technique.


    After pondering, Rein chose not to complete the third task����killing ten manic fish in one hour����within a single day. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Instead, he planned to slow down a bit and focus on significantly improving the Inner Breathing Technique in the coming days.


    Subsequently, Rein lived almost like an ascetic monk.


    Apart from harvesting a batch of tough sea grass for juice every morning, Rein spent the rest of his time pondering the Inner Breathing Technique.


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 Chapter 325 - 182 Ding! Detection...... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4

    Chapter 325: Chapter 182 Ding! Detection���� (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4


    As for the fight against the coastal madfish, he maintained a daily improvement of an additional one.


    ��


    On the third day, Rein killed seven coastal madfish within an hour��.


    ��


    On the fifth day, Rein��s Inner Breathing Technique successfully advanced to lv4.


    At the same time, he also succeeded in killing ten coastal madfish within an hour, completing the third training task.


    ...


    At this time, Rein could clearly feel that the lv4 stage of the Inner Breathing Technique was having some kind of strange effect on his Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    But it seemed�� just a little bit short!


    It was like smelting a red-hot iron ingot, but the temperature wasn��t high enough yet.


    On the fifth day, Master Ganther looked at Rein and showed a satisfied smile, saying, ��Very good! Now Rein, you can proceed with the fourth training task, kill thirty coastal madfish within an hour.��


    ��The deadline is still one month.��


    ��This is a secret medicine made from reef shark glue, used the same way as ��Tough Seagrass Juice��, it can further enhance your Inner Breathing Technique.��


    ��When you feel the energy inside your body, try to guide it into your sword!��


    ������


    Rein calculated the time.


    The journey here took six days, and eight days have passed since then. Considering the six days needed for the return trip, this means he has ten days left for training.


    It seems that completing this fourth training task within seven days is a limit on time.


    After all, he should save a few days to look into the subsequent training content.


    These days, as Rein was killing coastal madfish, the seven or eight young people who were also in this stage gasped in astonishment as they saw Rein increasing his speed by almost one fish per day.


    ��This rate of progress is frightfully fast!��


    When Rein completed the third training task on the fifth day, even those around him, who had anticipated his quick progress, couldn��t help but be shocked.


    ��This�� how the hell can he be so fast! He passed the third training task in just five days!�� A young man named Arturo couldn��t help but mutter.


    Because he had already spent twenty-one days and was still stuck at seven fish an hour, unable to make any headway!


    ��Now, Rein has surpassed most of us and is on the same pace as Frode,�� a young man named Doug said gravely.


    ��Yes! Now the only ones undergoing the fourth training task are Frode and Rein.��


    ��Based on his speed of progress, catching up to Frode seems just a matter of time.��


    ��However�� He��ll need at least half a month to catch up to Frode. After all, Frode has already reached twenty-two fish an hour,�� a young man pointed out the buzz-cut man fighting madfish in the sea.


    ��Maybe�� it won��t take that long!�� Doug looked at Rein for a while, then turned to glance at Frode, who was battling in the water.


    Sure enough, Rein��s progress in the fourth training task was frighteningly fast!


    On the second day, he pushed his killing speed to twelve fish an hour!


    On the third day, he reached fifteen!


    On the fourth day, nineteen!


    On the fifth day, he directly reached twenty-four! He had already surpassed Frode��s twenty-three!


    What kind of monster is this?


    The rate of improvement seems to be getting faster and faster!


    The surrounding group of young people was practically scared out of their wits!


    On the sixth day, Rein��s best was killing twenty-six!


    Others might think that Rein was close to breaking through to thirty.


    But only Rein knew he had hit his limit!


    Twenty-six an hour was already him going all out, excluding the use of his core skill ��Strength Burst��!


    Clearly, twenty-six was still a little short of thirty.


    Rein knew the problem, it was that the time to kill a single coastal madfish was still a little bit too long.


    This was closely related to insufficient attack power.


    Tomorrow was the last day Rein had set for himself.


    If he still couldn��t complete it, he planned to activate ��Strength Burst�� to increase his killing power and complete the task of killing thirty coastal madfish.


    If possible, Rein would of course prefer to follow Master Ganther��s training plan step by step.


    Because through the previous training tasks, Rein had understood that Master Ganther��s training was tightly linked step by step.


    This training was very effective, not only to develop human potential but also to deepen the mastery of combat skills, these two are the foundation of a person��s combat power.


    And Rein��s core skill ��Strength Burst�� was more like an amplifier of combat power.


    Once the foundation was solidly laid and then amplified, the overall combat power could be further increased!


    This logic was simple, so Rein had been trying to complete the training tasks following the normal training method.


    But his time was limited, so this was a last resort.


    On the morning of the seventh day.


    The group of young people around, with mixed feelings, watched the peer who might set a new record.


    And Rein glanced at the Inner Breathing Technique on his Knight (Transcendent) panel, noticing that after his own arduous practice and the secret medicine provided by Master Ganther, the Inner Breathing Technique had reached lv4 (898/1000).


    So, he decided not to rush into using ��Strength Burst�� but to try and raise the Inner Breathing Technique to lv5.


    Half a day later��


    As Rein sheathed his sword, the system prompt came:


    [Your skill Inner Breathing Technique has improved, experience +2]


    [Congratulations, your skill Inner Breathing Technique has been raised to lv5]


    ��


    Just then, Rein suddenly felt his skin starting to heat up, and there was also a tingling, oddly peculiar sensation.


    Suddenly, another system prompt sounded:


    [Ding! It has been detected��]


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 Chapter 326 - 183: Faith Trial (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 326: Chapter 183: Faith Trial (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host��s Inner Breathing Technique has reached the minimum level required to fuse and enhance the Giant Bear Breathing Technique. Current conditions are met, fusion into a new breathing technique is possible. Would you like to proceed with the fusion? Yes/No]


    [Note: After fusion into a new breathing technique, it will replace the original Giant Bear Breathing Technique and the Inner Breathing Technique.]


    Rein sharply noticed the word ��enhance,�� so he didn��t hesitate at all, silently affirming ��Yes�� in his mind!


    The next second!


    Two streams of warm energy, one moving from the outside in, and the other from the inside out, merged together��


    Although he had anticipated this outcome, when Rein truly felt this moment, he was exceedingly excited!


    ...


    This must be his second major gain from coming to train with Master Ganther, aside from unlocking the melee combat skill effect ��Precision.��


    Although, he still didn��t know how much improvement the fusion of the breathing techniques would bring him.


    [Ding! Fusion commencing�� Continuing fusion��]


    Clearly, the system seemed to have accelerated this fusion process.


    Otherwise, according to Rein��s estimation, this fusion process alone could have taken days.


    But now, it was completed in just a few minutes.


    [Ding! Fusion and modification of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique and the Inner Breathing Technique successful, please name the new breathing technique.]


    Naming, huh?


    Rein was momentarily stunned!


    This was indeed a bit of a headache; he was notoriously bad at naming.


    Rein felt the new breathing technique; it was powerful and seamless, integrating the internal and external into one, but it was clearly based on the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, upgraded by the Inner Breathing Technique into a new breathing technique that considered both internal and external breathing.


    This adaptation and improvement seemed to be adaptive adjustments made after combining Rein��s current circumstances.


    It turned the originally general-purpose Giant Bear Breathing Technique into a more specialized breathing technique.


    If put in proportion, it could be said that about sixty to seventy percent of the new breathing technique was still the original Giant Bear Breathing Technique, but the rest was no longer the same.


    If that��s the case, shall it be called ��King Bear Breathing Technique��?


    That will do! Rein thought to himself.


    [Ding! ��King Bear Breathing Technique�� has been successfully named, and the secret techniques related to the original Giant Bear Breathing Technique have also been adjusted accordingly.]


    [The initial skill level of the ��King Bear Breathing Technique�� after fusion is lv5 (0/2000).]


    ��Thank goodness, the skill level of the new breathing technique remained at lv5,�� Rein nodded.


    As for the first statement����the secret techniques related to the original Giant Bear Breathing Technique��, Rein knew this referred to the original secret skill ��Roaring Strike.��


    However, the losses were not small.


    After the fusion, it consumed the experience of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique at level 5, which Rein had accumulated over several months since becoming a formal Knight.


    From this aspect, it seems that skills like breathing techniques are the hardest to improve, even with the supplementation of refining blackwood oil, and it would still require years of hard training.


    After the transformation was complete, Rein felt a stir in his heart.


    He naturally wanted to quickly experience the differences between the new ��King Bear Breathing Technique�� and the previous Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    Therefore, while still in the seawater, Rein couldn��t help but stand on the seabed, practicing the first move of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique, standing on one leg in a lunge, arms raised parallel, and slowly coordinating with his breathing.


    Very soon, Rein felt the differences.


    Firstly, in terms of breathing, if it had been the original Giant Bear Breathing Technique, practicing underwater would have been impossible. Before, taking a deep breath underwater would likely have resulted in choking.


    But the adapted and improved King Bear Breathing Technique allowed it.


    At this moment, by utilizing external skin breathing, Rein was able to train in the new King Bear Breathing Technique even underwater, suggesting a possibility of practicing it anywhere.


    At the same time, he could clearly feel a mysterious energy constantly circulating within him, as if a warm current, slightly strengthening in amplitude and speeding up as he practiced the King Bear Breathing Technique.


    When Rein performed the second pose of the breathing technique, similar to a ��Russian press,�� he could keenly sense that the strengthening amplitude quickened a bit, and the circulation speed slightly increased again.


    Interestingly, this mysterious energy, through its pace of travel, seemed to be indirectly guiding Rein, as if instructing and adjusting his current breathing technique posture.


    To give an analogy, it was as if initially, Rein was practicing the ��standard push-up,�� but now, if he continued with the ��standard push-up,�� that mysterious energy would encounter resistance in its flow.


    It would spontaneously guide Rein to spread his hands a bit wider, turning into a ��wide-grip push-up�� for training, and when Rein adjusted to a ��wide-grip push-up,�� the mysterious energy��s flow rate would increase.


    Through this process, it seemed to tell Rein that this was presently the most efficient and suitable new breathing posture for him.


    This made Rein extremely pleased.


    At the same time, he could not help but admire the creator of the Inner Breathing Technique for being truly impressive!


    To be able to slowly adjust a general-purpose breathing technique into a specialized breathing technique suitable for each individual through such a combination of internal and external breathing.


    After Rein felt and operated the new King Bear Breathing Technique for a while, he suddenly recalled something Master Ganther had said before����When you feel the energy within you, try to guide it into your sword!�� S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a slight stir in his heart, Rein.


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 Chapter 327 - 183: Faith Trial (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 327: Chapter 183: Faith Trial (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Does Master Ganther mean to draw out this strand of mysterious energy and attach it to the sword?


    Clearly, the key to the fourth training task��the ��One Hour, Thirty Coastal Madness Fish Kill����lies in the master��s words.


    Thus, Rein, at the bottom of the sea, tried to mobilize this strand of mysterious energy within him to his Glimmering Greatsword.


    When he focused his consciousness on the mysterious energy, there was indeed some effect; the energy started to move from within his body toward his arm, only it didn��t completely heed Rein��s command.


    Once it reached his arm, it became disobedient and circulated back and forth instead.


    This was like a child in a rice paddy, strenuously trying to catch a slippery and strong eel; despite all his efforts and using all his might, he could only grab its tail and failed to pull it out of its hole.


    ...


    Rein fell silent.


    After some contemplation, he guessed this was probably because he was not yet proficient enough with the new Bear King Breathing Technique��


    Is there any faster way to increase proficiency than accumulating points?


    Rein decided to invest some Skill Points into the new Bear King Breathing Technique.


    However, after giving it some thought, he first checked the system notification:


    [You have practiced the Bear King Breathing Technique, comprehension has improved!]


    [Your Skill Bear King Breathing Technique has advanced, Experience +5]


    Just thirty minutes had passed, and the Bear King Breathing Technique had only increased by 5 points, meaning if one practiced the breathing technique for ten hours a day, it would take twenty days to level it up to lv6.


    But the crux of the problem is, even for a Peak Knight��s physical capabilities, it is impossible to train in the breathing technique for ten hours every day��two to three hours was the limit.


    Therefore, the actual time span needed would be much longer.


    Clearly, without special medicine or methods, improving the Bear King Breathing Technique could only rely on slow and steady progress over time.


    This time, without hesitation, Rein added 1 Skill Point to the Bear King Breathing Technique.


    On the attribute panel, the remaining Skill Points went from 6��5, while the Bear King Breathing Technique jumped from lv5 to lv6 (1/3000).


    As the Bear King Breathing Technique advanced to lv6.


    Instantly, a multitude of scattered memories of practicing the Bear King Breathing Technique were infused into Rein��s mind.


    These fragmented memories of the breathing technique flitted through Rein��s mind like a series of images and were then integrated into the memory of his muscles and fascia as if it were instinct.


    When Rein opened his eyes again, it felt as though he had undergone half a year of arduous training in the Bear King Breathing Technique.


    Now, he could distinctly feel the accelerated circulation of blood throughout his body, as though he were at a Blacksmith��s forge, hammering iron next to a blazing furnace, while his muscles and fascia became tougher and stronger.


    But the most important change was inside his body, where the strand of mysterious energy was moving and strengthening at an extremely fast pace. Soon, it had multiplied many times over, changing from a strand to several strands, and finally into a thin wisp.


    This time, when Rein tried to guide it to the greatsword, it went significantly better.


    After several attempts, he finally succeeded! S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, the Glimmering Greatsword suddenly lit up with a barely noticeable faint sparkle.


    Rein knew that must be what Master Ganther was talking about.


    ��Splash!�� Rein burst out of the water and shouted to Bask on the shore, ��Bask, I want to try again. Throw me some tube worms down now.��


    Upon hearing Rein��s shout, Bask nodded and said, ��Alright, Rein!��


    In fact, Bask had been waiting on the shore for quite some time, as he was waiting to see when Rein would start the fourth training task, thinking today might be the day Rein would complete it.


    Of course, he might fall short by one or two fish.


    After all, yesterday Rein had already killed twenty-six Coastal Madness Fish within an hour, and the goal of thirty fish was just within reach.


    Indeed, it wasn��t just Bask who was paying attention to Rein��s activities.


    The moment Rein surfaced and shouted, it also drew the attention of several young people nearby who were also practicing killing Coastal Madness Fish.


    They all looked sideways, focusing their gaze on Rein above the water.


    Over the past few days, having seen Rein��s increasingly fast killing pace nearing the thirty-fish goal, they too wanted to see if this ��newcomer�� who hadn��t been around for long would complete the fourth training task today.


    ��Plop!��


    A tube worm was thrown by Bask into the sea not far from Rein!


    Suddenly, four or five Coastal Madness Fish were set in motion by the scent and came charging from the nearby sea with ripples trailing behind, striking at the wriggling tube worm.


    Seeing this, Rein took a deep breath, operated the Bear King Breathing Technique, and dived back into the water. This time, however, he chose to take the initiative, swimming towards the incoming Coastal Madness Fish.


    Heading straight for the fastest and nearest Coastal Madness Fish, Rein struck hard with his Dual-Handed Greatsword, tearing a gash on its tough head and a trickle of pale red blood seeped out into the ocean.


    However, since Rein had not managed to activate the wisp of mysterious energy, the damage from this strike was not much different from before.


    It was only a bit stronger than previous attempts, which was probably because the ��Bear King Breathing Technique�� had advanced to lv6.


    ��Shh!��


    Next sword strike!


    Still failed to mobilize!


    The greatsword merely added another deep, bone-showing wound to the Coastal Madness Fish.


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 Chapter 328 - 183: Test of Faith (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 328: Chapter 183: Test of Faith (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    But the third strike!


    Rein successfully activated it!


    The Glimmering Greatsword, with a sliver of light nearly imperceptible, slashed towards the midsection of the berserk fish near the shore!


    ��Tssk!��


    Under this blow, the opponent��s sturdy scales and subcutaneous exoskeleton provided hardly any trouble for the greatsword carrying the sliver of light, and it cleaved the fish into two!


    To Rein, it felt as if he had been using a rusty, blunt kitchen knife to cut meat before, but just now, he had switched to a brand-new ��Henckels�� kitchen knife. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    This power gave Rein a shock at first!


    But immediately after, it brought him great joy!


    You see, it used to take at least two minutes for Rein to kill one of these nearshore berserk fish, but now, as soon as he could harness this mysterious energy, he could achieve a one-hit kill.


    It was simply a qualitative change and improvement!


    And just now, it took Rein only slightly over ten seconds to deal with the first berserk fish.


    Facing the second oncoming berserk fish, Rein felt a hint of excitement because he hadn��t even had the time to properly savor that previous strike before it was over!


    This time, he wanted to truly feel it��


    In less than three minutes, Rein had slain five nearshore berserk fish!


    But in the sea, Rein, holding the greatsword, still looked unsatisfied, as if he was still experiencing the difference.


    However��


    Rein��s killing efficiency left Bask speechless on the shore!


    Bask hastily threw another tube worm into the sea.


    Although Rein had been killing at an extremely fast pace, it was impossible for him to intercept all the berserk fish flocking towards the tube worm; thus, the last tube worm had already been gobbled up by the fish.


    However, that was also its last meal because in less than two minutes, that berserk fish was killed on the spot by Rein.


    The other youngsters on the shore, seeing Bask throw a second tube worm into the sea in less than three minutes, were all stunned!


    Beforehand, whether it was Rein or Frode, those on the shore assisting by throwing tube worms would do so at intervals of about six or seven minutes, Frode being slightly slower, around seven minutes.


    But this time, Bask threw the second tube worm in less than three minutes.


    Could it be that Rein had just taken about three minutes to kill four or five nearshore berserk fish?


    That��


    Seemed unlikely!


    Could it be because there were too few berserk fish attracted, only about three?


    The onlookers exchanged shocked looks!


    But they immediately stopped what they were doing and focused their attention to observe how many berserk fish were attracted by the second tube worm Bask threw.


    One��


    Two��


    ��


    This time there were six!


    They noted this number silently in their hearts.


    Next, of course, was to watch Rein��s performance.


    But Rein in the sea had just discovered that the mysterious energy was still unpredictable in its activation, and while its power was substantial during battle, it didn��t last long.


    He had just used the mysterious energy to kill five nearshore berserk fish and it had almost halved this thread of mysterious energy!


    Meaning, if he continued in the same way, this mysterious energy would be all but consumed.


    ��


    Indeed, after another three-plus minutes, once Rein had killed the second wave of six berserk fish, that thread of mysterious energy was completely spent.


    This time, the people on the shore were dumbstruck!


    Such killing speed!


    How could it be so fast?


    Even the Goddess��s illegitimate child probably couldn��t do better!


    ��


    However, without the boost of the mysterious energy, Rein��s killing speed decreased significantly, but it was still no problem for him to meet the objective of thirty nearshore berserk fish within one hour.


    So, Rein continued slaying while silently sensing.


    He discovered that the genesis of this mysterious energy seemed to stem from his body and that it regenerated rather slowly.


    Rein estimated that to return to the previous level of energy, he would need almost half a day.


    Perhaps, it might recover faster while he practiced the Bear King Breathing Technique.


    But essentially, once depleted in battle, it would likely not recover and be usable again.


    Thanks to the previous eleven berserk fish as a foundation, Rein managed to kill the target of thirty berserk fish in forty-eight minutes.


    When he emerged from the sea, he found that everyone, including Master Ganther, was waiting for him on the shore.


    ��Very good, Rein. You have met the requirements of the fourth training task,�� Master Ganther said, smiling at the soaking-wet Rein.


    Rein smiled back and said, ��Master, does that mean I can proceed to the next training?��


    ��No rush! There seems to be a change in your breathing technique; stabilize it these next few days,�� Master Ganther smiled but did not agree for Rein to continue with the next training.


    Hmm?


    This��


    Rein felt helpless.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein still asked, ��Master, could you at least introduce the content of the subsequent training tasks?��


    Hearing this, all the young people around stopped what they were doing and listened intently with their ears perked up.


    Although Master Ganther found it strange that Rein was eager for the subsequent training, he merely attributed it to Rein��s curiosity and didn��t think much of it, so he began to introduce:


    ��The fifth and final training task����


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 Chapter 329 - 183: The Trial of Faith (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 329: Chapter 183: The Trial of Faith (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��`


    ��I prefer to call this the ��Trial of Belief,�� and moreover, it is not a mandatory training task. However, I have always believed that only by undergoing this trial can one fully comprehend and master the primal strength,�� said Lagaray.


    Primal strength?


    That mysterious energy flowing within oneself is what��s known as primal strength.


    But how familiar, as if I��ve heard of it somewhere before.


    Jedi Knights?


    ...


    A thought suddenly popped into Rein��s head.


    But�� truly, it does bear a striking resemblance!


    It seemed that the concept of primal strength in a blockbuster from a previous life emanated from some extraordinary energy within the body.


    Master Ganther continued, ��If you do not undergo the ��Trial of Belief,�� that��s also fine.��


    ��After returning home, slowly grinding for a few years, you will naturally achieve mastery. The ��Trial of Belief�� simply accelerates this process.��


    Rein understood. The fifth task was very dangerous, but also very effective, and it could save years of time.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein had no hesitation and said, ��Master, I want to try!��


    ��I want to attempt the ��Trial of Belief��!��


    ��However, what exactly is the ��Trial of Belief����?��


    ��To slay the nearby sea serpents!�� Master Ganther said solemnly, his expression stern.


    Sss!


    Around them rang out a collective gasp of astonishment!


    Especially Bask, who had his eyes wide and an expression of profound shock.


    Immediately, a sea of hushed whispers filled the air!


    ��Sea serpents? Those are massive and ferocious beasts! They��re comparable to a Great Knight��s combat strength!��


    ��No matter how strong Rein is, he surely can��t match a Great Knight!��


    ��Has anyone ever actually completed this ��Trial of Belief��?��


    ��It��s too difficult�� Looking at it this way, the previous four tasks are like child��s play compared to this. This is the real killer training.��


    ������


    Being a native of Golden Coast, Bask was naturally aware of the near sea serpents and had even witnessed their terrifying combat strength firsthand.


    An adult near sea serpent, once ashore, had the power to destroy an entire human village.


    With a body covered in thick scales the size of a child��s fist, their defensive power far exceeded that of the raging sea fish. When normal knights attacked their scales, it was like scratching an itch.


    Unless equipped with giant crossbow arrows or bronze cannons, the situation called for a Great Knight to step in, possibly to drive away or kill the beast.


    Hearing the whispers of the crowd, Master Ganther looked at Rein, noting that his expression remained calm. He nodded slightly, feeling a great sense of approval in his heart.


    After some thought, Master Ganther said to Rein, ��Rein, you must have sensed the primal strength within you by now, but it must be difficult to harness at will, isn��t it?��


    ��Yes, Master,�� Rein nodded and replied.


    ��Because only by believing in oneself, having a firm and clear belief, can one freely mobilize it!��


    ��And for one to have such firm and clear belief, it is very difficult to come by out of thin air.��


    ��That��s why cults like the Evil God��s rely on prayer ceremonies time and time again to strengthen the believers�� faith. In each ceremony, akin to miracles, the faith of believers is established and reinforced!��


    ��`


    ��This is also why those Cultists are ultimately able to wield the Evil God��s immense power, they gave up believing in themselves and instead put their faith in the Evil God.��


    ��As for us, we need to go through tough battle after tough battle, face all kinds of difficult challenges, to firm up our own beliefs and purify them!��


    ��When your faith is unwaveringly strong, you will believe in the sword in your hand and trust that it can cut through anything!��


    ��If you understand this principle, you can harness the fundamental strength of your body and become one with the sword in your hand.��


    Rein nodded silently without speaking!


    He understood the purpose of the ��trial of faith.��


    It was somewhat akin to the barbarian rite of life and death that Lagaray had mentioned before.


    At the brink of life and death, it triggered one��s potential, albeit for different reasons.


    The purpose of Master Ganther��s ��trial of faith�� was to firm one��s belief so they could freely use The Force!


    The purpose of the previous four training exercises was indeed to prepare for the ��trial of faith,�� to improve the chances of success! Rein thought to himself.


    ��However, Rein, don��t think about the ��trial of faith�� for now, what you need to do is first stabilize your breathing technique.��


    ��After one month, once you��ve adjusted and are ready, we��ll undertake this final task.�� Master Ganther said with a smile.


    ��This�� Master Ganther, could I choose to go kill the sea serpent near the coast in three days?�� Rein said, steeling himself.


    He certainly understood Master Ganther��s intentions, and he knew that his arrangements were most sensible.


    But��


    ��Hmm?�� Ganther��s brows evidently furrowed, his expression displeased.


    Finding a promising young talent so hard to come by, he had just spoken at length, his main point being his hope for Rein to proceed methodically.


    Three days��


    What can be done in three days!


    There wouldn��t even be enough time to stabilize a new breathing technique!


    Not to mention, allowing the new breathing technique to gradually enhance one��s strength and speed and other physical conditions, thus accumulating enough foundation to challenge the ��trial of faith.��


    Heading out now to fight the sea serpent near the coast, the risk would be almost several times greater than if he waited a month.


    And the people around, upon hearing Rein��s words, mostly went from looking at him with admiration or respect to an expression that said ��Rein, are you getting carried away?�� as they looked at him.


    A few who couldn��t hold back murmured softly, ��What��s Rein thinking, to be so impatient?��


    ��I originally thought Rein was a very steady person, but I didn��t expect����


    ��Yes, this is the first time I��ve seen Master Ganther talk so much, Rein seems rather ungrateful����


    ������ Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein also knew that by making this request, he would certainly make Master Ganther have a somewhat negative impression of him.


    But he had no choice, he was running out of time��


    ��Master Ganther, because in three days, I have to leave this place and return to Meister County.��


    ��So, I don��t want to leave with regrets!��


    ��Besides, please believe me, I won��t take my life as a joke!��


    Rein looked at Master Ganther and spoke earnestly.


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 Chapter 330 - 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 330: Chapter 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter)


    Master Ganther, after hearing what Rein had said, did not immediately respond but stared at Rein for a while before finally nodding and saying, ��Good!��


    With Master Ganther��s approval, everyone else immediately fell silent, no longer whispering anything.


    ��Rein, come with me.�� After saying this, Master Ganther led Rein to a secluded area.


    Everyone watched enviously as Rein and Master Ganther walked away.


    They could guess that most likely, the master was going to impart some secret techniques or killer moves to Rein, or perhaps some arcane knowledge.


    But now, they did not even have the privilege of listening in.


    ...


    So, Master Ganther had moved away from them.


    This made most of the young people present feel somewhat deflated.


    After a while, a young man with a crew cut named Frode snapped out of it and said solemnly, ��Let��s go! Everyone, continue to train diligently.��


    ��Yes, don��t feel discouraged. Everyone has different talents. You have to believe that you can also succeed. Didn��t the master just say it? Believe in yourself!�� another young man said, waving his clenched fist, his face flushing red as if to encourage himself.


    ��Sigh! Easy to say, but�� seeing someone like Rein really is disheartening,�� lamented another young man named Arturo.


    The others nodded vigorously.


    ��Yes!��


    ��The gap is too big; it really is disheartening!��


    ��At least we see the difference between ourselves and a genius, right? It gives us more reason to work harder!�� said another young man named Doug, his eyes resolute as he spoke softly.


    ������


    Rein did not know that, even in the eyes of these talented youths, he was already considered a genius.


    Master Ganther took Rein to a slightly elevated rock, facing the vast and boundless blue sea.


    The sea wind made their coats rustle!


    ��Rein, I originally thought about discussing this matter with you later.��


    ��But since you chose to challenge the seaside serpent dragon in three days, I think it��s necessary to tell you now.��


    ��I��ve already mentioned that the insight between life and death is essential to fully harnessing the primal force, which is a necessary condition for faith integration.��


    ��You must be curious because I haven��t explained why one should seek full mastery of the primal force. In fact, I advised most people to give up the trial of faith and simply return to refine their skills slowly.��


    At this point, Rein frowned lightly and nodded, having had this doubt himself.


    ��For most people, being able to invoke the primal force by over ninety percent is already sufficient for a lifetime,�� Master Ganther said, turning to look at Rein.


    ��But you are different! You have the potential to go further, so I hope you can achieve full integration and complete control of your primal force.��


    ��Because this involves the emergence of the Will��s Radiance!��


    ��Will��s Radiance?�� Rein asked, puzzled.


    Master Ganther did not elaborate further but simply remarked, ��You��ll understand later!��


    Alright.


    Rein was quite helpless with Master Ganther��s habit of speaking in riddles.


    ��Although there are only three days left, you still need to stabilize the new breathing technique, and for your current condition, the fundamental attributes such as strength and speed are still very important. Don��t slack in your training.��


    ��Primal force is not born out of nothing; it stems from your own physique,�� Master Ganther advised. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I understand, thank you for your guidance, Master,�� Rein nodded and said.


    Back at the stone house, Rein reflected on the scene of when he had upgraded his new breathing technique underwater.


    When he advanced the Bear King Breathing Method to Lv6, first, the intensity of his primal force increased, from a wisp to a strand, showing a significant improvement.


    Next, there was control, from the original one successful invocation out of three or four attempts, nearly one in three, to almost one in two now.


    No wonder Master Ganther said that the last training session was optional for many people.


    If one does not strive for integration, for full manipulation of the primal force, then many can return and gradually enhance their control over several years, ultimately achieving about ninety percent success rate.


    But his case was different; he had a ��cheat��!


    He must aim for a 100% invocation of the primal force!


    Especially since the master mentioned that it relates to the future path, although he still did not know what ��Will��s Radiance�� meant.


    So spending years just to refine this skill but not achieving perfection was definitely not his choice!


    And through attribute points, he could quickly restore himself to physical peak condition, having a trump card akin to miracles, especially best suited for turning thetables in desperate situations.


    Last of all��


    Rein touched the beautiful tree leaf given to him by the Elf Lady, the Sorcery Scroll ��Blossom of Life.��


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 Chapter 331 - 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _2

    Chapter 331: Chapter 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _2


    During this period of exploration, Rein had understood that this was a sorcery scroll for healing wounds.


    Thus, even if he was severely injured in battle, he still had the chance to turn the tide against adversity.


    With these methods in hand, Rein felt that no one else could claim to be more suited to ��Turning the Tables�� than himself.


    ��However�� should I continue to add points, or is it about fine for now?��


    ��Given I am soon to face a sea serpent neck dragon comparable to a Great Knight, it��s better not to take it lightly.��


    ��Feeling the brink of life and death does spur growth, but the purpose is for you to feel it, not to actually seek death!��


    ...


    ��What��s the point if you feel it just before death.��


    ��Facing life and death, forcing faith to fuse fully, thereby mobilizing the Source Force, and thus seeking life in death�� this is the true meaning of the trial by faith!��


    ��Lastly, it��s about increasing the success rate of mobilizing the Source Force to the highest possible level, turning it into the ��final layer of paper window,�� which would then make breaking through much easier and quicker���� Rein mused, talking to himself.


    Having made up his mind, Rein did not hesitate any longer, choosing to add points again.


    As the remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel decreased from 5 to 4, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique suddenly leveled up from lv6 to lv7 (1/5000).


    Instantly, a rush of fragmented memories about the new breathing technique was infused into Rein��s mind.


    These fragmented memories of the breathing technique, like a series of slideshows, flashed through Rein��s mind one by one, and then quickly integrated into the memory of his muscles and fascia.


    When Rein opened his eyes again, it was as if he had undergone over a year of training in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique.


    At this moment, apart from feeling his muscles and fascia becoming much tougher, the strand of Source Force within him was rapidly strengthening!


    The Source Force soon thickened notably, growing from a wisp as thin as three or four hairs to one as thick as a toothpick!


    This enhancement was visible to the naked eye!


    ��Adding points really packs a punch!��


    ��Compared to others, I just saved a year��s worth of painstaking training!��


    Rein, with a joyful expression, began to try guiding the Source Force again.


    Sure enough, after some attempts, the success rate was noticeably better.


    The success rate of mobilizing the Source Force increased from less than half to about sixty percent.


    Sixty percent?


    Rein couldn��t help but pontificate again.


    Before long, Rein gritted his teeth and added points to the new breathing technique again!


    As the remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel decreased from 4 to 3, the Giant Bear Breathing Technique instantly leveled up to lv8 (1/7000), becoming Rein��s highest-level skill at present.


    A flood of nearly two years�� worth of memories about training in the Giant Bear Breathing Technique began to pour into Rein��s mind��


    The strand of Source Force, previously as thick as a toothpick, now quickly strengthened to the thickness of chopsticks!


    ��The feeling of getting stronger is really great!�� Rein felt the surge of power in his body.


    The ongoing enhancement of his body��s muscles and fascia became even more intense; the originally thin fascia fibers began to grow thicker and stronger, linking increasingly firmly with Rein��s skeletal muscles.


    Suddenly, Rein��s eyes widened dramatically!


    Because he felt an inner part of his body suddenly make a ��bang�� sound, and he had broken through some sort of limit.


    It was like the feeling of a bowstring being pulled to its limit and then being forced further until the bowstring suddenly snapped!


    At that moment, two system notifications suddenly appeared:


    [Congratulations! Your Strength attribute has been enhanced!]


    [Congratulations! Your Agility attribute has been enhanced!]


    ��Eh!�� S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��A major increase in breathing technique leading to physical enhancement?��


    ��This hasn��t happened in a long while!�� Rein exclaimed.


    ��However�� logically, the first to enhance should be the Constitution Attribute, considering the Giant Bear Breathing Technique primarily strengthens Constitution. How did Agility increase?��


    Rein felt puzzled and couldn��t help but check the attribute panel.


    He found that although Constitution had not increased, it had reached 21 points; Strength, which was previously 19 points, had increased by 1 point, reaching 20 points, thus crossing into the 20-point range for both attributes.


    Meanwhile, Agility remained the lowest��


    ��Before the increase, Agility should have been 17 points, the weakest attribute, so it must have been boosted by the enhancement of the Giant Bear Breathing Technique?�� Rein pondered.


    ��Yes, that must be it.��


    ��It��s also possible that the new Giant Bear Breathing Technique doesn��t have the ��weak link�� of the previous Giant Bear Breathing Technique, which was biased towards enhancing Strength and Constitution, and instead boosts all three attributes nearly equally����


    Elated, Rein tried to mobilize the Source Force again.


    Soon, Rein discovered that the success rate of mobilizing the Source Force had now increased to about eighty percent!


    Just then, Rein felt a strong sensation of hunger suddenly emerge within his body.


    Continual point additions indeed significantly increased the total amount of Source Force.


    But this newly added Source Force was not created out of nothing, but derived from Rein��s own body, which was now significantly drained.


    Fortunately, the numerous sea madfish Rein had killed over the past seven days had already been processed by Bask into grilled fish jerky, some stored inside the stone house, others still drying.


    Rein immediately rummaged for it and started devouring large bites!


    After eating seventeen grilled madfish jerkies, Rein finally felt a sense of fullness in his stomach.


    After all, this was flesh from sea madfish comparable to ferocious beasts, which was quite filling.


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 Chapter 332 - 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _3

    Chapter 332: Chapter 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _3


    At this moment, Rein folded his arms and rubbed his chin in thought.


    ��Now it��s an 80% probability!��


    ��If I add just one more point�� wouldn��t that be close to the limit?��


    Glancing at the remaining Skill Points on the panel, Rein pondered and decided to try adding one more point.


    After all, casting a long-range witchcraft attack every second is still a long way off!


    By that time, he might have already accumulated enough Skill Points again.


    ...


    Thus, Rein added another point.


    With the remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel changing from 3 to 2, the Bear King Breathing Technique surged to lv9 (1/10000).


    A flood of memories on how to train in the Bear King Breathing Technique rushed into Rein��s mind��


    Meanwhile, a strand of primal force as thick as a chopstick inside his body quickly became as thick as a pinky finger.


    What Rein was most concerned about, the success rate of harnessing primal force, had increased to more than 90%, missing just by a sliver the point of perfection.


    But that sliver could only be achieved amidst life and death.


    At that moment, three system notifications suddenly appeared:


    [Congratulations! Your Constitution Attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Strength Attribute has increased!]


    [Congratulations! Your Agility Attribute has increased!]


    Hisss!


    Leveling up just by adding points, seriously awesome!


    Rein looked at the attribute panel and, including the two previous points, this made for a total of five attribute points increase!


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (345/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv4 (866/1000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (64/2000) / Armorer lv1 (17/100)


    Constitution: 22


    Strength: 21


    Agility: 19


    Spirit: 25


    Remaining Attribute Points: 2


    Remaining Skill Points: 2


    Feeling the power surging inside him, Rein had the sense that he could slay a small plesiosaur with a mere wave of his hand.


    Of course, Rein knew that this was merely an illusion caused by the rapid increase in his own strength.


    And it made sense!


    He had leveled up the Bear King Breathing Technique all the way to lv9, it better be impressive!


    Three days flashed by��


    Early in the morning on the third day, Master Ganther looked at Rein and immediately his pupils contracted, then his gaze repeatedly sizing up Rein with a slight look of surprise.


    After circling around Rein a few times, Master Ganther said, ��What a rare talent for a knight, Rein, your new breathing technique has stabilized so quickly.��


    This remark startled Rein.


    But thankfully, Rein quickly realized that Master Ganther, after all, wasn��t a clairvoyant; he could only tell that Rein��s aura was stable and had increased somewhat, but couldn��t determine exactly how much.


    It seems I still shouldn��t add too many Skill Points at once.


    Or perhaps it��s better to wait a while before adding points next time.


    After all, the magnitude of one��s personal strength increase from consecutive additions of points is still a bit exaggerated, Rein thought to himself. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Follow me!�� Master Ganther, after expressing his amazement, said to Rein and began leading the way toward a small boat at the shore.


    Rein immediately followed quickly.


    It was a small boat about three to four meters long, shaped like a canoe with both ends curved upwards, with paddles at one end, and Bask was already waiting on it, waving excitedly upon seeing Master Ganther and Rein.


    After all, Rein was going to challenge the nearby plesiosaur this time!


    After both of them got on the boat, Bask started rowing, heading slowly in the southwest direction.


    Bask explained to Rein while rowing:


    ��Right under that island in front, there is a nest of a nearshore plesiosaur. Ever since Master Ganther arrived, it has never dared to come close to the coast, which has made the residents of Randonia Town very happy.��


    ��Originally, this nearshore plesiosaur would occasionally come to Randonia Town to cause trouble. Even though it rarely caused casualties, it would provoke panic, which troubled my father greatly.��


    Rein nodded, looking up to see indeed several islands stretching in a line, and following the direction Bask pointed, it should be the slightly larger island in the middle.


    Soon, the boat gently reached the island, and the three of them jumped off.


    After walking a short distance, they reached the bottom of a jagged cliff, where Master Ganther stopped and said, ��The plesiosaur is here.��


    Rein felt a bit puzzled as he looked around; it was all rocks with no visible caves or places to hide.


    But quickly, an idea flashed in his mind, and he said: ��Master, is the entrance underwater?��


    Master Ganther smiled approvingly at Rein, saying, ��Exactly, it��s under the water.��


    ��Just dive down here and you��ll find it. Go on! Believe in yourself!��


    Rein nodded.


    Rein leaped and plunged into the sea.


    At that moment, Bask, standing beside, showed a worried expression and said: ��Master, can Rein really handle it? That��s a nearshore plesiosaur comparable to a Great Knight!��


    ��I have confidence in him!�� Master Ganther responded with a smile and then slowly made his way into the sea as well.


    ��Master�� What are you doing?��


    Master Ganther turned, giving Bask a look as if he were looking at an imbecile:


    ��Of course, I have to watch from nearby in the cave. This is training, naturally there are final safety measures. But this isn��t something we can tell them in advance, otherwise, this ��trial of conviction�� would be meaningless.��


    ��Ah���� Bask��s eyes went wide, slightly stunned.


    So I��ve been worrying over nothing��


    By then, Rein had already found the entrance to the underwater cave, through a U-shaped channel covered with tough seagrass, and soon, Rein discovered that inside was a whole new world!


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 Chapter 333 - 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _4

    Chapter 333: Chapter 184 Special Job Change Notification (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _4


    On a sandy beach within the cave, a massive creature lay in deep slumber. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The creature��s body was about fourteen or fifteen meters long, with thick scales the size of a palm covering its skin. Its most distinctive feature was a long, snake-like neck and a body akin to that of a turtle, giving the impression of a snake carrying a turtle shell on its back!


    Additionally, each limb of the nearby plesiosaur ended in flat, paddle-like structures. Its head was small in relation to its body, merely the size of a basin, yet it possessed fine, sharp teeth and a hard beak.


    Moreover, Rein observed a long sword wound on the creature��s side. If he wasn��t mistaken, this must have been left by Master Ganther!


    However, judging by the destructive power of the wound, it seemed that Master Ganther could have easily killed the plesiosaur. Hence, the reason for leaving it alive must have been for training purposes.


    Rein looked around and found no shelter to hide his tracks, so sneaking up directly seemed to be the only option.


    ...


    If a surprise attack succeeded, that would be for the best. If not�� it didn��t matter!


    As Rein focused and held his breath, making his way slowly through the water toward the beach at the end of the cave.


    A number of swordfish swimming near the shallows seemed to have detected Rein��s presence, swimming over to him and quickly circling a few times��


    The next second, the plesiosaur, which had been soundly asleep, suddenly opened its eyes, as large as goose eggs, and looked towards Rein!


    In an instant, a majestic aura burst forth from the plesiosaur.


    Although Rein couldn��t immediately understand why he had awakened the creature.


    But that was okay, his original intention was to have a fierce battle with the plesiosaur, so whether it was awake or asleep, he didn��t care much.


    ��Break the limit!��


    ��Huge Strength lv3��


    ��Strength Burst!��


    Having reached the shore, Rein suddenly burst forth at full strength, brandishing his greatsword and charging at the plesiosaur.


    The plesiosaur, which had not taken Rein, a ��little thing��, seriously at first, began to move its body only when it saw the ��little thing�� suddenly grow by two sizes and radiate a faint sense of threat.


    Although the plesiosaur appeared cumbersome, it moved swiftly, but still seemed to be slightly too late


    ��Pffft!��


    Empowered by his momentum, Rein��s sword directly severed the plesiosaur��s right forelimb.


    The palm leaf-sized right forelimb fell onto the sandy beach, with blood splattering from the wound!


    ��Roar!!��


    The plesiosaur let out a tragic scream, but in a flash, the warning bell of Rein��s level 3 danger perception sounded, and a thick, snake-like dark shadow struck Rein like lightning.


    Rein raised his sword to block!


    ��Bang!��


    In an instant, Rein was knocked back seven or eight meters by the immense strength, flipping in the air to dissipate the force before stabilizing once again.


    He saw that the shadow was the plesiosaur��s tail; its tail now had seven or eight palm-sized scales shattered.


    After receiving pain twice in a row, the plesiosaur seemed to become enraged. Its relatively small eyes fiercely locked onto Rein.


    The next second, it bent its long neck backward like a drawn bow.


    ��Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!��


    The plesiosaur��s neck trembled violently, and its sharp beak shot towards Rein like lightning!


    Rein hastily rolled to the side to dodge the strike, but to his surprise, the plesiosaur��s special move turned out to be a triple attack!


    The second strike, blocked by the greatsword!


    ��Clang!!!��


    The clash of beak and sword emitted a sound like the striking of metal!


    Rein��s entire body was smashed into the sand, half-buried and unable to move.


    Then, the third strike arrived!


    At this moment, Rein��s defensive stance had already been disrupted by the two consecutive hits from the serpent-necked dragon. Although he still held the Glimmering Greatsword in a blocking position, his defensive power had greatly diminished.


    Facing a serpent-necked dragon whose strength could rival that of a Great Knight, Rein knew that taking a direct hit, even with his Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin lv3��, would leave him either dead or crippled!


    In the blink of an eye, Rein felt an unprecedented sense of crisis, something he had never experienced before.


    But at the same time, this intense sense of crisis also forced Rein��s entire spirit to concentrate to an extreme degree!


    No way to dodge!


    Should he trust the sword in his hand, as Master Ganther had said?


    In that instant, Rein had no other thoughts, his eyes fixed on the charging serpent-necked dragon, and he roared!


    ��Ha!!!��


    Instead of defending, Rein lashed out with his greatsword toward the approaching serpent-necked dragon��s head!


    Under the full eruption of his power, the greatsword emitted a faint glow; for a moment, the tip of the sword seemed to elongate slightly, like a snake spitting out its tongue. There was nothing tangible, but Rein felt as though the sword in his hand could cut through everything!


    Was this invisible power a sword light? Or sword energy?


    Whatever it was, its power was peerless!


    ��Puchht!��


    In the disbelieving gaze of the sea serpent, its incredibly hard beak was split open, and then it found that it could see its other eye!


    Blood gushed out like a fountain, shooting two meters high, and only then did the serpent-necked dragon, its head split in two, crash to the ground!


    At that moment, system promotions began to pop up like rapid-fire:


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been enhanced, Experience +1452]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +382]


    ��


    [Congratulations, your Knight (Transcendent) Profession Level has increased!]


    ��


    Due to the continuous killing of nearshore frenzied fish over the past seven days, Rein��s Knight profession level was already on the cusp of breaking through, and this time killing the nearshore serpent-necked dragon brought a substantial amount of experience.


    Thus, his Knight (Transcendent) level smoothly increased, reaching Knight (Transcendent) lv5 (218/2000)!


    Leveling up granted him one Skill Point and one attribute point, bringing Rein��s remaining Skill Points back up to three, and his remaining attribute points were now also three.


    Unexpectedly, the system prompt began to rapidly flash again:


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host has enough firm belief in the sword in hand, and the control over original power has reached 100%, triggering a special profession change��Sword Master (Transcendent)!]


    [The prerequisites for changing to Sword Master (Transcendent) are: one, the belief in the sword; two, original power control reaching 100%; three, any Extraordinary Swordsmanship at lv6 or above; four, any breath technique at lv6 or above; five, Strength at 12 points or above, agility at 12 points or above, Constitution at 12 points or above�� all current conditions are met!]


    [��.All prerequisites for changing to Sword Master (Transcendent) are met, do you want to change to Sword Master (Transcendent)? Yes/No?]


    [Warning: Once you choose to change to Sword Master (Transcendent), spiritual power will gradually solidify, which conflicts with the requirement for activating Spirit power as the current Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession.]


    [This process is irreversible, please decide carefully!]


    Huh!


    It was the first time Rein saw the word ��warning�� in a system prompt.


    This couldn��t help but make him fall into deep thought!


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 Chapter 348 - 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 348: Chapter 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Hastings became excited, for this was a vast fortune for him!


    �����������C


    Meist County City.


    Alonso had not been back from the prison to the estate for long when the butler Michel came up to him with a smiling face and reported,


    ��Baron, I think you should take a look at this.�� Michel respectfully handed Alonso a thin stack of documents.


    ��Oh?�� Upon seeing Michel��s smiling face, Alonso knew there must be some good news in those documents.


    ...


    Indeed, after Alonso had received the documents and looked through them briefly, he quickly began to smile and said,


    ��Is this news accurate?��


    ��It has been verified and is true! My lord, according to the information, it seems that Baron Norman is determined to engage in a bloody duel with Reine.��


    ��After delivering the declaration of a bloody duel to Reine��s new residence, Baron Norman immediately submitted an application for a bloody duel to your father, Count Habbs.��


    Upon hearing this, Alonso��s smile briefly faded as he said, ��What did my father say?��


    ��After receiving the application for the bloody duel, Lord Count originally wanted to persuade Baron Norman to give up the duel, but was politely refused by the Baron!�� Michel said, smiling.


    ��Hmm? Baron Norman didn��t even give face to my father?�� Alonso was taken aback upon hearing this.


    Such a situation was extremely rare!


    ��Yes! It��s said that Baron Norman��s strength has returned to its peak, and these past few days he has already begun to prepare the items necessary for breaking through to a Great Knight. It��s very possible he plans to make the attempt right after the duel with Reine.��


    ��If he successfully breaks through, Baron Norman is likely to be promoted, or to re-enlist with the Imperial Navy,�� Michel explained.


    Alonso nodded, understanding the situation.


    So, that was Norman��s plan; no wonder he could afford to disregard even his own father��s influence.


    ��Hahaha! How interesting!�� Alonso suddenly laughed aloud.


    ��Since when did Reine have such a deep feud with Baron Norman!�� S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��If I had known this, I wouldn��t have wasted so much time with Magis.��


    Alonso was well-aware of Norman��s background: an Imperial Navy veteran with extremely rich combat experience. If it weren��t for an injury that had hindered his recovery, he would have had the chance to strive for the rank of Great Knight and the title of Imperial Navy Commodore.


    But now, he had retired with the rank of a Navy Colonel several years ago.


    ��By the way, Michel, take three bottles of Divine Blood to Baron Norman, and say it is a token of my goodwill,�� Alonso decided after a moment��s thought.


    ��As you command, my lord!�� Michel bowed and slowly withdrew from the room.


    However��


    Not long after the butler Michel had left the room, he suddenly returned with a curious expression on his face.


    This made Alonso somewhat puzzled, and he asked, ��Is there something else?��


    ��Uh�� Baron, a secret message has come from Lord Maral, stating that ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni has recovered from his injuries, and has declared that he will seek an opportunity to kill Reine in the next few days.��


    ��Hmm?�� Upon hearing this news, Alonso��s expression also turned strange, soon followed by a barely controllable burst of loud laughter.


    Everything was good news since he returned! Alonso thought to himself.


    ��Reine is really in demand! He��s on the Black Flame Church��s hit list and is also the target of Baron Norman��s duel. I really wonder who will end up killing him. Michel, what do you think? Hahaha!��


    ��This time, not even the Goddess of Fortune can save him,�� Butler Michel said, laughing along.


    ��Exactly, not even the Goddess can save him now! Besides those two, there��s one last safeguard,�� Alonso said with conviction.


    This caused Butler Michel to look at his master with a puzzled expression.


    These two were already among the most powerful in Meist County; could there be someone even stronger waiting in the wings?


    ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni, as the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, might only be a Peak Knight by rank, but his ability to transform into a beast made him a fierce opponent. When fully exerted, even a Great Knight might be challenged.


    And with Baron Norman��s strength returned to its peak, his might was likely even greater. His long career in the Navy had endowed him with vast combat experience.


    Furthermore, it was said that he intended to challenge the rank of Great Knight immediately after his bloody duel with Reine, suggesting he was already on the brink of a breakthrough!


    But the Baron had invited a third person to be a backup against Reine?


    Someone whose abilities exceeded the other two?


    This made Michel��s expression freeze!


    Could there truly be a Great Knight-level figure prepared to directly target Reine?


    If so, Reine might be talented, but he would be doomed still!


    Meanwhile, in Meist County.


    Inside a study at the Crawley family estate.


    The beautiful woman, Jennifer, dressed in a one-shoulder pale purple gown adorned with intricate gold lace, sat behind the desk, sitting erect with an elegant posture.


    ��Jenny, has there been any news from Reine?�� The beautiful woman��s brow was furrowed with anxiety as she questioned her daughter.


    ��Not yet, Mother, don��t worry yet,�� Jenny replied, seeing her mother��s concern for Reine, feeling an indescribable sourness in her heart. Reine should have been�� but now, it seems he had become her mother��s man.


    However, she quickly adjusted her mood and comforted her mother:


    ��You know how strong Lord Reine is; he was already very powerful, and since he has gone for further training this time, he��s likely to become even stronger!��


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 Chapter 349 - 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 349: Chapter 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��So, I actually think that this Baron Norman may not necessarily be a match for Lord Rein.��


    Despite her daughter��s reassurance, the beautiful woman��s brow was still marked with worry. Shaking her head, she said,


    ��It��s different, this opponent is not like any Rein has faced before.��


    ��Baron Norman is from the same generation as your father. His strength is formidable �� he once had the chance to attain the rank of Great Knight in his youth. But due to severe injuries sustained in naval combat, along with lingering internal wounds after healing, his attempt to become a Great Knight failed, leading to his retirement.��


    ��Now, through some rare secret potion, he has recovered the combat capabilities of his peak years. Such an opponent, with his wealth of combat experience and formidable power, is probably unlike anyone Rein has ever encountered before,�� the woman explained with a look of concern.


    Hearing her mother explain this way, Jenny couldn��t help but frown slightly.


    ...


    ��Mother, why would this Baron Norman issue a bloody duel challenge to Lord Rein?�� Jenny tried to comfort her mother in vain and changed the subject, as this question had also been on her mind for a while.


    Baron Norman, being of the same age as her father, would theoretically have little to do with Rein. How could he have suddenly issued a duel challenge to Rein?


    Fortunately, the guards at Rein��s new residence were from her family��s lineage. They recognized the importance of the situation immediately and reported to her mother first.


    Now, Rein��s parents and sister are still unaware of this news.


    After discussing with her mother, she felt that informing them would only cause unnecessary worry.


    Of course, ultimately, it was up to Rein to decide what to do about this matter. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I��m not entirely sure of the specifics, but I sent someone to inquire about it, and this matter is beyond reconciliation. Along with issuing the challenge to Rein, Baron Norman has also filed a formal request with Count Habs,�� she explained.


    ��Additionally, I have heard that he directly rejected Count Habs��s attempt to dissuade him.��


    ��Which means that right from the start, he was determined to refuse any mediation and proceed with this bloody duel!��


    ��Ah, this���� Jenny suddenly found herself at a loss for words.


    How could there be such a deep hatred between two Barons who are at least a generation apart in age?


    ��Mother, is Baron Norman��s current strength at the level of a Peak Knight, or��? Have you investigated?��


    ��Yes, he could be considered a Peak Knight, but the difference between him and a Great Knight is not that significant. I��ve bribed a servant from the Norman family and learned that he seems to be gearing up for an attempt to become a Great Knight in the next few days. He is currently preparing some necessary items.��


    ��The exact timing, I��m still not quite sure,�� the beautiful woman added.


    ��Ah? What if he succeeds, then what do we do?�� Upon hearing this, Jenny couldn��t help but cover her mouth with her small hand in shock.


    This made her worried as well.


    You must understand, we are talking about a Great Knight here!


    Within a pool of dozens of formal knights, it��s rare to find even one Great Knight. A Great Knight is a significant figure whether within the Empire��s military or its administrative bodies.


    �����������C


    Three days later.


    After crossing this forest and traveling for another half a day, Rein would reach Meist County City.


    At the moment, along the narrow path stretching through the dense woods, scattered individuals could be seen. They were traveling in pairs of two, seemingly watching and searching for something.


    ��Look, Haji, isn��t that the man the Wilderness Brotherhood told us to keep an eye out for?�� a thin middle-aged man asked his partner, tilting his head.


    ��It should be! A black horse, carrying two weapons; one greatsword and a Two-Handed Warhammer, everything matches up. Go report this!�� the man named Haji said with a pleased expression.


    ��


    Rein had noticed the occasional measuring glances cast his way, and after entering the forest, these glances had become more frequent.


    He knew that it wouldn��t be long before the other party would make a move!


    As expected, not far ahead a large group of individuals dressed as mercenaries, carrying all kinds of weapons, blocked his path.


    He, riding his horse, also slowly came to a halt.


    However��


    Rein merely swept a glance over these people before shifting his gaze away from them, focusing instead on a large carriage behind them.


    Although Rein couldn��t see through the carriage, his Level 3 ��danger perception�� was subtly alerting him to the threat.


    He knew that the real threat was inside, and that the group outside was just ��trash fish.��


    In the carriage, a tall and lean figure sat, dressed in a grey knight��s plate armor set. Even while seated, his height was close to 1.9 meters, and his knight helmet nearly touched the top of the carriage.


    Resting on his knees was an extremely strange, long-handled weapon, resembling an elongated sickle, with a handle about one meter long and the blade of the sickle itself also measuring a meter.


    Outside the carriage, a bearded burly man peered through a small window and said to the person inside,


    ��Chief Jo, if we kill this kid, do we really get a reward of two thousand Imperial Gold Coins?��


    As the burly man asked, he looked at Rein��s youthful face and his eyes flickered with the desire for money.


    ��Eh? Captain Sim, are you interested in having a go? Of course, if your Wolf Bandits can take him down, two thousand Imperial Gold Coins is yours to keep,�� said Giovanni from within the armor, a meaningful smile crossing his hidden face.


    He would naturally welcome someone else taking the lead.


    ��Chief Jo, leave it to us,�� said the bearded burly man, confidently patting his chest.


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 Chapter 350 - 189 Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 350: Chapter 189 Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    The bearded strongman, holding a longsword, swung his arm and said, ��Go, kill him!��


    As soon as he spoke, he took the lead and charged forward, being one of the strongest bandits in the Wild Wolf Hills and a rare veteran knight.


    His band of bandits was even named after the ��Wild Wolves�� of Wild Wolf Hills, a testament to his confidence and ambition.


    With money, he could expand his team and improve their weapons and equipment. Furthermore, completing this mission would deepen his cooperation with the Brotherhood of the Wilderness. It would kill two birds with one stone, so the bearded man was naturally very committed.


    When over twenty men dressed as mercenaries saw their leader charging, their morale instantly surged. Their faces flushed as they screamed and excitedly rushed towards Rein.


    Several crossbow arrows were shot at Rein before the others could even reach him!


    ...


    Facing the oncoming rush, Rein drew his greatsword, still keeping his gaze steady. ��Swoosh, swoosh,�� his figure moved slightly, and with a couple of shifts, he dodged the incoming crossbow arrows.


    ��Attack! Kill him!�� a few leaders of the Wild Wolf Bandits hesitated, realizing the tough character they faced, but fueled by their superior numbers, they continued to roar and swung their weapons at Rein.


    Suddenly!


    Rein��s chest suddenly puffed up, much like a frog inflates when it croaks!


    Most notably, his swelling neck seemed like it harbored a steam-powered locomotive inside his chest, unable to contain the surging, high-temperature steam, about to burst forth from his swollen neck!


    Sure enough, the next second, a huge gust of air, similar to a train��s whistle, roared out of Rein��s widely opened mouth!


    ��Roar!!!��


    A roar that was much louder than all of their screams combined resounded!


    It left every charging bandit from the Wild Wolf Bandits in shock, realizing they were in trouble; they tried desperately to stop their charge, but as the thought emerged in their minds, the wide-ranging sonic attack was already upon them!


    When facing the sonic attack, the only escape would be outpacing the speed of sound!


    But clearly, that was impossible for the bandits!


    Instantly, a loud explosion blasted next to every bandit��s ears. Most were immediately dazed, some even rolled their eyes, and their minds blanked out!


    Their facial skin, under the subsequent shockwave, was repeatedly stretched, trembled, and deformed!


    Immediately after, screams rang out high and low!


    ��Ah! Ah!��


    And within seconds after the loud explosion, most bandits were seen clutching their ears, displaying expressions of unbearable pain. Their ears and brains were still buzzing, unable to recover quickly!


    Even Giovanni in the carriage squinted, muttering, ��Sonic attack, huh? Not a bad move.��


    But oddly enough, the cries of agony in the area began to decrease.


    A gray shadow gripping a greatsword, like a high-speed sewing machine needle, darted back and forth among the twenty some bandits��


    The ��hisss hisss hisss�� sound of air being sliced continued without pause!


    Seconds later!


    Not one member of the Wild Wolf Bandit gang, including their leader with the beard, was left standing. They had all been cut into segments and lay strewn across the field!


    Rein shook the Glimmering Greatsword, tossing off the crimson bloodstains, while his eyes remained fixed on the large carriage without shifting.


    The reason for using the ��roaring strike�� as his opening move, part of the explanation lay here. There was a formidable opponent on the sidelines, watching intently. The longer the fight dragged out, the more disadvantageous it would be, not to mention the potential for a sneak attack at any moment.


    ��Clap clap clap!��


    Crisp applause emerged from within the carriage.


    ��Impressive strength. I thought you would at least get injured, but it seems I underestimated your level.��


    ��However, it doesn��t really matter; your outcome won��t change much.��


    Along with a deep voice, a tall, slender knight, over two meters in height, holding a scythe-like weapon, slowly descended from the carriage. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein��s eyes narrowed, focusing on the newcomer. It seems that he was indeed the main opponent for today.


    The gray chest armor of the knight featured three dull, burning black flames, instantly reminding Rein of those black-flame monks he had killed before.


    Three black flames?


    It seems he was a personage in the black-flame cult?


    Rein thought to himself.


    Moreover, judging from the aura, the opponent wasn��t a great knight; moreover, his own level 3 ��danger perception�� alert wasn��t strong enough to be unbeatable by him.


    This slightly settled Rein��s mind.


    Perhaps, if he had not gone to Master Ganther to improve, he might have been outmatched by this individual. But now, it seemed they were rather evenly matched.


    Of course, it was likely that the opponent had some tricks up his sleeve.


    But didn��t he have his own?


    Seeing Rein��s calm demeanor made Giovanni slightly bored, shaking his head, ��I enjoy the frenzy and screams of my prey before they die. You are too calm; I don��t like it.��


    ��Or perhaps, you don��t think you can escape this time, do you?��


    ��Last time, if not for that Druid�� forget it, let��s not talk about that.��


    Seemingly recalling the previous encounter made Giovanni��s expression change under his helmet, leading him to abruptly cut off his words.


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 Chapter 351 - 351 - 189: Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 351 �C 189: Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Rein understood.


    The guy in front of him was someone he had never seen before, but when the other mentioned ��Druid�� last time, was he talking about a Druid?


    It seemed that at some point in the past, Anna��s aunt, the Elf Lady, had repelled him?


    That��s what Rein speculated.


    ��Are you from the Dark Cult?�� Rein asked for the first time.


    ��Eh? Not bad, you figured it out! But I don��t have much time to chit-chat with you. Even though this place is remote, there are still occasionally trade caravans passing by, and it wouldn��t be good for them to see you, the Baron, dead by my hand,�� he said.


    ��I promised the high priest that I would make you, the newly-appointed Baron, disappear without a trace,�� he added.


    ...


    Th???? most uptodate nov????ls are publish????d on ?reeweb��ove?.com.


    As soon as he finished speaking, Giovanni flicked the bizarrely-shaped sickle in his hand as if to attack, but then he stopped abruptly, intrigued by what Rein said next.


    ��Actually, I��m quite happy to have run into you today,�� Rein said, his eyelids lowered, his expression serene.


    ��Oh? Why is that?�� Giovanni, surprised by Rein��s unexpected response, paused his movement and asked with curiosity.


    ��Because I just learned something new and have been looking for a worthy opponent to try it out on. The savage beasts I��ve faced so far just lack that certain something, so I��m quite happy to meet you!�� Rein said as he raised his head, his eyes sparkling with eagerness.


    At this moment, Giovanni felt very uncomfortable, as Rein��s look made him feel as if he were the prey and Rein was the hunter.


    ��Ha! Didn��t expect you, the new Baron, to be one for big talk. Now you can die!��


    ��As a punishment, I��ll make your death even more painful!��


    Suddenly, black flames like tendrils wrapped around Giovanni��s armored body and his bizarrely-shaped sickle as if it were a chain.


    Rein��s gaze sharpened as he witnessed this technique for the first time.


    It seemed to enhance both defense and attach that weapon with added offensive capabilities!


    This must be some kind of dark magic from the Dark Cult, even more powerful than a black fireball.


    But�� you have your dark magic, and I have witchcraft! Rein thought to himself.


    ��High-Temperature Force Field!��


    Chanting silently, Rein quickly generated a spherical field of high-temperature force around him.


    ��Eh?��


    The High-Temperature Force Field, invisible and intangible, still caused Giovanni to pause slightly at the energy fluctuations emanating from Rein.


    ��Interesting, interesting, ha ha! I didn��t think you��d know witchcraft too. Now killing you will be even more fun,�� Giovanni said.


    With a swoosh, Giovanni��s feet touched the ground, shattering it.


    The sound of him slicing through air was sharp as he lunged at Rein!


    So fast!


    Rein��s pupils narrowed, and he quickly raised his sword to block!


    With disdain evident, Giovanni aimed a swift cut with his sickle at Rein��s neck.


    Considering the speed Rein had just shown in the fight, it was too slow, and he surely couldn��t withstand this strike, even if he hadn��t activated his ��Break Limit,�� and even if he had, by how much could it really improve?


    Seventy percent? Eighty percent?


    It wouldn��t change the outcome.


    Yet bizarrely, Rein��s speed suddenly almost doubled, precisely intercepting the blow.


    ��Clang!!!��


    Sparks flew!


    Giovanni, failing to land his strike, retreated several meters and said in a deep voice, ��Ninety percent?��


    It turns out Rein had instantly activated ��Break Limit�� just before.


    Rein was aware that Giovanni was surprised by the level of his Break Limit, how high it was to reach ninety percent.


    But the fight had already begun, and only a fool would care for such an inquiry from the enemy.


    Without considering it, Rein took the opportunity of his opponent��s halted momentum to launch a counterattack!


    ��Clang, clang, clang!��


    Both were extremely fast, like two wisps of smoke twirling around the path, sparks flying and the sound of clashing metal ringing incessantly. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sometimes, as they fought off the path and into the forest, it was the trees that bore the brunt!


    Trees as thick as bowls were cut down in an instant by their continuous strikes, falling amidst a cacophony of crashing sounds.


    Yet Rein realized that his witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field�� had not been as effective as it should have been, clearly because the black flames ensnaring Giovanni��s body had blocked his witchcraft��s damage.


    Seeing Rein��s speed nearly double after using ��Break Limit,�� Giovanni knew that the reason Rein had escaped the Church��s assassinations time and again was due to genuine skill.


    That was no empty bragging.


    While his speed was still superior to Rein��s, the prospect of ending the fight as easily as a cat toying with a mouse was now impossible.


    However, this only made Giovanni secretly more excited.


    To extinguish a genius was indeed more thrilling than eliminating an ordinary expert.


    ��Swoosh!��


    Giovanni��s speed surged again, an indication he had activated his Transcendent trait.


    ��Sss!��


    The sickle in his hand sped up so rapidly that its shadow was almost invisible.


    Despite Rein��s best efforts to dodge, he was still struck and sent flying!


    ��Tsk tsk, to have your Break Limit surpass ninety percent at your age, I must admit, you are a rare Knight genius,�� Giovanni remarked.


    ��But, as I said, your end will not change!�� Giovanni looked at Rein, speaking mockingly. Explore new worlds at empire

 Chapter 338 - 186: Surprise! Hint at the First Legendary Profession Panel! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 338: Chapter 186: Surprise! Hint at the First Legendary Profession Panel! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    ��Enough, all of you, quiet down! Since we��ve decided to go through with this, don��t take it lightly!�� barked the burly man who��d been holding a brass monocular.


    Then, he turned to a gaunt man beside him, who was holding a heavy crossbow and had only one eye left, and said, ��One-Eyed, take a few crossbowmen and start with a volley to test the waters, see what they��re made of.��


    ��One-Eyed�� had the strength of a formal Knight and was a bowman. Amongst their group, he was considered a powerful asset.


    The man known as ��One-Eyed�� nodded slightly. Without uttering a word, he immediately began loading his crossbow.


    The crossbow arrow he was fitting flashed with a pale green glint��it was obvious that the arrow was poisoned.


    Indeed, silent people are often the most ruthless!


    ...


    After loading, One-Eyed waved his hand to signal the other crossbowmen to cautiously step forward, positioning themselves within the maximum range of their weapons, directly encompassing Rein who wasn��t too far away.


    The rest of the team were readying their weapons, grinning viciously and poised to strike.


    As soon as their crossbowmen injured the ��young Knight,�� they would swarm him, outnumbering him!


    This tactic was meant for dealing with slightly stronger teams or masters. They had practiced it to perfection!


    Subconsciously, they believed that this time, like before, the victory would come easily.


    By then, One-Eyed and the other crossbowmen had found their positions and were raising their heavy crossbows to aim.


    Suddenly, the young Knight who had been polishing his greatsword just a second before vanished from their sights.


    Huh?


    Where did he go?


    Including One-Eyed, the crossbowmen all wore expressions of astonishment or bewilderment. They immediately lowered their crossbows and began looking around.


    The next second, the leader of the group, the robust man, turned pale and shouted, ��Watch out!��


    Before he could finish speaking��


    ��Pfft!��


    One-Eyed suddenly felt the world spinning around him.


    He wondered why he was flying through the air, but almost immediately, he saw a familiar headless torso. From the smooth cut on the neck, blood was spouting like a fountain!


    That��s my body, isn��t it?


    One-Eyed was horrified!


    But the next second, a deep weariness began to assail his consciousness��


    Yet, before he lost consciousness completely,


    One-Eyed heard cries of agony rising all around him. He knew these voices well.


    But what was the high-speed slicing noise, that ��sss-sss-sss�� sound all about?


    He wanted to lift his head and see what was happening!


    But his eyelids were so heavy�� he wanted to sleep��


    As ��One-Eyed��s�� eyelids slowly closed, the scene around him had become a picture of chaos.


    Some were luckier, merely decapitated at the neck.


    The less fortunate suffered a worse fate, cut into several pieces, limbs and body parts scattered everywhere, probably too difficult to piece back together��


    Meanwhile, the robust man who��d been holding the brass monocular now had his eyes wide in terror, staring at Rein. He desperately clutched at his neck, attempting to stop the gushing red blood.


    But it was futile, for the wound was too deep. Almost half his neck was sliced open, and any deeper would have meant instant beheading.


    ��Thump!��


    The robust man knelt down, falling face up as his sturdy body convulsed, his strong life force not yet ready to give in.


    Sometimes, a strong life force isn��t a blessing, as it only prolongs the suffering!


    With his dying thoughts, the burly man couldn��t comprehend how the situation, which had started as their ambush, had turned against them so swiftly.


    It seemed the other side had detected them in advance and charged without warning. In the blink of an eye, crossing the forty or fifty meters, they were upon them, swinging that greatsword.


    That greatsword�� with its strange cold glow�� so sharp��


    ��


    Rein shook his greatsword, wiping the blood off the blade, and mumbled to himself: Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��A familiar scent! How interesting, Bask just warned me to be wary of the rebels, and here they are!��


    ��But really, their strength is just too pathetic!��


    Rein found that the effect of Sharpness lv2 was quite useful.


    When he slashed through the chainmail and thick leather of Zaral��s rebels, it felt as if he was tearing through paper.


    Even the knight��s plate armor worn by the last robust man cracked open without much effort once Rein targeted the weak joint between the helmet and breastplate.


    Had it been before, it would not have been so effortless.


    Of course, the effect of Accuracy lv2 was also indispensable.


    Or perhaps, it should be said that the combined effect of Accuracy and Sharpness made killing these mediocre ��trash fish�� too easy!


    After some thought, instead of resting, Rein mounted his black horse and started towards Rachmond Fishing Port Town, where Hass was.


    On horseback, Rein switched his weapon. Now, he was toying with a mace in his hand.


    ��What effect would the Force have if applied to the mace?��


    �����������C


    At the same time, in Meister County Prison, within an office,


    a middle-aged man dressed in the uniform of the prison guard captain furrowed his brow in deep thought.


    However, his morose expression was enough to indicate his mood was anything but pleasant.


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 Chapter 339 - 186 Surprise! First Legendary Profession Panel Prompt! (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 339: Chapter 186 Surprise! First Legendary Profession Panel Prompt! (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2


    Indeed, as early as half a month ago, Magis had noticed something was amiss with the situation at the base.


    Normally, within the span of half a month, he would certainly have received some form of communication from the base, whether good news or bad. But in any case, there should have been some news!


    But now, the problem was that after such a long time, there had been no message from the base at all.


    This initially left him extremely puzzled!


    After waiting several more days, he knew for certain that something had happened at the base!


    Therefore, Magis immediately dispatched his most trusted confidant to check on the base�� the abandoned mine in the ��Wild Wolf Hills�� in Meister County.


    ...


    However, the situation report upon his confidant��s return made his heart skip a beat!


    According to his confidant, the old mine where the base was located had collapsed significantly, and judging from the traces of gunpowder at the entrance of the passage, it was clearly man-made, and not due to an earthquake or natural decay from aging.


    Additionally, the several deliberately hidden traces of battle found nearby the mine further confirmed this.


    In other words, his organization��s base in Meister County had been secretly and completely annihilated.


    Could it have been done by the Empire after its discovery, deploying people from a special unit?


    This truly left Magis on tenterhooks for several days!


    But several days later, he noticed that the upper echelons of Meister County were very quiet, and no particular news had come through, which confused him. That isn��t right!


    If it were a specialized operation by the Empire, then conventionally, after the base was taken out, a great purge would follow. Nobles, great families, merchant associations, and all connected to his organization in the county town would be rooted out!


    Of course, he would not be spared in this process either.


    But now, it didn��t seem like it was the work of any Imperial special unit!


    What was going on?


    While Magis did think of that young upstart Knight, Rein, in his mind, Rein was at best someone with the strength of a veteran Knight and had no powerful companions. How could he possibly be involved in the total annihilation of the base?


    Thus, Magis began to have all his informants conduct investigations, but so far, they had never found the perpetrator!


    At the same time, in this month, he also faced questioning from two barons, Alonso and Norman, who doubted the credibility of their rebel organization, questioning how they could fail to deal with even a young upstart Knight!


    He knew that this was not acceptable.


    If both men disseminated unreliable information about the resistance in noble circles within Meister County, his organization��s operations throughout Mingster County would lack the support of certain potential nobles.


    It can be said that the future actions of the entire organization in Meister County would encounter significant obstacles, and he, as a key liaison, could not shirk responsibility!


    Therefore, three days ago, he had sent out a call for help to those above.


    Magis hoped that higher-ups would dispatch a powerful person to Mingster County to take charge and swiftly reverse this unfavorable situation.


    As he estimated, someone should arrive within these few days. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, there came a knock on the door, interrupting Magis��s train of thought.


    ��My lord, Baron Alonso has arrived!��


    ��How has he come again?�� Magis said, his face showing a headache as he received the report from his confidant.


    Obviously, he couldn��t refuse a meeting and could only nod and say, ��Fine, let him come over. It couldn��t be about that Rein again! Damn it!��


    These past few days, he had specifically tasked someone with investigating Rein��s situation. Although Rein��s resume showed the young man was very promising and talented, he did not stand out much in the entire Meister Province.


    Furthermore, such an unestablished youth was always vulnerable.


    Magis was very confident in his own organization. Once the person from above arrived, if they could find this Rein and deal with him, it ought to be an easy task!


    After all, the former person in charge of the original base was a Peak Knight. This time, after the incident, the organization would most likely send a Great Knight-level expert to take over.


    However, the latest intel suggested that this Rein had recently been absent from the county town, having gone to other places.


    His most trusted confidant was now gathering information through various channels, trying to figure out where exactly the other party had gone.


    Magis thought this way: even if they had not yet eliminated this youth, at least when Alonso and Norman asked, he would have a response. After all, with Rein not currently in Mingster County, there was nothing he could do, right?


    In that case, the others would not be too upset after listening to him. After all, he was making progress on the matter, or else he would not know that Rein was not in the county town, right?


    But annoyingly, to this moment no information had come back regarding ��where exactly Rein had gone,�� which left him quite passive in face of Alonso��s questioning.


    Shortly, a familiar figure with a large stride entered the room. It was the bearded man wearing a black nobles�� hunting suit with gold-thread inlays, none other than Baron Alonso himself.


    Seeing Alonso enter, Magis immediately stood up, and with a smile brimming on his face, he said, ��The honorable Baron Alonso, if you seek me, just send me a word, and I should have come to visit you.��


    Since he hadn��t managed to handle the task entrusted by the other party, Magis had to lower his posture a bit.


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 Chapter 354 - 354 - 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 354 �C 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Half a minute earlier, a carriage guarded by several knights had just turned the corner of the winding forest path and caught sight of Rein��s powerful hammer strike.


    The knights who witnessed this scene all had their expressions dramatically change, while at that moment, the curtains of the carriage window were pulled back slightly.


    Underneath the hood was a beautiful young face, curiously watching in the direction of Rein, when suddenly, a pair of eyes uncontrollably widened, and the cherry-like mouth quickly formed into an ��O�� shape!


    What came into the young maiden��s view was a huge humanoid creature with muscles so swollen it was ridiculous, holding a dark iron hammer high and striking the ground heavily, as if the earth itself was fracturing and sending shockwaves through everyone��s hearts.


    In an instant, the ground cracked open inch by inch, and an invisible shock force spread out rapidly from the point of impact.


    The stones and gravel on the ground, upon encountering this shock force, were instantly reduced to dust.


    So, with a face full of panic and a bit of confusion, ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni took the full brunt of this intense shock force!


    ...


    Even though he was protected by plate armor, even though he was shielded by vine-like living tendrils of black flame, he still stood frozen in place for about half a second under Rein��s full-powered strike.


    When high-skilled combatants clash, the situation can change in the blink of an eye!


    Half a second might only be enough time for a normal person to throw a punch, but for Rein, it was enough to deliver at least three forceful and powerful hammers!


    ��Bang! Bang!��


    The third strike was even followed by a secret Tokkal Hammer Technique move, the ��Rising Dragon Hammer!��


    Rein twisted his body and swung his hips, channeling the strength of his core muscles, swinging his hands to create a dark afterimage that moved from the bottom upwards, severely striking Giovanni��s wolf-jawed chin. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Crack!��


    Giovanni��s wolf-jawed chin was directly shattered, and at the same time, his entire body was thrown four or five meters upwards, his eyes rolling back in his head!


    But it still wasn��t over!


    Rein kicked off the ground and quickly followed Giovanni��s convulsing body in mid-air, delivering a rapid series of hammer blows!


    ��Bang bang bang!��


    With each hammer blow, the black flame tendrils on Giovanni��s body grew dimmer, his plate armor shattered piece by piece, and the sound of breaking bones rang out clearly.


    These shattering sounds were akin to firecrackers, ��popping�� non-stop!


    ��Thud!��


    The sound of a heavy object hitting the ground was heard!


    This was because Rein had interrupted his continuous hammering, causing Giovanni��s body to heavily crash to the ground.


    Despite having the vitality of a Great Knight in his beast form, Giovanni��s body still twitched violently, but was clearly in its final throes, his wolf mouth damaged beyond recognition, spewing blood, his whole body showing various odd twists.


    From his posture, it was highly likely that there wasn��t a single bone intact in his entire body, lying on the ground like a pile of mud.


    Giovanni��s body was rapidly changing, the black fur receding, his face shifting from that of a wolf to that of a man, but the crushing injuries to his jaw and the fractures throughout his body did not heal as a result.


    Soon, a human corpse lay before Rein.


    And there stood Rein, holding his hammer, breathing heavily; the outburst of his full strength had greatly exhausted him.


    However, his eyes shone brightly at that moment!


    For Rein, an opponent of this strength was too rare, and this battle was exhilarating.


    He had exerted all his recent improvements and thoroughly tested them in this fight.


    However, neither Rein nor the people with the carriage noticed that, perched on a tall tree in the distant forest, there was a lean man in patterned leather armor, holding a bronze telescope, observing the situation here.


    Upon seeing Rein kill Giovanni, he was shocked and muttered to himself, ��Impossible! How can this Rein be so strong!��


    ��This is, after all, the leader of the Wilderness Brothers, known as ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni, who was killed by an obscure young man!��


    ��Earlier, I thought the Baron was overreacting, but now it seems I��ve underestimated Rein����


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    ��I must report to Baron Alonso immediately!��


    The lean man moved as swiftly as a monkey, quickly descending from the tree and disappearing in the direction of the County Town after a few strides.


    After a while, the girl in the carriage finally regained her composure and with a voice as clear as that of an oriole, turned her head and asked, ��Knight Lawrence, how�� how strong is this person?��


    ��Very strong! No, extremely strong!�� replied the knight clad in knight armor solemnly, glancing at Rein.


    ��Stronger than you?�� the young maiden inquired, puzzled.


    ��Yes, if I��m not mistaken, his opponent just now should be the leader of the Wilderness Brothers, known as ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni, who is said to have escaped from the hands of Great Knights several times,�� the middle-aged Knight Lawrence remarked with a touch of reflection.


    ��I never imagined he would meet his end here.��


    ��That strong?!�� the girl exclaimed in surprise, covering her mouth.


    While she didn��t know who the ��Beast Knight�� was, she did know what a Great Knight was��the most formidable warriors, against whom even her family��s strongest fighters could not contend. If a young man could kill such a formidable person, his strength was unimaginable.


    ��Then, Knight Lawrence, in your opinion, who is stronger��Father��s friend, Lord Hamilton, whom he mentioned last time, who might be able to deal with that issue, or this young man?��

 Chapter 355 - 355 - 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 355 �C 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��This��. I haven��t met that young man before, so I��m also unable to make a judgment,�� Lawrence thought for a moment, and wisely replied.


    But in his heart, he was thinking, how could there possibly be someone more impressive than this young man in front of him?


    He had never even heard of such an impressive young man, let alone met one.


    At that time, Rein glanced at the system prompt:


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +1034]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +232]


    [Your skill High-Temperature Field has improved, Experience +12]


    ...


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +298, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +13]


    In the recent battle, Rein used the Hammer Technique most frequently and swordsmanship next, hence the distribution of the experience, with Hammer Technique taking the lion��s share.


    Additionally, the level of Knight (Transcendent) reached lv5 (795/2000), and Tokkal Hammer Technique was raised to lv7 (2724/5000), with the experience now more than halfway there.


    And the remaining attribute points, since he added 1 point to agility during the battle, were now only 2 points left, with the remaining Skill Points unchanged at 1 point.


    It was then that the sharp-eyed Rein suddenly noticed that among the muddy remains of the corpse, a damaged pouch had fallen.


    This made Rein��s heart stir slightly; what could it be that someone of such high caliber would carry with them?


    He stepped forward to open the pouch and saw inside a token made of an unknown metal. The design was three black flames burning fiercely, which looked very similar to the Angel Envoy token he had previously obtained from killing the Black Flame Apostle.


    It must have been a form of identity recognition within the Black Flame Church.


    Rein shook his head slightly, finding it of little use to himself, although the Goddess Church seemed to attach great importance to it. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Huh?


    What��s this��.


    Inside the pouch, there was also a special Beastskin Scroll. Rein carefully unrolled it and saw that it was filled with prayers written in Lingwen.


    After some thought, Rein concluded that this must be a prayer used for some kind of Cult ritual, which still wasn��t very useful to him.


    This was somewhat disappointing to Rein, for he had been quite hopeful about his spoils of war, but didn��t expect there to be only these two items.


    However, all of a sudden, Rein��s eyes lit up, as if he had thought of something, and he muttered to himself,


    ��Perhaps, the Goddess Church would like this gift��.��


    Rein glanced from afar at the merchant caravan that was too afraid to approach because of the corner, paying them no mind. He dragged the man who could transform into a werewolf along with the man��s signature weapon and threw them onto the wagon.


    As for the previously hesitating caravan, upon seeing Rein return to his normal size and tidy up the battlefield, it seemed that they deemed Rein not a bad person, so they slowly approached from behind.


    However, Rein had no interest in interacting with strangers at this juncture, so he mounted his black horse, drove the cart and the chestnut horse, and headed quickly to the County Town.


    Upon entering the County Town, Rein did not go straight home but first visited the Wind and Ocean Goddess Temple that he had never been to before.


    The tall and majestic temple could be seen from afar, supported by more than a dozen tall columns that greatly resembled the Ionic style of his previous world.


    A distinct feature of this column style was that the top of each column had two symmetrical scrolls in a volutes pattern, with a small decorative band in between, making the whole design quite conspicuous and beautiful.


    It also matched well with the gentle temperament of the goddess.


    Along the cascading steps in front of the temple was a circular fountain with, in its center, a statue of a beautiful woman holding a conch shell, standing about three meters tall.


    The water gushed tirelessly from the conch in the goddess��s hand, forming a miniature waterfall that fell straight down.


    A row of Holy Guards clad in silver armor stood guard all around.


    Upon seeing the formidable-looking Rein riding on a tall black warhorse, they exchanged glances, then immediately approached and asked, ��Sir Knight, may I ask what brings you to the Goddess Church?��


    The Holy Guards had already noticed Rein��s presence as soon as he appeared at the corner of the road.


    First, it was Rein��s tall and outstanding black warhorse, and secondly, Rein��s own aura of having just slain the ��Beast Knight��, which made the hearts of these Holy Guards, none of whom were as strong as official knights, tremble a bit.


    If it weren��t for their strong faith in the goddess, they might have already felt cowardly.


    ��Is Rudolph the Presbyter here?�� Rein asked, with a slight smile and very politely.


    ��You know Presbyter Rudolph? The presbyter just returned yesterday, may I ask your name? I will announce you,�� said the Holy Guard who heard Rein seemed to know Presbyter Rudolph, visibly relaxing.


    ��You can tell Presbyter Rudolph that Rein is visiting.��


    ��Very well, Lord Rein.��


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    The Holy Guard quickly ascended the steps and ran toward the temple interior.


    In a moment, an old man in a water-blue robe with golden trimmings, holding a thick book, came out from the temple.


    Upon seeing the old man appear, Rein smiled and dismounted from his warhorse.


    Rudolph also saw Rein riding the tall black warhorse and smiled, greeting him, ��Now, I suppose I can call you Baron Rein.��


    The surrounding Holy Guards were stunned, wearing expressions of astonishment.

 Chapter 342 - 187: Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 342: Chapter 187: Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    He had not expected that merely thinking about enhancing his Tokkal Hammer Technique to lv6 in order to kill the Scalewhisker Ironback Turtle would accidentally lead to the discovery of the Legendary Weapon Master class information!


    At that moment, Rein felt as if he had been suddenly hit by a million-dollar jackpot!


    After all, this was a ��Legendary�� class panel we��re talking about, which is clearly a notch above the ��Transcendent�� level!


    After calming the excitement in his heart, Rein started to systematically compare the preconditions of both the Legendary Weapon Master and the Transcendent Great Knight.


    He was very curious about why one was considered Legendary and the other merely Transcendent.


    ��Looking at the latter conditions, the Legendary Weapon Master and the Transcendent Great Knight almost completely overlap, so the greatest difference must be the first condition!�� S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ��Any three Extraordinary Battle Techniques of different weapon categories above lv10���� Rein mulled over this sentence, his mind lighting up with understanding.


    Clearly, it was this difference in conditions that designated the Weapon Master as a Legendary class, while the Great Knight remained at the Transcendent level.


    All three Extraordinary Battle Techniques at lv10��


    While it might look like just one condition, Rein was acutely aware of how difficult it truly was.


    Rein roughly estimated that if he didn��t have the system and had to rely on his own hard training, reaching lv10 in one Extraordinary Combat Skill could take twenty or thirty years, and that��s assuming everything went smoothly.


    For three skills, that would be damn well sixty or seventy years!


    Hiss!


    No wonder it��s rated as a Legendary class panel, scary as hell!


    An ordinary person would grow old before even completing the training!


    Gathering his thoughts, Rein then focused on the words ��weapon categories��.


    ��Different weapon categories?��


    ��A Knight��s Longsword and a Bastard Sword should both be considered single-handed swords; thus, the Combat Skills for these two types of weapons would fall under the category of one-handed swordsmanship,�� he pondered.


    ��As for my Dual-Handed Greatsword and Two-Handed Warhammer, according to the system��s indications, they each belong to different categories, meaning I only need to choose one more to fulfill the three required categories!��


    ��Previously, I acquired the Empire��s Military Swordsmanship, which, if assumed to be enhanced to lv10, would meet the conditions. However, should I choose single-handed swordsmanship for the third skill, or something else?��


    Rein thought about it and found himself indecisive for a moment.


    After some time, he shook his head, muttering to himself.


    ��No rush, my Giant Bear Sword Technique and Tokkal Hammer Technique haven��t reached lv10 yet. I have time to contemplate this issue.��


    ��Furthermore, judging from its name and prerequisites, the Weapon Master seems to specialize in a variety of weapons, which likely means strong combat capabilities, possibly on par with masters of the greatsword!��


    ��And most importantly, according to the system��s hints, it doesn��t conflict with the path of a Wizard!��


    It��s the lack of conflict that matters most!


    Now, the former sense of loss Rein felt for missing the career paths of a master of the sword, greatsword, and Sword Saint, which offer extremely high offensive capabilities, had completely vanished without a trace.


    Even with the hint of transitioning into a Great Knight, Rein had felt a bit disheartened, knowing Great Knights had considerably weaker attack power compared to Greatsword Masters.


    Nothing lifts the Spirit like joyous events!


    As Rein mulled over these thoughts, he rode to a river mouth near the coast, which is also where the shipping lanes near Richmond Fishing Port were located.


    Scalewhisker Ironback Turtles, much like regular sea turtles, favor near-shore river mouths that flow into the sea.


    Because this is where fresh and saltwater mix and food is abundant, and there also grow many sea reeds reaching three to four meters in height, perfect for hiding.


    At that moment, as the sea breeze passed, the dense sea reeds rustled.


    Rein dismounted, carrying his greatsword and Warhammer, and began to search carefully. He quickly found large and obvious clawed footprints.


    He carefully followed the clawed tracks, not expecting to leave the reed marsh so soon and to instead quickly arrive at a beach at the foot of a mountain.


    The other side of the beach was close to the sea.


    Rein��s eyes narrowed, for he saw in the distance, a large mound of sand situated in a corner of the beach. Despite being covered in sand, the partially exposed body, and the massive size were undeniably that of the Scalewhisker Ironback Turtle mentioned by Haas.


    His excellent vision allowed Rein to examine the gigantic creature from head to toe, even from a hundred meters away. Its eyes, as big as a grown man��s fist, were tightly closed, as though it was napping.


    The beak-like mouth stretched back almost to the neck.


    Rein began to understand why it was named the Scalewhisker Ironback Turtle.


    Even the turtle��s eyelids had small, dense scales for protection, and its paws, partially uncovered by the sand, were coated with thick green scales.


    Moreover, its lower jaw was adorned with dozens of thick whiskers, seemingly without any practical function but perhaps just to add to its intimidating appearance?


    Since the creature was resting, an ambush was naturally the first choice, and of course, with the experience from the previous encounter with the aquatic plesiosaur, Rein was well prepared for contingencies.


    If discovered, he was ready for a direct confrontation!


    Rein took out his Warhammer and, from a distance, began to quietly approach the Scalewhisker Ironback Turtle from behind.


    Wary that the energy fluctuations from witchcraft might awaken the napping Scalewhisker Ironback Turtle, Rein refrained from using fire-based spells like ��High-Temperature Field��.


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 Chapter 343 - 187: Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 343: Chapter 187: Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Seemingly slow to react, Rein focused intently and held his breath as he approached within about ten meters behind the Scaled Whisker Ironback Turtle; the creature still hadn��t moved.


    Rein��s expression turned solemn as his legs suddenly exerted force. With a ��thud!�� sand erupted from beneath his feet, and he shot toward the Scaled Whisker Ironback Turtle like an arrow released from a bow!


    The specifics of a stealth attack?


    With a hammer, what technique do you need? The simpler, the more brutal, the more effective!


    If the opponent��s shell is the hardest part, then shatter it from the hardest point!


    ��Limit Break!��


    ...


    ��Huge Strength lv3!��


    ��Strength Burst!��


    ��Earth-splitting Hammer!!!��


    Rein, leaping through the air, seemed to have ballooned to at least twice his size. His muscles and fascia tensed like the fully drawn string of a powerful bow, and he raised the dark pig head hammer above his head before fiercely striking down at the center of the Scaled Whisker Ironback Turtle��s shell!


    Just as Rein forcefully pushed off the ground, the Scaled Whisker Ironback Turtle��s fist-sized eyes suddenly popped open, sensing the danger.


    However, since Rein had attacked from behind and was already directly above the shell, he was in the Ironback Turtle��s blind spot.


    So, the Ironback Turtle stretched its neck, looking quickly left and right, but failed to spot its enemy, which caused a look of confusion in its large eyes.


    But the next second!


    A huge crash resonated from the center of its back!


    ��Clang!!!��


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    ��Crack!!!�� S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two sounds almost overlapped!


    Under the effects of ��Hammer Mastery lv3�� along with the double special effects ��Shock lv2�� and ��Accuracy lv2,�� Rein��s strike had the power of a 205mm howitzer shell.


    ��Augh!��


    Accompanied by the Scaled Whisker Ironback Turtle��s scream, its shell��seven or eight meters in diameter and thick��was completely shattered by Rein��s ferocious blow.


    Especially at the center, which was completely fragmented.


    If someone had observed Rein��s entire stealth attack from a distance, they would notice.


    If the Scaled Whisker Ironback Turtle��s shell were compared to an iron basin, then the small black hammer, the size of a fingernail, had just smashed into it, causing the Ironback Turtle��s limbs and neck to catapult outward!


    Rather comical!


    But just when Rein was about to follow up his attack, a thick yellow energy covered the Scaled Whisker Ironback Turtle��s body, blocking all subsequent hammer blows.


    At this moment, the battle��s vibrations caused all the surrounding sand to scatter.


    Rein got a clear look at the full span of the turtle��s shell, which closely resembled fossil giant tortoise shells from his previous life, with a dozen mountain-like ringed scales. Now, the tops of these ��mountains�� were glowing with yellow light.


    This mysterious side of energy fluctuations?


    It must be the Scaled Whisker Ironback Turtle��s special ability, which is the earthen yellow shield Hass mentioned.


    Seemingly frightened by Rein��s combat prowess, the Scaled Whisker Ironback Turtle, displaying no desire to continue fighting the ��little one�� in front of it, opted to make a break for the nearby sea, protected by its strongest defense.


    This immediately changed Rein��s expression!


    The sea was not his battleground.


    Right away, Rein increased the frequency of swings with his pig head hammer, causing the yellow shield to ��bang, bang�� under the blows. Although the color faded slightly, the yellow shield stood firm, like a rock immovable by the seaside waves.


    Indeed, only witchcraft can defeat witchcraft, right?


    However, Rein didn��t believe in such superstitions!


    Add points!


    As the remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel dropped from 2��1, Tokkal Hammer Technique was also instantly raised to lv7 level, equaling the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    Suddenly, fragments of memories about practicing Tokkal Hammer Technique flooded into Rein��s mind.


    These fragmented memories of hammer skill practice flashed one by one in Rein��s mind and swiftly integrated into his muscle memory. It was as if he had spent over a year devoted to practicing Tokkal Hammer Technique in some mysterious space, all by himself.


    However, there was a difference. With a lv3 Hammer Mastery boost, at this moment, the hammer skill��s power was no.1 among all his Extraordinary Combat Skills.


    When Rein gripped his pig head hammer again, a special feeling dawned on him.


    This sensation was not the familiarity of the proficient level, but rather a deeper connection to the essence of the weapon.


    ��Thud!!!��


    The hammer crashed down again!


    This time, the Scaled Whisker Ironback Turtle looked terrified and desperately bolted into the sea, because its yellow shield trembled violently under the hammer��s blow, on the verge of collapsing!


    �����������C


    One day earlier.


    Outside an interrogation room at Meister County Prison.


    An informant was reporting to Magis about the situation concerning a prisoner:


    ��The man��s name is Ville, originally a bandit who roamed the Wild Wolf Hills. A few days ago, he got drunk in Old John��s bar in County Town, got into a fight, and was reported by someone. After the County Town patrol verified the complaint, he was brought here,�� the confidant reported.


    ��He was initially set to be executed by hanging, but since you said to investigate the hideout through various channels last time, we planted informants among the prison inmates,�� the confidant continued.


    ��After learning this, he claimed to have crucial information to report!��


    ��We��ve provisionally examined it and it seems legit. Also, the guy proposes that if his information is true, he wants his freedom. I can��t make that decision on my own, so you need to come in person, sir,�� the confidant added.


    ��Hmm, well done,�� Magis patted the confidant��s shoulder.


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 Chapter 344 - 187: Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 344: Chapter 187: Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Magis walked into the interrogation room, only to see a middle-aged man with disheveled hair, wearing a tattered gray linen coat, emanating a strange odor, shackled to the interrogation chair.


    Upon seeing Magis and his companion enter, the man��s eyes revealed terror, and his legs tightened even more, as if this man named Ville was particularly afraid of someone like Magis dressed in a prison guard��s uniform.


    Magis examined the man for a moment, noting numerous whip marks and small burns all over his body, it seemed his subordinates had left quite an impression with their methods of punishment.


    However��


    This was good!


    The man��s psychological defenses were on the verge of collapse, and coaxing some words out of him should be very simple, and it would be easy to discern truth from falsehood.


    ...


    Magis showed a radiant smile and said, ��Don��t be afraid, Ville, just repeat to me what you said before.��


    ��This�� My lord, then do you guarantee my release? The other lord just now said he can��t decide that; only you can make that decision,�� Ville said with fear, glancing at the insignia on Magis��s uniform, knowing that he was speaking with the one in charge.


    ��That will require your full cooperation. Believe me, if what you say is true, then releasing you would be a very easy task for me,�� Magis said.


    The deep tone of Magis��s voice and his slow speech inexplicably created a sense of trust in Ville��s heart.


    But in fact, this was a psychological suggestion, making Ville feel as if he had grasped a life-saving straw!


    He quickly began to speak:


    ��That day, I was looking for suitable targets to rob near the abandoned mine, when by chance I saw several people moving a lot of stuff out of the woods onto two wagons, with a luxurious carriage at the front of them.��


    ��Wait!�� Magis interrupted.


    ��Why go to the area around the abandoned mine? You should be aware of whose turf that is, right?��


    ��It��s a new bandit group, rumored to be powerful. The boss told us not to provoke them, but we haven��t had any ��business�� for a long time, so I trespassed a little, just a bit,�� Ville explained.


    Magis nodded upon hearing Ville��s explanation, it sounded reasonable with no obvious points of suspicion.


    He then gestured for Ville to continue.


    ��This made me very happy! At the time, I thought it must be some noble hiding their riches here, and I was going to make a fortune,�� Ville went on.


    ��So, after they left, I followed their tracks to the vicinity of the abandoned mine. At first, I hesitated, not daring to get close since it was another group��s territory.��


    ��But then I noticed something was off. It seemed like the place had been abandoned, so I moved in and realized that the group there must have been wiped out����


    After Ville finished his story, Magis pondered for a while and asked, ��Do you remember anything about those people, or do you recognize them?��


    ��I��ve never seen them before, but the young knight leading them had a distinctive look with a hammer and a greatsword on his back,�� Ville gestured, making a crossing motion with his hands.


    Magis nodded, his confidant had already told him about this, it was highly likely the newly elevated Baron, Rein. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��By the way, you just mentioned that in front of the wagons, there was a luxurious carriage, is that correct?�� Magis seemed to recall something and asked again.


    ��Yes, my lord,�� Ville nodded.


    ��Was there any distinctive feature or pattern on that luxurious carriage?��


    ��Uh�� there was a crest on the carriage, and although it was a bit far, I have good eyesight and could make it out��it seemed to be a kite shield, and on the shield was a flower resembling a rose.��


    Upon hearing this, Magis immediately beckoned and whispered to his confidant, ��Have you found out which noble family in Meist County City bears that crest?��


    ��My lord, I just looked it up; it��s the crest of the Crowley family,�� the confidant whispered back.


    ��The Crowley family?�� Magis��s eyes narrowed in contemplation; he seemed unfamiliar with the family.


    Seeing Magis��s expression, the confidant knew his lord might not recall the family and reminded him softly, ��Do you forget? That beautiful lady, Jennifer.��


    A gleam flickered in Magis��s eyes as he exclaimed, ��Her! That gorgeous widow?��


    Immediately, Magis remembered the stunning lady he had seen at the ball, who had even caught his own attention.


    Didn��t Alonso suppress her family harshly? How could they have the strength to attack his organization��s stronghold?


    Magis asked again, ��Have you checked, who has the Crowley family been seen with recently, or who have they grown close to?��


    ��Well�� it is still being investigated, but it��s known that the Crowley family has been quite close with Rein; about two months ago, he became the Crowley family��s Guardian Knight.��


    ��And now that Rein has become a Baron, the servants and guards of his new manor all come from the Crowley family.��


    ��As for other information, it��s still being looked into�� it won��t be so fast����


    ��This is enough!�� Magis��s face grew stern.


    Various signs indicated that this newly minted Baron Rein was behind the eradication of the stronghold.


    Although he didn��t yet know how the other party managed it��since even with the Crowley family involved, they still lacked sufficient strength��having a lead was good.


    With more time, they should be able to get to the bottom of it.


    Since the interrogation was over, Magis planned to return to his office as Alonso was still waiting for his reply.


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 Chapter 345 - 187: Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 345: Chapter 187: Beyond Mastery (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Seeing Magis rise to his feet, Ville couldn��t help but show anxiety and said, ��Sir, you haven��t said whether you can release me yet?��


    At Ville��s words, Magis��s motion to turn around slowed and he turned his head back to his trusted collaborator and said, ��Then as he wishes, release his soul.��


    Huh?


    Release the soul?


    While Ville was still pondering the meaning of this sentence, suddenly there was a ��crack�� sound, a sharp pain transmitted from his neck, and then, he found himself able to see the white wall behind him��


    Back in the office, Magis naturally was not going to honestly share information with Alonso. Just now in the corridor, he had thought of how to maximize his benefits.


    ...


    Upon entering the door, Magis feigned an angry demeanor and interrogated:


    ��Lord Alonso, the newly promoted Baron Rein whom you asked us to kill last time, is probably not that simple, right?��


    ��Due to your concealment, the organization has lost a Peak Knight and several senior knights.��


    ��Oh? So, you��ve already made your move? Was the loss caused by Rein alone, or were there others?�� Alonso hesitated, speaking somewhat unnaturally.


    He, of course, had concealed something��the fact that the ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni was wounded by a strange Druid was left unsaid. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn��t that he truly hoped the rebel forces wouldn��t succeed, only that Alonso didn��t want the other party to hike up the price.


    Moreover, he had warned Magis to be cautious before the action commenced, so naturally, it couldn��t be blamed on him.


    Magis observed Alonso for a while, not seeing the expression he anticipated, then he swiftly changed the topic, saying, ��Whether Rein was alone or had help, the organization can handle it.��


    ��However, Lord Alonso, given that Rein��s strengths far exceeded expectations, the contents of our deal naturally need to be adjusted as well.��


    ��


    Still in Meister County.


    The underground hall.


    Giovanni, wearing a ��scythe��-shaped weapon on his back, bowed slightly to the corpulent high priest, saying, ��High Priest, my body has fully recovered, I heard from Maral that the appearance of that Druid in Flashgold Town last time was an accident, is that correct?��


    ��Yes, Maral has rechecked multiple times. The Druid��s trace has never appeared again; it must have been a coincidence passing through,�� the corpulent high priest nodded.


    ��If that��s the case, then let me take the task of killing the newly promoted knight, Rein!�� Giovanni


    ��Giovanni, are you sure your body has completely recovered? Also, according to the latest news from Alonso, this Rein has been promoted not just to a knight but to a newly appointed Imperial Baron!��


    ��What!�� Giovanni exclaimed in surprise.


    ��Doesn��t that sound incredible? At first, I didn��t quite believe it either, but this information has been confirmed through multiple sources to be true! Including Count Habbs, who has already met with this Rein.��


    ��Actually, continuing to go after this Rein now doesn��t quite align with our interests,�� continued the high priest gravely.


    Hearing the high priest��s words implying giving up, Giovanni��s eyebrows arched, and he solemnly said, ��High Priest, the dignity of the Black Flame Church cannot be challenged! Please let me handle this matter.��


    ��This���� The high priest was suddenly silent.


    Although continuing to eliminate Rein now doesn��t align with the church��s interests, the emotions of a capable subordinate also needed to be considered, putting the high priest in a tricky position.


    At this moment, the voice of Maral came from the big gates of the underground hall, saying:


    ��High Priest, Rein��s whereabouts have been discovered, he seems to be headed to Rosby County.��


    ��Moreover, according to reliable information, the appointment signed by Count Habbs just today shows that Rein should be returning to Meister County within five days, to take up the position of Governor and Sheriff of Fishing Port Town.��


    After a long pause, the high priest��s deep voice resonated again: ��Giovanni, then this matter is still yours to handle! However, I hope you can minimize the impact of this affair.��


    ��As you command, High Priest! I will try to act on Rein��s return journey and clean up any traces thoroughly so that it won��t implicate the church,�� Giovanni replied, smirking slightly as he bowed.


    He knew the High Priest had been persuaded by him.


    Indeed, killing a newly appointed Imperial Baron could cause a severe backlash, possibly prompting an in-depth investigation by the imperial authorities.


    However��


    Having been severely injured because of this Rein, he had to let out this bad blood no matter what.


    �����������C


    On a beach not far from Richmond Fishing Port, a huge scale-whiskered ironback turtle lay in a pool of blood.


    Meanwhile, a man was using a dual-handed greatsword to cut open the corpse of a giant turtle, seemingly trying to extract something.


    At that moment, a cylindrical object suddenly rolled out from within the scaly-backed iron turtle.


    Huh?


    What��s this?


    A message-in-a-bottle?


    Rein eyed a brown bottle that had fallen out of the scaly-backed iron turtle. The material, judging by its appearance, seemed to be the rarely seen glass, which piqued his curiosity.


    Holding it up to the sunlight, Rein examined it carefully and noticed it appeared to have something similar to paper inside.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein carefully opened the stopper, and indeed, it was a message-in-a-bottle!


    The contents weren��t paper but seemed to be a piece of parchment.


    Huh, why does this feel so familiar, this texture��


    In an instant, a flash of insight crossed Rein��s mind. He quickly pulled out a small iron box from his bosom and compared them!


    Incredibly, this was a quarter of Pirate King Vincent Sanborn��s treasure map, the one linked to the Fireball Technique


    Could it be that this scaly-backed iron turtle had some connection with the Pirate King?


    This was indeed a possibility, considering turtles are renowned for their longevity!


    But this was still a highly improbable event, and Rein felt he definitely had to thank the goddess of fortune!


    However, this made him feel both anxious and excited.


    Previously having only half was still manageable, but now he had three-quarters��


    This made Rein��s desire to find the remaining quarter of the treasure map even more intense.


    But such things were somewhat serendipitous, and after some thought, Rein couldn��t help but sigh!


    Rein built up a bonfire and began to simply process the materials from the scaly-backed iron turtle while contemplating the prerequisites for the ��Weapon Master�� job change.


    The second, third, and fourth prerequisites����Two, Physical Breakthrough Limit Reached 100%; Three, any breathing technique lv9 or higher; Four, Strength 20 points or higher, Agility 20 points or higher, Constitution 20 points or higher;��


    For him, these were almost fully completed or already done, presenting no difficulty whatsoever.


    As for the fifth prerequisite, ��High-Level Magic Potion ��Giant Beast Essence��,�� though slightly troublesome, he already had the hearts of two giant beasts as raw materials. Once back in County Town through the military supply department, this issue should not be difficult to resolve.


    If all else failed, contacting the empire��s military through Hamilton should also not be a big problem.


    The real trouble now was in the first prerequisite, ��One, any three different weapon category transcendent combat skills lv10 or above.��


    This meant that before sorting out the high-level magic potion ��Giant Beast Essence��, it would be best if he could gather enough skill points to raise three transcendent combat skills to lv10, which was of the utmost urgency.


    Rein glanced at his attribute panel; he currently had one remaining skill point while both Giant Bear Sword Technique and Tokkal Hammer Technique were at lv7, leaving a gap of five skill points.


    This five-point gap should not be too big of an issue.


    Rein glanced at ��Armorsmith lv1 (17/100)��; with the Crowley family helping him gather materials, raising it should take no time at all, achieving 4-5 points of skills shouldn��t be too difficult.


    The key was the third combat skill��


    The empire��s military swordsmanship was only at lv3 (122/500), and shield defense and archery were also at lv3��


    Even if he practiced day and night after returning, due to time constraints, he could at most push it to lv5, which meant there was still a five-point skill point gap waiting for him.


    Seemingly unable to think of a good solution, Rein couldn��t help but furrow his brow.


    Just then, the fluttering sound of wings filled the air!


    A pigeon with a blue crest suddenly descended from the sky, landing next to the small pigeon cage on the brown horse, beginning to intimately mesh with another blue-helmeted pigeon.


    Blue-helmeted pigeon!


    Rein��s pupils contracted, and he immediately got up and walked over!


    Before departing, Rein had told the beautiful woman that if he encountered any trouble, she should contact him using the blue-helmeted pigeon��


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 Chapter 346 - 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 346: Chapter 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter) sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein removed a small wooden cylinder, the thickness of a thumb, from the leg of the Blue Helmet pigeon, opened the stopper, and found a note from the Crowley family inside:


    ��Baron Norman has issued a bloody duel challenge to you today. It has been noted that he has also applied for the challenge with Count Habs at the same time. According to reliable information, the opponent has taken a secret potion and has returned to peak strength, possibly possessing the power to challenge a Great Knight (unconfirmed). Please consider carefully whether to return to Meister County anytime soon.��Jennifer��


    After reading the letter from the lady, Rein��s first reaction was a sigh of relief!


    ��Good, it��s not that a family member or Jennifer herself had encountered any trouble.��


    ��A bloody duel?�� Rein mused thoughtfully.


    He had come to understand this term after being knighted, commonly used to resolve certain irreconcilable conflicts among nobility, divided into ordinary duels and bloody duels.


    ...


    Ordinary duels allow for surrender, but bloody duels, indicated by the very word ��bloody,�� mean much more; there can be no surrender, and it ends only with one party��s death!


    If ordinary duels can still be seen from time to time, bloody duels are much rarer. In Meister County, not seeing a bloody duel once every year or two would be quite normal.


    However, the next second, Rein was quite puzzled; where did this Baron Norman spring from?


    He was familiar with the name, but couldn��t for the life of him remember where he had heard it.


    After pondering for several seconds, Rein��s eyes lit up, and he remembered!


    Months ago, when he was practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique in the dense forest at the entrance to Flashgold Town, he had been attacked by a middle-aged man wielding a sword.


    One of the man��s statements had made a deep impression on him to this day.


    Rein still remembered the man��s exact words: ��I am giving you a chance now. If you are willing to pledge allegiance to the Norman family, it will be the most correct decision of your life.��


    Yes, that was the phrase!


    Moreover, when the man spoke those words, that lofty attitude��though his words were inviting, it clearly felt like charity. At that time, Rein had thought he was from some great nobility, but as it turned out��


    It was from the very family where Dennis belonged!


    So it goes without saying, this Baron Norman must be Dennis��s father.


    But did their grudge really reach such a level?


    Rein was quite puzzled!


    He and Cleya barely had some contact; was that enough to warrant a baron father stepping in to defend his son in a bloody duel with him?


    Thinking about it, Rein found it utterly absurd!


    ��All my previous life, I��ve heard that overindulgence by a mother often leads to a child��s failure, could this be a case of an overly indulgent father leading to failure?�� Rein shook his head, quite speechless!


    Wait a moment!


    Suddenly, a spark of realization flashed through Rein��s mind.


    It was him!


    He remembered.


    Previously, after being attacked by the Level 3 Wizard Apprentice, Adams, a young clerk from Adams��s shop had said:


    ��A middle-aged man came in not long before, and Adams dismissed him. So, the details of their discussion and the man��s exact identity are unclear, but since that middle-aged man arrived, Adams disappeared without a trace.��


    Afterward, Night Watchman Captain Matteo, who was rather short in stature, even provided him with a portrait of the middle-aged man, drawn based on the young clerk��s memory.


    Rein pulled out the thin parchment from within his tunic.


    As he examined it carefully, sure enough, the more he looked, the more familiar the middle-aged man in the drawing became��it was clearly very similar to that rascal Dennis.


    ��So it turns out this middle-aged man is Baron Norman, and it was he who hired or asked Adams to attempt to assassinate me!��


    At the time, Rein always felt there was a faint familiarity about the middle-aged man��s face, but he just couldn��t quite place where that sense of familiarity came from.


    Now, all has been revealed!


    Having figured this out, Rein couldn��t help but feel a flicker of anger rise in his heart!


    ��To come and try to assassinate me several times over some petty issue of his son��s jealousy! Had I not been strong enough, I might well be six feet under by now!��


    ��And now a bloody duel again, has he become completely fixated on me?��


    ��However�� Baron Norman��s strength must be quite formidable! Although Jennifer is not entirely certain, if he does indeed have the strength to challenge a Great Knight, that would mean he has strength comparable to my own.��


    ��This is interesting!��


    Rein had no fear whatsoever!


    One of the most important things he learned from his intensive training with Master Ganther was about belief.


    If a greatsword master holds an unshakeable belief that the sword in his hands can cut through anything, then Rein gradually came to understand that having a firm belief in one��s own ability to defeat powerful adversaries is equally a formidable force!


    ��Do not worry. I will arrive in Meister on schedule in four days! While ensuring safety, gather information on Baron Norman. Also, look after the emotional well-being of my family.��Rein��


    After thinking it over, Rein quickly wrote a reply, placed it inside the little cylinder, and tied it to the Blue Helmet pigeon.


    With the flapping of wings, the Blue Helmet pigeon shot into the northern sky like an arrow released from a bow!


    His thoughts returning, Rein started cutting the Scaly Whiskered Ironback Turtle��s shell into large pieces and, after roasting them briefly over a bonfire, stacked them up. These naturally protruding, thick, hard, and heavy shells made excellent shield materials.


    Even for Rein, cutting them open had required considerable effort.


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 Chapter 347 - 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 347: Chapter 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    In addition, there��s the massive corpse of the Ironback Turtle with Scaled Whiskers, resembling a sand dune. With a bit of processing, one could harvest a ton or two of fierce beast meat. The quality of meat from such large, fierce wild beasts is very high; it would truly be a shame to discard it.


    After some thought, Rein had already come up with a solution.


    It��s better to give it to Hars than to waste such a treasure!


    ��Besides, it looks like there��s no time to go to Rosby City now. I originally wanted to see Evelyn and Major Mary.��


    ��Now, I can only postpone it for another day!��


    Meanwhile, Rein recalled the sensation he felt when his Tokkal Hammer Technique advanced to level 7.


    ...


    This must be a realm beyond mastery, reaching an even higher level.


    But he also knew that, to a large extent, this was dependent on the level 3 Hammer Skill specialization. Otherwise, it made no sense for his level 7 Giant Bear Sword Technique to still be at the mastery level, while the level 7 Tokkal Hammer Technique had entered the next realm.


    Rein vaguely remembered Master Ganther mentioning that after mastery comes the level of a Meister.


    However, the status he had barely achieved with the aid of Hammer Skill specialization could at most be considered as half-step Meister level, and there was still a difference compared to the true Meister level.


    At this moment, Rein suddenly remembered that due to the sudden appearance of the floating bottle, and later being busy dealing with the heart of the Ironback Turtle with Scaled Whiskers, he hadn��t had the chance to check the system messages:


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +1336]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +379]


    ��


    After this battle, the level of Knight (Transcendent) reached level 5 (597/2000), and the Tokkal Hammer Technique advanced to level 7 (1690/5000).


    And only 1 Skill Point remained, while all 3 attribute points had not been used.


    Soon after processing the turtle shell, Rein rode his horse a short distance south before heading back to Richmond Fishing Port. He found two town residents who appeared honest and sincere, gave each of them a silver coin, and had them deliver a message to Hars:


    ��The problem has been solved. Head to the beach at the entrance to the sea to collect the battle spoils. Bring more people, and when you have time, find a caravan to send the turtle shell to me. ��Rein.��


    The shells of these Ironback Turtles with Scaled Whiskers were excessively heavy, and Rein planned to have Hars find a caravan to transport them for him.


    After completing all this, Rein mounted his tall black horse and sped towards the direction of Meister County.


    ��.


    Richmond Fishing Port, at Hars��s doorstep.


    ��A message from Rein?��


    ��He wants me to go to the beach at the entrance to the sea?�� Hars was initially quite bewildered.


    But when the messenger said, ��When you have time, find a caravan to send the turtle shell to me!��


    Hars��s eyes widened in shock, a bolt of lightning crossed his mind, and he muttered to himself, ��Could it be����


    ��Impossible, impossible!��


    Hars��s younger brother, confusedly looking up at his own brother, who rarely showed such a loss of composure, asked curiously, ��Brother, what��s impossible?��


    ��I��ll tell you when I get back!��


    No sooner had the words left his mouth than the injured Hars rushed out the door, and upon reaching the street, he immediately called out to two patrolling security officers, ��Jermie, gather ten men and come with me!��


    ��.


    Half an hour later.


    When Hars arrived at the beach near the sea mouth with a number of security officers and Night Watchmen, they found the bloody mound already being scavenged by raptors.


    Everyone looked at the scene before their eyes in utter shock!


    Isn��t this the Ironback Turtle with Scaled Whiskers, whose strength matched that of a Great Knight?


    Even though someone had removed its shell, it was immediately recognized by everyone.


    But then, cheers erupted all around.


    Because they knew that the trouble troubling Richmond Fishing Port had been resolved!


    Hars muttered to himself, ��How could Rein be so strong!��


    ��He��s just a bit stronger than me, isn��t he? His assessment was only rated as ��Good������


    Suddenly, something clicked for Hars, and his eyes shone with realization.


    ��It seems all this information was just my own imagination. On closer thought, Rein never actually directly answered any of these questions!��


    ��At the Home Hotel of the Navy in Rosby City, on the training ground, Rein had declined my suggestion to spar, and later, during the endowment assessment����


    ��Now it seems, I��ve made a truly formidable friend!��


    ��What kind of strength would it take to kill an Ironback Turtle with Scaled Whiskers, whose strength is on par with a Great Knight?��


    ��Moreover�� Rein is still so young!��


    ��Captain Hars, I think you should see this.�� A security officer said with an uneasy expression.


    ��Hmm?��


    Hars walked over and saw a collection of neatly sliced, thick turtle shells laid out orderly on one side. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein had indeed sent a message to Hars, but the security officers didn��t know that!


    They had thought some other formidable wild beast had killed the Ironback Turtle with Scaled Whiskers, but now it was clear that wasn��t the case��


    Because a wild beast wouldn��t slice open and neatly arrange turtle shells.


    So, for a moment, everyone was unsure how to deal with this ��mountain of meat�� and the valuable turtle shells, since by tradition, whoever made the kill had the right to own and distribute the spoils of battle.


    But upon seeing the neatly sliced, iconic shells of the Ironback Turtle with Scaled Whiskers, Hars immediately realized what Rein meant by ��finding a caravan to send him the turtle shell�� previously mentioned in the message!


    ��Haha, yes! It��s got to be that guy Rein!�� Hars laughed heartily.


    With everything falling into place, Hars had no more doubts!


    At the same time, he understood that while Rein asked him to send the turtle shell, he left no instructions for the heaps of fierce beast meat. Clearly, Rein intended to leave the disposal of the Ironback Turtle��s corpse entirely up to him.


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 Chapter 348 - 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 348: Chapter 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Hastings became excited, for this was a vast fortune for him!


    �����������C


    Meist County City.


    Alonso had not been back from the prison to the estate for long when the butler Michel came up to him with a smiling face and reported,


    ��Baron, I think you should take a look at this.�� Michel respectfully handed Alonso a thin stack of documents.


    ��Oh?�� Upon seeing Michel��s smiling face, Alonso knew there must be some good news in those documents.


    ...


    Indeed, after Alonso had received the documents and looked through them briefly, he quickly began to smile and said,


    ��Is this news accurate?��


    ��It has been verified and is true! My lord, according to the information, it seems that Baron Norman is determined to engage in a bloody duel with Reine.��


    ��After delivering the declaration of a bloody duel to Reine��s new residence, Baron Norman immediately submitted an application for a bloody duel to your father, Count Habbs.��


    Upon hearing this, Alonso��s smile briefly faded as he said, ��What did my father say?��


    ��After receiving the application for the bloody duel, Lord Count originally wanted to persuade Baron Norman to give up the duel, but was politely refused by the Baron!�� Michel said, smiling.


    ��Hmm? Baron Norman didn��t even give face to my father?�� Alonso was taken aback upon hearing this.


    Such a situation was extremely rare!


    ��Yes! It��s said that Baron Norman��s strength has returned to its peak, and these past few days he has already begun to prepare the items necessary for breaking through to a Great Knight. It��s very possible he plans to make the attempt right after the duel with Reine.��


    ��If he successfully breaks through, Baron Norman is likely to be promoted, or to re-enlist with the Imperial Navy,�� Michel explained.


    Alonso nodded, understanding the situation.


    So, that was Norman��s plan; no wonder he could afford to disregard even his own father��s influence.


    ��Hahaha! How interesting!�� Alonso suddenly laughed aloud.


    ��Since when did Reine have such a deep feud with Baron Norman!�� S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��If I had known this, I wouldn��t have wasted so much time with Magis.��


    Alonso was well-aware of Norman��s background: an Imperial Navy veteran with extremely rich combat experience. If it weren��t for an injury that had hindered his recovery, he would have had the chance to strive for the rank of Great Knight and the title of Imperial Navy Commodore.


    But now, he had retired with the rank of a Navy Colonel several years ago.


    ��By the way, Michel, take three bottles of Divine Blood to Baron Norman, and say it is a token of my goodwill,�� Alonso decided after a moment��s thought.


    ��As you command, my lord!�� Michel bowed and slowly withdrew from the room.


    However��


    Not long after the butler Michel had left the room, he suddenly returned with a curious expression on his face.


    This made Alonso somewhat puzzled, and he asked, ��Is there something else?��


    ��Uh�� Baron, a secret message has come from Lord Maral, stating that ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni has recovered from his injuries, and has declared that he will seek an opportunity to kill Reine in the next few days.��


    ��Hmm?�� Upon hearing this news, Alonso��s expression also turned strange, soon followed by a barely controllable burst of loud laughter.


    Everything was good news since he returned! Alonso thought to himself.


    ��Reine is really in demand! He��s on the Black Flame Church��s hit list and is also the target of Baron Norman��s duel. I really wonder who will end up killing him. Michel, what do you think? Hahaha!��


    ��This time, not even the Goddess of Fortune can save him,�� Butler Michel said, laughing along.


    ��Exactly, not even the Goddess can save him now! Besides those two, there��s one last safeguard,�� Alonso said with conviction.


    This caused Butler Michel to look at his master with a puzzled expression.


    These two were already among the most powerful in Meist County; could there be someone even stronger waiting in the wings?


    ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni, as the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, might only be a Peak Knight by rank, but his ability to transform into a beast made him a fierce opponent. When fully exerted, even a Great Knight might be challenged.


    And with Baron Norman��s strength returned to its peak, his might was likely even greater. His long career in the Navy had endowed him with vast combat experience.


    Furthermore, it was said that he intended to challenge the rank of Great Knight immediately after his bloody duel with Reine, suggesting he was already on the brink of a breakthrough!


    But the Baron had invited a third person to be a backup against Reine?


    Someone whose abilities exceeded the other two?


    This made Michel��s expression freeze!


    Could there truly be a Great Knight-level figure prepared to directly target Reine?


    If so, Reine might be talented, but he would be doomed still!


    Meanwhile, in Meist County.


    Inside a study at the Crawley family estate.


    The beautiful woman, Jennifer, dressed in a one-shoulder pale purple gown adorned with intricate gold lace, sat behind the desk, sitting erect with an elegant posture.


    ��Jenny, has there been any news from Reine?�� The beautiful woman��s brow was furrowed with anxiety as she questioned her daughter.


    ��Not yet, Mother, don��t worry yet,�� Jenny replied, seeing her mother��s concern for Reine, feeling an indescribable sourness in her heart. Reine should have been�� but now, it seems he had become her mother��s man.


    However, she quickly adjusted her mood and comforted her mother:


    ��You know how strong Lord Reine is; he was already very powerful, and since he has gone for further training this time, he��s likely to become even stronger!��


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 Chapter 349 - 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 349: Chapter 188: Beast Knight (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��So, I actually think that this Baron Norman may not necessarily be a match for Lord Rein.��


    Despite her daughter��s reassurance, the beautiful woman��s brow was still marked with worry. Shaking her head, she said,


    ��It��s different, this opponent is not like any Rein has faced before.��


    ��Baron Norman is from the same generation as your father. His strength is formidable �� he once had the chance to attain the rank of Great Knight in his youth. But due to severe injuries sustained in naval combat, along with lingering internal wounds after healing, his attempt to become a Great Knight failed, leading to his retirement.��


    ��Now, through some rare secret potion, he has recovered the combat capabilities of his peak years. Such an opponent, with his wealth of combat experience and formidable power, is probably unlike anyone Rein has ever encountered before,�� the woman explained with a look of concern.


    Hearing her mother explain this way, Jenny couldn��t help but frown slightly.


    ...


    ��Mother, why would this Baron Norman issue a bloody duel challenge to Lord Rein?�� Jenny tried to comfort her mother in vain and changed the subject, as this question had also been on her mind for a while.


    Baron Norman, being of the same age as her father, would theoretically have little to do with Rein. How could he have suddenly issued a duel challenge to Rein?


    Fortunately, the guards at Rein��s new residence were from her family��s lineage. They recognized the importance of the situation immediately and reported to her mother first.


    Now, Rein��s parents and sister are still unaware of this news.


    After discussing with her mother, she felt that informing them would only cause unnecessary worry.


    Of course, ultimately, it was up to Rein to decide what to do about this matter. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I��m not entirely sure of the specifics, but I sent someone to inquire about it, and this matter is beyond reconciliation. Along with issuing the challenge to Rein, Baron Norman has also filed a formal request with Count Habs,�� she explained.


    ��Additionally, I have heard that he directly rejected Count Habs��s attempt to dissuade him.��


    ��Which means that right from the start, he was determined to refuse any mediation and proceed with this bloody duel!��


    ��Ah, this���� Jenny suddenly found herself at a loss for words.


    How could there be such a deep hatred between two Barons who are at least a generation apart in age?


    ��Mother, is Baron Norman��s current strength at the level of a Peak Knight, or��? Have you investigated?��


    ��Yes, he could be considered a Peak Knight, but the difference between him and a Great Knight is not that significant. I��ve bribed a servant from the Norman family and learned that he seems to be gearing up for an attempt to become a Great Knight in the next few days. He is currently preparing some necessary items.��


    ��The exact timing, I��m still not quite sure,�� the beautiful woman added.


    ��Ah? What if he succeeds, then what do we do?�� Upon hearing this, Jenny couldn��t help but cover her mouth with her small hand in shock.


    This made her worried as well.


    You must understand, we are talking about a Great Knight here!


    Within a pool of dozens of formal knights, it��s rare to find even one Great Knight. A Great Knight is a significant figure whether within the Empire��s military or its administrative bodies.


    �����������C


    Three days later.


    After crossing this forest and traveling for another half a day, Rein would reach Meist County City.


    At the moment, along the narrow path stretching through the dense woods, scattered individuals could be seen. They were traveling in pairs of two, seemingly watching and searching for something.


    ��Look, Haji, isn��t that the man the Wilderness Brotherhood told us to keep an eye out for?�� a thin middle-aged man asked his partner, tilting his head.


    ��It should be! A black horse, carrying two weapons; one greatsword and a Two-Handed Warhammer, everything matches up. Go report this!�� the man named Haji said with a pleased expression.


    ��


    Rein had noticed the occasional measuring glances cast his way, and after entering the forest, these glances had become more frequent.


    He knew that it wouldn��t be long before the other party would make a move!


    As expected, not far ahead a large group of individuals dressed as mercenaries, carrying all kinds of weapons, blocked his path.


    He, riding his horse, also slowly came to a halt.


    However��


    Rein merely swept a glance over these people before shifting his gaze away from them, focusing instead on a large carriage behind them.


    Although Rein couldn��t see through the carriage, his Level 3 ��danger perception�� was subtly alerting him to the threat.


    He knew that the real threat was inside, and that the group outside was just ��trash fish.��


    In the carriage, a tall and lean figure sat, dressed in a grey knight��s plate armor set. Even while seated, his height was close to 1.9 meters, and his knight helmet nearly touched the top of the carriage.


    Resting on his knees was an extremely strange, long-handled weapon, resembling an elongated sickle, with a handle about one meter long and the blade of the sickle itself also measuring a meter.


    Outside the carriage, a bearded burly man peered through a small window and said to the person inside,


    ��Chief Jo, if we kill this kid, do we really get a reward of two thousand Imperial Gold Coins?��


    As the burly man asked, he looked at Rein��s youthful face and his eyes flickered with the desire for money.


    ��Eh? Captain Sim, are you interested in having a go? Of course, if your Wolf Bandits can take him down, two thousand Imperial Gold Coins is yours to keep,�� said Giovanni from within the armor, a meaningful smile crossing his hidden face.


    He would naturally welcome someone else taking the lead.


    ��Chief Jo, leave it to us,�� said the bearded burly man, confidently patting his chest.


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 Chapter 350 - 189 Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 350: Chapter 189 Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    The bearded strongman, holding a longsword, swung his arm and said, ��Go, kill him!��


    As soon as he spoke, he took the lead and charged forward, being one of the strongest bandits in the Wild Wolf Hills and a rare veteran knight.


    His band of bandits was even named after the ��Wild Wolves�� of Wild Wolf Hills, a testament to his confidence and ambition.


    With money, he could expand his team and improve their weapons and equipment. Furthermore, completing this mission would deepen his cooperation with the Brotherhood of the Wilderness. It would kill two birds with one stone, so the bearded man was naturally very committed.


    When over twenty men dressed as mercenaries saw their leader charging, their morale instantly surged. Their faces flushed as they screamed and excitedly rushed towards Rein.


    Several crossbow arrows were shot at Rein before the others could even reach him!


    ...


    Facing the oncoming rush, Rein drew his greatsword, still keeping his gaze steady. ��Swoosh, swoosh,�� his figure moved slightly, and with a couple of shifts, he dodged the incoming crossbow arrows.


    ��Attack! Kill him!�� a few leaders of the Wild Wolf Bandits hesitated, realizing the tough character they faced, but fueled by their superior numbers, they continued to roar and swung their weapons at Rein.


    Suddenly!


    Rein��s chest suddenly puffed up, much like a frog inflates when it croaks!


    Most notably, his swelling neck seemed like it harbored a steam-powered locomotive inside his chest, unable to contain the surging, high-temperature steam, about to burst forth from his swollen neck!


    Sure enough, the next second, a huge gust of air, similar to a train��s whistle, roared out of Rein��s widely opened mouth!


    ��Roar!!!��


    A roar that was much louder than all of their screams combined resounded!


    It left every charging bandit from the Wild Wolf Bandits in shock, realizing they were in trouble; they tried desperately to stop their charge, but as the thought emerged in their minds, the wide-ranging sonic attack was already upon them!


    When facing the sonic attack, the only escape would be outpacing the speed of sound!


    But clearly, that was impossible for the bandits!


    Instantly, a loud explosion blasted next to every bandit��s ears. Most were immediately dazed, some even rolled their eyes, and their minds blanked out!


    Their facial skin, under the subsequent shockwave, was repeatedly stretched, trembled, and deformed!


    Immediately after, screams rang out high and low!


    ��Ah! Ah!��


    And within seconds after the loud explosion, most bandits were seen clutching their ears, displaying expressions of unbearable pain. Their ears and brains were still buzzing, unable to recover quickly!


    Even Giovanni in the carriage squinted, muttering, ��Sonic attack, huh? Not a bad move.��


    But oddly enough, the cries of agony in the area began to decrease.


    A gray shadow gripping a greatsword, like a high-speed sewing machine needle, darted back and forth among the twenty some bandits��


    The ��hisss hisss hisss�� sound of air being sliced continued without pause!


    Seconds later!


    Not one member of the Wild Wolf Bandit gang, including their leader with the beard, was left standing. They had all been cut into segments and lay strewn across the field!


    Rein shook the Glimmering Greatsword, tossing off the crimson bloodstains, while his eyes remained fixed on the large carriage without shifting.


    The reason for using the ��roaring strike�� as his opening move, part of the explanation lay here. There was a formidable opponent on the sidelines, watching intently. The longer the fight dragged out, the more disadvantageous it would be, not to mention the potential for a sneak attack at any moment.


    ��Clap clap clap!��


    Crisp applause emerged from within the carriage.


    ��Impressive strength. I thought you would at least get injured, but it seems I underestimated your level.��


    ��However, it doesn��t really matter; your outcome won��t change much.��


    Along with a deep voice, a tall, slender knight, over two meters in height, holding a scythe-like weapon, slowly descended from the carriage. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein��s eyes narrowed, focusing on the newcomer. It seems that he was indeed the main opponent for today.


    The gray chest armor of the knight featured three dull, burning black flames, instantly reminding Rein of those black-flame monks he had killed before.


    Three black flames?


    It seems he was a personage in the black-flame cult?


    Rein thought to himself.


    Moreover, judging from the aura, the opponent wasn��t a great knight; moreover, his own level 3 ��danger perception�� alert wasn��t strong enough to be unbeatable by him.


    This slightly settled Rein��s mind.


    Perhaps, if he had not gone to Master Ganther to improve, he might have been outmatched by this individual. But now, it seemed they were rather evenly matched.


    Of course, it was likely that the opponent had some tricks up his sleeve.


    But didn��t he have his own?


    Seeing Rein��s calm demeanor made Giovanni slightly bored, shaking his head, ��I enjoy the frenzy and screams of my prey before they die. You are too calm; I don��t like it.��


    ��Or perhaps, you don��t think you can escape this time, do you?��


    ��Last time, if not for that Druid�� forget it, let��s not talk about that.��


    Seemingly recalling the previous encounter made Giovanni��s expression change under his helmet, leading him to abruptly cut off his words.


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 Chapter 351 - 351 - 189: Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 351 �C 189: Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Rein understood.


    The guy in front of him was someone he had never seen before, but when the other mentioned ��Druid�� last time, was he talking about a Druid?


    It seemed that at some point in the past, Anna��s aunt, the Elf Lady, had repelled him?


    That��s what Rein speculated.


    ��Are you from the Dark Cult?�� Rein asked for the first time.


    ��Eh? Not bad, you figured it out! But I don��t have much time to chit-chat with you. Even though this place is remote, there are still occasionally trade caravans passing by, and it wouldn��t be good for them to see you, the Baron, dead by my hand,�� he said.


    ��I promised the high priest that I would make you, the newly-appointed Baron, disappear without a trace,�� he added.


    ...


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    As soon as he finished speaking, Giovanni flicked the bizarrely-shaped sickle in his hand as if to attack, but then he stopped abruptly, intrigued by what Rein said next.


    ��Actually, I��m quite happy to have run into you today,�� Rein said, his eyelids lowered, his expression serene.


    ��Oh? Why is that?�� Giovanni, surprised by Rein��s unexpected response, paused his movement and asked with curiosity.


    ��Because I just learned something new and have been looking for a worthy opponent to try it out on. The savage beasts I��ve faced so far just lack that certain something, so I��m quite happy to meet you!�� Rein said as he raised his head, his eyes sparkling with eagerness.


    At this moment, Giovanni felt very uncomfortable, as Rein��s look made him feel as if he were the prey and Rein was the hunter.


    ��Ha! Didn��t expect you, the new Baron, to be one for big talk. Now you can die!��


    ��As a punishment, I��ll make your death even more painful!��


    Suddenly, black flames like tendrils wrapped around Giovanni��s armored body and his bizarrely-shaped sickle as if it were a chain.


    Rein��s gaze sharpened as he witnessed this technique for the first time.


    It seemed to enhance both defense and attach that weapon with added offensive capabilities!


    This must be some kind of dark magic from the Dark Cult, even more powerful than a black fireball.


    But�� you have your dark magic, and I have witchcraft! Rein thought to himself.


    ��High-Temperature Force Field!��


    Chanting silently, Rein quickly generated a spherical field of high-temperature force around him.


    ��Eh?��


    The High-Temperature Force Field, invisible and intangible, still caused Giovanni to pause slightly at the energy fluctuations emanating from Rein.


    ��Interesting, interesting, ha ha! I didn��t think you��d know witchcraft too. Now killing you will be even more fun,�� Giovanni said.


    With a swoosh, Giovanni��s feet touched the ground, shattering it.


    The sound of him slicing through air was sharp as he lunged at Rein!


    So fast!


    Rein��s pupils narrowed, and he quickly raised his sword to block!


    With disdain evident, Giovanni aimed a swift cut with his sickle at Rein��s neck.


    Considering the speed Rein had just shown in the fight, it was too slow, and he surely couldn��t withstand this strike, even if he hadn��t activated his ��Break Limit,�� and even if he had, by how much could it really improve?


    Seventy percent? Eighty percent?


    It wouldn��t change the outcome.


    Yet bizarrely, Rein��s speed suddenly almost doubled, precisely intercepting the blow.


    ��Clang!!!��


    Sparks flew!


    Giovanni, failing to land his strike, retreated several meters and said in a deep voice, ��Ninety percent?��


    It turns out Rein had instantly activated ��Break Limit�� just before.


    Rein was aware that Giovanni was surprised by the level of his Break Limit, how high it was to reach ninety percent.


    But the fight had already begun, and only a fool would care for such an inquiry from the enemy.


    Without considering it, Rein took the opportunity of his opponent��s halted momentum to launch a counterattack!


    ��Clang, clang, clang!��


    Both were extremely fast, like two wisps of smoke twirling around the path, sparks flying and the sound of clashing metal ringing incessantly. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sometimes, as they fought off the path and into the forest, it was the trees that bore the brunt!


    Trees as thick as bowls were cut down in an instant by their continuous strikes, falling amidst a cacophony of crashing sounds.


    Yet Rein realized that his witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field�� had not been as effective as it should have been, clearly because the black flames ensnaring Giovanni��s body had blocked his witchcraft��s damage.


    Seeing Rein��s speed nearly double after using ��Break Limit,�� Giovanni knew that the reason Rein had escaped the Church��s assassinations time and again was due to genuine skill.


    That was no empty bragging.


    While his speed was still superior to Rein��s, the prospect of ending the fight as easily as a cat toying with a mouse was now impossible.


    However, this only made Giovanni secretly more excited.


    To extinguish a genius was indeed more thrilling than eliminating an ordinary expert.


    ��Swoosh!��


    Giovanni��s speed surged again, an indication he had activated his Transcendent trait.


    ��Sss!��


    The sickle in his hand sped up so rapidly that its shadow was almost invisible.


    Despite Rein��s best efforts to dodge, he was still struck and sent flying!


    ��Tsk tsk, to have your Break Limit surpass ninety percent at your age, I must admit, you are a rare Knight genius,�� Giovanni remarked.


    ��But, as I said, your end will not change!�� Giovanni looked at Rein, speaking mockingly. Explore new worlds at empire

 Chapter 352 - 352 - 189: Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 352 �C 189: Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3 S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein had retreated three steps before he abruptly stood firm, glancing down at his chest, where a deep scratch had already appeared on the chromite armor��s breastplate, now completely ripped open.


    If it hadn��t been for his level 3 Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin�� protecting him, that hit would have injured him.


    The long-handled, odd-shaped scythe in the opponent��s hand was no ordinary weapon, and combined with the weird enhancement of black flames, its deadliness was substantial. Before such lethal weaponry, the chromite suit was barely stronger than a thick piece of paper.


    Moreover, his opponent was a speed-type Knight.


    And not just any ordinary speed-type Knight.


    Though wearing shin guards, the length of his calves and their tightly fitting condition allowed Rein to instantly discern that the opponent��s Achilles tendons were extremely slender, even more taut and sturdy than those of the former sprinter, Bolt.


    Indeed, the opponent��s speed was extraordinarily rapid!


    ...


    Thinking it through, Rein directly ripped open the damaged Knight��s chestplate throwing it onto the ground with a ��thud,�� and likewise removed his leg armor and the rest.


    Giovanni, on the other hand, watched Rein with a confident and somewhat condescending expression. After a moment, as if he had understood something, he said,


    ��Interesting! You don��t think that shedding this hundred-plus pounds of Knight armor will let you catch up to my speed, do you?��


    ��Such fanciful thinking, but just one light slash from me, and without your Knight armor to protect you, your body will hiss and split into two.��


    Seeing Rein��s ��interesting�� action, Giovanni watched him with a look of ��come on, show me,�� interestedly observing Rein but not hurrying to act.


    Sure enough, after shedding his chromite suit, Rein wasn��t done yet. He placed the Glimmering Greatsword heavily into the ground and then pulled out a warhammer with his other hand.


    Because for the current Rein, with a level 3 specialization in Hammer Skill, a hammer was indeed his number one weapon.


    However, Giovanni was unaware of this detail. He shook his head and said, ��If you are after reduced weight, the hammer in your hand is obviously heavier than the sword. I really don��t understand your thinking.��


    But having taken off the hundred-plus pounds of Knight armor and having put down his seventy-eighty pounds Glimmering Greatsword, Rein wielding the warhammer felt an indescribable lightness.


    He felt as if he might float away, as though he could fly just by jumping.


    ��Swoosh!��


    A figure wielding a hammer rushed towards Giovanni rapidly.


    Rein��s speed had clearly increased by more than twenty percent!


    Giovanni sneered and with a ��swoosh��, disappeared from his original position.


    ��Clang!��


    The next second, he couldn��t laugh anymore!


    For as his odd-shaped scythe clashed with Rein��s Warhammer, a Shock wave was transmitted instantly, causing him to freeze slightly, unprepared.


    Following that, Rein��s subsequent relentless barrage of hammer attacks, like hailstones crashing down, fiercely smashed towards Giovanni.


    Giant hammer strike! Strike again! And again!


    Giant hammer jump strike!


    Giant hammer sweep!


    ��Clang clang clang!��


    Although Giovanni��s odd-shaped scythe was not ordinary and remained undamaged, every block made Giovanni��s form stagger slightly due to the Shock, nearly completely negating his speed advantage. Rein��s tide-like offensive left Giovanni unable to mount a counterattack, forced to constantly defend and block again and again.


    ��Boom!!!��


    Finally, Giovanni showed a flaw and Rein struck his chest with the hammer. Although protected by black flames and a swift retreat that absorbed some of the force, the hit still cracked his chestplate and forced him to stagger back over a dozen steps!


    ��Hiss!!��


    Giovanni��s slender legs dug two long trenches in the ground before he barely steadied himself!


    ��Enough! It��s time to end this!�� Giovanni removed his helmet in one motion, revealing a slightly angry and flushed face.


    Although he had sufficiently overestimated Rein, he hadn��t expected that besides mastering the Dual-Handed Greatsword, Rein was even stronger with the Two-Handed Warhammer, almost surpassing master level!


    This was utterly incomprehensible to him; even if Rein had started practicing Hammer Skill and swordsmanship from the age of one, it wasn��t possible to reach this level with both weapons. If this was talent, it was incredibly unbelievable!


    Giovanni also realized��


    If he didn��t bring out his trump card, with his enormous physical exertion, he might really not be able to defeat the current Rein, since he had activated his limit breaker and Transcendent traits, which consumed more energy than Rein, who had only activated his limit breaker.


    The next second, he roared!


    ��Beastify!��


    Giovanni��s figure began to undergo violent changes!


    All over his body, hair began to grow rapidly like wildfire, his face contorted and changed shape, his upper and lower jaws jutted out swiftly, sharp fangs suddenly protruded, and his hands transformed into claw-like shapes, yet still clutching his odd-shaped scythe.


    Hiss!


    A transformation into Wolverine?


    Rein was both surprised and somewhat excited in his heart.


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    This was the first time he had encountered an enemy who could transform.


    ��Now, you can peacefully return to the goddess��s embrace!�� said Giovanni, now with a wolf��s head, pausing at every word.


    ��Whoosh!��


    His figure suddenly disappeared from the spot.


    The next second, a ��clang�� of metal clashing sounded where Rein was standing.


    Rein was knocked back more than ten meters by his opponent��s heavy cleave!

 Chapter 353 - 353 - 189: Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 353 �C 189: Transformation (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    After the transformation, the opponent��s speed and strength were further enhanced, and the speed had reached a level that was difficult for the naked eye to catch.


    Although Rein had strong dynamic vision and was still able to capture the movements of the opponent, his own limbs reacted a bit too slowly, so he was at a slight disadvantage in the earlier exchange.


    ��You have no chance now!��


    ��Clang clang!��


    Although Rein was also extremely fast, he was still a bit slower compared to the transformed Giovanni.


    From a closer perspective, one could see Rein��s figure flickering uncertainly, but one could still make out his humanoid shape; as for Giovanni, one couldn��t see him at all and could only hear his incessant talking.


    The whole combat scene gave the onlookers a strange feeling, as if Rein was fighting with some blurry, unseen entity around him.


    ...


    Every second, sparks from metallic collisions and piercing clanging sounds occurred multiple times around Rein!


    But one couldn��t see who Rein��s enemy was!


    ��Too slow!��


    ��Too slow!��


    ��Rein, you��re too slow!��


    ��Hahaha, you��re so slow that you��re going to die here!�� Giovanni burst into a mad laughter.


    Rein remained calm, listening to Giovanni��s crazed laughter, and couldn��t help but exclaim in his heart:


    ��It seems that I need to add some agility.��


    ��Originally, I wanted to reserve it for Spirit, to complete the visualization of all twenty-four ��Will�� runes of the Basic Meditation Method in one go.�� Read the latest on empire


    ��What a pity!��


    As Rein looked up at Giovanni, the attribute points on his panel dropped from 3 to 2 in an instant, and his agility surged from 19 to 20.


    Now, his agility too had crossed the crucial threshold of 20!


    At the same time, Rein��s Strength, Agility, and Constitution, all three basic attributes, met the pre-requisite condition of having each attribute reach or exceed 20, required for the Weapon Master (Legendary) class-change.


    In an instant, Rein felt the fatigue and soreness in his muscles, which had started to set in, vanish completely!


    His body returned to its peak condition in a flash.


    Moreover, the slight increase in speed and dynamic vision that came with the improved agility enabled Rein to keep up with the opponent��s attack rhythm.


    Perhaps he was still a bit slower, but the gap had clearly narrowed!


    At this moment, after three or four minutes of intense combat, any minor change in movements was quickly perceived by the opponent.


    Soon, Giovanni sensed something was wrong.


    Since just now, Rein��s hammer swings had become incredibly smooth, with no tremor in his hands, as if he hadn��t tired at all since the fight began.


    But how could this be?


    Giovanni, engaged in fierce combat, couldn��t afford to be distracted with detailed thoughts but could generally speculate.


    Was Rein holding back all this time?


    No!


    That was absolutely impossible!


    Therefore, there was only one other possibility �� this was one of Rein��s Knight talents, an extraordinary form of stamina or endurance!


    But wasn��t Rein��s talent too much to handle?


    Masterful at swordsmanship, his Hammer Skill almost surpassing mastery, plus a special trait for physical endurance��


    Giovanni felt his understanding of talent had been redefined!


    But soon, he noticed something even more astonishing and baffling!


    Because, he found that Rein��s speed seemed to have increased!


    Although it was just a little bit, probably not even half of ten percent.


    But he wasn��t mistaken, the other��s speed indeed had increased.


    This��?


    If it were only the abnormal stamina that could be understood, but increasing speed, what was going on?


    Giovanni felt his brain wasn��t quite up to the task!


    Could it be that he was slowing down due to excessive stamina depletion, and so, relatively, it gave him the illusion that Rein��s speed had increased?


    Yes!


    This was the only explanation that seemed more reasonable��


    Giovanni��s mind became chaotic, and Rein, his opponent, sensed it immediately.


    At this moment, Rein��s conviction was extraordinarily firm!


    What an opportunity!


    The next second, as Rein silently recited ��Huge Strength lv3,�� ��Strength Burst!��


    In an instant, Rein felt a strong rush of heat pumping from his heart, speeding up his bloodstream, causing his veins to bulge, and his muscles to swell dramatically, making his figure suddenly enlarge!


    Rein raised the unstoppable force in his hands high, and with the force of lightning, he smashed down heavily on Giovanni!


    Not good!


    Facing Rein��s full-power strike, even Giovanni, who was as strong as a Great Knight in his werewolf form, had to choose to retreat rather than withstand the blow!


    Seeing the dark hammerhead brush past his nose by just twenty or thirty centimeters, Giovanni felt a surge of joy.


    He had missed!


    But just as Giovanni thought he had jumped out of the range of Rein��s attack, Rein��s hammer heavily struck the ground less than half a meter in front of Giovanni!


    In Giovanni��s astonished gaze.


    ��Boom!��


    Instantly, a powerful Shockwave radiated out from the hammerhead, sweeping towards Giovanni in a fan-shaped motion with lightning speed!


    ��Earth-splitting Hammer!�� S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 354 - 354 - 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 354 �C 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Half a minute earlier, a carriage guarded by several knights had just turned the corner of the winding forest path and caught sight of Rein��s powerful hammer strike.


    The knights who witnessed this scene all had their expressions dramatically change, while at that moment, the curtains of the carriage window were pulled back slightly.


    Underneath the hood was a beautiful young face, curiously watching in the direction of Rein, when suddenly, a pair of eyes uncontrollably widened, and the cherry-like mouth quickly formed into an ��O�� shape!


    What came into the young maiden��s view was a huge humanoid creature with muscles so swollen it was ridiculous, holding a dark iron hammer high and striking the ground heavily, as if the earth itself was fracturing and sending shockwaves through everyone��s hearts.


    In an instant, the ground cracked open inch by inch, and an invisible shock force spread out rapidly from the point of impact.


    The stones and gravel on the ground, upon encountering this shock force, were instantly reduced to dust.


    So, with a face full of panic and a bit of confusion, ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni took the full brunt of this intense shock force!


    ...


    Even though he was protected by plate armor, even though he was shielded by vine-like living tendrils of black flame, he still stood frozen in place for about half a second under Rein��s full-powered strike.


    When high-skilled combatants clash, the situation can change in the blink of an eye!


    Half a second might only be enough time for a normal person to throw a punch, but for Rein, it was enough to deliver at least three forceful and powerful hammers!


    ��Bang! Bang!��


    The third strike was even followed by a secret Tokkal Hammer Technique move, the ��Rising Dragon Hammer!��


    Rein twisted his body and swung his hips, channeling the strength of his core muscles, swinging his hands to create a dark afterimage that moved from the bottom upwards, severely striking Giovanni��s wolf-jawed chin. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Crack!��


    Giovanni��s wolf-jawed chin was directly shattered, and at the same time, his entire body was thrown four or five meters upwards, his eyes rolling back in his head!


    But it still wasn��t over!


    Rein kicked off the ground and quickly followed Giovanni��s convulsing body in mid-air, delivering a rapid series of hammer blows!


    ��Bang bang bang!��


    With each hammer blow, the black flame tendrils on Giovanni��s body grew dimmer, his plate armor shattered piece by piece, and the sound of breaking bones rang out clearly.


    These shattering sounds were akin to firecrackers, ��popping�� non-stop!


    ��Thud!��


    The sound of a heavy object hitting the ground was heard!


    This was because Rein had interrupted his continuous hammering, causing Giovanni��s body to heavily crash to the ground.


    Despite having the vitality of a Great Knight in his beast form, Giovanni��s body still twitched violently, but was clearly in its final throes, his wolf mouth damaged beyond recognition, spewing blood, his whole body showing various odd twists.


    From his posture, it was highly likely that there wasn��t a single bone intact in his entire body, lying on the ground like a pile of mud.


    Giovanni��s body was rapidly changing, the black fur receding, his face shifting from that of a wolf to that of a man, but the crushing injuries to his jaw and the fractures throughout his body did not heal as a result.


    Soon, a human corpse lay before Rein.


    And there stood Rein, holding his hammer, breathing heavily; the outburst of his full strength had greatly exhausted him.


    However, his eyes shone brightly at that moment!


    For Rein, an opponent of this strength was too rare, and this battle was exhilarating.


    He had exerted all his recent improvements and thoroughly tested them in this fight.


    However, neither Rein nor the people with the carriage noticed that, perched on a tall tree in the distant forest, there was a lean man in patterned leather armor, holding a bronze telescope, observing the situation here.


    Upon seeing Rein kill Giovanni, he was shocked and muttered to himself, ��Impossible! How can this Rein be so strong!��


    ��This is, after all, the leader of the Wilderness Brothers, known as ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni, who was killed by an obscure young man!��


    ��Earlier, I thought the Baron was overreacting, but now it seems I��ve underestimated Rein����


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    ��I must report to Baron Alonso immediately!��


    The lean man moved as swiftly as a monkey, quickly descending from the tree and disappearing in the direction of the County Town after a few strides.


    After a while, the girl in the carriage finally regained her composure and with a voice as clear as that of an oriole, turned her head and asked, ��Knight Lawrence, how�� how strong is this person?��


    ��Very strong! No, extremely strong!�� replied the knight clad in knight armor solemnly, glancing at Rein.


    ��Stronger than you?�� the young maiden inquired, puzzled.


    ��Yes, if I��m not mistaken, his opponent just now should be the leader of the Wilderness Brothers, known as ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni, who is said to have escaped from the hands of Great Knights several times,�� the middle-aged Knight Lawrence remarked with a touch of reflection.


    ��I never imagined he would meet his end here.��


    ��That strong?!�� the girl exclaimed in surprise, covering her mouth.


    While she didn��t know who the ��Beast Knight�� was, she did know what a Great Knight was��the most formidable warriors, against whom even her family��s strongest fighters could not contend. If a young man could kill such a formidable person, his strength was unimaginable.


    ��Then, Knight Lawrence, in your opinion, who is stronger��Father��s friend, Lord Hamilton, whom he mentioned last time, who might be able to deal with that issue, or this young man?��

 Chapter 355 - 355 - 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 355 �C 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��This��. I haven��t met that young man before, so I��m also unable to make a judgment,�� Lawrence thought for a moment, and wisely replied.


    But in his heart, he was thinking, how could there possibly be someone more impressive than this young man in front of him?


    He had never even heard of such an impressive young man, let alone met one.


    At that time, Rein glanced at the system prompt:


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +1034]


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +232]


    [Your skill High-Temperature Field has improved, Experience +12]


    ...


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +298, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +13]


    In the recent battle, Rein used the Hammer Technique most frequently and swordsmanship next, hence the distribution of the experience, with Hammer Technique taking the lion��s share.


    Additionally, the level of Knight (Transcendent) reached lv5 (795/2000), and Tokkal Hammer Technique was raised to lv7 (2724/5000), with the experience now more than halfway there.


    And the remaining attribute points, since he added 1 point to agility during the battle, were now only 2 points left, with the remaining Skill Points unchanged at 1 point.


    It was then that the sharp-eyed Rein suddenly noticed that among the muddy remains of the corpse, a damaged pouch had fallen.


    This made Rein��s heart stir slightly; what could it be that someone of such high caliber would carry with them?


    He stepped forward to open the pouch and saw inside a token made of an unknown metal. The design was three black flames burning fiercely, which looked very similar to the Angel Envoy token he had previously obtained from killing the Black Flame Apostle.


    It must have been a form of identity recognition within the Black Flame Church.


    Rein shook his head slightly, finding it of little use to himself, although the Goddess Church seemed to attach great importance to it. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Huh?


    What��s this��.


    Inside the pouch, there was also a special Beastskin Scroll. Rein carefully unrolled it and saw that it was filled with prayers written in Lingwen.


    After some thought, Rein concluded that this must be a prayer used for some kind of Cult ritual, which still wasn��t very useful to him.


    This was somewhat disappointing to Rein, for he had been quite hopeful about his spoils of war, but didn��t expect there to be only these two items.


    However, all of a sudden, Rein��s eyes lit up, as if he had thought of something, and he muttered to himself,


    ��Perhaps, the Goddess Church would like this gift��.��


    Rein glanced from afar at the merchant caravan that was too afraid to approach because of the corner, paying them no mind. He dragged the man who could transform into a werewolf along with the man��s signature weapon and threw them onto the wagon.


    As for the previously hesitating caravan, upon seeing Rein return to his normal size and tidy up the battlefield, it seemed that they deemed Rein not a bad person, so they slowly approached from behind.


    However, Rein had no interest in interacting with strangers at this juncture, so he mounted his black horse, drove the cart and the chestnut horse, and headed quickly to the County Town.


    Upon entering the County Town, Rein did not go straight home but first visited the Wind and Ocean Goddess Temple that he had never been to before.


    The tall and majestic temple could be seen from afar, supported by more than a dozen tall columns that greatly resembled the Ionic style of his previous world.


    A distinct feature of this column style was that the top of each column had two symmetrical scrolls in a volutes pattern, with a small decorative band in between, making the whole design quite conspicuous and beautiful.


    It also matched well with the gentle temperament of the goddess.


    Along the cascading steps in front of the temple was a circular fountain with, in its center, a statue of a beautiful woman holding a conch shell, standing about three meters tall.


    The water gushed tirelessly from the conch in the goddess��s hand, forming a miniature waterfall that fell straight down.


    A row of Holy Guards clad in silver armor stood guard all around.


    Upon seeing the formidable-looking Rein riding on a tall black warhorse, they exchanged glances, then immediately approached and asked, ��Sir Knight, may I ask what brings you to the Goddess Church?��


    The Holy Guards had already noticed Rein��s presence as soon as he appeared at the corner of the road.


    First, it was Rein��s tall and outstanding black warhorse, and secondly, Rein��s own aura of having just slain the ��Beast Knight��, which made the hearts of these Holy Guards, none of whom were as strong as official knights, tremble a bit.


    If it weren��t for their strong faith in the goddess, they might have already felt cowardly.


    ��Is Rudolph the Presbyter here?�� Rein asked, with a slight smile and very politely.


    ��You know Presbyter Rudolph? The presbyter just returned yesterday, may I ask your name? I will announce you,�� said the Holy Guard who heard Rein seemed to know Presbyter Rudolph, visibly relaxing.


    ��You can tell Presbyter Rudolph that Rein is visiting.��


    ��Very well, Lord Rein.��


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    The Holy Guard quickly ascended the steps and ran toward the temple interior.


    In a moment, an old man in a water-blue robe with golden trimmings, holding a thick book, came out from the temple.


    Upon seeing the old man appear, Rein smiled and dismounted from his warhorse.


    Rudolph also saw Rein riding the tall black warhorse and smiled, greeting him, ��Now, I suppose I can call you Baron Rein.��


    The surrounding Holy Guards were stunned, wearing expressions of astonishment.

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    Chapter 356 �C 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��`


    So young, and already a Baron?


    They had thought it was some skilled Knight, but to their surprise, it turned out to be an Imperial Baron, and such a young one at that. Indeed, a rare sight.


    Rein smiled and said, ��Abbot, you flatter me. You may still call me Rein.�� Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, Rein nodded slightly to the two Holy Temple Knights standing behind Rudolph as a sign of greeting.


    The two of them had fought together in the last battle in the Nightingale Forest, so they were familiar. One of them seemed to be called Magini; Rein remembered him.


    ��Baron Sir!�� the two Holy Temple Knights bowed slightly and said.


    ...


    ��Abbot, there��s something that might trouble you this time.�� Rein turned his head to signal the large carriage behind him, and then he fell silent.


    Rudolph, seasoned and shrewd, immediately understood Rein��s meaning and said, ��Baron Rein, please come to my place.��


    Following that, he gestured to the two Holy Temple Knights to lead the carriage into the temple grounds.


    It wasn��t until they reached the front courtyard of the temple that Rein��s expression turned solemn, ��Abbot, on the way back to the County Town, I was assassinated by the Black Flame Cult, perhaps you should take a look at the assailant��s body first.��


    ��What? Assassinated?�� Rudolph��s face changed, and he immediately gestured to the two Holy Temple Knights to open the carriage.


    The two Holy Temple Knights opened the carriage door and carried out the tall and thin body of the ��Beast Knight��.


    However, as soon as they lifted the body, they realized it was like a pile of sludge, its bones nearly shattered, sagging heavily downwards. Next to it was a characteristic weapon, a bizarrely shaped scythe.


    The two Holy Temple Knights exchanged a glance.


    ��Such formidable Hammer Skill!�� one of the Knights exclaimed.


    He also practiced Hammer Skill, so he recognized at first glance that the wounds on the body and its sludge-like condition were clearly caused by extremely powerful Hammer Skill.


    This level of mastery in applying the force of Shock, without decades of hard practice, was impossible to achieve!


    And this Baron Rein is so young��


    The Holy Temple Knight glanced at Rein, filled with immense astonishment!


    ��Hmm! This is Giovanni.�� Abbot Rudolph looked at the body and the characteristic weapon beside it �� a long-handled, oddly shaped scythe �� and his eyes narrowed suddenly.


    Although he maintained a calm facade, he was incredibly shocked inwardly.


    This man was the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, involved in many of the dirty, underhanded dealings behind the scenes.


    Indeed, the Goddess Church had long wanted to remove this cancer, but due to strong opposition from many nobles within the County Town, and lacking clear evidence of the group being controlled by a Cult, the matter had been postponed.


    Moreover, Giovanni was quite powerful in his own right, able to hold his own against a Great Knight after transforming. Rudolph never expected him to die at Rein��s hand.


    Ah! Rein managing to kill him, doesn��t that imply that Rein��


    At that moment, Rudolph connected the dots.


    ��This is the Wilderness Brotherhood��s leader, Giovanni, also known as ��Beast Knight��. Rein, was it he who attacked you?�� Rudolph asked in surprise, looking at Rein.


    ��That��s correct, Abbot. However, you might find his other identity more interesting.�� While speaking, Rein took out from his bosom a diamond-shaped token with three black flame-like insignias and a prayer written in Lingwen Script, presenting it before the three of them.


    ��Black Flame Guardian��s token and Black Flame Protection Prayer!�� Rudolph exclaimed, his eyes widening as he took a closer look.


    ��What!�� The two Holy Temple Knights inhaled sharply.


    ��It��s actually a Black Flame Guardian��s token!�� They looked at each other, both seeing the shock in the other��s eyes.


    The exclamations of the group, particularly the normally composed Abbot Rudolph, immediately drew the attention of the Holy Temple Knights and guards practicing Combat Skills in the temple courtyard.


    Rein then looked at Rudolph and the two Holy Temple Knights, asking in confusion, ��What is a Black Flame Guardian? I remember the last time I killed a Black Flame Apostle, I also found a Black Flame token.��


    ��However, that had one black flame, and this one with three black flames seems to be a level higher than the Apostle��s.�� Read new chapters at empire


    ��You��re right, Rein. The rank of this Black Flame Guardian is second only to the High Priest of the Black Flame. Not only are they very strong, but they also keep their identities concealed. We knew before that there were two Black Flame Guardians within the Cult, but we never knew who they were,�� Rudolph sighed.


    ��Never would I have imagined that the Wilderness Brotherhood��s leader Giovanni was actually a Black Flame Guardian!��


    Although he found it hard to believe that this young-looking youth had caused the death of a Black Flame Guardian, considering Rein��s feats of killing a Black Flame Apostle before, it seemed to remind him repeatedly that this was reasonable!


    Moreover, this Black Flame Guardian��s token and Black Flame Protection Prayer were the best proof!


    For the Goddess Church, this was obviously a great opportunity. With the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood killed, now was the best time to conduct a cleanup operation.


    ��Magini, assemble the team immediately. I will report to the Archbishop, and we must begin cleaning up the Wilderness Brotherhood at once!��


    ��Selkin, take these two items to the Archbishop, and report the situation as well.�� After thinking it over, Rudolph promptly gave orders.


    ��Rein, perhaps you should meet with the Archbishop. I believe Archbishop Shion will be very pleased to see you,�� Rudolph turned to Rein and said.


    ��`

 Chapter 357 - 357 - 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 357 �C 190 Goddess Church (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Rein thought for a moment, then quickly nodded and said, ��I��m very honored, then I��ll trouble you.��


    His purpose for coming to the church this time was to seek support from the church.


    However, he hadn��t expected to receive a personal audience with the highest official of the County Town church��Bishop Shion.


    Because Rein was considering his imminent bloody duel with Baron Norman, he temporarily didn��t want to be distracted by dealing with the Black Flame Cult.


    And in the County Town, if he could get the support of the Goddess Church, it would mean his family��s safety was doubly ensured, which would relieve some of his worries.


    After all, in matters of mysterious curses and the like, the Goddess Church��s protective and responsive measures were much more adept than his own.


    Watching Rein and Rudolph��s departing figures, many young temple knights and guards in the front yard of the temple whispered amongst themselves:


    ...


    ��The Guardian of Black Flame, tsk!��


    ��It seems that we have never killed such a high-ranking member of the Black Flame Cult, have we?��


    ��Yes, it is said that the strength of the Guardian of Black Flame is even above that of a Peak Knight?��


    ��This young man��s strength is too strong!��


    ��Rein? The one who��s been the talk of the town, Baron Norman��s opponent in a duel?��


    ��So, he is Rein?��


    ����.��


    Clearly, as followers of the divine, church people understood better than outsiders the true value of killing a Guardian of the Black Flame�� and the extreme difficulty involved.


    Although these words also faintly reached the ears of Rein, who was departing, because the feud between him and the Black Flame Cult had become irreconcilable, Rein wasn��t too concerned about whether this news leaked out or not.


    Soon, Rein arrived at the central area of the temple, which was a tall and magnificent hall with high vaulted ceilings adorned all around and at the top with various bas-reliefs and murals deeply related to the Goddess.


    There stood an elderly man dressed in a water-blue robe with coarse golden trimmings, holding a staff, smiling kindly at Rein as he entered the hall.


    The man��s hair was graying, suggesting great age, yet he appeared very spirited.


    Rein raised his eyebrows slightly and proactively stepped forward to greet him, ��Bishop, it is an honor to meet you.��


    ��Hello, my child!�� Bishop Shion approached amiably and gave Rein a gentle hug.


    ��I��ve heard from Rudolph that you killed a Guardian of the Black Flame Cult. Child, whatever you require, feel free to ask me.��


    Rein was not dealing with the Goddess Church for the first time; he was already aware of the situation in the Dragan Empire, where imperial authority and divine authority were exercised in tandem, although, under the current circumstances, imperial authority was somewhat stronger.


    But with the status of a bishop, his standing in the entire Meister County could be said to be second only to Earl Habs, the Governor; and even when it came to eradicating cults, the bishop��s opinion carried more weight, which was also a kind of tacit understanding between the empire and the Goddess Church.


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    For such an important figure to be willing to meet with him was far better than Rein had anticipated.


    Originally, he merely wanted to mention the matter to Rudolph, whom he was familiar with, and incidentally gain favor with the church, but he hadn��t expected to directly attract the attention of the County Town Goddess Church��s Bishop.


    Since the Great Personage had initiated the conversation, Rein thought it appropriate to make a suggestion at the right time. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Bishop, it is my unquestionable duty to slay cultists. However, I am a bit worried about the safety of my family in the County Town. As you know, some of the cult��s sorcery is unpredictable and difficult to guard against.��


    ��Haha, so you��re worried about that. Rudolph, arrange for two temple guards to go to Rein��s mansion later and set up a Divine Arts array����Detect Evil.����


    ��Once the array is triggered, the temple will sense it here, and then we will be able to quickly dispatch church forces to help,�� said Bishop Shion, turning to talk to Rein.


    Rudolph timely added, ��Lately, there have been many mysterious and cult-related incidents, which have involved a lot of our manpower. Otherwise, we wouldn��t have sent only two temple guards.��


    Rein nodded in understanding.


    Furthermore, having temple knights stationed in his mansion all the time would actually make him feel a bit uncomfortable, almost as if he was being given undue attention��after all, each temple knight possessed the strength of a formal knight, which would be more suitable if he were an earl.


    ��By the way, there has been a lot of buzz in the County Town these past few days, saying that Baron Norman is seeking a bloody duel with you. Child, do you need the church to intervene and negotiate on your behalf?�� Bishop Shion said, remembering something and offering help proactively.


    ��Thank you for your concern, Bishop. My confrontation with Baron Norman is inevitable, and I am looking forward to this duel,�� Rein replied.


    ��Well then, may the Goddess protect you. Child, this is a Silver Conch Medal from the Goddess Church, bestowed to those who have made outstanding contributions in driving out evil.��


    ��Considering your battles with the cultists, both previous and recent, I think you have ample reason to receive this medal.�� As Bishop Shion spoke, he took from a tray held by an attendant beside him a medal the size of a child��s fist, shining with a silver glow.


    There was an exceptionally clear conch pattern on it, lifelike!


    ��Thank you, Goddess, and thank you, bishop!�� Baron Rein carefully accepted it and wore it on the inside lining.


    ��Baron Rein, please keep this medal safe. In any place within the empire, as long as there is a temple of the Church of the Sea Goddess and the monsoon, you can seek and receive help.��


    ��Additionally, this medal has solidified a Divine Art that detects evil. When evil approaches, it will vibrate slightly to warn you,�� Rudolph explained at the side.


    Rein nodded and gave Bishop Shion a slight bow again to express his gratitude.


    ��Furthermore, considering you will soon be facing battle, I have a blessing from the Goddess, which might be of help to you,�� Bishop Shion said to Rein, smiling.


    ��A blessing?�� Rein was taken aback, but Rudolph at his side was giving him meaningful looks, signaling Rein to accept it.


    Rein thought it over and nodded, saying: ��Then, I am in your debt, bishop!��


    Originally, Rein was somewhat wary of such blessings from gods, but then he thought that his system seemed able to absorb the energy from both the blood-red crystal and the black crystal alike.


    So, a blessing from the Goddess should also be a form of energy, right?


    As the high-pitched chanting rang out, the bishop with greying hair looked at Rein, raising his sceptre. A blue light grew stronger and more brilliant, and the next second, a blue glow enveloped Rein.


    A cool and mysterious energy seeped into Rein��s body in streams and strands.


    A system prompt immediately followed:


    [Ding! Detected a presence of massive unknown absorbable energy nearby. Absorb? (Note: After absorption, it can be converted into specific Professional Experience Points.)]


    Rein felt an inexplicable joy in his heart!


    Indeed, it can.


    In his heart, he silently chose ��Yes��!


    Subsequently, the blue energy was quickly absorbed.


    [Ding! A total of 1976 supernatural experience points converted, please choose Knight (Transcendent) / Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) to enhance.]


    Huh!


    Not bad at all!


    This trip to the Church of the Sea Goddess was certainly worth it.


    But�� on which Transcendent profession should he use it?


    This suddenly put Rein in a difficult position.


    Because adding it to any one of the Transcendent professions, he would receive the reward of rising one level only.


    ��


    �����������C


    At the same time, in a study of Earl Habbs Mansion.


    ��What? Giovanni died in battle?�� Alonso stood up abruptly upon hearing the news, questioning with a shocked face.


    ��Yes, according to the report from the spies, it was witnessed firsthand. Rein killed ��Beast Rider�� Giovanni in battle,�� Butler Michel said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.


    Just moments ago, when he heard this news, he too was astounded. Everybody knew that as head of the Brotherhood of the Wilderness, Giovanni not only helped the Blackflame Cult but also handled many difficult affairs for many nobles within County Town.


    In the upper echelons of Meister County��s society, the ��Beast Rider�� was very well known, but it was such a man who was slain on the spot in a one-on-one fight by Rein.


    ��Are you sure no one else helped?�� Alonso still found it hard to believe and asked again.


    ��Positive! The spy was very clear, it was one-on-one. I too have repeatedly confirmed this,�� Michel nodded, affirming it with certainty.


    Alonso paced with a frown, and after several seconds as though realising something, he quickly gave orders:


    ��Notify Baron Norman immediately, tell him this news, and see if he needs any assistance. If we can help, promise it on my behalf.��


    ��At once, my lord,�� Butler Michel said, bowing slightly and quickly leaving the room.

 Chapter 358 - 358 - 191: Undercurrents Surge (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 358 �C 191: Undercurrents Surge (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Meist County City.


    Within the Great Hall of the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Temple.


    Rein glanced at the attribute panel, observing the experience situation of each transcendent profession, and his face showed contemplation.


    Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv4 (358/1000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv5 (795/2000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (64/2000).


    After a swift deliberation, Rein first ruled out the Knight (Transcendent) profession panel because he was about to face many battles, and his current means of combating opponents were mainly knight combat skills; thus, the knight panel could garner a considerable amount of experience.


    Next, as for the Beast Tamer, he had some new potions he wanted to try, which he estimated could bring a substantial amount of experience.


    From this perspective, it seemed that the first option was the most challenging to advance.


    ...


    Therefore, in the end, Rein focused his attention on the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession panel.


    As Rein silently chanted ��Wizard Apprentice,�� he instantly used 1976 experience points on the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession panel.


    Suddenly, a system prompt appeared:


    [Congratulations, your Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level has advanced!]


    The profession level of Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) on the panel increased from lv4 to lv5 (1325/2000), and at the bottom of the panel, it displayed remaining attribute points: 3, and remaining skill points: 2.


    Seeing this, a radiant smile couldn��t help but spread across Rein��s face.


    The Goddess��s blessing?


    It really was quite good!


    Rein sincerely performed a knight��s salute to Bishop Shion and said, ��Thank the Goddess, and thank you, Your Excellency the Bishop!��


    After a friendly conversation, Rein took the initiative to say he had matters to attend to at home.


    Thus, after saying his goodbyes to Bishop Shion and Dean Rudolph, Rein slowly walked out of the hall.


    Watching Rein��s departing figure, Bishop Shion turned his head to ask, ��Rudolph, it��s still your discerning eye, I didn��t expect that the youth you reported to me once has grown to this extent.��


    ��It��s a pity, such an excellent young man did not join our church.��


    ��


    When Rein rode back to his new residence on his tall, black warhorse, the first to greet him was the Greyhound ��Cookie.��


    Since Rein had entrusted his sister Bo He with Cookie��s care before leaving, and after a month of adding a few drops of Mutant Growth Potion to its meals three times a day, Cookie��s physique had grown significantly beyond that of an average greyhound.


    Moreover, Rein keenly noticed that Cookie��s body had begun to change from a slender dog, with muscles clearly bulging out, moving further away from the greyhound��s characteristic slim figure, seemingly beginning some kind of mutant growth.


    Not bad!


    Rein nodded slightly. Although the bulking up might lead to a decrease in speed, he could accept this kind of mutation.


    If it had mutated like the ��King of Dogs�� ��Colt,�� acquiring an ability like ��Rapid Breeding,�� that would have been problematic for him.


    Seeing that Cookie, who had been playing with her, suddenly dashed away, Bo He was taken aback, only to then look up and call out with a joyous expression, ��Brother, brother��s back!�� S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein dismounted, picked up his sister Bo He, and lovingly ruffled her hair with a smile.


    Soon, the news of Rein��s return spread throughout the new manor.


    In a moment, the beautiful matron Jennifer also briskly walked out from a villa within the estate.


    However, when she saw Rein exchanging pleasantries with family, the matron could only hold back her desire to rush into Rein��s arms, and instead, she watched them with a beaming smile.


    It didn��t take long for Rein to notice his mother, who had a subtle worry on her beautiful face.


    Rein said to his parents, Emma and old Rein, ��Father, Mother, I have something I need to discuss with Baroness Crowley.��


    ��Hmm, go ahead,�� his mother Emma agreed without suspicion, nodding readily.


    During the time Rein was away, Baroness Crowley got along very well with her, and to Emma, it seemed that the ladies of noble families were not as difficult to get along with as she had imagined.


    Especially this stunningly beautiful Baroness, although only a few years younger than her, the two together looked like they were from two different generations.


    Her husband barely dared to lift his head whenever he saw the beautiful matron, immediately turning red at the sight of her.


    This made Emma somewhat envious of the Baroness��s natural beauty.


    Watching the tall Rein and the elegant matron leave, Emma couldn��t shake the feeling that ��these two make a good pair.��


    But soon, Emma shook her head, casting this ridiculous idea out of her mind.


    It would have made more sense if Miss Jenny had become Rein��s wife.


    This arresting Baroness, as beautiful as she was, was a widow, plus she was ultimately too old. Read new chapters at empire


    Rein and the beautiful matron quickly made their way to the study on the second floor.


    The matron locked the door, and the smile she had held in front of others could no longer be sustained; with a troubled face, she handed Rein something that looked like an invitation card, saying worriedly, ��Darling, this is Baron Norman��s letter of challenge for a duel to the death.��


    In private, the beautiful matron now addressed Rein as ��darling.��


    Rein smiled, said nothing, took the letter of challenge, and casually opened it to read:


    ��Baron Rein: Given that the dishonor you brought upon the Norman family can only be cleansed with blood, please make certain to accept the challenge to defend the honor of a knight in a duel in the County Town arena on the second Sunday of the month of white snow, until one of us falls, after which all grievances shall be considered null and void!��

 Chapter 359 - 359 - 191: Undercurrents Surge (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 359 �C 191: Undercurrents Surge (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Rein burst into incredulous laughter on the spot when he saw such a shameless challenge letter.


    ��God damn the insult to the Norman family!��


    ��It��s your Norman family��s repeated assassination attempts on me that have led to the current situation!��


    However, Rein soon realized that this was a strategy on the opponent��s part.


    ��Start with a verbal attack, garnering people��s sympathy, with the main idea being that I, a newly-minted baron, have insulted the Norman family. Otherwise, why would I challenge you to a duel?��


    As for evidence?


    Of course, there��s none. That��s how the nobility operates��


    ...


    However, seeing the worried expression on the beautiful woman��s face beside him, Rein gently smiled, stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her tender and graceful body, and comforted her:


    ��Jennifer, don��t worry. Perhaps the situation isn��t as bad as you imagine.��


    After thinking for a while, to comfort the beautiful woman, Rein took out the Silver Conch Medal that Bishop Shion had just awarded him and handed it to her.


    The woman��s beautiful eyes first looked at Rein with confusion, but when she took the medal and saw it, she quickly understood and exclaimed, ��Is this the Silver Conch Medal of the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church?��


    ��Exactly!��


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    ��This is very difficult to be awarded. Many people dedicate their entire lives to the Goddess Church and don��t even get the Iron Shell Medal. My dear, how did you get this medal��?�� the beautiful woman turned her head and curiously asked.


    Rein didn��t answer directly but asked with a smile, ��Do you know about the Wilderness Brotherhood?��


    The woman nodded affirmatively, ��Of course, they are infamous throughout Meister County. Some time ago, shops under the Crowley family were also disturbed by gang members instigated by them. I remember it took a lot of effort for me to put things right.��


    ��Hmm, do you know who their leader is?�� Rein continued to ask.


    ��It seems to be someone nicknamed ��Beast Knight Giovanni,�� with incredible strength. It��s said that apart from the Great Knights whom he is slightly wary of, he doesn��t even take Peak Knights seriously,�� the woman answered promptly despite not understanding why Rein suddenly mentioned the Wilderness Brotherhood and Giovanni.


    ��Very well, whom do you think is stronger, Giovanni or this Baron Norman at present?�� Rein posed another question.


    ��That�� about the same? They both are said to have combat strength very close to that of a Great Knight, but maybe Giovanni is a little stronger,�� she contemplated and then replied.


    ��Hmm, remember you were wondering why the Goddess Church would award me with this Silver Conch Medal?��


    ��Because I killed Giovanni!�� Rein smiled, looking at the beautiful woman as he revealed the answer.


    Instantly, the woman��s eyes widened in shock, her cherry lips parted wide enough to fit an egg.


    ��This�� this���� the woman struggled to articulate her thoughts.


    Obviously, saying ��This is impossible!�� would be inappropriate, and saying ��How could this be possible?�� would be doubting Rein, so naturally, she didn��t voice these thoughts.


    What the woman didn��t realize was that her man had grown so powerful.


    No! What was most terrifying was the rate of his strength increase!


    To think that Rein had only just become a formal knight a few months ago!


    My God! This was completely unbelievable!


    Soon, the woman understood why Rein had gone around in such a big circle.


    Because her worries vanished in an instant, the woman��s previously anxious face quickly faded away, her fair skin beginning to glow radiantly, and her seductive, silky eyes looked at Rein with deep affection mixed with admiration.


    Being gazed at so intently by the beautiful woman, Rein also felt a surge of masculine pride swell in his heart.


    Although dinner time was approaching, the two, impassioned as dry tinder to flame, quickly got into action.


    Rein gently picked up the woman and placed her in front of the study window for her to gaze out, while he lifted her skirt, revealing her fair, rounded��


    Concerned about servants coming to call them for dinner and any other potential disturbances at any moment, this only increased the level of excitement quite a bit.


    The woman, suppressing her breaths, quickly succumbed��


    Moving into a sage-like state of mind, Rein began to contemplate serious matters.


    Because if a man��s mind is only filled with thoughts of women, revolving everything around them, sorry, but that will only slow down the speed at which a man draws his sword.


    Rein had long since realized this, so these things were merely diversions from his monotonous training, or rather, a way for him to feel joyously content before throwing himself back into training and battle with an even better disposition.


    Reviewing the prerequisites for advancing his [Weapon Master (Legendary)] profession panel, Rein found that aside from the first one��three Extraordinary Battle Techniques at level 10��the thing likely holding him back was a beast essence.


    As for Extraordinary Battle Techniques at level 10, it was mainly about obtaining enough Skill Points through raising the Profession Level. However, for the beast essence, it seemed he knew only one way to get it.


    That was through the County Town��s military supplies office.


    Yet, Rein had just thought of a problem. His dueling opponent, Baron Norman, was a retired Imperial Navy officer. If Rein were to go to the military supplies office himself, it would likely be that news would reach Norman��s ears fast and create obstacles for him, or for obtaining the beast essence.


    After some thought, Rein looked down and asked:


    ��By the way, Jennifer, do you know about beast essence potions?��


    ��The beast essence needed for a knight to become a Great Knight?�� the woman, nestled in Rein��s arms, spoke in a languid, post-rain tone.


    S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 360 - 360 - 191: Undercurrents Surge (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 360 �C 191: Undercurrents Surge (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��Yes, what is the fastest way to obtain this? Oh, and if raw materials are needed, I still have two beast hearts,�� Rein added.


    Hearing this, Jennifer, who had been lying down, lifted her head, blinked her beautiful eyes, and wore a look of surprise, seemingly unable to believe the man��s words before her.


    Although she was not a knight, as the ruler of the Crowley family, she naturally knew such common knowledge.


    The implication in Rein��s words was very clear��he needed the essence of the beast.


    This meant that the man before her, no, the ��great�� man, was about to challenge the level of a Great Knight.


    But it was currently the Snow Moon, and Jennifer knew from Emma that Rein had just turned sixteen.


    Was he about to become a Great Knight?


    ...


    My God!


    A sixteen-year-old Great Knight, could there be such an astonishing occurrence in Mingster County Town!


    This time, Jennifer did not even ask Rein if he was confident about ascending to the Great Knight rank; instead, she assumed that her young man surely was.


    Wait, also, did Rein just say he had two ready beast hearts in his possession?


    Jennifer felt overwhelmed!


    Calming her excitement, for the sake of her young man��s significant affair, Jennifer pondered seriously and said softly:


    ��There are three ways, but which is most suitable, I��m not certain.��


    ��Moreover, this involves safety issues, so ultimately, you��ll need to decide.��


    Jennifer said this while pointing gently at Rein��s chest with her fair fingers.


    ��In the entire Meister County, there are only two master pharmacists, and one is not adept at creating Magic Potions from beast essences. So, in reality, there is only one master pharmacist in the county town who can make the ��beast essence,�� and that is Master Holland.��


    ��However, the problem is, compared to the masters at the Royal Alchemist Association, Master Holland��s success rate, whether in terms of potion efficacy or manufacturing success, leaves much to be desired.��


    ��If it were low or intermediate level magic potions, it would still be fine; but the beast essence is a high-level magic potion, and I��m afraid the success rate is worrying��. Yet, this should be the fastest method. Normally, if Master Holland agrees, he could complete the beast essence in three days.��


    ��Of course, what you might receive in three days could also be a failure.��


    ��Secondly, it would be through the Yakesen Auction House, an enormous auction house spanning the entire empire, reportedly backed by one of the empire��s most significant figures.��


    ��Perhaps other auction houses might not have access to a beast essence, but the Yakesen Auction House likely can, though at a very high price. However, timing isn��t definite; it could be very quick, or it might take a month.��


    ��Lastly, it would be through official imperial channels.��


    ��Dear, as an imperial public servant now endowed with the rank of Baron, you can directly order beast essence, of course, providing beast hearts can greatly reduce the price, but this method is the slowest, requiring at least a month.��


    Hearing Jennifer��s profound knowledge of various secrets gave Rein a delighted surprise, as if he had serendipitously discovered a treasure.


    To think that aside from her stunning beauty, the lady was not just a decorative vase; she was vastly knowledgeable about nobility secrets, business intelligence, and more.


    Her just-completed item-by-item analysis was extremely helpful to him.


    ��Oh, Jennifer, one more thing, can you send someone to contact the sheriff of Flashgold Town, Hamilton, and tell him I invite him to discuss a matter,�� Rein said.


    ��Mm,�� the beautiful woman replied, lying against Rein��s chest obediently.


    Feeling quite pleased, Rein felt it necessary to reward the beautiful woman further, and thus, it was not until a servant came to report that dinner was ready, half an hour later, that the two concluded their deep interaction.


    The dazzling beauty tidied her disheveled hair, restoring her dignified matronly appearance, and they exited the study one after the other.


    It must be said, the beautiful woman��s efficiency was exceptional; shortly after dinner, Rein saw Hamilton, who had just arrived, in the study. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon seeing Rein, Hamilton grabbed him immediately and said gravely, ��Do you know about the deadly duel Baron Norman has challenged you to?��


    Rein nodded, his face inevitably carrying a wry smile.


    He then repeated part of what he had discussed with Jennifer to Hamilton.


    Though Hamilton had mentally prepared himself to estimate Rein��s combat ability as highly as possible, what Rein had just shared still utterly astounded him!


    After examining Rein from top to bottom, the person he knew best, yet felt so unfamiliar, Hamilton asked, ��Rein, did you really kill Giovanni solo?��


    Although Rein had already explained clearly, and the Silver Conch Medal from the Goddess Church was definitely authentic, Hamilton was still hard-pressed to believe that his former subordinate, his lieutenant, had reached such heights. Your next read is at


    Such heights�� that he had to look up to!


    Seeing Rein nod, Hamilton sighed.


    However, Hamilton quickly adjusted his mindset and said, ��But, Rein, you still can��t be careless; Baron Norman has rich combat experience, and his combat ability is not inferior to Giovanni��s.��


    ��I understand,�� Rein nodded and said.


    ��By the way, Rein, you called me here for what?�� Hamilton asked.


    ��Sir, I wanted to ask about anything particular I should pay attention to in the process of transitioning from Knight to Great Knight,�� Rein asked.

 Chapter 361 - 361 - 191: Undercurrents Surge (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 361 �C 191: Undercurrents Surge (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Hm? You��ve already gotten to this extent?�� Hamilton��s eyes instantly lit up as he looked piercingly at Rein.


    ��Should be soon,�� Rein nodded.


    Hamilton appeared contemplative but did not immediately answer Rein��s question. After a while, he finally spoke:


    ��The biggest difference between a Great Knight and a Knight lies in����


    �����������C


    In the study of the Baron Norman��s mansion.


    Baron Alonso��s butler Michel was paying a visit to Baron Norman.


    ...


    ��Lord Baron, I bring greetings from Baron Alonso, and first of all, congratulations on your strength restoration to its peak,�� Michel began.


    ��Thank Alonso for me,�� Norman replied with reserved pride, feeling a touch of displeasure in his heart.


    If before, he needed to show some respect to the butler of the Earl��s eldest son, Alonso, now that he had restored his strength and might soon become a Great Knight, that was no longer the case.


    He thought that even if Alonso himself had come to congratulate him, it would be fitting, given his successful recovery through the secret potion. However, this time, like always, they had merely sent a butler over.


    Although Michel wasn��t strong, having been immersed in noble society for so many years, he could guess a bit of Baron Norman��s true feelings from his attitude and expressions. After silently mocking in his heart, he said with a smile:


    ��Lord Baron, I have some news that I believe you��ll find interesting. It concerns your upcoming duel with Rein.��


    ��Oh?�� Baron Norman raised an eyebrow, giving Michel a casual glance, not very concerned.


    Because as far as Baron Norman was concerned, his current strength allowed him to completely disregard any news about Rein.


    Still, since Michel mentioned it, he might as well listen.


    ��Today, outside the County Town, Rein single-handedly killed the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, the ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni!�� Michel announced gravely, delivering shocking news.


    ��What!�� Baron Norman��s originally calm face suddenly turned to one of astonishment, and he stared at Michel with intense eyes, involuntarily exclaiming.


    Indeed! A smile crept at the corner of Michel��s mouth.


    That��s what you get for pretending!


    Shocked, aren��t you!


    Thinking you��re all that just because your power has been restored! S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You��re merely a Longsword in the hands of Lord Baron Alonso, and what we are doing is simply making this Longsword sharper.


    ��Absolutely true. Our men witnessed it with their own eyes!�� Michel suppressed the smile on his lips and spoke solemnly.


    Baron Norman was no stranger to weathering storms; aside from his initial lapse, he quickly regained his composure.


    He didn��t speak for a long moment, instead frowning in thought.


    Beast Knight Giovanni was not only familiar to Baron Norman, but a long time ago, due to a matter involving a family caravan, they had even crossed swords.


    At that time, Norman had not been injured and was at his peak, but he still found himself slightly inferior in the fight, though Giovanni, wary of his strength, had retreated on his own.


    So, even with his strength now restored to its peak, Norman did not dare claim he could defeat Giovanni.


    Yet Rein had already done so.


    This sent Norman��s mood plummeting from the crest of a wave down to the trough.


    He had thought that the upcoming bloody duel in a week��s time was a done deal!


    Rein, no matter how talented, if I don��t give you the chance to grow and nip you in the bud early, wouldn��t that solve the problem?


    But now, it seemed he had misjudged; Rein��s growth rate was simply too astonishing!


    This level of talent, even if placed in the provincial city of Mingster, would be quite explosive.


    It took a while, but finally Butler Michel spoke with a beaming smile, ��Lord Alonso means that whatever you need from us, just ask. Our goals are aligned; we all want you to emerge victorious in the bloody duel next week.��


    Norman nodded his head.


    It seemed from this.


    His original plan had to be advanced.


    Originally, his idea was to kill Rein in the bloody duel and then, riding on the momentum of victory, take the ��Giant Beast Essence�� potion and strive to break through to become a Great Knight in one fell swoop.


    For someone his age, this was likely the greatest opportunity to break through to the rank of Great Knight.


    If he failed this time, there would be no secret potions left to restore him to his peak strength.


    But facing Rein, who could already kill Giovanni, it seemed the only way to achieve victory was for him to break through and become a Great Knight!


    Although two days ago, he had already placed an order through his special channels for a bottle of Giant Beast Essence, at the very least, it would take half a month to be delivered to Meister.


    There just wasn��t enough time.


    After considering, Baron Norman spoke up, ��I need a bottle of Giant Beast Essence, and the sooner the better! At the latest, it must be delivered the day before the bloody duel, can you manage it?��


    Stay updated with


    ��What!�� Michel��s face showed shock; he immediately understood Baron Norman��s intention��the other party wanted to challenge the Great Knight realm in advance.


    If successful, he could simply crush Rein in the bloody duel to claim victory.


    Truly worthy of being an elite from the imperial navy, tsk tsk, he underestimated the man; such courage, risking his life for victory!


    ��Alright, I will inform Baron Alonso immediately. Though it will be difficult, I believe Lord Alonso will find a way.��


    ��There is no time to waste, Baron Norman, I must take my leave now.�� Knowing the gravity of the situation, Michel chose to leave immediately.


    ��


    When Michel arrived at Baron Alonso��s study and relayed the details of the meeting, Alonso pondered and said:


    ��There should still be a Giant Beast Heart in the family treasury. I will request it from Lord Father immediately, and then, Michel, you take it to Master Holland.��


    ��Also, contact the Yakesen Auction House for me and inquire whether they have any Giant Beast Essence. No matter the cost, we must secure it.��


    ��Yes, respected Baron!��


    ��


    �����������C


    Late at night, in Fishing Port Town of Meister County.


    Bright moonlight scattered across the sea, sparkling on the waves.


    A small boat ��swooshed�� onto the sand.


    Seven or eight fully armed men quickly disembarked the boat, scanning the surroundings. Following that, a squad leader-looking man whispered, ��General Parix, all clear! You may disembark.��


    No sooner had the squad leader finished speaking than a gleaming suit of plate armor stepped out of the boat��s cabin, crushing a hermit crab into a pulp under his boot on the sandy beach.


    Looking up the shining armor, a burly man in half-plate was seen exiting the cabin.


    After surveying his surroundings, he asked, ��Have you made contact with our liaison in Meister, Magis?��


    ��Where are the people coming to meet us?��


    ��That fool Andre, to be wiped out in one fell swoop, such an embarrassment! Now I have to come and clean up his mess����


    It appeared that General Parix was quite dissatisfied with being sent by the rebel faction to oversee the overall operations in Meister County!

 Chapter 362 - 362: 192nd Chapter: Rapid Improvement (Combined Double Chapter)

    Chapter 362: 192nd Chapter: Rapid Improvement (Combined Double Chapter)


    Facing the stream of curses from Brigadier General Parix, not a single one of the sturdy men around him dared to speak up or join the conversation. Each of them kept their gaze straight, surveying their surroundings with the utmost focus, as if they were all absorbed in their sentry duties.


    This bored Brigadier General Parix considerably.


    ��Who?�� a burly man asked in a low voice, his eyes blazing as he stared at the pitch-black coast.


    Soon, a gaunt man clad in leather armor appeared and, upon seeing Parix, bowed respectfully and said, ��Brigadier General, I have been sent by Lord Magis to assist you.��


    ��Since our original station has been destroyed, this time Lord Magis has helped us find a new base. It is still in the Wild Wolf Hills, but the location has been changed. It��s now at the former encampment of the Wild Wolf Bandits.��


    ��Their main force was just annihilated today, and reliable information indicates that it was by the same person who destroyed our base.��


    ��Hmm? Go on, tell me more,�� said Brigadier General Parix, showing interest as he looked at the gaunt man.


    ...


    Before he came here, he had already received Magis��s assessment of the entire situation in Meist County, and specifically, the intelligence had pointed out the prime suspect for the destruction of their base��a newly minted Baron named Rein.


    In Magis��s view, if they wanted to raise the banner of the Zaral Rebellion again in Meist County, this Rein was the perfect figurehead.


    However, in Brigadier General Parix��s eyes, his mission in Meist was much more important, and he had considerable doubts about Magis��s suggestion.


    The aforementioned Rein was merely a ��small pebble�� that could easily be crushed underfoot.


    Magis, pah, just a high-ranking spy, with far too narrow a perspective!


    ��This�� Brigadier General, I only heard the news. It is said that Rein faced down and killed the leader of the Wild Brotherhood, Giovanni, and a group of Wild Wolf Bandits outside Meist County City,�� the leather-armored man explained.


    ��Hmm? This Rein again?��


    ��That�� what, the Wild Brotherhood? The leader? Is he very strong?�� Parix asked, puzzled.


    ��Er�� an enigmatic organization local to Meist, and the strength of its leader Giovanni is only slightly less than that of a Great Knight,�� the leather-armored man went on to explain.


    ��Only slightly less than a Great Knight? So, this Giovanni isn��t a Great Knight?��


    ��Er�� You are correct, Brigadier General.��


    ��Heh, and how long did it take this Rein to kill this so-called leader?��


    ��They were evenly matched, and the battle lasted for quite some time.��


    ��Heh, next time don��t bother reporting such trivialities. What you need to focus on are individuals in Meist with the strength of Great Knights, got it?�� Parix said with disdainful laughter.


    ��Er�� Yes, Brigadier General!��


    ��


    �����������C


    Inside the study of Rein��s new residence in Meist County City.


    The conversation between Rein and Hamilton was still ongoing.


    ��The biggest difference between a Great Knight and a Knight lies in the body��s secondary evolution and the use of primal force.��


    ��During the Knight phase, as our training deepens, generally, when we reach the status of a Peak Knight, primal force begins to develop within our bodies. However, at that stage, we are still unable to control it at will.��


    Hmm?


    Hearing this, Rein became somewhat perplexed.


    He was already capable of controlling it at will, so Hamilton��s statement seemed slightly off. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nevertheless, Rein chose not to interrupt him and continued to listen. Find adventures on .com


    Hamilton went on:


    ��The reason why a Great Knight��s combat power can crush that of a Knight is key; a Great Knight can summon primal force to cover the body and weapon, thereby greatly enhancing both offensive and defensive power.��


    After listening to Hamilton��s explanation, Rein��s confusion didn��t lessen but instead increased.


    After some thought, Rein asked:


    ��Lord Hamilton, are there any who can control that bit of primal force at will during the Knight phase?��


    ��Yes, this generally only occurs among those with exceptional Will or conviction, such as a Peak Knight completely devoted to the Longsword, who might be able to control that bit of primal force in battle.��


    ��At the Knight phase, those who can exert extraordinary combat power with a Longsword are referred to as Swordmasters. A Swordmaster possesses killing power comparable to a Great Knight��s, but there is a vast disparity in terms of defensive power.��


    Ah, that makes sense!


    Hamilton��s words were now largely in agreement with those of Master Ganther, and the system��s job-change prompt also corroborated this.


    Comparable to the killing power of a Great Knight, huh?


    Recalling the scenes of his own conquests over the sea serpent and the scale-bearded iron turtle, Rein indeed felt that with conviction and primal force-imbued greatsword, it seemed capable of slicing through anything.


    ��Lord, you just mentioned a Great Knight can wield primal force on their Longsword in battle. How does that differ from a Swordmaster?�� Rein asked again.


    Rein had his own guesses on this matter and was inquiring Hamilton to confirm his thoughts.


    Hamilton shook his head before replying, ��It��s different, you can consider a Swordmaster as the most special among Great Knights.��


    ��Their Longswords are not just infused with primal force but also their convictions. It��s a peculiar combination of conviction and primal force, possessing exceptionally lethal force!��


    As expected, Rein nodded slightly; this matched what he had surmised earlier.


    Now, he had one last question: ��Lord, regarding the high-grade Magic Potion essence from those giant beasts, are there any Transcendent distinctions or anything else that should be noted?��

 Chapter 363 - 363 - 192: Rapid Improvement (Double Combined)_2

    Chapter 363 �C 192: Rapid Improvement (Double Chapter Combined)_2


    You should know that advancing magic potions have quite a few intricacies.


    Upon hearing this question, Hamilton smiled and said,


    ��That��s a good question. Actually, even before the emergence of high-tier magic potions like the Behemoth Essence, it was not impossible to advance from a knight to a Great Knight, just extremely rare, almost one in a hundred!�� S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��If one forcibly breaks through and fails, the consequences are either death or severe injury.��


    ��However, with the aid of high-tier magic potions like the Behemoth Essence, the success rate has increased significantly, almost to one in ten, and the side effects of a failed breakthrough have relatively reduced a lot.��


    ��In this aspect, the Behemoth Essence is different from other advancing magic potions; as a high-tier magic potion, its primary function is to provide your body with enough energy for higher-level evolution.��


    ��The essence of the second evolution is to strengthen your existing transcendent traits and gradually root them in your bloodline. This process does not create new transcendent traits.��


    ...


    Rein suddenly understood. That��s why the magic potions for officially advancing to knight were so precious!


    ��So, to assess the quality of a Behemoth Essence, the main criteria is the amount of special evolutionary substance it contains, right?�� Rein thought for a moment and then concluded.


    Hamilton looked at Rein with approval and said, ��Exactly! But the more powerful the behemoth, the more evolutionary substance can be extracted from its heart.��


    ��However, in reality, Rein, the most critical or the most difficult part of advancing to a Great Knight lies in the control over one��s own body with a transcendent will; otherwise, promotion is bound to fail.��


    Rein nodded in agreement.


    Then, he remembered that whether he was advancing to a Great Knight or a Weapon Master, the system��s description for Behemoth Essence was not specific��it just needed to be available.


    That means, as long as he has the Behemoth Essence, he can inevitably advance to a Great Knight, regardless of the quality of the Behemoth Essence.


    This is truly the greatest benefit!


    Having it equals success!


    ��My lord, there��s something I need to ask your help with contacting Colonel Connor. I have a beast heart here and would like to request the military or the masters from the Royal Alchemist Association to help me craft a bottle of Behemoth Essence.��


    As Rein spoke, he handed the box containing the behemoth heart from a nearshore Plesiosaur to Hamilton.


    ��Hmm? You have a behemoth heart?�� Hamilton showed a surprised expression again, but quickly regained his composure, as it was not surprising Rein had obtained one since he had even killed Giovanni.


    ��Yes, I acquired one during my recent visit to Rossby County.�� Rein said with a smile.


    ��Good! I��ll contact Connor as soon as possible.�� Hamilton quickly agreed without hesitation.


    ��


    Just about to leave, Hamilton suddenly stopped, turned around, and said, ��Rein, there��s one thing�� never mind, I��ll tell you after your duel.��


    �����������C


    Meanwhile.


    In a lavish mansion in Meist County City, within a dim underground hall.


    Black Flame Priest Maral, sweating profusely, reported, ��High Priest, it��s bad news. Lord Giovanni��s mission has failed, and he was killed on the spot by Rein!��


    ��What, Giovanni is dead?�� The fat high priest suddenly stood up from his large chair and immediately asked back.


    ��Yes, my lord!�� Maral answered with his head bowed.


    This was the first time he had seen such a loss of composure from the high priest, who began pacing slowly in the underground hall while muttering,


    ��How could this be possible? With Giovanni��s speed�� even if he couldn��t win, he should have been able to escape smoothly!��


    ��High Priest, there is another piece of news���� Maral��s face soured as he spoke, knowing revealing it might further infuriate the high priest, but he still chose to say it.


    ��Hmm?�� The high priest stopped and looked at Maral suspiciously, as if questioning, ��Could there be worse news than Giovanni��s death?��


    ��Umm�� after killing Lord Giovanni, Rein sent his corpse directly to the temple of the Goddess of Monsoons and Oceans���� Maral��s voice trailed off more lightly.


    Because the high priest��s pale face suddenly flushed.


    Maral knew this was not a good sign; it was an indication of the high priest��s extreme anger!


    ��Boom!��


    The high priest, with a ferocious look, extended his dry, thin arms and blasted a large clump of black flame onto the floor of the underground hall, creating a large hole.


    ��Damn��


    ��This Rein, I must have him killed!!��


    This black flame blast was so powerful, several times stronger than that of ordinary Black Flame Priests, it so frightened Maral that he almost jumped, worried that the high priest might vent his anger on him. Maral quickly said:


    ��High Priest, perhaps we won��t need to act ourselves to achieve the goal of killing Rein.��


    ��Because there��s a rumor bubbling among the nobility of Meist County that Baron Norman is set to have a bloody duel with Rein next Sunday at the county��s dueling ground.��


    ��Oh? Is that so?�� Experience exclusive tales on .com


    ��Yes, my lord.�� Maral wiped the sweat from his forehead, relieved to see the high priest��s mood had improved.


    ��Is that the retired imperial naval officer Norman?�� It seemed he was recalling something; the high priest continued to inquire.


    ��Exactly, that��s him.��

 Chapter 364 - 364 - 192: Rapid Improvement (Double Combined)_3

    Chapter 364 �C 192: Rapid Improvement (Double Chapter Combined)_3


    ��`


    ��I remember, wasn��t he gravely injured by a sneak attack, which greatly reduced his strength? His current strength should still be inferior to Giovanni��s, right? This doomed duel, isn��t it just going to inflate Rein��s arrogance further?�� the High Priest said with an unpleasant tone.


    ��That��s true, but news from Baron Alonso��s side states that Baron Norman��s strength has already been restored to its peak by a magic potion, and he is now trying to break through to become a Great Knight before the bloody duel.��


    ��Once he steps into the realm of the Great Knight, I believe the duel will be Rein��s last battle.��


    ��I see.�� The obese High Priest nodded, seemingly in a much better mood.


    He paced back to the chair in the center of the hall and said:


    ��Lamar, since Giovanni has returned to the embrace of the God of Hunting, you will be in charge of contacting the Wilderness Brotherhood.��


    ...


    ��This�� High Priest, just moments ago, the Wilderness Brotherhood��s headquarters in the County Town was destroyed by the Seasonal Winds and the Sea Goddess Church,�� Lamar wiped sweat beads from his forehead and said.


    ��What?�� The High Priest felt as if his mood was on a roller coaster upon hearing the report, suddenly engulfed by a sense of irritation with no outlet, and his gaze at Lamar turned quite unfriendly.


    ��This is also because of Rein, isn��t it?�� He quickly recalled what Lamar had just mentioned about Rein handing Giovanni��s body over to the Goddess Church, and he asked in response.


    ��Yes, High Priest.��


    Lamar nodded and slyly suggested:


    ��Otherwise, why don��t we gather some men in the next two nights and launch a night raid on Rein��s new residence in the noble district? I believe even if he survives, his entire family will surely perish.��


    ��No, that��s not good!�� the High Priest immediately shook his obese head.


    He wasn��t foolish enough to risk the entire Black Flame Church just to avenge Giovanni, openly making a move within the County Town would only make the Black Flame Church an immediate target of both the Empire and the Goddess Church.


    This would only end up benefiting other powers such as the Sea God Sect.


    ��No hurry, isn��t Rein going to take a position in Fishing Port Town? Since that��s the case, let the Sea God Sect deal with him,�� the High Priest said calmly after a long while, shrinking his obese body into the chair.


    ��


    �����������C


    The next day, the beautiful Baroness Crowley was up early and left by carriage. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For Jennifer, today was a busier day.


    Following Rein��s instructions, the first thing she would do is to rush to the blacksmith shop and arrange to quietly purchase chromium iron ingots on the market, as well as acquiring cold iron ingots or cold iron ore through multiple channels.


    Later, she would go to Yakesen Auction House to inquire about purchasing the essence of a giant beast.


    As agreed upon the previous night, if the high-level magic potion ��Beast Essence�� could be purchased within a week, even if the cost was high, she would choose to buy a bottle at a premium price.


    However, if the delivery was after the duel, then there was no need for it.


    Last, she needed to make a trip to Master Holland the potion master.


    At her feet at the moment was a delicate wooden box, which contained a giant beast��s heart from Rein, also the most important raw material for the high-level magic potion ��Beast Essence��.


    After waking up, Rein didn��t head straight to the blacksmith shop to raise his Profession Level but instead rode in a carriage that had been arranged early on to Earl Habs Mansion.


    Since he already had an agreement with the Earl, the first thing Rein needed to do after returning to the County Town was naturally to report to the Earl.


    Soon, the carriage smoothly arrived at the gates of Earl Habs Mansion, and led by the butler, Rein quickly found himself in the luxurious study, face to face with Earl Habbs.


    The Earl��s pepper-and-salt hair was still impeccably combed, and he was dressed in a noble hunting outfit with grey and gold trim, looking very gentlemanly. On the chest of the hunting outfit was a pattern of the Calybird, woven with gold thread.


    It was clear that Earl Habbs placed great importance on family honor.


    ��Earl, good day!�� Rein bowed respectfully. Continue reading on .com


    When Earl Habbs saw Rein enter, he put down his pen, lifted his head, and warmly sized up Rein, saying, ��Rein, it seems your training has had good results.��


    ��It has indeed been quite beneficial, I��ve learned a lot during my training,�� Rein replied with a smile.


    ��Very good, young people should have this kind of upward momentum. Actually, I was counting on your return and was about to send someone to find you.��


    ��Tell me, Rein, what is your view on the matter of Baron Norman challenging you to a duel?��


    ��While I can��t cancel it, I could still assign you official duties for a period.��


    Rein was inwardly moved as he could tell that the Earl leaned slightly in his favor.


    But there was no need!


    Moreover, against a Norman family that had been sending assassins after him, Rein naturally wanted to eradicate them completely.


    In normal circumstances, Rein had no good solution to the continuous assassination attempts, but this time the other party had proposed a bloody duel, which, from a certain angle, suited Rein��s desires.


    Because he had learned from Jennifer that Baron Norman was the backbone of the Norman family, and once the backbone was broken, the family��s fate was predictable.


    Rein shook his head and said, ��Earl, I also desire to confront Baron Norman to see how much progress I have truly made.��

 Chapter 365 - 365 - 192: Rapid Improvement (Double Combined)_4

    Chapter 365 �C 192: Rapid Improvement (Double Chapter Combined)_4


    Hearing Rein��s refusal, Count Habs helplessly shook his head and said, ��Very well! Then, in accordance with the glorious traditions of the Empire, the two of you will resolve your grudges in the dueling arena.��


    ��Is the time set for next Sunday? Today is also Sunday. Seven days later, I will personally attend.��


    ��During these seven days, you prepare well for the duel, and as for Fishing Port Town, I will arrange for others to handle it first. Everything else can wait until after the duel is over.��


    ��Thank you, my lord!�� Rein bowed slightly to express his gratitude.


    ��


    Continue reading at


    One hour later.


    ...


    Rein arrived at the Crowley family blacksmith shop.


    In a separate smelting room, there was already a good amount of clay and a large stack of chrome iron ingots, while there were only four or five ice iron ingots. However, there was no immediate need for the ice iron, so Rein was not in a hurry.


    Because he had previously attempted to continue making the Cavalry��s breastplate when he was promoted to Armor Caster, and only gained 5 Professional Experience Points for Armor Casting, Rein now planned to try making parts of the chrome iron set.


    With an integrated molding approach, the chrome iron set��s breastplate was a layered, exquisite chest armor, whose crafting was far more complicated than the previous Cavalry chestplate and naturally was not Rein��s first choice.


    This time, Rein chose to make the chrome iron greaves, which included the lower leg part and was made of two chrome iron plates hinged together.


    That is to say, relying on the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch,�� Rein could imitate the forging process of the Cavalry chestplate and, in a short time, quickly make the chrome iron greaves.


    This also meant that he could quickly gain a considerable amount of Armor Casting Professional Experience.


    At this moment, seven or eight chrome iron ingots glowed red-hot within the blacksmith��s furnace.


    And Rein raised his hand, quietly chanting the incantation for the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch.��


    Soon, a rich crimson glow began to appear in front of Rein��s palm. For a time, the surrounding stray particles of fire energy quickly gathered in front of his palm.


    With the continuous output of his spiritual power, the flames in the forge suddenly leaped up significantly!


    And the seven or eight ingots began to redden and soften at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning into molten iron within minutes.


    Immediately, Rein opened a small gate on the blacksmith��s furnace and poured the scorching chrome iron liquid into the clay molds he had prepared in advance.


    After cooling down, Rein took two shin armor pieces out of the clay molds and picked up a blacksmith��s hammer to start hammering.


    Due to the improvement in Strength, Agility, and Constitution, Rein found it much easier to work than before, and soon, he joined the front and back chrome iron parts together to form a complete piece of greave.


    Then, a system prompt appeared:


    [You have carried out the forging of the chrome iron greaves, and your comprehension has improved!]


    [You have understood a new Skill �� Greave Forging]


    [Your Skill in Greave Forging has improved, Experience +24] S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [You focus on the forging of chrome iron greaves, Armor Caster Profession Experience Points +28]


    ��


    Rein was thrilled by what he saw!


    Just as he had expected.


    After choosing the chrome iron set from ��Crowley��s Armor Casting Manual Volume One,�� which was one level higher than the Cavalry chestplate, the experience gained as an Armor Caster increased substantially.


    In addition, Rein sensed an inexplicable intuition about the current success rate of armor casting.


    This must be the effect of ��Armor Casting Specialization lv1��, which slightly increased his success rate in forging armor.


    After some thought, Rein quickly asked the people in the blacksmith shop to help him make about ten pairs of matching clay molds (left and right greaves).


    Then, Rein began to cast ��Scorching Touch�� repeatedly, entering a continuous cycle of melting and forging!


    And the system prompts nearly spammed the screen.


    ��


    Throughout the day, aside from returning home for meal times, Rein spent all his time at the blacksmith shop.


    Although it was exhausting, the rewards were significant; within one day, Rein��s Profession Level as an Armor Caster had risen from lv1 to lv2.


    And as a result, Rein received one attribute point and one Skill Point as a level-up reward.


    After dinner, the beautiful matron who had been busy outside nearly all day came to the blacksmith shop to find Rein.


    ��Jennifer, by the look on your face, it seems things haven��t gone very smoothly?�� Rein, who was in the midst of forging greaves, looked up and noticed the discontent on the beautiful woman��s face.


    ����Hmm, there��s a bottle of ready-made beast essence at the Yakesen Auction House, but the person in charge, Lenon, said that it was just reserved by someone yesterday.��


    ��I negotiated for half a day, and even with a 30% surcharge, I couldn��t secure it.�� The beautiful lady spoke, her spirits slightly dampened.


    ��Oh?�� A thought flashed through Rein��s mind, and he already had an idea of who the reserver might be, likely not Norman, but Alonso.


    However, that didn��t matter.


    ��What about Master Holland?�� Rein asked.


    ��He did agree to take on the work, but Master Holland received a batch of urgent orders yesterday and said he wouldn��t have time to craft for us until after half a month,�� the beautiful lady said helplessly.


    ��I see, no problem, let��s continue to have Master Holland do the work.�� Rein thought for a moment, and then said.


    ��Hmm?�� Jennifer��s beautiful eyes showed a hint of surprise as she looked at Rein.


    She had thought Rein would choose to give up since this timeline couldn��t meet the blood duel by a whole week.


    ��Don��t worry, I have a plan!�� Rein said with a smile.


    Rein had anticipated this situation the day before.


    After learning from Hamilton that the combat power of a Sword Master was comparable to that of a Great Knight, Rein had made his plans.


    If, for instance, he were to raise his Giant Bear Sword Technique and the Tokkal Hammer Technique both to lv10, his strength would not only surpass that of a Sword Master, perhaps the term ��provisional Great Sword Master�� would be more apt.


    No, to be precise, ��provisional Weapon Master��.


    With the addition of the Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin lv3�� and the trump card ��healing with every attribute point addition,�� Rein felt that even if Norman became a Great Knight, he still had faith in himself to defeat him!


    It wasn��t overconfidence, but rather, from his encounter with Giovanni, whose transformed strength was comparable to a Great Knight and who was still defeated by him, it was evident.


    �����������C


    ��What? Are you saying Rein spent the whole day at the blacksmith shop?�� Alonso was astonished when he heard this news.


    ��Yes, many people saw it, so it can��t be fake.�� The butler, Michel, didn��t understand either.


    ��Thud, thud, thud!�� A lean man dressed in leather armor entered promptly and reported:


    ��Sir, you instructed me to keep a close watch on Baroness Crowley��s wife, and this morning, she just went to the Yakesen Auction House and stayed there for a long time. However, I have no idea what they discussed specifically.��


    ��Moreover, in the afternoon, she took a detour to Master Holland��s place.��


    ��Hmm?�� Baron Alonso immediately turned his head to look at Michel by his side.


    After exchanging glances, both burst into laughter; Baron Alonso said, ��Look, it turns out this Rein intentionally baffled us, while secretly having the Crowley family accomplish his true objective.��


    ��Michel, what do you think, what did Rein want to buy at the Yakesen Auction House?��


    Michel chuckled and replied, ��If I��m not mistaken, it should be ��beast essence.����


    ��Exactly!��


    ��Good thing you contacted the Yakesen Auction House ahead of time yesterday.��


    ��As for Master Holland, naturally, he can only attend to them after he��s done making the beast potion for us.��


    The thought of having anticipated Rein��s plan made Alonso laugh heartily!


    And Michel too looked confident of victory.


    Because he had a hand in managing both affairs.


    �����������C


    On the third day, Rein��s Armor Casting Technique reached lv3.


    ��


    On the fifth day, it advanced to lv4!


    As a result, the remaining attribute points on the system panel reached 6, and the remaining Skill Points were 5.


    However, after his profession level as an armor caster reached lv4, the experience points from crafting chromium steel greaves began to plummet dramatically.


    Rein knew that he needed to switch to a higher-tiered Knight plate armor set if he wanted to continue advancing quickly.


    The snag was the quantity of ice iron ingots at hand seemed insufficient; he barely had over ten blocks, and coupled with the unsmelted ice iron ore, it doesn��t seem enough for Rein to raise his profession level as an armor caster to lv5.

 Chapter 366 - 366 - 193: The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 366 �C 193: The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)


    However, Rein thought about it and decided to try forging first.


    Because as he estimated, even if it was slightly off, it shouldn��t be too far off.


    When Rein opened ��Crawley��s Armor Casting Technique Volume II,�� the design of the ice iron suit shone with a pale blue metallic luster and caught his eye.


    Rein also began to carefully examine it, choosing the part of the ice iron suit to forge,


    The ice iron suit, like the chromium iron suit, consisted of eight pieces.


    After some thought, Rein chose the ice iron shoulders because the design showed that the shoulders, resembling two arched covers, could be cast in one go.


    Unlike other suits�� shoulders, which had designs with multiple armor plates.


    ...


    Soon, Rein began smelting the ice iron ingots. Due to the extremely high flame resistance of the ice iron, the smelting temperature was exceptionally high, fortunately, Rein had the witchcraft ��Scorching Touch�� to assist, or else the blacksmith furnace alone would hardly suffice!


    Half an hour later, a system prompt appeared:


    [You have conducted forging work on the ice iron suit shoulders, insight improved!]


    [You have gained a new skill��Shoulder Forging]


    [Your skill ��Shoulder Forging�� has improved, Experience +24]


    [You focused on forging the ice iron suit shoulders, Armor Caster Professional Experience Points +138]


    ��.


    Wow!


    Rein��s eyes brightened!


    The Experience reward is so generous!


    It seems that equipment crafted from rare ores is rated far higher by the system than those crafted from ordinary ores.


    At this rate, I do stand a chance to advance to lv5 Armor Caster before I run out of ice iron ingots and ore.


    Immediately, Rein got to work with full vigor. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, after over an hour, Rein quickly encountered another problem.


    That was, smelting ice iron required continuous assistance from witchcraft, and the spiritual power consumed during the process far exceeded that used in smelting regular iron ingots. More than an hour had nearly depleted Rein��s spiritual power.


    After some thought, Rein decided to add a point to his Spirit Attribute.


    This was because an increase in spiritual power would simultaneously increase the potency of his witchcraft, and adding points would restore him to his peak condition, meaning he could continue smelting at a faster pace.


    Finally, Rein considered that he was only two Will runes short of fulfilling the requirement to visualize twenty-four Will runes at once, which would allow him to step up to the rank of third-level Wizard Apprentice.


    As the remaining attribute points decreased from 6��5, his Spirit also increased from 25��26 points.


    Instantly, Rein felt exceptionally clear-headed; the recent fatigue from depleting his spiritual power vanished immediately!


    During the subsequent melting process, Rein found, as expected, that after adding the point, the power of the ��Scorching Touch�� witchcraft also slightly increased, making smelting the ice iron ingots even more efficient.


    Two hours later, seeing that his Profession Level as an Armor Caster had passed two-thirds, but his spiritual power was nearly exhausted again, Rein did not hesitate much before adding another point to his Spirit.


    As the remaining attribute points decreased from 5��4, his Spirit also increased from 26��27 points.


    Restored to his peak condition, he continued to work up a sweat!


    Half a day later, a system prompt sounded:


    [Congratulations! Your Profession Level as an Armor Caster has increased!]


    Rein��s Profession Level as an Armor Caster finally elevated to lv5, earning him additional rewards of one attribute point and one Skill Point.


    Thus, the remaining attribute points in the system panel increased to 5, and the remaining Skill Points reached 6.


    Rein looked at the 6 remaining Skill Points with a hint of excitement!


    Finally, I��ve saved up 6 points!


    Just by adding three points each to the Giant Bear Sword Technique and Tokkal Hammer Technique, I can instantly get two Extraordinary Combat Skills to level 10.


    After a brief rest, Rein focused his attention on the Transcendent Knight panel, his large hands holding the icon with the hammer pattern��Tokkal Hammer Technique lv7 (2724/5000).


    Ever since his Tokkal Hammer Technique reached the level 6 mark, the accompanying effects of Shock and Precision both advanced to level 2.


    And this time, once his Tokkal Hammer Technique advanced to lv10, it would also unlock the next tier of effects:


    ��Note: To unlock Shock lv3 in Tokkal Hammer Technique, the following conditions are required: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique lv9 or above; two, Bear King Breathing Technique lv9 or above.��


    ��Note: To unlock Precision lv3 in Tokkal Hammer Technique, the following conditions are required: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique lv9 or above; two, Strength 22 points, Agility 18 points, Constitution 20 or above.��


    The requirements for these effects at level 3, both only need the Hammer Technique to reach lv9.


    Considering the level 2 effects last time, which allowed him to kill a beast comparable to a Great Knight, the power of level 3 effects need not be mentioned!


    As Rein muttered to himself to add points!


    The remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel shifted from 6��4, and the Tokkal Hammer Technique was instantaneously upgraded to level 9.


    Instantly, a massive surge of memories about the practice of the Tokkal Hammer Technique flooded into Rein��s mind.


    These scattered fragments of Hammer Technique memories almost formed a short film in Rein��s mind, which then rapidly integrated into the muscle memory of his entire body.


    However, the content of this memory was indeed a bit overwhelming, and it took Rein a moment to open his eyes.


    Just now, he seemed to have undergone several years of strenuous practice of the Tokkal Hammer Technique, and then, those years of Hammer Technique experiences were crammed into his brain in just a few seconds.


    Rein glanced at the Hammer Technique and sure enough, both effects ��Shock�� and ��Precision�� had advanced to level 3.


    Rein took a closer look, the new textual explanations for both effects were similar; the main change from level 2 was that ��minor degree�� had shifted to ��major degree��.

 Chapter 367 - 367 - 193: The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 367 �C 193: The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2


    The power further increased!


    However, considering that the Weapon Master (Legendary) class panel required the Extraordinary Battle Technique to be lv10, Rein took a brief rest and then added a Skill Point to the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    As the Hammer Skill reached lv10, suddenly, Rein��s entire body stiffened!


    The infusion of hammer training memory this time gave Rein an exceptionally long-lasting feeling. When he came to his senses, he realized that the feeling of holding ��unstoppable force�� in his hand was distinctly different from before.


    At this moment, two system prompts that surprised him suddenly appeared:


    [Ding! Host��s Tokkal Hammer Technique has reached lv10, unlocking the master-level hammer combat skill passive effect: Multiple Shocks (Passive), replacing the original effect: Shock lv3.]


    [Multiple Shocks (Passive) effect: Your control over hammer weapons and primal force has reached an extremely high degree, enabling you to deal multiple shock damages.]


    ...


    (Note: This effect is only valid when the host is wielding a hammer weapon and using the blunt end to attack.)


    (Note: This effect is proportional to the host��s primal force, Strength, specialization, and combat skill level.)


    [Ding! Host��s Tokkal Hammer Technique has reached lv10, unlocking the heavy weapon passive effect: Effortless (Passive)]


    [Effortless (Passive) effect: Your broad understanding of heavy weapons has also reached an extremely high degree, enabling you to swing the heavy weapon in your hands as if it were light, increasing your swinging speed by an additional 20%.]


    (Note: This effect is only valid when using heavy weapons.)


    Hiss!


    This made Rein overjoyed!


    Firstly, the power of this Multiple Shocks, just from the description, one could tell it greatly surpassed Shock lv3. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Shock lv3 was also a very powerful effect, no matter how strong, it only had one layer of shock damage, easily blocked by armor or something else. Multiple Shocks, however, was different, often able to penetrate thick armor and strike the enemy within.


    The latter was even more incredible!


    Two-Handed Warhammers generally have the problem of being too heavy. Although their weight is the basis for their power, this also meant their swing speed was definitely not as fast as that of greatswords, not to mention lighter weapons like one-handed swords.


    But now, this passive effect of Effortless very well compensated for this shortcoming.


    Wait a second!


    Heavy weapons?


    Rein keenly noticed this change in terminology.


    It was his Hammer Skill that had increased to lv10, but what was unlocked was not just the effect for hammer weapons, but extended to all heavy weapon skills, this��


    Suddenly, the four words ��understanding by analogy�� caught Rein��s eye.


    This suddenly enlightened Rein!


    He seemed to understand why the pre-requisites for the Weapon Master (Legendary) class required three different weapon category skills to reach lv10.


    When Rein looked back at the panel, the Hammer Skill displayed as follows: Tokkal Hammer Technique lv10 (2724/20000), additional effects: Effortless, Multiple Shocks, Precision lv3.


    One hit, three effects!


    Tsk, tsk!


    Looking around, Rein couldn��t help but take a newly forged pale blue ice iron shoulder guard and place it over a solid piece of wood. Then, exerting only fifty percent of his strength, he swung down the Warhammer with a heavy blow.


    ��Bang!��


    The pale blue ice iron shoulder guard shattered instantly, but more exaggeratedly, although the ice iron armor should have provided defense and weakening, the wood beneath it should have remained relatively intact, without too much damage.


    But when Rein lifted the shattered ice iron shoulder guard, he found that the wood underneath was even more severely damaged, almost reduced to sawdust.


    Hiss!


    Rein could not help but exclaim!


    Is this the Multiple Shocks? Terrifying indeed!


    Just now, he clearly felt that his heavy blow dealt at least two layers of lv3 shock force: one shattered the armor, the other the wood.


    And if he struck with full force, it was highly likely that he could release three layers or even more of shock power.


    In that case��


    After calming the excitement in his heart, Rein��s attention returned to the Giant Bear Sword Technique.


    If the Tokkal Hammer Technique lv10 brought him such a great surprise, then reaching lv10 with the Giant Bear Sword Technique should also��


    Rein��s eyes sparkled, full of anticipation.


    As he mentally allocated Skill Points!


    The remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel jumped from 3��0, and the Giant Bear Sword Technique leaped from lv7 to the lv10 tier.


    As a massive wave of memories flooded in��


    Two system prompts also appeared:


    [Ding! Host��s Giant Bear Sword Technique has reached lv10, unlocking the master-level sword combat skill passive effect: Steel Cleaver (Passive), replacing the original effect: Sharpness lv3.]


    [Steel Cleaver (Passive) effect: Your control over sword weapons and primal force has reached an extremely high degree, allowing you to cut through ordinary steel weapons and armor with a single stroke.]


    (Note: This effect is only valid when using sword weapons.)


    (Note: This effect is proportional to the host��s weapon, primal force, Strength, specialization, and combat skill level.)


    [Ding! Host��s Giant Bear Sword Technique has reached lv10, unlocking the sharp weapon passive effect: Armor Penetration (Passive)]


    [Armor Penetration (Passive) effect: Your broad understanding of sharp weapons has reached an extremely high degree, enabling you to focus force at a single point and burst forth, significantly increasing the probability of breaking through enemy armor.]


    (Note: This effect is only valid when using sharp weapons.)


    As expected!


    Rein looked at the Giant Bear Sword Technique lv10 (3023/20000) on the panel, with accompanying effects: Steel Cleaver, Armor Penetration, Precision lv3, with a joyful expression.


    Again, three effects!


    At the same time, Rein noticed that the Armor Penetration effect was not only targeted at sword weapons but all sharp weapons, including the pointed end of his Warhammer, would also get this effect added.

 Chapter 368 - 368 - 193: The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 368 �C 193: The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3


    Feeling a bit itchy in his hands, Rein immediately tried out the new special effect. He swung the Glimmering Greatsword and aimed at the light blue ice iron shoulder guard, cleaving it with one stroke.


    ��Zizz!��


    The ice iron shoulder guard, forged from a rare ore, was split open by a single slash!


    Tsk, tsk, such power��it must be the combined effect of slashing through steel and armor piercing. Even armors made from special ores were cut open with one slash.


    However, Rein vaguely felt that the attacking power of the Two-Handed Warhammer was still higher than the greatsword��s.


    After a moment of thought, Rein began to understand��it might be due to the lv3 specialization in hammers because both the effects of ��Multiple Shocks�� and ��Steel Cutting�� were linked to the level of mastery. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, regarding the terms ��heavy weapons�� and ��sharp weapons�� expressed by the system, Rein felt that he was gradually lifting the veil of mystery surrounding the special profession of a Weapon Master (Legendary).


    ...


    He had a faint understanding of what the core skills or rather, the professional traits of this legendary profession might be.


    After thinking about it, Rein found another interesting point.


    Generally speaking, to reach master-level proficiency in any weapon, even if one had considerable talent, it would require two to three decades of hard work. In terms of difficulty, it��s no less challenging than a knight��s promotion to a Great Knight, perhaps even harder.


    But now, both Rein��s greatsword and Two-Handed Warhammer had reached master-level proficiency; converted, it was equivalent to a knight with innate talent for swords and hammers practicing hard for five to six decades.


    What a hack, it was truly terrifying!


    Moreover, the combat power of this ��Almost Weapon Master�� was even stronger than Rein had anticipated.


    If he were to face Giovanni again in his transformed state with strength comparable to a Great Knight, Rein felt that the opponent would not be able to withstand three, maybe even one warhammer blow from him before being knocked to the ground!


    As for Norman?


    Rein was actually quite looking forward to his promotion to a Great Knight.


    Otherwise��


    The duel would seem too boring��


    Baron Norman��s manor.


    At this moment, all the guards in the manor were fully armed and highly alert around the villa.


    And Dennis was anxiously pacing back and forth in front of the indoor training room.


    Just now, his father, Baron Norman, had decided to take a high-level magic potion, ��Essence of the Beast,�� to break through to the Great Knight!


    Before this, Dennis��s mood was like a roller coaster, fluctuating wildly.


    A few days ago, when his father successfully recovered his peak strength, Dennis was so excited that he couldn��t sleep for several nights in a row. He thought that his father��s chances of killing Rein in the bloody duel were almost certain.


    But he hadn��t expected that things would take a turn for the worse so quickly. It was said Rein��s strength was improving rapidly, and that his father at his peak might not be able to defeat Rein. Even the odds were at most forty-sixty, with his father holding the weaker four.


    This news struck Dennis like a bolt from the blue!


    He couldn��t imagine�� if his father, Baron Norman, were to lose in the bloody duel, what a tragic and pitiful fate awaited him and his family.


    Because his strength was only at the level of an almost-knight, not even a true knight, and he certainly didn��t have the ability to support a baron��s family.


    And among nobles, apart from intermarriage, relationships were maintained mostly through strength. If the strength was inadequate, interests had to be conceded, which inevitably meant the decline of the Norman family, and to make matters worse, they had numerous enemies��


    ��Clack!��


    The doors of the training room opened!


    A spirited Baron Norman stepped out with big strides!


    ��Father, did you succeed?�� Seeing this scene, Dennis couldn��t help blurting out the question.


    The baron smiled slightly and nodded!


    ��That��s great! Father, you��ve finally become a Great Knight!�� Seeing this, Dennis was overcome with joy and began to murmur to himself.


    It seemed that Lady Luck was still on their side, still standing with the Norman family!


    Rein! You��re doomed!


    Dennis shouted in his heart.


    He wished the bloody duel could start right now.


    Unfortunately, they had to wait until the day after tomorrow!


    ��You there, come!�� Baron Norman gestured to several of his trusted subordinates.


    Curious, Dennis and a few others followed Norman to the interior training ground.


    ��Take the bow and shoot arrows at me!�� Baron Norman crossed his arms behind his back, assuming a stance of facing the enemy empty-handed.


    Several of the lieutenants were startled and exchanged glances, not sure whether to carry out the order or to refuse, because at that moment Baron Norman wasn��t wearing any armor, just wearing noble hunting attire with no protection at all.


    Dennis immediately guessed that his father wanted to test the combat power at the Great Knight level, so he quickly urged, ��Don��t worry, with Father��s speed, you won��t be able to hit him even if you try.��


    ��As you command, young master!��


    ��Baron, please be careful!��


    Several lieutenants with almost-knight strength understood and immediately took up strong bows and aimed at Baron Norman, beginning to shoot.


    ��Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!��


    To their astonishment, the arrows, shot with almost full force, seemed to be blocked by an invisible shield in front of Baron Norman. After their inertia dissipated, the arrows fell powerlessly to the ground.


    Dennis was getting more and more excited watching!


    Look, this is a Great Knight, a Great Knight!


    The defense of pure original force could nearly make the Great Knight unbeatable against lower-level enemies!


    This time, victory was assured!

 Chapter 369 - 369 - 193: The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 369 �C 193: The Power of Master-Level Combat Skill (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Dennis, the news of my breakthrough must be kept confidential. Moreover, go to Alonso and inform him that I have successfully broken through to become a Great Knight,��


    ��Regarding the cost of that bottle of Beast Essence, I will pay him after the duel ends. Express my thanks to him for this.�� Baron Norman asked.


    ��Yes, Father!�� Dennis nodded and said.


    ��By the way, what��s happening with Reine?�� Thinking of something, Baron Norman looked up and asked.


    ��He has been at the blacksmith��s shop for five consecutive days,�� Dennis immediately reported.


    Although he was initially puzzled, the fact remained that their several spies had gathered the same results.


    Moreover, whenever Reine went to the blacksmith��s shop, he would inevitably appear on the street; the spies could see him clearly, even noting that Reine��s timings for entering and leaving the blacksmith were highly regular.


    ...


    If one didn��t know Reine, others might really think that Reine was a blacksmith himself!


    However, this abnormal behavior naturally made many people curious.


    But after Dennis bribed a blacksmith apprentice under the Crowley family, it was revealed through the apprentice that Reine seemed to be crafting knight armor.


    At that moment, a thought surfaced in Dennis��s mind.


    Could it be that Reine had obtained some rare ore and thus wanted to create a suit of armor with strong defensive power to face his own father?


    The more Dennis thought about it, the more he felt that this was very likely.


    As the investigation progressed, Dennis discovered that the Crowley family was secretly collecting ice iron ore, further solidifying his belief beyond doubt.


    ��What? You��re always at the blacksmith��s shop?�� Baron Norman was taken aback.


    He thought that Reine must also be preparing intensely, either by rigorously practicing combat skills or by trying to make some breakthrough. Why was he spending all day at the blacksmith��s shop working on iron?


    This��


    Seeing the confusion on his father��s face, Dennis immediately shared his guess with the baron.


    ��Father, Reine is likely crafting a set of knight armor made from rare ore materials. He probably thinks this could increase his odds of winning.��


    ��I see,�� Baron Norman pondered briefly, then his face showed a sudden realization.


    It makes sense because significant improvements in strength usually require years of diligent practice. It��s challenging to make considerable changes within just a few days. In the short term, acquiring a good weapon or a suitable set of armor can significantly increase one��s chances of winning.


    This is also a common practice before a duel.


    ��By the way, Father, the news of your bloody duel with Reine is already buzzing outside. You may not know, but many business leagues have jointly opened a betting pool, wagering on the outcome between you and Reine,��


    ��Currently, due to your breakthrough as a Great Knight not being widely known yet, the odds between you and Reine are still even.��


    ��What do you say, should we���� Dennis looked eagerly towards his father, Baron Norman.


    ��Yes, let��s mortgage all the liquid assets, and also mortgage the eight shops we own in the County Town,�� Baron Norman thought for a while and then nodded his head, agreeing to his son��s suggestion.


    If before this, his confidence in winning the duel was only fifty percent,


    Now, his confidence in winning the duel was nearly a hundred percent!


    �����������C


    An hour later, in Alonso��s study.


    ��That��s great! Dennis, your father��s success in advancing to become a Great Knight ensures his victory in this duel,�� Alonso Baron couldn��t help but burst into hearty laughter.


    ��By the way, Dennis, would you be interested in taking up a nominal position in a business league under my name?��


    Alonso Baron��s offer immediately excited Dennis, and he couldn��t help but smile slightly.


    He certainly knew that this was Alonso Baron��s way of showing favor.


    Though it was called a nominal position, it actually meant easy money.


    It seems that the influence of his father becoming a Great Knight was gradually spreading.


    ��Of course, thank you for your appreciation, Baron,�� Dennis said, bowing slightly.


    ��Moreover, my father is very grateful for your help in acquiring that bottle of behemoth essence. The related expenses will be sent to you after the duel,�� he added.


    ��Haha, Baron Norman, no need to mention it,�� Alonso said cheerfully, waving his hand.


    �� Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After Dennis had left, Alonso turned to his butler Michel and said, ��The news of Norman��s promotion to Great Knight can��t be hidden for long. Michel, how much liquid capital do we still have?��


    After a moment��s thought, Michel quickly reported a figure:


    ��We have left 18,343 imperial gold coins, mainly because we helped Baron Norman acquire a bottle of behemoth essence at the Yakesen Auction House, which was quite expensive.��


    ��Additionally, hiring Master Holland, the potion master, to produce the behemoth essence also cost a lot, but, it is highly likely an incoming asset. Once it��s successfully produced, it will be very valuable,�� Michel added.


    Baron Alonso was very satisfied with Michel��s professionalism. He nodded, stroking the seal ring in his hand, ��Very well! Then let��s add another 18,000 imperial gold coins!��


    ��As you wish, my lord, I will take care of it,�� Michel said with a smile, bowing before leaving.


    �����������C


    Lord Reine��s new residence.


    Jenny, dressed in a white floral dress, hurriedly ran to the room of the beautiful matron, lifting her long gown.


    As soon as she entered, she said rather anxiously to the beautiful woman:


    ��Mother, there��s trouble. You asked me to inquire about changes in betting from Agatha��s side.��


    ��I just got the latest news that the Norman family has increased their bet. I guess you were right, Baron Norman has probably advanced to Great Knight.��


    Since the Norman family had recently been on lockdown, the beautiful woman Jennifer couldn��t gather any useful information, so she had sent Jenny to her close friend Agatha for inquiries.


    The Wiggins family, where Agatha belongs, owns a large trading company, one of several joint venture companies opening books on the betting, therefore well-informed.


    ��Oh, Mother, isn��t Lord Reine��s condition a bit off?��


    ��You see him, he��s been in the blacksmith shop crafting armor every day. You know, the bloody duel will take place the day after tomorrow.��


    ��Lord Reine hasn��t underestimated Baron Norman, has he?��


    Hearing her daughter��s query, the beautiful woman also frowned slightly and said:


    ��I know he��s been forging knight armor in the blacksmith shop, but like you said, even the best knight armor cannot fend off every attack, especially those that might come from a Great Knight.��


    ��I��ll go to the blacksmith shop now.��


    ��


    Half an hour later, the beautiful woman arrived at the blacksmith shop.


    ��Hmm? You say Norman has succeeded in becoming a Great Knight?�� Lord Reine, upon hearing this news, his eyes suddenly brightened, and he turned to look at the beautiful woman.


    At first, the beautiful woman was worried about Reine, but she sharply noticed that in Reine��s eyes as he looked at her, there was no trace of worry or fear, but rather something��


    How could one put it?


    Joy, happiness?


    More precisely, it seemed�� like a kind of triumphant pleasure!


    But how could that be?


    The beautiful woman was somewhat perplexed.


    However, she quickly adjusted her mindset and nodded, saying, ��While it��s not 100% certain, from the increased bets, the Norman family seems to have gambled most of their estate.��


    ��It appears they are extremely confident in winning the duel.��


    Lord Reine smiled and nodded at the beautiful woman, ��Very well, this might be a rare good opportunity for us to make money.��

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    Chapter 370 �C 194 Bloody Duel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Although the beautiful lady did not know from where the self-confidence of the ��young man�� before her originated, she glanced at Rein, nodded, and said,


    ��Hmm, then I will immediately gather the entire family��s floating capital to place a bet.��


    ��Also, place the more than three thousand gold coins I have with you on it as well,�� Rein interjected.


    Originally, Rein intended to explain to the beautiful lady, but considering his current situation, it seemed difficult to clarify things in just a few words.


    After a moment of thought, Rein did not provide further explanation. Instead, he took a piece of ice iron shoulder armor, placed it on a solid log, and repeated the test he had just conducted.


    After all, actions speak louder than words.


    Showing his own strength was the best tranquilizer for the beautiful lady. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ��Bang!��


    Following the dull sound!


    When Rein lifted the shattered ice iron shoulder armor, beneath it the log was ��smashed into bits.�� This immediately made the beautiful lady��s watery eyes go wide and her cherry lips gaped open as if they could fit an entire apple.


    ��My�� My dear, have you also advanced to a Great Knight?�� the beautiful lady asked, astonished.


    Although she was not skilled in martial prowess, she still had good judgment.


    She had never seen such destructive force in the family knights or even in the late Baron Crowley. The strength of the blow was simply astonishing.


    She could not think of any reason other than Rein��s promotion to a Great Knight that could account for this level of attack power!


    ��Not yet, it��s just that in terms of strength, I am not inferior to an ordinary Great Knight,�� Rein replied with a smile, shaking his head.


    Rein��s words immediately dispelled the beautiful lady��s worries!


    If before, the beautiful lady was a bit concerned that Rein was being overly arrogant and not taking Baron Norman seriously, now having seen this scene, she realized her ��young man�� truly did not need to pay too much attention to what was happening on Baron Norman��s side!


    The last day.


    Inside Rein��s new residence.


    Since Rein had already achieved his anticipated goals, naturally, he would not choose to stay in the blacksmith shop any longer.


    Another reason was although Rein had already mastered the Giant Bear Sword Technique and the Tokkal Hammer Technique, he still wanted to fully understand their power, and the blacksmith shop was naturally not suitable for that purpose.


    So, for the entire day today, he stayed in the indoor training field of his new residence.


    This was one of the benefits of being promoted to Baron, having a several hundred square meter indoor training field at home; half a year ago, Rein could only enviously watch Cleya��s indoor training field.


    Who would have thought, so quickly, he now owned one of his own.


    Rein, holding a dark and stout pig head hammer, was seen continuously striking a practice dummy clad in two layers of plate armor.


    The reason for the two layers of plate armor was, naturally, because the damage from multiple shocks was too severe. If the dummy were not given two layers of plate armor, a single hammer blow would smash it into pieces.


    After some time of testing, Rein had basically confirmed that under full power, he could produce triple shock damage.


    And when using the secret technique��


    Rein focused his gaze on the Knight (Transcendent) panel, looking at the two icons placed above ��Tokkal Hammer Technique.��


    The patterns inside these two icons both depicted a strongman wielding a hammer, but with different poses.


    One showed a twisting motion, swinging a two-handed hammer from below upward with his body surging forward, while the other was hoisting a two-handed hammer overhead, slamming it hard onto the ground and causing a fan-shaped fracture zone on the surface, extremely fierce!


    They were the two secret techniques of the Tokkal Hammer Technique, ��Rising Dragon Hammer�� and ��Earth-splitting Hammer.��


    Rein stared at the small text in the lower right corner of the icons:


    Rising Dragon Hammer lv3 (Secret Technique) Effect: Use a special thrusting method to swing the hammer from below upwards, delivering a blow with rotational force mixed with multiple shock powers.


    Earth-splitting Hammer lv3 (Secret Technique) Effect: Use a special thrusting method to swing the hammer from above downwards, hitting the ground, producing a fierce blow with multiple shock powers.


    These two hammer techniques had also been successfully upgraded to lv3, and along with them, the accompanying forces changed from shock to multiple shocks, greatly increasing their power.


    After Rein��s recent tests, he found that when using these two hammer techniques while in a ��Triple State,�� he could inflict quadruple damage!


    The Rising Dragon Hammer was one layer of spinning force plus three layers of shock power, while the Earth-splitting Hammer, being incredibly fierce, produced four layers of shock power!


    In preparation for the bloody duel tomorrow, Rein reviewed the transformed strength of the ��Beast Knight�� Giovanni. His extraordinary physical constitution meant his movement and strike speed would be much higher than that of an ordinary knight.


    Therefore, Rein planned to stick to the idea he had at the time, which was to forego the heavy knight��s plate armor and only carry a weapon to participate in the bloody duel!


    In doing so, having shed two hundred pounds, Rein would essentially be able to keep up with the opponent��s speed.


    Moreover, for him, under the influence of Hammer Mastery lv3, his most powerful weapon remained the two-handed hammer, not the greatsword, so Rein decided to choose the hammer for battle!


    And with the effect of ��Effortless Lift,�� Rein believed that the heavy hammer in his hands could keep up with the opponent��s striking speed.


    On the day of the duel.


    The beautiful lady Jennifer and Jenny accompanied Rein together, riding in a carriage to the dueling ground.

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    Chapter 371 �C 194 Bloody Duel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Soon, the carriage arrived at the dueling arena located in the central district of County Town.


    The entire exterior of the dueling arena was circular, with high walls built of grey-white strip stones. Thus, at first glance, the arena gave Rein the impression of the sort of circular colosseum of Ancient Rome, only on a smaller scale by a couple of rings.


    However, this was normal, after all, this was merely the dueling arena of County Town.


    Today, since two aristocrats were holding a blood duel here and with the major trade guilds�� extensive promotion, the crowd swelled, far exceeding that of the usual beast fights and the like.


    After all, the grudges and conflicts between nobles were a major topic of conversation for many commoners over tea and dinner.


    Now that such a significant spectacle was taking place, quite a few commoners had scrimped and saved to come and watch.


    Indeed, such events didn��t occur in Meister County for years on end.


    ...


    The carriage Rein was in hadn��t yet arrived at the entrance when some officials came running to welcome him. A small squad of guards quickly escorted and directed the carriage into a dedicated area inside the dueling arena.


    After a brief farewell, Rein stepped out of the carriage and walked towards the duelers�� passage, while the beautiful woman and Jenny, after gazing for a while at Rein��s departing figure, too walked through the noble-exclusive passage to the nobles�� stands located in the front row.


    At this moment, on the noble��s stands, Baron Alonso, Dennis, and many others were already there; even the Monsoon and Sea Goddess Church��s Reverend Rudolph had come.


    Five minutes later.


    With the arrival of Count Habbs in black formal wear, Meister County��s Governor, the atmosphere inside the dueling arena suddenly became even more enthusiastic.


    And when Rein, bearing the power of ��Unbreakable Strength,�� and Norman holding a sword and shield, emerged respectively from the two passageways, left and right, thousands of people in the stands burst into shouts.


    At this point, the long-unseen Viscount Hamadi, dressed in exquisite noble attire, stepped into the center of the field.


    Seeing this scene, the whole venue fell silent.


    Only to hear Viscount Hamadi inquire,


    ��Baron Norman, Baron Rein, you both are rare talents of the Empire. Here, I ask one last time, do you truly harbor irreconcilable differences between you that necessitate a bloody duel?��


    This was a necessary step in the official blood duel process.


    The purpose was to avoid unnecessary infighting; by now, it had become more of a formality.


    After all, if reconciliation was indeed possible, it would naturally have been settled before the start of the blood duel, not dragged out until this moment.


    ��Affirmed!�� Baron Norman said expressionlessly.


    ��Affirmed!�� Rein said likewise.


    ��That is very regrettable! I declare, let the duel begin!�� Viscount Hamadi shook his head, expressing regret as he spoke.


    Since the duelers had agreed beforehand to fight on foot, there were neither horses nor other mounts present.


    As the two stood facing each other in the center of the field.


    Baron Norman looked at the young man before him and showed a hint of a smile, saying,


    ��Young man, although this is our first formal meeting, I think it��s necessary to tell you something as my opponent.��


    ��Of course, perhaps to you, this might be unfortunate news.��


    ��Please, speak.�� Rein smiled as well, replying.


    ��Two days ago, I successfully advanced to the rank of Great Knight. So, you are bound to lose!�� Baron Norman gazed into Rein��s eyes and declared emphatically.


    His purpose in telling this news to Rein before the duel was, naturally, to shake the opponent��s resolve, thus making victory easier for himself.


    However, he noticed that his words failed to cause even the slightest change in Rein��s facial expression, not even a flicker of an eyebrow.


    This made Baron Norman feel rather irked inside!


    Quite uncooperative, eh!


    But��


    The audience in the stands of the dueling arena, however, was very cooperative. Upon hearing the phrase ��Great Knight,�� there was an immediate uproar!


    Many had heard that Rein was an exceptionally rare commoner-born Baron, so numerous commoners had bet on Rein��s victory. But now, what had they heard!


    Rein��s opponent, Baron Norman, had actually reached the rank of Great Knight.


    Even a fool would know that ��Great�� before ��Knight�� naturally meant stronger!


    Rein was doomed to lose!


    Explore more stories with


    Thus, many people began exclaiming on the spot, and some who had wagered heavily even began beating their chests in despair.


    In the stands.


    Upon witnessing this, Baron Alonso couldn��t help but laugh.


    As for Dennis, he was even less able to contain himself. If it were not for the fact that he was surrounded by nobles and their heirs from Meister County and had to upkeep appearances, he would have surely burst out laughing!


    But even now, the corners of his mouth were raised past the point of suppression!


    ��This is too unfair to Rein!�� Agatha indignantly said to Jenny at her side.


    ��Beautiful Miss Agatha, this is a blood duel after all. There��s no talk of fairness here,�� Dennis said with a look of pleasure upon hearing her and turned to talk with a smile. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After speaking, he deliberately glanced at the wife of Baron Crowley and Jenny to see their shocked expressions.


    But to Dennis��s disappointment,


    he saw no signs of particular sadness or astonishment on the two women��s faces, which left him slightly puzzled.


    But soon, he figured out something and shook his head with a hint of disdain, ��Women, always acting. Just feigning composure. Heh, soon you will have to come begging to me.��

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    Chapter 372 �C 194 Bloody Duel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��Mother lush and beautiful, Jenny��s words also count as cute and lovely, not bad, not bad��.��


    ��


    At this moment, in one corner of the stands, several knights were escorting a woman in a black robe and hood, her figure graceful, as they looked for seats.


    If Rein were here, he would immediately recognize that these were the knights from the carriage that had suddenly appeared the day he killed Giovanni.


    ��Miss Naya, you shouldn��t be here, your illness requires rest and recuperation,�� said the knight named Lawrence, who seemed quite content with the raucous environment of the dueling arena, frowning after just a glance around.


    ��Knight Lawrence, I need to be here,�� Naya said.


    ��The young man Lord Hamilton mentioned last time, who might be able to help me, is about to partake in a bloody duel with someone. What if he loses�� how could I not come to see for myself?��


    ...


    The girl��s voice was very pleasant.


    ��Well�� okay then, but please pay close attention, and we will leave immediately if you start feeling unwell,�� Lawrence thought for a moment and then reluctantly agreed.


    ��Eh?�� Naya exclaimed with her little mouth covered.


    ��Knight Lawrence, isn��t that the young man we encountered on the road that day?�� Naya pointed at Rein in the middle of the arena.


    That day, she had asked Lawrence, the knight beside her, if that young man was formidable.


    ��Eh! It really is, I didn��t expect it to be the same person,�� Knight Lawrence also nodded, his face showing surprise.


    The girl became even more curious about Rein; it seemed the person she was seeking was the same one she had encountered by chance.


    In the center of the arena.


    At that point, Rein said something that left everyone bewildered: ��The outcome will not change, will it?��


    Upon hearing Rein say this, Baron Norman clearly hesitated but quickly nodded and said:


    ��Indeed, the outcome will not change. Only one person can leave the blood duel alive, and it��s too late for you to beg for mercy now!��


    ��Right, I heard you��ve been crafting armor lately. How come you��re not wearing it today?�� Baron Norman looked puzzledly at Rein, who was dressed in leather armor.


    But before Rein could reply, the Baron went on:


    ��Never mind, that��s not important!��


    ��It��s a shame, you��re so young, and you��ll have to leave this beautiful world so soon.��


    ��Let��s begin!��


    No sooner had he spoken!


    Baron Norman, holding his sword and shield, tapped his toe, leaving behind an afterimage, and sped towards Rein!


    In terms of speed, Norman, having advanced to the rank of Great Knight, was now no less than Giovanni after his transformation.


    At the same time, Baron Norman��s armor glowed faintly, as though some special power was protecting him.


    Rein knew that this was neither witchcraft nor a Transcendent trait but Baron Norman��s own force defense, a special ability of a Great Knight.


    That is to say, Baron Norman��s defense at this moment consisted of not only his armor but also his force protection.


    Facing Baron Norman��s assault, Rein was not in the least bit afraid, but calmly took down the dark, indestructible Strength from his back and held it in his hand.


    ��Clang!!!��


    Rein solidly caught Baron Norman��s sword strike with his hammer.


    ��Eh?��


    A look of surprise flashed in Norman��s eyes!


    Could someone wielding a heavy hammer really have such fast hand speed?


    The next second, Rein swung his hammer down rapidly from above, delivering a fierce blow!


    Norman, having been promoted to Great Knight, and finding his initial attack ineffective, naturally did not choose to retreat or dodge in the face of Rein��s assault but instead raised his shield with his left hand to block.


    ��Thud!��


    The moment the pitch-black pig��s head hammer struck the shield, Baron Norman��s previously calm face immediately changed, his eyes clearly revealing his astonishment.


    ��This�� this kind of Strength, could it be����


    Before Norman could finish, Rein gave a slight smile and silently invoked:


    ��Limit Break!�� Stay tuned to empire


    ��Huge Strength lv3!��


    Suddenly, Rein��s height shot up dramatically, and his muscles became thicker, as he unleashed a series of powerful hammer blows against Norman!


    ��Thud! Thud! Thud!��


    With each blow that Baron Norman defended, his expression changed, and he was forced back two steps, his left shield-bearing hand starting to tremble.


    Thus, the spectators in the stands witnessed a scene that baffled them.


    A Peak Knight, fiercely wielding a hammer, made the Great Knight��Baron Norman��retreat step by step!


    And Dennis, who was shouting himself hoarse in the stands, was suddenly silenced, as if a duck being strangled, his cheering abruptly cut off! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��This�� how is this possible?��


    ��Rein wasn��t supposed to be seriously injured by father in one move, was he?�� Dennis muttered in shock.


    The fact that Rein, who was clearly still a knight, could fight on equal terms with his father, who had stepped into the rank of Great Knight��not just that, but was even gaining the upper hand��was a sight too shocking for him!


    For the vast majority of those present, upon hearing that Baron Norman had ascended to the rank of Great Knight, besides Count Habs and Chancellor Rudolph, no one else believed that Rein stood a chance.


    After all, what does it mean to be a Great Knight? Simply put, it is a level above a regular knight; otherwise, why would such a rank exist.


    Upon a closer examination, it��s easy to understand that the Great Knight represents the next evolution and breakthrough from a knight. If a knight could defeat them, what would be the significance of such evolution and breakthrough?


    But an event that shattered their understanding unfolded before their eyes.


    The next second, as Rein silently invoked, ��Strength Burst!��

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    Chapter 373 �C 194 Bloody Duel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    In an instant, Rein��s heart suddenly pumped a hot stream that accelerated his blood flow, his veins bulged, and his entire figure rose again, resembling a muscle-bound beast.


    Rein heavily slammed down his hammer skill secret technique ��Earth-splitting Hammer!��


    Baron Norman��s face twitched. This time, he no longer wanted to withstand the blow for the sake of a Great Knight��s dignity, but instead chose to immediately retreat backward!


    ��Boom!!!��


    Just as Baron Norman thought he had dodged the hit, Rein heavily struck the ground just one meter in front of him!


    In an instant, a powerful multi-shock force swept toward Norman in a fan shape.


    The nearby spectators only felt the stand under their feet suddenly shake, followed by ordinary viewers unable to stand steady, resembling drunkards.


    ...


    Looking at the dueling grounds, the ground within a dozen meters in front of Rein had been plowed by an unknown force, including all small stones, which burst open to form a large sunken fan-shaped area.


    Such power!!!


    The spectators were all dumbfounded!


    Is this a knight?


    My God! He��s even greater than a Great Knight! sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The multi-shock force caused even the Baron Norman, who was protected by his original force, to stagger slightly!


    Terrible! Norman cursed inwardly.


    But that brief pause gave Rein the opportunity he needed.


    Rein��s second ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� was already striking!


    ��Ah!!! Secret technique ��Iron Wall Defense��!��


    Baron Norman roared angrily, his muscles swelled, and his whole body emitted a faint glow, which was the sign of the full force of the original force. He raised his shield high, hoping to block Rein��s strike!


    ��Thud!!!��


    The moment the hammer struck the shield, although the shield was fortified by the original force, it still cracked directly!


    What followed next was


    a single shock, which was blocked by the original force defense on Baron Norman��s body.


    Double shock, which was weakened by the thick plate armor made of special minerals.


    But the third shock could only be resisted by Baron Norman the Great Knight��s strong physical strength.


    The key is��


    Continue reading at


    under Rein��s full force, the ��Earth-spliting Hammer�� had a total of four shocks!


    Therefore, the fourth shock penetrated deep into Norman��s body, causing damage to his relatively vulnerable internal organs and other tissues!


    ��Pfuh!��


    Baron Norman staggered back more than ten steps and then spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood!


    At that moment, he felt a burning pain in his organs as if they were on fire.


    The audience in the stands, watching this scene, were all stunned.


    Wasn��t it said that Baron Norman was already a Great Knight?


    How could he be beaten like this?


    Especially Baron Alonso and Dennis, among others who had bet on Baron Norman��s victory, couldn��t believe their eyes at this moment.


    A Great Knight beaten by a knight?


    What��s going on?


    The battle in the center of the arena continued!


    Rein quickly rushed toward Baron Norman and struck him with the ��Rising Dragon Hammer.��


    Since Baron Norman��s organs were severely damaged, his movement speed was greatly reduced, and his shield had also shattered, so he could only block with his knight��s longsword.


    But he couldn��t block!


    He couldn��t block at all!


    ��Thud!��


    After slightly being blocked by the knight��s longsword, the hammer still heavily smashed into Norman��s abdomen!


    Baron Norman was folded in half by the impact, with an oddly protruding bulge on his back, and his body shot up like a rocket!


    Seconds later, he finally crashed hard to the ground.


    This time, Rein did not pursue but stood in place holding the two-handed warhammer.


    Baron Norman, while violently coughing up blood, struggled to stand and stared intensely at Rein, ��You��your hammer skill��has reached the master level?��


    Rein didn��t speak, merely nodding slightly.


    Baron Norman nodded reluctantly, muttering, ��No wonder����


    ��Thud! Thud! Thud!��


    Multiple parts of Baron Norman��s body burst open instantly, his armor shattered, blood splattered, and he fell to the ground like a mud puddle, never to rise again.


    Rein��s last strike had directly shattered Norman��s internal organs into pieces.


    There was no saving him now!


    A newly advanced Great Knight of the empire had fallen!


    ��This can��t be real! This can��t be!!�� Dennis collapsed in his seat, his eyes lifeless as he stared at the scene before him, his face pale.


    Baron Alonso also had an ashen face, his previous betting now causing him a colossal loss!


    Jenny and Agatha, the two beautiful young women, covered their mouths in shock, staring at the victorious Rein.


    Even the beautiful woman Jennifer was not calm inside.


    Although she had seen Rein��s trump card demonstrated before, and she had a lot of confidence in Rein, seeing him win was still incredibly thrilling.


    After all, Rein��s opponent was a Great Knight!


    A Great Knight is not so easily defeated, but Rein did it!


    The beautiful woman was very proud of her ��little man.��


    Besides, thinking of the tens of thousands of gold coins in betting returns, she was even more excited, and her beautiful pale face immediately turned flush.


    Meanwhile, Rudolph in the stands was also extremely shocked as he watched the scene unfold. Although he had known that Rein must have had some reliance since he had refused Shion Bishop��s mediation proposal,


    Now it seemed that he had still underestimated Rein.

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    Chapter 374 �C 194 Bloody Duel (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_5


    Others might not be able to discern why Rein could win, but he was very clear, this was master-level Hammer Skill, a realm that ordinary knights might never touch in their lifetime, yet it had been reached by the young man before him.


    This talent was simply too terrifying!


    Suddenly, Rudolph thought of something and felt an urge to beat his chest in frustration!


    That��s right!


    If only he had fully drawn Rein to the church from the start! Enjoy more content from


    Why did he care about his pride back then, saying things like consider it, when he should have just dragged him away!


    A genius lost!


    ...


    Count Habs might have been the only person in the venue who was relatively calm; he smiled gently, nodded slightly to Rein, appearing very satisfied, but since the slain Norman was his subordinate, this recognition was very subtle.


    And most of the civilian audience was now cheering loudly.


    Originally, most of them thought that placing their bets on Rein meant they were sure to lose everything, but unexpectedly, the normal duel took a surprising turn, and they actually won.


    They were truly overjoyed!


    Rein knew that after this battle, his reputation had soared in Meister County!


    If before, the noble circles of County Town were not very familiar with him, after this bloody duel, Rein believed he would definitely be on the watch list of every major family.


    Because as far as he knew, the number of Great Knights in Meister County was very few.


    Even Viscount Hamadi, the head of County Town��s security, was merely a senior knight.


    But he had a record of slaying a Great Knight!


    ��I declare, the winner of this bloody duel, Baron Rein!�� Viscount Hamadi took a deep look at Rein and announced loudly.


    What followed was a tidal wave of cheers!


    Darkness filled Dennis��s heart up in the stands!


    He knew it was over, all over!


    At this moment, many nobles around him were looking at him as if they couldn��t wait to tear him to pieces.


    Because of his father��s defeat, they, who had invested a lot of Gold Coins, suffered great losses!


    Soon, the people in the stands began to disperse, and the beautiful matron and Jenny approached.


    Count Habs did not come up to talk to Rein, as another Baron had died on the spot and he needed to maintain a neutral stance as a Governor��s political cultivation.


    Rudolph also seemed to have similar considerations, so after just sharing a gaze with Rein, he smiled, nodded, and left.


    Once the three were on the carriage, the beautiful matron could hardly contain her excitement and said, ��Baron Rein, we have earned thirty-six thousand imperial Gold Coins!��


    ��What!�� Jenny, who was unaware that her mother and Rein had bet so much money, was naturally shocked upon hearing this news!


    What was the concept of thirty-six thousand imperial Gold Coins?


    The total value of all the Crowley family��s shops and trading caravans and such was only worth a little over ten thousand imperial Gold Coins.


    That is to say, Rein had earned the wealth of two Crowley families with a single duel!


    On the journey back, Jenny��s mind was in a whirl.


    When the carriage returned to the estate, within minutes a manservant came to report, ��Lord Baron, madam, there is a visitor at the door. Here is the knight��s token the visitor sent.��


    This situation was all within Rein��s expectation; since he had won, he figured that many such calls would probably follow.


    For these social engagements, Rein planned to decline as many as he could, and if he couldn��t get out of them, he would just have Jennifer attend on his behalf.


    Thus, Rein didn��t pay it much attention but��


    He glanced casually at the visitor��s token, and his gaze stayed on the emblem. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Huh?


    This pattern��

 Chapter 394 - 394 - 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3

    Chapter 394 �C 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3


    However, he glanced at his confidant and noticed that his confidant��s expression seemed somewhat skeptical of Dennis��s ability to persevere.


    ��What, you doubt my judgment?��


    ��Actually, the nobler one is, the more they fear death, and Dennis��s desire to survive is much stronger than that of an ordinary person. Moreover, his physical condition is among the best even among potential Knights.��


    ��Lord, you are wise!�� The muscular man with the appearance of a small team captain said, his expression one of sudden realization.


    At this moment, Parix took a closer look at Dennis, who was in the process of transforming, and said:


    ��He should be almost successful. Once he completes the transformation, send him directly to Meist County City to create panic.��


    ��At the same time, send some experts to record his survival period. This experimental record is very important. We can exchange it for many valuable items with the Eagle Federation.��


    ...


    ��As you command, Lord!�� The muscular man responded immediately.


    ��Also, tell those bandit groups cooperating with us to start moving, increasing their looting intensity in various areas. Soon, the situation in all of Meist will begin to destabilize.��


    ��


    �����������C


    Meist County.


    Inside Ran��s new mansion��s study.


    At this moment, as Rein looked at his attribute page, he suddenly remembered that after the battle with the Nightmare Dragonkin, he had been busy asking Naya about some matters regarding Wizards, so he had forgotten to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill Tokadar Fist Technique has improved, Experience +32]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +16]


    [Your skill Tokadar Fist Technique has improved, Experience +37]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +18]


    ��


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Skill has improved, Experience +1889]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +455]


    [You have been through a battle, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +25]


    ��


    The ten or so points and the twenty-something points of Knight (Transcendent) professional experience were all from killing those black tumor monsters in the dream.


    The several hundred points of experience at the end were the rewards for killing the Nightmare Dragonkin.


    After this battle, the Knight (Transcendent) had reached level 5 (1789/2000), and it was not far to level 6, while Tokkal Hammer Skill had reached level 10 (6205/20000).


    Moreover, the Kadar Martial Arts, which Rein currently most focused on, had also reached level 4 (77/1000).


    It can be said that the trip to the Usman family was quite fruitful.


    Rein not only learned what the elusive light silver element was but also understood the prerequisites for the wizard��s job change, and at the same time, earned a significant amount of experience.


    Not staying too long at his own mansion, Rein continued to the blacksmith��s shop to start utilizing the ice iron ingots he had auctioned off earlier.


    As one ice iron spaulder after another was produced��


    Hours later, Rein had advanced the Armorer level 6 experience to (1221/3000).


    Just then, a knock suddenly sounded.


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    ��Come in!��


    A servant bowed respectfully and said, ��Lord Baron, the military supply department has sent something, but it requires your personal signature for collection.��


    Rein was momentarily startled but then immediately realized.


    Your next chapter awaits on .com


    Oh?


    Could it be that the custom-made Knight Armor of water-membrane steel material was ready?


    Considering the timing, it should be about right.


    ��Alright, you may go back to your duties.��


    Thinking it over, Rein decided it was better to collect it as soon as possible.


    After all, he had spent a thousand Merit Points to exchange for this valuable high-level Knight Armor.


    Although Rein was now an Armorer himself capable of crafting such high-level Knight plate armor, such as the ice iron set he was currently making, which was of a similar grade to the water-membrane steel set,


    crafting a complete set was still a time-consuming and laborious process.


    Presently, Rein��s production speed was quite fast, merely focusing on the simplest spaulders of the ice iron set, mainly to quickly boost his Armorer level, which was a different concept from crafting a full set.


    Half an hour later, Rein arrived at the northern military supply department of the County Town in a carriage arranged by the noblewoman.


    The guards, upon seeing the noble crest on the carriage, immediately let him through without Rein having to show his sigil or anything else, demonstrating the privileges of nobility.


    Entering the military supply room��s hall again, Rein noticed the same person who had measured his height and weight last time working behind the counter.


    Seeing the handsome Rein dressed in black noble hunting attire, the ponytailed clerical girl seemed to sense something and immediately looked up at him.


    Clearly, the ponytailed girl remembered Rein well, and upon seeing him, she immediately came out from behind the counter, displaying a sweet smile, and said:


    ��Lord Rein, you have arrived; your custom-made high-level Knight suit has arrived.��


    ��I have already received notification, and I came here to check it out.�� Rein nodded to the ponytailed clerical girl.


    ��Very well, Lord Rein, please follow me to the fitting room. Once you try it on and if there are no problems, you can sign for it.��


    ��Thank you, that would be great.��


    Immediately, Rein followed the ponytailed clerical girl to a nearby fitting room where a worker had pushed a heavy box over with a cart, placed it down, and then left. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Lord, your water-membrane steel set is inside here.�� The ponytailed clerical girl opened the box and gestured with her hand.

 Chapter 395 - 395 - 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4

    Chapter 395 �C 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4


    Lord Reine nodded and took out the knight��s suit which had a silvery hue on the surface of the water membrane steel. The silver of this steel differed slightly from the common silver, as the surface appeared to have a layer of water-like film on it, making it exceptionally eye-catching.


    Additionally, Lord Reine noticed that in the center of the silver leg armor, there was a specially added cup, which was included following his request from last time.


    With the help of the ponytailed civilian girl, Lord Reine tried on the outfit and found it to be quite fitting.


    Although he had been a few centimeters shorter than he was now, because he had accounted for extra space at that time, the suit fit him perfectly at present.


    In front of Lord Reine, wearing the shining silver knight suit, the ponytailed civilian girl��s cheeks turned slightly red, and she frequently glanced at him, but then quickly lowered her head.


    ��Not bad, I am very satisfied,��


    ��That��s great, Lord Reine, if there are no further changes needed, then please sign for it here,�� the girl handed Lord Reine a thin wooden board, which had a receipt attached.


    ...


    Lord Reine took the quill and quickly wrote down his name.


    ��


    Not long after Lord Reine returned to the blacksmith shop from the military supply department, knocking sounds were heard again!


    ��Thud thud thud!��


    This caused Lord Reine to frown slightly.


    ��Come in!��


    ��My dear, a messenger from Count Habs has just delivered a letter for you.�� The beautiful woman walked in, smiling with the letter in her hand.


    Upon seeing the beautiful woman, Lord Reine��s frown relaxed, but upon hearing what she said, a thought crossed his mind.


    Could it be a summon to Fishing Port Town?


    ��Oh?��


    Taking the envelope from the beautiful woman, Lord Reine began to read its contents.


    The letter read:


    ��Baron Reine: The situation in Fishing Port Town has further deteriorated. A cult known as the Sea God Sect has recruited multiple pirate groups, not only cutting off sea routes but also periodically launching raids on Fishing Port Town.��


    ����I am currently in Rosby City, coordinating with the Sixth Division of the Empire��s Southern Sea Fleet, and soon, they will launch an attack on the Sea God Sect and the pirates from the sea, but we need you to coordinate on land����


    ����In the next couple of days, a special task force from the Sixth Division will come looking for you����


    After reading through the long letter, Lord Reine had a basic understanding of the situation in Fishing Port Town.


    Firstly, the fishermen were essentially unable to go to sea for fishing, and the entire Fishing Port Town was in a state of panic. Additionally, occasional pirate landings had already resulted in the deaths of two town sheriffs.


    This left the whole town on the verge of collapse.


    Now, there was a critical need for a powerful individual to stabilize the situation.


    Moreover, previous imperial fleet engagements had not been effective, revealing that the Sea God Sect and pirates would play ��hide and seek�� whenever they saw the imperial fleet approaching. As soon as the Southern Sea Fleet withdrew, the adversaries would resurface, consolidate, and continue to develop followers and conduct raids along the coast.


    In his letter, Count Habs gave Lord Reine two tasks. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    First, to maintain law and order in Fishing Port Town to prevent any further deterioration.


    Second, to identify which island along the coast the Sea God Sect and pirates mainly used as a hideout, to make it easier for the elite forces of the Empire��s Southern Sea Fleet to launch a decisive strike.


    Seeing Lord Reine��s furrowed brow, the beautiful woman asked with concern, ��My dear, is Count Habs asking you to go to Fishing Port Town? I heard these days that the situation there is quite dire.��


    Lord Reine nodded and said, ��The situation indeed is severe, but not for now. I��ll leave after the navy arrives, probably in the next day or two.��


    It seemed he had to accelerate his forging progress.


    To at least reach lv7 armorer before he left!


    ��


    �����������C


    So painful!


    Where am I?


    Dennis opened his eyes and took a look around, finding himself in an empty room that was strangely familiar; wasn��t this the manor his family lived in before he left County Town?


    Why was he back here again?


    Was it possible that those people had sent him back?


    Dennis shook his head, and suddenly, he felt something was off.


    It was night, there was no moonlight, and the stars were dim, yet he could see things very�� clearly, as if it were daylight!


    When Dennis stood up and saw his reflection in the wall mirror, he was stunned for a full few seconds. Then, he let out a strange cry!


    ��Hiss~ Hiss~��


    What he saw in front of him was not a human, but a giant lizard standing on two legs!


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    Sharp claws, pale green scales, pointed spines��nothing about it resembled a human anymore.


    What kind of bloody mutation potion was this?


    It was clearly a lizard potion!


    ��


    A short distance away, in the nearby bushes, two skilled rebels lay in hiding. They were observing the mutated Dennis through a copper tube telescope.


    ��Hey, do you think Dennis has gone mad?��


    ��Probably not. Besides, he will certainly notice the change in his strength soon enough. Just watch, he will launch an attack shortly.��


    A few minutes later.


    Looking at his own reflection, Dennis came to the realization that he had been tricked by that burly man!


    But the next second, as he felt the volcanic surge of power ready to erupt inside him, his regret diminished substantially.


    Extending his claw-like hands, Dennis made a light swing, producing a faint whistling sound as he cleaved through the air.


    At the same time, he keenly felt that he could control a certain�� function of his skin.


    Upon trying it out,


    What!


    In the mirror, his own image had nearly ��disappeared����was he changing color?


    It seemed like he had blended into his surroundings.


    This made Dennis��s mood improve quite a bit.


    Reine, wait for it! Heh, even if I can��t kill you, I can still silently take out all your family!


    And all the nobles who looked down on me! They must all die!


    ��Swoosh!��


    An almost invisible figure darted out, racing towards the exterior of the manor!

 Chapter 396 - 396 - 200 Push Hard! Push Hard... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)

    Chapter 396 �C 200 Push Hard! Push Hard�� (2-in-1 Large Chapter)


    Dennis felt that as soon as his left leg, which had turned into a sharp claw, lightly tapped the ground, his whole body charged forward with lightning speed, exceedingly fast.


    He was certain that this speed definitely surpassed that of an ordinary Knight.


    Even compared to the speed when his father broke through to become a Great Knight, it seemed to be not much slower.


    At this moment, Dennis��s mood, after taking the ��Mutation Potion�� and turning into a non-human state, improved a lot.


    Moving around, he seemed like a rapidly moving wisp of transparent mist. Having leaped onto a tall surrounding wall, he looked around.


    Since he was in the noble residential area of County Town, he could see the silhouettes of guards from various households training back and forth, despite it being nighttime. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This immediately sparked an idea in him.


    ...


    He wanted to test the waters with a small attempt!


    After glancing around, he noticed that within a nearby estate, a guard had left the patrol team and seemed to be heading to the toilet. This made the scaly face of Dennis reveal a sinister smile.


    ��An excellent test subject����


    The next second, Dennis��s nearly transparent figure ��whooshed�� and disappeared from the top of the wall.


    The guard, clad in chainmail, had just turned the corner of the corridor when suddenly, he felt a gust of strong wind against his face. Just as he was about to react, he heard a ��crack,�� and instantly froze on the spot.


    Then, his whole body began to tremble like a sieve, and the next second, he slowly collapsed to the ground.


    Now, the body on the ground had its skull completely dug out at the top, and most of its white brain matter scooped out.


    Dennis at this moment was playing with the bloodied and brain-covered skull with his right claw.


    His vertical pupils revealed surprise; he had not expected his attack power to reach such a level.


    Just one claw had directly lifted the skull of a well-trained guard!


    One should know that the skull is one of the toughest parts of the human body, and the strength of the guard was not weak, roughly equivalent to a first-level Knight��s Attendant, but against his non-full force strike, there was no power to resist. Discover stories with .com


    This only made Dennis��s confidence soar!


    Moreover, he felt that the power within his body seemed to be increasing every moment, and the feeling of possessing such a tsunami-like overwhelming strength was intoxicating!


    ��Rein! I��m coming for my revenge!�� Dennis mumbled to himself, looking at his hand that had mutated into a lethal claw.


    Quickly, with a leap, Dennis immediately disappeared from the spot.


    ��


    Meanwhile, two rebels holding a bronze telescope just saw a blur before Dennis vanished from their sight.


    This made them hastily look around, and after much effort, they saw a nearly transparent figure pop its head up from a distant building before disappearing again.


    After that, they found it difficult to track any further trace of him!


    Only then did the two of them realize that this Dennis was no longer the Dennis they had known before.


    Their observation mission was going to be tough!


    ��Damn, the effects of the potion are so strong! How did this kid��s speed get so fast?��


    ��This isn��t what the captain described!�� the leading rebel spat and said.


    ��The potion is so amazing; I just wonder if it can revert to a human body. If it can, I��d also request a bottle from the boss,�� the other rebel said enviously.


    ��Don��t be stupid, Whitey! Don��t you know that the mortality rate after taking this potion is damn high? This one is already lucky!�� the leading rebel smacked his companion��s head and scolded.


    The two hurried along, but as formal Knights, they still couldn��t catch up.


    ��We really can��t keep up, Whitey; hurry up and report to the captain! This speed is much faster than that of a seasoned Knight,�� the rebel complained.


    ��Also, you weren��t wrong at all; the potions of the Eagle Federation are really badass!��


    ��


    �����������C


    Deep into the night, Rein was still sweating profusely in the blacksmith��s shop!


    As one ice iron shoulder guard after another was crafted��.


    From dinner until now, in the span of four to five hours, Rein had advanced his Armorsmith Lv6 experience to (1839/3000).


    Wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead, Rein thought to himself:


    ��Luckily when the bloody duel was on, I had Jennifer place a bet and made a fortune! Otherwise, I wouldn��t have had the resources to use rare ores like ordinary ones, and I wouldn��t have to worry about whether I could sell the ice iron shoulder guards afterward����


    ��After all, pieces like knight armor sell well as a set; individual pieces seem odd, especially since mine are part of a set made from the rare ore, ice iron.��


    ��Moreover, according to the current progress, another hard day��s work tomorrow should just about do it.��


    ��Although I��m using a shortcut, my strength has been genuinely forged through hard training.��


    ��Knock knock knock!��


    At that moment, a rapid knocking at the door suddenly interrupted Rein��s thoughts.


    Before Rein could open the door, the voice of a guard outside anxiously called out, ��Baron, the estate has just been attacked!��


    ��What!��


    Rein��s pupils shrunk as he immediately opened the door and asked, ��What��s the situation now?��


    ��Four guards have been killed, but the area patrol team responded quickly; the attacker has now fled. Baron, your parents and sister are safe and unharmed, just a bit shaken up,�� the guard replied.


    This immediately caused Rein to pause in his movements.

 Chapter 397 - 397 - 200 Push! Push Hard...... (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 397 �C 200 Push! Push Hard���� (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_2


    The family was just scared, which was a relief.


    ��What about Lady Baroness Crowley?�� Rein asked again, knowing that the beautiful lady had been staying at his mansion these past few days, as she was nominally the housekeeper of his estate.


    ��The lady was not harmed. During the attack, she was in the wine cellar.��


    Rein nodded, relieved!


    However, Rein quickly dressed in his newly acquired water steel suit and hurried to his mansion.


    Along the way, Rein intermittently asked the mansion��s guards.


    ��Who were the attackers?��


    ...


    ��This�� we are not clear, it seems it was a ferocious wild beast?�� the messenger guard hesitated before replying.


    ��Hmm? A beast?��


    This made Rein quite surprised.


    Because even if it was a ferocious beast, the chances of it running into a human city, let alone attacking a noble estate district just for food, were slim.


    This made no sense.


    ��Were there other attacks in the noble district?�� S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��There were, but none as severe as ours,�� the guard thought for a moment, then reported.


    ��I see���� Rein, thoughtful, did not speak again.


    Soon, he arrived near his mansion, only to see familiar teams of Night Watchmen in black leather armor, along with many City Guards running back and forth, starting to enforce a curfew.


    Clearly, after the attack, the entire County Town��s defensive power had been mobilized.


    ��What��s the situation now?�� Rein stopped a man dressed as a captain of the Night Watchmen and asked.


    The man was about to get angry, but when he looked up and recognized Rein, he instantly shivered, recognizing the ��Iron Hammer Baron��!


    The Night Watchman captain immediately wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said,


    ��Lord Baron Rein, several noble mansions have been attacked by a monster. Witnesses only saw a transparent shadow flash by, then it was either death or injury, but one thing we are sure about is that the attacker used its claws.��


    ��The attacker was fast, right?��


    ��Yes, my lord.��


    ��Why did it run away then?��


    ��Because we fired a signal flare. After seeing the signal flare, it broke through our encirclement and ran in that direction,�� the Night Watchman captain pointed in the direction of the city wall.


    ��Good, thank you! I was once a Night Watchman too. If you encounter that monster while patrolling, run towards my mansion.�� Rein patted the man��s shoulder, saying.


    ��Thank you, Lord Baron!�� The Night Watchman captain, excited by Rein��s words, bowed respectfully.


    After a brief inquiry, Rein immediately returned inside the mansion.


    ��Wow!!��


    Seeing Rein return, his sister Bo He rushed into her brother��s arms, crying, ��Brother, Cookie is almost gone!��


    ��Hmm?��


    Rein frowned abruptly, quickly went to the villa door, and found that the greyhound Cookie had four deep, bone-visible claw marks on its back, which were severely injured and now utterly immobilized.


    Seeing Rein arrive, Cookie looked at Rein and cried out a few ��whimpers.��


    ��Don��t be afraid! I will heal you.�� Rein stepped forward and gently stroked the greyhound Cookie��s head, comforting it.


    At that moment, his mother Emma, father old Rein, and the beautiful lady also came out of the villa.


    ��Father, Mother, rest assured, I am here,�� Rein reassured them.


    He then turned to the beautiful lady and said, ��You call Jenny, and stay here tonight. It��s safer with me around.��


    ��Also, give enough compensation to the families of the guards who died in service, so their families can have peace of mind. If their families are in trouble, arrange what you can,�� he continued.


    ��Yes, Baron Lord,�� the beautiful lady nodded and immediately sent someone to fetch Jenny.


    �����������C


    County Town.


    Inside an inconspicuous civilian house.


    Hearing his subordinates report on Dennis, General Parix��s brow involuntary knitted, showing a hint of surprise, he said:


    ��Are you sure you saw correctly? Has the strength really increased that much?��


    ��Reporting to the general, sir, we two can guarantee, we absolutely did not see wrongly!�� two burly men confidently reported.


    General Parix glanced at the two men and nodded.


    One of the reasons he suddenly launched an attack was that he received news from inside County Town that Count Habbs was not in town, which meant he only needed to defend against the monsoon and the Sea Goddess Church��s powerhouses.


    The second reason was that he happened to encounter Dennis, a prime candidate for the mutation drug ��material��. Unexpectedly, this ��material�� has now surprised him again.


    Seemingly reminiscing, he mumbled to himself:


    ��According to the physician who sent the potion, under normal circumstances, a near-knight consuming it would boost their combat power to the level of a seasoned knight or slightly higher.��


    ��But in his case, the boost has almost surpassed a Peak Knight, which is exceedingly rare.��


    ��In that case�� Dennis��s body is quite valuable, and it would likely interest the Eagle Federation.��


    ��Hmm, need to retrieve it quickly and then immediately freeze it, otherwise, it will affect the analysis����


    ��Looks like I need to make a trip.��


    ��


    �����������C


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    After arranging things in the mansion, Rein checked the bodies of the guards.


    At that moment, Viscount Hamadi, the county��s security officer, arrived.


    However, just as he got there, a Messenger came and reported to him.


    And hearing the report, Viscount Hamadi could not help but change his expression.

 Chapter 398 - 398 - 200 Push Hard! Push Hard... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3

    Chapter 398 �C 200 Push Hard! Push Hard�� (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3


    He walked toward Rein and said,


    ��Baron Rein, the Messenger just reported that Flashgold Town was attacked by a Bandit gang, and it seems several wealthy merchants�� residences to the north of the city were also hit just now. I need to quickly arrange for reinforcements.��


    ��As for here, I��ll increase the frequency and intensity of the patrols.��


    Flashgold Town and other places were attacked as well?


    Rein nodded and replied, ��Viscount, please go ahead with your urgent matters. According to the current situation, the likelihood of another attack is not high. Plus, I��ll be staying in the mansion.��


    After Viscount Hamadi left, the more Rein thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss. Find your next read on .com


    Firstly, the scars on the corpse of the guard were indeed claw marks, but the timing of the Bandit gang��s attack was too coincidental.


    ...


    Secondly, the Divine Arts mechanism ��Detect Evil�� in the room on the first floor of the villa had not been triggered, indicating that it was neither an evil being nor some kind of malevolent spirit.


    Therefore, if it truly were a beast, it must be one controlled by a human!


    Rein was virtually certain of this.


    Moreover, the attacker��s Strength was quite good, but their defensive power seemed not to be very strong; just moments before, beside the body of a guard, he had noted a fallen scale the size of a fingernail with a pale green hue.


    It seemed to have been knocked off during the guards�� onslaught.


    Furthermore, the fact that the assailant chose to retreat in the face of the Night Watchman��s ambush further supported this conclusion.


    In that case�� it seems�� I might be able to��


    An idea was forming in Rein��s mind.


    Late at night, Rein did not rest. Wearing a suit of water membrane steel, he arrived at the open space in the front yard, but this time without his two weapons on his back; instead, he began practicing Kadar Martial Arts.


    He had left both weapons in the storage room in the front yard.


    Half an hour later��


    A transparent shadow quietly returned.


    ��Rein is practicing martial arts? Without carrying his weapons?��


    Dennis repeatedly observed Rein in the front yard, who was indeed practicing martial arts.


    Although he still felt something was off, at this moment, there seemed to be an extremely violent Strength inside him that needed release.


    Additionally, he always had a strong desire to kill the man before him in his heart.


    The combination of the two made Dennis feel unbearably sick unless he acted!


    In fact, this was due to the ��Shadow Thorny Lizard Mutation Serum�� containing a special substance extracted from the ovaries of the shadow thorny lizard, which had a strong assimilative effect on the human body.


    Now, not only was Dennis��s body mutated, but his personality had also undergone a degree of transformation.


    On the other hand, given the influence of the shadow thorny lizard��s mutagen, the fact that Dennis could resist rushing forward for so long signalled the depth of Rein��s shadow in his psyche.


    No matter!


    Even if I can��t defeat him, my speed is good enough to escape! Dennis licked his lips with his forked tongue and secretly mused.


    The next second, he rushed toward Rein like a translucent wisp of fog with a ��swish.��


    Actually, as soon as Dennis arrived, Rein��s level 3 ��danger perception�� had subtly warned him. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, although Rein looked calm and his martial arts movements remained unchanged, his heart was gradually filling with joy.


    He has finally come!


    ��Clang!!��


    Sparks flew off the surface of the water membrane steel gauntlets.


    Rein firmly caught the attacker��s claw.


    Though he didn��t have his Finger Tigers, wearing the water membrane steel gauntlets meant there was not much difference, except that he couldn��t perform the specialized technique ��Hundred Crack Strike�� that required a blade.


    Moreover, after the strike, Rein quickly deduced, as he had anticipated, that the monster was incredibly fast but not very strong.


    ��Swish! Swish! Clang!��


    The two quickly exchanged blows.


    Upon engaging, Dennis rejoiced.


    New n????vel chapters are published on .c��?.


    Without his weapons, Rein��s strength had dropped by more than a notch!


    Indeed, there are no incorrect nicknames, only incorrect names!


    ��The Hammer Baron,�� without his hammer, was someone he could keep pace with in combat.


    Immediately, Dennis��s confidence surged, and he began to attack Rein with full force.


    This, of course, was all part of Rein��s deliberate plan. From some of the battle traces, Rein had deduced that the opponent��s Strength wasn��t actually very strong, and he might be able to use the opponent as a ��martial arts training partner.��


    Now that they had clashed, it turned out to be the case!


    This was like an ��experience treasure�� delivered to his door.


    Not to take full advantage of this opportunity to shear a big bunch of wool from his opponent would be a shameful waste.


    The guards on the side had already received Rein��s instructions to stay alert and protect the family and were not required to join the battle.


    So at this moment, they were watching the center of the front yard field, where a silvery blur and a translucent blur were exchanging blows at high speed.


    The shrill sound of their clash occasionally rose!


    And the ground would unexpectedly burst open with a small crater, with grass and plants breaking off like mown weeds.


    But no matter how hard the guards focused their attention, they couldn��t make out the specifics of the combatants�� movements.


    Dennis fought with growing excitement, sensing victory was within reach, for he had managed to strike Rein��s left arm twice.


    A thought suddenly sprang up in his mind.


    If Rein weren��t wearing this incredibly sturdy suit of iron, he would have been injured by now.


    And he might have already killed Rein!


    This thought excited Dennis tremendously!


    After all, even though his father became a Great Knight, he had still lost to Rein!

 Chapter 380 - 380 - 196: Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 380 �C 196: Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    ��1600!�� a plump noble on the first floor raised his hand and said.


    But soon, the bids behind him quickly drowned out his, and for this rare ore, although it was relatively singular in nature, it still attracted the pursuit of many nobles as a material for knight armor specifically used in certain environments.


    ��1700!��


    ����.��


    ��2100!��


    After the price rose to 2100 Gold Coins, the bidding began to slow down.


    Explore stories at


    ...


    Rein thought about it and directly had the beautiful lady bid 2500.


    When the beautiful lady on the second floor dignifiedly raised the 2500 sign, Idris, an old man with a monocle, his face joyful and his voice raised two octaves, shouted:


    ��We have a bid of 2500 from a distinguished guest, any higher bids?��


    After three calls, no one responded.


    ��Smack!��


    With the fall of the auction hammer, Rein successfully secured the ice iron ingots!


    Perhaps for others this price was somewhat high, but for Rein, these ice iron ingots had a special significance.


    Conservatively estimating, Rein felt that after using up all these ice iron ingots, he could elevate his armorsmithing Profession Level by at least one, and perhaps even two levels might just be possible.


    Having secured the ice iron ingots, Rein was even more anticipative of the upcoming auctions.


    Unfortunately, the next few auction items were mostly antiques.


    To this, Rein had no interest at all.


    Antiques were, in Rein��s view, items that were expensive but did not offer much practical use, serving more to indirectly highlight a family��s heritage.


    At this moment, a female Attendant knocked on the door and holding a luxurious carved wooden box, respectfully presented the twelve gold pearls that Lady Jennifer had just won at the auction.


    ��Baroness Crawley, here are the auction items you won,�� the Attendant said with a bow as she handed over the wooden box.


    Unexpectedly, Jenny who was beside her quickly took it first. As she opened it, she was instantly captivated by a row of glittering gold pearls.


    ��Mother, these gold pearls are really beautiful.��


    The beautiful lady was also quite intrigued and picked up one to look at. It was glittering with a round, gentle luster, indeed exceptionally pretty.


    At this point, Idris, the chief auctioneer, began to introduce: ��The next item up for auction is an extremely rare ore.��


    As Idris spoke, he mysteriously lifted the red cloth on the tray.


    Huh? A rare ore?


    Rein��s attention was immediately diverted from the gold pearls as he focused on the auction stage, where Idris displayed the tray.


    On it were five long, metal ingots, appearing similar to silver ingots but noticeably brighter with tiny sparkling starlight mixed within.


    Shh! It��s Mithril ingots!


    This instantly delighted Rein.


    ��Mithril ingots!��


    ��It��s definitely Mithril!��


    ��..


    Many nobles on the first floor also quickly recognized this precious rare ore as Mithril.


    Furthermore, the output of Mithril, whether in the Dragan Empire or the Eagle Federation, was extremely scarce, rarely encountered by ordinary people.


    This time, having five Standard Ingots appear all at once was quite rare indeed.


    Rein first heard about Mithril six months ago during a mission to eradicate mermen, where Captain Weilun mentioned someone had obtained a highly valuable Mithril ore by killing a merman. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just like the previous ice iron ingots, to Rein, Mithril was not just a rare ore but also a main material for crafting Secret Silver Engraved Plate Armor.


    Though having the material alone was not enough, Rein further needed to address the issue of inscriptions, but these problems could be tackled one by one.


    A skilled woman struggles without rice, thus the availability of materials sometimes stood as the utmost priority.


    Luckily, Rein had earned a large sum of Gold Coins from betting on a bloody duel this time.


    Otherwise, he likely wouldn��t have had sufficient funds to secure the Mithril ingots.


    Only after Idris, the chief auctioneer, had made a round showing the items and stirred up the lively atmosphere, he loudly announced: ��The quantity of Mithril ingots this time totals five Standard Ingots, starting bid 2000 imperial Gold Coins, now, let the bidding begin!��


    ��2500!�� a thin noble on the first floor couldn��t wait to raise his hand, saying.


    But trying to scare off others from competing for the Mithril by directly raising the bid by 500 was clearly a miscalculation.


    Soon, subsequent bids rose one after another, quite higher each time. Since Mithril had many more uses than the ice iron ingots, it naturally attracted the pursuit of most male nobles.


    ��2800!��


    ����.��


    ��3500!��


    After the price rose to 3500 Gold Coins, the bidding increments began to slow down.


    At that moment, Rein leaned over and whispered in the beautiful lady��s ear, ��No matter what others bid, always go one hundred higher than them.��


    The beautiful lady immediately chuckled and said, ��It seems that Baron Sir is very fond of Mithril, just like how we women love jewels like gold pearls!��


    Because in public, the beautiful lady always paid great attention to her demeanor and speech, addressing Rein quite formally.


    With many nobles competing in the auction, it wasn��t feasible to attempt to secure the Mithril ingots by suddenly raising the bid too much, so after expressing his determination to secure the ingots to the beautiful lady, he left the rest for her to handle the paddle.


    ��3600!��


    ��3700!��


    At that moment, with each new bid, the smile on Idris, the old man with a monocle, became even brighter. His voice rose steadily as he shouted, ��We have a bid of 3700, any higher bids?��


    By now, there were not many nobles continuing to match the price.


    Although Mithril was scarce, at that point, it was starting to slightly overprice. If not in urgent need, many nobles began giving up on bidding.

 Chapter 381 - 381 - 196: Gains from the Auction (Two-in-One Large Chapter)_2

    Chapter 381 �C 196: Gains from the Auction (Two-in-One Large Chapter)_2


    ��3800!�� a young noble scion suddenly stood up, seemingly unable to contain his impatience.


    While raising his bid card, he looked around, trying to identify which family was not showing him respect.


    As his gaze swept over the crowd and landed on a box to the upper right of the second floor, the color drained from his face upon seeing the bidding beautiful woman, particularly when he noticed the black-haired young man beside her. He immediately sat back down obediently, coughed, and said,


    ��Cough! Let me straighten my clothes����


    ��3900! We have a guest bidding 3900, is there a higher offer?�� shouted the chief auctioneer upon noticing the beautiful woman raising her bid again.


    Nobles looked at this scene with curiosity. It was extremely rare for someone to rebuff the eldest son of Viscount Hamadi this way, prompting everyone to look towards the source.


    Ah! It turned out to be Baron Iron Hammer!


    ...


    The bidder was Lady Crawley, no wonder��


    It should be noted that, according to the rules of the Yakesen Auction House, the second floor boxes minium require a noble of rank to use them, and those nobles without a title could not apply on their own.


    In the end, Rein bought the five Mithril ingots for 3900 gold.


    This made Rein sigh with relief at a journey not wasted. Even if there were no further gains, just the acquisition of these two rare minerals alone satisfied him greatly.


    ��


    ��Next, we have two rare Extraordinary Battle Techniques. To ensure that our guests do not miss out on a Combat Skill they desire, I will reveal the names of these techniques in advance,��


    Rein understood the intent behind Idris��s early disclosure; it was to intensify the competition.


    If the announcement wasn��t made ahead of time, many nobles would not hurry to make an offer, always hoping the next Extraordinary Battle Technique might be more suitable and cheaper for them.


    But in this case, if the two Extraordinary Battle Techniques belonged to different categories, there would be no undercutting each other; instead, their rarity would make the competition fierce.


    Therein lay the advantage of the early announcement.


    Fancy a single-handed sword Combat Skill?


    Just one, do you want it? S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��The first Extraordinary Battle Technique is a lesser-known single-handed swordsmanship guide �C ��Outline of Tidal Sword Art,�� containing two complete secret techniques,�� Idris pointed to the red silk cushioned tray beside him.


    On the tray rested an ancient parchment scroll, presumably the guide itself.


    ��The second Extraordinary Battle Technique comes from the late master Kadar Es, ��Kadar��s Martial Arts Outline,�� also featuring two complete secret techniques.��


    ��Each of these Combat Skills, regardless of which one, can serve as a family heirloom, perhaps inspiring unique secret techniques in generations of inheritance.��


    When Rein heard the name of the first Extraordinary Battle Technique, he frowned.


    Single-handed swordsmanship?


    He wasn��t very interested.


    But when the second Extraordinary Battle Technique was announced, Rein was even more stunned!


    Hmm?


    Martial arts?


    This was completely unexpected.


    Surprisingly, there was an Extraordinary Battle Technique for martial arts. Given that nobles who fight using ��Finger Tigers�� were extremely rare,


    Even assassins preferred lethal daggers or short swords over Finger Tigers.


    After considering, Rein quickly made his decision.


    If he had to choose, he would opt for ��Kadar��s Martial Arts Outline,�� not the Tidal Sword Art.


    As for the reason?


    In the two battles he had fought, his opponents had been much faster than Rein, often putting him at a disadvantage during the fights.


    Combat Skills involving Finger Tigers and daggers typically include very agile footwork or evasive maneuvers.


    Once mastered, Rein felt they would greatly compensate for his shortcomings.


    Another consideration was the price. Clearly, the single-handed sword Combat Skills, being more widely practiced, would inevitably face fierce competition.


    Compared to that, there would be far fewer competitors for martial arts.


    ��


    As expected, the bidding for the ��Outline of Tidal Sword Art�� was fierce, going over thirty rounds and ultimately sold for eleven thousand gold to a baron.


    Whereas ��Kadar��s Martial Arts Outline�� saw much fewer bidders, just eight rounds in total, and was eventually bought by Rein for four thousand two hundred gold.


    The beautiful woman and Jenny exchanged glances, looking at Rein with some perplexity, seemingly unclear why Rein chose the less popular martial arts guide over the Tidal Sword Art, especially given his strong foundation in Dual-Handed Greatsword.


    But since the beautiful woman was not versed in martial prowess, she did not inquire further.


    �����������C


    Soon, an attendant came in with a tray holding the yellow parchment scroll, which was the ��Kadar��s Martial Arts Outline�� Rein had just bought.


    Rein received it with a smile and quickly opened it to read.


    ����Master Kadar Es, after observing the attacks of a fierce tiger, gradually created and perfected this martial art, hence, this martial art can also be known as the Fierce Tiger Fist Technique����

 Chapter 382 - 382 - 196: Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 382 �C 196: Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    The foreword was brief.


    Fierce Tiger Fist Technique?


    Rein pondered, This indeed shares some commonalities with the ancient martial arts from his previous life, all of which evolved from the observation of animals such as tigers, leopards, and bears, gradually transforming into fist techniques suitable for human use.


    Among them, the Health-preserving Fist ��Five Animal Frolics,�� as well as the powerful combat-oriented Xingyi Quan and so on, were among the more typical representatives.


    Gathering his thoughts, Rein continued to read on.


    He saw that the Kadar Martial Arts was recorded with five styles of fist techniques.


    The first style is Straight Punch, paired with a forward-rushing step.


    ...


    The second style is Left Swing Fist, paired with a right sliding step.


    The third style is Right Swing Fist, paired with a left sliding step.


    The fourth style is Uppercut, paired with multi-directional sliding steps.


    Sliding steps involve pushing off the ground with either the left or right foot, moving laterally about the distance of a foot, with the other foot quickly following to maintain the original stance.


    These four styles, according to the outline��s records, could all be transformed into corresponding clawing moves, which is why they��re called Fierce Tiger Fist Technique.


    The final technique was the fifth style, an evasive move called Pendulum Retreat Step.


    Each style came with its corresponding footwork, especially the last style, which was a dodging move, and this made Rein quite happy.


    However, when Rein got to the bottom, his eyebrows raised in surprise.


    Huh?


    Is this�� Finger Tigers?


    He saw a simple design of blade knuckles, noticeably different from regular ones, with sharp protrusions at the knuckles.


    Each protrusion shaped like a dagger, wider at the base and tapering to a point, with a length of about ten centimeters, capturing the essence of a fierce tiger��s claws.


    It��s not hard to imagine that being hit by a heavy punch wearing these blade knuckles, any enemy with insufficient defense would end up with four bloody holes in their body.


    In other words, this set of Kadar Martial Arts even had a matching type of blade knuckles designed, as wearing these blade knuckles would maximize the lethality.


    Next came the secret moves.


    As for the secret moves, the first one was called ��High-Speed Combo,�� a technique for unleashing as many Straight Punches, Left Swing Fists, Right Swing Fists, and other moves as possible in a short amount of time.


    The second secret move was called ��Hundred Crack Strike,�� requiring the use of blade knuckles and, similarly within a brief window, transforming punches into claw strikes with moves such as uppercuts, downward slashes, and left and right swings.


    After that, no more items that Rein was very eager to acquire appeared at the auction.


    After the auction ended and he returned home, Rein began practicing this ��Kadar Martial Arts�� eagerly.


    After all, as soon as he could elevate this Extraordinary Battle Technique to lv10, he would be able to change his class immediately to the Legendary profession [Weapon Master]!


    The mere thought of this filled Rein with an eager anticipation.


    In the indoor training area, Rein practiced move by move following the human-shaped diagrams in the outline.


    Soon, a system notification sounded:


    [You have trained in the Kadar Martial Arts, improving your understanding!]


    [You have comprehended a new Skill ���� Kadar Martial Arts]


    [Your Skill Card Kadar Martial Arts has improved, Experience +1]


    The Kadar Martial Arts lv1 (1/100) appeared in the Knight (Transcendent) profession panel, with an icon depicting a towering figure with a tiger��s head and a human body in an upright stance, with a pair of claws and Finger Tigers very similar and in a sweeping posture, quite heroic.


    Since Rein was no longer a newbie, and his experience with learning Combat Skills was no longer that of a beginner from six months ago, he managed to raise it to lv3 in an afternoon.


    However, starting from lv3, the speed of improvement began to slow down.


    Rein knew how to speed up the process; if he could find a suitable person to practice or spar with, he could increase his level rapidly again.


    As for adding points?


    That was naturally something to consider after reaching lv5.


    ��Thump, thump, thump!��


    Hmm?


    Normally the servants all knew not to disturb him in his training room.


    Could it be that something urgent had come up?


    Rein was a bit perplexed to hear the knock on the door, he said,


    ��Come in!��


    Jenny appeared with an apologetic face, ��Lord Reine, I��m sorry to interrupt, but there��s a merchant leader outside who has something he must deliver to you personally.��


    ��Hmm? A merchant?�� Rein showed a puzzled look.


    ��Yes, Lord Reine, it appears to be a merchant caravan from the County of Rosebi,�� Jenny said very certainly, adding after a pause.


    The County of Rosebi? Could it be��


    Rein immediately thought of a possibility.


    ��Let��s go and see.��


    When Rein and Jenny arrived in the front courtyard of the mansion, they saw a large pile of items wrapped in grey tarpaulin, already moved to the side of the courtyard.


    A chubby merchant approached with a smile, ��Honorable Lord Reine, I am commissioned by Knight Hass to deliver these valuable items to your residence.��


    ��I apologize for the inconvenience of having you personally sign for them, but Knight Hass emphasized repeatedly that the contents are very valuable and must be handed directly to you.��


    ��Thank you, you��ve had a long journey,�� Rein said with a slight smile.


    And Jenny, very considerately, had the maids prepare some coins to thank the chubby merchant.


    After the chubby merchant left, Rein uncovered the tarpaulin, and sure enough, inside were the turtle shells that he had cut from the corpse of the Scale-Whisker Ironback Turtle, totaling twelve pieces. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Actually, there were originally thirteen pieces, but one was shattered by Rein in combat.


    As for these hard, thick turtle shells, Rein had already planned their use��to forge an equipment that was not uncommon��a Turtle Shell Shield.

 Chapter 383 - 383 - 196: Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 383 �C 196: Gains at the Auction (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Of course, ordinary tortoiseshell shields are made of general turtle shells, and they are completely incomparable to the ones Reine was about to make.


    For Reine, his main purpose was to gain a substantial amount of Experience by making a shield out of the material of the Scale-whisker Iron-back Turtle.


    Of course, he was not entirely sure of this yet.


    It was merely a reasonable deduction from the fact that knightly plate armor made from rare ores offers a higher Experience reward.


    As an entry-level behemoth, the Scale-whisker Iron-back Turtle was comparable in strength to a Great Knight, so its shell naturally ranked as a rare material.


    Therefore, Reine felt there was a high probability that he would receive a handsome reward in terms of blacksmithing Experience.


    So, right after dinner, Reine went to the blacksmith shop.


    ...


    For the production of the tortoiseshell shield, Reine had already prepared in advance, simply speaking, by smoothing the edges of the shell and surrounding it with an iron ring, and then drilling a hole in the middle to insert a metal handle.


    With that, a tortoiseshell shield was completed.


    In general, the defensive power of the tortoiseshell shield heavily relies on the hardness of the shell material itself.


    Half an hour later��


    Reine wrapped a long, narrow strip of iron around the shell, and then picked up the blacksmith��s hammer, starting to beat it.


    After fixing it in place, he began to look for the appropriate place to drill near the top of the shell to attach the metal handle.


    Soon, he had completed the processes stated above and was holding a tortoiseshell shield in his hand, swinging it a few times with ease.


    At that time, the system prompt appeared:


    [You performed the forging work on a tortoiseshell shield, insight enhanced!]


    [You��ve learned a new skill��Tortoiseshell Shield Crafting]


    [Your skill in Tortoiseshell Shield Crafting has improved, Experience +124]


    [You focused on Tortoiseshell Shield Crafting, blacksmithing Professional Experience Points +202]


    ��


    Whew! These Experience Points are really generous!


    Reine��s eyes lit up immediately!


    ��It seems my previous speculation was correct, the rarer the material, the higher the Experience reward, and also, the harder the crafting process, the higher the system��s Experience reward.��


    This is the shell of the Scale-whisker Iron-back Turtle, comparable to rare ores, so the rewards in Experience were quite substantial.


    After a rough calculation, Reine found that once he had crafted all twelve shells, he would be able to level up the blacksmithing from lv5 to lv6, with plenty to spare.


    This naturally put Reine in a great mood, and he immediately started working with renewed vigor.


    After spending over four hours, Reine had consecutively crafted ten tortoiseshell shields and successfully advanced to lv6 as a blacksmith.


    He again received one Skill Point and one attribute point as a reward.


    And at that moment, the attribute panel showed the remaining attribute points had reached 6, and the remaining Skill Points were finally not zero, but one.


    A completely satisfied Reine then left the blacksmith shop and returned to the mansion to rest.


    �����������C


    Meanwhile.


    Since Reine had won the bloody duel and returned to the mansion, Baron Alonso��s face hadn��t lightened up.


    Even the usually trusted butler, Michel, hadn��t received a good look all day long.


    This time, it was Michel��s third visit, only to hear a maid report: ��Butler Michel, Baron today smashed two antique vases and three teapots.��


    Michel was also startled!


    It had been so many years, he hadn��t seen Baron Alonso this angry.


    Last time, it seemed to be when he was defeated by Lady Creya, right? S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He couldn��t remember clearly��


    After thinking it over, Michel decided to steel himself and knock on the door.


    Just then, suddenly, the study door opened, and Baron Alonso stepped out with a gloomy face.


    When he saw Michel, his expression softened a lot as he said, ��Michel, arrange a carriage for me, I need to go out.��


    ��At your command, Baron.��


    Before long, Alonzo was riding in a luxurious carriage to the Meister County jail.


    In the office of Magis.


    ��Magis, you must have heard the news too? Lord Reine in a bloody duel, defeated the newly promoted Great Knight, Norman Baron. Do you still have confidence that you can accomplish what you promised earlier?�� Alonzo asked expressionlessly.


    ��Baron, please rest assured, I have been actively pushing forward with this matter,�� Magis replied.


    ��Although this new Baron has outstanding combat abilities, this time, the person that the organization sent to Meister County is not an ordinary Great Knight, so I still have full confidence.��


    ��Please await good news, Baron.��


    As Magis spoke, Alonzo was observing Magis��s expression, as if trying to determine whether his words were true.


    Alonzo watched for a moment, then nodded and said, ��I hope it will be soon! Otherwise, Lord Reine��s growth might exceed both of our expectations.��


    Although Magis spoke confidently, Alonzo, having experienced several consecutive failures, had his confidence at rock bottom.


    Honestly, if it weren��t for Magis mentioning that they ��are not just any Great Knight,�� Alonzo would hardly have felt any anticipation.


    After Alonzo left, Magis frowned.


    This Baron��s strength has indeed increased too quickly!


    Moreover, although he had just promised with confidence, he himself was quite troubled because the newly-arrived General Parix obviously didn��t regard his suggestions very highly.


    A couple of days ago, after hearing his confidant��s report, he clearly understood the new Meister County leader��s general mindset.


    The other party wasn��t very concerned about Rein, who wasn��t even a Great Knight yet; the other party��s focus was broader-reaching.


    After thinking it over, Magis waved over his confidant and said, ��You may need to make a trip to Wild Wolf Hills right away and report Rein��s performance in the bloody duel to General Parix immediately.��


    ��Now that he has demonstrated the power of a Great Knight level, I think, this time, General Parix shouldn��t underestimate him anymore,�� Magis sighed and said.


    ��At your command, sir!��


    Soon, the confidant left the office.


    Two hours later, Magis��s confidant rushed on horseback to Wild Wolf Hills.


    ��Eh? To counter-kill a Great Knight at a knight level?��


    ��This situation is indeed rare. I didn��t expect such talent to emerge in a small place like Meister,�� General Parix, without any attempt to hide the surprise on his face, said.


    However, from his expression, there was not the slightest hint of fear or dread; instead, there was a faint sense of anticipation.


    After pondering for a while, he said, ��Send a message back to Magis, just say that I am aware of this situation.��


    ��Originally, I wasn��t very interested. However, now that he can kill a Great Knight, this is quite intriguing to me. But if this Baron stays in the County Town, I won��t be able to make a move.��


    ��So, let Magis prepare his intelligence work well.��


    ��If he leaves the County Town, notify me immediately.��


    At the end of his speech, General Parix also nodded towards intelligence work, letting the confidant know that this was a reminder for his boss to be diligent in his duties.


    ��At your command, General,�� said the confidant, bowing respectfully before slowly retreating.


    �����������C


    The next morning, Hamilton, according to the previous arrangement, arrived on time at Rein Mansion.


    Soon, a luxurious carriage, carrying Rein and Hamilton, headed towards the Usman family estate just outside the County Town.


    Normally, most nobles choose to reside in the noble estate area of the County Town for two main reasons: safety and the convenience due to frequent banquets and salons.


    A minority of nobles, however, choose to live in manor houses adjacent to the County Town.


    Because the manors generally cover a larger area, they provide space for activities like horse riding and, relatively speaking, they offer more tranquility.


    The Usman family is among them; they seldom participate in banquets and social activities of the County Town, possibly due to being newcomers or perhaps for other reasons �� that remains unknown.


    Soon, the carriage arrived at the entrance of a rather historical manor.


    The manor was surrounded by walls covered with wisteria, money plant, and ivy, presenting a view rich in greenery that was very pleasing to the mood.


    Meanwhile, Knight Lawrence, whom Rein had met once before, was already at the entrance of the manor, leading several servants, waiting respectfully.

 Chapter 384 - 384 - 197: Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 384 �C 197: Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    ��Baron Reine, Lord Hamilton, welcome to Usman Manor. Miss Naya is already waiting for you in the drawing room, please follow me,�� Knight Lawrence said politely, inclining slightly before leading the way.


    ��Knight Lawrence, thank you for the trouble,�� they replied.


    As to why the Usman family had Miss Naya receive them,


    Reine had just learned on the way from Hamilton that Viscount Usman had recently rushed to the provincial capital of Mingster to visit a master potion maker, apparently to request the production of a special potion to alleviate Naya��s symptoms.


    When Reine and Hamilton entered the manor��s drawing room, they saw Miss Naya at first glance.


    She was dressed in a light green silk waistcoat, with fair skin, a beautiful face, and a graceful figure, not lacking at all where it mattered.


    Additionally, perhaps due to her magician bloodline, her brown eyes were deep and exuded a strange charm that made one feel a sense of affinity at first sight.


    ...


    ��Baron Reine, your performance in the bloody duel was impressive,�� she said.


    ��Lord Hamilton, it��s a pleasure to see you again,�� she added.


    Enjoy more content from


    ��Please take a seat,�� Naya��s crisp voice rang out as she curtsied to both men.


    ��Miss Naya, thank you for your compliment,�� Reine replied with a slight bow and a smile.


    ��


    After an exchange of pleasantries, Hamilton stood up with a smile and said, ��Miss Naya, the rest of the matter should be discussed between you and Baron Reine, I will go out and tour the manor.��


    Knight Lawrence also smiled and added, ��I will accompany Lord Hamilton.��


    As they watched the two leave the drawing room, Naya turned to Reine and said,


    ��Baron Reine, I assume Lord Hamilton has already informed you about my situation. So, please forgive my impertinence, but what would the Usman family need to offer in exchange for your assistance?��


    Reine had already considered this question beforehand. Considering Hamilton as the intermediary, and his wish to forge good relations with this magician family, he didn��t plan to make exorbitant demands.


    However, there was one thing he needed to clarify. ��Miss Naya, there is one thing I would like to know first,�� Reine inquired.


    ��If the two of us enter the dream realm and still cannot defeat the monster you speak of, can we return safely?��


    ��Of course, this is not because I lack confidence, but merely to understand. I hope Miss Naya doesn��t mind.��


    Naya smiled and said, ��Of course not, even if you didn��t ask, I would have informed you before we officially enter the dream realm.��


    She could tell from Reine��s every word that the most suitable candidate from Meister County��Baron Reine��didn��t seem opposed to helping her slay monsters in the dream realm.


    Of course, to her, this was a good thing; she wouldn��t need to spend effort convincing him.


    ��Even if we are defeated, I still have the power to bring you, Lord Reine, back safely to the real world,�� Naya stated confidently.


    Reine nodded at this.


    ��Good, that puts my mind at ease.��


    ��The second question is about that�� the monster in the dream realm. How strong is it? Lord Hamilton wasn��t clear on this, so I hope Miss Naya can provide a detailed description,�� he requested.


    ��That�� the adversary isn��t really one specific monster but rather, in a certain area of the dream realm, there are many monsters of varied strength that appear.��


    ��Of course, for me, if I wish to break this nightmare, it��s crucial to defeat the source of it, a monster with the strength of a Peak Knight,�� she explained.


    ��Well�� to put it precisely, every time it appears in my nightmares, it becomes slightly stronger than the last. The last time, it already possessed the strength of a Peak Knight. Perhaps this time, it may possess the strength of an early Great Knight.��


    ��However, Baron Reine, with the strength you displayed in the bloody duel, plus my assistance, I believe that even if it has the strength of an early Great Knight, we have a good chance of victory,�� Naya said with added confidence, as if to allay Reine��s potential refusal.


    Reine nodded, sensing that Naya was likely not lying.


    After a short contemplation, Reine remarked, ��It sounds manageable. By the way, if we successfully help Miss Naya with the problem, I would like to have a look at the Usman family library, if that��s alright?��


    With that, Reine finally made his condition known.


    ��Visit the library?�� Naya��s eyes widened in surprise, her mouth agape.


    She had anticipated some demands Reine might make, like a fine weapon, a top-level set of Knight Armor, a favored Extraordinary Battle Technique, or some cherished Sorcery Scrolls from her family��s collection, among other possibilities.


    But she had never expected Reine to make such a request.


    It was truly surprising!


    Seeing Naya��s delayed response, Reine furrowed his brows and asked, ��Miss Naya, is there a difficulty?��


    ��Please be assured, I do not intend to inspect the secretive records of your family, but merely to find some knowledge that is beneficial for me,�� he clarified. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Naya then recovered, smiled, and said, ��Baron Reine, please forgive my lapse just now; it��s because I truly didn��t expect your request to be so simple.��


    ��If it does not involve the Usman family��s secrets, I think there should be no problem with your request to browse our family��s library. I can agree to it right now,�� she assured.

 Chapter 385 - 385 - 197: Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Chapter)_2

    Chapter 385 �C 197: Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Chapter)_2


    ��Just, if that��s the case, I always feel like I��m owing you something,�� Naya said with a giggle, covering her mouth.


    ��Miss Naya is too kind. Then�� shall we start now?�� Rein smiled and said.


    The purpose of his visit was to be able to consult the books of this legendary family of magicians in order to better understand some knowledge related to wizards.


    Since she had agreed, the sooner the better.


    ��Alright, Baron Rein, please follow me,�� she said.


    Naya, too, stood up in surprise and accompanied Rein out of the drawing room upon hearing his offer to volunteer.


    Outside, Hamilton and Knight Lawrence turned their heads upon hearing the door open and saw Naya��s smiling face, immediately realizing that she had already come to an agreement with Rein.


    ...


    The four of them passed through a long corridor and arrived at a bedroom that had been prepared in advance.


    Besides a large bed and several chairs, the room was empty.


    ��Baron Rein, could you please join me and lie down on this bed, hand in hand?�� Naya said straightforwardly.


    ��Hm?�� Rein appeared slightly surprised.


    But he quickly realized that this must be part of a ritual and nodded immediately, saying, ��Alright, Miss Naya.��


    So, under the watchful eyes of Hamilton and Knight Lawrence, Rein and Naya lay down on the large bed, hand in hand.


    This situation, being watched by others while holding hands with a not-so-familiar woman, was new to Rein and not particularly pleasant.


    However, as soon as they held hands, Rein could feel the cool and smooth touch from Naya��s slender fingertips.


    In contrast, Naya found Rein��s palm rough and fiery, which inexplicably gave her a sense of security.


    This was also Naya��s first time holding the hand of a strange man; her cheeks flushed slightly, but soon she repressed her shyness and said softly, ��Lord Reine, please close your eyes, and I shall lead you into the dream world.��


    ��Okay.��


    Immediately, Rein closed his eyes.


    The next second, he felt a change as if his whole person suddenly began to fly high into the air, soaring endlessly when suddenly, he was surrounded by a verdant green.


    He had arrived in a strange world.


    It was also a boundless world.


    But distinctly divided into two colors; one was the green region Rein was currently in, filled with vast green trees and colorful flowers.


    The trees here were peculiar, each growing four or five meters above the ground in mid-air, and Rein could clearly see their spiraling and entwined roots.


    Besides that, there were the large flowers interwoven in shades of green, pink, red, and more. These flowers were immense, even taller than those trees which were seven or eight meters high, with each flower��s diameter greater than the water lilies Rein had seen in his previous life.


    Looking further afield, he could see a cluster of black, mist-shrouded mountains in the distance.


    The black mist above these mountains seemed to be slowly sweeping toward the green world; although it moved very slowly, Rein could faintly sense this trend.


    Is this the dream world?


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    How intriguing, Rein mused to himself.


    Suddenly, the sound of fluttering wings reached his ears and Rein turned his head to see an eagle-bodied creature with Naya��s face appear in the air, just like the family emblem.


    ��Eh, Lord Reine, it seems you are not surprised by my current appearance,�� she said.


    ��Miss Naya, your current form closely resembles the emblem of your family,�� Rein replied with a smile.


    ��Oh, right, I remember now. Knight Lawrence had presented the emblem and visited you that day,�� Naya realized suddenly.


    ��That is correct, Miss Naya. Shall we set off now?��


    ��Of course. We need to head to that black area. To save time, I��ll fly with you for a while, which may cause a slight sting. You might have to endure it, Lord Reine.�� S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein nodded, but then it hit him.


    That phrase sounded a bit odd!


    Rein couldn��t help but shake his head slightly.


    As Naya hovered above Rein, flapping her wings with her hands turned into claws, she grabbed his shoulders and, with a strong flap, began to lift him up.


    After several flaps, Naya was red-faced as she barely managed to lift Rein.


    ��Lord Reine, how can your spiritual power be so strong? Could it be that you��re also a wizard apprentice?�� Naya exclaimed in surprise.


    Rein was quite shocked at how Naya could have identified it, but after thinking it over, he did not intend to deny it.


    Since he had already reached the dream world and was about to join Naya in battle, if he continued to hide it now, it would not only be detrimental to the upcoming fight but also reduce the mutual trust between teammates.


    So Rein nodded and said, ��Yes, I am both a knight and a wizard apprentice.��


    ��And not just an ordinary wizard apprentice, right? Baron Rein, your spiritual power is at least at the level of a second-grade wizard apprentice or above, isn��t it?��


    Rein smiled and did not confirm nor deny.


    ��No wonder! It seems we shouldn��t have any problems killing the monsters.�� Although Naya was struggling to carry Rein forward through the air, the smile on her face couldn��t be hidden.


    It was a mixture of pain and pleasure!


    ��Miss Naya, is the black area we��re going to the one up ahead?��


    ��Yes, Lord Reine, that black area ahead is where the monsters are located. Only by defeating the monster that guards the dream world node will this area��s dream be restored to normal, and my nightmare will come to an end.��

 Chapter 386 - 386 - 197: Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 386 �C 197: Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��`


    ��However, once you enter that black region, you need to be careful,��


    ��From time to time, monsters with strength comparable to that of official knights will emerge, and the deeper you go, the stronger the monsters become,�� Naya said with a serious expression.


    Rein nodded in understanding.


    Soon, they landed slowly at the boundary between the green and black areas, by which time Naya was already drenched in sweat.


    ��I can��t fly in the black region, so from here, we��ll head in that direction,�� Naya said, pointing toward a black mountain ahead.


    ��Alright, Miss Naya, you rest for a bit, and I will lead the way,��


    ...


    Rein thought for a moment, took down his two-handed warhammer, and started walking forward.


    The trees and flowers in the black region seemed as if they were painted with black lacquer, similar in shape to those in the green area, but with dark, ink-like colors on their surfaces. They also emitted a faint black mist, obscuring the view of the distance.


    Suddenly, a level 3 danger perception alerted Rein that some creature was lurking ahead.


    But Rein��s steps did not waver, because such a warning indicated that the monster��s strength was not formidable, posing little threat to him.


    ��Swoosh!��


    A leopard with black tumors of various sizes on its body suddenly sprang out, biting at Rein.


    Naya immediately shouted, ��Be careful!��


    ��Bang!��


    Rein effortlessly swung his warhammer with incredible speed!


    The shadow of the hammer passed, and in an instant, the black leopard was torn apart, its black liquid splattering around, corroding the nearby plants with a sizzling sound!


    ��Lord Reine, your strength is truly formidable,�� Naya hadn��t expected that a monster which would have given her trouble was killed by Rein with a single hammer blow.


    ��Miss Naya, are there many monsters of this strength?�� Rein��s eyes twinkled, seemingly harboring certain thoughts. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Of course, along the way, there are such monsters, but their strength will continue to grow stronger!�� Naya nodded and said.


    However, the next second, she looked surprised.


    Because Rein had actually stowed away his black two-handed warhammer on his back and chose to move ahead unarmed.


    This scene instantly confused Naya a bit, as she didn��t understand what Rein was thinking.


    Even if the monsters are no match for you, you wouldn��t confront them empty-handed, right?


    She just wanted to give a reminder, but after hesitating for a moment, she still didn��t speak.


    Naya recalled her own explanation, which she had given quite clearly.


    Given that, the ��Baron of the Warhammer�� must have his own considerations.


    However, Naya��s confusion didn��t last long, as soon the next oncoming monster helped her solve the puzzle.


    ��Swoosh!��


    ��Bang! Snap!��


    Rein quickly stepped forward, throwing a punch that hit the abdomen of an oncoming baboon covered in black tumors, folding it in half.


    Then came a left swing fist, shattering the creature��s head.


    The headless baboon��s body twitched on the ground for a moment before lying still.


    Naya��s eyes widened in surprise!


    It was martial arts?


    The ��Baron of the Warhammer�� was also skilled in martial arts?


    A noble practicing martial arts was incredibly rare!


    Rein, on the other hand, shook off his hands. Having ��Iron Skin lvl 3,�� the slight corrosion from the black liquid caused him no harm.


    At that moment, he glanced at the system prompt, a hint of joy in his heart:


    [Your skill Tokadar Fist Technique has improved, experience +27]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience +14]


    ��


    Although the experience rewards were not substantial, he had not expected to be able to grind skill experience for his newly learned ��Kadar Martial Arts�� in the dream.


    Although the Knight (Transcendent) profession experience was minimal, it did not matter to Rein, who was eager to quickly increase his martial arts experience to level 5, and possibly even level 6.


    Thus, after stopping Naya from trying to help several times, Rein alone dealt with nearly ten waves of monster attacks.


    From one at the beginning to later two and three, Rein dealt with them all by himself.


    This made Naya somewhat unable to understand exactly what Rein had in mind.


    Gentlemanly conduct?


    So, he didn��t need my help as a female and resolved everything by himself?


    Or is it that Lord Reine has a fondness for me, and therefore��


    After clearing the twelfth wave of monsters, Rein successfully advanced his Kadar Martial Arts from level 3 to level 4.


    At the same time, he and Naya had reached the foot of the mountain, where a large cave entrance was now before Rein��s eyes.


    ��Lord Reine, the monster is there. As long as you defeat it, I can control the node and gain dominion over this dream, restoring it to its original state,�� Naya said, her expression serious as she fluttered her wings, pointing to the cave ahead.


    As Naya��s voice faded, heavy footsteps came from the cave.


    Rein��s expression became serious; he could sense the formidable aura of the monster inside. Clearly, it possessed the strength of a Great Knight.


    Moreover, it wasn��t just at the threshold of Great Knight status as Naya had suggested.


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    The monster��s oppressive force clearly surpassed what Norman had made him feel.


    Seconds later, a gigantic creature walked out, quadrupedal with an additional pair of arms holding a steel trident. Standing at least four meters tall, it was covered in green scales, resembling a huge green-scaled lizard walking upright.


    ��Ah ha, little harpy, you��ve come again?��


    ��Oh, and this time you��ve brought along an assistant.��


    ��`

 Chapter 387 - 387 - 197: Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Chapter)_4

    Chapter 387 �C 197: Monsters in the Dream (Two-in-One Chapter)_4


    ��Hahaha, interesting,�� a loud laugh came from the opposing giant mouth.


    ��This is a Nightmare Dragonkin, possessing an ability to control dreams even stronger than mine, but according to the ancient records of my family, these Nightmare Dragonkin were originally the guardians of dreams, but now, they have unexpectedly become destroyers,��


    ��Nightmare Dragonkin?��


    Rein��s heart skipped a beat, and he scrutinized the towering creature before him.


    Quickly, Rein noticed that the surface of the creature��s body seemed to exude wisps of black mist that ordinary people would struggle to perceive.


    ��Damn! I didn��t expect its strength to have truly reached the level of a Great Knight, and it seems to be more than just an entry-level Great Knight at that. This is troubling!�� At that moment, Naya had just realized the Dragonkin��s strength had seemingly increased once more and expressed her worries immediately.


    ��Miss Naya, don��t your family��s ancient records mention why this is happening?��


    ...


    ��It might be due to the strange and evil Strength within the dreams growing stronger. Lord Rein, if you��re worried, we can give up this time,�� Naya seemed to suggest retreat as she judged the enemy��s Strength to have surpassed what she and Rein originally anticipated, biting her lip as she spoke.


    Rein contemplated for a moment, then shook his head, knowing that if they gave up this time, the monster��s Strength might rise again the next time, and it could truly become unsolvable.


    ��How do we know we can��t win if we don��t fight.��


    ��What are you two little ones discussing?�� came the booming voice.


    The towering Nightmare Dragonkin apparently didn��t take Rein and Naya seriously, showing no hurry to attack but instead spoke mockingly.


    ��Miss Naya, let me try first,�� Rein said, pulling out the pighead hammer from his back and quickly chanting the witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field.��


    It had been a long time since he had activated witchcraft in sync with battle, Rein thought.


    Two seconds later, the air around Rein��s figure rippled slightly.


    ��Limit Break!��


    ��Huge Strength lv3��


    Rein whispered to himself.


    Immediately, the ground beneath his feet exploded, grass and trees flying about as Rein shot towards the towering Nightmare Dragonkin like an arrow released from a bow.


    The Nightmare Dragonkin, evidently surprised by Rein��s proactive attack, hesitated briefly but quickly responded, swinging its trident to defend.


    ��Clang!!!��


    Under Rein��s furious assault, the pighead hammer collided violently with the dragonkin��s trident, emitting a piercing metallic clash.


    Stay connected with


    Caught off-guard, the Nightmare Dragonkin was forced to retreat three steps by Rein��s hammer, while Rein himself was sent flying into the air by the dragonkin��s Huge Strength.


    The significant disadvantage in size meant Rein, despite his pre-emptiveness, could only manage a draw.


    But being knocked back by a mere little one angered the Nightmare Dragonkin.


    ��Roar!��


    It bellowed and charged towards Rein, but suddenly, a fierce whirlwind blew from the side, kicking up sand and stones, causing the Dragonkin to squint shut its eyes and interrupting its charge, its hands protecting its eyes.


    The culprit was none other than Naya, flapping her wings mid-air and casting some kind of witchcraft or innate ability.


    Rein��s eyes narrowed immediately, thinking it was a good opportunity!


    ��Strength Burst!��


    ��Earth-splitting Hammer!!��


    Rein, who was leaping in mid-air, swelled up like an inflated balloon!


    With both hands raised high holding the dark pighead hammer, his body tensed like a fully drawn bowstring, he smashed down viciously towards the Nightmare Dragonkin, which was still covering its eyes!


    By the time the Nightmare Dragonkin realized the danger and hastily lifted its trident to defend.


    ��Clang!!!��


    Sparks flew everywhere!


    It immediately felt a severe Shock in its hands holding the trident!


    Couldn��t hold on!


    Under the triple effects of ��Lifts-as-Light��, ��Multiple Shock��, and ��Precision Lv3��, Lord Rein��s all-out strike immediately caused the steel fork to slip from the nightmare dragon-person��s grip.


    Immediately afterward, Rein didn��t give his opponent a chance to catch their breath, continuing to swing his hammer relentlessly around the nightmare dragon-person.


    Deprived of their steel fork, the nightmare dragon-person was quickly pummeled into continuous, miserable screams, their green scales shattering one after another.


    At the same time, the lethal effects of the high-temperature witchcraft field began to show!


    In just seven or eight seconds, the towering nightmare dragon-person couldn��t hold on any longer, screaming while dragging its wretched body, attempting to flee.


    But escape only made the battle end quicker!


    Rein once again landed a heavy hammer blow on the spine of the fleeing nightmare dragon-person, instantly collapsing the dragon-person to the ground, unable to stand up again.


    Then, another hammer blow landed, cracking the opponent��s skull wide open!


    Beholding this scene, Naya was left dumbfounded.


    She had only used her siren��s innate ability ��Flying Sand��, and Rein had taken over the fight, pressing the nightmare dragon-person until victory!


    It was completely different from the narrow, hard-fought victory or even defeat she had imagined!


    This�� this strength�� is it really merely that of a knight?


    Many questions rose in Naya��s mind��


    After dealing with the dream dragon-person, Naya quickly flew into the cave and cast a certain witchcraft, soon a dense cluster of green specks began to appear in the cavern, rapidly spreading and driving away the dark mists!


    Vast areas began to turn green, and the plants gradually regained their colors��


    Naya was clearly in high spirits too. She descended from mid-air, transforming into her humanoid form, her smile radiant as she spun around, letting her pale green cinched waistcoat twirl elegantly.


    ��Lord Rein, thank you!��


    ��During this time, I��ve been plagued by nightmares every day, with these black areas closing in on me rapidly. I knew that if the green area were completely gone, and I failed to resist, I might be forever lost in the nightmare.��


    ��Miss Naya, you��re welcome.��


    ��


    Both awakened almost simultaneously, and Hamilton and Lawrence, who had been anxiously waiting nearby, seeing Naya��s smile, immediately understood and relaxed, their expressions brightening with smiles.


    ��It seems the problem has been resolved, hasn��t it?�� Hamilton said with a smile.


    ��Yes, thank you, Baron Hamilton, for the introduction. If it weren��t for Lord Rein, I��m afraid it wouldn��t have been so easy to resolve my dilemma,�� Naya said to Hamilton, curtsying in thanks.


    ��


    ��By the way, Lord Rein, should I take you to our family��s library now, or would you prefer another time?��


    ��Miss Naya, if possible, I��d like to go now.��


    ��Of course, Lord Rein, please follow me. Knight Lawrence, please entertain Baron Hamilton.��


    Subsequently, Naya led Rein to the library located on the second floor of the villa.


    It was an extremely spacious room with a floor resembling marble, patterned with many red-brown concentric circles, equilateral triangles, squares, and other shapes that lent a sense of mystery. The walls were lined with towering bookshelves filled to the brim with all sorts of books.


    ��Baron Rein, what kind of books are you looking for? Perhaps I can help you find them?�� Naya turned to Rein and offered her assistance. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein glanced at the sheer volume of books and couldn��t help but frown slightly. Obviously, reading all the books by himself would be impossible without a month��s time.


    Furthermore, there was no guarantee that the Usman family hadn��t hidden witchcraft or, say, wizard-related books in secret compartments or other concealed places.


    Moreover, there was another point: Naya already knew of his Wizard Apprentice status from the dream.


    So, after a brief contemplation, Rein thought it might be better to be direct and said:


    ��This, Miss Naya�� I would like to know what conditions must be met for a Wizard Apprentice to be promoted to a full-fledged Wizard.��

 Chapter 388 - 388 - 198: The Prerequisites for Flame Walker (Legendary) (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 388 �C 198: The Prerequisites for Flame Walker (Legendary) (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    ��Hmm? Don��t tell me, Lord Reine, you��re a wild���� Naya��s beautiful eyes widened, and her fair little hand covered her mouth as she spoke.


    She quickly realized that Rein was most likely an untamed Wizard Apprentice without a system inheritance.


    Rein smiled wryly and said, ��Miss Naya, being too clever is not necessarily a good thing for a lady.��


    ��Ah�� I��m sorry, Lord Reine, please forgive my rudeness. It��s just that this is so surprising to me. I thought you must have a system inheritance. Otherwise, how could you have achieved such a high level of spiritual power at such a young age?��


    System inheritance?


    He had a system.


    But not an inheritance�� Rein grumbled inwardly.


    ...


    ��But rest assured, although we come from a Magician family, we are still quite familiar with the process for a Wizard Apprentice to become a Wizard.��


    ��Oh? Could Miss Naya enlighten me?�� Rein raised an eyebrow, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and spoke in the calmest tone he could manage. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Of course, Lord Reine, you��ve been such a great help to me. We��re friends now, aren��t we?�� Naya smiled, revealing a row of pearly white teeth.


    ��However, if you don��t mind, I��ll start with the qualifications of a Wizard. Afterwards, I��ll talk about the process of becoming a formal Wizard. Would that be alright?��


    ��Of course, that would be fine.�� Rein couldn��t help but smile.


    He was in dire need of knowledge about witchcraft, and since Naya was willing to elaborate, he was eager to learn.


    Perhaps, this was Naya��s intention all along.


    It seemed she knew he had no Wizard inheritance, so she planned to explain things in more detail. Rein had a hunch about her intentions.


    ��Wizard qualifications encompass various aspects, but the type and degree of elemental affinity, the strength of spiritual power, and so on, are all important factors���� Naya spoke eloquently.


    A few minutes went by, and Rein nodded repeatedly as he listened.


    It was no wonder she came from a Magician family; Naya easily clarified several issues that had previously troubled Rein.


    Like the matter of Wizard qualifications.


    Naya explained it quite clearly.


    Initially, Rein thought that the degree of elemental affinity and the strength of spiritual power, perhaps coupled with the speed of learning basic meditation, were the combined essence of Wizard qualifications.


    But now it seemed that wasn��t the case.


    These visible traits were like the reach and weight of a boxer from his past life.


    A long reach could at least be considered decent boxing talent, but it was only one factor; boxing talent also included punch speed, punching power, reaction speed, and so on.


    Wizard qualifications were the same.


    And the high or low level of Wizard qualifications, much like a boxer��s talent, didn��t guarantee who would be stronger in battle��it only meant there was a greater likelihood of a strong individual emerging.


    Often, it��s difficult to judge the more hidden qualities, such as an individual��s understanding, insight, and ability to innovate in witchcraft, which are numerous and varied.


    Naya smiled faintly, showing two dimples as she brushed a strand of black hair from her ear and continued:


    ��As for advancing from a Wizard Apprentice to a Wizard, the first step is to clearly identify your elemental affinity, which will influence the choice of fixed witchcraft model when you advance.��


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    Fixed witchcraft model?


    Rein was slightly puzzled; this was a new term.


    Just as he was about to ask for more details on this subject, Naya countered:


    ��Lord Reine, I see your spiritual power is at least at the level of a second-tier Wizard Apprentice. You must have already identified your elemental affinity, right?��


    ��Well����


    Naya��s question made Rein smile awkwardly.


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to be honest since she already knew his situation. There was no point in hiding anything, so he said, ��Uh�� well�� I only know that one of my affinities is relatively high with the Fire Element. The other, I��m not quite sure about.��


    Naya paused and then smiled sweetly, ��Lord Reine, please follow me so I can test you. I think we should clarify your affinity first.��


    ��Thank you!�� Rein was more than willing to have someone help test his elemental affinity.


    Enjoy new adventures from


    Perhaps Naya could also explain what those mysterious silver energy particles he had sensed with his spiritual power were.


    With these thoughts, Rein felt a hint of anticipation within him.


    He immediately followed Naya out of the library.


    Soon, their figures side by side, gradually disappeared down the corridor.


    As for Naya, under normal circumstances she wouldn��t have had the authority to bring a stranger into the family��s library or use the family��s witchcraft tools to measure a stranger��s elemental affinity.


    However, since Naya had come of age recently and been identified as having an extremely high bloodline concentration, her status within the family had risen sharply.


    Now, Naya��s position could be said to be second only to that of the Usman family patriarch��her father.


    All the privileges mentioned beforehand had naturally become available to her.


    ��Just ahead is my father��s study; there��s a testing Crystal Ball inside,�� Naya explained.


    ��A testing Crystal Ball, is it the round type of crystal ball?�� Rein couldn��t help asking.


    He also had one of those, a trophy he had obtained from Adams last time.


    ��Huh? Lord Reine, you know about the testing Crystal Ball? Round? No, no, the one in our family is a faceted crystal, which is a bit more accurate than the crystal ball you mentioned,�� Naya replied.

 Chapter 389 - 389: 198 chapters Pre-conditions for

    Chapter 389: 198 chapters Pre-conditions for ��Flame Walker (Legendary)�� (Combined Chapter)_2 Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, the two of them arrived at a well-furnished study, where all the tables and chairs were made of a high-quality dark reddish wood that appeared to be of considerable age, emitting a faint scent of raw wood.


    Rein immediately saw the prism-shaped crystal Naya had spoken of on the wide mahogany desk.


    It was a long prism around one meter tall, with equilateral triangular faces, reflecting colorful lights under the illumination of the candlelight.


    ��Lord Rein, since you��ve used the Crystal Ball, the method is actually the same. You hold it, concentrate your spirit, and then try to mobilize the mysterious side energy particles as much as possible,�� Naya explained the usage by the side.


    ��Alright, Miss Naya,�� Rein nodded.


    After quickly inspecting it, Rein began to grasp the crystal prism with both hands, closed his eyes, and concentrated his spirit.


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    ...


    As Rein��s spiritual power infused into it, the prism soon emitted a soft white light, and at the same time, different colors of light began to surge within the transparent crystal.


    Seconds later, the light gradually stabilized.


    At that moment, Rein opened his eyes and saw a cluster of red mist at the top layer of the prism-shaped crystal and a faint silver mist in the middle, with both occupying almost the same length on the crystal��s scale.


    Although there were slight differences, they were just minor.


    The rest were a mixture of miscellaneous colors, almost of every shade.


    ��Oh, Lord Rein, besides the common Fire Element affinity, you actually have an extremely rare Metal Element affinity,�� Naya said with some surprise as she looked at Rein.


    Huh?


    Metal Element affinity?


    Rein was taken aback!


    So that faint silver mysterious side energy particle was Metal Element?


    When the answer was revealed, Rein realized that he seemed to have always overlooked something.


    That was his Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin lv3��. When he first used it, he perceived the same faint silver light with his spiritual power.


    ��Your Fire Element affinity is 71, and Metal Element affinity is 72, both are above average in strength, quite good!��


    However�� Naya seemed to quickly think of something, frowning as she said to Rein,��Lord Rein, it��s such a pity!��


    ��A pity?�� Rein didn��t quite understand what Naya meant.


    From Naya��s expression just now, his Metal Element affinity should be considered rare and uncommon.


    Shouldn��t rarity be equated with value?


    ��Yes! You possess a Metal Element affinity, and judging by the level of affinity, it��s also above average,��


    ��However, you do not come from a large wizard family nor have you joined a wizard faction, so there is almost no way for you to acquire the scarce Metal series witchcraft,�� Naya explained regretfully.


    Upon hearing Naya��s explanation, a sense of alarm went through Rein��s heart.


    No way to acquire Metal series witchcraft?


    Rein immediately grasped Naya��s meaning.


    It was like learning the ��Dragon Slaying Technique��, but turning around to find out that there were no dragons left in the world��


    He had a rare Metal Element affinity, yet there was no way to get Metal series witchcraft��


    ��Your Metal Element affinity, if it were thousands of years ago, countless wizard factions would be scrambling for you, but with the rise of the Empire and the demise of many factions, the already scarce Metal series witchcraft, what is handed down is even rarer��.��


    ��That��s why it��s such a pity,�� Naya sighed deeply as she explained in detail.


    ��Well�� my advice to you is still to consider a first-level Fire series witchcraft as the solidified witchcraft model when you are promoted to a full-fledged Wizard, as this will be relatively easier to find,�� Naya suggested after a moment��s thought.


    Rein nodded, understanding Naya��s point.


    Since Metal series witchcraft passed down is scarce, then choosing the relatively well-preserved Fire series witchcraft would at least provide more avenues for acquisition.


    However��


    ��Solidified witchcraft model��


    ��Innate wizardry��


    What do they mean?


    Rein timely asked about his confusion.


    ��Miss Naya, this innate wizardry��.��


    ��I apologize, I forgot to tell you,�� Naya said with an apologetic smile.


    ��When a third-level Wizard Apprentice is promoted to a full-fledged Wizard, one generally needs to choose a first-level witchcraft as the solidified model to form innate wizardry upon advancing,��


    ��It��s like the innate abilities that some ferocious wild beasts carry with them,��


    ��Innate wizardry is almost equivalent to a Wizard��s innate ability, characterized by significantly lower spiritual power consumption and extremely fast casting speeds,��


    Pausing, as if waiting for Rein to digest her words, Naya continued:


    ��Over the years, Wizards have discovered that defensive first-level witchcraft is the best choice for the solidified witchcraft model. Now, this is also commonly accepted,��


    ��As for choosing offensive witchcraft? Of course, it��s not impossible, and many Wizards in the Ancient Times chose offensive witchcraft,��


    ��But it was later found that, when facing assassin attacks or assassination attempts, or against creatures or evil spirits with invisibility, one could be sent back to the Goddess��s embrace in one blow,��


    Rein nodded, beginning to understand.


    ��By the way, Miss Naya, where might I find a first-level Fire series witchcraft?�� After thinking for a while, Rein asked a key question.


    ��Er�� these are mostly held by medium to large wizard factions and the Empire. Comparatively, there are more factions for the four major elements. With your wizard qualifications, there��s a good chance you��ll pass the assessment and be able to join,��

 Chapter 390 - 390 - 198 The Prerequisites for Flame Walker (Legendary) (Double Chapter)_3

    Chapter 390 �C 198 The Prerequisites for Flame Walker (Legendary) (Double Chapter)_3


    ��The four major elements?�� Rein asked, puzzled.


    ��Yes, the fire, water, earth, and air elements that predominantly characterize the wizarding schools. They correspond to the four most common elemental affinities,�� she explained.


    Rein nodded in understanding. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed the reason why these four elemental affinities were so common among humans was that they had been passed down from ancient times, and the number of schools related to them was the greatest.


    Rare categories, like metal magic, struggled to survive wars and other calamities, and many had been lost to the annals of history.


    ��So, there��s not a single school for metal magic now?�� Rein still couldn��t let it go and questioned further.


    ��Unfortunately, Lord Rein, as far as my experience goes, I haven��t heard of any schools that focus on metal witchcraft. Of course, it��s possible that my experience is simply insufficient,�� Naya said, shaking her head.


    ...


    ��But indeed, with your rare metal affinity, joining a fire-based wizarding school would seem unsatisfying. Perhaps you could look into some of the empire��s powerful departments.��


    ��With your Knight talent, I think joining one of those special departments should not be difficult.��


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    ��The empire has them too?��


    ��Certainly. Some of the empire��s special departments have collected a number of witchcraft models beyond your imagination, far exceeding that of ordinary wizarding schools.��


    ��They even have some incredibly rare witchcraft models, so I believe that if Lord Rein could join these departments, you would surely find models for metal witchcraft,�� Naya quickly replied.


    This was somewhat beyond Rein��s expectations.


    But it was actually a good thing.


    He no longer needed to search for any wizarding schools.


    Since the special departments in the empire had a richer collection of witchcraft models than the schools, once he passed the Sword Bearer��s exam in a little over a month, he would essentially have a way to access them.


    Rein pondered rapidly in his mind.


    ��By the way, Lord Rein, regarding the selection of witchcraft models when being promoted to an official Wizard, although we are a family of Magicians and thus have no issues with selection, I��ve heard a visiting wizard elder briefly touch on the topic,�� she mentioned.


    ��It seems that innate wizardry and the later development of a Wizard are somewhat related, but I��m not very clear on these connections. Hence, Lord Rein may need to seek further clarification from someone else,�� she added after a pause.


    Hmm? It��s related to later development directions too?


    Rein��s expression became contemplative.


    It looked like he needed to seek advice from more experienced individuals to answer this question.


    ��Thank you very much for answering my questions, Miss Naya,�� Rein said, turning to Naya with a smile.


    ��So, does that mean that as soon as the issue with a level-one defensive witchcraft model is resolved, one can be promoted to an official Wizard?�� Rein continued to inquire.


    ��It��s not that simple, which brings me to the second key point I haven��t mentioned. When being promoted to an official Wizard, one must use an important potion, the mist coagulant.��


    ��Mist coagulant?�� Rein encountered yet another gap in his knowledge.


    ��That��s right, the recipe for this mist coagulant is monopolized by the empire and all major wizarding schools, and it��s almost impossible for it to be found on the open market,�� Naya explained.


    ��If you can get the mist coagulant, coupled with the level-one defensive witchcraft model mentioned earlier, you have the chance to strike for an official Wizard ranking.��


    ��Take the wizard elder who is friends with my father, for example. He used the fire-element level-one defensive witchcraft ��Flame Protection�� as his solidification model for promotion, combined with a supreme fire element affinity, successfully stepping into the realm of official wizards.��


    At that moment, Rein was suddenly taken aback. He keenly noticed that the system prompt had appeared:


    [Ding! The host has heard a wizard��s secret and triggered the profession change��Flame Walker (Legendary)!]


    [Conditions for advancing to Flame Walker (Legendary) are as follows: 1, Wizard qualification (fire element affinity over 75); 2, Spirit of 30 points or more; 3, Basic meditation law will rune (24/24); 4, Mastery over the fire-element level-one witchcraft ��Flame Protection��; 5, Mist coagulant�� Current conditions not met, upgrade to Flame Walker (Legendary) failed!]


    ��


    In the afternoon.


    After returning home, Rein went to the study alone and began to contemplate.


    He had learned quite a bit today, so after listening to Naya��s introduction to Wizardry, Rein chose not to stay any longer.


    ��Clearly, to meet the conditions for advancing to an official Wizard, whether it is the defensive level-one witchcraft model or the crucially important mist coagulant, it��s highly unlikely to obtain them before joining a special department like Sword Bearer,�� he reasoned.


    ��In the short term, my focus should still be on the transformation into a Weapon Master (Legendary).��


    ��Being of ��Legendary�� tier as well, Weapon Master will certainly bring some surprises to myself.��


    ��It looks like I need to work on improving my Kadar Martial Arts.��


    ��However, if I want to quickly enhance Kadar Martial Arts from lv4 to lv10, it seems impractical to allocate all my points to it.��


    ��Bringing martial arts skill to lv5 or lv6 before using skill points is already the limit.��


    ��Currently, I have one remaining skill point. With that crate of ice iron ingots auctioned before, I��ll likely be able to increase my Armorer��s profession level by one, totaling two remaining skill points.��


    ��Knight (Transcendent) should also have a chance to be upgraded again soon, which would mean three remaining skill points.��

 Chapter 391 - 391 - 198: The Prerequisites for Flame Walker (Legendary) (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 391 �C 198: The Prerequisites for Flame Walker (Legendary) (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��But where could those one or two remaining Skill Points come from?��


    Rein murmured to himself.


    He focused his attention on the attribute panel, inspecting the Profession Levels.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Profession: Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv5 (1546/2000) / Knight (Transcendent) lv5 (1789/2000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (102/2000) / Armorer lv6 (211/3000)


    Constitution: 22


    Strength: 22


    ...


    Agility: 20


    Spirit: 27


    Remaining attribute points: 6


    Remaining Skill Points: 1


    ��Perhaps, during the next battle, I should use more witchcraft, so that the Profession Level of the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) might rise by another level,��


    ��As for the Beast Tamer (Transcendent), the gap to the next level is quite significant, but I do have all the ingredients for the Potion of Wisdom that I collected earlier at the Nightingale Market in Rosby City,��


    ��If I make it all and feed it to a pet afterward, I wonder if the system will reward me with a wave of experience?��


    ��However, in a few days I must assume my post in Fishing Port Town, and the forging must be completed as soon as possible. As for potion making, it would be best if possible����


    �����������C


    Meanwhile,


    in a luxurious mansion in Meist County City,


    in the underground hall,


    the Black Flame Monk Maral reported respectfully, ��Great Priest, the latest news is that Baron Norman was killed on the spot by Rein during the bloody duel!��


    The corpulent high priest slowly turned his head, lazily stretching out his bony arm, flicked his fingernail, and said, ��Isn��t that something we had anticipated?��


    ��Such a foolish fellow, not understanding his own strength, unwittingly bolstering this Rein��s arrogance.��


    However, as he finished speaking, he noticed Maral remaining silent.


    Thus, he suspiciously lifted his head and glanced at Maral, who stood to the side with a troubled expression, seemingly having something to say but unsure how to start.


    The high priest immediately said irritably, ��Speak up, you want to say that Baron Norman wasn��t weak, right?��


    ��What, was the duel intense? Did Rein barely win?��


    Maral shook his head and said, ��Uh�� Great Priest, Baron Norman had successfully advanced to the Great Knight tier before participating in the bloody duel.��


    ��What, Norman advanced to Great Knight?�� the corpulent high priest, his eyes suddenly widening in surprise, immediately turned to look at Maral and said.


    ��Yes, Great Priest,�� Maral bowed slightly, respectfully replied.


    ��Could it be that this Rein has also advanced to Great Knight?�� the high priest, staring intently at Maral��s face, pressed on.


    ��This�� probably not����


    ��Then how did this Rein defeat a Great Knight? What did the people at the scene say?�� the high priest, pondering, continued to rapidly inquire.


    ��Uh�� According to the people who witnessed the fight, they also couldn��t understand why Rein was able to defeat Baron Norman, who had just become a Great Knight. They just felt that Rein��s Hammer Skill was extremely powerful, rendering Baron Norman unable to resist,��


    ��Later, I also quietly went to the scene and found the ground pitted and cratered, like the thorough shell blasting when pirates storm ashore, with a particularly noticeable fan-shaped depression over ten square meters, purportedly the result of Rein��s hammer strike,��


    ��Now, this Rein has also acquired a nickname, the townspeople of the County Town call him ��Baron Hammer����.��


    There was a prolonged silence in the underground hall.


    ��Snap!��


    The emaciated arm struck the armrest of the chair heavily, and the high priest, with an extremely unsightly expression, said, ��After all, we allowed the opponent to grow��.��


    ��The strength of the Great Knight is always a hidden danger��.��


    ��Right, has Rein not yet been dispatched to Fishing Port Town?��


    It seemed that the high priest had already suffered numerous psychological blows from Rein, so he quickly adjusted his mindset and inquired.


    ��Not yet, but�� it should be in the next two days.��


    ��Hmm, organize Rein��s information and send it immediately to the Sea God Sect. If the Sea God Sect is not well-prepared, Rein might indeed catch them off guard.��


    ��By your command, High Priest!�� Maral, clad in black robes, bowed and prepared to leave to attend to the related matters.


    At that moment, the high priest called out to him again.


    ��Maral, how is the preparation for the prayer materials coming along?��


    Maral halted abruptly, then turned around and said, ��They are all prepared. Rest assured, this time it will certainly not affect the normal process of the Black Flame Prayer Ritual.��


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    ��That��s good, since there��s less than a month until the prayer ritual,�� the high priest sighed deeply.


    ��Hmm? High Priest, has the precise date been determined?�� Maral looked up and asked.


    ��I have already sensed a response to my prayers from the master; the next time point will be on the second Sunday of the Month of Vitality.��


    ��At that time, it will certainly give a huge surprise to Mingster Province, hahaha!�� The corpulent high priest suddenly burst into loud laughter, as if he had thought of something.


    ��


    �����������C


    Wild Wolf Hills.


    General Parix of the Zaral Rebellion was standing on a hilltop, leisurely sipping coffee imported from the Eagle Federation, when he glanced at the subordinate hurrying towards him and said somewhat displeased:


    ��Heshery, I instructed you to organize those newly recruited bandit groups to plunder nearby, why have you run back?��


    ��General, we have discovered a big catch ahead, but even if we gather several bandit groups together, it would be difficult to take it down. So, what do you think���� a squad leader-like muscular man respectfully reported. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Oh? Is it the caravan of a noble from Meist County?��


    The burly Parix placed one of his armored boots on a small stool, while a gaunt imp quickly wiped it with a rag, huffing and puffing.


    Shortly, the armored boot was wiped sparkling clean.


    ��Yes, going by the crest on the carriage, it seems to be the emblem of the Norman family. For a baronial family, it��s hard to imagine they could organize a convoy of dozens of carriages.��


    ��This time, it seems they have moved out en masse from the County Town, and the escort force accompanying them is also very strong, with four official knights alone.��


    Listening to his subordinate��s report, Parix, wearing half armor, casually switched his legs, placing the other armored boot on the stool.


    Without needing to be asked, the imp quickly crouched down and resumed wiping.


    After a moment��s thought, Parix looked puzzled and spoke to himself: ��The Norman family, it seems I��ve heard that name once��let me think.��


    ��Sir, it��s the family of Baron Norman who had a bloody duel with the newly-appointed Baron Rein,�� the muscular man carefully added.


    ��Ah yes, right, I remember now, that family. Interesting, let��s go. I��ll take a look myself.�� Parix, recalling the fact, put down his coffee and extended two fingers, signaling the muscular man to follow.

 Chapter 392 - 392 - 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)

    Chapter 392 �C 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)


    A long line of carriages slowly trudged along a narrow path through the hills, from a distance resembling a gray long snake.


    As the party gradually approached, one could see that the surfaces of these carriages bore the uniform emblem of a two-headed wolf; clearly, this was a noble convoy.


    In one of the carriages, Dennis��s eyes were still faintly red, clearly not yet recovered from the death of his father, Baron Norman.


    To avoid potential repression from the Rein faction, Dennis decided to leave County Town without delay and return to his family��s estate in the countryside.


    Thus, taking most of the valuable belongings, Dennis organized this somewhat unwieldy convoy with the utmost speed.


    At that moment, a cavalryman swiftly rode his warhorse from the front of the convoy to the middle where Dennis��s carriage was positioned.


    ��Whoa! Young master, a messenger just reported that there have been many bandit groups spotted recently in this area, and traces of bandits have just been found. So, should we take a detour?��


    ...


    ��Take a detour?�� Dennis looked out from the carriage window and saw over twenty carriages stretched out for more than a hundred meters, making it impossible to turn around quickly.


    If they really turned back, according to the messenger, wouldn��t that provide the perfect opportunity for the bandits to attack?


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    Besides, there were the bandit groups.


    Should we make such a fuss about bandit groups?


    Now, which county in the empire doesn��t have a bandit or two on its roads?


    Hence, thinking he had understood everything, Dennis said irritably, ��Are you all made of paper? Do bandits have real knights? Even if they do, at most one, right? But you are four!��


    ��This�� alright then.�� The cavalryman who had come to report pondered and seemed to agree with his young master��s point.


    The messenger then controlled his horse, heading to the front of the caravan to relay the message.


    Dennis watched the scene, feeling deeply shaken within.


    After his father was defeated in the duel, those nobles who had previously been close immediately turned against him, pledging allegiance to Baron Rein, who had risen from ��common folk.��


    What Dennis found most unbearable was the shiftiness of Baron Alonso, who had tried to win him over after his father became a Great Knight, but now, Dennis couldn��t even get a meeting with him��


    At the thought of this, Dennis��s hands involuntarily clenched tightly.


    I will have my revenge!


    I will make them all tremble at my feet!


    As Dennis��s thoughts wandered, he suddenly heard cries for help and the sharp sound of piercing the air coming from both the front and the back of the convoy!


    ��Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!��


    Do these bandits have the audacity to attack such a large convoy?


    Dennis fiercely pulled back the curtain and saw dozens of bandits surge from around them, brandishing crossbows, and causing heavy casualties among his family��s guards.


    Just as he was about to curse his guards for their incompetence, he suddenly sensed something was amiss.


    For the attackers, several stout men leading the bandits, possessed the strength of real knights!


    Hiss!


    Two, no, three real knights?


    Wait, this is��


    ��This�� this damn thing is a Great Knight!�� Dennis��s pupils suddenly dilated, his eyes widened as he blurted out.


    For he recognized the faint luminescence on the other��s body, even more distinct than that of his father, Baron Norman. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then he saw a burly man in half-armor, casually advancing despite the rain of bolts from the guards, moving slowly yet swiftly.


    ��Damn it! How could this be happening! By the goddess above!�� Dennis whispered in horror.


    He couldn��t believe that a bandit group could include a Great Knight!


    Are Great Knights so ��cheap�� now?


    With the Great Knight joining in, the battle rapidly turned one-sided, and Norman family��s guards were decimated.


    ��


    Minutes later, like a dead dog, Dennis was grabbed and harshly thrown before the burly man in half-armor.


    Dazed by the fall, Dennis heard the burly man report to the big man: ����Sir, this is the heir of the Norman family, the eldest son of the former Baron Norman.����


    ��Oh? Merely a squire?�� General Parix initially had high hopes, but upon looking down, he was disappointed and shook his head.


    Dennis dared not lift his head, merely extending his gaze along the ground, where he saw a pair of gleaming plate-armored boots that filled his view, boots that didn��t even have a speck of mud despite having killed four family knights.


    As Dennis��s gaze lifted slightly, he saw several Norman family knights lying in pools of blood a few meters in front of him, which instantly sank his heart.


    He didn��t want to die!


    He was still young!


    He was about to become a real knight!


    ��So�� Sir, shall we just kill this boy?�� The squad leader, dressed like a strongman, hesitated a while, unsure of his superior��s intentions.


    But upon hearing this, Dennis��s soul nearly fled!


    Instinctively, he shouted, ��I��m useful! Don��t kill me. Aren��t you bandits? I know which nobles in County Town are the wealthiest, and looting them would yield a rich haul.��


    ��Oh?�� General Parix smiled slightly upon hearing this.


    ��Then let��s hear it.��


    Grasping at this lifeline, Dennis suddenly had a spark of inspiration and blurted out:


    ��There��s a newly ascended Baron named Rein who recently made a large sum of money, and the Crowley family has also made a hefty sum recently, at least tens of thousands of gold. Many in County Town know this, you can verify it��.��

 Chapter 393 - 393 - 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_2

    Chapter 393 �C 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_2


    ��`


    ��Hahaha, interesting. Has that Rein just won a bloody duel, and the opponent was your father?�� General Parix burst into sarcastic laughter upon hearing Dennis��s reply.


    The moment sent a chill through Dennis��s heart.


    You bastards, aren��t you just a band of bandits?


    How do you know about the bloody duel?


    And how come you know it so well, that Rein beat my father? Dennis was somewhat befuddled for a moment.


    ��Kid, seeing you flee like you��re moving house, you must be hiding from this Rein too, right?�� General Parix looked down at Dennis, who lay at his feet.


    ...


    A bit confused, Dennis subconsciously nodded.


    ��Would you like to have your revenge?�� Parix continued to ask.


    ��Revenge?!�� For a moment, Dennis felt as if he had moved from hell to heaven; he hadn��t expected this ��Bandit�� Great Knight, who was stronger than his father, to actually be willing to help him take his revenge!


    ��Of course! That would be��sir, could you help me with my revenge?��


    ��No, no, you��ve got it wrong. Revenge is something you must do yourself, but I will help you.��


    Hearing that the burly man wouldn��t take action directly sent Dennis on an emotional roller coaster, as his mood plunged once again.


    What use is help!


    Rein defeated even my father; even with help, I couldn��t possibly beat him! Dennis grumbled to himself.


    ��But��but I��m no match for Rein at all, you know. My father became a Great Knight, yet he couldn��t defeat Rein���� Dennis said tactfully.


    ��I have a way for you to gain great strength, albeit a bit�� painful,�� General Parix thought for a moment, then chose the word ��painful.��


    ��Painful?�� Dennis was somewhat puzzled.


    At that moment, Parix waved his hand, and a burly man approached with an exquisitely carved wooden box, which he opened immediately. Your next read is at


    Inside was a pink potion in a transparent glass vial, bubbling slightly.


    The vial was corked, yet a sweet fragrance could still be detected.


    ��This is a ��Mutation Potion��; only Squires can consume it, and they need to have a strong desire to survive. Only with that can one successfully gain great strength after consumption.��


    ��As for side effects�� Well, it��s a bit painful,�� Parix explained with a seemingly benevolent face.


    ��This���� Dennis appeared contemplative.


    He knew all too well that what this imposing man was saying wasn��t entirely true, or at least only partially true.


    But did he even have a choice now?


    Dennis lowered his gaze once more to the sight of several family knights lying dead in pools of blood, their eyes still open.


    He knew that if he dared refuse, his body might soon be joining theirs on the ground.


    So��he had no choice!


    ��Alright! Sir, if after I take the potion I still can��t succeed in killing Rein, I hope you can step in to take care of him for me.��


    ��Of course, that would just be a trivial matter to me.��


    ��There are too many people here. Clean up the site, and then escort Master Dennis to our stronghold,�� Parix ordered.


    ��By your command, sir.��


    ��


    ��Are you prepared?�� Parix asked with a smile.


    ��Ready, sir.�� Dennis had made up his mind. Sooner or later, he��d have to take it; might as well do it willingly and maybe even curry some favor with the man.


    ��Very well.�� General Parix waved his hand, and the robust man next to him handed over the pink vial to Dennis.


    Dennis, with a fierce look in his eyes, didn��t hesitate. He popped the stopper and ��glug-glug-glug�� downed the pink liquid.


    ��Burp~��


    Dennis burped satisfyingly, and his eyes lit up!


    He hadn��t expected the ��Mutation Potion�� to taste�� surprisingly good!


    Parix, pleased with this scene, nodded and said with a smile, ��It��ll hurt a bit in a moment, and to prevent you from harming yourself, we need to put some shackles on you.��


    ��This���� Dennis looked doubtful but stretched out his hands helplessly as the burly man approached him carrying the heavy shackles.


    ��Click!��


    The shackles locked!


    Dennis felt the heavy, peculiar material of the metal shackles on his wrists.


    The air in the room almost stilled, and Dennis thought he could hear his heartbeat growing louder and more intense!


    About half a minute later, a burning pain surged from his stomach!


    ��Agh!!��


    Dennis immediately screamed in agony!


    His body��s veins began to bulge and writhe!


    His skin also started displaying tiny, dense scales��


    Dennis felt pain deep in his bones!


    This is just a little pain?


    Liar!!!


    ��


    ��Sir, you said this boy is a noble offspring; can he endure it?�� a squad leader dressed tough asked, looking at Dennis writhing and screaming on the ground in pain.


    They had tried this experiment on several others before, but none had withstood it.


    Any one of those individuals seemed more formidable than Dennis.


    ��This ��Shadow Lizard Mutation Potion�� is an experimental drug from the Eagle Federation; however, the conditions for taking it are quite harsh. It works best on Squires, not on official Knights, because Knights who have taken advancement Magic Potions find it difficult to mutate.��


    ��Moreover, the person taking it must have a strong desire to survive. Once these two conditions are met, the success rate increases significantly,�� General Parix explained to his confidant.


    ��`


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 Chapter 394 - 394 - 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3

    Chapter 394 �C 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3


    However, he glanced at his confidant and noticed that his confidant��s expression seemed somewhat skeptical of Dennis��s ability to persevere.


    ��What, you doubt my judgment?��


    ��Actually, the nobler one is, the more they fear death, and Dennis��s desire to survive is much stronger than that of an ordinary person. Moreover, his physical condition is among the best even among potential Knights.��


    ��Lord, you are wise!�� The muscular man with the appearance of a small team captain said, his expression one of sudden realization.


    At this moment, Parix took a closer look at Dennis, who was in the process of transforming, and said:


    ��He should be almost successful. Once he completes the transformation, send him directly to Meist County City to create panic.��


    ��At the same time, send some experts to record his survival period. This experimental record is very important. We can exchange it for many valuable items with the Eagle Federation.��


    ...


    ��As you command, Lord!�� The muscular man responded immediately.


    ��Also, tell those bandit groups cooperating with us to start moving, increasing their looting intensity in various areas. Soon, the situation in all of Meist will begin to destabilize.��


    ��


    �����������C


    Meist County.


    Inside Ran��s new mansion��s study.


    At this moment, as Rein looked at his attribute page, he suddenly remembered that after the battle with the Nightmare Dragonkin, he had been busy asking Naya about some matters regarding Wizards, so he had forgotten to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill Tokadar Fist Technique has improved, Experience +32]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +16]


    [Your skill Tokadar Fist Technique has improved, Experience +37]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +18]


    ��


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Skill has improved, Experience +1889]


    [You have been through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +455]


    [You have been through a battle, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +25]


    ��


    The ten or so points and the twenty-something points of Knight (Transcendent) professional experience were all from killing those black tumor monsters in the dream.


    The several hundred points of experience at the end were the rewards for killing the Nightmare Dragonkin.


    After this battle, the Knight (Transcendent) had reached level 5 (1789/2000), and it was not far to level 6, while Tokkal Hammer Skill had reached level 10 (6205/20000).


    Moreover, the Kadar Martial Arts, which Rein currently most focused on, had also reached level 4 (77/1000).


    It can be said that the trip to the Usman family was quite fruitful.


    Rein not only learned what the elusive light silver element was but also understood the prerequisites for the wizard��s job change, and at the same time, earned a significant amount of experience.


    Not staying too long at his own mansion, Rein continued to the blacksmith��s shop to start utilizing the ice iron ingots he had auctioned off earlier.


    As one ice iron spaulder after another was produced��


    Hours later, Rein had advanced the Armorer level 6 experience to (1221/3000).


    Just then, a knock suddenly sounded.


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    ��Come in!��


    A servant bowed respectfully and said, ��Lord Baron, the military supply department has sent something, but it requires your personal signature for collection.��


    Rein was momentarily startled but then immediately realized.


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    Oh?


    Could it be that the custom-made Knight Armor of water-membrane steel material was ready?


    Considering the timing, it should be about right.


    ��Alright, you may go back to your duties.��


    Thinking it over, Rein decided it was better to collect it as soon as possible.


    After all, he had spent a thousand Merit Points to exchange for this valuable high-level Knight Armor.


    Although Rein was now an Armorer himself capable of crafting such high-level Knight plate armor, such as the ice iron set he was currently making, which was of a similar grade to the water-membrane steel set,


    crafting a complete set was still a time-consuming and laborious process.


    Presently, Rein��s production speed was quite fast, merely focusing on the simplest spaulders of the ice iron set, mainly to quickly boost his Armorer level, which was a different concept from crafting a full set.


    Half an hour later, Rein arrived at the northern military supply department of the County Town in a carriage arranged by the noblewoman.


    The guards, upon seeing the noble crest on the carriage, immediately let him through without Rein having to show his sigil or anything else, demonstrating the privileges of nobility.


    Entering the military supply room��s hall again, Rein noticed the same person who had measured his height and weight last time working behind the counter.


    Seeing the handsome Rein dressed in black noble hunting attire, the ponytailed clerical girl seemed to sense something and immediately looked up at him.


    Clearly, the ponytailed girl remembered Rein well, and upon seeing him, she immediately came out from behind the counter, displaying a sweet smile, and said:


    ��Lord Rein, you have arrived; your custom-made high-level Knight suit has arrived.��


    ��I have already received notification, and I came here to check it out.�� Rein nodded to the ponytailed clerical girl.


    ��Very well, Lord Rein, please follow me to the fitting room. Once you try it on and if there are no problems, you can sign for it.��


    ��Thank you, that would be great.��


    Immediately, Rein followed the ponytailed clerical girl to a nearby fitting room where a worker had pushed a heavy box over with a cart, placed it down, and then left. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Lord, your water-membrane steel set is inside here.�� The ponytailed clerical girl opened the box and gestured with her hand.

 Chapter 395 - 395 - 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4

    Chapter 395 �C 199 Mutation (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4


    Lord Reine nodded and took out the knight��s suit which had a silvery hue on the surface of the water membrane steel. The silver of this steel differed slightly from the common silver, as the surface appeared to have a layer of water-like film on it, making it exceptionally eye-catching.


    Additionally, Lord Reine noticed that in the center of the silver leg armor, there was a specially added cup, which was included following his request from last time.


    With the help of the ponytailed civilian girl, Lord Reine tried on the outfit and found it to be quite fitting.


    Although he had been a few centimeters shorter than he was now, because he had accounted for extra space at that time, the suit fit him perfectly at present.


    In front of Lord Reine, wearing the shining silver knight suit, the ponytailed civilian girl��s cheeks turned slightly red, and she frequently glanced at him, but then quickly lowered her head.


    ��Not bad, I am very satisfied,��


    ��That��s great, Lord Reine, if there are no further changes needed, then please sign for it here,�� the girl handed Lord Reine a thin wooden board, which had a receipt attached.


    ...


    Lord Reine took the quill and quickly wrote down his name.


    ��


    Not long after Lord Reine returned to the blacksmith shop from the military supply department, knocking sounds were heard again!


    ��Thud thud thud!��


    This caused Lord Reine to frown slightly.


    ��Come in!��


    ��My dear, a messenger from Count Habs has just delivered a letter for you.�� The beautiful woman walked in, smiling with the letter in her hand.


    Upon seeing the beautiful woman, Lord Reine��s frown relaxed, but upon hearing what she said, a thought crossed his mind.


    Could it be a summon to Fishing Port Town?


    ��Oh?��


    Taking the envelope from the beautiful woman, Lord Reine began to read its contents.


    The letter read:


    ��Baron Reine: The situation in Fishing Port Town has further deteriorated. A cult known as the Sea God Sect has recruited multiple pirate groups, not only cutting off sea routes but also periodically launching raids on Fishing Port Town.��


    ����I am currently in Rosby City, coordinating with the Sixth Division of the Empire��s Southern Sea Fleet, and soon, they will launch an attack on the Sea God Sect and the pirates from the sea, but we need you to coordinate on land����


    ����In the next couple of days, a special task force from the Sixth Division will come looking for you����


    After reading through the long letter, Lord Reine had a basic understanding of the situation in Fishing Port Town.


    Firstly, the fishermen were essentially unable to go to sea for fishing, and the entire Fishing Port Town was in a state of panic. Additionally, occasional pirate landings had already resulted in the deaths of two town sheriffs.


    This left the whole town on the verge of collapse.


    Now, there was a critical need for a powerful individual to stabilize the situation.


    Moreover, previous imperial fleet engagements had not been effective, revealing that the Sea God Sect and pirates would play ��hide and seek�� whenever they saw the imperial fleet approaching. As soon as the Southern Sea Fleet withdrew, the adversaries would resurface, consolidate, and continue to develop followers and conduct raids along the coast.


    In his letter, Count Habs gave Lord Reine two tasks. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    First, to maintain law and order in Fishing Port Town to prevent any further deterioration.


    Second, to identify which island along the coast the Sea God Sect and pirates mainly used as a hideout, to make it easier for the elite forces of the Empire��s Southern Sea Fleet to launch a decisive strike.


    Seeing Lord Reine��s furrowed brow, the beautiful woman asked with concern, ��My dear, is Count Habs asking you to go to Fishing Port Town? I heard these days that the situation there is quite dire.��


    Lord Reine nodded and said, ��The situation indeed is severe, but not for now. I��ll leave after the navy arrives, probably in the next day or two.��


    It seemed he had to accelerate his forging progress.


    To at least reach lv7 armorer before he left!


    ��


    �����������C


    So painful!


    Where am I?


    Dennis opened his eyes and took a look around, finding himself in an empty room that was strangely familiar; wasn��t this the manor his family lived in before he left County Town?


    Why was he back here again?


    Was it possible that those people had sent him back?


    Dennis shook his head, and suddenly, he felt something was off.


    It was night, there was no moonlight, and the stars were dim, yet he could see things very�� clearly, as if it were daylight!


    When Dennis stood up and saw his reflection in the wall mirror, he was stunned for a full few seconds. Then, he let out a strange cry!


    ��Hiss~ Hiss~��


    What he saw in front of him was not a human, but a giant lizard standing on two legs!


    Your journey continues on .com


    Sharp claws, pale green scales, pointed spines��nothing about it resembled a human anymore.


    What kind of bloody mutation potion was this?


    It was clearly a lizard potion!


    ��


    A short distance away, in the nearby bushes, two skilled rebels lay in hiding. They were observing the mutated Dennis through a copper tube telescope.


    ��Hey, do you think Dennis has gone mad?��


    ��Probably not. Besides, he will certainly notice the change in his strength soon enough. Just watch, he will launch an attack shortly.��


    A few minutes later.


    Looking at his own reflection, Dennis came to the realization that he had been tricked by that burly man!


    But the next second, as he felt the volcanic surge of power ready to erupt inside him, his regret diminished substantially.


    Extending his claw-like hands, Dennis made a light swing, producing a faint whistling sound as he cleaved through the air.


    At the same time, he keenly felt that he could control a certain�� function of his skin.


    Upon trying it out,


    What!


    In the mirror, his own image had nearly ��disappeared����was he changing color?


    It seemed like he had blended into his surroundings.


    This made Dennis��s mood improve quite a bit.


    Reine, wait for it! Heh, even if I can��t kill you, I can still silently take out all your family!


    And all the nobles who looked down on me! They must all die!


    ��Swoosh!��


    An almost invisible figure darted out, racing towards the exterior of the manor!

 Chapter 396 - 396 - 200 Push Hard! Push Hard... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)

    Chapter 396 �C 200 Push Hard! Push Hard�� (2-in-1 Large Chapter)


    Dennis felt that as soon as his left leg, which had turned into a sharp claw, lightly tapped the ground, his whole body charged forward with lightning speed, exceedingly fast.


    He was certain that this speed definitely surpassed that of an ordinary Knight.


    Even compared to the speed when his father broke through to become a Great Knight, it seemed to be not much slower.


    At this moment, Dennis��s mood, after taking the ��Mutation Potion�� and turning into a non-human state, improved a lot.


    Moving around, he seemed like a rapidly moving wisp of transparent mist. Having leaped onto a tall surrounding wall, he looked around.


    Since he was in the noble residential area of County Town, he could see the silhouettes of guards from various households training back and forth, despite it being nighttime. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This immediately sparked an idea in him.


    ...


    He wanted to test the waters with a small attempt!


    After glancing around, he noticed that within a nearby estate, a guard had left the patrol team and seemed to be heading to the toilet. This made the scaly face of Dennis reveal a sinister smile.


    ��An excellent test subject����


    The next second, Dennis��s nearly transparent figure ��whooshed�� and disappeared from the top of the wall.


    The guard, clad in chainmail, had just turned the corner of the corridor when suddenly, he felt a gust of strong wind against his face. Just as he was about to react, he heard a ��crack,�� and instantly froze on the spot.


    Then, his whole body began to tremble like a sieve, and the next second, he slowly collapsed to the ground.


    Now, the body on the ground had its skull completely dug out at the top, and most of its white brain matter scooped out.


    Dennis at this moment was playing with the bloodied and brain-covered skull with his right claw.


    His vertical pupils revealed surprise; he had not expected his attack power to reach such a level.


    Just one claw had directly lifted the skull of a well-trained guard!


    One should know that the skull is one of the toughest parts of the human body, and the strength of the guard was not weak, roughly equivalent to a first-level Knight��s Attendant, but against his non-full force strike, there was no power to resist. Discover stories with .com


    This only made Dennis��s confidence soar!


    Moreover, he felt that the power within his body seemed to be increasing every moment, and the feeling of possessing such a tsunami-like overwhelming strength was intoxicating!


    ��Rein! I��m coming for my revenge!�� Dennis mumbled to himself, looking at his hand that had mutated into a lethal claw.


    Quickly, with a leap, Dennis immediately disappeared from the spot.


    ��


    Meanwhile, two rebels holding a bronze telescope just saw a blur before Dennis vanished from their sight.


    This made them hastily look around, and after much effort, they saw a nearly transparent figure pop its head up from a distant building before disappearing again.


    After that, they found it difficult to track any further trace of him!


    Only then did the two of them realize that this Dennis was no longer the Dennis they had known before.


    Their observation mission was going to be tough!


    ��Damn, the effects of the potion are so strong! How did this kid��s speed get so fast?��


    ��This isn��t what the captain described!�� the leading rebel spat and said.


    ��The potion is so amazing; I just wonder if it can revert to a human body. If it can, I��d also request a bottle from the boss,�� the other rebel said enviously.


    ��Don��t be stupid, Whitey! Don��t you know that the mortality rate after taking this potion is damn high? This one is already lucky!�� the leading rebel smacked his companion��s head and scolded.


    The two hurried along, but as formal Knights, they still couldn��t catch up.


    ��We really can��t keep up, Whitey; hurry up and report to the captain! This speed is much faster than that of a seasoned Knight,�� the rebel complained.


    ��Also, you weren��t wrong at all; the potions of the Eagle Federation are really badass!��


    ��


    �����������C


    Deep into the night, Rein was still sweating profusely in the blacksmith��s shop!


    As one ice iron shoulder guard after another was crafted��.


    From dinner until now, in the span of four to five hours, Rein had advanced his Armorsmith Lv6 experience to (1839/3000).


    Wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead, Rein thought to himself:


    ��Luckily when the bloody duel was on, I had Jennifer place a bet and made a fortune! Otherwise, I wouldn��t have had the resources to use rare ores like ordinary ones, and I wouldn��t have to worry about whether I could sell the ice iron shoulder guards afterward����


    ��After all, pieces like knight armor sell well as a set; individual pieces seem odd, especially since mine are part of a set made from the rare ore, ice iron.��


    ��Moreover, according to the current progress, another hard day��s work tomorrow should just about do it.��


    ��Although I��m using a shortcut, my strength has been genuinely forged through hard training.��


    ��Knock knock knock!��


    At that moment, a rapid knocking at the door suddenly interrupted Rein��s thoughts.


    Before Rein could open the door, the voice of a guard outside anxiously called out, ��Baron, the estate has just been attacked!��


    ��What!��


    Rein��s pupils shrunk as he immediately opened the door and asked, ��What��s the situation now?��


    ��Four guards have been killed, but the area patrol team responded quickly; the attacker has now fled. Baron, your parents and sister are safe and unharmed, just a bit shaken up,�� the guard replied.


    This immediately caused Rein to pause in his movements.

 Chapter 397 - 397 - 200 Push! Push Hard...... (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 397 �C 200 Push! Push Hard���� (2-in-1 Big Chapter)_2


    The family was just scared, which was a relief.


    ��What about Lady Baroness Crowley?�� Rein asked again, knowing that the beautiful lady had been staying at his mansion these past few days, as she was nominally the housekeeper of his estate.


    ��The lady was not harmed. During the attack, she was in the wine cellar.��


    Rein nodded, relieved!


    However, Rein quickly dressed in his newly acquired water steel suit and hurried to his mansion.


    Along the way, Rein intermittently asked the mansion��s guards.


    ��Who were the attackers?��


    ...


    ��This�� we are not clear, it seems it was a ferocious wild beast?�� the messenger guard hesitated before replying.


    ��Hmm? A beast?��


    This made Rein quite surprised.


    Because even if it was a ferocious beast, the chances of it running into a human city, let alone attacking a noble estate district just for food, were slim.


    This made no sense.


    ��Were there other attacks in the noble district?�� S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��There were, but none as severe as ours,�� the guard thought for a moment, then reported.


    ��I see���� Rein, thoughtful, did not speak again.


    Soon, he arrived near his mansion, only to see familiar teams of Night Watchmen in black leather armor, along with many City Guards running back and forth, starting to enforce a curfew.


    Clearly, after the attack, the entire County Town��s defensive power had been mobilized.


    ��What��s the situation now?�� Rein stopped a man dressed as a captain of the Night Watchmen and asked.


    The man was about to get angry, but when he looked up and recognized Rein, he instantly shivered, recognizing the ��Iron Hammer Baron��!


    The Night Watchman captain immediately wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said,


    ��Lord Baron Rein, several noble mansions have been attacked by a monster. Witnesses only saw a transparent shadow flash by, then it was either death or injury, but one thing we are sure about is that the attacker used its claws.��


    ��The attacker was fast, right?��


    ��Yes, my lord.��


    ��Why did it run away then?��


    ��Because we fired a signal flare. After seeing the signal flare, it broke through our encirclement and ran in that direction,�� the Night Watchman captain pointed in the direction of the city wall.


    ��Good, thank you! I was once a Night Watchman too. If you encounter that monster while patrolling, run towards my mansion.�� Rein patted the man��s shoulder, saying.


    ��Thank you, Lord Baron!�� The Night Watchman captain, excited by Rein��s words, bowed respectfully.


    After a brief inquiry, Rein immediately returned inside the mansion.


    ��Wow!!��


    Seeing Rein return, his sister Bo He rushed into her brother��s arms, crying, ��Brother, Cookie is almost gone!��


    ��Hmm?��


    Rein frowned abruptly, quickly went to the villa door, and found that the greyhound Cookie had four deep, bone-visible claw marks on its back, which were severely injured and now utterly immobilized.


    Seeing Rein arrive, Cookie looked at Rein and cried out a few ��whimpers.��


    ��Don��t be afraid! I will heal you.�� Rein stepped forward and gently stroked the greyhound Cookie��s head, comforting it.


    At that moment, his mother Emma, father old Rein, and the beautiful lady also came out of the villa.


    ��Father, Mother, rest assured, I am here,�� Rein reassured them.


    He then turned to the beautiful lady and said, ��You call Jenny, and stay here tonight. It��s safer with me around.��


    ��Also, give enough compensation to the families of the guards who died in service, so their families can have peace of mind. If their families are in trouble, arrange what you can,�� he continued.


    ��Yes, Baron Lord,�� the beautiful lady nodded and immediately sent someone to fetch Jenny.


    �����������C


    County Town.


    Inside an inconspicuous civilian house.


    Hearing his subordinates report on Dennis, General Parix��s brow involuntary knitted, showing a hint of surprise, he said:


    ��Are you sure you saw correctly? Has the strength really increased that much?��


    ��Reporting to the general, sir, we two can guarantee, we absolutely did not see wrongly!�� two burly men confidently reported.


    General Parix glanced at the two men and nodded.


    One of the reasons he suddenly launched an attack was that he received news from inside County Town that Count Habbs was not in town, which meant he only needed to defend against the monsoon and the Sea Goddess Church��s powerhouses.


    The second reason was that he happened to encounter Dennis, a prime candidate for the mutation drug ��material��. Unexpectedly, this ��material�� has now surprised him again.


    Seemingly reminiscing, he mumbled to himself:


    ��According to the physician who sent the potion, under normal circumstances, a near-knight consuming it would boost their combat power to the level of a seasoned knight or slightly higher.��


    ��But in his case, the boost has almost surpassed a Peak Knight, which is exceedingly rare.��


    ��In that case�� Dennis��s body is quite valuable, and it would likely interest the Eagle Federation.��


    ��Hmm, need to retrieve it quickly and then immediately freeze it, otherwise, it will affect the analysis����


    ��Looks like I need to make a trip.��


    ��


    �����������C


    Enjoy more content from .com


    After arranging things in the mansion, Rein checked the bodies of the guards.


    At that moment, Viscount Hamadi, the county��s security officer, arrived.


    However, just as he got there, a Messenger came and reported to him.


    And hearing the report, Viscount Hamadi could not help but change his expression.

 Chapter 398 - 398 - 200 Push Hard! Push Hard... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3

    Chapter 398 �C 200 Push Hard! Push Hard�� (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_3


    He walked toward Rein and said,


    ��Baron Rein, the Messenger just reported that Flashgold Town was attacked by a Bandit gang, and it seems several wealthy merchants�� residences to the north of the city were also hit just now. I need to quickly arrange for reinforcements.��


    ��As for here, I��ll increase the frequency and intensity of the patrols.��


    Flashgold Town and other places were attacked as well?


    Rein nodded and replied, ��Viscount, please go ahead with your urgent matters. According to the current situation, the likelihood of another attack is not high. Plus, I��ll be staying in the mansion.��


    After Viscount Hamadi left, the more Rein thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss. Find your next read on .com


    Firstly, the scars on the corpse of the guard were indeed claw marks, but the timing of the Bandit gang��s attack was too coincidental.


    ...


    Secondly, the Divine Arts mechanism ��Detect Evil�� in the room on the first floor of the villa had not been triggered, indicating that it was neither an evil being nor some kind of malevolent spirit.


    Therefore, if it truly were a beast, it must be one controlled by a human!


    Rein was virtually certain of this.


    Moreover, the attacker��s Strength was quite good, but their defensive power seemed not to be very strong; just moments before, beside the body of a guard, he had noted a fallen scale the size of a fingernail with a pale green hue.


    It seemed to have been knocked off during the guards�� onslaught.


    Furthermore, the fact that the assailant chose to retreat in the face of the Night Watchman��s ambush further supported this conclusion.


    In that case�� it seems�� I might be able to��


    An idea was forming in Rein��s mind.


    Late at night, Rein did not rest. Wearing a suit of water membrane steel, he arrived at the open space in the front yard, but this time without his two weapons on his back; instead, he began practicing Kadar Martial Arts.


    He had left both weapons in the storage room in the front yard.


    Half an hour later��


    A transparent shadow quietly returned.


    ��Rein is practicing martial arts? Without carrying his weapons?��


    Dennis repeatedly observed Rein in the front yard, who was indeed practicing martial arts.


    Although he still felt something was off, at this moment, there seemed to be an extremely violent Strength inside him that needed release.


    Additionally, he always had a strong desire to kill the man before him in his heart.


    The combination of the two made Dennis feel unbearably sick unless he acted!


    In fact, this was due to the ��Shadow Thorny Lizard Mutation Serum�� containing a special substance extracted from the ovaries of the shadow thorny lizard, which had a strong assimilative effect on the human body.


    Now, not only was Dennis��s body mutated, but his personality had also undergone a degree of transformation.


    On the other hand, given the influence of the shadow thorny lizard��s mutagen, the fact that Dennis could resist rushing forward for so long signalled the depth of Rein��s shadow in his psyche.


    No matter!


    Even if I can��t defeat him, my speed is good enough to escape! Dennis licked his lips with his forked tongue and secretly mused.


    The next second, he rushed toward Rein like a translucent wisp of fog with a ��swish.��


    Actually, as soon as Dennis arrived, Rein��s level 3 ��danger perception�� had subtly warned him. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, although Rein looked calm and his martial arts movements remained unchanged, his heart was gradually filling with joy.


    He has finally come!


    ��Clang!!��


    Sparks flew off the surface of the water membrane steel gauntlets.


    Rein firmly caught the attacker��s claw.


    Though he didn��t have his Finger Tigers, wearing the water membrane steel gauntlets meant there was not much difference, except that he couldn��t perform the specialized technique ��Hundred Crack Strike�� that required a blade.


    Moreover, after the strike, Rein quickly deduced, as he had anticipated, that the monster was incredibly fast but not very strong.


    ��Swish! Swish! Clang!��


    The two quickly exchanged blows.


    Upon engaging, Dennis rejoiced.


    New n????vel chapters are published on .c��?.


    Without his weapons, Rein��s strength had dropped by more than a notch!


    Indeed, there are no incorrect nicknames, only incorrect names!


    ��The Hammer Baron,�� without his hammer, was someone he could keep pace with in combat.


    Immediately, Dennis��s confidence surged, and he began to attack Rein with full force.


    This, of course, was all part of Rein��s deliberate plan. From some of the battle traces, Rein had deduced that the opponent��s Strength wasn��t actually very strong, and he might be able to use the opponent as a ��martial arts training partner.��


    Now that they had clashed, it turned out to be the case!


    This was like an ��experience treasure�� delivered to his door.


    Not to take full advantage of this opportunity to shear a big bunch of wool from his opponent would be a shameful waste.


    The guards on the side had already received Rein��s instructions to stay alert and protect the family and were not required to join the battle.


    So at this moment, they were watching the center of the front yard field, where a silvery blur and a translucent blur were exchanging blows at high speed.


    The shrill sound of their clash occasionally rose!


    And the ground would unexpectedly burst open with a small crater, with grass and plants breaking off like mown weeds.


    But no matter how hard the guards focused their attention, they couldn��t make out the specifics of the combatants�� movements.


    Dennis fought with growing excitement, sensing victory was within reach, for he had managed to strike Rein��s left arm twice.


    A thought suddenly sprang up in his mind.


    If Rein weren��t wearing this incredibly sturdy suit of iron, he would have been injured by now.


    And he might have already killed Rein!


    This thought excited Dennis tremendously!


    After all, even though his father became a Great Knight, he had still lost to Rein!

 Chapter 399 - 399 - 200 Push Hard! Push Hard... (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4

    Chapter 399 �C 200 Push Hard! Push Hard�� (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4


    The dominance I felt in this battle was even more exhilarating than when I had Tina powerless under me!


    This gave Dennis an unbearable urge to mock Rein!


    The next second, Rein suddenly heard the creature opposite him actually speak.


    ��Hiss, Rein�� you��re dead meat today!�� Dennis said while his forked tongue flicked in and out.


    ��Oh? Who are you?�� sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two continued to trade blows at high speed while talking.


    ��Me? I��m someone you��d never dream of.��


    ...


    After fighting for a while, it would seem both of their energies should have been greatly drained.


    But, perhaps because of the potions he took, Dennis constantly maintained an excited state, several times more intense than hyperthyroidism. He felt an endless supply of strength in his body, enabling him to keep fighting.


    Rein, on the other hand, was clearly starting to breathe more heavily.


    This made Dennis even more triumphant.


    ��Remember, the man who killed you is Dennis!��


    The next second, Dennis��s onslaught came like a tide!


    So it was him?


    Rein recalled the Dennis he had met once before, not expecting him to have transformed into this ghastly figure.


    Was there some connection between him and the bandit group?


    And how did he end up like this?


    But soon, Rein realized that it didn��t matter.


    What mattered was that his opponent��s stamina was exceptionally good.


    This also meant that he could shear more experience from his adversary!


    Although he was running low on stamina, it was perfect, as he had just become a fully-fledged wizard, which required a Spirit Attribute of over 30 points, and he was just short of that.


    So, with hardly any hesitation, Rein added one point to his Spirit Attribute.


    As his remaining attribute points went from 6��5, his Spirit also increased from 27 points��28 points.


    Suddenly, a warm surge burst forth from his heart and rapidly spread throughout his body.


    Instantly, all the fatigue in Rein��s body was swept away!


    Facing Dennis charging at him with full speed, Rein suddenly realized something.


    The other party must have no idea that his desperate attacks would actually benefit Rein immensely.


    God knows what the guy would feel if he ever found out!


    So, with a slight smile, Rein met him at high speed as well.


    ��Ding! Ding! Clang!��


    The two were locked in battle once again.


    This time, Dennis became more and more irritable as he fought, more and more impatient.


    Rein was clearly running out of steam just a moment ago, and Dennis was close to winning; how had Rein suddenly become full of energy again?


    After several more exchanges, Dennis couldn��t help but ask:


    ��Hiss~ How is it possible! Shouldn��t your strength be nearly spent?�� Your next read awaits at .com


    ��Heh, I last longer, it��s normal that you wouldn��t know that,�� Rein casually replied.


    ��Dammit!��


    Dennis could clearly tell that Rein was mocking him. His slit-like pupils narrowed as he attacked with all his strength.


    Rein��s chest, protected by a sturdy suit of armor called ��Water Film Steel Breastplate,�� coupled with the Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin Lv3,�� was unfazed by the continuous claw strikes. Naturally, Rein didn��t take such attacks seriously.


    Soon, Dennis��s transparent form began to flicker, likely due to excessive energy consumption. He gradually shifted out of his ��chameleon�� state, returning to his appearance covered with pale green scales.


    ��Just like a wild beast!��


    ��A bit faster! A bit faster and you might actually hurt me!��


    ��Come on, use your strength! Put some muscle into it, Dennis!��


    Rein kept taunting Dennis with his words.


    It wasn��t that Rein was vicious with his words, he simply wanted to squeeze out the last bit of Dennis�� strength.


    Hearing Rein��s occasional mockery and teasing, Dennis, whose mind was slightly affected by the continuous transformation, now had bloodshot eyes!


    He practically used all his might, mustering the strength of a suckling babe, to launch an attack.


    As Rein��s understanding of the Kadar Martial Arts became deeper and more refined, he fought more and more smoothly��


    Moreover, since Dennis was using claws, this allowed Rein to make some sort of comparison between fists and claws, which seemed to have certain benefits for learning the secret technique ��Hundred Crack Strike�� later on.


    Dennis��s body began to emit white steam, and his complexion turned reddish through the pale green scales!


    ��Snap!��


    Dennis, moving at high speed, suddenly staggered, his face changing color immediately!


    Damn it! Dennis felt something inside his body burst suddenly!


    Following that, he felt the strength in his body rapidly draining away��


    It was as if his body at that moment was a balloon that had been punctured by a needle, rapidly leaking something.


    Rein, on the other hand, had also stopped in place, watching as Dennis trembled nonstop, with scales and sharp claws starting to fall off all over his body��


    Seeing this eerie scene, Rein chose not to continue the attack.


    He guessed that the other party must have reached some kind of limit.


    A physical breakdown?


    Or some other reason, he wasn��t very sure.


    However, it was a bit disappointing �� such a good ��experience farming target�� was gone.


    In Rein��s heart, there was actually a bit of regret.


    If he had the choice, he would have preferred the other party to recover immediately.


    Or maybe�� the current strange state of the other party was just a prelude to some kind of transformation��


    In that case, after the transformation was over, he could have another round of combat with him.


    But wishes are always beautiful.


    And reality is ��regrettable����


    Seconds later, Dennis collapsed with a ��thump,�� convulsing on the ground��


    One minute later, a emaciated Dennis with white hair and an appearance of extreme aging appeared before Rein.


    With a heightened sense of spirit, Rein felt that the other party��s vitality was now almost exhausted, even the sound of breathing was faintly discernible.


    Then, the system prompt suddenly appeared:


    [Your skill, Tokadar Fist Technique, has improved, Experience +977]


    [You have experienced a combat, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +89]


    ��


    The experience given by Knight (Transcendent) wasn��t much, but the lengthy duration of the battle and the use of martial arts made Rein��s Kadar Martial Arts jump directly from Lv4 (77/1000) to Lv5 (54/2000)!


    Seeing the monster ultimately turn into a human form startled the guards of the mansion, they gathered around and, after a careful check, reported, ��Baron, the other party is dead!��


    ��Who would have thought it was a human!��


    ����.��


    Rein nodded and said, ��Take care of the body.��


    This body should be of great research value. He wondered if he would be awarded a significant number of Merit Points after handing it over to the empire.


    Martial arts at Lv5, what an unexpected joy; just another 5 points to Lv10��


    Rein turned to retrieve his two weapons, planning to return to his room for a short rest.


    Then suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.


    Immediately after, he quickly turned around, looking toward a certain spot on the street under the night sky��


    The mansion��s guards, who were originally cleaning up the battlefield, also seemed to sense a shift in the atmosphere, and they all looked up in the direction of their Baron��s gaze.


    What appeared were a pair of gleaming plate armored boots, emerging under the streetlamp at the bend of the nearby street��

 Chapter 400 - 400 - 201 Who Lasts Longer? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 400 �C 201 Who Lasts Longer? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    As the figure gradually moved into the lamplight, a middle-aged man with a towering stature, clad in high-grade Knight Armor, appeared before everyone��s eyes.


    Next to him stood a slightly shorter but sturdy man, holding a Kite Shield in one hand and a single-edged battle axe about a meter long in the other.


    However, judging by the paint on the shield and axe handle, it seemed that the axe and shield shared the same color scheme as the towering middle-aged man��s armor, which suggested that the weapons the shorter man carried probably belonged to the middle-aged man.


    ��It��s a bit of a pity, it seems I��ve missed an interesting battle,�� said the towering middle-aged man with a somewhat mocking expression on his face.


    ��So, how did my little experiment surprise you?��


    Baron Parix carefully examined the bright silver membranous steel armor on Rein, and after noticing several faint newly added claw marks, he shook his head slightly in disappointment and said:


    ��It seems your strength is not as formidable as the rumors suggest, after all, nobles of the Empire always like to sing each other��s praises.��


    ...


    ��Who are you?�� Rein asked calmly in return.


    Even though his Level 3 ��danger perception�� was giving him a strong warning, one that even surpassed the sea serpent, the scaled-bearded ironback turtle, and even Baron Norman, a newly promoted Great Knight,


    it was not to the extent that it was completely overwhelming.


    Therefore, Rein��s heart was not filled with fear. Instead, he felt a surge of eagerness to try his hand.


    It seemed that after fighting the Nightmare Dragonman, he could once again go all out in combat!


    ��I do not need to introduce myself! Otherwise, with so many people around, I would have to kill them all to keep them quiet,�� he said.


    ��By the way, the body of this little experiment is still of some use to me; I need to take it back.��


    ��Also, there has always been someone who wanted me to get rid of you. Actually, we wouldn��t have met so soon. The original plan was to wait until you took up your post in Fishing Port Town before sending you on your way.��


    ��But now there��s been a slight change, so, unfortunately, you may have to depart a bit earlier.��


    One reason Parix chose to act tonight was because of Magis.


    Magis had also given him several hints, and considering that he would need Magis�� help in the future, there was no point in delaying this matter further. It would be convenient to take Rein out while retrieving the body.


    As these words were spoken, the guards from the surrounding mansion and the arriving Night Watchmen from the County Town became tense. Everyone drew their bows and aimed arrows at the towering middle-aged man wearing the Knight Armor.


    Rein gestured with his hand, saying, ��You all return to your posts, leave this to me.��


    ��Oh wow, this is interesting!�� The towering middle-aged man raised his eyebrows as he looked at Rein with a certain admiration.


    ��Smart move, this way my boots won��t get dirty. Otherwise, you know, killing too many people tends to accidentally soil one��s boots.��


    ��Alright then, seeing as I find you quite pleasant to look at, I��ll make sure you leave without pain,�� he went on.


    ��Let��s not waste time, or there will be more and more people noticing this commotion.��


    After finishing his sentence, Parix tapped the tip of his foot, and the hard slate of the street suddenly exploded beneath him. The debris had barely started to fly when his entire figure shot forward like an arrow off its string.


    The spectators around had not expected the towering figure in heavy Knight Armor to move with such speed.


    There was still an afterimage left in his original spot when he had already reached Rein.


    As an expert who had stepped into the Great Knight level for many years, Parix��s evolution in his physical body had begun to touch deeper layers.


    This process of evolution was continuous, akin to the growth and development of an adolescent.


    Therefore, the quality of his strength was significantly different from that of newcomers like Baron Norman, who had just stepped into the Great Knight realm. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not only would his strength, agility, and constitution continue to improve over time, but his Transcendent characteristics would also intensify and engrain into his bloodline as a natural talent. It would also impact and enhance his offspring��s knightly talents to some extent.


    But the most important aspect was the increase in the quantity of primal force after stepping into the Great Knight level, greatly enhancing both defense and combat capabilities.


    With these two factors combined, a Great Knight facing a Knight, even a Peak Knight, would result in a crushing blow.


    Furthermore, the disparity between Great Knights was vast.


    What a joke!


    Could a newly-promoted Great Knight possibly possess the same level of strength as him, having been a Great Knight for over five years? Stay connected through .com


    Another point was that upon seeing the claw marks on Rein��s membranous steel armor, Parix was even more convinced of the embellished tales of Rein��s strength, such as defeating the newly promoted Great Knight Baron Norman in a bloody duel.


    In Parix��s eyes, Rein was merely a Meister ��prodigy�� with a slight gift for knighthood.


    Hence, Parix��s view of Rein and this battle was mostly one of mockery.


    Because of this mindset, he didn��t even bother to take the axe and shield from his subordinate just now; he simply flicked his forearm during his sprint, and ��click,�� a claw-like arm blade resembling Wolverine��s claws, cold and gleaming, appeared before Rein��s eyes.


    Parix, with his arm blade glowing faintly from the primal force, aimed viciously at Rein��s forehead and thrust it forcefully.


    If he were to be struck, it might be true what he said earlier �C Rein would be sent off without pain��

 Chapter 401 - 401: 201

    Chapter 401: 201


    Rein had been intently staring at the unfamiliar Great Knight before him.


    So when his opponent charged at high speed, he wasn��t the slightest bit afraid. He quickly took down the dark pig-headed hammer from behind and didn��t block, but instead swung the Heavy Hammer Furious Strike towards his adversary!


    At that moment, the special effect of the heavy weapon, ��Weight as Light,�� played a crucial role!


    To the onlookers, it seemed impossible for Rein to block the strike, let alone counterattack with the cumbersome two-handed warhammer!


    But Rein��s speed was just a notch faster than everyone had estimated!


    ��Clang!!!�� sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Faced with Rein��s exceedingly swift Heavy Hammer Furious Strike, a sense of alarm surged through Parix. He instantly switched from attacking to blocking, catching the blow with his arm blade reinforced by the source energy.


    ��Eh?��


    A trace of surprise flashed in Parix��s eyes!


    Holding a two-handed warhammer and still such fast speed?


    This young man before him, Rein, seemed to have something up his sleeve!


    Moreover, within that hammer strike, Parix felt a power seeping through his armor and energy defense, a power that was��


    But before he could fully savor Rein��s previous strike,


    Rein, holding the dark pig-headed hammer, swung out another blow as quick as lightning, moving from right to left!


    ��Heavy Hammer Sweep!��


    Facing Rein��s combo-like fierce counterattacks, Parix spun around while bringing up his arm blade to block once again.


    ��Clang!!�� Sparks flew everywhere!


    For a moment, Rein swung more than a dozen hammer strikes in succession, each one mighty and forceful with layers of Shock power. Eventually, Parix had to start expending significant amounts of source energy to withstand this continuous shock damage.


    ��You��re quite responsive, eh? You��ve already activated your limit-breaking and Transcendent traits.


    ��A smart move, but how long can you maintain this state?��


    ����.��


    It seemed Parix was trying to provoke Rein verbally, causing him to reveal a flaw or hesitation.


    Unfortunately, his words had no effect on Rein, whose black warhammer remained as steady and powerful as ever.


    Which frustrated Parix quite a bit.


    ��Clang!!!��


    Another head-on collision!


    This time, Parix, who had been steadily standing his ground, suddenly took the impact to swiftly retreat more than ten paces.


    Even though he had moved out of Rein��s warhammer attack range and no longer needed to worry about blocking Rein��s hammer, his hands trembled slightly behind his back!


    Hiss!


    That really hurt!


    Could this strength be��


    ��You�� you��ve actually mastered Hammer Skill at a master level!�� Parix��s eyes widened in shock as he looked at Rein in astonishment.


    Unlike Norman, who had just entered the Great Knight stage, Parix had come to realize that Rein��s power with the hammer was too strong, surpassing even the proficient level!


    You see, among the strong at the Great Knight level, weapon specialization typically just reached proficiency, or at most, a half-step into the master level.


    And like Rein, one who had mastered Hammer Skill to such a level was outstanding among Great Knights.


    What puzzled Parix was how this young man, Rein, had managed to master his Hammer Skill to such a high level at his young age?


    But quickly, before Rein could respond, Parix calmed his surprise. He retreated to a nearby squad leader who was dressed in sturdy attire, picking up the solid metal Kite Shield and the battle axe.


    ��Rein, is it?��


    ��A young man with great talent. Too bad the game is over!


    ��You don��t think that was all my strength, do you? Now, I��m going to get serious!��


    While Parix had retreated, Rein didn��t chase him but started to murmur a magic spell��


    And as Parix turned to take up his axe and shield, a subtle fluctuation passed around Rein, and something different seemed to stir in the air.


    ��Swoosh!��


    Parix powered up his source energy to its full extent, his body emitting a soft glow, as he charged at Rein once more!


    This time, he no longer had the teasing and playful attitude from before. Instead, there was a sincere sense of excitement and eagerness within him.


    A rare Hammer Skill genius from the Dragan Empire was about to die by his hand.


    The thrill of cutting down a talent was something he hadn��t felt in a long time!


    ��Boom! Clang! Clang!��


    The figures of the two moved extremely fast, and even with the streetlights and the lamps in the garden illuminating their surroundings, it was nearly impossible to discern their movements in the dim setting.


    All that could be sensed were two blurs of fast-moving mist engaging in relentless combat.


    Rein had not chosen to unleash ��Strength Burst�� at full power but merely activated about thirty percent to almost even out the power disparity between him and Parix.


    Not using his secret techniques was due to the opponent��s slightly higher speed. Even if Rein had used all his power, he might have been easily dodged by Parix which would not only waste a significant amount of energy but also reveal his trump card prematurely.


    Simply put, the right moment for victory had not yet come.


    Although Parix had not gained the upper hand, he was not anxious, as his foundation was solid��he was a Great Knight, and Rein was a Knight, naturally having the superior physical prowess.


    Rein was currently able to keep up or defend against his aggressive pace thanks to the combination of full-powered Burst and master-level Hammer Skill.


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 Chapter 402 - 201: Who Can Last Longer? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 402: Chapter 201: Who Can Last Longer? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    But how long can a Peak Knight sustain such an all-out burst of power?


    Thirty seconds?


    Forty seconds?


    Or a few seconds more?


    He estimated that in less than a minute, Rein��s physical energy would be overtaxed, his speed would slow, and then he wouldn��t be able to keep up with his own pace in combat.


    By then, he would be able to quickly take down his opponent.


    ...


    Although this method of winning seemed somewhat dishonorable, that no longer mattered. After all, crushing a genius��


    However, it didn��t take long for Parix to sense that something was amiss.


    Why did he feel hotter and hotter?


    Especially the energy used for defense on the surface of his body was being consumed at an enormous rate, far beyond normal!


    What the hell was going on?


    This was truly bizarre!


    ��Boom!!��


    Their hammer and shield clashed, and both retreated several steps again!


    Rein, with his Dark Vision, could clearly see the fine beads of sweat on his opponent��s forehead and the obvious heaving of his chest.


    Clearly, although his own physical strength was being consumed greatly, his opponent was not faring any better under the influence of his own full-powered Tokkal Hammer Technique and the witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field.��


    After some thought, Rein silently added a point to his agility attribute.


    The opponent was slightly faster than him, which made him at a disadvantage in combat.


    As his remaining attribute points decreased from 5 to 4, his agility increased from 21 points to 22 points.


    Instantly, a warm current surged powerfully from his heart and swiftly spread to every limb and joint.


    Suddenly, the sense of muscle soreness and fatigue in Rein��s body were swept away!


    Looking at Parix, he noticed after a glance at Rein that his opponent��s physical exhaustion was considerable, which brought a glimmer of joy to his face.


    ��He��s just holding on!��


    ��Let��s see who can hold on longer and who has more endurance!��


    Immediately, Parix charged at Rein again.


    Once more, their figures moved at high speed in front of the mansion��s courtyard, only becoming more visible to the onlookers when they passed under the lights, flashing by in an instant.


    But before the spectators could get a clear view, the two disappeared into the darkness again.


    Soon, the entire front yard became a complete mess, with beautiful flowers and neatly pruned green plants all tragically ravaged.


    After enduring for several more seconds, Parix began to struggle.


    Even as a Great Knight, he could not maintain this full-powered combat for much longer.


    It was akin to the most trained sprinter in the 100 meters stretched to 200 meters; perhaps they could barely maintain their speed and condition, but at 400 meters, the speed would inevitably begin to decline significantly.


    This could be seen from the world record for the 400 meters at 43.03 seconds in comparison to the 100 meters world record at 9.58 seconds��the 400 meters world record is far slower than 9.58 multiplied by four.


    ��


    What left him speechless was that, with each swing of Rein��s Warhammer, it remained just as steady��how could this be possible?


    His own strength was greatly expended, and his rhythm was beginning to slow down, so how could Rein��merely at the level of a Peak Knight��have greater endurance than he did?


    It was maddening!


    Could it be that his opponent was not only a rare talent in Hammer Skill but also exceptionally gifted in stamina?


    That would be far too many talents!


    Looking at Rein, he observed his opponent��s rhythm starting to slow down, ever so slightly��a nuance perhaps imperceptible to onlookers or not apparent, but for Rein, engaged in combat, it was glaringly obvious, like a beacon in the darkness.


    It made Rein��s resolve firm.


    He had been prepared for an ��endurance battle,�� thinking that this unknown Great Knight could withstand three rounds of adding attribute points. Yet, to his surprise, after only one round of adding points, his opponent seemed unable to hold on.


    After resisting for another several seconds.


    Even the spectators on the side began to realize that their ��Bolt Baron�� was starting to gain the upper hand, delivering more Warhammer strikes than before.


    On the other side, the unfamiliar Great Knight was clearly increasing the frequency of blocking with his shield.


    ��Bang! Bang! Bang!��


    The clashing sounds of hammer and shield became more intense!


    However, Rein��s expression became more serious at this moment, because he always remembered a saying����A cornered beast will still fight.��


    If wild beasts knew to struggle for survival, then how much more so a human Great Knight!


    Hence, the closer he was to victory, the more cautious he needed to be!


    This caused Rein��s dark Two-Handed Warhammer to sweep through the air with even greater steadiness.


    But Parix became visibly more impatient. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had been waiting for Rein to show signs of fatigue or a lapse, so with his rich combat experience, he could still turn the tide of this passive situation around.


    But��


    Damn it, several minutes had passed, and his opponent was still as explosive as ever with his continuous Warhammer combos!


    It was like seeing Bolt from a previous lifetime in a 1500-meter race, sprinting at the speed of a 100-meter dash for the entire 1500 meters.


    Clearly, this situation could not continue.


    Now Parix faced two choices: one was to launch a full-out burst, using a nearly secret technique, which required a short period of charging and based on the current stamina of his opponent, there was a good chance it could be dodged.


    The second choice was to find a way to disarm his opponent��s Two-Handed Warhammer. If his opponent had mastered the Hammer Skill to the level of an expert, certainly he must have spent the vast majority of his focus and time on it.


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 Chapter 403 - 201: Who Lasts Longer? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 403: Chapter 201: Who Lasts Longer? (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Although he had seen the dual-handed greatsword carried on Rein��s back, he would never believe that Rein��s swordsmanship was also of a master level!


    After all, at Rein��s age, a master of both hammer skill and swordsmanship?


    That would be absolutely ridiculous!


    Even in the most outrageous tales of a Wandering Bard, such a thing could never be fabricated and spread around.


    Having devised his tactic, Parix regained his confident demeanor.


    ��Bang!��


    ...


    This time, when Rein��s Heavy Hammer Furious Strike hit the opponent��s shield, which was clearly made of special ore, a powerful denting force was obviously transmitted from the shield.


    Parix actively pulled back a part of his shield to unload the force and then suddenly released the battle-axe in his other hand, directly grabbing towards the handle of Rein��s warhammer!


    The plate gauntlet, emitting a dim luminescence, ��snap�� grabbed hold of Rein��s warhammer, and Parix��s eyebrows twitched, revealing a hint of joy!


    Just as he let go of the shield with his left hand, planning to use both hands to snatch away Rein��s great hammer, suddenly, Parix��s expression drastically changed!


    Because at this moment, the Rein he was facing expanded his muscles, as if inflating, growing twice as large! If it weren��t for the quality of the knight armor he was wearing, it would likely have burst open from the expansion!


    Parix exerted all his strength, but helplessly watched as the warhammer slowly slipped from his hands!


    This strength! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What on earth did Rein eat to grow up!


    Or was this some kind of secret technique?


    It was then that Parix, though slow to catch on, realized that something was definitely off about this Rein.


    However, Parix��s combat experience was rich, and he pulled and pushed the handle, raising it abruptly, making a swoop towards Rein��s chest.


    This forced Rein to release the hammer handle! He stepped backward.


    Parix��s face brightened, as he finally managed to seize the warhammer.


    However, a cold gleam slashed rapidly towards his head, and with alarm bells ringing in his mind, Parix quickly abandoned his offensive and dodged to the side.


    ��Swoosh!��


    Only then did he realize it was the dual-handed greatsword on Rein��s back!


    There was hardly a moment��s pause!


    Rein then wielded the dual-handed greatsword, attacking the unarmed Parix.


    In just a few seconds,


    Parix��s expression turned as if he had seen a ghost!


    This damn�� his swordsmanship is also at the master level!!


    Fuck!


    What kind of monster had he encountered?


    Even the goddess��s illegitimate child might not be this much!


    Distracted, Parix��s high-level knight armor accumulated several deep scratches!


    Faced with Rein��s master-level swordsmanship, even though Parix had the Original Force for defense and the high-level knight armor for protection, he still couldn��t withstand Rein��s attack.


    Fighting to this extent, Parix already had little desire to continue the battle.


    But the problem was, he couldn��t just retreat outright.


    At this moment, with so many people watching him being outmatched, if Zaral��s rebel forces wanted to accomplish anything significant in Meister County next, retreating in his current battered state would be absolutely terrible!


    Moreover, he hadn��t yet employed his near-secret technique; who said he was definitely going to lose!


    He still had a chance to win!


    With a vicious look, Parix faced Rein��s Smooth Cleaving Slash with his left forearm armored with Original Force enhanced defense.


    ��Puchi!��


    Under the master-level sword technique effects ��Steel Cut�� and ��Armor Break,�� Rein��s sword nearly cut a third into the forearm, stopped only by the radius bone.


    Parix��s eyes bulged, painfully enduring as he threw a heavy punch with his right hand towards Rein��s abdomen.


    ��Bam!!��


    Although Rein tensed his abdomen and performed the Pendulum Retreat Step from Kadar Martial Arts, due to the lower level of his martial arts, he was still sent flying seven or eight meters by Parix��s furious punch, and the Glimmering Greatsword flew out of his hand!


    Parix threw the greatsword stuck in his forearm armor, then hurled himself towards the single-bladed battle-axe lodged in the ground nearby.


    Judging from the wounds, Rein naturally had the upper hand. Although he suffered a heavy blow to his abdomen, he had the buffering from retracting his abdomen and the protection of his armor, moreover, he had a level 3 Transcendent trait ��Iron Skin�� for defense.


    So, when he saw his opponent endure his sword to grab the battle-axe, Rein knew it was time for the deciding move.


    He also, without hesitation, rolled towards the warhammer that had fallen nearby.


    Almost simultaneously, both men grabbed the weapons they were most skilled with.


    And the distance between them had widened from two or three meters to now more than ten meters.


    Without coordination, both began to gather their energy.


    Then, almost at the same moment, they charged towards each other!


    Parix��s single-bladed battle-axe condensed a luminescent glow, a solid white light slashed towards Rein in a Smooth Cleaving Slash!


    ��Near secret technique�� ��Flash Cut!''��


    Meanwhile, Rein activated ��Triple State,�� smashing the Earth-splitting Hammer from above down towards Parix!


    ��Secret technique����Earth-splitting Hammer!''��


    In an instant, the axe and hammer collided fiercely in mid-air!


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 Chapter 404 - 202: Its Actually a F***ing... (Two-in-One Long Chapter)

    Chapter 404: Chapter 202: It��s Actually a F***ing�� (Two-in-One Long Chapter)


    ��Clang!!!��


    A spark that was extremely dazzling in the darkness burst forth at the point where the two weapons clashed!


    Following that, a metal clashing sound that could tear eardrums resounded all around��.


    Everyone��s eyes were wide open, and even though the sparks made their tears flow, they kept watching the scene in front of them without blinking. Although they had scarcely seen anything clearly throughout the battle, they were still bubbling with excitement.


    After the lightning-fast exchange, Rein and Parix were both sent flying backwards.


    Parix��s legs plowed two ravines more than ten meters long on the ground of the mansion��s front courtyard. His right hand, which was holding the axe, trembled non-stop and the next second, there was a ��crackling�� strange noise.


    ...


    All his plate gauntlets and arm armor on his right hand burst apart, revealing the inside which was a blur of flesh and blood. Anyone could see that this right arm was temporarily useless.


    And Rein wasn��t faring well either!


    After his warhammer was knocked away by the opponent��s axe filled with primal force, that powerful axe still had enough energy to cleave through the brand-new hydrosteel breastplate of a high-ranking knight that Rein was wearing.


    At that moment, Rein could feel a severe pain emanating from his chest.


    He looked down and saw a narrow, at least thirty centimeters long, slit cut through his thick knight��s breastplate. Through the slit, he could see a clear red line on the skin of his chest, from which blood was slowly seeping out.


    The power of the opponent��s axe had exceeded his expectations. Rein had originally thought that with his master-level Hammer Skill secret technique combined with his core skill ��Hammer Mastery lv3,�� he could at least be on par with his opponent.


    But unexpectedly, after knocking his Warhammer away, the opponent��s axe still had so much power left that it broke through his hydrosteel breastplate and ��Iron Skin lv3,�� and injured him.


    Although it had only sliced open the skin on his chest, creating a cut, it was enough to draw blood��


    However, when Rein looked up at his opponent and saw the almost completely disabled state of his right hand, a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.


    Rein was not afraid of getting hurt.


    Especially since his opponent��s injuries were much more severe than his own.


    Seeing that Rein was actually able to get up, Parix��s pupils shrank and he wore an expression of disbelief. Clearly his own strike had torn open the opponent��s knight��s breastplate, yet Rein seemed not to have suffered much damage.


    Parix murmured, ��How is this possible!��


    ��The move I just used was almost a secret technique!��


    ��It should have gutted him, how could the injuries be so minor.��


    Though Parix couldn��t figure it out, at this moment, his right hand had almost completely lost its combat ability, so he decided to retreat immediately.


    Still, he couldn��t help but take another unwilling look at Rein.


    It had been a long time since he had encountered a situation so unexpectedly difficult.


    He had thought it would be an easy task, but it turned out to be so tricky when actually carried out!


    As Parix��s gaze lingered on Rein, he gave a light exclamation.


    Because he saw that after quickly getting up, Rein hadn��t immediately picked up his weapon to rush at him.


    This gave Parix a sudden thought��


    Could it be that Rein��s swift rise was merely to mask his true injuries, and that his strike had actually reached vital organs like the heart and lungs?


    After a brief contemplation, Parix��s eyes suddenly lit up.


    It must be so.


    This makes sense!


    Because only this explanation would be logical!


    Otherwise, how could he possibly explain the lightness of the opponent��s injuries after facing his nearly secret technique strike?


    It seems that he had narrowly won this round!


    However��..


    Parix seemed to hear Rein mouthing something.


    This made him curious, and he immediately pricked up his ears to listen closely. The next second, his expression changed drastically��he heard that Rein was whispering a spell of witchcraft��


    ��Fuck, this Rein is actually a Wizard Apprentice too����


    Parix hadn��t finished cursing.


    Suddenly, he felt as if a sun had risen right in front of him!


    His eyes were struck by the extremely dazzling glare, and in an instant, tears streamed down his face��.


    However, being a veteran of many battles, he quickly realized why Rein had not launched an attack before.


    The aim must have been to cast this spell of witchcraft.


    Perhaps Rein really wasn��t much injured?


    Rein had indeed been casting the witchcraft ��Blazing Light�� just then.


    Originally, the moment he got up, Rein had intended to attack.


    But then, a sudden inspiration struck his mind��he thought of this witchcraft ��Blazing Light,�� which was extremely suitable for the current environment.


    Moreover, his opponent was severely injured and unaware that he knew witchcraft, making it a perfect surprise.


    Sure enough, once the witchcraft ��Blazing Light�� was successfully cast, Parix looked shocked and instinctively closed his eyes.


    In that instant, Rein made his move.


    He charged at Parix like a cheetah launching an attack, halfway there, he reached out to scoop up the warhammer that had fallen to the side.


    Parix, with his wealth of combat experience, almost blinded in the next second, vaguely sensed imminent danger and immediately turned around to run toward the location of the street he remembered.


    Although a Great Knight��s body has strong adaptability, their sharp vision was more severely impacted than that of the guards in the nearby mansion.


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 Chapter 405 - 202: Its Actually a F***ing... (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_2

    Chapter 405: Chapter 202: It��s Actually a F***ing�� (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_2


    He barely managed to open his tearful eyes, only to feel a dizzying blur ahead, mixed with a spin of vertigo, unable to discern the direction of the street.


    But this moment��s hesitation was all it took for a strong gust to attack from behind, forcing him to awkwardly turn around in defense!


    Rein swiftly closed the distance in a single bound, his arm muscles bulging as he spun around, swinging a dark shadow of his hammer from below in an upward arc, striking Parix��s lower abdomen with immense force!


    It was the signature posture of the Tokkal Hammer Technique��s ��Rising Dragon Hammer��!


    ��Thump!!��


    Parix��s abdomen took a heavy blow, instantly folding his body in half, his limbs stretching forward as they stiffened, his tongue unnaturally sticking out of his wide-open mouth, his eyes bulging as if they would pop out of their sockets. Meanwhile, his whole body was hurled seven or eight meters away!


    ...


    Like a meteor, he crashed violently against the wall of a villa by the street.


    ��Boom!!!��


    Since the walls of a noble��s mansion were constructed with particular care, made of stacked strips of granite, the impact of Parix��s collision, though huge, did not break through.


    At this moment, Parix��s state was truly pitiable, embedded more than ten centimeters into the granite wall, his body convulsing incessantly. Yet a powerful desire to survive made him struggle, thinking of extricating himself from the wall.


    But before he could make a move,


    Rein took off with a flick of his toes, the ground flying up beneath him as he swiftly closed in on the wall-embedded Parix, aiming at his arms and leg joints for a series of crushing hammer blows!


    ��Crack! Snap! Snap!��


    With each hammer blow, a joint on Parix��s body emitted a crisp sound of breaking bones, accompanied by an unnatural twist.


    This was because Parix��s high-grade knight plate armor, having lost the force defense from the Great Knight himself, could no longer withstand the force of Rein��s hammer blows independently.


    Each of Rein��s strikes caused severe deformation in Parix��s knight plate armor.


    Now, the twisted armor had become an impediment to healing the wounds.


    Seconds later, Rein stopped his assault.


    He believed that even if the other was a Great Knight, he couldn��t endure the damage of all his limbs having comminuted fractures.


    Perhaps in this world, there were ways to recover from such injury, but obviously, it wasn��t something that could be naturally recovered with just the physical condition of a Great Knight.


    ��Thud!��


    A sound of a heavy object hitting the ground echoed.


    Parix, clad in twisted and bent knight plate armor, didn��t resist this time; merely succumbing to gravity, he fell from the wall and crashed heavily onto the ground.


    Parix, with the resilient vitality of a Great Knight, lay on the ground like a pile of mud, his body still twitching continuously. Of course, this was thanks to Rein not attacking his organs and head.


    Rein walked over slowly, squatted down, and said in a deep voice next to Parix, ��Perhaps it��s time I send you on your way.��


    ��However, I��m quite interested in what you said about someone wanting to take me down through you.��


    ��If you cooperate, I��ll let you depart without pain soon, so you don��t have to suffer any longer.��


    Parix strained to raise his head, took a look at Rein, and started to laugh, his smile mad, scornful, and meaningful��


    That��s when Rein suddenly heard sounds of a fight at the end of the street; looking up, he realized that the burly man was trying to escape, but had been surrounded by the Night Watchmen.


    ��Catch him!��


    ��Don��t let him get away!��


    ��He��s with the guy lying on the ground!��


    ��


    Although the man��s skills indicated he was a seasoned knight, his morale overwhelmed, he was intercepted by a group of Night Watchmen.


    Rein stood up and walked toward him, seemingly slow but actually covering ground quickly, and after a few strides, arrived in front of him. It took only one punch to send him half a meter into the air. Following that, he curled up on the ground in a kneeling position, retching violently.


    If the boss won��t talk, perhaps it��s time to start with the underling.


    However�� a Great Knight is a notable figure wherever you go, which is why Rein hadn��t killed him outright.


    In less than half a minute, Rein learned the identity of the burly middle-aged man from the underling��s confession.


    ��Huh? You��re saying you��re from the Zaral rebellion? And this�� this is your new Meister in charge, General Parix?�� Rein asked with a raise of his eyebrows.


    ��Yes�� my lord���� the burly man answered with an expression of intense agony, holding his belly and managing to speak.


    Rein observed his demeanor and seemed to realize the man wasn��t lying.


    A general?


    That sounded like no lowly position��


    Just as Rein was about to ��inquire�� further about this General Parix, two familiar figures approached rapidly with a large group of Night Watchmen clad in black leather armor.


    ��Viscount Hamadi, Lord Hamilton.�� Rein looked surprised. Hamadi��s appearance here wasn��t strange, given a serious security incident had occurred in the County Town.


    But theoretically, Hamilton should have been engaged in battle with bandits in Flashgold Town; how did he also end up in the County Town all of a sudden?


    ��Baron Rein, it seems you��ve already thwarted your enemy��s attack.��


    Viscount Hamadi looked around and, seeing only two people, added, ��The main force of the enemy has likely not arrived yet; we need to remain vigilant!��


    ��Indeed! Rein, I learned from one of the bandit leaders who attacked Flashgold Town that the mastermind behind their operation, the Zaral rebellion, would strike County Town.��


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 Chapter 406 - 202: Its Actually a F***ing... (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_3

    Chapter 406: Chapter 202: It��s Actually a F***ing�� (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_3


    ��`


    ��So, I immediately went to the County Town and reported this news to Viscount Hamadi. I didn��t expect to encounter your mansion being attacked,��


    the enemy��s main force?


    Rein thought for a moment, then pointed at the prostrate Parix on the ground and said, ��Viscount, perhaps this man is the leader of the enemy.��


    ��Hmm?�� Both Hamadi and Hamilton looked at Rein with a surprised face.


    Only now did they notice that, under the dim streetlights, the ground behind Rein was full of trenches and ravines, along with the horrendously damaged front courtyard of the mansion.


    ...


    Hamilton glanced at Parix on the ground, who looked like a dead dog, and said,


    ��He is��?��


    ��It��s said that he��s the leader of the Zaral rebels in Meist County, a Great Knight.��


    ��A Great Knight?�� Hamilton��s eyes widened in shock, flashing with a sharp light.


    ��This man should be very valuable for interrogation; he��s not dead yet, right?��


    ��Not yet dead, I deliberately avoided his vitals,�� Rein nodded.


    However, this statement sounded slightly off to Hamadi and Hamilton. Looking at the twisted and broken body in front of them, it was clear that although the vitals were avoided, the damage was��


    truly too gruesome, especially since the victim was a Great Knight.


    What about dignity?


    ��Excellent, Baron Rein, I suggest that you hand him over to the empire,��


    ��Recently, there have been signs of rebel activity in all counties of Mingster Province. At this juncture, you capturing the person in charge of one county will surely reap a substantial Merit Points reward,�� Viscount Hamadi said with a look of joy.


    Rein glanced at Hamilton and saw the latter also nodding with a smile.


    So, Rein nodded and said, ��Well, Viscount Hamadi, I��ll leave it to you then.��


    ��Don��t worry, I��ll send him straight to the County Jail and keep a tight watch. When Count Habs returns, he will probably personally interrogate him,�� Viscount Hamadi said with a smile in his eyes.


    ��What about that one over there?�� Hamilton pointed to the burly man who was kneeling and asked.


    ��He��s not important,�� Rein said with a glance.


    After leaving the rest of the matters to the two of them, Rein returned to his mansion to reassure his parents, sister, and the beautiful Jennifer.


    Since his family and the beautiful woman were not skilled in combat, even though they were worried about Rein and wanted to see the battle��s outcome, under the dim night, they simply could not discern the clash between two people with Great Knight-level strength.


    They could only hear the continuous sounds of battle����Boom! Crack! Clang!��


    Upon returning to his room, Rein looked at the system prompts:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, experience +878]


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, experience +1051]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience +476]


    [You have experienced a battle, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) experience +53]


    ��


    After this battle, the Knight (Transcendent) level reached lv6 (354/3000), earning one Skill Point and one attribute point as rewards.


    The remaining attribute points were restored to five, while the remaining Skill Points also reached three.


    The experience rewards for Tokkal Hammer Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique were substantial, but there was still quite a distance to level 10 skill advancement.


    However, this was not Rein��s current concern.


    Right now, his Kadar Martial Arts was already at lv5, and he had three Skill Points remaining.


    That meant, if he could quickly gain two more Skill Points, he would be able to immediately change his job to [Weapon Master (Legendary)].


    ��


    �����������C


    At night, Meist County City.


    A low but heavily guarded building was brightly lit.


    Teams dressed as the City Guard, or as the Night Watchman, were escorting captured bandits in and out of the building��s gates, and on the door, several large characters read ��Meist County Jail.��


    Half a day ago, Magis was quite excited upon receiving a report from a trusted aide that there was a major operation organized for the evening.


    After all, the stronger the organization, the bigger the commotion they caused, the greater his influence as the public liaison of the organization among the Meist nobility, and the more comfortable his life would be.


    On the contrary, if the organization was weak or eradicated by the empire, then he would have little standing to speak of, and might even lack a reason to exist.


    Just now, he was awakened in the middle of the night by a noisy commotion and immediately sensed something was off��because the whole jail seemed very lively.


    And he knew, an active jail was highly unusual!


    So, Magis immediately called for his trusted aide and asked:


    ��What��s going on? Why are so many prisoners being brought in?��


    ��This�� just wait a moment, your lordship, I��ll go and investigate,�� the aide replied, appearing to have just been woken up himself.


    However, Magis didn��t seem to mind.


    After all, his subordinate had been running back and forth between the jail and the new organization base and indeed had been working hard.


    A few minutes later, the aide returned with an ugly expression and reported, ��My lord, these are all bandits from the Wild Wolf Hills; it��s said that the organization is behind them.��


    ��What? Did the organization��s operation tonight fail?�� Magis��s complexion changed abruptly, immediately guessing the implications. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��It��s not clear yet; they��re all bandit gang members, I haven��t seen any members of the organization being caught,�� the aide said.


    ��Could this be showing weakness to deceive the enemy? A new tactic by General Parix?�� Magis heard this and felt somewhat relieved��at least there were no members of the organization involved, which was intriguing.


    ��However�� these bandit gangs can also be considered a potential force that the organization could utilize. Handing them over to the empire like this, doesn��t it seem a bit inappropriate���� Magis muttered to himself.


    ��`


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 Chapter 407 - 202: Its Actually a F***ing... (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_4

    Chapter 407: Chapter 202: It��s Actually a F***ing�� (Two-in-One Long Chapter)_4


    After some thought, Magis waved his hand to a confidant and said, ��You must contact the base immediately and ask Brigadier Parix what he means by this.��


    ��After all, he did this without notifying me, which is quite embarrassing among the nobility of Meister. They might think our organization has been defeated.��


    ��Yes, my lord! I��ll go right away!�� Although the confidant was visibly tired, he bowed and quickly left the room.


    He planned to use the cover of night and the chaos to leave the city and make contact.


    But he had barely taken a few steps out of the prison gate when he saw a very familiar figure being carried by several people into the prison.


    His eyes bulged with surprise, and had he not covered his mouth, he would have certainly cried out in shock!


    ...


    He peered through the crowd and took another careful look.


    Wasn��t this the very Brigadier Parix he was supposed to contact!


    How could he be carried into the prison like a dead dog?


    Could it be that Count Habs had laid an ambush?


    That couldn��t be right!


    After all, the intelligence was passed on by us, and Count Habs has not been in the County Town these past few days.


    Could it be that the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church had made their move?


    These meddling zealots!


    After thinking it over, the confidant realized that there was clearly no need to go to the base anymore, after all, the person in charge of the base was already here.


    Alas! He better hurry back and report to Lord Magis!


    A few minutes later.


    In Magis��s room.


    ��Knock knock knock!��


    ��Come in!�� Magis called out.


    ��Huh? Why have you come back?�� Seeing his confidant return so suddenly, Magis asked in surprise.


    With a strange look on his face, the confidant paused, seemingly trying to find the right words, ��My lord, I just saw Brigadier Parix at the prison gate.��


    Before he could finish, Magis sprang from his chair, exclaiming, ��What is he doing here? How dare he come to me so openly?��


    ��My lord! My lord! It��s not what you think, Brigadier Parix has been defeated and is seriously wounded. He��s now been brought to our prison gate, looking like he��s going to be imprisoned here.��


    ��What?�� Always skilled at disguising his emotions, Magis could no longer hide his shock and exclaimed in dismay.


    Upon hearing his confidant��s report, Magis felt as if he had been struck by lightning, standing there dumbfounded, while a storm of emotions churned within him.


    Damn it!


    What the hell is going on?


    In Meist County City, he couldn��t think of anyone other than a few individuals like Count Habs, Bishop Shion, who could defeat Parix.


    But Parix, even if he��s too self-confident, surely wouldn��t attack these few people, would he?


    And besides, Count Habs was reportedly out of town and not in the County Town��


    Could it be that Parix attempted to attack the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church?


    No, impossible!


    Magis immediately shook his head.


    One would have to be kicked in the head by a mule to do such a foolish thing!


    Besides, even if Parix were defeated, he should have had a retreat plan, right?


    How could he not even manage to escape?


    For the moment, Magis couldn��t understand why such a bizarre incident could happen! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And just the thought that if this matter were indeed true, Magis felt a tingling sensation on his scalp��


    After pacing back and forth in the room several times, Magis��s mood slightly returned to calm, and he asked his confidant once more, ��Are you sure that the one who was carried in is Colonel Parix?��


    ��My lord, I am quite certain, Colonel Parix has seen me many times before, his characteristically shiny combat boots are something I could not possibly misidentify,�� the confidant nodded with certainty.


    ��So he has already been brought in?��


    ��Yes, he should have been taken to the infirmary first, considering the severity of the colonel��s injuries as I saw them,��


    ��Good, you find an opportunity now to probe the situation at the infirmary, I will cover for you. Additionally, arrange for someone to investigate what exactly happened,�� Magis nodded and said.


    ��Understood, my lord.��


    ��


    The confidant soon arrived at the infirmary and learned from the City Guard who were in charge of the escort that he was brought over from the noble��s district.


    Immediately, the confidant arranged for informants within the City Guard to go investigate ahead.


    Before long, the two informants tasked with the investigation found the site of the battle, near the Rein Mansion, where they saw nothing but large and small gullies and pits, hardly looking like a scene of human combat, more like a battle between two giant beasts.


    The two of them changed color instantly, looking at each other in dismay!


    Plus, through some casual conversation, the two learned the rough details of the incident from a City Guard on patrol nearby.


    Soon, the message was relayed to Magis��s confidant.


    Upon hearing this news, the confidant was stunned for a good while.


    This��


    Was indeed somewhat inconceivable!


    Immediately, the confidant knocked on Magis��s door again.


    A few minutes later��


    ��What? You��re saying Rein was the one who beat Parix into this state?�� Magis��s face showed utter disbelief!


    While arranging for his confidant to investigate, Magis had also ��passed by�� the infirmary door and glanced in, seeing the dreadful state of Colonel Parix.


    His mind wouldn��t stop eliminating possibilities as to which major figure from the county town could have beaten Parix to such a state.


    The conclusion he reached was that it was likely the experts from the Monsoon and Sea Goddess Church, because many of the wounds on Colonel Parix��s body were caused by hammers resulting in crush injuries.


    And masters who wield hammers were commonly found among the Goddess Church��s Temple Knights, or even at a higher rank among the Punishment Knights.


    ��Impossible!!!�� Magis punched the desk with his fist, instantly splitting the solid wood desk onto the floor.


    He had repeatedly sent people to contact Parix, asking him to take out Rein.


    And now, look what had happened��


    Parix did make his move, only to be taken out by Rein!


    Fuck!


    Magis felt his entire being was in disarray��


    If you��ve died in battle, that��s one thing, but now you��ve been captured alive!


    Magis, having spent over two years mingling in the prison, knew all too well how terrifying the interrogation officer��s punishments were there, and he didn��t believe for a second that Parix could endure several rounds of torture��


    It seemed he needed to think of a way out��


    ��My lord, shouldn��t we consider a way to rescue the colonel?�� the confidant suggested rather ��directly.��


    Magis stared at his confidant for a few seconds before responding, ��You do have a heart. However, Colonel Parix will undoubtedly be closely guarded at all levels.��


    ��With just a few of us trying to rescue him, it��s too difficult����


    ��My lord, actually, with us acting as insiders, the rescue wouldn��t be that difficult, it��s just that after getting out of the prison, we would need a powerful person to rendezvous. My lord, is there enough time to contact the higher-ups now?�� the confidant pondered and inquired further.


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 Chapter 408 - 203: Above Secret Techniques - Secret Technique (Combined Chapter)

    Chapter 408: Chapter 203: Above Secret Techniques �C Secret Technique (Combined Chapter)


    ��It��s too late, even if we contact the authorities now, it would take at least five days for someone to come, and by then everything would be too late���� Magis shook his head and said.


    However, the words of his trusted aide did give Magis an inspiration.


    But what he thought was not about rescuing, but assassination!


    After a moment��s thought, Magis��s eyes flickered and he took out a black pill the size of a fingernail from his bosom and handed it over, saying to his trusted aide, ��Grind this thing into powder, and find a way to mix it into his medical treatment.��


    ��Given the severity of Parix��s injuries, he will definitely need some treatment before we can torture him for information,�� Magis said confidently.


    Over the past two years, he had seen many such cases in the prison, so he was experienced.


    ...


    The trusted aide��s eyes widened in shock as he looked at the pill in front of him!


    He certainly knew what it was, a highly lethal poison, used by spies like them for suicide when they were in desperate situations.


    Although he did not know how effective this medicine would be against a Great Knight, he believed that Parix, severely injured as he was, could certainly not withstand the potency of the drug and would most likely die immediately!


    The key point was, he had not expected that right after he opened his mouth to suggest a rescue, his boss had turned around and asked him to assassinate the man!


    This��


    The confidant mumbled twice, but still decided to voice his confusion, ��Sir, do you really intend to go through with this�� He is, after all, a Great Knight of the organization!��


    Magis immediately shook his head as if it were a rattle drum and said, ��No! Whether he is a Great Knight is no longer important now! What matters is that he is a bomb about to explode at any moment.��


    ��Once our esteemed General can��t withstand the torture, at that moment, no matter you, me, or anyone else in Meister County, we will all be caught in one net by the empire.��


    The confidant was stunned for a while, then his eyes lit up, and looking at Magis with great admiration, he gave a thumbs up and said:


    ��Sir, your decisiveness is this!��


    Magis continued:


    ��Moreover, I will immediately inform the organization! Parix is a Great Knight, yes, but only at the first level of power, equivalent to an official knight among knights. This time, I will apply to the organization to directly dispatch a senior Great Knight to eradicate Rein, this cancer!��


    ��I have a feeling that if we do not eliminate this guy, he will sooner or later become a major threat to the organization!��


    The confidant nodded in agreement and added, ��You��re right, sir! This Rein has caused such great losses to the organization, I believe the organization will definitely regard him as a thorn in their side.��


    ��As long as the organization still has plans for Meister County, they will surely support your decision and send someone!��


    ��


    �����������C


    Dawn was breaking.


    Rein��s new residence.


    Since the battle had ended very late yesterday, Rein had gone to rest shortly after returning to his room.


    And early this morning, Rein began to preliminarily review the battle from last night.


    Only through constant reflection and summary can one continue to improve!


    Rein recalled that during his fight with the resistance army��s General Parix, what struck him most was the final axe strike delivered by his opponent.


    At that moment, the blade of the axe had gathered a substantial force, making it incredibly lethal!


    This technique seemed to be a very clever combination of native force and combat skills.


    Unlike the attacks of a greatsword master, this involved more integration of native force and combat skills, involving a massive amount of native force, which seemed to be a feat only achievable at the level of a Great Knight.


    And while the greatsword master focused more on conviction and combat skills, native force was secondary.


    Unfortunately, Rein had not learned this content from Master Ganther.


    Moreover, he did not have information on the technique Parix had used, otherwise, with his master-level control of combat skills, he should have been able to initially decipher the intricacies involved.


    Additionally, the utility of the high-grade Knight Armor began to gradually show itself.


    If he had been wearing just a chromium suit at the time, his injuries would definitely have been much more severe.


    Now, with the blocking of the high-grade Knight Armor, his body needed to bear much less lethal damage.


    Armored layers never go out of style! sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For him, the issue was balancing the weight of the armor and his mobility.


    Lastly, Rein felt that taking on a fight across a significant class difference always carried a high risk, so he needed to quickly advance to the next level.


    From the battle, given his current strength, he felt he had already surpassed the upper limit of a Peak Knight, and if one had to categorize, calling him an almost Great Knight would be more appropriate.


    Moreover, he was also a third-level wizard apprentice, although self-taught, which cast a big question mark on his combat ability, but even so, combining both aspects, he still managed to defeat the other party after only suffering minor injuries.


    Another Peak Knight would likely be undoubtedly defeated!


    Of course, regarding last night��s battle, Rein had a clear mind why he chose a direct confrontation then.


    Even if the strength of this resistance army General was a bit stronger, Rein reckoned he could handle it.


    He had the Sorcery Scroll ��Summon Hurricane�� in his pocket, and if he truly couldn��t match the opponent, he would decisively use this witchcraft scroll, and he also had a Healing Scroll ��Life Blossom��.


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 Chapter 409 - 203: Above Secret Techniques - Secret Technique (Combined Chapter)_2

    Chapter 409: Chapter 203: Above Secret Techniques �C Secret Technique (Combined Chapter)_2


    These two scrolls were considered to be Rein��s two trump cards.


    That is why Rein had the confidence to confront enemies at the level of a Great Knight head-on.


    His greatest source of confidence, of course, came from his system.


    However, these two Sorcery Scrolls were one-time-use items; once they were consumed, he currently had no means to replenish them, which meant that each used scroll decreased his stockpile.


    After revisiting the strategy, Rein once again focused his thoughts on the remaining two Skill Points.


    He had already made preliminary plans on how to obtain the next two Skill Points.


    ...


    For one of them, Rein planned to slowly increase his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Professional Experience by practicing foundational meditation and exercising witchcraft each day.


    Rein estimated that the required five hundred points of Experience would take about ten days, which was closely linked to his continually enhanced spiritual power and subsequently strengthened stamina.


    In the past, casting witchcraft a few times would almost exhaust his spiritual power.


    As for the last Skill Point, Rein planned to first try crafting an Intelligence Potion to see its effect on Beast Tamer Professional Experience, especially since he had prepared the ingredients well in advance.


    Thinking it, he did it.


    Rein walked out of his room and quickly came to the adjacent potion room, which was actually similar to the storeroom he had in Flashgold Town.


    Recently, he had asked the beautiful lady to purchase some common glassware, such as beakers, for uncomplicated potion crafting, which for now was sufficient.


    Before starting the crafting process, Rein seriously reviewed the production procedure of the Intelligence Potion from the ��Beast Taming Diary��:


    ����.Step one, first weigh a bunch of starweed and grind it into a powder��.��


    Before long, Rein began working on the first step of the Intelligence Potion procedure��preparing the starweed solution.


    This step required grinding the starweed into powder before diluting it with distilled water and filtering it to produce the starweed solution. The process was not difficult, and Rein weighed the starweed and then crushed it with a wooden pestle��


    Minutes later, Rein nodded at the pale green liquid in the transparent test tube.


    Due to the enhancement of his spiritual power, the first step was exceptionally simple for Rein.


    Step two��


    Step three��


    Rein looked at the green reagent in the glass test tube, bubbling away, and nodded in satisfaction.


    A success on the first try! Not bad!


    At this moment, the system updated a series of notifications:


    [You crafted an Intelligence Potion, insight enhanced!]


    [You have gained a new skill�� Intelligence Potion Crafting]


    [Your Intelligence Potion Crafting skill has improved, Experience +30]


    [You focused on Intelligence Potion Crafting, your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) Professional Experience +22]


    ��.


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    22 points, that��s a nice number of Experience Points, even higher than the previous Mutated Growth Potion.


    After several tries, Rein was almost certain.


    Each successful crafting of an Intelligence Potion could net him about twenty or more points of Experience Points. If he completed all ten batches, he could gain almost two hundred Beast Tamer Professional Experience Points.


    Besides, the Beast Tamer role could also derive Experience from subsequent nurturing.


    Rein roughly estimated that he could gain about five hundred Beast Tamer (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points through this batch of Intelligence Potions.


    The gap from the required two thousand points for leveling up was still significant.


    This made Rein frown slightly.


    ��The main ingredient ��starweed�� isn��t sold in the bat marketplace����


    While Rein was pondering solutions, a knocking at the door interrupted his thoughts.


    ��Knock knock knock!��


    ��Baron, a Night Watchman captain has come to visit you at the mansion��s entrance, saying his name is Matteo,�� reported a servant.


    Huh, Matteo?


    Rein immediately arched his brow, having always had a good impression of Matteo for his careful and efficient work. Thinking about it, it indeed had been a while since he last saw him.


    ��Please, invite him in!��


    Soon, a man of modest height but slim build entered the room.


    ��Matteo, what brings you to the County Town? Come, join me for breakfast,�� Rein said, looking up at Matteo with a smile.


    ��Baron, please don��t bother about the breakfast. Entrusted by Lord Hamilton, I have to hurry to the prison next to represent the Night Watchman in a joint interrogation of that rebellious army brigadier general,�� Matteo said, apologetically waving his hand.


    Rein nodded; he was aware that Matteo excelled in interrogations, and it surprised him that Hamilton had transferred him from Flashgold Town so quickly.


    ��Lord Rein, this is something Lord Hamilton asked me to give to you; it was found on that rebellious army brigadier general, and it probably belongs to your war loot,�� Matteo said, raising his eyebrows and handing over a light-yellow sheepskin scroll.


    ��We had to strip down that brigadier general��s Knight Armor and found this item inside the lining of his armor,�� Matteo said with a hint of pride, as he was the sharp-eyed one who discovered it.


    ��Lord Rein, you severely damaged his armor in the fight, it took us a great deal of effort, and we couldn��t remove the armor that was already mangled with flesh,�� Matteo explained, gesturing with his hands the struggle they had the previous night removing the armor.


    ��In the end, we had to call two blacksmiths with giant shears to help us remove the Knight Armor from him,�� Matteo concluded, detailing the effort taken.


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 Chapter 410 - 410: 203

    Chapter 410: 203


    This couldn��t help but make Rein laugh as well.


    ��It��s my lack of thorough consideration; I should have split his armor open before handing him over to you,��


    ��That would have saved you some trouble.��


    However, Rein thought that if he had used his greatsword to split the opposing knight��s plate armor, he likely wouldn��t have obtained this Extraordinary Battle Technique.


    After all, if the secret was hidden in the concealed lining, he probably wouldn��t have searched the spoils so meticulously.


    ��Originally, one of the prison��s interrogators took a fancy to your item, but I stopped him on the spot! The man was quite discontented, so I immediately retorted, ��Do you know who captured this Great Knight of the rebels? The Baron of Hammer!''��


    ...


    ��Upon hearing it was the Lord, that interrogator immediately dared not utter a word,�� Matteo said, his expression bright and proud.


    Rein was, after all, from their Night Watcher��s Army.


    And even though Rein had been promoted to a Baron, his attitude towards the Night Watchmen remained as it had always been, which deeply moved them.


    Rein smiled slightly, patted the other��s shoulder, and said, ��I appreciate it, Matteo!��


    ��


    After Matteo had left, Rein returned to his study, curiously unfolding the parchment scroll to see the title ��Rocken��s Single-handed Axe Combat Skill Outline�� emblazoned across the top.


    Rein glanced over it and noticed that it was an excellent Extraordinary Battle Technique that matched axe and shield, eloquently detailing the use of a single-handed axe and numerous shield defense techniques.


    Most importantly, it included the move ��Rocken��s Axe Skill Secret Technique �C Flash Cut.��


    Reading its description, Rein suddenly understood what a secret technique was.


    Rein had heard Master Ganther mention the concept of secret techniques before, but he had never seen the true power of a genuine secret technique.


    A secret technique is an extraordinarily powerful strike that could be unleashed by a Great Knight in combination with master-level combat skill specialization.


    Rein recalled that a rebel colonel named Parix seemed not to have fully mastered this secret technique; the reason being that his mastery of Rocken��s Axe Skill was at most a half-step master level.


    If one were to describe it, that man��s strike would only qualify as a pseudo-secret technique, but not a true secret technique.


    Yet, the power of this pseudo-secret technique, even now, appeared to exceed the power limit of his own Hammer Skill secret technique, ��Earth-splitting Hammer.��


    Despite the seemingly small gap, it should be noted that his mastery of the Tokkal Hammer Technique was at a master level, further enhanced by an LV3 hammer specialization; Rein��s Earth-splitting Hammer secret technique decisively exceeded the power limits of ordinary knight-level secret techniques.


    One could imagine that if the opponent��s axe skill really reached the master level, he might not necessarily lose, but he would certainly sustain much more severe injuries.


    Although this Extraordinary Battle Technique is very impressive, for the current Rein, he would not choose to learn it.


    Those two Skill Points were his top priority.


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    ��Come in.��


    ��Dear, this is the Behemoth Essence that Master Holland has sent.�� The beautiful woman, looking worried, handed Rein a brown wooden box while speaking.


    ��Hmm? Jennifer, you seem upset.�� Rein keenly noticed the woman��s brows were slightly furrowed, and he asked immediately as he took the box.


    The beautiful woman lowered her head to glance at the wooden box in Rein��s hands, then looked up at him again, saying,


    ��According to Master Holland, although the essence was successfully created, its potency is probably among the lowest of the behemoth essences.��


    ��So, my dear, maybe you could wait a bit longer? Our finances are quite stable at the moment, and I��m planning to have the Yakesen Auction House assist in acquiring a high-quality behemoth essence from the Imperial City sometime soon,�� the beautiful woman slowly explained.


    Upon hearing this, Rein took the woman��s fair hands into his, gave them a pat, and comforted her,


    ��Don��t worry, Jennifer, becoming a Great Knight is not a problem for me,��


    ��The matter of acquiring a high-quality behemoth essence is insignificant to me.��


    ��As for the specific reasons�� well�� you can understand that I am very close to becoming a Great Knight; any bottle of behemoth essence would suffice for my breakthrough.��


    Previously, although he had made a substantial sum in bets before a bloody duel,


    the principal amount of the bets was mostly funded by the beautiful woman, and now it seemed, a large part of that income was also being spent on him, like the previous acquisitions of ice iron ingots, mithril, etc.


    Now, with the beautiful woman still wanting to acquire high-quality behemoth essence for him, not only would her previous betting income be completely consumed, but it seemed she would have to inject even more money into it.


    ��Hmm? Dear, you��re not deceiving me?�� The beautiful woman expressed her surprise, as this was the first time she had heard such a claim from Rein.


    ��Of course!�� Rein nodded affirmatively.


    ��


    After the beautiful woman left, Rein thought for a while, safely stored away the second box of behemoth essence, and then continued to immerse himself in crafting intelligence potions.


    Two hours later, Rein had used up all the materials, having successfully created nine out of ten potions, with one inadvertently failing. However, the success rate remained impressively high at ninety percent.


    Having finished the potions, Rein naturally wanted to test their effect. Since the greyhound ��Cookie�� was severely injured, it was not suitable.


    Thinking for a bit, Rein took one of the intelligence potions and headed to the stables in the mansion��s backyard.


    ��Baron, good day,�� a middle-aged servant, seeing Rein��s arrival at the stables, immediately bowed respectfully.


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 Chapter 411 - 203: Above Secret Techniques - Secret Technique (Combined Chapter)_4

    Chapter 411: Chapter 203: Above Secret Techniques �C Secret Technique (Combined Chapter)_4


    He recognized this servant, who was responsible for the stables at their mansion, feeding and taking care of the horses.


    ��How��s ��Black Pearl��?�� Lord Rein asked casually.


    ��Black Pearl�� was that black warhorse. Ever since about two months ago, when Rein had been adding a mutation growth potion to its feed, the creature��s physique had become increasingly robust and large.


    As for why it was named ��Black Pearl��, one would only need to refer to the origin of the greyhound ��Cookie�� to understand.


    It was a name given by his sister Bo He, and it must be said, this time the naming showed progress compared to the greyhound��s.


    ��Well�� sir, ��Black Pearl�� has seemed to bulk up even more recently. Its appetite is now shockingly large, consuming a whole bag of high-quality feed or grass in one meal, which is nearly three times the amount a normal warhorse would eat,�� the stableman reported.


    ...


    ��Hmm, you��ve worked hard. If you want a horse to run, you��ve got to let it eat its fill!�� Rein said with a smile.


    ��Everything else is normal. Oh, but it seems to prefer not being cooped up in the stable. It likes to roam outside, so sometimes it gets a bit irritable,�� the stableman continued.


    Rein nodded in understanding; indeed, it had been a while since he had ridden out on it.


    The backyard space only allowed the horse to move slightly, nowhere near enough to gallop freely.


    Looking up, Rein saw that ��Black Pearl�� now had a completely different appearance from the other ordinary horses beside it.


    A standard big horse with a high head, its black coat glossy and sleek. Just moving around casually revealed the strong, bulky muscles underneath its skin.


    It could be said, without any exaggeration, that in the company of seven or eight warhorses, it stood out like a crane among chickens.


    Rein made a careful comparison. If the shoulder height of a regular warhorse in the stable was about 1.4 to 1.5 meters, then ��Black Pearl��s�� shoulder height had now reached 1.8 meters.


    Mind you, that��s the shoulder height. If you add the neck and the head, ��Black Pearl��s total height exceeded 2.2 meters.


    Obviously, such a significant change could no longer be simply described as ��bulked up.��


    The reason, naturally, was due to the continuous intake of the mutation growth potion for two months, which had induced some kind of mutation in ��Black Pearl,�� resulting in a complete alteration of its physique.


    If it were merely a matter of muscle gain, the horse��s skeletal structure would not have changed, but at this moment, ��Black Pearl��s�� bone structure and appearance had both transformed.


    Seeing Rein approach, ��Black Pearl�� nickered twice, snorted, and then rubbed its forehead against the palm of Rein��s outstretched hand.


    Clearly, ��Black Pearl�� was very happy about Rein��s arrival.


    Rein stroked ��Black Pearl��s�� head and took out the intelligence potion he was carrying, pouring it into the feed trough filled with high-quality feed.


    As the pale green bubbly liquid flowed out, ��Black Pearl�� first sniffed at it, then nickered and began to chew vigorously, seeming quite fond of the taste.


    One minute later, the system prompt refreshed:


    [By feeding your warhorse with high-quality feed mixed with the secret potion ��Intelligence Potion,�� its comprehension has slightly increased!]


    [Your Beast Taming Skill has been enhanced, Experience +45]


    [Your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession Experience +22]


    ��.


    Rein nodded in satisfaction and glanced at the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession, which had now reached lv5 (348/2000).


    However, the intelligence potion differed from the mutation growth potion in its use.


    The intelligence potion only needed to be used once to gradually affect the pet; it wasn��t necessary to be continuously administered for two months like the mutation growth potion.


    This meant that Rein could only gain feeding experience from one pet once, but all things considered, he currently only had two pets.


    This was in part because he had not previously invested much energy in the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession, and secondly, it was because it was still unknown whether there was a limit to the number of pets a Beast Tamer could have.


    Recalling the previous profession panel quantity restriction, the system only displayed the prompt ��Total number of panels has reached the current limit�� after Rein had filled his profession panel quantity (3/3).


    Latter, after he advanced to become a Knight (Transcendent), his profession panel quantity was expanded by one, reaching (4/4).


    Therefore, Rein surmised that the number of pets for a Beast Tamer probably had a limit too. Without a particularly suitable pet, he had no plans to adopt pets randomly.


    At this moment, a servant hurried over and bowed to Rein:


    ��Baron, a group of cavalry has arrived at the gates, and among them is a beautiful female officer. She says her name is Marika.��


    Huh?


    How could it be her who came.


    Lord Rein immediately thought of the beautiful female major in a navy uniform, with a graceful figure.


    It must be what Count Habs mentioned last time, about the special task force of the Sixth Fleet. He hadn��t expected them to arrive so soon?


    Lord Rein raised an eyebrow and said, ��Very well, I��ll be there at once.��


    When Rein arrived at the front yard, he found a troop of cavalry had already been led into the front yard. In front of the cavalry, the beautiful woman Jennifer was receiving Major Marika Morales of the navy with a smile.


    Yet, what was more noticeable was the girl with twin ponytails in a light blue robe standing beside Marika. Judging by her age, she didn��t seem to be much older than Jenny.


    ��Baron, I was just thinking of asking Major Marika and her party to wait for you in the drawing room,�� the beautiful woman said with a smile.


    ��Baron Rein, it��s been a long time.�� Marika��s eyes brightened upon seeing Rein, and she greeted him with a smile.


    She hadn��t expected that the young man she hadn��t seen in a while had grown taller and more robust, and at the same time, he exuded a light, noble aura.


    This change seemed a bit too rapid.


    ��Major Marika, it has indeed been a long time,�� Rein said with a nod and a smile.


    ��Lord Rein, this is Veronica Meier, a disciple of Master Annius, the advisor to the Imperial Southern Sea Fleet and a Tier-3 Wizard Apprentice of the Ubrek School. Veronica specializes in the alteration of birds and serves as the liaison officer for this special task force.��


    This immediately struck Rein as a surprise.


    Hmm?


    Ubrek School? It must be some wizardry school.


    Rein raised an eyebrow; he hadn��t expected the twin ponytailed girl to be a Tier-3 Wizard Apprentice, which was truly beyond his expectations.


    But then, a realization struck Rein.


    He remembered reading in Adams�� journal about a formal wizard serving as an advisor to the Duke of Empire.


    Indeed, the Imperial elite didn��t view wizards as a threat but as a helpful force.


    ��Miss Veronica, nice to meet you,�� Rein said as he bowed slightly.


    ��Baron Rein, I��ve long heard of your great reputation,�� Veronica��s voice turned out to be a rare, childish tone.


    Just then, the sound of flapping wings came from the sky, and at the same time, a dark shadow swiftly dived down from above.


    Rein��s pupils shrank, and his right hand immediately reached for the greatsword on his back.


    ��Lord Rein, wait.��


    ��Hmm?��


    ��This is a specially altered seagull, used for delivering our messages,�� Veronica called out immediately.


    A white seagull, much larger than ordinary seagulls, flapped its wings and landed on the arm Veronica had stretched out.


    Then Rein noticed that beneath Veronica��s blue robe, a tubular brown leather gauntlet was attached to her right forearm, probably serving as a perch for the bird��s talons.


    Rein raised an eyebrow.


    Specially altered seagull?


    Was it the effect of witchcraft or some kind of secret potion?


    But from any point of view, it seemed quite suitable to be his pet.


    What a pity, though��the seagull was still too weak. If it was a bird of prey, that would indeed be a very good choice��


    But then, if he were to get another bird of prey like an eagle�� sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wouldn��t he be ��holding the azure dragon in the left and leading the yellow dragon in the right��?


    Veronica quickly muttered an incantation under her breath, focusing intently on the white seagull��s eyes without moving, and after several seconds, she spoke:


    ��Major Marika, Baron Rein, Admiral Xilva has informed me that the fleet has left the harbor and is expected to reach the waters near Meister County in three days,�� she said.


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 Chapter 412 - 204: The Method of Exchanging Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 412: Chapter 204: The Method of Exchanging Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    After listening to Vinica��s narrative, Mary nodded and then turned to Reine, ��Lord Reine, I��m really sorry, but it seems we need to set off as soon as possible.��


    ��No problem, Major Mary. However, it��s already half past ten, how about we depart after lunch?�� Reine said with a smile.


    Mary and Vinica exchanged glances, then said with a smile, ��Of course, that would be a disturbance to you, Baron Reine.��


    ��You are too polite; it is the hospitality I ought to offer,�� Reine said, bowing slightly with a smile.


    Without needing any further instructions from Reine, the beautiful woman beside them gradually stood up, saying with a smile:


    ��Baron, I will go and ensure the kitchen prepares something special, so Major Mary and Miss Vinica can enjoy the culinary delights of Meister County.��


    ...


    ��Thank you, Jennifer,�� Reine said with a nod and a smile.


    After Jennifer left, Major Mary��s beautiful eyes lingered on the woman��s retreating figure for a moment before she turned to Reine and said, ��Baron Reine, your housekeeper is quite a looker.��


    ��Even in Rosby City, she is extremely rare. From her demeanor, she doesn��t seem like a housekeeper but rather like a graceful noblewoman.��


    Actually, Mary was quite surprised the first time she saw Jennifer.


    After some polite conversation, she understood why General Xilva had asked her to try inviting Reine and why he had so easily refused, as if she lacked charm.


    Aside from the invitation from the Empire��s Sword Bearers, the beautiful woman probably played a significant role.


    Understanding this, Mary��s mood became even better.


    It turned out it wasn��t that her own charm was insufficient, but that there was such a ��formidable�� beautiful woman present.


    Reine smiled and explained, ��Major Mary is keen; Jennifer is actually a Baroness. Now, she is the head of the Crowley family, and I was once invited to become the Crowley family��s Guardian Knight.


    ��Later, when I was knighted as a Baron, I didn��t have a suitable housekeeper candidate, so the Lady Crowley voluntarily took on the role of steward of the new manor.��


    After hearing Reine��s ��explanation��, Mary and Vinica exchanged smiles, as if to say Reine was being somewhat self-deceiving.


    Clearly, with such a beautiful woman around, they didn��t believe Reine could be so ��gentlemanly.��


    However, they were tactful, and the topic did not go any further.


    ��


    Since it was rare to meet a third-level Wizard Apprentice, Reine timely asked Vinica couple of his questions.


    ��Miss Vinica, may I ask if that white seagull of yours underwent some special transformation? I am eager to know if this is the result of witchcraft or some kind of potion?�� Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Of course, Lord Reine, it��s a witchcraft refined by my mentor, Wizard Aeneas, known in the navy as ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique.''��


    ��I see,�� Reine said thoughtfully.


    The fact that the Empire��s navy used witchcraft for communication clarified many things.


    Previously, he had thought the Empire��s elites didn��t see wizards as a plague, but rather as an asset; but now it seemed his view was still conservative.


    The use of witchcraft within the military communication system indicated a bond between the Empire and the wizards much deeper than he had imagined.


    Reflecting on this, Reine felt his previous decision was correct.


    As long as he was backed by the Empire and continued to climb up the hierarchies, he should gradually gain access to systematic knowledge of witchcraft.


    ��Miss Vinica, if I may inquire, I am very interested in your mentor��s ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique.�� Is it possible for you to sell it to me?��


    Reine tried his luck, although he had a premonition.


    After all, if he could indeed acquire it, he might be able to increase his Beast Tamer��s Profession Level once again in a short period of time.


    Furthermore, since her ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique�� was some form of witchcraft, he might also simultaneously advance the level of his Wizard Apprentice profession during the learning process.


    Two birds with one stone.


    ��Hmm? Lord Reine, that is witchcraft, it��s only for���� Suddenly, Vinica��s eyes widened as she stared at Reine, her sentence trailing off abruptly.


    Then she pointed at Reine, surprised, and said, ��Lord Reine, you��you��re actually a Wizard Apprentice!��


    ��And, your spiritual power seems to be no less than mine. Are you also a third-level Wizard Apprentice?��


    Hearing Vinica��s words, Mary next to her suddenly covered her mouth, looking at Reine with surprise.


    She really hadn��t expected Reine, who had always presented himself with the talent of an outstanding knight, to also be a Wizard Apprentice.


    Reine was also quite astonished.


    When he asked the question, he had considered that his Wizard Apprentice identity might be revealed.


    But unlike before, he was now an Imperial noble, and on the other hand, he had a basic understanding of the Empire��s high-level attitude towards wizards.


    Therefore, even if it became known to others that he was a Wizard Apprentice, it wouldn��t be much of an issue.


    What surprised him was that Vinica was able to accurately judge that he was a third-level Wizard Apprentice.


    It seemed she must have some type of scouting witchcraft or detection tools at her disposal.


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 Chapter 413 - 204: Witchcraft Exchange Method (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 413: Chapter 204: Witchcraft Exchange Method (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Previously, I accidentally obtained a basic meditation method and then tried practicing it; later, I found that my progress seemed quite good, so I continued to practice it until now,�� Lord Reine said with a smile, not denying it.


    ��My goodness, Lord Reine, your talent�� I don��t even know what to say.��


    ��Do you know how hard I work every day to get to where I am now, and you just easily became a third-level Wizard Apprentice!��


    ��Goddess above, this is too unfair���� Vinica muttered, quite frustrated.


    At this moment, Mary finally understood.


    It seemed that when Reine achieved such a great feat during the knighting assessment process, it might not have been solely due to the Knight��s methods.


    ...


    However, the key issue was that a person with an extremely strong Knight talent also possessed a Wizard aptitude comparable to Vinica��s, which��


    Mary didn��t know what to say all of a sudden.


    One could only say that the goddess was really too biased toward Reine��


    After a while, Vinica calmed down and seriously answered Reine��s earlier question:


    ��Lord Reine, this�� I��m very sorry, but my mentor has already handed over the ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique�� to the imperial navy, and it has been included in the special item exchange listing.��


    ��So, due to the imperial secrecy regulations, I cannot directly teach this witchcraft to you,�� Vinica said, slightly apologetic.


    This made Reine slightly disappointed.


    However��


    Special item exchange listing?


    Is it something like an exchange list?


    ��Even though I am a Baron, can I not exchange items through this�� special item exchange listing?��


    ��I��m very sorry, Baron Reine, that��s the case. Only by joining the imperial navy can one have the opportunity to exchange items from it.��


    ��Then the witchcraft in this special item exchange listing is probably very diverse?�� Reine asked thoughtfully.


    He had just thought of a question.


    It seemed that what Naya from the Usman family said before must be true.


    The metal-based witchcraft, which was extremely difficult to find in the outside world, could very likely be available in this special item exchange listing of the imperial navy.


    ��Yes, this is an internal exchange list of the imperial navy, from which you can exchange some items that are almost impossible to acquire from outside, such as some witchcraft, secret techniques, and special medicines, among other things, covering a wide range,�� Vinica explained.


    Hearing Vinica��s affirmative response, Reine couldn��t help but become more interested.


    ��Then for the exchange, is it also done using Merit Points?�� Reine continued to inquire.


    ��Yes and no,�� Vinica shook her head, but she didn��t keep him in suspense and quickly continued to explain. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��To exchange items from the special item exchange listing, you need task evaluation medals along with Merit Points for the exchange.��


    Reine knew about Merit Points.


    But what are these task evaluation medals? Reine was hearing about something he had never heard of before.


    Seeing Reine still looking puzzled, Vinica immediately thought of something and took the initiative to say:


    ��Task evaluation medals are only awarded after completing special combat missions for the imperial navy.��


    ��Lord Reine, you can understand that ordinary tasks do not have this evaluation medal. Only those that are relatively difficult or of special significance to the empire are awarded evaluation medals, classified as bronze, silver, gold, and diamond medals based on the level of evaluation.��


    ��For example, ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique�� requires three bronze medals and two thousand Merit Points for exchange.��


    ��I see,�� Reine nodded, quickly understanding the purpose of such an exchange.


    The items in the special item exchange listing were obviously rarer than those available at the general military supply office, being provided for the empire��s special combat talents.


    The aim, most likely, was to prevent ordinary combat personnel from accumulating small amounts of Merit Points over time and exchanging them for high-value items, hence the setting of this evaluation medal as a limitation.


    Merit Points were essentially money.


    And the bronze medal was like a one-time trading qualification voucher.


    If the qualifications were insufficient, having money was useless.


    Moreover, these qualification vouchers were one-time use only; once used up, one could only choose to continue completing special tasks for the empire to earn evaluation medals.


    Reine basically understood.


    This was almost like buying grain in the planned economy of his previous life, where you needed both money and grain coupons.


    For Reine, he did not dislike the empire��s method.


    When one��s own strength was not enough, only by completing tasks for the empire could one obtain resources; he did not dislike this.


    Furthermore, after Vinica��s explanation, Reine realized that some resources related to Wizards seemed to be quite scarce across the entire empire, thus setting a higher threshold to prevent ordinary combat personnel from participating in the exchange.


    Thinking back.


    Why hadn��t the empire gathered those wandering Wizard Apprentices with mediocre qualifications? It was very likely because of this consideration.


    Resources were limited, so they were definitely used to look after those who were willing to serve the empire and had training value.


    ��Lord Reine, it seems you are quite interested in training animals,�� Vinica said, her big eyes curiously staring at Reine, asking.


    ��Yes, I am indeed quite interested in that,�� Reine nodded.


    ��However, I think it should not be a big problem for you, I heard Colonel Mary say that you have already received an invitation letter from the imperial Sword Bearers�� organization.��


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 Chapter 414 - 414: 204

    Chapter 414: 204


    ��As the top noble enlistment assessment candidate of Mingster Province this time, joining ultimately should pose no problem for you.��


    ��As a special talent, if this mission ends smoothly, Colonel Mary should be able to help you apply for an exchange without much trouble,�� Vinica turned to Mary with a smile and said.


    Hmm?


    An exchange without joining?


    Rein, after hearing Vinica��s suggestion, couldn��t help but look at Mary with a questioning tilt of his head.


    There, Mary looked back at Rein with a smile, nodded, and said, ��Baron Rein, as the rising star of Mingster Province, the Southern Sea Fleet is indeed very willing to do this favor for you.��


    ...


    ��As far as I know, Major General Xilva still regrets that you declined the fleet��s invitation,�� she added.


    ��That��s really great. The Sword Bearer organization has always been my goal; otherwise, I might have chosen to join the Southern Sea Fleet,�� Rein said with pleasure gleaming in his smile.


    If going to Fishing Port Town before were part of Rein��s duty as the Governor and Chief Peace Officer of Fishing Port Town,


    Then now, it was also because Rein wanted to rush to Fishing Port Town himself to complete the joint mission from Meister County and the Southern Sea Fleet, thus getting Mary to assist with the exchange for the bird transformation witchcraft.


    After lunch.


    ��You two, I��ll go upstairs to fetch my baggage, please wait a moment.��


    ��Of course, Baron Rein at your convenience.��


    Rein went to his study, thought for a while, and then took out two distinct but exquisitely made wooden boxes from beneath a bookshelf, which contained the ��magical essence of a giant beast��.��


    He decided to take both bottles of ��magical essence of a giant beast�� with him.


    At that moment, the footsteps of a beautiful woman sounded outside the door.


    ��Knock knock knock!��


    ��Come in~��


    The beautiful woman walked in with a beaming smile.


    Huh?


    Rein was quite puzzled; she had specially changed into a gorgeous off-the-shoulder pale blue long dress before lunch, so why was she now wearing a black robe? S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before he could ask, the beautiful woman cheerfully took the initiative to say, ��Darling, it seems that Major Mary has quite a fondness for you.��


    This statement made Rein pause for a moment and say, ��I don��t think that��s likely; I��ve only met Major Mary during the enlistment assessment.��


    ��Is that so? Darling, don��t you think Major Mary in her naval uniform has a certain charm?�� the beautiful woman moved closer, bringing a fragrant breeze and seductively said.


    This��


    Rein hesitated for a moment. He didn��t know whether to answer truthfully or to tell a ��little white lie�� to spare the beautiful woman��s feelings, considering he was about to embark on a mission with Mary.


    Seeing Rein��s hesitation, the beautiful woman giggled while covering her mouth.


    All at once, the beautiful woman��s fair hand reached out and suddenly untied the black robe, and as it slid off, Rein��s eyes widened, and his mouth hung open slightly in shock.


    Turned out, the beautiful woman was wearing a uniform that hardly differed from that of Mary��s naval dress. In that moment, a stunning ��female officer�� was presented to Rein��s gaze.


    Moreover, the uniform obviously being a size too small made the beautiful woman��s shapely features stand out tautly; her charms were unquestionably on display.


    Rein felt a wave of warmth coursing through his lower abdomen.


    ��This�� Jennifer, we��re supposed to depart soon�� It��s almost time����


    ��Commander, this time Colonel Jennifer will be at your service,�� the beautiful woman threw a sultry glance and smiled sweetly while gazing at Rein, then slowly bent down and began to undo Rein��s��


    (Ten thousand words are omitted here��.)


    The villa downstairs.


    ��Major Mary, Lord Rein is taking a bit long, isn��t he? It��s been half an hour; what��s taking him so long to come down?�� The young girl��s twin ponytails bounced as she turned her head to ask with a hint of impatience.


    ��This�� There might be something,�� Major Mary thought about sending the beautiful woman upstairs to ask but when she looked around, she did not see the beautiful woman anywhere.


    In the study, Rein, due to the beautiful woman��s superb skills plus the uniform bonus, and the intermittent conversation of the two women outside the window��


    After a while, a refreshed Rein holding two boxes, descended the stairs.


    ��Lord Rein, you finally show yourself. Making two ladies wait so long is not very gentlemanly,�� Vinica said with a hint of complaint.


    ��Ah�� Miss Vinica, I am terribly sorry. I just couldn��t find the ��magical essence of a giant beast�� at first and took some time to locate it,�� Rein replied, looking rather embarrassed.


    ��Magical essence of a giant beast?�� both women exclaimed in surprise.


    ��Does that mean you are about to advance to Great Knight?�� they asked.


    Rein looked up and saw that indeed, the ��divert attention�� tactic worked like a charm.


    Rein nodded and said, ��Soon, it could happen at any time, which is why I thought it best to bring it along.��


    At that time, as the Coachman brought Black Pearl to the front court of the residence, Vinica noticed the size of Black Pearl, looked closely with a puzzled expression and exclaimed:


    ��Oh my, Baron Rein, your ��Jenny horse�� is almost as big as a ��Locke horse��.��


    ��That��s so rare.��


    ��


    An hour later.


    Wild Wolf Hills path.


    A luxurious carriage rode in the middle of the troop, with six Cavalrymen in front and six more behind; a Cavalryman led Rein��s Black Pearl following the carriage.


    Meanwhile, Rein sat inside the carriage, chatting idly with the two women.


    Being a Baron, and even more so as the Governor of Fishing Port Town, their destination, Rein naturally had the privilege of traveling by carriage.


    ��Lord Rein, the road from Meister County to Fishing Port Town appears to be very safe; the public security is not bad,�� one of the women remarked.


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 Chapter 415 - 204: Witchcraft Exchange Method (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 415: Chapter 204: Witchcraft Exchange Method (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Yes, Lord Reine, we��ve traveled all the way from Rosby City, and over the past few days, we��ve encountered several groups of bandits in the process of robbing.��


    Vinica nodded, her twin ponytails bouncing as she chimed in.


    The bandit groups in this region had previously been unified by the Zaral resistance.


    After they launched their attack yesterday, they were almost entirely wiped out.


    Even if there were a few stragglers left, they couldn��t threaten the safety of the trade routes in such a short time.


    ��


    ...


    Half a day later, the convoy had reached the territory of Fishing Port Town. All they had to do was pass through the forest ahead, and after about forty minutes�� journey, they would arrive at Fishing Port Town. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In a valley to the west of Fishing Port Town,


    more than twenty burly men, armed with various weapons, were either lying down or resting against the trees.


    ��Hook, why doesn��t the boss just take over Fishing Port Town directly?�� a burly man with a beard asked another who had an iron hook for a left hand.


    ��What do you know? If we took over Fishing Port Town directly, would these merchant convoys come to Fishing Port Town again? Even the merchant ships would stop coming; the pirates in our waters would have nothing but the northwest wind to drink!��


    ��You��ve seen fishing nets, right? When fishing, the smaller fish and shrimp that are smaller than the mouth of the net slip through, while the bigger fish get caught. It��s the same principle. Get it?�� The man known as Hook, proud of his knowledge, gestured dramatically.


    He was merely repeating word for word what he had heard earlier from the deputy leader, Phil.


    When he first heard this, he couldn��t help admiring the wisdom of the pirate group��s higher-ups.


    Sure enough, as expected, the burly men listening beside him all showed signs of sudden realization, looking at Hook with great admiration.


    Hook was quite pleased with this scene!


    At that moment, a lean man came running over quickly and said, ��Hook, I just saw a big fish, but the defense force is not weak �� a full twelve cavalrymen.��


    The burly men beside Hook smiled, delighted at the prospect of a big catch.


    ��Shouldn��t we report to the boss and have him lead the charge?��


    ��How many people did you say there were?�� Hook, with a look of disdain, glanced at the lean man and asked.


    ��Twelve cavalrymen, plus a carriage.��


    ��Did you see clearly? Are they twelve cavalrymen, not twelve knights?��


    ��Um�� they should be cavalrymen, they��re not wearing full body armor, it��s all leather armor.�� The lean man pondered for a moment, then nodded confidently.


    ��Hook, why wait for the boss? Can��t we just go for it?��


    ��Yeah, let��s go for it, Hook!��


    ��If it��s just twelve cavalrymen, a volley of crossbow arrows should pretty much secure us the victory.��


    ��We can take them down directly; there��ll be plenty more loot for us to divide!��


    ������


    These words kept reaching Hook��s ears.


    Pirates lived by the edge of the sword, with plundering as their only way to make money.


    They had been waiting for half the day, thinking they wouldn��t get much today either!


    Hearing the news about the big fish invigorated them all.


    Hook, the bearded burly man, eyes flickering with thought, decided after a moment��s contemplation that this job was something his men would do on their own.


    ��Let��s go! Do it!��


    With that, he waved his hook, and over twenty burly men eagerly advanced towards the direction of Reine��s convoy.


    Soon, the group had completed their ambush in the forest ahead of the convoy.


    ��Hook, here, this convoy.�� The lean man pointed at Reine��s procession moving slowly on the side of the road.


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 Chapter 416 - 205: At Most, No More Than One Minute (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 416: Chapter 205: At Most, No More Than One Minute (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)


    In the carriage, Lord Reine chatted with Vinica about horse breeds with great interest.


    For Lord Reine, this was new knowledge.


    Vinica explained, ��The ��Jenny�� horse is medium-sized, agile, and has good endurance. It is commonly used by local gentry for hunting or by light cavalry in combat. Moreover, it is the most common horse breed in the empire.��


    ��Many noblewomen, if they ride, generally choose this kind of horse because the ��Jenny�� horse has a gentler temperament and moves gracefully,�� she continued.


    Lord Reine recalled the horses he had seen at the stables in Flashgold Town.


    Indeed, judging by their build, they seemed to be of this type.


    ...


    It appeared to be just as Vinica had said, the so-called ��Jenny�� horse must be the most common horse breed in the empire.


    ��However, Your Lordship��s black horse, although its build barely shows traces of the ��Jenny�� horse, would make most people think it��s a ��Roc�� horse,�� she added.


    Before Lord Reine could ask, Vinica began to introduce the ��Roc�� horse on her own.


    ��The ��Roc�� horse is bred in Roc County for the empire��s heavy cavalry or fully-armed knights to charge into battle. It has strong weight-bearing capabilities and fast sprinting speed, but its agility is somewhat lesser,�� she explained.


    ��Furthermore, they are expensive to buy and rarely circulated outside, generally used more by the nobility, proper knights, or heavy cavalry,�� she said.


    ��The height and muscular build of the ��Roc�� horse are similar to that of your black horse.��


    Lord Reine nodded, indicating he understood.


    No wonder when he was fully armed, he had distinctly felt that the yet unmutated ��Black Pearl�� struggled somewhat, gasping after just a short sprint.


    Only after ��Black Pearl�� had mutated did it improve significantly.


    At that moment, a small emerald bird suddenly descended outside the carriage, entered the compartment, and chirped several times in front of Vinica.


    Instantly, Vinica furrowed her brows and said, ��Lord Reine, it seems there might be enemies lying in ambush ahead.��


    Upon hearing this, Lord Reine frowned, then relaxed, saying, ��I didn��t expect to encounter a roadblock so close to Fishing Port Town.��


    Lord Reine concentrated and sensed his surroundings, indeed, not far ahead, there seemed to be several vague figures.


    However��


    Their strength seemed not to be strong.


    His level 3 danger perception skill gave him only a faint warning.


    Although these enemies�� strength was completely manageable by the navy��s elite team,


    Lord Reine thought about it and decided to go down and take a look himself.


    Not for any other reason, he planned to use Kadar Martial Arts to fight, which should also provide him with some experience points.


    ��Even a mosquito��s leg is meat.��


    If the trip to Fishing Port Town might elevate his Kadar Martial Arts to level 6, he could also save some skill points.


    Seeing Lord Reine hold the door handle, intending to leave the carriage, Major Mary exclaimed in surprise, ��Lord Reine, are the enemies ahead so strong that you need to handle them personally?��


    After all, the twelve cavalrymen she brought were not ordinary cavalry.


    Among them, two were of official knight strength, and the remaining ten were well-trained, well-coordinated quasi-knights, forming a standard navy elite squad.


    Their team could typically handle a band of forty bandits without sustaining injuries.


    ��Not really, I��ve just been sitting for a while and want to stretch a bit,�� Lord Reine said as he gripped the plate gauntlet in his hand.


    Hmm?


    This statement made both women exchange glances, at a loss for words for a moment.


    Watching Lord Reine open the carriage door and step down, Vinica nudged Mary and said, ��Has Lord Reine always been like this? He feels like a battle maniac.�� S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mary looked puzzled, thought for a moment, and then shook her head slightly.


    ��Before? From what I recall�� probably not����


    ��Come on, let��s also go down and take a look. You��ve talked so much about how strong Baron Reine��s combat abilities are; now��s the perfect chance to see them.��


    Clearly, Vinica was somewhat skeptical about what Mary had previously said regarding Reine��s combat strength, as her concept of ��very strong in combat�� was completely different from Mary��s, being a level 3 Wizard Apprentice.


    Eager to observe firsthand, Vinica pulled Mary excitedly to alight from the carriage.


    The cavalrymen had already stopped and were on guard at Vinica��s sign earlier.


    Just as the leading two knights were preparing for battle, they hadn��t expected the carriage door to suddenly open and Baron Reine, wielding a sword hammer, to step down.


    The two navy knights exchanged glances, about to say something to Reine,


    when ��swoosh��, Reine vanished from the spot in a flash.


    This left them momentarily slack-jawed, unsure whether to stay on guard or move forward to assist in combat.


    ��


    Meanwhile, as Reine was alighting from the carriage, in the woods alongside the road not far away, Ironhook was scolding the gaunt man responsible for scouting.


    ��How come there��s an extra knight?�� Ironhook glanced at him discontentedly and said.


    ��This�� I didn��t know either, Ironhook, but with our strength, taking down one more official knight shouldn��t be a problem, right?��


    ��Not that it��s a problem, but some of our brothers might get injured,�� Ironhook glanced at Reine and responded confidently.


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 Chapter 417 - 205: At Most, It Wont Exceed One Minute (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 417: Chapter 205: At Most, It Won��t Exceed One Minute (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    His judgment was based on the high probability that the figure was a noble knight, raised in luxury from a young age, lacking real combat experience, and who ultimately became a formal knight with the help of his family albeit with questionable battle prowess.


    Having a penchant for riding in carriages was one of the defining characteristics of a noble knight.


    A knight who had actually experienced the blood and fire of battle would never ride in a carriage like some fine lady!


    ��Eh, where did that knight disappear to?�� the lean man observing Rein remarked in surprise.


    ��Gone?�� Iron Hook looked puzzled and followed the original line of sight to see.


    Indeed, the person was gone!


    ...


    Iron Hook looked around, scanning the area, but saw no one.


    Suddenly, he heard screams rise from the left side of his group, followed by the sound of multiple trees breaking, and�� the dense crunch of breaking bones.


    Iron Hook and the lean man immediately turned to look, and their expressions resembled those who had seen a ghost.


    The shining silver figure that should have been standing in front of the carriage somehow found its way to the rear of their group.


    Moreover, he hadn��t even drawn his weapon, purely relying on his bare hands, he had taken down most of the men.


    Iron Hook was stunned and then his face turned pale as he realized the enemy��s strength was far greater than he had anticipated; the enemy might not be a Peak Knight, far from the noble knight he had imagined.


    He immediately began to run towards the forest on one side, while the lean man ran in another direction.


    But two seconds later, a bright silver figure blocked his path.


    This sent a chilling fear through Iron Hook��s heart. He glanced to the side and saw the lean man twitching on the ground among the bushes, his fate unknown.


    Damn it, this was a ruthless extermination!


    Just as Iron Hook was gathering strength to attack, the next second, Rein��s figure disappeared before his eyes.


    ��Bang bang crack!��


    Iron Hook immediately clutched his abdomen, convulsing on the ground like a shrimp that had landed on shore and was frantically twitching.


    Rein didn��t choose to finish him off.


    This area was already very close to Fishing Port Town.


    The group��s presence here was likely part of some larger, planned operation.


    Moreover, he could smell on them the odor that comes from years at sea, a seasoned sea brine scent, which is almost a trademark characteristic of pirates.


    Therefore, keeping two prisoners could perhaps yield the latest intelligence.


    ��


    When Rein returned to the carriage, the two women had just stepped off less than half a minute ago.


    Vinica looked around and did not see Rein��s figure, she couldn��t help but turn her head and ask the knight on guard beside her.


    ��Where is Lord Rein?��


    ��This��.�� The knight was about to say that Lord Rein might have gone to scout ahead.


    Suddenly, he saw a bright silver figure appear in front, and quickly pointed, saying, ��Over there.��


    ��Huh?�� Vinica and Mary turned their heads to see Rein emerging from the forest with strikingly swift movements.


    After only a few strides, he arrived in front of them.


    ��Lord Rein, did you���� Vinica suddenly thought of a possibility, and she raised her fair finger, pointing towards the direction of the forest and asking.


    ��The enemies have been dealt with!�� Rein nodded, confirming Vinica��s guess.


    Instantly, everyone was somewhat taken aback, and their gazes inevitably focused on Rein.


    Rein��s armor, still shining silver and seemingly untouched, bore no trace of blood, and even the two weapons he carried on his back were free of any bloodstains.


    This��


    Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment!


    ��By the way, who among you is skilled in interrogation?��


    ��The enemies are likely pirates, perhaps we can get some of the latest news about the pirates or even the Sea God Sect from them,�� Rein looked over at Mary and then to the cavalrymen beside her, inquiring.


    ��Pirates?��


    Mary��s eyes sharpened, and she turned to a young knight beside her, saying, ��Flado, interrogation is your specialty, right? You should be able to pry out the information we need from their mouths, correct?��


    ��Of course, Major Mary, leave it to me,�� the young knight named Flado, although puzzled by how quickly Rein had resolved the fight, quickly took five cavalrymen into the forest.


    They were astonished as soon as they entered.


    They saw a large area where trees were broken, as if a hurricane had passed through, and every so often, there would be a sizable hole in the ground, the origin of which they couldn��t ascertain.


    Furthermore, the lying bodies of the pirates displayed no overt signs of injury, yet it was clear that most of the pirates were already dead.


    The only ones alive and still groaning were a man with a missing left hand fitted with an iron hook, and a lean man.


    However, as the cavalrymen were sorting out the pirate bodies, they quickly found something odd: most of the dead pirates had completely shattered breastbones, or the right side of their chest beneath their chain mail was caved in, seemingly as if their ribs had broken and pierced their hearts resulting in death.


    There was only one possibility for this to happen. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was the work of a heavy weapon, like a war hammer, landing a heavy blow.


    Yet during the interrogation, they were shocked!


    From the mouths of the two surviving pirate leaders, they learned that Rein had not used any weapons at all but had instead caused such destruction with just his bare fists!


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 Chapter 418 - 205: At Most, It Wont Exceed One Minute (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 418: Chapter 205: At Most, It Won��t Exceed One Minute (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    The entire battle seemed to be resolved in less than a minute, and to think, there were two formal knight-level pirate leaders here, plus more than twenty elite pirates!


    It seems that Major Mary��s description of Baron Rein before was still somewhat understated��


    Rein, who stood beside the carriage, glanced at the system prompt:


    [Your skill, Tokadar Fist Technique, has been upgraded, experience +109]


    [You have experienced a battle, Knight (Transcendent) experience +36]


    ��


    ...


    Seeing that his Kadar Martial Arts had reached lv5 (204/2000), progressing by one-tenth, Rein nodded slightly.


    Indeed, even a mosquito��s leg is still meat.


    If a few more groups of pirates like this were to come, the progress could reach a quarter, or even a third. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But alas, those who are blind to danger are, after all, few and far between.


    Thinking of this, Rein couldn��t help feeling slightly disappointed.


    Five minutes later, the interrogation ended, and a young knight named Flado came to report.


    However, the way he frequently glanced at Rein was clearly different from before, showing a mix of admiration and worship.


    He reported, ��Major Mary, Baron Rein, Miss Vinica, the interrogation has just ended.��


    ��The opponents are a small elite group affiliated with the Black Sail Pirate Crew, responsible for ambushing caravans on the roadsides to the west of Fishing Port Town, depending on the situation.��


    ��Based on the description by the leader named Hook, their Black Sail Pirate Crew and two other small pirate crews had previously allocated territories at several other passages in and out of Fishing Port Town, each stationing their men to loot.��


    ��And the person in charge of this matter is their vice-captain Phil Kraz.��


    ��Phil Kraz?�� Major Mary��s face became stern.


    ��Yes, Major Mary.�� The young knight nodded, his expression equally serious.


    Noticing Rein��s slightly puzzled look, Mary began to explain:


    ��Phil Kraz, vice-captain of the Black Sail Pirate Crew, a senior knight, skilled in archery, of unknown age, a rare sharpshooter among pirates, known by the nickname ��Bloody Shooter.��


    Rein was taken aback.


    It seemed that Mary had done her homework well before coming to Meister County, having quite an understanding of the Black Sail Pirate Crew, which could be said to know them like the back of her hand.


    ��It seems we��ve caught the tail of a big fish,�� Vinica said, slightly excited.


    ��Exactly! Initially, I was planning to start by infiltrating a small pirate crew��the Roger Pirate Crew with a spy, and slowly trying to locate several large pirate crews and the Sea God Sect��s bases.��


    ��I didn��t expect to catch the tail of a large pirate crew��the Black Sail, directly.�� Mary also showed delight.


    Hearing this, Rein thought for a moment and asked a question he had previously wanted to ask:


    ��Major Mary, why doesn��t the navy directly plant spies inside those large pirate crews? Wouldn��t that be more convenient?��


    Mary shook her head and said, ��It��s not that we don��t want to, but that we can��t.��


    ��Basically, in large pirate crews, there are generally one to two members with mysterious side jobs, and they practice witchcraft like the Bewitching Art to screen new pirates, easily discerning spies.��


    ��Although we also have means to interfere, there are still certain risks.��


    ��But small pirate crews don��t have such personnel, making it much safer for spies to infiltrate.��


    ��I see.�� Rein nodded in understanding.


    Based on the previous encounters with the Blood Sail Pirate Crew, it should indeed be the case.


    During his ennobling mission, the diviner and captain of the ��Shipwreck,�� Mala Nasr, whom he had killed, was a senior knight and a second-level Wizard Apprentice, mastering ��Aquatic Plant Divination.��


    However, Mary soon showed a look of hesitation.


    ��Hmm? Major Mary, isn��t this a good thing? Is there a difficulty?�� Rein asked.


    ��Well, this Phil is skilled in long-range attacks, and if we were to confront him, Vinica��s witchcraft might not have the advantage. And, I see that your weapon is also���� Mary glanced at the two heavy weapons Rein carried on his back.


    Rein realized suddenly.


    Generally speaking, the most reliable way to deal with a senior knight skilled in archery like Phil would naturally be a knight wielding a sword-shield or hammer-shield, able to effectively block the opponent��s lethal arrows with a shield.


    Yet what he carried on his back were either a two-handed warhammer or a dual-handed greatsword, naturally causing Mary��s concern.


    As for Vinica, if her specialty was limited to bird modifications, Rein guessed, she would be precisely countered by this ��Bloody Shooter.��


    After all, no matter how fast and powerful the opponent��s shooting was, no matter how many modified birds were involved, they were just moving targets.


    However, Vinica clearly did not agree with Mary��s judgment, as her twin pigtails hopped, she said, ��Major Mary, you underestimate me. Just a senior knight, even if he is a sharpshooter, he won��t be a match for me.��


    ��Even my Big White cannot defeat him!��


    ��Big White?�� Rein showed a puzzled look.


    ��It��s a white-feathered owl I raised, with a wingspan of four meters.�� Vinica spread her arms apart, indicating the size.


    ��But its combat strength is only comparable to that of a senior knight, and facing such a sharpshooter, even if you equip Big White with defensive witchcraft, it won��t last long.�� Mary pointed out without hesitation that what Vinica said was merely wishful thinking on her part.


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 Chapter 419 - 205: At Most, It Wont Exceed One Minute (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 419: Chapter 205: At Most, It Won��t Exceed One Minute (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Who said that!!!�� Vinica��s face turned slightly red as she looked at Mary with indignation.


    ��Enough, Vinica, if you keep acting like a child, I��ll tell Master Annius once we get back.��


    ��You���� Hearing that Mary was going to tell on her, Vinica felt deflated. She slightly lowered her head in embarrassment and fiddled with the hem of her robe, remaining silent thereafter.


    However, Vinica wasn��t angry at Mary; she knew that what Mary had said was true and that it was a form of concern for her.


    It would indeed be risky to send Dabai.


    Unlike those white seagulls, if Dabai died, as an important contracted creature, it would cause significant damage to her spiritual power.


    ...


    After listening for a while, Reine spoke up.


    ��Major Mary, if the opponent is just a senior knight, I think I should be able to handle it without any problems.��


    Mary glanced at Reine, saw his calm expression, and knew he wasn��t forcing himself or worried; he was confident in his own strength.


    She nodded, but still warned Reine, ��Baron Reine, though the opponent is only of senior knight strength, he has a record of killing a Peak Knight. Are you sure you can handle it?��


    ��Yes, Major Mary.��


    ��If Baron Reine is handling the combat then, I��ll take on the scouting task!��


    Vinica had just missed seeing Reine��s battle and was quite disappointed.


    Now hearing that Reine wanted to kill the vice-captain of the Black Sail Pirate Group, nicknamed ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil, she brushed aside her prior displeasure and said with slight excitement,


    ��Of course, Vinica, we��ll still need your witchcraft,�� Mary said with a smile.


    ��Yes, Major Mary, let me see the map again.��


    Two Cavalry immediately spread out a map of the area around Fishing Port Town in front of them.


    ��One, two, three, four, plus the location of the vice-captain of the Black Sail Pirate Group, that makes five,�� the interrogating Flado Knight pointed out the approximate locations.


    Vinica nodded, indicating that she understood.


    She then began reciting an unknown spell, and seconds later, more than a dozen white seagulls flew in from the sky. After circling for a few seconds, they began to land one by one. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed they flew to her side to receive some sort of command, and immediately afterward, the white seagulls flapped their wings vigorously and shot up into the sky, flying towards different directions over Fishing Port Town.


    Reine watched the scene before him with a hint of envy.


    If he had this type of witchcraft, he probably could use it more efficiently than Vinica.


    Because he possessed the core Skill ��Beast Eye.��


    [Core Skill: Beast Eye (Active)]


    Beast Eye (Active) Effect: Control the beasts under your command and observe the surroundings through their eyes.


    That is to say, he wouldn��t need to wait for the white seagulls to return like Vinica to know the enemy situation; he could almost instantly observe and understand the enemy movements.


    The following time was spent waiting.


    Worried about entering Fishing Port Town and alerting the enemy, but staying put was also too conspicuous, the group mounted their horses and continued moving slowly towards Fishing Port Town, deliberately slowing their pace while waiting for the scouting results from Vinica��s birds.


    About ten minutes later,


    the white seagulls began to return one after another.


    ��Chirp chirp! Coo coo!�� The white seagulls flapped their wings and individually came in front of Vinica, looking her in the eye for a few seconds before taking off again.


    Once all the white seagulls had reported back,


    Vinica pondered for a moment and said, ��We��ve scouted all five locations. Four of them are just as the pirate leader said, there��s a group of elite pirates nearby.��


    ��However�� ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil doesn��t seem to be at that location, whether it��s because of some cover or other reason, the seagulls report no sign of human activity below.��


    Hmm?


    This made Mary hesitate for a moment.


    After all, her original plan was to capture the foe��s leader first; having found ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil, she believed with the cooperation of Reine and Vinica, this ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil would not be able to make any waves.


    But now��


    Reine thought for a moment and suggested, ��Why don��t we start by clearing out these four points first? Perhaps, from their mouths, we might get some new information.��


    ��Wouldn��t that startle the snake by hitting the grass, as we are quite noticeable when we move as a group?�� Mary seemed to disagree.


    ��I can do it by myself. Normally, with the speed of ��Black Pearl,�� circling around in an hour should be enough,��


    ��Lord Reine, aren��t you underestimating the time it takes to kill the enemy?�� Vinica asked doubtfully.


    ��Consider it settled, three minutes per location should be enough.��


    ��Killing a group of elite pirates in just three minutes? That sounds a bit exaggerated���� Vinica��s beautiful eyes widened in astonishment.


    ��No, killing them normally takes only about half a minute, at most, it won��t exceed one minute. The remaining two minutes are for interrogation,�� Reine thought for a moment and seriously replied.


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 Chapter 420 - 206: A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 420: Chapter 206: A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Suddenly, the people around looked at each other, not knowing how to respond to Baron Rein��s words.


    Accuse him of boasting?


    Say he can��t do it?


    But the recent battle had already proven Baron Rein��s strength well enough.


    He was not boasting!


    ��Well, since Lord Rein is willing to take on the hard work, we��ll wait here for you,�� Mary couldn��t find any reason to refuse Rein��s request.


    ...


    After all, Rein offered to take on the pirates all by himself; who could ask for a better teammate than that?


    Everyone present, including Mary and Vinica, was quite impressed with Rein��s ��hardworking�� approach.


    This was not the first time that Mary had partnered with a young prodigy on a mission.


    Some young people with outstanding abilities, though not outright arrogant, would still be somewhat haughty, at the very least trying to show off, with minions beneath their notice, some even making a dramatic final appearance.


    Nothing like Rein, who had them wait on the spot while he dealt with the enemies.


    ��Lord Rein, let my seagull guide you, so you can understand and reach the enemy��s position more swiftly,�� Mary offered.


    ��Of course, thank you for your assistance, Miss Vinica,�� Rein said with a slight smile.


    Having the seagull as a guide would certainly make things quicker, and Rein was not the type to decline such help.


    Another benefit was that Vinica could also keep track of Rein��s progress through the seagull, keeping Mary and the others informed of his movements.


    ��Oh, I almost forgot, Lord Rein, you are also a Wizard Apprentice; I have a better way,�� Vinica mentioned suddenly.


    ��Hmm?�� Rein looked towards Vinica with a hint of curiosity.


    The pretty girl with twin ponytails stepped towards Rein, saying, ��Lord Rein, I can cast a spell mark on you, which allows you to read the spirit fragments observed by the seagull.��


    ��That will be much more effective than watching the seagull��s flight patterns,�� she explained.


    Read the seagull��s spirit fragments?


    To Rein, this was a novel concept and made him hesitate. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl seemed to notice Rein��s hesitation and quickly added:


    ��Don��t worry, Lord Rein, it won��t cause you any discomfort nor interfere with your combat. It��s more like�� how should I put it, allowing you to receive specific spiritual waves from the seagull.��


    Like a specific signal receiver?


    Rein was starting to grasp the concept.


    It was like a radio from his previous life, which needed to be tuned to a specific frequency to receive certain wavelengths; otherwise, all you��d hear was ��static�� noise.


    The spell mark Vinica was about to cast was essentially a specific frequency receiver, and the seagull��s spirit fragments were the wavelengths.


    Although Rein didn��t understand why Vinica was so insistent, he concluded that she probably didn��t have any malicious intent or ulterior motives.


    After a moment��s consideration, Rein nodded and said, ��All right then, I appreciate your help, Miss Vinica.��


    ��It��s no trouble at all. Please do not resist, Lord Rein,�� Vinica said as she drew a wooden stick around half a meter in length from her robe��s sleeve, murmured a spell, and then lightly tapped Rein��s forehead.


    With Rein��s spiritual power, he could distinctly sense as if an external port had been added to his mental sea.


    Then a seagull, summoned by Vinica, flew down and circled Rein, and he heard a mental fragment surface within him, ��The enemy�� numerous�� the valley����


    Even though Rein had already anticipated this, he was still quite surprised by the effectiveness of the technique.


    Moreover, the simplicity of the message was likely influenced by the bird��s limited brain capacity, which prevented it from conveying complex content like a human.


    If it were a higher-level mammal, perhaps the messages transmitted could be more complex and precise.


    This realization ignited an eager anticipation within Rein for ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique.��


    ��Lord Rein, with this, isn��t it more convenient for you to fight?�� Vinica��s beautiful eyes caught the surprise that flickered in Rein��s gaze, and she spoke with a pleased tone.


    The girl��s deliberate demonstration of witchcraft did not repel Rein.


    ��Indeed, it��s very useful,�� Rein confirmed with a smile.


    ��By the way, Lord Rein, I also have several Sorcery Scrolls with me; would you like to take them as well?�� Vinica asked.


    Hmm?


    Several Sorcery Scrolls?


    Rein looked at Vinica in surprise.


    He had not expected the girl before him to be an otherworldly ��pretty and wealthy�� type.


    His own two Sorcery Scrolls were treasures he had yet to bring himself to use��


    But considering that Vinica was a third-level Wizard Apprentice with an inheritance, Rein understood.


    A Wizard Apprentice with an inheritance usually carried multiple Sorcery Scrolls and even some special witchcraft tools on their travels to greatly enhance their combat power.


    Even a typical Great Knight would not be a match for them.


    However, Rein casually noticed Mary��s slightly furrowed brow.


    He immediately understood that these Sorcery Scrolls must have been provided by Vinica��s mentor for her protection.


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 Chapter 421 - 206 A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 421: Chapter 206 A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Taking it myself clearly wasn��t appropriate.


    Another point was that soon I wouldn��t be with the team; in case Vinica and Mary were suddenly attacked by pirates or other forces, our overall combat ability would be greatly weakened.


    After all, a third-level Wizard Apprentice with or without a Sorcery Scroll was a completely different level of combat power.


    Relaying on this elite squad, Rein estimated that at best they could defeat forty or fifty pirates. If it was the black sail pirate vice-captain Phil leading the team, they would probably be overpowered.


    Therefore, Rein shook his head and declined, ��Thank you, Miss Vinica, but for a small group of pirates, I think I won��t need to use this precious Sorcery Scroll. Keep it for your own protection.��


    ��Besides, your Spirit Imprint has already been a big help to me.�� Rein smiled at the young girl.


    ...


    ��Lord Reine is right. Vinica, you should keep it for your own defense. It��s something Master Annius specifically instructed you to have on hand,�� Mary added just in time.


    ��This�� Alright then!�� Seeing both insisted, Vinica could only nod her head and reluctantly agree.


    ��Then I will set off now. Major Mary, please strengthen your vigilance. I should be back in about an hour.��


    ��Yes, Lord Reine, please be very careful.�� Mary nodded her head.


    ��Lord Reine, follow my sea gulls then. Where the sea gulls circled overhead, that is where the enemies are located.��


    ��Hmm.��


    Rein took his pack off the sturdy ��Black Pearl��, placed it on the luggage rack at the back of the carriage, and with a light leap, he controlled the ��Black Pearl�� to follow the direction the sea gulls were flying, quickly heading to the first location.


    �����������C


    Near a road north of Fishing Port Town.


    In a narrow, dense valley.


    A dozen burly men were each wiping their weapons; they were the elite of the small pirate group��the Clark Pirate Squad.


    ��Hey, Blackbeard, those sea gulls in the sky are a bit strange, aren��t they?�� One of the men inadvertently glanced at the sun and saw several birds clearly sea gulls circling overhead.


    ��Hmm? What about them?�� The burly man known as Blackbeard first looked up with confusion, then nodded his head soberly after a while.


    ��Indeed odd; we��re not by the sea. Sea gulls usually circle around for food, like small fish and shrimps.��


    As the first mate of the Clark Pirate Squad with abundant sea navigation experience, Blackbeard easily spotted what was awry.


    ��Damn it, there isn��t a drop of water here, what the hell are these stupid birds looking for?�� said the man with the scarred face who had first spoken, spitting out a blade of grass from his mouth.


    But Blackbeard was still pondering over the matter.


    When things are out of the ordinary, there must be a demon at work!


    He thought it would be best to tell his brothers to be on the alert.


    ��Scar, tell the brothers to be on the alert!��


    But as soon as he spoke out, the scar-faced boatswain laughed it off without a care. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Just over a few stupid birds, isn��t that overreacting?��


    ��This���� Blackbeard thought about it and felt the same. After all, it was just a hunch since not even the shadow of an enemy was seen. To be on alert now seemed a bit much.


    Primarily because pirates tend to be unruly, each with their own faction. Strength speaks louder, and although a dozen elite pirates, with his strength being slightly stronger, were not much stronger than Scar.


    Secondly, these men were all old slickers, and the team was not easy to lead, subtly divided into three factions.


    At this moment, a muffled hoofbeat suddenly came from a distance.


    ��Eh! We have a visitor!��


    ��Quick, brothers, get moving.��


    With that, the slickers who had been basking in the sun perked up, and they suddenly sprang into action.


    A bird was one thing, but a horse was something else.


    A horse meant there might be income coming in!


    ��Look quick! Such a tall black warhorse, it must be valuable.�� One old slicker pointed at Rein galloping towards them.


    ��That shiny silver armor looks good too, seems like high-quality knight��s plate armor, should be even more valuable!��


    ��The guy must be a seasoned Knight, probably not easy to deal with.��


    ��What��s there to fear, it��s just one person!��


    ��


    ��Hmm? Such a tall black warhorse? So fast! Is he coming for us?��


    When Blackbeard saw Rein riding the Black Pearl, charging rapidly towards them, for some reason, the first thought that popped up in his mind was that it seemed he was specifically targeting them.


    ��Prepare for battle!�� shouted Blackbeard.


    However, Reine, with the information given by the sea gulls, had already pinpointed the group��s location.


    At that moment, he looked up.


    Although the number of pirates was slightly smaller, they were more elite than the previous wave of pirates and seemed to have plenty of combat experience.


    But in the face of absolute strength, the value of experience greatly diminished.


    Reine, taking advantage of the horse��s galloping momentum, leaped into the air like an arrow from a bow, shooting towards the pirates.


    From the pirates�� point of view, they saw a blurred figure rush instantly towards them, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of their frontline comrades.


    Almost simultaneously, several blurred figures appeared!


    ��Boom, boom, boom!��


    Upon contact, three fell immediately!


    This caused the remaining members of the Clark Pirate Squad, including Blackbeard and Scar, to be filled with terror!


    Damn it, where did this powerhouse come from!


    They feared that not even their own leader was this strong��


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 Chapter 422 - 206: A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 422: Chapter 206: A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Why are they fixated on us?


    Moreover, this narrow mountain valley is an extremely secretive place, so how were we exposed?


    In a flash, a spark of inspiration crossed Blackbeard��s mind!


    He knew.


    It was those white seagulls!


    But at that moment, he suddenly saw an iron fist, glittering with silver light, appear in front of his stomach.


    ...


    ��Bang!!!��


    Blackbeard��s eyes bulged out, nearly popping out of their sockets, as a bulge suddenly appeared on his back. His entire body was lifted half a meter off the ground by the force of the punch.


    The next second, he was on his knees, clutching his stomach, collapsed on the ground.


    Half a minute later, including the man with the scarred face, there wasn��t a single pirate left standing.


    Rein, following old routines, picked two pirates who were relatively strong and kept them alive to interrogate separately.


    ��Which pirate crew do you belong to?��


    ��The Clark Pirate Group.��


    ��Where��s your base, or rather, your lair?�� Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��That��.�� Blackbeard��s eyes flickered as he hesitated whether to speak or not. He wondered if he should use this information to negotiate with the stranger in front of him for the condition of letting him live.


    ��Too bad��you��ve made the wrong decision.�� Rein glanced over, shook his head, and with a punch to the forehead, turned and walked away.


    Scarface, on the other hand, had never seen an interrogation like Rein��s, where he hardly gave any time to think.


    Seeing Rein approaching him, he frantically waved his hands and said:


    ��No, no�� I��ll talk. Our base is on Egwass Island.��


    ��What about the base of the Sea God Sect?��


    ��Sea God Sect? I really don��t know about that. Maybe our captain does.��


    ��And what about the bases of other pirate crews?��


    ��That�� I��m not too clear on that.��


    ��Hmm, goodbye!��


    Goodbye? Am I going to survive?


    Relief spread across Scarface��s expression.


    This was truly a stroke of luck from the jaws of death!


    But before he could fully blossom into a smile, Rein, who had just said goodbye, suddenly threw a punch as swift as lightning and then leapt onto the Black Pearl.


    And the next second, a ��thud!�� like the sound of a watermelon violently smashed with a bat rang out!


    While riding forward, Rein glanced at the system prompt:


    [Your skill Tokadar Fist Technique has improved, Experience +121]


    [You have gone through a battle, Knight (Transcendent) Experience +42]


    ��


    Seeing Kadar Martial Arts reach lv5 (325/2000), progress hitting one-seventh, Rein nodded slightly to himself.


    Indeed, even the leg of a mosquito is meat!


    This made him look forward with a slight anticipation to the pirates at the next point, hopefully, they would be a bit stronger.


    Fifteen minutes later, the second point was cleared��


    Twenty-eight minutes later, the third point was cleared��


    Kadar Martial Arts reached lv5 (587/2000), the progress now over one-quarter, and now it was time for the last point.


    ��


    At the side of the Special Forces carriage.


    A white seagull quickly descended and circled around Vinica before heading off once more.


    This was just one of the white seagulls responsible for continuously conveying messages.


    Seeing Vinica��s dazed expression, Mary asked, ��What��s wrong? Is there a problem on Rein��s end?��


    ��No, it��s just going too smoothly.��


    ��Lord Rein has barely stopped, now he��s already en route to the fourth point. Judging by his speed, I estimate that it��ll take at most fifty minutes to wrap this up if he keeps going like this.��


    ��Such exaggerated strength�� He truly lives up to being the top of this year��s Mingster Province knighthood evaluation!�� The girl��s twin ponytails bounced as she turned her head to speak to Mary.


    The Cavalry nearby exchanged glances, evidently quite amazed.


    It looked like they were probably here just to be onlookers on this mission��


    ��


    �����������C


    At that moment, a white seagull swooped down from the sky and circled around Rein.


    Rein quickly received the message it conveyed: ��Enemy�� many�� one man in black����


    Many?


    Rein thought for a moment but didn��t pay it much mind.


    For the white seagull, there was no distinction between a dozen and twenty, hence both scenarios were labeled as many��a limitation of its cognitive capacity.


    One man in black?


    This made Rein pause because it was the first time such ��accurate�� information had come through the white seagull.


    It seemed this man in black must be somewhat special.


    A heightened sense of alertness emerged within Rein��s heart.


    When Rein arrived near the fourth point, he saw a group of brawny men dressed as pirates bidding farewell to a man in a black robe.


    Clearly, the man in black mentioned in the seagull��s mental fragment was this man in the black robe!


    Rein immediately focused his attention on the man in the black robe.


    The man was muscular and robed in black, hooded, and had his hands crossed inside his sleeves, though it seemed like he was concealing something else inside, his billowing sleeves bulged out.


    The moment Rein laid eyes on this black-robed figure��


    He felt that the man was not simple.


    As the man lifted his head, revealing golden eyes beaming with hostility��


    Rein��s danger perception immediately began to send warnings.


    This intensity of warning��


    Nearly a Great Knight?


    This caused Rein��s heart to momentarily grow cold.


    ��Captain Jeff, it looks like a little trouble has come knocking. Do you need my assistance to deal with it?�� the man in the black robe asked, his voice strange and deep.


    ��Well�� if the envoy is interested, that would be ideal,�� Jeff, the brawny man, glanced at Rein, knowing he would not be easy to deal with.


    Riding in knightly plate armor, mounted on what seemed to be a heavy warhorse, clearly, he was a veteran knight, or even a Peak Knight.


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 Chapter 423 - 206 A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 423: Chapter 206 A Man in Black (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Moreover, the figure in the black robe was charging straight at them, as if they had long been discovered.


    In that case, their purpose was not so simple.


    Rein fixed his gaze on the black-robed individual, maneuvering his warhorse to slowly approach.


    At this moment, dozens of elite members from Jeff��s pirate crew, armed with weapons, all circled around them.


    ��Kid, you���� A burly man wielding a chain hammer scolded Rein.


    ��Bang!��


    ...


    It was just a punch, but Rein hit the burly man so hard that he folded up, arms and legs stretched straight out in front of him as he crashed heavily to the ground, the words at his mouth never to be spoken.


    Then, with a flurry of movement, several pirates who were unclear of the situation and attempted to launch a sneak attack were now also lying on the ground.


    All at once, the pirates were intimidated by Rein��s momentum and shrank back, not daring to advance.


    Rein��s eyes, however, stayed locked on the black-robed person, never wavering.


    He knew that this was the opponent he needed to take seriously, not the ��trash fish�� in front of him. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing his elite subordinates taken down so quickly, Captain Jeff couldn��t help but turn ashen. He thought about charging forward himself but gave up on the idea as he realized he had no chance of winning.


    Meanwhile, the emissary stood still, not daring to urge him on.


    ��Oh, it turns out to be a Peak Knight, interesting,�� the figure in the black robe remarked.


    ��Captain Jeff, it looks like you��ll have to thank me. If it weren��t for me being here by chance, I��m afraid you all����


    ��Of course, Emissary, the Jeff��s pirate crew needs your help.��


    ��Young man, impressive strength. It seems your identity is not so simple, but unfortunately, your life ends here.��


    ��Don��t you think you talk too much?�� Rein said bluntly.


    ��I��m in a hurry.��


    Rein estimated the time; at this point, he was supposed to have started his return journey.


    But now, he was about three minutes late.


    After all, being punctual is a good habit, and Rein always tried to make it a priority whenever conditions allowed.


    Rein��s words caused the black-robed figure��s eyes to twitch, clearly angered.


    ��Whoosh!�� The figure charged at Rein at a speed that was no slower than his.


    Facing what was most likely a Great Knight-level expert, Rein naturally did not continue to choose the lv5 level Kadar Martial Arts to face his enemy, but instead, his right hand gripped the handle of the dual-handed hammer behind his back.


    However, oddly enough, when the attacker launched his assault, he did not use any weapons. Whether that was due to arrogance or some other reason was unknown��


    Heavy Hammer Furious Strike!


    Rein aimed a swift hammer blow at the figure��s head.


    Facing Rein��s strike laden with triple effects, ��Lifting as if Weighing Nothing,�� ��Multiple Shocks,�� and ��Precision lv3,�� the figure surprisingly did not dodge but raised his hand to block it directly.


    ��Clang!!!��


    ��Whoosh!��


    The robes on the figure��s forearm instantly tore apart, and under Rein��s astonished gaze, revealed a pale golden huge claw!


    The claw��s outer shell must have been extremely sturdy, and the surface of the huge claw seemed to have a layer of light blue, watery energy flowing over it, which significantly weakened the multiple shock forces from Rein��s hammer.


    The figure��s bizarre appearance and the respectful manner of the surrounding pirates towards it, in an instant, made three words pop into Rein��s mind.


    ��Sea God Sect?�� Rein couldn��t help but blurt out.


    ��Oh? You guessed correctly, but there��s no reward,�� replied the emissary.


    ��Clang, clang!��


    ��Bang!��


    As the battle ensued, the figure��s black robes were torn apart, revealing more and more of the body beneath them.


    The tentacle-like squirming beards��


    The chunky lobster-like exoskeleton protecting vital parts of the body��


    The wafting scent of the sea that the battle released��


    Aside from maintaining a humanoid silhouette, too many parts of the figure were no longer human!


    Rein��s original plan was just to take out these small factions of pirates and then look for the vice-captain of the Black Sail pirate crew. He had never anticipated crossing swords with the Sea God Sect so soon.


    But now, he was engaging in close combat with the Sea God Sect!


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 Chapter 424 - 207: I Guess Hes Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 424: Chapter 207: I Guess He��s Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    ��`


    But that��s also good.


    After the initial probing, Rein had basically grasped the extent of his opponent��s strength.


    Comparable to the physical qualities of a Great Knight, but the opponent��s outer layer of water film was truly troublesome, seemingly able to neutralize most damage.


    With both factors combined, the opponent��s strength was even greater than that of the rebellious army��s General Zaral Parix.


    ��Boom!!��


    ...


    The two were once again separated by over ten meters due to the fierce collision.


    At this time, the Sea God Sect��s Myarco also realized something was amiss, because his opponent was so strong, almost like a Great Knight.


    ��Are you a Great Knight? No, you��re not showing any signs of primal force release!�� Myarco could not help but scrutinize Rein repeatedly.


    Only then did he notice that Rein was holding a Two-Handed Warhammer in his hands and also carried a Dual-Handed Greatsword on his back.


    Such a gear setup was quite rare, instantly sparking a sense of familiarity in him.


    Suddenly, a flash of insight crossed his mind, and he blurted out, ��You�� You��re the new Governor of Fishing Port Town, Rein?��


    Myarco��s words immediately made Rein across from him startle.


    Huh?


    How does the opponent know who he is?


    If they knew he was Rein, that would still make sense, but knowing he was the new Governor of Fishing Port Town meant something quite out of the ordinary.


    However, Rein did not have the habit of replying to his enemies�� questions. Instead, he quickly recited a spell, casting the witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field.��


    At the same time, he slightly twisted the handle of his Two-Handed Warhammer, turning the pointed end of the war hammer��s head upwards.


    Although Rein didn��t respond to his question, Myarco had already convinced himself that his judgment wasn��t wrong. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The figure of Rein, currently holding the Two-Handed Warhammer and carrying the Dual-Handed Greatsword, obviously matched the image transmitted by the Black Flame Church.


    Secondly, in this territory, aside from this newly appointed Governor of Fishing Port Town, it was highly unlikely for such other high-level masters to be present.


    Considering the timing, his arrival was indeed due in the next few days.


    Yet unexpectedly, the opponent had arrived a few days early.


    But that turned out to be fortunate.


    He didn��t expect to solve the opponent here before the ��Furious Wave Operation.��


    A smirk appeared on Myarco��s face.


    But the next second, his smile froze.


    ��Hm? Fire-based witchcraft?�� Myarco��s expression grew earnest.


    Amongst the disciples of the Sea God Sect, what they hated and feared the most was, naturally, flames.


    What surprised him was that Rein would actually cast witchcraft, which wasn��t recorded in the information passed on by the Black Flame Church.


    ��Boom!!��


    The two once again engaged in high-speed combat.


    Seen were two blurry figures rapidly dashing across the open ground, while the earth would occasionally burst open, the muffled sounds of impacts frequently ringing in the ears.


    But in just a few seconds, Myarco realized something was off. While the strange witchcraft��s power unleashed by his opponent was not apparent, he felt waves of heat assaulting him and his water shield was beginning to show signs of evaporation.


    ��Snap!��


    This strike saw Rein��s Warhammer pierce through the water membrane, striking Myarco��s hard lobster pincers, leaving a thumb-sized notch on their tough shell.


    This greatly startled Myarco!


    ��You�� What kind of witchcraft is this? How could it dissolve my shield?�� Myarco exclaimed in surprise.


    In fact, he had misjudged.


    It wasn��t that Rein��s witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field�� dealt significant damage.


    It was merely the continuous high temperatures exceeding one hundred degrees that greatly reduced the stability of his water membrane shield, and its defensive power began to fluctuate, becoming increasingly unstable.


    What was more crucial was that Rein was currently using the pointed end of his Warhammer, which had an armor-piercing effect.


    [Armor Penetration (Passive) Effect: Your intuitive grasp of sharp weapons has reached a high level, allowing you to concentrate strength at a single point and detonate it, significantly increasing the probability of breaking through the enemy��s armor.]


    With both these factors in play, statistically speaking, the possibility of breaking through the water membrane shield became very high, and that last hammer strike had been a success!


    Seizing the opportunity, Rein continuously executed the Tokkal Hammer Technique, barraging with hammer strikes, instantly forcing Myarco into consecutive retreats.


    It seems Myarco realized how indecently pathetic he looked, especially in front of his fellow pirates, prompting him to bellow fiercely and counter with a hard smash of his lobster pincer against Rein��s Warhammer!


    ��Clang!!!��


    Sparks flew in all directions!


    Simultaneously, a segment the length of a phalanx of a finger on the lobster point was shattered by Rein��s Warhammer, but the massive rebound force caused both men to be repelled. Myarco, leveraging this painful strike, got a much-needed opportunity to catch his breath.


    This time, he had learned his lesson and didn��t waste time talking; instead, he began to rapidly recite some kind of prayer.


    But naturally, Rein wouldn��t allow his opponent to perform his dark rituals. With a push-off from the tip of his foot, the ground exploded with soil, and he zoomed towards Myarco like an arrow released from its bow!


    But the next second, Rein��s pupils abruptly narrowed.


    Myarco��s chest suddenly swelled, his neck thickened alarmingly, as if a cannonball were about to be fired from his chest cavity!


    Rein was all too familiar with this kind of physical change; after all, his signature move of the Giant Bear Sword Technique �C ��Roaring Strike�� �C was just like this!


    Clearly, the opponent was preparing to launch some kind of area attack!


    But at this moment, he was still four or five meters away from Myarco, too late to stop it directly.


    ��`


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 Chapter 425 - 207: I Guess Hes Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 425: Chapter 207: I Guess He��s Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    In the blink of an eye, Rein spun around and immediately dashed to the left. At the same time, he swung his dark, gloomy pig-head hammer from above, fiercely slamming it into the ground��the secret Hammer Skill technique known as ��Earth-splitting Hammer��!


    ��Boom!��


    A large clump of soil was struck hard into the air!


    Almost simultaneously, Myarco��s mouth spat out a wrist-thick stream of pale-yellow, foul-smelling liquid. He swiveled his head from side to side, spraying in all directions.


    One of the pirates from Jack��s crew couldn��t dodge in time and got completely drenched.


    ��Sss! Sss!��


    ...


    The soaked pirate immediately screamed in agony. Clutching his face with both hands, he began melting like a wax figure from head to toe.


    Rein��s eyes narrowed; he had thought the enemy would use sonic attacks, but instead, Myarco had sprayed some kind of highly corrosive liquid. Nonetheless, this didn��t impede Rein��s response.


    Both were area attacks. The large piece of soil that Rein had just struck into the air met with the pale-yellow acid spewed by the enemy, creating a barrier like a curtain and kicking up a cloud of smoke on contact, blocking most of the liquid.


    Due to the barrier of soil, only a few drops of the acid landed on Rein��s hydrosteel armor, making a sizzling corroding noise.


    Seconds later, Myarco, who had stopped spraying acid, peered through the pale-yellow smoke to check the results of the attack, but suddenly, a blinding light shot out from the dissipating smoke.


    The glare caught Myarco off guard, forcing him to close his eyes and hastily use his arms to block the light��s assault on his retinas!


    ��Scorching Light!��


    It turned out that Rein had seized the moment to cast this flashbang-like witchcraft.


    Immediately after, a figure burst out of the smoke��a dark greatsword aimed directly at Myarco, who was still covering his eyes!


    By the time Myarco realized what was happening, the dark pig-head hammer was already inches away!


    This caused his pupils to shrink in an instant. In a moment of crisis, he immediately blocked Rein��s hammer assault with the giant pincers on his hand, all the while with a ferocious expression, uttering two short, sharp tones!


    ��Crack!��


    Myarco��s giant pincer carapace instantly shattered!


    However, the tip of Rein��s pig-head hammer had pierced into the giant pincer. Suddenly, Myarco��s squidy whiskers, which had looked quite harmless, shot out and tightly coiled around Rein��s pig-head hammer.


    At the same time, his mouth opened wide, as he was about to spit out that same corrosive liquid again.


    Without a moment��s hesitation, Rein pushed off with the tip of his foot and, instead of withdrawing, delivered a lightning-fast uppercut straight to Myarco��s chin.


    This direct hit forced Myarco��s mouth shut, immediately aborting his plan to spit the acid at close range.


    Following that, instead of struggling with Myarco over the hammer, Rein grabbed the hilt of his greatsword and launched a vicious arcing slash.


    A flash of light whizzed by!


    ��Thud!��


    The sound of something heavy hitting the ground echoed.


    There lay the pig-head hammer wrapped in octopus-like whisker tentacles on the ground.


    Rein��s previous slash had cut off most of Myarco��s whiskers.


    At the moment, pale green bodily fluid was spurting from the cut ends of Myarco��s whiskers.


    ��Aaah!!!��


    Myarco only felt a chill on his chin, followed by an intense jolt of pain that made him scream out loud!


    One must realize that his octopus-like tentacles, though appearing as whiskers, were not dead hair but rather living tissue akin to muscle.


    Myarco��s complexion changed drastically. At this point, he had completely lost the desire to continue the fight.


    Dammit, this Rein is even stronger than the information passed on by the Black Flame Church!


    Curses, the Black Flame Church!


    Even they were faking it with their Sea God Sect!


    He had to return to the sect and report this news immediately.


    Myarco hurriedly retreated behind him, using one of the pirates as a shield.


    But Rein was relentless, delivering a 45-degree Smooth Cleaving Slash without a moment��s hesitation, cleaving the pirate into two halves and nearly spilling Myarco��s guts as well.


    This action terrified the surrounding pirates, who started to flee in fear.


    Myarco, in a disheveled state, once again took cover behind Captain Jack.


    This turned Captain Jack��s face iron blue.


    Fuck!


    If you can��t beat them, run for it!


    Dammit, using us as meat shields, what��s the meaning of this?


    Do you think we��re idiots?


    Fucking Sea God Sect!


    Facing the swiftly approaching Rein, Captain Jack performed a donkey roll to the side to avoid him.


    Though it was unbecoming of a pirate gang leader to dodge in such a manner, it effectively saved him from Rein��s Furious Slash.


    But Myarco hadn��t expected Captain Jack to suddenly dodge, resulting in a new wound on himself, which made him no longer dare to use the pirates as shields but instead fled rapidly towards the distance.


    Yet Rein was right on his heels.


    With big fish in sight, he naturally didn��t care about the pirate shrimps. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Watching as the two disappeared into the distance, one chasing and the other fleeing, the remaining members of Jack��s pirate crew looked at each other in confusion. At that moment, a bearded burly man asked Captain Jack, ��Boss, should we�� go help?��


    ��Help?�� Captain Jack gave his subordinate a scornful look and smacked him on the back of the head with a slap.


    ��Are you an idiot?��


    ��But boss, Myarco is from the Sea God Sect����


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 Chapter 426 - 207: I Guess Hes Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 426: Chapter 207: I Guess He��s Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��Myarco is your daddy or what!!��


    With a ��slap,�� another blow landed on the back of the head!


    ��Didn��t you see that bastard eventually couldn��t beat him and used us as human shields?��


    ��Sea God Sect�� damn it, a few years ago without them, we had it much easier in these waters, pah!��


    ��Hurry up, before they come back, let��s retreat to the sea.��


    ��Boss, what if Myarco goes back and says we didn��t follow orders, what then?�� The burly man finally came to his senses, this time, not even adding the word ��sir�� for the other party.


    ...


    ��Him?��


    ��I reckon he��s as good as dead!�� Jack recalled the expressionless young man, his face growing stern with a hint of fear as he spoke.


    ��Move it! Leave everything! Get back to the ship quickly.��


    Captain Jack waved his hand and took the lead, and more than twenty pirates immediately followed suit, rushing toward the seashore.


    �����������C


    By the special task force��s carriage.


    A white seagull descended rapidly and circled around Vinica before alighting on her arm, seemingly receiving some information. Her brows furrowed as she said:


    ��Eh, Lord Reine has deviated from the original route, he is now racing towards the seashore.��


    ��Hmm? Has he encountered some situation?��


    Mary��s expression couldn��t help but change slightly.


    ��The white seagull told me that Lord Reine is chasing a man in black, both moving very quickly,�� said the girl with bouncing twin ponytails, turning her head to Mary.


    After a moment��s thought, Mary voiced her assessment:


    ��I see�� It seems quite likely that Lord Reine has stumbled upon some big fish.��


    Having witnessed Reine��s speed, anyone who could escape from his grasp must be extraordinary. Among the pirates, such an individual would naturally be a big catch.


    Only, she feared that there might be some sort of trap, luring Reine into it. If that were the case, it would be bad.


    ��Major Mary, should we immediately go to help?�� the girl asked eagerly.


    After all, what excitement was there in merely being a messenger compared to engaging in battle herself! That��s what the girl thought.


    ��Wait a bit, if Lord Reine needs help, I��m sure he would send a message through the white seagull to you, wouldn��t he?�� Mary replied calmly.


    ��That�� should be the case���� said the girl, somewhat disheartened.


    ��


    �����������C


    Meanwhile, Reine and Myarco��s chase continued.


    Although Myarco��s giant pincers were shattered and his octopus tentacles had been cleanly severed, rendering him not lightly wounded, his legs were uninjured. Therefore, in his frenzied flight, Reine for the moment could not quite catch him.


    However, Reine was not in a hurry since it was unlikely that Myarco could maintain such a desperate fleeing pace indefinitely. It should be only a matter of time before his energy drained, slowing him down.


    Indeed, a few minutes later, Myarco��s speed began to slacken, and Reine did not hesitate to add a point to agility.


    With the remaining attribute points going from 5��4, his agility went from 22 points to 23 points.


    Instantly, a warm current pumped vigorously from his heart, sweeping away all the soreness and fatigue from Reine��s muscles in the blink of an eye!


    ��Swoosh!��


    A deep, bone-deep gash appeared on Myarco��s back shell!


    This made Myarco jump in fright, and when he looked back, his eyes bulged!


    He saw Reine getting closer and closer!


    How could this be possible?


    His own energy was depleting so much, but dammit, the other guy seemed just fine and was getting closer and closer.


    Myarco��s heart sank!


    Suddenly, a hidden cave appeared in front of Myarco.


    The cave was just big enough to fit a person, probably the burrow of some small bear species.


    Myarco��s eyes lit up as he came up with an excellent idea!


    That Reine was skilled with two-handed weapons, and whether it was the Two-Handed Warhammer or the Dual-Handed Greatsword, Myarco had just experienced firsthand that both were of very high caliber!


    Dammit, who knows how that kid trained!


    But in this narrow cave, if he dared to charge in, his two-handed weapons would hardly be able to swing freely, thus most of his combat power would naturally be wasted!


    Hehe!


    In that case, not only did he no longer need to run away, but he might even have the chance to turn the tables!


    ��Swoosh!��


    Myarco plunged headfirst into the cave.


    Reine slowed down slightly at the mouth of the cave.


    He quickly scanned around the entrance, determining that this was not a trap prepared in advance by Myarco, but more likely an animal��s den, and also dashed into it.


    At this moment, he also surmised why Myarco would willingly enter a ��dead end.��


    ��Boom! Boom!��


    The two started to exchange blows quickly within the narrow cave!


    Having put away the Glimmering Greatsword early on, Reine was now fighting the completely exhausted Myarco with his bare fists.


    While the Kadar Martial Arts at level 5 could not execute secret techniques nor completely dominate Myarco in skill, one shouldn��t forget that Reine was at his peak physical condition after just adding the points!


    Nothing beats the strength of youth!


    Every hit of his gauntlet-covered iron fists was heavy and powerful. In such cramped quarters, it was nearly impossible for the opponent to dodge, leaving no choice but to trade blows.


    Each time the shattered giant pincers defended, it was tantamount to Myarco suffering agony akin to childbirth!


    Minutes later.


    ��


    Reine emerged from the cave, dragging the barely alive Myarco by one leg!


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 Chapter 427 - 207: I Guess Hes Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 427: Chapter 207: I Guess He��s Pretty Much Done For! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Although the opponent was beaten to the brink of death, he still refused to disclose any information related to the Sea God Sect.


    The fanaticism of the cultists towards their faith is unimaginable to ordinary people!


    Rein thought about it, perhaps, for such cultists, the navy might have more targeted methods to pry open their mouths.


    However��


    Rein was not without his gains.


    He glanced at the system notifications that had just flooded his screen:


    ...


    [Your Skill ��Tokkal Hammer Technique�� has gained an increase, Experience +698]


    [Your Skill ��Giant Bear Sword Technique�� has gained an increase, Experience +466]


    [Your Skill ��Kadar Martial Arts�� has gained an increase, Experience +423]


    [Your Skill ��High-Temperature Field�� has gained an increase, Experience +26]


    [Your Skill ��Blazing Light�� has gained an increase, Experience +17]


    ��


    [You have undergone a battle, ��Knight (Transcendent)�� Experience +285, ��Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)�� Experience +151]


    ��Kadar Martial Arts�� has reached lv5 (1010/2000), progressing well over half!


    Because just now in the cave, Rein was punching, forcibly knocking down the opponent.


    And in that battle, Rein also used a lot of witchcraft, so the experience reward for ��Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent)�� was quite considerable, now reaching lv5 (1670/2000).


    To prevent the opponent from using magic, Rein tore off a piece of rag and stuffed it into Myarco��s mouth.


    At the same time, he tied Myarco��s entire body up like a rice dumpling, considering for a moment, Rein then stepped forward and swung his hammer at Myarco��s legs for two heavy hits.


    ��Crack!��


    ��Snap!��


    Only to see Myarco, due to the severe pain, his eyes bulging out and his mouth ��wooing�� as if trying to shout something, but at this moment, he could only endure it all by himself.


    Rein looked at Myarco��s knees, now severely twisted and deformed, and nodded in satisfaction.


    The opponent was indeed capable of running; this back and forth had probably wasted at least half an hour of his time.


    However, capturing such a ��high-value�� target was overall very worthwhile.


    Holding the rope in hand, Rein jumped onto his horse, dragging Myarco along as he sped towards the meeting place he had agreed upon with Mary.


    As for why he didn��t carry Myarco on the back of the saddle, it was mainly because Rein considered the weird tactics of the cultists, letting the opponent be too close always bore certain risks.


    Maintaining a certain safety distance was indeed necessary.


    ��.


    On the side of the task force��s carriage.


    A green bird descended from the sky and circled around Vinica several times, Vinica immediately brightened her eyes and turned her head, saying, ��Major Mary, a group of people are approaching us fast, it looks like a battle is unavoidable.��


    ��Hmm? A group of people? What did ��Green Emerald�� say?�� Mary couldn��t help but change her expression.


    Clearly, if ��Green Emerald�� issued a warning, it definitely was not an ordinary merchant caravan.


    ����Green Emerald�� said, many�� fast�� and there are bows����


    ��In that case, I��ll send ��White Seagull�� to have a look.�� Vinica uttered a spell, and immediately, two white seagulls flew rapidly towards the direction warned by ��Green Emerald.��


    Half a minute later, suddenly, Vinica��s expression changed, and she exclaimed, ��One of my white seagulls has been shot dead!��


    ��No! Now two of them!��


    Although the white seagulls were not Vinica��s contract animals and their death didn��t affect her, their demise, having been her close companions, still infuriated her.!


    Meanwhile, Mary seemed to have thought of something.


    Hmm? Two white seagulls shot dead?


    Skilled in archery?


    Could it be that guy?


    Mary��s pretty face suddenly became stern, and she immediately issued an order, saying, ��All units on alert, enemy incoming, it��s very likely����


    At that moment, a group appeared around the corner of the road, with the leader being a one-eyed man carrying an exaggeratedly large bow, followed by more than twenty stout men on horses.


    ��It is indeed ��The Bloody Shooter�� Phil Kraz!��


    ��This is bad!��


    Mary frowned tightly.


    However, Vinica next to her did not think so, instead showing slight excitement as she said, ��This is ��The Bloody Shooter��? I didn��t go looking for him, but he came right to our doorstep. And he killed my white seagulls!��


    Without waiting for Mary to say anything, Vinica uttered a spell, and suddenly, from the distance, a giant white snowy owl with a body size almost that of an adult, excluding its wings, flew in.


    And the next second, as Vinica pointed with her wand at the target, a pale blue halo began to appear around the giant white snowy owl.


    ��Big White! Take him down!�� Vinica��s twin ponytails bounced as she crisply shouted.


    ��Chirp~��


    The witchcraft-empowered giant white snowy owl chirped joyfully and immediately rushed towards the distant ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil Kraz.


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 Chapter 428 - 208: Its Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 428: Chapter 208: It��s Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    And Phil Kraz, upon seeing the huge and clearly extraordinary white owl, was startled at first and intended to turn around and leave. However, he quickly calmed down and muttered to himself:


    ��No, it doesn��t seem to be a wizard?��


    As an archer with excellent vision, just as he turned the corner, his gaze swiftly swept over the convoy where Mary and her companions were. He quickly disregarded the line of cavalry but the presence of the two women by the carriage caught his attention.


    It was initially because they were young and beautiful, but now, seeing the giant white owl shimmering with a faint blue glow, this method of dealing with him, an archer, didn��t seem very ��wizard-like��.


    Simply put, an experienced wizard or wizard apprentice, upon seeing his large bow, would have a mature set of tactics for dealing with a ranged archer, like casting a slow curse or witchcraft involving mists, etc.


    But most likely it wouldn��t be like this, casting protective spells on one��s contracted creature first rather than on oneself.


    ...


    Consequently, Phil Kraz, thinking of the young faces of the two women and combining the two pieces of information, guessed that they probably weren��t official wizards, not even experienced wizard apprentices.


    So what was there to be afraid of?


    If that was the case, then the strength of this modified creature might not be strong.


    He immediately drew an arrow, nocked it to his bow, and aimed at the white owl, shooting at it.


    ��Whoosh!��


    A steel arrow, accompanied by a piercing sound, was shot towards the wing of the giant white owl.


    With his extensive combat experience, Phil Kraz knew that when facing a bird, if one wasn��t sure about hitting the body, aiming for the larger wings was sometimes a wise decision.


    Once a bird��s wings were injured, their flying speed would inevitably be drastically affected, or they might even become sitting ducks.


    ��Bang!��


    The giant white owl flapped its wings hard. A pale blue membranous glow briefly brightened, and the high-speed steel arrow was deflected away.


    But Phil Kraz started to smile.


    Indeed, as expected, a creation or contracted creature of an official wizard would definitely not be this weak.


    Because he keenly noticed a small red spot had appeared on the pristine white wing of the owl.


    Clearly, the protective witchcraft couldn��t fully negate the damage from his arrow.


    Though the damage was negligible, he hadn��t even used his full strength!


    ��Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!��


    His fingers moved as if playing the piano, continuously drawing and firing arrows rapidly without pause, so fast that the movements of his hands, drawing and shooting the arrows, were barely visible, blurring into an indistinct flurry of motion.


    And one after another, the heavy-duty steel arrows shot towards the giant white owl like bullets.


    ��Tsk, tsk, that��s the boss��s secret archery technique ��Rapid Fire��!�� those Black Sail pirates, who were initially scared by the sudden attack from the sky, were now reassured and excitedly spoke as they saw their boss showing off his power.


    ��Yeah, for so long, I haven��t seen anyone who can completely withstand it. Even those twin Hammer-Shield Knights from Fishing Port Town got injured.�� another pirate commented admiringly.


    ����.��


    What Phil Kraz had just used was exactly his secret archery technique: ��Rapid Fire.��


    ��Bang! Bang! Bang!��


    His accuracy was remarkable. Although the owl, Big White, tried to dodge desperately, its massive size meant that it became an easy target for the barrage of arrows unleashed by the ��Rapid Fire.��


    This caused Big White��s pale blue protective glow to flicker repeatedly, pushing its defenses to some kind of limit.


    Phil Kraz��s expression became stern, and a faint blood-red glow emanated from his body, with veins on his skin becoming prominently distended, presenting a frightening sight!


    And the bowstring in his hand was drawn to its utmost tension; on the steel arrow he now held, crisscrossing blood-red lines abruptly materialized.


    With a ��whistle�� sound!


    The blood-red steel arrow shot out at a remarkably high speed towards the giant white owl in mid-air!


    ��There it is! The boss��s ��Blood Fury Strike��!��


    ��Such a rare sight!��


    ��I heard this move takes a lot out of him, the boss doesn��t like to use it much!��


    ����.�� S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The pirates, witnessing their vice-captain��s impressive show of strength, cheered and shouted in support.


    ��Thwack!��


    In an instant, a flash of blood-red lightning pierced through the pale blue watery film��s protection, hitting Big White��s wing and ��zipped�� out with a trail of fresh blood.


    The sudden pain made Big White cry out and it immediately turned to fly back towards Vinica by the carriage.


    Despite its large size, the owl wasn��t old; it was still in its adolescent years, and it had never faced such a formidable opponent before, leading to it being intimidated by the enemy��s momentum and hastily fleeing.


    This caused Phil Kraz to laugh triumphantly.


    Just now, he had used his trump card����Blood Fury Strike��, expending a portion of his own blood to deliver a strike far exceeding his normal strength.


    The attack was harsh on his body, which is why he didn��t like to use it normally, but��


    He had a feeling that the two beautiful women opposite were not simple, possibly big fish.


    And from the recent engagement, it was evident that one of them was merely a wizard apprentice, likely a novice, inexperienced in battling an archer like him.


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 Chapter 429 - 208: Its Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 429: Chapter 208: It��s Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Additionally, from the seagulls earlier to the giant white owl now, it seemed that all the witchcraft the opponent was skilled with related to ��controlling birds,�� which was completely countered by one��s own ability.


    ��Charge! Capture those two women alive, kill all the men!�� Phil Kraz waved his hand grandly, laughing with satisfaction.


    Instantly, a group of elite pirates roared with laughter as they raised their weapons and rushed towards the carriage where the two women were!


    Vinica turned pale upon seeing this, as she would have been fine if Dai Bai only got hurt, but she feared the enormous emotional toll it would take on her if Dai Bai died in the battle.


    Now, as she saw the pirates storming towards her with raging momentum, a wave of panic washed over her unreasonably.


    Is this what real battle is?


    ...


    It was vastly different from the one-on-one, more instructional battles she had experienced before.


    Mary immediately cried out, ��Everyone dismount, move behind the carriage, form a defensive stance to resist!��


    The twelve-person squad, truly elite naval forces, led by two official knights and ten cavalrymen, reacted swiftly; four armed with swords and shields reached the front while another four drew arrows to shoot, with the others ready for action.


    ��Quick, Vinica, ask Lord Reine for reinforcements!�� Mary quickly turned to Vinica.


    ��Okay!�� Vinica swiftly regained her composure and began transmitting messages using witchcraft.


    Meanwhile, Phil Kraz leisurely drew a steel arrow, aimed at a figure behind the distant carriage, and took aim.


    ��.


    �����������C


    As Reine was rapidly heading towards the special forces team, suddenly, a seagull in the sky cried out sadly twice, then swiftly spiraled down towards Reine and circled twice.


    ��Master��. danger��. bow��.��


    ��Companion�� two�� dead��..��


    Hm?


    Upon receiving these fragments of consciousness, Reine was momentarily stunned!


    But he quickly realized that the special forces team must have encountered a formidable enemy.


    Could it be that the special forces team also encountered the Sea God Sect?


    Immediately, Reine flicked the reins and swiftly maneuvered ��Black Pearl�� toward the direction of the team, galloping at full speed.


    This greatly troubled the dragged Myarco of the Sea God Sect behind him!


    Despite his tough hide, Myarco was not lightly wounded and his wounds had only begun to heal prospectively; however, with Reine��s sudden acceleration, the jolting increased significantly, causing the initially healed wounds to burst open again!


    Damn it, why did this bastard suddenly speed up!


    Myarco couldn��t help but curse internally.


    �����������C


    Next to the special forces team��s carriage, a pale blue dome-shaped barrier had risen.


    It was an effect of a Sorcery Scroll used by Vinica; a group of pirates, under the command of their deputy leader, were furiously chopping at the barrier.


    Inside the barrier, five or so cavalrymen wielding swords and shields were either pierced by steel arrows through the chest or had their shields torn and their arms hit, resulting in serious injuries.


    Naturally, only Phil Kraz, nicknamed ��the Blood Shooter,�� could inflict such injuries with a single arrow.


    He looked leisurely at the people inside the pale blue barrier and said, ��Although witchcraft is quite magical, even witchcraft has a duration or a capacity limit, and it cannot last indefinitely.��


    ��How much longer can this barrier protect you?��


    Gazing at Phil Kraz��s smug expression, Vinica couldn��t help but angrily say to Major Mary, ��Why won��t you let me use the ��Tomb of Water�� scroll.��


    ��If I used it, this ��Blood Shooter�� would surely die without a doubt!��


    Vinica, seeing the injured Dai Bai and the equally severely wounded members of the special forces team, felt a slight twinge of self-reproach.


    ��Vinica, your ��Tomb of Water�� scroll is our last resort, even Master Annius had to pay a significant price to create it. It��s too precious!��


    ��Enough time has passed by now, considering Lord Reine��s speed, he should be arriving soon.��


    ��If it really becomes too late, then using it wouldn��t be too late,�� Mary said calmly.


    Although they were at a disadvantage now, it was absolutely impossible for the opposition to break through the ��Water Barrier�� in a short period.


    Once Reine arrived, the odds of victory would undoubtedly reverse!


    Somehow, Mary felt a special sense of reliability about Reine deep in her heart.


    Just as Phil Kraz thought he had the upper hand, he heard the rhythmic sound of hooves from behind.


    This sound of hooves was more muted and heavy than usual, as if carrying something heavy, and along with the sound of hooves, there was also a hissing friction noise.


    He immediately turned around and saw a large black warhorse, carrying a knight, appear at the end of the road.


    Once the knight saw them, he charged towards them, but strangely, he was also holding a rope, seemingly dragging a humanoid object.


    Just as Phil Kraz turned to look at Reine, the two women also saw the distant arrival of Reine and couldn��t help but show great joy!


    ��Everyone, hold on a bit longer, Lord Reine is here,�� Mary couldn��t help but show her joy.


    Although she had just reassured everyone with a steady demeanor, her heart was actually quite nervous; now seeing Reine appear, she involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though with Reine there, the enemy in front of them was nothing to fear!


    Meanwhile, Reine on horseback merely glanced and understood what was happening.


    It turned out that Phil Kraz, the notorious ��Blood Shooter�� they had been searching for, had unexpectedly appeared here with the special forces team.


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 Chapter 430 - 208: Its Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 430: Chapter 208: It��s Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Moreover, Vinica��s witchcraft seemed to be exactly counteracted by the enemy, rendering the scene rather chaotic, as a group of people all took refuge behind this pale blue water membrane barrier.


    From the bloodstains on the ground, it appeared that quite a few Cavaliers were already injured.


    In addition, there��s an upper limit to the endurance of witchcraft.


    Therefore, Rein needed to break the stalemate quickly!


    At first, Phil Kraz had not considered Rein a formidable opponent, thinking he might just be a lone Knight.


    Suddenly witnessing this scene, he came over to ��do a good deed��.


    ...


    Just as he was about to tell the other party to mind his own business, Phil Kraz��s expression changed slightly after clearly seeing the water membrane knight��s suit reinh was wearing. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because such expensive knight��s gear was definitely not something a lone Knight could afford, indicating that the other party was likely a noble Knight or held an official position in the empire.


    Hence, it was highly probable that there was some sort of connection between the other party and this group of people here.


    So, Phil Kraz immediately scrutinized Rein more seriously, and when he recognized the person Rein was dragging on the ground, his face drastically changed.


    All he could do was rub his eyes and stare.


    ��Fuck! Isn��t that the Sea God Sect��s envoy��Myarco?�� he couldn��t help but curse aloud.


    Yes, it was him!


    He had just met with him two hours ago.


    Although the other party was in terrible shape now, with a face swollen like a pig��s head, there was absolutely no mistake!


    Observing Myarco, who was tied up and nearly at death��s door, Phil Kraz��s eyelids twitched violently, and his pupils contracted!


    It seemed that the opponent was very strong!


    Myarco had been beaten to such a state!


    Thus, when Rein dismounted his warhorse, drew the Dual-Handed Greatsword from his back, and walked step by step towards them, Phil Kraz instantly experienced a sinking feeling.


    Immediately, he couldn��t contain himself and began shooting at Rein.


    ��Swish! Swish! Swish!��


    ��Rapid Fire!��


    In a matter of seconds, the twenty special steel arrows in the quiver strapped to Phil Kraz��s waist were all fired in rapid succession!


    Seeing the incoming steel arrows, almost forming a continuous line, Rein was slightly taken aback. He hadn��t expected the ��Bloodthirsty Shooter��s�� archery to be at such a level.


    It was truly astounding!


    Unfortunately, he didn��t have a shield right now, which would have easily warded off the attack; now it was going to be a bit more troublesome.


    ��Swoosh!��


    Rein immediately began dodging the attack at high speed, but the arrows were too fast and frequent, making some impossible to avoid, and he started slashing at them.


    ��Clang clang!�� After deflecting two steel arrows, Rein barely dodged the secret technique.


    ��Swish!��


    Rein quickly charged towards Phil Kraz.


    If he only relied on the greatsword for defense, it would only be a matter of time before he faltered!


    Only offense could serve as the best defense!


    ��Blood Fury Strike!�� Phil Kraz once again unleashed this signature move.


    In the past, he would think long and hard before using it because each time he performed this attack, it would take him half a month to recover to his peak condition. But ever since he attended a Sea God Sect prayer, he had been granted a strand of the Sea God��s Power.


    The Sea God��s Power could negate the side effects of his attack at least three times!


    Basically, the higher-ups of large pirate groups all received numerous benefits from the Sea God Sect, while the smaller pirate groups did not enjoy such treatment. Instead, they got more stick than carrot, otherwise, the unruly pirates would not listen to the Sea God Sect so obediently.


    Under the policy of both carrot and stick, the pirates in this region were almost entirely unified by the Sea God Sect.


    Facing the swiftly approaching crimson arrow, Rein��s level 3 ��danger perception�� issued a strong warning. Clearly, this shot possessed enough force to pose a severe threat to Rein.


    ��Defensive technique!��


    Rein very rarely used the only defensive move of the Giant Bear Sword Technique, plunging the greatsword heavily into the ground, countering the ��Bloodthirsty Shooter��s attack with the thick spine of the sword wide as a palm.


    ��Clang!!!��


    The blood-colored arrow, as if alive, hammered hard on the greatsword, drilling fiercely at the spine of the Glimmering Greatsword suspended in mid-air, the force was so immense that it pushed Rein back a step.


    However, regardless, Rein had stoutly blocked the enemy��s killer arrow!


    It was just the rice-sized dent that appeared on the spine of the Glimmering Greatsword that left Rein feeling distressed.


    Seeing that even his strongest attack did not vex Rein, Phil Kraz felt a sudden chill in his heart.


    Then he quickly glanced at the Sea God Sect��s envoy, tied up like a zongzi next to the tall black warhorse; Phil Kraz knew that he couldn��t rescue him this time.


    Moreover, if he did not want to end up like him, he needed to retreat immediately!


    So, without the slightest hesitation, Phil Kraz once again shot several arrows rapidly at Rein and then retreated swiftly towards the back.


    The pirates who had come with Phil Kraz were left somewhat speechless, exchanging glances.


    They couldn��t make heads or tails of the situation!


    Because the battle between their deputy leader, Phil Kraz, and this suddenly emerging stranger Knight had lasted less than ten seconds.


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 Chapter 431 - 208: Its Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 431: Chapter 208: It��s Almost Unbearable for Anyone to Take Over! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    In their eyes, the outcome was completely undecided!


    As a result, their own deputy head, nicknamed ��Blood Shooter�� Phil Kraz, started to retreat.


    Damn it, you sell out your own people?


    If you run, what about your brothers?


    The naval special forces team members, upon seeing this scene, were instantly invigorated, nearly bursting into cheers! The uninjured seven or eight people quickly emerged from behind the pale blue water membrane and began to coordinate with Rein in a counterattack.


    Just now, they had been suppressed for quite a long time.


    ...


    A group of people, pinned down by just one man, ��Blood Shooter�� Phil Kraz.


    Now, they felt relieved!


    Rein shouted to Mary from afar, ��That one, being dragged behind the black horse, is a Sea God Sect messenger!��


    In the midst of everyone��s stunned gazes, he shot forward like an arrow leaving the bowstring, chasing after Phil Kraz with great speed.


    Hearing Rein��s words, Mary was clearly startled, she turned her head with a touch of confusion, and asked Vinica beside her for confirmation, ��Vinica, did you clearly hear what Lord Rein just said?��


    ��Is he saying that the one being dragged behind the black horse is a messenger from the Sea God Sect?�� Mary pointed in the direction of the black horse.


    And Vinica��s expression was just as shocked, her beautiful eyes blinked a few times, she also looked at Mary, and nodded, ��If I heard correctly, I think, that��s exactly what Lord Rein just said!��


    Thus, the slightly excited pair quickly approached the Sea God Sect envoy to investigate.


    Indeed, after Vinica cast a witchcraft ��Evil Detection��, the intense evil pseudo-divine power emanating from the other party immediately confirmed his identity.


    In an instant, the two women realized that everything Rein had just said was true!


    He had really captured a messenger from the Sea God Sect!


    This revelation exhilarated both Mary and Vinica.


    Their mission was to find potential bases of the Sea God Sect and the various pirate groups through the pirates that had landed, to facilitate targeted elimination by the Empire��s southern fleets.


    But they hadn��t expected that a pirate leader, who they thought would take a meticulous plan and a long time to capture, would be caught so quickly.


    And it wasn��t just any pirate leader, but a higher-ranking envoy from the Sea God Sect. Not only had they achieved their goal in one step, but they had also exceeded it.


    This unexpected joy made both women overjoyed!


    At this moment, Mary also recalled that earlier, Rein had pursued an enemy while dealing with the fourth location.


    It must have been the Sea God Sect messenger before them. So this was the big fish indeed!


    And Vinica, watching ��Blood Shooter�� Phil Kraz, seemed to have thought of something. She immediately cast a kind of witchcraft, summoning flocks of white seagulls and green birds, and sent them chasing after him.


    With the birds�� positioning, it not only facilitated Lord Rein��s search but also allowed for critical moments of distraction!


    ��Blood Shooter�� Phil Kraz, you shot my Great White!


    This time, Lord Rein will surely deal with you properly! Vinica couldn��t help feeling secretly delighted.


    And ��Blood Shooter�� Phil Kraz regretted deeply at this moment. Damn it, those stupid birds in the sky really messed things up, revealing his trail in the forest without a doubt!


    If he had known, he would have shot all those birds down from the beginning!


    Rein, following the guidance of the white seagulls and green birds, quickly approached Phil Kraz. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The closer they got, the closer they approached each other!


    Suddenly, seven or eight white seagulls and green birds, unafraid of danger, swooped towards Phil Kraz��s head, causing him a flurry of panic and forcing him to fend for himself.


    Rein certainly seized this perfect opportunity.


    With a quick stride, he reached Phil Kraz��s rear, a long glint of cold light flashed!


    ��.


    A minute later, Rein dragged ��Blood Shooter�� Phil Kraz, limp as a dead dog, back to the side of the carriage and flung him heavily next to the Sea God Sect messenger Myarco.


    At that moment, the half-dead Myarco opened his eyes, and the next second, his eyes suddenly widened.


    Damn it! How could it be Phil Kraz?


    Could it be that he was also��


    Phil Kraz and Myarco, two brothers in misfortune, exchanged a deep look, seeing in each other��s eyes a sense of helplessness and despair.


    Damn it, who could have imagined this!


    Two hours ago, they were eagerly discussing their follow-up plans, filled with confidence for the future, but two hours later, they both ended up as prisoners to a young man!


    This change was simply too fast��


    Fast enough that anyone would struggle to accept it!


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 Chapter 432 - 209: Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 432: Chapter 209: Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    And Vinica was using a pair of bright, sparkling beautiful eyes to size up Reine, as if she were getting to know him again.


    ��Baron Reine, your combat prowess feels stronger than even a Great Knight, no, it��s even stronger than an ordinary level three Wizard Apprentice.��


    ��Major Mary had mentioned you before, and I thought there must have been a bit of exaggeration in it, but now it seems there was no exaggeration, and even that was an understatement!��


    Reine smiled slightly and said, ��Miss Vinica, in terms of true combat power, I should be no match for you. A level three Wizard Apprentice with a Sorcery Scroll, even a Great Knight would not be able to resist.��


    ��It��s just that for these two, I might not have any weaknesses they could target, so dealing with them is relatively easier.�� Reine said, gesturing toward the two people lying on the ground.


    ��Lord Reine, excessive modesty is pride in itself.�� Major Mary, who had overheard their conversation, said with a smile as she walked over to Reine.


    ...


    Although she had personally witnessed Reine��s battle prowess during his knighthood examination, two months had passed, and Reine��s strength had significantly improved once again.


    The obstacles that were extremely difficult for ordinary knights seemed to be completely inapplicable to Reine.


    Originally, Major Mary had thought that the combat responsibility among their group would fall on Vinica, the level three Wizard Apprentice, but now it was clear that Reine was the one.


    ��Yes! Lord Reine, right, I also want to thank you for taking revenge for my Big White!�� Vinica stroked the giant white owl almost as tall as her, and curtsied to Reine as a lady should.


    ��Oh, Big White got hurt?�� Reine inspected Big White��s wounded wing closely, which must have been injured by Phil Kraz��s signature Skill, Blood Fury Strike, because a faint blood-colored aura still lingered.


    ��Hoot hoot!�� Big White hooted at Reine twice in a very human manner. Then, mimicking Vinica��s curtsy, it opened its wings slightly as a gesture of thanks to Reine.


    ��Yes, this is my contract beast Big White, a modified white owl. Baron Reine, Big White says it is very grateful to you for avenging it.�� Vinica said with a smile.


    ��Well, no need to thank me, Big White, it��s what I should do.�� Reine gauged Big White, assessing from its aura that this giant white owl��Big White��was likely not inferior to a seasoned knight.


    If pitted against an opponent other than Phil Kraz, who was extremely skilled in archery, the combination of Vinica and Big White would likely easily overpower the adversary.


    Big White would be the tank in the frontline, with Vinica providing witchcraft support from behind.


    ��By the way, Lord Reine, I think we should find a safe place now, to properly interrogate these two.�� Major Mary indicated the two disheartened men on the ground with a slender white finger.


    ��Of course, let��s head to Fishing Port Town now. The interrogation of these two is likely not something we can wrap up quickly. The town hall there should have detention rooms, which will be more convenient for interrogation.�� Reine nodded.


    With the right interrogation techniques, they should be able to excavate many ��secrets�� about the Sea God Sect and the Black Sail Pirates from these two. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��However, Major Mary, these two are tough nuts to crack. If we stick to usual interrogation methods, they might not yield significant results.�� Reine glanced at Flado Knight as he cautioned Mary.


    ��Cultists, indeed they��re not ordinary! Miss Vinica, we might need to trouble you for your witchcraft when the time comes.�� Mary said with a serious expression, knowing Reine��s worries were not unfounded.


    Flado Knight��s interrogation techniques might be formidable against ordinary pirates, but they might not be sufficient for these two.


    She still needs to think of a strategy.


    ��Of course, Major Mary can come to me anytime. I have some Truth Serum here, which should be quite effective.�� Vinica nodded.


    After cleaning up the battlefield, the cavalry took charge of escorting Phil Kraz and Myarco, the two important figures, towards Fishing Port Town.


    About a quarter of an hour later, the dense rows of houses in Fishing Port Town were already clearly visible.


    But eerily, the pedestrians by the road were still few and far between.


    Reine squinted and looked into the distance carefully, noticing that many of the houses on the outskirts of the town had collapsed, as if they had been through intense fighting.


    On reflection, it was possible that the pirates had already possessed the strength to take over Fishing Port Town but had refrained from doing so to avoid the attention of the Empire��s higher echelons, or for other reasons. Therefore, they had focused on plundering the town instead.


    Soon, Reine and his party came upon a makeshift barricade set up on the street, with security officers on guard, looking at Reine and his group warily.


    ��Halt, who are you?��


    As their identities as part of the naval task force were sensitive, the cavalry did not disclose their own identities but instead introduced Reine��s.


    ��This gentleman is the newly appointed Governor and Chief of Security of Fishing Port Town, Baron Reine. We are his escorts.��


    ��Hmm? Baron Reine?�� The security officers immediately looked at each other in confusion.


    They were not aware of this news.


    But soon, someone caught on and said, ��Baron, knights, we have not received any notification about the situation you mentioned. Given the recent pirate infestation, please wait a moment while we immediately report this upwards.��


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 Chapter 433 - 209: Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 433: Chapter 209: Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    A security officer quickly ran toward the administrative hall in the center of the town.


    After a few minutes, several cavalry members from the front row of Rein��s team told the security officers, ��Move these roadblocks for now. The pirates should not launch another attack soon.��


    ��Hmm? Is there any new situation?�� Having observed for a few minutes, the security officers could basically confirm that those in front of them were unlikely to be pirates, as the dozen cavalry members, despite being somewhat injured, were all relatively young and handsome with pearly white teeth.


    Two cavalry members looked at each other and smiled. One of them turned to the officers and said, ��For this, you should thank Baron Rein, as he has cleared out the pirates that were entrenched on the roads leading in and out of your town.��


    ��By the way, we also caught two big fish!��


    ��What! Is Baron Rein that impressive?��


    ...


    ��The pirates on a few of the roads into our town are members of the significant pirate group, Black Sail. They are very strong.��


    ����..�� S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The security officers were extremely surprised upon hearing this news, and soon started whispering amongst themselves.


    ��Of course!�� The cavalrymen patted the saddlebags on their horses and showed the items they had seized.


    Upon seeing these, the security officers immediately recognized them as weapons and some iconic items from the pirates, such as the Black Sail pirate skull bandanas and the like.


    In the course of their exchange, the security officers began to follow the cavalry��s advice and started moving the roadblocks.


    At this moment, two burly men with bandages wrapped around them and wielding hammers and shields approached.


    Both men were family knights of Count Habbs with the strength of senior knights and were skilled in using hammer and shield.


    Judging by the clear bandage marks on their bodies, as the primary defensive force of Fishing Port Town, they had been under considerable pressure.


    Upon seeing the Reiman brothers approaching, Rein, who was inside the carriage, said to the two women, ��Major Mary, Miss Vinica, please have a seat for a moment. I��ll go coordinate.��


    ��Of course, Baron Rein,�� the two women immediately nodded.


    Given their special status, coordinating the territorial work was naturally most suitable for Rein.


    When the Reiman brothers saw how young Rein was, they couldn��t help but be stunned, and Cornett Reiman quickly said, ��Are you Baron Rein? You are quite young.��


    ��How could the Earl send such a young knight here?��


    ��Although your team of cavalry appears elite, do you know that half of the twenty elite members I previously led have been killed or injured? It was not easy to hold the current situation.��


    Since the Reiman brothers had been dispatched to Fishing Port Town before the bloody duel between Rein and Baron Norman, they were relatively uninformed.


    They were unaware that Rein had a record of a bloody duel with the Great Knight, let alone that he had just captured the ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil Kraz and the emissary of the Sea God Sect, Myarco.


    However, at that moment, after Cobert Reiman took a careful look at Rein, he tugged at his brother��s hand and said, ��I believe in him!��


    The younger brother looked puzzledly at his elder brother, Cobert Reiman, who then pointed to the large bow hanging on the side of the black horse and counter-asked, ��Does this bow look familiar?��


    The brother took a closer look and exclaimed, ��Isn��t that the bow of ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil Kraz?��


    ��Why would it be in his possession?��


    ��Could it be����


    Of course, Cornett Reiman was very familiar with this bow��it was because of this bow that he and his brother had been injured, and they had not yet fully recovered!


    At this time, a member of the specialized cavalry squad could not hold back any longer and blurted out, ����The Bloody Shooter,�� that guy, is right behind us!��


    Upon hearing this, the Reiman brothers immediately looked at each other in shock.


    Seizing weapons and capturing a leader were, of course, two different concepts!


    The ��Bloody Shooter,�� whom they viewed as a formidable enemy, was surprisingly handled by the new Governor on the way to Fishing Port Town, even before his official arrival.


    Such capability��


    The subsequent events proceeded smoothly.


    Rein and his group were soon taken to the town��s administrative hall.


    The Reiman brothers quickly aligned their attitudes and swiftly reported to Rein about the events that had occurred in Fishing Port Town during their half-month deployment.


    This allowed Rein to quickly get first-hand information about the current situation in Fishing Port Town.


    Initially, after the Reiman brothers had completed the handover with Rein, they were supposed to return to County Town, but upon seeing the cavalry escorting Phil Kraz into the interrogation room, they changed their minds.


    Especially after the brothers heard Mary mention that she would contact the South Sea Fleet to send interrogation specialists, they patted their chests and said, ��We are professionals at this!��


    ��Even the prison sometimes calls us in for inmates they can��t handle.��


    Upon hearing this, Rein found it to be a boon. There was no need to wait for the navy to dispatch interrogation personnel.


    Thus, he had Mary commission Flado Knight and the two brothers to begin interrogating the prisoner.


    In the time following, Rein stuck to the established schedule, practicing meditation and witchcraft daily in the administrative hall.


    Based on the current progress, he would only need another seven to eight days to advance from Wizard Apprentice to level 6.


    However, Rein did not devote all his time and energy to his training.


    Every day, the white seagulls of Vinica would scatter to conduct reconnaissance work. Whenever they spotted pirate landing boats or pirate groups numbering more than ten, Rein would personally set out to eliminate them.


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 Chapter 434 - 209: Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 434: Chapter 209: Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Of course, if there are few pirates, it will be handled by the navy special task force.


    Therefore, with the help of birds for enemy detection, in just a few days, the pirates near Fishing Port Town were nearly extinct.


    The residents of Fishing Port Town slowly started to return to their normal lives.


    This could be seen from the gradually increasing smiles on the faces of the residents.


    Moreover, as the Governor and Sheriff of Fishing Port Town, Rein led a team of cavalry around Fishing Port Town every day.


    Although this action was more of a formality and symbolic, it greatly restored the town residents�� confidence in the empire��s ability to eradicate pirates.


    ...


    Even though Fishing Port Town could not yet resume normal fishing operations and restore normal fishery production, security had been completely rejuvenated, and the previous arrogance of the pirates had been effectively curbed.


    However, for Rein, what was most important was that he had steadily improved his Kadar Martial Arts through practice and by killing pirates.


    Three days later, after clearing a small group of pirates who had landed, Rein finally received the system prompt that his Kadar Martial Arts had improved:


    [Your Skill Kadar Martial Arts has improved, Experience +59]


    [You have gone through a combat, Knight (Transcendent) Profession Experience Points +16]


    [Congratulations, your Skill Kadar Martial Arts has advanced to lv6]


    ��


    Instantly, Rein��s mind was filled with fragmented training memories about Kadar Martial Arts.


    After absorbing and digesting them, Rein felt as if he had been practicing Kadar Martial Arts for half a year!


    But just as Rein had regained his senses, he realized that the system prompt was not over yet.


    Another system prompt followed:


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique of Kadar Martial Arts: High-Speed Combo!]


    Indeed, generally speaking, once the control level of an Extraordinary Battle Technique reaches mastery, secret techniques start to be unlocked.


    Delighted, Rein saw a brand new icon located above ��Kadar Martial Arts�� on the Knight (Transcendent) attribute panel.


    The icon depicted a burly man swinging his fists forward rapidly, with dozens of fist shadows in front of him, looking vivid and fiercely powerful.


    In the lower right corner of the icon, there was a line of small text:


    High-Speed Combo lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Explodes in an extremely short time to deliver as many punching attacks as possible, including Left Swing Fist, Right Swing Fist, and uppercut.


    (Note: High-Speed Combo is a secret technique and cannot be improved directly through Skill Points.)


    (High-Speed Combo lv2 requires the following conditions: one, Kadar Martial Arts lv8 or higher; two, Strength 16 or higher, Constitution 16 or higher, Agility 18 or higher.)


    Rein tested it, with his Knight plate gauntlets, he could roughly strike twelve punches per second; without the plate gauntlets and shoulder armor, he could reach fourteen punches per second!


    This made Rein quite pleased as he now had another close combat trump card!


    His original weapons, whether the greatsword or the Two-Handed Warhammer, were both over one and a half meters in length, making them very inconvenient in narrow environments; this was clearly a notable weakness of his.


    Since both the Tokkal Hammer Technique and Giant Bear Sword Technique had reached the master level of control, his combat power was greatly reduced without these handy weapons.


    This was vividly demonstrated during the battle with the Sea God Sect��s messenger Myarco in the cave.


    Looking at the triggering conditions for the secret technique ��High-Speed Combo lv2��, Rein pondered briefly before deciding to add points continuously right away.


    Raising Kadar Martial Arts from lv6 to lv7 was not something that could be done in a short period, and in about three to four days�� time, his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Profession Level would reach lv6.


    At that time, he could raise Kadar Martial Arts to lv10, satisfying all the requirements for the transition to [Weapon Master (Legendary)].


    So now, he planned to first apply these three remaining Skill Points to advance Kadar Martial Arts to lv9.


    This way, he could get used to it first.


    Furthermore, Kadar Martial Arts lv9 would inevitably trigger another Martial Arts secret technique ��Hundred Crack Strike��, which Rein was quite anticipating.


    As the remaining Skill Points on the attribute panel went from 3 to 0, Kadar Martial Arts suddenly jumped from lv6 to lv9.


    A surge of Kadar Martial Arts training memories flooded in��.


    And multiple system prompts also appeared:


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host��s Kadar Martial Arts has achieved lv7, unlocking the exclusive secret technique for Kadar Martial Arts: Hundred Crack Strike lv1.]


    Hundred Crack Strike lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Imitating the tiger��s claws, transforming fists into claws, and unleashing a burst of strikes such as upward slashes, downward chops, and left-right swings to deliver as many claw attacks as possible in an extremely short time.


    (Note: Hundred Crack Strike is a secret technique and cannot be improved directly through Skill Points.) Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    (Note: Only effective when equipped with Finger Tiger.)


    (Hundred Crack Strike lv2 requires the following conditions: one, Kadar Martial Arts lv9 or higher; two, Strength 18 or higher, Constitution 16 or higher, Agility 18 or higher.)


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host��s Kadar Martial Arts has achieved lv8, unlocking the exclusive secret technique for Kadar Martial Arts: High-Speed Combo lv2.]


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host��s Kadar Martial Arts has achieved lv9, unlocking the exclusive secret technique for Kadar Martial Arts: Hundred Crack Strike lv2.]


    ��.


    On the fourth day, Rein��s brothers came to report.


    Previously, with the help of the ��Truth Serum�� provided by Vinica, they had exerted a substantial effort and finally made the other party confess some secret information, which they confirmed over two days of repeated verification.


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 Chapter 435 - 209: Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 435: Chapter 209: Island of Fear (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    And Vinica immediately used seagulls to relay the location of the Sea God Sect��s stronghold near the Mingster County sea area as well as the locations of several major pirate group strongholds to the Empire��s South Sea Fleet.


    Next, it was a waiting game.


    After all, sea battles were not within the scope of this naval task force and Rein��s mission; that was left to the South Sea Fleet and Major General Xilva and their companions.


    Soon, Rein and his team received a response from the fleet.


    Major General Xilva instructed Rein and the task force to be prepared for coastal defense as the pirates, if heavily damaged by the imperial fleet during the naval battle, might become desperate and flee directly to the coastal areas.


    Though these were a ragtag bunch, they were formidable enemies for the coastal towns with weaker defenses, and a breach would result in extremely heavy losses.


    ...


    On the fifth day, the Reiman brothers came to report once again.


    ��Baron, this is what we found hidden in the cracks of Phil Kraz��s breastplate armor, believed to be a quarter of the treasure map of the Pirate King, ��Shipburner�� Vincent Sanborn. Unfortunately, it��s not complete; it��s just one fourth,�� they said.


    ��Hmm?�� Rein��s heart leapt with joy as he immediately took the parchment and examined it closely.


    From the texture and patterns, this was indeed the missing final quarter of the treasure map.


    A quarter was still fine, but who wouldn��t be envious of a complete treasure map?


    After the two brothers left, Rein quickly took out the remaining three parts of the map and began to piece them together.


    When a complete treasure map lay before Rein, he found that the center of the map showed a ring of islands composed of multiple islets.


    However, the marked spot with an X was not on the ring of islands but on a small island adjacent to it.


    Clearly, the small island beside it was the destination and the location of the treasure.


    After pondering for a while, Rein decided not to consult Major Mary or Vinica about the location depicted on the treasure map.


    Through his time spent getting to know Fishing Port Town, Rein learned that the town was home to an old man who had once been a captain of an ocean-going merchant ship��Captain Kashan, whom he planned to consult.


    After crudely drawing a copy of the treasure map, Rein found Captain Kashan, an old man with a pipe in his mouth and white in his hair.


    ��Baron, this ring-shaped chain of islands on the necklace here, judging from the number and shape of the islands, looks very much like the Saphira Islands located in the outer sea,�� he said.


    ��And this island is just to the east of the Saphira Islands. If I��m not mistaken, this should be the Island of Fear.��


    ��The Island of Fear?��


    Upon hearing this name, Rein couldn��t help but frown slightly.


    From the name alone, it was evident that this was not some simple island.


    ��Indeed! The reason why this island is called the Island of Fear is that it��s infested with a group of tricephalous sea hydrolizards,�� Captain Kashan nodded, speaking with a grave expression.


    ��Tricephalous sea hydrolizards? Are they some kind of vicious beasts?�� Rein couldn��t help but ask.


    Rein had not encountered such fierce beasts before but could tell from Captain Kashan��s slightly fearful demeanor that these creatures must be formidable.


    ��Exactly, tricephalous sea hydrolizards are indeed extremely powerful vicious beasts. Every adult specimen is as strong as a veteran Great Knight, and the leader of the tricephalous sea hydrolizards is said to have the strength of a Peak Knight,�� he explained.


    ��In the past, pirates who encountered a hurricane and whose ship was destroyed, leaving them washed up on the Island of Fear, met a dire fate. Over a hundred pirates, with only one escaping alive clinging to a plank, the rest were all devoured by the tricephalous sea hydrolizards.��


    ��Some incredulous pirates observed the island from a distance afterward and indeed found it occupied by a large group of tricephalous sea hydrolizards. This incident quickly spread, and the island was soon marked as a forbidden zone by pirates and oceanic merchant ships,�� Captain Kashan recounted slowly.


    Do the adult individuals truly rival the strength of a veteran Great Knight?


    And there��s a large group of them?


    Indeed, it is worthy of being called the Island of Fear! Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein broke into a cold sweat at the mere thought of stepping onto the island and facing the attacks of more than ten, perhaps even dozens, of sea hydra lizard creatures, each with the strength comparable to that of a veteran Great Knight.


    However, Rein then considered another problem: Why would Pirate King ��Shipburner�� Vincent Sanborn choose to hide his treasure on this island?


    Could it be that Vincent Sanborn, formerly a Wizard and a Great Knight, had some kind of contract with the leader of the three-headed sea hydra lizard clan?


    Or could it be that Vincent Sanborn, this Pirate King, had some sort of witchcraft, such as invisibility, that allowed him to easily conceal his treasures here?


    After pondering for a moment, Rein shook his head slightly.


    This question, it seems, could only be answered by the Pirate King himself.


    Another problem was that although Rein had deciphered the secret of the treasure map, the risk of landing on the island with his current strength was far too great.


    Rein��s mind raced as he contemplated various viable strategies.


    First of all, it wasn��t impossible to employ the power of the naval forces.


    But the issue was that once the South Sea Fleet of the empire intervened, the nature of the whole matter would change.


    Although naval officers like Major Xilva of the Sixth Fleet and Lieutenant Colonel Mary had a good impression of him, deploying battleships for the exploration of the Pirate King��s treasure would obviously be official business.


    Putting aside the problems of battle damage should a fight break out, the issue of profit distribution would be problematic.


    Rein might not necessarily receive what he wanted.


    Moreover, there could be other problems beyond combat.


    After all, it��s impossible to guarantee that there aren��t people with ulterior motives within the navy. Seeing him obtain the Pirate King��s treasure might spark greed��thus, Rein quickly dismissed the idea of inviting the South Sea Fleet to participate.


    After some serious contemplation, Rein felt it would be more appropriate to wait until he was capable enough to explore the island on his own.


    Especially since in just under a month��s time, he was due to go to Mingster to participate in the examinations held by the imperial Sword Bearer organization.


    This matter was naturally of greater importance than the treasure of the Pirate King.


    Taking Mary��s words into account, Rein believed that once he joined the imperial Sword Bearer organization, he would be able to complete a variety of missions, accumulate enough Points, and exchange them for witchcraft or other important knowledge.


    This would significantly increase his Strength, and this method would be more enduring, reliable, and targeted.


    The treasure of the Pirate King, in some sense, was more like the icing on the cake.


    Moreover, he was just about to change his job to Weapon Master, and his Wizard Apprentice job had reached level three Wizard Apprentice.


    Rein believed that once he advanced to a formal Wizard, with the enhancement of both Legendary professions, he would have the initial capability to explore the island.


    This time would not be too long.


    Having thought through these issues, Rein��s eagerness for the Pirate King��s treasure cooled down from what it had been before.


    On the sixth day, news came from the naval fleet��


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 Chapter 436 - 210: Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 436: Chapter 210: Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)


    At this moment, Major Mary approached the training ground with a smile, and joyfully said to Rein:


    ��Lord Rein, the Empire��s South Sea Fleet in conjunction with the Seasonal Winds and the Goddess of the Sea Church, have both achieved decisive victories in the naval battle and the raid on the islands over the past two days.��


    ��Not only did they utterly rout the pirates�� joint fleet, but they also destroyed the bases of the Sea God Sect and various pirate groups within the nearby waters of Meister County.��


    ��Currently, the South Sea Fleet and the goddess church are in pursuit of the escaping Sea God Sect��s priests and the high-ranking members of the various pirate groups, most of whom are fleeing towards the open sea.��


    ��Therefore, I think our task force��s mission can be considered officially concluded.��


    Upon hearing this good news, Rein also showed a smile, saying, ��It seems that the information we relayed to the fleet did play a significant role.��


    ...


    ��Exactly, Baron Rein, the two prisoners you captured earlier provided crucial intelligence.��


    Hearing Rein��s words, Major Mary��s smile became even more radiant, revealing her pearly white teeth.


    ��Moreover, regarding the witchcraft ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique�� that Lord Rein requested����


    ��Major General Xilva has sent a reply, he has consulted the commander of the South Sea Fleet. Your application has been approved.��


    ��I believe, later today, you can contact Vinica to have her teach you the relevant witchcraft, which should be the quickest method.��


    After listening to what Mary had said, Rein couldn��t help but feel overjoyed and nodded, saying, ��That��s wonderful!��


    That is to say, he could now consult Vinica and learn this witchcraft at any time.


    Of course, this was good news! sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once he mastered this witchcraft, he could find a relatively powerful raptor to become his third pet at any time.


    This way, he could control a certain local battle from a broader perspective.


    Perhaps it wasn��t very beneficial in one-on-one combat, but it was extremely useful in one-to-many, raid scenarios, and so on.


    Additionally, learning new witchcraft might very likely earn him a sizable amount of Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Professional Experience Points.


    He might even level up his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) to LV6, thereby meeting all the conditions for the class change to [Weapon Master (Legendary)].


    Thinking this, Rein couldn��t help but feel a bit excited.


    ��Thank you very much, Major Mary,�� said Rein, looking at the beautiful Major Mary and bowing slightly as a gentleman in gratitude.


    ��Baron Rein, it is I who should thank you. Without the capture of the Sea God Sect��s envoy and the deputy leader of the Black Sail Pirates, we do not know when our task force��s mission would have been completed,�� Mary said with a smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.


    After the beautiful major left, Rein had intended to find Vinica right away, but as soon as he stepped out the door, he encountered the Reiman brothers coming towards him.


    So, Rein returned to his room once more.


    The Reiman brothers then reported: ��Lord Baron, this is the ��Blood Fury Archery,�� dictated by Phil Kraz, the ��Bloody Shooter.''��


    Brother Cobert Reiman handed Rein a thin sheepskin scroll that still seemed a bit damp with fresh ink, obviously written not long before.


    ��Since we don��t really understand archery, in case Phil Kraz has done anything tricky within it, we wouldn��t be able to detect it, but we think some of the archery techniques are quite meaningful to learn, so we specially brought it for Lord Baron to see.��


    ��Blood Fury Archery?��


    Rein took it and glanced at the title, feeling quite surprised in his heart.


    The Reiman brothers�� interrogation methods were impressive indeed!


    They even managed to extract the famous archery skills of Phil Kraz, the ��Bloody Shooter.��


    As for the Reiman brothers�� concerns about Phil Kraz tampering with the archery techniques?


    Rein wasn��t worried about that in the slightest.


    Because the system would automatically help him discern the truth, or rather, whether the techniques were effective Combat Skills.


    It��s simple, as long as this Extraordinary Battle Technique could be displayed on his profession panel, then it was genuine and he could start to learn it.


    So, where others might have to spend a lot of effort finding an archery master to validate it or learn it with trepidation, with Rein, these problems didn��t exist at all.


    However��


    If things had reached this extent, then Phil Kraz must have been completely drained by the Reiman brothers!


    Indeed, brother Cobert Reiman suggested:


    ��Lord Baron, we think Phil Kraz, the ��Bloody Shooter,�� is no longer of much value. What do you think about finding a time to execute him by hanging at the town hall entrance in Fishing Port Town?��


    ��This way, not only can we boost the morale of the residents of Fishing Port Town, telling them that the Empire can protect their safety, but it can also deter the pirates who always have their eyes on Fishing Port Town,�� added brother Cornett Leyman.


    After some thought, Rein nodded and said, ��That��s fine, let��s proceed with executing Phil Kraz, the ��Bloody Shooter,�� these next couple of days!��


    ��Very good, Lord Baron, we will arrange it right away.��


    The Reiman brothers naturally harbored deep hatred for Phil Kraz who had injured them, and they had vented their frustrations during these past days of interrogation.


    However, they were concerned that if such an expert were to escape, it would be bad news for them, so they strongly advised Rein to execute him.


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 Chapter 437 - 210: Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 437: Chapter 210: Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)_2


    After the Reiman brothers had left, Reine quickly began to peruse the scroll of ��Blood Fury Archery.��


    Although the teachings originated from Phil Kraz��s narration, the script was clear and well-written thanks to the scribe who had assisted in transcribing it, making it easy to read. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Reine took a quick look and nodded slightly, thinking to himself that it was quite good.


    The secret techniques ��Rapid Fire�� and ��Blood Fury Strike�� were both described within, comprising a rather complete set of archery-based Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    However, Reine did not plan to study them at the moment.


    His main concern was to raise his Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) level to lv6 as soon as possible, thereby acquiring the final Skill Point needed for the promotion to [Weapon Master (Legendary)].


    ...


    Once he succeeded in his class change, he would naturally have plenty of time to learn new Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    Now that the threats from the Sea God Sect and the pirates had been eliminated, Reine planned to gradually hand over the day-to-day management of Fishing Port Town to the Reiman brothers.


    Since the brothers had handled most of the town��s administrative work before his arrival, the transition was expected to be smooth.


    Because it was already the final days of the month of white snow, and they were about to step into the month of vitality.


    The selection for the Sword Bearers of the Empire was scheduled for the last day of the month of vitality, but since the venue was in the provincial capital, Mingster, Reine needed to reserve at least a week for travel; thus, by his calculations,


    he could only stay in Fishing Port Town for about twenty more days.


    With the pirates�� threat no more, there was no real need for him to continue serving as Fishing Port Town��s Governor; therefore, Reine was already considering reporting to Count Habs in a couple of days so that the Earl could quickly choose someone suitable to replace him.


    Reine thought there was one more thing he needed to do.


    He walked to the bedroom and took out a pair of arm blades from General Parix of the Zaral resistance.


    The arm blades, which he had removed from Parix��s arm guards, had caught Reine��s attention due to their being made of some rare metal; their sharpness and hardness were impressive.


    He, in particular, needed a pair of bladed knuckles, and hence had planned to use the arm blades to forge into his plate gauntlets, equipping them with a pair of short-bladed knuckles.


    The purpose, of course, was to execute the secret technique of Kadar Martial Arts, the ��Hundred Crack Strike.��


    Until today, because Reine��s martial arts level had been consistently low, he had put off this task.


    However, now that his level of Kadar Martial Arts had reached lv9 and triggered ��Hundred Crack Strike lv2,�� lacking bladed knuckles, relatively speaking, would affect the performance of his martial arts.


    While Reine was contemplating, there came another knock at the door.


    ��Thump thump thump!��


    ��Come in!��


    In came Vinica, wearing a long white dress and smiling brightly. Today, she was unusually not wearing a black Wizard Robe but a one-shoulder fitting long cashmere dress in white, which outlined her well-developed curves.


    Her twin ponytails behind her head swayed with youthful vigor.


    This brightened Reine��s eyes. He had intended to find her, but unexpectedly, she came to him first.


    Moreover, despite Vinica being just eighteen, her bust was by no means inferior to that of a mature woman, providing both for husband to play with and for children to nurse from��coupled with her youthful face, she could rival the characters that stepped right out of a comic book from his previous world.


    Before Reine could speak, Vinica took the initiative, ��Lord Reine, I��ve come to ask for a favor.��


    ��Oh, Miss Vinica, please tell me. If I can be of assistance, it would be my honor,�� Reine replied with a nod and a smile.


    Reine naturally wanted to forge a good relationship with Vinica, who came from a line of Wizards.


    On one hand, he might need her to teach him more of Aeneas�� bird transformation technique and, on the other, he hoped to gain more knowledge of witchcraft from her.


    ��Giggle, then thank you in advance, Lord Reine.�� Vinica couldn��t help but cover her mouth and laugh coquettishly, her beauty shaking with her laughter.


    ��Here��s the thing, I��m looking for a type of sea bird called Iron Beak Sea Eagle, a kind of predatory bird.��


    ��You know, the birds I��ve previously bred or contracted were not birds of prey, and considering my position in the navy, birds adapted to marine environments were naturally my first choice. Combining the two, I��ve chosen this species as my new breeding focus.��


    ��However, I��ve searched around recently and discovered a small population on an island about a few kilometers southeast of Fishing Port Town.��


    Hearing this, Reine finally understood why he hadn��t seen much of Vinica recently; she had been busy with this matter.


    Additionally, the Iron Beak Sea Eagle she mentioned piqued his interest.


    Perhaps he could consider the Iron Beak Sea Eagle as his third pet.


    But there was no need to rush the decision; he could first accompany Vinica to have a look.


    Vinica continued,


    ��However�� I had the seagulls survey that area, and it turns out to be one of the main habitats of the Black-Gilled Fishmen. So, it might be safer if you, Lord Reine, could come with me,�� she explained.


    ��Those Black-Gilled Fishmen tend to attack in groups, and some individuals are quite strong, with strength comparable to that of a Knight trainee.��


    ��A very few even possess the strength of a full-fledged Knight, which might pose some difficulty for me if I were to go alone,�� Vinica��s bright eyes looked at Reine as she spoke.


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 Chapter 438 - 210: Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)_3

    Chapter 438: Chapter 210: Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)_3


    Although Vinica had not known Reine for long, she felt an inexplicable sense of trust toward him.


    She believed that if Reine were willing to accompany her, her goal of obtaining the ironbill sea eagle fledgling would definitely be achieved smoothly.


    Reine smiled.


    ��Of course, Miss Vinica, when might we depart? Since I serve as the Governor of Fishing Port Town, I might need a little time to hand over my duties before I can accompany you.��


    ��Of course, Lord Reine, you agreed! That��s wonderful!�� Vinica��s twin ponytails swung as her face lit up with joy and her pale hands clenched in excitement, clearly delighted that Reine had agreed to accompany her.


    ��Could we leave early tomorrow morning? If all goes well, we ought to be able to make the round trip within the day. As for the vessel, I will make arrangements.��


    ...


    ��Yes, Miss Vinica, that works perfectly, as I also need your assistance with something,�� Reine nodded and said with a smile.


    ��Oh? Please, speak, Lord Reine,�� Vinica watched Reine with a slight sense of curiosity.


    ��Major Mary just informed me that my application to learn ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique�� has been approved by the Southern Fleet.��


    ��That��s great, I understand what you mean, whenever you are free, I���� Vinica immediately grasped his meaning and volunteered.


    ��Now, if possible?��


    ��Now?�� Vinica couldn��t help but express her surprise.


    Lord Reine was indeed in a hurry.


    ��Is that inconvenient, Miss Vinica?��


    ��No, not at all! Please follow me, Lord Reine,�� Vinica��s petite hands gestured as she spoke.


    The two walked shoulder to shoulder toward a small alchemy room that Vinica had recently transformed at the town hall.


    While walking, Vinica explained:


    ��My mentor��s bird transformation technique is not purely witchcraft; to be precise, it is a witchcraft ritual that requires some specific materials.��


    ��Among these, an essential component is either a newly hatched chick or an egg about to hatch.��


    ��Can either be used?�� Reine asked casually.


    ��Yes, either can be used, though an egg about to hatch has the best effects, but if the egg contains an unformed embryo, the ritual will inevitably fail, hence, we generally choose a newly hatched chick.��


    ��Besides, we will need a fast growth potion and phantom spririt grass, and of course, the most important part is drawing the witchcraft circle����


    Vinica already had a favorable impression of Reine, and now that she had been officially authorized, she taught with even more dedication and was forthcoming with information.


    Inside the alchemy room, Vinica personally demonstrated the technique for Reine to observe, using a white seagull fledgling as the test subject.


    This was perfect to make up for the ones that had died during their last experiment.


    Vinica first placed the fluffy white seagull fledgling on a soft cushion in the center of the room and then positioned a leaf with purple patterns in front of the fledgling.


    Having done this, she began grinding a special ink made of a mix of herbs.


    ��Lord Reine, this is moonlight ink; we��ll use it to draw the six-pointed witchcraft circle later,�� Vinica explained while processing the ink.


    Such detailed explanation naturally increased Reine��s fondness for Vinica.


    This was because if he had instead obtained relevant books and had to study on his own, the learning process would definitely not be as efficient.


    Vinica��s hands-on teaching saved Reine a lot of learning time.


    After grinding, Vinica started using the pale silver moonlight ink to draw a six-pointed witchcraft circle on the ground.


    ��A success on the first try! Nice!�� Vinica��s face immediately lit up with a smile.


    It was best to succeed on the first try, especially in front of Lord Reine; otherwise, it would have been a bit embarrassing.


    Then came the final step.


    Vinica took out a bottle of pale green potion and held it in her hand, starting to chant a spell.


    As the crisp chanting sounded, the six-pointed witchcraft circle began to glow gradually, and a unique aura of witchcraft appeared!


    The next second, Vinica uncorked the potion bottle, and the pale green liquid, like a living thing, surged out from the bottle, coiling around the white fledgling.


    As Vinica pointed toward the pale purple leaf, the ritual neared its conclusion.


    The fledgling, the potion, and the leaf underwent a miraculous reaction��.


    Suddenly, multiple system notifications appeared:


    [You have focused on observing ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique,�� understanding enhanced!]


    [You have grasped a new skill��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique]


    [Your skill ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique�� has improved, experience +69]


    [You focused on Aeneas�� bird transformation technique; Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) experience +151]


    ��


    [Congratulations, your Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level has advanced!] S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The panel now showed Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) profession level from lv5 to lv6 (11/3000), and at the bottom of the panel, remaining attribute points: 5, and remaining skill points: 1 were displayed.


    Seeing this, a radiant smile spread across Reine��s face.


    Meanwhile, Vinica couldn��t help but feel a mix of surprise and curiosity as to why Lord Reine��s smile was so radiant after observing the demonstration.


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 Chapter 439 - 210: Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)_4

    Chapter 439: Chapter 210: Job Change [Legendary Weapon Master] (Two in One Big Chapter)_4


    Could it be that Lord Reine has already learned it?


    Impossible!


    She only mastered it after studying with the mentor for a month!


    This time, the greatest gain for Reine was not just the raise in his Profession Level as a Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent), nor was it the newly mastered witchcraft ��Aeneas�� bird transformation technique��, but rather the newly acquired Skill Points.


    It was crucial for him.


    After returning to his room, Reine took out the ��Beast Essence�� and eagerly added the Skill Point to Kadar Martial Arts, which instantly advanced from lv9 to lv10.


    ...


    As the promotion was successful, the system prompt also rang out!


    [Ding! Host detected to have achieved lv10 in any three different categories of Extraordinary Battle Technique, triggering a job change to Weapon Master (Legendary)!]


    [To advance to Weapon Master (Legendary) the prerequisites are: one, at least three different categories of Extraordinary Battle Technique at lv10 or above; two, physical limit broken to 100%; three, any breathing technique at lv9 or above; four, Strength over 20 points, agility over 20 points, Constitution over 20 points; five, advanced Magic Potion ��Beast Essence����. Current conditions met! Do you wish to advance to Weapon Master (Legendary)? Yes/No?]


    Seeing this job change information, Reine couldn��t help but rejoice, excitedly clenching his fists and swinging them emphatically!


    ��


    �����������C


    A few kilometers away from Fishing Port Town, on the shores of a secluded island, wave after wave of light blue surf rhythmically lapped against the sand with a ��splash, splash!��


    Suddenly, a human-shaped object was washed ashore.


    ��Cough��cough����


    Along with the sound of coughing, a sullen-faced brawny man struggled to climb ashore, his mouth still dripping with a trace of fresh blood, as if he had just experienced a fierce battle and was seriously injured.


    ��Ptui! The Imperial Navy�� the Church of the Goddess�� I, Wolod, will remember this����


    ��If it weren��t for the ��water clone technique�� scroll this time, I��d have been a goner!��


    In yesterday��s battle, had Wolod not used the ��water clone technique�� Sorcery Scroll to mimic his shape and divert the masters from the Imperial Navy and the Church of the Goddess, he would have nearly been killed on the spot.


    As the leader of the Black Sail Pirates, Wolod Nihalu, possessed the strength of both a senior Great Knight and a tier-three Wizard Apprentice.


    Because he was skilled at wielding a one-handed warhammer, and enjoyed crushing his enemies�� skulls during battle, he once killed a senior knight wearing a plate helmet with a single blow, thus earning the formidable nickname ��Skull Crusher��!


    ��Hydrotherapy!�� Wolod started chanting, and soon a bright white orb of water appeared in front of him.


    The next second, with a ��pop!��, the bright water orb exploded over his head, with fine mist-like water vapor spreading from his head all over his body.


    This rain-like mist seemed to have an excellent healing effect, rapidly healing some wounds on his body.


    ��Hoo~~~��


    After the treatment, Wolod, whose complexion had been somewhat pale, now looked much better, and his brow began to smooth out.


    Over the past two years, he had had the opportunity to step into the formal ranks of Wizardry, precisely to become a ��Controller of Flowing Water,�� a wizard specializing in the control of water flows, through deals with the Sea God Sect.


    But unexpectedly, just as he was about to advance, his plans came undone!


    The most crucial defensive tier-one water witchcraft ��surrounding water flow��, which he had just obtained at a huge cost from the Sea God Sect, got lost before he could learn it in battle.


    Not to mention his dream of advancement was shattered, but his Black Sail Pirates that he had nurtured for years was also nearly wiped out.


    Wolod harbored a deep hatred for the Empire because of this!


    ��Where is this?�� sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��It looks like an offshore island.�� Wolod looked around into the distance. He noticed a grey line on the horizon and knew it was the continental line.


    As the saying goes, the most dangerous places are the safest.


    His water clone had headed into the open sea, and now he found himself near the coast.


    Moreover, Cassella, the Sea God Sect��s regional head known as the Deep Water Lord, was fleeing into the open sea. The Imperial Navy and the Church of the Goddess would likely be deployed en masse to pursue her.


    He could take advantage of this small island to rest and recover from his injuries for a couple of days. As long as his combat power was restored, he had nothing to fear.


    After a bit of contemplation, Wolod had planned his next few days.


    Suddenly, Wolod��s figure gradually disappeared into the palm forest of the small island.


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 Chapter 440 - 211: The Presence of a Legendary Profession! (Two Chapters Combined into One)

    Chapter 440: Chapter 211: The Presence of a Legendary Profession! (Two Chapters Combined into One)


    [Note: After advancing to a Weapon Master (Legendary), the Knight (Transcendent) class panel will be overridden.]


    Yes!


    [Initiating class change�� Continuing transformation��]


    [Ding! Class change to Weapon Master (Legendary) successful! Constitution +5, Strength +5, Agility +5, Spirit +3!]


    [Ding! Host has entered the Legendary tier, total number of class panels +1, current limit of class panels is 5.]


    [Received Weapon Master (Legendary) exclusive talent: Primary Weapon Mastery (Passive)]


    ...


    [Received Weapon Master (Legendary) exclusive talent: Primary Extraordinary Understanding (Passive)]


    [Transcendent trait ��Steel Skin lv3�� evolved into talent: Primary Steel Body (Passive)]


    [Transcendent trait ��Huge Strength lv3�� evolved into talent: Primary Huge Strength (Active)]


    [Ding! It has been detected that the host possesses the core skill ��Strength Burst�� which can be fused with the talent ��Primary Huge Strength��, automatically initiating fusion��]


    [Ding! Fusion successful!] S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Talent: Primary Huge Strength (Active) upgraded to Talent: Intermediate Giant Force (Active)]


    ��.


    After stepping into the role of a Weapon Master, Rein seemed to break through a deeper layer of shackles that had been constraining his body, located somewhere within.


    Now, Rein could feel every cell in his body buzzing with excitement and joy, a surging power coursing around him at this moment.


    The original Knight (Transcendent) panel had vanished without a trace, replaced by the Weapon Master (Legendary) class panel.


    The entire panel was also shimmering with a very special blue glow, distinctly different from the green glow of the previous Knight (Transcendent) class panel.


    The system notifications flooded the screen, almost too many for Rein to keep up with.


    But each item displayed warranted a detailed look, so Rein carefully reviewed them one by one.


    His!


    Apart from Spirit, which had only increased by three points, all other attributes had risen by five points each!


    No wonder his body was filled with strength and vitality.


    His limit for the number of panels had increased by one, reaching a total of five (4/5).


    Seeing this, Rein couldn��t help but get excited.


    This meant that once he chose a new class, his strength would leap drastically once again!


    Next are the two ��Weapon Master (Legendary)�� exclusive talents.


    Rein focused his attention back on the Weapon Master (Legendary) class panel.


    But strangely, he couldn��t find the four talents that had just been notified by the system on the class panel.


    After searching around, Rein finally found the descriptions of these four talents below the Attributes section on the homepage.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Class: Weapon Master (Legendary) lv1 (0/100) / Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv6 (11/3000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 (102/2000) / Armorsmith lv6 (211/3000)


    Constitution: 27


    Strength: 27


    Agility: 28


    Spirit: 31


    Remaining attribute points: 5


    Remaining skill points: 0


    Beneath the panel title, above the skill icons, several new lines of text had appeared:


    [Weapon Master (Legendary) exclusive talent: Primary Weapon Mastery (Passive)]


    Primary Weapon Mastery (Passive) effect: The Weapon Master has a natural familiarity with various weapons, using any weapon comes with an ��Expertise lv1�� effect.


    (Note: ��Hammer Expertise lv3�� remains unchanged.)


    [Weapon Master (Legendary) exclusive talent: Primary Extraordinary Understanding (Passive)]


    Primary Extraordinary Understanding (Passive) effect: The Weapon Master picks up various combat skills effortlessly, learning any Extraordinary Battle Technique 30% faster.


    [Talent: Primary Steel Body (Passive)]


    Primary Steel Body (Passive) effect: The skin surface of the body is constantly interacting with the metallic elements around, greatly enhancing skin defensive power.


    (Note: Steel Body effect is positively correlated with Spirit.)


    [Talent: Intermediate Giant Force (Active)]


    Intermediate Giant Force (Active) effect: When used, Strength increases by up to 200%.


    (Note: The duration is related to Constitution.)


    (Note: The enhancement range can be controlled freely between 1% and 200%.)


    (Note: None of the talents can be increased with skill points.)


    Rein looked at the two exclusive talents of the Weapon Master and pondered.


    Perhaps, the reason the system recognizes the Weapon Master as a Legendary class is because of these two additional exclusive talents.


    It��s very likely that if he had changed class to a Great Knight, these two talents probably wouldn��t have appeared.


    Also, he was starting to understand why the Weapon Master, like a full-fledged Wizard, was also a Legendary class.


    That��s because this class has an extremely high potential for growth!


    Learning Extraordinary Battle Techniques 30% faster �C what does that mean?


    It means that as time goes by, as long as Rein continues to learn and improve his combat skill levels, his repertoire of tactics for dealing with opponents will grow larger and larger.


    Rein had already made up his mind.


    In the future, if he encountered any decent Extraordinary Battle Techniques, he would definitely claim them all.


    Of course, there��s no rush for this; he still has an Extraordinary archery skill he hasn��t learned yet, the ��Blood Fury Archery�� from ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil Kraz.


    But immediately, another problem came to Rein��s mind.


    That was, for him, learning these Extraordinary Combat Skills would naturally be much easier than for others, but the issue lies in the fact that different combat skills require different weapons to execute, and that could become a problem.


    He��d need many weapons.


    For no reason at all, Rein��s mind suddenly conjured an image of a Peking opera ��Daomadan�� character, with four different colored flags attached to their back.


    Except, he imagined himself equipped with four different weapons��


    No, in the future, four types would definitely not be enough, perhaps it would be six!


    Rein suddenly found himself at a loss for words��


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 Chapter 441 - 211: The Presence of a Legendary Profession! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 441: Chapter 211: The Presence of a Legendary Profession! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    If it really came down to that, this setup would be absolutely extraordinary!


    Of course, there��s another method �C arranging a team of Knight Attendants, with each person carrying a different type of weapon for him.


    It��s just��.


    This spectacle seems a bit too grand��.


    And far too eye-catching!


    After some thought, failing to come up with any good solution, Rein shook his head slightly and continued to read on.


    ...


    To his surprise, the two Transcendent characteristics of a Knight had actually transformed into talents. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This brought a bit of secret delight to Rein; the advanced Magic Potion he had taken was of high quality, otherwise, he might now be lacking the ��Steel Body�� talent.


    The last talent, which was also the only one that had reached a mid-tier level, was the result of the system merging ��Huge Strength�� and ��Strength Burst��.


    Just as Rein was about to continue reading, a knock sounded at the door.


    ��Thump thump thump!��


    ��Baron Sir, Major Maryka and Miss Vinica are already waiting for you in the dining room for dinner,�� reported the servant outside the door.


    Rein glanced at the clock and realized that it was already seven o��clock in the evening, without him noticing.


    ��All right! I��ll be right there.��


    His Spirit lifted at the happy occasion!


    During dinner, both Maryka and Vinica could feel the joy in Rein��s expression.


    The two women exchanged glances, both a bit puzzled and unable to fathom the reason for a while.


    Could it be because of the resolution of the issues with the Sea God Sect and the pirates?


    After dinner, Rein informed the Reiman brothers that he would need to go out the next day, and the administrative affairs of Fishing Port Town would be left to them.


    In addition, he held onto his brother, Cobert Reiman.


    ��Cobert, in a while, I��ll propose to Count Habs that I step down from my dual roles as the Governor and the Marshal of Fishing Port Town, and for that position, I��d like to recommend you as the Governor. I��d like to hear your thoughts,�� Rein said.


    Actually, it was almost unnecessary to hear Cobert��s opinion once Rein finished speaking.


    Just from the joy that spread across Cobert��s face, it wasn��t hard to guess that he was very interested in Rein��s proposal.


    ��Baron Sir, are you really planning to step down as the Governor of Fishing Port Town? In fact, we could serve as the Marshal to help you share some of the workload,�� Cobert said, rubbing his hands together.


    Rein smiled; he could clearly hear the underlying message in Cobert��s words.


    However, he wasn��t being modest; he truly no longer had the time to serve as the Governor of Fishing Port Town.


    ��Let��s settle it then; I��ll write a letter to Count Habs later,�� Rein said, waving his hand.


    That decision was made.


    That night, Rein didn��t get a chance to test out his new Weapon Master talents.


    Instead, he went to the Blacksmith��s shop to have bladed Finger Tigers installed on his plate gauntlets.


    ��


    �����������C


    The following morning.


    At the Imperial Navy��s South Sea Fleet, a small team was heading out to sea in a dinghy.


    They were the ��Fish-Dragon Squad,�� responsible for pursuing Valod. They belonged to the Empire Navy��s special division ��Tide Walkers,�� structurally similar to the Empire��s ��Sword Bearers�� organization, but covering a much smaller scope.


    The name ��Tide Walkers�� actually held a deeper meaning, as it originated from a passage recorded in ancient texts: ��The Titan Giants�� Striding upon the tides�� Defeated the old gods.��


    ��Captain, I heard that Valod has escaped in the direction of the open sea?�� a young team member asked.


    A staunch middle-aged man with a goatee nodded and stayed silent.


    ��This is troublesome,�� another member muttered while seemingly reviewing aggregated intelligence.


    He continued, ��Valod is seriously wounded, and his most likely choice would be to land around Meister County Fishing Port Town or to hide on some small island, waiting to recover before moving inland again.��


    ��That would allow him to evade our search in the short term.��


    ��Landing in Fishing Port Town? It��s not impossible�� He would need a place with people to secure supplies,�� another team member nodded, agreeing with the analysis.


    ��What��s the defensive power like in Fishing Port Town?�� asked the goatee-bearing captain in a deep and resonant voice.


    The young analyst, hearing the captain inquire, perked up and said:


    ��Captain, while Fishing Port Town does have a certain level of defensive power, it pales in comparison to Valod��s strength.��


    ��According to intelligence, aside from two veteran Knights leading an elite team sent out by Earl Habs of Meister County, there��s also a special corps from our Imperial Navy in Fishing Port Town.��


    ��Is it the task force sent out by the Sixth Fleet?��


    ��Yes, Captain Baron!��


    ��Seems like the only person with some fighting capability is a young girl, right?�� Captain Baron tried to recall, mumbling to himself.


    ��Yes, captain, the strongest combatant in the special corps is called Vinica, an eighteen-year-old girl who is an apprentice to Master Annius, specializing in avian transmutation, a third-level Wizard Apprentice.��


    ��Specializing in what?��


    ��Avian transmutation?��


    ��Eighteen years old?��


    ��A young girl?��


    ��The Sixth Fleet sure has a big heart!��


    ��I wonder which general gave that order, unbelievable����


    A few young team members behind Baron couldn��t help exchanging surprised glances and whispering among themselves!


    ��Uh��can��t really blame the Sixth Fleet. They dispatched this team initially for intelligence gathering; they weren��t expecting to engage in direct combat,�� the young analyst who had made the previous comment added on reflex.


    ��A third-level wizard apprentice specializing in avian transmutation? Even though that��s also a third-level wizard, there��s not much combat strength to speak of,�� Captain Baron frowned as he listened, shaking his head slightly before sighing.


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 Chapter 442 - 211: The Grandeur of Legendary Professions! (Combined Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 442: Chapter 211: The Grandeur of Legendary Professions! (Combined Mega Chapter)_3


    ��`


    ��Let��s hope Volod doesn��t go straight for Fishing Port Town.��


    They had been careless this time, deceived by Volod��s water clone; they had almost reached the open sea before realizing they had been chasing a clone all along.


    As it was a water-based cloning technique, it lasted especially long in the sea, and the effect was exceptionally good; it had almost fooled them all.


    Baron recalled the situation at the time.


    The young man analyzing the intelligence flipped to the last few pages, seeming to find something interesting; he raised his eyebrows and said:


    ...


    ��Huh, Captain, I��ve looked at the latest intelligence, and the governor of Fishing Port Town is a baron named Rein. His strength seems quite formidable; perhaps he can put up a fight.��


    ��What strength?�� Baron couldn��t help but turn to look at his subordinate, asking with a hint of confusion.


    ��This�� it says here he��s a Peak Knight.��


    ��Peak Knight?�� Captain Baron looked at his subordinate in surprise.


    He did not believe his subordinates were incapable of assessing Volod��s strength; several captains of the Navy��s sixth-tier ships had died at the hands of the enemy.


    Weren��t those captains all Peak Knights?


    And they were the kind that had been battle-hardened!


    ��Uh�� Captain Baron, this Baron Rein seems a bit special. His intelligence file has a piece of confidential information; it says he was the top of the imperial examination for knighthood in the Mingster Province from the winter batch of Imperial Calendar year 2334.��


    ��Top of the examination?�� Several young men turned their heads to look at their analyzing teammate.


    ��This is a bit tricky to say.�� Baron immediately fell into contemplation.


    ��However�� the winter batch of Imperial Calendar year 2334? That was just over a month ago; I��m afraid he hasn��t grown into his potential yet.��


    ��Maybe he can hold his own for a bit, but it��s very likely he won��t win against Volod.��


    ����.��


    Several teammates began to discuss among themselves.


    ��From another perspective, if such a talent were to die before his time, it would be a loss for the empire,�� Captain Baron said solemnly.


    ��Odward, speed up to Fishing Port Town!��


    ��Yes, Captain!�� Immediately, the teammate named Odward at the stern began to cast a certain witchcraft, and with a burst of blue light, the speed of their small boat suddenly increased by two levels.


    Like an arrow loosed from its bow, it split the waves and sped towards the coastal area��.


    �����������C


    Almost at the same time, Rein and Vinica boarded a small boat, heading towards the target island.


    Rein had declined the Reiman brothers�� suggestion to bring more hands. Accompanied by two prospective knights for protection,


    First because Fishing Port Town itself was lacking in defense capability, and second, sometimes it was easier to move with fewer people.


    So, this time Rein had Mary pick two team members from the naval task force who were adept at handling boats to accompany them.


    As it was an external mission, Vinica had changed into her pale blue, wide wizard robe, which concealed her lovely figure.


    As they gradually approached the island, they could see the shore dotted with many stilt houses; they could vaguely make out several humanoid creatures wandering about, seemingly fishing by the shore.


    Rein focused his gaze.


    They were likely the Black Gill fish-people.


    Compared to the Evil Fin fish-people he had once slain in Flashgold Town, these Black Gill fish-people were a pale black color, their bodies also covered with fine, slippery scales.


    However, they were noticeably taller, averaging about 1.6 meters in height, and they also seemed to be stronger.


    Overall, compared to the Evil Fin fish-people, these Black Gill fish-people were larger in size!


    It seemed as Weilun had once said, ��The strength of Black Gill fish-people is a notch higher than that of Evil Fin fish-people.��


    As they drew closer,


    the forms of their enemies became clearer.


    They had a pair of bulging, bubble-like eyes on their fish heads, plus a big mouth full of sharp teeth that reeked of a fishy smell, though they lacked the distinctive dorsal fin the Evil Fin fish-people had on their backs. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their hands and feet had webs, and the weapons they held were also diverse, mostly poor-quality weapons like harpoons, spears, and large knives.


    ��Lord Rein, do we need to find a shore without Black Gill fish-people to land?�� asked a task force member with a serious face.


    Facing so many Black Gill fish-people, he was sure he could not cope if it came to a siege.


    But�� with Lord Rein present, it was a different matter.


    Rein glanced around and noticed the stilt houses of Black Gill fish-people scattered all along the beach; finding a suitable landing point would likely take some time.


    Therefore, he shook his head and said, ��No need, just land.��


    The Black Gill fish-people were also bullies who feared the strong; seeing only four people in Rein��s group, several Black Gill fish-people quickly ran towards their camp. Soon, with loud cries, they brandished their weapons and started to hunt.


    ��Gibberish�� Amid the clamor, about twenty to thirty Black Gill fish-people warriors armed with various harpoons, knives, and clubs surged out, charging at Rein and his companions from both sides, full of menace.


    Seeing the Black Gill fish-people closing in, but with Baron Rein still standing calmly at the front, seemingly unfazed, the two task force members exchanged glances and couldn��t help but say, ��Lord Rein��.��


    ��No rush, leave it to me.�� Rein said calmly.


    When the Black Gill fish-people got within about ten meters, close enough to smell the strong sea funk, Rein suddenly made his move.


    ��`


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 Chapter 443 - 211: The Grandeur of Legendary Professions! (Combined Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 443: Chapter 211: The Grandeur of Legendary Professions! (Combined Mega Chapter)_4


    He pulled out the dark two-handed warhammer from behind, and immediately, with gravel flying underfoot, leapt high into the air, raising the warhammer with both hands and slammed it down heavily on the sandy beach!


    It was the secret move of the Tokkal Hammer Technique, the ��Earth-splitting Hammer!��


    ��Boom!��


    A visible blast of air, mixed with gravel, swept through all the black-jaw fishmen warriors in the fan-shaped area ahead at high speed!


    ��Bang! Bang! Bang!�� S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the shockwave had swept through, all the black-jaw fishmen warriors, as if struck by an immobilization spell, stood still in place.


    ...


    The next second, a rapid succession of bursting sounds emanated from the bodies of the black-jaw fishmen!


    The fishmen, like snakes with their spines removed, collapsed limply onto the beach.


    With just one strike, Reine had dealt with over thirty black-jaw fishmen warriors!


    ��(Fishman Language) Walululu~~~��


    Seeing this, the black-jaw fishmen in the distance panicked and hastily turned and scattered!


    Too weak��


    Reine couldn��t help feeling a bit of regret in his heart.


    The first battle after his promotion to the ��Legendary�� class of Weapon Master was against these black-jaw fishmen.


    It truly felt like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.


    Although, compared to the evil-fin fishmen, these black-jaw fishmen were a notch stronger, and among this group of warriors, there were two or three particularly strong individuals at the level of quasi-knights.


    However, compared to Reine from half a year ago, his strength had undergone earth-shattering changes.


    ��You two just wait here for us; the fishmen should not come back. If there really is any unexpected situation, you can retreat immediately. We will send up a flare when we are done.��


    Reine turned and spoke to the two stunned special task force members.


    ��Okay�� okay�� sir!�� The task force members still hadn��t snapped out of it and stared dumbfounded at the beach, where the impact wave had carved away several dozen centimeters of gravel over several tens of meters.


    And on Vinica��s pretty face, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly in a smile that could hardly be suppressed, and her beautiful eyes frequently sized up Reine, full of fascination.


    However, Reine didn��t notice this; at the moment, he was looking at the system prompts:


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +27]


    [You have experienced a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Professional Experience Points +7]


    ��


    Clearly, compared to the Knight (Transcendent), the Weapon Master (Legendary) earned far fewer Professional Experience Points.


    After a moment��s thought, Reine figured that this was probably because the strength of the black-jaw fishmen was too weak.


    To earn decent Experience Points at the ��Legendary�� level, one should kill those at the ��Transcendent�� level, whereas killing those below the ��Transcendent�� level greatly reduces the Experience Points.


    Just then, a larger-than-average white seagull cried out from the sky, quickly spiraled down, and, flapping its wings, landed on Vinica��s right arm.


    A few seconds later, Vinica turned her head in surprise and said to Reine:


    ��Lord Reine, Major Marika just urgently notified us, saying that she received the latest intelligence from the fleet.��


    ��They are pursuing a high-ranking member of the Black Sail Pirates, the gang leader known as ��Skull Crusher�� Wolod Nihalu, who might not have fled to the high seas but instead, has moved to the nearby sea area.��


    ��Major Marika instructed us to be very cautious and advised that it��s best to return to Fishing Port Town now.��


    ��As for Fishing Port Town, she asked you to rest assured, she has already coordinated with the Reiman brothers to strengthen its defense, with 24-hour patrols now in place.��


    Black Sails Pirate Crew captain?


    Rein was startled to hear that, wasn��t that the pirate crew ��Blood Shooter�� Phil Kraz belonged to?


    Last time, it was Phil Kraz the vice-captain, now it��s the captain?


    That indeed is a deep connection!


    However, he quickly collected himself and nodded, saying, ��Yes, Major Mary is very meticulous. By the way, Miss Vinica, do you know anything about this captain of the Black Sails Pirate Crew?��


    Vinica nodded, her expression becoming serious as she explained:


    ��Yes, I have heard of some deeds of this person nicknamed ��Skull Crusher.��


    ��For instance, he once killed three captains of the South Sea Fleet��s Level 6 patrol ships, all of whom were navy colonels and had reached the level of Peak Knights, yet they all died by his hand.��


    ��Furthermore, this man is not only a seasoned Great Knight but also a seasoned level three Wizard Apprentice, just a step away from becoming a full-fledged wizard, making him extremely difficult to handle.��


    ��So, even though this ��Skull Crusher�� is already on the Imperial Navy��s wanted list, relying on the myriad of islets scattered across the nearby seas, he frequently plays hide-and-seek with the South Sea Fleet, evading capture for the time being.��


    However, Vinica��s furrowed brows soon relaxed.


    Turning to Rein with a smile, she said:


    ��However, it��s unlikely to be such a coincidence!��


    ��Hehe, Lord Reine, with such a long coastal line, the chances of us encountering them are really small, let��s continue searching for Ironbeak Sea Eagle chicks.��


    ��After all, if we pass this recent period, the chicks will have grown, and the success rate of witchcraft will be greatly reduced.��


    Rein smiled and nodded, saying, ��Good!��


    It��s not that Rein didn��t value the urgent information provided by Major Mary, but because what Vinica said indeed matched his thoughts at the moment.


    However�� deep inside, Rein didn��t mind encountering the captain of the Black Sails Pirate Gang by chance.


    A seasoned Great Knight and a seasoned level three Wizard Apprentice, huh?


    He wondered, compared to him, a novice Weapon Master and level three Wizard Apprentice, who would be stronger or weaker?


    If he had not been promoted to ��Weapon Master�� before, Rein might have worried about being in trouble if he couldn��t beat him.


    But now it was different; he was actually worried about lacking strong enough opponents to test his skills.


    If he could encounter this so-called ��Skull Crusher�� by chance, that would be fortunate.


    But soon, Rein shook his head slightly, thinking, indeed, with such a long coastline, not knowing where the enemy might land, combined with the many islands scattered across the nearby regions.


    If he could stumble upon them, that would truly be miraculous!


    Wolod, on the other side of the island, suddenly woke up from a deep sleep, murmuring, ��Eh? No earthquake?


    ��But I definitely felt a slight tremor just now.��


    Wolod looked at the sun rising above the sea level, knowing it was morning already.


    ��Never mind, let��s get up and find something to eat!��


    ��I wonder when someone from the Eagle Federation will come for me.��


    ��I already contacted them yesterday using the communication witchcraft device given by a spy from the Eagle Federation; they should find me within the next day or two.��


    It wasn��t that Wolod wanted to be a dog for the Eagle Federation, but thinking about his promotion that fell through at the last moment and his painstakingly built Black Sails Pirate Crew being destroyed by the Imperial Navy all at once!


    Wolod felt he couldn��t swallow that disgrace; he couldn��t settle his mind without avenging this vendetta!


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 Chapter 444 - 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 444: Chapter 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    As Rein and Vinica made their way toward the cliff where the Ironbeak Sea Eagles nested, Rein checked the status of his freshly advanced class from yesterday, the Weapon Master (Legendary).


    In the corner below the bolded words ��Weapon Master (Legendary),�� a few lines of small text were visible:


    Physical First Order Breakthrough Limit (100%)


    Physical Second Order Breakthrough Limit (17%)


    (Note: Original Strength is approximately equal to the Physical Second Order Breakthrough Limit.)


    The power of Rein��s recent strike was much stronger than before.


    ...


    On one hand, it was due to an increase of five points in the basic attributes of Strength, Agility, and Constitution, and on the other, the previously capped Breakthrough Limit could now be exceeded.


    In fact, as soon as Rein saw the description of the Physical Second Order Breakthrough Limit, he had a suspicion.


    It seemed that the path of the Knight truly focused on pursuing the development of one��s own body, or rather, unlocking the body, thereby obtaining transcendental combat prowess. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Also, during the battle with the Black Cheeked Fishmen, Rein had a chance to test out his understanding of how the First and Second Order Breakthrough Limits contributed to the enhancement of his attributes.


    The method was essentially the same as before.


    Assuming a basic Agility of 10 points, with the activation of the First Order Physical Breakthrough Limit, it would increase by 100%, becoming 20 points, calculated as 10 times (1+100%).


    Now, however, it would be 10 times (1+100%+17%), and not 10 times (1+100%) and then times (1+17%).


    Simply put, the increases from the First and Second Order Breakthrough Limits were additive, and 10 points of Agility could be boosted to 21.7.


    As for the calculation of Strength, the bonus from the talent ��Intermediate Giant Strength�� needed to be included.


    If the base Strength was also 10 points, then it would be 10 times (1+100%+17%+200%), which is clearly a terrifying increase.


    10 points of Strength, when fully exerted, could reach an extent of 41.7.


    Of course, such a full exertion would drain a great deal of stamina, and on the other hand, if one��s Constitution couldn��t keep up, there could be side effects such as muscle soreness or even outright paralysis.


    Rein had already experienced this firsthand.


    Switching the interface back to the homepage��attributes page��Rein looked at his four talents and began to comprehend something.


    Why are talents so important?


    Because if someone was born with the Junior Giant Strength Talent, once they became an adult, their base Strength would be slightly weaker compared to that of a formal Knight, but with the enhancement from the talent,


    in terms of Strength alone, they could completely compete with formal Knights, even senior ones.


    And if one possessed the Intermediate Giant Strength Talent�� then as an adult, they could compete with Peak Knights; no wonder some races documented in ancient books were so formidable in battle.


    Walking beside Rein, Vinica, wearing a light blue robe, was clearly in high spirits, her beautiful eyes casting frequent glances toward Rein.


    With Rein at her side, she felt an inexplicable sense of security.


    Moreover, whether it was an illusion or not, Vinica��s keen senses told her that Lord Rein in front of her seemed to have undergone some mysterious change since yesterday.


    This change was hard to define; it was as if Lord Rein had become more charismatic.


    Due to the choice of their landing location, they were quite near to the cliff where the Ironbeak Sea Eagles nested.


    So, in less than twenty minutes, Rein and Vinica both arrived at the base of the cliff.


    The cliff was a formidable four to five dozen meters high and almost vertical, but the rock face was pockmarked with exposed brown rocks, which made it clear to Rein that climbing would not be difficult for him.


    The several huge Ironbeak Sea Eagles soaring above the cliff appeared to have noticed the unwelcome guests and began circling in the sky, observing Rein and Vinica.


    Rein looked up and scrutinized the Ironbeak Sea Eagles.


    The creatures were entirely brown with a wingspan of at least three meters. The iron beaks were black, curved, hook-shaped, and extremely sharp. From their appearance, their temperament seemed quite ferocious.


    Rein nodded to himself internally.


    Indeed, these birds, with the beginnings of vicious strength, could certainly be considered for him to capture a fledgling as his third pet and slowly train it later on.


    ��Miss Vinica, is there anything specific you need me to do?�� Rein asked.


    ��Lord Rein, in a moment, I��ll have Big White attract the attention of the Ironbeak Sea Eagles. Then, I will rely on you to climb the cliff and catch a few of these Ironbeak Sea Eagle chicks,�� Vinica replied.


    ��I only need three fledglings, and after you come down, I will cast the Mist Technique. Using the cover of the mist, we can safely leave this place,�� she added.


    Vinica clearly had experience and organized her plan methodically.


    ��Oh, and Lord Rein,�� she continued, ��the iron beak of the Ironbeak Sea Eagle is very powerful. A mere peck can breach the skulls of most animals once grasped in its talons.��


    ��Although it might not pose a threat to you, I would still urge you to be cautious,�� she cautioned.


    In fact, after arriving here, Vinica could have managed on her own, but she was quite looking forward to some interaction with Rein.


    ��Understood, Miss Vinica,�� Rein nodded his response.


    Vinica needed three chicks, and with one for himself, it meant that he had to bring down at least four fledglings.


    ��Lord Rein, when you��re ready, I��ll send Big White out,�� Vinica said.


    ��Ready,�� Rein affirmed.


    Then, under Vinica��s command, the giant white owl Big White, covered in a pale blue water film, took flight towards the cliff, immediately provoking the Ironbeak Sea Eagles.


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 Chapter 445 - 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 445: Chapter 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    It was only a few seconds before the giant white owl entangled itself in a midair battle with four or five iron-billed sea eagles, sending feathers flying in disarray.


    Rein knew the opportunity was ripe and immediately began to ascend the cliffside.


    After several agile steps, Rein quickly arrived at an iron-billed sea eagle��s nest, where he saw two downy eaglets crying out, one of which seemed to have just hatched, barely opening its eyes.


    Are there two in a nest?


    After a moment of thought, Rein decided not to take them all and instead chose to carry off the younger chick before heading to the second sea eagle��s nest.


    ��Huh, this isn��t a sea eagle egg, is it?��


    ...


    In the second nest, Rein looked with some surprise at the purple giant egg, which was clearly a different color and much larger than the broken shells beside it.


    ��


    As the battle between the giant white owl and the iron-billed sea eagles broke out,


    The cries of the iron-billed sea eagles, sharp and piercing, carried far and wide.


    At this time, on the other side of the island, ��Skull Crusher�� Walroth was grill-roasting a large fish by a campfire.


    Barely making out the cries of the iron-billed sea eagles, Walroth narrowed his eyes and listened intently.


    Huh? Seems like the cry of some kind of eagle.


    From the density and urgency of these calls, are they in combat?


    A frown creased Walroth��s brow, and he immediately rose from below the tree, pacing back and forth in thought among the palm trees.


    The eagle��s natural predators are few; what could have caused such cries unless someone is fighting with them?


    No good, I need to investigate.


    If it��s the imperial navy or a pursuit team from the mainland, I��m at a disadvantage.


    Walroth swiftly snatched up his fish and kicked sand, extinguishing the campfire with a sweep of gravel.


    Then, he turned heel and hastened toward the direction of the sea eagle��s cries.


    ��


    Minutes later,


    Walroth arrived near the cliffside, just below where the giant white owl and iron-billed sea eagles were engaged in battle.


    ��Huh, this owl, could it be the bird transformation technique?�� Walroth looked up, pupils contracting as he murmured.


    At the same time, he saw a beautiful girl in a light blue robe and a young man in knight��s plate armor, holding four or five chicks as well as a purple egg. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, the young man in armor was quickly closing the distance to the girl.


    ��Huh? High-grade knight��s plate armor? That must be some noble��s offspring.�� Walroth eyed the noble crest on Rein��s breastplate closely, guessing at Rein��s identity.


    Soon, Walroth��s attention turned to the girl.


    The sea breeze brushed past, outlining the beautiful curves of the girl in her flowing robe, prompting Walroth to lick his slightly cracked lips.


    As former captain of the Black Sail pirates, Walroth used to have his fill of women, but times were now different. Having fled in disarray for days, he hadn��t known the taste of flesh for some time.


    ��Tsk, tsk, seems my luck isn��t bad��running into a female Wizard Apprentice, and these two must be a couple.��


    ��The sweet love between a knight and a girl?��


    ��So tempting to shatter it!��


    Being an experienced level-three Wizard Apprentice and a seasoned Great Knight himself, Walroth quickly identified Vinica��s true identity as a Wizard Apprentice, which intrigued him even more.


    He also swiftly sketched out the likely relationship between the two.


    The young knight must be accompanying the girl to capture the young iron-billed sea eagles.


    Being a combination of knight and Wizard Apprentice, their safety in this nearby sea region wasn��t a concern, so after searching around, Walroth found no one else nearby.


    Unfortunately, you two happened upon me��


    A sinister smile crept onto Walroth��s face.


    Break the young man��s spine, then make him watch as I ravage the girl��


    Thinking of this scene got Walroth excited��


    He immediately cast the Water Mirror Technique on himself, cloaking his form in a layer of mysterious water, making him vanish from sight.


    From the side, one could see Walroth disappear in place, obscured by the water mirror that allowed bystanders to see it, but not his figure.


    The effect of the Water Mirror Technique was similar to the famed Invisibility Spell.


    Although Walroth regarded Rein as merely a knight of moderate skill, he still opted for an ambush, hoping to win with a single strike.


    For a seasoned Great Knight like him to ambush a young knight was a low move, something perhaps only Walroth would stoop to.


    He planned to strike from behind with one blow, aiming to break the young man��s spine then and there.


    The opponent would only suffer and wriggle on the ground.


    Although the girl was a Wizard Apprentice, she would likely be overwhelmed, and he should be able to end the fight within a few seconds.


    Otherwise, a knight teamed with a Wizard Apprentice could cause him some trouble, leading to unforeseen complications.


    He couldn��t forget that he was still being pursued by the imperial navy.


    The next second, Walroth, carrying the Skull Warhammer, pushed off with his toes and lunged directly at Rein��s back!


    From the side, one could only see a distorted transparent figure flicker behind Rein!


    In an instant, a level-three danger perception alarm blared frantically for Rein.


    With Rein facing Veronica, and the attack coming from his back,


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 Chapter 446 - 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 446: Chapter 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    So, Rein instantly made a combat judgment, he could not dodge the opponent��s attack now and had only to withstand it.


    As Rein turned around, ��Click!�� the blade Finger Tigers shot out, and he crossed his arms in front of his chest.


    At that moment, a few meters in front of Rein, a flurry of light and shadow flashed, and suddenly, where there had been no one before, a sinister man holding a Skull Warhammer abruptly appeared.


    And just as the man appeared, his attack followed!


    ��Clang!!!��


    Rein took the blow with the blade Finger Tigers on his armored gloves, but in the haste, he could not muster his strength. Rein was hit like he��d been struck by a cannonball, and his body was instantly flung seven or eight meters back, crashing heavily against the cliff behind him!


    ...


    ��Boom!!!��


    At the cliff, dust billowed!


    Without looking, one knew that Rein��s entire body had been smashed into the cliff.


    ��Eh, quite a quick reaction! Unfortunately, the outcome will not change,�� Vallord said, showing slight surprise at Rein��s ability to react to his surprise attack and turn to block.


    But once his strike hit, he knew it was all over!


    Even if the opponent were a Great Knight, he would be severely injured under his surprise attack, let alone this young man.


    Suddenly, Vinica let out a piercing scream!


    She then somewhat frantically cast a Water Membrane Technique to protect her body and began to rummage through her chest for something.


    After landing his blow, Vallord was no longer in a rush to attack again.


    Instead, he regarded the beautiful young girl before him with interest.


    Seeing the panicked expression on the girl��s face brought a perverse pleasure to Vallord��s heart.


    ��Don��t move! Take your hands out,�� Vallord commanded, lifting his white Skull Warhammer.


    At that moment, Vinica glanced at the white Skull Warhammer in his hand and seemed to realize something. She tremblingly extended her fair fingers, pointing at Vallord and said, ��You��you are ��Skull Crusher�� Vallord, the leader of the Bloodsail Pirate gang!��


    Hearing the girl��s words, Vallord was obviously startled and glanced at her, slightly surprised.


    ��Eh, you actually know me?��


    Vallord scrutinized the young girl before him carefully. She wore a pale blue Wizard Robe, and additionally, her bird seemed vaguely familiar. He hazarded a guess at her background and said gravely, ��You are with the Empire��s navy.��


    Before Vinica could answer, Vallord discerned the answer he wanted from the girl��s astonished eyes.


    This made his smile even brighter.


    This was really interesting!


    The Empire��s navy had just chased him like a dog at a loss, and now, he had ironically found a girl affiliated with the Empire��s navy, just right to quench his resentment.


    However, the next second, Vallord��s smile froze.


    He felt something was amiss.


    He immediately looked to the side.


    Vallord��s eyes widened in disbelief at the scene before him.


    Where the cliff was, after the dust had settled, the young knight who should have been embedded in the cliff had disappeared.


    This alarmed him immediately!


    In the next second, he felt a wind at the back of his head, only to see a silhouette swinging down a Two-Handed Warhammer at him!


    Vallord instantly turned to block!


    ��Clang!!!��


    The grating noise of the hard object striking echoed!


    Vallord firmly caught Rein��s strike.


    Although Rein had not pushed his Intermediate Giant Strength Talent to its utmost, at this moment, he was exercising at least over eighty percent of his strength, but Vallord managed to steady himself and catch this blow.


    Rein��s pupils contracted, indeed worthy of the Black Sail Pirate gang leader, very strong, and even stronger than the rebel General Parix.


    On the contrary, Vallord was more surprised! S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Being a senior Great Knight himself and having attacked a knight by surprise, it was impossible for the other party to be unharmed!


    It��s really unbelievable!


    The fact that Rein had just been flung by Vallord��s blow was not because his danger perception hadn��t worked.


    Having been alerted in advance, Rein was mentally prepared and his muscles tensed, taking the nearly full force of the other��s surprise attack.


    Otherwise, any Great Knight in that situation would have been severely injured by Vallord��s surprise attack.


    At this point, besides the Water Membrane steel armguard on Rein��s arm being severely dented, the rest of his body, thanks to the ��Steel Body�� talent, was practically unharmed.


    While both were lost in their thoughts, the fighting on the scene grew increasingly intense.


    Rein took the force of the leap to swing his dark hog-head hammer again, deploying the heavy hammer jump strike!


    Vallord��s surprise grew even more!


    He had thought his recent block would have flung Rein several meters away, but what he hadn��t anticipated was that the opponent had almost simultaneously absorbed the shock from the collision of the hammers and then launched another attack!


    ��Clang!��


    Rein followed one blow with another, launching a fierce attack at Vallord!


    Rein��s attack speed became faster and faster, the dark hog-head hammer now barely discernible in outline, and the sound of hammer striking hammer was so fast it almost felt like a continuous line!


    This sight left Vinica beside them with wide eyes and her small cherry lips agape as if she could stuff an apple into her mouth!


    ��This��this����


    ��According to the information, Vallord is both a senior Great Knight and a senior third-level Wizard Apprentice��nearly stepping into a full-fledged Wizard.��


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 Chapter 447 - 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 447: Chapter 212 Fierce Battle (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��But looking at the battle, Lord Reine was not at all inferior to his opponent, he even had a slight upper hand!��


    Facing this situation, Vinica felt a bit dizzy��


    After dozens of continuous strikes, Volod started to grow gradually impatient.


    As the leader of the Black Sail pirate crew, being pushed to this extent by someone much younger than him, he considered it a great disgrace to his face.


    This situation had to change!


    He suddenly let out a roar, the white bone hammer in his right hand started to vibrate violently, emitting a sound similar to a rattlesnake shaking its tail!


    ...


    ��High-frequency shock!��


    Reine squinted his eyes, knowing that the other party was definitely using some kind of secret technique, possibly even a secret technique.


    But he was not intimidated at all, Reine also executed the Tokkal Hammer Technique��s secret technique ��Earth-splitting Hammer,�� choosing to clash directly with the opponent��s trump card!


    ��Clang!!!��


    It was like the sound of thunder exploding!


    Both of them were blown away, not to mention neither could hold onto their violently vibrating hammers.


    Thus, one large, one small, one white, one black, both hammers flew out tens of meters away, but this made Volod��s heart leap with joy, a smile immediately appeared on his face.


    Kid, you��re done for!


    Without your handy weapon, let��s see how I deal with you!


    Volod swiftly drew his secondary weapon��a pale silver dagger of palm-length from his waist, whereas Reine in turn drew out the Dual-Handed Greatsword from his back.


    Volod smiled.


    Although it was rare to see someone like Reine carrying two heavy weapons, normally, one would generally have a primary weapon.


    He had already experienced Reine��s Two-Handed Warhammer.


    With that level of power and mastery, he knew the Two-Handed Warhammer must certainly be Reine��s primary weapon.


    So clearly, the greatsword was probably his secondary weapon, which meant that the mastery would inevitably drop by a notch or even two.


    Thus, he was not worried about the upcoming battle at all.


    But the next second, Volod��s expression froze!


    After taking a hit from Reine��s Smooth Cleaving Slash, Volod felt his right hand holding the dagger go numb��how could this be possible?


    An expert is revealed by a single move!


    The opponent��s greatsword was also that proficient?


    Actually, for Reine, using the greatsword or the Two-Handed Warhammer, the difference in combat ability was negligible.


    But compared to his single-handed Warhammer, Volod��s dagger was lacking by more than just one tier.


    Thus, contrary to Volod��s expectations, after both their hammers were dropped, Reine actually gained the upper hand!


    Therefore, Reine, wielding the greatsword, pursued and chopped at Volod rapidly, while Volod could only parry Reine��s greatsword slashes with his dagger very cautiously, retreating all the way to a rock wall.


    At this point, Vinica was already stunned!


    She had completely loosened her grip on the ��Water Tomb�� Sorcery Scroll she was holding tightly.


    And facing Reine��s slashes, all Volod could do was stick close to the rock wall, dodging rapidly while blocking.


    With one advancing and the other retreating, the rock wall showed, in just a few seconds, over a hundred deep greatsword slash marks approximately twenty to thirty centimeters deep.


    Volod was already quite disheveled at this point, his eyes flickered, and he immediately became fierce, tearing off a diamond-shaped crystal amulet from around his neck.


    Vinica, upon seeing the danger, shouted ��Watch out!�� while hastily tearing open a Sorcery Scroll to cast the Water Membrane Technique on Rein.


    Because just a moment ago, she had felt that the opponent��s amulet contained a powerful aquatic energy.


    Although it might not quite match the ��Tomb of Water�� Sorcery Scroll given to her by her tutor, the energy fluctuations were nearly the same.


    The moment Reine saw the diamond-shaped crystal, alarm bells rang in his head, and with a tip of his toes, he immediately flew backward.


    As soon as the fierce-looking Wald crushed the amulet in his hands!


    ��Splash!��


    Instantly, a basin-sized, rapidly spinning stream of water appeared out of nowhere in front of him.


    The water, like a cannonball, spun towards Rein!


    Due to the high speed, Reine could only perform a ��defensive move�� and block with his Dual-Handed Greatsword in front. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a loud ��bang,�� Reine, along with his greatsword, was blown back more than ten meters; his greatsword flew out of his hand upon first contact with the ��Vortex Strike��!


    Almost at the same instant, the light blue water membrane on Rein��s body burst apart!


    Following that, even the high-level knight��s breastplate was left with a large dent!


    However, after these two layers of defense had slowed the impact, Rein, relying on his innate ��Steel Body,�� still managed to absorb the remaining force of the shock!


    Seeing Rein��s greatsword flying out of his hand and him being blown back more than ten meters, Wald��s face lit up with joy!


    ��You little pest, you almost had me capsized in the gutter,�� he said.


    ��Now just die quietly!��


    Proudly, Wald tapped his foot on the ground, causing the soil to burst, and like an arrow freed from its bow, he dashed straight towards Rein. Unexpectedly, the next second, Rein sprang up from where he was and counterattacked!


    ��Cling clang cling clang!��


    Since Wald��s dagger was a short blade, and Rein��s Finger Tiger was also considered a short weapon, both were extremely fast in their attacks, making the sound of their weapons clashing almost constant.


    It was like the continuous sound of a string of firecrackers exploding!


    In Vinica��s eyes, she just saw two mists drifting around the cliff face.


    Around the mist were continuous sparks, like fireworks bursting in a tree!


    At the same time, if a spark accidentally scraped against the nearby cliff, the rock would immediately show claw-like marks from a dagger or blade.


    Impossible, how could this be possible?


    It absolutely couldn��t be!


    Wald felt that the young man before him had completely surpassed his understanding.


    So proficient in the warhammer!


    So proficient in the greatsword!


    Damn it, even this Finger Tiger is mastered so thoroughly!


    If the opponent were a nearly hundred-year-old man, it wouldn��t be so surprising, but looking at his age, he didn��t appear to be over 20 years old.


    Even if he had started training from the age of one, to have mastered any single weapon to this extent would already make him a top genius!


    But now it��s freakin�� three��


    How could there be such a person?


    At such a young age, to have mastered all three weapons to this extent?


    Right now, Wald��s brain was spinning so fast it was about to explode, yet he couldn��t figure out why!


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 Chapter 448 - 213 This is a 3 Against 1! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 448: Chapter 213 This is a 3 Against 1! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)


    The continued high-intensity combat caused Volod��s movements to begin to slow down ever so slightly, although the change was minimal.


    But as his opponent, Rein acutely perceived this change in Volod.


    However, Volod didn��t take this change to heart because, although his stamina had drastically decreased, his opponent wouldn��t be faring any better, and their decrease was likely even greater.


    Although he was constantly blocking the attacks from the opponent��s Finger Tiger with his Dagger, because he couldn��t afford a single misstep, it was extremely draining on his Spirit, but the opponent��s previous swinging of the Two-Handed Warhammer and greatsword was equally exhausting.


    Based on normal logic and his rich combat experience, Volod��s thoughts were definitely correct, however��


    The problem was that Rein had a cheat��


    ...


    Seeing that his opponent��s strength was beginning to decline, while his own was also decreasing, Rein almost without hesitation added a point to his Constitution Attribute.


    With the remaining attribute points going from 5��4, his Constitution also increased from 27 to 28 points.


    Suddenly, a surge of warm energy forcefully pumped out from his heart and rapidly spread throughout Rein��s entire body.


    In an instant, the slight soreness in his muscles and the sense of fatigue were swept away!


    Rein steadied his hands, and his speed and strength abruptly returned to the level they had been at the beginning of the fight, stable, precise, and powerful.


    Within just half a second, Volod sensed that something was off.


    Because of the relative change in efficiency, Rein��s transformation was unusually noticeable to him, as his opponent.


    Volod��s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Rein.


    The opponent definitely didn��t have time to use any potion, nor to cast witchcraft, so�� how could he suddenly be rejuvenated?


    Volod only felt that Rein��s attacks suddenly became exceptionally fierce and aggressive!


    He found it increasingly difficult to defend himself, and one misguided move could result in Rein slicing four gashes in his body.


    The blades of the Finger Tiger were from General Parix of the Zaral resistance army, crafted from some kind of rare ore, and with Rein��s forceful chopping, as soon as they cut into Volod��s leather armor, they could instantly leave four gashes!


    As time passed��


    Volod��s movements became more and more sluggish, his eyes bloodshot as he exerted all his power, move after move, barely blocking Rein��s attacks, but the wounds on his body were not decreasing but multiplying.


    Several times, Volod tried to repel Rein, hoping to take the opportunity to pull out a potion to drink, or to pull out a Sorcery Scroll to release, but all were interrupted by Rein��s almost close-quarters high-speed boxing.


    At this stage of the fight, Rein had almost fully gauged the upper limit of Volod��s strength.


    Consequently, the turning point of the entire battle had arrived!


    ��Hundred Crack Strike!��


    In an instant, the swinging speed of Rein��s left and right hands greatly increased, and the attack speed of the Finger Tiger completely went up a notch.


    As the targeted individual��Volod��only saw a blanket of cold gleams from Rein��s Finger Tiger enveloping him.


    This gave him quite a shock!


    As an experienced third-level Wizard Apprentice, if the enemy��s attack speed wasn��t so fast, he would at least have a chance to use a Sorcery Scroll, and if the opponent��s speed was even slower, Volod could have comfortably started chanting spells.


    But alas, ever since Rein switched to the Finger Tiger for combat, from beginning to end, Volod never had a moment��s respite.


    He was constantly fully focused on wielding his Dagger to defend, which meant he had no opportunity to use any means of witchcraft against Rein.


    And the only instant-cast witchcraft item��the crystal necklace sealed with ��Vortex Strike�� sorcery��had already been used by him, but unfortunately this rare magical artifact didn��t help Volod secure victory.


    In a moment, with over a hundred high-speed blades slicing through the air, the sound of them cutting the atmosphere arose!


    ��Swoosh swoosh swoosh!��


    The earth beneath Volod��s feet exploded, the hard rocks of the surrounding cliffs turned to dust, and he retreated step by step until he embedded himself in the tough cliff wall, with nowhere else to go.


    Seconds later, the tough leather armor made from an unknown beast��s hide worn by Volod was shredded by Rein��s Kadar Martial Arts secret technique ��Hundred Crack Strike Lv2,�� which by then hung in tattered strips like rags over his body.


    At this moment, Volod��s body was covered in dozens of wounds of various sizes and depths, profusely oozing crimson blood.


    Volod, with a fierce look on his face, struggled to walk out from the embedded rock, obviously unwilling to admit defeat, but the severe injuries to his limbs made it impossible for him to move freely.


    He began to quietly chant the spell for Hydrotherapy. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein��s pupils shrank; even like this, he was planning to cast witchcraft to attack him?


    Immediately, Rein felt rather annoyed with this ��obstinate�� captain of the Black Sail Pirates.


    ��Pffcht!��


    The next second, Volod was hit by Rein��s jab to the neck��s vital point.


    Volod clutched his neck, his eyes bulging, spewing mouthfuls of blood��


    Originally, Rein had intended to spare his life because, as the captain of the Black Sail Pirates, Volod would likely yield a lot of valuable information upon interrogation, but considering the recent events, this guy was simply too dangerous.


    Rein felt that it would be better to turn his opponent into a corpse that could no longer cast spells.


    Looking at Volod slowly collapsing, Rein turned to Vinica, who had been dumbfounded by the side, and said, ��Let��s get out of here first!��


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 Chapter 449 - 213: This is 3 Against 1! (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_2

    Chapter 449: Chapter 213: This is 3 Against 1! (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_2


    ��Sure��sure, Lord Reine!�� Vinica nodded immediately.


    At this moment, her head was still buzzing.


    Anything Lord Reine said, she would just nod her head in agreement.


    The main reason Reine wanted to leave in such a hurry was that the noise from his recent fight with Walrode had been too loud.


    Secondly, the smell of blood on the other party might attract some unnecessary trouble.


    So, for safety��s sake, it was better to leave this place first, especially since he and Vinica had already successfully completed their mission on this small island.


    ...


    As for the spoils of war, he planned to search Walrode��s body when he returned to Fishing Port Town.


    The iron-beaked sea hawks that had been battling the giant white owl had now distanced themselves far from Reine, circling high above the cliff and not daring to come down.


    It seemed they had sensed that the two humans who had just fought below the cliff were extremely powerful, and their animal instincts completely deterred them from approaching.


    Meanwhile, Great White proudly chirped a few times, took the initiative to grab Reine��s greatsword with its right claw, and his war hammer with its left claw after Reine had killed Walrode.


    Additionally, Great White��s beak held Walrode��s white bone hammer, which had also fallen nearby, and it flapped its wings, gliding a short distance to Vinica��s side as if to show off its achievement.


    This made Vinica laugh, as she petted Great White��s head and said, ��You��re quite clever.��


    Seeing there was nothing amiss, Reine quickly picked up Walrode��s still-bleeding corpse and hurried towards the boat.


    Vinica, holding four fledglings and the big purple egg, quickly followed.


    When Reine and Vinica arrived at the landing point, two special task force members guarding the small boat stared in shock at the bloody corpse in Reine��s hand.


    The two were stunned for a full two seconds before they quickly ran over and took Walrode��s body.


    ��Lord Reine, what�� what has happened?�� one of the task force members asked in alarm, glancing at Reine��s high-end armor which now had several dents and damages.


    He knew about Lord Reine��s strength, for the enemy to have caused so much damage to his expensive armor, their strength must have been extraordinary.


    Before Reine could answer, Vinica replied, ��We were just ambushed by ��Skull Crusher�� Walrode, the leader of the Black Sail pirates, but�� Lord Reine countered and killed him on the spot!��


    Hearing Vinica��s words, the two task force members trembled slightly, looking thunderstruck and stood still for a while, then looked at each other as if to confirm what they had just heard.


    They had, of course, heard of ��Skull Crusher�� Walrode.


    Especially since their mission this time, as part of the task force sent to Meister County, was to investigate the Sea God Sect and pirate strongholds, and they had carefully gone over the related materials.


    This Black Sail pirate leader, being a senior Great Knight and a Level Three Wizard Apprentice, to be reduced to a dead dog by Lord Reine?


    ��Hey, what are you two blanking out for, come on and start the boat,�� Vinica said, looking at the two task force members, still in shock, and urged them on.


    ��Okay��okay, Miss Vinica!��


    Thinking of the possible dangers ahead, the two boarded the small boat and immediately drove it back towards Fishing Port Town at high speed.


    �����������C


    An hour ago.


    ��Fisherdragon Squad�� had just arrived at Fishing Port Town.


    After interfacing with Major Marica of the naval special task force,


    Baron soon learned that the two highest combat powers of the task force, Level Three Wizard Apprentice Vinica and the current Governor of Fishing Port Town, Reine, had both gone to a distant island to capture the young fledglings of the iron-beaked sea hawk. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made him scowl and he scolded, ��That��s complete madness!��


    ��Both of them gone, the remaining defensive force of Fishing Port Town is virtually nonexistent. If Walrode truly lands here, there will be no one to delay his actions.��


    ��This�� Captain Baron, we have made rather extensive and thorough arrangements,�� Major Marica explained.


    On the other hand, the Reiman brothers didn��t look too pleased; clearly, this captain didn��t seem to regard them highly.


    However, the Reiman brothers weren��t foolish to contradict this battle-hardened imperial navy veteran on the spot.


    Just from his formidable aura alone, they knew that Captain Baron was surely a seasoned warrior of the empire��s navy.


    At that moment, a member of the Fisherdragon Squad walked in solemnly and said in a deep voice, ��Captain, my albatross just reported that there��s a high-intensity battle going on on that small island with the iron-beaked sea hawks.��


    ��Hmm?�� Captain Baron couldn��t help but look surprised at his own squad member.


    And Major Marica turned pale, suddenly thinking of a possibility.


    Could it be that Reine and Vinica had really encountered ��Skull Crusher�� Walrode?


    Good heavens!


    ��Could such a low-probability event actually happen?��


    The Reiman brothers glanced at each other quickly, remaining composed.


    Unlike the Fisherdragon Squad and Marica, who were anxious and worried, they seemed to have a mysterious confidence in Reine.


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 Chapter 450 - 450: 213 chapter This is 3 vs 1! (2-in-1 large chapter)_3

    Chapter 450: 213 chapter This is 3 vs 1! (2-in-1 large chapter)_3


    Actually, it was because for a period before, the two brothers had been called by Lord Reine to spar several times, and even though they were fully armed in a two-on-one situation, they were beaten soundly.


    Moreover, this was when Lord Reine was unarmed.


    Therefore, they didn��t think the situation on the island was as bad as the few people in front of them imagined.


    ��Let��s go, depart immediately!�� Baron Captain thought briefly, then made his decision immediately.


    ��I��ll go too,�� Major Mary said anxiously.


    ��No, you��re a civilian. Stay in Fishing Port Town.��


    ...


    Baron Captain rejected the idea outright.


    ��Major Mary, perhaps, the situation might not be as unfavorable as you think,�� Cobert Reiman consoled.


    ��Let��s hope those two can hold on a bit longer.��


    Baron Captain sighed, his bulky figure instantly turned and exited the town hall. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��


    A speedboat like an arrow released from a bow, raced directly toward the island where the Iron Beak Sea Eagles were.


    On the boat, the conversation continued.


    ��Baron Captain, heading there now���� a team member hesitated.


    ��Yes, captain, what if that guy Worlord is setting a trap and turns to attack Fishing Port Town?��


    The Baron Captain frowned, silent for a long while, finally said, ��Regardless, we have to check things out. According to what the Reiman brothers said, their Governor, Lord Reine, is not so easily defeated.��


    ��If we don��t come to the rescue, it could be worse.��


    ��Tsch, I don��t understand how these guys can be so confident in their own Governor,�� one team member scoffed.


    ��Yeah, one is a newly-appointed town Governor, and the other has been a pirate gang leader at sea for more than a decade; not to mention, one witchcraft from Worlord could probably finish off this Baron Rein,�� another team member agreed.


    ��Now it��s up to Vinica to see if she can coordinate well with this Baron Rein; if she can, they might be able to hold on a bit longer.��


    ��Heh, for how long? Even if we use sorcery to speed up, it will take at least twenty minutes to reach the island, plus the time we just wasted. Half an hour, do you think the two can last that long?��


    Immediately, all the team members of the Fish Dragon Squad went silent.


    Yes!


    Half an hour was really too long.


    Even a fight between two equally skilled Great Knights rarely lasted more than fifteen minutes.


    According to their estimate, even if Baron Rein and Vinica could coordinate well, it was highly probable they would be defeated within a few minutes.


    The only possible glimpse of hope was that Vinica, a Level 3 Wizard Apprentice, using a Sorcery Scroll could just manage to cause significant trouble for Worlord, and then, the two could split and escape.


    In that case, perhaps if one of them was lucky enough, they could wait until we arrived.


    Half an hour later, following the guidance of the albatross, Baron Captain led the Fish Dragon Squad to the base of the cliff.


    Originally, the Iron Beak Sea Eagles, seeing a strange albatross daring to invade their territory, were about to launch an attack, when suddenly, a group of humans each emitting a strong aura, arrived nearby.


    This made them hesitate immediately.


    After all, that giant white owl just before was a human subordinate, this albatross is probably the same, right?


    So, the Iron Beak Sea Eagles flew high up, circling above the cliff.


    Meanwhile, Baron Captain and his team, seeing the scene before them, couldn��t help but show expressions of shock.


    There were pits on the ground as if it had been pounded by a rain of meteorites, and at the bottom of the cliff, there were also markings of varying depths that looked as if they were made by various types of blades, all clearly visible!


    Baron Captain was the first to regain his composure, he quickly stepped forward, touching a gouge on the hard cliff face, dozens of centimeters deep, slowly saying:


    ��This is master-level swordsmanship, this single stroke would require at least twenty years of arduous practice!��


    Baron Captain appeared to think of a problem, his brows furrowing as he turned his puzzled gaze toward a young team member and asked,


    ��Didn��t you say this Baron Rein is young, how old is he?��


    ��This���� the young man immediately pulled out a stack of reports and started flipping through them, finally staring blankly at the age section and murmuring, ��Sixteen, how can he be only sixteen?��


    ��Sixteen, huh���� Baron Captain stroked his stubbly chin, pondering.


    ��It looks like there��s only one explanation: this Baron Rein is a young man with a strong talent for swordsmanship.��


    ��Otherwise, there��s no way to explain these cut surfaces and depths,�� Baron Captain said, looking at the cliff face, observing many traces very similar to the sword mark he just observed.


    People with a talent for swordsmanship, although rare, when considering the whole of Mingster Province, or even the Empire, aren��t that uncommon.


    Actually, in another squad of the special department ��Wave Stepper,�� Baron knew of a member who possessed a very strong talent for swordsmanship, probably on par with this young Baron Rein in strength.


    ��Captain, I think you need to take another look over here,�� a Fish Dragon Squad member said, his expression odd as he looked at both Baron and the young man with the document.


    ��Hmm?�� Seeing the expression of the team member, Baron instantly sensed something ominous, could there be some new situation?


    Baron followed the team member, continuing along the rocky wall for more than twenty meters, then the markings on the rock changed significantly, from deep sword gouges dozens of centimeters deep to marks resembling claw scratches.


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 Chapter 451 - 451: 213 This is 3 versus 1! (2 in 1 large chapter)_4

    Chapter 451: 213 Chapter This is 3 versus 1! (2 in 1 large chapter)_4


    ��Is this�� a beast?�� Baron��s pupils shrank.


    He carefully examined the dense claw marks on the cliff face and the four deep little holes occasionally placed at the positions of the phalanges.


    ��No! These aren��t the marks of a beast��s claws; they must be from some kind of�� Yes, they should be traces of Finger Tiger!�� Baron pondered for a moment before speaking in a deep voice.


    But soon, his expression became puzzled again.


    Clearly, these could not have been made by ��Skull Crusher�� Walord since Walord was experienced in using a one-handed Warhammer; if memory served, his secondary weapon was supposed to be a short Dagger.


    Baron touched the occasional obvious fist impressions, murmuring, ��Such an effect wouldn��t be possible without over a decade of rigorous practice��.��


    ...


    ��Which means, these definitely weren��t left by Walord����


    Everyone at the scene looked at each other with bewilderment!


    ��This�� Captain, is it possible that the young Baron Rein is also a martial arts genius?�� One of the team members asked hesitantly after mulling over it.


    ��.


    �����������C


    About an hour later, near the sea surface of the island where the Iron Beak Sea Eagle was located, something resembling a periscope suddenly emerged.


    After the lens rotated around, two men dressed in special leather coats appeared above the surface of the water.


    ��Brigadier General, I feel you needn��t have come to meet him personally,�� the younger man beside him said.


    ��Walord, that guy, always had an ambiguous attitude towards us. Now that the Black Sail Pirate Group has been completely destroyed by the Dragan Empire��s navy, only then does he think of us.��


    ��Heh, it really is a ��won��t shed tears until they see the coffin�� kind of guy; now, his value to our Federation has greatly diminished,�� he said with a smiling face.


    The middle-aged man beside him nodded his head, seemingly in agreement with the young man��s analysis. However, he changed his tone and said:


    ��Although the Black Sail Pirate Group has been wiped out, Walord��s personal strength is very good, a senior level-three Wizard Apprentice and Great Knight; he still can be worthwhile to rope in.��


    ��That��s true�� It��s impressive that he managed to escape this time,�� the young man pondered and then agreed after thinking.


    ��Additionally, the most important point is that, according to reliable information, Walord knows the location of an ancient goblin ruin on a remote island.��


    ��It��s very possible that there, in that ruin, lies the power device solution that our Eagle Federation has been unable to conquer,�� the middle-aged man revealed an important piece of information.


    ��So, that��s also why I personally came over,�� he disclosed.


    ��I see!�� The young man��s face clearly showed surprise upon hearing this news.


    Soon, the two men arrived at the location indicated by the communication device, near Walord��s fish grilling bonfire from before.


    ��Eh? Where is he?��


    ��The device is right here; this should be the place, no mistake.�� After searching and finding no trace of Walord, the young man immediately expanded the search area.


    ��Brigadier General, there are footprints here�� should be Walord��s, this direction��.��


    Following Walord��s footprints, the two quickly found themselves near the cliff.


    Upon seeing a scene that looked like a small-scale war had taken place, they exchanged puzzled looks.


    After inspecting the site, the young man pointed to a place on the ground with scattered footprints and said:


    ��Sir, it must be the empire��s navy pursuers; they discovered Walord before us. This line of footprints is the best proof.��


    The middle-aged man nodded, affirming the young man��s judgment.


    Feeling encouraged by his superior��s agreement, the young man continued with his analysis:


    ��Over there on the cliff, there are many traces of a Dual-Handed Greatsword chopping, which indicates that among the imperial search team, there is a master-level swordsman.��


    ��And on this side of the cliff, there are many claw-like weapon marks as well, indicating there is another expert close to the master level.��


    ��At the same time, there are scratches from a Dagger on the cliff, yet no hammer marks from Walord��s favored weapon, which is very strange����


    As the young man spoke, he resumed his search and finally spotted marks on the ground resembling those of a heavy Warhammer impact.


    ��Found it, here, this is the imprint of his Skull Warhammer, eh, these are the marks of a two-handed hammer���� the young man joyfully exclaimed.


    ��I get it, it was three against one!��


    ��


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 Chapter 452 - 214: Pre-requisites for the Legendary Warhammer Wizard (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 452: Chapter 214: Pre-requisites for the Legendary Warhammer Wizard (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    ��Sir, it seems that Vorod has been defeated.�� The young man bent down, picking up several strips of leather armor fragments near a cliff side indented with the shape of a human body, and said.


    The Federation colonel examined the leather armor fragments in the young man��s hands, then looked down at the large pool of blood on the ground and nodded.


    ��Indeed, and what��s more, he likely did not escape.��


    ��Judging from the footprints on the ground and the traces of the battle, it seems there were three master-level practitioners specializing in swords, war hammers, and Finger Tigers attacking Vorod. Those footprints over there likely belong to a Wizard Apprentice from the Dragan Empire��s pursuit detachment, aiding from the sidelines.��


    The young man pondered for a bit, seemingly putting himself in the shoes of the other, and said:


    ��That��s true, in such a situation, even with Vorod��s strength, defeat would be inevitable. The naval force of the Dragan Empire made a bold move, dispatching such a formidable team to deal with Vorod.��


    ...


    ��However�� if that��s the case, Sir, the location of the ancient ruins that Vorod possessed����


    The middle-aged man��s expression grew solemn, and after contemplating for a while, he said:


    ��Although the Federation doesn��t want to face the Empire head-on at the moment, the ruins that Vorod controlled are of great significance to us. At the very least, the ancient ruins must not fall into the hands of the Empire.��


    ��Jonistone, contact the higher-ups and request coordination with ��Leviathan Team�� and have them pursue the Empire��s naval pursuit team.��


    ��If I��m not mistaken, such a powerful team likely comes from the Dragan Empire��s special division, ��The Wave Walkers��.��


    ��Additionally, charge the nearby forces to start investigating. ��


    ��This area should fall under Meister County of the Dragan Empire, right? Reach out to the Zaral resistance forces, those guys, and have them look into this matter.��


    Command after command was orderly issued from the Federation colonel��s mouth.


    Especially Jonistone the young man, whose eyes lit up upon hearing the mention of ��Leviathan Team��.


    ��Yes, Sir.��


    ��This is Meister County. The Zaral resistance has mentioned to me before that they��ve established a new stronghold here.��


    ��I will get in touch with them immediately and have them cooperate with the operations.��


    The Federation colonel nodded and said, ��Hmm, if Vorod is detained nearby, then have the Zaral resistance extract relevant information from him and then deal with him promptly.��


    ��If he��s dead, then track down the interrogation records and Vorod��s belongings.��


    ��Once�� if Vorod has been taken by the Empire��s naval special division, then leave the follow-ups to the Leviathan Team!��


    ��A very thorough plan, Sir!�� the young man said with a smile, adding his assent.


    ��


    �����������C


    After boarding the small boat, the huge white owl, Dawhite, as if eager for praise, handed to Rein the pig head hammer and the Glimmering Greatsword from each of its claws.


    Watching Dawhite smugly suck up, Vinica couldn��t help but grin!


    Even animals with enhanced intelligence still venerated the strong.


    The Skull Warhammer that Dawhite was holding in its mouth was now in Vinica��s hands first, who curiously examined it.


    She excitedly flipped the Skull Warhammer up and down, closely observed it, and then turned her head towards Rein to say:


    ��Wow! This is Vorod��s signature weapon��the Skull Warhammer!��


    ��Lord Rein, you might not know, I��ve heard that this Warhammer has a special origin.��


    ��Oh? Then please do tell, Miss Vinica.�� Hearing Vinica say this, Rein raised an eyebrow with interest and smiled as he looked at the pretty face of the twin-tailed young lady.


    He too had just glanced at the Skull Warhammer in the girl��s hand.


    The Warhammer was made of two parts, the handle was light silver with a metallic sheen, likely a rare metal.


    The hammer head was white, with elliptical protrusions and indentations, and upon closer inspection, it was actually a miniaturized human skull, hardened.


    Presumably�� this was why the Warhammer was named the ��Skull Warhammer��.


    A Warhammer made from a skull, to shatter the skulls of enemies?


    Interesting, indeed, though it did convey a rather barbaric impression��.


    What Vinica said next confirmed Rein��s guesses.


    ��Lord Rein, you flatter me.�� Vinica laughed and began to explain.


    ��This ��Skull Warhammer�� is said to have been a ritual tool from a native tribe on an island.��


    ��As you know, a skull is generally one of the hardest parts of an animal, and after being compressed by the witchcraft of the tribe��s shamans, its hardness reached a terrifying degree, surpassing ordinary steel.��


    ��You could say, it��s not inferior to most rare metals.��


    ��Moreover, such a witchcraft artifact has undergone years of tribal ritual ceremonies, in a certain sense, it has become an oddity intertwined with the power of belief.�� Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I see!�� Rein nodded, not expecting the Skull Warhammer to be a ritual tool with quite a history.


    That said, the Skull Warhammer was indeed no ordinary object.


    When collecting the pig head hammer earlier, Rein had noticed that its head, made with Hardened Essence Gold, had suffered some wear after a fierce battle.


    But the Skull Warhammer seemed utterly undamaged.


    After examining the artifact with interest for a while, Vinica handed the bone Warhammer to Rein and said with a sly smile, ��Lord Rein, you may well treasure this trophy of war; it will serve as proof of your valour.��


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 Chapter 453 - 214: Prerequisites for [Warhammer Wizard (Legendary)] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 453: Chapter 214: Prerequisites for [Warhammer Wizard (Legendary)] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Thank you for your praise, Miss Vinica.�� Hearing the words of the twin-tailed young girl, Rein smiled as well and accepted the warhammer.


    However, the moment Rein grasped the ��Skull Warhammer��, he was slightly stupefied.


    [Ding! Detecting that the host has obtained a rare item����Skull Warhammer��, a special advancement to Warhammer Wizard (Legendary) has been triggered!]


    [Pre-conditions for advancing to Warhammer Wizard (Legendary): First, any formal Wizard expert; second, any hammer-type transcendent artifact; third, any level 12 or above Warhammer type extraordinary combat skill; fourth, physical breaking limit of Second Order over 30%��.Current conditions do not meet, advancement to Warhammer Wizard (Legendary) has failed!]


    Huh?


    This��


    ...


    Looking at the sudden system prompt, Rein��s attention was largely captured by one word����Legendary��!


    This must be the fourth legendary profession panel I��ve triggered!


    Considering the power of the Weapon Master, a legendary profession, a wave of excitement surged through Rein��s heart!


    ��Lord Rein, what is wrong?�� Vinica, standing beside him, couldn��t help but ask, seeing Rein lost in thought.


    ��Oh, it��s nothing.��


    ��I just think that what you just mentioned is likely true. This warhammer must have come from some native tribe��s sacrificial tool; I can feel a primitive aura.�� Rein smiled and deftly changed the subject.


    However, after carefully reviewing the system prompt several times, Rein had an insight.


    Previously, in the advancement prompt for Wizard (Legendary), he noticed that the wizard profession panel itself is a legendary profession panel.


    So this special profession based on Wizard (Legendary)��Warhammer Wizard, one can imagine, might even surpass the typical legendary professions in power.


    To make a simple analogy.


    It��s like comparing the Transcendent Knight profession panel and the Great Knight (Transcendent) profession panel. Although both are transcendent profession panels, obviously, the Great Knight (transcendent) profession panel is much stronger than the Transcendent Knight profession panel.


    A reasonable assumption would be, if the Transcendent Knight profession panel is at a mid-level in transcendent professions, then, very likely, the Great Knight (Transcendent) profession panel may be the pinnacle among transcendent professions.


    Similarly, if the Wizard (Legendary) profession panel is at a mid-level among legendary professions, then the Warhammer Wizard, this special profession, might very well be the top-tier among legendary professions.


    And my previous Weapon Master (Legendary), based on the advancement pre-conditions seen during conversion, should belong to a special advancement under Great Knight.


    So, by this judgment, the Weapon Master (Legendary) profession panel could only be considered an entry into legendary professions.


    Of course, it might be on par with a formal Wizard (Legendary), but in all likelihood, it couldn��t compare with this Warhammer Wizard (Legendary).


    However, after giving it some thought, Rein calmed his excitement.


    ��I am still some distance away from becoming a formal Wizard, and I also lack a critical defensive first-grade witchcraft.��


    ��At this stage, my goal is still to primarily explore the combat power of the Weapon Master, this legendary profession.��


    ��Perhaps, once I officially join the ��Sword Bearers��, I might have more options available on the path of the wizard.��


    Thinking this, Rein remembered that he had been too caught up in intense combat earlier and had not checked the system prompts.


    Rein scrolled through the system prompts, only then noticing the post-battle system notifications:


    [Your skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been improved, Experience +998]


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has been improved, Experience +1042]


    [Your skill Kadar Martial Arts has been improved, Experience +1233]


    [You have experienced a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +377]


    (Note: The above skill experience has enjoyed a unique talent ��Beginner Extraordinary Understanding�� 30% boost.)


    ��


    [Congratulations, your Weapon Master (Legendary) profession level has increased!]


    [Congratulations, any of your legendary profession levels has reached lv2, unlocking Golden Skill Points.] S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    (Note: Golden Skill Points can be synthesized from three skill points or can also be obtained by defeating formidable enemies.)


    Weapon Master (Legendary) immediately went up a level, gaining another attribute point and skill point, restoring the remaining attribute points back to 5, and the remaining skill points from 0 to 1.


    At the same time, Rein excitedly discovered that the profession level of Weapon Master (Legendary) had reached lv2 (284/300), nearly advancing to lv3.


    Certainly, fighting against the powerful brings sufficiently rich experience rewards from the system.


    Huh?


    These Golden Skill Points are meant for��?


    Rein pondered thoughtfully.


    At that moment, Vinica, standing beside him, interrupted Rein��s contemplation.


    She held a purple gigantic egg in her hands, with slightly furrowed brows, she looked up at Rein and said,


    ��Lord Rein, please forgive me, I can��t recognize this bird egg as any type I am familiar with.�� Vinica shook her head, a bit embarrassed.


    After all, being a third-level Wizard Apprentice specializing in bird transformation and unable to identify a random bird egg brought by Rein was somewhat embarrassing.


    ��However�� Lord Rein, based on the size of the egg, it��s unlikely to be an iron-beaked sea eagle��s egg. Perhaps, this egg comes from some brood parasitic bird species.��


    ��Brood parasitic?�� Rein frowned and asked.


    ��Yes, Lord Rein, it��s where eggs are laid in the nests of other bird species, making other birds help raise them. We call this brood parasitism,�� Vinica explained.


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 Chapter 454 - 214: Prerequisites for [Warhammer Wizard (Legendary)] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 454: Chapter 214: Prerequisites for [Warhammer Wizard (Legendary)] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    As soon as Rein heard this, he had an epiphany.


    This was just like what the cuckoos did in his previous life.


    The cuckoo, or the Cuckoo bird, liked to lay its eggs in the nests of other birds, letting them raise its offspring.


    ��But�� the problem is, the Ironbeak Sea Eagles are already very fierce birds, what kind of bird could be even fiercer?��


    ��Besides, according to what you said earlier, when you took the egg, there were still Ironbeak Sea Eagle chicks in the nest. This situation is different from the typical brood parasitism.��


    ��Generally, the eggs of brood parasites hatch faster than the original ones in the nest, and often, the parasitic birds will push the original eggs out of the nest one by one, leaving only their chick.��


    ...


    ��But now, the Ironbeak Sea Eagle��s chicks hatched first, so I��m a bit mystified.�� Vinica��s beautiful eyes also looked a bit perplexed.


    Rein nodded; he understood the analysis of the girl with twin ponytails.


    Although he could wait for the giant egg to hatch on its own, the issue was that different bird species required different incubation temperatures and conditions.


    Moreover, the food to feed different birds varied greatly.


    If he could figure out the origin of this egg in advance, that would be best.


    Suddenly, it seemed as if Vinica thought of something. Her eyes lit up, and she said: S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��However�� if you don��t mind, Lord Rein, I can record the situation of this egg now and send a message to my mentor, Master Annius, for consultation.��


    ��I think my mentor should be able to help you solve this puzzle.��


    ��Of course, Miss Vinica, that would be great,�� Rein said with a slight smile.


    ��You are too polite. Just wait a moment, I��ll use the Image Stone to record it now.�� The girl with the twin ponytails quickly took out a stone resembling a goose egg that emitted a faint blue light from her waist pouch.


    She began chanting a spell, and soon, the blue-light goose egg stone flickered. A faint light covered the giant egg, completing the recording.


    After putting the Image Stone into a small pouch, Vinica summoned a white seagull and tied the pouch around its neck.


    Then the white seagull soared into the sky!


    ��


    As Rein and his group of four appeared far off near the maritime area of Fishing Port Town��s pier, it didn��t take long for Major Mary and the Reiman brothers to get the news and meet them at the dock.


    When they saw that both Rein and Vinica were safe and sound aboard the dinghy, they couldn��t help but rejoice.


    Especially Major Mary, who, while helping the first to disembark, Vinica, reproached, ��It��s really good that you are unharmed!��


    ��Just now, the Navy��s Fish-Dragon Squad came by and said it was likely you had encountered Black Sail Pirate Captain Wolord. Now it seems their intelligence work isn��t all that great, getting me wrongly concerned��.��


    But soon, Major Mary was stunned!


    Her beautiful eyes widened, and her cherry lips gradually formed an ��O�� as she was left speechless.


    She noticed that the previously shiny silver knight��s armor Rein wore showed obvious signs of breakage and deformation.


    The surface of the knight��s armor even had traces of bloodstains, which was a stark contrast to the gleaming appearance from this morning!


    Obviously, Rein must have been through a big battle!


    The Navy��s Fish-Dragon Squad��s assessment wasn��t wrong!


    But�� if they really did encounter Wolord, how could Rein and Vinica have possibly returned safely?


    For a moment, Major Mary was puzzled, struggling to understand the situation��


    However, she soon got her answer.


    She saw that the two special forces members who had gone with Rein were now huffing and puffing as they carried a heavy body from the back of the dinghy.


    Major Mary��s beautiful eyes bounced back and forth between the body and Rein, and finally, she managed to calm her excitement, attempting to speak in a steady tone, ��Lord Rein, this is����


    ��Major Mary, It��s just as you think, this is the Black Sail Pirate Captain, ��Skull Crusher�� Wolord.��


    Vinica, watching Major Mary��s rare flustered demeanor, couldn��t help but cover her mouth and giggle teasingly.


    No sooner had she spoken.


    A hush fell over the crowd!


    Even the Reiman brothers were wide-eyed astounded, marveling at the body of Wolord!


    Because just after the Fish-Dragon Squad left, they had learned in detail about the Black Sail Pirate Captain from Major Mary.


    The ��Skull Crusher�� Wolord, who had ruled the seas for more than ten years, was actually both a Senior Great Knight and a Senior Third-Level Wizard Apprentice.


    At the time, when the brothers heard that the enemy was a Senior Great Knight, they became somewhat uneasy, looking at each other knowing the gravity of the situation.


    After all, impressive as the Baron was, he was only a Peak Knight.


    Against an enemy just stepping into Great Knight status, they still had confidence in Rein; after all, even if they couldn��t win, with the help of Miss Vinica, a Wizard Apprentice, escaping shouldn��t be a problem.


    But the problem now was that the enemy was both a seasoned Great Knight and a third-level Wizard Apprentice.


    That was a big issue!


    If they couldn��t win, they probably wouldn��t even be able to escape!


    But now, such a formidable fellow had also fallen at the feet of the Baron, leaving them both somewhat dumbfounded.


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 Chapter 455 - 214: Prerequisites for [Warhammer Wizard (Legendary)] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 455: Chapter 214: Prerequisites for [Warhammer Wizard (Legendary)] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Someone helped?�� Mary asked cautiously.


    ��Yes, I applied a Water Membrane Technique on Lord Rein.�� The twin-tailed girl quickly raised her hand and sweetly added.


    ��Just a Water Membrane Technique?�� Major Mary glanced at Vinica and asked again.


    The ��Water Membrane Technique�� she of course knew was merely a basic-level witchcraft, capable of providing defense�� well, if it was for a Knight-level battle, that would be considerably effective.


    But for a battle between Great Knights, it would be quite weak.


    If it were a match against someone like Volod��


    ...


    Then one could only say�� it��s better than nothing!


    ��Uh�� the rest, mainly I also didn��t manage to��,�� the twin-tailed girl swayed her braids, seemingly embarrassed by the spectators around her, and spoke with her head down.


    However, Vinica quickly realized, the battle between Rein and Volod, if it were any other Wizard Apprentice, they probably wouldn��t have been able to intervene either!


    Their movements were just too fast, she held the ��Tomb of Water�� Sorcery Scroll at the time but hesitated to use it, worried about harming Rein by mistake.


    Therefore, after understanding this, the girl quickly lifted her head again and excitedly began to recount:


    ��The battle between Lord Rein and Volod was just too fast����


    Soon, through Vinica��s vivid storytelling, the scene of Rein��s fierce battle with ��Skull Crusher�� Volod came to life before everyone��s eyes.


    Major Mary and the Reiman brothers were all the more frequently casting their gazes toward Rein.


    Rein himself was somewhat speechless on the side.


    The gaze from the beautiful Major Mary did make him feel quite proud inside.


    But the frequent looks from the two burly siblings Reiman brothers were�� indescribable.


    Thus, Rein coughed and interrupted, ��Let��s head back to the town hall for now����


    ��


    After returning to his room, Rein continued to ponder over the matter of the Golden Skill Points.


    Although the system hadn��t specified what Golden Skill Points could be used for, from their source, Rein thought they should be applied to some special skills, or perhaps for later enhancements in skills.


    But this was merely his conjecture, and the specifics would only be clear when the time came to use them.


    After resting briefly, Rein began to quickly review the recent battle. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, only by constantly summarizing and improving could one maintain progression!


    What left the deepest impression on Rein was the crystal necklace used by Volod.


    Clearly, it was a magical artifact, within which a rather potent witchcraft was sealed. If it weren��t for the Water Membrane Technique from Vinica, the high-level knightly plate armor, and his innate ��Steel Body�� triple defense.


    Under that attack, Rein would have certainly been severely injured, and the battle situation might��ve turned!


    Moreover, when Volod fought him with a Dagger in hand, his repeated attempts to distance himself were very obvious, probably aiming to cast witchcraft.


    Looking at it now, the fact that Volod did not bolster himself with defensive witchcraft in advance showed he probably underestimated Rein.


    Otherwise, he should have been protected by defensive witchcraft.


    But�� is it possible that the witchcraft Volod released during the sneak attack was incompatible with stacking defensive witchcraft?


    Rein couldn��t help but speculate.


    After thinking a bit, Rein shook his head slightly. This point wasn��t important.


    What was important was that in future battles against such veteran Wizard Apprentices, one must close the distance, not allowing the enemy the time and space to cast witchcraft.


    Therefore, Kadar Martial Arts, known for the fastest strike speed and highest attack frequency, would be the best choice.


    Furthermore, the High-frequency Shock-infused hammer blow Volod executed with one hand should be some sort of secret technique, the second one Rein encountered.


    The first was during the battle with Colonel Parix of the Zaral rebellion force.


    A secret technique��s power was clearly above that of secret skills. Under the enhancement of ��Warhammer Specialization lv3��, Rein was able to push the power of the secret skill ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� nearly to its limit.


    Yet, during the battle, he was still at a slight disadvantage. If others were to use secret skills against a secret technique, they would likely suffer a crushing defeat!


    It seems, Rein also needed to master a secret technique of his own, and quickly!


    ��


    At this moment, a knock on the door suddenly interrupted Rein��s review thoughts.


    ��Knock knock knock!��


    ��Lord Rein, the Dragon-snake squad has returned. Captain Baron wishes to have a word with you,�� Major Mary��s clear voice came from outside the door.


    Hmm?


    Rein was momentarily taken aback. Had the Dragon-snake squadron not returned?


    Although they hadn��t been of help, Rein still highly regarded their quick response to make for the island.


    On the other hand, he was quite curious about the Dragon-snake squad.


    When disembarking the ship earlier, Major Mary had briefly mentioned the Dragon-snake squad, but seemingly due to the secret nature of the matter, she hadn��t elaborated, only vaguely mentioned it seemed to be a special department belonging to the navy.


    Now, with the opportunity to meet with the Dragon-snake squad up close, Rein was very interested in meeting with them.


    ��Major Mary, I��ll be right there,�� said Rein.


    ��..


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 Chapter 456 - 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 456: Chapter 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    When Reine first saw Baron, he knew the other must be a Great Knight.


    The opponent��s muscles were knotted, his stride rhythmic, and his breathing steady and powerful. Facing him felt like confronting an imminent volcanic eruption, filled with danger and that burgeoning Strength.


    Essentially, Reine was quite certain that Captain Baron��s Strength even surpassed that of Wollard.


    The other had to be at least a senior Great Knight, no, very likely a Peak Knight.


    However, Reine was still somewhat surprised at the moment.


    Because he had originally thought that the captain of the navy��s special department, the Dragonfish Squad, would most likely be a formal Wizard, but he did not expect him to still be a Great Knight.


    ...


    Could it be that formal Wizards were really so few?


    At least up to this point, he had not encountered one.


    Or was there some other reason?


    ��Captain Baron, this is the Governor of Fishing Port Town, Baron Reine,�� Major Mary introduced, ��Baron Reine, this is Captain Baron of the navy��s ��Dragonfish Squad��.��


    ��Captain Baron, hello,�� Reine said, bowing slightly.


    At that moment, Captain Baron��s voice, rough as grinding rocks, responded, ��Baron Reine, hello.��


    Captain Baron��s piercing tiger-like eyes surveyed Reine up and down, then nodded and said: S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Baron Reine, it seems the previous intelligence was inaccurate, your Strength is not that of a Peak Knight, but you have already stepped into the realm of a Great Knight.��


    As soon as Captain Baron��s words fell, the gazes around Reine heated significantly.


    Especially the other five members of the Dragonfish Squad, who began sizing Reine up non-stop.


    ��So he��s a Great Knight!��


    ��No wonder Wollard died at his hands.��


    ��I thought Baron Reine was merely a Peak Knight before.��


    ��Now, it seems he possesses master-level swordsmanship and the Strength of a Great Knight, along with a third-level Wizard Apprentice assisting by his side, making the killing of the already wounded Wollard quite rational.��


    The several teammates whispered among themselves for a moment, all displaying a look of sudden realization.


    The Reiman brothers, however, were very surprised by what Captain Baron had said.


    Because they were quite certain that just a few days ago, when Lord Reine had sparred with them, although they were defeated swiftly, they believed that Lord Reine had not yet reached the level of a Great Knight.


    Could it be that Lord Reine had suddenly made a breakthrough in these last few days? The Reiman brothers looked puzzled.


    The same question lingered in Major Mary��s mind, though she quickly realized something.


    Because she remembered that when they were about to depart from Meist County City, Reine left the mansion carrying a wooden box that contained the ��beast essence��.


    At that time she had this doubt, why did Reine need to bring that to Fishing Port Town if he was to take office? It seemed unlikely he was stepping into Great Knight.


    But now it seemed, she had underestimated Reine.


    Just in these last few days, Reine had quietly broken through to Great Knight, truly deserving the top rank in this imperial assessment.


    Facing Captain Baron��s affirmative tone, Reine did not deny it, but smiled and said, ��I just happened to have some insights these past few days.��


    Upon hearing such a statement from Reine, Captain Baron couldn��t help but laugh.


    Stepping into Great Knight, as if one could simply have some insights, it��s nothing but the natural result of rigorous training!


    ��Baron Reine, it��s exceptional that you could reach this level of Strength at such an age, indeed a rare talent in the empire. It��s a pity that, just now, I heard from Colonel Mary you declined the invitation from the Imperial South Sea Fleet.��


    ��However, if I were you, I would also strive to join the ��Sword Bearers�� organization. After all, the ��Sword Bearers�� are stronger than the ��Wave Riders,�� covering a wider range.��


    ��Wave Riders?��


    Reine looked thoughtful, hearing this name for the first time.


    ��Yes, the ��Wave Riders,�� a special department of the Imperial Navy.�� At this, Major Mary, smiling, explained.


    ��I see,�� Reine nodded.


    This organization must focus majorly on the security of the imperial waters.


    Captain Baron continued, ��Baron Reine, we must thank you for your help, allowing us to complete our mission ahead of schedule.��


    For them, regardless of who killed Wollard, the mission was considered accomplished.


    Reine nodded, then proactively asked, ��Captain Baron, do you need to take Wollard��s body back with you?��


    Considering the support from the Dragonfish Squad that had swiftly arrived, Reine was quite appreciative, thus he didn��t skimp on doing them a favor.


    Baron laughed heartily, waved his hand, and said, ��Since Wollard is already dead, his mere body holds no significant value to us.��


    ��However, Baron Reine, you could claim a reward from the Imperial Navy for this.��


    ��By the way, if you find any items on him that might impact the security of the imperial waters, then I��d trouble you, Baron Reine, to contact us promptly, or you could reach out to Colonel Mary.��


    ��Alright, Captain Baron, as a baron conferred by the empire, it is indeed my duty,�� Reine nodded, naturally willing to cooperate.


    The spoils from Wollard, including his pouch and some potions on his person, had just been delivered to his room by the Reiman brothers, though he had not yet had the chance to check them.


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 Chapter 457 - 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 457: Chapter 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Baron Reine, we will now return and report back,��


    ��Captain Baron, I wish you a smooth journey,��


    Captain Baron nodded, stood up, and prepared to leave, his imposing figure reminiscent of a moving boulder.


    Meanwhile, the remaining five members of the Dragon-and-Snake Squad also prepared to turn and depart.


    Just then, one of the team members behind Captain Baron suddenly turned to Reine with an eager expression and said,


    ��Lord Reine, I am particularly curious how you defeated Worlod. So, please forgive my boldness, but I wonder if it is convenient for you now. I would like to have a brief exchange with you.��


    ...


    ��Baron Reine has just been through a fierce battle. The request you��re making now isn��t very appropriate,��


    As the words left their lips, Major Mary immediately took on a stern expression and promptly rejected the proposal on Reine��s behalf.


    ��That��s really a shame!�� Trevo shrugged and said,


    ��We are about to return. Missing this opportunity, I��m afraid it will be difficult to have a chance to exchange experiences with Baron Reine again.��


    Reine noticed that, when the young man named Trevo proposed a match with him, Captain Baron��s expression did not display any displeasure, but rather a subtle eagerness.


    It seemed that Captain Baron was also interested in witnessing his strength.


    And for Reine, these ��experience NPCs�� who came knocking were naturally more than welcome.


    Secondly, and importantly, he also wanted to understand exactly how strong the so-called special department of the Imperial Navy, the ��Wave Walkers�� Dragon-and-Snake Squad, really was?


    If he admitted that challenging Captain Baron would likely leave him with little confidence in victory,


    then starting with this team member who actively sought a challenge would be a window to assess the strength of the special navy department, which of course was a good thing.


    Reine smiled and turned to Major Mary, saying, ��Major Mary, encountering the Dragon-and-Snake Squad here is also a rare opportunity.��


    ��I would very much like to exchange experiences with the elites of the Dragon-and-Snake Squad.��


    ��This���� Major Mary was momentarily at a loss for words; her beautiful eyes looked at Reine, as if asking, ��Lord Reine, are you really sure?��


    Reine nodded to Mary.


    Upon hearing Reine��s agreement, the young man named Trevo was overjoyed and said, ��Great, Lord Reine, there should be an indoor training room nearby, right?��


    ��Of course, please follow me.��


    The group promptly arrived at the indoor training room, located behind the town��s administrative hall.


    As it involved personnel from the Empire��s special department, in the interest of confidentiality, aside from the Dragon-and-Snake Squad, the Reiman brothers, Vinica, and Mary, other personnel had to temporarily vacate the training room.


    Once Reine and Trevo stood in the center of the training room,


    everyone present fixed their keen gaze on the two of them, with varied expressions.


    For instance, when Vinica saw Reine step forward, her twin ponytails bounced, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her expression was one of excitement.


    Next to her, Major Mary��s brows slightly furrowed.


    Although she knew that Reine had killed Worlod, the battle had only ended not long ago, and she worried whether Reine had fully recovered in terms of both physical strength and energy.


    Moreover, regarding the navy��s ��Wave Walkers�� special department, she had some understanding as a naval administrative officer.


    With its extremely high selection criteria, those who entered were the best among the best, and the young man challenging Reine was clearly seven or eight years older.


    With those additional seven or eight years of training and battle experience, Reine, despite being the top candidate in the Mingster Province knighting examination, might not hold much of an advantage.


    Therefore, at this moment, Mary was somewhat nervous and worried.


    Seeing Trevo create some distance, he raised his silver war bow and said, ��Lord Reine, since I am an archer, please forgive me, but I need to maintain some distance before we can spar.��


    Reine nodded and replied, ��Of course, that is fine.��


    He mainly wanted to assess the battle strength of the members of the Dragon-and-Snake Squad this time. If he went all out, he was confident he could defeat the opponent quickly, but that wouldn��t serve his purpose.


    Giving the opponent time to unleash their full potential would allow him to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Dragon-and-Snake Squad��s combat capabilities.


    Seeing Reine��s amiable attitude, Trevo also smiled and reminded him, ��Lord Reine, my arrows might be quite powerful, so please be careful.��


    As soon as he finished speaking, Trevo began chanting, casting spells of witchcraft.


    At that moment, Vinica whispered to Major Mary, ��That��s the witchcraft ��Swift Wind��; it can increase one��s movement speed.��


    Reine��s ears twitched, and he immediately understood, offering Vinica a faint smile for her action. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed Trevo was very familiar with this ��Swift Wind��, as the casting was exceptionally fast, taking just over a second to complete.


    Trevo then wrapped himself in a light blue stream of air, his movement speed suddenly skyrocketing. Even compared to Reine, a Great Knight, it was a close match.


    And the distance that Reine had been closing quickly was now being maintained steadily.


    ��Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!��


    Arrow after arrow shot toward Reine, who didn��t draw his greatsword. Instead, using his Finger Tiger, he knocked away the arrows Trevo had sent his way.


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 Chapter 458 - 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 458: Chapter 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    But under the disturbance of the sharp arrows, the distance between the two had widened slightly again.


    At this moment, Trevo unexpectedly stood still and started to chant a spell silently. Next second, an arrow imbued with a faint white light shot straight at Reine.


    Originally, Reine planned to pull out the greatsword on his back to directly cut down the incoming arrow.


    But he had a second thought and abandoned that idea, instead slightly sidestepping to dodge. The arrow grazed by Reine��s side and struck a steel shield hanging on the wall of the training room.


    With a ��snap!��


    The steel shield was suddenly punctured with a large hole.


    ...


    Seeing this power, Reine��s eyebrows raised.


    He knew this was a result of some witchcraft combined with the archery skills of the opponent, creating a compounded force.


    In terms of power, this arrow had already matched the level of a Peak Knight using a secret technique.


    As the fight continued, Reine soon heard from the soft conversation between Vinica and Mary the name of this witchcraft technique, ��Sharpness Technique.��


    Arrows imbued with the witchcraft ��Sharpness Technique�� kept shooting toward Reine.


    Though the arrows shot at him were occasionally empowered with Sharpness Technique, they were continuously deflected by Reine��s greatsword, even those enhanced arrows were split directly under his slashes.


    Three minutes had passed.


    Still, there was no clear winner.


    This made the other members of the Fish-Dragon Squad watch the scene with eyes twinkling, thoughts varied.


    However, Captain Baron��s expression revealed something different.


    He could clearly see that Reine wasn��t fighting with full strength because he continuously maintained almost the same distance from Trevo, almost as if deliberately allowing Trevo to act freely.


    At that moment, he suddenly spoke, ��Trevo, stop now!��


    Upon hearing the captain speak, Trevo immediately stopped, though he was sweating profusely and his expression somewhat puzzled looking toward Captain Baron.


    After all, the battle had not yet been decided.


    ��Trevo, can��t you see? Baron Reine has been holding back.��


    Then, the others shifted their gazes back and forth between the two. Indeed, at that moment, there was not a single drop of sweat on Reine��s forehead, but in contrast, Trevo was already drenched in sweat.


    Moreover, except for getting closer at the beginning, Reine had mainly stayed near the same spot, a fact well recorded by the footprints on the ground. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made Trevo look at Reine appreciatively and say, ��Thank you, Lord Reine, for your guidance!��


    Because, in his view, Reine was intentionally leaving him some dignity, but actually, Reine had his own plans.


    The battle with Trevo had given Reine some insights.


    His opponent was an archer whose witchcraft, whether it was enhancing movement speed via ��Swift Wind�� or increasing arrow power via ��Sharpness Technique,�� perfectly matched the role of an archer.


    Simply put, the witchcraft used by him was intricately tied to his Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    But comparing to himself, aside from the witchcraft ��High Temperature Stance,�� which relatively combined well with his Extraordinary Battle Techniques,


    other witchcraft like ��Scorching Touch,�� were hard to integrate with his Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    From this perspective, compared to fire-based witchcraft, perhaps metal-based witchcraft would better match his Extraordinary Battle Techniques, hence enhancing his combat ability, more fitting for his Weapon Master (Transcendent) profession.


    For example, once he learned ��Sharpness Technique,�� he could apply it to his Glimmering Greatsword or his Finger Tiger to improve his combat capability.


    Reine glanced at the system prompts:


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has been enhanced, Experience +233]


    [Your Skill Kadar Martial Arts has been enhanced, Experience +348]


    [You experienced a fight, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +63]


    (Note: The above skill experience has enjoyed a 30% boost from the exclusive talent ��Basic Extraordinary Understanding.��)


    ��


    [Congratulations, your Weapon Master (Legendary) Profession Level has increased!]


    Since the Weapon Master (Legendary) was already close to leveling up, after this duel, it had directly increased by one level, reaching lv3 (45/500).


    This also awarded Reine one attribute point and one skill point, making his remaining attribute points reach 6 and skill points change to 2.


    At this time, another team member from the Fish-Dragon Squad, a young man holding a short staff, approached, smiling at Reine, saying, ��Baron Reine, my name��s Nathaniel. Seeing your spectacular duel with Trevo, I would also love to exchange some insights with you.��


    ��Of course!�� Reine immediately nodded, agreeing.


    After all, once the Fish-Dragon Squad left, there wouldn��t be such good ��exchange�� opportunities.


    ��However�� Lord Reine, do you need to rest a bit first?�� Although Nathaniel felt that Reine probably still had plenty of energy, considering he had just engaged in an intense battle for several minutes, claiming Reine had no significant exhaustion seemed unbelievable to him.


    Secondly, even if he won this way, such a victory would be greatly discounted.


    ��There��s no need. My stamina is quite good, we can start immediately.�� Reine said.


    As soon as he spoke, Major Mary��s pretty face blushed slightly, and she scoffed internally.


    Although she had always been busy with naval clerical work and hadn��t married yet, she was already very familiar with certain matters and some double entendre statements.


    The twin-tailed girl, on the other hand, paid close attention to whether Reine could still win easily this time, especially since Nathaniel was a rather pure third-level Wizard Apprentice, whose combat style leaned more toward wizardry.


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 Chapter 459 - 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 459: Chapter 215 Communication (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    At this moment, she was somewhat worried that Reine had little experience in dealing with such an opponent.


    It seemed she also felt a bit embarrassed for her team to gang up on Reine in a continuous rotation. Nathaniel introduced himself, ��Lord Reine, I am a third-level Wizard Apprentice. My witchcraft attacks are quite powerful, so I hope you won��t try to take them head-on.��


    After a moment��s thought, Nathaniel turned around enthusiastically and began to cast his witchcraft toward a dummy clad in iron armor at a distance.


    Two seconds later, a mass of pale green liquid emitting a fishy stench surged toward the dummy.


    ��Sizzle! Sizzle!��


    The greenish liquid corroded the iron armor, and within just one or two seconds, a large hole had been eaten through the heavy armor. It was clear that even Reine��s Water Membrane steel armor suit would be severely damaged if hit directly.


    ...


    In response to Nathaniel��s friendly gesture, Reine smiled and nodded, saying, ��Thank you for the warning, I will be careful.��


    The battle between the two began shortly after.


    After quickly casting the Water Membrane Technique on himself, Nathaniel raised his hand toward Reine, and his palm began to chant another spell.


    Reine had approached within ten meters or so in front of Nathaniel but sensed that something was amiss.


    Suddenly, Reine felt a cold, negative energy instantly invade his body, feeling very much like some kind of curse.


    Reine immediately felt a weakness in his limbs.


    Soon after, he heard Vinica whisper to Mary on the side, ��That��s the Weakening Spell.��


    Nathaniel��s face lit up with joy, and while he rapidly retreated, he fumbled for something in his robe.


    Although Reine was more interested in facing a variety of opponents, he did not want to lose.


    Therefore, Reine planned to use attribute points to try to counteract this negative energy.


    Just as Reine was about to use his attribute points, abruptly, a member of the Fish-Dragon team with a serious expression hurried over to Captain Baron and whispered something in his ear.


    Captain Baron��s expression changed at once.


    It seemed that something important had occurred.


    Captain Baron then suddenly said, ��Baron Reine, Nathaniel, let��s stop the duel here. We have an urgent mission and must leave immediately!��


    Upon hearing this, Reine immediately abandoned the idea of using attribute points, and Nathaniel also stopped casting the witchcraft he was in the midst of performing.


    If that was the case, there was no need for him to use any attribute points ahead of time.


    Captain Baron nodded at Reine and the others before briskly leading his team away.


    Meanwhile, Vinica ran up and said, ��Lord Reine, are you all right? This was the Weakening Curse. With your Constitution, it should dissipate in a few minutes.��


    ��I��m fine,�� Reine nodded and said.


    He could already feel the cold, negative energy in his body gradually fading, and its effect on him was diminishing.


    Although the second fight had essentially been cut short, Reine discovered a problem within himself.


    His methods of combat were not diverse enough, especially when facing opponents who could cast curses, Slow Techniques, or other weakening witchcraft. His inability to attack from a distance put him at a significant disadvantage.


    After a bit of reflection, Reine decided to improve his ��Blood Fury Archery,�� this Extraordinary Battle Technique, over the coming days.


    Now he possessed the talent ��Basic Extraordinary Understanding,�� which could increase his learning speed by thirty percent. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He believed that with this talent, his mastery of the Combat Skill would be faster than before.


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 Chapter 460 - 216: Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 460: Chapter 216: Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    At this moment, Rein suddenly thought of a question and turned to Vinica beside him to ask:


    ��Miss Vinica, the witchcraft used just now by those two members of the Swordfish Squad, are they all from the special item exchange catalog provided by the Navy?��


    ��Yes, Lord Rein, these two are probably Imperial Navy-trained Wizard Apprentices, quite different from a school wizard like me who learns under a mentor. Their witchcraft comes from exchanging special items,�� Vinica said with certainty, recalling her impression of the two members.


    ��That means, if they have mission evaluation medals and Merit Points, they can exchange them for the witchcraft models they want,�� Rein asked again.


    ��Exactly, that��s how it is,�� Vinica immediately answered.


    ��The archer named Trevo just now, the witchcraft he used, ��Sharpness Technique�� if I heard you correctly, belongs to the metal element, right?�� Rein had subtly felt the pale silver mysterious side energy particles fluctuating at the time.


    ...


    ��Your perception is keen, Lord Rein. Indeed, it is the metal series ��Sharpness Technique,�� but unfortunately, I do not know this witchcraft,�� Vinica said with a hint of regret.


    She thought that if she had mastered ��Sharpness Technique,�� she would have been able to cast it on Lord Rein��s weapon during his earlier battle with Warlord.


    Therefore, Vinica decided that once she got back, she would ask her mentor Master Annius if she could learn ��Sharpness Technique.��


    Although her Constitution wasn��t particularly attuned to the metal element, it didn��t prevent learning, it would simply mean the effects would be somewhat weaker.


    Once learned, though, she could significantly enhance the damage of Lord Rein��s weapons in battle.


    Rein nodded, his eyes flickering slightly.


    Joining the Imperial Navy��s special division ��Tide Striders�� would allow one to exchange completed special tasks for metal element witchcraft ��Sharpness Technique.��


    Thus, joining the even stronger Imperial ��Sword Bearer�� organization would undoubtedly provide a wider range of metal element witchcraft to exchange.


    Joining the Imperial ��Sword Bearer�� is tied to the enhancement of his strength!


    It seemed he needed to prepare thoroughly, perhaps should inquire about the ��Sword Bearer�� recruitment evaluation.


    While everyone was exiting the training room, suddenly, a loud shouting voice came from the distant sky!


    Although the voice had become very faint by the time it reached everyone��s ears, it was still discernible as a human voice.


    It seemed that because the outcry was so concentrated, despite traveling a long distance, those present could still hear it clearly.


    Immediately, including Rein, everyone��s gaze turned toward the direction of the sound.


    That direction was toward the sea.


    Crucially, everyone was familiar with this voice, a sound like rubbing stones together��it was the voice of Baron, the captain of the Swordfish Squad and moreover, he could feel that Baron was quite angry at the moment.


    The other people present immediately exchanged glances, their expressions all changing.


    Obviously, the Swordfish Squad had encountered a formidable enemy.


    Judging from the direction and distance of the sound, it should be in the nearby sea territory, not far from Fishing Port Town.


    At this point, the gazes of the few gathered fell back upon Rein, not solely because he was the Governor of Fishing Port Town, but also because he was the most powerful individual present.


    ��Lord Rein, we���� Major Mary started with concern, but she stopped before continuing as a realization struck her.


    She had been about to suggest rescuing the Swordfish Squad.


    But she quickly grasped a problem��given that the Swordfish Squad, a special combat department of the Navy, was already finding the enemy challenging, did they really have the capacity to rescue them?


    Perhaps, for safety, her first choice should be retreat, not rescue.


    However, Rein didn��t hesitate much; after pondering briefly, he said, ��Miss Vinica, could you trouble your White Seagull to carry out an immediate high-altitude reconnaissance over there.��


    ��In addition, time is pressing, so I shall head over first.��


    ��Wait, Lord Rein, I��ll go with you.�� Vinica wasn��t afraid at all; instead, she seemed a bit excited at the thought of fighting alongside Rein again. Her energetic twin tails swished vigorously, and her pale cheeks flushed even more. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Faced with Vinica��s eagerness, Rein thought for a moment and agreed.


    After all, having a Level Three Wizard Apprentice by his side for assistance was quite valuable.


    ��Colonel Mary, you and the Reiman brothers organize defenses at Fishing Port Town. If evacuation becomes necessary, Miss Vinica��s White Seagull will notify you in advance.��


    ��Understood, Baron sir!�� the Reiman brothers responded crisply, as they simply had to follow Rein��s orders.


    ��Well then�� please, both of you be careful,�� although Colonel Mary agreed, her face showed worry.


    However, Mary understood that she was merely a civilian staff member of the Navy; even if she was worried internally, she knew she should defer to Rein and Vinica when it came to combat.


    ��


    By the time Rein and Vinica boarded the boat, the White Seagull that had gone for scouting had already swooped down from the sky.


    After watching the White Seagull for a few seconds, Vinica��s originally rosy face suddenly turned pale and she said, ��Lord Rein, the Swordfish Squad is currently battling three large sea creatures!��


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 Chapter 461 - 216: Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 461: Chapter 216: Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Additionally, from the description by the White Seagull, it seems that these sea beasts are being controlled by someone.��


    ��Hmm? Someone is controlling them?�� Rein couldn��t help but raise his eyebrows.


    The combination of large sea beasts and humans, their combat power is definitely off the charts.


    At that moment, an albatross with a wingspan of several meters flew in quickly from a distance. Upon seeing Vinica, it immediately began to circle and descend.


    Rein had seen this albatross before, it was a pet of a member of the Fish-Dragon Squad.


    Soon, more detailed intelligence came from the albatross.


    ...


    ��Lord Rein, communication from the Fish-Dragon Squad, they have been intercepted by a special combat squad from the Eagle Federation.��


    ��Captain Baron, asks us to immediately organize the evacuation of the people in Fishing Port Town, they won��t be able to hold out for long.��


    ��The Eagle Federation?�� Rein couldn��t help but be greatly surprised.


    After all, this place is imperial territory. Could it be that the Eagle Federation intends to start a war with the Empire?��


    ��Yes, Lord Rein, we��.�� The twin-tailed girl��s pretty face was both worried and excited.


    After thinking for a moment, Rein turned his head and smiled at the twin-tailed girl, saying, ��Miss Vinica, are you scared?��


    ��Of course not! I feel very safe with Lord Rein.��


    As she spoke these words, the girl��s eyes sparkled.


    ��Then let��s set off! Have White Seagull contact Major Mary and let them start organizing the evacuation first.��


    ��As for the Eagle Federation��s special combat squad, I am very interested.��


    ��Yes!�� Seeing that Rein still planned to proceed, the twin-tailed girl couldn��t help but clench her fists excitedly, her face glowing with excitement.


    Rein glanced at the girl and couldn��t help but smile.


    Vinica gave him the impression of those cute yet playful gamer girls from his past life, big addiction but not much skill.


    Taking such people along for ranking up was quite difficult.


    After thinking a bit, Rein focused his attention on the system panel.


    Since he had to face a possible powerful enemy, there was no need to save his two Skill Points.


    Huge sea beasts, huh?


    In that case, it would not be wise to allocate points to Kadar Martial Arts; facing these massive or even gargantuan sea beasts, dual-handed weapons were necessary to deliver sufficiently powerful strikes.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein decided to allocate points to the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Although the Giant Bear Sword Technique now had the boost of the Legendary Weapon Master��s exclusive talent ��Elementary Weapon Mastery (Passive)��, making it slightly more powerful,


    Compared to that, with the ��Hammer Specialization lv3�� enhancement, the Tokkal Hammer Technique was still his most powerful Extraordinary Battle Technique.


    Thus, as the remaining Skill Points decreased from 2 to 1, the Tokkal Hammer Technique advanced from lv10 to lv11.


    Instantly, a torrent of hammer technique training memories flooded into Rein��s mind.


    After absorbing and digesting these memories, they gradually integrated into his muscles, creating muscle memory.


    However, Rein had a feeling that this allocation was a bit different from before.


    Vaguely, his mastery over the hammer technique seemed to have punctured through a barrier; he had a different insight into the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Especially concerning the original secret technique ��Rising Dragon Hammer��, its integration with his primal force had become even tighter.


    As Rein was just coming to his senses, two system notifications suddenly appeared:


    [Congratulations, your Tokkal Hammer Technique��s exclusive secret technique ��Rising Dragon Hammer�� has been promoted to the quasi-secret technique ��Rising Dragon Hammer!��]


    [After the promotion to quasi-secret technique, do you wish to change the skill name?]


    Quasi-secret technique?


    Immediately, the surprised and delighted Rein noticed some slight changes in the icon for ��Rising Dragon Hammer�� originally placed above ��Tokkal Hammer Technique�� on the Legendary Weapon Master panel.


    The icon depicted a burly man twisting his body, swinging a two-handed sledgehammer from bottom to top; now, he appeared more formidable and robust, with some kind of airflow-like ripples appearing on both sides of the hammer, making it look exceedingly crafted and robust.


    Beneath the icon, there was a line of small text:


    Rising Dragon Hammer (Quasi-Secret Technique) Effect: Combines primal force with a special method of exertion to swing the sledgehammer from bottom to top, delivering a strike that integrates primal force with rotational force.


    (Note: The quasi-secret technique cannot be directly enhanced by Skill Points.)


    (Note: The power of the quasi-secret technique directly correlates with the following: one, the Tokkal Hammer Technique skill level; two, primal force value; three, Hammer Specialization level; four, Strength value.)


    Regarding the renaming, Rein thought about it and chose no.


    Merely a quasi-secret technique, there was no need yet for a high-sounding name; besides, ��Rising Dragon Hammer�� sounded quite pleasant to the ear, so he decided not to bother renaming it for now.


    Obviously, since the secret technique was promoted to a quasi-secret technique, its power had inevitably been enhanced.


    As for the extent of the enhancement, that still had to be tested to be known.


    Additionally, Rein looked thoughtfully at the second note, ��The power of the quasi-secret technique directly correlates with the following: one, the Tokkal Hammer Technique skill level����


    Since further enhancing the power was possible, he still had one Skill Point left, so he might as well use it now!


    After all, his Hammer Skills weren��t limited to just one technique��.


    Soon, Rein made up his mind.


    As the remaining Skill Points reduced from 1 to 0, the Tokkal Hammer Technique advanced from lv11 to lv12.


    Instantly, another torrent of hammer technique training memories surged into Rein��s mind.


    After Rein came to his senses, two more system notifications also quietly arrived:


    [Congratulations, your Tokkal Hammer Technique��s exclusive secret technique ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� has been promoted to the quasi-secret technique ��Earth-splitting Hammer!��]


    [After the promotion to quasi-secret technique, do you wish to change the skill name?]


    Indeed, Rein saw on the Legendary Weapon Master panel that the icon for ��Earth-splitting Hammer��, originally placed above ��Tokkal Hammer Technique��, had undergone some slight changes.


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 Chapter 462 - 216: Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 462: Chapter 216: Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    The burly man, holding aloft a two-handed great hammer and ferociously striking the ground from above, appeared even more imposing at this moment. Before him lay a fan-shaped fractured area with unevenly sized rocks floating above the ground, exuding an unparalleled power.


    In the lower right corner of the icon, there was a line of small text:


    Earth-splitting Hammer (Near Secret Technique) Effect: Combines innate strength with a special powerful method of wielding, swinging the heavy hammer from above to strike the ground, delivering a blow with multiple shock forces.


    (Note: Near Secret Technique cannot be directly enhanced through Skill Points.)


    (Note: The power of the Near Secret Technique positively correlates with: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique skill level; two, innate strength value; three, hammer specialization level; four, strength value.)


    Similarly, Lord Reine did not opt to change the name of the skill, continuing to call it Earth-splitting Hammer.


    ...


    After both hammer skills had advanced to Near Secret Technique, he could distinctly feel his understanding of hammer techniques had deepened once more, and it seemed he was not far from truly mastering the secret technique.


    Unfortunately, he currently had no remaining Skill Points.


    However, this made Lord Reine somewhat look forward to the upcoming battle.


    One reason was to test the power of the Near Secret Technique, and of course, the Experience rewards after the battle.


    Meanwhile, Vinica on the side of the ship, watching Lord Reine, who was deep in thought, suddenly smiled slightly, revealing an eagerness to try.


    This caused Vinica to stare in astonishment.


    Did one face battle without fear, but instead a longing?


    Lord Reine indeed possessed a potential essential for top-level combatants.


    ��


    When the two rushed to the scene, they could see from afar, five striped serpentine sea beasts, one large and four small, encircling and attacking the Fish-Dragon Squad perched on the coral reefs.


    Even the smaller sea beasts had bodies rising more than three meters above the water, and the biggest one stood at a staggering five meters!


    The spine-spiked necks of the serpentine sea beasts were connected by a thin stretch of membrane between each spike, giving the illusion of a snake head wearing an umbrella.


    ��These are Spine-Ridge Sea Serpents!��


    ��The venom spit by Spine-Ridge Sea Serpents is highly toxic, and they also possess substantial close-combat capabilities, making them as formidable as a Great Knight.��


    ��As for that giant Spine-Ridge Sea Serpent��.�� Vinica quickly said.


    Having experienced so many battles, Lord Reine merely glanced briefly and had already grasped the entire battlefield situation.


    If the Fish-Dragon Squad was built around the team leader Baron, who was a Peak Knight, then their opponents were the exact opposite.


    Their side seemed to be centered around a formal Wizard, with the remaining four being Great Knights, one wielding a sword and shield by the Wizard��s side, the other three wielding various weapons, controlling the serpentine sea beasts to encircle Baron.


    The opponent��s sea beasts also possessed the ability to spit venom and had formidable close combat capabilities.


    From the composition, it was difficult to determine which side was superior.


    But from the situation on the ground, it seemed Baron, the core of his team, was precisely being suppressed by the Wizard opposite him.


    As the team leader, Baron was swiftly moving to block attacks from three directions from the sea beasts, but the situation was perilous, with one member of the Fish-Dragon Squad lying on the coral reef, seemingly out of combat.


    Although Baron was illuminated by various witchcraft lights enhancing his speed and strength remarkably,


    These three sea beasts were not weak in combat, their bodies also kept shimmering with witchcraft light, whether it was support from others nearby or an innate ability of the large sea beasts.


    In addition, there were Great Knights on the backs of each of the sea beasts, coordinating in combat.


    More crucially, Lord Reine keenly noticed something: blood was trickling from the corners of Baron��s mouth.


    Moreover, during the fight, he occasionally paused and showed a pained expression.


    This made Lord Reine quickly realize, it was likely related to the robed figure on the back of the largest serpentine sea beast, who occasionally chanted spells while wielding a dagger.


    In other words, to turn the tide, the key to the entire battle was that robed figure.


    At that moment, there was a knight with a sword and shield standing by the robed figure��s side, seemingly to prevent any fast advances from Baron.


    Upon seeing the sudden appearance of Lord Reine and Vinica, members of the Fish-Dragon Squad showed puzzled expressions.


    Trevo, acting as the archer, immediately turned his head, addressing another team member, ��What��s going on, didn��t you inform them and ask them to evacuate quickly?�� Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��We can��t hold on much longer! If it weren��t for the proximity to Fishing Port Town, we could have retreated earlier, and Bastoss would not have been severely injured.��


    The team member, clearly a bit aggrieved, said, ��My albatross just told me it had already notified them, I think, it must be that Lord Reine decided to come!��


    Although Trevo had a good impression of Lord Reine, he couldn��t help feeling a bit angry at this moment, ��This�� young man, he��s too impulsive!��


    ��He doesn��t realize that our competition with him, which was a one-on-one, is completely different from this kind of team combat.��


    ��


    ��Lord Reine, what should we do now?��


    ��Let��s stop here, leave the rest to me,�� Lord Reine said as he noticed a small isle nearby that could serve as a prearranged battleground.

 Chapter 463 - 216: Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 463: Chapter 216: Witchery Curses Master (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    After all, fighting sea beasts in the ocean puts us at a disadvantage.


    ��Very well, Lord Reine.��


    At that moment, Vinica began chanting a witchcraft spell.


    Suddenly, Reine felt a massive amount of water energy particles gathering under his feet, giving him a sensation of being buoyed up.


    ��Lord Reine, I have cast the witchcraft ��Water Walking,�� which is enough to support your weight on the surface of the sea for approximately half an hour,�� Vinica said.


    This news brought a smile to Reine��s face.


    ...


    He had been planning to lure his opponent to the nearby reefs for the fight, but now it seemed unnecessary; he now had far more options for the battleground.


    Then Vinica continued to caution him, ��Just one more thing, Lord Reine. Should you cast any witchcraft, you must be careful.��


    ��It��s best not to interfere with the area beneath your feet, otherwise the witchcraft ��Water Walking�� I have cast on you may be nullified or become unstable.��


    Reine nodded upon hearing Vinica��s reminder.


    He understood this point clearly.


    In simple terms, it meant he could not cast the witchcraft ��High-Temperature Force Field�� during the fight, since it would cover the area under his feet and affect the stability of ��Water Walking,�� but he could cast ��Scorching Touch�� or ��Blazing Light.��


    Then, a pale blue witchcraft light flashed by.


    In an instant, a thin layer of water membrane formed around Reine��s body, a water-based witchcraft technique he was quite familiar with��the ��Water Membrane Technique,�� which offered a certain level of defensive power.


    ��Thank you, Miss Vinica. From here on out, leave it to me,�� Reine said with a nod, giving Vinica a slight smile.


    ��Lord Reine, please be safe. If things get too difficult, I have an official Sorcery Scroll given to me by my mentor.��


    ��Understood.��


    Reine didn��t say much more and stepped toward the ship��s rail, then stood firmly on the surface of the sea.


    ��


    The members of the Eagle Federation, of course, also noticed the appearance of Reine and Vinica.


    A man in a black robe glanced at the two of them and murmured, ��Is this the local defensive force of the Dragan Empire? A third-level Wizard Apprentice and a knight, no, perhaps a Great Knight?��


    ��Hoffman, you take care of these two destabilizing factors,�� he ordered.


    ��As you command, Lord Nehru.�� The Great Knight, armed with a sword and shield, quickly steered his spineback sea serpent towards Reine at high speed.


    The man named Nehru, robed in black, had an energy fluctuation that obviously surpassed that of a third-level Wizard Apprentice. His gaze, however, remained fixed on Baron, who was engaged in rapid combat.


    As the third-ranked member of the ��Leviathan�� squad, he was the first to arrive upon receiving the information from the Federation navy, as he was collecting materials nearby.


    He had just arrived when he discovered the trail of the Dragan Empire��s combat team and so the battle had suddenly erupted.


    The opposing team��s captain was a Peak Knight, who turned out to be quite a handful after being enhanced by the other team members�� boosting witchcraft.


    Even Nehru had to exert quite some effort to suppress him.


    Nehru, holding a blade that emitted a faint black glow, the ��Curse Blade,�� couldn��t help but feel a bit of pride. If it weren��t for his particular advantage against the opposing Peak Knight, the other members of the ��Leviathan�� squad might not have been able to take them down.


    Just before, he had used this ��Curse Blade�� to cast three curses on his opponent: ��Weakness Curse,�� ��Pain Curse,�� and ��Coldheart Curse.��


    The opponent��s strength could no longer be wielded normally.


    Now, the scales of victory had tipped in his favor, and in a few more minutes, the opponent��s endurance would gradually be exhausted.


    Nehru observed for a while, then shifted his gaze to the distant figures of Rein and Vinica.


    With a faint incantation, Nehru made two light cuts on his own fingers with the dark-glowing dagger in his hand, drawing forth a deep red blood. In an instant, a strange fluctuation assaulted the distant Vinica.


    And a second later, another inexplicable wave struck Rein!


    After completing his spell, Nehru��s face paled slightly, but a smile crept across his lips.


    With this, Hoffman should be able to deal with the opponent with ease.


    The element of instability was about to be eliminated!


    Suddenly, Vinica, who stood next to Rein, clutched at her chest, her face changing dramatically as she said:


    ��Lord Rein, I think I am affected by a Pain Curse! You must be careful, that black-robed man seems to be a Witchery Curses Master����


    Pain Curse?


    Witchery Curses Master?


    Rein��s thoughts involuntarily drifted to Adams, the third-level Wizard Apprentice he had once killed. His methods were also quite bizarre.


    Of course, the one at present was a formal wizard, much stronger by comparison.


    But in this moment, Rein felt no fear; his own strength had also increased significantly since then.


    It was just that after hearing that the opponent was a Witchery Curses Master, a sense of caution arose within Rein��s heart.


    But in the next second, Rein felt a sharp increase in negative energy surrounding him; it invaded his body in a flash.


    ��This effect�� Is this�� a Weakness Curse?��


    Rein immediately realized what it was, having experienced this sorcery not long ago.


    However, compared to the Weakness Curse cast by Nathaniel, this one was far more potent.


    If he didn��t dispel it swiftly, his combat effectiveness, as a Great Knight, would be reduced under the curse to that of a Peak Knight at best. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a battle of life and death, not a competition, so without hesitation, Rein added an attribute point to his Spirit.


    With his remaining attribute points dropping from 6 to 5, and Spirit increasing from 31 to 32 points, a warm flow surged powerfully from his heart and quickly spread throughout his body.


    In an instant, the feeling of weakness throughout Rein��s body was swept clean away!


    Good! A faint smile appeared on Rein��s face.


    The increase in points led to recovery; it was still effective!


    At that moment, the Great Knight named Hoffman, controlling a spined sea serpent, also bore a smile as he charged toward the small boat where Rein was located.


    Because just then, he had sensed that the two enemies had been cursed by Lord Nehru.


    This kind of situation had occurred many times in previous battles.


    Therefore, there wasn��t much suspense left in the upcoming fight.


    In his view, those two enemies were now no different from lambs to the slaughter!

 Chapter 464 - 217: The Power of Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 464: Chapter 217: The Power of Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    As Hoffman drew closer to Vinica and Rein, he could clearly see the young and beautiful twin-tailed girl, her hand clutching her chest and her willow-shaped eyebrows tightly knitted, an expression of pain etched across her face.


    This set Hoffman��s mind at ease!


    Clearly, Master Nehru��s curse was as effective as ever.


    Moreover, this female Wizard Apprentice��s age and appearance were both quite stunning.


    Especially when she was clutching her chest due to the ��Pain Curse��, the contour of that elevated area was perfectly outlined.


    This caused a flicker of other thoughts to pass through Hoffman��s mind.


    ...


    He was a man, and it was natural to have thoughts about an eighteen-year-old beautiful girl��it was normal.


    Thus, his attention couldn��t help but linger on the girl for an extra second or two.


    However, Hoffman still cautiously glanced at the young Great Knight beside her.


    The knight��s head was lowered, his face obscured, and he didn��t immediately draw his weapon when he saw the Spineback Sea Serpent quickly approaching��an indication that he likely was under the influence of Master Nehru��s ��Weakness Curse��.


    Both of them being cursed as expected gave Hoffman a sense of great relief.


    After thinking it over, he decided to first deal with the young Great Knight�� As for the remaining girl, he might consider not killing her. A female Wizard Apprentice of such beauty would have considerable value wherever she was placed.


    If Master Nehru was not interested, he could bring her back to the Eagle Federation to enjoy at his leisure.


    With this thought, Hoffman��s heart heated up, and he immediately accelerated the Spineback Sea Serpent towards Rein.


    At that moment, Rein lifted his head and gave Hoffman a slight smile.


    Suddenly, a sense of alarm exploded within Hoffman��s mind!


    His pupils contracted sharply as the figure in front of him, like an inflating balloon, suddenly swelled, growing from two meters to about two meters thirty in height.


    The previously slightly loose bright silver knight armor was suddenly emitting a ��creaking�� noise from being squeezed, giving off the impression that it might burst at the seams due to the muscles expanding beneath.


    There wasn��t the slightest sign of him being afflicted by a weakness curse!


    ��Swoosh!��


    At the same time.


    The young man opposite took a step forward!


    Instantly, the seawater exploded outward, and the immense reactionary force propelled the man��s figure high into the air.


    In midair, he held aloft a dark double-handed hammer, his entire posture stretched and poised like a bowstring drawn to the limit, then he swung down forcefully from above!


    In the blink of an eye!


    Hoffman had no time to dodge, his body instinctively knew he had to immediately raise his shield to block.


    It was because the opponent��s attack was too fast and abrupt, and more so because of Hoffman��s own initial misjudgment that after being weakened by the curse, the knight would be like meat on a chopping board. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Furthermore, the attractive girl by the side had also drawn a portion of Hoffman��s attention.


    So, under various reasons, at this moment, he could only madly channel the strength within his body and lift the blood-veined steel shield in his left hand with all his might to protect himself.


    Just in time!


    He had blocked it!


    A look of relief at having narrowly escaped death, along with a resolve to retaliate fiercely afterward, surfaced on Hoffman��s face.


    ��Thunk!!!��


    The moment the Pig-head Hammer touched the Blood-veined Shield, a blinding spark erupted.


    In an instant, the Blood-veined Steel Shield, alloyed with rare minerals, shattered into pieces!


    Hoffman��s expression, which had held for less than a tenth of a second, changed drastically, his eyes bulging, his face stricken with horror!


    The strength behind the opponent��s hammer was shockingly immense!


    It had shattered his Blood-veined Shield in a single contact.


    What was more terrifying was that he suddenly felt a strong force, mixed with strength, rippling through him from the armor gloves inch by inch across his body!


    For a moment, he lost all sensation in his left arm!


    Then a sharp pain followed.


    From the palm, to the forearm, to the arm, it spread throughout his body and even reached the Spineback Sea Serpent he was mounted on.


    From Vinica��s perspective, after receiving Rein��s hammer strike, Hoffman froze in place as if the image was permanently paused, the waves crashing, the sea breeze blowing gently.


    The next second!


    It started with Hoffman��s shield-bearing left hand.


    The left hand suddenly burst open, followed by the arm exploding, then the shoulder armor shattering, and then a sound of ��crackling and popping�� came from deep within Hoffman��s body.


    ��You�� you����


    ��This�� this�� how could����


    ��Pugh!�� Hoffman��s eyes bulged, and he violently spat out a mouthful of fresh red mix containing his innards, his face full of disbelief.


    ��You�� how could you�� not have�� not be affected�� by the Weakness�� Weakness Curse!!!��


    Hoffman��s entire body, like a dead snake with its spine pulled out, slumped weakly onto the body of the Spineback Sea Serpent, still struggling for breath, he managed to utter this question before dying.


    Sadly, Rein did not answer his dying question.


    Having lost balance, Hoffman��s eyes widened as his entire body slid from the back of the Spineback Sea Serpent into the sea.


    A death with eyes wide open!


    And the Spineback Sea Serpent, which had intended to spit venom for an attack, had its action interrupted directly by the multiple shockwaves that came with Rein��s precisely executed secret technique.


    At that moment, the Spineback Sea Serpent, regaining its senses from its frozen state, looked at Rein with its large snake eyes as if it had seen its natural enemy!


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 Chapter 465 - 217: The Power of a Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 465: Chapter 217: The Power of a Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Full of terror!


    And its neck, which originally displayed an umbrella-like spiny crest, now retracted like a closing umbrella, clinging tightly to the neck.


    This was an expression of fear, fright, and submission!


    But a dark hammer shadow flashed by, and the top of the spiny sea serpent��s head was instantly smashed open, splattering blood everywhere! S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The spiny sea serpent, whose spirit had been shocked, was sent to join its master after just one move by Rein��s pig-headed hammer.


    The spiny sea serpent immediately died from suffocation, its body that was initially upright on the sea surface slumped softly down, and its entire seven or eight meters long, bucket-thick body floated to the surface.


    ...


    The nerves and muscles in the body of the spiny sea serpent were still moving, its body slightly twisting and twitching continuously!


    At this moment, the sound of the waves crashing remained, but standing on the sea surface, there was only Rein left��the previously menacing enemy was now just a corpse drifting aimlessly on the sea.


    Standing on a nearby small boat, the twin-tailed young girl, although pale from pain, had a completely different spirit than before.


    Just like a girl fighting cancer in a past life, pained in appearance, but with a sparkle in her eyes!


    Her beautiful eyes stared at Rein��s robust figure, filled with surprise, admiration, affection, awe, and various other emotions.


    If it weren��t for seeing those watery beautiful eyes in person, it would be hard to imagine that just a look could convey so much meaning.


    Rein, on the other hand, shook his dark pig-headed hammer in his hand.


    He stood on the sea surface, savoring the ��Earth-splitting Hammer�� he had just executed.


    If described in four words, they would be extremely exhilarating!


    That hammer strike felt as though it released some kind of spirit, a combination of original force and clever technique.


    He could feel that the strike had a strange power that when clashing with the opponent��s shield, transmitted into the opponent��s body wreaking havoc, hence causing such great damage.


    And that strange power must contain the secret of the true secret technique.


    Perhaps, a regular secret technique would not be as strong as Rein��s strike.


    But the thing is, Rein possessed the level 12 Tokkal Hammer Skill, level 3 ��Hammer Specialization��, and the talent ��Intermediate Giant Strength,�� all three amplifying his power.


    This was why even a Great Knight could be killed instantly by one hammer strike!


    Of course, the enemy��s unpreparedness and lack of focus played certain roles.


    But that was not the point, because even if the opponent had been prepared, they could not have withstood it.


    For Rein, at most, he would have struck with one more hammer.


    �����������C


    On the main battlefield.


    Members of the Fish-Dragon Team like Trevo and Nathaniel intended to assist Rein and Vinica.


    However, since they were already at a disadvantage on the main battlefield, after several attempts, they were disappointed to find there was no chance for them.


    But when the team captain, Baron, noticed that the Great Knight, who had originally been guarding beside the opponent��s black-robed Wizard and was controlling the spiny sea serpent, swiftly left,


    he immediately seized this opportunity and surged with all his remaining strength at the Wizard!


    Unfortunately!


    Baron��s outburst was quickly extinguished by the Wizard��s witchcraft attack.


    Although Baron��s counterattack had little effect, it made Nehru pay more attention to him.


    After all, in Nehru��s eyes, Baron was the big fish while the two newcomers were just trash fish.


    It��s always important to prioritize.


    Having continued to cast two witchcraft spells to suppress Baron,


    Nehru casually glanced over at Hoffman��s situation, but in an instant, his whole expression puzzled!


    Huh?


    Where is Hoffman?


    At that spot on the sea,


    the young Great Knight was still standing there,


    and the Wizard Apprentice girl was also there.


    But Hoffman, whom he had sent, and the spiny sea serpent under Hoffman, were nowhere to be seen.


    Where did Hoffman run off to?


    He had only taken his eyes off Hoffman for a mere four or five seconds, and now he couldn��t find him?


    Nehru blinked in confusion and then scrutinized carefully.


    The next second, he discovered that just a few meters in front of the young Great Knight, two familiar corpses, large and small, were bobbing up and down with the rhythm of the waves.


    This instantly made Nehru��s face twitch violently with disbelief!


    What the hell happened?


    In just a few seconds of distraction, Hoffman was dead???


    For Nehru��s brief lapse, Baron felt it most distinctly.


    Because Baron clearly felt the pressure weaken, and the black-robed Wizard, who had been closely watching him, now turned in surprise towards Rein and Vinica.


    This made him extremely curious��had something unexpected happened there?


    Thus, during a break in the battle, Team Captain Baron quickly glanced aside.


    With that look, Baron��s eyes suddenly widened��


    And the other members of the Fish-Dragon Team evidently also noticed the unusual behavior of the opposing black-robed Wizard and their leader.

 Chapter 466 - 217: The Power of a Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 466: Chapter 217: The Power of a Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Immediately, several people also followed the gaze of the two, looking in the direction where Reine was. In the next second, everyone revealed expressions of shock, joy, and confusion. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This�� what��s happening?


    Trevo and Nathaniel exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with deep confusion!


    They had just been about to help Reine and Vinica, but��


    In just a few seconds, these two had dealt with the enemy???


    Because no one had seen how Reine had dispatched the Great Knight and the Spineback Sea Serpent, their minds couldn��t quite make sense of it.


    ...


    They didn��t know whether it was Reine or Vinica who had defeated the enemy.


    After all, they had already experienced Reine��s strength in the training room of the administrative hall of Fishing Port Town, and in their current judgment, it was highly unlikely that he could have accomplished this.


    ��It must have been Vinica using some kind of powerful Sorcery Scroll!��


    ��As for not sensing the energy fluctuations of witchcraft, that��s because the battle on the main battlefield was too intense, and the witchcraft from the enemy Wizards and attacks from the Spineback Sea Serpent interfered with our perception.��


    But no matter what, the victory of Reine and Vinica was a great thing for the Dragon-Fish Squad!


    This meant that the unfavorable situation they were initially in now had a chance to be turned around!


    The morale of the Dragon-Fish Squad instantly soared at a visible rate.


    However��


    What was good for the Dragon-Fish Squad was clearly not good for Nehru.


    The Dragan Empire Navy Squad, which he had almost cornered, now regained vitality, which caused his complexion to instantly turn ashen!


    There was one thing he still couldn��t understand.


    How exactly did those two unstable elements break through his curse interference and kill Hoffman?


    But given the current situation on the main battlefield, Nehru seemed unable to spare a hand.


    Thus, without other options, Nehru��s best choice was to cast curses again and deal with those two unstable elements to stabilize the situation.


    Huh?


    When Nehru checked on the two again, he discovered that it seemed the female Wizard Apprentice was suffering from his Pain Curse, which meant the problem must lie with the young Great Knight.


    Perhaps the opponent had some kind of rare Sorcery Scroll or witchcraft artifact for dispelling curses.


    After a moment��s thought, Nehru made a decision!


    Because whether it was a Sorcery Scroll or a witchcraft artifact, the likelihood was that it could only dispel a curse once, after which it would either be used up or it would require time before it could be effective again.


    Therefore, in any case, the simplest way to deal with it was clear.


    That was to increase the power of the curse and the frequency of the curses, completely overwhelming the opponent��s ability to resist!


    Nehru��s expression became stern, and a hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes. With a short dagger emitting dark light, he fiercely slit his own left wrist; as a large amount of blood sprayed out, the dagger��s dark radiance intensified, absorbing all the blood in an instant.


    Meanwhile, Nehru��s lips moved slightly, and he began to chant a spell.


    As for why Nehru didn��t opt for a distant single-target elemental witchcraft attack, this was because his path as a Witchery Curses Master greatly differed from that of an elemental Wizard.


    After successfully advancing to a Witchery Curses Master, his focus shifted towards negative energy and curses.


    It wasn��t that Witchery Curses Masters couldn��t execute elemental witchcraft like the Water Arrow Art, but rather that it was not cost-effective.


    For one thing, the power would be weaker in comparison; secondly, the speed of casting and the spiritual power consumed held no significant advantages.


    However, when casting curse-related witchcraft, it was completely different for a Witchery Curses Master, who received a kind of enhancement in this area.


    So, for Nehru, using curse-based witchcraft to attack, although still costly, was extremely fast, consumed very little spiritual power, and had much stronger lethality!


    Nonetheless, although a Witchery Curses Master��s methods are bizarre and varied, they still adhere to the basic principle of equivalent exchange. Releasing a relatively weak curse might only require a single drop of blood.


    Just like what he had recently used against Reine and Vinica.


    But if one wanted to cast multiple curses, or execute a powerful curse to attack the enemy, the price to pay would be much greater.


    Such as a large amount of blood��


    Or even sacrificing a part of the body��


    ��


    �����������C


    Meanwhile, Reine in the distance glanced at the pale Vinica and quickly walked over to support the twin-tailed young woman, asking with concern, ��Miss Vinica, how are you feeling?��


    ��I��m all right, Lord Reine. If I��m not mistaken, I believe I have been struck by a Pain Curse.��


    ��Pain Curse?�� Reine questioned with a hint of confusion.


    He had just been affected by what seemed to be a Weakness Curse, so clearly, the Pain Curse was a different matter.


    ��Exactly, a person affected by a Pain Curse will constantly feel an intense agony. Lord Reine, I��m afraid I won��t be of much help in the battle to come.��


    ��A Pain Curse cast by a fully-fledged Wizard will greatly hinder my ability to concentrate and cast witchcraft. Currently, I don��t have a good way to counter this problem.��


    ��However, you can rest assured that if I just stay quietly here, the effects of the Pain Curse on me will be much less, and it will naturally fade after some time has passed.��

 Chapter 467 - 217: The Power of a Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 467: Chapter 217: The Power of a Quasi-Secret Technique (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Affecting the casting of witchcraft? Staying still will ease the pain?�� Reine asked with confusion.


    After all, the curse he had just been hit with was not the Pain Curse but the Weakening Spell.


    It seemed that the Witchery Curses Master tailored the curses differently depending on the enemy.


    The Pain Curse inflicted upon Vinica, the Wizard Apprentice, would amount to crippling a third-level Wizard Apprentice��s ability to fight if she couldn��t dispel it.


    The Weakening Spell cast upon him, a Great Knight, would reduce his combat capabilities from the level of a Great Knight to that of a knight if he couldn��t dispel it, significantly lessening his threat.


    But obviously, the enemy could cast two different curses on the same person.


    ...


    Or even��


    More than two curses, such as three�� or even more��


    ��Yes, Lord Reine.��


    Reine nodded, as he began to understand, then turned to glance at Baron, the Fish-Dragon Squad Captain, who was swiftly moving across the main battlefield in the distance.


    At that moment, the pressure Baron must have been under was surely intense!


    ��Miss Vinica, you should rest in the boat for a while; I��ll go and support Captain Baron.��


    ��Lord Reine, please be extremely careful. The Witchery Curses Master��s attacks are difficult to withstand, and their power should not be underestimated,�� Vinica said as Reine helped her to slowly sit down in the boat.


    Reine nodded, and promptly stood up, preparing to turn and leave.


    However, he quickly remembered something and began to check the system notifications:


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +791]


    [You have been through a combat, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +465]


    (Note: The above skill experience has been enhanced by 30% thanks to the exclusive talent ��Primary Extraordinary Understanding��.)


    ��


    [Congratulations, your Weapon Master (Legendary) Profession Level has increased!]


    The Profession Level of Weapon Master (Legendary) has been elevated by one level, reaching lv4 (10/1000).


    This allowed Reine to gain another attribute point and skill point, bringing his remaining attribute points back to 6 and his remaining skill points to 1.


    Since he was about to face a formal wizard for the first time, and a troublesome Witchery Curses Master at that, Reine pondered for a moment and decided to allocate another point to his Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    He had a vague sense that upon reaching lv12 in the Tokkal Hammer Technique, it felt as though just a bit more improvement could elevate it to an even higher realm.


    Perhaps then, he would grasp the true secret technique!


    At that moment, Reine��s brow suddenly furrowed.


    The system notification read as follows:


    [Addition of a skill point failed!]


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has reached lv12 and is at a certain threshold. It cannot be elevated through skill points! To improve further, please use Golden Skill Points!]


    Golden Skill Points?


    Reine quickly recalled the system��s previous message when his Weapon Master (Legendary) profession leveled up to lv2 �� ��Golden Skill Points can be synthesized from three skill points, or obtained by defeating powerful enemies.��


    At that time, he had wondered what the Golden Skill Points were for.


    Now it seemed that one of their uses was to break through certain limits of Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    However��


    Even if he couldn��t elevate the near-secret technique to a true secret technique, Reine was not about to choose flight over fight!


    Suddenly, just as Reine was rapidly moving toward the main battlefield, he sharply sensed an increase in dark energy particles around him, and, instantly, the same sense of weakness he had felt before surfaced again!


    This caused his movements to slow considerably.


    But this time, it was far from over!


    Reine felt a cold, mysterious side energy suddenly invade his body, like a cold little snake boring into his heart, followed by an intense pang of pain!


    An excruciating pain, steming from his throbbing heart.


    It forced Reine to come to a stop��


    But the negative energy condensed once more, surging into Reine��s body, adhering to every joint, fascia, and muscle��


    Reine felt every muscle, every fascia in his limbs ache profoundly!


    Now, even a slight movement of his hand would bring the piercing agony.


    This was Nehru casting the ��Weakening Spell,�� ��Cold-Heart Curse,�� and ��Pain Curse�� together!


    He applied the same tactic he used against the Peak Knight and Captain of the Fish-Dragon Squad, Baron, now onto Reine, with the aim of eradicating this unpredictable factor.


    However��


    At that moment, standing midway, Reine, upon feeling the pain, silently opened the system��s attribute panel and added another point to his Spirit attribute.


    As his remaining attribute points decreased from 6 to 5, and his Spirit rose from 32 to 33 points, instantly, a warm current forcefully pumped from his heart, scattering the negative energy serpent coiled around his heart!


    Then, this warm current began to sweep through his entire body��


    All the negative energy lurking in the joints, fasciae, and muscles of Reine��s body, like snow under hot water, were promptly dispersed and melted by the warm current!


    In less than a second, Reine felt warm all over, the dark energy vanishing like specters banished into oblivion!


    That��s right!


    Reine cracked a slight smile.


    Although he didn��t know how to dispel curses, he had an edge!


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 Chapter 468 - 218: Broken Eggs (Two in One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 468: Chapter 218: Broken Eggs (Two in One Big Chapter)


    After exhausting a large amount of blood and executing a triple curse strike on Rein, Nehru immediately refocused his attention on the Fish-Dragon Squad.


    His three Great Knights continued to control the thorn-backed sea serpents to besiege the Fish-Dragon Squad, but their expressions had slightly changed.


    ��Intensify the attack, maintain the pressure, they won��t be able to make any waves,��


    At this time, Nehru��s confident voice resonated in their hearts.


    Nehru��s words instantly made the three knights stiffen and swiftly increase their attack frequency, and the situation of the Fish-Dragon Squad became perilous once again.


    Previously, the Fish-Dragon Squad had been greatly buoyed in morale when they saw Rein and Vinica, managing to take down a combination of a Great Knight and a thorn-backed sea serpent. However, seeing Rein, who had come to support them, suddenly stop without any warning, they gasped in dismay.


    ...


    They knew then that the Witchery Curses Master on the giant thorn-backed sea serpent must have made a move!


    Although a Witchery Curses Master might not be formidable in direct combat, the variety of unpredictable curses could make their own squad suffer agonizingly and significantly affect their combat effectiveness.


    Otherwise, the mere combination of three Great Knights and three thorn-backed sea serpents could not possibly have trapped them.


    But the next second, they saw a white wave of air suddenly bursting up from the sea surface, heading straight for the battlefield, and the figure at the forefront of the wave was Rein!


    Having been affected by Nehru��s triple curse strike and halted, Rein, after removing the curse, had once again exploded off the tip of his toes, causing the seawater to burst open as he moved rapidly towards the main battlefield.


    This made the members of the Fish-Dragon Squad exchange glances.


    This��


    The Witchery Curses Master didn��t target Rein?


    Impossible!


    They had just seen Rein suddenly stop in his tracks.


    Could it be that Rein had some special item capable of removing curses on him?


    And when Nehru saw Rein moving at high speed again, his face drastically changed, How could this be possible?


    He had just expended a significant amount of blood to cast three curses in succession!


    Suddenly, four words flashed in his mind.


    ��Iron Will?��


    ��Could it be�� that he possesses the rare talent of Iron Will?��


    Otherwise, no special item could remove all three curses at once!


    Or, even if such a phenomenal thing exists, it definitely wouldn��t belong to a defense force leader from a little place in the Dragan Empire.


    People with the talent of Iron Will have an extraordinary resistance to pain.


    For someone like him, a Witchery Curses Master, they are an extremely troublesome target. Curses like the Pain Curse, Cold Heart Curse, etc., are almost ineffective against them.


    However, seeing Rein charging directly at him, Nehru��s grim face eased up significantly.


    Ha ha, a Great Knight, thinking that having a special talent would enable him to directly challenge a Wizard?


    Naive�� S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once the opponent gets closer, besides curses, he has ample methods to deal with that fellow.


    However, at this time, Rein, although heading straight towards the black-robed Wizard on the giant thorn-backed sea serpent, had the sole purpose of drawing the opponent��s attention to alleviate the pressure on the Fish-Dragon Squad, particularly on Captain Baron, and not to actually engage the Witchery Curses Master head-on.


    Rein had thought it over before the battle that the opponent��s methods were insidious. Without a substantial certainty, directly engaging would be unwise.


    Indeed, after Rein slightly drew the attention of the black-robed Wizard, the pressure on the Fish-Dragon Squad considerably lessened, especially for Captain Baron, who was launching counterattacks more frequently.


    At this moment, Rein��s path of advancement suddenly changed from a straight line to an arc, rapidly bending behind one of the Great Knights controlling the thorn-backed sea serpent who was attacking the Fish-Dragon Squad.


    The Great Knight was burly, wielding a sharp metal spear around two meters long, and judging by his physique, he was also a Great Knight inclined towards strength.


    As Rein suddenly attacked with a heavy hammer, the opponent raised both hands and crossed the spear to block.


    But as the two weapons clashed, the Great Knight��s expression instantly changed!


    A multi-layered shock force transmitted violently from the spear he was blocking straight into his body, causing his entire body to stiffen for a moment, lasting only about 0.2 seconds.


    However, for combatants of Rein and his level, 0.2 seconds was enough to do a lot.


    In an instant, Rein sprang into the air, unleashing a near secret technique-level ��Rising Dragon Hammer��, and he used the spike-tipped end of the pig-head hammer.


    The sharp spike brutally pierced the Great Knight��s chin, and in an instant, the strike sent him flying four to five meters into the air!


    At the same time, his skull burst open directly, with white brain matter splattering from the broken skullcap.


    Meanwhile, his entire body twitched ceaselessly in midair��


    This scene made the members of the Fish-Dragon Squad realize just how Rein had killed the first Great Knight who wielded a sword and shield.


    This hammer technique and power, compared to sparring in the training room, seemed like he was a completely different person��


    This time, although Rein fought face-to-face with the opposing Great Knight, the kill was not much more difficult than the last.


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 Chapter 469 - 218: Shattered Egg (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 469: Chapter 218: Shattered Egg (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    It was mainly because the enemy didn��t know how he had killed the first Knight, so, tactically, they had been at a disadvantage in a straightforward confrontation.


    Seeing his second Great Knight fall in battle, Nehru was both shocked and enraged!


    What he hadn��t expected was that the young Great Knight who had originally charged at him would turn to attack his Great Knight instead, thereby relieving the Sea Serpent squad of their predicament.


    Weren��t young people supposed to be hotheaded?


    Damn it, this was even more cunning than an old fox!


    At this moment, the battle situation had deteriorated!


    ...


    With Rein��s intervention and the death of two enemy Great Knights, the battle quickly slipped into chaos.


    The Sea Serpent squad rapidly extricated themselves from their bind, while their captain, Baron, swiftly charged towards the Witchery Curses Master controlling the giant stinger-spine sea serpent.


    Rein glanced over and silently praised him.


    Baron��s tactical awareness was very strong indeed, befitting the leader of the Empire��s Navy Special Combat Squad.


    Baron pressed forward, engaging the enemy��s Witchery Curses Master, while the remaining members of the Sea Serpent squad and Rein began to besiege the other two Great Knights controlling the stinger-spine sea serpents.


    The tide of the battle was turned in an instant!


    At that moment, a special pale blue mystic side energy enveloped him, and suddenly, he felt his whole body lighten, and his speed increased by twenty percent.


    Rein glanced sideways and saw that Nathaniel, who had stopped their spar prematurely before, had cast a buffing witchcraft ��Gale of Swiftness�� on him; he was now on the coral reef, quickly greeting him with a nod.


    Almost simultaneously, another member of the Sea Serpent squad cast a defensive witchcraft on Rein��Water Membrane Technique. A faint blue glow appeared on Rein again, revealing a thin, light blue water membrane on his body surface.


    Rein nodded at the Sea Serpent squad and without any delay, quickly rushed towards another Federation Great Knight.


    Nehru atop the giant stinger-spine sea serpent knew he had to make a decision at this moment!


    But quickly, he looked up into the distant sky, seeming to sense something, and frowned!


    Suddenly, the giant stinger-spine sea serpent beneath him took a deep breath, and a skyful of corrosive liquid was spewed out.


    This forced the Sea Serpent squad and Rein to halt their offensive moves and quickly evade.


    When the foul-smelling venom began to disperse, where was the figure of the enemy on the sea��s surface?


    So decisive?


    Rein was taken aback!


    The enemy��s retreat was too resolute.


    ��It��s the Plesiosaur Squad��s Bald Eagle!�� a member of the Sea Serpent squad pointed out towards the horizon.


    A giant raptor was approaching from the horizon, its white plumage exceptionally conspicuous.


    It seemed that because the situation was against them, and there were other Empire squads nearby, the Federation Witchery Curses Master quickly gave up the thought of continuing the fight, Rein speculated silently.


    With the end of the battle, the curses from the enemy Witchery Curses Master began to dissipate automatically over time.


    The Sea Serpent squad quickly administered hydrotherapy and healing potions to their severely injured teammate, stabilizing the injury soon after.


    And Vinica, after the Pain Curse gradually faded, approached the coral reef.


    Then, Captain Baron also came over, wiping the fresh blood from his mouth, and looked seriously at Rein, saying, ��Baron Rein, thank you for your assistance; otherwise, our squad might have suffered heavy losses this time.��


    Baron, you��re too kind, defending the sea borders is not only the duty of the Empire��s navy, I, as the governor of Fishing Port Town, also have a responsibility,�� Rein replied. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other members of the Sea Serpent squad also stepped forward to express their gratitude to Rein.


    The Sea Serpent squad��s attitude was much warmer than when they had been in Fishing Port Town.


    Especially Nathaniel, who gave a self-deprecating smile and said, ��Baron Rein, it turns out you did not use your full strength in our spar. My challenge to you before was indeed presumptuous!��


    ��Uh�� Nathaniel, not at all, I really welcome the opportunity to spar with you all,�� Rein said earnestly.


    Sparring to gain experience and thus improve one��s occupational level panel, Rein was, of course, speaking truly.


    But when the Sea Serpent squad members heard Rein��s words, they felt that despite his youth, Baron Rein had none of the arrogance of young people and had a surprisingly good temperament and character, easy to communicate with.


    Immediately, they all smiled and expressed their goodwill.


    After taking several doses of potions, Captain Baron��s injuries seemed to have improved a lot. Turning to Rein, he said:


    ��Baron Rein, I noticed the Hammer Skill you used earlier; it must be on the level of a secret technique, right?��


    ��Although it is very close to the power of a true secret technique, it seems to be missing something,�� he continued.


    Rein nodded and said, ��You��re right, Captain Baron.��


    Rein felt there was no harm in admitting this, as someone of Captain Baron��s calibre could almost immediately see at which level his move was.


    ��Baron Rein, do you know how to elevate a nearly-secret technique to a true secret technique?�� Captain Baron continued to say.


    Hearing the captain say this, everyone looked at the two of them with interest.


    Clearly, they also discerned that the captain intended to give young Baron Rein some pointers as a form of repayment for his rescue of the squad.


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 Chapter 470 - 218: Shattered Egg (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 470: Chapter 218: Shattered Egg (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Rein also heard the goodwill in Baron��s words and understood what he was implying, shaking his head, ��I am still in the exploratory stage. Could Captain Baron provide some guidance?��


    Baron nodded and said, ��Baron Rein, you possess exceptional talent, and my words are merely for your reference, you still need to adjust according to your own condition.��


    ��Although the level of Hammer Skill you have mastered has reached the requirements to perform the secret technique, the combination of Combat Skill and primal force is not intricately and flawlessly integrated.��


    ��Therefore, there��s still a bit of distance before you can step into the realm of the true secret technique.��


    After listening to Baron��s words, Rein fell into deep thought.


    He had vaguely sensed the problem before, but he was not able to pinpoint it as precisely as Baron could. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    When Rein tried to execute the quasi-secret technique, he indeed felt that the mobilization of his body��s primal force in conjunction with his moves was not smooth, as if he could not achieve an extremely subtle combination of technique and primal force.


    Now it seemed, the issue was indeed there.


    After some thought, Rein continued to ask, ��Captain Baron, how can I resolve this issue?��


    Baron did not beat around the bush, but said directly, ��Two things: first, you need to strengthen your breathing practice, and second, practice the quasi-secret technique more to contemplate the primal force and the moves.��


    ��Given your talent, you should be able to resolve this problem in about half a year.��


    Upon hearing Baron��s statement, the remaining members of the Fish-Dragon Squad couldn��t help but express their amazement.


    ��Half a year?��


    ��Just half a year?��


    ��A Great Knight not yet eighteen years old is already terrifying, and he only needs another half a year or so to master a true secret technique����


    Suddenly, everyone was at a loss for words!


    To execute a secret technique required accumulated primal force over many years, coupled with intensive practice and understanding of Extraordinary Battle Techniques, and finally, a most exquisite fusion of the two to successfully carry out a secret technique.


    In their mind, Great Knights capable of performing a secret technique, even within the ��Tide Walkers�� special division, were at least in their late twenties or nearing thirty.


    In fact, most were just over thirty.


    Breathing exercises, huh?


    Rein couldn��t help but fall into contemplation.


    His Bear King Breathing Technique had indeed been long neglected in upgrades, still remaining at level 9.


    Since Skill Points could not be added to the Tokkal Hammer Technique at level 12, Rein planned to use that one Skill Point later to upgrade the Bear King Breathing Technique and see the effect.


    As for the time required, it shouldn��t take as long as half a year.


    ��Thank you for your guidance, Captain Baron.�� Rein sincerely thanked Baron in his heart, although he knew Baron��s kindness was due to his recent rescue operation.


    After pondering for a while, Baron then looked at Rein and said:


    ��Baron Rein, the Eagle Federation has always avoided direct conflict with us.��


    ��But this time, they took the initiative to strike, and at the onset of the fight, they destroyed several of our large supply boxes, as if they were looking for something. This is quite unusual.��


    ��I have a feeling that the Eagle Federation��s eagerness might be related to the target of our squad��s pursuit, there appears to be some secret ties.��


    ��Captain Baron, do you mean that the enemy is likely to have come to rescue Volod?�� Rein��s eyes flickered with thought, and he immediately spoke up.


    ��Quite likely. For example, is there some secret cooperation or something else between the Eagle Federation and the Black Sail pirates?��


    ��Of course, it could also be that they don��t want anything originally in Volod��s hands to fall into ours.��


    ��By the way, Baron Rein, did you find anything special among Volod��s battle loot?��


    Rein nodded after listening to Baron��s analysis. He was not very familiar with the Eagle Federation, but as a Baron conferred by the Empire, he naturally supported the Empire.


    ��Captain Baron, I have yet to examine Volod��s battle loot. Shall we go back to Fishing Port Town now to check? Perhaps, we will make some discoveries,�� Rein proactively suggested.


    ��Good!�� Baron nodded. He too had this in mind but felt it was inappropriate to suggest examining the loot that originally belonged to Rein, especially since Rein had just rescued them.


    Thus, the group quickly returned to Fishing Port Town. After some cordial greetings with Major Mary and the Reiman brothers, they were led by the Reiman brothers to the exclusive office of the Governor of Fishing Port Town.


    The elder of the Reiman brothers, Cobert Reiman, said, ��Baron Rein, what is placed on the coffee table belongs to you, the battle loot from Volod.��


    Everyone looked in the direction the Reiman brothers were pointing, to see a somewhat damaged pouch and several unidentifiable potion bottles on the coffee table.


    ��Actually, there were some more potions on him, but they were already shattered at that time, and the potions spilled out completely,�� Cobert Reiman added.


    Rein nodded. He had already anticipated this, as the combat move he used to kill Volod was the Kadar Martial Arts secret technique ��Hundred Crack Strike lv2��. To have these items preserved was already quite fortunate.


    ��It��s unlikely to be the potions, it could be a secret letter or some other special item,�� Captain Baron beside him suggested.


    So, with Rein��s permission, the Reiman brothers began to check the battle loot item by item in front of the Fish-Dragon Squad.

 Chapter 471 - 218: Shattered Egg (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 471: Chapter 218: Shattered Egg (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Apart from those potions and Gold Coins, they found an ancient parchment scroll in Wollow��s pouch. Upon opening it, they saw a location marked on the parchment.


    ��Eh, is this a treasure map? Pirate treasure?�� Cornett Leyman couldn��t help but be quite curious.


    Rein glanced at the island displayed on the map and felt a strange sense of familiarity.


    He remembered, wasn��t this the ring-shaped island?


    Previously, the necklace-shaped archipelago he had obtained from the treasure map of the Pirate King ��Shipburner�� Vincent Sanborn, turned out to be the destination.


    It seemed to be called the Saphira Islands?


    ...


    Rein looked closely and indeed, the destination marked on the map was the Saphira Islands!


    And the destination marked for the Pirate King��s treasure��the Island of Fear��was on the east side of the Saphira Islands.


    Rein couldn��t help but wonder, was it a coincidence that the two were so close?


    Or��


    At this moment, Cobert Reiman flipped the parchment scroll map over and saw a line of scrawled small characters on the back.


    These characters seemed to have been added later on.


    Only to hear Cobert Reiman read in a low voice, ��The location of the ancient goblin empire city of Lombadon.��


    Immediately, Baron, the team captain, looked at the map thoughtfully.


    After a moment, Baron said to Rein with a solemn face, ��Baron Rein, this must be the item.��


    Rein nodded and said, ��Captain Baron, if this item is important to the imperial navy, I can directly hand this spoil over to you.��


    Since the two maps happened to be in the same sea area, and Rein had already noted the location, even without the parchment scroll, he could still find the ancient goblin empire ruins.


    Furthermore, if this map had significant importance to the empire, then as an imperial Baron, according to the spoils distribution regulations, he also had the obligation to hand the map over to the empire.


    Of course, the empire would compensate him afterward.


    Baron looked at Rein and said, ��Thank you. However, Baron Rein, according to the principles of spoils distribution, if we take this item from you, we are obliged to compensate you.��


    ��You have quite a talent in combat skills, Baron Rein. I have a personal spoil I acquired earlier, a shield-and-sword Extraordinary Battle Technique. If you are interested, this could be compensation for the transfer of the map. What do you think?��


    Upon hearing this, Rein immediately smiled. He hadn��t expected Captain Baron to be such a fair man.


    For him, this was certainly good news, as he was currently in need of shield-and-sword Extraordinary Battle Techniques. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since his class change to Weapon Master (Legendary), having one more Combat Skill at hand meant one more method for tackling enemies in battle.


    He already had the Two-Handed Warhammer, greatsword, and bow; a shield-and-sword technique was exactly what was missing.


    Immediately, Rein nodded with a smile and said, ��Of course, Captain Baron.��


    Baron then took out a thin booklet from his chest and handed it to Rein.


    Upon receiving it, Rein opened it to see the following large words����Solson Family Shield-and-Sword Technique Essentials.��


    The Solson Family?


    Could it be a pirate family? Rein looked puzzled.


    But as he continued reading, Rein quickly discovered that this family was not a pirate family and had nothing to do with pirates at all.


    In fact, the Solson family was a fallen noble family. The last heir of the family died in battle when a merchant ship he was on got plundered by pirates, and this item ended up in the hands of some pirate group.


    In the end, it came into Captain Baron��s possession.


    After pondering for a little while, Rein decided to postpone learning this Extraordinary Combat Skill.


    After all, he was already rich in close combat techniques, so he planned to start learning ��Blood Fury Archery�� first.


    Soon after bidding farewell to Rein and others, Captain Baron led the Dragonfin Squad away in a hurry, taking with them the parchment scroll marked with the ancient goblin ruins.


    And after Rein asked the Reiman brothers to strengthen the guard, he returned to his resting room.


    However, as he opened the door, he suddenly froze.


    He saw that the large purple egg on his desk�� the top had already cracked open��

 Chapter 472 - 219: Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 472: Chapter 219: Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Inside the purple eggshell, a fuzzy pale-yellow bird head suddenly poked out, its beak clutching a small fragment of the broken shell. At first glance, the chick seemed no different from an ordinary baby chicken.


    On seeing Lord Rein, the chick��s lively eyes curiously observed him, seemingly sensing no ill intent, it chirped clearly and cheerfully twice.


    Rein smiled and approached, carefully picked up the fuzzy chick, and placed it on his palm, stroking it several times.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein stepped outside and said to a guard nearby, ��Please ask Miss Vinica to come here.�� S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��At once, Baron!��


    Shortly, Vinica, clad in a light blue robe, came trotting into Rein��s resting room. Just as she was about to ask what was the matter, her beautiful eyes immediately focused on the newly hatched chick in Rein��s hand.


    ...


    Vinica couldn��t help but pause, her mouth opening slightly before she extended her fair fingers, asking in surprise, ��Lord Rein, is this the little creature that came out of the purple egg?��


    ��Yes, Miss Vinica, I asked you here to inquire if you can identify what kind of bird it is. Also, what would be appropriate to feed it?��


    Vinica walked forward briskly, then pinched the chick��s beak and checked its claws before nodding, saying, ��Lord Rein, although I cannot accurately identify this bird��s species yet, it certainly belongs to some kind of raptor.��


    ��For feeding, insects, beast meat, or fish should do, and seeing how strong it is at birth, it is very likely a naturally ferocious species. If you can feed it meat from ferocious creatures directly, that would be best.��


    After hearing this, Rein nodded and said, ��Thank you, Miss Vinica.��


    This made things simple.


    Ferocious beast meat was readily available for him; he still had plenty of bear meat left over from his training, which he could try feeding to the chick.


    He walked over to a cabinet, took out a piece of raw bear meat, and tore off a small strip to offer to the chick. The anxious chick opened its mouth wide and gulped down the small piece of meat like a pelican, then chirped happily twice, as if to say, ��Is there more? If there is, bring on some more.��


    After watching for a while, Vinica reminded him, ��Lord Rein, it seems it really likes the bear meat you fed it. However, many chicks have been known to overeat to death, so you��d better pay attention to the quantity of food.��


    At that moment, sounds of flapping wings came from outside the window, and a large white seagull landed on the windowsill, looking at Vinica.


    Vinica��s face lit up with joy, and her twin ponytails swished energetically as she said, ��Lord Rein, Master Annius has replied to my message; it seems we will soon know the answer.��


    The girl quickly walked to the window, opened it, and began exchanging words with the seagull.


    Seconds later, Vinica turned to Rein with a mix of surprise and a slight complaint, ��Lord Rein, you��re really lucky, my mentor identified that it��s most likely an egg from a wandering Blood Feathered Horned Eagle.��


    ��I have been searching for so long; how come I��ve never been this lucky����


    ��Blood Feathered Horned Eagle? Miss Vinica, could you give me a brief introduction?�� asked Rein, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.


    He did not know what kind of bird it was.


    ��Of course, the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle is fierce by nature; a naturally aggressive species and unlike other raptor species, it��s not fast in flight. However, as an adult, its size approaches that of a horse with a wingspan of four to five meters, strong muscles, and it has a beak and talons as hard as steel, highly skilled at close combat,�� explained Vinica.


    ��Moreover, the adult Blood Feathered Horned Eagle has a distinctive pair of antlers on its head.��


    A raptor known for close combat?


    Though it may not have the innate ability of casting that Rein expected of a raptor, who��s to say that formidable close combat prowess isn��t a talent in itself?


    Rein nodded, yet slightly furrowed his brow and asked, ��Then�� Miss Vinica, why would an egg of the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle be found in the nest of an Iron-Beaked Sea Eagle?��


    Vinica chuckled good-naturedly, her face blooming into a smile as she spoke, ��That��s precisely what I wanted to address. The Blood Feathered Horned Eagle��s intimidation forces lower-tier raptors to abandon their nests. Then, the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle lays its eggs there, typically one or two at most.��


    ��Additionally, they release a special scent that makes other raptors believe the egg is theirs, even if the sizes of the eggs are vastly different.��


    Rein nodded, beginning to understand.


    ��So, you��re suggesting that the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle is a type of raptor that practice brood parasitism?��


    Vinica shook her head and replied, ��Not exactly. According to my mentor, it��s very rare for Blood Feathered Horned Eagles to do so.��


    ��Usually, if their living environment is stable, they won��t resort to this behavior, only in certain extraordinary circumstances, such as battles, competition, and so on, would they turn to brood parasitism.��


    ��Therefore, as you��ve seen, their egg hasn��t hatched prematurely and it hasn��t pushed the sea eagle��s chick out of the nest.��


    Now Rein understood a little better.


    Seems like he was quite lucky this time, finding the egg of a naturally aggressive species.


    ��By the way, my mentor also suggested that since the growth cycle of the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle is longer than most birds and because their temperament becomes extremely ferocious as they grow, please use the bird transformation technique as soon as possible to make it familiar with you and to promote its growth,�� Vinica stated.

 Chapter 473 - 219: Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 473: Chapter 219: Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Thank you, Miss Vinica, and please extend my thanks to Master Annius as well,�� Rein said with a slight bow and a nod.


    Indeed, entrusting a professional with such matters is the only way he could have received almost the perfect solution so quickly.


    ��By the way, Lord Rein, although you observed my bird transformation technique last time, you probably haven��t mastered it yet, have you? These next few days, I��ll try to demonstrate it for you every day,�� Vinica said enthusiastically.


    This��


    Gazing into Vinica��s sincere, beautiful eyes, Rein was at a loss for what to say for a moment.


    Should he tell her that he had already mastered Aeneas�� bird transformation technique?


    ...


    Such learning ability would be too frightening, after all, he had only observed it once!


    After a moment of thought, Rein nodded and said with a smile, ��Then I��ll have to trouble Miss Vinica, as I��m indeed not very adept at the bird transformation technique yet.��


    ��Giggle, Lord Rein, your talent in the knightly arts is already exceptional; it��s completely normal if the goddess hasn��t granted you the same proficiency in witchcraft,�� Vinica said with a chuckle.


    Vinica couldn��t help but smile.


    Soon, the two arrived at the same simple alchemy chamber where Vinica had demonstrated before.


    ��Lord Rein, you can use ready-made fast growth potions, phantom spirits, and so on,�� she said.


    ��But the moonlight ink used later for drawing the six-pointed witchcraft array must be made by the caster personally. When making it, you need to infuse a very fine amount of spiritual power for it to be properly concocted,�� she added.


    ��Furthermore, moonlight ink is time-sensitive. Its effect is best within twelve hours, barely usable between twelve and twenty-four hours. But once it exceeds twenty-four hours, the special energy particles it contains will largely dissipate, and it will almost become impossible to use for drawing a witchcraft array.��


    ��So, the first little challenge is concocting the moonlight ink����


    ��The second difficulty lies in drawing the witchcraft array by hand���� Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Vinica once again demonstrated Aeneas�� bird transformation technique while pointing out the difficult steps of the technique with great care, one by one,


    Rein had already learned it, but seemed to be captivated by the girl��s sincerity and listened quite attentively.


    With the completion of the twin-tailed girl��s demonstration, Rein, who was observing, received several system prompts:


    [You focused on observing Aeneas�� bird transformation technique, comprehension enhanced!]


    [Your skill in Aeneas�� bird transformation technique has improved, experience +54]


    [You focused on Aeneas�� bird transformation technique, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) experience +132]


    ��


    [Congratulations, your skill in Aeneas�� bird transformation technique has advanced to lv2]


    After again gaining 54 experience points, Rein��s Aeneas�� bird transformation technique progressed from lv1 (69/100) to lv2 (23/300).


    Fragments of memory related to Aeneas�� bird transformation technique began to pour into Rein��s mind, which he quickly absorbed and mastered.


    ��Lord Rein, it��s not enough to just observe; why don��t you give it a try?�� The twin-tailed girl wiped the fine sweat from her forehead and suggested.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein felt that with two observations and Vinica��s meticulous instruction, he should be able to perform some of the steps without it being too extravagant.


    So, Rein nodded and said, ��Of course, Miss Vinica, I��ll give it a try right now.��


    ��Certainly, Lord Rein, you can try first,�� Vinica smiled, stepping aside, curious to see how much Rein had grasped.


    Perhaps, after failing seven or eight times, he should at least be able to properly concoct the moonlight ink? Vinica thought to herself.


    Five minutes later��


    Looking at the moonlight ink in Rein��s hand, which he had successfully made at the first attempt and was emitting a faint glow, Vinica was taken aback and said, ��Lord Rein, that��s wonderful; you��ve overcome the first difficulty.��


    Ten minutes later.


    Vinica stared at the witchcraft array on the ground, nearly identical to her own, her beautiful eyes wide and her mouth slightly open in shock.


    She thought that perhaps she should take back what she had said earlier��


    It seems the goddess truly did endow Lord Rein with wizardly talents as outstanding as his knightly ones!


    Having placed the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle chick on the soft padding at the center of the witchcraft array, Rein held the potion and began chanting��


    As system prompts resounded, it marked the successful casting of the witchcraft.


    [You cast Aeneas�� bird transformation technique, comprehension enhanced!]


    [Your skill in Aeneas�� bird transformation technique has improved, experience +142]


    [You focused on Aeneas�� bird transformation technique, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) experience +278]


    ��..


    And Rein distinctly felt a strange connection form between him and the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle chick.


    This was not an effect of the bird transformation technique; it seemed that by casting the technique, the system acknowledged that he and the chick had formed a pet relationship.


    Sure enough, the system prompts followed:


    [Ding! The host has established a contract with a ferocious wild beast for the first time, current pet count (3/3)]


    [Ding! A core event for the Legendary Beast Tamer profession conversion has been detected �� contracting a ferocious wild beast!]


    [Preconditions for advancing to Beast Tamer (Legendary): one, Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 or above; two, spiritual power of 24 points or above; three, having at least three ferocious wild beasts as pets; four, successfully raising at least one ordinary animal into a ferocious wild beast��. Current conditions do not match, advancement to Beast Tamer (Legendary) failed!]

 Chapter 474 - 219: Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 474: Chapter 219: Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Huh?


    Looking at the system prompt that suddenly appeared, Reine read through it several times, feeling quite delighted in his heart!


    Because once the prerequisites for a profession were listed, although sometimes challenging, at least he knew what was lacking and where to start to fulfill each condition systematically.


    After being magically enhanced, the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle chick had grown significantly larger; at this moment, it affectionately ran over and nuzzled Reine, then opened its mouth wide and cried out a few times, seemingly saying ��I��m hungry!��


    Watching this scene, Vinica said with envy, ��Lord Reine, could I borrow the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle to feed for a couple of days? Don��t worry, I��ll take good care of it.��


    ��Of course, you can,�� Reine nodded and replied with a smile.


    ...


    That was perfect since he needed to mull over and sort out some other matters without the distraction of the chick.


    Once back in his room, Reine started pondering the suggestions Captain Baron had given him earlier.


    Raising the quasi-secret technique to a secret technique was crucial for him; a key aspect was improving the ��Bear King Breathing Method.��


    Having a few Skill Points left, Reine decided to test its effect first.


    With Reine adding 1 Skill Point to the Bear King Breathing Method, it instantly advanced from lv9 to lv10.


    Immediately a torrent of memories about the practice of Bear King Breathing Method flooded into Reine��s mind.


    These breathing technique practice memories were like a long movie flashing through Reine��s mind, and before he knew it, they became ingrained in his body like instinct.


    When Reine opened his eyes again, it was as if he had gone through many years of arduous training in the Bear King Breathing Method.


    At this moment, he could clearly feel his blood circulation accelerating, as if there was a furnace inside him, providing a wealth of heat and some strange transformation to his body.


    At the same time, Reine felt that the muscles and fascia in his body also became stronger.


    And the primordial force in his body, previously as thin as a little finger, had rapidly increased to the thickness of an index finger, circulating swiftly throughout his body.


    Even though there was constant consumption during circulation, it seemed that every time it passed through a part of the body, hundreds of millions of cells would contribute tiny, nearly imperceptible drops of primordial force to this stream.


    So, through the accumulation of little contributions, the primordial force stream was maintained at the thickness of an index finger, endlessly flowing.


    At this moment, feeling the strengthening of his primordial force and the powerful energy within his body, Reine felt that he was just one step away from truly mastering the secret technique.


    It felt like there was just a sheet of paper in front of him; a small push was all it would take to reach his target.


    Unfortunately, his attribute panel now showed that he had zero remaining Skill Points.


    However, Reine took another look at his Profession Level for Weapon Master (Legendary), and thanks to the battle experience rewards he had received earlier, he had reached lv4 (649/1000), which was more than half way there.


    If he continued to train methodically, he should be able to reach this goal before heading to Mingster for the ��Sword Bearer�� assessment.


    Next was the combat debrief.


    The thing that Reine found most profound was not the troublesome Witchery Curses Master from the alliance, nor the variability of their curses, but rather the impact and understanding of small team combat.


    Perhaps some defensive witchcraft didn��t make a big impression on him, but it was different with others.


    For example, the witchcraft ��Water Walking�� that Vinica had cast on him before the battle, enabling him to fight on the water��s surface with ease, was exceptionally significant.


    Then there was Nathaniel��s witchcraft ��Swift Wind,�� which increased his speed by about twenty percent; knowing that a twenty percent speed increase for him could result in a forty percent increase in combat power.


    These two witchcrafts of differing effects, Reine believed, greatly enhanced his combat ability.


    It was because of the other members of the Fish-Dragon Squad��s support with various witchcrafts in combat, allowing Baron to hold on despite facing a Witchery Curses Master who was a strong counter to him.


    Another point was that Reine had a premonition that if the empire��s navy��s special division ��Wave Strider�� utilized this small team approach, then the larger ��Sword Bearer�� faction of the empire would likely have a similar structure.


    However�� that was a future concern, and for him, the priority was still to improve his own strength.


    This time, his encounter happened to be with a Witchery Curses Master skilled in curses, but if it had been another type of wizard, he might not have been able to cope as easily.


    Plus, the stronger he became, the more confidence he would have when facing potential future decisions involving mutual teammate selection. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After thinking it over, Reine walked over to the desk, opened a drawer, and took out the roll of parchment for ��Blood Fury Archery,�� reading it carefully.


    He planned to enhance his archery skills first, also giving himself an additional long-range attack ability.


    After thoroughly reviewing ��Blood Fury Archery�� several times, Reine had an epiphany, left his room, and went to the training room in Fishing Port Town��s administrative hall.


    ��Baron Sir!��


    ��Good day, Baron Sir!�� The guards, peace officers, and Night Watchmen greeted Reine as they saw him.


    Reine nodded and said, ��Carry on with your practice.��


    ��Yes, Baron Sir.��


    Reine then went to the archery range aside, picked up the strongest bow with the highest draw weight, and began to practice on his own.


    With the foundation of basic Archery skills, Reine took to Blood Fury Archery very quickly, and it wasn��t long before a system prompt appeared:

 Chapter 475 - 219: Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 475: Chapter 219: Born Fierce Species (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    [You practiced Blood Fury Archery, gaining insights!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Blood Fury Archery]


    [Your skill Blood Fury Archery has increased, Experience +2]


    ��


    [Detection of host practicing Basic Archery, which is also a form of archery. Do you want to fuse it into Blood Fury Archery? This fusion will consume 0 Skill Points.]


    (Note: After fusion, Basic Archery will no longer appear on the panel, but the host can still use the related moves.)


    ...


    (Note: After fusion, Blood Fury Archery will absorb the advantages of Basic Archery and improve upon them, while the host��s experience in Basic Archery will be converted into the experience of the improved Blood Fury Archery at a certain rate.)


    Reading the system notifications above, Rein slightly nodded.


    He had anticipated this, as his previous Basic Swordmanship and Dragan Empire Military Sword Technique, both Single-handed Sword Techniques, had undergone the same.


    Without much hesitation, Rein immediately chose ��yes��.


    Soon after, Basic Archery lv3 vanished from the Weapon Master (Legendary) panel, replaced by Blood Fury Archery lv1 (78/100).


    To his surprise, the more than half of lv3 Basic Archery didn��t even reach lv2 Blood Fury Archery after conversion.


    It seemed that the level of Blood Fury Archery was far above that of Basic Archery.


    However, Rein quickly showed delight, for, to him, the stronger the Extraordinary Battle Technique, the better, as for the difficulty of practice?


    Heh, he had a cheat��


    After pondering for a while, Rein realized that after integrating Basic Archery, there was hardly any change in Blood Fury Archery, which also indirectly proved that Blood Fury Archery was significantly superior to Basic Archery. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Or rather, this kind of fusion brought very minimal improvement and enhancement to Blood Fury Archery.


    Soon afterward, Rein continued practicing Blood Fury Archery.


    With the experience boost from the talent ��Basic Extraordinary Understanding,�� Rein successfully advanced Blood Fury Archery to lv2 within an hour.


    Almost simultaneously, scattered memories related to practicing Blood Fury Archery flooded into Rein��s mind and gradually integrated into his muscle memory.


    ��.


    �����������C


    Near the coast of Meister County.


    Ten meters plus deep in the sea water.


    If Rein were there, he would be extremely surprised, for in front of him was a metallic object shaped like the Nautilus from the 19th century novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, about twenty to thirty meters long in an ellipsoidal shape.


    Though the exterior was made of riveted iron, looking not very advanced, placing it in the Dragan Empire would make it an unimaginably advanced product.


    Inside the submersible.


    The Federation Brigadier General was speaking with the young man Jonistone.


    ��Jonistone, is there any definite news now about that ancient map of the Vold��s goblin empire? Have you contacted the Zaral rebellion, and is there any feedback?��


    ��Well�� Brigadier General, I contacted the rebellion half a day ago, but strangely, so much time has passed, and there has been no sign from them,�� Jonistone said, frowning.


    ��This band of rebels, always quick to ask for aid on usual days, now when we actually need them, they are unreachable,�� the Federation Brigadier General said, showing anger.


    ��His Excellency Nehru from ��Leviathan Team�� has asked us about the situation at Fishing Port Town; now the imperial navy��s strength in the nearby seas is starting to increase, and we don��t have much of a window left.��


    ��If no message comes through, pass a message to His Excellency Nehru, telling him to give up the plan to attack Fishing Port Town.��


    ��However, that young Great Knight from the Dragan Empire, mentioned by him, who possesses the rare talent ��Iron Will��, we must continue to investigate.��


    ��Such people with special talents pose a potential threat to our Federation, thus, we must nip it in the bud whenever possible,�� the middle-aged man said, his expression solidifying as he pondered for a moment.


    ��At your command, Brigadier General,�� Jonistone said, bowing slightly.


    At that moment, an officer in a light blue uniform came over to Jonistone, whispered a few words to him, and handed him something.


    ��Oh, Brigadier General, just as you mentioned the Zaral rebels, their message has arrived,�� Jonistone said with a smile, taking the information and speaking to the middle-aged man.


    ��What do they say?��


    ��Well, let me see.�� Jonistone quickly opened the information, scanning it rapidly, and within a minute, he spoke with some surprise:


    ��Brigadier General, it turns out the Zaral rebels�� stronghold in Meister County has been destroyed by the Dragan Empire; no wonder there has been no news for so long.��


    ��Hmm? So, are we to assume that we can��t rely on the Zaral rebels anymore?�� The Brigadier General was also a bit surprised, as the rebels were thriving in other counties of the Dragan Empire��s Mingster Province without any news of their strongholds being taken.


    Could it be that the defensive forces in Meister County are that strong?


    ��Not exactly, sir. This piece of intelligence actually comes from a spy from the Zaral rebels located in Meister County.��


    ��The intelligence reports that their leader in Meister County was killed by a Baron named Rein, newly appointed by the Dragan Empire. Additionally, the key information in the intelligence about the coastal defensive forces in Meister County also pertains to this Rein.��


    ��Oh, what does it say?�� The Brigadier General��s interest was evidently piqued.


    ��The Governor and Sheriff of Fishing Port Town are both held by this Baron Rein of the Empire.��


    ��Oh, so the young man His Excellency Nehru was seeking is likely this Rein?��


    ��Brigadier General, if the message from the Zaral rebels is accurate, I think he must be.��


    ��The intelligence states that Baron Rein is nicknamed ��The Warhammer Baron,�� which matches the description given by Lord Nehru about his age, proficiency with a weapon being a Two-Handed Warhammer, and so on,�� Jonistone said after pondering a moment and nodding.


    The Brigadier General pondered for a moment and then said, ��Then send this intelligence to His Excellency Nehru immediately, and also advise him to keep it quiet if he indeed decides to attack Fishing Port Town and kill Baron Rein.��


    ��At your command, Brigadier General!�� Jonistone then slowly stepped back and turned to leave.


    ��Now, the activities of the cults are clearly intensifying everywhere; perhaps soon, we and the Dragan Empire will have a common enemy. At least, in some aspects, we can still collaborate with the Empire���� The Brigadier General muttered softly.


    ��

 Chapter 476 - 220: The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 476: Chapter 220: The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    The next morning dawned.


    Lord Rein had already started practicing the newly learned Blood Fury Archery with Cornett Leyman in the training room early in the morning.


    At this time, the great bow he held in his hands was the one from ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil Kraz, about 1.6 meters in length and made entirely of metal. Judging from the material, it was crafted from a rare ore known as magic steel ingots.


    Rein had once seen this type of material during his visit to the blacksmith��s shop inside Habsburg Castle, so he quickly recognized it as a special metal with very good toughness.


    In some respects, it was an excellent material for the bow body, but it required a very high level of strength from the archer.


    It��s known that the elasticity of a bow mostly comes from the bow body, not the bowstring.


    ...


    Bows used by ordinary people are usually made from woods like oak or cypress, whose strong fiber construction determines the bow��s elasticity and stability. However, for formal knights, the power generated from these ordinary oak or cypress bows is somewhat inadequate.


    This becomes abundantly clear when considering senior knights and Peak Knights.


    Thus, the vast majority of senior knights use metal bows crafted from special ores. As long as one has sufficient physical strength, issues like the weight and pull of the metal bow are not a problem.


    Moreover, if viewed from another perspective, they are actually advantages, and a metal bow can also serve as a defensive weapon during sudden close combat.


    However, for Rein, this metal bow was just passable, as his physical strength as a Great Knight was considerably stronger than that of ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil Kraz.


    But currently, Rein��s mastery of Blood Fury Archery wasn��t very high, albeit sufficient for him to use it.


    Just last night, Rein had sent out two letters, one of which was addressed to Lady Baroness Crawley.


    In the letter, Rein asked her to help procure some magic steel ingots. He planned to add this material to the great bow, recasting it to suit his level of strength after he returned to Meister County in some time.


    As for the bowstring, he had also found a better substitute�� a back tendon from the body of a Spineback Sea Snake, slightly elastic and extremely tough, capable of withstanding more pull force than the current bowstring of this bow.


    The other letter was written to Count Habs, stating that the situation in Fishing Port Town had stabilized with the threats from the Sea God Sect and pirates eliminated, and expressing his hope for permission to resign. In the letter, Rein did not go back on his word and recommended the Reiman brothers as successors.


    Lastly, Rein also mentioned in the letter that he would soon participate in the ��Sword Bearer�� organization��s assessment.


    Although the empire would officially inform Count Habs soon, Rein thought it was best to mention it proactively.


    Since the Reiman brothers were proficient in sword and shield combat skills, they provided excellent companions for archery practice. Thus, Rein had arranged for Cornett Leyman, the younger brother, to accompany him for archery practice that morning.


    As for the older brother, Cobert Leyman, he was responsible for attending to Fishing Port Town��s administrative affairs and couldn��t get away.


    With the Sea God Sect and most of the pirates in Meister County��s seas largely eliminated, Fishing Port Town had gradually started to resume fishing, merchant shipping, and so forth, resulting in an increase in administrative duties.


    Since Rein was not interested in these matters, he had let the relatively calm Cobert Leyman handle these tasks.


    In the meantime, he continued to practice the newly acquired Blood Fury Archery under Cornett��s tutelage, although it was tough on Cornett.


    According to the training content, if Cornett managed to reach within ten meters of Rein in less than five arrows, it would be considered Cornett��s victory; otherwise, Rein would have achieved his training goal.


    Cornett held a huge metal tower shield in both hands and rapidly dodged left and right in front of Rein while steadily advancing toward him.


    Rein then pulled his silvery-gray metal great bow, and a training arrow shot towards Cornett like lightning.


    Suddenly, Cornett, unable to dodge in time, tensed his muscles, with the veins in his hands and forearms that grasped the tower shield bulging and his muscles knotted!


    ��Clang!�� Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The clash of metal echoed as the impact of the blunt training arrow made Cornett, holding the tower shield, stop his forward momentum, and his pace unavoidably slowed.


    This gave Rein the opportunity to swiftly shoot another arrow at Cornett.


    The training arrows featured metal heads but were not sharp, being blunt-tipped instead, with shafts made of birch wood. Although not heavy, given Rein��s imposing strength as a Great Knight, each arrow he casually shot made it quite strenuous for Cornett to block with his tower shield.


    ��


    Just fifteen minutes later, Cornett was drenched in sweat, looking as though he had been dragged out of water.


    It wasn��t that Rein was unwilling to take it easy, but doing so would mean he��d earn very little experience points for his Blood Fury Archery Skill, so Cornett had to endure the hardship.


    However, despite the difficulty, Cornett��s eyes gleamed brightly.


    For him, being called by Lord Rein, a Great Knight, for practice was not only an honor but also a rare opportunity.


    If only he and his brother could have had such ��special training�� from Lord Rein before they encountered the ��Bloody Shooter,�� they would not have been wounded under the arrows of the ��Bloody Shooter.��

 Chapter 477 - 220 The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 477: Chapter 220 The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    There was a sudden knock at the door of the training room.


    Mary, a major in a navy uniform, stood smiling at the door, looking at Rein.


    ��Lord Rein, I heard from the guard that you��ve been practicing here for two hours. So, I had to intrude,�� she said.


    ��Of course, Major Mary, let��s talk in the office next door,�� Rein smiled and gestured Mary to the adjacent office.


    He knew that Major Mary had come to him with matters to discuss.


    ...


    Once they were in Rein��s office,


    Mary said, ��Lord Rein, regarding yesterday��s situation, I have drafted a letter and will report to the fleet immediately.��


    Additionally, she added, ��I wanted to ask for your opinion, Lord Rein. For your and Vinica��s rescue of the Fish-Dragon Squad, the navy will surely commend you. Do you have any special requests regarding this reward?��


    ��Of course, I will compose another letter to General Xilva to assist in this matter, as, by tradition, since you are not part of the navy, tangible rewards are typically converted into Merit Points and Imperial Gold Coins,�� she explained in detail.


    Rein nodded his understanding.


    Because he wasn��t a part of the navy and the rescue wasn��t an established mission, the navy��s awards would only be in Merit Points and Gold Coins without any additional items.


    If he wanted something special, he would need General Xilva to intervene on his behalf. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was one advantage of having connections.


    Naturally, if General Xilva ever needed a favor in the future, Rein would be expected to reciprocate.


    The problem was, without a reference point, Rein was unclear about the value of his contribution to the rescue mission and what it could bring him.


    Asking for too much could suggest an arrogance of success, while asking for too little could mean a personal loss.


    However, having looked at Major Mary, Rein quickly had an idea and smiled, ��Major Mary, if possible, I am interested in the ��Sharpness Technique,�� a metal-based witchcraft cast by Lord Trevo.��


    ��I��m just not sure if my contributions are enough to exchange for this spell. Naturally, I will sign a confidentiality agreement as required and won��t divulge any witchcraft awarded by the navy,�� he assured.


    After a moment��s thought, Mary said, ��That should be about right. If it��s just to exchange for the ��Sharpness Technique,�� your contribution should be sufficient. However, the success of this request still depends on the fleet��s decision.��


    ��Of course, even if it isn��t successful, you won��t suffer any loss, and you can be assured of your Merit Points and Imperial Gold Coins,�� she reiterated.


    ��Then, thank you, Major Mary,�� Rein said with a smile, bowing slightly.


    ��By the way, Lord Rein, regarding the bounty for Waldo, it has been issued. Here is a bank draft for ten thousand Imperial Gold Coins. Please take good care of it,�� Major Mary smiled as she pulled out a palm-sized piece of special paper from her breast pocket and handed it to Rein.


    A bank draft?


    Rein, feeling the faint energy emanating from the bank draft, examined it closely, noting the peculiar material it was made of and the apparent marks of a special witchcraft. The heading read ��Dragan Empire Central Bank Draft.��


    The amount specified was: ten thousand Imperial Gold Coins. It was encircled by details such as time, ��Payable at Sight��, and other phrases.


    On the back of the draft was the stern visage of an elderly man.


    Major Mary interjected, ��This is His Majesty the First Emperor of the Empire. Moreover, Lord Rein, this draft from the Central Bank of the Empire can be cashed at any bank within the empire��s territories within a year.��


    ��If it expires, reprocessing it through the navy can be quite troublesome,�� she warned.


    ��Very well, Major Mary. I will cash it soon,�� Rein acknowledged with a smile and a nod.


    ��Lord Rein, pardon the interruption; I��ll now make contact with the higher-ups,�� Mary said as she stood up gracefully, ready to leave, her elegant figure retreating.


    Just then, Rein suddenly thought of something, ��Major Mary, I have a question. If the enemy from the previous encounter was from the Eagle Federation, what is the empire��s stance towards their intrusion into our territorial waters?��


    Upon hearing the question, Mary stopped, her lovely face tensing as she turned back,


    ��Lord Rein, I inquired with the intelligence department about this yesterday. There��s no response about the specifics of the enemy yet. Most likely, they are similar to the Fish-Dragon Squad, pertaining to a special division of the Eagle Federation.��


    ��But concerning small-scale infiltrations like this, neither the empire nor the Federation has a good solution at the moment.��


    ��Given the current situation, both the Empire and the Federation are wary of each other. They may have small skirmishes, but they won��t engage in actions harming civilians on a large scale. In this aspect, cults are more of a threat,�� she explained.


    Rein nodded, ��If that��s the case, then that��s for the best.��


    �����������C


    Off the coast of Meister, on a secluded island near the outer edge,

 Chapter 478 - 220 The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 478: Chapter 220 The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Nehru was speaking to a man, his right side dominated by the massive sea serpent with spiky protrusions.


    ��Wexman, according to the information passed to me from the Federal Navy, the young Great Knight with the talent of an iron Will is the Governor of Meister Fishing Port Town in the Dragan Empire. His name is Rein,�� said Nehru.


    ��The best person to deal with this young man is still you,�� Nehru said gloomily.


    ��Nehru, don��t put me on a pedestal. Besides, if he isn��t a member of the Dragan Empire Navy, why are you bothering with this? It��s likely that you��ll never encounter him,�� said the man named Wexman, dismissing the idea.


    His slender figure was toying with two Daggers, emitting a crimson light.


    The Daggers, like butterflies fluttering through flowers, rapidly danced between his unusually agile slender fingers.


    ...


    ��No, you don��t understand. Guided by a Wizard��s intuition, I feel that if he lives, I will encounter him again someday soon,�� Nehru explained, waving his hand and speaking gravely.


    ��Alright, I really don��t understand all this stuff about Witchery Curses Masters,�� Wexman remarked.


    ��But�� why not find someone else for this job?�� Wexman pondered. Though he considered the combat abilities of Witchery Curses Masters mediocre, he acknowledged their proficiency with prophecies and divinations as more than mere fabrications.


    ��Wexman, it��s only foolproof if you take action. I don��t trust the other members of the squad,�� Nehru said with a smile, flattering him a little.


    ��Heh, don��t start with that. You know my rate is high, although we are teammates, I can at most give you a 20% discount,�� Wexman continued, nonchalantly flipping his Daggers.


    Nehru didn��t mind his response, and smiled, seeing a tendency to agree, ��Wexman, if you can kill Rein, I��ll give you the crate of shadow steel ingots I got last time.��


    ��A crate of shadow steel ingots is not enough. He��s in the Dragan Empire mainland; I��d have to traverse his heavily guarded maritime area�� the risk is not small.��


    ��


    After some bargaining, Nehru��s expression remained poor, but his heart felt more at ease.


    Though it was a bit painful, having Wexman agree to take the job nearly guaranteed success.


    After all, assassinations are best left to professionals. Wexman, as a shadow assassin, was the best choice among those he knew.


    �����������C


    Meanwhile,


    Inside a mansion in Meist County City, in a subterranean hall.


    ��High Priest, the latest news: the Imperial Southern Naval Fleet has defeated the Sea God Sect and most pirate gangs near the waters of Meist County,�� the monk Lamar respectfully reported to the obese figure seated before him.


    ��Hmm? Weren��t they engaged in back-and-forth battles with the Imperial Navy before? How come they were suddenly defeated this time?�� The High Priest sounded clearly surprised.


    ��This�� we still don��t know the exact details; we are currently awaiting further intelligence,�� said Lamar.


    ��And what about the Governor of Fishing Port Town, Rein? Did the Sea God Sect manage to kill him amidst the chaos?�� the obese High Priest suddenly asked.


    ��This�� from the battle reports sent to Meist, we haven��t seen that happen,�� Lamar delicately said.


    ��So, the plan to have the Sea God Sect assassinate him has failed again?�� murmured the High Priest. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lamar��s head hung even lower, not knowing what to say to the High Priest��s remark.


    Just then, another monk appeared at the hall entrance, hands holding a letter.


    Lamar gestured for him to bring it in.


    This sealed letter likely contained the latest news.


    He opened the letter quickly, glancing at it, his expression froze, and he stammered slightly, unsure of how to relay the news.


    ��Just speak up, don��t beat around the bush,�� the seated obese High Priest, noticing Lamar��s hesitation, commanded.


    ��Uh�� High Priest, according to the latest intelligence, it seems that Rein captured the deputy leader of the Black Sails Pirates and an envoy of the Sea God Sect, which led the Imperial Southern Naval Fleet to find the hidden bases of the major pirate gangs and the Sea God Sect.��


    ��What? So, you mean to say that not only did nothing happen to him on his trip to Fishing Port Town but he also managed to accumulate more merit by wiping out the Sea God Sect and the pirates?�� His narrow eyes twitched slightly in reaction.


    Could there be anything more absurd?


    They had hoped the Sea God Sect would kill Rein, but now it seemed Rein had used the Imperial Navy to overturn the Sea God Sect entirely!


    Adding yet another brilliant stroke to his record!


    A brief silence fell in the subterranean hall.


    ��This won��t do, we cannot let Rein continue to grow stronger. At some point, he will inevitably act against us,�� the High Priest stated, unable to contain himself any longer. His corpulent body rose from the large chair, pacing back and forth in the hall.


    ��Lamar, do you have any suggestions?��


    The monk Lamar pondered carefully, then cautiously suggested,


    ��Uh�� this�� High Priest, the only sure method I can think of is to lure him into the next Black Flame ritual and use the ritual��s power to eliminate him.��


    ��That��s a method that��s certainly guaranteed to kill him.��

 Chapter 479 - 220 The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 479: Chapter 220 The First Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Just that moment, several methods flashed through Lamar��s mind, but he quickly dismissed each one.


    Because the aforementioned methods couldn��t guarantee that they would definitely kill Rein.


    Of course, this might also be because Rein had thwarted their assassination attempts too many times, instilling a sense of wariness in him.


    But utilizing the moment in the ritual when the God of Hunting, Luen��s slight oppressiveness descends, was bound to kill the opponent.


    ��This is indeed a method, but the problem is, how can we lure Rein into the ritual?��


    ��Additionally, if he discovers something amiss beforehand and causes a major disturbance, the ritual itself risks being interrupted,�� the chief priest��s beady eyes flickered for a moment as he spoke hesitantly. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Because only after the ritual had officially begun would the slight oppressiveness of the God of Hunting descend.


    And if the opponent noticed something was amiss before that, all their efforts would be in vain.


    ��Lord Chief Priest, I think we can have Baron Alonso hold a grand noble banquet right above the site of the ritual����


    �����������C


    Three days later.


    Fishing Port Town administrative office training ground.


    Knight continued to hold his tower shield, swiftly dodging and advancing forward.


    Meanwhile, Rein pulled his silvery-gray metallic great bow to full draw, shooting a training arrow at Knight like lightning.


    In an instant, Knight��s muscles bulged, his upper body tilted forward, and he positioned the thick tower shield in front of him.


    ��Bang!��


    A sound akin to striking a bell rang out!


    The blunt-headed training arrow instantly shattered, its wooden shaft splintering; the tremendous impact halted Knight, who was holding the tower shield, in his tracks and momentarily paralyzed him on the spot.


    Immediately after, Rein rapidly fired another arrow, and then another, overwhelming Knight who could hardly fight back.


    Just after five minutes, Knight was gasping for breath, appearing utterly drained.


    Knight gazed at Rein, his eyes filled with astonishment!


    He now somewhat understood Lord Rein��s frighteningly rapid rate of progress, no, it was terrifying!


    From initially being able to exchange blows, to now becoming practically a live target, all this had happened in just three days!


    In these three days, Rein��s Blood Fury Archery had sharply improved, stepping into level 4 this morning and establishing a certain level of long-distance fighting capability.


    This level of mastery in archery, if used against knight-ranked enemies, would no longer pose a problem. However, if facing Great Knight-ranked enemies, there was still some gap.


    However, at present, his training partner Knight could no longer keep up with his progress.


    If Rein were to go easy, he certainly could allow Knight to stick around a little longer, but the Experience he could gain in Blood Fury Archery would plummet. In that case, the training would lose its meaning.


    Rein was contemplating whether to let Cobert join in as well, so the brothers could train together, which might be better.


    However, Rein slightly shook his head after a moment of thought. Administrative duties in Fishing Port Town such as routine patrols needed someone in charge; it was not suitable to have both brothers serve as sparring partners.


    Besides, although the brothers coordinated well together, they could likely only help him train up to Blood Fury Archery level 5; advancing further than that was unlikely.


    Rein seemed to be out of good ideas for the moment.


    ��Thud, thud, thud!��


    At that moment, two unexpected people appeared at the doorway of the training room.


    Lord Reine turned his head and couldn��t help but be startled.


    He saw Trevo from the Leviathan Team and Nathaniel, both smiling faintly as they stood at the entrance.


    ��Lord Reine, we meet again,�� Trevo said with a smile.


    ��Ah, what brings you two to Fishing Port Town again? Is there a new assignment?�� Lord Reine asked with a hint of curiosity.


    The two exchanged glances, their smiles broadening, ��You could say that it��s an assignment.��


    ��Lord Reine, this time I am here on a mission from above to teach you the witchcraft ��Sharpness Technique.��


    ��Lord Reine, I never expected that aside from being an extremely talented Great Knight, you are also a Wizard Apprentice. It feels like the Goddess��s favor is all concentrated on you,�� Trevo said with a slightly envious tone.


    At that time, Trevo was indeed shocked when he heard that Lord Reine was also a Wizard Apprentice.


    Upon hearing this, Lord Reine couldn��t help but smile. He hadn��t expected the Imperial Navy to act so swiftly this time.


    It seemed General Xilva must have played a significant role.


    Of course, it might also be due to Captain Baron. As the captain of a special department��s team, Baron��s influence was not to be underestimated.


    ��Welcome, both of you. I had thought the Imperial Navy would send someone else. It seems, then, that the fleet��s operations have concluded?��


    ��That��s not the case. Captain Baron��s injuries will take about ten days to fully heal, so our team is in a temporary rest state,�� Nathaniel explained.


    Lord Reine nodded, understanding the situation. Otherwise, sending two combat team members for this task would have been most unreasonable; without these two, the Leviathan Team��s combat effectiveness would be greatly impacted.


    ��Of course, we both volunteered for this mission,�� they added.


    ��Also, there is another matter,�� Trevo began, looking around and then stopping.


    Realizing the situation, Lord Reine turned to Cobert and said, ��Cobert, let��s stop here for today.��


    ��As you command, my lord,�� Cobert responded, indeed feeling quite exhausted.


    ��Please follow me. Let��s talk in my office.��


    The trio then proceeded to Lord Reine��s office and took their seats.


    ��Lord Reine, according to the latest news, the Federation Witchery Curses Master we encountered that day, the intelligence department has already clarified his identity��Nehru, a formal member of the ��Leviathan Team�� of the Eagle Federation Navy, characteristically paranoid���� Trevo detailed.


    ��Oh, the setup of squad units in the Eagle Federation is somewhat different from ours here in the Empire.��


    ��They have around 5-7 members per team, and each member oversees a varying number of followers. Thus, their team resembles a combination of four to five of our teams,�� Nathaniel added.


    Lord Reine nodded, making sense of the information.


    Otherwise, if a team was comprised solely of members as difficult as Nehru, that team��s combat effectiveness would be exaggerated, and the Leviathan Team surely wouldn��t be a match for them.


    ��Based on the intelligence department��s assessment, several formal members of the Leviathan Team have already arrived at the coast of Mingster Province, seemingly to carry out a special mission,��


    ��Additionally, based on divination and psychological profiling of Nehru, it is possible that he might take this opportunity to seek revenge on you, Lord Reine. Therefore, Captain Baron had us come here first.��


    Hearing this, Lord Reine understood why the two had come to Fishing Port Town together; not only to teach him the ��Sharpness Technique�� witchcraft but also to prepare against potential revenge from the opponent.


    ��Thank you both, and please convey my thanks to Captain Baron as well.��


    ��You��re too courteous, Lord Reine. Also, if you are free, I can teach you the Sharpness Technique right now,�� Trevo said, slightly bowing.


    ��Then please, proceed, Lord Trevo,�� Lord Reine said, unable to suppress a smile.

 Chapter 480 - 221: Storm Crow (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 480: Chapter 221: Storm Crow (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    At that moment, there was suddenly the sound of boots ��tapping�� outside the door. Upon hearing it, Rein��s ears twitched; it was Major Maryka��s footsteps.


    ��Thud Thud Thud!��


    ��Come in!��


    As expected, the one who opened the door was Maryka, clad in a fitted navy uniform.


    Maryka had intended to say something, but the presence of the two members of the Fish-Dragon Squad caught her off guard, causing her to hesitate momentarily. However, she quickly put on a bright smile and said,


    ��It seems that the two gentlemen from the Fish-Dragon Squad are much quicker in action than I had anticipated, Lord Reine. It looks like there is no need for me to relay the message from the fleet anymore.��


    ...


    ��Indeed, that��s the case, Major Maryka,�� Rein said with a smile.


    ��Gentlemen, I shall not interrupt your conversation any further.�� Major Maryka smiled and then turned to leave.


    She left behind a silhouette with the broad curves of a pencil skirt uniform, prompting Trevo and Nathaniel to exchange a look before turning to Rein and chuckling. ��Lord Reine, it appears that Major Maryka, the ��Flower of the Sixth Fleet�� of the Imperial Navy, is quite concerned about you.��


    ��Hmm?�� Rein glanced at the two men, noticed their knowing looks, and couldn��t help but be slightly taken aback before he shook his head in denial, ��Gentlemen, there��s nothing going on between Major Maryka and me.��


    ��We merely have a professional relationship.��


    ��Haha, Lord Reine, there may be nothing now, but it doesn��t mean there won��t be anything in the future,�� Trevo said with a wink and a laugh.


    ��Trevo, since Lord Reine does not wish to discuss this topic, let��s get down to business first,�� Nathaniel suggested, his teasing gaze eliciting a wry smile from Reine.


    ��Indeed!��


    ��Lord Reine, before I teach you the ��Sharpness Technique��, I will need you to sign this confidentiality agreement.�� Trevo took out a thin sheepskin scroll that emitted a faint energy fluctuation and handed it to Reine.


    ��Of course.�� Reine nodded and began to examine it closely.


    The items listed on the scroll were various prohibitions, like ��Without the consent of the Imperial Navy, no witchcraft or Extraordinary Battle Technique obtained from the Imperial Navy may be disclosed to others, limited to personal practice and use����


    The faint energy fluctuation seemed to be from some form of witchcraft spell.


    Soon enough, Rein picked up a quill and swiftly signed his name.


    After signing, he keenly sensed that the energy fluctuation was undergoing a subtle change and was establishing some kind of connection with his own spiritual power fluctuation, likely due to the spell on the sheepskin scroll being triggered.


    Seeing this, Trevo smiled, handing over another pale yellow beastskin scroll to Reine, ��Lord Reine, this contains the introduction and witchcraft model of the ��Sharpness Technique��. Take a look at it, and later we can discuss it further.��


    ��Alright, thank you, Trevo,�� Rein replied with a smile.


    After seeing the two men out, Rein carefully perused the beastskin scroll.


    After reviewing it several times, he realized that the complexity of envisioning the witchcraft model for the new metal-based ��Sharpness Technique�� was similar to that of the fire-based ��Scorching Touch��, not overly difficult.


    As Rein had already mastered three spells����Scorching Touch��, ��High-Temperature Force Field��, and ��Scorching Touch����he did not encounter much difficulty when learning this new metal-based witchcraft. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    About half an hour later, after failing five or six times, Rein succeeded in his first attempt!


    The Glimmering Greatsword he held shimmered on the surface with a sudden and slightly dazzling silver radiance, different from the prickling kind of light, more akin to a flowing waterlike halo.


    At that moment, the light flowed over the surface of the greatsword like liquid silver, quite beautiful.


    Then, the system prompt followed:


    [You have studied the Sharpness Technique; comprehension has increased!]


    [You have grasped a new Skill��Sharpness Technique]


    [Your Skill, Sharpness Technique, has improved, Experience +1]


    ��.


    Simultaneously, on the Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) panel, next to the icon for Scorching Touch, a new icon appeared.


    The frame of the icon lit up slightly, and the icon itself displayed an image of a glowing handleless blade, surrounded by multiple short lines symbolizing sharpness.


    Rein focused his attention on the new icon, which had a line of small text underneath.


    Sharpness Technique lv1 (1/100)


    Sharpness Technique lv1 effect: Consumes a certain amount of spiritual power to manipulate nearby metal energy particles with a specific witchcraft model, enhancing the sharpness of a designated metal weapon for approximately one minute.


    (Note: Casting time is 3 seconds, and the power is proportional to the caster��s spiritual power.)


    After some thought, Rein took down a decorative steel shield from the wall of his room and gently swept his sword across it.


    A sensation of cutting into tough leather emanated from the greatsword��s hilt.


    Even though he had anticipated it, Rein��s eyes still narrowed in surprise at the effectiveness of the Sharpness Technique; it was better than he had expected.


    He recalled the scene when he sparred with Trevo a few days ago and realized the Sharpness Technique that Trevo had used, although quick, did not seem to have such a potent effect.


    Could it be because of his metal element affinity that he achieved a better effect than what Trevo had demonstrated?


    That must be it, Rein concluded with a nod.


    With a light wave of his hand, Rein canceled the new witchcraft and then channeled his Great Knight��s primal force into the Glimmering Greatsword, causing it to emit a faint luminescence.

 Chapter 481 - 221: Storm Crow (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 481: Chapter 221: Storm Crow (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    The effects wrought by the primal force paled in comparison to the ornate and dazzling silver glow of the ��Sharpness Technique�� of witchcraft.


    At this moment, Rein placed the greatsword flat on the desk, folding his arms as he began to ponder.


    By now, he had realized the differences in the application of the primal force infusion in comparison to the witchcraft ��Sharpness Technique�� when used on weapons.


    Setting aside the question of power for the moment, even just in terms of duration, there was a fundamental difference between the two.


    Once the output of primal force ceased, the enhancing effect on the greatsword would naturally dissipate instantly, but the Sharpness Technique��s effect lasted a full minute.


    Thus, if an Archer were to use arrows, while primal force could also be used to enhance the metal arrowheads, the effect would vanish as soon as the arrows were shot and left the hand, as the primal force couldn��t be maintained.


    ...


    But the Sharpness Technique was different; it could last a minute, making it far more applicable to arrows, throwing weapons, and similar situations than Rein��s current level of primal force enhancement.


    Furthermore��


    A thought suddenly struck Rein.


    He grasped the greatsword again, first chanting and casting the ��Sharpness Technique�� of witchcraft; once the greatsword lit up with the rippling silver halo, Rein continued to infuse the greatsword with primal force.


    On the surface of the blade, in addition to the layer looking like a silver membrane, another layer of faint fluorescence was now superimposed.


    This made Rein nod to himself in approval. Indeed, it was possible to apply a double enhancement.


    As for the effect?


    Out of curiosity, Rein immediately swiped the greatsword, now enhanced with both the ��Sharpness Technique�� and the Great Knight��s primal force, across a steel shield. Instantly, he felt a sensation similar to cutting through butter transfer from the hilt.


    Hiss!


    It was incredibly sharp!


    Gazing at the smooth cut as if made by a cutter, Rein��s pupils constricted. He knew he hadn��t used much strength, but the result was far beyond his expectation.


    This made him stand in place, his thoughts flickering as he pondered.


    After a while, a knock on the door was heard.


    ��Come in!��


    There stood Trevo at the doorway, smiling as he spoke, ��Lord Rein, are we ready to start learning the Sharpness Technique now?��


    ��Based on the difficulty of learning the Sharpness Technique, I��ve tentatively planned for ten days of progressive learning and practice, each session lasting about two hours,�� he continued.


    ��Of course, Lord Rein, if you encounter any problems during this period, we can extend the number of teaching days,�� Trevo added.


    ��I think I��ll be in Fishing Port Town for the coming period,�� he concluded.


    Rein was slightly startled by Trevo��s words.


    Although Trevo spoke politely, saying that the training could be extended if ten days weren��t enough, the problem was, Rein had already mastered the Sharpness Technique.


    As soon as he successfully cast it once, the system would prompt him, and he would naturally master the witchcraft.


    This presented a bit of a conundrum for Rein. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What was beneficial to others was simply a waste of time for him.


    Of course, he could choose to hide this fact and slowly learn the Sharpness Technique with Trevo, but there was a saying, ��wasting time is wasting life.��


    At that moment, Rein inadvertently noticed the brown greatbow Trevo carried on his back and had an idea.


    Rein smiled and said, ��Thank you, Lord Trevo. However, I would prefer if you could teach me the Sharpness Technique in conjunction with archery.��


    ��In our previous battle, the arrows embellished with the ��Sharpness Technique�� you used left a deep impression on me.��


    Rein��s words hit the mark with Trevo.


    After all, no marksman would refuse praise for their archery skills.


    Trevo��s already smiling face bloomed like a chrysanthemum, and he readily agreed, ��Of course, Lord Rein.��


    Soon after, the two arrived in the training room, where Trevo began to demonstrate the casting of witchcraft ��Sharpness Technique�� while holding and notching an arrow.


    Although Trevo found it strange that the questions Rein asked were mostly about archery rather than the ��Sharpness Technique,�� he still answered them readily.


    Another half an hour passed��


    Even the slow-witted Trevo started to feel that Rein seemed more interested in his archery skills than the witchcraft, so he finally realized what Rein��s main goal was��to learn how to improve his archery.


    After a moment of hesitation, Trevo seriously said, ��Lord Rein, it��s clear that you are very interested in archery. In that case, in the next few days, perhaps I could teach you some training methods.��


    ��These methods are applicable regardless of which type of Extraordinary Battle Technique for archery you intend to practice.��


    Rein smiled and nodded at once, saying, ��Lord Trevo, that would be excellent.��


    ��Lord Rein, what do you think is the most important aspect for an Archer to hit a moving target?�� Trevo asked seriously.


    When it came to archery, Trevo became much more earnest.


    His question caused Rein to fall into contemplation.


    Clearly, the answer wouldn��t be attributes related to physical qualities like strength or agility. Could it be eyesight?


    After a brief reflection, Rein shook his head slightly.


    Although keen vision helped in identifying distant targets, if the target was moving, merely seeing it clearly was obviously not sufficient.


    All of a sudden, a term sprang to Rein��s mind.

 Chapter 482 - 221 Storm Raven (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 482: Chapter 221 Storm Raven (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Rein tentatively answered, ��Lord Trevo, is it prediction?��


    Trevo looked at Rein with an appreciative gaze and said, ��Lord Rein, your wisdom is truly breathtaking.��


    ��You know, when my archery teacher once asked me this question, I pondered over it for a long time and answered incorrectly several times before figuring it out. I didn��t expect you to get it right on your first try.��


    ��It is prediction!��


    ��Unlike shooting a stationary object, hitting a moving target at a distance requires predicting its direction and speed in advance. The greater the distance, the more crucial the prediction is.��


    Rein nodded; he understood this point, having heard the saying ��A miss by an inch could lead to a failure of a thousand miles�� in his former life.


    ...


    If the prediction is wrong from the start, the arrow will deviate slightly at the beginning, and as it travels farther, the deviation could eventually be measured in meters, or even tens of meters.


    ��Lord Rein, based on the demonstration just now, I��ve noticed that you already have a solid foundation in archery, and your physical condition is very strong in all aspects. Thus, we can directly proceed to the subsequent training,�� said Trevo.


    ��Let��s start the first training now, shooting the Gold Coin.��


    Trevo smiled and took out an imperial Gold Coin from his pocket, flicked it with his thumbnail, and the shiny coin tumbled through the air, landing back in Trevo��s palm after two seconds.


    ��In a moment, I will flick the coin into the air from thirty meters away, and Lord Rein, you will need to hit it before it hits the ground. If your accuracy exceeds ninety percent, then you will have completed the first training session.��


    Rein nodded.


    This pure skill training was more to his liking.


    Clearly, the training content of shooting the Gold Coin did not require much strength, but it demanded a high level of eyesight and prediction.


    ��Lord Rein, please be prepared, I am going to start,�� Trevo announced from a distance.


    ��Ding!��


    As Trevo flicked the coin into mid-air.


    ��Whoosh!��


    Rein quickly drew his bow and shot!


    Unfortunately, he didn��t hit the coin on his first try, but the arrow wasn��t far off.


    After several more arrows, Rein subtly grasped the pattern of the coin��s velocity as it fell from its peak.


    In less than ten minutes, Rein started hitting the target occasionally.


    Half an hour later, his accuracy was close to fifty percent.


    Two hours later, his hit rate had reached over 90%.


    This pleasantly surprised Trevo; he hadn��t expected Rein to be so talented with the bow and arrow.


    ��Very good, Lord Rein, your training progress shows you have remarkable archery talent. Now it��s time to increase the difficulty. I will increase the distance to fifty meters,�� Trevo said.


    ��However, we can take a short break first.��


    After a moment��s thought, Rein nodded and said, ��All right, Lord Trevo.��


    At that moment, Trevo glanced at the Dual-Handed Greatsword and Two-Handed Warhammer Rein was carrying on his back, and the metal greatbow he was still holding, and his face showed contemplation. Hesitating for a moment, he said:


    ��Lord Rein, don��t you think you are carrying too many weapons, which must greatly reduce your speed?��


    ��Yes, does Lord Trevo have any solution?�� Rein, sensing that Trevo might have a solution for this vexing issue, quickly inquired with a stir of interest.


    ��I just remembered that last year, when we were operating with a team of Sword Bearers, their captain used a rare metal-based witchcraft to transform metal. He turned a Longsword into a metal round shield in just a few seconds.��


    ��So, I was thinking, if you learned that witchcraft, it might be more convenient for you, at least you could carry just one of either the Dual-Handed Greatsword or the Two-Handed Warhammer.��


    ��If the bowstring issue could be resolved, you might only need to carry the weight of one weapon in metal.��


    ��Is there such witchcraft?�� Rein asked excitedly after hearing this.


    He quickly asked, ��Does the imperial navy have this witchcraft?��


    After all, there were still more than twenty days until the Sword Bearer assessment, and even if he joined successfully, he wouldn��t be able to exchange for this witchcraft immediately.


    Considering the navy��s special unit, the Wave Steppers, he would need to complete a mission of a certain difficulty level, receive an evaluation, and then could exchange for items of corresponding grade.


    If the navy had it, that would be best, perhaps he would have a chance to obtain this witchcraft.


    ��Yes, Lord Rein, I am certain of this,�� Trevo affirmed.


    ��Unfortunately, the special items exchange catalog on the navy side does not have it, I��m sorry to disappoint you,�� Trevo shook his head and said.


    This left Rein feeling somewhat disappointed.


    ��By the way, Lord Rein, you are about to head to Mingster for the ��Sword Bearer�� organization��s assessment, aren��t you?�� Trevo changed the subject and asked.


    ��Exactly, Lord Trevo, are you also interested in the Sword Bearer organization?�� Rein curiously asked.


    ��Haha, Lord Rein, I participated in the Sword Bearer assessment four years ago and was not selected, that��s how I ended up with the imperial navy��s Wave Steppers,��


    Rein raised his eyebrows; he hadn��t expected Trevo to have also participated in the Sword Bearer selection and been rejected. However��is the Sword Bearer assessment really that difficult?


    Shouldn��t be!


    Could a Great Knight also be rejected? S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Hmm? Could Lord Trevo elaborate a bit? As far as I know, the Sword Bearer assessment shouldn��t be so difficult. Could it be that someone of your status as a Great Knight archer also got rejected?��

 Chapter 483 - 221: Storm Crow (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 483: Chapter 221: Storm Crow (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Trevo shook his head with a wry smile, ��Lord Reine, at that time, I was merely a senior knight. Although my archery wasn��t bad, I hadn��t even passed the preliminary round.��


    ��Preliminary round?��


    ��Eh? Lord Reine, have you not looked into it thoroughly?�� This time, it was Trevo��s turn to be surprised.


    However, he quickly smiled and said, ��Well, with your strength, you need not worry about the preliminary round. For you, the main exam is what��s critical.��


    ��This�� if it��s convenient, Lord Trevo, could you perhaps talk about this preliminary round and main exam?��


    Upon hearing Lord Reine ask this, Trevo seemed to realize something. He looked at Reine with an extremely surprised expression, nodded, and said, ��Of course.��


    ...


    ��The Sword Bearer organization��s assessment is divided into the preliminary round and the main exam. After passing the preliminary round, one officially becomes a Sword Bearer, considered a rare talent in the empire. However, only those who pass the main exam receive significant nurturing from the empire, the elites among elites.��


    ��Put it this way, Lord Reine, you can consider those in the preliminary round as ordinary team members, while those who pass the main exam are of captain-level. After the corresponding intensive training, those who pass the main exam can select members from the preliminary round to form a team.��


    ��Regarding the teams, as Lord Reine might have heard, the Sword Bearers also use a team mode to execute missions. The captain not only has the right to allocate the team��s spoils but also has a range of other priorities.��


    ��By the way, the pass rate for the main exam is extremely low, about one-tenth of the preliminary round.��


    Reine nodded.


    It seemed that he needed to improve his strength as much as possible before participating in the Sword Bearer��s assessment.


    ��


    For two consecutive days, Reine had been practicing archery with Trevo.


    He was now trying to hit a gold coin from a hundred meters away.


    Through these days of practice, Reine��s Blood Fury Archery had also made great strides, just recently advancing to Lv5!


    And Reine, his understanding of prediction was growing more profound by the moment. Suddenly, he seemed to have pierced through a certain ��paper window.��


    At that moment, the system notification appeared:


    [Congratulations! You have experienced an epiphany, unlocking a long-range Combat Skill additional effect: Precise Aim Lv1 (Passive)]


    [Precise Aim Lv1 (Passive) effects: You have a preliminary judgment on the movement trajectory of your enemies and a basic understanding of the weapons in their hands. You can precisely control the impact point of each strike, slightly reducing the chances of your opponent dodging your attacks.]


    (Note: Precise Aim is an additional effect of long-range Combat Skills, which will be automatically unlocked under the right conditions.)


    A long-range effect, huh? Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Quickly, Reine saw a small line of text below the ��Blood Fury Archery�� icon on the Weapon Master (Legendary) profession panel:


    Blood Fury Archery Lv5 (112/2000), with added effect ��Precise Aim Lv1��.


    (Note: To unlock Precise Aim Lv2 in Blood Fury Archery, the following conditions must be met: Blood Fury Archery Lv7 or higher; Strength 16 points, Agility 20 points, Constitution 18 points or more.)


    ��


    �����������C


    A few kilometers from Meister County Fishing Port Town, on the coast.


    Two individuals slowly walked ashore from the sea, the leader a gaunt man in leather armor, with two daggers emitting a bloody glow hanging on either side of his waist. It was Wexman, whom Nehru had requested.


    Directly behind him, a step away, was a statuesque woman dressed in a black robe.


    The two emerged from the water, completely dry, without a trace of moisture.


    If someone had been swimming in the sea just now, they would have seen that the two were previously enveloped in bubbles under the surface of the water.


    ��Zenina, check the defensive strength of Fishing Port Town, and try to locate that Reine. I think, barring any accidents, he should be either in the administration office or patrolling the main streets,�� Wexman said, turning to his robed follower.


    In fact, among the entire Leviathan Team, Wexman had the fewest followers, directly related to his combat style.


    His only companion was this maid��a relatively rare Grade 3 Shadow Wizard Apprentice specializing in Raven Manipulation Arts, Shadow Curses, and so forth.


    Basically, once this female Wizard Apprentice named Zenina identified the target, Wexman was set to make his move.


    ��At your command, sir,�� she said.


    Zenina then quietly began chanting a spell. As the energy fluctuated and radiated, soon a significant number of unusually large ravens gathered around them. These ravens were almost indistinguishable from ordinary ravens.


    Except that their size was at least twice that of regular ravens.


    These were special ravens, Storm Ravens, adept at moving in groups. Once amassed in sufficient numbers, they dared to attack predators and were even capable of tracking and locating tasks when dispersed.


    Soon, hundreds of Storm Ravens soared into the sky, heading towards Fishing Port Town a few kilometers away.


    ��


    Inside Fishing Port Town.


    Suddenly, a series of ��caw-caw�� sounds came from the horizon.


    Many residents couldn��t help but look up, only to see a flock of dark ravens flying overhead.


    Quickly, the ravens dispersed, seemingly searching for something.


    At the administration office entrance, two guards were chatting idly.


    Suddenly, one guard pointed towards a rooftop and said, ��Eh, Jeff, did you see that big black bird? Looks like a raven, but it seems much larger than usual.��


    ��Indeed, it must be a raven, but such large ravens are indeed rare.��


    ��Eh, there��s another one here.��


    ��And over there too.��


    ��This����


    Both guards exchanged glances, seeing a hint of concern in each other��s eyes. Something seemed�� off!

 Chapter 484 - 222: Night Raid (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 484: Chapter 222: Night Raid (Two-in-One Big Chapter)


    After a moment of thought, one guard said to his companion, ��Jeff, go and report to Lady Vinica immediately. She is a master in the field of birds and should know if there is any problem.��


    ��Alright, I��m on it,�� the young guard named Jeff replied. The thought of the beautiful lady who could control the white seagulls warmed his heart, and he turned to report to her right away.


    Actually, even without the young man��s report, Vinica had already encountered a fight in the backyard of the administrative hall with a Blood Feathered Horned Eagle chick named ��Blood Feather�� and Storm Crows.


    It was ��Blood Feather�� who first noticed the sudden appearance of the Storm Crows around them. Although it was still a chick, as a naturally ferocious species, it had learned to fly the day before yesterday.


    Thus, naturally, it considered the skies above the administrative hall where its master, Lord Reine, resided and even those above Fishing Port Town as its own territory.


    Upon seeing so many Storm Crows invading, Blood Feather immediately launched an attack at one of the Storm Crows.


    ...


    At first, Vinica didn��t notice anything amiss, thinking they were just some kind of crow or perhaps a mutated version.


    It was not until Blood Feather decisively defeated a Storm Crow of similar size that the others quickly gathered more than ten Storm Crows, which instantly alarmed Vinica.


    While enhancing Blood Feather��s defensive power with a Water Membrane Technique, she observed them more carefully and soon discovered something unusual about these crows.


    Vinica found out that these crows were the rare Storm Crows, which did not have any habitat near the Meister County, nor in the entire Mingster Province.


    The origin of the Storm Crows was Storm Gulf, located thousands of kilometers away from here.


    Another point was, the expressions in the eyes of these Storm Crows seemed rigid, as if they were under some kind of control or surveillance witchcraft, which immediately put Vinica on alert.


    The enemy was spying!


    Almost without further thought, Vinica immediately ran to the training room because she knew that both Lord Reine and Lord Trevo were exchanging bow techniques there for the past few days.


    In midair, empowered by the ��Water Membrane Technique,�� Blood Feather fearlessly confronted the more than ten Storm Crows again, causing black feathers to frequently fall from the sky.


    ��


    ��Thump thump thump!��


    The urgent knocking interrupted the bow technique lesson between Reine and Trevo.


    The girl with twin ponytails quickly walked in, anxiously saying, ��Lord Reine, Lord Trevo, you must come quickly. There is a Wizard Apprentice controlling Storm Crows to spy on us nearby.��


    Hmm?


    The two glanced at each other and immediately followed Vinica out of the training room.


    As they walked, the girl quickly said:


    ��I just saw it, around the administrative hall, at least ten or more Storm Crows.��


    ��Storm Crows?�� Trevo frowned, seemingly recalling something.


    ��They are often controlled by wizards for attacking and spying. This means there��s likely a third-level Wizard Apprentice specializing in negative energy nearby controlling these Storm Crows,�� Vinica explained. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the three reached the backyard of the administrative hall, Nathaniel also just arrived. They saw Blood Feather still engaged in a ��battle�� with the hen-sized Storm Crows.


    Although Blood Feather was at a disadvantage, it was not injured thanks to Vinica��s ��Water Membrane Technique.�� It remained energetic, pecking and clawing at its opponents.


    Upon seeing this, Reine noted in admiration that it truly was typical of the specialized combatant Blood Feathered Horned Eagle, a chick that had only come out of its eggshell a few days ago, yet already possessed such combat strength.


    Trevo instinctively took his longbow from behind, ready to eliminate the group of Storm Crows.


    Just as Trevo was about to draw an arrow and shoot, Reine stopped him, turned with a smile, and said, ��Lord Trevo, as a master archer, perhaps stay on guard against the potential enemy nearby.��


    ��Leave these crows to me; it��s a good chance to test my recent archery training,�� Reine added.


    Upon hearing this, Trevo also felt that the potential enemy posed the greatest threat and promptly nodded, agreeing, ��Alright!��


    Reine quickly took a sharp arrow and aimed his bow at a Storm Crow assaulting ��Blood Feather.�� With a ��swish�� sound, the arrow instantly hit a hen-sized Storm Crow.


    Seeing its master join the fray, ��Blood Feather�� couldn��t help but crow loudly, its morale greatly boosted!


    Following the successful attack, Reine��s hands moved like playing a string instrument, rapidly drawing arrows, nocking, and shooting, each movement fluid and graceful.


    More crucially, through recent training, Reine had gained insight into predicting movements in archery, observing the flight trajectory of the Storm Crows just long enough to grasp it.


    Meanwhile, the dozen Storm Crows had gathered together, attacking Blood Feather, creating ideal shooting conditions for Reine.


    For a while, Reine��s arrows hardly missed.


    ��Swish! Swish! Swish!��


    After seven or eight consecutive arrows, the Storm Crows finally realized that their numbers were dwindling!


    Quickly, they became aware that someone on the ground was attacking them, and in a burst of instinctive, shrill crowing, a clamor arose.

 Chapter 485 - 222: Night Raid (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 485: Chapter 222: Night Raid (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2


    All the storm crows from Fishing Port Town had been mobilized, and a large mass of over a hundred storm crows began to gather in a dense, dark cloud above the town hall.


    These storm crows flapped their wings vigorously, quickly flying in circles, and Rein could vaguely make out the shape of the air currents swirling, seemingly with the tendency to form into a tornado.


    Indeed, there are no wrong nicknames, only wrong names.


    It seemed that the ��storm�� in storm crows wasn��t just for show.


    Seeing this, Rein, worried for Blood Feather��s safety, immediately summoned it back.


    However, as Rein watched the large group of storm crows circling in the sky, his heart grew even calmer and his hands didn��t stop for an instant as they continued to draw arrows, notch the bow, aim, and shoot, with the whole set of actions becoming even faster.


    ...


    In a short while, his shooting speed reached its current peak.


    Vaguely, Rein felt that he had begun to grasp a certain knack of the secret technique����Rapid Continuous Shooting����within the Blood Fury Archery.


    ��Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!��


    Rein��s arrows were rhythmically shot, with the intervals between the twangs of the bowstring almost fixed, giving the bystanders the impression of a musical instrument being played.


    Meanwhile, Vinica and Nathaniel, who were intending to start chanting their spells, paused their incantations, surprised, and turned their gaze to Rein.


    Vinica��s pretty face showed confusion; she hadn��t expected Rein��s archery to be so strong.


    Because when she had faced the Federation��s Witchery Curses Master with Lord Reine before, she hadn��t seen him execute such formidable archery; otherwise, that battle could have been even easier.


    Nathaniel, knowing that his teammate Trevo had been teaching Rein archery these past few days and having occasionally watched the training, was even more astonished by how quickly Rein��s archery skills had improved.


    Rein��s archery had taken a qualitative leap compared to just a few days ago! S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under Rein��s precise and rapid shooting offensive, in less than a minute, the large mass of storm crows that had been a dense cloud had thinned out and started fleeing in all directions.


    As for the tornado that was about to form at the start, it was now interrupted due to the dispersal of the storm crow flock!


    The skies above the town hall of Fishing Port Town cleared completely, with the winter sunlight shining down, making Rein, holding a golden metal bow, look like a dazzling pure gold sculpture.


    And around where Rein stood, due to the storm crows�� earlier stirring of air currents, some fallen black feathers were spiraling in midair, faintly forming ring patterns, encircling Rein.


    ��Lord Reine, nice shooting,�� Trevo couldn��t help but raise a thumb and praised.


    As a sharpshooter, Trevo was very aware of how difficult it was to achieve Rein��s level.


    Even if he were to take the shot, the killing efficiency wouldn��t be much higher than Rein��s.


    Rein was slightly stunned as just then, a system prompt appeared:


    [Your Skill Blood Fury Archery has advanced, Experience +1159]


    [You have been through a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Professional Experience Points +118]


    (Note: The above Skill Experience has received a 30% increase from the exclusive talent ��Elementary Extraordinary Understanding.��)


    ��


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique of Blood Fury Archery: Rapid Continuous Shooting!]


    With a 30% Experience bonus from the Weapon Master (Legendary) talent ��Elementary Extraordinary Understanding,�� Blood Fury Archery��s lv5 experience bar had risen dramatically, reaching lv5 (1498/2000).


    If those last twenty or thirty storm crows hadn��t escaped, perhaps Rein could have advanced Blood Fury Archery to lv6 already.


    What caught Rein��s attention now was the last prompt.


    At the same time, memories about the exclusive secret technique of Blood Fury Archery ��Rapid Continuous Shooting�� surfaced in Rein��s mind.


    Huh?


    What is this��


    Seeing the suddenly unlocked secret technique of archery, Rein��s face revealed not only joy but also a hint of surprise.


    Based on his experience with Giant Bear Sword Technique, without ��Sword Specialization,�� secret techniques wouldn��t unlock until lv6.


    Rein promptly saw a brand-new icon located above ��Blood Fury Archery�� in the Weapon Master (Legendary) panel.


    Inside the icon, a bow with a drawn string was depicted, along with an arrow ready to be shot, but what was even more striking was that in front of this arrow, there were three more arrows in mid-flight.


    In the lower right of the icon, there was a line of text:


    Rapid Continuous Shooting lv1 (Secret Technique) Effect: Use a quick and successive method of drawing and shooting arrows to shoot as many arrows as possible in a short time.


    (Note: Rapid Continuous Shooting is a secret technique and cannot be directly advanced through Skill Points.)


    (Rapid Continuous Shooting lv2 requires the following conditions: One, Blood Fury Archery lv8 and above (Bow Specialization can offset some level requirements); Two, Strength 18 points and above, Agility 22 points and above, Constitution 16 points and above.)


    Reading the line ��Bow Specialization can offset some level requirements,�� Rein pondered.


    So that��s how it is!


    No wonder he was able to grasp the secret technique earlier with his Blood Fury Archery at only lv5, the key lay right here.


    This was truly where the value of the Weapon Master (Legendary) profession��s exclusive talent, ��Elementary Weapon Mastery,�� was revealed!


    Immediately, Rein thought of something else.


    In that case, relying on this exclusive talent, he could also master the exclusive secret techniques of other Extraordinary Combat Skills faster and earlier than ordinary people.

 Chapter 486 - 222: Night Raid (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 486: Chapter 222: Night Raid (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3


    �����������C


    As seventy to eighty storm crows met their deaths, Zenina, cloaked in black and many kilometers away, swayed slightly.


    These storm crows had been the subjects of her witchcraft ��Eye of the Crow,�� so at this moment, she experienced a certain degree of witchcraft backlash.


    She frowned and massaged her temples:


    ��Lord Wexman, perhaps I have located that Rein.��


    ��But strangely, he doesn��t match the description you gave me. It seems he��s an archer, and just now, he shot over eighty of my storm crows in a very short amount of time.��


    ...


    ��Hmm? An archer?�� Zenina heard Wexman say, taken aback.


    He knew well, for just two days ago, Nehru had detailed to him that he was dealing with a young Great Knight adept with a Two-Handed Warhammer, not an archer.


    This discrepancy between the intelligence and the reality was quite rare.


    It instantly made the battle-hardened Wexman vigilant.


    At the same time, Wexman thought of something and asked:


    ��Tell me more, how did he discover that there was something wrong with your storm crows?��


    ��As you command, my lord. At the time��.��


    After a series of questions and answers.


    Wexman paced back and forth on the beach for a while, then asked again:


    ��So you��re saying, after he noticed something was off about your storm crows, he started shooting at them with arrows alone? No one else intervened during the entire process?��


    ��Yes, my lord Wexman.��


    ��And are there other persons with him we should be wary of?��


    ��Yes, according to ��Eye of the Crow,�� I preliminarily judge that there are at least two wizard apprentices and another archer with the target.��


    ��Two wizard apprentices and another archer? Their strength is no less than that of an elite squad of the Dragan Empire Navy,�� Wexman blurted out.


    ��Yes, my lord, I too am quite surprised.��


    ��But one of them, a male and a female, performed witchcraft while another male wielded an archery bow; I believe my judgment is correct,�� Zenina confidently stated.


    For a moment, Wexman felt a hint of hesitation.


    Because the situation of the target now greatly differed from what Nehru had described.


    Not only did the target��s preferred weapon differ, but also the strength of the people around the target wasn��t just a novice female wizard apprentice as Nehru had said, but there was an extra archer and another wizard apprentice.


    This situation was somewhat unexpected.


    It wasn��t that he couldn��t forcefully proceed.


    The key issue was, that would be a losing deal.


    He could go in but Nehru would need to pay more!


    ��Zenina, just maintain surveillance on the storm crows from a distance, and the moment the target leaves Fishing Port Town, let me know immediately.��


    ��Also, send a message to that guy Nehru, tell him the current situation, and that if he wants me to intervene, he needs to up the payment. It��s not that I��m raising my price on the spot, but Nehru��s information was wrong, so ask him if two boxes of shadow steel ingots will suffice.��


    ��As you command, my lord!�� Zenina bowed slightly, then took two steps back and began chanting spells.


    �����������C


    Fishing Port Town administrative hall.


    The sudden swarm of crows had alarmed the others in the administrative hall, including Major Mary, who was drafting a letter. They quickly gathered in the courtyard behind the hall.


    Looking at the black feathers scattered across the courtyard, Major Mary knew that the enemy was formidable.


    Soon, they were discussing in Governor Rein��s office.


    ��Nathaniel, Miss Vinica, both experienced wizard apprentices, I ask, can we track the enemy��s location using the storm crows?�� Trevo voluntarily inquired.


    Trevo believed in offense as the best defense and being an archer, he had an advantage against wizards who needed to chant spells and had mediocre defensive power, not fearing even if they were wizards.


    After some thought, both shook their heads.


    ��Trevo, I can��t track, but I can tell that the witchcraft they used must be ��Crow Swarm Summoning�� of the shadow series,�� Nathaniel said, sharing his experienced judgment.


    ��Indeed, Trevo, the enemy uses witchcraft to summon the crows, which are not normally around the caster. This is entirely different from our process of modifying and taming birds,�� Vinica explained after a moment��s thought.


    ��However, judging by the number of crows summoned, the enemy is likely the same as us, probably a third-tier wizard apprentice, not a full-fledged wizard,�� she added.


    Rein nodded.


    Not a full-fledged wizard, but a third-tier wizard apprentice, huh? sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That seemed a bit strange.


    It seemed that the likelihood that the enemy was that Federation Witchery Curses Master from before was not high.


    However, Rein noticed out of the corner of his eye that the usually silent Major Mary was frowning in thought. He then took the initiative to ask:


    ��Major Mary, what do you think about this situation?��


    ��The storm crows you mentioned just now remind me of several reports from the Empire��s Southern Navy where crows were also described.��

 Chapter 487 - 222: Night Raid (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 487: Chapter 222: Night Raid (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Oh, Major Mary, if it��s convenient, please do share,�� Lord Reine raised an eyebrow and said.


    ��Let me think, once was when Brigadier General Chu Kwein of the Fourth Fleet was assassinated, the situation report seemed to have mentioned the appearance of these large ravens.��


    ��The second time was when Brigadier General Bravo of the First Fleet was assassinated, the report also described the presence of black birds.��


    ��As for the third time, I��m a bit unclear.��


    ��So, I believe that this is very likely just a scouting attempt by the enemy, and after that, they will carry out a real attack!��


    Major Mary��s words made everyone��s expression become solemn.


    ...


    If the powerful witchcraft ��Raven Call�� was just an appetizer, one could imagine that the subsequent real attack by the adversary would be very difficult to defend against.


    ��Thanks to Major Mary��s reminder, I recall now that I too had heard that there are a few troublesome individuals within the combat squads of the Eagle Federation Navy, extremely adept at decapitation operations,�� Nathaniel said earnestly.


    ��The Federation Navy? Then they��re in league with that Witchery Curses Master.��


    ��Then the target must definitely be Lord Reine!�� The twin-tailed young girl suddenly thought of something and blurted out.


    The other three immediately turned their gazes towards Reine.


    Reine gave a slight smile and said, ��Don��t worry so much, I��m not that fragile.��


    After pondering for a moment, Reine continued to ask, ��Major Mary, the two brigadier generals you just mentioned should both be of Great Knight strength, right? What were their causes of death?��


    ��Yes, both were killed by blades. According to the autopsy results at the time, they believe it was a dagger, and what��s more, it is said not to be an ordinary dagger because both brigadier generals showed signs of excessive blood loss.��


    ��Moreover, the combat lasted for a very short time. The assassination of Brigadier General Bravo happened in just ten seconds from the cry of alarm until the guard rushed in.��


    With a dagger?


    And a highly experienced fourth-class ship captain lasted less than ten seconds?


    Reine immediately fell into deep thought, his eyes flickering.


    He was considering the situation from the assassin��s perspective, comparing and estimating the killing time to gauge the attacker��s strength.


    Even with a surprise attack, if the adversary continuously dodged or fled, Reine believed it would be difficult for him to eliminate an experienced Great Knight within ten seconds. From this, two points could be inferred. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Firstly, the enemy��s speed was very fast, and secondly, their attack or the dagger had a great deal of power and was difficult to defend against.


    Lastly, the fact that the enemy always used assassination indicated a likelihood that they either did not like or were not skilled at direct combat.


    ��Is there any way to reduce the enemy��s movement speed within a certain area?�� Major Mary seemed to have also thought of the issue Reine was considering and spoke first.


    ��Additionally, if the target is Lord Reine, do any of you have any items that could enhance defensive power?��


    ��Reducing the enemy��s movement speed?�� Trevo looked thoughtful and soon said, ��I don��t have such witchcraft tools, but I do have paralysis poison that I apply to arrowheads, used against large sea beasts.��


    ��Would you like to prepare some, Lord Reine? It��s very effective. A hit from an arrow and it only takes a few seconds to knock down a cow. A large sea beast would require several more arrows.��


    Meanwhile, the twin-tailed young girl hesitantly said, ��I��ve used witchcraft tools that increase defensive power before, so�� could a substitute doll work?��


    ��


    �����������C


    Nighttime.


    On a hidden beach in Fishing Port Town.


    Amidst the crevices of several towering rocks, a bonfire burned.


    Accompanied by the ��crackling�� sound of wood splintering, the sky filled with the flapping of wings as a black raven descended, settling on the shoulder of the robed woman, Zenina.


    Zenina spoke respectfully, ��My lord, Lord Nehru has finally replied. Though reluctant, he has agreed to your request for two chests of shadow steel ingots.��


    ��Zenina, since that��s the case, let��s take a trip there!�� Wexman slowly stood up, smiling as he looked towards the night sky covered in dark clouds, revealing only a faint glimmer of starlight.


    ��At your command, my lord!��


    Zenina followed half a step behind Wexman.


    As the two gradually left the range of the bonfire, their shadows lengthened. Then, their figures completely vanished, as if they had melted into the darkness��

 Chapter 488 - 223: Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 488: Chapter 223: Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Fishing Port Town Administrative Hall.


    Inside a rest room.


    Rein was wiping the ��paralysis poison�� on the Finger Tiger blades embedded in his Knight gauntlets, which was provided by Trevo. On the bed beside him, there lay a gender-indistinct doll made of a special kind of wood.


    The doll was slightly larger than the palm of a hand, its head, torso, and limbs were connected by wood shaped like cylinders, and its face was only marked by a few crude strokes that indicated its mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. It looked rather rough and shoddily made.


    But when Vinica handed Rein the ��substitute doll,�� the envious look in Nathaniel��s eyes told Rein that the ��substitute doll�� Vinica provided was not as simple as it appeared.


    Later, through Nathaniel��s introduction, Rein learned.


    ...


    ��The making of a substitute doll is extremely difficult, requiring a special type of person among official Wizards, colloquially known as ��Doll Masters,�� to create.��


    ��The method of usage is also quite simple, it can either be controlled with spiritual power or you can wrap a strand of the user��s hair or a drop of blood on the substitute doll.��


    ��The substitute doll will, within the next day, transform into the user��s appearance and emit the user��s aura �� even a regular Wizard may find it difficult to notice the difference. The deception is only discovered after an attack.��


    ��Of course, there are limitations to the substitute doll; after the spell is cast, it does not become a moving doll but can only mimic the user��s static appearance. If it is damaged, it will revert to its doll form.��


    ��So, it is generally placed in a specific location to mislead enemies.��


    Despite various limitations, for Wizards or Wizard Apprentices facing assassin-type enemies, it is one of the best witchcraft artifacts.


    This was also the reason why Nathaniel had an envious expression.


    At this moment, Nathaniel had already set up a warning spell formation around Rein��s room. If an enemy stepped in, it would set off an alarm, but this was not foolproof.


    Judging from the fact that the opponent was able to enter the quarters of a fourth-grade ship captain without any sound, they likely possessed some kind of magical artifact or special witchcraft that allowed them to enter the room and stage a sneak attack.


    During the previous discussion, a few of the men had settled on two plans to counter an attack.


    The first was if the opponent was not just one person but two or more, then Vinica would assist Rein, while Nathaniel and Trevo would take care of the rest.


    This pairing had also been carefully considered. Nathaniel and Trevo, both members of the Fish and Dragon Squad, knew each other well and could coordinate perfectly with just a glance. Their combat ability was greater than the sum of their parts.


    The second scenario was if there was only one opponent, then without a doubt, everyone would gang up on them��


    Against such a level of enemy, ordinary guards and Night Watchmen were of little use. They, led by the Reiman brothers, were primarily responsible for the external defense and for dealing with enemies within their capabilities, such as the Storm Crows.


    After the preparations were complete, Rein tied a strand of his hair on the doll and placed it in the bed under the quilt, while he fully armed himself and rested under the bed.


    ��


    When Wexman and Zenina arrived near the Fishing Port Town Administrative Hall, they saw teams of three Night Watchmen patrolling densely.


    ��Hmph, childish tactics.��


    ��Zenina, same as always, if I don��t eliminate the target within ten seconds, you limit the others for a bit.��


    ��At your command, sir.��


    At that moment, a shadow began to emerge from behind Wexman �� this was Wexman��s trump card, the shadow assassin.


    The shadow assassin was actually a rare Shadow Witchcraft, its body composed of shadow energy, usually having roughly thirty to forty percent of the caster��s own strength.


    However, after Wexman acquired this witchcraft, he spent over a decade attempting research and modifications to the witchcraft model, managing to slightly increase its potency.


    Now the shadow assassin possessed nearly half his original strength. Since it required continuous guidance, he couldn��t cast other witchcraft while maintaining the shadow assassin.


    Another point was that the shadow assassin couldn��t take direct hits, as it would disappear upon being hit.


    Once the shadow vanished, the caster would suffer from spiritual power backlash, which wasn��t long-lasting.


    The backlash wasn��t intense; it wouldn��t bring splitting headaches or unconsciousness. It merely rendered the caster temporarily unable to cast other witchcraft.


    That��s why, five years ago, Wexman spent a lot of time and effort to find an apprentice like Zenina who also specialized in Shadow Witchcraft and has been nurturing her ever since.


    The goal was to use defensive Shadow Witchcraft to strengthen the shadow assassin��s defensive power, preventing it from being hit directly, and to some extent, support his actions.


    Zenina began chanting, and soon, black shields appeared before and behind Wexman and the shadow assassin, then the shields slowly faded, leaving no trace of the witchcraft shadow shield on the surface.


    Wexman had considered whether to kill Rein��s companions one by one and then turn to Rein last. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 489 - 223 Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 489: Chapter 223 Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    But after some thought, any number of unexpected changes could occur, leading the target to escape or some other unforeseen situations might arise.


    The best strategy would still be a one-hit kill!


    Moreover, after many years of assassinations, relying on the shadow assassin, Wexman had almost never missed.


    Wexman and an identical shadow assassin disappeared into the shadows of the street ahead; the next second, the shadow assassin passed through a wall.


    The very next second, Wexman��s figure also vanished suddenly, and in his place, the figure of the shadow assassin appeared��they had switched positions.


    It turned out this was the greatest effect of the shadow assassin; it could swap places with the caster. Of course, this ability would consume a significant amount of the caster��s spiritual power, and if used consecutively, the consumption of spiritual power would increase geometrically.


    ...


    Therefore, it was not something to be used frivolously.


    But this was already a very special ability; it was as if Wexman also indirectly possessed the ability to pass through walls.


    If Mary had witnessed this scene, she would definitely have understood how the other party had managed to kill a Great Knight captain in the sealed captain��s cabin.


    After arriving at the town hall, Wexman first controlled the shadow assassin to sneak into several rooms; a few minutes later, he had confirmed the target��s room.


    Meanwhile, Zenina outside, monitoring Wexman��s infiltration, began to cast Shadow Mist, a witchcraft, and soon, the mist near the town hall began to thicken gradually��


    The night deepened. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein felt a level 3 danger perception warning start faintly within his heart.


    Oddly though, as he rotated his eyes slightly under the bed, observing his surroundings, he could see no trace of anyone.


    Suddenly, a shadowy figure, like mist, passed through the wall into his room and the next second, the figure flickered, as if the shadow had instantly become some sort of solid entity.


    A middle-aged man in leather armor appeared before Rein.


    Another second passed, and another shadowy figure passed through the wall into the room.


    Meaning, at that moment, two figures, identical but one shadowy and one solid, had entered Rein��s room.


    The entered middle-aged man in leather armor quickly locked his gaze on the stationary ��Rein�� on the bed, a slight smirk appearing on his face, then suddenly, he pulled out two daggers emitting a bloody glow from his waist.


    The set of movements of the middle-aged man in leather armor was almost immediately replicated by the identical shadowy figure without any delay.


    Then, the two figures, one shadowy and one solid, silently surrounded Rein��s bed from different directions, both holding twin daggers.


    Rein, lying under the bed, watched this unfold, connecting it to what Mary had previously mentioned about the two assassination attempts against an Imperial Navy Rear Admiral, and something clicked in his mind.


    The shadowy figure reached near the bed and launched the attack first!


    ��Hiss!��


    A sound of a blade tearing through the air rang out as the shadowy figure with a dagger violently aimed at ��Rein��s�� head!


    If it had hit, it would certainly have been a fatal blow, penetrating from the forehead through to the brain.


    ��Bang!��


    A sound like a bubble bursting rang out!


    Before Wexman��s astonished eyes, the target who had been lying in the bed turned into a wooden dummy, and the shadow assassin��s dagger ended up stabbing into a wooden figure instead.


    There was no anticipated scenario where the opponent couldn��t react in time, resulting in the forehead being penetrated and the brain splattering everywhere.


    Neither was there the anticipated scenario where the opponent reacted in time, parried the shadow assassin��s strike, and then he would launch a surprise attack from behind, ensuring a kill!


    But none of these situations occurred.


    This left the experienced Wexman momentarily stunned.


    Just as he was inwardly cursing, planning to retreat quickly,


    in that instant, after the dummy was struck, the floor below suddenly exploded, showering bright glittering dust all around.


    Although Wexman��s pupils narrowed and he rapidly retreated, it was inevitable that a small amount of purple glitter dust contaminated his leather armor. The shadow assassin, also quick, ended up with a fair amount of glitter dust as well.


    Though the quantity was small, in the dark night, two brightly shining figures were quite conspicuous.


    Just as Wexman was about to wipe it off and leave immediately, a sudden alarm in his heart arose; the entire bed surged towards him like it was overwhelming the sky, and just as he was about to retreat, the bed exploded into pieces!


    A figure, young in appearance but unnaturally swollen with muscles, all shining silver, wielding a Two-Handed Warhammer, brought it crashing down from above!


    It was Rein, who had used ��Overlimit�� and his talent ��Intermediate Giant Force��!


    Naturally, Wexman chose not to face the heavy weapon head-on.


    His daggers, no matter how keen and refined, would be foolish to clash against a weapon several times heavier than himself.


    Wexman triggered Overlimit, his feet barely touching, his speed increased dramatically as he swiftly retreated, comfortably dodging Rein��s crushing hammer strike.


    Just as Wexman felt a bit of relief, thinking he had dodged the opponent��s hammer strike, and started to control the nearby shadow assassin for a counterattack, his pupils suddenly dilated.


    Because he saw that after Rein��s hammer didn��t hit him, it didn��t stop; rather, it gained speed and violently struck the room��s floor.


    In an instant, a powerful and invisible force transmitted from the point of impact between the hammer and the floor erupted.

 Chapter 490 - 223 Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 490: Chapter 223 Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    The ground shattered inch by inch and spread outwards in a fan shape, at which point a loud ��boom�� resounded.


    Both of them, including the shadow assassin, were attacked in an instant.


    The shadow assassin��s body flashed with a black light and emitted a ��pop�� sound as the shadow shield cracked in response, and the shadow instantly dissipated like smoke.


    Wexman, too, was struck by a backlash, his body stiffening again, but luckily, a flash of black light on him formed a thin black membrane that absorbed most of the damage from the multiple shocks.


    However, the shock��s power was immense, collapsing the wall behind Wexman as well, and for a moment, the shrill sound of the alert witchcraft array echoed as footsteps of various intensities started nearby.


    Then, a muffled groan was heard as Trevo and the others who were coming to support seemed to be hit by some kind of attack and restrained.


    ...


    Rein didn��t receive the support from Trevo and Vinica as planned, but he didn��t panic and continued to swing his hammer heavily at the leather-armored middle-aged man!


    At this moment, Wexman no longer wanted to continue fighting.


    For him, face didn��t matter, a misstep was okay, what was important was to gauge the situation, and clearly, the opponent��s defensive measures were very targeted, and their strength was much higher than expected.


    So, Wexman made what he considered to be the right choice.


    He planned to use the recoil from the moment their weapons clashed to retreat in flight, of course, he wouldn��t choose to confront the mightiest part of the hammer, but instead deftly stepped forward a little, positioning himself at the middle of the hammer��s handle.


    He didn��t believe that next time, the opponent would still have the witchcraft tool ��substitute puppet�� to misguide him.


    But as Wexman��s two blood-colored daggers crossed and blocked at the middle of Rein��s hammer handle, his body stiffened for a moment. His plan to retreat using the momentum not only failed, but he was fixed in place for an instant.


    Because at that moment, from the daggers came a fierce, multiple shock force. Although Wexman had the protection of the prime force and the shadow shield, his body wasn��t injured, but the momentary halt was unavoidable.


    That pause was all Rein needed to seize the opportunity!


    Rein, leveraging his strength, consecutively performed ��giant hammer strike,�� ��giant hammer sweep,�� and ��giant hammer jump strike.�� With the effect of ��effortless,�� his heavy and dark pig head warhammer swung swiftly, as light as a delicate sword.


    After that momentary freeze, Wexman lost the initiative and was immediately mired in Rein��s barrage of warhammer strikes, each collision causing him to stiffen for a split second.


    These split seconds deprived Wexman of the chance to leap out of Rein��s two-handed warhammer attack range, and each split second was just long enough for Rein to unleash another hammer blow. As a result, Wexman had no choice but to continuously fend off Rein��s attacks with his daggers.


    ��Clang!!!��


    With each collision, sparks flew everywhere!


    ��Clang!!!��


    The tremendous impact force shattered and sunk the ground beneath Wexman��s feet by several inches with each strike. It was this cushion that prevented Wexman from being injured by the warhammer��s powerful impact.


    But it also meant Wexman couldn��t continuously withstand Rein��s warhammer attacks in one spot, because after several blows, his ankles would sink into the ground, resulting in an even more passive situation.


    So, while fighting, he had to withstand the stiffness caused by the shock and laboriously step back, his movements as rigid as if he was doing the robot dance.


    After dozens of exchanges!


    The two had fought from the collapsed wall to the empty backyard of the town��s administrative hall.


    The sound of weapons clashing was deafening, and the strong airflow brought by the warhammer��s swift swings swept up the surrounding withered leaves and tiny branches, sending them swirling into the air!


    Wexman had never encountered such a stifling fight; his advantages in mobility and high-speed movement were completely suppressed by the opponent��s special multiple shock force after losing the first move.


    However, he wasn��t worried!


    Because the opponent��s series of warhammer blows required continued execution without pausing. If Rein were to gather strength to use some kind of secret technique, Wexman could take advantage of the momentary gathering phase to escape.


    If Rein didn��t use his trump card, then how long could he maintain this highly stamina-draining sequence of warhammer attacks?


    The moment Rein runs out of steam or even slightly reduces in strength or speed, Wexman��s pressure would also rapidly decrease, and he��d easily break free.


    Meanwhile, Wexman didn��t believe that the young-looking boy before him could surpass him in stamina; that was simply impossible.


    On Rein��s side, after his Earth-splitting Hammer induced multiple shocks and took out the shadow, enveloping his opponent.


    The entire rhythm of the battle then entered the scenario he had anticipated.


    As for what Rein needed to do, it was to ensure that each of his hammer blows was forceful and thunderous!


    As for the stamina consumption?


    That wasn��t his concern.


    Because at this moment, he had a full 6 remaining attribute points.


    As the fight neared one minute, Rein didn��t hesitate to apply one point to his stamina.


    With the remaining attribute points going from 6��5, his Constitution increased from 28 points to 29 points.


    Instantly, a surging warmth pumped vigorously from his heart and spread rapidly throughout his body.


    In a flash, the soreness and fatigue of Rein��s muscles vanished! S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One could see that each hit from Rein��s two-handed warhammer maintained the stable, precise, and powerful state it had at the start of the fight.

 Chapter 491 - 223 Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 491: Chapter 223 Shadow Assassin (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    A minute and a half later, Wexman��s eyes began to show obvious confusion and astonishment.


    Based on his extensive combat experience, he had judged that the young man before him should have shown signs of declining strength half a minute ago, which would turn the tide of the battle, allowing him to break free from the current passive situation.


    But damn it, a minute and a half had passed, and every swing of the other party��s hammer was still so powerful, so swift!


    On the contrary, it was his strength that was gradually waning.


    This inexplicable irritation began to bother Wexman.


    Had the opponent taken some potion beforehand?


    ...


    Therefore, he could maintain his current state.


    A potent stamina potion?


    Probably not!


    Because that could only increase his stamina by about ten to twenty percent.


    A magic blood potion?


    Clearly not either!


    Since the effect only lasted for half a minute, it was always consumed during combat, and just now the opponent clearly had no chance to take any potion.


    ��


    Wexman��s mind raced, but he couldn��t figure out what kind of potion the opponent could have taken to have such a powerful effect!


    Could it be some new potion from the Dragan Empire?


    Or was this the opponent��s true strength?


    No, that was absolutely impossible!


    The guy before him was only a few years old; there was no way he had such strength.


    At this moment, Wexman felt a bit of regret. He should have prepared for this fight by treating his opponent as the most dangerous kind of enemy before making his move.


    It had been a long time since he found himself in such a predicament!


    There had been no sign from Zenina so far, which meant she was likely being held back by the other party��s two third-level Wizard Apprentices and one Spirit Archer.


    Another half minute passed��


    ��Clang!!!��


    When Rein struck again with his hammer, he could clearly feel his opponent��s strength weakening in the block, as his knees bent even more than before.


    As the opponent in combat, nobody knew the subtle changes better than him, and it immediately became clear to Rein that his adversary��s strength was gradually bottoming out.


    Silently, Rein added a little more to his strength.


    With remaining attribute points going from 5��4, his Constitution also went from 29 points��30 points.


    In a flash, the fatigue from the continuous battle was swept away, and he felt invigorated!


    He knew that since he could sense the opponent��s decrease in strength, the opponent would likely realize this too. So if the opponent didn��t want to be worn down to death or hammered to death, he would have to act fast and seek a change.


    Rein��s eyes, bright and focused, watched every move his opponent made, his attention now highly concentrated.


    He continued to unleash a torrent of heavy hammer blows!


    And at this moment, Wexman was beginning to feel weak in his limbs.


    Even with his exceptional physical prowess, hard-blocking hundreds of full-force hammer smashes from an exceedingly strong opponent would take its toll.


    What��s more, his Transcendent trait wasn��t strength-based.


    So, with time dragged out to this point, he had to take a risk!


    Faced with another ferocious hammer strike from Rein, Wexman��s face twisted with resolve. He didn��t retreat any longer but instead leaned forward, stepping in, blocking as much as he could with his left hand, and with his right hand gripping the Dagger, he swiftly thrust it towards Rein��s abdomen.


    Wexman had decided to exchange injury for injury, intending to resist Rein��s hammer with his left arm to gain a chance to puncture Rein��s abdomen.


    He had anticipated the possible countermeasures from his opponent. If the opponent dodged, it would disrupt his power generation and throw off his rhythm, allowing Wexman to escape this passive situation.


    If the opponent chose to exchange injuries, then at worst his left hand would be rendered incapable of fighting, but the opponent would surely suffer a severe stab wound to the abdomen.


    However, this meant he would be injured.


    Being injured in enemy territory was a very troublesome matter, which was why Wexman tried his best to avoid this situation.


    ��Clang!!!��


    ��Thwack!��


    Two different sounds of metal colliding erupted almost simultaneously!


    Rein��s near-full strength strike was clearly not something Wexman could block with one hand, and after the clash between hammer and dagger, the dark warhammer came crashing down hard on Wexman��s left arm.


    With a ��crack,�� the bones in his left shoulder joint were shattered by the warhammer!


    At the same time, Wexman��s blood-colored dagger pierced through Rein��s watersilk steel breastplate and into his abdomen. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But a strong sense of resistance, as if stabbing into steel, came through the dagger, causing Wexman��s face to change instantly!


    This was the effect of Rein��s innate ��Steel Body�� ability.


    Wexman��s reaction was extremely fast; in the blink of an eye, his right hand��s dagger flicked upward to the center between Rein��s hands and then slashed backward, forcing Rein to let go of his hammer��s handle.


    Seeing Rein lose his best weapon, the Two-Handed Warhammer, Wexman, enduring the severe pain in his left shoulder, twisted his lips into a sinister smile, his heart settling down at last.


    Without your main weapon, let��s see how you fight against me now!


    Young man, your combat experience is still lacking!

 Chapter 492 - 224 The Choice of the 5th Profession (2 in 1 Big Chapter)

    Chapter 492: Chapter 224 The Choice of the 5th Profession (2 in 1 Big Chapter)


    Moreover, Wexman had already figured out Rein��s next move, which would surely be to rapidly retreat, then look for an opening in the battle to draw the Dual-Handed Greatsword he carried on his back.


    However, Wexman didn��t plan to give him that opportunity. He would cling to the boy like a persistent infection, preventing him from having any chance to use the secondary weapon.


    The intense pain from his left arm filled Wexman with hatred towards the boy. It had been a long, long time since he had suffered such a significant setback.


    Wexman decided he would stab the opponent��s body with his Dagger, creating one hundred and eighty holes, to alleviate the hatred in his heart.


    But unexpectedly, the boy didn��t choose to retreat or to draw the Dual-Handed Greatsword on his back. Instead, his fists flew swiftly and furiously at him from both hands.


    Wexman��s pupils constricted, and he immediately swung his Dagger to block, while his peripheral vision caught sight of the four sharp blades springing from Rein��s gauntlets, making him exclaim, ��Finger Tiger!��


    ...


    ��Clang, clang, clang!��


    A torrent of metallic clashes, denser than before, rapidly sounded, almost melding into a single noise.


    Although Wexman was much faster than Rein in terms of sheer speed, this was when he was not injured.


    At this moment, his left arm hung uselessly by his side, devoid of any fighting capacity, and the loss of arm swinging and balance drastically affected Wexman��s movement speed.


    Furthermore, Wexman was not invincible, even a Peak Knight would be nearing the end of his stamina after the fierce battle they had just endured, reducing his movement speed once again!


    Thus, even though Wexman had finally escaped the predicament of stiffening for a moment with every hit, at this moment, he faced Rein��s extremely fast Finger Tiger without any chance to catch his breath.


    This started to completely break down Wexman��s previously calm mindset.


    He estimated his remaining stamina and knew he had to fight desperately now or he might actually die here.


    Wexman��s expression suddenly became ferocious. He no longer chose to block Rein��s Finger Tiger but decided to exchange blow for blow. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!��


    ��Pfft!��


    The two men became like two blurs of mist, drifting back and forth across the backyard, mud splashing and grass flying wherever they went!


    Rein waved his hands left and right, his movements fast as lightning, his actions a blur. It seemed as if he suddenly had eight arms, all striking at Wexman simultaneously.


    The Finger Tiger was like a tempest, filling the sky with afterimages. In the blink of an eye, it slashed across Wexman��s body over a dozen times.


    Meanwhile, Wexman��s crimson Dagger acted like a snake spitting venom, carving holes in Rein��s high-quality steel knight��s armor.


    Wexman laughed!


    The opponent hadn��t chosen to fight cautiously but had opted to trade blow for blow with him.


    His Dagger had the special effects of ��Vampirism�� and ��Recovery,�� meaning that with each strike, although the wounds weren��t deep, they would instantly cause significant blood loss. Meanwhile, some of the blood absorbed by the Dagger would convert into energy for him.


    This meant that he would become stronger as the battle progressed!


    But the next second, Wexman wasn��t laughing anymore!


    He could feel his Dagger piercing through the opponent��s armor and skin, injuring the body. Although the wounds were not deep, he felt the Dagger drawing blood and converting it into energy.


    However, why did it seem like the opponent��s movements were getting faster? Each time he struck, the opponent��s Finger Tiger would slash him more than ten times.


    That��s not right!


    Dammit, it wasn��t the opponent getting faster; it was himself slowing down!


    This numbness throughout his body��


    Damn!


    The damn Finger Tiger was poisoned!


    Wexman suddenly felt screwed!


    He was a master of assassination, but because he hadn��t prepared for Rein as the highest level of enemy, he hadn��t poisoned his Dagger.


    He hadn��t expected that this broad-browed, big-eyed young man, a mere Governor from a small town in the Dragan Empire, would use poison.


    Seconds later, both men stood still, motionless.


    Wexman couldn��t move. His body trembled uncontrollably, the numbness so evident. Now, he could hardly lift his arms.


    He couldn��t even speak; his tongue was numb!


    Wexman��s leather armor fell from him like autumn leaves, piece by piece. The remaining bits hung like ribbons. Now, his body bore hundreds of cuts from the Finger Tiger.


    ��Bang!��


    Wexman, stiff as a concrete statue, thudded onto the ground!


    His posture still bent at the knees, Dagger in hand as if ready to strike; the sight was ironically comical.


    And in that moment, all he wanted to say to Rein was,


    ��Damn! The dose of your paralysis poison is way too damn high!��


    This was also beyond Rein��s expectations.


    When he had applied the paralysis poison to his Finger Tiger, it was only with the thought that if the enemy excelled in witchcraft, he would use the swiftly striking Finger Tiger to disrupt their chanting.


    If he could draw blood, even just once, it could have a miraculous effect!


    But unexpectedly, like him, the enemy was also more proficient in close combat, and in their high-frequency combat, neither had any chance to perform any form of witchcraft.

 Chapter 493 - 224 The Choice of the 5th Profession (2 in 1 Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 493: Chapter 224 The Choice of the 5th Profession (2 in 1 Big Chapter)_2


    In such a situation, Rein hadn��t expected that there would still be an opportunity for his Sharpclaw Finger Tiger to come into play.


    Now, the opponent��s body had over a hundred wounds, all oozing with fresh blood, which was equivalent to completely absorbing the excessively large dosage of paralyzing poison that Rein had smeared on his Sharpclaw Finger Tiger.


    This amount of poison��


    It was estimated that even a gigantic sea creature weighing several dozen tons would likely collapse!


    At this moment, Rein��s high-level knight suit made of water membrane steel also had more than a dozen holes of various sizes.


    ��Whoosh!��


    ... Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He tore off the water membrane steel breastplate, which had become riddled with holes, and Rein looked down to check his wounds.


    As he had expected, although there were many wounds��about a dozen or so��the depths were all shallow.


    This was due to the double defense provided by the water membrane steel plate armor and his talent ��Junior Steel,�� which meant the opponent��s dagger had only penetrated one or two centimeters, just enough to draw Rein��s blood.


    However, Rein acutely sensed a kind of weakness that comes from excessive loss of blood throughout his body.


    He glanced at the opponent��s dagger, which was glowing intensely with blood-colored light, and knew that the problem must lie with the opponent��s dagger.


    It appeared to have some special blood-draining effect.


    Under Wexman��s gaze,


    Rein stepped forward, pried open each of the opponent��s already stiff fingers one by one, and started toying with the two blood-color daggers in his hands.


    He swung them casually a few times and found they felt quite smooth in his hand!


    Soon, Rein realized that this was because of his Weapon Master exclusive talent ��Junior Mastery,�� giving him a natural level 1 proficiency effect with daggers.


    But how should he test the effect of these daggers?


    Rein looked around, his face showing thoughtfulness, and quickly came up with an idea.


    He crouched down and, facing the enemy who was powerless to resist in a paralyzed state, swiftly stabbed him a few times with a ��swish swish.��


    Immediately, a faint warm current flowed from the blood-color dagger into his palm, which slightly invigorated his spirit.


    This immediately made Rein��s eyebrows perk up with surprise!


    It turned out that these blood-color daggers not only had a blood-draining effect but could also nourish the user with some sort of special substance.


    Meanwhile, Wexman, with his eyes wide open, watched as Rein stabbed himself with his own daggers, and although he was completely paralyzed at the moment, the frustration and agony were indescribably intense!


    Nehru! Damn it! You��ve screwed me over!


    But the next second, Wexman��s eyes suddenly showed terror.


    Because he saw the young man opposite him sever all the tendons in his hands and feet with a few ��swish swish�� motions using his dagger.


    Initially, Rein, out of concern for safety, had intended to slit the opponent��s throat directly.


    But after thinking it over, considering there were two members of the Empire��s Fish-Dragon Squad with him, perhaps they had better ways to exploit the value of the opponent while ensuring he didn��t cause any trouble.


    In that case, perhaps he could gain something beneficial from the side of the Empire��s navy.


    At this time, Trevo, Nathaniel, and Vinica rushed in from outside the administrative hall with anxious expressions, and upon seeing the sight in the backyard, they instantly froze.


    They saw the backyard ground crisscrossed with gullies and full of potholes, looking utterly devastated. Only broken branches and remnants of neatly trimmed plants and flowers remained!


    The group exchanged shocked glances, looking from Rein to the motionless, wounded, and oddly postured middle-aged man on the ground.


    They immediately understood what had happened!


    Rein had taken down the opponent, one-on-one.


    Vinica, seeing the dozen or so red spots on Rein��s bare upper body, couldn��t help but cover her mouth with her hand, her beautiful eyes widening in a look that was both worried and admiring.


    Without hesitation, Vinica quickly approached and said to Rein, ��Lord Rein, your injuries need to be treated immediately.��


    Trevo and Nathaniel exchanged a look and said, ��Lord Rein, we are truly ashamed. You alone managed to capture the enemy��s leader, while the three of us failed to detain the third-level Wizard Apprentice outside.��


    ��Oh? There was only one Wizard Apprentice outside?��


    ��Yes, Lord Rein, a rather rare shadow-element third-level Wizard Apprentice. We are almost certain that person was the one controlling the storm crows for reconnaissance.��


    ��Yes, and it was a woman,�� Nathaniel added.


    Rein nodded and said, ��You all worked hard. Lord Trevo, Lord Nathaniel, I wonder if you can extract some useful intelligence for the Empire��s navy from this guy?��


    As they were talking, Major Mary and the Reiman brothers also arrived in the backyard. Looking at the ground that appeared to have been bombarded by a meteor shower, they showed expressions of astonishment.


    Seeing that most were present, Rein briefly explained the situation of their encounter and his assessment of the enemy.


    Hearing that the enemy likely had the strength of a Peak Knight, everyone looked at Rein with eyes full of alarm!


    After contemplation, Major Mary said to Trevo and the others, ��Lords, I believe the immediate priority is to contact the navy��s ��Tide Walkers.��


    ��Based on the battle tonight, there is a high probability that the person before us is from the Federation navy. From what Lord Rein described, the enemy��s strength and status are comparable to Captain Baron.��


    ��Imagine, if such an important figure fell into our hands, how would the Federation react?��


    At this point, Major Mary paused.


    Light flashed in Trevo��s eyes as he said, ��Major Mary, are you suggesting that the Federation navy would certainly organize a rescue mission?��

 Chapter 494 - 224: Selection of the 5th Profession (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 494: Chapter 224: Selection of the 5th Profession (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3


    Mary nodded, continuing to speak, ��That��s very likely. And one thing is for certain, the Federation Navy will definitely send someone over, at the very least to ascertain whether the person lying on the ground is dead or alive.��


    ��If he��s alive, they will organize a rescue,�� she added.


    Nathaniel nodded and said, ��Major Mary, you��re absolutely correct. I will immediately contact Captain Baron and the navy��s ��Tide Strider�� to dispatch a fully armed squad here right away.��


    ��Lord Reine, let me help you treat your wounds first. Although Hydrotherapy can heal directly, cleaning the wound before treatment will produce a better effect,�� Vinica said.


    Vinica wasn��t focused on the person lying on the ground but on Reine before her.


    Major Mary also chimed in, ��Lord Reine, please leave this place to me and the two gentlemen from the Fish-Dragon Squad!��


    ...


    Reine glanced at the others and quickly nodded, saying, ��Very well, then I��ll leave it in your hands.��


    The others nodded in agreement, with Trevo adding, ��Lord Reine, you go ahead and deal with your injuries with Miss Vinica first; leave this to us.��


    Reine then turned and prepared to leave with Vinica.


    ��Wait, Lord Baron!��


    Cornett Leyman, the younger of the Leyman brothers, found something in the seam of the leather-clad middle-aged man��s trouser leg and pulled it out to discover a thin parchment scroll.


    ��Did you think I wouldn��t find it just because you sewed it into the seam of your trouser leg?�� the younger brother Cornett Leyman muttered to himself.


    ��You��ve really underestimated me.��


    When he respectfully handed the parchment to Reine, Reine was quite surprised. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, during the battle, he had been focused solely on how to defeat his opponent, his Finger Tiger weapon not sparing places like the opponent��s pouch or other places where items might be concealed.


    By the time the battle ended, he had probably destroyed all those places where the opponent might have stashed items, like the pouch and the layers of leather armor.


    He hadn��t expected that the adversary would have hidden something in the lining of his trouser leg.


    Reine took the parchment, feeling a stir in his heart. Could this be the witchcraft that allowed the creation of his own shadow and launched synchronous attacks?


    However, as Reine unfurled the scroll, he was slightly taken aback.


    It didn��t contain the witchcraft.


    Instead, at the top of the parchment scroll were written the words ��Maxwell��s Rare Poison Crafting Secret Scroll��.


    At that moment, a system prompt suddenly appeared:


    [Ding! The host has obtained ��Maxwell��s Rare Poison Crafting Secret Scroll,�� triggering a special class transition��Deadly Poison Master (Transcendent)!]


    [The prerequisite conditions for transitioning to Deadly Poison Master (Transcendent) are: 1. Pharmacist or Poisoner lv5 or higher; 2. Spirit 18 points or higher; 3. Mastery of at least three rare poison recipes��Current conditions not met!]


    Huh?


    It was a special class transition.


    Reine��s eyes shimmered with thought.


    Since his transition to the legendary profession of [Weapon Master], his profession panel had expanded to include five slots. Aside from the four already occupied, one remained empty.


    Having not yet decided upon a fifth profession, that matter had been set aside.


    Now, it seemed that transitioning to a Pharmacist first might be a good choice. After reaching lv5, he could then transition to the special profession of [Deadly Poison Master], which was at least a Transcendent profession panel.


    On one hand, this could further improve his attack power; on the other, it could enhance his own ability to prevent and identify various poisons from enemies.


    ��Lord Reine?�� Vinica called softly.


    ��Oh, yes, Miss Vinica, let��s go,�� Reine replied, and promptly tucked the parchment into his waistband and followed Vinica.


    However, Reine soon remembered something and began to review the system prompts as he walked:


    [Your Skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has improved, Experience +1669]


    [Your Skill, Kadar Martial Arts, has improved, Experience +1228]


    [You have been through a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +889]


    (Note: The above Skill Experience has enjoyed a 30% increase from the exclusive talent ��Elementary Extraordinary Understanding��.)


    [Congratulations, you��ve defeated a formidable enemy and earned one Golden Skill Point!]


    ��


    [Congratulations, your Weapon Master (Legendary) Profession Level has increased!]


    The Weapon Master (Legendary) Profession Level had advanced by one level to lv5 (17/2000).


    This also granted Reine another attribute point and one Skill Point, leaving him with 5 remaining attribute points and 1 remaining Skill Point.


    What surprised Reine further was that this battle had earned him one Golden Skill Point.


    Golden Skill Points?


    Reine soon recalled the system information he received when his Weapon Master (Legendary) profession had risen to lv2����Golden Skill Points can be synthesized from three Skill Points or obtained by defeating formidable enemies.��


    Clearly, this time he had acquired one Golden Skill Point by defeating a formidable enemy.


    Immediately, Reine planned to apply this Golden Skill Point to his Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Because he was certain, just with this one additional Golden Skill Point, his Hammer Skill would reach a higher level.


    Then he would truly master the secret technique!


    But just as he was about to apply the point, Reine furrowed his brow in thought.


    If he was just a little closer to breaking through the barrier, was it necessary to waste this precious Golden Skill Point?


    �����������C


    Near the coast of the Meister county.


    At a depth of more than ten meters underwater,


    a metallic object approximately twenty to thirty meters long in the shape of an ellipsoid was slowly ascending.

 Chapter 495 - 224: The Choice of the 5th Profession (2 in 1 Big Chapter)_4

    Chapter 495: Chapter 224: The Choice of the 5th Profession (2 in 1 Big Chapter)_4


    ��Why is there only one person?�� Jonistone muttered to himself as he observed the ocean surface through the periscope, puzzled.


    They had just received a distress signal and immediately headed in that direction; also, based on the signal, it was the Federation Navy��s ��Leviathan Team�� command passphrase.


    But the operations of the ��Leviathan�� team were at least in the form of one official member accompanied by several followers, making it nearly impossible for just one person to be involved.


    Under the faint starlight, a woman in a black robe could be seen not far ahead of the submarine, covering a wound on her abdomen with her hand as she ran swiftly, with an arrow barely visible in the wound.


    The metal hatch on top of the submarine creaked open, and four soldiers wearing Federation Navy uniforms quickly climbed out, advanced toward her, and immediately helped the black-robed woman into the submarine.


    Shortly after, the submarine slowly descended and disappeared beneath the ocean surface.


    ...


    ��.


    A quarter of an hour later, a male officer came to report, ��Lord Jonistone, the lady who just arrived requested to see you, stating that she has something of great importance to discuss with you.��


    ��Oh? Has her injury been treated?��


    ��Uh�� it��s been treated. She didn��t like that we only have men here, so she treated her wound herself, and I can��t believe she was able to take care of such a serious injury on her own,�� the male officer couldn��t help but remark.


    ��Alright, I understand. I��m on my way!��


    Jonistone still had his doubts.


    Although they were all part of the Federation Navy, normally their level wouldn��t have direct contact with the Leviathan Team.


    Most of the time, they reported up, and the Navy higher-ups would mobilize the Leviathan Team.


    He had no idea what the situation was for them to discuss this time.


    ��..


    Inside the submarine��s medical bay.


    ��What? Miss Zenina, you say that Lord Wexman of the Leviathan Team is in trouble?�� Jonistone was shocked!


    Known as the ��Shadow Assassin��, Wexman��s fame was even above Nehru��s. As a member of the Federation Navy, Jonistone had certainly heard of him.


    ��Yes, Lord Jonistone.��


    ��Then�� may I boldly ask, is Lord Wexman alive or���� Jonistone, after the initial shock, immediately calmed down and continued to inquire after some thought.


    ��This�� I can��t be sure,�� the black-robed woman Zenina furrowed her brow, recalled for a moment, and shook her head.


    ��Because I was being chased by three people, two of them were third-level Wizard Apprentices plus one marksman; I really couldn��t pay attention to the Lord. Moreover, I was following his orders to lead the others away, allowing him to confront the target person.��


    Jonistone, recalling Zenina��s initial disheveled appearance with an arrow in her abdomen, nodded in understanding.


    Although she was a follower of Lord Wexman, she had clearly done her best, which was beyond reproach.


    ��Afterwards, I waited at the designated place for a long while for the Lord, but he never showed. I just knew something must have happened to him.��


    ��So, at the moment, it��s only confirmed that something happened to Lord Wexman in Fishing Port Town, but what exactly happened is still unclear, right?�� Jonistone frowned and said.


    ��Yes.��


    ��There��s another matter, I don��t know if it��s appropriate to disclose it, but if it involves the Leviathan Team��s secret mission, Miss Zenina, you may refuse to answer.��


    ��Because if we��re to rescue Lord Wexman, we need to know the details of both your missions to assess whether we have the capability to conduct the rescue, or if we should report upwards.��


    ��This���� Zenina��s eyes flickered for a moment, unsure of how to begin.


    From what she knew, Lord Wexman had come to Fishing Port Town upon a personal request from Lord Nehru, and they even bargained once, frankly, it was a private job.


    Under normal circumstances, with Lord Wexman present, no one would dare mention it. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now, if this were to be disclosed, it might affect Lord Wexman��s reputation.


    Yet, Jonistone��s words were highly rational��otherwise, if the Federation Navy misjudged and there were significant casualties during the rescue operation, she could not escape blame either.


    After some thought, Zenina spoke, ��Lord Wexman came to Fishing Port Town upon Lord Nehru��s request to assassinate a person named Rein!��


    ��What? Rein!�� Jonistone could no longer control his emotions and exclaimed in shock.


    Because he was familiar with this Rein!


    The information about Rein from Lord Nehru��s side had been provided by him!

 Chapter 496 - 225: Secret Technique! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 496: Chapter 225: Secret Technique! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)


    The black-robed woman, Zenina, looked at Jonistone with surprise as if to say, ��What? This Reine is famous?��


    Jonistone pondered briefly and then confirmed again, ��Is it that Reine, the executor from Fishing Port Town? The young one who is skilled with a two-handed warhammer?��


    Zenina carefully recalled the situation at that time, although she felt that what Lord Jonistone said was somewhat off.


    But after thinking about how she and Lord Wexman had located the other party within the administrative hall of Fishing Port Town, she nodded her head, agreeing with Jonistone��s statement.


    ��That��s it!�� Jonistone immediately stood up, rubbing his hands together while showing a thoughtful expression, pacing back and forth in the not-so-spacious room.


    What exactly was the other party��s background? S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Why had Lord Nehru and Lord Wexman, one after another, hit a wall against this Reine?


    If you say that Lord Nehru��s time was because the Dragan Empire��s navy special squad was also present, that would be within a reasonable range.


    But Lord Wexman��s attack on the other party not only landed himself in trouble, this he could not quite understand.


    Could it be�� that the other party was the son of some Duke or influential Marquis of the Dragan Empire, with a special defense force at his side?


    Otherwise, Jonistone could not think of any reasonable explanation.


    ��But if that��s the case, it would be very difficult for us to have the capability to rescue Lord Wexman,�� he thought.


    ��It seems that I can only immediately report this situation along with my own analysis quickly, and let those above decide!�� Jonistone muttered, unable to judge Reine��s background on his own.


    ��.


    �����������C


    Fishing Port Town administrative hall.


    Reine followed Vinica into her resting room within the administrative hall.


    Upon entering the room, Reine smelled the faint aroma of white sagebrush, which gave off a soothing and relaxing feeling.


    At this moment, Vinica, slightly shy, closed the door, tossed her golden pigtails, and said, ��Lord Reine, I need to clear off those torn rags from your body, this process may be a bit painful.��


    ��But this is a necessary step before casting hydrotherapy, it can help you recover faster and better.��


    Although Reine had taken off his water membrane steel cuirass, the shredded undergarments and some fragments of cloth, now soaked with sweat and blood, were clinging to his body.


    ��Of course, a little pain is nothing,�� Reine said with a smile.


    Vinica swiftly approached, her cheeks flushed with a faint blush, and with her fair, delicate hands, she began to gently and carefully peel off the pieces of cloth from Reine��s body, her movements tender and meticulous.


    The twin-tailed girl��s delicate handling almost didn��t cause Reine any pain at all, instead, there was a tickling, numbing sensation on the surface of his skin.


    Sniffing the faint scent coming from the girl and watching her concentrate on the task, Reine couldn��t help but lower his head to take a closer look at Vinica.


    He saw her dense golden hair, tied into simple twin tails, giving off a cute and playful vibe.


    As he was looking down, Reine couldn��t see her beautiful eyes but only her nose bridge, beaded with fine sweat, petite and fair.


    Plus, those rosy cheeks added a youthful glow.


    Moving down from her slender, fair neck, what caught his eye were two firm, trembling mounds, as the light blue apprentice robe was propped up into a very attractive arc.


    This sudden curve was inevitably alluring, drawing involuntary glances, and Reine was no exception.


    This had nothing to do with anything else, purely an appreciation and longing for beautiful things.


    Just then, the twin-tailed girl had just finished cleaning the cloth scraps from Reine��s chest, and was about to ask Reine to turn around when she looked up and noticed Reine��s gaze on her.


    Following Reine��s line of sight, the girl looked down and the sight of her own fair skin instantly flushed Vinica��s cheeks red.


    However, the girl didn��t adjust her neckline but instead said boldly, ��Lord Reine, I��m going to clean the back now.��


    Caught in the act by the girl, Reine felt a bit embarrassed; he coughed and said, ��Thank you, Miss Vinica,�� and quickly turned around.


    The twin-tailed girl continued to clean his back, and soon Reine was completely clean.


    She looked over her clean-up work and her face immediately showed a satisfied expression, nodding her head and saying:


    ��Lord Reine, I��m about to cast witchcraft Hydroflow. The flushing might sting a bit, but after a while, when I cast Hydrotherapy, it won��t hurt, and the wounds will heal rapidly.��


    ��All right, thank you for your efforts,�� Reine nodded.


    The girl softly began chanting, and shortly, a pale blue energy swirled around Reine��s body; a fine stream of water, thick as a bowl��s mouth, appeared from nowhere, wrapping around Reine��s body like a transparent serpent, gently flushing away the blood and dirt.


    With a snap of her fingers from the girl, the murky water carrying away the dirt rushed down the nearby drain.


    Then, the girl continued chanting, casting the spell for Hydrotherapy.


    A rich, pale blue energy enveloped Reine, infiltrating the wounds from all sides, and they quickly started to heal and close up. In just seven or eight seconds, Reine found that the dozen wounds on his body had already healed.


    Seeing Reine��s sturdy, male allure-enhanced figure glowing slightly in recovery, the twin-tailed girl couldn��t resist touching it with her soft fingertips, murmuring to herself, ��What a nice feel!��

 Chapter 497 - 225: Secret Technique! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 497: Chapter 225: Secret Technique! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2 S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Smelling the girl��s delicate body so close at hand, and hearing her words that obviously revealed a favorable impression, Rein couldn��t help but feel a bit restless.


    It had been a while since he was last in close contact with Baroness Crowley, and his Constitution had increased recently��


    This instinctively led Rein to gently place his hand on the waist of the twin-tailed girl.


    As the saying goes, ��A man��s head and a woman��s waist should not be touched lightly.��


    The twin-tailed girl��s body suddenly stiffened, but there was no hint of dodging or rejection. Instead, she lifted her head and looked at Rein with her large, water-filled eyes.


    At this point, no more words were needed, Rein gently used some force, and the girl was pulled into his embrace. He lowered his head and covered her blushing lips��


    ...


    Just when they were as close as paint, suddenly, footsteps sounded from outside the door.


    ��Thump thump thump!��


    The knocking on the door rang out!


    The twin-tailed girl immediately jumped out from Rein��s arms like a startled rabbit, with a soft cry.


    ��Lord Reine, has your condition improved?�� came the voice of Major Mary from outside the door.


    Their first close encounter came to an abrupt end��


    �����������C


    The next day, at the crack of dawn.


    Near Meister��s coastal waters, on a secluded island near the outer edge.


    Nehru was at the entrance of a cave, enjoying his gourmet food with relish. He was roasting fist-sized, oyster-like creatures of pale golden color on a cast-iron plate over a campfire, emitting waves of tempting aroma.


    At that moment, a familiar raven flew down, flapping its wings.


    Upon seeing it, Nehru��s heart leaped with joy!


    It seemed like that fellow Wexman had completed the deal.


    Although the guy always asked for a king��s ransom, his professional capability was unquestionable.


    Not only did he have a high success rate, but he also never delayed, often fulfilling deals swiftly. This was why Nehru, after agonizing over the steep price that was almost doubled, had still agreed to it.


    The raven perched on Nehru��s shoulder, and the next second, Nehru��s expression darkened!


    ��What! Wexman has failed?�� exclaimed Nehru.


    The raven too, startled by Nehru��s sudden burst of momentum, cawed alarmedly and quickly took flight.


    Nehru lost all interest in the golden clams roasting to a juicy finish before him, standing up with a displeased face, his gaze turned towards the distant sea, deep in thought.


    On one hand, he was shocked that Wexman could fail, but what troubled him most was the fact that Wexman, failure aside, had not even escaped!


    This was damn troublesome!


    Knowing it would save him trouble, he hadn��t even reported the matter up the chain of command, but had simply conspired with Wexman and acted on their own.


    If Wexman were dead, the whole affair would actually be simpler; he would at most be scolded.


    But if Wexman were not dead, the Federation navy would surely try to rescue him, and then the higher-ups would have to clean up his mess.


    Normally, as part of this special squad, doing private jobs was overlooked as long as it didn��t bring trouble to the Federation.


    But if trouble arose and they couldn��t manage the aftermath, that would be a different story.


    Forget it, it seemed that he had no choice but to contact the captain immediately��


    ��.


    Meanwhile.


    A six-person squad in a blend of long robes and knightly plate armor swiftly disembarked from a ship at the docks of Fishing Port Town and headed straight for the town��s administrative hall.


    Although these six were dressed differently, their spirit, and the quality of their weapons spoke volumes��these were no ordinary people.


    Half an hour later, inside the meeting room of Fishing Port Town��s administrative hall.


    Including Rein, a group of people gathered around a long conference table with a middle-aged man speaking:


    ��Baron Reine, Admiral Campbell, the commander of the Southern Fleet, has heard about your likely capture of the assassin of Generals Chu Kwein and Bravo, and he holds you in high regard.��


    ��This time our visit is both to oversee the transfer of the prisoner to the base and to inquire about some of your thoughts, Baron Reine.��


    It seemed the man was worried he hadn��t been clear enough, so he added, ��The admiral has specifically instructed me that your reasonable requests will be considered.��


    ��Thank you to the Imperial Navy for the commendation, I��m only doing my duty,�� said Reine.


    ��As for rewards�� if it��s possible, I��ve been looking for metal-related witchcraft. At present, I have only mastered the Sharpness Technique, which is a metal-related magic. It would be excellent if I could learn another new metal-related witchcraft.��


    ��Metal-related witchcraft?��


    The middle-aged man frowned slightly, pondering for a moment before saying, ��Lord Reine, metal-related witchcraft of first level and above are highly confidential to the Empire, and those below the first level, to my knowledge, are rare. I��ll need to confirm this after I return.��


    ��Look, do you have any other requests as an alternative? If there really isn��t any, we don��t want Admiral Campbell to be seen as breaking his promise,�� said the middle-aged man with a smile.


    Rein smiled and said, ��If there really isn��t any, then I would ask you to help me find an extraordinary Combat Skill for a Dagger.��


    Rein had already prepared a backup plan, because Trevo had mentioned the night before that metal-related witchcraft were exceedingly rare even on the Navy��s special exchange list.


    ��Your alternative plan is noted, Lord Reine,�� said the middle-aged man. He then turned to Major Mary and said, ��The special task force��s mission here has concluded. According to fleet orders, you should return with us later.��

 Chapter 498 - 225: Secret Technique! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 498: Chapter 225: Secret Technique! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3


    Hmm?


    Mary and Vinica are leaving?


    Rein couldn��t help but feel surprised and regretful.


    Although he knew that this day would eventually come, after all, there��s no such thing as a never-ending banquet, and the joint operation between the Southern Sea Fleet and Mingster Province was bound to come to an end sooner or later.


    ��Okay, Lord Brooks,�� Major Mary glanced at Rein and then turned to speak to the middle-aged man.


    Meanwhile, Vinica��s gaze lingered on Rein for several seconds, revealing a hint of reluctance. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    After the meeting, Rein and the Reiman brothers went to the entrance of the administration building to bid farewell to the escort squad and Major Mary and the others.


    Watching Vinica��s departing figure, Rein felt slightly agitated. Although they had exchanged contact information, he had no idea how long it would be before they met again.


    Back in his room, Rein decided to seriously study the secret technique as a way to distract himself.


    He couldn��t help but recall the words of Captain Baron of the Fish-Dragon Squad: first, to intensify the training of his breathing techniques, and second, to practice quasi-secret techniques frequently, to ponder the seamless integration of primal force and moves.


    Because to use a secret technique, two requirements must be met: first, the accumulation of primal force over many years to reach the minimum threshold for casting a secret technique; second, the comprehension and mastery of Extraordinary Battle Technique.


    Finally, when these two are exquisitely combined, one can successfully cast a secret technique.


    Now, he felt he understood this even more profoundly.


    After adding a point to his breathing technique earlier, Rein clearly felt an increase in both the generation speed and the total amount of primal force within his body.


    However, such an enhancement of primal force would once again create some roughness in what used to be an almost perfect combination, which required readjustment, reflecting the importance of frequent practice as previously mentioned by Baron.


    It was for Rein to thoroughly consider the synergy between primal force and moves.


    ��Originally, according to Captain Baron��s estimate, even with my talent, it would take half a year to meet the minimum primal force requirement for casting a secret technique, which means, if I can meet the requirement ahead of time by adding points to my breathing technique.��


    ��What remains is the process of constantly fine-tuning primal force and moves.��


    ��In other words, it��s quite possible that by simply adding another point to my breathing technique, I might be able to master the secret technique, obviating the need for Golden Skill Points.��


    After thinking it through, Rein added a point to the Bear King Breathing Technique.


    As the Bear King Breathing Technique advanced from lv11 to lv12, instantly, a flood of memories related to the breathing technique surged into Rein��s mind.


    Standing still, Rein carefully felt these fragments of training memories in his mind, and then, like instinct, they merged into the muscles and fascia of his body.


    When Rein opened his eyes again, it was as if he had endured years of rigorous Bear King Breathing Technique training!


    At this moment, he could clearly feel the accelerated circulation of blood throughout his body, and it was as if there was a furnace inside him, providing a rolling heat flow and some kind of miraculous transformation.


    Simultaneously, the primal force inside his body, which was as thick as his forefinger, had gradually thickened to the size of his thumb and picked up speed across his body.


    At this point, Rein could clearly sense the enhancement of his primal force and the tremendous power almost bursting forth from his body.


    He felt he had probably met the minimum primal force requirement to cast a secret technique.


    Next, all he needed to do was to practice Tokkal Hammer Technique, and he might be able to comprehend the true Hammer Skill secret technique at any moment.


    Without much hesitation, Rein walked out of his room and quickly made his way to the backyard. However, as soon as he arrived, he paused, realizing that the backyard was still under repair from last night��s battle. A crowd was leveling the ground, clearing debris and other work.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein turned around and left the administration building, heading to the nearby coast of Fishing Port Town.


    Following the coastline, with the sound of the crashing waves in his ears, Rein soon found a somewhat secluded soft sandy beach.


    Besides the soft fine sand, in one corner of the beach, there stood numerous grey rocks that had battled the furious waves for thousands of years.


    The soft sections on the surface of these tall rocks had long been eroded by wind and sea, leaving behind what resembled the smooth surfaces of marble, astonishingly hard.


    Rein scanned the surroundings, making sure no one was paying attention to this secluded corner of the beach, and then he drew out the dark pig-headed hammer from his back and began to wholeheartedly practice the Tokkal Hammer Technique.


    Over and over again!


    Rein unleashed the ��giant hammer strike��, ��giant hammer jump strike��, and ��giant hammer sweep�� at the edge of the beach!


    Hours passed.


    Rein��s mind became clearer and his understanding of Hammer Skill deepened and refined.


    ��Rising Dragon Hammer!��


    He pushed off with the tip of his toe, and fine sand scattered in all directions. Rein, like a bolt of lightning, shot straight toward the sea, turning the incoming wave into a spiraling water tornado from bottom to top!


    At the same time, owing to the absence of waves, a gap of about a dozen meters in length suddenly appeared in front of him!


    But it wasn��t over yet, with a leap, Rein stretched out his limbs and raised his hammer high, his entire body like a taut bow, striking down forcefully.


    ��Earth-splitting Hammer!��


    This caused the newly returned waves to splash out even faster in all directions!


    ��Boom!!!��


    A giant hollow of water, about a dozen meters in diameter, appeared in front of Rein.


    At that instant, Rein grasped that sensation!

 Chapter 499 - 225: Secret Technique! (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4

    Chapter 499: Chapter 225: Secret Technique! (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4


    That exquisite combination of primal force and hammer skill!


    Rein turned around and walked step by step to the side of a huge and hard boulder, three or four meters high, recalling that feeling from just moments ago, he swung his pig-headed hammer in a mighty, yet most ordinary strike!


    ��Snap!��


    The dark pig-headed hammer heavily smashed onto the gray boulder weighing at least several tons!


    The next second, ��crash!��


    The gray boulder instantly shattered and collapsed, especially where the hammer had struck, breaking into fine powder!


    ...


    Then, a system prompt stealthily appeared:


    [Congratulations, you have comprehended the Tokkal Hammer Technique Basic Secret Technique: Shockwave!]


    Secret Technique �� Shockwave?


    A smile involuntarily formed on the corners of Rein��s mouth!


    Immediately, the delighted Rein saw a brand-new icon located above the two major techniques of the ��Tokkal Hammer Technique�� �C ��Rising Dragon Hammer�� and ��Earth-Splitting Hammer�� on the Weapon Master (Legendary) panel.


    This icon was larger and more lustrous, and its design was more intricate!


    The icon��s design depicted a hammer heavily smashing into the ground, with radial lines in front, seeming to represent the wave-like force generated from the shock, overwhelmingly fierce.


    In the lower right corner of the icon, there were small words:


    Shockwave (Basic Secret Technique) Effect: Use a special activation method that combines primal force with multiple shockwaves, swinging the heavy hammer to deliver a high-frequency vibrating strike.


    (Note: The Shockwave belongs to a secret technique and cannot be enhanced through skill points.)


    (To elevate Shockwave to the Intermediate Secret Technique, the following conditions must be met: one, Tokkal Hammer Technique LV14 and above (hammer specialization can offset some level requirements); two, King Bear Breathing Technique LV14 and above. three, consume one Golden Skill Point.)


    Consume one Golden Skill Point?


    Seeing this, Rein was momentarily stunned!


    At the same time, he felt somewhat fortunate for having saved that single Golden Skill Point earlier.


    After all, Golden Skill Points were hard to come by.


    They could be obtained only by encountering and defeating formidable enemies, making them a rare and not easily sought resource, while regular skill points had a wide range of uses and converting three into one Golden Skill Point was too extravagant.


    Additionally, looking at the phrase ��hammer specialization can offset some level requirements��, Rein pondered thoughtfully.


    Perhaps, this was one of the important reasons why the profession of Weapon Master could be classified under the legendary tier.


    Being specialized in all weapon categories at LV1 meant that learning other Transcendent Combat Skills�� secret techniques would be much easier for him compared to others.


    To put it another way, under similar conditions, he could master the secrets ahead of time!


    This was indeed the true value of the Weapon Master��s exclusive talent ��Basic Weapon Mastery (Passive)��.


    ��.


    By the time Rein returned to the administration office of Fishing Port Town,


    the Reiman brothers had already been waiting at the door.


    Seeing the expressions of the Reiman brothers, Rein��s heart stirred, he asked, ��What has happened?��


    The older brother, Cobert Reiman, shook his head, his eyes revealing a sense of reluctance, and said,


    ��My lord Baron, just now a decree signed by Count Habs was delivered. The messenger said I am to take over your role in Fishing Port Town as the Governor, and Cornet as the Security Chief, while you are being reassigned to the county town.��


    ��My lord Baron, you����


    Upon hearing this news, Rein was momentarily startled, and then he smilingly said,


    ��This is good news, I hope you two will manage Fishing Port Town even better.��


    ��..


    Several days later, Rein was mounted on a tall black horse, having declined the Reiman brothers�� offer to escort him, he set off alone to Meist County City.


    By then, the White Snow Month had finally passed, the snow on the fields gradually began to melt away, eager young green sprouts were already striving to burst out from the soil, and the Month of Vitality had followed.


    The early morning sky was exceptionally bright, the warm morning sunlight shone on Rein, casting a golden glow, as he rode forward, his gaze directed toward the winding road in the distance. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the vast wilderness, that winding, twisting road seemed to symbolize that Rein��s path ahead was not a straight and smooth highway.


    Yet inexplicably, a phrase rose in Rein��s mind.


    Where there is a mind��s path, there lies the open road!

 Chapter 500 - 226: Beyond Visual Range Strike! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 500: Chapter 226: Beyond Visual Range Strike! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Rein rode his great black horse along the winding road, with quite a few items hanging on both sides of the steed.


    Besides a conspicuous great bow, there were two identical, animal skin wrapped, long, bar-shaped items on the other side. Judging by their length and the handles that were showing, they seemed to be some sort of short bladed weapon.


    These two were, in fact, the blood-colored daggers from that shadow assassin. Due to the striking blood-colored glow of the daggers, Rein had specifically wrapped them up in animal skins.


    As for why he didn��t carry the bow and daggers on his person, it was because Rein already had the pig-head hammer and Glimmering Greatsword on his back. If he were to carry a bow and tuck daggers at his waist as well, it would be like a peacock spreading its feathers!


    It truly would have been quite unsightly.


    Especially the dagger, what kind of upstanding Knight would fight with a dagger?


    ...


    Even if Knights used daggers as a secondary weapon, it was extremely rare.


    However, Rein was deeply impressed by the special effects of the shadow assassin��s blood-colored daggers. Such excellent weaponry, he naturally couldn��t bear to leave them unused.


    That��s also why he had proposed to the Imperial Southern Sea Fleet to obtain a set of Extraordinary Battle Technique for daggers if witchcraft of the metal variety wasn��t available.


    Suddenly, several high-pitched eagle cries came from above Rein��s head!


    It turned out that, above him at a height of tens of meters, a raptor the size of a seagull, with blue and purple mingled feathers, was stretching its wings, excitedly flipping and soaring.


    This was Rein��s young Blood Feathered Horned Eagle. During this time, under the care of Vinica, the Wizard Apprentice specializing in avian modification, the young bird had quickly grown robust.


    At this moment, the original fluffy light yellow down on its body had gradually been replaced by the blue and purple feathers unique to an adult Blood Feathered Horned Eagle.


    Of course, this process still had to continue for quite a long time.


    According to Vinica, the larger the size of the raptor, the longer and sturdier the feathers on its body would be, and compared to smaller birds, it would take much more time to molt.


    Walking in the wilderness of Wild Wolf Hills, Rein looked up at the young bird soaring freely through the sky, feeling envious, he couldn��t help but use the Beast Tamer��s core ��Eyes of the Beast��.


    Since Rein��s spiritual power had greatly increased compared to before, this time when he activated his skill, although the distance from the young Blood Feathered Horned Eagle was tens of meters, he was still able to cast it successfully with ease.


    The instant the skill was activated, Rein felt as though he were a radar station, with his spiritual power radiating like radar waves in all directions. Almost in an instant, the location of the young Blood Feathered Horned Eagle was locked into Rein��s mind.


    With a thought, Rein��s vision instantly switched!


    He could see the azure sky and the vast, limitless earth wherever he looked. If he lowered his gaze slightly, he would see the snow-capped hills stretching rolling before him.


    The snow atop the hills was still quite deep, while at the bottom, in the valleys, there had already begun to appear several bright patches of green, and the snow had melted into water, flowing gently to form small streams.


    Stretching his gaze into the distance, he saw a meandering road cut through the middle of the hills toward the faraway lands, and the walls of Meister City, appearing like a gray line, were boldly in sight.


    Staring into the distance, he could even make out some dim outlines of buildings within the County Town.


    Rein knew that this was due to the superb eyesight of the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle. At that moment, he had just left Fishing Port Town less than half an hour ago, and still had half a day��s journey to the County Town.


    Orienting the young bird to turn back, looking down the path he had come, he could see the circularly arranged buildings of Fishing Port Town not far away.


    Because it wasn��t too far, Rein could even clearly see the faces of the residents walking the streets of Fishing Port Town.


    And looking further afield, an endless expanse of azure sea came into view, dotted with dozens of islands, large and small, scattered about in blue and green.


    ��Indeed, having a raptor as a pet, setting aside the rest, just this bird��s-eye view from the sky is truly amazing!��


    ��It��s like controlling an attack drone from my previous life.��


    ��Eh, what��s this?��


    When Rein turned the young Blood Feathered Horned Eagle once again towards the direction of the County Town, he noticed that not far below the young bird, a battle was unfolding.


    He hadn��t noticed it at first due to the darkness beneath the nearby light.


    Taking a closer look with the young bird��s extraordinary vision, he saw, several kilometers ahead of his current position on the road, several caravans carrying goods were being ambushed by bandits.


    About a dozen guards were engaged in a fierce battle with the bandits.


    Among the bandits, one figure in a black robe immediately caught Rein��s attention; in his hands, black flames emerged from time to time.


    ��This is a Black Flame Sorcerer!��


    What��s more critical, Rein saw that the embattled caravan bore the distinct crest of the Crowley family, and among the guards, a short figure was an old acquaintance, the former captain of the Night Watchman from Flashgold Town, Matteo.


    With the Black Flame Sorcerer standing at the rear of the bandits and occasionally throwing out a black flame fireball, once it hit, a guard would be deprived of their combat strength, so at that point, the caravan��s guards were in dire peril.


    He calculated the distance; the opposition was on the winding roads of the Wild Wolf Hills, and running there directly to help was likely too late.


    If he wanted to rescue them in time, it seemed his only option was through archery. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, a direct shot was obviously impossible, as it would require passing through two sets of undulating woods to hit the enemy.

 Chapter 501 - 226: Beyond Visual Range Strike! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 501: Chapter 226: Beyond Visual Range Strike! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Let��s set aside whether it��s even possible to hit the target; the obstruction of trees and the undulating hills made it impossible for Rein to shoot through with arrows.


    If he wanted to rescue the other person, he clearly had to resort to a lobbing method.


    However, relying on the vision of a juvenile Blood Feathered Horned Eagle in the sky, Rein could see the other party clearly, but after estimating the straight-line distance, the other party was about 1.2 kilometers away.


    Regarding bow and arrow, the direct shot lethality of the elite Night Watchmen and the English longbowmen from Rein��s past life were similar��capable of piercing chainmail within a sixty meters range, with an effective lethality range of about 150 meters to 200 meters for lobbing.


    Although this was already the limit for ordinary people, it was not the limit for the Transcendent.


    Back when Rein was a Peak Knight, he could shoot directly around 200 meters and still cause lethal damage capable of piercing knight armor; lobbing could even reach 700 to 800 meters, of course, this was using iron arrows.


    ...


    Because wooden arrows were too affected by air resistance; no matter how great their initial velocity, once a critical distance was reached, their power would not increase anymore.


    Now, having stepped into the rank of Great Knight, Rein naturally improved this effective lethality range even further!


    However, at this moment, the limitation on Rein��s power was the bow in his hand.


    Even though the bow he was using was a great bow from ��Blood Shooter�� Phil, he could only lob it about one kilometer at full draw, after all, Phil was a senior Great Knight back then and didn��t have the strength to use a stronger bow.


    Additionally, if he used a lobbing shot, due to air resistance, it would continuously decrease the power of the arrows, but fortunately, the two bags of arrows he currently carried were filled with pure steel arrows.


    Their weight was seven or eight times that of ordinary arrows, and compared to wooden arrows, they were not as affected by air resistance.


    But the power would definitely be reduced��


    Suddenly, a light bulb went off in Rein��s head, as he thought of a possible solution.


    He first canceled the core Skill ��Beast Eye,�� while extracting a steel arrow, then he pulled out the great bow hanging from the black horse between his thighs, fitted the arrow to the bow, and only then did he quietly chant the witchcraft ��Sharpness Technique.��


    Soon, a faint silver light shone just above the arrowhead of the steel arrow.


    Since the entire arrow was made of metal, even though Sharpness Technique��s effects were mostly concentrated at the arrow cluster, this type of silver glow spread to the entire arrow.


    This was exactly the effect of Sharpness Technique!


    Looking at the faint silver glow that could last a minute, a smile appeared on Rein��s lips. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Next, came the final step.


    Rein needed the other party to stop moving for a while.


    This was also the most troublesome part of long-range sniping; the speed of the arrow he released would become slower and slower due to air resistance.


    Simply put, assuming the initial speed of the arrow was 500 meters per second, it might be just 300 meters per second when it reached over a kilometer distance.


    Estimating briefly, the arrow flying 1.2 kilometers might take about two to three seconds.


    During this time, if the target moved, obviously, the sniper shot would fail!


    Then, Rein once again activated the core Skill ��Beast Eye,�� controlling the juvenile Blood Feathered Horned Eagle to fly from behind towards the position of the Black Flame Monk. As it came close, it emitted a sharp yet distinctly predatory cry.


    This made the Black Flame Monk, who was casting Black Flame Fireballs below, curiously lift his head and pause to look up.


    At that moment, Rein released the taut bowstring.


    ��Bang!��


    The steel arrow, enhanced by the Sharpness Technique, streaked like a bolt of silver lightning and disappeared into the sky.


    Rein raised his eyebrows; he discovered that the Sharpness Technique seemed to be even more effective than he��d anticipated. Normally, shooting an arrow would produce a sharp breaking-air sound, but this time, there was none��


    The Sharpness Technique seemed to have a significant noise reduction effect on the arrowhead.


    After a brief thought, Rein started to understand.


    The addition of mysterious particles reduced the roughness of the arrow, especially the surface of the arrowhead. With decreased roughness, the adhesive force of air molecules diminished, thereby reducing the noise produced.


    In this way, not only was his arrow more concealed, its power was also greatly increased!


    No wonder Trevo, the archer from the Fish-Dragon Team who had learned this metal-series witchcraft, the Sharpness Technique, even though his elemental affinity was not towards metal particles.


    One second!


    Two seconds!


    The Black Flame Monk was staring at the odd blue-purple big bird in the sky, wondering, ��What kind of bird is this, seems like I��ve never seen it before.��


    At the same time, he was estimating the distance, thinking about whether he could attack the other party with Black Flame Fireballs.


    After all, those hovering overhead were indeed annoying to watch.


    ��Pfft!��


    The sound of a blade piercing a watermelon echoed!


    This strange noise coming from behind the team immediately drew the attention of many bandits. When they looked back, they looked as if they had been struck by lightning and froze immediately!


    Because a scene that left them utterly astonished unfolded before their eyes.


    The previously arrogant and domineering Black Robe master manipulating black flames was now pierced through the back of the head by an arrow falling from the sky!


    The force of the arrow was so great, it penetrated the entire head of the Black Robe master and shot out through his mouth, the impact was so strong that it pinned him to the ground.


    At that moment, the eyes of the Black Robe master bulged out, a look of unresolved death on his face!

 Chapter 502 - 226: Beyond Visual Range Strike! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 502: Chapter 226: Beyond Visual Range Strike! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3 sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed that the figure shrouded in a black robe couldn��t comprehend how all this had happened so abruptly, and his body still twitched instinctively.


    The bandits exchanged glances, their faces filled with disbelief, especially a burly man with a bristling beard, whose mouth corners gave off an uncontrollable twitch!


    What in the world was going on?


    Just when everything seemed to be going their way, he had turned around to find the black-robed person dead???


    Influenced by the bandits, the guards of the caravan gradually ceased fighting, looking in the direction the bandits were gazing.


    Among them, the shorter Matteo felt the strangest about the bandits�� unanimous decision to look backward.


    ...


    As the captain of the guards, Matteo sensed the decrease in pressure, especially since the burly man with the beard who had been closely watching him now looked behind, his expression haunted.


    This made Matteo incredibly curious: could something have happened behind the bandits?


    So, the short Matteo quickly tilted his head and glanced through the crowd.


    At that glance, Matteo��s eyes widened suddenly��


    A steel arrow?


    Piercing through the skull of the black flame monk?


    Who could be the skilled archer nearby helping them with such strength?


    Matteo was instantly bewildered!


    At this moment, whether they were guards or bandits, everyone began looking around, seemingly in search of the mysterious archer.


    But a minute passed.


    They found no sign of the archer who, in theory, should have been nearby.


    However, the sudden death of the black flame monk had indeed demoralized the bandits, and for a moment, they did not know whether to retreat or to continue fighting.


    At that instant, the dull thud of horse hooves was heard from one end of the road.


    A very large black warhorse appeared, carrying a no less imposing silver-armored knight charging towards them.


    The bandit leader with the beard took one look and felt a dangerous presence, like facing a natural enemy. Immediately, he shouted, ��Run!�� and was the first to take off!


    Upon sighting the silver-armored knight, Matteo was overjoyed.


    ��Lord Rein!��


    As Rein approached, the bandits swiftly scattered like birds and beasts.


    Rein, however, had no interest in pursuing these mere commoners who were bandits, and directed his horse alongside the deceased black flame monk. He observed the flame emblem at the collar and sleeves of the black robe, confirming without doubt that the person was indeed a black flame monk.


    At that moment, Matteo glanced at the arrow quiver on the side of Rein��s black horse, then turned to look at the steel arrow in the black flame monk��s head, staring at Rein with a look of utter astonishment, and said,


    ��Lord Baron, are you saying that you shot that arrow just now?��


    Because as Rein drew closer, Matteo had just noticed that the arrows in the quiver hanging by the large black horse were identical in make to the one that had killed the black flame monk.


    The answer was clear.


    The guards who came closer also began to exclaim softly.


    The steel arrows were identical to the ones in the quiver.


    But they had not seen the Lord anywhere around them just now!


    From how far must he have shot the arrow?


    Is this the might of a true Knight?


    Actually, Matteo had many questions at the moment; wasn��t the Lord best with the greatsword? When had his archery become so powerful?


    Luckily, Matteo himself was a bit lacking in strength; if he were stronger, he would be able to sense that at this moment, Rein was no longer just a Knight but had reached the level of a Great Knight.


    On the other hand, that would shock him even more!


    Rein was also surprised to find Matteo among the Crawley family caravan.


    To Matteo��s question, Rein nodded and didn��t deny it, showing a smile and saying, ��Matteo, how come you��re in the Crawley family��s caravan?��


    ��Lord Baron, do you remember you told me last time to come to the County Town? After considering it carefully, I made the decision a while back and resigned from Hamilton, then came to the County Town to find you.��


    ��But when I arrived, the Baroness Crawley told me you had gone to the Fishing Port Town to serve as Governor.��


    ��Upon learning that it was you who sent me, and knowing that I had been the Night Watchman captain, she made me the captain of the caravan��s guards.��


    Rein showed a look of enlightenment!


    Long ago, he had invited Matteo to come to his new residence in the County Town for employment.


    Although working for him didn��t promise the vast prospects of official Imperial promotion, for those below the Transcendent level, there was a ceiling to career growth, so it might be better to work for him.


    After some questioning, Rein learned that since the bandit gang incident in the County Town, the bandits from Wild Wolf Hills had become scarce, significantly improving the security around the County Town.


    The peace didn��t last; recently, the remaining bands of bandits had become active again.


    Rein gazed at the corpse of the black flame monk, musing to himself,


    It looks like the vacuum in power created by Zaral��s rebellion��s absence might have given the black flame church an opportunity to infiltrate Wild Wolf Hills.


    Although Rein didn��t know the other guards, they approached respectfully, bowing and greeting, ��Lord Baron, good day!��


    ��Oh? You��ve seen me before?��


    ��Yes, my lord, we admired you from a distance on the day you became the Guardian Knight for the Crawley family, alongside the two other Great Knights.��


    Rein nodded and then turned to ask the shorter Matteo, ��Are you escorting goods to the County Town?��

 Chapter 503 - 226: Beyond Visual Range Strike! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 503: Chapter 226: Beyond Visual Range Strike! (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Yes, Baron, this time��.�� S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Throughout the journey, Rein had pondered one question, perhaps the Weapon Master, this legendary profession, was stronger than he expected.


    For example, just now, he combined the archery of the Weapon Master with the abilities of a Beast Tamer, achieving an effect comparable to a long-range sniper rifle from his past life.


    In some ways, the Weapon Master was like a highly compatible motherboard, on which various electronic components such as chips, graphics cards, and memory could be attached, thus forming different kinds of combat power.


    This was something Rein had not anticipated at first.


    As his proficiency with various categories of weapons as a Weapon Master increased, the combination with other professions would unleash unimaginable combat power.


    ...


    Just that currently, Rein had not yet discovered it.


    ��


    The half-day��s journey quickly passed with casual chats with the diminutive Matteo.


    The gates of County Town were clearly in sight, and as an Imperial Baron, Rein naturally did not need to be inspected at the gate.


    Matteo��s family��s convoy, bearing the Crowley family crest, was also easily allowed through by the guards.


    Since Matteo still had to deliver goods, Rein left first to go to the new residence.


    Thinking of the family and Jennifer he was about to meet, Rein couldn��t help but feel a stir in his heart.


    Soon, Rein saw his long-missed parents and his sister Bo He.


    ��Rein, do I feel you��ve grown taller again?�� Looking at her increasingly tall and imposing son, his mother, Emma, was both happy and a bit worried.


    Rein was only sixteen now, nearly two meters tall, and in a few more years, that physique��


    Would he be unable to find a suitable noble lady?


    ��Mother, I grew a bit taller.��


    ��Brother, Cookie��s injury has finally healed, and now it��s as before, no, even stronger,�� his sister Bo He said enthusiastically after giving Rein a big hug.


    ��Hmm?�� Rein raised his eyebrows.


    He had thought that with Cookie��s spinal injury, it was unlikely to heal on its own. He had planned to take Cookie for treatment at the Church of Monsoon and Ocean Goddess after returning this time, but unexpectedly, Cookie had recovered on its own.


    Right then, as they say, speak of the devil!


    A strangely large and sturdy Greyhound suddenly darted out from behind the villa; ��Cookie�� upon seeing Rein, looked surprised and charged over.


    Rein watched the Greyhound wagging its tail, running in circles, and smiled as he pet its head.


    This was his first pet, though it was just an ordinary Greyhound.


    However now, Rein could feel some strange changes occurring within its body; otherwise, it could not have healed such a serious injury on its own.


    Perhaps, before long, the requirement for his transition into a Legendary Beast Tamer, ��to at least turn an ordinary animal into a ferocious beast,�� would be fulfilled.


    At that moment, a Blood Feathered Horned Eagle chick circling in the sky, seeing the interaction between Rein and the Greyhound, seemed emotionally affected and suddenly let out a high cry, descending in spirals.


    Seeing such a formidable bird of prey, the guards by the mansion swiftly drew their weapons on alert.


    Rein waved his hand and said, ��Don��t worry, this is my pet.��


    ��Ah? Brother, this is your pet? What kind of bird is this? It��s really pretty,�� his sister Bo He said, mesmerized by the blue-purple feathers of the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle chick.


    ��Haha, this is a Blood Feathered Horned Eagle, a naturally ferocious species,�� Rein indulgently pet Bo He��s head and explained.


    Seemingly sensing how its master interacted with the people around him, the chick approached, looked at Bo He, and appeared curious.


    ��Brother, have you named it?�� Bo He��s bright eyes focused on Rein as she asked.


    ��That��. actually, I haven��t,�� Rein was momentarily stumped, wondering if his sister was about to name his pet again.


    ��Brother, can I name it?��


    Rein gave a wry smile and replied, ��Of course.��


    ��Great, then let��s call it Blood Feather, okay?�� Bo He came up with a name as she tilted her head.


    Blood Feather?


    Did it signify the meaning of a Blood Feathered Horned Eagle?


    It seemed to be a much better name than ��Cookie.��


    Rein nodded his head in approval and said, ��That��s a very good name.��


    Just then, Rein noticed a familiar figure in a one-shoulder white dress, voluptuous and walking slowly out of the villa��s front door, heading his way.

 Chapter 504 - 227: Job Change! [Pharmacist] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 504: Chapter 227: Job Change! [Pharmacist] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    The beautiful lady Jennifer stood aside with effortless grace, smiling as she watched Reine reunite with his family.


    However, upon seeing Jennifer approaching, Mother Emma seemed to think of something and spoke, ��Reine, you��re not getting any younger, maybe it��s time to start mingling more with the noble ladies.��


    ��Perfect, since Jennifer is here, let her help arrange it. Introduce you to a few noble ladies, or perhaps you should attend more banquets,�� Mother Emma said, while complaining to Jennifer.


    ��Jennifer, I��m going to have to trouble you and ask you to put a bit more effort into this. Before Reine became a Knight, I thought he was too frail, but now��.�� Emma looked up at the robust Reine, her brows slightly furrowed.


    ��He��s grown too tall; the noble ladies will probably find that off-putting����


    Hearing Mother Emma��s words, Reine couldn��t help but smile wryly.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Jennifer covered her mouth with her hand, laughing uncontrollably, her body shaking like a flower in the breeze.


    ��There��s no need to worry, Sister Emma.��


    ��If Baron Reine were to announce that he is looking for a girlfriend, I don��t know how many noble ladies would be overjoyed,�� said the beautiful Jennifer, calming Emma with a hand over her ample chest.


    ��Really?�� Emma looked at Jennifer with a hint of skepticism, not quite believing her.


    After all, in Emma��s eyes, her son Reine had just been promoted to Baron not long ago and should belong to the category that didn��t have a substantial family fortune, the kind that noble ladies might look down upon; hence, it was better to start looking early.


    She couldn��t imagine the scenario Jennifer described.


    ��Really!�� Jennifer affirmed with a nod.


    ��Well�� If Reine can��t marry a noble lady in the future, Jennifer, you��ll be responsible, and your daughter Jenny seems quite suitable,�� Emma declared.


    Just then, Jenny happened to walk out of the villa. Seeing everyone turning their gazes toward her, she looked utterly confused.


    Emma��s words took the beautiful lady by surprise!


    Jenny?


    Absolutely not!


    She herself had already been with Reine��


    ��No! No! Not Jenny, Sister Emma. Lord Reine and Jenny wouldn��t be a good match,�� Jennifer hastily declined.


    By this time, Jenny had walked up to everyone and heard her mother��s statement quite clearly.


    She silently glanced at her mother and thought to herself, ��Mother, how could you not know if our personalities match or not?��


    ��.


    After the sumptuous dinner, Reine went to the study.


    A few minutes later, ��knock, knock, knock,�� a very faint knocking sounded.


    Recognizing the familiar footsteps, Reine already knew who it was and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.


    As Reine opened the door, there stood Jennifer, who had drunk quite a bit of Bordeaux wine during the evening feast, her complexion rosy and her watery eyes gazing at him as if able to draw silk.


    For Jennifer, it had been half a month since she last felt that indescribably wonderful sensation.


    And at her age, she happened to be very much in need��


    So, from the moment she saw Reine, she very much wanted to engage in a more profound exchange with him.


    Now, she had finally found the right moment.


    As the housekeeper, it was always her duty to report to Lord Reine �C the Baron �C of the affairs of Meister County and the new estate over this period.


    It made perfect sense.


    ��Lord Baron, I��ve come to report on the recent state of the estate,�� said the beautiful lady, playing with her dangling hair by the ear, lowering her head shyly as she spoke.


    ��Of course, you may come in, beautiful lady,�� Reine immediately stepped aside, inviting the beautiful lady into the room.


    After Jennifer walked into the room with a waft of fragrance, Reine ��clicked�� the door shut behind her.


    And this ��click�� seemed to be a signal, directly triggering a particular mode in the beautiful lady Jennifer.


    She approached the spacious mahogany desk and started to take off her white shawl on her own, then, turning her head, shyly blinked at Reine before starting to undo��


    And, leaning on the large mahogany desk, she slightly arched her back��


    The thing is��


    What?


    A tail?


    Reine��s eyes suddenly widened!


    The posture and actions of the beautiful lady were more than suggestive!


    However, at this moment, the beautiful lady also felt extremely bashful; her pale face had already turned bright red.


    This role-play idea was something she��d heard from a close girlfriend �C it suggested that if a beloved man preferred the unconventional, he would immediately pull out the tail��


    Now, Reine��s eyes suddenly flared with a fierce passion.


    After all, the thoughts from his last kiss in Fishing Port Town with Vinica had been difficult to control, and now, with the beautiful lady taking such an initiative��


    To hesitate even for a second would be disrespectful!


    Suddenly, behind the beautiful lady, a rustling sound arose quickly!


    Half a second later, one rough, warm hand gripped the beautiful lady��s slender waist while the other hand carefully removed the white plush tail.


    This instantly thrilled the beautiful lady with a mix of delight and a touch of fear�� Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    (A thousand words omitted here��.)


    For the pair who hadn��t seen one another in half a month, playing cards in the study was hardly satisfying enough.


    In the middle of the night, a burst of warmth entered Reine��s embrace.


    They continued playing cards until the late hours of the night before ceasing.


    ��.


    The next morning, Reine looked at Jennifer lying beside him, her face exuding satisfaction and joy as she still slept sweetly.

 Chapter 505 - 227: Job Change! [Pharmacist] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 505: Chapter 227: Job Change! [Pharmacist] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    A smile couldn��t help but spread across Rein��s lips at the thought of last night.


    As the dawn gradually shone through the window into the bedroom on the second floor, the beautiful woman��s long eyelashes quivered slightly as she naturally awoke.


    Jennifer looked at Rein with a deep and shy gaze, saying, ��Dear, why do I feel more and more overwhelmed by you?��


    ��Have you grown stronger again?��


    In the face of the beautiful woman��s praise, Rein immediately wrapped her in his arms, his fingers gently stroking her fair and smooth skin.


    ��This trip to Fishing Port Town has been quite fruitful. I have officially stepped into the rank of a Great Knight.��


    ...


    Hmm?


    Jennifer froze, her beautiful eyes widening dramatically as she blinked her long eyelashes at Rein, thinking, ��I was asking about how you��ve become stronger in that way, and this is what you tell me�� wait!��


    ��Dear, you�� you��re only sixteen and you��re already a Great Knight?�� Jennifer��s first words after regaining her composure were ones of utter astonishment.


    My goodness!


    Had she found herself a ��Star of Tomorrow��?


    She had thought that Rein would likely be a rising star within Meist County, but she later discovered he was actually the brightest and biggest of Meist County��s stars!


    But now it seemed that she still underestimated him��


    She might have found a ��Star of Tomorrow�� at the level of the entire Mingster Province!


    Rein nodded and smiled, ��Yes, but within the whole empire, there are Great Knights who are sixteen. They are just rare.��


    ��But in Meist County, that��s absolutely unique!�� Jennifer looked at Rein with admiring eyes, speaking without hesitation.


    Seemingly recalling something, Jennifer continued, ��Right, dear, after you left for Fishing Port Town, I��ve been continuously collecting rare ores. Recently, through various channels, I��ve gathered quite a few ore raw stones and metal ingots.��


    ��Magic steel ingots, star iron ores, water membrane steel ingots, blood patterned steels, etc., I��ve managed to collect some of each. They are currently stored in the blacksmith��s warehouse, where I have arranged for someone to be responsible for their safekeeping,�� she said, recounting like a treasure trove.


    Listening to her, Rein couldn��t help but be moved; this was indeed a true helpmate��


    Some of the rare ores were exactly what he was going to need soon. Good!


    Seeing the appreciative look in Rein��s eyes, the beautiful woman couldn��t help but feel encouraged. Just as she was about to say more, her pretty lips were soon silenced�� S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For the capable beautiful woman, it was natural for Rein to reward her well once again��


    Of course, Rein always understood that the pleasures between men and women were a respite from tedious cultivation, but one must never indulge in them.


    Otherwise, as the saying goes from his previous life �� ��the land of tenderness becomes a hero��s grave.��


    After breakfast, Rein boarded his luxurious carriage and headed to the blacksmith��s shop.


    ��.


    �����������C


    Meanwhile.


    In the study room of Baron Alonso in Meist County City.


    Lamar, dressed in a black robe with a hood covering his head, sat opposite Alonso, and without beating around the bush, he said:


    ��Baron Alonso, I have been entrusted by the high priest to request that you invite Rein at an opportune time to attend the banquet held on the second Sunday of this month at Baron Elliot��s residence.��


    ��Baron Elliot��s residence, isn��t that where the high priest���� Alonso said, puzzled.


    Lamar nodded, confirming Alonso��s suspicion, and continued:


    ��However, Baron, I think the first issue we need to address is that Rein is currently serving as the Governor of Fishing Port Town. So, do you see a way to have him return to Meist County City first?��


    After a pause, Lamar continued:


    ��I had heard that he was closely related to the Crowley family. Thus, on my way here, I was thinking if we could start with the industries of the Crowley family to force them to seek Rein��s help?��


    Lamar said this while observing the expression of Alonso across from him.


    Soon, he noticed that as his narrative went on, Alonso��s expression became a bit odd.


    This made Lamar involuntarily stop his story.


    Baron Alonso, on the other hand, exchanged glances with his butler Michel and then looked back at Lamar.


    This made Lamar even more puzzled, thinking, ��Could my information be inaccurate?��


    He looked at Baron Alonso with an inquiring gaze.


    Alonso didn��t keep him in suspense and coughed before speaking, ��Lamar, are you unaware? The Rein you speak of returned to the County Town yesterday.��


    ��What?�� Lamar��s eyes suddenly widened, clearly astonished.


    But soon, Lamar thought of something and a look of both shock and joy appeared on his face, joy being the more predominant emotion.


    He had not expected things to go so smoothly.


    As if there was no animosity between their Black Flame Church and Rein, but rather an alliance, with cooperation that was quite harmonious.


    ��Baron, doesn��t that mean that our plan has already succeeded by half before we even put it into action? Next, we just need to find a way to invite him to the banquet, and we can complete the plan set by the high priest,�� Lamar said.


    However, Alonso did not agree off the bat but furrowed his brow, tapping the armrest of his chair with two fingers and seriously contemplating.


    After a long moment, Alonso finally spoke softly, ��Lamar, does the high priest have confidence in resolving the Rein issue at the prayer ceremony?��


    ��Don��t forget, Baron Norman had already successfully entered the Great Knight rank, yet he was still defeated in open combat by this Rein. Therefore, I believe you should at least assess Rein��s strength by the standards of an official Great Knight, or even those of a veteran Great Knight.��

 Chapter 506 - 227: Job Change! [Pharmacist] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 506: Chapter 227: Job Change! [Pharmacist] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��Otherwise, he might just ruin the Blackflame Prayer Ritual!��


    Facing Baron Alarso��s doubts, Lamar spoke with conviction:


    ��Baron, such a possibility is almost non-existent, for the High Priest is absolutely confident this time!��


    After hesitating, Lamar decided to reveal some information to the Baron before him.


    ��At that time, the High Priest will borrow a trace of the God of Hunting��s imposing pressure. Not to mention a seasoned Knight, even a Peak Knight will find it extremely difficult to withstand!��


    A trace of divine pressure?


    ...


    Such a big move! Alarso showed a surprised expression.


    Although Alarso was not aware of the specific means, he knew that borrowing the God��s imposing pressure would inevitably come at a great cost.


    Hearing this answer, Alarso nodded and said, ��If the High Priest has a way to borrow a trace of the God of Hunting��s divine power during the prayer ritual, then I think, there shouldn��t be any more accidents in this matter.��


    ��By the way, Lord Lamar, perhaps I should also inform you of another piece of news.��


    ��This morning, I saw in a letter from Mingster that this Baron Rein we are dealing with will attend the Imperial Sword Bearer��s examination in Mingster Province in a few days.��


    ��Sword Bearer?�� Lamar couldn��t help but change his expression and exclaimed.


    ��Yes, I��ve been pondering this issue. If we can��t deal with him before Rein goes for the Sword Bearer examination, once he passes and officially joins the Sword Bearers, I think he is likely to target the Blackflame Church first.��


    Hearing this news, Lamar shivered and reaffirmed with a solemn face: ��Lord Baron Alarso, are you certain of this news?��


    At that moment, the butler Michel spoke up.


    ��Lord Lamar, this letter is still on Lord Count Habbs�� desk at the moment; the news is absolutely true.��


    Lamar nodded and fell silent in thought.


    It seemed that the letter sent to Count Habbs, the Meister County Governor by Mingster, was undoubtedly authentic.


    ��Baron, I understand what you mean. Since that is the case, we must not fail in our action this time!��


    ��I will go back and report to the High Priest right now.��


    ��


    After seeing off Lamar, Baron Alarso stood up and looked out through the second-floor window at the closely packed houses in the noble district of the villa. Although it was already the month of new life, the roofs still bore quite a lot of white snow.


    At that moment, the butler Michel couldn��t help but ask, ��My lord, do you think the Blackflame Church will be able to deal with Rein this time?��


    After all, anyone who had racked their brains trying to kill someone and failed several times would have some shadows in their heart!


    This wasn��t just true for butler Michel, including Alarso himself. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Especially since last time, Alarso had arranged three fallbacks, but Rein had foiled each of them, which had also dealt a significant blow to Alarso��s confidence.


    After a long pause, Michel finally received Alarso��s reply:


    ��If we do nothing, we��ll never have the chance to get rid of the opponent.��


    ��Moreover, what we are doing is merely an invitation to a ball, we don��t have to act personally. However, we still need to think carefully about how to make the other party agree to it.��


    ��


    �����������C


    Inside the Crowley family-run Blacksmith shop.


    As a blacksmith, Rein was currently wielding a hammer, repairing the high-grade knight��s chest armor made of water membrane steel.


    In a previous battle with the shadow assassin, his water membrane steel chest armor had been punctured with several holes. Although it had been slightly repaired in Fishing Port Town due to the lack of water membrane steel ingots, it had only smoothed out some dents and unevenness.


    But this time, because Jennifer had prepared and collected many rare minerals early, Rein easily found water membrane steel ingots in the rare mineral storage room, and after melting them, he proceeded to manually polish the repairs.


    An hour later.


    Rein held the repaired water-processed steel chest armor in his hand, inspecting it. Looking at the smooth surface, which bore no signs of previous damage, Rein nodded in satisfaction with his craftsmanship.


    It seemed, his skill as a blacksmith was quite commendable.


    Setting aside the chest armor, he then took out the longbow from ��Bloody Shooter�� Phil.


    The original material of the bow, magic steel ingots, was also fine, as Jennifer had prepared it in advance.


    What Rein needed to do now was to strengthen the bow further, especially the diameter of the bow arms, allowing this great bow to withstand the force of his Great Knight level.


    As for the bowstring, which was supposed to be made from the dorsal tendon of a spineback sea serpent, Jennifer had arranged for the best Bowmaker under the Crowley family to assist in reinforcing it.


    According to the Bowmaker, wrapping a special linen fiber around the tendon and soaking it in a specially made solution for a few hours would suffice, not only providing the bowstring with great tensile strength but also greatly enhancing its durability.


    For a bowstring, having immense elasticity isn��t necessary, but toughness and durability are very important.


    Half a day later, Rein removed the newly modeled warbow from the mold.


    The bow, shimmering with a pale gray metallic sheen, had noticeably strengthened arms compared to before, and its length had also increased a bit more to 1.8 meters.

 Chapter 507 - 227: Job Change! [Pharmacist] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 507: Chapter 227: Job Change! [Pharmacist] (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    At the same time, due to the thickening of the bow arms, the weight had increased by about fifty percent compared to before, but for Rein, this weight was hardly worth mentioning.


    When Rein returned to the mansion, a servant had already placed the processed new bowstring in the study.


    This was a pleasant surprise for Rein, who immediately took out the new bowstring and tied it onto the bow.


    Holding the brand-new war bow, Rein couldn��t help but itch to try it out!


    He went to the training room on the first floor of the mansion and, without using witchcraft, simply drew the bow and released an arrow, only to hear a ��ding�� sound, an extremely sharp whistling in the air!


    The steel arrow in Rein��s hand shot forth like a bolt of silver lightning toward the target!


    ...


    Only a ��boom!�� could be heard.


    The solid wooden target was completely splintered, and the steel arrow pierced tens of centimeters into the wall behind, leaving only its end still trembling.


    At the same time, Rein even heard the surprised cries of servants from the other side of the wall. Seeing such power, Rein nodded in satisfaction. He had just used about seventy to eighty percent of his strength, and it had this kind of effect.


    Afterward, Rein placed two thick iron shields on the target and tested a few more times.


    With the protection of the two iron shields, when Rein shot with all his might, he finally didn��t penetrate the wall.


    But each shot, like the impact of bullets from a sniper rifle in his previous life, couldn��t help but make Rein laugh involuntarily.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?�Ϧ�?0.��0


    Of course, his main purpose this time was to test the new war bow. From what he could see, there was no problem bearing the forces when he activated ��Limit Break��; after all, just now, the bowstring was only drawn halfway.


    As for after activating Limit Break with the talent for Intermediate Giant Force?


    For the moment, Rein hadn��t found a suitable place to test that power. During extreme outbursts, the bowstring might be damaged, but sustaining a few shots should be no problem.


    After testing the new war bow, Rein went to the potion room on the first floor of the villa to start making potions.


    This time, Rein did not choose to make Transcendent-level potions like the mutation growth potion but opted for a very simple hemostatic potion.


    Because his purpose in potion making this time was very clear: to try to trigger the profession panel for a Pharmacist.


    Soon, as Rein expected, the system prompt sounded:


    [Ding! It is detected that the host is making potions, triggering a career change��Pharmacist!]


    [Preconditions for changing to a Pharmacist are: One, mastery of the production of any basic potion; Two, Spirit above 6 points; ��.Current conditions met, Yes/No to change to Pharmacist?]


    Rein was overjoyed and without hesitation chose Yes!


    [Ding! Successful change to Pharmacist! Spirit +1!]


    Looking at the paltry reward of just one additional point to Spirit, Rein couldn��t help but smile wryly and shake his head, sighing that compared to the transitions to Transcendent and even Legendary professions, the rewards for ordinary professions really were a bit too scant.


    But soon, Rein adjusted his mood.


    Because his purpose in becoming a Pharmacist was not for the Pharmacist itself, but for the Skill Points and the subsequent special advancement profession [Deadly Poison Master (Transcendent)].


    Thus, Rein briskly continued to make hemostatic potions in the potion room.


    System prompts flowed in succession:


    [Your skill in making hemostatic potions has improved, Experience +2]


    [You have focused on making hemostatic potions for ten minutes, Pharmacist profession Experience Points +6]


    [Your skill in making hemostatic potions has improved, Experience +2]


    ��


    For several days in a row, besides going out in the morning to feed the Blood Feathered Horned Eagles and the spirit hounds, Rein practically buried himself in the potion room and didn��t come out.


    During this period, Count Habs sent someone to invite Rein to come to the Count Mansion for dinner next Sunday.


    With his strong spiritual power and Constitution, Rein worked like an indefatigable high-precision robot, easily accomplishing some potion-making manipulations that would be extremely difficult for ordinary people.


    In a few days, the Pharmacist profession level successfully advanced to lv3, reaching lv3 (3/500), leaving him with 7 remaining attribute points and 2 remaining Skill Points.


    Seeing Rein busying himself in the potion room, the beautiful woman Jennifer couldn��t help but be puzzled.


    She had always known that Rein enjoyed blacksmithing, and although he occasionally took part in potion making by hand, he had never invested such great effort and time.


    She felt maybe she should talk to Rein.


    After all, one��s energy is limited. It makes sense for a blacksmith to be compatible with the way of the knight, but to be distracted by potion making seemed��


    At that moment, a maid approached, handed a letter to Jennifer with both hands, and said respectfully, ��Madam, Baron Alonzo has just sent this invitation and asked for you or Lord Reine to open it.��


    ��Hmm?�� Jennifer took the letter with a puzzled expression.


    Ever since she and Rein had attended the auction at Yakesen Auction House together, the nobles from the County Town who had previously pursued her had mostly quieted down, and naturally, Baron Alonzo was no exception.


    Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 508 - 228 Evolution of the Greyhound (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 508: Chapter 228 Evolution of the Greyhound (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Inside the pharmacy.


    The beautiful woman, Jennifer, held an invitation in her hand and briefly explained the contents to Rein.


    ��Alonso invites you and me to a banquet?�� Rein couldn��t help but feel a bit surprised.


    Could it be that the other party wanted to mend their relationship with him?


    Rein pondered.


    Honestly, he wasn��t too interested in this matter because he was about to go to Mingster to participate in the ��Sword Bearer�� assessment.


    ...


    Therefore, the superficial pleasantries amongst the nobility of Meister County had lost their significance to him.


    Instead, his time was now quite precious, as Rein wanted to raise his Profession Level as a Pharmacist to lv5 before heading to Mingster and switch to the Transcendent profession panel of Deadly Poison Master.


    In this way, on one hand, he would soon have a sufficient number of Skill Points, allowing his strength to gain another boost in a short period.


    On the other hand, although being a Pharmacist hadn��t brought him any core skills, he believed that the Transcendent level of Deadly Poison Master would not be simple and was likely to bring him some sort of improvement or benefit. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, he could decline the banquet invitation from Alonso, but as for the invitation from Count Habbs, the highest official of Meister County, Rein obviously wouldn��t refuse.


    After some thought, Rein said to the beautiful woman, Jennifer, ��Decline it!��


    Jennifer had no objections and cheerfully said, ��Alright, dear.��


    ��By the way, what is the theme of this banquet?�� After thinking for a moment, Rein couldn��t help but ask casually.


    Jennifer looked at the invitation again and said, ��Hmm�� it says it��s to appreciate a few oil paintings from the Eagle Federation.��


    ��Appreciating oil paintings?�� Rein couldn��t help but look at the beautiful woman in surprise.


    Jennifer chuckled and explained:


    ��Quite often, the purpose of a gathering among nobles is to enhance connections and strengthen exchanges. So, sometimes activities like tasting a batch of new Bordeaux vintages can become the theme of a banquet.��


    ��Alright, that��s���� Rein couldn��t help but be rendered speechless, truly the whims of the nobility.


    ��.


    When Alonso heard the report from his butler, Michel, that Rein had declined his invitation, he was neither angry nor disappointed; instead, he smiled slightly.


    ��Just as I expected.��


    ��However, this time it��s different. This isn��t just my personal matter. With so many nobles privately purchasing Divine Blood from the Black Flame Church, Michel, contact them, let them send banquet invitations to Jennifer these next few days.��


    ��As you command, Baron.�� When Michel heard what Alonso had said, he suddenly understood.


    The networks among these nobles were also the reason Alonso felt confident.


    Since a large portion of the Divine Blood from the Black Flame Church was distributed to the nobility through him.


    Simply put, a substantial part of the nobility in Meister County had formed a large interest group with the Black Flame Church through his brokerage.


    In some aspects, they could act in unison.


    If doing this in the past would have made him hesitant because his conflict with Rein had been more personal, this time the high priest of the Black Flame Church had made it clear that he would personally take action against Rein.


    Therefore, at this moment, mobilizing these nobles to collectively pressure Rein was not an issue and wouldn��t cause the Black Flame Church any grievances.


    ��.


    �����������C


    Sunday.


    In the study of Earl Habbs Mansion.


    Rein met once again with the dignified Count Habbs, the highest official of the Imperial Meister County.


    With his growing strength, Rein could faintly sense that Count Habbs�� power seemed not to be inferior to Captain Baron of the Fish-Dragon Squad.


    Similarly, upon seeing Rein, Count Habbs couldn��t help but utter a slight ��huh�� and then stared at Rein intently for a while.


    ��It used to be that the most promising knight in all of Meister County should have been Cleya, but after seeing you again today, Rein, I think Cleya should give her place to you!�� Count Habbs said with a smile.


    ��Thank you for your praise. Lady Cleya will always be my guide on the knight��s path,�� Rein said with a slight bow and a smile.


    ��Rein, I originally thought you, a fledgling eagle, would need to learn to fly for a while longer before soaring into the sky, but I didn��t expect you to be ready to spread your wings so soon.��


    ��I have already received the official letter from Mingster. Rein, with your strength, as long as you perform normally, I believe you will certainly pass the Imperial Sword Bearer assessment smoothly.��


    ��Count, thank you for your encouragement.��


    ��By the way, if you encounter any difficulties in Mingster, you can take this letter and look for this old friend of mine. Perhaps, you might receive some help from him.�� Count Habbs took out a letter from the drawer of his desk and handed it to Rein.


    Rein took it and saw that the letter was already sealed with red wax, upon which was stamped the seal ring bearing the Kali bird emblem representing the Habus family.


    Clearly, Count Habbs had been prepared.


    ��Thank you, Count!�� Rein said with a bow.


    ��


    Aware of Count Habbs�� care, Rein understood his intentions and expressed sufficient respect and good will.


    Thus, the sumptuous banquet was spent in a congenial and joyful atmosphere, and before long, Rein returned home.


    ��.


    The next morning, Rein went about his routine in the villa��s backyard: feeding the greyhound ��Cookie��, the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle ��Blood Feather��, tending to the growth of the mutant potion, and recording the observations.

 Chapter 509 - 228 Evolution of the Greyhound (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 509: Chapter 228 Evolution of the Greyhound (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    However, after feeding the Greyhound Cookie this time, it suddenly ��howled�� out in pain!


    Immediately after, Cookie began to devour the food in front of it crazily.


    At this moment, the system notification also sounded:


    [Host pet Greyhound, due to the long-term use of mutation growth potions, begins to mutate and evolve!]


    [Mutating evolution in progress��.]


    This immediately delighted Rein, he instantly turned to the servant beside him and said, ��Quickly go to the kitchen and bring more meat here, fill a large basin.��


    ...


    ��As you command, Baron sir!�� the servant immediately trotted towards the kitchen.


    ��Wait, go to my study and bring the bear meat on the table as well,�� Rein called out to him.


    Cookie��s massive consumption indicated that its evolution required a large amount of energy, and the ferocious beast meat, which is rich in energy, was the best choice at the moment.


    ��Yes, sir!�� the servant hurriedly ran off again.


    Soon, two strong servants brought over a large basin of deliciously cooked meat.


    Soon, ��Cookie�� devoured most of the large basin of meat, and Rein, watching its slender body, found it hard to imagine how it could hold so much meat.


    At that moment, a small basin of bear meat also arrived!


    After the ten pounds of bear meat had been swallowed, Cookie seemed to be full, lying on the ground, constantly growling, and scratching the ground with its paws, as if enduring some severe internal change and the intense pain it brought!


    Rein knew this was not a normal evolution because the Greyhound itself is a fairly stable breed.


    If it wasn��t for Cookie��s long-term consumption of mutation growth potions, it would almost be impossible for it to mutate and hence break its limit.


    Suddenly, Cookie��s skin turned red at a visibly rapid pace, its muscles all trembling, swelling and bulging!


    A few minutes passed��.


    Cookie had noticeably become taller and bigger, its muscles stronger, and its four claws longer and sharper.


    If one had to make a comparison, this evolution of Cookie was like turning from the slender and agile build of a cheetah into the physique of a tiger, also a feline.


    At this moment, the system notification suddenly flooded the screen:


    [The host��s subordinate pet Greyhound has successfully evolved into the fierce beast ��Greyhound War Dog��!]


    [Your skill Beast Taming has been enhanced, Experience +535]


    [Your Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession experience +321]


    (Note: Greyhound War Dog has awakened the talent ability ��High-Speed Healing��)


    [Yes/No, would you like to rename the Greyhound War Dog?]


    Seeing the successful evolution notification on the system, Rein couldn��t help but be overjoyed!


    After thinking it over, Rein chose ��No��.


    Because Rein thought that the system naming the mutated Greyhound as ��Greyhound War Dog�� was quite accurate, considering it was a ferocious dog mutated from a Greyhound.


    But this was just a minor detail.


    At this time, Rein had already focused his attention on the talent ability ��High-Speed Healing.��


    He had thought that, given the Greyhound��s characteristic of fast running, it would awaken a talent like ��Swiftness,�� but instead, it turned out to be a recovery type ability like ��High-Speed Healing.��


    However, after a slight ponder, Rein nodded his head.


    It was likely the effect of the mutation growth potion, with the word ��mutation�� representing many things.


    Moreover, actually, this had been foreshadowed earlier when Cookie had injured its spine but was able to heal and stand up again.


    This subtly revealed some kind of talent it possessed.


    It was just unknown whether it was that injury that directed its mutation evolution in this direction, or if it was from the consumption of the mutation growth potion that Cookie had subtly awakened this talent.


    Of course, this point wasn��t important. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What was important was that Cookie��s evolution from an ordinary beast to a fierce beast meant that Rein��s precondition for advancing from Beast Tamer (Transcendent) to Beast Master (Legendary) in the fourth item ��Raise at least one ordinary animal into a fierce beast�� had been met.


    Additionally, the third item ��Have any three or more fierce beasts as pets�� was also completed (2/3). All Rein had to do now was to wait orderly for the mutation of the black horse.


    Once it evolved successfully, Rein would be able to immediately advance to Beast Master (Legendary)!


    At this moment, the mutated and evolved Cookie stood up from the ground.


    Rein, surprised, noticed that the shoulder height of the Greyhound War Dog, Cookie, had now reached 1.2 meters, nearly 1.6 meters in height including its head.


    This was already comparable to a smaller horse.


    It affectionately rubbed against Rein��s leg and then lifted its head to look at its master, its eyes glittering with intelligence!


    Some curious servants were looking on from the side, but in their eyes, besides curiosity, there was more fear, as such a large dog looked quite intimidating.


    As for how strong Cookie��s ��High-Speed Healing�� ability really was,


    Rein didn��t know yet.


    After all, he wasn��t about to strike Cookie with a sword and then observe the speed of its wound recovery, right?


    This wasn��t urgent, as long as there was combat, there would always be an opportunity.


    ��


    In the following days, Rein successfully raised his Pharmacist profession level to lv4, gaining another skill point and attribute point.


    This brought Rein��s remaining attribute points to 7, while his skill points were 3.


    Lately, Jennifer was quite troubled because she had been receiving invitations from a dozen or so nobles of Meister County, both large and small, hoping that she and Rein would attend the banquet next Sunday.

 Chapter 510 - 228 Evolution of the Greyhound (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 510: Chapter 228 Evolution of the Greyhound (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Jennifer��s dilemma arose from the fact that many noble families had close business ties with the Crawley family.


    From the perspective of familial interests, obviously, it was not suitable for her to offend everyone.


    After some thought, Jennifer returned to the entrance of Rein��s potion chamber to report the matter to him.


    When Rein heard that more than a dozen noble families had sent invitations, his first thought was, indeed, Count Habs�� eldest son really had some influence.


    In Meister County, so many nobles could be influenced by him to send this banquet invitation to both him and Jennifer.


    Thinking it over, Rein, aware that the Crawley family still maintained business relations with many of these families, said to the beautiful woman, ��Jennifer, reply to them that I will accompany you to the banquet on time.��


    ...


    ��Alright, dear.�� Jennifer, visibly delighted, knew that if Rein didn��t agree, she naturally wouldn��t have made an appearance at the banquet.


    But what touched her was that Rein considered her difficulties and lent her his support.


    ��By the way, do you have the invitation? Let me look at it!�� Rein said, for he had a hunch that something was amiss.


    ��Here it is.�� The beautiful woman handed him a stack of invitations, each styled differently.


    After quickly browsing through several, Rein��s expression became pensive.


    Sure enough, there was a problem, as among the dozens of invitations, a few did not even invite Jennifer but were direct invitations to him.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0��?0.���


    Do they really insist on my attendance?


    Because if it was just a normal banquet aimed at currying favor, then having Jennifer attend, the well-acquainted Lady Crawley, would have been enough.


    However, there seemed to be an implied insistence on his presence��.


    This elicited an odd feeling in Rein.


    After pondering, he asked a servant to summon the short Matteo.


    ��Matteo, make a trip to Flashgold Town and inquire from Sheriff Hamilton if Alonso and these noble families have some sort of secret connection. Ask Lord Hamilton to give me an answer as soon as possible.��


    Upon hearing Rein��s command, Matteo promptly responded, ��As you command, my lord! I��ll go immediately!��


    Rein then turned to the beautiful woman and said, ��Jennifer, for this banquet, it would be best for me to attend alone.�� sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The beautiful woman��s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she said, ��Dear, is this a trap?��


    Rein shook his head and answered, ��It��s not certain yet, but, my intuition tells me that there might be an issue here.��


    ��


    That evening, Rein received a reply from Matteo.


    To be precise, half an hour later, Hamilton personally arrived at Rein��s mansion.


    After some pleasantries, Hamilton��s expression turned serious as he said, ��Rein, do you remember the vial of Divine Blood you seized before?��


    ��Divine Blood?�� Rein certainly remembered.


    The test-tube-shaped red potion containing a thick amber-like red liquid was indeed memorable. Rein remembered that Hamilton had once explained that this Divine Blood had miraculous effects of delaying aging and accelerating training.


    But Divine Blood related to these nobles?


    Hamilton continued, ��As I��ve mentioned before, the origin of this Divine Blood is heavily linked to the Dark Cult.��


    ��You mean��.�� Rein instantly grasped the implication in Hamilton��s words.


    Hamilton nodded and said, ��Just as you��re thinking.��


    ��Since that incident, we��ve discreetly investigated and found that several noble families in the County Town had either possessed or purchased Divine Blood. The list you had Matteo provide includes Alonso and these several noble families.��


    ��Furthermore, our investigation suggests that the source of this Divine Blood leads directly back to Alonso. But since he��s the eldest son of Count Habs, the investigation halted there.��


    Pausing, Hamilton looked earnestly at Rein and said, ��Rein, although I know that your strength is unparalleled, even surpassing my own, I would still advise against going, as there might be a plot by the Dark Cult behind this.��


    ��Perhaps, once you join the imperial Sword Bearer organization, you might accumulate enough strength to deal with this Dark Cult.��


    Rein nodded.


    Hamilton��s words were prudent, and of course, Rein knew that.


    But the fact that these nobles were pressuring Jennifer through these invitations already demonstrated their stance.


    That this was merely the first step.


    If he refused, they surely had a contingency plan.


    After some thought, Rein slightly bowed and said, ��Lord Hamilton, thank you very much for making the trip here.��


    Hamilton waved his hand dismissively and stood up saying, ��Rein, I��ve made the situation clear to you, the decision is still yours to make. If�� you really decide to go, just let Matteo tell me!��


    After Hamilton left, Rein paced in his study, hands crossed over his chest.


    Previously, the Dark Cult had targeted him through various assassinations and sneak attacks, but this time, Rein had a feeling that they intended to trap him.


    ��Could it be that the venue of the banquet has some special arrangements made by the Dark Cult? In such a case, it wouldn��t be safe to let Jennifer go. It would be best for me to go alone.��


    Of course, if the situation was not as he anticipated, and it was merely Alonso wanting to mend their relationship in person, that would be ideal.

 Chapter 511 - 228 Evolution of the Greyhound (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 511: Chapter 228 Evolution of the Greyhound (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Additionally, another reason Lord Reine decided to go himself was that he had always practiced diligently and continuously improved his combat skills, hoping that one day he could face these vermin and bravely break through any obstacle!


    He had no desire to learn the saying, ��A gentleman��s revenge can wait ten years.��


    After all, which gentleman, if able to avenge himself on the spot, would wait ten years?


    The premise of that saying assumes that a gentleman cannot take revenge at the moment.


    However, charging forward courageously and charging forward recklessly are two different concepts, so he still had one more thing to do.


    Reine turned to the door and said, ��Matteo, prepare a carriage and accompany me to the Church of the Goddess of Monsoon and Ocean.��


    ...


    ��At once, my lord!��


    Since Reine��s return, Matteo had been assigned to his side, and the astute Matteo often alleviated many of Reine��s concerns.


    ��Lord Baron�� this��.�� Matteo hesitated but continued.


    ��Since you have doubts, why don��t you let me investigate over the next few days?��


    Reine smiled and shook his head, saying, ��If the opponent indeed has the Cult of Black Flame behind them, they surely have implemented some secretive measures within their estate. Needless to say, even I might have already alerted them before truly entering.��


    ��This could lead to some unforeseeable changes!��


    ��Understood, my lord.�� Matteo showed a flash of realization and slightly bowed before heading to the stables.


    Shortly after, Reine arrived at the church in a carriage.


    In Father Rudolph��s room, Reine and Rudolph sat facing each other.


    ��Baron Reine, I heard you were appointed as the Governor of Fishing Port Town? What brings you back to the County Town this time?�� Rudolph asked with a smile.


    ��Father, I may need your help with something.�� Reine skipped the pleasantries and glanced at the temple guards behind him before speaking directly.


    Rudolph noticed Reine��s expression and waved his hand, and immediately, a temple guard closed the door.


    That was when Reine said, ��Next Sunday, I will be attending a banquet which could likely involve a plot by the Cult of Black Flame.��


    ��The Cult of Black Flame?�� Father Rudolph frowned.


    Immediately afterward, Reine shared Hamilton��s analysis.


    This quite surprised Rudolph!


    ��Is it that Baron Alonso, the eldest son of Count Habbs?��


    ��Exactly!��


    If the former Reine, in terms of identity, status, and power, was far inferior to Alonso, speaking these words could cast doubt on their credibility.


    But now it was different; Reine had become a rising star in Meister County, and his words carried significant weight! S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Reine also made it clear that this was just his speculation.


    After a few seconds of pause, Rudolph��s face showed sudden realization!


    ��No wonder the Cult of Black Flame has been hiding so deeply in the County Town, it turns out they had so many nobles covering for them. Lord Reine, what you��ve mentioned is very important; I must immediately report this to Bishop Shion.��


    ��Wait, Rudolph, the above is just my personal speculation. Is it really necessary to alarm the Bishop?��


    ��No, Baron Rein, I think your analysis makes a lot of sense.��


    Immediately, Rudolph led Rein to the prayer hall of the Goddess Church, where they met once again the venerable old man in a water-blue robe with thick golden edges, holding a staff �� Bishop Shion.


    After a brief explanation, Bishop Shion nodded and said,


    ��So, Baron Rein, I understand what you mean. You are worried that once you attend the banquet, the other party might use some kind of dark magic against you.��


    ��Yes, Your Grace.��


    ��Your concern is not unfounded. Do you still have the Silver Conch Medal?��


    ��Of course, Your Grace.��


    Rein took out the silver Conch Medal from the lining of his jacket, and respectfully handed it to Bishop Shion.


    ��The Silver Conch Medal currently only has a divine art that detects evil. Now, I will apply another divine art to it �� the Divine Blessing Technique. It can neutralize a curse from an evil force or any negative impact once.��


    Moreover, once this divine art is triggered, we will all sense it, and I will have Rudolph come over to support immediately.


    ��Your Grace, thank you for your generosity!��


    ��Lord Rein, rest assured. Next Sunday, I will personally be nearby with an elite group of Temple Knights. If we confirm it��s a stronghold of the Black Flame Cult or that the other party is planning an event, we will come over to support immediately.��


    ��Rudolph, thank you once again!��


    Rein came to the Goddess Church not because he doubted his own strength, but to add an extra layer of insurance. After all, he still had few ways to counter the mysterious dark arts or curses of the cult.


    In comparison, the countermeasures of the Goddess Church were more experienced and refined than his.


    Moreover, he was already very satisfied with how far Rudolph and Bishop Shion had come.


    After all, the above was just his speculation, and the Goddess Church could not just send Temple Knights to surround a noble��s residence without evidence.


    In the Empire, the relationship between imperial and divine power was delicate, and without any evidence, such action by the Goddess Church would be a provocation to the imperial power of the Dragan Empire.


    However, once the divine art on him was triggered, it would prove the existence of evil, and then the actions of the Goddess Church would be justified.


    ��.


    Several days later.


    The second Sunday of the Month of Vitality.


    As the sun set, Rein, dressed in a suit, boarded a carriage.


    This was a brand-new luxury carriage, with sides engraved with a striking noble crest: a circle of red flames encircled a crossed two-handed warhammer and dual-handed greatsword.


    Inside the carriage compartment, a large hound nearly the size of a pony lay at Rein��s feet, enjoying strokes from its master.


    This was the Lurcher war hound Cookie, equipped on both sides of its body with arms like a boar��s head mace and the Glimmering Greatsword, and on its head, joints, and waist were protective armors newly forged by Rein.


    Matteo had taken over as the coachman, tightly holding the reins and smoothly steering the carriage towards Baron Elliot��s estate.


    Meanwhile, hundreds of meters above the carriage in the sky, a great raptor, blue and purple in color, carried something as it sometimes circled and sometimes darted through the clouds��..

 Chapter 512 - 229: Evil Power Sorcery Formation (Two-In-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 512: Chapter 229: Evil Power Sorcery Formation (Two-In-One Mega Chapter)


    Earl Habs Mansion, inside the study.


    A gaunt middle-aged man dressed in a gray wizard robe sat before the desk and said, ��My lord, are you really not going to remind Alonso?�� sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Have I not reminded him before?�� Count Habbs, his face showing irritation, stood up and said.


    ��Everyone must be responsible for their actions! Besides, once I remind him, it��s very likely that not only he will be alerted.��


    As Count Habbs spoke, he walked to the front of the desk, standing beside the gray-robed figure, and he asked, turning his head:


    ��By the way, old friend, you had some free time to come to see me today. It can��t just be for a simple visit, can it? Has the higher-up already prepared to make a move?��


    ...


    The gray-robed middle-aged man did not directly answer Count Habbs��s question. Instead, he said, ��My lord, do you remember that Great Knight of the Zaral Rebellion who died from severe poisoning in the prison last time?��


    Count Habbs was taken aback, then nodded his head and said, ��That matter was my oversight; I did not expect that even the Meist prison would be infiltrated by the rebels.��


    Recalling the scene, although he had carried out a large-scale investigation to eliminate the rebel spy in the prison after rushing back from Rosby City, he had missed the opportunity to extract vital information from that Great Knight of the rebellion.


    Indeed, shortly after that, the body of that Great Knight vanished. Whenever he thought of those departments riddled with holes like a sieve, Count Habbs couldn��t help shivering with anger.


    But this situation was not unique to Meist County; nearly the entire empire��s territory was the same, and what he could do was very limited.


    ��The man was not just poisoned to death, but even his body was���� Count Habbs shook his head, seemingly helpless.


    ��Actually, this might not necessarily be a bad thing.�� The gray-robed middle-aged man smiled and continued, ��In fact, I had placed something on that body. I am certain that it is still here in the County Town.��


    ��Oh? So you��ve known the exact location of that body after it was stolen?�� Count Habbs raised an eyebrow, looking at him in surprise.


    As the Empire��s Observer stationed in Meist County, he did not have the authority to demand an Observer to cooperate with his actions. But as the Governor of Meist, dealing with people and situations within the County Town that were beyond his control always felt somewhat unpleasant.


    The gray-robed middle-aged man nodded and said, ��Yes, behind this matter lies the shadow of the Black Flame Cult. I��ve learned that tonight there will be a banquet there, with many nobles in attendance.��


    ��That�� Alonso is there as well.��


    Hearing this, Count Habbs��s expression darkened.


    Clearly, these nobles all had ties with the Cult, and there were not a few of them. Moreover, with Alonso being there, it made him even more passive.


    ��According to the Cult��s ritual of collecting offerings, the body of a Great Knight is very precious and they would inevitably be reluctant to let it go. Ever since the body of that Great Knight of the rebellion disappeared without a trace, I suspected it most likely ended up in the hands of a Cult.��


    ��Reliable information indicates there will be a grand Cult ritual tonight.��


    ��My lord, if you don��t send someone over there, it will be too late when the Sword Bearer arrives, after all, they don��t know Alonso.��


    After a long while, Count Habbs let out a long sigh, his enthusiasm waning.


    ��Yes, they don��t know Alonso, nor would they think highly of me as the Earl. Let��s send someone to notify him, tell him I am urgently looking for him.��


    ��..


    �����������C


    At about the same time.


    In the sky, not too far from Meist County City.


    A ferocious creature, four to five meters in length, with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle, muscled body, and large wings, was flying at high speed.


    However, surprisingly, this creature��s back was so stable that two people were sitting on it, and the air currents generated by the rapid flight circled around a bluish faint-glowing round shield and streamed swiftly backward.


    The man sitting on the front saddle, a burly man with a shield on his back, was holding the reins and controlling the flight.


    The man in the back holding a short staff then said, ��Captain, why are we in such a hurry to ride a griffin to Meist County today? What is the mission that even requires your personal involvement?��


    ��It��s a rather important mission.�� Since the operation had begun, there was no longer any need for secrecy. The burly man didn��t hesitate much and directly disclosed.


    ��According to reports from the local Observer, there is a Cult in Meist County that will hold a ritual tonight.��


    ��Does a Cult ritual really require the Sword Bearers to take action? Can��t the local Church of the Goddess handle it?�� The man with the short staff couldn��t help expressing his doubts.


    ��Ordinary Cult rituals, of course not. But this Cult is likely to communicate with an Evil God during the ceremony, and perhaps we��ll manage to obtain a trace of the Evil God��s divine essence.��


    ��The divine essence of an Evil God? What do we need that stuff for?�� Knowing the purpose of the divine essence of an Evil God, the man with the short staff looked surprised and also showed a hint of fear.


    ��It��s not us that want it, but the higher-ups do!�� The burly man extended his finger upwards and said.


    ��


    �����������C


    Meanwhile, on the other side.


    Rein had already arrived at the door to Baron Elliott��s mansion.

 Chapter 513 - 229 Evil Power Sorcery Formation (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _2

    Chapter 513: Chapter 229 Evil Power Sorcery Formation (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _2


    Upon arriving there, a faint noise of hustle and bustle reached his ears, and the mansion��s entrance was bustling with activity.


    A casual glance revealed numerous luxurious carriages parked outside the mansion, most adorned with various noble crests, and a few without any emblem, likely belonging to some wealthy merchants.


    Many people dressed as cavalry or guards were stationed around each carriage.


    As Rein��s carriage approached, an elderly man in a tailcoat stepped forward with a smile and greeted, ��May I ask if you are Baron Rein?��


    ��It is I!�� Rein nodded as he disembarked from his carriage.


    ��Baron Rein, Lord Alonso has been waiting for you in the banquet hall for quite some time, please follow me,�� the elderly man said as he bowed slightly and gestured with his hand.


    ...


    Rein nodded, his face expressionless.


    As he entered the mansion and approached the banquet hall, Rein saw Alonso smiling at him, wearing luxurious noble attire, with a brilliantly sewn gold kili bird emblem on his chest, which was particularly striking.


    ��Baron Rein, welcome. I hope you have a pleasant night here,�� said Alonso with a beaming smile.


    However, if it were Alonso��s true thoughts at that moment, they would be completely the opposite �� ��Cherish your last night in this world!��


    Rein had long noticed Alonso��s false smile.


    Indeed, just after he entered the mansion and arrived at the banquet hall, Rein felt a slight vibration from the Silver Conch Medal sewn inside his coat.


    What this meant was self-evident!


    Although Rein did not suspect others of the worst, in reality, the other party might be much more malicious than he imagined.


    Fortunately, he had made some necessary preparations!


    ��Thank you for the invitation, Baron Alonso. I believe we both shall have a pleasant night,�� Rein said, looking at Alonso with a meaningful glance.


    For no apparent reason, at that moment, when Rein��s gaze met his, Alonso felt a shudder through his soul, as if he had been caught in the act of wrongdoing.


    ��Ah�� of course!��


    ��Baron Rein, please come in!�� Alonso��s expression changed and he coughed before speaking.


    As the banquet progressed.


    The hall became more crowded and livelier, with elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen hugging and dancing, while the maids walked back and forth, carrying drinks and delicacies.


    ��Baron Rein, do these delicacies not suit your taste?��


    ��I am full, Baron Alonso. I met with the Earl just a couple of days ago. You inviting me over, surely it wasn��t just to enjoy the food,�� Rein pondered aloud, still bringing up Count Habs, hoping that Baron Alonso would not stray too far down the wrong path.


    Upon hearing Rein��s words, Alonso was visibly taken aback, followed by a surge of anger in his heart.


    What?


    You think mentioning my father now will help you escape the inevitable?


    Since you��re here today, there��s no going back.


    With a solemn face, Alonso said, ��Baron Rein, the master of the mansion and some distinguished guests would very much like to meet you, a promising young man.��


    ��They are already waiting for you in the inner conference room.��


    ��Alright!�� Rein nodded.


    Rein knew the main event was about to unfold.


    He was not sure how they planned to deal with him.


    He wouldn��t refuse, but followed Alonso through the banquet hall, and after passing through a long vaulted corridor, they reached a relatively quiet room.


    Rein could sense that there were quite a few people inside, all breathing steadily.


    As Alonso opened the door, Rein saw a very spacious room with a high ceiling, about four or five meters high, adorned with intricate glass-engraved vaulting.


    The walls all around were also embellished with elaborate engravings. Additionally, there were dozens of bright wall lamps, under whose light sat a circle of nobles of various ages, all dressed in opulent clothing.


    The reason he could tell they were nobles at a glance was due to the ornate clothes they wore, embellished with gold or silver threads, but even more conspicuous were the diverse noble crests on their chests.


    The moment the door opened, everyone inside immediately stopped chatting and turned their gazes towards Rein��s towering figure.


    Their looks, filled with scrutiny, curiosity, and even pity among other emotions, quickly led to some whispering among themselves.


    Rein noticed that among the seated, apart from the nobility, there were also a few dressed in the cult��s standard black flame robes, blending in as if they were familiar faces.


    It seemed they believed they were assured of victory and no longer needed to disguise their intentions.


    Then, an older noble stood up and said sternly to Rein, ��Young man, you are very brave.��


    ��I have always been brave,�� Rein responded.


    ��And isn��t courage one of the requirements to become a knight?��


    The older noble was taken aback, then nodded and commented expressionlessly, ��Indeed, it seems our Baron Rein is a very courageous knight.��


    Hearing the old man��s words,


    everyone in the room couldn��t help but laugh heartily!


    Courage?


    What a fool!


    Courage isn��t as important as surviving!


    At this moment, in their view, no matter how strong Rein��s abilities were, even if he were a Great Knight, from the moment he arrived here, the advantage was no longer in his hands.


    S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 514 - 229: Evil Power Sorcery Formation (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _3

    Chapter 514: Chapter 229: Evil Power Sorcery Formation (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _3


    This��. includes life and death!


    ��Baron Rein, we actually didn��t need to reach this point today. For instance, if you sign the contract now and swear your allegiance to the Church of the Black Flame, I think��.�� As the laughter gradually subsided, the older noble continued.


    At this moment, Alonso��s butler Michel hurried in and said to Baron Alonso, who was watching with great interest, ��My lord, Count Habs��s messenger is outside waiting for you, saying that the Earl has an urgent matter to discuss with you.��


    Upon hearing this, Alonso was taken aback.


    ��My father is looking for me?��


    Just thinking about his father��s imposing face made him shiver all over.


    ...


    However, he quickly muttered, ��It��s not going to be another scolding, is it?��


    Alonso didn��t want to leave just yet at the sight before him.


    An early return meant a scolding, a late return also led to a scolding, but at least he could witness the drama he had long anticipated.


    He wanted to see Rein��s face contorted with desperation and wails.


    Thus, as Alonso watched the situation heat up before him, he calculated the time and said, ��Tell the messenger to inform my father that I will be back right away, half an hour, at most half an hour!��


    ��Very well, my lord.�� Michel glanced at the somewhat familiar figure in the meeting room and hurried off again.


    In the center of the meeting room.


    ��Enough!�� A voice rebuked!


    ��Hm? What did you say?�� The older noble surprisingly looked towards Rein.


    Could this young man not see the situation clearly?


    He still dared to speak in such a way?


    Was it foolishness, or true courage?


    ��I said enough!�� Rein said calmly.


    ��If you have any methods, use them all. My time is very precious.��


    Although Rein said this with a calm demeanor, everyone present felt the determination and strength in his words.


    It was as if, at that moment, they were the insects gathered in the darkness, while Rein was the knight shining in the sunlight.


    The older noble then showed a look of regret, shook his head, and said, ��That��s too bad, indeed. It��s truly regrettable.��


    ��Then you��ll have to become our prayer offering.��


    The older noble tilted his head and gave a slight nod to Lamar, who was mingling in the crowd.


    He had been entrusted by Lamar to lead this endeavor, and incidentally to try persuading Rein according to Lamar��s wishes.


    Lamar then crushed a key-like device in his hand.


    Suddenly, the brightness of the wall lamps dimmed, and the entire room immediately darkened; the ground and walls began to undergo a bizarre transformation.


    Rein��s chest-badge, the Silver Conch Medal, began to vibrate violently.


    Dense black and red lines appeared on the floor and walls; these lines, as thick as a pinky finger, abruptly swelled and thickened, resembling invisible living creatures. They bypassed the nobles and priests of the Black Flame, charging straight towards Rein.


    At the same time, a smell that mixed the stench of decay and the odor of blood permeated the whole place. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet what puzzled Rein was that it seemed as if nobody else was aware of it.


    The black mists, like living entities, flowed incessantly towards Rein��s location. Soon after, Rein was engulfed in these black vapors.


    Seeing this scene unfold, everyone wore expressions of victory, Lamar included.


    As the person responsible for arranging the Evil Power Sorcery Formation, he knew all too well the function of this formation.


    The Evil Power Sorcery Formation had two functions.


    First, its evil energy could erode all within its range who lacked a special mark, afflicting them with progressive restraints and weakness.


    Furthermore, this effect would intensify as time passed.


    Second, the other effect was enhancement; it would significantly bolster those with the special mark.


    This was why everyone present believed Rein had no chance of escape.


    Even a Great Knight, under the influence of the Evil Power Sorcery Formation, would not possess much more strength than an experienced knight, but conversely, their power would be further amplified within the formation.


    With this loss and gain, they saw no way for Rein to emerge victorious!


    However, Lamar, blended in the crowd, felt something was amiss as he watched the scene unfold before him!


    Why?


    Because Rein��s expression was too calm at the moment.


    Then, a young noble beside him, seemingly unable to restrain his excitement, stood up and approached Rein with the stance of a victor, mockingly saying, ��What a pity, so the so-called genius knight shall fall like this!��


    ��I hear that you��re quite close to Lady Crowley. Rest assured, once you become the nourishment for the ritual, our dear Baron Alonso will thoroughly enjoy her on your behalf.��


    Hearing the young noble��s words, the other nobles eager for a spectacle laughed even louder!


    ��As for me, I hear you have a ten-year-old sister? Conveniently, I quite like little sisters��.��


    ��Bang!!!��


    Rein, surrounded by the dark mist, suddenly unleashed a punch like lightning, directly landing on the young noble��s forehead!


    Being endowed with the ��Steel Body�� talent, even without a weapon, Rein��s bare hands were as lethal as a hammer.


    All of a sudden, the young noble��s head burst open!


    Although the young noble��s body no longer had a head, it convulsed, remaining upright for two whole seconds before collapsing like a snake whose spine had been pulled out!

 Chapter 515 - 229: Evil Power Sorcery Formation (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _4

    Chapter 515: Chapter 229: Evil Power Sorcery Formation (Two-in-One Big Chapter) _4


    Suddenly, the originally bustling conference room, noisy like a marketplace, fell silent as a graveyard!


    The nobles and Black Flame monks in front of them stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, dumbfounded by the scene before them!


    Terror and confusion were written all over their faces!


    At this moment, they all screamed internally,


    ��How is this possible!��


    ��Wasn��t he supposed to be restrained?!!��


    ...


    ��How could the Evil Power Sorcery Formation be ineffective!!!��


    Including Lamar, the caster of the Evil Power Sorcery Formation, everyone��s eyes were wide open as they stared intently at the headless corpse on the floor.


    Rein, previously shrouded in black mist, was now emitting a faint glow��.


    Only then did they realize that the black mist swirling around Rein never managed to penetrate his body, and at this moment, the faint blue light emitting from Rein was gradually dissolving the black mist!


    Moreover, the faint blue light contained a divine aura that everyone present could feel.


    ��Divine Arts?��


    ��Rein, you were actually a member of the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church?��


    Alonso could not help but exclaim.


    Rein, after smashing the man��s head with a punch, spoke for the first time.


    ��If this is all you have, the Black Flame Cult has truly disappointed me!��


    The people present couldn��t help but feel a mix of anger and embarrassment.


    ��Hurry up and kill him!��


    ��Take advantage of the fact that he��s unarmed now!��


    The curses became a chaotic uproar!


    Although Rein, for some reason, had managed to gain an exemption from evil powers through the divine arts of the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess Church.


    They still thought they had a good chance of winning.


    One reason was because Rein was currently empty-handed, and a Knight without a weapon was far less formidable in combat.


    Moreover, although the Evil Power Sorcery Formation had failed to restrain and weaken Rein, it had indeed enhanced their own powers!


    This was also the reason why the people present felt that with a numerical advantage, they could still kill Rein on the spot.


    Just then.


    ��Boom!��


    The glass dome of the conference room suddenly shattered!


    A giant raptor descended from the sky, wings flapping, dropping two items before soaring back into the heavens, the black mist barely reacting before losing track of it.


    Rein caught the two items, which were a brand new war bow and a quiver holding twenty steel arrows.


    Seeing Rein with a bow and arrow, familiar people like Lamar and Alonso were stunned!


    Wasn��t Rein a genius in Hammer Skill and swordsmanship?


    When had he switched to using a bow?


    The nobles unfamiliar with him then looked up at the dome that now had a large hole and then at Rein holding the giant war bow, baffled!


    They had just mentioned that he was unarmed! sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But what was this now?


    And what was that with the giant bird?


    This wasn��t Rein choosing weapons deliberately, but rather that in this area, summoning the greyhound Cookie to deliver weapons could likely entangle it in this odd black mist.


    The Blood Feathered Horned Eagle, with its incredible speed, could escape unscathed before the black mist could even mount an attack.


    While they were still bewildered, Rein drew his bow as quick as lightning!


    ��Boom!��


    The bowstring vibrated!


    ��Swoosh!��


    A steel arrow shot out like lightning, piercing through the abdomen of a Black Flame monk. Under the enhancement of Rein��s ��Intermediate Giant Force�� ability, the arrow had an effect similar to that of a heavy sniper rifle in his past life!


    After hitting the monk, it directly created a fist-sized hole through his torso!


    ��Rapid continuous fire!��


    Rein��s actions of drawing an arrow, nocking, aiming, and shooting, were so fast that they left several afterimages in the eyes of the onlookers.


    For a moment, it seemed as if Rein had grown four arms, all drawing and releasing arrows simultaneously, producing the effect of a small squad of elite archers firing at once.


    Just seconds later, there were hardly any standing figures left in the area!


    Lamar had survived because at that moment, a protective black mist shield on his body shielded him from Rein��s arrows.


    Alonso, seeing the situation turning dire, promptly hid behind a nearby column.


    At that time, Lamar was still grateful that he had chosen this location.


    This place was not just any place.


    Because here, it was their stronghold!


    ��Hehe, Rein, did you think you had already won? I already knew, after being unexpectedly overturned by you so many times, it wasn��t by chance.��


    ��Because you��ve always held back your true strength, but unfortunately, this time, you have no chance of turning the tables!��


    The next second!


    ��Crack!��


    The floor of the conference room burst open!


    Including Rein, Lamar, Alonso, and other survivors, everyone fell into the huge pit below.

 Chapter 516 - 230: Descent (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 516: Chapter 230: Descent (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Not far from Baron Elliot��s mansion, in a civilian house.


    Rudolph, the head of the church, and six fully armed Knights had been waiting, observing an object resembling a golden compass.


    Just as the silver Conch Medal on Rein��s chest began to vibrate at that moment, the golden compass also started to respond with similar vibrations.


    Observing the extent of the compass��s tremors, Rudolph��s normally calm face suddenly took on a solemn expression.


    ��The fluctuations are a bit stronger than expected, it seems this place might indeed be an important stronghold for the Cult of the Black Flame!��


    ��Let��s go! We must immediately support Baron Rein.��


    ...


    ��At your command, Your Excellency!�� the group of Knights responded in unison.


    Then, the party hurried toward Baron Elliot��s mansion!


    Meanwhile.


    Rein fell into a cavern, where the vision around him darkened instantly, but with his Dark Vision, he quickly adapted to the dim interior and landed steadily on his feet.


    Soon, he realized this place was not actually a cave.


    It was a huge underground hall located beneath the conference room, spanning at least seven or eight hundred square meters.


    At the very center of the hall was a massive ritual circle shimmering with black light.


    In the center of the circle were piled corpses several meters high, with more than a dozen prostrate Black Flame monks clustered around in a circle, as well as an even greater number, nearly a hundred Black Flame Cultists, wrapped in fervent and devoted chanting!


    Furthermore, a noticeably large and bloated figure was loudly reciting prayers!


    Rein��s face tensed!


    He could clearly feel the evil energy here, dense almost to the point of tangibility, and still surging, growing stronger.


    Clearly, it was due to this ceremony, and it seemed that the ritual was nearing its final stages.


    Upon seeing several people falling down from the top of the hall, the bloated figure slowly turned around and glanced over.


    At that moment, Lamar, his face filled with terror, rushed beside the bloated figure and pointed at Rein, urgently shouting, ��Great High Priest, this is Rein!��


    Only with the High Priest by his side did Lamar somewhat settle his panicked spirit, having been truly frightened by Rein just moments before.


    Rein said calmly, ��So this is the one you rely on.��


    At this moment, Rein��s attention was fully on the large and bloated High Priest. The aura emanating from the other stirred in him a sense of palpitations, and his level 3 danger perception was sounding alarms like mad!


    High Priest?


    Should be on the same level as a bishop from the Goddess Church, right?


    Looks like I��ve run into a big fish this time!


    Right then, Alonso was having regrets!


    He thought he should��ve left with his father��s Messenger right then and there.


    Although it looked like Rein was still in a tough spot, Alonso found himself in peril too.


    After all, Cult members are maniacs. He always tried to keep to what he deemed a safe distance, but now, he clearly crossed his own threshold of safety.


    Getting himself into such danger and embarrassment, it would have been better not to watch at all.


    However, now the problem was that as soon as Alonso approached the burning black flames on the edge of the hall, he felt a sharp pain. In other words, he couldn��t leave even if he wanted to.


    Because, the entire underground hall was enveloped by some kind of evil energy, turning it into a prison from which one could enter but not leave!


    The tall and bloated High Priest, with his small eyes, scrutinized Rein for a while, then with great interest said, ��So you��re Rein, I��ve finally met you!��


    ��I��ve heard you��re quite formidable, having even killed Giovanni, so let��s spice things up a bit.�� The High Priest said with a smirk, narrowing his eyes.


    He didn��t wait for Rein to respond, and snapped his fingers!


    ��Snap!��


    In an instant, the Black Flame Cultists who had been kneeling fervently around the ritual, suddenly stood up en masse.


    All at once, about thirty or forty Cultists, as if controlled, with ferocious expressions charged towards Rein!


    As they ran, they removed their shirts, shouting: ��Praise the great God of Hunting!��


    Rein watched, baffled by the scene.


    These Cultists were ordinary people, were they coming at him with the intention to die?


    As they approached rapidly, Rein faintly sensed something stirring within their bodies, and his level 3 danger perception gave him frequent warnings.


    Rein knew these Cultists, who were merely ordinary people, might not be as simple as they appeared.


    Narrowing his eyes, Rein raised his bow and notched an arrow, his fingers moving as fast as lightning, shooting rapidly. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!��


    When a steel arrow struck a Black Flame Cultist, there was a ��pfft�� sound as the cultist��s chest cavity was punctured!


    The cultist immediately screamed in agony, looking down at the gaping hole in his chest with a frightened and bewildered look in his eyes.


    However��


    The next second, a thunderous ��boom!�� resounded.


    The Black Flame Cultist exploded like a bomb, his body bursting apart!


    For a moment, blood and flesh flew everywhere along with the smell of char, and a burst of black flame spread out rapidly.


    This scene made Rein��s eyes flicker!


    These Cultists, they were acting as ��suicide bombers��!


    It seemed that no matter in the past or present, Cults remained Cults, their methods so similarly sinister!


    But what surprised him even more was the High Priest of the Black Flame.

 Chapter 517 - 230 Arrival (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 517: Chapter 230 Arrival (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2


    Because the High Priest had received intelligence about Rein before, he knew that Rein excelled at using the two-handed warhammer and greatsword, but when had Rein become proficient with the bow and arrow?


    Just now, every one of Rein��s arrows had found its mark.


    Among them, several arrows had skewered two cultists together like a calabash, and there was even one arrow that pierced through three people at once!


    Originally, he had thought that if Rein used a greatsword or a warhammer, these close combat weapons, he would be severely injured by the cultists�� suicide attacks, or at the very least, be in a dire state.


    The current outcome slightly irritated the High Priest, causing his previously mocking attitude to tighten up a bit.


    At this time, although this wave of Black Flame cultists�� suicide attacks had all been killed by Rein,


    ...


    there were only three arrows left in Rein��s quiver!


    At this moment, a smile couldn��t help but emerge on the High Priest��s portly face as he said, ��Young man, not bad archery skills.��


    ��Pity, you��ve only got three arrows left now, it seems��.��


    As the High Priest was speaking, Rein ��whoosh!�� raised his hand and let an arrow fly!


    What a lot of nonsense!


    The steel arrow, like silver lightning, assaulted the High Priest!


    However, just as it was about to strike the target, a muffled ��thump�� sounded!


    The arrow stopped about thirty centimeters from the High Priest��s corpulent body, blocked by a layer of black Flame Shield. The end of the arrow trembled slightly, with the arrowhead struggling to break through the black flames encircling the High Priest.


    ��Black Flame Protection!�� Rein��s eyes narrowed; he recalled the situation when he had fought the Black Flame Guardian before, he had seen this sorcery.


    The steel arrow had created a bowl-shaped dent in the circle of black flame, almost breaking through the High Priest��s defense, but just missing by a little.


    Although the High Priest was unharmed, the small eyes with which he looked at Rein no longer held contempt.


    For he knew how strong his own Black Flame Protection��s defensive power was, but it had nearly been pierced by this young man��s arrow!


    This Rein was much more powerful than the information had suggested!


    Moreover, from the battle just now, he sensed that the opponent was not a Peak Knight but a Great Knight!


    So, this was your confidence!


    However, suddenly, a smile appeared on the High Priest��s chubby face as he said, ��Interesting, interesting, it looks like we can have some real fun now!��


    ��Perhaps the prayer ceremony could add another sacrifice that will please my lord.��


    The High Priest raised his hand and waved it.


    ��Rein, this time you��re definitely dead! Now, you��ve only got three arrows left in your hand, right?�� a sinister voice came through!


    Lamar, leading a dozen or more Black Flame disciples, had encircled Rein from behind in a fan shape without notice.


    At this time, Lamar looked at Rein quite smugly and said, ��If this wasn��t our lair, perhaps you might have turned the tables on us once again!��


    ��But what a pity! You chose the wrong place!��


    Lamar��s voice grew more strident; it was unclear if it was the influence of the ceremony, or the mental distortion from feeling victorious, but his entire face became distorted and somewhat mad.


    Rein glanced indifferently at Lamar and said, ��A lair? What of it!��


    ��Whoosh!��


    A giant hound the size of a small pony, carrying a dual-handed warhammer and dual-handed greatsword, and bringing a strong gust of wind, charged into the enclosure and stopped next to Rein.


    This was ��Cookie,�� the greyhound war dog Rein had left in the carriage, awaiting his master��s call.


    Including Lamar, all the Black Flame disciples stared blankly at the giant hound that suddenly appeared.


    Rein quickly grabbed the warhammer and hung the war bow on the greyhound. After patting it, the giant dog swiftly moved away from the central area, lurking on the edges.


    The High Priest squinted his eyes and gave Rein a sidelong glance, also quite astonished!


    He finally understood why previous attempts by the church against Rein had all ended in failure.


    Because most people would have a backup plan, but the young man before him had unexpectedly prepared three or four!


    Even more astonished was Alonso on the side.


    Not only had a bird of prey delivered a war bow, but now a dog had brought weapons to Rein, which was unbelievable!


    Since when did Rein become a Beast Tamer?


    He had tamed not only an eagle but also a dog?


    Damn it all! There wouldn��t be a horse next, would there?


    As soon as Rein grabbed the dark warhammer, he spun around, facing away from the High Priest toward Lamar and the other Black Flame disciples.


    With a tap of his toe, the ground shattered, and the powerful reactive force propelled Rein forward with great velocity!


    At the same time, Rein raised the Warhammer with both hands high and hammered it mightily onto the ground!


    ��Boom!��


    As the secret technique ��Shockwave�� was unleashed, a strange fluctuation spread like a tsunami from the warhammer, sweeping through a large semi-circular area tens of meters in front of him, affecting all living and nonliving things within it!


    The ground where the warhammer contacted started to crack and break!


    Within the area, those Black Flame disciples, whose strength was akin to seasoned Knights, all froze, their faces of utter horror remained unchanged!


    However, one thing was certain, their eyes had already lost their sparkle�� sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Within seconds, including Lamar, their bodies began to collapse unevenly onto the ground, blood oozing from their mouths and other orifices��

 Chapter 518 - 518: 230

    Chapter 518: 230


    And the corpulent high priest, with a squint in his small eyes, could clearly see, his subordinates, at the moment Rein struck the ground with his hammer, had already had their skeletons and internal organs shattered.


    Even the nerves inside their bodies were crushed to dust.


    Therefore, they were now unresponsive, lying limp on the ground like dead snakes, not even twitching��


    This kind of power��could it be��


    The corpulent high priest��s eyes suddenly widened, and he exclaimed, ��You�� you have actually mastered the true secret technique!��


    ��I finally know why none of the assassinations against you have ever succeeded!��


    ...


    ��Not only are you a Great Knight at your age, but you have also mastered the secret technique����


    ��It��s really����


    The high priest didn��t know how to describe the young man before him!


    Seeing Rein��s nearly terrifying strike, Alonso��s eyes bulged, his mouth agape, and his face extremely stiff!


    Now, he could no longer smile!


    And what had he just heard?


    Rein��Rein had become a Great Knight?


    And he had mastered the secret technique?


    My God! Isn��t this more genius than Cleya!


    In an instant, Alonso deeply regretted, why didn��t he recruit this young man at the beginning instead of treating him like a mere ant, thinking that he could be easily exterminated from his lofty position.


    Now, the high priest decided to take matters into his own hands to kill this young man, instead of wasting any more of his followers.


    Although, these cult followers were no different from leeks to him, and soon, he could recruit another batch.


    But, the current state of the battle was still damaging to his dignity as the high priest!


    He gestured with his hand, and two followers of the Black Flame, struggling, handed him a giant scythe, heavy and two meters long.


    Seeing that the high priest was preparing to act personally, Alonso watched this scene, his emotions roller-coasting, thrilled! Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    High Priest! High Priest!


    Don��t let me down again!


    The corpulent high priest, when he moved, was quick yet not slow, and when he was still twenty meters away from Rein, he swung the giant scythe diagonally, instantly sending a torrent of black flames like a giant fire serpent, spiraling towards Rein!


    Rein quickly rolled on the spot, dodging the high priest��s strike, then pushed off with his right foot, speeding towards him, holding up the Two-Handed Warhammer, and slammed it down hard!


    ��Clang!!!��


    The high priest��s body surged with black flames, and he firmly caught Rein��s hammer.


    Rein was not at all surprised, after all, as the high priest of the Church of the Black Flame, it would be strange if he were killed by a single hammer strike!


    Rein circled around the corpulent high priest, hammering from various angles, relentlessly swinging his hammer, the intense clang of metal resonating non-stop!


    The high priest couldn��t block every blow, but the protective power of the black flames surging around him was very strong, absorbing much of the shock from Rein��s hammer. The rest was absorbed by the man��s several inches thick layer of fat.


    While the fierce battle was in full swing, the corpses of the dead nobles, including those of the dead Black Flame monks, were quickly carried by some Black Flame followers to the central pile of corpses in the Evil Energy Witch Array.


    And with this ��addition��, the energy of the Evil Energy Witch Array surged even more violently!


    ��Shockwave!��


    Rein seized the opportunity as the high priest faltered and smashed through the black flame��s defense with his hammer, striking heavily on the fatty belly of the high priest.


    This time, the inches-thick layer of fat was also blasted open by Rein��s hammer!


    The high priest cried out in pain, his black robe tearing apart, revealing his true form.


    On his body were seven or eight closed-eyed faces and twice as many arms. At that moment, although Rein��s Warhammer had blasted a basin-sized bloody hole in him, it was also caught by several of the opponent��s withered arms!


    Just as Rein was about to pull back his Warhammer, he suddenly felt a great alarm in his heart!


    The faces on the opponent��s body suddenly opened their mouths!


    Instantly, seven or eight streams of black fire, thick as bowls, erupted from these open mouths, sweeping across the area in front of the high priest. If Rein hadn��t dodged in time, he would have been hit!


    Although Rein had the talent ��Steel Body��, he didn��t want to experience being scorched by black flames.


    Alonso, not having the time to be happy about Rein losing his Warhammer, suddenly saw a huge hound dash swiftly to Rein��s side.


    Damn!


    This dog��


    Rein calmly drew the Glimmering Greatsword strapped to the back of the Greyhound, aiming the sword tip at the high priest!


    Suddenly, Rein turned his head towards the Evil Energy Witch Array!


    At this moment, the energy fluctuation of the Evil Energy Witch Array had reached its peak��.


    ��Perfect!��


    ��The prayer ceremony has finally succeeded!�� Alonso praised inwardly.


    Just as Alonso thought the ceremony was completed and Rein wouldn��t last three seconds, suddenly, an energy shockwave swept around!


    Rein immediately swung his sword forward, splitting the incoming shockwave, allowing the fast-moving air to rush by his sides.


    Alonso, however, was hit by this evil energy shockwave, and began to scream miserably!


    He started tearing at his clothes non-stop, quickly standing there stark naked, then, suddenly, feathers began to sprout all over his skin surface, and more disturbingly, his shoulder blades bore out ribs that rapidly grew into wings!


    At that moment, the corpulent high priest looked on with admiration.


    ��Well done! Well done! Alonso has become a noble of Divine Blood under my lord. It seems the legend that the Habus family had once merged with the bloodline of the Calybird is undoubtedly true!��

 Chapter 519 - 230 Arrival (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 519: Chapter 230 Arrival (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��After taking the Divine Blood, it indeed had an effect!��


    Actually, for the Black Flame Church, it didn��t matter whether these nobles were alive or dead, they had all taken Divine Blood, and if they died, their bodies would become the best ��fertilizer,�� thus enhancing the effectiveness of the prayer ritual!


    If they were alive, they would be transformed by a sliver of the God of Hunting��s Will after the ceremony ended, becoming the best enforcers!


    The high priest looked at Alonzo��s current state and was very satisfied.


    Rein watched this scene without a hint of sympathy.


    These foolish nobility had actually colluded with the Cult, and to him, their backlash was only a matter of time.


    ...


    Having undergone a significant transformation into a birdman, Alonzo��s strength soared to the level of a Great Knight. His eyes were pitch-black, as if the whites had been devoured. With a flap of his wings, he sped towards Rein in an attack!


    ��O great God of Hunting above, your humble and devout follower begs for your divine bounty����


    Just as Rein focused his attention on the birdman Alonzo coming at him, the heavily injured high priest smiled and began to chant a low prayer.


    In an instant, an indescribable, terrible presence descended!


    ��.


    �����������C


    A few minutes earlier.


    At this time, just having arrived above Meist County City and still in rapid flight, the fierce creature that was a griffin was suddenly noticed by its rider, a burly man with a shield; his expression changed as he quickly pulled out something resembling a compass and stared at it.


    The numbers on it kept climbing!


    ��Eh, why is this demonic energy fluctuation so strong? Could it be that the Cult��s ritual has already started?��


    ��This is earlier than expected!��


    He had thought he had ample time and was planning to greet the Governor of the County Town, but it seemed there was no time for that now.


    The shield-backed burly man glanced at Meist County City sparkling with lights below him, gave the reins a heavy shake, and the griffin let out a loud cry and changed direction, speeding toward the source of the demonic energy.


    Almost simultaneously.


    When Rudolph arrived at the entrance to Baron Elliot��s estate with a group of elite knights from the Sacred Order, they were blocked by the estate��s butler leading a team of fully armed guards.


    The butler recognized Rudolph and the knights of the Sacred Order on sight because their attire was too distinctive.


    ��Esteemed guests from the Church of the Goddess, I��m sorry, but this is a noble��s private residence. Without an invitation, I must go and report to my master first,�� said the butler.


    ��We have detected the presence of demonic energy emanating from this estate, and we must inspect it immediately!�� Rudolph said gravely.


    ��Stand aside!��


    At that moment, suddenly, Alonzo��s butler Michel emerged from the estate, smiled as he came up to Rudolph.


    ��Chancellor Rudolph, what brings you here?��


    ��Baron Alonzo is inside too! The demonic energy you mentioned must be a misconception, there are many of us here and we haven��t sensed anything amiss!�� Michel defended.


    Rudolph was taken aback to see Michel present.


    He naturally knew that Alonzo, as Count Habs��s eldest son, was now weighing his options quickly.


    But the next second, he realized that Rein might be in danger, and if he continued to waste time here, there was no telling how much longer it would take.


    He was about to scold the other party when suddenly a high and majestic screech came from the sky!


    A mighty creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle, boasting enormous wings, descended from the sky!


    ��A griffin!�� Rudolph, with his extensive knowledge, recognized the creature at once.


    You see, griffins in the Dragan Empire are second only to giant dragons as flying mounts, ridden only by top-level nobility and members of certain elite departments.


    Indeed, as the griffin landed, two figures also leapt off its back.


    The shield-bearing burly man glanced at Rudolph and the knights of the Sacred Order, then at the butler and guards stopping them, and immediately understood the situation.


    The burly man approached Rudolph and said, ��Esteemed Chancellor of the Church of the Goddess, are you also handling Cult affairs?��


    ��Yes, sir,�� Rudolph nodded gravely and quickly briefed him on the situation.


    Of course, he emphasized the obstruction by the butler and others present!


    The burly man then pulled out a badge from his chest and showed it around, saying, ��You must cooperate immediately! When the Sword Bearers act, not only you, but even if your master were uncooperative, we have the right to kill on the spot!��


    Michel and the butler exchanged looks, at a loss for what to do! sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They knew things had escalated!


    The reputation of the Empire��s Sword Bearers was well known; of course, they had heard of it!


    Immediately, they dared not block any further and watched as the two from the Sword Bearers and Rudolph��s party entered.


    Just as Rudolph and his party were crossing the corridor, suddenly, without the need for the ��Golden Compass,�� they could clearly feel the ground slightly trembling beneath them, followed by an overwhelming burst of evil energy that erupted like a flood!


    The intensity immediately caused Rudolph and all of the Sacred Order knights to turn pale!


    ��Not good! The ritual is about to be completed!��


    ��Hurry! Speed up!��


    When the group arrived at the conference room, they saw a huge hole in the ground, and above it, a black energy shield shaped like an upside-down large bowl hovered.


    And below, a giant magical array was faintly visible, along with the sounds of intense fighting!


    Seeing this scene, Rudolph was shocked!


    ��This�� is this the lair of the Black Flame Cult?��


    Rudolph quickly realized why the demonic energy fluctuation here was so intense!


    It turned out that this was not just an important stronghold of the Black Flame Cult; it was their lair!


    Rudolph immediately turned to a knight from the Sacred Order and said, ��Go report to Bishop Shion immediately, tell him we��ve discovered the Black Flame Cult��s lair!��


    Just as Rudolph was about to use a high-level Divine Arts scroll to blast open the black energy barrier, suddenly, an indescribable fear spread among everyone present.


    ��This�� this is the Will of a deity����


    ��Too late! Rein is done for!��

 Chapter 520 - 231: It Really Wasnt Me (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 520: Chapter 231: It Really Wasn��t Me (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Underground hall.


    Facing Alonso, the bird-man creature flapping its wings as it swiftly attacked.


    Rein pulled out a scroll surging with air energy from within his chest, which was the Sorcery Scroll ��Summon Hurricane�� he had obtained from Adams and had long possessed.


    As Rein tore the scroll, instantly, a hurricane containing powerful energy swept towards Alonso, the newly transformed bird-man. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since Alonso had just been affected by the power of the Evil God and had become one with wings, his body was still adapting to the control of the wings. He could accelerate quickly in straight lines, but to fly agilely up and down would take some time.


    Instantly, under the strong influence of the hurricane, the bird-man Alonso was struck and rolled 360 degrees in the air, his entire body buffeted wildly by the wind.


    ...


    ��Swoosh!��


    Just as he barely stabilized his form, a silver arc of sword light flashed by!


    At this moment Alonso, although still in mid-air, had his wings beginning to stall.


    A gash appeared from his left neck, slanting down across his chest and abdomen, all the way to his right flank!


    With a ��sssst�� sound, like that of a high-pressure water gun firing, blood gushed out!


    ��Plop! Plop!��


    What followed were two sounds of heavy objects hitting the ground!


    The bisected corpse fell almost simultaneously to the floor�� with various body fluids and organs scattered all around!


    And the two segments of the body that had fallen to the ground seemed unwilling, as if they wanted to do something more, but what followed was merely violent twitching of some limbs!


    However��


    As life ebbed away, the power of the Evil God seemed to dissipate as well, and Alonso��s pitch-black eyes began to change, showing whites once again.


    At the same time, something like clarity seemed to return to his eyes.


    He managed to give Rein a look, his eyes filled with a mixture of resentfulness, regret, and frustration, and the next second, his lips muttered twice before he took his last breath��


    Rein glanced at the dead Alonso and immediately refocused his attention on the Black Flame High Priest, whose aura was undergoing dramatic changes!


    Because Rein could clearly feel that the opponent��s aura was escalating, erupting like a volcano.


    At the same time, the originally stout body of the Black Flame High Priest, over two meters tall, was rapidly expanding��


    Two meters fifty��


    Three meters��


    Three meters fifty��


    Suddenly, the intensity of this aura surpassed everyone Rein had ever met, including Captain Baron, Count Habs, and other Peak Knights, seemingly stepping into a higher realm all at once!


    ��


    �����������C


    Outside the black energy barrier.


    The shield-bearing strongman gestured to Rudolph, ��Don��t waste your scrolls, leave it to me!��


    The strongman suddenly unstrapped the shield on his back, revealing a secret: embedded within the interior of the shield was a platinum-colored staff about 1.2 meters in length.


    Holding the platinum staff, he muttered something and then hurled it at the black barrier with all his might!


    In an instant, the platinum staff burst into a dazzling white light, and a mighty and majestic aura spread out, completely countering the just-a-bit of the Evil God��s will!


    Watching the staff resembling a streak of white lightning strike the black energy barrier, Rudolph was shocked!


    He murmured as he watched this spectacle, ��Could this be the Imperial Staff?��


    ��Of course not, this is just a replica of the staff of His Majesty the Emperor,�� said the man holding a short wand nonchalantly.


    ��Compared to the true Imperial Staff, its power is less than one percent, but it��s more than enough to deal with this projection of the Evil God��s will!��


    ��Crack!�� The platinum staff effortlessly pierced through the defense of the black barrier, as simply as a hammer shattering an egg.


    Then everyone watched as the platinum staff, like a meteor streaking across the sky, shot with incredible speed toward a certain spot underground!


    �����������C


    At that moment, Rein took out the leaf from his chest that he had kept but never used.


    This leaf, which one could feel surging with potent life energy when held, was actually a special Sorcery Scroll, a gift from Anna��s aunt, the Elf Lady.


    Rein positioned it in the most accessible spot.


    Suddenly, the Lyth battle hound ��Cookie�� quickly ran to Rein��s side. Rein thought for a moment, then picked up his battle bow again and drew one of the two remaining steel arrows.


    Clearly, it was best to see if he could interrupt whatever was happening with the Black Flame High Priest in his current state.


    Approaching with the greatsword for melee combat was too dangerous, whereas if he attacked from a distance, it was worth an attempt.


    In fact, Rein had always been hesitant about how to allocate his newly acquired Skill Points as a Pharmacist. Should he enhance his Giant Bear Sword Technique or Blood Fury Archery?


    On one hand, the Giant Bear Sword Technique was the first Combat Skill he had learned as a Transcendent, and he was very fond of it.


    But ever since he mastered the secret technique level of Tokkal Hammer Technique, from the perspective of combat versatility, investing Skill Points into a similar melee combat skill would yield lower returns.


    On the other hand, upgrading Blood Fury Archery, a ranged attack skill, could not only patch up his shortcoming in ranged combat but also, given the current circumstances, using archery to interrupt the Black Flame High Priest��s augmentation was the safest option.

 Chapter 521 - 231: It Really Wasnt Me (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 521: Chapter 231: It Really Wasn��t Me (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    The current battle situation had made the decision for Rein!


    Without any hesitation, Rein immediately invested all his remaining Skill Points into Blood Fury Archery.


    As his remaining Skill Points went from 3��0, Blood Fury Archery shot up from lv6 to lv9 like a rocket!


    In an instant, Rein��s mind was flooded with profound memories of practicing Blood Fury Archery, and for a moment, he felt as if he had spent decades practicing it in some mysterious space!


    When Rein gripped his enormous war bow again, it felt completely different!


    Especially now, as he had additional memories of the unique secret technique of Blood Fury Archery, ��Blood Fury Strike.��


    ...


    There was no time to check the system prompts.


    Rein��s expression turned stern, and his whole body radiated a dense, blood-colored halo, with veins on the surface of his skin bulging frightfully!


    The bowstring in his hand was stretched to the limit, and the steel arrow in his grip suddenly displayed complex and strange blood-colored patterns, which were even more intense and vivid than when Phil Kraz wielded it.


    With a ��whoosh�� sound!


    The blood-colored steel arrow broke through the air at extremely high speed, targeting the fat high priest��s head!


    Almost at the same time!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0��?0.���


    Something else, faster than his arrow, struck the ascending black flame high priest first!


    Rein only saw a platinum-colored light, like a meteor falling from the sky, slamming towards the black flame high priest��s location with a boom!


    In an instant! An agonizing scream that resounded around broke out!


    This scream seemed to come not from the black flame high priest himself, but from the towering presence behind him!


    And at the same time, an overwhelming aura, more imposing than the terrifying atmosphere pervading the underground hall, pressed down.


    This aura was like facing the supreme emperor of humankind!


    Only then did Rein clearly see that the light was a platinum scepter, which, at that moment, had struck the black flame high priest��s chest, creating a hole as big as a bucket.


    The high priest��s ascension process was thus interrupted, and the defensive black flames around him also suddenly dissipated.


    Therefore, the arrow Rein had just shot, containing the ��Blood Fury Strike,�� now precisely pierced through the defensive black flame and struck the high priest��s originally round head.


    ��Pop!��


    It was like the sound of a watermelon cracking open!


    The high priest��s fat body��s round head abruptly turned into a spray of white, splattered flesh, bodily fluid, and shattered bone��..


    At this moment, a flurry of system prompts arrived:


    [Your Skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +2392]


    [Your Skill Blood Fury Archery has improved, Experience +2106]


    [Your Skill Giant Bear Sword Technique has improved, Experience +899]


    [Your Skill Sharpness Technique has improved, Experience +78]


    (Note: The above Skill Experience includes a 30% bonus from the Talent ��Junior Extraordinary Understanding.��)


    [Congratulations, you have defeated a formidable enemy, you��ve gained 1 Golden Skill Point!]


    [You have gone through a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +1997, Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) Experience +138, Beast Tamer (Transcendent) Experience +109.]


    [Congratulations, your Weapon Master (Legendary) Profession Level has increased!] sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��


    Weapon Master (Legendary) Profession Level had gone up by one level, reaching lv6 (13/3000), which once again awarded Rein with one attribute point and one Skill Point.


    Now he had 8 remaining attribute points and 1 remaining Skill Point.


    Upon successfully killing the black flame high priest, Rein instantly felt a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, the black flame high priest had not fully ascended before the platinum hammer interrupted the process.


    He had picked up a massive bargain!


    But where had that platinum scepter come from?


    Rein looked around but didn��t discover its source.


    Hm��what��s this?


    Rein sharply noticed a special aura still lingering around the dead fat high priest��s body.


    This aura made him feel vaguely familiar, very much like the great presence that the black flame cultists had been devoutly praying to, only now, the evil taste was much less, and it was filled with a sense of grandeur and greatness��..


    Before Rein could get closer, the system prompt chimed again:


    [Ding! An unknown high-quality energy suitable for absorption has been detected, Yes/No to absorb?]


    (Note: This high-quality energy can be directly converted into Talent Points upon absorption.)


    Eh?


    It can be converted into Talent Points?


    Looking at the system prompts, Rein was completely taken aback!


    He had previously pondered this issue; his talents, such as ��Junior Steel Body,�� were clearly capable of further upgrades, as the word ��Junior�� indicated so much.


    But he could not figure out how to enhance his innate talents.


    Because both Skill Points and Golden Skill Points were for enhancing Skills, not Talents.


    Now, the answer appeared!


    Although Rein was unclear whether this was the only way to acquire Talent Points, at least it was a path.


    Overjoyed, he did not hesitate to choose ��Yes!��


    Almost instantly, the strange aura or energy that had been lingering around the high priest��s obese corpse flowed towards Rein like a convergence of rivers, entering his body and surging within!


    Rein felt not the slightest discomfort; instead, he experienced an indescribable sense of comfort and transcendence.


    If someone were observing from the side, they would notice Rein emitting a faint golden glow and an ineffable sense of authority.

 Chapter 522 - 231: It Really Wasnt Me (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 522: Chapter 231: It Really Wasn��t Me (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    At the next moment, having finished absorbing, the strange phenomenon vanished into the night!


    Looking around the entire underground hall, it once again returned to its previous state, slightly damp, with the smell of blood and decay lingering.


    [Ding! 1 Talent Point has been transformed. Please select a talent to upgrade: ��Primary Weapon Mastery (Passive),�� ��Primary Extraordinary Understanding (Passive),�� or ��Primary Steel Body (Passive).��]


    (Note: Upgrading the talent ��Intermediate Giant Force (Active)�� requires two Talent Points, and you currently lack sufficient points to do so.)


    As he saw the system prompt, Rein quickly understood that his first three talents with the ��Primary�� prefix were of one rank, while ��Intermediate Giant Force (Active)�� was a higher-tier talent.


    Since the ��Intermediate Giant Force (Active)�� talent couldn��t be upgraded, which of the remaining three talents should he choose?


    ...


    Rein couldn��t help but fall into contemplation.


    ��Primary Extraordinary Understanding (Passive)�� was immediately ruled out by Rein, as it wasn��t an immediate combat-oriented talent. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This talent increases the speed at which one masters Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    However, for later advancement in Extraordinary Battle Techniques, Rein generally increased his capability through adding Skill Points directly.


    Because generally speaking, even with ��Primary Extraordinary Understanding�� shortening the time by almost a third, advancement still required a considerably long time past skill level 7.


    As for ��Primary Weapon Mastery (Passive)�� and ��Primary Steel Body (Passive),�� both could be categorized as immediate combat-oriented talents.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0��?0.���


    Each had clear characteristics, one leaning towards offense, the other towards defense.


    After a brief consideration, Rein decided to choose the defensive upgrade!


    ��After experiencing this incident, if it weren��t for that ��Heavenly Hammer�� at the end, facing the Great Knight who had surpassed Peak Knights and advanced to the next level, the Dark Flame High Priest, the battle would have been exceedingly difficult for me,��


    ��but with stronger defensive power, my margin for error naturally would be a bit higher.��


    Having made up his mind, Rein silently willed to add a point to ��Primary Steel Body (Passive).��


    Instantly, a surge of warm energy flowed over his skin, and Rein extended his hands, looking down to see his palms and the back of his hands suddenly shimmering with a metallic, silver-gray glow.


    This glow, resembling quicksilver, flowed over the surface of his body, flickering on and off.


    After a few seconds, the glow receded, and Rein��s skin returned to its original hue.


    At that moment, a system prompt appeared:


    [Congratulations, your Talent ��Primary Steel Body (Passive)�� has been upgraded to ��Intermediate Steel Body (Passive)��!]


    Seeing the newly advanced second-tier talent on his attribute panel, Rein couldn��t help but reveal a bright smile.


    Just as Rein was about to inspect it further, suddenly, he heard a series of hurried rustling footsteps coming from the opening above!


    Rein turned his head to look and saw a team descending from above, among whom were Rudolph, the familiar head of the Goddess Church, and a small group of elite Holy Knights.


    However, Rein found it peculiar that Rudolph and the others were slightly behind, while two unfamiliar, firmly stepping men led the group.


    The party moved forward hesitantly, weapons in hand, pausing in shock when they caught sight of the current state of the underground hall!


    The cavernous underground hall was now almost akin to a butcher��s floor.


    The stench of blood and the rank odor of decaying bodies assailed their senses!


    Especially at the center of the hall, the pile of numerous corpses stacked like a small hill and the nearby several meters tall corpulent high priest��s corpse were particularly eye-catching!


    Of course, even more striking at the moment was Rein, holding a war bow and wearing a party suit.


    Everyone instinctively aimed their weapons at Rein until Rudolph seemed to recognize him and cautiously uttered, ��Rein?��


    Rein smiled and nodded, responding, ��Head Rudolph, thank you for coming to the rescue!��


    Relieved upon hearing Rein speak human words, Rudolph breathed a sigh of relief, ��Rein, you��re unharmed, that��s great!��


    The two unfamiliar men looked at the young man before them with a hint of surprise.


    They had not expected that under such circumstances, this young man would have survived.


    Great Knight?


    At his age, it was a commendable strength, yet it still seemed insufficient to have withstood even a sliver of the Evil God��s projection.


    The younger man, holding a short staff, stopped Rudolph, who seemed about to step forward, saying, ��I need to perform the Soul Appraisal Technique.��


    ��Are you worried���� Rudolph immediately grasped the implication.


    Thus, he turned to look sternly at Rein, ��Rein, as a precaution, these two gentlemen from the Empire��s Sword Bearers must perform the Soul Appraisal Technique on you.��


    ��The Soul Appraisal Technique does no harm, it merely serves to assess any changes in one��s spiritual radiance.��


    Rein, upon hearing this, came to a realization.


    Were they concerned that he was being controlled or possessed by the great being worshipped by the Black Flame Cult?


    ��Of course, go ahead!�� said Rein without hesitation.


    Additionally, hearing that these two men belonged to the organization of the Empire��s Sword Bearers, Rein took another careful look at them.


    The two men, one with a shield and imposing stature, the other comparatively leaner, wielding the short staff, who was about to conduct the Soul Appraisal Technique on him.


    With Rein��s forthright agreement, the group visibly relaxed.


    As the man with the short staff softly recited an incantation, soon a tiny serpentine stream of energy appeared in front of his staff, as if conjured from thin air.

 Chapter 523 - 231: It Really Wasnt Me (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 523: Chapter 231: It Really Wasn��t Me (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    As he gently waved his short staff, energy serpents swiftly surged towards Rein. When they were a few dozen centimeters away from him, they no longer approached but began to coil and hover around him.


    At this moment, Rein could sense a certain special mysterious energy particle interacting with his own body.


    Seconds later, the serpents flashing with white light suddenly dissipated, revealing a scene of sparkling particles falling down, which was quite beautiful.


    ��No problem! It��s a human!�� the man with the short staff nodded affirmatively.


    The young man in front of them was lucky.


    At this point, the group finally relaxed completely.


    ...


    Rudolph stepped forward quickly, patted Rein heavily on the shoulder, and exchanged a few pleasantries.


    ��I thought you����


    ��


    The burly shield-bearer and the man with the short staff also came over at this time.


    However, they nodded at Rein and then immediately moved forward, seeming to have some task.


    The man with the short staff quickly reached the site of the original witchcraft ritual of the Black Flame Church and planted three short staffs with metal patterns on the ground around the area. He then began chanting spells.


    Soon, the three half-meter-long engraved staffs began to glow with a rich witchcraft aura, and the engravings on the staff lit up as well.


    Half a minute passed��


    The man with the short staff, looking at the empty engraved staff triangle formation, showed a surprised expression and said, ��Captain, something��s wrong! When we were above it, we definitely felt a trace of the Evil God��s power.��


    ��But when I just performed the energy-absorbing witch circle, it didn��t absorb anything! That shouldn��t happen.��


    ��Huh? Is that so?�� S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The burly shield bearer, who was coming to retrieve the Platinum Scepter from the high priest, heard his companion��s words and also looked surprised!


    After a brief thought, the burly man pointed at the corpulent body of the Black Flame High Priest and said, ��Is it possible that this body absorbed it?��


    ��Could it be?�� That��s possible.�� The man with the short staff stroked his chin, thought for a while, and then nodded.


    After all, such a huge humanoid body was truly not normal.


    Then, following the previous method, the man with the short staff got busy again.


    He positioned the three metal patterned short staffs at the vertices of an equilateral triangle around the corpulent body of the Black Flame High Priest and began chanting and casting spells again.


    The three metal patterned short staffs lit up again!


    Again, half a minute passed��


    Still empty!


    This made both the burly shield-bearer and the man with the short staff exchange looks, both showing confused expressions.


    Especially the burly shield-bearer, as this was already his third time undertaking such a task, how could there possibly be nothing?


    After pondering for a long time, the burly shield-bearer turned and asked Rein, who was still exchanging pleasantries with Rudolph:


    ��Sir�� did you just see anything strange?��


    ��Strange things?�� Rein asked, feigning ignorance.


    He had clearly seen the two men busily working just moments earlier.


    Rein knew that these two formal Sword Bearers were likely trying to collect the high-quality energy that had dispersed earlier, but the problem was, that thing had already been absorbed by his system.


    It wasn��t possible for him to give it back to them even if he wanted to.


    So��


    Rein could only, and had to, deny it!


    ��It was just a trace of spiritual matter radiating a vast aura.�� The man with the short staff furrowed his brow, pondering how to express himself, as after all, the mission was confidential and couldn��t be revealed recklessly.


    Rein shook his head and said, ��I felt that pressure, but as for the spiritual matter you��re talking about, I really don��t know.��


    At that moment, the burly shield-bearer took the platinum-colored scepter from the dead body of the Black Flame High Priest and walked over to Rein, speaking gravely, ��The energy on the Platinum Scepter has been substantially drained, which confirms that the power of the Evil God was indeed present here.��


    ��Young sir, was that trace of purified divine essence of the Evil God absorbed by you?�� The burly shield-bearer stared intensely at Rein and asked.


    Rein shook his head without hesitation and said, ��No, it wasn��t.��


    ��Then could you swear an oath?�� The burly man asked earnestly.


    ��Of course, I can!�� Rein nodded.


    ��Upon the Goddess, if I absorbed that trace of purified divine essence of the Evil God, let me����


    At that moment, Rein thought to himself, though the benefits of this thing ultimately end up with me, I definitely did not absorb it, it was the system that did��


    The burly man covertly glanced at the man with the short staff, who looked at a skull-shaped witchcraft tool in his hand and slightly shook his head.


    Not lying?


    The Skull of Truth did not react.


    Then where did this divine essence of the Evil God go?


    Damn, recharging the Platinum Scepter with power requires a significant amount of merit, not only is this mission incomplete, but it also requires us to pay back in merit, what a pain!


    The burly shield-bearer couldn��t help but feel very irritated!


    ��


    At this time, some nobles and guards from the mansion above, who had seen or heard the commotion here, came in through the hole above.


    Leading them was the Elliott, the manor��s housekeeper who had initially stopped Rudolph, along with Michel and others.


    Michel, who had keen eyesight, saw upon entering the room the cleaved two halves of Alonso!


    After all, Rein��s strike had diagonally entered from the left side of Alonso��s neck, leaving the head still intact.


    Although the expression was ferocious, a familiar person could still recognize that it was Alonso��s head at a glance.


    ��Baron, sir!��


    Seeing this, Michel trembled all over, his eyes wide in disbelief.


    The next second, he nearly fell to the ground in a faint.


    Fortunately, several guards nearby immediately supported him.


    ��Quick! Go inform Count Habbs!��


    ��Baron Alonso, he��s dead��.��

 Chapter 528 - 233: Rise 5 Levels (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 528: Chapter 233: Rise 5 Levels (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Rein took one look and didn��t hesitate to choose Yes!


    [Ding! Job change successful!]


    [Job change to Deadly Poison Master (Transcendent) successful! Constitution -2, agility +1, spirit +2! Acquired core skills of the Deadly Poison Master (Transcendent): Fatal Poison lv1 (Passive), Poison Resist Constitution lv1 (Passive).]


    [Fatal Poison lv1 (Passive): As you have spent years researching the creation of poisons, the potency of your poisons is extraordinary, causing an additional 30% damage. Also, the difficulty of neutralizing your poisons with antidotes or a ��Detoxification Spell�� and other witchcraft is slightly increased.]


    [Poison Resist Constitution lv1 (Passive): Due to your long-term exposure to poison, you have a strong resistance to ordinary poisons and a slightly increased resistance to intense and stronger poisons.]


    Damn!


    ... Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Constitution -2?


    Rein stared at the job change notification in a daze!


    He couldn��t help but rub his eyes and take another look.


    Okay, he was sure he hadn��t read it wrong.


    A job change that also reduces constitution?


    No wonder it��s called Deadly Poison Master, it��s literally deadly!


    Although he gained 2 points in spirit and 1 point in agility, counting the reduction of 2 points in constitution, overall, he only increased by 1 point.


    It was pretty much the same as his previous Pharmacist job change.


    Feeling somewhat speechless, Rein shook his head and continued to read��


    The two core skills weren��t bad.


    ��A 30% increase in poison potency, okay! Is the system really pushing me towards becoming a ��Lime Martial Saint�� or a ��Poison Sword Saint��?��


    ��But�� this poison-resistant constitution is actually quite useful����


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    Just then, a knocking sound came.


    ��Come in!��


    Only to hear the beautiful Jennifer walk in and say, ��Darling, it��s about time, we should head out to attend the award ceremony at the Goddess��s Church.��


    ��Eh? Oh yes! I almost forgot about that.�� Rein suddenly remembered!


    Soon, Rein, dressed in a suit meticulously prepared by Jennifer, attended the award ceremony held in his honor by the Goddess��s Church.


    This time the ceremony was much more grandiose than last, with many nobles and high-ranking members of the church from County Town in attendance.


    Soon, Rein arrived at the grand hall of prayer within the temple, where by now, the lavishly ornate vaulted hall was filled with Meister county nobles and high-ranking officials from the Goddess��s Church equivalent to Knight and above.


    Colorful flowers lined both sides of the central aisle and decorated the boundaries of the hall. Although it was just the month of life, under the Goddess��s Church��s Divine Arts, the flowers bloomed splendidly.


    And an elder in a water-blue robe with thick gold trim, holding a scepter, smiled benignly underneath the Goddess��s sculpture at the front of the hall, watching Rein and Jennifer walk in.


    ��


    ��In the many battles against the dark Cult, Baron Rein made outstanding contributions, especially this time, as he directly destroyed the Cult��s stronghold in Meister County and killed the high priest of the Cult!��


    ��To commend Baron Rein for his exceptional contributions in the expulsion of evil, on behalf of the Goddess��s Church, I present to Baron Rein the Gold Conch Medal!��


    Bishop Shion eloquently stated while lifting a medal the size of a woman��s fist, shimmering with golden light, from a tray held by an Attendant beside him.


    Before coming here, Rein had learned from Meister Rudolph about the medals of the Goddess��s Church, ranging from the Iron Shell Medal, Bronze Shell Medal, Silver Conch Medal, to this Gold Conch Medal.


    And he discovered that the Gold Conch Medal was the highest-level medal that the County Town��s Goddess��s Church could award.


    Higher than that would be beyond Bishop Shion��s purview to grant.


    This Gold Conch Medal was slightly larger than the Silver Medal he received last time, with a vivid sea conch design that looked lifelike!


    ��Child, may the Goddess bless you.��


    ��Thank you, Goddess, thank you, Bishop Shion!�� Rein accepted it with both hands respectfully and, with Jennifer��s help, immediately adorned it on his chest.


    ��Baron Rein, please take good care of this medal. Anywhere in the empire where there��s a temple of the Monsoon and Ocean Goddess��s Church, you can seek and receive help.��


    ��Additionally, apart from the imbued Divine Art ��Evil Detection,�� this medal also has a once-charge of the Divine Art ��Exorcism Spell,�� which after being used, will need to be recharged before it can be utilized again,�� Rudolph explained from the side.


    ��Lord Rein, I hear you��re soon off to Mingster to take the Imperial Sword Bearer��s examination. Here, the Goddess grants you her blessing as well,�� Bishop Shion said to Rein with a beaming smile.


    The Goddess��s blessing?


    Could it be like the last time?


    ��Then I must trouble you, Your Grace!��


    Rein responded with delight, bowing slightly once more to express his gratitude to Bishop Shion.


    As Bishop Shion began to chant, this time numerous monks in light blue robes also started to sing loudly, and soon the whole grand hall resonated with their devout prayers!


    This scale and solemnity were clearly beyond the last time.


    Perhaps, the Goddess��s Church wanted to signal to the other nobles of Meister County that supporting the Church in combating heresy and evil would earn them gifts from the Goddess.


    As the bishop gazed upon Rein, he raised his scepter, radiating dense aquamarine light, and in the next second, this dazzling blue light shot forth, enveloping Rein completely!


    For a moment, Rein was shrouded in the bright blue glow, feeling a cool and soothing strange energy continuously penetrating his body.

 Chapter 529 - 233 Rising 5 Levels (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 529: Chapter 233 Rising 5 Levels (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_2


    The system prompt immediately rang out:


    [Ding! Detection finds a large amount of unknown absorbable energy around the host. Yes/No to absorb? (Note: After absorption, it can be converted into specified professional experience points.)]


    Rein��s heart immediately surged with joy!


    Just like last time, it can be turned into experience points.


    Thus, Rein silently affirmed in his mind, ��Yes��!


    Immediately, the dense blue energy was completely absorbed by Rein.


    ...


    [Ding! A total of 3957 supernatural experience points have been converted, please choose Wizard Apprentice (Supernatural)/Beast Tamer (Supernatural)/Deadly Poison Master (Supernatural) for the upgrade.]


    Because Weapon Master is at the Legendary Level, and the profession of armorer is at an ordinary level, neither were listed as options.


    This time, Rein didn��t suffer from choice paralysis because whether it was the profession of Wizard Apprentice (Supernatural) or Beast Tamer (Supernatural), he could only gain enough to level up once.


    But selecting Deadly Poison Master (Supernatural) would allow him to jump at least four levels.


    After Rein chose Deadly Poison Master (Supernatural), five system prompts appeared in succession: sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Congratulations, your Deadly Poison Master (Supernatural) Profession Level has increased!]


    ��.


    [Congratulations, your Deadly Poison Master (Supernatural) Profession Level has increased!]


    Seeing the Deadly Poison Master (Supernatural) Profession Level change from lv1 (12/100) to lv6 (69/3000) on the panel, Rein couldn��t help but reveal a brilliant smile.


    Wow! A whole five levels at once!


    This made Rein momentarily entertain a strong desire to cling to the goddess��s coattails!


    If he could receive the goddess��s blessing every few days, what need would there be to join the Sword Bearers?


    Otherwise, he might as well just stay at the Church of the Goddess!


    Unfortunately, if Rein truly joined the Church of the Goddess, he was aware that such good fortune would perhaps not even come once in several years!


    This time his luck was due partly to the eradication of the Cult of the Black Flame and partly because the Church of the Goddess just happened to plan on setting him as a role model to further expand their influence.


    Rein glanced at the panel��s reminder of remaining attribute points: 13, remaining Skill Points: 6, and Golden Skill Points: 2.


    Among them, the remaining attribute points reached an astonishing 13, a two-digit number!


    However, how to reasonably distribute and use these points required further consideration upon his return.


    Following the award ceremony was the banquet, and after a round of obligatory exchanges with numerous nobles, Rein had a small-scale meeting with Bishop Shion and Chancellor Rudolph.


    The primary reason was Rein��s slight concern about leaving the County Town this time.


    Although he had uprooted the Cult of the Black Flame, in the process he had made enemies of many nobles, and there was no guarantee that there were no survivors left.


    Essentially, this problem arose because he, as the Baron, had recently been ennobled and his family lacked depth. He did not have formal knights in his service.


    Even the Crowley family now only had one knight of little use.


    Hiring foreign knights was questionable in terms of reliability, and it was also difficult to train and reuse them afterwards.


    In contrast, one of the benefits of noble families with long traditions is that they often have a sufficient number of knights due to continuous cultivation and accumulation over generations.


    Therefore, during the recent meeting, Rein made a request.


    Having received the Golden Conch Medal, Rein was entitled to request assistance from the local Church of the Goddess, according to the rule that recipients of the medal could ask for help. Bishop Shion agreed and would send two temple knights to station themselves there temporarily.


    The time agreed upon was two months.


    After all, even for recipients of the Golden Conch Medal, this was not permissible according to the Church��s rules.


    Additionally, two days prior, he had written a letter addressed to Hass Klein of Richmond Fishing Port in Rosby County, hoping he could come to Meister for a while if he had the time.


    Counting the days, Hass should also be arriving soon.


    In this case, with three knight-level powers present, they should be well-equipped to handle any sneaky attacks from the shadows.


    In the luxurious carriage on the way back.


    The beautiful lady Jennifer said to Rein, ��Dear, quite a few nobles and wealthy merchants at the banquet just now reached out to me, hoping to invest in the Crowley Commerce Association.��


    ��Oh?�� Rein��s eyebrows raised, briefly pondering before quickly grasping the situation.


    Clearly, having the beautiful lady accompany him to the Seasonal Winds and Ocean Goddess Church��s knighting ceremony had essentially confirmed his close relationship with the Crowley family.


    And he had been improving his strength in the manor, leading a reclusive life and not participating in noble banquets and social engagements. As for the invitations received, he mostly declined them all or let the beautiful lady Jennifer attend in his stead.


    Therefore, their attention shifted to Jennifer, hoping to strengthen ties with Rein through her.


    ��Jennifer, what are your thoughts?�� After thinking, Rein asked in return.


    ��This is what I��m thinking: I want to change the name of this commerce association. Let��s call it Hammer and Rose Commerce. Then, we��ll sell off forty percent of the shares. As for the affiliates, like Wiggins Commerce����


    Listening to the beautiful lady speak so confidently, Rein nodded without ceasing.


    On matters of business, Jennifer possessed savvy experience; he didn��t need to worry or interfere much.


    Of course, the main reason Rein saw this as a positive development.


    After all, he couldn��t always be in Meister County to escort and protect the Crowley family. Hence, as long as nothing major happened to him, the beautiful lady and the Crowley family shouldn��t face any significant problems.

 Chapter 530 - 233: Rise 5 Levels (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 530: Chapter 233: Rise 5 Levels (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3


    Moreover, with the addition of nobles or wealthy merchants, the new guild that Jennifer controls will see a significant increase in strength. Many business deals and transport routes that were previously out of reach can now be gradually considered.


    When the benefits reach a certain level, the guild, as a collective of interests, will advance and retreat together in many matters.


    This is similar to the recent situation with the Black Flame Cult and those noble families closely associated with it.


    In this case, the safety issue of the Crowley family within Meister County is basically no longer Rein��s concern.


    Of course, the cultivation of the direct descendants still needs to continue, but this is not something that yields results overnight.


    ����As for my dear, you just need to have a nominal involvement, you take fifty percent of the profits, and I will share the rest with them,�� said the beautiful lady, her eyes shining as she spoke of business.


    ...


    Upon hearing this, Rein was taken aback, smiled and said, ��No need, Jennifer, we can just split it evenly, and normally you can keep my share with you.��


    ��Do not refuse, you have already invested quite a lot in the acquisition of rare ores,�� Rein raised his hand, stopping the beautiful lady from speaking further.


    ��


    ��Another thing is, um�� I would like Jenny to go with you to Mingster. The accession of these noble and merchant families means we will now have sufficient strength to transport goods to Mingster for sale.��


    ��I believe that these products from the other side of the sea will find a good market in Mingster.��


    Rein nodded, thinking it was a good idea.


    After this trip to Mingster, he might not return to County Town for a while.


    If Jennifer could expand the business to Mingster, then he could leave some miscellaneous tasks to the new guild.


    For instance, he planned to take with him the Lington War Dogs, the Blood Feathered Horned Eagles, and the black horses to Mingster, and they would need dependable care during the days of the assessments.


    He had originally planned to bring the short-bodied Matteo, but now that he had the channel of Jennifer��s new guild that was clearly a better choice.


    ��Oh, by the way, my dear, there��s one more thing.��


    ��It��s about the information on the Dragan Empire Sword Bearer��s assessment you asked me to collect; I��ve almost got everything now. Most of it is from the Yakesen Auction House, and some bits from other nobles in Meister.��


    ��Oh? Let me have a look,�� Rein raised an eyebrow, clearly more interested in this information than the business.


    Since none of the people he knew, including Hamilton, had ever participated in the Sword Bearer organization��s assessments, they had no idea what form these assessments took. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon after the Black Flame Cult situation was resolved, Rein had entrusted Jennifer, the beautiful lady, to buy some intelligence through Yakesen Auction House.


    When she handed over a stack of papers, Rein started to read with barely concealed excitement.


    Although many details were vague due to the empire��s secrecy, the overall outline of the Sword Bearer organization could still be understood.


    First and foremost, the history of the Sword Bearer organization of the Dragan Empire is ancient, established not long after the foundation of the empire, with over 1,800 years of history.


    During that period, the name had changed several times; initially, it seems to have been called the Guardians under the imperial royalty, now it has been changed to Sword Bearers, nominally under the military department, but the information also notes that it is still actually led by the imperial royalty.


    In contrast, the imperial navy��s Tide Striders organization was founded much later, said to be just over 600 years old.


    At this, Rein��s gaze flickered as he pondered.


    Considering this, the Sword Bearer organization has an ancient history. No wonder the members of the Fish-Dragon Team said that the ��Tide Striders�� special department of the navy was established mimicking the ��Sword Bearers��.


    The function of the Sword Bearer organization, if described in one sentence, would be to guard the Dragan Empire.


    The data shows that domestically, the Sword Bearers mainly deal with issues that are too complex or insoluble for some imperial departments, such as cults and special incidents.


    Externally, they engage more in collecting, competing for, or confronting special resources against the Eagle Federation, or fighting against foreign races beyond the empire��s territories.


    ��I see,�� Rein nodded, feeling somewhat enlightened.


    If the navy��s Tide Striders are limited to the empire��s maritime domain, then the Sword Bearers cover the entire territory, even beyond the empire��s borders.


    Moreover, Rein noticed a particularly distinctive aspect, different from the previous noble ranking assessments.


    That is, those who pass the assessment to enter the Sword Bearers will undergo several months to half a year or even longer of intensive training.


    It seems that the related staff of the Sword Bearer organization will make targeted cultivation suggestions based on the characteristics of the successful candidates, and arrange corresponding special training.


    ��Targeted cultivation���� Rein murmured.


    The beautiful lady, upon hearing this, seemed to think of something and said, ��My dear, there was also someone from Meister County who joined the Sword Bearers. It was just that later, their family relocated to the provincial capital of Mingster.��


    ��They mentioned that one of them, soon after joining the Sword Bear organization, went on to further his studies for a while at the Imperial Royal Academy.��


    ��The Royal Academy?�� Rein asked in surprise, seeking confirmation.

 Chapter 531 - 233: Rise by 5 Levels (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 531: Chapter 233: Rise by 5 Levels (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��Yes.��


    Rein nodded.


    Isn��t that the place where Cleya went?


    ��Right, Jennifer, didn��t you say there were two?��


    ��Yes, the other one reportedly went to some wizard school for further study, for as long as a year. But as for which school it was, these nobles haven��t been clear��likely due to confidentiality reasons.��


    The beautiful Jennifer had spent a lot of time and energy after collecting this information to discern its authenticity. Although she couldn��t guarantee 100% reliability, the general direction was still reliable, or else she wouldn��t have come to discuss this matter with Rein.


    ...


    ��School?�� Rein��s face showed contemplation.


    In fact, as he read this part, he vaguely guessed the training strategy of the Sword Bearer organization of the Dragan Empire.


    If that were the case, then he��.


    As Rein continued to flip through the materials, he found very little content regarding the Sword Bearer re-exam.


    However, combining the previous content with what Trevo had told him earlier, Rein was fairly certain about the authenticity of the information, despite some parts being somewhat vague.


    Given Rein��s current strength, qualifying for the Sword Bearer organization shouldn��t be a problem.


    Now what he was striving for was to pass the re-exam, but even with the information the beautiful Jennifer had gathered, there wasn��t much detail about it.


    However, two points were clear.


    The first point was that if one passed the re-exam, the resources received and the treatment for those merely passing the initial exam were of completely different tiers; in other words, those who passed the re-exam would obtain better resources and more targeted training.


    The second point was that only those who passed the re-exam would have the authority to form their own teams later on.


    For Rein, since there were better terms to be had, they were naturally what he was after.


    In addition, judging by the way Count Habbs treated the two Sword Bearers that day, Rein felt he might have underestimated the status of Sword Bearers in the Dragan Empire.


    The incident involving more than a dozen noble deaths in the underground hall of Baron Elliot��s residence had, due to the intervention of those two Sword Bearers, failed to stir any waves at all.


    The so-called convening of the noble council had also come to nothing.


    That was because the family members of those deceased nobles also knew that convening a noble meeting without Count Habbs�� approval, with Bishop En being opposed to it, would be meaningless. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made Rein look forward to the upcoming Sword Bearer assessment even more, after all, no one would complain about a higher status.


    The following morning dawned early.


    Rein got up early and started contemplating his strategy for adding points.


    Actually, he had been thinking about this issue for the past few days, but it wasn��t until today that he thought it through more thoroughly.


    First of all, the most powerful in combat was still the ability to deploy the secret technique��Shockwave, using the Tokkal Hammer Technique. To further strengthen his combat ability, it was a no-brainer to upgrade Shockwave to the next stage.


    Upgrading Shockwave to an Intermediate Secret Technique required spending 2 Skill Points on Tokkal Hammer Technique to raise it to lv14, then another 2 Skill Points on Bear King Breathing Technique, similarly reaching above lv14.


    Last, it would also require the use of 1 Golden Skill Point.


    As his remaining Skill Points dropped from 6 to 2 and his Golden Skill Points from 2 to 1��


    Suddenly, a flood of intensive Hammer Skill training memories and the vast memories of Bear King Breathing Technique surged into Rein��s mind.


    Once Rein came to his senses, he noticed a key system prompt that had quietly arrived:


    [Congratulations, you have comprehended the Intermediate Secret Technique of Tokkal Hammer Technique: Shockwave!]


    Intermediate Secret Technique!


    A smile couldn��t help but appear on the corners of Rein��s mouth!


    Soon after, Rein noticed that on the Weapon Master (Legendary) panel, the icon for the Tokkal Hammer Technique secret technique ��Shockwave�� had also changed slightly.


    The hammer icon within showed denser and thicker circular arc lines, indicating a stronger impact force!


    Below the icon on the right, the small text had also changed:


    Shockwave (Intermediate Secret Technique) Effect: Use a special force application technique combining vital energy with multiple shocks to swing a heavy hammer, delivering a strike with ultra-high frequency vibrations.


    (Note: Shockwave is a secret technique and cannot be enhanced with Skill Points.)


    (To upgrade Shockwave to an Advanced Secret Skill, the following conditions must be met: First, Tokkal Hammer Skill lv16 or above (Hammer Specialization can offset some level requirements); Second, Bear King Breathing Technique lv16 or above. Third, expend 2 Golden Skill Points.)


    Merely an extra word����ultra����represented a kind of qualitative improvement!


    ��Do I need 2 Golden Skill Points to upgrade to an Advanced Secret Skill?��


    ��It seems that I won��t be able to upgrade the Hammer Skill secret technique ��Shockwave�� in the short term.��


    ��So, next I should upgrade��.��


    ��Flapping~��


    Just as Rein was considering his options, the sound of a bird flapping its wings resounded outside the window!


    Hm? It didn��t sound like Blood Feather��s wings; could this be��


    Rein couldn��t help but turn his head to look outside the window.

 Chapter 532 - 234 Departure (Two in One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 532: Chapter 234 Departure (Two in One Mega Chapter)


    He saw a large white seagull landing on the edge of the windowsill.


    Rein immediately realized that this was Vinica��s white seagull, significantly larger than the average seagull.


    Looking at the white seagull, Rein was slightly surprised, as this was the first time Vinica had contacted him since she went back.


    Rein opened the window and let the white seagull perch on his forearm.


    Since Rein was already a Level 3 Wizard Apprentice with sufficient spiritual power, and had learned specialized techniques taught by Vinica during their previous actions, he exchanged a glance with the white seagull and instantly received some mental fragments.


    A few seconds later, Rein��s expression showed clear surprise.


    ...


    He hadn��t expected to receive such a message.


    Vinica told him that she should arrive in Meister County in two days and that she would join Rein to participate in the Imperial Sword Bearer��s examination, with her words brimming with youthful excitement.


    ��Isn��t Vinica part of the Navy ��Wave-rider�� squad?��


    ��Hmm�� No, that��s not right.��


    Rein suddenly came to a realization.


    ��Vinica��s identity����


    ��Her mentor, Master Annius, is an advisor to the Southern Naval Fleet, that much is clear, but the twin-tailed girl herself does not belong to the Navy ��Wave-rider��.��


    ��However�� With her mentor��s connection, shouldn��t it be more convenient for Vinica to serve the Imperial Navy? If she were to join a special division, shouldn��t it be the ��Wave-riders��?�� Rein murmured to himself.


    Immediately after, Rein thought of another issue.


    If Vinica could participate in the Imperial Sword Bearer examination, did that also mean that the Imperial Commissioned Assessment was not the only way to obtain an invitation for Sword Bearer selection?


    ��I received an excellent evaluation during the Imperial Commissioned Assessment, which led to the Sword Bearer examination invitation.�� S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��It looks like the Southern Naval Fleet of the Imperial Navy or some wizard academy with a good relationship with the Empire also likely has the authority to recommend candidates.��


    ��Eh! Doesn��t that mean the competition will be extremely fierce?�� Rein couldn��t help but speculate.


    Originally, he thought it would be just the personnel who received excellent evaluations in the last two Imperial Commissioned Assessment batches, which would limit the number of people and naturally reduce the intensity of the competition.


    Now it seemed his previous thoughts were too simplistic.


    No wonder Trevo mentioned failing to select for the Sword Bearer and then receiving an invitation from the Imperial Navy to join the ��Wave-riders�� instead.


    However��


    Fierce competition?


    Perhaps for others.


    ��The re-examination is what I really need to prepare for seriously.��


    But the moment Rein thought of the vivacious twin-tailed girl, he couldn��t help but smile slightly.


    Gathering his focus, Rein went to the training room on the first floor to continue planning his skill point strategy.


    He flipped the system panel to the home page �� the Attribute page.


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Weapon Master (Legendary) lv6 (13/3000) / Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv6 (792/3000) / Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5(376/2000) / Deadly Poison Master (Transcendent) lv6 (69/3000) / Armorer lv6 (211/3000)


    Constitution: 28


    Strength: 27


    Agility: 29


    Spirit: 36


    Remaining attribute points: 13


    Remaining Skill Points: 0


    His Constitution had already reached 30 points, but after changing his class to Deadly Poison Master, he lost 2 points, and now it��s back to 28 points again.


    Fortunately, Rein now had a whole 13 attribute points left, or else he would have been very upset.


    However, his Spirit Attribute reached a new high. With an additional point from changing his class to Pharmacist and then two more from becoming a Deadly Poison Master, his Spirit Attribute had now reached 36 points, far surpassing his other attributes.


    ��Alright then!��


    ��A Great Knight who excels with the Two-handed Warhammer and greatsword, having Spirit as his highest attribute �� I��m afraid no one would believe it if they heard it!�� Rein couldn��t help but shake his head, mocking himself.


    He flipped the system page to the Weapon Master (Legendary) page.


    Previously, using that one talent point, he upgraded the talent ��Steel Body�� from ��Beginner�� to ��Intermediate��, significantly enhancing his defensive power and raising it a level.


    Now he had raised the Hammer Skill secret technique ��Shockwave�� to an Intermediate Secret Technique, greatly improving his close combat attack capability.


    His overall combat strength had clearly gone up a notch.


    A Great Knight knowledgeable in Intermediate Secret Techniques, coupled with the enhancement of two Intermediate Talents, should have surpassed the standard members of the Fish-Dragon Squad, right?


    Even when facing Peak Knight �� Fish-Dragon Squad Captain Baron, Rein felt no fear.


    Who was stronger would only be known after a test!


    With his strongest fighting force further strengthened, it was now time to cover his weak points.


    After some thought, Rein decided to continue strengthening his ranged attack power, specifically Blood Fury Archery.


    Because just now, he seriously recalled several battles against Wizard Apprentices or Wizards.


    For instance, when facing an experienced Level 3 Wizard Apprentice like Adams, if he had been able to perform ranged archery strikes at that time, the opponent would have been put in a very difficult position, even chanting spells would have been extremely hard.


    Furthermore, when facing that Witchery Curses Master from the Eagle Federation, if Captain Baron hadn��t drawn most of the opponent��s attention, once the Curse Master focused on him and went all out, he, with only close combat capabilities at the time, would have been nothing but an easy target.


    With the investment of 2 Skill Points, Rein��s Level 9 Blood Fury Archery immediately advanced to Level 11.


    Instantly, a surge of memories about Blood Fury Archery training flooded into Rein��s mind and quickly integrated with the muscle and fascia memory throughout his body.

 Chapter 533 - 234 Departure (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2

    Chapter 533: Chapter 234 Departure (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_2 S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the system notification also sounded:


    [Congratulations, your skill Blood Fury Archery has increased to lv10]


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique for Blood Fury Archery: Rapid Continuous Shot lv3!]


    [Congratulations, you have unlocked the exclusive secret technique for Blood Fury Archery: Blood Fury Strike lv3!]


    [Congratulations, your skill Blood Fury Archery has increased to lv11]


    ��.


    ...


    The two Blood Fury Archery secret techniques ��Blood Fury Strike�� and ��Rapid Continuous Shot�� have now both been upgraded to lv3.


    By this point, the skill points gained from the Deadly Poison Master advancing five levels were completely depleted.


    Since Rein��s Bear King Breathing Technique had already reached lv14, when Blood Fury Archery reached lv11, he faintly felt further transformation signs in his control over archery.


    Furthermore, due to Rein��s previous breakthrough experience with the Tokkal Hammer Technique��s secret technique ��Shockwave,�� after a bit of thought, he knew there was a high chance that just one or at most two more skill points invested in Blood Fury Archery would allow him to grasp its related secret techniques.


    That couldn��t help but make him a bit excited.


    ��If I also master the secret techniques of long-range attacks, then from the standpoint of a Great Knight, even by the standards of a hexagonal warrior regarding strength, speed, skill, offense, defense, and combat experience, I would have at least covered five sides!��


    ��The missing side is, at most, experience.��


    ��Now that both my melee and long-range attacks have been enhanced and my defense has also��.��


    ��Wait, I seem to have forgotten something.�� A flash of lightning crossed Rein��s mind, and immediately, he thought of a problem.


    Enhancing his own defense, besides relying on the innate ��Intermediate Steel Body,�� there was also knight plate armor and shields!


    Exactly!


    The shield.


    Rein immediately returned to the study and found that parchment scroll����Rocken��s Single-Handed Axe Combat Skill Outline����which Matteo had retrieved from the body of the rebel general Parix.


    Although its name was Single-Handed Axe Combat Skill Outline, it was actually an Extraordinary Battle Technique combining axe and shield, where a large section described the use of a single-handed axe, and a smaller section also explained a lot about shield defense techniques.


    ��If I really find myself in a passive position to be hit, if I learn this set of Axe & Shield Extraordinary Battle Technique, the defensive power would also implicitly increase.��


    ��Plus, there��s that move ��Rocken Axe Skill secret technique��Flash Cut!�� Overall, this set of Axe & Shield Extraordinary Battle Technique, whether it��s offense or defense, is quite awesome.��


    ��I might as well learn it slowly; it might come in handy at some time.��


    ��.


    Hence, Rein returned to the indoor training ground, and following the human figure diagrams drawn on the ��Rocken Axe & Shield Combat Technique�� parchment scroll, he began to practice each move one by one.


    After a while, the system notification sounded:


    [You practiced Rocken Axe & Shield Combat Technique, comprehension increased!]


    [You have comprehended a new skill��Rocken Axe & Shield Combat Technique]


    [Your skill Rocken Axe & Shield Combat Technique has been enhanced, experience +1]


    Rocken Axe & Shield Combat Technique lv1 (1/100) appears on the Weapon Master (Legendary) job panel. The icon is of a tall and sturdy man with his left hand holding a shield and his right hand holding a single-handed axe. The whole person stands straddle-legged, shield in front, axe in the rear, in a cautious defensive posture, solid as a rock.


    Just as Rein was planning to practice some more to upgrade it to lv2, a knock on the training room door sounded.


    ��Knock knock knock!��


    ��Baron sir, a Knight named Hass Klein from Rosby County has come to visit, claiming to be your friend.��


    Huh?


    Speak of the devil!


    Rein��s face brightened, saying, ��Please invite him to the parlor, I��ll be right there!��


    ��Also, bring up two cups of gorse tea and a serving of pastries.��


    ��Yes sir, Baron sir!�� The servant respectfully withdrew.


    ��.


    A few minutes later.


    Inside the parlor.


    Hass, seeing Rein, was obviously thrilled, stepping forward and hugging Rein tightly: ��Rein! Long time no see!��


    Rein also patted Hass��s shoulder, smiling and said, ��Hass, welcome to Meister.��


    ��Eh? Rein, have you grown taller?�� Hass then showed surprise, comparing their heights with his hand, and marveling.


    ��You��ve definitely gotten taller.��


    Rein��s mind stirred, realizing he hadn��t paid attention to his height and weight for a while.


    Indeed, when Rein had attended the noble ennoblement assessment in Rosby City with Hass, he was only about 1.9 meters, while Hass had been half a head taller than him back then.


    But now, their heights were nearly the same, and he even slightly towered over Hass.


    This�� his height must be around two meters now.


    No wonder Jennifer said she found it a bit overwhelming��.


    Rein suddenly realized!


    If Jennifer, the beautiful woman, heard Rein��s thoughts, she would definitely scoff.


    Without being a knight, it��s certainly overwhelming for an ordinary woman to deal with a man of two meters tall with extraordinary stamina who occasionally prefers the road less traveled!


    ��By the way, Rein, you mentioned you needed my help this time. Does it involve delaying me for a month or two?��


    ��No problem, I��ve already requested a full two months leave from my superior,�� Hass clapped his chest and laughed heartily.


    Rein smiled at that.


    He loved Hass��s straightforward nature; although sometimes he spoke bluntly, as a friend, at least there was no need to worry about being stabbed in the back.


    ��This time, besides inviting you to appreciate the scenery of Meister County, in a few days, I��m going to Mingster to participate in the Sword Bearer assessment. So, I��d like to entrust you with the safety of my mansion.��

 Chapter 534 - 234 Departure (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_3

    Chapter 534: Chapter 234 Departure (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_3


    ��Of course, aside from you, there will also be two temple knights from the Church of the Goddess stationed there. Normally speaking, the pressure shouldn��t be too great.��


    For the straightforward Hass, Rein didn��t choose to hide anything but instead decided to explain the situation to him directly.


    After all, the matter of him going to attend the Sword Bearer assessment was already known by many nobles in County Town.


    Although Hass knew he was no match for Rein, when two old friends met, it was natural to have a friendly contest besides exchanging pleasantries.


    Seeking advice from an expert was also a way to quickly enhance one��s strength, especially since Rein had always been unwilling to compete with him during the noble evaluation period, which left Hass somewhat resentful.


    In response to Hass��s request for a contest, Rein nodded with a smile, naturally not refusing the challenge.


    ...


    Hass was proficient with the sword and shield, and Rein, upon reflection, didn��t choose his best Two-Handed Warhammer or greatsword, nor did he use a bow, but opted to use an ax and shield instead.


    The reason was quite simple.


    Considering Rein��s strength as a Great Knight, along with his mastery over the Tokkal Hammer Technique, Giant Bear Sword Technique, and Blood Fury Archery, the Experience reward from the system for battling Hass would likely be very minimal.


    But if he used a level 1 Rocken Ax and Shield, the Experience reward he could get would relatively be higher, plus, it would spare Hass some dignity, preventing him from losing too quickly.


    The first-floor training room.


    ��Rein, when did you also switch to using a shield?�� Hass, seeing Rein not using the greatsword or Two-Handed Warhammer he was known for but also holding a shield, couldn��t help but widen his eyes in astonishment and asked.


    After all, for people of their age, being able to train an Extraordinary Battle Technique to the level of successfully performing a secret technique was extremely difficult.


    Yes, it��s a secret technique!


    And not a ��secret understanding,�� which involves the use of primal force and is the domain of the Great Knight, not merely of a Knight.


    ��I happened to acquire an ax and shield Extraordinary Battle Technique, so I started training it,�� Rein shrugged and explained ��kindly��.


    Hass, taken aback, said, ��Rein, you don��t think that just by using this newly learned ax and shield Combat Skill, you can win against me in the contest, do you?�� sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Bang! Bang!�� Hass heavily slapped his sword and shield, continuing, ��This family tradition sword and shield Combat Skill, I��ve been practicing it for nearly ten years.��


    ��Don��t careless let yourself be defeated by my hand.��


    Rein couldn��t help but smile, saying, ��Okay, I��ll try my best.��


    No wonder Hass didn��t understand the situation; after all, Hass would never have guessed that Rein had already advanced to Great Knight.


    Even mastering a secret technique��


    If Rein switched to the Two-Handed Warhammer, he��d probably only be able to use 20% of his strength, and any more might accidentally kill Hass��


    Just as Rein anticipated.


    After three consecutive contests, Hass was red in the face, sweating profusely, and his gaze towards Rein was filled with deep confusion��


    From Rein��s slightly unskilled movements, it seemed he really hadn��t lied to him; he was indeed new to this ax and shield Combat Skill, but why did he always lose��


    On the other side, Rein was quite pleased as he glanced at the panel about ��Rocken Ax and Shield Combat Skill��.


    Hass��s contribution had just advanced Rein��s ��Rocken Ax and Shield Combat Skill�� to level 2 (116/300).


    Truthfully, even though Rein had the Weapon Master��s exclusive Talent ��Elementary Extraordinary Understanding,�� increasing his Experience acquisition speed by 30%, this efficiency still surprised him.


    Rein pondered for a moment and realized an interesting point.


    It seemed that, because his Tokkal Hammer Skill and Giant Bear Sword Technique were at very high levels, he was almost continuously gaining insights from the brief contest where he wielded the ax and shield.


    Even after the contest had ended, many insights continued to emerge.


    Rein wasn��t entirely sure of the accurate reason.


    But from his own understanding, it appeared that mastering any close-range combat weapon to a very high level could facilitate learning other close-range combat related Extraordinary Battle Techniques, creating a kind of cross-learning effect.


    It seemed conceivable that close combat skills might share some commonalities; after mastering several close-range combat skills at high levels, this could boost the learning speed of subsequent close-range combat skills.


    This realization was a delightful surprise for Rein!


    Originally, he thought that after advancing to Weapon Master (Legendary), although he could master various Extraordinary Battle Techniques much faster than ordinary people, the Skill Points gap would also be significantly large.


    Now looking at it, that might not necessarily be the case.


    With him mastering more and more Extraordinary Battle Techniques, his future learning speed for Extraordinary Battle Techniques would also increase.


    This meant that, even without spending Skill Points to prompt it, advancing from level 6 to level 7, or from level 7 to level 8, wouldn��t take him too much time.


    Looking at it this way, the exclusive Talent ��Elementary Extraordinary Understanding�� and Weapon Master were actually a perfect match!


    Rein glanced at ��Elementary Extraordinary Understanding�� with a bit of envy, not regretting that he had allocated points to the Talent ��Intermediate Steel Body��.


    ��Intermediate Steel Body�� was crucial for combat survival, naturally having priority.


    It��s just that Rein now wished he could upgrade this ��Elementary Extraordinary Understanding�� Talent from elementary to advanced!


    In that case, perhaps without relying too much on adding points, within half a year, he could master four to five Extraordinary Battle Techniques�� secret techniques.

 Chapter 535 - 234 Departure (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4

    Chapter 535: Chapter 234 Departure (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4


    Instead of his initial expectation that it would take at least two or three years and consume a considerable amount of Skill Points.


    However��


    The only way Rein knew to enhance his beginner talent to an intermediate or even a higher-level advanced talent was by using talent points.


    Talent points, oh!


    The difficulty of obtaining them was quite high��. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Rein thought about the significant role that trace of divinity played for the Black Flame High Priest, he couldn��t help but shake his head slightly.


    ...


    If it had not been for the Empire��s Sword Bearer, that burly man with the shield, who used the Imperial Scepter to heavily injure the Black Flame High Priest during his promotion, whether he could have defeated the opponent was questionable.


    At that time, just being able to save his life was already quite good.


    Even now, although Rein��s strength had improved all around, he still didn��t believe he could defeat the Black Flame High Priest after the promotion, as his opponent��s aura had already surpassed that of a Peak Knight, reaching a higher level.


    In other words, if Rein wanted to obtain talent points again, he first needed to have the opportunity to obtain that trace of divinity, like this time eliminating the Cult, and so forth.


    Although not every Cult elimination involved encountering a trace of divinity, there was always a chance.


    Additionally, he would need a special item similar to the Imperial Scepter to offset the uncertainty brought by that trace of divinity.


    After all, so far Rein still didn��t know the specific power of divinity, such as whether defeating the Black Flame High Priest after his promotion would indeed let him obtain that trace of divinity, which was uncertain.


    But to meet these two conditions was easier said than done!


    After a brief reflection, Rein realized that it seemed only after he joined the Sword Bearers would he possibly meet these two conditions simultaneously.


    Moreover, it would be best if he were at the captain level, for clearly, that burly man with the shield last time had the right to use an item like the Imperial Scepter, whereas the young man with the short staff apparently did not have such a privilege.


    This thought made Rein��s heart surge with excitement for the upcoming journey to Mingster!


    Another day passed.


    With the arrival of Vinica, Rein Mansion became even livelier.


    Mother Emma was frequently observing Vinica at the welcome banquet, her mind filled with doubts, and taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, she pulled Rein aside and said,


    ��Anna left, that barbarian girl left too, and now this one who has come is very pretty as well! Rein, you must seize the opportunity this time and not let her leave again.��


    Mother Emma��s words left Rein at a loss for how to respond.


    ��Mother, don��t worry, Anna and the others will come back!��


    ��They will come back? You��d better grasp the opportunity with this Miss�� Vinica. Going to the provincial city on the way is a good opportunity.�� Mother Emma gave Rein a look as if to say ��you��re in a dream,�� clearly disbelieving.


    ������


    And Jennifer, the beautiful woman, kept smiling quietly, but her gorgeous eyes occasionally wandered between Rein and the twin-tailed girl.


    That very night, Jennifer let Rein experience what is meant by fiery passion.


    Luckily, Rein was now a Great Knight. Had he still been a regular knight, he likely couldn��t have avoided feeling weak at the knees��.


    ��


    Due to limited time, everyone had to depart the day after Vinica��s arrival.


    The weather this morning was quite nice, although it was still a bit cold this season, the early spring sunshine felt warmly comforting.


    This time, aside from Rein and Vinica going to Mingster to participate in the Sword Bearer��s examination, Jenny and her close friend Agatha Wiggins, the young Miss of the Wigging family, were also joining.


    The Wiggins family��s commercial venture this time also became a shareholder in the newly reorganized Hammer and Rose Commerce led by Jennifer, and when they heard Jenny would go to Mingster to explore the market in the provincial city, they readily agreed and sent Agatha along.


    The saying ��three women make a play�� may be true, and although in Rein��s mind, Vinica and these two were different.


    But soon, his perception was overturned.


    They hadn��t even departed yet, and the three women quickly warmed up to each other at the mansion��s entrance, chattering excitedly in no time, and occasionally casting flirtatious glances and giggles at Rein.


    This indeed added a touch of romance to Rein��s journey to Mingster, making it seem less like attending an examination and more like a noble��s outing.


    And Jennifer��s arrangement was, taking advantage of travelling with the strongest fighter of the commerce, to organize a troop of merchants to travel together, hence, at this moment, the entrance of Rein Mansion was quite busy.


    Not only were there carriages from the Crowley family, the Wigging family, and other noble families eager to form good relationships, but also a convoy of ten large covered wagons waiting.


    When Rein came out with his Greyhound war dog ��Cookie��, everyone was stunned by the sight of ��Cookie,�� who was as big as a pony and clad in a beast armor.


    ��Wow, what a big dog!�� Has stared wide-eyed at Cookie.


    The twin-tailed girl Vinica knew about Rein��s Blood Feathered Horned Eagle, but had never seen a Greyhound war dog, and immediately stared wide-eyed, exclaiming,


    ��My goodness! Lord Rein, this couldn��t be a mutated Greyhound, could it?��


    Vinica, being a Wizard Apprentice specializing in avian modification, could recognize the original form of the Greyhound war dog at a glance; Rein wasn��t surprised by this.


    ��Miss Vinica, you have a keen eye,�� Rein smiled.


    This time going to Mingster, Rein planned to take all three pets, and one of Matteo��s responsibilities was to help him look after these three pets.


    Speaking of which, Rein had also taken the time to comfort his sister Mint, as she was quite attached to the Greyhound ��Cookie.��


    At this moment, Matteo came running over and said, ��Baron, Archpriest Rudolph from the Goddess Church has come to see you off.��

 Chapter 536 - 235: Observations (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 536: Chapter 235: Observations (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Lord Rein looked up and saw a team of Holy Temple Knights escorting Archbishop Rudolph rapidly approaching the mansion��s entrance.


    Without delay, Lord Rein stepped forward with a smile and said, ��Archbishop Rudolph, what brings you to visit in person on such short notice?��


    Archbishop Rudolph watched the young man before him with a pleasant smile, thinking to himself that it had been only a few months, and yet Rein��s progress had been so rapid that even he could no longer see through him.


    ��Baron Rein, I am here on behalf of Bishop Shion to bid you farewell. I hope that this time you will successfully join the Imperial Sword Bearers and bring honor to Meister.��


    ��By the way, Baron Rein, here is a letter personally written by Bishop Shion, addressed to Sir Brandel, the Punishment Knight of Mingster Cathedral.��


    ��Sir Brandel is an old friend of Bishop Shion, and should you encounter any trouble in Mingster, you can seek his help with this letter.��


    ...


    ��In addition, Sir Brandel is a renowned Warhammer Master within the church, known to all. You, being the ��Iron Hammer Baron�� of Meister County, should find much common ground with him.��


    Rudolph continued, his smile unchanging, as he retrieved a letter sealed with red wax from his bosom and handed it to Rein.


    ��Punishment Knight?��


    Noticing Rein��s slightly puzzled look, Rudolph explained with a smile, ��A Punishment Knight is a term within the church for a knight specialized in combat-oriented advancement.��


    ��I see.��


    ��Thank you, Archbishop Rudolph, and please convey my gratitude to Bishop Shion as well for his concern,�� Rein said, bowing slightly in appreciation.


    A Warhammer Master?


    Rein began to understand the bishop��s intentions; although subtle, the implication was that he should consider joining the church, and Sir Brandel might become his mentor.


    The twin-tailed girl watched the scene with sparkling eyes, thinking to herself that Lord Rein seemed to have a deep connection with the Goddess Church.


    ��..


    Soon it was time to depart, and Rein bid farewell to his teary-eyed mother Emma, his father Old Rein, and his sister Bo He. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He exchanged resounding slaps on the back with Hass and waved goodbye to Jennifer.


    The party then set off.


    This time, Rein did not ride his black horse but traveled in a luxurious carriage that the lady Jennifer had arranged in advance.


    At the moment, there were a total of three extravagant carriages in the convoy: one for the close friends Jenny and Agatha, one that Rein was currently in, and another brought by Vinica from the Rosby County.


    However, the three girls of similar age were having a lively conversation, so Vinica had joined Jenny in her carriage.


    Rein didn��t mind being alone, giving him time to ponder some matters.


    But in the afternoon, Vinica came to Rein��s carriage, ostensibly to discuss matters concerning their upcoming assessments.


    Yet, women are often keenly sensitive in certain respects.


    Through the carriage window, seeing Vinica enter Rein��s compartment, Agatha nudged her companion Jenny and said:


    ��My lady! Your rival has entered Lord Rein��s carriage, and you don��t seem to have any reaction at all?��


    Jenny glanced at her friend with her beautiful eyes, thinking, what reaction should I have?


    Baron Rein was already her mother��s boyfriend. What reaction was she supposed to have?


    But of course, this secret was one she could not disclose, not even to her best friend.


    So Jenny retorted irritably, ��Agatha, what reaction do you think I should have?��


    ��Shouldn��t you find a reason to join Baron Rein in his carriage too?�� Agatha said as if it were the most natural thing to do.


    ��Thanks, but no thanks!��


    Hearing Jenny��s resolute refusal, Agatha examined her friend carefully and said, ��Jenny, you seem a bit off kilter!��


    ��You used to be quite smitten with Lord Rein, didn��t you? Why have you become so indifferent lately?��


    ��Ah, as your best friend, I must warn you! If you��re truly uninterested in Lord Rein, then I might just make my move,�� Agatha said, blushing slightly.


    ��What do you mean?�� Jenny��s beautiful eyes widened, stunned as she looked at her friend.


    Had her best friend developed an interest in Lord Rein too?


    Upon hearing Jenny��s question, Agatha rolled her eyes emphatically.


    ��Jenny, are you not aware of how popular your Baron Rein has become in County Town lately?��


    ��I assure you, if Lord Rein wasn��t heading to Mingster this time, there would be a bevy of noble young ladies lining up to visit him every day!��


    After hearing Agatha��s explanation, Jenny nodded numbly.


    Her friend may have exaggerated a bit, but she wasn��t wrong.


    ��Besides, Baron Rein is really tall, handsome, and sometimes when I look at him, I can��t help but���� Agatha��s voice trailed off as her cheeks reddened, and she involuntarily tightened her shapely, fair legs beneath her dress.


    Seeing her friend in such a springtime reverie, Jenny rested her delicate hand on her smooth forehead, feeling a mix of helplessness and slight irritation as she said, ��Go if you want, stop daydreaming here!��


    ��You agreed to it just now! So now I��m going,�� Agatha replied excitedly, picking up the hem of her dress and heading out of the carriage without looking back.


    After all, as a best friend, she couldn��t outright steal her friend Jenny��s flame.


    But now that her friend had given her blessing, that changed things. With her sense of guilt significantly diminished, Agatha felt it was time to make her move.

 Chapter 537 - 235: Observations (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 537: Chapter 235: Observations (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    As for Miss Vinica, well, she��s a strong competitor, but the thing is, as long as the romantic relationship isn��t confirmed, there��s always a chance, isn��t there?


    ��.


    At this moment, since it was just Reine and Vinica in the carriage, Reine timely raised his own question.


    ��Vinica, how did you get the invitation to the imperial Sword Bearer examination?��


    Upon hearing Reine��s question, Vinica couldn��t help but giggle.


    ��Lord Reine, don��t you know? Our Ubrek School of Wizardry, being a medium-sized wizard school that maintains good relations with the Empire, gets a certain number of invitations from various special departments of the Empire each year.��


    ...


    ��Although it��s a bit tougher to get an invitation from the Sword Bearers, Master Aeneas still managed to secure one for me.��


    ��Of course, I just got the qualification to attend the examination. Whether I can enter or not will depend on my performance during the exam, but I��m quite confident about that.�� Vinica said confidently, waving her fair fist.


    ��I see,�� Reine said with a smile and a nod.


    This was almost what he had anticipated.


    ��I thought, since your mentor Master Annius is a consultant for the Southern Seas Fleet, that you would choose to join the Imperial Navy.��


    Upon hearing this, Vinica was slightly startled, her eyes watery as she looked at Reine and said:


    ��Actually, my mentor also wanted me to join the Imperial Navy ��Tide Walkers�� after a while. But I heard that you, Lord Reine, were going to participate in the imperial Sword Bearer examination, so����


    ��Knock, knock, knock!��


    The sound of knocking on the carriage door followed by a familiar and crisp female voice:


    ��Lord Reine, I want to consult you on some business matters, if that��s convenient?��


    Vinica raised her eyebrows; that was Jenny��s close friend Agatha��s voice.


    Hearing that Agatha suddenly wanted to come to Reine��s carriage, although Vinica had been immersed in her research on witchcraft, her feminine instincts made her quickly understand what was happening.


    Consult about business?


    What a poor excuse��


    ��Come in,�� Reine said after thinking it over.


    Although it was an inconvenient time for Agatha to visit, he couldn��t just turn her away.


    After all, Agatha had once helped him collect Lingwen Books, and the Wigging family, to which she now belonged, was a shareholder in the Hammer and Rose Trading Company.


    Although Vinica��s words were somewhat unresolved, Reine had clearly understood her intention.


    Once Agatha boarded the carriage, Reine smiled slightly and said, ��Miss Agatha, if you don��t mind, I��ll invite Jenny over as well; she��s quite bored by herself.��


    Hearing Reine��s words, Agatha glanced at Vinica, felt a bit annoyed, but had no choice but to nod and say, ��Of course, Baron Reine.��


    A minute later, Jenny, looking a bit dazed, was escorted onto the carriage by the small statured Matteo, and the three ladies then sat together with Reine in the carriage.


    Having the company of three noble ladies made Reine��s somewhat tedious journey livelier and more interesting.


    Traveling from Meister to the provincial capital Mingster at the pace of the caravan normally took ten days.


    And from today until the last day of the month of Vitality, there were exactly twelve days left, giving Reine two days to spare.


    Geographically speaking, as they traveled between Meister County and Mingster, they needed to cross Wales County to reach the borders of the provincial capital Mingster.


    Since the counties were connected by main roads primarily maintained by the officials, the road conditions were relatively good.


    Along the way, there were occasional not-so-alert bandit groups attacking the caravan, but Reine didn��t need to lift a finger; just letting the Saluki war dogs and the Blood Feathered Horned Owl Beast coordinate a ��ground-air�� assault was enough to scatter the enemies.


    Of course, the bandits weren��t completely useless; at least, they contributed a wave of Experience to Reine��s Beast Taming profession. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing a dog and an eagle so mighty in battle, Matteo��s eyes widened, and from then on, he took even greater care in looking after them.


    ��Tsk, tsk, Lord Reine��s power is getting stronger, and even the power of this dog and eagle by his side has surpassed me!��


    ��Alas!��


    Matteo couldn��t help recalling how, half a year ago in Flashgold Town when he first joined the Night Watchman, Reine��s frail figure, and now looking at Reine, it was as if he had become a different person.


    ��.


    Six days later, Reine noticed that the environment on both sides of the road gradually began to change.


    If Meister County was primarily hilly, then as they now entered the central area of Wales County, the surrounding environment began to transform into plains.


    From the carriage windows, where he could occasionally see traces of snow at the top of the hills on the roadside, now, the surroundings were mostly freshly grown green grass.


    The dense forests also gradually thinned out, replaced by scattered, well-placed farmlands.


    And the farmers of Wales County were already starting some spring farming preparations.


    After entering the plains area, Reine��s group hadn��t encountered any robbers for three consecutive days, not even a fierce wild animal occasionally jumping out of the forest.


    The closer they got to Mingster, the better the security conditions seemed to be.


    In addition, while on the road, Reine didn��t forget to continue his training.


    There��s a saying from his previous life, ��A fist not far from the hand, a tune not far from the mouth.��

 Chapter 538 - 235: Observations (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 538: Chapter 235: Observations (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Therefore, unless under special circumstances, Rein would practice meditation and breathing exercises every day.


    The effects of practice were very significant.


    After finishing today��s breathing exercise, two system prompts sounded consecutively:


    [Congratulations! Your Constitution Attribute has been enhanced!]


    [Congratulations! Your Strength Attribute has been enhanced!]


    ��


    ...


    Rein saw Constitution +1 and nodded inwardly.


    Not bad, it��s like adding back 1 point from the previous -2 in Constitution, and once again, his Constitution reached 29 points.


    Additionally, whenever they set up camp, Rein would make time to practice with the axe and shield; after seven days, Rocken��s axe and shield combat skill had advanced to Lv.4.


    Three days later, Rein��s party was about to leave the edge of the Welsh County and soon enter the territory of Mingster.


    Gazing into the distance, the small paths merging into this main road grew increasingly numerous.


    After passing a huge boundary marker, the road��s width gradually expanded from an original approximately six to seven meters to over ten meters.


    At the same time, as the side roads converged onto the main path, the traffic on the main road also increased, including solo riders and merchant caravans like Rein��s.


    There were small merchant teams composed of three to five covered wagons, as well as simple teams of one or two horse-drawn or ox-drawn carts transporting fresh vegetables and fruits from the nearby farmers, hardly qualifying as a convoy.


    Of course, there were also those larger than Rein��s group, with convoys of more than twenty horse-drawn carriages, guarded by dozens of elite team members, clad in Swordsman light armor or Archer leather armor.


    Rein even sensed, on several occasions, one or two Wizard Apprentices who rode past his carriage in haste; the faint fluctuations of their spiritual power couldn��t escape his perception.


    After all, his spiritual power was as high as 36 points.


    In addition, there were the occasional noble Knights. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein saw several fully-armed Knights several times, some followed by one or two Attendants while others sped ahead alone, quickly overtaking his carriage.


    After the caravan crossed a steep slope, exclamations of surprise came from ahead!


    This instantly drew the attention of the four inside the carriage.


    The sounds seemed more like astonishment rather than being under attack.


    This made Rein and the three ladies lift the curtains curiously and look out the window.


    What entered their view was an immense green plain, with a winding river cutting through its center; on the plain, farmers were diligently toiling away.


    In the distance were contiguous, grey-white mountains.


    What was astonishing was that under the main peak of those towering mountains, there was a massive city clearly built of white boulders against the mountainside.


    Clearly, this was the provincial capital, Mingster!


    Although Rein had heard various descriptions of Mingster before, seeing it with his own eyes was still shocking.


    The grand city before their eyes must have involved the intervention of Transcendent powers.


    However, after marveling for a while, the three girls were quickly attracted to a huge, blue lake not far ahead.


    The lake was just beside the road, not far from the caravan.


    Due to the clear weather, the reflection on the lake at a specific angle mirrored the azure sky and white clouds above, creating an impression akin to a mirror of the sky.


    ��Baron Rein, let��s rest by the lake for a bit,�� Jenny was the first to say.


    ��Of course we can.��


    Faced with the joyful and longing looks of the three ladies, Rein immediately nodded in agreement.


    Soon, the caravan camped by the shore of the lake.


    They then learned from the conversations of nearby travelers that this lake was called Stillwater Lake, one of the famous lakes of the provincial city Mingster.


    When Rein and the three ladies disembarked from the luxurious carriage, the ladies�� beautiful appearances and their clear laughter immediately drew the attention of several groups of people nearby.


    Among them, two groups seemed to be somewhat similar to Rein��s group, either in long robes or Knight plate armor, likely to be a noble or a noble��s offspring, while another group was now planning to resume their journey after collecting water.


    Since it was a rest stop, Rein naturally let Matteo take the L��vriers Warhound Quiche out for some air.


    When the Warhound, large as a pony, descended from another carriage, it seemed to stir some interest among one of the groups in noble attire, who kept glancing over.


    After a while, a middle-aged man dressed as a guard came over with a dark bottle in hand, seemingly filled with fine wine.


    ��Honorable sirs, this gift from my master is meant for you, a Bordeaux vintage from the Welsh County.��


    Among the people, a handsome young man clad in tailored noble hunting attire raised his wine glass and gestured to Rein and his companions.


    Rein nodded slightly in response, letting the short-statured Matteo accept the fine wine.


    At this time, a middle-aged man whispered a few words to the noble youth.


    The hunter-outfitted noble then looked at Rein and his group with a somewhat astonished gaze.


    Minutes later, the noble youth walked over with an elegant demeanor and said, smiling,


    ��Forgive my boldness, but this, sir, is this dog perhaps a violent beast mutated from a common L��vrier? This is truly rare. I wonder if you would consider parting with it, I am willing to offer one thousand Imperial Gold Coins.��

 Chapter 539 - 539: 235

    Chapter 539: 235 Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this offer, many people nearby couldn��t help but gasp in low voices.


    This was a thousand Empire Gold Coins, a sum beyond the wildest dreams of ordinary people.


    Rein smiled and shook his head, ��Sorry, ��Cookie�� is my partner.��


    ��That is truly a pity,�� the noble youth didn��t get angry at Rein��s refusal but continued to chat for a bit before returning to his own group.


    ��.


    After setting up camp, Jenny seemed to think of something and turned to ask Rein, ��Lord Rein, will our stopping here affect your participation in the Sword Bearer assessment?��


    ...


    ��What I mean is, do you need to arrive early?��


    ��It doesn��t affect me. As for the time, the assessment is the day after tomorrow,�� Rein replied with a smile, shaking his head.


    He wasn��t worried about the preliminary assessment.


    By the campfire, another group composed of several young people overheard that Rein was here for the Empire Sword Bearer assessment and couldn��t help but look over in surprise.


    They glanced at Rein, then at the three women and one of the women clad in leather armor muttered, ��Doesn��t look like someone here for an assessment. Must be an offspring of some major noble, right?��


    ��Maybe, but look at the insignia on their side, a hammer and a sword? Doesn��t seem like it belongs to a major noble,�� a young man said with a puzzled expression.


    Another nodded and added, ��Yeah! I don��t recall any noble crest like this among the Marquis of Mingster. And as for a Duke, it��s even less likely, the Duke of Mingster��s crest is the Serpent Shield.��


    Soon, their conversation shifted back to the topic of the assessment.


    ��I��ve heard rumors that in this noble ennoblement assessment, there��s a young man who is very strong, apparently outscoring the second place by a wide margin.��


    ��The noble ennoblement assessment? No no, Steve, you might not be aware, but typically in the Sword Bearer assessment, the strongest contenders are actually from the army.��


    ��Huh? Is there a reason for that?��


    ��Normally the age limit for the Imperial Sword Bearer assessment is twenty-eight, but you might not know that for military personnel serving the Empire, this age can be appropriately extended to thirty-five.��


    ��So, our biggest competitors in the assessment are not the young people who received an invitation through the noble ennoblement assessment, but the elite from the army, who have been honed in real combat, and are extremely skilled in various Extraordinary Battle Techniques and witchcraft.��


    ��Of course, some of the third-level Wizard Apprentices from the major Wizard schools are also incredibly formidable.��


    ��Ah, it seems like there��s little hope�� May the goddess of fortune bless me and help me pass the assessment smoothly!��


    ��


    With his heightened perception, Rein overheard almost the entire conversation of the others.


    Army elites?


    Third-level Wizard Apprentices from wizard schools?


    Interesting��


    After a brief rest, the caravan continued on its journey.


    As the saying goes, ��You can��t tell the distance to a mountain until you try to reach it.��


    The saying was proven true on this occasion.


    They had seen the towering city from afar, but it took nearly a day for Rein and his companions to travel from the lakeside to the city gates.


    As the group gradually approached the massive city built against the mountain, Rein could see the huge birds of prey spiraling in the sky.


    ��Is that�� griffins?�� Vinica, an expert on birds, who also saw the birds of prey in the sky, identified them as griffins almost at a glance.


    ��Correct,�� Rein nodded, witnessing griffins for the second time.


    At that moment, the flying Blood Feather let out a loud cry upon seeing the griffins, showing no fear but rather an eagerness to challenge them.


    Half an hour later, the caravan arrived at the city gate.


    There stood a huge thirty-meter-tall statue made of obsidian at the grand entrance, depicting a human knight, fully armed with sword and shield.


    A brightly-dressed Wandering Bard was explaining to a group of young people, ��This is the first Duke from the Bavarian family more than two thousand years ago, and a dear friend of the Empire Emperor at that time����


    ��He made outstanding contributions to the stability of Mingster Province.��


    Rein��s gaze moved to the immense city gate, which had one large and two small doors, totaling three gates.


    The smaller side doors were presumably for pedestrians or small parties, while caravans needed to enter through the main gate which was arched and about fifteen meters high and seven to eight meters wide.


    Naturally, nobles had the privilege to skip the queue.


    Consequently, the caravan quickly entered the city.


    ��Lord Rein, thank you for your escort along the way, Agatha and I will head to the World��s End Inn,�� Jenny said, bowing slightly.


    ��Should you need anything, you can find us at the World��s End Inn,�� she added.


    ��Alright, Miss Jenny, Miss Agatha, until we meet again,�� Rein replied with a smile and a nod.


    Once Jenny sorted her business affairs, she planned to rent or buy a residence. As for the short Matteo, he would also be staying temporarily at the World��s End Inn.


    The Obsidian hound and the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle were left in Matteo��s temporary care.


    After bidding farewell to Jenny and Agatha, Rein and Vinica headed straight to the address mentioned in the invitation.


    Mingster, Shaded Boulevard number 1!


    ��.

 Chapter 540 - 236: Sword Bearer Assessment (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 540: Chapter 236: Sword Bearer Assessment (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    A quaint square building, similar to a temple but without the Doric columns, stood before them, guarded by eight sword and shield-bearing guards at its spacious entrance.


    Squinting, Rein caught a glimpse of the golden characters ��Imperial Sword Holder Minter Branch�� above the doorway.


    As the two approached the gateway, a guard stepped forward and said, ��Are you here for the assessment, my lord? Please present your invitation.�� S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��


    After completing a series of formalities, Rein and Vinica were shown to their assigned rooms.


    They were on the second floor in two adjacent rooms, and the faint sounds of conversation suggested the rooms were nearly full with other assessors.


    ...


    With the assessment day close at hand, neither Rein nor Vinica chose to explore the provincial city of Minter, deciding to wait until after the assessment was over.


    ��


    Time sped by, and the morning of the assessment arrived.


    Around 8:30 AM, Rein and Vinica found themselves in a spacious and bright hall.


    The floor was immaculate, with rows of long-backed chairs neatly arranged.


    At that moment, the hall was sparsely filled with twenty or thirty young people.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0��?0.���


    A female officer in charge, upon seeing Rein and Vinica enter, said in a crisp voice, ��Please feel free to sit wherever you like; there��s no need to be nervous. The order of the exam has nothing to do with where you sit.��


    After listening, Rein nodded, exchanged a look with Vinica, and they took seats in a less crowded corner.


    However, within minutes of their settling down, four or five young people arrived, including a redhead who, upon entering the hall, spotted Rein in the corner and couldn��t help but call out, ��Rein~��


    And happily waved to him!


    ��Hmm?�� Rein looked up to see it was Eveline Norman, a dazzling redhead from Rosby, the Viscount Norman��s daughter Eveline.


    The sight of such a beauty greeting Rein cheerily made everyone in the hall glance his way as if to see which young talent had caught the favor of a beautiful woman.


    Vinica, sitting beside Rein, glanced at him and then at the redhead, inwardly musing that her competition seemed formidable, thinking, ��I just had Agatha as a competitor, and now there��s this beautiful redhead.��


    And from the redhead��s appearance and abilities, she seemed to be much stronger than Agatha.


    When Eveline approached, she asked with a smile, ��Rein, when did you get here?��


    ��Oh, and who might this be?�� Eveline inquired seriously upon seeing the young girl with twin ponytails next to Rein.


    ��Eveline, this is my good friend, Vinica, a third-level Wizard Apprentice from the Ubric School,�� Rein introduced.


    ��Vinica, this is Eveline from Rosby City, a good friend I made during the nobility title assessment.��


    The two women sized each other up, and Eveline smiled and said, ��Miss Vinica, it��s nice to meet you, you��re very beautiful!��


    ��Miss Eveline, you are very beautiful as well.��


    Although Rein and Eveline were not romantically involved, there was an unspoken tension in the air. To defuse it, Rein coughed and shifted the conversation, ��Eveline, who are these people?��


    Eveline, realizing her oversight, quickly said, ��Sorry, I forgot to introduce you, they were all outstanding in the last nobility assessment. This is Bridget Sanchez from Valant County, and this is Stamp from Welsh County����


    Rein nodded at each in turn. With his Great Knight strength and highly sensitive spiritual power perception, he noticed with just a brief scan that these individuals all possessed the strength of Peak Knights.


    The only one with a slightly weaker presence, a veteran Knight who had unusual spiritual power fluctuations, was clearly a second-level Wizard Apprentice.


    Being both a veteran Knight and a second-level Wizard Apprentice, it was hard to say who would be stronger compared to the Peak Knight without a direct contest.


    Just as Eveline said, they were some of the best contenders from his noble title assessment batch.


    As the scheduled time of the assessment approached, more and more young people gradually arrived in the hall.


    About half an hour later, as the time neared the appointed nine o��clock, the hall had swelled from the initial thirty-some individuals to around eighty or ninety.


    In the crowd, there were a few groups whose outfits were noticeably different; one group was in full knightly plate armor, exuding a formidable presence as they walked, likely soldiers from the Empire��s army.


    Additionally, there were clusters of young people in various long robes, similar to Vinica, likely from the Wizard schools.


    Of course, there were also young men and women in tailored noble hunting attire, with a distinctly different demeanor, presumably heirs of the great nobility of Minter City.


    The great nobility, or high-ranking noblemen, specifically refers to counts, marquises, and dukes; this was something Rein had learned from Jennifer, the beautiful lady he had met earlier.


    At the same time, Rein also spotted the young people he had encountered by Stillwater Lake.


    Interestingly, Eveline seemed to know some of them.


    ��Hey, Fiona, long time no see!�� Eveline greeted with a smile as she walked up.


    ��Eveline, it��s been a while!��


    ��Oh, it��s you?�� the young woman in leather armor recognized Rein immediately, the same young man who had been with three beautiful girls by the shore of Stillwater Lake.

 Chapter 541 - 236: Sword Bearer Assessment (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 541: Chapter 236: Sword Bearer Assessment (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Other young people present also recognized Rein, appearing quite surprised, seemingly not expecting that he would be a friend of Evelyn.


    However, they did not desire to engage in conversation with him since their impression of Rein was not a good one.


    There��s nothing wrong with a noble heir being somewhat libertine, but to travel and play with three beauties at such a critical moment as the Sword Bearer assessment, in their eyes, categorized him as one who indulged in pleasures.


    Even if he had decent talent and had luckily received an invitation for the Sword Bearer assessment, his future was certainly not promising.


    ��Fiona, have you met Lord Reine?��


    ��Yes, I happened to meet him by Stillwater Lake. Oh, weren��t there three beauties with him? Why is there only one now?�� the woman named Fiona, clearly not one to hold her tongue, said.


    ...


    Always mentioned what should not be mentioned.


    Hearing Fiona��s words, Evelyn immediately looked at Rein with a scrutinizing gaze, as if to say, ��Oh really, one wasn��t enough, there had to be three!��


    Rein was momentarily speechless.


    However, he would not argue over such a matter with a girl, especially since her intention might very well be to keep Evelyn away from scoundrels.


    ��The other two went to handle some business affairs.��


    After some pleasantries, Rein learned that they were young people who had participated in the noble ennoblement examination of the previous session, their overall strength was slightly higher than that of Rein��s session.


    ��The number of participants in the Sword Bearer assessment each year is roughly over a hundred.��


    ��The acceptance rate is about thirty to forty percent; however, even those who fail are generally invited by other departments of the empire.��


    ��.


    Rein silently listened, his expression calm.


    Noticing Rein��s composed demeanor, a young man beside Fiona felt slightly displeased and said, ��It seems Lord Reine is quite confident!��


    ��Confident? I think normally, passing the preliminary should not be a problem,�� Rein seriously responded.


    Hearing this, the atmosphere became a bit awkward!


    Evelyn immediately smoothed things over, ��Reine, do you know what the content of this year��s Sword Bearer assessment is?��


    Rein shook his head, he was indeed unaware, as the beautiful Jennifer in Meister had collected very little information about the Sword Bearer assessment, and the content was vague.


    ��Evelyn, do you know?��


    Evelyn also shook her head and said, ��I asked around, and it appears that the content of the Sword Bearer assessment changes every year.��


    ��Last year, they say it was official members of the Sword Bearers assessing us; merely enduring three minutes against them was considered passing the assessment.��


    ��And the year before that, under the guidance of the examiners, a troll encampment was eradicated, and they scored based on everyone��s combat performance.��


    The attendees slightly frowned.


    This was troubling, with no fixed tactic��


    The clock in the distance chimed nine.


    A middle-aged man dressed in shiny silver full Knight Armor came striding in; his step was vigorous and his demeanor steady, obviously at least a Great Knight.


    ��First of all, welcome to Mingster, elite of the empire, to participate in the Sword Bearer assessment.��


    ��Since time is precious, I will keep it short. The examination has two steps: first is the drawing of lots, and then comes the assessment.��


    ��In a moment, we will start with the first thing��drawing of lots! Then, I will explain the rules of this assessment.��


    ��Additionally, I should remind you all that you are emerging stars of the empire; even if you do not pass the Sword Bearer assessment, do not be disheartened.��


    The middle-aged Great Knight gestured toward various uniformed representatives of functional departments standing beside him and continued:


    ��Representatives from other functional and special departments of the empire are also present, and they will observe your performance during the assessment. I believe most of you will find a stage suitable for showcasing your talents.��


    ��Now, for the first item, please come up in order to draw lots.��


    As soon as the words of the middle-aged Great Knight were uttered, a young Knight beside him came forward with a black iron box, allowing everyone to draw one by one.


    Soon, it was Rein��s turn.


    Rein reached in, picked a slip at random, and looked at it.


    The next second, he was stunned!


    Rein��s surprise obviously made those nearby somewhat bewildered. The young woman named Fiona could not help but peer over and exclaimed softly,


    ��It��s number two!��


    Although Fiona spoke softly, Evelyn and a few others naturally heard it.


    They all looked up and scrutinized the number in Rein��s hand; it was indeed number two.


    The attendees couldn��t help but look at him with a mixture of pity and sympathy��


    Soon, the crowd began to whisper:


    ��This guy is really unlucky, to have drawn number two, haha, I thought my number three was unlucky enough����


    ��Yeah, number two, that��s second only to the most unfortunate, number one!��


    ��Just don��t know who will get number one!��


    ��.


    Only Vinica, though surprised, didn��t think Rein would have any problems!


    Unperturbed by the whispering nearby, Rein was unconcerned.


    Since nobody knew exactly what the Sword Bearer assessment would involve today, the first one or two participants were, so to speak, stepping stones across the river for everyone else.


    They could easily be overwhelmed by the unknown depths of the water.


    Basically, numbers around ten were the best, as the situation of the assessment would be relatively clearer, and the examiners wouldn��t be too exhausted. If one could display some special abilities, it would still be possible to impress the examiners. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 542 - 236: Sword Bearer Assessment (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 542: Chapter 236: Sword Bearer Assessment (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Of course, there are special cases, such as the first or second place who are exceptionally strong. If that��s the case, I��m sorry, but the subsequent scoring by the examiners will naturally be lower��


    After all, the bar has been set high.


    Just then, a slightly miserable voice suddenly rang out!


    ��Oh no! I��m number one!��


    ��Silence!��


    ��Whether you accept it or not, luck is also a part of strength!�� the middle-aged Great Knight said in a stern voice.


    ...


    For a moment, everyone couldn��t help but look sympathetically at this unfortunate fellow!


    ��


    After everyone had drawn lots, the middle-aged Great Knight continued, ��Now the drawing is complete.��


    ��There is only one rule for the assessment, the use of disposable sorcery scrolls, Transcendent potions, and special weapons is not allowed.��


    ��Of course, if you are a scroll maker or a pharmacist by profession, you are allowed to use them, but a separate review will be required after the assessment.��


    ��Now, everyone follow me.��


    After walking down a long corridor, they arrived at a spacious hall with a domed ceiling. At the center of the hall stood a tall, black statue surrounded by iron railings, resembling an indoor arena.


    Off to the side were about a dozen people, seemingly staff, with the five in the front dressed in black uniforms similar to noble hunting outfits, holding paper and pen, looking like examiners.


    The middle-aged Great Knight approached one of the men, an old man dressed in an earthy yellow Wizard Robe with his hands tucked in wide sleeves, and bowed slightly:


    ��The assessors have all arrived.��


    ��Then we��ll trouble Master Matthias now,�� he said.


    At this moment, the old man opened his eyes, a sharp light flashed through them as he replied, ��No trouble at all. It��s Stoneroll School��s turn this year; it��s a good time to see if there are any promising candidates.��


    Suddenly, he took his hands out of his sleeves, revealing a short black wand in his right hand. He pointed it towards the statue in the center of the arena and began chanting softly.


    Rein looked at the old man in surprise. Even though he was tens of meters away, he could still feel a powerful and condensed wave of Spirit energy.


    ��Crack!��


    But what surprised everyone more was that the shell of the black statue in the center of the arena began to crumble.


    It was only then that everyone realized that the two-story-tall giant statue in the center of the arena was not an inanimate object but a living creature.


    ��Oh no! It��s an Obsidian giant!��


    ��Is our Sword Bearer assessment really about defeating an Obsidian giant?��


    ��This is crazy! It��s impossible.��


    ��


    Suddenly, the crowd of assessors was buzzing with whispers.


    ��Silence!�� the middle-aged Great Knight took a deep breath and shouted loudly.


    ��This year��s Sword Bearer assessment requires surviving under the Obsidian giant for one minute to pass.��


    ��Even if you don��t last, we hope every assessor gives their all because your performance will be recorded by the panel of examiners.��


    The five middle-aged people in black hunting outfits began swiftly jotting down notes with their feather pens.


    This immediately quieted down everyone present.


    ��Number one!�� the middle-aged Great Knight shouted loudly.


    ��Number one! Who is number one, come up immediately!�� sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After shouting again, a knight holding a sword and shield, with a gloomy face, walked forward.


    He had intended to give up, but seeing other department heads of the empire present, he decided to try his luck; even if he couldn��t join the Sword Bearers, other special departments might accept him.


    He moved cautiously around the Obsidian giant from a distance.


    The Obsidian giant looked at him and raised its hands high. Just as he was puzzled about what the opponent was intending to do, suddenly, a wave of earth-based energy came through, and a circular stone appeared out of thin air in the hands of the Obsidian giant.


    ��Swoosh!��


    A blur flashed by, and the stone shot towards the young man with the sword and shield like a cannonball.


    In that instant, the young man went pale, rolled to the side just in time to narrowly evade the Obsidian giant��s strike, but the splinters of stone still made him dusty and battered!


    The key point was, this was just the beginning. The Obsidian giant��s hands continuously produced circular rocks, hurling them at the young man!


    ��Boom!��


    Finally, the young man could not dodge in time and had to block with his shield, only to be blown away on the spot!


    ��Duration eighteen seconds, not qualified!�� one of the staff shouted.


    Meanwhile, the five examiners were fervently recording something.


    The injured young man with the sword and shield was immediately taken aside for treatment by a professional physician.


    ��Next up! Number two!�� the middle-aged Great Knight looked over the crowd and called out sternly.


    Seeing the giant size but swift response of the Obsidian giant, everyone looked at Rein approaching it as though he was marching to his death.


    ��


    Facing the six-meter-tall, several-tons-heavy Obsidian giant, Rein didn��t show any fear; in fact, he felt a thrill of excitement.


    Having faced such large Transcendent creatures before, Rein had slain beasts like the nearshore plesiosaur and the scaly armored turtle before he even became a Great Knight.


    ��Give it your all, even if you don��t pass, your performance will still be recorded,�� the middle-aged Great Knight said, as usual, to Rein.


    Rein nodded.


    Originally, Rein had thought about holding back a bit, but now that he was the second one to take the assessment, this��.

 Chapter 543 - 236: Sword Bearer Assessment (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 543: Chapter 236: Sword Bearer Assessment (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    It��s a bit annoying.


    With almost no point of reference, if I fight conservatively and end up failing the assessment, that would be a joke.


    ��And�� full power?��


    Rein couldn��t help but think back to what the middle-aged Great Knight had said, feeling eager to try.


    Then, full power it is!


    After all, since upgrading Shockwave to an Intermediate Secret Technique, he had never used it to its full extent. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ��Full power�� meant unleashing Intermediate Secret Technique ��Shockwave�� after activating ��Limit Break�� and the talent ��Intermediate Giant Force��. Until now, Rein had never found a suitable opponent or place to use this move.


    But this extremely hard, gigantic Obsidian Giant before me should be�� a very good target.


    As Rein walked towards the center of the arena, he took off the pig-headed hammer he carried on his back and took a deep breath. His eyes calm, he stared at the Obsidian Giant ahead.


    ��Hey, Evelyn, what do you think Rein will do?�� A young man who came with Evelyn asks, with a smile that isn��t quite a smile on his face.


    ��He seems to be a knight who uses heavy weaponry; he��s at a serious disadvantage against the Obsidian Giant.��


    ��Yes, against the Obsidian Giant, those most advantaged would be Wizard Apprentices adept at Slow Technique or similar decelerating witchcraft. Next would be leather-clad, agile Sharpshooters, followed by Sword-Shield or Hammer-Shield Knights.��


    ��As for Greatsword Knights or heavy hammer knights�� that��s a significant disadvantage.��


    ��Right, dual-handed heavy hammers are even more disadvantaged than dual-handed greatswords. The heavy weight affects the speed of movement and evasion.��


    ��After all, facing the steel-like defensive power of the Obsidian Giant, the armor-piercing dual-handed heavy hammer becomes a burden,�� someone else analyzed matter-of-factly.


    ��


    ��Begin!�� The middle-aged Great Knight shouted.


    The elderly Earth Wizard then instantly dissolved the witchcraft clay prison, releasing the Obsidian Giant from its bonds.


    As soon as the Obsidian Giant regained its freedom, it immediately spotted ��little Rein�� not far in front of it.


    However, the next second, it found that the little one had disappeared.


    ��Snap!��


    Rein��s momentum suddenly burst forth, his size swelling considerably. With a push from his toes, the hard stone ground burst open a small pit.


    In an instant, he shot forward like a specter, as if his heavy knight��s plate armor and the heavy hammer in his hand weighed nothing.


    By the time the Obsidian Giant realized what was happening, it saw this ��little one�� turn into an afterimage, charging towards its feet.


    Is this�� a delivery to its doorstep?


    The Obsidian Giant spread its rocky arms, intending to grab this ��little one�� who was running quite fast.


    ��He�� he��s attacking?��


    ��He��s crazy!�� A young man exclaimed with wide eyes, in disbelief.


    Did number two learn nothing from number one��s experience?


    Amidst the astonished cries of the crowd, Rein blinked under the Obsidian Giant��s feet, and with a swoosh, he leapt high into the air.


    His body fully extended, like a taut bowstring, Rein felt his strength transfer from his leaped toes through his hips, waist, back, and finally, concentrate into his bulging arms.


    ��Ha!!!��


    Rein fiercely unleashed the Intermediate Secret Technique��Shockwave!


    At the same time, the dark pig-headed hammer struck the equally gleaming chest of the Obsidian Giant!


    This strike, Rein felt, was incredibly satisfying!


    Because he had activated both ��Limit Break�� and ��Intermediate Giant Force��, releasing almost all of his strength with this thunderous blow!


    With a ��boom��!


    A sound like a bomb exploding rang out!


    Winds whipped furiously, as black stone shards shattered and sprayed around!


    The Obsidian Giant��s chest now sported a crater-like gaping wound, practically piercing right through the hard and thick Obsidian Giant.


    Such an injury was too much even for the thick-skinned Obsidian Giant. It stumbled back several steps with a bewildered look in its eyes before it crashed to the ground!


    Even the onlookers standing dozens of meters away instinctively took several steps back, gazing in astonishment at the scene before them.


    The previously composed faces of the five examiners now bore round, bulging eyes, no longer able to mask their calm demeanor.


    In their hearts, each was shouting, ��This�� this�� the power of this attack!��


    ��That��s way too exaggerated! Even us seasoned Great Knights can��t do that!��


    ��Even a Peak Knight might not be able to deal such damage!��


    The crowd of young people waiting to be assessed was equally astounded!


    Fiona and several of her peers were, at this moment, practically popping their eyes out in disbelief!


    Previously, they had heard Rein boast about his confidence in passing the assessment and thought he was just bragging; though they didn��t say anything, they had scoffed internally for quite some time.


    But to their surprise, they had completely misjudged him; this guy��s strength was monstrous!


    This guy was basically a monster!


    And how old is this kid, anyway?


    ��I feel like this level of attack power isn��t normal, shouldn��t the assessors check into it?�� one young person said, her face turning red as she pointed at Rein.


    ��Boss, where the hell did this guy pop up from?�� a young man in a military style said to the muscular brute beside him.


    ��His attacking power is sick, even stronger than you, Boss!��


    ��That move must be a secret technique, right? Could he be the offspring of one of the Empire��s Dukes? How could he have reached this level without being trained from a young age?��


    ��.


    The crowd immediately burst into ardent discussion!


    Regaining their senses, the examiners responsible for assessing the candidates were utterly stunned.


    The examiners had their tasks assigned; for instance, examiner number one was in charge of observing and recording the candidates�� Strength performances. Without a doubt, Rein��s display of Strength in the recent battle was outstanding among the outstanding!


    The second examiner, responsible for recording speed performance, also found it easy to assign excellent marks, undoubtedly outstanding.


    The third examiner was in charge of technical performance, and since Rein had executed a secret technique, he naturally scored excellent as well.


    Examiner number four was slightly baffled. How should one score split-second reactions in battle?


    For a moment, this examiner didn��t know what to score, but after looking at the other examiners, he noticed they all gave full marks, so he thought it over and did the same.


    After all, charging directly at the Obsidian Giant was a split-second reaction�� that should also be beyond reproach�� right?


    Swoosh, outstanding!


    Examiner number five, however, furrowed his brows into a ������ shape as he was in charge of combat decision-making. But had the candidate made any tactical decisions just now?


    That was just plain charging in, right?


    Reckless charging!


    This assessment was specifically designed with the Obsidian Giant in mind, a creature with extremely strong defensive power and attack power, in the hopes that the candidates would notice its less agile body.


    Ideally, they would target lower body parts, such as ankles or knees, to gradually reduce the Obsidian Giant��s movement speed, whether through witchcraft or physical attacks.


    That��s the normal decision-making process in combat.


    Who fights like Rein, who simply smashed down with his hammer, and as a result, actually defeated the Obsidian Giant!


    A regular fight felt as simple as�� playing house!


    It was impossible to discern any tactical decision-making��


    But��


    Examiner number five couldn��t help but ask himself a question. What��s the purpose of combat decision-making? Isn��t it to win the battle?


    So, if one is able to defeat the enemy, they should naturally go right at them.


    Is there any issue with that?


    Apparently not!


    After much contemplation, examiner number five finally concluded that this candidate��s combat decision-making should also be considered excellent!

 Chapter 544 - 237: The Siege Hammer from Meister! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 544: Chapter 237: The Siege Hammer from Meister! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)


    And looking at the Obsidian giant that had collapsed with a thunderous crash before him, Rein was also a bit stunned for a moment.


    Because he hadn��t expected his opponent to be so vulnerable!


    It��s not that he hadn��t considered the possibility of inflicting wounds on the Obsidian giant, but at most, he had anticipated only a moderate wound.


    But now, the opponent was lying down��


    ��Damn it!��


    ��Could it be that the Obsidian giant is the battle pet of that earth element Wizard standing by?��


    ...


    ��However, I can��t be blamed for this, can I? It was the Great Knight examiner who said to go all out.��


    Having not heard the examiner announce the results for a long time, Rein couldn��t help but feel a bit anxious.


    ��Um�� Examiner sir, would this be considered a pass?�� Rein couldn��t help but ask proactively.


    ��Hmm?�� Of course!�� The examiner responsible for announcing the results had just regained his composure.


    He immediately ran to the five examiners responsible for scoring, looked at their marks, then, with an even more excited demeanor, ran back to his original place, his face flushed with excitement, and loudly proclaimed:


    ��Contestant number two has defeated the Obsidian giant, passing with a perfect score!��


    Whoa!


    The crowd instantly became agitated!


    Not only because Rein was the first person to pass the Sword Bearer��s assessment, but also because of the two key words ��perfect score�� that the examiner had just mentioned!


    Everyone knew that it was difficult to achieve perfection in even the simplest tasks, but they had never heard of anyone obtaining a perfect score in the Sword Bearer��s assessment.


    At this point, the expressions of the people in the crowd perfectly illustrated an array of emotions, with looks of envy, jealousy, excitement, and more, all varying widely.


    Vinica��s excited little face was flushed red, her fists clenched tightly, her golden twin ponytails swishing, while Evelyn also couldn��t hide her exhilaration, covering her mouth with her hand in surprise.


    ��


    ��Um�� can I go back now?�� Rein continued to ask.


    After all, he genuinely didn��t know where he was supposed to go, having passed the assessment.


    ��Lord Rein, you can rest in the lounge we used earlier until everyone else��s assessment is over, at which time we will handle all the procedures together.��


    ��Of course, you can also choose to stay here and observe the assessments of the others.��


    Going back to the lounge alone?


    Rein shook his head internally.


    Vinica and Evelyn hadn��t yet undergone their assessments. It wouldn��t be right for him to leave by himself first.


    ��I��d rather stay with my companions,�� Rein said.


    ��Of course, Lord Rein, please do as you wish.��


    ��Okay!��


    Immediately after, Rein turned and left the center of the field, returning to the crowd.


    As Rein walked back, the crowd automatically parted to create a pathway for him; meanwhile, the gazes of many swept over him.


    Rein couldn��t help but feel like a national leader inspecting the honor guard in a previous life��


    ��Lord Rein, congratulations, you are simply amazing,�� Vinica said with her beautiful eyes shining.


    Evelyn also came over with a smile, saying, ��Lord Rein, I haven��t seen you in action for a while, and I didn��t expect your strength to have reached this level.�� sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Thank you, I��ve had some recent insights,�� Rein responded with a smile.


    As soon as Rein returned to Vinica��s side, the surroundings once again burst into hushed whispers, but the topic of discussion seemed to veer off slightly:


    ��Damn! That hammer strike from contestant number two was even fiercer than a battering ram!��


    ��Indeed, otherwise, we should nickname this fellow number two ��the Battering Ram.�� By the way, where is he from?��


    ��I heard from a few people next to me just now, apparently, he comes from Meister County.��


    ��The Meister by the seaside?��


    ��Incredible! A minor place like Meister actually produced such an impressive person.��


    ��So, how about we call this number two, ��the Battering Ram from Meister��?��


    ��


    Hence, Rein quickly acquired the nickname ��the Battering Ram.��


    Upon hearing the people��s whispered discussions, Rein��s forehead went dark; he found the name extremely unappealing!


    The previous ��Baron Hammer�� was one thing, but ��the Battering Ram from Meister��?


    What a ridiculous nickname?


    On one side of the hall, a rectangular pane of glass was embedded in the wall, known only to the staff as a one-way mirror.


    Inside was a small room where three elderly men dressed in different garb and a middle-aged man were discussing Rein, who had just felled the Obsidian giant with a single hammer strike, just like the people outside.


    One of the elderly men, wearing a uniform befitting an admiral, had bright, authoritative eyes and crow��s feet at the corners but an even more commanding presence than Count Habs, whom Rein had previously encountered. His shoulder bore three golden insignia that symbolized the sun.


    This indicated that the man was a high-ranking Admiral of the Dragan Empire; he was Admiral Edward, the head of the Sword Holder Minter Branch.


    ��Just now, I noticed that his speed and strength seemed somewhat mismatched; the strength far surpasses the speed,�� he said.


    ��This young man must possess some special talent related to strength.��


    The other two clearly agreed with Admiral Edward��s assessment, as they nodded slightly.


    They were well aware that Admiral Edward, as the head of a special department, possessed extremely formidable combat skills and had an exceptional eye for talent.


    At this point, an elderly man dressed in noble hunting attire interjected, ��But strength alone wouldn��t have been enough to cause such severe damage to the Obsidian giant; he must have mastered a secret technique of Hammer Skill.��

 Chapter 545 - 237: The Siege Hammer from Meister! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 545: Chapter 237: The Siege Hammer from Meister! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_2


    The speaker here is Marquis Schlan, the head of public security in Mingster Province.


    As the imperial department with the most frequent routine business dealings with the Sword Bearers, the relationship between the two is naturally much closer than with other departments.


    Marquis Schlan attends and observes the Sword Bearer��s assessment nearly every year.


    ��Basic secret technique? I��m afraid not, what he just used must have been an Intermediate Secret Technique, right?�� the old man with the delicate moustache said, a spark of interest flashing in his eyes.


    At this moment, Admiral Edward nodded, saying, ��Indeed, in terms of secret techniques, he should have already reached the intermediate level.��


    ��A young man with some kind of strength talent and who has mastered an Intermediate Secret Technique is interesting. It��s been several years since we last saw such a thing in the assessments, hasn��t it?�� Marquis Schlan said with a smile.


    ...


    Then, Admiral Edward turned his head to look at the middle-aged officer standing respectfully beside him and asked, ��Where is the file on this young man?��


    ��Right here, Admiral Edward. Please wait a moment, I��ll bring it immediately.�� The officer immediately turned and left. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Admiral, I know this young man; he is Rein from the Meister County.��


    The middle-aged man with the delicate moustache, dressed in a black hunting suit with gold trim, would have been recognized by Rein if he were present: he was Javier Stewart, a special envoy he had met once before.


    As a special envoy sent by the Empire��s Council of Elders to the Mingster Province, his status was relatively detached. He had also received an invitation from the Sword Bearers to come and observe the assessments.


    What he hadn��t expected was that this young man, whom he had seen potential in, would give him such a big surprise this time.


    ��Oh? Special Envoy, you know him?��


    ��I��ve met him once before, and I saw his potential then. This young man is the top performer in this noble title conferring assessment.��


    ��I see.�� The two men beside him couldn��t help but nod slightly.


    A few minutes later, the officer returned, distributing the file.


    The few old men who received the file started to flip through it with curiosity.


    ��Eh? He��s only sixteen years old?�� Admiral Edward said in surprise, and, in fact, except for Javier, everyone else exchanged glances in astonishment!


    If he��s at this level at just sixteen, wouldn��t he be even more extraordinary in a few years?


    Instantly, Rein��s talent and potential were elevated to a higher level in their minds.


    Originally, they had thought that Rein must be about twenty years old. They had not expected him to be only sixteen.


    One must know that the younger one is, the shorter the time for practicing combat skills, and another important point is that comprehension ability at a younger age is generally weaker than that after reaching adulthood.


    To be able to master an Intermediate Secret Technique in such a short time and at such a young age was even rarer than the rare strength talent.


    ��Truly the top performer of this noble title conferring assessment.��


    ��So he is from Meister County, unexpectedly of commoner origin.��


    �����������C


    In the center of the venue.


    After the Obsidian Giant was seriously injured by Rein��s blow and knocked down, the Earth Wizard in charge of the assessment looked at the huge hole in the Obsidian Giant��s chest with a furrowed brow, deep in thought.


    He had never considered that an examinee could harm his Earth elemental partner, the Obsidian Giant, to such a degree; although it wasn��t dead, the injury was too troublesome.


    The problem now was, what to do with the remaining assessments?


    This sort of rare elemental creature, the Obsidian Giant, he didn��t have a second one!


    ��Cough�� Master Matthias, may I inquire if your Obsidian Giant can still���� the middle-aged Great Knight coughed and asked.


    ��It��s like this already, what do you think?�� Matthias replied with irritation.


    ��So, does the assessment need to be postponed���� The middle-aged Great Knight��s face turned red, recalling the words he had said to Rein about giving it his all��


    ��It can only be postponed, unless���� Matthias revealed a contemplative look.


    ��Unless what?�� Hearing that the elder might have a solution, the middle-aged Great Knight quickly asked, ��Master Matthias, do you need something?��


    After all, postponing the assessment was rather troublesome, and it would be better to continue if possible.


    ��Unless there��s a piece of Obsidian Essence, otherwise, I can��t heal the Obsidian Giant in a short time.�� Matthias shook his head helplessly.


    ��Obsidian Essence?�� The middle-aged Great Knight looked thoughtful and said, ��Master, it seems we have that item in the branch, but, as per the rules, I need to apply for it immediately.��


    Matthias was taken aback.


    Right!


    This was the Sword Holder Mingster Branch of the Empire.


    When it came to priceless items, of course, the Empire��s Sword Bearers were the ones to have them!


    ��If there��s a piece of Obsidian Essence, I can heal the Obsidian Giant in about fifteen minutes.�� Matthias confirmed with a definite nod.


    ��All right, Master Matthias, I��ll go apply for it right now!��


    ��


    After an urgent consultation by the assessment committee, and having reported to their superiors, the middle-aged Great Knight once again announced, ��Due to the Obsidian Giant��s injury, the assessment will now be paused for fifteen minutes.��


    ��Please, everyone, keep quiet. Master Matthias will treat the Obsidian Giant.��


    The old man in the light yellow Wizard Robe held an object the size of a fist, emitting black light, in one hand, and a short wand in the other, chanting aloud.


    A massive force of light yellow energy erupted from the ground, engulfing the entire huge body of the Obsidian Giant.


    At the same time, the fist-sized strange object in his hand rose into the air, flying to the wound on the Obsidian Giant, where black light spilled out profusely, and the hole in its chest that was as large as a water barrel began to shrink at a rate visible to the naked eye.

 Chapter 546 - 237: The Siege Hammer from Meister! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 546: Chapter 237: The Siege Hammer from Meister! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_3 S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vinica, standing beside Rein, whispered, ��Lord Rein, this is a treasure of the elemental series, Obsidian Essence, rare and extremely expensive.��


    Hearing Vinica��s words, several young people nearby couldn��t help but cast their glances at Rein.


    This made Rein feel a bit embarrassed; it wasn��t intentional on his part.


    He didn��t want to waste the empire��s property either.


    About seven or eight minutes later, the persistent energy fluctuations of the witchcraft slowly subsided.


    As the witchcraft ended, Rein could feel that the elder Wizard of the Earth element must be very tired, as his face had noticeably become haggard.


    ...


    However, when the two-story tall Obsidian Giant stood up once more, unscathed, Rein couldn��t help but admire the elder��s witchcraft.


    ��Lord Rein, with elemental creatures like this, if you can��t destroy their elemental core, even without specialized treatment, their injuries will slowly heal over time,�� Vinica continued to explain to Rein.


    ��Oh? So there��s such a thing, meaning, to completely annihilate an elemental creature, one must find and shatter its core, right?��


    ��That��s right.��


    So elemental creatures have a core.


    It seems that he hadn��t damaged the core of the Obsidian Giant just now; otherwise, it would have been permanently dead and unable to heal again.


    Moreover, Rein had now witnessed the miraculous effects of witchcraft.


    The elder Earth Wizard had used the rare Obsidian Essence to completely heal the heavily injured Obsidian Giant in just ten minutes.


    Rein couldn��t help feeling quite envious.


    Right then, his longing for the metal elemental witchcraft, which he had been eagerly anticipating, grew even stronger.


    One of his key goals for joining the Sword Bearer organization was to obtain the nearly extinct metal elemental witchcraft from outside sources.


    Looks like he was more than halfway there!


    ��Now, let the assessment continue, number three!�� The middle-aged Great Knight was busy running around, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and continued to shout loudly.


    He glanced at Rein, thinking, fortunately, this guy didn��t hit the core of the Obsidian Giant; otherwise, the Sword Bearer trials for today would not be able to continue.


    Additionally, when the number three candidate passed him on the way to the center of the arena, he was very cautious and didn��t say anything about ��going all out�� this time.


    After all, it��s better to be safe than sorry!


    However, the situation on the field had changed.


    The newly healed Obsidian Giant, seemingly still wary of Rein, consequently became very cautious and careful when facing all the candidates in Knight Armor.


    This made the Obsidian Giant naturally more difficult to deal with.


    At that moment, the third candidate clad in knight plate armor was having a tough time!


    Initially, he had wanted to use the same tactic as Rein at the beginning, running at high speed under the feet of the Obsidian Giant and then leveraging the giant��s large stature and slow turns to fight closely, hoping to last at least a minute without much trouble.


    But now it was different!


    When the Obsidian Giant saw the ��little fellow�� in Knight Armor charging at him, its large dark face displayed a very human-like expression of lingering fear.


    And it immediately deployed its trump card �C Boulder Trample!


    A powerful ability reserved for when the Obsidian Giant faced a formidable enemy, consuming a significant amount of its own energy.


    Just as number three, wielding a Dual-Handed Greatsword, charged forward, his eyes widened in surprise as he saw the Obsidian Giant stomp heavily on the ground.


    ��Boom!��


    Instantly, the ground within a radius of more than twenty meters around the stomp point violently Shocked.


    This made the third candidate, who had just reached near the giant, struggle as the ground beneath him turned soft like noodles, undulating up and down, which severely reduced his speed and nearly caused him to lose his footing.


    Just as he had barely regained his balance, he felt two huge shadows accompanied by a powerful gust of wind rushing towards him!


    ��Bang! Bang!��


    The third candidate barely managed to block before being quickly hammered to the ground by a combination of the Obsidian Giant��s rock giant fists, failing the assessment on the spot.


    ��Duration of twelve seconds, not qualified!�� shouted a nearby staff member.


    Suddenly, this made the rest of the candidates turn their gazes back to Rein among the crowd.


    Facing everyone��s stares, Rein touched his nose, feeling quite embarrassed for a moment, thinking, don��t blame me, after all, as the examiner said, luck is also a part of strength.


    If you had been before me in the order, this wouldn��t have happened!


    But��


    There are pros and cons to everything. For those adept at long-range attacks like Wizard Apprentices or archers, this wasn��t necessarily a bad thing, and Vinica passed without much trouble.


    Soon after, the red-haired beauty Evelyn also barely made it through.


    Two hours later, when all candidates had finished the assessment, the middle-aged Great Knight announced, ��Those who have not passed the assessment, please follow our staff to leave the arena now.��


    Immediately, many young people in the field showed signs of disappointment and began to leave gradually.


    But the atmosphere quickly grew lively again as the heads of other functional departments, who had been standing next to the middle-aged Great Knight, began to act, stepping down to the field and conversing with these ��failures�� who were leaving.


    As for those who remained, Rein looked around and saw there were still about thirty people.


    ��Ladies and gentlemen, congratulations on passing the Sword Bearer assessment. The relevant procedures will take three days to complete. You can relax for these few days, and there will be a notice for further matters in due time.��

 Chapter 547 - 237: The Siege Hammer from Meister! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 547: Chapter 237: The Siege Hammer from Meister! (2-in-1 Mega Chapter)_4


    ����.��


    The assessment ended.


    Having both passed the Imperial Sword Bearer assessment, Rein and Vinica naturally wanted to have a good look around Mingster.


    Thus, by evening that day, they found themselves on Mingster��s main thoroughfare.


    The entire city was built along the mountainside, with its overall exterior walls mainly constructed from white, oblong stone blocks. The architectural style bore a hint of the Baroque from a past era, featuring a profusion of domes, archways, and reliefs.


    As the sun set, drenched in golden light, it was stunningly beautiful.


    ...


    The main road could be seen winding its way up from the base of the mountain towards the mid-way point, meandering effortlessly, hence the gradient was not steep.


    Meanwhile, at intervals along the route, there would be platforms, which might become home to large fountains or small garden squares, and occasionally a theater could be found.


    Among the passersby, their clothes were colorful, and most had rosy cheeks, full of spirit.


    At this moment, walking along the roadside, Rein vaguely heard the sound of hammering from a forge somewhere close by.


    ��Eh? This rhythm��


    ��Doesn��t seem like it��s man-powered!��


    He couldn��t help but stop and looked towards where the sound was coming from.


    He saw to his front right, across the street, a large blacksmith shop, and in the backyard of this shop, there was a massive waterwheel. It seemed to use the water flowing downward from the mountain��s height to turn the wheel.


    The highly regular sound of hammering haunting him, Rein immediately realized that it must be coming from a mechanical apparatus driven by the waterwheel and not human strength.


    Curious, Rein led Vinica towards the blacksmith shop to take a look.


    Sure enough, it was water-powered forging!


    An insight into the larger picture.


    Rein hadn��t expected that the blacksmith shops in Mingster had already begun utilizing water power for forging on a large scale.


    In this way, aside from some high-end weapons, the quality of a vast amount of lower-grade weaponry, agricultural implements, and iron domestic utensils would see a significant improvement.


    This indicated that the forging level in Mingster was far superior to Meister.


    It inadvertently made Rein think of his own path as an armor forger in the next phase.


    It was likely that he could find some leads in Mingster��s prosperous blacksmithing industry.


    ��..


    While Rein and Vinica were enjoying the sights of Mingster, Jenny and Agatha walked out of a trading association with furrowed brows and worried faces.


    For three consecutive days, they had hit a wall!


    It was difficult to conduct business in Mingster. Shops in fine locations or favorable districts had been established for decades, even centuries, and were well-known, longstanding businesses.


    Some industries like blacksmithing and tailoring had shops that had essentially reached a stable status.


    As for the backgrounds of these shops, Jenny had done some research. Essentially, behind the shops on the main streets lurked the shadow of nobility, and some were directly owned by noble families. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The trouble was that in the provincial capital of Mingster, it was all too easy to hit a Baron with a thrown brick!


    As for Lords and Knights, they were as plentiful as hairs on an ox��..


    Therefore, the backing of the Crowley family behind Jenny and the Wigging family behind Agatha seemed insignificant.


    In the past few days, as they sought out potential partners in Mingster and mentioned the background of the Hammer and Rose Association, hearing it was run by two Baron families?


    They would just shake their heads, clearly a bit disdainful��.


    If these two Baron families happened to come from the county of Meister?


    Then, sorry, please take the door to the right��


    Barons from other counties, sorry, in the provincial capital Mingster, you almost amount to nothing!


    Jenny and Agatha had thought about asking Rein for help, but firstly, Rein was still undergoing his assessment period, and secondly, Rein himself was merely a Baron after all.


    Of course, Rein had potential��


    Possibly in a few years, he could become a Viscount.


    But in the women��s view, potential remained just that, potential.


    ��.

 Chapter 548 - 238: Became a Sponsored Student (Combined Double Chapter)

    Chapter 548: Chapter 238: Became a Sponsored Student (Combined Double Chapter)


    However, Jenny and Agatha thought about it and decided to visit Lord Reine.


    After all, the term ��Hammer�� in ��Hammer and Rose Commerce Group�� represents ��Baron Reine,�� though nominally, the Crowley family is the largest shareholder.


    But the two of them knew very well that actually Lord Reine was the largest shareholder, so regardless of whether the business affairs went smoothly or not, they should inform Lord Reine.


    Thus, the two women took advantage of the sunset that had not yet completely fallen and rode in a carriage to the majestic Imperial Sword Bearer Mingster Branch entrance.


    However, as soon as they reached the entrance, both of them were startled by the bustling scene; they saw a dozen luxurious carriages queuing at the entrance in an orderly fashion.


    Whenever a carriage reached the gate, a person dressed like a butler would alight, hand over the invitation to the guard at the gate, say a few words, then get back on the carriage and quickly leave.


    ...


    Naturally, the next carriage would take its place and repeat the process.


    The two women exchanged a look, seeing surprise and confusion in each other��s eyes.


    It didn��t seem like it was just the end of an assessment now, did it?


    After all, no one was being picked up by the carriages.


    It was simply a matter of a butler getting off, handing over one or several invitations to the guard, and then leaving.


    Moreover, looking at the noble crests on the carriages lined up before her, Jenny noticed that each was different, obviously belonging to different noble families.


    This made her even more curious!


    As the carriages drove off one by one, Jenny and Agatha��s carriage, following the flow, slowly moved forward; soon, the two women could clearly hear what the butler from the carriage ahead was saying:


    ����please hand this invitation over to Baron Reine from Meister, and this one to Miss Evelyn from the Rosby region��.��


    ��Alright,�� the guard raised an eyebrow, nodded, and said.


    But he couldn��t help but linger a little longer on the words ��Baron Reine�� on the invitation.


    The guard was surprised too!


    Usually, at the end of a Sword Bearer assessment, those who passed the assessment would naturally gain the admiration of many nobles from the provincial city.


    But it was rare to see a situation like the current one.


    The invitations were mostly concentrated for one individual.


    This Lord Reine from Meister must have received at least thirty invitations that afternoon, right?


    He couldn��t quite understand what Lord Reine had done S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    to cause so many provincial nobles to eagerly invite him.


    And when the women, who faintly heard words like ��Meister�� and ��Reine,�� exchanged a look of surprise and almost simultaneously said:


    ��Jenny (Agatha), did you hear that?��


    The two nodded at each other!


    As the butler from the next carriage approached, the two heard even more clearly.


    This time, the butler only left one invitation, specifying it was for Baron Reine and not anyone else; moreover, this butler hailed from the Count Plank family.


    A family of earls from the provincial city, surely their status was not less than that of Count Habs from Meister? The two women couldn��t help but marvel!


    Instantly, Jenny and Agatha became even more puzzled and curious.


    How had Lord Reine, who had just arrived in the provincial city, already received so many invitations from various nobles?


    Even if he had passed the Sword Bearer assessment, that still didn��t explain it!


    After all, it wasn��t just him who had passed; on their way here, they had heard that the rate of passing was about thirty to forty percent.


    ��


    Just as the two women were puzzled and bewildered,


    Reine was walking with Vinica along the main thoroughfare of the city��Levenworth Street, ascending the steps.


    The two gradually reached a position near the mountaintop.


    In front of them appeared two towering, domed buildings; according to the citizens nearby, one was the Governor��s official residence, and the other was the Grand Cathedral of the Monsoon and Marine Goddess Church.


    Clearly, as the highest administrative officer of the entire Mingster Province, it was only natural that the Duke of Mingster��s workplace occupied the city��s best location.


    Further up was the Griffon Platform, guarded strictly every five steps with a post every ten steps.


    Since Reine and Vinica were here to take in the sights of Mingster, they naturally did not reveal their identities and venture to these places.


    The two stopped by a public viewing platform nearby, which offered a vast view of the entire plain��a splendid sight.


    Finding a secluded corner, Vinica, rather than sitting on the bench, playfully went ahead, performed a Hydroflow spell, and washed the platform��s overhanging edge.


    Reine, however, merely smiled slightly, instantly understanding Vinica��s intention; he too murmured a chant, exercised the witchcraft Scorching Touch, and gently passed his hand over the freshly rinsed area.


    Instantly, the freshly cleaned surface dried up.


    Thus, the two sat down there, their legs dangling over the outside of the viewing platform, Vinica gently leaning against Reine, both of them wordlessly watching the sunset slowly set over the vast plains, the winding river stretching far into the distance��


    ��


    Having waited eagerly and finally, after nightfall, Jenny and Agatha saw Reine and Vinica strolling over leisurely.


    Jenny couldn��t help but grumble, ��Lord Reine, we��ve been anxiously waiting, and here you are, flirting.��


    Seeing the two women waiting under the streetlight, Reine couldn��t help but look surprised and said, ��Jenny, Agatha, is there something urgent?��

 Chapter 549 - 238: Became a Sponsored Student Again (Combined Double Chapter)_2

    Chapter 549: Chapter 238: Became a Sponsored Student Again (Combined Double Chapter)_2


    ��There��s something I��d like to discuss with Lord Reine.��


    Upon Reine��s arrival, the guard at the door bowed slightly and said, ��Lord Reine, a number of nobles have sent you invitations, please take a look.��


    ��Alright, thank you.��


    However, Reine was still taken aback when he saw the thick stack of invitations.


    This��


    Since the Sword Bearers Branch forbids outsiders from entering, Reine thought for a moment and said, ��Jenny, Agatha, let��s go to the carriage to discuss.��


    ...


    ��Reine, I��ll head back first then,�� Vinica said with a smile after glancing at the two women.


    ��Alright, have a good rest.��


    ��Mhm.��


    In the carriage.


    ��It��s probably because I completed the Sword Bearer assessment quite swiftly,�� Reine mused, unsure of how to explain to the two girls, who weren��t skilled in combat, how he knocked out the Obsidian Giant with a single hammer strike.


    After all, they had never seen an Obsidian Giant, let alone understood its strength; they had no basis for comparison.


    ��By the way, Jenny, Agatha, perhaps the trading matters aren��t so difficult,�� Reine pointed to the invitations piled half a meter high inside the carriage and continued:


    ��All these are invitations from nobles asking me to attend banquets. You two take a look and see if there��s anyone among them you��d like to collaborate with, I should be able to introduce you.��


    Although Jenny and Agatha were still confused by Reine��s explanation, they immediately started going through the invitations when they heard he could possibly help with the introductions.


    ��Agatha, isn��t this Viscount Okote we��ve been looking for? He��s the one supporting the Golden Chrysanthemum Chamber of Commerce,�� Jenny exclaimed.


    ��Yes, Jenny,�� Agatha glanced at the invitation in Jenny��s hand and nodded affirmatively in response.


    ��Hey? Jenny, isn��t this Earl Owens the backer of the large Nicolini Chamber of Commerce?��


    ��..


    After returning to his room, Reine finally remembered he hadn��t checked the system prompts from defeating the Obsidian Giant during the day:


    [Your skill Tokkal Hammer Technique has improved, Experience +981]


    (Note: The above skill Experience benefits from a 30% increase due to the exclusive talent ��Junior Extraordinary Understanding��.)


    [You have experienced a combat, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +338]


    ��


    Looking at the system prompts, Reine nodded to himself.


    Although he had only executed a single strike, the experience rewards from the system were not meager.


    On second thought, Reine inferred that this might be because it was the first time he had fully exerted an Intermediate Secret Technique.


    That feeling of swinging the hammer fluidly and with exhilarating completeness was so vivid that his blood seemed to pump faster and his whole being became slightly excited even now when he thought about it.


    Of course, without his Intermediate Talent and mastery of the Intermediate Secret Technique, such a powerful strike would have been impossible!


    Unfortunately, levelling up the Intermediate Secret Technique required Golden Skill Points, and elevating a talent was even more troublesome due to increasingly scarce Talent Points��


    Regathering his thoughts, Reine reflected on the initial trial of the day.


    Among those who passed the assessment, the majority were Peak Knights, nearly twenty in total.


    Others included veteran knights who were concurrently second-level Wizard Apprentices and also pure third-level Wizard Apprentices, though in smaller numbers.


    Furthermore, there were also eight individuals with the strength of a Great Knight who passed, which led Reine to marvel at how the number of geniuses clearly increased when looking across the whole province.


    Two individuals had left a deep impression on him.


    One was a burly man wielding a sword and shield, named Angus, a Great Knight, who appeared to be about twenty-six or twenty-seven and reportedly had always served in the imperial army.


    When facing the rock attacks from the Obsidian Giant, he managed to hold up his shield and withstand the blows, giving off an unshakably solid impression and demonstrating formidable strength.


    The other, a young man named Nelio, who was elegant and seemed to be the heir of a Marquis from Mingster with the strength of a third-level Wizard Apprentice, simply tore open a Sorcery Scroll ��Web Spell�� to slow down the Obsidian Giant, making it through the test with ease.


    According to what others said, this young man was a rare Scroll Master, and using a scroll was naturally within the rules.


    ��.


    ��In three days, when all the formal paperwork to become a bona fide Sword Bearer is settled, I wonder if I��ll be able to directly inquire about exchanging for metal-type witchcraft, and what the requirements might be?��


    ��Next, it��s waiting for the black horse to complete its mutation and upgrade to a fierce wild beast so that I can change my profession to a Beast Taming Master. According to the timing, that should be happening soon.��


    ��Weapon Master (Legendary) is my core combat profession, with no laxity allowed in enhancing the Extraordinary Combat Skills. If I can improve my Rocken axe and shield combat skills, I��ll have one more method to handle opponents�� ��


    Reine, lying in bed, seemed thoughtful.


    Shortly after, he fell into a deep sleep.


    ��


    The next morning, Reine arrived at the training room of this building.


    The Sword Bearers Branch naturally had an outdoor training field, but it was only open to official personnel, so even if he wanted to go, he would have to wait until the paperwork two days later.


    As he approached, he hadn��t expected to see a few robust and slightly dark-skinned young men already training.


    He had a good memory of these individuals; they had come from the army and formed a small group, with the core of the group being the burly man wielding a sword and shield, Angus, whose strength was that of a Great Knight. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon seeing Reine enter, they immediately looked up and focused their attention on him.


    It was unavoidable to pay attention!


    After all, how could they not take notice of the young man who defeated the Obsidian Giant with a single blow, the undisputed first place in the initial trial?

 Chapter 550 - 238: Becoming a Guaranteed Admission Student for Once (Part 2 in 1 Large Chapter)_3

    Chapter 550: Chapter 238: Becoming a Guaranteed Admission Student for Once (Part 2 in 1 Large Chapter)_3


    Rein didn��t mind the attention of the others and walked to one side, intending to select a training weapon, but in a flash, a spark of inspiration crossed his mind.


    Right!


    These vigorous young people, weren��t they the best candidates for him to gain experience from?


    Immediately, Rein locked eyes with them!


    However, Rein felt a bit disappointed when, after his gaze swept over them, they all lowered their heads and began whispering amongst themselves.


    This��


    ...


    He had thought they would meet his gaze and then come up to challenge him to a spar.


    In that case, he could have happily ��harvested�� an ��experience NPC.��


    What a pity!


    Although they were experts in the imperial army, it seemed they were not reckless.


    As Rein was hesitating over which combat skill to practice, a muscular young man approached him proactively and said:


    ��Lord Rein, I am Viery from the Bobini County. I deeply admire Lord Rein��s astonishing performance during the assessment and I wonder if I may have the honor of learning from you here.��


    Hearing this, Rein��s smile grew brighter and more splendid!


    Rein had thought that after the display of his hammer��s power, others would avoid him, but unexpectedly, there really was someone who took the initiative to spar with him.


    It seems he had underestimated the passion and ambition of the youth.


    The only slight disappointment was that the challenger wasn��t Angus, the most formidable greatsword and shield warrior among them.


    Rein graciously replied,��Of course, that would be my honor!��


    Viery hadn��t expected Rein to be so amiable and immediately relaxed a bit, having been somewhat nervous before.


    The other young men standing at a distance laughed as they came closer.


    ��Viery, you have to go for it!��


    ��Lord Rein, please go easy on him; otherwise, Viery might not be able to withstand a single strike,�� they said, chuckling.


    ��.


    ��Don��t worry, I won��t be using the hammer today,�� Rein said with a laugh, as he took a battle-ax and shield from the weapon rack.


    This caused the young man named Viery to look at him puzzledly and say:


    ��Lord Rein, aren��t you skilled with the two-handed warhammer? Why����


    ��Idiot! Lord Rein is doing this to prevent you from getting hurt,�� a young man beside him said, patting Viery��s shoulder.


    ��Lord Viery, as for the axe and shield, I��m also quite familiar with it,�� Rein added.


    ��Alright then,�� Viery said, not fully convinced but nodding anyway.


    Rein could guess what the other was thinking. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He must have believed that Rein wasn��t taking him seriously enough to engage in battle with a secondary weapon.


    But there��s no helping it, sparring with a pig-headed hammer wouldn��t let him level up, as his Tokkal Hammer Technique was already at lv14��.


    Soon, the two stood ready in the center of the field, Rein holding an axe and shield, while Viery wielded a dual-handed greatsword.


    ��Lord Rein, please enlighten me!��


    The next second, Viery swiftly stepped forward and his greatsword traced a lightning-fast half-moon arc, slashing down at a forty-five-degree angle towards Rein with crushing force!


    In the face of Viery��s strike, Rein inwardly praised him, ��Not bad at all!��


    Rein��s reaction was lightning fast as well, immediately using his shield to block.


    Clang!


    The ear-piercing sound of metal on metal rang out.


    Rein solidly blocked the greatsword��s chop.


    It was just one strike, but Rein could tell that the other��s strength and agility were slightly lesser than his, but the greatsword combat skill was proficient, clearly reaching a master��s level.


    If Rein used his Level 4 axe and shield combat skill in response, factoring the exchange, Viery indeed turned out to be a well-matched opponent.


    Ding ding clang clang!


    The faster they fought, the incessant clashing sounds of their weapons reverberated.


    Clang!


    Neither Rein nor Viery activated their ��limit breaker,�� nor did they use any secret techniques, since this was after all a friendly spar.


    Minutes later, Viery ran out of stamina and taking advantage of the opportunity, Rein delivered a shield strike that sent him flying several meters away.


    ��Lord Rein, thank you for holding back,�� Viery said gratefully.


    Seeing that Viery was ultimately defeated due to fatigue rather than skill, the young men exchanged glances, all thinking that Rein had deliberately gone easy.


    After all, the power behind Rein��s hammer strikes had left a deep impression in their minds.


    Rein glanced at the system notification:


    [Your skill Rocken Axe and Shield Technique has improved, experience +431]


    (Note: The above skill experience has enjoyed a 30% increase due to the ��Junior Extraordinary Understanding�� exclusive talent.)


    [You have experienced a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) experience +38]


    Seeing that his Rocken Axe and Shield Technique had risen to lv4 (453/1000), Rein��s eyes sparkled!


    The progress was nearly half way to lv4.


    Not bad! This speed.


    With the 30% increase from the ��Junior Extraordinary Understanding�� exclusive talent, a decent opponent like Viery at this level offered quite a decent amount of experience.


    After watching Viery and Rein��s spirited fight, the nearby young men all seemed eager and itching to have a go.


    In their eyes, this young Lord Rein was unexpectedly approachable!


    No arrogance!


    No swift defeat of Viery using a weapon to point at him with a disdainful expression!


    Instead, Rein kept feeding him moves, allowing Viery to fight passionately until he was completely exhausted before conceding.


    Where, indeed, could they find a ��kind and approachable�� top-level sparring partner like this?


    Without waiting for Viery to formally withdraw, several muscular young men quickly started saying:


    ��Lord Rein, I��m from�� I hope to have an opportunity to learn from you as well.��


    ��Chris, hold on, let me be the first to seek Lord Rein��s guidance,�� another one interjected.


    ��Both of you wait, let me���� another said.

 Chapter 551 - 238: Also Became a Scholar for Once (Two in One Large Chapter)_4

    Chapter 551: Chapter 238: Also Became a Scholar for Once (Two in One Large Chapter)_4


    ����.��


    Seeing the eager forward strides of several people, wishing to spar with him, instantly brought great joy to Rein��s heart.


    It was like planting willows without intending to, only for the willows to provide shade!


    Don��t rush!


    Line up, one by one.


    I��ll take on all of you, one person at a time!


    ...


    ��Everyone, don��t rush. Take turns. I believe everyone will have a chance,�� Rein said with a smile.


    Hearing Rein say this, the crowd calmed down and promptly selected one among them to step forward and seek guidance from Rein first.


    Ten minutes passed, then the second person��


    After half an hour, the third person��


    Hmm, this one has quite good stamina, more enduring, though still not as good as Rein.


    Forty-five minutes later, the fourth person��


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??��??.���


    ��


    After a continuous battle against four strapping youths, even Rein, with his high Constitution of twenty-nine points, felt somewhat tired.


    However��


    At that moment, ��Rocken Axe Shield Combat Skill�� successfully advanced to lv5.


    Suddenly, a flood of memories concerning the training of axe shield combat skills poured into Rein��s mind. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These fragmented axe shield combat skill training memories flashed through Rein��s mind and quickly integrated into his muscle memory, as if he had been earnestly practicing the Rocken axe shield combat skill for over a year.


    At this time, observing Rein��s sparring with others, Angus, who was standing to the side, felt incredibly envious and could no longer maintain the composure of a master. He approached Rein, speaking in a deep and resonant voice:


    ��Lord Rein, do you need to rest for a bit?��


    ��Lord Rein, I also admire you quite a bit�� I don��t know if����


    Rein couldn��t help but feel greatly amused within!


    I��ve been waiting for you!


    As he reduced his remaining attribute points from thirteen to twelve, Rein added a point to Constitution, bringing it back up to thirty.


    At the same time, a warm surge from his heart flushed away Rein��s fatigue in an instant!


    ��.


    Half an hour later, Rein and Angus were both drenched in sweat, but their eyes were bright and clear. Obviously, both had gained valuable insights from their recent sparring.


    In the meantime, the red-haired beauty Irina and Vinica had also arrived at the training room together. At first glance, they saw the ��deep gaze�� that Rein and Angus shared.


    For a moment, the two women exchanged looks, their expressions one of astonishment!


    ��


    In these three days, Rein had a fulfilling time.


    During the day, he was in the training room, sparring with others and quickly advancing the level of his Rocken Axe Shield Combat Skills, while at night, he attended three different noble��s dinner parties, accompanied by Jenny and Agatha.


    Thanks to Rein��s connections, the new trading company had long completed its sales tasks for the goods they brought.


    At the same time, The new trading company had also signed long-term supply or cooperation agreements with shops or trading companies controlled by these nobles.


    Furthermore, as a representative of the new trading company, Jenny also purchased a residence and a shop, to serve as a temporary base for themselves and Matteo.


    Although the shop��s location was not particularly bustling, it already exceeded the targets she had set before her arrival.


    To the provincial nobles of Mingster, Jenny and Agatha, the ��country�� noble ladies, were seen as the ��white gloves�� of the promising Sword Bearer Lord Rein, and were therefore treated with great respect.


    This helped both women to quickly form bonds with many noble offspring, and business matters gradually got on the right track.


    ��..


    Three days later.


    Sword Holder Mingster Branch, newcomer building��s lobby.


    The young people who had passed the assessment gathered once more, and standing before them was that familiar middle-aged Great Knight


    He laughed as he spoke, ��First of all, congratulations to you all for passing the selection of the Sword Bearers of the Empire and becoming honorable Imperial Iron Sword Bearers.��


    ��Additionally, Rein from Meister exhibited excellent performance in the preliminary trials and was the only candidate who defeated an Obsidian Giant. Therefore, by the resolution of the Sword Bearer Mingster Branch����


    As he said this, the middle-aged Great Knight paused for a moment, surveying the surroundings, and then continued:


    ��Rein Carlan, exempted from the secondary examination, is appointed directly as Sword Bearer Captain, enjoying the benefits of a Bronze Sword Bearer.��


    The middle-aged Great Knight glanced at Rein in the crowd and marveled inwardly; it had been nearly five or six years since such a scenario had last occurred, right?


    Admiral Edward��s personal endorsement.


    Such is the treatment of a talent!


    He passed both preliminary and secondary exams with just a single hammer blow, and his allowances were also confirmed!


    Initially, the people who had just passed the examination were silent, as if trying to digest what the middle-aged Great Knight had said, but then, as if boiling water, the whole place suddenly erupted into excitement!


    What?


    Exempt from the secondary exam?


    He became a captain just like that?


    Many people��s eyes turned red with envy!


    Rein himself was a little stunned upon hearing this. He hadn��t expected to become a direct admission student.


    After a good while of whispering among themselves, the middle-aged Great Knight finally commanded in a steady voice, ��Silence!��


    ��The Sword Bearer badges that will be distributed shortly are exclusive to each of you. Please take good care of them,�� said the middle-aged Great Knight as he pointed toward the tray that the Attendant was holding, covered with a black cloth, and continued speaking.


    ��The badge is not only your proof of being a Sword Bearer but is also the pass for entering the various departments of the Sword Bearers. If you wish to exchange for special items in the future, you will also need your badge to check and exchange����

 Chapter 552 - 239: Exchange Conditions for Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 552: Chapter 239: Exchange Conditions for Metal Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    ��Once lost, please report the loss immediately.��


    At this moment, the middle-aged Great Knight had an Attendant distribute the Sword Bearer emblems to everyone. Since the back of the emblem had everyone��s name, Rein quickly received his own Sword Bearer emblem.


    However, his Sword Bearer emblem��s color and size were a bit different compared to the others.


    Rein glanced at his peers and noticed that the emblems, including Vinica��s, were made of some kind of dark metal, the size of a Gold Coin, while his own was larger than a coin and also had a faint yellow metallic luster.


    Clearly, this must be because he was entitled to the privileges of a Bronze level Sword Bearer, as the middle-aged Great Knight had mentioned before.


    Different levels, different styles of emblems.


    ...


    After everyone had received their emblems, the middle-aged Great Knight continued, ��Here, I want to emphasize the meaning of the retest and that not everyone is suitable to participate.��


    Upon hearing the latter part of the Great Knight��s words, most of the people present showed puzzled expressions.


    ��Members of the Empire��s Sword Bearers are divided into multiple levels. Just like you are at the Black Iron level, also known as the Reserve, while Rein is at the Bronze level. There are further levels like Silver and Gold, and so on; these are the levels.��


    ��But within the same level, there are two situations. For instance, even at the Bronze level, there are distinctions between a Bronze level Captain and Bronze level team members.�� S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this point, a young man who was envious of Rein immediately raised his hand and asked, ��Instructor Calum, is Rein a Bronze level Captain or a member?��


    Even though the middle-aged Great Knight had already stated that Rein was guaranteed the position of Sword Bearer Captain with Bronze level privileges, there were still people who were discontented and wanted to confirm again.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?�Ϧͨ�?.���


    ��Rein is a Bronze level Captain,�� the Great Knight stated confidently.


    After a second of silence in the hall, it erupted into noise once again!


    ��I��m so envious!��


    ��He��s fast-tracked!��


    ������


    The crowd couldn��t help but frequently glance towards Rein, displaying a mix of expressions, with most revealing envy.


    Rein had gradually become accustomed to people��s stares; his face was calm at this moment, and he had just learned that the name of this middle-aged Great Knight was Calum.


    Calum extended his hands and pressed down twice in midair for silence, then continued,


    ��The difference is that as an ordinary team member, even if you advance to the Silver or even Gold level, you do not have the authority to form a squad or take on squad missions.��


    ��The reason is simple. As a team member, even if you are Silver or Gold level and perhaps very strong in one aspect, if you have a significant weakness, it could easily be exploited by the enemy, leading to your death.��


    ��For example, if you are an excellent archer but encounter a witchcraft like the Fog Spell combined with a surprise attack from an enemy, then it would be difficult to defend against.��


    ��It��s different for a Captain. A Captain signifies someone who has been assessed and recognized by the organization as having very comprehensive abilities, someone who can almost solve problems independently.��


    ��Therefore, this is why most Sword Bearer squads are led by Captains who are either formal Wizards with defensive power or tough Peak Knights.��


    Calum paused for a moment, seemingly allowing the crowd to digest his words, before continuing, ��The retest will take place in one month, on the first day of the Month of a Hundred Flowers.��


    ��During this month, the organization will provide free training for newcomers. The content of the training will be based on your performance in the preliminary tests, and it will also take into account your personal desires.��


    ��In this month, you can consider your own position and whether you wish to participate in the retest.��


    Seemingly to highlight the importance of this training opportunity, Calum paused, then reminded,


    ��The one-month training for newcomers does not require you to spend Merit Points. However, in the future, if you seek guidance from instructors or masters, it will naturally cost a considerable number of Merit Points, or even valuable mission evaluation medals.��


    Calum��s words instantly made many people look serious.


    Clearly, most had understood that this one-month training for the newcomers was essentially a benefit.


    If they didn��t make the most of it to improve themselves within this month, there might not be such a good opportunity later on.


    ��Now, does anyone else have questions?�� Calum swept his gaze around the room.


    ��Instructor Calum, when does our training start?�� Viery, who had previously sparred with Rein, raised his hand to ask.


    ��It starts at two o��clock this afternoon, right here.��


    Seeming to remember something, Calum added,


    ��Oh, one more thing, if any of you were previously employed in the Empire��s functional departments, then your Merit Points are fully transferable.��


    ��Regarding the organization��s special item exchange catalog, each person can only view item details up to two levels above their own authority level. What you just received is Black Iron authority, so at most, you can check item details up to Silver authority.��


    ��Oh, and Rein can check up to Gold authority items.�� Calum smiled as he glanced at Rein, adding another sentence.


    Once again, several people turned their gazes towards Rein��


    Rein couldn��t help but be startled!


    He thought to himself, ��Alright! Your favor, Instructor, has certainly earned me quite a few enemies����


    ��As for the good stuff on the catalog, naturally, there��s everything you could want, rare potions, some special ingredients, and even various Extraordinary Battle Techniques and witchcraft��everything is there. But most exchanges require mission evaluation medals, not just Merit Points.��

 Chapter 553 - 239 Exchange Conditions for Metal-based Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 553: Chapter 239 Exchange Conditions for Metal-based Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Regarding this matter, everyone can slowly get to know each other later,�� Calum said, a slight smile appearing on his face as he caught the eager expressions in the eyes of those around him.


    Hearing this, Rein nodded slightly. Could he finally check the special item exchange catalog?


    He had first heard about the ��Tide Stepper�� being based on the ��Sword Bearer�� structure during a joint mission with the Empire��s South Sea Fleet, and now it seemed not so much an imitation, but an exact replica!


    Even the names were the same��


    ��I currently have bronze level access, and according to what Coleum just said, I can check the details of special item exchanges for Gold Coin level and below.��


    In a moment, he planned to inquire about the exchange requirements for metal-based witchcraft.


    ...


    But he wondered if Gold Coin level access would be sufficient to get that information.


    That was a question!


    ��Dismissed!��


    ��


    Just as Rein was about to leave, Angus and Viery, among others, came over with smiles and said:


    ��Lord Rein, now that we all have our badges and have become official Sword Bearers, how about we have a casual meal together in the private dining room on the second floor?��


    Though Angus was even bigger than Rein and an unmistakable hulk, he was as delicate as could be from his long service in the Imperial Army.


    For a young man as exceptionally talented as Rein, who was ten years his junior, Angus didn��t miss the opportunity to extend his friendship, especially today.


    By his side, Viery also smiled and added, ��Yes, Lord Rein, join us!��


    After a moment of thought, Rein smiled and nodded, saying, ��Sure!��


    Although he had intended to check on the metal-based witchcraft exchange right away, it was almost time for lunch, and the inquiry would probably take a while to complete.


    Besides, these guys had been sparring with him for three days straight��


    With an implicit suggestion, Angus then said to Rein, ��Lord Rein, would you like to invite anyone else?��


    Upon hearing Angus��s words, Rein couldn��t help but show a puzzled expression, but following his gaze, he instantly understood.


    He was referring to Vinica and Evelyn��


    After some thought, Rein sent out invitations to both women.


    The two women gladly accepted, and soon a group of eight arrived at the private dining room in the newcomer building��s restaurant.


    The restaurant offered great food, which could be paid for with Imperial Gold Coins or with Merit Points.


    But since Gold Coins were easier to earn and Merit Points were not that easy to come by, almost no one chose to pay with Merit Points.


    After the pleasantries.


    Angus asked, ��Lord Rein, you are the first among us to have team captain privileges, what kind of team members do you intend to select?�� sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To be honest, Rein had thought about this question but had yet to decide. He simply shook his head and responded:


    ��I haven��t decided yet. What about you?��


    Argus was quite strong, ranking in the top three of this batch, and getting the Sword Bearer team captain privileges after passing the re-examination was practically a given, which was why Rein asked him.


    ��Us?��


    ��The five of us plan to form a squad together when the time comes!�� Argus laughed as he said this.


    Upon hearing this, Rein was taken aback!


    Meanwhile, the two women beside him, Vinica and Evelyn, also paused their eating, and suddenly, two pairs of beautiful eyes turned towards the big, burly young men.


    Shock, confusion, and incomprehension were evident in those beautiful eyes��


    A squad led by a Great Knight with four Peak Knights?


    What kind of odd squad was this?


    Rein couldn��t help but mutter softly, ��This is purely a meat cleaver team����


    ��Hm? Lord Rein, what did you say?�� Viery asked in confusion.


    ��Oh! I said I plan to invite these two lovely ladies here to join my team,�� he clarified.


    This caused Vinica and Evelyn to turn their heads towards Rein immediately.


    ��Of course, it��s my honor, Lord Rein,�� the redheaded beauty Evelyn immediately stated with a beaming smile.


    Almost at the same time, Vinica nodded, her bouncing twin ponytails expressing her eagerness to join.


    In fact, Rein had also thought about inviting the two women to join the squad that was about to be formed.


    Because for him, he could serve as the entire squad��s spear, shield, or even as the master archer.


    Put simply, with his Weapon Master (Legendary) class panel, he could take on any role that involved physical attacks in the squad.


    So, the best matches for him would naturally be third-level Wizard Apprentices, who could make up for his lack of witchcraft capabilities.


    And Vinica, being a water-based Wizard specializing in bird transformations, was naturally no issue.


    Even though Evelyn was dual-trained, her senior knight abilities didn��t count for much among the Sword Bearers; her success in the Obsidian Giant test relied mainly on her fire-based witchcraft ��Flame Acceleration,�� making her more of a Wizard Apprentice.


    This time, Angus and the others were stunned, staring at Rein with wide eyes.


    Tsk, being strong really does have its perks!


    Rein was planning to embrace both work and pleasure��


    And the fact that both attractive and capable girls had agreed!


    This�� envy is inevitable!


    Suddenly, they felt a sense of loss!


    Because they realized their brusque squad couldn��t compare to Rein��s��


    Moreover, he had not just one, but two types of allure��


    ��Um�� Lord Rein, are you going to have just three people in your squad?�� A recovered Viery couldn��t help but ask.

 Chapter 554 - 239: Exchange Conditions for Metal-based Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 554: Chapter 239: Exchange Conditions for Metal-based Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��Hmm? Are there any restrictions or requirements on the number of people in a squad?�� Reine was truly unfamiliar with this aspect, and according to what Calum had said, the general knowledge courses wouldn��t start until tomorrow morning at the earliest.


    ��Eh? Lord Reine hasn��t looked into it yet? Then let me give a brief introduction,�� Viery and Angus exchanged glances before Angus spoke.


    ��Typically, Sword Bearer squads consist of three to five members. This number has been tried and tested: having more members reduces the number of Medals of Task Evaluation and Merit Points each person receives, and having too few compromises the squad��s combat effectiveness.��


    ��Moreover, the tasks a squad can take on depends on the captain��s authority, the higher the authority of the captain, the more tasks they can undertake.��


    ��Plus, the promotion system is based on the rule of threes; just like you, Lord Reine, are a Bronze-level captain currently, you��ll be able to advance to the Silver level once you��ve earned three Bronze Medals, thus allowing you to take on Silver-level tasks, and so on��.��


    Angus��s explanation was quite detailed, and Reine nodded repeatedly as he listened.


    ...


    ��.


    After lunch, Reine returned to his room to tidy up a bit before heading to the Item Exchange Hall.


    The newcomer building that Reine had been staying in these past few days was located to the left of the imposing building that one saw right at the entrance of the Sword Bearers Branch.


    Since one couldn��t move around freely within the Sword Bearers Branch without a badge, this was the first time Reine walked towards the inside of the branch.


    This time, after the guards checked Reine��s badge, they promptly let him pass.


    Reine first passed through a long white corridor, and at the end of the corridor, an arrow-shaped sign appeared before him, indicating three directions.


    Straight ahead was the Task Hall, left turn for the training field and restrooms, and right turn for the Item Exchange Hall.


    Following the signs, Reine turned right and walked a bit further, arriving for the first time at the Sword Bearers Branch��s special item exchange hall.


    This was a separate three-story building with a facade of white striped stone blocks that matched the architectural style and colors of the entire branch, majestic and grand.


    After entering, Reine discovered that the ceiling was over six meters high, seemingly with the first and second floors combined, very spacious, similar to the certification halls from his previous life.


    Inside, four or five uniformed young girls were at the counters, assisting many people with their item exchanges.


    However, seemingly out of a need for confidentiality, each counter had a partition and served only one person at a time, and anyone else who needed assistance had to wait on seats ten meters back for a while.


    It wasn��t long before it was Reine��s turn.


    Once he stepped inside the partition, Reine noticed a black slab on the table��about thirty to forty centimeters square��continuously emitting witchcraft luminescence. It seemed to have a specific sorcery pattern fixed into it.


    The young girl stood up, bowed, and said:


    ��Hello, may I know how I can assist you, sir?��


    ��I would like to inquire about Metal Sorcery.�� replied Reine.


    ��Of course, sir. Could you please present your badge?��


    Reine nodded and handed over his freshly minted Bronze badge.


    The girl took a glance at it, placed the badge into a specially designed recess, and soon white text appeared on the black slab in front of Reine.


    Reine raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised by the magical effect.


    A stone tablet display?


    Could it be a touchscreen too?


    ��Lord Reine, you currently have Bronze-level access, which allows you to view the catalog of items exchangeable up to the Gold level.��


    ��Did you just mention Metal Sorcery that you wish to look up?��


    ��Alright, please wait a moment,�� said the girl as she quickly flipped through a thick catalog.


    After a short while, the girl��s eyes brightened as she spoke, ��Sir, I found it. The Metal Sorcery available to you within the Gold level and below is only one kind, named the ��Metal Morphing Spell.��


    Reine lifted his eyebrows in pleasant surprise. After a moment��s thought, he asked, ��Could you show me the related information? Like the sorcery description and the exchange cost, etc.��


    ��Certainly, Lord Reine. I have now displayed the effects of the ��Metal Morphing Spell�� on the Wisdom Stone tablet for you to see.��


    After the girl spoke, lines of white text suddenly updated on the black stone tablet in front of Reine:


    ��Metal Morphing Spell: A first-level witchcraft that consumes a certain amount of spiritual power, altering the shape of metal the Caster touches using a specific witchcraft model.��


    ��Exchange Price: 1 Gold Medal plus 5500 Merit Points.��


    ��Source: Provided by the Bixu Construct School.��


    Reine looked at the text thoughtfully without saying a word.


    Metal Morphing Spell, huh?


    If one could control the transformation of metal, wouldn��t that mean one could turn a Warhammer into a greatsword, or even a battle bow?


    After a moment of contemplation, Reine couldn��t help feeling elated!


    Based on the description of this Transformation Magic, once he learned it, it meant he would no longer need to carry multiple weapons.


    After all, he did not have three heads and six arms, and it was impossible to use a Dual-Handed Greatsword and a Two-Handed Warhammer along with other weapons all at once.


    During battle, carrying only one weapon, such as the heaviest Two-Handed Warhammer, would suffice. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Carrying only the weight of one weapon, in total, would effectively halve the overall burden, if not more.


    Thus, his stamina expenditure would be significantly reduced, and more importantly, there would be a notable increase in his speed. Overall, the implications were tremendous!


    However��.


    Something occurred to Reine, and his expression changed suddenly. ��May I see the Sorcery Scroll of this Metal Morphing Spell?�� he asked.

 Chapter 555 - 239: Exchange Conditions for Metal-based Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 555: Chapter 239: Exchange Conditions for Metal-based Witchcraft (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��I��m sorry, my lord, but according to the rules, it��s forbidden,�� the young girl said apologetically.


    Rein nodded.


    He had just thought of another problem. From a blacksmithing perspective, the crafting processes for edged and blunt weapons are different. One of the most significant differences is that edged weapons generally have to be quenched multiple times to strengthen the surface.


    The manufacturing process for blunt weapons, however, is different.


    So, in that case, even if Witchcraft��s ��Metal Morphing Spell�� could transform a Warhammer into a greatsword, would the sharpness of the greatsword be affected?


    Looking at it this way, perhaps he would have to find some special metal in the future that did not require the quenching process so that he could switch between blunt and sharp weapons.


    ...


    However, the specifics would only become clear after he acquired the Witchcraft.


    The exchange price is one golden medal plus 5500 Merit Points?


    ��Right, could you help me check how many Merit Points I have now?�� asked Rein again.


    Because Rein had heard from Calum in the morning that if one had previously served in an official department, the Merit Points would be transferable, and fortunately, this was always true for Rein.


    ��Of course, please wait a moment,�� she said.


    Soon the young girl reported a number: ��2736 points!��


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?�Ϧ�?0.?0


    ��Huh?�� Rein was taken aback, the number was much higher than he had anticipated.


    ��My lord, you have a record of collaborative combat with the Imperial Navy recently, which includes two deposits of Merit Points,�� the girl offered, seeing the puzzlement in Rein��s heart.


    Rein nodded.


    Indeed, the Imperial Navy was reliable, but�� it��s possible that most of the credit goes to Major Marika.


    ��Thank you, I have no further questions.��


    ��You are welcome, my lord,�� the girl said, rising again to bow as she saw Rein off.


    Checking the time, Rein headed for the newcomer building��s hall.


    He was short on Merit Points, but the bigger problem was the mission evaluation medals.


    He would have to find time in the next few days to go to the mission hall to see if he should take on a few Bronze-level missions first.


    ��


    Two o��clock in the afternoon.


    Sword Holder Mingster Branch, newcomer building hall.


    Rein found that in addition to Calum, there were six or seven middle-aged people with steady auras who had come to the hall that afternoon. Some wore Knight Armor, some held short staves and wore Wizard robes, and others were dressed as Archers, etc.


    Even with Rein��s spiritual power, he couldn��t judge the strength of these individuals at the moment, but clearly, they were to be their mentors for the special training, each boasting considerable might.


    When everyone had arrived, Calum looked around and said, ��When your name is called, step forward.��


    ��Firstly, the individuals under the instruction of Mentor Kurman, Rein, Jonas��.�� S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing his name, Rein immediately stepped out from the crowd and, directed by an Attendant, approached a robust man in Knight platemail who was carrying a Two-Handed Warhammer.


    The Warhammer-wielding man was looking through a stack of papers, carefully scrutinizing them, and the first one seemed to be Rein��s report. With a puzzled look, he raised his head to size up Rein and asked, ��You are Rein?��


    ��Yes, Mentor Kurman,�� Rein nodded and said.


    ��Hmm, your report states that you were rated ��excellent�� in all aspects during your preliminary trial assessment. None of the five examiners offered any suggestions on which areas you needed to improve, which makes it difficult for me to judge,�� Kurman stated earnestly.


    ��So, I need to spar with you, and then we��ll see�� which area you might need to enhance further?�� Kurman suggested seriously.


    So that was it, the request seemed reasonable��


    Immediately, Rein nodded straightforwardly and said, ��Of course!��

 Chapter 556 - 240 Not Enough Merit Points (Two in One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 556: Chapter 240 Not Enough Merit Points (Two in One Mega Chapter)


    The bystanders, seeing Rein being called over by Instructor Kurman, had long been all ears.


    Now, hearing that the instructor wanted to spar with Rein, they were immediately excited!


    At the moment, Rein, who was about to follow Kurman, heard a voice coming from nearby. It seemed to be another instructor��s evaluation of Evelyn, who was holding some documents and reading softly:


    ��Eveline Norman, below average in Strength, average in speed, above average in fire witchcraft, average in Knight Combat Skill, average in combat reaction, and above average in combat decision-making.��


    ��Hmm, the examiner��s evaluation and recommendation for you is that you have certain independent combat capabilities and are suggested to serve as an attacker in a Sword Bearer squad, with an overall potential assessed as average.��


    ��Of course, this is merely based on your performance during the preliminary assessment; the organization fully respects each individual��s will.��


    ...


    ��The relevant training content and recommended mentor(s) are as follows����


    Rein immediately understood.


    This was what a normal evaluation report looked like.


    His own report, on the other hand, was an exception��


    As Rein followed Kurman into a small training room, the hall��s newcomers looked disappointed.


    They went into a small room?


    There went their chance for a feast for the eyes!


    Some were looking forward to Rein being properly dealt with by Instructor Kurman. Now, they were still tiptoeing and peering into the training room, but unfortunately, the door was closed��


    Inside the small training room.


    Rein and Kurman stood in the center of the area.


    Only now did Rein have the chance to take a good look at Kurman, the Warhammer instructor. The man��s skin was somewhat brown, whether from being tanned or it was his natural skin tone weren��t clear, and his body was incredibly muscular��a physique that looked as tough as a lump of iron.


    He was half a head taller than Rein, standing at around two meters and a bit.


    Another thing was the Two-Handed Warhammer he carried on his back, approximately one and a half meters in length, silvery-gray, and appearing not to be made from a single metal but rather a mix, clearly quite heavy at first glance.


    ��I heard two days ago that someone in this batch��s preliminary assessments knocked down an Obsidian Giant with a single hammer strike. Today, I��ve finally met the person.�� Kurman said with a grin.


    ��In the upcoming bout, I��ll gradually increase my Strength and speed, whereas you, Rein, should go all out without worrying about injuring me. You managed to defeat an Obsidian Giant, so in my eyes, you are already on par with me, I won��t take you lightly,�� Kurman said with a serious expression.


    ��Alright, then I��ll be counting on Instructor Kurman��s guidance,�� Rein said, bowing slightly.


    The next second, ��Swoosh!��


    The two figures both dashed and collided rapidly.


    ��Clang!!!��


    As their Warhammers crossed for the first time, an ear-piercing clashing of metal sounded!


    Rein��s hands immediately felt numb.


    From this exchange, Rein had gauged the strength of Instructor Kurman, who was most likely a Peak Knight.


    Although this was just a test, Rein didn��t intend to go easy nor cheat. Instead, with a determined look in his eyes, he chose to take this seriously to accurately determine his deficiencies and facilitate future improvement.


    ��Clang! Clang!��


    Soon, Rein found that the following second blow was stronger than the first, and as soon as the second blow concluded, the third followed swiftly; Kurman��s Warhammer attacks were relentless!


    Moreover, just like he said at the beginning, the Strength and speed of each of Kurman��s strikes were increasing with each blow!


    This put a considerable pressure on Rein!


    He quickly reached the limit of his physical condition.


    ��Breakthrough!��


    As Rein activated his ��Breakthrough,�� his speed and Strength surged, but Kurman��s response was incredibly fast, and after another clash, he also immediately increased his power and speed to match Rein��s activated state!


    Thus, the fight went back to the previous state, and Kurman continued to increment the Strength and speed of each hit.


    This made Rein��s eyes narrow.


    Such formidable strength!


    Before the fight, Kurman had told Rein not to hold back, so it wasn��t long before Rein activated his talent ��Intermediate Giant Force.��


    ��Huge Strength!��


    As Rein��s muscles bulged and swelled, he suddenly stood half a head taller than Kurman, and for the first time, a look of surprise appeared on Kurman��s emotionless face!


    ��Clang!��


    For the first time, Rein forced Kurman to retreat several steps!


    In an instant, Kurman��s figure also ballooned, and he solidly caught the second strike that followed closely from Rein.


    This was the first time Rein encountered someone who could withstand his full-power attack head-on.


    ��Clang! Clang!��


    The sound of their collision was deafening!


    Even in the hall, the sound of their weapons clashing was clearly audible, and many turned their heads in regret, as if to say it was a pity that they couldn��t witness the exchange between Rein and Instructor Kurman.


    Suddenly!


    A sound akin to a buzzing bee rang out from the training room, followed by a thunderous boom!


    This caused several instructors to show surprise on their faces.


    Had they resorted to secret techniques already?


    Is this newcomer really that strong? Kurman might have met his match this time!


    Could Kurman have been defeated by the newcomer? That would be embarrassing��


    At that moment, the door to the small training room suddenly opened. Though Kurman and Rein were both drenched in sweat, they emerged with smiles on their faces. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, a few observant instructors noticed that Kurman, who had his hands behind his back, seemed to have them still trembling slightly.

 Chapter 557 - 240 Not Enough Merit Points (Two-in-One Large Chapter)_2

    Chapter 557: Chapter 240 Not Enough Merit Points (Two-in-One Large Chapter)_2


    This inevitably brought a faint smile to their faces��


    Hehe! This is a case of the brash encountering someone even brasher!


    ��


    In the recent battle, Rein had not opted for adding points to replenish his energy; otherwise, even Kurman, the Peak Knight, would have eventually been worn down to exhaustion by Rein��s persistence.


    Rein was very clear about the purpose of this battle: it was for Kurman to provide advice and suggestions from the perspective of an instructor, not to achieve victory by unfair means.


    Although Rein didn��t win, he felt that this fight had been more engrossing and exhilarating than when he defeated the Obsidian giant with a single hammer blow.


    ...


    At the same time, the experience points awarded by the system were not insignificant:


    [Your Skill, Tokkal Hammer Technique, has gained improvement, experience +671]


    (Note: The above Skill experience has enjoyed a 30% increase due to the exclusive talent ��Elementary Extraordinary Understanding��.)


    [You have been through a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) experience +198]


    ��


    After the two returned to the hall, Kurman said, ��Rein, I understand your situation now. Let me share my advice with you.��


    ��In terms of combat skills with the Hammer Skill, it can be said that you are not much different from me, and there is little I can teach you.��


    ��If you wish to further improve your Hammer Skill, you will need to ponder on your own and, on the other hand, seek out a master who specializes in Hammer Skill. It��s hard to imagine that at your age, you have managed to master the Hammer Skill to such an extent.��


    Here, Kurman hesitated for a moment before continuing:


    ��However, it seems that the development of your physical attributes in some areas is still weak.��


    ��Given your strength talent, you can be stronger, which I assume is due to both your breathing technique not being very advanced, and your lack of years in practising it.��


    Rein looked at Kurman in surprise, silently praising the Sword Bearer instructors for their discernment.


    This also confirmed what Angus had mentioned during lunch; the Sword Bearer instructors were not the strongest group in the division, but most of them had rich teaching experience.


    Himself having practised his breathing technique for less than a year in total, compared to the other knights who began at the age of ten, that was a difference of around seven or eight years. And the development of the body through the breathing technique was not something that could be achieved overnight; it was the result of cumulative effort over time.


    Hence the current situation.


    Otherwise, with his level 14 Giant Bear Breathing Technique, if the attributes were not enhanced by adding points but through normal practice, his attributes would be even stronger.


    However�� for others, this would seem like a big problem.


    But not for himself.


    This was something he could compensate for, after all, he still had as many as 12 unused attribute points left!


    ��For this, my recommendation is to use certain specific drugs during regular training to enhance yourself, and secondly, you need to undergo physical conditioning training,�� Kurman quickly put forward his suggestion.


    ��Specific drugs? Like refined Kuroki oil and the like?�� Rein couldn��t help but ask.


    Kurman immediately shook his head but then seemed to make a connection and looked at Rein with bright eyes, saying, ��Eh? You��re practicing the Giant Bear Breathing Technique? No wonder it felt familiar to me just now.��


    However, after taking a closer look at Rein again, Kurman said, ��No, that��s not right, it must have been modified!��


    ��What a pity! The Giant Bear Breathing Technique you practice is merely a routine technique in terms of quality, and even though it has been modified, it just barely reaches an excellent level.��


    ��It definitely won��t match some of the superior breathing techniques in terms of developing your body��s potential. It��s such a waste of your great talent!�� Kurman observed, shaking his head slightly.


    Rein did not argue when he heard Kurman put it that way; instead, he silently thought to himself that he could add points, so it wasn��t a waste�� S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Besides, another question occurred to him. Right, why not change the breathing technique?


    After thinking it over, Rein still decided to ask: ��Instructor Kurman, is it not possible to switch to a different breathing technique?��


    Kurman looked at Rein with a strange expression, as if to say, ��how could you ask such a question?��


    But Kurman didn��t keep him in suspense, quickly explaining, ��Given that you��ve practiced your Giant Bear Breathing Technique from beginner to proficient level, it must have taken many years. Switching to a higher-level breathing technique means starting from scratch, letting your body readjust to this change.��


    ��During the long adjustment period of several years, the development of your physical abilities would almost come to a halt, and there��s a high likelihood that your strength would remain stagnant.��


    Upon hearing this, Rein understood Kurman��s point.


    Normally, a knight adjusting their breathing technique is a lengthy process, and even with a high-level technique at hand, starting over would take a lot of time and effort.


    Therefore, under normal circumstances, if the quality of a breathing technique is only one level lower, few knights would choose to make the change.


    However�� this might not apply to him��


    His own Giant Bear Breathing Technique had been practiced for just one year at most, right?


    More importantly, due to the system��s integration function, which would merge similar combat skills together and improve them, it was like the previous basic archery and Blood Fury Archery.


    That is to say, not only does he not face a lengthy adjustment period for the breathing technique, but he could also quickly master the improved high-level breathing technique.

 Chapter 558 - 240 Not Enough Merit Points (Two in One Big Chapter)_3

    Chapter 558: Chapter 240 Not Enough Merit Points (Two in One Big Chapter)_3


    With that said, it seems I can check out the exchange hall next time to see the conditions for exchanging advanced breathing techniques.


    Of course, this is his secret alone.


    So after listening to Kurman��s explanation, Rein just nodded his head and didn��t ask any further questions.


    Seeing that Rein remained silent, Kurman thought that Rein might be feeling somewhat downhearted.


    ��Your improved Giant Bear Breathing Technique isn��t bad and should suffice, but there are other ways to enhance combat power aside from advanced breathing methods,�� encouraged Kurman as he patted Rein��s shoulder.


    ��Rein, think about it from another angle. If you have enough strength, enough speed! With one hammer strike, who could resist?�� Kurman made a hammer-swinging gesture with his right hand and spoke spiritedly.


    ...


    Rein nodded and began to smile as well.


    Indeed.


    Ferocious beasts possess formidable combat power because either their strength is immense or their speed is swift!


    It��s not as if ferocious beasts practice breathing techniques��


    ��That��s why I just mentioned that I suggest you take potions in your next phase of training.��


    ��For example, a potent strength potion, an auxiliary potion for a Great Knight��s training, which will gradually improve the user��s strength over the half-month after consumption. The extent of the increase varies from person to person, usually about five to ten percent.��


    ��Besides that, there are also potent agility potions, potent constitution potions, and so on.��


    ��Of course, after taking these potions, you��ll need to wait a certain period before you can take them again, and their effectiveness will decrease as your body builds up a tolerance,�� Kurman reminded.


    Potent strength potion?


    Rein couldn��t help but think back to the potion list he saw at the Meister��s military supply shop, which included ��strength potions�� with similar effects, but only effective for knights.


    This potent strength potion is effective even for a Great Knight, making it naturally more precious.


    ��Thank you for the guidance, Instructor Kurman,�� Rein said, bowing slightly.


    At this moment, Kurman glanced around and whispered to Rein:


    ��By the way, right next to our Sword Bearers Branch is the Mingster Province branch of the Royal Alchemist Association.��


    ��If you have an acquaintance, you could directly use Gold Coins to purchase from them, so you don��t need to spend Merit Points in the exchange hall.��


    Hm?


    Rein raised an eyebrow and looked at Kurman in surprise.


    Nice one!


    Instructor, are you sure you should be saying this?


    Seeming to understand Rein��s gaze, Kurman coughed once and said solemnly, ��Cough�� it��s a well-known secret, and there��s no harm in taking advantage of a loophole.��


    ��Thank you, Instructor!�� Rein said sincerely.


    Who would have thought that Instructor Kurman, tough as a brute bull, would be so delicately thoughtful?


    Whoever said ��well built, simple-minded��?


    Clearly, it should be ��well built, also well minded��! sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, the Mingster Province branch of the Royal Alchemist Association?


    That��s the gathering place for most of the potion masters in the entire Mingster Province.


    Is it possible that I might find my subsequent class, Deadly Poison Master, there?


    As Rein��s mind wandered, Kurman pointed at the greatsword on Rein��s back and said:


    ��Hmm! Right, Rein, let me remind you, if you choose the Dual-Handed Greatsword as a secondary weapon, I personally think it��s not suitable.


    ��It��s too heavy and will significantly reduce your movement speed.��


    ��Rein, what other weapons are you good at?��


    This��


    Rein looked at Kurman, unsure of how to respond for a moment.


    After all, he��s proficient with quite a few weapons��


    However, he quickly thought of a topic to divert the conversation.


    Kurman had just mentioned potions but not the second point about physical conditioning training.


    ��By the way, Instructor Kurman, what did you mean by physical conditioning training just now?��


    ��Indeed, I forgot to tell you about it. Actually, your general knowledge classes starting from tomorrow will also cover this subject.


    ��For example, the ��Rapid Waters Room,�� the ��Quicksand Hall,�� the ��Mud Swamp Room,�� and so on, are all places where you can undergo physical conditioning training. I suggest you start with the Rapid Waters Room and progress gradually.��


    ��Rapid Waters Room,�� ��Quicksand Hall,�� ��Mud Swamp Room��?


    I recognize each word, but together, why does it sound a bit confusing?


    ��Haha, these three places all use witchcraft to conduct strength training. The Rapid Waters Room involves improving physical constitution by resisting the impact of rushing water.��


    ��Specifically, Rein, you can try it yourself first. However, training in these places will consume Merit Points,�� Kurman said with a smile.


    Merit Points again?


    At this thought, Rein suddenly felt that his 2736 Merit Points were probably not going to last very long��


    ��


    After the afternoon classes ended, it was already late, and Rein decided to visit the exchange hall the next day.


    Although in the end, Marcus meant that for this special training, Rein could decide whether or not to participate.


    But Rein thought it over and felt it was necessary to attend.


    For instance, today, he had learned a lot.


    Returning to his room in the evening, Rein thought deeply to himself.


    ��Tomorrow I need to visit the exchange hall again, to check the exchange price for the potent strength potion and other potions Marcus mentioned����


    ��Also, I need to learn about the cost for the Rapid Waters Room����


    Suddenly, Rein remembered something even more important.

 Chapter 559 - 240 Insufficient Merit Points (Combined Double Chapter)_4

    Chapter 559: Chapter 240 Insufficient Merit Points (Combined Double Chapter)_4


    Previously, he had thought about joining the empire��s Sword Bearers and then looking for witchcraft related to metals.


    But the problem was, he had not yet been promoted to a full Wizard.


    ��Almost forgot, tomorrow I need to check the exchange conditions for the Vaporizing Agent����


    ��And the defensive models of first-tier witchcraft�� they must be of the Fire Element.��


    ��After all, ��Metal Morphing Spell�� sounds like it��s not a defensive type of witchcraft����


    Rein still remembered that Naya, who had Magician��s bloodline, had once tested his elemental affinity for him; his affinity for the Fire Element was 71, and for the metal element, it was 72.


    ...


    Clearly, these two types of witchcraft were his first choices.


    However�� just thinking about all the things he needed to exchange made Rein frown.


    There were too many good things he wanted, but not enough ��money�� to spend!


    ��No, I must go to the mission hall tomorrow.��


    ��Increase revenue and reduce expenditure, with emphasis on the former!��


    ��


    The next morning, the special training scheduled was a general knowledge class.


    However, what Rein had not expected was that the instructor for their first general knowledge class turned out to be the incredibly strong Marcus.


    This once again proved that individuals with well-developed limbs also had complex minds��


    ��Today, I��ll tell you all why most of the empire��s special units operate in small teams for tasks,�� Marcus��s robust voice echoed in the hall.


    ��This is partly due to historical origins, and of course, there are also practical combat considerations. In ancient times, humans centered around Transcendent individuals to form hunting teams to hunt beasts����


    ��For example, the most common Transcendent individuals within the empire��Knights, often have multiple Knight Attendants around one formal Knight to form a combat team, forming the foundation of the empire��s security����


    Previously, Rein had wondered why the Sword Bearers adopted the team format.


    After listening to Marcus��s explanation, Rein��s speculation was confirmed.


    The Sword Bearers�� teams were essentially assisting each member, with the team leader as the core of combat and defense.


    This model was very similar to the empire��s oldest model of building a combat core around Knights; thus, it had evolved slowly.


    ��Next, I��ll talk about some common knowledge regarding task acceptance�� each person can only accept tasks one level above or below their own rank. For you, at the Black Iron rank, the highest you can accept are Bronze tasks,��


    ��And when you reach the Silver rank, you can accept tasks at the Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels, but note that accepting tasks below your own rank will result in a discounted reward.��


    ��On the other hand, accepting tasks above your own rank, if completed, will yield extra rewards. However, if you fail, a certain number of Merit Points will be deducted,�� continued Marcus.


    Oh?


    Rein raised an eyebrow and listened intently.


    He was just planning to walk around the mission hall today, and here Marcus began discussing related topics.


    ��The internal task levels of Sword Bearers start from Bronze����


    ��Tasks can be categorized into designated tasks and non-designated tasks�� designated tasks offer rich rewards����


    ��The promotion rule is the three-tier system; if you are at the Bronze level, then earning three Bronze medals will promote you to the Silver level, and so on����


    ��Team tasks can only be accepted by the team leader, a fact already known to you all���� Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Task evaluation medals, when exchanged, can be split but cannot be upgraded. That is, for example, a Gold medal can be exchanged for three Silver medals, but not the other way around.��


    ��


    Rein nodded repeatedly.


    As the only newcomer currently able to accept tasks, he listened very carefully.


    Not exchangeable upwards?


    Right!


    Otherwise, the experts would merely farm lower-tier tasks and then exchange for higher-tier medals, causing the higher-tier tasks to lack participants, while the newcomers would have no tasks available at all.


    ��Finally, let me talk about loans���� Marcus drank some water before continuing.


    Loans?


    The listeners all appeared startled!


    Rein was no exception.


    ��You��ve just joined the Sword Bearers, and some who weren��t previously employed in any imperial functional department probably don��t have any Merit Points, but many trainings, facilities, and potions, etc., within the division use Merit Points����


    ��The organization has considered this situation and has arranged for loan measures.��


    ��Depending on your potential and effort, you can consume in advance and then return the borrowed Merit Points over a set period through completing tasks.��


    So, it could work like this?


    Rein��s eyes widened!


    Then, based on his potential, ��loaning�� to purchase defensive first-tier witchcraft, Metal Morphing Spells, Vaporizing Agents, and potent Strength potions��


    Shouldn��t be too much, right?

 Chapter 560 - 241: Special Approval (2-in-1 Large Chapter)

    Chapter 560: Chapter 241: Special Approval (2-in-1 Large Chapter)


    ��Any other questions?�� Instructor Kurman glanced at the time, intending to end the class.


    &#��Instructor, you mentioned a loan earlier; which department should we go to if we want to apply for one?�� a young man asked, raising his hand.


    His question reflected the concerns of many.


    After all, even those previously employed in the imperial administrative departments might not have accumulated many Merit Points.


    Money is always tight, isn��t it?


    ��The place is on the first floor of the administrative building in the Empowerment Enhancement Department. As for the specific amounts, they vary according to each individual��s potential and situation; you can go there and inquire��.��


    ...


    ��Okay, thank you, Instructor.��


    Empowerment Enhancement Department?


    The name sounded quite appealing.


    Just wondered if the interest rates were high�� Rein thought to himself.


    However, after Kurman��s first general knowledge class, Rein did not immediately head to the so-called Empowerment Enhancement Department��essentially the loan department. Instead, he returned to the Sword Bearers Branch��s exchange hall.


    ��Hello, sir, how may I assist you?�� A charming female clerk greeted Rein as he approached, getting up and bowing.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0��?0.���


    ��Please check the price of a potent Strength potion for me.�� This time, having learned from experience, Rein handed over his bronze badge even before the young lady could say anything.


    ��Yes, sir. Please wait a moment.�� The female clerk respectfully took it with both hands.


    ��Hmm!��


    ��I��ve found it, sir, the exchange price is 150 Merit Points.�� The girl quickly flipped through a thick book and crisply reported.


    ��Hmm, what about the potent Constitution potion and the potent Agility potion?��


    ��Please wait a moment, I��ll check for you right now.��


    ��I��ve found them, sir. Please look at the wisdom tablet.�� Since Rein inquired about several items, the girl displayed the relevant information directly on the black stone tablet in front of him.


    On the black stone tablet appeared several lines of small white text:


    ��Potent Constitution Potion: A training aid potion, which after consumption for half a month, will enhance the consumer��s Constitution to some extent, varying by individual, generally about ten percent. Exchange price: 180 Merit Points per bottle.


    (Note: Produced by the Royal Alchemist Association��s Mingster Province Branch; guaranteed high quality.)��


    ��Potent Agility Potion: A training aid potion, which after consumption for half a month, will enhance the consumer��s Agility to some extent, varying by individual, generally about ten percent. Exchange price: 160 Merit Points per bottle.


    (Note: Produced by the Royal Alchemist Association��s Mingster Province Branch; guaranteed high quality.)��


    ��


    Guaranteed high quality, huh?


    But the prices are really not cheap��.


    ��Sir, which one would you like to exchange?�� the girl asked.


    ��Not in a rush, by the way, I wanted to ask, how much is the fee for using the Torrent Room?�� Rein waved his hand, asking further.


    This time he mainly came to check the prices, not necessarily to exchange urgently, since he believed in spending his Merit Points wisely, and they weren��t just blown in by the wind.


    ��Are you referring to the Torrent Room used for training? It is charged by the hour, and you should check with the training area��s Torrent Room for specific fees, but according to past rules����


    ��The Torrent Room usage fee is 5 Merit Points per hour, and the fee for the advanced Torrent Room is 15 Merit Points per hour.�� The girl looked up the information on a nearby piece of paper, answering Rein��s question enthusiastically.


    After all, this information was common knowledge within the Sword Bearers Branch, and the relevant rules were easy to find.


    ��Thank you. Also, I wanted to ask about the price for exchanging a Mist Compound?�� Rein nodded.


    ��Huh? Sir, are you asking about the Mist Compound?�� The girl looked at Rein with some surprise in her wide eyes.


    From his stature and build, this young sir was clearly a powerful Knight, hardly the sort to look like a Wizard Apprentice aiming for promotion.


    Through frequent exposure, the girl certainly knew what the Mist Compound was used for.


    ��Yes.��


    ��Alright, sir.�� The girl smiled sweetly.


    ��Sir, the exchange price is 1 golden medal plus 2000 Merit Points.��


    Upon hearing this, Rein immediately furrowed his brows.


    Really expensive��.


    ��What about the fire type, defensive level-one witchcraft?��


    ��According to your credentials, I found two items, sir. Please look at the wisdom tablet.�� After saying this, the information refreshed on the black stone tablet in front of Rein with several more lines of white text:


    ��Resistance Fire Ring: Level-one witchcraft, consumes a certain amount of spiritual power, uses a specific witchcraft model to manipulate surrounding fire energy particles, enshrouding the Caster in a fiery ring. When attacked, the ring ejects flames outward, knocking back enemies. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Exchange price: 2 golden medals plus 4500 Merit Points.


    Source: Provided by the Seth School.��


    ��Flame Shield: Level-one witchcraft, consumes a certain amount of spiritual power, uses a specific witchcraft model to manipulate surrounding fire energy particles, encircling the Caster with three constantly spinning flame shields. The Flame Shield provides good defense against both physical and energy attacks.


    Exchange price: 2 golden medals plus 4000 Merit Points.


    Source: Provided by the Charles School.��


    Rein carefully reviewed the two items listed.


    However, his current focus was on the exchange prices.


    Yes, they were mostly the same price; he couldn��t escape the two golden medals.


    So, including the Mist Compound, that would require at least three golden medals.


    If he also factored in the Metal Morphing Spell he had always wanted, that would make four golden medals��.

 Chapter 561 - 241: Special Approval (2-in-1 Large Chapter) _2

    Chapter 561: Chapter 241: Special Approval (2-in-1 Large Chapter) _2


    The key issue was that he didn��t even have a single bronze medal yet!


    Moreover, this was without considering the need for a large number of Merit Points when making exchanges.


    Clearly, this was not an amount that could be achieved in the short term unless he took out a loan!


    ��Okay, thank you.��


    ��At your service, my lord,�� the young female clerk said as she rose and bowed again.


    Rein did not exchange anything and quickly stood up and left.


    ...


    ��.


    A few minutes later, he arrived at the administrative building.


    If he could secure a loan for enough medals and Merit Points, Rein naturally opted to first enhance his strength through a loan, as far as the interest was concerned, he could accept it as long as it wasn��t too exaggerated.


    The empowerment department was located on the first floor of the administrative building, easy to find.


    Rein quickly found his destination, the office of the ��Empowerment Department,�� as indicated by the door plate.


    However, when Rein arrived, he found the door open, with voices faintly audible inside.


    As he entered the room, Rein saw that there were already several newcomers from this batch of Sword Bearers inquiring inside, including two figures he knew well.


    Upon hearing footsteps from behind, a few people couldn��t help but turn their heads to look.


    ��Oh? Rein, what brings you���� the redhead Evelyn exclaimed in surprise when she saw Rein at the door.


    Evelyn and Rein were old friends.


    She naturally knew that Rein had been employed in an imperial department before and shouldn��t be lacking in Merit Points in the near future.


    ��Lord Rein, what brings you here?�� Viery, who was inquiring at the time, quickly stood up and greeted him with a smile. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other newcomers also stood up, smiling broadly.


    After all, the impression Rein had left on these newcomers was too profound; the elegance of that hammer strike still lingered in their minds, indelible.


    Rein nodded to them and smiled slightly.


    He hadn��t really expected Evelyn and Viery to be here as well.


    ��Lord Rein, why don��t you go first,�� Viery said enthusiastically, always admiring Rein��s strength despite his young age.


    The other newcomers naturally had no objections.


    This put the freckled young female clerk who was processing Viery��s inquiry on edge.


    She didn��t understand why this considerably younger-looking youth would command such respect from several Sword Bearers.


    Rein waved his hand and said with a smile, ��No need, just follow the regular queue.��


    ��Come on, Lord Rein, please, after you,�� Viery said as he made room, still smiling.


    The other people also stepped aside at once.


    This�� faced with smiling faces��


    Alright then!


    A certain quote from a celebrity in Rein��s previous life suddenly came to mind:


    ��Before you��re famous, you��re surrounded by all sorts of people: those who are manipulative, those who mock you, those who play dirty�� but once you��re famous, suddenly everyone around you is nice, every face brimming with smiles����


    ��Thank you, then I��ll accept the offer,�� Rein said, bowing slightly.


    Once Rein was seated, he inquired, ��Hello, I would like to inquire about a loan.��


    ��Of course you can, my lo�� Lord, please take a seat,�� the freckled girl stammered a bit, clearly nervous.


    ��Could you please show your badge?��


    ��Sure.��


    After Rein handed over his bronze badge, the freckled girl took it with both hands, her face showing surprise�� a bronze badge?


    However, she merely flinched and then immediately started checking.


    ��Oh?�� The freckled girl seemed to find something surprising, her face showing astonishment.


    ��My lo�� Lord, please wait a moment, your loan limit is too high and requires approval from my superior.��


    Huh?


    Hearing the words of the freckled girl, the others couldn��t help but look over, expressions of curiosity and astonishment on their faces.


    Although the others had not handled any loan transactions yet, the redhead Evelyn had just done so, with a limit of a thousand.


    Moreover, it was the same freckled girl before him who had processed everything, without any issue like Rein��s occurring.


    ��Huh? What��s my limit?�� seeing the surprised expression on the freckled girl, Rein couldn��t help but ask curiously.


    ��Lord, your limit is a full ten thousand Merit Points,�� the freckled girl managed to calm herself down somewhat and crisply reported the figure.


    Hiss~


    A collective gasp of surprise filled the room!


    Especially Evelyn, who had already completed her transaction, now covered her mouth with her small hand, her face showing shock!


    She had just processed hers and thought it was a large amount.


    Now, comparing her limit to Rein��s��


    This was truly��


    Evelyn instantly felt that her own limit of a thousand was no longer appealing��


    Rein immediately raised an eyebrow, impressed by the limit!


    With this ten thousand limit, he could exchange for all the items he needed; it was more than enough.


    It seemed Kurman hadn��t been speaking nonsense that morning.


    It really depended on potential, or rather, the limits were probably set based on a person��s later repayment capabilities��


    After all, great potential, strong abilities, meant stronger capabilities to earn Merit Points in the future!


    ��Lord Reine, I will now go to ask Deputy Minister Melanie to come over, please wait for a moment,�� the freckled girl clerk respectfully asked.


    ��Yes,�� Rein nodded.


    The freckled girl clerk started pacing away quickly with short steps, and soon, a smart-looking woman walked in.

 Chapter 562 - 241: Special Approval (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 562: Chapter 241: Special Approval (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��This must be Lord Rein? Indeed, a promising young man! I am Melanie Clinton, the Deputy Secretary of the Promotion Department, Lord Rein, greetings,�� the young woman said with great courtesy.


    ��Greetings, Madam Melanie,�� Rein stood up and said.


    ��Lord Rein, are you looking to withdraw the entire amount?�� S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Yes.��


    While they were speaking, Rein suddenly thought of something and immediately said, ��Wait, I have another question. Madam Melanie, is this loan strictly for Merit Points, and does not include task evaluation medals?��


    ��Of course, task evaluation medals still need to be obtained by completing tasks,�� Melanie nodded and confirmed.


    ...


    This made Rein frown slightly, and his expression changed!


    The loan was essentially meaningless to him then��


    He had just visited the exchange hall, and whether it was for the Vaporization Reagent or witchcraft, the major or rather key part of the exchange relied on the gold medals.


    The remaining potion exchanges, actually, the more than two thousand Merit Points he had on hand were sufficient for the short term.


    And as he slowly completed tasks in the later stages, he believed that Merit Points would rapidly accumulate in his account.


    Perhaps sensing Rein��s displeasure, Melanie tactfully asked, ��Lord Rein, are you in a hurry to exchange for some items?��


    Rein hesitated, then nodded slightly.


    Seeing this, Melanie smiled and said, ��Lord Rein, since you are already a Bronze Sword Bearer, the loan conditions are not quite the same as for a typical newcomer. If it��s convenient for you, could you come to my office to talk about it?��


    Rein raised an eyebrow.


    This��


    Could there be some room for maneuvering here?


    After thinking it over, Rein nodded and followed the lovely young woman Melanie out of the office.


    The other newcomers watched Rein��s departing figure longingly, while a big question mark popped up in their minds.


    Could a Bronze Sword Bearer now get a loan with task evaluation medals?


    ��


    When Rein arrived at the adjacent office of the Deputy Secretary, Melanie began to explain:


    ��Lord Rein, as the captain of the Bronze Sword Bearer team, you can take a consumption loan, which is a different type of loan from the newcomer loan,�� she said.


    ��Oh? Madam Melanie, please explain the rules of the consumption loan.��


    ��Yes, Lord Rein, with the consumption loan, you merely need to pay one third of the price of an item to use it in advance, and then pay it back within the set time,�� she replied.


    One third down payment?


    It was somewhat reminiscent of a mortgage�� Rein mused to himself.


    But soon, another question occurred to him: ��One third? I can understand one third of the Merit Points, but how do you calculate one third of a medal?��


    ��For instance, if you need three Silver Medals, you would have to pay one in advance.��


    ��But if an item only requires one or two Silver Medals, since the regulations do not allow for partial loans, you will still need to pay one Silver Medal and one third of the Merit Points,�� she explained.


    ��In such cases, we generally recommend you bundle several items that you want to exchange together, such as waiting until you have three Silver Medals, and then packaging them for a loan.��


    Rein nodded.


    He understood, and this was truly not bad.


    That meant he only needed to earn one Gold Medal to be able to take out the Vaporization Reagent and the first-level fire-related witchcraft for defense.


    Wait.


    He also really wanted the Metal Morphing Spell.


    ��Um�� Madam Melanie, is one third the minimum required? Can��t it be one fourth?�� Rein ventured to ask.


    ��One fourth is the privilege of the Silver rank, that��s��.�� Melanie showed a look of difficulty.


    However, at once, she remembered the conspicuous red ��Special�� in the overall evaluation she had just reviewed in the young man��s profile, and immediately amended her response: ��Okay! Lord Rein, then you can pay one fourth!��


    Rein��s face lit up with joy!


    That meant he only needed to obtain one Gold Medal and one fourth of the Merit Points to take possession of the aforementioned three items in advance!


    ��By the way, Lord Rein, if you don��t mind me asking, what are you planning to exchange for��.�� It was at this moment that Melanie finally remembered she hadn��t yet asked Rein exactly what he intended to exchange.


    ��Vaporization Reagent, fire witchcraft ��Resist Fire Ring,�� and Metal Morphing Spell,�� Rein stated frankly.


    ��Ah? That��s��.�� Melanie��s eyes widened in shock as she looked at Rein.


    Heavens!


    Items worth four Gold Medals!


    Lord Rein, even though you are rated Special in potential as a new Sword Bearer, this is quite extravagant!


    Melanie��s inner voice was screaming!


    ��It seems that��s not possible?�� Rein glanced at Melanie, who was still in shock, and couldn��t help feeling disappointed.


    ��That��s�� Lord Rein, I���� Melanie stammered.


    Just then, a middle-aged man dressed in an Army uniform, with a pair of golden branches and four crescent moons on his epaulette, walked in and smilingly said, ��Melanie, process the relevant procedures for Lord Rein, just as he mentioned for those three items.��


    ��Ah, yes, sir!�� Melanie immediately rose to do so.


    ��Lord Rein, this is Colonel Stanley, Admiral Edward��s secretary,�� Melanie hurriedly introduced.


    ��Colonel Stanley, greetings,�� Rein promptly stood up to greet him.


    ��Lord Rein, Admiral Edward has high hopes for you���� Stanley said, smiling and nodding.


    After exchanging pleasantries, Stanley took some item and hurriedly left, appearing quite busy.


    And Rein had signed the loan agreement.


    That meant, as soon as he acquired one Gold Medal and one fourth of the Merit Points, he could advance the collection of the aforementioned three items.

 Chapter 563 - 241 Special Approval (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4

    Chapter 563: Chapter 241 Special Approval (2-in-1 Large Chapter)_4


    This undoubtedly greatly hastened Rein��s progress in acquiring the aforementioned three items!


    Furthermore, regarding the newcomer loan, Rein still managed to get his hands on it.


    After all, the newcomer loan and consumer loan are two different types of loans; it��s just that Rein is quite unique, being both a newcomer and eligible for the bronze-level treatment��


    So, this immediately put Rein in a great mood.


    He once again arrived at the exchange hall.


    ��. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Soon, Rein returned to his room with a long brown box in his hands.


    Upon opening it, he saw a transparent glass tube containing a yellow liquid, with a faint white chill emanating from it, as if it had just been taken out of a refrigeration room.


    On it was a label with several lines of small characters:


    ��Strong Strength Potion, Training Aid Potion, after consumption, will increase the user��s strength to a certain extent within half a month, the extent of growth varies from person to person, generally about 10%.��


    ��How to consume: Take on an empty stomach.��


    ��Precautions: To avoid unpredictable changes, it is strictly forbidden to consume simultaneously with other potions, the meat of violent beasts, etc. �� Royal Alchemist Association, Mingster branch.��


    Since there were no familiar faces at the Royal Alchemist Association��s Mingster branch, Rein had no choice but to purchase with Merit Points.


    Luckily.


    After borrowing the newcomer loan, Rein had nothing much but an abundance of Merit Points.


    Enough potions secured!


    After returning to his room, Rein, without any hesitation, opened the wooden box and took the yellow potion in his hand.


    Instantly, a cool sensation passed from the palm of his hand.


    ��Pop~��


    As soon as Rein pulled the cork from the top of the tube, a faint fragrance wafted over, an indescribable scent with a sweet undertone reminiscent of fruits like blueberries, apples, and other similar fragrances.


    Rein��s nostrils twitched, his eyes stirred slightly.


    ��This scent��.��


    He could feel that his body was sending him a signal, drink it!


    Rein was on an empty stomach at that moment, so he didn��t hesitate and downed it in one gulp!


    The sweet yellow liquid flowed down his throat and into his stomach.


    Rein smacked his lips, savoring the sweet taste still lingering in his mouth.


    ��You know, it��s actually pretty tasty! It has kind of a fruity milk flavor!��


    However, a few seconds later, Rein froze completely.


    Because at that moment, he felt a warm current suddenly rise in his stomach and begin to spread to the rest of his body��


    This sensation was like soaking in a hot spring, or as if a young girl were gently tracing her slender fingers across his skin, bringing a tingling sensation��


    Rein couldn��t help but immediately lie down on the bed comfortably, closing his eyes to feel it.


    A few minutes later, the effect of the potion began to fade�� until it stabilized at a weaker level, then it stayed the same.


    At this time, the system prompt suddenly sounded:


    [Congratulations! Your Strength attribute has been enhanced!]


    Huh?


    The effect is immediate!


    Rein checked his attribute panel, and his Strength, which had long remained unchanged, had increased from 27 to 28 points.


    At that moment, his spirit was rejuvenated, feeling as if he had endless energy.


    The warm current generated by the effects of the Strong Strength Potion was still gently circulating within his body, and Rein could feel this warm flow subtly permeating into the muscles and fascia of his body.


    ��To last half a month, huh?��


    ��If it improves by about 10%, given my roughly thirty points of Strength, I could increase my Strength attribute by about three points.��


    ��According to Instructor Kurman, it��s best to combine potion consumption with intensive training.��


    ��Let��s go to the Torrent Room now, then.��


    The afternoon class was like a technical specialty course.


    That means if you are a Sword and Shield Knight or a Great Knight, the instructor specializing in sword and shield would be responsible for teaching the relevant techniques.


    This is also why Kurman told Rein that he didn��t need to attend this Two-Handed Warhammer technique class anymore.


    After all, Rein��s skill level with the Two-Handed Warhammer, compared to his, was vastly different.


    Besides, there were not only Rein using the Two-Handed Warhammer among the newcomers, but also another four or five people; naturally, Rein couldn��t expect Kurman to do one-on-one sparring with him.


    About the missions��


    ��Sharpening your ax will not delay the work of chopping wood,�� as they say!


    Before the retest, the organization had no requirements for tasks concerning newcomers, naturally, there was also no talk of assigning tasks.


    This month was for the Sword Bearers�� newcomers to familiarize themselves with the environment and to understand the various situations they will soon face.


    Rein thought that since he could enhance his own abilities with ��money power�� from the loan, it was best to first improve his abilities.


    After all, there were still many good things within the Sword Bearers Branch.


    Like this time��s Strong Strength Potion, it gave him quite a few surprises.


    Unfortunately, it was not possible to continue taking other potions during the effective period of the potion, such as Strong Agility Potion or another dose of Strong Strength Potion.


    Five minutes later.


    Rein set foot in the official training grounds of the Sword Bearers Branch for the first time��.

 Chapter 564 - 242 Start Training (Two in One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 564: Chapter 242 Start Training (Two in One Big Chapter)


    The official training grounds were tucked behind a garden where the trees were tall and unevenly spaced, and at first glance, Rein couldn��t hide his amazement.


    The Sword Bearers Branch really had deep pockets!


    In Mingster, a provincial city where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, the Sword Bearers Branch��s official training ground was immensely spacious.


    At this moment, to Rein��s right was a three-story indoor training building, white and concave in shape. The building was also constructed from white striated stone blocks, and its columns and the top were decorated with some simple scroll carvings.


    It looked both grand and aesthetically pleasing.


    In front of Rein was a vast expanse of green grass��an outdoor training field multiple times the size of a normal riding arena, with several stables beside the area.


    ...


    Right now, quite a few Sword Bearers were controlling horses to move in circles on the riding arena, performing jumps and sprints and the like.


    Rein focused his gaze and noticed that most of the horses were almost as tall and robust as his black horse, with a conspicuous tuft of hair on their lower legs.


    These must be the advanced horse breed ��Rock Horse�� that Vinica had mentioned before. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moving his gaze even further away, Rein��s eyes landed on a platform that resembled a giant dish for griffins.


    Indeed, it was a huge circular platform, about two meters above the ground, supported by a sturdy and thick white stone pillar, though the number of griffins seemed sparse.


    Counting the two griffins soaring in the sky and the two remaining on the platform, there were only four in total. It wasn��t clear whether this was the original number, or if many griffins had been sent out on missions.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0��?0.?��


    On the platform at the moment, each of the two griffins was attended by three or four staff members who were cleaning and grooming their feathers.


    This platform must be the independent griffin perch of the Sword Bearers Branch, which likely had no affiliation with the griffin perch at the top of Mingster.


    ��To control griffins?��


    Rein felt a pang of desire and instantly a thought sprouted in his mind.


    After showing his bronze badge to the heavily guarded guards, Rein was allowed to enter the training ground.


    Upon asking around, Rein learned that only silver-ranked Sword Bearers were qualified to train with griffins, and the training cost was exorbitantly expensive, at fifty Merit Points per hour.


    If one��s talent was dull��


    That would be a considerable expense!


    Moreover, training was one thing, but renting a griffin for a mission was another expense altogether.


    Of course, this didn��t apply to assigned missions.


    Assigned missions were considered ��official business,�� and if you were instructed to ride a griffin for one, it was like taking an ��official car�� and naturally free from restrictions; moreover, the cost was completely waived.


    ��Luckily, I have my own Blood Feathered Horned Eagle. I��ll wait a few more months����


    ��Right, I should visit my pets these next couple of days, and consider feeding Blood Feather some mutant growth potion. I don��t know if a naturally aggressive species will mutate after consumption, but the effect of accelerated growth should still be there.��


    ��And why hasn��t my black horse entered into a state of ferocious wild beast? ��Cookie�� took about two months or so����


    Rein��s thoughts drifted��


    Minutes later, following the direction given by the guards, Rein arrived in front of the tall, white, stone-clad, arc-shaped building.


    Even from outside the building, Rein could feel the waves of mysterious side energy particles emanating from within, complex and varied.


    More noticeable were the fluctuations of water and earth energy particles.


    It seemed this place, as Instructor Kurman had said, applied witchcraft to the physical enhancement of knights and Great Knights.


    In Meister County, such luxurious practices were unimaginable, but in the Sword Bearers Branch of the provincial city of Mingster, they seemed to have become a common part of the training regimen.


    The magnitude of the disparity was clear to see.


    Rein stepped into the lobby on the first floor, where he saw a curved service desk not far in front, with three young female clerks bustling about inside.


    Outside the desk was a young girl who seemed to be in charge of guiding guests. When she saw Rein looking around, her eyes lit up, and she approached him with a polite bow, saying, ��Good day, sir, this is the training building. May I assist you with anything?��


    Hmm?


    Not bad at all!


    There was even something like a shopping guide from his past life��


    Rein thought for a moment and directly asked, ��Uh�� it��s my first time here. Could you give me a brief introduction to the training building?��


    ��Of course, sir. To your left, down the corridor, are the Sand Flow Hall and the Mud Swamp Room, while to your right is the Rapid Flow Chamber. If it��s your first visit, I would recommend starting with the Rapid Flow Chamber,�� the young greeter explained.


    ��There are normal Rapid Flow Chambers and advanced Rapid Flow Chambers.��


    ��The normal Rapid Flow Chambers are mainly used to simulate a whirlpool environment to train the precision and stability of Extraordinary Battle Techniques under water resistance; of course, they also slightly improve physical fitness.��


    ��The advanced Rapid Flow Chambers, on the other hand, are primarily for enhancing the physical fitness of distinguished visitors.��


    ��They utilize high-speed water jets to strike different parts of the body, which can improve the elasticity of blood vessels, the tension of muscle fascia, and enhance neural responses, among other benefits.��


    ��The longer you stay in the advanced Rapid Flow Chamber, the better the effect; of course, this is dependent on each individual��s physical condition.��

 Chapter 565 - 242: Start Training (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 565: Chapter 242: Start Training (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    Rein found it amusing as he listened, glancing at the young girl. Judging from her aura, she was merely an ordinary person, how could she know anything about fascial tension��


    Therefore, what the receptionist girl was saying was clearly memorized by rote.


    It was like reciting ancient poems as a ��two-year-old child�� in his previous life, the recitation was catchy, but if you asked them, they wouldn��t understand a single word��


    ��Also, in the advanced rapids room, you have multiple options, such as alternating between hot and cold baths. Cold and cool baths can improve the effects of your training. Of course, the cost would be an additional five Merit Points per hour,��


    ��Additionally, you can opt to add pyroclastic granules to enhance the effects of the water jets. However, this will incur an extra fee of fifteen Merit Points per hour.��


    ��Certainly, although the choices mentioned will enhance the effects, they will also significantly increase the stimulation on the body from the rapids, so I suggest you do this according to your capacity,��


    ...


    Alternating hot and cold?


    Adding pyroclastic granules?


    Why does it sound like a high-intensity version of a SPA?


    Rein showed a contemplative expression.


    In addition, the regular rapids room focuses on improving precision and stability in Extraordinary Battle Techniques, which did not align with his current purpose.


    However, he could still give it a try later, practicing the Rocken axe and shield Combat Skill to see its effects.


    For now, following Instructor Kurman��s advice, he naturally decided to first experience the advanced rapids room.


    Thus, Rein turned and asked, ��Hmm, excuse me, are there any rooms available in the advanced rapids room right now?��


    ��Sir, you are in luck. The regular rapids rooms are all full, but there happens to be one advanced rapids room still available. Would you like to use it now?��


    ��Yes, right now.��


    ��If you please, could you show your badge at the reception desk?�� The receptionist girl led Rein to the service counter.


    ��Also, help me choose the alternating hot and cold option, and add those�� pyroclastic granules,�� Rein thought for a moment, then said.


    ��Sir, are you�� sure you can handle it?��


    ��No no, sir, what I mean is, you could progress gradually��.�� The receptionist girl, covering her mouth with her hand, blinked her large eyes apologetically at Rein.


    Clearly, she misspoke and was afraid Rein would take issue with it.


    Rein waved his hand and said, ��It��s fine, add them both.��


    ��As for the time����


    ��Regarding the time, I suggest, sir, that you don��t set it in advance. Whenever you feel anything is amiss with your body, you can stop by pressing the red handle in the room. Would that be okay?�� The girl said hurriedly.


    ��That would be fine. By the way, how is the fee calculated if it��s not for a full hour?�� Rein suddenly thought of a question.


    ��Regarding the fees, sir, if it exceeds an hour, any time less than half an hour will be charged as half an hour, and anything over half an hour will be charged as a full hour,�� she explained.


    ��Hmm, that seems reasonable,�� Rein nodded with a smile.


    Seeing Rein��s smile and agreement, the receptionist girl finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her service became even more attentive, and she took the initiative to ask:


    ��Sir, shall I take you there now?�� The receptionist girl pointed to a corridor on the right.


    Actually, it wasn��t her duty as a receptionist to accompany guests, but perhaps to make up for her earlier faux pas or maybe because of Rein��s handsome appearance, she was rather eager to help.


    ��That will be fine, thank you.��


    ��It��s my pleasure, sir, please follow me. The common and advanced rapids rooms are on the right side of the first floor. Every day, many sirs come here to train,�� she explained as they walked.


    Soon, Rein followed the girl through a long corridor to a spacious hall, where several long seats, similar to sofas and covered with soft deer leather, were placed.


    On these long seats sat groups of burly, strong men, each one no smaller in stature than Rein himself.


    It made sense��the rapids rooms were designed for Knights and Great Knights.


    However, Rein also noticed that nearly all of them were holding weapons, which suggested that these people were likely waiting for the regular rapids room to practice their Extraordinary Battle Techniques.


    It seemed that his choice was correct after all; if he had chosen the regular rapids room, he would have had to wait in line now.


    ��Sir, these are the advanced rapids rooms. You��ve already completed the paperwork at the service desk. You only need to swipe your Sword Bearer badge across this black wisdom slate to enter.��


    ��Until you cancel, you will be the sole user of this advanced rapids room,�� the girl informed him.


    ��Alright, thank you,�� Rein said, following the girl��s instructions and swiping his bronze badge.


    Upon doing so, several lines of text appeared on the black wisdom slate: S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Start time: 13:33.��


    ��Charging rate: 15 Merit Points per hour.��


    ��Additional add-on����


    And with that, Rein had been led by the girl into one of the advanced rapids rooms.


    Many of the muscular men in the hall looked on with envy.


    ��Pretty boys always have it easy. If it were me, I��d never have a girl volunteer to accompany me like this,�� Baltan said enviously.


    ��Baltan, with your size, you could crush a girl,�� teased a companion to the two-meter-three-tall Baltan.


    ��Don��t kid yourself; the guy can afford the advanced rapids room, which means he must have a pile of Merit Points. He could even be a team captain.��


    ��So young and so fresh-faced, how could he be a captain? He��s probably from a family with some clout, having gathered a good number of Merit Points in the Empire��s bureaucracy before joining the Sword Bearers,�� analyzed a twenty-something man with a goatee.


    ��You��re right�� what Kim says makes sense,�� the others agreed, nodding their heads.

 Chapter 566 - 242: Start Training (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 566: Chapter 242: Start Training (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Kim thought for a moment, seemingly curious about how long the young man planned to stay in the advanced turbulence room, so he quickly got up and walked to the door of the room Rein had just entered.


    He glanced at the black smart slate, and the next second, he couldn��t help but suck in a breath of cold air.


    ��Sss~��


    It turned out, under the fee schedule, there were a few lines of small white text:


    ��


    ��Extra Add-on One: Alternating hot and cold, cost +5��


    ...


    ��Extra Add-on Two: Fire rock mineral particles, cost +15��


    ��Total cost: 35 Merit Points/hour.��


    Considering he scrimped and saved even in the regular turbulence room at five Merit Points per hour, Kim couldn��t help but curse:


    ��Fuck! That��s really rich!��


    The few people around him saw Kim��s expression change and also walked over out of curiosity, and upon seeing the slate, they exclaimed:


    ��Is this how Merit Points are spent?��


    ��Truly loaded!��


    ��


    Naturally, they could afford the cost, but there were bigger expenses elsewhere, such as purchasing more advanced Extraordinary Battle Techniques, some combat potions, and auxiliary training potions, so it was natural to spend Merit Points sparingly.


    Although the fully upgraded turbulence room had the best effects, the cost was too high, and the cost-effectiveness was far worse than practicing Extraordinary Battle Techniques in a regular turbulence room while also gradually improving physical fitness.


    Moreover, it was too stimulating, the endurance time was too short, and the effects were not that good.


    ��Hey, that��s not right, Baltan, have you seen this person before?��


    ��No, I��m seeing him for the first time today.�� Baltan appeared thoughtful, and after a while, he shook his head.


    Kim looked at the other few people, only to see them also shaking their heads.


    ��Hahaha, then this is going to be fun, this young man must be here for the first time.�� Kim said with a playful look.


    ��If we talk about not adding any extras, a Great Knight could last about two hours inside, but with alternating hot and cold, I��m afraid he might have to come out in an hour.��


    ��The key is, he even added fire rock mineral particles! That��s interesting.��


    ��How long do you think he��ll last?��


    ��Ten minutes? Or a quarter of an hour, hahaha.�� Kim laughed.


    ��A quarter of an hour then,��


    ��I��m adding five minutes, twenty minutes.��


    ��I think half an hour, after all, young people care about their face!��


    Everyone immediately burst out laughing.


    At this moment, a burly man with thick eyebrows came over and asked with a smile, ��What happened, why are you all so happy?��


    ��Oh, it��s Captain Waynes����


    Everyone greeted him.


    ��Boss, here��s the thing���� Kim gestured, laughing as he explained the situation, ��Captain, are you here to use the advanced turbulence room too?��


    ��Then shall we go with this one? He should be out in a few minutes.��


    ��No wonder the front desk just said it was full. Fine, then I��ll take your word for it and line up for this room.�� Upon hearing this, Waynes smiled, didn��t think too much, and stepped forward to swipe his emblem on the black smart slate at the door of Rein��s room.


    Quickly, a line of text appeared at the bottom of the smart slate:


    ��New queuing person: 1 person.��


    ��


    But when Rein closed the door, he discovered that the room in the turbulence room was not small, about fifty square meters, and in the center was a huge bathtub about four meters in diameter.


    There was a conspicuous red handle next to the bathtub that, once pulled, would stop all the turbulence inside the room.


    Moreover, around the tub, there were special white stone tiles tightly fit together, the most conspicuous of which were the various-sized holes densely packed in the tiles.


    The holes were thick and thin, with the thick ones almost the size of a fist, while the thin ones were even smaller than the diameter of a pinky finger.


    At the very front of each hole was a circular metal nozzle.


    Even as Rein approached, he saw through the slightly rippling clear red water that the bottom of the pool also had many holes.


    Presumably, these holes were also for jetting turbulence.


    Moreover, the depth of the pool reached three meters, of course, the water level in the pool wasn��t that high; when Rein entered the pool wearing only his underwear, he found that the water level reached just his knees.


    At that moment, the lights around him suddenly dimmed.


    It seemed to better allow the trainee to focus on their own body.


    ��Sssss!��


    The sound of dense water flow started!


    The various holes in the pool began to jet high-speed water streams, which hit Rein��s exposed strong body.


    ��That��s it?��


    ��I don��t feel much����


    Rein only felt that the water temperature was quite cold, including the bottom of the pool he was stepping on, which was now also jetting water streams, giving him a tingling and tickling foot massage sensation.


    The next second, Rein suddenly realized!


    His talent ��Intermediate Steel Body�� was a passive ability, and under the defense of the Intermediate Steel Body, these high-speed water streams that would normally cause skin pain felt like taking a shower��


    Immediately, Rein focused his mind and dispersed his innate defensive effect.


    Suddenly, a stinging sensation came from his skin!


    But soon, this stinging and impact began to take effect.


    Rein felt changes happening inside his body; his muscles and fasciae began to tremble lightly, as if activated by some stimulation, they started to become lively.


    After a while, the temperature of the oncoming water flow suddenly changed, rapidly increasing from near zero degrees to thirty degrees��


    Forty degrees��


    ��


    Soon it reached a scalding temperature of seventy to eighty degrees!


    An ice and fire ordeal!


    Exhilarating!


    But the effect was also significant. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, the muscles and fasciae inside Rein��s body became even more active; he could feel that some small muscles and fasciae, which were not exercised by some bear king breathing techniques, were also driven and started to tremble slightly.

 Chapter 567 - 242: Start Training (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 567: Chapter 242: Start Training (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    After a while, the light dimmed once again.


    Suddenly, the sound of the water jets became sharper, as if mixed with some tiny particles.


    At this moment, Rein��s eyes were slightly closed, and he could see that the water being ejected from the holes in the walls of the pool had turned pale red��these must be the so-called fire rock particles.


    These tiny particles, hitting Rein��s skin, were painfully stinging!


    But the effects were also extremely good.


    When they struck certain connective tissue areas, some of the muscle adhesions that had occurred during explosive movements began to loosen from the shocks.


    ...


    However, the pain was genuinely intense; Rein knew without looking down that his skin must look like a lobster that had been turned bright red.


    As time went on, the pain, as the girl had said, became increasingly intense and increasingly unbearable��


    After thinking it over, Rein tried slowly to restore the defensive effect of ��Intermediate Steel Body.��


    Of course, to maximize the effects of the torrent, Rein kept the power of Steel Body around ten percent.


    Immediately, the painful sensation was significantly weakened, but the overall impact of the torrent was not greatly diminished.


    This brought joy to Rein��s heart!


    And the efficacy of the potent Strength potion he had taken previously started to accelerate into his body due to the torrent.


    Soon, fifteen minutes passed��


    By now, the people outside the door had begun to frequently look up at Rein��s room, waiting for the ��soon to arrive�� sound of the door opening.


    A few minutes later, the group could not help but feel surprised.


    ��Kim, this young man is not weak,�� Baltan said in his deep voice.


    ��This�� Indeed!�� Kim too was very astonished.


    ��But it should be almost over.��


    ��


    Another five minutes passed, and now, nobody spoke much.


    Because they were well aware that under these two enhanced conditions, there were only a few present who could last twenty minutes, and if they could, they were the Great Knights with exceptionally firm Will.


    However, they believed that the young man must also be nearing his limit.


    Because the stimulation from the torrent would become stronger and more arduous to endure��


    Meanwhile, inside the advanced torrent room.


    Rein had discovered a little trick; under the impact of a high-speed torrent mixed with fire rock particles, assuming the positions of the Bear King Breathing Technique made the effects of the torrent even better.


    At this moment, he felt pleasantly warm, and the original muscle fiber damage was gradually repaired by the bloodflow that the torrent had accelerated.


    And those adhesions caused by muscle strains during previous bursts were mostly dispersed by now.


    Capillaries immediately supplemented the repair areas with various nutrients.


    At that moment, a system prompt suddenly appeared:


    [Congratulations! Your Strength attribute has increased!]


    ��Eh?��


    ��The effects of the potion are releasing this quickly?��


    ��According to the label��s description, the effects of this potent Strength potion should be slowly released over half a month.��


    ��While it starts faster and slows down later, it shouldn��t be this quick.��


    ��Logically, there should be a slight increase after four or five days, and then another small increase at the half-month mark. The overall increase should be about ten percent,�� Rein muttered to himself.


    As his Strength attribute rose from 28 to 29, Rein felt full of vim and vigor, enduring the high-speed torrent��s impact while simultaneously intensifying the training of the Bear King Breathing Technique.


    Rein was enjoying his training session in the room, but those outside were already staring at each other, wide-eyed. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It had been forty-five minutes already��


    How could the young man inside possibly��


    Kim glanced at his Captain Waynes beside him, his expression somewhat sheepish. He had suggested this room to the Captain, but now there was no sign of the other man coming out.


    However, at this moment, Waynes wasn��t paying attention to Kim��s small movements; instead, he was frowning slightly as if pondering something.


    A few more minutes went by, and Waynes couldn��t help but look puzzled and asked:


    ��Are you certain it was an unfamiliar young man who entered, not the captain of another squad?��


    ��Never seen him before!��


    ��Yeah, even if it was a captain newly promoted last year, we would have seen them a couple of times. This is definitely our first encounter with this one.��


    ��Snap!��


    Suddenly, Kim��s eyes lit up, he slapped his thigh as if he had an epiphany, and said:


    ��Hey, do you think it��s possible that the young man passed out inside before managing to pull the lever?��


    ��

 Chapter 568 - 243: Emergency Incident (Two-in-One Big Chapter)

    Chapter 568: Chapter 243: Emergency Incident (Two-in-One Big Chapter)


    As the captain of the Sword Bearers, Waynes naturally attracted everyone��s attention.


    ��Kim, talk to the front desk and tell them the training session in Room 102 is unusual, please send someone to check it out.��


    As Waynes hadn��t seen the young man inside the room, he remained cautious about the others�� speculation that the person inside might have fainted.


    Bursting into the room?


    That was absolutely not an option.


    If the person was in the middle of a crucial moment of cultivation, that would be�� Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Moreover, the training building had strict rules against such actions as knocking or breaking in.


    Even if there was suspicion of an issue, reporting it was sufficient.


    The subsequent matters would be handled by the professionals.


    ��Alright, boss.�� Kim quickly turned and left.


    Shortly after, a young girl hurried over with several physicians in white robes.


    The girl was the greeter, her face marked with anxiety.


    She had been busy with other matters just before, and now, hearing that the new Sword Bearer had not emerged for nearly an hour, she felt unexpectedly panicked.


    Since the torrential impact room was always shirtless, it naturally was impossible to have a small window in the door for observation.


    After all, although female knights were few, they existed, and having a small window in the door if a female knight was training would be��


    So, another method was used.


    A male medic carefully placed a device resembling a sensor on the sturdy door.


    An elderly physician rapidly conversed with the greeter:


    ��Is it a newcomer?��


    ��Yes, his record in the torrential impact room is blank.��


    ��What about other information?��


    ��Rein Carlan�� sixteen years old�� Great Knight��.��


    ��What? Sixteen years old?��


    The elder paused, and the others around him were struck dumb!


    A sixteen-year-old Great Knight?


    That��s incredible!


    ��.


    Meanwhile, inside, Rein felt extremely comfortable. The adhesions in some of his fasciae and the strains in his muscle fibers had seen significant improvement and repair.


    At that moment, an unexpected system notification appeared:


    [Congratulations! Your agility attribute has increased!]


    Huh?


    Agility?


    Why agility when he had clearly taken a potent strength potion?


    Could it be because the Bear King Breathing Technique had advanced to lv14, gradually improving his physical condition? Or was it due to the adhesions in the muscle fasciae being shocked open by the torrential impact, resulting in certain repairs?


    Rein pondered.


    After a moment, Rein felt it must be a combination of both effects, possibly with the latter having a greater impact.


    Regardless, increasing agility from 29 to 30 points was undoubtedly beneficial.


    However, at this moment, Rein also felt that his body seemed to have reached a certain limit of endurance.


    Continuing wasn��t unbearable.


    But the supportive effect of the torrential impact on his body was beginning to weaken.


    His body likely needed rest.


    It was like soaking in a hot spring; moderation was necessary. Otherwise, staying too long could actually harm the body.


    Thus, Rein stood up with a splash, walked out of the pool, pulled the red handle, and instantly, the torrential flow began to weaken while he picked up a white towel prepared on the side to dry off.


    After dressing neatly, Rein walked towards the room��s door.


    ��Thud!��


    Due to the difference in pressure inside and outside, a muffled door-opening sound occurred!


    The door to the room opened.


    Upon opening the door, Rein was surprised to see the sudden crowd in front of him, seeming somewhat stupefied as they stared at him, including a few knights armed with weapons who had previously been waiting in the lobby.


    Weren��t they supposed to go to a regular torrential impact room?


    Had they not been called yet?


    Also, there were several striking individuals in white robes, looking like physicians?


    And there was the greeter girl from earlier.


    The girl, with a relieved expression, eagerly asked, ��My lord, are you alright?��


    ��I��m fine. What could be wrong with me?�� Rein was a bit baffled.


    The girl carefully examined Rein��s body, still emitting wisps of heat, his skin color normal, looking spirited.


    Nothing like the adults who had previously emerged from the advanced torrential impact room, each with skin red as a cooked shrimp and a menacing look��


    The girl��s mouth moved twice, but she ended up saying nothing��.


    After all, she had already misspoken in front of this young adult, and she didn��t want to make another mistake��.


    At that moment, an elder in a white robe sternly stepped forward and said, ��My lord, may we examine your health? The duration you spent inside was a bit too long.��


    ��Of course.�� Rein didn��t mind.


    Several medics approached and quickly started examining him.


    A few minutes later, the medical team shook their heads at the elder, indicating there were no issues.


    ��My lord, your health is excellent.�� The elder too was quite surprised.


    Rein nodded, thanked them, and turned to leave the torrential impact room.


    As it was already late, he planned to visit the mission hall, naturally not staying there any longer.


    Watching Rein��s departing figure, the burly men waiting for the regular torrential impact room felt somewhat foolish.


    ��Baltan, it seems he��s not just a pretty face. To stay in the advanced torrential impact room for so long with an added dose, he really has the strength.��


    ��Yes, I misjudged. I didn��t expect the newcomers to be so formidable�� I��ll go find out more; he certainly won��t be just another nobody among the newcomers.�� Baltan couldn��t help shaking his head and admitting.

 Chapter 569 - 243: Emergency Incident (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 569: Chapter 243: Emergency Incident (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    ��Right, if we��re talking about newcomers, based on the timing, shouldn��t he be in the newcomers�� free special training right now? How could he���� Kim suddenly thought of another question.


    But immediately after, he shook his head, ��Forget it, with freak newcomers like this, anything is possible!��


    Waynes, on the other hand, stood with his arms crossed, silently observing the recent scene from a distance.


    ��Interesting����


    ��..


    Upon leaving the training building, Rein made his way towards the mission hall.


    ...


    He wasn��t thinking of taking on a task immediately, but rather he intended to first understand the situation.


    Soon, following the direction signs and passing through a garden blooming with flowers and neatly-trimmed shrubs, Rein arrived in front of a circular fountain flowerbed.


    On one side of the flowerbed was a white building, its architectural style consistent with the rest of the Sword Bearers Branch, equally simple and grand, the very mission hall itself.


    Upon entering the hall, Rein found that there were slightly more people than in the exchange hall, but it wasn��t the noisy scene he had imagined.


    It was still the familiar counters, one-on-one receptions, uniformed young ladies��


    This made Rein raise his eyebrows slightly. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a moment��s thought, Rein somewhat understood.


    The tasks for personnel of different ranks are not the same. If they were all displayed, that could easily lead to breaches of confidentiality and other issues��


    Soon, it was Rein��s turn.


    ��Hello, sir, how may I assist you?�� A petite female clerk saw Rein approach, stood up, and bowed as she spoke.


    ��Show me the tasks available for Bronze level,�� Rein said while handing over his Bronze badge to her.


    ��Of course, sir. Please wait a moment,�� the young clerk respectfully received it with both hands.


    ��Sir, please look at the wisdom slate. As there are many tasks, you can click to turn the pages,�� the young clerk quickly found the tasks suited for Bronze level.


    ��Alright, thank you!�� Rein nodded and promptly began to review them.


    This wisdom slate actually had a touch screen��


    No idea which witchcraft this was, but it��s impressive!


    ��..


    ��Investigate the disappearances in Nockford County (Bronze level). Recently, dozens of people have gone missing from Nockford County Town, starting from homeless individuals to young adults, and now even two knights from the City Guard have vanished.��


    ��Task requirements: Investigate and clarify the situation within a week; recommended team size: two people or more. Rewards: one Bronze medal, 200 Merit Points.��


    (��Note: Rewards will be adjusted if the hidden dangers or sources are eliminated during the investigation.��)


    ��.


    ��Investigate the Yinggodi Mine occupation by unknown subterranean creatures (Bronze level). The Yinggodi Mine located in Devon County has recently been taken over by unknown subterranean creatures, ranging from initially dispatched peace officers to the town��s sheriff, and even now, an elite investigative team sent by Devon County has gone missing.��


    ��Task requirements: Investigate and clarify the situation within a week; recommended team size: three people or more. Rewards: two Bronze medals, 350 Merit Points.��


    (��Note: Rewards will be adjusted if the unknown subterranean creatures are eliminated during the investigation.��)


    ��.


    ��Investigate the mysterious dismemberments in Derby County (Bronze level). Derby County has experienced several cases where nobles with the strength of official knights and even senior knights have been victimized. Strangely, when the bodies of these nobles are discovered, their limbs have vanished without a trace.��


    ��Task requirements: Investigate and clarify the situation within this month; recommended team size: three people or more. Rewards: two Bronze medals, 400 Merit Points.��


    (��Note: Rewards will be adjusted if the perpetrator is killed or captured during the investigation.��)


    ��.


    After looking over several tasks, Rein furrowed his brow.


    Although the tasks refreshing on the wisdom slate were all Bronze level and consistent with his rank, the recommended team size listed in the task requirements was mostly two people or more.


    This��


    Should he call on Vinica or Evelyn?


    After a brief consideration, Rein dismissed the idea of approaching Vinica and Evelyn.


    Unlike him, they did not have the afternoon to do as they pleased. Every afternoon, they had to attend witchcraft technique training classes, a process that would continue until just before the re-exam.


    ��Excuse me, would I be able to take on this investigation of the Yinggodi Mine taken over by unknown subterranean creatures by myself?�� Rein pondered for a while and then inquired.


    ��Sir, that is not allowed. The task requirements clearly state that the number of participants must meet the stipulated guidelines,�� the young clerk shook her head.


    But quickly, she seemed to think of something and looked at Rein with surprise: ��Sir, are�� are you a newcomer?��


    Because an experienced Sword Bearer wouldn��t be unaware of this rule.


    ��Yes.�� Rein nodded, as there wasn��t anything to hide about this.


    ��Then you shouldn��t���� the young clerk blurted out.


    But quickly, she closed her mouth, smiled sweetly, and said, ��Sir, as a newcomer, you can choose to take on defensive support tasks.��


    ��Defensive support tasks?�� Rein thought for a moment and shook his head. He was somewhat unclear.


    ��That��s right. Newcomers are generally required to continue their training within the branch to enhance their abilities. Therefore, the branch has arranged some special tasks, such as taking acting defensive roles in Mingster��s various jurisdictions or directly governed small towns.��


    ��The specific mission involves assisting Mingster��s imperial functional departments with issues they cannot resolve.��


    ��Since the mission locations are within Mingster, this allows the newly joined Sword Bearers to avoid travel and have time to train and improve their skills within the branch.��

 Chapter 570 03-25 - 243: Emergency Incident (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 570: Chapter 243: Emergency Incident (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    Huh?


    This is quite humane.


    Rein nodded his head.


    In the short term, if he could stay in Minster while earning medals and Merit Points, that would certainly be the best option.


    Rein himself had had this idea as well.


    After all, if it were just a bronze-level task that took half a month or even longer outside, then his planned training program within the shareholder department would be impacted.


    ...


    ��Do you have any materials related to the security mission you just mentioned?��


    ��Yes, my Lord.�� The young female clerk nodded.


    ��By the way, my Lord, do you need me to introduce you to the divisions of the various districts within Minster?��


    Rein shook his head, as he was aware of it.


    That day, he and Vinica had walked around the main road, and had basically understood the division of districts in Minster.


    The whole of Minster was built against the mountain, from top to bottom were the administrative district, the church district, the nobility district, and then the upper city district, which was also known as the rich district.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?�Ϧ�?��.??


    Beneath the upper city district were the trade district and the workshop district, which were located in the middle of the city.


    Beneath that were the most lower-lying civilian districts, which were the largest in area, taking up more than sixty percent of the entire Minster.


    The civilian districts encircled the bottom of the city, divided into five rings: civilian first ring district, civilian second ring district, civilian third ring district, civilian fourth ring district, and civilian fifth ring district.


    There was no sixth ring��


    The lower one lived, it was understood, the lower their status.


    As for beyond the fifth ring, one would step beyond Minster��s towering city walls into the many small town areas directly governed by Minster.


    ��My Lord, the information regarding the consultant mission has already been displayed on the wisdom slate, you might want to take a look.��


    ��Alright.�� Rein nodded his head, and began to quickly peruse it again.


    ��


    ��Consultant Mission��Security Advisor to Minster��s Upper City District. Mainly responsible for responding to distress calls from the district assigned and handling special incidents or emergencies that occur in the Upper City District.��


    ��Mission requirements: During the one-month tenure, immediately proceed to address a distress call received from the assigned district. Mission rewards: One bronze medal, 200 Merit Points.��


    ��(Note: If the efficiency and difficulty of handling exceed expectations, the rewards will scale up.)��


    ��(Note: This mission is only open to members who have joined the Sword Bearers for less than two years.)��


    ��.


    He read through the document quickly.


    Rein found that the consultant missions were mostly similar in content, albeit tailoring to the varying administrative regions.


    He flipped the page further.


    It was the security advisor for some small town outside Minster City��these were the most numerous.


    ��Lord Reine, my advice is that you could choose to serve in the upper city district. Ordinarily, there are only two or three consultant slots per city district, so you are very lucky to encounter a vacancy in the Upper City District.��


    ��Of course, this is also because you are a noble coming to take up a consultancy mission.��


    ��The security situation in the Upper City District should be rather good, right?�� Rein asked.


    ��Yes, the last noble to serve there was lucky enough to not encounter a single special incident for an entire month, easily completing their consultancy mission.�� The young clerk said with a beaming smile.


    ��My Lord, I will then������


    ��Assign me to the trade district.��


    ��Huh? What did you say?�� The young woman stared at Rein in astonishment, her round eyes filled with surprise.


    ��I choose the trade district.��


    ��This�� very well, my Lord.�� The young woman quickly recovered, glanced at Rein, not looking as if he were joking, and immediately began the process.


    Clearly, as the rich district, the upper city district was supposed to have the best security situation, much less likely to face issues than the trade district or the civilian districts below it.


    But Rein��s choice of the trade district was based on his own considerations.


    One reason was because the consultancy mission was clearly marked that if the efficiency and difficulty of handling exceeded expectations, the rewards would scale up.


    Rein naturally did not want to settle for just the basic rewards.


    A single bronze medal��


    That was just too little.


    On the other hand, it was because the new residence and shop that Jenny and Agatha had found were located in the trade district.


    If his consultancy was in the trade district, some matters would be more conveniently managed.


    ��All done, my Lord. Soon, the administrative office of the trade district will receive the letter, and you can just await notification.��


    ��My Lord, I need to remind you that although the consultancy mission is targeted at newly appointed nobles, during the execution of specific tasks, you might occasionally encounter enemies whose strength surpasses what you can handle.��


    ��Therefore, please be very cautious while executing the tasks.��


    ��Alright, thank you.�� Rein nodded with a smile, then got up and left.


    ��.


    A few days later.


    In the administrative office of the trade district, the security officer��s office.


    Baron Graham, nearly forty years old, leaned back in a wide and soft goatskin chair, his small belly slightly protruding, and at first glance, it was hard to tell that he was a seasoned knight.


    He looked at the information before him and couldn��t help but sigh. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The content of the information was simple.


    At the top was a portrait of a handsome young man, and below it were written Rein��s name, title, age, and level of strength��just a few pieces of information.


    As for other contents, there were none.


    As a member of the Empire��s special department, confidentiality of related information was something Graham understood well.


    Former Sword Bearers who had come for consultancy shared the same limited information.


    But even with just these few details, he was taken aback!


    ��Sixteen years old, Great Knight����


    ��Truly a genius�� What was I doing at sixteen? Had I reached the second level as a knight��s attendant?��

 Chapter 571 03-25 - 243: Emergency Incident (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 571: Chapter 243: Emergency Incident (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    Graham, as a safety officer of the trade district, had never expected that the Sword Bearer who arrived on assignment would be so talented!


    Now, he wondered why such an outstanding Sword Bearer would choose to come to the trade district.


    A couple of days before, during a noble gathering, he had overheard Lord Valres, the safety officer of the Upper City, mention that there was a vacancy for a consulting position in the Upper City.


    It seemed that Baron Rein had given up the consulting position in the Upper City, deliberately choosing the trade district where he resided.


    Was there a deeper meaning in this choice?


    Graham couldn��t help but ponder.


    Moreover, being so young and yet so powerful, could he possibly be the progeny of some great noble family of the empire?


    Then his own attitude�� must be properly adjusted.


    He mustn��t offend the other party!


    ��.


    Half a day later.


    Inside his office, Graham met Rein, who was reporting for duty, for the first time.


    ��Lord Reine, it is truly an honor for the trade district to have you come here for your posting,�� Graham, seeing Rein enter, quickly walked out from behind his desk with a welcoming smile.


    Rein listened and was slightly surprised! sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This safety officer�� seemed very enthusiastic!


    ��I��ve received a letter from the top, Lord Reine. I couldn��t believe you reached the rank of Great Knight at the tender age of sixteen. Truly a prodigy, a pillar of the empire. Now that you��ve joined the Sword Bearers, your future is undoubtedly destined for great heights��.��


    ��..


    Graham��s compliments, seemingly inexhaustible, burst forth from his mouth.


    Rein couldn��t help but smile.


    He had not expected that the safety officer of the trade district��Baron Graham��would turn out to be such a ��remarkable person.��


    Perhaps this was related to handling the complex social relationships within the trade district?


    And being eloquent could also possibly reduce the frequency of conflicts?


    Possibly��


    ��By the way, Baron Reine, to prevent the people below from not recognizing you, I have arranged a small welcoming ceremony next door in the conference room. This will also allow the staff to get to know you,�� Graham said.


    ��What do you think��.��


    ��Of course,�� Rein replied with a smile, nodding his head.


    ��Speaking of which, Baron Reine, this is a communication stone, a simple yet effective means of communication. If a special situation arises in the trade district, this stone in your hand will emit a buzzing sound.��


    Graham took out a goose-egg-shaped, slightly transparent yellow stone from a drawer and handed it to Rein.


    ��Alright.�� Rein took it and put it away, planning to look at it later.


    Following Graham into the adjacent conference room, Rein saw that dozens of men dressed as safety officers and Night Watchmen were already waiting.


    As soon as they saw Rein and Graham enter, everyone stood up and began to applaud.


    Graham, seeing this scene, slightly smiled and guided Rein to sit beside him at the head of the room; he gestured with his hands twice, and the applause subsided.


    ��Ahem�� Today, we are extremely honored to have Baron Reine join us as the safety consultant of our trade district��..��


    Graham began his extensive introduction.


    Originally, as the crowd noticed Rein��s youthful appearance, they had their suspicions, but hearing that Rein was only sixteen and had become a Great Knight, their expressions turned into a mix of shock, awe, and disbelief!


    Graham, seeing this scene, nodded in satisfaction.


    Excellent!


    It was exactly the same reaction he had had when he first saw the information!


    At that moment, a very serious-faced safety officer quickly walked into the conference room, leaned close to Graham, and whispered something.


    Graham appeared slightly stunned, then turned to the safety officer who had hurried in and replied, ��Contact Viscount Imwe, have him handle it first; I��ll be there shortly.��


    Graham did not purposely lower his voice, so with Rein��s keen hearing, he naturally heard everything clearly.


    Thus, Rein turned his head and asked, ��Baron Graham, has something happened?��


    ��Haha, a minor matter. We��ll handle it. Almost every day, there are incidents in the trade district, like drunken mercenaries causing trouble, fighting, the loss of control of mounts, and so on.��


    ��Lord Reine, you needn��t worry.��


    Hearing Graham say this, Rein didn��t think too much about it and nodded.


    Graham coughed and continued, ����..��


    ��Everyone, remember! In case of an emergency, contact me first; if I��m not available, remember to contact the other two lords. Don��t bother Baron Reine unnecessarily; Baron Reine��s time is very valuable!��


    After finishing his last words, Graham, all smiles, turned and said, ��Baron Reine, would you like to say a few words?��


    Rein nodded, his expression becoming serious, and said:


    ��Gentlemen, I deeply appreciate the measures Safety Officer Graham has considered on my behalf.��


    ��However, I would greatly prefer that you contact me first if there is an emergency situation.��


    ��You may not know, but I was also once an Imperial Night Watchman, which in some sense makes us truly colleagues.��


    ��For you, facing or challenging enemies far beyond your capacity is not a wise decision��..��


    Rein��s statement immediately won him a thunderous applause from everyone.


    Uh?


    Graham, hearing Rein��s statement, couldn��t help but be stunned!


    This was completely different from what he had anticipated.


    He was previously a Night Watchman?


    Could it be that Baron Rein truly didn��t come from a great noble family?


    Suddenly, the safety officer who had rushed in a few minutes ago now staggered back in, his face horrified, gasping:


    ��Sa�� Safety Officer, Viscount Imwe�� Viscount Imwe has fallen!��


    ��What!�� Graham��s color changed instantly!


    ��.

 Chapter 572 03-25 - 244: The Fangs of the Ancient Giant Trolls (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 572: Chapter 244: The Fangs of the Ancient Giant Trolls (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    Reine saw Graham, the slightly plump security chief of the trade district, and his face changed drastically, knowing that some matters must have exceeded his expectations.


    However, Reine wasn��t the least bit afraid, on the contrary, he felt eager to try.


    These past few days, he had been going back and forth within the Sword Holder Minter Branch, either attending general courses in the newcomer building��s hall or training Extraordinary Battle Techniques in the flow room, or receiving treatment in the advanced flow room.


    Now that there was an opportunity for real combat, he naturally wanted to see for himself.


    ��Baron Graham, shouldn��t we rush to the scene immediately?�� Reine suggested.


    ��Oh, oh! Yes, Lord Reine, we��ll head there right away.�� Only then did Graham remember that he had a genius Great Knight beside him, who might help him resolve this trouble.


    Thus, Reine and his group, escorted by dozens of security officers and Night Watchmen, hurried to the site of the incident.


    On the cobblestone-paved road, messengers galloped back and forth, bringing one piece of fresh news after another:


    ��That native can control animals, many horses are running wild and trampling, and dogs are biting people everywhere.��


    ��Baron Imwe was killed on the spot by a surprise attack after his warhorse got frightened, and now the scene is in complete chaos��.��


    ��The Griffin Knights, to prevent any accidents, didn��t land, but they��ve been watching the person from above��.��


    ��The person is now fleeing through the fur market�� We are intercepting!��


    ��The person has entered the Yakesen Auction House warehouse, we have surrounded the warehouse.��


    ��


    Reine, on the side, didn��t speak, but he captured several key pieces of information.


    Native?


    Control of animals?


    The Griffin Knights have arrived?


    The location is the Yakesen Auction House warehouse?


    Also�� what was Baron Imwe��s strength?


    ��Baron Graham, what is Lord Imwe��s level of strength?�� Reine asked.


    ��A Peak Knight, just like yourself, also a Great Person of the Sword Holders organization. He had recently come to the trade district to take up his post, previously he was in the civilian district.�� Graham said quickly.


    A Peak Knight?


    It seems the enemy��s strength must be at least that of a Great Knight, otherwise it would be impossible to kill a Peak Knight with a single blow.


    Even with a sneak attack, it��s not possible!


    The streets in the trade district are quite spacious, but the stalls that are set up all year round on the sides and the excessive flow of people make it a hassle to navigate.


    Especially now, the closer they get to the destination, the streams of panicked people and screams are incessant!


    Huh?


    Isn��t this the location of the shop that Jenny rented?


    Reine looked towards the left front side of the street, and saw a familiar figure standing at the doorway looking toward the scene, it was the petite figure of Matteo.


    ��Matteo!��


    ��Lord Reine? What brings you here?�� Matteo, surprised to see Reine surrounded by people, ran over happily.


    Graham glanced over, but being as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, Reine naturally wouldn��t pick this moment to make introductions.


    ��I now serve as a security consultant for the trade district, so I��ll likely be here more often than before.�� Reine said offhandedly as he quickened his pace.


    ��That��s great, the two ladies often talk about you.�� Matteo��s face lit up with joy.


    Graham��s ears perked up.


    Noble daughters?


    Two of them?


    Is he hiding his lover or have they eloped?


    No, no, eloping is unnecessary; if my daughter found such a talented person, as parents we would be overjoyed, why would we let them elope��


    Could it be that Lord Reine has a prior engagement?


    No wonder��


    Graham instantly concocted the ��real�� reasons for Reine��s part-time job in the trade district!


    But soon, a succession of bad news interrupted his thoughts.


    ��What, twenty-two people have died?�� Sweat beads the size of beans formed on Graham��s forehead.


    Once the death toll exceeds thirty, no matter whether the situation is ultimately resolved or not, his tenure as security chief would be considered over.


    Everyone knows that the position of security chief in the trade district is a cushy job, and countless people are eying it��


    Although he has backers, if he handles this situation poorly, it��s a matter of competence!


    In such a case, even if his superiors wanted to protect him, they couldn��t keep him in his position.


    Being transferred from his current post was inevitable.


    Soon, Reine and Graham had arrived at the entrance of the large warehouse, which hugged the mountainside, appearing to have once been an abandoned mine.


    They saw the warehouse entrance encircled by dozens of elite Night Watchmen and security officers, swords and shields ready, bows drawn.


    ��Sir, the brothers have discovered that Yakesen Auction House��s warehouse still has many slaves and large beasts locked inside.�� sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Lord Barnes just rushed in, he instructed us to guard the main door.��


    ��


    At that moment, a plump man resembling a butler, accompanied by two brawny guards, ran over panting from the side. Seeing Graham, he waved frantically: ��Baron Graham, Baron Graham!��


    ��It��s Asani, the caravan overseer of Yakesen Auction House, let him through.�� Graham gestured, and the crowd immediately made way.


    ��Baron Graham, I really didn��t mean to cause you any trouble. This time it��s a native slave from a remote island who has escaped. I have no idea how he got out.��


    ��Hm? He��s from your caravan?�� Baron Graham��s face darkened, his anger rising rapidly.

 Chapter 573 - 244: The Fangs of the Ancient Giant Trolls (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 573: Chapter 244: The Fangs of the Ancient Giant Trolls (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_2


    But as soon as Graham thought of Yakesen Auction House, he deflated and waved his hand, ��Go! Hurry up and settle this matter for me.��


    ��This��.��


    ��Baron Graham, I have already reported it, my supervisor, Viscount Fabien of Yakesen Auction House, will soon send elites over. You only need to have your men isolate this area and prevent the other party from escaping.��


    ��How much longer?��


    ��I��m not too sure, but definitely within half an hour.��


    ��Half an hour?�� Baron Graham��s tone suddenly rose.


    If Sir Barnes were to be defeated, that half hour would be enough for this native to slaughter all the slaves in the warehouse. What awaited him��


    ��No!�� Graham��s head shook like a rattle drum immediately.


    �� S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In a room on the third floor of the nearby Yakesen Auction House.


    A study room, lavishly decorated and dazzling with gold.


    A middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, dressed in hunting attire, was frowning and pacing back and forth in the room.


    A strong knight was respectfully reporting something.


    ��So, the item should be on one of the natives being transported in this batch, and now, this native has escaped, your slave-capturing team didn��t stop him nor catch him, is that right?��


    ��Yes, Lord Viscount Fabien, that��s correct.��


    ��What��s the situation now?��


    ��The security forces of the trade district and elite Night Watchmen are all in pursuit.��


    ��Hmm, Graham��s men alone probably won��t be able to subdue them. By the way, has the Empire��s official special department intervened?��


    ��They did�� A Peak Knight was involved, but he was killed on the spot by this native.��


    ��What?�� Viscount Fabien��s face showed delight.


    ��It seems this item is even better than I imagined.��


    ��This indeed gives us an opportunity�� Quickly! Tell Hammis and the others to speed up!��


    ��If the item falls into the hands of the Empire��s special department, it will be difficult to get it back����


    �����������C


    Inside the warehouse.


    Various items on the shelves were strewn about, and the floor was a mess.


    A sturdy native with large dirty dreadlocks, his face painted in vivid colors, was clutching his abdomen with one hand and holding a sharp white tusk with the other, leaning against a shelf, gasping for breath.


    There were several arrows embedded in his body, but they had only penetrated a couple of centimeters into his flesh, merely scraping the skin.


    With a forceful swing, these arrows fell to the ground.


    The only serious injury was a cut on his lower abdomen from a blade.


    The native, probably in his thirties, looked down and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes!


    If it had not been for the risk of injury, he would not have had the chance to kill that Peak Knight in one strike and break through the heavy encirclement to this place.


    He looked around and saw there was plenty of food on the shelves. He immediately grabbed it and started swallowing it hungrily.


    Suddenly, he heard barking and other animal noises coming from inside the warehouse, which immediately brightened his expression.


    He hurried over and saw rows of iron cages appearing before him, containing several fierce animals such as jungle black wolves, cliff wild boars, grey-spotted black bears, and several sleek black panthers.


    This was actually for the beast fights organized by Yakesen Auction House.


    The native bent down and near his rib cage, he forcefully pulled out a white bone that looked like a rib!


    ��Ah!!!��


    The sharp bone, about seventeen or eighteen centimeters long, looked like a wolf tusk but was much bigger and longer, and was currently emitting a faint white glow.


    It was like the fang of some unknown ferocious beast!


    At that moment, the native opened his right hand, and astonishingly, the fang he had just pulled out matched another fang he was holding!


    He began to mutter something softly, almost like a prayer, his expression devout!


    The next second, the two mysterious white fangs in his hand emitted a faint blood-red glow, causing the wild animals within tens of meters around to become frenzied, furiously slamming into the iron cages without caring about injuries.


    ��Bang!��


    A muscular jungle black wolf rushed to the native��s side, its eyes blood-red, but the next second, it stopped abruptly, lying down on the ground, seemingly showing extreme reverence to the native,


    but the native��s expression stiffened, as he thrust the two white fangs ��puchi�� into the back of the black wolf.


    Strangely, the jungle black wolf did not resist at all, nor did it attack.


    Immediately, a fundamental sucking sound began.


    The white fangs were smeared with streaks of blood, drawing something from the black wolf��s body into the native.


    Then, the wound on the native��s abdomen began to heal rapidly, and his overall spirit and strength started to recover rapidly!


    In just a few seconds, he became fully revitalized!


    His eyes bright, no longer showing any signs of fatigue.


    At that moment, someone rushed into the warehouse!


    ��


    �����������C


    ��Bang bang crack!��


    The warehouse door burst open suddenly, and a burly knight was flung seven or eight meters away, his thick breastplate pierced by several holes, blood oozing profusely��


    And a towering native, about two meters tall, with colorful tattoos and bright bird feathers tied in his dreadlocks, appeared at the shattered door.

 Chapter 574 - 244: The Fangs of the Ancient Giant Trolls (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 574: Chapter 244: The Fangs of the Ancient Giant Trolls (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_3


    The opposing party, despite being densely surrounded by a crowd, showed not a trace of fear in their eyes, but rather a sense of excitement and bloodlust!


    Meanwhile, the caravan supervisor, Asani, upon seeing the sharp white fangs in the hands of the native, suddenly widened his eyes and murmured, ��Indeed, the artifact is in the hands of this surviving tribe��s descendant!��


    ��Swoosh!��


    The figure suddenly vanished at the warehouse entrance.


    ��Such incredible speed!��


    Apart from Rein, almost no one on the scene could see whether the person had dashed to the left or the right.


    Rein watched the disappearing silhouette pensively, then glanced at the injured brawny Knight who had just risen from the ground, his eyes flickering.


    He had defeated the Great Knight, and seemed to have no apparent injuries��


    Quite impressive��


    But since he allowed this Great Knight named Barnes to escape the warehouse, it suggested that the opponent��s strength should be that of a seasoned Great Knight, or perhaps even stronger, yet likely without any powerful moves or techniques.


    Otherwise, this Great Knight named Barnes probably couldn��t have escaped.


    ��


    ��Lord Barnes, are you alright?�� Graham immediately stepped forward to help him up.


    ��Damn! I��m fine!��


    ��Bloody hell, this guy��s tactics are a bit tricky; he even summoned wild beasts to attack himself, otherwise, I wouldn��t have been injured this heavily!��


    ��Right, what the hell is your slave-catching team doing? Didn��t you know that natives with such strong abilities shouldn��t be brought into the city?�� The brawny Great Knight named Barnes cursed at the caravan supervisor, Asani.


    Asani showed a sheepish expression and remained silent, looking like a pig unafraid of boiling water.


    ��Lord Barnes, this gentleman is Baron Rein, the new security consultant for the trade district,�� Graham quickly introduced.


    ��Baron Rein, this is Lord Barnes, also a security consultant for our trade district.��


    Having been just defeated by the enemy, the man��s face was ashen. He glanced at Rein, said nothing, and merely nodded coldly.


    Though Rein could understand how the other man felt, that didn��t mean he was going to be brazen and make a fool of himself.


    ��Let me try!�� Rein turned his head and said to Graham.


    ��Eh? Lord Rein, even Lord Barnes, who is also a Great Knight, has���� Graham looked at Rein with a worried expression.


    Hearing Rein��s words, Barnes regarded him with newfound respect. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having the courage to act in the face of a formidable enemy was not common.


    Just then, suddenly!


    The sound of animals running came from the broken door of the warehouse.


    ��Roar!��


    Dozens of ferocious beasts of varying sizes charged out, each with bloodshot eyes.


    ��Not good, this guy��s trying to make a run for it in the chaos!�� Graham exclaimed in alarm.


    Rein and Barnes, of course, also immediately understood the opponent��s intent.


    After all, although the warehouse was large in size, it was a dead-end, built against a hard mountain.


    There might be some sewer or the like that could lead to the lower parts of the city, but for unfamiliar natives, finding such a sewer would be nearly impossible in a short time.


    And the simplest way to escape the predicament was to break out and escape in the confusion!


    Originally still considering some matters, Rein now drew his Warhammer from his back, and with a tap of his toe, the stone pavement suddenly burst open.


    His entire being shot forward like an arrow against the stream, piercing through the roaring tide of beasts in an instant.


    Jungle Black Wolves, Playful Boars, upon facing Rein, also known as ��Meister the Siege Drill,�� instantly howled in pain as they were slammed into the air, bones broken and tendons snapped!


    Seeing Rein��s might, the native��s expression changed, and he immediately turned and rushed back into the warehouse.


    ��Such strength���� Graham couldn��t help but mutter.


    ��This isn��t good; the enemy wants to lure Rein inside. The warehouse is filled with goods, long weapons can��t be used to their advantage there,�� Barnes said anxiously.


    He wanted to rush forward too, but after just one step, he stopped, clutching his wound. He was severely injured and realized that if he went now, he wouldn��t be able to contain the enemy at all.


    ��Go! Let us also advance!�� Graham gritted his teeth and waved to the elite Night Watchmen behind him.


    One advisor had already died.


    If something happened to a genius like Lord Rein, he wouldn��t be able to bear the consequences.


    ��Alright! Graham, I always thought you were a wimp, but turns out you��ve got guts!�� Barnes praised, looking at Graham who had already developed a little belly.


    At that moment, the battle inside the warehouse had already erupted!


    Upon entering the warehouse, Rein noticed the dim lighting, but with his Dark Vision, he was unaffected.


    However, the problem was that the warehouse was stacked high with various goods, and the long rows of dense shelves restricted the use of his Two-Handed Warhammer.


    Yet the native, with a triumphant look, flashed a ferocious smile at Rein, swinging the sharp white weapon with agility like a monkey, darting left and right, charging toward Rein.


    Rein smiled as well.


    He threw his Two-Handed Warhammer forcefully at the opponent and, taking advantage of the moment the native dodged, he immediately charged.


    ��Click!�� A faint sound of snapping clicked!


    Four glittering blades sprang from the gauntlets on Rein��s armor.


    This change caused the native��s expression to shift!


    But at that moment, it was a narrow passage where the brave would prevail, and the two immediately engaged in fervent combat within the long corridor only two meters wide.

 Chapter 575 - 244: The Fangs of the Ancient Giant Trolls (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4

    Chapter 575: Chapter 244: The Fangs of the Ancient Giant Trolls (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)_4


    ��`


    What surprised Rein was that, besides the critical attacks, the opponent almost never parried throughout the fight, opting instead for a trade-off strategy, taking hits to deal damage in return.


    No wonder, the Great Knight Barnes, who should not have been a novice, was defeated by him.


    Such a fearless way of fighting, even if someone was slightly stronger than him, would probably still end in bitterness.


    What a pity!


    He encountered Rein.


    Rein, who possessed the talent ��Intermediate Steel Body��.


    Facing the native��s fierce attacks, Rein also barely defended himself.


    ��Puchi! Puchi!��


    Instantly! The water membrane reinforced plate armor on Rein��s body was pierced, leaving two thumb-sized holes.


    Rein could feel the pain of the sharp weapon stabbing into his skin, but he knew his Steel Body defense was not breached by the tusks.


    ��Hiss Hiss!!��


    The native��s leather armor also tore instantly, adding several fresh and bloody gashes!


    ��Hundred Crack Strike lv2��


    In a moment, Rein swung his hands rapidly, unleashing over a hundred blade-like strikes in a short time!


    ��Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh!��


    The native��s eyes were split with rage!


    He kept retreating, waving his hands desperately, trying to block Rein��s onslaught.


    ��Ding Ding Dang Dang!��


    The continuous clashing of weapons resounded!


    Shelves on both sides broke simultaneously!


    Seconds later, the native��s brown leather armor was shred into rags by Rein��s Kadar Martial Arts secret technique ��Hundred Crack Strike lv2��, and his body was covered with dozens of deep red wounds.


    However, he was not panicked at all!


    Instead, he looked at Rein��s knight armor that was also peppered with more than a dozen holes and started laughing.


    The next second, more than a dozen beasts attacked Rein from all around.


    The native made a few distinctive calls, and suddenly a cliff wild boar obediently lay down on the ground.


    ��Puchi!�� He plunged the pair of tusks in his hands into the back of the cliff wild boar.


    Only then did Rein get a clear view that the native was holding a pair of long white tusks.


    However, what was bizarre was that the cliff wild boar showed a face of enjoyment when stabbed by the tusks, without any sign of pain.


    While Rein killed off several fierce beasts that attacked him, the wounds on the native��s body had already completely healed without even going through the scabbing process, leaving only faint red lines as proof of the past injuries on his skin.


    Moreover, the native was even more energetic as if he��d received a boost to his energy!


    ��Heh!��


    ��It seems I��ve met ��a kindred spirit��.��


    ��If it had been someone else, they might really have been worn down to death.��


    At this moment, the native, confident of victory, spoke in a halting Common language, pausing after each word: ��You��re doomed!��


    ��I didn��t expect you to speak the Common language, quite interesting.��


    Without any hesitation, Rein added a point to his agility, and instantly, he was brimming with vigor.


    Facing each other again, the two resumed their fierce battle!


    Minutes later, the grievously injured native stood stupefied, his face a mask of disbelief as he looked at Rein, who remained as lively as ever.


    ��Impossible, you��re not injured? And how could your stamina be so strong?��


    ��


    The native eagerly tried to repeat his previous method to heal his wounds and regain energy, but the same trick obviously wouldn��t work on Rein.


    Instead, Rein seized the opportunity and landed a punch right at the Adam��s apple!


    ��Puchi!��


    The native��s eyes bulged as he clutched at his gushing throat, making a sound like a torn bellows, then slowly fell to the ground��..


    At that moment, the system prompt sounded:


    [Your Skill Card Kadar Martial Arts has been improved, Experience +1338]


    [You experienced a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) Experience +647]


    (Note: The above Skill Experience has enjoyed an exclusive talent ��Basic Extraordinary Understanding�� 30% increase.)


    ��


    ��Hmm? No Golden Skill Points?��


    ��That makes sense, his combat strength wasn��t actually that great, it was some peculiar form of�� witchcraft or some dark art?��


    At that moment, the native��s hands weakly released their grip, and the pair of blood-stained but still faintly glowing white tusks fell to the ground with a ��clatter�� at almost the exact same time.


    Rein had been quite curious about the tusks.


    Clearly, the native relied on stabbing the tusks into the bodies of beasts, drawing some type of energy to heal his wounds and restore vitality. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rein took a couple of steps forward to pick up the bloodied tusks.


    Suddenly, the system prompt sounded again:


    [Ding! Host has acquired the Ancient Giant Trolls�� Tusks, triggering the special class change to Beast Priest (Legendary)!]


    [Conditions for advancement to Beast Priest (Legendary) are: one, Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 or above; two, Spirit 25 points or more; three, possessing at least one ferocious beast; four, expending a pair of Ancient Giant Trolls�� Tusks��.Current conditions met, do you wish to change class to Beast Priest (Legendary)? Yes/No?]


    Huh?


    This��


    For a moment, Rein��s brows twitched as he seemed deep in thought!


    ��`

 Chapter 576 - 245: Change of Profession! Beast Priest (Legendary)! (Combined Double Chapter)

    Chapter 576: Chapter 245: Change of Profession! Beast Priest (Legendary)! (Combined Double Chapter)


    Rein couldn��t help but recall the abilities that the native had just displayed; it was a sort of ability that absorbed the life force, or rather, the vitality of wild beasts to recover their own, a nearly sorcerous power.


    Another ability seemed to be commanding the surrounding wild beasts to attack the enemy.


    The two abilities that the opponent had just showcased made a deep impression on him.


    Although they both seemed like sorcery, Rein could feel the difference between them and the sorcery of the Black Flame Church was quite substantial.


    Moreover, there were two particularly unique aspects about this time��s class change prompt.


    The first was that it did not mention the need to worship a certain deity.


    This seemed to indirectly validate Rein��s earlier guess that the opponent��s ability was not sorcery.


    Secondly, the class change required the consumption of what was called Ancient Giant Troll��s fangs, which was different from previous class changes.


    Could it be that this power is closely related to these fangs?


    Otherwise, why would changing class to a Beast Priest (Legendary) require the consumption of these Ancient Giant Troll fangs?


    Although based on his judgment, changing class to a Beast Priest (Legendary) seemed to have no issues, Rein still felt hesitant about whether to change class or not.


    After all, the Beast Tamer had another subsequent promotion path��Beast Master (Legendary)��which should be coming soon; once his black steed evolved into a savage beast, he would have two promotion paths to choose from.


    After thinking it over, Rein decided to first go outside.


    So, he stuffed the pair of white fangs into his waist pouch.


    ��.


    Outside the warehouse.


    ��Good! Graham, I always thought you were a wimp, but it turns out you��ve got guts!�� Barnes exclaimed, praising Graham as he saw the latter��s slightly paunchy figure charging into the fray alongside himself.


    However, just as the two were about to lead the Night Watchmen into the warehouse, suddenly, they saw someone emerging from inside.


    Immediately, everyone became alert and prepared for battle.


    ��Bang!��


    The already broken doors collapsed entirely at that moment.


    What appeared in their sight was a young and tall figure, dragging the body of a native and walking out of the warehouse unhurriedly.


    Rein also hadn��t expected to run into Graham, Barnes, and the others coming to provide support just as he stepped out of the warehouse.


    ��Fuck! Are all the new Sword Bearers this monstrous?��


    Barnes was unmistakably shocked to see the native who had gravely injured him being dragged out like a dead dog by Rein.


    Having exchanged blows himself, he naturally knew the strength of his adversary.


    Considering the opponent��s ability to control wild beasts in combat, their overall strength was comparable to that of a seasoned Great Knight, even slightly stronger.


    As for the ability to draw upon Beastly Vitality.


    Barnes had yet to experience that�� sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps, in the native��s eyes, dealing with him didn��t require using that power.


    ��Lord Reine, your task as a temporary appointee would at least merit a Bronze Medal evaluation!�� Barnes said enviously, gesturing a large ��three�� with his fingers as he looked at the native at Rein��s feet.


    To say he wasn��t envious would be a lie.


    Fighting tooth and nail was all for getting a better mission evaluation, thus securing more resources.


    ��Oh? An evaluation worth three Bronze Medals?�� Rein��s eyebrows shot up, a hint of joy on his face.


    This was something he was not entirely aware of.


    He only knew that mission evaluations would vary based on certain actual factors but hadn��t expected they could double.


    Moreover, Rein wasn��t too bothered by Barnes��s initial arrogance followed by deference.


    Because he had seen that despite his injuries, Barnes had been ready to charge into the warehouse with Graham to support him. Actions and courage alone proved a lot.


    ��Yes, the enemy possesses at least the strength of a seasoned Great Knight, and Lord Rein, you dealt with the situation very efficiently, finishing within less than half an hour without allowing the adversary to cause greater casualties and losses. Taking all these factors into account, an evaluation of three Bronze Medals is inescapable.��


    ��Of course, that��s after the final temporary task is over, and it��s all��.��


    Barnes said as if reading from a book.


    Rein nodded.


    The possibility of receiving an evaluation of three Bronze Medals for merely dealing with a sudden event was an unexpected pleasure!


    Of course, he couldn��t receive this evaluation right now.


    He would have to wait for a month, until the term of the temporary task was up, for a consolidated settlement.


    After all, if any urgent situation arose during the subsequent period and he managed to handle it successfully again, the reward could naturally continue to rise.


    ��Lord Reine, we really relied on you this time, otherwise the Empire��s Sword Bearers would have lost face,�� Barnes said, a pained look on his face.


    During the fight, Barnes could still bear the pain, but now that he let out his breath, his wounds seemed to worsen.


    ��Right, Lord Barnes, looking at your wounds that continue to bleed, it would be best to get them treated immediately,�� Graham, the security officer of the trade district, quickly joined the conversation.


    ��This time, I owe a lot to both of your interventions, or else���� Graham started in gratitude.


    ��Ah, shameful! Don��t thank me, thank Lord Reine!�� Barnes waved his hand and said, ��I can��t hold on any longer; the enemy��s attacks were somewhat strange, I need to go back to the Sword Bearers Branch to see a physician.��


    ��Quick! You guys, take Lord Barnes to the Sword Bearers Branch,�� Graham ordered, gesturing for his subordinates to hastily help Barnes onto a carriage.

 Chapter 577 - 245: Change of Profession! Beast Priest (Legendary)! (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2

    Chapter 577: Chapter 245: Change of Profession! Beast Priest (Legendary)! (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2


    At the side, Asani from the Yakesen Auction House was watching the scene with an anxious look, deep in thought:


    ��Viscount Fabien, how come your men haven��t arrived yet?��


    ��If they don��t come soon, the items will really end up in the hands of the Sword Bearers����


    ��.


    At that moment, Graham noticed that Rein��s silver knight armor also had fine holes and couldn��t help but ask with concern:


    ��Lord Rein, this injury of yours����


    ��It��s nothing, thank you for your concern, Lord Graham,�� Rein smiled and said.


    Graham looked again at Rein��s complexion, which was rosy with no signs of blood loss, and seeing that no blood was seeping from the holes in the breastplate, he nodded and said, ��That��s good, that��s good!��


    ��Lord Rein, you truly are a pillar of the empire����


    Graham hadn��t expected Rein to be so formidable.


    In his heart, he thought it was a blessing from the goddess of fortune that Rein had advanced to Great Knight at sixteen, and in terms of strength, it was more reasonable that he was merely skirting the lower limits of a Great Knight.


    But who could have expected that Rein��s strength was almost at the level of a seasoned knight?


    This wasn��t just a blessing from the goddess; he was practically the goddess��s illegitimate son��


    ��.


    Eventually, the manager Asani waited until Graham was called away by his subordinates.


    With a beaming face, Asani quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly to Rein, and said, ��Esteemed Baron Reine, I am Asani, the manager of the Yakesen caravan. Thank you for helping to address our caravan��s trouble.��


    ��It��s nothing, I��m the security advisor for the trade district, and dealing with such incidents falls within my duties,�� Rein didn��t quite understand the intention of the caravan manager before him.


    Accordingly, his reply was somewhat formulaic.


    ��Um�� Lord Rein, it��s like this. You see that native escaped from our caravan, and now his corpse, would we be able to redeem it? Of course, we would provide proper compensation,�� Asani carefully expressed his request.


    ��Oh? Redeem the body?�� Rein couldn��t help but look at him with surprise.


    At the same time, Rein quickly realized, what significance was there in redeeming the body of a native?


    Surely, the other party��s purpose wasn��t so simple, was it?


    However�� he had just searched the body of the native, and it seemed there was nothing valuable.


    After all, the man had been brought over by a slave-catching team and had been searched countless times already; if there had been anything valuable, it would have been taken long ago.


    Wait, not so fast!


    Could it be that what this fellow wanted was those tusks?


    Rein looked over Asani, the caravan manager, seeing his eyes flicker, his breathing quick, and his face slightly red, which made him even more certain of his guess.


    It must be!


    This was his spoils of war, and according to the Imperial Spoils Distribution Regulations, whether to surrender it up still depended on his own willingness.


    Moreover, this item was related to the conversion of his own legendary profession panel��


    Soon enough, Rein made a decision, and with a smile, he said:


    ��This guy killed so many people, involving even a noble. According to the Imperial Public Safety Management Regulations and the Dragan Empire Criminal Law, the murderer��s body must be preserved for a month, waiting for officials to come and perform an autopsy.��


    ��Do you not know this, Mr. Manager?��


    Fuck!


    Imperial Public Safety Management Regulations?


    Dragan Empire Criminal Law?


    Weren��t you wholly focused on combat as a Sword Bearer?


    How can you be so familiar with imperial laws and regulations?


    Rein��s every word closely adhered to the imperial laws and regulations, causing Asani to break out in a sweat, momentarily at a loss for words.


    His purpose, of course, wasn��t really the native��s body, but that item��the ancient tusks, which had been worshipped and revered by the native tribe for hundreds or even thousands of years, purportedly possessing some mythical power.


    But after the Yakesen company��s elite slave-catching team annihilated the native tribe, they just couldn��t find those tusks.


    However, according to an auction house��s wizard specializing in divination, the trace or hiding place of the ancient tusks was with these surviving natives.


    Therefore, they had brought the surviving natives back, planning to slowly interrogate them.


    But unexpectedly, just when they had let their guard down upon reaching Mingster, this mishap occurred!


    Shit!


    Just then, a piercing cry of an eagle sounded in the sky.


    Immediately after, came the sound of strong wing flapping, and Rein looked up to see two griffins, each about four or five meters long including the tail, with a lion��s body and an eagle��s head, boasting sturdy muscles and broad wingspans, descending from the sky!


    Once the two griffins landed, they both glanced around with their unusually majestic eagle eyes.


    This wasn��t Rein��s first time seeing a griffin, but it still filled him with envy!


    He was really looking forward to Blood Feather growing up quickly. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After arriving at the Sword Bearers Branch, Rein had also learned that the Blood Feathered Horned Eagle belonged to the same tier of naturally fierce and predatory birds as the griffins, which meant that when Blood Feather was fully grown, it could completely hold its own in aerial combat against the griffins.


    At that moment, two people jumped off the backs of the two griffins, one wearing silver armor, while the other was a middle-aged man in light golden armor.


    Upon seeing the newcomers, Graham��s eyes lit up, and he quickly ran towards the man in light golden armor, bending slightly and saying, ��Viscount Philke, what brings you here in person.��


    ��Lord Eustace, good to see you as well,�� Graham also did not forget the other Griffin Knight.

 Chapter 578 - 245: Change of Profession! Beast Priest (Legendary)! (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3

    Chapter 578: Chapter 245: Change of Profession! Beast Priest (Legendary)! (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3


    ��I heard from Eustace that a native appeared here, capable of influencing the behavior of beasts and even griffins, so I came to have a look. Has the situation been resolved now?��


    Felk quickly locked onto the native lying at Rein��s feet, the distinctive features of vibrant bird feathers in their hair and skin covered with various lines were all too eye-catching.


    ��Yes, Viscount Felk, this is Baron Rein, the new security advisor for the trade district from the Imperial Sword Bearers. It was Baron Rein who took care of this powerful native.��


    ��Hmm?�� Felk glanced at Rein with a puzzled look, obviously a bit surprised by Rein��s youthful face, but he soon smiled and said, ��Lord Reine, you are quite promising!��


    ��Thank you for the compliment, Viscount Felk.�� Rein smiled and bowed slightly.


    Rein could feel that this Viscount Felk, with his calm demeanor, was very strong, with at least the strength of a Peak Knight.


    After a short exchange of pleasantries, Felk did not linger long and immediately mounted his griffin to take flight, quickly leaving the scene.


    ��How impressive, a Griffin Knight!�� the short-statured Matteo couldn��t help but exclaim as he watched the griffin take to the sky.


    In Flashgold Town or even in Meist County City, he had never seen a real Griffin Knight before.


    This time, following Lord Reine to the provincial city of Mingster, it was quite an eye-opening experience.


    Graham smiled and introduced to Rein, ��Viscount Felk is the deputy captain of the Griffin Squadron in Mingster Province. It��s said that he has a profound background with contacts within higher ups.��


    ��Imperial City?�� Rein was a bit surprised.


    Graham nodded with a smile.


    ��Hehe, Lord Reine, is this your��?��


    ��This is Matteo, a clerk from my business house,�� Rein said with a smile.


    ��A business house?�� Graham��s eyes brightened as he seemed to think of something.


    ��Yes, it��s a newly established business house, called Hammer and Rose. We��ve just come to Mingster to expand our business and are still at the starting stage. The storefront is just over there,�� Rein pointed in the direction of the street they had come from.


    Graham looked enlightened, about to say something, when suddenly, he saw two young and pretty noble ladies running over with their dress hems in their hands.


    It was Jenny and Agatha.


    Both women were panting and looking anxiously at Rein. Upon seeing the dozen holes in Rein��s light silver knight��s armor and the bloodstains on his body, they couldn��t help but worry, thinking that Rein had been seriously injured.


    ��Lord Rein, you are���� Agatha couldn��t help stepping forward to support Rein.


    Jenny had extended her hand, but then retracted it, remembering that Rein was her mother��s��


    But soon, she extended her hand again.


    After all, even if he was her father, it wouldn��t hurt to give a little help!


    ��I��m fine,�� Rein said with a wry smile, afraid of hurting the ladies if he pulled away, so he tried to reassure them softly.


    Graham couldn��t help but show an expression that all men understand, sniggering privately to himself.


    It was just as he had expected.


    Two delicate noble ladies, and yet Lord Reine, so young, yet already so vigorous!


    ��Baron Rein, please get some rest. I still have some matters to attend to, so I��ll leave you be.��


    ��When I have some free time, I��ll have to come visit your business house,�� Graham declared with a down-to-earth air.


    ��Of course, Sheriff Graham, you��re welcome any time,�� Rein said with a nod and a smile.


    After watching Graham leave, Rein looked down at the two ladies and said, ��I really am not injured.��


    ��Lord Reine, your armor is made of hydroskin steel and it has so many holes. Could your body possibly be tougher than this high-grade knight��s armor?�� Agatha said incredulously, puffing up with concern.


    Jenny also looked at Rein with skeptical, beautiful eyes, clearly not believing him.


    Seeing the disbelief on the ladies�� faces, Rein shook his head and helplessly said, ��Then I��ll take off my breastplate, and you��ll see for yourselves.��


    With Matteo��s help, Rein quickly removed his damaged hydroskin steel breastplate.


    Only then did the ladies see that although Rein��s undershirt also had holes, there was no blood.


    Agatha was even more curious, reaching her small hand to examine the holes in Rein��s undershirt, her soft fingertips passing through and caressing Rein��s solid chest.


    This immediately made Rein feel a bit embarrassed.


    Jenny covered her flushed face with her hands in embarrassment!


    That wretched girl!


    How dare she openly take advantage of Lord Reine!


    For Agatha, it was even worse, because Rein had sweated a lot after the battle ended, and the smell filled with masculine hormones had rushed into her nose, nearly making her swoon.


    At that moment, her face flushed, she almost lay upon Rein��s body, her legs involuntarily clenching together.


    So strong!


    Such a good smell! S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Heavens! This body is truly tougher than hydroskin steel, yet it has such a hot temperature! Agatha��s heart screamed!


    ��Tch�� enough! Agatha!�� Jenny couldn��t stand to watch any longer, admonishing her in a low voice and hastily pulling Agatha away.


    Her good friend had actually gone into heat on the street, it was too much!


    If it hadn��t been for the public setting, she might have even presented herself to Lord Reine freshly bathed.


    ��Lord Reine, shall we go take a look at the shop? After all, it is your property, and it would be a good opportunity for you to rest as well,�� Jenny suggested with a smile.


    Source: Webn0vel.com, updated on Novg0.co

 Chapter 579 - 245: Job Change! Beast Priest (Legendary)! (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4

    Chapter 579: Chapter 245: Job Change! Beast Priest (Legendary)! (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_4


    ��Very well!��


    Lord Reine mostly wanted to see ��Cookie,�� ��Blood Feather,�� and the black horse.


    He watched as the figures of Reine and his companions disappeared.


    Hidden in the distance, the leader of the Axen caravan, Asani, with a glint in his eyes and a contemplative expression, soon whispered to several servants at his side, ��Go, follow this Lord Reine and see where he goes.��


    ��Be careful, take turns, and do not get caught.��


    ��At your command, Lord Asani.��


    ��


    The corpse of the native still lay there, guarded by over ten elite Night Watchmen. Asani thought for a moment, then quickly approached the trade district sheriff, Graham, and began to ingratiate himself.


    Several minutes later, he started to speak, ��Lord Graham, our caravan has lost an item, which we suspect was stolen by this native.��


    ��I would like to search the native��s body, if you see fit, may I?�� S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Graham, with an expressionless face, took the heavy purse Asani covertly handed him and quickly slipped it into his own belt pouch, but his response was still noncommittal:


    ��The man who killed him is Baron Reine, Asani, and this puts me in a difficult position.��


    Damn!


    Greedy fella!


    ��In this case, Lord Graham, how about this? Under your supervision, we check if the item is there or not. If it��s not, there��s no need to discuss further.��


    ��If it is there, I won��t take it away. I will first discuss the matter with Baron Reine. Please, would that be acceptable?�� Asani quickly devised a workaround.


    At least this way, he could determine whether the item was on the body of the deceased.


    ��Well then, alright!��


    ��Hurry up, I give you ten minutes.��


    ��Don��t get handsy; too many eyes are watching you.�� Graham thought about it and quickly agreed.


    After all, they were merely looking, and Lord Reine himself suffered no loss, while he, Graham, could consider it a favor granted to Asani.


    Asani, a relieved smile on his face, waved to the two servants behind him, and they quickly began searching the native��s body.


    At this moment, the native��s body was drenched in blood, covered with countless wounds of varying sizes and lengths, making it feel muddy and reek of blood.


    But they had no choice, Asani and several followers thoroughly searched the native��s body to and fro but found nothing.


    It did confirm one thing, though��the native had several fractured bones, and even two ribs were missing��


    The Baron Reine of the Sword Bearers, indeed, was a ruthless man, even removing ribs!


    ��


    Upon arriving at the residence Jenny had bought, Reine began to inspect it.


    The residence, in terms of size, was only slightly larger than the one near the administrative hall in Flashgold Town, which was only due to the addition of a stable. However, the cost was as high as three thousand gold coins.


    This made Reine sigh, ��Living in the capital is indeed not easy!��


    It wasn��t that the merchant funds were insufficient, but most of the capital was invested in renting shops and public relations. Moreover, they needed to keep enough funds for cash flow, which is why Jenny chose to temporarily buy this house.


    Upon seeing its master, a dog as big as a small pony rushed over��it was Cookie. Wagging its tail excitedly, it barked a few times at Reine, ��Woof, woof!��


    There was a hint of cajoling in the bark, as well as a hint of complaint, as if saying, how come it took him so long to come see it!


    Immediately, Cookie kept circling Lord Reine until he, laughing, petted him for a good while, finally calming him down.


    At that moment, a sharp bird cry came from the rooftop, and Blood Feather, now nearly the size of an adult swan, swiftly swooped down and perched on the muscular arm of Lord Reine.


    A few minutes later, Lord Reine went to the stables to check on the black horse.


    But to his disappointment, although the black horse was spirited, it had not undergone any significant changes compared to before.


    ��Could it be that the black horse��s mutation failed?��


    ��Well, mutation growth potions aren��t always guaranteed to succeed every time.��


    ��But�� what about increasing the dosage?��


    ��Could that possibly raise the success rate?��


    ��.


    Meanwhile,


    Not far from Lord Reine��s residence on the streets,


    ��Lord Hammis, you��ve finally arrived,�� Trader Asani said eagerly to a lean man in black leather armor, with a short dagger hanging from his waist.


    ��The item is no longer on that runaway native; it is very likely now in the hands of a Sword Bearer named Lord Reine, he is right in��.��


    ��.


    Since Lord Reine planned to return to the Sword Bearers Branch after dinner with the two women, he paused for a moment, then first went back to the room Jenny had arranged for him, to rest for a bit.


    Once in the room, Lord Reine started pondering over the two entirely different career paths following the Beast Tamer.


    ��I��m not sure what new core skills Beastmaster (Legendary) might have, but if I were to guess based on the lineage of Beast Tamer (Transcendent), if there is a new core skill, it would probably allow for more pets to be contracted.��


    ��That native��s ability to heal wounds is likely due to the Ancient Giant Troll fangs, and since Beast Priest (Legendary), as a special career change, consumes these fangs, it��s very likely that the career change would grant this skill. I��m truly envious��.��


    ��And then there��s Control Beast Pack��.��


    ��It��s not that Beastmaster (Legendary) isn��t good enough, it��s just that the benefits of Beast Priest (Legendary) right in front of me are too great��.�� Lord Reine sighed, having made a decision!


    He then took out the pair of faintly glowing white Ancient Giant Troll fangs from his pouch.


    The system prompt then sounded:


    ��.


    [Prerequisites for advancing to Beast Priest (Legendary) are: one, Beast Tamer (Transcendent) lv5 or above; two, Spirit 25 points or above; three, possession of at least one fierce beast; four, consumption of a pair of Ancient Giant Troll fangs��. Current conditions met, yes/no change profession to Beast Priest (Legendary)?]


    [Note: Advancing to Beast Priest (Legendary) will override the Beast Tamer (Transcendent) profession panel.]


    This time, Lord Reine did not hesitate to choose yes!


    As the pair of Ancient Giant Troll fangs turned to powder��..


    [Ding! Profession change successful!]


    [Changed to Beast Priest (Legendary)! Strength +2, Agility +2, Constitution +2, Spirit +3! Acquired Beast Priest (Legendary) core skills: Beastly Robustness lv1 (Passive), Beastly Vitality lv1 (Active), Control Beast Pack lv1 (Active).]


    ��


    Before Lord Reine could start examining the descriptions of the three core skills, suddenly, his expression darkened. Turning his head towards the door, he said,


    ��Who��s out there?��


    Source: Webn0vel.com, updated on Novg0.co

 Chapter 580 - 246 Sudden Change (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)

    Chapter 580: Chapter 246 Sudden Change (Two-in-One Mega Chapter)


    If it weren��t for the disappearance of the ancient giant troll tusks, causing an extremely subtle fluctuation in the atmosphere, Rein would not have detected the other party.


    Clearly, the other party was very skilled at concealing their presence.


    ��Such keen perception, Lord Rein, I apologize for the intrusion.��


    ��I am Hammis from the Yakesen Commerce Group, may I have the honor of meeting with you, Lord Rein?�� A soft male voice came from outside the door.


    Rein looked at the tusks that had now turned into powder and couldn��t help but laugh to himself, thinking, what difference does a meeting make? Even if I wanted to give you the tusks now, I couldn��t.


    However, listening to him couldn��t hurt to see what he intended.


    ��Come in!�� Rein said aloud.


    The door was gently opened, and a thin but rugged man in leather armor walked in, his narrow eyes giving off the impression of a snake��s stare.


    This man, named Hammis, bowed slightly and said, ��Lord Rein, I am here on behalf of Viscount Fabien, the head of the M��nster Axon Auction House, to extend his greetings to you.��


    ��Mr. Hammis, please state your purpose,�� Rein said as he scrutinized the man up and down.


    The short dagger at the man��s waist seemed to indicate he was an assassin.


    ��Lord Rein, the reason for my visit is to request that you sell to us the tusks you��ve obtained from the natives. The auction house values them highly,�� he said.


    Rein waved his hand, saying, ��Mr. Hammis, I am sorry, but I don��t have any tusks here.��


    He wasn��t lying.


    Although they had existed seconds ago, now turned into powder, naturally, there were no tusks left.


    Hammis, staring at Rein��s unemotionally steady gaze, was momentarily stunned!


    What? Could it be that he��s telling the truth?


    But that couldn��t be possible!


    Just when he arrived nearby, he had sensed that subtle fluctuation, and having tracked these tusks for so long, it should not have been a mistake.


    After a moment��s thought, Hammis��s expression turned serious as he solemnly said, ��Lord Rein, though you are the honored Imperial Sword Bearer, perhaps you are not aware that the Yakesen Auction House has more influence than you might expect.��


    ��Viscount Fabien is just a figure fronting them, and by taking this stand, you are offending more than just a viscount, which is unwise.��


    ��Oh? Mr. Hammis, are you threatening me?�� Rein chuckled.


    ��Do you know how much I detest being threatened? Besides, even if I had the tusks you refer to, according to the Empire��s War Spoils Distribution Act, they would belong to me, right?��


    ��Or is the Yakesen Auction House trying to challenge this well-established imperial stipulation? Perhaps, I should spread this issue within the Sword Bearers Branch.��


    ��This���� Hammis momentarily didn��t know what to say.


    Oh, damn it!


    If it weren��t for those idiots in Asani��s caravan thinking they had already reached Mingster and letting their guard down, allowing this native to escape, none of these problems would have arisen!


    Before coming here, he had examined the native��s injuries, knowing that this young Lord Rein was no simple character, and moreover, he was someone of sensitive identity.


    If it wasn��t necessary, he would prefer not to confront him.


    ��Lord Rein, let me speak plainly. These tusks are very important to the Yakesen Auction House, specifically requested by a Marquis. If you still intend to keep your position, please don��t regret it?��


    ��I really don��t have tusks here. If you don��t believe me, you can check.�� Rein spread his hands out.


    Then, Rein voluntarily emptied everything from his pouch.


    ��I can swear to this by the goddess!�� Rein said emphatically.


    He had known beforehand that the Yakesen Auction House was reputed to have a profound backing, so the better he could bluff his way through, the better.


    Additionally, he was indeed telling the truth.


    The tusks had already turned into bone powder; if they wanted powder, that might still be negotiable.


    Want the tusks? Then there��s nothing to be done��.Rein thought to himself.


    Hammis, observing Rein��s clear and serious eyes, as well as his unhesitant manner in swearing, became confused.


    Such clear eyes didn��t seem to be those of a liar��.


    Hammis then examined again the scattered items from Rein��s pouch, and there were no tusks in it.


    The tusks, being long and white, should have been easy to find.


    He looked around Rein��s room, which was simply decorated and seemed to have no place to hide anything.


    There was some powdery substance on the floor��.


    But that was probably just the cleaning not done thoroughly by the servants��.


    ��Very well��.It seems highly likely that I was mistaken, my deepest apologies! I hope you won��t mind my intrusion, Lord Rein,�� Hammis bowed deeply.


    ��Of course not,�� Rein waved his hand and replied.


    Hammis bowed again and quickly turned to leave.


    After watching Hammis leave, Rein began to ponder thoughtfully.


    It seems these ancient giant troll tusks must be rare, otherwise, certain people from the Yakesen Auction House wouldn��t be so persistent.


    Perhaps, after returning to the Sword Bearers Branch, he should look up some relevant information.


    Thinking this over, Rein then shifted his focus back to the information on his class transfer.


    This legendary class transfer also resulted in an overall increase in all attributes, especially boosting his Spirit by 3 points.


    Rein flipped to the attributes page on his system panel:


    Name: Rein Carlan


    Occupation: Weapon Master (Legendary) lv6 (1912/3000) / Beast Priest (Legendary) lv1 (1/100) / Wizard Apprentice (Transcendent) lv6 (792/3000) / Deadly Poison Master (Transcendent) lv6 (69/3000) / Armorer lv6 (211/3000) Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.